Actor Kareena Kapoor has spoken about ageing and how she is not “trying to look younger”. In an interview with Harpers Bazaar, Kareena shared that she isn’t keen on opting for Botox or any cosmetic enhancements as her husband, Saif Ali Khan, finds her attractive the way she is. The actor also talked about playing roles that reflect her age and how she is proud of it.
Kareena said, “From the beginning, I was confident that my talent and dedication would ensure I continued to get work. I took care of myself, stayed fit, and focused on being the best version of myself. Self-care means taking time for myself, whether it’s spending quality moments with friends, cooking with Saif, or simply enjoying a workout. It’s about feeling great, whether that’s through fitness routines or just being with my family. Nourishing my soul with a good meal, a heartfelt chat, or a bottle of wine is essential for me.”
She added, “Age is a part of beauty. It’s not about fighting lines or trying to look younger; it’s about embracing and loving the age you’re at. I’m 44 and have never felt better. I don’t feel the need for Botox or any cosmetic enhancements. My husband finds me sexy, my friends say I look amazing, and my films are thriving. I play roles that reflect my age and am proud of it.”
Month: September 2024
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Kareena Kapoor says she doesn’t feel need for Botox or cosmetic
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Malaika Arora’s father dies by suicide
Hours after Malaika Arora’s father Anil Mehta died by suicide, it has now been reported that police officials recorded her mother Joyce’s statement. Sources claimed Malaika’s mother, in her statement to the police, said that Anil would routinely sit in the balcony and read the newspapers every morning. She told the police that while they were divorced, had started living together again for the past few years.
Joyce also informed the police that on Wednesday, September 11, morning, when she saw her ex-husband’s slippers in the living room, she went to look for him in the balcony. When she could not find him there, she leaned over and saw below. The building watchman was shouting for help. Joyce also told the police that Anil Mehta was not suffering from illness. He only had some knee pain. He had taken VRS from the Merchant Navy. -
Veteran CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury dies at 72
New Delhi (TIP)- CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury died at AIIMS Delhi on Thursday, September 12, following prolonged illness.
The 72-year-old leader was admitted to AIIMS on August 19 for treatment of pneumonia and passed away at 3:05 PM on September 12. The family has donated his body to AIIMS, New Delhi for teaching and research purposes, the hospital said in a statement.
Born on August 12, 1952 in Chennai, Yechury studied in Delhi University during graduation and completed post-graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University. He is survived by his wife Seema Chishti Yechury and two children.
CONDOLENCES POUR IN ON YECHURY’S DEATH
Expressing condolences on Yechury’s death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was a leading light of the Left and was known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum.
“Saddened by the passing away of Shri Sitaram Yechury Ji. He was a leading light of the Left and was known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum. He also made a mark as an effective Parliamentarian. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi expressed his condolences on Yechury’s death and said called him a “protector of the Idea of India with a deep understanding of our country”.
“Sitaram Yechury ji was a friend. A protector of the Idea of India with a deep understanding of our country. I will miss the long discussions we used to have. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and followers in this hour of grief,” Gandhi wrote while sharing his photo with Yechury on X.
Remembering Yechury, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that the CPI(M) leader’s demise will be a loss for the national politics.
“Sad to know that Sri Sitaram Yechury has passed away. I knew the veteran parliamentarian that he was and his demise will be a loss for the national politics. I express my condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” she said.
Condoling Yechury’s death, Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said the CPI(M) was a very fine human being, a multilingual bibliophile, an unrepentant Marxist with a pragmatic streak, a pillar of the CPM, and a superb Parliamentarian with a wonderful wit and sense of humor.
“Our association stretched over three decades, and we collaborated closely at different occasions. He had friends across the political spectrum and was admired for the strength of his convictions and for his most engaging personality. Salaam Tovarish. You have left us much too early but you enriched public life immeasurably and will not be forgotten,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of Yechury. The Chief Minister noted that Yechury was a stalwart who rose through the ranks to emerge as one of the most respected voices in Indian politics.
“He was known for his intellectual take on issues, and connection with the people at the grassroots level. His insightful debates with leaders across the political spectrum earned him recognition beyond his party,” said Naidu in a post on X.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said Indian politics shall miss Yechury and the values he lived for. “A thorough gentleman and a man of unwavering conviction. Travel well #SitaramYechury. Indian politics shall miss you and the values you lived for,” he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Yechury was a seasoned parliamentarian who was known for his knowledge and articulation. -
Sitaram Yechury: The pragmatic leader with multiple identities (12 August 1952 – 12 September 2024)
Polyglot, amiable and an eclectic conversationalist who could hold forth on film songs as much as politics, CPI-M’s fifth general secretary Sitaram Yechury was the pragmatic leader with friends across the political spectrum. The three-time party chief, who passed away on Thursday after prolonged illness at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), took over the reins of the party when Left fortunes were on the decline. He was 72.
Quite unlike his predecessor Prakash Karat, from whom he took over in April 2015 and who was known for hardline positions, Mr Yechury thrived on the challenges of coalition politics. In this way, he was more akin to his mentor, the late party leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
While Surjeet was a key player in the coalition era during the National Front government of VP Singh – formed in 1989 – and the United Front government of 1996-97, both supported from outside by the CPI-M, Mr Yechury was the go to man in the UPA years from 2004-2014.
Mr Yechury, who was born in Chennai and studied at Delhi’s St Stephen’s College and Jawaharlal Nehru University, was a trusted ally of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Manmohan Singh’s 10 years as prime minister.
He was the first non-Congress leader Gandhi called after she met then president APJ Abdul Kalam in 2004 when she turned down the post of prime minister and rallied for Singh.
Earlier, Mr Yechury, one of the Left’s most recognised faces, worked with Congress leader P Chidambaram to draft the common minimum programme for the United Front government.
It was an equation that survived the shock withdrawal of support by the Left to the UPA in 2008 over the Indo-US nuclear deal. Mr Yechury played an important role in the discussions with the UPA government on the issue.
Expressing his condolences, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described him as an “unrepentant Marxist with a pragmatic streak, a pillar of the CPI(M), and a superb Parliamentarian”. While his political colleagues remembered Mr Yechury the politician, old friends went down memory lane to remember their walks from Rafi Marg to Chanakya to watch films. Mr Yechury, who famously loved old Hindi film songs, books and endless conversations on politics, was a Rajya Sabha MP for 12 years till 2017, remaining a powerful voice of the Opposition.
At the end of his tenure, he refused to take another term and said in his farewell speech in the Upper House that he came to Parliament “reluctantly”. As Left activists, they used to say it was better to stay far away from the “gol building” (the round building), he remarked.
Mr Yechury became general secretary of the CPI-M at the 21st party Congress in Visakhapatnam on April 19, 2015 , taking over from Karat at a time the party was down from 43 MPs in 2004 to nine in 2014. He was subsequently re-elected to the post in 2018, and 2022.
In an interview with PTI in 2015, after taking over as party general secretary, Mr Yechury said they should have withdrawn support on issues like price rise as the people could not be mobilised on the nuclear deal issue in the 2009 general elections. He was known for his strong and articulate speeches in Rajya Sabha on issues ranging from the plight of the farmers and the working classes to the government’s economic and foreign policies and the growing threat of communalism.
The CPI-M leader was fluent in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bangla, and also Malayalam. He was also well-versed in Hindu mythology, and often used those references in his speeches especially to attack the BJP.
Mr Yechury remained one of the most vocal critics of the Narendra Modi government and its liberal economic policies.
His alliance-building skills came to use again for the Left in the run-up to the 2024 general elections. In 2018, ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Central Committee of the CPI-M had rejected the proposal of having any understanding or alliance with Congress. Mr Yechury had then offered to resign as the general secretary.
However, in the run-up to the 2024 elections, as talks for a united opposition grouping started and opposition parties got together to form the INDIA bloc, CPI-M was part of it. Mr Yechury remained among the key faces of the alliance.
Though CPI-M was part of the INDIA bloc in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the Congress and communist parties fought separately in Kerala, the last remaining Left bastion where CPI-M won only one seat. However, being a part of the bloc helped the CPI-M and it won a seat in Rajasthan and two seats in Tamil Nadu, taking its total tally up to four, from three in the 17th Lok Sabha.
His journey in politics started with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), which he joined in 1974 and became a member of the party the very next year. He was arrested a few months later during the Emergency.
After his release, Mr Yechury was elected president of the JNU Students’ Union thrice. In the SFI, he became the all-India joint secretary in 1978 and its president soon thereafter.
When he became SFI president in 1978, he was the first person who did not belong to either West Bengal or Kerala to occupy the post.
His rise in the party was swift. In 1985, he was elected to the Central Committee of the CPI-M and to the Politburo in 1992 at the age of 40 and then party chief in 2015. Born in a Telugu-speaking family in Chennai on August 12, 1952, Mr Yechury’s father Sarveswara Somayajula Yechury was an engineer in the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. His mother Kalpakam Yechury was a government officer.
He grew up in Hyderabad and his family moved to Delhi in 1969. A bright student, Mr Yechury achieved the all-India first rank in the Central Board of Secondary Education examinations and subsequently did his graduation in economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.
He did his post-graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University again with a first-class, but could not complete his PhD due to his arrest during the Emergency after having remained underground for some time and organising resistance.
He also headed the party’s international department and was editor of the party organ ‘People’s Democracy’ for several years.
In a recent interview to PTI, Mr Yechury said the 2024 verdict was a setback for the BJP but also expressed concern over his party’s marginally improved performance.
He said serious introspection would be done on how to close the gap between its ability to launch struggles on the ground and its power to win seats.
Mr Yechury is survived by his wife Seema Chishti and his two children, Akhila and Danish. His elder son, Ashish Yechury, passed away due to Covid in 2021. Mr Yechury was earlier married to Indrani Mazumdar.
Source: PTI -
Ahead of Haryana polls, SC grants bail to Kejriwal in excise policy case
New Delhi (TIP)- Ahead of Haryana Assembly election, the Supreme Court on Friday, September 13, granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a corruption case linked to the Delhi excise policy ‘scam’. A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan ordered Kejriwal’s release on a personal bail bond of Rs 10 lakh and two sureties in the like amount.
The Delhi Chief Minister is expected to be out of Tihar Jail by this evening after completion of procedural formalities before the trial court and jail authorities.
Kejriwal is the seventh accused to get bail in the Delhi excise policy scam-related cases after AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K Kavitha, AAP’s former communication in-charge Vijay Nair, Hyderabad-based businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai and alleged “middleman” Vinod Chauhan.
The top court restrained Kejriwal from visiting the Chief Minister’s Office and Delhi Secretariat. It also directed him not to sign official files unless it’s required and necessary for obtaining clearance/approval of the Delhi L-G. It also restrained him from commenting on his role in the money-laundering case against him and asked him not to interact with witnesses and/or have access to official files connected with the case.
Welcoming the verdict, senior AAP leader and co-accused Manish Sisodia wrote on X, “Today, once again truth has triumphed over lies and conspiracies. I once again salute the thinking and foresight of Baba Saheb Ambedkar who empowered the common man against any future dictator.”
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha too took to X to welcome the SC Verdict granting bail to his party leader. “Welcome back Arvind Kejriwal, we missed you! Truth can be troubled but it can’t be defeated! Ultimately, the Supreme Court has pronounced the verdict to free Delhi’s son Arvind Kejriwal from the shackles of jail,” Chadha wrote on the social networking site.
The Bench, which reserved the verdict on Kejriwal’s petitions September 5 after hearing senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi on behalf of the AAP National Convenor and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju for the CBI, however, differed on the validity of his arrest.
While Justice Kant upheld Kejriwal’s June 26 arrest by the CBI in the corruption case, Justice Bhuyan was critical of the probe agency for arresting him after he was granted bail by a special court in the money-laundering case linked to the scam.
The Bench also rejected ASG SV Raju’s preliminary objection on behalf of the CBI regarding Kejriwal having approached the Delhi High Court, bypassing the trial court.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had on July 12 granted interim bail to Kejriwal in a money-laundering case linked to excise policy ‘scam’ even as it referred certain legal issues arising out of his petition against arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to a larger Bench or a Constitution Bench.
Arrested on March 21 by the ED, the AAP National Convenor was released on a 21-day interim bail by the top court on May 10 to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha polls. He surrendered on June 2.
Delhi Vacation Judge Niyay Bindu had on June 20 ordered Kejriwal’s release, saying the ED failed to give any direct evidence linking him to the proceeds of the crime and that the probe agency failed to show that co-accused Vijay Nair was acting on his behalf. She had also said that the ED was acting with bias against the Delhi chief minister.
Source: TNS -
Mamata offers to step down after docs refuse to hold talks
Kolkata (TIP)- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, September 12, said she was “ready to resign” for the “sake of people” and expressed regret over the junior doctors’ refusal to come for talks to resolve the impasse over the R G Kar rape-murder case. Banerjee, who waited for nearly two hours for the agitating doctors to come for the meeting, said she also wanted the victim to get justice and apologised to the people of West Bengal for the continued deadlock.
“We have tolerated a lot of canards and insults for the last 33 days,” she said at a press conference but assured the protesters that despite violating the Supreme Court directive by not resuming duties, she would not take action against them. In a dramatic turn of events, agitating junior doctors, who reached the gates of the state secretariat Nabanna, refused to hold talks with the state government unless their demand for live streaming of the meeting was met.
The talks were to be held at 5 pm in the presence of Banerjee as demanded by the protesters, who after reaching the secretariat around 5.25 pm, stayed put at the venue gate.
Banerjee said the meeting with the junior doctors cannot be live-streamed as demanded by them because the issue is sub-judice and before the Supreme Court. She said her government had made arrangements to record it and hand over the recording to them with the permission of the apex court if needed.
“For the sake of the people, I am ready to resign. I also want the victim to get justice, but this is not the way. We have tolerated a lot of canards and insults for the last 33 days. I thought the junior doctors would engage in talks for the sake of the patients and on humanitarian grounds,” she said.
“We have been waiting for over two hours, hoping that reason would guide the junior doctors… I apologise to the people who expected that the issue would be resolved today,” she said and claimed that “external instructions” were influencing some junior doctors not to engage in discussions.
Referring to negative comments against her government on social media, she said, “Many tried to malign our government even on social media. People came out for justice but they don’t know that there is a political colour diverting it… They want the chair. I am ready to resign from my post for the sake of the people. I don’t want the chair.” -
Putin invites Modi for talks at BRICS
In a boost to peace efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met Russian President Vladimir Putin today and conveyed details of the discussions between India and Ukraine on possible measures for resolving the conflict.
Doval met Putin on the sidelines of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) NSAs meeting at Saint Petersburg. During the meeting, Putin proposed a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month on the sidelines of the BRICS leaders’ summit in Kazan, Russia.
PM Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had met in Kyiv on August 23, with Doval present among the inner core group of Modi’s team during the meeting. The Indian NSA conveyed details of the talks in Kyiv, according to the Kremlin, which published a transcript and photos of the Putin-Doval meeting on its website. The transcript quoted Doval as saying, “He (Modi) wanted me to come in person and tell you about the talks that took place (in Kyiv). It was a closed format, only the two leaders were present, and I was with Prime Minister (Modi); I witnessed this conversation.”
Earlier this month, Putin suggested that China, India, and Brazil could act as mediators in potential peace talks with Ukraine. Source: TNS -
‘Bulldozing laws of country’: Supreme Court again slams ‘bulldozer justice’
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday, September 12, once again criticised the concept of “bulldozer justice” in the country, observing that such demolition threats are inconceivable in a country where the law is supreme.
A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia, and SVN Bhatti said the court cannot be oblivious to actions that may be seen as “running a bulldozer over the laws of the land”.
The court made strong observations while hearing a case related to the attempted demolition of an ancestral house in Gujarat’s Kheda district because of the alleged involvement of a family member in a criminal incident.
The petitioner, Javedali Mahebubmiya Saiyed, has claimed that the Kathlal Nagar Palika had issued a notice of demolition on September 6 — four days after a first information report (FIR) was lodged against his brother on charges of sexual harassment and assault.
In his petition, Saiyed contended that the demolition was intended to punish the family for criminal charges slapped on one member of the family.
During Thursday’s hearing, the Supreme Court said that alleged involvement in a crime is not grounds for demolishing properties. -
25 Punjab travel agencies caught in scam for offering fake jobs abroad
Chandigarh (TIP)- Amid rising incidents of travel agencies sending gullible youths to Western nations via donkey route or to Russia to fight its war against Ukraine, the Punjab Police’s NRI and Cyber Crime wings in coordination with the Protectorate of Emigrants, Chandigarh, launched a crackdown against erring agencies, says a Tribune report.
The authorities booked 25 travel agencies operating from different parts of the state for illegally advertising employment opportunities on social media platforms, mainly Instagram (IG) and Facebook (FB). The Protectorate of Emigrants had flagged the rising trend of advertising on Instagram and Facebook wherein travel agents lure youths by offering “sure shot” jobs in foreign countries with easy documentation.
ADGP Praveen K Sinha said these unscrupulous agencies had been operating and offering jobs without possessing the requisite license and permissions. “We checked the online platforms and after verifying their credentials, FIRs were registered against them,” he said.
A total of 20 FIRs have been registered under Sections 24/25 of the Emigration Act at various NRI police stations in the state, including in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Sangrur and SAS Nagar.
Sinha said the operation specifically targeted those illegal agencies, which were advertising on social platforms offering overseas jobs to unsuspecting victims, mostly youths, and duping them of their hard-earned money.
Several instances have come to the fore where youths from Punjab and other states were tricked by unscrupulous agents into joining the Russian army. NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal recently said the government would take stern action against travel agents working illegally in the state.
Ludhiana
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Jalandhar
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Hoshiarpur
RS Enterprises | Target Immigration | PS Enterprises -
Indian Americans celebrate Festival of India 2024: A celebration of culture, unity, and Indian heritage in Georgia
ATLANTA, GA (TIP): In his first Independence Day address since beginning his third term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated a vision for a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) by 2047, drawing inspiration from the nation’s freedom struggle in a stirring speech delivered from the historic Red Fort on August 15, 2024. Underlining the power of collective determination during the freedom struggle, he noted how 40 crore people managed to overthrow colonial rule and expressed confidence that today’s citizens could achieve much more. “This is the golden period of Bharat. Viksit Bharat 2047 awaits us,” he declared, underscoring the significant efforts underway to meet this goal. The speech served as a clarion call for national pride and collective effort toward advancing India’s technological and industrial capabilities on the global stage.
His vision resonated across the globe. Tricolors flew beyond seven seas at the grand 28th Annual Festival of India celebrations hosted by the India American Cultural Association (IACA) at the Gas South Center. From spectacular cultural performances that showcased India’s rich tapestry of traditional dance forms to the awe-inspiring headless dance by Indian performing artist Robo Ganesan, the festival, with its bazaar, fanfare, pageantry, a movie trailer release, and seminars, attracted over 6,000 attendees and 60 diverse vendors. The festival echoed the honor and rich heritage of India across borders. “Festival of India was a grand success, with more attendance than in recent years. The festival witnessed celebrity guest Jayaprada and Attorney General Chris Carr,” said Kaushal Tripathi, President of IACA.
“As a member of the FOI founding team since 1997, it is heartening to see FOI grow over the years and help us celebrate India’s Independence Day every year joyfully. During the preparation and on the event day, we touch the lives of so many kids, performers, families, and volunteers and get a chance to meet many of our community friends and exchange pleasantries,” noted Ani Agnihotri, BOD, IACA.
The 300 ft flag march, accompanied by the energetic Dhol Tasha by Nadtal Atlanta, enhanced the patriotic fervor! The Health Fair on-site featured over 16 different specialties, 22 physicians, and a blood drive. The Health Fair was organized by Dr. Lalitha Medepalli, Dr. Indira Devu, and Dr. Indira Menon.
Cultural performances highlighting diverse dance forms of India kept the audience enthralled throughout the day. “One of the main attractions of the Festival of India is the cultural program stage. It is always a challenge to stage over 40 performances involving over 300 artists, VIPs, and awardees. The cultural team worked overtime to meet the challenge, and it showed.
Several competitions, catering to various interests including art, chess, dance, and public speaking, provided a platform for participants to showcase their talents in their chosen fields.
“Festival of India celebrated its 28th anniversary with two new initiatives: the Women’s Forum and the Youth Forum. And we are very excited about both,” said Chand Akkineni, Chairman, BOD, IACA, who also conceptualized the idea of FOI in 1997.
Art competition hosted by Shashikala Foundation, Public Speaking organized by Area G71- Youth Leadership coordinators Ranjitha Veena Kadam & Lina Surianto, IACA Mohar Chess Tournament, organized by Mohua Maity owner of Mohar chess with Anna Baumstark, Joseph Couvillion, Viral Shah. With Dr. Fun Fong, President of GCA, who sponsored all the chess sets, clocks, attracted kids and young adults alike, drawing large participants in each of the activities. The winners were awarded at the event. The Dance competition held earlier in the day was coordinated by Geetanjali Talukdar, BOD, IACA.
Public Speaking competition was organized by-Area G71 Toastmaster Youth Leadership Co-ordinators-Ranjithaveena Pol & Lina Surianto. Winners included 1st place- Kashvi Anantharam, 2nd place- Agasthya Tutukuri, 3rd place – Jerrick Jayasarathi in Middle School Category, 1st place – Gitanjali Nair in High School category and 1st place – Shourya Tutukuri, 2nd place – Thiru Sowrirajan in Table topics.
Food from 5 well known restaurants and shopping aplenty completed the wholesome experience.
“Months of dedicated efforts by volunteers and organizers bring this festival alive. Sincere and heartfelt thanks to each of them who contributed wholeheartedly,” the board members said in a joint statement. -
Indian-American entrepreneur releases song to mobilize South Asians to vote for Kamala Harris
‘Nacho Nacho’ isn’t just a song, it’s a movement, says Ajay Jain Bhutoria, National Finance Committee member for Harris for President
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): To harness the power of Bollywood music, an Indian-American entrepreneur and a major fundraiser for the Democratic party has released a music video to mobilize South Asians in key battleground states to vote for presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election.
The song, “Nacho Nacho”, has been performed by Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap and produced by Ritesh Parikh and his creative team is the brainchild of Ajay Jain Bhutoria, National Finance Committee member for Harris for President.
“‘Nacho Nacho’ isn’t just a song, it’s a movement. This campaign aims to connect with the diverse South Asian-American community across battleground states and key districts.
“With over 4.4 million Indian-Americans and 6 million South Asians eligible to vote, our goal is to help propel Vice-President Kamala Harris to victory in 2024. The video transcends language and cultural barriers, resonating with voters in Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali and more,” said Bhutoria.
Parikh, the founder of Awesome TV, said, “Bollywood has always been about breaking barriers and telling stories that unite us. Kamala Harris embodies that same vision – bringing people together and championing a future where diversity is our greatest strength. Her journey is a story we all believe in.” Bhutoria said the lyrics and dance moves reflect the festive spirit of the community and send a strong message to vote for Harris.
“In 2020, we made history by electing the first woman of South Asian and African-American descent as vice president. Now, in 2024, it’s time to make her our next president,” he said.
He plans to release more Bollywood-inspired music videos to boost the voter turnout for Harris and her vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz.
“In the 2020 campaign, we saw Bollywood-inspired videos go viral, and we will repeat that success. The South Asian vote could be decisive in this election and we will work tirelessly to turn out every vote,” Bhutoria said.
(Source: PTI) -
Indian-born Jinson Charls appointed minister in Australia
MELBOURNE (TIP): Kerala-born Jinson Charls, who defeated a sitting Labor minister in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) elections, will become the new minister for disability, arts, veterans and multicultural affairs in the regional government, according to a media report on Monday, September 9.
Charls was among the two India-born politicians elected to the regional assembly last month. Khoda Patel of Gujarat descent also won a seat.
Their Country Liberal Party (CLP) secured a landslide victory in elections in the Northern Territory on August 24, claiming 17 of the Legislative Assembly’s 25 seats.
Charls, who worked as a registered nurse and in health leadership roles, will become the new minister for disability, arts, veterans and multicultural affairs. He will also manage the portfolios of youth, seniors and equality, as well as people, sport and culture, as reported on Monday.
“His appointment marks a historic occasion for the NT parliament, with the new government featuring the highest-ever representation of politicians of South Asian and South-East Asian heritage,” it said in an earlier report.
Charls and the new Casuarina MLA, Khoda Patel, were born in India, while the new Fong Lim MLA, Tanzil Rahman, has Bangladeshi roots, and the new Wanguri MLA, Oly Carlson, is of Indonesian heritage.
“I have been getting phone calls, messages, for the last few days, including the media back in India – they are excited as well,” Charls, who toppled a sitting Labor environment minister, was quoted as saying by the ABC.
“A first-generation migrant coming over to a different country, to a different culture, and people up here supporting, because it’s for the people’s mandate.”
The first and only prior Indian-born Northern Territory MLA was Labour member June D’Rozario, who held the seat of Sanderson between 1977 and 1983.
Born in Kerala, Charls studied Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery before migrating to Australia in 2011, according to his profile on the party website.
Moving to Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, in 2015, he worked as a Registered Nurse in the Alcohol Mandatory Treatment program, which was then scrapped by Labor in 2017 – despite the real, positive outcomes that the program delivered, it said.
Charls has held senior leadership positions in health, delivering mental health care to Territorians, working as a team manager and operations manager. His passion for delivering quality health care services led to him being appointed the Director of Acute Services, Top End Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drug Services (NT Health).
He is married to Anu. They have two daughters – Aimie (10) and Anna (4). He currently serves as the president of the Darwin Malayalee Association.
His party colleague Patel moved to Cyprus before shifting to Australia and starting a family. Patel is married to Nilam. They have two kids – Anika (7) and Krishna who just turned one.
(Source: PTI) -
Indian origin British teen completes solo swim of the English Channel for charity
LONDON (TIP): A British Indian schoolgirl who recently turned 16 has made history as one of the youngest to cross the notoriously choppy English Channel to raise funds for a charity fighting against childhood hunger across India and the UK. Prisha Tapre, a pupil at Bushey Meads School in north London, was motivated by a family discussion about the English Channel to take on the challenge when she was just 12. After four years of training, she went on to complete the 34-kilometre swim from the coast of Dover in England to Cap Gris Nez in France last week in 11 hours and 48 minutes. “It was quite choppy at the start, but when the sun started to rise, I knew that the worst bit was done with,” said Tapre, reliving her mission in an interview from her home at Watford in Hertfordshire.
“It’s always the first two hours that are the hardest part of the swim because it’s about getting your mind around the fact that this is where you’re going to be for the next few hours. I was beginning to get quite sleepy, and my eyes were about to shut, but then the sun started to come up and the sleep went away. The weather conditions were amazing, still; the best I could have asked for,” she said.
The swimming enthusiast, who describes the lake near her home as her “calm place”, used lots of meditative techniques and even felt a strange bond with the jellyfish that stung her along the way.
“The jellyfish stings were probably my favorite bit because it’s just an extra feeling. After swimming for like nine hours, you’re in a sort of trance. But then the jellyfish stings kind of reminded me that I’m actually alive. I know it sounds odd, but it was something to tick off my bucket list,” she shared.
As for thoughts of giving up during the course of such a grueling solo swim or any “rough patches”, she overcame them with a single-minded focus on her goal as she did not want to let down her family, her support crew and herself.
“I just kept thinking, four years you’ve dedicated to this one day of your life. It can’t be that bad. And, for those four years, my coach has been saying that swimming is 60 per cent mental and 40 per cent physical. So, I kept reminding myself that this is where I am meant to be; giving up would be selfish,” she said.
The UK-born teenager, whose parents hail from Maharashtra, raised GBP 3,700 for her chosen charity – Akshaya Patra UK, the British chapter of the India-headquartered non-profit organization with a mission to provide hot meals to children in need.
“Part of the reason I chose my charity Akshaya Patra is because I wanted a charity that I could relate to. When I found out Akshaya Patra helps kids both in England and India, it really connected with me. I wanted a charity that has both sides of me. My heart goes out to all those kids who live in poverty, both in England and India, where there’s no promise of a meal at the end of the day,” said the young fundraiser.
Now, having completed such a tough mission with the support of the Watford Swimming Club, Tapre is keen to focus on her new school term which began this month.
However, she remains determined to take on even bigger challenges even as she works towards a career in medicine, perhaps related to the field of sports.
“I do need a lot more time to focus on my studies, but that will not stop me from continuing swimming because to me it is like free time. I would rather come home from school and instead of going on my phone, go down to my lake. In terms of what I want to swim next, there’s just a lot of options; I definitely want to complete a 24-hour swim, though not sure when. What I do know is that after the Channel, the swims are only going to keep getting bigger,” she added. -
Indian-origin Israeli soldier killed in West Bank
TEL AVIV (TIP): A 24-year-old Indian-origin Israeli soldier from the Bnei Menashe community was killed in a vehicle-ramming attack close to the West Bank’s Beit El settlement, community members said on Thursday., September 12, PTI reports. Staff Sergeant Geri Gideon Hanghal was a resident of Nof HaGalil and a soldier in the Kfir Brigade’s Nahshon Battalion, the Israeli Army said.
Community members told PTI that they were “in shock at the news of the loss of a young life” on Wednesday near Asaf Junction. His funeral will be held on Thursday, they said.
Hanghal immigrated to Israel from the northeastern part of India in 2020.Some 300 Bnei Menashe youngsters are said to be doing Army duty during the current war, most of them serving in combat units. The Bnei Menashe, hailing from India’s north-eastern states of Manipur and Mizoram, are believed to have descended from the Israelite tribe of Menasseh, one of the “lost tribes” of ancient times. Shlomo Amar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi, declared them descendants of Menasseh in 2005 paving the path for their immigration to Israel as members of a “lost tribe”.
Some 5,000 members of the Bnei Menashe community are said to have immigrated to Israel, including almost 1,500 in the past five years. Another 5,500 still live in India and are waiting to immigrate. Nof HaGalil Mayor, Ronen Plot, was quoted by Ynetnews as saying that “the city of Nof HaGalil mourns and grieves the loss of Staff Sgt. Hanghal. Gideon was a member of the Bnei Menashe community, which is very dear to my heart—good, humble and patriotic people”.
Footage from the scene of the attack showed a truck with a Palestinian license plate veering off a busy highway and barrel full speed into an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) guard post adjacent to a bus stop before coming to a halt.
The suspect was named by Israeli security sources as 58-year-old Hayil Dhaifallah, from the central West Bank town of Rafat.
The attack follows a series of attempted suicide bombings and shooting incidents emanating from the West Bank and claimed by Islamic Hamas.
Hamas on October 7 last year launched a dastardly attack on Israel, leading to the ongoing war in Gaza. Israel has said that it is stepping up its counter-terrorism operations in the West Bank claiming that Iran-backed groups are smuggling weapons into the area from Jordan and trying to carry out attacks in Israeli territory.
The Palestinian health ministry in the West Bank on Wednesday said that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tubas overnight.
Another two people were injured by Israeli fire, one critically, as troops raided Tubas and the neighboring town of Tammun, Palestinian state agency Wafa reported. IDF confirmed the airstrikes, once a rare occurrence in the West Bank, saying it targeted members of a terror cell.
The IDF has carried out more than 70 airstrikes in the West Bank since October 7, using drones, attack helicopters, and fighter jets.
Local media reports have been eluding that the Israeli defense brass is increasingly worried that the violence in the West Bank could swell into a major conflagration.
The spiraling violence has also been fueled by hardline Israeli settlers in the central and northern West Bank who have carried out several attacks on Palestinians in recent weeks, including a fiery rampage on a village last month in which a Palestinian man was killed while trying to confront the rioters. The Palestinian Authority (PA) health ministry has claimed that more than 670 Palestinians have been killed by Israel in the West Bank, which is under the PA control, since October 7.
The IDF has said that the vast majority of those dead were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops, or terrorists carrying out attacks.
Israel is said to have also arrested some 5,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank over the last eleven months, including more than 2,000 said to be linked to Hamas.
(Source: PTI) -
Indian-origin MP Deshi is UK’s first turbaned Sikh elected chairman of defense committee
LONDON (TIP): Britain’s first turbaned Sikh MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has been elected chairman of the Defense Committee of the new Parliament.
Dhesi was elected on Wednesday following a ballot. The Labor MP from Slough received 320 of the 563 valid votes. His opponent and fellow Labor MP Derek Twigg received 243 votes.
“I am delighted to have been elected Chair of the Defense Committee. I would like to thank my colleagues across the House for placing their confidence in me,” Dhesi said.
“The threats we face at home and abroad are growing in both scale and complexity. As Defense Committee Chair, I will focus on ensuring our nation can rise to these challenges. I will be a voice in Parliament for Armed Forces personnel and veterans – brave individuals who make an invaluable contribution to our safety and security,” he added.
Congratulating him in a message, former Indian MP Tarlochan Singh, who is currently in the UK on a brief visit, said, “Dhesi becoming the Chairman of the prestigious Parliamentary Committee dealing with army, air force and naval services is a tribute to his role in the previous two parliaments. I having been a Member of Parliament in India, and I know the importance of the Parliamentary Committees. Parliament and the Government of the UK has shown their confidence in Dhesi’s ability.” -
‘Hilsa diplomacy’ takes a hit after change of government in Bangladesh: Report
Dhaka (TIP): This Durga Puja season there is a shortage of Hilsa. The reason: Bangladesh, the world’s largest producer of the fish, has intensified its crackdown on the transportation of hilsa to neighbouring India, reinforcing a long-standing ban on exports.
Farida Akhter, adviser to the Bangladesh ministry of fisheries and livestock has been quoted as saying by the BBC that the renewed effort, which came a month after a new government took office in Dhaka, is to ensure that the prized fish remains more accessible to consumers in Bangladesh.
“The previous government would lift the ban during the Durga Puja festival. They used to call it a gift. This time I don’t think we need to give a gift because [if we do it] our people will not be able to eat the fish while it is allowed to be exported to India in large numbers,” Akhter told the BBC.
This stand marks a clear departure from deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s renowned “hilsa diplomacy” with India, where she often allowed consignments of the fish to be transported to India during the festival season.
Bangladesh is the leading producer of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha), a kind of species of fish related to the herring, abundant in the Bay of Bengal and also thriving in rivers. (Agencies) -
BSF personnel injured in cross border firing by Pakistani troops
Karachi (TIP): A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel was injured early on September 12 when Pakistani troops opened fire on Indian positions along the border, officials told news agency PTI.
According to Times of India, it was an incident of “unprovoked firing” from Pakistani troops targeting Indian posts in the Akhnoor area on Wednesday. The incident occurred at around 2:35 am. One BSF personnel sustained injuries in Pakistan firing and now troops are on high alert, the BSF spokesperson added.
According to India Today, the Indian troops retaliated to the unprovoked firing from the other side of the LoC and gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani Rangers. However, there was no immediate report of any casualties or injuries on the other side.
According to a BSF spokesperson, Indian forces are maintaining high alert and closely monitoring both the International Border and the Line of Control, PTI said. India and Pakistan, in February 2021, had reaffirmed their ceasefire agreement following which these incidents had become rare. However, last year, a BSF jawan was killed in a similar attack by Pakistani Rangers (PTI) -
Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia admitted to hospital
Dhaka (TIP): Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia was admitted to a private hospital in the early hours of September 12, according to a media report.
The 79-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson arrived at Evercare Hospital from her Gulshan residence around 1.40 am, BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.
Her physician, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, said the medical board has recommended several tests and she has been placed in a private cabin following her admission to the hospital. “The next course of her treatment will be determined after reviewing the test results,” he said.
On August 21, Zia had returned home after 45-day treatment at the same hospital.
The former prime minister, who was under house arrest for the past five years, was freed by an order of Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on August 6.
She was acquitted of all charges against her following the fall of the Awami League government led by her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
The BNP chief has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart and eyes. A pacemaker was successfully installed in her chest on June 23 by a group of specialist doctors.Her doctors have been recommending sending her abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021.
Earlier this month, Zia was acquitted in five separate cases, including one filed over allegations of celebrating a “fake birthday” and another for supporting war criminals.
Zia served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006. (PTI) -
Six Pakistan MPs from Imran Khan’s party held by court over new protest law
ISLAMABAD (TIP): Six Pakistan MPs from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party were among more than 30 people remanded in custody on september 11 under a new law restricting protests. It comes after thousands of supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party gathered in the capital Islamabad on Sunday for a rally that was broken up with tear gas.
The party has faced a sweeping crackdown since former cricket start Khan was jailed in August last year on a series of charges that he says are politically motivated and designed to keep him from power.
The MPs appeared at an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad where a judge remanded them in custody for eight days, an AFP journalist witnessed.
They are accused of violating the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024 — passed just last week — according to a charge sheet seen by AFP in court.
In total 34 people were named on the charge sheet as having been remanded in custody.
PTI leader and senior lawyer Muhammad Shoaib Shaheen, who appeared in court alongside the MPs, faced a police complaint about an “attack on officials”, “armed riots” and “illegal assembly” after Sunday’s rally and was also remanded in custody.
“I was picked up from my office around 7:30 pm,” he said at the court.
“These small obstacles won’t hold us back. We are the soldiers of Imran Khan, and we stand with him,” he said.
Several of the group were rounded up by police as they left the National Assembly building in the capital on Monday night, PTI’s media team said.
Gohar Ali Khan, PTI chairman in Imran Khan’s absence, was also taken away by police but later released, he told reporters. “These are not the offences where you should charge people with terrorism legislation,” he told the media.
Thousands of Khan supporters turned out for Sunday’s rally, the largest in the capital since February elections when rival parties formed a coalition to keep PTI from power, despite the party winning the most seats. It was the first demonstration since the government passed a new law regulating public gatherings, which it said would allow for peaceful assembly subject to reasonable restrictions.
Political, religious and civil rights groups frequently stage sit-ins and protests in Pakistan that can see cities shut down for days.
However, rights groups say the law is a curb on freedom of expression and it part of a continued crackdown on peaceful protests. City authorities gave permission for the demonstration to go ahead but it continued beyond the stipulated time and authorities used to tear gas to disperse crowds.
Authorities had earlier warned of legal action “for violation of the permission”.
Imran Khan rose to power in 2018 with the help of the military, analysts say, but was ousted in 2022 after reportedly falling out with the generals.
A United Nations panel of experts found this month that his detention “had no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running for political office”.
Several convictions against him have been overturned by the courts.
Several members of the PTI’s social media and press team were rounded up last month and accused of “anti-state propaganda”. (AFP) -
Nepal lifts ban on TikTok
Nepal (TIP): Effective on Sep 13, Nepal has lifted the ban on popular social media App TikTok with some pre-conditions. Nepal had banned TikTok on November 12 last year, arguing that the social networking site was responsible for disturbing social harmony in the country, which invited widespread criticism from the general public. A notice by Nepal Telecommunication, said, “This is to notify all the Internet Service Providers and Mobile Service Providers that the ban imposed on TikTok has been withdrawn.”
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Mexico becomes first country to approve popular election of judges
MEXICO CITY (TIP): Mexico became the world’s first country to allow voters to elect judges at all levels on September 11, after protesters invaded the upper house and suspended debate on the issue.
Outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had pushed hard for the reform and criticized the current judicial system for serving the interests of the political and economic elite.
The reform was approved with 86 votes in favor and 41 against, garnering the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution, in an upper chamber dominated by the ruling Morena party and its allies.
Debate on the reform had sparked mass demonstrations, diplomatic tensions and investor jitters.
Senate leader Gerardo Fernandez Norona declared a recess after demonstrators stormed the upper house and entered the chamber, chanting “The judiciary will not fall.”
Lawmakers were forced to move to a former Senate building, where they resumed their debate as demonstrators outside shouted “Mr. Senator, stop the dictator!”
Obrador, who wanted the bill approved before he is replaced by close ally Claudia Sheinbaum on October 1, said that protesters were protecting the interests of the political elite. “What most worries those who are against this reform is that they will lose their privileges, because the judiciary is at the service of the powerful, at the service of white-collar crime,” the leftist leader said at a news conference.
‘Demolition of the judiciary’
Opponents, including court employees and law students, have held a series of protests against the plan, under which even Supreme Court and other high-level judges, as well as those at the local level, would be chosen by popular vote.
Around 1,600 judges would have to stand for election in 2025 or 2027.
“This does not exist in any other country,” said Margaret Satterthwaite, United Nations special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. (AFP) -
Death toll climbs to 199 in Vietnam as typhoon’s aftermath brings flash floods and landslides
HANOI, Vietnam (TIP): Nearly 200 people have died in Vietnam in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi and 128 are missing as flash floods and landslides take their toll, state media reported September 12. Vietnam’s VNExpress newspaper reported that 199 people have died while more than 800 have been injured.
In the capital, flood waters from the Red River receded slightly but many areas were still inundated with water neck-high in some places.
In Hanoi’s Tay Ho district, people waded through muddy brown water above their knees to make their way along one street, some still wearing their bicycle and motorcycle helmets after abandoning their vehicles along the way.
Pedestrians hiked up their shorts as high as possible to avoid being soaked by the wake caused by a delivery truck powering its way through the water.
Bakery owner Mai Anh evacuated the area with her family to shelter with her parents, but returned Thursday to check on her shop and found more than two feet (half a meter) of water still inside.
“I can’t do business with the flood like this,” she said. “The goods in my shop are all destroyed.” The flooding in Hanoi has been reportedly the worst in two decades. Residents started evacuating the area Tuesday as the flood waters rose, and power and drinking water have been cut since Wednesday. The flood waters damaged the doors to Hoang Anh Tu’s home, from which he operates a beer shop. Though he and his family were able to relocate to his parents’ house, they have had to take turns guarding the building. “It’s very difficult,” he said. “We haven’t even been able to assess the damage because the flood came so fast.” (AP) -
Israeli strike on tent camp in Gaza ‘safe zone’ kills at least 40 Palestinians
DEIR AL-BALAH (TIP): An Israeli strike on a crowded tent camp housing Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza killed at least 40 people and wounded 60 others early September 11, Palestinian officials said. Israel said it targeted “significant” Hamas militants and disputed the death toll. It was among the deadliest strikes yet in Muwasi, a sprawl of crowded tent camps along the Gaza coast that Israel designated as a humanitarian zone for hundreds of thousands of civilians to seek shelter from the Israel-Hamas war. Gaza’s Civil Defense said its first responders recovered 40 bodies from the strike and were still looking for people. (AP)
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Spain’s Constitutional Court to examine Catalan amnesty
MADRID (TIP): Spain’s Constitutional Court said September 11 it will examine the constitutionality of an amnesty law for Catalan separatists, raising doubts over its application to hundreds of people including secessionist leader Carles Puigdemont.
Spanish lawmakers in May narrowly approved the bill which grants an amnesty to hundreds of separatists involved in Catalonia’s botched 2017 independence bid that triggered Spain’s worst political crisis in decades.
Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s minority coalition government depends on Catalan separatist parties to pass legislation and any complication in the application of the law could cause them to withdraw their support. He agreed to the controversial measure in exchange for the separatist parties’ parliamentary support to secure a new term in office.
Spain’s conservative opposition has staged massive street protests against the amnesty law, which judges must decide to apply on a case-by-case basis.
The Constitutional Court, which has a conservative majority, said it had “unanimously” accepted a request from the Supreme Court to rule on the constitutionality of the law as it could violate the principle that all Spaniards are equal before the law.
The court could take months to review the amnesty law. Dozens of people have already benefited from the measure, while others are still waiting for the courts to rule on their case.
Judges have refused to apply the measure to several high-profile Catalan pro-independence figures, including Puigdemont who fled Spain shortly after the failed 2017 secession bid to avoid prosecution and currently lives in Belgium. Spain’s main opposition Popular Party (PP) and several regional governments, including one led by the Socialists, have also filed a challenge against the amnesty law with the Constitutional Court. (AFP) -
France slams Azerbaijan’s ‘arbitrary’ jailing of graffiti sprayer
PARIS (TIP): France on September 12 accused Azerbaijan of inflicting “arbitrary and discriminatory treatment” on one of its citizens, jailed for three years for spraying graffiti on the Baku metro. “Theo Clerc was sentenced on September 10 by an Azerbaijani court to three years’ detention… while his two co-defendants on exactly the same charges, with a different nationality, were sentenced only to a fine,” a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.
“France condemns the arbitrary and discriminatory treatment of which our fellow citizen is the victim,” he added.
Paris, a longtime supporter of Armenia and home to a sizeable Armenian diaspora, has long had frosty relations with the country’s arch-rival Azerbaijan.
That has intensified since the second war between the neighbours over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region in 2020 and Baku’s seizure of control over the territory last year — leading to the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians.
Paris this year accused Azerbaijan of interfering in its internal politics by stoking tensions in overseas territories and dependencies — including the Pacific archipelago New Caledonia, rocked by deadly unrest from mid-May.
Baku hosted a two-day congress of separatist movements from such French territories in July, at which they agreed to set up an “International Front for the Liberation of French Colonies” and accused France of racism and repression.
Paris said Thursday that citizens and dual nationals are “advised against travel to Azerbaijan unless it is imperative to do so, because of the risk of arbitrary detention and unfair court proceedings”.
Another Frenchman, Martin Ryan, is currently detained in Azerbaijan, accused of espionage, with Paris “categorically” rejecting the Azerbaijani accusations.
International focus on Azerbaijan — ruled by President Ilham Aliyev since the death of his father Heydar in 2003 — is expected to increase in the next months as the gas-rich Caspian state hosts in November the COP 29 UN climate change conference. (AFP)