Month: January 2022

Chinese authorities are detaining human rights activists to strike out any potential dissent and criticism right ahead of the next month’s Winter Olympics.

Free-speech advocate Yang Maodong was detained for undermining the Chinese authority on January 12, reported Wall Street Journal. Notably, Yang, who writes under the pen name Guo Feixiong, has been blocked from leaving China for the past year.

Authorities rejected his pleas from friends and family, that he be allowed to be with his wife in her final months.

Friends said they had lost contact with the 55-year-old in early December, though it was only on Monday that police officially confirmed his detention to his family.

“It’s really too cruel, too heartless,” Yang Maoping, his sister said, adding that police had been vague about the reason for his detention, reported WSJ.

In another similar incident, Xie Yang, a 49-year old lawyer who has taken up politically sensitive cases related to religion and land rights, was detained on January 11.

He was also charged with subversion and was held captive, according to his family.

“You can imagine authorities all over the country are tightening control pre-emptively to strike out any potential dissent and criticism,” said Renee Xia, a senior researcher with Chinese Human Rights Defenders, a Washington, D.C., based group.

Government officials from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom will not attend the 2022 Olympics to protest Xi’s treatment of ethnic minorities and other human rights violations. (ANI)

Sardar Sujan Singh, a Naval veteran was felicitated by a team of Indian Navy personnel at Karnal on his 100th birthday on Thursday.

Several Naval veterans were also present at the occasion. On behalf of Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Singh was presented an appreciation letter, CNS crest, a memento and a Proud Naval Veteran Cap.

Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar also spoke to Sardar Sujan Singh via video call and wished him good health and happiness for the future. (ANI)

Delhi government on Thursday slashed the maximum price of the RT-PCR COVID-19 test at private laboratories from Rs 500 to Rs 300.

As per the Delhi government order, the conventional RT PCR test in which samples are collected by government teams and collected from the collection sites by private labs will now cost Rs 200.

“RT PCR test wherein samples are collected by private labs for government and processed further at their lab will cost Rs 300. And RT PCR test at private laboratories will also cost Rs 300,” the order stated.

In addition, the same test wherein samples are collected through home visits will now cost Rs 500 including all charges- visit, sample collection and testing cost.

Meanwhile, the government also ordered that the Rapid antigen test (RAT) will be done at Rs 100.

According to the official statement, all labs will ensure that samples are processed latest within 12 hours of being received in the lab with all positive results being updated on the ICMR portal mandatorily within 30 minutes of samples being processed followed by updation of all negative results latest within 24 hours from the receipt of samples in the lab. (ANI)

A Pakistan sessions court in Rawalpindi recently handed the death penalty to a Muslim woman on charges of blasphemy.

The sessions court has also awarded the woman named Aneeqa Ateeq 20 years imprisonment besides imposing a fine of Rs 150,000 as the accused failed to prove her innocence. The accused was convicted under section 295-C PPC and sentenced to death and a fine of Rs 50000. She is to be hanged by her neck till she is dead,” ruled Additional District & Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Adnan Mushtaq in his verdict, according to the Nation.

Further, the judge said the accused is also convicted under section 295-A of PPC and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment along with fine of Rs 50000. In case of default in payment of fine the convict shall undergo imprisonment of six months, as mentioned by the Nation.

Meanwhile, the accused has been further convicted under section 298-A of PPC and sentenced to 3 years rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 50000 and she will serve more than six months behind the bars in case of nonpayment of fine.

Ateeq was also convicted under section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and sentenced to 7 years of rigorous imprisonment with fine of Rs 50000.

The woman’s counsel had argued that the suspect was of unsound mind at the time of occurrence, and the magistrate concerned had ordered a mental examination of the suspect which remained pending without any fault on the part of the suspect.

A state prosecutor submitted before the court that the prosecution proved its case on the basis of oral and documentary evidence, as reported by Nation. (ANI)

In a historical step days before Republic Day, the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at the India Gate lawns would be extinguished and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial on Friday.

“The Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at India Gate will be extinguished and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial on Friday in a ceremony,” said an Indian Army official to ANI.
The ceremony would be presided over by the Integrated Defence Staff chief Air Marshal Balabadhra Radha Krishna who would merge the two flames, officials said.

The India Gate memorial was built by the British government in memory of the British Indian Army soldiers who lost their lives between 1914-1921.

However, the Amar Jawan Jyoti was included in the memorial structure in the 1970s after the massive victory of India over Pakistan in which 93,000 troops of the enemy country surrendered.

After a long wait and multiple considerations, the National War Memorial was built in the India Gate complex by the Narendra Modi government and was inaugurated in 2019.

After the inauguration of the building in War memorial, all military ceremonial events were shifted to it from the India Gate memorial.

The National War Memorial has the names of all the Indian defence personnel who have lost their lives in different operations from the 1947-48 war with Pakistan to the Galwan valley clash with Chinese troops.

The names of troops who lost lives in the counter-terrorist operations are also included on the walls of the memorial. (ANI)

A blast near Lahore’s Lohari Gate area on Thursday killed at least two persons — including one child — and injured 22 others, officials said, reported Geo News.
Windows of nearby shops and buildings were shattered by the explosion. Some motorcycles were also damaged.
Lahore deputy inspector-general of operations, Dr Muhammad Abid Khan, told Geo News that the investigation was in the initial stages and the nature of the blast was being ascertained.
The police official said the blast created a 1.5 feet-deep crater in the ground. The injured people were shifted to Mayo Hospital.

Scores of people come every day to the area where a number of marketplaces and a variety of businesses are located, reported Geo News.
Mayo Hospital officials said four people are in critical condition, with the doctors trying to save their lives. The medics have given first aid to other injured people.
The area has been cordoned off and police officials are gathering evidence from the scene of the crime. (ANI)

Soon after the BJP announced its candidate list for Goa assembly elections which excluded the name of Utpal Parrikar, son of late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, the AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal offered an AAP ticket to Utpal.
Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal slammed BJP and said they have adopted “use and throw policy” even with the Parrikar family therefore AAP offered to Utpal to join and fight elections on the AAP ticket.
“Goans feel very sad that BJP has adopted use and throw policy even with the Parrikar family. I have always respected Manohar Parrikar. Utpal is welcome to join and fight elections on the AAP ticket,” he tweeted.
Earlier in the day, the ruling BJP announced 34 candidates for the upcoming Goa Assembly elections. Notably, Utpal Parrikar name is not on the list.
The sitting MLA from Panjim has been given the ticket while Utpal Parrikar was offered other alternatives but he refused the first one. “Talks are on with him. We feel he should agree,” former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a press conference today.
Goa will go to the assembly polls on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

A vital meeting regarding the resolving of the border dispute between neighbouring states of Assam and Meghalaya will take place with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday evening in the national capital.
Assam chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma will travel together from Guwahati for this meeting.
Both the Chief Ministers are expected to meet Home Minister after 6 pm and then both the leaders will head back to Guwahati right after the meeting.
On Tuesday, after his cabinet meeting, Conrad Sangma had said, “Our Cabinet has approved the recommendations of all 3 Regional Committees as process to resolve the Meghalaya-Assam border issue. These recommendations along with the recommendations by the government of Assam would be further discussed and submitted with the Union Home Minister.”
Assam Chief Minister Sarma also held an all-party meeting on Tuesday and had tweeted, “Our efforts to resolve the Assam-Meghalaya border row have started bearing fruits as 6 of the 12 areas of difference have been identified for resolution in the first phase. During an interaction, briefed representatives of all political parties on the progress made so far.”
“Sought their cooperation in our mutually agreed principles to solve the long-pending problem. Also apprised them of the harmonious talks that led to taking up 6 areas – Ratacherra, Tarabari, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillingkata, Hahim and Gizang – for finding amicable solutions,” Sarma added.
On Tuesday, the Assam government in its cabinet also approved the recommendations made by various committees to resolve the Assam-Meghalaya dispute.
In at least two rounds of meeting between the two Chief Ministers since August last year, three committees each of both states were formed to submit the recommendations so that a long-standing solution can be provided to resolve the border dispute between the two states. (ANI)