SAN FRANSISCO (TIP): Uber Technologies Inc goes before a U.S. judge on Wednesday to fight for the right to continue work on its self-driving car program, the latest phase in a courtroom battle over trade secrets that threatens to topple a central pillar of Uber’s growth strategy.
The ride-services company is contesting a lawsuit by Alphabet Inc’s self-driving car unit, Waymo, which accused former Waymo engineer and current Uber executive Anthony Levandowski of taking technical secrets from Waymo and using them to help Uber’s self-driving car development.
If it were proven that Levandowski and Uber conspired in taking the information, that could have dire consequences for Uber, say legal and ride-hailing industry experts. Uber’s $68 billion valuation is propped up in part by investors’ belief it will be a dominant player in the emerging business of self-driving cars. At issue on Wednesday is Waymo’s demand that U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup in San Francisco issue an injunction barring Uber from using any of the technology that Waymo said was stolen. If Alsup issues a broadly worded order against Uber, it could all but shut down Uber’s self-driving car program while court proceedings continue. Alsup is not expected to rule immediately on Wednesday, but he may intimate which way he is leaning. At a hearing last month, Alsup warned Uber that it may face an injunction, saying of the evidence amassed by Waymo: “I’ve never seen a record this strong in 42 years.”
Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick has said that autonomous vehicles, though still in their infancy, are critical to the company’s long-term success and future growth.
BRUSSELS (TIP): The euro zone economy started the year with robust growth that outstripped that of the United States and set the stage for a strong 2017, preliminary estimates showed.
The improving economy may weaken the eurosceptic parties that have gained ground in several European Union states over the past years, many of which have denounced the poor state of their economies and called for ditching the euro and returning to national currencies.
The gross domestic product of the 19-country euro zone bloc grew by 0.5% on the quarter in the first quarter, which translates to annualised growth of 1.8% in all of 2017, the European statistics agency Eurostat said.
The preliminary euro zone figure is much higher than the 0.7% annualised growth recorded in the United States in the same quarter, the weakest performance since the first quarter of 2014, according to U.S. estimates.
The weaker performance of the U.S. economy was a blow for the administration of Donald Trump, who has promised strong growth with a protectionist agenda.
The contrasting data from the U.S. and the euro zone may weaken the French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who is calling for tariff barriers to protect the French economy. She faces free-trade supporter Emmanuel Macron in a May 7 runoff, which polls show Macron is likely to win.
Ahead of Mother’s Day which falls on May 14, Liv Tyler has acted in and co-directed a film titled ‘Mama Said’ in support of an NGO.
The film is a launch by American clothing brand Gap in support of charity Every Mother Counts.
Tyler has co-directed it with Paola Kudacki, with whom she set out to create a film that embodies the joys and optimism of motherhood, with a nod to the loving influence mothers have on their children.
The Hollywood actress features in the film alongside Coco Rocha, Candice Swanepoel, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Cass & Ali Bird with their children.
“I often think of the things my grandmother and my mother have been telling me my whole life. Remembering what your ‘mama said’ as a child and growing up is very important. I often try to think of things that I can say to my children in a way that they can hear me the same way I heard my mom,” Tyler said in a statement.
The film depicts mothers enjoying intimate, candid moments with their children playing, dancing and bonding.
Actress Priyanka Chopra will attend a UNICEF’s gala fundraising event to highlight the challenges faced by children affected by violence here this week.
The May 6, inaugural event plans to bring together some of the biggest names from across the globe to leverage their support to enhance care and protection of children affected due to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Priyanka, 34, served as a UNICEF national Ambassador in India for nearly ten years and was recently appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
“The visit of UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra to South Africa will highlight the challenges faced by children affected by violence. Her visit is providing UNICEF with a unique opportunity to profile our mandate and values that guide our daily work for every child in South Africa,” a statement from UNICEF read.
It will also feature a fashion show by the country’s most renowned Indian-origin designer Gavin Rajah.
There will be a live auction as well, funds raised from which will go towards the child protection programmes of UNICEF South Africa.
Actress Blake Lively wore almost 200 carats of jewellery at the 2017 Met Gala red carpet. The 29-year-old actress, who was dressed in gold, embellished Versace gown with a blue-feathered train, completed her look with over USD 3.5 million of jewellery.
The ensemble included an 82-carat pair of Burma earrings, a 50-carat triple sapphire ring, a 28-carat nude diamond pear shape ring and a 10-carat triangle diamond ring.
Sunny Leone may be raising the mercury levels these days by posting her hot pictures on social media, but that’s not the only thing about her that’s making news. She is also making her presence felt in the field of cricket.
The actress turned live commentator for an online application and recorded with Sunil Grover during a cricket match between Shah Rukh Khan’s and Preity Zinta’s teams recently at an ongoing cricket league. Not one to stop at that, Sunny then challenged the commentating skills of Virender Sehwag.
On Tuesday, cricket lovers in Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla stadium were treated to Sunny’s funny banter and her love for cricket. Her turn as a commentator even got a thumbs up from Sehwag. Must say, if acting doesn’t work out, she’s got a back-up plan for sure.
SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali 2 (Bahubali: The Conclusion) has collected over 600 crore gross at the worldwide box office and shattered the lifetime collection record of Bahubali: The Beginning in four days.
Having rocked the box office over the weekend, the Prabhas and Rana Daggubali starrer was expected to continue its dream run on Monday, May 1, which happened to be the holiday on account of the Labour Day.
As per early estimates, Baahubali 2 registered fantastic response at the ticket counters in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala during the day.
Movie Review
STORY
Amarendra Baahubali (Prabhas) and Bhalla Deva (Rana Daggubati) are cousins raised by the same mother, Sivagami (Ramya Krishnan) who is also the reigning Queen of Mahishmati. Amarendra is orphaned in his childhood and despite the fact that Bhalla is her own son, the Queen wants to crown Amarendra the King of Mahishmati because she feels that he has the true makings of a ruler and benefactor. Bhalla is peeved. His father and he conspire to overthrow Baahubali. And they use Kattappa (Sathyaraj) and the Sivagami as pawns in their game.
REVIEW
This part is more prequel than sequel because initially the story traces the origins of Baahubali’s father, who was originally meant to be the King of Mahishmati. It also delves on the love-story between Amarendra and Devasena (Anushka Shetty), who is mother of Mahendra Baahubali (Prabhas in a dual role.) Recounted in the folklore-meets-Aesop’s fable-style, the plot is simple and carries the good triumphs over evil thought forward just like the first part did. Albeit with some childish conspiracy theories added in. Of course, the end comes together in a long-drawn climax that could have been 10-minutes shorter.
But don’t judge Baahubali. Just savour it. It is a visual extravaganza that India must feast on.
Part 2-The Conclusion onerously carries the equity of the first part on its shoulder and ups the scale on many counts—especially in heroism. Baahubali has been sketched out as such a symbol of strength and power that he makes you root for him throughout. Prabhas is terrific as father and son. What’s more, this part provides an answer to a question uppermost in everyone’s mind for the last two years—it tells you why Katappa, the old faithful, killed Baahubali Senior.
Amarendra Baahubali(Prabhas) and Bhalla Deva(Rana Daggubati) are cousins raised by the same mother, Sivagami(Ramya Krishnan) who is also the reigning Queen of Mahishmati. Amarendra is orphaned in his childhood and despite the fact that Bhalla is her own son, the Queen wants to crown Amarendra the King of Mahishmati because she feels that he has the true makings of a ruler and benefactor. Bhalla is peeved. His father and he conspire to overthrow Baahubali. And they use Kattappa(Sathyaraj) and the Sivagami as pawns in their game.
REVIEW
This part is more prequel than sequel because initially the story traces the origins of Baahubali’s father, who was originally meant to be the King of Mahishmati. It also delves on the love-story between Amarendra and Devasena(Anushka Shetty), who is mother of Mahendra Baahubali(Prabhas in a dual role.) Recounted in the folklore-meets-Aesop’s fable-style, the plot is simple and carries the good triumphs over evil thought forward just like the first part did. Albeit with some childish conspiracy theories added in. Of course, the end comes together in a long-drawn climax that could have been 10-minutes shorter.
But don’t judge Baahubali. Just savour it. It is a visual extravaganza that India must feast on.
Part 2-The Conclusion onerously carries the equity of the first part on its shoulder and ups the scale on many counts—especially in heroism. Baahubali has been sketched out as such a symbol of strength and power that he makes you root for him throughout. Prabhas is terrific as father and son. What’s more, this part provides an answer to a question uppermost in everyone’s mind for the last two years—it tells you why Katappa, the old faithful, killed Baahubali Senior.
Baahubali 2 total collection crosses Rs 600 crore mark in 4 days
SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali 2 (Bahubali: The Conclusion) has collected over 600 crore gross at the worldwide box office and shattered the lifetime collection record of Bahubali: The Beginning in four days.
Having rocked the box office over the weekend, the Prabhas and Rana Daggubali starrer was expected to continue its dream run on Monday, May 1, which happened to be the holiday on account of the Labour Day.
As per early estimates, Baahubali 2 registered fantastic response at the ticket counters in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala during the day.
In ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ the newfound team’s adventures continue as they fight their way to unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage.
REVIEW
With the exception of ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has notoriously struggled with their sequels. Be it Iron Man, Thor, or even The Avengers – none of the follow-ups managed to capture their predecessor’s magic. It’s not too surprising then that writer & director James Gunn tries to regurgitate the lightning–in-a-bottle success of the first film, by replicating some of the comedic elements that worked for it. Which isn’t entirely a bad thing – as this is arguably the most vibrant and whimsical comic book film we’ve seen in a while, and that’s precisely what it should be.
The movie’s ability to exist on it’s own two legs as an engaging, science-fiction story is it’s strongest point. This might come across as a disappointment to fans expecting a setup to upcoming films – ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, but keeping the proceedings self-contained to this ragtag bunch of anti-heroes is hardly a detrimental factor. In fact, it allows for a more personal look at each of these previously obscure characters, and delves into their individual psyches.
Since we’re relatively familiar with some of their idiosyncrasies, Gunn allows them to run wild to humorous effect, while revealing crucial aspects of their respective backstories. ‘No small parts’ is appropriate here, which is testament to Gunn’s ability as a writer and director to juggle a number of outlandish personalities – both old and new. He also extracts strong performances from a diverse bunch of actors, and all of them bring their A-game to the table as their prominent chemistry with each other is on full display.
Actress Elizabeth Hurley, who is currently filming ‘Phoenix Wilder: The Great Elephant Adventure’ in South Africa, took a break from her shooting schedule to take an elephant ride.
Hurley shared a photograph of her enjoying the ride over social media last week, reports dailymail.co.uk. In the image, the 51-year-old holds her hand in the air with joy as she rests on top an elephant. “Hello Africa! Adventures with elephants. This one was due to be culled until they rescued it,” Hurley wrote alongside the image.
‘Phoenix Wilder: The Great Elephant Adventure’ follows the story of a 12-year-old who outsmarts a gang of poachers and saves the elephants.
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators has rebuked the Board of Control for Cricket in India officials for delaying the naming of the Indian cricket team for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy in UK.
In a strongly-worded letter to acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary on Thursday, the CoA, led by former auditor general of India Vinod Rai, took exception to the Board’s stance to use the players as pawns in their revenue-share battle with the ICC bosses. “The BCCI appears to have lost sight of the fact that it attained a pre-eminent position in the ICC not by a combative approach but by building consensus and ensuring a positive image including by helping other cricket boards in their time of need,” the CoA said in its letter.
India, led by MS Dhoni, had won the ICC Champions Trophy in UK in 2013. India beat hosts England in a rain-hit final at Edgbaston. India start their 2017 ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 4. “There has been more than enough negativity surrounding Team India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy and the sooner the same is put to rest the better. The players’ interests are paramount and they must be given the best chance to prepare for, defend and retain the ICC Champions Trophy,” the administrators said.
According to the ICC’s revised financial model based on equity and good conscience, BCCI will receive $293 million across the eight year cycle, England $143m, Zimbabwe $94m and the remaining seven Full Members $132m each. Associate Members will receive funding of $280m. This model was passed 13 votes to one.
Unhappy with this model, India threatened to withdraw from the ICC Champions Trophy as a mark of protest. The CoA has rejected such an approach from the BCCI. India also failed to name their squad by April 25.
DUBAI (TIP): Recalling fond memories of his friendship with several Indian cricketers, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi on Thursday said that, contrary to popular perception, players from both the nations get along really well. Afridi, however, singled out veteran India opener Gautam Gambhir as the one with whom he doesn’t share a friendly equation.
For the record, the duo had a heated exchange on the field a few years back. In a column he wrote for the International Cricket Council as part of the build-up to the marquee clash between India and Pakistan in the Champions Trophy on June 4, Afridi fondly recalled his experiences of playing against the archrivals.
“Contrary to popular belief, India and Pakistan players get along very well. Of course, there are exceptions like Gautam Gambhir, who dare I say isn’t the friendliest,” Afridi wrote.
“We are unlikely to be found together at a coffee shop anytime soon. We had a heated exchange on the field some years ago and it made headlines all over the world. While I have moved on as I feel these things are part and parcel of the game, Gautam for some reason can’t get over it. Good luck to him!”
Afridi said he cherishes the time he spent with the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan. “The three are my good mates and we have some wonderful memories together from the times when both the sides used to play and tour each other on a regular basis. “In the early days of our careers, we used to hang out together quite a lot and spend time at each other’s homes. Now, all of us are married and, as such, responsibilities and priorities have changed. But whenever we catch-up, we meet with warmth and love, and remember our good times together,” he recollected.
NEW DELHI (TIP): Only once had a team chased more than 209 to win an IPL match and yet Delhi Daredevils made such short work of the target that by the last five overs, the required rate was less than a run a ball. This incredible situation was the result of local boy Rishabh Pant (97 off 43) and Sanju Samson’s (61 off 31) blitzkriegs. At one stage, the two batsmen together struck four successive deliveries for sixes. In all, there were 31 hits over the boundary line – a record for this tournament – and 20 of them came off the bat of the Daredevils as they raced to their target with 15 balls to spare and forced the Gujarat Lions out of the playoffs.
Earlier, impressive spells from Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins had turned the momentum after Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik struck rapid fifties, restricting Lions despite their having raced to 158 in their first 14 overs.
The Daredevils have a new tradition: they’d dropped at least one catch in each of their last two games. Today, they dropped three. Each of the reprieved batsman – Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa – had gone on to score 70 or more and Raina followed suit tonight. He was on 2 when Shreyas Iyer spilled a dolly at first slip off Rabada’s bowling. He was on 40 when Marlon Samuels couldn’t hold on to a flick aimed straight at him at midwicket.
Eventually, the latest beneficiary of the Daredevils Goodwill List finished with 77 off 43 balls.
At the other end, Karthik had not given Daredevils the slightest chance. He struck at a quicker rate than Raina as the pair counterpunched in response to being 10 for 2 by the second over to put on the Lions’ highest partnership (133) in the IPL.
It was around this time, though, that Daredevils began learning an important lesson: when the batsman gives you a chance, convert it. Rabada caught Raina short at the non-strikers with a direct hit from backward point. Next over, Karthik fell to one of the catches of the season – Corey Anderson leaping backwards with an outstretched left hand at mid-off, before executing the perfect tumble to hold on. For good measure, Pant pouched a skier to dismiss Aaron Finch in the penultimate over.
After their successful chase in the last game, Nair revealed the plan had been to play like a young side – hit hard and have fun. And it was the youngest of them all who masterminded this chase. Pant’s first scoring shot was a six on the up over cover, a sign that dew was making its presence felt, and of a batsman enforcing home advantage.
So when Raina decided that Pant’s Delhi team-mate Pradeep Sangwan would bowl the next over, he was asking for trouble. Pant welcomed Sangwan with 16 off the first three balls and the Daredevils had breached 50 inside the fifth over. James Faulkner conceding five runs to end the Powerplay would be the last instance of the Lions being in the game. The next six overs went for 90 runs; each over contained at least one six, the 11th went for three. When Samson – who hit seven sixes and no fours – was dismissed by Jadeja in the 14th over, Pant responded with a six and a four to bring the asking rate below run-a-ball. It was perhaps the perfect T20 innings. The only way it could have been better was if he had scored the three runs required to become IPL’s youngest centurion.
When Pant was caught behind for 97, Raina, knowing he will not play an IPL playoff match for the first time in 10 years, still came up and hugged the young man. It seemed like the handing of a baton, the IPL’s pre-eminent batsman heralding a new hero.
MINEOLA, NY (TIP): On the steps of Mineola Village Hall, former Mineola Mayor and State Senator Jack Martins announced, April 26, his candidacy for Nassau County Executive.
“For the first hundred years of its existence, Nassau County was the nation’s preeminent suburb and a magnet for investment, growth and prosperity,” said Martins. “Unfortunately, Nassau County’s second century has been marred by high taxes, corruption and fiscal instability.”
Surrounded by dozens of supporters including Mayors from across Nassau County, Martins articulated his vision to restore the public’s trust and reimagine county government. Through fiscal responsibility and accountability, Martins stressed the importance of making Nassau County more affordable for middle class families and returning local control of the county’s finances.
“One hundred and eighty-nine days ago, I called for a change in leadership in Nassau County,” Martins said. “Today, that change begins and we turn the page to begin a new chapter in Nassau County’s history.”
As the state senator representing North Hempstead and portions of the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay for three terms, Jack Martins worked to cap property taxes and state spending, roll back the MTA Payroll tax, end the unfair Gap Elimination Adjustment that redirected Long Island’s state school aid to New York City and passed the constitutional amendment stripping corrupt elected officials of their taxpayer funded pensions. Martins also led the Senate’s Workforce Development Task Force and chaired Senate committees on labor and local government.
“Jack Martins is exactly the person Nassau County needs right now,” said Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss. “Jack has the integrity, and the leadership we need in our elected officials.
Jack’s track record as Mayor of Mineola speaks for itself. He restructured Mineola’s finances and put the village on the right track,” concluded Strauss.
As mayor of the Village of Mineola, Jack Martins inherited many of the same challenges facing Nassau County–budget deficits, soaring debt and challenges to its assessment system. As mayor, Martins developed balanced, fiscally responsible budgets and debt management plans that substantially reduced Mineola’s debt and returned the village to a sound financial footing. He also led the effort to create Mineola’s award-winning master redevelopment plan that expanded the village’s economic base through smart growth principles.
“Jack Martins is a leader whose integrity speaks for itself. He will represent Nassau County well. Jack is honest and has the experience to solve the fiscal challenges that Nassau County faces every day,” said Stewart Manor Mayor Michael Onorato. “I’m proud to stand here with Jack and support him for county executive because he will provide honest leadership in Nassau County.”
“Jack Martins will provide the honest leadership Nassau County needs,” said Massapequa Park Mayor Jeffrey Pravato. “As the Mayor of Mineola, Jack distinguished himself as a bipartisan problem solver and I’m confident that, through Jack’s leadership, Nassau County will have a bright future,” concluded Pravato.
WASHINGTON (TIP): In an apparent reversal of his stated position on NAFTA, U.S. President Donald Trump told the leaders of Canada and Mexico on Wednesday, April 26, that he will not terminate the NAFTA treaty at this stage, but will move quickly to begin renegotiating it with them, the White House said.
President Donald Trump said he has told the leaders of Mexico and Canada that he will not pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement at this time, but could still withdraw if he concludes a renegotiated pact is not “a fair deal for all.”
Trump tweeted early Thursday, April 27, that he has agreed to remain a partner in the much-discussed trade agreement in calls he received from Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The White House released a statement late Wednesday saying only that Trump had assured the two leaders in phone conversations that the U.S. would not withdraw from NAFTA at this time.
In his Twitter post, Trump called America’s relationships with the two hemispheric neighbors “very good” and said the prospects of a renegotiated deal are “very possible.” But he also said that his consent to remaining in NAFTA for now is “subject to the fact that if we do not reach a fair deal for all, we will then terminate NAFTA.”
Speaking to reporters Thursday, April 27, before a White House meeting with Argentine President Mauricio Macri, Trump that he’d been planning to “terminate NAFTA as of two or three days from now,” but had been persuaded to reconsider, which he acknowledged “would be a pretty big, you know, shock to the system.”
Trump added, “Now, if I’m unable to make a fair deal, if I’m unable to make a fair deal for the United States, meaning a fair deal for our workers and our companies, I will terminate NAFTA. But we’re going to give renegotiation a good, strong shot.”
He later said renegotiation was “starting today.”
The statement came hours after administration officials said Trump was considering a draft executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the deal – though administration officials cautioned it was just one of a number of options being discussed by the president and his staff.
Some saw the threat as posturing by Trump to gain leverage over Mexico and Canada as he tries to negotiate changes to the deal. Trump railed against the decades-old trade deal during his campaign, describing it as a “disaster.”
Senior White House officials had spent recent days discussing steps that could be taken to start the process of renegotiating or withdrawing from NAFTA before the end of Trump’s first 100 days in office, according to a person familiar with the president’s thinking. But the person, along with an administration official, said a number of options remained on the table, and stressed discussions are ongoing about the best way to proceed.
Trump could withdraw from NAFTA – but he would have to give six months’ notice. And it is unclear what would happen next. The law Congress passed to enact the trade pact might remain in place, forcing Trump to wrangle with lawmakers and raising questions about the president’s authority to raise tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports.
The moves came days after the administration announced it would slap hefty tariffs on softwood lumber being imported from Canada. Trump has also been railing against changes in Canadian milk product pricing that he says are hurting the American dairy industry.
Trump told The Associated Press in an interview last week that he planned to either renegotiate or terminate NAFTA, which he and other critics blame for wiping out U.S. manufacturing jobs because it allowed companies to move factories to Mexico to take advantage of low-wage labor.
“I am very upset with NAFTA. I think NAFTA has been a catastrophic trade deal for the United States, trading agreement for the United States. It hurts us with Canada, and it hurts us with Mexico,” he said.
Staff Reporter NEW YORK (TIP): Donald Trump comes to New York as President on May 4. It will be his first visit to New York since moving into the White House.
The White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer disclosed that the president will visit the U.S.S. Intrepid, the decommissioned aircraft carrier on the West Side of Manhattan, where he will meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia to commemorate the 75th anniversary of a naval battle the countries fought alongside one another during World War II.
Malcolm Turnbull
Aboard the Intrepid, Mr. Trump will be meeting Mr. Turnbull in person for the first time since a terse phone call in February between the two leaders ended abruptly over Mr. Trump’s unwillingness to abide by an agreement to accept 1,250 refugees being held in an Australian detention center. The event will commemorate the 75th anniversary of Battle of the Coral Sea, in which the United States and Australia fought Japan. Vice President Mike Pence met with Mr. Turnbull in Sydney last week.
Mr. Trump has a long relationship with the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. He has donated to the museum, and landed his helicopter on the flight deck during an episode of his reality television show, “The Apprentice,” said Bill White, a former president of the museum. “I’m very happy to hear he’s visiting and bringing awareness to the Intrepid yet again,” Mr. White, who is a major Democratic Party fund-raiser, said in an email. “There’s no bigger honor than having the president of the United States come to visit.”
Meanwhile,”the city, where protests against Trump policies have erupted in parks, airports, schools, churches, synagogues, mosques, museums, restaurants and streets, to name just a few locations, is girding for what, in the inflamed atmosphere, may be a battle of its own”, said the New York Times.
At 5:56 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25, organizers for the Working Families Party got word of the visit via Twitter. By 6:02 they had agreed to hold a protest the day he returns, said Nelini Stamp, the party’s national membership director. In less than 24 hours since the event was posted on the group’s Facebook page and with protest plans still being figured out, more than 2,000 people had expressed interest in going.
“We want to make it as difficult as possible for him to be able to just walk onto the Intrepid and give this speech,” Ms. Stamp said.
“We want to make sure he knows he can’t just come back again,” she added. “It’s not a homecoming.”
“The mayor embraces this as an opportunity to remind the president that New York is the greatest city in the world because of, not in spite of, our diversity and inclusiveness,” said Eric Phillips, a mayoral spokesman. The New York City Police Department, he said, “is plenty prepared to handle the president’s security and the expected outpouring of New Yorkers who look forward to greeting him.”
The New York Police Department has estimated that it will cost $308,000 a day to protect the president when he is in town. “We recognize that this will be the president’s first official visit to New York City since taking office,” Stephen P. Davis, the chief spokesman for the police, said in an email, “and the N.Y.P.D. will assign the resources necessary for the security of this event.”
It is unclear if Mr. Trump will stay at his penthouse triplex in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, where his wife, Melania, and son Barron live. He may instead choose to stay at his country house in New Jersey, on the grounds of the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, about an hour’s drive from New York in the middle of horse country. The 1939 red brick Georgian Revival mansion has been referred to as Mr. Trump’s Camp David North. He met there with candidates for his cabinet during his time as president-elect.
NEW YORK (TIP): The Economic Times has reported that the Indian Ministry of Defense’s canteen stores department (CSD) has suspended the sale of Patanjali Ayurved’s Amla juice after receiving an adverse state-laboratory test report on the product.
India Today quoting The Economic Times said that the move came after the product was tested at the central food lab that found it to be ‘unfit for consumption’. Soon after the report was declared, the CSD asked all its depots to make debit notes for their existing stock so that the product can be returned. The Department has 34 depots located across India.
Patanjali Amla Juice
“The batch was tested at the Central Food Lab in Kolkata and was declared unfit for consumption. Patanjali has withdrawn Amla juice from all army canteens,” according to two officials. However, the detailed findings of the report are yet to be known.
Incidentally, this is the same lab that found almost two years ago lead levels above permissible limits, and the presence of MSG in the samples of Nestle Maggi noodles.
The latest development could hurt the Patanjali’s image as its Amla juice was the product that helped it strengthen its foothold in the Indian consumer market. However, Patanjali Ayurved has not reacted yet to the news.
This is the second time when Patanjali is facing such adverse situation. Last year in December, a local court in Haridwar slapped Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved’s five production units with a fine of Rs 11 lakh for “misbranding and putting up misleading advertisements” of their products.
Patanjali Ayurved was found guilty of misbranding as the products being shown by the company as produced at its own units were in fact manufactured somewhere else.
A case had been filed in the court against the company in 2012 by the District Food Safety Department after samples of mustard oil, salt, pineapple jam, besan and honey produced by Patanjali had failed quality tests at Rudrapur laboratory.
But strangely enough these products are being sold in markets abroad, in Canada, USA and UK where Patanjali is touted as promoter of Indian Ayurved and is backed by the image of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev. These products are available over the counter at grocery stores, besides pharmacies.
It remains to be seen whether countries like USA will take notice of Patanjali products failing laboratory tests in India and being rejected by customers like the government of India Defense Department which is a huge customer given the size of the armed forces, and subject Patanjali products to lab tests to ensure these are fit for human consumption.
FDA need to change its policy and bring Ayurved products under the list of products which need FDA approval, to ensure the products are not harmful. There should be no compromise on the health of US residents.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Encouraging foreign students who graduate with specialized degrees in the United States, the US administration had allowed them, especially STEM F-1 visa students to avail of the extended 24-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) period, apart from the regulation 12 months of the work-training they receive through the program: a lawsuit to revoke the extension has been dismissed in federal court.
OPT is a period during which undergraduate and graduate students with F-1 visa status, who have completed or have been pursuing their degrees for more than 9 months, are permitted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work for one year on a student visa towards getting practical training to complement their education.
Anti-immigration advocates have been targeting the OPT for several years, terming it as a job killer for American workers, a chance for American employers to avail of cheap labor and exploit foreign students.
Back in August 2015, a D.C. federal judge said the 2008 Department of Homeland Security rule that allows STEM graduates in F-1 status to obtain an additional 17 months of OPT time in the U.S. was deficient. The decision in Washington Alliance of Technology Workers v. U.S.
Department of Homeland Security was based on the fact that DHS did not go through the usual notice and comment period required for new regulations. The judge vacated the 2008 rule allowing the 17-month extension, however, a stay was put in place until a new regulation could be put in place. That new regulation took effect on May 10, 2016 and allows a new STEM OPT extension of 24-months. The same group of tech workers that challenged the old STEM OPT rule filed a new lawsuit in June 2016 in federal court again challenging DHS policy allowing student visa holders to work after completion of their studies. The new lawsuit brought by the Washington Alliance of Technology Workers argued that the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program denies labor protections to US tech workers, allows increased competition, allows unfair competition, provides foreign students the benefit of mentoring programs (i.e. the I-983 training plan) without requiring schools to give the same benefit to US workers, and violates procedural rights of US workers by failing to include the question of whether OPT should be expanded in the first place in the regulatory process. Washtech asked the court to issue a declaratory judgement (find in their favor without going through an entire trial) that DHS exceeded its authority by allowing F-1 students the ability to work, vacate the new regulations, and award attorney’s fees to Washtech.
The DHS argued in favor of retention of the extended 24-month OPT, and asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. Last month, a federal court in its ruling, granted only part of DHS’ motion to dismiss, but also denied part of the motion to dismiss. Now, in its final ruling on the case, the federal court has dismissed the lawsuit brought by the WATW, in favor of DHS. The decision means F-1 visa students in STEM-related studies will continue to get a total of three years of OPT during and after the program they are enrolled in. It also improves the chances of F-1 visa students to gain a good foothold in a job they take up in the US, and to be sponsored by the employer for an H-1B visa. Annually, 20,000 H-1B visas are reserved for F-1 visa higher degree graduates of US educational institutions. If there are more than 20,000 applications, they are pooled to compete for the general quota of 65,000 H-1B visas which are for all foreign workers.
NEW DELHI (TIP): The Missouri State University (MSU) in the US announced $5,000 scholarship for Indian students. The university will grant the scholarship on the basis of GPA scores — the students’ cumulative scores in 10th, 11th and 12th class — and their SAT scores.
“We have always welcomed Indian students and averaged a 120-130 of them till recently… Their current number is 55 and we would want this to grow, ” Stephen Robinette, Associate Vice President, International Program, MSU, told the media. There is no limitation on the number of scholarships and it can be extended to any number of students, he said.
Another university official tried to allay the fears of deportation or denial of visa, which have increased now in the light of President Donald Trump’s ban on immigrants from six countries and strict curbs on the H-1B visa holders.
“There has been no instance till date where applicants to MSU were denied visa… The Trump order is not on Indian students and the H-1B visa policy only applies to those who come to work here in professional capacity and not to those who study here and then continue to work,” Prateek Gujaral, Regional Head, South and Southeast Asia, MSU, said.
New York State Attorney General launches new law enforcement to crack down on violent heroin and Opioid traffickers
Schneiderman’s “S.U.R.G.E” Initiative brings together AG’s Organized Crime Task Force and Local and State Law Enforcement to target violent gangs
ALBANY, NY (TIP): Responding to the heroin epidemic’s rising death toll in New York’s suburban and upstate communities, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced, April 28, the launch of the Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (“S.U.R.G.E.”) Initiative, a new law enforcement effort spearheaded by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force that aims to disrupt New York’s widening heroin and opioid distribution networks. Specifically, the S.U.R.G.E Initiative will target gangs and individuals who deal heroin and opioids and commit acts of violence in suburban and upstate communities across New York State. To carry out this mission, the OAG’s Organized Crime Task Force, which has partnered with all levels law enforcement to arrest more than 750 individuals in metro areas across the state since 2010, will work closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement to investigate, arrest, and prosecute those criminals who target suburban and upstate areas.
On Thursday, AG Schneiderman and Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler announced the first successful takedown under the SURGE Initiative, arresting and indicting 52 people in Operation Bricktown, a multipronged investigation that dealt a major blow to one of Syracuse’s most violent drug dealing street gangs.
“By the Numbers: The Growing Drug Epidemic in New York,” an April 2017 report published by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, found that New York-like most the country-is experiencing a rise in drug-related deaths. According to the report, 14,173 people died from drugs in New York State between 2010 and 2015. In contrast, 9,754 people suffered drug-related deaths in the preceding six years (2004-2009). In 2015 alone, 3,009 New Yorkers died from drug overdoses or from chronic drug abuse-a 71 percent increase from 2010.
While the steady increase of drug-related deaths has been felt across the state, suburban and upstate communities have been hit particularly hard. In New York City, drug-related deaths increased by 45 percent since 2010. Comparatively, drug-related deaths increased by 84 percent in 17 counties outside of New York City (for which there is complete federal data). For example, in Onondaga County, the drug-related death rate increased by 145 percent from 8.8 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 21.6 in 2015.
“The S.U.R.G.E Initiative will bring our state’s most effective law enforcement resources to bear in the fight against New York’s growing opioid and heroin epidemic,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “I am proud that my Organized Crime Task Force has partnered with state and local enforcement to bring over 750 accused drug and gun dealers to justice since 2010. By directing resources to the communities that need our help the most, we can help curb some the heroin epidemic’s most devastating consequences for New Yorkers. With overdose deaths on the rise and federal funding for drug prevention on the chopping block, the S.U.R.G.E Initiative will be an important part of my office’s multipronged approach to fighting the expansive and violent heroin and opioid distribution networks across New York State.”
Since 2010, Attorney General Schneiderman has launched a multi-pronged strategy to tackle New York’s constantly evolving heroin and opioid epidemic. Some of the Attorney General’s most significant drug addiction and treatment achievements on behalf of New Yorkers include:
Obtaining settlements with major domestic and global health insurers including Cigna, Anthem, and Empire BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS), which insures over 4 million New Yorkers, to remove barriers to life-saving treatment for opioid use disorder. The agreement put an end to the insurers’ policy of requiring prior authorization for medication-assisted treatment (“MAT”), which can lead to significant delays for patients seeking relief from addiction.
Creating the Internet System for Tracking Over- Prescribing Act (“I-STOP), a series of enhancements to New York’s prescription drug monitoring program that provided doctors with patient’s up-to-date controlled substance prescription history and established a safe disposal program providing a place for New Yorkers to get rid of expired and unneeded drugs-thus reducing the likelihood of stolen and forged prescriptions being used to obtain controlled substances from pharmacies. I-STOP also reduced “doctor shopping,” a practice in which an individual attempt to obtain the same or similar prescriptions from multiple physicians, by 90% since 2014.
Launching the Community Overdose Prevention (“COP”) program, a life-saving initiative that enabled state and local law-enforcement officers in the state of New York to carry naloxone, the extremely effective heroin antidote that can instantly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Since the program’s implementation in April 2014, more than 100 overdoses were reversed using kits provided by the COP program, which distributed over 27,000 kits across the state.
Obtaining an agreement with Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to cut and cap the price of naloxone for all agencies in New York State, reducing the price of naloxone by nearly 20 percent.
Enforcing Mental Health Parity Laws to reach agreements with five insurance companies, Cigna, MVP Health Care, EmblemHealth, Excellus, and ValueOptions, requiring the companies to provide notice of a new appeal right to members whose requests for inpatient substance use disorder rehabilitation and eating disorder residential treatment were denied from 2011 through 2014. The estimated value of Excellus’s denial of these individuals’ requests alone totaled $9 million.
Successfully prosecuting more than ten licensed prescribers including operators of “pill mills” and other unlawful practices form crimes related to improper opioid prescriptions.
“Combatting the heroin and opioid epidemic remains one of my top priorities and through key partnerships with law enforcement officials and other organizations we can help turn the tide and save lives,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “I commend Attorney General Schneiderman on this bold initiative and support his efforts to eradicate those who are exploiting others and tearing families apart.”
AG’s initiative has been widely welcomed by politicians and officials across the State.
French voters have defied predictions time and again. In 1995, Jacques Chirac, a Gaullist conservative who had been trailing in opinion polls, won the presidency. In 2002, they sent Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right, Holocaust-denying leader of the National Front, to the second round, only to defeat him there.
As they prepare to head to the polls on Sunday, predictions are even more difficult. Of the 11 candidates in the fray, four are seen to be leading contenders for the second round on May 7, when the top two face off against each other.
Historically, French politics has been divided between the conservatives and the socialists. This balance between the establishment parties is being tested this time with three ‘outsiders’ among the four leading candidates – independent Emmanuel Macron, the National Front’s Marine Le Pen and leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Some opinion polls still give a chance to the conservative candidate, François Fillon, but he is mired in a corruption scandal. The Socialists, directionless after five years of François Hollande’s highly unpopular presidency, appear to be out of the race even before polling for the first round begins.
The four-way race offers a picture of the issues that shape the election agenda.
While Mr. Macron promises to launch gradual economic and labor reforms and retain the status quo in foreign policy, Mr. Fillon wants radical reforms, including an overhaul of the labor code and sacking of public servants en masse, and closer ties with Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Ms. Le Pen, a Eurosceptic, is consolidating her base on anti-immigration and anti-globalization rhetoric, much like Donald Trump did in the U.S. elections last year. Mr. Mélenchon, who surged in the polls in the last weeks of the campaign, stays focused on economic issues with promises to raise public spending and taxes on the rich.
The country’s political and business establishment might prefer the victory of Mr. Macron as the other pro-business candidate is facing corruption allegations. But the outcome is anything but certain, given that a substantial chunk of voters remains undecided and that the kind of anti-establishment anger that helped Mr. Trump and Britain’s pro-Brexit camp remains strong in France as well.
The unemployment rate is over 20% among the youth, while economic growth never really revived after the 2008 financial crisis. Besides, security concerns remain paramount after the terror attacks in Paris and Nice over the past 18 months.
Thursday night’s shooting in Paris that killed a policeman, and was claimed by the Islamic State, exposes how volatile the security situation is – something that Ms. Le Pen’s campaign is trying to cash in on during the final stretch.
In many ways this will be the most crucial election in France’s modern history. Its results will have profound implications not just on French politics but also on the future of the European Union.
The American presidency remains undoubtedly the most powerful office in the world. The man who sits in the Oval Office can mug anyone of hishappiness. The relief, if any, of these first hundred days is Trump has notbeen allowed to be reckless. Institutional constraints, liberal pieties and a vigorous media have combined to subject him to the rites of scrutiny and accountability. And, this should be a matter of enormous satisfaction to democratic voices and forces even beyond the United States”, says the author – Harish Khare.
April 29 is Donald Trump’s 100th day in the White House. When on November 8 last year he got himself elected to the office of President of the United States, the rest of the world wondered how could have the Americans opted for this man; how could America – the land of Harvard and Yale, Princeton and MIT, the New York Times, Washington Post, the New Yorker – elect a man who is gratuitously boorish, determinedly anti-intellectual, and just a greedy businessman, with no record whatsoever of any public service? Well, democracies do sometimes produce false and flawed results. Donald Trump assumed charge on January 20th this year. Has he dismantled and destroyed the United States as his detractors feared; or, has he created the kind of global chaos that the world capitals had apprehended?Perhaps the first hundred days may be too short a period to allow any definitive conclusions, but it is feasible to believe that the fears of an American meltdown were vastly exaggerated. The curative power of democracy has had its impact.
Though Donald Trump won the Presidency in November 2016 he did not win the popular vote. Those who did not vote for him thought they had a right to deny him the kind of honeymoon the Presidents are normally granted. The first hundred days have been full of confrontation and cock-ups. Washington’s in-crowd resents him, as it resents anyone who is seen as an outsider, just as it had scorned the Jimmy Carters and the Bill Clintons. On his part, the cantankerous and quarrelsome Trump is not the one to turn the other cheek. He has, in fact, not passed up any chance to throw a brick through his rivals’ glass window.
Trump is an aberration. The Americans’ sense of disappointment can be traced to the simple fact that these last eight years the United States and the world had got used to a substantive, and at times searing, presidential rhetoric. Nobody has yet accused Trump of eloquence. A distinct sense of shoddiness emanates from the fact that unlike his predecessor, who was often suspected of being too professorial, Donald Trump has positioned himself as a street brawler. And, he has lived up the part, using Twitter as a knuckle-duster, throwing 140-letter punches at rivals at home and abroad.
Authority in Washington, as per the American constitutional arrangements, is a divided proposition. Presidential effectiveness invariably depends on the White House’s ability to work with different groups, build up consensus, lead a coalition almost on every issue; despite his self-belief as a wonderful deal-maker, Trump has yet to demonstrate the skills and the attitudes needed to work with other institutional players in Washington. Consequently, the others keep snipping at his heels; and, he is happy to bark back. The last hundred days have seen unhappy departures from good presidential manners. This constant brawling and an itch for confrontation have necessarily deprived the President of an aura of respectability.
Democracies look for a sense of moral authenticity and gravitas in their leaders; there is an implicit need to have confidence in their leaders and to believe that they are being led by an exemplary personality of virtuosity and moral luster. Citizens need to respect their leaders. But Donald Trump refuses to climb on to the pedestal.
Because he came to office tapping the resentments and frustrations of the American voters with the so-called elites and at the foreigners who had taken away jobs out of the United States, Trump feels he needs to keep his legions’ anger simmering. Unsurprisingly, his very first executive decisions were directed against the immigrants, at least the undocumented ones, but he found himself having to deal with judicial challenges. As if the sense of confrontation with the judicial branch was not enough, the President has thoughtlessly engaged the media in a hit-and-run campaign. All this has not helped the President garner any kind of respectability at home.
The Americans remain unsure whether the President has satisfactorily insulated his office from his complicated and not-so-honorable business interests; they are definitely not amused that the Trump Family seems to be acquiring so much say in the day-to-day functioning of the presidency. The President remains unconcerned; perhaps his obduracy stems from the fact that he never had a political office before and therefore remains uneducated in the leader’s obligation to appreciate and respect public sensibilities.
Because Trump has put in place a new culture of disruptive disagreement in the domestic discourse, it is bound to have implications in the United States’ relationship with the world. A President who is not respected at home finds it difficult to earn applause abroad. The domestic combativeness means that President Trump cannot be relied upon to provide and articulate any kind of ideological or political global leadership, an obligation that the American Presidents since Franklin D Roosevelt have invariably discharged.
Trump came to the Oval Office after accusing the external forces – the Chinese, the Mexicans, the Europeans -of being unfair to the United States and being a cause, direct or indirect, of American economic decline. He promised protectionism and isolationism. He promised to stay at home, refusing to play the global sheriff; he declared himself unimmured of the so-called global architecture; his preference, he declared, would be for bilateral deals and duels.
Much to the relief of the globalists on the east coast, he, as President, seems inclined to hew the conventional line. He has not stayed home. He has gone and dropped the mother of all bombs in Afghanistan; fired missiles at Syria because the Assad regime was being bad boys; and, this week sent his Vice-President to do a bit of macho-posturing against North Korea.
The Chinese seem to have sorted Trump out. Demonstrating diplomatic dexterity, they have refused to be provoked but have expressed themselves strongly when it was felt necessary to do so; they have baffled him, practicing simultaneously confrontation, cooperation and cooption.
The Europeans are no longer alarmed by Trump’s isolationism; he has found some merit in NATO. They realize that they have to put their own house in order and they are relieved that they do not have to deal with Trump’s disruption of the European project. The Russians, on the other hand, are happy to take him for a ride, too.
The American presidency remains undoubtedly the most powerful office in the world. The man who sits in the Oval Office can mug anyone of his happiness. The relief, if any, of these first hundred days is Trump has not been allowed to be reckless. Institutional constraints, liberal pieties and a vigorous media have combined to subject him to the rites of scrutiny and accountability. And, this should be a matter of enormous satisfaction to democratic voices and forces even beyond the United States.
(The author is editor-in – chief of Tribune group of publications)
Author – Faizan Mustafa (The author is Vice Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad).
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has, in a recent meeting, decided on a code of conduct for divorce. In a major climbdown, it has conceded ground and resolved in favor of “one divorce.” Therefore, instant triple divorce will no more be an option with a Muslim male. by the discussions on television channels it seems all Muslim women are getting instant triple divorce. But then facts are just opposite and speak for themselves. As per the 2011 Census, only 0.49 per cent Muslim women were divorcees and all of them have not been given triple divorce. Though fatwas are nothing more than opinions and do not have any legal sanctity yet they do give us some indication about the legal problems on which Muslims seek opinion of the clergy.
Anybody and everybody has been commenting on triple talaq. There has been an utter confusion about what it really means. We bring to readers of The Indian Panorama informed view of a scholar in the hope that misinterpretations will get removed. Readers’ comments are welcome. – EDITOR
To find out prevalence of triple divorce, this author collected data from Darul iftaa (institutions which issue fatwas). The data from ten states revealed that that in last one year 340,206 fatwas were sought. Of which only 6.50 per cent fatwas were asked about triple divorce. The Supreme Court had refused to ban Darul Qaza (Sharia courts) rejecting the plea of them being parallel judicial forum. The apex court had rightly termed them as mere arbitration councils. Data from 33 such councils collected by this author too reveals that these councils never grant triple divorce and divorce is permitted only through one pronouncement preceded by efforts of reconciliation through arbitration. Such institutions are mostly used by the Muslim women for either getting divorce or annulment or cancellation of marriage as getting settlements from such forums is speedier and cost-effective.
Wrong impression
Similarly, a wrong impression has been created that most Muslim women are getting triple divorces through phone, email and via sms. Even according to Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan’s (BMAA) case study on triple divorce only one divorce out of 117 was given in this manner. As per BMMA’s own findings, only 0.2 per cent got divorces on phone, just 0.6 per cent received divorce through email. Similarly, in another survey by BMMA, out of 521divorces, only one woman got triple divorce via SMS that is, only 0.19 per cent. Thus, the problem is not as serious as is made out by the Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath governments.
The current case in the apex court was originally about the denial of inheritance right to Hindu women under the 2005 amendment. This lady had won the case against her brothers in the high court but she lost in the Supreme Court. At the end of judgment, strangely the bench of Justice Dave and Justice Goel ordered that Muslim law is discriminatory and ordered on its own the filing of Public Interest Litigation. Thus, the current PIL by Shayra Bano to get triple divorce declared as unconstitutional.
The case has taken an interesting twist because her husband who had given her triple divorce has filed a case for the restitution of conjugal rights. It was she who had left the matrimonial home.
As per the current law laid down by the apex court in 2002, Muslim divorce has to be for a reasonable cause and must be preceded by efforts of reconciliation through arbitration. The Supreme Court has also held that three pronouncements will be counted as only one revocable divorce. Thus, instant triple divorce no more dissolves marriage, except in cases of divorce by mutual consent and divorce at the initiative of the wife or exercise of right to divorce by her where such a right has been delegated to her by the husband at the time of marriage.
The position of All India Muslim Personal Board (AIMPB) on this issue has been quite regressive, rigid and unyielding. It has been consistently asserting that though instant triple divorce is undesirable and sinful yet nevertheless valid. It had the audacity to assert in the Supreme Court that if triple divorce is not permitted, husbands may kill their wives and therefore triple divorce is in the interests of wives. What is the reason of this inflexible stand? Law making is indeed a private enterprise in Islam. Jurists intervene between God and State. Muslim Personal Law is based on the interpretations given by various jurists. Since earlier jurists with the exceptions of few did opine that instant triple divorce does dissolve marriage, due to doctrine of taqleed (imitation of earlier juristic view), ulema of Hanafi school (followers of Abu Hanifa) of the Sunni sect who dominate board feel constrained by the views of early leaders of this school.
In this context, on 15-16 April, 2017, the unanimous decision of the AIMPLB therefore is a huge climbdown. The Board has softened its rigid stand and has issued detailed eight-step instructions on how divorce will henceforth take place among Indian Muslims. (See box)
Thus, the Board has fully incorporated the elaborate process of divorce given in the Quran and has also complied with the law laid down by the Supreme Court in the Shamimara case. The result of this historic decision is that instant triple divorce will no more be an option with a Muslim male. The Indian media which has very low level of trustworthiness did not report this decision in the right perspective. It criticized the board for not punishing the person who will still give instant triple divorce. Television anchors at the top of their voice criticized that mere social boycott will not suffice.
The AIMPLB is, of course, an NGO with a huge following among Muslims. As many as 4.8 crore Muslims have given signed petitions endorsing the Board’s position on Muslim Personal Law. These petitions have now been submitted to the Law Commission. Thus, the Board’s social boycott may work as deterrent on ground. Though this author is not in favor of the power of social boycott or ex-communication being given to either clergy or khap panchayats and opposes the apex court verdict on this issue.
As law stands today, the Supreme Court did uphold such a power about Bohra Muslims in the Syedna Tahir Saifuddin case. Tankhiya or ex-communication among Sikhs too is widely practiced. Even President Zail Singh was ex-communicated on the issue of Operation Blue Star. Only Parliament has the power to create new crimes and provide punishments for such crimes. Thus, even the Supreme Court cannot punish people for giving triple divorce but Parliament can certainly do so.
Slow process of reform
Personal law being religious law cannot be reformed in one go. We started the process of Hindu Law Reform in 1941, with the appointment of Hindu Law Reform Committee. After several compromises with the Hindu right, the Hindu Code Bill could be passed in 1955 with bifurcation into three separate Bills. A Hindu daughter could be made a coparcener with a right to inherit ancestral property only in 2005. The reform process is not yet over even after 76 years. Thus, we must appreciate the AIMPLB in taking the first positive step in the direction of reforms. I see some light at the end of tunnel.
The reform process will indeed be painfully slow. When reforms come from within, there will be greater acceptability of reforms. We must realize that if the people in the family and neighbors consider that divorce has taken place, mere declaration by the Supreme Court that it has not taken place would not drastically change the ground situation.
Law is not a great agent of social control and we must accept its limitations in bringing about social change. Things which society considers illegal, law on its own cannot easily make them legal. Similarly, what society considers legal, law cannot make illegal. Poor implementation of dowry laws is a case in point.
Moreover, at times the wife herself may believe that triple divorce has irrevocably dissolved her marriage. In the Masroor Ahmad case, the wife had filed the case of rape against the husband who continued to have sexual relations with her even after giving her triple divorce. Of course, the Delhi High Court held that since three pronouncements are to be counted as one, she continued to be his wife and thus there was no rape. It is disgusting to note that India still does not recognize marital rape as rape.
AIMPLB has a major role to play in internal law reforms. If religious leaders, ulema and imams under the control of the Board proactively preach in their Friday sermons the correct way of divorce as per the latest resolution, triple divorce will die a natural death. Divorce should neither be too difficult nor too easy. In fact, if married life has become hell, there is no point in forcing incompatible partners to bear everyday torture. In number of cases of Hindu law, the Supreme Court had to use its extraordinary power of doing complete justice under Article 142 to permit divorce even prior to the end of the statutorily mandated period of separation.
The eight-step code of conduct for talaq as given by AIMPLB
Firstly, if there are difference between spouses, they will try to resolve them amicably by talking to each other in the spirit of forgiveness and accommodation. The resolution said that if there are shortcomings in one person, the other person should overlook them as there must be several good or plus points as well.
Secondly, if above conversation does not give desired results, there may be temporary withdrawal of the company of the spouse while continuing to live in the same house.
Thirdly, in case of failure of first two steps if differences continue to persist, parties should try sincere reconciliation within family or by appointing one arbitrator from each side. No stone should be left unturned in making parties agree to reconciliation.
Fourthly, if arbitration does not yield positive results and there is no possibility of patch up and “irretrievable breakdown of marriage” has really taken place, only one divorce is to be pronounced by the husband.
Fifthly, this single pronouncement is to be compulsorily followed by the waiting period of three months or if the wife is pregnant till the delivery of the child.
Sixthly, if during this waiting period, parties change their mind and see value in living together, they need not do anything more and the divorce would automatically stand revoked.
Seventhly, if no express or implied revocation of divorce takes place within the waiting period, divorce would become complete at the end of three months or extended period due to pregnancy.
Finally, if after some time, parties again realize out of their free will that they want to yet again reunite, they need not do any intervening marriage (halala), just a fresh nikah with new terms and conditions and fresh meher (dower payment to wife) would suffice to revive their relationship.
Data on divorce
Darul Iftaa data from 10 states revealed that that in last one year 340,206 fatwas were sought. Of which only 6.50 per cent fatwas were asked about triple divorce. According to Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan’s (BMAA) case study on triple divorce, only one divorce out of 117 was given in this manner.
As per BMMA’s findings, only 0.2 per cent got divorces on phone, just 0.6 per cent received divorce through email. In another survey, out of 521 divorces only one woman got triple divorce via SMS, that is only 0.19 per cent.
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