Asia News

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday demanded the repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from the state, where 14 civilians were killed by security forces in Mon district in an anti-insurgency operation fiasco and said the state too has special powers. IMAGE: Coffins of the 14 people who were killed by security forces, during their funeral in Mon district of Nagaland, on Monday, December 6, 2021. Discussions and deliberations need to be held on the purpose of imposing AFSPA and how to revoke it, Rio said during the public funeral of the 14 daily wage earners of a coal mine, who were shot dead by security forces on Saturday at Oting village on their way home from work. Article 371(A) of the Constitution grants special provisions to Nagaland. It states that no Act of Parliament shall apply to Nagaland unless its legislative assembly decides so by a resolution. After the funeral, the chief minister tweeted 'Nagaland and the Naga people have always opposed … [Read more...] about Naga CM seeks repeal of Afspa as 14 civilians laid to rest

Singapore's ministry of health has said that early clinical observations globally suggest that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 may be more transmissible and have a higher risk of reinfection compared to the Delta and Beta variants of the virus. IMAGE: Samples being examined at the genome sequencing lab and RT-PCR Laboratory at Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services campus in Chennai amid fear of the 'Omicron’ strain of the virus. "This means that there is a higher likelihood of individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 to be reinfected with the Omicron variant," Channel News Asia quoted the ministry as saying on Sunday in an update on the Omicron variant. Meanwhile, the city-state reported one more "preliminarily positive" Omicron case on Sunday. The 37-year old vaccinated permanent resident was on the same flight as two other "preliminary positive" cases that landed here from South Africa on December 1. On Sunday, Singapore also reported 552 new COVID-19 cases … [Read more...] about Omicron more infectious than Delta variant: Report

Expressing solidarity with the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said he has decided to suspend hosting of a talk show on Sansad TV until the suspension of the legislators is revoked and a "semblance of bipartisanship restored to the conduct of Parliament". IMAGE: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. Tharoor has been hosting the talk show To The Point on Sansad TV. "I believed that my accepting Sansad TV's invitation to host a show was in the best traditions of India's parliamentary democracy, reaffirming the principle that our political differences did not prevent us, as members of Parliament, from participating fully in various parliamentary institutions which belong to us all," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. "However, the prolonged suspension of 12 MPs from the Rajya Sabha, expelled in an arbitrary manner for actions committed during a previous session, has called into question the very assumption of a bipartisan … [Read more...] about Shashi Tharoor quits Sansad TV show over MPs’ suspension

Home Minister Amit Shah will make a detailed statement in Lok Sabha on Monday on the Nagaland firing incident in which 14 civilians were killed during an anti-insurgency operation by security forces. As soon as the House met for the day, Opposition members, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue. In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said the home minister will make a detailed statement on the issue in the House on Monday. Speaker Om Birla said the home minister has given him in writing that he will make a statement on the incident in the House. Earlier, sources had said Shah may first make the statement in Lok Sabha and then in Rajya Sabha. On Sunday, the Army expressed deep regret over the incident and ordered a Court of Inquiry. According to the police in Nagaland's capital Kohima, it was investigating whether the incident was a case of mistaken … [Read more...] about Amit Shah to make statement on Nagaland firing in Parliament

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held a meeting with the top ministers in the Parliament over the Nagaland firing incident and the government's strategy in both Houses, the sources said. IMAGE: Placards and black flag are put up at the venue of Hornbill festival in solidarity with the civilians killed in an anti-insurgency operation in Kisama, Nagaland. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also give a statement on the firing incident in both the Houses of Parliament later in the day. Earlier today, several Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha moved notices in their respective houses to discuss the firing incident in Nagaland in which at least 13 civilians died. Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Manish Tewari have given adjournment motion notices in Lok Sabha over the matter, while Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha gave suspension of business notice "to discuss the matters related to the killing of innocent civilians in Nagaland". A five-member … [Read more...] about Modi discusses Nagaland firing incident with top ministers

The success of fringe players has left Kohli's India in a good space as they head to South Africa in a week's time for a three-Test series. IMAGE: India's players celebrate after Jayant Yadav dismisses Tim Southee. Batters Mayank Agarwal and Shreyas Iyer and spin-bowling all-rounders Axar Patel and Jayant Yadav grabbed their chance with both hands and have staked claims for selection for the trip to South Africa. India face a problem of plenty for their upcoming trip to South Africa having beaten New Zealand at home despite resting a number of regulars, but captain Virat Kohli said it was a "good headache to have". The hosts were without Kohli in the first of the two Tests, while batter Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were rested for both matches against New Zealand. Despite the absences India came agonisingly close to victory in the opening match at Kanpur before thumping the world Test champions by 372 … [Read more...] about Kohli glad to see youngsters hungry to play Test cricket