Bill Aitken came to India nearly 60 years ago. He never returned. An Indian citizen since 1972, he tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih how India changed his life forever.
'A few answers for the reason of the crash will be known -- whether it was a technical fault, design issue, human error etc.'
'CORSIA has set impossible targets. It tries to limit countries to the emission levels of the number of aircraft that they had in 2020. That has to be opposed.'
An Indian delegation met top officials of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate here even as New Delhi stepped up efforts to designate The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Tayyaba proxy, as a UN-listed terror outfit for its alleged involvement in the Pahalgam attack.
The UN Security Council could meet soon to discuss the situation between India and Pakistan, with the UNSC President expressing concern over rising tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors. The President, Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris of Greece, said a meeting would provide an opportunity to express views and help diffuse tensions. Sekeris also condemned terrorism in all its forms, including the recent attack in Pahalgam, and called for de-escalation and dialogue between India and Pakistan.
The retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin has opened the door for other spin all-rounders to step up, and Vidyut is confident that Washington Sundar could be the one to watch.
Vance is expected to be accompanied by at least five senior officials, including from the Pentagon and the State Department, the people cited above said.
More than 300 flights have been cancelled and at least 25 airports, including Srinagar, have been temporarily shut for operations amid restrictions in the wake of the armed forces launching missile attacks on terror targets in Pakistan on Wednesday morning.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday alleged that Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi visited Pakistan on an invitation from its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence, and that he worked closely with the establishment of the neighbouring nation.
An Air India aircraft with 242 passengers on board heading to London crashed in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, the police said.
India has secured international support in its fight against terrorism, with Russia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates expressing solidarity and a commitment to working together to combat the threat. This follows a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India, which claimed 26 lives. Multi-party parliamentary delegations from India briefed the leaderships of these countries on Operation Sindoor, India's response to the attack, and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism and combating radicalism. These developments highlight the growing global consensus against terrorism and the importance of international collaboration to address this shared challenge.
'Of course, people will have to carry documents all the time. There is overall uncertainty in living in the US.'
The cricketer, who was part of India's T20 World Cup 2024 winning squad, said such awards, however small in nature, will work as an inspiration for young athletes to bring laurels to the country.
US Vice President JD Vance's three children, dressed in traditional Indian attire, won hearts in India during their visit. The children, who landed in Delhi on Monday, were photographed in their outfits, which quickly went viral on social media. The children's outfits were a hit with photographers covering the visit, and their photos trended on social media throughout the day.
The BJP has launched a fresh attack on Rahul Gandhi, questioning his frequent visits to Vietnam. The party's leaders have accused him of spending more time in the Southeast Asian country than his constituency and have demanded an explanation for his "extraordinary fondness" for Vietnam. Gandhi's foreign trips have been a target of the BJP's criticism in the past, with the party portraying him as unserious and unfit for domestic politics.
'The Pacific crossing was the longest and toughest leg.' 'Temperatures dropped near zero and they navigated through two cyclones.'
US Vice President J D Vance is scheduled to travel to India later this month, alongside his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance. This will be Vance's second foreign trip as vice president and Usha Vance's first visit to her ancestral country. The couple met while attending Yale Law School and Usha Vance has a background in law, having clerked for Chief Justice John G Roberts and Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Pakistan is holding a high-level security meeting to formulate a response to India's suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and downgrading of diplomatic ties. The meeting, convened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, will include the National Security Committee, three services chiefs, and key ministers. The move comes after India blamed Pakistan for a terror attack in Pahalgam, which Pakistan has denied. Diplomatic observers warn that the escalation could further strain relations between the two countries.
Assam is hosting over 60 ambassadors from various countries on a trip to showcase its potential. The ambassadors will visit Kaziranga National Park, witness a Jhumur dance performance, and attend a business summit. The state government aims to highlight the peaceful atmosphere and convince countries with negative travel advisories to withdraw them.
Batters take power-hitting to another level in the IPL, but the "bowlers will have their day" if they focus on staying aggressive without compromising accuracy, says Mumbai Indians' star seamer Trent Boult.
It is important for India to pay close attention to both the tone and substance of authoritative remarks coming out of Pakistan, explains former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
A Belgian court has declined the bail plea of Mehul Choksi, a key accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan fraud case.
'If tomorrow India says there should be no no-balls or wide balls, the ICC will find a way to make it happen.'
Chief Justice of India Justice B R Gavai on Friday praised Justice Bela M Trivedi for her career trajectory from the subordinate judiciary all the way up to the Supreme Court, where she became the eleventh woman judge to be appointed in its history.
'It has the potential to sow seeds of furthering discord when the direction of the discourse is aimed at propagating the perceived supremacy of 'cultural nationalism' from a distant past over the prevailing dominance of 'Constitutional nationalism',' argues N Sathiya Moorthy.
The BCCI has drawn a firm line-there will be no bilateral cricket with Pakistan, now or in the future, says vice-president Rajeev Shukla.
Following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, India has ordered all Pakistani nationals to leave the country within 48 hours. This has led to a mass exodus of Pakistani citizens from India, while several women married to Pakistani nationals and holding Indian passports are facing difficulties returning to their families in Pakistan.
The giant statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel is most impressive and a trip to the viewing gallery on top is the high point of a trip to Kevadia, Gujarat.
We had to evacuate 25,000 people without pressing panic button: IPL chairman Dhumal
The top court in Spain's Catalonia region said on Friday it had overturned the conviction of Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves for sexual assault on appeal, saying the original ruling presented "inconsistencies and contradictions".
"We don't want people going after Muslims and Kashmiris," Himanshi Narwal said on Thursday, stoic and firm as she mourned her husband, Naval officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was gunned down in Pahalgam just 10 days ago. He would have been 27 on Thursday.
Tahawwur Rana has the answers to festering questions on the 26/11 terror attacks and the NIA must pry it out of him, even if they have to feed him biryani, advocates Athimuthu Ganesh Nadar.
Pakistan on Monday banned travel from 15 countries, except under certain conditions, and tightened up travel restrictions on 13 other countries in wake of the threat of the new COVID-19 variant Omicorn.
Travel from India increased significantly after resumption of direct flights in March, Turkiye Tourism Board said, with destination weddings contributing to arrivals
The exit deadline for Pakistani nationals visiting India on SAARC visas ended on April 26, while for the rest, except those on medical visas, it is set to close on Sunday, April 27 amid escalating tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
'We in Kashmir will ensure that this kind of incident does not happen again.'
With only a few days to go before the country celebrates Holi, several airline companies offered discounts on fares on the occasion of the festival of colours. While two airlines are providing discounts on both domestic and international networks, another has the offer only for the domestic sector. Low-cost airline Akasa Air said it is offering an all-inclusive one-way fare starting at Rs 1,499 on domestic routes.
A new book details how a German submarine torpedoed the ship carrying B.R. Ambedkar's PhD dissertation and a vast collection of books during World War I. This setback did not deter the Dalit icon and architect of India's Constitution, who went on to earn multiple doctorates.
The 64-year-old Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman would also be questioned on his suspected links with the officials of Pakistan spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and his association with terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which had orchestrated the attacks.
'Indian private universities can provide world-class education at one fourth the cost, home comforts, and direct links to Indian and global industries.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances