NEW DELHI: India has conferred its highest civilian honor on former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is credited with bringing about a thaw in relations with Pakistan.
The charismatic former leader from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who turns 90 on Thursday and is in ill health, was premier first in 1996 and again from 1998 to 2004.
Known for his consensual approach, his nearly five decades of parliamentary experience earned him respect across the political spectrum, including from the rival Congress party.
Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also of the BJP, said he was “delighted” by the decision to award Vajpayee the Bharat Ratna.
“A guide, inspiration & giant among giants. His contribution to India is invaluable,” Modi tweeted.
Pakistan and India have fought three wars and came close to a fourth in 2002 before Vajpayee extended the hand of friendship to Islamabad.
The Bharat Ratna is also being conferred on the late Indian educationist Madan Mohan Malviya, who established India’s renowned Banaras Hindu University and also took part in the country’s independence movement.
Just 43 people have been honored with the title since its inception, including scientist C.V. Raman and star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
India awards top civilian honor to former PM Vajpayee
India awards top civilian honor to former PM Vajpayee
German military imposes general filming ban to curb social media risks
- The new policy requires soldiers to seek explicit permission
- Violations of the rule could be punished by disciplinary measures
BERLIN: Germany’s military has banned staff from filming and photography at all its sites since late February over concerns that sensitive information could be visible on social media, a defense ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
The German military has increasingly been using social media to help meet its ambitious recruiting goals.
The new policy requires soldiers to seek explicit permission, versus the previous guidelines that generally allowed filming and videos.
The new policy doesn’t mean personnel can no longer present themselves on social media or similar platforms, “we are quite proud of that,” added the spokesperson.
Violations of the rule could be punished by disciplinary measures or even criminal charges, depending on the severity.
The Bild newspaper first reported on the reforms.
