TALLINN (TIP): Russian authorities are holding local elections this weekend in occupied parts of Ukraine in an effort to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year ago and still does not fully control. The voting for Russian-installed legislatures in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions begins on September 8 and concludes Sunday. It has already been denounced by Kyiv and the West.
“It constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, which Russia continues to disregard,” the Council of Europe, the continent’s foremost human rights body, said this week.
Kyiv echoed that sentiment, with the parliament saying in a statement that the balloting in areas where Russia “conducts active hostilities” poses a threat to Ukrainian lives. Lawmakers urged other countries not to recognize the results of the vote.
For Russia, it is important to go on with the voting to maintain the illusion of normalcy, despite the fact that the Kremlin does not have full control over the annexed regions, political analyst Abbas Gallyamov said. “The Russian authorities are trying hard to pretend that everything is going according to plan, everything is fine. And if everything is going according to plan, then the political process should go according to plan,” said Gallyamov, who worked as a speechwriter for Russian President Vladimir Putin when Putin served as prime minister.
Voters are supposed to elect regional legislatures, which in turn will appoint regional governors. In the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, thousands of candidates are also competing for seats on dozens of local councils.
The balloting is scheduled for the same weekend as other local elections in Russia. In the occupied regions, early voting kicked off last week as election officials went door to door or set up makeshift polling stations in public places to attract passersby.
The main contender in the election is United Russia, the Putin-loyal party that dominates Russian politics, although other parties, such as the Communist Party or the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, are also on the ballots.
For some residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, large swaths of which have been held by Russian-backed separatists since 2014, there is nothing unusual about the vote. (AP)
Month: September 2023
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Russia holds elections in occupied Ukrainian regions in an effort to tighten its grip there
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Mali military camp is attacked a day after 49 civilians and 15 soldiers were killed in assaults
BAMAKO (Mali) (TIP): A military camp in Mali’s restive north was attacked on September 8, a day after two separate assaults by al-Qaida-linked insurgents killed 49 civilians and 15 government soldiers, the military said.
“Response and evaluation in progress,” the armed forces said in a brief statement about Friday’s attack on a Malian military camp in the Gao region.
September 7 attacks targeted a passenger boat near the city of Timbuktu on the Niger River and a military position in Bamba further downstream in Gao, the military junta said in a statement read on state television. It said responsibility for the attacks was claimed by JNIM, an umbrella coalition of armed groups aligned with al-Qaida.
The passenger boat was attacked near the village of Zarho, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) east of Timbuktu. The statement said the government killed about 50 assailants while responding to the attacks. It declared three days of national mourning to honor the civilians and soldiers killed in the attacks.
Malian army spokesman Souleymane Dembélé attributed the high death toll to the inability of some of the boat’s passengers to swim, suggesting some might have drowned. “When the boat was attacked, the soldiers on board exchanged fire with the terrorists. Unfortunately, many civilians who couldn’t swim jumped into the water,” Dembélé told The Associated Press.
Al-Qaida-affiliated and Islamic State-linked groups have almost doubled the territory they control in Mali in less than a year, the United Nations said in a report last month, as they take advantage of a weak government and of armed groups that signed a 2015 peace agreement.
The stalled implementation of the peace deal and sustained attacks on communities have offered the IS group and al-Qaida affiliates a chance “to re-enact the 2012 scenario,” the report said. That’s the year when a military coup took place in the West African country and rebels in the north formed an Islamic state two months later. The extremist rebels were forced from power in the north with the help of a French-led military operation, but they moved from the arid north to more populated central Mali in 2015 and remain active.
In August 2020, Mali’s president was overthrown in a coup that included an army colonel who carried out a second coup and was sworn in as president in June 2021. He developed ties to Russia’s military and Russia’s Wagner mercenary group whose head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash in Russia on Aug. 23.
Timbuktu has been blockaded by armed groups since late August, when the Malian army deployed reinforcements to the region. The insurgents are preventing the desert city from being supplied with basic goods.
Over 30,000 residents have fled the city and a nearby region, according to an August report by the United Nations’ humanitarian agency.
The deadly attacks come as the U.N. prepares to withdraw its 17,000-member peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA, from Mali at the government’s request. The pullout is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
The U.N. deployed peacekeepers in 2013 and MINUSMA has become the most dangerous U.N. mission in the world, with more than 300 personnel killed. Growing insecurity in Mali has increased instability in West Africa’s volatile Sahel region. The military vowed in the two coups since 2020 to stop the jihadi violence. (AP) -
Clashes resume between factions in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp
BEIRUT (TIP): Clashes resumed in Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp, with heavy gunfire and shelling wounding several people and prompting residents of the camp and the surrounding area to flee on Sept 8.
Several days of street battles had broken out in the camp, Ein el-Hilweh, between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement and Islamist groups after Fatah accused the Islamists of gunning down one of their military generals on July 30. Those street battles left at least 13 dead and dozens wounded and forced hundreds to flee from their homes.
An uneasy truce had been in place since Aug. 3, but clashes were widely expected to resume as the Islamist groups have not handed over the accused killers of the Fatah general, Mohammad “Abu Ashraf” al-Armoushi to the Lebanese judiciary as demanded by a committee of Palestinian factions earlier this month. A committee of Palestinian factions in Ein el-Hilweh announced on Tuesday that their joint security forces would launch raids in search of the accused killers. Fatah officials said that the Islamist groups had launched an attack Thursday night in an attempt to forestall plans by the joint security forces to clear militants out of schools they had been occupying in the camp on Friday.
The state-run National News Agency reported six people were wounded, including an elderly man, and transported to hospitals overnight. There were no immediate reports of deaths. The public Lebanese University announced it would close its branches in the city of Sidon, which is adjcent to the camp, and postpone scheduled exams in light of the fighting.
Officials with the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees, or UNRWA, could not immediately give information on the number of casualities or displaced.
UNRWA appealed last week for $15.5 million to repair infrastructure damaged in the last round of clashes in the camp, provide alternate education locations for children whose schools were damaged or occupied by militants, and give cash assistance to people who have been displaced from their homes. (AP) -
Helicopters airlift residents to safety from deadly floods in central Greece
ATHENS (TIP): Severe rainstorms eased but floodwaters were still rising in parts of central Greece on September 8, while fire department and military helicopters were plucking people from villages inundated by tons of water and mud that have left six dead, six missing and many people clinging to the roofs of their homes.
Flooding triggered by rainstorms also hit neighbouring Bulgaria and Turkey, killing a total of 18 people in all three countries since the rains began Tuesday.
In Greece, severe rainstorms that lashed the country turned streams into raging torrents that burst dams, washed away roads and bridges and hurled cars into the sea. Authorities said some areas received twice the average annual rainfall for Athens in the space of just 12 hours.
Evacuation orders were issued for two areas north of the city of Larissa Friday morning, with authorities sending alerts to cell phones in the area warning that the Pineios River had burst its banks. Parts of Larissa, one of Greece’s largest cities, were already starting to flood.
“The situation is tragic,” Larissa resident Ioanna Gana told Greece’s Open television channel, adding that water levels in her flooded neighbourhood were rising “minute by minute.”
Elsewhere, residents of villages left without electricity or drinking water dialled into Greek television and radio stations, appealing for help and saying people were still trapped on rooftops without food or water.
Between Tuesday and early Friday, the fire department said more than 1,800 people had been rescued and the department had received more than 6,000 calls for help in pumping water from flooded homes and removing fallen trees.
In the Pilion area, residents and tourists were ferried to safety by sea late Thursday as all access roads to some villages were severed. On Thursday alone, a fleet of 10 helicopters airlifted 110 people from the hard-hit areas of Karditsa and Trikala to safety, while dozens more were being rescued by air and boats Friday.
Authorities have deployed swift water rescue specialists and divers as floodwaters rose above 2 meters (6 feet) high in some areas, leaving many houses flooded up to their roofs. Residents of some villages have reported buildings collapsing completely.
The flooding followed on the heels of devastating wildfires that destroyed vast tracts of forest and farmland, burned homes and left more than 20 people dead. (AP) -
Sri Lanka to investigate allegations linking Rajapaksa-backed officials to 2019 Easter bombings
COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka’s government will appoint a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations made in a British television report that Sri Lankan intelligence had complicity in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 269 people. Labor Minister Manusha Nanayakkara told Parliament on September 5 that details on the investigation will be announced soon.
A man interviewed in the Channel 4 videos released Tuesday said he arranged a meeting between a local Islamic State-inspired group and a top state intelligence official to hatch a plot to create insecurity in Sri Lanka and enable Gotabaya Rajapaksa to win the presidential election later that year.
Azad Maulana was a spokesman for a breakaway group of the Tamil Tiger rebels that later became a pro-state militia and helped the government defeat the rebels and win Sri Lanka’s long civil war in 2009.
Rajapaksa was a top defence official during the war, and his older brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had been defeated in the 2015 elections after 10 years in power.
A group of Sri Lankans inspired by the Islamic State group carried out the six near-simultaneous suicide bombings in churches and tourist hotels on April 21, 2019.
The attacks killed 269 people, including worshippers at Easter Sunday services, locals and foreign tourists, and revived memories of frequent bombings during the quarter-century war. Fears over national security enabled Rajapaksa to sweep to power. He was forced to resign last year after mass protests over the country’s worst economic crisis.
In the Channel 4 program, Maulana said he arranged a meeting in 2018 between IS-inspired extremists and a top intelligence officer at the behest of his boss at the time, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, the leader of the rebel splinter group-turned-political party.
Maulana said Chandrakanthan had met the group in prison while in detention on allegations of murder and found they could be useful in creating insecurity in the country.
Maulana told Channel 4 that he himself did not participate in the meeting but that the intelligence officer told him later that creating insecurity was the only way to return the Rajapaksa family to power.
After security camera footage of the bombings was released, Maulana recognized the faces of the attackers carrying bomb-laden backpacks as those whom he had arranged to meet with the intelligence officer, Maulana said in the program. Channel 4 reported that Maulana had been interviewed by UN investigators and European intelligence services over his claims.
(Associated Press) -
Helicopter crash into sea off Dubai leaves two missing
DUBAI (TIP): A helicopter crashed off the coast of Dubai during a night training flight, with two pilots on board missing, the United Arab Emirates’ aviation authority said on September 8. The Bell 212 helicopter went down in the Gulf at around 8:30 pm (1630 GMT) on September 7 after taking off from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport, the authority said, quoted by the official WAM news agency.
The pilots — an Egyptian and a South African — had been on a training flight for AeroGulf, the UAE’s leading commercial helicopter operator. “Search and rescue teams have recovered the wreckage and are still searching for the crew,” the aviation authority said, adding investigations were underway. AeroGulf was founded in 1976 to provide services to the oil and gas industry, before expanding its services to other sectors. In 2022, a paramotor flyer crashed in Dubai, killing the pilot. The same year, a single-engine passenger plane crashed into a parking lot in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, injuring one person. (AP)
Fake experts drive disinformation before Bangladesh polls
DHAKA (TIP): Hundreds of articles praising Bangladeshi government policies apparently by independent experts have appeared in national and international media but the authors have questionable credentials, fake photos, and may not even exist, an AFP investigation has found.
Commentators say it is evidence of a sustained campaign of disinformation by unknown actors ahead of elections due by the end of January but appears to be intended to benefit the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Such articles have been published by Chinese state news agency Xinhua, leading media across Asia, and quoted by the South Asia Brief of the Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine. Rights groups and foreign powers, including the United States, have long raised concerns over efforts by Hasina’s government to silence criticism and stamp out political dissent.
AFP found that names forming a network of so-called experts are producing regular op-ed pieces, some posing as academics from leading global universities, some using stolen headshot photos, and others making up quotes from real analysts.
“It’s a coordinated influence operation,” said A Al Mamun, a journalism professor at Bangladesh’s University of Rajshahi. “These articles primarily promote narratives that are favourable to the current Bangladesh government.”
A surge of articles appeared online around September 2022, when Bangladesh’s foreign ministry issued a call for “good columnists” to counter negative “propaganda”.
AFP sent multiple requests for comment to top officials at Bangladesh’s foreign ministry and information ministry but received no reply.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told AFP he did “not have enough time” to comment. AFP analysed more than 700 articles published in at least 60 domestic and international news sites with bylines attributed to 35 names, all of which appeared for the first time online last year. The articles overwhelmingly endorse narratives pushed by Dhaka, with some posted on Bangladesh government websites.
Many are staunchly pro-Beijing and fiercely critical of Washington — which has issued Dhaka stiff warnings of the need for free and fair elections.
While it was not possible to prove if the 35 names investigated by AFP are real, no online presence apart from their articles could be found, none has a visible social media profile, and none has published research papers in academic journals.
At least 17 of the 35 claimed links to major Western and Asian universities but AFP’s digital verification reporters found no records for them.
Eight major universities confirmed that they had never heard of nine of the writers purportedly working for them, including the University of Delaware in the United States, Canada’s University of Toronto, Switzerland’s University of Lucerne, and the National University of Singapore.(AFP) -
Imran Khan’s party president Parvez Elahi rearrested soon after court suspended his detention
ISLAMABAD (TIP): Parvez Elahi, the president of former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, was rearrested on September 5 soon after the Islamabad High Court suspended his detention and ordered his release.
The Islamabad police in a post on X said the former Punjab province chief minister was arrested in a terror case. It posted the update soon after saying that the 77-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader was released after the high court’s order. Elahi is among several PTI leaders and workers arrested amid the state’s crackdown on the PTI leadership following the May 9 riots during protests over party chief Khan being whisked away by paramilitary personnel at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.
Earlier in the day, the IHC suspended Elahi’s detention under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) and ordered his release. Section 3 of MPO empowers the government to arrest and detain suspected persons. Elahi was first arrested on June 1 and was charged with several graft cases.
The most recent arrest of Elahi was on Friday last week by Islamabad police, hours after the Lahore High Court ordered his release in a graft case and explicitly directed the authorities not to take him in custody in any other case. Subsequently, Elahi was shifted to Attock Jail in Punjab province from Lahore’s Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
Meanwhile, talking to the media in Islamabad, Elahi’s lawyer said: “I think all limits have been crossed and this is injustice with the country and its institutions and equivalent to making a mockery of the law and Constitution.”
“Absolutely shameful how court orders keep getting disrespected by the fascist regime. Parvez Elahi’s crime is standing for Pakistan, crime is not leaving PTI despite massive pressure,” the PTI posted on X, condemning the arrest of its president. (PTI) -
Powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Morocco , killing nearly 300 people
NEW YORK (TIP): A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco Friday night, killing nearly 300 people and damaging buildings in the historic city of Marrakech in what the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said was the strongest tremor to hit that part of the North African nation in more than a century.
The quake struck in Morocco’s High Atlas mountain range shortly after 11 p.m. local time at the relatively shallow depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.4 miles), USGS said, with the epicenter located about 72 kilometers (44.7 miles) southwest of Marrakech, a city of some 840,000 people and a popular tourist destination.
At least 296 people were killed, and 153 others were wounded, Morocco’s Interior Ministry said Saturday, September 9. Many Moroccans spent the night on the streets in multiple cities fearful of aftershocks as a desperate mission to locate those trapped in the rubble got underway. Health authorities also called on people to donate blood to help victims.
Most deaths occurred in mountain areas that were hard to reach, authorities said, and rescue teams were having difficulties reaching the worst affected areas after roads were damaged, state-run TV Al Aoula reported.
The Royal Moroccan Armed Forces warned that residents to pay close attention to follow up tremors.
“We remind you of the need to exercise caution and take safety measures due to the risk of aftershocks,” the military wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The USGS said Friday night’s quake was unusually strong for that part of Morocco.
“Earthquakes of this size in the region are uncommon, but not unexpected. Since 1900, there have been no earthquakes M6 (magnitude 6) and larger within 500 km of this earthquake, and only 9 M5 (magnitude 5) and larger earthquakes,” USGS said.
The US body predicted that “significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread”, noting that many people in the area reside in structures that are “highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking”.
Al-Aoula television on Saturday showed multiple buildings collapsed near the epicenter and reported that thousands of people had fled their homes after the country’s National Institute of Geophysics warned of aftershocks. Most houses in the mountain village of Asni near the epicenter were damaged, Montasir Itri, a local resident, told Reuters. “Our neighbors are under the rubble and people are working hard to rescue them using available means in the village,” he said.
Tremors were also felt further west near Taroudant, where a resident said he had fled his home and there had been aftershocks following the initial quake, according to Reuters.
“The earth shook for about 20 seconds. Doors opened and shut by themselves as I rushed downstairs from the second floor,” teacher Hamid Afkar told Reuters.
In the old city of Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage site, some houses have collapsed and people were moving debris by hand while they waited for heavy equipment, local resident Id Waaziz Hassan told Reuters news agency.
Another Marrakech resident, Brahim Himmi, told Reuters he saw ambulances coming out of the old town and that many building facades were damaged. He said people were frightened and were staying outside in case of another quake. “The chandelier fell from the ceiling and I ran out. I’m still on the road with my children and we’re scared,” Houda Hafsi, a 43-year-old Marrakech resident, told Reuters.
A former imperial city with a history that dates back nearly 1,000 years, Marrakech is tightly packed with medieval-era palaces, mosques, gardens and bustling markets. Its old city center is surrounded by red earth walls and filled with buildings constructed in red sandstone, which gave the city its nickname the “red city.”
The walls were first laid out in the early 12th century and some of the ramparts were damaged in the quake, Al Aoula TV reported. Before the Covid pandemic, Marrakech drew nearly three million tourists in 2019. In addition to its rich culture and history, Marrakech is also Morocco’s fourth largest city and a major economic center.
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SGPC to set up press in US to print ‘holy saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib
I.S. Saluja
AMRITSAR/NEW YORK (TIP): The SGPC executive committee has decided to establish a printing press at Tracy City in California, US, to publish the ‘holy saroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib. It will also set up a religious preaching center at Yuba City.
This was decided by a meeting of the SGPC executive committee chaired by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Tuesday, September 5. Sikhs in the US have welcomed the decision. Master Mohinder Singh, a founder President of Gurdwara Baba Makhan Shah Sikh Center in New York has welcomed the SGPC decision to print the holy Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in the US. He has suggested that the SGPC set up religious preaching centers at all places with large population of the Sikhs. He has also recommended free distribution of literature on Sikhism in the local languages all over the world .
Harcharan Singh Gulati, General Secretary of Gurdwara Nanak Darbar in Hicksville said while the decision to print the holy saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in the US is welcome, it is equally important that there is a sustained effort at carrying the message of the Sikh Gurus to the younger generation of the Sikhs, and also propagate the Sikh values among other communities.
The executive termed the printing of voter forms only in Hindi for the HSGMC elections as a move to ignore Punjabi by the Khattar government. Slamming the ‘discriminatory’ move, Dhami said Punjabi was the second language in Haryana and even officials engaged to conduct the poll were not conversant with Punjabi.
(With inputs from TNS) -
INDIA bloc ‘very strong’, BJP in panic after bypoll results: Kejriwal
NEW DELHI (TIP): A day after the INDIA bloc parties won four seats out of seven in the Assembly bypolls, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, September 9, said the BJP is in panic as the opposition alliance is “very strong”. In a post on X, the Delhi chief minister shared a media report of the results of the bypolls and said, “INDIA alliance is very strong. This is the reason for the BJP’s panic. This is the reason that the BJP wants to change the name of the country.” The by-election results for seven assembly seats in six states were declared on Friday with the BJP winning three seats and one each going to its rivals Congress, the JMM, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Samajwadi Party (SP).
The opposition alliance tasted victory in the Ghosi Assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh, where it backed the Samajwadi Party, and in Jharkhand, where the JMM retained the Dumri assembly seat.
The BJP maintained its hold on the Bageshwar Assembly seat in Uttarakhand and Dhanpur in Tripura and wrested the Boxanagar assembly seat from the CPI(M) in the northeastern state, where the INDIA alliance parties had joined hands. The BJP lost the Dhupguri Assembly seat in West Bengal to the TMC.
The AAP is a member of the INDIA bloc that has yet to discuss and finalize a seat-sharing formula in different states to counter the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls next year.
(Source: PTI) -
G-20 summit kicks off; leaders begin deliberations on pressing challenges facing globe
PM Modi appeals to turn trust deficit to confidence
NEW DELHI (TIP): Amid deep divisions over the Ukraine war, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged world leaders to turn the global trust deficit into confidence in each other and find new solutions to age-old challenges. In his opening remarks at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Modi exuded confidence and said if the world could defeat Covid, it could also triumph over the trust deficit caused by the war.
“It is time for all of us to walk together for global good,” Modi said while addressing the ‘One Earth’ session of the G20 Leaders’ Summit attended by US President Joe Biden, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, among others.
“Following the Covid pandemic, the world faced a new challenge of trust deficit and unfortunately, the wars have further deepened this,” he said while addressing the gathering at the Bharat Mandapam convention Center here.
“But we must remember that if we can defeat a pandemic like Covid, we can also win over the challenge of this trust deficit. Today, as the president of the G20, India calls upon the entire world to turn this global trust deficit into trust and confidence,” Modi said.
“This is a time when age-old challenges are calling for new solutions from us. And therefore, with a human-centric approach, we have to move forward to fulfil our responsibilities,” Modi said. The prime minister told the gathering that it had become a people’s G20 in India with over 200 events held in more than 60 cities.
“For all challenges, right from the upheaval in the global economy to the North-South divide, from food management to fuel and fertilizer management, from terrorism to cyber security, from health to energy and water security, we have to move towards concrete solutions, together,” Modi said.
He said India’s G20 presidency has become a symbol of inclusion and togetherness within and outside the country. “It has become the people’s G20 in India. Crores of Indians joined it, over 200 meetings were held in more than 60 cities of the country,” Modi said.
(Source: PTI)
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Top retired generals Naravane, Clarke join USISPF advisory board
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Two top retired generals – General (rtd) Manoj Mukund Naravane and General (rtd) Richard Clarke – have joined the advisory board of the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF).
General (rtd) Naravane most recently served as the 28th Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army and General (rtd) Clarke is the former commander of US Special Operations Command.
USISPF also announced that Peter Marrs, president of Dell Technologies for the Asia-Pacific and Japan region, has joined the Board of Directors. It is an honor and a privilege to have been invited to the Board of USISPF, a forum that has steered US-India relations. There is immense scope for further enhancing this partnership and I look forward to being part of this effort,” Naravane said.
Clarke said he had the privilege of travelling to and studying in India during his time in the military and while in the National War College. Now retired, I hope to continue to foster a security relationship with one of the most important strategic partners for the US in this century, he said. The additions of Peter Marrs, General Naravane, and General Clarke epitomize the importance and synergy of critical and emerging technology, especially in the defense domain, said USISPF president and CEO Mukesh Aghi.
The success of the state visit and the joint statement from both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden accentuated the importance of the iCET and collaboration in space.
“Leaders from the private sector and former distinguished military officials exemplify USISPF’s holistic approach to understanding the commercial and geostrategic aspects of the partnership,” he said.
(Source: PTI)
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Vivek Ramaswamy says he will pardon all peaceful January 6 protesters
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has vowed that he will pardon all peaceful January 6 protesters if he gets elected as the next US president in 2024.
The 38-year-old Indian American entrepreneur has gained traction after he denounced the US Justice Department for its “political persecution” of non-violent protesters at the Republican primary presidential debate last month.
America now has a two-tiered justice system: Antifa and BLM rioters roam free while peaceful January 6 protesters are imprisoned without bail. Biden’s Department of Injustice’ has executed over 1,000 arrests for nonviolent offenses related to January 6, casting a dark shadow over Lady Justice and the foundational principles of our legal system, he said in a statement.
To unify this country, I commit as president to pardon all Americans who were targets of politicized federal prosecutions and those denied due process. This includes all peaceful, nonviolent January 6 protesters who were denied their constitutional due process rights,” he said on Wednesday.
The January 6 riot saw more than 2,000 people enter the US Capitol as lawmakers certified the results of the 2020 election, in which President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump.
The mob stormed the Capitol following a speech from Trump, who was speaking at a rally not far from the Capitol grounds. In his speech, Trump claimed election fraud and called on then-Vice-President Mike Pence to overturn the results.
The riot led to the biggest police investigation in US history with hundreds of people accused of criminal offences.
Ramaswamy said he will end the weaponization of police power in America and noted that every Republican candidate must be clear on hard issues. He said on Sunday that while he expects to become the party’s nominee for the November 2024 US elections, he will vote for Trump if the former president secures the nomination.
He also expressed his intention to pardon Trump, who currently faces an array of legal challenges, should he be elected as President of the United States.
If Donald Trump’s the nominee — yes, I will support him, and if I’m the president, yes, I will pardon him because that will help reunite the country. But it’s not the most important thing I’m going to do as the next president. It is the table stakes for moving this country forward, Ramaswamy told ABC news.
Following his impressive performance in the inaugural Republican primary presidential debate last month, Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur-turned-politician, has experienced a surge in popularity, competing alongside fellow Indian American rival Nikki Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina.
Meanwhile, several media outlets reported that Ramaswamy escaped unhurt when a sign reading Truth fell on him during a campaign event in New Hampshire over the weekend.
An opinion poll shared by the Trump Campaign showed that Ramaswamy (with 15 per cent) is now a distant second after former president Trump (68 per cent). Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is now at 13 per cent and at the third position.
(Source: PTI)
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IRS reminds gig workers, self-employed and others of Sept. 15 third quarter estimated tax payment deadline
WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers who pay estimated taxes that the deadline to submit their third quarter payment is Sept. 15, 2023.
Taxpayers not subject to withholding may need to make quarterly estimated tax payments. Taxpayers such as gig workers, sole proprietors, retirees, partners and S corporation shareholders generally must make estimated tax payments if they expect to have a tax liability of $1,000 or more when they file their return.
A general rule of thumb is that taxpayers should make estimated tax payments if they expect:
To owe at least $1,000 in taxes for 2023 after subtracting their withholding and tax credits.
Their withholding and tax credits to be less than the smaller of:
90% of the tax to be shown on their 2023 tax return or
100% of the tax shown on their complete 12-month 2022 tax return.
More taxpayers will receive 1099-Ks for 2023
Taxpayers who were paid over $600 by payment apps and online marketplaces or received any amount by payment cards could receive a Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, starting January 2024, for payments received in 2023. This includes anyone with a side hustle, sole proprietors, and anyone selling goods and services online. It’s important to remember that taxpayers should report their income, unless it’s excluded by law, regardless of whether they receive a Form 1099-K or any other third-party reporting document. The 1099-K reporting threshold for third party reporting doesn’t change what counts as income or how tax is calculated. Find more information at Understanding Your Form 1099-K.
Figuring estimated tax
To figure estimated tax, taxpayers must calculate their expected Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), taxable income, taxes, deductions and credits for the year. To figure 2023’s estimated tax, it may be helpful to use income, deductions and credits from 2022 as a starting point. Taxpayers can use the tools on IRS.gov to check if they are required to pay estimated taxes. The Tax Withholding Estimator, the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant and the worksheet in Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals all offer clear step-by-step instructions.
Avoid a penalty for underpayment
Taxpayers who underpay their taxes may have to pay a penalty regardless of whether they paid through withholding or through estimated tax payments. Late and skipped estimated tax payments can incur penalties even if a refund is due when a tax return is filed.
Taxpayers should use Form 2210, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates, and Trusts, to see if they owe a penalty. Taxpayers can also request a waiver of the penalty if they underpaid because of unusual circumstances and not willful neglect.
Special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers such as farmers, fishermen, casualty and disaster victims, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees and those who receive income unevenly during the year.
Paying the easy way
An electronic payment is the easiest, fastest and most secure way to make an estimated tax payment. The Payments page on IRS.gov provides complete tax payment information, how and when to pay, payment options and more.
Taxpayers can securely log into their IRS Online Account or use IRS Direct Pay to submit a payment from their checking or savings account.
Taxpayers can also pay using a debit card, credit card or digital wallet. Taxpayers should note that the payment processor, not the IRS, charges a fee for debit and credit card payments. Both Direct Pay and the pay by debit card, credit card or digital wallet options are available online at IRS.gov/payments and through the IRS2Go app.
Taxpayers can also use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to make an estimated tax payment. Payment by check or money order made payable to the “United States Treasury” is also an option. The IRS encourages taxpayers earning income not normally subject to withholding to consider making estimated tax payments throughout the year to stay current and avoid a surprise at tax time. The fourth and final estimated tax payment for tax year 2023 is due on Jan. 16, 2024.
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US wants G20 to help reshape multilateral development banks like IMF and World Bank
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US wants the G20 countries to help reshape and scale up multilateral development banks like the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a top White House official has said.
White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication John Kirby said on Wednesday, September 6, the US will make it clear during President Joe Biden’s visit to India that it remains committed to the G20 as a critical forum for all the major economies of the world to come together for global problem-solving.
“One of our main goals heading into the G20 is to help reshape and scale up multilateral development banks like the IMF, like the World Bank,” Kirby told foreign reporters at a news conference here on Wednesday.
“We know that these institutions are some of the most effective tools for mobilizing transparent and high-quality investment in developing countries. And that’s why the United States has championed the major effort that is currently underway to evolve these institutions so that they’re up for the challenges of tomorrow,” he said.
Kirby said Biden asked the US Congress last month for additional funds that would have the impact of helping increase World Bank financing by more than USD 25 billion, and the US is working with its partners to see if they can pursue similar contributions.
During his India visit, Kirby said, Biden will also be calling on G20 members to provide meaningful debt relief so that low and middle-income countries can regain their footing after years of stress on their economies and their people.
“We’ll also be making progress on other key priorities, from climate to health, and as I said at the very top, digital technology. In addition, we’ll spotlight the progress that we’ve been making on the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment that the President calls PGII,” he said.
Kirby noted that there will be continued focus on how the G20 deals with Russia’s illegal and ongoing war in Ukraine.
“The reality is that Russia’s war has already had devastating social, and economic consequences, and the poorest countries on the planet are bearing the brunt of that,” he said.
During the summit, Biden will call for a just and durable peace – one founded in respect for international law, the principles of the UN Charter, and the precepts of territorial integrity and national sovereignty, he said. “We will also continue to emphasize that the United States will support Ukraine for as long as it takes to redeem these principles,” he said.
“Last but not least – and this is certainly important – you’ll see that the United States will make it clear that we remain committed to the G20 as a critical forum for all the major economies of the world to come together for global problem-solving.
“The G20 itself, as a valuable and vital, as I said, venue, will be on the agenda. And in a sign of that commitment, the United States is looking forward to hosting the G20 ourselves in 2026,” said the White House official.
The G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.
The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).
(Source: PTI)
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FBI busts gang involved in armed robbery of Indian jewelry stores in US
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The FBI has busted a violent crime ring and arrested over a dozen of its members for engaging in a series of armed robberies of Indian jewelry stores and showrooms in several US States.
Between January 2022 and January 2023, the members of this gang, based out of Washington DC, targeted several Indian and South Asian jewelry stores across the East Coast, including New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida and Pennsylvania.
A total of 16 members of the gang have been arrested so far, with eight of them being apprehended this week.
“This indictment alleges a conspiracy to engage in a violent armed robbery spree involving commercial establishments throughout the Eastern Seaboard,” said US Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
One defendant is also charged with conspiracy to commit carjacking as part of the spree, and others are charged with laundering the proceeds from the robberies, he said “With an increasing number of robbery schemes that cross state lines, collaborative operations like this one are critical to holding accountable those who threaten the safety of our communities,” he said.
“It is devastating that firearm-related violence such as the crimes committed throughout this investigation has become so prevalent within our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Craig Kailimai.
The defendants targeted small businesses along the East Coast, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry from hardworking families, said Assistant FBI Director in Charge David Sundberg.
(Source: PTI)
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Nikki Haley only Republican presidential aspirant who can defeat President Joe Biden: CNN poll
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Indian American Nikki Haley is the only Republican presidential aspirant who can defeat President Joe Biden in the November 2024 polls, a CNN poll has revealed.
More than half a dozen Republican leaders, including two Indian Americans – Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy — are seeking to be the party’s presidential nominee. The race is currently being led by former president Donald Trump who is far ahead of others.
Releasing the results of its latest presidential polls, CNN said, “Hypothetical matchups… suggest there would be no clear leader should Biden face one of the other major GOP contenders, with one notable exception: Biden runs behind former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.” In an early gauge of a hypothetical Biden-Trump rematch, CNN’s poll finds that registered voters are currently split between Trump (47 per cent) and Biden (46 per cent), with the demographic contours that defined the 2020 race still prominent.
Biden is about even with Ron DeSantis (47 per cent each), Mike Pence (46 per cent Pence, 44 per cent Biden), Tim Scott (46 per cent Scott, 44 per cent Biden), Vivek Ramaswamy (46 per cent Biden, 45 per cent Ramaswamy), and Chris Christie (44 per cent Christie, 42 per cent Biden).
“Haley stands as the only GOP candidate to hold a lead over Biden, with 49 per cent to Biden’s 43 per cent in a hypothetical match between the two,” CNN reported.
That difference is driven at least in part by a broader support for Haley than for other Republicans among White voters with college degrees. She holds 51 per cent of that group, compared to 48 per cent or less for other Republicans tested in the poll, the news channel said. The Haley campaign welcomed the polls saying, “This poll confirms what many Democrats and Republicans are saying: Democrats are terrified of running against Nikki Haley.”
“When you ask President Joe Biden who they’re really worried about, you’ll hear one name. ‘If they nominate Nikki Haley, we’re in trouble,” said a senior Democratic strategist close to the Biden campaign. The Hill said those results are good news for Haley, a former United Nations ambassador under President Trump who is looking to build on a strong performance in the first GOP presidential debate late last month to challenge her former boss for the Republican nomination.
(Source: PTI)
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Judge rejects Mark Meadow’s bid to move Georgia election interference case to federal court
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A federal judge on Friday, September 8, rejected former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows’ bid to move his Georgia criminal case to federal court, a significant setback for Meadows and a troubling sign for former President Donald Trump, CNN has reported. US District Judge Steve Jones found that the allegations against Meadows contained in the Fulton County district attorney’s indictment on election subversion charges were largely “related to political activities” and not to Meadows’ role as White House chief of staff.
“The evidence before the Court overwhelmingly suggests that Meadows was not acting in his scope of executive branch duties during most of the Overt Acts alleged,” wrote Jones, a Barack Obama appointee.
The Friday ruling has significant implications for the former president and his 18 co-defendants in the Fulton County district attorney’s sprawling racketeering case, though the judge said the ruling did not apply to the other defendants. Meadows was the first of five defendants who already filed motions to move the case to federal court – and Trump is expected to do so, too.
Meadows unsuccessfully argued that his case, now playing out in Georgia state court, should be moved because the allegations in the indictment were connected to his official duties as White House chief of staff. His lawyers wanted the case in federal court so they could try to get it dismissed altogether, invoking federal immunity extended to certain individuals who are prosecuted or sued for conduct tied to their US government roles.
The judge’s decision could set the tone for the other defendants also trying to move their cases. It’s an ominous sign for the defendants who are hoping to invoke the same federal immunity protections.
The judge explicitly stated in his ruling that he is not offering any opinion about Fulton County’s underlying criminal case against Meadows, who has pleaded not guilty.
Jones wrote in the decision that Meadows had not met even the “‘quite low’ threshold for removal” to federal court, because his activities for the Trump campaign were outside the scope of his federal role as White House chief of staff.
“The Court finds that the color of the Office of the White House Chief of Staff did not include working with or working for the Trump campaign, except for simply coordinating the President’s schedule, traveling with the President to his campaign events, and redirecting communications to the campaign,” Jones wrote. “Thus, consistent with his testimony and the federal statutes and regulations, engaging in political activities is exceeds the outer limits of the Office of the White House Chief of Staff.”
The Hatch Act, which prohibits federal officials from engaging in political activity as part of their official duties, was “helpful in defining the outer limits of the scope the White House Chief of Staff’s authority,” the judge said.
“These prohibitions on executive branch employees (including the White House Chief of Staff) reinforce the Court’s conclusion that Meadows has not shown how his actions relate to the scope of his federal executive branch office. Federal officer removal is thereby inapposite,” the judge wrote in the decision.
Meadows on Friday swiftly appealed the ruling to the US 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Indian American Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar distributes school supplies in South Queens
NEW YORK (TIP) : Indian American Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar hosted two major “Back to School” distributions at her office where she gave away over 1,000 backpacks and thousands of school supplies to the children of South Queens, New York.
Rajkumar, who represents District 38 in the New York State Assembly, secured private donors from outside her district to fund the distribution, bringing an abundance of high-quality backpacks and full sets of school supplies for the children of South Queens on September 5, according to a press release.
At the events. hundreds of children and their families came to the Assemblywoman’s office to receive backpacks, each containing a full set of school supplies including rulers, notebooks, glue sticks, folders, scissors, pens, crayons, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, and pouch bags.
Rajkumar has made education a priority throughout her tenure, the release stated. A regular fixture at school graduations across her district where she serves as commencement speaker, she also appears on the first day of school to greet each child as they walk in.
She hosts a summer reading challenge every summer encouraging kids to read. She regularly visits classrooms in the district as a guest speaker and serves as the keynote speaker for the Queens Young Debaters tournament.
Focusing on making the education system work for all diverse communities, Rajkumar this year led and won the historic fight to make Diwali a School Holiday in New York City’s public schools, the release noted. A diverse coalition of community groups in the district volunteered on the day of the school supply distribution to make the event a success.
These included the Ozone Park Residents Block Association, the Cityline Ozone Park Civilian Patrol, the Richmond Hill/South Ozone Park Lions Club, Queens Community Board 9, the Woodhaven BID, Glendale Kiwanis, the Bangladeshi American Society, United American Hindu Leadership Council, the New York Nepalese Help Post, the Ridgewood 123 Kiwanis, Kiwanis Club of Ozone Park-Woodhaven and the US Nepal Climbers Association.
“Education is the reason I am here,” Rajkumar said. “As the daughter of immigrants from India who came to this country with little, it was education that threw open the doors of opportunity for me.”
“Now, I am committed to ensuring all the children in my district have those same opportunities I had,” she said. “That is why I put everything in to making sure the children of District 38 are excited and prepared for the new school year.”
“Our area has never had this kind of incredible representation. I did not even know who my Assembly member was until Assemblywoman Rajkumar,” said Juana Chavez, a local resident. “She looks out for all of us, and our children’s education, by delivering the supplies and help we need. Thanks to her, my son will be ready for school.”
“The Assemblywoman is always in the community helping us. She has so much energy that I wonder how she does it all. She helps us with so many things,” said Claudette Gosta, another mother.
“She did a free medical clinic, food distributions, rain barrels, mammograms, and a rock concert. Now she is helping us with backpacks and other supplies so that my children have everything for the school year.”
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Remembering 9/11 Twenty-Two Years Later
Prof. Indrajit S. Saluja On September 11, 2001, the world changed forever. Two decades later, the impact of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., still reverberates through our collective memory. The events of that fateful day, commonly referred to as 9/11, remain etched in our hearts and minds as a solemn reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of unity in the face of adversity.
The morning of September 11, 2001, began like any other day for millions of Americans. But as the day unfolded, it became clear that this was no ordinary day. At 8:46 AM, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan. Less than 20 minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. Shock and disbelief spread like wildfire across the nation as the world watched in horror.
At 9:37 AM, the Pentagon, the symbol of American military might, was also targeted when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into its western side. The attacks were orchestrated by the terrorist organization al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, and claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people.
In the midst of chaos and despair, 9/11 brought out the best in America. Strangers helped one another, first responders rushed towards danger, and communities rallied together. Firefighters, police officers, and countless volunteers risked their lives to rescue survivors from the rubble. The heroic actions of these individuals became a testament to the resilience and courage of the American spirit.
The aftermath of 9/11 saw a remarkable display of unity. Political differences were set aside as the nation came together to heal. The phrase “United We Stand” took on new meaning as Americans from all walks of life demonstrated their solidarity and determination to overcome this tragedy. The world watched as the United States stood strong, vowing to rebuild and not be broken by the terrorists’ actions.
The repercussions of 9/11 were not limited to the United States. The attacks marked a turning point in global geopolitics, sparking the War on Terror and leading to U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq. The world faced an increased threat of terrorism, and security measures were heightened at airports and public spaces across the globe. 9/11 served as a stark reminder of the need for international cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
As we commemorate the twenty-second anniversary of 9/11, it is essential to remember and honor the victims of this tragic day. The names of those who perished in the attacks, as well as the brave first responders who sacrificed their lives to save others, should forever be etched in our hearts. Memorials such as the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City and the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, serve as poignant reminders of the lives lost and the resilience of a nation.
As we pause to remember the victims and the heroes of 9/11, may we find strength in our shared humanity and hope for a brighter, more peaceful future.
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The India-US moment: Both looking to make G20 summit a success
The absence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin from the upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi has offered an opportunity to India and the US to not only hog the limelight but also drive the agenda of the high-profile multilateral event. With Joe Biden looking forward to his first visit to India as the US President, the two nations will be keen to showcase their growing ties and take their bilateral engagement to the next level. Though Biden has expressed disappointment over President Xi not attending the Delhi summit, he will be keen to make the most of the situation. Regarding the two prominent absentees, India has made it clear that the focus should be on the position taken by the countries on key issues, not on the ‘levels of representation’.
Even as the G20 nations are set to hold discussions on globally relevant issues such as food security, debt restructuring and cooperation on climate change, the elephant in the room will obviously be the Russia-Ukraine war. Over the past year and a half, India has deftly walked a diplomatic tightrope on the raging conflict in eastern Europe. It goes to the credit of both New Delhi and Washington that they have not allowed their differences on this matter to impact their strong bilateral relationship.
Though China has stated that it is ‘ready to work with all parties’ to make the Delhi summit a success, it would be unreasonable to expect Beijing to toe the India-US line regarding consensus on the Leaders’ Declaration — the joint statement that has often proved to be a contentious issue at G20 summits. The same would hold true for China’s close ally Russia. Undoubtedly, India and America will remain wary of possible attempts by Beijing and Moscow to play spoilsport on the G20 platform.
(Tribune, India)
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Remove Names of Elected Officials from County-Owned Signs and Properties: Legislator Lafazan
MINEOLA, N.Y. (TIP): Names of elected officials would be permanently removed from County signs and properties under a proposed resolution that was introduced on Monday, Aug. 21 by Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan (D – Woodbury).
Under Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, the County would be required to remove the names of current County officials from signs and property, including but not limited to portable “showmobile” stages, within 60 days of enactment. Thereafter, the names of current and future County officials will no longer be placed on County-owned signs or properties. The only exception to the rule would permit the posting of an official’s name on County signs only if it is for honorary purposes, such as a ceremonial renaming of a park or street in the official’s memory.
The goal, Legislator Lafazan said, is to redirect taxpayer resources to more worthwhile endeavors by eliminating the need to produce and update hundreds of signs every two years or sooner based upon whom is elected to County office.
“There is simply no justification for wasting taxpayer dollars and the labor of Nassau County’s skilled workforce to perpetuate such a brazen form of taxpayer-funded self-promotion,” Legislator Lafazan said. “In a day and age in which all of the vital information about our elected officials is right at our fingertips, it’s long past time to remove any semblance of politicking from our County-owned public spaces by ending this practice once and for all.”
Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, which is co-sponsored by the unified Minority Caucus, would restore a policy that was implemented during the administration of former Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. However, shortly after taking office in 2022, the administration of current County Executive Bruce Blakeman reversed the policy, and the County Executive’s name was subsequently installed in gigantic print on County-owned “show-mobiles,” affixed to generic signage installed during between 2018 and 2021, and in numerous instances at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park.
Objections to the Eisenhower Park signage led to the further postponement of the 20th annual “Just Wild About Harry” tribute concert, which was previously scheduled by the County for Aug. 28. Legislator Lafazan’s proposal, which was initially filed a week earlier, predates public awareness of this dispute between the County Executive and “Just Wild About Harry” organizers; thereafter, Legislator Lafazan amended the proposal to add a provision directing the Nassau County Department of Public Works and Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums to immediately accommodate requests from vendors to remove signage from county signs and properties prior to the 60-day deadline.
“Harry Chapin’s mission was all about feeding the hungry,” Legislator Lafazan said. “County Executive Blakeman, on the other hand, has proven time and again that he is all about feeding his own ego. It’s time to get our priorities back in order here in Nassau County.”
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4 Indian Americans among 5 held for illegally processing over USD 600 million through unlicensed money transmitting businesses
EDISON, NJ (TIP): Five men, including four Indian Americans, have been arrested on charges of illegally processing more than USD 600 million through unlicensed money-transmitting businesses, an attorney said.
US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said the four Indian Americans were Raj Vaidya (26), Rakesh Vaidya (51), Shrey Vaidya (23), and Neel Patel (26), all residents of Edison, New Jersey. The fifth person is Youssef Janfar, (57) from Great Neck, New York, the attorney said. They were arrested on Thursday, September 7.
According to court documents, Raj Vaidya, Rakesh Vaidya, Shrey Vaidya, and Neel Patel operated numerous purported diamond, gold, and jewelry companies in New York City’s Diamond District since 2019.
Federal prosecutors said Janfar also operated companies in the Diamond District, including the Rodeo of New York.
They used these and other entities as fronts for illegal financial transactions of hundreds of millions of dollars for customers. It included converting cash to checks or wire transfers in exchange for substantial fees, the prosecutors said.
At times, the accused moved millions of dollars in cash in a day. None of their companies were registered as money transmitting businesses with New York, New Jersey, or the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the court papers said.
The charge of operating and aiding and abetting the operation of an illegal money-transmitting business carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of USD 250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offence or of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offence, whichever is greatest.
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IT’S BACK TO SCHOOL TIME: COVID 19, FLU SHOTS AND OTHER VACCINATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A HEALTHY SCHOOL YEAR
NEW YORK, NY (TIP): NYC Health + Hospitals today reminded parents and guardians to schedule appointments for annual physicals, immunizations, vision and hearing, and other regular checkups. Public school starts on Thursday, September 7th. Appointments for pediatric and adolescent services are available at NYC Health + Hospitals locations citywide at little or no cost by calling 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692).
“A healthy start to the new school year begins with a regular visit to a child’s pediatrician,” said Katherine Piwnica-Worms, MD, MHS, NYC Health + Hospitals Assistant Vice President of Pediatrics. “Having a regular doctor or visiting a pediatric group is essential not only at the beginning of the school year, but all year round. This will enable parents to get answers to health-related questions about their child, and to help their child address any emerging physical and mental health needs. Parents can call 844-NYC-4NYC now to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician.”
NYC Health + Hospitals offers comprehensive pediatric and adolescent health services at little or no cost. Pediatric services include immunizations and annual flu shots, physicals, asthma and diabetes screenings, obesity prevention, nutrition counseling, dental services, mental health screenings and counseling. Adolescent services for those aged 12 and older include primary care, sexual and reproductive health services, LGBTQIA+ care, mental health and depression help, and sport physical and sports injury care.
As children return back to school this week, below are essential tips for keeping kids healthy this school year and beyond:
- Annual Physicals – Yearly physicals are important to ensure children are growing and developing properly.
- COVID-19 Readiness – Children aged 6 months and older should ideally get their first vaccine dose and be fully vaccinated before school or daycare starts.
- Flu Shots – Every child six months or older should get the flu shot once every year.
- Other Vaccinations – Vaccines are necessary to help protect children and others against disease. In New York City, all students must get their age-appropriate vaccinations in order to attend childcare or school.
- Vision and Hearing Tests – Children should have their hearing and vision routinely tested with their doctor from infancy through high school. Watch for signs of hearing or vision loss and talk to your child’s doctor if you notice any changes.
- Nutrition – Parents can help kids make healthy food choices – even at school. Encourage them to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. When eating bread or pasta, choose 100% whole grain products. Encourage them to choose water, not juice or soda.
- Routines – Consistent routines help keep children alert and productive during the school year and can be a life-saver when it comes to avoiding problems at bedtime. Afterschool routines should include consistent after school activity and homework schedules, TV time, dinner schedules, and bedtime routines.
- Sleep – Adequate sleep helps keep kids focused each day at school and is important for their health.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Indian-origin Tharman Shanmugaratnam wins Singapore presidential election
SINGAPORE (TIP): Registering a landslide victory in Singapore’s presidential election, Tamil-origin economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam said his win is a vote of confidence in the city-state’s future and vowed to build a ‘future of optimism’.
Tharman received a resounding mandate with a whopping 70.4 per cent votes in a three-way contest to elect the city-state’s ninth President on Friday. “I pledge and it will be my duty to use the roles and responsibilities of the President to advance this future of optimism and solidarity among Singaporeans.” Tharman said in his first remarks to the media after his win.
“Once again, let me just say that I am truly humbled, and I will honor the trust that Singaporeans have placed in me and respect all Singaporeans for the views they have expressed, including those who did not vote for me,” Tharman said, as reported by The Straits Times. Tharman’s rivals, Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian, received 15.72 and 13.88 per cent of the vote, respectively.
Congratulating Tharman for winning by a ‘decisive margin’, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the former senior minister would carry out his duties as president with distinction, having had a long and distinguished record of public service.