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Deeply biased driven by votebank considerations says India trashing US report on religious freedom

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Deeply biased; driven by votebank considerations, says India trashing US report on religious freedom
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

 In an unusually hard-hitting response to criticism against it in a US government report on religious freedom, India on Friday described the findings as “deeply biased”, visibly driven by “votebank” considerations and a mix of imputations and selective usage of facts.

Dismissing the report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it selectively picked incidents to advance a “preconceived narrative” and even appeared to challenge the integrity of certain legal judgments pronounced by Indian courts.

The US State Department’s 2023 report on religious freedom referred to violent attacks on minority communities in India including killings and assaults besides citing violence in the northeastern state of Manipur.

“As in the past, the report is deeply biased, lacks understanding of India’s social fabric and is visibly driven by vote bank considerations and a prescriptive outlook. We, therefore, reject it,” Jaiswal said.

“The exercise itself is a mix of imputations, misrepresentations, selective usage of facts, reliance on biased sources and a one-sided projection of issues,” he said.

“This extends even to the depiction of our Constitutional provisions and duly enacted laws of India. It has selectively picked incidents to advance a preconceived narrative as well,” Jaiswal added.

The spokesperson argued that the report appeared to “challenge” the integrity of certain legal judgements given by Indian courts.

“In some cases, the very validity of laws and regulations are questioned by the report, as are the right of legislatures to enact them,” he said.

“The report has also targeted regulations that monitor misuse of financial flows into India. Suggesting that the burden of compliance is unreasonable, it seeks to question the need for such measures,” Jaiswal said.

He said the United States has even more stringent laws and regulations and would surely not prescribe such solutions for itself.

Human rights and respect for diversity have been and remain a legitimate subject of discussion between India and the US, he added.

“In 2023, India has officially taken up numerous cases in the US of hate crimes, racial attacks on Indian nationals and other minorities, vandalization and targeting of places of worship, violence and mistreatment by law enforcement authorities, as well as the according of political space to advocates of extremism and terrorism abroad,” he said.

“However, such dialogues should not become a licence for foreign interference in other polities,” Jaiswal said.

In his remarks at the release of the report on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there has been a “concerning increase” in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, and demolitions of homes and places of worship of members of minority faith communities in India.

“In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities,” Blinken said.

Putin says Russia and North Korea have vowed to aid each other if attacked in new partnership deal

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Putin says Russia and North Korea have vowed to aid each other if attacked in new partnership deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un exchange documents during a signing ceremony

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a partnership that includes a vow of mutual aid if either country is attacked, during a Pyongyang summit on Wednesday that came as both face escalating standoffs with the west.

It was not clear what kind of assistance the deal, described as a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” would call for.

Putin’s first visit to North Korea in 24 years comes amid growing concerns over an arms arrangement in which the country provides Moscow with badly needed munitions for its war in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program.

Speaking after a signing ceremony, Putin said that security and international issues took up a large part of the talks with Kim, according to Russian state media. He was also quoted to say that Russia would not rule out developing military-technical cooperation with North Korea under the deal.

Kim was quoted as saying that the agreement was of a peaceful and defensive nature. “I have no doubt it will become a driving force accelerating the creation of a new multipolar world,” he was quoted to say.

Russia and North Korea also signed agreements on cooperation in the fields of healthcare, medical education, and science, Russian state media reported, citing the kermlin website.

Putin was met upon his nighttime arrival by Kim, who shook his hands, hugged him twice and rode with him from the airport in a limousine in a huge motorcade that rolled through the capital’s brightly illuminated streets, where buildings were decorated with giant Russian flags and portraits of Putin.

After spending the rest of the night at a state guest house, Putin attended a lavish welcoming ceremony at the city’s main square, where he and Kim saluted an honor guard and walked across a red carpet. Kim then introduced key members of his leadership including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui; top aide and ruling party secretary Jo Yong Won; and the leader’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong.

The square was filled with what appeared to be tens of thousands of spectators, including children holding balloons and people wearing coordinated t-shirts in the red, white and blue of the Russian and North Korean flags. Huge crowds lined up on the streets to greet Putin’s motorcade, chanting “Welcome Putin” and waving flowers and North Korean and Russian flags.

As the talks began, Putin thanked Kim for North Korea’s support for his war in Ukraine, part of what he said was a “fight against the imperialist hegemonistic policies of the U.S. and its satellites against the Russian Federation.”

He said the two planned to sign a “new fundamental document (that) will form the basis of our ties for the long term,” hailing ties that he traced back to the Soviet army fighting the Japanese military on the Korean Peninsula in the closing moments of World War II, and Moscow’s support for Pyongyang  during the Korean War.

Kim said Moscow and Pyongyang “fiery friendship” is now even closer than during Soviet times, and promised “full support and solidarity to the Russian government, army and people in carrying out the special military operation in Ukraine to protect sovereignty, security interests and territorial integrity.”

Kim has used similar language in the past, consistently saying North Korea supports what he describes as a just action to protect Russia’s interests and blaming the crisis on the U.S.-led West’s “hegemonic policy.” It wasn’t immediately clear what that support might look like.

North Korea is under heavy U.N. Security Council sanctions over its weapons program, while Russia also faces sanctions by the United States and its Western partners over its aggression in Ukraine.

U.S. and South Korean officials accuse the North of providing Russia with artillery, missiles and other military equipment for use in Ukraine, possibly in return for key military technologies and aid. Both Pyongyang and Moscow deny accusations about North Korean weapons transfers, which would violate multiple U.N. Security Council sanctions that Russia previously endorsed.

Along with China, Russia has provided political cover for Kim’s continuing efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on the North over its weapons tests.

In March, a Russian veto at the United Nations ended monitoring of U.N. sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear program, prompting Western accusations that Moscow is seeking to avoid scrutiny as it buys weapons from for use in Ukraine.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters in  that the two leaders exchanged gifts after the talks. Putin presented Kim with a Russian-made  limo and other gifts, including a tea set and a naval officer’s dagger. Ushakov said that Kim’s presents to Putin included artworks depicting the Russian leader.

Russia media said earlier that Kim will host a reception, and Putin is expected to leave Wednesday evening for Vietnam.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Putin’s visit to North Korea illustrates how Russia tries, “in desperation, to develop and to strengthen relations with countries that can provide it with what it needs to continue the war of aggression that it started against Ukraine.”

The North may also seek to increase labor exports to Russia and other illicit activities to gain foreign currency in defiance of U.N. Security Council sanctions, according to a recent report by the Institute for National Security Strategy, a think tank run by South Korea’s main spy agency. There will likely be talks about expanding cooperation in agriculture, fisheries and mining and further promoting Russian tourism to North Korea, the institute said.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years, with the pace of both Kim’s weapons tests and combined military exercises involving the United States, South Korea and Japan intensifying in a tit-for-tat cycle.

The Koreas also have engaged in Cold War-style psychological warfare that involved North Korea dropping tons of trash on the South with balloons, and the South broadcasting anti-North Korean propaganda with its loudspeakers.

Bangladesh beat Netherlands by 25 runs in T20 World Cup

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Kingstown: Bangladesh beat Netherlands by 25 runs for their second win in the T20 World Cup here on Thursday.

Bangladesh posted 159 for five courtesy Shakib Al Hasan, who remained unbeaten on 64 not out off 46 balls. Off-spinner Aryan Dutt (2/17) was the pick of the bowlers for the Netherlands.

Netherlands kept themselves in the hunt for the majority of the chase before falling short at 134 for eight.

It was Bangaldesh’s second win in three games, taking them a step closer to a spot in the Super 8.

Leg-spinner Rishad Hossan was the standout bowler for Bangladesh with three wickets.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 159/5 in 20 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 64 not out; Paul Van Meekren 2/15, Aryan Dutty 2/17).

Netherlands 134/8 in 20 overs (Sybrand Engelbrecht 33, Vikramjit Singh 26; Rishad Hossain 3/33).

PM Modi chairs review meeting on Kuwait fire tragedy

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a review meeting on the Kuwait fire tragedy, in which over 40 Indians have died, and directed officials to extend all possible assistance.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh is rushing to Kuwait to oversee the relief measures and facilitate expeditious repatriation of the mortal remains, an official statement said.

Modi expressed his deep sorrow at the incident and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. He wished speedy recovery to those injured, it said.

He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased Indian nationals from the Prime Minister Relief Fund.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, his deputy Kirti Vardhan Singh, Principal Secretary to PM Pramod Kumar Mishra, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra were among the senior officials present in the meeting, the statement said.

The early Wednesday massive fire engulfed a multi-storey building housing foreign workers, killing at least 49 people, mostly Indians, and injuring more than 50 others, according to officials in Kuwait.

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Denmark recalls 3 spicy instant noodle soup brands from South Korea used in online food challenges

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Copenhagen (Denmark): Food authorities in Denmark have recalled three types of spicy instant noodle products imported from South Korea over possible risks for “acute poisoning”. Consumers are asked to discard them or return the noodles to the retailer.

The noodles are made by Seoul-based Samyang Foods, one of South Korea’s largest companies, and sold across the globe. The recalled noodles include Buldak Samyang 3 x Spicy; Hot Chicken, Buldak Samyang 2 x Spicy; Hot Chicken and Buldak Samyang Hot Chicken Stew.

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said the products contain an overly high dose of capsaicin, an active ingredient in chile peppers but also a chemical that can be a neurotoxin and a health hazard.

Children and teenagers in Denmark have been daring each other on social media to eat “a strong bowl of noodle soup”, referring to the three South Korean products, the agency said.

“The noodle dishes marketed as extremely strong must no longer be sold because consumers and especially children risk acute poisoning,” it said late Tuesday. “The capsaicin content is so high that it can pose a health hazard.”

Children and frail adults and the elderly are at risk, said Henrik Dammand Nielsen of the Danish Food and Drug Administration. Possibly symptoms include burning and discomfort, nausea, vomiting and high blood pressure, he said.

“That is why we are now demanding shops remove the products from their shelves,” the agency said.

Samyang Foods said they understood the recall came because of the spiciness of the noodles and not because of the product quality, according to a Samyang Foods company statement provided to the media in South Korea.

Spicy food challenges have been around for years. From local chile pepper eating contests to restaurant walls of fame for those who finished extra hot dishes, people around the world have been daring each other to eat especially fiery foods.

In September, a Massachusetts teen with a congenital heart defect who participated in a spicy tortilla chip challenge on social media died from eating a large quantity of chile pepper extract. An autopsy report obtained by The Associated Press showed that the 10th grader died on September 1, 2023, after eating the Paqui chip as part of the manufacturer’s “One Chip Challenge”.

In Denmark, a puzzled consumer reached out to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and asked how the instant noodles could be legal, the agency said, after which it had a lab assessing the products and determined the three noodle brands can be harmful to health, instigating the recall.

“It is important that parents are aware of the extreme noodle varieties and avoid them, Dammand Nielsen said.

More than 1.5 million foreign Muslims arrive in Mecca for annual Hajj pilgrimage

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Mecca (AP): Muslim pilgrims have been streaming into Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca ahead of the start of the Hajj later this week, as the annual pilgrimage returns to its monumental scale.

Saudi officials say more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in the country by Tuesday, the vast majority by air, from across the world.

More are expected, and hundreds of thousands of Saudis and others living in Saudi Arabia will also join them when the pilgrimage officially begins on Friday.

Saudi officials have said they expect the number of pilgrims this year to exceed 2023, when more than 1.8 million people performed Hajj, approaching pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, more than 2.4 million Muslims made the pilgrimage.

The pilgrims included 4,200 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank who arrived in Mecca earlier this month, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were not able to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj this year, because of the 8-month war between Israel and Hamas.

On Tuesday, pilgrims thronged the Grand Mosque in Mecca, performing a ritual circuit walking seven times around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure inside the mosque that is considered Islam’s holiest site. They wore ihrams, two unstitched sheets of white cloth that resemble a shroud.

Many were seen carrying umbrellas against the sun, in temperatures reaching 42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit) during the day on Tuesday.

“I was relieved when I arrived at the Al-Masjid Al-Haram and saw the Kaaba,” said Rabeia al-Raghi, a Moroccan woman who came to Mecca for Hajj along with her husband and their daughter. “I am very happy.”

At night, the vast marble court around the Kaaba was packed with the faithful, walking nearly shoulder to shoulder and often jostling with barricades set up by security forces to direct the giant flows of people in and around the Grand Mosque.

Pilgrims do the circumambulation, known as “Tawaf” in Arabic, upon arriving in Mecca. The large crowds circling the Kaaba will last into the Hajj’s first day.

On Friday, pilgrims will move to the Mountain of Arafat for a daylong vigil, then to Muzdalifah, a rocky plain area a few miles away. In Muzdalifa, pilgrims collect pebbles to be used in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil back in Mina.

One of the world’s largest religious gatherings, the Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims are required to undertake it at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so.

Those in the Hajj view the pilgrimage as an opportunity to strengthen their faith, wipe out old sins and start new.

T20 WC: Miller, Stubbs power SA to four-wicket win over Netherlands

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T20 WC: Miller, Stubbs power SA to four-wicket win over Netherlands

New York: David Miller struck a high-quality 59 not out to help South Africa recover from a terrible start and post a four-wicket win over the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup match here on Saturday.

Miller hit a 51-ball 59 to guide SA to their second win in as many matches, while putting on a crucial stand for the fifth wicket with Tristan Stubbs. The Proteas finished at 106 for six n 18.5 overs chasing 104.

South Africa were reduced to 12/4 inside the powerplay but they recovered strongly, riding on a 65-run stand between Miller and Stubbs (33, 37 balls, 1×4, 1×6).

Earlier, pacer Ottneil Baartman returned a four-wicket haul as SA restricted the Netherlands to 103 for 9.

Baartman produced a measly spell to record 4-0-11-4 while Anrich Nortje (2/19) and Marco Jansen (2/20) provided strong support as the Proteas bowlers dominated the Dutch batters.

Brief scores:

Netherlands: 103/9 in 20 overs (Sybrand Engelbrecht 40; Marco Jansen 2/20, Ottneil Baartman 4/11, Anrich Nortje 2/19).

South Africa: 106/6 in 18.5 overs (Tristan Stubbs 33, David Miller 59 not out; Vivian Kingma 2/12, Logan van Beek 2/21) by 4 wickets.

Indian-American seventh-grader from Florida wins Scripps National Spelling Bee title

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Indian-American seventh-grader from Florida wins Scripps National Spelling Bee title
Bruhat Soma, an Indian-American seventh grader, after winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee,in USA

Washington: Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old Indian-American seventh-grade student from Florida, has won the Scripps National Spelling Bee after he spelt 29 words correctly in the tiebreaker, maintaining the dominance of the children from the small ethnic community in the prestigious competition.

Bruhat emerged victorious in the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, earning more than USD 50,000 in cash and other prizes.

This year’s contest came down to a tiebreaker in which Bruhat spelt 29 words correctly in 90 seconds, beating Faizan Zaki, who managed to correctly spell 20 words in the lightning round.

His championship word was “abseil”, which is defined as “descent in mountaineering by means of a rope looped over a projection above.”

Organisers calling for a spell-off to determine a winner following 14 rounds over three days at the national championships.

Bruhat went first in the tiebreaker, and after he got through 30 words, it appeared he would be impossible to beat. Faizan’s pace was more uneven at the outset. He attempted 25 words but flubbed four of them.

“Bruhat Soma rules the word! The Champion of the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee! The boy with the unbelievable memory doesn’t miss a word all week and takes home the Scripps Cup!” the organisers said.

“Bruhat Soma correctly spelt 29 out of 30 words attempted to earn the coveted champion title and beat the standing spell-off record set by Harini Logan in 2022. Logan spelt 22 out of 26 words correctly during the competition’s first-ever spell-off,” the organisers said.

“As the competition progressed, it was clear that Faizan and Bruhat – our final two spellers – showed up tonight ready to take down the dictionary,” said Corrie Loeffler, executive director of the Bee.

“Together, they were a powerful match. Bee officials activated the spell-off in the competition’s closing minutes, giving these stellar spellers an opportunity to show even more of what they can do,” Loeffler said.

The two final spellers each had 90 seconds to spell as many words as they could from a predetermined list of words while the other speller was sequestered.

He spelt every word thrown his way correctly over the 90-second duration: brouette, adelantado, hyporcheme, bisellium, mycteric, endecha, sericin, nyctalopia, ascham, wenzel, cebell, heautophany, kwazoku, panetiere, sagaie, nachschlage, exorhason, giclee, ashwagandha, puszta, asarotum, scintillante, myrabalanus, sciniph, voussoir, caizinha, ramoneur, aposiopesis and abseil. The 31th word was posology, but time is called before he can finish spelling it. He only spelt porphyrio incorrectly.

While competing, his forehead was marked with a vermilion tika, a Hindu symbol of power and purity. His parents said that Bruhat memorised about 80 per cent of the sacred Hindu texts, the Bhagavad Gita.

“My heart was pumping so fast when I realised I won,” Bruhat said. “I had a good feeling I would win because I did pretty good, but yeah, you never know. I still couldn’t absorb the moment yet.”

Adam Symson, president and CEO of The E W Scripps Company, presented Bruhat with the championship trophy.

“At just 12 years old, Bruhat impressed with his display of knowledge and composure,” Symson said.

Bruhat’s father Srinivas Soma is originally from Nalgonda in Telangana.

This was Bruhat’s third time participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. He tied for 74th in 2023 and tied for 163rd in 2022.

Zaki of Allen, Texas, received USD 25,000.

Shrey Parikh of Rancho Cucamonga, California, tied for third place in the competition received USD 12,500.

Ananya Prassanna of Apex, North Carolina, tied for third place in the competition and received USD 12,500.

Coached by 16-year-old former speller Sam Evans, Bruhat previously competed in 2022 (tied for 163rd place) and 2023 (tied for 74th place). A multifaceted person with many interests and hobbies, he had previously won the Words of Wisdom Bee and SpellPundit Bee before arriving in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC for a prestigious competition.

The 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee had eight finalists, five of whom were Indian-Americans: Rishabh Saha, 14 and Shrey Parikh, 12, from California; Aditi Muthukumar, 13, from Colorado; and Ananya Rao Prassanna, 13, from North Carolina.

Indian-American Dev Shah won last year’s Bee by correctly spelling “psammophile.” Harini Logan had won the championship in 2022.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee is the nation’s largest and longest-running educational programme, having been launched in 1925. It is a high-profile, high-pressure endurance test as much as a nerd spelling match and spellers spend months preparing for it.

The Bee was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. There were eight co-champions in 2019, seven of whom were Indian-Americans. Twenty-nine Indian-Americans have emerged as champions in the competition since 1999.

In all, there were 245 spellers who came to participate in this year’s competition sixty-five spellers had previously competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. As many as 24 spellers, mostly Indian Americans, had relatives who had participated in a combined 40 Scripps National Spelling Bees.

Four 2023 finalists advanced to the 2024 national competition: Sarah Fernandes, tied for 10th place; Aryan Khedkar tied for fifth; Tarini Nandakumar, finished ninth; and Shradha Rachamreddy, tied for third.

Aliyah Alpert and Kirsten Santos were finalists in 2022. Indian American Akash Vukoti has qualified for a record six finals in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.

Heartbreaking loss of civilian lives: India on Israeli airstrike in Rafah

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Heartbreaking loss of civilian lives: India on Israeli airstrike in Rafah
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal

New Delhi: India on Thursday described as “heartbreaking” the loss of civilian lives in an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and called for respecting international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict.

Local officials in Gaza said 45 people were killed in the May 26 air strike, most of them sheltering in tents. The strike triggered massive global outrage including criticism from some of Israel’s closest allies.

“The heartbreaking loss of civilian lives in the displacement camp in Rafah is a matter of deep concern for us,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“We have consistently called for protection of the civilian population and respect for international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict,” he said.

Jaiswal was responding to a question on the situation in Gaza at his weekly media briefing.

“We also note that the Israeli side has already accepted responsibility for it as a tragic incident and announced an investigation into the incident,” he said.

On Spain, Ireland and Norway recognising Palestine in the midst of the conflict, Jaiswal said India had done that way back in the 1980s.

“India recognised Palestine way back in the 1980s. It has been our long-standing position that we support a two state solution which entails the establishment of a sovereign, viable, and independent state of Palestine within recognised and mutually agreed borders, living side by side with Israel in peace,” he said.

Israel has been continuing its military offensive in Gaza as part of its retaliation to the unprecedented attack on Israeli cities by Hamas on October 7.

Hamas killed around 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped more than 220 others some of whom were released during a brief ceasefire.

Over 35,000 people have been killed in Gaza in the Israeli offensive, according to the Hamas-run authorities in Gaza.

India has been calling for de-escalation of the situation and creating conditions for an early resumption of direct peace negotiations towards a two-state solution to the Palestine issue.

Iran’s president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site

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Dubai (AP): Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after an hourslong search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, state media reported. Raisi was 63.

The crash comes as the Middle East remains unsettled by the Israel-Hamas war, during which Raisi under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei launched an unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel just last month.

State TV gave no immediate cause for the crash in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. Among the dead was Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, 60.

With Raisi were Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province and other officials and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Early Monday morning, Turkish authorities released what they described as drone footage showing what appeared to be a fire in the wilderness that they “suspected to be wreckage of helicopter.”

The coordinates listed in the footage put the fire some 20 kilometres south of the Azerbaijan-Iranian border on the side of a steep mountain.

Footage released by the IRNA early Monday showed what the agency described as the crash site, across a steep valley in a green mountain range. Soldiers speaking in the local Azeri language said: “There it is, we found it.”

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