Vivek Agnihotri Threatens To Sue Oxford Union For Cancelling His Event

'The Kashmir Files' director Vivek Agnihotri

 

Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri, who is currently in Europe on a humanity tour, on Tuesday accused the Oxford Union of “Hinduphobia” and threatened to file a lawsuit against them for cancelling his event.

In a video message, The Kashmir Files director shared an incident that took place, in which he mentioned that the ‘Hindu voice’ is being curbed.

“Yet another Hindu voice is curbed at HINDUPHOBIC Oxford Union. They have cancelled me. In reality, they cancelled Hindu Genocide and Hindu students who are a minority at Oxford Univ. The president-elect is a Pakistani. Please share and support me in this most difficult fight,” The Kashmir Files director tweeted along with the video.

The filmmaker said that he visited Cambridge University, where he was informed at the last minute that he will not be allowed to video record the event. He claimed that his ‘freedom of expression’ was being curbed and stated that this step was taken as a few Pakistani and Kashmiri Muslim students protested.

“As you are aware that I am here in Europe on a humanity tour. This tour was decided because lot of prestigious places invited me like Cambridge University, Oxford University, the British Parliament and a lot of places in Germany and the Netherlands. But yesterday, a very strange thing happened. When I reached Cambridge University, at the last minute, I was told that we cannot video record the event. Now, this is a 100 per cent curbing of freedom of expression. This happened because a few Pakistani and Kashmiri Muslim students protested against it. These are genocide denials, they are fascists. This is perhaps because I support a democratically elected Government of India,” he said in a video message.

He further said "that this is the same university where Subhash Chandra Bose studied, but recently on his 150th birth anniversary, the event was also cancelled, they said Bose is a fascist."

The Filmmaker further claimed that he was meant to head to Oxford University as he was earlier invited by the Oxford Union. However, just before his arrival, he was informed that there had been a double booking, and his event had been postponed to July 1.

“Now another strange thing happened. Today I was supposed to speak at Oxford University because Oxford Union invited me a long time ago. It was all confirmed via emails, but just a few hours before they said, ‘Sorry we made a mistake, there was a double-booking and we cannot host you today.’ And without even asking me, they changed the date to July 1, when no student would be there, and there is no point in doing an event,” he said.

He also mentioned that Hindus are a minority group at Oxford University, and termed the incident ‘oppression of the minority’. He asked “are they cancelling me” and said “they want to cancel the democratically elected Government of India.”

“They want to label us as fascists and Islamophobic. As if killing thousands of Kashmiri Hindus was not Hinduphobic, but the film on the truth is Islamophobic. They are not cancelling me, they are cancelling the genocide and Hindus. You have to understand, Hindus are a minority in Oxford University, and this is the oppression of the minority,” he said.

He also slammed Oxford University for “hosting dictators and fascists including Bhutto’s son and many African radical extremists.”

Agnihotri further sought the support of the people as he is going to file a lawsuit against the Oxford Union.

“So please help me in this cause. I am filing a lawsuit against them. I am going to claim all the damages. Please support me and join me,” he added.

French Journalist Killed In Ukraine

 

French journalist Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff (Reuters)

The French news broadcaster BFM TV said a 32-year-old French journalist was killed Monday in eastern Ukraine, fatally hit by shell shrapnel while covering a Ukrainian evacuation operation.

BFM TV said its journalist Frederic Leclerc-Imhoff was killed as he was covering a humanitarian operation in an armoured vehicle near Sievierodonetsk, a key city in the Donbas region that is being hotly contested by Russian and Ukrainian forces. He had worked for six years for the French television channel. 

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Leclerc-Imhoff on Twitter. 

"He was in Ukraine to show the reality of the war. Aboard a humanitarian bus, alongside civilians forced to flee to escape Russian bombs, he was fatally shot," Macron tweeted. 

Macron expressed condolences to his family, relatives and colleagues and spoke of France's unconditional support to those who carry out the difficult mission of informing in theaters of operations.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna called the journalist's death deeply shocking. 

"France demands that a transparent inquiry be launched as soon as possible to shed full light on the circumstances of this tragedy," she added.

Earlier Monday, the governor of the Luhansk region, Serhiy Haidai, announced Leclerc-Imhoff's death in a Telegram post, saying that Russian forces fired on an armoured vehicle that was travelling to pick up people for evacuation. 

"Shrapnel from the shells pierced the vehicle's armour, fatally wounding an accredited French journalist in the neck who was reporting on the evacuation. The patrol officer was saved by his helmet," he wrote.

"As a result of the attack, the evacuation was called off," Haidai said.

He posted an image of Leclerc-Imhoff's Ukrainian press accreditation, and images of what he said was the aftermath of the attack.

Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko said another French journalist was wounded along with a Ukrainian woman who was accompanying them.

He said Leclerc-Imhoff's body was evacuated to the nearby Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut, from where it will be taken to the central city of Dnipro for an autopsy. 

He said the patrol officer accompanying the vehicle was hit by shrapnel in the head and taken to a military hospital.

Pak-Based Terror Groups JeM, LeT Maintain Training Camps In Af: UN Report

File Photo: JeM leader Masood Azhar (Reuters)

 

Pakistan-based terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, led by 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, maintain their training camps in some provinces of Afghanistan and some of them are directly under the Taliban control, according to a UN report.

The 13th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team cites a UN Member State as saying that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Deobandi group ideologically closer to the Taliban, maintains eight training camps in Nangarhar, three of which are directly under Taliban control.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti, in his capacity as Chair of the Taliban Sanctions Committee, also known as the 1988 Sanctions Committee, transmitted the report to be "brought to the attention of the members of the Security Council and issued as a document of the Council."

The report said that Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Deobandi group led by Masood Azhar, is ideologically closer to the Taliban. Qari Ramazan is the newly appointed head of JeM in Afghanistan.

It added that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is described in the previous Monitoring Team reports as having provided finance and training expertise to Taliban operations.

Within Afghanistan, according to one Member State, it is led by Mawlawi Yousuf, the report said, adding that in October 2021, according to one Member State, another LeT leader, Mawlawi Assadullah, met with Taliban Deputy Interior Minister Noor Jalil.

The same Member State reported that in January 2022, a Taliban delegation visited a training camp used by LeT in the Haska Mena district of Nangarhar.

"The group was said to maintain three camps in Kunar and Nangarhar. Previous LeT members have included Aslam Farooqi and Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar (a.k.a. Abu Usman al-Kashmiri), both of whom joined ISIL-K, the report said.

Another Member State said that there was no evidence of the presence of JeM and LeT in the region as a consequence of effective security operations targeting them, according to the report.

The report further said that the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) constitutes the largest component of foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan, with their number estimated to be several thousand.

Other groups include the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Jamaat Ansarullah and the LeT, with each numbering in the few hundreds.

It said the TTP, led by Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, has arguably benefitted most of all the foreign extremist groups in Afghanistan from the Taliban takeover. It has conducted numerous attacks and operations in Pakistan.

The TTP also continues to exist as a stand-alone force, rather than feeling pressure to merge its fighters into Afghan Taliban units, as is the prospect for most foreign terrorist fighters. The group is estimated to consist of 3,000 to 4,000 armed fighters located along the east and southeast Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas, the report said.

According to one Member State, control of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations gives the Haqqani Network further points of contact with the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, it said.

Sirajuddin Haqqani has reportedly been relied upon more than anyone else in the de facto administration to act as an intermediary between TTP and Pakistan. Haqqani mediations have not led to a sustainable ceasefire, but are a further indication of Sirajuddin's central role within the Taliban as a mediator and figure of authority among rank-and-file of TTP and other mainly Pashtun groups in eastern Afghanistan, the report said.

The Haqqani Network is still regarded as having the closest links to al-Qaeda. The group continues to be the trusted partner for local facilitation of safe havens and support for the al-Qaeda core, including by maintaining ties with so-called legacy al-Qaeda: those who long ago established relations with the late Jalaluddin Haqqani and to whom the Haqqanis feel indebted for supporting them and the Taliban, the report said.

The report noted that following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August last year, the Haqqani Network moved quickly to secure control of certain key portfolios and ministries: interior, intelligence, passports and migration. Prominent de facto ministerial positions secured by the Haqqani Network include those occupied by de facto Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and de facto Minister for Refugees Khalil Ahmed Haqqani, it said.

Responsibilities associated with these roles appear carefully chosen, as the ministries encompass the issuing of identity cards, passports and the monitoring of persons entering and exiting the country.

The Haqqani Network has also become the best militarily equipped faction and controls a number of armed formations, including the elite Badri 313 Battalion. The Haqqani Network now largely controls security in Afghanistan, including the security of the capital, Kabul, the report said.

The 11th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team had said that among those groups posing a security threat, Afghan officials highlighted Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, groups on which the Monitoring Team has written in the previous reports.

It had been said that the presence of these groups is centred in the eastern provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan, where they operate under the umbrella of the Afghan Taliban.

The 11th report had added that according to Afghan interlocutors, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba facilitated the trafficking of terrorist fighters into Afghanistan, who act as advisers, trainers and specialists in improvised explosive devices.

Both groups were responsible for carrying out targeted assassinations against government officials and others. Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed were stated to have approximately 800 and 200 armed fighters, respectively, co-located with Taliban forces in Mohmand Darah, Dur Baba and Sherzad districts of Nangarhar Province, the report said.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan also maintains a presence in Lal Pura District, near the border area of Mohmand Darah, Pakistan. In Kunar Province, Lashkar-e-Taiba retains a further 220 fighters and Jaish-e-Mohammed has a further 30, all of whom are dispersed within Taliban forces, it added. 

Arrests Were Unjustified, Say Lawyers After Aryan, Others Get Clean Chit

 

FILE PHOTO: Aryan Khan being taken to the NCB office in Mumbai on October 6, 2021 (PTI)

Aryan Khan's arrest and incarceration for more than three weeks was unjustified as no drugs had ever been seized from him, his lawyer said on Friday.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which filed a chargesheet with regard to alleged drug seizure from a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast last October, told a court earlier in the day that Aryan Khan and five others were not named due to "lack of sufficient evidence".

"Aryan's arrest and detention was unjustified, more particularly when he was not found in possession of any drugs. There was no evidence of any kind," said his lawyer Satish Maneshinde, reacting to the development.

Advocate Sana Raees Khan, the lawyer of co-accused Avin Sahu, said it was a clear case of "false implication."

Sahu, the first person to get bail in the case, too was not named in the chargesheet.

"He became a scapegoat in this case because of the hype created around it...there was no incriminating evidence on record to connect Avin with any nexus or conspiracy," she said. 

Yasin Malik Won’t Be Given Any Work In Tihar, Will Be Alone In His Cell

 

Kashmiri Separatist leader Yasin Malik will now spend the rest of his life, all alone, ‘separated’ from the rest of the world at Jail No. 7 of the Tihar Prison.

Malik, 56, was sentenced to life on Wednesday by a special NIA court in Delhi.

During the previous hearing, Malik told the Court that he was not contesting the charges levelled against him. He may not even challenge the sentencing in higher courts as he has himself pleaded guilty, which means by all means, Malik will spend the rest of his life in jail.

But the catch is, Malik will not be just separated from the outside world, he is even kept alone inside the prison, away from nearly 13,000 prisoners.

“He is already in jail number 7 and will continue there presently. He is alone in his cell,” Director General (Prisons), Sandeep Goyal, told IANS.

The Tihar prison’s Jail Number 7 has been always in the limelight as it has housed several high-profile prisoners, including former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, former Union Minister A. Raja, Sahara head Subrata Roy, Christian Michel among several others.

On October 12, as many as 32 Tihar Jail officials were found complicit with the former Unitech promoters. It was alleged that the Chandra brothers, Ajay Chandra and Sanjay Chandra, were conducting business from inside the Tihar Jail in connivance with the prison staff. Interestingly, all the said 32 jail officials were posted in Tihar’s jail number 7.

The court, in its sentencing on Wednesday, had awarded two life sentences and five punishments of 10 years of ‘Rigorous Imprisonment’ each to the convict.

Rigorous imprisonment means confinement of the offender in a manner that increases the hardship of the jail term based upon the nature of the offence by subjecting the offender to special arrangements in the jail.

However, despite court orders, Malik will not be given any work inside the prison. “He won’t be assigned work at all due to security reasons,” the top prison official said, adding the work is assigned subject to security concerns and the decision is taken as per jail rules.

Capt Abhilasha Barak Becomes 1st Woman Combat Pilot In Army

 

Capt Barak hails from Haryana and was commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in September 2018

Captain Abhilasha Barak on Wednesday became the first woman combat aviator in the Indian Army.

Officials said she has been awarded the coveted 'wings' along with 36 Army pilots by the director-general of the Army Aviation during a ceremony held at Combat Army Aviation Training School in Nashik.

"Captain Barak became the first woman officer to join the Army Aviation Corps as combat aviator after successful completion of the combat Army aviation course," an official said.

She hails from Haryana and was commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in September 2018.

The combat aviator is the daughter of Col S. Om Singh (Retd).

Captain Abhilasha has done a number of professional military courses before joining the Army Aviation Corps, said the official.

The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Army that was formed in November 1986. The Corps is headed by a Lt Gen rank officer known as Director General of Army Aviation.

Over the years, the corps has expanded exponentially with the addition of new units and state of the art equipment like Cheetah Dhruv, Rudra light combat helicopter and remotely piloted aircraft.

With the motto 'Swift and Sure', the youngest corps of the Indian Army is set to further grow in its tactical importance in the battlefield to take further its role of being a force multiplier.

The three services have gradually opened up key postings for women in the last few years.

In 2018, flying officer Avani Chaturvedi of the Indian Air Force scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo. She flew a MiG-21 bison in her first solo flight.

Chaturvedi was part of a three-member women's team commissioned as flying officers in July 2016, less than a year after the government decided to open the fighter stream for women on an experimental basis.

In 2020, the Navy announced deploying its first batch of women pilots on the Dornier maritime aircraft.

In a significant move, the Army in 2019 began the process of inducting women into the military police.

The role of the military police includes policing cantonments and army establishments, preventing breach of rules and regulations by soldiers, and maintaining the movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war.

Biden To Sign Policing Order On Anniversary Of Floyd's Death

 

FILE PHOTO: People gather on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's death on May 25, 2021, in Minneapolis (AP)

With Congress deadlocked over how to address racism and excessive use of force, President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order on policing Wednesday, the second anniversary of George Floyd's death.

The decision reflects Biden's struggle to use the limited powers of his office to advance his campaign promises, as well as his attempt to strike a balance between police and civil rights groups at a time when rising concerns about crime are eclipsing calls for reform. 

Most of the order is focused on federal law enforcement agencies, for example, requiring them to review and revise policies on use of force. It would also create a database to help track officer misconduct, according to the White House. 

Although the administration cannot require local police departments to participate in the database, which is intended to prevent problem officers from hopping from job to job, officials are looking for ways to use federal funding to encourage their cooperation. 

In addition, the order would restrict the flow of surplus military equipment to local police.

The public announcement is scheduled for the first day after Biden's return from his first trip to Asia as president.

Rev. Al Sharpton described Biden's order as an important step that showed the president took the initiative when Congress failed to act, but he said activists would never give up on pushing for legislation. 

"George Floyd woke us up, and we should not go back to sleep," Sharpton said in a statement. 

Biden is expected to appear alongside relatives of Floyd, whose killing by Minneapolis police sparked nationwide protests two years ago. 

It was the largest series of demonstrations in American history, occurring in the midst of coronavirus lockdowns and President Donald Trump's divisive re-election campaign. 

However, transforming the initial outcry into political change has proven difficult. 

When four officers were convicted last year for killing Floyd, Biden urged Congress to pass legislation to reform police by the anniversary of his death. 

The guilty verdict was not enough, he said, and added, "we can't stop here."

However, no legislation was passed, and bipartisan talks dragged on, and later broke down. 

The White House eventually decided to move forward with executive actions rather than wait for Congress.

In September, the Justice Department curtailed federal agents' use of no-knock warrants, which allow law enforcement agents to enter a home without announcing their presence, and updated its policy to prohibit agents from using chokeholds in most circumstances.

But extending such rules to local police is more challenging, and White House officials have spent months in negotiations with civil rights groups and police organizations. 

The resulting set of policies is less extensive than originally sought, not to mention delayed by a year. 

"We know full well that an executive order cannot address America's policing crisis the same way Congress has the ability to, but we've got to do everything we can," said a statement from NAACP President Derrick Johnson.

The order goes beyond issues involving misconduct and use of force. It would also assess the impact of facial recognition software on civil liberties, look for ways to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in federal correctional facilities and suggest better ways to collect data on police practices. 

The research could eventually lay the groundwork for more changes within American law enforcement in the future. 

National Emblem Replaces Sheikh Abdullah Image In J&K Police Medals

 

FILE PHOTO: Sheikh Abdullah (right) with home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Wikimedia Commons)

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday announced that the image of National Conference founder and former chief minister 'Sher-i-Kashmir' Sheikh Abdullah embossed on the J&K Police medals for gallantry and meritorious service will be replaced with the national emblem.

An order to this effect was issued by the home department.

The government had earlier renamed Sher-i-Kashmir Police Medals as Jammu and Kashmir Police Medals.

“It is hereby ordered that in modification to the Para 4 of the Jammu & Kashmir Police Medal Scheme, the Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah embossed on one side of the medal shall be replaced with the National Emblem of Government of India and the other side inscribed with the J&K State Emblem shall be inscribed as 'Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Gallantry' and 'Jammu and Kashmir Police Medal for Meritorious Service' in case of Gallantry/Meritorious Medal, as the case may be,” Financial Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Raj Kumar Goyal said in the latest order.

In an earlier order, issued on January 25, the General Administration Department had said the nomenclature of Sher-i-Kashmir Police Medals has been changed to Jammu and Kashmir Police Medals. The January order came days after the government cancelled a holiday on the birth anniversary of Sheikh Abdullah, popularly known as 'Sher-i-Kashmir'.

The police medals were instituted in 2001 and are given on New Year, Republic Day and Independence Day in two categories — gallantry and meritorious service.

Covid Made A Billionaire Every 30 Hours, Time To Tax Rich: Oxfam At Davos

 

The Covid pandemic has created a new billionaire every 30 hours and now one million people could fall into extreme poverty at the same pace, Oxfam said Monday as the Davos summit returns.

The international charity said it was time to tax the rich to support the less fortunate as the global elite gathered at the Swiss mountain haven for the World Economic Forum after a two-year Covid-induced absence.

Oxfam said it expects 263 million people to sink into extreme poverty this year, at a rate of one million every 33 hours, as soaring inflation has added a cost-of-living crisis on top of Covid.

By comparison, 573 people became billionaires during the pandemic, or one every 30 hours.

“Billionaires are arriving in Davos to celebrate an incredible surge in their fortunes,” Oxfam executive director Gabriela Bucher said in a statement.

“The pandemic and now the steep increases in food and energy prices have, simply put, been a bonanza for them,” Bucher said.

“Meanwhile, decades of progress on extreme poverty are now in reverse and millions of people are facing impossible rises in the cost of simply staying alive,” she said.

Oxfam called for a one-off “solidarity tax” on billionaires’ pandemic windfall to support people facing soaring prices as well as fund a “fair and sustainable recovery” from the pandemic.

It also said it was time to “end crisis profiteering” by rolling out a “temporary excess profit tax” of 90 percent on windfall profits of big corporations.

Oxfam added that an annual wealth tax on millionaires of two percent, and five percent for billionaires, could generate $2.52 trillion a year.

Such a wealth tax would help lift 2.3 billion people out of poverty, make enough vaccines for the world and pay for universal health care for people in poorer countries, it said.

Oxfam based its calculations on the Forbes list of billionaires and World Bank data.

AstroSat Witnesses Black Hole Birth For 500th Time

 

Black holes are objects with a gravitational pull so strong that not even light can escape

AstroSat, India's first dedicated astronomy mission which is into space since 2015, has detected the birth of a black hole for the 500th time, Pune-based research institution IUCAA has said, a development scientists termed as a remarkable achievement.

Black holes are objects with a gravitational pull so strong that not even light can escape. They are the subjects of intense scrutiny from astronomers from all over the world. Scientists across the world are studying their formation.

One way of forging black holes is the deaths of massive stars in Gamma Ray Bursts explosions so powerful that they have been called mini big-bangs. They send intense jets of light and high-energy radiation shooting across the universe.

Another way to create Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) is the collision of two neutron stars -- the kind of events that generate gravitational waves. Astronomers study the Gamma-rays and X-rays from such bursts to better understand explosion and black hole formation.

Launched in September 2015 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), AstroSat is one of the most sensitive space telescopes in the world comprising five instruments that can simultaneously study the universe in ultraviolet, optical, and X-ray radiation.

"One of these instruments is the Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI) - which has just witnessed the birth of a black hole for the five hundredth time, the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) said in a statement.

This is a landmark achievement," said Prof Dipankar Bhattacharya of Ashoka University and IUCAA, who is the current Principal Investigator of CZTI.

The wealth of data obtained by CZTI on Gamma Ray Bursts is making a big impact worldwide, he added.

CZTI has been studying GRBs since it first opened its eyes 6.5 years ago. The very first scientific result from AstroSat was the detection of GRB 151006A: just hours after the instrument was powered on after launch, said Prof. Varun Bhalerao, who leads the GRB search effort.

A unique aspect of CZTI is the ability to measure the polarisation of X-rays: an ability that is lacking in flagship missions like NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Telescope or the US-Europe Fermi Space Telescope.

Tanmoy Chattopadhyay, of the US-based Stanford University, has played a key role in these polarisation studies.

Polarisation tells us what is happening just outside the newly formed black hole. "It is the most important measurement to distinguish between different theories of Gamma-ray Bursts," said Chattopadhyay. 

Pegasus: SC Extends Time For Submitting Probe Report On Use Of Israeli Spyware

 

The Supreme Court on Friday extended the time for submitting the report by the apex court-appointed technical and supervisory committees to look into the Pegasus row, saying 29 infected mobile phones are being examined for the spyware and the process should be over in four weeks.

A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said the technical committee has been examining mobiles for the spyware and has also recorded statements of persons including some journalists.

Standard operating procedure for testing the 'infected devices' will be finalised too, it said, adding the probe by the technical committee may be over by May end and then the supervisory judge would be making a report for the perusal of the bench.

Preferably, the process by the technical committee should be over in four weeks and the supervisory judge should be informed. "The supervisory judge shall submit his report thereafter. List sometime in July," the CJI said.

The apex court, in October last year, had ordered a probe into the alleged use of the spyware.

An international media consortium had reported that over 300 verified Indian mobile phone numbers were on the list of potential targets for surveillance using the Pegasus spyware. 

Active COVID-19 Cases In Country Dip To 15,419

 

Representational Image

India added 2,364 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 4,31,29,563, while the active cases declined to 15,419, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. 

The death toll climbed to 5,24,303 with 10 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases comprise 0.04 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.75 per cent, the ministry said.

A decrease of 228 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.50 per cent and the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 0.55 per cent, according to the ministry.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,25,89,841, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.22 per cent.

The cumulative doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive have exceeded 191.79 crore.

India's Covid-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16. It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year.

The 10 new fatalities include six from Kerala and one each from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 5,24,303 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,47,856 from Maharashtra, 69,440 from Kerala, 40,106 from Karnataka, 38,025 from Tamil Nadu, 26,198 from Delhi, 23,514 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,203 from West Bengal.

The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to co-morbidities.

"Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research," the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation. 

Climate Change Exacerbates Food Crisis In Nepal’s Poorest Region

Women with their children in Muktikot village in western Nepal. Most of the women in this village give birth to between three and 10 children, many of whom are malnourished (Image: Shristi Kafle)

 

Khusi Bishwokarma caresses her three-year-old daughter. The child is pale and underweight. She cannot speak clearly or engage in physical activity like other children her age in Muktikot village, in Bajura district of western Nepal. Khusi, speaking with The Third Pole in March this year, says that her daughter is malnourished.

Khusi herself is pale. Just a few weeks ago her youngest child, a boy of eight months, died. “I couldn’t breastfeed my newborn properly as I myself didn’t have proper food to eat,” she says. “He was ill for a few days and just passed away. I have given birth to 13 children in total, only eight are alive today,” adds Khusi, who does not know her exact age but appears to be in her early 40s.

For seven to 12 months of the year, Khusi’s husband is away working as a labourer in neighbouring India. With two of her children already married, Khusi takes care of the remaining six. “My husband brings NPR 10,000-20,000 [USD 80-160] when he returns from India, which is used for food and clothing for the whole family for a year.”

This is a common story across Muktikot, a Dalit settlement of 400 households. When this correspondent for The Third Pole visits, the entire village seems to be populated by women and malnourished children, with the men away in India.

New Stresses On Top Of Poverty And Marginalisation

There is a lack of reliable, up-to-date data on malnutrition in Bajura district. But between December 2021 and early April this year, health workers diagnosed more than 800 children across Bajura as malnourished, with the district health office confirming that levels of malnutrition in the district are higher than the average across Nepal (the growth of 36% of children in Nepal is stunted). A survey by the district health office in 2019 found that Swami Kartik Khapar municipality, where Muktikot is located, had the highest number of malnourished children.

Western Nepal is beset by persistent poverty, low investment in infrastructure and higher incidence of caste-based discrimination. Climate change is exacerbating many of these problems, as drought, floods and drying springs impact subsistence agriculture.

Women and children often experience the brunt of these problems. Chiranjeevi Shahi, president of Swami Kartik Khapar municipality, tells The Third Pole that the crisis is exacerbated by a high fertility rate, with women in Muktikot having up to 10 children, of which between two and three die as infants.

Nepal’s overall fertility rate has fallen from 3.955 in 2000 to 1.845 in 2020. Western Nepal has not experienced this change, or a lowering of the infant mortality rate (the number of deaths per 1,000 live births of children under one year old). Two infant deaths for every 10 births – the figure cited by Shahi – would mean an infant mortality rate of 200, eight times the national average of 25.

Climate Change Hits Agriculture In Western Nepal

Meghnath Dhimal, chief research officer at government institute the Nepal Health Research Council, says: “Malnutrition is more prevalent in far-western Nepal among the marginalised population due to climatic conditions. We are aware of the situation, but unfortunately we have not been able to undertake any research on the subject.”

Between 1975 and 2010, researchers say western Nepal warmed twice as much as the global average. Average precipitation in the Karnali river basin declined by nearly 5 millimetres a year between 1981 and 2012. These changes mean the region is particularly vulnerable to climate disasters, with an extreme drought in 2016.

The Nepal government’s 2021 assessment of risk and vulnerability ranked Bajura as the second most vulnerable district (Humla, in the northwest, was the most vulnerable). Vulnerability was defined as “sensitivity or susceptibility to harm, as well as a lack of capacity to cope and adapt. It is influenced by a variety of conditions varying in their sensitivity, such as demographic, socioeconomic, ecological, physical, and geological characteristics, as well as the status and condition of resources and infrastructures.” The 2021 District Disaster Preparedness and Response (DDPR) report states that Bajura experiences drought for eight months of the year, with unpredictable monsoon rainfall patterns.

“We have a complex geography, and lack of fertile land. In addition, there has been drought for the past seven to eight years, the rainfall is irregular, and arrangement of irrigation facilities is difficult due to the landscape. The food crisis is severe,” says Shahi, the president of Swami Kartik Khapar municipality.

In the past five years, 200 hectares of cultivable land in Bajura district have been swept away by flooding of the Budiganga, Wauli, Malagad and Dansangu rivers, officials at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre at Bajura (part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development) tell The Third Pole. Min Prasad Jaisi, an officer at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, says that the centre’s calculations show crop production (which mostly includes mustard, soybean, rice and lentils) has fallen by 15-20% in the past 10 years.

“Only 12.23% of the land is cultivable [in Bajura],” he adds.

The DDPR report states that only 4% of households in Bajura produce enough food to feed themselves. Nearly 40% of people only grow enough to sustain themselves for three months.

Shahi says: “We have been trying to manage from the local resources and budget, but it is not enough. So far, we have organised only one training programme focused on climate change.”

Scientists project that temperatures in western Nepal will continue to increase, as well as extremes of precipitation, due to climate change. More frequent and intense droughts and floods will challenge existing rain-fed agriculture practices further.

Villages’ Water Sources Dry Up

In Rudhi village, near Muktikot, people tell The Third Pole they are still struggling in the aftermath of a landslide two years ago. The disaster obstructed a spring – the sole water source relied on by about 160 households.

“For drinking water, we are forced to depend upon the Chinde River, which is an hour away,” says Ratna Dhami, a resident of Rudhi.

The villagers say they have stopped raising cattle because of the water scarcity. “We mostly plant wheat, barley and cereal, but irrigation has been disrupted. We have to depend upon the monsoon rains, which are not regular since the last few years. We have already stopped planting rice saplings,” Dhami says.

“We will not be able to survive in the current circumstances for a long time. We don’t have any savings to migrate. The only option is either the government arranges water facilities, or relocates the whole settlement to another place,” Dhami said, while her neighbours agreed. Many villages in the district have a similar story.

In 2018-19, the Swami Kartik Khapar municipality constructed irrigation canals in the lower areas, but this has not helped settlements like Rudhi, that are hundreds of metres above the Karnali River. “There is a possibility of lift irrigation system, but it’s beyond our capacity. There is a need of support from the provincial and federal government,” Shahi from the municipality says. He has submitted a proposal to resettle the households, but has not received a response yet.

Aid, Adaptation And Advocacy

In some places like Kolti village, there is advice and support for pregnant women and young mothers. The Third Pole speaks with 30-year-old Sobha Rokaya as she waits her turn at Kolti Primary Health Centre. Rokaya was married at the age of 15, and gave birth to seven children in 10 years, two of whom died before reaching their first year. She comes to the Kolti Primary Health Centre for ready-to-use fortified flour.

“I walked for three hours this morning to receive the free nutritious flour for my eight-month-old daughter. She is malnourished and weighs only 5 kilograms,” Rokaya says.

In other areas, villagers are growing crops more suited to the changing climate. In the dry higher reaches of Budhinanda municipality in Bajura, farmers have started to grow soybean, pulses and olive trees instead of rice, mayor Padam Kumar Giri tells The Third Pole.

Min Prasad Jaisi, the officer at the Agriculture Knowledge Centre, says the centre has set up artificial ponds and distributed seeds to villagers across the district. “Apple trees in the hilly belt are being replaced by banana and lemon trees,” Jaisi adds.

Development charities and human rights organisations are also working to make the right to food a reality in Nepal. Voluntary Service Overseas tells The Third Pole that in four provinces its volunteers helped draft local versions of the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty Act 2018 through workshops and policy dialogues.

Food-first Information and Action Network (FIAN) Nepal has been doing advocacy and legal analysis of the food crisis and malnutrition in the far-west and Karnali region.

“Food is a fundamental human right, thus the state should protect, respect and fulfil this right. We are working in coordination with (the) local, provincial and federal government to ensure food rights to people,” says Binod Prasad Pandey from FIAN Nepal.  

(Published under Creative Commons from TheThirdPole)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China Building Infrastructure Near Arunachal Border: Army

Representational Image (PTI)

 

The Indian Army's Eastern Command chief on Monday said China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is engaged in infrastructure capacity enhancement across the international border in Arunachal Pradesh.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command, Lt Gen R P Kalita, however, said the Indian side is also continuously upgrading its infrastructure and capabilities to deal with any situation that may arise along the border.

"Across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tibet region, a lot of infrastructure development is going on. The other side is constantly upgrading their road, rail and air connectivity as well as 5G mobile network so that they are in a better position to respond to a situation or mobilise forces," he said at a press conference.

The Chinese authorities have built border villages close to the LAC that can be used for dual purposes, Kalita said.

"We are continuously monitoring the situation. We are also upgrading our infrastructure and capabilities as well as the mechanism to handle the situation. These have put us in a robust position," he added.

Kalita asserted that the Indian Army is fully ready with "high level of operational preparedness".

The Indian Army Commander acknowledged that difficult terrain and inclement weather conditions have been the biggest challenges while enhancing capabilities and infrastructure in forward locations, leading to delays in completion of the projects.

When asked about the border stand-offs between the two large armed forces at several places, he said that the actual boundary is not properly demarcated, especially along the McMahon Line.

"It has created different perceptions of the border between India and China that are not agreed upon by both sides. While most of the time, we handle the situation through existing mechanisms, at times it has led to frictions," Kalita said.

He also denied that any intrusion is taking place along the border with China and whatever is reported, that is only due to the perceptional issue.

"Once the boundary is properly demarcated, I hope there will be no problem," he said, adding there has been no case of intrusion since the 1962 war.

Asked about the Land Borders Law that China enacted from January, giving more power to the PLA to protect their sovereignty and boundary, he said that the Army and other stakeholders are analysing various implications of the new laws.

"The necessary deductions have been made and we are preparing our forces to meet the challenge," he said without elaborating.

Kalita added, "The eastern border has numerous challenges. We have displayed exemplary professionalism and bravery. Last one year has been extremely eventful and we have been rising up to meet all challenges. We are ready to take on all challenges in future."

He said that for the India-China border, the Indian Army has a robust mechanism in place. This includes bilateral agreements and various protocols to defuse tensions and maintain peace and tranquility. 

Devasahayam Pillai Becomes First Indian Layman To Be Declared Saint By Pope

 

Devasahayam Pillai, who embraced Christianity in the 18th century, on Sunday became the first Indian layman to be declared a saint by Pope Francis who used the impressive canonisation ceremony in Vatican City to renew his appeal to world leaders that they may be "protagonists of peace and not of war."

Francis, 85, canonised Blessed Devasahayam during the Canonisation Mass held at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, attended by over 50,000 faithful from all over the world as well as government delegations honouring the 10 new saints.

Devasahayam was recommended for the process of beatification by the Vatican in 2004, at the request of the Kottar diocese, Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India.

A miracle attributed to Devasahayam was recognised by Francis in 2014, clearing the path to his canonisation in 2022.

It was the first canonisation ceremony at the Vatican in over two years. Francis, who has been complaining of strained ligaments in his right knee for months, used a wheelchair to preside over the ceremony.

In his address, the Pope decried the many wars afflicting the world today and called on leaders to take responsibility.

"Sadly, in the world distances grow and tensions and wars increase," the Pope said, expressing hope that the new saints may inspire solutions of togetherness and ways of dialogue.

"Especially in the hearts and minds of those who hold positions of great responsibility and are called to be protagonists of peace and not of war," the official Vatican News quoted the Pope as saying.

Speaking during the General Audience on March 23, nearly a month after Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, the Pope had remarked on how the war in Ukraine shows that humanity had to shed a strange instinct for "self-destruction" and that buying more weapons was not the ultimate solution to any conflict.

At the beginning of the liturgical celebration, the Pope proclaimed 10 new saints—six men and four women: Titus Brandsma; Lazzarus Devasahayam; Cesar de Bus; Luigi Maria Palazzolo; Giustino Maria Russolillo; Charles de Foucauld; Maria Rivier; Maria Francesca of Jesus Rubatto; Maria of Jesus Santocanale; Maria Domenica Mantovani.

A group of Indians holding the tricolour cheered from the gathering when Devasahayam's name was announced.

With the completion of the process, Pillai, who took the name "Lazarus" after embracing Christianity in 1745, became the first lay person from India to become a saint.

Devasahayam was born on April 23, 1712 as Neelakanta Pillai into a Hindu Nair family, at Nattalam in Kanyakumari district, which was part of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.

He was an official in the court of Travancore's Maharaja Marthanda Varma when he was instructed into the Catholic faith by a Dutch naval commander.

"Lazarus" or "Devasahayam" in Malayalam, translates to "God is my help".

"While preaching, he particularly insisted on the equality of all people, despite caste differences. This aroused the hatred of the higher classes, and he was arrested in 1749. After enduring increasing hardships, he received the crown of martyrdom when he was shot on 14 January 1752," a note prepared by the Vatican earlier had said.

Sites linked with his life and death are in Kottar Diocese, in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.

Devasahayam was declared blessed on December 2, 2012, in Kottar, 300 years after his birth.

ISRO Tests Large Human-Rated Solid Rocket Booster For Gaganyaan Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday successfully completed the static test of a human-rated solid rocket booster (HS200) for the Gaganyaan programme at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The HS200 is the human-rated version of the S200 rocket booster of satellite launch vehicle GSLV Mk III, popularly known as LVM3, the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency noted in a statement.

“The successful completion of this test marks a major milestone for the prestigious human space flight mission of ISRO, the Gaganyaan, as the first stage of the launch vehicle is tested for its performance for the full duration,” it said.

The event was witnessed by ISRO Chairman and Secretary in the Department of Space, S Somanath, and Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) S Unnikrishnan Nair, along with other ISRO scientists.

The design and development of the HS200 booster were completed at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram and propellant casting was completed at SDSC, Sriharikota.

The S200 motor, which is the first stage of the LVM3 launch vehicle intended for launching a 4,000 kg class satellite to the geosynchronous transfer orbit, was configured as a strap-on rocket booster.

Based on the successful launch pedigree of this launch vehicle , including the Chandrayaan mission, the LVM3 has been identified as the launcher for the Gaganyaan mission.

For the manned space mission, LVM3 launch vehicle underwent improvements stipulated by the requirements of human rating, it was stated.

Accordingly, a host of design improvements aimed at increasing the safety and reliability of various systems were implemented in the S200 booster like all other systems.

These include additional safety features for motor case joints, robust insulation and ignition systems. The control system used in this booster employs one of the world’s most powerful electro-mechanical actuators with multiple redundancies and safety features, ISRO said.

The system is indigenously designed and developed by ISRO in participation with various industries spread across the country.

“Despite the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, ISRO could complete the entire design, development, realisation and testing process within a short span of two years,” the statement said.

The HS200 booster loaded with 203 tonnes of solid propellant was tested for a duration of 135 seconds. The 20-metre long and 3.2 m diameter booster is the world’s second-largest operational booster with solid propellant, it said.

During the test, about 700 parameters were monitored and the performance of all the systems was normal, the space agency further said.

“With the successful completion of this test, ISRO marches one more step closer to Gaganyaan Programme,” it said.

Out of the three propulsion stages of LVM3, the human-rated versions of the second-stage, known as L110-G loaded with liquid propellant and the third stage C25-G with cryogenic propellant are in the final phase of qualification, including tests with static firing.

“Gaganyaan programme, the most prestigious scientific endeavour of India, is steadily progressing towards its final goal of taking an Indian to space and bringing him safely back,” ISRO added.

 

NIA Arrests Chhota Shakeel's Aides For Handling Activities Of Dawood's Crime Syndicate

 

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two aides of gangster Chhota Shakeel from the western suburbs of Mumbai for allegedly handling the illegal activities and financial transactions of the crime syndicate controlled by fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, an official said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Arif Abubakar Shaikh (59) and Shabbir Abubakar Shaikh (51), were placed under arrest on Thursday, he said. "Both of them were apprehended from the western suburbs by an NIA team, which is probing the cases against Dawood Ibrahim's syndicate," the official said, adding that the duo was closely associated with gangster Chhota Shakeel and were involved in the cartel run by Ibrahim.

Sources said that during the recent raids at multiple locations in Mumbai and Thane, the NIA had picked up many suspects for investigation, sources said.

Arif and Shabbir were also among the suspects, who were picked up for their alleged connections with the D-Company (Dawood Ibrahim's crime syndicate), they said.

During their interrogation, the NIA team found that Arif and Shabbir had carried out some transactions with Chhota Shakeel, following which they were placed under arrest, they added.

Chhota Shakeel operates an international criminal syndicate from Pakistan and Interpol has issued a red corner notice against him.

Shakeel is involved in extortion, narcotics smuggling and terrorist activities, the official said.

Both the accused will be produced before the NIA special court later in the day, he added. 

75 Indian Villages To Be Shaped With Israeli Cooperation: Tomar

 

Taking to the “next level” the Indo-Israel cooperation in the field of agriculture, 75 Indian villages will be shaped with Israeli cooperation to mark the country’s 75th Independence anniversary, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in Jerusalem.

Tomar, who was in Israel on a four-day official visit from May 8, met his Israeli counterpart Oded Forer at the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) on Wednesday.

They discussed various issues related to modern agro techniques, capacity building, transfer of knowledge know-how and support in the fields of agriculture, water management, environment and rural development, keeping in view the scope and potential of agriculture development in both the countries, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare said in a statement.

As India and Israel celebrate 30 years of establishment of diplomatic relations, the ongoing bilateral partnership would be further strengthened through “mutual visits and sharing of experiences”, the visiting minister said.

Tomar said as India celebrates its 75th Independence anniversary this year, “it has been decided that we will shape up 75 villages of excellence with Israeli collaboration and another 75 to follow thereafter”.

Forer expressed Israel’s desire to take the Centres of Excellence (CoE) established by his country in different parts of India to the “next level”.

There are currently 29 fully operational Centres of Excellence in India providing vital information on emerging technologies in the agriculture sector to boost farmers’ yield.

Trade relations between the two countries would also get a boost in the near future, the Israeli agriculture minister said.

India and Israel have agreed to complete the process of finalising a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of June this year.

This was agreed upon during a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid in October last year during Jaishankar’s visit to Israel.

A delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, led by Tomar, held extensive discussions with premier institutes and technology companies in the field of agriculture and horticulture.

The delegation visited facilities of Green 2000 – Agricultural Equipment and Know How Ltd. and NETAFIM Ltd. which are engaged in planning, set-up, consultation and on-going management of various projects in micro and smart irrigation across the globe.

“Learning about application of technology and innovative procedures in farming with focus on high value crops, vegetables and fruits were the highlights of the visit,” the delegation said.

Tomar also had a roundtable discussion with more than half a dozen Israeli Agritech Startups at Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute. He extended an invite to the companies to work in India.

The delegation visited the Agricultural Research Organisation (ARO), Volcani Institute known for its expertise in agriculture under arid conditions, on lacklustre soils, irrigation through effluent and saline water and minimisation of post harvest losses by using latest pest control and storage methods.

Tomar also held a long interaction with the institute’s post-doctoral fellows from India.

Use of drone technology with the combination of advanced mapping and photography was demonstrated at Ganei Khna’an, near Kibbutz Naan, for the Indian delegation during the visit.

Tomar interacted with the ARO experts on various issues related to technological advancements in agriculture in the Indian context, the Ministry of Agriculture said in the statement.

The issues of deliberations include crop cultivation in protected environments, freshwater fish farming, advanced plant protection techniques, precision agriculture, remote sensing and post harvest science and technology, among others, it said.

The minister also visited a farm owned by an Indian-origin farmer Sharon Cherry growing Indian vegetables in the Negev desert area.

The farmer owns a desert boutique farm, Be’er Milka, in the Negev desert area. He has adopted modern technologies with the technical support of Ramat Negev Agro Research Centre and is growing vegetables, fruits and super food in the heart of the Negev desert, the ministry said in the statement.

“Cherry exhibited excellence in growing Indian vegetables in extremely harsh terrain and climatic conditions with the technical support of Ramat Negev Agro Research Centre in the desert area,” the delegation told PTI.

The delegation also held discussions with a team from MASHAV, the agency for International Development Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel.

MASHAV is responsible for the design, coordination and implementation of the State of Israel’s worldwide development and cooperation programmes in developing countries. (PTI)

Marcos, Duterte New Philippines Prez And VP

 

Presidential candidate, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator raises arms with running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the daughter of the current President, during their last campaign rally on May 7, 2022 (AP)

The son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte are the new leaders of the Philippines, an alliance that ushers in six years of governance that has some human rights activists concerned about the course their country may take with the pair in power.

Here is a look at the new president and vice president of the Philippines, who ran in separate races for their posts.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

A former provincial governor, congressman and senator, the 64-year-old son who goes by his childhood nickname Bongbong has managed to return his family to the presidency 36 years after the People Power revolt ousted his father and sent him into exile for filching billions and mass human rights abuses.

His mother, Imelda Marcos, twice unsuccessfully attempted to retake the seat of power after returning with her children to the Philippines from exile in the United States, where her husband died in 1989. 

Marcos Jr. has defended his father's legacy and steadfastly refuses to apologize for or acknowledge the atrocities and plunder during the dictatorship. Married to a lawyer, with whom he has three sons, he has stayed away from controversies, including a past tax conviction and the Marcos family's refusal to pay a huge estate tax. Throughout his campaign, he tenaciously stuck to a battle cry of national unity. He denies accusations that he financed a years-long social media campaign that harnessed online trolls to smear opponents and whitewash the Marcos family's chequered history, daring critics to "show me one".

Sara Duterte

Sara Duterte, 43, is the outgoing mayor of Davao City, which was her father's constituency before he was elected president in 2016. 

A lawyer and reserve officer in the Philippine army, Duterte has carved out her own political career and, although at times supportive of her father, is considered more levelheaded and pragmatic.

Duterte's party originally wanted her to succeed him, but she chose instead to run for vice-president.

A mother of three, she has been the longtime mayor of Davao, an economically vibrant city where the elder Duterte first carved a political name with his populist rhetoric and often bloody approach against criminality, especially the widespread trafficking and use of illegal drugs, before he rose to the presidency in 2016. 

What's Really Behind Bollywood & Its Many Controversies?

A still from the film 'Kedarnath'

Have you recently watched a Bollywood film and come away wondering just what you saw? Was something missing in the screenplay, was the script tawdry, the cinematography unflattering or the direction haywire? Or was it something wholly different but just as disturbing.

Good news, you are not alone.

Some instances, in Bollywood depictions of romance, conflict and social tensions, are so overt as to morph into being almost commonplace and hard to notice.

But if there's one aspect that most mainstream Hindi films have in common, it is the peculiar treatment of characters from a particular minority community. It makes me wonder (and I'm convinced I'm not alone here) just what is really going on in Bollywood.

Here are some examples which readily come to mind:

1. In Gangubai Kathiawadi, Alia Bhatt's character is shown to be brutally assaulted -- sexually and otherwise -- by a man who belongs to said religious minority. However, in the next cinematic breath, Gangu's tormentor is publicly beaten up and rendered unconscious by a member of this same minority community, in a role essayed by Ajay Devgan. In essence, the crime and excess of one member of the minority community is sought to be offset by the courage, impartiality and benevolence of another.

2. In the film War, Tiger Shroff plays a secret agent, once again from a minority community, who is shown to be exerting heavily to exonerate his father's name -- who might have been a 'traitor'. All the slick action shots and lingering close-ups apart, the viewer gets the overwhelming impression that the film is just an exercise in clearing Shroff's character's name and pushing the narrative that the minority is wholly nationalist and patriotic.

3. "Lab pe aati hai dua...." is a very popular anthem in Pakistan. But seeing it being played out in a Bollywood film -- Raazi -- gave me a bad case of nationalistic rashes, since it featured as part of the song 'Ae watan' which was penned by India's celebrated lyricist Gulzar. On closer look, not just this song and those lines but critical parts of the script and its narration seem to have deviated from the original, fact-based version of the story, released in the book named 'Calling Sehmat' written by Harinder Sikka, on which the film Raazi is based.

Apparently, lyricist Gulzar admitted to have been 'inspired' by Mohd Iqbal, Pakistan's celebrated and much revered poet while writing 'Ae watan' and even called it his tribute to Iqbal. There were several other problems that author Harinder Sikka had with the final cinematic product and these can be read here in this interview he gave to the Hindustan Times. Sikka even said that letting Meghna Gulzar (daughter of Gulzar) direct the film adaptation of his novel was the 'biggest blunder' he committed.

4. Kedarnath is a film set against the backdrop of the 2013 Kedarnath floods, and ideally, the focus should have been on either the temple itself or the floods but it is, predictably, on a character from the minority community, played by the late Sushant Singh Rajput. The film goes on to follow a predictable pattern, with the family of Sara Ali Khan's character shown to be anti-minority, bigoted and vindictive while Rajput's role seeks to portray him as god-fearing and loyal and ultimately making the supreme sacrifice in the line of romance ;-)

Some majority community organisations raised objection to this film being released and accused it of promoting 'Love Jihad'.

5. The eponymous Bajirao Mastani is the story of Peshwa Bajirao I and Mastani, his second wife and the trials and tribulations they face during the course of their tumultous romance. Hailed as lavish and well-researched, what rankles is the song 'Aayat', which is picturised on Bajirao and shows him singing paeans of his deep love for Mastani. The problem with this song is its lyrics, which seem eons away from any language or dialect Peshwa Bajirao I is likely to have spoken in the early 18th century. 

Sample this:

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

तुझे याद कर लिया है तुझे याद कर लिया है आयात की तरह कायाम तू हो गयी है कायाम तू हो गयी है रिवायत की तरह तुझे याद कर लिया है मरने तलक रहेगी मरने तलक रहेगी तू आदत की तरह

Read more: https://www.hinditracks.in/aayat-hindi-lyrics-bajirao-mastani

Tujhe yaad kar liya hai aayat ki tarah, Qayam tu ho gayi hai riwayat ki tarah, Marne talak rahegi tu aadat ki tarah 

It would have still made sense had Mastani's character been shown singing these lines. Peshwa Bajirao I using such florid language seems either too far-fetched or shamelessly agenda-driven.

6. PK is purportedly a film based on the experiences of an alien -- played by Aamir Khan, his many encounters with the weird and the wonderful related to life on earth. How does such a film feature in this list? Well, in the name of artistic licence, the makers showed a man dressed up as the Hindu god Shiva seeking shelter in a washroom. It also enumerated the problems with several religions on our planet but reserved the most critical censure for a particular one, practised mainly in the Indian sub-continent, while not even commenting adequately/critically on what ails others. 

All this leads me to wonder 'why'. How does this profit the makers of these (and several other) films? Who are their real financiers? What is the agenda behind these covert 'entertainers'? Did the producers believe they would get away with their shenanigans and none would be the wiser? Just how dumb do they think the Indian movie-going public is? Is there something else at play here -- a bid to push a certain kind of rendering, an attempt to overwrite history, omit inconvenient truths, rewrite unpopular narratives and obfuscate evidence which causes them harm?

You be the judge of that. The evidence, overwhelmingly, is in favour of a critical appraisal of Bollywood's declared and undeclared agenda and against selective, offensive depictions of the truth told in a way that most suits them and their moneybags.

Abortion Rights Protesters Rally In Cities Around US

 

AFP

Abortion rights protesters rallied in cities around the United States, vowing to fight to ensure that abortion remains a legal option for women nationwide.

Hundreds gathered in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston and other cities on Saturday, days after a draft US Supreme Court opinion was leaked to the public suggesting the court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade case that legalised abortion nationwide. The draft opinion, which comes amid nearly 50 years of federal abortion protections, could change before the ruling is finalized in coming weeks.

"To think that, after all this time, people still want to control what women can do and our rights to make our personal healthcare decisions is just really outrageous," Carole Levin, chair of Courts Matter Illinois, told WMAQ-TV during the rally in Chicago.

Illinois Gov JB Pritzker attended the rally and vowed to protect reproductive rights in Illinois.

"I'm proud Illinois is an island for reproductive freedom in the Midwest," he said. "Our shores remain open for any person left marooned by these extremist politicians."

In the US capital, abortion rights protesters stood outside the Supreme Court, holding signs that said abortion is a human right, or Abort the Court. Protesters who oppose abortion demonstrated across the street.

In Atlanta, demonstrators carried signs in favour of abortion rights as they marched through that city's downtown and chanted, 'Not the church and not the state, women must decide our fate'.

In Houston, thousands attended a reproductive rights rally headlined by Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who is running for Texas governor. Texas is one of several states that would automatically ban abortion, leaving no exceptions for rape or incest, if the high court overturns the nationwide right to abortion.

An investigation is underway to determine who leaked the Supreme Court draft opinion to Politico.

Massive Fire At Tata Steel Factory In Jamshedpur

Visuals from the Tata Steel factory in Jamshedpur (Photo/ANI)

 

A massive fire broke out at a coke plant of Tata Steel factory in Jamshedpur on Saturday.

The incident took place around 10.20 am after a blast in a battery. Several fire tenders and ambulances rushed to the spot soon after the incident. Two persons were injured in the fire and shifted to hospital for treatment. Another person was also admitted to the hospital following complaints of chest pain.

“Today, at around 10:20 am (IST), there was a blast in the foul gas line at Battery 6 of the coke plant at Jamshedpur Works. Currently, Battery 6 is non-operational and is undergoing a dismantling process. The ambulance and fire tenders immediately reached the incident site and the area has been cordoned off. The situation has been brought to control,” said Tata Steel’s statement.

"Two of the contract employees sustained minor injuries, and were sent to TMH for treatment. Another employee who complained of chest pain was also sent to TMH for observation. Their condition is stable. The incident has been reported to the relevant authorities and an investigation to assess the cause is underway,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren took cognisance of the incident and said that the Jamshedpur district administration is working in coordination with Tata Steel management for the immediate medical treatment of the injured. (ANI)