TOKYO (TIP): Chinese authorities have detained 35 Japanese nationals in the southeastern province of Fujian for alleged fraud, the Japanese foreign ministry said on Wednesday, in what was probably one of the worst cases of telephone scams targeting the elderly.
Phone-based fraud targeting senior citizens is widespread in Japan, with an impostor, usually posing as a child or grandchild desperately in need of cash, asking an elderly person to make a bank transfer or hand money to a friend or colleague. “We were informed that local authorities notified Japanese consulate general in Guangzhou on July 3 that they had taken 35 Japanese nationals into criminal custody on suspicion of fraud,” a foreign ministry official, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.
The official declined to give further details because of the investigation being conducted by Chinese authorities.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China had informed Japan about the 35 people detained on June 30 on suspicion of fraud.
He gave no other details. The Nikkei business daily said the Japanese nationals were accused of involvement in telephone scams targeting residents of Chiba prefecture east of Tokyo, the Japanese capital.
The group is the largest Japanese telephone fraud group discovered to be operating in China so far, in terms of the numbers detained, the Nikkei said.
Such groups have increasingly been making calls from China in recent years to evade crackdowns by Japanese authorities, the paper added.
The detained Japanese nationals were alleged to have played the role of callers in the fraud, it said, adding that it was up to Chinese authorities to decide whether to hand them over to Japan. (AP)
LONDON (TIP): The British government on July 13 published a draft law that would formally put an end to Britain’s membership of the European Union, as a top official warned the country was unprepared for Brexit in less than two years’ time.
The new bill will repeal the 1972 law in which Britain became an EU member and convert an estimated 12,000 existing EU regulations into British law, ending the supremacy of EU law in Britain.
“This bill means that we will be able to exit the European Union with maximum certainty, continuity and control,” Brexit secretary David Davis said in a statement.
But Prime Minister Theresa May is braced for a battle over the bill, which also gives ministers powers to amend the EU laws as they are transferred without full parliamentary scrutiny.
These so-called “Henry VIII” powers will be limited for two years, but opposition parties have warned they will not allow the government to use the bill to push through policy changes. May’s Conservative Party lost its majority in the June 8 election, leaving it dependent on the small Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party to win votes in parliament.
The prime minister, who on Thursday marks one year since taking office after last year’s referendum to leave the EU, remains vulnerable and questions remain over how long she can stay. As the bill was published, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was in Brussels to offer his own Brexit vision to EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier.
May’s government began the two-year withdrawal process on March 29, setting Britain on an uncharted journey. Extricating Britain from four decades of membership of the bloc is no small task: the new European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is one of eight Brexit bills the government will introduce.
But Labour’s Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer warned his party would not support the legislation as it stood. “We have very serious issues with the government’s approach, and unless the government addresses those issues, we will not be supporting the bill,” he told The Guardian.
As well as concerns about the expansion of executive power, Labour fears an erosion of basic and workers’ rights and plans to submit amendments when the bill is debated in the autumn. “This will be hell,” added Tim Farron, leader of the pro-European Liberal Democrats.
With the help of the 10 DUP lawmakers, May’s government has a majority of just 13 in the 650-member parliament.
Formal Brexit negotiations with the EU began last month and the two sides have already clashed over the future rights of European citizens living in Britain. Ahead of the next round of talks starting next week, Britain on Thursday published three new papers setting out its position on nuclear cooperation, the European Court of Justice and privileges afforded to EU employees in Britain.
Barnier had warned Wednesday that the EU was waiting for more information from Britain. “We need to know on which points we agree and on which points we disagree, so that we can negotiate in earnest,” he said.
“We cannot remain idle as the clock is ticking.”
Britain confirmed it would leave European Atomic Energy Community but said it wanted to continue working closely with Euratom to help ensure a smooth exit.
“The UK and the Euratom community have a strong mutual interest in ensuring close co-operation,” the position paper said.
London and Brussels disagree on whether the European Court of Justice will continue to have jurisdiction in Britain after Brexit.
Labour said Corbyn’s meeting with Barnier marked its growing importance in the Brexit process — although Barnier insisted he would only negotiate with the government.
The Frenchman was also due to meet Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones for private talks. (AFP)
The template for the Censor Board was set a few months after the BJP stormed to power in Delhi. So, it should be no surprise that Amartya Sen, one of the earliest critics of the government’s alternative vision of India, should find himself at the receiving end of its ministrations. A documentary on the Nobel laureate has been asked to mute all words anathema to the Modi government: cow, Gujarat and Hindutva. Pahlaj Nihalani’s appointment as the Censor Board chief was payback time for a loyal home boy. After all, his CV boasts of a six-minute campaign video “Har Modi, Ghar Modi” for the 2014 general election.
Since then Nihalani has not disappointed his mentors and played their political game, albeit with unapologetic stupidity ever since he took over from Leela Samson. It needs to be recalled that Leela Samson quit protesting against “unbearable pressure” to clear a movie by self-proclaimed saint Gurmit Ram Rahim who paid back with crucial political support to the BJP in Haryana and the Akali-BJP in Punjab. In a blatant act of door-keeping for the government, Nihalani had earlier stopped the certification of a film on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots that paved the way for the BJP’s electoral sweep in western UP. The Modi government appointee is not just policing political content. He is also bearing down on liberal and broader exploration of issues of gender, sexuality, religion and communalism.
In other words, the Censor Board’s axe can fall on any view that strays from the Sangh Parivar’s narrow definition of an ideal society. So, Lipstick Under My Burqa was deemed “too lady oriented” and Oscar-nominate Danish Girl “unsuitable for children.” Besides the danger of the government discouraging a scrutiny of its actions, which is the lifeblood of any democracy, technology has outpaced censorship. Documentaries, unlike Bollywood movies, pick up their audiences from online views and the film circuit in Western Europe. Even if the Amartya Sen documentary was completely banned, it would still be viewed and should recoup the investment. The only upshot is that India starts looking like a pale shadow of the countries it criticizes.
“Come July 20, 2017, Modi will have his own President. That would make a qualitative difference to the nature of choices available to the Prime Minister in dealing with friends and foes. Though Pranab Mukherjee was not a difficult President for Prime Minister Modi, nonetheless he could not be called a rubber stamp. Prime Minister Modi or his advisers certainly could not take President Mukherjee for granted — an option that is now open to the Prime Minister. A vital equation in the national power grid will stand definitely tilted, in favor of the Prime Minister”, says the author.
Quietly and perhaps unsuspectedly we are entering a potentially dangerous period in our polity. Not because we have reason to entertain continuous anxiety on our nation’s borders, not because the external environment is deteriorating to our disadvantage, but because internal institutional equations are about to change in a manner that would upset the democratic polity’s equanimity.
To begin with, in another seven days we shall know who would be the new Head of our Republic. Barring potential subversion on an extremely large scale, Ram Nath Kovind should be the new tenant of that sprawling real estate property atop the Raisina Hill. The change of tenancy will have its consequences. The equation between the President and the Prime Minister has always been subject to considerable modification and negotiation after every change of players; and, though Rashtrapati Bhavan is not a rival center of power, its occupant —any occupant — can be a source of irritation and frustration for any Prime Minister. Hence, the importance of next week’s presidential poll on the quality of the Prime Minister’s control and power of the Delhi sultanate.
It is widely accepted by New Delhi’s political cognoscenti that Ram Nath Kovind is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal choice; moreover, it is further suggested that in opting for him, the Prime Minister has cocked a snook at the RSS impresarios, who had different ideas. The RSS-Narendra Modi relationship is up for a revision.
Like Atal Bihari Vajpayee before him, Modi too has sought to gain a kind of upper hand in the patron-client relationship that defines the RSS-BJP symbiosis. The heart of the matter is that there is an inherent conflict between a prime minister’s constitutional obligations and a swayamsevak’s oath of allegiance to this “cultural body”, with its headquarters in Nagpur. Prime Minister Vajpayee was clear from the very beginning that his constitutional responsibilities and duties would take precedence over the RSS’ expectations and demands; but he had to pay a certain price for clarity and conviction. Modi has played a subtler hand of cultivated ambiguity, humoring the RSS once in a while. But then it is in the nature of office that, sooner or later, a prime minister has to draw a line — for himself and for the Nagpur bosses.
In opting for Kovind, Modi has drawn a line. This has not gone unnoticed or unresented by the parent body. For a BJP prime minister, the RSS is the elephant in the room and it cannot be ignored. From a different perspective it would appear to be rather ironic that a hope ought to be pinned on a body like the RSS to keep in check a rampant prime minister.
Come July 20, 2017, Modi will have his own President. That would make a qualitative difference to the nature of choices available to the Prime Minister in dealing with friends and foes. Though Pranab Mukherjee was not a difficult President for Prime Minister Modi, nonetheless he could not be called a rubber stamp. Prime Minister Modi or his advisers certainly could not take President Mukherjee for granted — an option that is now open to the Prime Minister. A vital equation in the national power grid will stand definitely tilted, in favor of the Prime Minister.
Not only a pocket President, next month the Prime Minister will also be able to get a Vice-President of his choice. Whatever little space the Opposition was able to claim for itself in the Rajya Sabha would get drastically curtailed. And, all said and done, Hamid Ansari did not deny himself the pulpit, from where he spoke out in defense of republican values and democratic sensibilities. This minor source of irritation would also stand taken care of in less than a month’s time.
And then, later in August, there will be a change of guard at the Supreme Court of India. Institutionally, the higher judiciary remains the only power center that is not easily amenable to the government’s blandishments or brandishments. Of late certain mutedness seems to have crept in the judicial voice. Like any other institution, the judiciary’s spunk is vitally dependent upon the moral fortitude of those who come to man the bench. On this count, there are rumors. Those who believe that a robust and vibrant judiciary remains a necessary condition for a functioning democracy do not feel all that sanguine. The ruling coterie will have less and less reason to worry about a judicial disapproval or rebuff.
Of course, there is the ruling party itself. For all its appearances as a modern political party, the BJP remains a closed affair. Since 2013, when Narendra Modi crowbarred his way to dominance with the BJP and then went on to graft democratic legitimacy over his leadership by winning the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, the party has allowed itself to be content with a very subordinate voice. The BJP president has no political persona outside Narendra Modi’s shadow. There is no leader left who can be remotely thought of as a potential challenger to Prime Minister Modi’s hegemonic stewardship. Neither Vajpayee nor LK Advani ever enjoyed this kind of sway over the BJP; their leadership was collegiate and they found themselves constrained to share authority. Narendra Modi feels no such handicap.
Three other democratic institutions — Cabinet, bureaucracy, media — stand cheerfully self-emasculated. Never before was such a convergence of timidity and opportunism seen as now among these three institutions; there seems to be a veritable race to reduce themselves to the role of a spear-carrier for the Prime Minister.
The sum total of reconfiguration of these institutional equations can only set in motion objective conditions in which an authoritarian temptation becomes a tempting proposition. The Modi government is approaching a difficult phase, when all the promises and pretensions have not exactly worked out. Economically, the jobless growth has a very limited potential for electoral dividends. The entire business community — the corporates, traders, shopkeepers and consumers — is yet to regain its breath after being buffeted twice — first by the demonetization drama and now by the GST tantrums.
Politically, the Modi establishment has proved itself extremely competent and clever; it feels it has reduced the Gandhis and the Congress and other opposition parties to an ineffectual bunch; it feels doubly sure of its cleverness after having sold the demonetization joke to the masses; it feels it has the momentum — and, history — behind it.
There is a dangerous edge to this overconfidence. It is morphing itself into a sense of entitlement. Strong-headed leaders tend to arrogate to themselves an aura of inevitability and infallibility. A robust democracy should have available to itself institutions of accountability that ensure that no leader, however powerful and however popular, trips over his own web of megalomania.
(The author is the chief editor of Tribune group of publications)
“Obsessed with Pakistan, India has grossly neglected the real adversary. In point-to-point skirmishes and standoffs, battle- hardened Indian soldiers will deter, if not defeat, the PLA. However, across a broad front spectrum in an unlikely all-out war, it is advantage China”, Says the author.
At a time when China is threatening to teach India another lesson and warning not to engage in a two-front conflict over the standoff in Doklam, our Service Chiefs, it seems, are not on the same page about fighting a two-front war especially as Beijing might try to emulate the New Delhi-Thimpu alliance in “disputed territory” with one with Islamabad in PoK. While General Bipin Rawat has more than once asserted the Army’s preparedness for a two-front war, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has highlighted the critical shortfall in the number of fighter squadrons — 32 against the required 42 squadrons — to dominate a two-front conflict, saying: “It is akin to a cricket team playing with seven players instead of 11”. The deficiency in air assets has existed for decades but this is the first time an Air Chief has related it to a two-front war.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Sunil Lanba, when asked about the disparity in preparedness of the services, said: “The way national security is being handled is not commensurate with the security environment which is extremely serious at the moment”. Recently, Gen Rawat told a military audience that the military was not getting enough funds for modernization — repeated ad nauseum by every Chief — due to the perception that expenditure on defence is a burden on the economy. This set the cat among the pigeons as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, a regular fill-in for Defence Minister, is believed to have told Gen Rawat: “Don’t worry about funds. When you run out, call me”. In the mid-1990s, when the Naval Shipyard order books had gone dry, CNS, admiral Vijay Shekhawat went public about the Navy’s operational deficiencies, prompting Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav to invite him to discuss dwindling fleet numbers. Ad hocism has become the hallmark of modernization of the military.
Power differential
The Chinese are constantly reminding India about the power differential — military, economic and infrastructural — between them. Being obsessed with Pakistan, India has grossly neglected the real adversary. The reason for this is the institutionalized absence of strategic thinking and higher political direction of war and conflict in the face of growing threats and challenges to internal and external security. Prime Minister Modi’s boast about big defence reforms is hollow: had he been serious about defence, he would have named a full-time Defence Minister. The appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff has not overcome the hesitation of history — read bureaucracy. The country has never produced a “Defence White Paper” or done a “Strategic Defence and Security” review. Something called the “Raksha Mantri’s Directive” masquerades as higher political direction on deterrence and war. This bit of literature drafted by the military has its origin in 1983, with periodic face-lifts to make it contemporary.
The Parrikar doctrine covering surgical strikes was included in the Joint Military Doctrine, scripted by the Integrated Defence Staff, which attracted extraordinary flak from the defence community for being substandard. In its present organization, each service essentially fights single-service combat. In the last border skirmish at Kargil, the Army’s operation was called Vijay while the IAF campaign in support was named Safed Saagar. So much for jointness. So the Raksha Mantri’s Directive passes off as political guidance by the highest echelons of government. When I once asked a former Air Chief how he evolved his service’s span of responsibility, he replied: “Most of the time, from speeches made by the Prime Minister during the Combined Commanders’ Conferences.”
Are we surprised that while President Xi Jinping who heads the Central Military Commission, has personally ordered and supervised the reorganization of the combat formations facing India, reducing them from three commands to one command — a single Western Theatre Command headed by the powerful Gen Xhao Zongqi — the China front in India is managed by four Army and three Air commands deployed at seven locations.
Integrated command
A forward-looking proposal made by a defence committee recommending three integrated operational commands — North, West and South instead of 17 single service commands — was shot out of hand by (no guesses) the Air Force. The CDS and accompanying Joint Staff ordered by the UK in 1984 was a fait accompli. It was introduced by a political class which understood defence and strategic security. In India, countless defence reforms are languishing for want of decision making.
It is instructive to recall how the two-front strategy was formally enunciated in December 2009 by the Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor. It followed the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ordered the Service Chiefs to prepare for war. Defence Minister AK Antony then had “preparation for a two-front war” added in his Directive but did little to implement it. Both in 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan despite the collusive threat from China, there was no cross-border intervention by China though sizeable formations of the Eastern Command remained deployed against it and forces could not be switched to the west or east for fighting in East Pakistan in 1971. In a real two-front war, swing forces in east and west will not be able to reinforce either front and only dedicated formations will fight the war. Given the paucity in current force levels, inadequate sophistry of combat support and terrain and infrastructure handicaps, it will be an uphill task to match the PLA’s strength and versatility across a 3,488-km front of undefined borders.
In point-to-point skirmishes and standoffs, battle-hardened Indian soldiers will deter if not defeat the PLA. Across a broad front spectrum in an unlikely all-out war, it is advantage China unless India is prepared to rethink its “no first use” nuclear doctrine. As an offset in the western front, Gen Rawat has suggested creating a two-front situation for Pakistan: either in Afghanistan or Iran. Doklam may go the 1986 Sumdorong Chu way; the 10-month-long standoff challenging the Chinese intrusion at Thandrong, west of Tawang over the interpretation of watershed, without a shot being fired. India need not invoke its doubtful capacity to fight a two-front war; instead, speedily augment its deterrence against China. This may not win votes for Modi but it will prevent Chinese pinpricks that he famously called “toothache”.
(The author is a former Major General of the Indian Army, and a radio and television commentator, and a columnist on defence and security issues. He is founder-member of the Defence Planning Staff in the Ministry of Defence)
The shopkeeper snubs the minister for showing lack of manners
NEW YORK (TIP): Video of Canadian defense minister Harjit Singh Sajjan caught littering by a Punjabi shop owner in Osoyoos, Canada, has gone viral on social media.
The video which was uploaded by XLRadio Vancouver on Monday captured Sajjan reacting sheepishly on being questioned about his actions. It shows Sajjan eating cherries and throwing their seeds outside a shop while sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle.
The car bears a registration number EE7 99D with inscription “Beautiful British Columbia”.
In the video, Sajjan is seen trying to conceal his identity but the shop owner of East Indian Meat Shop seems to be aware of his VIP status.
The shopkeeper snubs the minister for showing lack of manners.
Embarrassed Sajjan can be seen apologizing to the man in the video and fumbles to justify the purpose of his presence on the spot while being repeatedly quizzed.
CHICAGO, IL (TIP): Punjab Sports and Cultural Club continued its annual tradition of celebrating the game of Kabaddi along with sumptuous food and cultural programs. On Sunday, July 2nd, 2017, the club organized another very successful “Punjabi Mela” that witnessed over 5500 attendees. This event has record breaking crowd for last decade of any Punjabi event in Midwest. This 17th International entertainment and sport event of Kabaddi and Volleyball tournament was held at Busse Woods Forest Preserve, Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA.
Runners-up: Yuba City
During this populous family oriented mega event, people enjoyed complimentary admission, food, mehndi application, and competitive traditional Sports. Tournaments kicked off after traditional opening prayer (Ardaas) ceremony by Palatine Granthi Bhai Mohinder Singh.
The guests of Honor at the program were Consul General of India, Ms. Neeta Bhushan, Congressman Raja Krishnamurthy, Dr. S P Singh Oberoi, Amolak Singh Gakhal, Sardar Manjeet Singh(Canada), Sardar Jaspreet Singh (Attorney of Law). Ms Bhushan and Mr Krishnamurthy addressed the audience and thanked everyone for joining the celebration. Sardar Amrik Singh, President Punjab Sports and Cultural Club applauded the hard work and determination of the teams that participated in the tournament. This was followed by award ceremony with celebrity guest Hans Raj Hans along with live musical performance by famous Punjabi Singers Jasmine Sandlas, Sharry Mann and Rupinder Handa. The event reflected rich Punjabi traditions and heritage of sport, food and music.
The Game of Kabbadi which originated in India is a physical game and requires both mental and physical skill and muscle power, and combines the characteristics of wrestling and rugby. It incorporates skill of self-defense, and quick reflexes of psychoanalysis and counter attack.
Competing teams hailed from the States of Wisconsin, Indiana, New York, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, Washington and Michigan. Final championship match was between Seattle vs Yuba City. After intense competition, Seattle beat Yuba City by the score of 39 points vs. 23 points by losing team from Yuba City. Both teams in finales gave very hard competition to each other and in the end Seattle team finished on the top of the podium by grabbing the champions title. Besides Kabaddi, there were volleyball matches too in which 5 teams participated and Tony Sanghera’s team from Chicago was the winner. Second place winner prize to Yuba City Team was Sponsored and awarded by Ghuman Brothers.
Other Sponsors of the mega event were Sardar Baldev Singh Salhan, Sardar JPS Khaira, Sardar Paul Singh Khaleel, Dr Bhupinder Singh Saini and Sardar Jagir Singh Sabzimandi from New York. First prize was sponsored and awarded by Sardar Darshan Singh Dhaliwal (Bulk Petroleum) to the winning team Punjab Sports Club Seattle and the team sponsors were Mohna Jodhan, Bratty Gill, Sandeep Gurna. The 2nd Prize was awarded to Yuba Brothers, Yuba City, California and the Team Sponsor was Davinder Nijjar. Sultan Singh Sounspuria was declared the best raider and the best Jaffee Best Raider title was awarded to Pala Jalalpuria. The commentary was facilitated by Mr. Makhan Ali from Surrey, Canada and Mr. Surjit Kakrali.
Viewers at Punjab Sports and Cultural Club International Kabaddi Cup tournament Punjabi Mela” that witnessed a record breaking over 5500 attendees
After sport tournaments, social and entertainment “Mela” commenced attended bulky crowd and presence of various prominent community leaders including sponsors of event. Special Guests for the evening was Darshan Singh Dhaliwal. Mr. Dhaliwal, famous successful entrepreneur, is son of a Sikh farmer from a little-known village in Punjab. He is now the one of the largest petroleum dealer and retailer established in the Midwest region. He is a prominent community leader and Grand sponsors of the event. Presentation of appreciation plaques to the winners and various contributors of the event for their moral and financial support, which was pivotal in the execution of the event were awarded. Punjab Sports & Cultural Club Chicago Members present were President, Sardar Amrik Singh (Chicago), Vice President: Sardar Gurmeet Singh Bhola, Finance Secretary: Sardar Amrit Pal Singh Sangha, S. Jaskaran Singh Dhaliwal, S. Narinder Singh Sra, S. Harvinder Singh Billa, S. Lovedeep Singh Dulat, S. Amrik Singh Amar Carpets, S. Gurmeet Singh Bhola, S. Rajinder Singh Dayal, S. Lucky Sahota, S. Hardeep Singh Gill, S. Manminder Singh Heer, S. Gurpreet Singh Gill, S. Gian Singh Shera. Overall, the event was a great success and all guests raved about the wonderful organization of the unforgettable event. The next big sports event everyone is waiting for will be held on Labor Day weekend on Sept. 3rd Sunday hosted by Sher-e- Punjab Sports and Cultural Club Chicago.
NEW YORK (TIP): LCR Capital Partners, a renowned U.S. private investment firm and EB-5 regional center operator, will be hosting an Investor Day at the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at the Surf Club in Surfside, Florida on Wednesday, July 19th, 2017.
The Investor Day will include an exclusive tour of the property located on nine beautiful acres of oceanfront, followed by a Q&A session with Fort Partners (the project developer). All attendees who decide to invest in the EB-5 program through LCR’s Four Seasons project will receive a discount of $2,000 on their administration fee.
The Investor Day will provide potential EB-5 investors the opportunity to explore Four Seasons Hotel and Residences at The Surf Club, as well as to interact with the project developers, LCR’s senior leadership team, and various leading EB-5 industry and immigration experts. It will be the perfect opportunity to learn more about LCR’s most recent project and all those involved.
When speaking of the upcoming Investor Day meeting, Suresh Rajan, CEO of LCR Capital Partners, remarked, “This will be a splendid opportunity to network with leading EB-5 industry experts and exclusively review the project and property. The Q&A session with Fort Partners and dinner with our senior management team will prove to be beneficial to all prospective investors. This has been something that many of our investors have requested in the past and we are happy to dedicate a day to make this experience as enjoyable as possible for them. We have clients flying in from India, South Africa, Brazil and more. We are looking forward to meeting all the interested attendees!”
The EB-5 Investor Visa Program is the fastest and most reliable way for Indian high-net-worth investors to earn a U.S. green card. The program provides U.S. green cards and permanent residency to an investor and their immediate family (all unmarried children up to age of 21) through a one-time investment of $500,000 USD into a new U.S. business that creates 10 or more American jobs.
Since most alternatives ways of obtaining a U.S. green card (e.g. H-1B, EB-2, EB-3) involve long waiting times and cumbersome processes, LCR’s clients are increasingly taking advantage of the EB-5 visa’s multiple benefits including high approval rates, relatively quick processing times, and a competitive return on investment.
Interested individuals who meet the EB-5 program’s standard requirements and wish to attend the Investor Day on July 19th may R.S.V.P. at seminar@lcrcapital.com or sign up at http://bit.ly/2ugMpey
NEW YORK (TIP): Jameel Jaffer, deputy legal director at the ACLU, has been named the founding director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. In May, Columbia and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced the creation of the new institute which will work—through litigation, research and public advocacy—to preserve and expand the freedoms of expression and the press in the digital age.
“We’re at a moment in our history when freedom of expression, access to information and high quality journalism have never been more important, yet are facing unprecedented challenges,” said Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger, a noted First Amendment legal scholar. “No one understands that better than Jameel Jaffer. Throughout his accomplished career, Jameel has proven himself to be among the First Amendment’s most effective defenders and we could hardly have a more ideal founding director of the Knight Institute at Columbia.”
Since he joined the staff of the ACLU in 2002, Jaffer has litigated some of the most significant post-9/11 cases relating to national security and civil liberties, among them: constitutional challenges to gag orders imposed under the USA Patriot Act, surveillance conducted by the National Security Agency, the viewpoint-based denial of visas to foreign scholars, and the sealing of judicial opinions issued by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. He has argued cases at all levels of the federal court system, including in the U.S. Supreme Court, and has testified before Congress about a variety of topics relating to national security and civil liberties. Jaffer is also one of the nation’s leading Freedom of Information Act attorneys, having litigated landmark cases that resulted in the publication of crucial documents about the U.S. government’s counter-terrorism policies.
“The digital age has brought us a wealth of new ways to communicate, but digital technology is also vulnerable to surveillance and control. At the same time, news organizations have fewer resources to fight for access to government records and defend free expression,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of Knight Foundation. “Jameel Jaffer’s integrity, intellect and collaborative nature make him the right leader for a new organization. His experience at the intersection of law and technology make him the forward-looking legal strategist the Institute needs to select—and win—precedent-setting battles.”
The Knight First Amendment Institute will address a range of significant and emerging First Amendment issues on which Jaffer has direct expertise, including electronic surveillance by government; privacy rights on digital platforms; the overall freedom of internet platforms, and the rights and responsibilities of the corporate actors who own those platforms; public access to government records, including judicial records; secrecy obligations imposed on technology companies; and the prosecution of government whistleblowers.
In his role as director of the ACLU’s Center for Democracy, Jaffer created the ACLU’s project on speech, privacy, and technology; oversaw a major expansion of the ACLU’s work on issues relating to civil liberties in the digital age; and was instrumental in the ACLU’s decision to take on the representation of whistleblower Edward Snowden. He also directed the ACLU’s litigation relating to the NSA surveillance programs that Snowden disclosed.
PARIS (TIP): Dr Pradeep V Mahajan, Chairman and Managing Director of StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt Ltd received the Paris appreciation award, 2017 for Excellence in stem cell therapy. The award was given by Robby Wells. It was a historic event of global research and significance and the event was held atop the Eiffel tower on July 8, 2017. It was an initiative of the French European Indian Organization based in Paris, World News Network and Art for Peace awards Beverly Hills, USA.
“Being honored at an international platform in the presence of many dignitaries was a very special and indeed the most memorable moment of my life. I am glad to have received this opportunity to represent India in the field of Cellular Therapy,” said Dr P V Mahajan, Chairman and Managing Director of StemRx Bioscience solutions Pvt Ltd.
This global phenomenon displayed an array of entrepreneurial success stories across industries, like pharmaceuticals, aviation, fashion, cosmetic, e-commerce, manufacturing, FMCG, real estate, jewelry, BFSI, and so on. Dr P V Mahajan’s brainchild is StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt. Ltd wherein a dedicated clinical and research team works 24/7 to develop new protocols for various untreatable diseases. A multidirectional approach is employed at StemRx comprising of education, research and therapeutics.
This vast knowledge and experience has gained Dr Mahajan the Excellence in stem cell therapy award. This coveted award ceremony was held in the presence of many well known dignitaries. To name a few; Robby Wells, a U.S. presidential candidate for the Democratic Party; Consuls General (Ms. Pinkey Ahluwalia, Vice Consul General of Belgium) , Ambassadors of various countries; Ashish Chauhan, the Managing Director of the Bombay Stock Exchange; Anurag Kashyap, a renowned filmmaker; Dr. B.K. Modi of the Modi Group and also a well-known philanthropist; heads of organizations like Google; Hollywood celebrities and socialites; the top Fashion Weeks of the world; mayors and senators; top brands; French and Indian actors; Naypadmasagar Maharaj, the Jain Spiritual Guru; Indian Bullion & Jewelry Association; and many more.
The award is an initiative of the French European Indian Organization based in Paris, World News Network and Art for Peace awards Beverly Hills, USA. The French European Indian Organization is a registered body with the French Government.
ATLANTA, GA (TIP): His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the current spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, joined devotees and well-wishers in celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta, GA on July 1, 2017. The Mandir was inaugurated by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 2007 and has helped enrich the local community through the development of family and youth programs, community outreach, and spiritual assemblies. A true labor of love, the Mandir offers weekly services and year-round programs organized by volunteers and Swamis within the BAPS community.
As a central place of Hindu worship, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir opened to the community on August 26, 2007 and was made possible by the spiritual support, guidance, and inspiration of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Today, Mahant Swami Maharaj carries forward this work and legacy as the current spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Through his leadership and guidance, Mahant Swami Maharaj invites people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds to visit and explore the mandir, its architecture, and its Hindu teachings.
Heer Patel from Memphis, Tennessee was relatively new to the BAPS community during the inaugural ceremonies in 2007 and recalled the event with great enthusiasm, “[Pramukh Swami] was truly someone special that was able to attract thousands of people from different backgrounds and bring them together for one purpose. I was not never really interested in spirituality, but after the memorable interactions with Pramukh Swami Maharaj when he inaugurated the temple in 2007, I became more and more connected with the temple.” Patel was a volunteer at the 10 year celebrations. “It has been such an amazing experience to have just as amazing interactions with Mahant Swami Maharaj as we celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the mandir”.
BAPS Atlanta 10th Anniversary: His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, the current spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, joined devotees and well-wishers in celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta, GA on July 1, 2017.
Since Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s visit, participation within the local community and beyond has grown, and hundreds of individuals regularly attend celebrations of Hindu festivals throughout the year.
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta is the first of its kind in the region, and community volunteers welcomed the ten-year anniversary celebrations in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj with the same zeal and excitement they experienced back in 2007.
The anniversary celebrations were primarily created and led by the youth of BAPS who have been preparing for the arrival of Mahant Swami Maharaj for several months. Yash Soni from Parkland, FL says, “By participating in various performances during the 10th anniversary celebration, I have felt a deep connection with my guru and developed a greater understanding of samp (unity) and teamwork. These are two values that he has stressed to youths of my age.”
Over the past ten years, the mandir has welcomed people from all walks of life, leaving a lasting impression in their lives. Community members join in weekly events to practice spirituality and personal development while fostering a sense of unity and teamwork. Music, language, and spiritual enrichment classes actively instill Hindu values and culture in future generations of young people who will grow to lead in their communities.
Regular programs and events at the mandir provide an opportunity for community members to explore and practice Hindu traditions and faith. The mandir is also the site of various charitable initiatives that include health fairs, blood drives, and community walkathons for people of all ages – merging the spirit of service with volunteerism.
The BAPS Mandir in Atlanta unites families in spirituality, setting the tone for the anniversary events. Highlights from the program included video footage of the inaugural ceremonies and colorful cultural dances. Guests relived the past ten years of the mandir’s history, the development of youth activities, and the installation of the sacred image of Nilkanth Varni. Devotees shared stories of reaching milestones in their spirituality, growing closer to one another, and practicing peaceful living – all inspired and guided by the role of mandir in their lives.
The event was attended by several community and government officials who recalled fond moments with Pramukh Swami Maharaj and shared heartfelt reflections on their first meeting with Mahant Swami Maharaj during his current travels. The mayor of Lilburn, Mayor Johnny Crist, presented Mahant Swami Maharaj with a key to the city while saying, “Most cities in the state of Georgia want to be a place where you live, work, and play. But may I offer another alternative, or add to it, and that is we need to be a city where that is a place to live, to work, to play, and to pray.” Mayor Crist also brought a proclamation designating July 1, 2017 as Mahant Swami Maharaj Day in the city of Lilburn. In addition to Lilburn there are a total of six cities recognizing July 1, 2017 as Mahant Swami Maharaj Day including Matthews, NC; Boynton Beach, FL; Montgomery, AL; Knox County, TN; and Anderson, SC.
Georgia’s Secretary of State, Mr. Brian Kemp, conferred an Honorary Citizenship of Georgia to His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. The honorable Mr. Nagesh Singh, the Consul General of India, was also in attendance and conveyed a hearty welcome on behalf of the Government of India.
The celebrations concluded with blessings from Mahant Swami Maharaj who encouraged all to uphold unity, maintain faith, and further develop one’s spirituality in strengthening the mandir as a community place of worship.
Follow #BAPSATL10 and #MahantSwami on social media for more details regarding anniversary celebrations and His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj’s North America visit.
More details at http://www.baps.org/News/2017/BAPS-Atlanta-10th-anniversary-11686.aspx
NEW YORK (TIP): Sunita Kumar, an Indian American Brooklyn based pharmacy owner/operator has been charged with defrauding Medicare and Medicaid programs of approximately $9 Million.
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of a criminal Complaint charging defendant Sunita Kumar with operating a health care fraud scheme utilizing two pharmacies in Brooklyn, New York, through which KUMAR submitted approximately $9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare. KUMAR was arrested July 10 morning and was presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck.
Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, Sunita Kumar defrauded Medicare and Medicaid, public programs to assist the indigent and the elderly, by submitting $9 million in fraudulent claims. She allegedly did so by inducing people to surrender their own prescriptions and forego their medications in exchange for kickbacks. Medicare and Medicaid provide critical health care for some of our most vulnerable citizens. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue those who allegedly use public programs as a vehicle for illegal personal profit.”
Kumar, 54, of Old Westbury, New York, is charged with one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and one count of paying illegal remuneration in the form of kickbacks, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York)
NEW YORK (TIP): An Indian-American researcher has invented a dryer that could easily dry clothes even without heat. Viral Patel along with his team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee have invented a dryer that could laundry your clothes much faster. Expected to be five times more energy efficient, ‘Ultrasonic dryer’ could dry a large load of clothes in about half the time.
Viral Patel came to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) with the aim of conducting research that would provide benefits to the average consumer. Viral began his studies after moving from Zambia to the United States for college. As an undergraduate at the Illinois Institute of Technology, he started out in aerospace engineering. But after taking a course in thermal systems design, he decided to broaden his horizons and career opportunities with a dual major in mechanical engineering.
Viral jumped into three energy efficiency projects almost immediately after starting at the lab as a postdoctoral researcher in the Energy and Transportation Science Division in 2015, working on development of two clothes dryers (one ultrasonic and the other thermoelectric) and a new, more efficient rotating heat exchanger for refrigerator applications.
Outside the lab, Viral enjoys reading science fiction, loves to cook and travel, and spends time with friends and family. His family is spread across the globe now—on both US coasts, back in Zambia, and in Australia.
JERSEY CITY, NJ (TIP): Jersey City Ward C committeewoman Rekha Nandwani became the second official candidate on June 30 for Jersey City Council race.
Rich Boggiano, 73, the Jersey City Ward C councilman, was the first candidate in the upcoming mayoral and council races to qualify for a race.
A Boggiano challenger, Rekha currently serves as a committeewoman for her community in Ward C and as President of the Jefferson Avenue Block Association. She is also a steering board member and county director for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee’s South Asian American Caucus. But she is a mother first with a daughter in Jersey City’s public school system. An entrepreneur by background, Rekha brings a record of creativity and efficiency in seeking unique solutions to issues facing her community and making sure all residents have a say.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Indian American student Madhuri Molleti of Madison has won the 2017 National Geographic Mundo Explorer Competition and embarked on a travel to Iceland.
DIRECTV and Nat Geo Mundo recently announced the 2017 winner of the Nat Geo Mundo Explorer competition – a unique travel program offering students the opportunity to go into the field with National Geographic photographers, scientists and writers. The competition was created to provide four deserving students (two from the United States and two from Latin America) the opportunity to explore the subarctic island nation of Iceland and learn the basics of climate change.
Molleti, a student at James Clemens High School, is one of four teenagers from the United States and Latin America who won access to this unique travel program with all expenses paid. She left last week with a National Geographic team on a 15-day expedition to Iceland, joining other students to explore the subarctic island nation and learn the basics of climate change with Nat Geo photographers, scientists and writers.
Their travels will include visits to Iceland’s geothermal features, its rugged coast, its glacier-rich Vatnajokull National Park, and other stops that include basalt columns, black sand beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, volcanic features, forests, waterfalls and fishing villages.
“DIRECTV and AT&T are proud to support programs that empower students and provide unique learning opportunities,” said Dave Hargrove, AT&T Regional Director of External Affairs. “It’s exciting to play a part in offering students like Madhurri a chance to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we look forward to learning about her adventures later this summer.”
Madhuri was an AP student and member of the National Honor Society at James Clemens. She plans to attend UAB to study public health in fall. Her parents are Raju and Padma Molleti.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Renowned economist Kaushik Basu, the C. Marks Professor of International Studies and professor of economics in the College of Arts and Sciences in Cornell University, began his three-year term as president of the International Economic Association (IEA) June 23.
The IEA is a leading organization founded in 1950 for professional economists that seeks to shape global economic policy and research. Among IEA past presidents are Nobel laureates Kenneth Arrow, Robert Solow, Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz.
Basu served as senior vice president and chief economist at the World Bank from 2012 to 2016 and as the chief economic adviser to the government of India from 2009 to 2012. At Cornell, he has served as chairman of the Department of Economics and as director of the Center for Analytic Economics.
He received a B.A. in economics in 1972 from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and a M.Sc. in 1974 and a Ph.D. in 1976, both in economics from the London School of Economics. A fellow of the Econometric Society, Basu has published widely in development economics, industrial organization, game theory and welfare economics. His books include “Analytical Development Economics” (1997), “Prelude to Political Economy: A Study of the Social and Political Foundations of Economics” (2000), “Beyond the Invisible Hand: Groundwork for a New Economics” (2010) and “An Economist in the Real World: The Art of Policymaking in India” (2015).
WASHINGTON (TIP): On July 10, 2017, the U.S. Senate confirmed Neomi Rao, associate professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at GeorgeMason University as Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, an agency within the White House Office of Management and Budget. She is the first Indian-American to head the important Office in the White House.
Rao’s confirmation was welcomed by top American lawmakers.
“As regulatory czar for federal policymaking, Director Rao will play an instrumental role in helping the President fulfill his promise to roll back unnecessary red tape and unleash the full potential of the American economy,” said Senator Orrin Hatch, senior member and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Hatch said he looks forward to working with Rao to ensure that federal rules and regulations are narrowly tailored to address pressing public health and safety concerns while also leaving plenty of room for job creators and entrepreneurs to expand and flourish.
Rao worked on Senator’s staff several years ago.
Senator Ron Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, applauded Senate for confirming Rao’s nomination.
“We can all agree that federal regulations should achieve their aim without imposing unnecessary costs on the country’s economy and job creators. I look forward to working with Professor Rao to reduce the burden of regulations – by our best estimates as high as USD 2 trillion a year – that weigh on the American economy,” Johnson said.
Senator John Hoeven said as the head of OIRA, Rao is going to play a vital role in helping to provide regulatory relief and make the country more competitive.
“Further, I appreciate her commitment to work with me to ensure public-private partnerships receive fair treatment by OMB and the Army Corps,” he said.
“In order for our nation to continue to compete around the globe, we need to have a cost-effective, pro-growth regulatory environment,” Hoeven said.
Senator Deb Fischer hoped that in her role as the nation’s top regulatory official, Rao will focus on eliminating the misguided federal regulations harming Nebraska families and communities.
“Cutting through reams of government red tape has long been a priority of mine and I look forward to working with Rao to continue to do so,” Fischer said.
Described by The Washington Post as a “superlative pick”, Rao at the George Mason University founded and directs the Center for the Study of the Administrative State.
Rao’s research and teaching focuses on constitutional and administrative law.
Rao’s scholarship is informed by her service in all three branches of the federal government. Prior to joining the Law School, she served as Associate Counsel and Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. Professor Rao also served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where she was responsible for judicial nominations and constitutional law issues. In between government service, Professor Rao practiced in the London office of Clifford Chance LLP, specializing in public international law and arbitration. She clerked for Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and for Justice Clarence Thomas on the U.S. Supreme Court. She was a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota Law School in fall 2013.
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (TIP): On July 1, Debasish “Deba” Dutta – a respected Indian American academic and an experienced higher education administrator who has spearheaded change at three top national research universities – began serving as the chancellor of Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Dutta came to Rutgers from Purdue University, where he served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity, with a faculty appointment as a professor of mechanical engineering. Previously, he worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
As chancellor of Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Dutta will oversee the largest of the three major Rutgers University campuses with more than 50,000 students, 4,000 faculty, 12 degree-granting schools, nine academic research centers, four administrative units, a premier Honors College, Douglass Residential College and the Zimmerli Art Museum.
“I am tremendously excited to bring the skills I have developed at Purdue, Illinois and Michigan to lead Rutgers University-New Brunswick,” Dutta said. “I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students to drive innovation and build a new era of success that will elevate the flagship of Rutgers University to even greater national prominence.
“One of my goals is to provide institutional leadership with an urgency to address current needs, ever mindful of history, and with an eye toward the future. This university is rich with highly accomplished faculty, skilled administrators, and talented and passionate students. I truly believe that when we work together, the possibilities are limitless.”
Dutta is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, as well as a scholar in residence at the National Academy of Engineering.
Before joining Purdue in 2014, Dutta served as associate provost and dean of the graduate school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was also Gutgsell Endowed Professor and interim vice-chancellor for research. There, he established several new interdisciplinary programs to help foster new research and create collaborations across colleges. He also helped set standards for more than 300 master’s and doctoral programs across disciplines.
Sandeep Chakravorty to replace Riva Ganguly Das as Consul General
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Sandeep Chakravorty, India’s current Ambassador to Peru will be the next Consul General of India in New York, according to information available with The Indian Panorama.
The present Consul General Ms Riva Ganguly Das will be taking over as Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Ms Riva Ganguly Das had assumed charge as the Consul General at New York Consulate on March 7, 2016. She had succeeded Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay who is presently Secretary in the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi. Ms Das has had the shortest tenure as Consul General of India in New York.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, independent India’s first Education Minister, founded ICCR in 1950. Its objectives are to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of policies and programs pertaining to India’s external cultural relations; to foster and strengthen cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries; to promote cultural exchanges with other countries and people; and to develop relations with nations.
The incoming Consul General Sandeep Chakravorty is a member of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) of 1996. batch Before joining the Government of India, he worked for several years in organizations dealing with forestry, environment and watershed development issues in India.
He has served in India’s missions in Madrid, Bogota and Dhaka. In the Ministry of External Affairs of India, he served at several desks including working as Press Relations Officer as well as Private Secretary to Minister of State for External Affairs. He also served in the Eurasia Division dealing with Central Asia and in the East Asia Division dealing with China, Japan, Koreas and Mongolia. Before being appointed as India’s Ambassador to Peru and Bolivia, he was India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
He holds a Master Degree in Advanced Studies from Geneva University and has an MA in Sociology. He has a PG Diploma in Forestry Management from Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. He graduated in Physics from Delhi University.
Federation of Indian Associations NY/NJ/CT is hosting a farewell reception to Ambassador Das on Tuesday, July 18 at Royal Albert’s Palace in Edison, New Jersey.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have developed a smart headlight system for the first time that can help drivers see through heavy rain or snowfall and safely navigate roads during stormy nights.
The system invented by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the US improves visibility by constantly redirecting light to shine between particles of precipitation. It prevents the distracting and sometimes dangerous glare that occurs when headlight beams are reflected by precipitation back toward the driver.
“If you’re driving in a thunderstorm, the smart headlights will make it seem like it’s a drizzle,” said Srinivasa Narasimhan, CMU associate professor of robotics. The system uses a camera to track the motion of raindrops and snowflakes and then applies a computer algorithm to predict where those particles will be just a few milliseconds later.
The light projection system then adjusts to deactivate light beams that would otherwise illuminate the particles in their predicted positions. “A human eye will not be able to see that flicker of the headlights,” Narasimhan said.
“And because the precipitation particles aren’t being illuminated, the driver won’t see the rain or snow either,” To people, rain can appear as elongated streaks that seem to fill the air. To high speed cameras, however, rain consists of sparsely spaced, discrete drops.
That leaves plenty of space between the drops where light can be effectively distributed if the system can respond rapidly. Lab tests demonstrated that the smart headlight system could detect raindrops, predict its movement and adjust a light projector accordingly in 13 milliseconds.
At low speeds, such a system could eliminate 70 to 80 per cent of visible rain during a heavy storm, while losing only five or six per cent of the light from the headlamp. To operate at highway speeds and to work effectively in snow and hail, the system’s response will need to be reduced to just a few milliseconds.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Scientists, including those of Indian origin, have developed a new battery-less cell phone for the first time, which consumes almost zero power and runs by harvesting energy from ambient radio signals or light.
The team also made Skype calls using its battery-free phone, demonstrating that the prototype made of commercial, off-the-shelf components can receive and transmit speech and communicate with a base station.
“We have built what we believe is the first functioning cell phone that consumes almost zero power,” said Shyam Gollakota, associate professor at the University of Washington (UW) in the US.
Researchers eliminated a power hungry step in most modern cellular transmissions – converting analogue signals that convey sound into digital data that a phone can understand.
This process consumes so much energy that it has been impossible to design a phone that can rely on ambient power sources, researchers said. Instead, the battery-free cell phone takes advantage of tiny vibrations in a phone’s microphone or speaker that occur when a person is talking into a phone or listening to a call.
To transmit speech, the phone uses vibrations from the device’s microphone to encode speech patterns in the reflected signals. To receive speech, it converts encoded radio signals into sound vibrations that that are picked up by the phone’s speaker.
In the prototype device, the user presses a button to switch between these two ‘transmitting’ and ‘listening’ modes, researchers said. The prototype was able to perform basic phone functions- transmitting speech and data and receiving user input via buttons.
Using Skype, researchers were able to receive incoming calls, dial out and place callers on hold with the battery free phone. The team designed a custom base station to transmit and receive the radio signals. That technology conceivably could be integrated into standard cellular network infrastructure or Wi-Fi routers now commonly used to make calls.
“You could imagine in the future that all cell towers or Wi-Fi routers could come with our base station technology embedded in it, and if every house has a Wi-Fi router in it, you could get battery free cell phone coverage everywhere,” said Vamsi Talla, a research associate at UW.
The battery-free phone does still require a small amount of energy to perform some operations. The prototype has a power budget of 3.5 micro watts. Researchers demonstrated how to harvest this small amount of energy from two different sources. The battery free phone prototype can operate on power gathered from ambient radio signals transmitted by a base station up to 31-feet away.
Using power harvested from ambient light with a tiny solar cell-roughly the size of a grain of rice – the device was able to communicate with a base station that was 50 feet away, they said.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Association for Computing Machinery on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies.
LONDON (TIP): For the first time, scientists have detected large quantities of methanol molecules around Saturn’s moon Enceladus, a finding that has significant implications for the search for alien life.
Enceladus has peaked scientists’ interest since water rich plumes were discovered gushing from its south pole. The discovery was made by the Cassini spacecraft, which has since flown through the plumes and sampled organic compounds.
The latest results, however, were gained using the IRAM 30-metre radio telescope in the Spanish Sierra Nevada, and reveal a higher-than-expected quantity of the molecule methanol around Enceladus.
This is the first detection of a molecule from Enceladus with a ground-based telescope. Enceladus’s plumes are thought to originate in water escaping from a subsurface ocean through cracks in the moon’s icy surface.
Eventually these plumes feed into Saturn’s second outermost ring, the E-ring. Recent work has found similar amounts of methanol in Earth’s oceans and Enceladus’s plumes.
However, the new discovery suggests that material spewed from Enceladus undertakes a complex chemical journey once vented into space. “Recent discoveries that icy moons in our outer Solar System could host oceans of liquid water and ingredients for life have sparked exciting possibilities for their habitability,” said Emily Drabek-Maunder, from Cardiff University in the UK.
“But in this case, our findings suggest that that methanol is being created by further chemical reactions once the plume is ejected into space, making it unlikely it is an indication for life on Enceladus,” said Drabek-Maunder.
The team suggests the unexpectedly large quantity of methanol may have two possible origins: either a cloud of gas expelled from Enceladus has been trapped by Saturn’s magnetic field, or gas has spread further out into Saturn’s Ering.
In either case, the methanol has been greatly enhanced compared to detections in the plumes. “Observations aren’t always straightforward. To interpret our results, we needed the wealth of information Cassini gave us about Enceladus’s environment,” said Dave Clements from Imperial College of London.
“This study suggests a degree of caution needs to be taken when reporting on the presence of molecules that could be interpreted as evidence for life,” said Clements. “This finding shows that detections of molecules at Enceladus are possible using ground-based facilities,” said Drabek-Maunder.
“However, to understand the complex chemistry in these subsurface oceans, we will need further direct observations by future spacecraft flying through Enceladus’s plumes,” she said.
SINGAPORE (TIP): Oil prices fell by more than 1 percent early on Friday, with U.S. crude futures dipping below $45 per barrel as news of a rise in U.S. production added to earlier reports that OPEC output was also on the rise.
Brent crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, were trading down 58 cents, or 1.2 percent, at $47.53 per barrel by 0137 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $44.95 per barrel, down 57 cents, or 1.3 percent.
News of the production rise outweighed positive sentiment from falling crude and gasoline inventories in the United States. “Oil prices were initially stronger of the back of the better than expected drawdown in inventories… However, the exuberance was short-lived, as the market turned its attention to another increase in U.S. production,” ANZ bank said on Friday.
U.S. crude inventories fell by 6.3 million barrels in the week to June 30, to 502.9 million barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Gasoline stocks fell by 3.7 million barrels, to 237.3 million barrels.
The data suggested strong demand in the United States, but this was offset by a 1 percent rise in weekly U.S. oil production to 9.34 million barrels per day (bpd). Since mid-2016, that’s an increase of more than 10 percent.
The rising U.S. output comes as supplies from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) rose for a second month in a row in June, according to Thomson Reuters Oil Research, despite its pledge to hold back production between January this year and March 2018.
OPEC exported 25.92 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, 450,000 bpd more than in May and 1.9 million bpd more than a year earlier.
HAMBURG (TIP): As the world debates use of big data and analytics to improve financial inclusion, India’s Aadhaar system has come in for praise by a global body on financial reforms for expanding banking reach and lesser use of cash.
In a progress report on efforts to assess and address decline in correspondent banking, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) said its action plan in this regard is making good progress but the fall in numbers is continuing.
“A decline in the number of correspondent banking relationships remains a source of concern for the international community,” it said, while flagging issues like problems in international payments and some payment flows being driven underground.
This may have adverse consequences for financial inclusion, as well as the stability and integrity of the financial system, it added. The FSB has submitted its action plan in this regard to the G20 Summit, which begins here tomorrow and is being attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the leaders of the world’s other largest economies.
The FSB has been established to coordinate at the international level the work of national financial authorities and global standard-setting bodies in order to develop and promote the implementation of effective regulatory, supervisory and other financial sector policies.
It has established a Correspondent Banking Coordination Group (CBCG) to coordinate and maintain impetus in the implementation of the action plan.
On potential applications of financial technologies, the FSB said the CBCG had an initial discussion on whether advances in big data and analytics might be usefully combined with KYC utilities, better information in payment messages and the LEI (Legal Entity Identifier) to facilitate due diligence on correspondent banks and transaction monitoring.
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Modi government’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) is “very, very imperfect” and cannot be called “one nation, one tax” as it has seven or more rates, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has said.
The Congress will press for a reduction in tax rates and demand a cap of 18 per cent, besides seeking to bring petroleum, electricity and real estate under the new tax regime, the former finance minister told reporters.
“This is a very, very imperfect GST. This is not the GST which we (the UPA) had envisaged,” he said. What the government had implemented, he said, was a GST with at least seven rates.
“It is a mockery of the GST.When we have rates such as 0.25, 3, 5, 12, 18, 28 and 40, and possibly more because of the discretion vested with state governments, how can we call this a ‘one nation, one tax’ regime,” he wondered. Asked if the issue would be raised in Parliament, he said, “Of course, this is a preview”.
Chidambaram said the Congress would continue to watch the roll out of the GST and “articulate the fears and grievances” of businesses and consumers. “We will keep vigil over the possible misuse of the draconian powers given to the anti-profiteering authority. We will highlight the elements of the true GST,” he said.
The senior leader said his party would hold meetings across the country to highlight that the Congress was the “original proponent” of the GST and campaign for a “true GST”. He noted that authorities and businesses were “unprepared or under-prepared” for the tax regime and said its launch should have been deferred by two months, while the GSTN (goods and services tax network) should have been put on a trial run. “I suggested a trial run for two months and effectively we should have a rollout of GST from September 1,” he said. He said the government should have tried to make it as perfect a GST as possible as this was “very imperfect”.
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