NEW YORK (TIP): Two prominent Indian Americans are among Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden’s “core advisors” who have been guiding him on issues ranging from the coronavirus pandemic, economic recovery to foreign policy and climate change, a media report said.
Biden, “plotting an ambitious presidency that would begin amid twin health and economic crises, is leaning on veteran advisers with high-level governmental experience rather than outsiders and ideological rivals to help guide him on subjects including the coronavirus pandemic and the country’s diminished standing in the world,” a report in The New York Times said.
Among those advising him on the pandemic are Dr Vivek Murthy, former US Surgeon General who was appointed by President Barack Obama and Harvard economist Raj Chetty is among those who have briefed Biden on economic issues, the report said.
Murthy and former head of the Food and Drug Administration David Kessler were among those present on a conference call convened by the Biden campaign when it learned that two people who had travelled with Senator Kamala Harris had tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Biden has spoken often of his briefings with experts, and Dr Murthy and Dr Kessler have been two of the most prominent medical figures whose counsel Biden has sought during the public health crisis,” the NYT report said.
The NYT report quoted Kessler as saying that in the early days of the pandemic, he and Murthy would brief Biden “every day, or four times a week.”
“We would send in 80- to 90-page documents, take him through the epidemic from epidemiology, therapeutics, vaccines, testing. Staff would join, originally by phone but they soon shifted to Zoom,” Kessler said, according to the NYT report. “The docs,” as Biden calls Kessler and Murthy, also “pore over research and data on the virus and consult with modelers, vaccinologists and other experts so they can provide Biden with projections about the coming months.”
The report added that Biden has signaled that the government’s top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci will have a prominent role in a Biden administration.
On economy, Joe Biden has cast a wide net for economic advice, soliciting input from several hundred policy experts, the report said. Among those who have briefed Biden on the economy are Chetty, “who has produced pathbreaking research on economic mobility and its roots in the last several years” and former chair of the Federal Reserve Janet Yellen.
On the issue of foreign policy, the NYT report said Biden would come to “office with more foreign policy experience than any president in memory”.
While some in his inner circle of foreign policy and national security advisers have worked for him through the years, Biden’s aides understand that “assumptions that governed Obama policymaking have changed, including the prospects for cooperation with China and the importance of the Middle East.”
Among the most influential foreign policy adviser for Biden is Antony Blinken, who has previously worked for Biden on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and served as a deputy national security adviser and deputy secretary of state under Obama.
“Known more for his diplomatic touch than any fixed ideas, he is considered a likely candidate for national security adviser or secretary of state,” the NYT report said.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Joe Biden and his running mate Senator Kamala Harris have the best understanding of the Indian-American community, the leaders supporting the two Democratic candidates have said, describing US President Donald Trump as a “foe” who criticizes India on the world stage.
With less than four to go for the November 3 presidential election, Indian Americans on Friday asserted that Biden, first as a US Senator and thereafter as the vice president, has a strong track record of helping the community.
Trump, a Republican, is being challenged by Biden in the US presidential election.
“After four years of the Trump administration, we know our children and grandchildren will not have the same opportunities as we had. We need a leader who understands our community, our values, our pride and appreciates our hard work and gives equal opportunity and say in his administration,” said Ajay Jain Bhutoria, a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur.
Mr Bhutoria said that Biden and Harris are the leaders who will lead the country out of this mess and restore its soul, revive the middle-class economy and re-establish America’s leadership on the world stage and best relationship with India.
Referring to the final presidential debate between Trump and Biden on Friday, Mr Bhutoria said that the president criticized India on the world stage. “The community understands who the real friend of India is, who the foe. Trump is a foe. Most recently on the debate stage saying- you cannot trust India’s COVID-19 numbers and India is filthy. He has suspended the H1 Visa Programme, put trade deals with India in jeopardy, and has used (Indian Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s friendship for photo opportunities only,” he alleged.
During the final presidential debate, Trump accused China, India and Russia of not taking care of their “filthy air” as he justified America’s withdrawal from the landmark Paris climate agreement.
“Biden celebrated Diwali with (former) President Obama in the White House and at his residence. The former vice president has a deep connection with Indo-American community and India. Biden understands the values of Indo Americans. In his recent Op-ed he shares how he felt deeply connected to the Indian community and the values of the Indian community,” he said.
Indian-Americans share deep connections with Biden and Kamala Harris, he said. According to a recent survey, 80 per cent of Indian-American community is strongly behind Biden and Harris.
“Indo Americans understand that the way they share their values with Biden and Harris, (they) think that (US President Donald) Trump does not share their values and has failed and is leading America on the wrong path,” Mr Bhutoria said.
California State Assembly member Ash Kalra said that he has known Senator Harris and her sister Maya for over two decades.
“Kamala’s pride of her Indian heritage runs as deep as her love for her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris. Kamala speaks fondly of her trips to India as a child and connects many of the ideals she fights for as an elected leader to the Indian values of her upbringing,” he said.
“With Joe Biden, a leader who during the course of his long career has proven his deep understanding of the needs of the Indian community, Kamala Harris will reaffirm the commitment our future president will have to our needs. The entire Indian community will be well represented with her as our next vice president,” Kalra said.
Aditi Pal with Desi Blue said that the community has always known Biden as a friend of India.
“Seven years ago, as vice president, he told business leaders in Mumbai that the US-India partnership was the defining relationship of the 21st Century. As a Senator, he was instrumental in the passing of India’s Civil Nuclear Deal. And it was during Obama-Biden administration that the two countries saw their best years for the Indo-US relationship. Joe’s choice of Kamala Harris also gave us immigrants from India a sense of pride,” she said.
“Joel’s humility & inclusiveness is evident when he tells immigrants ”thank you for choosing America”,” she added.
According to Ashok Bhatt, businessman and former California Water commissioner, Obama-Biden administration Democrats gave India priority. When Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, Obama-Biden welcomed him and opened up economic areas and visas to students and tourists. H1 visas became so liberal and India benefitted the most from it.
“I believe the Biden-Kamala team will be great for Indo-American relationships and the economy of both countries will be flourishing,” Mr Bhatt said.
Biden is deeply connected to the Indian American community. As vice president, Biden strengthened relations with India and Indian Americans, said Neha Dewan from South Asians for Biden.
“The Obama-Biden administration appointed Indian Americans to serve in high level cabinet and ambassador positions, and as judges. Biden has consistently recognized Indian Americans,” she said.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Indiaspora’s Founder, MR Rangaswami, has been recognized by the Canada-India Business Council with its new 2020 ‘Global Service Award’ for launching Indiaspora and connecting the Indian diaspora globally.
The award was presented virtually on Thursday as part of the Canada-India Business Council’s virtual Diwali Awards from 5 pm – 6 pm EDT, according to media release.
The inaugural award is given to an individual who demonstrates excellence, and a record of exceptional service for the betterment of others.
The ‘Global Service Award’ recognizes selflessness, dedication, and a significant contribution to either Canada or India. “It’s an awesome privilege to accept this award from the prestigious Canada-India Business Council,” said Rangaswami, a Silicon Valley software executive, investor, and entrepreneur. “This award will give us momentum on our journey of connecting the Indian diaspora globally and making an impact,” he said. “We view Canada and Indo-Canadians as an integral partner in this mission.” “MR has served in numerous ways throughout his life, with grace and humility. What he has done in eight short years through Indiaspora, by convening, mobilizing, and catalyzing key diaspora leaders in the United States and around the world, is nothing short of remarkable,” said Victor Thomas, President and CEO of Canada-India Business Council. “We are thrilled to recognize him with the Canada-India Business Council’s first-ever ‘Global Service Award.’” “The 1.6 million strong Indian community — affluent, hard-working, peaceful and fully integrated into the Canadian ethos — is a living bridge fostering people to people ties between India and Canada,” said Apoorva Srivastava, Consul General of India in Toronto. “The community is making a significant contribution to the growth and prosperity of Canada, which is well recognized by Canadian society and the government.”
“There are several organizations who are working tirelessly for the well-being of the community members,” said Srivastava, one of the presenters at the Diwali Awards event.
“Indiaspora is one such organization, which since its inception, has amplified the voice of the community and transformed it into a vibrant and dynamic force.”
“I congratulate Rangaswami and the Indiaspora team for their stupendous work in the service of the community. Today’s award is a recognition of their efforts in helping the community to unite together for their common good,” said Srivastava.
As part of its “Global Connect” program to lead high-level delegations of the Indian diaspora to different countries, Indiaspora organized a delegation of their members and prominent friends from the US to Canada to meet Canadian, Indian, and Indo-Canadian leaders in government, academia, philanthropy, the arts, finance, business and technology in October 2018.
The “Track II” diplomacy meetings took place in Toronto and Ottawa in the wake of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) proposed earlier that month, as well as Prime Minister Trudeau’s trade trip to India earlier that year, the release said.
“MR is a true example of how to provide selfless service while making a meaningful impact in the world through various initiatives, including as founder of Indiaspora,” said Sukesh Kumar, a Partner and National Leader of KPMG’s India Practice, and an Indiaspora Patron who has played a leading role in Indiaspora’s Canadian activities.
“What makes him even more special is his humility and approaching every situation with a smile.”
“I was delighted to be a part of Indiaspora’s high-level delegation to Canada led by MR Rangaswami. The enthusiasm to engage with our group, which was evident among Indo-Canadian leaders in diverse professions, was testament to his amazing relationship building and convening capacity,” said Arjun Divecha, a US-based investor who is head of Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co’s Emerging Markets Equity team and an Indiaspora Founders Circle member who was part of Indiaspora’s delegation to Canada.
“Under his dynamic, visionary leadership, Indiaspora is fast becoming a premier organization working to build meaningful relationships across Indian diaspora leaders globally, including of course in Canada.”
Patricia Koval, Chair of the Canada-India Business Council will be introducing the ‘Global Service Award’ before Rangawami’s remarks.
Other Canada-India Business Council honorees include: Paytm Canada CEO Harinder Takhar with the Member of the Year Award; G(irls)20 Acting-CEO Bailey Greenspon with the Roy MacLaren Humanitarian Award; and Teck Resources Limited President and CEO Donald Lindsay with the Thomas Bata Corporate of the Year Award.
NEW YORK (TIP): Ishana Kumar, a 12-year-old Indian American student, has won a prestigious award in science for a project that could lead to better understanding of eye disease and cognitive processing. The 7th grader from Chappaqua, New York, takes home the $25,000 top prize in the Broadcom MASTERS (Math, Applied Science, Technology, and Engineering for Rising Stars), a program of the Society for Science & the Public, NPR reported.
She was among 30 finalists from middle schools across the country recognized by the Society for their groundbreaking innovations.
Kumar’s project explores whether it’s possible to change someone’s perceptions of imaginary colors. She was inspired by playing with Benham’s top, a spinning disk with black and white patterns that causes people to see different colors.
“I wanted to see if I could sort of change the way we perceive these colors through something called retinal fatigue,” Kumar stated.
Keeping her testing sample small — 10 friends and neighbors — due to covid-19 restrictions, she had her subjects first look at the spinning top, then look at bright colored lights, and finally look again at the top.
“Let’s say I’m looking at a bright red object,” Kumar said explaining the process. “I stare at it for a very, very long time. And then I look at a white sheet of paper. I’ll actually see the shape of the red object but it won’t be red. It will be green.”
“And the reason this happens is because certain cells in our eyes called cones, the red cones, they detect or sort of perceive the color red. They trigger and trigger and trigger when looking at this red object.” “But they get so tired that the green cones, which sort of detect green, temporarily take over,” Kumar said. “And I wanted to see, if I could temporarily saturate someone’s eyes, would this change our perception of imaginary colors.”
Kumar discovered that it is possible. She told NPR she’d like to apply her research to a larger sampling size and upgrade to a lab where the light can be controlled.
For this competition, she did all her testing in her garage at home. And she has a longer-range goal as well. She wants to keep doing research so she can one day help Alzheimer’s patients.
WASHINGTON (TIP): Eminent Indian American entrepreneur Dr Dinesh C Patel has been honored with Utah Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Medal for Science and Technology for his contribution in the field of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
Considered the father of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals in the Rocky Mountain region, Dr Patel has been instrumental in creating, driving and growing Utah’s science and technology community into the rich landscape, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology has been awarded to deserving recipients since 1987 as a symbol of recognition to those who have provided distinguished service to the state in the fields of science and technology.
It has been nearly 40 years since Patel came to Utah. His innovations and hard work brought financial success and improved the lives of thousands across the globe.
Patel founded TheraTech Inc., in 1985 serving as president and CEO. He led the company in a successful initial public offering in 1992, and successful acquisition in 1999 when Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. purchased the company for over USD 350 million.
Post TheraTech, Patel founded Salus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company that developed anti-sense pharmaceuticals. Genta Inc, acquired Salus in 2003 for USD 30 million.
He continued to start and grow companies in the state, founding and cofounding other successful ventures, including a family investment firm, Patel Family Investments, which has a current portfolio of over 25 early-stage companies and 12 private equity/venture funds.
Patel has received distinguished honors locally and across the globe for his leadership, mentorship and contributions to the scientific communities including the State of Utah’s Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology Award – Industry Category in 1996.
NEW YORK (TIP): America may seem like a beacon for the poor, but many Indians pay $50,000 to $75,000 per person for what turns out to be a bogus pathway to America, according to a new documentary about illegal immigration. “What you find with those suffering truly abject poverty is they are thinking about their next meal, their next possible money — much more pressing things,” Indian American director Namrata Singh Gujral told the media in an interview.
“They aren’t thinking about America at all,” said Singh, director of “America’s Forgotten,” who began researching the subject after listening to a Democratic presidential primary debate in June 2019.Asked whether their plans would provide free health care for life for undocumented immigrants, all of the candidates, including eventual nominee Joe Biden and his vice-presidential choice, Kamala Harris raised their hands.
Gurjal, herself a successful immigrant, told the media she was angered by what she saw as the Democrats’ encouragement of illegal immigration.
When she started looking into the thousands of Indian businesses, many unregistered, purporting to offer easy access into the US, she saw the Democratic debate as a selling point.
“The unscrupulous coyotes urging people to immigrate illegally from India literally have a clip of that debate moment on their iPhones,” she said.
“Free American health care? For the rest of your life? Who doesn’t want that?”
Nevertheless, as an immigrant herself, Gujral insists she did not approach “America’s Forgotten” intending to make a documentary about the negative impact of illegal immigration. Instead, that was what she learned in the process.
Searching for information, she found the story of a 6-year-old Indian girl named Gurpreet Kaur who died from dehydration in the Arizona desert.
The movie shows adorable Indian children, barefoot among broken rocks, rickety outhouses and piles of refuse, who have no clue what America means.
One child posits that America is the girl who delivers papers in his neighborhood. Another said it is “the place where Princess Diana lives.”
Gujral imagines Gurpreet coming from such a situation, but her investigation leads her to a provocative question about who is immigrating from that part of the world.
“Are they really the poor, huddled masses yearning to be free?” she says in the film’s narration. “The coyotes are selling a warped version of America to their victims.”
The man believed to be Gurpreet’s father, who lives in an upper-middle-class neighborhood, cuts off the conversation when asked whether it was “poverty or persecution or violence” that motivated the girl’s family to make the desperate attempt.
“America’s Forgotten” concludes that, for many, the surprisingly large sum of money they expend on their illegal odyssey isn’t worth it.
Although figures on illegal immigration are by definition imprecise, Gujral said, she found that people from South Asia comprised the second-largest group, after Hispanics, crossing the southern US border.
When asked why she chose a grim framework of criminal abuse within the immigration world rather than success stories, Gujral said, “There are plenty of positive stories.”
“What was lacking, I felt, was a clear-eyed look at the costs. That’s not reflected in your everyday media channels.”
Gujral who was born to conservative Sikh parents in Dharamshala, a town in India’s northern Himalayan foothills, nevertheless, expresses sympathy for those who seek “asylum” in the US.
“Most of us wouldn’t be here if America closed her doors then, so why should we want them to close her doors now?”
Her next project is a film looking at organ and bone marrow transplants in ethnically diverse communities.
Titled “Finding Matches,” it was inspired by her personal experience with cancer.
NEW YORK (TIP): America may seem like a beacon for the poor, but many Indians pay $50,000 to $75,000 per person for what turns out to be a bogus pathway to America, according to a new documentary about illegal immigration.
“What you find with those suffering truly abject poverty is they are thinking about their next meal, their next possible money — much more pressing things,” Indian American director Namrata Singh Gujral told the media in an interview.
“They aren’t thinking about America at all,” said Singh, director of “America’s Forgotten,” who began researching the subject after listening to a Democratic presidential primary debate in June 2019. Asked whether their plans would provide free health care for life for undocumented immigrants, all of the candidates, including eventual nominee Joe Biden and his vice-presidential choice, Kamala Harris raised their hands.
Gurjal, herself a successful immigrant, told the media she was angered by what she saw as the Democrats’ encouragement of illegal immigration.
When she started looking into the thousands of Indian businesses, many unregistered, purporting to offer easy access into the US, she saw the Democratic debate as a selling point.
“The unscrupulous coyotes urging people to immigrate illegally from India literally have a clip of that debate moment on their iPhones,” she said.
“Free American health care? For the rest of your life? Who doesn’t want that?”
Nevertheless, as an immigrant herself, Gujral insists she did not approach “America’s Forgotten” intending to make a documentary about the negative impact of illegal immigration. Instead, that was what she learned in the process.
Searching for information, she found the story of a 6-year-old Indian girl named Gurpreet Kaur who died from dehydration in the Arizona desert.
The movie shows adorable Indian children, barefoot among broken rocks, rickety outhouses and piles of refuse, who have no clue what America means.
One child posits that America is the girl who delivers papers in his neighborhood. Another said it is “the place where Princess Diana lives.”
Gujral imagines Gurpreet coming from such a situation, but her investigation leads her to a provocative question about who is immigrating from that part of the world.
“Are they really the poor, huddled masses yearning to be free?” she says in the film’s narration. “The coyotes are selling a warped version of America to their victims.”
The man believed to be Gurpreet’s father, who lives in an upper-middle-class neighborhood, cuts off the conversation when asked whether it was “poverty or persecution or violence” that motivated the girl’s family to make the desperate attempt.
“America’s Forgotten” concludes that, for many, the surprisingly large sum of money they expend on their illegal odyssey isn’t worth it.
Although figures on illegal immigration are by definition imprecise, Gujral said, she found that people from South Asia comprised the second-largest group, after Hispanics, crossing the southern US border.
When asked why she chose a grim framework of criminal abuse within the immigration world rather than success stories, Gujral said, “There are plenty of positive stories.”
“What was lacking, I felt, was a clear-eyed look at the costs. That’s not reflected in your everyday media channels.”
Gujral who was born to conservative Sikh parents in Dharamshala, a town in India’s northern Himalayan foothills, nevertheless, expresses sympathy for those who seek “asylum” in the US.
“Most of us wouldn’t be here if America closed her doors then, so why should we want them to close her doors now?”
Her next project is a film looking at organ and bone marrow transplants in ethnically diverse communities.
Titled “Finding Matches,” it was inspired by her personal experience with cancer.
OTTAWA (TIP): Eight Indo-Canadians, including a Sikh, have won elections in Canada’s British Columbia province as the ruling New Democratic Party (NDP) returned to power with a majority in the snap polls.The NDP led by Jagmeet Singh, the first Indo-Canadian to lead a major federal party in Canada, increased its 41-seat minority into a 55-seat majority in the 87-member assembly, according to preliminary results on Saturday October 24 night, which did not include more than 500,000 mail-in ballots.It is the largest NDP victory in British Columbia history, the Vancouver Sun newspaper reported.”While we wait for that final count to happen, I want to assure people that I’m going to keep the focus right where it belongs, on helping people get through this pandemic and making sure that they have the services that they need,” Premier John Horgan, who had called a snap election during the COVID-19 pandemic, said while addressing a victory rally in Vancouver.
Aman Singh, a Sikh, defeated Jas Johal of the opposition Liberal Party in Richmond-Queensborough. “Thank you to the amazing residents of Richmond-Queensborough who I was able to connect with during this campaign. It has been a true honor to stand before you & hear about the issues impacting you & your families. I’m grateful to the team of volunteers who helped our team effort,” Mr Singh tweeted.
Other prominent Indo-Canadian winners are Deputy Speaker Raj Chouhan, Labor Minister Harry Bains, Jagrup Brar and Ravi Kahlon. All are from the ruling party.
Three Indo-Canadian women – former minister Jinny Sims, Niki Sharma and Rachna Singh – all from the ruling NDP – emerged winners in the polls.
“I thank you to all the volunteers & everyone who have worked so hard to make my campaign possible. Thank you for your support, phone calls, donations & all the kind messages. I have met so many local residents – listening to many stories & learning about what matters to you,” tweeted Mr Chouhan, who secured victory in the Burnaby-Edmonds constituency.
Bains, who won from Surrey Newton, also thanked people for his victory in the elections.
“So incredibly grateful, humbled, and honored – thank you to the amazing constituents of Surrey-Newton for trusting me to be your MLA and to all of my friends & family for their unwavering support – we’ll keep BC moving forward for everyone!” he tweeted.
Sims, who served as minister of citizens services in Horgan’s government but resigned in October 2019, defeated her fellow Punjabi Dr Gulzar Cheema. Sims, who emigrated to England from Punjab at the age of nine, and her husband moved to Canada in 1975.
“Congratulations and thank you to all who ran for office and to all who voted. Special shout out to all our volunteers. My heartfelt thanks to my constituents in Surrey Panorama,” she tweeted.
NDP leaders Kahlon and Brar won from Delta North and Surrey-Fleetwood constituency, respectively.
in Delhi are defining — the defense ties between the two countries have come of age
Sidebar
The signing, last week, of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) providing for the sharing of geospatial data is the last of the foundational agreements. The first, General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), relating to security of each other’s military information was signed in 2002. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government signed the End Use Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) in 2009. The India-United States defense partnership received a major boost earlier this week with the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper for the third round of the 2+2 Dialogue with their Indian counterparts, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The joint statement spells out the highlights but the optics are what define the visit. At a time when most ministerial engagements and even summits are taking place virtually, the significance of two senior U.S. officials travelling to Delhi a week before the U.S. goes to the polls conveys an unambiguous political message — the defense partnership has come of age.
A long road
It has been a long process, with many ups and downs since the first modest steps were taken with the end of the Cold War three decades ago. The 1991 Kicklighter proposals (Lt. Gen. Claude Kicklighter was the Army commander at the U.S. Pacific Command) suggested establishing contacts between the three Services to promote exchanges and explore areas of cooperation. An Agreed Minute on Defense Cooperation was concluded in 1995 instituting a dialogue at the Defense Secretary level together with the setting up of a Technology Group.
The end of the Cold War had helped create this opening but the overhang of the nuclear issue continued to cast a shadow on the talks. There was little appreciation of each other’s threat perceptions and the differences came to a head when India undertook a series of nuclear tests in 1998. The U.S. responded angrily by imposing a whole slew of economic sanctions and leading the international condemnation campaign. An intensive engagement followed with 18 rounds of talks between the then External Affairs Minister, the late Jaswant Singh, and then U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott spanning two years that helped bring about a shift in perceptions. Sanctions were gradually lifted and in 2005, a 10-year Framework for Defense Relationship established, followed by a Joint Declaration on Defense Cooperation in 2013. The Framework agreement was renewed in 2015 for another decade.
The Framework laid out an institutional mechanism for areas of cooperation including joint exercises, intelligence exchanges, joint training for multinational operations including disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, technology transfer and a sharing of non-proliferation best practices. Initial movement was slow; it gathered momentum once the nuclear hurdle was overcome in 2008 with the India-U.S. civil nuclear deal.
There were other factors at play too. Equally important was the progressive opening up of the Indian economy that was registering an impressive annual growth rate of over 7%. Bilateral trade in goods and services was $20 billion in 2000 and exceeded $140 billion in 2018. The four million-strong Indian diaspora in the U.S. has come of political age and its impact can be seen in the bipartisan composition of the India Caucus (in the House) and the Senate Friends of India group. From less than $400 million of defense acquisitions till 2005, the U.S. has since signed defense contracts of $18 billion.
A bipartisan consensus
A bipartisan consensus supporting the steady growth in India-U.S. ties in both New Delhi and Washington has been a critical supporting factor. The first baby steps in the form of the Kicklighter proposals came in 1991 from the Bush administration (Republican) when P.V. Narasimha Rao led a Congress coalition. Following the nuclear tests, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Bharatiya Janata Party) welcomed President Bill Clinton (Democrat) to Delhi. The visit, taking place after 22 years — the previous one being U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s visit in 1978 — marked a shift from “estranged democracies” to “natural allies”. A Congress coalition led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh carried the process forward with a Republican Bush administration. Heavy political lifting was needed to conclude the historic nuclear deal in 2008, removing the biggest legacy obstacle.
The biggest push has come from Prime Minister Narendra Modi overcoming the “hesitations of history” and taking forward the relationship, first with a Democratic Obama administration by announcing a Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region in 2015, followed by elevating the India-U.S. Strategic and Commercial Dialogue (launched in 2009 and the first round held in 2010) into the 2+2 dialogue in 2018 with the (Republican) Trump administration reflecting the ‘Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership’. Mr Modi is not constrained (at least on the strategic side) unlike Dr. Singh during his second term who faced opposition within his party, had a Defense Minister who preferred to shy away from any decision, and often had to prod a reluctant bureaucracy.
The signing, last week, of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) providing for the sharing of geospatial data is the last of the foundational agreements. The first, General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), relating to security of each other’s military information was signed in 2002. The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government signed the End Use Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) in 2009 but then dragged its feet on the others on the grounds that it would jeopardize India’s strategic autonomy. However, it was apparent that as military exercises with the U.S. expanded, both in scale and complexity, and U.S. military platforms were inducted, not signing these agreements was perceived as an obstacle to strengthening cooperation. Nearly 60 countries have signed BECA. In 2016, Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) relating to exchange of logistics support had been concluded, followed by Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018 permitting encryption standards of communication systems. More than 100 countries have signed these agreements with the U.S. Equivalent agreements on logistics and mutual security of military communication have also been signed with France but without the political fuss.
Breaking away from ‘labels’
Developing the habit of working together has been a long process of building mutual respect and trust while accepting differences. The U.S. is used to dealing with allies (invariably junior partners in a U.S.-dominated alliance structure) and adversaries. India falls into neither category. Therefore, engaging as equal partners has been a learning experience for both India and the U.S. Recognizing this, the U.S. categorized India as “a Major Defense Partner” in 2016, a position unique to India that was formalized in the National Defense Authorization Act (2017) authorizing the Secretaries of State and Defense to take necessary measures. It has helped that India also joined the export control regimes (Australia Group, Missile Technology Control Regime and Wassenaar Arrangement) and has practices consistent with the Nuclear Suppliers Group where its membership was blocked by China spuriously linking it to Pakistan. In 2018, India was placed in Category I of the Strategic Trade Authorization, easing exports of sensitive technologies.
In every relationship, there is a push factor and a pull factor; an alignment of the two is called the convergence of interests. An idea matures when the timing is right. After all, the Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the U.S.) was first mooted in 2007 but after one meeting, it petered out till its re-emergence now. Alongside the ministerial meeting in Tokyo earlier this month, India was invited for the first time to also attend the Five Eyes (a signals intelligence grouping set up in 1941 consisting of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the U.S.) meeting.
The policy debate in India is often caught up in ‘labels’. When Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru described non-alignment as the guiding principle of Indian foreign policy, it was designed to expand India’s diplomatic space. Yet, in 1971, when the Cold War directly impinged on India’s national security, a non-aligned India balanced the threat by signing the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation between the Government of India and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, it was often hijacked by the Non-aligned Movement tying up policy in ideological knots. Such became the hold of the label that even after the Cold War, India defined strategic autonomy as Non-alignment 2.0! The Indian strategic community needs to appreciate that policies cannot become prisoners of labels. Ultimately, the policy objective has to enhance India’s strategic space and capability. That is the real symbolism of the in-person meeting in Delhi.
(The author is a former diplomat and presently Distinguished Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation)
Validating and counting of ballots may delay the results
By Ven Parameswaran
US Election 2020 is being described as an unusual election dominated by a disruptive COVID-19 . The raging pandemic made the traditional campaigning in the form of huge public meetings nearly impossible. Novel ways to reach out to the voters were discovered, adding them to the list of radio, television and print media. Pandemic, notwithstanding, it is believed this election may have the highest percentage of voting in a hundred years- a record. It surely speaks of the enthusiasm and involvement of the American people in what appears to be “mother of all elections”.
The Indian Panorama has been during the last couple of weeks, bringing to the readers opinions of well informed and scholarly analysts of US election. They kept readers informed about the various trends and turns in the fortune of both the Republicans and the Democrats. Four days to the final day of polling now, and we decided to bring to the readers the wisdom of pollsters. Let readers form their own impression of what the end result could be. -EDITOR
Major Polls predict Biden Win. However, Trafalgar Poll predicts Trump will be re-elected
Gallup Poll reported that it asked the question “Are you better off today than four years ago?” and 56% answered “YES”.
The Trafalgar Group Poll of Georgia claims that it is the only poll that correctly predicted that Trump would win 2016 against Hillary Clinton. It was able to do it by closely polling the battleground States of Michigan and Wisconsin. It is again predicting that Trump will be reelected defeating Joe Biden, former Vice President.
BIDEN TRUMP
National 49.4 49.6
Nevada 49.4 47.1
Florida 46.9 49.6
Michigan 46.6 49.1
Minnesota 48.0 44.8
Wisconsin 47.5 47.1
Pennsylvania 48.4 47.6
I am giving below the statistics of all other major polls to enable the readers to predict the election.
Biden Trump Advantage
REAL CLEAR POLITICS AVERAGE
51.3 43.5 Biden +7.8
CNN
54 42 Biden+12
NYT/Siena
50 41 Biden+9
NBC/WSJ
53 42 Biden+11
ABC/Wash Post
55 43 Biden+12
Fox News
53 43 Biden+10
IBD/TIPP (Raghavan Mayur)
51 44 Biden+7
Reuters/Ipsos
52 42 Biden+10
USA Today/Suffolk
52 44 Biden+8
The margin of error for all these polls range from 2 to 3.6%. RCP Average mentioned above is based on 30 different polls. I have given the statistics of major polls only.
RAGHAVAN MAYUR, DIRECTOR, INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY (IBD) claims he also predicted that Trump would be the winner. For reasons not known to me, the mainstream media failed to inform the public about IBD or Trafalgar Polls. Raghavan Mayur has the potential to become most successful and outstanding in market research and polling.
GALLUP POLL:
The Gallup Poll is a very independent poll not affiliated with any major print or TV medium. Although the Gallup did not predict the 2016 election correctly, it has had a better batting record than all other polls. The Gallup poll asked the voters in a survey : ARE YOU BETTER OFF TODAY THAN FOUR YEARS AGO ? (this question was asked by President Reagan during his debate) 56% of AMERICANS SAID THEY ARE BETTER OFF. If so, even though President’s job approval is in mid 40’s, Gallup survey could have an impact on the voters.
2020 U.S. Presidential Election is the most important historically speaking. Because of Coronavirus the Mail-In Voting was allowed. As of October 29, 2020 82 million have already voted. On an average, because of early physical voting and mail in voting, 10 million a day vote. At this rate by the election day on Tuesday, November 3rd, 120 million would have voted. In 2016, I think 130 million voted. The turnout has been heaviest so far. On the election day next week one would expect massive turnout to vote physically and I estimate at least another 50 million. Thus, it is possible in all 170 million eligible voters would have voted. I have been in the USA for the past 66 years and have not seen such a heavy turnout.
It is mentioned in the media that the Republicans generally prefer to vote physically. If so, majority of voters on the Election Day would be Republicans.
Because more than 50% have already voted, there is no need to poll the LIKELY VOTERS. In the past, the poll on LIKELY VOTERS would give some kind of indication for whom they are going to vote. In as much as majority has already voted, it is possible to find out who voted for whom. It is, therefore, possible that we may be able to know who has won even before the date of the election, November 3rd. I am sure on the election day, the pollsters and the TV networks will conduct Exit poll as usual. If the majority of voters on the Election Day is Republicans, the Exit polls will be misleading.
BATTLEGROUND STATES WILL ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHO HAS WON THE ELECTION:
No Republican has won the Presidency without winning Ohio and Florida. Based on the polling available today it is possible Trump could win these states. He won Ohio by 8 points in 2016 and has been leading in the polls. The Latinos are the largest minority, not the Blacks. There is a large Latino population in Florida, Texas and Arizona. It has been reported that there is a big turnout of Latinos in Florida and Arizona. If so, Trump is most likely to win these States.
Michael Moore(Democrat), movie director from Hollywood living in Detroit, Michigan, predicted that Trump would win in 2016. This morning, he is again predicting Trump would be winning Michigan and the election. Third quarter GDP grew by 33%. Auto companies in Michigan have been working three shifts manufacturing cars, trucks, and other vehicles to capacity. The economists have pointed out that this contributed significantly to the phenomenal GDP growth. The media mentioned that majority of Michigan autoworkers were likely to vote for Trump.
Trump is most likely to win Pennsylvania because Biden’s position on oil and gas industry announced during the second Presidential debate has disappointed the voters. Oil and gas industry is a major source of employment in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. It is mentioned that Trump would gain because jobs are more important than party loyalties. It is therefore possible and probable that Trump would carry Pennsylvania by a razor thin margin as in 2016 (he gained by 44000 votes).
If Trump wins Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, and Ohio, he needs to win only Michigan or Pennsylvania or Wisconsin to capture 270 electoral votes, assuming he wins Arizona. In 2016 he won by 306 electoral votes.
IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT THIS ELECTION
I must conclude by saying that it is impossible to predict this election because as in 2016, it is going to be very close in the battleground states of FL, NC, MI, WI, MN, PA, AZ. Just because Trafalgar was right in 2016, we cannot go by that. But, I have more faith in what the Americans answered to the Gallup poll: “WE ARE BETTER OFF TODAY THAN FOUR YEARS AGO.” I am also awaiting the latest poll from Gallup before the election. The Gallup poll has been the most reliable indicator of Presidential election for several years.
VALIDATING AND COUNTING THE BALLOTS:
This is going to be laborious in spite of modern technology. One has to verify the Signatures from the Mail-in and Absentee ballots. Many states require that the mails containing the ballots must be date stamped by the post office as of Nov.3 or before. But some states are allowing one week’s time to receive the ballots. If so, there is scope to change the ballots after the election creating room for fraud. President Trump has already raised this issue.
Republicans have majority in the legislatures of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, though their governors are Democrats. If there are discrepancies, the final arbiter is the Legislature. The legislature has the authority to decide the outcome of the election. In 2000, the Supreme Court decided George W Bush won the election against Al Gore in Florida by a margin of a very small number of votes.
Hillary Clinton has stated publicly that Vice President Joe Biden should never concede to Trump under any circumstances. If so, the matter may go finally to the Supreme Court if either party challenges. Therefore, more important than the election is the validating and counting of the ballots. Normally, American voters know who has won on the election night. I do not think it is going to be possible this year because the election in battleground states will be very close and razor thin. Usually, the Associated Press takes the lead in announcing the results. What can they do this year if they have no information as to who has won.
Let us all pray that Americans will demonstrate respect for law and refrain from holding demonstrations and riots on the streets.
(Ven Parameswaran immigrated to the USA in 1954. He is Chairman, Asian American Republican Committee (founded 1988). Lives in Scarsdale, NY. Email: vpwaren@gmail.com)
Biden’s campaign brought in record-breaking USD 938 million through October 14, while Trump raised USD 596 million
NEW YORK (TIP): The 2020 Presidential election is turning out to be the most expensive election in history and twice as expensive as the previous presidential election cycle, with the total cost of the election expected to reach an unprecedented USD 14 billion, a research group said.
The Center for Responsive Politics said that an “extraordinary influx” of political donations in the final months — driven by a Supreme Court battle and closely watched races for the White House and Senate — pushed total spending in the election past the previously estimated 11 billion dollars figure. The Center said that the 2020 election will cost USD 14 billion, shattering spending records. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be the first candidate in history to raise USD 1 billion from donors.His campaign brought in a record-breaking USD 938 million through October 14, riding Democrats’ enthusiasm to defeat Trump.President Donald Trump raised USD 596 million, which would be a strong fundraising effort if not for Biden’s immense haul. “Even amid a pandemic, everyone is giving more in 2020, from ordinary individuals making small donations to billionaires cutting eight-figure checks to super PACs. Women are smashing donation records, and Americans are increasingly donating to candidates who aren’t running for office in their state,” it said in a statement. The 2020 election is more than twice as expensive as the runner up, the 2016 election. This year’s election will see more spending than the previous two presidential election cycles combined, said the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit research group that tracks money in US politics and its effect on elections and public policy. “Donors poured record amounts of money into the 2018 midterms, and 2020 appears to be a continuation of that trend — but magnified,” said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. “Ten years ago, a billion-dollar presidential candidate would have been difficult to imagine. This cycle, we’re likely to see two,” Krumholz said.
The group said that the massive numbers are headlined by unprecedented spending in the presidential contest, which is expected to see USD 6.6 billion in total spending alone, up from around USD 2.4 billion in the 2016 race.
Spending by deep-pocketed national groups is also driving the total cost of election higher. In the month of October alone, outside spending by super PACs and other big-money groups totaled nearly USD 1.2 billion. These groups are spending far more to boost Biden than help Trump, further aiding the Democrats cash-flush campaign. riven by their supporters’ strong opposition to Trump, Democrats are continuing their fundraising prowess that helped them dominate the money race in the 2018 election cycle. “Their money machine is more powerful than ever in 2020,” the Center said. Democratic candidates and groups have spent USD 5.5 billion compared to Republicans’ USD 3.8 billion, the Center said noting that Democrats have never had a financial advantage this large. Both parties raised more than ever from small donors, but Democrats came out on top, having raised nearly USD 1.7 billion from bite-sized donors, compared to USD 1 billion for Republicans.
Overall, small donors account for 22 per cent of the money raised in the 2020 cycle. These individual donors giving USD 200 or less only accounted for 15 per cent of money raised in the 2016 election. The pandemic also forced candidates to forgo in-person fundraisers with wealthy donors. Campaigns have increasingly relied on virtual fundraising using texts and emails, a strategy that works better when Americans are more engaged in politics, it said.
Political groups have spent over USD 1 billion this year to advertise on platforms like Facebook and Google, according to OpenSecrets’ online ads database.
Democrats are also raising more in large part because women are giving more.
More than 1.5 million women have donated to federal committees, accounting for 44 per cent of all donors, up from 37 per cent in 2016.
In the 2020 election, women have given USD 2.5 billion through mid-October, up from USD 1.3 billion throughout the entire 2016 election.
According to the Center’s research, women are more likely to be Democratic donors.
In the 2020 election, women giving over USD 200 have donated nearly USD 1.3 billion to Democrats and roughly USD 570 million to Republicans.
Several industries have flipped over to Democrats’ side under Trump’s presidency, including the well-funded miscellaneous finance and securities and investment industries.
Real estate is one of the few major industries to stay in Republicans’ corner during the Trump era, giving slightly more to GOP committees than Democrats, it said. (Source: PTI)
NEW DELHI (TIP): India and the U.S. on October 27 inked a landmark defense agreement that will allow sharing of high-end military technology, classified satellite data, and critical information between the two countries. The signing of the long-negotiated Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) during the third edition of the ‘2+2’ dialogue between the two strategic partners also signals further boosting of bilateral defense and military ties. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held the talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper. Both sides were assisted by their top military and security officials. The United States will support the Indian people defend sovereignty and liberty against threats, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said, following the conclusion of the pact, which comes in the backdrop of India’s tense border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. Pompeo also attacked the Chinese Communist Party and said it is not a friend of rule of law and democracy.
The inking of the BECA completes the finalization of four key pacts that were identified as crucial to significantly expand the strategic ties between the two countries.
The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was signed by the two countries in 2002. The GSOMIA provides for specific measures to ensure security standards for safeguarding critical information shared by the U.S. with India.
The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), inked in 2016, allows the militaries of the two countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies and also provide for deeper cooperation. In 2018, India and the U.S. signed another pact called COMCASA (Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement), which provides for interoperability between the two militaries and enables sale of high end technology from the U.S. to India. About BECA, officials said the agreement will give India access to classified geo-spatial data as well as critical information having significant military applications from the U.S.
NEW YORK (TIP): U.S. coronavirus cases crossed the 9 million mark on Friday, October 30, rising by 1 million in two weeks as the world’s worst-affected country faces a resurgence in the pandemic just ahead of elections, Reuters says.
Cases are rising faster than ever before. The previous record for 1 million new cases was during a surge in infection in July and August – when it took 16 days. Now the country has recorded over 1 million cases in 14 days with no sign of the outbreak slowing.On Thursday, October 30, the United States reported a record 91,254 new cases. On average, over 77,000 cases are being reported every day in the last seven days, double the level seen two months ago. Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients are hitting records in 21 out of 50 states. Deaths are also trending higher and have reached nearly 230,000.For every 10,000 people in the United States, over 272 coronavirus cases have been reported and about seven people have died, according to a Reuters analysis. In Europe there have been 127 cases and four deaths per 10,000 residents. Texas has surpassed California as the worst-affected state in the United States, with Florida in third place. More than a half million lives could be lost to COVID-19 across the United States by the end of February, according to researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).U.S. President Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term has been saying for weeks that the country is “rounding the turn,” even as new cases and hospitalizations soar.The United States performed 7.7 million coronavirus tests last week, of which 6.3% came back positive, compared with 5.4% the prior week, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project, a volunteer-run effort to track the outbreak. South Dakota led the nation with the highest positive test rate at 40%, followed by Idaho at 34% and Wyoming at 29%. A total of 14 states had a positive test rate of over 10%.
According to a Reuters analysis, the South region comprises nearly 44% of all the cases in the United States, with nearly 4 million cases in the region alone, followed by the Midwest, West and Northeast.
Calls for creating national standards on use of force, decriminalizing marijuana and expunging criminal records of people convicted of marijuana offences
WASHINGTON (TIP): Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris has sought the creation of a national registry of police officers with records of misconduct, amidst the ongoing protest following the shooting of a black man by police officers in Philadelphia earlier this week. Police said Walter Wallace Jr, 27, was wielding a knife and ignored orders to drop the weapon before officers fired shots Monday afternoon. But his parents said that officers knew their son was in a mental health crisis.Responding to a question over the issue after her rallies in Arizona on Wednesday, Harris said she has discussed and supports creating a national registry of police officers with records of misconduct. Harris, 56, also called for creating national standards on use of force, decriminalizing marijuana and expunging the criminal records of people convicted of marijuana offences, according to a report.
The death of Wallace has triggered protests after the incident.
About 500 people had gathered at a West Philadelphia park Tuesday night and began marching through the neighborhood, chanting. There were sporadic reports of arrests in other areas.
Answering further to questions on the protests against police brutality and particularly the killing of Wallace and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s call for a new commission on policing, Harris said that it is not another commission. “Part of the reason that people are marching in the streets is that there has not been the level of attention, especially recently over the last few years, that is necessary from the president of the United States. And Joe’s committed to that,” she said.On Friday, Harris is scheduled to travel to Texas, making her the first Democratic vice-presidential nominee in decades to campaign during elections. “We’re talking to people everywhere and there’s no area that’s off limits because people in all these areas have so much at stake in this election,” she said. Harris met with a group of a couple dozen Black community leaders at The Van Buren, a music venue in downtown Phoenix.
WASHINGTON (TIP): US President Donald Trump Tuesday, October 27, slammed his “favorite” Fox News channel for broadcasting live his predecessor Barack Obama’s poll campaign for his opponent and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. “Fox (News) puts him on all the time and they put sleepy Joe on all the time and what they should do is they should show the picture of sleepy Joe yesterday when he rushed to Pennsylvania because he saw that I had 25,000 people at each event,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “When he rushed to Pennsylvania and he did a statement and he got lost in a fog. They should show that,” he said as he expressed disappointment over the election coverage of the Democratic presidential candidate.
“They should show the picture where he (Biden) called me George. He thought I was George. I guess he’s talking about George Bush, but he thought I was George and they should show that,” he said.“Fox is very disappointing. But Fox puts on this—this would not have happened with Roger Ailes, I can tell you that,” Trump said.The Hill Newspaper on Tuesday reported that the president has for months had a love-hate public relationship with Fox News. He watches the network regularly, tweeting clips from its shows and responding to programming in real, it said.
Assault could lead to data theft and disruption of health care services
BOSTON (TIP): The FBI and two federal agencies say cyber criminals are unleashing a major ransomware assault against the US healthcare system, according to an AP report. Independent security experts say it has already hobbled at least four US hospitals this month, and could potentially impact hundreds more.In a joint alert, the FBI and two federal agencies say they have credible information of an imminent cybercrime threat to US hospitals and health care providers. They say malicious groups are targeting the sector with ransomware that could lead to data theft and disruption of health care services. The attacks do not appear to have any connection to the US presidential election.
NEW YORK (TIP): Drugmakers AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson said they were resuming late-stage COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine trials in the U.S. after no links were found between the illnesses contracted by trial participants and the vaccine candidates.The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave AstraZeneca the go-ahead after the company had on Sept. 6 paused its clinical trials for AZD1222, the vaccine it is developing jointly with the University of Oxford.A British volunteer had developed a neurological disorder, prompting the trial’s temporary halt while “independent regulators” looked for possible causes. The trial had already resumed in some other countries.
“We should be reassured by the care taken by independent regulators to protect the public and ensure the vaccine is safe before it is approved for use,” said AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot.Pausing on Oct. 12 after a volunteer’s “serious medical event,” Johnson & Johnson has also resumed its vaccine clinical trials following consultation with the FDA.
“There are many possible factors that could have caused the event. Based on the information gathered to date and the input of independent experts, the Company has found no evidence that the vaccine candidate caused the event,” the company said in a statement.
WASHINGTON (TIP): The Global Beat Foundation of USA (TGBF) organized an online discussion on US Presidential elections on 18th October 2020. Using Zoom technology and Facebook, the overall discussion centered on the possible impact of the election on South Asian communities in the US and in South-Asia. The overall impression of the panelists comprising South Asian scholars, social activists, and journalists was that in Pakistan national politics seems to have pushed US elections out of focus while in India President Trump dominates the narrative as PM Modi’s friend. The participants at this debate also noted most Americans were not even discussing foreign policy issues this election season. John Lennon, a veteran Journalist with vast experience as an international reporter at the Voice of America, observed that the Presidential election 2020 is the most contentious election in his adult life. He apprised the audience of the prevailing issues facing the nation and their possible impact on the election. He mentioned the enhanced racial tensions, concerns related to surging COVID-19 infection due to the lack of comprehensive policies of the administration, increasing unemployment and its influence on economic problems, etc. Currently, there are more than 60 million people are unemployed, he said.
Saima Iqbal, a former BBC journalist, who now works for a French media outlet in New Delhi, said that the Indian media are currently centered around PM Modi’s ideology. “The coverage of the US election in India is influenced by Modi’s friendship with President Trump and the media continues to talk about “marrying of thoughts between Trump and Modi,” she added. The Indians, however, did take notice of Kamala Harris’s nomination because her mother was an Indian but quickly moved back to the Trump-Modi friendship, she added.
Farrukh Pitafi, journalist, analyst, and talk show host Pakistan Television in Islamabad observed that initially the US election generated some interest in Pakistan but as “our politics heated up, the focus moved almost entirely to national politics. Most Pakistanis believed that both Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden had similar views on Pakistan, and so “whoever comes to power, things are going to remain the same,” he added.
Misbah Azam, a Pakistani American scholar and Talk4Pak news show host from San Jose, California, opined that the main difference between President Trump and Vice President Biden is that Trump likes to continue his “America First” policy, while Biden would be more inclined towards re-forming the US leadership role in the world which the US is losing during Trump presidency.
Meriam Sabih, a Pakistani American journalist and public speaker, Philadelphia, said that a Biden-Harris White House would be more interested in strengthening democracy in Pakistan while “a Trump presidency would be more careless on this issue.” She urged Pakistani Americans to focus more on our local issues here and not to oppose Kamala Harris just because she was an Indian.
Fareeha Rehman, Digital editor working for a US news channel, was excited by the inclusion of a South Asian woman in this election. “A lot of South Asians are enthusiastic about someone from their own community,” she said.
Anwar Iqbal, a veteran journalist, and correspondent, Daily Dawn was the MC, and Nadeem Hotiana, former Minister Press and Information, Embassy of Pakistan moderated the discussion. Raza Rumi of Ithaca College, Cornell University, New York gave concluding remarks.
MINEOLA, NY (TIP): On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (Woodbury) joined Nassau County Executive Laura Curran (left) and Long Island Coalition Against Bullying Founder & Executive Director Joe Salamone (center) outside the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building to recognize National Bullying Prevention Month by lighting the dome and pillars of the Legislature building.
“We are so honored to one again commemorate October as Anti-Bullying month across Long Island and especially here in Nassau County with our third annual dome lighting. We thank County Executive Curran and Legislator Lafazan for their continuing support for our children,” Joseph Salamone, Founder and Executive Director of LICAB, said. “While COVID-19 has created many impacts to our students, as it has to all of us throughout this year, one thing it did not do is remove bullying as an issue they face. It is more important than ever to make sure our children have the resources they need to prevent, cope with and overcome bullying.” LICAB and Salamone were key partners in Legislator Lafazan’s successful push in 2018 to launch www.NassauStopBullying.org, the County’s bullying prevention resource website. For additional information and resources, visit http://www.licab.org.
“We must never lose sight of the fact that, because of the ubiquitous nature of technology and social media in young peoples’ lives, bullies can haunt their victims more readily than ever before,” Legislator Lafazan said. “At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has acutely enflamed mental health challenges across all age groups, I stand proudly with County Executive Curran and advocates like Joseph Salamone to ensure that no child is allowed to suffer in silence at the hands of a bully.”
BRIDGEWATER, NJ (TIP): Nevakar Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing multiple assets in the ophthalmic and injectable areas, announced , October 22, that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Ephedrine Sulfate Injection in a ready- to-use 50mg/10 ml single use vial presentation. Under an exclusive licensing agreement with Endo International’s (NASDAQ: ENDP) subsidiary, Endo Ventures Limited, Par Pharmaceuticals’ Sterile Products division will launch and distribute the product. This is the first approval under the previously announced collaboration between Nevakar and Endo for the development of five differentiated, sterile injectable products in the U.S. and Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, Nevakar has responsibility to develop and obtain FDA approval for these products and Par Pharmaceuticals’ Sterile Products division will launch and distribute the products. “We are pleased to have received approval for this convenient, patent pending, ready-to-use form of a frequently used treatment for clinically important hypotension during anesthesia. We value our strong partnership with Endo, a respected pharmaceutical company with a significant and growing presence in sterile and critical care products as we pursue our mission to develop innovative pharmaceutical products that improve patient care and quality of life,” stated Navneet Puri, Ph.D., Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nevakar.
About Nevakar Inc.
Nevakar Inc. is growing as a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company with an extensive portfolio of products in the ophthalmic and injectable areas. Founded in 2015, and headquartered in Bridgewater New Jersey, the Company is focused on developing and commercializing innovative products to address unmet medical needs, thereby improving patient care and quality of life. Nevakar utilizes the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, along with its proven expertise in the development of novel and proprietary sterile pharmaceutical products to identify, develop, and obtain regulatory approval for its products. Additional information is available at www.nevakar.com.
NEW YORK (TIP): The Government of India has decided to grant further extension in time till June 30, 2021 to get the OCI cards re-issued in accordance with the following guidelines which have been in force since 2005, according to a press release issued by the Consulate General of India at New York. An OCI card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is acquired by the cardholder up to the age of 20 years. An OCI card is required to be re-issued once on acquiring a new passport after completing 50 years of age.
NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American Action Group” (IAAG), a bipartisan movement was launched, October 13, by a group of prominent Indian Americans. These individuals have achieved positions of leadership across a broad range of professions, have served their communities selflessly and have been champions of change. Based on U.S. Census statistics, the Indian American community has grown over 100 percent in the last decade, continuously outpacing every other ethnic group along socio-economic dimensions. Yet, we lack a strong voice to achieve outcomes that matter to the four million strong Indian American community.
The Indian American Action Group has three primary objectives it seeks to accomplish:
Ensure that the voices of the Indian American community are represented at all levels of the government. To further this, we aim to provide support to Indian American political candidates at the federal, state, and local levels by fund raising, get out to vote campaigns and provide strategic and tactical assistance. We will also promote and support non-Indian American, visionary, progressive and inclusive leaders who have proven their commitment to the values and interest of the Indian American community. IAAG recognizes that great democracies depend on new and bold ideas and our future political leaders that need our support today.
We recognize that two of the world’s greatest democracies share a lot in common, but it must first begin with a focus on people-centric and people-driven relations between the two governments. This is highlighted in matters of homeland security and marching in solidarity for India’s sovereignty at its borders. India has entered the 21st century with a bang, attaining new levels of innovation and enterprise. The innovation of technology centric companies, fueled by the large talent pool of Indian professionals has reinforced the US leadership position in technology and innovation. Sustaining this leadership requires championing judicious immigrations laws, respect for our faith and religious beliefs, and an inclusive immigration and civic experience for all.
India is one of the world’s oldest civilizations and its rich culture and traditions are legendary. Much of this, regrettably, has been overshadowed and distorted by a powerful anti-Indian messaging machine on social media and mainstream media. IAAG will work towards establishing a positive narrative and discourse, by undertaking education campaigns. We will engage the broader audience to highlight the richness of our birth nation, address misunderstandings and misinterpretations and showcase our contributions in all areas of civic engagement, business leadership and social causes.
Indians in the US have permeated the established power bastions that for immigrants can often be virtually impenetrable. We are at the dawn of a politic awakening and civic engagement within our community and IAAG will harness and leverage this strength to shape the national dialogue for Indian Americans and its future generations.
More than Doubles Current 26 SANE Nurses dedicated to Queens
Adds 10 More Language Proficiencies of SANE Nurses Across 7 Queens Hospitals
QUEENS, NY (TIP): Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee announced, October 29, an initiative to expand the number, language proficiencies and breadth of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) nurses across Queens hospitals. With this initiative to enhance the accessibility of the critical, sensitive care and expertise sexual assault survivors need, there will be at least 54 SANE nurses covering 14 languages across seven of the borough’s nine hospitals by September 2021. “Specialized, sensitive forensic care can make all the difference in the immediate aftermath of rape and/or sexual assault, not just in the ultimate pursuit of justice but in the survivor’s own agency and power,” said Borough President LEE. “It is our intent with this initiative to more than double the number of SANE nurses dedicated to Queens by this time next year, and to especially expand the multi-lingual pool of SANE nurses here in the World’s Borough. Queens thanks our committed partners in this shared mission to enhance the accessibility of this specialized expertise to care for and strengthen the Borough of Families.”
The initiative will more than double the current 26 specialized SANE nurses — registered nurses specifically trained to provide comprehensive medical forensic care for survivors of sexual assault or abuse — who work exclusively across just four Queens hospitals, only some of whom speak Spanish, Chinese and/or Korean.
The initiative will further expand the language accessibility of Queens’ SANE nurses by training nurses proficient or fluent in the following languages in addition to English: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Korean, Nepali, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Urdu.
Borough President Lee’s funding will pay for the specialized SANE training of 15 of the 28 additional certified nurses, who will complete the SANE training by September 2021. The 28 SANE nurses will be trained at either the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault or Hofstra University.
“NYSNA applauds the Queens Borough President’s initiative to fund more nurses to be trained as certified S.A.N.E. (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurses,” said New York State Nursing Association (NYSNA) Board Member TRACEY KAVANAGH, RN. “Addressing the serious public health issue of sexual violence requires specialized training and expertise. Certified S.A.N.E. nurses are equipped to properly handle the emotional and physical needs of survivors, as well as maintain the integrity of evidence. NYSNA is proud to provide care and support to our community and survivors of abuse and violence.”
“The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault is a leading voice for supporting survivors of sex crimes and preventing sexual violence. Central to its mission is the Alliance’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner Training Institute, the largest New York State Department of Health and International Association for Forensic Nurses-certified training program for emergency department and medical professionals in New York State,” said New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault Director of Intervention Programs SARA ZAIDI. “The 40-hour SAFE training provides nurses with the skills necessary to perform a trauma-informed forensic exam on sexual assault survivors, critical to beginning their healing journey. The Alliance is thrilled to support this initiative; it will enhance the quality of care provided to the Queens’ residents when they come to the Emergency Department in the most unfortunate of circumstances.”
“We are thrilled that the Queens Borough President’s Office is spearheading the expansion of the SANE program across seven hospitals in Queens, greatly expanding the capacity of these hospitals to provide trauma informed, forensic health services to survivors of sexual violence,” said Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Commissioner CECILE NOEL. “Survivors need us now more than ever in these extraordinary times. This program expansion is vital to ensuring survivors of sexual violence are treated by well trained nurses who can effectively support and connect them to critically important resources. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Queens Borough President’s Office and the local hospitals to raise awareness about this program expansion and connect survivors to services.”
“We thank Borough President Sharon Lee for helping NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens expand our efforts to provide competent and compassionate care to the victims of sexual assault,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens Interim Chief Executive Officer DEAN MIHALTSES. “Our highly skilled healthcare professionals are proud to serve some of the most diverse neighborhoods in New York City. The addition of multilingual SANE nurse practitioners will strengthen our hospital’s existing language access services, and augment our overall strategy to eliminate treatment disparities for patients with limited English proficiency.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Department of Nursing is excited to participate in the SANE program and expand our hospital’s services for sexual assault victims,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Chief Nursing Officer JOANN GULL, RN. “We look forward having our Nurse Practitioners trained to do comprehensive forensic sexual assault exams that can lead to better outcomes for patients and the prosecution of offenders.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s SART program (Sexual Assault Response Team) is proud to collaborate with our Nursing Department to help victims of sexual assault deal with the complex medical, emotional, and legal issues that arise during these cases,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Emergency Medicine Department Director DR. STUART KESSLER. “Training and integrating Nurse Practitioners into our SART team will further enhance the care we provide to patients in our community who have been sexually assaulted.”
“We are pleased to partner with the Queens Borough’s President Office on this important initiative for specially trained nurses who meet a critical community need,” said Northwell Health Executive Vice President and Chief Learning Officer and Hofstra/Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies Founding Dean KATHLEEN GALLO, PhD, MBA, RN, FAAN. “Thanks to a federal grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Hofstra has already established itself as a leader in SANE education with the state’s first and only university- and health system-based program.”
“St. John’s Episcopal Hospital is grateful for the Queens Borough President’s consistent support and funding for this much needed certification,” said St. John’s Episcopal Hospital Vice President of External Affairs RENEE HASTICK-MOTES, MPA. “As the only hospital on the Rockaway Peninsula that provides emergency care, this certification will enhance our ability to ensure that we are meeting the needs of every patient who walks through our doors.”
“NewYork-Presbyterian Queens is proud to partner with the Queens Borough President and our neighboring healthcare providers on this important initiative,” said NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer ALAN LEVIN, MSN, MBA, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC. “This program is another example of our exceptional nurses’ commitment to providing the highest quality and most compassionate care to the people of Queens.”
“We are so grateful to the Queens Borough President’s Office for supporting our Emergency Department and helping us be more prepared for victims and survivors of sexual assault,” said Mount Sinai Queens Senior Director of Nursing JONATHAN NOVER, MBA, RN. “Our ED has and will always be here to serve our community. Your support is invaluable and it will strengthen our mission.”
The Mount Sinai Health System currently employs nine SANE nurses and two SANE nurse practitioners, along with other associated medical personnel, who rotate through its facilities, including Mount Sinai Queens, as part of its Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program.
The invocation of Ram Mandir by PM Narendra Modi during his election rallies in Bihar on Wednesday, even as the first phase of polling was in progress, indicates how desperately the BJP is clutching at straws. The temple lost its worth as a vote-catcher once the Supreme Court cleared the decks last year for its construction. It’s undoubtedly a non-issue in a state grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic and crippling job losses. No less irrelevant to Bihar is the abrogation of Article 370, which has been raked up by UP CM Yogi Adityanath and other party leaders in their recent speeches in the state. The fact that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, no less, promised free Covid-19 vaccine on priority for Bihar residents shows the BJP’s failure to gauge the massive impact of reverse migration, triggered by the nationwide lockdown.
Bihar was among the states that bore the brunt of the lockdown. According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), the state’s unemployment rate was a staggering 46 per cent in April-May this year. Though it fell to 11.9 per cent in September, still higher than the national figure of 6.7 per cent for the corresponding period, the CMIE has cautioned that such a drop is misleading as the labor participation rate and the employment rate are going down as well. The stark reality is that only one out of every three adult Biharis is employed.
Reviving livelihoods in a time-bound manner should take precedence over other matters. The promise made by the Mahagathbandhan’s CM face Tejashwi Yadav to sanction 10 lakh government jobs has prompted the BJP to announce — almost as an afterthought — the creation of 19 lakh employment opportunities. However, the party — which has shared power with the JD(U) for the past three years — needs to explain first why 4.5 lakh government jobs are still vacant in the state, as claimed by Tejashwi. The BJP doesn’t seem to have learnt much from the stinging losses in the pre-Covid polls in Delhi and Jharkhand, where local issues resonated with the voters.
(Tribune, India)
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