Asia

J&K: Third national level Sufiyat conference held in Srinagar
16Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Third national level Sufiyat conference held in Srinagar

The third National Level Sufiyat Conference titled, ‘Sufism-700 years roots in Kashmir’, was inaugurated by chairman of Kashmir Society International, Khwaja Farooq Renzushah in Srinagar city of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.According to a statement, Renzushah complimented all the participants “on the extraordinary success of the series of these national level conferences which have rightly scripted new history in the field of Sufi literature in Kashmir.”He said that Kashmir Society International which is in MoU with Kashmir University “had the honour to present at the first national level conference on November 11, 2020 with 111 high valued books on Tasawuf. Similarly, at the 2nd National level Sufiyat conference, 51 Books on Tasawuf were scripted.”During the function, a...
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J&K: Young poet Aroosa Ashraf’s book launched at DPS Srinagar
14Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Young poet Aroosa Ashraf’s book launched at DPS Srinagar

A poetry book titled ‘The Fifth Chamber of Heart’ by Aroosa Ashraf was released at Delhi Public School (DPS), Srinagar in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.The book, published by FreshCode Books, traverses a wide variety of themes including mental illness, emotions, melancholy, sadness, betrayal and heartbreak.The book by the 18-year-old poet details her journey and despair of hopelessness. Recounting her journey, Aroosa said, “Sentences came into my mind and when I started saying them aloud, it eventually came out as a poem. That is how it all started.”Several dignitaries including poets Dr Gazanfar Ali, Inayat Gul and radio jockey RJ Rafiya, besides family of the author, students and people from various walks of life participated in the event.Speaking on the occasion, RJ Ra...
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J&K sets sight on Middle Eastern market for its horticulture produce
14Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Market

J&K sets sight on Middle Eastern market for its horticulture produce

With a view to promote Kashmir horticulture produce across the globe, a delegation of top government officials along with progressive fruit growers are participating in UAE-India Food Security Summit 2020 to be held in Dubai.The delegation led by the Principal Secretary, Agriculture production, Naveen Chowdhary, Director Horticulture Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat along with dozens of progressive farmers will have B2B interactions with multinational companies and international buyers.As per the officials, the potential buyers which the J&K delegation would be targeting will include Lulu supermarket, Choitram supermarket, Carrefour supermarket, Taj Hotels catering Dubai, Al Adil supermarket, Waitrose supermarket and Emirates airline catering services.Director Horticulture Kashmir, Aijaz Ahma...
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Biden picks longtime China critic Katherine Tai as top U.S. trade official
14Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, World

Biden picks longtime China critic Katherine Tai as top U.S. trade official

Katherine Tai speaks during a House Ways and Means Committee meeting to consider the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement in 2019. CSPAN President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday named Katherine Tai, a trade lawyer with a history of taking on China, as his incoming administration's pick for the United States' top trade representative. If confirmed by the Senate, Tai would inherit a critical, Cabinet-level position tasked with enforcing America's import rules and brokering trading terms with China and other nations. Tai, who is Asian-American, would also be the first woman of color to serve as the USTR. She is fluent in Mandarin. In choosing Tai, the senior trade lawyer on the House Ways and Means Committee, the Biden team likely signals an intent to return to a more multilateral trade app...
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Pakistan, China Began Joint Air Exercise Shaheen (Eagle)-IX in Sindh
10Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore

Pakistan, China Began Joint Air Exercise Shaheen (Eagle)-IX in Sindh

With an aim to deepen practical cooperation and improve the actual-combat training level, the air forces of Pakistan and China on Wednesday commenced a joint exercise "Shaheen (Eagle)-IX" at an operational air base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Sindh province.“A contingent of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), comprising combat pilots, air defence controllers and technical ground crew, participated in the exercise,” the PAF said in a statement.The opening ceremony of the exercise was jointly witnessed by Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations) Air Vice Marshal Waqas Ahmed Sulehri and Assistant Chief of Staff, PLAAF, Major General Sun Hong, it said."The joint exercise will improve the actual level of combat training and strengthen practical cooperation between the two air f...
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Despite hopeful signs, Tokyo and Seoul miles apart on wartime labor
10Dec By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

Despite hopeful signs, Tokyo and Seoul miles apart on wartime labor

Over the past few weeks South Korea has dispatched high-ranking government officials and lawmakers to Japan, seeking a breakthrough in a bilateral relationship characterized by some to be in its worst state since 1965 when diplomatic relations were normalized. South Korea and especially President Moon Jae-in seem eager to patch up the fractured relations, seizing changes in leadership in Japan and the United States and a summit scheduled to be hosted by Seoul as a golden opportunity to score diplomatic points and boost popularity. But Japan has remained unmoved by South Korea’s passionate overtures, with the issue of compensation over wartime labor being a sticking point between them. The two sides have been at a stalemate for years over court proceedings to seize and liquidate Japanese...
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Hong Kong Police arrest 8 more pro-democracy legislators
9Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Hong Kong Police arrest 8 more pro-democracy legislators

The Hong Kong police on Tuesday arrested eight more pro-democracy legislators over their role in an unauthorized protest last summer.According to media reports, while the police have only said that the arrested people were of age between 24 and 64, local media has said that former pro-democracy legislators and veteran activist Leung Kwok-hung, known as Long Hair, was among them.Meanwhile, a Twitter post of former legislator Eddie Chu said he too had been arrested.“Chu Hoi Dick was arrested and searched by the police at 0640am this morning,” the post read. “He was charged with two crimes related to July 1st: holding or organizing an unauthorized assembly, and knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly,” the post added.The arrests came less than a week after police sentenced three o...
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China a ‘principal military, economic threat’ in Asia: US Commerce Secretary
9Dec mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China, Market, Singapore, World

China a ‘principal military, economic threat’ in Asia: US Commerce Secretary

China continues to be both the largest potential market and the principal military and economic threat in the Asian region, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said on Tuesday.Speaking at the Milken Institute Asia Summit, Ross said: “China accounts for 210 out of 539 anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders imposed by the U.S. In addition, China makes up a “good portion” of the U.S. entity list that restricts companies’ access to American suppliers for national security reasons, he said.Anti-dumping and countervailing duties are slapped on products suspected of being sold at an unfairly low price. Chinese firms that have been put on the entity list include telecommunications giant Huawei.Commenting on the recently signed between China and 14 other Asia-Pacific Countries, Ross said that...
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6 men abduct minor in Pakistan’s Punjab, force her to marry 45-year-old man
7Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

6 men abduct minor in Pakistan’s Punjab, force her to marry 45-year-old man

In Pakistan’s Punjab province, a case has been registered against six men for allegedly abducting a 12-year-old girl and later forcing her to get married to a 45-year-old man.Though the girl was recovered by police officials, the accused managed to flee from the location. A local court had also chided the investigation offer for mentioning the wrong age of the victim as 17.Meanwhile, the father of the victim has appealed to higher authorities seeking action against the accused, and also complained of non-cooperation from the police department in this case.Earlier in November, a case of child marriage had surfaced in the Thul town of Sindh’s Sukkur despite a law outlawing such marriages put in place.Prior to that, a 13-year-old Christian girl named Arzoo Raja was forcibly abducted allegedly...
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Pakistan: Christian girl killed for rejecting Muslim man’s marriage proposal
7Dec mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, Singapore

Pakistan: Christian girl killed for rejecting Muslim man’s marriage proposal

In yet another incident of lawlessness, a Christian girl in Pakistan was brutally killed after her parents rejected a marriage proposal sent by a Muslim man.Officers from the Koral Police Station in Rawalpindi claimed to have arrested an accused named Faizan, whereas raids were being carried out to arrest the prime suspect, Shehzad.Shehzad's mother is also said to have sent her son's proposal for the victim Sonia, but her parents refused as she was to marry another man, identified as Faizan.According to police, on the day of the incident, the girl was travelling with Faizan on the highway, when Shehzad opened fire on her.The police said that, as per the preliminary investigation, the murder appears to have been carried out of personal resentment. However, the deputy inspector general (DIG)...
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