Discrimination against Sikhs has grown in US: Rights expert to US Congress

 Religious discrimination and hate crime against Sikh community in US has increased in recent years, an eminent human rights expert has told the lawmakers urging US Congress to take steps against it

Religious discrimination and hate crime against the Sikh community in the United States has increased in recent years, an eminent human rights expert has told the lawmakers urging the administration and the US Congress to take steps to end this. Congress must take action, Amrith Kaur Aakre told members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties during a recent Congressional hearing on Discrimination and Civil Right. Aakre is legal director of the Sikh Coalition.

Workplace discrimination harms Sikhs in a range of public and private sector jobs including transportation, entertainment, health care, the military and law enforcement by allowing for the biased interpretation and application of government policies and laws. “We’ve seen Sikhs willing to put their lives on the line in defence of their cities and country, only to be told that uniform and grooming policies prohibit their articles of faith, she said….Read More

Pakistan: Ahead of no-trust motion, Opposition gives Imran 24 hrs to quit

 PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has given Prime Minister Imran Khan a 24-hour ultimatum to resign and dissolve the assembly or be prepared to be ousted through a no-trust motion.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has given Prime Minister Imran Khan a 24-hour ultimatum to resign and dissolve the assembly or be prepared to be ousted through a no-trust motion, local media reported. Addressing the Awami March participants in Lalamusa, the PPP leader on Monday said that Imran Khan, along with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, would be sent packing through all democratic means, The News International reported.

The ‘selected’ (Imran Khan) has become so scared that he has started abusing his political opponents and calling them names, said the PPP leader. Referring to the alleged nexus between the Imran Khan government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said that the country has rejected the economic policies of the government and is protesting against ‘PTIMF’ (PTI + IMF)….Read More

Aid for Ukraine, European allies growing as US lawmakers shape budget bill

 Proposed US aid for Ukraine, European allies has grown beyond $12 billion, top Senator said, as congressional bargainers worked toward a bipartisan government-wide spending deal

Proposed US aid for Ukraine and its European allies has grown beyond $12 billion, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, as congressional bargainers worked toward a bipartisan government-wide spending deal that would also contain fresh sums for battling COVID-19. The remarks on Monday by Schumer, D-N.Y., underscored the momentum in Congress for helping outgunned Ukraine fend off Russian invaders and assisting that country and others cope with refugees and other economic and humanitarian problems caused by the brutal attack.

The clearest signal Congress can send to Vladimir Putin this week is passing a bipartisan aid package, said Schumer, referring to the Russian president, leaving no doubt that the democratic nations of the world stand with Ukraine and against Putin’s deeply immoral and bloody war. Schumer said the assistance would pay for refugees, medical and food supplies, weapons transfers to Ukraine and aid for nearby NATO allies. The apparent growth of the Ukraine aid also illustrated eleventh-hour negotiations underway among lawmakers as they try completing the long overdue $1.5 trillion government spending measure by Friday…Read More

Western ban on oil imports will double price to $300 a barrel: Russia

 A Western ban on Russian oil imports may more than double the price to $300 a barrel and prompt the closure of the main gas pipeline to Germany, Moscow warned on Monday

A Western ban on Russian oil imports may more than double the price to $300 a barrel and prompt the closure of the main gas pipeline to Germany, Moscow warned on Monday, as talks on Ukraine hardly advanced amid efforts to agree on civilian safe passage. Russia’s invasion, the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two, has created 1.7 million refugees, a raft of sanctions on Moscow, and fears of wider conflict in the West unthought-of for decades.

Sieges and the bombing continued as Kyiv rejected possible humanitarian corridors to Russia and Belarus, but said some limited progress had been made on agreeing logistics for the evacuation of civilians. Moscow would give the residents of the Ukrainian cities of Sumy and Mariupol the choice of moving elsewhere in Ukraine on Tuesday, setting a deadline in the early hours for Kyiv to agree, Russian news agencies reported.

Seeking to ratchet up the pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, the United States said Washington and its European allies were considering banning Russian oil imports. Oil prices spiked to their highest levels since 2008. “A rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market,” said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, saying the price could more than double to over $300 per barrel.

We do whatever we can to deter China: Australian Defence Minister

 Amid rising tensions with China, Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton has indicated that his country may send weapons to Taiwan in response to any future Chinese military aggression.

Amid rising tensions with China, Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton has indicated that his country may send weapons to Taiwan in response to any future Chinese military aggression. Dutton’s remarks drew a direct comparison to support currently being sent to Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. “I think we do whatever we can to deter China from acts of aggression in our region,” said Dutton in response to a question on Taiwan. “Let’s be very clear. We want peace to prevail in our region, but you don’t have that peace if you are arguing from a position of weakness,” Dutton said.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades. Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that “Taiwan’s independence” means war….Read More

Kyiv failed to create conditions for humanitarian corridor: Russia

Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday said Ukraine has not fulfilled its commitments with regards to organizing humanitarian corridors to help people leave Mariupol.

Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday said Ukraine has not fulfilled its commitments with regards to organizing humanitarian corridors to help people leave Mariupol. The ministry said that Russia made another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol on Sunday.”Russia created all conditions for setting up a humanitarian corridor. We have to conclude that the Ukrainian side did not fulfill its obligations,” the ministry was quoted as saying by Sputnik news agency.

The United Nations regards humanitarian corridors to be one of the key forms of a temporary pause of armed Russia Ukraine conflict. both had agreed to organize humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians in the second round of talks in Belarus on March 4. Russia maintained that the Ukrainian forces prevented people from leaving the city on Saturday, while the Ukrainian authorities blamed the delay on Russian forces violating the ceasefire that was agreed upon….

TikTok suspends live streaming in Russia citing new fake news law

 Chinese video-sharing app TikTok has suspended live streaming and new content to video services in Russia after introduction of new fake news law in the country that threatened jail of up to 15 years

Chinese video-sharing app TikTok has suspended livestreaming and new content to video services in Russia following the introduction of new ‘fake news’ law in the country that threatened jail terms of up to 15 years. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a federal law criminalizing the spread of disinformation about the Russian armed forces, their defamation, as well as the calls for sanctions against Russia. Global news media including CNN and BBC said they were suspending their operations to protect their journalists from the new law.

“However, our highest priority is the safety of our employees and our users, and in light of Russia’s new ‘fake news’ law, we have no choice but to suspend livestreaming and new content to our video service in Russia while we review the safety implications of this law,” the streaming app said in a statement. The company said that they will continue to evaluate the evolving circumstances in Russia to determine when we might fully resume our services with safety as our top priority….Russia ukraine Conflicts

CBI arrests former NSE CEO Chitra Ramkrishna in co-location case

 She will be presented before a Delhi court on Monday morning

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday night arrested former managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of National Stock Exchange Chitra Ramkrishna in Delhi in the co-location case after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a Special CBI court on Saturday.

“She will be presented before a Delhi court on Monday morning,” a CBI official said under condition of anonymity. CBI had arrested former group operating officer of NSE Anand Subramanian last week. CBI may also seek extension of Subramanian’s custody on Monday whose 10-day custody ended on Sunday.

The arrests were made in the case related to the co-location scam, the FIR for which was registered in May 2018, amid fresh revelations about irregularities at the country’s largest stock exchange. The CBI had last month questioned Ramkrishna, Subramanian and Ravi Narain, also former CEO of the NSE. A report of the Securities and Exchange Board of India last month showed that Ramkrishna took key decisions at the NSE from 2013 to 2016 on the advice of a “Himalayan yogi”, whom she had never met and who instructed her to appoint Subramanian group operating officer…Read More

Queen Elizabeth shows support for Ukraine, makes donation to aid victims

 Prior to Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall had an emotional meeting with Ukrainians in London.

Amid the deepening crisis in Ukraine, British Queen Elizabeth II has come out in support of the victims. According to People, the 95-year-old monarch has recently made a donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine appeal to help civilians affected by Russia’s military operation. The update about Queen’s donation was shared on DEC’s Twitter handle. “Many thanks to Her Majesty The Queen for continuing to support the Disasters Emergency Committee and for making a generous donation to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal,” the organization said.

Prior to Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall had an emotional meeting with Ukrainians in London. The conflict began escalating after Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24 announced the military operation in Ukraine and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to “consequences they have never seen”, and since then thousands of Ukrainians, both civilians and troops, have been killed….

No dip in Goa's air traffic despite Russia-Ukraine war: Airport official

 There has been no dip in air-traffic at Goa’s Dabolim International Airport in wake of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, airport director Gagan Malik said

There has been no dip in air-traffic at Goa’s Dabolim International Airport in wake of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, airport director Gagan Malik said. Malik told reporters late Thursday night that Air India had sought one more additional slot for a London-Goa flight.

“Rossiya is operating on approved slots. Today (Thursday) there was a charter from Russia in which more than 506 passengers had arrived and 489 passengers had departed. No slot has been cancelled by Rossiya. Domestic flights have peaked very well and it shows that we are heading for normalcy. “Air India’s frequency of its London flight is twice a week. They have requested an increaseAofAanother flight (slot) in one week. There will be three flights a week from Goa,” Malik added. Goa is one of the more popular inbound tourism destinations for Europe. Russians top the number of foreign tourists contingents to the coastal state….Read More

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Another Indian student shot in Kyiv, hospitalised

 The students are currently fleeing the war-torn country Ukraine and trying to reach the border of Poland for their safe return to India.

An Indian student has been hospitalised after he was shot with a bullet in the capital city of Ukraine, a few days after an Indian student lost his life in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Minister of State (MoS) for Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) General VK Singh revealed the information at Poland’s Rzeszow airport on Thursday.

“A student from Kyiv was reported to have been shot and was immediately admitted to the hospital in Kyiv,” General (retd) Singh told ANI.”The Indian embassy had earlier cleared on the priority that everyone should leave Kyiv. In the event of war, the gun bullet does not look at anyone’s religion and nationality,” he added. The students are currently fleeing the war-torn country Ukraine Crisis and trying to reach the border of Poland for their safe return to India. Four Union Ministers, Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Kiren Rijiju and Gen (Retd) VK Singh — are overseeing the evacuation efforts in the countries adjoining Ukraine….

Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine on fire after shelling

 A spokesman for Europe’s largest nuclear plant says the facility is on fire after Russia attacked the power station in the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar.

Russian forces pressed their attack on a crucial energy-producing Ukrainian city by shelling Europe’s largest nuclear plant early Friday, sparking a fire and raising fears that radiation could leak from the damaged power station.

The assault on the eastern city of Enerhodar and its Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant came as the invasion entered its second week with Russian forces gaining ground in their bid to cut off the country from the sea. Elsewhere, another round of talks between the two sides yielded a tentative agreement to set up safe corridors inside Ukraine to evacuate citizens and deliver humanitarian aid.

Nuclear plant spokesman Andriy Tuz told Ukrainian television that shells were falling directly on the facility and had set fire to one of its six reactors. That reactor is under renovation and not operating, but there is nuclear fuel inside, he said. Firefighters cannot get near the flames because they are being shot at, he said, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted a plea to the Russians to stop the assault and allow fire teams inside…Ukraine Crisis

US sent hundreds of stinger missiles to Ukraine, 200 on Monday: Report

 The United States delivered hundreds of stinger missiles to Ukraine, including over 200 on Monday, NBC News said citing two Congressional sources familiar with the matter.

The United States delivered hundreds of stinger missiles to Ukraine, including over 200 on Monday, NBC News said citing two Congressional sources familiar with the matter. The delivery became a part of a $350 million lethal and non-lethal support package, which was announced by Washington last week and includes Javelin anti-tank missiles and ammunition, the report said on Wednesday…

Russian troops have control of Ukraine port city Kherson, says mayor

 The Mayor of Kherson, a key port city in southern Ukraine, on Thursday claimed that Russian troops have seized control, making it the first major city to be taken by Moscow

The Mayor of Kherson, a key port city in southern Ukraine, on Thursday claimed that Russian troops have seized control, making it the first major city to be taken by Moscow as it continued to wage it war on Kiev for a seventh straight day. In a Facebook post, Mayor Igor Kolykhaev said that Russian forces were now in control of Kherson and that the troops had forced their way into the city council building and imposed a curfew on residents, reports the BBC. Kolykhaev urged Russian soldiers not to shoot at civilians, saying there were no Ukrainian forces in the city, which is located on the banks of the Dnieper River and has a population of over 280,000 people.

He further called on residents to follow conditions set by Russian forces in order to “keep the Ukrainian flag flying” The conditions include observing a strict curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.; only going out in groups of two at most; allowing only cars carrying food, medicine and other supplies to enter Kerson; and driving at a minimum speed. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started on February 23, several key cities, including the capital Kiev and Kharkiv, have come under heavy shelling and bombing, claiming the lives of thousands of civilians…Russia Ukraine Crisis

'Walk, but leave Kharkiv': 17,000 Indians have left Ukraine borders

 Student from Punjab suffers stroke, second death of Indian in Ukraine in two days

In terse capital letters, an advisory from the Indian Embassy in Kyiv ordered Indians to leave Kharkiv immediately, on foot if necessary, as a student from Punjab died of a stroke, possibly brought on by anxiety, for which he was already under treatment.

“There has been a sharp increase in the number of Indians who have left Ukraine. We now estimate that nearly 17,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine borders since our advisories were issued,” Spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said, even as Russia promised “humanitarian corridors” for the safe passage of Indians caught in the war. Around 2,500 Indian students are thought to be still stuck in the city.

In the midst of all this, a throwaway remark by a Union minister about the qualifications of those who go abroad to study medicine because they lack the intellectual bandwidth for medical education in India, sparked off widespread outrage. Even Russia regretted the killing of Naveen Gyanagoudar in the shelling in Kharkiv with Russian ambassador-designate Denis Alipov promising there will be an investigation into the death of the Indian student….Russia Ukraine Conflicts

Ukraine crisis: Economic dangers from Russia's invasion ripple across globe

 Even before Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine, the global economy was straining under a range of burdens: Surging inflation, tangled supply chains, tumbling stock prices

Moscow’s war on Ukraine and the ferocious financial backlash it’s unleashed are not only inflicting an economic catastrophe on President Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The repercussions are also menacing the global economy, shaking financial markets and making life more perilous for everyone from Uzbek migrant workers to European consumers to hungry Yemeni families. Even before Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine, the global economy was straining under a range of burdens: Surging inflation. Tangled supply chains. Tumbling stock prices. The Ukraine crisis both magnified each threat and complicated the potential solutions.

We are actually in uncharted territory,” said Clay Lowery, executive vice president at the Institute of International Finance, a trade group of global banks. We know there are consequences that we cannot predict.” For now at least, the damage to the overall global economy appears to be relatively slight, if only because Russia and Ukraine are not economic powerhouses. Important as they are as exporters of energy, precious metals, wheat and other commodities, the two together account for less than 2 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product…Read More

UP to ensure free travel of students arriving from Ukraine to their homes

 The Indian government is continuously evacuating students who were stranded in Ukraine via neighbouring countries

 

Uttar Pradesh government will make arrangements to facilitate that all students hailing from the state and evacuated from Ukraine reach their respective homes safely and free of cost from Delhi Airport, said Avnish Awasthi, additional chief secretary (Home).

Awasthi while speaking to ANI said, "All the students of Uttar Pradesh arriving from Ukraine will reach their homes safely from Delhi and the full cost will be borne by the UP government." The Indian government is continuously evacuating students who were stranded in Ukraine via neighbouring countries, he said. Awasthi added, "The Home Department and other departments of UP have been given the responsibility of ensuring their (evacuated) students' security.

Ukraine crisis: Indian student killed as Russia intensifies attack

 Govt steps up evacuation efforts; all Indians have left Kyiv: Foreign secy

The first Indian to become collateral damage in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Naveen Shekarappa Gyanagoudar, originally from a small village in Karnataka’s Haveri district, was killed in intense shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday. As the Russian army closed in on Kyiv, the Indian Embassy in Ukraine sent a message to all Indians to get out of the capital immediately, by any means possible. About 400 students who were living near the Indian Embassy were successfully sent to Romania and were on their way home.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired a high-level meeting on Tuesday, announced that the Indian Air Force would be deployed for evacuations in addition to commercial aircraft. He also spoke to Naveen’s father, who alleged that the government did nothing to reach out to stranded Indian students in Kharkiv. After the meeting on the Ukraine crisis, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said all Indian nationals had left Kyiv.d.

Massive groundwater contamination in 31 districts of Bihar: Economic Survey

 The consumption of contaminated water causes skin, liver, kidney and other water-borne diseases.

There is massive chemical contamination in groundwater in large parts of rural Bihar, where drinking water sources are unsafe for consumption and pose a health risk to the population, the state Economic Survey 2021-22 has revealed.

The 16th Bihar Economic Survey Report 2021-22, recently tabled in the assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad, stated that groundwater in rural areas in 31 of the 38 districts is affected by arsenic, fluoride and iron contamination. “The high concentration of arsenic, fluoride, and iron in groundwater in rural areas in 31 of 38 districts is posing a major health hazard. There is chemical contamination in groundwater in 30,272 rural wards. A total of 4,742 rural wards in 14 districts situated along the Ganga are particularly affected by arsenic contamination,” the report said.

It said that drinking water sources in 3,791 rural wards in 11 districts are affected by fluoride contamination. There is presence of excess iron in nine Kosi basin districts, and a few areas in other districts. The consumption of contaminated water causes skin, liver, kidney and other water-borne diseases. The affected districts include Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Darbhanga, Katihar, Khagaria, Lakhisarai, Munger, Samastipur, Saran, Sitamarhi, Patna, Vaishali, Aurangabad, Banka, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Jamui, Kaimur, Munger, Nalanda, Rohtas, Sheikhpura, Nawada and Araria….Read More

US will not engage in conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine: Biden

 Biden’s remarks came during the first State of Union address delivered by him to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on Tuesday (local time).

While extending support to Kyiv in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, US President Joe Biden has reiterated that his country will not deploy troops in Ukraine against the Russian forces. Biden’s remarks came during the first State of Union address delivered by him to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on Tuesday (local time). Condemning Russia’s “premeditated attack” in Ukraine, Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundation of the free world.

He further said that the NATO alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War II and the US stands with Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. However, Biden added that the US will not have boots on the ground in the ongoing war. “Let me be clear — our forces are not engaged and will not engage in the conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine,” he said. Biden clarified that the US troops were deployed to Europe not to fight in Ukraine, “but to defend our NATO allies in the event that Putin decides to keep moving west.”…Read More

Ukraine crisis: Exodus of firms from Russia reversing 30 years' investment

 Foreign energy majors have been pouring in money since the 1990s

Russia Ukraine Conflict: The invasion of Ukraine is causing a mass exodus of companies from Russia, reversing three decades of investment by Western and other foreign businesses there following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The list of those cutting ties or reviewing their operations is growing by the hour as foreign governments ratchet up sanctions against Russia, close airspace to its aircraft and lock some banks out of the SWIFT money messaging system. With the ruble plunging and the U.S. banning transactions with the Russian central bank, operating in Russia has become deeply problematic. Some companies have concluded that the risks, both reputational and financial, are too great to continue.

For some companies, the decision to exit Russia is the conclusion of decades of lucrative, if sometimes fraught, investments. Foreign energy majors have been pouring money in since the 1990s. Russia’s largest foreign investor, BP Plc, led the way with its surprising announcement on Sunday that it would exit its 20 per cent stake in state-controlled Rosneft, a move that could result in a $25 billion write-off and cut its global oil and gas production by a third…Read More

Putin miscalculated Ukraine, 'ran into wall of strength': Joe Biden

 The annual speech to Congress gave Biden a platform to highlight his agenda, reassure fretful Americans and seek to boost his sluggish poll numbers

U.S. President Joe Biden led a standing ovation for the embattled Ukrainian people on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech that he rewrote to assail Russian President Vladimir Putin for what he called his “unprovoked and premeditated invasion” of Ukraine. “Let each of us if you’re able to stand, stand and send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world,” Biden said. Often polarized along partisan lines, Democrats and Republicans rose to applaud their support for Ukraine, many waving Ukrainian flags and cheering in the chamber of the House of Representatives at Biden’s first formal State of the Union speech.

In a deviation from his prepared remarks, Biden said of Putin: “He has no idea what’s coming.” Biden was looking to reset his presidency after a first year in office marked by rapid economic growth and trillions of dollars in new programs, but beset by the highest inflation in 40 years and a lingering coronavirus pandemic.

The annual speech to Congress gave Biden a platform to highlight his agenda, reassure fretful Americans and seek to boost his sluggish poll numbers amid dire warnings his fellow Democrats could face losses in November congressional elections. For the first time in months, members of Congress were not required to wear masks in the chambers to guard against the pandemic, a sight that could provide helpful optics for the president….Read More