Off The Chorten, Chowderhead
India may be behind China on most counts, but there바카라s one parameter it바카라s ready to zoom ahead on바카라the worst tourists. The latest in the hall of shame is a biker from Maharashtra who clambered atop a holy chorten (stupa) in Bhutan, provoking outrage in the Buddhist nation as well as on social media in India. Lately, Bhutan has been trying to rein in Indian visitors, who have few restrictions compared to other tourists who must spend a minimum of $250 a day in the country. As elsewhere, Indians trash the ecologically fragile nation and do not respect local customs. And now, with such sacrilegious antics, we may soon find ourselves unwelcome in yet another nation in the neighbourhood.
Pugilists Punch Out In Poll Season
The election campaign in Haryana lacks the punch of polls past. The reason? Fewer pehelwans are signing up as musclemen for party leaders. And politicians are partly to blame for this. With increasing government support for sports, better infrastructure, generous rewards and bestowal of government jobs on achievers, wrestlers are focusing on their training rather than petty politicking. At an akhara in Rohtak, 170 wrestlers found employment in various government departments over the past 12 years. Only those who fail to perform in the ring now take up jobs as bodyguards.
Pedagogic Charades And Burqa Babes
After having installed a solar panel, built a washroom and purchased new furniture, Muzafar Shah, a district councilor in western Pakistan, decided to end his four-year tenure with a bang. He used state funds to distribute 90 burqas to students of a middle government school. It predictably stoked a storm, but Shah couldn바카라t figure out the fuss. 바카라I thought these poor girls should have new burqas,바카라 he says. 바카라The people...are very happy바카라had I distributed jeans among the girls, the media and liberals would have praised me.바카라
O Brother, Why Art Thou?
Kanimozhi has lately been miffed. Though she is the secretary of the DMK women바카라s wing, she rarely is invited for party meetings. Moreover, T.R. Baalu has taken over her role as DMK point-person in Delhi. This despite her having endorsed the leadership of Stalin, her half-brother. Now, Stalin바카라s son, Udayanidhi, who heads the party바카라s youth wing, wants to start a young women바카라s outfit. 바카라When there is already a women바카라s wing in the party, what is the need for another one?바카라 ask Kanimozhi바카라s supporters. Earlier, her mother, Rajathi, would appeal to Karunanidhi whenever she was sidelined. Now her daughter seems to have become an easy pushover for Stalin and his son.
Hello바카라Bye!
It has barely been a week since the people of Jammu and Kashmir got a partial respite from the communications shutdown, but rumours abound of another impending blackout. Satya Pal Malik, J&K governor, hinted that mobile services could be suspended around October 31, when the state will officially be bifurcated into two Union territories. After post-paid phones, people were hoping that there would be a resumption of prepaid and internet services, but it seems the government is keener on promoting digital detoxes.
Pappu Paas Ho Gaya
One politician바카라s disaster is another바카라s opportunity. The recent deluge in Patna left many leaders from the ruling JD(U)-BJP scampering for safety바카라not just from the floodwaters, but also from an angry public heckling them for tardy relief. In this pandemonium, Pappu Yadav emerged as an unlikely saviour. The former MP not only waded through waist-deep water every day to provide succour to the marooned, he also attended those associated with the ruling alliance. A day after deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi was rescued, Pappu landed at his inundated house, offering food packets to his staff who, he alleged, Modi had left behind to fend for themselves.
Bank Of Bacchanalia
They are posing with a propeller plane in the backdrop, beaming in their sun hats and goggles. They might seem like a happy family embarking on a vacation to cerulean seas, but they are the diligent officials of Federal Bank. And that plane? It바카라s what they recovered from Seabird Seaplane Ltd, a flight operator in Kochi who defaulted on loans of Rs 6 crore. Earlier, they had seized two luxury resorts as their owners had outstanding dues of Rs 36 crore. The alacrity with which it바카라s recovering loans, the bank will not only be an exemplar for other institutions, but also a hospitality behemoth.
You Won바카라t Smudge The Ink
Press freedom continues to be curbed and violated across the world. Australia, a thriving democracy, seems to be its latest victim. On October 21, Australia바카라s biggest newspapers made a show of unity by publishing redacted front pages in protest against press restrictions.
Mastheads from News Corp Australia and Nine Entertainment showed blacked-out text beside red stamps marked 바카라secret바카라 on October 21. The protest is aimed at national security laws which journalists say have stifled reporting and created a 바카라culture of secrecy바카라 in Australia.
The government said it backed press freedom but reminded that 바카라no one was above the law바카라.
The tussle between the government and the Australian media began in June 2019 following police raids on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the home of a News Corp Australia journalist, generating a backlash.
Media organisations said the raids had been conducted over articles relying on leaks from whistleblowers. One detailed allegations of war crimes, while the other reported an alleged attempt by a government agency to spy on Australian citizens. The raids led many to ask if the country is doing enough to protect those who try to expose wrongdoing.
The latest campaign, by the Right to Know Coalition, was supported by TV, radio and online outlets.
Michael Miller, executive chairman of News Corp Australia, urged the public to ask of the government: 바카라What are they trying to hide from me?바카라
The company바카라s chief바카라and fierce바카라rival, Nine, publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, ran similar redacted front pages. The unifying theme rang out clearly: this is not a campaign for journalists바카라it is for Australia바카라s democracy.
ABC managing director David Anderson was quoted as saying, 바카라Australia is at risk of becoming the world바카라s most secretive democracy.바카라
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said press freedom was important to Australia바카라s democracy, but added that the 바카라rule of law바카라 needed to be upheld. 바카라That includes me, or any journalist, or anyone else,바카라바카라 he said.
The concerted campaign argues that tougher security laws enacted over the past two decades have threatened investigative journalism, eroding the public바카라s 바카라right to know바카라.
Illustrations by Saahil; Text Curated by Giridhar Jha, G.C. Shekhar, Naseer Ganai and Alka Gupta
