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Archives for May 2017

Millions of Yemenis face hunger during Ramadan

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Aid agencies say some 17 million people do not have enough to eat [Al Jazeera]

Aid agencies say some 17 million people do not have enough to eat [Al Jazeera]

by Al Jazeera

While Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan with special meals and tasty treats, millions of Yemenis are suffering from an acute lack of food as the country’s two-year war rages on.

According to aid agencies, 17 million people do not have enough to eat, in what the UN calls the “largest humanitarian crisis in the world”.

Typically, people shop throughout Ramadan, but Yemeni storekeepers have nothing to celebrate.

“Sales are the lowest from years past. Every year is worse than before,” Yahya Hubar, a shopkeeper in Hodeidah, a coastal city in western Yemen, told Al Jazeera.

More than two million children are acutely malnourished in Yemen, where a child under five dies every 10 minutes of preventable diseases, according a report by UNICEF published in December.

In addition, the country is facing a cholera outbreak, which so far has infected more than 29,000 people.

As many are scrambling to get their hands on food necessities, no longer are people talking about the special foods prepared and enjoyed during the festive Ramadan month.

“Our situation is very hard. We haven’t been paid for several months. Essential needs are hard to get and the prices are high. We’re looking at goods we can’t buy,” Nabil Ibrahim, another Hodeidah resident, told Al Jazeera.

‘Unprecedented tragedy’

This is the third Ramadan Yemen faces in a state of war. A majority of the population has only limited access to food and medicine.

The UN needs $2.1bn to provide aid to Yemen. So far, only half the amount has been raised to help address what is calls a “tragedy of unprecedented proportion”.

“People from Hodeidah are living in a tragic situation. Ramadan arrives as people are suffering greatly from unpaid salaries, no electricity, no water with the hot weather and the blockade due to the ongoing war in Yemen,” Sadeq Al Saeedi, a charity worker, told Al Jazeera.

Yemen was already one of the poorest countries in the region.

The ongoing conflict between Houthi fighters and an Arab coalition has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people and pushed the country to a brink of famine, according to the UN.

It has also taken a toll on the country’s health facilities. A number of hospitals and clinics have been bombed, while others have had to close their doors because of the fighting.

Earlier this month, a state of emergency was declared in Yemen’s opposition-held capital, Sanaa, after the cholera outbreak killed scores of people.

HD Kumaraswamy to Fight State Assembly Elections from Ramanagar Constituency

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Kumaraswamy

Mandya: Karnataka State JDS President HD Kumaraswamy (HDK) said on Sunday that he would contest from Ramanagar constituency in next state assembly elections. There are no plans to fight from another constituency other than Ramanagar, former chief minister clarified speaking to the media persons here in Mandya.

“There are suggestions to contest from a constituency of North Karnataka region, however necessary decision will be taken according the political situation in the future. There are minor issues within the party over ticket distribution and such problems will be sorted out soon to target good result in the next assembly elections,” he added.

(Agencies)

ICSE, ISC results declared, girls outperform boys yet again

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exams

New Delhi: The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) today declared results for both class XII and class X as girls once again outshone boys.

Class XII saw a pass percentage of 96.47 while 98.53 per cent students passed class X.

Kolkata Girl Ananya Maity has emerged as the class XII all India topper with 99.5 per cent and Pune’s Muskan Abdulla Pathan and Bengaluru’s Ashwin Rao have jointly topped the Class X exams with 99.4 per cent each.

ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) Examination, 2017, showed a marginal increase in pass percentages over the previous year’s results, said Gerry Arathoon, CEO of the Council.

(Agencies)

Nana Patekar lands key role in Rajinikanth’s ‘Kaala Karikalan’

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Kaala Karikalan

Mumbai: The makers of superstar Rajinikanths upcoming Tamil film “Kaala Karikaalan” on Sunday confirmed that Bollywood actor Nana Patekar has been roped in to play a pivotal role in the movie.

The principal shooting of the Pa. Ranjith-directed film began here on Sunday.

Announcing the full cast in a statement, the makers revealed that Nana Patekar, apart from a bevy of supporting actors, plays an important role.

It was also confirmed that actress Huma Qureshi plays the leading lady.

The film also stars Samuthirakani and Anjali Patil.

The statement added that the film’s shooting here will go on non-stop for 40 days.

Produced by Dhanush, the movie has music by Santhosh Narayanan.

(IANS)

Government says ‘No’ to bilateral cricket with Pakistan

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Vijay Goel

New Delhi: Sports Minister Vijay Goel Monday made it clear that the government will not allow any bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan till the time “cross-border terrorism” does not stop.

The minister’s firm statement comes on a day the BCCI and the Pakistan Cricket Board are meeting in Dubai to discuss their bilateral ties, which have remained suspended since 2012 due to diplomatic tensions after terror attacks in India.

“BCCI should speak to the government before giving any proposal to Pakistan. I have made it clear that bilateral cricket with Pakistan is not possible till the time there is cross-border terror. We have, however, no say on multilateral events (ICC tournaments),” Goel told reporters here.

The PCB has already sent a legal notice to BCCI claiming damages in tune of USD 60 million (Rs 387 crore approx) for allegedly not honouring the MoU that had stated five bilateral series in the cycle between 2015-2023.

It is learnt that the BCCI officials led by joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary will explain to their PCB counterparts that the series can’t be held without government permission and would also request them to withdraw the case.

If Pakistan refuses to budge, it is learnt that now way will BCCI pay any compensation in this case.

The cash-strapped PCB’s finances heavily depend on a series with India which would mean a financial windfall for the nation, where no international cricketing activity has taken place since terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricket team.

(PTI)

Cattle ban to put Meat Products of India in crisis, says director

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cow

Kochi: Amid a public outcry over the Centre’s notification banning sale of cattle for slaughter, a PSU in Kerala fears that its business will be badly hit for want of raw materials.

The Meat Products of India Ltd (MPI), a meat and meat products manufacturing company in Ernakulam district, sources materials mainly from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and if the rule is strictly implemented, there would be no movement of livestock including buffaloes, said one of its top officials.

Ironically, the Centre’s move has come when MPI enhanced the capacity of its plant spending Rs 31.5 crore, Shaju Jacob, one of the directors of MPI said.

“The new rule will put MPI in a crisis. Sourcing livestock will be a big problem,” Jacob said.

The products of MPI are derived from young and healthy livestock and are processed using sophisticated technology to ensure high standards of hygiene, longer storage time and more nutritive value.

He said the Centre’s decision will also affect MPI’s plans to export the products.

“The MPI products manufactured under strict veterinary supervision from selected animals free from zoonotic disease would have got a huge demand from abroad, particularly the Gulf. Now that door seems to be closed with this decision,” Jacob lamented.

Currently, MPI products are available with all leading supermarkets and cold storages throughout Kerala and other states.

He said the MPI was seeking new ways to overcome the crisis.

“Currently, we are running in losses to the tune of Rs. 19 crore. We are seeking possibilities of encouraging farmers in local areas to rear the livestock for meeting our demand for the raw materials,” Jacob said.

Established in the year 1973, the company holds a category “A” FSSAI license for the manufacture and marketing of meat and meat products.

(PTI)

Gujarat: Upset over BJP dispensation, youth hurls shoe at union minister

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Mansukh Mandaviya

Ahmedabad: ‘Upset’ with the Gujarat government for ‘not doing anything’ for youths, a member of Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti on Sunday hurled a shoe at union minister Mansukh Mandaviya at a function in Vallabhipur town in Bhavnagar district, police said.

However, the shoe missed its intended target as it landed some distance ahead of the stage from where Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Mandaviya was addressing a gathering.

Following the incident, the local police arrested the 20-year-old college student Bhavesh Sonani, said Vallabhipur sub-inspector P S Rizvi.

“We registered an FIR against Sonani and arrested him for hurling a shoe at the minister. He has been booked under sections 353 (assaulting public servant) and 186 (obstructing public servant) under the IPC,” he said.

Upon learning about Sonani’s arrest, local PAAS leaders rushed to the police station. Bhavnagar district PAAS convener Nitin Ghelani said Sonani resorted to this act as he was upset with the current BJP dispensation in Gujarat.

Ghelani said Sonani, a college student and a PAAS member, was overpowered by the BJP workers soon after the incident. He said Sonani was ‘upset’ with leaders of BJP because he felt that youths from Patel as well as other communities are left to fend for themselves after acquiring degrees.

“Though so many youths are unemployed, the BJP leaders are busy giving speeches instead of doing something concrete,” Ghelani alleged. PAAS has been demanding reservation for Patel community members in government jobs and education institutions under the OBC quota.

(PTI)

Shashi Tharoor defamation case: ‘Bring down the rhetoric’, Delhi HC tells Arnab Goswami

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tharoor arnab

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court issued a notice to Republic TV head Arnab Goswami on Monday, after Congress leader Shashi Tharoor filed a defamation suit against him. The court told Goswami’s lawyer that the TV anchor is free to report on the facts of the murder case involving the death of Tharoor’s wife, Sunanda Pushkar, but cannot call him names.

“Bring down the rhetoric; You [Goswami and Republic] can show facts, but can’t call him [Tharoor] names,” the court said according to PTI.

Tharoor had filed a defamation suit against Goswami after the release of what his channel called an exposé connected to Pushkar’s death. Goswami’s new venture had aired what it claimed were audio tapes between one of the channel’s reporters and an aide of Tharoor. The tapes purportedly prove that Pushkar’s body had been moved from one room to another at the Leela Palace Hotel in New Delhi on January 17, 2014, the night she died.

Tharoor had denounced the news, claiming it was a publicity stunt to “create attention” for the news channel. Alongside, the airing of these tapes, Goswami referred to Tharoor as a “murderer” and tickers on his channel used similar language.

Gaurav Gupta, a lawyer appearing on behalf of Tharoor, told Scroll.in that the Congress leader did not have a problem with the investigation into Pushkar’s death, or even factual reporting by the media, but took issue with the references declaring him guilty while the case was still on.

“We don’t want to stifle the investigation, or any fair reporting by any section,” Gupta said. “We just have a problem with someone running a media trial and holding him guilty before even a chargesheet is there.”

Gupta said that the judge, during Monday’s hearing had observed that fair reportage is fine, but the channel cannot draw conclusions that Tharoor is guilty. Tharoor’s team had pleaded for an injunction on Goswami, restricting him from covering the matter until the defamation case is over.

“Arnab’s counsel said, ‘please don’t pass an injunction, I will advise him to temper down and scale down and not make defamatory remarks till the next date of hearing’,” Gupta said. “The court also said you justify and explain what has prompted him to make these statements”

Attempts to reach Goswami’s counsel were unsuccessful, but the channel itself issued statements through its Twitter account, claiming a “big win” for Republic TV.

The case has now been posted for the next hearing on August 16.
(Agencies)

Sri Lanka floods, landslides: Death toll rises to 100

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Ninety-one people missing and hundreds of homes destroyed after heavy rain triggers devastating flooding and landslides.

The flooding on Friday is the worst Sri Lanka has seen in 14 years [Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP]

The flooding on Friday is the worst Sri Lanka has seen in 14 years [Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP]

by Al Jazeera

Floods and landslides in Sri Lanka’s southern and western regions have killed at least 100 people and damaged more than 800 homes, officials said on Saturday.

Ninety-one people were also reported missing and 40 others have been hospitalised after unusually heavy rain on Friday triggered a string of mudslides and caused rivers to burst their banks, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

Indian medical teams and emergency relief arrived in the capital, Colombo, on Saturday to help Sri Lanka deal with the worst flooding in 14 years.

“Many thousands are displaced and are trying to come to terms with what has happened with this huge deluge of water,” Al Jazeera’s Minelle Fernandez, reporting from the southern town of Agalawatte, said.

“Some places received a year’s supply of rain in 24 hours. It has taken everyone by surprise.”

In Agalawatte, some 100km south of Colombo, rescuers pulled at least 11 bodies out from the mud and earth, while one person was found alive.

“It’s been 15-18 years since we’ve had so much water. It’s left people helpless”, a man told local media.

“We were moving things from 2am. Kitchen stuff floated off, and the roof shades were blown away,” a woman said.

Authorities issued fresh evacuation orders for those living downstream of two major rivers, citing a risk of flooding even though the rains had subsided.

Soldiers have fanned out in boats and helicopters to help with rescue operations. Residents said there are more people trapped in interior villages where boats have been unable to reach.

An Indian ship carrying medical supplies docked in Colombo on Saturday, after Sri Lanka issued an international appeal for help. Another ship is due to arrive on Monday.

The flooding is the worst since May 2003 when 250 people were killed and 10,000 homes destroyed after a similarly powerful Southwest monsoon, officials said.

The DMC said the monsoon ended a prolonged drought that had threatened agriculture as well as hydropower generation.

Mudslides have become common during the monsoon season in the tropical Indian Ocean island as land has been heavily deforested to grow export crops such as tea and rubber.

Last May, a massive landslide killed more than 100 people in central Sri Lanka.

Burhan Wani’s successor Sabzar Bhat among nine killed in Kashmir, clashes erupt

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Sabzar Bhat

Srinagar: Sabzar Ahmad Bhat, who succeeded Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, was killed in an encounter with government forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

Bhat was among eight militants killed in two separate gunfights in north and south Kashmir. A civilian was also killed after forces opened fire on people marching towards the encounter site in Saimoh village of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Six militants were killed after army claimed to have foiled an infiltration bid in Rampur sector of Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Two militants, including Sabzar Bhat – a lieutenant of slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani killed on July 8 last year – and Faizan were killed in an encounter in Saimoh.

The killing of Bhat has triggered protests and clashes across Kashmir valley. Dozens of people have been injured in the ensuing clashes.

(Greater Kashmir)

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