Tag: India

  • Heartfelt reunion in Makkah: American friend helps divided families meet

    Heartfelt reunion in Makkah: American friend helps divided families meet

    On November 21, 2023, a touching reunion happened in Makkah, bringing together families who were separated during the partition. Hujra Bibi, whose family was split during India’s partition, moved to Pakistan while her sister stayed in India, BBC shared the story.

    The partition of India in 1947, led by the British, created two separate countries, India and Pakistan, causing many people to leave their homes.

    Hujra Bibi’s story is special because the reunion happened in a different country. After being separated during the partition, Hujra, now living in Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan, met her sister’s family from India in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

    The credit for this emotional meeting on November 20 goes to Naseer Dhillon, a native of Faisalabad, Pakistan, and his friend. Naseer, through his YouTube channel, has been actively helping families reconnect.

    Despite facing challenges from the government, the families remained determined. Hujra applied for an Umrah visa, and Hanifan, her sister’s daughter, applied from India. Naseer’s friend, Pal Singh Gill from the United States, played a crucial role in making the meeting possible.

    Naseer highlighted the importance of their efforts, mentioning that despite the distance and obstacles, love and friendship can bring families back together. Hujra BiBi and her niece finally met in Makkah, ending years of being apart. Naseer traveled all the way from Dubai to Saudi Arabia to make this reunion possible. He said, “We thanked Allah for making it happen.” This story shows how families can stay strong and connected, even when they are separated by borders and obstacles. It’s truly amazing how love and determination can bring people together.

  • BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh bans halal products

    BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh bans halal products

    Authorities in India’s most populous Indian state Uttar Pradesh have banned the distribution and sale of Halal-certified products. These include dairy products, garments and medicines. A notificaton from the state government proclaims that the halal certification of the products is illegal.

    Uttar Pradesh, or UP as it is commonly called, is ruled by firebrand right-wing Hindu monk Yogi Adityanath, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.

    “Halal certification of food products is a parallel system which creates confusion regarding the quality of food items,” the notification said.

    The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the country’s apex body in charge of determining standards for most food products sold in the country and determines the standards food products should meet, the notification said.

    Officials have conducted inspections all around the state.

    Campaigns have launched with the title #BycottHalalProducts.

    Extremists from the right wing are appreciating the step as a way to curb “jihad”, alleging that it is funded by the sale of halal products.

    “Religion should not be brought into food. There were many items such as garments, sugar, etc which were being branded as Halal, which is against the law,” state BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said on Monday.

  • Indian organisation goes viral for giving employees a day off after India loses World Cup

    Indian organisation goes viral for giving employees a day off after India loses World Cup

    After India’s historic loss against Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup final, fans were devastated. Some chose to lash out at Australian players, posting misogynistic and degrading slurs on the Instagram profiles of Australian cricket players Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell as well as their wives.

    READ MORE: ‘You can be Indian and also support the country of your birth’; Glenn Maxwell’s wife responds to haters

    Indian media reported that one cricket fan suffered a heart attack and died at the hospital.

    READ MORE: Suicide and heart attacks reported in India after losing World Cup final

    An Indian firm named Marketing Moves is going viral after they offered a day off to their employees to recover from India’s loss.

    “Hi team,” the message read. “In light of India’s loss in the recent WC, we recognise the impact on our team members. To offer some support during this time, the company has decided to grant a one-day leave relaxation. We believe this will provide an opportunity for everyone to regroup and recover. Let’s come back stronger.”

  • ‘You can be Indian and also support the country of your birth’; Glenn Maxwell’s wife responds to haters

    ‘You can be Indian and also support the country of your birth’; Glenn Maxwell’s wife responds to haters

    Glenn Maxwell guided Australia into the World Cup semi-final with a stunning double century against Afghanistan, even if the physical effects were “horrific”.

    Australia were all but beaten at 91-7, chasing 292 for victory in Mumbai on November 7.

    But Maxwell snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a remarkable 201 not out, only the third double-hundred in World Cup history.

    Who is Glenn Maxwell’s wife?

    Vini Raman was born in Australia on March 3, 1993.

    Vini’s parents migrated from India to Melbourne. She traces her roots back to South India.

    Vini pursued graduated in medical science and is a pharmacist by profession.

    Glenn Maxwell and Vini Raman’s love story began when they first met at a Melbourne Stars event in 2013. Their paths crossed in the world of cricket, sparking the beginning of a special connection.

    Speculation about their relationship started when Vini posted a picture with Glenn Maxwell in August 2017. The photo, though captionless, hinted at a close connection, and fans began to take notice.

    Vini married Glenn Maxwell as per Christian rituals on March 18, 2022, in Australia before tying the knot again in a traditional Tamil wedding on March 27 in Chennai.

    Vini and Maxwell welcomed a baby boy on September 15, naming him Logan Maverick Maxwell.

    What are Indian fans doing to Raman?

    The Australian team won a record-extending sixth cricket World Cup title in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

    Indian cricket fans are targeting Raman for supporting Australia and celebrating their win.

    She posted a public service announcement on her Instagram account, “Can’t believe this needs to be said BUT you can be Indian and also support the country of your birth where you have been raised and more importantly the team your husband + father of your child plays in #nobrainer take a chill pill and direct that outrage towards more important world issues.”

    Here are some of the hate comments The Current’s team found on her profile.

  • Trigger Warning: Indian cricket fans threaten Travis Head’s family with death, rape

    Trigger Warning: Indian cricket fans threaten Travis Head’s family with death, rape

    Australian opener Travis Head hit a sparkling 137 to power his team to a record-extending sixth cricket World Cup title with a convincing six-wicket win over India in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

    Chasing a tricky 241 for victory in the final, Australia slipped to 47-3 before the left-handed Head hit his second century of the tournament to steer the team home with seven overs to spare.

    Head’s century was the seventh in a World Cup final and the third by an Australian after Ricky Ponting (140 not out v India in 2003) and Adam Gilchrist (149 v Sri Lanka in 2007).

    He turned into India’s nemesis for the second time this year after his 163 proved decisive in Australia’s World Test Championship triumph at the Oval in June.

    Indian fans couldn’t hold their anger back and instead of questioning their team, threatened Travis Head and his family on his Instagram account.

    Here are some of the screenshots taken by The Current’s team. These might trigger some people because they include rape and death threats.

    We hope to see a world where no sportsman is threatened because of his performance.

  • ‘Player of the tournament’: Protester hailed for wearing ‘Free Palestine’ shirt, halting India vs Australia match

    ‘Player of the tournament’: Protester hailed for wearing ‘Free Palestine’ shirt, halting India vs Australia match

    A protester is winning praise on social media for running onto the field during the India vs Australia World Cup final while wearing a shirt that said ‘FREE PALESTINE’. The protester was seen standing next to Indian cricket player Virat Kohli and waving the Palestine flag.

    In a clip released by Indian media publication ANI News, the protester revealed his name was John, and that he was an Australian citizen. He supported the Palestine cause.

    Twitter users hailed John as the real ‘Player Of The Tournament’, congratulating him for taking a defiant stand.

    Indian users have announced they are willing to fund legal aid to help John if he is arrested.

  • Cummins urges Australia to ’embrace’ India crowd challenge in World Cup final

    Cummins urges Australia to ’embrace’ India crowd challenge in World Cup final

     Australia captain Pat Cummins has urged his side to “embrace” the challenge of facing a hostile crowd when they play in-form hosts India in Sunday’s World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

    A capacity crowd of 130,000 — which would be a record for any cricket match — is expected to roar on India, who have won all 10 of their matches en route to the showpiece game.

    The hosts are bidding for a third men’s one-day international World Cup title and second on home soil after their 2011 triumph.

    But five-time champions Australia are a team full of big-match performers who also know what it’s like to play in cricket-crazy India from their time in the Indian Premier League.

    “I think you’ve got to embrace it, the crowd’s obviously going to be very one-sided,” Cummins told a pre-match news conference at the Narendra Modi Stadium, named after the Indian prime minister, on Saturday.

    “But also in sport, there’s nothing more satisfying (as an opposition player) than hearing a big crowd go silent and that’s the aim for us tomorrow.”

    The 30-year-old fast bowler added: “You’ve just got to embrace every part of it, every part of a final — you know in the lead-up there’s going to be noise and more people and interest and you just can’t get overwhelmed.

    ‘No Regrets’

    “You got to be up for it, you got to love it and just know whatever happens it’s fine but you just want to finish the day with no regrets,” Cummins said.

    And while he accepted the dimensions of Sunday’s match would be different to any his side had experienced before, Cummins said: “We play over here in India a lot so the noise is not something new. 

    “I think on this scale it’s probably bigger than we would have experienced before but it’s not something totally foreign to what we’ve had before.

    “Everyone deals with it slightly differently — you see Davey (Warner) probably dancing and winning the crowd over, other guys just staying in their own bubble –- it should be good.”

    Victory on Sunday would cap a remarkable 2023 for Australia that saw them narrowly lose a Test series in India before defeating India in a World Test Championship final in England, where they also went on to retain the Ashes after a drawn series.

    “It’s been a huge year,” said Cummins. “These are four marquee events. If you have one of those in an off-season, it’s a big off-season.

    “Some of the guys probably spent less than a couple of weeks in their own bed since the end of the Aussie summer,” added Cummins, also the skipper of Australia’s Test team.

    “The guys have been awesome. They’re so up for every game they play. 

    “To put ourselves in this position, it (winning the World Cup) would just top off an incredible year and probably a career-defining year that a lot of us will look back on in years to come and be pretty proud of.”

  • What is the situation of Air Quality Index in South Asia?

    What is the situation of Air Quality Index in South Asia?

    Six of the top ten cities plagued by the worst pollution on the Air Quality Index are from the South Asian region. Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata from India, Lahore and Karachi from Pakistan, and Dhaka from Bangladesh.

    Post-Diwali, the air quality index in India is pretty bad as three of its highly-populated cities are facing a rise in air pollution. While Delhi is at the top, Mumbai and Kolkata are competing closely for the sixth and seventh spot on the chart.

    Lahore has seen a major drop in the past few days after a short spell of rain, however, the air is steadily getting dense as it retained its second position in the chart for two days in a row. Karachi holds the fourth spot after Baghdad.

    The Capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, is a relatively new entrant. It holds the tenth position with an “unhealthy” status in air quality.

    Population growth and rapid industrialization are the two major factors contributing to the thickening of air with particulate pollutants in South Asia. This is a threat to all living beings, from animals to plants. Life expectancy is severely reduced in these cities and pollution-related illnesses are rampant. The situation of the poor quality index calls for strict action to be taken for the safety of residents of the world’s most populous region-South Asia.

  • South Asia worst in world for water scarcity: UN

    New Delhi (AFP) – More children in South Asia are struggling due to severe water scarcity made worse by the impacts of climate change than anywhere else worldwide, the United Nations said Monday.

    “A staggering 347 million children under 18 are exposed to high or extremely high water scarcity in South Asia, the highest number among all regions in the world,” the UN children’s agency said in a report.

    The eight-nation region, comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is home to more than one-quarter of the world’s children.

    “Climate change is disrupting weather patterns and rainfall, leading to unpredictable water availability,” the UN said in its report.

    The report cites poor water quality, lack of water and mismanagement such as over-pumping of aquifers, while climate change decreases the amount of water replenishing them.

    “When village wells go dry, homes, health centres and schools are all affected,” UNICEF added.

    “With an increasingly unpredictable climate, water scarcity is expected to become worse for children in South Asia.”

    At the UN COP28 climate conference in December in Dubai, UNICEF said it will call for leaders “to secure a livable planet”.

    “Safe water is a basic human right,” said Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF chief for South Asia.

    “Yet millions of children in South Asia don’t have enough to drink in a region plagued by floods, droughts and other extreme weather events, triggered increasingly by climate change”.

    Last year, 45 million children lacked access to basic drinking water services in South Asia, more than any other region, but UNICEF said services were expanding rapidly, with that number slated to be halved by 2030.

    Behind South Asia was Eastern and Southern Africa, where 130 million children are at risk from severe water scarcity, the report added.

  • Lockdown restrictions revised in Punjab

    Lockdown restrictions revised in Punjab

    The Punjab government on Thursday revised the terms of the lockdown imposed in multiple districts of the province as major cities grapple with crippling fog.

    In its amended notification, the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department of the province notified that call centres and international information technology companies will be allowed to operate during the lockdown.

    While markets in the eight smog-hit districts will be allowed to operate today and tomorrow; however, shopping malls and markets will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.

    The notification also states that cinema halls, restaurants and gyms will remain open today as per routine.

    The decision will remain in effect in Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Gujranwala Narowal, Hafizabad and Sialkot.

    Previous Notification

    A day earlier, an environmental and health emergency had been declared in Lahore, Gujranwala, and Hafizabad divisions for four days due to the prevailing smog conditions.

    Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi made the announcement during a press conference on Tuesday when the air quality index (AQI) in the city measured 390, falling under the category of hazardous.

    At this AQI level, the city maintained its position as one of the most polluted cities with citizens experiencing a hazy and smoggy atmosphere throughout the day. The air quality was severely poor, making it nearly impossible to breathe normally outdoors.

    Notification issued on Tuesday detailed that from Thursday to Sunday i.e., November 9, 2023, to November 12, 2023, all markets, shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, gymnasiums, schools (public and private), and offices (public and private) will remain closed in Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Gujranwala Narowal, Hafizabad and Sialkot.

    Also, the movement of people will be limited to and from these areas by public and private transport.

    The following will be exempted from closure:

    • Pharmacies/ Medical Stores
    • Medical Facilities and Vaccination Centers
    • Petrol Pumps
    • Oil Depots
    • Tandoors
    • Bakeries,
    • Grocery / Karyana stores
    • Milk / Dairy Shops
    • Sweet Shops,
    • Vegetable / Fruit Shops
    • Chicken / Meat Shops
    • E-commerce
    • Postal / Courier Services
    • Utility Services (Electricity, Natural Gas, Internet, Cellular Networks /Telecom.

    Large departmental stores will only keep their grocery /pharmacy sections open while all other sections will remain closed.

    It has been suggested by the government that people buy groceries and medicines within the vicinity of their residence.