New Delhi: Indian-American Democrat lawmaker Pramila Jayapal has introduced a bipartisan resolution in the US House of Representatives asking India to end the communication blockade and mass detentions in Jammu and Kashmir it imposed after ending the region’s special status on August 5. Resolution number 745, introduced by Jayapal along with Republican lawmaker Steve Watkins, while acknowledging the challenges New Delhi faces from cross-border terrorism, urges India "to end the restrictions on communications and mass detentions in Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents." Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier said that normalcy has returned in most areas of Kashmir even as the detention politicians, including three former chief ministers, and the blockade of the internet and social media has entered the fourth month in the Valley. While postpaid cellular services and landline phones have been restored in the region, the ban … [Read more...] about Indian-Origin US Lawmaker Pramila Jayapal Introduces Resolution to ‘Restore Internet, End Detentions in J&K’
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‘Catastrophic’ risk run by doomed Russian nuclear submarine
The mystery began on the evening of July 1. Fishermen reported seeing a submarine suddenly surface near Ura Bay, just 100km on the Russian side of its border with Norway. Moscow won’t admit it, but Russian news outlets have reported the submarine to have been the top-secret AS-31 Losharik. Whatever it was doing, it was something special. We know this because Moscow has made a point of telling us nothing about it. “It belongs to the highest level of classified data, so it is absolutely normal for it not to be disclosed,” a Kremlin spokesman said when refusing to identify the submarine. But not even President Vladimir Putin was able to suppress the news that the damaged vessel had been towed into Russia’s Northern Fleet Headquarters at Severomorsk. And then there was the 14 crew who needed to be buried. ‘PLANETARY CATASTROPHE’ Western defence analysts are scrambling to infer what they can from the minimal information at hand. Losharik was a secret … [Read more...] about ‘Catastrophic’ risk run by doomed Russian nuclear submarine
Online harassment of women driven by misogyny, fear and a need for power
Email The Conversation By Bianca Fileborn Posted April 18, 2018 07:35:04 Photo: Online abuse is ultimately a struggle for power over women. (Stokpic.com) Related Story: Upset about online harassment, ladies? Here's seven tips to help you deal with abuse as calmly as men Related Story: Tara Moss shines light on trolls and cyber hate Related Story: Why it's so hard for women to get justice for online abuse Related Story: Cyberstalking target wants support for crime victims Map: Australia "Another morning, another bit of casual misogyny & abuse", ABC journalist Leigh Sales lamented last week after receiving a tweet accusing her of "virtually" performing sexual acts on her 7.30 guests. Sales' comments draw our attention back to the abuse routinely encountered by women, people of colour and LGBTQ people on social media. Indeed, such online encounters appear to be so routine for journalists such as Sales that they are a mundane occurrence. External Link: Leigh Sales … [Read more...] about Online harassment of women driven by misogyny, fear and a need for power
Jayapal introduces Kashmir resolution in US Congress
Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has introduced a Congressional resolution urging India to lift the restrictions on communications in Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible and preserve religious freedom for all residents. The resolution, introduced in the House of Representatives after several weeks of efforts by Jayapal on Friday, has only one co-sponsor -- Republican Congressman Steve Watkins. It's a simple resolution, which cannot be voted in the other chamber, Senate, and does not have the force of law. Ahead of the introduction of the resolution, Indian-Americans from across the United States urged her in various settings against it. Her office is believed to have received more than 25,000 emails from Indian-Americans in addition to in-person meetings by several representations of Indian-Americans. Indian-Americans held peaceful demonstrations outside her office against her move to table the resolution on Kashmir. 'Yesterday, I introduced a bipartisan House … [Read more...] about Jayapal introduces Kashmir resolution in US Congress
Indian-American Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal tables resolution in U.S. House on easing of restrictions on Kashmir
As India stepped up its efforts to lobby Congressional Democrats, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Pramila Jayapal, introduced a bi-partisan resolution in the House calling for an end to the restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir and for the Government of India to respect international human rights law. The resolution, co-sponsored by Steve Watkins, a first time Republican Congressman from Kansas, says the U.S. House of Representatives, “recognizes the dire security challenges faced by the Government and India in Jammu and Kashmir and the continuing threat of state-supported cross-border terrorism,” and that the House, “rejects arbitrary detention, use of excessive force against civilians, and suppression of peaceful expression of dissent as proportional responses to security challenges.” The House, as per the resolution, urges the government to adhere to international human rights law in its pursuit of “legitimate security … [Read more...] about Indian-American Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal tables resolution in U.S. House on easing of restrictions on Kashmir