Jan 4, 2020

Americans would be wise to brace for war with Iran, writes Susan Rice.

"Full-scale conflict is not a certainty, but the probability is higher than at any point in decades. Despite President Trump’s oft-professed desire to avoid war with Iran and withdraw from military entanglements in the Middle East, his decision to order the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s second most important official, as well as Iraqi leaders of an Iranian-backed militia, now locks our two countries in a dangerous escalatory cycle that will likely lead to wider warfare."

In a drone strike authorized by President Trump early Friday, Iranian commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who led the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed at Baghdad International Airport. Below, Brookings experts provide their brief analyses on this watershed moment for the Middle East — including what it means for U.S.-Iran…

In a drone strike authorized by President Trump early Friday, Iranian commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who led the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was killed at Baghdad International Airport. Below, Brookings experts provide their brief analyses on this watershed moment for the Middle East — including what it means for U.S.-Iran…

Arroz Con Café Con Leche

Arroz Con Café Con Leche

The luxury department store chain had been struggling with competition from online rivals and dwindling cash before the pandemic.

CNBC's Courtney Reagan reports on retailer Neiman Marcus' decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Head to the ninth edition of NCPA Sama'a: The Mystic Ecstasy which is back this weekend and will acquaint attendees with Sufi ideology through music and dance performances by Indian and international artists.

The three-day festival will feature four events. On the first day, for which the theme is, One truth, many paths, musician duo Sourendro and Soumyojit and Saleem Hasan Chishti and Group will perform. On day two, enjoy musical and dance acts by Sanjukta Wagh, Radhika Sood Nayak, Hitesh Dhutia and Vinayak Netke as well as a performance by the Egyptian mawlawiyah group.

End the extravaganza on a happy note with Sufiana songs and in the company of artistes Salim and Sulaiman, as well as Rajasthani folk singers.

ON February 22 to 24, 6.30 pm
AT NCPA, Sir Dorabji Tata Road, Nariman Point
CALL 66223754
COST Rs 250 to 3,000

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Yes, you would have possibly spotted him somewhere. Probably in a movie. Most thi­nk that actor Ash Chand­l­er, who is performing wi­th his outfit Redux this weekend, has taken up mu­sic recently. The tr­uth is he fi­rst came to India (fr­om the US, where he grew up) in 1999 to release a Hindi pop album, and actually started out as stand-up comedian. 

While he paid attention to his acting career, it was when he had an accident four years ago that he felt revived — as did the musician in him. And he formed Ash Chandler Redux with Angelo Colaco (drums), Keith Donald (bass), Rahul Wadhwani (keys), Ulric Sequeira (guitar), Anand Vaity (saxophone, clarinet) and Heather Andrews (vocals).

The gig will include their re­ndition of jazz standards and tango cl­a­ssics in Spanish. "I want to write songs about lo­ve, and the nature of hum­a­ns. My original work hasn't be­en political. But I do be­lieve in spreading the me­ssage that everyone has to start accepting th­e­mselves and not seek va­lidation. It's crucial for pe­ace. Every drop of bl­o­od will result in 10 mo­re drops," he concludes.

ON March 3, 7 pm
AT NCPA,Tata Theatre, Nariman Point 
LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 300 onwards

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Illustration/Uday Mohite

I knew two Mumbai cops. Two Mumbai cops who went to the same college as me. Yeah, Ashok Kamte and Himanshu Roy were marginally junior to me at St Xaviers' College. Two Bombay boys who became police officers and subsequently looked after the city they grew up in.

One who followed in his father's footsteps as a policeman. The other who chose not to become a doctor like his parents. There was an incredibly tragic irony when Ashok was shot on 26/11 in the narrow lane that separated our college from Rang Bhavan. (It's no surprise that Ashok and Himanshu considered each other brothers — and Himanshu always regretted not being in Mumbai, standing side by side with Ashok, when he was gunned down).

I knew Himanshu Roy a bit. Mumbai is a small city in spite of its size. And, South Mumbai an even smaller world. Himanshu was born and brought up in Colaba, schooled in Campion, and graduated from our college.

I first met him in 1995 at a friend, Mark Manuel's home. He was then an incredibly, lean, bespectacled man — wiry and tall. And I remember thinking he was very gangly for a cop. But he exuded great hunger. There was a glint in his eyes, a manner in his demeanour, a strength in that stick-like figure. I'll never forget that bristling energy. He was like a coiled snake, ready for action, ready to change the world, ready to catch the bad guys, a superhero without the cape and mask. He was idealistic and worldly wise at the same time. (It perhaps requires those two qualities, to join the force and survive). He was about to leave for Nashik, from where he returned two years later, with rippling Popeye arms and a barrel chest.

There is something incredibly brave in deciding to become a Mumbai cop. Not just because of the valour required in handling criminals. But, of the skill needed in navigating a system run by politicians.

It was no surprise that the cases he handled were of a diverse nature. IPL spot-fixing, the J Dey and Pallavi Purkayastha murders, the riots of Khairlanji. He devised anti-dacoity measures in rural Maharashtra, cracked the Shakti Mills rape case. He set up Mumbai's first Cyber Crime Cell, and established a special cell to deal with crimes related to women.

So, the news that he'd shot himself in his flat, was incredibly sad. Cancer had wreaked havoc on his body and perhaps he saw no other way out. But suicide is always a many-sided Hydra. The debate on whether it is a brave move, a cowardly act, a desperate measure or a selfish resolution will rage on forever.

But for me, there is always one trait linked to killing oneself — loneliness. Whether Himanshu 'Hercules' Roy was lonely in his final hour we'll never know. But, a man who'd spent his life protecting a city, ultimately couldn't protect himself.

Goodbye, big man, I'm sure you're out there somewhere, looking out for us.

Rahul da Cunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, photographer and traveller. Reach him at rahuldacunha62@gmail.com

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After delivering the hit song "Tera ban jaunga" in "Kabir Singh", singer Akhil Sachdeva has come up with a new Punjabi song "O jaanwaale", which features "Bigg Boss 13" contestant Himanshi Khurana.

"As a musician, it gives me great joy to give people music to hear, feel and heal during the lockdown. It's one of those melodies where there is a lot of pain and sadness involved. As soon as T-Series sent me a version of the song, I knew at once this song is for me," Akhil said.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

When your ♥ï¸Â beats for love! #OJaanwaale, out now. @tseries.official @BhushanKumar @sachdevaakhilnasha @kunaalvermaa @adityadevmusic Makeup by @prabhleenkaur_artistry Outfits by @aliwarofficial Shot by @kunwararorax Artist managed by @nidhe_k

A post shared by Himanshi Khurana 👑 (@iamhimanshikhurana) onMay 3, 2020 at 11:57pm PDT

"O Jaanwaale" is a heartbreak song composed by Kunaal Vermaa, with music production and arrangement by Aditya Dev.

Sharing the making of the track amid lockdown, Akhil said: " 'O jaanwaale' is a heart-wrenching song that listeners will relate to. It has great repeat value. Interestingly, everyone involved in the making of this song is in different cities, at this point of time.

"It was definitely challenging to put this together but in the end I think every song has its own destiny and journey. I guess this was meant to be my lockdown release. Both Himanshi and I shot chunks of the footage from our respective smart phones in our respective homes," he added.

The song is presented by T-Series."

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Kim Jong Un has been seen in public for the first time since the death of Qassem Soleimani, following rumours he had gone into hiding after the US drone strike.

Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike Thursday, led Iran's feared Quds force for two decades, helping Shia militias kill US troops in Iraq and backing Assad as he slaughtered civilians.

Donald Trump's decision to order the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's formidable Quds Force, could prove to be the spark that sets the whole of the Middle East on fire.

In common with other newspapers, an article on 11 February reported official Department of Work and Pensions figures which suggested that 68 per cent of incapacity claimants were receiving benefits despite being fit for work. While 29 per cent were found fit for work straight away, the other 39 per cent were assessed as being unable to work now but able to work in the foreseeable future. We are happy to clarify the position.

JOHN SIMPSON: Libyan terrorists planted a bomb on an American PanAm airliner which blew up over Lockerbie. Colonel Gaddafi's Libya got the blame and was thought to have given instructions.

May 9 (Reuters) - U.S. luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus Group said on Friday it received court approval to access $675 million of its...

France's top European diplomat said Friday that 'we have woken up to a more dangerous world.' Pompeo fired back on CNN . 'Yeah, well, the French are just wrong about that,'

This is the moment and American guided missile slammed into a convoy carrying Iranian Quds commander Qassem Soleimani, killing him along with four other high-ranking figures.

As the Middle East grappled with the death of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, a key ally of President Donald Trump was gloating.

The image (pictured) appears to show General Qassem Soleimani being welcomed into paradise by Imam Hussein following his death in a US air strike yesterday morning.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to Netanyahu on the phone on Wednesday night, and the following morning the Israeli leader tweeted about 'very, very dramatic things' in the region.

Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, called Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) an 'arrogant clown' following the funeral procession for slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani (right).

Mike Pompeo has accused European allies including the UK, France and Germany of 'not being helpful enough' over the attack while heaping praise on regional allies including Israel.

Kerr, left, tweeted Friday to say Pence, right, 'is lying about Soleimani's involvement in 9/11'. He added: 'One thing I've learned...is to not believe our government when it comes to matters of war.'

Speaking for the first time after the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, Boris Johnson said that the UK would 'not lament' his death and called for a de-escalation of threats in the Middle East.

Protesters across the West have gathered today to condemn the US drone strikes following the death of Iran's highest ranking general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.

Parliament speaker Ali Larijani compared Soleimani's killing to the 1953 CIA-backed coup that cemented the shah's power and to the U.S. Navy's shootdown of an Iranian passenger plane.

Adel Abdul Mahdi (left), Iraq's caretaker prime minister, said he was due to meet with top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani (right) on the day he was killed in Baghdad on Friday.

More Americans back Donald Trump's decision to conduct an airstrike that took out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani than those who disapprove, according to a poll released Monday.

Joe Biden delivered a foreign policy speech Tuesday where he laid out why it was impossible to believe the Trump administration's claims that Qassem Soleimani was an imminent threat.

Thousands of people have lined the streets of Qassem Soleimani hometown before the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard's elite Quds Force was laid to rest.

American soldiers were using drones armed with missiles to monitor the streets of Sadr City in Baghdad in late 2007 when they noticed large crowds taking to the streets to welcome a VIP.

He played notorious serial killer Charles Manson in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and now Damon Herriman has spoken about working with some of the film industry's biggest stars.

The Trump administration sent Iran a back-channel fax just hours after Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian military leader, was killed in an airstrike. The message was sent via the Swiss Embassy.

The US considered targeting Iranian General Qassem Soleimani for the past 18 months. Trump chose to take out the general leading to his death by drone strike on January 3.

President Donald Trump authorized taking out top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani seven months ago, but retained final authority to sign off on the move, according to a new report.

A free-swinging Donald Trump delivered a greatest-hits rally, riffing on impeachment, Iran, his impending China trade deal and the shrinking ranks of Democrats who want to replace him. 

US military officials counted down to the moment the Iranian general was killed, saying he had 'one minute to live', the president recalled at a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago Florida estate on Friday.

The Pentagon raised the number of US service members injured to 50 after Iran retaliated on January 8 for the US drone strike month that killed General Qassem Soleimani.

Iran has acquired three bomb-carrying drones with a range of 932 miles as tensions with the US escalate following the killing of General Soleimani (pictured, Shahed 129 drone).

Good Omens writer Neil Gaiman has split from wife Amanda Palmer after nine years of marriage.

Jeremy Corbyn last night refused four times to say Qassem Soleimani was a terrorist - and also described the Iranian general's killing by the US as 'illegal' . 

US general David Petraeus, who led the CIA from 2011 to 2012, said Friday's killing of Qassem Suleimani by Baghdad International Airport was also more important than ISIS's al-Baghdadi's death.

NATO announced today they plan to withdraw 'some personnel' from Iraq, where they are running a training mission, helping security forces prevent ISIS from becoming a fighting force.

After the assassination of Soleimani, the head of the Iran's elite Quds force, the US-led coalition tasked with holding back ISIS in Iraq paused all operations, turning itself instead on Iranian aggression.