Courtesy: ARY News
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has established a Sindhi chair for promotion of research in the language and will soon be offering certificate courses.
The varsity had earlier this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language (NCPSL) under the aegis of HRD Ministry to establish the Sindhi Chair at IGNOU headquarters in the capital.
Read more » The Economic Times
See more » http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/ignou-gets-a-sindhi-chair-to-launch-certificate-courses-soon/articleshow/49597797.cms
BJP leader Vijayvargiya attacks Shah Rukh Khan, says his soul in Pakistan
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on Tuesday attacked Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan over his “extreme intolerance” comment, saying his “soul” is in Pakistan though he lives in India and also painted him as an “anti-nationalist”.
The comments by Vijayvargiya, a BJP general secretary and a former state minister, came notwithstanding the refrain of top BJP leaders in the recent weeks that insensitive comments should be avoided by partymen. Vijayvargiya is one of the party strategists for the Bihar assembly elections.
READ ALSO:
SRK says there’s “extreme intolerance” in country
“Shah Rukh lives in India, but his soul is in Pakistan. His films make crores here but he still thinks India to be intolerant,” he said in a series of tweets amid mounting concerns over the “climate of intolerance” in the country.
Read more » The Times of India
See more » http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BJP-leader-Vijayvargiya-attacks-Shah-Rukh-Khan-says-his-soul-in-Pakistan/articleshow/49649200.cms?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=TOI
I believe that some kind of fascism is inevitably coming in India. in which democracy, freedom of speech and of the press, and civil liberties will all be totally suppressed.
Consider the facts :
1. The present Indian government came to power on high expectations with the slogan of ‘ vikaas ‘ or development. This meant, or at least was perceived as, millions of jobs for the youth, industrial growth benefiting businessmen and others, and general prosperity for the public.
2. We are now one and a half years since the new government came to power, but one can see no traces of vikaas ( see my articles ‘ The Shape of Things to come ‘, ‘ Vikas ‘, ‘Healthcare in India’, ‘ Malnutrition in India ‘, ‘Unemployment in India;, ‘ The Trickle Down Theory ‘, ‘ The Dream has evaporated ‘ etc on facebook and my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in ), but only stunts like Swatchata Abhiyaan, Ghar wapasi, Good Governance day, Yoga Day, etc. In these articles I have demonstrated that under the economic policies being pursued by this government there is bound to be further economic recession and further unemployment, malnutrition, lack of healthcare, farmers’ suicides and poverty, though a handful of big businessmen may benefit. Prices of essential foodstuffs like dal and onions have already gone through the roof, and will in all likelihood shoot up higher
3. Consequently this government will become increasingly unpopular day by day, as people, especially the youth, get disillusioned and realize that they were befooled and taken for a ride by our superman who promised a paradise and Shangri-La in India with his accession to power, but have left people in the lurch.
4. This disillusionment and disenchantment, coupled with the terrible economic hardships and distress the Indian people are facing, with rising prices, rising unemployment, widespread malnutrition, farmers suicides, etc, is bound to lead to widespread popular agitations, disturbances, and turbulence all over the country
5. To deal with these, attempts will first be made, as they have already been made, to divide the people on communal lines, and blame minorities for the problems, as Jews were blamed by the Nazis. One may recall that fascist regimes came to power in Germany and Italy in the 1920s and 1930s because of massive unemployment and soaring inflation in those countries and the consequent popular agitations.
6. These steps, however, will prove ineffective after a short time as food and jobs are more important to the people than religion. Then harsh measures will be employed by the Government, in other words, some kind of Emergency which we witnessed from 1975-1977, in which all civil liberties, freedom of speech and of the press, and all vestiges of democracy will be suppressed.
7. What form this fascism will take is difficult to predict, but to my mind fascism is inevitable in India in a year or so.
Courtesy: Siasat.com
Read more » http://www.siasat.com/news/fascism-coming-india-justice-markandey-katju-863492
— – – – –
More » BBC urdu
http://www.bbc.com/urdu/regional/2015/11/151103_india_fascism_inevitable_mb
BY IRFAN HAIDER
ISLAMABAD: On special instructions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and as a gesture of goodwill and solidarity with brotherly people and the Government of Afghanistan, the Government of Pakistan donated a planeload of wheat to Afghanistan on 30 October 2015 to help mitigate the food shortage in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul handed over the donation to Afghan Deputy Minister/Deputy Chairman of the Afghan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), Mr. Aslam Sayas, at Kabul Airport in the presence of other Afghan officials.
The Afghan officials thanked the Government of Pakistan for the generous donation.
Read more » DAWN
See more » http://www.dawn.com/news/1217218/
MOSCOW (Sputnik), Svetlana Alexandrova – Russia and Pakistan are working on the first ever year of cultural exchange, as part of a larger effort to boost “multidimensional” ties between the two countries, the Pakistani ambassador to Russia told Sputnik on Saturday.
More » Sputnik
According to Kuwaiti Al Qabas daily, the flamboyant Saudi Prince and entrepreneur, al-Waleed bin Talal posited that his country must reconsider its regional commitments and devise a new strategy to combat Iran’s increasing influence in Gulf States by forging a Defense pact with Tel Aviv to deter any possible Iranian moves in the light of unfolding developments in the Syria and Moscow’s military intervention.
Read more » The Nation
Learn more » AWD News
By Binaj Gurubacharya / The Associated Press
KATHMANDU, Nepal – Fuel-starved Nepal has signed an agreement with China to import gasoline, diesel and cooking gas, effectively ending a monopoly on supply from India, which has restricted fuel convoys as a result of political protests in the Himalayan nation.
Read more » Time Colonist
By Larisa Brown Defence Correspondent For The Daily Mail
Putin asked by Afghan government to help country fight the Taliban
President Ghani appealed to the Kremlin for help after recent violence
Afghan President asked for artillery, small arms and helicopters
Russian officials have said they are ‘willing to help’
Read more » Daily Mail
See more » http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3290914/Afghan-leader-begs-Putin-send-gunships-fight-Taliban-insurgents-clear-signal-worsening-security-war-torn-country.html
As calls of congratulations rolled in to Canada’s Prime Minister-designate from leaders around the world, it appears Nixon’s gracious comment was a prophecy.
By: Thestar.com and The Canadian Press
As Justin Trudeau took calls of congratulations from world leaders Tuesday, a story emerged of a prediction for his future made a few months after his birth, by a former U.S. president.
It has already been dubbed “the Richard Nixon prophecy.” At a state dinner in Ottawa in 1972, when Justin Trudeau was just a few months old, the then-U.S. president toasted the baby’s arrival, and joked that Pierre Trudeau’s son would himself become prime minister someday.
It’s an obvious thing to say about the offspring of a fellow world leader. But it is also now the case that Nixon, who made errors and misjudgments that finally brought down his presidency, called Justin Trudeau’s ascension correctly.
Read more » The Star
See more » http://www.thestar.com/news/federal-election/2015/10/21/in-1972-richard-nixon-predicted-justin-trudeau-would-be-pm.html
Written by Parul | Chandigarh
Dalip Kaur Tiwana, a novelist and short story writer from Punjabi, announced Tuesday that she is returning her Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award. Tiwana, 80, is the first to give up a Padma award to express “solidarity with writers who are protesting against increasing cultural intolerance in our society and politics”.
Read more » The Indian Express
BY DAWN.COM
MUMBAI: As tensions between India and Pakistan run high and leaders from either side lock horns over a range of political differences, a rare act of kindness from across the border might have changed a Pakistani girl’s life forever.
An Indian non-governmental organisation (NGO) has raised almost Indian Rs1.3 million in funds for the treatment of a young Pakistani girl, who suffers from Wilson’s disease — a rare genetic disorder, said a reportpublished on The Time of India.
Saba Tariq Ahmed, a 15-year-old Karachi resident, returned home along with her mother Nazia, after undergoing treatment for the disorder — that results in poisonous accumulation of copper in the body — at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai.
TOI quoted Jaslok hospital CEO Dr Taran Gainchandani as saying: “Saba and her mother, Nazia, boarded an afternoon flight for Karachi. They were extremely happy about how well the treatment worked for Saba.”
According to the report, Saba’s family was assisted financially for her treatment twice between April and October, 2015.
In April-May, an NGO, Bluebells Community, raised INR 700,000 from Mumbai citizens. “But Saba did not respond too well to the regularly prescribed medicines for Wilson’s disease,” TOI quoted liver specialist Dr Aabha Nagral, who has been treating the teen, as saying.
Read more » DAWN
See more » http://www.dawn.com/news/1212816/charity-beyond-borders-indian-ngo-raises-funds-for-pakistani-girls-treatment
According to Indian media, a 35-year-old man abducted the little boy as he walked home from nursery and killed him in a ritual dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Kali
By Caroline Mortimer, @cjmortimer
A four year-old-boy has been beheaded in a gruesome “human sacrifice” ritual in a rural village in southern India.
Indian media reports a 35-year-old man abducted the little boy as he was returning home from nursery in the remote Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh state.
The man, named as Tirumala Rao, is reported to have beheaded the child in a ritual to honour the Hindu Goddess Kali and he was alleged to be seeking “divine powers”, according the Times of India.
Mr Rao was discovered next to the little boy’s, named locally as Manu Sagar, body.
Read more » Independent
See more » http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/four-year-old-boy-beheaded-in-human-sacrifice-in-southern-india-a6678026.html
KARACHI: U.S. Consul General Brian Heath officially launched the Consulate’s first-ever Sindhi language web site at his residence in Karachi.
According to an official press release, leading Sindhi writer and social activist Dr. Suleman Shaikh shared the stage. In addition, Sindhi musicians performed at the event, which was also designed to showcase Sindhi culture.
“We are very proud and excited to launch our first-ever Sindhi language web site,” said Mr. Heath. “This follows on the successful launch of Mission Pakistan’s Urdu language web sites earlier this month.” U.S. Consulate Karachi, he added, has been issuing press releases, posting on Facebook and tweeting in Sindhi for more than a year.
“Having Consulate Karachi’s web site completely in Sindhi,” said Mr. Heath, “is an important step in helping us reach out to the 60 million Sindhi speakers in both Pakistan and overseas. Now, they will be able to read about the Consulate’s activities and assistance efforts in one of Pakistan’s oldest and most important languages.” The Consulate, he said, wants Americans and Pakistanis to “get to know each other better.”
Guests included prominent Sindhi personalities, such as journalists, media owners, social activists and cultural figures.
To visit the U.S. Consulate General Karachi’s web site, go to sindhi.karachi.usconsulate.gov.
Courtesy: Geo Tv + KTN
Read more » http://www.geo.tv/article-199029-US-consulate-launches-website-in-Sindhi-language
SCO states may be able to use Pakistani ports
ISLAMABAD: Member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation — China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — may be able to use Pakistani ports to get access to trade routes through the Arabian Sea once China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is completed and becomes operational.
Speaking at the Economic and Trade Ministers meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Xian, the capital of China’s Shaanxi province on Wednesday, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan said that Pakistan’s trade strategy focuses on developing linkages with our neighbours, leveraging our geographical location and capitalising on regional connectivity initiatives.
Pakistan has an observer status at the SCO and is scheduled to become full member state in January 2016 which will provide new impetus to Pakistan’s relations with member states.
Read more » DAWN
See more » http://www.dawn.com/news/1207404
By PTI
KATHMANDU: A proposal to declare Nepal a Hindu state was overwhelmingly rejected by the constituent assembly on Monday which reaffirmed that the Hindu-majority nation will remain secular.
The proposal made by pro-Hindu National Democratic Party Nepal to amend the constitution to make Nepal a Hindu state was rejected by more than two-thirds of lawmakers who declared that the country should remain secular as the constituent assembly resumed voting on individual articles of the draft constitution.
After assembly chairman Subas Chandra Nembang announced that the proposal has been rejected, Kamal Thapa, leader of the National Democratic Party Nepal, demanded split voting.
Thapa’s proposal for a vote received the support of only 21 lawmakers in the 601-seat constituent assembly. As the CA rules requires 61 members to begin the split voting, the voting was not done.
The erstwhile Hindu state, Nepal was declared a secular state in 2007 after the success of the people’s movement of 2006 that saw the abolition of monarchy.
Courtesy: THE TIMES OF INDIA
Read more » http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nepal-to-stay-secular-proposal-for-a-Hindu-nation-rejected/articleshow/48959256.cms
Evolving Political World and Tragedy of Azad Kashmir
Part 1: Historical background
Beginning of cold war, formation of the United Nations, decolonization on a mammoth scale and escalation in national liberation movements across the globe were some of the major achievements of post-World War II. Our political world entered into a new phase of history in the mid-1940s after the upheavals of Hiroshima and Naga Saki. Process of decolonization in Indian sub-continent was also a reverberation of the revulsions and rumbles of WWII. There was no single process of decolonization. In some parts of the world, it was serene, and methodical. In many others, independence was achieved only after a long-drawn-out uprising because of the competitive political ideologies of Socialism and Capitalism. Both Soviet Union and United States headed their respective camps and our political world got divided on ideological eminences. A wave of national liberation movements across the continents toppled and dethroned the colonialism. Many of the newly independent countries assimilated stable governments almost immediately; others were ruled by authoritarians or military juntas for decades, or suffered long civil wars. Some European governments welcomed a new relationship with their former colonies; others disputed decolonization regimentally. The process of decolonization coincided with the new Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, and with the early development of the new United Nations. Decolonization was often affected by superpower antagonism, and had a certain sway on the progress of that rivalry. It also ominously changed the configuration of international relations.
Time spent travelling to and from first and last appointments by workers without a fixed office should be regarded as working time, the European Court of Justice has ruled.
This time has not previously been considered as work by many employers.
It means firms including those employing care workers, gas fitters and sales reps may be in breach of EU working time regulations.
BBC legal correspondent Clive Coleman said it could have a “huge effect”.
“Employers may have to organise work schedules to ensure workers’ first and last appointments are close to their homes,” he added.
Chris Tutton, from the solicitors Irwin Mitchell, told the BBC: “Thousands of employers may now potentially be in breach of working time regulation rules in the UK.”
The court said its judgement was about protecting the “health and safety” of workers as set out in the European Union’s working time directive.
The directive is designed to protect workers from exploitation by employers, and it lays down regulations on matters such as how long employees work, how many breaks they have, and how much holiday they are entitled to.
One of its main goals is to ensure that no employee in the EU is obliged to work more than an average of 48 hours a week.
The ruling came about because of an ongoing legal case in Spain involving a company called Tyco, which installs security systems.
The company shut its regional offices down in 2011, resulting in employees travelling varying distances before arriving at their first appointment.
The court ruling said: “The fact that the workers begin and finish the journeys at their homes stems directly from the decision of their employer to abolish the regional offices and not from the desire of the workers themselves.
“Requiring them to bear the burden of their employer’s choice would be contrary to the objective of protecting the safety and health of workers pursued by the directive, which includes the necessity of guaranteeing workers a minimum rest period.”
Meanwhile, employment law barrister Caspar Glyn agreed the court’s decision could affect “millions of workers”.
However, Mr Glyn also said there had been much speculation that this ruling could allow workers on the national minimum wage to claim more money for the time they spend getting to work.
But he said this would not be the case.
“The national minimum wage is a UK right, it is not a European right. There’s no European right to a national minimum wage.
“The minimum wage regulations in the UK do not count as work travel from home or to any workplace,” he said.
News courtesy: BBC
Read more » http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-34210002
BY DAWN.COM
Some 400,000 solar panels, spread over 200 hectares of flat desert, glare defiantly at the sun at what is known as the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Park (QASP) in Cholistan Desert, Punjab, named after Pakistan’s founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Read more » DAWN
See more » http://www.dawn.com/news/1205484/
Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh
Delhi – One of Delhi’s most elite addresses, Aurangzeb Road, will be renamed after former president APJ Abdul Kalam, and it was announced on Friday by someone who was not involved in the decision – Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“Congrats. NDMC jst now decided to rename Aurangzeb Road to APJ Abdul Kalam Road,” tweeted Mr Kejriwal, who has been locked in a fierce turf war with the Centre over who controls the reins of the capital.
The decision was taken by the civic body in charge of central Delhi, after an all-clear from the union home ministry.
Within an hour, Mr Kejriwal’s comment had been re-tweeted over 900 times and favourited 600 times. Many comments accused him of taking credit for a BJP lawmaker’s proposal.
The BJP’s Mahesh Girri wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month suggesting that Aurangzeb Road should be named after Dr Kalam, who died on July 27.
“As a tribute to the People’s President, I propose to rename the ‘Aurangzeb Road’ in New Delhi to ‘Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road’. In my opinion, this will be a great way of preserving his memories and legacy forever,” wrote Mahesh Girri.
Speaking to NDTV, Mr Girri said, “Do we ever name our children by the name of a devil? We can’t change history but we can try to correct some wrongs.”
Read more » NDTV
See more » http://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/delhis-aurangzeb-road-to-be-named-after-president-apj-abdul-kalam-tweets-arvind-kejriwal-1211984
BY JOHN MATTHEWS, THE CONVERSATION
While wind and solar power have made great strides in recent years, with renewables now accounting for 22% of electric energy generated, the issue that has held them back has been their transience. The sun doesn’t shine at night and the wind doesn’t blow year-round — these are the mantras of all those opposed to the progress of renewables.
Now the renewable-power billionaire Elon Musk has just blown away that final defence. Last Thursday in California he introduced to the world his sleek new Powerwall — a wall-mounted energy-storage unit that can hold 10 kilowatt hours of electric energy, and deliver it at an average of 2 kilowatts, all for $3,500.
See more » Business Insider
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-tesla-battery-heralds-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-fossil-fuels-2015-5#ixzz3jeRuPDIx
By Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s former leader Mahathir Mohamad launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Najib Razak on Monday, saying democracy in the country is dead and that he should be questioned by police about the country’s troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.
Read more » Yahoo News
Scared girl made false rape claim
A teenage girl falsely claimed she had been gang-raped because she was scared to tell her mother she spent the night with a colleague, a court has heard.
Victoria Eaves, 19, of Winton, Greater Manchester, told police she had been blindfolded and attacked by four men.
Officers wasted up to 200 hours on the investigation before finding CCTV evidence disproving her account.
Courtesy: BBC
” Nah! How Can Men Get Raped? That’s So Funny! ”
He looked at the marks on his neck. They were almost purplish now, they pained less but they still made him shudder. Bites on his neck, nails dug in his back, impressions of fingers on his wrists. His penis hurt, it was an ugly red color, and his testicles were horrifyingly bluish black. They were physical evidence of what had happened to him. It was true, he admitted to himself. I was raped by a girl. Continue reading Yes, Men Get Raped Too, And Mostly Suffer In Silence.
San Francisco (RPRN) 06/08/15 — Thousands of North American Sikhs converged in downtown San Francisco to commemorate the 31st year of Indian Army’s invasion of Golden Temple in which thousands of Sikh pilgrims were massacred.
News courtesy: RushPrNews
Amber Rudd, the new energy secretary, says more households should have solar panels on their roofs
By Emily Gosden, Energy Editor
Millions more homes should have solar panels on their roofs, the new energy secretary has suggested, vowing to “unleash a new solar revolution” across Britain.
Amber Rudd, the former climate change minister, was promoted to lead the energy department in this week’s reshuffle, in a move that was welcomed by many green groups.
Ms Rudd indicated she would back the continued expansion of household solar panels, which are heavily subsidised by consumers through levies on energy bills.
“I want to unleash a new solar revolution – we have a million people living under roofs with solar panels and that number needs to increase,” she told her local newspaper, the Hastings & St Leonards Observer.
Read more » The Telegraph
Learn more » http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/energy/solarpower/11606820/Energy-secretary-Amber-Rudd-plans-to-unleash-solar-revolution.html?utm_content=buffer41fce&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
News courtesy: Express Tv
I work 70 hours a week doing two jobs but cannot make ends meet. Presidential hopefuls must make profitable federal contractors pay living wages
Every day, I serve food to some of the most powerful people on earth, including many of the senators who are running for president: I’m a cook for the federal contractor that runs the US Senate cafeteria. But today, they’ll have to get their meals from someone else’s hands, because I’m on strike.
I am walking off my job because I want the presidential hopefuls to know that I live in poverty. Many senators canvas the country giving speeches about creating “opportunity” for workers and helping our kids achieve the “American dream” – most don’t seem to notice or care that workers in their own building are struggling to survive.
I’m a single father and I only make $12 an hour; I had to take a second job at a grocery store to make ends meet. But even though I work seven days a week – putting in 70 hours between my two jobs – I can’t manage to pay the rent, buy school supplies for my kids or even put food on the table. I hate to admit it, but I have to use food stamps so that my kids don’t go to bed hungry.
Courtesy: The Guardian
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