The Indian Panorama

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  • Purity of electoral rolls remains a priority, says Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar

    Purity of electoral rolls remains a priority, says Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar

    VIJAYWADA (TIP): Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Rajiv Kumar has said that firm directions have been given to all “formations of bureaucracy” to ensure free and fair elections in Andhra Pradesh.

    Briefing the media here on January 10, after the two-day review meetings organized on the preparations for the general elections, Mr. Rajiv Kumar called upon the people in cities and towns to give up the “urban apathy” so that the overall voting percentage, which was quite good in the State, goes up further.

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) had directed the enforcement agencies and the public administration at the district level to make a collaborative effort, rather than work in silos, to curb the flow of money and other forms of inducements, he said, and insisted that purity of electoral rolls remained a priority for the ECI.

    Deletion of voters
    As far as the complaints of large-scale deletion of voters were concerned, Mr. Rajiv Kumar said all deletions made since January 6, 2022, till August 30, 2023, were re-verified by the District Election Officers. Out of the 21 lakh deletions made, only 13,061 deletions (0.61%) turned out to be incorrect, he said, and added that they were since rectified. Mr. Kumar said the ECI was striving to provide best electoral experience to the voters and see that the political parties had a level-playing field. He did not mince words in saying that there had been a whopping 835% increase in seizures (cash and value of material allurements) in elections to the Legislative Assemblies of 11 States (not including Andhra Pradesh) from 2018-17 to 2022-23, from ₹366 crore to ₹3,427 crore, suggesting that influencing the voters continued to be a scourge being dealt by the ECI.

    As far as the cases of door numbers with more than 10 voters were concerned, a house-to-house verification was done for 1.57 lakh house numbers having 20 lakh-plus electors, and the number of such houses decreased to 65,964 with 9.49 lakh voters at the time of draft publication of the electoral rolls on October 27, 2023. Of them, 4.52 lakh voters migrated to other places and 26,679 were non-traceable, and others were staying in those house numbers. Ninety-nine percent of the cases were resolved with shifting of address of migrated voters and deletion of non-traceable persons. A total of 2.52 lakh households were identified as having door numbers with junk / zero characters, and 97% of them were corrected.

    Final rolls on Jan. 22
    The CEC further said the final electoral rolls would be published on January 22 and the total electors stood at 4.07 crore as on January 1, 2024. The numbers of female and male electors were 2.07 crore and 1.99 crore respectively.

    The State has 3,486 transgenders, 4.76 lakh persons with disabilities, 5.80 lakh voters aged above 80, 1,174 centenarians, 7.88 lakh first-time voters and 67,903 service electors.

    The electoral gender ratio in Andhra Pradesh was 1,036 (female electors present in electoral rolls against 1,000 male electors), Mr. Kumar added. Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Nitesh Kumar Vyas, and A.P. Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena were among those present.

    One voter at one place
    Mr. Kumar said a person can be a voter only in a single place and making false declarations in that regard would be viewed seriously and appropriate criminal action taken against him or her.

    To be a voter at a particular place, a person should be ordinarily resident there in strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the Representation of People Act, he insisted.

    This was keeping in view the likelihood of people who voted in Telangana trying to cast the ballots in AP also.

  • United States objects to providing defense material to Nikhil Gupta in Pannun case till appearance in New York court

    United States objects to providing defense material to Nikhil Gupta in Pannun case till appearance in New York court

    NEW YORK (TIP): The US government has objected to providing defense materials to Indian national Nikhil Gupta, detained in a Czech prison on murder-for-hire charges in a foiled assassination attempt on a Khalistani extremist, saying it will provide the information only upon his appearance in a New York court and arraignment in the case. Gupta, 52, was charged by federal prosecutors here in an indictment unsealed in November last year with working with an Indian government employee in the foiled plot to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who holds dual US and Canadian citizenships, on American soil.

    Gupta was arrested in Prague, the Czech Republic, on June 30, 2023 and is being held there currently. The US government is seeking his extradition to America.

    Gupta’s attorney filed a ‘Motion to Compel Production of Discovery’ on January 4 in the US District Court, Southern District of New York, requesting the court to direct federal prosecutors to provide “the defense materials relevant to its ability to defend the instant charges”.

    US District Judge Victor Marrero had on January 8 given the government three days to respond to the motion filed by Gupta’s attorney. The government, in its reply filed with the district court on Wednesday, said Gupta’s motion asking for discovery material should be denied.

    “The government respectfully submits this letter in opposition to defendant Nikhil Gupta’s motion to compel discovery during the pendency of his extradition proceedings in the Czech Republic,” federal prosecutors said.

    They said that consistent with federal rules of criminal procedure, “the government is prepared to produce discovery promptly upon the defendant’s appearance in this district and arraignment on this case. Before then, however, the defendant is not entitled to discovery, and he identifies no good reason for the court to order it”.

    In the government’s response, US Attorney Damian Williams said that Gupta had identified no legal entitlement or justification for discovery at this time.

    “The government stands ready to provide discovery to him, like any other criminal defendant, promptly upon his appearance and arraignment in this district. His motion to compel discovery should be denied,” Williams said.

    Gupta’s counsel in New York Jeff Chabrowe has said in his motion that the attorney representing Gupta in Prague in his extradition proceedings states that “no evidence or documentation of any sort has been given to him other than the US indictment itself”. He said Gupta had been interviewed in Prague “by groups of senior US agents on several occasions and continues to be interviewed”.

    “An order compelling discovery is particularly appropriate here” as Gupta “is being subject to repeated interrogations by US officials without the presence of the counsel representing him in his criminal case,” the motion by Chabrowe said.

    “The defense counsel present in Prague has no evidence or other case materials, other than the bare indictment. Most critically, the defendant continues (to be) interrogated by US officials, after the indictment, where his uninformed counsel has no ability to secure his rights. Accordingly, this court should order the government to comply with the defense discovery request here,” the motion said.

    Gupta’s motion said a municipal court in Prague had initially recommended extradition, “but several layers of judicial review remain before any final extradition order is issued”.

    It added that in the interim, Chabrowe asked the US Attorney’s office to begin providing discovery but the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York “refuses to do so”.

    The government, in its motion, rejected Gupta’s assertion that he has been subjected to repeated interrogations by US officials without the presence of the counsel representing him in his criminal case.

    “In fact, he has met only twice with US law enforcement authorities, the second time in the presence of counsel, and on both occasions, he was advised of his rights. In the first meeting, immediately after his arrest, the defendant waived his rights verbally and spoke with law enforcement agents.”

    The government said that the second meeting occurred in the presence of Gupta’s counsel in the Czech Republic, and when he declined to be interviewed, the meeting concluded. India has already constituted a probe committee to investigate the allegations.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Amid China tension, US to send unofficial delegation to Taiwan

    Amid China tension, US to send unofficial delegation to Taiwan

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Biden administration will send an unofficial delegation comprised of former senior officials to Taiwan shortly after the self-governed island holds an election for a new president this weekend, a move that could upset Beijing in an already-fragile bilateral relationship. A senior administration official confirmed the plan on Wednesday, January 10, without offering more details but said such a face-to-face meeting was the “most effective way” to engage the new Taiwanese government and convey US policy in the region, according to an AP report.

    China and Taiwan’s opposition party Kuomintang (KMT) have warned of the danger ruling party presidential candidate Lai Ching-te can pose to peace if he wins election this weekend.
    The KMT favors closer ties with China but denies being pro-Beijing. The poll is being closely watched internationally. Reuters
    The official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans, said the administration believed the move would contribute to peace and stability in the region. Beijing claims Taiwan to be part of Chinese territory and vows to unify with it eventually.

    In August 2022, Beijing reacted angrily by firing missiles and blockading the island after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at his most recent meeting with President Joe Biden in November, called Taiwan the “most sensitive issue” in US-Chinese relations.

    Washington has a security pact with Taiwan to provide it with sufficient hardware and technology to deter any armed attack from the mainland. The US has stepped up support for Taiwan and its democratically elected government in recent years as Beijing ratchets up military and diplomatic pressure on the island. The US government takes no side on the island’s statehood but insists the differences must be resolved peacefully. Biden told Xi in November that the US government opposes any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

    The US has endorsed no political party or candidate in Taiwan. Beijing has made it clear that it does not want a victory by Lai Ching-te, also known as William Lai, the candidate from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party known for its pro-independence leaning.

  • Israel strikes Gaza ambulance, killing medics; Israeli military denies bombing

    KHAN YOUNIS (TIP): A heavy strike on January 10 brought down a two-story building in the central city of Deir al-Balah, close to its main Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, killing at least 20 people, according to hospital officials. A strike killed six people in an ambulance near Deir al-Balah, including four crew, a medical aid group said. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said an Israeli strike on an ambulance in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday killed four medics and two other people inside the vehicle. The organisation said in a statement there were “six martyrs” as a result of “the IDF (Israeli army) targeting of a PRCS ambulance in Deir al-Balah,” adding that four were emergency team members.

    The Red Crescent had initially said four people had died but revised the figure, saying “two individuals who were in the ambulance at the time of the targeting sustained injuries and were later martyred”.

    The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident when contacted by AFP.

    Jagan Chapagain, the head of the International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, called the attack “unacceptable” in a social media post and said, “I strongly condemn their killing.”

    He added: “Protection of patients and health care workers is not negotiable. They must never be targeted.”

    The Red Crescent said the ambulance had been on Salah al-Din Road, a highway running north-south through the Gaza Strip that has in the past been used by thousands of Palestinians fleeing the Israeli military advance.

    Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said multiple people were killed in an Israeli strike near a hospital in Deir al-Balah.

    Israel denies bombing Gaza ambulance, killing medics

    The Israeli military on Thursday denied it was behind the bombing of an ambulance in the central Gaza Strip a day earlier which killed four medics and two other people.

    “A review was conducted based on the details provided to the IDF (Israeli military) which shows that no strike was carried out in the described area,” the army said in a statement to AFP.

    The Palestinian Red Crescent Society had said six people were killed Wednesday in an Israeli strike on their ambulance at the entrance to the Deir al-Balah area of central Gaza.

    The roof of the ambulance was completely destroyed and part of the vehicle was crushed, AFP photos show.

    Jagan Chapagain, the head of the International Federation for Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, called the attack “unacceptable” in a social media post and said “I strongly condemn their killing.”

    Crowds of mourners gathered Thursday for the funerals of the medics, a shredded and bloodied Palestinian Red Crescent uniform placed atop one of the white shrouds. The Red Crescent said the ambulance had been on Salah al-Din Road, a highway running north-south through the Gaza Strip that has in the past been used by thousands of Palestinians fleeing the Israeli military advance.

    (AFP)

  • Shelling kills 10 civilians in Sudan capital: Activists

    AL-JAZIRA (TIP): Ten civilians were killed on January 11 by artillery fire in a residential area of Khartoum, the capital of war-torn Sudan, pro-democracy activists said.

    Sudan has been gripped by nearly nine months of war pitting army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy, paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

    The conflict has claimed 12,000 lives, according to a conservative estimate by the ACLED analysis group, while the United Nations says more than seven million people have been displaced.

    In the latest bloodshed, the resistance committee of southern Khartoum said “10 civilians were killed by artillery fire in residential areas and the local market”.

    This committee is one of many groups that used to organise pro-democracy protests and now provide assistance during the war.

    Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have so far failed.

    (AFP)

  • Hezbollah targets Israeli base to avenge killings in Lebanon

    BEIRUT (TIP): Lebanon’s Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli command base January 9 in retaliation for the killings of one of its commanders and the Hamas deputy leader. Hezbollah and its arch-foe Israel have been exchanging near-daily fire across the border since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7.

    The Shiite Muslim movement, a Hamas ally, said it had targeted the “enemy’s northern command centre” in the city of Safed with “several suicide drones.” It said the attack was part of its response to the killings of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri on January 2 and of Hezbollah field commander Wissam Tawil on Monday.

    The Israeli army confirmed that a “hostile aircraft” had come down at one of its bases in the north and said that “no injuries or damage were reported.”

    On Saturday, Hezbollah said it had fired more than 60 rockets at an Israeli military base, also in response to Aruri’s killing in Beirut which was widely blamed on Israel. (AFP)

  • Bhutan’s Tshering Tobgay to become PM for second time

    THIMPHU (TIP): Bhutanese voters have elected Tshering Tobgay to become prime minister for a second time after his party won nearly two-thirds of seats, the election commission said in results released on January 10.

    Tobgay, head of the liberal People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who served as prime minister of the Himalayan kingdom from 2013 to 2018, won 30 of 47 seats in Tuesday’s election, official figures showed.

    The election was dominated by serious economic challenges that have called into question the Himalayan kingdom’s long-standing policy of prioritising “Gross National Happiness” over growth.

    Bhutan lies sandwiched between the globe’s two most populous countries, China and India, who watched the vote with keen interest as they eye strategic contested border zones.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Bhutan’s key trading partner, offered his “heartiest congratulations to my friend” Tobgay for winning the polls, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter. Tobgay responded by thanking Modi.

    “I too look forward to working closely again with you to nurture and strengthen the unique bonds of friendship and cooperation that our nations enjoy,” Tobgay wrote in a message on X on Wednesday.

    The 58-year-old, a former civil servant, is a passionate conservation advocate who holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in public administration from Harvard.

    Tobgay was also leader of the opposition in Bhutan’s first parliament when it was established in 2008, soon after the start of the reign of the present king. (AFP)

  • Afghan women detained over improper hijab: Taliban official

    KABUL (TIP): A Taliban official has said several girls and women were detained recently in Kabul for not covering themselves properly, after reports circulated of a crackdown in the Afghan capital.

    In a video posted on social media January 10, security official Ehsanullah Saqib told a gathering of religious scholars in Kabul’s western Dasht-e-Barchi neighbourhood that in the past week “we have detained several women and girls who were without hijab, with the help of women police”. Since returning to power in August 2021, Taliban authorities have imposed a strict interpretation of Islam, with women bearing the brunt of laws the United Nations has labelled “gender apartheid”.

    Women have been squeezed from public life, barred from travelling without a male relative and ordered to cover everything but their hands and eyes when outside the home, though many women still go out in Kabul without covering their mouths.

    Ehsanullah, addressing the gathering on Tuesday according to the video posted on X by Khaama Press and Amu TV, said the women and girls were detained because they were “totally without hijab”, wearing trousers or leggings and dresses, instead of a garment that loosely covers the whole body. “They were arrested to inform their families that their sister, daughter or wife roams without hijab and they should prevent this,” he said.

    Abdul Ghafar Sabawoon, spokesman for the Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue, told AFP the women had “only been advised by female police to have greater respect and dignity (in observing hijab)”.

    “No woman has been disrespected or humiliated, nor do we have anyone in the custody in connection to this.”

    In a recent post on X, the ministry denied some images circulating were of police rounding up women over not wearing hijab, saying they were pictures of authorities removing beggars from the streets.

    A human rights activist in Afghanistan who asked not to be identified said the detentions were meant to “put pressure on families to force women and girls to wear hijab and instil fear in women and girls through their families”.

    “This is the first time the Taliban has arrested women and girls from the streets openly” over hijab, she told AFP. (AFP)

  • Four people killed in terrorist attack in Pakistan: Police

    PESHAWAR (TIP): At least four people, including three policemen, were killed after terrorists attacked a toll plaza in Pakistan’s northwestern region on January 10, police said. The incident happened when unidentified terrorists attacked Laachi toll plaza in Kohat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday morning. “Terrorists attacked the Laachi toll plaza in KPK provinces’ Kohat district. Four people including three policemen were killed,” said the police.

    Heavy contingent of police rushed to the site to control the situation. After the incident, the police have sealed the entire area and started massive combing operation to arrest the culprits involved in the assault.

    KPK’s caretaker Chief Minister Justice (Retired) Arshad Hussain condemned the attack.

    He Praised the services and sacrifices of the KPK police in war against terrorism.

    “The entire nation stands behind the police in their matchless struggle against terrorism,” he said. (PTI)

  • WARM UP THIS WINTER WITH GRAMMY® AWARD WINNING VIOLINIST & MORE

    • By Mabel Pais

    “What the New Jersey Symphony has established, bringing music to the Garden State in schools and in six different cities, is a sincere accomplishment. And it’s never been better.” – nj.com

    Augustin Hadelich (Credit / njsymphony.org)

    The New Jersey Symphony (NJS) presents one of the foremost concert violinists in the world, Augustin Hadelich, in three performances with Music Director Xian Zhang conducting.

    The GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist will play Beethoven’s monumental violin concerto of which Hadelich recently told ‘The Strad’ magazine, “Beethoven composed much of it in a high register that makes the sound shine with an incredible purity and transparency … [Its] length creates one of its greatest challenges: to sustain the long arc of the musical story, so it does not sound like an endless collection of ‘nice moments.’” Learn more about Hadelich at augustinhadelich.com.

    (left) Xian Zhang and Daniel Bernard Roumain. (Credit / njsymphony.org)

    Also featured on the program is a piece originally commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony for the virtual 2020–21 season, i am a white person who _____ Black people, by Resident Artistic Catalyst Daniel Bernard Roumain. Roumain, who goes by his monogram DBR, was limited in the original version to just strings and percussion, but has expanded the piece for this performance to include wind and brass instruments. This will be the first performance of the piece in front of a live audience.

    When speaking of the piece in 2020, DBR said, “With i am a white person who _____ Black people, I am extending what has traditionally been my choice given to any white person: how do you see me and other BIPOC people, and what choice of word or phrase best reflects your opinion of Black people? Your choice, in part, reflects who you are.” Learn more about Daniel Bernard Roumain at danielroumain.com.

    The performance closes with audience-favorite ‘Pictures at an Exhibition,’ written first as a solo piano piece by Modest Mussorgsky and later orchestrated by Maurice Ravel.

    PROGRAM

    Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with Augustin Hadelich

    New Jersey Symphony Classical

    Xian Zhang conductor

    Augustin Hadelich violin

    New Jersey Symphony

    Princeton → Friday, January 12, 2024, 8 pm Richardson Auditorium in Princeton

    Red Bank → Saturday, January 13, 2024, 8 pm Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank

    Newark → Sunday, January 14, 2024, 3 pm New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark

    Daniel Bernard Roumain i am a white person who _____ Black people

    Beethoven Violin Concerto

    Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition

    ———————————————————————-

    EXPERIENCE MANY FACETS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM THROUGH MUSIC

    By Mabel Pais

    The New Jersey Symphony (NJS) presents a concert program called ‘The American Dream,’ focused on the many facets that make up the long-held idea of the American Dream, the stories of those who have immigrated to America, and the differences found in the American experience through different cultures.

    PROGRAM

    Rob Kapilow. (Credit / njsymphony.org)

    The American Dream

    Featuring Music from Leonard Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story’ and the ‘On the Town’

    Includes World Premiere by Rob Kapilow (Jan 20 & 21 only)

    Xian Zhang conductor

    Rob Kapilow conductor (Jan 20 & 21 only) 

    JCC Young People’s Chorus @ Thurnauer | Emma Brondolo, artistic director (Jan 20 & 21 only)

    Young People’s Chorus of New York City® | Francisco J. Núñez, artistic director and founder (Jan 20 & 21 only)

    Ember Choral Arts | Deborah Simpkin King, artistic director (Jan 20 & 21 only)

    New Jersey Symphony

    Daniel Bernard Roumain i am a white person who_____ Black people (Jan 18 only)

    Still Darker America

    Rob Kapilow We Came to America (World Premiere, Commissioned by the Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades) (Jan 20 & 21 only)

    Bernstein Three Dance Episodes from On the Town

    Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

    TICKETS

    Tickets for any of the concerts can be purchased by phone 1.800.ALLEGRO (255.3476) or njsymphony.org.

    More information on concerts and tickets, visit njsymphony.org/events.

    The Thurnauer School of Music

    Learn more about the School and artist-in-residence Rob Kapilow at jccotp.org/arts/thurnauer-school

    The Young People’s Chorus of New York City 

     Learn more about the Chorus and Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez  at ypc.org.

    Ember Choral Arts (formerly Schola Cantorum on Hudson)

    Learn more at emberarts.org.

    The New Jersey Symphony (NJS)

    Connect with NJS:

    njsymphony.org

    @NJSymphony on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, formerly known as Twitter @NewJerseySymphony on YouTube 

    Email: information@njsymphony.org 

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Education, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, and Business)

  • BEAT THE WINTER BLUES THIS JANUARY AT MPAC

    • By Mabel Pais

    The Morristown Performing Arts Center’s (MPAC, mayoarts.org) features a fun mix of January events, especially for families, to beat the Winter blues and get out for a fun outing.

    Here’s the list…..

    Face 2 Face: A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel

    Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 8 pm

    Friday, January 12, 2024 at 8 pm

    Come celebrate the two greatest “Piano Men” of our generation in this tribute concert starring David Clark as Billy Joel and Jeff Scott as Elton John, performing hits like “Crocodile Rock,” “I’m Still Standing,” “You May Be Right,” “Piano Man” and much more!

    LIMITED TICKETS

    Dancing with the Stars: Live! – 2024 Tour

    Sunday, January 14 at 3 pm and 7 pm

    See the ballroom brought to life in this brand-new production featuring your favorite ‘Dancing with the Stars’ pros, PLUS special guest stars joining the pros this year! With dazzling routines in every style, jaw-dropping talent, and non-stop entertainment, it’s sure to be an unforgettable night full of all the magic of the TV show and more!

    DRUMLine Live

    Thursday January 18, 2024 at 7 pm

    Drumline. (Credit : mayoarts.org)

    DRUMLine Live, the show stopping attraction created by the musical team behind the hit movies ‘Drumline and Drumline: A New Beat,’ embodies the soulful, high-stepping style of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching band experience. With its riveting rhythms, bold beats, and ear grabbing energy, DRUMLine Live is a high octane musical roller coaster ride that is guaranteed to touch every emotion in your body. You will be on your feet by Halftime!!

    Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Save My Life

    An Award-winning, Inspirational True Story

    Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 7:30 pm

    When life took an unexpected turn, Keith Alessi finds that the healing power of music becomes the key to saving his life. This authentic true story is one sure to leave you feeling empowered, inspired, and ready to dust off your own long forgotten dreams. Presented in the round with the audience seated on stage.

    Hairspray

    Friday, January 26, 2024 at 8 pm

    Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 3 pm and 8 pm

    You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the ‘60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat, ”HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times). This all-new touring production reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences.

    All Programs are Subject to Change.

    ——————————————————-

    OFFERING SPRING PERFORMING ARTS CLASSES FROM THREE TO ADULT

    By Mabel Pais

    Registration for MPAC’s spring Performing Arts Classes is ongoing.

    MPAC Performing Arts Company. (Credit : mayoarts.org)

    Classes begin the week of January 22 and run for 14 weeks. Classes will be offered for children as young as three through adult. Classes include musical theatre, acting, improv, audition technique, private voice lessons, and The Miracle Project, MPAC’s program for children on the autism spectrum and with specific needs.

    Registration will be processed on a first come, first served basis.  All classes must be paid for in full at the time of registration unless other arrangements have been made.  Limited scholarships available based on need.  For a scholarship application, visit mayoarts.org. For a list of classes, visit mayoarts.org/education/pas.

    NEW: Winter Enrichment Series!

    Beat the winter blues with one of our new and exciting programs!  MPAC’s new Winter Enrichment Series features Broadway master classes, magic and mayhem and open Mics. These limited classes run 3-4 sessions:

    Classes featured:

    THURSDAY OPEN MIC CABARET! Do you love to sing and perform?  Do you play an instrument and you’d love to jam with fellow musicians?  Are you looking for a fun way to release stress and socialize?  Join MPAC for this new casual open mic Cabaret!  Experience a true sense of communal artistry in a low stress environment!   Come and share your talents or feel free to observe and sing along! Hosted by seasoned performers & established accompanists  Ages 21 & UP!  Begins Feb 1 (3 sessions)

    MAGIC & MAYHEM A fun and interactive 6 week Magic Trick Workshop!! At each session, you will learn the secrets to, and get to keep, a number of fun and exciting magic tricks!  Develop the skills and confidence necessary to begin performing magic whenever you want and wherever you are! Ages 11-18

    BROADWAY MASTER CLASS SERIES

    With Mandy Gonzalez, Danielle Ferland, Bob Marks & Forrest McClendon!

    MPAC is thrilled to offer this unique opportunity for aspiring students and performers to work with an incredible line up of Broadway Performers, Directors and Teachers!   There are four exciting programs, each with a different professional who will work with students, tell their story, give advice on pursuing a career in theatre and participate in a Q&A!

    Register as a Participant if you are a serious and experienced performer.  Or, Register as an Observer to watch the class and participate in the Q&A!

    Each session is being sold separately. 

    For a list of Winter Enrichment classes, visit mayoarts.org/education/performing-arts-company

    Auditions for Spring 2024 Musical coming soon!

    Auditions will be announced soon for MPAC’s 10th annual Main Stage Musical!  This fully produced musical offers young performers the unique opportunity to be a part of professional production for thousands of MPAC patrons! Check back soon for the show announcement and audition details!

    The Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)

    Learn more at mayoarts.org.

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Education, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, and Business)

  • CELEBRATE THE JOY OF MUSIC  WITH FIVE CHOIRS

    CELEBRATE THE JOY OF MUSIC  WITH FIVE CHOIRS

    • By Mabel Pais

    Nearly two hundred choristers in the New Jersey Youth Chorus (NJYC) present a Winter Concert on Sunday, January 21 at 4:00 p.m. at Ridge Performing Arts Center located at 268 South Finlay Avenue in Basking Ridge.

    “All five of our choirs look forward to lifting their voices to celebrate the joy of music and song at this annual winter event. We hope you will join us and enjoy a wide variety of repertoire performed with beauty and artistry,” said NJYC Founder and Director Trish Joyce.

    PROGRAM

    Joyful selections performed by NJYC’s youngest choristers, Primo Coro led by Trish Joyce and Coro Vivo led by Dan Malloy, include ‘Three Fiddle Tunes’ arranged by Robert Hugh, ‘Who Has Seen the Wind’ with text by Christina Rossetti and music by Edwin Childs, ‘Glory to God’ by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, and ‘Eneza Upendo (Spread Love)’ by Jim Papoulis.

    NJYC’s Sola Voce ensemble led by Joanna Scarangello will perform ‘JAM! (Jom – Ayuh – Mari!)’ by Tracy Wong. The Malaysian translation means, “Come, let’s go make some music together and sing while passing time! Leave your worries for a while.” They will also perform ‘I Started Out Singing’ by Jocelyn Hagen.

    NJYC’s most advanced ensembles, Camerata led by Dan Malloy and Coriste led by Trish Joyce, will perform ‘Hold Out Your Light,’ a traditional spiritual arranged by Stacey V. Gibbs; ‘Nada Te Turbe’ with text by St. Teresa de Ávila (1515-1582) and music by Andrew Steffen; ‘TāReKita’ by Reena Esmail, a piece based on the sounds of the Indian tabla and hand gestures, called mudras, used in Indian classical dance; and ‘And Sure Stars Shining’ by Z. Randall Stroope.

    TICKETS

    Tickets are priced for Adults, Students & Seniors and are available at NJYC.org.

    Wharton Arts

    Wharton Arts’ mission is to offer accessible, high quality performing arts education that sparks personal growth and builds inclusive communities.

    Wharton Arts’ vision is for a transformative performing arts education in an inclusive community to be accessible for everyone.

    Wharton Arts is New Jersey’s largest independent non-profit community performing arts education center serving nearly 2,000 students through a range of classes and ensembles.

    The 5 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, an auditioned choral ensemble program for students in grades 3–12, encourage a love and appreciation of choral music while nurturing personal growth and creative development.

    The 15 ensembles of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, which serve over 500 students in grades 3–12 by audition, inspire young people to achieve musical excellence through high-level ensemble training and performance opportunities.

    The Paterson Music Project, based in Paterson, is an El Sistema-inspired program of Wharton Arts that uses music education as a vehicle for social action by empowering and inspiring young people to achieve their full potential through the community experience of ensemble learning and playing.

    From Pathways classes for young children to Lifelong Learning programs for adults, the Wharton Performing Arts School has a robust musical theater and drama program and offers both private and group classes for instruments and voice for all ages and all abilities. With the belief in the positive and unifying influence of music and that performing arts education should be accessible to all people regardless of their ability to pay, Wharton Arts offers need-based scholarships.

    Wharton Arts is located in Berkeley Heights, New Providence, and Paterson, NJ and reaches students from 12 counties. All of Wharton Arts’ extraordinary teaching artists, faculty members, and conductors hold degrees in their teaching specialty and have been vetted and trained to enable our students to achieve their personal best.

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Education, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, and Business)

  • More to marmalade than meets the eye

    More to marmalade than meets the eye

    The Congress needs a recipe to connect with the masses and revive its fortunes

    “Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra has contributed to doing away with his ‘Pappu’ image. By any standards, it was an enormous feat of physical stamina and he stuck to his ideological message right through. It is difficult for his political rivals to call a person who has walked such a long distance as ‘Pappu.’ One can almost hear village elders and others who may be great admirers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi admit, “Chhora chala toh hai.” The fact that the Congress lost the Assembly elections in the Hindi heartland states has more to do with the great structural weaknesses in the party rather than Rahul’s image. Image matters in politics and, therefore, it is essential for Rahul not to convey that ultimately he is a ‘south Delhi’ boy — as the marmalade video does.”

    By Vivek Katju

    I begin  with an admission. I like orange marmalade a lot ever since I got used to its bittersweet flavor. The New Year’s Eve video of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi making marmalade in their kitchen, obviously from Chinese oranges from their garden, brought back memories of the marmalade made by my late mother-in-law from kinnows and oranges. Well-known foreign brands of Seville orange marmalade could never compare with those made by her. Since there is no possibility that I will ever have the opportunity to spread on a toast the marmalade whose recipe was given by Priyanka Gandhi, I will continue to consider my mother-in-law’s marmalade as the best. Just one more word on marmalade: Rahul calls it a jam. That is a sacrilege of sorts as marmalades are essentially jellies.

    Despite all the efforts being made by Opposition parties through the INDIA bloc, it is apparent that the BJP under Modi is ahead in the electoral race.

    But the Sonia-Rahul video was much more than mother and son bonding over making marmalade. Anything that they post on social media has a political purpose. Their political adversaries will use the video to emphasize the elitist nature of the family. This is because most Indians would never have heard about marmalade, leave alone tasting it. It is, therefore, intriguing that Sonia and Rahul did not take this into account before posting the video. The fact that Sonia said she could not wait to have ‘arhar ki daal and chawal’ on returning from abroad will not detract from the elitism evident in the video.

    It would have been a better communication strategy for the Gandhis to speak about marmalade in Hindi. Perhaps they could have said: “Yeh ek kism ka murabba hai jo ki narangi ya kinnow se banaya ja sakta hai.” And that farmers who grow oranges, kinnows and other suitable citrus fruit can try it out. That would have made the video less baffling to the ordinary Indian. However, there is a more fundamental issue.

    Just when it appears that Rahul is making efforts to ‘jodo’ (connect) himself and his ideology with the vast majority of the Indian people, he does something which, howsoever small and inconsequential it may be in the larger scheme of things, degrades his initiative. Thus, in this case, why couldn’t Sonia and Rahul think of making gajar ka halwa, which north Indians, at least, can readily relate to? The carrots may not have been from their garden; nevertheless, that would have sent out a mother-son bonding message. And, if they wanted to do something a little exotic with carrots, they could have made carrot murabba. Surely, Indira Gandhi would have initiated Sonia into the goodness of gajar ka murabba. And they could have also dwelt on the nutritional value of amle ka murabba, which is made in early summer. It would have been best if they had made besan ke laddoo.

    Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra has contributed to doing away with his ‘Pappu’ image. By any standards, it was an enormous feat of physical stamina and he stuck to his ideological message right through. It is difficult for his political rivals to call a person who has walked such a long distance as ‘Pappu.’ One can almost hear village elders and others who may be great admirers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi admit, “Chhora chala toh hai.” The fact that the Congress lost the Assembly elections in the Hindi heartland states has more to do with the great structural weaknesses in the party rather than Rahul’s image. Image matters in politics and, therefore, it is essential for Rahul not to convey that ultimately he is a ‘south Delhi’ boy — as the marmalade video does.

    As of now, despite all the efforts being made by the Opposition parties through the INDIA bloc, it is apparent that the BJP under Modi is ahead in the electoral race. Modi towers over the entire Opposition’s leaders. Besides, in the Hindi-speaking states and western India, unless some entirely unforeseen development occurs, it is a near certainty that the BJP will be victorious in the Lok Sabha election. The question is whether it will do as well as it did in 2019. It is too early to make that assessment.

    The fact is that the fortunes of the Congress cannot be revived unless it is able to make headway in Uttar Pradesh. It lost influence in UP more than three decades ago when its traditional voter base of high-caste Hindus, Scheduled Castes and Muslims abandoned it. Over the years, the Congress organization has become ineffective in the state. The problem is that the Gandhis, in the past two decades, have not focused sufficiently on UP. These two decades have also seen changes in the thinking of the Hindus in the Hindi heartland, including UP. It has moved towards reviving past glory and doing away with what they consider historical injustices. The Congress simply does not know how to respond to these changes with sustained clarity.

    Meanwhile, it is clear that the international community anticipates a Modi victory in the General Election. Had that not been so, a major country like France would not have accepted the invite to its President to be the chief guest at the Republic Day event, especially as it was publicly known that India’s first choice was US President Joe Biden. Biden’s presence in India four days after the Ayodhya ceremony would have been a great communication coup for Modi. The BJP would have used it to project Modi’s international profile, in addition to his position as India’s tallest leader. While French President Macron is a significant global leader, he is obviously not in the same league as Biden.

    (The author is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, India) 

  • Simultaneous elections are a rarity around the world

    Simultaneous elections are a rarity around the world

    “Fixed dates for elections to assemblies and federal parliaments are a more common feature than simultaneous elections at different levels of the political structure in a country. Canada, a federal polity with a parliamentary form of government, has enacted legislation at both the federal level as well as in its provinces, providing for a fixed date for holding of elections, with the date now varying from province to province and following a different timetable for federal elections. In Australia, the terms of the federal Parliament and the state legislatures (most of them) are three and four years, respectively, thus ruling out simultaneous elections.”

    By Manjeev Singh Puri

    The high-level committee on ‘One nation, one election’ (ONOE) has sought public suggestions regarding constitutional amendments and other arrangements for giving effect to ONOE. The main rationale for suggesting ONOE are time and cost savings. Since these factors are applicable globally, it bears noting that almost nowhere among federal parliamentary democracies are simultaneous elections held at the federal and provincial (state) levels. Indeed, the 79th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, which looked into the matter of simultaneous elections, could cite only two cases from across the globe — South Africa and Sweden.

    The South African elections, offering universal adult suffrage, began only in 1994 and the African National Congress, which led the freedom struggle, has continued to win throughout the country at both the federal and provincial levels (barring Western Cape). This is a situation not dissimilar to that of India during the first 25 years after Independence, when the Congress largely won across the country. The more competitive political scenario in India thereafter started showing up hung assembles (and even Parliament), floor-crossing, etc., resulting in dissolution and elections and at different times for Parliament and states as a gap of more than six months without a legislature in place, both at the Centre and in the states, is considered unacceptable for a democracy and not allowed in the Indian Constitution.

    Sweden has a unitary form of government with municipalities and regions, but the latter are not like provinces in a federal polity and don’t have a hierarchical relationship. Essentially, both are forms of local government undertaking different types of tasks. And the Swedish Constitution allows for early elections, but these are for the balance of the dissolved term.

    The Indian parliamentary panel’s report also refers to the UK’s decision in 2011 to have a fixed term for its Parliament. The report was submitted in 2015. Two years later, the UK Parliament, barely in its second cycle under the fixed-term enactment, overrode the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, which was repealed in 2022. The devolved assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in any case, follow their own timetable.

    Fixed dates for elections to assemblies and federal parliaments are a more common feature than simultaneous elections at different levels of the political structure in a country. Canada, a federal polity with a parliamentary form of government, has enacted legislation at both the federal level as well as in its provinces, providing for a fixed date for holding of elections, with the date now varying from province to province and following a different timetable for federal elections. In Australia, the terms of the federal Parliament and the state legislatures (most of them) are three and four years, respectively, thus ruling out simultaneous elections.

    The model for a ‘fixed date and tenure’ election that readily comes to mind is of the US, where presidential and gubernatorial elections are only held every four years and a system is in place for successors to take over if a President or Governor becomes non-functional. Lasting the full course through a succession process is possible, though it sometimes results in anomalies such as Gerald Ford becoming President in 1974 without having contested the election ‘at the level of the people’. It, moreover, bears noting that elections to the House of Representatives in the US Congress and state assemblies are held every two years. Given the US tradition of primaries, the country is practically in the election mode every other year. Interestingly, despite major efforts to build a consensus on simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and assemblies, the parliamentary committee’s best case was polls in two phases — for some states around the time of the middle of the Lok Sabha’s term and for others with the Lok Sabha elections.

    It is believed that a separation of federal and provincial elections ensures that voters are not cross-influenced by leaders or issues of the national election with the one in their state or province or vice-versa. Studies indicate that this is likely to happen when the regional party (or parties) in the fray doesn’t have a distinct identity and a cause that the voters can easily identify with and so differentiate between parliamentary and Assembly elections.

    Nevertheless, the idea that time and costs should not be unnecessarily incurred on repeated elections is a laudatory one. From experiences in Germany and, more recently, in Nepal, constitutional provisions that provide for greater political stability may be possible segues. For example, the German Basic Law and the 2015 Nepali Constitution only permit positive votes of no-confidence — such a motion must be accompanied by the naming of the next leader. Then there is the issue of setting the right precedent.

    In the UK, as also in Canada, attempts to fix the terms of Parliament were thwarted by the Commonwealth tradition of the Prime Minister having the right to dissolve the House and seek a fresh mandate. In Nepal, while the same tradition was sought to be invoked, its Supreme Court disallowed it on two occasions during 2021 and asked the House to elect a new leader. This ensured that the House elected in 2017 sat through its full five-year term with no additional expenditure on mid-term polls.

    (The author is a former Ambassador)

  • The Speaker’s court: On the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s ruling

    Maharashtra example shows why power to disqualify should be in independent hands

    The Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar’s ruling on the disqualification petitions filed by rival factions of the Shiv Sena demonstrates why the adjudicatory function under the anti-defection law should not be in the hands of Presiding Officers in the legislature. In a matter that many thought would decide the survival of the Eknath Shinde regime, the Speaker has ruled that there was no case to disqualify members of the Eknath Shinde faction, or 14 members in the Uddhav B. Thackeray (UBT) group. The ruling is based mainly on the finding that loyalists of Eknath Shinde, the Chief Minister now, constituted the ‘real political party’ when rival Shiv Sena factions emerged on June 21, 2022. Mr. Narwekar’s verdict conveniently draws upon some aspects of the Supreme Court’s final verdict of May 11, 2023, in which a Constitution Bench ruled that the Governor was wrong in asking the then Chief Minister, Uddhav Thackeray, to undergo a floor test and that the Speaker was wrong in recognizing the Shinde faction’s appointee as the party’s whip. In contrast to the Court ruling, the Speaker has declared that Sunil Prabhu, an appointee of the UBT faction, ‘ceased to be the duly authorized whip’ from June 21, 2022, and that Bharat Gogawale of the Shinde group was “validly appointed” as the whip. As a result, Mr. Narwekar found no reason to sustain the charge that the Shinde loyalists violated any whip. He also ruled that there was no proof that the UBT group violated the other side’s whip as no such whip was served on them.

    The Uddhav Thackeray group may approach the Supreme Court again, possibly on the ground that the Speaker’s ruling contradicts key conclusions of the Bench. While acknowledging the split in the Shiv Sena Legislature Party, the Court had said: “… no faction or group can argue that they constitute the original political party as a defence against disqualification on the ground of defection”. The Speaker has also referred to the Shinde faction’s “overwhelming majority” (37 out of 55 MLAs of the original party). On the other hand, the Court had observed that the percentage of members in each faction is irrelevant to the determination whether a defence to disqualification is made out. However, the Court had conceded that the Speaker may have to decide on which faction is the real party when adjudicating a question of defection. It favored reliance on a version of the party constitution and leadership structure submitted to the Election Commission before rival groups emerged. It is these observations that the Speaker has utilized to determine which group is the real party. As long as defection disputes are in the hands of Speakers, and not any independent authority, political considerations will undoubtedly cast a shadow on such rulings.

    (The Hindu)

  • Bilkis Bano case : Supreme Court rightly cancels remission of convicts

    Righting a horrible wrong, the Supreme Court has quashed the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. A pregnant Bilkis was gangraped and seven of her family members were murdered during the 2002 riots in the state. Sentenced to life imprisonment for committing these heinous crimes, the convicts had been released, ironically, on Independence Day in 2022. The state government had gone by the 1992 remission policy, which was in force when the conviction took place in 2008, and not the 2014 policy, which forbids the release of rape-murder convicts.

    According to the court, the rule of law was breached as the state government usurped power not vested in it. Calling this an instance of abuse of power, the SC said it was the government of Maharashtra, where the trial and sentencing took place, that was competent to take a decision on the remission plea of the convicts. The ruling is a major embarrassment not only for the Gujarat government but also the Centre. In October 2022, the state government had told the apex court that it had decided to release the convicts primarily due to three reasons: they had completed 14 years or more in prison; their conduct was found to be good; and the Centre had conveyed its ‘concurrence/approval’ regarding their premature release. They had been freed despite the CBI’s contention that the offences committed were ‘heinous, grave and serious’ and hence ‘no leniency may be given’ to them.

    Adding insult to injury, the convicts had been greeted with garlands after they walked out of the Godhra sub-jail. The court verdict is a stern reminder to the state and Central governments that they can’t make a mockery of law and justice and get away with it.

    (Tribune, India)

  • Rift within INDIA

    TMC-Congress tussle bodes ill for the bloc

    Two major constituents of the Opposition’s INDIA bloc, the Congress and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), are at loggerheads over seat-sharing in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections. Reacting to reports that the TMC would spare only two seats for the Congress, state Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has said that the grand old party would not ‘beg for seats’. His statement has elicited a sharp response from the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC, which has asserted that ‘badmouthing alliance partners and seat-sharing can’t go hand in hand’.

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC bagged 22 seats and was followed closely by the BJP (18). The Congress, which had won two seats, now wants a bigger piece of the pie. The party needs to adjust its aspirations to the ground reality. The Congress had drawn a blank in the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections, which saw the Trinamool retaining power with a thumping majority. In March last year, the Congress had won the Sagardighi bypoll; Left-supported candidate Bayron Biswas had stormed the ruling party’s bastion. The victory had prompted Chowdhury to comment that the Trinamool and Banerjee were not invincible in the state. However, Biswas had later switched over to the TMC. The INDIA bloc was formed a few months after the bypoll, but the Congress and the TMC continue to work at cross-purposes.

    The Congress’ apparent reluctance to take its allies along was cited as a major reason by the TMC for the former’s poll debacle in the Hindi heartland states last month. The Congress might be the biggest party within INDIA in terms of Lok Sabha seats, but its shrinking national footprint in recent years has considerably weakened its standing. The party should engage pragmatically with its partners to finalize seat-sharing at the earliest. Prolonged bickering and one-upmanship will only play into the hands of the BJP.

    (Tribune, India)

  • CELEBRATING THE “INCONVENIENT” MLK

    CELEBRATING THE “INCONVENIENT” MLK

    By Mabel Pais

    UPTOWN HALL: THE INCONVENIENT KING

    Date:           Sunday, January 14, 2024

    Time:           2:00 PM EST

    Location:     Apollo’s Historic Theater

    Price:       Free with RSVP

    Website:    apollotheater.org/event/uptown-hall-mlk-the-inconvenient-king

    PROGRAM

    The Apollo has a decades-long tradition of serving as a convener for its community as well as people from across New York City. That tradition continues as The Apollo partners with WNYC in our 18th annual celebration of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his enduring legacy on the culture.

    This year’s presentation focuses on a renewed commitment to understanding the context, confronting the complexity, and elevating our collective consciousness in the face of injustice and discrimination.

    NPR’s ‘Notes from America’ host, Kai Wright moderates the first hour of this year’s celebration. Music, spoken word and other forms of creative expression round out the afternoon. Check back for updates on this program.

    In collaboration with March On Washington Film Festival.

    Uptown Hall: The Inconvenient King is part of The Apollo’s Winter/Spring 2024 season.

    TICKETS

    Free tickets are available at ticketmaster.com/event/00005F9DCCE65133

    There is an overall 4 ticket limit for this event.

    ATTENDEE REQUIREMENTS

    This is a free event but a ticket is required. Free tickets are also available at The Apollo box office. You must show your e-ticket at check in. Seating is by general admission, registration and or possession of a ticket does not guarantee entry. Doors open at 1PM. Tickets not scanned by 1:30PM on the day of the event will be released to patrons in the standby line.

    This event will be recorded for broadcast and theater entry will confirm consent to be included in the recording.

    Accessible Tickets

    To better accommodate attendee needs, Apollo Theater has requested that special seating accommodations be solicited online and through their representatives. Contact Apollo Theater Box Office with questions at (212) 531-5305.

    ———————————————–

    APOLLO APPRENTICES PRESENT: MLK YOUNG CHANGEMAKERS

    Event Date: Monday, January 15, 2024

    Event Time: 4:00 PM EST

    Location:    Apollo’s Soundstage

    Price:        Free with RSVP

    Website: apollotheater.org/event/apollo-young-producers-presents-young-changemakers-2024

    THE BELOVED COMMUNITY

    Young Changemakers 2024 logo (Credit / apollotheater.org) 

    This year’s ‘MLK Young Changemakers: The Beloved Community’ explores the roots of Dr. King’s activism and the everyday faith that powered his vision of a beloved global community. The discussion will focus on issues of climate change, global migration and voting rights.

    Join The Apollo as the changemakers of tomorrow share their voices and resources to help the next generation become catalysts within their own beloved communities. With live performances and opportunities for direct action, this is THE space for youth on the National Day of Service. This event is curated by The Apollo’s Apprentices.

    Uptown Hall: The Beloved Community is part of The Apollo’s Winter/Spring 2024 season.

    This event will have ASL Interpretation.

    Featured Panelists

    DAVIDA PADI

    Davida Padi is a Ghanaian-American storyteller studying Social Media Strategies and Legal Studies with an Environmental Studies Concentration. She works at the intersection of mental health, climate change, and technology. Davida has worked with the UN Foundation’s United To Beat Malaria, MTV, and the Biden-Harris White House Administration. Davida is a Gilman Scholar, Johnson & Johnson Scholar, and a 2021 Martin Luther King Observance Committee Scholarship Awardee. She has been featured in Teen Vogue 21 Under 21.

    DR. NYLE FORT

    Dr. Nyle Fort is a minister, activist, and scholar. He works with organizers, artists, students, educators, faith leaders, and community members to build what Dr. King described as the Beloved Community: a global society rooted in the principles of love, freedom, and justice. Nyle has studied, lectured, and organized across the United States, India, Belgium, The Netherlands, Britain, Palestine, and more. He is currently an Assistant Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Columbia University and a faith-based organizer with the Dream Defenders.

    AJANI STELLA

    Ajani Stella is the founder and leader of Kids Fight Climate Change, a unique climate education group dedicated to teaching young people about the climate crisis. He is a 17-year-old climate activist living in New York City. He was named one of 30 under 30 worldwide for environmental education by the North American Association for Environmental Education. Ajani has been engaged with climate action since he spoke to the New York City Teachers Retirement Fund Board of Directors about divesting from fossil fuels when he was ten years old.

    F.L.O.G.I.C.

    F.L.O.G.I.C is a New York-based Christian duo composed of sisters Breanna and Taylour Dickerson. Born and raised on Long Island, New York, the sisters grew up singing and praise dancing in church, and their Pentecostal C.O.G.I.C. roots are the foundation for what they describe as “Worship Hip-Hop.” They were hand-selected for America’s Got Talent Season 14.

    RANA ABDELHAMID

    Rana Abdelhamid is an internationally acclaimed human rights organizer, 1st Degree Black Belt, public speaker, and social entrepreneur focused on the empowerment of marginalized communities. In 2022, she ran for election to the U.S. House of Representatives in New York’s 12th congressional district. Rana has been named a Truman Scholar and a Running Start Rising Political Star, and she has received a NYC Council Proclamation and an International Youth Advocate award from the UNAUSA Foundation.

    BRENNAN BRINK

    Brennan is the migrant shelter and immigration consultant at the Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) as well as a 3rd year M.Div. student at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. At ICNY, Brennan helps to strengthen and unify the work of Houses of Worship as they respond to the Asylum Seeker Crisis in New York City.

    FATOUMATA THAIM

    Fatoumata, now the Civic Leadership Youth Coordinator at the Muslim Community Network NY (MCN), embarked on a transformative journey from Senegal to New York City in 2009. In 2018, she founded the Noko-Boku Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing educational resources annually to elementary schools in villages and rural areas. Now positioned at MCN, Fatoumata is poised to contribute significantly to the organization’s mission and the growth of youth leadership.

    To learn more about each panelist, visit apollotheater.org/event/apollo-young-producers-presents-young-changemakers-2024

    TICKETS

    For Free tickets, visit apollotheater.org/event/apollo-young-producers-presents-young-changemakers-2024

    (Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, Spirituality, The Arts and Entertainment, Education, Health & Wellness, Cuisine, and Business)

     

     

  • PBS DOCS MAKE OSCAR CONTENDING SHORTLIST

    ‘Beyond Utopia,’ poster (Credit : pbs.org/independentlens)

    By Mabel Pais

    This winter season of INDEPENDENT LENS, a Public Broadcasting Station’s subsidiary, presents two acclaimed, Oscar®-contender documentaries that will debut in January. ‘Beyond Utopia,’ the gripping story of families who risk everything escaping North Korea, and the documentary short ‘If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis’ which explores the lives of people living in the rural South with limited or no access to healthcare, both recently made the shortlist for the 96th Academy Awards®.

    ‘Beyond Utopia’ will debut on January 9, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET on PBS and the 

    PBS App (pbs.org/pbs-app) – check local listings. They grew up believing their land was paradise. Now, they risk everything in escaping it. In an unforgettable documentary, follow families on a treacherous journey to defect from their homeland of North Korea, as the threat of severe punishment and possible execution looms over their passage, revealing a world many have never seen.

    ‘If Dreams Were Lightning,’ poster (Credit / pbs.org/independentlens)

    ‘If Dreams Were Lightning’ will be available to stream on January 10, 2024 on the PBS App and will also be accessible via PBS’s flagship YouTube Channel (youtube.com/PBS). Rural hospitals around America are closing at alarming rates, leaving communities without care. Oscar and Emmy-nominated director Ramin Bahrani visits Appalachia, where American communities are left with limited or no access to healthcare. Explore the rural healthcare crisis in the South through the eyes of those struggling in it and the dedicated doctors trying to reach them.

    The films enter the Winter Slate on INDEPENDENT LENS, the award-winning PBS documentary anthology series presented by ITVS. The films cover a wide range of timely issues including racial tensions, gentrification, mental health, representation, and humanity through the lens of individuals, families, and tight-knit communities.

    THE INDEPENDENT LENS WINTER SEASON Continues

    Rounding out the slate includes two films chronicling the fights of two distinct Black American neighborhoods—’Racist Trees’ on January 22 and ‘Razing Liberty Square’ on January 29. Continuing on February 5 with the inspiring end-of-life story ‘Sister Úna Lived a Good Death,’ and on February 19 with the headline-making ‘Breaking the News,’ the season closes on March 25 with ‘Greener Pastures,’ an intimate look at farmers’ lives in the American Midwest.

    For more information, visit pbs.org/independentlens

    Independent Lens

    Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Stream anytime on the PBS App. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.

     ITVS

    Independent Television Services (ITVS) is the largest co-producer of independent documentaries in the United States. For more than 30 years, the San Francisco nonprofit has funded and partnered with documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. ITVS incubates and co-produces these award-winning titles and premieres them on its  Emmy® Award-winning PBS series, Independent Lens. ITVS titles appear on PBS, WORLD, NETA, and can be streamed on various digital platforms including the PBS App. For more information, visit itvs.org.

    (Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, Education, Health & Wellness, Cuisine, and Business)

  • January 5 New York & Dallas E – Edition

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”E-Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F01%2FTIP-January-5-E-Edition.pdf%20%20″][vc_single_image image=”157106″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/TIP-January-5-E-Edition.pdf “][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F”][vc_wp_posts number=”5″ show_date=”1″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/ “][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/ “][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Governor cannot sack minister sans CM’s advice: Supreme Court

    Governor cannot sack minister sans CM’s advice: Supreme Court

    Amid a raging debate over the role of Governors, the Supreme Court on Friday, January 5, said the Governor of a state had to act on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers.
    A Bench led by Justice AS Oka dismissed an appeal against the Madras High Court’s order refusing to entertain a petition seeking sacking of V Senthil Balaji as a minister in the Tamil Nadu Government following his arrest in a money laundering case, saying no interference was called for under Article 136 of the Constitution under which the top court entertains special leave petitions.
    “Prima facie, the high court is right that the Governor could not have dismissed the minister. The Governor has to act on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. After having heard the petitioner in person and perusing the impugned judgment of the high court, we concur with the view taken by the high court,” the Bench said.
    While referring to the Governor’s discretionary powers in such matters, the high court had said, “If the Governor chooses to ‘withdraw his pleasure’ in respect of a minister, he must exercise his discretion with the knowledge of the Chief Minister and not unilaterally. In the present case, the Chief Minister had never consented for the exercise of discretion by the Governor.”
    Balaji was arrested on June 14, 2023, by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case related to a cash-for-jobs scam when he was the Transport Minister in the AIADMK government. Balaji was divested of his portfolios in the current DMK Government following his arrest but continued to be a minister. Source: TNS

  • Navy’s MARCOS rescue 21 sailors from ‘hijacked’ ship

    Navy’s MARCOS rescue 21 sailors from ‘hijacked’ ship

    New Delhi (TIP) – Marine commandos, abbreviated to MARCOS, of the Indian Navy on Friday, January 5, chased and boarded a Liberian-flagged merchant vessel that was taken over by armed hijackers in the Arabian Sea, and rescued the 21-member crew, including 15 Indians.
    The dramatic rescue came after the Indian Navy deployed a maritime patrol aircraft, drones and guided missile destroyer INS Chennai to assist MV Lila Norfolk, whose crew informed the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Thursday evening that five to six “unauthorised armed persons” had boarded the vessel 460 nautical miles east of Eyl in Somalia. All crew members of the merchant vessel were safely evacuated from a strongroom in which they had been sheltering to avoid being taken hostage. “Sanitisation by the marine commandos has confirmed absence of the hijackers,” a navy spokesperson said.
    No pirates were found on board and the vessel was proceeding towards Bahrain. It was not immediately clear when or how the hijackers fled the merchant vessel.
    Steve Kunzer, CEO of Lila Global, the operator of MV Lila Norfolk, confirmed the crew was rescued by the Indian Navy warship, and that the “vessel and crew are all safe”.
    The attempted hijacking by pirates was “probably abandoned with the forceful warning” from the Indian Navy and the interception of the merchant vessel by INS Chennai, the navy spokesperson said. INS Chennai remained with MV Lila Norfolk and provided support to restore power generation and propulsion so that the vessel could proceed to its next port of call.
    After Indian Navy helicopters issued a warning and helped “sanitise” the upper decks, the marine commandos from INS Chennai boarded MV Lila Norfolk and cleared the rest of the vessel. Predator MQ9B drones and the maritime patrol aircraft kept a close watch during the entire operation lasting several hours.
    The operation began soon after the crew of MV Lila Norfolk reported the incident to the UKMTO, a facility run by Britain’s Royal Navy that tracks the movement of merchant shipping in strategic waterways. The Indian Navy also coordinated with other agencies and a multi-national force in the area. INS Chennai, which was diverted from an anti-piracy patrol in the region, intercepted MV Lila Norfolk at 3.15pm on Friday. Earlier, the patrol aircraft overflew the ship and ascertained that the crew was safe.
    “The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international partners and friendly foreign countries,” the spokesperson said.
    MV Lila Norfolk, a bulk carrier, was sailing from Brazil to Bahrain, according to websites that track merchant shipping. Kunzer thanked the agencies that assisted in the rescue operation, particularly the Indian Navy, Captain Rohit Bajpai, the director of the navy’s Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, and officials of the directorate general of shipping. “We also want to thank the professionalism of our crew who reacted safely and responsibly under the circumstances,” he said in a statement. No group claimed responsibility for the hijacking. There have been growing concerns about shipping in regional waters following a string of attacks carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in support of the Hamas. The region where the incident occurred is also where Somali pirates are known to operate.
    The Indian Navy increased surveillance of the Arabian Sea after these attacks. It has currently deployed four destroyers — INS Kochi, INS Kolkata, INS Mormugao and INS Chennai — Talwar-class frigates and missile boats, and also used P-8I long-range patrol aircraft to ensure maritime security in the region.
    Last month, the Indian Navy deployed a maritime patrol aircraft and a destroyer after the Malta-flagged MV Ruen was boarded by hijackers in the Arabian Sea. The navy subsequently evacuated an injured crew member of the vessel to Oman for treatment. Source: HT

  • SC dismisses plea seeking to declare Netaji as ‘son of the nation’

    SC dismisses plea seeking to declare Netaji as ‘son of the nation’

    New Delhi (TIP)- Leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose are “immortal” and do not need bestowing of a recognition through a judicial diktat, the Supreme Court said on Friday, January 5, refusing to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought a directive to declare Bose a “son of the nation” and an apology from the Congress for allegedly belittling his role in India’s freedom struggle and not revealing the truth about his disappearance or death.
    According to the top court, judicial orders for a declaration to acknowledge Bose’s role in the country’s freedom struggle would be improper, for it may not be compatible with the stature of a leader like him to need a word of recognition from a court of law.
    “Who does not know a leader like Netaji? Everyone in the country knows him and his contribution. You don’t need a declaration from the court of his greatness. Leaders like him are immortal,” said a bench of justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan.
    The court was hearing a PIL by Cuttack-based Pinak Pani Mohanty, who sought a declaration from the court that independence from British rule was attained by Bose-led Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauz). Mohanty’s petition questioned the Congress’s role in recognising Bose’s contribution, adding the political party chose to keep the files on Bose’s disappearance/death under wraps.
    The PIL demanded that the Union government should declare Bose’s birthday on January 23 as a “national day” and the leader as a “son of the nation”.
    The bench, during the hearing, told Mohanty that iconic freedom fighters like Bose did not have to wait for an order of a court to the authorities for a commendation of their role. “Leaders like him are in fact beyond the grant of recognition by any court. They are great people and not just us, the entire county owes to leaders like him,” said justice Kant, speaking in Hindi.
    While Mohanty said that the court should issue notice to the government to grant recognition due to Bose, the bench responded that the declarations that the petitioner wanted were in the realm of policy decisions. “Besides, even the family may not take it as a matter of pride that a court had to intervene,” it added.
    The bench also referred to the Supreme Court’s order in 1997 when a controversy over awarding Bharat Ratna “posthumously” to Bose had reached the top court. The petitioner in the case, Bijan Ghosh, had taken strong exception to the use of the word “posthumously” in the 1992 press communique intending to confer the highest civilian award on Bose, arguing the Government of India was yet to officially accept the alleged report of Bose’s death in an air-crash in Taiwan in August 1945. At the time, the family members of Bose had also conveyed to the government their unhappiness at the announcement and expressed their unwillingness to accept such an award.
    In its judgment in 1997, the court took on record the Centre’s statement that in deference to the sentiments expressed by the public and by the members of the family of Bose, the government did not proceed further to confer the award and wrapped up the petition. The court had further refused to go into the issue as to whether there was enough material to conclude that Bose died either in the 1945 air-crash or at any time thereafter.

  • US trade representative Katherine Tai to travel to New Delhi next week

    US trade representative Katherine Tai to travel to New Delhi next week

    US Trade Representative Katherine Tai is scheduled to travel to New Delhi next week and will co-chair the ministerial-level meeting of the United States-India Trade Policy Forum with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Ambassador Tai will travel to India from January 12-14 and begin her trip with a meeting with Goyal. She is also scheduled to meet Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar later.
    On January 13, Tai will meet with civil society representatives, business leaders and stakeholders to discuss the Biden-Harris Administration’s engagement and commitment to fostering closer ties between the two countries.
    Tai’s visit marks the first trip to India in the new year by a senior Biden administration official.
    Tai and Goyal will co-chair the 14th ministerial-level meeting of the United States-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF). During this year’s meeting, Tai and Goyal will “discuss a broad set of issues to enhance the resiliency of the trade relationship, including agriculture, industrial products, services, and the protection of intellectual property, among other topics,” a statement issued by the Office of the US Trade Representative said on Friday.
    Last year, Goyal and Tai had co-chaired the 13th ministerial-level meeting of India-United States Trade Policy Forum in Washington DC on January 11. During his January 9-11 visit to the US last year, Goyal had also met with CEOs, addressed the Indian community and held roundtable meetings with business leaders and think-tanks in New York.

  • ED officials attacked during raid in Bengal

    ED officials attacked during raid in Bengal

    Kolkata (TIP)- A team of officers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attempting to raid the house of a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader in West Bengal was attacked by a hundreds-strong mob on Friday, January 5, morning, triggering a Centre vs state row and deepening cracks within the Opposition alliance.
    At least three ED officers sustained injuries after they were chased by the mob and pelted with bricks and stones at Sandeshkhali in the North 24 Parganas district while trying to search the premises of Shahjahan Sheikh, the local TMC convener, in connection with a multi-crore ration distribution scam.
    “Three officers have suffered grievous injuries as the mob has marched towards ED officials with an intention to cause death… other officers had to escape from the place of the incident without conducting search to save their lives as the mob became very violent,” ED said in a statement. The agency — which already arrested state food minister Jyotipriyo Mullickin October in connection with the case — said that the mob comprising 800-1,000 people attacked ED officials and 27 accompanying paramilitary personnel with sticks, stones and bricks, while shouting slogans against the agency and the central government. ED vehicles were also badly damaged, the statement added. Sheikh is an associate of Mullick.
    “We are taking legal opinion,” said a senior ED official, adding that the Union home ministry was informed of the incident.
    The unprecedented attack prompted a wave of condemnation, with state governor CV Ananda Bose summoning chief secretary BP Gopalika, home secretary Nandini Chakraborty and director general of police Rajiv Kumarseeking a report on the matter.
    “The sole responsibility for the wanton violence lies with the (state) government. If government fails in its basic duty then the Constitution of India will definitely take its course. As governor, I reserve all my constitutional options for appropriate action at the appropriate moment,” Bose said in a video message.
    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said law and order was coming apart in the state on chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s watch. Addressing reporters in?Delhi, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, “The ED officers, who were carrying out an investigation, came under attack by TMC goons and Rohingyas, who infiltrated Bengal. Jungle Raj is prevailing in West Bengal under the very nose of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.”
    Union minister of state for home Nisith Pramanik termed the incident an attack on the Constitution and the nation’s federal structure. “I condemn what happened in Sandeshkhali. No issue could be more contemptuous than attacking a central agency going to a state. It’s not just an attack on the team of a central agency but on the entire Constitution,” he said.
    He found surprising support from the Congress, an ally of the TMC as part of the 28-party Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA).
    Senior Congress leader and leader of opposition in the Lok?Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that he would not be surprised if any official is “murdered” in the state in the future. “After the attack by goons of the ruling government on ED officials, it is clear that there is no law and order in the state. Today, they were injured, tomorrow they can be murdered. Such a thing would not come as a surprise to me,” he said.