Tag: Ladakh News

Ban caste discrimination: Ambedkar Intl Center to Seattle City Council

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The Ambedkar International Center, Inc. (AIC), a US-based civil rights group that fights against caste oppression, and other groups have asked the Seattle City Council to ban caste-based discrimination. The proposed ordinance, officially introduced by Councilmember Kshama Sawant, would put Seattle at the national forefront of protecting the caste-discriminated.
The proposed ordinance for the Seattle City Council would add caste to its civil rights laws, prohibit caste-based discrimination, and include protections against discrimination in employment, public places, housing, and contracting, said a press release from the AIC.
BREAKING: Councilmember Kshama Sawant and community leaders are announcing first-in-the-nation legislation aimed at combatting caste discrimination in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/LTanmrZwaa
— Seattle City Council (@SeattleCouncil) January 24, 2023
The AIC has worked closely with council member Kshama Sawant, the Coalition of Seattle Indian-Americans (CSAI), Equality Labs, and the Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA) to help draft this proposed ordinance. This proposal builds on AIC’s policy in Seattle and advocacy efforts to end caste-based discrimination and fight for justice for victims of caste discrimination.
“Taking up such a model legislation is the need of the hour; a raft of evidence shows that the evils of caste and caste discrimination is present in the United States”, said Anil Wagde, a member of the AIC. According to the Seattle-based AIC, the 2020 census data shows that the South Asian population is the fastest-growing major ethnic group in Seattle, home to a large tech industry, where caste discrimination has thrived.
“The proposal comes in light of a growing movement to recognize and stop caste discrimination in the States. If passed, Seattle will become the first city in the States to ban caste discrimination and add protections against it,” stated the release.
More recently, Brown University became the first Ivy League institution to add caste to its non-discrimination policy and explicitly prohibit caste discrimination, joining a number of US colleges and universities. The AIC’s in Seattle proposal is also being supported by Ambedkarite Buddhist Association of Texas, Boston Study Group and Ambedkar Kings Study Circle.
“Such legislation will not only bring the evils of caste to light and how caste bias operates but will also be much-needed legal teeth for the victims of caste discrimination. We thank Council member Kshama Sawant for her support and CSAI for this initiation. We would also like to thank our policy advisor Sumit Anand for his guidance and expertise. We hope that other city councils will follow suit and these small steps culminate in a national ban on caste discrimination”, Anil added.

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#Ban #caste #discrimination #Ambedkar #Intl #Center #Seattle #City #Council
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
Biden ‘personally’ understands impact of layoffs on family: White House

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New York: With massive tech layoffs hitting Indians in the US, the White House has said that President Joe Biden “personally” understands how losing a job impacts a family.
In the last several weeks, major IT behemoths like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have fired thousands of tech professionals, a significant number of whom are either Indian-Americans or Indian IT professionals.
Most of these professionals, who are on H-1B visa, have to leave the country in 60 days if they are unable to find another alternative to sustain.
“President understands firsthand how the impact of losing a job can have on a family. He understands that very personally. But I’m just not going to get into individual specifics,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday.
More than 65,000 employees have been sacked by 166 tech companies to date, and according to economists, deeper layoffs are coming in 2023.
While Google announced to lay off 12,000 employees, Amazon earlier announced to lay off 18,000 employees globally, including nearly 1,000 in India.
The companies say they are firing people as recession is on the horizon.
“Again, I’m just not going to get into specifics on why this is happening. This is something for individual companies to speak to,” Jean-Pierre said.

She said that with the US economy continuing to grow in a steady and stable manner, Biden is “going to do everything that he can to make sure this is an economy that works for everyone, that works from the bottom up and middle out. And that’s what you’ve seen from his economic plans”.
Indians scrambling for new jobs have asked elected representatives in Congress for the visa grace period to be extended beyond 60 days.
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#Biden #personally #understands #impact #layoffs #family #White #House
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
MasterChef India: Contestant lays out South Indian cuisine beyond idli, dosa

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New Delhi: ‘MasterChef India’ contestant Aruna Vijay from Chennai spoke about exploring South Indian cuisine and how it is not just confined to idli, dosa, and rice; there is a lot more in South India.
She said: “Many people take south Indian cuisine for granted and believe we simply eat idlis, dosa, and rice, which is not the case. Having the chance to disprove this type of stereotype makes me feel elated. I am proud to be representing my home state. I will be able to evolve people’s mindset about Tamil Nadu and its flavourful cuisine. We really are a rich state, bursting with flavours and I am only but a medium of spreading the word about Tamilian cuisine.”
Aruna is now among the Top 15 contestants on the show. She added that it is a great responsibility to represent a state as what you prepare will be making a perception in the minds of people of what all eat in that particular part.
“There of course is the responsibility of representation and correct representation that I shoulder. It’s not only pride that courses through me when I think about my purpose on the show for Tamil Nadu but also immense love for my home. I feel like I invite viewers every day to my kitchen whenever I cook on the show and show them a glimpse into the culinary history of Tamil Nadu,” she added.
The chef added that there are times on the show when she is not happy with her preparation and it is quite challenging to overcome the feeling of dissatisfaction and start again.
“There have been times when I am not happy with my plate and many times when I am and that goes to show how a cook really puts their blood, sweat and tears into plating their creation. I feel no less than an artist at work, painting with masalas and ingredients. No journey is without its hurdles and of course, I have foreseen my difficulties but they only challenge me, my inner chef,” she concluded.
‘MasterChef India’ airs on Sony Entertainment Television.

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#MasterChef #India #Contestant #lays #South #Indian #cuisine #idli #dosa
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
Jr NTR hails Keeravaani, Chandrabose after ‘Naatu Naatu’ bags Oscar nomination

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Hyderabad: Actor Jr NTR is ecstatic as the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘RRR’ has been nominated for Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards. This is the first time that a Telugu-language song has been nominated in the category.
The peppy dance number composed by M.M. Keeravani and penned by Chandrabose is now vying for the top music honour at the Oscar Aawards.
Celebrating the nomination of ‘Naatu Naatu’, Jr NTR wrote on social media, “Congratulations @MMKeeravaani Garu and @boselyricist Garu on achieving another well-deserved and monumental feat… This song will forever hold a special place in my heart.”
Jr NTR danced his heart out in shiny suspenders in ‘Naatu Naatu’ alongside Ram Charan, which became a celebratory anthem across the globe. The song was earlier honoured with a Golden Globe award for Best Original Song.
In ‘RRR’, Jr NTR portrays Komaram Bheem, an Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter in the colonial-era. The film had an unprecedented run at the global box-office.
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#NTR #hails #Keeravaani #Chandrabose #Naatu #Naatu #bags #Oscar #nomination

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
Lucknow building collapse: Around 12 rescued, search operations underway, say officials

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Lucknow: Around a dozen people who were trapped after a four-storey residential building collapsed in Lucknow’s Hazratganj on Tuesday have been rescued and a search is on for others, officials said here.
An Army team has also arrived at the spot, they said.
Uttar Pradesh DGP D S Chauhan, who was at the site, said, “Around 12 people have been rescued. This is the hour of patience, not the time to rush because when you are cutting a building, it should not create any other problem. Rescue work is being carried out in a very scientific way, and I am confident that those who are trapped inside (under the debris) will be saved.” Asked what may have caused the collapse, Chauhan said, “The reasons will be known when the experts and the police carry out their investigations. As of now, as per our assumption, which is based on feedback from family members, around five-seven people are still inside (the debris).” The DGP added that the rescue operations will continue for another 12 hours.
District Magistrate Suryapal Gangwar said NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in rescue operations. “So far, 11 people have been rescued, and five more are possibly trapped. As per the clues obtained from the site of the collapse, the NDRF and SDRF teams are cutting the walls, and after cutting the walls, (trapped) people will be rescued.” “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is keeping a watch on the rescue operations. The defence minister has also given instructions. An Army team has arrived here for rescue work,” he added.
Asked if the building collapse may have been caused by an earthquake earlier in the day, he said, “This is not the right time to deliberate on the reasons. At present, the rescue operation is going on.” He added that contact has been established with two people who are trapped under the debris and oxygen supply has been arranged for them.
“All the people who have been rescued are safe and under stable treatment. Seven rescued people were sent to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Civil Hospital,” a police official said at the spot of the incident.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who earlier talked about the death of three people in the incident, retracted his comment.
Talking to PTI, he said there were initial reports of three people in an unconscious condition and were feared dead.

“But now information is coming that nobody is dead. Those rescued from the building have been moved to hospitals,” Pathak said.
“The rescue operation is going on. NDRF-SDRF personnel have arrived at the spot. Police jawans and fire brigade personnel have also arrived,” he said.
The Lucknow DM said local people informed the authorities that some work was going on in the basement of the building.
A 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted the remote mountainous districts in western Nepal on Tuesday, killing one person and damaging dozens of houses in the region, Nepalese officials had said.
Meteorological department sources here, when contacted, said that the depth of the earthquake was 10 kilometres, and its distance was 294 kilometres NNE (North North-East) from Lucknow.
Meanwhile, Adityanath directed officials to provide adequate treatment to the injured.
Directions have also been issued to hospitals to stay alert.
Pathak further said that the four-storey building had around 12 flats, out of which nine had occupants.
Many senior civil and police officials, including Principal Secretary to the chief minister Sanjay Prasad and DGP D S Chauhan are on the spot.
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#Lucknow #building #collapse #rescued #search #operations #underway #officials
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
CCI Snooker Classic 2023: National champion Chawla, Pherwani make winning starts

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Mumbai: National snooker champion Kamal Chawla of Railways and runner-up Sparsh Pherwani of Maharashtra launched their campaigns on a winning note, as they comfortably won their respective round of 64 matches of the Cricket Club of India (CCI)-organised Rs 12.1 lakh prize-money CCI Snooker Classic 2023 here on Tuesday.
Indian No. 1 Chawla potted steadily to brush aside the challenge from Delhi’s Sandeep Gulati marching to a 4-2 (78-12, 53-11, 37-84, 40-66, 65-39, and 53-29) victory in the best-of-7-frames encounter played at the CCI’s Sir Wilson Jones billiards hall.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai-based India No. 2, Pherwani was in good nick and compiled three half-century breaks as he sent E. Pandurangaiah of Railways crashing out by racing to a 4-0 (80-11, 94-21, 71-23, and 73-0) win.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra state No. 1 snooker player Hasan Badami showed good touch and was in control as he strolled past Uttar Pradesh’s Paras Gupta clinching a 4-2 (64-42, 58-78, 51-76, 81-51, 65-18, and 62-35) victory. Badami will take on Pherwani in the next round.
Mumbai’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha, the India No. 3, was also striking the ball well and rolled in three half-century breaks — 65 in the first frame, 81 in the third and 59 in the fifth — to overcome Dilip Kumar of Tamil Nadu for a convincing 4-2 (100-38, 18-61, 81-1, 58-65, 100-1, and 64-49) victory to join his city-mate Pherwani in the last 32.
Alfie Lee from England settled down quickly and without much opposition outplayed Ketan Chawla cruising to a 4-0 (71-6, 73-66, 72-13, and 78-65) win. The Englishman for his good showing produced runs of 42 and 44 in the first two frames during his win.
National Junior billiards champion Rayaan Ramzi of Mumbai crashed out losing 2-4 to Delhi’s Jaisom Malhotra in an absorbing match that went the distance. Razmi after losing the opening two frames came roaring back to win three successive frames to take a 3-2 lead. But, Malhotra arrested Rayaan’s charge by winning the sixth to level the frames scores before comfortably winning the decider to complete a 73-29, 72-58, 19-53, 36-67, 23-71, 58-28, and 76-19 success.
Results – Round of 64): Kamal Chawla (Rlys) bt Sandeep Gulati (Del) 4-2 (78(42,35)-12, 53-11, 37-84, 40-66, 65-39, 53-29); Jaison Malhotra (Del) bt Rayaan Razmi (Mah) 4-3 (73-29, 72-58, 19-53, 36-67, 23-71, 58-28, 76-19); Ishpreet Singh Chadha (Mah) bt Dilip Kumar (Tamil Nadu) 4-2 (100(65)-38, 18-61, 81(81)-1, 58-65(46), 100(59)-1, 64-49); Pushender Singh (Rlys) bt K. Srinu (Rlys) 4-2 (120(81)-0, 39-61, 66-29, 87-31, 53-61, 64-1; Sparsh Pherwani (Mah) bt E. Pandurangaiah (Rlys) 4-0 (80-11, 94(66)-21, 71(57)-23, 73(73)-0); Digvijay Kadian (Har) bt R. Girish (Rlys) 4-1 (57-30, 91(71)-7, 12-58, 60-19, 72-5); Hasan Badami (Mah) bt Paras Gupta (UP) 4-2 (64(53)-42, 58-78, 51-76, 81-51, 65-18, 62-35); Shivam Arora (Mah) bt Manan Chandra (PSPB) 4-1 (66-23, 48-84, 79-28, 74-18, 62-49); Alfie Lee (UK) bt Ketan Chawla ( ) 4-0 (71(42)-6, 73(44)-66, 72-13, 78-65).

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#CCI #Snooker #Classic #National #champion #Chawla #Pherwani #winning #starts
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
‘Pee-gate’: DGCA urged to withdraw suspension of pilot-in-command

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Delhi: Air India Joint Action Forum – a group of six unions, on Tuesday appealed to aviation regulator DGCA to withdraw the suspension of the pilot-in-command of an Air India flight in connection with the urination incident that occurred on November 26 last year.
In a letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the forum said that the due process of investigation has not been followed and vital steps in the investigation and enforcement have been skipped.
The unions have appealed to the DGCA to withdraw the harsh punishment and suspension of the pilot-in-command.
The forum represents six unions — Indian Pilots Guild, Indian Commercial Pilots Association, Air Corporation Employees Union, Air India Employees Union, All India Cabin Crew Association and Airline Pilots Association of India.
The letter written on Tuesday has also been marked to the Civil Aviation Minister, Aviation Secretary, CEO and COO of Air India.
Earlier, on Tuesday, Air India said it had closed the internal probe into the case and will also assist the flight’s pilot-in-command with an appeal against the suspension of his licence.
According to the letter, the entire crew comes under the judicial and operational control of the pilot-in-command.
“It is in this light that the pilot-in-command signed all reports and then directed the cabin supervisor to forward all reports to the company and its senior officers instantly upon landing to discuss the next step with the company, which was done and verified. Given the actual facts and non-existence of any eyewitnesses, it was decided by the pilot-in-command in consultation with his crew, that the passenger in seat 8C (Shankar) Mishra was not unruly, and could not be classified as unruly,” said the letter.

DGCA on January 20 imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India and suspended the license of the pilot-in-command for three months in the incident which occurred on November 26, 2022.
Moreover, the regulator also imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakh on the director of in-flight services of Air India for failing to discharge duties.
Earlier, on Monday, All India Cabin Crew Association said that the derostered Air India crew in connection with the Air India urination case should be rostered back on flights, terming the action against the pilot-in-command an unusually harsh punishment.
In a letter issued on Monday, the cabin crew body also termed the findings of an internal committee in the Air India urination case “flawed”.
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#Peegate #DGCA #urged #withdraw #suspension #pilotincommand
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
Telangana: Notification to fill 12K vacancies in residential institutions pending

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Hyderabad: The recruitment process in Telangana Residential Educational Institutions has come to a standstill. The government had decided to recruit for more than 12,000 vacancies. However, notifications for these vacancies have not been issued as yet and has disappointed the candidates waiting for them.
Earlier, the government had issued all approvals for appointments on 9,096 vacancies in minority, SC, ST and BC residential educational institutions. However, the Board of Recruitment of Residential Educational Institutions (TREIRB) has not yet issued a single notification for appointments.
Telangana State Public Service Commission, Telangana State Police Recruitment Board, Telangana Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board have not only issued notifications for appointments in various departments of the government but the process of appointments is also going on. Notifications for all three departments have been issued for 45,000 different vacancies within the limits of the institutes, but (TREIRB) has not issued any notification to the candidates for 12,000 vacancies.
Chief Minister KCR announced appointments to 80,000 vacant posts in the Assembly last year. Among them, 12,000 mixed vacancies in residential schools were identified.
The Finance Department has also issued all the orders. Even after seven months, not a single notification has been issued for appointments to these vacant posts.
A few more vacancies have been added within the board limits and the government delays appointments on 3,000 jobs in residential institutions.
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#Telangana #Notification #fill #12K #vacancies #residential #institutions #pending

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
Lakhimpur Kheri case: SC to pronounce order on Wednesday on Ashish Mishra bail plea

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court would pronounce its order on Wednesday on the bail plea of Ashish Mishra, key accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case and son of Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra.
According to the cause list uploaded on the apex court website, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and J.K. Maheshwari will pronounce the order on January 25.
The apex court had reserved its order on Mishra’s plea on January 19.
Additional Advocate General for Uttar Pradesh Garima Prashad opposed Mishra’s bail plea. She had submitted that it was a grave and heinous crime and granting bail will send a wrong signal to society.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for those opposing the bail plea, said grant of bail will send a terrible message to society.
“It is a conspiracy and a well-planned murder. I will show it from the charge sheet. He is the son of a powerful man being represented by a powerful lawyer,” he said.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mishra, strongly opposed Dave’s submission, saying: “What is this? Who is powerful? We are appearing every day. Can this be a condition to not grant bail?”
He submitted that his client has been in custody for more than a year and the way the trial is going, it will take seven to eight years to complete it.

He said that Jagjit Singh, who is the complainant in the case, is not an eyewitness and his complaint is just based on hearsay.
“Jagjit Singh is the complainant and he is not an eyewitness. I am surprised that when there are many people saying we ran over people mercilessly, an FIR is registered on the version of a person who is not an eyewitness?” Rohatgi said, adding that his client is not a criminal and there are no past records.
On October 3, 2021, eight people were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri district’s Tikunia in a violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the area.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Police FIR, four farmers were mowed down by an SUV, in which Ashish Mishra was seated.
Following the incident, a driver and two BJP workers were allegedly lynched by angry farmers. A journalist also died in the violence.
On December 6 last year, a trial court had framed charges against Mishra and 12 others for the alleged offences of murder, criminal conspiracy and others in the case of death of the protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, paving the way for the start of the trial.
A total of 13 accused, including Mishra, have been charged under IPC sections 147 and 148 related to rioting, 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 427 (mischief) and 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy), and section 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act.
The other 12 accused are Ankit Das, Nandan Singh Bisht, Latif Kale, Satyam a.k.a Satya Prakash Tripathi, Shekhar Bharti, Sumit Jaiswal, Ashish Pandey, Lavkush Rana, Shishu Pal, Ullas Kumar Trivedi, Rinku Rana and Dharmendra Banjara.
All of them are in jail.
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#Lakhimpur #Kheri #case #pronounce #order #Wednesday #Ashish #Mishra #bail #plea
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023
Mukesh Ambani’s son Anant visits Jagannath temple ahead of marriage

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Bhubaneswar: Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani’s younger son Anant Ambani on Tuesday visited the Jagannath temple in Puri and sought blessings before his marriage. This is his first visit to Puri after getting engaged to Radhika Merchant.
Junior Ambani expressed happiness after having darshan of the holy trinity at the temple.
“I am happy that I had a very good darshan of Lord Jagannath. I pray for his blessings,” he told the media outside the temple.
He remained inside the main temple for around 10 minutes and offered prayers to the trinity, before visiting Maa Bimala, Maa Laxmi and Mahavir temples, said a servitor.
Earlier, Anant arrived in Bhubaneswar from where he drove straight to Puri. Security arrangements were tightened for his visit to the Puri temple.
The Ambani scion had also visited Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati on Monday and sought the blessings of the Goddess.
On January 19, Anant got engaged to Radhika Merchant, daughter of Shaila and Viren Merchant, at the Ambani residence Antilia in Mumbai.

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#Mukesh #Ambanis #son #Anant #visits #Jagannath #temple #ahead #marriage
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 25, 2023