The sight of troops outside Buckingham Palace and the Westminster building must be enormously satisfying to those who inspired and motivated the suicide bomber to kill himself and 22 others, including children and teenagers, in Manchester. These professionally brutalized terror managers aim to unsettle the settled societies and provoke fear and apprehension among ordinary citizens across various lands. Britain is in the grip of a sense of vulnerability. The British authorities, on their part, have reason to believe that another attack could be imminent and feel obliged, understandably, to call out troops on the streets to cope with a “critical” level threat. It will be sometime before Britain would regain its breath – and, its sense of English equanimity.
Condemnation and sympathy are aplenty after Manchester, as are the expressions of determination to defeat the terrorists. Ordinary citizens and community leaders have put up a brave face. The Manchester police have zeroed in on Salman Ramadan Abedi, a 22-year-old man of Libyan lineage, as the dead suicide bomber. The British authorities have reason to believe that the suicide bomber was not acting alone and was definitely associated with one of the many Islamist groups, practicing and preaching the use of terror. The investigative agencies would do their professional, pain-staking job of keeping a tab on all potential Abedis, all so malleable and all so vulnerable to online indoctrination. This is a new challenge all open and multicultural societies have to confront.
Manchester happened a few days after President Donald Trump had travelled to Riyadh to impress upon the Islamic countries to take steps to root out extremism and radicalism from their lands. This deadly game has been finessed for more than three decades, with the unsentimental strategists in the West backing on terror group against another; it was deemed as a sophisticated exercise in hard-headed realpolitik as long as the conflict, violence and destruction took place in faraway places. Since “9/11”, the monster is all over – New York, Paris, London, and now Manchester. Time has come for a new thinking and a new game. These games continue to be played even now; good terrorists are sought to be rewarded and patronized.
Charter schools are rare on Long Island, just like they are in vast stretches of the rest of New York State. In fact, there are no charter schools from just north of Albany all the way to the Canadian border; and they are nearly as rare in much of central New York and the Southern Tier. In fact, of the 38 state Senate districts outside of the New York City metropolitan area, only five have three or more charters. Most have no charters at all.
So why do the Republican state senators from Long Island and the rest of upstate continue to lobby to provide millions of dollars in state aid every year to the charter sector; money that could benefit their own local schools and constituents but instead ends up in the coffers of charter operators in New York City? It’s a question that is especially pointed for Long Island’s GOP Senate delegation, particularly Majority Leader John Flanagan.
Charters received a $22 million increase in state funding for the current school year. In the recently enacted state budget, the Senate pushed for – and won – a $70 million increase in charter school funding through a $500 per student tuition bonus, bringing the two-year funding increase for charters to about $92 million in state funds.
It’s not as if schools in Nassau and Suffolk counties, or any of these senators’ home districts, couldn’t use additional funds. If divided among the Republicans’ districts, that $92 million could mean dozens of new teachers to lower class sizes in local schools, more sports and after-school programs, art and music, guidance and health services, and better career training in areas that have lost manufacturing jobs – and that’s not to mention the impact of tens of millions of additional state dollars on local property taxes.
What accounts for this devotion Senate Republicans have shown to charter schools outside their districts? Maybe it has something to do with the huge sums that pro charter billionaires have lavished on charter cheerleader operations and on Republican office-holders.
In the last five years, a group of charter friendly billionaires including the Walton family, heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune; hedge fund operators Daniel Loeb and Paul Singer; and others have poured nearly $13 million in contributions into outfits with names like “New Yorkers for a Balanced Albany” and “New Yorkers for Putting Students First” that function as lobbying forces for the charter industry.
Republican Party operations in New York State have also been the direct beneficiaries of the billionaires’ largesse. Republican county and state committees, along with their associated housekeeping and campaign accounts, raked in more than $3 million in contributions from this group during the same period, with Singer and notorious rightwing billionaire David Koch leading the list.
Thanks to changes in federal and state election laws, billionaires can legally use their vast fortunes to magnify their voices on any issue they decide to embrace.
But Long Island residents – in a chorus with New Yorkers from throughout the state — should be reminding their senators that they don’t have to listen to those voices, particularly when it means short-changing their own public schools. And Long Island’s Senate delegation would be smart to pay attention.
(The author is president, NY State United Teachers)
“Mr. Rouhani’s decisive victory is a shot in the arm for the moderates coming after the elections in February last year for the Parliament and the Assembly of Experts where the moderates and the reformists had registered significant gains”, says the author.
By Rakesh Sood
After a difficult campaign, President Hassan Rouhani won a crucial second term in Iran’s presidential elections held on May 19. A high turnout of 73% helped him score a convincing victory over his principal challenger Ebrahim Raisi, a conservative cleric, in the first round itself, winning 57% of the votes compared to Mr. Raisi’s 38.5%. More than two-thirds of Iran’s voters are in urban areas and most of them are Rouhani supporters; therefore, as voting hours got extended to midnight indicating a high turnout, the mood in the Rouhani camp turned jubilant.
A DIFFICULT CAMPAIGN:
In 2013, Mr. Rouhani had campaigned and won on a platform that focused on bringing sanctions to an end,which he was able to achieve in July 2015 with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear agreement concluded with the P-5 + 1. The sanctions relief has had a positive impact on the economy with oil exports up and GDP growth hitting 6% last year though expectations were higher. In a TV debate in the run-up to the election, Mr. Raisi described the JCPOA as ‘a check that Rouhani had failed to cash’. Opinion polls had favored Mr. Rouhani, because Mr. Raisi, though close to the Supreme Leader,Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was considered a relative newcomer to politics. However, concern grew when Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) pilot and the Mayor of Tehran since 2005, withdrew from the race in support of Mr. Raisi, who had spent most of his life in the judiciary before being appointed custodian of the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad last year. He also controls Astan-e-Quds Razavi, one of the wealthiest foundations, and is seen a possible successor to the present Supreme Leader who is 77 and in poor health.
Therefore Mr. Rouhani’s decisive victory is a shot in the arm for the moderates coming after the elections in February last year for the Parliament and the Assembly of Experts where the moderates and the reformists had registered significant gains.
ROUHANI’S CONSTRAINTS:
However, given Iran’s complex governance structures, President Rouhani will have to tread carefully as his powers and those of the directly elected 290- member Parliament are constrained by the non-elected authorities. The key power center is the Supreme Leader who is appointed by the Assembly of Experts and in turn appoints the heads of radio and TV, the armed forces and the IRGC, the Supreme National Security Council, the 51-member Expediency Council and the higher judiciary. He also chooses six members of the powerful Guardian Council, with the other six nominated by the judiciary. The Guardian Council in turn vets candidates for all elections, presidential, parliamentary and the 88-member Assembly of Experts. It cleared only six candidates out of the more than 1,600 who filed nominations for the presidential contest; rejections included former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s nomination. In addition, it approves all legislation passed by Parliament to ensure its consistency with Islamic jurisprudence. A dispute between Parliament and the Council is resolved by the Expediency Council. The Assembly of Experts is directly elected and its primary role is to appoint the Supreme Leader, critical during Mr. Rouhani’s second term.
Mr. Rouhani’s principal challenge will be to sustain economic growth and nudge the reform process forward in order to tackle unemployment, currently running at over 12%, and higher among the youth. He has promised to expand individual and political rights, enlarge women’s role and ensure greater accountability.
Some of these will be challenged. While his victory margin is a clear endorsement for reform, the Supreme Leader will play a critical balancing role. It is interesting that, in his immediate remarks, he praised the Iranian people for the impressive turnout, but did not congratulate the winner.
In foreign policy, Mr. Rouhani will present the image of a moderate and more outward-oriented Iran. He is no stranger to Iran’s complex politics. From 1989 to 2005, he was Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, reporting to the Supreme Leader, and handled the nuclear negotiations during 2003-05.
During this period, he also served a term each as Deputy Speaker of Parliament and as member of the Expediency Council. Following Mr. Ahmadinejad’s election in 2005, he quit. After being elected in 2013, he persuaded the Supreme Leader to shift responsibility for the nuclear negotiations to the Foreign Ministry and let Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif take the lead.
In addition to managing his home front, the other challenge for Mr. Rouhani will be keep the JCPOA going in the face of the U.S. Congress’s and now President Donald Trump’s declared hostility.
DEALING WITH TRUMP:
During the election campaign, Mr. Trump had called it the ‘worst deal ever’ and threatened to tear it up as soon as he was elected! Subsequently, he seems to have modified his position, realizing perhaps that it is not just a bilateral agreement with Iran but also includes Russia, China, the U.K., France, Germany and the European Union. In April, the Trump administration certified that Iran was abiding by its obligations but Secretary of State Rex Tillerson added that a 90- day policy review would be undertaken in view of ‘Iran’s alarming ongoing provocations’.
More recently, on May 17, the Trump administration continued the sanctions waiver (under Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act 2012), needed every 120 days even while imposing sanctions on seven Iranian and Chinese individuals and entities on account of missile proliferation activities.
In April, a slew of human rights related sanctions were imposed. In mid- June another waiver, this time under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, will need to be renewed if the JCPOA is to be sustained. These are necessary because in 2015, the Republican-dominated Congress rejected the JCPOA and U.S.
President Barack Obama used executive authority to waive U.S. sanctions but these waivers need to be renewed periodically. The JCPOA was the outcome of protracted negotiations over more than a decade, during which Iran had steadily built up its nuclear capabilities, especially in the enrichment domain, and in 2015 was estimated to be only months away from acquiring enough Highly Enriched Uranium to produce one device (approximately 25 kg) though Iran consistently maintained that its program was exclusively for peaceful purposes. Given deep suspicions however, the JCPOA with its extensive inspection and reporting obligations was the best way to prevent Iran from developing a military nuclear capability for the next 10-15 years.
Opponents say that while cheating is unlikely, they fear that Iran will retain its nuclear appetite after abstaining during the 10-15 year period and resume its activity once the inspection obligations expire.
THE SAUDI FACTOR:
Perhaps the most troubling problem is the new embrace of Saudi Arabia that was in evidence during Mr. Trump’s visit. It raises the prospects of greater U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen and can push relations with Iran into a confrontation. In 2016, there were 19 ‘incidents at sea’ between U.S. and Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf. The most serious was in January 2016 when the IRGC held two U.S. vessels and 10 servicemen, accused of trespassing in Iranian waters. The crisis was resolved within hours, thanks to some quick phone conversations between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Mr. Zarif. That link is missing today.
It is all the more ironic because Iran is the one country that is opposed to the Islamic State. Yet the U.S. is keener to bless the Saudi-created Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism, a grouping of 41 Sunni nations, under the command of former Pakistani Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif. It remains unclear what the role of this coalition is, to fight the IS or Iran or in Yemen, or to secure the Gulf monarchies!
For the last quarter century, the U.S. practiced dual containment of Iran and Iraq, a policy that suited both Israel and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Obama’s push for the JCPOA was driven by a desire to extricate U.S. policy from this stranglehold and expand options. If a return to the Saudi embrace creates additional tensions and a collapse of the JCPOA, it could push Iran to cross the nuclear threshold with much wider regional implications.Mr. Rouhani’s challenges are just beginning.
(The author is a former diplomat and currently Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. He can be reached at rakeshsood2001@yahoo.com)
WASHINGTON (TIP): In blow to Trump, US appeals court refuses to reinstate travel ban. In a stinging rebuke to President Donald Trump, a US appeals court refused on Thursday to reinstate his travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority nations, calling it discriminatory and setting the stage for a showdown in the Supreme Court.
The decision, written by Chief Judge Roger Gregory, described Trump’s executive order in forceful terms, saying it uses “vague words of national security, but in context drips with religious intolerance, animus, and discrimination.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement that the government, which says the temporary travel ban is needed to guard against terrorist attacks, would seek a review of the case at the Supreme Court.
“These clearly are very dangerous times and we need every available tool at our disposal to prevent terrorists from entering the United States and committing acts of bloodshed and violence,” said Michael Short, a White House spokesman. He added that the White House was confident the order would ultimately be upheld by the judiciary. In its 10-3 ruling, the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals said those challenging the ban, including refugee groups and individuals, were likely to succeed on their claim that the order violates the US Constitution’s bar against favoring one religion over another.
Gregory cited statements by Trump during the 2016 presidential election calling for a Muslim ban. During the race, Trump called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslim’s entering the United States” in a statement on his website. The judge wrote that a reasonable observer would likely conclude the order’s “primary purpose is to exclude persons from the United States on the basis of their religious beliefs.” The government had argued that the court should not take into account Trump’s comments on the campaign trail since they occurred before he took office on Jan. 20. But the appeals court rejected that view, saying they provide a window into the motivations for Trump’s action in government. (AP)
WASHINGTON (TIP): Ms. Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank was conferred with the prestigious Woodrow Wilson award for Global Corporate Citizenship in Washington, D.C. on May 10, 2017. She is the first woman from India to receive this coveted award.
The award was conferred on Ms. Kochhar for demonstrating a commitment to the common good-beyond the bottom line. It signifies the tremendous work that the ICICI Group has done under Ms. Kochhar’s able leadership in improving the lives of people in the local communities and the world at large.
Previous recipients of the Woodrow Wilson Awards include former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murthy, U.S. Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson as well as four former U.S. Secretaries of State — Dr. Henry Kissinger, General Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice. Senator Mitch McConnell, a member of the Republican Party and Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, is another recipient of the award this year. He was conferred with the award for Public Service.
The Wilson Center (www.wilsoncenter.org), chartered by Congress as the official memorial to President Woodrow Wilson, is a key non-partisan policy forum of the US for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue to inform actionable ideas for the policy community.
LOS ANGELES (TIP): A Los Angeles judge has issued an arrest warrant for Bikram Choudhury, the Indian American “hot” yoga guru, after he failed to pay more than $7 million in 2016 to his former lawyer who was the victim in a sexual harassment case against him.
Choudhury has not paid the lawyer and authorities believe that he has hidden his assets and left the country, ABC News reported on Wednesday.
The 69-year-old yoga guru had claimed last year that he was nearly bankrupt as his business was no longer thriving. According to the report, the warrant, issued on Wednesday, allows authorities to arrest Choudhury if he returns to the US or, possibly, in Mexico.
In January 2016, a jury determined that Choudhury had sexually harassed and then unfairly fired Minakshi “Miki” Jafa-Bodden, his onetime lawyer. He was ordered to pay nearly $6.5 million in punitive damages in addition to $924,000 in compensatory damages. Jafa-Bodden was general counsel to Bikram’s Yoga College of India but was fired after refusing to cover up allegations that Bikram had raped and sexually assaulted a yoga student.
“I feel vindicated,” she told ABC News in 2016. “I’m elated.” She convinced the jury that Choudhury had repeatedly sexually harassed her and subjected her to obscene comments about women. Jafa-Bodden also claimed she was fired after she tried to investigate another woman’s sexual harassment and rape allegations against the yoga guru.
During the trial over Jafa- Bodden’s allegations, Bikram strongly denied sexually assaulting any women. He also denied having any sexual contact with his students or followers. His bail was set at $8 million.
Choudhury was one of the pioneers of yoga in the US, setting up shop in Beverly Hills in the 1970s. His client list included top celebrities like Madonna, Andy Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow and Goldie Hawn. His yoga studios are franchised worldwide.
Outside of court on Wednesday, Jafa- Bodden celebrated her latest legal victory, saying: “It’s a win for women everywhere who’ve endured sexual harassment.” “To have that bench warrant issued for Bikram…. It sends a message to a debtor like Bikram that he will be held accountable and that the wheels of justice, although they don’t turn as fast as we would want them to, they do turn,” she said. (Source: IANS)
WASHINGTON (TIP): Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu was awarded the Transformative Chief Minister Award by The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) during their annual summit, an honor that has been instituted by the Council to acknowledge excellence in public service and recognize the honoree’s achievement in championing U.S.-India ties in the areas of trade, politics and culture. Recognized alongside Chief Minister Naidu, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT, Aruna Sundararajan was honored with the USIBC Transformative Leadership Award for distinguished public service and her commitment to advancing U.S.-India cooperation and Digital India.
USIBC hosted its annual summit in Silicon Valley in first week of May, calling for collaboration. The theme of this year’s summit was U.S.-India Technology Partnership. Industry and government leaders from the U.S. and India discussed the power of digital transformation to accelerate economic growth, create jobs, and encourage the start-up and entrepreneurial environment.
USIBC brought together key stakeholders, including Government of India officials, industry leaders in fintech, digital payment service providers, IT, sharing economy, Ecommerce, and venture capitalists to renew key linkages and advance the convergent interests of the two countries.
Senior policy makers and heads of global organizations held discussions on dynamic aspects of the U.S.-India commercial relationship that included panel discussions on: (1) Enabling Entrepreneurship and Corporate Responsibility; (2) Make in India; (3) Digital Payments, Internet of Things and Smart Planning; (4) Future of U.S.- India Technology Partnership featuring the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Chandrababu Naidu and IT Secretary Aruna Sundararajan, alongside tech innovators Dheeraj Pandey, CEO of Nutanix, and USIBC Chairman and Cisco Executive Chairman, John Chambers. The panel was moderated by CNBC’s senior technology reporter, Ari Levy.
Approximately 200 senior level business leaders and investors attended the summit. Attending companies at the summit included Amazon, PayPal, Deloitte, Facebook, iCreate, Nuveen, Mastercard, Mobility Infrastructure Group, Varian Medical, and Visa.
AUGUSTA, GA (TIP): The Association of Indian Neurologists in America (AINA) recently honored Dr. Kapil Sethi, an Indian origin neurologist and former director of the Movement Disorders Program at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, with their Lifetime Achievement Award 2017.
The award recognizes a leader in neurology based on his dedication to advancing the training of North American neurologists of Indian origin and promoting innovation and research in the field of neurology. DR Sethi received the award at the group’s annual meeting last month in Boston.
An internationally known expert in movement disorders, Dr Sethi is currently a principal investigator on a study to determine whether a constant subcutaneous infusion of apomorphine over 18 hours daily can help “rescue” Parkinson’s patients from bouts of immobility and smooth out their movements. The MCG and AU Movement Disorders Program is among 20 sites across the nation enrolling up to 60 patients in the study. Dr Sethi was appointed director of the Movement Disorders Program in 1985 and served in that capacity until last year. He also was Director of the National Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence at AU Health from 2000-09. He was listed among America’s Top Doctors for 16 consecutive years, from 2001-17, by Castle Connolly.
SAN JOSE, CA (TIP): Indian American executive Sarita Kohli assumed the role of President and CEO of Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) on May 16, 2017.Sarita has been a pivotal part of AACI for nearly 14 years and most recently served as the Interim President and CEO for the past 11 months.
“After an extensive search of qualified candidates, we are excited that Sarita will continue her service to AACI and the community as the new President and CEO. Her dedication and passion to providing health and wellness services to communities in need, coupled with her business acumen makes her ideal person to lead AACI into its next chapter. She has a proven track record at AACI, and we are confident that she will chart a successful path for AACI as they expand their services to more communities,” said Hanley Chew, Chair of AACI’s Board of the Directors.
Sarita has been extensively involved in AACI and the community. Starting in 2003, she joined AACI as the Program Coordinator for the Center for Survivors of Torture, and quickly ascended to become the Director of Mental Health and Community Programs in 2005. She eventually served as Executive Vice President from 2014 – 2016. During her tenure, she has provided clinical services, created and expanded mental health and community programming, secured funding, and set the business strategy. In 2011, she was appointed by Governor Brown to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, and is currently serving her second term.
The Behavioral Sciences Board oversees all regulations, clinical licensing, and consumer protections for behavioral therapists in California. Locally, she has served on the Board of Directors for West Valley Community Services, served as a Commissioner on the Santa Clara County Social Services Advisory Commission, Vice President of the Behavioral Health Contractors of Santa Clara County, and a member of the Intimate Violence Task Force. She was honored in 2015 as a Woman of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
“I joined AACI 14 years ago because I knew I wanted to be part of an organization that would make a difference. The team at AACI is dedicated and passionate to serve and I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to lead in this new capacity. I am looking forward to working with the team to not only continue providing high quality and culturally sensitive care, but to also think strategically as to how we can expand our impact here in Silicon Valley,” said AACI’s new President and CEO, Sarita Kohli.
AACI was founded in 1973 to meet the health and cultural needs of the incoming immigrants and refugees during the time. Forty-four years later, AACI now has two clinic sites serving the Silicon Valley and is the largest direct service provider for the Asian American community.
SAN FRANCISCO (TIP): Some 600 people, among them executives from the region’s most influential corporations, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 CEOs, and community leaders, attended the American India Foundation’s annual Bay Area gala held on May 13. The event raised $1.5 million in support of the organization’s poverty alleviation solutions in India, an AIF press release said.
American India Foundation Co-Chairs Lata Krishnan and Ajay Banga at the organization’s annual Bay Area gala on May 13, 2017. Photo courtesy Nikki Ritcher
The evening showcased the group’s groundbreaking work in education for India’s neglected, rural, migration-prone children, the Learning and Migration Program (LAMP). One of the highlights of the evening was a fireside chat hosted by AIF Co-Founder and Co-Chair Lata Krishnan with MasterCard CEO and AIF Co-Chair Ajay Banga on the role women can and should play in all walks of life.
Community leader and activist Shahnaz Taplin Chinoy was presented with AIF’s inaugural Service Award for her lifelong commitment to and excellence in making positive, enduring, and impactful contributions to society. Taplin Chinoy, a cofounder of the Muslin Women’s Fund, is also the Chair of Invest in Muslim Women. AIF also honored Nandita Bakhshi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bank of the West and co-CEO of BNP Paribas USA, with its Corporate Leadership Award.
Bakhshi shared her personal journey in rising through the ranks from a bank teller to a CEO and reflected on the growing importance of women in the workplace. “The only way we’ll have more women in positions of leadership,” she said, “is if we nurture the talent of girls and young women in our lives. I’m really proud of the work that’s happening at both Bank of the West, and our parent company BNP Paribas, to build a strong pipeline of women leaders.”
Rick Werner of Charity Auctioneers led a live auction and fundraising drive, which raised $450,000 dedicated to supporting the high quality education in AIF’s LAMP program. The drive was preceded by a captivating personal testimony by Pushpanjali Majhi, a young woman who was one of the first girls to graduate thanks to LAMP in her community. “If there was no [AIF-sponsored] hostel in my village, my life today would have been different.
I would never have completed my studies and probably would still be going to the brick kilns,” said Pushpanjali. “I wish that every girl in my village completes her studies and becomes something in life.” Award-winning comedian Sammy Obeid emceed the event and delivered humor throughout.
The LAMP initiative promotes universal education in migration-affected geographies by improving school governance and the quality of teaching and learning. So far LAMP has positively impacted the lives of nearly 425,000 children across India, according to AIF.
SAN DIEGO, CA (TIP): Encore Capital Group announced that Ashish Masih will become Encore’s President and CEO as current President and CEO Ken Vecchione will be leaving the company to become the President of Western Alliance Bancorporation. Mr. Vecchione will remain in his role at Encore until the 2017 annual stockholders meeting on June 15, 2017, to ensure a smooth transition of his duties to Mr. Masih. At the upcoming 2017 stockholders meeting, Mr.
Vecchione will not stand for re-election to the Board of Encore, and Mr. Masih will be appointed as a director following the meeting. “I look forward to leading Encore and its more than 6,700 employees around the world,” said Mr.Masih. “I’m well prepared and highly confident in our consumer-centric approach, our demonstrated success in driving improved liquidations, and our strong capital stewardship.We have a bright future.”
“The Board is pleased to have Ashish serve as Encore’s next President and Chief Executive Officer. We have worked with Ashish for many years, and his diverse background and demonstrated competence in operations, corporate strategy, regulatory affairs and technology continue to impress us,” said Chairman of the Board Willem Mesdag. “We are equally excited by the expansion of Paul’s role and his continued oversight of our international strategies and holdings. The company is wellserved by his intellect and experience in the industry.”
Mr. Masih joined Encore in 2009, and is responsible for internal call centers, decision science and analytics, legal collections, marketing, and all other domestic operations. Mr. Masih also oversees Encore’s Asset Reconstruction Company, which is now operational and is purchasing debt portfolios in India. Prior to joining Encore, Mr. Masih was at Capital One Financial Corporation where he held various collections-related roles, as well as serving as the CFO/Head of Analytics for a business unit. Previously, he was an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company and a Manager at KPMG Consulting.Mr.
Masih earned an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Lehigh University and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi, India.
CHICAGO, IL (TIP): Sunday May 21st marked the Bhumipuja or groundbreaking ceremony of ISKCON Naperville. The temple is currently an old building that was acquired by ISKCON about 7 years back. As the popularity of the temple grew in the area, the devotee & visitor base expanded considerably and the existing facilities are stretched to its limit, which led to a plan for a major expansion of the temple. The ground-breaking ceremony marked the beginning of this project.
The Hare Krishna movement, International Society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON), is a global community connecting to each other, the world around us, and God through service and the reciprocation of love.
ISKCON, founded by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada, has temples all over the world numbering over 650 temples, 65 eco-friendly farms with 12+ million followers. Naperville temple is one of the latest additions to this global community.
The event was a huge success attended by approximately 1,000 people including ISKCON leaders, devotees, Greater Chicago residents, and various elected officials including Naperville mayor Steve Cherico. The event included a special vedic ceremony including fire sacrifice, and speeches by prominent personalities followed by lunch. Mayor Steve Cherico has been very supportive of the temple and is excited about this project. “The ISKCON temple brings a great element of diversity to the Naperville community” he said, in his speech at the event. He also said,
“Programs like ISKCON are what makes Naperville a better place”. ISKCON Naperville temple is currently involved in various community programs. With the expansion of the temple several new programs will be added. One of ISKCON’s popular programs is instruction of the profound messages of the Bhagavad Gita, one of the greatest philosophical and religious dialogues known to man, a holy book of the vedic culture existing for thousands of years.
Currently the temple offers this spiritual education for children and adults at the temple as well as in smaller personalized settings within the community known as Bhakti Vriksha programs. Other popular program include the vegetarian Prasadam (sanctified food) service which is a free Sunday feast offered to all visitors at the temple and it will be further expanded after the commercial kitchen is built in the new temple. The new temple will offer classes in devotional dance, music and art centered on Krishna. There are also plans to offer sessions in health and well-being, Yoga & meditation. The temple will also have facility to expand our winter and summer programs that are currently offered to children.
Leadership and management training programs are planned to engage the youth in various services. The addition of all these programs will be a great gift to the Naperville community and to all visitors of the temple.The total cost of the temple expansion is approximately $4 Million of which around $600,000 has been pledged so far.
This will allow the project to be completed in phases. Donations of any amount are welcome. ISKCON Naperville can be reached at info@IskconNaperville.org. For more information please visit www.IskconNaperville.org
WASHINGTON (TIP): In 2016, more than 1.4 million Indians entered the U.S. on different visas that were expected to leave the country, but more than 30,000 overstayed, according to an Entry/Exit Overstay report by the Department of Homeland Security. An overstay is a nonimmigrant who was lawfully admitted to the United States for an authorized period but stayed in the United States beyond his or her lawful admission period U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on May 22 released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Entry/Exit Overstay Report. The report provides data on departures and overstays, by country, for foreign visitors to the United States who entered as nonimmigrant visitors through an air or sea Port of Entry (POE) and were expected to depart in FY16.
The report specifies that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processed 50,437,278 in-scope nonimmigrant admissions at U.S. air and sea POEs who were expected to depart in FY16-of which 739,478 overstayed their admission, resulting in a total overstay rate of 1.47 percent. Of the more than 739,000 overstays, DHS determined 628,799 were suspected “in-country” overstays, resulting in a suspected incountry overstay rate of 1.25 percent.
An individual who is a suspected in country overstay has no recorded departure, while an out-of-country overstay has a recorded departure that occurred after their lawful admission period expired.
According to the report, Out of the total population, of the more than 21.6 million Visa Waiver Program (VWP) visitors expected to depart the United States in FY16, 147,282 overstayed the terms of their admission, with 128,806 suspected in-country overstays (a .60 percent suspected in-country overstay rate for VWP travelers). Of the more than 13.8 million non-VWP visitors excluding Canada and Mexico-expected to depart the United States in FY16, 287,107 overstayed the terms of their admission, with 263,470 suspected in country overstays. This resulted in a 1.90 percent suspected in-country overstay rate.
WASHINGTON (TIP): IT major Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) is going to stop applying green cards for its employees under EB2 and EB3 routes. In a major decision, giving up the employees hopes of getting permanent residence in the US, the Cognizant decides to halt the fresh filing of applications for green cards under EB2 and EB3 routes until further notice.
This move to halt the processing of EB2 and EB3 applications could dash the hopes of many H-1B visa holders Any H1-B visa holder who is going for permanent residency need to go through the process of green card filed by the company. A company provides its H1- B employees with Employment Based (EB) permanent residency through EB1, EB2 and EB3 routes. It will affect thousands of Indian employees in Cognizant working with H-1B visa seeking a green card.
In an email sent to some of its employees Cognizant said, “As part of our strategic business goals, we continue to assess the benefits and efficiency of our internal programs which are evolving to align with our long-term objectives. As part of this, we will no longer be filing green card PERM (EB2 and EB3 applications) until further notice.”
Cognizant already hired 4,000 US citizens and residents for its US delivery centers, a similar move also by its counterparts like Infosys.The company’s decision follows a policy by the Trump administration to encourage hiring of more American workers.
CARSON CITY, NEVADA (TIP): Nevada State Assembly in Carson City started its day with a set of Hindu mantras on May 24, containing verses from world’s oldest existing scripture.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered the invocation from ancient Sanskrit scriptures before the Assembly. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, recited from Rig-Veda, the oldest scripture of the world still in common use, besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita (Song of the Lord), both ancient Hindu scriptures. He started and ended the prayer with “Om”, the mystical syllable containing the universe, which in
Hinduism is used to introduce and conclude religious work. Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed said, “Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya”; which he then interpreted as “Lead us from the unreal to the Real, Lead us from darkness to Light, and Lead us from death to immortality.” Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he urged assembly members to keep the welfare of others always in mind. Assembly members, employees, public and others present were seen standing in prayer mode with their heads bowed down during the invocation.Wearing saffron colored attire, a ruddraksh mala (rosary), and traditional sandalpaster tilak (religious mark) on the forehead, Zed sprinkled few drops of water from river Ganga of India, considered holy by Hindus, around the podium before the prayer.
Zed presented a copy of Bhagavad-Gita to Speaker Jason Frierson, who introduced Zed.
In the State of Nevada, besides Nevada Assembly and Nevada Senate, Rajan Zed has already delivered Hindu prayers at Cit Councils of Las Vegas, Henderson, Sparks and Boulder City; Clark County Board o Commissioners and Carson City Board of Supervisors. Besides Nevada, he has also read opening prayers in United States Senate and US House of Representatives in Washington DC, various State Senates and State Assemblies/Houses-of-Representatives, various County Commissions and City Councils all over USA.
Bestowed with World Interfaith Leader Award, Zed is a global Hindu and interfaith leader, who besides taking up the cause of religion worldwide, has also raised huge voice against the apartheid conditions faced by about 15-million Roma (Gypsies) in Europe. Many cities in USA have named October 25 as “Rajan Zed Day”.
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA. Nevada Assembly has 42 members.
Nevada, largest gold producer and 7th largest state, was admitted to USA in 1864. Nevada, also called “Silver State”, is known for Las Vegas, Burning Man, Lake Tahoe, etc. Brian E. Sandoval is Governor.
MOGADISHU (TIP): The Islamic State group has claimed its first suicide attack in Somalia, which police said Wednesday killed five people at a checkpoint in the northeastern port city of Bosaso.
The group’s self-styled news agency Amaq claimed the “martyrdom-seeking operation with an explosive vest” in a statement carried by the SITE Intelligence Group.
The suicide bomber detonated his explosives vest at a checkpoint late Tuesday in the semiautonomous region of Puntland.
“Security forces stopped the suspect when he approached but he detonated himself leaving five people dead. One of the security officers and four civilians were killed in the blast,” said local police official Mohamed Dahir Adan.
The blast occurred near a hotel often used as a meeting place for local officials, witnesses said. “I think the bomber was trying to target the hotel but he was stopped at the checkpoint close to the hotel and he decided to detonate his explosives,” said witness Awke Mohamed. (AFP)
ATHENS (TIP): Greek former prime minister Lucas Papademos was hurt on Thursday when an explosive device went off inside his car in Athens, state agencies said. State news agency ANA said Papademos was undergoing surgery for abdominal and leg injuries at an Athens hospital.
State TV ERT earlier reported that he also had trouble breathing, but his life was not in danger. Two of his guards were lightly hurt, ERT said. “We are shocked. I wish to condemn this heinous act,” media minister Nikos Pappas told the station. ERT said Papademos, prime minister from 2011 to 2012, was wounded by a letter bomb as he read his post in the back of the car.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who is attending a NATO summit in Brussels, has been informed of the incident, ANA said.
A police source said a number of people had been hurt but could not say if Papademos himself was in the car at the time of the blast. Papademos, 69, a former Bank of Greece governor, was in an armoured Mercedes provided by the bank, which contained the blast and likely aggravated his injuries, ERT said.
He headed an interim coalition government at the height of Greece’s fiscal crisis that in 2012 negotiated a massive write-down of the country’s privately-held debt.
He served as prime minister from November 2011 to May 2012 after the resignation of George Papandreou’s socialist government, steering a batch of tough austerity measures through parliament before stepping down for elections to be held.
An economist by training, Papademos was Bank of Greece governor from 1994 to 2002, and European Central Bank governor vice president from 2002 to 2010.(AFP)
Jared Kushner Under Scrutiny in Russia Probe, Say Officials
WASHINGTON (TIP): An NBC News report said, May 25, quoting “multiple US officials” that Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and one of his senior advisers, has come under FBI scrutiny in the Russia investigation. “Investigators believe Kushner has significant information relevant to their inquiry, officials said. That does not mean they suspect him of a crime or intend to charge him”, says the NBC News. CNN said in a report on May 25, “The FBI’s criminal probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election is increasingly touching on the multiple roles of senior White House adviser
Jared Kushner on both the Trump campaign and the Trump transition team. “Points of focus that pertain to Kushner include: the Trump campaign’s 2016 data analytics operation; his relationship with former national security adviser Michael Flynn; and Kushner’s own contacts with Russians, according to US officials briefed on the probe”. CNN report says further:”Federal investigators have been taking a closer look at the Trump campaign’s data analytics operation, which was supervised by Kushner, officials say, and are examining whether Russian operatives used people associated with the campaign — wittingly or unwittingly — to try to help Russia’s own data targeting.
“Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, worked with and helped oversee the campaign’s data operation contractors based in San Antonio, Texas. “Kushner has described how, beginning last June, he began testing the use of data targeting to sell Trump merchandise.
Eventually, according to a November Forbes magazine profile, the data operation helped the Trump campaign figure out where the candidate’s message was resonating in states like Michigan and Wisconsin, places where conventional political wisdom suggested they would be wasting time and money. “I called somebody who works for one of the technology companies that I work with, and I had them give me a tutorial on how to use Facebook micro-targeting,” Kushner told Forbes.
A source connected to the data analytics group said the team has not been contacted about any Russia related probe. “We have not been contacted by anyone and don’t know anything formally about an investigation,” the source said.
The FBI focus on Flynn also touches on Kushner because he led the presidential transition’s foreign policy efforts. Kushner’s impact grew during the transition, which one source says he effectively ran — along with another campaign aide Rick Dearborn — once New Jersey Gov Chris Christie was removed. This source says both Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump wanted Flynn in as national security adviser. A source close to Kushner denied that he pushed for Flynn. Kushner has acknowledged meeting during the transition with Russia’s ambassador and separately with the head of a Russian bank.
According to a source familiar with what transpired, neither meeting discussed sanctions but instead focused on establishing a backchannel to Russia’s president. Those meetings are of interest to the FBI.
The FBI’s scrutiny of Kushner places the bureau’s sprawling counterintelligence and criminal investigation not only on the doorstep of the White House, but the Trump family circle. The Washington Post first reported last week that a senior White House official close to Trump was a “person of interest,” but did not name the person. The term “person of interest” has no legal meaning. The officials said Kushner is in a different category from former Trump aides Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn, who are formally considered subjects of the investigation.
According to the Justice Department’s U.S. Attorneys’ Manual, “A ‘subject’ of an investigation is a person whose conduct is within the scope of the grand jury’s investigation.”
Records of both Manafort and Flynn have been demanded by grand jury subpoenas, NBC News has reported. It is not known whether Kushner has received any records requests from federal investigators. Also unclear is what precisely about Kushner’s activities has drawn the FBI’s interest as it investigates whether Trump associates coordinated with the Russian campaign to interfere in the election. Former
FBI Director Robert Mueller is now leading the probe as a special counsel. Kushner met at least once in December with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, and he also met last year with a Russian banker, Sergey Gorkov.
“Mr. Kushner previously volunteered to share with Congress what he knows about these meetings,” Kushner’s lawyer, Jamie Gorelick, told NBC News. “He will do the same if he is contacted in connection with any other inquiry.”
Congressional aides have said they would like to question Kushner about that meeting, and Kushner has said he would voluntarily appear before the Senate intelligence committee as part of its Russia investigation.
Gorkov is chairman of VneshEconomBank, a Russian governmentowned institution that has been under U.S. sanctions since July 2014. Gorkov studied at the training school for the FSB, one of Russia’s intelligence services.
Kushner, whose family’s real estate empire is worth $1.8 billion, according to Forbes, wields significant power in the White House. He is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.
Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das appreciated the contribution of HR Shah
Dozens of speakers including Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Consul-General of India in New York, paid glowing tribute to HR Shah, Chairman and CEO of TV ASIA, who recently received the PadmaShri award from the President of India in New Delhi.
The event was organized by the Federation of Indian Association at Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, New Jersey.
Shah has been associated with numerous social and cultural organizations in USA including being the founder member of Global Organizations of
People of Indian Origin and a past president and trustee of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA). Congratulating Shah for being the recipient of the Padma Award, Consul-General Das said, “Shah is a deserving person whose contributions are well recognized in USA and in India. The Government of India recognized his services for the community and for the people of Indian origin. He made remarkable contribution towards strengthening the Indo- US ties”.
“The Government of India has recognized Shah as a leading personality who helped uplift the status of literature, journalism, and entertainment world.”, said Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media. Parikh, himself a recipient of PadmaShri. Parikh commented that Shah’s generous attitude towards the Indian-American community has been well recognized by the Government of India.
Dr. Navin Mehta, a fellow trustee of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (USA), complimented Shah for his hard work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. Mehta was the only speaker who delivered his speech in Hindi at the event. He pointed out that Shah, with his nature, was a busy person always contemplating new ideas. He is a true role model for the community”.
Shah is the Chairman and Trustee of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (USA), which dedicated an auditorium, “Romanti Auditorium”, in memory of H.R. Shah’s late daughter.
Andy Bhatia, president of FIA, said that Shah made untiring efforts to strengthen various activities for improving the image of India in USA. “One such activity is the India Day Parade in New York City, launched many decades ago with the active support of H. R. Shah.”
In an emotionally charged speech, HR Shah thanked the community for their love
Shah, who made an emotional speech at the event, said that his life has been a difficult journey that taught him many lessons. “I faced financial losses in my previous enterprises, but was able to turn around the business at TV Asia with hard work”, he pointed out. “I am dedicated to my people and my community. I have great interest in literature and journalism which propelled me to the current level of recognition.”
Shah has received numerous awards and honors in the past including the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the highest award conferred to honor the immigrant communities. The medal is presented to prominent persons who display significant contributions to their own communities and to the United States at large.
Shah is the first NRI to run a 24/7 TV Channel, TV Asia, coast-to-coast throughout North America since 1993, reflecting his diverse interests. The channel was founded by Bollywood super star Amitabh Bachchan. TV ASIA has been a pioneer, produced in America, with local coverage (English, Hindi, Gujarati) in all major cities of the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. TV Asia is viewed on Echo Star (Dish Network) as well as various cable platforms. Shah has also launched a 24/7 free broadcast ethnic Radio Station called “Radio Chai,” all over USA.
Shah was nominated the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Asian American Retailers Association, that represented more than 50,000 retailers in the United States.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Albert Jassani, Ramesh Patel and trustees of the FIA.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): It’s not very often that a biographer and the subject of the biography come live, together at a historic home that has had former presidents and history’s iconic powerhouses converge at the beautiful venue.
Some of the city’s greatest minds and movers and shakers came together on May 23 at the stately home of humanitarian and social innovator Meera Gandhi’s historic home which once belonged to the longest serving first lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. New York city’s high powered and the philanthropic were there to welcome Zerbanoo Gifford, UK based human rights campaigner, women’s champion, former politician, author and founder of the path-breaking ASHA Centre in the Forest of Dean in England.
Zerbanoo Gifford signing the book
Accompanying Zerbanoo was New Zealand based accomplished journalist and editor Farida Master who has authored the biography `Zerbanoo Gifford-An Uncensored Life’, published by HarperCollins.
The biography which was launched with great fanfare in at the Times Litfest in India and later in New Zealand and Singapore has been celebrated all over the US from the West to the East coast in the last 21 days.
In an interesting social experiment, Zerbanoo and Farida reached out to diverse audiences as they shared anecdotes from the pages of Zerbanoo’s life that found an interconnectedness with different cross-sections of society in Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York.
Zerbanoo Gifford speaking at the event Photos/ Mohammed Jaffer-SnapsIndia
The idea behind it is to exchange stories that empowers people, builds communities and hope. From brilliant minds at NASA, Goddard Space Centre in DC to academics at George Washington University, Turkish women in Houston, the Zoroastrian communities in LA, Chicago and New Jersey, high profile social entrepreneurs in Philadelphia and the literary circle in New York, everyone was captivated as the central character of the book in her indomitable way came alive to redefine success and pushed people to stand up and make a difference even when the going gets really tough.
There was no better way to end the whirlwind book tour than to celebrate it with a clink of champagne glasses at the home of the lady behind the Giving Back Foundation, Meera Gandhi whose testimonial along with Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate, on the paperback reads as: “A compelling biography of a renowned human rights campaigner at the heart of the women’s movement. Zerbanoo has helped to empower women to take their rightful place in the international arena. Her story reads as a modern tale of shakti -power.”
DUBAI (TIP): India retained its top position in ICC Test rankings with 123 points—a clear six point lead over second placed South Africa.
The Proteas (117 points) have reduced the gap with India to six points while nine points now separate third-ranked Australia from seventh-ranked Sri Lanka as per latest ICC release.
The 9th ranked Bangladesh trailing eighth-ranked West Indies by six points. India has gained one ranking point while South Africa has leaped from 109 to 117 points. This jump means the pre-update gap of 13 points has now been trimmed to just six points.
While India and South Africa have made upward movements, Australia, England and Pakistan have headed in the opposite direction.
Australia has retained its third place but has plummeted from 108 points to 100 points, England has stayed in fourth position but has slipped to 99 points after conceding two points, whereas Pakistan has dropped behind New Zealand in sixth place after conceding four points to sit on 93 points.
The swings for Faf du Plessis’s and Steve Smith’s sides have come after South Africa’s 2-1 loss to Australia and Australia’s 5-0 series win over England in 2013-14 have both been dropped for calculation purposes.
Sri Lanka is seventh on 91 points (up by one),West Indies eighth on 75 points (up by five), Bangladesh ninth on 69 points (up by three) and Zimbabwe 10th with zero points (down by five).
NEW DELHI (TIP): Senior Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik on May 18 earned a recall to the Indian team for the upcoming Champions Trophy after Manish Pandey was ruled out due to a side strain.
Karthik was one of the five stand-byes for the Champions Trophy and has been rewarded for his stupendous form in domestic cricket last season.
Karthik, who will soon be celebrating his 32nd birthday, scored 607 runs during Tamil Nadu’s victorious Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign, including a century in the final. His average was 86-plus and scored his runs at a strike rate of over 100.
He also scored 704 runs in the Ranji Trophy and another 361 runs in IPL-10, capping off a consistent domestic season. He last played for India against Afghanistan in the 2014 Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
Having played 23 Tests and 71 ODIs for India, Karthik pipped another glovesman, Rishabh Pant, who was also among the reserves.
Incidentally, Karthik was a part of the Indian team which won the Champions Trophy in 2013. Pandey had suffered a side strain during one of Kolkata Knight Riders’ training sessions and was replaced by Ishank Jaggi for their Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)?will hold a bit of an advantage going into the Indian Premier League (IPL) qualifier 2 match against Mumbai Indians
BENGALURU (TIP): Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) came back to winning ways in style on May 17 (Wednesday) as they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by seven wickets in a rain-curtailed Indian Premier League eliminator match. But now they face a stern test as they lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI)?in Qualifier 2 for a berth in the final. Mumbai Indians come into the clash, having lost Qualifier 1 to Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) but will take heart from the fact that they have a 15-5 record against their opposition in IPL history. Even in this season, they had won both the group stage matches against Kolkata Knight Riders; the last with a second string side at the Eden Gardens.
Kolkata Knight Riders, however, will hold a bit of an advantage as they go into the crunch game on Friday as their tie against Sunrisers Hyderabad has boosted their morale and given them an indication of how the M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch will behave.
While the loss against Rising Pune Supergiant was a one-off poor performance by Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders can actually use the situation to their benefit if they stick to a certain plan and play keeping the conditions in mind.
However, Kolkata Knight Riders need to bring some stability in their batting. They let go of a top-two spot when they threw away their wickets while chasing a modest total against Mumbai Indians in their last group game.
They seemed to have hardly learnt anything as they repeated the act against Sunrisers Hyderabad during their eliminator clash. They have a solid bowling unit that has been delivering for quite some time now but against Mumbai Indians, the batsmen need to bring on their best and put up a decent total for the bowlers to defend.
Umesh Yadav, Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter-Nile were extremely impressive on Wednesday and are expected to deliver yet another brilliant performance in the knockout tie.
On the other hand, Mumbai Indians will have to approach the game in an extremely cautious manner. They can’t take KKR lightly despite their terrific record against them. They might be tempted to make changes following the loss to Rising Pune Supergiant but it may not be a good idea.
Another area where Kolkata Knight Riders have been shoddy of late is their inability to finish off games. Even while chasing a paltry total of 48 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they were three wickets down for just 12 runs at one stage. With the likes of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Lasith Malinga in the side — all quality death over specialists — Mumbai Indians can cash in heavily if the KKR middle or lower order fails to score quick runs.
It should be a riveting encounter between the two sides, both of whom two-time champions.
Although Mumbai Indians won both their games against the Knights this season, the results could have easily gone the other way. In the first match, it was the individual brilliance of Nitish Rana that made the difference and in the second, KKR threw their wickets away.
Source: HT
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