Playback singer Chinmayi has received death threats

March 6, 2017

Nksagar_1@yahoo.com

Today at 15:02

Trigger Warning: Content about sexual assault Dear Sagar Media Inc, Playback singer Chinmayi has received death threats and rape threats on Twitter for expressing her opinion.  “You need to be raped …” “I’ll throw acid on your face” “I’ll make sure you never sing again” She writes, “these threats of violence left me shaken and scared for my life. When I tried to report these threats Twitter simply ignored my fears.” She’s asking Twitter to do a large-scale shutdown of accounts which tweet rape threats against women. Sign her petition.  Twitter CEO: Large scale shut down of accounts which tweet rape threats against women! Chinmayi Sripada  Chennai, India Sign Chinmayi’s petition “You need to be raped …” “I’ll throw acid on your face” “I’ll make sure you never sing again” These were just a few tweets that I got for expressing my opinion on twitter. I am a playback singer in the film industry and I accept that I will be in the public eye. But these threats of violence left me shaken and scared for my life. When I tried to report these threats Twitter simply ignored my fears. They told me that they would not take any action unless there was a police case. Most women give up at this stage and quit Twitter. I decided to fight and filed a police complaint. Ultimately it was my fans who helped us identify my abusers. 3 people were arrested and spent 10 days in jail. The entire incident left me furious! I am a celebrity and I have time, support and resources to fight. But what about the millions of ordinary women who use Twitter and face rape threats everyday? It is the responsibility of Twitter to ensure that their platform is not used for promoting violence against women. That’s why I started this petition asking Twitter to send a strong message against online abuse by doing a large scale shutdown of accounts which tweet rape threats against women. Twitter has recently come out with new safety policies for it’s users. It talks about ‘mute’ and ‘block’ functions. But twitter has never done a large scale shutdown of accounts that promote violence against women. In 2015, 360,000 twitter accounts were shut down for links to terrorism. Why can’t the same be done for accounts that tweet rape threats? Twitter has to accept its responsibility. In its latest safety update twitter has said, “We’re listening and want your feedback so we can learn faster, build smarter, and make meaningful progress.” I want Twitter to listen to its women users. I do not want to censor free speech and disagreements which are subjective and personal. But threats of rape can be objectively tracked and should not be protected as a “right to speech”. Some men think rape threats are no big deal. That it’s ok to use rape or murder as casual threats. Rape is one the worst forms of violence. Threats of rape and other gender-based violence are weapons that are used to subjugate and silence women. If Twitter does a large scale shut down of these accounts that threaten to rape women, it will send a very strong message that the platform cannot be used for such vicious attacks. Women across the world are beginning to find Twitter hostile and traumatic. It’s time Twitter cleaned up it’s act and showed women that it is truly listening to our concerns. Sign Chinmayi’s petition

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​Women’s Call for Action against Manuvad and Hindutva

March 6, 2017

MEDIA INVITE

CHALO NAGPUR!

Women’s Call for Action against Manuvad and Hindutva

        

On 10th March 2017, the remembrance day of Savitri Bai Phule, thousands of women will gather in Nagpur, in a powerful show of strength against forces of Manuvad and Hindutva.

The context for this event is one in which the walls of inequality and hate are growing high and stifling the expression of humanity. Voices raised against communalism, feudalism, casteism and patriarchy are being stamped out. It is critical to assert today that whether our identity is linked to caste, religion, community, sexuality, gender, disability, occupation or age, every citizen of this country should have access to their constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Chalo Nagpur is conceived, organized and funded by hundreds of individual women.

We are holding a press conference to brief the media about the program. Vani Subramanian, Anita Ghai, Pushpa Vivek, Shabnam Hashmi and Mariya Salim will address the press conference.

Date: 7 March, 2017

Place: IWPC, Windsor Place, New Delhi

Time: 3pm

We request you to depute a reporter/ camera person/ crew to cover the press conference.

Yours sincerely

Shabnam Hashmi

9811807558 

On behalf of:  

Abhinya Kamble, Ajita Rao, Anita Ghai, Bittu Karthik Kondaiah, Chaya Khobragade, Durga  Jha, Elina Horo, Hasina Khan, Jaya Sharma, Kiran Deshmukh, LataPratibhaMadhukar, Madhavi Kuckreja, Manisha Bangar, Manjula Pradeep, Mariya Salim, Meena Seshu, Monisha Behal, Nisha Shinde, Nivedita Menon, Pradnya Bagade, Rajni Tilak, Rituparna Borah,Sangeeta Manoji, Sanghapali Aruna, Saroj Sagale, Shabnam Hashmi, Shabina Mumtaz, Shambhawi Vikram, Shymal Garud, Sheba George, Sujata Surepally, Syeda Hameed, Vasvi Kiro, Vimal Thorat

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Gen Mahmud Ali Durrani said, 26/11 Mumbai attacks was handiwork of a Pak-based terror group

March 6, 2017

Pakistan’s former National Security Adviser, General Mahmud Ali Durrani has said that the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack was a handiwork of a terror group based in Pakistan.

Speaking at the 19th Asian Security Conference in New Delhi today, he termed the terror attacks as a classic trans-border terrorist event. Durrani emphasised that nations must agree on a common denominator to jointly fight terrorism.

166 people including 18 security personnel were killed and several others injured on November 26, 2008, when ten Pakistani terrorists arrived by sea route and opened fire indiscriminately. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Jewish community centre were some of the places targeted by the terrorists. Ajmal Kasab, the lone militant who was captured alive was hanged four years later on November 21, 2012.

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Earthquake M4.8 hit J&K

March 6, 2017

An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter Scale hit Jammu and Kashmir today. A Met department official said, the tremors occurred at a depth of 50 kilometres and its epicentre was north western area of the state. There are no reports of any damage.

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M6.5 – NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.

March 6, 2017

Preliminary Earthquake Report

Magnitude	6.5
Date-Time	5 Mar 2017 22:47:54 UTC 6 Mar 2017 08:47:54 near epicenter 6 Mar 2017 02:47:54 standard time in your timezone
Location	6.008S 149.344E
Depth	28 km
Distances	33 km (20 miles) NW (320 degrees) of Kandrian, New Britain, PNG 272 km (169 miles) ENE (72 degrees) of Lae, New Guinea, PNG 328 km (204 miles) NNE (22 degrees) of Popondetta, New Guinea, PNG 451 km (280 miles) NNE (32 degrees) of PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea

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Dr. Jitendra Singh to inaugurate the 3-day festival on Monday

March 6, 2017

Use of appropriate technologies in all sectors of development for NER is the main theme this year, says Shri S. N. Pradhan

The Joint Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Shri S. N. Pradhan chaired the curtain raiser press conference on ‘Destination North East 2017’ here today. The Destination North East-2017 is being organized by Ministry of DoNER, with knowledge partner, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the 3-day festival here tomorrow.

Addressing the media, Shri S. N. Pradhan said that the Ministry of DoNER is the unique Ministry which is based on the geographical area. He said that North East Region (NER) consists of 8% of country’s total geographical area and 4% of country’s population and the objective of Destination North East, 2017 is to showcase North East as a potential destination for investment and highlight the rich cultural heritage, traditions and customs of the region. He said that the main theme of this year’s festival is to highlight the use of appropriate technologies in all sectors of development for NER. The Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) are participating this year, he added. Shri S. N. Pradhan said that the ‘3 H’ Mission, that is Horticulture, Handicraft and Handlooms, are the focus of Destination North East 2017.

Shri S. N. Pradhan said that ‘Destination North East’ is held as a calendar event every year and Chandigarh is the first place, outside Delhi, to organise the event. He said that the distinctive nature of North East will be taken to all the corners of India.

Senior officers of the Ministry of DoNER were also present on the occasion.

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Peugeot to buy GM’s Opel

March 6, 2017

FRANCE 24‏Verified account @FRANCE24 33s33 seconds ago

Peugeot to buy GM’s Opel, creating 2nd-largest European carmaker f24.my/2lRAXiw

General Motors Co. is selling its loss-making European car business – including Germany’s Opel and British brand Vauxhall – to French automaker PSA group.

The 2.2 billion euro ($2.33 billion) deal announced Monday in Paris by GM and PSA – maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars – will realign the industry and create Europe’s No. 2 automaker after Volkswagen. The combined company could make 5 million cars a year.

PSA will join with French bank BNP Paribas in the purchase, which foresees taking over 12 manufacturing facilities that employ about 40,000 people, according to a joint statement by the companies.

Amid concerns about job losses in multiple countries, PSA CEO Carlos Tavares promised to keep existing GM commitments to workers.

GM will keep its manufacturing center in Turin, Italy. GM and PSA, which have had joint activities in the past, will continue to collaborate on electric car technologies and maintain existing supply agreements on some Buick models.

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