American actor Richard Roundtree, heralded as “the first Black action hero” for his starring role in the iconic 1971 hit Shaft, died Tuesday at 81, US media reported. Hollywood publication Deadline said that the actor, known for opening doors for other Black artists in the industry, died with his family at his bedside, “after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.” Shaft, in which Roundtree played the eponymous private eye John Shaft, sparked a series of sequels and a TV spinoffs. Five decades later, Roundtree was still acting, appearing in the television romance drama Cherish the Day and film comedy Moving On just last year.
“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men in film,” his manager Patrick McMinn said in a statement to Variety. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”
Roundtree’s major debut, Shaft was hailed as a founding classic in the “Blaxploitation” genre the 1970s were known for – which boosters say tackled race relations while critics blast the style for trafficking in stereotypes. Either way, the genre was critical to pushing Hollywood to finally cast Black Americans in starring roles. “I used to look at it as a double-edged sword. But I’ve had so many people from all over the country – and all over the world actually – come up and say what that film meant to them back in ’71,” Roundtree told broadcaster NPR in 2019.
“It’s heavy.” “The other side of it is I got typecast for quite some time, and then I’ve gone out of my way to establish a different side of my acting,” he said. He was largely successful in that endeavor, with “his trailblazing career (changing) the face of entertainment around the globe,” his agency told Deadline. “His enduring legacy will be felt for generations to come. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Month: October 2023
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Veteran actor Richard Roundtree, star of Shaft, Dies At 81
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Are Gigi Hadid & Bradley Cooper Rrally dating?
The month of October has been abuzz with news surrounding Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper. Their frequent public appearances together have ignited rumors of a possible romance. The most recent sighting of the A Star is Born actor had him donning a shirt from one of Gigi’s fashion lines, further fueling speculation.
Throughout the first week of October, the Maestro star and the catwalk queen were seen spending time together in New York City. Their first public outing was at the celebrity hotspot Via Caroto in the West Village, where they appeared to be on a dinner date. Days later, Brad was photographed driving while Gigi was in the passenger seat as they arrived in the city.
Nonetheless, it remains uncertain from where they had returned, given that Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper were observed carrying numerous overnight bags upon their arrival. The duo was recently seen strolling together in the rain on Friday. This makes netizens think, are they actually dating? Scroll down to know.
PEOPLE magazine disclosed that Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper are currently enjoying each other’s company and having a good time, although their relationship is not at a serious stage as of now. The publication quoted a source as saying, “She’s independent, busy, and her days are filled with responsibilities, so I don’t see anything serious happening right away if at all.” The insider further added that the model has “had sort of a crush on [Brad] for a while”
The source continued, “[They have] things in common, so it’s possible to see [their romance] progress. It appears super casual now, but they both have kids, big careers, and busy lives and understand what life is like in these circles. It’s cute, and there is an attraction.”
Moreover, as per a report by Mirror, it was suggested that Taylor Swift, a close friend of Gigi Hadid, generously provided her Rhode Island home for the two of them to enjoy as a retreat. “Even though Gigi and Bradley have their own properties in New York, they wanted somewhere more private to spend time getting to know each other and Taylor was only too happy to help. She said the door to her home is always open for them to use,” the insider said.
In addition to their rumored meetup in Rhode Island, Bradley was spotted in New York sporting a cashmere shirt from one of Gigi‘s fashion collections. The actor confidently donned a gray Plaid Work Shirt, which is part of his alleged girlfriend’s Guest In Residence line. -
Shraddha Kapoor buys Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica
Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor is the proud owner of a swanky red Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica. Shraddha added the car to her collection on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra. Pictures of the actor posing with the vehicle has surfaced on several social media accounts.
Shraddha looked radiant as she posed with the car, whose showroom price in India, according to CarDekho is Rs 4.04 crore. Check out pictures of the actor with her car:
Shraddha Kapoor went to Mumbai’s ISKON temple on Tuesday. While talking to the paparazzi on her way out of the house, a cameramen complimented her on the Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica being great. To this, Shraddha said, “Gaadi nahi rath hai ye mera. (It’s not a car, it’s my chariot).”
Fans cheered for Shraddha Kapoor in the comment section of the post. A follower wrote, “Shraddha onwards and upwards only for u,” while another one wrote, “happy always.” An ardent fan wrote, “Many many congratulations Shraddha Kapoor. u deserve many many more ur sincerity n hardwork always pays off.” Shraddha was recently seen on the big screen with Ranbir Kapoor in the film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. The actor will next be seen in Stree 2, a sequel to Amar Kaushik’s 2018 horror comedy. -
Salman-Katrina shine in the song Leke Prabhu Ka Naam from ‘Tiger 3’
The first song from ‘Tiger 3’ is out. Titled ‘Leke Prabhu Ka Naam’, the song has had the audience’s attention ever since it was announced because it marks the first collaboration between Salman Khan and Arijit Singh. The peppy dance number also boasts of Salman and Katrina’s sizzling chemistry! And, it gives major ‘Mashallah’ vibes.
The first song from ‘Tiger 3’, ‘Leke Prabhu Ka Naam’, is now out. Just like ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’ had ‘Swag Se Swagat’, ‘Tiger 3’ also got its very own peppy dance number. And if it has been sung by Arijit Singh, can it even go wrong? The song marks Arijit Singh’s first collaboration with Salman Khan, marking the end of their 9-year-old feud.
The song, just like all the other songs featuring Salman and Katrina, boasts of their crackling chemistry. On top of that, it has been shot in a picturesque location, which just makes it a visual treat besides being an aural treat.
Salman Khan opened up about the song and said, “Katrina and I have some great songs together and I understand that the expectation from people every time we do a song together will be sky high! I’m very confident that ‘Leke Prabhu Ka Naam’ will make people happy.”
He added, “It is a dance track that I personally love. It is probably one of the best dance tracks of my career! Katrina and I have been fortunate to have chartbusters that have entertained people across the world. I hope ‘Leke Prabhu Ka Naam’ does this too and becomes a global hit!”
‘Tiger 3’ has been produced by Aditya Chopra. Helmed by Maneesh Sharma, it is the third part of the ‘Tiger’ franchise. The first two films, titled ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, and ‘Tiger Zinda Hai’, were blockbusters. It’s the fifth film of YRF’s spy universe after ‘War’ and ‘Pathaan’. Emraan Hashmi plays the primary antagonist in it. The film is slated for release on November 12. -
Cash-for-query row: Mahua Moitra seeks more time to appear before ethics panel
New Delhi (TIP)- Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has sought more time to appear before the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha in the ongoing cash-for-query row. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she posted her request letter to the ethics panel, in which the TMC MP stated that due to the “seriousness of the allegations” levelled against her and the “principles of natural justice”, she should be allowed to “cross-examine” businessman Darshan Hiranandani.
“Chairman, Ethics Comm announced my 31/10 summons on live TV way before official letter emailed to me at 19:20 hrs. All complaints & suo moto affidavits also released to media. I look forward to deposing immediately after my pre-scheduled constituency programmes end on Nov 4,” Moitra wrote on the microblogging site.
In the letter, the TMC MP said that owing to Vijaya Dashami meetings scheduled between October 30 and November 4, she cannot be in Delhi on October 31. Moitra also cited the example of BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri, who was summoned by the Lok Sabha’s Privileges Committee on October 10 due to a row with Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) Danish Ali, but was later permitted to appear at a later time as per his request.
Moitra further said that Hiranandani should also be present before the ethics panel, and provide “verified lists” of all alleged gifts and favours that the TMC MP is claimed to have received from him. “I wish to place on record that any enquiry without the oral evidence of Hiranandani will be incomplete, unfair and akin to holding a proverbial ‘kangaroo court’…” the TMC MP’s letter said.
Her statement comes after it was reported that Hiranandani, the CEO of real-estate conglomerate Hiranandani Group, is unlikely to be called by the ethics panel in the probe into the cash-for-query row. It was also reported that after Moitra’s deposition, the panel could proceed to recommend its action in the matter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Earlier in the day, India Today reported that the ethics panel will write to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to authenticate Hiranandani’s ‘sworn affidavit’ by way of an apostille that will make it a legal document, so that it can be read as his statement in the ongoing cash-for-query row against Moitra.
In his ‘affidavit’, Hiranandani has claimed that Moitra gave him her Parliament login details to raise questions about the Adani Group, in a bid to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The TMC MP has refuted the claim, saying the businessman was forced to write it by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Source: India Today -
Terrorism is a ‘malignancy’, knows no borders, India tells UN as it abstains on resolution on Israel-Hamas conflict
United Nations (TIP)- Terrorism is a “malignancy” and knows no borders, nationality or race and the world should not buy into any justification of terror acts, India has told the UN General Assembly as it abstained on a resolution on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
India on Friday, October 27, abstained in the UN General Assembly on a Jordanian-drafted resolution titled ‘Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations’ that called for an immediate humanitarian truce in the Israel-Hamas conflict and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip.
The 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution that called for an immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities.
The resolution, which garnered 121 votes in favour, 44 abstentions and 14 member states voting against it, also demanded the immediate, continuous, sufficient and unhindered provision of essential goods and services to civilians throughout the Gaza Strip.India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Yojna Patel, in Explanation of Vote here said in a world where differences and disputes should be resolved by dialogue, this august body should be deeply concerned at recourse to violence. “That too, when it happens on a scale and intensity that is an affront to basic human values,” Patel said.
Patel said that violence as a means to achieve political objectives damages indiscriminately and does not pave the way for any durable solutions.
Describing the terror attacks in Israel on October 7 as shocking, Patel said they deserve condemnation. India’s explanation of the vote did not mention Hamas.
“Terrorism is a malignancy and knows no borders, nationality or race. The world should not buy into any justification of terror acts. Let us keep aside differences, unite and adopt a zero-tolerance approach to terrorism,” she said.
India expressed hope that the deliberations of the General Assembly will “send a clear message against terror and violence and expand prospects for diplomacy and dialogue while addressing the humanitarian crisis that confronts us.” Patel said India is “deeply concerned” at the deteriorating security situation and astounding loss of civilian lives in the ongoing conflict.
Source: PTI -
Liking ‘obscene’ content on social media no crime, sharing is: HC
Prayagraj (TIP)- The Allahabad High Court recently held that liking an “obscene” post on social media does not constitute an offence, however, sharing or reposting such content will attract penal consequences. The court in its observations on Wednesday said sharing such a post would amount to “transmission” under Section 67 of the Information Technology (IT) Act and will be punishable. Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal made the remarks as he quashed the criminal proceedings pending against Mohd Imran Kazi of Agra filed under section 67 of IT Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. Kazi was under trial for liking another person’s post for unlawful assembly. “I do not find any material which could connect the applicant with any objectionable post, as there is no offensive post available in the Facebook and WhatsApp accounts of the applicant. Therefore, no case is made out against the applicant,” the judge noted. He said though under the IT Act transmitting obscene material is an offence, in the present case “the applicant has liked the post of one Farhan Usman for unlawful assembly, but liking a post will not amount to publishing or transmitting the post, therefore, merely liking a post will not attract section 67 IT Act.”
“Even otherwise section 67 of the IT Act is for obscene material and not for provocative material,” the court said. A criminal case was registered against petitioner Mohd Imran Kazmi and a charge sheet was filed against him for liking “provocative” messages on social media, which resulted in the assembly of about 600-700 persons belonging to the Muslim community for arranging procession without permission. The court of CJM, Agra, took cognisance of the charge sheet and issued a non-bailable warrant against him on June 30, 2023. -
After 5G success, India aims to lead in 6G: PM Modi
New Delih (TIP)- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, October 27, praised the rollout of 5G telecom networks in the country and the progress of the technology sector, calling them crucial for India’s transition to a developed economy. Modi, speaking at the India Mobile Congress with several industry leaders in attendance, launched the government’s 5G Use Case Labs for educational institutes, which will help drive innovation in 5G-based applications for domains such as agriculture, education and health. “Internet connectivity and improvement in speeds also improves ease of living. When internet speed increases, a student connects with a teacher, a patient connect with a doctor, and farmers learn new techniques to improve their productivity,” he said, linking connectivity to improvements in “social and economic well-being”. “India is not only expanding the 5G network in the country but also laying emphasis on becoming a leader in 6G,” Modi added. The PM said that in the year since the first 5G, or fifth generation, mobile communications were rolled out, 97% of the cities and 80% of the population has been covered. “But we did not stop at that success, and we began to work on making sure every citizen had access to it. From roll-out, we went to the reach-out stage.”
This, he added, tied into the government’s focus on “democratising every sector”. “We believe in democratising every sector, and we are working to ensure that the benefits of technology reach everyone. For me, that is the greatest social justice.”
At IMC, Modi launched the labs first announced in the Union Budget presented by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman this year.
The telecommunications department has set up the labs for which the government will provide 80% of the capital expenditure and 100% of operational expenses for the next four years. Institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Information Technology, National Institutes of Technology, and other selected higher education institutions, will foot 20% of capital expenditure for the labs.
Each lab will have at least 10 faculty members and 50 students and at least five start-ups or Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises will be engaged with each to test or develop solutions. Each lab must develop or test at least 10 products or solutions annually.
All the labs are expected to be fully functional by March 2024, an official said on the condition of anonymity. In his address, Modi said India is among the world’s top three start-up ecosystems and the second largest mobile phone manufacturer. “Our electronics exports are upwards of Rs 2 lakh crore now,” said Modi. Modi also spoke about cybersecurity and said threats to it were discussed during the G20 summit in New Delhi in September. “If our entire value chain resides within India, it will be easier to secure it.” -
India begins ‘quiet efforts’ after 8 ex-navy veterans get death penalty in Qatar
India has quietly launched efforts to find a resolution to the issue of the eight former Indian Navy personnel given the death sentence by a Qatari court, though authorities in both countries remained tight-lipped on the matter on Friday, October 27.
The authorities in Qatar maintained a complete silence on the case, which found no mention in the country’s media. People familiar with the matter said a copy of the verdict from Qatar’s Court of First Instance was yet to be formally received by the Indian side.
There was also no further comment from the Indian side after the external affairs ministry issued a statement on Thursday expressing deep shock at the Qatari court’s verdict and pledging to look at all legal options.
The people said quiet efforts had been launched through diplomatic and official channels to find a resolution to the matter. Among the possibilities being look at is filing an appeal against the verdict or using an agreement signed by India and Qatar in 2015 for the transfer of convicted prisoners so that they can complete their sentence in their home country. The agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons was ratified by the Qatari side the same year, and it was one of six pacts signed during a state visit to India by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar. There is also the possibility of approaching the International Court of Justice, as was done in the case of former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was detained by Pakistani authorities in 2016 and subsequently sentenced to death by a military court on charges of alleged espionage. -
West Bengal minister held in ration scam
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested West Bengal Forest Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick in the wee hours of Friday, October 27, in connection with the alleged ration scam in the state and produced him in a Kolkata court that granted his remand for 10 days.
Mallick (65), a senior Trinamool Congress leader, was taken into custody under Sections 19 and 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after he was interrogated for nearly 20 hours when searches starting Thursday were carried out on properties belonging to him and his associates.
Meanwhile, the minister, who held the Food and Supplies portfolio from 2011 to 2021, fainted in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court and even vomited before he was taken in an ambulance to a private hospital where he was admitted later. He told the judge that his blood sugar level was high and he had swelling in his feet.
The court ordered that though Mallick will be in ED custody till November 6, the period during which he will remain in hospital will be excluded from the remand period. The court also ruled that the hospital will set up a medical board within 24 hours and the minister’s lawyer can meet him for an hour every day.
The agency had prayed for a 14-day remand of the accused.
Earlier, when being taken by the ED officials and CRPF personnel from his Salt Lake residence to the agency’s office in CGO Complex in Kolkata, the minister said, “I am a victim of a huge conspiracy. Suvendu Adhikari (Leader of Opposition in Assembly) and the BJP are behind this.” -
Shocked and ashamed that India abstained from voting for ceasefire in Gaza, says Priyanka
Slamming the BJP government at the Centre for abstaining from voting in the UN for a truce in Gaza, Congress on Saturday, October 28, said the stand went “against everything our country has stood for throughout its life as a nation”.
“I am shocked and ashamed that our country has abstained from voting for a ceasefire in Gaza,” Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said in a statement posted on X.
Gandhi wrote that India was founded on the principles of non-violence and truth for which freedom fighters laid down their lives. “These principles form the basis of the Constitution that defines our nationhood. They represent the moral courage of India that guided its actions as a member of the international community,” the Congress leader said. Gandhi said that to refuse to take a stand and watch in silence as every law of humanity was being pulverised, food, water, medical supplies, communication and power cut off to millions of people and thousands of men, women and children in Palestine annihilated, went against everything India stood for.
Gandhi cited Mahatma Gandhi saying ‘an eye for an eye makes everyone blind’ to remind the warring parties of the dangers of retribution. -
Air India deploys new Boeing 777 aircraft to all 3 US destinations from Mumbai
Air India has deployed its newly inducted B777 aircraft to all three US destinations it serves non-stop from Mumbai to New York JFK, Newark Liberty Airport (New Jersey), and San Francisco.
“This ensures that, for the first time, all North American cities served by Air India from Mumbai have been upgraded to aircraft with modern-generation seats and inflight entertainment systems in all classes,” said an airline spokesperson.
In addition, one of the two daily Air India flights between Mumbai and London Heathrow (AI130/AI131) will now also operate on the new B777 aircraft, offering modern generation interiors, as well as introducing First Class cabins.
The B777-200LR aircraft serving San Francisco and New York-JFK has 28 Business, 48 Premium Economy and 212 Economy Class, while the B777-300ER serving Newark-Liberty and London offers eight First Class, 40 Business and 280 Economy Class seats.
The Boeing 777-300ER is a long-range wide-body aircraft that is capable of flying non-stop from India to the US. -
Blast kills at least four people and injures others in a Shiite neighbourhood of the Afghan capital
KABUL (TIP): A police spokesman on October 27 raised the death toll from an explosion in a mostly Shiite Muslim neighbourhood of the Afghan capital, Kabul, to four, with seven people critically injured. The cause of the Thursday evening blast at a boxing club is still not known. Kabul police chief spokesman Khalid Zadran said the injured are in a critical condition and that the investigation into the blast is ongoing. He initially said two people died and nine were injured.
Video taken after the explosion shows part of a building with its windows blown out, flames billowing inside. Shattered glass and other debris are strewn across the street below.
The scale of the damage was clearer Friday morning. There are craters in the ground and most of the club’s interior has been gutted. Workers picked their way through boxing gloves and gym equipment on the blood-splattered floor.
Eyewitness Sultan Ali Amini said that at least six people died and more than 15 were injured. “As you see, the walls are destroyed and all the glass and metal are broken,” he said.
The reason for the lower death toll provided by the Taliban was not immediately clear. In the past, they have at times been slow to confirm casualty figures in the aftermath of attacks.
The Dashti Barchi area of Kabul has been targeted in the past by the Islamic State group affiliate in the country, which has carried out major, horrific assaults on schools, hospitals and mosques. The group has also attacked other Shiite areas of Afghanistan in recent years.
IS has been waging a campaign of violence since the Taliban took power in August 2021. (AP) -
Pakistan should apologise for 1971 liberation war, says Bangladesh minister
NEW DELHI, Dhaka (TIP): : Pakistan should apologise to Bangladesh for its actions during the 1971 liberation war, said AKM Mozammel Haque, the country’s minister for Liberation War Affairs, during his visit to New Delhi on Octobere 26.
The Bangladeshi minister went further to state that Pakistan’s apology was the only way their relationship would improve with Bangladesh, adding that they can never forget the role India played to help them find their own country where they got back the respect that had been lost.
“Pakistan should apologise to us for 1971. They were barbaric with Bangladeshis and we are grateful that Indians came to our rescue. That is how we got liberated. To commemorate the Indian soldiers who fought for us we are making a monument in Bangladesh which will have their names engraved so that people remember their sacrifice. It would be completed by December,” said Haque.
“Pakistan supports terrorists that is why they could do well in their economy. In the name of Islam what they have done and are doing they cannot be supported. No Islam-loving nation will like Pakistan. It is not a democracy and this is why they haven’t progressed,” Haque added.
The Awami League leader also condemned Canada for giving shelter to the killers of the country’s first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “It is not acceptable that countries like Canada are giving asylum to killers who should be handed over to Bangladesh,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh today honoured the families of 10 Indian war veterans and also gave away scholarships to the kin of the veterans in Delhi. Bangladesh will be giving out a total of 200 scholarships of $1000 each to young students who are mostly grandchildren of Indian war veterans.
“We don’t want to forget the contribution of Indian war veterans and these scholarships would ensure that not just the families of the Indian veterans remember their sacrifice but also Bangladeshis,” Haq said.
Meanwhile, Haq visited the Army Hospital in Delhi and interacted with Bangladeshi freedom fighters (muktijodhas) who are undergoing treatment there. Three Bangladesh freedom fighters are undergoing treatment in Army Hospital Research and Referral. The Muktijodhas have been extended the facility as a special gesture by the Indian government.
A marching contingent of the Bangladesh army took part in the Republic Day parade of 2021, the third time foreign soldiers marched down Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) as part of India’s biggest ceremonial event. The contingent was invited to take part in the parade at a time when the two countries were celebrating the golden jubilee of the birth of Bangladesh. (ENS) -
Ethnic rebels launch attacks across northern Myanmar
YANGON (TIP): An alliance of Myanmar ethnic rebel groups launched coordinated attacks on the military across the north of the country on October 27 morning, rebels and media said. The military’s 2021 putsch sparked renewed fighting with powerful, China-backed ethnic rebel groups in northern Shan state, home to a planned billion-dollar rail link, part of Beijing’s Belt and Road global infrastructure project.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) launched a “military operation”, they said in a statement.
The operation aims to block the military’s ability to send reinforcements to Shan state and target its ability to launch air strikes on the region, it said, without giving details.
The three groups — which analysts say can call on at least 15,000 fighters between them — have clashed regularly with the military since the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.
A separate statement from the MNDAA said its fighters had closed the roads from the trade hub of Lashio to Chinshwehaw and Muse on the China border ahead of a “major offensive”.
A rescue worker in Lashio who requested anonymity for safety reasons told AFP that rebels had begun shelling the military base in the town from 4:00 am local time (2130 GMT Thursday) and that the military had responded with artillery fire.
Local media footage showed what it said was a destroyed toll gate on a road in Lashio.
Pro-military Telegram channels said the rebels were attacking 12 towns or settlements across a swathe of Shan state around 100 kilometres (62 miles) across. Those included Lashio, as well as Muse, Chinshwehaw and Laukkai, the latter of which lies near the border with China.
A junta spokesman did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. The three ethnic rebel groups had “launched joint force attacks against the Myanmar Army”, Brigadier-General Tar Bhone Kyaw of the TNLA told AFP. (AFP) -
Former Premier Li Keqiang, China’s top economic official for a decade, has died at 68
BEIJING (TIP): Former Premier Li Keqiang, China’s top economic official for a decade, died on October 27 of a heart attack. He was 68. Li was China’s No. 2 leader from 2013-23 and an advocate for private business but was left with little authority after President Xi Jinping made himself the most powerful Chinese leader in decades and tightened control over the economy and society. CCTV said Li had been resting in Shanghai recently and had a heart attack on Thursday. He died at 12:10 a.m. Friday.
Li, an English-speaking economist, was considered a contender to succeed then-Communist Party leader Hu Jintao in 2013 but was passed over in favor of Xi. Reversing the Hu era’s consensus-oriented leadership, Xi centralized powers in his own hands, leaving Li and others on the party’s ruling seven-member Standing Committee with little influence.
As the top economic official, Li promised to improve conditions for entrepreneurs who generate jobs and wealth. But the ruling party under Xi increased the dominance of state industry and tightened control over tech and other industries. Foreign companies said they felt unwelcome after Xi and other leaders called for economic self-reliance, expanded an anti-spying law and raided offices of consulting firms.
Li was dropped from the Standing Committee at a party congress in October 2022 despite being two years below the informal retirement age of 70.
The same day, Xi awarded himself a third five-year term as party leader, discarding a tradition under which his predecessors stepped down after 10 years. Xi filled the top party ranks with loyalists, ending the era of consensus leadership and possibly making himself leader for life. The No. 2 slot was filled by Li Qiang, the party secretary for Shanghai, who lacked Li Keqiang’s national-level experience and later told reporters that his job was to do whatever Xi decided.
Li Keqiang, a former vice premier, took office in 2013 as the ruling party faced growing warnings the construction and export booms that propelled the previous decade’s double-digit growth were running out of steam.
Government advisers argued Beijing had to promote growth based on domestic consumption and service industries. That would require opening more state-dominated industries and forcing state banks to lend more to entrepreneurs. (AP) -
Mass arrests target LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria while abuses against them are ignored, activists say
ABUJA, Nigeria (TIP): Law enforcement authorities in Nigeria are using the country’s same-sex prohibition law to target the LGBTQ+ community while ignoring abuses against them, rights groups and lawyers say, in the wake of fresh mass arrests of gay people.
Nigeria is one of more than 30 of Africa’s 54 countries where homosexuality is criminalized in laws that are broadly supported by the public, even though the constitution guarantees freedom from discrimination and the right to private and family life.
Mass arrests and detention of queer Nigerians that continued this week were done without proper investigations and could further expose them to danger amid the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments in Africa’s most populous country, rights groups said.
The country’s paramilitary agency on Monday announced the arrest of more than 70 young people – 59 men and 17 women – in the northern Gombe state, accusing them of “holding homosexual birthdays” and having “the intention to hold a same-sex marriage.”
Following a similar detention of more than 60 people at what the police called a gay wedding in the southern Delta state in August, the arrests show “an uptick in this trend of witchhunt and gross violation of human rights” of the individuals, Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International Nigeria, told The Associated Press.
The arrests also suggest states are emulating one another “to get accolades” under the law, according to Anietie Ewang, Nigerian researcher with the Human Rights Watch’s Africa Division. She said concerns highlighted by the organization in a 2016 report — about the abuse and stigma that gay people face in Nigeria — have remained.
Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013, which has been condemned internationally but is supported by many in the country of more than 210 million people, punishes gay marriage with up to 14 years in prison and has forced many Nigerian gays to flee the country, according to human rights activists. Arrests under the law have been common since it came into effect but the largest mass detentions yet have been in recent weeks in which some of the suspects were falsely accused and subjected to inhumane conditions, according to lawyers and rights groups.
After dozens were arrested at what the police called a gay wedding in a Delta state hotel, the suspects were paraded in front of cameras in a live social media broadcast despite a ruling by a Nigerian high court last year that pretrial media parades violate the nation’s constitution.
One of those paraded said he was at the hotel for another engagement. Another suspect said he does not identify as a gay individual and was arrested while on his way to a fashion show.
In Gombe, where the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said its personnel arrested people who “intended” to organize a gay wedding, the prime suspect identified as Bashir Sani denied the allegation.
“There was no wedding, only birthday,” he said in a broadcast aired by local media.
Among those arrested were the photographer and the disc jockey at the event, Ochuko Ohimor, the suspects’ lawyer, told The Associated Press. (AP) -
Israel says Gaza ground operation is expanding as UN warns of ‘growing misery’
Gaza (TIP): Israel pounded northern Gaza and said it was “extending” its ground operation late on October 27 amid UN warnings of an “avalanche of human suffering” in the battered Palestinian territory. “Following the series of strikes of the last days, the ground forces are extending the ground operation tonight,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters.
His announcement followed two straight nights of tank incursions into Gaza.
Earlier, the military said it had increased its strikes “in a very significant way”, as AFP live footage captured intense bombardment of northern Gaza.
The armed wing of the Islamist group Hamas said it responded with “salvos” of rockets aimed at Israel. Hamas said all internet connections and communications across the territory had been cut, and accused Israel of taking the measure “to perpetrate massacres with bloody retaliatory strikes from the air, land and sea.” Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 220 others, according to Israeli officials.
The Hamas-run health ministry said Friday Israeli strikes on Gaza had now killed 7,326 people, mainly civilians and many of them children. UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that Gaza faces “an unprecedented avalanche of human suffering” because of the lack of food, water and power during Israeli bombing in response to the October 7 attack.
The UN human rights office also raised the alarm over “war crimes” being committed as the Israel-Hamas conflict raged into its 21st day.
Concern is growing about regional fallout from the conflict, with the United States warning Iran against escalation while striking facilities in Syria it says were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and others.
The war, now in its 21st day, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday that more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed so far — more than three times the number killed in the six-week-long Gaza war in 2014.
The Israeli army said it will extend “ground operations” in the Gaza Strip on Friday night after significantly intensifying its air strikes on the Palestinian territory.
“Following the series of strikes of the last days, the ground forces are extending the ground operation tonight,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters. The announcement followed two straight nights of tank incursions into Gaza. (AP) -
A shooting between near the Serbia-Hungary border leaves 3 dead and 1 wounded
BELGRADE, Serbia (TIP): A shooting between migrants near Serbia’s border with Hungary early on October 27 left three people dead and one other person seriously wounded, Serbia’s state RTS television reported on Friday. The shooting happened at abandoned farming warehouses near the village of Horgos, the report said. A large number of police officers were sent to the scene, RTS said. Police have yet to issue an official statement.
Reports of violence and gunbattles have become common near the border between Serbia and European Union member nation Hungary. Thousands of migrants have been camping in the area, looking for ways to cross with the help of people smugglers.
The Serbia-Hungary border area lies on the so-called Balkan land route of migration toward Western Europe, which leads from Turkey to Greece and Bulgaria, and then on to North Macedonia, Serbia, or Bosnia.
Hungary’s staunchly anti-immigrant government has put up razor wire fence on the border with Serbia to stop the influx. People smuggling gangs, however, have multiplied in the border area, often clashing for control.
Serbian police have raided the border area on several occasions over the past several months. They later reported rounding up hundreds of migrants, arresting people smugglers and finding various weapons in the forested area. (AP) -
Iran says militants have ‘finger on trigger’ in anticipation of Israeli ground offensive in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS (TIP): Iran’s foreign minister warned on October 27 that Lebanese and Palestinian militants had their “finger on the trigger” in anticipation of an Israeli ground offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Iran’s clerical state backs Hamas, whose bloody assault inside Israel on October 7 triggered major retaliation, and has a close relationship with Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia that frequently fires into Israel.
“What I gathered from what I heard from them and the plans that they have — they have their finger on the trigger,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said of Lebanese and Palestinian militants he has met.
Speaking to US National Public Radio from the United Nations, where he was attending a General Assembly session on the crisis, Amir-Abdollahian said the militants’ actions would be “much more powerful and deeper than what you’ve witnessed.”
“Therefore I believe that if this situation continues and women and children and civilians are still killed in Gaza and the West Bank, anything will be possible,” he said.
Amir-Abdollahian insisted, however, that militants would decide on their own rather than at the behest of Iran. “We don’t really want this conflict to spread out,” he said.
His remarks came after US President Joe Biden ordered air strikes on two sites in Syria said to be used by Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.
The Pentagon cast the strikes as measured retaliation after strikes by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria that left one US citizen contractor dead from a cardiac incident and 21 US military personnel with minor injuries.
On October 7, Hamas militants stormed across the Gaza Strip’s border, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 220 hostages in the worst bloodshed in Israel’s history.
Israel has struck back with a relentless bombing campaign which Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says has killed 7,326 people, mostly civilians, among them 3,038 children. (AP) -
Israel-Hamas war: ‘Many more to die’ from Gaza siege, UN warns on day 21 of war
JERUSALEM (TIP): The UN warned on October 27 that “many more will die” in Gaza from catastrophic shortages after nearly three weeks of bombardment by Israel in response to Hamas staging the deadliest attack in its history.
As the conflict raged into its 21st day, the Israeli army said its soldiers backed by fighter jets and drones mounted a land incursion into the Gaza Strip, as it prepared for a ground offensive.
Concern is growing about regional fallout from the conflict, with the United States warning Iran against escalation while striking facilities in Syria it says were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and others.
Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since Hamas gunmen stormed across the border on October 7, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping more than 220 others, according to Israeli officials.
The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip says the strikes have killed more than 7,000 people, mainly civilians and many of them children, leading to growing calls for protection of innocents caught up in the conflict.
“People in Gaza are dying, they are not only dying from bombs and strikes, soon many more will die from the consequences of (the) siege imposed on the Gaza Strip,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), told reporters in Jerusalem.
Israel has cut supplies of food, water and power to Gaza, notably blocking all deliveries of fuel saying it would be exploited by Hamas to manufacture weapons and explosives.
“Basic services are crumbling, medicine is running out, food and water are running out, the streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage,” he said of the devastated territory where around 45 percent of all housing has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN which cited local authorities.
A first tranche of critically needed aid was allowed in at the weekend but since then only 74 trucks have crossed in via the Rafah border with Egypt, which aid agencies say is just a tiny fraction of what was needed.
Before the conflict, an average of 500 trucks entered Gaza every working day, UN figures show.
Gaza needed a “meaningful and uninterrupted aid flow” and a “humanitarian ceasefire to ensure this aid reaches those in need”, Lazzarini said, echoing a similar call by European Union leaders.
European Union leaders had on Thursday evening demanded “continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs”.
Between the bombardments and the fuel shortages, 12 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals have been forced to close, and UNRWA said it has had to “significantly reduce its operations”. “What needs more support? Bakeries, water stations, life support machines in a hospital — all this needs fuel to function,” the head of the agency said on Friday. (AFP) -
Indo-Canadian basketball star Ishan Sharma commits to University of Virginia
TORONTO, ON (TIP): Indo-Canadian basketball prodigy Ishan Sharma is set to move south of the border to play for the University of Virginia next year. The highly touted 6’5 shooting guard, who is a member of the class of ’24 at the Fort Erie International Academy in Fort Erie, Ontario, announced his commitment on social media on October 21. The Cavaliers had offered him a scholarship just the week before. The rising senior year has already represented Canada in multiple international FIBA tournaments.
Sharma’s shooting prowess caught the attention of Cavaliers Coach Tony Bennett and his staff during the Nike EYBL Peach Jam this summer, as reported by media. During this summer’s EYBL circuit, he demonstrated an impressive ability to sink shots from beyond the arc, maintaining a remarkable success rate of nearly 45% for UPLAY Canada.
According to SI, Sharma had recently visited UVA. He expressed his excitement by posting, ‘Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Virginia,’ on his X account on October 16 after the visit. He reportedly also received offers from Cavaliers’ in-state rival Virginia Tech, as well as Seton Hall, Arizona State, Rice, Indiana State, Wyoming, Northern Illinois, Marist, Maine and Eastern Michigan, among other schools.
With Sharma adding a formidable shooting presence, he and the Cavaliers could be a great match, says a college basketball expert.
“Poor perimeter shooting has doomed the Wahoos in recent seasons, so it’s encouraging that UVA has locked down an elite shooter for 2024,” writes Zach Carey of Streaking the Lawn, which covers Virginia basketball and football. “If there’s one thing Sharma does well, it’s shoot the ball. He’ll be a very good catch-and-shoot threat who Bennett and his staff can scheme open looks for, like they have for their best shooters over the years. He’s also displayed the ability to hit shots off the dribble, indicating that his offensive game could expand beyond the perimeter in time.”
Another longtime Virginia sports analyst expressed equal enthusiasm about Sharma.
Jerry Ratcliffe, who covers Virginia Athletics, highlighted Sharma’s “reputation as a dangerous perimeter shooter” and noted that he “has an extended game.”
Ratcliffe also quoted Josh Millican, a Canadian basketball recruiting analyst who hosts the podcast ‘Maple Minute,’ describing Sharma as a ‘hidden gem.’
‘Ishan is under the radar in terms of American ranking systems. I can tell you he is one of the top five prospects in all of Canada,’ according to Millican.
“He’s unbelievable with the ball in his hands,” Millican said of Sharma, according to Ratcliffe. “He’s a three-level scorer but doesn’t dribble excessively. He’s a tactical playmaker in the sense that he’s not beating guys with sheer will or athleticism… he’s thinking the game, finding your weaknesses, and exposing them. He’s thinking two, three plays ahead and can’t be rattled by trash-talking.”
The Cavaliers, an ACC powerhouse, won their first NCAA championship in the 2018-2019 season by defeating Texas Tech in the championship game. -
Indian American leader Samir Mayekar to lead Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
CHICAGO (TIP): Samir Mayekar, an Indian American innovation leader is set to lead the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation as managing director from November 6. As head of the Polsky Center, Mayekar will play a pivotal role in advancing the university’s ambitious priorities in innovation, technology commercialization and entrepreneurship, the university announced Oct 18.
It stated that he will foster connections across the University, the city of Chicago, the region and the world that will enable the Polsky Center to accelerate the commercialization of critical technologies, it stated.
Most recently, Mayekar with a track record of driving innovation and impact across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, served as deputy mayor for the city of Chicago, where he focused on economic and neighborhood development.
He was a driving force behind initiatives such as the city’s INVEST South/West initiative, which marshaled resources from across city departments, community organizations, and corporate and philanthropic partners to support commercial corridors across several South and West Side neighborhoods.
“Samir brings a marvelous energy to building partnerships and is creative and thoughtful in his approach to new business opportunities,” said President Paul Alivisatos. “The University and the Polsky Center will benefit from his talent, experience and commitment.”
Mayekar’s work in both high-tech innovation and urban economic development is well-matched to the Polsky Center’s goals and mission, including the advancement of a wide range of technologies—from clean energy and life sciences to quantum, information sciences and data science, according to a university release.
“The Polsky Center is committed to solving humanity’s most significant problems through breakthrough innovation,” said Juan de Pablo, Executive Vice President for Science, Innovation, National Laboratories and Global Initiatives and the Liew Family Professor in Molecular Engineering.
“I am confident that Samir will build on the accomplishments of the Polsky Center in technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and elevate our efforts to help drive economic development on the South Side through partnerships that bolster UChicago and our city’s upward trajectory as hubs of world-class innovation.”
“Samir has demonstrated throughout his career that he is a leader and a builder of organizations and initiatives in which ideas can grow and flourish,” said Madhav V. Rajan, dean of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the George Pratt Shultz Professor of Accounting. “We look forward to working with him to further promote innovation and collaboration and advance the Polsky Center’s ambitious goals.”
Prior to working for the city of Chicago, Mayekar served in the Obama administration, where he was part of the White House’s national security team and the executive staff at the US International Development Finance Corporation.
Mayekar also cofounded and served as CEO of NanoGraf Corporation, a global manufacturer of advanced materials for the lithium-ion battery industry that has raised over $100 million in funding and was spun out of Argonne National Laboratory and Northwestern University.
“I am excited to bring my civic, corporate and entrepreneurial experience to enhance the Polsky Center’s role as a platform to both support local economic development on the South Side and advance the commercialization of globally needed technologies to solve critical issues—from climate change to public health and responsible artificial intelligence,” Mayekar said.
He earned his bachelor’s degree and MBA from Northwestern, where he served as a trustee. Mayekar is active in the Chicago civic community, serving on the boards of the Metropolitan Pier and Exhibition Authority, Lyric Opera and other organizations.
He is also a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and is an alum of the Marshall Memorial Fellowship and the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.
The Polsky Center was established in 1998 through Chicago Booth to provide training and venture support for students pursuing opportunities in entrepreneurship. It has since grown to include the Polsky Exchange, which assists local business owners with financial and other advisory services; and the recently launched Deep Tech Ventures initiative, which offers sector-specific accelerators to bring world-changing technologies to market.
The Polsky Center is also home to the University’s technology commercialization office. -
Indian-origin man faces 16 charges for pepper-spraying police, carjacking bid in Canada’s Brampton
TORONTO (TIP): A 24-year-old Indian-origin man is facing 16 charges for attempting to steal a vehicle and pepper-spraying responding police officers in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Rajbir Singh from Brampton was charged recently with two counts each of assaulting a peace officer, assault with intent to resist arrest, failure to comply with a release order, and possession of a controlled substance. He also faces one count each of possession of an imitation weapon, breach of probation and theft of a motor vehicle, as well as a handful of other offences, CTV news channel reported.The Peel Regional Police said that on the evening of October 6, officers were investigating a vehicle in a hotel parking lot with a suspicious license plate when the driver allegedly attempted to flee, causing damage to several vehicles. As Singh was running away from the police, he unsuccessfully tried to steal a vehicle and carjack another, the report said citing police. When officers located him, he allegedly pepper sprayed them before being taken into custody.
The officers sustained minor injuries and were treated by paramedics at the scene.
In addition to the 16 charges, Singh is also facing charges related to five separate incidents last year for similar offences. Meanwhile, the Peel police said on Thursday that it is also looking for another Indo-Canadian, 26-year-old Gurprit Singh from Brampton, who recklessly drove through a crowded parking lot to escape chasing police officers. A warrant has been issued against Gurprit for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, obstructing a peace officer and flight from a peace officer. Earlier this month, Navjot Singh (21), attempted to carjack a vehicle before stealing a landscaping truck hours after being released on bail in Newmarket town in Ontario.
(Source: IANS)