The Indian Panorama

Month: September 2019

  • USCIS Proposes more Effective and Efficient Processing of Work Authorization Requests for Asylum Applicants

    USCIS Proposes more Effective and Efficient Processing of Work Authorization Requests for Asylum Applicants

    WASHINGTON(TIP): U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a proposed regulation to improve the process for granting or denying an initial application for employment authorization documents (EADs) by reforming the current 30-day timeline pertaining to pending asylum applicants.

    These proposed changes will allow USCIS the time needed to receive, screen, and process applications, which in turn would strengthen national security, maintain technological advances in identity verification, and further deter those who may be attempting to defraud the legal immigration system under an improved process.

    The original 30-day timeline was enacted more than 20 years ago. Since then, there have been additional requirements in background screening and vetting procedures to reduce fraud and identify threats to national security and public safety.

    “Established before 9/11, this processing timeline does not reflect the operational realities USCIS currently faces when adjudicating employment authorization applications,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “Our first priority as an agency is to safeguard the integrity of our nation’s legal immigration system from those who seek to exploit or abuse it. This proposal allows us to conduct the kind of systematic vetting and identity verification procedures expected of an agency charged with protecting national security.”

    Initial applications for employment authorization from pending asylum applicants are the only category of employment authorization applications adjudicated by USCIS that have a required processing timeline attached to them. Because of this, the agency must frequently divert resources away from other legal immigration application processing categories in order to meet the 30-day deadline for asylum seekers. These categories include family members of certain high skilled employees and those seeking adjustment of status in the United States, among others.

    USCIS is also proposing to change the provision requiring that applicants submit their renewal requests to USCIS 90 days before the expiration of their employment authorization. This would reduce confusion regarding employment authorization renewal requirements for pending asylum applicants, minimize potential gaps in employment, and ensure consistency with the 2017 American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (AC21) Rule and implementing policies.

  • Reaffirming the UN’s collective “faith to multilateralism”

    Reaffirming the UN’s collective “faith to multilateralism”

    By Asoke Kumar Mukerji

    “India is expected to be a key partner for the new President of the UNGA in achieving progress on his priorities. As a country increasingly dependent on international cooperation for her growth (with her international trade contributing as much as 40% to her GDP), India’s national interests today are aligned with multilateralism. Her foreign policy is active on a multi-polar level, balancing the demands of India’s accelerated national development with the over-riding requirement for peace and security”, says the author.

    India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is expected to visit New York twice towards the end of September 2019. First, he is scheduled to participate in the special Climate Action Summit of the UN Secretary General on 23 September 2019. The Prime Minister initiated a visionary platform for Climate Action during the 2015 Paris Conference on Climate Change, which has resulted in the establishment of a 121-country International Solar Alliance in India. India’s leadership in the use of renewable energy to mitigate the adverse effects of Climate Change will be underscored by the inauguration of a solar panel system for supply of energy to the UN Headquarters Building in New York during the Summit.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to return to the United Nations in New York on Friday 27 September 2019 for his address to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). During his absence from the High-Level Segment of the UNGA debate between 2016-2018, the international situation has become more polarized. One of the biggest challenges to the principle of international cooperation which drives multilateralism in the United Nations is from growing unilateralism, especially among the major powers.

    In response to this challenge, the 193 member-states of the UNGA adopted on 14 June 2019 a unanimous resolution reaffirming their collective “faith to multilateralism” as the theme of the 75thAnniversary of the United Nations next year. The newly elected President of the 74thSession of UNGA, Professor Tijjane Muhammad-Bande of Nigeria, was given the mandate to appoint two co-facilitators to “lead and conclude inter-governmental negotiations on the declaration” to be adopted by the 75thanniversary UN Summit scheduled for 21 September 2020.

    Professor Tijjane Muhammad-Bande visited India in the first week of September this year. He called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, had discussions with External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and interacted with Indian policy makers in renewable energy, technology and sustainable development. He delivered a lecture at the prestigious Indian Council of World Affairs in New Delhi, during which he focused on the priorities ahead of him during his Presidency of the UNGA.

    Reaffirming the relevance of the UN, and focusing on eradication of poverty, quality education, inclusion and partnerships to overcome global challenges, were among his top priorities. Each of these areas will play a critical role in reaffirming the mandate of the UNGA to respond to challenges to multilateralism today. At the heart of this activity will be the need for effective international cooperation.

    India is expected to be a key partner for the new President of the UNGA in achieving progress on his priorities. As a country increasingly dependent on international cooperation for her growth (with her international trade contributing as much as 40% to her GDP), India’s national interests today are aligned with multilateralism. Her foreign policy is active on a multi-polar level, balancing the demands of India’s accelerated national development with the over-riding requirement for peace and security.

    To meet this requirement, India needs to catalyze an early conclusion to the decades-long inter-governmental negotiations in the UNGA on reforming the primary UN organ responsible for peace and security, which is the UN Security Council. The objective of the reform is to make the Security Council more equitable in decision-making, more transparent and more representative, so that it can respond more effectively to challenges to international peace and security.

    India’s decades-long experience of confronting threats to peace, security and sustainable development from cross-border terrorism drives her objective to work within the legal committee of the UNGA to make it obligatory under international law for UN member-states to either prosecute, or extradite for prosecution, alleged terrorists. This is the heart of the proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism or CCIT, which has been gridlocked in the legal negotiations of the UNGA for many years, despite India having provided a first draft of a possible CCIT in 1996. An early harvest of the CCIT also impacts on India’s reported interest in hosting a global counter-terrorism conference during the coming months.

    However, the heart of India’s engagement with the United Nations remains the creation of a responsive multilateral framework for eradicating poverty and accelerating socio-economic development for the transformation of India. She is therefore expected to provide critical support for the UNGA to operationalize the commitments made during the negotiations of Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development, adopted unanimously by world leaders during Prime Minister Modi’s last visit to New York in September 2015. Foremost among these commitments is support for financial flows from multilateral financial institutions, and a functional technology facilitation mechanism.

    The UN Secretary General’s ambitious High-Level Report on Digital Cooperation, issued on 10 June 2019, will play an important role with respect to the use of technology for sustainable and inclusive development. With her own ambitious Digital India program for empowerment and development, India is well placed to bring the calls for increased multilateralism and international cooperation through multi-stakeholder partnerships contained in the Report into the UNGA’s preparations for the 75thanniversary Summit of the UN in September 2020.

    (The author is a former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations , and Distinguished  Fellow, Vivekananda International Foundation)

     

  • Jallianwala apology: A noble gesture by the Archbishop of Canterbury

    Jallianwala apology: A noble gesture by the Archbishop of Canterbury

    When Archbishop of Canterbury Reverend Justin Welby prostrated himself like a penitent before the Jallianwala Bagh memorial on Tuesday, he unwittingly resembled the hapless Amritsar residents who were forced to crawl in Kucha Kaurianwala a century ago. It was in this narrow street that Marcella Sherwood, a British missionary, was attacked on April 10, 1919. The incident was a major trigger for the massacre that was perpetrated by Gen Reginald Dyer three days later. Almost a week after the bloodbath, Dyer enforced the dreaded crawling order. This was his brutal way of sanctifying and sanitizing the lane where an Englishwoman, and that too a servant of the Church, had been assaulted. This disturbing episode, dwarfed in history by what happened on April 13, 1919, did not find a mention in the Archbishop’s condolence message. It is anybody’s guess whether he considers Dyer’s warped sense of ‘sacred’ duty unchristian or not. However, Reverend Welby has emulated another missionary, CF Andrews, who was a friend of Mahatma Gandhi and is regarded as among the first Englishmen to apologize for the massacre.

    In the Jallianwala centenary year, the Archbishop has done what the British monarchy and successive governments have stopped short of doing — saying sorry and seeking forgiveness. He has admitted that it was ‘deeply humbling’ and a matter of ‘profound shame’ for him ‘as a British Christian to visit this place that witnessed such an atrocity.’ His stance has rekindled the demand for an official apology from the British Government. Then Prime Ministers Theresa May and David Cameron had referred, respectively, to the ‘shameful scar’ on British-Indian history and a ‘deeply shameful act’. Queen Elizabeth, who had visited the memorial back in 1997, had called the incident a distressing example of ‘our past history with India’.

    The Church’s response, as articulated by the Archbishop, has come rather late in the day, but it can’t be dismissed as insignificant. The apology won’t go in vain if it can help in bringing much-needed closure to the tragedy. Hopefully, Reverend Welby will extend the condemnation to all unpardonable crimes committed in the name of the Crown and the Cross.

    (Tribune India)

  • A U.S.-Iran detente could be on the cards

    A U.S.-Iran detente could be on the cards

    By Mohammed Ayoob

    The exit of John Bolton, and Israel’s diminished influence on Washington, signal a possible reduction in tensions.

    “Israel and John Bolton have been the two major obstacles to a direct encounter between the two Presidents as a prelude to a possible rapprochement between the U.S. and Iran. Mr. Trump, despite his close relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seems to have concluded that the Israeli leader is too dependent on the U.S. and especially on Mr. Trump to attempt to block such a meeting if he decides to go ahead with it. Mr. Netanyahu seemed to confirm this understanding this week when he stated: “Obviously, I don’t tell the U.S. President when to meet or with whom.”

    If it is not Afghanistan, then it must be Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump desperately needs a dramatic foreign policy breakthrough before the 2020 elections to establish his reputation as a strategist who can shape afresh the contours of American foreign policy. His lovefest with Kim Jong-un has petered out without producing any noticeable reduction in North Korea’s nuclear arsenal or any curbs on its ballistic missile program. His attempt to get the Taliban to accept a ceasefire so that he could begin withdrawing American troops from Afghanistan, and thus fulfil the promise he had made during the 2016 election campaign, has also stalled because of Kabul’s opposition and the Taliban’s unwillingness to stop military action before a settlement is announced.

    This leaves Iran as the only arena where Mr. Trump can demonstrate his diplomatic dexterity even if it means returning to the status quo that had existed when President Barack Obama left office. However, Mr. Trump would like to add a dramatic flourish to turning the clock back.

    Some of Mr. Trump’s closest associates, especially the recently sacked National Security Advisor John Bolton, have been promoting a policy that amounted to advocating a regime change in Iran, even if by force. However, Mr. Trump is fundamentally averse to leading the U.S. into an open-ended war with Iran. This stance is prompted largely by his attachment to his campaign promise of bringing American soldiers home that garnered a significant number of votes for him in the last election. He, therefore, abhors the idea of sending more of them to the volatile West Asia.

    Zarif’s visit to Biarritz

    These instincts were on display at the recently concluded G7 meeting in France following an unscheduled visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Biarritz for talks with the French President Emmanuel Macron  announced at the conclave that a Trump-Rouhani meeting was likely to take place in the “coming weeks”.

    Mr. Trump said that he had no intention of imposing regime change on Iran and declared that under the right circumstances, he would certainly agree to a meeting with Mr. Rouhani.

    In a speech hours earlier, Mr. Rouhani had also signaled that he was willing to talk with Trump. He has since qualified his positive response by adding that he would meet Mr. Trump only after Washington lifted the sanctions re-imposed on Tehran after Mr. Trump pulled the U.S. out of the nuclear deal in 2018. But the signal that Iranian leaders are not averse to talking with their American counterparts has been sent by Tehran and received in Washington. In turn, Mr. Trump reciprocated by stating that he has no problem meeting with President Rouhani. “It could happen. It could happen. No problem with me,” he said earlier this week.

    Israel and John Bolton have been the two major obstacles to a direct encounter between the two Presidents as a prelude to a possible rapprochement between the U.S. and Iran. Mr. Trump, despite his close relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seems to have concluded that the Israeli leader is too dependent on the U.S. and especially on Mr. Trump to attempt to block such a meeting if he decides to go ahead with it. Mr. Netanyahu seemed to confirm this understanding this week when he stated: “Obviously, I don’t tell the U.S. President when to meet or with whom.”

    Differences with Israel

    Nonetheless, this relative softening of their respective stands by the U.S. and Iran have worried the Israeli establishment. This is why, of late, Mr. Netanyahu has once again been making shrill noises about Iran’s nuclear weapons capability. He has even gone to the extent of identifying a nuclear facility near Isfahan that, according to him, the Iranians destroyed after he had made its existence public. In response Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif promptly tweeted: “The possessor of REAL nukes cries wolf — on an ALLEGED ‘demolished’ site in Iran.” It is clear that there is a fundamental disjuncture between American and Israeli objectives regarding Iran and recent events have begun to bring the fissures in American Israeli approaches to this issue into the open.

    Mr. Bolton, an outspoken foreign policy hawk, has been the standard bearer of the hard line vis-à-vis Iran and is directly or indirectly responsible for many of the harshest measures adopted by the Trump administration in regard to Iran. He was also strongly opposed to the deal that Zalmay Khalilzad had worked out with the Taliban in order to begin an orderly withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan. Mr. Bolton’s virulent opposition to any deal with Iran short of complete denuclearization and regime change, both objectives beyond the realm of possibility, had angered Mr. Trump, especially because it ran counter to his instinctive antipathy toward getting involved in overseas military conflicts.

    However, the firing of John Bolton, when combined with the visible diminishing of Israeli influence on U.S. policy toward Iran, signals that Washington is interested in easing tensions with Tehran. This is confirmed by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement on September 10 that it was possible that a meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Rouhani could take place this month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York. Such a meeting, even if it does not immediately resolve all the contentious bilateral issues, could form the beginning of a de-escalatory process that is likely to benefit both Washington and Tehran in the long run.

    (The author  is University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Relations, Michigan State University, and Senior Fellow, Center for Global Policy, Washington, DC)

  • Derogatory statements about Hinduism

    Derogatory statements about Hinduism

    By Mike Ghouse

    You might cringe when someone makes an idiotic remark about Hinduism and Hindu practices.

    A majority of Indian Muslims will never make a negative statement about Hindus or Hinduism. Indeed, they will defend it as Hinduism is one of the most misunderstood religions like theirs.

    They are driven by the wisdom found in the Quran, 6:108 (Itani), “Do not insult those they call upon besides God, lest they insult God out of hostility and ignorance. We made attractive to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is their return, and He will inform them of what they used to do.” The Quran warns us from taking the low road and destroying mutual respect and trust.

    Wisdom is available when people disagree, the best way to part is narrated in the Quran109:6 (Itani), you have your idea, and I have my way.” Let’s respectfully disagree.

    Please be aware, there are about three mistranslations of Quran in the market, and we hope you read at least five versions out of the 50 plus translations to get it right. It is easy for one to jump to conclusions by seeing one person’s interpretation. Humans make mistakes.

     From Allama Iqbal to Sahir Ludhianvi to Shakeel Badayuni and hundreds of poets and authors have written accolades, bhajans and uplifting commentary about Hinduism. On my part, I will continuously uphold and defend Islam and Hinduism, along with all religions. The wisdom of the Quran calls for people to learn about each other, and when they do, conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

    I shared the following note (Pluralism 101) to a WhatsApp group with a video as a forewarning to stall Muslims from making derogatory comments. The video was about our Hindu friends drinking urine right of a Cow and washing their faces. Please remember what is sacred to you is not sacred to others, and vice versa.

    A Muslim is an ultimate human being who cares for other’s wellbeing and stands up for justice to each one of the 7.5 Billion inhabitants of the earth. A Muslim is an exemplary citizen and an Amin – A model citizen. We have a few bad apples, and we need to work and redeem them through critical notes like this.

    The administrator of that WhatsApp group and I received a few disgusting comments, and the administrator chose to dissolve the group rather than engage in the conflicts, that was his choice. The other group also had a few negative comments. What a shame!

    Muslims are developing good checks and balances, if one idiot among us makes a wrong statement, there are ten to pounce on him/her.  Our Hindu, Sikh, Jewish and Christian friends are also doing the same, speaking out against idiotic statements. There are plenty of them in each group. The new book American Muslim Agenda documents many such incidents.

    I hope I am speaking for a majority of Indian Muslims, if not, please let me know. We have to talk out what is right.

    (The author  is a public speaker, author, thinker, newsmaker and an interfaith wedding officiant. His new book American Muslim Agenda is available at Amazon and the bookstores.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/)

  • Google agrees to 945-mn-euro tax settlement with France

    Google agrees to 945-mn-euro tax settlement with France

    NEW YORK(TIP): US internet giant Google has agreed to a settlement totaling 945 million euros (USD 1.0 billion) to settle a tax dispute in France under an agreement announced in court on Thursday, September 12.

    The company will pay a 500-million-euro fine for tax evasion, as well as a further 465 million euros to settle claims with French tax authorities.

    In a statement, Google confirmed the settlement and hailed the fact it had put an end to fiscal differences that it had had with France for numerous years.

    French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet and Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin welcomed the “definitive settling” of all the contentious issues, adding in a statement that the outcome was the result of two years of intense work by the French authorities.

    “This outcome is good news for the public finances and fiscal fairness in France,” their statement said.

    Belloubet said the settlement showed that the French authorities have the tools to ensure an equitable tax system.

    “It is a historic settlement both for our public finances and because it marks the end of an era,” Darmanin said.

    “By normalizing Google’s situation in France, (the settlement) responds to our citizens’ demands for fiscal fairness,” he said.

    The settlement comes as France, as well as European allies, seek to find common ground with the United States in a long-running dispute over the taxation of digital giants.

    French President Emmanuel Macron said alongside US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in August that leaders had reached an agreement on the taxation of tech giants, though the precise details remain to be worked out.

    (Source: Agencies)

  • Beauty and Grace of Punjabi Women displayed at “Punjabi Mutiyaar”

    Beauty and Grace of Punjabi Women displayed at “Punjabi Mutiyaar”

    HICKSVILLE, NY(TIP): Long Island Ladies Circle (LILC) in association with Jus Punjabi  organized “Punjabi Mutiyaar” on Sept 6. Members of the Circle dressed in traditional Punjabi attire and wearing traditional Punjabi jewelry presented a picture of  Punjab.

    Those who spoke about Punjabi culture at the event included JUS Punjabi anchor Harkirat Singh Ahluwalia and Nupur Arora.

    Gidha performance stole the show.  Tappe and Boliyan  and Punjabi folk songs also created a magic of their own.

    Jyoti Gupta emceed.

    Pinky Jaggi thanked guests for their presence  and officers of LILC for the great job done.

  • New York Physician Rajendra Bhayani Honored with Inspirations to Indian Americans Award in California

    New York Physician Rajendra Bhayani Honored with Inspirations to Indian Americans Award in California

    NEW YORK(TIP): New York based Dr. Raj Bhayani  was honored by Vivek Oberoi and Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP General Secretary at the India Day Parade and Festival of Globe in San Francisco California with the Inspirations to Indian Americans Award on Sunday, August 18th.

    Dr. Raj Bhayani, an accomplished neurosurgeon, social activist, entrepreneur, leader, and the first ENT surgeon in India, was honored for his inspiring leadership and achievements in his medical profession and community service.

    In his acceptance speech, Dr. Bhayani, while thanking the organizers for the event for bestowing the award, referred to India, a great and the largest democracy, which is growing steadily under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Patriotism, which is in our hearts is seen in our actions,” he said. “This Independence Day has a very special meaning for India and all of us, as India, for the first time in our 73 years of Independence history, is going in the right direction.”

    Dr. Bhayani, who had completed training in Neurosurgery and had a Fellowship in Facial Plastic & Micro vascular Surgery in India, is currently practicing Medicine in New York. An active member and currently serving as the Treasurer of AAAPI, Dr. Bhayani has held several positions in AAPI and has grown with the organization. He is the President-Elect AAPI-QLI, one of the largest Chapters of AAPI.

    His accomplishments in the professional world are well known. During the duration of his medical profession, more than 50 research papers have been published and presented by him, which has resulted in inclusion of his name in the Marquis ‘Who’s Who in America in Medicine and Healthcare’ acknowledging his achievements in the medical field.

    Not satisfied with his professional accomplishments, Dr. Bhayani has devoted his life to being actively involved in the philanthropic sector. He currently serves on the boards, and is an active member, of over 20 communities and associations that are involved in philanthropic activities. In addition, he has also served on the Board of Trustees of Save Life Foundation, which has helped in the implementation of Good Samaritan Law and Road Safety Bill to help roadside accident victims and to improve road safety in India.

    Passionate about giving back to the larger society, Dr. Bhayani says, “Inspired by many individuals, who lead by example. Cause is the driving than actual person.” His life has been an example of how to give back to the community, which has given him much.  “Even since childhood, I had the desire to be someone, who wanted to contribute to the common good.”

    Recently, he was the chief organizer for ‘Football for Nation’ initiative, in Delhi, by bringing Parliamentarians and Film stars together to play a game of football to raise funds for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Besides, his significant contributions in organizing several health and blood donation camps as well as fund raisers for Aksharpatra, helping millions of kids with Mid-day meal program in India, have earned him great respect and appreciation in the society. He is grand Patron for India Day Parade for celebrating India’s Independence Day in New York.

    Imbibed with this passion, Dr. Bhayani did not have to look for opportunities. They actually came his way. “In the society we live in, there are ample of opportunities to do good,” he says. “I always look upon in my friends who do larger good and have tried to join them or find noble causes that I can support or initiate, with the objective of doing little acts of kindness. I believe small acts of kindness by many of us can achieve tremendous impact on humanity than individual acts.”

    The unassuming Dr. Bhayani was instrumental in organizing Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s historic address to the Indian – American community at Madison Square Garden, during his maiden visit to New York in September 2014.

    A distinguished Guest Speaker, as a proponent of the Honorable Prime Minister’s vision for India, on popular regional TV shows in USA, Dr. Bhayani is one of the foremost members of the Indian community who has worked tirelessly in increasing awareness of the Prime Minister’s initiatives in the USA, which in return has resulted in the remittance of funds to India for the implementation of these initiatives. His work is an exemplary example of his commitment towards India’s progress.

    His outstanding support to the society in his roles as a physician, a leader, and as a philanthropist have not gone unnoticed. Dr. Bhayani has received dozens of awards, recognition and scholarships. He has been felicitated on several platforms and his list of accolades includes Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Award at House of Lords in London, Bharat Gaurav Puraskar and Delhi Ratan Award, Hind Ratan Award, Asian American Heritage Honoree of the year 2016, New York City as well as State Proclamation Award. He has also been awarded ‘United States Congressional Achievement Award’ and is also the recipient of the ‘Most Influential Leader in Indian Community in United States’ recognition award. He has received USA Triologic Society award for his research papers. He has held various leadership positions in the healthcare field and leading hospitals in New York heading the ENT and Facial Plastic Surgery divisions.

    With ambitions to grow as a national leader of AAPI, Dr. Bhayani says, “Since my association with AAPI, I have seen with awe and inspiration, how this noble organization has grown over the past 37 years.  AAPI has a very strong future with its  highly educated, skilled and dedicated membership and leadership. AAPI has a greater role to play in the national arena. And, AAPI is ready to march on and I am there to be part of this great organization and all its diverse and talented membership to make this noble organization a great force with a stronger voice to accomplish its many lofty goals.”

    (Based on a Press Release)

  • Indian Consulate New York Introduces Free Legal Consultation for Community Members

    Indian Consulate New York Introduces Free Legal Consultation for Community Members

    NEW YORK (TIP): The Indian Consulate New York, in partnership with Indo-American Lawyers Association,is providing free legal consultation from an expert Lawyer, Sanjay Chaubey to help distressed members of the community or those who need legal help. The inaugural session was hosted on August 30, 2019. Now the Consulate has decided to conduct this on a regular basis on the last working Friday of every month.

    “Good start of “Free #Legal #Consultation” at the #Consulate on August 30th, 2019. We thank attorney Mr. Sanjay Chaubey, President of Indo American Lawyers Association for attending to the issues of various community members.

    Observing the successful response, the Consulate has decided to conduct such free legal clinics on the last working #Friday of every month, between 11:00 hours to 12:00 hours”, the Consulate tweeted.

    Free legal clinics will be hosted at the consulate on September 27, October 25, November 29, and December 27. To RSVP, please email at madad.newyork@mea.gov.in.

  • Indian Film Chuskit Wins Grand Prize at 24th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival

    Indian Film Chuskit Wins Grand Prize at 24th Annual Stony Brook Film Festival

    NEW YORK(TIP): Chuskit, directed by Priya Ramasubban, won the Grand Prize at the 24th annual Stony Brook Film Festival presented by Island Federal at the Staller Center for the Arts.

    “This festival was one of the most competitive yet,” said festival director Alan Inkles. “Nearly 3,000 films were submitted, and only 36 were selected for the Festival, so Chuskit was really a very special film – it’s a must-see.”

    The Grand Prize is awarded when the jury and the audience rank the same film the highest. This is the second year in a row and the ninth time in the Festival’s 24-year-run that a film has received a Grand Prize.

    Chuskit is a  charming, family-friendly treat from a part of the world seldom seen on screen. The entirety of the film was recorded in the Himalayas and tells the story of a paraplegic girl who harbors hopes of going to school. Priya Ramasubban, director of Chuskit, attended the Festival and participated in a Q&A with the audience.

  • September 13 New York & Dallas Print Editions

    September 13 New York & Dallas Print Editions

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  • Indian American Sree Sreenivasan named Inaugural Marshall R. Loeb Visiting Professor at SBU J-School

    Indian American Sree Sreenivasan named Inaugural Marshall R. Loeb Visiting Professor at SBU J-School

    NEW YORK(TIP): Digital journalism expert Sree Sreenivasan has been appointed as the first Marshall R. Loeb Visiting Professor of Digital Innovation and Audience Engagement, Laura Lindenfeld, interim dean of the Stony Brook University School of Journalism, has announced.

    At the SBU School of Journalism, Sreenivasan, a former Columbia Journalism School professor for 20 years, will engage students and faculty in the practice and power of journalism by harnessing digital innovations and research to enhance news content, delivery and audience engagement. He joined the Journalism School on September 1.

    “On behalf of the Journalism faculty and staff, I could not be more delighted to have such a consummate professional join us as we reshape the School’s curriculum to match a more demanding time for journalism and the students who will be part of its future, said Lindenfeld. Sree’s experience, creative approach and dedication to integrating high-quality journalism to the digital space is vital in today’s news ecosystem. He will honor the legacy of Marshall R. Loeb in the way that his son and daughter intended upon funding this professorship.”

    “I’m honored to be a visiting professor at the Stony Brook School of Journalism and work with the students, faculty and staff,” said Sree Sreenivasan. “The fact that the professorship is named for the legendary Marshall Loeb, whom I admired and had the opportunity to work with, is a special honor. I am grateful to Michael and Margaret Loeb for honoring their father’s legacy in this way.”

  • Indian Doctoral Student at Stony Brook wins Chateaubriand Fellowship Award

    Indian Doctoral Student at Stony Brook wins Chateaubriand Fellowship Award

    NEW YORK(TIP): Rajat Kumar, a PhD student in Biomedical Engineeringat Stony Brook University has been recently named a Chateaubriand Fellow. The Chateaubriand Fellowship is a grant offered by the Embassy of France in the United States. It supports outstanding Ph.D. students from American universities who wish to conduct research in France.

    Chateaubriand Fellowship has made possible collaboration with Philippe Ciuciu at NeuroSpin, a neuroimaging research centre located near Paris, where Rajat will be working during the spring 2020 semester.

    Shortly into his first job after graduating from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, working as an engineer at an oil and gas company, Rajat came to the US from India in 2015, choosing to work with Stony Brook professor Lilianne Mujica-Parodi,who is now his Ph.D. advisor.

     

     

     

  • Indian origin Massachusetts Landlord faces Sexual Harassment suit

    Indian origin Massachusetts Landlord faces Sexual Harassment suit

    BOSTON(TIP): The Department of Justice Sept 9 filed a lawsuit in the District of Massachusetts alleging that female tenants of residential rental properties in Worcester were subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.

    The lawsuit alleges that from at least 2009 through the present, Mohan Prashad sexually harassed female tenants of rental properties owned by Prashad, Savton LLC, and Lanaton LLC.  Prashad is the sole agent for Savton LLC and Lanaton LLC.  The complaint further alleges that David Besaw also harassed and assaulted female tenants.  Besaw, a Level 3 registered sex offender in Massachusetts, has been employed by Prashad since at least 2014 to assist with the management and maintenance of his rental properties.

    The complaint alleges that Prashad engaged in harassment that included making unwelcome sexual advances and comments; engaging in unwanted sexual touching; offering to grant tangible benefits — such as reducing rent amounts — in exchange for engaging in sexual acts; refusing to provide needed maintenance services or taking other adverse housing actions against female tenants who resisted or objected to his unwelcome sexual harassment; intimidating female tenants by monitoring them from outside their apartments or rooms; and, after receiving notice of Besaw’s sexual harassment of female tenants, failing to take any action to prevent Besaw from future sexual harassment. The complaint further alleges that Besaw subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual contact including groping, sexual assault, and forced touching of their bodies, without consent; unwanted exposure to female tenants; making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances toward female tenants; and making intrusive, unannounced visits to female tenants’ units to conduct and further his sexual advances.

  • Indian American Attorney licensed in New Jersey and New York charged with marijuana offenses

    Indian American Attorney licensed in New Jersey and New York charged with marijuana offenses

    NEW YORK  (TIP): Manish Patel, 33, of Granite Bay, appeared last month in federal court on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute marijuana plants and tetrahydrocannabinols contained in hashish oil, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen announced.

    According to court documents, Patel is a licensed attorney in New Jersey (admitted in 2015) and New York (admitted in 2017). The complaint alleges that Patel conspired to transport marijuana and concentrated cannabis oil across the country using his private airplane, a Learjet. In May and June 2019, law enforcement in California executed search warrants that resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,400 pounds of marijuana contraband and $400,000 in cash.

    If convicted, Patel faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison.

  • Indian American Nominated by Trump as Florida Judge

    Indian American Nominated by Trump as Florida Judge

    WASHINGTON(TIP): An Indian American has been nominated as a federal judge in Florida by US President Donald Trump.

    Anuraag Singhal is among 17 judiciary nominations sent by the White House to the Senate on Sept 9. If confirmed by the Senate, Singhal would replace James I. Cohn as the United States district judge for the southern district of Florida. On Aug 14, 2019 Trump announced his intent to nominate Singhal to serve as a United States District Judge of the southern district of Florida.

    Singhal is a judge on the Seventeenth Circuit Court in Florida. Singhal was appointed by Governor Rick Scott on August 31, 2011, to succeed Victor Tobin.  Singhal was re-elected without opposition in 2014, winning a six-year term that expires on January 4, 2021. In 2017, Singhal was one of ten finalists considered for a federal judgeship in Southern Florida.

     

     

  • Indian American Professor Anshul Gandhi Honored with Rising Star Research Award

    Indian American Professor Anshul Gandhi Honored with Rising Star Research Award

    NEW YORK(TIP): SBU Computer Science Professor Anshul Gandhi has been recently honoured with 2019 Rising Star Research Award by the Association for Computing Machinery’s (ACM) SIGMETRICS. The award recognizes Gandhi’s fundamental contributions to the analysis, modeling, design, and implementation of energy-efficient systems in data centers and cloud computing.

    Anshul Gandhi, who is also an NSF CAREER awardee, earned his PhD in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. His 2013 thesis, Dynamic Server Provisioning for Data Center Power Management, won the 2013 SPEC Distinguished Dissertation Award. After graduating, he spent a year as a post-doctoral researcher at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center. Gandhi’s research aims to leverage mathematical tools to address challenges in computer systems. Within Stony Brook’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Department of Computer Science, Gandhi leads the PACE Lab and currently advises six PhD students and 14 MS students.

  • Indian Origin Houston Man Charged in First Known Case Since Bump Stock Ban

    Indian Origin Houston Man Charged in First Known Case Since Bump Stock Ban

    HOUSTON(TIP):  A federal grand jury has indicted a 43-year-old Houston man of Indian origin on four counts of firearms violations including possession of a machine gun, specifically, a bump stock, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

    The four-count indictment, returned Sept 5, alleges Ajay Dhingra possessed a machine gun, made two materially false statements in the acquisition of two firearms and unlawfully possessed a firearm after having been adjudicated as a mental defective or who had been committed to a mental institution.

    Previously charged by criminal complaint, he made his initial appearance in federal court Aug  19, 2019, at which time he was ordered into custody pending further criminal proceedings.

    According to court records, on or about Aug. 17, 2019, Dhingra called the George Bush Foundation and left a concerning message. Authorities discovered Dhingra had previously been committed to a mental institution, according to the allegations. As such, he is prohibited by federal law of possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    The charges further allege law enforcement contacted Dhingra at his residence where they found two firearms in his possession, one of which law enforcement identified as a rifle with an installed bump stock.

    Authorities obtained a search warrant, which allegedly resulted in the discovery of a Glock pistol, a Colt rifle with a bump stock and 277 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.

    According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), this is the first case filed in Texas and what is believed to be the first nationwide involving illegal possession of bump stocks since the law was implemented in March 2019.

    If convicted of any of the charges, Dhingra faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

     

  • Elections Canada 2019

    Elections Canada 2019

    Canada Elections 2019: Record number (50) of candidates of Indian origin in the fray

    By Prabhjot Singh

    Canada is all set to go for the Federal Elections 2019. On September 11, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will go to the Governor-General’s office to recommend dissolution of the House of Commons. It will mark the start of campaign for the 2019 Elections that are mandated by law to be held on October 21. To form the next government, a party will need 170 seats in the new House of Commons. As of today the Liberals have 177 MPs in the 338-seat House of Commons, followed by the Conservatives with 95 MPs and the NDP with 39 MPs. Besides, there are 10 Bloc Québécois MPs, two Green MPs, one People’s Party of Canada MP, one Co-operative Commonwealth Federation MP, eight independents and five vacant seats. After meeting the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, Mr. Justin Trudeau will hold a rally shortly after the campaign launch and then take off on the Liberal plane. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer will address party supporters in Trois-Rivières in Quebec on Wednesday morning before coming to the Ontario where he is expected to join meet and greet programme of party workers at a Woodbridge park. The NDP was first to launch its campaign last Sunday when the party leader Jagmeet Singh addressed a rally in Toronto before starting an aggressive campaign in the Greater Toronto Area and southwestern Ontario in his newly revealed campaign bus.The Green Party leader Elizabeth May too has her campaign plans ready that may take her more to Quebec expecting good response there.

    Indo-Canadians
    Canadian politicians of Indian origin are, as usual, in the limelight as campaigning for the 2019 Federal Elections gets under way.This time a record number of 50-odd candidates of Indian origin in general and Punjabi origin in particular, are in the fray. As of today, there are 18 candidates of Indian origin in the Liberal party’s list. They include Navdeep Bains, Harjit Singh Sajjan, Amarjeet Sohi, and Bardish Chagger. There are 17 candidates of Indian origin in the Conservatives list. NDP has nine candidates of Indian origin in ts list. Green Party, too, five candidates of Indian origin. There may be a couple of Independent candidates as well as two of original Liberal MPs – Darshan Singh Kang and Raj Grewal – had to leave the Caucus to stand clear of the charges made against them. Of the candidates of Indian origin, there are 12 women candidates, including Bardish Chagger, who became one of the the youngest leader of the Government in the House.
    At the time of dissolution of the present House of Commons, there are 20 MPs of Indian origin. One of the oldest sitting MPs of the Indian origin, Deepak Obhrai, died on August 2.
    The 2019 Federal Election will be unique in more than one ways. This time the campaigning time will be just six weeks compared to 11 weeks in the 2015 elections.
    Also, this is also for the first time that one of the three major political parties – Liberal, Conservatives and NDP – will be led into elections by a leader of Indian origin. Jagmeet Singh is heading the NDP. Though before his election as the NDP President, Jagmeet Singh was a Member of Ontario Assembly and later sought an election to House of Commons from Burnaby in British Columbia.
    Only other leader of Indian origin to have led a national party in Canada had been Mr Hardial Singh Bains, one of pioneers of the Communist movement in Canada.

     

  • Banking on the banks for expansion

    Banking on the banks for expansion

    By Pulapre Balakrishnan

    “Presently, we are witnessing an interesting strategic interaction. The government accepts that the economy needs more growth but insists that this can only come via private investment and the private sector awaits an improvement in growth before deciding whether to invest. It is not clear whether the basis of the government’s insistence on private investment alone is ideological or based on fiscal considerations. Whatever it may be, it is clear that if it does not get proactive now, it could be left waiting for a private investment that may not be forthcoming.”

    The government accepts that the economy needs more growth but could end up paying for its inaction.

     In 2005, a Nobel laureate in economics claimed that the “… problem of depression-prevention has been solved”. He was exulting over an innovation in economic theory according to which fiscal policy, associated with profligacy, had no role whatsoever. Just a few years later, following the North Atlantic financial crisis, the U.S. fiscal deficit had to be raised three-fold, he responded, “I guess everyone is a Keynesian in the foxhole”, implying that in the face of an impending crisis it is alright to rely on fiscal policy after all. A similar pragmatism is absent from economic policymaking in India today.

    By meeting industrialists for policy inputs so soon after the Budget for the year had been presented and then, via a press conference held a few weeks later rolling back some of the tax proposals in it, the government revealed its anxiety about the state of the economy. This is only to be expected of a party that came to power promising to transform it. Far from having significantly improved the performance of the economy in its first term in office it has been presiding over an economy in which growth has been declining for close to two-and-a-half years by now. So what did the Finance Minister offer in her press conference? And can we expect it be game-changing?

    Three sets of announcements pertain to concessions impacting upon the automobile sector, proposals for the banking sector and a change in a practice of the Income-Tax Department. Of the first it may be said that addressing the problems of any one sector when several are equally stressed is not fair governance. There have been reports of severe stress in the packaged foods industry for instance and we have long been aware that the agricultural sector has been troubled after demonetization.

    Of the revision of the procedure adopted for issuing an IT notice, it can be said that it does address the issue of tax terrorism, but only a thorough social audit of the processes adopted by the tax authorities can establish whether it would be sufficient to ensure that honest firms are not be hounded and that the government receives all the revenue due to it. Industrialists are under pressure to not speak out against high-handedness, and the compulsory retirement of income tax personnel for malpractice recently point to not everything being well within that department. That leaves us with the proposals for the banking sector. Of these it can be said right away that some of them are quite sound; but if the government’s intention was to reverse the slowing of growth, they are unlikely to make much of a difference.

    Infusion without reforms

    Most significant among the measures related to banking is the infusion of capital up to ₹70,000 crore into the public sector banks. This is expected to contribute to a potential ₹5 lakh crore expansion of credit. With this the government has frontloaded a provision already announced in the Budget. This transfer is now going to be made right away. This is a major step in the direction of taking the banking sector to a more solid foundation. There is also a proposal to ensure that loan decisions taken by bankers are treated as economic decisions and not as instances of corruption when a loan goes awry.

    Public sector banking has been hobbled by the colonial attitude that India’s public servants cannot be trusted, leading to a continuous surveillance that is not conducive to their exercising initiative in lending. At the same time, the present non-performing assets crisis points to the role of political pressure on banks in the past. Without addressing both these issues we can never transit to a strong banking sector. So the capital for the long-term infusion should have been accompanied by governance reforms that both enforce honest behavior and ring-fence the public banker from political pressure.

    Policy rate cuts

    Finally, there was the announcement that public sector banks will pass on more of the policy rate cuts that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has effected in several rounds by now. The government’s frustration at this not having happened is easily imagined but is the proposal for a near automatic adjustment sound by itself? It is tantamount to the lending rate of banks being determined by the RBI’s actions. There is after all the risk premium that banks tack on to their prime lending rate, which itself depends on factors other than the policy rate. Overall, the move towards having commercial bank rates move in tandem with the repo rate by fiat is not advisable. The decision should be left to the banks.

    Let us, however, assume for a moment that lending rates are set to be lowered whatever be the mechanism. Will this revive the economy? It is apparent from the Finance Minister’s press conference that the government thinks this will happen. Generally, the potency of monetary policy in reversing sluggishness in the economy is considered to be weak. The belief among economists is that while a rise in the rate of interest can hold back a decision to invest by raising the cost of finance, an interest rate reduction can do little in the absence of an urge among investors to commit capital. A lack of understanding of the factors governing investment is evident in the suggestion often seen in the press that the government must ‘revive animal spirits’ in the economy. Animal spirits were originally imagined as the spontaneous urge to either undertake investment or hold back from it. The expectation of future profits is the key element here for potential investors. The government can have a role only if it can affect long-term profit expectations. Certainly not by lowering interest rates.

    Focus on private investment

    Presently, we are witnessing an interesting strategic interaction. The government accepts that the economy needs more growth but insists that this can only come via private investment and the private sector awaits an improvement in growth before deciding whether to invest. It is not clear whether the basis of the government’s insistence on private investment alone is ideological or based on fiscal considerations. Whatever it may be, it is clear that if it does not get proactive now, it could be left waiting for a private investment that may not be forthcoming.

    Our experience of the five years of very high growth over 2003-08, when the economy grew at its fastest ever, tells us that three factors had played a role in it. These were unusually high rates of agricultural growth, record levels of public investment and buoyant exports. The package announced by the Finance Minister on August 23 did not relate to any of these. Of course, exports depend to an equal extent on factors beyond India’s control but the government could have addressed the other two factors. Notably, it had nothing for the rural sector which clearly needs attention. For a start an expansion of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, with attention paid to building assets that most strongly impact agricultural output, may be considered. As for public investment, it is the elephant in the North Block. The government is reluctant to step it up, harping on fiscal space, but fiscal space is for a smart government to make up. Instead this one shrunk the space for public investment by introducing an income scheme exclusively meant for farmers just before the elections and then expanding it soon after it returned to power. It was a case of rewarding political support rather than attending to the needs of an economy known to be slowing. When in the foxhole you imagine that you are on a mountain top, you end up paying for your fancy.

    (The author is Professor, Ashoka University, Sonipat and Senior Fellow, IIM Kozhikode)

  • Big bank theory: On Public Sector Bank mergers

    Big bank theory: On Public Sector Bank mergers

    For its sheer magnitude, the scale and the ability to disrupt the status quo, the mega bank mergers announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday must go down as the most significant the banking industry has seen in the five decades since nationalization. The bottom line is clear: to create banks of global level that can leverage economies of scale and balance sheet size to serve the needs of a $5-trillion economy by 2025. The jury is, of course, out on whether this strategy will succeed. Mergers are driven by synergies — in products, costs, business, geographies or technology and the most important, cost synergies. While there may be some geographical synergies between the banks being merged, unless they realize cost synergies through branch and staff rationalization, the mergers may not mean much to them or to the economy. This is where the government’s strategy will be tested. It is no secret that public sector banks are overstaffed. There is also bound to be overlap in branch networks such as in the Canara-Syndicate Bank merger, especially in Karnataka and a couple of other southern States. Ditto with Punjab National Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce, both of which have strong networks in the north and the west. The success of these mergers, therefore, will hinge on how well these banks handle the sensitive issue of staff rationalization. The All India Bank Employees Association has already raised the red flag.

    It was the Narasimham Committee in the late 1990s that recommended consolidation through a process of merging strong banks. The issue has been the proverbial bee in the bonnet of successive governments since then. What the committee also recommended was shutting down the weaker banks and not merging them with the strong ones as is being done now. But this is obviously not an option politically even for a government with a brute majority in Parliament. The biggest plus of the mergers is that they will create banks of scale — there are too many banks in India with sizes that are minuscule by global standards with their growth constricted by their inability to expand. Yet, this advantage of scale cannot be leveraged without adequate reforms in governance and management of these banks. To be sure, Ms. Sitharaman did announce a few measures to make managements better accountable to the board. But the key reforms to be made are at the board level, including in appointments, especially of government nominees. These are often political appointees, with little exposure to banking. Surely, such practices need to be curbed as the definition of global banks is not just about size but also professionalism in governance. The government will also have to manage the fallout of unleashing four mergers simultaneously which is bound to cause upheaval in the industry. Would it have been better if these mergers had been done one by one? The future will color the past.

    (The Hindu)

  • India, Russia begin ‘new era’ of cooperation in Indo-Pacific region: Modi

    India, Russia begin ‘new era’ of cooperation in Indo-Pacific region: Modi

    VLADIVOSTOK(TIP): India and Russia are beginning a new era of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region to make it “open, free and inclusive”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday ,September 5,  amidst China flexing its military muscles in the strategic region.

    Addressing the plenary session of the 5th Eastern Economic Forum here, Prime Minister Modi said, “When ships will start plying between Vladivostok and Chennai with the opening of the maritime routes between the two cities, the Russian port city will become the springboard of northeast Asia market in India. This will further deepen the Indo-Russia partnership.”

    A Memorandum of Intent was signed on Wednesday, September 4  between India and Russia for the development of maritime communications between the ports of Chennai and Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East Region.

    “We are starting a new era of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region,” Modi said, adding that the partnership between India and Russian in the development of the Far East will make it a “confluence of open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific”.

    The Far East, Modi said, will become the bedrock of strong Indo-Russia ties, which is based on the principles of “rules-based order, sovereignty, respect for territorial integrity and is against engaging in the internal matters of other countries”.

    India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military maneuvering in the region.

    China has been trying to expand its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, a biogeographic region comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.

    China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the sea.

    Earlier in the day, Modi met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum. Both the countries agreed to further deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

    In November last year, India, the US, Australia and Japan had given shape to the long-pending Quadrilateral coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of Chinese influence.

    China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the East China Sea too with Japan. Beijing has built up and militarized many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region.

    Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. They are also vital to global trade

    (Source: PTI)

  • Pompeo declines to sign risky peace deal with Taliban: Report

    Pompeo declines to sign risky peace deal with Taliban: Report

    WASHINGTON(TIP): US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has refused to sign the peace deal that his special representative has inked with the Taliban, mainly because it does not guarantee the continued presence of US forces in the country to defeat al-Qaeda or the existence of the democratically elected government, a media report said Wednesday, September 4.

    Pompeo is “declining to put his name to the deal” that has been hammered out by Special US Representative on Afghan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad after nine rounds  of talks with the representatives of the Taliban in Doha, the Time magazine reported on Wednesday, September4.

    “It doesn’t guarantee the continued presence of US counterterrorism forces to battle al-Qaeda, the survival of the pro-US government in Kabul, or even an end to the fighting in Afghanistan,” reported Time magazine, which based its report on unnamed senior Afghan, European Union and Trump Administration officials.

    “No one speaks with certainty. None,” said an Afghan official taking part in briefings on the deal with Khalilzad.

    “It is all based on hope. There is no trust. There is no history of trust. There is no evidence of honesty and sincerity from the Taliban,” and intercepted communications “show that they think they have fooled the US while the US believes that should the Taliban cheat, they will pay a hefty price.”

    According to Time magazine, the Taliban has asked for Pompeo to sign an agreement with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the official name of the government founded by the Taliban in Afghanistan in 1996.

    “Having the Secretary of State sign such a document would amount to de facto recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate political entity, and he declined to do so,” the report said, quoting the Afghan officials.

    Pompeo’s office declined to comment.

    If the deal is signed, the US has agreed to withdraw some 5,400 US troops, roughly a third of the present force, from five bases within 135 days.

    (Source:PTI)

  • British Parliament blocks no-deal Brexit prompting PM Johnson to push for new elections

    British Parliament blocks no-deal Brexit prompting PM Johnson to push for new elections

    LONDON(TIP): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on Thursday, September 5,  kicking off what is in effect an election campaign, casting an alliance of opposition parties trying to block a ‘no-deal’ Brexit as defeatists surrendering to the European Union.

    As the United Kingdom spins towards an election, Brexit remains up in the air more than three years after Britons voted to leave the bloc in a 2016 referendum. Options range from a turbulent ‘no-deal’ exit to abandoning the whole endeavor.

    After wresting control of the Lower House of Parliament on Wednesday, an alliance of opposition parties and rebels expelled from Johnson’s Conservative party voted to force him to seek a three-month delay to Brexit rather than leaving without a deal on October 31, the date now set in law.

    Behind the sound and the fury of the Brexit crisis, an election now beckons for a polarized country.

    The main choices on offer are Johnson’s radical insistence on leaving the EU on October 31, come what may, and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s hard-left socialist vision, coupled with a promise of a fresh referendum with an option to stay in the EU.

    “Boris will argue that it is now time for the people to decide after parliament has failed them, so we can resolve this once and for all,” a spokesman for the prime minister said.

    “Jeremy Corbyn continues not only to block Brexit but is now also stopping the people having their say by refusing a General Election.”

    The opposition Labour Party cast Johnson’s language – including calling Corbyn a “chicken” — as pathetic, said he was trying to act like US President Donald Trump, and compared him to a 3-year-old toddler having a tantrum.

    An election adds a new twist to a Brexit crisis that has for three years overshadowed European Union affairs, eroded Britain’s reputation as a stable pillar of the West and seen sterling twitch in tune to the probability of a ‘no-deal’ exit.

    Johnson, the face of the 2016 Vote Leave campaign, has pushed for an election on October 15, two weeks before the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU, though opposition parties are debating which date they would accept.

    “We are saying, yeah, bring on a General Election, of course,” said John McDonnell, the Labour Party’s second most powerful man.

    “We will ensure that happens after we have got the legislation to protect against a ‘no-deal’ Brexit. But we will consult and do it on at the date on which we will think will have maximum advantage against a ‘no-deal’,” he said.

    While sterling rose on Parliament’s bid to block a no-deal exit, an election before Brexit would allow him, if he won, to repeal the blocking bill, which was passed by 329-300 and then 327-299 in the House of Commons on Wednesday. The law will pass the upper house, the Lords, by Friday evening.

    Johnson’s finance minister, Sajid Javid, opened up the possibility of a change to the Oct. 15 date but said the government could strike a renegotiated Brexit deal with Brussels and get it through parliament before October 31.

    But the EU, and Germany and France in particular, have repeatedly called on Britain to make specific proposals on how it wants to change the agreement struck by Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, in November.

    Diplomats said an election campaign would halt any Brexit talks with the EU and expressed frustration with the turmoil of British politics at such an important juncture in European history.

    “The UK side continues to produce chaos and it is very hard to predict anything,” said one EU diplomat.

    (Source: Agencies)

  • Half-truths, untruths being peddled by US Media on J&K: Ambassador Shringla

    Half-truths, untruths being peddled by US Media on J&K: Ambassador Shringla

    Bidisha Roy

    WASHINGTON(TIP): Half-truths, untruths, factually incorrect information is being disseminated in the US media regarding the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir, said India’s Ambassador to the United States Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

    Ambassador Shringla made the comments in a podcast on Sept 3 and spoke on changing the paradigm in India’s Jammu & Kashmir – from cross-border terrorism and radicalization to jobs, inclusive development and a hope for peace.

    “Over the past few weeks we have seen a great deal of speculation, some pedaling of half-truths, untruths, factually incorrect information that is disseminated in the media, primarily in the United States. Purpose of my conversation is really to bring to you the facts,” he said.

    Seeking to counter what he called speculation, half-truths and untruths peddled in the media, primarily the U.S. media, Shringla said 91 percent of the Kashmir Valley is restriction-free and there is no communication gap. Rejecting reports of disruption in medical services in the valley due to the restrictive measures imposed by the government, Shringla said seven hundred thousand people had availed of OPD services in the month of August alone.

    The administrative reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370 are India’s internal matter and do not impinge on the country’s external boundaries or the Line of Control, Shringla  said. Article 370 was meant to be temporary in nature and should have been abrogated a long time ago, he explained, adding that due legislative process was followed by the government in doing away with the provision. He said that the reason why these measures were taken was to “ensure that the positive steps of the government should not be scuttled due to incitement and vested interests from across the border.”