India special

(CNN) When American author Meena Harris tweeted criticism of the Indian state's clampdown on farmers protesting agricultural reforms, nationalist counter-protesters responded by burning her portrait. Hundreds of Indians barraged her with abuse on Twitter, telling her to stay out of their country's affairs. Harris -- who is the niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris and is also of Indian descent -- rejected the idea that the 18 million people who make up the Indian diaspora had no place in expressing opinions on the country. In the US alone, 4.8 million people are either Indian migrants or report Indian heritage. "Don't tell me to stay out of your affairs," Harris wrote earlier this month on Twitter. "These are all of our issues." Harris also tweeted a photo of counter-protesters setting her image ablaze. "Weird to see a photo of yourself burned by an extremist mob but imagine what they would do if we lived in India," she wrote. Crowds burn portraits … [Read more...] about Indians are telling their 18 million-strong diaspora to keep out of their affairs

A man who tied a knife to the leg of his rooster for an illegal cockfight was killed after the bird panicked and stabbed him in the groin, police in Lothunur village in Telangana state, India, said Sunday. Thangulla Satish, 45, attached a 3-inch blade to the rooster’s leg, which is standard practice to prepare the birds for the brutal sport. The bird fluttered and the knife hit Satish in the leg, causing massive blood loss. He died on the way to the hospital, officials reported. Thousands of roosters die every year in underground fights. Bets are taken on which of the two roosters will win, “often under the watch of powerful, local politicians with big-money bets,” the New York Post rep orted. Injuries to humans from the fighting roosters happen fairly regularly. The Daily Mail reported recent incidents in India, including previous injuries and also deaths: Last month a spectator was killed when a razor blade attached to an escaping bird cut his stomach. Last year, … [Read more...] about Indian Man Killed by Own Rooster During Illegal Cockfight

The crackdown against opponents of Myanmar’s military takeover intensified Sunday as security forces were reported to have fired on protesters, killing at least five people in the deadliest day of demonstrations since the February 1 coup. Witnesses say police used tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and in some cases live ammunition in the country’s biggest city Yangon.  According to the Associated Press, photos of shell cases from live ammunition were posted on social media. Police also aggressively sought to break up protests in Mandalay and Dawei. Popular protests have been staged across Myanmar on a daily basis since the military detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the civilian government last month, claiming widespread fraud in last November’s election, which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party won in a landslide. The junta has declared a one-year state of emergency. Its commander, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, has pledged that … [Read more...] about At Least 5 Deaths Reported in Bloodiest Day of Myanmar Coup Protests

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - Russia’s appetite for influence and lucrative arms sales in Southeast Asia has been whetted by the latest coup in Myanmar, where isolated generals remain distrustful of China but still require allies on the United Nations Security Council. Chinese investments had flourished in Myanmar under the now-deposed civilian government effectively led by former opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi, and the military, also known as Tatmadaw, benefitted through state owned enterprises brought under its control before Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won historic 2015 elections. However, relations between junta leaders and Beijing have long been strained over Chinese interference across their common border – an existential threat not shared with Russia – and Beijing’s assistance to long-running ethnic insurgencies, including the sale of weapons to rebels. Bradley Murg, a senior research fellow at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, said Russia and … [Read more...] about Russia Seeks to Strengthen Old Ties with Myanmar Junta

A second former aide has come forward with sexual harassment allegations against New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who responded with a statement Saturday saying he never made advances toward her and never intended to be inappropriate. Charlotte Bennett, a health policy adviser in the Democratic governor’s administration until November, told The New York Times that Cuomo asked her inappropriate questions about her sex life, including whether she had ever had sex with older men. Another former aide, Lindsey Boylan, a former deputy secretary for economic development and special adviser to the governor, recently accused Cuomo of subjecting her to an unwanted kiss and inappropriate comments. Cuomo denied the allegations. Cuomo said in a statement Saturday that Bennett was a “hardworking and valued member of our team during COVID” and that “she has every right to speak out.” He said he had intended to be a mentor for Bennett, who is 25. “I never made advances toward Ms. Bennett nor … [Read more...] about 2nd former aide accuses New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment