Fasting FTII student in hospital

By

-

September 13, 2015

A third student of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), who was on a relay hunger strike, was taken to a hospital on Sunday after his sugar levels dropped, even as protests against appointment of actor and BJP member Gajendra Chauhan as institution’s chairman continued.

Ankit Thapa was shifted to a private hospital on the fourth day of relay hunger strike. He had replaced Hiral Savad who too was hospitalised on Friday and was discharged yesterday.

Another student, Shahi Aj of 2012 batch, replaced Thapa on the chain hunger strike, said Ranajit Nair, representative of FTII Students’ Association (FSA) said.

Alok Arora, who was on a hunger strike, hospitalised after he felt unwell due to a drop in sugar level.

The hunger-strike entered the fourth-day.

The agitating students now on more than three-month-old strike in support of their demands resorted to indefinite hunger strike on Thursday claiming that they had been left with no other option because of the “apathy” shown by the government to the issues raised by them including that of setting up a ‘transparent mechanism” to select the FTII chairman.

They have also alleged that Chauhan lacks “credentials and vision” to head the premiere institute expected to give a direction to film making in country.

The Information and Broadcasting ministry who has taken a tough stance on the long drawn out strike by the students who have been boycotting classes since June 12, has so far cold-shouldered their demand to hold another round of talks with them after failure of the July 3 dialogue in Delhi to find a solution to the impasse.

70 sailors from Gujarat stranded in crisis-hit Yemen; MEA says working on evacuation

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

India on Sunday said it is taking steps to ensure safe evacuation of its nationals from Yemen after a sailors group claimed that 70 seamen from Gujarat are stranded in the war-torn county.

“Our Mission in Yemen (Camp Office in Djibouti) is aware of the situation and taking steps to ensure safe evacuation of Indians,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in Delhi when asked about the action being taken to rescue the Indians.

Nearly 70 seamen from the coastal village of Mandavi in Kutch and from Jodiya and Salaya villages of Jamnagar were stuck for over 15 days now at Khokha port in Yemen where they had gone to deliver cargo in five boats, a sailors group said in Gujarat and appealed to the government to rescue them.

It came days after six Indians, most of them from Gujarat, were killed when their boat came under Saudi-led air strikes in the Arab country.

“About 70 Gujarati sailors along with five vessels are stranded in Yemen for around 15 days and they now need the government’s help for their rescue,” said Vahanvatta Association of Kutch and Mandavi president Haji Juneja.

“I yesterday wrote to the Ministry of External Affairs urging them to save our sailors or shift them to a safer place,” he said.

“The sailors are in a pitiable condition as some forces have been bombarding them. They escaped death last night when some force, either of the insurgents or the Saudi coalition, began an attack with rocket launchers,” he said.

Meanwhile, one of the stranded sailors, identified as Sikandar from Mandavi village, sent an audio message in which he said that they came under a bomb attack last night.

“I am an Indian. My name is Sikandar. We are at Khokha port. They have lobbed three rockets and we somehow managed to save ourselves. We are running here and there to save ourselves,” Sikandar says in the message.

“We are 70 Indians stranded here along with five ships. They have been bombarding us with warplanes. Please help us. We are Indians. We are in great difficulty. They will kill us. Please save us,” he said.

Yemen has been facing a civil war-like situation with Shiite rebels clashing with pro-government forces. United Nations estimates that more than 4,500 people have been killed in the conflict since March.

The External Affairs Ministry had said on Friday that six Indians were killed after their boat came under Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen on September 8.

Owaisi will divide Muslim votes in Bihar and help BJP: Congress

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao on Sunday lashed out at All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his decision to contest the Bihar Assembly polls, saying that he would divide the Muslim votes and help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the electoral battle.

“We will fight elections as a secular party. Now, Asaduddin (Owaisi) is canvassing in Bihar, he contested even the Maharashtra elections. He says that that he wants to stop communal forces, but he is instead helping. He is going to divide Muslim votes and the BJP will gain from that. That is what he has been doing, he is helping the BJP. I appeal to the people of Bihar to not let such people enter their state,” Rao said.

Owaisi, who announced to contest the Bihar polls, said that his agenda would be overall development of the Seemanchal region. The term of the 243-member Bihar Assembly election comes to an end on November 29.

The polls in the state will begin on October 12 and end on November 5. Counting of votes will take place on November 8.

Clashes mar marathon in Kashmir; 12 held for ‘eve-teasing, molesting’

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Clashes between youths and security forces marred the first-ever international half marathon in Kashmir Valley on Sunday, following which 12 persons were arrested for allegedly eve-teasing and molesting women runners.

Soon after the run, organised to spread awareness about saving Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake, was flagged off at Kashmir University at Hazratbal, some youths shouted “anti-India” slogans, raised Pakistani flags and pelted stones at forces, who resorted to lathicharge and firing of teargas shells.

“The situation is under control now,” police said, adding that there was, however, no report of any injury to anyone.

The incident drew flak from both PDP and NC. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was to take part in the event but pulled out of it owing to security situation, said on Twitter: “The theme for the run was ‘save the Dal’. It’s such a pity that politics had to come in the way of that also (sic).”

A PDP leader said those who indulged in sloganeering and raising of Pakistani flag were also behind eve-teasing and molestation, leading to the disturbance.

PDP president and MP Mehbooba Mufti expressed her dismay over the alleged incidents of molestation and eve-teasing and said, “Such a rowdy behaviour is unacceptable in a civilised society. The state’s civil society should rise against such unruly behaviour where our daughters are being dishonoured by misguided, disruptive elements.”

“I do not know what was wrong with this marathon and why the youth tried not only to disrupt it but also to humiliate the female participants both from within and outside the state,” she said.

Waheed Para, PDP’s youth wing president and political analyst to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, accused the slogan-shouting youths of eve-teasing and molesting women participants. “We condemn the incident,” he added.

“The function was going on smoothly till some miscreants within the crowd started passing obscene and lewd comments at girl participants and those in the audience… FIRs have been registered… At Police Station Nigeen and 12 miscreants involved in molestation and eve-teasing have been arrested so far,” a police spokesman said.

Stinking washrooms on trains set to go, railways to introduce vaccum toilets

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Stinking washrooms on trains may become a thing of the past with the railways launching the trial run of vacuum toilet on Dibrugarh Rajdhani from Monday.

Vacuum toilet, a first in railways, will be on trial in Dibrugarh Rajdhani from September 14, said a senior Railway Ministry official involved with the project.

Fitted in the First AC coach at an estimated cost of about Rs. 3 lakh, the vacuum toilet is also equipped with the bio-digester system.
Vacuum toilets are currently operational in aircraft.

According to the plan, railways will initially install 80 such toilets on a Shatabdi Express train, the official said.

Indian Railway has floated global tenders for installing the toilets at a cost of Rs. 25 crore and multinational companies from Germany, USA, Denmark and Spain have evinced interest in manufacturing and installing the system, the official said.

The environment-friendly vacuum-based toilets consume much less water than conventional ones despite improved efficiency of the flush, aiding water conservation efforts. Besides, such toilets would also help prevent corrosion of rail tracks.

A vacuum toilet will also be installed at New Delhi station.

Jitan Manjhi bargains with BJP, his son arrested with Rs. 4.6 lakh cash

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s younger son Pravin Manjhi was on Sunday afternoon arrested from Jehanabad in Bihar along with Rs. 4.65 lakh.

The money was being carried in a vehicle, and it was seized by Bihar Police after a check by authorities. Pravin has been taken to Makdumpur police station where he is being asked to reveal the source. He is likely to be released only after the police are satisfied with his answers.

Defending Pravin, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s son-in-law Devender said that due to an ongoing construction work in Gaya, he was carrying the money from Patna. He also alleged that the state government is using intelligence sources to keep an eye on them ahead of state Assembly elections.

The arrest comes even as Jitan Manjhi is in a deadlock with the National Democratic Alliance over the seat sharing in the upcoming Bihar elections. Manjhi was unhappy with BJP’s offer of 15 seats and is demanding 25 for his party.

According to sources, the BJP has expressed concerns over Manjhi’s demand but Manjhi feels that his party needs to contest at least 10 per cent of the total number of Assembly seats to be considered a regional player.

Manjhi is meeting leaders of his Hindustan Awam Morcha at Bihar Niwas in Delhi. BJP leaders continue to put up a brave front saying efforts are on to convince Manjhi. The BJP core group will meet again today to discuss the matter.

Jennifer Garner makes first public appearance post split

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Actress Jennifer Garner debuted public appearance at a fundraiser over two months after announcing separation from actor husband Ben Affleck.

Garner and 43-year-old Affleck, who have three children, announced they were divorcing on June 30. They got married in 2005.

She attended the “Think It Up” telethon at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California on Friday, September 11.

The 43-year-old actress was decked out in a “Think It Up” t-shirt and dark jeans, reported Aceshowbiz.

She did not wear her wedding ring. She was all smiles as she mingled with the likes of Jessica Biel, Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Renner, Seth Meyers, Joe Manganiello, Terry Crews, will.I.Am, Julie Chen, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, Eric Stonestreet, and J.K. Simmons for the good cause.

The event is a fundraiser, which aims at helping improve education in the US. Pop star Justin Bieber and Kacey Musgraves served as musical guests.

Sandra Bullock fixes Bolivian election in new drama

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Sandra Bullock, as an American political strategist, plots the defeat of Evo Morales in Bolivia`s 2002 presidential ballot in “Our Brand is Crisis,” which premiered at the Toronto film festival Saturday.

The fictionalized account of the election is based on a 2005 documentary of the same name about how US Democratic Party strategist James Carville helped Morales`s opponent Gonzalo Sanches de Lozada come from behind to beat the frontrunner in the campaign.

In real life, Morales picked himself up and returned a few years later to become Bolivia`s first indigenous president, for three terms.

Bullock, who was back in Toronto following last year`s blockbuster hit “Gravity,” said she asked producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov to consider changing the lead character to a woman for her, and they did.

She noted “an explosion” in the number of meaty female roles in film and television of late. “It`s good that we`re seeing that change,” she said.

On the surface, “Our Brand is Crisis” is a sharp critique of American no holds barred electoral campaigns and candidates who manipulate the truth in order to win.

More broadly it strikes at all deceitful marketing.

“We`re shedding a light on a small slice of that world, which happens to be politics, but I think it definitely represents where we are as a culture and where we need to take ownership back and start looking at things for what they are rather than what we`re being sold,” Bullock said.

Just take a peak “behind the curtain” to discover that “the man behind the curtain is doing some pretty deceptive and manipulative stuff,” she said.

Zoe Saldana to star in ‘I Kill Giants’

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

Actress Zoe Saldana has signed on for a key role in “I Kill Giants”, the upcoming film version of the graphic novel by Joe Kelly and illustrator Ken Niimura. The story follows a young misfit girl named Barbara who grapples with monsters both real and imagined in her life, reported Deadline.

The 37-year-old “Guardians of the Galaxy” star will play Mrs Molle, the school psychologist who helps Barbara through her struggles and forms a tight bond with her as a result.

Saldana joins Madison Wolfe as Barbara, who was chosen for the role after a nationwide search of over 500 actresses.

Anders Walter is directing the film which is written by Kelly. Filming is set to begin in early 2016.

Saldana was recently seen in “Infinitely Polar Bear” opposite Mark Ruffalo, and will soon be seen in the upcoming “Star Trek Beyond”.

Lending a helping hand

By

Afternoon Voice

-

September 13, 2015

It is obviously good if the children study in schools and play rather than working in hazardous situations. However, India is a country where large number of poor people is living and children need to work to support their parents. This situation is prevalent in agrarian societies for a long period of time. Many young boys and girls are very competent and they can combine work with studies. If you visit villages surrounding cities you will notice young girls performing some work and earning money. They also study well.

Until 15 years back, I must confess that I was unaware about the marijuana shrub which was growing outside our farmhouse gate. A ten year old boy had informed me about it. The boy was very smart, he could work in the fields, milk and ride the cows and buffaloes and even managed to clear examinations with good marks. When I was staying in community centre CGS colony, the son of our “presswala” used to assist his father but today he is a state civil service officer.

Children must be prohibited from working in factories manufacturing crackers or work places where they may inhale poisonous and fibrous (hazardous) material. They can support their parents until they become self-reliant. The film Boot Polish which revolves around this subject is worth watching. In the film Mother India young Birju was quite bright to be able to help his mother and frighten Sukhi lala”.

If the government takes initiative to improve sanitation, provide basic education, health care facilities then child exploitation will automatically vanish. When I was studying in 7^th standard some of my school mates used to reach school by walking a distance of 5-6 km barefoot. They used to come first and second in the class and not me. Obviously, they also must have been working in the fields to assist their parents. Too much economic disparity exists between the rich and the poor which needs to be addressed on a priority basis.

Visit the interior areas of states like Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar and then you can find the difference. The government must take initiative to bridge the gap between the rich and poor which will pave way for inclusive development. It is necessary to provide basic amenities to citizens so that children will be relieved from assisting their parents and will learn and play freely. Let us hope the Maharashtra government sets about mending the basics by totally forgetting empty rhetoric.