India News
Myanmar books 2 Reuters journos for reporting on violence against Rohingya Muslims
Prosecutors in Myanmar have formally charged two journalists from the Reuters news agency with violating the Official Secrets Act, signalling the case will go forward despite international condemnation. If convicted the journalists could face up to 14 years in prison in Myanmar.
Wa Lone (31) and Kyaw Soe Oo (27) were arrested on December 12 after police accused them of violating the British colonial-era law by acquiring “important secret papers” from two policemen. The police officers had worked in Rakhine state, where security forces are blamed for rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims that have sparked the exodus of some 650,000 people to Bangladesh.
Global leaders, including former US president Bill Clinton, and government officials from some of the world’s major nations, including the United States, Britain and Canada, as well as United Nations officials, have called for their release.
The two journalists had worked on Reuters coverage of the crisis in Rakhine.
Than Zaw Aung, the lawyer for the journalists, said the prosecutor formally indicted the pair at Wednesday’s hearing.
Than Zaw Aung said he appealed for the two to be immediately released on bail, but the judge said he would review that request and rule at the next hearing on 23 January. “We are still far from the verdict,” he said.
The ministry of information has cited the police as saying they were “arrested for possessing important and secret government documents related to Rakhine state and security forces”.
The ministry said they “illegally acquired information with the intention to share it with foreign media”.
The Official Secrets Act dates back to 1923, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was a province of British India.
The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some documents at a restaurant by two policemen they had not met before.
Former US president Bill Clinton has urged that the journalists be freed immediately. “A free press is critical to a free society – the detention of journalists anywhere is unacceptable,” Clinton said in a Twitter post on Monday.
Significantly, Clinton was US president for much of the 1990s when the American administration pressed Myanmar’s then military regime to release democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi from years of house arrest.
Suu Kyi, who won the 2015 general election in Myanmar and formed a government in early 2016, has not made any public comment on the detention of the two Reuters reporters as yet. Instead, her government has denied that the arrest of the journalists represent an attack on press freedom.
Human rights group Amnesty International also called for their immediate release and for freedom of speech to be respected.
“These arrests have not happened in a vacuum, but come as authorities are increasingly restricting independent media,” Amnesty International said.
“Journalists and media outlets, in particular those who report on sensitive topics, are living with the constant fear of harassment, intimidation or arrest. This clampdown on freedom of speech must end.”
–With Agencies
India News
BJP’s Shahnawaz Hussain suffers cardiac arrest, admitted to Lilavati Hospital
While giving information about the health of BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain, Doctor Jalil Parkar of Lilavati Hospital said that he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital after cardiac arrest. He told that Shahnawaz Hussain has suffered a heart attack. After this the doctors performed his angioplasty.
Former Union Minister and BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain has suffered a heart attack. According to reports BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain suffered a cardiac arrest in the evening. After which he has been admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Shahnawaz Hussain is the national spokesperson of BJP and he has also been the Industry Minister in Bihar Government.
While giving information about the health of BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain, Doctor Jalil Parkar of Lilavati Hospital said that he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital after cardiac arrest. He told that Shahnawaz Hussain has suffered a heart attack. After this the doctors performed his angioplasty.
He was one of the youngest Union Ministers in Atal Bihar Vajpayee’s Cabinet. The BJP leader held several portfolios, including Minister of State, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Coal, Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister of Textiles during Vajpayee regime.
Shahnawaz Hussain suffered a major setback when he had to face defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier in 2006, BJP had brought him to Parliament through by-election. After the defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the party did not even give tickets in the 2019 elections. The seat from which Shahnawaz Hussain contested was given to JDU by BJP. However, JDU was a part of NDA at that time.
In the 2020 assembly elections in Bihar, BJP had fielded Shahnawaz Hussain for the Legislative Council elections. Shahnawaz Hussain was successful in winning and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made him the Industries Minister. However, in 2022, BJP suffered a major setback when Nitish Kumar’s party JDU broke ties with NDA and formed the government with RJD.
Shahnawaz Hussain, who once enjoyed power, is now seen in the role of opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council. Bihar is the home state of Shahnawaz Hussain and Supaul is his home district.
India News
Students hold protest in Manipur after photos of two dead students surface online
The protesting students tried to march towards Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s residence
Hundreds of students took to the streets in Manipur’s capital, Imphal to protest against the brutal murder of two students by suspected armed men. The students demanded justice for the victims. According to reports, photos of two students, who apparently have been decapitated, have gone viral across the social media platforms.
The protesting students tried to march towards Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s residence, after which security forces used tear gas shells and smoke bombs in an effort to disperse the crowd. Reportedly, multiple students were injured and they were hurried to the hospital for medical treatment.
The photos that have gone viral show two students, a 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old boy, sitting at the grassy compound in what appears to be a makeshift jungle camp of an armed group.The girl is seen in a white shirt and the boy in a checked shirt holding a backpack. Behind them, two armed men were clearly visible.
In the next viral photo, their bodies are seen slumped on the ground. According to reports, as the girl was a minor, officials concerned to the matter are looking into the allegations of rape, before she was murdered.
Meanwhile, N Biren Singh led Manipur government has asked the people of the northeastern state to exercise restraint and allow authorities to investigate the kidnapping and killing of both the students. In a statement issued by the secretariat of Chief Minister N Biren Singh late on Monday night, the state government asserted that the case has been already handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In addition, the government also assured the public that swift and decisive action will be taken against all those involved in the crime. The statement further underlined that the government was committed to ensuring justice for the murdered students and severe punishment on any perpetrators found responsible for this heinous crime.
India News
Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council, WICCI holds their first meeting, aims to work for benefit of women empowerment
Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council members will also recommend government and other institutions on various policy making.
The Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council, WICCI President Vinita Sahay and Vice President Sandhya Kohli on Tuesday conducted the council’s first physical meeting at Jangpura Extension, New Delhi. Along with the President and Vice President, all 36 Council members took part in the meeting.
As per sources, the major objective of the council members is to spread a robust council who will work for the Council and for the benefit of women empowerment with the spirit of sisterhood.
The vision of the council members is to interact with other councils who are registered with Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) nationally and internationally with an effort to inform them that Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council, WICCI is a team of experienced and dedicated arbitrators, who will keep in view the spirit of the amended Arbitration and Conciliation Act 2016.
Furthermore, the Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council members will also recommend government and other institutions on various policy making. Sources stated that the first meeting was a great success and deliberations were carried out with all council members present in the meeting.
In the Delhi Arbitration and Conciliation Council’s meeting, the council members discussed how to achieve the aforesaid objectives, conduct monthly meetings of council to review action plan, organise webinars and seminars for the awareness of women and further focus on women empowerment by the council of Arbitration and Conciliation initiated in 2023.
Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) is a National Business Chamber for Women that strengthens and builds women’s entrepreneurship and businesses through greater engagement with government, institutions, global trade and networks.
Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) also enables fundamental changes in governmental policies, laws and incentives with a view to robustly encourage and empower women in business, industry and commerce across all sectors.
