Month: August 2022

Kashmir is all set to get its first multiplex cinema after three decades in Srinagar, which comes as a major move to bring entertainment to the youth in the Valley along with employment opportunities.

The setting up of a multiplex in Kashmir, which has seen terrorism for a long time from the other side of the border, comes three years after the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. Notably, the theatres in the Valley had shut in 1990 due to the rise in militancy.

The multiplex, which is likely to be open to the public from September, has been designed by INOX and will have three auditoriums, each being lashed with the latest sound systems and comfortable seating facilities.

Speaking to ANI, Project manager, Vishaq said, “We are starting the first multiplex in Kashmir designed by INOX. There are three auditoriums in which the latest sound systems are installed. A silver screen is being used. Recliner seats, as well as normal chairs, are also made available.”

Chairman of the project, Vijay Dhar said that the youngsters should get the same facilities in the cinema that they get elsewhere outside Kashmir.

“We saw there had been no such thing here for 30 years, we thought why not? So we’ve just started. The youngsters should get the same facilities in the cinema which they get in Jammu or in other towns of the country,” he said.

The capacity of the multiplex will be around 520 people. The multiplex has food courts and other entertaining facilities which will be an attraction point for children.

The work is underway in full swing to complete work as soon as possible. (ANI)

Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday tested positive for Coronavirus infection for the second time, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh informed.

“Congress President Sonia Gandhi has tested positive for Covid-19 today. She will remain in isolation as per the government protocol,” he tweeted.

Notably, she was tested positive for the viral infection on June 2, a day later of the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate to her in the National Herald case, where she was asked to appear before the probe agency on June 8.

The National Herald case pertains to the alleged financial irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was registered about nine months ago after a trial court took cognisance of an Income Tax department probe carried out on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013, who had alleged that the Gandhis cheated and misappropriated funds, with YIL paying only Rs 50 lakh to obtain the right to recover Rs 90.25 crore that AJL owed to Congress.

Earlier on Wednesday, Gandhi’s daughter and party’s General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tested positive for Covid-19, which she informed via a tweet that read, “Tested positive for Covid (again!) today. Will be isolating at home and following all protocols.”

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi was also reported ill as a result of which his visit to Rajasthan’s Alwar to attend the party’s ‘Netratv Sankalp Shivir’ was cancelled. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with all medal winners of the Commonwealth 2022 games at his official residence on Saturday.

This is the first time the Prime Minister physically interacted with the winners of the Commonwealth Games after their spectacular performance in Birmingham. Earlier PM Modi had hosted the contingent of medal winners of Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.

PM Modi had already wished every athlete who won a medal for the country. The Prime Minister had turned to his official Twitter handle to congratulate Indian athletes after they bagged medals at the event. PM Modi also sent his wishes to those who failed to finish on the podium.

From July 28 to August 8, nearly 200 Indian athletes competed for medals across 16 different sports at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

India wrapped up its Commonwealth Games 2022 campaign at fourth position with 61 medals (22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze). Wrestling topped the medal chart with 12 medals including six gold while weightlifting accounted for 10 medals.

India has delivered its fourth-best performance of all time in their Commonwealth Games history, with their best being a total of 101 medals when the games were held at home in 2010.

The Indian women’s cricket team also created history as they won the silver medal in CWG’s first-ever T20 event.

One of the major highlights of the mega event was the clinching of a gold medal by Nikhat Zareen.

After winning the medal in the final of the women’s 50kg Light Flyweight category, Zareen said she is excited to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and added that she will take his autograph on her boxing gloves.

Indian star boxer and world champion Nikhat Zareen defeated Carly MC Naul of Northern Ireland in the final of women’s 50kg (Light Flyweight) on Sunday.

Zareen lived up to her ‘world champion’ status as she dominated Carly across all three rounds. She won by 5-0 on basis of points scored.

“I am very excited to meet Prime Minister Modi; I took a selfie with him last time and want a new one now. Last time, I took his autograph on my T-shirt, now I will take it on my boxing gloves,” Nikhat Zareen had told ANI after winning the gold on August 07.

The Commonwealth Games 2022 came to an end with a stunning closing ceremony at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Monday.

The Commonwealth Games flag was presented to the Governor of Victoria. The state of Victoria, Australia will be the next host of the Commonwealth Games in 2026. (ANI)

Ahead of the 75th year of India’s Independence, Prime Minister Modi has launched the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which kick started today and will continue till Monday, i.e., August 15.

Under the campaign, the Centre has urged people to hoist or display the tricolour in their homes to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.

It is important to understand the basic Dos and Don’ts of hoisting the National Flag.

According to the Flag Code of India, the Tiranga can be hoisted on all occasions at all places without disrespecting its dignity and honour.

The code says that the Flag can be of any size but its ratio of length to height must be 3:2 in the rectangular shape.

Overruling clause XI of paragraph 2.2 of Part II of the Flag Code of India to unfurl the national flag after sunset only, Tiranga can now be displayed on the house of any person in the country at whatever time in the 24 hours of the day.

“where the Flag is displayed in open or displayed on the house of the member of the public, it may be flown day and night,” states the new rule.

However, it is necessary for the person hoisting the national flag to make sure that the flag is not hoisted in an inverted manner–that is the saffron part of the flag should fly high.

The flag you are hoisting must not display a damaged tricolour and neither it should touch the ground or water. In other words, the national flag should not be damaged in whatsoever way.

Moreover, the person hoisting the flag must ensure that the flag is not flown from the extreme top part of the flagpole with any other flag.

In case, the National Flag is damaged, it should be disposed off in a way that its dignity is not hurt. The Flag Code of India suggests that it should be completely destroyed in private by burning it; and if it is paper-made, make sure that its is not abandoned on the ground.

In short, the National Flag of India should be discarded in complete privacy, keeping in mind the dignity of Tiranga.

A citizen, a private organization or an educational institution may hoist or display the National Flag on all days and occasions. There is no restriction on the timing of flag display.

The government has amended the Flag Code of India to allow the tricolour to be displayed in the open and on individual houses or buildings day and night.

Earlier, Indians were allowed to hoist their National Flag only on some specific occasions but it changed after a decade-long legal battle of industrialist Naveen Jindal which culminated in the January 23, 2004 landmark judgment of the Supreme Court of India, that declared that the Right To fly the National Flag freely with Respect and Dignity a ‘fundamental right of an Indian citizen’ within the meaning of Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution of India.

Lauding the Centre and PM Modi for the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign, Naveen Jindal has urged every Indian to make ‘Har Din Tiranga’ their motto.

The Flag Code of India was earlier amended in December last year allowing the use of polyester, apart from cotton, wool, silk and khadi for making hand-spun, hand-woven and machine-made flags. (ANI)

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday sacked four employees, including the wife of terrorist Bitta Karate who is facing terror charges and is also an accused in the killing of Kashmir Pandits.

The four people have been dismissed from the services for terror links, officials said.

Along with Karate’s wife, Assabah Arzoomand Khan, the government has also dismissed three other persons including Muheet Ahmad Bhat, a scientist at the University of Kashmir. Mueed is the son of Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin’s son

Assabah Arzoomand, wife of the top Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorist Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate is a 2011 batch Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer.

Majid Hussain Qadri, Senior Assistant Professor of Kashmir University and Syed Abdul Mueed, Manager IT, Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) were also removed by invoking Article 311 of the Constitution of India.

Mueed is the son of Syed Salahuddin, chief of Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen.

Under Article 311 of the Constitution, the government can sack its employees from services without an enquiry and the dismissed employees can only approach a high court for relief.

The Jammu and Kashmir government led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has been regularly sacking employees for involvement in anti-national activities by invoking the Constitution’s Article 311.

In July last year, Lt Governor Sinha ordered the termination of 11 government employees, including two sons of Syed Salahuddin, for their alleged involvement in anti-national and terrorist activities.

Earlier in May 2021, three state government employees were sacked May for their involvement in terror activities. Syed Shakeel Yousuf was a medical assistant at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar and Syed Shahid Yousuf worked in the Agriculture Department of J-K.

In October 2021, the grandson of separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani namely Anees-ul-Islam was sacked as the research officer from a government-owned convention centre in Jammu and Kashmir by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

“AND WHEREAS, the Lieutenant Governor is satisfied under sub-clause (c) of the provision to clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India that in the interest of the security of the State, it is not expedient to hold an enquiry in the case of Mr Anees-ul-Islam, Research Officer in Sher e-Kashmir International Convention Centre,” read the order copy. (ANI)

Renowned author Salman Rushdie, who faced death threats over his book ‘The Satanic Verses’, was “stabbed” on stage in Western New York state.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said the author is alive and has been transported to a local hospital.
“He is alive and has been transported, airlifted, to safety… The event moderator was attacked as well; he’s getting the care he needs at a local hospital,” she said.

The New York State Police said in a statement that a male suspect ran up onto the stage prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua and attacked Rushdie.

It said the author suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. A suspect has been taken into custody.

The interviewer with Rushdie was also attacked during the incident and he suffered a minor head injury, the police said.

“State Police are investigating an attack on author Salman Rushdie prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY,” the statement said.

“On August 12, 2022, at about 11 am, a male suspect ran up onto the stage and attacked Rushdie and an interviewer. Rushdie suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck, and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. His condition is not yet known. The interviewer suffered a minor head injury. A State Trooper assigned to the event immediately took the suspect into custody. The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office assisted at the scene,” it added.

CNN citing a Chautauqua spokesperson said medical staff and police were called to the amphitheatre.

The seventy-five-year-old author hogged the limelight with his novel ‘Midnight’s Children’ in 1981. The India-born author won Booker Prize for the novel which was also adapted for the stage.

But his 1988 book ‘The Satanic Verses’ led to a fatwa, a religious decree, by the then Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The threat forced him into hiding for several years.

Rushdie’s books have been translated into several languages.

PEN International, a worldwide association of writers, condemned the attack on Rushdie.

“We are deeply concerned by the news that former PEN America President, @SalmanRushdie, was attacked today just before giving a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. We condemn the attack and wish him a fast recovery,” PEN International tweeted.

American author Stephen King said, “I hope Salman Rushdie is okay.”

Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, said they can think of no comparable incident of a public violent attack on a literary writer on American soil.

“PEN America is reeling from shock and horror at word of a brutal, premeditated attack on our former President and stalwart ally, Salman Rushdie, who was reportedly stabbed multiple times while on stage speaking at the Chautauqua Institute in upstate New York. We can think of no comparable incident of a public violent attack on a literary writer on American soil,” Nossel said. (ANI)

Veteran Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar condemned the barbaric attack on renowned author Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed during a literary festival in the US state of New York on Friday.

“I condemn the barbaric attack on Salman Rushdie by some fanatic. I hope that NY police and the court will take the strongest action possible against the attacker,” Javed Akhtar tweeted.

Rushdie, who faced death threats over his book ‘The Satanic Verses’, was “stabbed” on stage in western New York state but is said to be alive.

A New York Times reporter tweeted that a doctor in the audience said that Rushdie had multiple stab wounds, including one to the neck, and a pool of blood under him.

One of the US media reports said there were no security searches or metal detectors at the event. A witness told CNN the attacker “walked quickly” down an aisle and jumped on stage, approaching the author and “making a stabbing motion with his hand repeatedly.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also said the author is alive and has been transported to a local hospital. “He is alive and has been transported, airlifted, to safety… The event moderator was attacked as well; he’s getting the care he needs at a local hospital,” she said.

The New York State Police said in a statement that a male suspect ran up onto the stage prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua and attacked Rushdie.

It said the author suffered an apparent stab wound to the neck and was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. A suspect has been taken into custody. The interviewer with Rushdie was also attacked during the incident and he suffered a minor head injury, the police said.

“State Police are investigating an attack on author Salman Rushdie prior to a speaking event at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY,” the statement said. American author Stephen King said, “I hope Salman Rushdie is okay.”

Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, said they can think of no comparable incident of a public violent attack on a literary writer on American soil.

“PEN America is reeling from shock and horror at word of a brutal, premeditated attack on our former President and stalwart ally, Salman Rushdie, who was reportedly stabbed multiple times while on stage speaking at the Chautauqua Institute in upstate New York,” Nossel said. (ANI)

A Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist tasked to kill suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma has been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police.

The Anti-Terrorist Squad of Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested one terrorist associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Saharanpur, informed Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad on Friday.

The arrested terrorist has been identified as Muhammad Nadeem (25), a resident of Kunda Kala village of Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur.

JeM (Jaish-e-Muhammad) and TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban) were in direct contact with the terrorist Muhammad Nadeem, informed UP ATS.

The terror conspiracy was busted under the leadership of ADG ATS Naveen Arora.

The UP ATS received information that a man in Saharanpur, influenced by JeM and TTP ideology, was preparing for ‘Fidayeen’ attack.

Following this, Muhammad Nadeem was identified and interrogated. During primary investigation, a mobile phone was recovered from him, in which a PDF document titled “Explosive Course Fidae Force” was found, informed the ATS.

Besides this, the police have found Muhammad Nadeem’s phone chat including voice messages with Jaish-e-Muhammad and TTP terrorists of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

During interrogation, Nadeem said that he has been in touch with various terrorists of Jaish-e-Muhammad and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan since 2018 via WhatsApp, Telegram, IMO, Facebook Messenger, Club House etc.

He has got training in creating virtual phone numbers from terror organisations. A Pakistani named Saifullah was training him to carry out a ‘Fidayeen’ attack on government buildings or police forces. Nadeem was asked to travel to Pakistan for special training.

As per information, the JeM terrorist has also given names of his fellow terrorists to the police.

One mobile phone with two SIM cards have been recovered from him. He has been booked under Sections 121A/123 of IPC. (ANI)

China has strongly opposed the new Chips and Science Act adopted by the United States to support the local producers of semiconductors that it says will disrupt global supply chains and hamper international trade.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden signed into law the USD 52.7 billion Act to support US semiconductor producers and strengthen their positions in competition with China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the US intends to restrict the normal investment and trade and economic activities of relevant Chinese enterprises, as well as normal scientific and technical cooperation between China and the US.

“The United States stated that the act aims to increase the competitiveness of US technologies and the semiconductor production, however, this act provides huge subsidies to US enterprises producing chips and introduces a differentiated policy of industry support, some provisions of which, among other things, restrict the normal investment and trade and economic activities of relevant Chinese enterprises, as well as normal scientific and technical cooperation between China and the US,” Wenbin said on Wednesday.

The Chinese foreign ministry expects all these to “disrupt global supply chains and hinder international trade,” Wang said, adding that “China is strongly opposed to this.”

The United States is free to choose its own development methods, but those should not harm China’s development and must respect World Trade Organization rules and principles of transparency and non-discrimination, as well as safeguard global production and supply chains, Wang said. (ANI)