Nasheman

India's largest selling Urdu weekly, now also in English

You are here: Home / 2015 / Archives for August 2015

Archives for August 2015

Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike slips into coma

by

Mohammed Allaan, who has been on a hunger strike for 60 days, is now on mechanical respiratory support, his lawyer says.

The Red Cross warned last week that hunger-striking Mohammed Allaan's life is in immediate danger [AFP]

The Red Cross warned last week that hunger-striking Mohammed Allaan’s life is in immediate danger [AFP]

by Basma Atassi, Al Jazeera

A Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike for the past 60 days has now entered into a state of coma, his lawyer told Al Jazeera.

Mohammed Allaan, an alleged “Islamic Jihad” member, stopped eating in June to protest against being held by Israeli authorities without charge.

Israeli authorities have transferred Allaan from one hospital to another after they struggled to find a medic who would feed or examine the prisoner without his will.

Medics at Barzilai Medical Centre, where Allaan is being cared for, have refused to force-feed him, but are injecting his body with supplements essential for his survival.

“Mohammed slipped into a coma last night,” his lawyer Jamil el-Khatib told Al Jazeera on Friday. “He is on mechanical respiratory support now,” he said.

Allaan’s mother is at the hospital along with a few activists, but no one is allowed to see him.

The Red Cross last week warned that Allaan’s life is in immediate danger, and called upon Israeli authorities to allow his mother to visit him in hospital.

Allan was arrested in November 2014 and placed under administrative detention for two six-month periods.

He has been on hunger strike to protest his administrative detention, a controversial measure that allows Israel to detain suspects without charge for long periods.

There were fears by human rights organisations that he would be force-fed after Israel’s parliament last month passed into law the ability to force-feed prisoners on hunger strike.

Israeli group Physician for Human Rights said the government’s sanctioning of force-feeding “pushes the medical community to severely violate medical ethics for political gains, as was done in other dark regimes in history”.

The UN labelled hunger strikes “a fundamental human right”.

India need 153 runs to win first Test

by

India's Shikhar Dhawan watches the ball as he plays a shot during the third day of their first cricket test match against Sri Lanka, in Galle, Sri Lanka, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

India’s Shikhar Dhawan watches the ball as he plays a shot during the third day of their first cricket test match against Sri Lanka, in Galle, Sri Lanka, Friday, Aug. 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Galle: India reached 23/1 in pursuit of 176 runs after they bowled out Sri Lanka for 367 runs in their second innings despite Dinesh Chandimal’s unbeaten 162 on the third day of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium here on Friday.

After conceding a 192-run first innings lead, the Sri Lankan top order failed to rise to the occasion. But young Chandimal registered his fourth century in Test cricket to bail the team out of trouble. Chandimal hit 19 fours and four sixes from 169 deliveries.

The right-hander forged a 125-run stand with Lahiru Thirimanne (44) when the hosts were 92/5 and it helped them overcome the innings deficit. Chandimal was also involved with another healthy partnership of 82 runs with Jehan Mubarak (49) for the sixth wicket to ensure that the Sri Lankans get a 100-run lead.

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (4-114) completed a 10-wicket haul in the match and he was ably supported by leg-spinner Amit Mishra (3-61). Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron bagged a wicket each.

At the end of the day, India lost Lokesh Rahul (5) to Rangana Herath. Shikhar Dhawan (not out 13) and nightwatchman Ishant (5 not out) were at the crease as India look in command to get another 153 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Earlier, starting the day at five for two, Sri Lanka lost Dhammika Prasad (3) to the first ball of the day as the nightwatchman failed to fend off a well directed bouncer from pacer Aaron and edged to Ajinkya Rahane at gully.

Skipper Angelo Mathews (39) joined former captain Kumar Sangakkara (40), who is playing in his penultimate international match. The left-right combination showed some resilience even though the Indian bowlers kept troubling them.

They forged a 87-run stand for the fourth wicket to bring the deficit down to 100 runs. However, left-hander Sangakkara nudged an Ashwin delivery that took a sharp turn away from him only to see a diving Rahane pouch a brilliant catch at slip in the 25th over.

Sangakkara, considered one of the greatest batsmen, walked back to a standing ovation from the Galle crowd.

In the very next over, Mathews fell to a bouncing ball from leg-spinner Mishra. Mathews played the ball on to his pads and it went to Lokesh Rahul at silly point.

With the skipper’s wicket, Sri Lanka reeled at 95/5 when young batsmen Chandimal and Thirimanne joined hands.

Starting the second session at 108 for five and his team still trailing by 84 runs, unbeaten Chandimal felt that attack was the best mode of defence and showed his intentions early.

Ashwin picked his third wicket of the innings as left-hander Thirimanne edged one to Rahane at slip. It was Tamil Nadu’s Ashwin’s ninth wicket of the five-day match.

Chandimal was joined by Mubarak and they were going strong till Harbhajan induced an edge off the latter that was caught at slip by Rahane to reduce the hosts to 302/7.

Mishra removed Herath as the batsman edged it to slip fielder Rahane, who created a world record by taking eight catches in a single Test match.

Ishant accounted for Tharindu Kaushal (7) while Ashwin rattled the stumps of 11th man Nuwan Pradeep (3) as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 367, leaving India 176 runs to win the match.

Virat Kohli-captained India reached 23/1 with only the loss of Rahul, who was trapped in front of the stumps by left-arm spinner Herath.

(IANS)

Movie Review: Shaun The Sheep Movie is delightfully funny it is meant for cine goers of all ages

by

SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE

Producer: Paul Kewly & Julie Lockhart
Director: Richard Starzak & Mark Burton
Star Cast: (Voice) Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Omid Djalili, Kate Harbour, Richard Webber, Tim Hands, Simon Greenall et al.
Genre: Comedy (Animation)
Verdict: Very Good

The director duo of Richard Starzak & Mark Burton have delivered many movies till this date especially animated comedy, but the latest offering ‘Shaun The Sheep Movie’ has surpassed all of them. Besides they have enlivened the film by using the stop animation motivated technique.

Plot: Shaun is a mischievous sheep living with his flock at Mossy Bottom Farm. Tired of the routine life on the farm, he hatches a plan for a day off, by tricking the farmer into going back to sleep by counting the sheep repeatedly. However, the travel – trailer in which they put the farmer to bed accidentally rolls away, taking him the entire way into the big city. Bitzer, the farmer’s dog, goes after him, ordering the sheep to stay on the farm until he returns.

Aces: A sweet & simple story whose punctuated silence also speaks volumes. Besides the animation has been done brilliantly.

Minuses: Some more addition of gags & wisecracks would have made the film even more lively.

Last Word: It is one up on the television series of the same name. Go for it, as it is meant for cine goers of all ages & from all walks of life.

Wholesale inflation falls to historic low of (-) 4.05%

by

REUTERS/Vivek Prakash/Files

REUTERS/Vivek Prakash/Files

New Delhi: Deflationary trends continued for the ninth month in a row in July with wholesale inflation plunging to a historic low of (-)4.05 per cent on cheaper vegetable and fuel, which may prompt RBI to cut interest rate ahead of the September 29 policy meet.

The WPI number follows retail inflation (CPI) data, which had slipped to a record low of 3.78 per cent in July. The overall wholesale price index-based (WPI) inflation was (-)2.40 per cent in June, government data showed today. It has been in the negative zone since November 2014. A year ago in July 2014, inflation was 5.41 per cent.

During the month, pulses, milk, edible oil, egg, meat and fish turned dearer. RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan after the monetary policy announcement on August 4 had said the central bank may cut interest rate even out of the policy cycle depending on how macroeconomic indicators play out.

“We are waiting for information. There was more need to move fast in the early stages of the turnaround. We will take all information into account and decide whether at times it warrants moving in between policy cycle or it does not,” he had said after the policy meet.

RBI mostly tracks the consumer price inflation for its policy decision, and its next review is due on September 29.

(PTI)

I will not go back from Bengaluru: Asaduddin Owaisi

by

Asaduddin Owaisi

Bengaluru: Ahead of the BBMP polls scheduled to be held on Saturday, Aug 22, AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the state Congress government for ‘deliberately’ trying to impose restrictions on his entry to Bengaluru city and impeaching his constitutional rights to free movement.

Owaisi said that as a member of parliament, he has constitutional rights to enter any place in the country, and Congress has no rights to stop him entering the city.

He said he and his party are here to stay, and will not go back from Bengaluru. He announced his party’s intention to participate in the next assembly elections in the state.

Earlier on Tuesday Justice A.S. Bopanna had issued the direction while rejecting AIMIM’s plea for a direction to the authorities to grant permission for its public rally that was scheduled for August 11 at Chota Maidan in Shivajinagar.

Delay in getting appointment with Modi upsets Siddaramaiah

by

siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said he was disappointed that the appointment he had sought with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss various issues, including implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri project and drought condition prevailing in the State, had received no response.

Speaking after holding a meeting with elected representatives and various organisations from Dharwad and Belagavi, who have been spearheading a movement seeking the implementation of the Kalasa Banduri irrigation project, said, in a federal system the Centre needs to respond positively towards the problems faced by the states.

Siddaramaiah said his office had written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) 15 days ago seeking time with Modi. However, the State is yet to receive a reply, he said. Recently, Water Resources Minister M B Patil had visited New Delhi seeking that the meeting be held before the conclusion of the current parliament session (August 13). Siddaramaiah said he was not politicising the issue but sought that the PMO finalise the meeting at the earliest.

All-party meet on Aug 23

The chief minister said that an all-party meeting will be convened on August 23 to discuss the implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri project. Floor leaders of political parties in both the Houses of the State Legislature and MPs would be invited to the meeting to be held in Bengaluru. He urged the organisations, which have been protesting for the last 15 days demanding the early execution of the Kalasa Banduri project, to withdraw their agitation.

The project seeks to improve drinking water supply to the districts of Belagavi, Dharwad and Gadag. It involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, two tributaries of the Mahadayi river, to divert 7.56 tmc of water to the Malaprabha river. Goa has raised objections resulting in the project not taking off.

(Agencies)

Saudi Arabia rejects Russian calls to work with Assad against IS

by

Saudi Arabia Russian

by Dawn

Moscow: Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Tuesday poured cold water on Russian calls to join forces with the Syrian authorities against the self-styled Islamic State, insisting it would never work with President Bashar al Assad.

Moscow — one of Assad’s few remaining allies — has called for coordination between the Syrian government and members of an international coalition fighting the extremist group, which controls swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.

But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir insisted there would be no cooperation with the Syrian government after meeting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

“As for a coalition in which Saudi Arabia would participate with the government of Syria, then we need to exclude that. It is not part of our plans,” Jubeir said in comments translated into Russian.

“Our position has not changed… there is no place for Assad in the future of Syria,” Jubeir said.

“We think that Bashar al Assad is part of the problem, not part of the solution.” Saudi Arabia is part of a US-led coalition that began an air campaign against IS in Syria last September.

Russia supports Assad while Saudi Arabia insists he must step down to help end a four-year conflict that has cost over 240,000 lives.

RSS capturing educational institutions: Rahul Gandhi

by

Rahul-Gandhi

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on the Modi government over the lingering strike in FTII, Rahul Gandhi today alleged educational institutions were being “captured” by the RSS and only those “singing praises” of the Prime Minister and BJP are being “placed on top”.

Gandhi, who led a Congress delegation to President Pranab Mukherjee to protest the appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of FTII, said creativity was being “crushed” by the desire of the RSS to “control” the education system.

“The people who are placed on top of them (the students) do not have the merit to be placed on top. The only merit they have is that they have sung praises of the Prime Minister, the BJP and believe in the ideology of the RSS,” the Congress vice president told reporters.

Holding that Chauhan lacks merit to govern the institute, Gandhi said the message the government was trying to convey was that “leave behind your capability and merit and pay your obeisance to Modiji and RSS and come to this institution.

“This is a wrong message to the students”, he said.

Rahul who had earlier visited Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) campus in Pune to express solidarity with the students who want Chauhan removed, said the delegation articulated the fact that India’s soft power as reflected in institutions like FTII is being crushed by RSS which wants to control the country’s education system.

“They have already destroyed the education system in Madhya Pradesh with the Vyapam scam. We are not going to allow them to destroy these institutions,” he said.

“The capturing of educational institutions by the RSS is a political issue. I am not politicising it. The BJP is politicising it.

“Every institution that has been developed over the last 50-60 years on merit is being destroyed. This is a political issue not a social issue,” the Congress Vice President said.

Gandhi was accompanied to Rashtrapati Bhawan by Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar, Manish Tewari, Kumari Selja, Raj Babbar among others.

“We briefed the president on the FTII matter and I want to send the message mainly to the students of this country and in particular to the boys and girls of FTII that what they are fighting for is a very very important thing,” he said.

Students’ agitation at FTII is going on for over two months after government announced the appointment of Chauhan as head of its governing council.

The students have been boycotting classes since June 12, demanding Chauhan’s removal, maintaining that he lacks “academic credentials, vision and stature” to head the premier institute.

While the students have been able to garner support from many Bollywood bigwigs, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has refused to withdraw Chauhan’s appointment, asking the agitators to return to academic activity or face action including rustication.

Congress sources said he would lead a delegation to President Pranab Mukherjee to seek his intervention over the ongoing students stir against the appointment of actor Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

“I don’t know what qualities the government sees in him (Chauhan). It is thrusting mediocrity on the country. We will not allow it,” said Rahul who had earlier also visited FTII to support the demand of the students who want Chauhan to be removed.

“The capturing of educational institutions by the RSS is a political issue. I am not politicising it. The BJP is politicising it.

“Every institution that has been developed over the last 50-60 years on merit is being destroyed. This is a political issue not a social issue,” the Congress Vice President said.

Rahul will meet the President seeking his intervention for resolving the issue related to FTII, the party sources said.

Students agitation at FTII is going on for nearly two months after government announced the appointment of Chauhan as head of its governing council.

The students have been boycotting classes since June 12, demanding Chauhan’s removal, maintaining that he lacks “academic credentials, vision and stature” to head the premier institute.

While the students have been able to garner support from many Bollywood bigwigs too, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has refused to withdraw Chauhan’s appointment, asking the students to return to academic activity or face action including rustication.

(Agencies)

Pakistan police officers held in child-abuse probe

by

Three officers transferred amid scandal over abuse of hundreds of children for nearly a decade in Punjab province.

People have protested in the wake of the scandal calling for action against perpetrators [AFP]

People have protested in the wake of the scandal calling for action against perpetrators [AFP]

by Al Jazeera

Three Pakistani police officers have been transferred to other districts over accusations of negligence amid a deepening scandal over a paedophile ring alleged to have abused hundreds of children for nearly a decade, officials say.

A prominent family in the central Punjabi village of Husain Khan Wala allegedly used guns, knives and axes to force children – some as young as five – to perform sex acts on video, which they then sold or used to extort money from the victims’ families, villagers said.

This weekend, the prime minister pledged an investigation after Pakistani media covered protests by parents claiming that police in the district of Kasur had not investigated their complaints.

The officers were removed from their posts “for their negligence on the Kasur sex scandal”, Nabeela Ghazanfar, a spokesperson for the provincial police, told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

Rai Babar, the district police chief, and two deputy superintendents were reassigned out of the district. Police in Pakistan are rarely sacked.

Parents told Reuters that police had refused to register some complaints and treated some of the victims “like criminals”.

The police have arrested 14 suspects so far. Seven cases have been registered against them for alleged sodomy, kidnapping and torture, Muhammad Amin, a police official, said.

The accused would be tried in an anti-terrorism court, Amin said. Law enforcement officials frequently use the anti-terror courts to bypass Pakistan’s moribund judicial system.

On Monday, opposition politicians criticised the ruling party over the scandal in Punjab, the country’s biggest and wealthiest province and the political heartland of the ruling party.

Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab’s chief minister and the brother of the prime minister, said on Tuesday that he was “personally monitoring” the case.

“We will not let anyone involved in this incident escape the law and justice. All victims and their families will be provided every possible assistance to identify culprits without any fear,” he said in a statement on his Facebook page.

Parents in Kasur have protested that police in the district in Punjab did not investigate their complaints [The Associated Press]

Death toll soars after huge blasts hit China’s Tianjin

by

Explosions in city’s industrial zone kill at least 50 people and injure hundreds more, with 36 firemen reported missing.

The blasts started late on Wednesday after a container of 'hazardous material' exploded in a warehouse in Tianjin [EPA]

The blasts started late on Wednesday after a container of ‘hazardous material’ exploded in a warehouse in Tianjin [EPA]

by Al Jazeera

Explosions at a warehouse for dangerous materials in the northeastern Chinese port of Tianjin have killed at least 50 people, including at least a dozen firefighters, and injured more than 700 and sent shockwaves through the city.

Chinese state news said the blasts started late on Wednesday after a container of “hazardous material” exploded in a warehouse around midnight local time.

The city government said the death toll from the explosions stood at 50, adding that were 701 hospitalised and 71 seriously injured.

At least 36 firefighters were initially reported missing by the state news agency, Xinhua.

The blasts knocked doors off buildings in the area and shattered windows up to several kilometres away.

There were no indications of what caused the blasts, and no immediate signs of any large release of toxic chemicals into the air.

Beijing News reported on its website that there was some unidentified yellow foam flowing at the site.

Police in Tianjin said an initial blast occurred at shipping containers in a warehouse for hazardous materials owned by Ruihai Logistics, a company that says it is properly approved to handle hazardous materials.

Al Jazeera’s Adrian Brown, reporting from Tianjin early on Thursday, said: “Close to the disaster zone, dazed people are wandering about the streets, many carrying what possessions they could grab before fleeing their homes.

“Others are sitting at roadsides, many clearly in shock. Those who can get out are fleeing.

Photos on state media outlets showed a sea of fire that painted Wednesday’s night sky bright orange in Tianjin [Reuters]

“In the distance, smoke is still billowing from the scene of the multiple blasts. Scores of nearby buildings have had their windows punched out.

“The streets are littered with broken glass and stones. The air is acrid. That no one knows what they are breathing is adding to the anxiety here.”

State media said senior management of the company had been detained by authorities, and that President Xi Jinping has demanded severe punishment for anyone found responsible for the explosions.

The official Xinhua news agency said an initial explosion sparked other blasts at nearby businesses.

The National Earthquake Bureau reported two major blasts before midnight, the first was the equivalent of three tonnes of TNT, and the second one was the equivalent of 21 tonnes.

The explosions occurred in a mostly industrial zone, with some apartment buildings in the vicinity.

Buildings of a half-dozen other logistics companies were destroyed in the blasts, and more than 1,000 new Renault cars were left charred in a nearby parking lot, Beijing News said.

Photos taken by bystanders and circulating on microblogs show a huge fireball high in the sky, with a mushroom cloud.

China’s National Earthquake Bureau reported two major blasts in Tianjin’s industrial zone before midnight on Wednesday [Reuters]

Tall plumes of smoke

Other photos on state media outlets showed a sea of fire that painted the night sky bright orange, with tall plumes of smoke.

In one neighbourhood about 10km to 20km from the blast site, some residents were sleeping on the street wearing gas masks, although there was no perceptible problem with the air apart from massive clouds of smoke seen in the distance.

At the nearby Taida Hospital as dawn broke, military medical tents were set up.

Photos circulating online showed patients in bandages and with cuts.

State broadcaster CCTV said six battalions of firefighters had brought the ensuing fire under control, although it was still burning in the early hours of Thursday.

Ruihai Logistics says on its website that it was established in 2011 and is an approved company for handling hazardous materials. It says it handles one million tonnes of cargo annually.

Tianjin, with a population of about 15 million, is about 120km east of Beijing on the Bohai Sea and is one of the country’s major ports.

It is also one of China’s more modern cities and is connected to the capital by a high speed rail line.

KNOW US

GET INVOLVED

PROMOTE

Archives