Author: Priya Saha

They’re at it again — the continuing shrill attack by the GOP and the right-wing echo chamber on the strawman issue of critical race theory. This time it’s by white Mississippi GOP state senators. All except two senators voted to ban the teaching of critical race theory in the state’s public schools. The bill craftily did not mention race theory, though. It blandly forbids public schools in the state from forcing students to agree “that any sex, race, ethnicity, religion or national origin is inherently superior or inferior.” The only reason the vote to pass the bill was not unanimous…

Cricket – Fourth Twenty20 International – Bangladesh v Australia – Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh – August 7, 2021. Australia’s Dan Christian hits a six. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir HossainRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comRegisterJan 27 (Reuters) – Sydney Sixers allrounder Dan Christian has offered “free beer” to anyone interested in playing for his injury- and COVID-19-hit team in Friday’s Big Bash League (BBL) final, though test cricketers need not apply.The Sixers advanced to final of the domestic Twenty20 competition against the Perth Scorchers with a thrilling last-ball win against the Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday.However, their could be missing…

Since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan on August 15, it has extensively been reported that the takeover could lead to the resurgence of Islamist terrorism in Bangladesh, drawing the historical link between Mujahedeen-led movement in Afghanistan in 1980s and subsequent emergence of Islamist terror groups in the later one. Furthermore, some, on the account of its recent history of terror attacks, have extrapolated, given the unprecedented victory of an overwhelmingly theocratic entity in Afghanistan, a potential uplift to Islamists in Bangladesh. Such ostensible assumptions could easily lead the public opinion to that end. But an extensive account gauging every aspect…

ANI | Updated: Jan 27, 2022 09:51 IST Washington [US], January 27 (ANI): Sindhi Foundation, a Washington-based organization has announced that it begin a “Long Walk” in May this year to raise awareness on several human rights concerns of religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan.In 19 days, the organisation plans to cover 424 kilometers from Toronto to Ottawa. The Walk will start on May 28 and end in Ottawa on June 15. Canadian Sindhi Association (CANSA), World Sindhi Congress (WSC), Baloch American Congress (BAC), International Saraiki Congress will fully support Sindhi Foundation’s Long Walk in Canada.”Pakistan openly supports Taliban, extremists,…

Christians in the Dyenna area of Bangladesh’s Tangial district are living in fear after local people’s representatives threatened to evict them and stop the construction of a church.Pastor Mrinal Kanti Baul of the Evangelical Holiness Protestant Church complained that they were being stopped from building the church by members of the ruling party in a village located some 100 kilometers from national capital Dhaka.“The constitution of Bangladesh has given us freedom of religion. But here I’m being prevented from building a church and being threatened with expulsion from the village. We have informed the administration in writing,” he told UCA News. The…

WASHINGTON —  Here is a summary of Uyghur-related news around the world in the past week. French lawmakers: Condemn China’s treatment of Uyghurs Reuters reported that the French parliament passed a motion asking its government to recognize China’s treatment of Uyghurs as crimes against humanity and genocide. Five Uyghur women jailed for attending sermon An RFA investigation of a Chinese court verdict revealed that five Uyghur women from the same family were sentenced to between seven and 20 years in prison for attending a sermon. Uyghur bombing suspects complain of treatment in Thai custody RFA reported that two Uyghur men…

Johanna Reidy is a lecturer at the Department of Public Health of Wellington School of Medicine, University of Otago. OPINION: As the start of a new school year looms, school uniforms are being dusted off or new ones bought. At the same time, age-old debates about the pros and cons of school uniforms are being dusted off, too. But questions about practicality, cost or conformity tend to overshadow the bigger underlying issue of how uniforms – and rules about wearing them – actually affect educational outcomes. In other words, does wearing (or not wearing) a uniform contribute to students being…

IndianSpice reported on the TikTok video that circulated on 21/22 January. On 25 January the South African HIndu Maha Sabha issued a release addressing the issue and its severity. The SAHS represents South African Hindu issues, although does not issue directives as the Vedic religion is not strictly hierarchical (often explained as “open source”). The wording of the release is terse and strict, but does not issue vain threats as it goes on record to show this that behaviour is unacceptable. South Africa has a troubled history of in-groups and denigration of other groups, and religions often bring out the…

FILE PHOTO: Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen attends a celebrations marking the 66th anniversary of the country’s independence from France, in central Phnom Penh, Cambodia, November 9, 2019. REUTERS/Samrang Pring/File Photo reuters_tickers This content was published on January 26, 2022 – 12:47 January 26, 2022 – 12:47 By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen urged Myanmar’s military ruler to allow a visit by a special envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and support humanitarian aid access, an official said on Wednesday. Hun Sen as ASEAN chairman held a video call with…

The NHRC has done the right thing in directing the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Arunachal Pradesh government to submit an action taken report against the racial profiling and relocation of the Chakma and Hajong communities in the northeastern State. They had fled their homes in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in erstwhile East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) after losing land to the construction of the Kaptai dam on the Karnaphuli river in the early 1960s. They had sought asylum in India and were settled in relief camps in Arunachal Pradesh. Since then they have been well integrated in villages in…

Minorities and refugees in Turkey continued to suffer from rights violations, hate speech and attacks throughout the year. President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and his key ally, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahçeli, continued to use a divisive ultranationalist rhetoric throughout the year especially against the Kurds, contributing to the rise of hate crimes. The government has made little effort to address the religious freedom issues including granting minority religious communities’ legal personality and permission to hold board member elections; recognizing Alevi houses of worship (cemevleri); and reopening the Theological School of Halki, a Patriarchate of the Eastern…

Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2022 Jan 25. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12865. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: COVID-19 disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minority populations, but comparatively few epidemiologic studies have been performed on children as compared to adults. OBJECTIVES: To characterise factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections amongst children from Chicago, Illinois, USA. METHODS: A test-negative case-control study of children tested for SARS-CoV-2 (0-18 years) at three medical centres of the Rush University System for Health between 12 March and 7 December 2020 was conducted. Of 8462 children, 1,302 tested positive by real-time PCR or rapid (NAAT) testing. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 was analysed…