The Indian Panorama

Year: 2018

  • Indian Americans protest outside Indian Embassy in Washington to demand justice for rape victims in India

    Indian Americans protest outside Indian Embassy in Washington to demand justice for rape victims in India

    WASHINGTON(TIP): The members of the Indian American community turned up for the protest in large numbers in total dismay after knowing the heart-wrenching details of gang rape and murder of Asifa in Jammu and Kashmir, killing of Unnao rape victim’s father, and the rape and killing of a juvenile in Surat.

    The protest organized by Alliance for Justice and Accountability saw women and children protesting in front of the Indian embassy raising slogans such as “Hate Murder, hate Crime: No more. No More.”

    The protesters who gathered near the Gandhi statue outside the Indian Embassy in Washington had banners and placards that sought swift justice for the victims and their families.

    “Friends in DC, plz join a protest in front of Indian Embassy, Wednesday Apr 18 from 4 pm to 7 pm called by Alliance for Justice and Accountability to demand #JusticeForAsifa,” tweeted Shehla Rashid, former vice-president, Jawaharlal Nehru University’s students’ union, Delhi.

    The Indian American Muslim Council, an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, has announced that it will hold a candlelight vigil in Seattle on April 21 to express its outrage and disgust, not only over the gang-rape and murder of 8-year old Asifa Bano in January, but also over the rape of 17-year-old girl in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. In addition to this, the organization also submitted a memorandum to the Indian Ambassador over the recent atrocities against women and children.

    “The details of rape and sexual assault cases being reported in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir which saw the 7-year-old Muslim girl brutally raped and killed, and Unnao, Uttar Pradesh where the victim was a teenager preyed upon by a state legislator, are shocking,” the Hindu American Foundation said in a statement. “Rape flies in the face of Hindu values, and thus compels us to offer condolences and compassion to victims and their families, and simultaneously work to ensure that the law and law enforcement work impartially and efficiently to deliver justice.”

    Members of Sadhana, a New York City-based Hindu organization that aims at building a peaceful and tolerant Hindu society, on April 16 marched to Union Square, New York, demanding justice for the rape victims of Kathua, Unnao, and Surat.

    “We are deeply disturbed that a group called the Hindu Ekta Manch was formed to defend and advocate rapists. Ekta is a word that is very important to us as Hindus — it means oneness and unity. And we will not let such words be co-opted by hatemongers and rapists,” read a post on Sadhana’s Facebook page.

  • Indian Origin Investment Adviser Charged by US Federal authorities with Million Dollar Fraud

    Indian Origin Investment Adviser Charged by US Federal authorities with Million Dollar Fraud

    NEW YORK (TIP):  An Indian origin investment adviser has been charged by US federal authorities for orchestrating a fraudulent million dollar investment scheme over several years.

    Amrit JS Chahal, 30, of Fairfax, Virginia has been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia also announced criminal charges against Mr Chahal. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission also charged him.

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s complaint alleges that, from at least February 2015, Mr Chahal used his company, Kane Capital Investment Group to fraudulently solicit approximately $1.4 million from about 50 individuals, including friends and family members.

    Mr Chahal is the President, Chief Executive Officer, and sole employee of Kane Capital. He has never held any securities licenses, nor has he ever been associated with a registered broker-dealer or investment adviser other than Kane Capital.

    According to the complaint, Mr Chahal lured investors by falsely claiming to be an experienced and successful trader who could generate above-market returns for clients through a low-risk trading strategy.

    The Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that Mr Chahal had substantially no experience working in the financial or securities industry or trading securities on behalf of clients. The complaint further alleges that Mr Chahal initially invested client funds in a variety of investments, but suffered significant trading losses.

    According to the complaint, instead of disclosing the losses, Mr Chahal lied to his clients about their investment returns, continued raising funds, then used the money for his personal benefit, including to pay for his luxury car, rent, travel, dining, and other living expenses, and to make Ponzi-like payments to earlier investors.

     

     

     

  • Indian American Navrang Dance Academy organized dance workshop conducted by ABCD-fame Dharmesh Yelande

    Indian American Navrang Dance Academy organized dance workshop conducted by ABCD-fame Dharmesh Yelande

    NEW JERSEY(TIP): Indian American, New Jersey-based Navrang Dance Academy, in association with TV Asia, organized the first dance workshop conducted by ABCD-fame Dharmesh Yelande in New Jersey.

    “Dance with Dharmesh” workshop was held in the TV Asia auditorium. Padmashri H. R. Shah, CEO and chairman of TV Asia, who was present during the workshop said he was mesmerized by Yelande’s talent.

    Shah honored Yelande with an award and said New Jersey is booming with talent, and his effort is to encourage people of all ages to come out and show their talents. He also asked the community to come together and support Varsha Naik of Navrang Dance Academy in all her efforts to encourage young and budding artist and talents.

    Yelande led a three-hour workshop and taught 60 young and talented individuals of New Jersey. The artist showcased his unique dancing style and acting and inspired the dancers to achieve new heights.

    Impressed by the talent in New Jersey, Yelande said, “Everyone in the room understood the magic of dancing.” At the event, Yelande also shared a glimpse of his journey and what motivates him to keep dancing.

    Yelande was the winner on the dance show in India named Boogie Woogie (TV series) and was first runner-up on Dance India Dance (season 2). He has starred in the Hindi movies ABCD: AnyBody Can Dance, and ABCD 2. He has also choreographed for the movie Tees Maar Khan.

    Naik acknowledged and thanked the entire staff of TV Asia and Radio Chai for helping her promote this event. She also thanked her team from Navrang Dance Academy for making arrangements for the event, which was managed in a smooth manner. Naik has had several workshops to her credit including those with Master Saroj Khan, Sandip Soparrkar, Master Satya and kathak guru Nishi Singh.

    “This event was another great opportunity for young and talented dancers to come and learn the unique techniques from a star dancer and choreographer like Dharmesh,” Naik said. The workshop provided the local talent an opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.

    The event received a lot of community support from various businesses and volunteers. The participants of the workshop also received a certificate from Yelande.

     “We would love to have Dharmesh sir come back for another session soon,” said one of the participants.

    Yelande encouraged all the participants to pursue their passion and ended the session with a message for all the budding artists saying that they should “keep dancing.”

     

     

     

  • Indian American teenage singer eliminated from ‘American Idol’

    Indian American teenage singer eliminated from ‘American Idol’

    ORLANDO(TIP): Orlando based Indian American singer Alyssa Raghu’s run on “American Idol” has ended.

    The 16-year-old, a sophomore at Lake Nona High School, made it to the Top 24. But she was not among the singers who advanced to the Top 14 on April 16 episode.

    Raghu had done well in the previous episode with her version of Rihanna’s “Stay.” Judge Katy Perry had championed Raghu and praised the teen’s tone. But Raghu’s duet with Banners on Coldplay’s “Yellow” underwhelmed the judges on April 16thtelecast.

    In an interview last week, Raghu appreciated the experience of being on the show.

    “They’ve just helped me grow as an artist. I really can’t ask for much more,” she said. “They helped me grow and get exposure. I have to thank ‘American Idol’ for that. I’m doing what I love every single day. I really can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”

     

     

  • Indian American family that went missing confirmed dead after a fatal accident in Eel river

    Indian American family that went missing confirmed dead after a fatal accident in Eel river

    SAN JOSE (TIP): The hopes of finding the Thottapilly family alive have ended as the investigators on April 16 announced that they have found the bodies of all four members of the Indian American family that went missing while on a road trip to San Jose.

    After a week of thorough search and rescue operation undertaken by the California Highway Patrol, the authorities found the Honda Pilot car that the family was traveling submerged in the Eel River. An eyewitness in Mendocino County had  reportedly seen  an SUV being swept away in Eel River.

    According to the latest release from the Mendocino Sheriff, they found the SUV that met with the fatal accident submerged under Eel River, half a mile away from the location where they believe the car plunged into the river.

    “Search divers entered the water and were able to feel what they believed to be a person inside of the vehicle. Visibility was extremely poor and divers noted the vehicle was encased in a large amount of sediment from the river current,” said the press statement from the Sheriff’s office.

    “Recovery efforts continued for several hours and at approximately 6:30 PM the vehicle was partially removed from the Eel River by use of a tow truck. This provided searchers the ability to conduct a visual inspection of the inside of the vehicle. Searchers subsequently recovered the bodies of Sandeep Thottapilly and Saachi Thottapilly from inside the vehicle,” the press release added

    The authorities had earlier found the body of Soumya Thottapilly, 7 miles away from the crash site.

    On April 16, CNN reported that the body of the 12-year-old boy, Siddhant Thottapilly, was found in 6 miles away from where the rest of his family was found dead.

    Sandeep Thottapilly (42), his wife, Soumya (38), and their two children Siddhant (12) and Saachi (9) had been missing since April 5. They had left for a road trip from Portland, Oregon, to San Jose, California, last month.

     

  • Mr. Devadasan Nair, Consul for Community Relations, lauds Pioneer Club’s focus on Social work

    Mr. Devadasan Nair, Consul for Community Relations, lauds Pioneer Club’s focus on Social work

    FLORAL PARK, NY(TIP): ‘You are doing a valuable service with your social work within the Kerala Community, and I urge you to expand your horizon to include others,’ said Mr. Devadasan Nair, Consul for the Community Relations, Indian Consulate, New York. Mr. Nair was speaking at the annual dinner of the Pioneer Club of Keralites at Heritage India Restaurant, New Hyde Park New York. Mr. Jacob George, General Secretary of the Club, welcomed the guests.

    Pioneer Club of the Keralites consists of members who have come to the United States in the 50’s, 60’s and early 70’s. The club is also engaged in providing social services to the senior members of the Kerala Community who may be homebound or require other assistance.

    George Abraham, President of the Pioneer Club, urged the members to keep their pioneering spirit high as they are special people who are dissatisfied with the status quo and have a vision of something better beyond their immediate world and ways. “It is not only about the camaraderie within the group but what we can collectively sacrifice to help those who are in dire need” he stated.

    Rev. Achoy Mathews, one of the founders of the organization, spoke about the origins of the Pioneer Club and expressed his satisfaction on the level of work undertaken by the organization. Professor Joseph Cheruvelil reminded the audience how profoundly grateful he is to the United States for the opportunities it has provided to him and his community and yet he holds a special place in his heart for his motherland.

    Mr. Ven Parameswaran, who came to the United States in 1954, spoke at length about his experience working with late V. K. Krishna Menon, at the United Nations. He urged the Pioneers to get involved with the mainstream politics in the U.S. and reiterated his support to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

    Professor Indrajit Saluja, Editor of The Indian Panorama lauded the work of the Pioneer Club and urged its members not to slacken off in the sunset of their life. “Sunset is more colorful, and the view from certain vantage point can be truly inspirational” he added.

    Mr. George Thaila submitted the report on the social work and requested for additional volunteers for increasing demand for their services.

    Mr. VM. Chacko, Mr. Thomas T.Oommen, Ms. Leela Maret and Priscilla Parameswaran spoke on occasion. Mr. Mathew Zachariah entertained the guests with favorite melodies from the 60’s and 70’s.

    The annual meeting also elected the new leadership for the 2018-19 periods:

    Mr. Jacob George – President

    Mr. Thomas T. Oommen – General Secretary

    Mr. George Thaila – Director, Social Services

    Mr. John Pazunkar – Treasurer

    Mr. John Pazunkar expressed the vote of thanks.

  • Gift Of Life USA, Inc. Gala for Specially Abled

    Gift Of Life USA, Inc. Gala for Specially Abled

    NEW YORK(TIP): Gift of Life USA, a 501 (C) (3) non-profit special needs organization, founded by President Flora Parekh & Chairman Paresh Parekh, hosted their Annual Fund-Raising Gala this in New York, to raise funds for education scholarship support for autistic / special needs students pursuing higher education. The organization aims at helping the specially-abled in the areas of health, education and social awareness. Emceed, by Harshil Parekh, the young CFO of the organization, the Gala was a unique flow of inspirational performances by beneficiary special needs performers and motivational speeches by renowned special needs entrepreneurs and speakers.

    “We are not all born the same, we are different, not limited. The key is when we turn this special ability in our favor and get inspired by very talented who have come a long way, overcoming all the limitations and stigma. The most beautiful day is the one when we put a smile on someone’s face!” Says CFO Harshil Parekh.

    Included in the performers were several special needs individuals  like Rachel Barcellona (Miss SouthEastern USA Ambassador 2018 & Miss SouthEast International 2017 – Diagnosis: Autism/Asperger’s & Epilepsy) pursuing higher college education, FREE Drum & Bugle Corps (A Special Needs Band Competing for World Championship), Special Needs Entrepreneurs John Cronin of John’s Crazy Socks (Down Syndrome) & Brittany Schiavone of Brittany’s Baskets Of Hope ((Down Syndrome), Motivational special needs speaker, author & TV Show Host Kerry Magro (Autism Spectrum), Andrea Matteo ( Young Jumba Dancer with Down Syndrome).

    “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart!” Says Founder & President, Flora Parekh.

    “With the Mission to Generate Efficient Resources to Support the Specially-Abled through Advocacy & Education, the organization conducts various programs and activities in benefit of the differently abled community namely “Save a Child” Support, We are Special” Talent & Skill Recognition, “Health & Education”, “Awareness” and many more” says Chairman, Paresh Parekh.

    For additional information:  www.giftoflifeus.org.

     

     

  • The City of Immigrants stands by Immigrants

    The City of Immigrants stands by Immigrants

    Comptroller Stringer welcomes Inclusion of NYC Citizenship Fund in the City Council Budget Response

    NEW YORK CITY, NY(TIP): In an exclusive telephonic interview, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, said the City was concerned that a large number of City’s residents could not afford to pay for applying for citizenship for want of resources.

    Mr. Stringer who in May 2017 moved for NYC Citizenship Fund to help such people apply for citizenship welcomed the   inclusion of his NYC Citizenship Fund in its Budget Response. “It would subsidize citizenship applications for thousands of immigrants in New York City”, he said.

    The Comptroller added that the need is large: More than 670,000 New Yorkers – over 20 percent of the city’s immigrant population – are eligible for naturalization but have not taken the final step to citizenship.

    Costs are soaring: The fees associated with the naturalization form have increased from $60 in 1989 to $725 today, an increase of 500 percent when adjusted for inflation.

    Price matters: After it was announced that the form-filing fee would be increased from $400 to $675 at the beginning of FY2008, the number of citizenship applications surged 89 percent from the year prior. After that price increase took effect, applications plummeted by more than half.

    “When we first proposed this idea last year, we knew it would be a big, bold concept at a time when immigrants are under attack from the White House. Today, our proposal is taking a step forward. No family should have to choose between applying for citizenship and putting food on the table. But with the costs of the citizenship application rising, and with English classes, attorney’s fees, and more, that’s just what’s happening. We, in America, have put up arbitrary financial barriers to taking the final step towards citizenship. That’s why this is a smart, commonsense, policy-driven strategy that all New Yorkers can help support. Now, the idea is gaining real momentum. I would like to thank Speaker Johnson, Councilmember Dromm, and Councilmember Menchaca for fighting for this initiative. We are a city of immigrants — and we always will be,” Comptroller Stringer said.

  • Join Our Vision: A Fundraiser for the Eye Foundation of America

    Join Our Vision: A Fundraiser for the Eye Foundation of America

    NEW YORK(TIP): Join the Eye Foundation of America for an evening of music by Prasanna in support of its work fighting childhood blindness around the world.

    The Eye Foundation of America has worked towards eliminating avoidable blindness for 40 years, especially among children. Alongside our international partners, we’re bringing eye care to those in the greatest need in an affordable, accessible manner.

    That’s why we need your help to reach our fundraising goal of $500,000. Event proceeds will support several programs, including: eye screening for premature babies, providing glasses for school children, and developing a new children’s eye hospital that will provide state of the art care for all children, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

    Our musical guest, Prasanna, is a world-renowned guitarist whose repertoire includes Indian Carnatic music, jazz, metal, and more. An acclaimed composer for Oscar-winning films like “Smile Pinki,” Prasanna is a longtime co-collaborator with A.R. Rahman on films such as “Lagaan,” continues to record solo and collaborative studio albums, and serves as educator and founder of the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music.

    Join Our Vision on May 23, 2018 for this memorable evening at Joe’s Pub at The Public

    Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003.

    Tickets $300. Early Bird $250.  Through April 25. Available online at https://bit.ly/2Go1G0m .

    Contact:Leela Raju rajulv25@gmail.com (412) 651-3086 or Lindsay Krasnoff lkrasnoff@gmail.com/ (917) 450-5525

    Eye Foundation of America

    Eye Foundation of America

    https://www.facebook.com/EyeFoundationofAmerica/

    @EyeFoundAmerica

    #EFA #JoinOurVision

  • India intensifies development cooperation with Commonwealth countries

    India intensifies development cooperation with Commonwealth countries

    PM launches US$50 million dedicated Commonwealth window to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund

    NEW YORK(TIP): At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 in London, April 19, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, announced the launch of a US$50 Million Commonwealth window to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.  This contribution is in addition to US$100 million pledged in 2017 for the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, thereby increasing India’s multi-year contribution to US$150 million. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).

    The new Commonwealth window of the India-UN Development Partnership Fund aims to catalyze the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries of the Commonwealth. The countries supported by this fund are located in various parts of the world and include some of the most vulnerable Member States of the Commonwealth.

    Grenada, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu are the first three development partners engaged under this newly created Commonwealth window.

    The India-UN Development Partnership Fund Commonwealth window supports demand-driven, country-owned, and concrete initiatives that focus on the implementation of 17 SDGs.

    The establishment of the Fund and the dedicated Commonwealth window has been widely welcomed. Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary of the United Nations stated, “South-South cooperation is one of the world’s most important pathways to prosperity. I am therefore delighted that India is demonstrating such strong leadership to helping others through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. India’s commitment is also timely, as the world strives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. India’s focus on multilateral action generates genuine hope that we can build a world where no one is left behind.”

    Ms. Fekita Utoikaman, United Nations Under-Secretary General and the Secretary-General’s High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States stated, “India’s leadership and dedication to improve the living conditions of people living in the countries that are most affected by poverty, hunger, and impacts of climate change, bring us closer to achieving the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals. I am pleased to work together with India in advancing sustainable solutions in the countries of the Global south and in enhancing the opportunities for a prosperous and sustainable future for all.”

    Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations stated, “The establishment of a dedicated Commonwealth window of the India-UN Development Partnership Fund is a unique model of South-South Development Cooperation. The Commonwealth membership is built on a shared past, respect for common values, broadly similar government structures, and institutions.  We are, therefore, excited to initiate this partnership to contribute to our collective efforts to implement Sustainable Development Goals.”

    “Over the past two decades, India has made huge economic strides and lifted millions out of poverty,” said UNDP Administrator, Mr. Achim Steiner. “It has shown itself again to be a leader in South-South cooperation with this new opportunity to support vulnerable countries in the Commonwealth achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfill the central promise of Agenda 2030 to leave no one behind.”

    “The Commonwealth Window of India-UN Development Fund is an admirable example of South-South cooperation,” said Mr. Jorge Chediek, Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation, and Director, UNOSSC. “UNOSSC is pleased and gratified to collaborate with the Government of India in bringing this initiative to fruition.”

  • Modi will sink India if he does not rein in the rapists

    Modi will sink India if he does not rein in the rapists

    By Mike Ghouse
    “Whenever adharma takes over a nation, it needs a Krishna to restore faith and trust in the society, and that Krishna is the collective consciousness of Indians resting in women, businessmen, and young men.  They have to take their nation back from irresponsible chaotic governance and restore the good old days of the past where people were not afraid of each other and lived their lives instead of battling their lives.”

    The brutal rape of an 8-year old and the 4 –year-old is beyond anyone’s understanding. It was a brutal rape and murder. I hope as a nation we condemn what is bad and encourage what is good regardless of the politics or religion of the individual.

    This tragedy has united most of the Indians except a few party members of Mr. Modi and Mr. Yogi who are defending the rapists. What is disgusting is even women members of the party like Kirron Kher are discounting it by saying that the rape culture is not new in India.  With friends like her, BJP does not need enemies.

    My first response was apprehension.  How difficult must it have been for the child to endure the last few minutes of her life? Several images of 8-year-olds ran through my mind and could not help feel the anguish and anger.  How must mothers and fathers feel if their daughter is out on her way to school?

    My second response was, punish the criminals swiftly and restore the trust in society.

    I hoped the Prime Minister, and each Chief Minister with the State Police commissioners will jointly announce zero tolerance and severe punishment to criminals who hurt innocent people. If they don’t, we the people need to harass them to do it. At last, we the people have a right to decide whom we appoint to govern us, and how they are accountable to us.

    A Bill must be introduced in the Parliament that would require “married men and women” to run the public office, preference must be given to those candidates who have daughters. It is not to discriminate against single people but to ensure the men and women who are responsible for public safety have the heart to empathize with the pain of mothers.

    I urge Modi and Yogi to get married, and I am sure they are potent enough for God to bless them with a daughter each to understand at least the anguish of fathers, if not mothers. Sloganeering is good, but their actions determine if they are shooting their mouth off, or if they respect every man and woman of India.

    I would appeal to the moderate members of the BJP to take bold steps and correct the mistakes and restore justice and the rule of law in India.

    Ms. Prathiba Prahlad from New Delhi was one of the first few individuals in the nation to express her outrage well, and it reflects the sentiments of most mothers of India. Prathiba is a Dancer, Scholar, Culture Specialist, Festival Director at DIAF, Padma & Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee.

    “I’m sick in the pit of my stomach & in deep, deep anguish! Just imagine what horrendous pain, fright & brutality little baby Asifa would have gone through! I’m ashamed of our politicians, I’m ashamed of our society, I’m ashamed of myself & my helplessness! I wish I didn’t live to see this day! India – hang your head in shame … so many of our children, adolescents & youngsters are brutalized every other day! And we call our land a holy land??? A holy land filled with ugly, twisted, violent, brutal, heartless, soulless psychos who commit beastly crimes in the name of religion, caste, honour or just because they view the innocent & the vulnerable an easy prey ??? This land can never be holy unless justice is done to these innocents – unless laws are amended, justice is fast-tracked & the guilty are castrated, tortured & publicly killed … they don’t deserve a trial for god’s sake – even at the risk of being termed undemocratic!”

    Whenever adharma takes over a nation, it needs a Krishna to restore faith and trust in the society, and that Krishna is the collective consciousness of Indians resting in women, businessmen, and young men.  They have to take their nation back from irresponsible chaotic governance and restore the good old days of the past where people were not afraid of each other and lived their lives instead of battling their lives. We did not have the lynchings, harassments, and murdering of people who differed with us. We did not regulate what one should eat, and that freedom had offered relative peace.

    Why should a mother support BJP?  What security she has for her daughter if these men don’t feel the pain of the mothers? Women tourists are scared to go to Modi’s India and Yogi’s Taj Mahal for fear of being raped. Is this the India we want?

    Ban those lawyers from practicing the law for defending the rapists, and ban the politicians from holding public office if they support and abet rapists.

    I am not sure if Modi has the guts to do it, but I urge him to take action before people completely write him off.

    I urge Hindus and Muslims to feel the pain together and never let the divisive men pit Hindus against Muslims or vice versa.  Let them be the losers and not the general public.

    What we need is sane voices – and not a Hindu Muslim conflict which the politicians would love it, but you and I will lose it.   In the last two months, we had two fathers; a Hindu and a Muslim; two great heroic fathers in India. Each one of them lost their sons to hate by Muslim and Hindus each, but the patriotic fathers urged the politicians keep calm and not allow them to pit one group of Indians against the other.  It must have been painful for them not to seek revenge.  I hope Mr. Modi honors them as heroes of India. More at http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2018/04/a-way-out-of-hell-forgive-them-for-they.html

    Warning to Indians

    Let this be a warning to Indian businessmen, Indian women, and all the young people who are enjoying a good life at this time. All of this will come to an end if Law and Order are not restored.

    Modi and Yogi have nothing to lose, but ordinary people do, it is their livelihood.  Much of our prosperity hinges on foreign direct investments, export of software and contracting work and tourism including medical tourism.

    If the investors continue to see the chaos, rape, communal strife, lynching, harassment, and restrictions on what one eats and who he or she marries, they will pull out of India. Who wants to invest in a place where their investment is not secure?   Would you invest in Burma, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Ethiopia and even Pakistan?

    (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.)

  • Indian Overseas Congress, USA condemns the rape and murder of the eight-year-old Asifa Bano

    Indian Overseas Congress, USA condemns the rape and murder of the eight-year-old Asifa Bano

    By George Abraham

    Indian Overseas Congress, USA joins millions of non-resident Indians across the globe in condemning the horrific rape and murder of an eight-year-old child Asifa Bano in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua. The barbarity and the bestiality involved in the killing of this little girl show the depraved and criminal mindsets of those who perpetrated such heinous acts. The ghastly way this girl was raped and murdered has indeed shaken the nation to its core and terrorized the people of conscience across the world.

    Asifa Bano, belonging to the Bakarwal community in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, was kidnapped, drugged and brutally gang-raped for three days. Her strangled body that was found on January 17, 2018, bore mute testimony to the inhumanity of her tormentors.

    Police reports indicate Asifa was locked inside a temple and repeatedly raped for three days and finally strangled to death. A police charge sheet also said before her head was bashed with a stone, one of the assailants – a police officer – had asked the killer to wait so he could rape the child for one last time.

    Days before this horrific murder was reported, another young girl from Unnao in U.P. had tried to commit suicide outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s house. She said she had been raped by BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sehgar and his brother a year ago. A day later, her father, who had been mercilessly thrashed for his refusal to withdraw the case, died.

    Holding him responsible for the “terrifying state of affairs,” 49 retired civil servants, in an open letter urged Prime Minister Modi to reach out to the families of the Kathua and Unnao rape victims to “seek their forgiveness.” Part of the statement reads as follows:

    “Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralized control you and your party president exercise, you more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it.”

    “And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar” the statement added.

    It is believed that this was done as part of a deliberate terror tactic to drive out a Muslim nomad community to which Asifa belonged. Different arms of the local government and political groups conspired to subvert the initial investigation and are using extrajudicial means to protect the accused.

    The United Nations on Friday termed the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district as horrific, PTI reported.

    “I think we have seen the media reports of this horrific case, of the abuse and the murder of a young girl,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujjaric told reporters. “We very much hope that the authorities will bring the perpetrators to justice, so they can be held accountable for the murder of this young girl.”

    “It is indeed the growing culture of violence emanating out of the wrong-headed sense of ultra-nationalism and majoritarian arrogance that is polarizing the communities and dividing the nation,” said George Abraham, Vice-Chairman for the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. “We call upon the Modi Government to stop paying lip service with slogans like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and provide true leadership in bringing perpetrators of this pervasive rape and abuse of women culture across the country to justice regardless of their party affiliations and oust any government official who remain stumbling blocks to that effort” Abraham added.

  • The Geopolitics of Oil: Gulf region volatile amid threat of US embargo

    The Geopolitics of Oil: Gulf region volatile amid threat of US embargo

    By G Parthasarathy
    “Given the bitter rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the likelihood of the Trump administration reimposing sanctions on Iran, India will have to navigate its path through its western neighborhood with dexterity. Our primary interests lie in the safety and welfare of the over 7 million Indians living in Arab Gulf countries. These countries together with Iraq, which can remain our largest supplier of oil, should remain the focal point of our attention, even as we make every effort to sustain economic cooperation with Iran, especially on issues of connectivity”, says the author.

    As sectarian Shia-Sunni and civilizational Arab-Persian-Israeli rivalries dominate the geopolitics of our western neighborhood today, India faces a very different situation from what it confronted four decades ago, when the 1973 Arab-Israeli conflict flared up. The Organisation of Arab Petroleum Oil Exporting Countries (OAPEC), led by Saudi Arabia, announced an oil boycott of countries like Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the US and the UK, considered to be pro-Israeli. They found themselves squeezed by an Arab embargo on oil supplies. A cash-strapped India found itself in a desperate economic situation, as oil prices rose rapidly from $3 to $43 per barrel. Saudi Arabia demanded that New Delhi should close the Israeli Consulate in Mumbai or face an Arab oil boycott. An enraged Prime Minister Indira Gandhi refused to comply. India emerged relatively unscathed, thanks to developments like oil supplies from the Soviet Union, the discovery of Bombay High oil and gas and “assistance” by the Shah of Iran, who enjoyed a cozy relationship with Israel.

    Four decades later, the global energy and geopolitical scenario stands drastically changed. With the discovery of shale oil/gas in the US and Canada and huge oil reserves in Venezuela, untapped shale gas reserves in Argentina, and with Mexico adding to world oil supplies, North America and parts of Europe are relatively immune to blackmail. This is more so as Russian oil and gas contribute to meeting energy demands in Europe and across Eurasia. Saudi Arabia is now forced to seek Russian cooperation in regulating world energy supplies. Oil prices once at $130 a barrel slumped to $30 and now hover around $60-70 per barrel. The major markets for oil supplies from the Arab/Persian Gulf countries are China (8.4 million barrels per day, bpd), India (4.4 million bpd) and Japan (3.4 million bpd). In the meantime, the oil producing Gulf monarchies, who are major suppliers of oil, are today preoccupied in dealing with a resurgent Iran, which is presently free from Western-led international sanctions. Iran is evidently seeking to become the dominant power in the energy-rich Gulf region.

    The strategic scenario in our oil-rich West is now very different from what it was earlier. The advent of the Islamic Republic in Iran has led to a drastic downturn in Iran’s relations with Israel. Tel Aviv has fomented the hostility to Iran across the world. Iran, in turn, has behaved irresponsibly towards Israel, backing the radical Palestinian group Hamas and even calling for the destruction of Israel. Iran has also sought to change the balance of power in the Arab world, challenging Saudi pre-eminence, provoking former Saudi king Abdullah to ask American military Commander Petraeus to “cut off the head of the snake”. With the ambitious and impetuous Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman now urging an all too willing President Trump to reimpose crippling economic sanctions on Iran, tensions are set to escalate in our western neighborhood. With some deft handling by Prime Minister Modi, our relations with the Arab Gulf states, notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have improved significantly, with the Saudis reaching out to us, to permit Air India over-flights to Israel.

    Despite these developments, the Gulf region is tense, given the Saudi intervention in neighboring Yemen, where thousands of innocents have perished amidst a bitter conflict with Iran-backed Yemeni rebels. There is today a significant Shia-Sunni dimension in rivalries across the Islamic world. With the American intervention in Iraq leading to majority Shia rule there, its effect is being inevitably felt in Shia-ruled, Sunni-majority Syria, where the Russians have intervened decisively in favor of the Iran-backed Assad regime, forcing the Americans on the back foot. India has wisely stayed away from any participation in this rivalry. Iraq is now our largest supplier of oil, overtaking Iran and even Saudi Arabia.

    Given the bitter rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the likelihood of the Trump administration reimposing sanctions on Iran, India will have to navigate its path through its western neighborhood with dexterity. Our primary interests lie in the safety and welfare of the over 7 million Indians living in Arab Gulf countries. These countries together with Iraq, which can remain our largest supplier of oil, should remain the focal point of our attention, even as we make every effort to sustain economic cooperation with Iran, especially on issues of connectivity. India should continue its emphasis on ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman. While Iran remains the third largest supplier of oil to India, imports from Iran are showing signs of decline. Iran has notably been less than forthcoming, or transparent in dealing with projects for oil and gas exploration by India. We would, however, have to reassess the global energy scenario if, as appears likely, American sanctions are reimposed on Iran by the Trump administration, in coming months, though given the glut in global oil supplies, the effect on global oil prices would be manageable.

    Venezuela now has an important role to play in India’s oil imports. The new entrant is the US, where Indian companies have invested significantly in the exploration of shale gas, like they have done for oil and gas in Russia. The US will soon become the largest producer of oil and gas in the world. Gas supplies from the US have now commenced and are set to grow significantly. Thus India, which is today the third largest consumer of oil in the world, after the US and China, has wisely cast its net far and wide to meet its energy needs. We have learnt lessons from the past and are not over-dependent on any single country. While doing so, we have avoided getting involved in regional rivalries, tensions and conflicts in the Islamic world. We must always be prepared for crises in Islamic oil supplying countries, which may necessitate the use of our naval and air assets for evacuation and ensuring the safety and security of Indians living there. We are preparing to develop a significant storage capacity of petroleum in the event of any cut off of oil supplies because of regional tensions. We are also, wisely, placing greater emphasis on the country’s energy security. We are today, a significant exporter of refined petroleum products, estimated at $35.9 billion in 2017.

    (The author is a career diplomat)

     

  • Modi in London: New turn to old ties

    Modi in London: New turn to old ties

    For the first time in 40 years, a British Prime Minister met her Indian counterpart without the overhang, obligations and requirements of the European Union. The Skripal poisoning episode has detracted British domestic attention and muted criticism of their PM Theresa May’s inept handling of Brexit. But there is obviously a different approach. Britain has closed its doors to the kind of liberal immigration Indians have availed of in the past. Instead, Britain seeks improved accessibility of its businesses in India, a copy-paste of the UK-Israel model of tech partnership, lower barriers to commerce in IT, food and drink and life science, and a massive overlay in India of the British National Health Service (NHS) along with its attendant equipment supplier companies.

    While the British wait for the barriers to come down or consensus to develop, there is a conscious effort to handhold India’s quest to blend technology with agriculture and medicine. Essentially, London wants to retain its recent trade advantage: the 15 per cent rise in bilateral trade in 2017 was all accounted for by Britain. Clearly, there is a huge dollop of self-interest guiding Britain as it seeks to mould the Commonwealth into a primary tool for engaging with the non-European world. And it doesn’t end at trade. Britain has thrown the baits of a security relationship with a focus on “ensuring freedom of navigation” (the code for anti-China grouping in South China Sea) and assistance in cyber security.

    Most of the focus on R&D is ostensibly in keeping with Britain’s claim as India’s second largest research partner. But a closer look shows the plans to invest £400 million by 2021 are spread too thin. London will retain its salience as a global hub of finance but impetus to other ties will rest on British strategic assistance to India as a UNSC member and incubator of high technology. There has been little cause for cheer on those fronts. Britain is attempting a new turn with India. But it needs to be more proactive and less expectant considering that other competing countries can easily top most of these offers.

    (Tribune, India)

     

  • Weekly Horoscope April 23 – April 29, 2018

    Weekly Horoscope April 23 – April 29, 2018

    By Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla
    Contact: +91 8141234275

    Aries:Ganesha says you will be meeting many people from different walks of life and, possibly, from different countries and cultures too. There will be a lot of interaction, ideas and energy exchange at all levels, and you will gain tremendously from it. You will also run strong feelings as you reach out and make contact. There may be mood swings and several periods of depression and elation which follow you throughout the period.

    Taurus:Since many different moods nestle in you and emerge as and when they feel like it, it is important which mood and which aspect of your diverse personality you take out of the bag. At so many levels, you do not belong to the real world and its mundane demands. You like to live free and fly like a bird. You can be a creative genius or a social worker or someone who scales the peaks of fiscal triumph. You must remember that you have many support systems and will always be bailed out in times of need.

    Gemini:You are filled with love and care for those close to you and even for the large mass of humanity. You spend time and money indulging others. Some may feel that you have no respect for your time and that people take advantage of you but that is the way you are and there is no escaping it unless you very badly want to. All this could lead to hurt and disappointment and even a feeling of exploitation and resignation.

    Cancer:Many dark thoughts float through your mind. There will be changes in your interests and there will be new ideas and ingenuity at work. You are attracted to the mysterious and to deep secrets. You will also get into the swing of hard work and apply all your ideas to the issues at hand. You are embarking on a new phase of achievement and hard work and you will brace yourself for it. You know that there is no free lunch in the world and you will have to more than sing for your supper.

    Leo:This is a very significant period with many far-reaching consequences. Every aspect of your life gets heightened. You excel at work and play and are in great demand even to resolve domestic issues. You are a great solution provider and seem to have answers to all ticklish psychological issues. Listen to your inner voice for guidance. There will be prestige, social status, promotion, triumphs, awards and rewards. You have a large social circle and the rewards for your efforts will be seen by all.

    Virgo:You are moving from strength to strength and this is a period of consolidation. You make great strides at work and make money and do the necessary investments. There is buying and selling and speculation in the stock and realty sectors. Your knowledge grows and several work-related avenues open up. You carry through demanding and far-fetched schemes as you begin to exploit your potential to the fullest. It is the start of a wonderful phase and you move ahead with Ganesha’s blessings!

    Libra:There is very little to stop you or halt you in your tracks. You are filled with confidence and begin to think really big. You pursue serious issues and also are in a celebratory mood and there is fun and festivity in your life with a series of parties and get-togethers. Your mood is uplifted and all the gloominess which you were associated with is ancient history. You examine uncharted areas like discoveries, inventions, research, astrology, auras, magnets, numerology, new diets, macro food and probiotics.

    Scorpio:You are expanding at a rapid pace and meeting all sorts of people. You are signing the dotted line in a series of profitable collaborations. Finances will dominate the period be it investments, buying / selling, and new acquisitions for yourself, the home and the office. There is money flowing and you use it well too. You are not the type who generally hoards and you like to share your earnings. You get yourself a new wardrobe and ad your personal signature to it. You look like a dandy this period.

    Sagittarius:You need to work hard to take a grip on your emotions this period. You will be very sensitive about something and overtly emotional and all this will set you back. You also look at tantra and mantra and spend time in esoteric and spiritual pursuits. You will have close associations and, possibly, the kindling of a new romance. Your sensitivity draws many admirers, and this could well be a time for distraction and a rustle with the opposite sex.

    Capricorn:You are distracted by your many associations and spend a good portion of the period at meetings and with friends that, I dare say, will not be hugely profitable. People come to you with their problems and you love solving them. As a result, a lot of time is wasted more serious work piles up. Domestic affairs also come into sharp focus and you will be attending to the home and family needs. There may be illness and unwanted expenses. Be prepared for all that. As we know, being forewarned is forearmed.

    Aquarius:There is a lot of stability in your dealings and you settle down to the grind. You work hard and see the results easily. You move fast, solve pending issues and lay solid foundations for expansion. Your efforts and endeavors are energized, and you are duly rewarded. There is promotion, perks and progress. You are not one to be moved by all this and you take it in your stride. Money certainly buys goodies but it doesn’t find a place in your shrine. You live in a world of ideas and dreams, and money, at best, fuels them.

    Pisces:The concrete and sustained work phase continues. You make steady progress and start new collaborations / ventures / offices. There will be travel and some expenses too. But this is a phase of consolidation and you will be covering a lot of ground. Children will bring joy and there could be happy moments like a child doing well in studies, sports or in extra-curricular activities. There will be family outings, possibly a holiday together. There is all-round growth in this period and you are in harmony and sing a happy tune.

  • April 20 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    April 20 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%2F04%2FTIP-April-20-NYC.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”92379″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/TIP-April-20-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%2F04%2FTIP-April-20-Dallas.pdf|||”][vc_single_image image=”92380″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/TIP-April-20-Dallas.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]

  • Barbara Bush, the former First Lady married to George H.W. Bush, has died at age 92

    Barbara Bush, the former First Lady married to George H.W. Bush, has died at age 92

    DALLAS(TIP): The Office of George H. W. Bush confirmed the death of Barbara Bush on Tuesday, April 17, saying in a statement, “A former First Lady of the United States of America and relentless proponent of family literacy, Barbara Pierce Bush passed away Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at the age of 92.

    “She is survived by her husband of 73 years, President George H. W. Bush; five children and their spouses, 17 grandchildren, seven great grandchildren; and her brother Scott Pierce. She was preceded in death by her second child, Pauline ‘Robin’ Bush, and her siblings Martha Rafferty and James R. Pierce.”

  • Wells Fargo Expected to be Fined $1 Billion

    Wells Fargo Expected to be Fined $1 Billion

    NEW YORK(TIP): Federal regulators are poised to impose a $1 billion penalty on Wells Fargo for a variety of alleged misdeeds, including forcing customers to buy auto insurance policies that they didn’t need, according to people briefed on the regulatory action, says a New York Times report, April 19.

    The expected penalty, levied by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, is likely to be announced Friday, April 20.

    It would mark the toughest action that the Trump administration has taken against a major bank. And it is the latest blow to Wells Fargo, which for years was regarded as one of the country’s best-run banks but lately has been reeling from a string of self-inflicted crises.

    President Trump has advocated a rollback of regulations on the banking and other industries. He has nominated industry-friendly officials to oversee key government agencies, including the consumer bureau, which is being run on an interim basis by Mick Mulvaney. Mr. Mulvaney has pledged to defang the agency, criticizing it for wasteful spending and overzealous oversight that is strangling banks and other lenders.

    At the same time, though, Mr. Trump has pledged to be especially tough on San Francisco-based Wells Fargo. “I will cut Regs but make penalties severe when caught cheating!” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter in December.

    In addition to punishing Wells Fargo for forcing auto insurance on customers, the regulatory action is expected to cite the bank for improperly charging mortgage customers and for failing to maintain adequate risk management and compliance practices, according to one of the people briefed on the action.

    The bank already has been handcuffed by federal regulators. In February, the Federal Reserve barred the bank from expanding until it cleans up its internal financial and risk systems. The Fed also pushed for Wells to bring new blood onto its board of directors.

    Friday’s expected settlement is likely to intensify pressure on Wells Fargo’s chief executive, Tim Sloan. Mr. Sloan, a veteran of the bank, took over as C.E.O. after his predecessor, John Stumpf, resigned after the eruption of a scandal involving Wells Fargo’s creation of fake accounts.

  • Giuliani Joining Trump’s Legal Team ‘For the Good of the Country’

    Giuliani Joining Trump’s Legal Team ‘For the Good of the Country’

    A beleaguered president seeks a close ally’s help to rescue him

    NEW YORK(TIP): Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he is joining President Donald Trump’s personal legal team to help with Special Counsel Bob Mueller’s investigation into potential Russian meddling in the 2016 election, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, April 17.

    News that the two had been discussing a role was first reported by The Daily Beast earlier in the day.

    The New York Times, too, followed up with the news of Giuliani joining Trump’s legal team.

    Though talks had been ongoing, a formal announcement was delayed by a slew of foreign policy matters that took over much of the president’s time and agenda. A source familiar with the arrangement said that Trump had been preoccupied by North Korea and Syria, which limited his availability to speak with potential new members of his legal team.

    Giuliani told the Post that he was joining the team “because I hope we can negotiate an end to this for the good of the country and because I have high regard for the president and for Bob Mueller.”

    In a statement, the president said: “Rudy is great. He has been my friend for a long time and wants to get this matter quickly resolved for the good of the country.”

    And Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow added: “I have had the privilege of working with Mayor Giuliani for many years, and we welcome his expertise. Mayor Giuliani expressed his deep appreciation to the President for allowing him to assist in this important matter.” Sekulow additionally announced the hiring of Jane Serene Raskin and Marty Raskin—both former federal prosecutors—to join the president’s legal team.

    Trump has had notable difficulties in recruiting new lawyers. And in the former New York City Mayor, he has brought on board a close ally with strong roots in the legal world.

    Giuliani served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York during the 1980s. But his past several decades have been spent predominantly in politics. During the 2016 election, Giuliani campaigned with Trump and gave an impassioned speech in favor of Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

    “What I did for New York City, Donald Trump will do for America,” he said at the convention. “I have known Donald Trump for almost 30 years. And he has created and accomplished great things. But beyond that this is a man with a big heart. Every time New York City suffered a tragedy, Donald Trump was there to help.”

    After Trump’s victory, however, Giuliani wasn’t selected for any cabinet post, leaving him on the outside of an administration he’d helped elect. Axios reported last summer that Trump had considered replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Giuliani. But that too never happened.

    The former mayor has largely stayed out of public view since then and has said little, if anything, about the Mueller-led investigation.

    Giuliani previously represented Reza Zarrab, a Turkish businessman charged with participating in a scheme to evade American sanctions on Iran. Zarrab testified in federal court last November that two of his lawyers––presumably Giuliani and Michael Mukasey––tried to negotiate his release through a prisoner swap with Turkey. A federal judge called one of Giuliani’s affidavits about Zarrab’s alleged crimes “surprisingly disingenuous.”

    Giuliani is not the only Trump campaign alum with Turkey ties. Former national security advisor Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, also cultivated close links with the country.

    This isn’t the first time Giuliani has found himself enmeshed in the president’s legal troubles. After Trump announced his first travel ban—restricting immigration from several, predominantly Muslim, countries— Giuliani bragged to Fox News’ Judge Jeanine Pirro that he came up with the idea for it.

    “When he first announced it, he said ‘Muslim ban,’” Giuliani told the host. “He called me up, he said ‘put a commission together, show me the right way to do it legally.’ I put a commission together.”

    That quote was referenced frequently by litigants who sued to block the ban as evidence it was motivated by anti-Muslim animus rather than national security concerns. Giuliani later walked back the statement.

  • North Korea offers to denuclearize without demanding withdrawal of US troops from peninsula

    North Korea offers to denuclearize without demanding withdrawal of US troops from peninsula

    Offer conveyed via South Korean president ahead of critical talks between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

    WASHINGTON(TIP): As a planned summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un approaches, Pyongyang has indicated it would abandon its nuclear program without requiring American troops to leave the Korean Peninsula.

    “The North is expressing a will for a complete denuclearization”, South Korean president Moon Jae-in said to reporters. “They have not attached any conditions that the U.S. cannot accept, such as the withdrawal of American troops from South Korea. All they are talking about is the end of hostile policies against North Korea, followed by a guarantee of security”.

    Achieving a deal on those terms would represent a resounding success for Mr Trump, who months earlier had threatened to “totally destroy” North Korea during a United Nations speech to world leaders.

    North Korea has long decried the presence of US troops, and their regular joint drills with South Korean forces, as provocations that could presage an invasion and necessitate Pyongyang’s military buildup.

    But any demands for an exit of US troops would likely be a nonstarter for America. Despite nascent diplomatic efforts, the Trump administration has stuck by a campaign of “maximum pressure” and harsh sanctions on the North Korean regime.

    The commitment to denuclearize while allowing US forces to remain, conveyed via a South Korean leader who has prioritized better relations with the North, continued diplomatic maneuvering ahead of high-stakes talks. Earlier this month CIA director Mike Pompeo met with Mr Kim in Pyongyang, and Mr Trump said efforts are on pace to convene talks by June.

    After spending the first stretch of Mr Trump’s term threatening to devastate other countries and testing increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles believed to be capable of hitting the US mainland, North Korea pivoted to talking with the South and extending Mr Trump an invitation to meet with Mr Kim.

    Paralleling the American-led efforts to end the North Korean nuclear threat, South Korea is hoping to use the diplomatic opening to achieve a lasting change to the status quo on the Korean Peninsula.

    Earlier in the week, South Korean officials said they hoped to also strike a peace accord to formally bring an end to the Korean War, which halted with a 1953 armistice but never again technically ended in the decades the north and the south spent warily watching each other across a heavily fortified border.

    Taken together, the efforts to conclude the war and dismantle Pyongyang’s weapons program offer the contours of a sweeping response to one of the world’s most intractable issues.

    Mr Trump expressed both hopefulness and a willingness to abandon the talks if they prove futile, saying earlier this week that the US would do “everything possible to make it a worldwide success” but adding that America might still walk away.

    “If I think that it’s a meeting that is not going to be fruitful, we’re not going to go”, Mr Trump told reporters. “If the meeting, when I’m there, is not fruitful, I will respectfully leave the meeting”.

     

  • Modi, May hold talks on infusing new energy into post-Brexit bilateral ties

    Modi, May hold talks on infusing new energy into post-Brexit bilateral ties

    Modi launches Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath at a meeting with NRIs

    LONDON(TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, April 16, assured his British counterpart Theresa May that the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union offers opportunities to “further increase” bilateral trade ties as the two leaders had “fruitful discussions” on multiple aspects of India-UK relations and issues like counter-terrorism, radicalization and online extremism.

    Modi, who arrived at 10 Downing Street for a breakfast meeting, was greeted with the customary handshake by May. “Very welcome to London, Prime Minister,” May said as she greeted Modi.

    Both leaders discussed ways to boost cooperation between India and UK.

    “Wonderful meeting with Prime Minister @theresa_may at 10, Downing Street. We had fruitful discussions on multiple aspects of India-UK relations,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted after the meeting.

    Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the two leaders had wide-ranging talks on redefining and infusing new energy into the bilateral engagement post-Brexit.

    A statement issued by 10 Downing Street after the meeting said that the Syria air strikes, counter-terrorism, radicalization and online extremism were among some of the key topics covered by both leaders.

    “Prime Minister Modi said there would be no dilution in the importance of the UK to India post-Brexit. He said the City of London was of great importance to India for accessing the global markets and would remain so,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

    “The Prime Minister (May) updated Prime Minister Modi on the progress of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, saying the implementation period agreed in March gives Indian companies and investors the confidence that market access will continue on current terms until the end of 2020,” the spokesperson said.

    May reiterated the UK’s position on Russia’s recent “destabilizing behavior”, underlined by the attack in Salisbury on former Russian double Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia and the protection provided for the Syrian regime’s repeated use of chemical weapons against its people.

    “They reflected on the progress made on bilateral defense and security cooperation since the Prime Minister’s visit to India in 2016 and the agreement to a number of Defense Capability Partnerships in key strategic areas, with closer military-to-military ties underpinned by a succession of high level visits and exchanges,” Downing Street said.

    During a discussion on cooperation between the two countries on legal matters, which is likely to have covered extradition matters, May also welcomed the return to the UK of the “Chennai Six”, the former British soldiers accused of piracy and were freed from an Indian jail last year.

    The two leaders said trade between the UK and India had grown strongly over the last year and agreed to build on the recommendations of the UK-India Joint Trade Review to reduce barriers to trade, to make it easier to do business in both countries and enable a stronger bilateral trade relationship for the future.

    May and Modi discussed a new UK-India Tech Partnership, which will create thousands of jobs and generate significant investment in both our economies.

    Looking ahead at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on Thursday, they also agreed on the importance of working together to build a more “sustainable, prosperous, secure and fairer future” for all Commonwealth citizens.

    A “flash mob” of sari-clad women from Indian Ladies in UK, accompanied by dhols, had gathered outside Downing Street to welcome the Indian PM with banners such as “In India, Peace is always in Fashion”.

    After his meeting with the British Prime Minister, Modi visited the Science Museum to explore the ‘5000 Years of Science and Innovation’ exhibition and interact with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK.

    The event, hosted by Prince Charles, included the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind global network for evidence-based research on yoga and Ayurveda.

    A note said the exhibition celebrates India’s role in the history of science and technology by exploring its contributions to subjects including space exploration and engineering.

    Modi had landed in Britain from Stockholm for bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

    He was received at the airport by UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who said he was “excited” that India-UK bilateral trade is growing at 15 per cent a year and the visit will help build on “huge economic advantages”. Both leaders held a late night meeting at Heathrow airport.

    According to official estimates, India-UK bilateral trade stands at USD 13 billion, with the UK among the largest G20 investors into India. Modi’s UK visit this week will have a particular focus on the India-UK technological partnership as well as an enhanced role in the Commonwealth.

    PM Modi also addressed a meeting of NRIs and launched Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath on April 18. He spoke candidly on a number of issues, from the rape of the 8-year-old girl in Kathua to surgical strike in Pakistan, to creating awareness about Yoga and Ayurveda for wellness. He took the opportunity also to bash the Nehru-Gandhi clan and held them responsible for the ills of the country.

    A series of demonstrations, including a silent protest to condemn the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, were staged by various groups at Parliament Square during Modi’s visit.

    (With inputs from PTI)

     

  • Encouraged by Xi’s remarks but want concrete steps to avert new tariff: WH

    Encouraged by Xi’s remarks but want concrete steps to avert new tariff: WH

    WASHINGTON(TIP): The Trump Administration on Wednesday, April 11, said it was encouraged by the remarks of Chinese President Xi Jinping but ruled out reversing its recent move to impose 25 per cent tariff on import of products from China amounting to USD 150 billion.

    “Certainly, we are encouraged by President Xi’s words, and his kind words. But at the same time, we want to see concrete actions from China, and we’re going to continue moving forward in the process and in the negotiations until those happen,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

    The White House remarks come after President Donald Trump praised Xi for his remarks.

    “Very thankful for President Xi of China’s kind words on tariffs and automobile barriers…also, his enlightenment on intellectual property and technology transfers. We will make great progress together!” Trump tweeted.

    The US State Department also suggested the same. “We’ve been clear with the Chinese government in areas that are of concern to US workers, US companies, and the overall trade balance. We have had those conversations with them, so I think we’re looking like we’re in a better place,” State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference.

    “What we may be seeing is China coming to terms with some of our concerns about unfair trade practices and the United States saying. We stand by to engage with you, the government of China and President Xi, on that matter,” she said.

    In his keynote address at the Boao Forum for Asia after he began his second five-year term last month with prospects of continuing in power for life, Xi said, “China’s door of opening up will not be closed and will only open wider.” Without mentioning Trump’s concern over the huge trade deficit, Xi said China does not seek trade surplus and have a genuine desire to increase imports and achieve greater balance of international payments under the current account.

    (Source:PTI)

  • My data also harvested, sold by Cambridge Analytica: Zuckerberg

    My data also harvested, sold by Cambridge Analytica: Zuckerberg

    WASHINGTON(TIP): Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has told US lawmakers that his personal data was also harvested and sold by Cambridge Analytica and he intends to initiate legal action against the British firm accused of stealing personal information and using it for political purposes.

    Zuckerberg replied “yes” when asked if his personal data was included in the information sold to the “malicious third parties”by the lawmakers during a testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday.

    Cambridge Analytica compromised personal information of approximately 87 million users, half a million of whom were from India.

    The American people are concerned about how Facebook protects and profits from its users’ data, lawmakers said.

    Beginning this Monday, Facebook has started to notify those users whose data have been breached.

    Responding to a volley of questions, Zuckerberg, 33, said it would take some time to work through all the changes the company needs to make.

    “But I am committed to getting this right, and that includes the basic responsibility of protecting people’s information, which we failed to do with Cambridge Analytica,” he said.

    Zuckerberg said he was getting to the bottom of what the UK-based firm did and will tell everyone who may have been affected.

    “What we know now is that Cambridge Analytica improperly obtained some information about millions of Facebook members by buying it from an app developer that people had shared it with,” he said.

    “This information was generally information that people share publicly on their profile pages, like their name and profile picture and the list of pages that they follow. When we first contacted Cambridge Analytica, they told us that they had deleted the data. And then, about a month ago, we heard a new report that suggested that this was not true,” he said.

    Now the Facebook is working with governments in the US, the UK and around the world to do a full audit of what they’ve done and to make sure that they get rid of any data that they still have.

    Responding to a question, he told lawmakers that he intended to initiate legal action against the firm accused of stealing personal data and using it for political purposes in the 2016 US Presidential elections.

    To make sure that no other app developers are out there misusing data, Facebook is now investigating every single app that had access to a large amount of people’s information on Facebook in the past.

    “If we find someone that improperly used data, we’re going to ban them from our platform and tell everyone affected,” he said.

    To prevent this from ever happening again, Facebook is making sure developers can’t access as much information, going forward, he said.

    “The good news here is that we made some big changes to our platform in 2014 that would prevent this specific instance with Cambridge Analytica from happening again today. But there’s more to do, and you can find more of the details of the other steps we’re taking in the written statement I provided,” he said.

    Zuckerberg told lawmakers that Facebook had now removed the option for advertisers to exclude ethnic groups from targeting.

    “Every time, there is a control right there – not buried in settings somewhere, but right there, when they’re posting about who they want to share it with,” he added.

    Zuckerberg asserted that Facebook did not sell data.

    “We don’t sell data. That’s not how advertising works, and I do think we could probably be doing a clearer job explaining that, given the misperceptions that are out there,” he said in response to a question.

    Facebook is neither a media or a financial institution, he said.

    “I consider us to be a technology company, because the primary thing that we do is have engineers who write code and build products and services for other people,” he said.

    “There are certainly other things that we do, too. We do pay to help produce content. We build enterprise software, although I don’t consider us an enterprise software company. We build planes to help connect people, and I don’t consider ourselves to be an aerospace company,” he said.

    It is clear now that Facebook didn’t do enough to prevent these tools from being used for harm. That goes for fake news, foreign interference in elections and hate speech, as well as developers and data privacy, he said.

    “We didn’t take a broad enough view of our responsibility and that was a big mistake. It was my mistake, and I am sorry. I started Facebook, I run it, and, at the end of the day, I am responsible for what happens here. So, now, we have to go through every part of our relationship with people to make sure that we’re taking a broad enough view of our responsibility,” he said.

    (Source: PTI)

  • Trump keeps everyone guessing on Syria attack- “Could be very soon or not so soon at all!”

    Trump keeps everyone guessing on Syria attack- “Could be very soon or not so soon at all!”

    WASHINGTON(TIP): US President Donald Trump cast doubt on Thursday, April 12, over the timing of his threatened strike on Syria in response to a reported poison gas attack, while France said it had proof of Syria’s guilt but needed to gather more information.

    Fears of confrontation between Russia and the West have been running high since Trump said a day earlier that missiles “will be coming” after the suspected chemical weapons attack in the Syrian town of Douma on April 7, and lambasted Moscow for standing by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

    “Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all!” the US President said in his latest early morning tweet on Thursday, April 12.

    Prime Minister Theresa May recalled ministers from their Easter holiday to debate military action over what she has cast as a barbaric poison gas attack in Douma, then rebel-held, just east of the capital Damascus.

    May has ordered British submarines to move within missile range of Syria in readiness for strikes against the Syrian military that could begin as early as Thursday night, London’s Daily Telegraph newspaper said on April 11.

    The BBC reported that May was ready to give the go-ahead for Britain to take part in military action. She would not seek approval from parliament, the BBC said. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said parliament must be consulted.

    Parliament voted down British military action against Assad’s government in 2013 in an embarrassment for May’s predecessor, David Cameron. That then deterred the US. There were signs, though, of a global effort to head off a direct confrontation between Russia and the West. The Kremlin said a crisis communications link with the United States, created to avoid an accidental clash over Syria, was in use.

    “The situation in Syria is horrific, the use of chemical weapons is something the world has to prevent,” Britain’s Brexit minister David Davis said, adding, “But also it’s a very, very delicate circumstance and we’ve got to make this judgment on a very careful, very deliberate, very well thought-through basis.” — Agencies

    French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday “we have proof that chemical weapons were used last week, at least chlorine, and that they were used by the Assad regime”. He said they would decide whether to strike back when all necessary details has been gathered

    Macron said during an interview on France’s TF1 television said he was in daily contact with Trump and that they would decide on their response “at a time of our choosing”

    Keep US at peace: Carter to Prez

    Expressing pride in his own record of peace, former President Jimmy Carter has warned that President Donald Trump should steer clear of any military action involving Syria or other world hot spots and avoid a nuclear attack at all costs

    “I pray that he would keep our country at peace and not exaggerate or exacerbate the challenges that come up with North Korea, in Russia or in Syria,” Carter said in an interview on his new book — “Faith: A Journey for All”

    A lifelong Democrat, Carter has been critical of Trump, a Republican, on a number of fronts, and he said “a lot of people” have “realized they made a mistake” supporting Trump. Yet Carter made clear that his critique is not about the current occupant of the Oval Office

    Moscow to West: Consider consequences of Syria threats seriously      

    Moscow on Thursday called on the West to “seriously consider” the consequences of threats against Syria after the US and France said they would respond to an alleged chemical attack

    “We call upon… members of the international community to seriously consider the possible consequences of such accusations, threats and especially action (against Syria),” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said

    “Nobody has authorized Western leaders to take on the role of global police-simultaneously investigator, prosecution, judge and executor,” she said during a press briefing.

    (Source-Agencies)

     

  • Yoga can help school children manage anxiety & stress, per Tulane University study

    Yoga can help school children manage anxiety & stress, per Tulane University study

    LOUISIANA(TIP): Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities, according to a Tulane University study.

    Published April 10 in Psychology Research and Behavior Management Journal, the school-based study “Effect of mindfulness and yoga on quality of life for elementary school students and teachers” suggested that “yoga/mindfulness interventions may improve symptoms of anxiety among students”.

    The intervention was associated with a significant improvement in emotional and psychosocial quality of life in the intervention group when compared to the control group, the study concluded.

    Welcoming the results of the study, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement to The Indian Panorama, urged all the elementary schools of Louisiana to introduce yoga in their curriculums so that the students could explore various benefits yoga offered.

    Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.

    Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

    According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self-image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

    Objective of the Tulane study included: To assess the impact of a yoga curriculum in an elementary school on student quality of life… benefits of introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom. Study group included 20 third-grade students of a public school in New Orleans who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety and participated in yoga/mindfulness activities for eight weeks. Researchers included Alessandra Bazzano, Christopher Anderson, Chelsea Hylton and Jeanette Gustat; reports suggest.

    Tulane University in New Orleans (Louisiana), whose history goes back to 1834, claims to be “one of the most well-respected research universities in the country”. Douglas J. Hertz and Michael A. Fitts are Board Chair and President respectively.