#pakistan media latest debate

[beardedmrbean]

NEW DELHI —  India is scrambling to contain a diplomatic storm that has erupted in Islamic countries following controversial comments made about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad by two officials of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Pakistan have registered protests made by BJP’s national spokesperson during a recent televised debate.

Several of these countries summoned Indian ambassadors to denounce the derogatory statements. Calling the comments “Islamophobic,” Qatar has demanded a public apology from India. The controversy turned particularly embarrassing for India as it erupted while its vice president, Venkaiah Naidu, and business leaders were on a visit to the country.

Denouncing the statement, Saudi Arabia said it “reaffirms its permanent rejection of prejudice against the symbols of the Islamic religion.”

Besides official outrage, anger against the remarks poured out on social media in several Arab nations with some people calling for a boycott of Indian goods.

The influential Organization of Islamic Cooperation said they came in a "context of intensifying hatred and abuse towards Islam in India and the systematic harassment of Muslims." It also cited a decision by some states in India to ban the Muslim headscarf, the hijab, as well as incidents of violence against Muslims.

Rejecting the OIC’s comments as “misleading and mischievous,” the Indian foreign ministry said that the government accords the highest respect to all religions. In a statement, it said that the “offensive” comments and tweets “do not in any manner reflect the view of the government of India” and were made by individuals against whom action has been taken.

The foreign ministry criticized Pakistan, which had also condemned the remarks, calling it a “serial violator of minority rights” and saying that it should not engage in “alarmist propaganda.”

BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who made the remarks, was suspended by the party while Naveen Jindal, the media head of the Delhi party unit, who had tweeted on the issue, was expelled on Sunday.

“The BJP strongly denounces insults of any religious personalities of any religion. The BJP is also against any ideology which insults or demeans any sect or religion. The BJP does not promote such people or philosophy," the party said in a statement.

Sharma said on Twitter that there was never any intention to hurt anyone’s feelings and that she spoke in response to comments made about a Hindu god.

Sporadic protests have also erupted in some Indian states as the remarks caused anger among Muslims, who are India’s largest minority, making up 14 percent of the country’s 1.4 billion people.

The remarks are being seen in the context of what critics say is a rise in hate speech targeting Muslims since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014.

In an editorial, The Indian Express newspaper said, “The truth is that it was no sudden eruption of bigotry. The BJP’s electoral victories since 2014, and especially after 2019, have emboldened party activists and others of the saffron brigade to an extent that they indulge in casual everyday anti-minority actions.” By saffron brigade, the paper was referring to Hindu nationalists.

Political commentators said such controversies could set back India’s effort to enhance ties with Persian Gulf countries, which has been a key focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Tens of thousands of Indians work in the UAE and in Gulf countries like Kuwait, and New Delhi is also trying to strengthen trade ties with these nations.

The U.S. State Department, in its latest annual report to the Congress on international religious freedom, named India as among countries that were violators of religious freedom. It alleged that attacks on members of minority communities, including killings, assaults and intimidation took place in India throughout 2021. __________________________

Had to dig around to find out what she said, can't find a quote but it's something about Aisha and her age when Muhammad married her and consummated that marriage.

Not sure which side she took.

#nunyas news

[real-news-20]

Former Intel India Executive Tragically Killed in Navi Mumbai Accident

The tech community in India is mourning the loss of Avtar Saini, the former head of Intel India, after a tragic accident in Navi Mumbai. Reports indicate that Saini was struck by a speeding taxi while out for a walk, sustaining fatal injuries.

Avtar Saini: A Respected Industry Leader

Avtar Saini was a highly respected figure in the Indian tech industry. During his time at Intel India, he was instrumental in the company’s growth and played a key role in establishing India as a global technology hub. His loss is deeply felt by his colleagues and the industry at large.

Accident Details

The exact details of the accident are still under investigation by local authorities in Navi Mumbai. Reports suggest that Saini was out for a walk when he was hit by a taxi that was exceeding the speed limit.

Calls for Increased Road Safety

The tragic incident has sparked renewed calls for stronger road safety measures and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations in India. Road accidents are a significant problem in the country, claiming thousands of lives each year.

Condolences

Expressions of condolences and tributes to Avtar Saini have been pouring in from across the tech industry and beyond. He is remembered as a visionary leader, a mentor to many, and a kind and compassionate individual.

Read More News-

[thelemonpost]

Pak Media On India Latest | Icc T20 World Cup 2021 | T20 World Cup 2021 ...

#t20 world cup 2021 #icc t20 world schedule #icc t20 world cup 2021 #t20 wc 2021 #pak media on india latest #pak media #pak media on india #pakistan media #pakistan media latest debate #pakistan media on india #pakistan media on india latest #cricket news #cricket news today

[esytes69]

New Post has been published on https://acqro.in/most-controversial-films-in-indian-cinema/

Most Controversial Films in Indian Cinema

Indian cinema has no scarcity of films which either courted major controversy or faced complete ban and were never released in the country. Interestingly, these pictures have garnered rave critical reviews and been well-received at international film festivals. From themes that deal with communal violence to homosexuality and politics, these are some of the most controversial films ever made in India.

Garm Hawa (1973)

Garm Hawa is a film based on an unpublished story by eminent Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai. In 1947, India gained independence from the British colonial rule, but it also came at a heavy price—the division of the country to India and Pakistan. Garm Hawa tells the poignant story of a Muslim businessman who is torn between staying back in India, the land of his forefathers, or joining his relatives in Pakistan. It is one of the best films to showcase the plight of the Muslims in the country in a post-partition era. The film was deferred for eight months, fearing communal violence, before it was released.

Aandhi (1975)

This political drama centres around a woman politician whose appearance was uncannily similar to that of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This led the film to face allegations that it was based on her, especially Gandhi’s relationship with her estranged husband. However, the filmmakers had only borrowed the protagonist’s look from the Prime Minister and the rest had nothing to do with her life. Even after its release, the director was asked to remove scenes which showed the lead actress smoking and drinking during an election campaign and the film was completely banned during the national Emergency later that year.

Kissa Kursi Ka (1977)

Directed by Member of Parliament Amrit Nahata, the film is a satire on the administrative regime of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi. Kissa Kursi Ka was submitted for certification from the Central Board of Film Certification in 1975 but the country was put under Emergency the same year and so the film was banned during that entire period. All movie prints, including the masterprint, were confiscated and destroyed during the time, a move which even landed Sanjay in jail.

Bandit Queen (1994)

The biographical film is based on the life of Phoolan Devi, a feared woman dacoit who led a gang of bandits in northern India. Phoolan belonged to a poor low caste family and was married to a man three times her age. She later took to a life of crime. The film, directed by Bafta-winner Shekhar Kapur, was criticised for its excessive use of abusive language, sexual content and nudity. Despite the backlash, Bandit Queen went on to win the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.

Fire (1996)

Fire is the first instalment in the Elements trilogy directed by acclaimed filmmaker Deepa Mehta. It is considered a pathbreaking film for being the first Indian cinema to explore homosexual relationship. But on its release, it faced adverse reactions with vandals burning posters and destroying cinemas where the film was being screened. Following the scandal, Fire was retracted briefly and Mehta even led a candlelit protest in New Delhi to oppose the move.

Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996)

Kama Sutra: A Tale Of Love, directed by Mira Nair, was banned in India with the officials stating the film’s sexual content was too harsh for Indian sensitivities. An ironic suggestion, considering the book Kama Sutra originated in India and is easily available for purchase. Protesters labelled the film as unethical and immoral, but it received widespread critical acclaim. Kama Sutra: A Tale Of Love explores the relationship of four lovers in 16th-century India.

Paanch (2003)

Anurag Kashyap is a pioneer filmmaker, but also one of the most controversial in the Indian film industry. He has never shied away from broaching bold topics, which may not sit well with many in the Indian community. His directorial debut Paanch, which revolves around the life of five band members entangled in a kidnapping plot gone wrong, remains unreleased to this day. Inspired by true life incidents, the drugs, violence and sex depicted in the film was considered inappropriate for the Indian audience.

Hava Aaney De (2004)

Hava Aney De is an Indo-French film which works with the sensitive subject of India-Pakistan war. The Censor Board of India demanded over 21 cuts in the film, but the director Partho Sen-Gupta would hear nothing of it. Hava Aney De, therefore, was never released in India. It did win multiple awards at film events held abroad including Best Film at Durban International Film Festival and the BBC Audience Award at the Commonwealth Film Festival.

Water (2005)

Water is the third and final instalment in Deepa Mehta’s trilogy of films. It tackles the subject of ostracism and misogyny through the lives of widows at an ashram in Varanasi. Water was believed to show the country in a bad light, and even before filming started, right-wing activists wrecked film sets and issued suicide threats. Mehta was eventually forced to move the filming location to Sri Lanka. Not only that, but she had to change the entire cast and shoot the film under a pseudo title, River Moon.

The Pink Mirror (2006)

The Pink Mirror is the first mainstream film to have two transsexuals as protagonists. While it was a groundbreaking moment in Indian cinema, the Central Board of Film Certification had other opinions, calling the film “’vulgar and offensive”. The Pink Mirror remains banned in India but it went on to win the Jury Award for Best Feature at the New York LGBT Film Festival and the Best Film of the Festival at Question de Genre in Lille, France. You can catch the film on Netflix now.

Black Friday (2007)

Black Friday, another Anurag Kashyap venture, also faced a temporary ban. It deals with the 1993 Mumbai bombings, and the Bombay High Court decided to suspend the release until the trial was over. This meant that Kashyap had to wait for another three years until Black Friday hit cinemas. The film received praise from both international and national media with the New York Times comparing it to Academy Award nominees Salvador and Munich.

Parzania (2007)

Parzania is inspired by the true story of a 10-year-old boy, Azhar Mody who disappeared after the 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre during which 69 people were killed. This is one of the many incidents which led to the Gujarat riots, one of the worst acts of communal violence the country has ever witnessed. Cinema owners in Gujarat were allegedly threatened not to screen Parzania and the film went on to face an unofficial ban in the state.

Inshallah, Football (2010)

Inshallah, Football is a documentary film about a young boy from Kashmir who dreams of becoming a famous footballer. But his ambitions are crushed when he is not allowed to travel abroad because his father is an alleged militant. Critics felt the documentary showcased the reality of violence-afflicted Kashmir, but it failed to get the green light from the authorities for release in India as they felt the film was critical of how the Indian military operated in the politically sensitive region of Kashmir.

India’s Daughter (2015)

India’s Daughter is a documentary by British filmmaker Leslee Udwin and is based on the horrific Delhi gang rape and murder of 23-year-old student Jyoti Singh in 2012. The film includes an interview with Mukesh Singh, one of the four men convicted in the case. India’s Daughter was banned in India because the rapist airs certain views on gender which show the country in a poor light. These incendiary comments were believed to disturb the peace restored after a countrywide protest following news of the rape.

Padmavati (2017)

Padmavati is the latest Hindi film to court serious controversy as some right-wing groups felt that the film misrepresents history and thus tarnishes the reputation of certain communities in Rajasthan. A bounty was also put on the director and the lead actress, who portrays the historical queen Padmavati in the film. The film was scheduled for release in December 2017 but remains shelved so far. Historians, however, have debated the real life existence of the queen, with many saying she was a fictional character in an epic poem.

#bollywood manipulations and controversies #bollywood news

[sachininformationworld]

DC Comics Superman & Kashmir Controversy

The latest DC Comics superhero film Injustice depicts Kashmir as a disputed region. While the official synopsis hints that the conflict may be an illusion, the controversial scene depicted in the movie is still stirring up controversy online. This video, a fake circulating on the internet, shows Superman and Wonder Woman destroying military equipment in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The characters even declare the area an arms-free zone.

The clip, which has gone viral on social media, features Superman and Wonder Woman fighting the Indian army and declaring Kashmir an arms-free zone. The repercussions of this controversial story have been immense. Some commentators have argued that the storyline misrepresented the conflict and that the filmmakers should have looked inwards instead of outward. In one article, an author pointed out that Superman and Wonder women are fictional groups and intended actions.

The disputed status of Kashmir has sparked a massive debate over the use of superheroes in popular entertainment. The video featured a voiceover from Superman, who proclaimed Kashmir an arms-free zone, and a commentator called for American comic book creators to take a look inwards. Another commentator pointed out that Americans often interfere in other countries affairs. At the same time, another said that “the superheroes were deliberately targeting the Indian military infrastructure” to make India look bad.

While the video was meant to be harmless entertainment for children, it provoked a significant backlash on social media. The clip showed Superman and Wonder Woman in Kashmir, declaring Kashmir an arms-free zone. However, the DC comics company has yet to respond to the backlash on social media, and they have not yet released the film in theatres. It’s a shame that the controversial footage was so widely shared.

The controversy surrounding the film has caused a backlash on social media. It shows a clip of the superheroes fighting the Indian military and mentions Kashmir as a disputed territory. This has caused a great deal of anger among the netizens and critics. Sadly, the DC comics Superman Kashmir clip has evoked a significant response from the Indian public.

While the DC comics clip is supposed to depict Superman and Wonder Woman as disputed territories, it does not represent the violence in Kashmir. In this clip, Superman and Wonder Woman are shown tearing apart military equipment and declaring the area an arms-free zone. The video is circulated widely on social media and has generated an intense backlash. A recent DC Comics video was broadcast on the internet.

The DC Comics Superman Kashmir clip has caused a firestorm on social media. Its release date in India and Pakistan is October 19, 2021. This film is still not in theatres, so that we could have still banned it. While the video was uploaded to an online news portal, it has garnered over 1.3 million views. This video is part of a series of controversial DC Comics films and is currently being considered for distribution by Warner Bros.

While it is unknown whether the movie is actual, it has attracted criticism. While it has been praised by many in the comics industry, the controversy has also ignited debate on social media. Superman and Wonder Woman appear in the disputed territory and declare it an arms-free zone in the viral video. While the film has gained a lot of attention, there have been many questions raised by Indian fans.

The clip has also sparked controversy on social media because the video allegedly depicts Superman and Wonder Woman in a disputed area. While DC comics has not verified the caption, it does show the destruction of military infrastructure in the fought place. There have been complaints about the footage, and many have even deleted it. The DC Comics superman Kashmir poster is a highly controversial video that has sparked a lot of adverse reactions.

Source Link

#dc comics superman kashmir

[classyfoxdestiny]

Afghanistan crisis live updates august 21, 2021

Afghanistan crisis live updates august 21, 2021

The UN food agency says it has been able to negotiate access with the Taliban to distribute aid in one provincial capital in Afghanistan but hasn’t been able to resume food deliveries to three other provincial capitals it supplies.

Worldview with Suhasini Haidar | Taliban advance in Afghanistan

The World Food Program, headquartered in Rome, has said that some 14 million people are facing severe hunger in the nation of some 39 million. A second drought in three years, combined with fighting, had afflicted Afghanistan even before the Taliban takeover of the country on Sunday.

Here are the latest developments:

  Taliban co-founder Baradar in Kabul for talks to set up government

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul for talks on establishing a new “inclusive” government in Afghanistan, a senior official said.

Other senior Taliban leaders seen in the capital in recent days include Khalil Haqqani — one of America’s most wanted terrorists with a $5 million bounty on his head.

Pro-Taliban social media feeds showed Haqqani meeting Gulbuddin Hekmatyar — a former bitter rival during the brutal civil war of the early 1990s, but still influential in Afghan politics.

A senior Taliban official told AFP that Baradar would meet “jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up”. — AFP

    India evacuates around 80 people from Kabul

Around 80 Indian nationals were evacuated on Augst 21 from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) amid a deteriorating security scenario in the Afghan capital, people familiar with the development said.

The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians, they said, adding the flight is expected to arrive at the Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.

As per a rough estimate, the number of Indians stranded in Afghanistan could be around 400 and India has been looking at ways to evacuate them, including by coordinating with the U.S. and other friendly countries. — PTI

  Taiwan says China wants to ’emulate’ the Taliban

Taiwan’s foreign minister accused China on August 21 of wanting to “emulate” the Taliban, saying the island that Beijing claims as sovereign Chinese territory did not wish to be subject to communism or crimes against humanity.

The rapid fall of the U.S.-backed Afghan government has sparked heated debate in Taiwan about whether they could suffer the same fate to a Chinese invasion, while state media in China has said Kabul’s fate showed Taiwan it cannot trust Washington. -REUTERS

  Bahrain says allows airport use for evacuations

The island kingdom of Bahrain has said it is “allowing flights to make use of Bahrain’s transit facilities” amid the evacuations of Afghanistan.

The kingdom made the announcement in a statement released early August 21.

Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia, is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The announcement comes as the U.S. faced issues August 20 with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar filling up with those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country. –AP

  President Biden warns lives could be lost in massive Kabul airlift operations

U.S. President Joe Biden has said that the mass evacuation from Kabul, one of the largest and most difficult airlifts in history, is not without risk of loss of lives, but vowed to bring all Americans and partners home from Afghanistan, as his administration grappled with the fallout from the chaotic exit.

Mr. Biden’s remarks on August 20 come as the U..S rushed to airlift as many people as possible out of the Afghan capital ahead of a self-imposed deadline to depart Afghanistan by August 31.

In a speech delivered from the White House, Mr. Biden said the United States has evacuated more than 18,000 people since July and approximately 13,000 since the airlifts began on Saturday.

    NATO commits to improving operations at Kabul airport

An evacuee holds up a peace sign after being manifested for a flight at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul.   | Photo Credit: REUTERS

  NATO foreign ministers committed on August 20 to focus on ensuring the safe evacuation from Afghanistan of their citizens and of Afghans deemed at risk after the Taliban takeover, centering on improving operations at Kabul airport first.

Faced with continuing chaos in the capital and the exit roads, many of the 30 allied nations raised “the need to work harder on how we can get more people … into the airport, then processed and then onto the planes,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. He called that “the big, big, big challenge.”

All too often over the past hours and days, planes from NATO nations have been able to get to Kabul, only to be forced to leave empty or near-empty.

    Blinken says 12 nations to host Afghan evacuees

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says 13 countries have thus far agreed to at least temporarily host at-risk Afghans evacuated from Afghanistan and a dozen more have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

Mr. Blinken says in a Friday statement that potential Afghan refugees not already cleared for resettlement in the United States will be housed at facilities in Albania, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Rwanda, Ukraine and Uganda.

Transit countries include Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan. -PTI

  Taliban to unveil new Afghan govt framework within weeks, official says

The Taliban aim to unveil a new governing framework for Afghanistan in the next few weeks, a spokesman for the Islamist movement said on August 21, after the insurgents’ swift takeover of the South Asian nation.

“Legal, religious and foreign policy experts in the Taliban aim to present the new governing framework in the next few weeks,” the official told Reuters. –Reuters

  U.S. is going to retain laser focus on its counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan: Biden

The United States is going to retain a laser focus on its counterterrorism mission in Afghanistan, President Joe Biden said August 20 and warned the Taliban of a forceful response to any attack on American forces or disruption of its operations at the Kabul airport.

“We made clear to the Taliban that any attack, any attack on our forces or disruption of our operations at the airport will be met with a swift and forceful response,” Mr. Biden told reporters at a White House news conference.

“We’re also keeping a close watch on any potential terrorist threat at or around the airport, including from the ISIS affiliates in Afghanistan,” he said. –PTI

  LGBT+ Afghans desperate to escape amid Taliban takeover

It was never easy being gay or transgender in Afghanistan. Now it could be deadly, according to LGBT+ Afghans, whose fear of violence under the Taliban is driving a frantic bid to escape.

But how any evacuation might work is another matter, with scant practical support coming from overseas and even less hope that Islamist militants will let them into the airport.

“If I find a visa and a country gives me permission to leave, of course I will risk everything to get out,” said one gay Afghan student, whose name was withheld for his protection. –Reuters

  Pak’s strategic interest in Afghan is to counter Indian influence, mitigate spillover: U.S. State Dept IG

Pakistan’s strategic security objectives in Afghanistan almost certainly continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover of the Afghan civil war into Pakistani territory, a U.S. government report has said, citing inputs from the Defence Intelligence Agency.

“Pakistan continues to support peace talks, while maintaining ties with the Afghan Taliban,” U.S. Department of State Office of the Inspector General noted in its latest quarterly report on Afghanistan.

“According to the DIA, Pakistan’s strategic security objectives in Afghanistan almost certainly continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover into the Pakistani territory,” the report said. –PTI

  India to prioritise granting visas to civil society members, opinion makers, women activists from Afghanistan

In line with its historical ties with Afghan people, India will prioritise granting visas to civil society members, opinion makers, women activists, students and NGO workers from Afghanistan in view of the current situation in the country, people familiar with the development said on August 20.

Afghan people feeling threatened or facing the fear of persecution and those who supported India in rolling out various welfare and development projects will also be given priority for grant of visas, they said. –PTI

  Taliban appeals for international recognition; says China has ‘big role’ to play

The Taliban have appealed to the international community to recognise it amid growing resentment against it at home and abroad, even as the Afghan militant group sought to placate China, saying Beijing can play a “big role” under its rule in the strife-torn country.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the international community should “respect the will of the Afghan people” and officially recognise his group which has taken over power in Kabul. –PTI

  Hunger spreading in Afghanistan: UN food agency

Andrew Patterson, WFP’s deputy country director, told The Associated Press on Friday that after Faizabad, a provincial capital in the north, fell to the Taliban last week, the agency’s field office succeeded in negotiating access with the local Taliban command, and “we had (a food) truck on the road the next day.” However, Patterson said the situation in Kandahar, Herat and Jalalabad so far hasn’t allowed the U.N. agency to resume distributing food in those areas.

  Biden vows to evacuate all Americans

President Joe Biden pledged firmly Friday to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan — and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too — as officials confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate. Biden’s promises came as thousands more Americans and others seeking to escape the Taliban struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and sometimes-insurmountable U.S. bureaucracy.

“We will get you home,” Biden promised Americans who were still in Afghanistan days after the Taliban retook control of Kabul, ending a two-decade war. The President’s comments, delivered at the White House, were intended to project purpose and stability at the conclusion of a week during which images from Afghanistan more often suggested chaos, especially at the airport.

“We’re making the same commitment” to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies “equally important” in the evacuations. –AP

  Online petition seeking asylum for Afghan women gets 3 lakh signatures

Adeeba Qayoumi, a 21-year-old woman who fled to India from Herat, Afghanistan, in 2019, has started an online petition in memory of her 29-year-old cousin Farishta — a civil rights activist killed by the Taliban last year.

As of Friday evening, the online petition, which urges the Central government to grant asylum to women and children who are fleeing Afghanistan, had received over three lakh signatures.

    Official Taliban websites go offline

Taliban websites that delivered the insurgents’ official messages of victory to Afghans and the world at large in five languages went offline abruptly on August 20, indicating an effort to squelch them.

It is not immediately clear, though, why the sites in the Pashto, Urdu, Arabic, English and Dari languages went offline. They had been shielded by Cloudflare, a San Francisco-based content delivery network and denial-of-service protection provider.

  Indonesia evacuates dozens

Indonesia has moved its Afghanistan diplomatic mission from Kabul to Pakistan, its foreign minister said on Saturday, after its air force evacuated dozens in the wake of the Taliban’s seizure of power.

“Temporarily, the diplomatic mission in Kabul will be done from Islamabad,” Retno Marsudi said in televised remarks at the Halim military airport in Jakarta.

The initial plan had been to “continue our diplomatic mission in Kabul with a small team” but changed due to a “new development”, which she did not specify. She did not take questions.

The Kabul airport has been the site of chaos https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nato-pledges-speed-evacuations-afghanistan-criticism-mounts-2021-08-20 in recent days, with thousands of desperate Afghans trying to flee as they clutched papers, children and belongings, as people from other countries also sought to leave after U.S. and other foreign troops withdrew. At least 12 people have been killed since the Islamist. –Reuters

(With inputs from agencies and our Correspondents)

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Pak Media On India Latest | Pakistani Media On India Latest | Pak Media ...

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[indiapakistanhottalk]

Pak Media ne Mana ki Biden ek Shanadar Team Lekar aa raha hai

Pak Media ne Mana ki Biden ek Shanadar Team Lekar aa raha hai

Pak Media ne Mana ki Biden ek Shanadar Team Lekar aa raha hai || پاک میڈیا نے اعتراف کیا کہ بائیڈن ایک لاجواب ٹیم لے کر آرہے ہیں हेलो दोस्तो कृपया लेटेस्ट पाकिस्तान और भारत के मुद्दों पर डिबेट्स देखने के लिए इस चैनल को सब्सक्राईब करके हमारा हौशला बढ़ाए जिससे आपको ज्यादा से ज्यादा पाक मीडिया की वीडियो देखने को मिले धन्यवाद जय हिंद जय भारत Our News WebSite – https://hindinewz.in Dear Friends, This…

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[newstfionline]

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Record heat scorches western Russia and central Canada (Washington Post) It’s only May, and temperatures near the Arctic Circle in northwestern Russia are approaching 90 degrees. In Moscow, temperatures have shattered records on consecutive days. It has also been unusually warm in central Canada, where raging wildfires in Manitoba are sending plumes of smoke across retreating ice in Lake Winnipeg. Summer has yet to begin in the northern hemisphere, but temperatures in high latitudes are already alarmingly warm, portending another brutally hot season while signaling more climate troubles. Since last week, historic warmth has swelled over much of western Russian and bled into eastern Scandinavia. On Thursday, the mercury surged to 87.8 degrees in Naryan-Mar, Russia, a town near the Arctic Ocean.

House narrowly approves $1.9B to fortify Capitol after riot (AP) The House on Thursday narrowly approved $1.9 billion to fortify the Capitol after the Jan. 6 insurrection, as Democrats pushed past Republican opposition to try to harden the complex with retractable fencing and a quick-response force following the most violent domestic attack on Congress in history. The bill’s 213-212 passage came a day after the House approved the formation of an independent commission to investigate the deadly mob siege by President Donald Trump’s supporters. The two measures now face an uncertain outcome in the evenly divided Senate as most Republicans have objected to both. Tensions are running high at the Capitol.

Biden Is Facing an Uneasy Truth: North Korea Isn’t Giving Up Its Nuclear Arsenal (NYT) North Korea’s arsenal of nuclear weapons and its stockpile of fuel have roughly doubled in the past four years, a steady rise that proceeded even as President Donald J. Trump held high-drama meetings with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader. The best unclassified estimates are that the North has at least 45 nuclear weapons, and appears headed to an arsenal roughly the size of Pakistan’s, another nuclear state the United States once demanded must disarm, and now has all but given up that it ever will. For the North, that has always been a model to follow. In private, officials in the Biden administration admit they harbor no illusions that North Korea will ever give up the entirety of its program. Yet, like his predecessors, Mr. Biden has made the decision not to officially acknowledge the North as a nuclear state, aides say. It is a little like pretending that the Yankees do not play baseball. But maintaining the myth has a purpose, for both the United States and South Korea. Any official acknowledgment that the North Korean arsenal is here to stay would revive the long-simmering debates about whether U.S. allies like South Korea and Japan can depend on the American nuclear umbrella—essentially a security net for countries that do not have nuclear weapons of their own.

Young British people want to ditch the monarchy, poll suggests (Reuters) Young people in Britain no longer think the country should keep the monarchy and more now want an elected head of state, with their mood souring over the last couple of years, a poll on Friday showed. The British monarchy traces its history back to William the Conqueror who invaded England in 1066, though royals ruled the patchwork of kingdoms which stretched across what became England, Scotland and Wales for centuries before that. According to the survey by YouGov, 41% of those aged 18 to 24 thought there should now be an elected head of state compared to 31% who wanted a king or queen. That was a reversal of sentiment from two years ago, when 46% preferred the monarchy to 26% who wanted it replaced.

Europe freezes China deal (Foreign Policy) The European Parliament voted on Thursday overwhelmingly in favor of freezing the ratification of a new investment agreement with China. The move was a further tit-for-tat after Beijing sanctioned 10 EU parliamentarians in retaliation for Western sanctions over the treatment of its Uyghur population in Xinjiang.

Greek firefighters battle forest blaze near Athens (Reuters) Greek firefighters battled for a third day on Friday a wind-driven blaze that burned through pine forests about 60 km (37 miles) west of the capital Athens and forced hundreds of people to evacuate from their homes. Firefighters battled overnight to contain the fire that burned homes as black smoke filled the sky above costal villages where police was calling on citizens to leave. More than 10 villages and two monasteries have already been evacuated. The blaze broke out in a forest at a small seaside holiday resort on the Gulf of Corinth on Wednesday and moved eastward into the western Attica province on Thursday, fanned by strong winds.

Spiraling conflict in Myanmar sends thousands fleeing as military targets rebels (Washington Post) The group of men from a quiet, rural town in Myanmar’s hilly northwest often hunted birds and rabbits. But in late April, they turned their rifles on the military, killing more than a dozen soldiers over the ensuing weeks. Retribution came swiftly. The military seized the town of Mindat. Troops arriving in helicopters fired heavy artillery at civilians, according to residents, and cut off the supply of food and water. Soldiers raided homes where they suspected militia fighters were hiding, and shot a 10-year old girl in the neck, local media reported. Most of the 12,000 residents in the urban area fled into the hills, where they forage for food and sleep in makeshift shelters. Almost four months since Myanmar’s military ousted the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, resistance to the coup is intensifying beyond street protests and civil disobedience. Though the cost of fighting back is high—more than 800 have been killed, mostly peaceful protesters and bystanders—militia groups are now taking up arms against the overextended military as the country speeds toward collapse and thousands of refugees pour into India, Thailand and China.

As Olympics loom, Japan health care in turmoil (AP) As she struggled to breathe, Shizue Akita had to wait more than six hours while paramedics searched for a hospital in Osaka that would treat her worsening COVID-19. When she finally got to one that wasn’t overwhelmed with other patients, doctors diagnosed severe pneumonia and organ failure and sedated her. Akita, 87, was dead two weeks later. “Osaka’s medical systems have collapsed,” said her son, Kazuyuki Akita. Hospitals in Osaka, Japan’s third-biggest city and only 2 1/2 hours by bullet train from Summer Olympics host Tokyo, are overflowing with coronavirus patients. About 35,000 people nationwide—twice the number of those in hospitals—must stay at home with the disease, often becoming seriously ill and sometimes dying before they can get medical care. As cases surge in Osaka, medical workers say that every corner of the system has been slowed, stretched and burdened. And it’s happening in other parts of the country, too.

Bathroom break (Foreign Policy) A driver of a Japanese bullet train is facing disciplinary action after he left the controls unattended to take a bathroom break while the train and its 160 passengers were traveling at more than 90 miles per hour. The driver left the cockpit for three minutes in total, as an unqualified train conductor remained behind. According to Central Japan Railway, the trainline’s operator, the driver felt abdominal pain and wanted to avoid delaying the train by having to stop at the next station. The driver may have gotten away with the infraction had the company not noticed an extremely rare occurrence for Japan’s Shinkansen trains: It was running one minute behind schedule.

South Korean bullying (NYT) South Korea is undergoing a reckoning over bullying. Anonymous accusations have surfaced on social media alleging that sports heroes, K-pop stars and actors bullied others when they were teenagers or younger. The wave has started a national conversation about bullying, and some experts ask whether South Korea’s hypercompetitive society may be partly to blame. Han You-kyung, head of the Institute of School Violence Prevention at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said that surveys do not show bullying is more serious in South Korean schools than in other developed countries. But Han called South Korea “a culture that puts achievement at the center” and a system that inflicts weak punishments on bullies.

Palestinians claim victory in Gaza (AP) Palestinians rallied by the thousands early Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas over a far more powerful Israel. The 11-day war left more than 200 dead—the vast majority Palestinians—and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. Thousands took to the streets of Gaza as the cease-fire took hold at 2 a.m. Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. “Life will return, because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war,” said shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad. “The heart is in pain, there have been disasters, families wiped from the civil registry, and this saddens us. But this is our fate in this land, to remain patient.” (Foreign Policy) The destruction in Gaza will take years to rebuild, according to Matthias Schmele, the Gaza director of UNRWA, the U.N. agency responsible for Palestinian refugees; 16,800 housing units were damaged in the bombings, with 1,000 completely destroyed, according to Gaza’s housing ministry. “The biggest damage out of all of this is trauma,” Schmele told Foreign Policy, adding that mental health support needs to be part of any future investment. “Buildings you can rebuild. But people’s lives, that won’t be easy.”

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