Junior Digest

Washington, Aug 20 :  Pramukh Swami, the spiritual head of the Swaminarayan sect who passed away last week, built a global faith and community founded on Vedic values, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said.

“Pramukh Swami didn’t just teach virtues he lived them every day. That s what made him a Guru to millions of devotees around the world. From the Akshardham Mandir in New Jersey to the countless temples that he blessed in the US, Pramukh Swami built a global faith and community founded on Vedic values,” Clinton said in a statement yesterday.

Ending her condolence message with ‘Jai Swaminarayan’, Clinton said her husband Bill Clinton was fortunate enough to visit the spiritual leader both here in the United States and at the Akshardham Mandir in Gujarat. “In meeting many of his followers, I’ve been touched by his wisdom as well,” she said.

Noting that Pramukh Swami s deep sense of devotion led him to spend his life revitalizing communities in need, Clinton said his worship of karma inspired him to promote peace and justice in India, America, and all around the world.

“His example helped his followers find more harmony both with others, and within themselves. And we hope that humanity will build upon his legacy for generations to come,” Clinton said as top American leaders continued to send their condolence message on death of the Indian spiritual leader.

A US flag honoring the life of Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Sansthan (BAPS) leader was flown on the US Capitol on Wednesday, said Stephen T Ayers, Architect of the Capitol.

Utah Governor Gary R Herbert said the BAPS leader will be remembered for his selfless nature and humanitarian deeds.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said Pramukh Swami’s unwavering commitment to his faith has undoubtedly served as an inspiration in the Land of Lincoln.

Senator Mark Kirk said the life of Pramukh Swami will be celebrated with the upmost reverence and respect.

“The lives he touched are numerous, and his contributions to culture and humankind will not be forgotten,” he said.

The world lost a powerful force for good, said Senator Orrin Hatch.

“Pramukh Swami Maharaj leaves a legacy that we can all aspire to and a thriving BAPS community that will not be the same without him. His selfless services to society, impeccable commitment to the community, and profound devotion to faith earned him the respect and reverence of countless worldwide,” said Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey.

“His passing is not only a tremendous loss for the Swaminarayan community, but also for many lives he touched throughout the world,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer.

“While the world recently lost a truly great individual, there is no question in my mind that the positive imprint he left on the world continues to live and will continue to be felt for many years into the future,” said Congressman Rob Woodall, who had requested for flying a US flat at the Capitol Hill in honor of the BAPS leader.

“Pramukh Swamiji will forever be remembered for his dedication to service, his compassion, his leadership, and his commitment to building a better world for future generations,” said Congressman Joe Crowley.

New Delhi : After helming critically-acclaimed comedy drama “Dasvidaniya”, Shashant Shah has made his web series directorial debut with “Shaadi Boys” and says the platform gave him more freedom.

Shah, who has also directed 2015 popular sitcom “Sumit Sambhal Lega”, believes that web medium is more open to ideas than television and silver screen as it gives everybody a chance to tell their stories.

“There is lot of freedom in terms of expression and language. There are stories which cannot be told over two hours or 200 hours of programming.

“But with the advent of internet, it is showing you short stories. I believe there is an open gamut for lot of filmmakers and story-tellers to tell their stories without having the limitation of the format,” Shah told PTI.

The director believes that internet is a positive trend which presents variety to the public and is a helpful stage for a person full of creativity.

“I see it as the great bone for any creative person and for the audiences to get so much of variety. It is a positive trend. There are some stories which cannot be told more than two-minutes. So it is good that this has opened up as now everybody gets a chance to tell their stories,” He said.

When asked about which medium he enjoyed working on, the most, Shah said, “I’ve enjoyed all the formats but celluloid and film is medium of the director and TV is primarily a medium for writers so in television after writer director, comes in.

“I believe that entertainment will survive and thrive across all mediums. If you have good story to tell then you can tell that from print to radio to internet to celluloid to TV, it will survive no matter what.”

Casting actor Vinay Pathak in all his three films was not a co-incident for the director and he opened up about his long time bond with him since their Channel V days.

“Vinay and I, we know each other from channel V days and we respect each other’s work. We always challenge each other. I wanted someone very simple and an ordinary guy for my first film and hence Vinay was there in ‘Dasvidaniya’.

“In my second film I was offered a big actor by one of the producers but I’m little commitment-phobic so I refused and said Vinay would do justice to it.”

Shah feared that he might not be able to continue his bond with Pathak on the silver screen because he is directing a love story next.

“Now, I’m doing a pure love story and unfortunately I will not be able to place him in that because it requires a 30-year-old guy. I’m excited about it. The script is finalised for the film which is the most important thing. Star cast is also yet to be decided,” he said.

 New Delhi: Long-term peace and stability of a united Nepal is in India’s interest and New Delhi will work with it to achieve this goal, President Pranab Mukherjee has said.

He made these comments when Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Nepal Bimalendra Nidhi called on him at Rashtrapati Bhavan yesterday.

“The President said long-term peace and stability of a united Nepal is in India’s interest. India will work with Nepal towards this common goal,” a statement from Press Secretary to the President Venu Rajamony said.

It said the President conveyed to the visiting dignitary that India attaches highest priority to its relations with Nepal and remains strongly committed to further strengthening this age-old relationship.

“India-Nepal relations are firmly embedded in shared geography, history, culture, civilisation and close people-to-people ties,” he said.

The statement said the President congratulated Nidhi on his appointment as the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Nepal.

“He wished Mr Nidhi every success in promoting national cohesion and reconciliation in Nepal,” it said.

Manila, Aug 21 :  President Rodrigo Duterte threatened today to withdraw the Philippines from the United Nations, as he launched another profanity-laced tirade against the organisation for criticising his bloody war on crime.

More than 1,500 people have been killed since Duterte took office and immediately began his law-and-order crackdown, according to police statistics, triggering fierce criticism from the UN and rights groups.

Duterte, a lawyer famous for an acid tongue who has repeatedly told the UN not to interfere, today stepped up his rhetoric.

“Maybe we’ll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. If you are that disrespectful, son of a whore, then I will just leave you,” Duterte said in a press conference in his home city of Davao that started about 1:00 AM.

Duterte said he may even look to set up another international organisation.

“I would invite everybody. I would invite maybe China, the African (nations),” he said.

The UN’s special rapporteur on summary executions, Agnes Callamard, last week said Duterte’s promise of immunity and bounties to security forces who killed drug suspects violated international law.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June also strongly criticised Duterte, who during the election campaign promised to kill 100,000 people and dump so many bodies in Manila Bay that the fish would grow fat from feeding on them.

“I unequivocally condemn his apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which is illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms,” Ban said.

Duterte frequently peppers his public comments with swear words — he has also called Pope Francis and the US ambassador to Manila sons of whores — and days after his election win used typical language to criticise the UN.

“Fuck you, UN, you can’t even solve the Middle East carnage… couldn’t even lift a finger in Africa,” he said then.

Last month Duterte said he may not ratify the Philippines’ commitments to a historic UN climate change pact agreed by his predecessor last year.

Today morning Duterte said the UN had done nothing for the Philippines — ignoring its poverty reduction programmes and enormous help following typhoons and other natural disasters — as he continued to curse it.

“I don’t give a shit to them. They are the ones interfering,” he said.

On the day he was sworn into office, Duterte called for people in slums to kill neighbours whom they believed were drug addicts, repeating a campaign line.

His aides have since said such comments are merely hyperbole and not meant to be taken literally.