India rejected a video Pakistan released of Indian death row convict Kulbhushan Jadhav. A new book says Donald Trump is lurching from crisis to crisis and even some of his closest allies have expressed contempt for him. Several states in the US are reeling from a winter storm called ‘bombogenesis’. A judge made a mysterious comment about former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad.
These were the top stories on Thursday. Here is more about them.
US freezes security assistance to Pakistan
The United States announced it was suspending “nearly all” security-related assistance to Pakistan until it showed tangible evidence it had taken decisive action in combating terrorists operating from its soil, chiefly the Haqqani Network, an Afghan Taliban affiliate.
Pak on US watch list for religious freedom violations
The US put Pakistan on a “special watch list” for “severe violations” of religious freedom. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson also “re-designated” Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as “countries of particular concern” for their handling of religious freedom.
New Pakistan video of ‘Indian spy’
{{/usCountry}}New Pakistan video of ‘Indian spy’
{{/usCountry}}Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in a Pakistani prison for spying and terrorism, says in the video that Pakistan is treating him well. Jadhav thanks Pakistan for allowing his mother and wife to meet him in Islamabad recently and alleges an Indian diplomat yelled at his family. India rejected the video as “propagandistic exercise”.
Bengaluru to Hyderabad, there is H-1B visa worry
Indians who have family and friends working in the US have their fingers crossed over a Trump administration proposal to end the practice of granting extensions to H-1B visa holders whose applications for permanent residency are pending.
Mevani and Khalid booked over Maharashtra Dalit protests
Police registered a FIR against Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and student leader Umar Khalid as they sought to prevent violence during Dalit protests in Maharashtra. Mevani and Khalid were disallowed from speaking to students in Mumbai about Bhima Koregaon, where a man died on January 1 when Dalit groups were commemorating a British-era war. Dalit groups had on Wednesday shut down Mumbai and Maharasthra to protest the violence at Bhima Koregaon.
Donald Trump flips over new book about his presidency
Trump did not want to be the US President and his wife Melania was in tears when she heard about his surprising electoral victory last year, says a new book written by American journalist Michael Wolff. Trump has banished his former chief strategist Steve Bannon from his inner circle after Bannon was quoted in the book disparaging the president’s children.
HC commutes death sentence given to killers of Jigisha Ghosh
The Delhi High Court commuted to life the death sentence of two men accused of murdering IT executive Jigisha Ghosh nine years ago, saying the crime cannot be characterised as “rarest of rare”. A lower court had sentenced Ravi Kapoor and Amit Shukla to death for abducting and murdering Ghosh, calling their crime “cold-blooded, inhuman and cruel”.
Rare winter storm called ‘bombogenesis’ hits the US
A rare type of winter storm hit the US Southeast, dumping snow on Florida’s capital for the first time in three decades and forcing Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia to declare emergency. “Bombogenesis,” also known as a “bomb cyclone,” occurs when a storm’s barometric pressure drops by 24 millibars in 24 hours, greatly strengthening the storm.
Lalu Prasad’s supporters calling me, says judge
A judge in Ranchi who is scheduled to sentence former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad in a corruption case says he had got phone calls from the politician’s well-wishers. CBI judge Shiv Pal Singh, who has found Prasad guilty in a fodder scam case, didn’t elaborate.
New Infosys CEO’s pay package announced
Infosys Ltd’s new CEO Salil Parekh will get Rs 9.75 crore as joining bonus and stands to make Rs 17.3 crore for the first year, which could possibly be doubled to Rs 35.25 crore for the year ending March 2021, provided the former Capgemini executive steers the company well. Parekh stands to make up to Rs 16.25 crore in cash every year, which includes a fixed salary of Rs 6.5 crore and a variable pay of up to Rs9.75 crore, reports Mint.
Chennai Super Kings retain Dhoni, Raina and Jadeja
The Chennai Super Kings kept MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja when Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisees announced their player retentions for 2018. Dhoni was retained for Rs 15 crore while Raina and Jadeja were kept for Rs 11 crore and Rs 7 crore.