Month: November 2020

Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was detained by Mumbai Police on Wednesday and alleged that he along with his mother-in-law, father-in-law, son and wife have been physically assaulted.

Mumbai Police entered Goswami’s residence today and allegedly physically assaulted his family members and him.

Republic TV channel telecast visuals of Mumbai Police entering Goswami’s residence and what appears to be a scuffle.

Goswami had earlier been booked in two cases related to his alleged provocative remarks and defaming Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi in a television debate on Palghar mob lynching incident and Bandra station crowding incident report at NM Joshi Marg police station and Pydhonie police station respectively.

The two cases were registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including provocation with intent to cause riots, defamation, statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy.

On June 30, the Bombay High Court stayed two FIRs registered against Goswami.The Supreme Court, on October 26, adjourned for two weeks the hearing on an appeal filed by the Maharashtra government challenging the Bombay High Court order, which stayed the investigation against Arnab Goswami in connection with his alleged comments on his show over the Palghar lynching case.

In April this year, Goswami and his wife Samyabrata Ray were allegedly attacked when they were driving back home from the Republic TV Headquarters in Worli. (ANI)

Sharing a throwback picture from the shoot of ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain,’ filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan on Wednesday extended birthday greetings to actor Tabu.

The ‘Om Shanti Om,’ filmmaker took to Instagram to post the throwback picture that sees her and Tabu posing while sitting on a railing.

Khan complimented the post with a sweet birthday note for Tabu where she remembered how her friendship dynamics with the actor have remained the same over the years since the first time they met for the shoot of ‘Viraasat.’

“Hum Saath Saath Hain! The first time I met her in 1995 at the shooting of Viraasat, and it was as if we were old friends who knew each other since childhood,” she wrote in the caption.

“n its bn exactly like that 25yrs later.. Happy birthday my tabdi.. @tabutiful i lov u n I always let u go coz I know ul always cm back #syaaaliiiii,” she added.

The ‘A Suitable Boy,’ actor ringed into her 50th on Wednesday. (ANI)

Barely 24 hours after the terror attack in the heart of Vienna, the Islamic State claimed responsibility, calling the shooter a “soldier of the caliphate”, according to a statement translated by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors online extremist messaging, as quoted in the New York Times on Tuesday.

The man who opened fire in central Vienna on Monday while armed has been identified as a 20-year-old Austrian citizen who had sought to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State, Austria’s Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said. The shooter was known to be armed with an automatic rifle, a pistol, and a machete and was wearing a fake explosive device.

Four were killed while 22 people were injured in the terrorist attack that shook the Austrian capital on Monday.

“The evidence gathered so far showed no indication that others were involved. The attacker, an Austrian who also has citizenship from North Macedonia, was identified as Kujtim Fejzulai by officials and his former lawyer, Nikolaus Rast,” Nehammer was quoted as saying by the New York Times.

“The suspect had been arrested once before after trying to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State. The man was sentenced to 22 months in prison for that attempt but was released early, raising questions about how someone on the radar of the authorities had managed to carry out such an attack,” Nehammer added. (ANI)

Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani said that Pakistan does not want to acknowledge Sindh and Balochistan as they view those who want to maintain their identity as a threat to the nation.

“Sindh has a history that dates back several centuries — so does Balochistan. Instead of acknowledging that there is a new state but old nations live in it, the state of Pakistan has decided that it does not want to acknowledge the existence of old nations and nationalities that constitute contemporary Pakistan,” he said at the 32nd International Conference on Sindh on Sunday.

The former Pakistani ambassador added that Islamabad’s lack of acknowledgment creates a problem for those who “want to maintain their identity” as Sindhis, Pashtuns, Punjabis, Baloch are seen as a threat.

“The state of Pakistan is an authoritarian state and a national security state. The problem with the ideological construct of the state is that anybody who has a question or does not toe the line is seen as threatening the state. The whole notion of the state is based on a historical accident,” he added.

Haqqani said that the “proud history” of Sindh and Balochistan is not being taught in Pakistan and added that what is going on in Pakistan is an “attempt to eradicate identity”. “All the divisive elements, human rights violations and efforts to try and subjugate Sindh economically and politically are a part of a big project which is trying to project an ideology that is not organic,” he added.

Enforced disappearances of hundreds of Sindhis have been a cause of concern for the Sindhi community. While interacting with the media recently, some of the victims’ families narrated how they were brutally thrashed before their respective members were forcibly taken away.

Frequent protests are being held in different cities and towns of Sindh province to highlight the atrocities committed by the security agencies in the knowledge of the federal government. (ANI)

Saadath Mohi-ud-din Bhat, a medical student from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, is an inspiration to many.

Bhat has started a podcast titled “Aao Unhe Yaad Karai,” which aims at promoting the Kashmiri language and Sufi poetry.

“I am also writing a poetry book which will be published soon. The aim is to preserve our rich language and Sufi culture and draw the attention of people, especially youth, towards it,” he said.

The medical student said that the youth of Kashmir use the Kashmiri language less nowadays.

“There is no one who has any interest in our mother tongue. When we are shying away from our own language, protecting our culture seems to be difficult. There will be no traces of our own language and culture if this approach continues. That is why I am working to preserve the language and poetry and promote it among people,” he said.

Bhat said his family is also supportive of his work and feels proud of his achievements.

His father Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Bhat said, “When I see his poetry, I feel proud. He has always been a good student, but for a long time, he has been trying to put the Kashmiri language at the forefront. People sometimes have an inferiority complex if they speak in Kashmiri and Sadat though poetry is encouraging people to speak the language.” (ANI)

The first phase of Malabar naval exercise commenced off Vishakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday with participation by Indian Navy (IN), United States Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

The 24th edition of the Malabar naval exercise is scheduled in two phases this month. It will display “high-levels of synergy and coordination” based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.

It is for first time in more than a decade that the exercise will see the participation of all four Quad countries. Australia is taking part in the exercise after 2007.

The first phase of the exercise will continue till November 6 and will witness complex and advanced naval exercises including surface, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare operations, cross deck flying, seamanship evolutions and weapon firing exercises.

The first phase of Malabar 20 will witness the participation of Indian Navy units with United States Ship (USS) John S McCain (guided-missile destroyer), Her Majesty’s Australian Ship (HMAS) Ballarat (long range frigates) with integral MH-60 helicopter and Japan Maritime Self Defence Ship (JMSDF) Onami (destroyer) with integral SH-60 helicopter.

The Indian Navy participation in phase one is being led by Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet.

Indian Navy units participating in the exercise include destroyer Ranvijay, frigate Shivalik, offshore patrol vessel Sukanya, fleet support ship Shakti and submarine Sindhuraj.

In addition, advanced jet trainer Hawk, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I, Dornier maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters will also be participating in the exercise.

The exercise, being conducted as a “non-contact, at sea only” in view of COVID-19 pandemic, will showcase the “high-levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order”, a Defence Ministry release had said on Monday.

Malabar exercises commenced in 1992 as a bilateral IN-USN exercise. JMSDF joined Malabar in 2015. The second phase of Malabar 20 is scheduled to be conducted in the Arabian Sea in mid-November 2020.

The exercise comes amid border tensions between India and China. The US is among countries that have expressed concern over attempts of China to flex military muscle in the neigbhourhood. (ANI)