Iran on Tuesday said that the Islamic Republic has "no plans" to hold any meetings with the United States in the coming days at any level, even as diplomatic engagements continue separately in Doha on the related implementation of the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the hostilities in West Asia.
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
'Every Indian knows why the BJP is targeting Hamid Ansari.'
Just like with millions of Indian Muslims, even the vice president of India has been forced to undergo the covert loyalty test: 'you are presumed to be pro-Pakistan until you demonstrably prove you are a nationalist', says Shehzad Poonawalla.
Hamid Anasari's was not talking of reservation for the whole religious community to which he too happens to belong. Yet, sections of media chose to put words into his mouth and then subject him to the criticism he never deserved. This does not augur well for our media or democracy, says Mohammad Sajjad.
'While the meeting on December 6th was perfectly legal, was it ethical?' asks Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
'The chair is a referee in a match, whether this side is playing better or that side is playing worse is no concern of the chair.'
Our boys got the Olympic medals -- two bronzes and one gold -- not because of the IOA but in spite of them. The boxers and the wrestlers coped with official apathy, non-release of funds meant for their preparations to go to Beijing Olympics; for the boxers, only some 35 per cent was released of the Rs 1 cr granted. Bindra had his father to thank for because he was gifted a world-class firing range on his own farm to practice in
'I think we have had these periods of standoffs with China.' 'And there is enough knowledge, enough experience, enough wisdom still available to be able to retrieve situations.'
At an online book release event, former vice president Hamid Ansari lays to rest the controversies surrounding his tenure.
It is 'when someone uses their emotional problems to hook an audience on the Internet.'
It essentially amounts to 'performing sadness online for sympathy and/or attention,' explains Sandeep Goyal.
A look at the big winners of the night!
'We are a plural society that for centuries, not for 70 years, has lived in a certain ambience of acceptance.' 'It is under threat,' outgoing Vice President Hamid Ansari tells Karan Thapar.
Manzoor Dar bagged his maiden Indian Premier League deal of Rs 20 lakh from Kings XI Punjab.
'Nobody in AMU supports Jinnah's two-nation theory.' 'It is shameful we are debating Jinnah and not education or employment.'
Anil Rego, CEO, Right Horizons, answers your personal income tax queries.
Manoj Sinha's greatest asset is his capacity to get on with everyone regardless of political affiliation, notes Aditi Phadnis.
'From his persistent fuelling of pan-Hindu nationalism to pandering to narrow Gujarati chauvinism, Rambo rides again, using fair means and foul -- and often foul -- to gain the battleground,' says Sunil Sethi.
When he thinks no one is looking, the misogyny of a sham feminist man can be as red in tooth and claw as that of the neanderthal neighbour who beats up his wife. Only, it seems doubly unsettling because it comes from someone we trusted, says Shuma Raha.
The chairman posed questions before the House, mentioning earlier instances of adjournment in such cases, saying the norm was to adjourn only when a sitting member of the Upper House passed away.
We celebrate Kishore Kumar's 90th birth anniversary on August 4 with Amit Kumar's 10 favourite Kishore Kumar songs.
The Congress on Wednesday disrupted the functioning of the Rajya Sabha over the naming of the Hyderabad domestic airport, contending that Rajiv Gandhi's name has been removed and should be restored, a demand rejected by the government.
'#metoo has put front and centre an issue that society has suppressed for far too long,' says Kanika Datta.
The 78-year-old Ahamed died at 2:15 am at RML hospital where he was admitted on Tuesday and put on artificial life support.
Indian Members of Parliament have written to President Barack Obama, urging the US Administration to maintain the current policy of denying visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
A spirited turn at the mic by Mahua Moitra, first-time MP from Trinamool Congress, in which she listed the "signs of early fascism", has been hailed as the "speech of the year" on social media.
Other nominations include Dunkirk, The Post and I, Tonya.
If Irrfan could have been our finest professor of empirical philosophy, and Nawaz is our foremost poet of that space halfway between the gutter and the stars, then Jaideep Ahlawat has to be our greatest artist-scientist, asserts Sreehari Nair.
The Congress members raised slogans and trooped into the Well of the House, demanding apology of the minister.
A quick look at the winners.
'No country or society ever prospered or remained secure by marginalising more than one-sixth of its own,' warns Shekhar Gupta.
Opposition parties disrupted the proceedings of the Parliament for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday over the demonetisation issue.
After last week's acquittal of 16 policemen, pointedly accused of the cold-blooded murder of 42 Muslims in Meerut in 1987, this mohalla in Meerut is still scarred by the past but willing to move on
The Question hour in the Lok Sabha was also washed out for the second consecutive day as an aggressive opposition stalled the proceedings over the same controversy.
Blackmail on one side and bullying on the other doesn't make for a constructive partnership, says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
A 10-time Lok Sabha MP, Chatterjee was a central committee member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, which he had joined in 1968. He was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.
