The Indian Panorama

Year: 2018

  • The Big Bank Theory: Mergers should not be Tools to hide NPA Mess

    The Big Bank Theory: Mergers should not be Tools to hide NPA Mess

    The government has opted for a convenient tactic to address the Rs 10 lakh plus crore mess in public sector banks (PSBs). Dena Bank — one of the worst performing PSBs — was forbidden by the RBI from extending new credits under its stringent prompt corrective action (PCA). But it has now received a fresh lease of life by the recent three-bank merger. With this deft move, the government has effortlessly shifted Dena Bank’s liabilities to two healthier siblings — Bank of Baroda and Vijaya Bank. The logic is appealing. Two strong banks will absorb a weak bank and create India’s third largest bank with much greater lending power. The government seems unmindful of the fact that rogue banks such as Dena got into trouble because of indiscriminate, often fraudulent, lending. Will the merger absolve Dena Bank of its misdemeanors? If not, who are the culprits for the sorry state of Dena Bank? Will the merger become a cover to conceal a financial crime and protect the offenders, including irresponsible bank officials, forever? The people, the ultimate owners of public sector banks, must be informed unambiguously.

    In its hurry to contain the rising non-performing assets (NPAs), the government should not commit another blunder. It should professionally evaluate the State Bank of India experiment before proclaiming it as a universal solution. The net profit of SBI has dropped alarmingly after it was forced to absorb five of its associate banks besides the Bharatiya Mahila Bank. Similarly, the takeover of the ailing IDBI by LIC cannot be termed as a sound business decision.

    There is nothing wrong in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) per se. They are acceptable tools for corporates to expand and consolidate their businesses. M&As must, however, happen purely on commercial considerations and must not be politically imposed. While PSBs are promoted by the government, they are run by their respective professional boards, which alone should take such decisions. Their state of affairs suggests that the right approach should be to change their governance structure to eliminate excessive political interference that resulted in unmanageable NPAs.

    (Tribune, Chandigarh)

  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott heads for India, hoping to woo investment and jobs

    Texas Gov. Greg Abbott heads for India, hoping to woo investment and jobs

    AUSTIN, TX(TIP): There is a rising demographic force in North Texas — Indians, as in people from South Asia’s largest country.

    It soon will be the earth’s most populous nation, home to one of about every six people.

    In Dallas-Fort Worth as well as in the rest of Texas, political bloodhound Greg Abbott has the scent.

    The Republican governor senses something big is happening and admits his nine-day jaunt to India that began Thursday is about far more than commerce.

    The mostly well-educated, affluent Indians who have flocked in big numbers to upscale and in some cases downright ritzy suburbs of Dallas are breaking barriers, running for office and embracing assimilation into their adopted country.

    Their participation in Texas communities is building a potential bloc of votes and political contributions that Abbott hopes to someday harvest.

    “The Indian community in Texas is more Republican than the Republican Party in Texas,” Abbott said as he flew into Mumbai on a nine-day trade mission Friday.

    “They are genuine economic conservatives. They strongly believe in the free enterprise system and a governmental structure that supports that. And they are very strongly pro-family and pro-military. They’re just very patriotic.”

    Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson said Abbott is eager to broaden his base of support.

    “Most Texans, including Gov. Abbott, know and follow the injunction to ‘hunt where the ducks are,’ ” he said. “More and more of these ducks are South Asian, with professional educations and incomes, able to make political contributions and increasingly willing to step out as voters and candidates.”

  • In 41 trips to 52 countries in 4 years, PM Narendra Modi spent Rs 355 crore: RTI

    In 41 trips to 52 countries in 4 years, PM Narendra Modi spent Rs 355 crore: RTI

    NEW YORK(TIP): Of the 41 trips by Modi to 52 countries, the highest amount was spent on his nine-day tri-nation visit to France, Germany and Canada.

    In his 48 months as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi made 41 trips to over 50 countries, at a total cost of Rs 355 crore.  He was abroad for a cumulative 165 days. The figures are up to Mid-June 2018.

    This was revealed through replies to Right to Information (RTI) queries submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) by RTI activist Bhimappa Gadad, who shared these replies with the media.

    Of these 41 trips by PM Modi to 52 countries, the highest amount was spent on his nine-day tri-nation visit to France, Germany and Canada between April 9 and 15, 2015, which incurred expenses to the tune of Rs 31,25,78,000; and the least expensive trip was his very first one as Prime Minister, to Bhutan on June 15-16, 2014 at a cost of Rs 2,45,27,465.

    Gadad, who filed the RTI petition seeking details about expenses on PM’s foreign trips, said he filed it out of curiosity. “A few years ago, I had applied for details of foreign visits by chief ministers of Karnataka. Recently, I was going through news reports wherein Prime Minister’s foreign visits were heavily criticized. Then I applied under RTI seeking details of PM’s foreign visits and I was really shocked to know the details,” he said.

    He is bitter about the PMO not providing information on domestic travels of the Prime Minister. “They have not furnished details of domestic visits and expenses for security provided during the visits. I did not ask for details of security measures. I just asked for the expenses, but they refused, saying the SPG security organization, which takes care of PM security, is exempted from the purview of RTI,” he said.

    “Though I got the information out of curiosity, I want it to reach the public. Everyone should know about it,” he said, adding that the Centre should also release reports on the benefits to the country emerging from these visits.

  • Air India Regional Manager Americas Vandana Sharma Transferred to Delhi

    Air India Regional Manager Americas Vandana Sharma Transferred to Delhi

    NEW YORK(TIP) Air India Regional Manager Vandana Sharma has been transferred to Delhi. She will assume charge as Deputy General Manager at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

    Ms Sharma’s tenure of nearly 3 years (she took over as RM Americas in 2015) has been an eventful one. She has since helped Air India to grow from 21 flights per week out of three gateways in the United States to approximately 36 flights per week out of five gateways.

    Having achieved a high leadership role at Air India—which she noted has the highest percentage of women pilots in the world—Sharma said she believed that it is important that companies hire an equal number of men and women.

    A workaholic, Ms Sharma says: “Each day is a test of skills and capabilities and gives me an opportunity to learn”.

  • Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan to meet on the sidelines of UNGA in New York

    Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan to meet on the sidelines of UNGA in New York

    India’s positive response to Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s call for a dialogue

    Swaraj to discuss Kartarpur corridor with Pak foreign minister

    NEW DELHI(TIP): India on Thursday, September 20, accepted Pakistan’s proposal for talks between the Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the ongoing 73rdannual UN General Assembly session in New York.

    “On the request of the Pakistani side, a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at a mutually decided date and time,” said Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.

    India’s response came within hours of the news that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan proposed talks between the two senior Ministers. However, India said the talks would not be aimed at a broader scheme of dialogue.

    The MEA spokesperson emphasized that despite agreeing to the meeting, India stuck to its position that talks and terror could not go together.

    He said, “This [the upcoming meeting] does not indicate any change as far as our policies on terrorism and cross-border terrorism are concerned.”

    Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan proposed the new round of talks in a letter to his Indian counterpart, handed over on September 17.

    “Building on the mutual desire for peace between our two countries, I wish to propose a meeting between Foreign Minister Qureshi and External Affairs Minister Swaraj, before the informal meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York,” he said, seeking resumption of the dialogue started by his predecessor Nawaz Sharif. The Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue stalled after the January 2016 terror strike on the Pathankot airbase.

    In the letter, Mr. Khan also suggested that the Foreign Ministers discuss the holding of the SAARC summit in Islamabad, which has been delayed by India’s reluctance to join.

    However, the MEA spokesperson said India’s position on joining the SAARC summit in Islamabad remained unchanged.

    “Time and again we have said that the atmosphere in the region is not conducive. Under the shadow of cross-border terrorism, it is difficult to hold the summit that is to be hosted by Pakistan.”

    Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, while addressing a presser at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, responded to questions on the proposed meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, announced a day after the body of a Border Security Force jawan was found with obvious torture marks.

    “We must have faith in the Indian forces that they would retaliate at an appropriate time. There should not be any politics on the bodies of martyrs,” he said.

    Amid a political row over the Kartarpur Sahib corridor opening issue, India has announced that it will raise the matter formally with Pakistan once again next week.

    The issue will be flagged by India when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj travels to New York for UNGA (United Nations General Assembly). Swaraj will hold a meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi along the UNGA sidelines, announced India today. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar clarified that no formal proposal for opening up of the nearly 4-km long corridor revered by Sikh pilgrims has been received from Islamabad.

    “Even now, we have not received any official communication that the Pakistani government is willing to consider this matter. EAM will, therefore, raise this issue in her meeting with the Pakistani Foreign Minister on the sidelines of UNGA,” said Raveesh Kumar.

    India also underlined that despite several requests, including during late PM Vajpayee’s Lahore visit in 1999, to consider a visa free visit to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara, the shrine is still not a part of the list under the 1974 Protocol. The Protocol lists out the religious shrines between India and Pakistan to facilitate visits of pilgrims from each side. Subsequently the matter was raised between 2004 and 2005 by former PM Manmohan Singh, former Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal and at the Foreign Secretary level talks.

    “In 2005, Pakistan agreed to allow visit to three shrines with visas, including to Kartarpur but did not include it in Protocol. In 2008, the then EAM (External Affairs Minister) raised the issue of Kartarpur Sahib corridor with the then Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. However, there has not been any official response from Pakistani side since then,” said Raveesh Kumar.

    Incidentally, Qureshi is now back in the Imran Khan government as the Pakistani Foreign Minister.

    The matter snowballed into a fresh controversy following visit of Punjab Minister Navjot Sidhu to Islamabad for Imran Khan’s swearing in ceremony and his interaction with Pak Army chief Bajwa reportedly on the matter. Since then political parties have traded charges in the state while trying to stake claim as the credible interlocutor on the matter. Sidhu as well as Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Badal wrote letters to Swaraj on the matter.

     

     

  • Shinzo Abe Wins Party Vote: Poised to Become Japan’s Longest-Serving Leader

    Shinzo Abe Wins Party Vote: Poised to Become Japan’s Longest-Serving Leader

    TOKYO(TIP): Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was re-elected as head of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a landslide Thursday, September 20, paving the way for up to three more years as the nation’s leader.

    “It’s time to tackle a constitutional revision,” Abe said in a victory speech. “Now the fight is over.”

    Abe said he’s determined to use his last term to pursue his policy goals to “sum up” Japan’s postwar diplomacy to ensure peace in the country.

    “Let’s work together to make a new Japan,” he said.

    Abe, who has been prime minister since December 2012, has cemented control of his party and received support from conservatives for bringing stability and continuity to economic and diplomatic policies. With a third term as party leader, Abe is poised to become Japan’s longest-serving leader in August 2021.

    Still, he faces several challenges, including dealing with Japan’s aging and declining population, a royal succession in the spring, and a consumption tax hike to 10% he has already delayed twice. He faces security concerns stemming from North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, and China’s increasingly assertive activity in the region, as well as intensifying trade friction with the U.S. which could shake his friendly relations with President Donald Trump.

    Abe has said he is determined to push for a revision to the U.S.-drafted 1947 constitution, a decades-old pledge of the Liberal Democratic Party since its foundation in 1955 and a goal that none of Abe’s predecessors has been able to achieve.

    Abe has said he hopes his party could submit a draft constitution revision to a parliamentary session later this year ahead of a national referendum. Abe is proposing to add a clause to Article 9, which bans the use of force in settling international disputes, to explicitly permit the existence of Japan’s military, now called the Self-Defense Force.

    Many conservatives see the constitution as a humiliation imposed on Japan following its World War II defeat. Among them was Abe’s grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who served as prime minister 1957-1960. Kishi was imprisoned as a suspected war criminal during the U.S. occupation.

    Constitutional revision is divisive and it’s unclear whether Abe could get enough votes for passage.

    Abe and his senior party members want to rush a revision while their ruling coalition still holds two-thirds super majority in both houses — a requirement to propose a revision. The next parliamentary election is due next summer.

    For the public, the constitution is a lesser concern than issues such as pay, education and the high cost of child care, surveys show.

    If a revision is voted down in a national referendum, Abe would likely have to step down

    Abe has survived a series of scandals, including cronyism allegations against him and his wife. Despite attacks from opposition parties and criticism in the media, he has seen his support ratings bounce back to about 40%, considered high for a Japanese leader after nearly six years in office.

    An extended term for Abe is generally seen as good news for stability and continuity.

    “A stable government under a strong leader is good for the economy and diplomacy, and Prime Minister Abe has established a rather significant presence in diplomacy,” said Yu Uchiyama, a University of Tokyo politics professor.

    But his long and strong leadership has caused a lack of political competitiveness, Uchiyama said.

    “The biggest concern about Japanese politics is how to restore competition in politics and reactivate democracy,” Uchiyama said.

    In Thursday’s leadership vote, Abe handily defeated his sole challenger, Shigeru Ishiba, a former defense minister. Abe won 553, or about 70%, of 807 votes.

    Abe took 80% of parliamentarian votes, while support from regional rank-and-file party members was at 55%, though it fell within projections.

    Experts see the margin of victory in regional member votes as a more accurate indicator of general public sentiment than the parliamentarian votes. Abe’s softer showing there means he will have to be more mindful of voices coming from outside parliament.

    Abe’s dominance has been bolstered by the strengthening of the Prime Minister’s Office, allowing him and his party executives to monopolize decisions over policies and personnel affairs, experts say. The system has accommodated Abe’s long reign, as many lawmakers are primarily interested in getting Abe and other senior lawmakers’ backing in elections.

    (Source: Agencies)

     

     

     

     

  • The Accuser of Sexual Assault by Judge Kavanaugh to Testify Next Week

    The Accuser of Sexual Assault by Judge Kavanaugh to Testify Next Week

    Christine Blasey Ford seeks “fair terms and her safety”

    Protests against Kavanaugh’s confirmation; 56 arrested

    NEW YORK(TIP):  The woman who has accused Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault is prepared to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee next week, so long as senators offer “terms that are fair and which ensure her safety,” her lawyer told the committee on Thursday, September 20, according to a news report in New York Times.

    The accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, ruled out Monday as a possibility, but also appeared to leave the door open to testifying even if the F.B.I. does not investigate her accusations, as she had previously requested. The surprise offer was the latest twist in an on-again, off-again negotiation between Dr. Blasey and Senate Republicans, who have scheduled a hearing for Monday and set Friday as a deadline for Dr. Blasey to tell them whether she would attend.

    “She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible, and the committee’s insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event,” wrote the lawyer, Debra S. Katz, adding, “Her strong preference continues to be for the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow for a full investigation prior to her testimony.”

    Dr. Blasey’s accusations have rocked Washington, upending the confirmation proceeding for Judge Kavanaugh, President Trump’s second nominee to the Supreme Court, only days before he was to receive a vote in the committee. A research psychologist in Northern California, Dr. Blasey — who is sometimes called by her married name, Ford — has accused Judge Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when the two were in high school in the early 1980s — an allegation he has vigorously denied.

    Thursday’s email jump-started talks between Dr. Blasey’s lawyers and Democratic and Republican committee aides that continued into the evening. They centered mostly on logistical issues, such as timing and security for Dr. Blasey, and whether there might be additional witnesses; the discussions were cordial, according to several people familiar with them.

    But there were a number of sticking points. Dr. Blasey’s lawyers asked for the committee to subpoena other witnesses, and for Judge Kavanaugh to testify first, but both requests are viewed by Republicans as nonstarters. Republicans had proposed bringing in an outside counsel to do the questioning, but the lawyers objected, fearing that the hearing would take a prosecutorial tone and arguing that senators themselves should be engaged.

    The lawyers suggested Thursday as a hearing date, which Mr. Grassley is considering and taking up with his colleagues. And there was one point of agreement: Both Democrats and Republicans agreed that they needed to take steps to ensure Dr. Blasey’s security.

    The talks came only a day after Republicans and Dr. Blasey appeared to reach a stalemate, with Republicans — backed by President Trump — demanding that Dr. Blasey testify on Monday or not at all, and Dr. Blasey resisting.

    For his part, Judge Kavanaugh said he wants a hearing as soon as possible, so that “I can clear my name.”

    “Since the moment I first heard this allegation, I have categorically and unequivocally denied it,” he wrote in a letter released by the White House. “I remain committed to defending my integrity.”

    Dr. Blasey’s offer seemed to catch the White House off-guard. Trump advisers and people close to Judge Kavanaugh were betting that she was unlikely to testify, and her decision to do so left Mr. Trump less bullish on the judge’s chances for confirmation than he was earlier this week.

    The way forward — and what effect it might have on Judge Kavanaugh’s chances for confirmation — remained unclear. On Wednesday, Republicans, sensing Judge Kavanaugh had enough support to be confirmed despite the allegations, set a committee meeting for Wednesday for a possible vote to move the nomination to the floor. That session is now in question.

    George Hartmann, a spokesman for Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa and the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, declined on Thursday to say whether Mr. Grassley would accept a date other than Monday.

    “We’re glad to hear back,” Mr. Hartmann said, “but that’s about the extent to which we can comment.”

    The Blasey email appeared to put Republicans — who on Wednesday were accusing Dr. Blasey of backing out and calling her sincerity into question — back on the defensive. Republicans are aware that they can ill afford to look as if they are railroading a sexual assault survivor. If they stick to their position that Dr. Blasey can testify on Monday or not at all, they risk looking like bullies — just weeks before midterm elections when their party is already expected to suffer from a backlash from women.

    With the Senate out of session and many members back in their home states, Republicans were noticeably silent on Thursday on Dr. Blasey’s offer. Democrats, meanwhile, appeared to be sticking to their position that an F.B.I. investigation should precede any hearing.

    “Our view on the Democratic side seems to hardening and deepening that an F.B.I. investigation should be done, and I’m going to be reaching out to my Republican colleagues to set a timetable,” Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, said in an interview before the Blasey email.

    But after it came to light, he softened. Dr. Blasey, he said, has “a right to decide how and when she tells her story.”

    “So, if the terms are acceptable to her, I certainly would be there,” Mr. Blumenthal said.

    Those close to Dr. Blasey, 51, have described her as overwhelmed and terrified. Since she went public on Sunday in an interview published by The Washington Post, Dr. Blasey has received an outpouring of support on social media, but also vulgar emails and messages, including some death threats — a point Ms. Katz reiterated in her email on Thursday to the committee.

    “As you are aware, she has been receiving death threats, which have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and she and her family have been forced out of their home,” the email said. “She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety.”

    In both the interview with The Post and a letter to Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Dr. Blasey said that she had been at a small gathering of teens in suburban Maryland when Mr. Kavanaugh and a friend pushed her into a bedroom. As the friend watched, she said, Mr. Kavanaugh pushed her onto a bed, jumped on her, groped her and tried to remove her clothing. He placed his hand over her mouth to muffle her calls for help as his friend turned up some music.

    When his friend jumped on them, they all tumbled off the bed, she said. She then dashed from the room.

    As the accusations play out in the era of the #MeToo movement, Dr. Blasey’s charges are invariably evoking comparisons to the 1991 confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas, who was accused of sexual harassment by the law professor Anita Hill. Those hearings infuriated women across the United States who were outraged at the sight of Professor Hill, an African-American woman, being grilled by an all-white, all-male Senate Judiciary Committee.

    Some of those men — including Mr. Grassley — are still on the panel. And while there are now four women on the committee, all are Democrats.

    Earlier on Thursday, committee Republicans had decided to hire an outside counsel to lead their questioning of Dr. Blasey, rather than the committee members themselves, to avoid the image of 11 male senators questioning Dr. Blasey about her account.

    Instead, they were seeking to enlist the help of an experienced litigator familiar with assault cases — and are seeking a woman, according to one person familiar with the search. But because Dr. Blasey’s lawyers objected, the future of that plan is now unclear.

    Opposition to Kavanaugh’s confirmation continues to grow. About 270 Yale alumni — including the actor Noah Emmerich, the novelist Claire Messud and the filmmaker Ira Sachs — signed a petition demanding that the nominee insist on the full release of records relating to his White House service. Citing their alma mater’s devotion to “lux et veritas” — truth and light — the petition said it was contrary to the professed ideals of the university to withhold some records.

    Meantime, Gov. Bill Walker of Alaska, an independent, and his lieutenant governor, Byron Mallott, a Democrat, came out on Thursday against Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation. They said they worry that Judge Kavanaugh would jeopardize Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, adding that his “record does not demonstrate a commitment to legal precedent that protects working families.” They also said that he has been hostile to laws that are favorable to Alaskan Natives. And, they added, “We believe a thorough review of past allegations against Mr. Kavanaugh is needed before a confirmation vote takes place.”

    The statement from the governor and his lieutenant governor increased the pressure on Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska and a key undecided vote in the narrowly divided Senate.

    Meanwhile, protests erupted against Judge Kavanaugh. Dozens of protesters opposed to the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court targeted the offices of swing vote Republican senators Thursday to pressure them to vote against President Donald Trump’s nominee, who is denying allegations he sexually assaulted a woman when they were both in high school in the 1980s.

    Capitol Hill Police said they arrested 56 people on Thursday related to Kavanaugh protests on Capitol Hill. Roughly two dozen of those were arrested outside the office of Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, according to a police officer on the scene.

    Defiantly blocking the hallway in front of Corker’s office, the protesters, representing a coalition of progressive groups, chanted, “We believe women” and “Corker vote no” as US Capitol Police removed them.

    The senator was not there, his staff said.

    The protesters then moved down the hall to the office of Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Maine Republican and a key vote who supported the Judiciary Committee delaying a vote on the judge to get testimony from his accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

    The protesters continued to visit the offices of key senators throughout the day, including Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the Republican who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.

    (Source: NY Times; CNN)

  • September 21 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    September 21 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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  • Weekly Horoscope September 24 – September 30, 2018

    Weekly Horoscope September 24 – September 30, 2018

    By Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla
    Contact: +918141234275

    Aries:Ganesha says if you don’t have a good relationship with yourself, you cannot understand the dharma, and your body and mind will not be properly coordinated,’ says Chogyam Trungpa, the Buddhist meditation master. The start of last period was phenomenal. I am afraid you won’t have a similar start to this period. You will still be the top draw in the food chain! You are spending like there is no tomorrow.

    Taurus:‘Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow,’ said Ralph Waldo Emerson. You roll up your sleeves and get to work. There is a lot to be done and you are ambitious to make a mark in the world. There is a lot happening in your war room. It is strewn with marriages, divorces, separations, out-of-court settlements, windfall gains, inheritances, lotteries, new vistas, breakthrough deals and so on.

    Gemini:You are moving fast and furious like an antelope in the savannah pursued by a pack of wild dogs. You know that you have to get away, you have to stay alive, you have to see another day to make your dreams happen, and you put your all into it. Of course, you succeed. You have put in a soul effort and that sees no failure. Ego drives, and passion rule this period. You play the field and make loving a hobby. Ganesha watches with some concern.

    Cancer:There are money and honey, awards and rewards, accolades and applause. The period started slowly but you have picked up momentum like the Rajdhani Express on its famed run. You more than make up for a bad start, quite like Usain Bolt. Business flourishes and you make substantial gains. Domestic life is many – splendored. It is as colorful as a valley of flowers. Ganesha asks you to avoid avarice and unethical means. I believe in karma and dharma.

    Leo:You continue to be powered. The tendencies of last period spill over, as it often does. There are secret deals and negotiations. You may be signing on the dotted line. But ensure that you don’t trip or get booby-trapped. Get assistance. Try to stop being too full of yourself. Ego and passion rule, much to your discomfiture. Your peer group could also find your company trying. You will always be too much of something for someone. You are in esteemed company for sure.

    Virgo:The shadow side of your life takes over and bleeds you. All of us have many shades and you could well wear the maudlin hat this period. You go down memory lane and get morbid and morose. Of course, you have lived life to the hilt and made several errors. The fury of living has taken its toll. ‘If you want to make the right decision for the future, fear is not a very good consultant,’ says Markus Dohe, chairman and CEO, Random House. It may be a good time to take a back seat and let the moment pass as it will.

    Libra:There is more stability now and you get out of the rut. Work calls, and the sweet fragrance of money is the ultimate seductress. It jerks you out of your stupor and you get down to the business of living, with its challenges and rewards. ‘Age is no barrier. It’s a limitation you put on your mind,’ said Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the legendary athlete. You want to realize your full potential and get down to the hard slog. There is no other way, as genius is simply perspiration and nothing else.

    Scorpio:You are terra firma. You don’t have to hold on to the railings for balance. Your emotions and drives are well under control. You are sedate and self-assured and that is quite a change from your normal flamboyant, loud and colorful self. You make your plans happen with quiet efficiency, with the minimum noise. In the process, there is significant progress. Family life is also stable. If married, there are no roadblocks. Life is beautiful for the singles too.

    Sagittarius:There is lot of movement in your life. You are racing away, almost without brakes. There is international travel and reaching out to people, places and events. The universe gives you several experiences to mull over. You examine your life and the structures you have built and decide on some chopping and churning. You want to be more fine-tuned, fast and sleek. This is not a great time for detailed study.

    Capricorn:The softer side of you takes over. It is underbelly time. We all have our blind sports. Some of us are aware of them. But most of us aren’t. Like Jung said, ‘Show me a sane man and I will cure him.’ You take off into the woods and saunter along the green glades. You want to spend time with nature. Animals, plants, music, poetry and dance grab your time. You may take the family for a holiday. There may be an addition to the family, even an adoption.

    Aquarius:‘You came to earth to learn to know yourself,’ said the Mother of Pondicherry. In this phase you reach out to all and sundry. You are net worthy with purpose and determination. Your ideas reach the four corners of the globe in no time, thanks to the modern marvels in gadgetry. You learn to live in gratitude and thank existence for all its favors.

    Pisces:You are zooming ahead of the opposition. You are an asset to the organization with your hard work, ethics, amiability and reliability. There are ego drives and you brook no opposition. Your appreciation of beauty, your interest in art, music or poetry are heightened now. You are also filled with love and want to share it with that special person. There are expenses and purchases and many investments. Mutual funds, shares, stocks, capital-raising and all other money matters come to the fore. You live large.

  • Women at the UN General Assembly 2018

    Women at the UN General Assembly 2018

    Top priorities include bringing the voices of women and girls to the global forum, and solutions to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

    NEW YORK (TIP): The 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 73), is set to open on 18 September 2018 at the UN Secretariat in New York. Presiding over this session is Ecuadorean Foreign Minister María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, under the theme: “Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies”. Garcés is only the fourth woman President of the UNGA in its 73 years.

    For two weeks, leaders from governments, civil society and the private sector, as well as experts, activists, celebrities and other change-makers committed to global good are gathering to discuss a range of challenges—from gender equality to addressing poverty, climate change and inclusive urbanization. The High-level General Debate is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, 25 September, and run until 1 October.

    Three years on from the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNGA 73 is an opportunity for countries to renew their commitments to gender equality and to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. As the recent UN Women’s flagship report “Turning promises into action: Gender equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” shows, gender inequalities prevail in every dimension of sustainable development. In many areas, progress for women and girls remains too slow to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Women’s equality and empowerment is not only one of the SDGs (Goal 5), but also integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development.

    Throughout the session, a wide range of pressing topics for the gender equality agenda is being discussed, such as the pandemic of violence against women and girls, equal pay, gender-responsive migration policies, and the role of men and boys in advancing gender equality. A key pledging event will examine opportunities for the private sector and philanthropists to accelerate progress.

    Goodwill Ambassadors from many UN agencies are also participating in events and advocating for specific issues. UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway is speaking at the HeForShe IMPACT Summit on 26 September, and Kristen Bell, an advocate for the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, is attending the 27 September event on Accelerating the Women’s Movement for Peace and Humanitarian Action.

    Later in the session (on 5 and 8 October), the General Assembly is paying particular attention to ending all forms of violence against women and girls, trafficking in women and girls, and female genital mutilations. Three reports (A/73/294, A/73/266, and A/73/263), prepared by UN Women and being discussed at the international gathering, aims to present best practice examples and make concrete proposals for further action to tackle the scourge of violence and sexual harassment.

    UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. For more information, visit www.unwomen.org. UN Women, 220 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, New York. Tel: +1 646 781-4400. Fax: +1 646 781-4496.

  • AGELESS ICON TONY BENNETT With Antonia Bennett, Special Guest Perform At NJPAC

    AGELESS ICON TONY BENNETT With Antonia Bennett, Special Guest Perform At NJPAC

    By Mabel Pais
    Bennett & Krall Reincarnate Gershwin Classics,

    Tony Bennett Celebrates his 92ndBirthday

    “No one expected me to compose music. I just did. What I have done is what

    was in me; the combination of New York, where I was born, and the rising,

    exhilarating rhythm of it, with centuries of hereditary feeling back of me.”

    – George Gershwin, 1926

     At 92, TONY BENNETTis not slowing down.  Tony’s newest album, a collaborative project with longtime-friend-and-colleague Diana Krall, is their 1stfull album project together.  The album titled, LOVE IS HERE TO STAY, released on September 14, 2018 celebrates the music of the brothers and composer-collaborators George and Ira Gershwin on Verve Records/Columbia Records just in time for the 120thAnniversary of George Gershwin’s birthday, September 26th.

    On the same day, a new book, TONY BENNETT: ON STAGE AND IN THE STUDIO, has been released.  It provides an insightful look into Tony’s illustrious recording career highlighted by an extensive array of photographs, memorabilia, and artwork.

    Tony Bennett’s recent album, Tony Bennett Celebrates 90, won a Grammy Award this past February for his son Dae Bennett who produced the album. Bennett also appeared on the 60thAnniversary Grammy Awards telecast and presented an award with John Legend, who sang with Tony on the 2006 Tony Bennett: DUETS recording.  This past November, the Library Of Congress presented Bennett with The Gershwin Prize marking the first time that an interpretive singer has been honored.  The event was broadcast on PBS Nationally last January and featured tribute performances by Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, Gloria Estefan and many others.  His signature song, I Left My Heart In San Francisco, was inducted this year in the National Recordings Registry.

    His long list of achievements, spanning over 60 years, includes nineteen Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Kennedy Center Honoree, an NEA Jazz Master and a recipient of the United Nation’s Humanitarian and Citizen of the World honors.  His signature tunes, such as Steppin’ Out With My Babyand I Left My Heart In San Franciscoform part of the fabric of American music culture.  Often billed as the world’s most boyish octogenarian, TONY BENNETT is a vital musical artist at the peak of his powers.

    To learn more about Diana Krall, visit www.dianakrall.com

    Facebook: https://Verve.lnk.to/DianaFBPR

    Twitter: https://Verve.lnk.to/DianaTwitterPR

    Instagram: https://Verve.lnk.to/DianaIGPR

    LOVE IS HERE TO STAY:  TRACK LISTING

    1. ‘S Wonderful
    2.  My One And Only
    3.  But Not For Me (Diana Krall solo)
    4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
    5. Love Is Here To Stay
    6. I Got Rhythm
    7. Somebody Loves Me
    8. Do It Again
    9. I’ve Got A Crush On You
    10. Fascinating Rhythm
    11. They Can’t Take That Away From Me
    12. Who Cares? (Tony Bennett solo)

    For more information on the Gershwins, visit: www.gershwin.com

    To learn more about Verve, visit www.vervelabelgroup.com

    To learn more about Columbia Records, visit www.columbiarecords.com

     
    “We aren’t likely to see a recording career like this again.”
    – The New York Times
      “….his voice is still a technical marvel, and no one else on Earth can make a lyric written eight decades ago sound as natural as a conversation at a coffee shop.”
    – New York Magazine

    “Ageless” TONY BENNETT, as he has been called, the 19-time Grammy Award-winning musician whose music spans over six decades returns once again to The New Jersey Performing Art Center (NJPAC) via Metropolitan Entertainment and NJPAC on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at 8pm. Bennettreturns, having sold out previous concerts at NJPAC.

    Tony Bennett’s daughter, Antonia Bennett has been touring with her father and will open the performance with a collection of jazz/pop standards. Antonia Bennett is a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music.

    Tony Bennett with daughter Antonia Bennett
    Photo / Courtesy, www.AntoniaBennett.com

    About Tony Bennett:

    Tony Bennett’s Life and Philosophy is the embodiment of the Great American Story.  His 90thbirthday on August 3, 2016, unprecedented, marked his career as the pre-eminent singer of the 20thand 21stcenturies.  He continues to be embraced and loved by audiences of all generations.In the last ten years alone he has sold ten million records.

     Through his dedication to excellenceand his insistence on quality, he has become the keeper of the flame by extolling the virtues and values represented by the Great American Songbook.

    His love for his country has earned him the distinction of national treasure and United Nations has named him a Citizen of the World as one of their foremost ambassadors.

    Through his music,His life story is compelling in the lessons and values that it teaches:  dedication, commitment, courage, and compassion.   

    The essence of his longevity and high artistic achievement was imbued in him in his loving childhood home in Astoria, Queens, New York where he was born on August 3, 1926 and nurtured his two passions: singing and painting.  From the radio, he developed a love of music hearing Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and James Durante.

    Bennett’s big break came in 1949 when comedian Bob Hope noticed him working with Pearl Bailey in Greenwich Village in New York City.  “‘We’ll call you Tony Bennett,” said Bob Hope.

    Tony Bennett is one of a handful of artists to have new albums charting in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and now in the first two decades of the 21stcentury.  He has introduced a multitude of songs into the Great American Songbook that have since become standards for pop music.

    On August 3rd 2016, Tony Bennett celebrated his 90thbirthday which was marked by the lighting of the Empire State Building in honor of his musical legacy along with a star-studded celebration at the famed Rainbow Room. Later that year NBC aired a two-hour prime time special, TONY BENNETT CELEBRATES 90: THE BEST IS YET TO COMEwhich featured performances by Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Michael Buble and many more. Columbia Records released a Grammy-winning companion CD to the television special, and Tony’s fifth book, Just Getting Startedwas published.

    Tony Bennett with Diana Krall
    Photo / Courtesy, www.TonyBennett.com

    He continues to paint every day, even as he tours internationally. Three of his paintings are part of the Smithsonian Museums permanent collections including his portrait of his friend Duke Ellington that became part of the National Portrait Gallery’s collection in 2009.

    Throughout his career, Tony Bennett has been active in environmental concerns and social justice.

    In 1999, Tony Bennett, with his wife Susan Benedetto, a former public school teacher, founded Exploring the Arts (ETA) to strengthen the role of the arts in public high school education.  ETA programs are designed to help school principals and teachers sustain the arts in the face of budget cuts and better leverage the arts to strengthen student learning and engagement.

    To learn more about Tony Bennett, visit www.tonybennett.com.

    Facebook: https://Verve.lnk.to/TonyFBPR
    Twitter: https://Verve.lnk.to/TonyTwitterPR
    Instagram: https://Verve.lnk.to/TonyIGPR

    Listen to Fascinating Rhythm released on all digital platforms: https://Verve.lnk.to/FascinatingRhythmPR

    Pre-Order LOVE IS HERE TO STAYNOW: https://Verve.lnk.to/LoveIsHereToStayPR

    For more information on the Tony Bennett concert at NJPAC or for Tickets, go to the event link at https://www.njpac.org/events/detail/tony-bennett-2018

    Tickets are also available in person at the NJPAC Box Office or by phone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722).

    As a special offer, a CD or digital download of Love Is Here To Stay,is included with every ticket purchase.

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health and Wellness, and Spirituality)

     

     

     

  • Indian- Origin couple arrested for not allowing tests on baby daughter

    Indian- Origin couple arrested for not allowing tests on baby daughter

    FORT LAUDERDALE, FL(TIP): An Indian-origin couple in the US was granted bail after being arrested for allegedly neglecting and abusing their six-month-old daughter. They were arrested weeks after they took her to a hospital at Broward County in Florida with a swollen left arm. However, Child Protective Services will continue to have custody of their six-month-old babies, with no parental access.

    Authorities booked them for child neglect and abuse after the couple from Tamil Nadu, India allegedly questioned why the girl had to undergo expensive tests at the medical establishment and attempted to take the child from the hospital against doctors’ advice.

    The couple, Prakash Settu and Mala Paneerselvam, was earlier sent to a prison in Fort Lauderdale with the bail amount set at $200,000. A person familiar with the matter told the media that “the bail amount was ultimately reduced to $30,000, and the couple released just a few hours ago”.

    The baby, Himisha, and her twin brother were taken away from them by Child Protective Services a few weeks ago.

    Friends of the family, who deny the allegations levelled against the couple, have organized an online fundraiser to help them wage a legal battle against the US authorities. “Separating newborn twins from biological parents is a sin. Let them hand over them to me, as a grandmother. I’d take care of them,” Ms. Paneerselvam’s mother, Malika, told the media.

    A close friend of the couple claimed that they had enquired about the need for expensive medical tests at each stage of the treatment only because they could not afford them. “Their insurance did not cover all of them. This was misconstrued as neglect,” the friend said.

    The Ministry of External Affairs is also in touch with US authorities in this regard.

    However, a report from Florida Health Children’s Medical Services, Broward County, alleges that Mr Settu and his wife refused to let hospital staffers conduct a “skeletal survey” and even tried to take their daughter away. The hospital viewed this as a case of possible child neglect and summoned Child Protective Services agents to the scene.

    The US consulate, when contacted, stated that they will not be able to comment on “individual cases of investigation”.

    The US has very stringent laws on child protection, and several cases of parents being booked for child neglect and abuse have cropped up over the years. In one such instance, an 18-month-old boy from Bengal was taken away from his parents in 2012 after he suffered a head injury. He was brought back to Kolkata a year later.

     

  • Indian-Origin Bus Driver Who Killed 2 in UK Crash was Suffering from Dementia

    Indian-Origin Bus Driver Who Killed 2 in UK Crash was Suffering from Dementia

    LONDON(TIP):  Indian-origin bus driver, suffering from dementia was found by a UK court to have caused the deaths of two people with his dangerous driving in the city of Coventry nearly three years ago.

    Kailash Chander was deemed unfit to stand trial for the fatal crash due to his mental state and the jury at a “trial of facts” hearing at Birmingham Crown Court was directed to only determine whether Kailash Chander “did the acts”.

    Kailash Chander, a former town mayor of Leamington Spa, mistook the accelerator for the brake before the fatal smash, which caused the death of seven-year-old schoolboy Rowan Fitzgerald, who was sitting at the front of the upper deck of the bus and died of a head injury.

    A 76-year-old pedestrian, Dora Hancox, died from multiple injuries after being hit by the double-decker bus and a falling lamppost when it crashed into a supermarket in October 2015.

    Kailash Chander had been warned about his “erratic” driving after four crashes in the previous three years, the court was told. It was said he had struggled to punch a ticket seconds before the fatal crash because his hands were shaking.

    Judge Paul Farrer, summing up the case at the hearing, said one witness had described the movement of Kailash Chander’s double-decker bus as appearing to have “no driver with the accelerator jammed on”.

    The court heard that Kailash Chander had experienced suicidal thoughts, was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, and was “very preoccupied” by the crash. The 80-year-old may face a supervision order at a further hearing in November.

    Bus company Midland Red South, which has pleaded guilty to health and safety law breaches, faces an unlimited fine and will also be sentenced later.

    Lawyers for Kailash Chander, who was 77 at the time of the crash, argued he was driving carelessly and should not be found guilty of dangerous driving.

    Before the jury handed down their verdict, the judge told the panel: “You will obviously feel sympathy for the very real tragedy that has befallen Mrs. Hancox and her family and Rowan and his family.

    “But in judging this case and in deciding whether the prosecution have proved the act of dangerous driving, you have to put emotion to one side. You are here to judge the evidence objectively and dispassionately.”

    A spokesperson for the bus company said: “We are deeply sorry for the heartache of those affected, particularly the families of Rowan Fitzgerald and Dora Hancox.”

    In a statement, Rowan Fitzgerald’s family said “no sentence would ever stop the hurt that we feel” for his loss and called for a change in the law preventing people driving buses in old age.

     

     

  • Indian-Origin Family Faces Hate Crime Attack in UK

    Indian-Origin Family Faces Hate Crime Attack in UK

    LONDON (TIP):  An Indian-origin family of four faces hate crime according to police in the UK. They had a lucky escape when their house was targeted in an “unprovoked” arson attack.

    Mayur Karlekar, called as Mac Karlekar, and his wife Ritu and two young children were asleep in their home when they were woken up by their neighbors, who had called in the fire brigade to tackle a huge blaze outside their home in south-east London’s Borkwood Park area of Orpington.

    “The Metropolitan Police is investigating this as a hate crime. It is being dealt with as a case of arson and criminal damage. No arrests have been made so far,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said.

    CCTV images from the area reportedly show a group of four-five youths, dressed in hoodies, attempting to start a fire on the hedges outside the Karlekars’ home.

    “We all were sleeping and were luckily woken up by neighbors on time. Though most of the damage was done to the hedges leaving the house now exposed, my son’s bedroom was just saved – he was sleeping in it at the time of the incident,” said Mayur Karlekar, a digital consultant who move to the UK from Mumbai in the late 1990s.

    “We are glad it was stopped on time but the damage to our neighborhood, our society, to our home has been done, irrecoverably. We have not caused any trouble to anyone and have only helped others in all our lifetime. I was special police myself doing voluntary unpaid work. This act happening to us was a complete shock,” said the 43-year-old, who has been appealing for information to bring the suspects to justice across various social media channels.

    Mayur Karlekar, originally from Dombivali in Thane district of Maharashtra, said he wanted to ensure no other families in the neighborhood become victims of a similar hate crime.

    “Hope this kind of arson attack does not happen to any family as it happened on ours unprovoked. If you know anyone or seen any video floating around on social media of dares, please help stop it. Be safe, be vigilant,” he said in his appeal.

    Images posted on social media reveal huge flames and extensive damage to the outside of the property in the residential suburb in the borough of Bromley in London. Mayur Karlekar has expressed his unhappiness with the nearly 32-hour delay in the Met Police starting their investigation into the case.

    “This is the second incident in this area, the first one being a robbery, but we feel more may have happened or are going unreported. We want those people to come out and raise their voice too,” he said.

    British police describe hate crimes as those perceived as motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a personal characteristic and monitor it under five strands – race or ethnicity; religion or beliefs; sexual orientation; disability; or transgender identity.

    According to official figures released earlier this year, incidents of hate crime had registered a spike in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit referendum in 2016. There were 80,393 offences in 2016-17, compared with 62,518 in 2015-16, the largest increase since the UK Home Office began recording these figures in 2011-12.

     

  • Indian-Origin British Businessman First Person to get top Royal Navy Post

    Indian-Origin British Businessman First Person to get top Royal Navy Post

    LONDON(TIP): Wales-based Indian- origin businessman has become the first ever Indian origin person to be appointed Honorary Lieutenant Commander in the UK’s Royal Navy.

    Raj Aggarwal, who is India’s Honorary Consul in Wales, was appointed to his naval post by Admiral Sir Philip Jones following the formal approval of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.

    The move will see the pharmacist and healthcare expert take on the rank of honorary lieutenant commander in the Royal Navy, which is equivalent to the rank of an army major, and he will be affiliated to the Royal Navy ship ‘HMS Dragon’ in his new role.

    “Raj is a great friend and advocate of the Naval service and his appointment will deepen the relationship between the community and the Royal Navy,” Royal Marine Brigadier Graeme Fraser told the ‘Wales Online’ newspaper.

    “Our Armed Forces are inclusive employers; we recognize the value of diversity and proudly serve all members of our communities at home and overseas. As the only Honorary Royal Navy officer in Wales, it is fitting that we celebrate his appointment. He will wear his Naval officer’s uniform at the ceremony with pride,” Mr Fraser said.

    Each honorary officer is expected to bring a breadth of experience and make a contribution in their own distinct way to the Royal Navy. The official inauguration ceremony, which took place on Sunday on ‘HMS Cambria’ – the only Royal Navy base in Wales, was dubbed the Royal Naval Mela in honor of Aggarwal’s Indian roots.

    Mr Aggarwal said, “It is my great honor to accept this position in the Royal Navy as one of the ‘special’ honoraries. I want to use this position to create greater diversity in the Navy, to show the community that the Navy will be supportive and that there are amazing careers on offer, with first rate skills-training and opportunities to see the world”.

    Raj Aggarwal, chairman of pharma firm RK Aggarwal Ltd, migrated from Kenya to Wales in 1967 and studied pharmacy at Cardiff University before settling down in Cardiff.

     

  • Indian- Origin British Officer Honored in UK for “Toughest Policing Role”

    Indian- Origin British Officer Honored in UK for “Toughest Policing Role”

    LONDON(TIP): Indian-origin British counter-terrorism chief has won the Asian Achievers’ Award in the Uniformed and Civil Services category for his contribution to policing in the UK.

    Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, who is the Metropolitan Police’s National Lead for Counter Terrorism and the Head of the Met Police’s Specialist Operations, had sent a colleague from the force to receive the award on his behalf at the 18th annual awards event, organized by UK-based media house Asian Business Publications Limited (ABPL) Group.

    The award citation described Mr Basu’s job as “one of the toughest policing roles in the country” and praised his hard work and dedication in achieving such seniority within the force as the “first officer of Asian heritage to hold the post in the UK”.

     “(British Asians) continue to excel across all spheres of society…I am determined to ensure the government looks more like the country it serves, and to see a new generation creating opportunities for people across the whole of the UK,” Prime Minister Theresa May noted in her message for the awards night at Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, London.

    Among some of the other key winners, selected by a panel of judges made up of academics and entrepreneurs, included Rishi Khosla, the CEO of unicorn start-up OakNorth who was named Businessperson of the Year, and Adarsh Radia, the founder of the popular Dishoom chain of Indian restaurants in the UK who was named Entrepreneur of the Year.

    “The awards have grown in stature year after year and once again we received an overwhelming number of nominations, which is an indication that the success of the British Asian community in various fields continues unabated,” said CB Patel, the founder-chairman of ABPL Group and Editor and Publisher of ‘Asian Voice’ and ‘Gujarat Samachar’ – the weekly newspapers which invite its readers to nominate achievers for the annual awards

    “Our awards recognize all those unsung heroes within the Asian community – many of whom arrived here as migrants. They have made great strides, not just within their communities and professional sectors but have made huge contributions to British society and the UK economy,” added Patel, who presented a special Editor’s Award to leading NRI hotelier and Chair of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London, Joginder Sanger, for his contributions in the field of business and philanthropy.

     The Asian Achievers Awards has helped to raise around 1.5 million pounds for various causes and charities since its launch in 2000. This year’s chosen beneficiary was Oracle Cancer, a leading charity funding research into head and neck cancer, which attracted nearly 100,000 pounds through donations and an auction hosted by famous British author Lord Jeffrey Archer.

    The high-selling auction lots for the night included a shirt signed by the Indian cricket team, which went under the hammer for 5,000 pounds, and a seven-night luxury tour aboard India’s ‘Deccan Odyssey” train clinching 10,000 pounds.

    Leading general practitioner (GP) and honorary secretary of the Welsh Division of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) Hasmukh Shah was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Other major winners on the night were Indian-origin BBC presenter, author and documentary filmmaker Babita Sharma in the media and arts category and healthcare entrepreneur and CEO of Regent’s Park Healthcare Anil Kumar Ohri, who was named Professional of the Year.

  • Paul Manafort and special counsel close to deal for guilty plea, reports CNN

    Paul Manafort and special counsel close to deal for guilty plea, reports CNN

    WASHINGTON(TIP): Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman embattled by criminal indictments, may no longer fight the charges related to his Ukrainian lobbying operation, says a CNN report.

    He and the special counsel’s office are close to a deal for a guilty plea ahead of his upcoming trial, according to a source familiar with the matter. A deal is expected but the source cautioned the two sides have been close before.

    The incentive appears to be to reach a deal ahead of a pretrial motion hearing scheduled for Friday and before jury selection begins Monday in DC District Court. That’s also a week before Manafort and prosecutors make new filings in Virginia to discuss the charges and convictions he faces there.

    A plea Friday, September 14, would bring to an end one of the most active criminal cases in the DC federal court system this year. Manafort’s lawyers have filed hundreds of pages in courts to fight prosecutors’ allegations and have brought two appeals unsuccessfully, and his legal fees mounted to more than a million dollars, according to two people familiar with his case.

    Proceedings scheduled for Monday would kick off a second grueling, expensive, politically explosive three-week-or-longer trial in federal court. Manafort faces seven counts of foreign lobbying violations, money laundering conspiracy and witness tampering. The trial was likely to put on display the secret dealings of Washington’s lobbying and law firm elite.

    Manafort is accused in DC of not disclosing to the Justice Department his work for Ukrainian politicians and laundering that income. Prosecutors allege he set up meetings with lawmakers and fashioned public relations efforts in the US on the Ukrainians’ behalf.

    A jury convicted Manafort in Virginia last month on eight bank and tax fraud charges related to his lobbying wealth after a three-week trial. The evidence was largely about how he had kept money off his books and relied on others to help him lie to banks and the government. At trial, prosecutors showed how Manafort worked for pro-Russian Ukrainians and funneled millions of dollars in income through Cypriot accounts.

    It was not clear if the deal with the special counsel’s office would include cooperation. The plea is expected to address both sets of charges he faces — for the upcoming trial in DC and the 10 counts he still faces in Virginia.

    Manafort has not yet entered a new plea before the judge in DC and prosecutors have not yet revealed the terms of any deal reached with him. If a deal comes through, it will likely be announced at the court hearing at 11 a.m. Friday.

    Plea signs

    In the last few days, the prosecutors’ activities shifted from trial preparation to negotiations, according to a person familiar with the case.

    Then indications added to the possibility that a plea deal was in the works. Members of Manafort’s legal team were spotted spending several hours at the special counsel office’s Thursday, even sending a junior member of the defense team to bring lunch inside. Uzo Asonye, a prosecutor who tried Manafort’s case in Virginia, was also at the office Thursday.

    Several news outlets reported on possible ongoing talks this week. ABC News reported Thursday evening that Manafort had tentatively agreed to a deal.

    The judge overseeing his case in DC, Amy Berman Jackson, delayed a major court hearing about his upcoming trial twice this week. First, she moved it from Wednesday to Friday. Then, as lawyers inside the special counsel’s office began to leave Thursday, the judge pushed the hearing back another hour and a half Friday morning, giving no reason.

    Months of pressure

    Manafort has maintained that he is not guilty since special counsel Robert Mueller’s office first charged him with foreign lobbying and financial crimes last October. But he has had several reasons to cut a deal. With it, he could lessen the risk of another conviction and of harsh sentences, escape paying thousands of dollars for three or more lawyers to try the case and avoid the attention on himself, his associates and family.

    His unwillingness to cooperate with prosecutors since before his indictment has unspooled into several sets of new charges, making his case more complicated.

    Adding to the complications in the negotiations, Manafort’s legal team has attempted to preserve the possibility of a presidential pardon, the prospect of which a lawyer for President Donald Trump suggested to members of his earlier legal team, according to people briefed on the matter.

    After the first indictment in October, the White House distanced itself from Manafort and downplayed his time leading the Trump campaign. But in recent weeks, as Manafort faced a conviction in his related case in Virginia, Trump sympathized with him.

    “I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family,” the President tweeted the week of his conviction. ” ‘Justice’ took a 12-year-old tax case, among other things, applied tremendous pressure on him and, unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to ‘break’ – make up stories in order to get a ‘deal.’ Such respect for a brave man!”

    Manafort, Trump’s top political operative from May to August 2016, has long been considered one of the bigger fish for the special counsel’s office to hook in its probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign. In addition to the financial and lobbying charges against Manafort, the special counsel’s team has said it’s investigating allegations he colluded with Russia while working for Trump.

    It is not known the extent that Manafort was still in touch with his Russia-friendly clients from Ukraine in 2015 and 2016, though even after his arrest he has stayed in touch with a Russian associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, whom prosecutors say has ties to the country’s military intelligence agency.

    Speculation that Manafort could flip to help prosecutors has built since his first charge, even leading to a judge in Virginia accusing prosecutors of trying to get Manafort to “sing” and “get” Trump. “You really care about what information Mr. Manafort can give you that would reflect on Mr. Trump or lead to his prosecution or impeachment or whatever. That’s what you’re really interested in,” Judge T.S. Ellis said in court in Virginia in May.

    One year under indictment

    Over the past months, Manafort’s legal options slimmed as the special counsel notched several wins against him, including sending him to jail, securing several cooperators and gaining convictions.

    Manafort’s case marked the first indictment in Mueller’s investigation. The allegations revealed last October reiterated a year of news reports that Manafort had secretly funneled income from Ukrainian lobbying contacts for years.

    After his arrest in October, he was detained by the court in his Alexandria, Virginia, home for more than eight months.

    Prosecutors pressured Manafort further when they filed new mortgage and tax fraud charges against him in February — weeks after they discovered he was offering to secure his bail with homes tied up in his alleged mortgage fraud.

    At the time, prosecutors gave Manafort the option of keeping all his charges in the DC federal court. Instead, he gambled on splitting the case into two trial tracks, in two demographically different courts.

    Prosecutors also gained the cooperation of his longtime associate Rick Gates, who had been indicted alongside him. Gates pleaded guilty in February to helping Manafort use bank accounts in Cyprus and Grenadines to hide millions they had made while lobbying for Ukrainian politicians. Gates testified against Manafort in the Virginia trial, saying his former boss had directed him to commit the fraud.

    The special counsel’s office added a second potential cooperator against Manafort in late August when another lobbyist for Ukrainians, Sam Patten, pleaded guilty to a foreign lobbying charge. Patten’s name is likely to appear in evidence against Manafort, prosecutors said, and he has agreed to help the special counsel’s office as part of his plea. Patten worked with Manafort’s Russian associate Kilimnik through 2017 and admitted in court to illegally using a straw purchaser to buy Trump inaugural tickets for an oligarch.

    In June, prosecutors won another boost when a DC-based grand jury added witness tampering charges to Manafort’s indictment.

    Manafort and Kilimnik were accused by prosecutors of reaching out to potential witnesses in his case and coaching their possible testimony. Kilimnik has not appeared in US court or entered any plea. He has not been charged with other crimes.

    After the witness tampering accusation surfaced, a federal judge in DC revoked Manafort’s bail, sending him to jail. He is still being detained in Alexandria.

    On August 21, prosecutors won the first conviction of Manafort following the trial. Though the Virginia jurors convicted him of eight counts, they deadlocked on 10 remaining charges, splitting 11 guilty votes to one not guilty. The judge declared a mistrial on those counts. Prosecutors had not yet said what they’d do with those charges, and Manafort had not yet appealed the conviction.

    (Source: CNN)

  • Letitia (Tish) James pulls historic victory in Attorney General Race

    Letitia (Tish) James pulls historic victory in Attorney General Race

    NEW YORK(TIP):  New York City Public Advocate Letitia James has won a four-way Democratic primary for attorney general in New York. The race was a competition over who could best use the office to antagonize President Donald Trump.

    James would become the first black woman to hold statewide elected office in New York if she wins in the general election.

    In her victory speech Thursday, September 13 night, James took aim at Trump, saying he “can’t go a day without dividing us” and telling her supporters they’re “in the middle of a fight to save our democracy.”

    She said Trump “can’t go a day without threatening our fundamental rights,” or the rights of immigrants.

    The 59-year-old was an early favorite in the race after getting endorsements from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other top Democrats.

    James is a favorite to win, as she faces a little-known New York City attorney, Republican Keith Wofford, in November. Even otherwise, New York is considered a preserve of Democrats.

     

  • Andrew Cuomo wins Democratic nomination for New York governor

    Andrew Cuomo wins Democratic nomination for New York governor

    BROOKLYN, N.Y (TIP):  Gov. Andrew Cuomo won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination for the third time Thursday, September 13, overcoming a spirited progressive challenge that highlighted the ongoing ideological divide within the Democratic Party.

    Cuomo defeated Cynthia Nixon, 52, an actress and education activist backed by an array of left-leaning groups, who had trouble convincing voters that she had the experience needed to run the fourth-largest state in the country.

    Both Cuomo and Nixon sought to make the election about Trump. “Together, we can show the entire country that in the era of Donald Trump, New Yorkers will come together and lead our nation forward,” Nixon wrote Wednesday evening in a final message to supporters.

    Cuomo, for his part, spent millions on ads to argue that he’s the most qualified candidate to push back against the White House. He also touted liberal accomplishments such as gun control, free public college tuition and a higher minimum wage.

    Cuomo, 60, a two-term incumbent, is due to face Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican, and former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, a Democrat running as an independent, in the November general election. He is heavily favored to win a third term.

  • A Young Student’s Perception of Mesopotamian and Egyptian Civilizations

    A Young Student’s Perception of Mesopotamian and Egyptian Civilizations

    By Chitagam Saluja

    “Egypt was a more stable civilization compared to Mesopotamia and also fuller of life and fun. Economically perhaps Mesopotamia flourished more than Egypt, and in art and culture Egypt edged over Mesopotamia”, says the young scholar.

    Mesopotamian and Egyptian Civilizations of Middle East and North Africa were closely interlinked and influenced by each other. In more ways than one these civilizations grew up in contrast of each other.

    The structure of Government of Egypt was central and authoritative and Mesopotamian stressed mostly on city state layout. The difference in architecture was huge. Where the Egyptians liked majestic structures, the Mesopotamian art was simple and had a strong literary element which Egypt lacked.

    The bureaucracy was endlessly affected by the structures.  Mesopotamians were more practical in their thinking and did not believe in the Egyptian preparation for afterlife.

    Both these civilizations carried out extensive trading, but the economic implication varied in most cases. Mesopotamia was more technological in its approach and the environment was very difficult to manage than the Nile valley. The contacts of trade were a lot vaster and far flung and special importance was given to the merchant class and commercial law.

    The social differences were also huge. Like the difference in social status of women in the two contrary civilizations. It is concluded that in Egyptian society women were given more importance as well. To stabilize the Egyptian monarchy women of the upper class were important and were treated with much care and respect which wasn’t the case in Mesopotamian.

    Since these civilizations grew up in similar environments they had a symbiotic relationship. Their origins are largely different; so is their way of working.

    Egypt- The prosperity of the ancient civilization came partly from the ability to adapt to the condition of the Nile valley

    Egypt was a more stable civilization compared to Mesopotamia and also fuller of life and fun.
    Economically perhaps Mesopotamia flourished more than Egypt, and in art and culture Egypt edged over Mesopotamia.

    (The author is an undergraduate student at Nassau County Community College in New York. He can be reached at agysaluja1@gmail.com)

     The Indian Panorama invites young students to contribute their articles. They may write on any subject under the Sun. Articles may please be submitted to editor@theindianpanorama.com

     

     

  • Why Should NRI’s Invest in India?

    Why Should NRI’s Invest in India?

    By Dave Makkar
    By Dave Makkar

    New York NRI Evicted from his own business without any due process, with Maharashtra Government officials conniving

    Harssh Madhok a very well-known and well-established businessman based in Manhattan for last 30 years has embarked on a new journey to fight bureaucratic, political and legal corruption in India. His new journey began after he made a big investment in Mumbai, Maharashtra for his first state of the art dealership of Volkswagen under the banner of Novaa Motors Pvt. Ltdin a70,000 SQ. Ft. facility on a leased property from Akshar Automobiles aka Patel Bros. on Aug. 14, 2017. His goal was to set up 25 state of the art Volkswagen dealerships all over India in the first phase, and gradually moving to 100 dealerships. All his plans turned sour because of the alleged concealment of important material facts by landlord, and the bureaucratic and political meddling in the very first dealership that was providing jobs to 200 local residents.

    On 30th October 2017, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)sealed the entire 70,000 Sq. Ft. facility for non-payment of past Taxes and some unauthorized construction.  TMC was told that this matter was between the landlord and TMC at the relevant time. The new owner who has invested crores of rupees must be given time to rectify the problems while running their day to day operations. Moreover, thiswas never disclosed by landlord Patel bros that there is any unauthorized construction and they owe back taxes to TMC at the time of signing the lease. The facility remained closed for about 2 months because TMC refused to cooperate. Rather, it put a condition to pay all the back taxes with interest & penalty and correct the construction irregularities.

    Volkswagen Company advised Madhok that since the sales/service were shut down and customers faced inconvenience, let the facility be taken over by Modi Auto Corp Pvt. Ltd aka Nihar Modi an experienced Dealer with multiple dealerships in India, including one in Mumbai. Attorneys for Madhok, Modi & Patel bros. exchanged e-mails, draft documents and held meetings and finalized financial numbers for the takeover by Modi with the consent of Patel bros.  Patel Bros.assured Madhok that they will settle the issue of all types of financial losses sustained by him due to the closure of the facility separately.They also assured/agreed that there will be no rent until the takeover is complete by Nihar Modi. The Security Deposit of Madhok will be held by them and they will not go to the court to dispossess/evict Madhok.

    All of a sudden, around mid-April Patel Bros.  changed their mind when the takeover by Modi was near completion. Akshar Automobiles Agencies Pvt. Ltd. aka Patel bros. executed a new/separate Lease and License Agreement with M/s Tejpal Motors Ltd. of Mr. Pawan Kumar Kamal Alsinghani on May 3, 2018. Same day Patel bros approached Madhok to vacate the premises and said, otherwise “there could be deadly consequences.” On June 6, 2018 their attorney sent a notice to Madhok to vacate the premises which Madhok’s attorneys replied on June 14, 2018 explaining their legal rights of possession of the premises as per the lease agreement dated Aug. 14, 2017.

    On June 19, 2018, Showroom and workshop locks were broken without any due process and Court orders. On the same day Madhok lodged a complaint with Kapurbawdi Police Station (KPS), Thane. On June 21, 2018, all the relevant documents were submitted with KPS and an FIR was registered vide CR No. I-177/2018 for the offence punishable U/s. 420, 448, 506, 34 of IPC.  Patel Brothers and Directors of M/s. Tejal Motors Ltd. filed for Anticipatory Bail. Upon inspection with police, Madhok found Tejpal Group contractor was doing renovation work while some of his belongings were kept aside and a large number of articles were missing.

    Initially the KPS was sympathetic to Madhok, but on 08.07.2018, his guards were picked up by the KPS and threatened by an Officer and told not to enter the premises and let Tejpal group contractor work there. According to Madhok, policestopped taking interest in his case after a call by a bureaucrat from the chief minister’s office.

    At the press conference, Madhok claimed that he had tried to contact the chief minister’s office and other higher officials, including PMO & 20 Central Ministries/Departments for a quick resolution of the issue. He also said that “I had waited for more than two months for a resolution of the issue despite stating financial, physical and emotional losses I suffer due to the abrupt closing of my business, but never got any response from anyone in the government. Without naming any specific person, Madhok claimed that he had received threats to life if he did not leave Mumbai and went back to America. He was moving in Mumbai with private armed body guards. He was literally forced to leave Maharashtra to get back to the U.S.

    He said that visiting Indian politicians, irrespective of their party affiliations or the state they come from, should be confronted with the question of corruption, bribery, political and bureaucratic interference that frustrate NRI investors like him and generally discourage them from giving back to their motherland.

    Madhok appealed to all the NRI’s around the world to share if they have similar experience on his website https://www.justiceformadhok.comHe further requested everyone should write to the Indian Consulate or Embassy to demand justice for him and protection for future NRI investors in India. He repeatedly called for ending bureaucratic and political interference saying that police were not able to help him due to “pressures from higher authorities.” and urged the NRI community to take a united stand against corruption and injustice to him.

    (The author is a social activist. He can be reached at davemakkar@yahoo.com)

     

     

                         

  • Netflix Matchmaking Show Seeks Single South Asian Millennials

    Netflix Matchmaking Show Seeks Single South Asian Millennials

    NEW YORK(TIP): A new Netflix Global documentary series is offering a select group of single South Asian men and women the chance to find their perfect match by working with India’s most elite matchmaker.

    The series will follow upwardly mobile millennials in North America and India as they search for their perfect partner.  If selected, they will have the opportunity to work with the top desi matchmaker in the world, who will present them with curated matches from her extensive database of global clientele.  All services will be free of charge to selected candidates.

    Those who are single and serious about getting married and want the opportunity to work with one of the world’s top matchmakers should send an email to:

    MatchmakingProject2018@gmail.com

    More info: https://matchmakingproject.wixsite.com/2018

  • Apple unveils largest, most expensive iPhone

    Apple unveils largest, most expensive iPhone

    iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max will start at USD 750, USD 1,000 and USD 1,100

    NEW YORK(TIP): Technology giant Apple has unveiled new iPhones, including one that is its largest and the most expensive one.

    In one of the company’s signature launch events at its headquarters in Cupertino, California Wednesday, September 12, Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max, the most advanced iPhones ever.

    The 5.8-inch iPhone Xs and 6.5-inch iPhone Xs Max feature Super Retina displays, a faster and improved dual camera system, the first 7-nanometer chip in a smartphone among other features. The company said the new iPhones would start at USD 750, USD 1,000 and USD 1,100. Last year, the starting prices were USD 700, USD 800 and USD 1,000.

    iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, September 14, and in stores beginning Friday, September 21.

    “iPhone Xs is packed with next-generation technologies and is a huge step forward for the future of the smartphone,” Apple’s senior vice-president of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller said.

    He said iPhone Xs is not one, but two new iPhone models, and iPhone Xs Max offers the biggest display ever in an iPhone with the biggest battery ever in an iPhone, delivering up to an hour and a half more battery life.

    iPhone XR will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models in white, black, blue, yellow, coral and red starting at Rs 76,900 through Apple authorized resellers. Customers will be able to pre-order iPhone XR beginning October 19 with availability beginning October 26 in more than 50 countries and territories including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, New Zealand and US.

    iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max build on the all-screen design of iPhone X and feature the sharpest displays with the highest pixel density of any Apple device, the company said. iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max come with iOS 12, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system.

    Apple also introduced the Apple Watch Series 4, redesigned and re-engineered to help users stay connected, be more active and manage their health in new ways. While retaining the original iconic design, the fourth-generation Apple Watch has been refined, combining new hardware and software enhancements into a unified form.

    The Series 4 watch with watch OS 5 includes revolutionary health capabilities, including a new accelerometer and gyroscope, which are able to detect hard falls, and an electrical heart rate sensor that can take an electrocardiogram (ECG) using the new ECG app, which has been granted a classification by the US federal agency Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    “The completely redesigned Apple Watch Series 4 continues to be an indispensable communication and fitness companion, and now with the addition of groundbreaking features, like fall detection and the first-ever ECG app offered directly to consumers, it also becomes an intelligent guardian for your health,” Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff Williams said.

    Beginning September 14, Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS) will be available to order in 26 countries and territories and Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) will be available to order in 16 countries and territories. Both models will be available in stores beginning September 21.

    Apple explained that the Series 4 watch enables customers to take an ECG reading right from the wrist using the new ECG app, which takes advantage of the electrodes built into the Digital Crown and new electrical heart rate sensor in the back crystal.

    With the app, users touch the Digital Crown and after 30 seconds, receive a heart rhythm classification. It can classify if the heart is beating in a normal pattern or whether there are signs of Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), a heart condition that could lead to major health complications. All recordings, their associated classifications and any noted symptoms are stored in the Health app in a PDF that can be shared with physicians, Apple said.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Dr. Leana Wen to Serve as President of Planned Parenthood

    Dr. Leana Wen to Serve as President of Planned Parenthood

    First Physician to Lead Organization in nearly 50 Years

    NEW YORK, NY(TIP): Planned Parenthood Federation of America has  announced that Dr. Leana Wen will serve as its sixth president — the first time in nearly 50 years that a physician will helm the organization.

    Planned Parenthood provides essential health care to more than 2.4 million women, men, and young people through more than 600 health centers across the country and is the largest provider of sex education in the country, reaching 1.5 million people a year. With more than 12 million active supporters, Planned Parenthood works to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights nationwide.

    Dr. Wen currently serves as the Commissioner of Health for the City of Baltimore. A patient advocate and emergency physician, she has led the Baltimore City Health Department — the oldest, continuously-operated health department in the United States — since January 2015.

    “Today is a historic day for Planned Parenthood and the millions of people it serves. After an extensive search, I’m proud to announce that Dr. Leana Wen will serve as our next president,” said Naomi Aberly, Chair of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Board of Directors. “A dynamic public health leader and practicing physician, Dr. Wen is the first doctor to lead Planned Parenthood in nearly 50 years. Not only will she help Planned Parenthood continue to provide high-quality care to women, men, and young people across the country, she will be a powerful voice in our fight to ensure women have the ability to make their own health care decisions — no matter what.”

    “After considering some truly formidable women, the search committee unanimously, even joyfully selected Dr. Leana Wen,” said Anna Quindlen, Chair of the Search Committee and former Planned Parenthood Board Member. “Like so many of our affiliate leaders, she is passionate about balancing public advocacy for reproductive freedom with the daily provision of quality health care. Like so many of our patients, she is an immigrant determined to do the best for this country. As she likes to say, her whole life has been leading to this position.”

    “For more than 100 years, no organization has done more for women’s health than Planned Parenthood, and I’m truly honored to be named its president,” said Dr. Leana Wen. “As a patient, I depended on Planned Parenthood for medical care at various times in my own life, and as a public health leader, I have seen firsthand the lifesaving work it does for our most vulnerable communities. As a doctor, I will ensure we continue to provide high-quality health care, including the full range of reproductive care, and will fight with everything I have to protect the access of millions of patients who rely on Planned Parenthood.”

    Dr. Wen has dedicated her career to expanding access to health care for the most vulnerable communities, reducing health disparities, and finding innovative solutions to address public health problems. Known as the “Doctor for the City” in Baltimore, she oversees more than 1,000 employees with an annual budget of $130 million; two clinics that provide more than 18,000 patients with reproductive health services; and medical programs for 180 Baltimore schools.

    “Anyone who has worked with Dr. Wen knows that when it comes to protecting her patients, she doesn’t back down from a fight,” said Representative Elijah Cummings. “In Baltimore, she has been a true partner in our shared mission to provide access to quality health care for all. She has expanded care, eliminated obstacles, and, most important of all, saved lives. Her brilliance and passion for her work shines through in everything she does. There is no question that in selecting Dr. Wen as its president, Planned Parenthood is gaining a powerful and effective advocate, and millions across this country will benefit from her leadership.”

    Over the last 18 months, Dr. Wen has fought to protect women and families in Baltimore from the Trump administration’s rollbacks of basic health care protections. In March 2018, on behalf of Dr. Wen and the Baltimore City Health Department, the City of Baltimore sued the Trump administration for cutting funds for teen pregnancy prevention, which resulted in a federal judge ordering the restoration of $5 million in grant funding to two Baltimore-based teen pregnancy prevention programs. She has fought Trump administration changes to Title X — the nation’s family planning program — to protect funding for 23 health clinics in Baltimore providing reproductive health care for women with low-incomes.

    As a practicing physician, Dr. Wen helped organized thousands of doctors and health professionals against President Trump’s proposed domestic gag rule, saying it fundamentally alters the nature of the doctor-patient relationship and will dramatically reduce the quality of care for thousands of women.

    Last month, Dr. Wen helped lead a lawsuit against the Trump administration for intentionally and unlawfully sabotaging the Affordable Care Act, jeopardizing health care for thousands of people in Baltimore.

    Under her direction, the Baltimore City Health Department leads the country in health innovations and was recently recognized by the National Association of County and City Health Officials as the Local Health Department of the Year.

    These innovations include:

    Facing an unprecedented number of people dying from opioid overdose, Dr. Wen issued a blanket prescription for the opioid antidote, Naloxone, to all 620,000 residents of Baltimore. Since 2015, this program has saved more than 2,800 lives.

    Under Dr. Wen’s direction, Baltimore’s B’More for Healthy Babies program has resulted in a nearly 40 percent reduction of infant mortality in just seven years.

    She started Vision for Baltimore, which provides glasses free of charge to every child who needs them.

    Following the 2015 Baltimore protests, Dr. Wen started programs to deliver medications and improve food access to seniors. She expanded trauma and mental health services; secured funding for Safe Streets, a program designed to treat gun violence as a contagious disease; and led public health campaigns on vaccinations, childhood obesity, and racism as a public health issue.

    Dr. Wen was born in Shanghai, China, and immigrated to the United States with her family just before her eighth birthday. She and her parents were granted political asylum, and they became U.S. citizens in 2003.

    Dr. Wen graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Los Angeles at the age of 18, and earned her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine before becoming a Rhodes Scholar. She obtained her master’s degrees at the University of Oxford and completed her residency training at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was a Clinical Fellow at Harvard Medical School. During medical school, she was elected president of the American Medical Student Association and took a year off to fulfill her leadership duties, including leading 65,000 physicians-in-training to fight for universal health and advocate for reproductive rights.

    Growing up, Dr. Wen, as well as her mother and younger sister, often relied on Planned Parenthood for health care. During medical school, she volunteered at a Planned Parenthood health center in St. Louis.

    Dr. Wen has received recognition as Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders and Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare. A Fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine and Academy of Medicine, she serves on the faculty at the George Washington University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In 2016, Dr. Wen was honored to be the recipient American Public Health Association’s highest award for local public health work. In 2017, she was named one of Governing’s Public Officials of the Year.

    Dr. Wen and her husband, Sebastian, have a one-year old son.

    Dr. Wen’s first day at Planned Parenthood Federation of America will be November 12.

    Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.

     

     

  • “Comedy Ka Tadka”: a unique blend of comedy and Indian cooking

    “Comedy Ka Tadka”: a unique blend of comedy and Indian cooking

    NEW YORK CITY(TIP): Amit Sharma of Cinemamit Productions is bringing an interesting recipe of comedy and cooking to the Indian American community with a new show called “Comedy Ka Tadka.”

    The show will feature local actors including Dimple Kapoor, Hervender Pal Singh,Jessie Nagpal, Neil Agrawal, Monica Agrawal and Kirti Jain, while Ashish Rego, a Sr.Music Producer and Composer from Mumbai, India who has worked for over 25 years,will be providing the background score for the show.

    “Comedy Ka Tadka” is a comedy show about a hilarious neighborhood which also provides very helpful and unique techniques for cooking Indian Food.

    “The goal is to present a simplified version of, the otherwise, complicated recipes of rich and delicious Indian cuisine in an entertaining manner. We aim to take Indian food to households globally with a unique twist of comedy and storytelling. The simplified version of the recipes will encourage, not only the young and grown up generations but also the non-Indian households to experience the deliciousness of the Indian food flavors,” Amit Sharma told us.

    Those involved in Tadka. From left to right: Neil Agrawal, Monica Agrawal, Shalini Polavarapu, Dimple Kapoor, Kirti Jain, Dina Sharma, Master Rudraaksh Sharma, Amit Sharma, Hervender Pal Singh

    A screening event for the show took place on September 10, 2018 at The Marigold Banquets in Somerset, New Jersey, to celebrate the two months of creative dedication that were put into the development of the show.

    Hervender Pal Singh (left) and Jessie Nagpal

    “We welcome any food brands that would like to promote their Indian spices or kitchen items on this show,” Sharma, who has worked for over 20 years in the field of television and film content production with prominent clients such as Viacom, Star Plus, Colors, NatGeo, Sony Entertainment, Zee TV, SCTV and Amazon, added.

    The aim is to air Season 01 of “Comedy Ka Tadka” by March 2019. For more pictures and update on Cinemamit Productions visit www.cinemamit.com

    (Based on a Press Release)