The Indian Panorama

Year: 2018

  • Suspect in fatal shooting at Dickerson Pike liquor store arrested in Texas

    Suspect in fatal shooting at Dickerson Pike liquor store arrested in Texas

    DALLAS (TIP): A man wanted in the killing of a woman outside a Nashville liquor store Friday, May 4, was arrested Tuesday, May 8 in Texas.

    Kevin Newson, 33, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force Tuesday, May 8 afternoon.

    Newson is charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault in the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Jacqueline Johnson.

    He will be returned to Nashville in coming days, Metro police reported Tuesday night.

    Police said gunfire erupted around 8:45 p.m. Friday after an altercation at Firehouse Discount Liquor on Dickerson Pike near Broadmoor Drive.

    Johnson was hit in the neck and transported to Skyline Medical Center, where she died after surgery, the department said early Saturday.

    At the time, police said the shooting suspect, who they hadn’t immediately identified, was the passenger in a black sedan that fled eastbound on Broadmoor from Dickerson.

    Authorities haven’t said what the altercation was about or given a possible motive in the fatal shooting.

     

  • TechnoQueens win the world championship

    TechnoQueens win the world championship

    JERICHO, NY (TIP): TechnoQueens’ – a Jr. First Lego League team comprised of six young and bright girls from Elementary Schools in Jericho, NY – goes on to win the Top Award in FIRST World Championship held in Detroit, Michigan in the week of April 27th. TechnoQueens represented Long Island in this World Expo with 55+ teams from other participating countries and across the USA. This Rookie team won many hearts with their prominent presentation skills, impressing the judges with their sound research and engaged kids, families of other participating teams with their innovative model design. The team received the most coveted and voted upon ‘Team Choice’ Award, with each of the participating team casting their ballots on key aspects for their favorite team in the Expo. At the end of the first day of the Expo, Top 3 teams were chosen for the top spot and on another round of secret ballot votes – the winner was announced at the Awards Ceremony. Other 2 competing teams were from China and Taiwan. TechnoQueens exhibited all Core values of the program, creativity of their solution, outstanding Lego Model and ‘ShowMe’ team Poster.

    TechnoQueens won the ‘Research & Discovery’ Award for their Learning journey around Project Solution ‘VillAquaTech’ – bringing clean water to ideal and remote Village communities in the world. As part of the People Pipeline Campaign with WaterAid, the girls raised around 3000$ and were able to bring Clean water and Toilets to kids in school in Nicaragua. Helping Community and making an impact to the world, even if it’s small, is a key proud part of TechnoQueens journey in this year’s Aqua Adventure program.

    All this started in September 2017, when the girls started to come together through common friends and families from nearby schools in Jericho and decided to form their own team. Coach, Rohit Bhatia, father of one of the girls put the team together (Ria Bhatia, Amneet Kaur, Aarna Tyagi, Falak Doshi, Risha Bansal and Sahana Patel) and there’s never been looking back since. Girls named their team as they believe Queens rule the world and so do they in this Technological-driven modern world!  The girls put their own team Slogan – ‘Teamwork is Dreamwork’ as they believe doing things together as a team is better than doing things by yourself. Girls designed their own logo and decided to use Pink as their team color – and are very excited to see their Coach wear it proudly.

    The team met at least once a week throughout the year to brainstorm on their project ideas; discussed and voted on the solutions. Each girl would work hands-on learning to program their robot and do different missions and then share with rest of the team. To learn and explore the world of water as part of this year’s Aqua Adventure theme, the girls visited various Water authorities in Long Island to learn about water transportation and, filtration processes. Girls also met various water experts including Water Engineers, Hydrologists, CEO, R&D experts in the field of Water. They also enjoyed presenting their solutions to Schools, local University, Museums and Water Experts.

    Over this journey since last year, TechnoQueens have become best friends, celebrate various festivals, events, Birthday parties together. They take pride in watching out for each other and demonstrate their Core values in their day to day lives.

    It’s of paramount importance in this world to promote our young girls from diverse communities and encourage them to embrace STEM programs and get exposed to science and engineering in their early phases of life. TechnoQueens have embraced the opportunity offered to them and are now looking forward to taking the leap to next level of FIRST Lego League program aimed at kids 10-14 years old. They are eager to learn and are already exploring the world of Space as part of next year’s FLL ‘Into the Orbit’ theme.  Let’s go TechnoQueens – Sky is the Limit!

     

  • Gujarat Day Celebrated

    Gujarat Day Celebrated

    NEW YORK CITY(TIP): ​On May 2, the Federation of Indian Association of Tri-State and Gujarati Associations from various states in the U.S. organized an evening to celebrate 58th Gujarat Din at the Consulate General of India in New York.   This was the second year where this group celebrated Gujarat Din at the Consulate General which was attended by more than 175 invited guests, dignitaries and the leaders of community organizations from the tristate area, Philadelphia and Baltimore.   Honorable Consul General of India in New York, Mr. Sandeep Chakraborty was the Guest of Honor for the evening.

    FIA President Srujal Parikh welcomed speech and introduced Consul General Sandeep Chakraborty and felicitated him with a memento of Gujarat.

    In his address, Consul General Chakraborty welcomed and congratulated everyone on Gujarat Sthapana Divas and stated that “it is a proud moment that all organizations from the nearby states are here under one roof which is a biggest achievement and our endeavor should be a model and principles of our Government to be inclusive and you all are the best carriers of this message.  Gujarat inspires our country with richness of its culture, diversity, architectural history and many other areas”.  Furthermore, he urged everyone to be a part of the biggest India Day Parade organized by FIA-Tri-State on August 19, 2018 at Madison Avenue in New York.

    An inspirational written message from Chief Minister of Gujarat Mr. Vijay Rupani was very well received by the audience.  The Chief Minister congratulated various organizations from Gujarati communities and appreciated to celebrate Gujarat Divas under one roof by these organizations.

    Mr. Yogesh Patel, MLA from Gujarat attended the event as a special guest and addressed the audience by congratulating everyone and described the progress of Gujarat.  Radhika Meganathan, author of “The Gurukul Chronicles” book was launched by the dignitaries including the Consul General.  Ramesh Patel, Chairman of FIA, Dr. Sudhir Parikh from Parikh World-wide media, Pinakin Pathak, Chairman of Ohmkara, Vishnu Patel of Gujarati Samaj of New York, Rupal Shah, Gujarati Samaj of Baltimore, Bhupesh Shah, Gujarati Samaj of Delaware Valley in Philadelphia, Rajeev Desai, Vaishnav Parivar of Connecticut, Smita (Miki) Patel of India Performing Arts Center and Arvind Patel of Rajbhog Foods were among the supporting organizations who addressed the audience and felicitated by the  Consul General Mr. Chakraborty.

    The master of ceremonies Nishi Parikh, member of the Gujarat Sthapana Divas Committee did a marvelous job. Local singers Umesh Patel and Foram Shah sang famous Gujarati songs in their melodious voice which was applauded by all.  Traditional Gujarati folk performances in colorful costumes were wonderfully choreographed by Smita (Miki) Patel of India Performing arts center and Priya of SBU Raas group in New York were among the highlights of the evening.

    Event concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Tushar Patel, committee member of Gujarat Sthapana Divas who extended his sincere appreciation to all supporters and community organizations for their help and support to make Gujarat Sthapana Divas a huge success.   A delicious and mouth-watering authentic Gujarati food was provided by Arvind Patel of Rajbhog Foods which was enjoyed by all.

    (Based on a Press Release)

  • New York’s attorney general Eric Schneiderman who was pursuing Donald Trump, resigns in the face of a scandal

    New York’s attorney general Eric Schneiderman who was pursuing Donald Trump, resigns in the face of a scandal

    NEW YORK(TIP): New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman abruptly resigned on Monday, May 7 night just hours after the New Yorker published a bombshell report about his personal life alleging he was violent toward four different women. Schneiderman, who did not respond to a request for comment on this story, issued a statement saying he had merely engaged in sexual “role-playing.”

    Schneiderman, who was elected in 2010, had been pursuing Trump on several fronts — his personal business, the special counsel investigation into the 2016 election and on behalf of New York state against actions taken by the Trump administration.

    Trump allies — including his son Donald Trump Jr. and counselor Kellyanne Conway — celebrated the news of Schneiderman’s downfall.

    “Gotcha,” Conway tweeted.

    Schneiderman’s perch in the Empire State gave him jurisdiction over Trump’s company. He first took on Donald Trump in August 2013 when he sued Trump for fraud in conjunction with Trump University, a seminar series that the former attorney general called a “sham.”  Trump agreed to pay a $25 million settlement to students of the program who had brought their own lawsuit, claiming they had been misled with false claims that the costly courses would guarantee success in the real estate business.

    Since Trump took office, Schneiderman has been cooperating with Robert Mueller’s probe into Russia’s role in Trump’s election. That was a threat to Trump because the president could pardon anyone indicted by Mueller but has no pardon power over state charges. In Albany, N.Y., Schneiderman had been pushing to change New York law to close a double-jeopardy loophole that might have prevented him from bringing charges in that situation.

    Along with his work with Mueller, Schneiderman has filed a flurry of lawsuits against the Trump administration. This blitz included suits against each iteration of Trump’s travel ban, the repeal of DACA and rollbacks in emissions standards. Schneiderman’s office filed amicus briefs with the Supreme Court in cases involving the travel ban and LGBT discrimination. Other states also joined many of these suits, but Schneiderman often led the coalitions.

    It’s not known if Schneiderman has been conducting its own investigations into Trump’s affairs. His office has not commented.

    With Schneiderman stepping down, the solicitor general, Barbara Underwood, becomes acting attorney general. A new attorney general could be chosen by the state Legislature, with both houses meeting in joint session. Democrats, led by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, have the majority and would be able to pick Schneiderman’s replacement. Multiple sources have told Yahoo News that the leading contenders include New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Kathleen Rice, state Sen. Michael Gianaris and state Sen. Jeffrey Klein. Heastie did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

    On Tuesday, the political buzz centered on James, who is known to be interested in the office and previously worked as an assistant attorney general. As public advocate, a nebulous position, she is New York City’s second-highest elected official and one of the state’s most prominent African-American women in office. A source familiar with the workings of the attorney general’s office predicted James would be a vocal opponent of Trump if she’s tapped for the job.

    “I think she would be aggressive and political in terms of going after Trump,” the source said.

    But any replacement picked by the Legislature will serve out only the remainder of Schneiderman’s term, which ends in December, unless that replacement runs for a full four-year term in November. Party primaries are on Sept. 13.

    A well-connected New York politico said legislators may forego naming a temporary replacement, leaving Underwood in the job and allowing voters to decide who should fill the office. Although there is already political pressure for the Legislature to choose this option, it would deprive legislators of the opportunity to reward a favorite and affect the shape of multiple upcoming races.

    The source familiar with the workings of the attorney general’s office predicted that, if Underwood remains in place, she would continue Schneiderman’s existing work.

    “If it’s Barbara Underwood, she’s like a lawyer’s lawyer,” the source said, noting she has argued before the Supreme Court.

    “I imagine she would continue all the Supreme Court actions, but I don’t know how aggressive she’d be in terms of going after new actions,” the source said.

    As for the election, New York’s statewide races generally lean Democratic, but Republicans are hoping Schneiderman’s woes could give them an opening. Republican Manny Alicandro, a corporate lawyer, launched a campaign shortly before the news broke. With Schneiderman out of the picture, more high-profile GOP candidates could also enter the fray. A Republican victory would be a major boon to Trump. Alicandro has criticized Schneiderman’s attacks on the White House as attention-seeking gamesmanship.

    There are at least two Democratic prospects eyeing that race who aren’t on the Legislature’s shortlist — former gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout and ex-U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

    Teachout gained notoriety in the state by mounting a surprisingly successful progressive challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014. In a tweet on Tuesday, Teachout said she is “seriously considering running for Attorney General.” Bharara was fired by Trump last year and has since emerged as a major critic of the White House on Twitter and in a popular podcast.

    If Schneiderman’s successor takes on Trump, that person may have the advantage of putting in a full day at the office. The report detailing the abuse allegations also claimed Schneiderman drank heavily and used prescription drugs. Although all of the insiders who spoke to Yahoo News said they were stunned by the allegations, multiple sources who worked with Schneiderman said he regularly showed up to work several hours late.

    “We just thought he was lazy,” a source said.

    (Source: Yahoo)

  • A Lesson in Wisdom

    A Lesson in Wisdom

    By Rishi Singh

    After a long journey, Sri Ramchandra with his Vanara Sena, reached the southern coast of our vast land and beheld the expanse of water separating them from Sri Lanka. The search for Sita was over; Rama now knew where she was; it only remained to redeem her from Ravana, by peaceful persuasion if possible or by war, if necessary. In line with our tradition of seeking Divine help, before commencing any work, Sri Ram desired to consecrate and offer worship to Shiva. Arrangements were soon completed, except finding a suitable priest to guide the function. Sri Ram thought for a while and then decided on the best person available nearby – Ravana the king of Sri Lanka. Without hesitation he asked Hanuman to fly to Ravana’s palace and request him to conduct the pooja.

    There was considerable shock and dismay among the assembly; to invite an enemy to conduct a pooja, specially meant to conquer and destroy him! Will Ravana accept such a preposterous invitation?

    But Hanuman as a loyal soldier implicitly obeyed the royal command and flew to Sri Lanka to convey the message to Ravana.

    Men and women around him were also deeply shocked, surprised and mystified at this strange invitation from the prince of Ayodhya. Ravana, true to his stature as a great pundit in Vedic literature, true to the tradition that as a Brahman, he should never decline an invitation to organize Divine worship, and true to his intense devotion to Lord Shiva accepted the invitation. He came with Hanuman to Sri Ram’s place, much to the consternation of everyone.

    Soon the king of Sri Lanka made an inspection of all arrangements, and turning to Sri Rama, said, “O prince of Ayodhya, though you have made very satisfactory arrangements, you are not qualified to install the idol of Lord Shiva in the absence of your wife. Our edicts declare that no person, however high, can perform such ceremonies without his consort nearby”.

    The mood of the entire assembly now changed from confusion to curiosity – how would Sri Rama react? The noble prince smiled and calmly replied,

    “We have invited you for the flawless performance of the ceremony. You have pointed out a flaw in tune with your duty as a pundit; I thank you for it. I now invite you to provide a solution, which also forms part of your duty.”

    This exposition of Dharmic postures and privileges between the greatest of kings and the noblest of men, was becoming even a treat for the Gods!

    The king of Sri Lanka was not only a great ruler but also a great scholar. The scholar in him rose to the occasion now and Ravana said, “O Rama, I can and shall provide a solution, since I do not wish to bear the blame for non-performance of Divine worship, but on one condition. I shall arrange to bring Sita here for the pooja, but you should permit her to return to my place after the function”.

    All around, were astounded and speechless at the clash of wit and fantastic words between the two great men and waited with bated breath for Sri Rama’s rejoinder.

    The noblest of men, simply and cheerfully accepted the offer, and the ceremony was completed in all solemnity. As per Indian customs and traditions, after viewing the couple, Ravana said “Let victory be yours!” though he knew well, those words meant his own destruction.

    Here was human values surpassing all constraints of Self. Only one more formality remained, that of honoring the priest. Sri Rama invited Ravana himself to suggest the fees for the function. It was at this moment that the greatest and the most crucial episode of Ramayana unfolded before an unbelieving audience.

    Ravana, the king would not take any fees, not even from Sri Rama, as he was always at the giving, and not the receiving end of fees or favors.

    But again, the Vedic pundit in him came to the fore. He said, “Sri Rama, knowing you very well, the only fees I solicit is that you stand by me when my life departs”.

    And thus it came to pass, that when Ravana lay in his last moments Sri Rama was near him. It only reveals that ultimate comfort for everyone high or low is to have Divinity nearby at the moment of death.

    May old people instruct their family and friends to put a few droplets of Holy Ganga water on their dying lips towards divine salvation.  As legend has it, the Holy Ganga descended from heaven upon prolonged and deep penance of Maharishi Dadhich to revive his ancestors by leading the Holy Ganga over their ashes.

    Lord Shiva had to be prayed for by Maharishi Dadhich to break the fall of Ganga from the heavens as it would wash away the very Earth where it descended.

    Lord Shiva the benevolent then agreed to catch the Holy Ganga in his locks before she flowed down onto land.

    The above has multiple lessons for all of us, few being persistence, perseverance, education, learning, contemplation, mutual respect, duty, wit, honor, morality, divinity.

  • Modi on Jinnah

    Modi on Jinnah

    By Mike Ghouse

    Prime Minister Modi has missed many opportunities to show his goodwill; he is yet to translate his ‘good’ intentions into ‘outcomes.’ The troublemakers from his party have presented him another opportunity to show his mettle and stop them from tearing the society apart. All he has to do is speak up about Jinnah’s picture at Aligarh Muslim University.

    Whether it is good, bad or ugly, we have to have to preserve our history as a reference. Every society has portrayed evil and good simultaneously, and religious scriptures are full of such stories. Not a single religion has wiped the wicked men in their narration.

    Ravan is a part of our story. Should the man who abducted Ma Sita be removed from Ramayana?

    Hitler is one of the evilest men in human history for attempting to annihilate a whole race. How can such a man be a hero to Modi’s organization, the RSS?

    Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi, and Godse’s picture adorns the sacred halls of the parliament; does it mean Modi would have approved Godse to kill Gandhi?

    No, we cannot change or alter history, it is what it is, and we have to live with it.

    The rogues among us, the Indians are continually looking to brew trouble, while the Prime Minister remains silent or tacitly approves the agitation.

    Sometimes I wonder, why didn’t we heed Sanjeev Bhatt? When the Gujarat riots broke out, Mr. Bhatt said, Modi chose to remain silent for three days and hinted to his men to go ahead and do all the damage they can until he is forced to stop it.

    Do you see a pattern here? When Dalit girls were raped and hung on the tree, Modi did not say a word. When Kalburge, Gauri Lankesh, and others were killed in broad daylight, Modi did not say a word.  When Akhlaq was lynched and murdered, Modi did not say a word. The list is quite long, but the pinnacle of his silence came when the six-year-old Asifa and a four-year-old girl were raped, he did not say a word for two days until the entire nation came together to compel him to speak.

    Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, in one of his books Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History clearly explains why raping of Muslim women is justifiable and not to do so when the occasion permits is not virtuous or chivalrous but cowardly. This idea is repulsive to the moderate majority of Hindus, but that is Modi’s indoctrination as a pracharak of the RSS. Is that the reason he chooses to remain silent when rapes tear up the nation?

    If Modi were dumb, I would not complain, but he is not.

    If Modi were deaf, I would not complain, but he hears everything.

    Some of his party members are raising hell over Jinnah’s photo at the Aligarh Muslim University. As head of the most important democracy in the world, his role is to build cohesive societies and not allow destruction and chaos. It will damage India in the long haul.

    All Modi has to do is a tweet or hold a press conference immediately after the incident- and say that he will not tolerate anyone messing with law and order, even if it were his ministers. If this man has good intentions, it is time to prove it.  He should try this method at least five times and see how quickly things will stop from spreading.

    No Indian should live in fear of the other; it is not good for the county, we should not be spending our time battling out on what you wear, eat, drink or believe. We should be spending time on how to save farmers, create jobs so fellow Indians can have three healthy meals.

    India’s prosperity is partially driven by foreign direct investment and trade.  If Modi does not control and puts a stop to harassment, lynching, rapes and chaotic situations, India may face what apartheid South Africa faced once. There is no incentive for the investors to feel safe with their investments in India. Modi’s friends will run away with money; the average Indian will lose.

    If Modi does not reign on these, he will sink India. https://www.theindianpanorama.news/featured/modi-will-sink-india-if-he-does-not-rein-in-the-rapists/

    There are many Indians who have left India and gone on to become Citizens of other nations.  Let’s say if America and India are at odds, the American Indians will stand with the US, they have to prove their loyalty to America and will go against India.  Should India strip all the civilian awards given to them because they are with the enemy now? I say no, what was done with good intentions should remain intact.

    Jinnah was a part of our independence movement, together, we got the freedom. As Indians, we generally disagree with the partition, and Muslim Indians in particular, feel betrayed. That is a part of our history, and we have to live with it.

    As a civilized nation, we cannot remove Jinnah’s picture. Jinnah is part of India’s history and will remain one. Will Modi speak up and put an end to the chaos or does it help him to play dirty and stay silent?

    A few good videos:

    1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R-uF_T0sgw&feature=share
    2. https://www.facebook.com/NationalMirror1/videos/2009302016002489/

    (The author is the president of the Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day).

  • Weekly Horoscope May 14 – May 20, 2018

    Weekly Horoscope May 14 – May 20, 2018

    By Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla
    Contact: +91 8141234275
    Aries: Ganesha says you rod the crest of achievements and glory and now your attention shifts to the needs of the family. Children will bring happiness and parents, in-laws, extended family, siblings call for your time. You also retreat from the cares of the world into your private shell. It could be a farm house, country home or even a quiet corner of seclusion. But you need to get away and be by yourself. You need to think things over as they have all been moving as fast as a Hollywood thriller.

    Taurus: You make big purchases and fill your office and home with works of art. You feel like doing up your place tastefully and that costs money which you don’t mind spending. You have new perspectives to life and are faced with a string of possibilities. You have many options and worry which to choose from; this is, of course, a good problem to have. Exert caution against overindulgence and try to maintain a sense of proportion, and balance.

    Gemini: You need to make strong decisions and steer the boat in the right direction. You are energized and enthused to steer full steam direction. You achieve a lot and are single-minded and focused. The results are spectacular. You win applause and grow in several ways. There will also be happy times with friends and family. You should, once again, watch your temperament closely. Try not to slip into your dark moods.

    Cancer: There is substantial growth in the last period. You have reached a point in your life and in your career where what you say is of consequence and you are listened to with care. Your innovative schemes and ideas win many admirers and you also make money. There are meetings, collaborations and all types of expenses too. You spend time with the family and there may be minor hospital expenses. But, once again, luck is on your side and all is well that ends well.

    Leo: This is a formidable phase in which you push ahead hard and true. You are all fired up to make inroads and are greeted with success in all your activities. You spend on luxuries like there was no tomorrow; home and wardrobe renovation take a lot of your time. You also make sensible investments and may buy property. There is money to be made on the markets too. It will be in your interest if you can guard against overindulgence in this period.

    Virgo: The bull – run in your life continues. There are new associations and, possibly, steaming sex. It may not last but will be well worth it while it does. You spend large sums on the object of your affections and, for a while at least, lose all balance and sense of direction. You throw caution to the winds and immerse yourself in your pet indulgence. Money and emotions remain in sharp focus this period and you also move up the ladder of success and fame.

    Libra: There are many possibilities now, but it also depends on how you tweak them. This period is full of hope and promise. There may be an end to your struggles and mental confusion or they will just increase and blow up in your face. It depends on you in many and be healthy and more productive or get into needless emotional and psychic dilemmas and drown in their turbid waters.

    Scorpio: Luckily, you are brought back to the real world just in time. Several domestic and work pressures mount and you are pressed to solve them and sort out your affairs. You will have to deal with finance, settlements and legal matters. You have the necessary negotiating skills, but all this is a waste of time and a detour from what you really want to do which is to ideate. There are expenses and pressures of all types and you are pushed to find answers.

    Sagittarius: You continue on the practical plank and settle down to working hard. There are a lot of finer details that need your attention both at home and at work and there is no time for fanciful thinking. There are appraisals at work and several key decisions to be taken if self-employed. This is a valuable time and you can’t squander it. Monies will have to be looked into, children’s schooling, parents’ and spouse’s medical issues and several such matters hog your time and attention.

    Capricorn: You will be relating better to people and will be making several long-term plans. There are indications of travel, and conferences, gathering and conventions to attend. All this will go a long way in bolstering your career. You meet up with associates and party. There is the danger of spiraling expenses and some ill-health too. You may get into arguments, altercations and unnecessary disagreements and could lose your temper and say things you would be better off not saying.

    Aquarius: In many ways, this can be a beautiful period. There will be better health, better prospects and better income, and you will cool off and not enter unnecessary argumentation. There is a lot of entertainment on your plate including a dash or romance. You are in love with love and so any person or thing that suits the mood will become the object of your affections. You will pass through moments of heightened emotions and this can be very beautiful if you dare to share it with someone close.

    Pisces: You decide to take the family out and have some truly wonderful moments. If intellectually inclined, you do exceptionally well. There will be several visitors and some even from overseas. So, a lot of your time will be spend socializing and travelling to tourist spots. Creative pursuits will be highlighted. It is a happy period with no particular accomplishment or achievement but nothing, also, to complain about.

     

     

     

  • 2018 New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF)

    2018 New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF)

    By Mabel Pais

    “NYIFF is known around the world for its top-notch, out-of-the-box programming, and this year is no different.

    The New York audience is sophisticated, well-traveled, educated and discerning; as such, our content reflects what we think will resonate with the cinephiles of this cosmopolitan city and will keep them coming back for more.” –  Aroon Shivdasani, Founder-Executive & Artistic Director, IAAC.
    “We had to make some tough choices but I’m thrilled with our selections representing new independent Indian and South Asian cinema, as well works from the South Asian Diaspora”  –  Aseem Chhabra, NYIFF Director

    About NYIFF

    The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is the oldest, most prestigious film festival screening premiere of feature, documentary and short films made from, of, and about the Indian subcontinent in the Independent, arthouse, alternate and diaspora genres. Six days of screenings, post-screening discussions, industry panels, award ceremony, special events, nightly networking parties, red carpet galas, media attention and packed audiences build an awareness of Indian cinema, entertain & educate North Americans about the real India, and add to the amazing cultural diversity of New York City.

    For further information, visit www.iaac.us/NYIFF2018/index.htm

    About IAAC

    The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) is a not-for-profit, secular service and resource arts organization charged with the mission of promoting and building the awareness, creation, production, exhibition, publication and performance of Indian and cross-cultural art forms in North America. The IAAC supports all artistic disciplines in the classical, fusion, folk and innovative forms influenced by the arts of India.  IAAC works cooperatively with colleagues around the United States to broaden their collective audiences and to create a network for shared information, resources and funding.

    Its focus is to work with artists and arts organizations in North America as well as to facilitate artists and arts organizations from India to exhibit, perform and produce their works here.

    For further information, visit  www.iaac.us

     About Qube Cinema,Inc.
    Qube Cinema, Inc., a provider of end-to-end digital cinema technology and solutions, is the distribution partner for the festival.  The company draws on decades of experience in cinema and provides a seamless digital environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and post-production companies with DCI compliant products that are flexible, reliable and cost-effective.

    For further information, visit www.qubecinema.com

    About Qube Wire

    Filmmakers increasingly rely on Qube Wire for secure and reliable movie content delivery to the festival.

    To sign up for Qube Wire service, visit www.qubewire.com

     The longest-running, most prestigious South Asian Film Festival in North America,NYIFF, kicked off on May 7 at the Village East Cinemas in the lower east side of Manhattan at 181-189, 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

    The Festival continues until May 12 at the location.

    The Festival boasts 78 shorts, documentaries and feature filmsscreened over the period of 6 days.

    Festival Highlights:

    The opening night red carpet took place on Monday, May 7th from 6 pm to 7 p.m. outside the Village East Cinemas, preceding the U.S. premiere of Ravi Jadhav’s Marathi language film NUDE(with English subtitles).

    Opening night movie, Nude

    The closing night red carpet will take place from 5-6 p.m., May 12, once again outside the Village East Cinemas, preceding the New York premiere of veteran NYIFF director Hansal Mehta’s biopic on Islamic fundamentalist Omar Saeed Sheikh, OMERTA, at 6 p.m.

    Closing night movie, Omerta

    The centerpiece slot was occupied by Miransha Naik’s Konkani language film JUZE(with English subtitles), making its North American premiere at NYIFF on May 10.

    Centerpiece, Juze

    The entire festival schedule comprising of 78 films in 11 languages (English, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Tulu, Konkani, Bengali & Assamese), is available on the festival’s website.  The programming boasts four world premieres, two international premieres, six North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and 11 New York premieres from four South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka), as well as North America and the United Kingdom.

    NYIFF 2018 paid tribute to two Indian film industry icons who passed away in the last four months: Hollywood/Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor and the India’s first female superstar Sridevi. Kapoor’s tribute comprised of two masterpieces Academy Award winner James Ivory’s: SHAKESPEARE WALLAHand HEAT AND DUST. The festival also screened AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A PRINCESS, starring New York author and chef Madhur Jaffrey, as part of its Merchant-Ivory Retrospective. To honor Sridevi’s memory, NYIFF showcased the actress’ 2012 return to Bollywood in ENGLISH VINGLISH, shot primarily in New York City.

    Heat And Dust
    Photos / Courtesy NYIFF
    English Vinglish
    Photos / Courtesy NYIFF
    Additional highlights at the festival included:

    Discovering the Film and Television Market in India Panel Discussion

    Shooting films in New York State Panel Discussion

    The Inclusion Rider’s Role in Diversifying Hollywood Panel Discussion

    Networking events and nightly parties

    The NYIFF 2018 winners will be announced at the awards night ceremony on May 12 from a list of nominated films for

    Best Film:

    BALEKEMPA

    JUZE

    LIGHT IN THE ROOM

    NUDE

    TAKE OFF

    Best Director:

    Atanu Ghosh (MAYURAKSHI)

    Ere Gowda (BALEKEMPA)

    Rahul Nair (LIGHT IN THE ROOM)

    Chezhian Ra (TO-LET)

    Nishil Sheth (BHASMASUR)

    Best Screenplay:

    CHUMBAK

    CRD

    HER, HIM, THE OTHER

    THE HUNGRY

    JUZE

    Best Actress:

    Sushama Deshpande (AJJI)

    Vinitha Koshy (LIGHT IN THE ROOM)

    Kalyani Mulay (NUDE)

    Parvathy (TAKE OFF)

    Bindu Raxidi (PADDAYI)

    Best Child Actor:

    Mittal Chouhan (BHASMASUR)

    Kapil Garo (ISHU)

    Chandra Kiran GK (SUMMER OF MIRACLES)

    Ali Halji (NOBLEMEN)

    Rushikesh Naik (JUZE)

    Best Short:

    AL-WAR

    HUMMINGBIRD

    MAACHER JHOL (The Fish Curry)

    JAAN JIGAR

    MANDI (The Market)

    Best Documentary:

    ABU

    BIRD OF DUSK

    CHILDREN PLAYING GOD

    LIMITLESS

    NAKED WHEELS

    On a par with the procedures of the Oscars and Golden Globes, the jurors send their decisions directly to KPMG, who bring the envelopes for the winning films and filmmakers to the awards ceremony on May 12, immediately following the closing night film.

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

     

  • Can the BJP wrest Karnataka from the Congress?

    Can the BJP wrest Karnataka from the Congress?

    “Yes”, says Muralidhar Rao; Rajeev Gowda says “No”; For Sandeep Shastri, “It’s Complicated”

    Yes | Muralidhar Rao

    The JD(S) and the Congress are two faces of the same coin. The BJP will win with a majority

    Yes, we will definitely wrest power from the Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s preparation, both organizationally and politically, points to a victory for the party. We can also sense that the mood of the people in Karnataka has changed. People have problems, which the State government has failed to address. Whether it is in the agricultural sector, infrastructure, or urban management, mismanagement has become a major issue. People have been agitating for quite some time and their disillusionment with the ruling Congress is complete. The BJP leadership has worked hard to mobilize public opinion against the ruling party. The BJP will continue to do what it has been doing in the rest of the country, which is to fight against the Congress.

    Issues in Karnataka

    As far as the issues in the campaign are concerned, in the last two years, the farm sector has been in the grip of an acute crisis and the government has been unable to address and arrest the problem of farmers’ suicides. Close to 3,800 farmers have committed suicide in the last five years. The government has been insensitive to the issue. Even before the elections, we organized a special campaign for farmers, collected grains from them, and pledged to put an end to the crisis.

    Look at Bengaluru. It has become a city of crime. It is full of potholes. It faced floods. Even the Lokayukta, P. Vishwanath Shetty, is not safe in his office and the attack on him demonstrated how law and order has deteriorated in the State. Corruption, scams and scandals have added to people’s restlessness with the ruling party. The attitude of the State government to terror groups, particularly in coastal areas, is appalling. More than 24 activists have been killed by extremists. Not a single case has been pursued; arrests have not been made. The Congress’s silence on the Popular Front of India, which should have been banned a long time ago, appears to indicate that the PFI enjoys protection from the government.

    We have been accused of associating ourselves with the Bellary brothers. This has been completely misrepresented. Janardhana Reddy, who has been named in the FIR, has not been given a ticket and we have not used him in the campaign. His brother is a sitting MLA. There is no case against him. Also, don’t you think Chief Minister Siddaramaiah could have taken action against the two brothers? Why didn’t he?

    The BJP’s promises

    I think the promises made in our manifesto will persuade people to vote for us. In the farming sector, we have spelt out the issues we are going to pursue. For instance, to address the debt crisis, we have declared a ₹1 lakh loan waiver for farmers rom nationalized banks and co-operative banks.

    Bengaluru is a hub for translating the global ambitions of India. Instead, we now see the city being associated with crime and corruption. On the welfare front, we have conceptualized many programs for the people of Karnataka: free education for all students in government colleges, for BPL families, smartphones for women. We are working on a growth-centric plan and that’s our promise to the people of Karnataka. We will get more than 150 seats. I have no doubt that a massive majority will come to the BJP. The Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress are two faces of the same coin. Both are pursuing vote-bank politics and are family-driven parties. We will win on the promise of development alone.

    (Muralidhar Rao is a national general secretary of the BJP)

    (As told to Anuradha Raman)

     NO | Rajeev Gowda

    The voters prefer a stable government that has ensured inclusive growth

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi belatedly descended on Karnataka in a desperate attempt to revive the BJP’s collapsing campaign. Unfortunately for him, the ground reality will demonstrate that Karnataka is not Gujarat. Mr. Siddaramaiah’s inclusive welfare programs have ensured that voters remain steadfastly with the Congress.

    Achievements of the Congress

    Hunger will soon be history due to the Anna Bhagya scheme. Mathru Poorna is transforming the health of women, during and after pregnancy, while ensuring healthier children. Indira canteens help the urban poor access a nutritious meal at low cost. Dairy farmers received higher prices and children get milk in schools. Farmers gained from a loan waiver, subsidized rental equipment, and farm ponds. An integrated e-market increased farmer’s income by 38% in 2015-16, according to a Niti Aayog report.

    Karnataka leads India in investment intentions and follow through. The youth flock to Bengaluru, India’s start-up capital. A quarter of jobs created in India were in Karnataka, as reported in April 2016. Mainstays like IT and biotechnology crossed revenues of $50 billion. With an average GSDP growth of 8% over five years, people will be happy to stay with a government that works.

    Nightmare years of the BJP

    Voters have not forgotten the five nightmare years, which were marked by incompetence and instability, when the BJP ran Karnataka. Three Chief Ministers took turns to defend corruption on a scale that shamed the State. B.S. Yeddyurappa led his Cabinet colleagues, the Reddy brothers, Katta Jagadish, Krishnaiah Setty, Harta Halappa, etc. to jail. Mr. Modi’s rhetoric and flood of falsehoods cannot cover up that sorry track record, especially when the same crew is back helming the BJP’s election campaign.

    A track record in abetting instability is also true for the JD(S). Widely regarded as untrustworthy, it is now confined to the Old Mysore region. It will garner at least 10 seats less than its 40 in 2013. However, it has kept the BJP from gaining a foothold in Old Mysore. The BJP’s absence in Old Mysore means that in 10 of Karnataka’s 30 districts, it is likely to win only a handful of seats. Its old Hindutva laboratory, the coast, rejected it in 2013, and will do so again, turned off by polarization. The BJP won nearly half of Bengaluru Urban last time but will do worse now. It is in closely fought Mumbai-Karnataka and Central Karnataka that the BJP is hoping to gain seats. While it may be aided here by the Karnataka Janata Paksha and the Badavara Shramikara Raithara Congress coming back to the BJP fold, the chemistry has gone all awry owing to competing factions. In Hyderabad-Karnataka, it is counting on the eight seats given to the Reddy family to help it, but the leadership of Mallikarjun Kharge and the fact that the United Progressive Alliance granted 371(J) status to this region will ensure that the Congress stays ahead. Dalit anger at the BJP’s injustice nationwide is reflecting across Karnataka. In contrast, Mr. Siddaramaiah has allocated budgets in proportion to the population percentage of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

    Opinion polls show that Mr. Siddaramaiah remains the number one choice for Chief Minister. According to polls, voters consider the BJP to be the most corrupt party. A section of the Lingayats is expected to quietly vote for the party that responded to their aspirations. The Supreme Court awarding a larger share of Cauvery water to Karnataka has marked Mr. Siddaramaiah as a champion of the State’s interests. He has also highlighted Kannada pride. A stable government which has delivered to all sections and ensured inclusive growth is what the voters prefer. On May 15, the Congress will be back with a bang, setting the trend for 2019.

    (Rajeev Gowda is a Congress MP and chairman of the AICC’s research department)

     It’s Complicated | Sandeep Shastri

    In several constituencies, the BJP, JD(S) and the Congress are engaged in a three-way fight

    The Karnataka electoral contest seems to be heading for a photo finish and is fascinatingly complex and suspense-filled.

    Contradictory trends

    For the last three decades, Karnataka has never given a clear majority to the ruling party. This should make it easier to make predictions. The BJP could argue that it is the natural alternative to the Congress. Yet politics often defies logic. Karnataka was also witness to another trend during the same period: it has almost always gone against the national trend during Assembly elections. Karnataka seems set to negate one of these two trends, but the question is which one.

    The BJP is convinced that it will wrest Karnataka from the Congress and make a grand entry in the south on the strength of what it will term as an anti-incumbency vote. Even if one were to assume that there is anti-incumbency, the BJP does not become the natural beneficiary of that. Opinion polls have pointed to the split of the anti-Congress vote between the BJP and the JD(S). The BJP is also heavily banking on its star campaigner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to help it. The dependence of the party on the Prime Minister was evident in the last-minute increase in the number of rallies that Mr. Modi was scheduled to address. Yet, the impact of his campaign is still a matter of debate.

    This is the first major test of Mr. Modi’s capacity to sway an electorate in a State Assembly poll south of the Vindhyas. But can the faction-ridden State unit of the BJP and an increasingly sidelined chief ministerial candidate take the possible momentum generated by the Prime Minister’s whirlwind campaign to the ground and translate that into votes? More importantly, has the BJP pitched its campaign on appropriate and relevant State-level issues and has its chief ministerial candidate inspired the electorate to favor the party?

    The ruling Congress has its visible strengths but could well have peaked too early and lost the momentum in the crucial final week of the campaign. In the run-up to the campaign, it was clearly setting the agenda, pushing the BJP on the defensive. In its Chief Minister, the party found a campaigner who could bring together the diverse elements within the party to take on the opposition with a conscious focus on the local. Yet, there are factors that could halt this movement. The responsibility of defending the State government has virtually been left to the Chief Minister, with other Ministers busy managing their own small constituencies and contributing very little to the State-wide campaign.

    The JD(S) question

    Further, the unhappiness of the electorate with the track record of the State government on the key issues of tackling price rise, generating employment, and controlling corruption is visible. A key strategy of the Congress to win over the Lingayats by recommending them a minority religion status appears to have backfired.

    The presence of the JD(S) as a key player in select regions has converted the electoral battle in several constituencies into a three-way fight. By carving out for itself a segment of the anti-Congress vote, the JD(S) is surely eating into the BJP vote. Yet, the same could be said about the anti-BJP vote, which, especially in communally sensitive areas, could be split between the JD (S) and the Congress. The JD(S)’s efforts to be king-maker has led to a debate on whether Karnataka is once again heading for an Assembly with no party securing a clear majority.

    (Sandeep Shastri is a political scientist and the national coordinator of the Lokniti network)

    (Source: The Hindu)

     

     

  • It’s not about the nuclear deal

    It’s not about the nuclear deal

    The U.S. won’t ease the terms of sanctions on Iran, as the goal is regime change in Tehran

    By Chinmaya R. Gharekhan
    “The impact on India will be severe. The price of crude is already close to $80. Energy imports from Iran will become difficult and expensive. Fuel prices will go up. The Reserve Bank of India might have to increase interest rates to contain inflation and step in to check the fall in the rupee’s value. All this might have a direct bearing on politics, given the fact that the government was the beneficiary of low crude price for the first four years but may have to face consequences of inflation and attendant factors in its fifth”, says the author.

    If — and that’s a big if — the leaders of the U.S., China, South Korea and North Korea succeed in concluding a deal on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula as well as on a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War, they would be front runners for the Nobel Peace Prize. That deal could appropriately be called a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if it lays down a detailed blueprint for denuclearization, with provisions of intrusive inspections. The only thing that could stand in their way is Iran.

    There should be little doubt that U.S. President Donald Trump’s real, but of necessity undeclared, objective in withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal is a regime change in Tehran. This goal is even more ardently desired by Israel and Saudi Arabia. Ever since Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made particularly provocative statements about Israel, Israelis of all political persuasions have wanted to get rid of the regime in Iran. The Saudis have openly called for cutting off the head of the (Iranian) snake. Thus, three important and powerful states have a congruence of interests seldom seen in recent times.

    Iranian discontent

    There have been frequent and persistent reports in the Western media for several months about large-scale demonstrations and protests by Iranian people against the regime. Living conditions are difficult. Iran did not get the goodies that it expected after signing the JCPOA. Inflation is high. The Iranian rial is trading at 75,000 to the dollar. People are angry with the government. According to the well-researched work Democracy in Iran: Why It Failed and How It Might Succeed by American academic Misagh Parsa, disaffection among the people has manifested itself in several forms. Hundreds of mosques do not have imams and the attendance at Friday prayers has dwindled dramatically. Some are converting to Christianity and, according to Professor Parsa, even to the Baha’i faith, which is the largest non-Muslim community in Iran. Professor Parsa states that there is massive corruption as well as economic inequality in Iran. All in all, he suggests that it is quite likely that there might be a revolutionary upsurge, though he is careful not to indicate any timeline for it.

    A different calculation

    It is this discontent that Mr. Trump might be counting on tapping. His calculation seems to be that the reimposition of severe sanctions would render life very difficult, almost unbearable, for the populace who might, in the absence of other avenues, take to the streets, as they did in 1979 to overthrow the Shah’s regime which too, like the present one, had strong military and oppressive secret services such as the Savak but which could not defeat public anger, frustration and rage. For these reasons, Mr. Trump is unlikely to listen to voices of reason or to appeals from his Western allies. He is equally not likely to grant exemptions from sanctions to any country engaging in any form of trade and other transactions with Iran. His administration will follow strict interpretation of the guidelines regarding the sanctions regime.

    Iranian restraint

    Iran has shown restraint, forsaking knee-jerk reaction. It did not declare that the deal was dead, as it might well have done. It did not announce immediate resumption of uranium enrichment, which it emphasized will be at the industrial level. It has so far not called off International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections. Iran will consult with the other signatories to the JCPOA for several weeks before taking any further action. This shows the maturity of Iranian diplomacy. It remains to be seen how long France and others will stick to their position of continuing to adhere to the deal; they will eventually have to fall in line in some way with the Americans, if not for political then for economic considerations. For Mr. Trump, the Republicans are fully with him and the Democrats will be too eventually.

    Will Iran live up to the American calculation? For the present, Mr. Trump’s decision has strengthened the hardliners. President Hassan Rouhani, regarded as a moderate, has no option but to take a defiant stance. The Iranian people, proud as they are of their heritage, will stand behind their regime. But there may come a time when their hardships reach a stage when they might feel compelled to take to the streets.

    In the meanwhile, Iran will even more vigorously support the Bashar al-Assad regime in Damascus, in which it will be joined by Russia and Hezbollah, which has done very well in the parliamentary elections in Lebanon this month. The Houthi rebels in Yemen will feel more emboldened to take on the Saudi-led coalition; of course, the Yemeni people will continue to suffer, as will the Syrian people, for years to come. Iran will more directly intervene in Iraq and render the possibility of progress in the non-existent peace effort in Afghanistan even more difficult.

    If the regime in Tehran does not collapse, the Washington-Jerusalem-Riyadh axis might look for an alternative course of action, not excluding military. In that case, the Nobel Peace Prize will elude Mr. Trump.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established special relationship with Israel and its present Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. He has also made efforts to forge intimate relations with the U.S. With both India has the upper hand, since it is they who want to sell expensive military hardware to India. Under the circumstances, India has made a well-drafted two-sentence statement on the Trump decision. The first strikes a balance between Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes as also the international community’s concern to ensure that its nuclear program remains strictly peaceful. The second sentence contains implicit disapproval of the American decision and warns, again implicitly, against any strong military action. For India, the question will also be: can it rely on the U.S. to honor even its written word embodied in international agreements? Mr. Trump wants to annul every single achievement of his predecessor — Obamacare, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Paris Agreement, and now JCPOA. India will have to remain vigilant in dealing with this administration; it would not be prudent to assume that it is a special case.

    Fallout for India

    The impact on India will be severe. The price of crude is already close to $80. Energy imports from Iran will become difficult and expensive. Fuel prices will go up. The Reserve Bank of India might have to increase interest rates to contain inflation and step in to check the fall in the rupee’s value. All this might have a direct bearing on politics, given the fact that the government was the beneficiary of low crude price for the first four years but may have to face consequences of inflation and attendant factors in its fifth.

    (The author is a former Indian Ambassador to the United Nations, was Special Envoy for West Asia in the Manmohan Singh government)

  • Trump’s Iran walk-back: Double whammy for India after CATSA

    Trump’s Iran walk-back: Double whammy for India after CATSA

    Just when Indian diplomats were figuring out how to mitigate the impact of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CATSA) on its arms and oil trade with Russia, South Block has another reason to burn the midnight oil. US President Donald Trump’s intention to exit the Iran deal, and reimpose sanctions if Tehran declines to renegotiate, could send India’s plans for the region in smoke. The sanctions will pretty much cover all areas of interest to India vis-a-vis Iran: petroleum, ports, shipping and banking. The bright side is that except for Saudi Arabia and Israel, pretty much the rest of the world has not taken kindly to Trump’s attempt to redefine the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to cover “responsible” behavior by Iran both externally and domestically.

    The world can be grateful that Tehran doesn’t have an impetuous leader like Trump. Javed Zarif, Iran’s chief negotiator for the deal, has resolved to diplomatically lobby with the other parties to the agreement. Yet, Trump’s explanation that Iran could emulate North Korea by negotiating denuclearization will find few takers for it is widely realized that Tehran would have to be suicidal if it were to show signs of weakness. On the contrary, the US may have lost North Korea’s trust by going back on the Iran deal just as it lost Palestinian support after Trump announced the shifting of the US embassy to East Jerusalem.

    India needs to work with countries with a shared interest in the JCPOA to ensure that Trump’s exit from the Iran deal does not harm its investments and plans for the region. India and other countries on the same page must also engage with Iran to discourage it from retaliatory malign behavior that may further muddy the waters. PM Modi will get the opportunity to discuss the issue with like-minded leaders when he meets them for two multilateral summits later this year. The problem for India is it has no company like the Chinese Sinopec which has no business interests with a US company and can thus escape sanctions. India will first have to make common cause with countries in the same Iranian boat.

    (Tribune, India)

  • May 11 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    May 11 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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    Print Replica ~ Digitally

    E-Editions

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”New York Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F05%2FTIP-May-11-NYC.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”92685″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TIP-May-11-NYC.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Dallas, Texas Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F05%2FTIP-May-11-Dallas-TX.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”92686″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TIP-May-11-Dallas-TX.pdf”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][td_block_ad_box spot_id=”custom_ad_3″ tdc_css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F|||”][td_block_5 separator=”” limit=”8″ tdc_css=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”td-default”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Trump: Will meet Kim on June 12 in Singapore

    Trump: Will meet Kim on June 12 in Singapore

    Meeting with Trump will be positive for Koreas, says Kim Jong- un

    WASHINGTON(TIP): US President Donald Trump today, May 10, announced that he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on June 12 in Singapore for a historic meeting to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

    Trump’s announcement came hours after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned home from North Korea with three detained Americans.

    Trump, who personally greeted the trio at the Andrews Air Force Base, praised Kim for their release ahead of their summit.

    “The highly anticipated meeting between Kim Jong Un and myself will take place in Singapore on June 12th. We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace!,” Trump tweeted.

    Trump has struck a cautiously optimistic tone in discussing the prospects of reaching a deal during his upcoming summit with Kim, saying he is hopeful a historic agreement can be brokered while also warning the talks could prove unfruitful.

    But the President saw the release of the three Americans as yet another reason for optimism as he prepares for the summit. “We are starting off on a new footing-I really think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful. A lot of very good things have happened,” Trump said as he greeted the three former prisoners.

    The Americans-Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak-song and Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim-were freed yesterday by North Korea while Pompeo was on a visit to Pyongyang to finalize the details of the Trump-Kim summit.

    The summit, which has been in the works since Trump accepted Kim’s invitation to meet in March, will be the first ever meeting between a sitting US president and North Korean leader.

    US officials had also considered holding the summit at the Korean demilitarized zone or in Mongolia, but ultimately settled on the city-state of Singapore as the location.

    Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un has said that the meeting with Trump will be positive towards easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Pyongyang state media reported on Thursday, May 10.

    Kim made the remark to visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday, May 9 the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

    During the meeting with Pompeo, Kim described the planned summit as “historic” and “the excellent first step towards promotion of the positive situation development in the Korean peninsula and building of a good future”.

    This was Pompeo’s second visit to the Asian country after his secret trip over Easter, when he also met with Kim, to finalize preparations for the summit, reports Efe news.

    “At the meeting, an in-depth discussion was made on the practical matters for holding the North Korea-US summit and its procedure and ways. Kim Jong-un reached a satisfactory consensus on the issues discussed with the US state secretary,” Yonhap News Agency quoted KCNA as saying.

    This is the first time that the North Korean leader officially spoke of the meeting with Trump, which has been scheduled for the end of May or the beginning of June and will be the first meeting in history between the heads of government of the two countries.

    KCNA said Kim also “accepted an official suggestion of the US President for the release of Americans who have been detained” and gave an order “on granting amnesty to them for their repatriation”.

    The three Americans–Kim Dong-chul, 64, Kim Sang-duk, 58, and Kim Hak-song, around 60–who had been held prisoners in North Korea, were all born in South Korea but later acquired the US citizenship.

    Pompeo also delivered Kim a “verbal message” from Trump, adding Kim highly appreciated that the US President had shown “deep interest in settling the issue through dialogue”.

    Details of Trump’s message were not disclosed.

    The North’s media covered Wednesday’s meeting extensively.

    The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s Workers’ Party, devoted the front page to the Kim-Pompeo meeting, with relevant photos, including those showing the two shaking hands.

    (Source: PTI / IANS)

     

  • Ritzy Glitzy New York Indian Film Festival kicks off, with celebrities in attendance

    Ritzy Glitzy New York Indian Film Festival kicks off, with celebrities in attendance

    Mabel Pais/ Bidisha Roy

    NEW YORK CITY(TIP): The longest-running, most prestigious South Asian Film Festival in North America, NYIFF, kicked off on May 7 at the Village East Cinemas in the lower east side of Manhattan at 181-189, 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

    The Festival boasts 78 shorts, documentaries and feature films screened over the period of 6 days.

    The Festival continues until May 12 at the location.

  • Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces probe for laundering $4.9 bn to India: Reports

    Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif faces probe for laundering $4.9 bn to India: Reports

    World Bank denies reports Sharif laundered US$ 4.9 billion to India

    ISLAMABAD(TIP): In further trouble to Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan’s top anti-corruption body on Tuesday, May 8, ordered a probe against the embattled former Prime Minister and others for allegedly laundering USD 4.9 billion to India, media reports said.

    The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a press release said its Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal took notice of reports making rounds on news channels claiming that Sharif allegedly laundered USD 4.9 billion to India, the Express Tribune reported.

    According to the media report, this incident is mentioned in the World Bank’s Migration and Remittance Book 2016, the release said.

    However, details of the media report in question have not been mentioned in the brief statement issued in Urdu, Geo TV reported.

    The statement claims that the amount was laundered to the Indian Finance Ministry after which Indian foreign exchange reserves witnessed an increase and Pakistan suffered as a result.

    Sharif is facing three corruption cases at the accountability court following the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case. An NAB inquiry is also under way against him for alleged illegal expansion of a road leading to his estate in Lahore’s Jati Umra locality.

    Once formulated, this will be the fifth case against the ousted premier by the NAB.

    Earlier today, the accountability court sought more time from the top court to end the trial on references filed by the NAB against members of the Sharif family.

    Accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir, who presides over the hearings, has written a letter to the top court requesting for a second extension in the trial.

    Earlier in March, the Supreme Court had granted a two-month extension to the accountability court to wrap the proceedings.

    However, as the two-month deadline expires, the case is nowhere near its end, with the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments still untouched, the country’s top anti-graft body is running out of time.

    The Supreme Court of Pakistan had disqualified Sharif last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. Sharif has dismissed the corruption charges as politically motivated.

    The political future of Sharif, who leads the country’s most powerful political family and his party, has been hanging in the balance since then. If convicted, he can be jailed.

    World Bank denies reports Sharif laundered US$ 4.9 billion to India

    Meanwhile, the World Bank has denied as “incorrect” the media reports in Pakistan that cited its report to allege that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif laundered US$ 4.9 billion to India.

    Pakistan’s top anti-corruption body, National Accountability Bureau, on Tuesday ordered a probe against the embattled former prime minister and others after reports of his involvement in the money laundering emerged in the media.

    The World Bank in a statement said, “In the past day, there have been media reports citing the World Bank’s Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. These media reports were incorrect.

    The World Bank’s Remittances and Migration Report is an effort by the World Bank to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world, it said.

    “The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals,” said the World Bank, which was issued after media reports cited its annual report for allegations that Sharif laundered US$ 4.9 billion from Pakistan to India.

    In its annual report, the statement said that the World Bank estimates bilateral remittances between countries using the methodology summarized in the World Bank Working Paper 102 South-South migration and remittances by the authors of the report.

    The World Bank also referred to a statement by the State Bank of Pakistan which rejects estimates of US$ 4.9 billion in remittances from Pakistan to India on September 21, 2016, and provides an explanation of the methodology used in the World Bank report and the official remittances numbers.

    (Source: PTI)

     

  • Trump scraps the Iran nuclear deal, calling it ’embarrassment’

    Trump scraps the Iran nuclear deal, calling it ’embarrassment’

    Iran will remain in N-deal, says Rouhani

    European leaders call on Washington to let them carry on with pact

    WASHINGTON(TIP): US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, May 8, pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal with Iran, an Obama-era accord which he has repeatedly criticized.

    “It is clear to me that we cannot prevent Iran’s nuclear bomb. The Iran deal is defective at its core. Therefore, I am announcing today that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal,” Trump said.

    Moments later he signed a fresh set of sanctions against Iran and warned countries against any cooperation with Iran on its nuclear weapons program.

    Ever since his election campaign, Trump has frequently criticized the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA.

    France, Germany, and the UK regret the U.S. decision to leave the JCPOA. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is at stake.

        — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 8, 2018

    He had described the agreement, which was negotiated by then US secretary of state John Kerry, as a bad deal.

    I am deeply concerned by today’s announcement that the US will be withdrawing from the JCPOA & will begin reinstating US sanctions, says @antonioguterres. Full text here: https://t.co/LqC2WFJfAC

        — UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) May 8, 2018

    The Iran nuclear deal was reached in Vienna in July 2015 between Iran and the P5 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council) plus Germany and the European Union.

    Trump’s decision would have global ramifications, straining Iranian economy and heightening tensions in the Middle East.

    Iran will remain in N-deal, says Rouhani

    Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday, May 8, that Iran would remain committed to a multinational nuclear deal despite US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 agreement designed to deny Tehran the ability to build nuclear weapons.

    “If we achieve the deal’s goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place… By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty,” Rouhani said in a televised speech.

    “I have ordered the foreign ministry to negotiate with the European countries, China and Russia in coming weeks. If at the end of this short period we conclude that we can fully benefit from the JCPOA with the cooperation of all countries, the deal would remain,” he added.

    The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is the full name for the nuclear deal, struck in 2015 between Iran, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — and Germany.

    Rouhani added that Iran was ready to resume its nuclear activities after consultations with the other world powers which are part of the agreement.

    Trump’s announcement was hailed by Washington’s principal allies in the Middle East, Israel and Saudi Arabia, both sworn foes of Iran.

    Under the deal, Iran curbed its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of most sanctions imposed on the country.

    Trump said he would reimpose economic sanctions on Tehran immediately. His decision puts pressure on his European allies, who are key backers of the deal and reluctant to join the United States in reimposing sanctions on Iran.

    Banking turmoil

    Some Iranians had been cashing in their savings even before Trump’s announcement he would pull out from the international deal with Iran, straining a banking system weighed down by bad loans and years of isolation.

    An official with Iran’s biggest state-owned Melli Bank told Reuters savings had declined by an unspecified amount, although he said this was a temporary phenomenon and that they would recover once the uncertainty over Trump’s decision passed.

    “When there is political uncertainty, its psychological impact on people causes a drop in savings. But it will pass after Trump’s deadline,” the official said before the announcement, declining to be named. A senior Iranian central bank official said conditions within the banking system had deteriorated in the past year, and “we have still not passed the danger zone” but added that the central bank had “all the measures ready to prevent any crisis”.

    EU will stand by Iran

    Europe will stand by the international nuclear accord with Iran, EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a live press statement in Rome on Tuesday. “The EU is determined to preserve it,” she said. “We expect the rest of the international community to continue to preserve it, for the sake of collective security.” “The nuclear accord belongs to the whole of the international community,” Mogherini added. “To the Iranian people I say: do not let anyone dismantle this deal, one of the greatest achievements of the international community.”  “I am particularly worried about tonight’s announcement of further sanctions,” she said, adding that the deal with Iran “is the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy.”

    Most Americans reject move

    Less than one in three Americans agrees with President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the US out of an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program, according to a Reuters/Ipsos national opinion poll released on Tuesday, May 8.

    The poll, conducted on May 4-8, ahead of the President’s announcement to end the deal, found that 29 per cent of adults wanted to end the deal with Iran and five other world powers to ease sanctions and limit Iran’s nuclear program. Another 42 per cent said the US should remain in the deal, and the remaining 28 per cent said they “don’t know”. Even among those who are registered as Republicans, less than half — 44 per cent — advocated ending the US involvement in the deal. Another 28 per cent wanted to remain, and the remaining 28 percent said they did not know. — Agencies

    ‘US undermined commitment to treaty’

    If we achieve the deal’s goals in cooperation with other members of the deal, it will remain in place… By exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty. Hassan Rouhani, Iranian President

    ‘Will work collectively’

    We will work collectively on a broader framework, covering (Iran’s) nuclear activity, the post-2025 period, ballistic activity, and stability in the Middle-East, notably Syria, Yemen, and Iraq. Emmanuel Macron, French President

    ‘It’s a historic move’

    Israel thinks that Trump made a historic move, and this is why Israel thanks him for his commitment to confront the terrorist regime in Tehran, and his commitment to ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

    ‘Decision misguided’

    Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the deal is misguided. I believe that the decision to put the JCPOA at risk without any Iranian violation of the deal is a serious mistake. Barack Obama, former US President.

    (Source: PTI and agencies)

     

  • Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano throws up “Fountains of lava”, evacuations ordered

    Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano throws up “Fountains of lava”, evacuations ordered

    HONOLULU(TIP): A CBS report, Thursday, May 3 said that Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is releasing red lava into a residential subdivision, prompting the county to order mandatory evacuations. A resident described “fountains of lava” in the community near the volcano.

    The TV Channel quoted Hawaii County spokeswoman Janet Snyder who said Thursday red lava emerged on Mohala Street in the Leilani Estates subdivision. The county is ordering evacuations for homes from Luana Street to Pohohiki Road.

    Residents and social media posts show lava spewing from cracks in roadways. Resident Ikaika Marzo said he could see “fountains” of lava in the community.

    The eruption comes after days of earthquakes rocked the Puna district of the Big Island. Overnight into Wednesday, quakes continued to shake Puna as seismic activity appeared to be moving eastward toward Kapoho, KGMB reports.

    From midnight to 10 a.m. Wednesday, there were more than 45 earthquakes at Kilauea, most of which measured about magnitude 2.0. Altogether in recent days, more than 250 small temblors have been recorded, including a magnitude 4.0 tremor just offshore of Puu Oo early Tuesday.

    Earlier in the week, the crater floor of the Puu Oo vent collapsed. That caused magma to push more than 10 miles downslope toward the populated southeast coastline of the island.

    On Wednesday, cracks were also reported on the road in Leilani Estates, but officials reported they did not pose a lava threat.

    Still, the cracks added to residents’ anxieties as the quakes didn’t let up.

    “Last night, we started having them … about five a minute. It was like that just about all night long,” said Chris Burmeister, who lives in Leilani Estates. “It’ll rumble for a little bit. Rumble for a little bit. And then every now and then, you’ll get just a heavy jolt.”

    Officials have said it’s impossible to predict where an eruption might happen, but areas that could be affected include Nanawele Estates, Leilani Estates and the coastal area of Kapoho, KGMB reports.

    Most of Kilauea’s activity has been nonexplosive, but a 1924 eruption spewed ash and 10-ton rocks into the sky, leaving one man dead.

    Puu Oo’s 1983 eruption resulted in lava fountains soaring over 1,500 feet high. In the decades since, the lava flow has buried dozens of square miles of land and destroyed many homes.

  • BAPS Women’s Conference in Dallas, TX focuses on the power of unity

    BAPS Women’s Conference in Dallas, TX focuses on the power of unity

    DALLAS(TIP): Unity is strength. This was the simple yet powerful subject of conversation at this year’s annual BAPS Women’s Conference held at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Dallas, TX, on April 21, 2018. With the thought of unity currently on the minds of many in society, the conference focused on the individual’s role in creating a unified nation and global community. The speakers delved into the qualities of humility and positivity and their roles in initiating a more unified mind-frame.

    Hosted in fourteen cities across North America, the conference aimed to inspire its attendees to bring about change through dialogue and reflection. Shahla Pillai, Manager of Guest Relations at DFW Airport, was the keynote speaker at the conference in Dallas. Reflecting on the importance of the conference, she opined that “Growing up I didn’t have such support…so having women that have paved the way, that can guide us to avoid some of the same pitfalls and give us a better opportunity to better our futures…that alone is a reason to have such events”.

    The conference began with attendees standing up for both the American and Indian national anthems. The presentations then began with Pooja Solanki emphasizing what unity truly means and why it is essential to achieve it. While there are more apparent benefits one can claim from integration, the speaker focused on how the small and incremental actions of individuals can lead to a more unified family, which can in turn influence a community and even society at large.

    The other two speakers for the conference concentrated on two instrumental traits that can be further developed to create unity within our relationships – that of humility and positivity. Affirming that humility is not a fixed trait, but one that should be practiced and developed, Dr. Jyoti Patel discussed the small, everyday steps that can be taken to practice humility. Using her personal experiences and quoting those she gained inspiration from, Rina Rao explained how humility strengthens through service and tolerance. Finally, Gopi Patel closed out the conference with a compelling talk on the power of positivity.

    The speakers, just like the audience, were from various professional and personal diasporas and yet were able to come together to bring about an environment for dialogue for self-reflection and growth. Attendee Julie Mitchell reflected on her experience “it is a beautiful celebration of women and unity and love”.

    The BAPS Women’s Conference was inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and encouraged by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. The conference highlights the influential role of women in today’s society and also empowers the younger generations by promoting a healthy dialogue around current topics. Before and after the conference, attendees had the opportunity to network with others from the greater community and share their perspective on the talks of the day. Many in attendance felt inspired by the conference and conveyed their motivation to share the word with their family and friends.  The audience left with the message that while unity may seem like a global concept, the power of change, and the power of creating a more unified world lies within everyone.

    About BAPS

    The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a worldwide spiritual and humanitarian organization that is dedicated to community service, peace, and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families, and individuals. Through various spiritual and humanitarian activities, BAPS endeavors to develop better citizens of tomorrow with high esteem for their roots and culture. Its 3,300 international centers support these character-building activities. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is free of addictions as well as morally, ethically and spiritually pure. For more details, please visit www.baps.org.

    About Mahant Swami Maharaj

    His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj is the sixth and current spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. He was ordained a swami by Yogiji Maharaj in 1961 and named Sadhu Keshavjivandas. As he was appointed the head (Mahant) of the Mandir in Mumbai, he became known as Mahant Swami. His devout, humble and service-focused life earned him the innermost blessings of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Mahant Swami Maharaj travels throughout the world inspiring people through his insightful spiritual discourses and disciplined conduct. His virtuous lifestyle and profound devotion to Bhagwan Swaminarayan and gurus are ideals toward which devotees strive. Mahant Swami Maharaj became the guru and President of BAPS upon Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s passing in 2016.

    About Pramukh Swami Maharaj

    Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Under his leadership, BAPS grew into an international spiritual and humanitarian organization with over 3,300 centers worldwide. He dedicated his life to the well-being of others, traveling throughout the world to foster love, peace, harmony, righteousness, faith in God, and service to humanity. With genuine care and compassion, he reached out to all members of society irrespective of class, color, or age. Recognized and respected as one of India’s greatest spiritual teachers, he lived by and promoted the principle: “In the joy of others, lies our own.”

    CONTACT: BAPS North American Headquarters

    Phone: 732-777-1414

    Email: media@na.baps.org

    (SOURCE: BAPS)

  • Indian American Teen Wins $100,000 In College Quiz Championship

    Indian American Teen Wins $100,000 In College Quiz Championship

    NEW YORK(TIP):  Indian American teenager Dhruv Gaur has won the $100,000 Jeopardy college quiz championship.

    The first-year student at Ivy League Brown University emerged the champion on April 20thin the two-day final round of the college edition of America’s most popular quiz show televised nationwide.

    He faced another Indian American, Rishab Jain, in the semi-final round on April 25th before getting to the finals.

    Mr. Gaur had scored a perfect score of 1,600 in the national-wide college entrance exam, Scholastic Aptitude Test.

    About his plans for the winnings, a Jeopardy news release quoted him as saying, “I’m just going to save it until I need it for grad school or to pursue an opportunity I might really want in the future.”

    “My little brother is really interested in investing, so I’ll give him some, so he can give the stock market a go,” he added.

     

     

     

     

  • Indian Origin Drug Dealer Jailed in UK for Conspiring to Supply Cocaine

    Indian Origin Drug Dealer Jailed in UK for Conspiring to Supply Cocaine

    LONDON(TIP):  An Indian origin drug dealer and partner has been jailed for nearly eight years by a UK court for conspiring to supply 10 kg of cocaine in London.

    Gurdip Samra, 44, was arrested in November last year as part of a joint operation by the UK’s National Crime Agency or NCA and Scotland Yard’s Organised Crime Partnerships or OCP.

    The officers first arrested Samra’s accomplice, Mark Lammin, after accosting him as he carried 10 kg of cocaine in a large hold all in Surrey, south-east England.

    A short time later, officers stopped a black Range Rover, which was parked in the vicinity of his planned drugs handover and arrested Samra.

    The duo was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court earlier this week, with Samra jailed for seven years and eight months and Lammin sentenced to six years and six months behind bars.

    “The supply and trafficking of drugs is a business which relies on cash flow the loss of an expensive commodity will stall transactions on both sides, creating a lack of trust between crime groups, Matt McMillan from the Organised Crime Partnership said in a statement.

    During a search of 44-year-old Lammin’s home address in London, officers found a stun gun and also charged him with possessing a prohibited weapon. He and Samra were both charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

     

     

  • Indian American dentist Amishi Patel sentenced for unnecessary treatment and identity theft

    Indian American dentist Amishi Patel sentenced for unnecessary treatment and identity theft

    SACRAMENTO (TIP):  An Indian American dentist, Amishi Patel, from Daly City, California, has been sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment after she was found guilty of performing unnecessary dental works on several of her patients.

    According to the court document, Amishi Patel has been serving as a part-time dentist at Campus Heights Dental Care in the area. During April 2014 and May 2014, she was found doing unnecessary medical treatment to eight of her patients.

    In one instance, the San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said, a 16-year-old patient was asked to undergo 16 filling. After she went through eight painful fillings, her parents became suspicious about the treatment given to their daughter.

    On seeking a second opinion from another dentist, the parents were shocked to learn that their daughter needed no filings at all as she had zero cavity. They were also made aware about how poorly Patel performed the filling, which required replacement.

    More cases of unnecessary dental surgeries came to light after the girl’s family filed a complaint with Dental Board of California. The Department of Insurance contacted the Dental Board, and after an investigation, it was found that Patel was engaged in insurance fraud.

    She was charged in February 2017 and a judge ordered her not to practice dentistry as a condition of her release on bail.

    But she altered the order to make it look like it has been cancelled and applied for jobs and even got one in Fremont. During this period, she treated four patients, which is a gross violation of the court order.

    According to the Attorney’s office, Patel used the license number of a dentist who had a similar name and applied for several dentist jobs in Fremont. Just before getting caught the second time, she used a fake identity at an interview with an undercover officer, prosecutors said.

    San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Donald Ayoob sentenced her on May 1stmorning to the 20-month jail sentence and eight years of probation. A restitution hearing in the case has been set for June 22, Wagstaffe said.

     

  • Indian American founder of technology firm fined for underpaying H-1B workers

    Indian American founder of technology firm fined for underpaying H-1B workers

    SACRAMENTO(TIP): Indian American Mani Chhabra, founder of a technology firm in East Bay, California, has been asked by the US Department of Labor to pay $175,000 to 12 Indian H-1B employees after the federal agency found that they were hugely underpaid.

    According to an official release from the department, Cloudwick Technologies, founded by Mani Chhabra, hired Indian workers on H-1B visas, offering guaranteed salaries of up to $8,300 per month. The department alleged that the company paid them just $800 per month, which is a violation of the work visa program.

    “Investigators found that the company paid impacted employees well below the wage levels required under the H-1B program based on job skill level, and also made illegal deductions from workers’ salaries,” the department said. “As a result, some of the H-1B employees that Cloudwick brought from India with promised salaries of up to $8,300 per month instead received as little as $800 net per month.”

     “Cloudwick has never brought resources from India,” he said. “All the resources are master’s students that have educated in U.S. and then we hired and trained them,” Chhabra said.

    Chhabra added that the issue came under the radar of the department only because there was changes in visa categories that it imposed. He said that $800 was paid to employees during their training period. He also acknowledged that Cloudwick Technologies had deducted money for four of its H-1B employees for advanced training, which is illegal.

    “This is not allowed for H-1B and we paid them back wages,” Chhabra said.

    The Department of Labor is yet to reveal how the H-1B abuse came to it notice, nor has it provided details about how long the Indian H-1B workers have been employed with Cloudwick Technologies.

    According to the official website of Cloudwick, it is a provider of bimodal digital business services and provides solutions to the Global 1000 companies.

     

     

  • Indian American youths receive Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

    Indian American youths receive Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

    WASHINGTON D. C. (TIP): Six Indian American teenagers were among winners of the 23rd annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards in Washington, DC, on April 30th.

    The Indian Americans honored were Aditya Sidapara, who is a resident of Phoenix, AZ; Sivani Arvapalli, of South Windsor, CT; Vani Sharma, Fishers, IN; Anjali Chadha, Louisville, KY; Praneeth Alla, Exton, PA; and Shrey Pothini, 14, of Savage, MN.

    In all, 100 top youth volunteers from across the country were honored at the event.

    Each recipient received $1,000 in cash prize and personal congratulations from Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn.

    The award ceremony and gala dinner reception was held the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

    Sidapara, 18, a senior at BASIS Scottsdale, co-founded an educational initiative that is teaching computer coding to students living in four refugee camps in East Africa, aiming to lift them out of poverty and help meet the worldwide demand for skilled software engineers.

    Arvapalli, 13, an eighth-grader at Timothy Edwards Middle School, was nominated by the Indian Valley Family YMCA. He volunteers with a group that has raised nearly $94,000 for child-focused charities by conducting talent shows and organizing benefit dinners and entertainment events.

    Sharma, 11, a sixth-grader at Sand Creek Intermediate School, has been visiting the Ronald McDonald House at Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis regularly for several years to prepare meals and entertain the families of hospitalized children. She also conducted a collection drive to provide books and toys to the kids at the facility.

    Chadha, 15, a junior at duPont Manual High School, founded a nonprofit organization to educate and empower minority high school girls in the world of technology, and began her mission last summer by offering 10 girls a seven-week program of classroom training and real-world experience.

    Praneeth Alla, 16, a junior at The Episcopal Academy, spent more than 1,500 hours creating a product for a nonprofit benefiting rural villages in India, improving its ability to collect and manage donations, publicize projects and track income and expenditures. He also founded a network of youth clubs to raise money to improve the education of children in India.

    Pothini is an eighth-grader at Eagle Ridge Middle School. A community organizer, he has hosted a city-wide “day of service” for three years in a row.

    The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

    Youth volunteers in grades 5-12 were invited to apply for 2018 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of Points of Light’s HandsOn Network. More than 29,000 middle level and high school students nationwide participated in this year’s program.

     

  • Three Indian Americans die in Queens, NY, house fire

    Three Indian Americans die in Queens, NY, house fire

    QUEENS VILLAGE, NY(TIP): Indian American mom and grandparents died in Queens Village, NY, as a house was gutted by a fast-spreading fire. Two children were rescued by firefighters.

    The New York City Fire Department Deputy Chief Michael Gala identified the deceased as Harleen “Manni” Maggo and her paternal grandparents Ragvir Kaur-Kainth, 82, and Pyara Kainth, 87.

    He said that Maggo’s 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy were trapped in the building but were rescued.

    The girl remains in critical condition, while the boy’s condition is stable. Both are currently receiving medical treatment at Nassau University Medical Center, said fire officials.

    According to media reports, the fire broke just before midnight on Saturday. There were seven other relatives of the family inside the home, who were there to celebrate an upcoming wedding in the family.

    Further the media report stated that the second floor of the house was completely engulfed in flames as people ran out of the building. Voices of people who were still trapped could be heard from outside.

    One of the eyewitnesses told the media that he saw one occupant jumping out from the second floor of the burning building.

    The other relatives who were inside the building are reportedly out of danger, though some of them suffered serious injuries.

    Maggo, who lived with her husband in their newly bought house in Hollis, was visiting her grandparents as the family was celebrating an upcoming marriage of one of their relatives.

    According to Param Singh, brother of Maggo, she came out of the burning house but decided to make a re-entry after knowing that her grandparents are still trapped inside.

    He also added that her children were doing better with one still breathing with assistance on April 29thafternoon.

     

  • Indian American Cancer Scientist Put on Leave after Harassment Allegations

    Indian American Cancer Scientist Put on Leave after Harassment Allegations

    WASHINGTON (TIP):  Top Indian American scientist Inder Verma, considered as one of the world’s leading authorities on gene therapy and cancer, has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of “inappropriate conduct” against him.

    Mr. Verma, 70, a scientist at the prestigious Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California, has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation into the allegations against him.

    The institute did not give any reason for suspending Mr. Verma.

    The institute has hired The Rose Group, a San Diego-based international employment law and consulting firm, to investigate allegations, not yet made public, that were reported to the institute in February.

    Mr. Verma, who is also on the boards of several Indian scientific institutes, has denied the allegations.

    “Recently, the institute became aware of allegations concerning Inder Verma. Consistent with Salk’s policies governing workplace conduct, the institute has undertaken a formal investigation that is being led by an independent outside party,” Dan Lewis, chairman of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies said in a statement.

    Mr Verma has been placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation. He will not be performing scientific or administrative roles on behalf of the institute during this period,” he said, without referring to the nature of the investigation.

    The action against Mr Verma comes nearly four months after he was placed on temporary leave as editor of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a prestigious scientific journal.

    Mr Verma, who has denied the allegations, told that the leave had stemmed from the lawsuits that Salk professors filed against the Institute in July.

    “I have never used my position at the Salk Institute to take advantage of others. I have also never engaged in any sort of intimate relationship with anyone affiliated with the Salk Institute, he said in a statement to Science through his attorney.

    “I have never inappropriately touched, nor have I made any sexually charged comments, to anyone affiliated with the Salk Institute. I have never allowed any offensive or sexually charged conversations, jokes, material, etc. to occur at the Salk Institute, said Mr Verma who earned his MSc in Biochemistry from the Lucknow University.

    Denying misconduct allegations Mr Verma said, “I believe that it is inappropriate for an individual in a position of authority to engage in any intimate relationship with a direct report or to use that position of authority to take advantage of others.”

    In 2005, he was appointed as foreign fellow by the Indian national Science Academy.