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Archives for September 2017

North Korea accuses Trump of declaring war

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Ri Yong-ho, foreign minister, says ‘declaration of war’ means all options will be on the table for country’s leadership.

North Korea’s Ri told UN that targeting the US mainland with its rockets was inevitable [Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

North Korea’s foreign minister says President Donald Trump had declared war on his country and that Pyongyang reserves the right to take countermeasures, including shooting down US bombers even if they are not in its airspace.

The increasingly heated rhetoric between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is raising fears of a risk of a miscalculation by one side or the other that could have massive repercussions.

“The whole world should clearly remember it was the US who first declared war on our country,” Ri Yong-ho said in New York City on Monday.

“Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down United States strategic bombers even when they are not inside the airspace border of our country.”

In a direct reference to a Twitter post by Trump on Saturday, Ri said: “The question of who won’t be around much longer will be answered then.”

US stocks fell sharply in late morning trading on Monday after Ri’s comments. The five tech companies – Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Alphabet – were down between 3.7 percent and 1.05 percent.

‘Mr Evil President’

Ri told the UN General Assembly on Saturday that targeting the US mainland with its rockets was inevitable after “Mr Evil President” Trump called Kim a “rocket man” on a suicide mission.

“Just heard Foreign Minister of North Korea speak at UN. If he echoes thoughts of Little Rocket Man, they won’t be around much longer!” Trump said on Twitter on Saturday.

Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from New York, said the latest comments by Ri represent a “real ramping up” of language against the US.

“He said if US bombers were to fly near North Korea even in international waters, North Korea will shoot them down. The minister’s comments on Saturday at the UN General Assembly were a blistering attack, but he’s gone even further now.”

North Korea, which has pursued its missile and nuclear programmes in defiance of international condemnation and economic sanctions, said it “bitterly condemned the reckless remarks” of Trump.

They were an “intolerable insult to the Korean people”, and a declaration of war, North Korea’s official news agency said on Monday.

Pyongyang accuses Washington, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies.

The US and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950s conflict ended with a truce, not a peace treaty.

Kim’s broadside

In a rare direct statement on Friday, Kim described Trump as a “mentally deranged US dotard” whom he would tame with fire.

Kim said North Korea would consider the “highest level of hardline countermeasure in history” against the US and that Trump’s comments had confirmed his nuclear programme was “the correct path”.

Trump threatened in his maiden UN address last Tuesday to “totally destroy” North Korea if it threatened the US or its allies.

For its part, China called on Monday for all sides in the North Korea missile crisis to show restraint and not “add oil to the flames”.

Asked how concerned China was the war of words between Trump and North Korea could get out of control, Lu Kang, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, described the situation as highly complex and sensitive.

It was vitally important that everyone strictly, fully and correctly implemented all North Korea related UN resolutions, Lu said, resolutions which call for both tighter sanctions and efforts to resume dialogue.

All sides should “not further irritate each other and add oil to the flames of the tense situation on the peninsula at present”, Lu told a daily news briefing.

“We hope all sides do not continue doing things to irritate each other and should instead exercise restraint.”

Hydrogen bomb threat

North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear bomb test on September 3. Pyongyang said on Friday it might test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean.

While China has been angered by North Korea’s repeated nuclear and missile tests, it has also called for the US and its allies to help lessen tension by scaling back their military drills.

US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers escorted by fighters flew in international airspace over waters east of North Korea on Saturday in a show of force the Pentagon said indicated the range of military options available to Trump.

In response to a question about the exercises, Chinese spokesman Lu said: “A continued rise in tensions on the peninsula, I believe, is not in the interests of any side.”

Wang Jingdong, president of the world’s largest lender Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), said during a briefing the bank would “strictly implement UN Security Council decisions related to North Korea and carefully fulfil relevant international responsibility”.

Movie Review: Bhoomi Is A Disappointing Fare

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Banner: T – Series & Legend Studios
Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Sandeep Singh & Omung Kumar
Director: Omung Kumar
Star Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharad Kelkar, Sidhant Gupta, Puru Chibber, Veer Aryan, Riddhi Sen, Shekhar Suman, Sunny Leone et al
Music: Sachin – Jigar & Ismail Darbar

Omung Kumar has given brilliant films in the past but he failed to deliver the goods in Bhoomi.

Post the shocking Nirbhaya gang rape in 2012, a major section of the society has begun to see the problems faced by women more seriously and in a new light. It has also led to Bollywood making multiple films on this subject. Pink, Kaabil, Maatr, Mom et al dealt with this growing menace in recent times and now Sanjay Dutt chooses this hard – hitting topic for his comeback film, Bhoomi.

The scripted scenario of Bhoomi reveals that Arun (Sanjay Dutt) is a widower based in Agra who has single – handedly raised his daughter Bhoomi (Aditi Rao Hydari). An eligible boy Neeraj (Sidhant Gupta) gets interested in Bhoomi & she too falls for him. Arun is happy with this union. However, Vishal (Puru Chibber) from her neighborhood also loves her. He asks her out a few days before the wedding. An enraged Bhoomi slaps him. Vishal narrates about his ordeal to his cousin, the evil Dhauli (Sharad Kelkar). Dhauli instigates Vishal kidnap Bhoomi & then rape her. Vishal goes ahead and does it. But not just him, as even Dhauli and his henchmen Ghulam (Veer Aryan) rape Bhoomi. Arun’s world comes crashing down when he learns about it. How he hits back & avenges Bhoomi’s rape is what the rest of the film is all about.

Omung Kumar’s direction is very weak. He has used all the Bollywood clichés and made the film extremely violent. Everyone is corrupt and the society is full of hypocrites in this story. Some of the scenes however are very well executed, when Sanjay Dutt gets new shoes for Aditi, the courtroom scene where Sanjay Dutt gives a hard hitting speech and when Sanjay Dutt informs about the punishment for rape in different countries of the world to one of the victims.

The story written by Sandeep Singh has been done to death multiple times in Bollywood and has no novelty. Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s screenplay comes across as clichéd & outdated. Bhoomi suffers heavily from 2 major problems. 1stly, it comes too late in the day. Audiences have already seen Pink, Kaabil, Maatr, Mom et al which were also similar films dealing with rape & revenge. Hence the impact of Bhoomi gets diluted. 2ndly, the film takes too long to really get into the revenge drama zone. The narrative is so slow, dragged & boring that nothing happens until the last 20 minutes when Arun finally starts taking revenge. However Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s dialogues create the necessary impact, though only at a few places. Interestingly, the film has dialogues about women empowerment, progressive thoughts, women safety et al, but it shows violence against women through the major part of the runtime.

Sachin – Jigar’s music is weak. “Will You Marry Me”, played during opening credits, is the only one that works. “Jai Mata Di”’ played in the climax enhances the impact. The Sunny Leone item song “Trippy Trippy”’ looks forced!!! Ismail Darbar’s background score is strong. Arthur Zurawski’s cinematography is very good. Vanita Omung Kumar’s production design is authentic & rustic. Jayesh Shikharkhane’s editing is disappointing. The 135 minute long film should have been trimmed by 15 – 20 minutes to create the necessary impact. Javed – Aejaz’ action is too gory & might put off the family audiences.

Coming to performances, Sanjay Dutt is brilliant and his emotions look genuine. He looks convincing as a helpless father and also powerful when he takes revenge in the final scenes. The way his eyes do all the talking in the police station scene is seen to be believed. Aditi Rao Hydari is good in her part and her portrayal of a rape survivor is very impactful. You genuinely feel for her in the film. Sharad Kelkar is the best out of all the villains. He looks very convincing. Riddhi Sen (Jeetu) delivers an effective performance and he has a crucial part in the film. Veer Aryan (Ghulam) gets little scope but does fine. Puru Chibber is quite nice as the rapist as well as the helpless target of Arun. Shekhar Suman (Taj) is wasted. Sidhant Gupta does well in his cameo.

Tail Piece: Bhoomi comes across as a decent entertainer with power packed performance by Sanjay Dutt. At the Box – Office Turnstiles it is still struggling to score.

Tons from Shaw, Karthik take India Red to 317/5 in Duleep Trophy final

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Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw (154) and captain Dinesh Karthik (111) powered India Red to 317 for five in their first innings against India Blue on the opening day of their Duleep Trophy final here on Monday.

The 17-year-old Mumbaikar Shaw shared a 211-run third-wicket partnership with Tamil Nadu veteran Karthik, who cracked his 27th ton in first-class cricket.

Shaw and Akhil Herwadkar (25) had provided a decent start of 74 runs for the first wicket before Herwadkar ran himself out.

 
Left-arm spinner Bharghav Bhatt then accounted for Suryakumar Yadav (80) to leave India Red at 89/2.

Karthik joined Shaw in the middle and the pair saw off the difficult phase before taking on the India Blue bowlers.

During his second first-class hundred, Shaw hammered 18 fours and one six out of the 249 deliveries he faced.

Right-hander Karthik hit 12 fours during his 155-ball innings.

Off-spinner Akshya Wakhare broke the partnership as he got a LBW decision against Karthik on the fourth ball of the 79th over.

Shaw fell soon, edging one from Bhatt to wicket-keeper Srikar Bharat, as India Red reached 306/4.

Bhatt picked up his third wicket when Baba Indrajith failed to defend a straighter ball and Ishan Kishan took a sharp catch at short leg to leave India Red struggling at 317/5.

Ishank Jaggi was the batsman who was unbeaten at nine when the umpires called stumps.

Brief scores: India Red: 317/5 (Prithvi Shaw 154, Dinesh Karthik 111; Bharghav Bhatt 3/83) against India Blue on Day 1.

(IANS)

No troop contribution in Afghanistan: India

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New Delhi: India and the US today discussed ways to deepen their defence ties along with key issues such as Afghanistan, where New Delhi has ruled out any troop contribution, and terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her US counterpart James Mattis held comprehensive talks covering the entire gamut of the bilateral defence partnership.

“The situation in our neighbourhood and the growing menace of cross-border terrorism were discussed in depth. There is growing convergence in the approaches of both our countries on this issue,” Sitharaman said at a joint press conference.

She said both sides recognise the importance of holding those who use terrorism as an instrument of state policy to account and to dismantle the infrastructure that supports terrorism. On his part, Mattis said there can be “no tolerance to terrorism safe havens”.He also welcomed India’s contribution in war-torn Afghanistan.

India, one of the largest contributors in Afghanistan where it in involved in several development projects, however, has ruled out troops contribution amidst the US emphasis for a greater participation by the country in the conflict-ridden Islamic nation.

“We have made it clear that there shall not be boots from India on the ground (Afghan),” Sitharaman said while responding to a query on whether India will contribute troops in Afghanistan. Sitharaman also said that Mattis has assured her that he will raise with Pakistan the issue of terrorism emanating from there.

(Agencies)

70-year-old woman beaten to death on suspicion of being witch

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Jaipur: A 70-year-old widow was allegedly beaten to death in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district by her neighbour, who accused her of being a witch, the police said today.

Champa Devi was working in her field in Kali Ghati village yesterday when the family of her neighbour allegedly abused her and beat her up with sticks leading to her death, a police official said.

According to SHO of Semari police station Yogendra Kumar Vyas, the family thought the woman was using witchcraft against their son and was the cause of his illness. On a complaint lodged by the victim’s son Mohan Lal, a case has been registered against the accused and investigation into the matter is on, the police said.

In a related development, seven tantriks (sorcerers) have been arrested in last two days in Chittorgarh and parts of Bhilwara districts of Rajasthan to curb the practices of exorcism.

(Agencies)

Bengaluru Police Seize Banned Currency Notes Worth Rs 5 Cr; Arrest Three

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Bengaluru: Bengaluru: Mahalakshmi layout police in Bengaluru have seized bundles of banned currency notes worth Rs 5 crore in the denomination Rs 1000 in an operation on Sunday. The police have also seized a car and arrested three, Kalingappa, Mohammed Asla and Manjunath in connection with the seizure. The source of the currency notes seized and motive of the three arrested is yet to known.

The police on a tip-off carried a search h operation and found three accused with the bundles of banned currency notes in the state capital. The police registered case on the incident and investigation is in progress.

(Agencies)

Karnataka HC judge Jayant Patel who ordered CBI probe in Ishrat Jahan case quits

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Ahmedabad: Karnataka High Court’s most senior judge Jayant Patel, who had ordered a CBI investigation in the controversial fake Ishrat Jahan encounter case in Gujarat, on Monday resigned reportedly for not being elevated as Chief Justice.

Patel, the senior-most puisne judge of the Karnataka High Court after the chief justice, sent his resignation letter to Chief Justice SK Mukherjee.

It is believed Justice Patel, who was Acting Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court before being posted to Bengaluru, resigned in a huff over his transfer to the Allahabad High Court, where he would be the third most senior judge.

In fact, the Gujarat High Court Bar Association had even raised the non-appointment of Justice Patel with the Collegium and called it shocking. This was when he was transferred as a judge in the Karnataka High Court after being an Acting Chief Justice.

Justice Patel had not only ordered a CBI investigation in the controversial fake encounter case of Ishrat Jahan but had also monitored the probe, which included looking into the role of officials of Intelligence Bureau.

He was sworn in as a judge of Karnataka High Court on February 13 last year, while he was appointed the Acting Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court on August 13, 2015.

(IANS)

Chinese daily chides Sushma over UN speech against Pakistan

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Beijing: A Chinese daily has slammed India’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj for her strong criticism of Pakistan for harbouring terrorists, saying it is “politically imbecilic and unsophisticated” to think that Islamabad exports terrorism.

The editorial in state-run Global Times defending Pakistan against its failure to flush out terrorists is not surprising as China has always lavished praise on its “all-weather ally” for being at the “forefront” of tackling terrorism.

The newspaper, run by the Communist Party, said Sushma Swaraj’s speech at the UN reflected India’s arrogance and “bigotry” towards Pakistan.

Sushma in her address last week at the UN General Assembly tore into Pakistan for sheltering terrorists.

“Why is it that today India is a recognized IT superpower in the world and Pakistan is recognized only as the pre-eminent export factory for terror?” she had said.

The newspaper asked what makes Sushma Swaraj believe that Pakistan exports terrorism and India is an IT superpower?

“There is indeed terrorism in Pakistan. But is supporting terror the country’s national policy? What can Pakistan gain from exporting terrorism? Money or honour? Is India really an IT superpower that produces engineers and doctors when it is hell-bent on believing Pakistan is evil?”

“It is politically imbecilic and unsophisticated for Indian elites to conclude that Pakistan exports terrorism. They should have seen the efforts and sacrifice that Pakistan has made to rid the world of terrorism and refrain from mixing disputes over terrorism with their own historical disputes,” the editorial said.

China has steadfastly shielded Pakistan from criticism from India, the US or any other country, and told them not to single out Islamabad on terror.

In fact, China has repeatedly blocked India’s resolution at the UN to declare Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist.

The newspaper also mentioned that the Minister in her speech took a “dig at China for blocking international efforts to blacklist Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar”.

“By trumpeting India’s justice and grandeur while rebuking its neighbour’s foolishness and ugliness, the minister (Swaraj) seems to have moved herself and the whole country.”

“But it is a grave disaster when Indians are confident in their rightness and their neighbours’ wrongs while super-proud of India’s capabilities in cultivating engineers and doctors. A country that despises others can hardly seek agreement over conflicts.

“India’s bigotry toward Pakistan doesn’t match its much-vaunted ambition to be a world power. By inflaming nationalism in the Indian public, Indians become more determined to make India first than even US President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’.

“With the smooth development of its economy and foreign relations in recent years, an arrogant India has looked down on Pakistan and assumed a haughty air with China.

“It takes for granted that it should be feared by neighbors and wooed by the US and Europe. If smart enough, India should befriend China and respect Pakistan, preventing disputes from spilling over,” it said.

(IANS)

Amnesty: India’s Rohingya need support, not expulsion

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Rights group says India uses ‘security threat’ to justify plans for mass deportation of approximately 40,000 Rohingya.

India’s Rohingya face an uncertain future, with the Hindu-nationalist government threatening to deport them to Myanmar. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Amnesty International has initiated an online campaign and petition calling for people’s support to stop India’s plan of deporting thousands of Rohingya refugees living across India.

Characterising Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers as illegal immigrants and deeming them “security threats” will expose them to grave risks if forcibly returned, the rights gourp said on Monday, while pushing the #istandwithrohingyarefugees campaign online.

Last week, India’s government said it had evidence showing some Rohingya in the country have ties to “terror organisations” and pose a security threat that justifies a mass deportation of the approximately 40,000 Rohingya.

“In terms of India’s position, it is their legal and moral obligation to not allow the expulsion from happening,” Arijit Sen, project manager at Amnesty International India, told Al Jazeera.

“They have been in India for a while, taking small steps, living their lives with dignity. If India has any security concerns, they should understand that not all of them can be viewed through one lens.

“These people are in danger back in Myanmar and need support.”

India’s Supreme Court is hearing an appeal lodged on behalf of Rohingya against the deportation plan proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.

Al Jazeera tried to reach out to the ruling party office for a comment but a spokesperson declined to speak on the issue.

A majority of the Rohingya are Muslim, who have often been described as “the world’s most persecuted minority”.

They have lived in Myanmar for centuries in the Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they have faced growing violence, with hundreds of thousands being forced to flee to neighbouring countries.

The Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar and regarded as “illegal immigrants”, despite claiming roots that date back centuries.

More than 800,000 Rohingya currently live in Bangladesh, nearly 600,000 arrived in the last one year.

Muslims deported?

In a previous Al Jazeera story, Rohingya refugees in India said they were being targeted because they were Muslim.

“It fits into the larger policy that any Hindu coming from anywhere is welcome and can get a long-term visa, but if a Muslim is coming then there is a difficulty,” Mohammad Haroon, who runs a small grocery store, told Al Jazeera.

Rights activists have criticised the government over a controversial citizenship law that includes a provision for welcoming refugees facing persecution, specifying “Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan”, but notably excludes Muslims.

“The Citizen Amendments Bill allowed persecuted people from the Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist faiths to get Indian citizenship, but Muslims were not allowed even if they were persecuted,” Apoorvanand Jha, an academic and activist based in the Indian capital, New Delhi, had told Al Jazeera.

Modi visited Myanmar in the first week of September – his second visit in three years – and held talks with Aung San Suu Kyi in the capital Nay Pyi Taw.

A joint statement issued at the end of their talks failed to mention the brutal military crackdown on the Rohingya.

Delhi HC acquits ‘Peepli Live’ director Farooqui in rape case

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New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday acquitted Mahmood Farooqui, co-director of acclaimed 2010 Hindi film “Peepli Live”, who was accused of raping an American woman.

Justice Ashutosh Kumar set aside the trial court order convicting Farooqui and sentencing him to seven years jail in August last year.

Farooqui had challenged the trial court order in the High Court claiming his innocence.

Farooqui was accused of raping a 35-year-old woman from Columbia University who was in India for research on her doctoral thesis.

The woman, who moved to Delhi in June 2014, was looking for contacts for her work in Gorakhpur and came in contact with Farooqui through a common friend.

The alleged incident occurred on March 28, 2015 when Farooqui invited her for dinner at his house.

According to the police chargesheet, the woman, who reached his house at 9 p.m., found Farooqui was very intoxicated, and he asked her to go to the other room which was his office.

After 20 minutes, she left the office room to smoke in the porch when he told her to come in and sit down, it said. After talking with her for a while, he suddenly kissed her and forced himself on her, the prosecution said, adding that the woman was scared after the incident.

During the trial, the American researcher stood by her complaint and alleged that Farooqui had raped her, while he denied the allegations, and claimed he was falsely implicated.

(IANS)

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