Author, actress, and TV host Padma Lakshmi knows how to respond to trolls and stand up for herself. In 2020, some folks called the "Top Chef" host "immoral" for the way she chose to dress in one of her cooking videos on Instagram, specifically her decision to forgo wearing a bra. Lakshmi obviously didn't stay quiet and came up with a witty comeback for the haters. In her next Instagram video, she wore two bras instead of one while cooking lasagna and wrote, "I got some comments last time that it was immoral for me to not wear a bra in my own kitchen during the quarantine. So those people should be happy to note that I'm wearing two today ... but seriously, let's not police women's bodies in 2020 ok?"
Pak PM to attend Beijing Oly opening
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will be travelling to Beijing next month to attend the opening ceremony of Winter Olympics, bolster the all-weather bilateral ties and seek more investments in various projects under the ambitious CPEC, the Pak foreign office said. The Beijing Winter Olympics will be held from February 4 to 20, followed by the Paralympics Winter Games from March 4-13, amid a diplomatic boycott by several Western countries over concerns of China’s alleged rights abuses.
Lanka prison chief gets death penalty for 2012 massacre
A top Sri Lankan prison official has been sentenced to death over the killing of 27 inmates in an execution-style massacre that attracted international condemnation. The Colombo High Court convicted Prisons Commissioner Emil Lamahewage, but discharged his co-accused, police commando Moses Rangajeewa, over the killings in November 2012. The duo was indicted in July 2019 for the killings at Sri Lanka’s main Welikada prison in Colombo. A total of 27 were shot dead, but evidence was gathered in regards to only eight. Police commandos were used to put down a riot at Welikada and disarm inmates who had allegedly taken weapons from the armoury. According to the state prosecutor, eight prisoners were called out by name and killed execution-style. Others were also shot dead. Weapons were later introduced to make it look like the victims had tried to fire at jail guards, according to court documents. They, however, did not mention who had ordered the killings.
Asian pushed to death in front of NYC subway train
In a horrifying instant, a man walked up to a 40-year-old woman waiting for the subway in New York City’s Times Square and shoved her to the tracks as a train arrived, killing her, police said. The attack appeared to had been committed by a man with a history of mental illness who may have been homeless, police said. The victim, Michelle Alyssa Go, was Asian. Hate crimes against Asian New Yorkers have risen sharply during the pandemic - but police said there was no indication that she had been targeted because of her ethnicity. The district attorney’s office said that charges against attacker, identified as Simon Martial, 61, were being prepared.
HK to ban passengers from other countries
Hong Kong grapples with an Omicron outbreak, with most of the cases traced to two
crew members of Cathay Pacific who had broken isolation rules and dined at restaurants and bars in the city before testing positive. Last week, Hong Kong imposed a two-week ban on incoming flights from the US, Canada, Australia, France, Britain, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. The authorities have also said that it will ban transit passengers from 150 countries including the UK after an outbreak of Omicron. The city is reinforcing tough travel controls and extending social distancing restrictions, including a ban on dining in after 6 pm by two weeks. Large-scale events, such as Lunar New Year fairs will be canceled. Over the past two weeks, authorities have locked down multiple residential buildings across the city and mass-tested thousands as they sought to stamp out infections.
3 hurt as rocket strikes Baghdad's Green Zone
Three people including two children were wounded in rocket attacks on Baghdad's Green Zone, with one hitting a school and two smashing into the US embassy grounds, Iraqi security sources said. It came as a top court suspended the newly-appointed speaker of parliament, amid renewed political tensions in the war-scarred country. "Three rockets were fired towards the Green Zone," a high-ranking Iraqi official said. "Two of those fell on the grounds of the American embassy, and the other on a school nearby, injuring a woman, a girl and a young boy." In recent months, dozens of rocket assaults or drone bomb attacks have targeted American troops and interests in Iraq. The attacks are rarely claimed, but are routinely pinned on pro-Iran factions.
Nigeria lifts Twitter ban after 7 months
The Nigerian government has lifted its ban on Twitter, seven months after the West African country’s over 200 million people were shut out of the social media network. Nigeria suspended Twitter’s operation on June 4, citing “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”. The action triggered criticisms as it came shortly after the social media network deleted a post by President Muhammadu Buhari in which he threatened to treat separatists “in the language they will understand”. Twitter was restored after it agreed to register its operations in the country, among other conditions set by the government. Twitter is “deeply committed to Nigeria,” the firm said, welcoming the restoration of its services.
US judge under fire for reversing conviction
An Illinois judge has been removed from adjudicating criminal cases after he overturned a man's sexual assault conviction. Last year, Adams County Judge Robert Adrian found Drew Clinton, 18, guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old. Clinton faced a minimum of four years in prison, but this month Judge Adrian said the 148 days spent in jail by Clinton was "plenty of punishment". Judge Adrian's reversal during a January sentencing hearing drew immediate backlash from advocates for sexual assault survivors and the 16-year-old victim. Following an outcry, judge Adrian was removed from adjudicating criminal cases
US sending military health staff to Covid hotspots
Another1,000 military health workers are deploying to six US states to help hospitals overwhelmed by a surge in Omicron cases, the White House said. Teams of seven to 25 military doctors, nurses and other staff will begin arriving in Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island to support emergency rooms and free hospital staff for other care, an official said. Meanwhile, Biden directed the US government to procure an additional 500 million virus tests. The order comes on top of another 500 million tests pledged for January.
First black woman to appear on US coin
The US Mint has started rolling out quarters which feature late American author and activist Maya Angelou, the first Black woman to appear on the coin. The coin is part of the American Women Quarters programme, the US Mint said. Angelou rose to international prominence after the publication of her groundbreaking autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” with its unflinching account of rape and racism in the segregated South. At age 7, Angelou was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, who was later beaten to death in an assault that some believed was carried out by Angelou’s uncles. The trauma of the rape and her assailant’s death left Angelou mute for six years. She began writing during that silent period. She died in 2014 aged 86. The prolific African-American writer was known for her lyrical prose and regal speaking voice.
US flays China’s bid to ‘intimidate’ neighbours
The US is concerned by China's attempt to "intimidate" its neighbours, including India, as Washington believes that Beijing's behaviour in the region and around the world could be “destabilising”, the White House has said, asserting that America will continue to stand with its partners. The remarks of White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki came ahead of the 14th round of military-level talks between India and China on the 20 month row in eastern Ladakh. Asked about China's aggressive behaviour on its border with India and if the topic came during America's talks with China or Washington sending any message to Beijing on this, Psaki said that the US continues to closely monitor the situation along the India-China border.
Negative Covid test must to enter Beijing
Beijing will require travellers to get a Covid-19 test within 72 hours of arrival in the Chinese capital, state media said, a day after the city reported its first Omicron case and as it readies to stage the Winter Olympics next month. The city last week reported the first local infection of the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The new rule, effective from January 22 to end March, is aimed to help with early detection of Omicron, which is surging globally, and the control of epidemic risks, Beijing Daily, a government newspaper, said on its official social media account.
French protesters hit streets to fight new vaccine pass
Thousands demonstrated in cities across France against tighter restrictions on people not vaccinated against Covid-19, as parliamentary wrangling continued over a draft law. But turnout was significantly lower than the previous weekend's demonstrations according to official estimates, with interior ministry estimates putting the national figures at half that of last week. In the capital Paris, the largest single gathering set off from near the Eiffel Tower, called by far-right anti-EU presidential candidate Florian Philippot. Other demonstrations harked back to the 2018-19 "yellow vests" protests against President Emmanuel Macron's perceived favouring of the wealthy. There were also marches in major cities including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Lille.
Mosque forced to close down
France’s interior minister said he had ordered the closure of a mosque on the French Riviera because of anti-Semitic remarks made there. Gerald Darmanin said the mosque in the city of Cannes was also guilty of supporting CCIF and Baraka City, two associations that the government dissolved at the end of last year for spreading “Islamist” propaganda. Darmanin said that he had consulted with the mayor of Cannes before shutting down the mosque. The move comes two weeks after authorities closed a mosque in the north of the country because of what they said was the radical nature of its imam’s preaching. The mosque in Beauvais, some 100 km north of Paris, was shut for six months because the sermons there incited hatred, violence and “defend jihad”, authorities said.
