The Indian Panorama

Year: 2022

  • Ukraine crisis: Chernobyl site knocked off power grid

    Lviv (TIP): Ukrainian authorities say the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant, site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, has been knocked off the power grid. Emergency generators are now supplying backup power. The state communications agency says the outage could put systems for cooling nuclear material at risk.

    The cause of the damage to the power line serving Chernobyl was not immediately clear, but it comes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The site has been under control of Russian troops since last week. Ukrainian grid operator Ukrenerho said that according to the national nuclear regulator, all Chernobyl facilities are without power and the diesel generators have fuel for 48 hours. Without power the “parameters of nuclear and radiation safety” cannot be controlled, it said.

    A lion evacuated from an animal shelter at Kyiv in Oudsbergen, Belgium. Reuters

  • Amid closure of airspace in many European countries, around a dozen Russian aircraft stranded in Switzerland

    Amid closure of airspace in many European countries, around a dozen Russian aircraft stranded in Switzerland

    Zurich (TIP): Around a dozen Russian aircraft are stranded at Swiss airports by the closure of airspace in many European countries to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, Switzerland’s civil aviation authority estimated on March 9.

    “I expect that it will be around a dozen aircraft in Switzerland,” a spokesperson for the Federal Office of Civil Aviation said. This included EuroAirport near Basel, which straddles the Swiss-French border.

    There were two aircraft in Geneva, including an Aeroflot passenger jet, and none in Zurich, he said, adding that not all airports had responded to his survey. Swiss broadcaster SRF said its investigation had found private aircraft believed to belong to Russian oligarchs were on the ground at EuroAirport. It said one of the aircraft was believed to belong to Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich, and had flown to Basel from London at the end of February. Another was thought to belong to billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, it said.

    Neither could be reached for immediate comment on the report. The airport declined comment.

    Switzerland adopted European Union sanctions against Russia and closed its airspace to Russian aircraft and airlines on Feb 28. Abramovich and Vekselberg are not personally sanctioned in Switzerland but would still be affected by the airspace closure.

    Russia’s super-rich oligarchs have been the focus of Western pressure following the invasion of Ukraine, due to their links to the Kremlin.

    Moscow says its actions are a “special operation” aimed at disarming Ukraine and removing leaders it casts as dangerous.  Reuters

  • UK PM Johnson invites world leaders to build coalition against Russian President Putin

    UK PM Johnson invites world leaders to build coalition against Russian President Putin

    London (TIP): British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosts Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Dutch PM Mark Rutte at Downing Street in London on March 7, as the trio visit a Royal Air Force (RAF) base to meet members of the UK armed forces.

    Downing Street said it marks the start of a week of “focused engagement” with world leaders to mobilise a global outcry at the “atrocities of Russian aggression” into practical support for Ukraine.

    The three prime ministers will convene for separate bilateral meetings and a joint trilateral meeting to discuss the next steps to counter attacks ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukrainian cities. “In the time since Russia’s illegal and brutal assault we have seen the world stand up tall in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine,” said Johnson.

    “UK aid is already reaching those who need it most, delivering essential supplies and medical support. While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today’s new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation,” he said.

    It comes as the UK said it has allocated an additional USD 100 million directly to the Ukrainian government budget to mitigate financial pressures created by Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion.

    This grant could be used to support public sector salaries, allowing critical state functions to keep operating, as well as to support social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people. The grant will be provided through the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund, established last week to support the Ukrainian government.

    It is said to be on top of the UK training 22,000 soldiers, supplying 2,000 anti-tank missiles, providing 100 million pounds for economic reform and energy independence, and providing 120 million pounds of humanitarian aid including 25 million pounds of match funding to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal.

    The move comes as the UK Parliament is for a vote on Monday on the government’s amendments to the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill, which fast-tracks action against Russian oligarchs close to the Kremlin and with UK assets.

    The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said that streamlining current legislation will allow the government to move faster and harder when sanctioning billionaires and businesses associated with the Russian government.

    “These amendments give us the chance to bring even more crippling sanctions against Putin and his regime,” said UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. “The UK has already led the way by bringing in the largest and strongest package of sanctions in history in response to illegal and unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine,” she said.

    The UK has imposed what it brands as the “largest sanctions package in history” on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

    Most recently, this included a full asset freeze and travel ban imposed against AlisherUsmanov and Igor Shuvalov, two of Russia’s leading oligarchs with significant interests in the UK and close links to the Kremlin. The sanctions also cover Russian President Putin, Sergey Lavrov and more than 300 individuals and entities at the heart of Putin’s regime, and Belarus.(PTI)

  • 14 killed in coal mine accident in China

    Beijing (TIP): Fourteen people trapped in a coal mine that collapsed in southwest China’s Guizhou province last month have died, local officials said on March 6. The workers were trapped after the roof of a shaft at SanheShunxun coal mine in Zhenfeng County, Bouyei-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Qianxinan, collapsed on February 25. Rescue work finished on Sunday noon as the bodies of the trapped workers were retrieved. Further investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Mining accidents are common in China. However, the number of deaths has reduced in recent years. China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal. China’s mining industry has long been among the world’s deadliest with frequent mine accidents. The safety crackdown was ordered in 2020 after two accidents in mountainous southwestern Chongqing killed 39 miners. Despite the crackdown, 10 workers were killed at a gold mine in the northern province of Shandong in January last year after a cave-in caused by the improper storage and use of explosives.(PTI)

  • Peshawar mosque attack ‘main handler’ among three killed in Pakistan

    Peshawar mosque attack ‘main handler’ among three killed in Pakistan

    Peshawar (TIP): Pakistani security forces have shot dead the “main handler” of the deadly suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Peshawar and his two accomplices, who were reportedly also behind the killing of a Sikh medicine practitioner in the northwestern city, according to a media report on March 10. At least 64 people were killed and nearly 200 others injured in the suicide bombing inside the mosque in QissaKhwani bazaar in Peshawar during Friday prayers last week, which was claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan terror group.

    Officials said personnel of the Counter-Terrorism Department, police and intelligence agencies raided a house in the Ghu­reza area of Jamrud tehsil on Tuesday night. They said a terrorist present inside the house opened fire on law enforcement personnel.

    Muhammad Tariq alias Khalid – the “main handler” of the suicide bombing at the KoochaRisaldar mosque – Abdul Wajid, and Muzaffar Shah were killed in the return fire, Dawn newspaper reported, quoting an official.

    “In the exchange of fire, the three terrorists were killed while four others, including two handlers, managed to escape,” the official said.

    The police said the terrorist group was also involved in the killing of Sikh hakeem (medicine practitioner) SardarSatnam Singh in September last year. Singh was shot dead in his clinic on Charsadda Road in Peshawar. According to investigative agencies, Ihsanullah alias Abdullah, an Afghan national living in Aabshar Colony of the provincial capital, detonated his explosive vest inside the Shia mosque during Friday congregation. The main handler Muhammad Tariq alias Khalid hailed from Bara tehsil of Khyber district. A police source said the attacker’s family had fraudulently obtained Pakistani documents. His father and a rickshaw driver, who drove him to the mosque, were also taken into custody. According to the bomber’s father, Ihsanullah came in contact with Wajid and Muzaffar at his school near Garrison Park. He had left for Afghanistan about 18 months ago.

    The police said the terrorist group was also involved in other high-profile killings, including that of a peace committee member on the outskirts of Peshawar, two religious scholars — Sheikh Abdul Hameed and Qari Sheikh Muhammad — as well as the assassination of Assistant Sub-Inspectors ImtiazAlam and Mehboobullah.(PTI)

  • Pakistan PM Imran seeks legal opinion on no-confidence motion

    ISLAMABAD (TIP): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has met the Attorney General and sought legal opinion on the no-confidence motion submitted by the Opposition parties which have held his government responsible for the uncontrolled inflation.

    According to the Dawn newspaper, the government is anxious and making all attempts to foil the Opposition’s move to oust the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) regime led by Khan, who has already claimed that the powerful Pakistan Army is backing him.

    The no-confidence motion, signed by about 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was submitted with the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8.

    Khan, 69, is heading a coalition government and he can be removed if some of the partners decide to switch sides, which is not unusual in parliamentary democracies.

    The report said that besides meeting Punjab Chief Minister UsmanBuzdar, whose removal has been sought by the Prime Minister’s (former) closest confidants in the party, Prime Minister Khan also met Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan and sought his legal opinion on the no-confidence motion.

    The prime minister is scheduled to meet leaders of the PTI’s allies, including the MuttahidaQaumi Movement, Grand Democratic Alliance and party leaders in Sindn, it said.

    Opposition parties blame Khan’s government for uncontrolled inflation that has broken the back of poor people of the country, while Khan accuses them of trying to remove as he was not willing to condone the alleged corruption by the leading Opposition leaders.

    Soon after the Opposition submitted its no-confidence motion in the National Assembly (NA) Secretariat, Khan said that he was going nowhere and that he did not fear the Opposition’s move. “The government will not be ousted, and will emerge stronger,” Khan was quoted as saying. Information Minister FawadChaudhry said that the prime minister was quite confident that the Opposition would face disappointment and the government would become stronger after he regained confidence in the NA. (PTI)

  • 14 killed, 5 injured in bus accident in Nepal

    Kathmandu (TIP): At least 14 people, including a child, were killed and five others injured when a passenger bus skidded off a hilly road and fell 300 metres off the road in eastern Nepal on March 10, police said.

    The accident happened around 7:30 am when the bus carrying 20 passengers, en route to Damak in Jhapa from Madi, Sankhuwasava, skidded and fell 300 metres down the hilly road after the driver lost control of the vehicle. “In the accident at least 14 people have been killed. The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained,” said a senior police officer. Those killed in the accident include two elderly men and an eight-year-old boy. All five people who sustained serious injuries have been airlifted to BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan in a Nepal Army chopper for medical treatment, the police said. “The bus fell down around 300 meters off the hilly road. The police have been carrying out rescue works with the help of local people,” police said. Road accidents are very common in Nepal, especially in the country’s mountainous areas. Last month a passenger vehicle carrying a newly-wed couple and some of the wedding attendants skidded off a hilly road in Western Nepal, killing eight people and injuring five others. (PTI)

  • Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to visit India this month

    COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa will visit India this month, the Indian High Commission here has announced, amidst an unprecedented financial crisis in the island nation. This announcement came after Rajapaksa spoke over the telephone with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on March 8. A tweet from the High Commission said that India had assured Sri Lanka “support in all possible ways”. Rajapaksa’s visit has been on hold since late February. Sri Lanka was to seal a one-billion-dollar loan from India during the Rajapaksa visit. (PTI)

  • Unexplored North Bengal destinations

    Unexplored North Bengal destinations

    For most, when it comes to West Bengal, Kolkata and Darjeeling are the two obvious and sometimes the only destinations. And while Kolkata’s rich heritage, history in every corner, thriving culture, and lip-smacking street food, and Darjeeling’s impeccable views of the Kanchenjunga and the inimitable thukpa deserve to be explored, so do its other parts. In the north of Bengal itself, there’s a cornucopia of little hidden gems of architecture, culture, nature, wildlife, tribal villages, and much more. Here’s drawing some much-needed attention to these unexplored North Bengal travel destinations:

    Bindu

    The last hamlet of West Bengal located 127 km from Siliguri, Bindu lies in the lap of India and Bhutan’s mountains, perched atop 2000 ft. The journey to Bindu, known locally for its cardamom production, will warm you up for the lush greenery and the beauty of the nearby meandering river Jaldhaka. The surrounding forests are perfect for trekking and hiking. You can also visit the tribal village of Godak, 1 km before which is the cardamom curing facility said to produce some of the best in the country.

    Located in the Dooars region of North Bengal, Raimatang is a forest village located amid the Buxa Tiger Reserve and surrounded by tea plantations and hills. Raimatang is a favourite among wildlife lovers who can not only take the jungle safari at the tiger reserve but also watch the many bird species that visit this village. You can explore gentle hiking in the surrounding hills.

    Rangaroon Tea Estate

    Just 16 km from the Darjeeling town is a quaint, sleepy hamlet of Rangaroon which is home to the Rangaroon Tea Estate. There is only one homestay in this village that commands stunning views of Darjeeling and the Kanchenjunga range in case you want to skip Darjeeling’s rush but not the majestic views.

    Tabakoshi

    Eastern Himalayas are all about spending time in laze, seeping in the surrounding beauty of the towering mountain ranges, the waterfalls, rivers, and of course, the tea plantations. One such place is Tabakoshi in Mirik which is one of the more popular destinations for tourists in Darjeeling. But just 8 km from the Gopaldhara tea estate, you can find solitude and serenity at Tabakoshi. Enjoy the produce of the plantation, camp by the river, and socialise with the locals and enjoy their warm hospitality.

    Jhalong

    Jhalong is situated on the Indo-Bhutan border, along the Jaldhaka river. About 99 km from Siliguri, Jhalong is apt for those who long spend time in solitude, close to nature, uninterrupted by the fast pace of life. The Jaldhaka dam near Jhalong invites many bird species like Crested Kingfisher, Brown Dipper, Salty-backed Forktail, Little Forktail, and more.

    Odlabari

    About 38 km from New Jalpaiguri is a village nestled between the Leesh and Chel Odlabari rivers, just 4 km from the foothills of the Himalayas. While Odlabari itself is slow-paced and mundane, the surrounding Kathambari forest and Patharjhora tea estate show a lot of promise. Baikunthapur, 5 km from Odlapari, is where Lord Krishna is said to have hidden with Queen Rukmani.

    Suntalekhola

    Located on south-eastern fringe of the Neora Valley National park is Suntalekhola, also referred to as the ‘land of oranges’. It is one of the least explored but most promising North Bengal destinations. The national park has an abundance of trekking trails for adventure enthusiasts, especially Mouchuki, 6 km from Suntalekhola. The astounding landscape that reveals itself on the way to and in Suntalekhola is unparalleled with the Murti river and Eastern Himalayas’ rich greenery.

                    Source: The Indian Express

  • Doctor Strange 2 mid and post-credits scene leaked

    Doctor Strange 2 mid and post-credits scene leaked

    The mid-credits and post-credits scenes for Marvel’s next big film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, have reportedly leaked online. The credits also contain potential major spoilers from the superhero franchise which is due for release on May 6. The leak claims that the clips may contain an introduction to new characters who can change the course of Marvel’s Phase 4.

    A fan account on Twitter posted a long note detailing the spoilers in the mid and post-credit scenes. As per the tweet, the mid-credit scenes will show Stephen Strange aka Doctor Strange sleeping after the events of the Multiverse of Madness when he has a nightmare. In the dream sequence, he sees himself training as an apprentice in New York City, which has been ruined.

    Doctor Strange is accompanied by a dead Wong and Dormammu’s sister Umar in the city. Kang the Conqueror, believed to be the next big villain in the new MCU phase, is also spotted in the sequence. Doctor Strange then wakes up with a third eye and hears Clea’s voice crying for help. Clea, who is expected to be played by Charlize Theron and will be apparently Strange’s love interest in the comics, is heard saying, “Help Me.”

    Source: HT

  • Black Widow star Florence Pugh in talks to join Dune sequel

    Black Widow star Florence Pugh in talks to join Dune sequel

    British star Florence Pugh is in negotiations to join the second part of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve ‘s sci-fi epic Dune. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Black Widow star is being eyed for the role of Princess Irulan Corrino, a key character in author Frank Herbert’s classic novel Dune. If finalised, the sequel would reunite Pugh with actor Timothee Chalamet, who plays the lead role of Paul Atreides in Dune. The two stars had earlier worked together for Greta Gerwig’s acclaimed 2019 movie Little Women. Dune, which was released in October 2021 to universal praise, followed the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. Part two of Dune is expected to start production later this year and has a release date of October 20, 2023. The sequel will also bring back original cast members, including Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Zendaya and Javier Bardem.

    Source: PTI

  • DiCaprio donates USD 10 million to support Ukraine

    Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has donated $10 million to support Ukraine, which is fighting against Russia. DiCaprio also has a personal motive. The actor’s maternal grandmother, Helene Indenbirken, was born in Odessa as Jelena Stepanovna Smirnova. In 1917, she emigrated from there with her parents to Germany, where DiCaprio’s mother was born. Raised mainly by his mother, DiCaprio was also very close to his grandmother, who was a supporter of his career from the beginning.

    His grandmother, who died in 2008 at the age of 93, almost always appeared with her grandson and daughter at the premieres of his films. DiCaprio allocated as much as USD 10 million to support Ukraine and did not plan to announce it to the whole world. The information was announced by the International Visegrad Fund—a project of the Visegrad Group.

                    Source: IANS

  • Alia Bhatt is set for big Hollywood debut with Gal Gadot

    Alia Bhatt is going places and the actress has more than one reasons to celebrate. Firstly, her recently-released film Gangubai Kathiawadi is performing well in theatres and has been praised by the critics. Now, the other big news – she is all set to make her big Hollywood debut in a film titled Heart Of Stone. Wait, it gets better. The film stars Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan too. The international spy thriller will be directed by Tom Harper and it will be backed by Netflix and Skydance. Isn’t that some news? The big news was shared on the official Instagram handle of Netflix India. The caption read: “Starting our day by announcing (and screaming) that Alia Bhatt is going to be in Heart Of Stone.”

    Meanwhile, Gal Gadot announced her association with the project by sharing a few behind-the-scene pictures and she wrote: “Rachel Stone. Nice to meet you.Heart Of Stone.” Besides Alia Bhatt, Bollywood stars like Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, the late Irrfan Khan, Ali Fazal have starred in a couple of Hollywood projects. Deepika Padukone made her Hollywood debut with xXx: Return of Xander Cage. We can’t wait to see Alia Bhatt share the screen with Gal Gadot.

    In terms of work, Alia Bhatt has a super busy schedule ahead. The actress will next be seen in SS Rajamouli’s RRR. She will also star in Darlings, which she is co-producing with Shah Rukh Khan. She will also be seen in Farhan Akhtar’s Jee Le Zaraa with Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif and Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani with Ranveer Singh.                           Source: NDTV

  • Rishi Kapoor’s last film Sharmaji Namkeen to release on Prime Video

    Actor Rishi Kapoor’s last film Sharmaji Namkeen will stream on Amazon Prime Video. The streaming giant took to social media to make the announcement. The film, starring an ensemble cast – Juhi Chawla, Suhail Nayyar, Taaruk Raina, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, and Isha Talwar, will start streaming on March 31. Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30, 2020, after a prolonged battle with cancer. He had shot for most of Sharmaji Namkeen with Juhi Chawla at the beginning of 2020. Later, the film’s producers roped in actor Paresh Rawal to fill in Kapoor’s shoes and complete the film’s shoot. Produced by Excel Entertainment and Macguffin Pictures, directed by debutant Hitesh Bhatia, this film is a light-hearted coming-of-age story. The makers describe it as “a relatable and heartwarming story of self-realization and discovery.”

  • Ukraine crisis: Last batch of Indian students heads back, Putin stays defiant

    Ukraine crisis: Last batch of Indian students heads back, Putin stays defiant

    New Delhi (TIP)- Covering hundreds of miles across Ukraine by bus and rail to Poland, the last remaining batch of Indian students from Sumy are on their way home. India operated three flights on Thursday to bring the batch of about 600 students back with the first flight for first, second and third-year students. The second flight is for fourth and fifth-year students and the third for students with pets, fifth and sixth-year students and for any Indians who may have been left behind. They are expected to reach India in the early hours of Friday. The Indians had to change buses midway and were then offered a free train ride by the Ukrainians for the Poland border.

    Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin remained defiant despite the US claiming that Moscow was in shock over the weight of sanctions. Putin said the sanctions would rebound against the West and Russia would solve its problems and emerge stronger.

    “These sanctions would have been imposed in any case. There are some questions, problems and difficulties, but in the past we have overcome them and we will overcome them now. In the end, this will all lead to an increase in our independence, self-sufficiency and our sovereignty,” Putin added.

                    Source: TNS

  • Covid distress: Enrolment dips in private, rises in govt schools

    Covid distress: Enrolment dips in private, rises in govt schools

    Chandigarh (TIP)- Student enrolment saw a dip between 2019-20 and 2020-21 in private schools and registered a proportionate rise in government schools, according to district-level government data released on Wednesday, which may indicate the financial distress caused by the pandemic. A closer look at the latest round of Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) data shows that pre-primary, primary (I-V) and upper classes (VI-VIII) mainly account for the rise and fall in the enrolment of students in government and private schools. In private schools, enrolment in pre-primary, primary levels registered a drop of 22.28 lakh and 11.6 lakh respectively. On the other hand, government school primary and upper primary grades registered a rise of 18.82 lakh and 9.28 lakh students, respectively.

    Across all levels, 39.7 lakh students of government aided, private schools shifted to government schools.

    Overall, excluding pre-primary classes, enrolment numbers rose from 25.10 crore in 2019-20 to 25.38 crore. However, at the pre-primary level, there were 1,35,55,892 students in 2019-20, which fell to 1,06,45,526 in 2020-21.

    The report notes that the drop in the numbers at the pre-primary level may be an outcome of “postponement of school admission of young children during the pandemic”. “Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is cross-cutting, this is particularly noticed in the enrolment of young and vulnerable kids like pre-primary, class 1 and Children With Special Needs (CWSN)…,” it states.

    Even among girls, all levels, barring pre-primary, registered a jump in enrolment numbers. At the pre-primary level, there were 62.39 lakh girls enrolled in 2019-20, which dropped to 49.42 lakh a year later as the pandemic swept the nation.

    The UDISE report points out that the pre-primary figures contained in it do not factor in the enrolment at the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) system run by the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare through the Anganwadi Centers and the stand alone pre-primary education centers run by different kindergartens.

    “At all the levels above primary, i.e., in upper primary, secondary and higher secondary, school enrolment has increased, showing an improvement in the ability of the system to retain more and more children in the system of school education over time,” states the report.

    The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which denotes the number of students enrolled in a given level of education against the total official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education, has also improved across grades, the report shows.

    Level wise GER in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20 are: 92.2% from 89.7% in upper primary, 99.1 % from 97.8% in elementary, 79.8% from 77.9% in secondary and 53.8% from 51.4% in higher secondary, respectively. Also, the number of teachers was 96.96 lakh in 2020-21, up from 96.87 lakh in 2019-20. However, as in the case of students, the percentage of teachers teaching only primary (36% in 2020-21 from 37% in 2019-20) and only upper primary (22% in 2020-21 from 23% in 2019-20) has reduced.

    Source: The Indian Express

  • SC reserves verdict on Vijay Mallya sentencing

    New Delhi (TIP)- The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on the quantum of sentence to be awarded to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya in a contempt case. Mallya, an accused in a bank loan default case of over Rs 9,000 crore involving his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, has been in the UK since March 2016. He is on bail on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard in April 2017. He was held guilty of contempt of court in 2017 and the matter has been getting deferred as the top court wanted to hear him on the punishment to be awarded to him.

  • Bhagwant Mann to take oath as Punjab CM on March 16

    Bhagwant Mann to take oath as Punjab CM on March 16

    Chandigarh (TIP)- The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab will take oath on March 16. It was said on Thursday, March 10, that they would take oath at Khatkar Kalan, the native place of martyr Bhagat Singh.

    It is learnt that Bhagwant Mann and Punjab affairs in charge Raghav Chadha have already left for Delhi to meet party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Among other things to be decided on Friday are the candidates who will be inducted into the Cabinet.

    Sources in the party say all 17 ministers may not be inducted immediately; only five to six candidates may be inducted now. The names of the probable candidates who could be inducted are Aman Arora, Harpal Cheema, Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Harjot Bains and Baljinder Kaur.

  • Active Covid cases in country dip to 42,219

    New Delhi (TIP)-India logged 4,194 new coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of Covid cases to 4,29,84,261, while the active cases dipped to 42,219, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday, March 11.

    The death toll climbed to 5,15,714 with 255 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.1 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid recovery rate further improved to 98.7 per cent, the ministry said. A reduction of 2,269 cases has been recorded in the active Covid caseload in a span of 24 hours.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded as 0.52 per cent and the weekly positivity rate as 0.55 per cent, according to the ministry. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,24, 26,328 while the case fatality rate was recorded as 1.2 per cent.

  • USIBC inducts 4 top executives to its India Advisory Council

    USIBC inducts 4 top executives to its India Advisory Council

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US India Business Council (USIBC) has added four top executives to its India Advisory Council, a premier strategic body comprising of a highly influential network of senior India-based executives and thought-leaders committed to growing trade and investment between America and India. The executives are heads of India operations of 3M, Dell, J&J, and Microsoft.

    Ramesh Ramadurai, the managing director of 3M India; Alok Ohrie from J&J, Sarthak Ranade from Dell India and Anant Maheshwari from Microsoft India, according to a statement from USIBC.

    “We are very pleased to welcome Ramesh, Alok, Sarthak, and Anant to our India Advisory Council. As the newest members of this group, we expect Ramesh, Alok, Sarthak, and Anant will enable USIBC to raise to new heights its policy leadership in the life sciences, digital technology, and manufacturing sectors,” said Atul Keshap, president of USIBC.

    Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson, Salesforce India who has assumed the role of IAC Chair said, the council plays a strategic role in the way business and government engage.

    “We are delighted to welcome these industry stalwarts to the India Advisory Council and look forward to an engaging and insightful future of nurturing business relationships,” Bhattacharya said.

    Formed in 2017, The India Advisory Council serves as a premier strategic body for representatives of Indian companies and Indian affiliates of American companies—including CEOs, presidents, managing directors, and chairpersons—to collaborate on a forward-looking advocacy agenda in India. Its members help lead USIBC engagements, meet with senior Indian and US government officials to offer advice, and influence USIBC policy and programme direction to ensure the organization remains the cutting-edge platform for advancing the US-India relationship. Representing all major sectors, the IAC bolsters USIBC’s mission to promote bilateral trade and investment between the US and India and spearheads coordinated advocacy for cross-cutting initiatives including global health, supply chain resiliency, and the energy transition, the statement said.

  • Indian American legal Educator and Scholar Sudha Setty named dean of NYC law school

    Indian American legal Educator and Scholar Sudha Setty named dean of NYC law school

    NEW YORK (TIP): Indian American legal educator and scholar Sudha Setty has been appointed the dean of the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law, America’s leading public interest law school.

    The first person of South Asian descent to lead New York City’s only publicly funded law school, Setty’s appointment will be effective July 1, according to a university press release.

    Setty has been the dean of the Western New England University School of Law since 2018, when she became the first woman of South Asian descent in the US to serve as dean of an American Bar Association-accredited law school.

    She previously served as the school’s associate dean for faculty development and intellectual life. A member of the school’s faculty since 2006, she was named Professor of the Year in 2009, 2016 and 2018

    “Dean Setty boasts a sustained record of accomplishment as an antitrust litigator, pro bono civil rights counsel, scholar of constitutional law and legal education leader, as well as a pioneering administrator and leader,” said Chairperson William C. Thompson Jr. “We are thrilled to welcome her to CUNY Law.”

    “Dean Setty brings to CUNY a demonstrated ability to combine visionary goal-setting with deft governance, and to construct, fund and sustain the programs that realize those goals,” said Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Her breadth of experience and commitment to use legal education for the advancement of social justice will build upon the Law School’s progress as the top public-interest law school in the nation. CUNY is fortunate to have her.”

    “I am thrilled and honored to serve as the next dean of CUNY School of Law. This law school was founded with the mission of public service, social justice lawyering, inclusiveness and accessibility,” said Setty.

    “In this moment, the nation and the world have recognized what CUNY has known all along: that our society needs more lawyers who are educated with these fundamental values to take on the challenges of today and the future,” she said.

    “I look forward to working with all members of the CUNY community as the law school seeks to make the world a fairer, more just, and better place.” At Western New England University School of Law, Setty’s deanship has focused on enhancing the social justice work at the school and its commitment to racial justice and diversity, equity and inclusion, the release said.

    She led the creation of its Center for Social Justice in 2019. The Center provides an organizing framework for the faculty and student work in social justice lawyering, engaging in economic justice, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, access to justice, and other social justice lawyering work, and drawing support from foundations, alumni, and individual donors.

    Setty expanded racial justice-oriented programming and student support, and led the faculty in adopting a graduation requirement for racial justice coursework. In 2021, Setty co-hosted the inaugural Workshop for Asian-American Women in Legal Academia, drawing over 100 participants to engage in professional development, scholarship support, and building community.

    Setty’s area of expertise is comparative law, and she is an influential scholar on constitutional rights and national security. In 2018, she was elected to membership in the American Law Institute and as a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

    The CUNY appointment brings her back to New York City, where she previously lived for 10 years, seven of them as an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell. There she litigated antitrust cases in federal and state courts and served as defense counsel in pro bono matters challenging terrorism sentencing guidelines and upholding prisoners’ civil rights.

    Setty currently serves on the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts Standing Committee on Alternative Pathways to the Bar and on the Bipartisan Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Judicial Nominations to the US District Court.

    She is also on the Advisory Committee for the ABA Legal Education Police Practices Consortium and the Deans’ Steering Committee of the Association of American Law Schools. Setty also serves as a board member for Community Legal Aid, and on the editorial board of the Journal of National Security Law and Policy.

    Setty has held visiting scholar and faculty positions at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law’s Centre for Rights and Justice and the University of Connecticut School of Law.

    She received her JD from Columbia University School of Law, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and her bachelor’s degree in history from Stanford University, which was awarded with honors. Setty is the recipient of the National Conference for Community and Justice 2021 Human Relations Award. She was on the Lawyers of Color Power List in 2020 and recognized as a Top Woman in the Law by the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly in 2019. She was named a Trailblazer by the South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut in 2015 and received the 2017 Tapping Reeve Legal Educator Award from the Connecticut Bar Association.

  • Indian American Sikhs being discriminated against

    Indian American Sikhs being discriminated against

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Religious discrimination and hate crime against the Sikh community in the United States has increased in recent years, an eminent human rights expert has told the lawmakers urging the administration and the US Congress to take steps to end this. “Congress must take action,” Amrith Kaur Aakre, legal director of the Sikh Coalition, told members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties during a recent Congressional hearing on Discrimination and Civil Right.

    “Workplace discrimination harms Sikhs in a range of public and private sector jobs including transportation, entertainment, health care, the military and law enforcement by allowing for the biased interpretation and application of government policies and laws.

    “We’ve seen Sikhs willing to put their lives on the line in defense of their cities and country, only to be told that uniform and grooming policies prohibit their articles of faith,” she said. “We have seen Sikhs ordered to cut their hair for work-related drug testing even when alternative means are readily available. “And we’ve seen Sikh first responders in the fight against COVID-19 pressured to shave their religiously mandated beards instead of being given appropriate, safe personal protective equipment that doesn’t interfere with their faith,” Aakre said. Regardless of the details, time and again these policies are interpreted in a way which disproportionately impacts minority communities and our system allows it to keep happening, she said.

    “We also receive Sikh travelers’ reports of inappropriate demands to remove articles of faith, discriminatory comments by TSA agents and other profiling in our airports,” she told the lawmakers.

    “This is a humiliating hindrance for Sikhs and other religious and racial minorities, members of the transgender community and others. And additional discriminatory practices like no-fly list and the lingering effects of the previous administration’s Muslim ban continue to perpetuate profiling against too many people,” she said.

    Responding to a question, Aakre said TSA profiling for Sikh Americans and other minority groups has always been a problem.

    Bias against travelers is prevalent at every stage of the travelling process and it starts with the fact that the TSA agents do not receive adequate training on TSA policies or cultural competencies, which is evident from the moment many stigmatized groups arrive at the airport and have to go through behavioral detection before reaching security. In response to another question from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, she said Sikh American students experience high rates of bullying and harassment in our nation’s public schools and they continue receiving and documenting nationwide reports of school bullying. “Sikh boys who wear turbans are called terrorists and girls are teased for having long hair. And many of these children are subjected to violence. “Our research shows that the majority of Sikh children, over 50 per cent, have endured school bullying. Over two-thirds or 67 per cent reported that they were bullied in school and turban Sikh children experienced bullying at more than double the national rate,” Jackson Lee said. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, who is the first and only South Asian American woman elected to the House of Representatives, said 9/11 forever changed what it means to be Muslim, Arab, or South Asian American in America. “In the days and weeks after, I received fearful calls from individuals in the Sikh, Muslim and Arab-American community who were being attacked for wearing turbans or hijabs. I heard from moms and dads who were afraid to send their kids to school, a fear that I shared for my own child,” she said. Jayapal said her resolution, H Res. 629, recognizes the climate of hate that Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern, South Asian and Sikh communities have experienced since September 11 and calls for action to address the event’s  lasting impacts. “I hope this hearing becomes one step of many to examine and ultimately dismantle 9/11 era policies that have perpetuated and exacerbated discrimination against these communities,” she said.

  • 3 Indo- Canadian youths die in road accident in Ontario

    3 Indo- Canadian youths die in road accident in Ontario

    TORONTO (TIP): Three youths from Punjab were killed in a car accident near Sarnia in Ontario, Canada. The deceased have been identified as Gurinderpal Lidhar (31), Mono Town, Ontario, Sunny Khurana (24), Brentford, and Kiranpreet Singh Gill (22) of Barry Town. All three belonged to Faridkot in Punjab. According to the reports, a van collided with a trailer on Arthur’s Wellington Road near Highway 6 in the Canadian township of Harther, Ontario, which led to the death of the three youths. The trailer driver suffered injuries and has been admitted to a hospital. Two youth died on the spot while the third succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

  • AAPI’s loyal foot soldier, Dr Satheesh Kathula, is running for Vice President

    AAPI’s loyal foot soldier, Dr Satheesh Kathula, is running for Vice President

    Dr Kathula recognized for his laudable contribution as Treasurer (2020-21) at the AAPI annual convention in Atlanta last year. He is flanked by AAPI President Dr Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, and Sreeni Gangasani, Convention Chair.
    Dr Kathula with his wife, Prerna, and sons Akshar and Aneesh, both in line to become medical doctors.

    DAYTON,OH (TIP):  Dr Satheesh Kathula, the eminent doctor of over 25 years’ standing in Ohio, admirable community leader and philanthropist with a stellar record of serving in leadership roles in AAPI, is running to be its Vice President in the election this month. Dr Kathula, hematologist/oncologist, is currently Secretary and past Treasurer of National AAPI. He is well-liked by the rank and file of AAPI as evidenced by the number of endorsements he has received.

    He has clearly laid out his vision for AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) on his campaign website:

    • Promote AAPI’s mission of education, excellence in patient care, research, and professionalism.
    • Increase membership of AAPI and enhance membership benefits. Engage the younger generation more.
    • Collaborate with major physician organizations in the US.
    • Fast-tracking of green cards for Indian doctors on H1 visa.
    • Leverage the strength of 100,000 Indian American doctors at the legislative level.

    Dr Kathula calls himself humbly a loyal  foot soldier of AAPI, but the fact is he has been Member of its Governing body for the past 13 years and has intensive experience of working for it at senior levels, including as Co-Chair – Global Health Summit 2019 and 2022, AAPI’s Board of Trustees (2014-17) and as Regional Director (2012-14).

    As AAPI Treasurer last year, he is proud to report that he played a key role in raising and distributing over $5.5 million for Covid relief in India. He is also Chair of Adopt a Village Committee, for a program launched last year to adopt 75 villages in India for free health screening of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, anemia, hypoxemia and malnutrition.

    Since Dr Kathula, a suave, affable personality, announced his candidacy for Vice President of AAPI, endorsements for him have been coming fast and furious. Listing his creditable work for AAPI, his various accomplishments and accolades, Dr Deepak Kumar, Past President Ohio State Medical Association, and Immediate Past chair IMG section of American Medical Association (IMA) writes: “I am voting for him in the upcoming election and urge all of you to join me in voting for him.”

    Dr Dattatteyudu Nori, a renowned radiation oncologist and Padma Shri awardee, writes, “I have worked with him on several oncology related projects  including at Global Health Summit in India, community outreach programs in the US, etc. He is very efficient, knowledgeable, and is an excellent leader. He would make a great Vice President of AAPI.”

    Past AAPI President Dr Sanku Rao has endorsed him for President. “Please remember, this is not only an election for Vice President but for President of AAPI! Satheesh has an excellent reputation in the organization and all the qualities to become one of the best presidents of AAPI!”

    Dr Kathula has excelled in leadership roles in the medical field locally in Ohio as well. He has lived in Dayton for 26 years straight. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (Dayton chapter) and has raised more than $200,000 for it thus far. The society conferred on him the Man of the Year award in 2018. He is also President and Founding Member of the Association of Indian Physicians from Ohio. Active in the Indian community, he was instrumental in raising funds for the construction of the Om Shanti Hindu Cultural Center in Dayton. He has served on several non-profit boards, dedicating half of his career. He is a regular contributor to Veterans Obesity Awareness walks and Ekal Vidyalaya, which is dedicated to children’s education in rural India. The India Club of Dayton presented him the Service Award in 2010.

    Dr Kathula’s love for his motherland has manifested in him setting up humanitarian and medical projects in India. The most important of them is establishing in 2007 a state-of-the-art pharmacy college in Warangal in Telangana, where he grew up. Named Pathfinder Institute of Pharmacy and Educational Research (PIPER), the non-profit with Dr Kathula as Chairman provides quality education and has already graduated about 750 students who are now working in different parts of India and the world.

    He also collected funds for one lakh masks and distributed them in India during the Covid pandemic and has organized several medical camps there. He personally donated a clean drinking water plant and defibrillator (that restores normal heartbeat through an electric pulse) to his native village in Telangana. He also donated thousands of sanitary napkins to underprivileged young women in India. He usually raises funds for charitable causes through music concerts and golf tournaments.

    A good doctor has to be also an educator to pass on his knowledge, skills and experience to the next generation of physicians, something Dr Kathula is acutely aware of. He is Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton. He has been involved in teaching/mentoring medical students, residents and fellows for two decades. He has presented CME (Continuing medical education) lectures at national and international conferences and published articles in peer-reviewed journals.

    Dr Kathula came to the US in 1994 after earning his MBBS degree from Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada, India. Here he did his residency from Wright State University, Dayton. He is a Partner physician, Dayton Physicians, LLC.

    For more details, go to https://www.drkathula.com/

  • Global Comedy Powerhouse SUGAR SAMMYbrings his national tour to The Dallas Comedy Club MARCH 18th & 19th

    Global Comedy Powerhouse SUGAR SAMMYbrings his national tour to The Dallas Comedy Club MARCH 18th & 19th

    DALLAS, TX (TIP): Canadian comedy superstar Sugar Sammy brings his national tour: Sugar Sammy – The Outsider to the Dallas Comedy Club, in Dallas, TX., on March 18th & 19th ready to invade the US with his unfiltered view of where the world is at today. When it comes to heavy hitters in comedy, Sugar Sammy is a powerhouse.

    He’s conquered the rest of the territories and now he’s coming for the US! Sugar Sammy is an international phenomenon, a TV star in both Canada and France – he stars in the French version of America’s Got Talent (La France a un incroyable talent) as the sassy 4th judge, reaching 3.5 – 4.2 million viewers per week.  He’s won Comedian of the Year accolades in both France and Canada. And he’s a growing force on the internet, with over 1 million followers on his social media platforms. He’s a master at interacting with his fans and his Improv Moments, exchanging comments with the audience, are YouTube gold, with 25 million views alone logged on his banter with a group of “Karens” at his show. As an outsider looking in, Sugar Sammy isn’t afraid to offend with his honest assessment of where the US is at on the world stage. Politically incorrect? Maybe. He leaps right into the cultural divide to hit on cultural, social and political themes with a combination of charm and finesse that allows him to push the envelope a little farther than most. Sugar Sammy isn’t worried about being canceled, in fact, he’s looking to be pre-canceled!

    He’s performed over 1,800 shows in 32 countries, in English, French, Hindi, and Punjabi. His groundbreaking bilingual show, performed in English & French,  sold out 421 performances and 372,000 tickets, making it the best-selling debut one-man show in Quebec’s history. Two of the US’s most prestigious daily papers have profiled him, with a feature that appeared in both the New York Times and on the front page of its international edition and an interview on the front page of the Washington Post’s Arts section, a privilege bestowed on few performers.

    His shows never disappoint and always provoke discussion. You can agree with him or disagree with him, but his natural instinct for comedy and what the New York Times called his “talent for provoking both laughter and outrage” will win you over every time.

    “A fearless comic with a talent for provoking both laughter and outrage.”

    New York Times

    “Fluent in Funny”

     Washington Post

    “The funniest man in France is a Quebecer”

     GQ France

    Sugar Sammy’s Tour stops include:

    Boca Raton – March 3

    Lake Park, FL – March 4

    Houston – March 11-12

    Dallas– March 18-19

    Chicago – March 23 – 24

    Rosemont – March 25-26

    Washington DC – March 31- April 2

    San Francisco – April 6-9

    Sacramento – April 14-16

    Nashville – May 19

    Atlanta – May 20-21

    Seattle – May 27th & 28th

    San Diego – June 23

    Los Angeles – June 24

    Phoenix – June 25 & 26

    New York – July 7-9

    You can check him out here

    Kamasutra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExhiaUKFDlw

    Karens: https://we.tl/t-Tshld0qxLt

    For tickets: https://sugarsammy.com/shows

    Showtimes: Friday 8:00PM & 10:00PM Saturday. 6:00, 8:00 & 10:00PM

    Tickets: $25.00 / $30 at the door / Ph: (214) 2814-1980

    The Dallas Comedy Club is located at 3036 Elm St. Dallas, TX.

    To request an interview or additional press materials, please contact

                                                                   Debbie Keller at dkellerpublicity@aol.com

    (Press Release)