Author: Staff Reporter

Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Shows ‘100% Efficacy’ In Adolescents

Staff ReporterHealth, Science, Youth 0

The COVID vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech appears to work in children as young as 12 years old. That news comes from results from a study the company conducted in volunteers aged 12 to 15, reports here suggest

The vaccine was 100% effective in protecting against symptomatic disease in a study of more than 2,200 children, the companies said. Researchers also didn’t find any safety concerns. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was safe and effective in adolescents as young as 12, the drug companies announced in a joint news release last week.

New clinical trials showed that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine elicits “100% efficacy and robust antibody responses” in adolescents from 12 to 15 years old, the drug company announced last week. The trial included 2,260 participants; the results are even better than earlier responses from participants ages 16 to 25.

Pfizer and its vaccine partner BioNTech said they will submit the results “as soon as possible” to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, asking regulators to expand their authorizations for the vaccine’s use in young people.

Pfizer will submit the data “in the coming weeks,” Pfizer CEO and Chairman Albert Bourla said in a news release about the trial. Calling the results encouraging, he added that the company is acting “with the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year.”

The Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE safely protects children between the ages of 12 and 15, the companies said, results likely to lead to inoculations within that age group before this summer.

Data from a trial of the vaccine in nearly 2,300 people between the ages of 12 and 15 will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration in the coming weeks, with the hope that vaccinations could begin before the next school year.

“Across the globe, we are longing for a normal life. This is especially true for our children. The initial results we have seen in the adolescent studies suggest that children are particularly well protected by vaccination,” said Ugur Sahin, chief executive of BioNTech, the German company that developed the vaccine in partnership with U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

The findings, though expected, were much anticipated by parents, health authorities and school officials. They have been waiting for signs on when vaccines that adults have been getting could also be made available to children.

Like other authorized vaccines, the Pfizer-BioNTech shot hasn’t yet been cleared for use in adolescents under 16 years of age. Health experts say children will need to be vaccinated for a population to move past pandemic restrictions, like masking and physical distancing.

The vaccine was 100% effective at preventing symptomatic illness within the trial, with 18 cases of covid-19 in the group that received a placebo and none in the group that received the vaccine, the companies said. The vaccine triggered immune responses that were even more robust than those seen in young adults.

The data is the beginning of what many families, eager for normalcy to return, have been waiting to see. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is currently authorized by the FDA for emergency use for people 16 and older. If regulators extend the authorization to younger age groups, Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla said that vaccinations could begin before the school year.

Last week, Pfizer-BioNTech also started a trial in younger children, ages 6 months to 11 years. That trial will step down in age, establishing a safe dose first in children 5 to 11, then in 2- to 5-year-olds and then in children from 6 months to 2 years.

U.S. biotech firm Moderna is also conducting similar trials to test its coronavirus vaccine in teenagers and young children. Its vaccine is authorized by the FDA for emergency use for people over age 18.

Moderna, whose COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for people 18 and older in the U.S., is also testing its vaccine in adolescents; it announced a trial of around 3,000 participants from 12 to 18 years old in December. Moderna also said earlier this month it had administered the first doses of its vaccine to young children in a separate study that involves kids from 6 months to less than 12 years old.

Johnson & Johnson, whose vaccine got U.S. authorization one month ago, has also been moving to include children in clinical trials. The company will test the vaccine in only a small number of adolescents initially, with plans to expand the study if it is shown to be safe, according to a spokesperson at Janssen, the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that developed the vaccine.

In Win For Tech, Biden Lets Trump’s H1-B Visa Ban Expire

Staff ReporterCommunity, Immigration, Technology 0

President Joe Biden has let a pandemic-related ban on visas for certain temporary workers, enacted by former President Donald Trump, to expire Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The moratorium, which affected H-1B visas used by technology companies to hire foreign coders and engineers, was imposed last June. Biden has opted not to renew it.

Biden’s decision will please business groups from Silicon Valley giants to India’s IT services leaders, which had pressured the administration to lift the ban ever since the new president took office. Executives have grown frustrated that the directive was not immediately revoked, arguing it hurt U.S. companies.

In an update on Thursday, the US Department of State said visa applicants who were previously refused due to Trump’s freeze may reapply by submitting a new application. Visa applicants who have not yet been interviewed will have their applications prioritized and processed under the State Department’s phased resumption plan.

The Trump administration in June 2020 stopped the government issuing H-1B visas through an an executive order linked to the coronavirus pandemic. In October, Trump then placed new restrictions on H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers — rules that were struck down by a federal judge in December who said the administration failed to show “good cause” for issuing the rules on an emergency basis.

American tech firms, from Facebook to Google, rely on foreign talent to shore up domestic workforces. Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services traditionally dispatch Indian software engineers to work in tandem with their American clients, which include some of the largest Wall Street banks and technology corporations. It remains unclear whether Biden will ease visa restrictions in general, reversing curbs imposed by the former Trump administration.

Trump’s restrictions on guest-worker visas, which also covered non-agricultural seasonal laborers, au pairs and others, had been under review by the Biden administration. Biden last month withdrew a related Trump executive order that stopped the issuance of new green cards, citing the pandemic — a move that drastically cut legal immigration to the U.S. Trump had argued the policies were necessary to protect the American economy as it emerged from the pandemic-induced recession.

“To the contrary, it harms the United States, including by preventing certain family members of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents from joining their families here,” Biden said in a presidential proclamation at the time. “It also harms industries in the United States that utilize talent from around the world.”

The ban on guest-worker visas was not revoked at the same time. Temporary work visas are unpopular with labor unions and other worker groups who argue that they put American workers at a disadvantage to their foreign counterparts. Despite the Trump administration’s extension of the visa ban at the end of 2020, opponents of the restrictions had already found some success in court.

A federal judge in California granted a preliminary injunction on Oct. 1 in a lawsuit brought by several large business groups, including the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The groups argued Trump exceeded his authority by imposing immigration restrictions in his June 22 proclamation.

The Trump Justice Department appealed that ruling to the San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In February, the appellate court requested a status report from the parties by April 7.

Biden Unveils $2 Trillion Modern Sustainable Infrastructure Plans

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy, Nation USA 0

President Biden has unveiled a sprawling, ambitious infrastructure proposal that, if enacted, would overhaul how Americans get from Point A to Point B, how their electricity is generated, the speed of their Internet connections, the quality of their water and the physical makeup of their children’s schools. Under the Plan, Biden aims to tackle some of the nation’s most pressing problems – from climate change to decaying water systems to the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

The measure, called the American Jobs Plan, includes big infrastructure fixes that both major parties — as well as a majority of Americans — consistently say they want to see, including upgrades to bridges, broadband and buildings.

Biden’s plan would devote more than $600 billion to rebuilding the United States’ infrastructure, such as its ports, railways, bridges and highways; about $300 billion to support domestic manufacturing; and more than $200 billion in housing infrastructure. Other major measures include at least $100 billion for a variety of priorities, including creating national broadband system, modernizing the electric power grid, upgrading school and educational facilities, investing in research and development projects, and ensuring America’s drinking water is safe.

Biden’s plan includes measures unrelated to either infrastructure or the climate, such as an approximately $400 billion investment in home-based care for the elderly and disabled that was a top demand of some union groups. Additionally, the plan calls for passage of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, or PRO Act, a bill aimed at significantly strengthening workers’ rights to organize.

Biden’s plan lays out a large investment in clean-energy and environmental priorities. The programs include $100 billion to bolster the country’s electricity grid and phase out fossil fuels, in part by extending a production tax credit for 10 years that supports renewable energy.

The mega plan has met a chorus of opposition, with Republicans panning it as a partisan wish list, some liberals challenging it as not sufficient to combat climate change, and business groups rejecting its proposed tax hikes.

In a speech Tuesday afternoon at the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Pittsburgh Training Center, Biden pitched his plan as a transformative effort to change the nation’s economy. He called it the most significant federal jobs investment since the World War II era, saying it would put hundreds of thousands of electricians and laborers to work laying miles of electrical grid and capping hundreds of oil wells. He said the plan’s research funding would make the United States the global leader in emerging sectors such as battery technology, biotechnology and clean energy.

“This is not a plan that tinkers around the edges. It is a once-in-a-generation investment in America, unlike anything we’ve done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race,” in the 1950s and 1960s, Biden said. “We have to move now. I’m convinced that if we act now in 50 years people will look back and say, ‘This was the moment America won the future.’ ”

The administration’s promises are vast and may prove difficult to enact, even if the effort can get through Democrats’ extremely narrow majority in Congress. The immediate rejection of the plan by leading Republicans suggested that the path toward a bipartisan compromise on infrastructure would be very difficult to achieve, leaving the White House’s next move unclear.

The White House said the plan would enable drivers across the country to find electric charging stations for their vehicles on the road. Lead pipes throughout the country would be replaced. All Americans would have access to high-speed Internet connections by the end of the decade.

Biden released the spending plan with a slew of tax hikes on businesses, which could be the most contentious part of his proposal. The White House said the proposal would pay for itself over 15 years because many of the tax increases would remain even as the spending proposals only last for eight years. Biden said on Wednesday that the plan would reduce the federal debt “over the long haul.” Legislation in Washington is typically evaluated on a 10-year budget window, and it is unclear precisely what the plan would cost over a decade.

On the tax side, Biden’s plan includes raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%; increasing the global minimum tax paid from about 13% to 21%, ending federal tax breaks for fossil fuel companies, and increasing tax enforcement against corporations. The White House is also proposing as much as $400 billion in clean energy credits for firms, though the cost of the tax credit provisions is not detailed in what the administration has released.

The tax measures help Biden address concerns that his spending package would add to an already large federal deficit, but they provoked a torrent of opposition from GOP lawmakers and business groups. Congressional Republicans have also panned the tax increases as damaging to U.S. investment and competitiveness, and they have pledged to oppose them. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., denounced the measure. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chair of the Senate Republican Conference, said it amounted to an “out-of-control socialist spending spree” that reflected “the left’s radical agenda.”

“There is virtually no path to getting Republican votes. It’s too big, too expensive, and chock full of tax increases that are nonstarters among Republicans,” said Brian Riedl, a former aide to Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who works at the Manhattan Institute, a libertarian-leaning think tank.

Among Democrats, the plan has been met by objections from lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who say it is insufficient to meet the scale of the threat posed by climate change. Centrist Democrats are balking at another large spending package. Three House Democrats have vowed to oppose the package because it would not reverse a cap on state and local tax deductions from Trump’s tax law.

And a number of priorities critical to congressional Democrats, including an extension on the expanded child credit, a major expansion in health insurance coverage, subsidies for child care and free access to community colleges, are being left to a second White House package to be unveiled in coming weeks.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce criticized the proposed tax hikes in a statement on Wednesday, arguing that while infrastructure spending is necessary, “the users who benefit from the investment” should pay for it.

Biden, who has pledged to make the power sector carbon-free by 2035, will also ask Congress to adopt an “Energy Efficiency and Clean Electricity Standard” that would set targets to cut how much coal- and gas-fired electricity power companies use.

Investing in electric vehicles ranks among Biden’s top climate-spending priorities, with $174 billion designated for that market alone. White House officials predicted that the federal incentives, paired with spending by state and local governments and private companies, would establish a national network of 500,000 charging stations by 2030, while spurring a domestic supply chain that will support union jobs and American-built cars and trucks. The plan will also replace 50,000 diesel transit vehicles while switching about 20% of school buses to electric engines.

The president will also ask Congress to provide $45 billion to replace lead pipes across the country, while reducing lead exposure in 400,000 schools and child-care facilities. Some $56 billion would go to grants and low-interest loans, for state, local and tribal governments to upgrade aging water systems. Another $10 billion would be spent on addressing polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals that have contaminated drinking-water supplies across the country.

The proposal includes more than $200 billion for housing programs, including $40 billion in public housing, although housing advocates say they worry that may be insufficient to meet the nation’s decaying housing stock.

On its own terms, the proposal would not resolve all of the nation’s infrastructure woes, which have been growing for decades. The plan, for example, cites a trillion-dollar backlog of road, bridge, rail and transit repairs, but it proposes less than that.

The Biden plan, if it passes Congress, would spur far-reaching changes that could begin shifting the trajectory of the nation’s transportation system. It calls for a doubling of federal funding for public transit. Biden’s plan would also modernize 20,000 miles of streets and highways out of the total of 173,000 miles Biden says are in poor condition.

Democrats have a slim House majority and control the Senate only because of Vice President Harris’ tiebreaking vote. With Republicans already voicing concerns about the proposal’s cost and corporate tax hikes, Democrats may once again have to force major legislation through complicated Senate procedures that could drastically narrow its scope. The party would also have to stick together on a historically expensive effort that has some moderates balking, while some high-profile progressives call for even higher spending levels.

What Biden is introducing in Pittsburgh on Wednesday is the first part of a larger plan to overhaul the economy. Additional proposals for spending on education, child care and other social programs the administration calls “human infrastructure” are expected in the coming weeks.

NASA Shares Data Of Mars Mission With India

Staff ReporterEducation, Science 0

The U.S. space agency NASA has exchanged data of its current Mars mission with its counterparts in China, India, the UAE and the European Space Agency to lower the risk of a collision as their spacecraft were also currently hovering the red planet, a media report said on March 31.

The purpose of exchanges was to lower the risk of a collision, as their spacecraft are orbiting the red planet, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) statement as saying.

“To assure the safety of our respective missions, NASA is coordinating with the UAE, European Space Agency, Indian Space Research Organisation and the China National Space Administration, all of which have spacecraft in orbit around Mars, to exchange information on our respective Mars missions to ensure the safety of our respective spacecraft,” NASA’s statement said.

“This limited exchange of information is consistent with customary good practices used to ensure effective communication among satellite operators and spacecraft safety in orbit,” the report said.

ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan, spacecraft remained in Mars orbit since it entered there in 2014.. India is the first Asian country to successfully send a spacecraft to Mars. NASA’s Perseverance has landed on Mars last month and its rover is currently exploring its surface, while China’s Tianwen-1 consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, entered the parking lot of orbit around Mars on February 24 and expected to land there in the next few months.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) spacecraft, Hope, is also orbiting the Mars planet. There are two spacecraft from the European Space Agency in the Martian orbit, the report said. For information exchange cooperation with China, NASA had sought approval from the U.S. Congress and spoke to CNSA, the U.S. space agency confirmed on Monday, the Post report said.

Previously the U.S., Russia, EU besides India have succeeded in sending spacecraft to Mars regarded as the most complex space mission. Indian education success a model for replication, finds UK’s race report

Indian pupils tend to perform well in education and also go on to have high average incomes as a result, a model that needs further research to be replicated across other ethnicities, finds a new review set up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson into the UK’s racial disparities.

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report released on Wednesday concluded that class differences had overtaken racial disparity as an impact on life chances in the UK and overall found the country to be fairer even though overt racism remained a reality, particularly online.(Shutterstock)

Indian pupils tend to perform well in education and also go on to have high average incomes as a result, a model that needs further research to be replicated across other ethnicities, finds a new review set up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson into the UK’s racial disparities.

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report released on Wednesday concluded that class differences had overtaken racial disparity as an impact on life chances in the UK and overall found the country to be fairer even though overt racism remained a reality, particularly online.

One of its central recommendations includes discontinuation of the term BAME, which stands for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, as no longer “helpful” and proposes references such as British Indian instead.

“It is the commission’s belief that educational success should be celebrated, replicated and used as an exemplar to inspire all pupils across the UK. Evidence shows that certain ethnic groups such as Black African, Indian and Bangladeshi pupils perform better than White British group, once socio-economic status is taken into consideration,” reads the report, chaired by education consultant Dr Tony Sewell.

“This outstanding performance is in part due to what is termed ‘immigrant optimism’: a phenomenon where recent immigrants devote themselves more to education than the native population because they lack financial capital and see education as a way out of poverty. In practice, this means there are significant factors at play that can help groups overcome their socio-economic status and succeed,” it reads.

The 258-page report recommends the Department for Education (DfE) must invest in “meaningful and substantial research” to understand and replicate the underlying factors that drive the success of the high performance of pupils from different ethnicities, such as British Indians.

“In fact, as of 2019, the ethnicity pay gap – taking the median hourly earnings of all ethnic minority groups and the White group – is down to just 2.3 per cent and the White Irish, Chinese and Indian ethnic groups are on average earning notably more than the White British average,” it adds.

India’s GDP Growth Will Be 10% In 2022, World Bank Says

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy 0

The World Bank has scaled up its projections for India’s economic growth by a massive 4.7 percentage points to 10.1 per cent for 2021-22 due to strong rebound in private consumption and investment growth. The Bank had pegged the GDP growth at 5.4 per cent for the country in its January report.

“India, which comprises almost 80 percent of the region’s (south Asia) GDP, had a substantial revision to growth of 4.7 percentage points since January 2021, due to a strong rebound in private consumption and investment growth in the second and third quarters (July-December, 2020) of FY21,” the Bank said in a report, titled South Asia Economic Focus Spring 2021-South Asia Vaccinates.

Considering the uncertainty caused by Covid cases in 2021-22, the Bank also gave a range of economic growth for India, at 7.5 per cent to 12.5 per cent, for FY22. “Given the significant uncertainty pertaining to both epidemiological and policy developments, real GDP growth for FY’22 can range from 7.5 to 12.5 percent, depending on how the ongoing vaccination campaign proceeds, whether new restrictions to mobility are required, and how quickly the world economy

Private consumption and public investment will see the Indian economy likely growing by 10.1% in 2021-22 (FY22), the World Bank said, although, in a sign of all-around uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it said India’s economic growth in FY22 would be in the broad range from 7.5% to 12.5%.

The 10.1% is 4.7 percentage points higher than the World Bank’s previous estimate for India’s growth in 2021, and reflects the pace of the country’s recovery. However the Bank also expects the Indian economy to contract by 8.5% in FY21, higher than the government’s own estimate of 8%. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India’s economy will grow by 11.5% over 2021 and 6.8% over 2022, painting a rosier picture.

“Given the significant uncertainty pertaining to both epidemiological and policy developments, real GDP (gross domestic product) growth for FY21/22 can range from 7.5 to 12.5%, depending on how the ongoing vaccination campaign proceeds, whether new restrictions to mobility are required, and how quickly the world economy recovers,” the World Bank said in a report titled “South Asia Vaccinates”.

Going forward, the report said, “the main risks to the outlook include the materialisation of financial sector risks, that could compromise a recovery in private investment, and new waves of Covid-19 infections.” It saw growth in the country at 6-7% in the medium term.

The Indian economy was already slowing ahead of the pandemic, but the disease and mitigation measures such as lockdowns deepened the crisis several times over, contracting output and shrinking spending and investments.

“In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the authorities implemented a nationwide lockdown, which brought economic activity to a near standstill between April and June 2020 (Q1FY21),” the report said. Aviation and tourism, hospitality, trade, and construction, were the worst hit as well and industrial activity, overall, was also deeply disrupted. Agriculture, however, was mostly unaffected, it noted.

Acknowledging it is “not normal” to cite growth forecast in a range of numbers, World Bank’s Chief Economist for South Asia, Hans Timmer, told reporters: “We are in an unprecedented circumstance. Not just the hits (were) unprecedented, but also the character of the crisis was as we had never seen before.”

He added that certain sectors of the economy hat were hit were normally much more resilient, especially the services sector, domestic services. “It’s the informal sector. And as a result, we can’t rely really on the past on how this recovery will shape up.” The report forecast growth for the South Asia region at 7.2% in 2021 and 4.4% in 2022.

Timmer said the second wave of infections in India “does not mean we go back to the situation a year ago.” “The next few months will be marked by the speed of the vaccine roll-out and the optimism it may bring to consumer spending and investments,” he added. The report estimated “general government deficit to remain above 10%” till the end of FY22, numbers that are in sync with India’s estimate of fiscal deficit.

America’s Hoteliers Welcome New CDC Travel Guidelines

Staff ReporterBusiness, Tourism 0

AAHOA President & CEO Cecil P. Staton issued the following statement in response to new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that greenlight fully vaccinated people to resume travel. Over 100 million Americans have had at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and evidence of the vaccine’s efficacy continues to grow:

“The new CDC travel guidelines are welcome news for America’s hoteliers and the millions of Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. For more than a year, lockdowns, curfews, and quarantines in response to the pandemic decimated the travel and tourism industry as people simply stopped traveling.

The Biden administration’s aggressive vaccination goals and recent studies on the different vaccines’ real-world effectiveness are giving people the confidence they need to safely resume pre-pandemic activities like travel. It could not have come at a better time for hoteliers, for the gradual reopening of America now could lead to significant increases in occupancy and revenue during the summer season. The hotel industry’s road to economic recovery is long. A full recovery remains unlikely until at least 2023, but this news is a shot in the arm to the hotel owners and hospitality professionals who are eager to welcome guests back into their hotels and communities.”

HOA is the largest hotel owners association in the world. The nearly 20,000 AAHOA members represent almost one in every two hotels in the United States. With billions of dollars in property assets and hundreds of thousands of employees, AAHOA members are core economic contributors in virtually every community. AAHOA is a proud defender of free enterprise and the foremost current-day example of realizing the American dream.

Global Currency Reserves of US Dollar Sinks To Lowest Since 1995

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy 0

The US Dollar’s share of global currency reserves dropped in the fourth quarter to around 59%, the lowest in 25 years, according to International Monetary Fund data. The slide came in a quarter when a gauge of the greenback fell the most since 2010, and amid questions about how long the dollar can maintain its status as the pre-eminent reserve currency. The Chinese renminbi is transforming into a force to be reckoned with in currency markets, with more yuan changing hands than ever before in London, the world’s leading foreign-exchange center.

“This is a slow burn theme, but we are of the view that we’re eventually headed into a ‘multiple reserve currency’ framework over time,” Bipan Rai, a strategist at CIBC, said via email. In the fourth quarter, the euro’s share of official foreign-exchange reserves climbed to 21.2% from 20.5%, while the yuan’s rose to almost 2.3% from 2.1%. The renminbi accounted for 1.94% in the final three months of 2019.

For Marc Chandler, chief market strategist at Bannockburn Global, the drop in the dollar’s share of global reserves is temporary and was driven by its slide against most currencies in the fourth quarter. He’s focusing on data that shows dollar holdings among central banks climbed to $7 trillion, a record, noting that the percentage changes are “distorted” by short-term valuation changes.

“The 59% is a statistical noise generated by a combination of valuation and material changes” in demand for the euro in the fourth quarter, he said in an email. “The dollar’s recovery in Q1 21 will reverse the valuation adjustment and will see the dollar share of reserves increase.”
With its rebound this year, the dollar is heading for its best quarterly performance in a year, up by 2.8%. The greenback is still the most dominant currency used, with data from the Bank for International Settlements showing it’s on one side of 88% of all trades.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal Is Pushing Biden To Be More Progressive

Staff ReporterProfile, Women 0

Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, one of the top leaders of the progressive movement in the US Congress, has been in the back and front, effecting changes in a Democrat-controlled government after a decade of the party sharing power with Republicans.

Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, pushed President Joe Biden to push further on issues including student debt and insfrastructure bill, but said he overall has done “really well” on progressive issues.

After the passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package in mid-March, Jayapal has been preparing to reintroduce her Medicare for All Act. The central question for Jayapal and the left is how far Biden is willing to go. Biden doesn’t support Medicare for All—which is one of Jayapal’s signature policies—and he’s more moderate on most economic issues than Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, whom Jayapal endorsed in the presidential primary. Nor does Biden so far support eliminating the filibuster, the Senate rule that effectively requires 60 votes to pass most legislation, which Jayapal and other progressives want to scrap.

But Jayapal says she has never been interested in replicating the antagonistic relationship between the right-wing House Freedom Caucus and Republican leadership that divided the GOP starting in 2015. Instead of acting as an “opposition” arm, she says she wants to be a “proposition” one: proposing the most progressive ideas possible and framing them in ways that can persuade her colleagues—and the President—to support them.

She says that model worked for Biden’s COVID-19 relief legislation. The American Rescue Plan looked a lot like what progressive members wanted, and Biden got there in part because of the careful negotiating by people like Jayapal.

Congresswoman. Jayapal, 55, who was born in India and came to the U.S. to attend college at Georgetown, got her start in politics as an activist in Seattle advocating for immigrants who experienced discrimination after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. She built the largest immigrant-rights organization in Washington State, formed diverse coalitions, and sued George W. Bush’s Administration over its deportation of Somali immigrants.

She has said that experience taught her that even tragedies can be opportunities for change. But after years of agitating from the outside, Jayapal is a bona fide insider. After two years in the Washington State senate, she was elected to Congress in 2016, and she spent her first years fighting President Donald Trump at every turn. Now, as the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she is one of the most influential officials of the Democrats’ left flank, and she has become a primary conduit between President Joe Biden and those in his party who think he’s an overly cautious centrist. Her journey from activist to powerful legislator was aided by an approach that melds progressive beliefs with pragmatic style—a combination that has won her respect from both Democratic camps.

Jayapal has kept in close contact with House and Senate leadership, and her team spoke to the White House legislative-affairs staff almost daily, she says. When a $15 minimum-wage increase fell out of the package because of Senate rules, some Democrats considered withholding their votes entirely. Jayapal helped persuade those members to support the deal, and it passed almost entirely along party lines. “Progressives have been sort of pushed to the margins so often in politics that I think we may have gotten used to that,” Jayapal says. “And so people are very inclined to say, ‘Oh, this happened again—we didn’t get everything we wanted.’” But she taught her colleagues to realize, “We should take the win.”

It’s the strategy Jayapal plans to pursue on other policies—while still trying to bring Biden further left behind the scenes. Biden called Jayapal after the relief package passed to thank her for her help, she says, and while she thanked him for his leadership on the law in return, she also told him she still wants to see the minimum wage increased.

“This is not a normal time. We’re trying to act like it’s normal,” Jayapal said. “I have only limited tolerance for a Republican party that wrings its hands and talks about unity and moving forward. We had an insurrection where their leader of their party incited that insurrection and many of them continue to support him.”

Health care is an important area to Jayapal. She co-chaired the health care unity task force that Biden and Sanders established last summer, and she wants Biden to adopt the proposals they agreed to, including lowering the Medicare eligibility age and adding aggressive drug-pricing powers. “I have raised it now to everyone that I’ve had the opportunity to speak with,” she says.

She knows none of her goals is going to be easy to accomplish, and time is short, with Republicans gunning to take back the House in 2022. But she is energized, and during difficult days she draws on the lessons from those early years of her career defending immigrant rights.

OCI Cardholders Should Carry Both Old and New Passports, Though Not Required

Staff ReporterImmigration, Travel 0

Indian Americans have welcomed the Indian government’s recent announcement on Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders not needing to carry their old passports while traveling to India. On March 29, the Indian consulate in San Francisco circulated a press release that carried two announcements about the OCI card.

“The timeline for re-issuance of OCI cards in respect of OCI card holders, who may be required to get their OCI card re-issued, has been extended till 31 December 2021,” read the first announcement.  Earlier it was until June 31, 2021.

The second announcement was: “Henceforth, the OCI card holders traveling on the strength of their existing OCI card bearing old passport number are not required to carry their old passport. However, carrying of the new passport is mandatory along with the OCI card.”

Recently, there has been some confusion circulating among Indian Americans with regards to travel to India.

As per media reports, OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) cardholders transiting through third countries have been denied permission to board flights to India as those OCI cardholders were not carrying their old passport bearing its number on the OCI card.

The article said that it was mandatory to carry both the old and new passports in case the OCI cardholders are traveling on the strength of the OCI card bearing the old passport number in it.

On March 26, the Consulate General of India’s office in San Francisco issued a press release, which stated the following: “Henceforth, the OCI card holders traveling on the strength of their existing OCI card bearing old passport number are not required to carry their old passport. However, carrying of new passport is mandatory along with the OCI card.”

Even though the Indian Ministry of External Affairs would be informing immigration officers around the world about this new regulation, there was still a slight chance that some officer in some country who was not up to speed on this new regulation, could create a problem.

Based on this, it would be wise to carry both passports to avoid any such situation when traveling to India. On the matter of re-issuance of the OCI card, the guidelines for the renewal are as follows:

  • OCI card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is required by the cardholder up to the age of 20 years. This is requested due to the changes in appearance of the cardholder during their growth years.
  • Between the ages of 20 and 50, no re-issuance of the OCI card is required by the cardholder at the time of renewal of passport.
  • However, when the cardholder reaches the age of 50, the OCI card needs to be re-issued just once at the time of renewing the cardholder’s passport.

In order to further ease the travel of OCI cardholders to India, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the timeline for re-issuance of OCI cards in respect of OCI cardholders who may be required to get their OCI card re-issued, has been extended till Dec. 31, 2021. The previous deadline was June 30, 2021.

HYPOKRIT PRODUCTIONS Highlights Modern-Day Relationship Assembles Global South Asian Cast

Staff ReporterCinema 0

For the first time in theater history, a curated cast of South Asian actors from around the world will take to the virtual stage to perform Dipti Bramhandkar’s “Islands of Contentment,” presented by New York City’s The Tank and co-produced by Hypokrit Productions via Zoom every weekend from April 16th to May 2nd.

Actors from the Indian film and theater industry like Kalki Koechlin (Margarita With a Straw, Waiting), Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi, Umrika) and Maanvi Gagroo (“Four More Shots Please”) will share stage time with Indian Diaspora actors like Ajay Naidu (Ashes), Danny Pudi (Community) and Nina Davuluri (#COMPLEXion documentary), who is making her acting debut, to bring 13 monologues about modern-day relationships to life. The global ensemble cast also includes: Vinay Pathak (“A Suitable Boy”), Sumeet Vyas (Ribbon, English Vinglish), Imran Sheikh (“Big Dogs”) Laura Gómez (“Orange is the New Black”), Florencia Lozano (Rinse, Repeat), Dileep Rao (Avatar), Bobby Daniel Rodriguez (“When They See Us”), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Miss You Like Hell), Lipica Shah (India Pale Ale), Sathya Sridharan (Wives), Sumeet Vyas (One by One) and Rita Wolf (The Michaels).

Islands of Contentment, co-directed by Arpita Mukherjee and Hannah Wolf (with select filmed monologues directed by Rahul Chittella), is a moving meditation comprised of thirteen monologues presented in a unique virtual format that includes audience interaction through chat. An elegy to the (dis)harmony of romantic relationships, each piece invites us into the intimate, poignant and hilarious interactions with significant others in the form of modern-day confessionals and offers the virtual audience channels for live interaction and deeper connection. Thirteen characters reflect on moments that feel strangely familiar: the break-up dream, the plight of the nice guy, the ex who unexpectedly shows up, and even a baking fetish. No one writes love songs about this stuff.

This one-of-a-kind, virtual show transports small audiences to the characters through the power of Zoom. Each performance is unique to the audience, the actors and which order the audience chooses. Inside the Zoom are two carefully curated, interactive and completely different journeys that the audience can take. These are intimate, limited ticket experiences in which the audience is asked to keep their video on and interacts with the performers through chat. They do not need to be seen in sequential order. Outside the Zoom, audiences are treated to the streaming-only, non-interactive version of the show.

Start the evening with either SEVEN LAYER CAKE or BROWNIE and end the night with the other course. If audiences want to extend their courses, they are welcome to come back another day to indulge in the other course.

As the audience travels to living rooms, hotel suites, kitchens and beyond, they are guided by a mysterious theater-loving narrator, who asks the audience to contemplate their own experience and contribute their own stories. In an attempt to connect through isolation, these stories just might become part of the play. At a time where isolation and distance are universal, Islands of Contentment is a reminder that even in our own strange splendor, we are never alone.

Islands of Contentment features lighting design by Alexandra Vásquez Dheming, production design by Chen-Wei Liao, costume design by Dina El-Aziz, video design by Director of Photography Kate Ducey and Sound design by Ran Xia. Eeshit Narain serves as Director of Photography for Select Filmed Monologues and Heather Schulte, Emma Frances, Emily Todt and Michelle Navis as stage managers.

 *The performance schedule for Islands of Contentment is as follows: Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm; and Sundays at 5pm, 6pm and 7pm.Tickets are available starting at $20 at thetanknyc.org/islandsofcontentment

Google Maps Plans Greenest Route To Your Destination

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Media, Media 0

Google Maps plans to start highlighting journeys and directing drivers to routes that it calibrates to be the most “eco-friendly” based on a range of factors. Here’s how it will work. Google Maps plans to start highlighting journeys and directing drivers to routes that it calibrates to be the most “eco-friendly” based on a range of factors. The calculation of the default route that potentially generates the lowest carbon footprint would be done by assessing factors such as traffic data, congestion history, and even road inclines.

The Alphabet-owned search engine said in a blogpost that the feature would be launched first in the United States sometime later this year, “with a global expansion on the way”. Once launched, the default route that would show up on the Google Maps app will be the “eco-friendly” one. Users will have to opt out of this if they wish to take an alternative route.

Google said that when alternative routes “are significantly faster”, the mapping app will offer options, and let users compare estimated emissions on the default and alternative routes. The new feature, Google said, is part of its commitment to fight climate change.
While the tech major did mention plans for a “global expansion”, it did not offer specifics with respect to the launch timelines in specific geographies such as India.

Google is also reported to be making “new map layers for weather and air quality” that are set to roll out in the coming months on both Android and iOS. Google plans to launch the weather layer globally and release the air quality layer first in Australia, India, and the US, according to a report in The Verge.

For its new route plan, Google said it used emissions data based on testing across different types of vehicles and roads in the US, and subsequently concluded that for about 50 per cent of the analyzed routes, it was able to offer a ‘greener’ alternative without any significant tradeoffs.

“What we are seeing is for around half of routes, we are able to find an option more eco-friendly with minimal or no time-cost trade-off,” Russell Dicker, a director of product at Google, said.The search major said it used emissions data based on testing across different types of cars and road types, extrapolating insights from the US Government’s National Renewable Energy Lab. Its data incorporates details such as slopes and inclines from its own Street View cars feature alongside aerial and satellite imagery.

Also, from June 2021, Google will start warning drivers about travelling through low emissions zones where some vehicles are restricted, as is the case in countries such as Germany, France and the Netherlands.In another new feature slated for launch later this year, Google Maps users will be able to compare travel options — car, cycling, public transport etc — in one place instead of having to switch back and forth between different modes with evaluating travel options.The scope of these features could be progressively widened to include Asian cities such as Jakarta, it indicated.

Alabama Bans Yoga In School, For Fears Of The Practice Spreading Hinduism

Staff ReporterCulture 0

A bill in Alabama that would have lifted the 1993 ban on yoga in public schools has stalled in the state’s Senate, CBS News reported Thursday. During a hearing of the Alabama state Senate Judiciary Committee, representatives from two conservative groups objected, stating concerns that yoga could promote Hinduism and guided meditation practices. “This whole notion that if you do yoga, you’ll become Hindu — I’ve been doing yoga for 10 years and I go to church and I’m very much a Christian,” said Democratic State Rep. Jeremy Gray, who sponsored the bill that has stalled in the state’s Senate.

The bill, which was first introduced in 2019, would have allowed yoga as an elective course to students from kindergarten to grade twelve, and they would have learned yoga poses, exercises and stretching techniques. The bill further states that, “chanting, mantras, mudras, the use of mandalas, and namaste greetings shall be expressly prohibited.” “I can give you tons of reasons why yoga is beneficial and those reasons are backed by studies and data. There is no study to my knowledge that says doing yoga exercise converts people to Hinduism,” Gray wrote in an email.

Bill AL HB246 was put forth by Alabama State Rep. Jeremy Gray, who wrote that bringing yoga back to school would be voluntary. It sought to overturn a ban on the practice in Alabama schools in place since 1993. Lawmakers in Alabama’s state Senate voted on the proposal and decided against it, effectively endorsing the existing ban. Gray can attempt to pass the measure again later, but it is a significant setback.

Alabama is the only state with such a rule. The text of the ban says “school personnel shall be prohibited from using any techniques that involve the induction of hypnotic states, guided imagery, meditation or yoga” and additionally banned the use of the word “namaste.”

At issue is whether the practice of yoga promotes Hinduism — a claim several conservative Christian groups say is a problem. Because yoga is rooted in Hinduism, Eric Johnston, a legal adviser for the Alabama Citizens Action Program, told The New York Times, “it does not need to be taught to small children in public schools.”

“If this bill passes, then instructors will be able to come into classrooms as young as kindergarten and bring these children through guided imagery, which is a spiritual exercise, and it’s outside their parents’ view. And we just believe that this is not appropriate,” Betsy Garrison of the Eagle Forum of Alabama, argued in session.

Gray’s proposal still included language seeking to address that. It said that “chanting, mantras, mudras, use of mandalas, and 11 namaste greetings shall be expressly prohibited.” But Gray and other yoga advocates say their critics have it wrong, and that yoga can help students focus and relax, which leads to better academic performance.

“This whole notion that if you do yoga, you’ll become Hindu — I’ve been doing yoga for 10 years and I go to church and I’m very much a Christian,” Gray told reporters.  According to a 2016 study, around 36.7 million people practice yoga in the US.

Covid Was Third Leading Cause Of Death In US In 2020

Staff ReporterHealth, Lifestyle 0

COVID-19 was the third-underlying cause of death in 2020 after heart disease and cancer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on Wednesday.

Reports published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report sheds new light on the approximately 375,000 U.S. deaths attributed to COVID-19 last year, and highlights the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on communities of color — a point CDC Director Rochelle Walensky emphasized at a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing last week.

She said deaths related to COVID-19 were higher among American Indian and Alaskan Native persons, Hispanics, Blacks and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander persons than whites. She added that “among nearly all of these ethnic and racial minority groups, the COVID-19 related deaths were more than double the death rate of non-Hispanic white persons.”

Covid-19 was the third leading cause of death in the US in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer, according to a new study of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Covid-19 pandemic caused approximately 375,000 deaths in the US during 2020. The Covid-19 death rate was the highest among Hispanics, the study published on Wednesday, revealed, Xinhua reported. Covid-19 death rates were the lowest among children aged 1 to 4 years and 5 to 14 years, and the highest among those aged over 85 years. Meanwhile, the age-adjusted Covid-19 associated death rate among males was higher than that among females, according to the study.

The total number of deaths occurred in the country in 2020 was 3,358,814, an increase of 15.9 per cent over the previous year, according to the CDC. The deadliest weeks of 2020 were at the beginning of the pandemic in April and then in the middle of the holiday surge in late December, the study showed. (IANS)

Fully Vaccinated Americans Can Travel

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health, Travel 0

Americans who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 can safely travel at home and abroad, as long as they take basic precautions like wearing masks, federal health officials announced on Friday, a long-awaited change from the dire government warnings that have kept many millions home for the past year.

In announcing the change at a White House news conference, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stressed that they preferred that people avoid travel. But they said growing evidence of the real-world effectiveness of the vaccines — which have been given to more than 100 million Americans — suggested that inoculated people could do so “at low risk to themselves.”
The shift in the C.D.C.’s official stance comes at a moment of both hope and peril in the pandemic. The pace of vaccinations has been rapidly accelerating across the country, and the number of deaths has been declining.

Yet cases are increasing significantly in many states as new variants of the coronavirus spread through the country. Just last Monday, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the C.D.C. director, warned of a potential fourth wave if states and cities continued to loosen public health restrictions, telling reporters that she had feelings of “impending doom.”

Updated Information for Travelers
Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. However, international travel poses additional risks and even fully vaccinated travelers are at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading new COVID-19 variants.
CDC recommends delaying international travel until you are fully vaccinated.

If you are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine:You should continue to follow CDC’s recommendations for traveling safely and get tested 3-5 days after travel.
You do NOT need to get tested before leaving United States unless your destination requires it.
You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
International Travel Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People

Have You Been Fully Vaccinated?
People are considered fully vaccinated:
2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
If you don’t meet these requirements, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.
If you have a condition or are taking medication that weakens your immune system, you may NOT be fully protected even if you are fully vaccinated. Talk to your healthcare provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.


Before you travel
oMake sure you understand and follow all airline and destination requirements related to travel, testing, or quarantine, which may differ from U.S. requirements. If you do not follow your destination’s requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return to the United States.
oCheck the current COVID-19 situation in your destination.
While you are traveling:
oWear a mask over your nose and mouth. Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

oAvoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you.
oWash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol).
Before you arrive in the United States:
oAll air passengers coming to the United States, including U.S. citizens and fully vaccinated people, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 3 days before travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 in the past 3 months before they board a flight to the United States.
After travel:
oGet tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
oSelf-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.
oFollow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel.

U.S. Tourism Sets Sights on a Hopeful 2021

Staff ReporterBusiness, Tourism, Travel 0

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life as we know it, severely affecting businesses across various industries. While some were able to survive with a shift to online sales and services, not every sector was as fortunate.

One of the most affected industries was tourism, and in the past year, it has struggled to bounce back from a dismal 2020, which saw a massive decline in tourist arrivals in and out of America. However, tourism in the U.S. may be on the rise again sooner than previously thought.

Tourism in Pandemic-Stricken America

Limitations on travel have severely affected our pandemic-stricken country. The statistics are astounding, surpassing even the impact on the travel industry after 9/11, according to the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). As a result, tourism across the country is affected across different levels and state lines.

Popular destinations like California and New York have polarized projections. While California is expected to recover more quickly than the rest of the country thanks to strong fiscal relief and the waning pandemic, tourism in New York paints a very different picture. Highly anticipated events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, the tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, and the New Year’s Eve ball drop saw a significant reduction in spectators, leading to a glum outlook. This leaves many wondering when pre-pandemic levels will be restored.

Las Vegas is another major tourist spot that was not spared from the effects of COVID-19, susceptible to the same sudden drop in visitors between 2019 and 2020. Fortunately, things are starting to look up for the city and its hotels a year after the pandemic gripped the country. As the number of COVID-19 cases drops and more people are vaccinated, fewer restrictions address much of the pent-up demand. Casino floors and restaurants can now operate at 50% capacity as large gatherings capped at half the limit can also take place.

The newfound attraction to Las Vegas is not only due to the confidence in lower COVID-19 cases and its respective recovery. It also helps that there’s a diverse range of tourist attractions here, to begin with, as highlighted by this list of things to do in Sin City by Poker.org. The Strip is home to resorts like the Aria, Bellagio, and the Venetian – all iconic destinations in their own right. You’ll also find well-loved restaurants like Peppermill that are absolutely worth the visit. Exploring Vegas goes beyond the city lights as tourists can also take in the majestic views of Red Rock Canyon. These attractions are just some of the highlights that visitors can enjoy when in Nevada as the COVID-19 outlook continues to look even more promising in the coming months.

As some tourist hotspots like Vegas boast a positive path to recovery, others are still very much clouded in uncertainty. States such as Florida and equally sunny Hawaii fall somewhere in the middle, with more than half of Hawaiians opposing the return of tourists while others seek to encourage more movement in tourism.

What’s Next for Tourism in the U.S.?

  • The varying states of progress in these tourist hotspots illustrate how the fight against COVID-19 still has a long way to go, especially when it comes to the tourism industry. However, there is one fact present in all these examples: Progress is well underway. The Biden administration’s goal to vaccinate 100 million peoplein the first quarter provides much needed support for local businesses, especially smaller-sized enterprises. Whether you’re a local hotel hoping for guests or a restaurant that needs diners, there is a silver lining yet to be reached akin to Vegas’ impressive and optimistic trajectory.SAG top honours for ‘Chicago 7’ sets up intriguing Oscar raceThe Trial Of The Chicago 7 — Aaron Sorkin’s 1969 courtroom drama for Netflix — was judged the year’s best performance by a motion picture cast at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards for film and television on Sunday. Starring the likes of Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Frank Langella and Mark Rylance, it marked the first time a film from any streaming service won the guild’s ensemble award.
  • The win now strengthens the film’s case for the Oscars (April 25). This even as modern recession-era movie Nomadlandgrabbed many of the pre-Oscar awards, including the Golden Globes.
  • The SAG awards though remain a key predictor of Oscar glory, where actors form the largest voting bloc. FYI: Last year, South Korea’s Parasitebegan its historic charge to the Best Picture Oscar by winning SAG’s top prize.
  • Also:For the first time in SAG awards’ 27-year history, all four of the winning film actors were people of colour. The late Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis picked up the best actor and best actress awards, respectively, for jazz period film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
  • And while Daniel Kaluuya won best supporting actor for portraying Black Panther leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, South Korea’s Yuh-jung Youn won best supporting actress for Minari, an immigrant tale set in 1980s Arkansas.

Indian Americans Welcome US State Department’s Concerns About Deteriorating Human Rights Violations Under Modi Regime

Staff ReporterNation India 0

Leading Indian American civil rights organizations have welcomed the US Department of State’s Annual Report on Human Rights in India that has detailed the massive violations of civil liberties by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and its failure to prevent such violations and hold the perpetrators to account.

The Department of State’s report, released March 30, was a scathing account of the ground situation in India, where millions of social and religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Dalits, and Adivasis, as well as the 8 million residents of Kashmir, are facing ongoing brutal State repression, the organizations said on Sunday.

The organizations that released the statement include Hindus for Human Rights, Dalit Solidarity Forum, International Christian Concern, Indian American Muslim Council, India Civil Watch International, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, and Federation of Indian Christian Organizations of North America.

The 68-page report, released by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, observed that a “lack of accountability for official misconduct persisted at all levels of government, contributing to widespread impunity” in India during the year 2020.

The Department of State’s report on India documents unlawful and arbitrary killings; torture, arbitrary arrest and detention; impunity for police, paramilitary, and military violence; persecution of Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, and Christians; attacks on the news media and the internet and site blocking; criminalizing free speech and restricting freedom of expression; excessive curbs on NGOs; and restrictions on academic freedom.

The report also highlights the brutal police crackdown on the “legitimate and peaceful protests” by students at Aligarh Muslim University, Jamia Milia Islamia, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, which the government “portrayed as terrorist activities.” The Delhi police also “selectively pursued cases against Muslims and anti-CAA protesters.”

“The Modi government’s discriminatory citizenship law, the persecution of Muslims and other minorities, the pogrom against Muslims in Delhi and the manufacturing of criminal cases against Muslims for the violence, and the judiciary’s failure to provide justice all clearly indicate an alarming decline in civil liberties,” IAMC Executive Director Rasheed Ahmed said.

Raju Rajagopal, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, said the State Department report was especially significant as it was the first such report under President Biden’s Administration. “We expect that President Biden will act on this report and raise the issues of human rights abuses with the Indian government,” Mr. Rajagopal said.

Feroz Mehdi, Secretary-Treasurer at India Civil Watch International, said, “The most disturbing facet of the human rights situation in India is the systematic muzzling of all kinds of dissent. The Indian state has arrested renowned activists, artists, and scholars who speak up for the underprivileged, has turned the media from watchdog to lapdog, and used procedural attacks to shut down civil society organizations, notably Amnesty International. Indian democracy is facing an existential crisis: it cannot survive if these checks and balances are destroyed.”

“India’s religious freedom has been on a steady decline for years, and the manifestations of this deterioration is now more clear than before,” Matias Perttula, Advocacy Director with International Christian Concern (ICC), said. “Christians are a constant target of persecution and discrimination within India. One of the greatest culprits of this injustice comes powered by laws known as the anti-forced conversion laws as well as the blasphemy laws that only serve as a source of courage for Hindutva radicals to attack and persecute Christians. More needs to be done to hold India accountable for their ongoing human rights violations.”

The report said societal violence based on religion and caste and by religiously associated groups continued to be a serious concern. Muslims and lower-caste Dalit groups continued to be the most vulnerable. Dalits, Tribals and Muslims led the list of those killed in police custody.

The report also quoted the high court in Telangana state that held the police to account for arresting a “disproportionately high number of Muslims” for violating COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The court noted police often used excessive force when enforcing the lockdown rules. A Muslim volunteer arrested while distributing food to migrants required 35 stitches on his face due to police brutality, the report said.

In its annual report on global political rights and liberties, US-based non-profit Freedom House downgraded India from a free democracy to a “partially free democracy.” The Sweden-based V-Dem Institute in its latest report on democracy said India had become an “electoral autocracy.” And last month, India, described as a “flawed democracy,” slipped two places to 53rd position in the latest Democracy Index published by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

How Did Covid-19 Originate? WHO Has Possible Answers

Staff ReporterEducation, Health, Science 0

Following a month-long fact-finding mission in China, a World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic concluded that the virus probably originated in bats and passed to people through an intermediate animal.

More than a year after Covid-19 touched off the worst pandemic in more than a century, scientists have yet to determine its origins. The closest related viruses to SARS-CoV-2 were found in bats more than 1,000 miles from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the disease erupted in late 2019. Initially, cases were tied to a fresh food market and possibly the wildlife sold there. Other theories allege the virus accidentally escaped from a nearby research laboratory, or entered China via imported frozen food. Amid all the posturing and finger-pointing, governments and scientists agree that deciphering the creation story is key to reducing the risk of future pandemics.

Following a month-long fact-finding mission in China, a World Health Organization (WHO) team investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic concluded that the virus probably originated in bats and passed to people through an intermediate animal. But fundamental questions remain about when, where and how SARS-CoV-2 first infected people.

To trace the virus’s origin, it’s crucial to pin down exactly when the first cases occurred in people. The WHO team established that the first person known to have COVID-19 was an office worker in Wuhan with no recent travel history, who began showing symptoms on 8 December 2019, says Peter Ben Embarek, a food-safety scientist at the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, who led the investigation. But the virus was probably spreading in the city before that, because it was well-established by later that month, he says.

While the World Health Organization (WHO) report on the origins of the novel coronavirus was released on March 30th, 2020, the draft report has said that the laboratory origin theory of SARS-Cov-2 — that it was leaked from a laboratory — is “extremely unlikely”. According to a report by CNN, which says that it has reviewed the draft report, the virus started spreading probably a month or two before December 2019, when it first came into notice.

Markets that sold animals — some dead, some alive — in December 2019 have emerged as a probable source of the coronavirus pandemic in a major investigation organized by the World Health Organization (WHO).That investigation winnowed out alternative hypotheses on when and where the pandemic arose, concluding that the virus probably didn’t spread widely before December or escape from a laboratory. The investigation report, released today, also takes a deep look at the likely role of markets — including the Huanan market in Wuhan, to which many of the first known COVID-19 infections are linked.Of the four possible scenarios on how Covid-19 spread, the draft says the most likely way the pandemic started would have been through an intermediate wild animal which may have been captured and raised on a farm, via a bat, which is considered the most likely origin. However, the report says “the possible intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2 remains elusive”.

Another way the virus could have spread may have been through direct transmission form an infected animal, such as a bat or a pangolin. The report also considers the possibility of the virus having spread from frozen or chilled food, though it says “there is no conclusive evidence for foodborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the probability of a cold-chain contamination with the virus from a reservoir is very low”.
The report, prepared by a joint team of Chinese and international researchers, also looked at the role of Huanan seafood market in Wuhan and said that since there’s evidence of the virus circulating even before the outbreak at the market, which may be ascribed to the crowds gathered there, “Huanan market was not the original source of the outbreak”. The report advises more testing of blood samples taken and stored before the first report of outbreak in December 2019 as well as more testing of animals from Southeast Asia.

“We could show the virus was circulating in the market as early as December 2019,” says the WHO’s Peter Ben Embarek, who co-led the investigation. He adds that this investigation is far from the last. “A lot of good leads were suggested in this report, and we anticipate that many, if not all of them, will be followed through because we owe it to the world to understand what happened, why and how to prevent it from happening again”.

Eddie Holmes, a virologist at the University of Sydney in Australia, says that the report does a good job of laying out what’s known about the early days of the pandemic — and notes that it suggests next steps for study. “There was clearly a lot of transmission at the market,” he says. “To me, looking at live-animal markets and animal farming should be the focus going forward.”

Nevertheless, exactly what happened at the Huanan market remains unknown. Genomic analyses and inferences based on the origins of other diseases suggest that an intermediate animal — possibly one sold at markets — passed SARS-CoV-2 to humans after becoming infected with a predecessor coronavirus in bats. But inconclusive doesn’t mean impossible. Analysts say, there will be more work to come. “This report is a very important beginning, but it is not the end.”

White House Announces New Measures To Counter Anti-Asian Violence

Staff ReporterCommunity, Nation USA 0

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a set of measures responding to rising anti-Asian violence, including deploying $49.5 million from COVID-19 relief funds for U.S. community programs that help victims.

White House officials said in a statement that the Department of Justice is also focusing on a rising number of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.

“We can’t be silent in the face of rising violence against Asian Americans,” Biden wrote on Twitter. “These attacks are wrong, un-American, and must stop.”

The measures come after a shooting in Atlanta earlier this month left eight people dead, six of them Asian-American women.

The shooting stoked fears among those in the Asian-American Pacific Islander community, which has reported a spike in hate crimes since March 2020 when then-President Donald Trump began referring to the novel coronavirus as the “China virus.”

Biden’s new steps include $49.5 million of pandemic relief funds for “community based, culturally specific services and programs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault” as well as a new task force dedicated to countering xenophobia against Asians in healthcare.

The Justice Department is also planning new efforts to enforce hate crime laws and report data on racial crimes, the statement said.

 (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; editing by Franklin Paul and Jonathan Oatis)

Biden Nominates Judge Rupa Ranga Puttagunta As Judge Of DC District Court

Staff ReporterProfile, Women 0

President Biden made history March 30, 2021, announcing his intent to nominate the first Asian American woman of Indian descent to the U.S. District Court in D.C., and the first Muslim to the New Jersey higher court.

“This trailblazing slate of nominees draws from the very best and brightest minds of the American legal profession,” Biden said in the White House press release. “Each is deeply qualified and prepared to deliver justice faithfully under our Constitution and impartially to the American people — and together they represent the broad diversity of background, experience, and perspective that makes our nation strong.”

The diverse slate of 11 candidates for judicial nominations includes Judge Rupa Ranga Puttagunta, the Indian-American nominee for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. She currently serves as an Administrative Judge for the D.C. Rental Housing Commission.
Prior to joining the Commission in 2019, Judge Puttagunta was a solo practitioner from 2013 to 2019, representing indigent criminal defendants in trial and on appeal. Before opening her own practice, Judge Puttagunta practiced family and appellate law at Delaney McKinney, LLP from 2012 to 2013.

While working on domestic relations matters in private practice, Judge Puttagunta also provided hundreds of hours of pro bono legal services by volunteering at D.C. Superior Court’s Family Court Self-Help Center and Attorney Negotiator Program and representing victims of domestic violence in D.C. Superior Court.Judge Puttagunta began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge William M. Jackson of the D.C. Superior Court from 2008 to 2010, as well as the Senior Judges of the D.C. Court of Appeals from 2010 to 2011. She received her J.D. from Ohio State Moritz College of Law in 2007 and her B.A. from Vassar College in 2002.

Judge Zahid N. Quraishi is being nominated to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Quraishi, who was born in New York City to parents of Pakistani origin, is currently a United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, a position he was appointed to in 2019.Prior to his appointment, Judge Quraishi was a partner at Riker Danzig where he chaired the firm’s White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigations Group and served as his firm’s first Chief Diversity Officer.

Before joining Riker Danzig, Judge Quraishi served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey from 2008 to 2013.Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s office, Judge Quraishi served as an assistant chief counsel at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.He also served as a military prosecutor and achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and 2006.

Judge Quraishi received his J.D. in 2000 from Rutgers Law School – Newark and his B.A. in 1997 from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Earlier in his career, Judge Quraishi worked in private practice and clerked for Judge Edwin H. Stern, of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, from 2000 to 2001.

According to news reports, Senate hearings for these nominees is expected to begin in April. With the 50-50 party representation in the Senate, it may be a tough task to get the nominees confirmed. Among the presidential nominations, 10 are for Federal Circuit and District Court judge posts, and one is for Superior Court Judge for the District of Columbia. The nominations announced on Tuesday also include three African American women and a Muslim American. If confirmed by the US Senate, Judge Puttagunta would be the first Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) woman to serve on the US District Court for the District of DC, the White House said.

Ship Stuck In Egypt’s Suez Canal Rescued, Reopening Waterway Trade

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy, Travel 0

The colossal cargo ship that became stuck on the banks of Egypt’s Suez Canal last week, blocking traffic through the crucial waterway, was finally freed from the shoreline by engineers on Monday afternoon.

The so-called Ever Given, a 224,000-ton, 1,300-foot-long container ship registered in Panama, was “successfully refloated” and its course straightened at around 3 p.m. local time, after engineers spent days trying to pull the fully laden vessel with tugboats, according to statements from Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority and stakeholders.

Some 30,000 cubic-meters of sand was dredged to help dislodge the Ever Given, along with the deployment of 11 harbor tugs and two seagoing tugs. The Suez Canal was no longer jammed as the massive vessel was towed to a location outside the channel for further inspection, according to Boskalis Westminster, the parent company of the Dutch salvage firm hired to extract the ship.

“I’m extremely proud of the outstanding job done by the team on site as well as the many SMIT Salvage and Boskalis colleagues back home to complete this challenging operation under the watchful eye of the world,” Peter Berdowski, CEO of Boskalis Westminster, said in a statement Monday. “The time pressure to complete this operation was evident and unprecedented.”

The Ever Given “will be repositioned to the Great Bitter Lake,” located halfway between the northern and southern ends of the Suez Canal, “for an inspection of its seaworthiness,” according to Evergreen Marine Corp., the Taiwanese firm that is leasing the chartered vessel.
“The outcome of that inspection will determine whether the ship can resume its scheduled service,” Evergreen Marine Corp. said in a statement Monday. “Once the inspection is finalized, decisions will be made regarding arrangements for cargo currently on board.”

Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie was expected to announce the resumption of navigation through the canal on Monday evening.
The Ever Given, which is almost the size of the Empire State Building, was on its way from China to the Netherlands when it ran aground last Tuesday morning near the southern end of the 120-mile-long artificial waterway that slices through Egypt’s northeast corner. The Suez Canal Authority said a sandstorm and high winds had caused poor navigation and low visibility.

Shipping traffic came to a complete halt while the vessel remained stuck sideways across the Suez Canal, one of the world’s busiest trade routes that provides the shortest maritime link for goods traveling from Asia to Europe by connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
Shoei Kisen Kaisha, the Japanese company that owns the Ever Given, said in a statement last Thursday that it was working with local authorities in the North African country to resolve the situation, which was proving “extremely difficult.”

“We sincerely apologize for causing a great deal of worry to ships in the Suez Canal and those planning to go through the canal,” the company added. As the blockage neared the one-week mark, there were growing concerns over how it could impact the global economy and supply chains. About 12% of the world’s trade volume passes through the Suez Canal, including approximately 1.9 billion barrels of oil per day.

Indra Nooyi Relates Her own story to evolving global economy

Staff ReporterProfile, Women 0

Indra Nooyi is one of the worlds foremost business visionaries, who broke the glass ceiling in global business as a woman of Indian origin and immigrant leading an iconic American company that operates in 200 countries. Now, she essays her journey in “My Life In Full: Work, Family And Our Future” to be published by Hachette India.

A revered corporate strategist, she is also a sought-after advisor to entrepreneurs, executives and governments.

As Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018, she was the chief architect of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo’s mission to deliver sustained growth by making more nutritious products, limiting the company’s environmental footprint, and empowering its associates and people in the communities it serves.

It offers an intimate look inside PepsiCo, detailing how Nooyi steered the iconic American company toward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile without curbing financial performance — despite resistance at every turn. “My Life in Full” includes Nooyi’s unvarnished take on the competing pressures on her attention and time, and what she learned as a leader along the way.

“As I wrote ‘My Life in Full’, I saw how my own story relates to our evolving global economy and how it may inform our progress on better integrating work and family in the years ahead. I hope this book inspires business leaders, policymakers and all women and men passionate about easing the work-and-family burden to come together and create change”, Nooyi says of the memoir.

Thomas Abraham, Managing Director, Hachette India, says: “This is that unusual book that works at so many levels — as a celebration of an extraordinary life, as an emotional memoir, a

Shah Rukh Khan Gets Nostalgic After US Navy Members Sing ‘Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera’

Staff ReporterCinema 0

Feeling nostalgic about the iconic song of his film, Shahrukh Khan shares his reaction to the viral tweet of US Navy members singing ‘Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera’ at a dinner meeting between US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Michael M Gilday and India’s Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Taking it to Twitter, SRK wrote, “Thank u for sharing this sir. How lovely. Git all nostalgic about the time spent making this beautiful film and belief sung in the song. Thanx @AshGowariker @RonnieScrewvala @arrahman & everyone who made it possible.”

The video got viral on social media when Taranjit Singh Sandhu, shared a video to Twitter on Saturday, which sees the US Navy officers singing ‘Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera’ from the film ‘Swades’.

He wrote: “This is a friendship bond that cannot be broken ever.’ The song was originally composed and sung by AR Rehman for the 2004 film Swades.

The clip shows a team of singers and musical instrument players from the US Navy band dressed in their uniforms as they present the song.

The 1.5-minute video has garnered over 341k views on the microblogging site.
The song from the 2004 movie Swades revolves around Mohan (played by Shah Rukh Khan), an Indian expatriate employed with NASA, who travels to his country to track down his beloved nanny, Kaveri. During his stay, he finds himself advocating for reform in a village.

(Courtesy: ANI)

Banned From Social Media, Trump Launches A New Website

Staff ReporterMedia, Nation USA 0

Donald Trump, the former president and first lady, Melania Trump, have launched a website to serve their personal offices. The website, 45office.com, comes after Trump’s ban from social media sites in the aftermath of the January Capitol insurrection.

The site features a lengthy biography for the former president that starts, “Donald J. Trump launched the most extraordinary political movement in history, dethroning political dynasties, defeating the Washington Establishment, and becoming the first true outsider elected as President of the United States.”

It also includes more than a dozen pictures of himself, in which he is depicted boarding Air Force One, greeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and, yes, kissing a baby. Other photos are of the president and Melania Trump dancing at the inaugural ball and at black tie dinners in the White House. The website makes no mention of his two impeachment trials. It does reference how “the coronavirus plague arrived from China,” and says that Trump “acted early and decisively to ban travel from China and Europe, which saved countless lives.”

As of Tuesday, Covid-19 has killed at least 550,371 people and infected about 30.3 million in the United States since last January, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.

Trump has largely remained off the internet since the January 6th Capitol insurrection that killed five people and led the Justice Department to charge at least 150 people with insurrection, a number that could increase to 400 or more. In its aftermath, Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter and other social platforms, such as Snapchat.

The former president will return to social media in two to three months on his own platform, according to Jason Miller, a long-time Trump adviser and spokesperson for the president’s 2020 campaign. The new platform will attract “tens of millions” of new users and “completely redefine the game,” Miller added.

Following Trump’s ban on Twitter, Jared Kushner, the former president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, intervened to stop the efforts of aides who attempted to get Trump on fringe social media platforms such as Parler and Gab.

Visitors to the former president’s website can also request a personalized greeting from the president and the First Lady, or request that the Trumps attend an event. Due to the high number of requests, the greetings page says it will take up to six weeks for processing.

As for having the Trumps attend an event, the website said it there would be no status updates “due to the volume of requests President and Mrs. Trump receive. Requests must note if media will be present and if there will be any notable attendees.”

— CNN’s Jazmin Goodwin contributed to this report

Telugu Movie ‘Jathi Ratnalu’ Scores Big In US Market

Staff ReporterCinema, Entertainment 0

Jathi Ratnalu, which hit the screens earlier this month, has been striking gold at the box office. Starring Naveen Polishetty, Priyadarshi, Rahul Ramakrishna, and Faria Abdullah among others, the film has been termed as a laugh riot, succeeding in impressing audiences across boundaries. Directed by debutant Anudeep KV, the Telugu flick is continuing its dream run in theatres. And while there has been quite some curiosity surrounding the OTT release date of Jathi Ratnalu, it appears the film might not make its way to the small screens until a few more weeks.

As per reports, the digital streaming rights of Jathi Ratnalu have been bagged by the leading OTT platform Amazon Prime Video. Regarding the release date, there are speculations that Jathi Ratnalu might stream on the OTT platform from 10 April. However, there has been no official word on the same yet. While the release date hasn’t been confirmed as of now, the likelihood of the film making it to the digital platform in April seems high.

 The Telugu film “Jathi Ratnalu” is one of the first Indian films to score big at the US box office after the lull due to the pandemic. The film stars Naveen Polishetty, Priyadarshi and Rahul Ramakrishna, and is directed by Anudeep KV.

Within a month of release, “Jathi Ratnalu” has collected almost $1 million (Rs 7,25,62,250) in the United States. The film was made on a budget of around Rs 5 to 6 crore. The film has also done business worth Rs 100 crore (nett) in the Indian market so far.

“We take pride in making movies that entertain the masses and have the potential to shake off the inertia. Jathi Rathnalu has emerged as a reason to laugh and as producers, that’s what we aimed for. A big thanks to the writers for cultivating humour that sat so well with the audience and the critics. We have the world to thank for the success that the film is currently witnessing overseas,” says a spokesperson of the film’s production house, Swapna Cinema.

Reviewed as a laugh riot, the film was appreciated by stars such as Allu Arjun and Mahesh Babu. The film also features Faria Abdullah while Murali Sharma, Brahmanandam and Naresh play supporting roles.

Jathi Ratnalu fetched a positive response from the audience right from the word go. The prospects further drew strength with the likes of Mahesh Babu and Allu Arjun applauding the film and its cast and crew. Recently, it was reported that the film even touched the $1 million mark at the US box office. And given that the film has been on a roll, the makers even announced that its OTT release might be delayed with the theatrical run being extended.

Japan’s Famous Cherry Blossom Blooms Earlier Than Any Year Since First Records Began In 812 AD

Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Japan‘s famous cherry blossoms have reached their flowery peak in many places earlier this year than at any time since the first records began in 812 AD, over 1,200 years ago.

Amid an exceptionally warm March in Japan, the cherry blossoms in peaked Friday, March 26th, the earliest in more than 1,200 years of records. The record bloom fits into a long-term pattern toward earlier spring flowering, a compelling indicator of climate change, experts say.

The March 26, 2021, peak bloom date surpassed the previous record holder of March 27, 1409, nearly a century before Christopher Columbus sailed to America. The long-term record dates back to A.D. 812, about 12 years after Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

“The Kyoto Cherry Blossom record is incredibly valuable for climate change research because of its length and the strong sensitivity of flowering to springtime temperatures (warmer springs = earlier flowering, typically),” Benjamin Cook, a research scientist at Columbia University who specializes in reconstructing climate data from the past, said in an email.

Japan’s favourite flower, called ‘sakura,’ used to reach their peak bloom in April, just as the country celebrates the start of its new school and business year.

Yet that date has been creeping earlier and now most years the blossoms are largely gone before the first day of the Japanese school year, which starts in April.

The data was collected by Yasuyuki Aono, a researcher at Osaka Prefecture University, using diaries and chronicles written by emperors, aristocrats, governors, and monks.

This year’s bloom is also the earliest since the Japan Meteorological Agency started collecting the data in 1953 and 10 days ahead of the 30-year average. Similar records were set this year in more than a dozen cities across Japan.

Aono said the earliest blooms he has found before this year were March 27 in the years 1612, 1409 and 1236, though there are not records for some years.

The time of the peak bloom in Kyoto had been moving earlier in the year, from mid-April to the start of the month, from 1800 onwards, data shows.

‘We can say it’s most likely because of the impact of the global warming,’ said Shunji Anbe, an official at the observations division at the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Yasuyuki Aono, a researcher at Osaka Prefecture University, has tracked the data back to 812.

“I have searched and collected the phenological data for full flowering date of cherry tree (Prunus jamasakura) from many diaries and chronicles written by emperors, aristocrats, governors and monks at Kyoto in historical time,” he wrote.

Phenology is the study of seasons and recurring biological events. Since about 1800, the data suggest the peak date in Kyoto has gradually been moving back from mid-April towards the beginning of the month.

Unique for its longevity, the cherry blossom time series shows the average peak bloom date was relatively stable for about 1,000 years, from about 812 to 1800. But then, the peak bloom dates slope abruptly downward, revealing a shift earlier and earlier in the spring.

Since the 1800s, warming has led to a steady trend toward earlier flowering that continues to the present day, Some of this warming is due to climate change, but some is also likely from an enhanced heat island effect due to increased urbanization of the environment over the last couple of centuries.

India Is An Important Partner In Rapidly Shifting International Dynamics, Says US Defense Secretary After Talks With Indian Officials

Staff ReporterNation India, Nation USA 0

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India has reaffirmed its resolve to maintain a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, which is in line with the Narendra Modi government’s ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy.

The United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, following his meeting with Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last week, said India is an important ally in the rapidly shifting international dynamics and his visit to New Delhi conveys the Joe Biden administration’s “strong commitment towards their partners in the region”.

“India, in particular, is an increasingly important partner amid today’s rapidly shifting international dynamics. And I reaffirmed our commitment to a comprehensive and forward-looking defence partnership with India as a central pillar of our approach to the region. As the world faces a global pandemic and growing challenges to an open and stable international system, the US-India relationship is a stronghold of a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Austin added.

The US Defence Secretary had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and conveyed Washington’s “strong desire” to further enhance the strategic partnership for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

“India stands for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and adherence to international law. This is a resounding affirmation of our shared vision for regional security in the Indo-Pacific. And it’s clear that the importance of this partnership, and its impact to the international rules-based order will only grow in the years ahead. Our work today is grounded in our shared values and converging strategic interests. We discussed opportunities to elevate the US-India Major Defense Partnership, which is a priority of the Biden-Harris administration… through regional security cooperation, military-to-military interactions, and defence trade. In addition, we are continuing to advance new areas of collaboration, including information-sharing, logistics cooperation, artificial intelligence, and cooperation in new domains such as space and cyber sectors,” Austin said.

Giving out details regarding the meeting, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in his statement, said a range of issues was discussed with a focus on “enhancing defence information sharing, cooperation in emerging domains of defence, mutual logistics support, and expanding military to military engagements across services.

“We are determined to expand India-US cooperation from bilateral and multilateral exercises to developing closer bilateral linkages. We intend to pursue enhanced cooperation between the Indian military and US Indo-Pacific Command, Central Command and Africa Command. We also plan to optimize the LEMOA, COMCASA and BECA Agreements and achieve their full potential to contribute to our security and prosperity,” Rajnath added.

With China looking to expand its influence over the region, both Austin and Rajnath said they will be engaging with “like-minded partners”.

The meet comes barely a week after the first Quad summit that was attended by Prime Minister Modi, US President Biden, Japense Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australian PM Scott Morrison.

Elaborating on this, Austin said, “We discussed engagement with like-minded partners through multilateral groupings such as the Quad and ASEAN. As the Indo-Pacific region faces acute transnational challenges, such as climate change, and challenges to a free and open regional order, cooperation among like-minded countries is imperative to securing our shared vision for the future. Despite today’s challenging security environment, the partnership between the United States and India, the world’s two largest democracies, remains resilient and strong.”

Rajnath, too, while speaking about the Quad, said, “The summit has emphasized our resolve to maintain a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Today, we reaffirmed that closer India-US cooperation in partnership with countries keen to uphold rules-based order, can promote security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. This is also in line with India’s ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy.”

Rajnath also appreciated the participation of the US in Aero India 2021 and expressed hope that “American manufacturers will take advantage of India’s liberalized foreign direct investment policies in the defense sector”.

US House Of Representatives Pass Comprehensive Immigration Bills

Staff ReporterImmigration, Nation USA 0

Democratic Party led-US House of Representatives passed progressive immigration laws that seek to create a pathway to citizenship for children brought to the country illegally, migrant farm workers and immigrants who have fled war or natural disasters.

The US House of Representatives passed two bills on immigration reform on Thursday that would provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of DREAMers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and farm workers. But they also served as an early indicator of Republicans’ limited appetite to work with Democrats on the highly polarized issue of immigration, raising the question of whether a more ambitious, comprehensive overhaul is possible in the current political climate.

The bills, Democrats’ first stab at passing any sort of immigration reform since the start of the Biden Administration and taking control of Congress, passed with modest Republican support. But they face an uncertain future in the Senate as immigration is back in the national spotlight due to the surge of unaccompanied migrant minors arriving at the southern U.S. border. The emerging crisis has simultaneously highlighted the need for comprehensive immigration reform and raised questions about whether more sweeping action is possible as Republicans seek to link the influx to Biden’s immigration agenda.

Offering legal status to around 2 million undocumented children brought to the US, called “Dreamers” after a previous failed law called the Dream Act. These children were offered temporary protection from deportation by an Obama-era rule that Donald Trump had unsuccessfully tried to end — courts rejected his attempts.

Now the Democrats are seeking to create for them a pathway to citizenship. The bill will also benefit many undocumented Indian children, the Economic Times reports. The bills now need 60 votes in a Senate that is split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. Only after the Senate clears it can President Joe Biden sign it.

The American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act would grant DREAMers, some Temporary Protected Status holders, and farm workers the legal status they would need to pursue citizenship. Both bills are backed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

That means 10 Republicans are to cross party lines and vote in favor, a highly unlikely scenario. The Democrat-controlled House had approved “Dreamer” and farm worker bills in 2019 by similar partisan margins, and both died in what was a Republican-run Senate.

As India Sees Surge, Reports Of ‘Double Mutant’ Coronavirus Variant Causes Alarm

Staff ReporterHealth 0

A unique “double mutant” coronavirus variant — with a combination of mutations not seen anywhere else in the world — has been found in India, the Health Ministry of India has reported. However, it is still to be established if this has any role to play in increased infectivity or in making COVID-19 more severe.

India is seeing a substantial number of coronavirus variants. But it is unclear whether these are contributing to a new surge in cases there.

On Wednesday, India reported 47,262 new cases, the highest jump since November. Coronavirus-related fatalities are also increasing with 275 deaths reported on Wednesday, the most India has seen this year.

Several virus variants have appeared in thousands of samples collected across Indian states. Some of the samples have contained viruses with two concerning mutations, one first identified in the U.K. and another in South Africa.

Genome sequencing of a section of virus samples by a consortium of 10 labs across the country, called the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG), revealed the presence of two mutations, E484Q and L452R together, in at least 200 virus samples from Maharashtra, as well as a handful in Delhi, Punjab and Gujarat.

Mutations in the virus per se are not surprising but specific mutations that help the virus evolve to thwart vaccines or the immune system, or are linked to a spike in cases or in disease severity, are of interest. While the two mutations have been individually identified in other variants of SARS-CoV-2 globally, and have been associated with a reduction in vaccine efficacy as well as infectivity, their combined effect and biological implication has not yet been understood. In the days ahead, the INSACOG will submit details of this variant to a global repository called GISAID and, if it merits, classify it as a “Variant of Concern” (VOC).

India has not yet conducted studies on how vaccine efficacy is influenced by variants, except for limited laboratory trials, but international studies have shown reduced efficacy of vaccines — particularly those by Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax — to certain variants. However, the vaccines continue to be significantly protective in spite of this.

So far, only three global VOCs have been identified: the U.K. variant (B.1.1.7), the South African (B.1.351) and the Brazilian (P.1) lineage. So far, of 10,787 samples from international passengers, 771 instances of these VOCs have been identified in 18 States of the country. After the new double variant has been submitted to GISAID, it will be categorised under a formal lineage, and will have its own name.

The identification of a new variant does not yet imply new public health measures, the Health Ministry said: “It would require the same epidemiological and public health response of increased testing, comprehensive tracking of close contacts, prompt isolation of positive cases & contacts as well as treatment as per National Treatment Protocol” by the States/UTs.

Separately, genome variation studies from Kerala have revealed the presence of other mutations associated with the ability to help the coronavirus evade neutralising antibodies.

“The N440K mutation that is associated with immune escape has been found in 123 samples from 11 districts. This was earlier found in 33% of samples from Andhra Pradesh, and in 53 of 104 samples from Telangana. This has also been reported from 16 other countries, including the U.K., Denmark, Singapore, Japan and Australia. As of now, these can at best be said to be variants under investigation,” noted the Ministry.

Anurag Agrawal, Director, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, said: “Presence of a VOC or suspected VOC does not automatically mean that they are causing the outbreak, but rather suggests caution and implementation of public health measures for containment. This must of course be paralleled with investigation into the VOC — known and suspected — in terms of transmissibility, inhibition by antibodies of recovered people, and inhibition by antibodies of vaccinated people. Doing this together will help formulate the best health policy.”

The INSACOG was to genome sequence about 5% of the positive samples from all States but has so far managed about 1%. This, as The Hindu has previously reported, was due to restrictions on reagents and a paucity of samples sent from the States to the sequencing centers.

National film Awards

Staff ReporterCinema, Entertainment 0

The 67th National Film Awards have finally been announced. Delayed by one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the awards were announced during a press conference in Delhi on Monday

Tamil actor Dhanush along with Bollywood actors Kangana Ranaut and Manoj Bajpayee on Monday won top acting honors at the 67th National Film Awards, which walked the tightrope between mainstream and indie cinema. Director Priyadarshan’s Malayalam film “Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham” was declared best film and Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan named best director for the Hindi film “Bahattar Hoorain” by the jury headed by filmmaker N Chandra, who said they judged the movies “not as gods but as parents”.

Overall, Hindi films won big in the feature film category. The Best Female Actor award went to Kangana Ranaut for her performance in Manikarnika and Panga, while the Best Feature Film (Hindi) went to Sushant Singh Rajput’s Chhichhore.

The most watched glamorous event ceremony will bestow honours on films and artistes for the year 2019. The awards were initially going to be held in May last year but were delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. The awards are given out by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation that comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

This is the fourth National Award for Ranaut, who is known for her combative comments and hit the headlines when she locked horns with the Maharashtra government after her office was demolished by the BMC. She won the best actress award this time for her performance in the Hindi films “Panga” and “Manikarnika”. The other three National Award wins were best actress for “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” and “Queen” and the best-supporting actress trophy for “Fashion”.

The National Awards, given by the Directorate of Film Festivals which comes under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, were delayed by a year due to the pandemic.

The awards are presented by the President of India traditionally. However, for the 66th National Film Awards, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu did the honors, while President Ram Nath Kovind hosted the high tea for the winners.

Here is a look at the National Film Awards 2020 winners:

Best Feature Film: Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham

Best Hindi Film: Chhichhore

Best Actor (Male): Manoj Bajpayee (Bhosle) and Dhanush (Asuran)

Best Actor (Female): Kangana Ranaut (Manikarnika and Panga)

Best Supporting Actor (Male): Vijay Sethupathi

Best Supporting Actor (Female): Pallavi Joshi

Best Editing film: Jersey (Telugu)

Best Audiography: Resul Pookutty

Best Screenplay Adapted: Gumnami

Best Female Playback singer: Savani Ravindra for Bardo (Marathi)

Best Male Playback Singer: B Praak

Best Action Direction: Avane Srimannarayana (Kannada)

Best Choreography: Maharishi (Telugu)

Best Special Effects: Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam)

Special Jury Award: Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil)

Best Lyrics: Prabha Varma for Kolaambi (Malayalam)

Best Music Direction: D. Imman for Viswasam (Tamil)

Best Background Music: Prabuddha Banerjee for Jyeshthoputro (Bengali)

Best Make-up Artist: Ranjith for Helen (Malayalam)

Best Costumes: Sujith and Sai for Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (Malayalam)

Best Production Design: Anandi Gopal (Marathi)

Best Audiography (Re-recordist of final mixed track): Oththa Seruppu Size 7 (Tamil)

Best Screenplay (Original): Jyeshthoputro (Bengali)

Best Screenplay (Adapted): Gumnaami (Bengali)

Best Screenplay (Dialogues): The Tashkent Files (Hindi)

Best Cinematography: Jallikattu (Malayalam)

Best Child Artist: Naga Vishal for KD (Tamil)

Best Direction: Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan for Bahattar Hoorain (Hindi)

Best Children’s Film: Kastoori (Hindi)

Best Film on Environment: Water Burial (Monpa)

Best Film on Social Issues: Anandi Gopal (Marathi)

Best Film on National Integration: Tajmahal (Marathi)

Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Maharishi (Telugu)

Best Debut Film of a Director: Mathukutty Xavier for Helen (Malayalam)

Non-feature films

Best Film Critic: Sohini Chattopadhyaya

Best Book on Cinema: A Gandhian Affair: India’s Curious Portrayal of Love in Cinema.

Best Non-Feature Editing: Arjun Saraya

Audiography (musical): Radha

On Location Sound Recordist: Rahas

Best Cinematography: Savita Singh for Sonsi

Best Direction: Knock Knock Knock

Best Film on Family Values: Oruu Pathira

Best Short Fiction: Custody

Special Jury Award: Small Scale Values

Best Animation: Radha

Best Investigative: Jakkal

Best Exploration film: Wild Karnataka

Best Education film: Apples and Oranges

Best Film on Social Issues: Holy Rites (Hindi) and Ladli (Hindi)

Best Environment Film: The Stork Saviours

Best Promotional film: The Shower

Best Biographical Film: Elephants do Remember

Best Ethnographic Film: Charan-Atva

Best Debut Non-Feature film Director: Khisa

Best Non-Feature Film: An Engineered Dream

What happened to MARS’s water? Is It still trapped there?

Staff ReporterEducation, Science 0

Newswise — Billions of years ago, the Red Planet was far more blue; according to evidence still found on the surface, abundant water flowed across Mars and forming pools, lakes, and deep oceans. The question, then, is where did all that water go?

The answer: nowhere. According to new research from Caltech and JPL, a significant portion of Mars’s water–between 30 and 99 percent–is trapped within minerals in the planet’s crust. The research challenges the current theory that the Red Planet’s water escaped into space.

The Caltech/JPL team found that around four billion years ago, Mars was home to enough water to have covered the whole planet in an ocean about 100 to 1,500 meters deep; a volume roughly equivalent to half of Earth’s Atlantic Ocean. But, by a billion years later, the planet was as dry as it is today. Previously, scientists seeking to explain what happened to the flowing water on Mars had suggested that it escaped into space, victim of Mars’s low gravity. Though some water did indeed leave Mars this way, it now appears that such an escape cannot account for most of the water loss.

“Atmospheric escape doesn’t fully explain the data that we have for how much water actually once existed on Mars,” says Caltech PhD candidate Eva Scheller (MS ’20), lead author of a paper on the research that was published by the journal Science on March 16 and presented the same day at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). Scheller’s co-authors are Bethany Ehlmann, professor of planetary science and associate director for the Keck Institute for Space Studies; Yuk Yung, professor of planetary science and JPL senior research scientist; Caltech graduate student Danica Adams; and Renyu Hu, JPL research scientist. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

The team studied the quantity of water on Mars over time in all its forms (vapor, liquid, and ice) and the chemical composition of the planet’s current atmosphere and crust through the analysis of meteorites as well as using data provided by Mars rovers and orbiters, looking in particular at the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen (D/H).

Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen: H2O. Not all hydrogen atoms are created equal, however. There are two stable isotopes of hydrogen. The vast majority of hydrogen atoms have just one proton within the atomic nucleus, while a tiny fraction (about 0.02 percent) exist as deuterium, or so-called “heavy” hydrogen, which has a proton and a neutron in the nucleus.

The lighter-weight hydrogen (also known as protium) has an easier time escaping the planet’s gravity into space than its heavier counterpart. Because of this, the escape of a planet’s water via the upper atmosphere would leave a telltale signature on the ratio of deuterium to hydrogen in the planet’s atmosphere: there would be an outsized portion of deuterium left behind.

However, the loss of water solely through the atmosphere cannot explain both the observed deuterium to hydrogen signal in the Martian atmosphere and large amounts of water in the past. Instead, the study proposes that a combination of two mechanisms–the trapping of water in minerals in the planet’s crust and the loss of water to the atmosphere–can explain the observed deuterium-to-hydrogen signal within the Martian atmosphere.

When water interacts with rock, chemical weathering forms clays and other hydrous minerals that contain water as part of their mineral structure. This process occurs on Earth as well as on Mars. Because Earth is tectonically active, old crust continually melts into the mantle and forms new crust at plate boundaries, recycling water and other molecules back into the atmosphere through volcanism. Mars, however, is mostly tectonically inactive, and so the “drying” of the surface, once it occurs, is permanent.

“Atmospheric escape clearly had a role in water loss, but findings from the last decade of Mars missions have pointed to the fact that there was this huge reservoir of ancient hydrated minerals whose formation certainly decreased water availability over time,” says Ehlmann.

“All of this water was sequestered fairly early on, and then never cycled back out,” Scheller says. The research, which relied on data from meteorites, telescopes, satellite observations, and samples analyzed by rovers on Mars, illustrates the importance of having multiple ways of probing the Red Planet, she says.

Ehlmann, Hu, and Yung previously collaborated on research that seeks to understand the habitability of Mars by tracing the history of carbon, since carbon dioxide is the principal constituent of the atmosphere. Next, the team plans to continue to use isotopic and mineral composition data to determine the fate of nitrogen and sulfur-bearing minerals. In addition, Scheller plans to continue examining the processes by which Mars’s surface water was lost to the crust using laboratory experiments that simulate Martian weathering processes, as well as through observations of ancient crust by the Perseverance rover. Scheller and Ehlmann will also aid in Mars 2020 operations to collect rock samples for return to Earth that will allow the researchers and their colleagues to test these hypotheses about the drivers of climate change on Mars.

The paper, titled “Long-term Drying of Mars Caused by Sequestration of Ocean-scale Volumes of Water in the Crust,” published in Science on 16 March 2021. This work was supported by a NASA Habitable Worlds award, a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) award, and a NASA Future Investigator in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) award.

Travel’s Dramatic Losses in 2020

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy, Travel 0

The decline in travel due to COVID-19 has devastated our economy and torn at the very fabric of our society. Our economy suffered shocking impact—nearly $500 billion in lost travel spending, resulting in $64 billion in missed federal, state, and local tax revenue since the beginning of March.
Around the world, international arrivals are estimated to have dropped to 381 million in 2020, down from 1.461 billion in 2019 — a 74 percent decline. In countries whose economies are heavily reliant on tourism, the precipitous drop in visitors was, and remains, devastating.
According to recent figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the decline in international travel in 2020 resulted in an estimated loss of $1.3 trillion in global export revenues. As the agency notes, this figure is more than 11 times the loss that occurred in 2009 as a result of the global economic crisis.
Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for one out of every 10 jobs around the world. In many places, though, travel plays an even greater role in the local economy.
Consider the Maldives, where in recent years international tourism has accounted for around two-thirds of the country’s G.D.P., when considering direct and indirect contributions.
As lockdowns fell into place worldwide, international arrivals in the Maldives plunged; from April through September of 2020, they were down 97 percent compared to the same period in 2019. Throughout all of 2020, arrivals were down by more than 67 percent compared with 2019. (Arrival numbers slowly improved after the country reopened in July; the government, eager to promote tourism and mitigate losses, lured travelers with marketing campaigns and even courted influencers with paid junkets.)
This Fact Sheet provides key travel data, which showcases the dramatic losses suffered by the travel industry in 2020.
For more details, read: https://www.ustravel.org/research/fact-sheet-travels-dramatic-losses-2020

World Happiness Report: India Ranks 139th

Staff ReporterLifestyle 0

Of the 10 top countries in the list, nine were in Europe. Finland was followed by Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, and New Zealand.

Finland has been declared the world’s happiest country for the fourth year running, according to the World Happiness Report 2021 published on Friday by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Meanwhile, India ranked 139th out of the 149 countries in the list — a slight improvement since last year, when it was ranked 140th. Of the 10 top countries in the list, nine were in Europe. Finland was followed by Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Austria.

The report evaluated levels of happiness by taking into account factors such as GDP, social support, personal freedom, and levels of corruption in each nation. But this year, the authors had a unique new challenge to address in the report — the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on nations around the world.

“The pandemic reminds us of our global environmental threats, the urgent need to cooperate, and the difficulties of achieving cooperation in each country and globally,” one of the authors, Jeffrey Sachs, said. “The World Happiness Report 2021 reminds us that we must aim for wellbeing rather than mere wealth, which will be fleeting indeed if we don’t do a much better job of addressing the challenges of sustainable development.”

With the pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe, this years’ report provided two different sets of rankings — one was the usual list based on the the average of three years of surveys taken in 2018-2020 by Gallup, while another focussed solely on 2020 to understand how Covid impacted subjective well being.

According to the authors of the paper, trust was the key factor used to measure happiness in each country. Nations where citizens had more faith vested in its institutions and had greater income equality were considered to be more successful in combating the pandemic.

Afghanistan remained the least happy country in the world, as per the list. Meanwhile, the United States slipped one spot to number 19. A number of Asian countries fared better this year than they had last year, while China moved to the 84th spot from the 94th.

“Surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people’s own evaluation of their lives,” John Helliwell, another author of the report, said.

It Is Dangerous To Speak Up In India Today.’ What the Resignations of 2 Academics Show About Freedom of Expression Under Modi Regime

Staff ReporterEducation, Nation India 0

Two prominent academics stepped down from their positions at one of India’s most respected universities this week, shining a spotlight on the state of academic freedom and a widening crackdown on dissent under the Hindu nationalist ruling party.

Pratap Bhanu Mehta resigned from his position as a professor of political science at Ashoka University near Delhi on Monday. In his letter of resignation, reproduced online Thursday, Mehta suggested that he had been forced to step down because of indirect pressure by the Indian government. In newspaper columns and academic work, Mehta had been critical of the majoritarianism of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Arvind Subramanian, an economics professor at Ashoka who once served as chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also resigned from his position on Thursday in solidarity with Mehta, calling his treatment an affront to “academic expression and freedom.”

The resignations are the latest example of what observers say is a tightening of academic freedoms, and dissent more broadly, driven by the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP. In 2020, the U.S. NGO Freedom House down-ranked India’s academic freedom score from three to two out of a possible four, “due to rising intimidation in recent years that is aimed at controlling academic discussion of politically sensitive topics.”

Police have also increasingly used sedition and anti-terror legislation to intimidate academics, journalists and activists, says Harsh Mander, a prominent academic who has been on the receiving end of government intimidation. “The government feels now that its only opposition is some voices in academia and civil society, and they are the only barriers to recasting India into a Hindu supremacist nation,” says Mander, who was charged with incitement to violence for a speech he made at a peaceful anti-government protest in 2019. “They have used many tactics to create fear.”

In his resignation letter, Mehta suggested that he had been forced to step down because of indirect pressure on Ashoka University from the Indian government. “After a meeting with [the university’s] Founders it has become abundantly clear to me that my association with the university may be considered a political liability,” he wrote. “My public writing in support of a politics that tries to honor constitutional values of freedom and equal respect for all citizens, is perceived to carry risks for the university. In the interests of the university I resign.”

The founders of Ashoka, a privately-funded university established in 2014 as India’s answer to the Ivy League, had told Mehta in a meeting that his criticism of the Indian government was threatening the planned expansion of the university, according to an Ashoka employee with knowledge of the conversation, who requested anonymity out of concern for their job.

Neither Ashoka University nor the Indian government responded to TIME’s requests for comment. But in response to a similar allegation reported by the Edict, Ashoka’s student newspaper, a co-founder of the university said the Edict’s article was “factually inaccurate.” Mehta did not respond to a request for comment.

Mehta was formerly the university’s vice-chancellor, its highest academic post, until he stepped down in 2019. At the time, he cited personal reasons, but many have speculated that there was political pressure then, too. “That step sat uneasily for many of us, because it appeared that this was part of an escalating strategy where public intellectuals, civil society advocates, and human rights defenders who are progressive, liberal, with a certain idea of the free university and freedom of speech in a democratic society, were being identified, discouraged, and targeted,” says Angana Chatterji of the Center for Race and Gender at the University of California, Berkeley. “The government wants to send a message that it’s not just state institutions, [but] any institution that takes a position critical of the government [that] will be viewed and treated as unacceptable.”

Subramanian, the other academic who resigned from Ashoka on Thursday, cited the alleged pressure on Mehta as a reason for stepping down. “That someone of such integrity and eminence, who embodied the vision underlying Ashoka, felt compelled to leave is troubling,” wrote the prominent professor of economics. “That even Ashoka—with its private status and backing by private capital—can no longer provide a space for academic expression and freedom is ominously disturbing.” Subramanian has been a critic of the government’s economic policies since stepping down from his role as an economic adviser in 2018. He did not respond to a request for comment.

For Chatterji, an Indian academic based in California whose work has focused on the rise of Hindu nationalism in India, the experience of intimidation is personal. In 2008, police attempted to charge her with inciting violence against the state, citing an article she had authored that investigated unmarked graves in Kashmir, where the Indian government has been blamed for human rights abuses in its decades-long counterinsurgency campaign. That was before the BJP came to power in 2014 — but since the party was elected, Chatterji says, she has often found it difficult to return home to India from the U.S. because of threats from individuals associated with Hindu nationalist organizations.

Other areas of civil society are also facing censure in India. In 2020, the government forced the Indian branch of Amnesty International to cease its work in the country, after it publicly criticized the government’s human rights record. “In a myriad of ways, people are being harassed, subdued, subjugated in India today,” Chatterji says. “It is dangerous to speak up in India today.”

Ambani security scare: NIA to take over probe into death of Mansukh Hiren

Staff ReporterNation India 0

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had been probing the case and had registered a case of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence against an unknown person in connection with Hiran’s death.

The National Investigation of Agency (NIA) will take over the investigation into the death of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the vehicle found outside the residence of Mukesh Ambani with gelatin sticks and a threat letter.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had been probing the case and had registered a case of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence against an unknown person in connection with Hiren’s death. Now, the case has been handed over to the NIA.

The NIA is already investigating the Antilia bomb scare case and role of Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze.

Hiren’s body was found in a creek near Mumbra, after which an accidental death report was filed at Mumbra police station in Thane.

Hiren’s wife has accused Waze of involvement in her husband’s suspicious death.

On Friday night, NIA took Waze to the spot where the explosives-laden Scorpio was found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence, and recreated the crime scene as part of its probe.

recorded at the spot on the day of the incident was Waze, although it is being confirmed.

A Mouse Embryo Grown In An Artificial Womb

Staff ReporterScience 0

Biologists from Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science have grown a mouse embryo — complete with beating heart cells, a head, and greenshoots of limbs — in an artificial womb for 12 days, longer than ever before. That’s about half the animal’s natural gestation period. The human equivalent of the period would be the first trimester.

How: The embryo was not grown in vitro starting from a fertilised egg. Instead, the scientists collected 5-day-old embryos from pregnant mice and moved them into glass vials filled with a special nutrient liquid. The vials were slowly spun and provided with a pressurised oxygen mixture. The mouse embryos grew till Dat 12 and only died after they became too large for the oxygen to diffuse through them, since they lack the natural blood supply a placenta could provide. The findings were published in the journal Nature (paywall).

The significance: Much of what is known about mammalian embryonic development today comes either from observing the process in non-mammals like frogs or fish that lay transparent eggs, or by obtaining static images from dissected mouse embryos (at different stages of development) and adding them together, explains Prof. Jacob Hanna of the Weizmann Institute. Growing an embryo in the lab gives scientists a whole new level of insight.

And marks a step towards… the ethical minefield of developing human embryos in a glass jar. In fact, in the same issue of Nature, two other research groups reported a leap forward in creating “artificial” human embryos, the MIT Technology Review notes.

Guardrails: Scientists currently adhere to a protocol of not developing human embryos beyond 14 days of sterilisation. Some countries have coded that as a law. But there are calls for allowing human embryos to grow longer. Hanna says doing so also would give access to lab-grown embryo tissues required for scientific research — for example, in the development of vaccines — instead of obtaining them from abortions.

(Source: Weizmann Institute of Science)

Hindu Women’s Network Celebrates International Women’s Day

Staff ReporterCulture, Women 0

Hindu Women’s Network held an online Conference and Panel Discussion, Sunday March 7, 2021, to celebrate International Women’s Day which was on March 8. The theme of the Conference was “The Hindu Woman: Inspiration through Action.”

The Hindu woman plays a significant role in being the torch bearer of Hindu samskaras and inspiring others to sustain our culture and traditions. The HWN seeks to motivate every woman to achieve this ideal, to strengthen her own family and society and enable all women to reach their full potential.

The program started with Shankh Naad and Deep Prajwalan by Bhawna Sharma. 8-year-old Shree Kotadia set the mood by enchanting Stutis in praise of various Devi/Devatas, recited with perfect pronunciation. Shree is a student of Bal Vidya Mandir in Ashland, MA.

Neelam Jaiswal introduced Hindu Women’s Network and took us through its various chapters and activities. Everyone enjoyed a short movie about the mission, vision and goals of Hindu Women’s Network, its history and achievements. We saw a short documentary of an inspiring talk by Sarojini Naidu during her visit to USA in 1928.

The moderator of the day, Toral Mehta, led the panel through a series of questions which brought out their viewpoints.

Aparna Rayasam opened the event with her rousing keynote address, a call to all women to lead through example. Aparna is an IT professional and dedicated Bal Vihar teacher. Aparna spoke about her exposure to all the extraordinary women in her life journey, and the roles they played in shaping her life, from her mother, her mother-in-law, her aunts, her two daughters, her co-workers, all of whom inspired her with the unique choices they made and the legacy they passed on, based on the bedrock of Hindu Dharma. She talked about four major themes as a framework to inspire: Truth or Satya, which leads one to discover one’s authentic self; Dharma, which helps us set our priorities in life; Karma, which are our actions to achieve our Dharma, and Shakti, which is the strength inherent in each of us, which we need to discover.

The distinguished panel consisted of women from varying walks and different stages of their lives.  Toral then introduced the panelists, who addressed different aspects of their journey to discover the potential in themselves, and lead by example.

Swapnali Puradkar has been a resident of Japan for the past 15 years. She works in International finance and is a mother of two young children. She spoke about finding balance or ‘Santulan’ in our life, to use our Shakti during moments of crisis, to help us think rationally. She urged everyone to practice meditation as a tool to help not only yourself but also your family, to help the mind and body connect.

Heena Rathore spoke about her entrepreneurial journey, and how she overcame the fear of failure, which initially kept her from starting her company of biodegradable products. Her mother played a big role in her life and taught her to believe in her own inner strength, how our inner shakti creates our outer reality.

Sucharita Jayanti, who is a student in New Hampshire and part of the leadership team of Hindu Students Council, discussed the major challenges facing our youth, which was to connect, assimilate and fit into the world around them, to understand their own Dharma and culture, their need for spiritual, emotional, and mental strength. She urged them to go back to the basics – Spiritually, to find Gurus who are guides and mentors, mentally, to have strong family units that can guide them, and to have access to resources, to have volunteers who can create these resources. Yashwini Desai talked about balancing her career with her extended family, and with illustrations from her own life, showed how her Hindu background helped her lead by example.

The last question by the moderator went to all the panelists and Keynote speaker. What Hindu value can be used collectively to sustain Hindu culture for the coming generations?

Aparna talked about educating ourselves in the infinite wisdom of Hindu Dharma, to start our own journey of education. Swapnali urged everyone to adhere to our Dharma faithfully and start teaching children from an incredibly young age. Heena spoke about being persistent in connecting children to their Hindu roots. Yashwini encouraged everyone to become a cultural ambassador.

Next, to give a welcome break before the Q and A session, everyone was treated to a wonderful performance by a young artiste, Aanika Patel. Aanika performed a beautiful dance in Kuchipudi style, on Bhama Kalapam. She enthralled everyone with her rendition of Satyabhama, the vivacious wife of Krishna, and made it come alive with her eloquent expressions.

Smita Daftardar ably led the Question-and-Answer sessions, and made sure maximum number of questions were asked, while still adhering to time.

The discussion ended with Shobha Patel, who summarized the takeaway points of the event, as expounded by the speakers: Accountability, Be bold, Confidence, Devotion to family, and Education. The event ended by a prayer by Manju Tiwari.

To view the event in its entirety, please click on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJff4yogi1o&pbjreload=101

Hindu Women’s Network is an initiative of World Hindu Council of America (VHPA). For more information or to start a chapter of Hindu Women’s Network in your area, please contact Neelam Jaiswal at Neelam.jswl@gmail.com or Manju Tiwari at msrtiwari@gmail.com

By The End Of The Century, Summer Weather Could Last Half A Year, Winter Could Vanish

Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

Summer weather could grow to half a year in length by the end of this century if no mitigation efforts are done on climate change, according to a new study. In about the past 60 years, summer has increased by 17 days on average across the globe.

“Summers are getting longer and hotter while winters shorter and warmer due to global warming,” said Yuping Guan, lead author of the study.

Sure, longer summers may sound great for a family vacation or enjoying the outdoors, but this extended season could significantly impact our health, the environment and agriculture.

Heat waves could grow longer, mosquito-borne illnesses could become more widespread, allergy season from pollen could turn more severe and the growing season of crops will be longer.

Summers growing longer

The study reveals that warming temperatures globally are making the hottest quarter of the year, known as summer, longer, and this is also affecting when all the seasons start.

“The onsets of spring and summer are advanced, while the onsets of autumn and winter are delayed,” the study says.

The study splits the four seasons into four percentiles, with any temperature above the 75th percentile of the 1952-2011 temperature average being recognized as summer. Climate computer models are then operated to reveal how these defined seasons change over time.

“Over the period of 1952-2011, the length of summer increased from 78 to 95 days and that of spring, autumn and winter decreased from 124 to 115, 87 to 82 and 76 to 73 days, respectively,” the study states.

Most regions across the Northern Hemisphere have been experiencing longer summers already, but in the Mediterranean region it is growing by more than eight days per 10 years since the 1950s. This may not sound like much, but over a longer time scale it becomes more significant.

Global sea and land temperatures continue to rise relative to average, and the difference compared to average is also growing. The last time annual temperatures were below average globally was in the late 1970s, meaning that the last time it was cooler than normal was more than 40 years ago, according to data from NOAA.

Climate change driven by emissions of Greenhouse gases is the main contributor to the warming temperatures.

If nothing is done to mitigate these emissions to slow down the effects of climate change, then summer could evolve into lasting half a year by the end of this century, according to the study.

“Under the business-as-usual scenario, spring and summer will start about a month earlier than 2011 by the end of the century, autumn and winter start about half a month later, which result in nearly half a year of summer and less than two months of winter in 2100.”

Countries around the world are trying to take action, but the goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement are not being met. That includes efforts to curb emissions.

What this means for you

Aside from the warming temperatures and shifting seasons, this does have implications on human life.

That includes agriculture. Spring is the season when plants begin to grow across parts of the US. The plants bud when they experience the warmer temperatures at the start of the season.

This time of year is also met with temperature variability, however, when one day may be warm while the next is cold. These temperature extremes are a common occurrence with climate change.

Starting spring a month earlier could mean disastrous losses for crops. Earlier weeks and months in the transition seasons could result in more drastic cold snaps following spring bud openings.

“For monsoon areas, shifting seasons can alter the time of monsoons. This means that patterns of monsoon rains are changed as well. These kind of changes may not sync with crops growth,” Guan told CNN.

“It could also limit the types of crops grown, encourage invasive species or weed growth, or increase demand for irrigation,” the Environmental Protection Agency says. “A longer growing season could also disrupt the function and structure of a region’s ecosystems and could, for example, alter the range and types of animal species in the area.”

There are other types of plants, like ragweed, that produce pollen. With an extended period of warmer temperatures, that allows plants to produce pollen for a longer time and at higher quantities.

The changing of the seasons will also affect wildfires and heat waves, likely increasing their occurrence.

“A hotter and longer summer will suffer more frequent and intensified high-temperature events — heatwaves and wildfires,” said Congwen Zhu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences who is unaffiliated with this study.

Heat events are already the deadliest on average compared to other weather events, such as flooding or hurricanes, in the US, as stated by the National Weather Service.

The report also references how mosquitos could be affected by the longer summers and the warmer temperatures at the higher latitudes. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, diseases carried by mosquitos, such as Dengue, could become more widespread in a warmer climate and the time period of the year when it spreads could become longer.

A study conducted by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) used a 30-year data set to investigate how climate change is impacting the deepest parts of Lake Michigan, the world’s fourth-largest freshwater lake.

“We found that this long-term data set not only confirms that Lake Michigan’s deep waters are warming, but also shows that winter is vanishing from them,” said Eric Anderson, the study’s lead author.

This could have a profound impact on everything from the region’s weather to its food supply.

Scientists used a long string of high-tech thermometers, which float vertically in the water and record temperatures at different depths in the lake. This instrument has been recording water temperatures every hour, almost continuously, for the past three decades.

This allowed scientists to examine the lake’s year-round temperature changes throughout the entire water column, rather than just lake surface temperatures in the summer.

(Courtesy: CNN.COM)

The Effect of Covid: Weight Gain For all Americans

Staff ReporterHealth, Lifestyle 0

I f you’re like most Americans, the past year has been a time of fear, anxiety and often profound tedium—but also of worsening dietary habits. Take 328 million people and confine them to their homes for weeks and months on end and they’re going to start eating more and exercising less. That means, no surprise, weight gain. A study published March 22 in JAMA took a crack at determining just how many pounds the average American packed on in between February and June 2020, and came up with about 7.08 lb. (3.24 kg).

Even before the pandemic began, the researchers, all from the University of California, San Francisco, were involved in a program known as the Heart eHealth Study, in which 250,000 volunteers share their blood pressure, electrocardiograms, weight and more by entering them into a phone app or connecting the phone to Bluetooth-enabled devices if they own them. There is no set frequency with which the volunteers are expected to participate, but the more often they log on and contribute their readings, the more data the researchers can collect. The goal is to learn more about the lifestyles and patterns of underlying health that lead to heart disease and how it might be possible to reverse them before trouble starts. When, in mid-March and early-April of last year, 45 states issued shelter-in-place orders, it got the research team wondering about what the sudden shift to a more sedentary lifestyle would do to eating habits and body mass.

To determine this, the team selected a broadly representative sample group from their existing pool of heart health subjects: 269 people from 37 states, with a median age of 51.9 years, and close to evenly divided between men and women. Over the course of four months, from Feb. 1, 2020—before pandemic-related social restrictions began—to June 1, 2020, the investigators collected a total of 7,444 weight readings from their sample pool. Over that time, the subjects gained an average of 0.59 lb. (0.27 kg) every 10 days.

That was unsurprising, to an extent, given the fact that so many Americans were forced to adapt to a much less active lifestyle. But it was especially troubling because so many of the subjects included in this study had actually been losing weight before the four month period began, says Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist, UCSF professor of medicine, and a coauthor of the study. “This means that their healthy behavior was not just interrupted, it was actually reversed.”

Equally worrisome, the 250,000 people from whom the 269 were selected were by no means precisely representative of the entire population. The mere fact that they enrolled in the Heart eHealth Study and that some own the bluetooth-enabled scales, ECGs and blood pressure cuffs that help them participate means that they are surely more health-conscious than much of the rest of the population. Merely to have their data included in the new weight study, they had to step on the scale a minimum of twice in the four-month study period, something that many other people may not do for months at a time.

“It might be that the general population has actually experienced more weight gain than our sample group has,” says Marcus. “It might be that this is just the tip of the iceberg.” As data from the Heart eHealth program continue to pour in, Marcus and his colleagues are keeping an eye on the 269 subjects and maintaining a record of their readings. They have not decided whether they will publish a follow-up study on their weight-gain or loss, but, says, Marcus, “It will be interesting to see what happens after all of the shelter in place orders are lifted.”

U.S. Senator Asks Lloyd Austin To Raise Concerns About Eroding Democratic Values During Visit To India

Staff ReporterCommunity, Nation India, Nation USA 0

In a letter, Bob Menendez asks the Secretary of Defence to raise India’s planned purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system.

Saying the Indian government is moving away from democratic values, the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez has written to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin asking him to raise concerns about democracy and India’s purchase of the S-400 Russian missile defence system during his visit to New Delhi. Mr. Austin is expected to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and senior national security officials between March 19 and 21 when he is in New Delhi.

“I would like to see the U.S.-India partnership grow, but we must acknowledge that the partnership is strongest when based on shared democratic values and the Indian government has been trending away from those values,” Mr. Menendez says in the letter dated March 17.

“I also expect that you will raise the administration’s opposition to India’s reportedly planned purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system,” he writes.

Among his concerns, Mr. Menendez cites a crackdown on journalists and critics of the government, its handling of the farmer protests and the use of sedition laws and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

‘Deteriorating democracy’

“The Indian government’s ongoing crackdown on farmers peacefully protesting new farming laws and corresponding intimidation of journalists and government critics only underscores the deteriorating situation of democracy,” Mr. Menendez says.

 “Moreover, in recent years, rising anti-Muslim sentiment and related government actions like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the suppression of political dialogue and arrest of political opponents following the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, and the use of sedition laws to persecute political opponents have resulted in the U.S. human rights group Freedom House stripping India of its ‘Free’ status in its yearly global survey,” he says.

India’s purchase of S-400 for just under $5.5 billion could attract sanctions under a 2017 law: the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The Trump administration’s repeated message was that sanction waivers are not automatic and decided on a case by case basis. Congress forced the Trump administration’s hand in December last year by requiring it to sanction Turkey for purchasing the S-400. In 2018, China was sanctioned for purchase of Russian equipment.

Sanctions on the cards

While India is not a treaty ally of the U.S. and is increasing its purchase of U.S. arms — mitigating circumstances as per U.S. law — the Menendez letter suggests that sanctions are still — at least in theory — an option as India is expected to take delivery of the S-400 later this year.

It reads: “India’s planned purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system is also a matter of concern. I recognize that India is not a U.S. treaty ally and has historical ties with the Soviet and Russian militaries. However, if India chooses to go forward with its purchase of the S-400, that act will clearly constitute a significant, and therefore sanctionable, transaction with the Russian defense sector under Section 231 of CAATSA.”

Mr. Menendez says the U.S. should seek to partner India on issues such as climate change and China but while doing so, it cannot let its “democratic values fall away”.

He also asks Mr. Austin to “make clear” to New Delhi that all areas of India-U.S. cooperation are contingent on India’s adherence to democratic values.

(Courtesy: The Hindu)

Indian American Community Leaders Expresses Concern on the New OCI Notification

Staff ReporterCommunity 0

(New York, NY: March 19, 2021) Dismissing concerns expressed and shared on various media platforms of the recent changes to OCI Card Holders made by the government of India, Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, Consul General of India assured an Indian community representative meeting called by the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) on March 11th, 2021 that there is no major changes that have been announced during the most recent proclamation by the government of India.

Ambassador Jaiswal was addressing an interactive session organized by Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International, which was attended by all GOPIO chapter and representatives in the North East of the USA, on Thursday, March 11th evening. Ambassador Jaiswal was joined by Deputy Consul General Shatrugna Sinha and other top ranking officials from the Consulate in New York and responded to several concerns expressed by the Indian American community leaders.

GOPIO was represented by its chapters of New York, Manhattan, Central New York, Central Jersey, Connecticut, South Jersey and Cleveland. The Indian community groups represented at the interactive meeting included the national Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA), Federation of Indian Associations of Columbus (Ohio), India Association of Greater Boston, Indian Diamond and Color Stone Association, Indian American Forum for Political Education, South Asian Council for Social Services, Saheli of Boston, Gurpur of Boston, Federation of Malayalee Associations of America (FOMA), Society of Indian American Engineers and Architects, National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens and Education Initiative in India.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International shared with the audience about the numerous initiatives undertaken by GOPIO in collaboration with the Indian Embassy and Consulates around the nation. Dr. Abraham referred to the emerging US-India Relations and the Role of Indian American community; concerns regarding the consular services, particularly with focus on consular services, traveling to India during Covid times and about the new notifications on OCIs.

Sudha Acharya, Executive Director of South Asian Council for social Services, shared with the Indian officials as to how the pandemic has had a huge toll, particularly on the South Asian community in the New York region, which consists of nearly half of the population that belongs to the South Asian community. Pointing to the works by her organization, as many are ill and many lost health coverage, Acharya said, she and her organization is making all that is possible to deliver groceries to seniors and serving them hot meals.

Neelam Wali at SAHELI urged the community and the Indian officials that they “Need help with legal issues. Financial help, especially when mothers are sent back home and children stranded here.”

Patsy Leopold, representing the Guayana community in the US, said, “We have immigrated from India to Guyana. Now, we have 300,000 of us in the New York region,” and need support and help to support the community in these days of Covid.

Shivender Sofat, President of GOPIO Manhattan pointed to the many issues experienced by NRIs that get being addressed by CG’s office. “We have been working collaboratively on several areas of concerns with the Consulate,” he said. Referring the upcoming Saheed Divas, planned for March 23rd, he said, the newest GOPIO Chapter is planning monthly interactive sessions with CG and community leaders. He is committed to focus on Indian origin students in the NY region and addressing their needs and concerns. Lal Motwani, International Coordinator of GOPIO, invited all participants to attend the Holi celebration by artists from around the world on March 28th. The celebration, co-sponsored by the Indian Consulate, is being organized as an international event.

In his response, Ambassador Jaiswal focused on several issues faced by the Indian America community. On the Indo—US Relationship, the diplomat said, “We have bipartisan support in the Congress. Our relationship continues to flourish and prosper, when either Party in the US is in power.” He referred to Fiver Areas of collaboration and cooperation between the two democracies: 1. Healthcare partnership; 2. Digital strategy; 3. Education and knowledge sharing; 4. Renewal of climate sustainability; and 5. Defense collaboration.

Ambassador Jaiswal declared that “We have vaccinated 27 million people in India, as India vaccinates more than 2 million people daily. India has supplied vaccines to 69 nations, delivering 58 million doses to the nations around the world.

For OCI cardholders, entry fees to be charged for visiting national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, national monuments, historical sites and museums in India and tariffs in airfares in domestic sectors in the country shall be at par with the Indian nationals, the Ministry ordered.

OCI cardholders will also have parity with Non-Resident Indians in the matter of inter-country adoption of Indian children subject to the compliance of the procedure as laid
down by the competent authority for such adoption.

Other such matters where OCI cardholders will have parity with Non-Resident Indians include appearing for the all India entrance tests such as National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) (Mains), JEE (Advanced) or such other tests to make them eligible for admission only against any Non-Resident Indian seat or any supernumerary seat; and purchase or sale of immovable properties other than agricultural land or farm house or plantation property.

The ministry further said that the OCI cardholders can pursue the professions in India as per the provisions contained in the applicable relevant statutes or Acts as the case maybe, which includes doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists, advocates, architects, chartered accountants.

India has specified that an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder shall require a special permit for various activities which includes missionary, journalistic activities or to visit any place which falls within the Protected or Restricted or prohibited areas as notified by the Central Government.

On Consular services, the Indian envoy said, as of now, the business visas and the employment visas by India have been restored. However, at this time, Tourist visa stands suspended. Stating that Emergency Visas are being issued, he cautioned that there are some changes being made to the program. “Pre-approval has been done away with,” he said. “Apply for Emergency visa with the documents sent in by mail. For death related reasons, we want you to come straight to the Consulate and will be addressed with the shortest duration with efficient ways emergency visas issued.” He expressed confidence that with covid pandemic declining, travel or tourism visas are expected to be made available soon.

On the much discussed OCIs, Ambassador Jaiswal insisted that “None of the elements in the proclamation is new. All past notifications are put together.” The only new phenomenon is that buying and selling of farmhouses have been added to the list because of its misuse, he pointed out.

On the most contentious issue of the government of India describing OCIs as “foreign nationals” Ambassador Jaiswal said, “You will be treated as NRIs. The new laws do not change your status. If there is any particular concern, please contact us and we will address your concerns.”

Dr. Abraham pointed out that many OCI businesspeople who have established successful business India are concerned about the GOI notification of OCI card holders as foreign nationals. He referred to the new directives for OCIs, asking companies doing technology and other research needing special permission from the government, which is the process, their ideas will get divulged to their competitors.

“I have received several telephone calls and e-mail communications from large number of businessmen that many government agencies are already requiring them to follow the rules as a foreign national, which never happened before. This will have a large adverse effect on investments from OCIs and those who have taken foreign citizenship,” Dr. Abraham added

Ambassador also assured the community that when the pandemic subsides, the Consulate will organize Visa Camps, allowing people to obtain visas from their hometowns.

Deputy Consul General Sinha, while praising the Indian American community said, “The Indian Diaspora is the strongest pillar of India’s outreach to the world. OCIs are in par with Indian citizens. Rules remain the same and not much has changed. Don’t go by the media, and many voce concerns due to misconceived notions.” On the question of visa issues, he assured that “The process has been streamlined with new guidelines. While the Tourist visa is under suspension, Emergency visas are being issued.”

To another question, the Ambassador Jaiswal said, “Rules for foreign nationals will apply to all naturalized citizens in the US.” He reiterated the govern position that RBI permission is needed to buy and sell properties in India. On dual citizenship, he said, “OCI card stays as a connection. No further plan at this time regarding dual citizenship for people of Indian origin.”

“GOPIO and other Indian Community organizations have common interest of achieving better US-India Relations,” Dr. Thomas Abraham said. “GOPIO has had interactive sessions with Indian Consulate and Embassy officials in the past and have discussed contemporary issues which are of concern to Indian American community and the Indian Diaspora at large. GOPIO International and its chapters in the Northeast in cooperation with other community organizations are grateful to Consul General Jaiswal and other Consuls for meeting with the Indian American community leaders today to discuss some of the issues of n interest to the Indian Diaspora community.”

“GOPIO will continue to keep this dialogue with Indian missions around the world,” Dr. Abraham added.

On final note on the new OCI Card notification, Dr. Abraham sad that he had received hundreds of responses from OCI Card holders and those who have taken citizenship in other countries about the hazzle of buying and selling their properties in India.

“India has gained from NRIs and PIOs and therefore Govt, of India must remove that confusion of OCI card holders being termed as foreign nationals and that all those who moved out of India for employment and settled in foreign countries and taken citizenship in other countries must be treated at par with NRIs,” Dr. Abraham concluded.

GOPIO is a non-partisan, not-for-profit, secular organization with Individual Life Members and over 100 chapters in 35 countries. GOPIO’s volunteers are committed to enhancing cooperation and communication between NRIs/PIOs and the local communities, building networks, bonds, friendships, alliances, and the camaraderie of citizens and colleagues alike.  GOPIO volunteers believe that when they help network the global Indian community, they facilitate making tomorrow a better world for the Indian Diaspora and the countries they live in.

Dr. S.S. Lal, The First NRI Candidate in Kerala, Promising To Lead the State to Progress, Peace and Unity

Staff ReporterNation India, Profile 0

Dr. S.S. Lal, a UDF candidate and a world renowned healthcare expert, is contesting the Assembly elections from Kazhakkoottam Constituency, Thiruvananthapuram, in the ensuing Kerala Assembly elections.

Dr. SS Lal, has been nominated as a UDF candidate to contest at the upcoming Assembly elections from Kazhakkoottam Constituency, Thiruvananthapuram, in the ensuing Kerala Assembly elections. As an internationally well known medical professional and public health specialist, who worked in international organizations such as WHO, as a social activist, educationist, and writer, Dr. Lal embodies the great values and leadership of the state of Kerala and India needs at this critical time in India’s history.

The electorate of this southern Indian constituency in the state of Kerala is around 2 lakhs. CPM has a very large following among the poor and the fisher folk. Kadakapall Surendran of CPM  is the current MLA and Minister. BJP also has a large following.  Surendran, BJP President contested from here last time and cornered around 40,000 votes. The educated and professionals in techno park, University, medical establishments may not go by political affiliations. One lakh votes could be an ideal target i.e. around 50 % of the electorate. House to house campaigning especially among the poor and institutional campaigning would be required. This constituency represents almost all major communities, including Christians, Moslems, and Hindus who are equally strong here.

Although Dr. S. S. Lal has been away from India on international assignments, he is not an “imported candidate” as he has been always connected with Thiruvananthapuram District. Since his childhood, he has left behind his own historical imprints wherever he stepped in. He completed his primary education at Government School, Pettah, Thiruvananthapuram, and at St. Joseph’s School. He holds an MBBS from the Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, and a Master’s (M.P.H.) degree in Public Health from the Sree Chitra National Institute. He has achieved Ph.D. from the world-renowned Leiden University in the Netherlands. He has been a regular winner of state-level literary competitions since his school days. He has published two novels and several short stories in later periodicals. The story continues.

Leadership is an individual’s ability to lead, inspire, and guide to transform other individuals, groups, organizations, or society for a good cause. These qualities are immensely embedded in an uncorrupted doctor-cum-politician, Dr. S.S. Lal. Undoubtedly, we have the proud moment that an American NRI gets a prominent political party seat in the Kerala assembly elections. For Dr.S.S.Lal moves wherever his ideologies are politically correct, as he is a dedicated politician hidden inside a health expert.

Dr. Lal has been active in leadership and social work, and  was elected Chairman of the University College and Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. He has also been a member of the Senate of the University of Kerala. He was the Secretary of the Kerala Medicos Association and the President of the Kerala House Surgeons Association. He was the Founding President of the Kerala Junior Doctors Association and the Founding Chairman of the Confederation of Medicos and Junior Doctors. Worked in leadership at the state and national levels of the I.M.A. Lal is the founder of the I.M.A.’s State Level Doctors Club and the I.M.A. Women’s Wing (WIMA). He is the Founding Secretary of the Kerala Doctors Trust and the Doctors Village.

His initiatives on  several health projects like The ‘Act Force,’ which trained taxi-autorickshaw drivers to provide first aid to road accident victims,  has helped thousands of people affected by road accidents. This pattern was later successfully repeated in various parts of the country. Many villages and old age homes were adopted with the help of doctors’ organizations. The village of Kallar, which rescued several other students on the day of several medical students’ death in a landslide, was thus adopted.

Dr: S.S. Lal is an internationally known public health expert. He has served as a senior official of the World Health Organization and some other international organizations in various countries, including India, and held position as  Professor and Head of the Department of Public Health at the Global Institute of Public Health, Thiruvananthapuram;  Vice-Chairman of a Global Committee of the World Health Organization and a member of several other committees.

His International work in Geneva and the United States has primarily led to suppressing tuberculosis, AIDS, and malaria in various countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.

His first job at the World Health Organization was in 1999. He became an official in the system set up by the World Health Organization to provide technical assistance to the TB program in the country. He later served as New York’s Health Commissioner. Dr. Lal was selected to the first sixteen-member team of CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden. Dr.Lal was initially responsible for the team for Kerala, southern Tamil Nadu, and Lakshadweep.

Lal is a visiting Faculty Member at several international research institutes and universities, including the International Tuberculosis Research Institute in Tokyo; and Adjunct Professor at the Global Institute of Public Health, Thiruvananthapuram. He is a reviewer of scientific publications such as the World Health Organization’s Bulletin and the British Medical Journal.

Lal was the first doctor to present a series of health programs on Indian television. The weekly health program, ‘Pulse,’ which aired on the Asianet channel since its inception, quickly attracted a lot of attention. Launched in 1993, Lal aired over 500 episodes in a row till 2003. He was also a regular guest on All India Radio. He has been a columnist since the first issue of Mathrubhumi Health Magazine in 1997. He was a long-time columnist for the Delhi edition of Manorama newspaper from 2004.. For a long time, he was the editor and columnist of the health magazine ‘Our Health’. ‘He manages the ‘Rounds’ column in the Kerala Kaumudi newspaper. He continues to write in medical journals and other periodicals. He has published over four hundred scientific articles.

Dr. Lal is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards:  like the National Award in 1995 for his outstanding performance in implementing health schemes in the country. In 2005,  IMA’s most prestigious ‘Ranbaxy – IMA Award, and  the IMA’s own ‘Dr. Menda Memorial Award’, Best Television Health Program Presenter,  Rotary Award in 1998 for her work in the field of polio eradication. He has visited more than eighty countries as part of his international career in the field of health.

Until last year, he was the Director of the Infectious Diseases Unit in charge of the Tuberculosis Division at Family Health International, an American international health organization based in the U.S. capital, Washington, DC. From 2013 to 2018, he was the Global Director of the Tuberculosis Unit of the international organization Path in the United States. Dr. Lal has published several short stories and two novels. Lal is a blogger and photographer who is constantly interacting on Facebook through writing.

At present Dr. Lal is the President of All India Professional Congress at Kerala, and vibrant in the media and with his personal participation in channel discussions and active in social issues.

His eminent leadership as the President of Indo American Press Club is continuously uplifting the organization in its various activities in USA and Canada.

Abundantly enriched with his characteristics of honesty, integrity and confidence, Dr.Lal  is an ideal candidate who deserves to win so that he can fight for the common man, cleanse current politics, work towards providing a clean and corruption-free administration, and spearhead exponential socio-economic and technological development of Kerala and India, sure enough to make us proud with an exceptional international impact.

Dr. Lal may be a UDF candidate. However, irrespective of political affiliations, he is an ideal candidate who deserves to win in order to represent the interests of the common man, who can cleanse the current politics, work towards providing a clean and corruption-free administration, and spearhead exponential socio-economic and technological development of Kerala and India, making an international impact. In this post-COVID scenario his candidature becomes all the more relevant. As an expatriate Keralite and Indian, he is aware of the problems of the NRIs and NRKs and he will fight for their just causes. But above all he will use their  expertise and resources for Kerala’s and India’s development.

Biden Aims For “Independence From This Virus” By 4th of July

Staff ReporterHealth, Nation USA 0

President Joe Biden pledged in his first prime-time address to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1 and raised the possibility of beginning to “mark our independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July.

One year after the nation was brought to a near-standstill by the coronavirus, President Joe Biden pledged in his first prime-time address to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1 and raised the possibility of beginning to “mark our independence from this virus” by the Fourth of July. He offered Americans fresh hope and appealed anew for their help. Speaking in the White House East Room Thursday night, Biden honored the “collective suffering” of Americans over the past year in his 24-minute address and then offered them a vision for a return to a modicum of normalcy this summer. “We are bound together by the loss and the pain of the days that have gone by,” he said.

“We are also bound together by the hope and the possibilities in the days in front of us.” He predicted Americans could safely gather at least in small groups for July Fourth to “make this Independence Day truly special.” But he also cautioned that this was a “goal” and attaining it depends on people’s cooperation in following public health guidelines and rolling up their sleeves to get vaccinated as soon as eligible. Only that, he said, can bring about an end to a pandemic that has killed more than 530,000 Americans and disrupted the lives of countless more. “While it was different for everyone, we all lost something,” Biden said of the sacrifices of the yearlong-and-counting pandemic.

The speech came just hours after Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion relief package that he said will help defeat the virus, nurse the economy back to health and deliver direct aid to Americans struggling to make ends meet. Some cash distributions could begin arriving in the bank accounts of Americans this weekend. “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country,” Biden said as he signed the bill in the Oval Office. Most noticeable to many Americans are provisions providing up to $1,400 in direct payments and extending $300 weekly emergency unemployment benefits into early September. Also included are expanded tax credits over the next year for children, child care and family leave — some of them credits that Democrats have signaled they’d like to make permanent — plus spending for renters, food programs and people’s utility bills. In his Thursday night address, Biden said that as vaccine supplies continue to increase, he will direct states and territories to make all adults eligible for vaccination by May 1.

The U.S. is expecting to have enough doses for those 255 million adults by the end of that month, but Biden warned the process of actually administering those doses would take time, even as his administration looks to instill confidence in the safety of the vaccines to overcome hesitance. “Let me be clear, that doesn’t mean everyone’s going to have that shot immediately, but it means you’ll be able to get in line beginning May 1,” he said.

Biden announced an expansion of other efforts to speed vaccinations, including deploying an additional 4,000 active-duty troops to support vaccination efforts and allowing more people — such as medical students, veterinarians and dentists — to deliver shots. He is also directing more doses toward some 950 community health centers and up to 20,000 retail pharmacies, to make it easier for people to get vaccinated closer to their homes.

Biden added that his administration is planning to launch a nationwide website to help people find doses, saying it would address frustrations so that there would be “no more searching day and night for an appointment.” Even as he offered optimism, Biden made clear that the July 4 timetable applied only to smaller gatherings, not larger ones, and requires cooperation from Americans to continue to wear face coverings, maintain social distancing and follow federal guidelines meant to slow the spread of the virus in the near term. He also called on them roll up their sleeves to get vaccinated as soon as they’re eligible. This is “not the time to not stick with the rules,” Biden said, warning of the potential for backsliding just as the nation is on the cusp of defeating the virus. “I need you, the American people,” he added. “I need you. I need every American to do their part.”

Biden’s initial prime-time speech was “a big moment,” said presidential historian and Rice University professor Douglas Brinkley. “He’s got to win over hearts and minds for people to stay masked and get vaccinated, but also recognize that after the last year, the federal government hasn’t forgotten you.” Biden’s remarks were central to a pivotal week for the president as he addresses the defining challenge of his term: shepherding the nation through the twin public health and economic storms brought about by the virus.

India Joins Quad Leaders, Committing To Free, Open, Secure And Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region

Staff ReporterGlobal, Nation India, Nation USA, News 0

Quad Leaders from Australia, India, Japan and the US “a group of democratic nations dedicated to delivering results through practical cooperation”  coordinated rapid humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to people in need.

“To strengthen our quest for a region that is open and free, we have agreed to partner to address the challenges presented by new technologies and collaborate to set the norms and standards that govern the innovations of the future,” the leaders of the four-nation Quad said in a statement here on Friday, March 12th. The Quad leaders in the summit on Friday vowed to strive for a “free, open and inclusive” region unconstrained by “coercion”.

In an opinion piece in The Washington Post after holding the first Leaders’ Summit of Quadrilateral alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Scott Morrison and Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga asserted that all countries should be able to make their own political choices, free from coercion.

Australia, India, Japan and the US “a group of democratic nations dedicated to delivering results through practical cooperation”  coordinated rapid humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to people in need, they wrote. “Now, in this new age of interconnection and opportunity throughout the Indo-Pacific, we are again summoned to act together in support of a region in need,” they said.

Reaffirming that they are striving to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is accessible, dynamic and governed by international law and bedrock principles such as freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes, and free from coercion, sending a clear message to China which is flexing its muscles in the region and beyond. They said the governments of India, Japan, US and Australia have worked closely for years, and now for the first time in “Quad” history, they convened as leaders to advance meaningful cooperation at the highest level.

The virtual Quad summit took place as China and India are involved in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May last year. China is also engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. In the East China Sea, Japan has maritime disputes with China.

The leaders of the 4 nations said the cooperation, known as “the Quad,” was born in crisis. It became a diplomatic dialogue in 2007 and was reborn in 2017. “In December 2004, the continental shelf off the coast of Indonesia shifted two meters, creating one of the largest tidal waves in modern history and a nearly unprecedented humanitarian crisis around the Indian Ocean. With millions displaced and hundreds of thousands killed, the Indo-Pacific region sounded a clarion call for help. Together, our four countries answered it,” they wrote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the quadrilateral grouping of the U.S., India, Japan and Australia has “come of age” as he attended the first Quad leaders’ summit virtually. The grouping is being seen as a united front to counter China’s imperialistic aggression and expansion through trade and military occupation. Modi started his speech by declaring, “It is good to be among friends.” The four countries, he said, “are united by our democratic values and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.”

The agenda of the summit — covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies — makes the Quad a force for global good, he said. Describing Quad as a positive vision, the prime minister said that it is an extension of India’s ancient philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’which regards the world as one family. “We will work together closer than ever before for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Modi said.

Quad, he added, “is an important pillar of stability in the region.” Modi’s statement was welcomed by a lot of India watchers in the U.S. Former U.S. diplomat and Harvard academic Nicholas Burns praised the move, tweeting, “Today’s first-ever Quad leaders meeting – of the US, India, Japan and Australia – is a big deal. Led by the President of the United States Joe Biden, these four can lead on vaccine distribution, strengthen democracies in the region and limit China’s assertiveness.”

There are reports that India will produce Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid vaccine shot as part of the first Quad initiative. The project will be financed by Japan and the U.S., while Australia will use its logistics capability to ship the vaccines to Southeast Asia and Pacific countries.

“Against this backdrop, we are recommitting to a shared vision for an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, resilient and inclusive. We are striving to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is accessible and dynamic, governed by international law and bedrock principles such as freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes, and that all countries are able to make their own political choices, free from coercion,” they wrote.

Women Rule Grammys As Beyoncé, Swift Make History

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Fashion 0

Female performers including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift had a record-making night at the 2021 Grammy Awards, a jam-packed but socially distanced show highlighted by live music sorely absent during the pandemic era.

 

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards on March 14th. Female performers including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift had a record-making night at the 2021 Grammy Awards, a jam-packed but socially distanced show highlighted by live music sorely absent during the pandemic era.

Four women won the top four prizes Sunday, including Swift, who became the first female performer to win album of the year three times. Beyoncé — with her 28th win — became the most decorated woman in Grammy history.

H.E.R. won song of the year and Billie Eilish picked up her second consecutive record of the year honor, telling the audience that best new artist winner Megan Thee Stallion deserved the award. Though women have won all top four awards in the past – including Eilish’s sweep last year – it marked the first time four separate and solo women won the top four honors.

“I feel like there’s been a lot of female empowerment and lots of women winning awards tonight. And so it’s been absolutely amazing to just be alongside all that, to feel that energy,” Dua Lipa, who won best pop vocal album, said backstage.

Swift won the top prize with “folklore,” the folky, alternative album she released as a surprise last year. She previously won album of the year with “Fearless” and “1989.”

Beyoncé walked into the show with 24 wins and picked up four honors, including best R&B performance for “Black Parade,” best music video for “Brown Skin Girl” as well as best rap performance and best rap song for “Savage,” with Megan Thee Stallion.

“As an artist I believe it’s my job, and all of our jobs, to reflect time and it’s been such a difficult time,” Beyoncé said onstage as she won best R&B performance for “Black Parade,” which was released on Juneteenth.

She went on to say she created the song to honor the “beautiful Black kings and queens” in the world. She added: “I have been working my whole life … This is such a magical night.”

Beyoncé now ties producer and multi-instrumentalist Quincy Jones for second place among all Grammy winners. She is only behind the late conductor Georg Solti, who is the most decorated Grammy winner with 31 wins.

But Beyoncé didn’t only make history, her whole family did. The royal family of music all won honors Sunday: Jay-Z picked up his 23rd Grammy, sharing the best rap song win with his wife since he co-wrote “Savage.” And 9-year-old Blue Ivy Carter — who won best music video alongside her mother — became the second youngest act to win a Grammy in the show’s 63-year history. Leah Peasall was 8 when The Peasall Sisters won album of the year at the 2002 show for their appearance on the T Bone Burnett-produced “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack.

Megan Thee Stallion, who won three honors, also made history and became the first female rapper to win best rap song. She’s also the fifth rap-based act to win best new artist. Beyoncé was the night’s top contender with nine nominations. She didn’t perform but Swift did.

She sang “cardigan” and “august” from “folklore,” as well as “willow” from “evermore,” and was joined by the collaborators who helped her make the albums, Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, who both won album of the year with Swift.

The Grammys featured pre-taped performances that helped the nearly four-hour show run seamlessly — a not-so-easy feat during a global pandemic. Host Trevor Noah told jokes about the pandemic and the year that was 2020, appearing live from downtown Los Angeles with attendees wearing masks and sitting, socially distanced, at small round tables.

Silk Sonic, aka Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak, also performed, bringing a throwback R&B vibe to the show with their smooth new single, “Leave the Door Open.” Lipa proved her pop star status with a performance of her hits “Don’t Start Now” and “Levitating,” where she was joined by DaBaby, who was an all-star during his own performance of his guitar-tinged rap hit “Rockstar,” flipping the song for an exceptional live rendition featuring R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, a skilled violinist and background singers.


Country singer Mickey Guyton – the first Black woman nominated for best country solo performance – gave a top notch performance of her song “Black Like Me,” which she released last year as police brutality continued to devastate Black families and the coronavirus ravished Black America disproportionately. Lil Baby, joined by Killer Mike and activist Tamika Mallory, gave a political performance that impressed.

“Black Parade” joined a list of songs honoring the Black experience that won Sunday, including H.E.R.’s protest anthem “I Can’t Breathe” and Anderson Paak’s “Lockdown,” which was released on Juneteenth like “Black Parade.”

Other performers Sunday included Eilish, Cardi B, Bad Bunny, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Harry Styles, who won best pop solo performance for the hit “Watermelon Sugar.”

“To everyone who made this record with me, thank you so much,” said Styles, the first member of One Direction to win a Grammy.

Double winners included H.E.R., Fiona Apple, Kaytranada and late performers John Prine and Chick Corea. Beyoncé’s four awards Sunday brought her up to 28 Grammys in her career, more than any other female artist. Her celebration of Black history, “Black Parade,” released last Juneteenth, won best R&B performance and she shared two awards for collaborating with Megan Thee Stallion on “Savage.”

She ties Quincy Jones for second most Grammys ever and has the leader — the late conductor George Solti, who won 31 — in her sights.

Further crowding the family trophy case is husband Jay-Z, whose songwriting on “Savage” earned him his 23rd Grammy on Sunday, and even their 9-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, who won best music video together with mom. “This is such a magical night,” Beyoncé said.

Swift, who also found time during the pandemic to make another album and re-record one of her old ones, became the first woman to win the album of the year Grammy for the third time. Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and Frank Sinatra have also done it. She won in 2009 for “Fearless” and 2015 for “1989.”

After her sweep last year, Eilish became only the third artist to win back-to-back record of the year Grammys. Roberta Flack won in 1973 for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and in 1974 for “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” while U2 won in 2001 and 2002 for “Beautiful Day” and “Walk On.”

Then, when Eilish and her collaborator-brother Finneas accepted the award, she almost gave it away. She brought Megan Thee Stallion to tears by saying the rapper deserved the Grammy for “Savage.”

 

India’s FinTech valuation estimated at $150-160 billion by 2025

Staff ReporterEconomy, Technology 0

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) on Saturday, March 14th unveiled ‘India FinTech: A USD 100 Billion Opportunity’ report. The report details the findings from the study that BCG and FICCI undertook to size the value-creation potential and identify imperatives for India’s FinTech growth.

Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said, “The FinTech industry in India has been growing at a fast clip. FinTech players are redefining the business models across different segments of financial services industry, helping improve service delivery and contributing to digital financial inclusion. This is a clear area of focus for us in FICCI and through our multiple initiatives, we will continue to promote this industry both in India and abroad.”

India’s dynamic FinTech industry has 2100+ FinTechs of which 67% have been set up over the last 5 years alone. The total valuation of the industry is estimated at $50-$60 billion. The industry’s growth has been undeterred by the pandemic, as it has seen the emergence of 3 new Unicorns and 5 new Soonicorns (USD 500Mn+ valuation) since January 2020.

The Fintech industry’s strong growth is due to India’s deep-rooted customer demand, diverse capital flows, strong tech talent and enabling policy framework. Over the next 5 years, India’s FinTech industry is expected to continue its strong upward trajectory.

Prateek Roongta, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group India said, “We believe India’s FinTechs are at the precipice of significant value-creation of USD 100 billion over the next five years. To actualize this potential, the industry would require investments to the tune of USD 20-25 billion till 2025. Consequently, the number of Indian FinTech Unicorns will more than double over the next few years.”

Ruchin Goyal, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group India said, “The landscape will be defined by FinTechs that pursue their strategic play with deep, relentless discipline. Tomorrow’s FinTech winners are expected to ‘master the core’ — by innovating on product, user-experience or through deep-tech capabilities. India will also see the emergence of ecosystem orchestrators and multinational FinTechs, as it evolves into a global FinTech powerhouse.”

Another theme covered in this report is internationalization of Indian FinTechs. To develop a close understanding of the FinTech industry’s multinational ambitions, BCG and FICCI conducted the BCG-FICCI FinTech survey 2021. The survey reveals that 39% of Indian FinTechs surveyed have a presence outside India and 73% of FinTechs surveyed are actively considering international expansion opportunities. South-East Asia was the most sought-after destination for international expansion, followed by North America.

Several Indian FinTechs are well-positioned to establish a global footprint owing to their transplantable business models and proven track record of success. To ensure that Indian FinTechs achieve their potential, all stakeholders — FinTechs, Financial Institutions and policymakers — have a role to play. The imperatives for stakeholders have been identified in the report. (IANS)

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s Visit to India to Further Strengthen Defense Cooperation

Staff ReporterNation India, Nation USA 0

U.S. Secretary of Defense Gen. Lloyd J. Austin is scheduled to visit India from March 19 to March 21 to further strengthen bilateral defense cooperation. It will be the first high-level visit by someone from the U.S. after Joe Biden took over as the president on Jan. 20.

During his visit, Austin is expected to meet Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior dignitaries in the government. The visit will take place a week after the first ever Indo-Pacific Quad summit on March 12, which will be attended virtually by the heads of states of India, the U.S., Australia and Japan. The U.S. defense secretary will also visit Japan and South Korea.

“Both sides are expected to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral defense cooperation and exchange views on regional security challenges and common interests in maintaining a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region,” the defense ministry said in a statement.

Discussions regarding defense cooperation would also focus on how both countries could consolidate military-to-military cooperation and defense trade and industry cooperation.

Austin’s visit to India as part of his first overseas travel emphasizes the strength of the India-U.S. strategic partnership.

India has inked defense deals worth $18 billion with the U.S. since 2007. In the near future, a deal worth $3 billion for 30 armed drones from the U.S. to be used by all the three forces is likely to be signed. As per plans, India will be acquiring 30 MQ-9 Reaper – 10 each for the three services.

The procurement is being done as India is facing a war-like situation on two fronts – Pakistan and China. These MQ-9B Predator drones are manufactured by San Diego, Calif.-based General Atomics. The MQ-9B has an endurance of 48 hours and a range of over 6,000 nautical miles.

It comes with nine hard-points, capable of carrying sensors and laser-guided bombs besides air-to-ground missiles. During the Aero India show in Bengaluru last month, the U.S. Defense Attache in India, Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, had stated that the U.S. is looking forward to enhancing bilateral relations with India and also to work together to tackle evolving space threats.

She had said: “As we build out our own space force, re-establish the space command, we look forward to wide-ranging cooperation with India and the defense space agency. It is imperative that we both work together in this emerging domain as space threats evolve.”

Referring to the growing Chinese assertiveness and emerging threats for the Indo-Pacific region, Laubacher had said: “Today we are seeing an increasingly provocative set of behavior throughout the Indo-Pacific, from the Taiwan Strait to the South China Sea, to India’s borders high in the Himalayas. These actions threaten the norms of international conduct, the norms which India and the U.S. uphold resolutely.”

US Secretary Of State To Look Into Case Of 83-Yr-Old Fr. Stan Swamy, Held In Custody

Staff ReporterNation India, Religion 0

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that he would look into the case of an 83-year-old Catholic priest, Stan Swamy, held in custody in India on allegations he was linked to Maoists. Responding to a request from a member of the House of Representatives while he was testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Blinken asked for more information and said: “We’ll look into it.”

Juan Vargas, who is the vice chair of the House International Economic Policy and Migration Subcommittee, told Blinken while questioning him that it was “incredible injustice” that Swamy, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency, has been in jail for over 130 days.

Swamy belongs to the Jesuit order of priests and Vargas said that he had himself been a member of that society. He was arrested in Ranchi and taken to Maharashtra and detained in a Pune jail under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on allegations that he participated in the activities of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist.

The case relates to a celebration by Dalits on January 1, 2018, in Koregaon-Bhima near Pune, which was followed by violence that left one person dead. Swamy has been an activist for tribal and Dalit rights.

Earlier in his testimony to the Committee on President Joe Biden’s Priorities for US Foreign Policy, Blinken said that in furtherance of its aims, “we held the first ministerial meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between us, Japan, Australia, and India, and we will hold a leader-level summit this week on Friday”.

China was the dominant theme during the hearing with Blinken declaring, “Our relationship with China, the biggest geopolitical test of the 21st century”. Repeatedly questioned about Biden’s comment when asked on a CNN programme about Beijing treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority that “culturally, there are different norms that each country and their leaders are expected to follow”, Blinken reiterated that he considers there was a “genocide” of the Uighurs and the US would continue to speak out forcefully against it.

U.S.-China Meetings in Alaska

Staff ReporterGlobal, Nation USA 0

The Biden administration’s diplomatic engagement with Asia will intensify this week with a series of meetings featuring top U.S. officials and their counterparts across the Pacific. Following a visit to Japan and South Korea with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Alaska along with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for a high-profile meeting with Chinese officials Wang Yi and Yang Jiechi. These gatherings follow President Joe Biden‘s participation in last week’s virtual Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) meeting with the leaders of Japan, Australia, and India.

Below are remarks from Daniel Russel, Asia Society Policy Institute vice president for international security and diplomacy and former assistant U.S. secretary of state, on the upcoming U.S.-China meeting in Alaska. Please feel free to quote from them in your coverage:

“A joint meeting with the Chinese by the secretary of state and national security advisor is not without precedent. In the Obama administration, when the U.S hosted the Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington, the secretary and national security advisor typically held an informal dinner for the senior Chinese representative the evening before the talks. Those conversations were far more open, candid, strategic, and useful than most of the scripted exchanges that took place during the official delegation meetings.

“Meeting with foreign officials outside of either capital allows the visitor to focus on the meeting and frees the host from the distraction of regular duties. This was the logic behind the decision to organize an informal first meeting at Sunnylands between President Obama and newly selected Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2013. They were able to have extended and in-depth meetings and conversations over meals without the formalities and distractions. If senior Chinese officials came to Washington they would be expected to meet with their embassy, business groups, legislators, think tanks, and other U.S. officials.

“The Alaska venue is significant because in addition to being the place where the secretary of state’s plane normally refuels en route home from Asia, it is the westernmost part of the United States and draws attention to the fact that the U.S. is very much a Pacific nation – not merely a visitor to the Asia-Pacific as the Chinese often imply.”

“The timing is significant because it comes immediately on the heels of the first-ever Quad summit and the Biden administration’s first high-level, in-person consultations in key Asian-allied capitals. This signals that its emphasis on allies, partners and democratic governments doesn’t mean the administration is ignoring China.”

“The fact that both Blinken and Sullivan already know their Chinese counterparts and have extensive experience with past dialogues is an asset – this will not be their first rodeo. Their close relationships with Biden mean they speak with authority, and their history as close colleagues prevents Chinese ‘forum shopping’ between the State Department and the White House.”

“This meeting is a chance for top foreign policy officials from the two countries to begin a strategic discussion of the respective world views and priorities of each side – to explain and to listen to each other. We should regard this meeting as an exploratory exchange, rather than a negotiation that resolves outstanding problems. The Anchorage meeting is far more likely to serve as an initial level-set for the two sides to think through their strategies than it is to launch any type of structured bilateral dialogue.”

Gautam Adani World’s Biggest Wealth Gainer, Adds $16.2 Billion In 2021

Staff ReporterBusiness, Finance/Economy, Youth 0

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has achieved a remarkable milestone amid the Covid-19 pandemic, as he added the highest wealth to his fortune in the world, as per the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index showed that so far in 2021, Adani has added $16.2 billion, taking his total net worth to $50 billion. With this surge in his wealth, Adani is now the 26th richest person in the world.

Even though he’s not in the club of the 25 richest people on the planet, Gautam Adani has managed to ‘outgrow’ fellow billionaires, including the two richest men in the world, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, by seeing his net worth ballooning the most in 2021. While Adani has added $16.2 billion to his wealth since the start of this year, Amazon’s Bezos has seen his wealth shrink by $7.59 billion to $183 billion while Tesla’s Musk added $10.3 billion to reach $180 billion, as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The development comes at a time when the Adani Group is rapidly expanding its footprint in diversified sectors, including airports business and data centres. Recently, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited announced that Windy Lakeside Investment Ltd, a unit of Warburg Pincus, will invest Rs 800 crore for a 0.49 per cent stake in the company.

Shares of several Adani companies have surged over the past one year amid the pandemic, adding to its Chairman’s wealth. Adani Enterprises’ shares have increased over four-fold in the past one year and the stock price of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has more than double during the period.

Google Co-founder Larry Page is ranked second in terms of highest gain in wealth with a growth of $14.3 billion. Amazon Inc Founder Jeff Bezos is the richest person on the planet with a net worth of $183 billion, followed by Elon Musk with a net worth of $180 billion.

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani is the 10th richest person in the world with a net worth of $84.8 billion. So far in 2021, he has added $8.05 billion of wealth. (IANS)

Adani’s fattening wallet has been on account of a surge in investor interest in his companies across sectors such as ports, power plants, renewable power, airports, data centres and coal mines. Except for one company, all his other companies have seen their share prices appreciate by over 50% this year — the odd one out being Adani Green Energy, whose 12% rise in 2021 gets dwarfed by the 500% rise in its value in 2020.

Known to be media shy, the self made first generation billionaire is also not a stranger to controversies. His Carmichael coal mine project in Australia has been the object of disaffection of environmentalists for fear of damage to the ecology and the company was renamed last year as Bravus Mining and Resources in order to distance itself from the Adani brand name.

Bhaskar Menon, Founding Chairman of EMI Music Worldwide, Dies at 86

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Profile 0

Bhaskar Menon, the Indian American founding chairman and CEO of EMI Music Worldwide and a legend in the music business, died March 4 at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. He was 86. “Determined to achieve excellence, Bhaskar Menon built EMI into a music powerhouse and one of our most iconic, global institutions,” said Universal Music Group chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge in a statement. “Music and the world have lost a special one. Our hearts go out to his loved ones.”

In a career spanning over three decades, Menon was associated with some of the biggest names in the music industry, from the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to Pink Floyd, Queen, David Bowie and Tina Turner.

Before EMI, Menon was the CEO of Capitol Records and is credited with launching Pink Floyd’s popularity in the U.S. with the campaign that he designed for the band’s release of “The Dark Side of the Moon,” reported NDTV.

Menon was born in 1934 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. He attended the Doon School, Dehradun, and Christ Church, Oxford, after which he joined EMI in 1956. In 1957, he moved to EMI’s Indian subsidiary, Gramophone Company of India, where he rose through the ranks before eventually being elevated to chairman in 1969, according to billboard.com.

Billboard noted that the most notable chapter in Menon’s career began in 1971, when he relocated to Los Angeles, Calif., in 1971 to take the helm at Capitol and steered the company into the new decade.

Menon’s tenure at Capitol came to an end in 1978, when he was named chairman and CEO of EMI Music Worldwide, a position he held for the next 12 years, per Billboard.

After leaving the music business in the early 1990s, Menon remained in Los Angeles and founded the company International Media Investments in 1995, through which he invested in and provided consultation services for a variety of entertainment and media businesses, including NDTV, where he held a seat on the board, it said.

Menon is survived by his wife Sumitra, their two sons, Siddhartha and Vishnu, and his sister Vasantha Menon.

Indra Nooyi Honored By National Women’s Hall Of Fame

Staff ReporterProfile, Women 0

Indra Nooyi, former chairperson and chief executive officer of PepsiCo is among nine women inducted into the 2021 class of National Women’s Hall of Fame (NWHF). Nooyi who has consistently ranked among the world’s most powerful people was honored for her contribution to the business field. The NWHF made the announcement on March 8, International Women’s Day.

The nation’s oldest membership organization, NWHF is dedicated to honoring and celebrating the achievements of these distinguished American women, the organization’s website says, noting that it uses the stories of its inductees as tools for inspiration, innovation and imagination,

During her tenure at PepsiCo, the company grew its net revenue by more than eighty percent, and PepsiCo’s total shareholder return was one hundred and sixty-two percent, the NWHF says in its press release.

PepsiCo expanded significantly during Nooyi’s tenure, acquiring Tropicana Products, Inc., merging with Quaker Oats Company and PepsiCo’s anchor bottlers, and acquiring the Russian company Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, resulting in the largest international acquisition in PepsiCo’s history.

In addition to her business success as CEO, Nooyi was the chief architect of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo’s pledge to do what is right for the business by being responsive to the needs of the world.

This pledge included delivering more nutritious products, limiting the company’s environmental footprint, and empowering its associates and the people in the communities PepsiCo serves.

Other women honored include the late renowned author Octavia Butler, former United States Army officer Rebecca Halstead, a multidisciplinary artist Joy Harjo, late philanthropist and educator Emily Howland, late NASA research mathematician Katherine Johnson, former first lady of the United States Michelle Obama, soccer icon Mia Hamm, and feminist artist and educator Judy Chicago. aHaHBnnn

NWHF will celebrate the inclusion of these women into the Hall at the biennial in-person induction ceremony on Oct. 2, 2021 at the its new home, the recently revitalized 1844 Seneca Knitting Mill building in New York. The ceremony will be held monitoring the COVID-19 situation and will be live streamed free to the public.

Anoushka Shankar Announces New Track, ‘Sister Susannah’

Staff ReporterEntertainment, Women 0

Grammy-nominated sitarist, composer and producer Anoushka Shankar has announced the release of her new track, “Sister Susannah,” slated to drop on March 22.

“Over the course of the last year, it has been impossible to ignore the shadow pandemic happening alongside the pandemic itself. Hearing of the suffering of so many women, I have once again been startled by how common the experiences of abuse can be,” Shankar said.

The track features the Indian American musician on sitar, and reciting a checklist of requirements from the perspective of an unidentified man to his romantic partner.

She added: “‘Sister Susannah’ is a song I’ve toyed with for some time and the current situation, alongside people’s visceral reactions to our rare live performances of the song, prompted me to revisit and release it.”

Alongside Shankar, Grammy-nominated composer Alev Lenz has co-written the music and lyrics, and poet Nikita Gill contributes the poem in the song, marking her first foray into music. Manu Delago performs percussion and Nina Harries, Alev Lenz and Anandi Bhattacharya provide additional vocals.

Shankar is also scheduled to perform at the 63rd Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony. She will join artists including Gregory Porter and Kamasi Washington.

As part of the International Women’s Day celebrations, she performed Mar. 8 evening at Women, Power and Change: International Women’s Day at WOW, an event by WOW UK Festival 2021 that is being held virtually for the first time.

Brooklyn’s Priya Darshini’s Debut Album

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

“Is my idea of being at peace the same as being a home? Is it within me? Who am I? All these questions found expression in Periphery,’ says Brooklyn-based musician Priya Darshini, who has been nominated for in the Best New Age Album category at the Grammys 2021, country’s most prestigious music award. The 63rd Annual Grammys took place on the night of 14-15 March, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The album, Periphery nominated for ‘containing at least 51% playing time of new vocal or instrumental new age recordings’ features music artists Max ZT (hammered dulcimer), Dave Eggar (cello), Chuck Palmer (percussion), and Will Calhoun (percussion).

“It was recorded live on one mic in a church in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and was an incredible experience to be a part of,” Darshini posted.

Born in Chennai, India and currently based out of Brooklyn, New York, Darshini has sung for over one-hundred television and radio commercials, as well as recorded for several Indian movie soundtracks, according to her bio on her website.

She began her classical singing career by performing a duet song with Hariharan for the Tamil film Kadhal Dot Com under music director Bharathwaj. She is also the first Indian playback singer to pursue PhD research in Film Music from University of Mysore, according to tamilsai.net.

Darshini is performing virtually at the Mandala Makers Festival organised by Mandala South Asian Performing Arts on March 26 at 7.30pm CST along with Max ZT.

She is also an actor (The Letters), ultra-marathoner (first and youngest Indian woman to run a 100-mile race in the Himalayas), and entrepreneur (The Wind Chasers – organizing extreme ultra marathons in the Himalayas and the south of India).

Darshini is a trustee of the Mumbai-based non-profit organization Jana Rakshita – an NGO working with underserved pediatric cancer patients, and building infrastructure for schools, with a focus on education for girls. She is working with a New York-based sustainable couture fashion startup that aims at slowing down fast fashion inspired by cradle-to-cradle design.

While the celebration of the occasion had everything to do with her superlative album Periphery that was released earlier in the year, it is in many ways a validation of so many of her choices, struggles and sacrifices. “My friends and family have been so excited about the nomination. I’ve been receiving so much love and appreciation for the album and the nomination has only multiplied that. It is also the recognition of the years of their support and encouragement I’ve received from near and dear ones, to help me follow this path, guide me through making difficult choices and to tell me to always, always be at it,” says Priya, speaking from Chicago.

Vatican Denies Blessing Of Same-Sex Marriages

Staff ReporterCulture, Religion 0

The Roman Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex marriages, no matter how stable or positive the couples’ relationships are, the Vatican said this week. The message, approved by Pope Francis, came in response to questions about whether the church should reflect the increasing social and legal acceptance of same-sex unions.

“Does the Church have the power to give the blessing to unions of persons of the same sex?” the question asked. “Negative,” replied the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is responsible for defending Catholic doctrine. The church says its answer regarding same-sex couples “declares illicit any form of blessing that tends to acknowledge their unions as such.”

The message underlines the church’s insistence that marriage should be limited to a union between a man and a woman, saying that same-sex unions involve “sexual activity outside of marriage.” In the Vatican’s view, same-sex marriages are not part of God’s plan for families and raising children.

“The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing,” the statement said.

Bestowing a blessing on a same-sex couple’s relationship would also be an “imitation” of the nuptial blessing, the Vatican said. God, the Vatican said, “does not and cannot bless sin.”

Because of the Vatican’s stance on marriage, critics have accused the church of treating LGBTQ people as lesser members of its congregation. In an apparent response to those concerns, the Vatican said on Monday that its declaration is not meant to be “unjust discrimination.”

It called on Catholics “to welcome with respect and sensitivity persons with homosexual inclinations.”

The Vatican also said that its refusal to give religious approval to same-sex marriage does not preclude giving blessings to homosexual people. But it added that the church “does not have, and cannot have,” the power to bless same-sex relationships.

The message cited Francis’ own words from 2016, when he wrote, “there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family.”

That line comes from “Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love), the papal treatise on families that was widely seen as Pope Francis’ move to make the Catholic Church more inclusive. When it was published, the document set off disagreements within the church hierarchy over whether Catholics who have been divorced and remarried should receive sacraments.

Pope Francis has been viewed with cautious optimism by LGBTQ groups because of remarks like his statement, widely published in 2020, that homosexuals are “part of the family” and that same-sex and other nontraditional couples need a “civil union law.” But rights advocates also noted that the pope’s remarks didn’t promise a change within the church, saying the comment seemed to reflect his own opinions, rather than a shift in Catholic doctrine.

India’s Golden Chariot Luxury Train Resumes From Bengaluru

Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

The Golden Chariot luxury train to tourist destinations and heritage sites across south India resumed from Bengaluru after a four year break, an official said on Sunday.

“The 6-coach luxury train chugged off from Yesvantpur station in the city with South Western Railway General Manager A.K. Singh flagging it off,” Bengaluru Divisional Manager A.K. Verma told IANS.

In its first-round trip, christened ‘the Pride of Karnataka’, the train will cover Bandipur national park, Mysuru, Halebidu, Chikkamagaluru as well as Goa in 6 days and 7 nights.

The week-long journey also takes passengers to Unesco world heritage sites of Badami caves, Pattadakal temples and Hampi palace ruins in the state’s northwest region before returning to Bengaluru.

“Though the train has capacity to carry 48 passengers in single and double cabins in 6 coaches, about 30 of them are travelling in this trip, occupying single and double cabins,” said Verma.

In its second-round trip, christened ‘Jewels of South India’ from March 21, the train will chug through Mysuru to Mahabalipuram, Thanjavur and Chettinad in Tamil Nadu and Kochi in Kerala, including its backwaters in 3 nights and 4 days.

The ticket fare for deluxe cabin is Rs 3,20,130 for 2 persons and Rs 2,40,100 for a single passenger.

The package includes onboard meals, transport for sightseeing, entrance fee to all tourist sites covered in the trip and charge of guides.

Launched originally by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) in partnership with the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) in 2008, the former took over the operations of the train in 2020.

“The train offers travellers an opportunity to experience the historical, architectural and scenic beauty of South India in the comfort of luxurious amenities and international service standards,” said the IRCTC in a statement.

The renovated and refurbished luxury coaches boast of complimentary WiFi and OTT streaming onboard, choice of Indian and international cuisine, and wines.

The service includes cultural shows by artistes onboard.

Each of the 6 coaches are named after dynasties that ruled south India over the centuries.

Each coach has 4 cabins with a mix of 30 twin beds and 13 doubles beds. One cabin has been designed for specially-abled.

Two restaurants — Ruchi and Nalapaka — serve delicious meals while ‘Madira’ bar serves choicest of beers, spirits and wines.

Arogya, the spa-cum-fitness center offers traditional Ayurvedic therapies with modern workout machines. (IANS)

The Kovalam Experience

Staff ReporterTourism 0

With its crescent-shaped, palm-fringed beaches, golden sands and beautiful vistas, Kovalam is the favourite beach destination of any traveller. Earlier, in the 1970s, Kovalam was known for being part of the hippie trail. The beach has changed over the years but continues to charm travellers with its aura and enrich them with a multitude of experiences.

Kovalam is a small coastal town in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. With its three crescent-shaped beaches, and the cultural, heritage, wellness, zen, and adventure sports experiences they have on offer, Kovalam is a beach lover’s paradise.

The beaches have turned into a destination that has something in store for everyone. Be the traveller or tourist an ardent beach lover, a culture buff, an adventure junkie, or one searching for the inner self, Kovalam has something to bestow.

Every day is a lazy, laid-back day here if you want it to be, that is. You can begin your day with a hot cuppa in hand, walk along languid sandy stretches and laze away to glory.  Or, you can start your day on a high note, by hopping onto a catamaran and riding into the sea! That is the beauty of Kovalam. There is never a dearth of activity (or reasons for inactivity) here, and you will be smothered by a range of vibrant options regarding how to spend the day.

Kovalam has three beaches viz. Hawa Beach or Eve’s beach; Grove’s Beach (Samudra Beach) which is also called Kovalam Beach, and the Light House Beach. The lighthouse beach is famed for its mighty lighthouse which offers a breathtaking aerial view of Kovalam.

The experiences it offers include sunbathing, swimming, catamaran cruises, and water sports such as boating, scuba diving, parasailing, surfing, and so on. You can alternately indulge in some holistic or wellness treatment such as yoga and Ayurveda.

And if you need to experience some piety, then head to the Azhimala Siva Temple which is an ancient place of worship that boasts of a uniquely crafted mega sculpture of Lord Siva.

You can also head to the Kerala Arts and Crafts Village to experience the cultural wealth of Kerala. You get to take home that souvenir you have been longing for or interact with artists and artisans at their workplace or craft studios.

If you need the ultimate Kerala experience, Kovalam is where you head off to!

The Anti-Swastik Bill Will Not Move Forward: NY Democratic Party Chair Assures Indian-Americans

Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture, News 0

New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs announced during a March 10, 2021, Zoom meeting with members of the Indian-American community, that the NY Senate Bill 2727, which designates the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religious symbols as representing hate, “Will not move forward, it will not be advanced in the Senate or the Assembly, it is not going anywhere”.

The Zoom meeting was organized by the Nassau County Democratic Committee and the newly formed United Front of Indian Americans in North America (UFIANA).

“The meeting was the result of intense efforts by Kamlesh Mehta, who has taken a frontline seat in the ‘save Swastik’ campaign,” the press release from the United Front said.

Besides Mehta, others leading the initiative include Dr Raj Bhayani, Vibhuti Jha and Mukesh Modi, all of whom formed the host committee for the high profile meeting attended by at least 60 people.

Dr. Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America. Photo courtesy United Front of Indian Americans in North America

Mehta introduced Jacobs as well as others attending the meeting — the Consul General of India in New York Randhir Jaiswal, Dr. Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America.

All those attending unanimous said that the Bill S2727 should be rescinded, or the language relating to Swastik be removed from the text because the bill was intended to ban Nazi Hakenkreuz as a symbol of hate.

“I am familiar with Swastik as a positive symbol of peace, prosperity and good tidings among people of many cultures and nationalities. So, when Kamlesh Mehta brought to my attention the difficulty with this bill I understood the importance to the Indian community,” Jacobs is quoted saying during the meeting, in the press release.

“When I spoke to members of the Senate and others concerned, I said, we in this country have a culture of respecting each other. What makes America great is we are an amalgamation of people from all over and part of the lure of America is that you lead your life as good citizens with kindness towards each other and still have the ability to hold on to your own culture. This bill would have been an affront to that basic premise of American democracy. The Indian American community is essential to the success moving forward of this country,” Jacobs continued.

Kamlesh Mehta, one of the leaders of the ‘save Swastik’ initiative. Photo courtesy United Front of Indian Americans in North America

He thanked New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, the first Indian American to be elected to the upper house, noting, “He understood the need that the hate bill does not move forward.”

Dr Mysorekar emphasized that the Swastik has been a sacred symbol in the Vedic tradition for many millennia.

“Symbolizing well-being, auspiciousness and good luck charm, it is part of our festivals, temple rituals, and is displayed at homes, weddings and even below the deity as a yantra,” she said.

“Its negative connotation in the western world especially in the U.S. is because of Hitler. But today, misrepresenting and teaching Swastik as a symbol of hate will cause confusion in the minds of young people, who utilize it in their daily religious practice, and can lead to bullying and biases against them. It can also perpetuate misinformation,” Mysorekar warned.

She added that she has been receiving many calls from people worried about the hate bill, but after Jacobs’s assurance, “now we can all sleep peacefully.”

Ambassador Jaiswal shared some of his personal history with attendees. He said though he is a Hindu, and Swastik is personal (it is even displayed outside his father’s house in Hazipur in Bihar), he also carries the responsibility of Buddhist and Jain traditions because of their links with the place of his birth, Vaishali.

India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal. Photo courtesy United Front of Indian Americans in North America

“Swastik has given a wealth of hope, happiness and philosophy to the modern world at large. So, juxtaposing something ancient and sacred with something as recent as early 20th century when it was twisted, would have amounted to doing injustice to the inner meaning of Swastik and the emotions of people attached to it,” Consul General Jaiswal said.

Mehta appreciated the prompt response and instant action by Chairman Jacobs. He emphasized the sanctity of Swastik, saying all taking part in the meeting follow different faiths, yet Swastik is the common auspicious symbol among them, uniting 1.8 billion people all over the world.

Jha, who has been active in promoting U.S.-India relations, also thanked Jacobs. “In the annals of India-US relationship, your name will last forever,” he told Jacobs.

Noting that the two symbols, Om and Swastik, are basic to Hindu religion, Jha said that Jacobs’ assurance will delight over a billion people, and it has prevented a fissure between India and the United States.

Mukesh Modi, who the press release said, was unofficially called the mayor of the Indian American community on Long Island, thanked Jacobs for respecting the constitutional and religious rights of everyone.

“You are going to get 1.8 billion blessings, which will give you more power and strength to protect our constitutional and religious rights,” Modi said.

Dr Raj Bhayani, an eminent leader in healthcare whose heart beats for India, said that the holocaust and difficulties faced by the Jewish community must be recognized, but that two wrongs do not make a right. Hakenkreuz is not Swastik, he stressed.

Dr Bhayani acknowledged the leadership of Kamlesh Mehta, founder of The South Asian Times, India Day Parade, Rotary Club of Hicksville South, RANA and the new organization which hosted the Zoom meeting.

Pradeep Tandon, in his power point presentation, showed how the ancient Swastik was a positive symbol and was freely used in U.S. society and culture before World War II. There is even a town named Swastik in Clinton County in New York.

Krish Rudra recalled working with Jacobs some years ago and requested him to see that Swastik identified as a hate symbol is also removed from New York Penal Code 240.31.

Bina Sabapathy expressed the hope that the issue does not arise again.

Many community leaders including Dr. Jay Sarkar, Narinder Kapoor, Dr. Rakesh Sharma, Dr. Ravindra Goyal, Dr. Raj Modi, Harish Thakkar and Fal Pandya also spoke and thanked Chairman Jacobs for his assurance to the Indian American communities in New York.

Jacobs noted that what needed to be done was educate people on differentiating Swastik from the Nazi symbol.

India’s Degraded And Downgraded Democracy

Staff ReporterNation India 0

“The offence of sedition cannot be invoked to minister to the wounded vanity of the governments,” declared the judge while ordering bail for the 22-year-old climate change activist Disha Ravi, who was arrested recently, accused of working with the activist Greta Thunberg to undermine the Indian government — an outrageous fiction. Their only “crime” was expressing support for the farmers’ protest.

But the decision in Ravi’s case has much wider implications. It was a rare but welcome instance of the judiciary standing up to the Indian government’s increasingly authoritarian tactics.

The judge came down heavily against the use of sedition charges against activists and journalists. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sedition charges have been deployed as a clear tool of intimidation. A report by the organization Article 14 shows that 96 percent of sedition cases filed against 405 Indians for criticizing politicians and government officials were registered after 2014, when Modi assumed power.

So it didn’t really come as a surprise when the latest Freedom House democracy report degraded India from “free” to “partly free.” The report noted that the government and “its state-level allies continued to crack down on critics during the year, and their response to covid-19 included a ham-fisted lockdown that resulted in the dangerous and unplanned displacement of millions of internal migrant workers. The ruling Hindu nationalist movement also encouraged the scapegoating of Muslims, who were disproportionately blamed for the spread of the virus and faced attacks by vigilante mobs.”

The report’s conclusion is a scathing indictment. “Rather than serving as a champion of democratic practice and a counterweight to authoritarian influence from countries such as China, Modi and his party are tragically driving India itself toward authoritarianism,” the report says.

Of course the Indian government — which has now dismissed criticism from the United Nations and Amnesty International, which was forced to shut down in the country — rushed to attack the report as “misleading, incorrect and misplaced.”

But the government offered few specifics in its rebuttal. That’s because the steady decline of Indian democracy is impossible to deny, and emphasizing PR-friendly stories of economic growth won’t mark that reality anymore. The V-Dem Institute, based in Sweden, also downgraded India’s classification from “world’s largest democracy” to “electoral autocracy” in its latest report.

The same day Freedom House released its report, tax officials raided the home of the filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and the actress Taapsee Pannu. Both have been fiercely critical of the arrests of students and activists and have also expressed support for the farmers’ protest. The duo stands out for deciding to raise their voices for social justice, defying the comfortable silence and denial prevailing among most Bollywood stars.

Indian movie stars and athletes are often deployed to promote government policies and amplify propaganda. It helps cement their popularity. So when Thunberg, along with celebrities such as Rihanna and Meena Harris, tweeted in solidarity with the farmers’ protest, the entire powerful ecosystem of government supporters started attacking them for wanting to “destabilize” India.

But many of those high-profile supporters have been silent about the Freedom House downgrade. It’s more convenient to pick fights with celebrities than actually contend with the fact-based reality that India’s vibrant democracy is descending into totalitarianism. A top Indian movie star who enjoys cult status told me early in the year that his blood boils seeing activists and students being thrown behind bars, but that he feared that expressing support would bring retaliation from the government, such as the launching of fictitious investigations against him. His fears are not without merit. The raid on Kashyap and Pannu was a clear message. It’s not just the film industry that has been neutralized and co-opted — critics in the Indian media are also being identified and monitored.

The Indian news magazine Caravan just published an investigation about how Indian ministers actively discussed ways of neutralizing “negative influencers” critical of the government. “Some negative influencers give false narratives and discredit the Government. These need to be constantly tracked so that proper and timely response can be given,” the report reads.

The Freedom House report highlighted what Indian activists and independent journalists have known for a long time. What the citizens of Kashmir, who are vilified in their own land, have known for a long time. What students and dissidents fighting each day to uphold India’s democratic traditions have known for a long time. What Muslims who feel orphaned in a country their forefathers helped built with their blood and sweat have known for a long time.

My hopes for this country, as a journalist and as a Muslim, are being crushed each day. But like many Indians who have cherished the dream of this inclusive plural nation, I see the Freedom House report as an important historical document. I hope it provides solace to the young and the restless and the disillusioned, even while our own people, our media, our popular figures decide to ignore the truth. Some seem to be reveling in the criticism like a badge of honor.

But the world is indeed watching.

India’s New Internet Rules Are ‘Digital Authoritarianism’

Staff ReporterMedia, Technology 0

The Indian government must suspend sweeping new Internet regulations, 10 international NGOs said in an open letter Thursday. The new rules, brought in by executive order in late February, give the Indian government an arsenal of muscular new powers that will force tech companies and news outlets to comply with government surveillance and censorship demands.

The rules increase the pressure on U.S. tech companies including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp to comply with what the letter’s authors say is an increasingly authoritarian Indian government—or risk losing access to India, their biggest market in the world, which many see as key to future growth.

The Indian government had been preparing the new rules for years, but published them amid an escalating protest movement by Indian farmers that has captured both national and international attention. In February, the Indian government clashed with Twitter over the company’s refusal of a government request to remove hundreds of posts by activists and politicians about the protests, with the company saying they constituted freedom of expression. After the Indian government threatened Twitter employees with jail time, Twitter eventually re-blocked most of the posts.

“Why the government brought this up now is deeply linked to the farmer protests,” says Raman Jit Singh Chima, the Asia-Pacific policy director at Access Now, one of the groups that signed the open letter criticizing the rules. “After the pushback they received from social media firms, who were contesting orders they were receiving, the government definitely wants to send a clear signal that ‘we are going to regulate you, and if you push back, it will result in more regulation overall.’”

India’s new rules come at a time when tech platforms are facing threats of regulation by Western governments over content including hate speech, misinformation, and incitement to violence. But the Indian rules are more worrying, the open letter says, because they are part of a wider push toward “digital authoritarianism,” including Internet shutdowns and arrests of journalists. Although the Indian rules also contain useful provisions like mandating transparency in cases when user content has been removed, they come with no clear mechanisms for tech companies to push back against potentially unlawful government demands.

“The rules change the fundamental Internet experience for any average user in India,” says Apar Gupta, executive director of India’s Internet Freedom Foundation. “Social media companies, streaming platforms and online news portals are now being brought under some level of direct government supervision,” he says. “These rules are a very stark illustration of a desire of the government to control the online conversation. They extend forms of regulation over areas that enrich any kind of democracy, and encourage self-censorship.”

What do the new rules say?

The rules force companies to remove content that the government says is illegal within three days of being notified, including content that threatens “the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India,” public order, decency, morality, or incitement to an offense. The rules also state that platforms must hand over information about users to law enforcement upon request.

Encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp—which is owned by Facebook—will also be forced under the new rules to keep information on who the “first originator” of any message is, and provide it to the government upon demand. WhatsApp is already facing similar legislation in Brazil, its second-biggest market after India. And Western intelligence agencies have also pressured encrypted platforms to build “backdoors” into their messaging services.

WhatsApp did not respond to TIME’s request for comment, but its head Will Cathcart said the company was “still digesting them and understanding what they actually mean, or don’t mean,” in an interview on Big Technology, a podcast by journalist Alex Kantrowitz.

Cathcart suggested that WhatsApp may be prepared to bring legal cases in India if the rules meant breaking the end-to-end encryption that the chat service is based on. “If you’re talking about break[ing] encryption, it’s really hard for me to imagine being comfortable with it,” he said. “It’s hard for me to imagine even how you ask people to do that, I think it’s such a fundamental threat. So, we’ll stand and we’ll make our case, and we’ll argue.”

Facebook and Signal (an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that is growing in popularity in India) did not respond to TIME’s requests for comment.

In a statement, Twitter said: “We are studying the updated guidelines, and we look forward to continued engagement with the Government of India to strike a balance between transparency, freedom of expression, and privacy … We believe that regulation is beneficial when it safeguards citizen’s fundamental rights and reinforces online freedom.”

India’s new rules also say that companies must appoint a resident Indian citizen to be a “chief compliance officer” who will be criminally liable for any failure to comply with the rules. “India’s worst-kept secret is that if you work in the Internet industry, you will face arrest threats and threats of prosecution on a regular basis,” Chima says. “They’re just trying to codify this in one place. The idea is that if you have one person, you can put them under so much pressure that it will force compliance.”

The open letter by the 10 activist groups called on tech companies to resist the new rules. “They should interpret and implement legal demands as narrowly as possible, to ensure the least possible restriction on expression, notify users, seek clarification or modification from authorities, and explore all legal options for challenge,” the letter said.

As well as social media and streaming platforms, the new rules also impose strict new limits on digital news platforms—where a small handful of Indian publications have managed to remain critical of the government. In March, India’s democracy rating was downgraded from “free” to “partly free” by the U.S.-based NGO Freedom House, which cited among other factors the government’s “rising intimidation of academics and journalists.”

Under the new rules, digital publications will be subject to oversight by government-run committees, with the power to block publication of stories, remove stories, or even shut down entire websites. One of the 10 signatories of the open letter on Thursday is Reporters Without Borders, an NGO that campaigns for press freedom worldwide.

“Digital media has been quite outspoken, and I see this clearly as a way to bring it to heel, to control it, and perhaps intimidate it,” says Sidharth Bhatia, a founding editor of The Wire, a leading online publication that regularly publishes content critical of the Indian government. “It is executive overreach of the worst kind.”

The new legislation could result in critical reporting being silenced, Bhatia says. “Let’s say we’re about to publish a story about somebody powerful,” he says. “In a normal journalistic way, we will probably send a message before publication saying we would like your point of view. That person could very well go and say ‘I fear they will publish a very damaging story against me, and it’s libelous, etc.’” If that were to happen, he says, the case would be escalated through two committees, that contain no representatives of the digital media, until it is heard by a senior bureaucrat in India’s Ministry of Information. “At that level, you’re not likely to want to go against the government,” Bhatia says.

The publisher of The Wire is challenging the government’s new rules in the Indian court system—a challenge that a Delhi high court judge upheld on Tuesday, with the case adjourned to April 16.

Bhatia says that if the new rules are allowed to stand, they will have a “terrible chilling effect” on Indian journalism. “There is already talk within the media of journalists self-censoring,” he says. “More and more will say it’s not worth the trouble.”

Freedom House Report Declaring India Only A “Partly Free” Democracy A Recognition Of Reality Say Indian Americans

Staff ReporterCommunity, Nation India 0

Indian American Muslim Council (www.iamc.com) an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos today expressed its concurrence with the annual report of Freedom House, the Washington-based pro-democracy think tank which designated India as only a “partly free,” democracy. Freedom House is a preeminent think tank in the US with significant influence on the discourse around American foreign policy.

The report on the global political rights and liberties, downgraded India, numerically the world’s largest democracy, from “Free” to “Partly Free” while highlighting a steady erosion of democracy increasingly manifested through pressure on human rights groups, the intimidation and harassment of journalists and academics, policies that target and harm religious minorities, particularly Muslims, and the politicization of the Indian judiciary.

“Under Modi, India appears to have abandoned its potential to serve as a global democratic leader, elevating narrow Hindu nationalist interests at the expense of its founding values of inclusion and equal rights for all,” said the Freedom House report titled “Democracy under Siege.”

The report reflects the worst four year decline in India’s Freedom House ranking- in 2018 it was 77th, the next year it was 75, in 2020 71 and in 2021 it is 67. The report referred in detail to atrocities against Muslims highlighting the fact that “the ruling Hindu nationalist movement also encouraged the scapegoating of Muslims, who were disproportionately blamed for the spread of the virus and faced attacks by vigilante mobs.”

“Last year, the government intensified its crackdown on protesters opposed to a discriminatory citizenship law and arrested dozens of journalists who aired criticism of the official pandemic response. Judicial independence has also come under strain; in one case, a judge was transferred immediately after reprimanding the police for taking no action during riots in New Delhi that left over 50 people, mostly Muslims, dead,” said the Freedom House report.

In December, Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, approved a law that prohibits forced religious conversion through interfaith marriage, which critics fear will effectively restrict interfaith marriage in general; authorities have already arrested a number of Muslim men accusing them of “forcing” Hindu women to convert to Islam.

The report situates India’s status as part of a global shift in the balance between democracy and authoritarianism. It warns that India’s “fall from the upper ranks of free nations” could have damaging consequences for the prospect of world’s democratic standards.

“Rather than serving as a champion of democratic practice and a counterweight to authoritarian influence from countries such as China, Modi and his party are tragically driving India itself toward authoritarianism,” it said.

“The alarming report of the Freedom House is not surprising given the rapidly escalating situation in India that has gotten alarm bells ringing across the United States and other Western European democracies,” said Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC.

Various American newspapers and magazines have questioned if India could still be called a democracy given Mr. Modi’s persecution of free speech and dissent and targeting of its minorities. The Editorial Board of the Washington Post in February called into question India’s status as a democracy, highlighting the clampdown on dissent, especially in reference to the arrest of a 22-year-old climate and animal rights activist Disha Ravi. Similarly, the NYT and the Economist in the past questioned Mr. Modi’s pretense of a democratic government.

“Arresting those who have expressed dissent, on false and fabricated charges is pervasive. Merely giving a speech or protesting, legitimate rights of citizens under the Constitution, can land people in jail,” said Mr. Khan while highlighting the situation of student leader Umar Khalid and anti-CAA protester Gulfisha, both of whom are in jail on fabricated charges.

“Many experts in the United States have raised concerns that India’s rapid transformation into a fascist state is following a genocidal trajectory, against Muslims, minorities as well as Hindus opposed to the Hindutva movement,” added Mr. Khan.

IAMC is dedicated to promoting the common values of pluralism, tolerance, and respect for human rights that form the basis of the world’s two largest secular democracies – the United States and India.

Mortgage Raise Above 3% For The First Time In Recent Times

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy 0

Americans who purchased new homes or refinanced their mortgages over the past few months may have done so at just the right moment. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 3.02%, mortgage-finance giant Freddie Mac said Thursday. It is the first time the rate on America’s most popular home loan has risen above 3% since July and the fifth consecutive week it has increased or held steady.

Mortgage rates fell throughout most of 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the economy. That helped power the biggest boom in mortgage lending since before the financial crisis, fueled by refinancings. When rates hit 2.98% in July, it was their first time under the 3% mark in about 50 years of record-keeping.

The recent upward moves paint a clear contrast: More vaccinations in the U.S. and recent progress on the latest coronavirus relief bill have brightened investors’ outlook on the economy, a key variable in determining borrowing rates.

Mortgage rates tend to move in the same direction as the yield on the 10-year Treasury, which has been rising. Treasury yields rise when investors feel confident enough in the economy to forgo safe-haven assets such as bonds for riskier ones including stocks. Last week, the yield hit its highest level in a year.

Freddie Mac chief economist Sam Khater said he expects a strong sales season, partly because he thinks “the uptrend in rates from here will be more muted than the past few weeks.” The Federal Reserve has said it would maintain ultralow interest rates until the economy improves.

The rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage increased to 3.02% this week, up from 2.97% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac, a government-sponsored agency that backs millions of mortgages. That was the first time the rate exceeded 3% since the third week in July and the highest level since the first full week in July, when the rate was 3.03%.

The average rate on 30-year fixed mortgages surged over 3% this week, hitting that benchmark for the first time in seven months.

The rise in rates isn’t a surprise. With expectations that the economy will start to recover and the potential for increasing inflation, many experts see mortgage rates rising in 2021.

However, it’s important to note that even with the recent rate growth, both mortgage and refinance rates remain historically low. As recently as May 2019, rates were over 4%, so many homeowners still have the opportunity to save with a mortgage refinance or purchase a new home at a low rate.

Here’s what rising rates might mean for you.

Rates have surged 0.37% from an all-time low of 2.65% in early January and now sit at 3.02%, according to Freddie Mac. For someone taking out a $250,000 30-year mortgage, this increase in rates would add about $49 to your monthly payment and cost roughly $17,800 more in interest over the life of the loan.

Mortgage interest rates aren’t expected to continue to rise at this rate. “The rise in mortgage rates over the next couple of months is likely to be more muted in comparison to the last few weeks,”  Freddie Mac chief economist Sam Khater said in a statement released yesterday. So don’t expect to see the real estate market turn into a buyers market anytime soon.

This rapid increase in rates has been driven, in part, by rising long-term Treasury bond yields, which topped 1.5%. “Interest rates have been volatile recently, with the benchmark 10-year Treasury increasing about 50 basis points from where it was at the start of the year,” Freddie Mac deputy chief economist Len Kiefer wrote in an email. And that has put pressure on mortgage rates, which historically have moved in tandem with 10-year Treasury bond yields.

For now, however, the message remains the same: If you’re financially ready to buy or refinance a home, today’s mortgage interest rates are historically low.

Mithali Raj, 1st Woman Cricketer To Complete 7,000 ODI Runs

Staff ReporterSports, Women 0

Mithali Raj reached the 7,000-run milestone in her 213th match, which was the fourth ODI of the ongoing five-match series against South Africa. Veteran batter Mithali Raj on Sunday added another feather to her cap by becoming the first player to complete 7,000 runs in women’s ODI cricket.

The Indian skipper reached the 7,000-run milestone in her 213th match, which was the fourth ODI of the ongoing five-match series against South Africa.

“Magnificent Mithali! #TeamIndia ODI skipper becomes the first woman cricketer to score 7000 ODI runs. What a performer she has been!” the BCCI tweeted.

The 38-year-old, who made her international debut in 1999, was also the first player to score 6,000 runs in women’s ODIs. England’s Charlotte Edwards, who retired from international cricket in 2016, is second the list of leading run scorers with 5,992.

Mitahli scored a 71-ball 45 before being dismissed by medium pacer Tumi Sekhukhune in the 38th over of the fourth ODI. She hit four boundaries during her stay in the middle.

On Friday, during the third match, Mithali had become the first Indian player and only the second internationally to complete 10,000 runs across all formats.

A Universe of Irresistible Indian Stories To Arrive On Netflix

Staff ReporterCinema, Entertainment 0

Growing up in India you see and feel entertainment all around you. Our country is filled with beautiful, diverse stories to tell, talented storytellers and crew who bring them to life, and incredible actors who captivate us on screen.

At Netflix, we love to tell stories that bring us together. Films and series told authentically by Indian creators you love as well as voices that are new. But how do we identify that one story that everyone will love? We don’t. Each and everyone of us have our own tastes and moods and all of us want to see our lives reflected on screen.

Our upcoming lineup features more variety and diversity than we have seen before. From the biggest films and series, to gripping documentaries and reality, and bold comedy formats. We are taking our next big leap in India to bring you more than 40 powerful and irresistible stories from all corners of the country.

Coming soon is the bold and sassy series Bombay Begums, the relationship drama Ajeeb Daastaans, the quirky Pagglait, love and longing in Meenakshi Sundareshwar and the consequences of desire in Penthouse. There’s also Jagame Thandhiram starring Dhanush, Taapsee Pannu in Haseen Dillruba, Kartik Aaryan in Dhamaka, the moving family drama with Arjun Kapoor and Neena Gupta Sardar Ka Grandson, a generous dose of modern romance with the series Feels Like Ishq and R. Madhavan’s comedy series Decoupled.

Experience fear and tension with Raveena Tandon’s mystery thriller Aranyak, a wildly twisted love story Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein; meet Jeetu bhaiya once again in Kota Factory, laugh out loud with the king of comedy Kapil Sharma, and uncover the mysterious disappearance of the queen of hearts Madhuri Dixit Nene in the series Finding Anamika.

This is just a taste of the films and series to come. We are so excited to share these rich and diverse stories from the best and brightest creators and talent from India to the world.

Taapsee – Tahir starrer “Looop Lapeta” announces release date

The Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin-led “Looop Lapeta”, which has already evoked quite a buzz for its cool, millennial look released recently by the makers, is set to release in cinemas on October 22, 2021. The makers were among the first to take the plunge to resume production in October last year. The film was shot in Mumbai and Goa from November and wrapped on schedule. It is currently in post-production.

“Looop Lapeta” is being touted as a new-age, intriguing roller-coaster ride centered around a girl (Savi) who finds herself in a sticky situation when her boyfriend (Savi) gets unknowingly trapped in a crisis.

Helmed by noted ad filmmaker Aakash Bhatia, “Looop Lapeta” is produced by Sony Pictures Films India, Ellipsis Entertainment (Tanuj Garg, Atul Kasbekar) and Aayush Maheshwari. It comes from the makers of “Neerja”, “102 Not Out”, “Padman”, “Tumhari Sulu” and “Shakuntala Devi”.

“MAJOR” Will Release July 2nd – Only In Theaters

Staff ReporterCinema 0

On March 15th, the 44th birth anniversary of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the team of the film MAJOR released an exclusive and first video glimpse of the film, remembering the great soldier and paying their tribute to him. The film’s teaser will release on March 28th.  Sony Pictures Films India has also launched a website for people to send in their tributes and messages for Late Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan: https://majorthemovie.sonypicturesindia.com/.

The messages sent by people and fans of Major Sandeep will be then collated into a collage and gifted to Major’s parents. Team MAJOR remembers the martyr for his valor & sacrifice of Major Unikrishnan, who was awarded with the Ashoka Chakra , India’s Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award Major is an upcoming Indian biographical film, directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka and produced by Sony Pictures Films India, in association with Mahesh Babu’s GMB Entertainment and A+S Movies. Shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi, it is based on the life of 2008 Mumbai attacks martyr, Sandeep Unnikrishnan.

The film is a dedication to the way he lived, and not how he died. Adivi Sesh (in his Hindi film debut) portrays Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, the title character. The film also stars Saiee Manjrekar, Sobhita Dhulipala, Revathi and Prakash Raj. MAJOR is scheduled to be released theatrically on 2nd July, 2021. Produced by Sony Pictures Films India in association with Mahesh Babu’s GMB Entertainment and A+S Movies, MAJOR, a bilingual film shot in Hindi and Telugu, is slated to release in North American theaters on July 2nd, 2021.

Blackstone, Starwood Capital Team Up in $6 Billion Purchase of Extended Stay

Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

Blackstone Group Inc. and Starwood Capital Group have agreed to acquire hotel owner and operator Extended Stay America Inc. for $6 billion, a bet that a rare bright spot for the lodging industry during Covid-19 can shine brighter as the U.S. emerges from the pandemic.

The companies provided details of the deal, which real-estate executives say is the largest sale in the hotel sector during the Covid-19 period earlier this week.

As bookings plunged across the U.S. hotel industry over the last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Extended Stay, which specializes in economy temporary housing for healthcare professionals, proved stronger than its peers.

Private equity company Blackstone’s and investment firm Starwood’s cash offer of $19.50 per share represents a premium of 15.1% to Extended Stay’s share closing price on Friday.

Shares of Extended Stay, which owns and operates 650 hotels in the United States, rose more than 17% before the opening bell.

“Extended Stay has demonstrated resilience over the past year despite persistent challenges due to government lockdowns and travel restrictions,” said Barry Sternlicht, chief executive officer of Starwood Capital.

“We are excited about the company’s growth opportunity as restrictions ease.”

Extended Stay’s stock has more than doubled in the past 12 months, outperforming its larger peers Marriott and Hilton which gained between 60% and 65%.

Extended Stay is a midprice hotel chain that focuses on lodging for guests interested in staying for weeks or longer, offering kitchen facilities and more space than a typical hotel room. During the pandemic, its rooms and suites attracted essential workers, healthcare professionals and others who needed to travel.

That business helped Extended Stay achieve a 74% occupancy rate last year, Blackstone said. The average occupancy rate across all U.S. hotels was 44%, according to hotel data-tracking firm STR.

During Historic Visit To Iraq, Pope Francis Calls Extremism As ‘Betrayal Of Religion’

Staff ReporterGlobal, Religion 0

During Pope Francis’s four-day tour of Iraq across six cities is Francis’ first trip outside Italy since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Pontiff touched down in Baghdad on Friday, March 5th where he was met by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.  In a speech after being welcomed by Iraqi President Barham Salih, Pope Francis said he was very pleased to come to Iraq, which he described as the “cradle of civilization.” In his address to the nation, ravaged by two decades of war, violence and deaths, he said, “May the clash of arms be silenced… may there be an end to acts of violence and extremism, factions and intolerance!” he said.

“Iraq has suffered the disastrous effects of wars, the scourge of terrorism and sectarian conflicts often grounded in a fundamentalism incapable of accepting the peaceful coexistence of different ethnic and religious groups.”

Francis later met with clerics and other officials at a Baghdad church that was the site of a bloody 2010 massacre. He returned to Baghdad on Saturday afternoon and celebrated Mass at the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph.

About 10,000 Iraqi Security Forces personnel are being deployed to protect the Pope, while round-the-clock curfews are also being imposed to limit the spread of Covid. Iraq’s PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi greeted him at the airport, with a red carpet, Iraqis in national dress and songs from a largely unmasked choir. Hundreds of people lined the airport road as the Pope’s convoy, heavily chaperoned by police motorcycles, left for the city.

Visiting Ur, the ancient Iraqi city where Jews, Christians and Muslims believe their common patriarch Abraham was born, Pope Francis denounced extremism as a “betrayal of religion.” The Pope visited Ur on Saturday, the second day of the first ever papal visit to Iraq. Addressing a meeting of inter-faith leaders, Francis condemned the violence that has plagued Iraq in recent years and called for friendship and cooperation between religions.

“All its ethnic and religious communities have suffered. In particular, I would like to mention the Yazidi community, which has mourned the deaths of many men and witnessed thousands of women, girls and children kidnapped, sold as slaves, subjected to physical violence and forced conversions,” he said.

Covid and security fears have made this his riskiest visit yet, but the 84-year-old insisted he was “duty bound”. He also said Iraq’s dwindling Christian community should have a more prominent role as citizens with full rights, freedoms and responsibilities. He is hoping to foster inter-religious dialogue – meeting Iraq’s most revered Shia Muslim cleric – and will celebrate Mass at a stadium in Irbil in the north.

Francis also praised the recovery efforts in Northern Iraq, where ISIS terrorist destroyed historical sites, churches, monasteries and other places of worship. “I think of the young Muslim volunteers of Mosul, who helped to repair churches and monasteries, building fraternal friendships on the rubble of hatred, and those Christians and Muslims who today are restoring mosques and churches together,” he said.

Pope Francis delivered his speech at Our Lady of Salvation. “We are gathered in this Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation, hallowed by the blood of our brothers and sisters who here paid the ultimate price of their fidelity to the Lord and his Church,” the pontiff said.

The speech calling for cooperation between religions came just hours after the Pope held a historic meeting with revered Shia Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Najaf. The 45-minute papal meeting with the 90-year old al-Sistani — who rarely appears in public — represented one of the most significant summits between a pope and a leading Shia Muslim figure in recent years.

During the meeting, broadcast on al-Iraqiya state TV, al-Sistani thanked Francis for making an effort to travel to Najaf and told him that Christians in Iraq should live “like all Iraqis in security and peace, and with their full constitutional rights,” according to a statement released by the Grand Ayatollah’s office.

The Pope in turn thanked al-Sistani and the Shia Muslim community for “[raising] his voice in defense of the weakest and most persecuted, affirming the sacredness of human life and the importance of the unity of the Iraqi people,” according to a statement from the Holy See.

Iraq has imposed a total curfew for the entirety of the four-day papal visit to minimize health and security risks. Francis is scheduled to leave Iraq on Monday.

Francis has met with leading Sunni cleric Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb on several occasions in the past, famously co-signing a 2019 document pledging “human fraternity” between world religions.

Pope Francis, during his historic visit to Iraq, addressed an interfaith gathering of Iraq’s religious and ethnic groups in Ur, said to be the birthplace of Abraham, the common patriarch for Jews, Christians and Muslims. He drove home the need for respect and unity, and he used the opportunity to condemn violent religious extremism.

Pope Francis traveled to the ruins of the ancient city of Ur, considered the cradle of civilization, to remind people that what binds them is more powerful than what divides. Faithful from the Christian, Muslim, Yazidi and Mandean communities were present Saturday. The pope reinforced his call for inter-religious tolerance and fraternity during the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, where religious and ethnic divisions and conflict have torn apart the social fabric for decades.

Indeed, the Christian population in the Middle East has been falling: The Christian share of the overall population in Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian territories decreased from 10% in 1900 to 5% in 2010, according to a Pew Research Center estimate published in 2014. Christians in the region tend to be older than Muslims, have fewer children and are more likely to emigrate — and that was before widespread persecution of Christians in northern Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2017 by the group that calls itself the Islamic State.

In Iraq specifically, Christians made up less than 1% of the population as of 2010, according to Pew Research Center estimates. Among Christians in Iraq at that time, an estimated 41% were Catholic, 41% were Protestant and 17% identified with Orthodox Christianity.

Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq this weekend has been described by the Vatican as an effort to encourage the Arab country’s dwindling Christian community and strengthen ties with Muslims.

Indian-Americans Are Taking Over US: Biden

Staff ReporterCommunity, Nation USA 0

Indian-Americans are taking over the US, President Joe Biden said while congratulating Swati Mohan, the NASA engineer, who guided the Mars rover Perseverance to a soft landing on the Red Planet.

“It’s amazing. Indian of descent Americans are taking over this country. You, my Vice President, my speechwriter Vinay. But I tell you what, thanks. You guys are incredible,” he said during a virtual meeting to congratulate Mohan and others on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) team that landed the Perseverance on Mars.

“One of the reasons why we’re such an incredible country is we’re such a diverse country. We bring the best out of every single solitary culture in the world here in the US of America. And we give people an opportunity,” Biden said of the immigrants.

Mohan, who proudly displays her Indian identity with a bindi on her forehead, said: “Being able to work with this incredibly diverse talented team that has become like a family, spending years creating our own technological marvel has been a privilege.”

The NASA engineer said that she had been inspired as a child to get into space exploration by watching the Star Trek TV series where a “fantastical, really, really close knit team” was working together for sole purpose of exploring space “and understanding new things and seeking new life”.

Vandana “Vandi” Verma is the Chief Engineer for Robotic Operations for the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, the largest, most advanced rover NASA has sent to another world touched down on Mars Feb.18, after a 203-day traversing 293 million miles.

Biden’s Vice President is Kamala Harris and his director of speech writing is Vinay Reddy, who is one of more than 20 Indian-Americans named to senior positions in his administration.

Two Indian women astronauts have gone to space, Kalpana Chawla, who was killed on her second mission aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger that broke up in 2003, and Sunita Williams, who has been a commander of the International Space Station.

Astronaut Raja Chari belongs to the Artemis team from which the next members of future expeditions will be selected. He is to command the SpaceX Crew-3 mission set for September.

When JPL Director Michael Watkins introduced Mohan, Biden said: “Hey Doc, how are you?”

Mohan said she was well and as she began to thank him for taking the time to speak to them, he cut her off, saying,:” Are you kidding me? What an honor this is, what an incredible honor this is” (for him to speak to her).

After mentioning the achievement of Indian-Americans, he told her: “Did you want to say something? I’ll be quiet.”

Mohan said she hoped that Perseverance would be able to find new life on Mars. She recalled to him the moments before the Perseverance landed on the Red Planet: Although it was going pretty smooth, the team was “really nervous and, frankly, terrified until we got through those final seven minutes”.

Mohan, who guided the rover safely to a soft landing, said: “To be able to call ‘touchdown’ safely, to see those first images come back from Mars, to see the place where we have never been able to go to on Mars before and go there — reach there for the express purpose of seeking out new life just made it feel like I was living in a dream.”

Biden replied: “I tell you what, you feel like you live in a dream, you’ve created a dream for millions and millions of young kids young Americans. You restored a dose of confidence in the American people. They were beginning to wonder if we are still the country we always believed we were. You guys did it. You guys gave a sense of America’s back. It’s astounding what you did. You should not underestimate it.”

Taking a dig at his predecessor Donald Trump, Biden said that he had heard of a head of state who wondered what had happened to the US. “They used to be so proud to do great things. And here they can’t even deal with a coronavirus. It matters because democracies have to demonstrate they can run efficiently. We have never ever, ever failed to meet a call. We’ve set our mind to it. And we’ve done it together. And that’s what you all show. So, it goes way beyond the whole notion of what you just recently did,” he added.

Mohan said that there was “the thrill of all the scientific discoveries that are yet to come and what Perseverance can actually find — and hopefully find those signs of past life on Mars”. Under Mohan’s guidance, Perseverance slowed down from a speed of nearly 20,000 km per hour with retrorockets and a parachute to about 3 kmph to touch down at the Jezero Crater on Mars about 224 million miles away from Earth on February 18. (IANS)

GAPIO Organizes 2021 Global Indian Physicians Congress

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

The Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), a non-profit organization, and leading association for the Indian medical diaspora organised its annual Global Indian Physicians Congress on February 27th – 28th 2021. The Congress is an important event in the medical calendar where the exchange of knowledge from subject specialists from across the world takes place. This year’s virtual conference provided an international forum to delegates to share their knowledge and exchange ideas on clinical skill development, solutions to contemporary health issues and modernizing the approach to delivering healthcare.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Hon’ble Health Minister, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was Chief Guest. In a video message, Dr. Harsh Vardhan praised GAPIO, as a shining example of the talent and caliber of Indian physicians who have made remarkable contributions in various fields of medicine across the globe.

Praising the contribution of medical professionals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “As the world faced the unprecedented crisis of COVID19, it has been our doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who have cemented their position as the foremost champions of humanity, saving humankind as it was staring at an existential crisis.” The Minister also praised India’s efforts domestically and internationally and commended the physicians, nurses, and scientists involved in fighting the pandemic. India can greatly benefit from GAPIO’s support, he emphasized and concluded by complimenting the awardees for their outstanding work.

“I am so proud to be part of GAPIO, a great organization with the mission to bring together 1.4 million physicians of Indian origin on one professional platform,” said GAPIO Secretary General USA and Chairman and Publisher of Parikh World Wide Media and ITV Gold 24×7 TV Channel in the U.S., Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, at the Congress. “This was a great event. From the time it was started in 2011, GAPIO is now in 53 countries. Not only does it provide a professional platform to more than 1 million Indian physicians, it also brings all the resources they have to offer to impact the much greater philanthropic work we can do in India and around the world,” Dr. Parikh told News India Times.

Since its inception in 2011 GAPIO has endeavored to bring 1.4 million physicians of Indian origin across the world on a single platform to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, skills and research. This was the 11th edition of the Congress. More than 5000 participants from USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Middle East, Africa, UAE, India and other countries participated in the Congress, making it one of the largest such events in the world.

The GAPIO Congress featured highly qualified medical professionals and leaders from around the world, and an award ceremony for those who have excelled in their areas of expertise, including young physicians.

Founder President of GAPIO and Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group Dr. Prathap C Reddy, said, “The exemplary work by the awardees is an inspiration for others to emulate. The spirit of the physicians of Indian origin to excel in India and overseas is what we hope to recognize.
There are countless examples of pathbreaking work across the globe that would make every Indian proud. COVID-19 has once again shown the important role played by physicians of Indian origin in handling global health crises. The valuable lessons learnt from these clinical leaders will form part of the deliberations. The need for innovation and cross-systemic learning is more important than ever before. Apart from the COVID-19 pandemic, India and the world at large are facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases – NCDs like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We seek involvement of everyone to overcome this biggest challenge to mankind posed by COVID-19 and NCDs.”

President of GAPIO and Group Medical Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Senior Consultant Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist Dr. Anupam Sibal, said, “From supporting liver transplantation to pioneering cardiac surgery to establishing high-end lab services to excelling in rheumatology to introducing geriatric care to performing complex arthroplasty in a rural setting, the awardees represent the spectrum of path-breaking achievements.

“Remarking on the young physician’s category, Vice President GAPIO and CEO cum Chairman of Columbia Asia Group of Hospitals Dr. Nandakumar Jairam, said, “The awardees in the Young category represent the aspirations of the Young Indian Physician who is willing to take on challenges to improve the delivery of care, while excelling in academics and research. Research and innovation can improve the delivery of quality healthcare in India to the last mile. As the country braces to overcome its myriad health challenges, this Congress will help identify methodologies most suitable to skill and scale the healthcare workforce in the country.”

Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Secretary General of GAPIO and Chairman and Publisher of Parikh World Wide Media and ITV Gold 24×7 TV Channel in USA, said, “Global health challenges need global solutions, and we believe through GAPIO we will evolve constructive and tangible ways of ensuring that healthcare is affordable and accessible to all citizens.”

The award winners in the Distinguished Category, each of whom receives Rs. 100,000, a citation, and a trophy include:

  • Pravin Agarwal (Mr Pravin Agarwal Foundation) for Dr. Prathap C Reddy Philanthropy award
  • Rohini Handa for the Dr. IA Modi Award
    • Navin Dang for GAPIO Excellence in Diagnostics Award
  • Maligail Ramkrishna Girinath for GAPIO Karl Storz Surgical Excellence Award
  • VS Natarajan for GAPIO Lifetime achievement award.
    Dr. Madan Mohan Reddy received the GAPIO Special Appreciation Award for his pathbreaking work in delivering orthopedic care including joint replacements in villages.

The award winners in Young Category each of whom receives Rs. 50,000, a citation and a trophy, include:

  • Sonali M Khobragade and Dr. Purvi Parikh (joint winners) for Dr. IA Modi Award
  • Nishat Hussain Ahmed for GAPIO Excellence in Diagnostics Award
  • Susovan Banerjee for GAPIO Excellence in Radiology/ Radiation Therapy Award
  • Bhavuk Garg for GAPIO Karl Storz Surgical Excellence Award.

Karl Storz provides an endoscope to the winner of the Storz Surgical Excellence Award.

Speakers at the well-attended event included

Dr. Sathyaki Nambala, India, senior consultant and chief of Cardiac Surgery, Apollo Hospital, Bangalore;

Dr. Jatin Shah, USA, professor of surgery at Cornell Medical College, New York;

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, India, founder, chairperson and managing director of Biocon Limited;

Dr. Arun Garg, Canada, consultant medical biochemist at Royal Columbian Hospital, Canada and President of Canada India Network Society (CINS);

Dr. Sanjay Patole, Australia, senior neonatologist, KEM Hospital for Women in Perth, Western Australia;

Dr. Sandeep Guleria, India, senior consultant, Renal Transplant surgeon at Apollo Hospital, New Delhi;

Dr. OM Ganda, USA, senior physician and medical director, Lipid Clinic – Joslin Diabetes Center, and also associate professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School;

Dr. Venkataraman Sundareswaran, USA, fellow – Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation at World Economic Forum;

Dr. Mani Menon, USA, robotic surgeon and one of the foremost Urologists in the United States; and

Dr. Senthil Seniyappan, UK, consultant paediatric endocrinologist, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool.

Young Climate Activist Varshini Prakash Recognized As Woman of the Year 2021

Staff ReporterCommunity, Women, Youth 0

A climate activist, Varshini Prakash was given the coveted Woman of the Year 2021during the annual awards ceremony on Saturday, March 6th . She was chosen for the award for her courage, persistence and energy to inspire to the next generation to join the battle to make the world a better place. Ms. Prakash was on the TIME 100 Next List in 2019 and also made to Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 2020.

As per reports, a panel of nine independent judges on Saturday broke from the tradition and chose 27-year-old and she was honored with the award at the 18th annual INDIA New England Woman of the Year Awards ceremony organized virtually.

The organizers of the awards ceremony said, “Ms. Prakash is leading a climate revolution in U.S. politics. Co-founder and Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement, as well as co-author of the book “Winning the Green New Deal: Why We Must, How We Can”, Ms. Prakash has led a youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process, while bringing The Green New Deal to the attention of millions during the recent election.”

In her acceptance speech, Ms. Prakash said she was surprised to win this honor, and said “the people should lead and the leaders follow” calling upon all of the people to come together to fight against climate change. Only then perhaps leaders will listen and take concrete far-reaching measures, she said.

“It is indeed a very proud moment for the New England community to celebrate these amazing women and their journeys and recognize a young and vibrant leader in Varshini Prakash as the Woman of the Year,” said Praveen Tailam, Chair TiE Global who headed an independent panel of nine judges. “Launching and growing a revolution to address the climate crises through her Sunrise movement is no easy task. Varshini’s courage, persistence, and energy inspire the next generation to join the battle to make the world a better place and create new jobs.”

Mr. Tailam added: “Varshini is a real trailblazer by embarking on a path less traveled, especially from our community. It is upon us to nurture such selfless individuals and elevate the initiatives that affect the entire human race.”

In addition to Mr. Tailam, the right other judges were: Nikhil Bhojwani Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Recon Strategy; Shipra Dubey, PhD, Principal Associate, Harvard Medical School Director, Radiochemistry, Research and Development, BICOR, Radiology Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Vineeta Kumar, President Indian American Getting Involved Group; Santhana Krishnan, Founder, South Asian Art Gallery and Managing Partner, Om Ventures; Revathy Ramakrishna, Co-Founder, Vision-Aid; Preetesh Shrivastava, Founder, Hindi Manch and Preetesh Entertainment, LLC; Meena Subramanyam , Vice President and Global Program Leader, Takeda Pharmaceuticals; Bala Sundaram, PhD, Vice Provost for Research & Dean of Graduate Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Judges also selected two out of 20 Outstanding Women for Honorable Mentions. “We were entrusted to pick one winner and it was hard. Along with the winner the jury decided to honorably mention two incredible women and in no particular order,” said Mr. Tailam. “Rhitu Siddarth. Rhitu has been bravely providing humanitarian leadership thru her work with UN in many troubled and battled countries like Syria, Sudan, Libya and more over the last 18 years. So proud of you. And Priti Chatter, who quietly and surely make an impact to solving problems that address the immediate needs of billion people.”

Bharatanatyam dance teacher Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, who has taught over 1,000 students and has developed her own-style of teaching classical dance to Indian-American children, received India New England News Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mandy Pant and Jharna Madan served as emcees of the evening. Tech support was provided by Sraveo. Key sponsors included Boston Group/Sybu Kota, BMW Sudbury/Pranav Gill, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Alankar Decorators, Boston Sound & Light Company, Dyuti Majumdar Photography.

“I always say that you do not get Woman of the Year award. It finds you. Somehow an independent jury panel finds someone who is right for the role in that moment in time from 20 fantastic and extremely qualified women,” said Dr. Manju Sheth, director hostess of the Woman of the Year awards. “Climate change is currently on everyone’s mind so not surprisingly that Varshini, a leader in climate revolution with her sunrise movement is Woman of the Year 2021. She is perhaps our youngest winner. Congratulations to her. We are proud of her. Congratulations also to Rhitu Siddarth and Priti Chatter for special well deserved recognition as well.”

Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package

Staff ReporterFinance/Economy 0

The US Senate approved President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan Saturday, March 7th securing additional aid for American families, workers and businesses — and a legislative victory for the Biden administration.

After more than 24 hours of debate, the evenly divided Senate voted 50-49 to approve the measure. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska was absent because he was in Alaska for a family funeral.

The final vote was 50-49, with all Democrats voting in favor of the bill and all Republicans voting against it. The passage of the bill was met with cheers and applause from Democrats, celebrating the passage of one of Mr. Biden’s key priorities. Vice President Kamala Harris did not need to visit the Capitol to break any ties, as GOP Senator Dan Sullivan left due to a family emergency on Friday.

The package would deliver a new round of financial assistance to Americans grappling with the impact of the pandemic, including $1,400 direct payments, an extension of supplemental unemployment benefits and an increase to the child tax credit.

Individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 would receive the full direct payments of $1,400 per person. But those payments would phase out for individuals and couples who make more than $80,000 and $160,000, respectively.

The income cutoff was lowered after moderate Democrats demanded that the latest round of checks target lower-income families.

Federal unemployment benefits would be extended through Sept. 6 at the current rate of $300 per week, and the first $10,200 of those benefits would be tax-free for households that earn $150,000 or less. That provision followed a lengthy debate Friday among Democratic senators.

Democrats were under pressure to get the bill to Biden’s desk before current federal unemployment benefits expire on March 14.  The budget reconciliation process allowed them to act without Republican backing, requiring only a simple majority to pass the bill.

Democrats took a victory lap after the passage of the bill, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer telling reporters after the vote that “it’s a great day for this country.” Senate Budget Committee Chair Bernie Sanders called the bill “the most significant piece of legislation to benefit working families in the modern history of this country.”

President Biden dubbed the plan “historic” during an address on Saturday.

“For over a year the American people were told they were on their own,” he said, and later added, “This nation has suffered too much for much too long, and everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation.”

The president noted that 85% of American households will now soon receive direct payments of $1,400 per person, and a “typical middle class family of four” will get $5,600. “That means the mortgage can get paid. That means maintaining the health insurance you have. It’s going to make a big difference in so many lives in this country,” he said.

“The bottom line is this: This plan puts us on the path to beating this virus,” Mr. Biden said Saturday. “This plan gives those families that are struggling the most the help and the breathing room they need to get through this moment. This plan gives small businesses in this country a fighting chance to survive. And one more thing,” he added, “this plan is historic.”

Government Of India Is Now Requiring Overseas Citizens Of India To Have Special Permit For Journalism & Research

Staff ReporterCommunity, Media, Nation India 0

In a stunning development for Overseas Citizens of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on March 4 dramatically altering the compact between OCIs and the Indian state. This notification, which is issued under Section 7B of the Citizenship Act, 1955, supersedes three earlier notifications issued on April 11, 2005, January 5, 2007, and January 5, 2009, which laid down the rights of the OCIs.

In addition to classifying OCIs as “foreign nationals”, the new notification introduces a series of new restrictions that dramatically curtails the rights and liberties of OCIs in India. These restrictions include a requirement for OCIs to secure a special permit to undertake “any research”, to undertake any “missionary” or “Tablighi” or “journalistic activities” or to visit any area in India notified as “protected”, “restricted” or “prohibited”.

In addition, the notification now equates OCIs to “foreign nationals” in respect of “all other economic, financial and educational fields” for the purposes of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 2003 although past circulars by the Reserve Bank of India under FEMA will hold ground. This reverses the position that has held for the last 16 years wherein OCIs were equated to Non-Resident Indians rather than “foreign nationals” for the purposes of their economic, financial and educational rights.

OCIs can however continue to purchase land (other than agricultural land), pursue the profession of medicine, law, architecture and accountancy and seek parity with Indian citizens with regard to airfares and entry fee to monuments and parks. OCIs can also continue to seek enrolment in Indian educational institutions on par with NRIs but not for seats reserved exclusively for Indian citizens.

OCIs have been pushing for implementation of rights on par with Indian citizens, especially in claiming seats in educational institutions through competitive exams. “There are multiple cases pending in courts in Karnataka, where OCIs have laid claim to seats reserved for Indian citizens. So things had to be clarified further,” a Home Ministry official said. The notification in the Gazette last week granted OCIs the right of multiple entry lifelong visa to India for any purpose; exemption from registration with the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) for any length of stay in India; and parity with Indian nationals in the matter of domestic air fares, entry fees to monuments and public places.

It also said that OCI cardholders will enjoy parity with Non Resident Indians (NRIs) in adoption of children, appearing in competitive exams, purchase or sale of immovable property barring agricultural land and farmhouses, and pursuing professions such as doctors, lawyers, architects, and chartered accountants.

However, many of these rights have been subjected to certain restrictions. The notifications says that the right of multiple entry lifelong visa for “any purpose” can be enjoyed provided the OCI obtains a special permission from “the competent authority” or the FRRO “to undertake research; to undertake any Missionary or Tabligh or Mountaineering or Journalistic activities; to undertake internship in any foreign Diplomatic Missions or foreign Government organizations in India or to take up employment in any foreign Diplomatic Missions in India; to visit any place which falls within the Protected or Restricted or prohibited areas as notified by the Central Government or competent authority”.

The restrictions on missionary and Tablighi activities on foreigners and OCIs have existed since the 90s when the latter were known as Persons of Indian Origin (PIO). In February 2018, the government published broad guidelines for Indian visa wherein it mentioned the restrictions on foreigners and OCIs from engaging in Tablighi activity.

The “OCI cardholder shall not be eligible for admission against any seat reserved exclusively for Indian citizens” In respect of all other economic, financial and educational fields not specified in this notification or the rights and privileges not covered by the notifications made by the Reserve Bank of India under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999), the OCI cardholder shall have the same rights and privileges as a foreigner,” the notification said.

  • The central ministry of home affairs has notified new rules that require Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) to take special permission from the government if they want to be involvedin journalistic, missionary or “Tabligh” activities in the country.
  • India provides OCI statues to certain Indian-origin foreign nationals. They have parity with Non-Resident Indians in purchase or sale of immovable properties other than agricultural land, in appearing for the entrance tests such as National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, and in inter-country adoption of Indian children, among others.
  • The ministry, in its notification issued on Thursday, said the OCI cardholders are entitled to get multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India for any purpose but “required to obtain a special permission or a special permit from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer or the Indian Mission to undertake research and to undertake any missionary or Tabligh or mountaineering or journalistic activities”. News agency PTIquotes a home ministry official as saying that these rules were part of the ‘brochure’ published in 2019 but were recently consolidated and notified.
  • In 2019, the central government had revoked the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card of author and journalist Aatish Taseer, days after Time magazine published a critical story, headlined “India’s Divider in Chief”, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the general election.
  • The home ministry then said he had “concealed the fact that his late father was of Pakistani origin”. Aatish, a UK national, is the son of assassinated Pakistan politician Salman Taseer and Indian journalist Tavleen Singh.

Judicial defeats

Most of these new restrictions have likely been inspired by the defeats suffered by the government in various cases filed by OCIs before the judiciary. Take for example, the new requirement for OCIs to apply for a special permit to undertake any missionary activities. This restriction has been introduced to undercut a judgment by Justice Vibhu Bakru of the Delhi High Court wherein he came down heavily on the Ministry of Home Affairs for cancelling the OCI card of an American-Indian doctor on the grounds that he was engaged in “evangelical and subversive activities” while offering free medical services to the needy and the poor in Bihar.  In that judgment, Justice Bakru made it clear that there was no restriction preventing OCIs from engaging in religious activities.

Similarly, the restrictions on OCIs competing for seats reserved for Indian citizens is meant to undercut a judgment of the Karnataka High Court by Justices BV Nagarathna and NS Sanjay Gowda declaring that OCI students will be treated as Indian citizens for the purposes of admission to professional courses.

Lastly, the Ministry of Home Affair’s assertion that OCIs are foreign nationals and not Indian citizens is most likely inspired by ongoing litigation before the Delhi High Court wherein an OCI has sought a declaration from the court that OCIs enjoy fundamental rights just like Indian citizens.

The requirement for OCIs to take a special permit to engage in journalistic activities has likely been motivated by right-wing ideologues like Subramaniam Swamy who has been targeting journalists like The Wire’s Siddharth Vardarajan because of their foreign citizenship. There are several other next generation OCIs who work as journalists in India and whose future will now be under a cloud if the Ministry of Home Affairs decides to deny them the required permit to continue working as journalists in India.

This notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs is not surprising. For some time now, the Ministry of Home Affairs has dedicated its efforts to reduce the concept of OCIs to a glorified long-term visa programmer rather than implement it as a dual citizenship program, as was the intent of Parliament when then Home Minister LK Advani piloted the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003, through Parliament.

The “Statement of Objects & Reasons” accompanying this Bill, which lays down the intent of the government at the time of introducing a bill in Parliament and which can legitimately be used by the judiciary to discern the legislative intent, stated the following:

“Subsequently, the High Level Committee on Indian Diaspora constituted by the Central Government, inter alia, recommended the amendment of this Act to provide for the grant of dual citizenship to persons of Indian origin belonging to certain specified countries. The Central Government has accordingly decided to make provisions for the grant of dual citizenship.”

Advani in his introductory speech had clarified once again that the entire purpose of the Bill was to introduce dual citizenship for the Indian diaspora. It is therefore disingenuous for the Ministry of Home Affairs to now claim through a recent notification the claim that OCIs are foreign nationals. This argument is all the more absurd when viewed in light of the fact that the phrase OCI literally has the phrase “Indian citizen” in its title.

Lastly, it bears noting that the entire concept of OCIs was brought through the Citizenship Act, 1955, which is a legislation specifically meant to regulate the concept of Indian citizenship. There are separate laws like the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 2003, which deal exclusively with foreigners and their rights in India.

The fact that Parliament sought to locate OCIs in the Citizenship Act and not the Foreigners Act or FEMA is sufficient proof that Parliament wanted OCIs to be Indian citizens.

Editors Guild Of India Is Concerned About New Media Ethics Code, Says, ‘It Undermines Media Freedom’

Staff ReporterMedia, Nation India 0

Nearly a week after the Centre’s notification of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) has said these regulations will “fundamentally alter” and put “unreasonable restrictions” over digital media and therefore urged the government to take back these rules.

In the name of controlling an “unfettered social media,” the EGI said that the government cannot “overwhelm India’s constitutional safeguards for free media.” The new rules, “fundamentally alter how publishers of news operate over the Internet and have the potential to seriously undermine media freedom in India,” it added.

The guild also expressed concerns over the overwhelming power that the reforms grant the government. “They empower the Union Government to block, delete, or modify published news anywhere in the country without any judicial oversight and mandate all publishers to establish a grievance redressal mechanism,” the EGI statement read.

In creating the new reforms, the EGI said, the government did not consult stakeholders and therefore it must “put the rules in abeyance and conduct meaningful consultation with all stakeholders.” The Centre on February 25 notified new guidelines for intermediaries in “soft touch oversight” rules, saying these were needed to hold social media and other companies accountable for “misuse and abuse”.

The rules called for a three-tier regulation mechanism for OTT platforms like Netflix, YouTube, etc and required them to self-classify their content into five categories based on age suitability. The Centre’s announcement came amid a debate in the country to regulate digital platforms after Amazon Prime’s series “Tandav” stirred a controversy for allegedly insulting Hindu deities.

AAPI Recommits To Its Seven Pillars of Lifestyle Magic NObesity Revolution – Wear Yellow Campaign On World Obesity Day

Staff ReporterCommunity, Education, Health 0

Obesity has been identified as a leading cause for early death as it leads to hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, heart attacks, strokes, some kinds of cancer and adversely affecting almost all organs in the human body. Describing Obesity as a major disease, World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized that PREVENTION is the most feasible option for curbing the obesity epidemic. Parents, schools, communities, states and countries can help make the Healthy choice the Easy choice.

American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States has been in the forefront for the past several years, spreading this message of healthy living.  Continuing with the goal of creating awareness by educating the public and healthcare professionals, AAPI has initiated several programs and campaigns, creating awareness on Obesity and ways to prevent it. As per World Health Organisation (WHO), since 1975, the rate of obesity has tripled. People from all ages and both developed and developing countries are affected by obesity.

“Today, March 4th is being observed across the world across as the World Obesity Day, AAPI, who has been a leader in Obesity campaign, urges and want to encourage practices among people that can help them in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight,” said Dr. Sudhakart Jonnalagadda, President of AAPI.  “I am grateful to the several AAPI leaders and the dozens of AAPI Chapters from across the nation for taking on this role of educating to empower, and for participating in and spreading this noble message, and creating awareness on the need for Living Well.”

Historically, AAPI has been observing January 7th, 2021 as the Global Wear Yellow Day for Obesity Awareness & Health, showcasing Yellow for Energy, Motivation, Hope, Optimism, Joy and Happiness. AAPI’s theme and campaign is: AAPI’s Workplace Wellness – BMI Day; focusing on the Seven Pillars of Lifestyle Magic NObesity Revolution – Wear Yellow.  I want to stress today that it is a conscious choice by every one of us to “Be Healthy, Be Happy.” And, the  “Secret to Living Longer is to Eat half, Walk double, Laugh triple and Love without measure.”

Major contributors for the success of AAPI’s obesity awareness campaign over the years include, Dr. Uma Koduri, who had organized the pilot programs for childhood obesity in USA since 2013, childhood obesity in India in 2015 and Veteran obesity in USA in 2017 with the help of Drs. Sanku Rao, Jayesh Shah, Aruna Venkatesh for childhood obesity, Vikas Khurana, Satheesh Kathula for Veteran obesity, and Janaki Srinath, Uma Chitra, Avanti Rao for childhood obesity in India.

Presently, AAPI Obesity Committee’s Chair is Dr. Uma Koduri and co-chairs are Drs. Padmaja Adusumili (Veteran obesity), Pooja Kinkabwala (Childhood obesity) and Uma Jonnalagadda (Adult obesity) with chief advisors Dr. Kishore Bellamkonda and Dr. Lokesh Edara.

“AAPI has embarked on an ambitious plan, launching Global Obesity Awareness Campaign 2021,” said Dr. Uma Koduri, Founder of NObesity Revolution, Chair of National AAPI Obesity Committee, and Founding President of AAPI Tulsa Chapter. According to Dr. Koduri, “AAPI began the *GO YELLOW* campaign on Jan 7th with the mission to educate the public on: *G – Get your BMI* (measure height, weight and calculate your BMI…ask google to calculate for you ���); and, *O*- *Own your Lifestyle.  It’s up to you. No one can do it for you*. Loose weight, exercise, eat healthy – whole food, plant predominant diet. *YELLOW – energy, motivation hope,  optimism, joy and happiness*.”

“I am proud to announce today that we have been successful in successful in making this a global a reality by 12-12-2020 by covering 100 cities in USA, 100 cities in India and 100 countries around the World, including on the 7th continent on Earth, the Antarctica,” Dr. Koduri, who has been in the forefront of the obesity awareness campaign for years now, explained. “What had started off in 2011 at 11-11-11-11-11-11 seconds as AAPI Health Walkathons were held in all 5 Continents – Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America was successfully completed in 2020 by Obesity Walkathons by Dr. Suresh Reddy in the remaining 2 Continents – South America and Antarctica,” Dr. Koduri added.

 

“While following in the footsteps of American Heart Association initiatives, “National Wear Red Day, on the first Friday in February,” which has become an annual campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women, AAPI is leading a campaign to create awareness on Obesity,” said Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman of AAPI BOT.

Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI said, “With obesity proving to be a major epidemic affecting nearly one third of the nation’s population, we have a responsibility to save future generations by decreasing childhood obesity. And therefore, we at AAPI are proud to undertake this national educational tour around the United States, impacting thousands of children and their families.”

According to Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI, “AAPI has it’s chapters in almost every city and town of USA. With this extensive network around the nation, we should be able to spread the message on obesity by following the template plan. We are also exploring the use of social media and phone ‘apps’ as healthy lifestyle tools.”

“As a professional organization that represents the interests of over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, who are practicing Medicine in the United States, one of our primary goals is to educate the public on diseases and their impact on health. The Obesity campaign by AAPI is yet another major role we have been focusing on,” said Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Secretary of AAPI.

Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Treasurer of AAPI, said, “AAPI has taken this initiative as a “main stream” issue in both children and adults, in the US and in India. AAPI has helped organize several childhood obesity and veterans obesity programs across the US. We have the right team to take this project forward. I urge all AAPI members, their families and the members of the larger society to make a commitment today to adapt the motto: Experience the Lifestyle Magic, making this Year 2021 and beyond to be Healthy and Prosperous For You and For Every One Around You.”

“The impact and role of AAPI in influencing policy makers and the public is ever more urgent today. AAPI being the largest ethnic medical organization in USA and the second largest organized medical association after AMA, we have the power and responsibility to influence the state and the public through education for health promotion and disease prevention. Hence AAPI is trying ‘To Educate to Empower’ as ‘An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.’ In this context, AAPI is in the process of getting Wear Yellow for Obesity Awareness Proclamation from the White House so it can be implemented nationwide. So far, we got official proclamations from   Mayors from several States,” he added.

AAPI is a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American Physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs. For more details on AAPI’s Global Obesity Awareness Campaign,   please visit: www.aapiusa.org

12 Indian Institutions Among Top 100 In World

Staff ReporterEducation, Science 0

This year, 12 Indian institutions have made it to the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021. These are IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IISC Bangalore, IIT Guwahati, IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Anna University, University of Delhi, and O P Jindal University.

Among these, IIT Madras has been ranked 30th in the world for Petroleum Engineering, IIT Bombay has been ranked 41st and IIT Kharagpur 44th for Minerals and Mining Engineering, and the University of Delhi has been ranked 50th in the world for Development Studies.

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Thursday said the reforms made by the government in higher education has improved representation of Indian institutions in globally acclaimed rankings.

“Over the last few years, the government’s continuous focus on improvement and reform in Indian higher education has resulted in significant improvement in the representation of Indian institutions in globally acclaimed and reputed rankings like QS,” the Union education minister said at the unveiling of the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2021).

“India’s higher education system plays a vital role in driving the nation’s competitiveness. Today, India is a leading nation with the highest number of higher education institutions across the globe with significant progress in the last few years in terms of enrolment in higher education which now stands at 37.4 million,” Pokhriyal said.

About the government’s efforts towards minimising the gender gap in higher education, he said women constituted 48.6 per cent of the total enrolment. The minister also said that the ‘National Education Policy’ is aimed at transforming Indian higher education into a knowledge superpower in the 21st century.

“NEP has a forward-looking vision for holistic and multidisciplinary education, eliminating the rigid separation of streams. It paves the way for internationalisation of education and encourages top world-ranked universities to open campuses in India,” Pokhriyal said. He also stressed on the active participation of all stakeholders in the implementation of the policy.

The First Gandhi King Legacy Roundtable Summit Launched

Staff ReporterCommunity, Education 0

The First Gandhi King Legacy Roundtable Summit was organized by the U.S. Congressional Multi Advisory Task Force (MEATF) of Congressman Danny K Davis in cooperation with Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS) on Friday February 26 from 12 noon to 4pm.

Vasavi Chakka, Commissioner, Naperville Sister Cities Commission moderating the Summit stated that this Summit is being held to Commemorate the Black History Month and Mahatma Gandhi’s73 Death Anniversary with the theme being, “Challenges of the Behavioral Health Crisis during the COVID pandemic.

Dr. Mrs Santosh Kumar, Founder Executive Director of Metropolitan Asian Family Services welcoming the Roundtable Summit stakeholders said that this is the first time a Gandhi King Roundtable Summit is being held in Illinois State and stressed that the Summit is addressing the important issue of Behavioral Health and how to improve and increase the Behavioral Health Resources in our communities which is the most effective way to continue the legacy of the legends Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, Founder Chairman of Congressman Danny K Davis’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force in his opening remarks credited India’s Consul General at Chicago Amit Kumar for conceiving this historic Summit to honor Gandhi King’s Legacy. Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, a public health expert said that America will face the gravest challenge from the behavioral health crisis in 2030 and hence all concerned citizens, elected officials, behavioral healthcare providers and other stakeholders should form a broad framework to work towards seriously addressing the challenges of behavioral healthcare.

Ambassador Amit Kumar, Consul General of India at Chicago inaugurating the Summit said the greatest testament of the Gandhi King Legacy is the current strong ties between India, the largest democracy and USA, the Oldest democracy, at the highest levels and recalled the role of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership during the COVID pandemic. The supply of Indian made vaccines to several countries recently is yet another glowing example of India’s Prime Minister Modi’s global leadership, he added. CG Kumar thanked the organizers for hosting the Roundtable Summit on the Legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King and to commemorate the Black History Month.

He recalled that their life, message and philosophy continue to inspire us all, that life of Mahatma Gandhi was very closely followed in the US, referred to the historic visit of Dr. King to India in 1959 and efforts to spread the legacy of these two leaders. He referred to the Gandhi-King Scholarly Initiative Act passed by the US Congress in 2020 that was initiated by late Congressman John Lewis, another iconic figure in the civil rights movement. He thanked Representative Danny K Davis, for his strong support to India-US ties, and recalled his initiative to establish the Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force a decade ago to empower different ethnic communities in his district. He also acknowledged the exemplary contribution of the Indian American community in helping local communities in several ways during the Covid-19 period.”

  1. S. Congressman Danny K. Davis’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force saluted India’s Consul General Amit Kumar for his vision in conceiving this Gandhi King Legacy Summit as a tribute to two great legends. The month of February is officially observed as BLACK HISTORY MONTH throughout United States and Gandhi’s 73rd Death Anniversary (Punyatihi /Shaheed Diwas) was on January 30. U.S. Congressman’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force presented Consul General Amit Kumar with an Official plaque for his initiative in conceiving this historic epoch making event. A brief video of Martin Luther King Jr speaking on Mahatma Gandhi was screened followed by Dr. Sriram Sonty, eminent Ophthalmologist, the Vice President of The Gandhi Memorial, Chicago eloquently describing the GANDH-KING Connection and its relevance to the present day.

Consul General of India Amit Kumar along with Consul General of Japan Kenichi Okada at Chicago jointly presented the Gandhi King Legacy Award of Excellence 2021 to Dr. Steve Munsey, Founder, Family Christian Center, Munster, Indiana for his extraordinary leadership to the underserved communities of Northwest Indiana and the City of Chicago during COVID pandemic from June 2020 to present. Dr. Steve Munsey, Author, Pastor, Creative Director, and Producer giving the Dr. Gandhi King Legacy Oration 2021 extolled all the leaders to emulate the virtues of these two great legends by their actions in their day to day lives and implement life transforming programs with purposeful goals. Dr. Munsey spoke about the need to make Behavioral Health Care affordable and accessible to all especially the vulnerable sections of the community now.

Marvin Lindsey, CEO, Community Behavioral HealthCare Association of Illinois delivered the Key Note Address. U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th-IL) in his remarks said, “I don’t need to tell you that this is Black History Month and this month, we celebrate the legacy of Dr. King And I don’t need to tell you that Dr. King was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi of India. Now today, we are coming together to celebrate this joint legacy , one of nonviolence, one of justice, one of making sure everyone has a seat at the table, and that no one is on the menu . That is what today’s roundtable is all about.

  1. S. Congressman Danny K Davis in his presidential address at the Summit commended India’s Consul General at Chicago Amit Kumar for initiating this Gandhi King Legacy Roundtable Summit which is most apt and very timely for our Communities to heal. “Martin Luther King Jr. was a disciple of Gandhi. A Lot of Gandhi’s teachings was put into practice by Martin Luther king Jr. . So it is important that our elected leaders and Community leaders adapt and enrich the same partnership between African and Indian communities here in Chicago and beyond. I applaud Dr. Vijay Prabhakar, the creative public health expert and founder of my Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force (MEATF ) along with Mrs Santosh Kumar, Executive Director of Metropolitan Asian Family Services of Illinois(MAFS) for recognizing the importance of the Gandhi King relationship and for continuing their legacy in this dynamic environment. We need to strengthen this partnership among our ethnic communities. I am waiting to hear about the outcomes of this Summit and will work towards supporting the Summit’s recommendations.”, added Congressman Danny Davis.

Dr. David Albert, Director, Division of Mental Health, Illinois Department of Human Services gave the Call to Action. Dr. David Albert said that the State Of Illinois runs Seven Psychiatric hospitals and funds 207 Community Mental Health Centers in the State of Illinois. Dr. Albert said that during the COVID pandemic, the need for special attention to the Senior Population and the Youth /Students population is engaging the department.

The Gandhi King Legacy Roundtable Summit 2021 unanimously resolved to establish a Citizens Action Alliance For Behavioral Healthcare (CAABH) to nurture, enrich and empower behavioral healthcare providers while spreading awareness of behavioral healthcare resources in our communities. The Summit further resolved to launch a monthly publication on behavioral healthcare resources that features op-ed column by elected representatives, showcase community behavioral health programs, informative clinical updates and latest community behavioral health resource tools. The Summit called for monthly town hall meets of elected representatives, community leaders, behavioral healthcare providers and concerned citizens for behavioral healthcare as a constructive follow up.

Dr Vijay Prabhakar , Founder Chairman of U.S. Congressman Danny K Davis’s Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force named Ms. Twin Green, CEO of THE LINK & OPTION Center, South Holland, IL as C.A.A. B.H.’s Ambassador for Southland of Illinois at the closing session of the Summit. Dr. Vijay Prabhakar thanked Dr. Terrence Chiramel of American Association of Multi Ethnic Physicians AAMEP-USA, Ms. Alli Dhanaraj of American Multi Ethnic Coalition AMEC, Charlie Dressner , Chief of Business Development, MEDSTAR Laboratory, Hillside, IL, Ms. Neelam Desai, Manager, MAFS Naperville Office, Adam Feldman, Senior VP, Ensoftek Inc, and Anil Kumar of The Global Eye, Digital News Magazine for all their support in organizing this First Gandhi King Roundtable Summit.

Consul General Of Japan in Chicago, Kenichi Okada presented the Congressional MEATF Citations to MAFS Mahatma Gandhi Medal of Excellence 2020 recipients and Dr. Mrs Santosh Kumar, Founder of MAFS honored eight individuals with the MAFS Gandhi Medal of Excellence 2020. The 2020 MAFS Gandhi Medal of Excellence recipients who were honored are Dr. Tariq Butt, President , Chicago Medical Society , Dr David Albert , Director, Division of Mental Health , Illinois Department of Human Services , Donald Dew , President, Habilitative Systems Institute, Chicago , Professor Benneth Lee, Founder National Alliance for the Empowerment of the Formerly Incarcerated, (NAEFI ), Ms. Arloa Sutter, Founder-Executive Director, Breakthrough Ministries, Chicago , Albert Holmes, Founder CEO, Elite House of Sober Living, Chicago Heights, IL, Ms. Vinita Gulabani , President, Indian American Cultural Association, Downers Grove, IL and Luke Tharasri, President, Maximon Behavioral Health , Los Angeles.

Dr. Sreenivas Reddy, Vice Chair, Illinois Physician Disciplinary Board in his Closing remarks envisaged that this Gandhi King Legacy initiative on Behavioral Healthcare should be implemented globally and thanked the organizers Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force of Congressman Davis (MEATF), Metropolitan Asian Family Services (MAFS) and THE GLOBAL EYE, Digital News Magazine for hosting this historic Summit. Dr Reddy further added that the presence of the Visionary Consul General of India Amit Kumar and the energetic Consul General Of Japan Kenichi Okada is the new beginnings for a global collective action on behavioral healthcare.

Naureen Hassan Named 1st VP, COO Of NY Fed

Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, Profile 0

Indian-American Naureen Hassan, a 25-year veteran of the financial services industry, has been named as the First Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Bank said that the appointment effective March 15, was approved by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. “As First Vice President, Hassan will be the New York Fed’s second ranking officer as well as an alternate voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee,” the statement said.

“Naureen’s leadership background, deep commitment to fostering diverse teams, and extensive technology and financial experience will be critical to her role as a bank leader,” John C. Williams, President and CEO of the New York Fed, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“I am confident that Naureen will be an inspiring and innovative leader, and look forward to working with her to move our organisation forward in line with our values,” he added.

Meanwhile, Denise Scott, Executive Vice President of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and chair of the New York Fed’s Board of Directors, said that “Naureen’s leadership experience and operational expertise are fully aligned with what the search committee and I envisioned for this role”.

According to the statement, Hassan has previously served in various capacities in the financial services industry, focusing primarily on digital and business process transformation. For the past four years, she was Chief Digital Officer of wealth management at Morgan Stanley. Hassan’s parents are immigrants from Kerala, India. Her father, Javad K. Hassan was a former senior executive at IBM and former president of Global Inter Connect Systems at AMP Inc (now TE Connectivity).  (IANS)

CDC Says Fully Vaccinated People Can Gather Privately Without Masks

Staff ReporterHealth 0

People who are fully vaccinated against the new coronavirus can gather privately in small groups without masks or physical distancing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, relaxing safety guidelines for inoculated individuals under some circumstances.

The CDC said Monday that fully vaccinated people should continue to take precautions in most circumstances to prevent the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19. People who are fully immunized should continue to wear masks and keep their distance from others in public or while visiting unvaccinated people at higher risk for severe cases of Covid-19, the CDC said. The agency said vaccinated people should continue to hold off on long trips by plane or train.

“Our guidance must balance the risk to people who have been fully vaccinated, the risks to those who have not yet received the vaccine, and the impact on the larger community transmission of Covid-19,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a media briefing.

The updated guidance comes as government officials, businesses and individuals try to map a path back toward normalcy, one year after the pandemic first shut down much public life and business as usual across the country. New cases, hospitalizations and deaths related to Covid-19 have fallen in recent weeks following a winter surge, and the effort to inoculate Americans against the virus is ramping up.

Here is the statement issued by CDC on March 8th:

This is the first set of public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people. This guidance will be updated and expanded based on the level of community spread of SARS-CoV-2, the proportion of the population that is fully vaccinated, and the rapidly evolving science on COVID-19 vaccines.

For the purposes of this guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or ≥2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen ).†

The following recommendations apply to non-healthcare settings.

Fully vaccinated people can:

  • Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
  • Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

  • Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing
  • Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
  • Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households
  • Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings
  • Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
  • Follow guidance issued by individual employers
  • Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

Tri-State FIA Announces Winners Of ‘Dance Pe Chance’

Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture 0

Winners of the popular annual Dance Pe Chance solo dance competition 2021, organized by the Federation of Indian Associations-NYNJCT, were announced on Feb. 23, 2021. This was the 37th edition of Dance Pe Chance. The winners were selected from across four categories of participants—minor, junior, senior and adult, a press release from organizers said.

The event, part of the 72nd Indian Republic Day celebration, was organized over a span of two weekends. The auditions were held on February 13 and 14, and the finals were on February 20 and 21.

Started nearly four decades ago, DPC has had approximately 20,000 participants to date, who have showcased their Bollywood dancing skills.

This time, the event was organized virtually due to the pandemic, but the excitement within the community was intact, according to organizers.

“Thanks to the efforts of the entire team and the enthusiasm of the participants, DPC 2021, also America’s Best Bollywood Dancer, became the biggest online reality show in America in Covid times,” the press release said.

The contest started out with 200 participants in the auditions. Twenty six performers were selected out of that for the finale.

Celebrity judges for the final round were well-known Indian actress and dancer Sudha Chandran, South Indian actress and Kuchipudi dancer Laya Gorty and Bollywood choreographer Feroz Khan.

Judges included choreographers and dancers Swati Vaishnav, Prashasti Majmundar and Anil Diwakar.

The Winners

Rayan Siddamsettiwar was adjudged the best in the minor category, followed by Nayan Nampally and Dhilan Shetty at the second and third positions

In the junior category, Ria Jain bagged the first prize, while Arya Prasad and Simone Shah took home the second and third prizes respectively. Ria was also adjudged America’s Best Bollywood Dancer.

Keshav Agiwal was ranked first in the senior category. Diya Bhatt was at the second and Riya Chaturvedi at the third place in the same category.

Among the adult participants, Shreya Baral got the first prize, with Kiran Kumar Jandhyala at the second and Carol Chettiar at the third place.

Next Edition

Applications for the next edition of DPC will open on October 1 this year, FIA NY NJ CT president Anil Bansal announced.

“We are proud of our team for putting together such a wonderful program and of all the children and their parents who have worked hard on their performances. FIA is committed to promoting and encouraging our next-generation children, artists and performers, while promoting our culture and to reinforce our commitment, we are increasing the first prize from $2,000 to 5,000 for next year,” Bansal is quoted saying in the press release.

Ankur Vaidya, Chairman of FIA NY NJ CT, noted how the event was forced to become virtual due to the pandemic. “The contest was held in strict compliance with CDC guidelines and Covid-related mandates. It is indeed a privilege to see a sincerely dedicated and 100% voluntary effort placed to showcase our community’s talent,” Vaidya said.

Saurin Parikh, DPC chair 2021 and vice-president of FIA NY NJ CT, said the response was overwhelming and performances above par. “I would like to congratulate all the participants, who are all winners for coming out of their comfort zone and performing so well despite the limitations caused by the pandemic,” Parikh said.

Parveen Bansal, secretary of the federation, said, “We are happy that despite the current pandemic situation and limitations, we continued our 37 years old tradition of celebrating India’s Republic Day with a dance competition in the USA. In these challenging times, we needed to be innovative and improve our plans almost every day.”

Vanita Gupta’s Nomination As US Associate Attorney-General Meets With Mixed Response From Conservatives

Staff ReporterNation USA, Profile, Women 0

After the Indian-American cabinet nominee, Neera Tandon withdrew her nomination last week, , the focus is now on Vanita Gupta, who is soon to face the Senate for confirmation as the third highest-ranking official in the Justice Department. Conservatives are split on Gupta, a civil rights lawyer, with two groups fighting it out with TV ads — one rallying against attacks on her by another.

President Joe Biden has nominated Gupta to be the associate attorney-general and the Senate is take up her confirmation – a requirement for senior administration positions – on March 9.

The first salvo came from the Judicial Crisis Network with an ad campaign accusing her of being soft on crime. In a reference to the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality that sometimes turned violent last year, the group’s ad said, “When our cities burned Gupta could’ve stood for law and order, for victims. Instead, she advocated to let convicts out of jail.”

However, it also coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic and her suggestion to release some of the low-level criminals only echoed that of former President Donald Trump’s Attorney General William Barr, who wanted to ease crowding inn jails to ease overcrowding that could spread the disease. According to media reports, the Network spent $800,000 on the campaign.

Now, the Defending Democracy Together (DDT) organization is countering it with a campaign ad of its own that is on YouTube and is set to air on TV. Urging her nomination, the ad said, “Don’t let Washington play politics with the nomination of Vanita Gupta.”

It said that she “has been building bridges across partisan divides, she has the broad backing of law enforcement” and has the support of leading conservatives.

DDT is a group of Republican conservatives who have opposed Trump. Its directors include former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman and Linda Chavez, the highest-ranking woman among former President Ronald Reagan’s White House staff.

Gupta will need the support of all the 50 Democrats in the evenly-divided Senate to get her nomination approved – or will have to get Republican support if anyone from her party defects.

Tanden’s nomination to be the director of the Office of Management and Budget is stalled because one Democrat, Joseph Manchin, announced that he will not vote for her citing her intemperate statements and tweets attacking both Republicans and Democrats.

While a leftist group, Roots Action, has campaigned against Tanden, who had attacked the leftist Senator Bernie Sanders among others, the Democrats and other liberals are solidly behind Gupta.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a petition against Gupta was being circulated by some Republican state attorneys-general.

Countering that campaign and the one by the Network campaign labelling Gupta soft on crime, three groups of law enforcement officials – Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America and Federal Law Enforcement Officials Association have come out to support her.

During his Senate hearings Merrick Garland, who was confirmed as the attorney-general, faced hostile questions about Gupta from Republican Senator Mike Lee.

Garland vouched for her saying, “I regard her as a person of great integrity and a person dedicated to the mission of the department, particularly equal justice under the law.”

Gupta was the principal deputy assistant attorney-general and head of the Civil Rights Division in former President Barack Obama’s administration.

She made her mark as a newly-minted lawyer by winning the release of 38 people, most of them African-Americans, who had been wrongly convicted by all-White juries on drug charges in a Texas town and also got them $6 million on compensation. (IANS)

India’s Top Court Favors Indian Nuns’ Struggle For Tax Exemption

Staff ReporterCommunity, Religion 0

India’s Supreme Court has ended the long-running litigation of a congregation of nuns against the Kerala government by ruling that Catholic nuns should not pay tax for their residential buildings.

The March 1 ruling that favored the Sisters of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (SABS) applies to the convent buildings of more than 35,000 nuns living in Kerala, officials said. “The order benefits not only us but also other religious congregations in the state,” said Sister Grace Kochupaliyathil, the congregation’s Kothamangalam provincial superior.

The dispute began after a revenue officer refused to grant tax exemption to a newly built convent in Thodupuzha town in Idduki district. The officer refused to accept the nuns’ argument that they are exempted from paying building tax as the Kerala Building Tax Act of 1975 says those not involved in any profiteering business are exempted from paying tax.

The higher officials of the state revenue department also refused to agree to tax exemption, forcing the nuns to move Kerala High Court in 2004. The state High Court asked the government to reconsider its decision, but the government refused. The nuns then moved Supreme Court in 2012, resulting in the present verdict. “It was a very long legal battle and finally God blessed us and we won the case,” Sister Kochupaliyathil told UCA News on March 3.

Some 35,000 of India’s more than 104,500 nuns live and work in the southern state of Kerala. The SABS congregation began litigation after several other convents faced the same situation.

A section of the law says buildings that are used for religious, charitable or educational purposes are exempted from building tax.  “So clearly, convents very well come within the definition of the law and are liable to get its benefit because we are involved only in education and no profiteering business,” Sister Kochupaliyathil said.

The state government contended that no exemption was possible as residential accommodation for nuns and hostels for students are used for residential purposes, not for educational and charitable purposes. The Supreme Court verdict asked the state to follow the spirit of the law.

“If nuns are living in a neighboring building to a convent so that they may receive religious instruction there, or if students are living in a hostel close to the school or college in which they are imparted instruction, it is obvious that the purpose of such residence is not to earn profit but residence that is integrally connected with the religious or educational activity,” the court noted.

If the activities in the convent are predominantly religious, then buildings of the convent used for that purpose also should qualify for an exemption, the court said.

The Catholic Church in India runs some 55,000 educational institutions, including at least one-third of them in Kerala, mostly managed by women religious.

Hundreds of convents and hostels are built attached to these institutions for the education of children. “The top court order will immensely benefit all those nuns,” said Sister Kochupaliyathil.

17% Of Food Production Wasted, UN Report Estimates

Staff ReporterEnvironment, Finance/Economy 0

A new report from the United Nations estimates that 17% of food produced globally is wasted each year. Instead of finishing your leftovers, you let them go bad and buy takeout.

It’s a familiar routine for many — and indicative of habits that contribute to a global food waste problem that a new United Nations report says needs to be better measured so that it can be effectively addressed.

The U.N. report estimates 17% of the food produced globally each year is wasted. That amounts to 931 million metric tons (1.03 billion tons) of food.

The waste is far more than previous reports had indicated, though direct comparisons are difficult because of differing methodologies and the lack of strong data from many countries.

“Improved measurement can lead to improved management,” said Brian Roe, a food waste researcher at Ohio State University who was not involved in the report.

Most of the waste — or 61% — happens in households, while food service accounts for 26% and retailers account for 13%, the U.N. found. The U.N. is pushing to reduce food waste globally, and researchers are also working on an assessment of waste that includes the food lost before reaching consumers.

The authors note the report seeks to offer a clearer snapshot of the scale of a problem that has been difficult to assess, in hopes of spurring governments to invest in better tracking.

“Many countries haven’t yet quantified their food waste, so they don’t understand the scale of the problem,” said Clementine O’Connor, of the U.N. Environment Program and co-author of the report.

Food waste has become a growing concern because of the environmental toll of production, including the land required to raise crops and animals and the greenhouse gas emissions produced along the way. Experts say improved waste tracking is key to finding ways to ease the problem, such as programs to divert inedible scraps to use as animal feed or fertilizer.

The report found food waste in homes isn’t limited to higher income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Roe of Ohio State noted that food sometimes is wasted in poor countries without reliable home refrigeration. In richer countries, people might eat out more, meaning food waste is simply shifted from the home to restaurants.

Roe said cultural norms and policies also could contribute to waste at home — such as massive packaging, “buy one, get one free” deals, or lack of composting programs.

That’s why broader system changes are key to helping reduce waste in households, said Chris Barrett, an agricultural economist at Cornell University.

For example, Barrett said, people might throw away food because of a date on the product — even though such dates don’t always say when a food is unsafe to eat. “Food waste is a consequence of sensible decisions by people acting on the best information available,” he said.

To clarify the meaning of labeling dates, U.S. regulators have urged food makers to be more consistent in using them. They note that labels like “Sell By”, “Best By” and “”Enjoy By” could cause people to throw out food prematurely, even though some labels are intended only to indicate when quality might decline.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that a family of four wastes about $1,500 in food each year. But accurately measuring food waste is difficult for a variety of reasons including data availability, said USDA food researcher Jean Buzby, adding that improved measurements are part of a government plan to reduce waste.

Richard Swannell, a co-author of the U.N. report, said food was generally more valued even in richer countries just a few generations ago, since people often couldn’t afford to waste it. Now, he said, awareness about the scale of food waste globally could help shift attitudes back to that era. “Food is too important to waste,” he said.

Rajagopalan Vasudevan’s Invention Of “PlasticRoad” Makes Rides Smoother

Staff ReporterBusiness, Community, Environment 0

On a road into New Delhi, countless cars a day speed over tones of plastic bags, bottle tops and discarded polystyrene cups. In a single kilometer, a driver covers one ton of plastic waste. But far from being an unpleasant journey through a sea of litter, this road is smooth and well-maintained – in fact the plastic that each driver passes over isn’t visible to the naked eye. It is simply a part of the road.

This road, stretching from New Delhi to nearby Meerut, was laid using a system developed by Rajagopalan Vasudevan, a professor of chemistry at the Thiagarajar College of Engineering in India, which replaces 10% of a road’s bitumen with repurposed plastic waste.

India has been leading the world in experimenting with plastic-tar roads since the early 2000s. But a growing number of countries are beginning to follow suit. From Ghana to the Netherlands, building plastic into roads and pathways is helping to save carbon emissions, keep plastic from the oceans and landfill, and improve the life-expectancy of the average road.

By 2040, there is set to be 1.3 billion tonnes of plastic in the environment globally. India alone already generates more than 3.3 million tonnes of plastic a year – which was one of the motivators behind Vasudevan’s system for incorporating waste into roads.

It has the benefit of being a very simple process, requiring little high-tech machinery. First, the shredded plastic waste is scattered onto an aggregate of crushed stones and sand before being heated to about 170C – hot enough to melt the waste. The melted plastics then coat the aggregate in a thin layer. Then heated bitumen is added on top, which helps to solidify the aggregate, and the mixture is complete.

Many different types of plastics can be added to the mix: carrier bags, disposable cups, hard-to-recycle multi-layer films and polyethylene and polypropylene foams have all found their way into India’s roads, and they don’t have to be sorted or cleaned before shredding.

As well as ensuring these plastics don’t go to landfill, incinerator or the ocean, there is some evidence that the plastic also helps the road function better. Adding plastic to roads appears to slow their deterioration and minimise potholes. The plastic content improves the surface’s flexibility, and after 10 years Vasudevan’s earliest plastic roads showed no signs of potholes. Though as many of these roads are still relatively young, their long-term durability remains to be tested.

By Vasudevan’s calculations, incorporating the waste plastic instead of incinerating it also saves three tonnes of carbon dioxide for every kilometre of road. And there are economic benefits too, with the incorporation of plastic resulting in savings of roughly $670 (£480) per kilometre of road.

In 2015, the Indian government made it mandatory for plastic waste to be used in constructing roads near large cities of more than 500,000 people, after Vasudevan gave his patent for the system to the government for free. A single lane of ordinary road requires 10 tonnes of bitumen per kilometre, and with India laying thousands of kilometres of roads a year, the potential to put plastic waste to use quickly adds up. So far, 2,500km (1,560 miles) of these plastic-tar roads have been laid in the country.

“Plastic-tar road can withstand both heavy load and heavy traffic,” says Vasudevan. “[It is] not affected by rain or stagnated water.”

Similar projects have emerged around the world. The chemicals firm Dow has been implementing projects using polyethylene-rich recycled plastics in the US and Asia Pacific. The first in the UK was built in Scotland in 2019 by the plastic road builder MacRebur, which has laid plastic roads from Slovakia to South Africa.

MacRebur has also found that incorporating plastic improves roads’ flexibility, helping them cope better with expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, leading to fewer potholes – and where potholes do happen, filling them in with waste plastic otherwise destined for landfill is a quick fix. The UK government recently announced £1.6m for research on plastic roads to help fix and prevent potholes.

In the Netherlands, PlasticRoad built the world’s first recycled-plastic cycle path in 2018, and recorded its millionth crossing in late May 2020. The company shredded, sorted and cleaned plastic waste collected locally, before extracting polypropylene from the mix – the kind of plastic typically found in festival mugs, cosmetics packaging, bottle caps and plastic straws.

Unlike the plastic-tar roads laid in India, the UK and elsewhere, PlasticRoad doesn’t use any bitumen at all. “[PlasticRoad] consists almost entirely of recycled plastic, with only a very thin layer of mineral aggregate on the top deck,” says Anna Koudstaal, the company’s co-founder.

Each square metre of the plastic cycle path incorporates more than 25kg of recycled plastic waste, which cuts carbon emission by up to 52% compared to manufacturing a conventional tile-paved bike path, Koudstaal says.

But once the plastic is inside a path or road – how do you make sure it stays there? Might the plastic content be worn down into microplastics that pollute soil, water and air?

Ordinary roads, tyres and car brakes are already known to be a major source of microplastic pollution. Koudstaal says that plastic-containing paths do not produce more microplastics than a traditional road, as users don’t come into direct contact with the plastic.

The other potential point where microplastics could be released from the paths is from below: the paths are designed to allow rainwater to filter through them, trickling down through a drainage system beneath the path’s surface. But Koudstaal says microplastics are unlikely to leave this way either: “The bike paths include a filter that cleans out microplastics, and ensure rainwater infiltrates into the ground cleanly.”

Gurmel Ghataora, senior lecturer at the department of civil engineering at the University of Birmingham, agrees that using plastics in the lower surfaces of the road minimises the risk of generating additional microplastics. “It is inevitable that such particles may be generated [at surface level] due to traffic wear,” he says.

With India home to one of the world’s largest road networks, growing at a rate of nearly 10,000km of roads a year, the potential to put plastic waste to use is considerable. Though this technology is relatively new for India, and indeed the rest of the world, Vasudevan is confident that plastic roads will continue to gain popularity, not only for environmental reasons, but for their potential to make longer-lasting, more resilient roads.

100 Days of Rage and Resistance! 248 Lives Lost!

Staff ReporterMedia, Nation India 0

The historic and globally recognized farmers’ movement, which entered into an electrifying phase with the ‘Delhi Chalo’ Call on 26th Nov, completes 100 days today. The movement continues to challenge the notorious ‘Three Farm Acts’ that would herald unprecedented levels of corporate control over agriculture, nullifying the mandi system, diminishing the significance of the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and opening up the possibility of alienation of farmlands to big corporations. Landowning farmers, marginal farmers and agricultural workers, in particular women across all categories, stand to lose by these laws. In addition, this will lead to a general increase of dominance of big corporates such as the Adanis and Ambanis over rural governance and agriculture, enhancing the already existing “Company Raj”.

For more than 7 months, the entire nation witnessed farmers across the country on the streets, raising their voice against these laws that would permanently jeopardize their already precarious situation and also eventually disband the public distribution system (PDS). Diverse sections of civil society and concerned citizens extended support at many places. The farmers and farm workers of Punjab, a state which not only thrives on agriculture but also one that has a long history of farmer unionism have been leading since Day 1.

Under the leadership of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, consisting of over five hundred farmers’ organizations across the country, along with the All India Kisan Sangharsh Co-ordination Committee (AIKSCC), the farmers arrived at the borders of Delhi in late November, with thousands of tractors from Punjab. They staged historic sit-ins at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur throughout the cold winter months. The farmers have also staged roadblocks and rail blockades, peacefully and democratically to communicate their points to the largely unresponsive government and the middle-class power holders in India’s cities.

However, the Govt., continuing its anti-people and authoritarian approach, refused to listen to the farmers who complained that they were never consulted in the process of enactment of these laws, despite being the primary stakeholders. The Govt, its right-wing affiliates and lapdog media houses made multiple attempts to vilify the farmers’ movement, spread fake narratives, clamp down on the protest, inflict injury, undertake arrests etc. The Centre even imposed a de facto economic and transportation blockage of Punjab. However, none of these modes of repression worked in the face of the tremendous resistance of the farming-toiling class.

With their increased participation and leadership, the women farmers and elderly farmers also gave a befitting reply to the disparaging and misogynist comments by that CJI, asking why they were ‘kept’ in the protest. The central role played by women farmers in keeping the movement alive at the borders of Delhi, in the villages of Punjab and elsewhere is awe-inspiring.

Over the months, the movement snowballed across the length and breadth of the country, intensifying the demand for a complete repeal of the three Farm Acts and the Electricity Bill, calling for a legally guaranteed MSP for all crops, for slashing of diesel prices and the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee Report (in particular C2+50). The government’s refusal to accept the farmers’ demands, despite repeated meetings, eventually strengthened the struggle and over the last two months, the movement took wings throughout Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Rajasthan. Multiple maha-panchayats and rallies have been convened, in which lakhs of people participated, with the inspiring presence of women in some of them. Today, the protestors have blocked major roads leading to Delhi and resolved to continue their struggle till the demands are met.

As we extend our solidarity, we deeply appreciate the historic achievements of the movement so far. Within Punjab, it has been able to galvanize the non-farming sections and create a region-wide political churning against centralized pro-corporate Hindutva rule. The movement has brought back the “farmer” at the heart of the political discourse, as a category of people pitted against corporate rule. This is an important achievement in times when we stand in real danger of Hindutva-corporate rule being normalized.

Unsurprisingly, and significantly, such a political process has promised to heal the religious polarization in Western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had engineered through communal riots in 2013, from which it had reaped massive electoral benefits. The Govt was also forced to enter into multiple rounds of consultations with the farm unions, although it was never sincere in its commitment to understand and address the core issues. The pressure from the movement made the Govt announce shelving of the Electricity Amendment Bill and the Ordinance to ‘Check Air Quality Deterioration in NCR’, which sought to impose heavy fines on the farmers. Even the Supreme Court had to take cognizance of the protests and stayed away from interfering with the farmers’ right to agitate peacefully.

Recently, the movement has been able to enlist the support of several non-BJP political parties and the central trade unions – by extending solidarity to the latter’s stance against the Labour Codes – and joined the No Vote to BJP Campaign that has been going on in election-bound Bengal. In other words, the farmers’ movement has moved towards building a cross section social movement and weaved alliances with social movements, trade unions and political parties, in order to throw up a potent political opposition to the BJP’s anti-federal, Hindutva/corporate rule.

NAPM salutes all the farmers of the country and in particular those camping at Delhi for 100 days, braving the biting cold and the cold-hearted government.  We respectfully remember each of the 248 farmers whose lives were lost in the past few months, only because of this callous regime. We firmly believe that it is high time the entire nation stood resolutely by the farmers who are fighting a crucial battle for the present and the future generations.

(The above statement was issued by National Alliance of People’s Movements)

Massachusetts and Connecticut Hold 8 Out of the Top 10 Best Places to Live

Staff ReporterCommunity, Economy, Lifestyle 0

Expertise.com, a resource that evaluates and publishes the best local experts, has published a comprehensive report on the safest cities and towns in the U.S. The study ranks the safest to most dangerous cities and towns with a population of 10,000 or more. Research experts collected data from the FBI Crime Database and used a detailed methodology to assess each municipality.

The top five safest cities are Wayland, Massachusetts, Frederick, Colorado, Weston, Connecticut, Clinton, Massachusetts, and Sagamore Hills, Ohio. Massachusetts and Connecticut held 8 out of the top 10 best places to live, three cities from Connecticut and five from Massachusetts.

In contrast, the five most dangerous cities and towns are spread across various states. The lowest ranking areas on the list are Muskegon Heights, Michigan, Tukwila, Washington, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock, Arkansas.

“The pandemic has created more opportunities to work remotely, and people now have the flexibility to explore other cities,” says David Franklin, General Manager of Expertise.com. “This study was conducted to help Americans assess different relocation options and address public safety concerns.”

Researchers at Expertise.com accessed crucial data from the FBI’s 2019 National Incident-Based Reporting System. Each city was evaluated based on the number of violent crimes, other crimes to persons, and other crimes to property per 1,000 residents. The report highlights 1,434 cities and towns and the final scores were generated using a percentile rank formula.

Top 10 Safest Cities and Towns in America

  1. Wayland, MA
  2. Frederick, CO
  3. Weston, CT
  4. Clinton, MA
  5. Sagamore Hills, OH
  6. Newtown, CT
  7. Madison, CT
  8. Franklin, MA
  9. Medway, MA
  10. Hopkinton, MA.

Ankh Jad Di – A Sensational Music Video Released By Pratibha Jairath’s  For Memories Of Young Love

Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Chicago IL: Can you take a sweet Punjabi song and amp it up to be a pulsating club number? Apparently, you can and the proof is in the fabulous latest Punjabi song Ankh Jad Di music video produced by Pratibha Jairath. The song premiered on YouTube on February 22 and has been viewed already over 1500 times within 4 days of its release. So, what is the secret to its success? Foot tapping music, melodious singing, heart-catching lyrics, sweet backstory or the sensational choreography. It appears that this video is much more than the sum of its parts.

The lyrics of the song are written by the multi-talented Madhu Uppal, who penned the song and composed the music for the CD Rang Punjabi. Pratibha Jairath, the very well-known singer and entertainer, sang the song for the original album. During Covid lockdown, Pratibha started thinking about adding some musical twist to the original song.  Through her musical contacts, Pratibha got connected to two talented musicians, Shahzad Markas and Kafi Khan, who recognized the potential of the song and jumped at the chance to create some additional musical tracks for the song. Using guitar and drums, they did the remixing and the result was something that immediately seemed ready for a new audience. The next step was to plan a music video that would capture the beauty of the lyrics.

That is where Pratibha’s natural talent for drama burst out. Enlisting the budding performers Ashley Singh and Adi Kukreja, Pratibha has created the vision of young love that blossoms from a chance encounter. Time passes and the two lovers find that they can get through misunderstandings and other hurdles of life as long as they remember their sweet courtship and what made them fall in love with each other. Suneel Mundle, a very busy equity actor, jumped at the chance to be in the video and his charm shines throughout the video.

The very talented dancers of SR Dance Academy were enamored with the music and have presented beautiful dancing under the superb choreography of Elizar Rodriques. The video was directed by Fahad Zuberi and the cinematography is by Taha Rizvi. Here is the link for the beautiful video   https://youtu.be/p1m49Ji18lM

India Beat England, Book Spot In WTC Final

Staff ReporterSports 0

India booked their berth in the World Test Championship final by beating England by an innings and 25 runs on the third day of the fourth and final Test at Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday last week. After resuming the third day on 294/7, India were guided to a total of 365 by the eighth-wicket partnership between Washington Sundar (96*) and Axar Patel. Trailing by 160 runs, England sent out their openers just before the lunch break. But spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (5/47) and Axar Patel (5/48) dominated the rest of the two sessions. The visitors were bowled out for 135 with Daniel Lawrence top-scoring with a fifty.

The pitch on this occasion was blameless. A beleaguered England were pummeled in the series finale fourth Test on Saturday by home strong India in just three days.

India’s 3-1 series victory seals their berth in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final, where they will meet New Zealand in June at Lord’s. After a surprising first Test defeat against a confident England fresh off a romp in Sri Lanka, India turned it around with comprehensive victories in the next two Tests albeit controversially due to rank turning pitches that heavily favored them.

Perhaps a battered England’s confidence was already shot, but India proved they were a class above at home with an innings and 25 runs thrashing in Ahmedabad to win their 13th straight home series stretching eight years.

It’s hard to see anyone beating them at home. Much like four years ago against Australia, India were stunned in the series opener before wearing down their opponents in unforgiving conditions for tourists.

Playing India on their terrain has become simply the toughest challenge in Test cricket. Once travelling to the Caribbean was an impossible task with the West Indies undefeated for 22 years then Down Under became a graveyard site for tourists with Australia unblemished from 1993-2008.

Those two teams are clearly the measuring stick for Test greatness over the last 50 years. Can India join them? The signs are looking rather ominous for the rest of the cricket world. India’s momentous series victory in Australia in January will perhaps be remembered as their harbinger moment.

India’s dominance of world cricket has felt inevitable given their sheer population, fanaticism to the sport and its governing body’s deep pockets and undeniable influence. Even though they have won ODI and T20 World Cups, India has never dominated Test cricket because they’ve struggled abroad, particularly in Australia and England.

This current India team, however, is building something formidable. The batting has become less reliant on talisman Virat Kohli – who didn’t even play the bulk of the Australia series – and developed a strong backbone down the order to frustrate opponents reminiscent of those mighty Australia teams.

Rishabh Pant, man-of-the match in the fourth Test for another audacious, game-changing century, is simply Adam Gilchrist 2.0. He’s changed the course of matches multiple times in just the past couple of months, but he has the extra safety valve knowing there is assistance beneath him. No longer do India fall away with the tail with Ravichandran Ashwin and breakout stars Washington Sundar and Axar Patel extremely capable at the crease.

India actually looked in trouble in the fourth Test with their wobbly top order struggling before the now familiar rescue act from Pant et al. Sundar agonizingly missed out on a maiden ton finishing 96 not out after sharing in a century stand with Patel.

There is scary depth now in India’s batting, which allowed them to paper over the sub-par performances batting stars of Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahanae.

Left-armer Patel was mesmerizing with the ball as he and Ashwin snared all of England’s second innings wickets through masterful spin bowling, which deceived the ashen-faced batters through canniness and supreme skill rather than overt assistance from the pitch.

They were barely needed in these conditions, but India has a battery of high-quality quicks to ensure they should be extremely competitive overseas – as they showed in Australia.

It’s a pivotal year for India’s bid for Test supremacy. Things have started extremely promising for Kohli’s men – and make no doubt India’s captain is revving his charges knowing he has the chance to aRe-dedication Celebration of Ghosh-Dastidar Family-Established 15th Cent Sri Bishnu Temple in Barisal District, Bangladesh Axar Patel has started his Test career in incredible fashion.

India faces New Zealand for the fight of the first ever WTC crown. This convoluted championship – designed to rejuvenate the slumping Test format –  is hardly an egalitarian system. For example, bitter rivals India and Pakistan can never play each other – except in a final – due to political squabbles. And the Covid-19 pandemic meant a truncated WTC, yet the two best teams are probably there and deserve their place.

India will be challenged in seaming conditions and were famously bundled out of the 2019 World Cup semi-finals by the plucky Kiwis. New Zealand also easily beat India at home 12 months ago, so the WTC final is probably an even money bet.

India will then play five Tests against England in the U.K. – a site of humiliation for them having lost seven of 10 tests in 2014 and 2018. If India really want to be an all-time great team, they need to end their U.K. hex and beat this flawed England team.

England’s bid for a truly memorable Test upset fell apart after such a bright start but to even win one match in India is probably a decent result for them. Their much-critiqued rotation policy will be further under the microscope and they seemingly erred at the selection table. But like all challenges since Andrew Strauss’ famed team in 2012-13 – a series triumph that continues to grow in mystique – India simply had all the answers at home.

It’s easy to cast ahead and envision India dominating the decade much like West Indies in the ‘80s and 2000s Australia.  But before we start getting into big picture narratives, India will have to twice take care of business in the U.K.

Will COVID-19 Vaccine Passports Be The Next Must For All Travelers?

Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

In a move welcomed by many of Europe’s traumatized travel destinations, the European Union’s leadership is considering a digital health pass that would allow E.U. citizens who have received a COVID-19 vaccine to travel for work or tourism.

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, tweeted that the goal of such a “Digital Green Pass” is to provide “proof that a person has been vaccinated; results of tests for those who couldn’t get a vaccine yet; [and] info on COVID-19 recovery” enabling residents to move safely within the E.U. and abroad.

Israel, which has successfully vaccinated 39% of its population, has already implemented a similar program, called a “green pass” that allows the vaccinated access to gyms, concerts and restaurants, while Denmark has already announced its own plans to introduce a digital health passport.

There are also several private-sector and non-government digital health passports already being rolled out, including the IATA Travel Pass, which was developed by the International Air Transport Association for travellers. Another getting significant traction is CommonPass, developed by The Commons Project Foundation, a non-profit that builds digital data platforms for public good, which will be used by Jet Blue, Lufthansa and United in coming weeks. The organization is also in talks with hotels, concert venues and sports leagues in the United States.

The idea is not without controversy, particularly among human rights activists, data protection advocates and countries with limited access to vaccines. Nonetheless, vaccine passports, if implemented well, offer one of the fastest routes to controlling the coronavirus while shoring up economies devasted by COVID-induced restrictions. Should the rest of the world catch up?

Where would vaccine passports be used?

The tourism industry is the most eager to put them into practice. Airlines such as Qantas are already demanding proof of vaccination or recovery for international flights; so too are certain cruise lines. Spain and Greece, whose tourism-dependent economies desperately need a robust summer travel season, are considering opening up travel corridors with the U.K. and Israel, respectively, to citizens who can prove their vaccination status.

There are applications beyond travel as well: Universities could open up with confidence knowing that their students are vaccinated, employers could start hiring again, movie theaters and concert venues could once again open their doors.

How would vaccine passports work?

Typically, they will entail an app that users can show officials to prove their status. The CommonPass app notifies users of entry rules, such as a vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test, then helps verify that they have met the requirements, either by connecting with the relevant clinic, health authority or pharmacy that provided the service, or by having the consumer download test results or vaccination information to their phone. The data itself is not stored on the user’s phone; instead the app generates a QR code that can be scanned just like a digital boarding pass, confirming that the customer has met the requirements. Customers without smart phones can print out the confirmation codes instead.

Unlike country- or industry-specific digital health apps, CommonPass does not set the rules. It allows gatekeepers to set their own parameters, whether they are specific test providers, authorized vaccination clinics or recovery criteria, and provides the platform to ensure they are met. “Ultimately, what we’re really building is a common trust network,” says CEO Paul Meyer — an internationally recognized registry of verified health organizations, so that a country or venue can be confident that their specific needs are met.

I have a paper that says I am vaccinated. Shouldn’t that be enough proof?

It’s true that countries in Africa and Asia have long demanded proof of vaccination against yellow fever and other diseases from visitors. But the “yellow card’ used for verification is easy to forge and hard to replace (getting an additional vaccine is often easier than getting a new card, even if it’s not medically advised).

Having these kinds of vaccine “cards” for COVID-19 would be even more complicated. With great demand and limited supplies of vaccines, the potential for fraud is high. So too is the possibility of confusion: there are multiple vaccines currently in use globally, with more in the pipeline. And people who have already had the virus may, in the future, need different vaccine requirements.

Juggling those multiple criteria would present a major challenge for immigration officials, airline check-in counters and other doorkeepers. Governments may want travel and commerce to resume as quickly as possible, says Meyer. But their first obligation is to the health and safety of their populations. “If everyone’s wandering around with pieces of paper in random languages about some test they allegedly got on the other side of the planet, it’s hard to make the decision to open up,” he says. “What a universally recognized health pass achieves is confidence that the person who wants to come into my country is the same person who actually got that vaccine. I know what kind of vaccine it was, and how long ago. I know what kind of test was given, and that was it from a reputable lab instead of some fly by night clinic that happened to have a printer.”

How long will it take before vaccine passports are widespread?

A couple of months at least. European nations like Spain and Greece are hoping to have systems set up in time for the summer travel season, but it will take time to get all the regulations in place.

The bigger problem in the E.U. is access to vaccines. The United States says it will have enough vaccines for its entire population by end of May, and the United Kingdom anticipates that all over-50s will be vaccinated by that time. But, due to the slow rollout of vaccines on the continent, it won’t be until September that E.U. citizens will be in a similar position, long after the peak holiday season. This summer could resemble something out of an E. M. Forster novel, with vaccine-rich Americans and Brits taking over southern Europe’s holiday hotspots, while locals are forced to stay at home.

That disparity could actually lead to an increase in cases, says Francisco Femenia-Serra, a tourism specialist at Nebrija University’s Social Sciences School in Madrid. While vaccines stave off severe COVID-19 cases in vaccinated individuals, it is not yet clear if they can prevent transmission. “We will have tourists who are protected by the vaccine, and that is important, but what about local communities? If our tourism and hospitality industry workers are not protected it could be another disaster.”

Isn’t it unfair to require vaccine passports when not everyone can get one, or wants to get one?

That’s the argument of countries like France and Germany, and organizations such as the World Health Organization, who say that health passes tied to vaccinations will increase inequality until everyone has an opportunity to get vaccinated. The U.K’s Equality and Human Rights Commission says vaccine requirements for travel or access to venues could lead to “unlawful discrimination.” Belgium’s acting foreign minister, Sophie Wilmès, tweeted that while the idea of a standardized European vaccine verification system was a good one, there should be “no question of linking vaccination to the freedom of movement around Europe. Respect for the principle of non-discrimination is more fundamental than ever since vaccination is not compulsory and access to the vaccine is not yet generalised.”

The proposed health passes will likely increase inequality, says Anthony Dworkin, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, but they will still be vital for economies reeling from lockdowns and travel restrictions: “Some element of unfairness is the price we will have to pay for a kind of partial reopening.”

Ok, I’m fully vaccinated, I downloaded the app, and I’ve booked my tickets. Can I throw away my mask?

Nope. Even with health passports in hand, social distancing measures will still have to stay in place for a long while yet. Not everyone can or will get the vaccine, and the risk of new variants looms large. Until vaccines are universally available, that means even holiday hotspots will have to ensure that venues are well-ventilated, patrons wear masks, and everyone keeps washing their hands.

“A vaccine passport alone won’t bring us back to normal,” says Femenia-Serra. “It’s just one small step towards healing the economic devastation [in the tourism sector]. A passport or a negative test shouldn’t be an excuse to do whatever I want. Once I get to wherever I am going, I still need to behave in the right way. Because if we don’t, there is another disaster waiting for us after the summer is over.”

Expanding US Supreme Court

Staff ReporterNation USA 0

The Biden administration has created a bipartisan commission to study reforms within the Supreme Court as well as a broader review of the court system and the House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee recently held hearings on the need for more federal judges and other court reforms.

Ryan Vacca, a professor at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law with an expertise in federal judiciary reform, and who recently advised the House in advance of the hearing, is available to discuss the problems plaguing the federal judicial system, how and why previous efforts have failed, arguments for and against court packing, and how the reforms might be structured to avoid past problems.

“For the commission to succeed and actually solve the serious problems plaguing the federal judiciary, the most important thing the commission can do is to understand how and why previous efforts have failed and to devise a plan to overcome those barriers,” said Vacca.

Vacca points out that the federal judiciary serves as a critical part of the foundation of the American republic and reform has never come easily or quickly. As co-author of an article in the California Law Review, Revisiting and Confronting the Federal Judiciary Capacity “Crisis”: Charting a Path for Federal Judiciary Reform, he details the history of reform efforts; analyzes the data on federal court caseloads and performance; explores the political, institutional, and human causes of the logjam; and offers an antidote to overcome these hurdles—a commission that recommends reforms that do not go into effect for a decade, which he refers to as the “2030 Commission.” By delaying implementation of the recommendations, the commission members and other stakeholders, like members of Congress and current judges, are effectively working behind a veil of ignorance that enables them to fairly focus on the best interests of future generations of citizens, judges and practitioners while still drawing on their own experiences.

US Suspends Tariffs On Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy 0

The US has agreed to suspend tariffs on UK goods including single malt whiskies that were imposed in retaliation over subsidies to the aircraft maker Airbus.  Tariffs will also be lifted on UK cheese, cashmere and machinery.

The duties will be suspended for four months while the two sides seek a long-term settlement. On 1 January, the UK dropped its own tariffs on some US goods, put in place over a related dispute about US subsidies to Boeing.

It is the latest twist in a decades-old trade row that has seen the EU and the US target billions of dollars worth of each other’s exports with taxes.

The UK is part of the dispute as a former EU member. Airbus makes wings and other parts in the UK, but assembles its commercial aircraft in the EU. It has hit Scotch whisky producers particularly hard as the US is a key export market. Distilleries have reported £500m of losses since 2019 due to the tariffs.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the trade truce, due to come into force on Monday, would boost British business. “From Scotch whisky distillers to Stilton-makers, the US decision to suspend tariffs on some UK exports today will benefit businesses right across the UK,” he tweeted.

“Fantastic news as we strengthen the UK-US trading relationship and work to build back better from the pandemic.” Simon Cotton, boss of Speyside-based textiles firm Johnston’s of Elgin, says he’s “absolutely delighted” the tariffs have been suspended.

The company, which employs 850 people, has been taking a “25% hit” on every knitwear product it exports to the US – “a significant cost” at a time when Covid and Brexit also pose challenges.

In Speyside many other businesses have felt the impact of the US tariffs, including whisky distilleries and shortbread makers.

“This has been a particularly difficult tax for the businesses here, so it’s a huge relief for the region,” says Mr Cotton. “We’re hoping this paves the way for a permanent removal of these tariffs.”

Karen Betts, head of the Scotch Whisky Association, called the suspension “fabulous news”. “The tariff on single malt Scotch whisky exports to the US has been doing real damage to Scotch whisky in the 16 months it has been in place, with exports to the US falling by 35%,” she said.

“So today, everyone in our industry – from small companies to large – is breathing a sigh of relief.” For more than a decade, the EU and US accused each other of propping up their home aviation markets with tax breaks, research grants and other aid.

But tensions flared in 2019, when former US president Donald Trump retaliated by putting tariffs on $7.5bn (£5.4bn) of EU goods, including UK products such as whisky.

Since it left the EU, the UK has been lobbying Washington to drop the duties on its goods as it seeks a wide-ranging trade deal with the US. Talks with Washington abruptly broke off in January but resumed after Joe Biden became US president.

Biden’s top trade nominee, Katherine Tai, has said she will make it a priority to resolve the row with the EU and Britain – although for now US tariffs continue to apply to EU goods. In a joint statement on Thursday, the UK and the US said that the suspension would “ease the burden on industry and take a bold, joint step towards resolving the longest-running disputes at the World Trade Organization”.

The two countries added that it would also allow time to focus on negotiating “a balanced settlement to the disputes, and begin seriously addressing the challenges posed by new entrants to the civil aviation market from non-market economies, such as China”.

Airbus welcomed the removal of “lose-lose tariffs” and urged the UK and US governments to reach a long-term settlement.  More than £500m-worth of whisky sales have been lost since October 2019, when the 25% tariff was introduced on single malt Scotch. Smaller distillers were hit hardest.

The US is the biggest single-nation export market by value. President Trump’s US Trade Representative reckoned it was a good source of political leverage in the 17-year trade dispute over aircraft manufacturing.

Scottish cashmere sweaters were also targeted. In the political calculation of trade disputes, the US did not include Irish whiskey or Italian cashmere, giving them the opportunity to exploit the rift and grow market share.

It was not until last autumn that the European Union and the UK won the right, at the World Trade Organisation, to hit back over Boeing subsidies by US governments. That levelled the field on which to negotiate a resolution.

Donald Trump used trade tariffs as a bludgeon intended to protect American jobs, and although Joe Biden is not noted as an enthusiast for globalisation and free trade, this suspension of tariffs signals his administration is in the business of negotiated deals between partners.

It acknowledges the trans-Atlantic partners should perhaps focus more on manufacturing competition from China. But there is work to be done: the EU, UK and US have not only the Boeing/Airbus dispute to resolve, but another one over steel and aluminium, which explains the 25% tariff currently on imported American whiskey.

For Liz Truss and the UK government’s attempts to secure post-Brexit trade deals, this is a significant step forward. It seems the Biden administration is not prioritising the European Union ahead of Britain. However, a UK-US free trade deal is a long way from here.

BRAHMASTRA Releasing Only in Theaters

Staff ReporterCinema, Entertainment 0

Actress Alia Bhatt has shared with her 76 million social media followers the newest exclusive photos from the set of Bollywood’s biggest epic production of 2021 – BRAHMASTRA. Releasing only in cinemas later this year, this motion picture event film also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan and is directed by Ayan Mukerji.

Uday Shankar (Chairman, Star and Disney India) said that Brahmastra is the ‘biggest-ever movie made in this country’. He also dropped a hint about the staggering budget of the film starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Amitabh Bachchan.

Ayan Mukerji’s supernatural drama Brahmastra, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in the lead, has a budget ‘way over’ Rs 300 crore and is the biggest film that has ever been made in India. Uday Shankar (Chairman, Star and Disney India) revealed the details at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2020. The film is expected to release next year.

“It is the biggest-ever movie made in this country,” he told Anuradha Sengupta of CNBC-TV18. When she brought up its rumoured budget of Rs 300 crore, he refused to give away the exact number. However, he said, “Just to tell you, it is way more than that.”

Brahmastra, which has been in production since 2018, marks the first collaboration of real-life couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. The film, the first of a proposed fantasy trilogy, also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna Akkineni and Dimple Kapadia.

Since it went on floors, Brahmastra has seen quite a few delays. In an earlier statement, Ayan had said that the film will offer the audience ‘something that’s really new and amazing and next level’. He explained the delay in release saying that they ‘need more time in order to get the VFX right, to get the sound and music right, to get the film right’.

Brahmastra was scheduled to release in theatres on December 4, 2020. However, it has been further pushed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Work on the film is on in full swing; Ranbir and Alia have been spotted at dubbing studios throughout this month. According to reports, the makers will zero in on a release date once the situation returns to normalcy.

We Need To Foundationally Transform Cloud: Nadella

Staff ReporterMedia, Science, Technology 0

In order to herald the next generation of innovation in Cloud technology, tech companies need to foundationally transform how Cloud can drive the next level of broad economic growth that everyone can participate in, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stressed.

Addressing the Microsoft ‘Ignite 2021’ virtual conference, Nadella said that it’s time for us to reflect on how the Cloud will change over the next decade.

“As computing becomes embedded everywhere in our world — transforming how we interact with people, places and things — and as physical and digital worlds converge, we will require more sovereignty and decentralised control. Cloud and edge computing will evolve to meet all of these real-world needs,” he emphasised.

The volume, variety and velocity of data will go through explosive growth in the cloud — and in particular at the edge devices, driving the decentralised architecture of compute.

“In this world, data will be more private, more sovereign. Data governance and provenance will take on new importance. We will develop new methods of federated machine learning to drive the next generation of personalized and yet privacy-preserving services,” the Microsoft CEO added.

At the digital conference, Microsoft unveiled the public preview of Azure Percept, a platform of hardware and services that aims to simplify the ways in which customers can use Azure AI technologies on the edge.

Roanne Sones, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s edge and platform group, said the goal of the new offering is to give customers a single, end-to-end system, from the hardware to the AI capabilities, that “just works” without requiring a lot of technical know-how.

The Azure Percept platform includes a development kit with an intelligent camera, Azure Percept Vision.

There’s also a “getting started” experience called Azure Percept Studio that guides customers with or without a lot of coding expertise or experience through the entire AI lifecycle, including developing, training and deploying proof-of-concept ideas.

Nadella said that in the artificial intelligence (AI) we create using all this enormous power of the cloud, we will look for increasing levels of predictive and analytical power, common sense reasoning, alignment with human preferences –and perhaps most importantly, augmenting human capability.”

“Our economy will find a new balance between consumption and creation. We believe the next decade will require technology advances that radically democratise creation,” he noted. (IANS)

Earth Has Life Span Of Nearly 1bn Years More: Study

Staff ReporterEnvironment, Science 0

The future life span of Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere is approximately one billion years, a new study reveals.

According to the study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, Earth’s surface environment is highly oxygenated — from the atmosphere to the deepest reaches of the oceans, representing a hallmark of active photosynthetic biosphere.

However, the fundamental timescale of the oxygen-rich atmosphere on Earth remains uncertain, particularly for the distant future.

“For many years, the lifespan of Earth’s biosphere has been discussed based on scientific knowledge about the steadily brightening of the sun and global carbonate-silicate geochemical cycle,” said researcher Kazumi Ozaki, Assistant Professor at Toho University.

To examine how Earth’s atmosphere will evolve in the future, the team constructed an Earth system model which simulates climate and biogeochemical processes.

Because modelling future Earth evolution intrinsically has uncertainties in geological and biological evolutions, a stochastic approach was adopted, enabling the researchers to obtain a probabilistic assessment of the lifespan of an oxygenated atmosphere.

The team ran the model more than 400,000 times, varying model parameter, and found that Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere will probably persist for another one billion years before rapid deoxygenation renders the atmosphere reminiscent of early Earth before the Great Oxidation Event around 2.5 billion years ago.

“The atmosphere after the great deoxygenation is characterized by an elevated methane, low-levels of CO2 and no ozone layer. The Earth system will probably be a world of anaerobic life forms,” said Ozaki.

Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere represents an important sign of life that can be remotely detectable. However, this study suggests that Earth’s oxygenated atmosphere would not be a permanent feature, and that the oxygen-rich atmosphere might only be possible for 20-30 per cent of the Earth’s entire history as an inhabited planet, the researchers said.

Oxygen (and photochemical byproduct, ozone) is the most accepted biosignature for the search for life on the exoplanets, but if we can generalize this insight to Earth-like planets, then scientists need to consider additional biosignatures applicable to weakly-oxygenated and anoxic worlds in the search for life beyond our solar system, the team added. (IANS)

Top American Pandemic Expert Lists 9 Govt Actions Behind Plummeting Covid Cases in India

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

There has been a global puzzlement at how India has managed to dramatically lower the spread of Covid-19 cases and fatality rates over the last few months, with some experts calling it a “mystery”, but American scientist Yaneer Bar-Yam has said credit should go to the government for being able to identify and leverage its strengths to limit the spread of the infection.

Bar-Yam, who specialises in quantitative analysis of pandemics, said underlying factors such as previous successful response efforts in pandemics, less urbanisation that limits travel and rates of community transmission, limited travel and localised tourism were all important in mitigating the impact of Covid-19.

But he pointed out that swift government action of “restricting/regulating movement to increasing public health capacity to meet the increasing demands of the pandemic,” were equally essential as India seems to have done enough to emerge successful in limiting the impact of the virus.

In September last year, India was confirming nearly 1 lakh cases a day, but that figure has dropped to approximately 12,000 as the country has effectively flattened the curve. The case fatality rate has also dropped sharply.

Highlighting steps taken by the government, Bar-Yam said that in particular decisions to impose severe restrictions on travel, stop gatherings, targeted localized lockdowns, school closures, had proven effective in controlling the outbreak. Other major steps like effective public communication, improvements in case identification, rapid ramping of industrial production of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing capacity, have also contributed, he added.

Bar-Yam said that India’s success showed that time and travel are key to controlling pandemics. “The message to go out from India therefore is ‘restrict travel in areas wherein cases are there, isolate cases and don’t allow them to transmit infection’,” he wrote.

In a paper published on his website endcoronavirus.org, he listed the nine major government actions because of which India had managed to tame the infection as well as it has:

  1. He described the zoning of the country into three zones – red, orange and green – for localised lockdowns as probably the most effective step taken by the government last April. While severe restrictions were imposed in affected districts, there was partial lifting of restrictions in unaffected districts, along with the opening up of some sectors to meet the economic challenge.
  2. Restriction on travel was the second most important step, as travel was regulated through issue of e-pass with checks on state borders across the country. The regulation of travel continues into 2021 as travel has not been fully de-regulated, he said.
  3. Isolation and contact tracing of individuals who test positive to Covid-19, and quarantining of primary high-risk contacts has been an effective strategy.
  4. The government shut down all colleges and schools for an extended period, and the recent reopening has been partial and only in the context of the very low number of cases recently.
  5. Bar-Yam said highlighted the contribution of the Indian industry, which he said responded like never before by producing masks and personal protective equipment at great pace not only to meet the country’s requirements, but also to supply to the world.
  6. India has gone from a single lab that could perform RT-PCR tests for Covid-19 to over 2300 in a short span of time, and this number has reduced the test result return time and also strengthened isolation and quarantine strategy.
  7. From cautionary caller tunes on phones to heavy fines for not wearing masks, spreading public awareness about Covid-19 risks has been a major initiative of the government, and this has meant the population more willingly accepted restriction guidelines.
  8. The American scientist also praised the response in high-density urban areas, which posed the greatest challenge, but the refinement of lockdowns, travel restrictions, rapid case identification, and communication found in other locations, has helped limited the spread.
  9. He said that the vaccination drive, which is the largest in the world, is also expected to have an increasingly significant impact on the outbreak control in India.

In Pope Francis, Biden Has A Potential Ally — Who Shares The Same Catholic Detractors

Staff ReporterCulture, Profile, Religion 0

The second Roman Catholic president in American history is a devout man who makes no secret of the importance of faith in his life. President Joe Biden is a regular churchgoer, often quotes St. Augustine and carries a rosary that belonged to his late son Beau. In one of the first images released of him in the Oval Office, a photo was visible behind his desk showing him with Pope Francis.

The Argentine-born pope and the new American president have both staked out liberal stances on issues like climate change and economic disparity, and have taken different positions from their “culture warrior” predecessors.

Biden diametrically differs from former President Donald Trump in his support for a more inclusive society, on issues ranging from immigration and health care to LGBTQ equality. Francis has moved away from Pope John Paul II’s and Benedict XVI’s emphasis on sexual morality, preferring to focus on social justice and the rights of the poor and marginalized. He has repeatedly lashed out at what he describes as the destructive effects of laissez-faire capitalism on society and the environment.

The pope and the president have a lot in common, says Paul Elie, a scholar of Catholicism at Georgetown University.

“Their informality, the fact that they were elected late in life, the fact that they seem to take issues as they come, listening, discerning and then acting,” he says. “And both of them, I think, have surprised their people by turning out to be more progressive than was expected.”

In the November election, just over half of American Catholics voted against Biden, in great part because of his support for laws such as those guaranteeing abortion rights that run contrary to Church doctrine.

Nevertheless, the new president has a friend — and potential ally — at the Vatican. On Inauguration Day, Pope Francis sent Biden a warm note saying, “Grave crises facing our human family call for farsighted and united responses.”

Relations between Pope Francis and Trump were at best chilly. When Trump was still a candidate in 2016, Pope Francis suggested he was “not a Christian” for his campaign vow to deport more immigrants and build a wall along the border with Mexico. A year later, the pope wondered how Trump could claim to be “pro-life” while ordering policies that broke up the families of immigrants and asylum seekers.

Biden’s election was welcomed by the Vatican — but without mention of his support for abortion rights, says Villanova University theology professor Massimo Faggioli.

“It’s clear that they see this moment as a return to some sanity. This is what the Vatican really holds dear,” says Faggioli, “so that that there is a predictability in the relations between countries and leaders.”

Faggioli, the author of Joe Biden and Catholicism in the United States, argues that under the influence of the previous two papacies, the U.S. Catholic Church leadership became increasingly traditionalist, ignoring any discourse on racism, rule of law or voting rights — and has thus become more closely allied with the political right.

He points out that Biden and the pope share the same detractors among American Catholic leaders — the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which he says “is dominated by ultraconservative Catholic bishops whose political sympathies lie very clearly with the Republican Party, and not just on the abortion issue.”

The Vatican was reportedly annoyed by a bishops’ conference statement on Inauguration Day. Signed by the group’s leader, Archbishop José H. Gomez, the statement lamented that “our new President has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender.” It added that “for the nation’s bishops, the continued injustice of abortion remains the preeminent priority.”

An unnamed senior Vatican official told the Catholic publication America, “It is most unfortunate and is likely to create even greater divisions within the Church in the United States.”

“So, there is an extremist wing of the Catholic Church,” says Faggioli, “which is a handful of bishops, but a bigger chunk of the clergy.”

For example, last August, the Rev. James Altman of La Crosse, Wisc., posted a video to YouTube in which he proclaimed, “You cannot be Catholic and be a Democrat, period. Their party platform absolutely is against everything the Catholic Church teaches. Repent of your support of that party and its platform or face the fires of hell.” It has been viewed more than a million times.

Not all conservative Catholics strike such an apocalyptic tone toward Democrats. But many share a message of condemnation.

In a podcast last month with the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank, George Weigel, an author and political analyst who has written extensively about the Catholic Church, said the new president seems quite sincere in his personal piety. But he went on to attack Biden, saying he “facilitates grave moral evils. Mr. Biden is an incoherent Catholic and incoherent Catholics should not be presenting themselves for Holy Communion as if they were living in full communion with the church.”

As both Francis and Biden ignore their Catholic critics, presidential historian Timothy Naftali sees potential parallels now with a period at the peak of the Cold War six decades ago.

Six months after the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the precipice of nuclear annihilation in 1962, Pope John XXIII issued the Pacem in Terris encyclical. Addressed not just to Catholics but to all people “of good will,” it called for peacemaking through negotiation.

A week later, President John F. Kennedy cited the document in a major speech, and was subsequently able to win domestic support for a nuclear test ban treaty with the Soviet Union.

Naftali believes the pope and Biden could join forces against climate change — the great threat facing humanity today.

“Given the prominence of Pope Francis on this issue, the fact that he has identified climate change as an existential threat,” says Naftali, “there is a natural partnership with a secular leader who has also identified climate change as an existential threat. These are two leaders powerful in different realms. That’s an opportunity. And it’s not an opportunity that comes every generation.”

Naftali is convinced that amid so much disinformation on the coronavirus pandemic and vaccines, these two prominent Catholics could also work together to convince more people that science and faith are not mutually exclusive.

4000+ Eminent And Concerned Citizens Raise A Strong Collective Voice

Staff ReporterCommunity, Women 0

Deeply distressed by the regressive statements of the CJI asking a rapist to marry the victim and condoning marital rape in court on 01 March 2021, over 4000+ concerned citizens, from representatives of India’s women’s movements, progressive groups and feminists, from students to senior citizens to advocates to filmmakers got together and issued an open letter to the CJI demanding an apology, retraction of his remarks and said ‘propriety demands you step down without a moment’s delay!’.

The CJI was hearing the petition for protection from arrest, of a man accused of stalking, tying up, gagging, repeatedly raping a minor school going girl, and threatening to douse her in petrol and set her alight, to hurl acid at her, and to have her brother killed. Stating that the facts of the case are that the rape came to light when the minor school-going victim attempted suicide, the letter condemned the comment by CJI and said that “it fills us with rage that women bear the burden of having to explain the meaning of ‘seduction’, ‘rape’, and ‘marriage“.

The letter cites the second case (Vinay Pratap Singh vs State of UP) also reported in the media, where the CJI commented that, ‘If a couple is living together as man and wife, the husband may be a brutal man, but can you call the act of sexual intercourse between a lawfully wedded man and wife as rape?’ Criticising the comment, the letter stated that it not only legitimises any kind of sexual, physical and mental violence by the husband, but it normalises the torture that Indian women have been facing within marriages for years without any legal recourse.

Further the letter states that, “From the towering heights of the post of CJI of the Supreme Court, it sends the message to other courts, judges, police and all other law enforcing agencies that justice is not a constitutional right of women in India. This will only lead to the further silencing of girls and women, a process that took decades to break. To the rapists, it sends the message that marriage is a licence to rape; and that by obtaining such a licence, the rapist can post facto decriminalise and legalise his act.”

The strongly worded letter has been endorsed by:

Well known women’s rights activists such as: Annie Raja, Mariam Dhawale, Kavita Krishnan, Kamla Bhasin, Meera Sanghamitra, Arudhati Dhuru, Maimoona Mollah, Zakia Soman, Chayanika Shah, Hasina Khan. About 50 groups and networks including All India Progressive Women’s Association, All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women, Saheli, Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression, THITS, Forum Against Oppression of Women, Bebaak Collective, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila aandolan, Domestic Workers Union, Dalit Women’s Fight, BASO, Women and Transgender Orgs Joint Action Committee, Feminists in Resistance, Gather Sisters, Mahila Sampark Samiti, Human Rights Forum, Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Jan Chetna Manch, Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Women Against Sexual Harassment, Orinam Collective, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, New Socialist Initiative, National Allaince of People’s Movements

Eminent citizens, intellectuals, writers, journalists, and cultural artists such as Admiral L Ramdas, Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Pamela Phillipose, Anand Sahay, Devaki Jain, John Dayal, Laxmi Murthy, Apoorvanand, Farah Naqvi, Ayesha Kidwai, Anja Kovacs, Geeta Seshu, Maya Rao, Sooni Taporevala, Anjali Monteiro, K.P Jayasankar, Nupur Basu, Anamika Haksar

For more info: saheliwomen@gmail.com; Kavita Krishnan: 9560756628; Anuradha Banerji: 8860824559

Tata, Spicejet now in the fray for Air India

Staff ReporterBusiness, Travel 0

Tata Group and private airline Spicejet remain in the fray for buying Air India as all the other bids have been rejected, according to sources close to the development.

Bids by others have been rejected after the evaluation of the expressions of interest (EoI) where multiple bids were received.

The transaction advisors have been in touch with the interested bidders regarding several queries and the qualified bidders will be intimated only after the government is satisfied with the responses from the bidders.

Apart from Tata Sons and Spicejet, Tata Sons and the New York-based Interups Inc backed by strategic NRI investors from the US and Europe are said to be the interested bidders for the national carrier.

DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey had earlier said that the government has received multiple expressions of interest for the strategic disinvestment of Air India.

The process has been divided into two stages. In stage one, expressions of interest have been submitted by the interested bidders and they will be shortlisted based on the eligibility criteria and other terms mentioned in the Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM).

In stage two, the shortlisted interested bidders will be provided with a request for proposal (RFP) and thereafter there will be a transparent bidding process.

A group of 209 employees of Air India had also put in a bid. Essar and Pavan Ruia of Dunlop and Falcon Tyres had also put in bids for Air India.

After several years of heavy financial losses and complaints of poor quality services by passengers, AIR INDIA, the national carrier is likely to return to its original owners, the Tata Group of Companies. Tata Group, who has been in the aviation sector for a long time, has expressed a keen interest in taking over Air India for quite some time now. .

The Tata group has already begun due diligence and is likely to put in a formal bid soon, close to the deadline.  Air India Express, a low-cost subsidiary of the airline and the Air India’s real estate assets; a part of the airline will also be on sale.

Tata sons holds a 51% stake in AirAsia India. Tata Group also has a joint venture in the airline business by the name Vistara.  Thereafter, if the Tata bid is deemed accepted, the 90 day period for handover shall commence and end by November 30 or at the most, by December 31. So, one possible scenario is for Tata to take control of Air India by January 1, 2021.

While the other bidders are not known yet, globally, airlines are under severe stress due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resultant disruption on air travel and tourism. Tata is widely believed to emerge as the sole bidder for Air India and the salt to software conglomerate is likely to place a bid before August 31, the last date for bids for Air India, which the government has repeatedly said it will not be extended. According to reports, the Tata group has already begun due diligence and is likely to put in a formal bid soon.

On the ensuing structure for the airline business, there is speculation that Tata is planning to merge its existing stake in AirAsia with Air India into a single entity. Air India has been passing through a critical financial condition from much before the Covid-19 onslaught. The crippling effect of the pandemic, especially in the aviation sector, has further brought its finances to a precarious position. Recently, its pilots and other employees are on the warpath as Air India has laid off employees and started a Leave Without Pay (LWP) scheme.

From Tata Airlines and Air India to Vistara and AirAsia India, the Tata group has been an important part of the growing aviation sector in India. From Tata Air Lines and the long-since nationalised Air India to strategic joint ventures with AirAsia Berhad and Singapore Airlines (SIA) for AirAsia India and Vistara, respectively, Tata has been present in the aviation sector. The two joint venture airlines operate independently with their respective business models – low-cost (AirAsia) and full-service (Vistara).

 

Air-India began operating in 1932 as Tata Airlines, named after J. R. D. Tata, its founder. The line carried mail and passengers between the Indian cities of Ahmadabad, Bombay, Bellary, and Madras, and Karachi, Pakistan. Within a few years Tata Airlines’ routes included the Indian cities of Trivandrum, Delhi, Colombo (in Sri Lanka), Lahore, and other locations in between.

In 1946, at the conclusion of World War II, the airline became a public company and was renamed Air-India Limited. In just two years, with the government having a 49 percent share in the company, the airline was flying further outside of India, with regular flights to Cairo, Geneva, and London. The line’s name changed again to reflect its new scope of operations, becoming Air-India International Limited. Now, after several decades, the ownership is likely to return to the Tata Group, who had started the airline, now known as AIR INDIA.

Global Encyclopedia On Ramayana To Release On Saturday

Staff ReporterCulture, Education 0

The government in Uttar Pradesh is going to give a unique gift to Ram devotees across the world. The first edition of the Global Encyclopaedia of the Ramayana is ready for publication.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will release the historical edition on the occasion of Janaki Navami on Saturday.

The version of the Global Encyclopaedia of the Ramayana, prepared by the Ayodhya Research Institute, will also be launched as an e-book.

The first edition of the Encyclopaedia will be released in the English language. A month later, the first edition in Hindi and Tamil languages will be published.

The Uttar Pradesh Department of Culture, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs, is involved in this mega project by combining the tangible and intangible legacy of the Ramayana from 205 countries of the world.

For this, a workshop was organised by the department which included 70 scholars from West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Delhi.

According to Shishir, Director of Culture, Uttar Pradesh, there is a plan to publish the Ramayana Encyclopaedia in 200 volumes.

For this, the Ayodhya Research Institute has set up a board of editors and advisors around the country and the world. The first edition has been designed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

The publication of Ramayana will also be released in Oriya, Malayalam, Urdu and Assamese languages along with the first edition of the Global Ramayan Encyclopaedia.

Also, the oldest and authentic book about Ayodhya, ‘Ayodhya Mahatma’ will be released in the English language to expand it globally.

It was in May 2018, that the chief minister had directed to conduct a survey and publication of all the Ramayana sites of the world at the review meeting of Ayodhya Research Institute, Ayodhya.

Globally, evidence of the Ramayana’s tangible heritage, architecture, sculpture and painting is found in countries around the world including Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Europe since about 5000 years ago.

According to the scholars, almost all countries of Europe accepted Ram as their first ancestor.

Scholars claim that ‘Ram Takht’ was received in Gandhara region in 2500 BC and many villages in Gandhar have their names on Ram and Sita.

Taxila is named after the elder son of Bharat, Taksh.

The entire Gandhara region of Pakistan is rich in Ramayana culture.

According to scholars, there is evidence of a Ramayana civilisation in Italy before the Roman civilization in Europe. Vatican City, France, Germany, Netherlands also have elements of this culture. (IANS)

What Is In For You In The $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill Congress Passed?

Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy, Nation USA 0

The Democrat controlled US House of Representatives approved a massive $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, advancing President Joe Biden’s top agenda item and providing more resources to schools and businesses, boost funding for vaccinations and testing, and grant financial relief to Americans across the country.

Democrats passed the measure early Saturday morning, Feb. 27th in a party-line vote, with Republicans united against the bill calling for slimmer, more-targeted relief. All but two Democrats supported the bill in the 219-212 vote, and no Republicans backed the package.

Democrats have advanced the coronavirus legislation using the budget reconciliation process, in a bid to avoid the Senate’s 60-vote threshold and pass their package with a simple majority of votes, given the slim 50-50 divide in the upper chamber.

The Senate is expected to take up the legislation next week, after the chamber’s parliamentarian ruled that Democrats could not include a $15 minimum wage in the proposal over budgetary concerns. “This started almost a year ago,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said of the pandemic ahead of the House vote. “Today’s vote is a crucial step in our fight to defeat COVID-19.”

The American Rescue Plan would provide $1,400 stimulus checks to millions of Americans across the country and extend federal unemployment benefits through the summer. It would also provide hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to state and local governments, schools and vaccine and COVID-19 testing efforts — in addition to nutritional and child care assistance.

While Democrats and the White House have touted public polls showing broad bipartisan support for the measure, and the endorsements of state and local GOP leaders, House Republicans are expected to vote against the bill as a bloc. For weeks, they have argued that Democrats’ proposal is too expensive and ignores the $4 trillion in coronavirus relief approved by Congress last year, some of which remains unspent.

“This isn’t a relief bill,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Friday. “It takes care of Democrats’ political allies while it fails to deliver for American families.” Americans “want us to actually work together, to come together and solve the problems in a bipartisan way,” Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, said on the House floor. “I think that message was clear. And the more the majority ignores it, the shorter their majority will be.”

Biden had briefly engaged with a group of 10 Senate Republicans pushing an alternative to his plan, but rejected their $600 billion counteroffer as too meager, arguing it did not meet the moment and would cut spending on key programs included in his legislation.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced they would offer an amendment to the budget bill, once it comes over from the House, that would penalize “large, profitable corporations” through the elimination of tax deductions” if those companies do not raise the minimum wage for their workers to “at least $15 an hour.” The two chairmen also said that measure would offer incentives to small businesses to raise worker wages.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats would still “absolutely” pass the package without the minimum wage increase, and members of the caucus reaffirmed their commitment to the issue on Friday. “I’m not going to stop till we get it,” Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., said Friday.

Look at some highlights of the legislation:

  • The legislation provides a rebate that amounts to $1,400 for a single taxpayer, or $2,800 for a married couple that files jointly, plus $1,400 per dependent. Individuals earning up to $75,000 would get the full amount as would married couples with incomes up to $150,000.
  • The size of the check would shrink for those making slightly more with a hard cut-off at $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married couples.
  • Some Republicans want to cut the size of the rebate as well as the pool of Americans eligible for it, but Biden has insisted on $1,400 checks, saying “that’s what the American people were promised.” The new round of checks will cost the government an estimated $422 billion.
  • Under current law, most taxpayers can reduce their federal income tax bill by up to $2,000 per child. The package moving through the House would increase the tax break to $3,000 for every child age 6 to 17 and $3,600 for every child under the age of 6.
  • The legislation also calls for the payments to be delivered monthly instead of in one lump sum. If the secretary of the Treasury determines that isn’t feasible, then the payments are to be made as frequently as possible.
  • Also, families would get the full credit regardless of how little they make in a year, even just a few hundred dollars, leading to criticism that the changes would serve as a disincentive to work. Add in the $1,400 per individual checks and other items in the proposal, and the legislation would reduce the number of children living in poverty by more than half, according to an analysis from the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University.
  • The legislation would send $350 billion to state and local governments and tribal governments. While Republicans in Congress have largely objected to this initiative, Biden’s push has some GOP support among governors and mayors.
  • Many communities have taken hits to their tax base as millions of people have lost their jobs and as people stay home and avoid restaurants and stores to prevent getting COVID-19. Many areas have also seen expenses rise as they work to treat the sick and ramp up vaccinations.
  • But the impact varies from state to state and from town to town. Critics say the funding is not appropriately targeted and is far more than necessary with billions of dollars allocated last spring to states and communities still unspent.
  • The bill calls for $130 billion in additional help to schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The money would be used to reduce class sizes and modify classrooms to enhance social distancing, install ventilation systems and purchase personal protective equipment. The money could also be used to increase the hiring of nurses, counselors and to provide summer school.
  • Spending for colleges and universities would be boosted by $40 billion, with the money used to defray an institution’s pandemic-related expenses and to provide emergency aid to students to cover expenses such as food and housing and computer equipment.
  • The bill provides another round of relief for airlines and eligible contractors, $15 billion, so long as they refrain from furloughing workers or cutting pay through September. It’s the third round of support for airlines.
  • A new program for restaurants and bars hurt by the pandemic would receive $25 billion. The grants provide up to $10 million per entity with a limit of $5 million per physical location. The grants can be used to cover payroll, rent, utilities and other operational expenses.
  • The bill also provides another $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, a tiny fraction of what was allocated in previous legislation. The loans are designed to help borrowers meet their payroll and operating costs and can potentially be forgiven.
  • Expanded unemployment benefits from the federal government would be extended, with an increase from $300 a week to $400 a week. That’s on top of what beneficiaries are getting through their state unemployment insurance program.
  • The bill provides money for key elements of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response, while also trying to advance longstanding Democratic priorities like increasing coverage under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.
  • On “Obamacare,” it dangles a fiscal carrot in front of a dozen states, mainly in the South, that have not yet taken up the law’s Medicaid expansion to cover more low-income adults. Whether such a sweetener would be enough to start wearing down longstanding Republican opposition to Medicaid expansion is uncertain.
  • The bill provides $46 billion to expand federal, state and local testing for COVID-19 and to enhance contract tracing capabilities with new investments to expand laboratory capacity and set up mobile testing units. It also contains about $14 billion to speed up the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines across the country.

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE

  • The bill would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour by June 2025 and then adjust it to increase at the same rate as median hourly wages. However, that provision is not expected to survive in the final bill. The Senate parliamentarian ruled that it cannot be included in the COVID-19 economic relief package under the process Democrats chose to undertake to get a bill passed with a simple majority.

Biden had predicted such a result. Still, the ruling was a stinging setback for most Democratic lawmakers who had said the higher minimum wage would increase the pay for millions of Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office had projected the new federal minimum wage would lift some 900,000 people out of poverty once it was fully in place. But Republicans said the mandatory wage hikes would make it harder for small businesses to survive and they pointed to the CBO’s projection that about 1.4 million jobs would be lost as employers looked for ways to offset their higher personnel costs.

Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 Vaccine Approved For Use

Staff ReporterCommunity, Health, Science 0

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisers voted Sunday, Feb 28th to recommend the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine for the US. It is the first of the three authorized Covid-19 vaccines that comes in a single dose.

In a unanimous 22-0, a panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson be authorized for emergency use in adults during the pandemic.

The vote in favor of the vaccine, which requires only one shot for protection, was taken to answer this question: Do the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine outweigh its risks for use in people 18 years of age and older. The FDA typically follows the advice of its expert advisers. If the agency agrees, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would be the third one cleared for use in the U.S.

A quick decision is expected given the state of the pandemic. The FDA authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines one day after the same panel recommended them for clearance during separate meetings last December.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Mathai Mammen, Janssen’s global head of research and development, said if the vaccine is authorized for emergency use, “Our plan is to have supply immediately upon launch.” Even those who got moderate cases of Covid-19 in the trial tended to develop a milder course and fewer symptoms, said Dr. Mathai Mammen. From one month after the shot, all hospitalizations and deaths occurred in the placebo group.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was tested in an international study of about 40,000 people, half of whom got the vaccine and half of whom got a placebo. The study found the company’s vaccine to be 66% effective overall in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19 disease. For disease judged severe or critical, the effectiveness was 85%. The study was conducted in the U.S., South America and South Africa.

The main study included in the company’s application found that 28 days or more after immunization, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine prevented hospitalizations and death related to COVID-19.  The overall efficacy figures are lower than Pfizer’s 95% for preventing COVID-19 disease and 94% for Moderna.

As the pandemic has drawn on, the coronavirus has mutated. Variants first seen in South Africa and Brazil, where the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was tested, mutated in ways that help them evade the immune response prompted by vaccines developed against the original form of the virus.

The vaccine was tested in more than 44,000 people in the US, South Africa and Latin America. Globally, it was 66.1% effective against moderate to severe/critical Covid-19 at least four weeks after vaccination, according to an FDA analysis. In the US, it is considered 72% effective, and offered 86% protection against severe forms of the disease.

Among more than 6,000 study participants who were queried within a week of vaccination, the most common side effects were pain at the site of injection (49%), headache (39%), fatigue (38%) and muscle pain (33%). These side effects were mostly mild or moderate.

The authorization of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine would help expand the supply of COVID-19 shots. The company said 4 million doses of vaccine would be available in the U.S. as soon as the FDA gives its OK. A total of 20 million doses would be ready by the end of March, and Johnson & Johnson has committed to deliver 100 million doses under its contract with the federal government by the end of June.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is a group of vaccine and public health experts that helps set guidelines for the CDC concerning the best practices with vaccinations. Members voted unanimously, with one recusal for a potential conflict of interest, to recommend the vaccine. They did not make any recommendations about specific groups who should receive the vaccine.

“I just want to state explicitly how very grateful I am that we now have three highly effective vaccines,” said ACIP member Dr. Matthew Daley of the Institute for Health Research with Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

The vaccine, made by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine arm, can be kept at regular refrigerator temperatures, which experts said would make it much easier to distribute than vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.

“During a pandemic, the data show that the best utilization of resources is to employ all available vaccines with acceptable vaccine efficacy. This will save cost and lives,” the CDC’s Dr. Sara Oliver told the ACIP meeting. A single-dose vaccine has an advantage, particularly in settings where a second dose “would be challenging.” For example, it could be used to help protect the homeless, people in the justice system, and those with limited access to health care like people who are homebound or live in rural areas, Oliver said.

Overall, non-fatal serious adverse events were infrequent, according to the FDA’s analysis, and there were no reported cases of anaphylaxis following vaccination in the trial. There have been a small number of severe allergic reactions with the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines. For example, in the first week of the Pfizer vaccine rollout, there were only 29 cases out of 1.9 million doses administered, according to the CDC. More research is needed to now for sure, but the FDA analysis also hinted that the J&J vaccine may help prevent asymptomatic infections.

“These are three highly efficacious vaccines,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “I can tell you I have been fully vaccinated with one that was available. It was the Moderna. If I were not vaccinated now and I had a choice of getting a J&J vaccine now or waiting for another vaccine, I would take whatever vaccine would be available to me as quickly as possible.”

“We want to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and expeditiously as possible,” Fauci said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union. “So this is good news because we have another very good vaccine in the mix.”

The US has ordered 100 million doses and the company has been manufacturing it while it has been testing the vaccine. Typically, companies wait to make the vaccine after its been approved, but that changed during the pandemic.  Johnson & Johnson says it can meet its 100 million dose commitment by June.

Bollywood’s Sense Of Women’s Beauty Is To Fair Skin

Staff ReporterCommunity, Profile, Women 0

We often hear comments such as these from women, especially in the fancy Bollywood world: “The managers like me more because I am fair and I look like a foreigner.” “You should apply haldi [turmeric] to your skin. If you don’t become fair, who will marry you?” “I was dark when I was born, but my parents bathed me in brandy to make me fair. Your parents should have tried it too.”

Fair-skinned women have often thought of themselves as superior. They have displayed a sense of entitlement because of their fairness. For Bollywood, beautiful women have fair skin, according to an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based computer analysis which reveals that conception of beauty has remained consistent through the years in the film industry centered in Mumbai. The automated computer analysis was led by Indian-origin researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the US.

The research revealed that babies whose births were depicted in Bollywood films from the 1950s and 60s were more often than not boys; in today’s films, boy and girl newborns are about evenly split. In the 50s and 60s, dowries were socially acceptable; today, not so much.

The researchers, led by Kunal Khadilkar and Ashiqur KhudaBukhsh of CMU’s Language Technologies Institute (LTI), gathered 100 Bollywood movies from each of the past seven decades along with 100 of the top-grossing Hollywood moves from the same periods.

They then used statistical language models to analyse subtitles of those 1,400 films for gender and social biases, looking for such factors as what words are closely associated with each other. “Most cultural studies of movies might consider five or 10 movies,” said Khadilkar, a master’s student in LTI.

“Our method can look at 2,000 movies in a matter of days.”

For instance, the researchers assessed beauty conventions in movies by using a so-called cloze test.

Essentially, it’s a fill-in-the-blank exercise: “A beautiful woman should have BLANK skin.”

A language model normally would predict “soft” as the answer, the researchers noted.

But when the model was trained with the Bollywood subtitles, the consistent prediction became “fair”.

The same thing happened when Hollywood subtitles were used, though the bias was less pronounced, said the study.

To assess the prevalence of male characters, the researchers used a metric called Male Pronoun Ratio (MPR), which compares the occurrence of male pronouns such as “he” and “him” with the total occurrences of male and female pronouns.

From 1950 through today, the MPR for Bollywood and Hollywood movies ranged from roughly 60 to 65 MPR.

Looking at words associated with dowry over the years, the researchers found such words as “loan,” “debt” and “jewelry” in Bollywood films of the 50s, which suggested compliance.

By the 1970s, other words, such as “consent” and “responsibility,” began to appear. Finally, in the 2000s, the words most closely associated with dowry — including “trouble,” “divorce” and “refused” — indicate noncompliance or its consequences.

“All of these things we kind of knew,” said KhudaBukhsh, an LTI project scientist, “but now we have numbers to quantify them. And we can also see the progress over the last 70 years as these biases have been reduced.” The findings were presented at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence virtual conference earlier this month. (IANS)

-+=