Iranian TV: Suicide car bombing kills 3 in southeast Iran

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December 6, 2018

A suicide car bomber attacked a police headquarters in the southeastern Iranian port city of Chabahar on Thursday, killing at least three people and wounding several others, state TV reported.

State television broke into its regular broadcast to report the attack, as such assaults are rare in the Islamic Republic.

Rahmdel Bameri, a provincial official, told state TV that a suicide attacker driving a vehicle loaded with explosives drove up to the police headquarters.

He said police officers blocked the vehicle and started firing at the driver, who then detonated his explosives.

State authorities did not identify who was behind the attack. No militant group immediately took responsibility for the attack.

State TV also aired footage of smoke rising over the city.

Chabahar, near Iran’s border with Pakistan on the Sea of Oman, is home to a new port recently built and is an economic free zone for the country.

The attack comes as Iran’s economy reels in the wake of the US re-imposing sanctions lifted by Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

While Iran still complies with the accord, President Donald Trump withdrew America over the deal in part due to Tehran’s ballistic missile program, its “malign behaviour” in the Mideast and its support of militant groups like Hezbollah.

While rate, Iran has been targeted in recent years by militant attacks.

In September, gunmen disguised as soldiers opened fire on a military parade in Ahvaz, killing and wounding dozens.

Arab separatists and the Islamic State group both claimed the assault.

Another coordinated June 7, 2017 Islamic State group assault on parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, killed at least 18 people and wounded more than 50.

Triple Talaq: A Foul Play Begins

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Moumita Mukherjee

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December 5, 2018

Months after the Union Cabinet cleared an ordinance to criminalise instant Triple Talaq, the negative implications of making the practice a punishable offence is still debatable. The ordinance managed to disregard all the resistance from the political opponents and the Muslim clergy and came into action on the ground that the controversial custom, declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, was still being used against women of the minority community. However, other forms of customary divorce are still available as a remedy for a Muslim husband wanting to divorce their wife.

One of the major drawbacks of the Indian judiciary is that the laws are made by the legislators who are not trained in legal knowledge and there comes another side of the story i.e. the misuse of the criminalisation of Triple Talaq.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to the husband Intekhab Alam Munshi, the man accused of giving instant talaq or talaq-e-biddat to his wife under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Ordinance. Vasai resident Munshi got married in December 1998 and has three children. Since the famous judgement on Triple Talaq, this is for the first time that a Muslim wife attempted to book a case against her husband for Triple Talaq by making a complaint that she has not received the first two notices of the husband and has received only one notice for Talaq.

While as per the wife, Munshi had sent her a notice for Talaq-e-Ahsan on September 22, 2018, three days after the landmark ordinance was put into effect, the husband Munshi claimed to have sent three notices as per the customary law on three periodic months and also ensured that the same was served six times to avoid period of iddat or purity (as the women cannot be given talaq when she has her menstrual periods). Even the last notice mentioned that two notices had already been served to the wife and hence, the case becomes legal.

Moreover, the wife (40) has also claimed that her husband had manipulated the dates of notices to suit the law and it was, indeed, Triple Talaq and a violation of the ordinance.

Keeping this particular case in the notice, many activists and even legal experts have raised a doubt on the possibility of the case filed by the wife being manipulated. They have also blamed the society that prefers to see and quick judge only a one-sided narrative when cases like dowry/domestic violence take place and make it impossible for the male partner to even prove their part. The legal experts have also shared the gloomy picture of the society where misuses of these laws have made deep scars on many families.

A member from the Law fraternity on the condition of anonymity expressed, “The Judge conveniently ignored to notice that the wife has willfully misused the ordinance of Triple Talaq and the judicial machinery. Had I been the Judge, I would have suo motu used my inherent power to issue a process against the wife for filing a wrong complaint.”

The marriage is 20-years-old and upon the FIR filed by wife, the husband has to apply for anticipatory bail to seek protection against arrest and sometimes AB is allowed with conditions that may include deposit of bail amount or persons to stand as surety to ensure that in the event a person goes absconding to person’s standing as surety for him can be availed. And this often brings the husbands under pressure and to avoid the harassment, they settle the matter by paying exorbitant money. While the legal accusations against Munshi are under judiciary but doesn’t this case highlight how Indian lawmaking machineries badly need a Uniform Civil Code for the family matters to avoid the filing of false cases and save many families from being unnecessarily harassed and defamed?

On the condition of anonymity, a lawyer from Bangalore spoke to AV and said, “Every law always has its story of misuse or exploitation and Triple Talaq is no exception. The recent case in the Bombay HC is just the start. We have already seen instances where the laws for Dowry or misbehaving at the workplace were taken advantage of. Religious customs should not matter when it comes to law and the Uniform Civil Code is the need of the hour.”

Society must stop making one-sided judgement against men

By

Vaidehi Taman

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December 5, 2018

Vasai resident Intekhab Alam Munshi got married in December 1998 and has three children. After 20 years of marriage, things weren’t right in their marriage and the husband initiated a divorce notice to the wife. Munshi’s wife received a notice of talaq (divorce) on September 22, 2018; in that notice, it was mentioned that two notices had already been served to her and hence, this is ‘Talaq-e-Ahsan’, which is legal. The complainant (wife) alleged that she has not received any notice before this one and hence, it was Talaq-e-Biddat. The husband had claimed that he had sent out two notices earlier, which the wife didn’t receive and hence, they didn’t violate the law. The wife, on the other hand, has claimed that the husband had manipulated the dates of the notices to suit the law and it was, indeed, triple talaq. Munshi’s 40-year-old wife claimed that her husband divorced her in violation of the ordinance. The news went viral with all twists and turns and with various narrations. The husband though contended that the notices were issued on the proper address and the third notice was also received on the same address, so the wife is deliberately avoiding the service of notices.

Finally, The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to the man booked under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Ordinance that criminalises instant talaq or talaq-e-biddat. Justice PD Naik was hearing a petition filed by Intekhab Alam Riaz Munshi seeking protection from arrest after his plea was rejected by the additional session’s judge in Palghar. An FIR was registered against Munshi on October 23 under Section 3 (talaq to be void and illegal), Section 4 (punishment for pronouncing talaq), Section 5 (subsistence allowance), Section 6 (custody of minor children), and Section 7 (offence to be cognisable compoundable) of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Marriage) Ordinance 2018. The HC, however, said that it cannot decide the case at this stage and granted him anticipatory bail. This is a case of matrimonial dispute. The custodial interrogation of Munshi is not required as the progress of the investigation at this stage depends on the documental facts.

After the famous judgement on triple talaq, this is for the first time that a Muslim wife attempted to book a case against her husband for triple talaq. Intekhab Alam Munshi had sent three notices as per the customary law on three periodic months and also ensured that the same was served six times to avoid the period of iddat or purity (as the women cannot be given talaq when she has her menstrual periods). A large part of Muslim Personal Law is still unchanged and most of the legal decisions pronounced by the courts are based on the norms mentioned in Quran and Hadith. The central debate on the understanding of Muslim Personal Laws has both positive as well as negative aspects. Some has supported that the Muslim Personal Laws have given various rights to the Muslim women such as choice in marriage, inheritance, etc. Today, the issues of women rights in the Muslim Personal Law are highly debatable. Especially, Muslim women rights relating to triple talaq, inheritance, maintenance have got much attention from media. However, the Indian Constitution has guaranteed equality and freedom from discrimination based on gender or religion, but still, there are various practices which are based on heartless conservative culture.

Interestingly, the marriage is 20-years-old and upon the FIR filed by wife, the husband has to apply for anticipatory bail to seek protection against arrest and sometimes AB is allowed with conditions that may include deposit of bail amount or persons to stand as surety to ensure that in the event a person goes absconding to person’s standing as surety for him can be availed. Well! The question of whether the complaint is correct or false is decided by the trial court and not granting AB. Due to this, a lot of husbands come under pressure and settle the matter by paying exorbitant money. It is therefore high time that the lawmaking machineries can think about having a Uniform Civil Code for the family matters to avoid the filing of false cases. Another drawback of the judiciary is that laws are made by legislatures who are not trained in legal knowledge and hence, we are still following the laws enacted during the pre-independence era.

Looking at the above case, why should we not assume that the woman accepted the third notice and she filed the complaint on the basis of it? Why shouldn’t we assume that the case is manipulated in order to show that talaq was not given as per the law? The Indian society sees only one side of the narrative and is quick to judge the male partner. A woman in India only needs to file a dowry or domestic violence case, an FIR or a rape case against the husband’s family and it is the onus of the men and the family to prove it wrong. They are declared guilty in the face of society, the law, and their friends even before they have a moment to catch a breathe and prove their side of the story. In most of the cases, Money has power, undoubtedly! It is often money that leads the woman to file DV (Domestic Violence) cases against the husband and the family. Many times, a husband says that the wife must work to have equality in the relationship and both parties shall look after the children and their home. But the wife refuses. Later, when he has built the nest egg to be more comfortable with his wife and family, she deserts him saying he never paid enough attention to her and it’s time she gets the entire nest egg for her for the years she’s given to the marriage. I am not blaming every woman that files for divorce, but with this logic, all men are not wrong or guilty. Most of the time, divorce cases that are flung on the man are traumatic and there are many men and families who are so scarred that they won’t marry again or have children. Undoubtedly, there are many women who suffer mental and physical trauma with a violent or unreasonable husband who cheats on relations. The sufferers and victims are at both sides. We as matured social animals should stop judging the people and especially media needs to be more precise and factual when they present such news stories.

No plans of quitting first class cricket, want to claim Ranji title for TN: Karthik

By

Web Team

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December 5, 2018

Dinesh Karthik, Karthik, ODIs, T20, Indian Cricket, Retirement — Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images

Dinesh Karthik has made it clear he has no plans of quitting first-class cricket to focus on limited overs, saying he will continue to pursue his dream of claiming the Ranji Trophy title for Tamil Nadu.

Last month, India middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu had announced his retirement from first-class cricket to focus on ODIs and T20Is.

Asked if he thinking in similar lines, Karthik said: “No, I haven’t thought about it because I really enjoy playing for Tamil Nadu. I think one of the joys of the sport is playing for the state.

“The minute I think that people see me as a burden playing for Tamil Nadu I will take a step back,” he told reporters ahead of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘B’ match between Tamil Nadu and Kerala beginning Thursday.

“I will play for Tamil Nadu as long as possible only because of the dream of winning that one title for me – the Ranji Trophy. Still not been able to achieve it, so I will keep trying as many years as I can play for Tamil Nadu.”

The dashing wicketkeeper-batsman, who enjoyed a good 2018 including his heroics in the Nidahas Trophy final in Sri Lanka, said it was a phenomenal year.

Mary Kom to hire male sparring partners if needed

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Web Team

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December 5, 2018

Difficulties in finding a suitable sparring partner among women has led six-time world boxing champion Mary Kom to think of hiring a tall male boxer to practice in the ring again after six years.

The Olympic medallist on Wednesday said she did not face any tough opponent in the 48kg category at the World Championships which she won recently.

“It is difficult to get a (sparring) partner also. Here we don’t have partners and they don’t want to help. After the Worlds (Championships in Delhi), those who did not get the chance – they ran away. Only a few people are left,” said Mary, who won a record sixth world title last month.

“If my training is not there (going well), I will hire taller guys and then train with them. Last time, for 2012 (London Olympics), I did the same at Balewadi (in Pune)”, Kom told reporters here.

Mary, who won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics, was speaking after the launch of Stars of Tomorrow, an initiative by the Indian Federation of Sports Gaming.

The veteran pugilist, who won her sixth world title in the 48kg weight class, did not name anyone when asked specifically which boxers she was referring to, saying she didn’t want to create any controversy.

The 35-year-old Manipuri has set her sights on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to try and climb the medal podium for the second time and said she has started watching videos of prospective rivals in the 51kg weight category in which she will have to compete.

Serena, Nadal and Murray all confirmed for Australian Open

By

Web Team

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December 5, 2018

Serena Williams will make her return to the Australian Open for the first time since winning in 2017 when eight-weeks pregnant, it was confirmed on Wednesday, with virtually all the world’s top 100 players due at Melbourne Park.

That includes injury-prone Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Williams returned from giving birth to her first child to reach the 2018 Wimbledon and US Open finals but suffered upset losses in both to leave her stuck on 23 major wins.

Australian Open organisers said she was among the entries for the opening Grand Slam of the year as she attempts to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24.

Her appearance will mark her first major since her controversial rant at an umpire during the US Open final loss to Naomi Osaka, which overshadowed the Japanese star’s biggest ever win.

In the aftermath, Roger Federer said Williams “went too far”.

“Serena Williams, currently ranked 16, will make her highly anticipated return to Melbourne for the first time since winning in 2017 when eight-weeks pregnant with baby Alexis Olympia,” said tournament organiser Craig Tiley.

The evergreen Federer will be back to defend his title, along with long-time adversary Novak Djokovic. Caroline Wozniacki defends the women’s crown. Organisers said the world’s top 102 women and top 101 men have all confirmed they will be playing.

FMCG companies circulating fake health studies to promote their products?

By

Nitten Gokhaley

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December 5, 2018

Believe it or not, some food companies are using biased research work to increase the sales of their products.

Everyone is interested in knowing how we can live a longer, happier and healthier life. If someone in a white lab coat says something, we immediately start believing in it. We love to follow new rules, but we don’t focus on who made them and why. Such biased research work has been around since the 1960s, but the hoax was probably exposed for the first time by professional researchers in 2015.

Professor Marion Nestle, the nutrition expert from New York University, was the first person to challenge such fake studies in 2015. She exposed more than 100 fake studies and proved that there’s often a link between the sponsor’s interests and results derived from the funded studies.

Always, Coca-Cola!

The New York Times investigation into Coca-Cola’s expenditure on scientific research between 2010 and 2015 exposed the murky world of ‘sponsored research.’

The beverage company registered a non-profit called Global Energy Balance Network. Multiple studies and research work were released in the public domain by this not-for-profit suggesting that people should focus more on exercising instead of cutting calories by reducing food and soft drinks consumption. This remains to be the best example of corporate meddling. The organization had recruited reputable scientists to spread the message and also spent handsomely on social media campaigns to spread results for manipulated studies even faster. But after the New York Times expose, the nonprofit simply started disbanding itself.

“It’s easy to fool people”

Germany-based Journalist Diana Lobl and documentary film-maker Peter Onneken made a documentary – “The Chocolate Diet” in 2015 and proved how easy it is to trick millions of people with fake studies.

As a part of the documentary, Onneken and Lobl conducted a mock clinical trial and derived desired statistics to reach their pre-chosen conclusion regarding how eating chocolate can help in losing weight.

Then, a research institute was registered at the film company’s address, and a press release was issued to newspapers regarding the results of the study. Thanks to the Public Relation companies, they were able to spread their fake study findings everywhere.

Several popular publications from around the world like Cosmopolitan, The Huff Post, The Daily Star, Times of India, etc. published the findings of Lobl’s shoddy research. Even the journal called The International Archives of Medicine published it. Readers probably started believing that chocolate may help in losing weight.

“We were surprised that no one called on the research institute’s phone number to double check the details mentioned in the press release. Not even one publication preferred to cross check the details about the study, its participants, and documentation. When it comes to beverages and food, people prefer to put facts aside and listen to the things that we want to hear,” said Diana Lobl while interacting with journalists.

“Expert’s opinion”

In India also, we do come across such ‘health studies’ or ‘health tips’ in the form of posters inside shopping malls or even on the coffee machines. Social media is full of such fake studies that promote some or the other product. We interacted with experts to understand how consumers can demand action against such unbelievable claims.

“Ideally, in India, if it’s about fake claims published as a part of an advertisement in newspaper, magazine, social media campaigns, hoarding, packaging material, or printed on promotional material, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) is the right authority to be approached. Consumers can file a complaint against such promotional material online, using ASCI website as well as their Android application. But I think it is not practically feasible for them to cross-check all the claims because all over India, hundreds of ads come out each day. So, we as customers have to be vigilant and remain skeptical about questionable claims. Before believing any of the so-called health-studies, it is important to double check details about the organization that has conducted the research and companies that funded it,” said Pune-based medical practitioner Dr Deepti Pundle.

“Advertising or promotional material and food’s ingredients are two different issues. As far as food ingredients or the quality of the food item is concerned, FSSAI is the right authority to be approached. The FSSAI – Food Safety and Standards Authority of India keeps on testing various food products available in the market. If the complaint is about the quality of packaged food, or food safety violations, customers can file their complaint online via FSSAI’s website. Simultaneously, customers can approach their state’s Commissioner of Food Safety and consumer forums in their city. Consumers can also get products tested from private labs to cross check if the product ‘really’ consists all the ingredients mentioned on the label and are good for the health or not. But, the entire procedure can prove to be a costly affair. The common man may not have time and funds for the same,” said forensic expert who interacted with us on condition of anonymity. Emails sent to FMCG companies for their comments on the issue remain unanswered as of now.

By Nitten Gokhaley

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

PM to inaugurate India’s longest rail-road bridge on Dec 25

By

Web Team

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December 5, 2018

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India’s longest railroad bridge on December 25.

The ceremony to mark the opening of the bridge coincides with the 94th birth anniversary of the former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who passed away in August. It was Vajpayee who laid the foundation stone of this bridge in 2002.

The overpass, called Bogibeel Bridge, is in Assam and is a combined road and rail bridge over the River Brahmaputra – precisely between the districts of Dhemaji and Dibrugarh.

It is believed that this route will help the people of Arunachal Pradesh by saving their time on commuting to southern Assam.

As of now, a train journey from Arunachal Pradesh to Assam’s Dibrugarh requires a 500 km detour via Guwahati. After the bridge becomes functional, the distance will be reduced by 100 km.

The connectivity is also strategically important for the movement of troops to Arunachal Pradesh bordering China.

This project was first cleared by then prime minister HD Deve Gowda in 1997.

First sanctioned at a cost of Rs 3,230.02 crore, the cost of the Bogibeel Bridge was later revised to Rs 4,857 crores, mainly due to cost escalation and increase in its length to nearly 5 km as against 4.31 km proposed earlier.

Coal scam: HC Gupta sentenced to 3-year imprisonment

By

Web Team

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December 5, 2018

A Delhi court on Wednesday sentenced former coal secretary H C Gupta to 3-year imprisonment in a coal block allocation scam case which happened during the previous UPA regime at the Centre.

Two other bureaucrats — K S Kropha and K C Samria — were also awarded 3-year of jail term.

The three bureaucrats were also fined Rs 50,000 each.

They were later granted statutory bail as the jail term was below four years.

Special Judge Bharat Prasar sentenced other convicted persons Vikas Patni, MD of Vikash Metals and Power Limited (VMPL), and its authorised signatory Anand Mallick to 4 years jail term.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Patni and Rs 2 lakh on Mallick. They were sent to jail. A fine of Rs 1 lakh was imposed on the company.

The case pertains to irregularities in the allocation of Moira and Madhujore (North and South) coal blocks in West Bengal to VMPL. In September 2012, the CBI registered an FIR in the case.

The CBI had sought a maximum of seven years imprisonment for the five convicted persons and imposition of a heavy fine on the private firm.

The offences for which they had been convicted entail a minimum punishment of one year in jail, going up to a maximum of seven years.

The court had on November 30 convicted Gupta, former joint secretary in Ministry of Coal Kropha and the then director (CA-I) in the ministry Samria.

It had also convicted the firm, Patni and Mallick.

Gupta, who was the Coal Secretary from December 31, 2005 to November 2008, has already been convicted before this in two other cases of coal block allocation in which he had been sentenced to jail for two and three years respectively. He is out on bail in both the cases.

Prevent stroke with healthy habits — Part I

By

Jayanthy Subramaniam

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December 5, 2018

World Stroke Day stressed the importance to underscore the serious nature and high rates of stroke, raise awareness of the prevention and treatment of the condition, and ensure better care and support for survivors. Strokes are a medical emergency and urgent treatment is essential to the patient. Sooner a patient receives treatment for stroke, the better outcome is likely to come.

Sudden weakness or numbness, especially on one side of the body. It may be the face, arm, leg or the combination of all these is the symptom. Apart from this, the sufferer faces sudden blurred vision or loss of one or both the eyes is a serious stroke. Around 80 million people living in the world today have experienced a stroke and over 50m survivors live with some form of permanent disability as a result. While for many, life after stroke won’t be quite the same, with the right care and support living a meaningful life is still possible. Identify the symptoms of stroke and act fast with swift treatment.

The impact of stroke will be different for everyone. On World Stroke Day on October 29, 2018, we would like to focus the world’s attention on what unites stroke survivors and caregivers, namely their resilience and capacity to build on the things that stroke can’t take away; their determination to keep going on the recovery journey. Stroke can happen to men and women, strokes are more common in women, in part because women live longer than men. In fact, 1 in 5 women age 55 and older will have a stroke in her lifetime. About 6 in 10 stroke deaths happen to women.

Unseen effects of stroke are fatigue, which happens in body and mind. You may feel like you have no energy. You may get tired easily after a short period of activity. Post-stroke fatigue is a sense of powerful tiredness that does not get proved with rest. It can lead to depression or isolation. Suffering a stroke can cause many significant and challenging mental and physical changes; but, continuing to work toward recovery is important. Finding your new normal after a stroke won’t happen all at once — and that’s OK. Developing a new routine and tracking small, step-by-step goals will help. Your medical team is there to help. Keep them informed of progress, concerns, and changes to how you can support your own therapy. There lies the real success of recovery.

Health is wealth and how to overcome heart diseases in the modern method of medical treatment rather than brooding on what had happened to your health all of a sudden. Heart surgeons in India today are good enough and world-class cardiologist are feeling that the confidence level of the heart patient is high and how he recovers fast from the ailment are factors that lead to a normal life even after a massive stroke.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)