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Archives for June 2018

5 Kerala priests caught in ‘sleaze’, suspended

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Five Kerala priests of the Kottayam-headquartered Malankara Orthodox Church have been suspended over allegations of sexually exploiting a woman from the same church, an official said.

Speaking to IANS, Secretary of the Church Biju Oommen said as soon as they received complaint from the husband of the victim, they took immediate action.

“The Church has acted in the utmost responsible manner … Today as things stand, the five are suspects.

Commission has been appointed to probe the episode.

“The probe is on and when the report comes, the Church will again act on it,” said Oommen.

The husband has said one of the priest who first exploited his wife was blackmailing her. When she sought help on this from another priest, he too, threatened her and shared her contact with another fellow priest and in the end she came under the duress from at least five priests.

The Orthodox Church was shocked as the episode was criticized heavily on the social media which dented its image.

“We are certainly worried about the huge publicity that the incident has generated and we suspect that there are vested interests who are out to malign our Church in the social media,” added Oommen.

The victim has not yet filed a police complaint.

CBI moves SC challenging HC order granting bail to Karti

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The CBI on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court order granting bail to Karti Chidambaram in a case of alleged graft for facilitating FIPB clearance to INX Media in 2007.

Senior Congress leader and Karti’s father P. Chidambaram was the Union Finance Minister then.

Karti Chidambaram was granted bail by the Delhi High Court on March 23, 2018.

Pointing to the errors in the order granting bail to Karti Chidambaram, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) contended that the high court erred in exercising its concurrent jurisdiction in entertaining the bail plea when the same was already pending before the lower court with a pre-fixed date of hearing.

“It was impermissible in law for the high court in the exercise of concurrent jurisdiction to entertain the bail application when the same was already pending with the lower court with a pre-fixed date,” the CBI said in its petition challenging the high court order.

Contending that the high court could have entertained the plea-taking recourse to its concurrent jurisdiction “only and only when there exist special and exceptional circumstances” and where the very filing of the bail application before the court of special judge is “likely to result in miscarriage of justice and brazen and illegal abridgment of personal liberty of the accused”.

Asserting that the concurrent jurisdiction can be exercised in “rare and exceptional circumstance and not in routine manner”, the CBI contended that the high court had to record adequate reasons for entertaining such a bail plea.

Referring to Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the probe agency said that it does not give right to the accused to bypass the remedies before the court of first instance and directly approach the high court.

It asserted that no special or exceptional circumstances existed which warranted the exercise of concurrent jurisdiction by the high court.

It also assailed the high court order for erroneously conducting the detailed examination of evidence on merits at the stage of grant of bail and thereby seriously prejudicing its case.

Karti was arrested on February 28 for allegedly taking money to facilitate Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX Media in 2007.

Karnataka’s JD(S)-Congress government would waive farm loans amounting to Rs 10,000 crore

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Karnataka’s JD(S)-Congress government would waive farm loans amounting to Rs 10,000 crore, including interest, taken by farmers across the state, said an official on Monday.

“The loans borrowed by the farmers from district cooperative banks and state cooperatives will be waived along with interest on them, costing the exchequer about Rs 10,000 crore,” a Chief Minister’s Office

The decision on the loan waiver was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and attended by Co-operation Minister Bandeppa Khashempur, Agriculture Minister N.H. Shivashankara Reddy and officials of various departments.

“The Chief Minister (who holds the Finance Department) will announce the modalities of the waiver on July 5 when he presents the budget for 2018-19,” said the official.

The proposed write-off will be in addition to a similar waiver the previous Congress government declared on June 21, 2017 for over 22 lakh farmers who borrowed crop loans up to Rs 50,000 each from the cooperative banks.

The previous waiver had cost the state exchequer Rs 8,165 crore.

“The loan waiver is aimed at providing relief to lakhs of farmers and their families who have been reeling under debt and crop failure due to droughts across the state over the last couple of years,” said the official quoting Kumaraswamy’s remarks at the meeting in the state secretariat.

Allaying fears of officials and heads of the cooperative banks on the longevity of the coalition government, the Chief Minister said what the state would do for the people, especially farmers, was more important than how long it lasted.

“It is not how many days or months our government survives but what it does during its rule to the people, including farmers and the poor. All stakeholders, especially officials, leaders of the coalition partners, ministers and legislators should work for the state’s development than worry about the government’s fate,” said Kumaraswamy.

Defending his decision to present a full-fledged state budget than a supplementary one as suggested by former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister said as about 100 new legislators were elected in the May 12 Assembly poll, they could serve a privilege notice against him in the Assembly for implementing the budget of the previous Congress government, as the manifestos and promises made by both the coalition parties were different.

“I don’t want a privilege notice or motion against me from the new MLAs in all the parties, including the JD(S), Congress and BJP,” said Kumaraswamy.

Reliving 35 years of India’s first cricket World Cup win

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It was exactly 35 years ago on this very day when an underdog Indian team led by Kapil Dev scripted history by stunning a star-studded West Indies in the final to lift the cricket World Cup in 1983 at the iconic Lord’s.

India’s route to the final saw them comfortably make it through Group B with four wins from six games, before seeing off hosts England at Old Trafford in the semi-final.

They came up against the Windies in the final, who were on the hunt for a hat-trick of World Cup titles, but were to be shocked by 43 runs by a determined Indian bowling line-up.

To mark the 35th year of India’s greatest cricketing triumph at the time, and prepare for a possible repeat of the feat at the same venue in the 2019 ICC World Cup, let’s relive the moments that led to India’s famous triumph.

While the entire team contributed handsomely to push India to the final, it was the skipper Kapil Dev’s remarkable unbeaten 175 against Zimbabwe that saved the team from an early exit.

Reduced to 9/4, then 17/5 on a seaming pitch, Kapil single-handedly chased the ghosts of a defeat and ouster from the tournament with not only the highest World Cup score at the time, but was also a record score in one-day international cricket.

Kapil provided a one-man resistance with an unbeaten 175 from 138 balls, including 16 fours and six sixes, helping India survive the blues.

Then lets fast forward to the final…batting first, India were bowled out for 183 in 54.5 overs, with Kris Srikkanth top-scoring for them with 38.

Considering the talent in the Windies’ ranks, the total looked fairly chaseable but there came the twist in the tale.

Well no one expected India’s disregarded pace bowlers to use the pace-friendly conditions to such great use which Mohinder Amarnath and Madan Lal did by sharing six wickets between them to bowl out the mighty West Indies for 140.

But it was again Kapil Dev who stole the limelight in the midst of an inspired bowling effort, which saw the legendary all-rounder take a catch running back 20-25 yards to dismiss a rampaging Viv Richards when everything, except hope, seemed lost.

Well that happened out of the blue. Madan Lal bowled one short, Richards went for the pull and the ball headed towards the leg side boundary for what everyone thought would be a six except for Kapil who latched on to it comfortably.

That one moment resulted in a collapse of the famed Windies line-up which saw them slipping from 57/2 to 76/6, giving India a sniffing chance to script cricketing history.

Even then, the West Indian tail wagged a bit but India held their nerves and eventually lifted the Cup, that heralded a new dawn in Indian cricket.

India repeated the feat at home in 2011. The question is: Can they do a treble in 2019.

Female political journalists get far less attention on Twitter

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With Twitter playing an increasing role in shaping political debates around the world, a new study of American political journalists has shown how male journalists use the microblogging site to increase their influence, while pushing their female peers to the margins of political discussion.

The researchers found that among the journalists accredited to cover the US Congress, known as Beltway Journalists, male journalists amplify and engage male peers almost exclusively, while female journalists tend to engage most with each other.

Male political journalists reply to other male journalists 91.5 per cent of the time, showed the findings to be published in the International Journal of Press/Politics.

The findings suggest that women political journalists get less attention on the microblogging site.

For the study, the researchers looked at 2,292 Twitter accounts belonging to Washington DC-based journalists who are accredited to cover the US Congress, The Guardian reported on Sunday.

While the difference between the numbers of male and female journalists is not starkly high, men dominate the Twitter space with higher number of tweets, have on an average twice as many followers and they are also likely to retweet each other.

“The gender imbalances present on beltway journalism Twitter are another case showing women do not receive adequate recognition or attention for their creative labour,” the report said.

This “may well create an even greater structural disadvantage for female journalists, given how this platform is so critical to success in beltway journalism”, the report added.

It was a problem because debate on Twitter helped frame political reporting on other websites and as a result, the site could be inadvertently marginalising female journalists in “gender silos”, the Guardian mentioned one of the study authors, Nikki Usher of the University of Illinois, as saying.

Irrfan Khan, Sridevi win top honours at IIFA 2018

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Actor Irrfan Khan and late veteran actress Sridevi were named the Best Actors at the 19th edition of the IIFA Awards, for their remarkable work in films “Hindi Medium” and “Mom”, respectively.

At a grand event on Sunday here at the Siam Niramit theatre, a story of an ambitious and enterprising housewife, “Tumhari Sulu” bagged the Best Picture honour, while Saket Chaudhary took back the Best Director Award.

Late Sridevi’s husband-producer Boney Kapoor took the award for her performance in “Mom”. He was emotional as he received the award from actress Kriti Sanon.

“I dedicate this award to the entire team of ‘Moma’,” said an emotional Boney.

The award function also honoured late actors Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor and Sridevi.

Vinod’s award was accepted by veteran filmmaker Ramesh Sippy. Rishi Kapoor took Shashi Kapoor’s award. While actor Anil Kapoor and Boney broke down in tears while talking about Sridevi at the gala.

“I have mixed emotions today. I miss her every minute and second of my life. I still feel she is around here….I want you all to support Janhvi like you supported her mother…” said a teary eyed Boney.

Veteran actor actor Anupam Kher was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement award by Anil.

“It is a great feeling when your own peers celebrate your achievements and as I have been saying, this is just the interval point of what I am doing and my seconds half of journey starts now. It started with my 500th film….I told myself this is the interval point with The Big Sick and after that I have done 15 films in the last one year both international and national,” Anupam told IANS.

The 2000-seater Siam Niramit theatre saw thousands of Bollywood fanatics coming to the event to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars.

A string of A-listers like Ranbir Kapoor, Varun, Arjun, Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol and Shraddha set the stage on fire with their power packed and electrifying performances.

Varun danced on numbers like “Sau Tarah Ke”, “Tama Tama,” and “High Rated Gabru”.

Bobby danced with Romanian TV presenter and singer Iulia Vantur on numbers like “Gupt Gupt, “Soldier soldier”, “Tera Rang Balle Balle” and tracks from his latest release “Race 3”.

Kriti, Arjun and Shraddha also danced to tracks from their films respectively.

‘No hurry, No worry’ island of Fiji beckons more Indians

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You can find white sandy beaches, palm tree-lined shores, crystal clear waters and sunny blue skies at several places in the world, but not if you think of combining that with the happy, warm and hospitable vibes of the locals.

That’s available in Fiji in galore, where the “Bula” greeting instantly makes you feel welcome and at home.

Based on that, the island nation is calling out for more Indians to come calling. Faiyaz Koya, the country’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism is hopeful that with the appointment of Bollywood actress Ileana D’Cruz as Tourism Fiji’s brand ambassador in India, there will be a rise in visitors from the country.

India and Fiji, he said, share a long-standing relationship of celebrating cultural diversity and common values.

“Fiji and India share a deep historical bond and our Prime Minister has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi many times to discuss ways in which we can continue to work closely together,” Koya told IANS in an email interview following a visit by this correspondent to the island when the minister was unavailable.

As Koya pointed out, the confluence of culture in Fiji — a tapestry of indigenous Fijian, Indian, European, Chinese and other nationalities — has created a unique national identity. To sample this, tourists are coming in from all over the world, especially from closer destinations like Australia and New Zealand.

For travellers coming in from India, it’s a long, arduous journey — nothing less than a day. But the bonhomie of live Fijian music while you wait for your turn at the immigration line at the Nadi airport takes the exhaustion away.

Koya admits “proximity and competition from cheaper destinations” continue to be key challenges in boosting tourism from India. But while the national carrier Fiji Airways has made travel out of Asia easier by opening up direct flights to Singapore, he said the Indian market has seen a steady increase, at an average growth of 13 per cent over the last 5 years.

Koya said Fiji is open to investment in its tourism industry and that they are very keen to have some of the top Indian brands set up here.

“Fiji has more than 300 islands worth of adventure, rich and vibrant culture and warm and friendly people. Our picturesque and natural environment make the long journey worthwhile and the stay sweeter,” he said.

It sure does.

“What is this life if full of care; we have no time to stand and stare,” Welsh poet W.H. Davies had questioned in the poem “Leisure”.

In Fiji, you have all the time to “stand and stare” at the bountiful natural beauty and more.

“In Fiji, No hurry, No worry,” the locals will tell you, reminding you there’s a life beyond deadlines and sticking to time-tables.

You learn to breathe, to soak in the scenes, including the calmness of the sea, the soothing lush green landscapes, the beauty of the blue sky, the splashing waves and even the eerie sound of stridulating crickets at night when a blanket of stars in the sky is enough for company.

For the more adventurous travellers, the archipelagic state has experiences galore on sea, underwater, land and air. For someone who doesn’t even know how to swim too well, the Fijian waters tempt you to forget the fears and take a plunge. A look at the Split Rock — considered the best snorkelling spot in Savusavu Bay — can leave you asking for more views of marine life, especially if it’s your first time.

As for daring options, there’s a shark dive in Pacific Harbour and sky diving opportunities too.

Interestingly, there are a plethora of eco-friendly resorts that help create sustainable tourism benefitting the environment apart from the country’s economy. Guests can take part in conservation programmes like coral planting which help leave the environment in a better condition and make a difference.

Some resorts in Fiji are as big as a small town. In Pacific Harbour, there’s the world-renowned Nanuku Resort, where a villa is no less than a dream house.

In Savusavu, the Namale Resort and Spa, which attracts the best names from Hollywood and the fashion world, is spread across 525 acres of tropical beauty in the northern island of Vanua Levu. You can trek to a waterfall and enjoy a picnic here or kayak away.

For those who want to enjoy a truly tropical lifestyle; the Savasi Island Resort, also in Vanua Levu, gives you complete privacy with rooms and villas tucked in a dense jungle.

What sets the overall experience apart is how the hotels’ staff members remember your name from the moment you tell them to the moment you leave. And all you can say is “Vinaka” — the traditional thank you.

Algeria sacks football team head coach

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The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has announced the sacking of Rabah Madjer as head coach of the national squad.

“Members of the FAF’s Federal Bureau who met on Sunday at the National Technical Centre unanimously decided to cancel the contract with national head coach, Rabah Madjer, and all of his staff,” FAF said in a statement, reports Xinhua news agency.

The source did not specify the reasons behind this decision, but observers say the recent poor performance of the Greens forced the FAF to sack the iconic ex-international star.

Madjer was appointed head of the Algerian squad in October 2017 in place of the Spaniard Lucas Alcaraz.

Madjer led the Greens in eight games, collecting four consecutive losses, the last of which was a 0-3 defeat against Portugal in Lisbon on June 7.

Transgender woman kicked out of US restaurant over bathroom use

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A transgender woman was kicked out of a restaurant here after she refused to show her ID confirming she was a female in order to use the facility’s women bathroom.

Charlotte Clymer, an activist who works with the Human Rights Campaign, recalled her ordeal on Twitter, saying she was celebrating a bachelorette party on Friday with friends at Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar in Northwest D.C. when she was stopped by a staff member as she tried to use the restroom.

Clymer said the attendant asked for her ID and when she asked why, he told her that “female” must be on the card in order to use the women’s restroom.

She said no other people in the hallway waiting to use the facilities were asked to show their ID. Clymer then entered a stall and the man followed her in the women’s restroom before eventually leaving.

According to Clymer, when she came out of the restroom, the attendant and the manager told her that according to D.C. law she must have “female” on her ID to use the women’s facility.

But the D.C. law does not say that. According to it, if someone identifies as a woman, they’re allowed to use a women’s bathroom and refusing to let someone use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender is discrimination, said a CNN report.

Clymer said the manager threatened to call the police and said humiliated her intentionally. She said she was then let out by a bouncer who “grabbed” her arm and “pushed her out”.

Later, the restaurant apologized about the incident on Twitter. “As a rule, we support safe bathrooms and welcome guests of all gender identifications,” it said in a statement.

“It is particularly disappointing that this has occurred during Pride month when we’re undertaking efforts and events to support the LGBTQ community.”

Cuba Libre also said that it will re-train its entire staff to make sure something like this doesn’t happen in the future. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser also tweeted an apology to Clymer.

Nigeria: Communal violence leaves 86 dead in Plateau State

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Eighty-six people have been killed in an attack by herdsmen on six villages in central Nigeria, local media reported.

Another six people were wounded and 50 homes were destroyed in the attacks in the Gashish district of Plateau state, Channels Television reported citing local police on Monday.

President Muhammadu Buhari had been briefed on the “deeply unfortunate killings,” according to a post on his Twitter page.

“The grievous loss of lives and property arising from the killings in Plateau today is painful and regrettable,” a second post said.

“My deepest condolences to the affected communities. We will not rest until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitated and brought to justice.”

The grievous loss of lives & property arising from the killings in Plateau today is painful and regrettable. My deepest condolences to the affected communities. We will not rest until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitated and brought to justice.

State Governor Simon Lalong said a curfew had been put in place from 6pm to 6am local time (17:00 GMT to 05:00 GMT). He visited the villages involved and called for calm as the government investigated the attack.

Tensions between the state’s primarily Christian farming community and the mainly Muslim herdsmen have often spilled over into violence in recent years.

Drought in the country’s north has also driven the nomads and their cow herds further south in search of fresh grazing, further escalating conflicts.

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