Month: July 2021

Categories
Books Lite Blogs

Exploring the complexity of human psyche

Asked how she conceptualises the story and the protagonists, who often tread in the grey area between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, Tandon told…writes Siddhi Jain.

In an engrossing new anthology of 13 contemporary short stories by debut author Bindu Tandon, titled ‘Of Beasts & Beauty’, what shines through the undertones of crime, conflicted relationships, power hierarchies and gender dynamics is the raw human experience that connects us all.

In the recently-released title, Tandon explores the complexity of human psyche and experience in the Indian context through powerful, intense storytelling that simultaneously packs a punch and provokes thought. The ‘shorts’ weave an intriguing narrative dramatizing the everyday Indian life. They are published by Rati Books, an imprint of Garuda Prakashan.

In the book, the author goes beyond the distinction of vice and virtue, and leaves this decision open-ended for the reader.

Asked how she conceptualises the story and the protagonists, who often tread in the grey area between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, Tandon told:

“As I unravel ‘behaviour’ — mine and that of others — I often find that it’s not just the deed, but also the ‘intent’ behind the act, that changes how I define the act. That is the ‘grey area’ you refer to. And in erasing or in not recognizing this distinction, I think we become hypocritical and we go down the slippery slope of labeling behaviour as good or bad. Do I believe that there should be ‘no consequences’? Not at all, we have to be ready to take the consequences of our actions.”

Tandon adds: “I want my reader to recognize people in their world in my stories. And find that dimension in them that might have eluded them in real life. I want my stories to bring alive the modern, flawed, beautiful young and old distinctly contemporary Indian, that is present in very few stories.

“These stories are about the wide world that interests me. Drawn from travels and a global perspective largely devoid of prejudice. I guess my desire to not judge, not condemn and not arrive at quick everyday conclusions, which is a part of me is revealing itself to you as ‘layered thought’.”

After being in the management of a leading media organisation and managing a publishing house, the Mumbai-based author continues her tryst with black ink on white paper in her first book of short stories.

“I want you to feel pain, exultation, agony, hate and joy, as you read these stories. Feel, viscerally, to the very core of your being, a common thread of humanity that runs through each of these 13 stories. Acts of violence make beasts of us all, whether you live in a big city or a small town or village. I have written to understand the hearts and the minds of people scarred by such acts, whether as victims, perpetrators or merely as innocent bystanders. I want you to decide who is a beast, and which act represents beauty,” says Bindu.

The author is also working on her first novel which she expects to complete by the end of 2021.

ALSO READ-Five books for your summer reading list

READ MORE-Post Pandemic Era: Must-Read Books For July

Categories
-Top News Afghanistan USA

US evacuates 200 allies who helped during Afghan war

The very first of such evacuation flights landed early in the morning at Washington’s Dulles International Airport…reports Asian Lite News

The United States on Friday flew 200 Afghans, allies who aided the Americans during the Afghanistan war, to their new home away from the Taliban’s direct threat. The very first of such evacuation flights landed early in the morning at Washington’s Dulles International Airport, reported the Associated Press, citing an internal US government document and a commercial flight-tracking service. The airliner carried 221 Afghans in all, including 57 children and 15 babies, according to the document.

Meanwhile, the US Congress is taking steps to expedite visas for the Afghans to help them settle into their new lives in America. The federal government passed emergency legislation earlier on Thursday afternoon that would, among other things, increase the number of visas for allies who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war.

The $2.1 billion bill provides for revamped security at the Capitol building in Washington, a measure deemed much-needed after the violent January 6 violence, and also allocates additional funds for the translators and others who worked closely with US government troops and civilians in Afghanistan.

Afghan security force members take part in a military operation against Taliban in Khwaja Khar district of Takhar province, Afghanistan

The US evacuations are meant to resettle former translators and others who fear retaliation from Afghanistan’s Taliban for having worked with American service members and civilians. Just one week ago, the Taliban beheaded a translator, Sohail Pardis, right near his home in capital Kabul. Pardis worked as a translator for the United States army for 16 months during the conflict that spanned over two decades.

The evacuation flights highlight American uncertainty about how Afghanistan’s government and military will fare after the last US combat forces leave that country in coming weeks, the Associated Press noted.

The interpreters and other allies of the US who are being flown in American flights are also accompanied by their families. They were expected to stay at Fort Lee, Virginia for several days, US officials said earlier this month. Subsequent flights are due to bring more of the applicants who are farthest along in the process of getting visas, having already won approval and cleared security screening.

ALSO READ: PROXY WAR IN AFGHANISTAN: Pakistan in a fix as GCC, West flex muscles

Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

US to hit Iran with more sanctions for missile, drone program

President Joe Biden during a press briefing (Source witter@POTUS)

The planned sanctions come as the Biden administration considers tightening enforcement of existing sanctions on Iran’s oil industry amid a stall to nuclear negotiations ongoing in Vienna….reports Asian Lite News

The Biden administration is planning a sanctions campaign against Iran’s growing precision drone and missile strike capability, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Officials are concerned that Iran’s missile and drone program — administered exclusively by the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) — represents a more immediate danger to US allies and Middle East stability than Iran’s nuclear enrichment and ballistic missile programs.

While some elements of Iran’s missile program have already been sanctioned, the new measures will cast a wider net by targeting its procurement networks, such as part-providers.

“It’s part of a comprehensive approach so we’re dealing with all aspects of the Iranian threat,” a senior U.S. official told the Wall Street Journal.

The new measures come as US forces and allies in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East have increasingly found themselves on the receiving end of drone and missile attacks by Tehran’s IRGC-aligned regional proxies.

“Iran’s drones are becoming an increasing threat to our allies in the region,” said another U.S. official.

The planned sanctions come as the Biden administration considers tightening enforcement of existing sanctions on Iran’s oil industry amid a stall to nuclear negotiations ongoing in Vienna.

Biden has offered a reduction in sanctions if the Islamic Republic returns to the terms of the 2015 deal, which saw curbs to Iran’s nascent nuclear program in exchange for an easing of sanctions.

However, the issue of Iran’s sub-atomic weaponry, including ballistic missiles, guided missiles and drones has increasingly become a bone of contention between the two longtime enemies.

Iran’s pursuit of further-reaching, more accurate and more powerful missiles earned it a suite of US sanctions, and the Biden administration has made clear that those sanctions are outside the scope of the ongoing nuclear negotiations.

Tehran said it would only return to the 2015 deal if all sanctions on its missile program are lifted, as well as the terror designation the US and others have placed on the IRGC.

The US Treasury department, which is in charge of implementing sanctions, has already placed a variety of restrictions on the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen. The Houthis have used Iranian weapons to wage their ongoing war against the UN-recognized Yemeni government, as well as to target Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region.

In 2019, drones were used to target an important oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, seriously damaging the facility and disrupting the global oil market.

Saudi Arabia alone has been attacked over 100 times in recent months by Iran’s proxies in Yemen, using Iranian equipment including large and small drones, ballistic missiles, and precision missiles.

Iran’s growing domestic arms and drone manufacturing base has proved useful in supplying its proxies, and the new sanctions will aim to disrupt elements of the industry that rely on illicit imports from abroad.

Robert Czulda, an assistant professor specializing in Iran at Poland’s University of Lodz, told the Wall Street Journal that the sanctions “would notably disrupt Iran’s defense supply chain.”

ALSO READ: N-talks with Iran cannot go on indefinitely, says Blinken

Categories
Bollywood Interview Lite Blogs

‘OTT is a reflection of time, not a fixed future’

OTT has allowed people to access things when they want it. It is tricky, everything has its pros and cons…Ashish speaks with Siddhi Jain.

Ashish Vidyarthi is a favourite villain of South Indian films. Veteran says that OTT platforms have allowed people to access things when they want it, and because of an abundance of options available at a click, one’s “product has to be so much better”.

Asked what makes the medium of web and OTT click, Vidyarthi told : “OTT is a reflection of this time when people want things when they seem to want it. It’s not the fixed future.”

Recalling how showbiz worked a few decades back, the ‘Sunflower’ and ‘Aligarh’ actor added: “Remember the times when we used to have fixed times of film viewings: 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 PM. When multiplexes came, many films ran at the same time with different timings. People had more options, but now people don’t even have to go out.”

Speaking about OTT, he says: “It’s in your hand when you want it — instant gratification. OTT has allowed people to access things when they want it. It is tricky, everything has its pros and cons. As far as I am concerned, at this moment in this form, OTT is the go-to thing. There’s so much to choose from, and therefore your product has to be so much better.”

“OTT has also opened up so many more possibilities. Many more people are at work, they have the possibility to tell their story, make a film, act in films.”

“OTT is a very new thing for me. I think it is a brilliant mix between cinema and television. My work experience with the cast and crew of Sunflower was very fulfilling, as an actor I got a lot of freedom from my director, which helped me learn a lot in many different ways,” he has said previously.

ALSO READ-Raveena loves to do South Indian films

READ MORE-‘I don’t want to be clichéd filmmaker’

Categories
-Top News USA

Bill moved to kill work programme for foreign students in US

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, Optional Practical Training (OPT) provides for temporary employment in the area of study of F-1 students….reports Asian Lite News

A group of House Republicans has introduced a bill to eliminate a programme that allows foreign students on an F-1 visa to stay in the United States after their completion of studies under certain conditions. Congressmen Paul A Gosar, Mo Brooks, Andy Biggs and Matt Gaetz introduced the ‘Fairness for High-Skilled Americans Act’ in the House of Representatives to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, Optional Practical Training (OPT) provides for temporary employment in the area of study of F-1 students. They can apply to receive up to 12 months of employment authorization before completing their academic studies and/or after completing their academic studies. If passed, the law would affect thousands of Indians studying in the United States on F-1 student visas.

“What country creates a programme, but not a law, that rewards its businesses to fire citizen workers and replace them with foreign labour to pay the foreign labour less? The United States. The programme is called OPT and it reflects a complete abandonment of our own workers,” Gosar said.

USA

About 80,000 Indian students are employed in the US through OPT and Gosar alleges that the programme circumvents the H-1B cap to allow over 100,000 foreigners working in the US after graduation. He argued that the F-1 visa holders are exempt from payroll taxes, making them at least 10-15 per cent cheaper than a comparable American worker.

“At a time when American college graduates are struggling to find a job and many are saddled with student loans, our government should not be incentivizing foreign employees over Americans. This badly flawed government programme should be eliminated,” he added.

The bill has to pass through the House and the Senate before it can be sent to the president to sign it into law. Since Democrats control both the Chambers of the US Congress, it would not be easy for the Republicans to eliminate the programme.

“Landing that first job out of college will only become more difficult for young Americans as our universities formalise the role they play in crowding out opportunities once reserved for American graduates. For this reason, the OPT must be eliminated,” stated Kevin Lynn, Founder of US Techworkers, a non-profit pushing Congress to “protect” American workers.

ALSO READ: US Special Operations Command leadership visits India

Categories
-Top News USA

N-talks with Iran cannot go on indefinitely, says Blinken

Iran’s ultraconservative camp, which deeply distrusts the US, has repeatedly criticized Rouhani over the 2015 deal, reports Asian Lite News

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that nuclear talks with Iran “cannot go on indefinitely” but that Washington was “fully prepared” to continue negotiations.

The US is indirectly involved in Iran’s talks with world powers to revive a nuclear deal that gave Iran some relief from international sanctions in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.

The deal was torpedoed in 2018 by then US President Donald Trump, who unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and imposed punishing sanctions.

“We’re committed to diplomacy, but this process cannot go on indefinitely … we look to see what Iran is ready to do or not ready to do and remain fully prepared to return to Vienna to continue negotiations,” Blinken said during a visit to Kuwait on Thursday. “The ball remains in Iran’s court.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s government has been holding talks with major powers in Vienna since April on bringing Washington back into the agreement.

But a deal now seems unlikely until after he hands over to President-elect Ebrahim Raisi early next month. Raisi is an ultraconservative but has expressed support for the nuclear talks, arguing Iran needs an end to US sanctions.

Iran’s ultraconservative camp, which deeply distrusts the US, has repeatedly criticized Rouhani over the 2015 deal.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that experience has shown “trusting the West does not work,” referring to the US withdrawal from the deal and its fallout.

Raisi has said his government will support talks that “guarantee national interests,” but will not allow negotiations for the sake of negotiations.

One of the major criticisms of the 2015 deal raised by Trump was its failure to address Iran’s ballistic missile program or its alleged interference in regional affairs.

But Tehran has always rejected bringing non-nuclear issues into the agreement, which is known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Khamenei also criticized the US for refusing to “guarantee that (it) will not violate the agreement in the future” by pulling out unilaterally, as Trump did in 2018.

Iran’s chief negotiator Abbas Araghchi said this month that the talks must “await our new administration” as Tehran is “in a transition period.”

Rouhani, in office since 2013 and preparing to leave after the maximum two consecutive terms, had repeatedly promised to secure relief from sanctions before the end of his term.

But earlier this month, he expressed hope that his successor can clinch a deal to lift sanctions, insisting that from his administration’s side, “the work was ready” to be done.

ALSO READ: Iran offers mediation in Armenia – Azerbaijan tensions

Categories
-Top News Asia News

Palestine condemns Israel for killing 2 of its nationals

The statement referred to the killing of a 41-year-old Palestinian near the village of Beita in northern West Bank on Tuesday…reports Asian Lite News

Palestine has condemned the killing of two people, including a child, by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“It condemns the endless Israeli crimes against the Palestinians in the West Bank without posing any danger to the soldiers,” Xinhua news agency quoted the statement issued on Thursday as saying.

The statement referred to the killing of a 41-year-old Palestinian near the village of Beita in northern West Bank on Tuesday, and the killing of an 11-year-old boy near the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday.

The statement called on the UN Security Council to take necessary measures to compel Israel to comply with international law and international humanitarian law immediately, as well as to provide international protection for the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza.

It also called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to “immediately launch its investigations into the violations and crimes of the (Israeli) occupation against the Palestinian people”.

On Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye said in a statement that in recent days, the attacks of the Israeli soldiers and settlers on the Palestinians in the West Bank have increased.

ALSO READ: UAE stresses on two-state solution at UNSC meet on Palestine

Categories
-Top News Asia News USA

Iran offers mediation in Armenia – Azerbaijan tensions

The Iranian official expressed regret over the deaths and injuries endured by both countries, and stressed the need for mutual restraint…reports Asian Lite News

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has urged neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia to overcome tensions and conflicts, and vowed to offer “any kind of assistance” to broker lasting peace between the two countries.

In a statement published on the Ministry’s website on Thursday, spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh expressed Iran’s concern over continuing border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Iranian official expressed regret over the deaths and injuries endured by both countries, and stressed the need for mutual restraint and the respect of internationally recognised borders.

Iran’s announcement came a day after both Azerbaijan and Armenia confirmed the two sides recently engaged in a new border clash, which caused casualties from both sides.

While Armenia claimed that that three of its soldiers were killed, Azerbaijan said two of its soldiers had been wounded by shelling.

Later, the two countries accepted a Russian ceasefire proposal in an effort to calm tensions.

Wednesday’s clash was one of the deadliest since the 44-day conflict in the the Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding areas last year, which ended after a ceasefire was reached under the mediation of Russia.

(160405) — NAGORNO-KARABAKH, April 5, 2016 (Xinhua) — Houses damaged in recent conflicts are seen in Azerbaijan’s Gapanli village bordering Nagorno-Karabakh region, on April 5, 2016. The Armenian and Azerbaijani Defense Ministries both confirmed Tuesday that a ceasefire agreement in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region is currently being prepared. (Xinhua/Tofik Babayev)(dh)

US-Iran n-negotiations

Washington is fully prepared to continue negotiation with Iran to return to the Iranian nuclear agreement, visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

Blinken made the remarks after he met with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah to discuss bilateral ties and regional issues, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Blinken said that the US is willing to reach an agreement with Iran, urging Iran to make the decision, adding that “the ball is in Iran’s court.”

The Iranian side has been criticising the United States for “violating their promises and commitments” to the agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The US government under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran. In response, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its commitments to the deal from May 2019.

Between April 6 and June 20, the JCPOA Joint Commission, attended by a US delegation indirectly, held talks in Vienna to discuss a possible return of the United States to the JCPOA and how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the deal.

The parties recently said serious differences remain between Iran and the United States over the revitalisation of the deal after six rounds of talks.

ALSO READ: Iran threatening regional security: GCC chief

Categories
-Top News Arab News India News

Indian migrant workers seek justice over wage theft

Adv.Thamban Thomas addressing the conference. Others in the dais are M.U Ashraf, Pravasi Grievance Cell-Kerala Govt., Ibrahim Kutty, Dist.President INTUC, Harikumar K S, Dist.Secretary AIUTUC, George Stephan, Dist.Secretary RSP and Rafeek Ravuther, CIMS.

Prominent trade union forums support the demand of thousands of Gulf returnees and decided to launch a national level legal campaign to avail justice … reports Asian Lite News. Thousands of Indians flew back home from across the world during the pandemic after losing their jobs. According to a report by the Centre for Indian Migrant Studies (CIMS), around Rs 1,180 crores is yet to be paid as salaries and benefits for these expatriates

We will join the fight to address wage theft of Keralite migrants who have returned from foreign countries due to job loss following Covid-19 outbreak,” said Advocate Thampan Thomas, former member of Indian Parliament and the national secretary of Hindustan Masdoor Sangh (HMS).

He was inaugurating the national conference on wage theft of Keralite migrant workers. The event was organised by Centre for Indian Migrant Studies (CIMS), a grassroots level organisation which works for the welfare of migrants. The event was held in partnership with Thampan Thomas Foundation for Socialism and Labour Employment, Emigrants Welfare Forum and Migrant Forum in Asia.

National conference on wage theft of Keralite migrant workers held in Kochi

Several prominent political leaders including M.U Ashraf, Pravasi Grievance Cell, Kerala Govt., Ibrahim Kutty, District President, INTUC, Harikumar K S, District Secretary, AIUTUC, George Stephan, District Secretary RSP addressed the conference.

Mr Ashraf said the wage theft is the apt word to define the denial of salary.  While, Ibrahim Kutty expressed his union’s solidarity to fight wage theft of Keralite migrants. Harikumar said that issues of migrants are too complex and the governments who are responsible to address them are failing to fulfil their responsibilities.

George Stephen also supported the complaint. He said that Keralite migrants who have returned from foreign countries are struggling to migrate and the governments are doing anything to address the issue.

Kerala Wage Theft Report

Parvathy Devi, a researcher associated with the CIMS, presented a Kerala Wage Theft report.

In the report, Parvathy stated that the total wage theft suffered by Keralite migrant workers who have returned due to job loss from foreign countries following the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak will be around Rs 1,200 crore.

Thousands of Keralites had flown back home from across the world during the pandemic after losing their jobs.   As of July 15, 2021, NORKA Roots estimates that 10,98,334 returnees have lost their jobs abroad. And the NORKA data also says that 120,816 Keralites are yet to receive their unpaid salary.

Parvathy said based on their study they have found that, if one returnee has suffered a loss of Rs 1 lakh, then it would amount to Rs 1,200 crore.

National conference on wage theft of Keralite migrant workers held in Kochi

According to Parvathy, CIMS had also conducted a survey among 3,345 migrant workers out of which 397 individuals (11.86%) reported wage theft.

“Majority respondents were returnees and some of them were stranded abroad, waiting for justice,” she said.

Based on the analysis of data collected from each victim, Parvathy said an amount of Rs 6,25,873,366 has to be denied to 397 returnees due to wage theft. Based on this result, each worker has been denied Rs 1,576,507 on average.

Among the 397 Kerala migrant workers who reported the issue of wage theft, 90 per cent belong to the construction sector, two per cent in manufacturing, two per cent in transportation and 2.5 per cent comprising of other sectors such as domestic work, retail and medical.

Meanwhile, Rafeek Ravuther from CIMS said that many of the Keralite migrant workers who participated in CIMS survey were sent back to India in a hurry.

“They were sent home with the promise that their pending dues will be credited to Indian accounts or abandoned in destination countries by employers,” he added.

“This has prevented the majority of them from accessing justice mechanisms available at countries of destination. It was also found that many migrant workers were afraid to report and go forward with legal action as they feared it might affect their chances for getting a job abroad in future,” he said.

He also added that there might be several factors that shape an individual to behave this way but when a migrant worker behaves this way, it is because they are ignorant about their rights and because of their lack of trust in law enforcement agencies.

National conference on wage theft of Keralite migrant workers held in Kochi

He said the Gulf returnees were denied access to justice and it is high time the governments come forward to take initiative to help the migrant workers and their families.

Lawyers from High Court and Supreme Court were also present. They addressed the conference to share their expertise on Legal Remedies for Wage Theft. Representatives from  Swadesh Parkipandla, Sister Valarmathy, State Coordinator-(NDWM), Nasser.E, District Secretary, Kerala Pravasi Sangam, Gopi Chelakkara, CIMS UAE, Mohandas, (Ex Kairali Oman), Suresh Chandran, Keli. Riyadh,  and Fr.Xavier, Commission for Migrants. KRLCC addressed the conference.

Tomy Mathew. Ex Secretary, TTF, delivered the vote of thanks.

Categories
-Top News Arab News Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia to welcome vaccinated tourists from Aug 1

Fully vaccinated tourists can enter the Kingdom without the need for an institutional quarantine period, provided that an official vaccination certificate is presented upon arrival…reports Asian Lite News

The Saudi Ministry of Tourism announced that the Kingdom will open its doors to foreign tourists, and lift off the suspension of entry for tourist visa holders, starting from August 1, 2021.

Fully vaccinated tourists can enter the Kingdom without the need for an institutional quarantine period, provided that an official vaccination certificate is presented upon arrival, and proof of a PCR test with its negative result within 72 hours from the time of departure.

Visitors to the Kingdom are also required to register their data related to vaccination doses via the new dedicated portal – https://muqeem.sa/#/vaccine-registration/home – in addition to registering their data via “Tawakkalna” application, which is mandatory to enter public places.

Those who are fully vaccinated are those who received two vaccination doses of one of the approved vaccines in the Kingdom, which is Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna, or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.

Those wishing to obtain a tourist visa can apply through the “Spirit of Saudi” website, visitsaudi.com.

On this occasion, the Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, said: “We welcome tourists again, and we are very happy to receive the Kingdom’s guests again after a pause due to the repercussions of the Coronavirus pandemic.”

He added: “We focused our efforts during the pause on close cooperation with our partners in all sectors to ensure a safe return through which visitors to the Kingdom can enjoy exploring its tourist treasures, important destinations and landmarks, enjoy unique tourist experiences and learn about the culture of generosity and hospitality characterizing Saudi society.”

The Kingdom had launched the tourist visa in September 2019, in a historic decision in which the Kingdom opened its heart and its doors to tourists from different countries of the world.

At that time the Kingdom had achieved remarkable numbers as 400,000 visas were issued within 6 months, before the suspension of travel and the closure of ports and borders following the pandemic of coronavirus.

ALSO READ: UAE pledges AED 367 mn to support women’s education