European Essay Prize awards lifetime achievement to writer Arundhati Roy

 

Writer Arundhati Roy has been awarded the 45th European Essay Prize for lifetime achievement, the Charles Veillon Foundation has announced.

Roy has been awarded the prize for the French translation of her compilation of essays titled 'Azadi' (2021).

"The jury of the Prix Europeen de l'Essai wishes to highlight an enriching work in terms of reflection on the construction of the world and the relationship with language. Arundhati Roy uses the essay as a form of combat, analysing fascism and the way it is being structured. This is an issue that is increasingly occupying our lives. Her essays offer shelter to a multitude of people," the Foundation said in a statement. The jury also acknowledged Roy's "commitment to political action".

In 'Azadi', Roy has reflected on the meaning of freedom in a world of "growing authoritarianism". The essays include meditations on language, public as well as private, and on the role of fiction and alternative imaginations in current times.

The Delhi-based author's works, including Booker Prize winning 'The God of Small Things', 'The Ministry of Utmost Happiness', and 'My Seditious Heart' have garnered her national and international acclaim.

Roy will receive the award, along with the prize money of CHF 20,000 (approx Rs 18 lakh), at a ceremony on September 12 in the Swiss city of Lausanne.

Since its inception in 1975, the award by the Charles Veillon Foundation has honoured a book or the work of an author "who, through their writings, contributes to nourishing and spreading the evolution of thought".

"It draws attention to authors whose work bear witness to and offer a fertile commentary on current societies, their practices, and ideologies," the foundation said.

Earlier, authors including Alexandre Zinoviev, Edgar Morin, Tzvetan Todorov, Amin Maalouf, Siri Hustvedt, Alessandro Baricco, Jean Starobinski, Iso Camartin, and Peter von Matt have been awarded the European Essay Prize.

 

Indonesia Open: Srikanth, Prannoy Enter Quarters, Sindhu Exits

Source: PTI

Kidambi Srikanth and H.S. Prannoy registered straight game wins to advance to the men's singles quarterfinals, but it was curtains for double Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu at the Indonesia Open World Tour Super 1000 event here on Thursday.

Taking the court first, Srikanth used his vast experience to quell the challenge of Lakshya Sen 21-17 22-20 in an all-Indian second-round duel.

It was a hard-fought battle between the two Indians but Srikanth bagged the crucial moments with his calmness and experience to prevail over Lakshya in the match that lasted 45 minutes.

The win ensured Srikanth's dominance over his younger countrymate as he took his head-to-head record to 3-0 over Lakshya.

Seventh seed Prannoy then took just 43 minutes to get the better of Angus Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong 21-18 21-16. However, world number 14 Sindhu made an early exit once again, losing 21-18 21-16 to her nemesis and world No 3 Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei in a women's singles second round match.

Sindhu had made opening round exits from the last two events.

Tai Tzu, seeded third, has been the opponent Sindhu had struggled against the most in the international arena and it was no better here with the Chinese Taipei shuttler enhancing her head-to-head record over the Indian to a staggering 19-5.

Sindhu and Tai Tzu's most recent meeting was at the 2023 Sudirman Cup, where the Chinese Taipei player won 21-14 18-21 21-17.

With Sindhu's loss, the Indian challenge came to an end in the women's singles event.

Earlier in the day, contrary to the final result it was Lakshya who started on a positive note, taking an early 4-0 lead in the opening game before Srikanth clawed his way back.

It was even Stevens till 17 points before Srikanth came out attacking and used the court to great effect to tire out his younger rival and win four straight points to pocket the first game.

 The second game was no different as both shuttlers matched each other till 13 points before Srikanth won six straight points to surge ahead to 20-14.

But the 2021 world championships silver medallist squandered six match points as Lakshya bounced back in style to draw level at 20 apiece. Srikanth, however, had the last laugh as he kept his composure to win the next two points and seal the affair.

Srikanth will next play Li Shi Feng of China, who upset fourth seed Loh Kean Yew of Singapore 21-19 21-14 in another second round match, while Prannoy will face third seed Kodai Naraoka of Japan in the last eight round.

 

Fire Breaks Out At Kolkata Airport, Passengers Panic

Source: PTI

A fire broke out near a departure gate of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Wednesday night, officials said.

Firefighting arrangements were pressed into service to douse the blaze as panic-stricken passengers were moved to a safe place, they said.

No casualty was reported.

The entire area inside the airport was engulfed with thick black smoke after the fire broke out at 3C departure gate at around 9 pm.

Since there was a rush of passengers, airport authorities took no chance and used their firefighters to douse it. At the moment, it is under control and the cooling process is carried out, a police officer said.

Officials said after an initial investigation that a short circuit could be the reason for the fire. 

 

Farmers end protest after assurance from Haryana govt over sunflower MSP

Source: PTI

Farmers protesting over the MSP for sunflower seeds at Pipli in Haryana's Kurukshetra called off their stir on Tuesday night after an assurance from the state government of "appropriate price" for the crop.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said after fresh talks with the district administration in the evening, the farmers have ended the protest in Kurukshetra's Pipli and the national highway blockade will be lifted.

Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shantanu Sharma said that farmers have been assured of "appropriate price" for sunflower crop.

The national highway in Pipli had remained blocked for the second day Tuesday over the farmers' demand for MSP for sunflower seeds.

On Monday and during the day on Tuesday, there had not been any headway in talks between the farmers and district administration, but the breakthrough finally came in the evening.

Tikait had earlier asked the state government to accept the demand or send farmers to jail.

The protesting farmers had blocked the National Highway-44 near Pipli, which connects Delhi with Chandigarh, and some other routes since Monday afternoon after holding a mahapanchayat on the issue.

The farmers had been demanding that the state government procure sunflower seeds at an MSP of Rs 6,400 per quintal.

Under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana -- price difference payment scheme -- the state government was giving Rs 1,000 per quintal as interim support for sunflower crop sold below MSP.

 

At AAP Rally, Kejriwal Narrates The Story Of An 'Uneducated King'

Source: PTI

At an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal narrated what he called a story of "chauthi pass raja".

He said it was a tale from a great country, where a child was born into an impoverished household in a small village and it was predicted by an astrologer that he will go on to become a king.

"The child's mother didn't believe the astrologer since she felt how could this be possible given her poor conditions. But the astrologer assured her that her son's stars showed that he was destined to become a king," Kejriwal said, without taking any name.

The AAP chief said the child did not have any interest in studies and left school after class 4. He started selling tea at a railway station to help his family.

He had a talent of giving speeches that could draw crowds and just as the astrologer predicted, he went on to become the king of the great nation, Kejriwal said, adding that he was known as "chauthi pass raja" across the country.

"He was made to sign documents by officers since he didn't know anything. He also felt ashamed to ask them questions since he thought they would get to know that he is uneducated," Kejriwal said.

The chief minister narrated the story at a rally organised to garner support against the central ordinance on administrative services in the national capital.

Under the king's reign, atrocities were committed and slowly people started raising their voice against him, following which the king said that those speaking against him will be put behind bars, Kejriwal said.

Unemployment and price rise were rampant across the country, he said.

"Gods were watching this from above and then all of them congregated. They held meetings and then went to Lord Shiva to seek his help. Lord Shiva opened his third eye and weird incidents happened in the country. A train accident happened that claimed more than 250 lives and people said it was a bad omen," Kejriwal said.

He said that one day there were heavy rains and a voice from above asked people to raise their voice against the arrogant king and the God was with them.

"The people woke up and threw out that king within a year. After the king's exit, the country started progressing by leaps and bounds. The importance of this story is that the more you narrate it, the more you will be blessed. The more you propagate this story, the society and the nation will progress," Kejriwal said.

He also urged people to vote judiciously.

Is Haaland Football's Next Global Superstar?

With Lionel Messi on his way to Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo already in Saudi Arabia, it's time for football's next global superstar to emerge.

Step forward Erling Haaland, the Norwegian goal machine who has smashed his way through defences in a record-breaking first season with Manchester City.

Standing 6-foot-4 with flowing blond locks, the striker is a daunting sight, with devastating power and pace to go with his precision in front of goal.

Youngsters, including the son of teammate Kevin De Bruyne, are emulating Haaland's hairstyle.

“They all have hair like that," De Bruyne told Belgian broadcaster VTM this week.

Image is one thing, but it is Haaland's prowess on the field that is propelling him to the top of the sport.

Perhaps only Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior can challenge the 22-year-old Haaland to the title of the world's best in the post-Messi and Ronaldo era.

On Saturday, Haaland could fire City to its first Champions League title and a historic treble of trophies after winning the Premier League and FA Cup in a season in which he has exceeded all expectations after signing from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

His goal-scoring talents were already well known. European giants Real Madrid and Manchester United were among his admirers. But his feats at City have defied belief at times and set new standards in England's top flight.

With 36 goals in the Premier League, he set a new benchmark in the division by breaking the record of 34, which was jointly held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. It had stood for 29 years.

He scored 52 in all competitions, including six hat tricks.

Haaland's five goals against Leipzig in the Champions League matched the record held by Messi and Luiz Adriano for the most in a single game in European soccer's top club competition.

He also became the fastest and youngest player to reach 30 Champions League goals. “His mentality is to score more, more,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

While he will likely be the player Inter Milan fears most in Saturday's final in Istanbul, Haaland is on something of a scoring drought heading into the game.

Just one goal in his last seven matches represents his worst run for five years, dating back to when he was still establishing himself at Norwegian team Molde.

That recent dry spell, however, has done nothing to shake the sense that he is one of the few players capable of taking over from Messi and Ronaldo as soccer's next global icon. And at 22, he is still developing his game.

“I am still young. I can improve a lot and I am at the perfect place, to work with the best coach and players in the world,” he said, describing Guardiola as a detail freak. “There (are) always things you can get better at.”

Haaland's all-round game has improved after developing more of an understanding with his City teammates. He was outstanding, for instance, in the 4-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals, despite not getting on the scoresheet.

Just as Messi and Ronaldo's rivalry helped drive them to even greater heights sharing 12 Ballon d'Or trophies between them Haaland's primary competition for the title of the world's No.1 soccer player is likely to come from Mbappe and Vinicius. But while Haaland may not have their finesse or intricate footwork, his raw power, athleticism and scoring instinct sets him apart.

The greatest players, however, are judged by the trophies they win. Messi's World Cup triumph with Argentina in December has, for many, settled the debate as to who is the greatest out of him and Ronaldo, who has never won the competition.

Haaland is already playing catch-up in terms of trophies in comparison to Mbappe and Vinicius. But he's one game away from adding the Champions League to his Premier League and FA Cup collection.

Mbappe, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, is still to triumph in the Champions League. Brazil star Vinicius won it last year with Madrid.

Given Haaland is unlikely to win major honours with Norway, club titles and personal records are likely to be his chance of establishing himself ahead of Mbappe and Vinicius as the best of his generation.

He feels like the final piece of the puzzle for Guardiola in the coach's pursuit of the Champions League title.

Having won it twice as coach of Barcelona with Messi, Guardiola has repeatedly come up short in the competition since then.

“The Premier League, they won it two times in a row before I came here," Haaland said. “So they know how to win the Premier League. The only thing they miss now is the Champions League, you can think and read between the words, and the lines, I have been coming here for a reason.”

While Mbappe and Vinicius present the potential for a long-term rivalry, Messi likely provides the biggest challenge to Haaland if he is to win the Ballon d'Or this year.

Argentina's World Cup success could land Messi the accolade of the world's best player for a record-extending eighth time. A Champions League trophy for Haaland might change that.

Either way, Haaland looks likely to be a contender for many years to come. Not that filling Messi's shoes will be an easy task.

Even Haaland's remarkable feats this season have fallen short of Messi's most prolific campaign when he scored 73 goals in all competitions for Barcelona in 2011-12, including 50 in the Spanish league.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, scored 61 for Real Madrid in 2014-15. Perhaps that is why Haaland was coy when recently asked if he was now the best goal-scorer in the world.

“I don't want to answer that. I think someone else should answer that,” Haaland told the BBC. “But I scored most goals this season, I think, so that's a good start.”

 

“They all have hair like that," De Bruyne told Belgian broadcaster VTM this week.

Image is one thing, but it is Haaland's prowess on the field that is propelling him to the top of the sport.

Perhaps only Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior can challenge the 22-year-old Haaland to the title of the world's best in the post-Messi and Ronaldo era.

On Saturday, Haaland could fire City to its first Champions League title and a historic treble of trophies after winning the Premier League and FA Cup in a season in which he has exceeded all expectations after signing from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

His goal-scoring talents were already well known. European giants Real Madrid and Manchester United were among his admirers. But his feats at City have defied belief at times and set new standards in England's top flight.

With 36 goals in the Premier League, he set a new benchmark in the division by breaking the record of 34, which was jointly held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. It had stood for 29 years.

He scored 52 in all competitions, including six hat tricks.

Haaland's five goals against Leipzig in the Champions League matched the record held by Messi and Luiz Adriano for the most in a single game in European soccer's top club competition.

He also became the fastest and youngest player to reach 30 Champions League goals. “His mentality is to score more, more,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

While he will likely be the player Inter Milan fears most in Saturday's final in Istanbul, Haaland is on something of a scoring drought heading into the game.

Just one goal in his last seven matches represents his worst run for five years, dating back to when he was still establishing himself at Norwegian team Molde.

That recent dry spell, however, has done nothing to shake the sense that he is one of the few players capable of taking over from Messi and Ronaldo as soccer's next global icon. And at 22, he is still developing his game.

“I am still young. I can improve a lot and I am at the perfect place, to work with the best coach and players in the world,” he said, describing Guardiola as a detail freak. “There (are) always things you can get better at.”

Haaland's all-round game has improved after developing more of an understanding with his City teammates. He was outstanding, for instance, in the 4-0 win against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals, despite not getting on the scoresheet.

Just as Messi and Ronaldo's rivalry helped drive them to even greater heights sharing 12 Ballon d'Or trophies between them Haaland's primary competition for the title of the world's No.1 soccer player is likely to come from Mbappe and Vinicius. But while Haaland may not have their finesse or intricate footwork, his raw power, athleticism and scoring instinct sets him apart.

The greatest players, however, are judged by the trophies they win. Messi's World Cup triumph with Argentina in December has, for many, settled the debate as to who is the greatest out of him and Ronaldo, who has never won the competition.

Haaland is already playing catch-up in terms of trophies in comparison to Mbappe and Vinicius. But he's one game away from adding the Champions League to his Premier League and FA Cup collection.

Mbappe, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, is still to triumph in the Champions League. Brazil star Vinicius won it last year with Madrid.

Given Haaland is unlikely to win major honours with Norway, club titles and personal records are likely to be his chance of establishing himself ahead of Mbappe and Vinicius as the best of his generation.

He feels like the final piece of the puzzle for Guardiola in the coach's pursuit of the Champions League title.

Having won it twice as coach of Barcelona with Messi, Guardiola has repeatedly come up short in the competition since then.

“The Premier League, they won it two times in a row before I came here," Haaland said. “So they know how to win the Premier League. The only thing they miss now is the Champions League, you can think and read between the words, and the lines, I have been coming here for a reason.”

While Mbappe and Vinicius present the potential for a long-term rivalry, Messi likely provides the biggest challenge to Haaland if he is to win the Ballon d'Or this year.

Argentina's World Cup success could land Messi the accolade of the world's best player for a record-extending eighth time. A Champions League trophy for Haaland might change that.

Either way, Haaland looks likely to be a contender for many years to come. Not that filling Messi's shoes will be an easy task.

Even Haaland's remarkable feats this season have fallen short of Messi's most prolific campaign when he scored 73 goals in all competitions for Barcelona in 2011-12, including 50 in the Spanish league.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, scored 61 for Real Madrid in 2014-15. Perhaps that is why Haaland was coy when recently asked if he was now the best goal-scorer in the world.

“I don't want to answer that. I think someone else should answer that,” Haaland told the BBC. “But I scored most goals this season, I think, so that's a good start.”

EU warns Zuckerberg to protect kids on Instagram or face 'heavy sanctions'

(Source: IANS)

The European Union (EU) has warned Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to take immediate action on protecting kids on Instagram or face "heavy sanctions".

The warning came after reports emailed that Instagram's recommendation algorithms are allegedly promoting networks of pedophiles who commission and sell child sexual abuse content on the popular image sharing platform.

The Wall Street Journal worked with researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to go undercover and expose such a network of Instagram accounts.

In a tweet, the EU's internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, said the company's "voluntary code on child protection seems not to work".

"Mark Zuckerberg must now explain and take immediate action. I will discuss with him at Meta's HQ in Menlo Park on June 23," he said in the tweet.

After August 25, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), "Meta has to demonstrate measures to us or face heavy sanctions," he added.

The penalty for non-compliance with the DSA, regarding the failure to curb the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), can scale up to 6 per cent of the social media company's global annual turnover.

According to the WSJ report, Instagram "helps connect and promote a vast network of accounts openly devoted to the commission and purchase of underage-sex content".

The investigators found "128 accounts offering to sell child-sex-abuse material on Twitter, less than a third the number they found on Instagram".

Meta told the Journal that it had failed to act on these reports and that "it was reviewing its internal processes".

In a first, crocodile makes herself pregnant

The first ever known case of a crocodile who made herself pregnant without male intervention has been identified at a zoo in Costa Rica, scientists say.

The crocodile produced a foetus that was 99.9 per cent genetically identical to herself, the researchers said.

The team, including researchers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the US, noted that the finding is the 'first documentation' of this very rare mode of reproduction in a crocodile species.

Over the past two decades, zoologists have increasingly documented the vertebrate reproductive strategy of facultative parthenogenesis (FP) in which females lay eggs or give birth without mating.

A wide range of organisms including birds, reptiles like lizards and snakes as well as some fishes, have been shown to reproduce in this strange manner, the researchers said.

The study, published recently in the journal Biology Letters, documented the first evidence of FP in the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus.

The latest research is based on the 2018 observation of a female crocodile held in captivity for 16 years, which laid a clutch of 14 eggs, one of which contained a fully formed, but stillborn, foetus.

The rare reproductive strategy in crocodilian species has particularly intrigued scientists as these organisms lack sex chromosomes and their sex determination is controlled by the temperature in which eggs develop and hatch.

Scientists say the trait might be inherited from an evolutionary ancestor, so dinosaurs might also have been capable of self-reproduction.

"This evidence offers tantalizing insights into the possible reproductive capabilities of extinct archosaurian relatives of crocodilians, notably the Pterosauria and Dinosauria," the authors wrote in the study.

The crocodile who laid the egg was obtained when she was two years old and was kept apart from other crocodiles for her entire life in Parque Reptilania.

Researcher Warren Booth, who works at Virginia Tech in the US, and colleagues analysed the foetus and found that it was over 99.9 per cent genetically identical to its mother, confirming that there was no male intervention in its birth.

"Building on previous studies, the data advances our understanding of the distribution of FP in vertebrates, particularly in that all previous studies relate to species whose sex is genetically determined," the authors added.

Belgium Investigating Whether Arms Shipped To Ukraine Ended Up In Russia Fighting

Source: PTI

Belgium is investigating whether weapons it sent to help Ukraine defend its territory were used in fighting just over the border following a news report that said equipment produced by a Belgian company turned up around Russia's Belgorod region.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo warned on Monday against jumping to any hasty conclusions since shipments over decades and different regions can make arms turn up in unexpected places.

“Defence and information services started a probe to be absolutely sure what happened there,” De Croo told Belgian broadcaster VRT.

The Washington Post published extensive reporting over the weekend saying that arms from some NATO member countries, including the United States, Poland, Czechia and Belgium, had appeared in Belgorod, which borders Ukraine.

The Post's report cast doubt on whether Ukraine had proper controls in place. De Croo said European Union nations supplied Ukraine with weapons on the condition the arms were used only within the invaded country to defend its territory.

“The rule is very strict,” the prime minister said. “Since Russia would likely see the use of the weapons outside Ukraine as Western provocation,” he added.

“While there could be leakage of our weapons to other conflicts,” De Croo said if there was any truth that arms destined to defend Ukraine were used in fighting in Russia, “we would take that extremely seriously.”

The Washington Post said its article involved a cross-border raid by the Legion of Free Russia and the Russian Volunteer Corps militias, which oppose Russian President Vladimir Putin. The latter group purports to include Russians who are fighting on Ukraine's side.

 

Manipur violence: Members of Kuki community hold protest outside Amit Shah's residence

Source: PTI 

People from Manipur's Kuki community held a protest outside Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi on Wednesday against the ongoing violence in the northeastern state, police said.

The protesters were holding placards with messages such as 'Save Kuki Lives' and raising slogans, they said.

Police said four of the protesters were allowed to enter the home minister's residence for a meeting and the rest were shifted to Jantar Mantar.

At least 98 people have lost their lives and 310 more were injured in ethnic violence in Manipur that broke out a month ago. A total of 37,450 people are currently sheltered in 272 relief camps in the state.

Clashes first broke out in Manipur on May 3 after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Elena Rybakina, reigning Wimbledon champion, pulls out of French Open

Source: PTI

Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has pulled out of the French Open before her third-round match because she is sick.

"I just wanted to give 100 per cent, and obviously, I'm far from being 100 per cent," Rybakina said. "If I cannot breathe, there is no chance I can even run and try to compete."

The No. 4-seeded Rybakina was supposed to face 132nd-ranked Sara Sorribes Tormo in the day's opening contest on Court Philippe Chatrier.

They were scheduled to begin playing at 11.45am local time, but instead, at that very moment, Rybakina sat down behind the microphone at a news conference to explain why she was withdrawing from the year's second Grand Slam tournament.

Sounding stuffed up, Rybakina explained that she has been running a fever, didn't sleep well the past two nights and had difficulty breathing during a warm-up session Saturday ahead of her match. She said a doctor told her there is a virus going around here in Paris.

Rybakina, who won each of her first two matches this week in straight sets, was considered among the top contenders for the championship at Roland Garros. She has won her past 10 matches, including a tuneup title on red clay at the Italian Open last month.

She plays a power-built game based in part on one of the best serves on the WTA Tour, which she leads in aces this season.

Last July, Rybakina won her first major trophy, defeating Ons Jabeur in the final at Wimbledon.

Rybakina is a 23-year-old who was born in Moscow and has represented Kazakhstan since 2018, when that country offered her funding to support her tennis career. The switch was a topic of conversation during Wimbledon because the All England Club barred athletes who represent Russia or Belarus from entering the tournament in 2022 due to the war in Ukraine.

The walkover allows the 26-year-old Sorribes Tormo to advance to the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.

 

Book On Sidhu Moosewala's Death, Its Investigation To Release On Monday

Source: PTI

A new book gives a detailed account of the death and the subsequent investigation into the murder of Punjabi singer-rapper Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu -- popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala.

Who Killed Moosewala?, scheduled to release on Monday, is written by journalist-author Jupinderjit Singh. Published by Westland Books, it looks at the events of May 29, 2022, the day the Punjabi hip-hop star was shot by six armed assailants while driving to his aunt's house in a village in Punjab.

"While reporting on it (Moosewala's death) I felt that news stories were not going to be enough and I decided to write this book... The weight of responsibility to stick to the facts pressed upon my soul, especially because the investigation is still ongoing. The toll on me is immeasurable, yet through it all, I persisted, driven by a desire to shed light on the murder that reminds us all of the fragility of life," said the author in a statement.

An icon for many, Moosewala had also been a controversial figure. There were allegations that he promoted gun culture and violence, and rumours that he had ties with certain gangs.

With his sudden and violent death, the questions about his life became louder -- as also those around his death. 'Who had killed Moosewala?' was what everyone wanted to know.

In the gripping and fast-paced book, the author closely follows the investigation into Moosewala's death and also offers us glimpses into the man he was behind the mask of celebrity.

Besides the story of the slain singer and those behind his murder, this book is also a rumination on the growing unrest in Punjab.

"Singh's understanding of the case is strong and comprehensive. In this riveting book, backed by meticulous research, Jupinderjit offers up a fascinating portrait of the singer and the Punjab he inhabited," said Sanghamitra Biswas, executive editor at Westland Books.

 

 

26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana Files Petition In US Court Against Extradition To India

Source: PTI

Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana has filed a writ of habeas corpus challenging a recent US court order that paved the way for his extradition to India where he is facing trial for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

Last month, the US District Court Central District of California approved the extradition of the 26/11 attack accused Rana to India.

Filing the Writ of habeas corpus through his attorney, Rana, 62, challenged his extradition by the Government of India. Rana's extradition would violate the United States-India extradition treaty in two respects, his attorney argued.

The writ of habeas corpus primarily acts as a writ of inquiry, issued to test the reasons or grounds for restraint and detention.

First, Rana has been tried and acquitted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for charges based on the identical conduct for which India seeks to prosecute him.

It argued that extradition is therefore barred under Article 6 (1) of the Treaty, which declares that "Extradition shall not be granted when the person sought has been convicted or acquitted in the Requested State for the offence for which extradition is requested."

Second, the materials submitted by the Indian government -- consisting principally of transcripts and exhibits from Rana's trial in the Northern District of Illinois -- fail to establish probable cause that he committed the offences for which India has charged him.

The Indian government's extradition request thus fails to satisfy Article 9.3(c) of the Treaty, it said adding that the Court should grant the writ of habeas corpus, deny extradition, and order Rana released, the writ says.

On June 10, 2020, India filed a complaint seeking the provisional arrest of Rana with a view towards extradition. The Biden administration had supported and approved the extradition of Rana to India.

"The Court has reviewed and considered all of the documents submitted in support of and in opposition to the Request, and has considered the arguments presented at the hearing," Judge Jacqueline Chooljian, US Magistrate Judge of the US District Court Central District of California, said in a 48-page court order dated May 16.

During court hearings, US Government attorneys argued that Rana was aware that his childhood friend Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley was involved with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and that by assisting Headley and affording him cover for his activities, he was supporting the terrorist organisation and its associates.

Rana knew of Headley's meetings, what was discussed, and the planning of the attacks, including some of the targets. The US government asserted that Rana was part of the conspiracy and there is probable cause that he committed the substantive crime of commission of a terrorist act.

Rana's attorney on the other hand opposed the extradition.

Rana is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. Rana was arrested in the US on an extradition request by India for his role in these attacks.

India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) is probing his role in the 26/11 attacks carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in 2008. The NIA has said that it is ready to initiate proceedings to bring him to India through diplomatic channels.

A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations of Mumbai.