Firstpost Editor's Picks: BS Yediyurappa's half-cabinet, Rajnath Singh on nuclear policy, Khayyam's death; today's must-read stories

BS Yediyurappa half cabinet leaves deep discontent in Karnataka BJP, but Amit Shah shows who’s boss; deft manoeuvring not CM’s forte

Karnataka BJP strongman ‘BSY’ may be fast turning into a ‘BS Why’ for the party’s central leadership. And it’s not just because chief minister BS Yediyurappa is past 75 years of age, which is also Bharatiya Janata Party’s supposed retirement age for positions of authority.

NFU has outlived its purpose; Rajnath Singh’s remarks on shift in India’s nuclear policy indicate ambiguity in doctrine essential

Everything about Rajnath Singh’s reference to India’s ’no first use’ (NFU) nuclear policy — first in comments to media in Pokhran and subsequently in a tweet — carries an unmistakable imprint of a change in India’s nuclear doctrine without confirming to do so.

India head coach Pullela Gopichand was spotted in a rare moment of ecstasy as he clenched his fists and let a smile cross his face. It was that kind of a victory for his pupil, HS Prannoy, whose form of late had left much to be desired.

Afghanistan’s intelligence service, the Riyasat-e Amniyat-e Milli, has been working overtime to ensure the release of six Indians held prisoner by the Taliban. They even freed some terrorists from state custody to secure the release of one of the kidnapped men in March. But now, with India-Pakistan relations sharply deteriorating, fears are mounting for their safety.

Khayyam passes away: Legendary music composer marched to his own beat and that’s what set him apart

To understand his brilliance, all you need to do is to imagine a poet becoming a music composer, add some passion for literature, layer it with a profound understanding of the world around and what you have is Khayyam.