The Indian Panorama

Month: July 2013

  • India Revises FDI Cap, Allows 100% In Telecom, 49% In Insurance

    India Revises FDI Cap, Allows 100% In Telecom, 49% In Insurance

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Centre on July 16 decided to revise existing caps in key infrastructure sectors such as telecom, retail, insurance and sensitive defence sector in an attempt to rejuvenate sagging foreign direct investment (FDI). At a meeting of senior Cabinet ministers chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, the decision to give a broad policy directive took into account the reservation expressed by Defence Minister AK Antony, who has been opposed to an across-the-board hike in FDI from the present 26 per cent, but is not against considering a higher cap on a case-tocase basis.

    Foreign investment in defence, which was being pushed vigorously by Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, will now be allowed for state-of-the art technology in defence production. The rider: it will have to be cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security, with Sharma insisting that no limit has been prescribed. The Commerce Minister said the decisions were aimed to boost the economy and increase foreign investment in the country.

    He said they were arrived at through unanimous consensus and discussions with the ministries concerned. “We (India) remain one of the first three favoured destinations for FDI. Doing better than last year,” Sharma said, adding that the country received over $290 billion FDI over the last nine years and the inflows in the first quarter of the current financial years has seen a 25 per cent increase over last year.

    According to available data, FDI inflows in 2012-13 aggregated $22.42 billion, a decline from $36.50 billion in the previous year. The Centre’s push to raise the FDI ceiling is aimed at making India a more attractive destination for overseas investments and bridge the widening current account deficit. The deficit has been estimated at 5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012-13, as against the Reserve Bank of India’s comfort level of 2.5 per cent.

    The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) that has been preparing the ground for the change in FDI policy, made a presentation before the meeting attended by ministers of Defence, Finance, Petroleum, Food and Civil Supplies and Minister of State of Power (Independent Charge), Sharma said. As for FDI in media, he said no view had been taken.

    Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari had yesterday said the ministry had decided to seek the views of the TRAI and the Press Council of India on whether to increase the cap in print and electronic medium to 49 per cent under the automatic route. While FDI in telecom has been raised to 100 per cent from the existing 74 per cent, there has been a change in approval route.

    Up to 49 per cent FDI will be approved through automatic route, but investment above it will require clearance by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). In the insurance sector, the government decided to raise the limit from the current 26 per cent to 49 per cent under the automatic route. In single-brand retail, where 100 per cent FDI was allowed in November 2011, 49 per cent of it will be now allowed under automatic route and the rest through FIPB.

    In the case of petroleum and natural gas refineries, the cap remains at 49 per cent, but it will now be allowed under automatic route as will the case of commodity exchanges, power trading and stock exchanges clearances.

  • Justice Sathasivam Sworn In As Chief Justice Of India

    Justice Sathasivam Sworn In As Chief Justice Of India

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Justice P Sathasivam was on July 19 sworn in as the 40th Chief Justice of India (CJI) by President Pranab Mukherjee. He took over the post from Justice Altamas Kabir, who served as the CJI for over nine months. Justice Sathasivam, 64, took oath in the name of God at a brief ceremony at Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

    Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice President Hamid Ansari, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley, NDA Working Chairperson L K Advani, CPI leader D Raja, several Union ministers were present at the ceremony.

    Justice Sathasivam was elevated to the Supreme Court in August, 2007 and would demit office on April 26, 2014. Like his predecessor, Justice Sathasivam is opposed to scrapping of the present collegium system for appointment of Supreme Court and high court judges.

  • At Rs 1.23 Lakh Per Square Foot, Mumbai Flat India’s Costliest

    At Rs 1.23 Lakh Per Square Foot, Mumbai Flat India’s Costliest

    MUMBAI (TIP): The Mumbai realty market threw up another record when a 10th-floor, sea-facing flat of the marquee SamudraMahal in Worli sold at the rate of Rs 1.23 lakh per square foot, the highest in the country. Leading glassware company Borosil bought the 1,706 sq ft, three-bedroom apartment for Rs 21 crore from Behroze Zavaray Poonawalla, sister-in-law of Cyrus Poonawalla, who runs one of the world’s biggest vaccine-makers and is a race horse owner.

    It had bought another flat in the building last month. The deal overrode the Rs 1.2 lakh psf paid for a luxury apartment in Tahnee Heights on Nepean Sea Road by Jindal Drugs in June 2012. Flat 310 has a carpet area of 1,706 sq ft and a built-up area of 2,625 sq ft, with servant quarters. Amenities in the 28-storey building, home to corporate czars, industrialists and even members of royal families, include a swimming pool, health club, children’s play area and a garden.

    In an email response, a Borosil spokesperson confirmed the deal, saying the flat has been bought as investment. “As a part of realignment of its investment in real estate properties, the company has decided to purchase property in one building while disposing of an equivalent space in another building. The company believes appreciation in property prices in the new building is likely to be higher…,” said the spokesperson. Industry experts said the transaction is a one-off and does not reflect general market sentiments.

    “Apartments in such landmark buildings like Samudra Mahal and Il Palazzo will continue to fetch premium rates because of their location, profile of residents and upkeep,” said Nikhil Bhatia, head (Western region), CBRE, global property consultants.

    This June, Borosil purchased a duplex flat with a carpet area of 3,127 sq ft, equivalent to 3,638 sq ft built-up area, for Rs 42.5 crore in Samudra Mahal. “Prices in this building have seen constant rise in the past. Considering its prime location and its inhabitants, the trend is likely to continue,” said the Borosil spokesperson.

  • Man Held For Raping Five Daughters

    Man Held For Raping Five Daughters

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Austrian monster dad Josef Fritzl has an Indian equivalent. A man was arrested for raping his daughters for a decade in Bharatpur’s Bayana area. The police have also arrested the mother, who is said to be complicit in the act. Dalip Singh, the additional chief judicial magistrate of Bayana, sent them to judicial custody for 14 days. The accused, a retired clerk of the state agricultural marketing board, had been sexually assaulting his five daughters for the past 10 years.

    The incident came to light when his fourth daughter, along with her two sisters, gathered courage to approach the police. Acting on the complaint, the police nabbed the couple. During preliminary investigation, the man confessed to having had a physical relationship with two of his daughters. He first laid hands on his eldest daughter when she was in Class VI. Her younger sisters too fell victim as the mother gave her tacit approval, the police said.

    When the daughters narrated their horrifying experience the mother refused to listen saying it was a tradition. The father was also accused of beating up the eldest daughter. It has also been alleged that she got pregnant and had to abort the child when she was in Class VIII. She had to undergo the same trauma about a fortnight before her marriage. Even the complainant allegedly got pregnant once.

  • Insurgents Kill 8 Laborers, Afghan Officials Say

    Insurgents Kill 8 Laborers, Afghan Officials Say

    KABUL (TIP): Insurgents pulled over a minivan with eight young laborers on their way to work at a US base in eastern Afghanistan on july 18, forced them out and then shot them dead, officials said. The killings near Forward Operating Base Shank, a US base in Logar province, were the latest in a militant campaign of intimidation against Afghans working for the government or the international coalition.

    The attack took place just after dawn near Puli Alam, the provincial capital. “They were eight ordinary laborers going to work at that base. They were day laborers,” said Logar deputy police chief Raeis Khan Abdul Rahimzai. “This is very hard to believe. It is an inhuman and un- Muslim act against innocent people.” He said the eight were heading for temporary day jobs at the base and were not part of the facility’s local staff.

    The gunmen let the driver of the minivan go and did not harm him, Rahimzai said. Provincial spokesman Din Mohammad Darwesh said there were four gunmen on motorcycles who pulled over the minivan. “They just took them out of the car and shot them. They are all in their late teens and early 20’s,” Darwish said.

    Both officials said it was unclear if the incident could have been in reprisal for a coalition airstrike that killed 18 Taliban fighters in another part of the province on Wednesday. Logar, located just south of Kabul, has seen a sharp increase in insurgent activity this year, The Afghan army last week carried out a large operation against insurgents operating in the province.

    The Taliban have said they will not stop fighting during the holy month of Ramzan, which began last week, and will instead step up their attacks. About 1,000 Afghan civilians have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded in the first half of the year, according to the United Nations. That marked a 24 per cent increase in casualties compared to the same period last year.

  • Bangladesh Islamist Leader Sentenced To Death For 1971 War Crimes

    Bangladesh Islamist Leader Sentenced To Death For 1971 War Crimes

    DHAKA (TIP): A special tribunal sentenced a senior leader of an Islamic political party to death on July 17 for his role in the kidnapping and killing of people involving Bangladesh’s independence war against Pakistan in 1971. The verdict came in a packed courtroom in the capital, Dhaka, in the presence of defendant Ali Ahsan Mojaheed, the secretary-general of the Jamaat-e-Islami party.

    The tribunal found him guilty of kidnapping and killing a journalist, a music director and a number of other people. Mojaheed faces seven charges, including genocide, murder, conspiracy and complicity in atrocities during the war. He is accused of leading a notorious group that during the war kidnapped and killed many teachers, journalists and writers who supported the cause for independence. But the court said five charges were proven beyond doubt, while the prosecution failed to prove two other charges. The defense attorneys said they would appeal the verdict.

    Two tribunals dealing with the war crimes have already delivered five verdicts against three incumbent leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and a former chief and another expelled man of the party. Jamaat-e-Islami and its leaders had openly campaigned against the creation of Bangladesh and are accused of forming citizens’ brigades to aid Pakistani army in the battle against the fighters who fought for independence.

    Bangladesh became independent with the help of India on December 16, 1971, when Pakistani army surrendered in Dhaka. Bangladesh says the Pakistani army killed 3 million people and raped 200,000 women, while about 10 million people took shelter across the border in India during the war. To denounce the verdict, Jamaat-e-Islami enforced a daylong general strike across the country on Wednesday. No major violence was reported. The party indicated that it might extend the general strike to July 18 if Mojaheed was sentenced to death.

  • Hindus, Shias, Other Minorities Worse Off In Pakistan: Us Report

    Hindus, Shias, Other Minorities Worse Off In Pakistan: Us Report

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The already poor religious freedom environment for Christians, Ahmadis and Hindus has continued to deteriorate in Pakistan over the last eighteen months, according to a US body that monitors violations of religious freedom abroad. Releasing the findings of its Pakistan religious violence project on July 17, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said it had tracked 203 publicly-reported incidents of sectarian violence resulting in more than 1,800 casualties, including over 700 deaths.

    The Shia Muslim community has borne the brunt of attacks (77) from militants and terrorist organizations, with some of the deadliest attacks occurring during holy months and pilgrimages, the report said. “While Shias are more at risk of becoming victims of suicide bombings and targeted shootings, the already poor religious freedom environment for Christians, Ahmadis, and Hindus has continued to deteriorate, with a number violent incidents occurring against members of these communities,” it said.

    The report noted that between January 2012 and June 2013, there were 16 attacks against Hindus and 3 attacks against Sikhs resulting in the death of two Hindus and one Sikh. Four Hindus were also injured. There were three incidents of targeted shootings and seven rapes against Hindus, the report said. Noting that the project’s findings “paint a grim and challenging picture for the new government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,” the report said “concrete, resolute action is needed to ensure that perpetrators of violence are arrested, prosecuted and jailed.”

    “To stem the rising tide of violent religious extremism, groups and individuals responsible for attacks on religious communities must be punished,” it said. “While banned militant groups and private citizens are responsible for the majority of attacks on religious communities, government actors are not blameless,” the report said suggesting that “police officers have turned a blind eye to mob attacks or have refused to file police reports when victims are religious minorities.”

  • Municipal Bankruptcy-Detroit Files For Largest Municipal Bankruptcy In US History

    Municipal Bankruptcy-Detroit Files For Largest Municipal Bankruptcy In US History

    DETROIT (TIP): The city of Detroit filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection in federal court Thursday, July 18, laying the groundwork for a historic effort to bail out a city that is sinking under billions of dollars in debt and decades of mismanagement, population flight and loss of tax revenue. The bankruptcy filing makes Detroit the largest city in U.S. history to do so.

    The filing by a state-appointed emergency manager means that if the bankruptcy filing is approved, city assets could be liquidated to satisfy demands for payment. Kevin Orr, a bankruptcy expert, was hired by the state in March to lead Detroit out of a fiscal free-fall, and made the filing Thursday in federal bankruptcy court. “Only one feasible path offers a way out,” Gov. Rick Snyder said in a letter to Orr and state Treasurer Andy Dillon approving the bankruptcy. The letter was attached to the bankruptcy filing.

    “The citizens of Detroit need and deserve a clear road out of the cycle of ever-decreasing services,” Snyder wrote. “The city’s creditors, as well as its many dedicated public servants, deserve to know what promises the city can and will keep. The only way to do those things is to radically restructure the city and allow it to reinvent itself without the burden of impossible obligations.”

    Snyder had determined earlier this year that Detroit was in a financial emergency and without a plan to improve things. Snyder hired Orr in March, and he released a plan to restructure the city’s debt and obligations that would leave many creditors with much less than they are owed. Orr was unable to convince a host of creditors, including the city’s union and pension boards, to take pennies on the dollar to help facilitate the city’s massive financial restructuring.

    Some creditors were asked to take about 10 cents on the dollar of what the city owed them. Under funded pension claims would have received less than 10 cents on the dollar under that plan. A team of financial experts put together by Orr said that proposal was Detroit’s one shot to permanently fix its fiscal problems.

    The filing leads to a 30 to 90 day period that will determine whether or not the city of Detroit is eligible for Chapter 9 protection, and define the number of claimants who may compete for Detroit’s limited settlement resources. The petition seeks protection from unions and creditors who are renegotiating $18.5 billion in debt and liabilities, according to the Detroit Free Press.

    “The President and members of the President’s senior team continue to closely monitor the situation in Detroit,” White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage said in a statement Thursday. “While leaders on the ground in Michigan and the city’s creditors understand that they must find a solution to Detroit’s serious financial challenge, we remain committed to continuing our strong partnership with Detroit as it works to recover and revitalize and maintain its status as one of America’s great cities,” the statement read. Sen.

    Carl Levin, D-Mich., remained positive about Detroit’s outlook in spite of the major blow that bankruptcy delivered: “I know firsthand, because I live in Detroit, that our city is on the rebound in some key ways, and I know deep in my heart that the people of Detroit will face this latest challenge with the same determination that we have always shown,” the Senator said in a statement released Thursday.

    A number of factors — most notably steep population and tax base falls — have been blamed on Detroit’s descent toward insolvency. Detroit was once synonymous with U.S. manufacturing prowess. Its automotive giants switched production to planes, tanks and munitions during World War II, earning the city the nickname “Arsenal of Democracy.” Detroit lost a quarter-million residents between 2000 and 2010.

    A population that in the 1950s reached 1.8 million is struggling to stay above 700,000. Much of the middle-class and scores of businesses also have fled Detroit, taking their tax dollars with them. Detroit’s budget deficit is believed to be more than $380 million. Orr has said long-term debt was more than $14 billion and could be between $17 billion and $20 billion.

    For decades, sizeable bankruptcies have been rare in the $3.7 trillion municipal bond market, but experts say there might be an uptick as counties, cities and towns wrestle with economic recession and stubbornly rising costs. Until Detroit filed its landmark case on Thursday, there had been four Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy filings so far this year, compared with 12 in all of 2012 and 13 during 2011, according to James Spiotto, partner at Chapman and Cutler LLP. The four this year were special-purpose districts in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

    The great bulk of Chapter 9 filings involve utilities and special districts, Spiotto said. Many cases are blocked by judges. Since 1954, cities, villages and counties accounted for only 61 Chapter 9 filings. The highest number of bankruptcy filings occurred in Nebraska, followed by California and Texas.

    What will happen next
    A bankruptcy judge will be appointed to oversee the city’s case. Hearings could take place in Detroit, Kentucky, Ohio or Tennessee. Chapter 9 bankruptcy is poorly understood, in part because it happens so infrequently. Detroit’s case is the largest in U.S. history. Here’s what happens next:

    o The city filed a Chapter 9 bankruptcy petition Thursday in the U.S. Eastern District Court of Michigan.The filing includes additional information on the city’s financial outlook and could include details about the city’s plan to cut costs, such as potential layoffs and department consolidation, said Ken Schneider, a bankruptcy attorney with Detroit-based Schneider Miller PC.

    o Alice Batchelder, chief judge of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, will appoint a bankruptcy judge to oversee the city’s case. o The bankruptcy judge will determine where to hold hearings, which could take place in Detroit, Kentucky, Ohio or Tennessee. o An automatic stay will be issued on most of Detroit’s bills, including unsecured debts, Schneider said today. The city will continue to pay secured creditors, including water and sewer bondholders, who have the right to seize city assets if Detroit fails to pay.

    o An automatic stay also will be issued on lawsuits against the city, including outside challenges by pension officials and union members. This means hearings in those lawsuits will be indefinitely delayed. The plaintiffs can recast their arguments inside of bankruptcy court, said Jay Welford, a bankruptcy attorney and partner at Southfield-based Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss.

    o The city doesn’t need approval to continue services. For example, the police, fire, water, sewer and public works are completely unaffected by the bankruptcy filing for now and will operate as usual. However, cuts are possible in the future. “You have the ability to use your cash,” Welford said. “You don’t need court approval.”

    o Creditors can challenge the city’s right to file for bankruptcy by issuing motions to dismiss the case. o In this case, bondholders and pension officials could accuse the city of failing to negotiate “in good faith,” one of the key criteria allowing the city to file for bankruptcy. The judge would hear arguments on this issue. A ruling could take days, weeks or months – perhaps even a year.

    o The city also will have to prove it is insolvent, another stipulation required to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy. According to the federal bankruptcy code, this requires the city to prove that it is not paying its bills. Emergency manager Kevyn Orr recently authorized the city to stop making payments on some debts. Bankruptcy experts believe that action was enough to satisfy the insolvency requirement, but creditors may still find wiggle room to argue the city is not insolvent.

    o If the judge authorizes the city to move forward with a Chapter 9 bankruptcy case, Orr would propose a plan of reorganization. This could take weeks, months or years. Bankruptcy court allows the city to restructure its operations and its balance sheet. This could involve budget cuts, layoffs, consolidation, the sale of assets, slashing union contracts, selling assets and dramatically reducing city debts, including outstanding bonds.

    o The city will attempt to win support for the reorganization plan from creditors, including secured bondholders, general obligation bondholders, unions and pension boards. If the city wins enough support, the plan would be put to a vote – and with enough support, the city could emerge from bankruptcy.

    Without enough support, the judge could tell the city it must continue to negotiate with creditors. Orr may eventually pursue a “cram down” procedure, which would require winning support of a minority of creditors and convincing a judge that dissenting creditors are not being reasonable. “We’ll probably get to that because I don’t see how creditors are going to accept what he’s talking about paying them,” Schneider said.

    o The length of the case is widely debated. Some experts believe it could be as short as several months. Others say it could take years. Most complex Chapter 9 cases have taken several years.

    Recent and significant Chapter 9 cases include:
    SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA
    San Bernardino filed for bankruptcy status last August 1, becoming the third city in America’s most populous state during 2012 to use Chapter 9 in a fiscal crisis. The city of about 210,000 residents located 65 miles east of Los Angeles said it had more than $1 billion in debts and had tapped out its financial reserves. A federal bankruptcy judge has scheduled a hearing for August 28 to determine if the city is eligible for Chapter 9 shelter.

    STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA
    Stockton, a city of 300,000 located east of San Francisco, filed for bankruptcy in June 2012 and was until Detroit’s declaration the biggest U.S. city ever to seek Chapter 9 protection. After years of fiscal mismanagement and a housing market crash, Stockton was unable to pay workers, pensioners and bondholders. In April this year, a judge turned aside objections from bondholders trying to scuttle the case and cleared the way for Stockton to move ahead on a debt-adjustment plan, which local officials hope to file in September.

    JEFFERSON COUNTY, ALABAMA
    At $4.2 billion, Jefferson County set the previous record for the biggest U.S. municipal bankruptcy filing in November 2011. The county has since negotiated a tentative settlement with most creditors that still must be approved by a federal judge. The county, home to Birmingham, Alabama’s largest city, is weighed down by massive sewer-system debt. After the loss in 2011 of a local jobs tax that severely reduced revenues, the county cut 1,300 staff jobs, pulled back on government services and stopped payments on general obligation debt.

    ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
    The county, California’s thirdmost populous, filed for bankruptcy in December 1994 after rising interest rates savaged investment bets by its treasurer, leaving the county with a loss of $1.7 billion in an investment pool. That put Orange County at risk of a $1 billion default the next year. Orange County emerged from bankruptcy after 18 months.

    HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
    Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania saddled with incinerator debts, lost a bid for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in 2011 and is now under state receivership. With a population of 50,000, Harrisburg is plagued by $320 million of debt incurred by cost overruns from an upgrade of its incinerator. In a bid to ease debts, the city is selling off thousands of Western and other historical artifacts accumulated by a former mayor to stock local museums that were never built.

    VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA
    Vallejo, a former U.S. Navy town near San Francisco, filed for bankruptcy on May 23, 2008, after failing to address steep city personnel costs and sliding revenue from a housing slump. In July 2011, the city won court approval for its financial plan to exit bankruptcy protection.

    CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND
    The smallest city in the smallest U.S. state filed for bankruptcy on August 1, 2011, after failing to win concessions from public-sector retirees and others to address an $80 million unfunded pension and retiree health benefit liability, which was nearly quadruple its annual budget of $17 million. Central Falls last September won court approval of a reorganization plan that cut retiree pensions, raised taxes and left bondholders without losses.

  • Rajat Gupta Fined $13.9 Million For Insider Trading

    Rajat Gupta Fined $13.9 Million For Insider Trading

    NEW YORK (TIP): Last October, US District Judge Jed S. Rakoff sentenced the 64-year-old Rajat Gupta to a two-year prison term and a fine of $5 million in the criminal case after a jury had in June 2012 found him guilty of insider trading by illegally tipping corporate secrets to former hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam, who ran the Galleon Group. Gupta is appealing the conviction and remains free during the appeal.

    The new order imposing an additional $13.9 million fine was issued by Judge Jed S Rakoff on Wednesday, July 17, acting on a civil complaint from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In its complaint filed in late 2011, the SEC alleged that Gupta disclosed confidential information to Rajaratnam about Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s $5 billion investment in Goldman Sachs as well as nonpublic details about Goldman Sachs’ financial results for the second and fourth quarters of 2008.

    In addition to imposing the financial penalty, the judge’s order “enjoins Gupta from future violations of the securities laws” by barring him from any post of officer or director in a public limited company, and from any association with any broker, dealer, or investment adviser, the SEC said.

  • Indian-American Nominated For Key Post In Obama Administration

    Indian-American Nominated For Key Post In Obama Administration

    WASHINGTON (TIP): US state department’s heavy hitter for India will be an Indian origin bureaucrat, Nisha Desai Biswal, a first for both the community and the administration. President Barack Obama on Thursday, July 18, sent a proposal to the senate to appoint Biswal assistant secretary of state for South Asia, top US diplomat for India.

    If confirmed Biswal will replace Robert Blake, an impossibly gangly career diplomat who liked to joke at India-US events his speeches were almost always the same as Indian ambassador’s. Biswal’s appointment was welcomed by the Indian American community, its experts and non-experts. “Great news … she is a terrific role model,” said a Facebook post.

    “This is a landmark appointment for Indian- Americans, the first time someone from the community has been chosen for the top diplomatic job dealing with South Asia,” said Sadanand Dhume, an Indian origin expert with conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute. “Nisha Biswal is an excellent choice for the position. She’s well-informed about the region and has many friends and admirers in both the executive and legislative branches of government.”

    Biswal is currently assistant administrator for Asia at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a position she has held since September 2010. At USAID, her boss was administrator Raj Shah, another Indian American. who remains the senior most Indian American in the Obama administration. From 2005 to 2010, Biswal was the Majority Clerk for the State Department and Foreign Operations Subcommittee on the Committee on Appropriations in the House of Representatives.

    Biswal and her husband Subrat Biswal have two daughters. The position of assistant secretary of state – roughly the equivalent of additional secretary – is a crucial one, with responsibilities including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It wasn’t clear from the White House announcement if she would also hold charge of Central Asia, as was Blake’s brief, along side South Asia. She would most likely. But South Asia will not include Pakistan and Afghanistan, which have been entrusted to a special representative since the creation of that office in 2008, with Richard Holbrooke in charge.

  • US Wants To Hasten Emergence Of An Asia-Pacific Order: Biden

    US Wants To Hasten Emergence Of An Asia-Pacific Order: Biden

    WASHINGTON (TIP): US wants to hasten emergence of an Asia-Pacific order that delivers prosperity for all the nations involved, US Vice President Joe Biden has said. “For the past 60 years, the security we provided has enabled the region’s people to turn their talents and hard work into an economic miracle,” Biden said. “Now we want to hasten the emergence of an Asian- Pacific order that delivers security and prosperity for all the nations involved,” he said.

    “In short, we want to help lead in creating the 21st century rules of the road that will benefit not only the United States and the region but the world as a whole,” he said. The lifeblood of the region is economic development, but growth has slowed in India, China, in many places in Asia, and each country faces distinct and different challenge, he said.

    “To spark new growth, there has to be fewer barriers at and behind our borders, protections for intellectual property to reward innovation, new commitments to make sure everyone plays by the same rules because that’s what attracts investment and jobs,” he added. Biden said economically and strategically, it’s clear why the United States had to rebalance, to direct more resources and attention toward the Asia-Pacific region.

    “Because imagine what could happen if growing Asia- Pacific middle classes help lift the global economy even more than they already are, if nations reject the temptations of zero-sum thinking and rise peacefully together,” he said. The Vice President said the American rebalance towards Asia Pacific was not at the expense of its European allies. “Europe remains the cornerstone of our engagement with the rest of the world. That is a fact. We’re not going anywhere,” Biden said, adding that the US was absolutely convinced that its engagement in the Pacific was in selfinterest of Europe.

  • MoneyGram Hosts Iftar

    MoneyGram Hosts Iftar

    MoneyGram Iftar Food Trucks hit New York, New Jersey and Chicago and serve free Iftar to the community
    NEW YORK (TIP): During the last two weekends in Ramadan, MoneyGram branded food trucks will give out free Iftar to the Muslim community in Chicago, IL, Brooklyn, NY, Jackson Heights, NY, Harlem, NY, New York City and Jersey City, NJ. First 500 people will get a free iftar courtesy of MoneyGram as a sign of their respect and commitment to the Muslim community and to share in the spirit of giving that is very significant in this month of fasting.
    Chicago

    JULY 26TH
    Islamic Foundation
    Address: 300 W. High Ridge Road, Villa
    Park, IL 60181 T: 630.941.8800
    Timing 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    JULY 27TH
    Khan Barbeque Restaurant
    Address: 2401 W Devon Avenue,
    Chicago, IL 60659 T: 1.773.274.8600
    Timing: 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    JULY 28TH
    Sabri Nihari & Jama Mosque
    Address: 2502 W Devon, Chicago, IL
    60659 T: 1.773.465.3272
    Timing: 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M
    New Jersey/New York
    AUGUST 2ND
    Jamia Mosque
    Address: 294 Grove Street, Jersey City,
    NJ 07302 T: 1.201.333.2500
    Timing: 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    AUGUST 3RD
    Gourmet Sweets, Brooklyn, NY
    Address: 1107 Coney Island Avenue,
    Brooklyn, NY 11230 T: 1.718.421.4100
    Timings: 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    AUGUST 4TH
    Gourmet Restaurant, Jackson Heights,
    Address: 72-08 Broadway, Jackson
    Heights, NY 11372 T: 1.718.533.8700
    Timing: 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    AUGUST 5TH
    AR RAHAMAN Mosque
    Address: 15 West 29th Street, NYC, NY
    10016
    Timing: 7:30 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    AUGUST 6TH
    AQSA MOSQUE – MGI Agent/ Petit
    Paris Fashion
    Address: 2136 8th Avenue, Harlem, NY
    10026 T: 1.212.316.9803
    Timing: 6:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.
    AUGUST 7TH
    CHAAND RAAT – MGI Agent
    Address: Coney Island Avenue,
    Brooklyn, NY 11230
    Timings: 10:00 P.M. – 12:00 MIDNIGHT

    As a global money transfer provider that helps people financially connect with family and friends around the world, MoneyGram is embracing the culture of its customers during the time of Ramadan and Eid. MoneyGram recently launched a global Ramadan and Eid media campaign across the United States and Canada along with the Iftar Food Trucks that will be making their way from Chicago to New York starting July 26th.

    “This is an important time of the year to send money for our Muslim customers and we want to make sure MoneyGram makes it easy for them with our fast, efficient service and competitive exchange rates’ – says Zainab Ali, Senior Marketing Manager. Please visit moneygram.com/iftartruck for more details about the Iftar truck and come join us for Iftar if you live in New York or Chicago. About MoneyGram MoneyGram, a leading money transfer company, enables consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions to meet their financial needs.

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  • A Harassed Indian Student’s Tale of Woe

    A Harassed Indian Student’s Tale of Woe

    The Open Doors report, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, says that the number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased to an all-time high of 6,71,616 in the 2008-09 academic year and has been steadily growing.

    The report says India that has been at the top in enrolment in 2008, is now the second leading place of origin of students after China that has gained only a marginal edge over India. The report is based on a comprehensive survey of approximately 3,000 accredited U.S higher education institutions of all types and sizes, regarding international students at all levels of study. On many occasions we have heard stories of sufferings and misery of Indian students in the U.S. Most relate to bias and discrimination.

    Many a time the embassy of India and the Indian consulates have been accused of complete indifference to the students’ plight. The present story of a young student at University of Texas, Brownsville is no different. Harassed by the university authorities the young man turned to the Consulate at Houston but failed to move the authorities there.

    I do not wish to pass any judgment on the Indian Consulate in Houston but our readers will agree that this unhelpful attitude of the Consulate authorities in protecting the interests of an Indian student is not compatible with their charter of duties. Please do not forget young Indians come to this country with big dreams, as many of us came with, and we need to help them realize their dreams, for themselves and for India.

    Indian students are the second highest foreign student contingent in USA. They come here to study, to make a career and to experience a different culture. They do not come here to get assaulted, hazed upon, or to have sexually profane acts get carried out in their house. Lastly they do not expect their college to take a biased decision against them. However such is exactly the list of inexperiences that an Indian student, who requests not to be identified, had to suffer at University of Texas, Brownsville between January and December 2011, as a graduate student.

    During his stay, he was hazed upon by a PhD student from Sri Lanka by the name of Shihan Weeratunga, who asked repeatedly for over 3 months to be included in a start-up already registered in the Indian student’s and his American business partner’s name. No one can ask to divulge company secrets (tantamount to asking one to commit a crime) or insist overtly to be included in a start-up at the expense of an existing co-founder. Mr.Weeratunga also behaved in many unacceptable ways in the Indian student’s house, including but not limited to groping of a common friend.

    There were also plenty of sexual allusions and at least one promiscuous act with a fellow student, in the Indian student’s house, after tactfully getting the latter inebriated, the details of which are not being divulged for now upon request. This reporter feels that this act alone is enough to get someone thrown out of a college and possibly incarcerated.

    Finally on the night of 25th August, Mr.Weeratunga cornered the Indian student on the staircase outside his house, and with much name calling, finger pointing and shouting, physically assaulted (coming chest to chest, shove/push, hit) him. The University’s code of conduct can be found here – http://www.utb.edu/ba/hoop/Polic y/6-4-1.pdf Mr.Weeratunga was clearly in violation of multiple items.

    The Indian student lodged a complaint to the college coordinator of judicial affairs, first submitting a brief report on the 19th September 2011 and then a full complaint on the 2nd October 2011. The adjudicator, upon receiving the first of the complaints, replied with the following, even though he had been asked to sit in judgment – “Because your allegation of harassment of you by Mr. Weeratunga is so serious, I am compelled to respond in some form.

    I need to do this because if your allegations are found to be true, then they represent a violation of our policy on harassment. The University is intolerant of behaviors that would be deemed as harassment and that create a hostile environment for any individual on our campus.” The official complaint was only against Mr.Weeratunga, and did not directly implicate anyone else.

    However the adjudicator then made a volte face and shut the case up in one day, conducting only a shoddy evaluation, once another Hispanic female student of the college (who carried out her share of distasteful acts in his house) came into the picture. The Indian student was denied a fair and full investigation, which is mandated by US law for all employees (student worker) of American institutions, and was instead threatened verbally with suspension and told by the adjudicator not to mention these incidents ever again.

    The about turn (and shoddiness and haste with which the investigation was carried out) made by a Hispanic adjudicator of a principally Hispanic institution after a Hispanic woman came into the picture, reeks of prejudice and borders on racial partiality to say the least.We suspect the adjudicator had already decided to exonerate Mr. Weeratunga and intimidate the Indian student to keep things secret even before receiving the full (2nd) report, for the sake of the female student.

    The Indian student had to lapse into medical trauma (noted by the college medical counselor Miss. Liebscher) since the day of the assault and more so since this misjudgment. U.T. Brownsville is part of the University of Texas system of colleges and cannot act in violation of their central set of rules.

    We demand that U.T. Brownsville please explain the anomaly, and explain why Mr.Weeratunga was allowed to get away with assault and many other violations of University policy and why another student was made to suffer in this way – is it for the reason we suspect – to protect the reputation of the woman? Mr.Weeratunga is part of the Physics PhD program of U.T. Brownsville, which is a degree conferred by the University of Texas, San Antonio – we believe that U.T.S.A. would also consider distancing themselves from him once the full extent of Mr. Weeratunga’s misdoings emerges.

    The Indian student after suffering this way, produced a dismal grade, and was ousted by U.T. Brownsville. He has since returned to another college in Texas and is doing many times better there. He went back to Brownsville this April and filed a case for assault against Mr. Weeratunga, and made the Indian Consulate in Houston aware of these developments (including supplying the police report). The Consulate promised to take up the matter with the college but has not done so as yet.

    He also contacted many Indian organizations and Indian media agencies (including NDTV) and the U.S.I.E.F. in India, but with little or very modest success. Indian Panorama is the first to feature this story. The student has recently made the U.T. Brownsville Physics department aware of the full extent of Mr. Weeratunga’s misdemeanors and now intends to sue the college for damages on grounds of partiality and deliberate negligence but does not have the resources to engage another law firm (he already engaged the law offices of Sherin Thawer, to file for an U visa), except on a percentage basis.

    He is now toying with the idea of writing a reveal-all book in future and contacting watch-dog bodies that monitor acts of hazing, violence, sexual misdemeanor and racial partiality in American Universities.

  • Edison Based Filmmaker Hosts Screening Of The Hindi Short Film ‘Back Up’

    Edison Based Filmmaker Hosts Screening Of The Hindi Short Film ‘Back Up’

    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Mise Ee Scene held a private media screening of their short Hindi film ‘Back Up’ on Wednesday July 17th at the Anthology Film Archives in New York City, followed by an after party at the B Bar & Grill. Written produced and Directed by Eshwar Gunturu, ‘Back Up’ is an intense psychological thriller depicting love, hatred and other extreme emotions in life.

    The movie is set and shot in New York City. ‘Back Up’ has an interesting plot. It starts off with a suicide bomber preparing to carry out his mission somewhere in New York City and all seems to be going well. On the other side, there is a very normal man, Dr. Haq,who has some abnormal issues with his wife. The movie takes a turn when suddenly the suicide bomber vanishes and the terrorists have no one to take his place.

    That’s where Dr. Haq comes in. In the next 35 minutes, Esh and his team have worked really hard to show the play of human emotions and raw manipulations that can take a man from leading a quiet life to being a destructive monster and an abomination to the core. This movie is not about the story or the people who play roles in it. It’s about human emotions and interactions. It’s about the ability to brainwash people. It’s about the evil that resides deep within us…it’s eerie, dark and exciting to say the least.

    The movie has some great talent. The first 7- 10 minutes are pretty intense and are well enacted by Ashok & Sweta. There is a lot of potential in the other actors who have come on screen for the first time. They portray their roles very well. The background score must also get a good applause as it keeps the momentum of the movie going. Editing was pretty good too! For a short film, the makers have spent a lot of money in the production of the film.

    Other aspect to point would be the apt locations used in the film that gives a perfect look to the premise of the film. Sweta Keswani, (Deepti Mathur) has been known in the world of television and has been loved and admired for her stereotype shattering performances in ‘Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki’, ‘Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand’, ‘Baa Bahu aur Baby’ and ‘Adaalat’ to name a few.

    With over 20 years of acting skills, Sweta is the pivotal player in this movie,which Esh and Hemangi enthusiastically agree was the turning point of their quest for the right cast. The whole crew enjoyed working with her and she reciprocates the same feeling for them. Unlike, other productions where she would encounter chaos and lack of a strategic direction, Sweta was impressed by Esh and gang.

    Ashok Chaudhary (Jai Mathur) plays the lead role in the movie. Ashok has done theater since his young age including TV soap operas like ‘Kasauti Zindagi Ki’, ‘Kavyanjali’ and ‘Left Right Left’. A graduate from FTII Pune, he has also studied at The Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg and H B Studio of Acting in New York. He was recently seen in an off Broadway English play ‘Sakharam Binder’ which is an adaptation of the Marathi play by the same name.

    Esh mentions that Ashok was the perfect person to play Jai’s character and Ashok has definitely proved Esh right! An Engineer by profession, Eshwar is a filmmaker by passion. Eshwar or Esh as he is known to his friends and colleagues knows what he wants in life too. He claims to have written close to thirteen movie scripts and says that he will be making a full-length feature film by the end of this year if all goes well.

    First, he wants to see the audience’s response to his short film, ‘Back Up’. One thing Esh did confirm though…and that was that he will never make a Sci-Fi movie in his life. In his own words, “I don’t know why, but I don’t like Sci-fi at all and I don’t think I’d be involved in making of a Sci-fi film in the future. I really like to make films that show relationships between people and narrate downto- earth real people stories.” There was no hint of hesitation in his voice when he said that.

    Esh is a passionate filmmaker as his work will show and Hemangi ,who is the Coproducer of this film and Esh’s wife tells us that Esh used to work day and night even when she was pregnant. He would tell her to call 9-1-1 if she was to go into delivery. Hemangi has stood by him all these years to see this passion come through.

    She is one proud wife and she supports him in his own projects. Well,we have already caught a glimpse of Eshwar’s work and his movie making style.We can’t wait to see what he has in store for us for the feature that he plans to shoot shortly.We wish him and his team the best for this film and his future projects.

  • Atma Singh And Punjabi Chamber Of Commerce Raise $10,000 For Rebuilding Uttarakhand

    Atma Singh And Punjabi Chamber Of Commerce Raise $10,000 For Rebuilding Uttarakhand

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): A fund raiser to rebuild the flood ravaged Uttarakhand where there has been a massive loss of life and property was organized at Akbar restaurant here on July 12. The fundraiser was organized by New Jersey based entrepreneur and community activist Atma Singh, president of Punjabi Chamber of Commerce who joined hands with other voluntary organizations to raise funds.

    According to the announcement made by Atma Singh at the fundraiser, a total of $10,000 was raised. Singh said, “The amount will be rushed to the Prime Minister Relief Fund at the earliest.” “Indian American population of Central New Jersey responded to my call to extend a helping hand for the disaster affected people of our native land and I am grateful to them”, Singh said.

    A large number of community leaders and public officials attended the event, including Prabhu Dayal, former Consul- General of India, NJ Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Edison Mayor Toni Ricigliano and Councilman Dr Sudhanshu Prasad”.

  • They Thought Bullets Would Silence Us…

    They Thought Bullets Would Silence Us…

    On Friday, July 12, the United Nations Assembly listened spellbound to 16-year-old Malala, who was shot by the Talibans in Pakistan for attending school. Malala urged the governments to ensure free and compulsory education. Excerpts from her speech
    HONORABLE UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, respected president of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremic, honorable UN envoy for global education Mr. Gordon Brown, respected elders and my dear brothers and sisters: Assalamu alaikum(peace be upon you). Today is it an honor for me to be speaking again after a long time. Being here with such honorable people is a great moment in my life and it is an honor for me that today I am wearing a shawl of the late Benazir Bhutto.

    I don’t know where to begin my speech. I don’t know what people would be expecting me to say, but first of all thank you to God for whom we all are equal and thank you to every person who has prayed for my fast recovery and new life. I cannot believe how much love people have shown me. I have received thousands of good-wish cards and gifts from all over the world. Thank you to all of them.

    Thank you to the children whose innocent words encouraged me. Thank you to my elders whose prayers strengthened me. I would like to thank my nurses, doctors and the staff of the hospitals in Pakistan and the UK and the UAE government who have helped me to get better and recover my strength. I fully support UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of UN Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and the respectful president of the UN General Assembly Vuk Jeremic.

    I thank them for the leadership they continue to give. They continue to inspire all of us to action. Dear brothers and sisters, do remember one thing: Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for their rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goal of peace, education and equality.

    Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them. So here I stand, one girl among many. I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to live in peace. Their right to be treated with dignity. Their right to equality of opportunity. Their right to be educated. Dear friends, on 9 October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead.

    They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same.

    And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists. I do not even hate the Talib who shot me.

    Even if there was a gun in my hand and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him. This is the compassion I have learned from Mohamed, the prophet of mercy, Jesus Christ and Lord Buddha. This the legacy of change I have inherited from Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. This is the philosophy of nonviolence that I have learned from Gandhi, Bacha Khan and Mother Teresa.

    And this is the forgiveness that I have learned from my father and from my mother. This is what my soul is telling me: be peaceful and love everyone. Dear sisters and brothers, we realize the importance of light when we see darkness. We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realized the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

    The wise saying, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” It is true. The extremists are afraid of books and pens. The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them. This is why they killed 14 innocent students in the recent attack in Quetta. And that is why they kill female teachers. That is why they are blasting schools every day because they were and they are afraid of change and equality that we will bring to our society.

    And I remember that there was a boy in our school who was asked by a journalist: “Why are the Taliban against education?” He answered very simply by pointing to his book, he said: “A Talib doesn’t know what is written inside this book.” They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would point guns at people’s heads just for going to school.

    These terrorists are misusing the name of Islam for their own personal benefit. Pakistan is a peace-loving, democratic country. Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons. Islam is a religion of peace, humanity and brotherhood. It is the duty and responsibility to get education for each child, that is what it says. Peace is a necessity for education.

    In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflicts stop children from going to schools.We are really tired of these wars.Women and children are suffering in many ways in many parts of the world. In India, innocent and poor children are victims of child labor. Many schools have been destroyed in Nigeria. People in Afghanistan have been affected by extremism.

    Young girls have to do domestic child labor and are forced to get married at an early age. Poverty, ignorance, injustice, racism and the deprivation of basic rights are the main problems, faced by both men and women. Today, I am focusing on women’s rights and girls’ education because they are suffering the most. There was a time when women activists asked men to stand up for their rights.

    But this time we will do it by ourselves. I am not telling men to step away from speaking for women’s rights, but I am focusing on women to be independent and fight for themselves. So dear sisters and brothers, now it’s time to speak up. So today, we call upon the world leaders to change their strategic policies in favor of peace and prosperity.We call upon the world leaders that all of these deals must protect women and children’s rights.

    A deal that goes against the rights of women is unacceptable. We call upon all governments to ensure free, compulsory education all over the world for every child.We call upon all the governments to fight against terrorism and violence. To protect children from brutality and harm.We call upon the developed nations to support the expansion of education opportunities for girls in the developing world.

    We call upon all communities to be tolerant, to reject prejudice based on caste, creed, sect, color, religion or agenda to ensure freedom and equality for women so they can flourish.We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.We call upon our sisters around the world to be brave, to embrace the strength within themselves and realize their full potential.

    Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child’s bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education. No one can stop us.We will speak up for our rights and we will bring change to our voice.We believe in the power and the strength of our words.

    Our words can change the whole world because we are all together, united for the cause of education. And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness. Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty and injustice and ignorance.We must not forget that millions of children are out of their schools.

    We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright, peaceful future. So let us wage a glorious struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first. Thank you.

    The most courageous girl in the world Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown hailed Malala Yousafzai as “the most courageous girl in the world” as the Pakistani schoolgirl who was attacked by the Taliban last year called on world governments to provide free compulsory education for every child in a speech at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

    The address, timed to coincide with her 16th birthday, drew a standing ovation at a special Youth Assembly held in the presence of Mr. Brown, who is the UN’s special envoy for education, and the body’s Secretary- General, Ban Ki-moon, who declared it “Malala day”. Ms Yousafzai, who was shot in the head in October in Pakistan’s Swat Valley after attracting the ire of the Taliban for raising a voice against its attacks on girls’ education, also presented Mr. Ban with a petition signed by 4 million people asking for help to deliver education to all children.

    The speech came as Save the Children released a report based on research by UNESCO revealing that almost 50 million children living in war zones do not attend school at all, and that attacks on education are on the rise, largely due to the conflict in Syria. Justin Forsyth, Save the Children’s chief executive, said of Malala: “She was speaking for the nearly 50 million children around the world who are currently being denied the opportunity of an education because of conflict.”

    He added that the world “should listen” to Malala, who was nearly killed in last year’s attack. Few, however, managed to watch Ms Yousafzai in Pakistan. Only two of the county’s many news channels showed the speech live. The most-watched broadcaster, Geo News, showed portions of the speech later, while other channels all stuck to normal programming. Moreover, Pakistanis are currently unable to see videos on YouTube, because of an ongoing court ban.

    The speech did not get much attention in the days leading up to the event. In Pakistan, she is seen as a hero by many, especially those who oppose the Taliban’s campaign of violence. But for others she has been turned into an object of controversy, shrouded in conspiracy theories wildly alleging that she was “a CIA agent” and that her shooting was “staged”.

    These theories have had alarmingly wide purchase among young Pakistanis on the internet. The hostility to the schoolgirl, some observers say, is a measure of the pitch of anti-Americanism in Pakistan, where even the faintest association with the US is attacked.

  • No Ground To Stand On

    No Ground To Stand On

    Race has once again torn a deep gash through the conscience of the United States. Protesters took to the streets across the U.S. this week after a Florida jury acquitted a gun-toting “neighborhood watch officer” of second-degree murder despite his shooting dead an unarmed 17- year-old African-American, Trayvon Martin, in February last year.

    The decision to set George Zimmerman free raises troubling questions about whether this multiracial nation can ever transcend its painful history of slavery and ugly, persisting racial hatred. There are two aspects of this polarizing case that matter to the debate. The first relates to the limitations of the criminal justice system stemming from the formidable legal protections that many U.S. States have instituted favoring ultra-liberal gun ownership rights.

    The success of conservative lobbies in hectoring into law some version of the “Stand Your Ground” provision in Florida and 33 other States has hobbled the prosecution of ‘white on black’ gun crimes. In Florida, Stand Your Ground imposed no legal duty upon Mr. Zimmerman to retreat, but granted the right to apply deadly force if he “reasonably believed” that it was necessary to prevent his death or bodily harm.

    Further, the Florida police anticipated Mr. Zimmerman’s sound legal standing under the aegis of this law and refused to arrest him for an astonishing 44 days after the killing, until a major national campaign forced their hand. By that time, however, some evidence was lost. When the judge banned prosecution lawyers from describing Mr. Zimmerman’s intention in going after Mr. Martin as “racial profiling,” acquittal was all but certain.

    The second undercurrent – and one that President Barack Obama’s call for post-verdict calm conveniently sidestepped – is the deeper narrative of crime and punishment in the U.S., which is intimately interwoven with the fabric of racism and manifested in everything from capital sentencing to incarceration rates. What about Mr. Martin’s right to stand his ground as he faced down his abuse-hurling stalker? If the roles were reversed, would an armed African-American man have faced the same odds of acquittal? The statistics behind this sort of encounter would terrify any African-American parent.

    According to data compiled by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, an African-American is killed by state-sanctioned violence every 28 hours. In 2012 alone 313 African-Americans were reportedly killed by the police, security guards and vigilantes, most of whom got off lightly. The message that emerged from this verdict was only one: if you’re African-American and are set up against someone who isn’t, then there is literally not a square inch of ground for you to stand on.

  • Erosion Of Public Faith

    Erosion Of Public Faith

    “It is a sad commentary on politicians”. The nation’s problem is how to reignite the spirit of confidence and idealism. Alas, no political party, even in the states, comes up to that standard. Whether the next election throws up such people is in the realm of conjecture. Persons like me are still optimistic that India would return to the path of values which it took after winning Independence”, says the author.
    In the penultimate year of nearly onedecade rule by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government, I find the biggest casualty is the people’s confidence in political parties, particularly the ruling Congress. In fact, the public is so exasperated that it has come to believe that dishonesty and politics are synonymous and those who have come to politics have done so only to make money.

    I was aghast to find that many wellplaced people have not contributed to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund because they suspect that the money given for the Uttarakhand victims would be used by the Congress in elections. I can understand the argument that the assistance is mismanaged, but the suspicion about the PM’s Fund should awaken the rulers to the extent that the people have lost faith in them.

    The scandals like the 2G Spectrum regarding the mobiles and the allotment of coal blocks to unknown persons have, no doubt, damaged the credibility of the Congress. But the inference that those in positions, to whichever party they belong, are all corrupt is a sad commentary on politicians. Consequently, there is a question mark against any report or probe conducted by the government. Even a judicial verdict is taken with a pinch of salt.

    The fault is not that of the people, but the manner in which the affairs have been conducted since the seventies. Very little has been done to restore confidence. In fact, official machinery is in disarray. Take the case of Ishrat Jahan encounter. The Home Ministry at the Centre and the state government had taken the stand that Ishrat, along with her three accomplices, were terrorists who were killed in an encounter with the police suspecting them to have a plan to assassinate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that it was a coldblooded murder. The agency found no evidence to involve Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Toiba which the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had done. Who does the public believe? Both the CBI and the IB are parts of the same government. The public is further confused because the CBI has alleged that Ishrat and her accomplices were picked up from different places and shot dead.

    The weapons they had on them were allegedly planted by the police and none of these had been used for days. Assume that Ishrat and the others were terrorists. Does the police force have the right to kill them without proving in a law court that they were terrorists? If this rule is to apply, the killers of Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi should have been shot dead in encounters instead of proceedings even in the Supreme Court.

    We should not have spent crores of rupees on the trial of Mohammad Kasab, who was hanged, and done away with him for the attacks on Mumbai. The food security law which will subsidies food for 65 per cent of the population is a prey to suspicion. The government is to be blamed for introducing the measure through an ordinance when the Parliament session was only three weeks away (It has now been postponed to August after the ordinance).

    Most political parties are in favor of the food Bill but want a legitimate discussion in Parliament before it is enacted. The Congress prefers the route of ordinance on the plea that political parties, particularly the BJP, have not allowed Parliament to function. This is true. But the ordinance too has to be passed by Parliament. For that a consensus would be required. Why couldn’t the government bring about it before the ordinance? There is something in the allegation that the Congress eyes are fixed on the parliamentary elections which are due in May 2014.

    It is possible that the polls may take place in November or December. Such are the suspicions which have nullified the food security ordinance which would enable roughly 850 million people of limited means to buy rice at Rs. 3, wheat at Rs. 2 and bajra for Rs 1a kg. The case of the CBI’s autonomy is yet another example worth dwelling on. People have no faith in the supervision by the three retired High Court judges. The suspicion is that the government would appoint pliable judges. Since the CBI will be under the government, any measure it takes fails to evoke faith.

    The other main political party, the BJP, is suspect because it is selling the Modi thesis of Hindutva. The latest is the building of the Ram temple at the site where the Babri Masjid stood before its demolition. The party should realize that the religious card cannot be played again and again. The demand for a temple and a uniform civil code is supposed to be part of development, a camouflage for Hindutva.

    The party is as much engaged in power politics as the Congress is. That the leftist parties have social justice and federalism on their agenda is to the liking of a preponderant majority. To their admiration, a convention of the leftist parties in Delhi last week reiterated the two points. Indeed, the Manmohan Singh government has made the rich richer and has made a mockery of political autonomy.

    Yet the CPI (M) was found wanting during its rule of 15 years in West Bengal. The Sachar Committee has said that the Muslim community in the state was the most backward in education (only 2.7 per cent). The CPI supported the authoritarian rule of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency. The Janata Dal (United) evokes hope to be a third alternative because its chief, Sharad Yadav, has said that his party will fight totalitarianism of communists and communalism of the BJP.

    Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has shown in his rule that a government can rise above gimmicks. Rightly Nitish Kumar has asked for the National Investigation Agency to probe the Bodh Gaya bomb blasts. The nation’s problem is how to reignite the spirit of confidence and idealism. Alas, no political party, even in the states, comes up to that standard.

    Whether the next election throws up such people is in the realm of conjecture. Persons like me are still optimistic that India would return to the path of values which it took after winning Independence.

  • Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Released

    Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Released

    KIROV, Russia (TIP): A Russian court on Friday released opposition leader Alexei Navalny from custody less than 24 hours after he was convicted of embezzlement and sentenced to five years in prison. The release came after a surprise request by prosecutors, who said that because Navalny is a candidate in this fall’s Moscow mayoral race keeping him in custody would deny him his right to seek election.

    The release, under the condition that he not travel outside Moscow, will extend until appeals of his conviction are completed. After the Friday decision, a smiling Navalny emerged from the caged-off defendants’ section of the courtroom and thanked supporters who held protest rallies on Thursday after his conviction. Presentation of the appeal and the decision by the court for the Kirov region took little more than an hour, a sharp contrast to the droning 3 {-hour verdict reading and sentencing in a lower court the previous day.

    Navalny, a popular blogger and corruption-fighting lawyer, rose to prominence among the opposition during a series of massive protests in Moscow against President Vladimir Putin’s reelection to a third presidential term in March 2012. The conviction prompted criticism from the United States and the European Union. Navalny began his rise to prominence by blogging about his investigations into corruption at state-owned companies where he owned shares, reaching hundreds of thousands of people.

    He and his team of lawyers and activists have plumbed property registers abroad to identify top officials and lawmakers who own undeclared foreign assets and hold foreign citizenship. Navalny’s blog quickly became an Internet sensation not only because of his exposures but because of its engaging illustrations, funny images and witty catchphrases. It was Navalny who first called the dominant United Russia party “the party of crooks and thieves,” a phrase that still dogs Kremlin loyalists.

  • Air India To Start Direct Flights To Australia From August 29

    Air India To Start Direct Flights To Australia From August 29

    SYDNEY (TIP): After a 16- year absence from Australia, national carrier Air India will start direct flights between the two countries using its new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft from August 29. Air India will begin flying a triangular route between Delhi, Sydney and Melbourne on August 29 using the new Dreamliners, according to a news item in The Economic Times.

    A Dreamliner has 256 seats, including 18 in the business class. For four days a week, flights will be Delhi-Sydney- Melbourne, and for three days they will run Delhi-Melbourne- Sydney. Until now, Singapore Airlines has held a strong grip on the travel market between Australia and India because of the lack of direct services. Most travelers have had to fly via Singapore.

    Air India Commercial Director Deepak Brara said that the airline wanted to split direct services between Sydney and Melbourne to give “both cities the benefits of non-stop services”. “People who travel between Australia and India usually spend more than a week on either side,” he said. He said there had been long delays in starting services to Australia but added that people could take comfort from them happening because Air India had started taking bookings on Friday.

    “That should afford some degree of certainty. There have been so many [delays]. The reason has been the delay in the delivery of the 787s and the groundings,” he was quoted as saying by the daily. NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell said the new services would generate a substantial growth in visitors to Sydney and the state directly from Delhi. “This new Air India service will make getting to Sydney and NSW even easier, meaning we can welcome even more visitors from India,” he said.

  • Governor Cuomo Announces Texting-While-Driving Crackdown

    Governor Cuomo Announces Texting-While-Driving Crackdown

    ALBANY, NY (TIP): Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on July 3 the start of a new summer crackdown by the New York State Police on distracted driving. The up to $1 million effort will consist of increased enforcement and patrols, particularly through undercover operations using unmarked State Police SUVs to catch distracted drivers.

    This new campaign builds on two major efforts initiated by the Governor earlier this year to crack down on distracted driving – increasing the penalty for distracted driving from three to five points on a driver’s license and signing his legislation to increase license suspension and revocation periods for distracted driving on young and new drivers.

    “Texting-while-driving is a dangerous practice that will not to be tolerated on New York’s roads and highways,” Governor Cuomo said. “Today’s announcement on the eve of one of the busiest weekends of the year for travelers will ensure that New York State remains a safe place for drivers not only over the holiday weekend but throughout the summer and beyond. There is no excuse for distracted driving, and with this operation New Yorkers can be sure that the State Police are watching the road, even if other drivers are not.”

    This operation brings a significant increase in undercover enforcement operations on roads and highways throughout the state. Undercover patrol operations have been particularly effective at identifying and ticketing instances of texting-while-driving, and these additional unmarked patrols will have a considerable impact on the increased enforcement of vehicle and traffic regulations across the state.

    State Police will use Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of the operation in order to more easily identify motorists who are texting while driving. CITE vehicles are specifically designed on higher than average platforms, allowing officers greater ability to see into other vehicles and detect individuals in the process of sending text messages. The State Police fleet of CITE vehicles are unmarked and come in a variety of colors to ensure that they blend in with traffic on the road.

    They are also equipped with hidden high intensity emergency lights. In New York State, one in five crashes is a result of distracted driving. Last year there were over 30,000 tickets issued in New York State for texting-while-driving – a 234% increase from 2011. By comparison, there were fewer than 44,000 DWI/DWAI arrests in New York State in 2012, which represents a 4% decrease from 2011.

    The dangers of texting-while-driving are only amplified when the practice is this commonplace. This operation’s focus on undercover enforcement will send a strong message to motorists across New York State that driving and using a hand-held device simply do not mix. High profile enforcement activities are also taking place in every region of the state, having begun on Saturday, June 29, 2013 and continuing through Sunday, July 7, 2013.

    Enforcement activities will focus on safety restraint, distracted driving, speed details, move over law and motorcycle safety. DWI checkpoints and underage drinking enforcement will also take place statewide beginning on Thursday, July 4 through Sunday, July 7. “New York State Police will be enforcing New York vehicle and traffic laws with the use of several traffic safety details during the busy holiday period in an effort to keep everyone safe on our roadways,” said State Police Superintendent, Joseph A. D’Amico.

    “In addition to DWI checkpoints, speed enforcement details, move over law and motorcycle safety details, state police will be identifying distracted drivers. This new enforcement campaign the Governor announced today, will help us ensure the safety of all those who use New York’s highways and encourage drivers to obey the rules of the road, use caution and drive safely.”

    AAA Legislative Committee Chairman John Corlett said, “Governor Cuomo rightly recognizes that texting-while-driving is an epidemic on our roads across the State of New York and nationwide. He has been a steadfast champion of new laws and enforcement efforts to stop distracted driving. His commitment of $1 million to enhance law enforcement operations and public awareness campaigns will help catch bad drivers and spread the word about the dangers of texting-while-driving.

    This will send a message to all drivers to put their phones down and keep their eyes on the road. We commend the Governor’s dedication to this important issue to make New York’s highways and roads safer for our motorists.” This strengthened enforcement push comes in advance of the Independence Day holiday, which is traditionally one of the peak travel periods of the year.

    The additional funding for this operation will enable more State Troopers to actively monitor roadways to enforce New York vehicle and traffic laws, not only during peak holidays but throughout the entire summer. Last year, State Police issued 3,210 vehicle and traffic tickets during this holiday period including 1,132 for speeding, 84 for distracted driving, 26 Move Over Law tickets and 251 for safety restraint violations. State Police members made 87 DWI arrests during last year’s holiday period.

    In addition, State Police will participate in a Safety without Borders Initiative in areas adjacent to the Canadian borders to address high traffic volumes over the July 4 weekend. State Police will target traffic violations such as speeding, failure to wear seat belts, impaired driving and use of handheld electronic devices on roads in the proximity of the major international border crossings.

    Funding will come from redirecting existing resources and from seized asset accounts. In 2012, state and local law enforcement officials ticketed a total of 216,706 people for the use of a cellphone while driving, and for 2013 (as of June 1st) a total of 69,970 people had been ticketed for using a cellphone behind the wheel.

  • SIAEA Organizes A Fun Filled Cruise

    SIAEA Organizes A Fun Filled Cruise

    NEW YORK (TIP): The annual cruise of Society of Indo American Engineers and Architects has always been pure fun. It is an occasion for members, officials and politicians to come together for a little fun together. The SIAEA President Mihir Patel ensured all had good fun on a good weather day. The drinks and the food aboard World Yacht Duchess were excellent. The DJ kept all happy and dancing.

    The gathering included India’s Consul General Mr. Mulay and his deputy Devyani Khobragade, her father, Uttam Khobragde, a retired IAS office of Maharashtra cadre, politicians and executives of various companies. A few guests of honor were presented plaques amid thunderous applause coming from the gathered merrymakers. Here are some pictures of the event.

  • First Time Ever Diwali At Times Square

    First Time Ever Diwali At Times Square

    Presented by Air India, Be ready for fun, food, festivities, laser lights show, fireworks & much more
    NEW YORK, NY (TIP): Diwali, the Festival of lights is the most significant festival for Asian Indians in the world. For the first time ever, Diwali will be celebrated at Times Square on 22nd September 2013. It is a full day of fun, food and festivities that has activities for all ages. This landmark event showcases the rich culture, heritage and diversity of India in the historic, world-famous Times Square.

    In the afternoon there will be a Cultural Festival which includes a wide variety of Indian food, dance classes, Diya/ Rangoli painting, Indian arts and crafts, a fashion show, photo booths with ethnic outfits, celebrity Autograph/Photo Booth and a lot more. In the evening, the excitement continues with Light Up Times Square, a concert showcasing performances by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.

    The concert will also display an orchestrated laser light show and fireworks on big screens, creating a unique visual experience. ASB Communications is organizing and managing the grand event, Neeta Bhasin, the President and CEO of ASB Communications, said “We want to show the world how rich Indian culture and heritage is and how diversified India is. We couldn’t think of a better place than the center of the Universe – Times Square.”

    Riwo Norbhu, Regional Manager- Americas for Air India, the official airline of India, said, “Air India is very pleased to be a part of this historic event. As India’s flying ambassador in the U.S. for over 50 years, Air India has been guided by a consistent vision — to promote everything that is best about India to the world. Diwali at Times Square is a perfect event to fulfill this vision.” ASB Communications is a full-service international multicultural advertising and marketing organization.

    ASB provides integrated marketing solutions to companies looking to target the ethnic market, including the Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and African markets in USA, UK and Canada. Since its inception in 1997, ASB has nurtured deep roots in the ethnic communities in North America. The company has taken part in over 3,000 events on behalf of its clients.

  • FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILS IN NEW YORK CITY

    FREIGHT TRAIN DERAILS IN NEW YORK CITY

    NEW YORK (TIP): A freight train hauling garbage has derailed in New York City. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says service on a line of the Metro-North Railroad has been suspended. MTA spokeswoman Marjorie Anders says 10 train cars derailed on July 18 night between stations. The train was moving garbage from the city. The cause of the derailment is under investigation. All three crew members are unharmed.

  • NASSAU GOP, Mangano Re-Election Campaign Subpoenaed By State AG

    NASSAU GOP, Mangano Re-Election Campaign Subpoenaed By State AG

    HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has subpoenaed the Nassau GOP and County Executive Edward Mangano’s reelection campaign for information about contributions from superstorm Sandy contractors including Looks Great Services, which has nearly $70 million in debris-removal contracts with Nassau, attorneys for the recipients are reported to have said.