Month: October 2020

China on Monday announced its decision to impose sanctions on US companies it says are involved in selling arms to Taiwan.

Speaking at a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, “China decides to take necessary measures to sanction US companies involved in the arms sales to Taiwan including Lockheed Martin, Boeing Defence, Space & Security (BDS) and Raytheon, as well as the U.S. individuals and entities who played an egregious role in the process.”

While threatening the US over selling weapons to Taiwan or having “military ties” with it, the spokesperson said, “We will continue taking necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and security interests.”

The move comes amid heightened tensions between China and Taiwan. The relations between China and the US have also deteriorated in recent times due to various reasons including Indo-Pacific and coronavirus pandemic.

Recently, the United States had approved the potential sale of three weapon systems to Taiwan, including missiles and artillery, that could have a total value of USD 1.8 billion.

Further congressional notifications from US and Taiwan are expected to follow, including drones made by General Atomics and land-based Harpoon anti-ship missiles, made by Boeing, to serve as coastal defence cruise missiles.

China has repeatedly threatened Taiwan with invasion and has adopted an aggressive policy to intimidate the self-governing island.

For decades, the Chinese government has claimed authority over Taiwan. Though Taiwan is not recognised by the UN, its government maintains a relationship with the US and does not accept the Chinese authority. (ANI)

The Assam government shot down Congress MLA’s proposal to set up a ‘Miya’ museum in Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, according to state’s Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

‘Miya’ is the name used for the Bengali speaking Muslim community in the state.

“Assam government hereby makes it clear that no ‘Miya’ museum or any other such museum will be allowed to be set up in Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra. No one will establish it, not even Museum Director,” Sarma told reporters on Sunday.

Earlier, Congress MLA from Baghbar constituency, Sherman Ali Ahmed had proposed the state government for setting up the ‘Miya Museum at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalashetra.

He had also written to the director of museums of the Assam government to expedite the process of setting up the museum.

“I have proposed a museum for the people living in the char-chapori areas of Assam. The museum should be established at Kalashetra in Guwahati. Since the majority of the population of these areas is from the so-called Miya (Bengali Muslim) community, therefore, the museum should be named as Miya Museum,” Ali had said.

The ‘char-chapori’ are riverine islands that are found in the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries, mostly in lower Assam. (ANI)

Actor Payal Ghosh on Monday joined Union Minister Ramdas Athawale-led Republican Party of India (A), in Mumbai and has been named as the vice president of its women’s wing.

Welcoming the actor into the party, Athawale said, “I thank her for joining the party and I welcome her.”

Ghosh thanked Athawale for his support and said she will work for the RPI and for the country.

“Sir has always supported me and I am greateful and we women need such kind of support. Apart from movies, whenever I have free time I will work for RPI and for the country,” she said.

Ghosh had last month filed an FIR against Anurag Kashyap accusing him of sexually assaulting her. She had also, accompanied by Athawale, met Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari, demanding action against the filmmaker.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has vehemently denied the allegation sought severe action against the actress for “misusing” the criminal justice system, his lawyer said on October 2.

The actor had on September 20 accused Kashyap of sexual harassment and later filed an FIR against him.

The Union minister and Rajya Sabha member said that the party had demanded that Kashyap should be arrested. (ANI)

The day October 23, 2020, would go down as one of the most significant days in the history of the Punjabi community of New York when a part of a busy avenue was named Punjab Avenue.

101 Avenue, from 111 Street to 123 Street has been co-named as Punjab Avenue.

The inauguration was done on Friday, October 23 by Council member Adrienne Adams who had moved the motion in the New York City Council for the renaming of the Avenue, in view of the strong presence of the Punjabi community in the area.

It may be mentioned that the two largest Sikh shrines (Gurudwaras) are situated between Lefferts Boulevard and 113 Street. Besides, the entire stretch has businesses run by Punjabis.

Among those present at the inauguration were Assemblyman David Weprin, managing committee members of Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society and Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Sikh Center, and prominent members of the Punjabi community, including Herman Singh, President of Omni Mortgage, H.S. Toor, and Jay Jasbir Singh.

The media was present in strength. A couple of TV channels, which included CBSWLNY , NY 1, PTC TV, JUS Punjabi, among others, and Punjabi, Hindi and English language desi newspapers also covered the event.

According to CBS New York, the street that has now been co-named as Punjab Avenue was a two-year joint effort of several South Asian groups and City Council Member Adrienne Adams.

“This community has been underserved, not really recognized… Invisible, which is a travesty, knowing everything that all of our community brings to this wonderful district,” said Adams and added that the Punjabi community deserved to be acknowledged as they have helped to build Richmond Hill.

“Some of the hardest working people are of the South Asian community… Folks who have been here for a very long time,” Adams said further as quoted by CBS New York.

Harpreet Singh Toor, former president of the Sikh Cultural Society said, “Just because we look different, it doesn’t mean that we are not humans or we are lesser Americans.” Rajwinder Kaur, a member of the Community Education Council, District 28 echoed the same sentiment and added, “It means a lot. We really feel respectful that we are recognized.” (ANI)

Bollywood stars Arjun Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Disha Patani has been roped in by Amazon to voice in the Hindi dubbed version of superhero TV series ‘The Boys.’

Film critic and movie trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the news on Twitter and wrote, “ARJUN KAPOOR – RAJKUMMAR RAO – DISHA PATANI… #Amazon has roped in #ArjunKapoor, #RajkummarRao and #DishaPatani to do the voice-over for the dubbed #Hindi version of the series #TheBoys… The series will also be dubbed in #Tamil and #Telugu.”

The ‘Judgemental Hai Kya’ star Rao revealed that he will be dubbing for Anthony Starr who is essaying the role of the antagonist – The Homelander.

“Main hoon Homelander aur main kisi ki nahi sunta, main wohi karta hoon jo mujhe theek lagta hai! Enjoy The Boys ke dono seasons, Hindi mein, only on@primevideoin #TheBoysTv@arjunk26 @DishPatani,” tweeted Rao.

The American superhero streaming television series ‘ The Boys’ is developed by Eric Kripke for Prime Video. It is based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The TV series follows the eponymous team of vigilantes as they combat superpowered individuals who abuse their abilities. (ANI)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo along with his wife Susan arrived in the national capital on Monday for the India-US 2+2 ministerial Dialogue.

Pompeo is in India today to participate in the third India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on Tuesday.

The holding of the third US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue demonstrates the high-level commitment the two countries provide to shared diplomatic and security objectives, US State Department said on Sunday.

The India-US 2+2 talks will focus on four themes — regional security cooperation, defense information sharing, military-to-military interactions, and defense trade, said the US State Department on Friday.

The first two 2+2 Ministerial dialogues had been held in New Delhi in September 2018 and Washington DC in 2019. (ANI)

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again drawn an inexplicable parallel between Islamophobia and the Holocaust.

In a bizarre letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Khan has sought a ban on Islamophobic content similar to the prohibition put for the Holocaust on the social networking site.

In the letter that he shared on Twitter, Khan said that “growing Islamophobia” is encouraging extremism and violence “across the world” – especially through social media platforms such as Facebook.

“I would ask you to place a similar ban on Islamophobia and hate against Islam for Facebook that you have put in place for the Holocaust,” he said.

Khan said that he appreciates Zuckerberg’s step to “rightly ban any posting that criticises or questions the Holocaust, which was the culmination of the Nazi pogrom of the Jews in Germany and across Europe”. He added that the world is witnessing a similar pogrom against Muslims.

“Unfortunately, in some states, Muslims are being denied their citizenship rights and their democratic personal choices from dress to worship,” he further wrote.

On several occasions, Khan had likened hate against Islam with the Holocaust, the systematic state-sponsored killing of six million Jewish men, women, and children and millions of others by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II.

Last year, during his speech at the 74th UN General Assembly, he said: “In western society, the holocaust is treated with sensitivity because it hurts the Jewish community. So that’s the same respect we ask for; do not hurt our sentiments by maligning our Holy Prophet. That is all we ask.”

Pakistani Prime Minister’s letter comes in the wake of French President Emmanuel Macron remarks after a French teacher was beheaded in Paris after he had shown cartoons of the Prophet during a class he was leading on free speech.

The European leader pledged to fight “Islamist separatism”, which he said was threatening to take control in some Muslim communities around France.

Khan slammed Macron and said that he has “chosen to deliberately provoke Muslims”

Khan, in the letter, further said that in France, Islam has been wrongly associated with terrorism and unfortunately, a publication of blasphemous cartoons targeting Islam and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has been allowed.

“This will lead to further polarisation and marginalisation of Muslims in France. How will the French distinguish between radical extremist Muslim citizens and the mainstream Muslim citizenry of Islam?” he asked.

Facebook on October 12 announced it would remove all content that “denies or distorts the Holocaust.”This expansion of its hate speech policies is a response to ‘the well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people’, said the company. (ANI)

By Sahil Pandey

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said that besides unemployment, inflation is the biggest issue in Bihar Assembly Elections as onion prices are skyrocketing. He also alleged that 60 scams to the tune of about Rs 30,000 crore have taken place in the state under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.

“Inflation is the biggest issue. BJP people used to wear a garland of onions. Now it is about to touch Rs 100/kg. Those who were speaking about onion when it touched Rs 50-60/kg are now silent when it has crossed Rs 80/kg. Starvation and poverty are rising in the state,” Yadav said while speaking to media.

“There is unemployment, small traders are destroyed. GDP is falling, we are going through an economic crisis. Farmers are being destroyed, youth is unemployed, Bihar is poor and people are migrating for education, jobs and medical help,” he added.

After promising 10 lakh jobs in the state for the youth, Tejashwi has brought rising inflation as a key issue in the ongoing Bihar election campaign.

The Mahagathbandhan’s Chief Ministerial face, Tejashwi Yadav alleged that misappropriation to the tune of about Rs 30,000 crore has been done in 60 scams under Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

“There is no audit of money in times of calamity. Corruption has increased considerably, no work can be done without a bribe. Nitishji has made a tradition that not a single work can be done in Bihar without offering a bribe,” he alleged.

Tejashwi Yadav has been constantly attacking and ridiculing the Chief Minister for being “physically and mentally tired”.

The Bihar elections will be held in three phases in Bihar — October 28, November 3 and November 7– and the counting of votes will be done on November 10. (ANI)