Feed aggregator

New Delhi — A little-known Muslim neighborhood in New Delhi sprang into the spotlight in the winter of 2019-20, when thousands of women squatted along a highway for three months to protest a citizenship law, introduced by India’s Hindu nationalist government, which Muslims said discriminated against them. Four years on, the working-class area called Shaheen Bagh has transformed from a protest site to a food hub that draws hundreds of people. Residents link its new identity to the days when people from different parts of the city came to express solidarity with the demonstrators and often sat together in a handful of food joints on a parallel street. “When you sit in the protest for long, you feel exhausted, and out of exhaustion you come to a tea stall to sip a cup of tea. You don’t just sip tea, you sip ideas,” said Aasif Mujtaba, one of the organizers of the protest. “It was at that time that this obscure neighborhood came to be known for the hospitality of its people and the tasty food.” Food was never far away from the protest. Residents cooked at home to sustain the demonstrators who sat on the highway in the bitterly cold winter late into the night. Community kitchens sprang up. Volunteers from outside the neighborhood brought food, tea and water. Journalist Tanushree Bhasin, whose first brush with the area came during the protests, says people have been drawn back by the hospitality many experienced when locals and outsiders shared food. “It created bonds of solidarity. A lot of people who came from different backgrounds were coming together at this protest site and food really helped them connect,” said Bhasin. “The act of feeding someone of being fed by someone always creates that bond that lasts, that affects you. Whether you are an outsider, and the protestor is offering you tea, or whether volunteers are bringing food, these are powerful connections.” The peaceful protest on the highway dispersed when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the city. But after restrictions were lifted, people began returning and gradually some of Delhi’s well-known Mughlai eateries set up shop to cater to the growing demand. As the street food’s reputation spread, helped by Instagram reels and YouTube videos, the number of visitors rose, and more restaurants opened offering cuisines ranging from Mughlai to Afghan and Turkish. Now the aroma of grilled kebabs and chicken fills the air along the buzzing street. Mohammad Nauman opened his restaurant, Changezi Chicken, in the area three months ago. “This place became famous after the protests. Delhi’s well-known food joints came here, so we also decided to open an outlet,” said Nauman as he prepared for the rush of customers on a Friday evening. He sees brisk business and says many of those who come are non-Muslims. For locals, this food street means more than just business and jobs. They say it helps break misconceptions about Muslims in a country where critics say hate speech and discrimination targeting India’s largest minority has risen during the decade-long rule of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party – charges the BJP government strongly denies. “The taboo of a bad Muslim, the taboo where Muslims are portrayed as terrorists, or the ghetto is portrayed as some unwelcoming space, this taboo is being removed by what? Food,” pointed out Mujtaba. “Even today because of these food joints large number of people from outside Delhi, especially non-Muslims, come to Shaheen Bagh and with most of them it becomes their first experience of interacting with Muslims.” The contentious citizenship law that triggered the protests will fast-track Indian citizenship for religious minorities such as Hindus, Sikhs and Christians who faced religious persecution in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, but exclude Muslims. The government has dismissed criticism that the law is discriminatory. But critics say such policies have deepened communal fissures in the Hindu-majority country where more than 200 million Muslims make up the largest minority. They point to India’s election campaign in which opposition parties accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making divisive comments after he said at a rally last month that the main opposition Congress Party wants to give more benefits to “those who have more children” and to “infiltrators.” The remarks were widely seen as a reference to Muslims. Modi has told interviewers on the Times Now TV channel that he is not against Islam or Muslims. At a time when the country is polarized, the food street in Shaheen Bagh presents a dramatically different picture. Bhasin, who now has many friends in the area, has called it a “metaphor for inclusivity.” “This is a great microcosm of collaboration, solidarity between different communities, and there is so much respect and love for each other, so definitely this is a great model for the rest of India to follow.” But she added, Shaheen Bagh remains a politicized space. “Even now when you come here, there is no way you eat here and don’t think about the protests. They are very inextricably linked to each other.”

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

SYDNEY — Analysts say China continues to undertake "incredibly aggressive’" military actions after an Australian navy helicopter in international waters was targeted by flares dropped by a Chinese fighter jet.   The Canberra government has condemned the incident as dangerous and unprofessional. The Australian Seahawk helicopter was taking part in a United Nations mission to enforce sanctions against North Korea when it was intercepted by the Chinese air force. Officials in Canberra say the Chinese fighter jet detonated flares close to the Australian helicopter, forcing its pilot to take evasive action. The incident took place over international waters in the Yellow Sea off the coast of South Korea during the weekend. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his government had made "very strong representations at every level to China" about the incident.   Since coming to power in May 2022, the Albanese government has made concerted efforts to improve relations with China, Australia’s biggest trading partner. Analysts say that while Australia’s diplomatic and economic relationships with China are stabilizing, bilateral military ties remain unpredictable. Jennifer Parker, an adjunct fellow at the University of New South Wales and an expert associate at the Australian National University's National Security College, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Tuesday that the Canberra government must contend with growing military tensions in the Indo-Pacific. “Whilst the diplomatic and economic relationship may have stabilized from where it was, from a military perspective, China is still being incredibly aggressive in the region and not just towards Australia," she said. "We saw last week Chinese vessels water cannoning Philippines government vessels in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal, which sits right within the Philippines exclusive economic zone. So, we do know that China’s aggressive behavior in the region has not changed.” Last week, the Philippines accused China of "dangerous maneuvers" and "harassment" after its use of water cannons against two Philippine vessels during a patrol in the South China Sea. In response, Beijing urged the Philippines government not to “challenge China’s resolve” to defend China’s sovereignty in the region. Beijing has sweeping claims in the South China Sea, which is a major international shipping route.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Israel began striking targets in Rafah hours after Hamas announced it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal. Israel rejected the cease-fire proposal but then said it would send negotiators to continue the talks. We talk to Steven Simon, a Professor of Practice in Middle East Studies at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies of the University of Washington and Senior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. French President Emmanuel Macron hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping. And Scientists believe every bird - from pigeons at the park to penguins at the zoo - are living, breathing dinosaurs, thanks to the discovery of a fossil called Archaeopteryx.

NEW YORK — Pro-Palestinian protesters who had been blocked by police from accessing an encampment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Monday broke through fencing, linked arms and encircled tents that remained there, as Columbia University canceled its university-wide commencement ceremony following weeks of pro-Palestinian protests. Sam Ihns, a graduate student at MIT studying mechanical engineering and a member of MIT Jews for a Ceasefire, said the group has been at the encampment for the past two weeks and that they were calling for an end to the killing of thousands of people in Gaza. "Specifically, our encampment is protesting MIT's direct research ties to the Israeli Ministry of Defense," he said. Protesters also sat in the middle of Massachusetts Avenue, blocking the street during rush hour in the Boston area. The demonstrations at Columbia have roiled its campus and officials said Monday that while it won't hold it's main ceremony, students will be able to celebrate at a series of smaller, school-based ceremonies this week and next. The decision comes as universities around the country wrangle with how to handle commencements for students whose high school graduations were derailed by COVID-19 in 2020. Another campus shaken by protests, Emory University, announced Monday that it would move its commencement from its Atlanta campus to a suburban arena. Others, including the University of Michigan, Indiana University and Northeastern, have pulled off ceremonies with few disruptions. Columbia's decision to cancel its main ceremonies scheduled for May 15 saves its president, Minouche Shafik, from having to deliver a commencement address in the same part of campus where police dismantled a protest encampment last week. The Ivy League school in upper Manhattan said it made the decision after discussions with students. "Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families," officials said. Most of the ceremonies that had been scheduled for the south lawn of the main campus, where encampments were taken down last week, will take place about 8 kilometers (5 miles) north at Columbia's sports complex, officials said. Speakers at some of Columbia's still-scheduled graduation ceremonies include Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames and Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, director of the National Institutes of Health. Columbia had already canceled in-person classes. More than 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia's green or occupied an academic building were arrested in recent weeks. Similar encampments sprouted up elsewhere as universities struggled with where to draw the line between allowing free expression while maintaining safe and inclusive campuses. The University of Southern California earlier canceled its main graduation ceremony. Students abandoned their camp at USC on Sunday after being surrounded by police and threatened with arrest. Other universities have held graduation ceremonies with beefed-up security. The University of Michigan's ceremony was interrupted by chanting a few times Saturday. In Boston on Sunday, some students waved small Palestinian or Israeli flags at Northeastern University's commencement in Fenway Park. Emory's ceremonies scheduled for May 13 will be held at the GasSouth Arena and Convocation Center in Duluth, almost 20 miles (30 kilometers) northeast of the university's Atlanta campus, President Gregory Fenves said in an open letter. "Please know that this decision was not taken lightly," Fenves wrote. "It was made in close consultation with the Emory Police Department, security advisors and other agencies — each of which advised against holding commencement events on our campuses." The 16,000-student university is one of many that has seen repeated protests stemming from the conflict that started Oct. 7 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking roughly 250 hostages. Student protesters are calling on their schools to divest from companies that do business with Israel or otherwise contribute to the war effort. Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 34,500 Palestinians, about two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. Israeli strikes have devastated the enclave and displaced most of its inhabitants. Hamas on Monday announced its acceptance of an Egyptian-Qatari cease-fire proposal, but Israel said the deal did not meet its "core demands" and that it was pushing ahead with an assault on the southern Gaza town of Rafah. "Cease-fires are temporary," said Selina Al-Shihabi, a Georgetown University sophomore who was taking part in a protest at George Washington. "There can be a cease-fire, but the U.S. government will continue to arm the Israeli military. We plan to be here until the university divests or until they drag us out of here." At the University of California, San Diego, police cleared an encampment and arrested more than 64 people, including 40 students. The University of California, Los Angeles, moved all classes online for the entire week due to ongoing disruptions following the dismantling of an encampment last week. The university police force reported 44 arrests but there were no specific details, UCLA spokesperson Eddie North-Hager said in an email to The Associated Press. Schools are trying various tactics from appeasement to threats of disciplinary action to get protestors to take down encampments or move to campus areas where demonstrations would be less intrusive. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago said in a Facebook post Sunday that it offered protesters "amnesty from academic sanction and trespassing charges" if they moved. "Many protesters left the premises of their own accord after being notified by the police that they were trespassing and subject to arrest," the school said. "Those that remained were arrested after multiple warnings to leave, including some of whom we recognized as SAIC students." A group of faculty and staff members at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill asked the administration for amnesty for any students who were arrested and suspended during recent protests. UNC Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine said in a media advisory that it would deliver a letter on behalf of more than 500 faculty who support the student activists. Other universities took a different approach. Harvard University's interim president, Alan Garber, warned students that those participating in a pro-Palestinian encampment in Harvard Yard could face "involuntary leave." That means they would not be allowed on campus, could lose their student housing and may not be able to take exams, Garber said.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

New York — It's Met Gala time and the fashion parade of A-listers Monday included a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet surrounded by foliage. Jennifer Lopez went for silver leaves in a second-skin goddess gown and Zendaya was all vamp and fantasy. Both are co-chairs of the annual fundraiser at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. And both received cheers from the crowd of fashion enthusiasts packed behind barriers outside. Flowers were everywhere, in line with this year's theme: "The Garden of Time." Lopez (in Schiaparelli) was all va-va-voom in a near-naked gown that hugged like a second skin. She's got the Meta Gala down: It's her 14th. This year's theme is inspired by J.G. Ballard's 1962 short story of the same name. Zendaya put on her fashion face in hues of blue and green, with a head piece to match and leaf accents. It's been five years since Zendaya last attended the Met Gala. Her look, in peacock colors, was by Maison Margiela. Lopez went with Tiffany & Co. diamonds, including a stunning bird motif necklace with a diamond of over 20 carats at its center. Mindy Kaling is sure to make the best-dressed lists in sand-colored swirls that towered over her head at the back. No worries about dinner. The back was removable. Her look was by Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta. Fashion kings and queens ... and a good witch Gigi Hadid brought the drama in a look by the drama king himself, Thom Browne. her white look was adorned with 2.8 million microbeads with yellow flowers and green thorns. She was high glam in a wavy bob and crimson lips. If there's a queen of the Met Gala besides the evening's mastermind, Anna Wintour, it's Sarah Jessica Parker. The long-time attendee takes each year's theme seriously, researching every detail. This year she was in an Alice in Wonderland dress with a lavender overlay and a Philip Treacy topper on her head. The dress was by Richard Quinn. Her long hair tumbled behind her back in beachy waves, a look that built into a beauty trend of the evening. Serena Williams took metallic gold to another level in a shining one-shoulder statement look. Ariana Grande was all Glinda the Good Witch, making the most of her pale-colored strapless look with 3D eyelashes at the side of each eye. She arrived with her "Wicked" co-star Cynthia Erivo, dressed in black with pink petals in a darker, edgy look. Cardi B., who has THE most fun at the Met Gala, struck a pose or three in statement black with a huge tulle train. She paired the look with green jewels and a high black turban. She needed multiple helpers to move her dress up the stairs Channeling Sleeping Beauty and the garden Penelope Cruz, meanwhile, went goth in black by Chanel. It had a bustier top and a Sleeping Beauty-like off-shoulder silhouette. There was another Sleeping Beauty-ish guest: Kendall Jenner in a Givenchy look done by Alexander McQueen in 1999. Kendall's sister, Kylie Jenner, was more Old Hollywood than storybook in a chic low-cut strapless look, a white bloom in her clicked-back updo and a train behind. Oddly, older sister Kim Kardashian tightly covered up her gorgeous silver corset look with a leaf motif by Maison Margiela with a lumpy gray sweater. Dua Lipa was a whole different kind of princess. She went full rock 'n' roll in black by Marc Jacobs, who accompanied her. The princess vibes were in apparent reference to the Met's spring exhibition that the gala kicks off. It's called "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." While it doesn't actually have to do with Disney, or even princesses, some of the 400 guests went there. Demi Moore stuck to the garden in a Harris Reed look with huge wings encircled by arrows and handpainted with pink and white blooms. Diesel broke through on the gala red carpet on Dove Cameron. It was about as unlike Diesel as it gets, also going for the garden. The look had sleeves attached to her train. Finding deeper meaning in the theme Lily Gladstone went for black by Gabriela Hearst. "We wanted me to feel draped in the power of my ancestors," she said. "For Kiowa and Blackfeet, our ancestors are the stars, that's where we come from. ... I feel like it's so long overdue that we have so much Indigenous representation and this sort of upper echelon world of high luxury fashion, because that is our aesthetic, you know, Natives have always loved luxury." Floral looks and a special plus-1 Colman Domingo donned a white jacket with a cape and extra-wide trousers, holding a bouquet of white calla lilies, while Tyla chose a gown made to look like sand using actual sand on the fabric. She needed help with the hourglass she held as she made her way up the museum stairs. Domingo's designer was Willy Chavarria. Sam Smith wore silver and gold metal roses tucked into the waist of a jacket, and Jack Harlow also channeled florals, but subtly with a silver and pearl floral boutonniere. Wintour wore a black coat adorned with multicolored flowers. Her fellow co-chair Bad Bunny donned all black. A pregnant Lea Michele wore Rodarte, inspired by the brand's 2012 spring/summer collection. "I'm honored to be here and bring my baby with me," Michele said. ""I don't think I was allowed a plus one, but I'm bringing" one, she said with a laugh. "I'm so grateful. I feel really beautiful, you know, in this pregnancy." Looking to follow along? Here's a quick primer on what you need to know about the palooza of A-list celebrities from film, fashion, music, sports, politics and social media. Among those who had way BIG fun with the nature and garden theme was Lana Del Rey. She walked up the museum steps as an actual tree, her face shrouded by fabric held up by her branches. How to watch the Met Gala That's tricky. Vogue has the exclusive livestream, which starts at 6 p.m. Eastern at Vogue.com. The feed will also be available on Vogue's digital platforms, including TikTok and YouTube. Tons of other media will be on site, too. Catch the action on E!, also starting at 6 p.m., with livestreams on X, TikTok, Instagram and Peacock. The Associated Press will be live outside the Mark Hotel, where many celebs get ready before heading to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for their walk up the grand staircase. That livestream will begin at 4:45 p.m. Eastern and will be available on YouTube and APNews.com. Only the event's stacked red carpet is watchable — the gala's cocktail hour and dinner are notoriously private events. What's the point of the Met Gala? It's a party, for sure, with cocktails and dinner for about invited 400 guests, but it's also a huge fundraiser for the Met's Costume Institute, the only department at the museum required to pay for itself. Last year, the gala raised about $22 million. Wintour, a Met trustee for whom part of the institute has been renamed, organizes the whole shebang. No phones are allowed, adding to the allure. It also promotes the museum's exhibit, which this year is called "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." It includes 250 items from The Costume Institute's permanent collection, including some garments very rarely seen in public and so fragile they need to be under glass. Curators wanted to engage all the senses, including smell. The exhibit opens to the public Friday and runs through Sept. 2.

Reports of possible progress on a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas are happening against the backdrop of Israel’s plan for a military incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah. In Washington, President Joe Biden lunched with Jordan’s king and spoke to Israel’s leader by phone in an apparent effort to soothe tensions. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House.

Abuja, Nigeria — The warning notice, signed by five civil society groups and a former chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, came in an open letter Friday to Nigeria’s president and the National Assembly  The coalition, without providing evidence, accused the United States and France of lobbying authorities in the Gulf of Guinea countries, especially Nigeria, to redeploy troops expelled from the Sahel states.  It said the alleged move could have “wide ranging implications for defense and internal security" and that hosting a military base in Nigeria could potentially divert state funds and resources away from important local projects like education, health care and infrastructure development.  Kabiru Adamu, founder of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, said the letter has a political undertone. "It looked like it was just based on the desire to create a political outcome," Adamu said. "There's no fact supporting the allegation that either the U.S. or France has approached Nigeria for the establishment of a base anywhere in Nigeria, even though that is likely to happen. Of course, because we've seen the influence of both countries reducing in the Sahel region, Nigeria will offer a likely fallback option for both countries, especially the U.S." The coalition also said the alleged plan to set up a U.S. military base in northern Nigeria could aggravate regional tensions with neighbors, cause a notable environmental impact and worsen the high cost of living for the local population.  Nigerian authorities have yet to respond to the letter.  Political affairs analyst, Ahmed Buhari, said authorities must heed the caution. "It's what I call interfering in people's spaces. As it is right now, we need our neighbors more than we need any foreigner whatsoever from any part of the world," Buhari said. "I rather we live side by side with our neighbors more peacefully and with trust than for us to be frolicking at this moment with the United States or France for that matter. All the places you will find the United States military base — you can do your findings — there's no peace around the region." The U.S and French militaries have been operating in Africa’s Sahel for many years, helping the region in its fight against terrorism. But a wave of coups in recent years has strained that relationship, with military juntas accusing foreign powers of being overbearing without significant progress against jihadist militants.  Some juntas have instead turned toward Russia for help fighting the armed groups. Adamu cautions the letter might be an example of Russian propaganda. "There's also the possibility that we're seeing the propaganda mercenaries by Russia and Niger playing out in this regard," Adamu said. "We know that since the coup in Niger, the putschists and Russia have been engaged in massive propaganda and they have used the prominent individuals from the Nigerien and Northern Nigeria extraction to achieve political objectives." Despite counterterrorism interventions in Africa, a 2023 Global Terrorism Index report shows deaths from terrorism in the Sahel increased by an alarming 2,000% over the last 15 years.  Burkina Faso ranked first among countries most impacted by terrorism, Mali was third, Nigeria eighth and Niger was 10th. Last month, African leaders met in Nigeria and pledged to collaborate against terrorism. But experts say with troops leaving the region, armed groups could intensify attacks on targets.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Zimbabwe's parliament has started nationwide consultations after the Cabinet in February agreed to abolish the death penalty to conform with international standards. Columbus Mavhunga has the story from a public hearing in Bindura, Zimbabwe.