Vikas Khanna Among 6 Remarkable Game Changers for Providing Inspiration During a Challenging Year

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterProfiles, Tourism 0

India-Born Chef Vikas Khanna was among the Six Extraordinary Asians honored by Asia Society, NY for dropping everything to feed millions in India at a time of great need and suffering. Asia Society recognized six extraordinary honorees at the seventh annual 2020 Asia Game Changer Awards, a celebration of individuals and groups who saved lives, changed lives, and lifted spirits during a most challenging year, in an inspiring virtual ceremony on Thursday October 22nd, 2020.

The honorees came from a wide range of professions and locations. They included BTS, global superstar musicians from South Korea; Vikas Khanna, celebrity chef and philanthropist from India; the celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma; South Korean entertainment impresario Miky Lee; philanthropists Joe and Clara Tsai; and tennis champion Naomi Osaka. The evening also featured a special message from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as well as a tribute to the frontline health care workers who proved to be so consequential in treating patients infected with COVID-19.

India-born Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna has been feeding people since he was a child. But not until 2020 did it become a matter of life or death. In April, while quarantining in his Manhattan apartment, Khanna, host of MasterChef India, monitored news out of his homeland and watched, with horror and helplessness, as a virus-fueled humanitarian crisis unfolded.

Millions of Indians needed food. Khanna desperately wanted to help, but how? Khanna turned to Twitter, where he has more than 2.3 million followers, and issued a heartfelt plea for information on communities in need. “I wanted to show that solidarity still exists,” he said. Khanna received a torrent of responses, and #FeedIndia was born.

Khanna partnered with India’s National Disaster Relief Force for logistical and on-the-ground support and his movement soon received aid from grain companies, tech firms, and offers of industrial kitchen space in Mumbai. By late-August #FeedIndia had delivered more than 30 million dry food packets and cooked meals to hundreds of cities throughout India. “I feel like the past 30 years … have prepared me for this moment,” said Khanna, a member of Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders network. “This has been the most gratifying [time] in my culinary career.”

Few individuals epitomize the mission of Asia Society better than Vikas Khanna, who rose from humble origins in India to become a Michelin-starred chef in New York. Khanna was selected as an Asia Game Changer for helping feed millions of people in his native country whose lives were turned upside down by the pandemic.

“Asia Society is one of the most important organizations which unites East and West, and I’ve always been proud of its work,” he said in receiving the award. “Standing here and accepting the Game Changer Award in 2020 has been one of the proudest moments of my life.”

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed similar sentiment through a special message presented during the ceremony. “I would like to exercise gubernatorial prerogative and nominate another Game Changer from the people of the state of New York: and that is the Asia Society itself,” he said. “The Asia Society performed a vital role for the state when we needed it the most. [They] helped us in the midst of the most crucial period in dealing with the pandemic, when New York State feared our hospital system would be overwhelmed and we were having difficulty staffing our hospitals.”

Asia Society’s 2020 Asia Game Changer Awards honorees were chosen for their responses to the year’s twin traumas of COVID-19 and racially motivated violence. In partnership with Citi, Asia Society annually honors game-changing leaders from a broad geographic range and varied backgrounds; this year’s honorees have saved lives, changed lives, and lifted spirits all across the globe.

“In this time of profound global challenge, our 2020 Game Changers shine a beacon of love and courage across our divided globe,” said Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran. “They have met the moment, and they have inspired the world. We are honored to bring them to our signature global event.”

The virtual event will also feature a special message by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a performance from Yo-Yo Ma, and a special moment to honor frontline health care workers in the U.S. and Asia.

China Is Talking Point At High-Level Indo-US Meet

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics, U.S. 0

Coming at a sensitive time with the US Presidential election just a week away and while India is still entangled in border tensions with China, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and secretary of defense Mark Esper arrived in New Delhi on Monday for the Indo-US 2+2 talks, expected to focus on the Indo-Pacific security and the threat posed by China.

Pompeo’s pit stops in Asia include Indian-Ocean nations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and Indonesia, which is in a dispute with China in the South China Sea. Also, next month India hosts the Malabar naval exercise, which would see the forces of all Quad nations — US, India, Japan and Australia — participate for the first time in 13 years.

Security cooperation between India and the US would be on the agenda too. The two countries have made significant progress towards concluding the last foundational defence cooperation agreement, the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement, the Times of India reports. The agreement will allow for expanded geospatial information sharing between the armed forces of the two countries.

The upcoming presidential election in the US is not expected to cast a shadow over the talks since both the Democrats and Republicans emphasise close relations with India. Some even argue Donald Trump’s challenger Joe Biden would be better for India. (Related news: Biden slammed Trump for his “filthy” air comment on India)

Pompeo could assuage India’s concerns over the new sanctions on Iran affecting New Delhi’s interest, specifically the Chabahar port. The Trump administration has informed New Delhi that sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine and medical devices to Iran, is permitted, the Indian Express reports. Waivers granted for reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, too, remain valid. This holds significance as India sees Chabahar — despite the slow progress — as a reliable gateway to Afghanistan.

Despite a firestorm of positive signals fired off by officials from both sides in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere before this year’s ministerial meeting, such as the signing of the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA), Chinese observers pointed out that even upgraded military cooperation with the US will not put India on the same level to confront China, nor will it change the fact that Washington and New Delhi always have their own interests at heart. It will not determine how long the India-US honeymoon will last.

It is significant that during Prime Minister Modi and President Obama’s final meeting in the White House in 2016, the United States elevates India to a major defense partner, a status no other country holds. An expansion of the ten-year defense agreement renewed in 2015, the designation, which became law in August 2018, means that India will enjoy some of the benefits of being a U.S. treaty ally, such as access to defense technology, though the alliance is not a formal one. In a speech before Congress a day later, Modi celebrated his country’s growing diplomatic and economic ties with the United States. Two months later, the United States and India signed an agreement on deeper military cooperation after nearly a decade of negotiations.

In 2018, during a “two-plus-two” dialogue in New Delhi, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis sign an agreement with Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) gives India access to advanced communication technology used in U.S. defense equipment and allows real-time information sharing between the two countries’ militaries. The agreement had been under negotiation for nearly a decade.

1 week Before Final Voting, Biden Leads Trump By 10%

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Former Vice President Joe Biden has a 10-point lead over President Donald Trump in the contest for the White House in a new national poll of likely voters released today by the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion.

Including the minor party candidates on the ballot, Biden leads with 53 percent of likely voters, Trump has 43 percent, other candidates are at 2 percent and only 3 percent of likely voters say they are still undecided, according to the independent, nonpartisan poll.

The relatively low number of undecided voters is underscored by the fact that 16 percent of likely voters have already voted. Just over two-thirds of voters said they plan to eschew their traditional Election Day polling place in 2020 and either vote by mail (45 percent) or vote early in person (22 percent).

“Biden’s double-digit lead signals that the president’s hopes of re-election are dwindling, with less than three weeks until Election Day and many voters already voting early and by mail,” said Joshua Dyck, director of the Center for Public Opinion and associate professor of political science.

Biden leads Trump among voters with a college degree, 62 percent to 36 percent. Among those without a bachelor’s degree, Biden leads 49 percent to Trump’s 46 percent. However, among white respondents without a degree, Trump leads Biden 61 percent to 36 percent, while Biden leads Trump among whites with a college degree 60 percent to 38 percent.

The gender gap revealed in this poll is on par with historic averages from the 2012 and 2016 elections in the difference between male and female voters’ support for Democratic candidates. In this poll, Biden does about 10 points better among women than men, leading 57 percent to 38 percent among women who are likely voters and 49 percent to 48 percent among men likely voters.

While Trump trails Biden by double digits nationally, his approval rating has not undergone a precipitous decline, which has hovered between an average of 40 and 45 percent nationally for most of the last three years. Overall, 44 percent of likely voters approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president and 56 percent disapprove. But nearly half of the electorate (47 percent of likely voters) say they strongly disapprove of the way the president has handled his job.

Because there’s no corresponding job approval rating for Biden, the point of comparison for the candidates is favorability rating. In 2016, both candidates – Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – had net negative approval ratings in polling averages heading into the election. In 2020, the pattern is different: Trump continues to have a net negative favorability rating of -13; 42 percent find him favorable, 55 percent unfavorable and 3 percent have no opinion. Biden, however, is net positive +9; 50 percent find him favorable, 41 percent unfavorable and 9 percent have no opinion. Clinton is still net negative at -17 (35 percent favorable, 52 percent unfavorable, 12 percent no opinion), which indicates that Democrats have a much more popular nominee in 2020.

With Trump’s coronavirus-positive diagnosis on Oct. 2, the campaign became fully focused once again on the president’s handling of COVID-19. Overall, a majority of likely voters polled (57 percent) are not satisfied with the way the federal government has handled the pandemic, compared to 43 percent who said they are satisfied. This stands in stark contrast to state governments that get much higher marks: 59 percent of Americans said they are satisfied with their state government’s response compared to 41 percent who said they are unsatisfied.

Asked who they trust more to handle COVID-19, 52 percent of likely voters say Biden compared to 36 percent of likely voters who said Trump. On the question of whether Trump could have avoided contracting COVID-19 by wearing a mask more often, 71 percent of likely voters said yes while 29 percent said no.

“With the total American dead from the virus approaching a quarter-million by Election Day, voters are frustrated by Trump’s response to the virus, both personally and as president. Unfortunately for the president, there’s no miracle cure for his dismal poll numbers on the pandemic,” said John Cluverius, associate director of the Center for Public Opinion and assistant professor of political science.

The poll of likely voters also found:

With Supreme Court hearings taking place this week, nominee Amy Coney Barrett has a -1 net negative favorability rating among likely voters – 31 percent favorable, 32 percent unfavorable, 25 percent no opinion and 12 percent never heard of her.

Asked who they think will win the 2020 presidential election, likely voters gave Biden the edge: 45 percent said Biden will win and 41 percent said Trump will win.

Asked about a hypothetical alternative matchup, Biden leads Pence 54 percent to 41 percent with 4 percent undecided. Harris leads Pence 50 percent to 43 percent with 6 percent undecided.

Just 30 percent of Americans think things are headed in the right direction, while 70 percent say things are on the wrong track.

On Trump’s signature issue, the economy, 47 percent said Biden is better suited to handle the economy, compared to 42 percent who said Trump.

On who best represents American values, Biden leads Trump 48 percent to 37 percent. Biden also leads Trump on who is a more devout Christian, 39 percent to 29 percent. Asked who is more of a good man, 50 percent said Biden compared to 31 percent who said Trump.

More respondents said Biden would be better suited to handle race relations, 49 percent to 34 percent for Trump and more feel Biden is more honest and trustworthy, 49 percent to 32 percent for Trump.

On who will better handle America’s reputation abroad, Biden leads 51 percent to 37 percent for Trump. On who is better suited to handle police reform, 46 percent said Biden and 38 percent said Trump. Fifty-one percent said Biden is more suited to handling health care compared to 35 percent who said Trump.

Trump leads Biden on only two metrics on which respondents were polled: who is more of a bully (67 percent said Trump vs. 16 percent who said Biden) and who is more corrupt (50 percent said Trump compared to 34 percent who said Biden).

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The nonpartisan poll of 819 likely voters was independently funded by the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The Center for Public Opinion presents events and polling on political and social issues to provide opportunities for civic engagement, experiential learning and real-world research. The center is a member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Transparency Initiative.

The survey was designed and analyzed by the Center for Public Opinion and fielded by YouGov from Oct. 5 through Oct. 12. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percent. Detailed poll results – including topline and full methodology – are available at http://www.uml.edu/polls.

UMass Lowell is a national research university offering its more than 18,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe.

Remdesivir Is the First FDA-Approved Treatment for COVID-19

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterEducation, Health 0

On Oct. 22, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug for treating COVID-19. Remdesivir, an antiviral medication given intravenously, is now approved for anyone hospitalized with COVID-19. It works by blocking the virus’s ability to make more copies of itself. Earlier this year, the drug had received emergency use authorization (EUA), which falls short of approval but is granted during a public health crisis if there is encouraging data supporting its potential benefits. Approval means the drug’s maker, Gilead, provided more information to the FDA on the medication’s effectiveness and safety than was used to issue the EUA.

“This decision by the FDA is a milestone in the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19,” says Dr. Andre Kalil, professor of internal medicine at University of Nebraska Medical Center who was among the first to treat patients from the Diamond Princess Cruise ship with remdesivir and runs one of the drug’s clinical trials. “Remdesivir shortens the recovery time by 5-7 days, provides 50% faster clinical improvement, prevents patients’ progression to mechanical ventilation, and is associated with a 45% mortality reduction in the first two weeks of disease. These are real and meaningful benefits to our patients.”

The FDA decision is based on three randomized controlled trials that found that people receiving remdesivir shortened their recovery time. While the data did not find a statistically significant benefit in reducing mortality, doctors involved in one of the studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), reported a trend toward reduced mortality after about a month, especially among people who received the drug early in their infection, as Kalil notes. Patients receiving the drug also needed less additional oxygen and were less likely to progress to severe disease compared to those receiving placebo. The NEJM study was placebo-controlled and supported by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

The other two studies, sponsored by Gilead, did not include placebo controls, but compared patients receiving the drug and standard of care to those getting standard of care alone. The drug was effective, and those receiving five days of remdesivir treatment improved as much as those receiving a 10-day course.

The National Institutes of Health now includes remdesivir as part of its recommended treatment strategy for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and doctors treating patients have said that the drug is one of the reasons that death rates from the disease may have started to drop since the beginning of the pandemic. Other medications and treatment strategies, such as anti-inflammatories and keeping patients on their stomachs to prevent worsening respiratory symptoms, are other likely contributors to the decline in death rates.

The FDA approval comes days after a study from the World Health Organization found no benefit of the drug in reducing early death or in preventing progression to serious disease among nearly 3000 COVID-19 patients. That study, however, did not include a placebo control and compared outcomes to standard of care. It’s also not clear how sick the patients in that study were and therefore how meaningful the results are.

The NEJM study included hints that people who receive the drug earlier in their disease may benefit more, and doctors are already studying whether people with mild symptoms but who don’t need to be hospitalized can be treated with remdesivir on an outpatient basis.

Cyber Attack on Vaccines

Indian drugmaker Dr Reddy’s, which is to run clinical trials of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, said it has isolated all its data centres in the wake of a cyber-attack. “We are anticipating all services to be up within 24 hours and we do not foresee any major impact on our operations due to this incident,” the company said in a statement.

Business news channel ET Now, citing sources, said the company has shut all key plants across the globe due to the data breach. The plants in the UK, US, Brazil, India and Russia have been impacted due to the breach.

It is not yet known if the attack was related to Dr Reddy’s work on Covid-19. Beside the trial of the Russian vaccine, the drugmaker also has tie-ups with global firms to sell coronavirus treatments remdesivir and favipiravir in India.

Cyber-attacks to steal proprietary information is not rare. Early in July, security agencies of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada said a Russia-linked hacking group is targeting universities involved in the Covid-19 vaccine research. The same month, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), India’s nodal cybersecurity agency, said Indian healthcare services and educational institutions have faced increased cyber-attacks from China and Pakistan since the nationwide lockdown in mid-march.

COVID Vaccination Best for the Older Adults

The Covid-19 vaccine candidate developed by the Oxford University and AstraZeneca has prompted a robust immune response in elderly people, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the findings. The observations are from the so-called immunogenicity blood tests done on a subset of older participants of the trial. Oxford has not officially commented on the report.

A safe and effective vaccine for the elderly is crucial to beat the pandemic as they are among the most at-risk population. But the fact that the immune system weakens with age, raises fears that the very group that most needs the protection may generate the least effective response against a vaccine.

“If what they have is data which shows that the vaccine generates good immunity, as measured in the laboratory, in the overage group — plus 55-year-old — and that also includes good responses in people who are even older than that, I think that’s a promising sign,” Jonathan Ball, professor of virology at the University of Nottingham, said.

Another candidate to have shown promise among the elderly is the mRNA vaccine developed by Moderna, though that too is a preliminary finding. Russia’s Gamaleya Institute has also claimed that its Sputnik V is effective on the elderly but the claim has not been independently reviewed.

The FT report comes shortly after Oxford-AstraZeneca received clearance from the US FDA to restart its trial in the country after pausing it due to potential safety concern — a volunteer in the UK trial had fallen ill.

“The restart of clinical trials across the world is great news as it allows us to continue our efforts to develop this vaccine to help defeat this terrible pandemic,” Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca’s CEO, said in a statement. The US trial of the vaccine candidate developed by Johnson & Johnson, too, is set to resume after a brief pause.

You can come to India for family or business, but not for pleasure The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday came out with a notification permitting “all OCI and PIO card holders and all other foreign nationals intending to visit India for any purpose, except on a tourist visa“.

Announcing the “graded relaxation”, the MHA will “restore with immediate effect all existing visas (except electronic visa, Tourist Visa and Medical Visa)” — for visas that may have expired, fresh visas will be issued while for medical visa, foreign nationals need to apply afresh.

The Centre had on March 11 suspended all visas, with relaxation being granted in June for “foreign businessmen coming to India on a Business visa” and those coming for purposes of work.

It may be recalled that hotels were allowed to reopen only in August while tourist sites like the Taj Mahal were reopened last month. Though foreign tourists constitute just 0.5% of all tourists — India received 10.89 million foreign tourists in 2019 — the country earned almost Rs 2.11 lakh crore as forex from them last year.

Republican Senators Confirm Amy Coney Barrett To The Supreme Court

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, Profiles, U.S. 0

The Republican-led US Senate has voted to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, just about a week before Election Day and 30 days after she was nominated by President Trump to fill the seat of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Monday, October 26th.

With the confirmation of Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court, Republicans have solidified the conservative majority on the court as it is set to consider several high-profile cases in the coming months, and forcing Democrats to conseider expanding the number of Justices on the Court to counter the conservative majority.

Barrett was confirmed by a vote of 52-48 on Monday evening, after Democrats exhausted the procedural maneuvers undertaken to delay her confirmation. Only one Republican, Senator Susan Collins, voted against confirming Barrett to the Supreme Court. All the Democrats voted against her, including red state Senators Doug Jones of Alabama, who is up for reelection this year, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.

Barrett’s confirmation has left Democrats concerned about the fate of the nation’s health care law, the Affordable Care Act, and Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision allowing women to have access to abortions. The court will be hearing a case on the constitutionality of the ACA’s individual mandate in November. Barrett could also end up weighing in on a general election-related case involving the man who nominated her, should the results of the race between President Trump and Joe Biden come before the Supreme Court.

The only Republicans who voted against the cloture motion on Sunday were Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. On Saturday, Murkowski previewed her intentions, saying she planned to vote against moving the nomination forward procedurally but would vote to confirm Barrett on Monday. “While I oppose the process that led us to this point, I do not hold it against her, as an individual who has navigated the gauntlet with grace, skill and humility,” she said. Collins faces a tough reelection battle and said after Ginsburg’s death in September that whoever wins the presidential election should fill the Supreme Court vacancy.

While Senate Democrats tried to slow down the confirmation process of Trump’s third Supreme Court nominee with various procedural maneuvers, the fact that Republicans control the Senate has always meant a Barrett confirmation was all but promised.

“The Senate is doing the right thing. We’re moving this nomination forward, and, colleagues, by tomorrow night we’ll have a new member of the United States Supreme Court,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on Sunday.

Democrats railed against the advancement of Barrett’s nomination so close to Election Day, after the Republican-led Senate in 2016 refused to hold hearings for then-President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, nearly eight months before that year’s election.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., labeled the nomination process a “cynical power grab.”

“Nearly every Republican in this chamber led by the majority leader four years ago refused to even consider the Supreme Court nomination of a Democratic president on the grounds … that we should wait until after the presidential election because the American people deserved a voice in the selection of their next justice,” he said on Sunday.

“My colleagues, there is no escaping this glaring hypocrisy. As I said before, no tit-for-tat convoluted, distorted version of history will wipe away the stain that will exist forever with this Republican majority and with this Republican leader.”

Barrett’s nomination cleared a procedural hurdle Sunday afternoon when the Senate voted to end debate on the nomination, days after Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee boycotted a vote to advance Barrett’s nomination.

The 48-year-old judge’s confirmation solidifies the court’s conservative majority, potentially shaping the future of abortion rights and health care law for generations.

During a campaign event in Tallahassee, Fla., on Saturday, Vice President Pence said he wanted to return to Capitol Hill in time for Monday’s vote. “As vice president, I’m president of the Senate,” Pence said. “And I’m gonna be in the chair because I wouldn’t miss that vote for the world.”

He ultimately did not attend the vote in person. His presence would have been purely symbolic anyway, as it was not expected that Pence would have needed to cast a tie-breaking vote. Democrats had pushed back against Pence’s plan in light of recent positive coronavirus tests of two top staffers in Pence’s orbit, and they had similar concerns about Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., two of whose staffers have tested positive for the coronavirus. Loeffler’s spokesperson on Saturday said the senator had tested negative for the coronavirus on Friday.

Immediately following her confirmation, the White House held an event to celebrate, this time, with attendees spread out and mostly masked, unlike the event to celebrate Barrett’s nomination. Justice Clarence Thomas administered the constitutional oath to Barrett, with President Trump standing in between Thomas and Barrett.

“I am grateful for the confidence you have expressed in me, and I pledge to you and to the American people that I will discharge my duties to the very best of my ability,” Barrett said after she was sworn in.

Shanghai spending big to build the new ‘Silicon Valley’

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness, Finance/Economy, Science & Technology 0

New Lingang Area, which aims to be a global innovation district, houses Tesla factories that will build electric vehicles and the world’s biggest planetarium; it will be an industrial base for production of integrated circuits and semiconductors, officials say. (ATF) Officials in Shanghai have announced they are investing billions of yuan into building a ‘new Silicon Valley’ set-up, full of companies in emerging industries.

“Over the past year, more than half of 78 policy tasks have been completed; high-end resource elements have accelerated the grouping of Lingang New Area, involving a total investment of more than 270 billion yuan (over US$40.4 billion),” the deputy secretary-general of Shanghai Municipal Government and secretary of the Party Working Committee of Lingang New Area, said.

Known as the Shanghai Lingang New Area, this will be a national rival to similar areas in Beijing and Shenzhen, as well as global innovation centers. Emerging industries have already migrated to the area, while institutional innovations have also set up shop. According to ce.cn this will be a new business district like Lujiazui. Lujiazui is the area of skyscrapers that make up the famous Shanghai skyline.

The Shanghai Lingang New Area is next to the Dishui Lake – an ancient scenic area in the neighbouring city of Suzhou, which is slowly becoming part of the large growing Shanghai metropolis. The area is famous for being the home of ancient scholars. Suzhou is essentially becoming a suburb of Shanghai, only a few minutes away by high-speed train.

Zhu Zhisong, executive deputy director of the management committee, said in an interview with ce.cn: “We have two small goals: one is to invest 200 billion yuan in frontier science and technology industries by the end of this year. The other is to build meeting the needs of modern urban functioning construction.

“We strive to achieve 200 billion yuan in projects started by the end of the year, and make greater contributions to the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta.

“Our production line is very sensitive to vibration (from traffic), so the requirements for the production environment are very high, so as to ensure continuous operation of the equipment,” Zhu added.

Semiconductor production line

Shanghai Jita Semiconductor Co Ltd will be based in the new area. CEO Yin Buhua told reporters that according to the plan, the first phase of project plans is to build a 0.11μm/0.13μm/0.18μm (micron)-process production lines with a monthly capacity of 60,000 8-inch wafers. All kinds of production lines will achieve full mass production this year. It plans to expand the 12-inch special-process production line to a monthly production capacity of 50,000 pieces.

“Our chips are used in automotive electronics, rail transit, smart grid and other fields. After full production, it will become a leading domestic automotive-grade semiconductor production line,” Yin Buhua said.

Wu Qunfeng, director of the Risk Prevention Division, said that the Lingang New Area has signed contracts and plans to implement integrated-circuit projects in the near future with a total investment of nearly 160 billion yuan ($24 billion).

It will build a national integrated-circuit industrial base, with a full supply chain. He said it will be known as the ‘Eastern Core Port,’ and will include aircraft facilities.

Aircraft Park

One portion of the area will be known as the ‘Big Aircraft Park’ to promote the convergence of aviation manufacturing and aviation services, develop final assembly delivery, key facilities, production support, technology research and development, aviation culture and tourism and other industrial fields, and cultivate a world-class aviation industry cluster.

In August this year, the “Lingang New Area Innovative Industry Plan” was released. The industrial development of the new area must not only improve the “quantity”, but also achieve a breakthrough in the “quality” of such zones, officials announced.

On September 7 this year, the commercial entity registration confirmation system was officially implemented in the Lingang New Area Industry-City Integration Zone. It has a range of approximately 386 square kilometres.

As early as last year, this policy was written into the overall plan of the Lingang New Area; in March this year, after the inauguration of the Lingang New Area Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, it was clearly proposed that the reform of the registration confirmation system for commercial entities would be promoted in a coordinated manner.

Now that the policy has been implemented, many entrepreneurs have begun setting up shop. “Lingang is becoming more and more like a complete city,” the general manager of Shanghai CRRC Essendi Marine Equipment Co Ltd said.

The world’s most famous and creative high-tech hub is Silicon Valley, in the southern San Francisco Bay Area of California, which has been the home of many start-ups and global technology companies, such as Apple, Facebook and Google. Whether Lingang New Area can match this in any way, only time will tell. But local officials certainly appear to share that ambition.

The power of digital currencies

Central banks in Europe and elsewhere are finally waking up to the risks that fintech innovations, such as digital currencies and stablecoins, could pose to the traditional banking system and financial stability if they become popular.

With an ever increasing need in reducing morbidity and mortality due to heart attacks and strokes, especially among Indians and Indian Americans, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) joined hands together for the first time for a Global Initiat (ATF) With a clear eye on China, the European Central Bank has sounded the alarm that Europe could lose its very sovereignty, not just its economic autonomy, if it fails to develop a digital euro. The warning is a reminder of how much is at stake politically in the global race for new electronic forms of central bank money.

In a recent report on the pros and cons of a digital euro, the ECB doesn’t actually name China. It doesn’t need to. The Federal Reserve is still studying whether to issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC) while Japan has no immediate plan to do so. China, by contrast, is already conducting advanced trials of its Digital Currency /Electronic Payment (DE/EP).

The ECB says it is examining the idea primarily because people are abandoning cash in favour of fast electronic payments. “It’s simply a matter of making our currency fit for the digital age,” said ECB President Christine Lagarde said when asked by French newspaper Le Monde whether the ECB was mounting a geopolitical response to the emergence of the digital yuan.

That is no doubt true. Central bankers are finally waking up to the risks that fintech innovations pose for the traditional banking system and hence for financial stability. They are also aghast that Facebook’s proposed Libra stablecoin might threaten their monetary monopoly.

But the concerns of the ECB – and of Europe’s politicians – go wider.

Concern over digital currencies

The report notes that if foreign central banks made their digital currencies available outside their jurisdictions, European citizens could switch out of the euro and foreign exchange risk in the euro area would increase. At the same time, instruments like Libra not denominated in euro could become widely used for European retail payments.

“Such developments would foster innovation but could also threaten European financial, economic and, ultimately, political sovereignty,” the ECB says.

This is strong stuff from a central bank. As Philip Middleton and Alastair Ryan put it in a report for BoA Securities: “We can see why a central bank would not particularly fancy this. If European payments were to be dominated by Mark Zuckerberg and Xi Jinping, the ability of the ECB to influence the Eurozone economy would be severely constrained.”

The EU has been half-hearted in the past about deploying the euro as an instrument of political power. The dollar towers over the single currency by every measure, from its share in global central bank reserves to its use in trade invoicing and international bond issuance.

But the ECB report sums up how attitudes are changing: “Euro area leaders recently stressed that a strong international role of the euro is an important factor in reinforcing European economic autonomy.”

Wide acceptance of a means of payment or store of value not denominated in euro could impair the transmission of monetary policy in the euro area and could ultimately affect financial stability, the ECB explains.

‘Digital euro could support sovereignty, stability’

“In such circumstances, issuance of a digital euro could support European sovereignty and stability, in particular in the monetary and financial dimensions,” it says. That word ‘sovereignty’ again.

In case the political motive was still unclear, the report says a cutting-edge digital currency would “preserve the global reputation of the euro” and support its international role.

In a narrow sense, the ECB is worried that widespread use of foreign CBDCs in the euro area would curtail its room for monetary manoeuvre. ECB researchers Massimo Minesso Ferrari, Arnaud Mehi and Livio Stracca posit that it would need to react twice as much to inflation and output in the presence of a CBDC.

But it is left to the less diplomatic Australian Strategic Policy Institute to spell out the geopolitical prizes that China’s DC/EP could deliver for the Communist party, which has a stated aim of challenging the dollar’s global supremacy.

“DC/EP intersects with China’s ambitions to shape global technological and financial standards, for example, through the promotion of RMB internationalisation and fintech standards-setting along sites of the Belt and Road Initiative,” the ASPI said in a report.

Alternative to SWIFT?

In the long term, a successful DC/EP could therefore greatly expand the party-state’s ability to mould economic behaviour well beyond China’s borders. For one thing, it could serve as an alternative to SWIFT, a secure financial messaging service at the core of the global banking system.

Because it has access to SWIFT communications on national security grounds, the US is able to extend the territorial reach of its laws – a source of deep concern to China and many other countries, especially those under international sanctions, such as Iran.

If it could provide a functional alternative to the dollar settlement system, DC/EP would blunt the impact of any sanctions or threats of exclusion both at a country and company level, the ASPI argued.

China thus has a powerful incentive to blaze the digital currency trail. It is well ahead of its rivals. Not until this month did a clutch of leading central banks – but not the People’s Bank of China – agree on what the main features of a CBDC should be.

For its part, the ECB won’t decide until mid-2021 whether even to formally investigate a digital euro project. “The primary motivation is not that others are ahead,” said Fabio Panetta, an ECB Executive Board member who oversaw the ECB’s exploratory report

Risk of bank runs, CBDC costs, volatile capital flows

Indeed, the report is laced with warnings about the potential drawbacks of a CBDC. For instance, euro area citizens could swap their commercial bank deposits for central bank money, undermining the banking system and increasing the risk of bank runs. (This is a reservation shared, incidentally, by BoA’s analysts, who are very wary of the policy costs of running a CBDC.)

The report also speaks of the need to discourage excessive use of the digital euro as an investment to reduce the risk of attracting huge international investment flows: “The design of the digital euro should include specific conditions for access and use by non-euro area residents, to ensure that it does not contribute to excessively volatile capital flows or exchange rates.”

These words of caution may be warranted, but they hardly constitute a ringing call for the euro to sally forth, dethrone the dollar and nip the yuan’s challenge in the bud.

But they will be music to the ears of Chinese policymakers, who are fully aware of the power of currencies. They also know from their own history the advantage of moving first when it comes to currencies. After all, in the 7th century it was China that was the first to use paper money.

(Alan Wheatley is an associate fellow at Chatham House, the London think-tank. He was formerly the global economics correspondent and China economics editor for Reuters.)

NASA Found More Water On the Moon

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterScience & Technology 0

The permanently shadowed craters at the moon’s south pole are both the first and last place lunar astronauts would want to spend their time. The appeal is that they have generous deposits of water ice, a critical resource for any potential lunar base (ice means drinking water, yes, but it also means oxygen that can be used for synthesizing atmosphere and hydrogen for rocket fuel). But then there’s that business of the permanent shadows. It gets awfully cold on an airless body if there’s no sunlight—about -250º C (-418º F), in this case—and working in permanent darkness is no easy business, either.

It would be a lot handier if there were significant amounts of water on what amounts to the more temperate parts of the moon: the near and far sides where any one spot is brilliantly lit for two full weeks out of every month. Well, good news: NASA announced today that it has discovered water in just such a site: Clavius Crater, located between 50 and 75 degrees latitude in the southern lunar hemisphere on the near side of the moon.

“Water is extremely critical for deep space exploration,” said Jacob Bleacher, NASA’s chief scientist for human exploration and operations, at a Monday press conference. “We know that it exists in some of the darkest and coldest craters, so finding it in places that are easier to reach is very helpful for future exploration.”

The new discovery was made by the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a 2.7 meter (9 ft.) telescope mounted inside a retrofitted Boeing 747, which flies at altitudes of 13,700 m (45,000 ft). That’s above 99.9% of atmospheric water vapor—helpful, as even a little vapor blocks some frequencies, leaving earthbound telescopes blind in certain parts of the infrared spectrum. In this case, widening that frequency aperture revealed a lot.

Observatories have previously detected hydrogen’s chemical fingerprint in the lunar “regolith,” or soil. The assumption was that it was in the form of hydroxyl, which is made of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom—a stable molecule that would naturally form in a regolith where oxygen is also present. It was at least theoretically possible that there were two atoms of hydrogen—meaning H2O, or water—but earth-based telescopes can’t detect that. SOFIA can, and over the course of two years of observations, the NASA team hit the molecular jackpot, finding the precise fingerprint of water scattered across Clavius.

But future astronauts may not be able to get at the newly discovered lunar water so easily. For one thing, it’s scarce—about 100 to 400 parts per million, the equivalent of 0.35 liters (12 oz.) of water in a cubic meter of lunar soil. Moreover, the water molecules are not interacting with one another in ways that would produce a discrete quantity of ice or water. Instead, they are formed by violent collisions of micrometeorites. Those collisions provide the heat to convert hydroxyl molecules to water molecules, but those molecules are then entrained within microscopically small glass beads also created by the collisions.

“If the water is trapped in glass beads, it might require too much energy to extract it,” said Bleacher. What’s more, once the molecules are freed, they might disperse or be destroyed. “Are we going to be disruptive to the water to the point that we just can’t use it?” asked Paul Hertz, director of NASA’s astrophysics division.

The scarcity of the water and the difficulty of the extraction might simply drive astronauts back to those shadowed craters—which are currently the target spots for NASA’s plans to have Americans back on the moon by 2024, via the Artemis program. But that doesn’t mean the SOFIA findings are merely of academic value. Finding water in one unexpected lunar site means it could well be in plenty of others. Every place it’s detected simply widens the potential footprint for future human exploration—and even, perhaps, settlement.

(Source: TIME.COM)

British Columbia Elects 8 Indo-Canadians to Assembly

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, India, Politics 0

Eight Indo-Canadians were elected to the 87-member Assembly of Canada’s British Columbia province. There were 27 Indian-origin candidates in the fray in the elections held on Saturday.

All eight winners belong to the ruling New Democratic Party which secured an absolute majority with 55 seats in the 87-member House.

Three of the Indo-Canadian winners are women.

Noted human rights lawyer Aman Singh created history by becoming the first turbaned Sikh MLA in British Columbia even though the province was the first to elect a Punjabi (Moe Sihota) as an MLA in 1986 and a Sikh (Ujjal Dosanjh) as Premier in 2001.

Singh caused a major upset by beating former journalist Jas Johal of the opposition Liberal Party in Richmond-Queensborough.

Most of Indo-Canadian victories came in the Indian-dominated city of Surrey on the outskirts of Vancouver.

Prominent winners include Labour Minister Harry Bains, Deputy Speaker Raj Chouhan, former minister Jinny Sims and parliamentary secretaries Jagrup Brar and Ravi Kahlon.

Bains retained his seat of Surrey-Newton by beating fellow Punjabi Paul Boparai of the Liberal Party.

Bains, who comes from Hardaspur village near Jalandhar, has won this seat since 2005.

Deputy Speaker Raj Chouhan also retained his seat of Burnaby-Edmonds by beating Tript Atwal of the Liberal Party and Iqbal Parekh of the Green Party. Chouhan came to Canada from Punjab as a student in 1973.

Jagrup Brar of the ruling party also retained his seat of Surrey-Fleetwood by trouncing fellow Punjabi Garry Thind of the Liberal Party.

A former Indian basketball player, Brar has now won this seat five times since 2004.

The fifth Indo-Canadian man to win is Ravi Kahlon of the ruling NDP who beat Almora-born Neema Manral of the Green Party and Jet Sunner (Jatinder) of the Liberal Party.

Among the women winners, Jinny Sims (Joginder Kaur) beat fellow Punjabi Dr Gulzar Cheema in the Surrey-Panorama constituency. Born at Pabwan village near Jalandhar, Sims came to Canada at the age of nine.

Rachna Singh of the ruling party retained her Surrey-Green Timbers seat by beating Dilraj Atwal of the Liberal Party.

Nikki Sharma of the ruling NDP won in Vancouver-Hastings.

Indian-origins make up about 10 per cent of the British Columbia population of five million. (IANS)

AAPI Expresses Grief Over the Passing Away of Dr. Mukul Chandra

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

(Chicago, IL: October 24^th, 2020) (Chicago, IL: October 24^th, 2020) “We are deeply saddened and disheartened at the passing away of Dr. Mukul Chandra, a cardiologist and network wellbeing advocate, died on Sunday, October 18th, because of harms brought about by COVID.” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) said here today. Dr.Chandra passed away peacefully at the Cleveland Clinic in the presence of his family on Sunday, October 18, 2020. Dr. Chandra graduated from MS University in Baroda, India, and completed further trainings at SGPGI Lucknow, India; Hadassah University Hospital Ein Kerem – Jerusalem, Israel; and Emory University, Atlanta. He completed his cardiology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch. Dr. Chandra served as Medical Director of Cardiac Preventive Care and Research at And was the Vice Chair of the Cardiovascular Service Line at Miami Valley Hospital. He also was an Assistant Clinical Professor at Wright State University. He was the recipient of the 2008 AHA Distinguished Achievement Award and the Health Care Hero and Innovator of the Year Award from the Dayton Business Journal. Dr. Dr.Mukul S Chandra is yet another physician of Indian Origin who has succumbed to the deadly virus, after a long battle against COVID-19 and related complications. Dr. Chandra is survived by his wife Arti, son Shubham, and daughter Aayushi. “Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your tremendous support through last 7 months. Your support through calls, prayers and positive thoughts have provided great comfort to the family and friends through this difficult journey,” the family acknowledged in a report. The family reported that Dr. Chandra died on Sunday from lasting damages following a COVID-19 diagnosis earlier this year. “He was always thinking of the people of Dayton. Their love supported him and carried him, and all of us, through our hardest months,” Shubham said. “Indian American Physicians are bearing the brunt of this pandemic in the US,” said Dr. Sajani Shah, Chair of AAPI BOT. “Not a day goes by without hearing about many of them getting infected with Coronavirus, and several of them fighting for their life, because of their disproportionate share of the population in the Healthcare field. This pandemic is hitting close to home for me and my colleagues,” Dr. Shah added.Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI, pointed to the fact that “The deadly Corona virus has claimed over a million deaths around the world with the US leading the chart with nearly 212,000 deaths. The pandemic has placed the entire healthcare sector, and in particular the Indian American medical fraternity at the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic.” Dr. Priya Khanna, 43, an Indian American nephrologist died in a New Jersey Hospital. Her father Satyendra Khanna (78), a general surgeon was another Indian American who has sacrificed his life while saving the lives of others. Dr. Ajay Lodha, past president of AAPI is battling for his life with complications from the virus. “We have a proud moment, it is (also) a scary moment; it is a mixed feeling, but this virus is a deadly virus” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI, describing the situation under which the physicians of Indian Origin serving people infected with the virus. “They tend to work disproportionately in areas that are medically underserved like rural and inner city areas taking on a heavier workload with patients who are more ill. We are definitely in the frontline fighting this deadly battle,” against the coronavirus, Reddy said. “Our Indian American Physicians are down in the trenches in the frontline bravely taking care of the sick,” Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Secretary of AAPI pointed out. “Unfortunately, we have had multiple heart-bearing incidents about our physicians that have contracted the disease while performing their duties, several who are on ventilator and in critical condition and some who have succumbed to the disease. However, undaunted, they continue to perform their duties in this time of national crisis.” Expressing hope, Dr. Satheesh Kathula, Treasurer of AAPI says, “AAPI members continue to donate money for AAPI to provide essential personal protective equipment to areas that are in short supply. Finally, AAPI has provided through various channels, spiritual and motivational guidance to our members and their families. We are in this together.” There are about 80,000 practicing Indian American physicians who are at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In addition, there are around 40,000 medical students, residents, and fellows of Indian origin in this country who are supporting many of the hospitals affected by the pandemic. As the family and friends continue to grieve the death of Dr. Mukul Chandra, we are hearing from one of his friends. In a statement, Premier Health said in part, “He was a prolific educator in our Dayton community, and served as a leading spokesperson for the local American Heart Association, always looking for ways to share information about heart health. We realize every day that COVID is so unpredictable, there isn’t an age demographic, there isn’t a race, there isn’t a social-economic status it affects. The Chandra Family had released a statement earlier: “The Chandra family has been overwhelmed by the wonderful outreach from both those in the local community and those around the world who have rallied in their time of great need. They are extremely humbled and thankful for the tireless work of so many. We respectfully ask you refrain from contacting the family or caregivers directly. This will allow us to focus on providing our energy to support the recovery of Dr. Chandra. Thank you for your support, cooperation and understanding.” The family says they are not accepting donations at this time, but they will be asking people to donate to a local organization in lieu of flowers. The wake and funeral services will be held on 10/24/2020, Saturday at 10:30am ET. Please find the zoom link below to join. Date and time: 10/24/2020, 10:30am – 12pm. Zoom link: https://relx.zoom.us/j/95199885485 If unable to login the above Zoom meeting, please watch the service below: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX1rDhDYhGcYgblrvh3I8Gg Donations in lieu of flowers may be sent to Community Health Centers of Dayton, https://www.communityhealthdayton.org

AAPI-AHA Jointly Organize World Restart A Heart Day

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Sudden cardiac arrest is a serious public health crisis costing about 360,000 human lives here alone in the United States. Studies have shown that immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are experiencing a dramatic rise in heart disease. South Asians make up 25 per cent of the world’s population but they contribute 50 percent to global cardiovascular deaths.

Unfortunately 9/10 persons with sudden cardiac arrests do not survive but if rescued by timely CPR before the emergency help arrives, then we can double or triple the chances of recovery. Majority of cardiac arrest patients have underlying coronary disease but for some especially, South Asians, who have this problem could recognize the manifestation of this illness very late.

With an ever increasing need in reducing morbidity and mortality due to heart attacks and strokes, especially among Indians and Indian Americans, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) joined hands together for the first time for a Global Initiative, World Restart A Heart Day with the objective of raising awareness about “Sudden Cardiac Arrest“ and how “Hands Only CPR“ is done at home, thus rescuing and saving the lives of our loved ones on Sunday, October 18, 2020.

Francesca Martinez, representing AHA addressed the event. Panelists at the live virtual session included, Dr. Kapil Pareek, a SCD survivor; Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI; Dr. Brahma Sharma, Cardiologist; and Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI).

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda said this is first time in AAPI history in Association with AHA observe the world restart Heart Day. It’s a total commitment to the joint efforts by AAPI and AHA. “I am very impressed with the energy and strength of the leaders who have taken upon themselves this noble task on creating awareness and educating the physicians and the public on this very serious disease, especially among South Asians in the US. We have the talents, skills, strength and the commitment. Let’s put them to work and help our brethren.”

The World Federation Societies of Anesthesiologists (WFSA), in collaboration with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) runs the “World Restart a Heart Day,” a global campaign on the occasion of World Anesthesia Day. This is a global initiative, started in 2018 to increase the awareness of Bystander-CPR, in addition to increasing the overall Bystander CPR rates.

Dr. Brahma Sharma, a prominent cardiologist, serving as the Chair of the AAPI And AHA Liason Committee on South Asians CVD, said, “For too long, we South Asians have silently suffered from senseless premature death of our loved ones from cardiac arrests in our homes but no more , we have to be proactive so Under this historic AAPI – AHA alliance , we plan to take this initiative of Hands only CPR” to every household so we can feel comfortable to pitch in and rescue these previous lives in first few minutes before help arrives “

During the event, AAPI stressed the importance of Hands Only CPR for bystanders and immediately rescue lives and reduce “Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests. A Hands on only CPR demonstration was led by Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI. “Every family member needs to know how to do “Hands Only CPR” to save a life from sudden Cardiac Arrest!” It’s a day to commemorate the importance of Anesthesia specialty in the medical field with which we are able to make wonders in the medical field, especially the surgical specialties and able to do all complex surgeries successfully today!!

The AAPI-AHA Liaison Committee Advisor Dr. Vemuri S. Murthy, an advocate of Community and Physician Resuscitation Education and Training for more than three decades in USA and India, in a recent interview, shared his thoughts and concerns regarding current status of the out- of- hospital cardiac arrests and diminishing bystander resuscitation help during COVID-19 pandemic. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival. In majority of cases, immediate Hands-only CPR may have similar survival outcomes comparable to the conventional CPR performed with both chest compressions and breaths.

Global evidence-based information has proven that Bystander CPR is life-saving in sudden cardiac arrest. The latter is recognized by sudden collapse of the person without any breathing, pulse or consciousness. It’s important to call 911 first before performing Hands-only CPR. The bystander performing CPR needs to cover the mouth and nose fully with a face mask or cloth. The victim’s mouth and nose must be covered too with a face mask or cloth. Performing Hands-Only CPR involves pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) needs to be utilized as soon as it’s available. This high-quality CPR should be continued by the bystander until the arrival of paramedics. It’s important to follow the Good Samaritan Laws of a particular US State while performing Bystander CPR.

While serving as an umbrella organization for more than 200 member associations nationwide, AAPI was formed to coordinate the efforts of the physicians of Indian origin, currently working in the United States. Headquartered in Chicago, AAPI has come to be recognized as a strong voice in the healthcare legislation and policy arena. For more information on AAPI, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

Focusing Diversity, Biden Campaign Advt in Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi and Gujurati

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Politics, U.S. 0

Joe Biden for President is launching a new digital ad targeting Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in key battleground states highlighting the diversity of the community, and the shared values among AAPI voters.

The new 0:45 spot, titled “The America We Love,” features translations from nine different languages, including Tagalog, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, Gujurati, Hmong, and asks voters in-language to vote early.

The spot — produced in-house by a team of creatives, producers and editors, all of whom are AAPI women — includes messages of unity, family, and values that aim to mobilize AAPI communities to vote in the final stretch of the campaign.

Featuring user-generated content from campaign staff, supporters and others, the ad will run on Youtube and Facebook in nine battleground states including Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.“English is not the primary language for many eligible AAPI voters, so we wanted to speak with them respectfully in their mother tongue,” said Yena Oh, Biden for President Senior Video Editor and Korean-American. “We know how important it is to resonate and engage with our own community where they are — across different platforms using multiple languages.”

The new digital ad is part of a larger paid media campaign targeting AAPI communities launched earlier this month, which includes television, digital, radio, and print ads designed to engage persuadable voters, and mobilize members of the AAPI community in support of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The campaign includes targeted ads in local ethnic media, allowing the campaign to reach AAPI voters, especially those who the campaign may not be able to reach through traditional voter outreach efforts.

The AAPI targeted campaign is currently running nationally on radio, digital and print platforms, as well as platforms in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Biden for President paid media program is active in a total of 16 states — including the above states in addition to Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Ohio.

Biden For President is a broad coalition that is diverse and inclusive. The AAPI Coalition is made up of more than fourteen affinity groups, including AAPI Staffers for Biden, AAPI Veterans and Military Families for Biden, Chinese Americans for Biden, Filipino Americans for Biden, Hmong Americans for Biden, Japanese Americans for Biden, Korean Americans for Biden, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders for Biden, Queer AAPIs for Biden, South Asians for Biden, Taiwanese Americans for Biden, Thai Americans for Biden, Vietnamese Americans for Biden, and Young AAPIs for Biden.

If You Need Indian Visa, Passport Services in New York Region

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The Consulate General of India New York has posted a public notice regarding the change of outsourcing service provider for visa and passport services in New York.

The existing service center of Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) located at 235 West, 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011 for providing outsourcing services for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport and Global Entry Program (GEP) (Website: www.in.ckgs.us) was scheduled to shut down its operations at close of business on October 14, 2020.

According to the public notice, the new service provider, VFS Global will commence its operations from November 02, 2020.

Any applications received after October 16, 2020 at CKGS will be returned to the applicants without processing.

With effect from October 14, 2020 and till VFS Global commences its operations on November 02, 2020, the Consulate General of India, New York will provide services in emergency cases directly. Applicants falling under CGI, New York jurisdiction are advised to follow the instructions given below to avail emergency services.

⦁ Visa: Emergency visa will be issued to the eligible categories allowed to travel to India as per the advisories issued by the Government of India. Applicants for emergency visa may write an email to ⦁ visa.newyork@mea.gov.in or through PRAMIT dashboard available on website www.indiainnewyork.gov.in explaining the exigency, The Consulate thereafter will inform you of the next steps.

⦁ Passport: For emergency passport services, applicants are requested to send an email to: passport.newyork@mea.gov.in or through PRAMIT dashboard available on website: www.indiainnewyork.gov.in. Once the request has been approved by the Consulate, the applicant will be informed of the procedure for initiating application process. The approved applicants may send the completed form by postal mail to Consulate along with return pre-paid envelope for further processing.

⦁ Attestation Services: Miscellaneous Consular services such as Power of Attorney, Birth Certificate, PCC etc. shall be continue to be accepted by postal mail. These can be applied through the following link https://www.indiainnewyork.gov.in/Miscellaneous_general_info_new

⦁ OCI: All OCI services will remain suspended till the new service provider takes over on November 02, 2020.

The government of India has issued new instructions about the re-issuance of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card and has granted extension of renewal time.

The following OCI guidelines have been in force since 2005:

OCI card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is acquired by the

cardholder up to the age of 20 years.

OCI card is required to be re-issued once on acquiring a new passport after

completing 50 years of age.

The Government of India has decided to grant further extension in time till June

30, 2021 to get the OCI cards re-issued in accordance with above guidelines.

Who is an OCI?

According to the Indian government website, the following criteria applies:

A foreign national,

(i) who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after 26th January, 1950; or

(ii) who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26th January, 1950; or

The contact details of VFS Global, service fee details, operational hours, website etc. will be published on Consulate’s website shortly.

In case of any further query, it may please be addressed through PRAMIT dashboard available on www.indiainnewyork.gov.in.

Arrest of Fr. Stan Lourdswamy Condemned Worldwide

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion, India, Politics 0

Major opposition parties in India and the United Nations backed an octogenarian Jesuit priest, jailed for alleged charges of sedition and links with Maoist rebels and demanded his immediate release.

The leaders of the Congress, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Communist Party of India, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), and the Nationalist Congress Party slammed the arrest of 84-year-old activist Father Stan Swamy on Oct. 21. The party leaders also expressed solidarity with the “genuine” work the priest had done among the oppressed tribal people and other marginalized groups.

The sickly priest was arrested at his residence in Ranchi, capital of eastern Jharkhand state, on Oct. 8 night on the grounds of being party to a conspiracy that led to violence at Bhima Koregaon, in western state of Maharashtra, on Jan. 1, 2018, in which one person was killed and several others injured.

The priest denied the allegation and said he had not even visited Bhima Koregaon in his entire life. In a video message before his arrest, he said the National Investigation Agency, the federal agency tasked with combating terror activities, implicated him by manipulating documents in the case for his relentless fight against the exploitation of tribals and other oppressed mainly in Jharkhand.

The priest is among the 16 activists who are now in judicial custody for their opposition to the policies of the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party-led federal government and also the erstwhile BJP government in Jharkhand. Civil rights group People’s Union for Civil Liberties had arranged the virtual press conference in solidarity with Father Stan and others facing trial for the alleged sedition charges.

Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren in his message accused the federal government of trying to silence the voices of marginalized communities.” In a video message, he said, “under the present government, unity, integrity and democratic structures were under attack.”

He also slammed the federal government for “silencing the voices of those speaking for the Adivasis, Dalits and other marginalized groups.” He also deplored the way the government weakened various constitutional offices to advance its hidden agenda.

The BJP is accused of working to turn India into a Hindu theocratic and dictatorial country.

The arrest of someone like Father Swamy crossed all limits, the chief minister said. “He is someone who has been working in Jharkhand for years, in the remote faraway villages, wandering in the jungles, just so that the Adivasis, Dalits and minority populations here could be reached. This is extremely disappointing. Fr Stan (Swamy) is also suffering from many diseases,” Soren said.

“The way Stan Swamy has been arrested today, it could happen to any of us tomorrow – or it could even escalate further to people being killed,” Soren said.

Shashi Tharoor, a former federal minister and senior Congress leader, said Father Swamy deserves “respect and support,” not a jail term. Tharoor said he was convinced that “no Jesuit will indulge in any violence or entice anyone towards violence. This must stop. I appeal to the government to be fair and at least grant him bail. We stand in solidarity with Fr Stan,” he said.

They also demanded repeal of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), under which the priest and other activists are arrested. Leaders such as Sitaram Yechury, general secretary of CPI-M and K Kanimozhi K leader of DMK urged the public to break their silence over the government’s attacks on the rights of the people.

“Every law that this government passed had taken away the rights of the people. It’s time to break the silence,” Kanimozhi exhorted. Calling for repeal of UAPA, Yechury said, “it is prone to gross misuse.” He also said the federal government was working in such a way that it wants to pave the way for a “fascistic, intolerant and authoritarian Hindutva nation.” The Centre, he alleged, is using central agencies to undermine the Constitution, while shielding the real perpetrators of violence.

On Oct. 20 the United Nations too questioned the arrest of Father Stan as well as the human rights record of India. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet issued a statement urging the Indian government to safeguard the rights of human rights defenders and non-governmental organizations.

“More than 1,500 people have reportedly been arrested in relation to the protests, with many charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, a law which has also been widely criticized for its lack of conformity with international human rights standards”, the statement said.

“Most recently, the 83-year-old Catholic priest Stan Swamy, a long-standing activist engaged in defending the rights of marginalized groups, was charged and reportedly remains in detention, despite his poor health”, it noted.

Bachelet urged the Indian government to ensure that “no one else is detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly – and to do its utmost, in law and policy, to protect India’s robust civil society.”

India, however, reacted to the UN strongly saying violations of the law cannot be condoned under the pretext of human rights and a more informed view of the matter was expected of the UN body.

Kevin Rudd is President and Chief Executive Officer Of The Asia Society

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Politics, Profiles 0

New York; October 22, 2020–The Board of Trustees of Asia Society today announced that The Honorable Kevin Rudd, currently President of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), will serve as the institution’s eighth President and CEO. He will succeed Josette Sheeran, who had previously announced her intention to step down from her role at the end of this year. Rudd will continue in his role as President of ASPI and will assume his new position on January 1, 2021.

As ASPI’s first President, Rudd, a distinguished China scholar and leading voice on Asian affairs, has led the institute in aggressively pursuing its mission to find common ground on major policy challenges confronting the Asia Pacific in security, prosperity, sustainability, and the development of common norms and values in the region. From ASPI’s beginning, Rudd has established the institute as a top global think tank in the span of 4 years, ranked in the top 2% of think tanks in the U.S. and the world, with a distinctive voice and place in the global dialogue.

Prior to joining Asia Society, Rudd served as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister (2007-2010, 2013) and as Foreign Minister (2010-2012). He is a fluent Mandarin speaker and leading international authority on China. He began his career as a China scholar, serving as an Australian diplomat in Beijing before entering Australian politics. As Prime Minister, he led Australia’s response during the Global Financial Crisis, seen by the IMF as the most effective stimulus strategy of all member states. Rudd co‑founded the G20 to drive the global response to the crisis.

Rudd succeeds Josette Sheeran who announced she is stepping down after more than seven years as President and CEO of Asia SocietySociety – during which she worked with the Board of Trustees to build the institution into the powerful, global organization it is now.

Over the course of her tenure, Sheeran led a capital campaign that secured more than $100 million to advance Asia Society’s substance, reach, and impact. She also helped launch the Asia Society Policy Institute, and the highly impactful Asia Game Changer Awards; and brought together the institution’s centers around the world into a global, connected Asia Society with a shared vision and brand. Sheeran also led Asia Society’s pivot to innovative global digital programming, outreach, and events.

“We are thrilled that Kevin has accepted the Board’s invitation to take the helm at such a critical moment for the institution. He has peerless experience and institutional knowledge, and we know that he will be an effective partner to the Board and to the global staff of Asia Society,” said John Thornton, Co-Chair, Asia Society Board of Trustees. “We are grateful to Josette for a tremendous seven years at Asia Society. She has broken new ground for us – financially, culturally, and globally – and helped position the institution to move forward with great impact.”

“Kevin is the right leader to help us deliver on our action plan. He is a true statesman and an inspirational leader – widely respected and uniquely experienced. Josette has positioned us well for the future and leaves Kevin with a strong and globally-recognized institution,” said Chan Heng Chee, Co-Chair, Asia Society Board of Trustees.

“I am honored that the Board has chosen me for this important and impactful role. Asia Society today is among the smartest, leading-edge, and distinguished institutions of its kind and I have been lucky to already have played a small part in its success. I am grateful to Josette for her many years of partnership and collaboration and I am eager to continue my work with the incredible global staff at Asia Society,” said The Honorable Kevin Rudd, incoming President and CEO of Asia Society.

“I have known and worked with Kevin for many years – he is a leader dedicated to scholarship, strategy and action to address the world’s most pressing challenges. From the front lines of war, to helping the world navigate the complexities of the US-China relationship, he has the capacity and commitment to help identify urgently needed solutions,” said Josette Sheeran, President and CEO of Asia Society. “The Board could not have made a better or more considered choice than Kevin to carry Asia Society forward. He is the thoughtful and dynamic leader we need for this moment, and I am 100% confident in his future.”

Asia Society is the leading nonpartisan, nonprofit global organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context.

Founded in 1956, Asia Society is an educational institution based in New York with state-of-the-art cultural centers and gallery spaces in Hong Kong and Houston, and offices in Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, San Francisco, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, Washington, D.C., and Zurich.

UN Survives a World Turned Upside Down

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth 0

As the United Nations plans to commemorate its annual UN Day, come October 24, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is presiding over a world body which has remained locked down since last March because of the spreading coronavirus pandemic.

“In a world turned upside down, this General Assembly Hall is among the strangest sights of all,” said Guterres last month, describing the venue of the UN’s highest policy-making body.

At its 75th anniversary last month, the UN resembled a ghost town, with not a single world leader in sight. But an overwhelming majority did address the UN—remotely via video conferencing, for the first time in the history of the 193-member Organization.

Still, the United States was notoriously missing in action (MIA).

“It was like staging Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark,” remarked one delegate, using a Shakespearean metaphor.

The US, which is traditionally given pride of place as host country to the UN, was not represented either by the President, the Secretary of State or the Permanent Representative to the UN (in that pecking order).

The designated speaker for the commemorative meeting was a deputy US Permanent Representative—way done the political hierarchy.

Vijay Prashad, Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, told IPS the United States stands almost alone in its disdain for the UN and for the goals of the UN Charter of 1945.

Disrespect to the UN at the 75th anniversary meeting comes alongside US withdrawal or pledges to withdraw from UNESCO, UNICEF, UNRWA, and the WHO.

Keep in mind, he said, that the US government has sanctioned senior members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), while US unilateral sanctions against countries such as Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela are a violation of international law.

There is no surprise that no senior official came for the anniversary meeting; in fact, it is to be expected, he added.

The United Nations remains one of the most important institutions committed to international peace and development, declared Prashad, author of thirty books, including Washington Bullets, Red Star Over the Third World, The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World and The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South.

Meanwhile, as the lock down continued, the overwhelming majority of over 3,000 staffers at the UN, and its affiliated agencies in New York, are working from home.

Speaking of the 75th anniversary meeting, Barbara Adams, chair of the board of Global Policy Forum and former Chief of Strategic Partnerships and Communications for the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), told IPS: “Yet again people around the world were witnesses to the enormous gap between the well- articulated diagnosis of where we are and what needs to be done not only in the face of COVID-19 but also of pre-existing inequalities, vulnerabilities and multi-dimensional violence.

Could it be, she asked, that the UN has been “captured” as the President of Equatorial Guinea lamented: “We cannot accept [either] that after so many years, the Charter of the UN continues to preserve the primacy of the major powers who trample on the legitimate aspirations of the weak so that they can enjoy the advantages of the UN system.””

Joseph Chamie, a former director of the UN Population Division, and currently an independent consulting demographer, told IPS: “In my opinion I did not hear any significant or noteworthy contributions from world leaders who addressed the meeting.

Their statements were not informative, insightful or inspiring. In brief, their remarks were disappointing and unmemorable, he pointed out.

Chamie said the lofty goals, ideals and accomplishments of the United Nations should have been highlighted and stressed.

During the past 75 years, he argued, the United Nations has accomplished much and contributed greatly to many critical areas, including peace, security, human rights, health, education, women’s equality and development.

“In the next 75 years, the United Nations must promote and expand its essential work for a world population now approaching nearly 8 billion, four times its size when the United Nations was established”.

While many challenges remain, including the current pandemic, this is an opportune time for world leaders to support and strengthen the United Nations and work together on effectively addressing the critical issues of today and tomorrow, said Chamie.

“The spirit, leadership and vision of 1945 can be rekindled and the United Nations revitalized for its indispensable role in the 21st century”, he declared.

The final declaration, which was adopted by the 193 member nations, singled out the UN as the only global organization with the power to bring countries together and give “hope to so many people for a better world and … deliver the future we want.”

https://www.un.org/en/un75

“No other global organization gives hope to so many people for a better world and can deliver the future we want. The urgency for all countries to come together, to fulfil the promise of the nations united, has rarely been greater,” the declaration said.

(By Thalif Deen at IPS)

Mouthwashes, Oral Rinses May Inactivate Human Coronaviruses

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Certain oral antiseptics and mouthwashes may have the ability to inactivate human coronaviruses, according to a Penn State College of Medicine research study. The results indicate that some of these products might be useful for reducing the viral load, or amount of virus, in the mouth after infection and may help to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Craig Meyers, distinguished professor of microbiology and immunology and obstetrics and gynecology, led a group of physicians and scientists who tested several oral and nasopharyngeal rinses in a laboratory setting for their ability to inactivate human coronaviruses, which are similar in structure to SARS-CoV-2. The products evaluated include a 1% solution of baby shampoo, a neti pot, peroxide sore-mouth cleansers and mouthwashes.

The researchers found that several of the nasal and oral rinses had a strong ability to neutralize human coronavirus, which suggests that these products may have the potential to reduce the amount of virus spread by people who are COVID-19 positive.

“While we wait for a vaccine to be developed, methods to reduce transmission are needed,” Meyers said. “The products we tested are readily available and often already part of people’s daily routines.”

Meyers and colleagues used a test to replicate the interaction of the virus in the nasal and oral cavities with the rinses and mouthwashes. Nasal and oral cavities are major points of entry and transmission for human coronaviruses. They treated solutions containing a strain of human coronavirus, which served as a readily available and genetically similar alternative for SARS-CoV-2, with the baby shampoo solutions, various peroxide antiseptic rinses and various brands of mouthwash. They allowed the solutions to interact with the virus for 30 seconds, one minute and two minutes, before diluting the solutions to prevent further virus inactivation. According to Meyers, the outer envelopes of the human coronavirus tested and SARS-CoV-2 are genetically similar so the research team hypothesizes that a similar amount of SARS-CoV-2 may be inactivated upon exposure to the solution.

To measure how much virus was inactivated, the researchers placed the diluted solutions in contact with cultured human cells. They counted how many cells remained alive after a few days of exposure to the viral solution and used that number to calculate the amount of human coronavirus that was inactivated as a result of exposure to the mouthwash or oral rinse that was tested. The results were published in the Journal of Medical Virology.

The 1% baby shampoo solution, which is often used by head and neck doctors to rinse the sinuses, inactivated greater than 99.9% of human coronavirus after a two-minute contact time. Several of the mouthwash and gargle products also were effective at inactivating the infectious virus. Many inactivated greater than 99.9% of virus after only 30 seconds of contact time and some inactivated 99.99% of the virus after 30 seconds.

According to Meyers, the results with mouthwashes are promising and add to the findings of a study showing that certain types of oral rinses could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in similar experimental conditions. In addition to evaluating the solutions at longer contact times, they studied over-the-counter products and nasal rinses that were not evaluated in the other study. Meyers said the next step to expand upon these results is to design and conduct clinical trials that evaluate whether products like mouthwashes can effectively reduce viral load in COVID-19 positive patients.

“People who test positive for COVID-19 and return home to quarantine may possibly transmit the virus to those they live with,” said Meyers, a researcher at Penn State Cancer Institute. “Certain professions including dentists and other health care workers are at a constant risk of exposure. Clinical trials are needed to determine if these products can reduce the amount of virus COVID-positive patients or those with high-risk occupations may spread while talking, coughing or sneezing. Even if the use of these solutions could reduce transmission by 50%, it would have a major impact.”

Future studies may include a continued investigation of products that inactive human coronaviruses and what specific ingredients in the solutions tested inactivate the virus.

Janice Milici, Samina Alam, David Quillen, David Goldenberg and Rena Kass of Penn State College of Medicine and Richard Robison of Brigham Young University also contributed to this research.

The research was supported by funds from Penn State Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences. The researchers declare no conflict of interest.

About Penn State College of Medicine Located on the campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Pa., Penn State College of Medicine boasts a portfolio of nearly $100 million in funded research. Projects range from development of artificial organs and advanced diagnostics to groundbreaking cancer treatments and understanding the fundamental causes of disease. Enrolling its first students in 1967, the College of Medicine has more than 1,700 students and trainees in medicine, nursing, the health professions and biomedical research on its two campuses.

Are climate scientists being too cautious when linking extreme weather to climate change?

In this year of extreme weather events — from devastating West Coast wildfires to tropical Atlantic storms that have exhausted the alphabet — scientists and members of the public are asking when these extreme events can be scientifically linked to climate change.

Dale Durran, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington, argues that climate science need to approach this question in a way similar to how weather forecasters issue warnings for hazardous weather.

In a new paper, published in the October issue of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, he draws on the weather forecasting community’s experience in predicting extreme weather events such as tornadoes, flash floods, high winds and winter storms. If forecasters send out a mistaken alert too often, people will start to ignore them. If they don’t alert for severe events, people will get hurt. How can the atmospheric sciences community find the right balance?

Most current approaches to attributing extreme weather events to global warming, he says, such as the conditions leading to the ongoing Western wildfires, focus on the likelihood of raising a false alarm. Scientists do this by using statistics to estimate the increase in the probability of that event that is attributable to climate change. Those statistical measures are closely related to the “false alarm ratio,” an important metric used to assess the quality of hazardous weather warnings.

But there is a second key metric used to assess the performance of weather forecasters, he argues: The probably that the forecast will correctly warn of events that actually occur, known as the “probability of detection.” The ideal probability of detection score is 100%, while the ideal false-alarm rate would be zero.

Probability of detection has mostly been ignored when it comes to linking extreme events to climate change, he says. Yet both weather forecasting and climate change attribution face a tradeoff between the two. In both weather forecasting and climate-change attribution, calculations in the paper show that raising the thresholds to reduce false alarms produces a much greater drop in the probability of detection.

Drawing on a hypothetical example of a tornado forecaster whose false alarm ratio is zero, but is accompanied by a low probability of detection, he writes that such an “overly cautious tornado forecasting strategy might be argued by some to be smart politics in the context of attributing extreme events to global warming, but it is inconsistent with the way meteorologists warn for a wide range of hazardous weather, and arguably with the way society expects to be warned about threats to property and human life.”

Why does this matter? The paper concludes by noting: “If a forecaster fails to warn for a tornado there may be serious consequences and loss of life, but missing the forecast does not make next year’s tornadoes more severe. On the other hand, every failure to alert the public about those extreme events actually influenced by global warming facilitates the illusion that mankind has time to delay the actions required to address the source of that warming. Because the residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere is many hundreds to thousands of years the cumulative consequences of such errors can have a very long lifetime.”

Thai Chicken Satay with Creamy Chilli-Peanut Dip

October 27, 2020 Staff ReporterAmmu's Hearty Treats 0

This is a very delicious, yet healthy cooked appetiser. This being a great Thai dish, I’m sharing the most simplest authentic recipe all could ever try. How I developed this recipe- Although traditional chicken satay and peanut dip is a very popularly served in most thai/Asian restaurants, I’m pretty sure that not many of you would have tried making chicken satay at home, especially because you were skeptical about making your own creamy chilli peanut dip. So I not only wanted to keep both the recipes simple, but I also wanted the chicken to be tender, perfectly cooked, properly marinated in the right spices and my sauce to be mildly hot, subtly tangy and very creamy. What’s special about this recipe- Juicy tender bite-sized chicken — As I have already mentioned the perfect marinade consisting of turmeric, ginger, garlic ,coconut milk etc.not only contributes to the wonderful Thai flavour, but also tenderises the chicken thighs that were chosen over the commonly used chicken breast pieces for this recipe. And then, char-grilling them slowly renders the thigh fat to the protein making it more scrumptious. Quick and yummy dip- This peanut dip has everything you are looking for to accompany your chicken bites, for it is of finger-licking creamy texture that on itself compliments with the hotness of spicy chillies added to it. What you’ll need- For the chicken satay- 500g Chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder1.5 teaspoons yellow curry powder (refer notes)2 teaspoons of brown sugar or palm sugar 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon grated ginger Half a tablespoon of fish sauce 2 tablespoons of coconut milk 1 tablespoon soy sauce Half a tablespoon of peanut oil or canola oilSalt and pepper as required Water-soaked wooden skewers For the creamy chilli peanut dip- 1.5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter Half a teaspoon of grated ginger Half a teaspoon of minced garlic1 teaspoon of brown sugar or palm sugar1 teaspoon of lime juice Half a tablespoon of roasted peanuts Half a tablespoon of soy sauce Half of a red Thai chilli or 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes 1 tablespoon coconut milk How to make- Marinate the chicken pieces in the ingredients listed below the marinade list from atleast 20 minutes to overnight(refrigerated).Grill them skewered onto pre-soaked wooden sticks, preferably on a girdle over heated charcoal or on a heat girdle-pan, for 5 minutes each on all sides. Pulse the ingredients listed for the dip, until well combined and of right consistency. Notes, tips and suggestions- . Serve your hot chicken skewers alongside some lime wedges and the prepared dip garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander leaves.. If you want your dip to be more towards the runnier side, add a tablespoon more of coconut milk into it .. If you can’t find yellow curry powder in your pantry, you could make your own easily by mixing up the following: half a tablespoon ground coriander seeds, three quarters of a teaspoon of cumin powder, half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper, a quarter teaspoon of chilli powder and a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger.

IAPC Organizes Live Presidential Debate During 7th International Media Conference

October 23, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Social Media, U.S. 0

(New York, NY; October 22, 2020) The Indo-American Press Club (IAPC) organized a live Presidential Debate virtually as part of the 7th annual International Media Conference (IMC-2020) on Sunday, October 18, 2020. Broadcast on several social media platforms, and was attended live by hundreds of IAPC members, supporters, and well-wishers from around the world, the first ever Debate had participation by prominent politicians, academicians, physicians, and community leaders. The panelists from the Republican Party were: Puneet Ahluwalia, Candidate for Lt. Governor, Virginia; Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Republican Delegate to the National Republican Party Convention; and Dr. Anand Tamhankar, a Multi-Disciplinary Expert and a Physician. The Democrats on the Panel were: Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, Candidate for Connecticut State Assembly; Dr. Hetal Gor, a Women’s Leader and OBGYN, NJ; and Anil Bansal, President of Federation of Indian Associations, NY, NJ, CT. The lively debate was moderated by Dr. Renee Mehrra, TV/News Anchor, TV Asia. The participants eloquently and with anecdotes discussed in detail on the differencing policies and perspectives of the Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden and that of the Republican Party, President Trump on the Covid-19 Pandemic, Healthcare Policy and the Affordable care Act, the US Economy, US relationship with India and the rest of the world, with a particular focus on the UN and WHO, Immigration System, Work Visas, and the Indian Americans Awaiting for decades for Green Card approval, and the policies and programs by both the parties on Climate Change. Advocating strongly for the Biden –Harris Ticket, Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox argued that, “As a nation, we are more deeply divided in some ways than we have ever been. We are in need of a leader who will bring us together rather than increase polarization. The rising number of former Republican officials and leading Democrats who support Vice President Biden speaks for itself. Joe Biden is the right kind of unifying candidate–a centrist candidate with the experience to do the job, the ability to rebuild our relationships domestically and abroad, and the leadership to help the United States successfully emerge from the global pandemic.” Anil Bansal made a strong pitch for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Stating that Americans face an epic choice of this election, he said, “Our decency and democracy are at stake. When the president starts behaving like a king, fuels racism and division, and destroys science, we must wake up. Trump has clearly shown in the last four years that he is incompetent and selfish. Mr. Trump lies and cheats and mocks everyone who does not agree with him. Whereas Mr. Biden is a proven leader who is most decent, builds confidence and consensus, and believes in serving the country and its people.” He concluded his argument for the Democratic Party Ticket, Bansal argued that “We owe to our children and future generations to use the power given today and vote for stability, democracy, and bring back the soul of the nation.” In her passionate debate as to why Indian Americans should defeat Trump and support Biden & Harris Ticket in 2020, Dr. Hetal Gor said, “In the past four years, Trump’s policies, actions, and words have all been extremely divisive. He has openly supported White supremacist groups, increased racial divide, and wreaked havoc on the social fabric of the nation. His tax cuts have widened the deficit in turn crowding out productive investment and have increased income inequality within the nation. He is unequivocally against a woman’s right to choice. Internationally, Trump has made even our allies turn their back on us. Trump’s policies have revoked India’s special trade status and levied tariffs on India’s imports. He has restricted Visas to Indian immigrants, falsely claimed that India asked the US to intervene in Kashmir, and mediate dispute with China. He has used Prime Minister Modi for his own personal advantage without doing anything constructive for Indians.” In her argument for supporting Biden, Dr. Gor believes that “the Biden/Harris campaign will work together to restore core American values. They would make sure the US is seen as a country of a respect as they would cut down hate crime, protect houses of worship, restore the American Dream, secure our values as a nation that was built by immigrants by working to eliminate language barriers for all. Furthermore, they have and will continue to honor the contributions of Indians, and will create a safe environment for all children. They will preserve strong alliances with our allies, and strengthen US-India relationship, and supporting India’s membership in a reformed and expanded UN Security Council.” Advocating strongly to re-elect President Trump and the Republican Party candidates around the nation, Puneet Ahluwalia said, “This will ensure that our nation stays the course for unprecedented economic growth. Especially after the pandemic, we need strong committed leadership which fulfills its promises to the American people. Our nation’s economy needs a leader who is pro-business and understands the plight of hard working Americans. Biden will increase taxes and regulations which will further stifle the economy and run businesses and manufacturing out of our country. The Democratic Party leadership is purposely stalling the economy with draconian mandates to harm Republicans this election, which are playing with American lives.” On the international front, Ahluwalia argued that “Only President Trump can take on the threats of China, Iran and Russia along with other external threats around the globe. As proud Americans, we value growth, freedom and opportunity. It is for the very same reason, I have chosen to run for Lt. Governor of Virginia.” According to Dr. Sampat Shivangi, historically US Presidents from the Democratic Party have contributed minimally to the cause of India. “It was Bush who signed the US-India civil nuclear treaty, which stands as a major foreign policy milestone of his presidency.” While Joe Biden has questioned the removal of Article 370 and CAA by Modi Government, President Trump has advanced the friendship between Indian and the US and has opposed the Chinese-Pakistani propaganda in the UN Security Council and proceedings against India on Article 370 and CAA. “It is a known fact that Trump and his Secretary of State went out of the way to support India,” he pointed out. “One has to remember Trump’s statement that India now has its best friend in the White House. It is good to have a friend of India in the White House than its adversary. Now, we the Indian Americans should support a friend of India in the November election as our gratitude towards our motherland.” Dr. Anand Tamhankar argued that “This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make an impact with our votes by helping re-elect President Trump. He has been the most ardent supporter of Modiji’s reforms and the Indian causes, which is in contrast to the open vocal opposition to India and the removal of article 370 and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by Biden-Harris.” According to him, “Trump is the clear choice if you believe in controlled, legal, merit-based immigration versus mass uncontrolled, vote bank politics-based immigration. A border-less America is unsustainable and a big challenge to the safety and security of citizens as can be seen in Europe and countries with extremely liberal immigration policies in the past. “Trump’s re-election means continued prosperity based on low taxation,responsible and free market capitalism vs Democrat’s socialist policies of unsustainable free handouts,” Dr. Anand Tamhankar argued. “Look beyond the political rhetoric and Covid politics, to his administration’s glowing achievements and results in 4 years despite democrat led distractions of Impeachment, Mueller probe and other impediments. Contrast that with 47+ years of Biden in public office with little to show for it. Trump’ re-election at this critical juncture means rule of law and order versus conditions that we see in many democratic controlled cities. Is that the future we want for our next generation in America?” In her closing remarks, Dr. Renee Mehrra, who is well known to the South Asian American community as one of the most prominent broadcast journalists in the tri-state area, said, “The candidate that is compassionate and can heal America, address inequities in education, health, boost the economy, keep our borders safe and secure, bring stability and trust, and where America is respected by the world.. Let that candidate win and be elected as the 46th President of US.”

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Ajay Ghosh, Founder President and a Member of the IAPC BOD and the organizer of the Debate, said, “Indian Americans have come a long way since they started arriving on the shores of the United States in the 1960s, seeking greener pastures. They excel in almost all areas of our life here and are becoming a politically active community across the United States. As the Presidential Elections 2020 draws near, our community is split between the two major political parties. Today’s debate is to educate our community on where each party stands on the most important issues that affect the nation and the world.” IAPC Chairman Dr. Joseph Chalil, while proposing Vote of Thanks, stressed the importance of the media and congratulated IAPC for its contributions to society.

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda Given Excellence in Leadership Award During IAPC’s 7th Annual International Media Conference

October 23, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health, Profiles, Social Media 0

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), was conferred the Excellence in Leadership Award during the 7th annual International Media Conference (IMC 2020) organized by the Indo-American Press Club (IAPC) on 18th 2020. Dr. Jonnalagadda was chosen for the prestigious award by IAPC for his great leadership of AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the US, especially during the Pandemic. In his acceptance speech, Dr. Jonnalagadda, said, “Wanted to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Indo American Press Club for selecting to receive the Excellence in Leadership Award. As you are aware Wanted to congratulate IAPC for your contributions, especially during the Covid pandemic for being the heroic warriors who work hard and go beyond to report accurately of the challenges humanity faces. Thank you all for reporting and sharing the news about the challenges and accomplishments of Indian Americans and in particular those in the Healthcare industry. Congratulations to all of my coawardees.

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda assumed office as the 37^th President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) on Saturday, July 11, 2020, and committed himself to “make AAPI stronger, more vibrant, united, transparent, politically engaged, ensuring active participation of young physicians, increasing membership, and enabling that AAPI’s voice is heard in the corridors of power,” . AAPI is the largest Medical Organization in the United States, representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians and Fellows of Indian origin in the United States, serving the interests of the Indian American physicians in the US and in many ways contributing to the shaping of the healthcare delivery in the US for the past 39 years. “AAPI must be responsive to its members, supportive of the leadership and a true advocate for our mission,” he said. Dr. Jonnalagadda was born in a family of Physicians. His dad was a Professor at a Medical College in India and his mother was a Teacher. He and his siblings aspired to be physicians and dedicate their lives for the greater good of humanity. “I am committed to serving the community and help the needy. That gives me the greatest satisfaction in life,” he said modesty. Ambitious and wanting to achieve greater things in life, Dr. Jonnalagadda has numerous achievements in life. He currently serves as the President of the Medical Staff at the Hospital. And now, “being elected as the President of AAPI is greatest achievement of my life,” As the President of AAPI, the dynamic physician from the state of Andhra Pradesh, wants to “develop a committee to work with children of AAPI members who are interested in medical school, to educate on choosing a school and gaining acceptance; Develop a committee to work with medical residents who are potential AAPI members, to educate on contract negotiation, patient communication, and practice management; Develop a committee to work with AAPI medical students, and to provide proctorship to improve their selection of medical residencies.” Dr. Jonnalagadda wants to emphasize the importance of Legislative Agenda both here in the US and overseas, benefitting the physicians and the people AAPI is committed to serve. According to him, “The growing clout of the physicians of Indian origin in the United States is seen everywhere as several physicians of Indian origin hold critical positions in the healthcare, academic, research and administration across the nation.” He is actively involved with the Indian community and member at large of the Asian Indian Alliance, which actively participates in a bipartisan way to support and fund electoral candidates. His vision for AAPI is to increase the awareness of APPI globally and help its voice heard in the corridors of power. “I would like to see us lobby the US Congress and create an AAPI PAC and advocate for an increase in the number of available Residency Positions and Green Cards to Indian American Physicians so as to help alleviate the shortage of Doctors in the US.” . A Board-Certified Gastroenterologist/Transplant Hepatologist, working in Douglas, GA, Dr. Jonnalagadda is a former Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Georgia. He was the President of Coffee Regional Medical Staff 2018, and had served as the Director of Medical Association of Georgia Board from 2016 onwards. He had served as the President of Georgia Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage 2007-2008, and was the past Chair of Board of Trustees, GAPI. He was the Chairman of the Medical Association of Georgia, IMG Section, and was a Graduate, Georgia Physicians Leadership Academy (advocacy training). “AAPI and the Charitable Foundation has several programs in India. Under my leadership, we will be able to initiate several more program benefitting our motherland, India,” Dr. Jonnalagadda said. The solemn Award Ceremony by IAPC was led by Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Chairman of Parikh Media and an active leader of AAPI. The virtual ceremony was organized, among others, by Dr. Joseph Chalil, IAPC Chairman; Korason Varghese, Award Committee Chair; & Dr. P.V. Baiju, IAPC Board Member. Dr. Vinod K. Shah, Managing Director of MedStar Shah Medical Group, CEO of Health Prime, and former President of AAPI, was conferred with the prestigious Karma Shrestha Award. WHEELS Global Foundation, a charitable initiative by the Indian Institute of Technology alumni, was conferred The Sathkarma Award. Ranjani Saigal, Executive Director of Ekal Vidyalaya, and Dean Nitin Nohria, Dean of Harvard Business School, were given The SathKarma Award. Ambassador Pradeep Kapur, the author of the book Beyond Covid-19 Pandemic and former Ambassador of India to Chile and Cambodia, received the Excellence in Literature Award. Chancellor of the University of California San Diego, Pradeep Khosla, was awarded the Excellence in Technology & Education Award. The Humanitarian Award was given to Dr. Sunil D. Kumar, Broward Health Medical Center, and former President of AKMG. Satish Korpe, the past President of the Indian American Forum for Political Education, and Madhavan B. Nair, former President of FOKANA, received the Community Service Award. Lalit K. Jha, Chief US Correspondent for Press Trust of India (PTI), was given the IAPC Media Excellence Award. The Indo-American Press Club (IAPC), a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organization headquartered in New York, was formed in 2013 with the ideals of providing a common platform to journalists of Indian-origin living in the United States and Canada committed to professionalism and well-being of the larger society. IAPC is also committed to recognize and honor the outstanding entities and individuals in the community that creates a social impact and excel in their field of profession, culture, service, and business.

IAPC’s 7th Annual International Media Conference Held Seminars, Panel Discussions, Presidential Debate, Cultural Programs, Award Ceremony Are Highlights

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Social Media 0

Educational Seminars, Panel Discussions, Presidential Debate, Award Ceremony, and Cultural Extravaganza were some of the major highlights of the 7th annual International Media Conference (IMC 2020) organized by the Indo-American Press Club (IAPC) from October 17th to 18th 2020. Meticulous planning and execution of the IMC, organized virtually due to the ongoing Pandemic, by IAPC’s Board of Directors and the National Executive Committee, was live broadcast on several social media platforms, and was attended by thousands of IAPC members, supporters, and well-wishers from around the world.

Led by IAPC Chairman Dr. Joseph Chalil and President Dr. S.S. Lal, the IMC 2020 was inaugurated by Ms. Shanimol Osman, a legislative assembly member of Kerala, India. Ms. Osman stressed the importance of the media and congratulated IAPC for its contributions to society.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Chalil, while describing the current phase in human history as “unprecedented times for the journalists, who are the true warriors of journalism,” he pointed out that “several media personnel has been killed due to the COVID pandemic, in their efforts to provide accurate and balanced reporting.”

In his Presidential Address, Dr. Lal highlighted the importance of journalists and the need to coordinate and bring together journalists under one umbrella. “And it is the commitment and sacrifice of the leaders and members of this organization that has helped us build collaborations between the journalists and writers of the US and India,” Dr. Lal said.

In his address, Ambassador Pradeep Kapur stressed the importance of the media, especially in these challenging times, as they work hard to bring the truth before the public. While inaugurating the IAPC News Wire, which has been coordinated by Kamlesh Mehta of the South Asian Times, Ambassador T P Sreenivasan, IFS, highlighted Media’s role and how a Newswire can be a channel for educating the public, especially during the Pandemic. The annual Souvenir of IAPC was released by its Editor, Dr. Mathew Joys, a Member of the BOD.

During an interactive seminar on Indo-US Relations by reputed Indian Foreign Service Officers, Ambassador Kapur and Ambassador Sreenivasan, with experiences in Diplomacy and have personally served in various capacities, representing India around the world, especially in the US and at the UN, shared with the audience of their critical insights into the relationship of India with the US, China, Pakistan, and European nations. Chief Information Commissioner Bimal Julka, IAS, inaugurated the Educational Website Portal www.bhudhi.com and addressed the audience. Dr. Aann Abraham served as the Emcee.

A Seminar on “Freedom of Press in India & US” was led by Siddharth Varadarajan, a former editor of the Indian English language national daily, The Hindu, and the founding editor of the Indian digital news portal, The Wire. Azad Jayan moderated, and Dr. Neethu James served as the Emcee. The session on “Cyber Security & Social Media” was led by Joseph Ponnoly & Binosh Bruce and was moderated by Thomas Mathew, Vice Chairman of IAPC, and Kalyani Nair served as the Emcee. The Master Ceremony for the IMS was James Kureekkatil.

Coordinated by Ajay Ghosh, Founder President and a Member of the BOD, for the first time ever, a live US Presidential Election Debate with the active participation of prominent political leaders and observers from both the Democratic and the Republic Parties was organized. The panelists from the Republican Party were: Puneet Ahluwalia, Candidate for Lt. Governor, Virginia; Dr. Sampat Shivangi, Republican Delegate to the National Republican Convention; and Dr. Anand Tamhankar, a Multi-Disciplinary Expert and a Physician. The Democrats on the Panel were: Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, Candidate for Connecticut State Assembly; Dr. Hetal Gor, a Women’s Leader and OBGYN, NJ; and Anil Bansal, President of Federation of Indian Associations, NY, NJ, CT. The lively debate was moderated by Dr. Renee Mehrra, TV/News Anchor, TV Asia.

Facilitation speeches were delivered by Ginsmon P Zacharia, IAPC Founder Chairman; Parveen Chopra, Editor, South Asian Times & IAPC Director; Anitha Naveen, IAPC Vancouver Chapter; Joseph John, President, IAPC Alberta Chapter; Bince Mandapam, President, IAPC, Toronto Chapter; Milly Philip, President, IAPC, Philadelphia Chapter; Sabu Kurian, President, IAPC, Atlanta Chapter; Meena Chittilapally, President, IAPC, Dallas Chapter; and, Dr. Mathew Vyramon, Secretary, IAPC, Houston Chapter. Mini Nair, a Member of BOD, introduced Dr. Lal. A vote of thanks was proposed by Annie Anuvelil, IAPC Secretary

“We strive to educate and help improve the performance of Indian American journalists and those in India by imparting new knowledge and modern trends to the participants,” said Ginsmon Zacharia, founder chairman of IAPC. IAPC General Secretary Biju Chacko said that the Indian community in North America and elsewhere have been very supportive of the activities of our Press Club and have been requested to continue their support for the coming seventh International Media Conference. “Leading media personalities from around the world have been collaborating with IAPC,” said Mathewkutty Easo, Secretary, Board of Directors. “IAPC is committed to connecting, training, and encouraging emerging media professionals through innovative IT windows and platforms.”

IAPC Executive Vice President Annie Koshy said, “Despite the chaos around us, the IAPC has been unflinching in purpose to deliver and meet the needs of the Indian diaspora of journalists based in North America.” National Treasurer Reji Philip said that IAPC leadership and members have been working together for months for the success of the seventh International Media Conference, bringing the significant presence of the media community as done during the last six years. The cultural extravaganza featuring famous artists from Southern Indian Cinema World was presented by Saji Abraham of the Hedges Group.

The Grand Finale, the solemn Award Ceremony, was led by Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh; Dr. Joseph Chalil, IAPC Chairman; Korason Varghese, Award Committee Chair; & Dr. P.V. Baiju, IAPC Board Member. WHEELS Global Foundation, a charitable initiative by the Indian Institute of Technology alumni, was conferred The Sathkarma Award. Dr. Vinod K. Shah, Managing Director of MedStar Shah Medical Group, CEO of Health Prime, and former President of AAPI, was conferred with the prestigious Karma Shrestha Award.

Ranjani Saigal, Executive Director of Ekal Vidyalaya, and Dean Nitin Nohria, Dean of Harvard Business School, were given The SathKarma Award. Ambassador Pradeep Kapur, the author of the book Beyond Covid-19 Pandemic and former Ambassador of India to Chile and Cambodia, received the Excellence in Literature Award.

Chancellor of the University of California San Diego, Pradeep Khosla, was awarded the Excellence in Technology & Education Award. Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), was conferred the Excellence in Leadership Award. The Humanitarian Award was given to Dr. Sunil D. Kumar, Broward Health Medical Center, and former President of AKMG. Satish Korpe, the past President of the Indian American Forum for Political Education, and Madhavan B. Nair, former President of FOKANA, received the Community Service Award. Lalit K. Jha, Chief US Correspondent for Press Trust of India (PTI), was given the IAPC Media Excellence Award.

The Indo-American Press Club (IAPC), a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organization headquartered in New York, was formed in 2013 with the ideals of providing a common platform to journalists of Indian-origin living in the United States and Canada committed to professionalism and well-being of the larger society. IAPC is also committed to recognize and honor the outstanding entities and individuals in the community that creates a social impact and excel in their field of profession, culture, service, and business.

IAPC Confers Lifetime Achievement Award On Karma Shreshta, Dr. Vinod K. Shah By Ajay Ghosh

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth, Profiles 0

Dr. Vinod K Shah, an Eminent Cardiologist, Managing Director of MedStar Shah Medical Group, CEO of Health Prime, and former President of AAPI, was presented with the prestigious Life Time Achievement Award or the “Karma Shreshta Award” during a solemn virtual awards ceremony organized by Indo-American Club (IAPC) during the 7th annual International Media Conference on October 18th, 2020.

Dr. Vinod Shah has spent the past half a century, serving the larger US population, contributing to the Indo-US relations, towards education, transforming healthcare delivery and investing in the growth of the community. His hard work and commitment to noble causes led to the United States House Majority Leader and twenty-term Congressman Steny Hoyer calling Dr. Shah “one of the most decent, honorable and honest men that I have ever met.”

Apart from being a well-known Cardiologist in Southern Maryland and Washington, D.C., Dr. Shah has worked very closely with many community organizations serving as a member of the Rotary Club of Charlotte Hall and board member of St. Mary’s College. As the President of AAPI, he has worked closely and relentlessly with the members of the US Congress to develop and promote Indo-US relations and fight for the rights of foreign medical graduates. An advocate for physicians, his ultimate passion has been to provide the best healthcare for patients with an emphasis on the early detection and prevention of diseases.

A true visionary and reputed for his excellence in healthcare, education, leadership and social services, Dr. Shah received his medical degree from Bombay University, completed his cardiology training at Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Shah moved to rural Southern Maryland 45 years ago with his wife, Dr. Ila Shah, a Pediatrician and his brother, Dr. U.K. Shah, a Gastroenterologist, and together they founded Shah Associates, the largest private multi-specialty practice in Maryland.

Born in 1941 in Ranpur in Gujarat, India, as the eldest of nine siblings in a middle class family, Dr. Shah obtained his medical degree from Bombay University and moved to the United States in 1967. He completed prestigious fellowships in cardiology at the Georgetown University Program at the VA Hospital. He then chose to settle in a small community that was woefully underserved by the healthcare system: as one indicator, the local residents had access to a cardiologist for just four hours a month.

When Dr. Shah arrived to his current home in 1974, the local hospital in rural Southern Maryland did not have one full-time specialist physician dedicated to the residents who lived there. Today, top quality physicians are available to serve the once-underserved population of the County. At 78, Dr. Shah continues to work tirelessly to improve the health and quality of life of the nearly 70% of St. Mary’s County 110,000 residents whose lives he has touched. He sees patients and administers multiple private and public healthcare-related organizations to improve healthcare access to all of Southern Maryland.

Dr. Shah has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to both his adopted country and his country of birth. Since 1981, he has been involved with the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), a professional group with more than 80,000 physicians and 200 chapters which supports practitioners and highlights the distinctive contributions of Indian culture to American medicine. Dr. Shah served as the Legislative Chair, advocating for policies beneficial to both the state of healthcare in the US and to physicians trained in India.

Dr. Shah has consistently used his personal connections with US Lawmakers to advocate for an increase in the number of medical schools and residencies, with the dual goal of improving access to care nationwide and allowing more qualified and deserving graduates, such as those from India, to practice in the US. As the President of AAPI, Dr. Shah facilitated trips to India with both Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and a number of Members of Congress, including the current House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer. In addition to general cultural exchange, Dr. Shah helped bring about the creation of a sister state relationship between Maryland and Maharashtra, with the purpose of encouraging research and investment in life-saving medical technology.

Dr. Shah has been highly involved in both domestic and international aid work, working to establish thirty clinics in the US and seventeen clinics in India to provide primary care for those who cannot afford it. He and his wife, Ila, are active members of Rotary International, through which they have run a dozen outreach missions, providing artificial limbs and surgery for victims of polio. Dr. Shah coordinated a Women’s Wellness project in Kutch from 2012 to 2014, which provided thousands of screenings and hundreds of surgeries. He also organized a Global Health Care Summit in New Delhi in 2009, where representatives of numerous nations shared perspectives on a variety of healthcare initiatives, working together, for example, to support the Indian Ministry of Health in its systematic efforts to combat tuberculosis.

Educated decades ago, Dr. Shah is well-versed in the use of modern technology. “Access to healthcare is a significant problem in the US,” Dr. Sha says, “Utilizing technology, and creating a center of excellence that focuses on data driven processes and procedures has helped to save many lives. I have provided exceptional healthcare to an underserved population. I have created thousands of jobs, and improved the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people. “I have created an outsourced service line that impacts both people in the US as well as in India,” Dr. Sha says.

Towards Indo-US Relations, Dr. Shah says, “I have been instrumental in working with US Lawmakers to bridge relations with India. Having lived in Washington, DC. Region for the last 50 years, I am well acquainted with the need to educate and lobby US lawmakers regarding India. I serve as a liaison to bring an extraordinary relationship between Indian and the United States.”

Philanthropic Giving to both US and Indian educational and medical facilities has been a passion for Dr. Sha and his family. “Through a private foundation my wife and I supported qualified medical students from underserved areas in India,” Dr. Shah says. “Today 60+ students have graduated and are practicing in their medical fields. To help accommodate students, our company’s charitable arm supports the construction of dormitories to house students near Vidyanagar. In addition, through the work of Rotary International, we have raised over a million dollars for multiple matching grant projects in India including polio corrective surgery, cataract surgery, women’s health, and clean water.”

With the help of the physicians among his extended family, Dr. Shah has profoundly enhanced access to medical care for the people of the State of Maryland across the socio-economic spectrum. Dr. Shah used his resources to create a number of state of the art multi-specialty facilities which provide integrated care to thousands of patients. He runs an annual Health and Wellness Fair providing free comprehensive care to indigent patients. Dr. Shah also founded Health Prime International, a company which provides back-office and recordkeeping services to physicians. Not only does the company ease the administrative burden on its physician clients, but it also has created more than 600 jobs in India, and its advanced data analytics allow doctors to better understand their patients’ needs and provide better preventative care.

As the AAPI President, Dr. Shah traveled throughout the country to raise awareness about serving the needs of the US population especially in underserved areas. “My work has led to the creation of jobs, the creation of government policies and procedures to support healthcare, and has assisted Indian medical graduates to obtain medical residency in the US. I have helped to create a competent workforce in medicine that will continue to benefit our patients is thankfully my legacy.”

As the Legislative Chair and AAPI President, “I often visited both Capitol Hill and The Indian Embassy, to promote Indo-US relationship as a goodwill ambassador. I have traveled with US Lawmakers across the US and beyond to introduce them to Indian society, and the strength of Indian Culture. I am confident that my contributions to further the relations between these two nations will lead to a greater understanding of each other and a more united front in the world.”

His literary skills came to be recognized around the world, when he penned the publication of “Antarnaad – Introspection,” created with images of India’s past, present and future with the purpose of educating younger generations in both India and the US as well as US lawmakers as to the strength of democracy. The accompanying documentary film he had produced describes the compelling story of The Golden Era, Islamic Invasion and British India, and was followed by Freedom Movement, Partition, and the Post-Independence India with emphasis on human weakness, corruption, license Raj, and the revolt by the people leading to the Promised Land.
Awards and recognitions came his way as people around the nation recognized his commitment to the lager good of the nation. Hon. Martin O’Malley, Governor of Maryland, appointed Dr. Shah as a member of the Maryland Quality and Safety Commission in Healthcare in 2008. He was award the Outstanding Physician of the Year 2010 by The Council of Rural Maryland for developing health care infrastructure in a physician deprived area. He received the Lifetime Achievement Aware 2015 for Excellence in Healthcare St Mary’s Hospital.

Dr. Shah was recognized by Hon. Steny Hoyer, US House Majority Leader, for outstanding contributions to community in 2007. He was accorded the prestigious Presidential Award, American Association of Physician of Indian Origin in 2019. In 2008, Dr. Shah was given the Paul Harris Fellow Award by the Rotary International, and the Service above Self Award by the Rotary International in 2000. Dr. Shah was given the Presidential Award for Outstanding Humanitarian Service by AAPI at the Global Health Summit, Mumbai, India 2019.

In short, Dr. Vinod K. Shah has shown a boundless dedication to professional, diplomatic, and charitable service both in the United States and in India. He has improved the lives of thousands of physicians and patients, and facilitated momentous policy decisions on the local, national, and international levels. His contributions to the larger society are immense and are an inspiration for generations to be inspired and to emulate.

Indian Americans to the State Houses in the Northeast USA Share Their Personal Stories At GOPIO Interactive Session

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Politics, U.S. 0

Since the initial days immigration from South Asia to the United States in the early 1960s to the present, Indian Americans have steadily grown from a very insignificant minority to the current fast growing and influential community in the United States. They are described as a model minority community for what they have been able to become and achieve in about half a century.

GOPIO chapters in the New York area (Manhattan, New York, Connecticut and Central Jersey) in collaboration with IMPACT Project organized an interactive Zoom session, celebrating Indian American community’s emerging political leaders in the Northeast of the United States on Thursday, October 8th, 2020.

Moderated by Raj Goyle, Former Member of Kansas State Assembly and Co-Founder, IMPACT (New York, NY), the session showcased several Indian American leaders from the Northeast, with the audience from around the United States, on how they developed interest in public service, their challenges and the sense of pride and achievement in what they have accomplished. Describing himself as a pioneer in US politics, Goyle said, “When I had joined politics, I did not know much of politics. I was one of the first to be elected to any State Assembly. And I am proud to be part of the new generation of PIOs/NRIs in politics.” said Goyle.

Raj Goyle began his career in politics following his work as a policy analyst and civil rights attorney. Goyle served two terms in the Kansas House of Representatives, making him the first Asian American elected to office in Kansas’ history. He is currently the CEO of Bodhala, a leading legal technology, and resides in New York City with his wife and two daughters.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Gautam Mukunda at The Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, eloquently educated the audience on the history of universal adult franchise in the US, starting with the “fight by the Black Americans for voting rights in the US.” Stating that he had to learn the rising of the Indian Americans through academics, took the audience down the memory lane, when the 1st Indian American, Dalip Singh Saund to be elected to the US Congress in the 1950s. Referring to the pioneers of Color who had fought for equal rights and freedom, he said, “We could not be where we are today, if they did not fight for equal rights for all. There is no better way than running for office,” he said. Pointing to the many Speakers (Indian American Candidates Running for State Elective Offices in the Northeast of the United States), he said, “Everyone of you gives me hope. People in US believe that Indian Americans are capable of becoming leaders in the nation.”

Connecticut State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, Candidate for CT House of Representatives in the 2nd District shared with the audience as to how he got interested in entering politics, especially through his “commitment to Environment after Hurricane Katrina devastated the nation.” While he had lost the election the first time by 260 votes, did not deter him from contesting again. And he won convincingly the second time he fought the election. “It was the desire to give back to the society that prompted me to enter politics and serve the people,” he said.

New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, a candidate for NY State Senate District 56, said, he is “proud of the community he has come to represent. My constituents sought change and they got the change by electing me.” Stating that there are many forces from outside of his state are pouring in money to unseat him, he urged the community to support him with fund raising efforts. Stating that during his short term in the NY Senate, he has been successful in bringing in much needed funding to serve the diverse needs with several new programs for his constituents.” He urged everyone to VOTE in the upcoming election and make “our voices heard.”

Ohio State Rep. Niraj Antani, a candidate for Ohio State Senate District 6, said, he is the 2nd Indian American ever elected to a statewide office and he is one of the only Republicans of Indian Origin to be elected. “I work hard to reach across the aisle and cooperate with people in both the Parties to legislate.” Sharing his early days and inspiration to enter politics, he said, “My parents worked hard to live the American dream. There is a need for us to be at the decision-making table. Everyone is able to realize the dream. We stand on your shoulders, to carry on the Indian values.” Niraj Antani is serving his third term in the Ohio House of Representatives. He was the youngest Indian American elected official in the United States.

Jeremy Cooney from Rochester, New York, a candidate for NY State Senate District 56, said, “I am from India. I was adopted as a young child. My commitment is to give back to the community.” Cooney added, “I had great opportunity to work for elected officials and grateful for the opportunity to serve. We cannot control the politics of DC but can serve the inclusive NY state.” Born in an Indian orphanage, Jeremy was adopted by a single-mother and grew up in the South Wedge neighborhood of the City of Rochester. After losing his mother to dementia and brain cancer, Jeremy has devoted his career to serving the community that helped raise him from the YMCA to all levels of government. Now Jeremy is running for State Senate to create new and good paying jobs, improve schools and provide access to quality healthcare for all.

New Hampshire State Rep. Latha Mangipudi, who is a candidate for NH House of Representatives 35th District for a 5th Term, shared with the audience about her own life, challenges in becoming a female, non-White elected official from a state which is majority White. “It was a very slow and gradual journey after I had come to the US to pursue higher studies in the 1980s.” Inspired by Gandhiji’s message of non-violence, which Martin Luther and late Rep. John Lewis had imbibed in their public life, the 1st generation Indian American said, “I am a woman, Brown colored, 1st generation Indian and very vocal in expressing my views.”

Rupande Mehta from New Jersey, a candidate for NJ State Senate District 25, said, “I have been working in my community for long, which needs a new leader, who can represents our values of my state and my constituents.” Describing his life as “My story is a story of dreams. Coming from Mumbai, seeking freedom, I am running for office, because representation matters.” If elected she will be the first person of South Asian to be elected from his District. “I am ready to take on the most conservative, who has no regard for public safety,” Mehta added.

NJ State Rep. Raj Mukherji from NJ’s 33rd District said, “My story is simple.” Stating that it is “premature to say we have arrived. Our community’s vote matters. We are proud to be Brown hibernated community.”

Kesha Ram, Burlington, Vermont, a candidate for VT State Senate Chittenden District, shared of the reasons for her entering politics. “I got engaged with the community for long, where we care for each other.” One of the youngest ever to be elected to State Assembly at the age of 21, she said, she had left active politics, and now she is back to run for the Senate seat. “As a daughrer of a Punjabi from India, I remember my Math classes. I try to listen and follow up. Ninety percent of what we communicate is through body language. I strive to make people comfortable,” which helps the Indian American win people’s hearts.

The initiative, The Indian-American Impact Project, has a political action committee appendage — the Indian-American Impact Fund”— and is collectively known as “IMPACT” was founded by Raj Goyle and Deepak Raj, Chairman of Pratham USA and founder of the Raj Center on Indian Economic Policies at Columbia University.

Deepak Raj, on his remarks said, there are as many as 70 Indian Americans are running for office in the upcoming elections around the nation, and the scope has expanded today across the nation. “This is our time,” said Raj. “Across the country, a record number of Indian-Americans are running for office. We can’t leave it to chance that they will win on their own. We owe them our support — and we have a plan to help them run, win, and lead. We are nowhere on the celling yet. We are at an early stage. But I am thrilled to be where we are today. There is lots to be excited about 2020 and beyond.”

GOPIO Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, the coordinator of the event, in his welcome address, underscored the need for Indian Americans to come together and help elect the candidates across the nation, who are standing for election. He assured the support of GOPIO, which has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future.

Shivender Sofat, President of GOPIO Manhattan, concluded the session and proposed vote of thanks wishing all the Indian American candidates success and offered whole hearted support of the Indian American community.

The full video coverage is provided at the Indus TV Global Facebook Link at https://www.facebook.com/IndusTVglobal/videos/334486537836574/.

Teen Anika Chebrolu’s Discovery Will Limit Spike Protein Of The SARS-Cov-2 Virus

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterScience & Technology, Youth 0

The coronavirus has killed more than 1.1 million people globally since China reported its first case to the World Health Organization (WHO) in December 2019. The United States has more than 220,000 deaths, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering.

Anika, an Indian American Teenager, submitted her project when she was in 8th grade — but it wasn’t always going to be focused on finding a cure for Covid-19. Initially, her goal was to use in-silico methods to identify a lead compound that could bind to a protein of the influenza virus.

“After spending so much time researching about pandemics, viruses and drug discovery, it was crazy to think that I was actually living through something like this,” Anika said. “Because of the immense severity of the Covid-19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

3M, in partnership with Discovery Education, Oct. 14 announced that Indian American student Anika Chebrolu won the 2020 Young Scientist Challenge competition. The 13th annual contest called for students in grades 5-to-8 to submit a video demonstrating an innovation that could provide a solution to an everyday problem, according to a news release.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide and was declared a worldwide pandemic and public health emergency earlier this year. With the virus continuing to spread far and wide, there is an urgent need to find an effective anti-coronavirus drug.

In her study, Chebrolu discovered a molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2. Binding and inhibiting this viral protein would potentially stop the virus entry into the cell, creating a viable drug target. In her research, Chebrolu screened millions of small molecules for drug-likeness properties, ADMET properties, and binding affinities against the spike protein using numerous software tools.

The one molecule with the best pharmacological and biological activity towards the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was chosen as the lead molecule that could be a potential drug for the effective treatment of COVID-19, the release notes. For the first time in the history of the competition, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge showcased the top 10 finalist projects and announced this year’s winner in a virtual event, held Oct. 12-13.

Anika Chebrolu’s award winning invention uses in-silico methodology to discover a lead molecule that can selectively bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. “The last two days, I saw that there is a lot of media hype about my project since it involves the SARS-CoV-2 virus and it reflects our collective hopes to end this pandemic as I, like everyone else, wish that we go back to our normal lives soon,” Anika told CNN.

When it comes to iconic sneakers, heck, when it comes to the entire history of footwear, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with a more beloved or influential shoe than the Superstar. Anika said she was inspired to find potential cures to viruses after learning about the 1918 flu pandemi c and finding out how many people die every year in the United States despite annual vaccinations and anti-influenza drugs on the market.

“Anika has an inquisitive mind and used her curiosity to ask questions about a vaccine for Covid-19,” Dr. Cindy Moss, a judge for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, told CNN. “Her work was comprehensive and examined numerous databases. She also developed an understanding of the innovation process and is a masterful communicator. Her willingness to use her time and talent to help make the world a better place gives us all hope.”

Anika, who performs Bharatanatyam, an ancient Indian dance, said winning the prize and title of top young scientist is an honor, but her work isn’t done. Her next goal, she says, is to work alongside scientists and researchers who are fighting to “control the morbidity and mortality” of the pandemic by developing her findings into an actual cure for the virus.

“My effort to find a lead compound to bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus this summer may appear to be a drop in the ocean, but still adds to all these efforts,” she said. “How I develop this molecule further with the help of virologists and drug development specialists will determine the success of these efforts.”

An eighth-grader at Nelson Middle School, Chebrolu at the time of entry, competed against nine other finalists in an interactive virtual competition. Each finalist was evaluated on a series of challenges and the presentation of their completed innovation. These young inventors – aged 12-14 – won the top ten spots in this year’s challenge through their innovative thinking, scientific acumen, and display of exceptional communication skills, the release added.

“Amidst the challenges of a global pandemic, quality STEM education for all has become an even more urgent need, and 3M’s commitment to fostering the next generation of science leaders has never been more determined,” said Denise Rutherford, senior vice president of Corporate Affairs at 3M.

“In spite of challenges, like adjusting to new norms of distance learning and participating in virtual events, this year’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists have smashed through barriers with grit, creativity, innovative thinking, and excitement – all in the name of applying science to improve lives. 3M is inspired by these young innovators and we celebrate each one of them. Our heartfelt congratulations go to this year’s winner, Anika Chebrolu, and our many thanks to all our 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalists,” Rutherford added.

Over the past few months, each 3M Young Scientist Challenge finalist worked with a 3M scientist who played the role of mentor and worked one-on-one with each finalist to transform their idea from concept to physical prototype. Chebrolu was paired with Dr. Mahfuza Ali, a 3M corporate scientist in the materials resource division and a recent Carlton Society inductee.

As part of the program, challenge finalists received a variety of prizes from 3M and Discovery Education. The grand prize winner received a $25,000 cash prize, the prestigious title of “America’s Top Young Scientist,” and a special destination trip. The second and third place winners each received a $1,000 prize and a special destination trip.

In third place, Laasya Acharya, a seventh-grader at Mason Middle School in Mason City School District from Mason, Ohio. The Indian American student utilized a neural network to detect crop diseases through image analysis. The fourth through tenth place winners each receive a $1,000 prize and a $500 excitations gift card.

Among them were Ekansh Mittal from Beaverton, Ore., an eighth-grader at Meadow Park Middle School in the Beaverton School District; Harsha Pillarisetti from San Ramon, Calif., an eighth-grader at Windemere Ranch Middle School in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District; Samhita Pokkunuri from Old Bridge, N.J., a seventh-grader at Carl Sandburg Middle School in the Old Bridge Township Public School District; and Samvrit Rao from Ashburn, Va., a seventh-grader at Stone Hill Middle School in the Loudoun County Public School District.

“Because of the immense severity of the Covid-19 pandemic and the drastic impact it had made on the world in such a short time, I, with the help of my mentor, changed directions to target the SARS-CoV-2 virus.” The teen said she was inspired to find potential cures to viruses after learning about the 1918 flu pandemic and finding out how many people die every year in the United States despite annual vaccinations and anti-influenza drugs on the market. Anika said winning the prize and title of Top Young Scientist is an honor, but her work isn’t done.

Who Will Win An Electoral College Majority In 2020?

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

A big question heading into this cycle was whether Democrats’ best path to winning back the White House ran through the Sun Belt or the Great Lakes (i.e. Rust Belt). While we won’t know for certain which pathway was best for them until the votes are actually counted, the current data shows a pretty clear divide. If former Vice President Joe Biden is to win this election, his best chance probably runs through the Great Lakes.

Two new polls out Sunday morning are demonstrative of a larger trend. Biden was up 51% to 46% in a CBS News/YouGov poll in Wisconsin. CBS News/YouGov also found Biden at 50% to President Donald Trump’s 47% in Arizona, a result well within the margin of error. These polls taken in isolation wouldn’t be that noteworthy, but they speak to the larger aggregate.

Hillary Clinton won contests containing 232 electoral votes. Were Biden to hold the Clinton states (and polls indicate that he probably will), he needs to find an extra 38 electoral votes. Those extra 38 electoral votes are likely to come from the six closest states Trump won in 2016: Arizona (11 electoral votes), Florida (29 electoral votes), Michigan (16 electoral votes), North Carolina (15 electoral votes), Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes) and Wisconsin (10 electoral votes). You can also add in the one electoral vote from Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, which Trump won by just 2 points in 2016.

The 2016 presidential election was a bracing reminder that the presidency is won or lost in the states and not in the national popular vote. Donald Trump lost nationally by 2.9 million votes (2.1% of the total cast) while winning a comfortable Electoral College majority.

Can he repeat this feat in 2020? Yes. Can he do it if he loses the national popular vote by a larger margin than four years ago? Probably not. To win reelection, President Trump will have to reduce Joe Biden’s national vote advantage, which now stands at more than 10 percentage points, by about 8 points during the final two weeks of the campaign, an accomplishment for which there’s no clear precedent in American history. If he falls just short of replicating his 2016 showing, the country could be plunged into a dangerous political and legal struggle combining the worst features of 2000 and 1876.

Having learned their lesson in 2016, when pollsters for various media companies had pretty good estimates of the eventual national vote but did missed significantly in what turned out to be the crucial states, survey researchers are doing more polls with higher quality in the swing states this year. This enables us to gauge with some confidence the current situation in the 13 states that could conceivably swing into either party’s column, either now or at some point in 2020.

Table 1: Biden lead in swing states

State	Biden lead (deficit) [Percentage points]
Arizona	3.8
Florida	4.1
Georgia	1.2
Iowa	0.2
Michigan	7.5
Minnesota	9.1
Nevada	6.5
New Hampshire	11.5
North Carolina	3.1
Ohio	(0.1)
Pennsylvania	6.9
Texas	(1.4)
Wisconsin	7.7

Source: FiveThirtyEight

As of now, Joe Biden leads in 11 of these 13 states. By contrast, Donald Trump won ten of them in 2016 and Hillary Clinton only three (New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Nevada). Of these three states, Biden’s lead in New Hampshire and Minnesota is too large to surmount, barring a political earthquake. Trump has an outside chance to prevail in only one Clinton state—Nevada—and to do so, he would have to improve his current standing substantially.

Looking at the current swing state polling against the backdrop of the national popular vote average enables us to project four possible scenarios.

Scenario 1. Trump cuts Biden’s lead in half

Suppose that the non-stop live-event campaign the Trump team has planned cuts Joe Biden’s lead in half, from 10 points to 5. In this scenario, Trump would win the two states where he currently leads—Ohio and Texas—and would pick up Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and North Carolina. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Nevada would remain in the Biden column. President Trump would win 258 electoral votes, 12 short of a majority.

Scenario 2. Trump cuts Biden’s lead to 4 points

Suppose President Trump does even better, cutting Biden’s popular vote lead to just 4 points. It turns out that this would have no effect on Electoral College outcome, because Biden would still carry the three midwestern “Blue Wall” states plus Nevada.

Scenario 3. Trump cuts Biden’s lead to 2 points

Suppose President Trump’s campaign is so effective that he cuts Biden’s popular vote margin to just 2 points, replicating the 2016 results. In this event, Trump would carry all the states he won in 2016 plus Nevada—a total of 312 electoral votes.

Scenario 4: The nightmare

Suppose President Trump cuts Biden’s lead to 3 points. Although Nevada probably would fall into his hands, Pennsylvania would be too close to call. In this event, the state that most observers believe has the highest potential for electoral delays and snafus in counting mail-in ballots would determine the outcome of the race. This would all but guarantee a replay of the Florida controversy in 2000 that ended with Bush v. Gore, but with a much higher level of partisan polarization, more intense divisions over the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, and heightened threats of civil disorder. While it may not reach the level of rancor following the disputed 1876 election—when the post-Civil War Reconstruction era came to its bitter end—it could make the disputed 2000 election look tame by comparison.

There’s an obvious objection to my analysis: I’ve assumed that shifts in the national popular vote would be evenly distributed across the states. Isn’t it possible that the swing states might diverge significantly from the national average?

While no one can rule this out, there’s important evidence to the contrary. The 4.3 percentage-point reduction in President Trump’s support between 2016 and today has been distributed remarkably evenly among the swing states, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2

State	Trump 2016	Trump 2020	Difference
Arizona	48.7	45.2	3.5
Florida	49.0	45.1	3.9
Georgia	50.8	46.6	4.2
Iowa	51.2	47.5	3.7
Michigan	47.5	42.8	4.7
Minnesota	44.9	41.7	3.2
Nevada	46.0	43.2	2.8
New Hampshire	46.6	42.2	4.4
North Carolina	49.8	45.9	3.9
Ohio	51.7	47.1	4.6
Pennsylvania	48.2	44.0	4.2
Texas	52.2	48.5	3.7
Wisconsin	47.2	43.1	4.1

Sources: State Secretaries of State; FiveThirtyEight

The bottom line: with only one outlier (Nevada), the change in President Trump’s support between 2016 and 2020 has been remarkably uniform, both among the swing states and between those states and the rest of the country. Although the electoral college results will be determined by the individual states, the 2020 election is being shaped much more by national factors than by differences among the states. The implication is that President Trump will not be able to overcome Joe Biden’s current Electoral College lead, which is substantial, unless he can reduce Biden’s national popular vote advantage to roughly the 2-point difference of 2016. The worst-case outcome is that Trump gets close to this result without equaling it, leaving the outcome of the election in doubt and throwing the country into chaos under highly adverse circumstance

An examination of the demographic voting patterns in the last few cycles and national polls indicate that Biden’s relative strength in the Great Lakes makes a lot of sense.

Remember that Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin formed part of what was deemed “the blue wall” heading into the 2016 election. All three states had voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1992.

Trump was able to break through that blue wall because of his strength among White voters without a college degree. These voters make up about 50% or more of the voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. They make up a significantly lower percentage in the Sun Belt, which is more racially diverse.

And if you still don’t believe the polls, just look at the results in 2018 and the actions of the Biden campaign. House Democrats did significantly better in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin than in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina. They also won the governorship and Senate races in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in 2018.

There’s a reason why Biden based his campaign in Philadelphia and has been outspending Trump by factors of greater than 2:1 in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

For Trump to win, he’ll probably need to knock down the big blue wall again. If he can’t, Biden’s probably the next president

What Will Sway Indian American Voters: Biden-Harris Ticket? Or, Trump-Modi Ties?

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Politics, U.S. 0

A new poll has revealed that Indian-American voters were unlikely to be swayed by either Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden’s selection of Indian-origin Kamala Harris as his running mate or the relationship between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 2020 Indian American Attitudes Survey (IAAS) has also revealed that significant attention is also being paid to the community because of an emerging narrative that Trump-Modi friendship, “compounded by concerns over how a Biden administration might manage US-India ties, will push Indian-Americans to abandon the Democratic Party in droves”, the American Bazaar reported on Wednesday.

Presently, the Indian-American community makes up for less than 1 per cent of all registered voters in the US. The data further showed that Indian-Americans continue to be strongly attached to the Democratic Party, with little indication of a shift towards the Republican Party.

In addition, Indian-Americans view US-India relations as a low priority issue in this electoral cycle, and focusing more on national issues such as healthcare and economy. According to the poll, 72 per cent of registered Indian-American voters plan to vote for Biden and 22 per cent for Trump in the November 3 election.

The survey has also found that 64 per cent of respondents who identify as Independents (about one-eighth of all Indian-American voters) will back Biden, while 22 per cent intend to vote for Trump. Meanwhile, a smaller percentage of Indian-Americans who voted for Trump in 2016 (68 per cent) plan to support him again in 2020, the American Bazaar reported.

According to the poll, four demographics stand out in the Indian-Americans’ presidential vote choice — first, there was no linear relationship between age and vote choice.

Seventy-five per cent of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 intend to vote for Biden.

Second, Indians of all religious faiths prefer Biden to Trump.

Third, support for Biden is greater among US-born citizens (71 per cent) than naturalized citizens (66 per cent), and fourth, the community’s attitude does not exhibit a strong gender gap, in contrast to the US population as a whole.

During the 2016 election campaign around this time, then-candidate Donald Trump addressed a large, glamorous rally of thousands of cheering Hindus, the first time a US presidential candidate reached out to the followers of the faith. But this time there won’t be such an event.

The Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC), which organized the event on October 15, 2016, in New Jersey, is scaling back its campaign for Trump and will not hold events for him unless he gives an assurance on immigration reform, according to its founder Shalabh Kumar. Kumar told IANS that he and the group’s members would continue to support Trump and urge Hindus to vote for him, but will not hold any campaign events like the one in 2016 which was attended by over 8,000 people.

In the US, electioneering based on religious appeal is legal and common at all levels. “We are asking all our members to support Trump in their individual capacity to vote for Trump and for Republicans in general,” Kumar said.

The Trump campaign, meanwhile, has launched an outreach under its own umbrella called the ‘Hindu Voices for Trump’, as part of a multi-pronged drive that also separately targets Sikhs, Muslims and Indian-Americans in general.

For the first time, Democrats have also reached out to members of the religion with a “Hindus for Biden” initiative spearheaded by Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House of Representatives. In the past, the Democrats’ explicit outreach had been to religions like Islam and Judaism and excluded Hinduism.

While Trump speaks of merit-based immigration there are about a million people caught up in the Green Card backlog and “they are in great pain”, he said. The RHC wants a commitment from Trump that he would introduce a system of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that would allow people waiting for five or more years for their Green Cards to indefinitely work and live in the US till their numbers come up for it, he said.

According to Republican Senator Mike Lee’s estimate, the backlog is so bad that for some Indians the wait could take 195 years for a Green Card, which gives permanent immigrant status and puts the recipients in the pipeline to full citizenship. The EAD would be a bridge to Green Card pending immigration reforms to clear the backlog, Kumar said.

A new poll has revealed that Indian-Americans overwhelmingly support the Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for the November 3 election with “great enthusiasm”, generated by having Kamala Harris as the Vice Presidential candidate.

The poll released on Thursday reported that 72 per cent of registered Indian-American voters said that they planned to vote for the Biden-Harris ticket and only 22 per cent for President Donald Trump. The poll showed a slight erosion of five per cent in support to Biden among Indian-Americans compared to the 77 per cent Hillary Clinton had received from them in 2016, according to the 2016 Post-Election National Asian American Survey, while Trump seemed to have improved his support level by six per cent compared to the 16 per cent in the last election.

But despite the small numbers, the community’s support is avidly sought by both parties. “Even though Indian Americans comprise slightly more than one per cent of the total US population e and less than one per cent of all registered voters e both major parties are leaving no stone unturned in reaching out to this community (perhaps mindful of the closeness of the 2016 elections),” according to the Carnegies analysis of the IAAS poll.

18th Annual SF International South Asian Film Festival to Pay Homage to Irrfan Khan

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

3rd i Films announced that from Oct. 23 through Oct. 25, it will hold its 18th annual San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival by way of a virtual event. From art-house classics to documentaries, from innovative and experimental visions to cutting-edge Bollywood, 3rd i Films is committed to promoting diverse images of South Asians through independent film, the company said in a news release. To keep connected and support the South Asian community, 3rd i’s film festival, “Bollywood and Beyond,” will be offered for free this year as a completely virtual experience.

Festival attendees can access scheduled screenings and filmmaker discussions from the safety of their homes, after registering online. The three-day festival will screen a select program of narrative features and shorts by independent filmmakers from South Asia and its diaspora, including stories from India, South Africa and the Pakistani and Sikh communities in the U.S., the release notes.

This year’s festival presents an homage to one of the greats of Indian cinema, Irrfan Khan, who lost his battle with cancer in early 2020. Khan made the crossover from Bollywood films to international acclaim, starring in some of the most memorable films of the last few decades, including “The Lunchbox,” “The Namesake,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Spiderman,” “Life of Pi,” “The Warrior,” “Paan Singh Tomar” and “Maqbool,” the film company notes.

For this year’s festival, 3rd i Films brings back “Road to Ladakh” (which premiered at 3rd i’s inaugural festival in 2003) – a sensual suspenseful love story revolving around an encounter between two strangers thrown together by chance into the magnificent wilderness of Ladakh, near the borders of India and Pakistan.

Ladakh has recently been in the news as it was annexed by India’s central government after having been an independent union territory since the country’s independence, noted the release. A post-screening discussion will follow with Oscar nominee director Ashvin Kumar. It is free with registration, the release added.

Another film from the 3rd i archives this year is Avie Luthra’s “Lucky,” a narrative based on a short of the same name, which was nominated for an Oscar award in 2005. 3rd i has been bringing Bay Area audiences some of the best indie narratives on the circuit for nearly two decades, and this year is no different in that regard, the release said.

In this year’s offering, a crossword puzzle master and a young student develop a “cat and mouse” relationship in an enigmatic and engrossing psychological thriller set against the stunning locales of the hill-station Darjeeling.

“Knock, Knock, Knock” (2019) is the latest film from the director of “Love” (which 3rd i copresented at Frameline41), debuting at the Busan International Film Festival 2019. In addition to winning Best Screenplay at the New York Indian Film Festival, it has received the Gold Remi at WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, a prize previously awarded to Stephen Spielberg, Ang Lee and the Coen Brothers.

A post-screening discussion will follow with director Sudhanshu Saria, free with registration, the film company adds. 3rd i’s spotlight on performing artists focuses on two who have been honing their craft with our audiences for years, and are now at the peak of their form.

Queer actress, director, and creator Fawzia Mirza was born in Canada, but now calls the U.S. her home, and uses comedy to tackle divisive stereotypes. She has been hailed a White House “Champion of Change” in Asian American Art & Storytelling, a “Top 10 Creative” (Indiewire), and “10 Filmmakers to Watch” (Independent Magazine).

The 3rd i evening ‘Levity and Artivism’ with Fawzia Mirza will showcase her short films from 2012-2019 including “Queen of My Dreams” (2012) and “I Know Her” (2019), which recently made the rounds of the Cannes Film Festival.

Additionally, the second performing artist, Seti X, will present “Word to Your Motherland,” a short film followed by a performance by the co-founder of Slumgods, India’s first All Hip-Hop Collective, and a 3rd i artist alum.

Born in Los Angeles, Seti X has toured internationally representing South Asian American Hip-Hop, sharing the stage with the likes of Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Public Enemy, Ziggy Marley and more. He has appeared on CNN’s Emmy Award winning show, “United Shades of America,” with W. Kamau Bell. Seti X will explore the trajectory of artists who have pioneered this space, as well as the current musical landscapes of South Asian American artists reclaiming their culture and expressing themselves through Hip-Hop Music.

More information about the festival is available on their website at: www.thirdi.org

Manushi Chillar Is Adidas Brand Ambassador

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Women 0

The winner of Miss World 2017 and Bollywood debutant Manushi Chhillar has been roped in by fitness and sportswear brand Adidas as its female brand ambassador. Manushi’s association with the brand is her first global brand endorsement deal.

Commenting on the association, she said: “I’m super excited to be a part of the Adidas family. It is an honour to be a part of a legacy brand like Adidas that is synonymous to anything related to sports and fitness. To be among some of the global titans of the sports and entertainment industry, as the brand ambassador for India, is a huge moment for me that I will cherish forever.”

The model and actress is all set to debut opposite Akshay Kumar in the magnum opus “Prithviraj”. Directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, “Prithviraj” is based on the life of king Prithviraj Chauhan. It stars Akshay as Prithviraj, while Manushi will play the role of the Sanyogita, the love of his life.

Chhillar has joined the league of star cricketer Rohit Sharma, sprint sensation Hima Das and Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador of the Indian arm of German sports brand Adidas. The footwear giant said Chillar will lead Adidas’s mission to inspire more women to embrace fitness.

With this, Chhillar joins a powerful roster of Adidas ambassadors, including Ranveer Singh, Rohit Sharma, Hima Das and over 20 other top athletes and youth icons who are redefining India’s sporting and fitness culture, the company said in a press relese.

Chhillar will join the #HOMETEAMHERO Challenge, a campaign that supports the WHO COVID-19 Response Fund, to inspire people across the globe, including India, to stay physically and mentally fit.

“Amidst COVID-19 lockdown, when thousands are looking for inspiration, adidas has been leading the charge with #HOMETEAMHERO Challenge — inspiring more people every single day to stay physically and mentally fit. Joining adidas in this endeavour is fitness enthusiast and former Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar,” a release said.

“Announced as a brand ambassador today, Manushi will be front-running Adidas’ mission to inspire more women to embrace fitness, whilst creating a positive social impact through the power of sport,” the company said.

Adidas said it will donate $1 for every hour of fitness activity clocked on the Adidas Running and Adidas Training apps till 7 June.

Speaking on the development, Chhillar said, “I have always been into fitness so to represent Adidas is a dream come true.”

“I resonate with Adidas when it comes to being change makers and our aim together is to use the platform of sport to inspire people and drive positive change, whether it is to inspire women, drive sustainability, or encourage kids to take up sport. I’m so excited to train in my new gear which I’ve just ordered from the Adidas website.”

Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) renewal date extended

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

New York – Instructions about re-issuance of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card

The following OCI guidelines have been in force since 2005:

OCI card is required to be re-issued each time a new passport is acquired by the
cardholder up to the age of 20 years.
OCI card is required to be re-issued once on acquiring a new passport after
completing 50 years of age.

2. The Government of India has decided to grant further extension in time till December 30, 2020 to get the OCI cards re-issued in accordance with the above guidelines.
For latest information please visit Consulate’s website: www.indiainnewyork.gov.in

3.It is, however, advised that OCI cardholders renew their OCI cards as per the

above mentioned guidelines.

More information on https://pramit.indiainnewyork.gov.in/

Antiviral Drug Remdesivir Proves Ineffective In Treating Covid-19, WHO Study Finds

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

The antiviral drug remdesivir had little or no effect in treating patients hospitalized with Covid-19, according to a study that has not yet been peer reviewed, but was coordinated by the World Health Organization and released on Thursday, casting doubt on one of the few promising treatments for the coronavirus.

Key Facts

Deeming it “the world’s largest randomized control trial on Covid-19 therapeutics,” the six-month long study of four drugs—remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir and interferon—proved “unpromising.”

“The main outcomes of mortality, initiation of ventilation and hospitalization duration were not clearly reduced by any study drug,” the study reads.

Over 11,000 adults across 30 countries and 405 hospitals were studied to come to these results.

Regimens involving the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine have already been proven ineffective, but remdesivir appeared to be one of the few therapies to prove effective in combating Covid-19 symptoms.

The WHO’s results come just a week after a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that found remdesivir shortened the time of recovery for adults hospitalized with Covid-19.

President Trump, who contracted Covid-19 and spent time at Walter Reed hospital upon suffering from symptoms, was administered remdesivir as part of his treatment.

Key Background

Remdesivir is the only specific drug with an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. A vaccine for Covid-19 isn’t expected for approval until the end of the year, and even then, it will take months before there’s enough widespread distribution. Several countries like France are experiencing record daily case numbers in October. The United States continues to be the hardest hit. Despite having 4% of the world’s population, the country owns nearly 21% of all cases with almost 8 million and 20% of global deaths with around 218,000.

UN Empresses dismayed at restrictions on Human Rights, NGOs and arrests of activists in India

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics 0

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday appealed to the Government of India to safeguard the rights of human rights defenders and NGOs, and their ability to carry out their crucial work on behalf of the many groups they represent. Bachelet expressed regret at the tightening of space for human rights NGOs in particular, including by the application of vaguely worded laws that constrain NGOs’ activities and restrict foreign funding.

“India has long had a strong civil society, which has been at the forefront of groundbreaking human rights advocacy within the country and globally,” the High Commissioner said. “But I am concerned that vaguely defined laws are increasingly being used to stifle these voices.”

Bachelet cited as worrying the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which a number of UN human rights bodies* have also expressed concern is vaguely worded and overbroad in its objective. The Act prohibits the receipt of foreign funds “for any activities prejudicial to the public interest.”

The Act, which was adopted in 2010 and was amended last month, has had a detrimental impact on the right to freedom of association and expression of human rights NGOs, and as a result on their ability to serve as effective advocates to protect and promote human rights in India. It is expected that the new amendments will create even more administrative and practical hurdles for such advocacy-based NGOs. Most recently, Amnesty International was compelled to close its offices in India after its bank accounts were frozen over alleged violation of the FCRA.

“The FCRA has been invoked over the years to justify an array of highly intrusive measures, ranging from official raids on NGO offices and freezing of bank accounts, to suspension or cancellation of registration, including of civil society organizations that have engaged with UN human rights bodies,” Bachelet said.

“I am concerned that such actions based on the grounds of vaguely defined ‘public interest’ leave this law open to abuse, and that it is indeed actually being used to deter or punish NGOs for human rights reporting and advocacy that the authorities perceive as critical in nature. Constructive criticism is the lifeblood of democracy. Even if the authorities find it uncomfortable, it should never be criminalized or outlawed in this way.”

The UN Human Rights Committee – which oversees implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which India is a party – has found** that when a State invokes national security and protection of public order as a reason to restrict the right to freedom of association, the State party must show the specific nature of the threat or risks posed, and limit its responses to those necessary and proportionate to address such threat or risks.

Activists and human rights defenders have also come under mounting pressure in recent months, particularly because of their engagement in mass protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act that took place across the country earlier this year. More than 1,500 people have reportedly been arrested in relation to the protests, with many charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act – a law which has also been widely criticized for its lack of conformity with international human rights standards.

Charges have also been filed under this law against a number of individuals in connection with demonstrations that date back to 2018. Most recently, the 83-year-old Catholic priest Stan Swamy, a long-standing activist engaged in defending the rights of marginalized groups, was charged and reportedly remains in detention, despite his poor health.

“I urge the Government to ensure that no one else is detained for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly – and to do its utmost, in law and policy, to protect India’s robust civil society,” the High Commissioner said. “I also urge the authorities to carefully review the FCRA for its compliance with international human rights standards and to release people charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for simply exercising basic human rights that India is obligated to protect.”

Earlier this year, in a welcome development for advocacy-based NGOs, India’s Supreme Court significantly narrowed the definition of what constitutes a “political activity” under the FCRA. “I encourage India’s national institutions to strengthen the social and legal protections that enable civil society to function freely and contribute to progress,” the High Commissioner said.

Bachelet said the UN Human Rights Office would continue to closely engage with the Government of India on issues relating to the promotion and protection of human rights, and will also continue to monitor developments that positively and negatively affect civic space and fundamental rights and freedoms.

NASA and Nokia are putting a 4G network on the moon

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness, Science & Technology 0

If you’re unable to get a cell phone signal when you walk your dog around the block, this will really make your blood boil: NASA is putting a 4G network on the moon.

To reach its 2028 goal to build a lunar base and eventually sustain a human presence on the moon, NASA awarded $370 million to over a dozen companies to deploy technology on the lunar surface. Those innovations include remote power generation, cryogenic freezing, robotics, safer landing … and 4G. Because how else will astronauts tweet their moon golf shots and lunar rover selfies?

NASA says 4G could provide more reliable, longer-distance communication than the current radio standards in place on the moon. Like on Earth, the 4G network will eventually be upgraded to 5G. Nokia’s (NOK) Bell Labs was granted $14.1 million for the project. Bell Labs, formerly operated by AT&T, will partner with spaceflight engineering company Intuitive Machines to build out the 4G-LTE network.

It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when work shoes were work shoes, sports shoes were sports shoes and leisure shoes were leisure shoes. Those lines were never crossed.

John Oliver jokes about CNN parent company AT&T (T) aside, 4G will probably work better on the moon than it does here — it won’t have any trees, buildings or TV signals to interfere with the 4G signal. The moon’s cellular network will also be specially designed to withstand the particularities of the lunar surface: extreme temperature, radiation and space’s vacuum. It will also stay functional during lunar landings and launches, even though rockets significantly vibrate the moon’s surface.

Bell Labs said astronauts will use its wireless network for data transmission, controlling of lunar rovers, real-time navigation over lunar geography (think Google Maps for the moon), and streaming of high-definition video. That could give us stuck on Earth a much better shot of astronauts bouncing around on the lunar surface: Buzz Aldrin was a great cameraman, but he didn’t have an iPhone.

The 4G network on Earth is supported by giant cell towers with enormous power generators and radios. But Bell Labs helped create small cell technology that’s more limited in range but uses far less power than traditional cell towers and is significantly easier to pack into a rocket ship. That small cell tech is currently being deployed for 5G networks across the world.

Tools for Human Empowerment through Dharma

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

On October 1, the Vedic Friends Association (VFA) hosted their 2.0 Launch Event, “Tools for Human Empowerment – a Yogic Perspective”. It was a first of its kind virtual presentation via Zoom and Facebook Live, highlighting their continued commitment “to present, preserve, protect and promote the principles and practices of Universal Dharma”. The event was well attended globally as renowned scholars shared the mission behind VFA and their vision for the future.

The event was co-hosted by Anjali Nagrani, the Joint Secretary of VFA, and the current President, Benny Tillman (Balabhadra Bhattacharya Dasa) who gave the opening remarks, expressing his delight to the panelists for their participation and to the audience for their anticipation of the upcoming discovery of spiritual tools everyone could avail themselves of to empower them for facing the future.

VFA’s founding President and current Co-Chairman, Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana Dasa) was the first speaker. He shared a brief historical overview of VFA and its progress to the present day, stressing the fact that adopting a Vedic culture could help individuals to develop their highest potential towards leading a fulfilling life. Initially, VFA’s focus was on western audiences but he soon discovered on visits to India, that Indian audiences too, needed guidance in how to preserve their own culture; particularly given the threats from political and religious elements and the influence of western materialism on younger generations.

Our second speaker was Jeffrey Armstrong (Kavindra Rishi), Co-Founder and the current Co-Chairman of VFA. He eloquently mentioned how much Vedic wisdom emerging from India has relevance and importance in present day world order. He shared a fitting analogy comparing and contrasting the current bug, COVID-19, to another bug – the “Vedic bug”, which is rapidly spreading across the world. And unlike its counterpart, this particular bug is actually helping us! Especially in the current global pandemic environment, in simplistic ways by encouraging us to adopt ‘Namaste’ instead of shaking hands as a way to greet fellow human beings. Namaste means I respect you as my fellow time travelers, who like me, are also on a beautiful, divine journey of learning, a learning to respect others as divine beings.

Jeffrey Armstrong also described a project he has been working for the past 10 years. He believes that many ideas explained in Vedic culture (in Sanskrit) do not have corresponding words in English and that becomes a barrier in understanding Vedic wisdom for the present generation. So he has taken it as a mission to write Bhagawad Gita verses in English, with Sanskrit words embedded wherever applicable, so the concept presented by that verse does not get convoluted. Those Sanskrit words will then be described in the glossary to explain their meanings in the best possible way. He concluded with the message that if we are able to explain the tenets, principles and tools of the Vedic wisdom to new generations in their own languages, without losing the real essence of it, this would be our biggest service (sewa) to humanity. One should promote Vedic culture with calmness, respect and an open mind. There is a greater need to preach ‘Dharm-ocracy’ – the principle foundation of Vedic Culture, where we honor the thought leaders of every civilization, we honor all religions and we have harmonious relationships with everyone on the planet.

Padma Bhushan, Dr. David Frawley (Vamadeva Shastri) was the final speaker. A Vedic teacher and renowned author, Dr. Frawley spoke of his extensive travels to India, which he described as the “Land of Vedic culture”. He has witnessed the revival of Vedic culture in India and worldwide as a positive development. There are Indian communities across the world making a significant difference in the development of their resident nations. Not only are more temples being built, but there is also increased awareness of yoga, Ayurveda, and other Vedic practices globally. He concluded by explaining that one could raise their consciousness with the aid of Vedic practices, driving the use of technology for the benefit of mankind, thereby improving the quality of our lives.

Vijai Ganapa, the current Global Coordinator of VFA, thanked the organizations who work with and support VFA, in its various projects and programs around the world. Notably mentioned are AOL, ISKCON, Sewa International, VFPA, Hindu Service Foundation and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS). Prakash Srivastava provided technical support for the live event. The event was concluded by Balabhadra Dasa thanking the guest speakers and audience for their participation and hinted at more such events being hosted in the near future.

VFA is a Non-Profit Organization with 501C3 and tax exempt status. It’s a Cultural organization based on Socio-Spiritual-Scientific understanding. The essence is Always Being Conscious of Dharma. Accept and Respect all Vedic traditions and paths. It’s open to all, with focus on Yoga Practitioners and Vedic Followers. Having open door policy, where all ideas are welcome. We offer services like Educational Access, Cultural Celebrations and Social Outreach.

“Our Mission is to Present, Preserve, Protect and Promote the Principles and Practices of the Universal Dharma, in all its dimensions”. “We are a group of people, who are individually working in various ways to spread a greater understanding of what the Vedic Dharma culture and philosophy is and what it has to offer. We have been doing this for years separately but have now joined together. We invite everyone else to join us and become Dharma Ambassadors to the world”

World Restart A Heart Day Organized

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth 0

Dr. Vemuri S. Murthy, an advocate of Community and Physician resuscitation education and training for more than three decades in USA and India, is a past President of the Chicago Medical Society and current adjunct Faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Illinois @ Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. He is the Founder of Chicago Medical Society’s Community CPR Project SMILE (Saving More Illinois Lives through Education).

In a recent interview, Dr. Vemuri Murthy shared his thoughts and concerns regarding current status of the out- of- hospital cardiac arrests and diminishing bystander resuscitation help during COVID-19 pandemic. According to the American Heart Association, there are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually in the U.S. (2018 update).Nearly 90% of them are fatal. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival. In majority of cases, immediate Hands-only CPR may have similar survival outcomes comparable to the conventional CPR performed with both chest compressions and breaths.

Personal protection from any potential droplet infection is of paramount importance while managing any person in cardiac arrest, as the COVID-19 status of the victim may be unknown. The bystander needs to thoroughly wash the hands with soap and water after providing CPR.

Dr. Vemuri S. Murthy (Chicago Medical Society’s COVID-19 Task Force) appeals for practicing three basic preventive measures during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Wearing a Mask covering the mouth and nose, Washing Hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, and watching social distancing of at least 6 feet.

Covid-19 deaths in India may have exceeded 2.5 million: What expert panel says about lockdown, festivals

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth, India, Politics 0

The government-appointed panel which studied the mathematical progression of Covid-19 numbers in the country said only 30 per cent of the population has developed immunity so far. The Centre had appointed a 10-member committee, headed by NITI Aayog member VK Paul, to study the mathematical progression of Covid-19 virus in India. The committee submitted its report on a day Union health minister Harsh Vardhan admitted community transmission of Covid-19 in certain pockets of a limited number of states in the country.

The study sheds light on where India stands in its fight against Covid-19 and what lies ahead.

India may see an exponential increase of 26 lakh cases in a month because of the festival season if precautions are not followed.
Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal are still seeing a rise in the number of cases, while elsewhere the pandemic has stabilised.
A second wave of coronavirus can’t be ruled out in winter.
Local lockdown are not effective now, but had there been no lockdown in March-April, India’s total deaths could have exceeded 25 lakh in August. The death toll now stands at 1.14 lakh.
Only 30 per cent of the population has developed immunity so far.
India reached the peak of Covid-19 in September and is now on the downward slope.
The crisis is likely to be over by February 2021. By that time, there could be 10.5 million cases.
Migrants didn’t make much difference to the number of overall infections.
We have to be careful in the coming months also because of pollution on north India.
The curve is flattened and early lockdown bolstered by better-equipped health care system helped in flattening the curve.

UCL T20 night tournament Final Cricket match; Anjuman Cricket team settle spectacular win against the Chicago Reds

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterSports 0

UCL T20 Day League was held for the first time at Skokie Sports Park Cricket ground. Chief Guests present were Mr. George Van Dusen (Mayor of Skokie), Mr. Pramod C Shah (Board of Trustee, Skokie) Mr. Akhter Masood Chick (Former Pakistani Cricket player and former USACA President), Mr. Syed Mushtaq Hussain (UCL Advisor), Mr. Syed Iqbal (UCL Director), Mr. Mushtaq Saleem(Former Cricketer Moin-ud-Dowlah Gold Cup Tournament)Mr. Anwar Ul Haq (Board of Director) Mr. Mohammed Rafi and Commissioners of the Village of Skokie.

Syed Mushtaq Hussain started his speech with a minute silence for people who lost their lives due to Covid 19 and the prize distribution ceremony was held, and later Lunch was served. United Cricket Day T20 League, closing ceremony was held on 11th October 2020 at Skokie Sports Park district cricket ground. Final match was played between Anjuman vs Chicago Reds. Chicago Reds scored 184 in first innings. Ahsan Syed of Anjuman played extraordinary innings of 121 runs and led his team to an easy Victory in Finals. Ahsan was Man of the Match. Salman Karbhai won Man of the Series, Best Batsman and Best Bowler. At the end both the teams have shown great sportsmanship. Cricket lovers came to support the final match.

Adil Azeem Khan (UCL President) wants to thank all the teams who participated in UCL Day League, Umpires Abdul Rauf & Shabbir Patel, league MC Sufiyan Dukanwala and also supporters who has supported the league. Adil Azeem (UCL president) humbly requests all cricket lovers to support cricket in Chicago. Specially thanks to our sponsors for the UCL Day League (First savings bank, Pepsi, Happy mortgage, Devon discount pharmacy, Air tour travels, Patel Brothers, Sabri Nahari and MP Jewelers.)

Adil Azeem is very thankful to the management, Ayaz Patel( UCL web designer), Ahsan syed(scheduler), Sufiyan Dukaanwala(UCL Manager), Javed Patel (League Advisor), Shaik Ahmed(League Advisor), Athar Syed (League Advisor), Mohammed Afroz(League Advisor), Dr. Syed Ahmed(League Advisor), Arif Khan and thankful to Asian Media USA and Z TV Mr. & Mrs. Vandana Kumar.

Adil Azeem (UCL President) wants to invite all the teams, cricket lovers, sponsors for the closing ceremony to be held in December 2020 and Former Indian Cricketer are invited for the closing ceremony.

Quinoa & Smoked Tofu Salad (Vegan)

October 21, 2020 Staff ReporterAmmu's Hearty Treats 0

This super healthy salad is not just refreshing but also quick and easy to make.Loaded with protein and plant goodness you’ll never want to say no to trying this one for sure! How I developed this recipe I don’t know about many people out there, but I love tofu. It’s not only healthy but also a great vegan substitute for Indian cottage cheese (paneer). Smoked tofu is extra good for its unique flavour and thus elevates this salad a further bit more. Quinoa is one of the superfoods most health freaks are now aware of for its high dietary fibre content, high protein and lower carbs compared to wheat and rice. It’s not only a healthier carb substitute option, but also very delicious and easy to prepare when paired up beautifully in clever recipes.I had always wanted to come up with a great recipe with two of my above favourites that’s easy to follow and this accidental recipe turns out to be perfect not just when you are on a diet but also good enough to impress your guests at the dinner table. What’s special about this recipe High in plant protein—loaded with fibre rich low GI quinoa and soy protein-rich tofu, a serving of this salad is sure to fulfill a major portion of your day’s protein requirement for staying fit and healthy. It’s an ultimate guilt-free lean protein salad you’d choose over and over again. Veggie rich- It has got a lot of colourful veggies and green herbs- tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, parsley, mint- that’s both a treat for your eyes and rich in vitamins and minerals as well. What you’ll need 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water1 teaspoon salt1/4 cup lemon juice3 tablespoons olive oil1/2teaspoon of freshly ground peppercorns 2 grated garlic cloves1/2 cup chopped cucumber 1/3 chopped cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell peppers 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves 1 cup chopped smoked tofu How to make . Bring water to boil with half a teaspoon of salt and cook the quinoa in it keeping the deep bottom pan closed- for about 15-20 minutes until the quinoa has cooked fluffy enough soaking up all the water. . At this point, turn off the heat, remove the lid, gently fluff up the quinoa with your spoon and let it cool down.. Meantime, prepare the dressing by whisking up the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and salt in a small bowl..Add the cooled down quinoa, tofu, veggies and the herbs into a bigger bowl and pour in the tangy dressing. Give it a good and gentle mix just enough to combine..Serve it right away in your favourite salad bowl. Notes, tips and suggestions -You could use plain tofu or other flavoured tofu (eg. coriander tofu) instead of the smoked tofu if you don’t prefer smokey flavour to the salad.-You could even use drained cooked/canned chickpeas or sprouts as a substitute for tofu, if you are not a fan of tofu or if you are allergic to soy.-Choice of veggies are also partially upto you, for you could totally feel free to add in more veggies or substitute veggies you don’t prefer in this recipe with peas, corn, olives, jalapeños,etc.

Joe Biden’s Lead Over Trump Is The Highest Since 1936

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Former Vice President Joe Biden is dominating President Donald Trump in the latest polls. No, the election is not over yet, and Trump still has a non-negligible chance of winning. But a look through history reveals that Biden is in a better position at this point than any challenger since 1936, when the first scientific polls were taken in a presidential race.

In the 21 previous presidential elections since 1936, there have only been five challengers who led at this time. Of those five, only one (Bill Clinton in 1992) was ahead by more than 5 points. None of those five were earning more than 48% of the vote in the polls. In other words, Biden is the first challenger to be above 50% at this late juncture in the campaign.

This also continues to mark a massive difference with the 2016 campaign. While Hillary Clinton was ahead of Trump by as high as 7 points in October 2016, she never came anywhere close to approaching 50% of the vote. Trump merely had to win the lionshare of the undecided or third party voters (who would bolt their candidate) to earn a victory in 2016.

The 2020 presidential campaign has been repeatedly rocked by seismic events – from the outbreak of a devastating pandemic to President Donald Trump contracting COVID-19. Yet in at least two important respects, not much has changed: Joe Biden continues to hold sizable advantages over Trump on most major issues and key personal traits, as well as in overall voter preferences. And voters continue to be highly focused on the election and attach great importance to its outcome.

With less than a month to go before the election, a majority of registered voters (57%) say they are very or somewhat confident in Biden to handle the public health impact of the coronavirus, while 40% express a similar level of confidence in Trump. In June, Biden held a narrower, 11 percentage point lead on handling the coronavirus outbreak (52% Biden, 41% Trump).

At a time of deep political divisions and partisan antipathy, voters are far more likely to express confidence in Biden than Trump to unify the country. Half of voters (50%) say they are confident in Biden to “bring the country closer together,” compared with just 30% who express confidence in Trump.

The new survey by Pew Research Center, conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 5 among 11,929 U.S. adults, including 10,543 registered voters, finds that Biden maintains an overall lead in voter preferences: 52% of registered voters say if the election were held today, they would vote for Biden or lean toward voting for him, while 42% support or lean toward voting for Trump. Another 4% of voters back Libertarian Jo Jorgensen, while 1% support Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins in the 2020 election. (See detailed tables for full demographic breaks on voter preferences.)

The survey was in the field when Trump announced on Twitter, early on the morning of Oct. 2, that he and first lady Melania Trump had contracted COVID-19. There are no significant differences in voter preferences, or in confidence in the two candidates to handle the impact of the coronavirus, before and after his announcement.

Trump’s handling of the nation’s economy remains a relative strong point. About half of voters (52%) express confidence in Trump to make good decisions about economic policy, one the highest shares expressing confidence in the president on any of the six issues on the survey. However, about as many voters (51%) have confidence in Biden on the economy.

Since summer, there has been some improvement in views of the nation’s economy. Among all voters, 35% say economic conditions are excellent or good, up from 28% in June. However, this change has come almost entirely among Trump supporters. And the gap in economic perceptions, already wide, has grown much wider. Two-thirds (67%) of Trump supporters now say that economic conditions are excellent or good, compared with 51% who said this in June. Just 11% of Biden supporters view economic conditions positively, which is little changed from four months ago (9%).

The survey finds that voters view Biden much more positively than Trump for compassion, honesty and being a good role model. Nearly twice as many voters say “compassionate” describes Biden very or fairly well than say it applies to Trump (67% vs. 34%). More than half of voters (53%) say Biden is honest, compared with 35% who describe Trump as honest. And far more voters say Biden is a good role model (54% vs. 28%).

The ABC News/Washington Post poll released on Sunday was the latest poll to indicate Biden’s strength. Biden led Trump by a 55% to 43% margin among likely voters. The poll was the third high quality national poll published this week that had Biden up by at least 10 points and above 50%. The other two being from CNN/SSRS and Fox News.

Indeed, the average of polls has Biden at around 52% or 53% and up by somewhere between 10 and 11 points. This is an unprecedented position for a challenger with a mere 23 days to go until Election Day. Even if every undecided or current third party voter went to Trump now, he’d still be down about 5 to 6 points nationally. That’s never been the case with an incumbent since 1936 at this point.

Of course, it’s the Electoral College that matters. There are very few universes in which Trump could win the Electoral College, if he were to lose nationally by 5 to 6 points. New polls out on Sunday from CBS News/YouGov demonstrate that Biden’s above 50% in some key battlegrounds. He leads 52% to 46% in Michigan and Nevada. In Iowa, a state that Trump took by 9 points in 2016 and is not anywhere close to must win for Biden, the race is tied at 49%.

A look under the hood reveals why Biden is in such a strong position. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Covid-19 has either been, or been within the margin of error of being the nation’s most important problem in Gallup polling.

The three challengers in the polling era (Jimmy Carter in 1976, Ronald Reagan in 1980 and Bill Clinton in 1992) who defeated incumbents have all been trusted more than the incumbent to deal with what Americans thought was the nation’s most important problem. None, however, were trusted by more than 50% of the voters.

Today, Biden has a huge advantage over Trump when it comes to the pandemic. The clear majority (59%) of likely voters in the last CNN poll said Biden would better be able to handle the outbreak. Just 38% said Trump would do a better job than Biden.

Why Is Supreme Court Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett Very Controversial?

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S., Women 0

The death of a sitting justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg has thrust the court into the center of a bruising political campaign for the White House. Republican President Donald Trump has nominated federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacancy left by Ginsburg, even as Trump’s opponent, Democrat Joe Biden, calls for confirmation proceedings to be postponed until after voters have cast their ballots for president. Republicans control the U.S. Senate and have vowed to move forward with Barrett’s confirmation over the objections of Biden and other Democrats.

The battle to get Donald Trump’s nominee to the US Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, confirmed by the Senate began on Monday with Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings. The shifting ideological balance of the court will have an impact in all areas of American life and across the US – perhaps in no place more than Texas.

A 6-3 conservative majority in the court could directly attack Democratic Party priorities like government-managed healthcare and access to abortion services. While the political battle over Trump’s appointment of Barrett is taking place between the White House and Democratic senators in the US Capitol, some of the biggest legal fights that have made it to the Supreme Court in recent years have come out of Texas.

For instance, the current challenge to the Affordable Care Act – Barack Obama’s signature law when in office, aiming to expand access to healthcare – was brought by the state of Texas. It will come before the Supreme Court just days after the election, possibly with Barrett on the bench.

A major 2016 court decision on regulating abortion clinics also originated in the state, as did recent disputes over federal voting rights laws, the consideration of race in university admissions, the constitutionality of Obama-era immigration reforms. Texas was also a key player in several challenges to capital punishment, anti-sodomy laws and, going back to 1973, the landmark Roe v Wade decision that legalised abortion across the US.

Part of this, explains University of Texas law professor HW Perry, is a result of Texas being a large state, both in population and size, with interests touching on most aspects of American life. More recently, however, Texas’s prominence in high-profile court battles is the result of a concerted effort by the state’s top Republican politicians to become a major player in the conservative legal world.

“Texas has become quite a leader in pushing cases to the Supreme Court to get accepted for review, and then often they are the ones who wind up arguing it,” Perry says. “It’s developed this highly professionalised office which is also the one leading many of the other conservative states in getting cases before the Supreme Court.”

From 2013 to 2020, the state’s then-solicitor general, Scott Keller, argued 11 cases before the Supreme Court. The next closest state lawyer had four. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, when he served as the state’s attorney general, would frequently say of his job: “I go to the office, I sue the federal government, and then I go home.”

The state, which made a habit of pushing the boundaries of conservative law and causes, didn’t always win those high-profile cases. On anti-sodomy law, voting rights, the death penalty and, most recently, abortion, it was often on the short end of the judicial stick, many times by narrow, 5-to-4 decisions. With Ginsburg gone and Barrett poised to take a seat on the court, however, conservatives in Texas are optimistic that the legal tide may be turning.

“It’s a historic opportunity,” says Matt Mackowiak, an Austin-based political consultant and chair of the Travis County Republican Party. “Conservatives in Texas and across the country are really, really satisfied with the past two Supreme Court nominations the president made and are encouraged and, I think, really hopeful about the next one, as well.”

Anti-abortion groups like Texas Right to Life celebrated Barrett’s announcement, noting that she would replace Ginsburg, who was a consistent vote for abortion rights. Replacing her, they said “could yield new hope for the protection of preborn children”.

Another abortion-related case, challenging a Texas law that bans a common second-term “dilation and extraction” abortion procedure and requires burial or cremation for embryonic or foetal tissue, is currently in being considered by a federal appellate court.

The Right to Life group expressed optimism that Barrett will join Trump’s other appointments, Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, in upholding the Texas law and setting the stage for more stringent regulation of abortions in other states. “Texas is a pro-life state, and certainly among conservatives we’d like to see Roe vs Wade overturned,” says Mackowiak. “Of course, that doesn’t make abortion illegal, it makes it a state issue again.”

As much as conservatives in Texas are relishing the ways the Republican leadership in their state can benefit from a rightward move in the Supreme Court’s ideology, those on the left who have fought them in the courts are hunkering down for what they see as long, frustrating and frequently futile battles.

“It’s horribly depressing,” says Susan Hays, an Austin-based lawyer who has spent decades litigating abortion rights cases. “Texas has been the source of a disproportionate number of reproductive rights cases, voting rights case, other sorts of civil rights cases that the Supreme Court has had to decide in order to protect basic human rights in the state.”

The conservative refrain to these kind of complaints is that elections have consequences. Donald Trump won in 2016, and Republicans took control of the US Senate, which confirms judicial nominees, in 2015. Texas itself hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994.

There are signs of life for Texas liberals, however. Polls show Joe Biden and Trump in a close fight for the state’s presidential electoral votes. Cornyn is in a closer-than-expected re-election race, and the Democrats may even be the favourites at this point to take back the state legislature, which it last controlled in 2002.

According to law professor Perry, if Texas does go blue, the Democrats could inherit a legal apparatus they can use for their own causes. “Hope may spring eternal that because of the changing demographics and other things, Texas is moving towards purple and there will be a future where the institution that is built for Texas for the conservative point of view may someday become one that is a powerful place for liberals to be,” he says. “I don’t think it’s quite there yet, however.”

The average tenure of a Supreme Court justice is nearly 17 years, according to a February 2017 Pew Research Center analysis of biographical data for 104 former high court justices. (The analysis excluded the members of the court who were serving at the time.) Not surprisingly, younger appointees tend to stay on the court longer. Those who were younger than 45 when they were sworn in served for an average of 21.6 years. That’s about two years longer than those who were ages 45 to 49 when they took the oath of office; three years longer than those who were 50 to 54; seven years longer than those who were 55 to 59; and nearly a decade longer than those who were ages 60 and older. Barrett, Trump’s pending nominee for the high court, is 48. If confirmed, she would be the youngest member of the court.

The Evergreen Bollywood Star Rekha Turns 66

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Women 0

Living legend and the evergreen iconic actress of Bollywood, Rekha turned 66 on Saturday, October 10^th. The talented and beautiful diva made her mark in Bollywood with her amazing performances in the 70s and 80s. Rekha has acted in many great films in Bollywood.

Her personal life has been very mysterious. Bhanurekha Ganesan, known as Rekha today, was born in Madras to Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan and Telugu actress Pushpavalli. Rekha has a sister, one half-brother, and five half-sisters.

She had started working in films at the age of 14 years to make her family condition better. Rekha started her career as a child actress in Telugu films Inti Guttu (1958) and Rangula Ratnam (1966). Her first film as a lead happened with the Kannada movie Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 (1969). She made her Hindi debut with Sawan Bhadon (1970), which gained her wider recognition.

^Birthdaywishes have been pouring in from friends and fans all through the day. “Happy Birthday wishes go out today to dear Rekha. We have been good friends for many years now and I always wish her happiness and prosperity in life. Have a great day and year dear friend,” actress-politician Hema Malini tweeted, along with a picture collage of the two superstar actresses who were contemporaries in their heydays.

Urmila Matondkar wrote: “Star-struck. Happy Birthday Most Gorgeous #Rekha ji. Thank you for sharing love n warmth both on n off screen. Love you to moon and back.” “Wish you a very happy birthday Rekha Maa. The love that you shower, the aura around you, and the affection you lavish me…with are all so pure. May you continue to shine brighter and spread positivity like only you can,” Shilpa Shetty wrote on Instagram Story.

Wishes also poured in from fans, who have been sharing pictures of the actress to posting scenes from her movies. “You are one in a billion; we respect you from the bottom of our heart,” a fan wrote on the microblogging site. “Happy birthday Rekha ma’am. You look so beautiful,” another user one wished.

Rekha started her acting career as a child artiste in the 1958 Telugu film, “Inti Guttu”, and she made her Bollywood debut in Mohan Segal’s 1970 release, “Sawan Bhadon”, opposite Navin Nischol. Many consider the 1976 release, “Do Anjaane” to be her breakthrough film. She impressed essaying a role with grey shades.

She has acted in over 180 Hindi films and won a National Film Award in 1982 for her role in Muzaffar Ali’s “Umrao Jaan”. In 2010, she was a recipient of Padma Shri for her contribution to the arts. In hero-dominated Bollywood of the seventies, eighties and nineties, Rekha was a rare actress who regularly scored with heroine-centric films such as “Ijaazat”, “Khubsoorat”, “Umrao Jaan”, “Ghar”, “Khoon Bhari Maang”, “Utsav”, “Jhoothi”, “Biwi Ho To Aisi”, “Jeevan Dhaara”, “Sansar”, “Azaad Desh Ke Gulam” and “Phool Bane Angaray” among many others.

In a career spanning nearly 50 years, Rekha has scored numerous memorable roles in Bollywood films across genres that include “Raampur Ka Lakshman”, “Kahani Kismat Ki”, “Namak Haraam”, “Dharmatma”, “Dharam Karam”, “Nagin”, “Khoon Pasina”, “Ganga Ki Saugandh”, “Muqaddar Ka Sikander”, “Mr. Natwarlal”, “Jaani Dushman”, “Kartavya”, “Maang Bharo Sajana”, “Judaai”, “Kalyug”, “Silsila”, “Ek Hi Bhool”, “Ghazab”, “Agar Tum Na Hote”, “Baazi”, “Asha Jyoti”, “Jhutha Sach”, “Insaaf Ki Awaaz”, “Jaal”, “Souten Ki Beti”, “Ladaai”, “Bhrashtachar”, “Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi”, “Dil Hai Tumhaara”, “Bhoot”, and “Koi… Mil Gaya”.

Nowadays where actresses usually wear gowns and dresses in functions, Rekha stands out in her golden Kanjeevaram saree which has now become an ‘evergreen’ trend for her admirers. Rekha is considered a Bollywood style icon for her ethnic statements, particularly in signature Kanjeevaram saris.

Bachchan On 78th Birthday, Thanks Fans For “Generosity, Love”

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Profiles 0

On his 78th birthday on Sunday, October 11^th, megastar Amitabh Bachchan thanked his fans, whom he lovingly calls his extended family and said that their love is the greatest gift for him. Amitabh took to Instagram, where he posted a photograph where the word “thank you” was written in many languages along with a picture of the cine icon with folded hands. As caption, he wrote: “Your generosity and love be the greatest gift for me for the 11th .. I cannot possibly ask for more.”

Speaking about his work, Amitabh is all set to star in a new multi-lingual mega project co-starring Telugu superstar Prabhas and actress Deepika Padukone. The yet-untitled film is slated to release in 2022. The multi-lingual film is backed by the South Indian production house Vyjayanthi Movies, popular for projects such as “Mahanati”, “Agni Parvatam” and “Indra”.

This is the first time Prabhas collaborates with Big B or Deepika. The two Bollywood stars have earlier worked together in the films “Aarakshan” and “Piku”. Big B’s other upcoming projects are Nagraj Manjule’s “Jhund”, the Emraan Hashmi co-starrer “Chehre”, and Ayan Mukerji’s action fantasy drama “Brahmastra”, co-starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy and Telugu superstar Nagarjuna.

Meanwhile, British-Indian Saurav Dutt has released his book, “Dear Mr Bachchan,” a book exploring the unique career of the star, who is also a cultural phenomenon and a global brand ambassador. The book explores the reasons behind the longevity of his stardom and how his screen persona continues to inspire many in India and around the world. It is available worldwide through Amazon, and released exclusively in India through Pothi.com.

Dutt’s book follows a 12 year-old boy from the poorest district of Mumbai, his cinematic obsession with the star and his dreams to help bring his family out of poverty, often emulating the angry young man of “Zanjeer,” the tragic anti-hero of “Deewaar” and the entertainer of “Amar Akbar Anthony.”

The boy even gets the chance to meet his idol, but is forced to come to terms with the reality of his aspirations, the complexities of a modern India, a judgmental society as well as following his own journey to overcome adversity. The book is an illuminating analysis of the nature of Indian, Asian and global stardom and overcoming one’s own challenges.

Dutt, who released a tribute to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre at the House of Lords in England on its centenary in April last year, said, “Amitabh Bachchan is a superstar in the truest sense of the word. His name and face have taken over the hearts of minds of people around the world for over 50 years. I’m hoping this uplifting story will be a real treasure-trove for fans and newbies alike, exploring an industry where fashions change every Friday, and understanding why and how Amitabh Bachchan has been synonymous with cinematic entertainment for so long.”

The novel will not be purely about the star but talks to modern India, and how poverty, class and religion fit within the shape of the dreams of this rising superpower nation, as well as about the virtues of Bachchan himself, which the boy in the novel wishes to emulate.

Dutt added, “Most of Mr. Bachchan’s virtues — like professionalism, determination and a never-say-die attitude — are traits that one can follow to achieve the ‘Excellence’ to which everyone aspires. I wanted to talk about the farming crisis in India, how someone like Amit-ji sails through different phases of life — the good, the bad and the ugly, about how hopes and dreams—especially in today’s India—require unwavering determination, willpower, patience and a disposition to take it all in one’s stride.”

This story, therefore, is not just about Bachchan, but also about a young, vibrant and ambitious India, encapsulated through the character of a boy who is told by everybody that success is not for people like him.”

Saurav Dutt is an author, political columnist and human rights campaigner. His acclaimed debut novel “The Butterfly Room” explored issues of domestic violence and homophobia within South Asian communities and has been showcased to leading political figures and human rights campaigners. His work for human rights and charity campaign work has taken Dutt to speaking engagements at the World Economic Forum, Iranian & Kurdish Women’s Rights Organization (IKWRO), Houses of Parliament and TEDx. He has been featured on BBC television and radio, Sky News and TIME magazine. He resides in the United Kingdom and Kolkata.

WHEELS, AAPI, PanIIT & IAPC Support the Launch of Book “Beyond Covid-19 Pandemic Envisioning a Better World by Transforming the Future of Healthcare” by Ambassador Pradeep Kapur & Dr. Joseph Chalil, Saturday October 17th, 10 AM US EST and 7.30 PM IST

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Education, Health 0

(Washington, DC: October 12^th, 2020) The much anticipated and timely book, Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Envisioning a Better World by Transforming the Future of Healthcare, authored by Ambassador Pradeep Kapur, a practitioner of Public Policy and Dr. Joseph Chalil, an expert in healthcare policy, offering rare insights into the current state of affairs on global health policy and healthcare, is planned to be released in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 17th, 2020.

The WHEELS Global Foundation in association with Indo-American Press Club, PanIIT USA and American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin is jointly hosting the launch event in the national capital. The event will be graced by the former Chief Technology Officer in the United States in President Obama’s Administration, Mr. Aneesh Chopra. The event will also be live cast by the media in the United States and India.

The authors will donate the proceeds from the sale of their book to WHEELS! Please support this first such event focused on common sense solutions to transform healthcare in the post-pandemic world and the policy changes required. It will also help to raise money for a worthy cause.

Speakers at the launch event include Mr. Sundaram “Sundy” Srinivasan, Chief Operating Officer of Zentech Inc. President of the PanIIT USA representing all the IIT Alumni in the USA; Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, MD. President, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin; Mr. Aneesh Chopra, President of Care Journey, Former U.S. Chief Technology Officer under President Obama; Mr. Suresh Shenoy, President, WHEELS Global Foundation, Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Bombay Class of 1972; and Mr. Yogesh Andlay, Board Member, WHEELS Charitable Foundation and Advisor to FICCI.

Ambassador Pradeep Kapur is an acknowledged “luminary diplomat,” with a distinguished career working with leaders and policymakers in different continents of the world: Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. Author and editor of many books, he was Ambassador of India to Chile and to Cambodia, and Secretary at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, before joining as an academic in reputed universities in USA and India. A graduate of the globally acclaimed Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), he is Executive Director of Smart Village Development Fund (SVDF); International Economic Strategic Advisor, Intellect Design Arena; and Chairman, Advisory Council, DiplomacyIndia.com. His contributions in healthcare include setting up of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Eastern Nepal which is acclaimed as an exemplary bilateral India Nepal initiative.

Dr. Joseph Chalil, an author of several scientific and research papers in international publications, is the Chairman of the Complex Health Systems Advisory Board, H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University in Florida and a member of Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine (NSU MD) Executive Leadership Council. A veteran of the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, he is board certified in healthcare management. He has been awarded a Fellowship by the American College of Healthcare Executives, an international professional society of more than 40,000 healthcare executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems, and other healthcare organizations. Dr. Chalil is the Chairman of the Indo American Press Club (IAPC), the largest ethnic fraternity of Indian American and Indian Canadian media with a mandate to help shape a world through media that is fair, just, and equitable for all, and future generations. He is an expert in U.S. healthcare policy and a strong advocate for patient-centered care. With years of experience working in the U.S. healthcare system, he discusses the challenges of healthcare delivery, including providing quality, affordable patient care to all, and alternate templates for health insurance.

Around the world, providing quality and affordable healthcare remains a challenge. As the COVID-19 pandemic began, it quickly became apparent that public policy and current healthcare systems were ill-prepared to deal with the challenges. Ambassador Kapur and Dr. Chalil discuss the lessons learned and the way ahead in the book, Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Envisioning a Better World by Transforming the Future of Healthcare.

The authors offer sustainable and revolutionary solutions to change healthcare delivery in the United States and a model for other countries. With a combination of a public SafetyNet and free-market competition, they offer their “Grand Plan.” The advances and adoption of current and new technology will revolutionize the field of healthcare. They offer critical strategies that countries can adopt during natural disasters, wars, or a pandemic.

The authors focus on breaking the chain of employer-based health insurance, where your health insurance is not tied to your employment. Too often, the benefits of providing healthcare for all is lost in discussions about health insurance. Yet, this book does not allow these issues to control the analysis of healthcare delivery.

This book offers practical solutions, addressing the needs of citizens now and into the future while empowering them to be more responsible for their health. The emerging global scenarios, as envisioned by the authors, address healthcare needs, education, and sustainable lifestyle choices, reducing the need for more intensive and costly interventions to improve the overall quality of life. There is a roadmap for UN and WHO, which are not living up to their initial promise, that goes beyond just reform. They challenge the world to have the political consensus to create meaningful change for all, both in the United States, the United Nations, and around the globe.

Please register to join the launch event online on Saturday, October 17th, from 10 am to 11:30 am (US EST), 7:30 pm to 9 pm (IST) at https://tinyurl.com/beyondcovid-wheels

For more information on the book and authors, please visit: https://beyondcovidbook.com

Fr. Stan Lourduswamy Arrested By Indian Authorities On Hooked Up Charges

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture/Religion, India, Politics 0

“The arrest of Fr Stan Lourduswamy, 83, is a violation of human rights,” said Rev. J. Felix Raj, a fellow Jesuit of Indian Origin. “We are distressed and troubled. We express our deep concern over the arrest and demand his immediate release considering his age.”

A special court in Mumbai has placed Jesuit Fr. Stan Swamy, a tribal rights activist, in judicial custody until Oct. 23 amid protests in many parts of the country. The priest, whose birth name is Stanislaus Lourdusamy, is accused of being party to a conspiracy that led to a violent clash in Bhima Korega on Jan. 1, 2018. One person was killed and several others injured.

Officials of the National Investigation Agency, which probes terrorism-linked activities, arrested the 83-year-old priest Oct. 8 at his residence at Bagaicha, a Jesuit social work center in the outskirts of the Ranchi, reported ucanews.com. Officials arrested him for alleged links to outlawed Maoist rebels, which the Jesuits and Indian rights activists say are trumped-up charges.

“We are consulting lawyers to move the appropriate court for his bail,” said Jesuit Fr. Davis Solomon, a colleague of Swamy. A statement from the Jesuits’ Social Justice and Ecology Secretariat noted that, two days before his arrest, Swamy released a video explaining his fight for tribal land rights. He said he had been interrogated by police for 15 hours over five days this summer.

“What is happening to me is not something unique happening to me alone. It is a broader process that is taking place all over the country,” Swamy said in the video. “We are all aware how prominent intellectuals, lawyers, writers, poets, activists, students, leaders, they are all put into jail because they have expressed their dissent or raised questions about the ruling powers of India.”

Fr. Stan Swamy is a Jesuit of the Jamshedpur province of the Jesuit Order. A Tamilian by birth, he joined the Jesuits and committed his entire life for the uplift of the tribals and Dalits in India, particularly in Jharkhand. Arrested in Ranchi on October 8 and taken to Mumbai the next morning, he has been sent to judicial custody till October 23.

In a statement issued here, Archbishop Felix Machado, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, (CBCI), said, “CBCI expresses its deep sorrow and anguish on the arrest of Fr Stan Swamy from his residence by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), accusing him of being related to the Bhima –Koregaon incident.” Arrested in Ranchi on October 8 and taken to Mumbai the next morning, he has been sent to judicial custody till October 23.

Fr Stan Swamy has spent a major portion of his life giving yeoman service to the tribals and the downtrodden in the state of Jharkhand. According to our reports Fr. Stan has for decades been working to protect the rights of the Adivasis, especially their land rights. This could have worked against the interests of certain people. When questioned during the months of July- August 2020 by authorities, Fr Stan Swamy has fully cooperated with Investigating Agencies and has provided detailed statements, claiming to be innocent in the case.

Archbishop Felix Machado said, “It is difficult to comprehend the plight of an octogenarian with several morbidities, like Fr Stan Swamy to have to undergo such difficulties during this pandemic in which even a normal healthy person would hesitate to travel or would never travel risking one’s life.”

The CBCI makes a strong appeal to the concerned authorities to immediately release Fr Stan Swamy and to permit him to go to his residence. The Catholic Community has always been lauded by all as body of loyal, law abiding and service minded citizens of Mother India. The community has always been contributing to nation building and continues to collaborate with the government in working for the common good of all Indians and the progress of our nation. We earnestly urge that the rights, duties and privileges of all citizens are duly safeguarded, and peace and harmony prevail among all.

Fr Stan Swamy is the 16th person to be arrested in the case, in which people have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the anti-terror law UAPA. The NIA had been interrogating him and had questioned him for 15 hours during a span of five days before the arrest.

“Now they want me to go to Mumbai…, I have said that I won’t go,” Fr Stan Swamy had said before his arrest, citing his advanced age and the pandemic. I have never been to Bhima Koregaon for which I am being made an accused,” he said. He added that he had asked for questioning through videoconference and hoped that better “human sense” would prevail.

Fr Stan Swamy said he was part of the process and, in a way, happy to be so because he was not a “silent spectator”. “I am ready to pay the price, whatever be it,” he said. Fr Stan Swamy has often raised his voice against alleged police excesses in Jharkhand, and what he describes as the government’s failure to properly implement the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution in the state.

The Fifth Schedule stipulates that a “Tribes Advisory Council (TAC)”, composed solely of members from the Adivasi community, advise governors of tribal-inhabited states on their well-being and development. Fr Stan Swamy has claimed that none of the governors — the discretionary heads of these councils — has ever reached out to the Adivasis to understand and work on their problems.

He has also taken exception to how the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996, has been “neatly ignored” and “deliberately… left unimplemented in all the nine states” with a tribal population. The Act, according to him, was the first to recognise the fact that the Adivasi communities in India have had a rich social and cultural tradition of self-governance through the gram sabha.

In 2017, he mobilised the Adivasis to fight for the rights granted to them under PESA, and this lead to the Pathalgadi movement. Fr Stan Swamy and many others were booked for alleged sedition for the movement under the state’s erstwhile BJP government, but the cases have been revoked under the current JMM-Congress dispensation.

Fr Stan Swamy has also been a vocal advocate for the release of undertrials. He says they have been unfairly lodged in jails and labelled Maoists. In 2010, he published a book about this, titled Jail Mein Band Qaidiyon ka Sach (The truth of undertrials).”

The Catholic Church has expressed gratitude “to all people of goodwill, people from all walks of life, belonging to all religions, and all institutions that have come out in an overwhelming support for Fr Stan Swamy’s immediate release and safe return to his residence.”

At Least 8 Million Americans Have Already Voted, Could Smash Records For Voter Turnout

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Politics, U.S. 0

Americans are rushing to cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 3 election at an unprecedented pace, early voting numbers show, indicating a possible record turnout for the showdown between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden.

With three weeks to go before Election Day, more than 8 million Americans already have voted, according to the United States Elections Project, which compiles early voting data. The shift has been driven by an expansion of early and mail-in voting in many states as a safe way to cast a ballot during the coronavirus pandemic and an eagerness to weigh in on the political future of Trump, said Michael McDonald of the University of Florida, who administers the project.

“We’ve never seen this many people voting so far ahead of an election,” said project lead Michael McDonald of the University of Florida to Reuters.

McDonald predicts a record turnout of about 150 million voters this year, which would amount to 65% of eligible voters—the highest potential turnout in more than a century. According to states that are reporting such data, U.S. voters have requested a total of 72,524,278 mail ballots already.

“People cast their ballots when they make up their minds, and we know that many people made up their minds long ago and already have a judgment about Trump,” McDonald said, describing early voting totals in some battleground states as “just nuts.” He added: “Every piece of data suggests very high turnout for this election. I think that’s just a given.

Biden leads Trump in national opinion polls, although surveys in crucial battleground states indicate a tighter race. The numbers reported so far come from 31 states, McDonald said, and will grow rapidly as more states begin early in-person voting and report absentee mail-in totals in the next few weeks. All but about a half-dozen states allow some level of early in-person voting.

The percentage of voters who cast their ballot at a voting machine on Election Day already had been in steady decline before this year, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, a federal agency. The total number of early or mail-in votes more than doubled from nearly 25 million in 2004 to 57 million in 2016, it said, representing an increase from one in five of all ballots cast to two in five of all ballots cast.

Trump has railed against mail-in voting, making unfounded accusations that it leads to fraud. Experts have said such fraud is rare. Those attacks by the president have shown signs of depressing Republican interest in voting by mail. Democrats have more than doubled the number of returned mail-in ballots by Republicans in seven states that report voter registration data by party, according to the Elections Project.

In the crucial battleground state of Florida, Democrats have requested more than 2.4 million mail-in ballots and returned 282,000, while Republicans have asked for nearly 1.7 million and returned more than 145,000.

A national Reuters/Ipsos poll taken last week found 5% of Democrats nationwide said they had already voted compared to 2% of Republicans. About 58% of Democrats planned to vote early compared to 40% of Republicans. McDonald said early voting typically starts strong, then drops before surging just ahead of the election. But in some states, rates of participation already have skyrocketed a month out.

In South Dakota, early voting this year already represents nearly 23% of the total turnout in 2016. It is nearly 17% of total 2016 turnout in Virginia and nearly 15% of total 2016 turnout in the battleground state of Wisconsin.

“That’s just nuts,” McDonald said. “Every piece of data suggests very high turnout for this election. I think that’s just a given.”

2nd Quad Ministerial Meeting Held

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics 0

The Australian and Japanese foreign ministers, the Indian external affairs minister, and the U.S. secretary of state met in Tokyo on October 6 for the second ministerial of the Quadrilateral, or “Quad.” While the Quad ministers did not release a joint statement, Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. did issue readouts. They provide a sense of the agenda, as well as where there is — and is not — overlap. The separate readouts also give some additional details. For instance, the Japanese one noted that North Korea and the South China Sea came up for discussion; the Australian and Indian ones mentioned the delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines; and Canberra’s document highlighted the subject of critical minerals.

In their readouts as well as their opening statements, each Quad country also outlined its vision of the kind of Indo-Pacific it would like to see. All four also emphasized the importance of working with other like-minded partners (even beyond the Association for Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN). Japan mentioned European partners, in particular. As expected, no announcement was made about including Australia in the U.S.-India-Japan MALABAR maritime exercise, but Indian official sources indicated that an announcement would be made before the exercise in November.

While most of the countries did not explicitly mention China, there were various implicit references to it. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the exception, mentioning the Chinese Communist Party in particular. The lack of consensus on whether or not — and how — to mention China might be one reason why the countries did not release a joint statement. Nonetheless, in a subsequent press availability, American officials made clear that China was discussed. They also indicated that Beijing’s behavior vis-à-vis Australia, India, and Japan over the last few months — rather than the Trump administration’s urging — increased their enthusiasm for the Quad.

The 2020 ministerial was the first standalone meeting of the Quad — previous minister-level and working-level meetings have taken place on the sidelines of other summits. The readouts of the four countries noted the importance of regularizing the ministerial, as well as continuing working-level and subject experts’ meetings. The visit to Tokyo also provided an opportunity for Minister Marise Payne, Minister S. Jaishankar, and Secretary Pompeo to meet with new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, as well as for the four countries to have bilateral meetings with each other.

Arvind Krishna Says, IBM Spin Off Will Have New Leadership Team In India

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

As IBM spins out a new company to help focus in two lucrative markets, the company’s CEO Arvind Krishna on Friday said that the yet to be named new company will have a separate leadership team in India. However, people working for IBM India have nothing to worry as the IBM CEO said that he expects the employees to be accommodated in one company or the other.

“I do not expect the creation of the new company to have any material impact in India,” Krishna told reporters in a call, adding that there will be nothing “controversial. This is not a restructuring, this is a spin out,” he said.

IBM on Thursday said that it will separate its Managed Infrastructure Services unit of its Global Technology Services division into a new public company. The yet to be named new company is currently codenamed “NewCo”.

The separation is expected to be achieved as a tax-free spin-off to IBM shareholders, and completed by the end of 2021. The creation of NewCo will help IBM focus on its open hybrid cloud platform, which represents a $1 trillion market opportunity, the company said.

“Focus normally allows for better utilisation of capital, better utilisation of skill, acquisition of right companies that serve the purpose of each of the two companies,” Krishna said.

IBM’s open hybrid cloud platform architecture, based on RedHat OpenShift, works with the entire range of clients’ existing IT infrastructures, regardless of vendor. The new company will be a managed infrastructure services provider.

IBM said that it has relationships with more than 4,600 technology-intensive, highly regulated clients in 115 countries, including more than 75 per cent of the Fortune 100, a backlog of $60 billion, and more than twice the scale of its nearest competitor.

IBM currently employs 380,000 people serving clients in 170 countries and India has the highest number of IBMers outside of the US — a key research and innovation hub for the tech giant that set up its first office in the country almost 26 years back.

Krishna, who guides IBM’s overall strategy in core and emerging technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, Blockchain, Cloud platform services, data-driven solutions and nanotechnology, has the task at hand to tap the growing talent pool in new-age technologies and leverage the true potential.

Today, IBM powers two of the largest telcos in India, nine out of 10 top banks, 2/3rd of milk and dairy products industry, country’s largest airport (traffic), etc are run and managed by IBM.

Krishna, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK) knows the potential the country has and has gone bullish on India, especially on the R&D and innovation to create for the world.

IBM was one of the first MNCs to recognize India as an innovation hub and set up its first Research lab in IIT Campus, Delhi in 1993 to provide back-end support to its global business.

Today, IBM’s four labs in India – India Research Labs, India Software Labs, IBM Systems Development Labs and Global Technology Services Labs – are innovation centers for global product development, new services and solutions.

IBM’s businesses in India include Cloud and Cognitive Solutions (including RedHat and Watson), Services, Systems, Security, The Weather Company (an IBM business), R&D labs and client innovation centres.

New England Journal of Medicine Says No To Reelecting Trump

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, Science & Technology, U.S. 0

Throughout its 208-year history, The New England Journal of Medicine has remained staunchly nonpartisan. The world’s most prestigious medical journal has never supported or condemned a political candidate. Until now.

In an editorial signed by 34 editors who are United States citizens (one editor is not) and published on Wednesday, the journal said the Trump administration had responded so poorly to the coronavirus pandemic that they “have taken a crisis and turned it into a tragedy.”

The journal did not explicitly endorse Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic nominee, but that was the only possible inference, other scientists noted.

The editor in chief, Dr. Eric Rubin, said the scathing editorial was one of only four in the journal’s history that were signed by all of the editors. The N.E.J.M.’s editors join those of another influential publication, Scientific American, who last month endorsed Mr. Biden, the former vice president.

The political leadership has failed Americans in many ways that contrast vividly with responses from leaders in other countries, the N.E.J.M. said.

In the United States, the journal said, there was too little testing for the virus, especially early on. There was too little protective equipment, and a lack of national leadership on important measures like mask wearing, social distancing, quarantine and isolation.

There were attempts to politicize and undermine the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the journal noted.

As a result, the United States has had tens of thousands of “excess” deaths — those caused both directly and indirectly by the pandemic — as well as immense economic pain and an increase in social inequality as the virus hit disadvantaged communities hardest.

The editorial castigated the Trump administration’s rejection of science, writing, “Instead of relying on expertise, the administration has turned to uninformed ‘opinion leaders’ and charlatans who obscure the truth and facilitate the promulgation of outright lies.”

President Trump mocked Mr. Biden’s mask wearing during the presidential debate on Sept. 29.Credit…Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

The uncharacteristically pungent editorial called for change: “When it comes to the response to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent. We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs.”

Scientific American, too, had never before endorsed a political candidate. “The pandemic would strain any nation and system, but Trump’s rejection of evidence and public health measures have been catastrophic,” the journal’s editors said.

The N.E.J.M., like all medical journals these days, is deluged with papers on the coronavirus and the illness it causes, Covid-19. Editors have struggled to reconcile efforts to insist on quality with a constant barrage of misinformation and misleading statements from the administration, said Dr. Clifford Rosen, associate editor of the journal and an endocrinologist at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. “Our mission is to promote the best science and also to educate,” Dr. Rosen said. “We were seeing anti-science and poor leadership.”

Mounting public health failures and misinformation had eventually taken a toll, said Dr. Rubin, the editor in chief of The New England Journal of Medicine.

“It should be clear that we are not a political organization,” he said. “But pretty much every week in our editorial meeting there would be some new outrage.”

VFS Global to Replace Cox & Kings as Outsourcing Provider for Visas, Passport Services for Indian American Community

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Travel 0

The Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C, issued a public notice regarding a change in its outsourcing service provider. The notice is as follows: The existing service center of Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) located at 1250, 23rd Street, NW, Washington DC 20037, for providing outsourcing services for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport and Global Entry Program (GEP) (Website: in.ckgs.us) will shut down its operations at close of business (5 p.m. EST) on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020.

The Consulate General of India in New York has changed its service provider for visas and other services from Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) to VFS Global. According to a press release, the existing service center of Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) located at 235 West, 23rd Street, New York 10011 will no longer be providing outsourcing services for Visa, OCI, Renunciation, Passport and Global Entry Programme (GEP) (Website: www.in.ckgs.us)and will shut down its operations at close of business on October 14, 2020.

The new service provider, VFS Global will commence its operations from November 02, 2020. The press release detailed the options available to applicants during this transition as follows:

In this context, applicants can only submit applications on the CKGS website before the above deadline. Applicants must ensure that the documents are shipped to CKGS with suitable pre-paid return envelope in a manner to ensure it reaches CKGS by October16, 2020. Any applications received after October 16, 2020 at CKGS will be returned to the applicants without processing.

With effect from October 14, 2020 and till VFS Global commences its operations on November 02, 2020, the Consulate General of India, New York will provide services in emergency cases directly. Applicants falling under CGI, New York jurisdiction are advised to follow the instructions given below to avail emergency service

(i) Visa: Emergency visa will be issued to the eligible categories allowed to travel to India as per the advisories issued by the Government of India. Applicants for emergency visa may write an email to visa.newyork@mea.gov.in or through PRAMIT dashboard available on our website www.indiainnewyork.gov.in explaining the exigency, The Consulate thereafter will inform you of the next steps.

(ii) Passport: For emergency passport services, applicants are requested to send an email to passport.newyork@mea.gov.in or through PRAMIT dashboard available on our website www.indiainnewyork.gov.in. Once the request has been approved by the Consulate, the applicant will be informed of the procedure for initiating application process. The approved applicants may send the completed form by postal mail to Consulate along with return pre-paid envelope for further processing.

(iii) OCI: All OCI services will remain suspended till the new service provider takes over on November 02, 2020.

(iv) Attestation Services: Miscellaneous Consular services such as Power of Attorney, Birth Certificate, PCC etc. shall be continue to be accepted by postal mail. These can be applied through the following link — https://www.indiainnewyork.gov.in/Miscellaneous_general_info_new

The contact details of VFS Global, service fee details, operational hours, website e will be published on Consulate’s website shortly.
Any further query should be addressed through PRAMIT dashboard available onwww.indiainnewyorgov.in

India Donates 1.8 Million N95 Masks to Philadelphia for Frontline Workers

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, India, Politics, U.S. 0

India has donated 1.8 million N95 masks to Philadelphia, the largest city in the US state of Pennsylvania, to help in its fight against COVID-19, setting another example of a robust Indo-US partnership in the health sector.

The city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has received a donation of 1.8 million N95 masks from India to help in its fight against COVID-19, according to a PTI report, adding it is another example of a robust Indo-U.S. partnership in the health sector. The donation came after Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney made a request to India for supply of masks to be used by the city’s frontline healthcare workers.

The move comes after the Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, made a request to India for supply of masks to be used by the city’s frontline workers. “Philadelphia receives 1.8 million N95 masks from India to aid their fight against COVID-19,” India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu tweeted Oct. 9. “Another example of the robust India-US reliable partnership in the health sector!” he added.

Philadelphia is the sixth-most populous US city. The move is also an indication of India’s capabilities in manufacturing Personal protective equipment (PPE) not only for domestic use, but also exports, officials said. India had also supplied hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug which is seen as a possible cure for COVID-19, to the US at the request of President Donald Trump.

You Can Travel To These Countries Starting October 12

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

Resuming international flights remains one of the most contentious issues in reopening as several countries across the world are going through a second wave of Covid-19 infections, and opening airports to foreigners is being seen as a major reason.

Most of the countries have resumed international flights in a staggered manner but these central and South American countries have so far not allowed international flights since March.

Panama: Panama will welcome international tourists from October 12. A negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR or antigen test from within 48 hours will be required to get an exemption from quarantine. On March 23, Panama suspended all international passenger flights.

Argentina: Argentina is likely to resume international flights from October 12, or a few days later, but by mid October, the government has said. This South American nations has been observing one of the most stringent lockdowns.

Guyana: This South American country will resume international flights from October 12.

British Airways will start its London-Lahore flights from October 12. At present, British Airways flies between London and Islamabad. British Airways will start its London-Lahore flights from October 12. At present, British Airways flies between London and Islamabad.

Global airlines body International Air Transport Association has recently predicted that the global airline industry will burn through USD 77 billion in cash during the second half of 2020 despite the resumption of flight services. “The cash drain continued during the summer months, with airlines expected to go through an additional USD 77 billion of their cash during the second half of this year and a further USD 60-70 billion in 2021. The industry is not expected to turn cash positive until 2022,” it said.

The aviation sector in India has also been significantly impacted due to the pandemic. In July, the country’s largest airline IndiGo declared a net loss of Rs 2,884.3 crore for the first quarter of 2020-21.

Mumbai Airport Ranks Among Top 10 International Airports

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

My international travelers, their trip begins the moment they arrive at an airport abroad. And entering a country from any of these top 10 international gateways ensures your journey will get off to a smooth start. Many of them have undergone dramatic transformations in recent years, as various famous architects worked their magic, creating bright and airy spaces, with amenities ranging from spas and yoga rooms to outdoor gardens and swimming pools. These terminals are such an antidote to jet lag, you might even want to extend your layover. Read on to see how the votes stacked up in our 33rd edition of our annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

Istanbul Airport (IST)

Opened just last year amid great fanfare—and with bold ambitions to become the world’s biggest airport—the new IST is already garnering praise for its modern design by Grimshaw Architects, which has netted awards for its emphasis on efficiency and sustainability. With high-tech touches like a fleet of robots to direct passengers through the 818-million-square-foot hub and runway capacity to move a total of 90 flights per hour, the airport is poised to take off as a major global player.

Zurich Airport (ZRH)

As Switzerland’s largest international airport, Zurich is also the main hub for Swiss International, which operates no fewer than nine lounges (and those lounges are no joke, with champagne and whiskey bars). Looking for a place to buy some duty-free chocolate? There are more than 80 shops here to browse. Readers also like the variety of restaurants and bars—even grocery stores—and, if weather cooperates, an outdoor observation deck with sweeping views of the action on the runways.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (BOM)

As the second busiest airport hub in India, Chhatrapati Shivaji has been transformed in recent years from an aging, overcrowded facility to a gleaming international hub. The modern Terminal 2, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, has won prizes for its airy, open design; it also features a wealth of dining and shopping options, including its GVK First and Business class lounge that offers spa and shower facilities and a full meal service. There’s also a four-star transit hotel right in the airport for layover travelers

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

Hong Kong’s international airport offers fast connections to the city from its island aerie, via an Airport Express that whisks travelers from terminal to city center in 24 minutes. It’s also one of the region’s top connecting hubs, with service to dozens of destinations in mainland China alone. Passengers on a layover appreciate the wide array of premium class lounges, amenities like nap rooms, and the Regal Airport Hotel attached to the main terminal, which Skytrax consistently ranks as one of the world’s best airport hotels.

Tokyo International Airport/Haneda (HND)

For years, Tokyo’s Haneda was primarily a domestic airport, but it’s gaining long-distance flights—and a strong international following. What accounts for its popularity? Simply put, it’s not Narita, the country’s bustling international hub that’s a 45-mile drive from the capital, notorious for, among other things, the $200 cab fare it takes to get there. Haneda, by contrast, is just ten miles from city center, but it’s not just proximity that wins over fliers. More than just a close-in alternative, Haneda gets high marks for the comfort and cleanliness of its terminals, a wide array of shopping and dining options, and fast and efficient transportation links to downtown Tokyo.

Sangster International Airport (MBJ)

For travelers to Jamaica, a great way to begin a vacation is to avoid the region’s hectic hub airports and fly directly into Montego Bay airport. A quieter alternative to, say, San Juan, it’s developed a following not only for its clean and efficient facilities, but for its “Club Mobay” VIP lounge program for both arrivals and departures, offered in partnership with the area’s leading hotels. Essentially, it’s a concierge-style service that whisks you through formalities, ensuring that you barely touch the airport on your way out the door—and onto that blissful beach retreat you came for.

Dubai International Airport (DXB)

As one of the biggest airports in the world overall, Dubai, unsurprisingly, also has one of the world’s biggest duty-free shopping centers. As the base for flag airline Emirates, a Reader’s Choice favorite, Dubai is also served by scores of international airlines—and it’s long been a popular stopover destination for North American travelers heading to the Far East or South Pacific. Amenities like zen gardens and nap pods help make pass the time on a stay of any length.

Incheon International Airport (ICN)

Seoul’s main international airport opened 20 years ago on reclaimed land in the port city of Incheon, and has been expanding ever since: A second passenger terminal opened in 2018, part of the airport’s aim to double its capacity to 100 million passengers annually. Primarily serving the country’s two main airlines, Korean and Asiana, Incheon International also gains points for its spacious VIP lounges and amenities, including an indoor skating rink, a spa, and a “Cultural Street” with local cuisine and dance performances. While it’s 30 miles from the capital, a high-speed rail link makes the trip from terminal to city center in 43 minutes.

Doha (DOH)

Hamad International Airport is a major connecting hub for Qatar’s eponymous home airline, also a Readers’ Choice pick, and at times, it can seem more like a resort hotel than a bustling transportation hub, with amenities like a fitness center, squash courts and an indoor swimming pool. It’s gotten high marks for its premium amenities, with no fewer than eight premium lounges, plus quiet rooms and child’s entertainment zones for passengers in any airline class. For those on longer layovers, there is an upscale hotel right inside the terminal, with half- or full-day rates available.

Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)

That Changi again snagged the top spot among world airports is no surprise, given that it’s home to our readers’ favorit e carrier, Singapore Airlines, making it an ideal gateway to dozens of locations in the region. The airport is a destination in itself, with an indoor waterfall, butterfly garden, and open-air decks and restaurants. Transit passengers can take a free city tour, lounge by the swimming pool, or binge-watch flicks at the free 24-hour cinema. Traveler readers also like the self-boarding gates and free and fast Wi-Fi, and family travelers appreciate the vast play areas.

During GOPIO-CT Event, Rep. Jim Himes Says, “Joe Biden Administration Will Continue To Offer Mediation Between India And China”

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics, U.S. 0

Describing the current situation on Indo-China border as very serious, US Congressman Jim Himes, a Democrat from the state of Connecticut, said, if elected to power the Joe Biden Administration will continue to offer mediation between India and China. Rep. Himes was addressing an interactive session via Zoom, organized by the GOPIO-CT Chapter on Thursday, October 8th, 2020. He called for serious and significant dialogue between two Asian giants, Rep. Himes referred to the efforts by the Trump administration to mediate between India and China, and he hoped that both the nations “accept the offer to mediate by the US Administration.” Every year, GOPIO-CT has had an interactive session with Rep. Jim Himes. This year, because of the Pandemic, it had to be done on a Zoom session. The program started with a welcome by GOPIO-CT President Ashok Nichani who said that Rep. Himes is a great supporter of GOPIO and the Indian community.

In his opening remarks, GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, sought clarification from the Democratic Party Congressman on “US-India Relations in a Democrat Administration especially policy on India-China Border Clashes.”

Calling on both the counties to be “careful with each other” in their approach and not to escalate the situation between the Two Nuclear Nations, referring to the US efforts to engage both the nations, Rep. Himes said, “This is an important opportunity for both the nations to address” and resolve the border tensions. Referring to Joe Biden as someone, whose strength is in Foreign Policy, the Congressman said, “The Joe Biden Administration will continue to offer mediation” between India and China.

Dr. Thomas Abraham initiated the discussion by raising the “H1 and H4 visa issues and what you expect in Biden Administration, if he wins the election, especially for the need to clear the backlogs of pending Immigration numbers for our community.” Responding to these concerns that were shared in a series of questions by GOPIO leaders on the Immigration issues, Dr. Abraham described the immigration policy of the Trump administration and the current situation as “messy”, Rep. Himes referred to the numerous Presidential orders being challenged in Courts. He hoped that there will be a change, which will be a reversal in status and get back to a comprehensive immigration reform. Referring to the Trump policy on denying work visas to spouses of H1B visa holders, Rep. Himes asked, “What good is it that if the spouses of the H1B visa holders cannot work under H4 visas?’

On the Green Card back log, Rep. Himes said, attracting skilled laborers is “central to our economy.” On a question, regarding the discussions about the Country-based quota not being used and unused visas could be used to allow Green Cards to other qualified individuals who are caught in the backlog for Green Card approval, Rep. Himes was unsure if the Biden Administration will embrace the policy.

Rep. Himes called for new dialogue between the two major parties to create a comprehensive new immigration policy that addresses the needs of the nation and millions who are awaiting a solution to the challenges. Rep. Himes wanted the nation to reflect and clarify the values behind creating a comprehensive immigration policy. While criticizing the Trump regime’s policy of favoring the people of higher income groups while offering visas, Rep. Himes said, “The Biden Administration will be more open to immigration” which is more compassionate and understanding of the needs of the nation and those of the immigrants.

On another question regarding voter suppression, Rep. Himes said, “If you want to vote in the state of Connecticut, there is no requirement for Voter ID.” He urged all sections of the society to work to ensuring “peaceful elections.” Pointing to a state law, that does not allow political activity within 75 feet of any polling place, he said, “Any propaganda will be a violation and will be prosecuted.” Describing the residents of CT as law abiding citizens, Rep. Himes said, “I do not anticipate any significant problems in CT. However, the situation is different in other states like Wisconsin.”

Rep. Himes serves on the US Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans, a forum in which Members of Congress can address the issues central to our relationship with this important South Asian nation. By promoting dialogue on issues of interest to the Indian-American community, the Caucus strives to strengthen bilateral relations between the United States and India, promote trade with India, enhance economic development in India and the United States, increase anti-terrorism cooperation.

On the ongoing Covid-19 emergency, Rep. Himes said, “the impact of Covid has been contained in my constituency by good behavior of all of my constituents. The numbers in the state of CT are good, because we did not get into politics. Hope the situation continues to improve.” Referring to the Congressional Bill passed that had offered substantial relief for small businesses, Congressman Himes pointed to the challenges in passing a new Covid Bill that the Congress Bill offers $2.2 Trillion, Rep. Himes criticized the Republican-led Senate and President Trump. “Once again, President Trump has called off negotiations, which is not good for the President and for the nation.

Rep. Himes also sought suggestions from GOPIO-CT participants on Kashmir issue. On that, Dr. Abraham categorically said that people in India whole heartedly supported the steps taken by Modi administration to make Kashmir people full participants like other citizens of India and complimented Prime Minister Modi for the new initiatives in education and development of Kashmir.

GOPIO-CT Trustee Joseph Simon concluded the meeting by thanking the organizers and Congressman Jim Himes for being gracious with his time and addressing the many issues of interest to the Indian community so directly and openly.

Over the last 14 years, GOPIO-CT, a chapter of GOPIO International has become an active and dynamic organization hosting interactive sessions with policy makers and academicians, community events, youth mentoring and networking workshops, and working with other area organizations to help create a better future. GOPIO-CT – Global Organization of People of Indian Origin – serves as a non-partisan, secular, civic and community service organization – promoting awareness of Indian culture, customs and contributions of PIOs through community programs, forums, events and youth activities. It seeks to strengthen partnerships and create an ongoing dialogue with local communities.

The History Of AAPI, Chronicled By Dr. Ranga Reddy Released

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

(Chicago, IL: October 12^th, 2020) A Coffee Table Book, chronicling the history of AAPI was released during the MINI Convention and the Fall Governing Body Meeting of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin on Saturday, September 26^th, 2020 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, Chicago, IL. Ambassador Arun Kumar, Consul General of India in Chicago, along with Dr. Suresh Reddy, Immediate Past President of AAPI released the Book in the presence of AAPI delegates from around the nation.The first copy of the book was presented to Dr. Ranga Reddy, Chair, AAPI History Task Force & Past President, 1997-98, who chronicled historical book over the past three decades. “This coffee table book is dedicated to all the “First Ladies” who have sacrificed innumerable hours of their family time for the sake of AAPI,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, while releasing the Book, said. “My sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the leaders of AAPI, and in particular to Dr. Ranga Reddy for being the “Shrusti-Kartha” of this book. He chronicled the history of AAPI. Spending thousands of hours in the past 25 years, making sure this book saw the light of the day. He wrote the biographic sketches of each past President with inputs from most of them. It is an honor and privilege for me to be included in this club of the Past Presidents of AAPI.” Dr. Ranga Reddy, who was honored during the Convention, in his remarks, stated, “The journey to the land of opportunities by Physicians of Indian Origin began in the early 1960s and the 1970s and began establishing themselves across the United States. It was tough and challenging for the pioneers to establish practice and find suitable job opportunities in the US. Faced with instances of overt as well as subtle discrimination in Residency recruitment and License Reciprocity, physicians of Indian Origin organized themselves in several states to fight the unfair treatment.” “It was a passion for history” that made this historic moment a reality, said Dr. Ranga Reddy, a Medical Graduate of Kurnool Medical College, where he had obtained MBBS and M.S Degrees. Dr. Ranga Reddy had his Training in Anesthesiology at SUNY in New York. Starting his career at St. Louis University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, he later on, moved to Springfield, Illinois to join practice in Memorial Medical Centre, where he served as the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology.Dr. Ranga Reddy served AAPI in various capacities including as its President and as a member of the Board of Trustees. During his Presidency “One Member One Vote” policy was introduced for electing the leaders making the process truly democratic. During his Presidency, in order to comply with AAPI’s 501 (3) C status, AAPI’s Political Action Committee was replaced with Legislative Affairs Committee. He led efforts to create AAPI’s Patron Trustee Membership to support AAPI Charitable Foundation and raised over $600,000 during his Presidency. The Annual Convention held in Dallas, highlighted participation of the second-generation physicians into AAPI for the first time. In India, Dr. Ranga Reddy started an AAPI Charitable Clinic in a remote village called Ellayapalle to provide medical services to the indigenous people. He promoted “Adopt the Primary Health Care Center of Your Native Place” in Andhra Pradesh. He co-sponsored a water project with Nandi Foundation to supply clean water to the villagers. Dr. Ranga Reddy was invited to the White House in 1995 by President Bill Clinton on behalf of AAPI Leadership. He is the recipient of the AAPI Distinguished Service Award, Distinguished Public Service Award by American Telugu Association and Leadership Award by the Association of International College of Physicians. Expressing gratitude to Dr. Reddy and while summarizing the importance of the Coffee Table Book on AAPI history, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “This is an excellent historical review of AAPI by Dr. Ranga Reddy. AAPI is fortunate to have dedicated leaders such as Dr. Reddy. Thanks for the wonderful work to AAPI. Hats off to his passion and dedication to AAPI. It’s a valuable work about AAPI since 37 years!!” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, current President of AAPI, while summarizing the history and the growth of AAPI, said, “Over the past 37 years, AAPI has grown and is now the largest ethnic medical society in the United States, representing the interests of over 100,000 Indian American physicians and Fellows. AAPI has come to be recognized as a vibrant, united, transparent, non-politically engaged organization, ensuring active participation of young physicians, with increased membership, enabling that AAPI’s voice is heard in the corridors of power.” For more information, please visit: aapiusa.org

Louise Gluck, Austere Poet Of Human Trauma And Renewal, Wins Literature Nobel

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEducation, Profiles 0

Acclaimed American poet Louise Gluck, who draws on classical mythology, family life and nature in her precise and spare rendition of certain traumatic facets of the human condition such as pain and loss — both personal and public — but also longing and self-realisation, was on Thursday awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for 2020.

The New York-born Gluck, 77, is the 16th woman to win the prestigious prize, and the first American to receive it since singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in 2016. The Swedish Academy cited “her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal” in selecting her for the prestigious prize.

Gluck, who overcame her anorexia affliction, disrupted education and lack of academic qualification, and writer’s block to emerge an important voice in American letters over her over half-decade career, has at least 12 volumes of poetry and several collections of essays on poetry to her credit. Her most recent published work was “American Originality: Essays on Poetry” (2017).

Publishing her first collection of poems “Firstborn” in 1968 to some positive feedback, she subsequently complained of writer’s block but said it slowly dissipated after she started teaching poetry in a Vermont college. It was her second volume “The House on Marshland” (1975), which brought her to prominence, and showcased “her distinctive voice”, as per American critic Daniel Morris. Assessing her work, Nobel Committee Chairman Anders Olsson said her poetic oeuvre is “characterised by a striving for clarity”.

“Childhood and family life, the close relationship with parents and siblings, is a thematic that has remained central with her. In her poems, the self listens for what is left of its dreams and delusions, and nobody can be harder than she in confronting the illusions of the self,” he wrote on the Nobel Prize’s website.

However, as Olsson, and many scholars have noted, that while Gluck draws on her own life for her work, she is not a “confessional poet”, like, say, Sylvia Plath, and her verse eschews ethnic, religious or gender categories of identity politics, or a definite classification.

Gluck, instead, prefers to use prominent figures from Greco-Roman mythology such as Dido, the Queen of Carthage whose unrequited love for Aeneas doomed her, Persephone, the Greek goddess of Spring and abducted by the Lord of the Underworld, the gloomy Hades, to be his bride, and Eurydice, who almost came back from the land of dead due to her suitor’s persistence.

Then, her book-length six-part poem “October” (2004), drawing largely on Greek mythology, deals with the 9/11 attack. But, Gluck also uses non-human narrators, with her work “The Wild Iris” where garden flowers talk to a gardener and a deity about the nature of life.

Poem “The Red Poppy” goes: “The great thing/is not having/a mind. Feelings:/oh, I have those; they/govern me. I have a lord in heaven/called the sun, and open/for him, showing him/the fire of my own heart, fire/like his presence…., while in “Snowdrops”, on rebirth and redemption in changing seasons, goes: I did not expect to survive,/earth suppressing me. I didn’t expect/to waken again, to feel/in damp earth my body/able to respond again, remembering/after so long how to open again/in the cold light/of earliest spring -…”

But it is not always gloom and pain in Gluck’s poetry. She can sometimes also display a trenchant wit, as Olsson points out, the collection “Vita Nova” ends: “I thought my life was over and my heart was broken./Then I moved to Cambridge.”

Currently an Adjunct Professor of English and Rosenkranz Writer in Residence at Yale University, she is the recipient of a host of prominent literary awards, including the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature in 1981, the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1993 for “The Wild Iris”, and the National Book Award in 2014 for “Faithful and Virtuous Night”. She was also Poet Laureate of the United States (2003-04)

Khushwant Singh LitFest Features Amitav Ghosh, Pico Iyer

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEducation 0

After holding the Khushwant Singh LitFest (KSLF) at the Kasauli Club in Himachal Pradesh for eight consecutive years, this year the festival has decided to go digital with an online LitFest on October 9, 10 and 11.

With major writers including Amitav Ghosh, Piyo Iyer, activist Harsh Mander, philanthropist Sudha Murty, TV commentator and author Fareed Zakaria, writers Chetan Bhagat and Shobha De, and explorers Jono Lineen and Erling Kagge, among others, participating in the event, the theme for this year is ‘A New Life’, offering a sense of where we can go from ‘here’.

“There is so much happening online everyday — talks, music and other events. Initially, we wondered if we should go ahead with a festival at all. Brigadier Naveen Mahajan, in charge of Kasauli, was most encouraging and offered to have the festival at the Kasauli Club with social distancing. However, Rahul and I are both Mumbai based. Cases are high in the city and we did not want to risk carrying the virus to Kasauli,” co-founder of the festival, Niloufer Bilimoria, told IANS.

Adding that they decided to do a boutique fest online as they believed that the theme of ï¿½A New Life’ was an important one to convey, co-founder Rahul Singh, said, “A physical festival is of course what we hope for. But that could take a long time.”

Stressing that the festival, which has witnessed eight editions in Kasauli and two in London, was extremely important to them as it is dedicated to ecology of the region and education of the girl child, values dear to writer Khushwant Singh, Bilimoria said, “We also dedicate it to the great Indian soldier. Though funding is extremely tough, we are determined to be back each year to promote the values and ideals of Khushwant Sngh. Values of tolerance and communal harmony on which our democracy is built; concern for the environment; education of the girl child; respect for the Indian soldier and friendship with our neighbours.”

Trump Moves to Cut Back H-1B Visas, Tighten Rules

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness, Travel 0

The Trump administration moved Oct. 6 to cut back H-1B visas for foreign skilled workers and tightened wage-based entry barriers citing “data” that more than 500,000 Americans have lost their jobs because of “H-1B non-immigrants.” India and China account for the lion’s share of H-1B visas. As per U.S. government data, India accounts for upwards of 70 percent, most years.

In a call with reporters, Acting Deputy DHS Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said about one-third of the people who have applied for H-1B visas would be denied under the new rules. With Trump laid up with COVID-19, his poll numbers tanking and less than 30 days to go before the U.S. election, the timing of the H-1B visa hammering is business as usual for foreign workers.

“It would have been a surprise if this hadn’t happened,” an H-1B worker on site at JP Morgan in New York City told IANS. The worker asked not to be named. The salary requirement will be a “game changer” in favor of the Trump administration, this worker said.

Many H-1B workers expressed a version of the same sentiment. They’ve seen this movie before. It’s Trump’s all-base, all the time anthem to fire up his most vocal supporters, they said.

The latest blow comes as the ducks line up across multiple departments that coordinate and monitor the crisscrossing elements of foreign worker visas: U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Homeland Security.

The Department of Labor’s revisions to minimum salary requirements take effect Oct. 8 and the DHS’ H-1B revisions will hit home in 60 days. “When seeking to employ an H-1B, H-1B1, or E-3 visa, U.S. employers must attest that they will pay non-immigrant workers, during the period of authorized employment, the higher of the prevailing wage or the actual wage paid to other employees with similar experience and qualifications,” the Department of Labor announced.

The gaslighting of the “low cost H-1B pay check is a well worn anthem and has become louder in the Trump years. The word “undercut” was used multiple times on Oct. 6 in a round robin of smoothly coordinated press-releases and telephonic briefings across the DOL and DHS.

The DOL rule will raise the four salary tiers for employees on H-1Bs and other professional visas, which currently begin at the 17th percentiles for each industry, to the 45th percentile.

“Under the existing wage levels, artificially low prevailing wages provide an opportunity for employers to hire and retain foreign workers at wages well below what their US counterparts – meaning U..S workers in the same labor market, performing similar jobs, and possessing similar levels of education, experience, and responsibility – make, creating an incentive – entirely at odds with the statutory scheme – to prefer foreign workers to U.S. workers, and causing downward pressure on the wages of the domestic workforce,” reads an excerpt from the DOL interim final rule.

The Department is also tightening the screws on the definition of “specialty occupation” to make it align with what it calls the “verbatim” description.

In parallel, DHS will narrow the definition of “specialty occupation,” require companies to make “real” offers to “real employees,” and turbocharge its own ability to ensure compliance “before, during, and after an H1-B petition is approved.”

“Data shows that the more than a half million H-1B non-immigrants in the United States have been used to displace U.S. workers,” reads a statement from the Department of Homeland Security

Mayur Gupta, Raja Rajamannar and Vineet Mehra Among Forbes’ Most Influential CMOs of 2020

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterFinance/Economy, Profiles 0

Forbes magazine Oct. 1 unveiled its eighth annual World’s Most Influential CMOs list, honoring the top marketers worldwide, with three Indian Americans named among the 50 honorees.

Forbes used data from news reports, websites and social networks to measure influence, and worked with research partners Sprinklr and LinkedIn for the 2020 list, it said. Among the group were Mayur Gupta, Raja Rajamannar and Vineet Mehra. Gupta, at No. 14 on the list, is the former CMO at Freshly.

As Gupta explained to Forbes in April, when he was still CMO of the meal-delivery company, Freshly pulled back on a lot of its usual marketing and is instead relying on organic traffic and word of mouth while also switching from a top-of-funnel strategy to something more focused on partnerships and customer engagement, Forbes notes in its report.

It also partnered with Nestlé to donate $500,000 to Meals On Wheels to serve senior citizens across the country, the magazine wrote.

“We felt that during this time even though we’re still a growth-stage company, we had the responsibility to take care of people who are highest at risk,” Gupta had said, according to the report. Gupta departed Freshly in May and is now chief marketing and strategy officer at media-company Gannett.

At No. 18 was Rajamannar, the chief marketing and communications officer at Mastercard. In an April thought piece in Mastercard’s LinkedIn newsletter “Marketing Sense,” Rajamannar explained how he believes brands should respond to Covid-19, the report notes.

Among his directives: “In these uncertain times, brands can be either destroyed or elevated. The outcome depends on their response. Brands’ considerations must reach beyond businesses. In these trying times, marketers need to identify how their brand can best convey compassion.”

Long one of Forbes’ World’s Most Influential CMOs known for his innovation and industry leadership, Rajamannar actively shared his expertise with peer CMOs during the pandemic, it said.

“As I have said before, and it is even more relevant today, marketers need to operate like general managers—general managers that have a deep knowledge in marketing,” he said in an interview with Brand Equity.

Mehra, the global CMO and chief customer officer at Walgreens Boots Alliance, is No. 43 on the list. Committed to democratizing health and wellness, per Mehra, he prioritizes data-based, personalized shopping and experiences for Walgreens and Boots customers, Fobres wrote.

In an interview with tech partner Microsoft, he said, “The recent events around the racial equality movement are showing there are ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in our society. Your postal code, in some cases, dictates your health outcome more than your genetic code,” according to the report.

“We have pharmacy deserts in America. We have food deserts. We have areas without access to health care. But imagine if we knew who you were, we could offer those experiences to you in multiple ways,” he continued. “We can offer up an experience to deliver it direct to your door. And we’ll set up delivery lockers in certain neighborhoods where people can pick things up.”

The eighth annual special report that assesses measures of influence—defined as the impact a chief marketer’s actions and words have on his or her internal organization’s motivation and performance, corporate brand perception, broader marketing and advertising trends and, ultimately, corporate financial performance, including stock price — this year also evaluated influence as impact on corporate, industry or community response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the racial-justice movement.

This year, 427 global CMOs were eligible for consideration. To be eligible for evaluation, CMOs or their brand must have appeared on at least one major brand or marketing list in the past year. To make the Top 50, a CMO must be in the top 20 percent of CMOs on at least three different indicators of personal, industry or internal influence, or show extraordinary impact visibility on the conversation around Covid-19 or Black Lives Matter.

Amherst Town in New York Honors Gandhi with Installation of Statue

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Amherst town in New York has paid tribute to Gandhi’s global role promoting non-violence and peace by installing his bust even as memorials to the Mahatma have come under attack in some places in the U.S. from radical groups.

The city of Amherst put up the statue through an Indian American community initiative on Gandhi Jayanti, joining several places across the U.S. that already have statues honoring the Mahatma, including San Francisco, California.

India’s Consul General in New York Randhir Jaiswal, state Assemblywoman Karen McMahon, county head Mark Poloncarz and Brian Kulpa, who is the equivalent of town mayor, jointly unveiled the bust.

The Council of Heritage and Arts of India spearheaded the effort for installing the bust sculpted by Ram Sutar, well known for his portrayals of Gandhi.

The organization raised $40,000 for the statue, some of it through GoFundMe, an online fundraising site.

CHAI executive director Sibu Nair told IANS he decided to bring the statue to Amherst because Gandhi’s undying ideology that transcends the physical is important at a time when the U.S. and the world are divided by hate and violence.

“I thought of taking a small step in our town by making a Gandhi monument” because, he said, “Gandhi is not just the name of a person but it’s an ideology or way of life which never dies. In the current world his message is very important. World is full of hate and violence.”

That message has a special resonance because Gandhi has been drawn into the hate and violence roiling the U.S .and the addition of a statue in Amherst defies the attacks on his image.

Vandals took advantage of protests against brutality in Washington to deface Gandhi’s statues with personal hate messages in June.

Another statue of Gandhi was vandalized in Davies in California.

Petitions have been circulated by radicals and extremists to have the statues on Davies and in Fresno removed.

President Donald Trump’s Spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany has denounced what she said were efforts by “radical left-wing mobs” to tear down statues of Gandhi and of American leaders like George Washington.

Protest in New Jersey over the Hathras gang rape and killing of Dalit Girl

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, India, Politics 0

The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), an advocacy group dedicated to safeguarding India’s pluralist and tolerant ethos, organized a massive protest in New Jersey on October 10, 2020, over the gang rape and killing of a Dalit girl in Hathras, in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh.

The hasty and forceful cremation of the victim’s body by the Uttar Pradesh police has sent shock waves across India and indeed around the world. The inhumanity of the crime was amplified by the brazenness of the state government’s attempt to shield the perpetrators. The indifference shown to the value of human life by those in positions of power was the focus of the ire and outrage by protesters at the rally.

The protest was organized by the New Jersey unit of IAMC, and was supported by members of other civil society groups such as Hindus for Human Rights, India Civil Watch, Sadhana, Students Against Hindutva Ideology, Muslims for Progressive Values, MANAVI, Dalit Solidarity Forum and Global Indian Progressive Alliance among others.

“The Hindu nationalist government in India protects perpetrators of brutal sexual crimes against Dalit women, because it doesn’t treat Dalits as equal citizens,” said Mr. Minhaj M Khan, President of the New Jersey chapter of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) at the rally on Saturday. He was addressing a large gathering of peaceful protesters from New Jersey and New York. The protestors; key demand was justice for the 19-year-old Dalit girl who was gang raped on September 14, 2020, by four men belonging to the influential upper caste Thakurs in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh. The victim died two weeks later in a hospital in Delhi, after suffering paralysis due to severe injuries to her spinal cord, leading to national and international outrage and protests.

“Dalit lives do not matter under India’s Hindu nationalist government and the state of Uttar Pradesh has only acted in a manner consistent with the national government’s repressive policies towards Dalits and religious minorities. Not only did the state’s chief minister Adityanath deny that the girl was raped, he refused a dignified death to her, and protected the culprits because they are from the same upper caste as him,” he said.

Jawad Khan, the national General Secretary of IAMC, highlighted the fact that according to India’s National Crime Records Bureau more than 500 Dalit women were raped in Uttar Pradesh under Adityanath regime in 2019 alone. In 2018 almost 3000 Dalit women were raped in UP of whom 871 were minors. On an average 8 Dalit women are raped everyday in India.

“Adityanath is not capable of serving people in accordance with the Constitution. He protected the culprits of the gang rape and instead hired a public relations firm to push a narrative that the gang rape in Hathras, was a conspiracy of ‘outsiders’,” Mr. Khan said while addressing the protesters who wore masks, raising placards in their hands. They raised slogans against India’s Hindu nationalist government as well as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh. Yogi Adityanath has been known to run private militias with a criminal record that goes back several decades.

“The unfortunate reality is that under the administration of Modi government, members of upper caste and of those who believe in the neo-Nazi ideology of Hindutva, are more equal than others. We are here to demand that the Indian state ensure justice to the family of the victim, in not only this case but in all other cases of sexual violence against Dalit women,” said Mr. Sheik, a board member of IAMC.

Dr. Murli Natarajan from India Civil Watch International, condemned the gang rape in Hathras and said that the “brutality that happened in Hathras, was yet another in a very long series of moral horrors perpetrated against Dalits by caste-supremacist patriarchs.”

“We condemn their brazen denial of the rape, their cowardly cover-up of the frequency of rapes, their shameless glorification of the rapists, their bigoted denigration of rape victims, and their denial to the family of the right to grieve with dignity,” he added.

A representative of Dalit Solidarity forum in the USA, said that the protest was an expression of condemnation of “the rapid increase in the unacceptable social condition of Dalit women unable to defend rights to our own bodies and self-respect. We are repeatedly devalued, raped and mutilated.”

Nilab Nusrat, a representative from Hindus for Human Rights, said “I can’t stay silent when a 19-year-old girl is getting gang-raped and killed and the rapists are not brought to justice because they are members of the upper caste.”

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. (Courtesy: Indian American Muslim Council)

Arctic Ice Is Nearing Extinct

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEnvironment, Science & Technology 0

The German Research Vessel Polarstern has sailed back into its home port after completing a remarkable expedition to the Arctic Ocean. The ship spent a year in the polar north, much of it with its engines turned off so it could simply drift in the sea-ice.

The point was to study the Arctic climate and how it is changing. And expedition leader, Prof Markus Rex, returned with a warning. “The sea-ice is dying,” he said. “The region is at risk. We were able to witness how the ice disappears and in areas where there should have been ice that was many metres thick, and even at the North Pole – that ice was gone,” the Alfred Wegener Institute scientist told a media conference in Bremerhaven on Monday.

RV Polarstern was on station to document this summer’s floes shrink to their second lowest ever extent in the modern era. The floating ice withdrew to just under 3.74 million sq km (1.44 million sq miles). The only time this minimum has been beaten in the age of satellites was 2012, when the pack ice was reduced to 3.41 million sq km.

The downward trend is about 13% per decade, averaged across the month of September. “This reflects the warming of the Arctic,” said Prof Rex. “The ice is disappearing and if in a few decades we have an ice-free Arctic – this will have a major impact on the climate around the world.”

The €130m (£120m/$150m) cruise set off from Tromsø, Norway, on 20 September last year. The project was named the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC).

The idea was to recreate the historic voyage of Norwegian polar researcher Fridtjof Nansen, who undertook the first ice drift through the Arctic Ocean more than 125 years ago.

RV Polarstern embedded itself in the ice on the Siberian side of the Arctic basin with the intention of floating across the top of the world and emerging from the floes just east of Greenland.

In the course of this drift, hundreds of researchers came aboard to study the region’s environment. They deployed a battery of instruments to try to understand precisely how the ocean and atmosphere are responding to the warming forced on the Arctic by the global increase in greenhouse gases.

Coronavirus only briefly interrupted the expedition – not by making participants ill, but by obliging the ship at one point to leave the floes to go pick up its next rotation of scientists. Other ships and planes were supposed to deliver the participants direct to RV Polarstern, but international movement restrictions made this extremely challenging in the early-to-middle part of this year.

Despite the hiatus, Prof Rex declared the MOSAiC project a huge success. The mass of data and samples now in the possession of researchers would make the modelling they use to project future climate change much more robust, he explained.

It was as if the MOSAiC scientists had been shown the inner workings of an intricate clock, he said. “We looked at all the different elements, down to the different screws of this Arctic system. And now we understand the entire clockwork better than ever before. And maybe we can rebuild this Arctic system on a computer model,” he told reporters. (Source: By Jonathan Amos BBC Science Correspondent)

Amazon Prime Video to Globally Premiere 9 Highly-Anticipated Movies in 5 Indian Languages

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Amazon Prime Video has announced it will globally premiere nine highly-anticipated movies in five Indian languages This announcement follows the phenomenal success of the previously released global premieres. The new slate comprises of nine exciting titles spanning 5 Indian languages—Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam—taking Amazon Prime Video’s total direct-to-service offering to 19 exciting movies across genres and languages.

The line-up including “Coolie No. 1” starring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan, the Rajkummar Rao starrer “Chhalaang,” Bhumi Pednekar’s “Durgavati,” Anand Devarakonda starrer “Middle-Class Melodies” (Telugu), the R. Madhavan starrer “Maara” (Tamil), “Bheema Sena Nala Maharaja” featuring Aravinnd Iyer, “Halal Love Story” (Malayalam), “Manne Number 13” (Kannada) starring Varsha and the Suriya starrer “Soorarai Pottru” (Tamil) will premiere starting Oct. 15 on Amazon Prime Video in over 200 countries and territories.

The movies will premiere exclusively on Prime Video within 2020 and will be available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

The new slate follows the successful launch of the first wave of direct-to-service premieres of 10 films across 5 languages, which led to Amazon Prime Video expanding its footprint in India with viewership for these movies coming from over 4000 cities and towns.

Viewership titles in languages such Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam received more than 50 percent viewership from customers outside the home states, with customers from Lucknow, Kolkata, Pune and beyond streaming “Penguin,” “Ponmagal Vandhal,” “Law,” “French Biriyani,” “Sufiyum Sujatayum,” “CU Soon,” “V” and “Nishabdham.”

The movies were also streamed and enjoyed by TV audiences in 180 countries and territories, allowing Indian filmmakers to reach a wider audience through Prime Video’s global presence. Hindi titles “Gulabo Sitabo” and “Shakuntala Devi” emerged as the two most watched movies since the launch of Prime Video in India and globally!

“Gripping content transcends geographical boundaries. The audience are always on the lookout for great entertainment, and good content will always find an audience. The resounding success of our first wave of direct-to-service movie premieres is a testament to that. This further reinforces our commitment to offering our customers a selection of riveting movies across a wide range of genres and languages,” Vijay Subramaniam, director and head, Content, Amazon Prime Video, India, said. “Our previous direct-to-service launches were watched in over 180 countries.”

“The disruptive, pioneering format of Direct-to-Digital movie premieres has, in many ways, been a game-changer in the way films are watched in India. Amazon Prime Video is playing a key role of not only expanding the reach and viewership of these films across the country, but also providing global customers across 200-plus countries and territories access to world-class films originating from India,” said Gaurav Gandhi, director and country general manager, Amazon Prime Video India.

He adds, “The fact that more than 50 percent of viewership of our Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam titles came from outside of the respective home states is representative of how digital distribution can expand the audience for great content. We are super excited to present our new slate and are confident that it will delight our customers in India and around the world.”

“Halal Love Story” is scheduled to premiere Oct. 15. The comedy directed by Zakariya Mohammed stars Indrajith Sukumaran, Joju George, Sharaf U Dheen, Grace Antony and Soubin Shahir in lead roles along with Parvathy Thiruvothu.

“Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja” (Kannada) / Oct. 29 is a family entertainer directed by Karthik Saragur. The movie stars Aravinnd Iyer, Aarohi Narayan, Priyanka Thimmesh, Achyuth Kumar and Aadya in leading roles.

“Soorarai Pottru” (Tamil) / Oct. 30, is an action drama directed by Sudha Kongara, staring Suriya in the lead with Aparna Balamurali, Paresh Rawal and Mohan Babu in pivotal roles. The film is produced by Suriya’s 2D Entertainment and co-produced by Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment. This film is a fictionalized version of the book “Simply Fly” written on the life of Air Deccan founder Capt. G. R. Gopinath.

“Chhalaang” (Hindi) / Nov. 13 is an inspirational

Quick Banh Mi

October 13, 2020 Staff ReporterAmmu's Hearty Treats 0

Regular sandwiches are absolutely boring when compared to this Vietnamese delicacy. This super loaded sub is unlike any other sandwich you’ve ever had. How I developed this recipe- It’s after hearing from one of my friends from Vietnam about how she survived through her university studies there and her love for Banh mi -which she had every single day, I started craving for one as well. But my only option was to recreate one as Vietnamese food wasn’t widely available were I lived. So in order to make this meaty Vietnamese submarine I went through almost every single recipe on the internet. To my surprise each and every blog/ video followed a different recipe and I had to join the important elements from few of the best rated ones to recreate a Banh mi that’s as authentic as possible when homemade. And in order to make it a bit more healthier, I use a wholewheat baguette instead of the traditional white baguette. What’s special about this recipe- Dairy-free— This sandwich is free from dairy-cheese/butter.etc- yet you would never miss anything exciting in it, as there’s a lot of flavours from the combination of cold cuts and sliced roast meat along with tanginess from pickled veggies and spicy niness of sriacha/peppers Loaded with veggies & protein- As the sub is super filled with colourful veggies and different types of meat, it definitely does add a lot to your healthy daily nutritional requirements. Baguette preference- Traditionally Banh Mi is made using ‘Banh Mi Tay’ which is the name for Vietnamese white mini baguettes. But it’s totally upto you to switch it to a healthy brown baguette as I did (I used my homemade whole wheat baguette). What you’ll need- Wholewheat (or white ) Baguette bread -1 ~12 inches or 2~6 inches Sliced onions- half a cup Carrots and white radishes cut into thin strips- half a cup Half a cup of thinly sliced green salad cucumbers 4-8 slices of jalapeños or thin cut green peppers Few stems of coriander leaves 4 tablespoons of chicken pate ~4 slices of pink ham Sliced roasted ham or succulent sliced beef steak cuts (leftover would do) 2 tablespoons sriracha and 2 tablespoons mayo combined A mixture of 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon rice wine, half tablespoon sugar and half teaspoon salt How to make- Pickle the cut carrots and radishes in vinegar mixture.Slit the baguette and spread the chicken pate. Top it up with peppers, onions and pickled veggies.Then layer it with hot sliced of roast ham or steak.Now arrange the coriander sprigs on top.Drizzle sriracha-mayo after placing the cold cut pink ham and finally close the sub with the top half of the baguette. Notes, Tips and Suggestions . Banh Mi is a very versatile sub that you could customise your favourite cold cuts and steak cuts of meat. . You could always add more sriracha or mayo to balance the spicy ness of your sandwich. . It’s ideal to tie your Banh Mi in the centre with a lining of parchment paper strip, so that you could eat it more conveniently.

US Election 2020 Polls: Who Is Ahead – Trump Or Biden?

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

In less than 4 weeks, voters in America will decide whether Donald Trump remains in the White House for another four years. The Republican president is being challenged by Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden, who is best known as Barack Obama’s vice-president but has been in US politics since the 1970s.

As election day approaches, polling companies will be trying to gauge the mood of the nation by asking voters which candidate they prefer. We’ll be keeping track of those polls here and trying to work out what they can and can’t tell us about who will win the election.

Biden leading national presidential polls

National polls are a good guide as to how popular a candidate is across the country as a whole, but they’re not necessarily a good way to predict the result of the election.

In 2016, for example, Hillary Clinton led in the polls and won nearly three million more votes than Donald Trump, but she still lost – that’s because the US uses an electoral college system, so winning the most votes doesn’t always win you the election.

With that caveat aside, Joe Biden has been ahead of Donald Trump in most national polls since the start of the year. He has hovered around 50% in recent months and has had a 10-point lead on occasions.

By contrast, in 2016 the polls were far less clear and just a couple of percentage points separated Mr Trump and his then-rival Hillary Clinton at several points as election day neared.

Which states will decide this election?

As Mrs Clinton discovered in 2016, the number of votes you win is less important than where you win them.

Most states nearly always vote the same way, meaning that in reality there are just a handful of states where both candidates stand a chance of winning. These are the places where the election will be won and lost and are known as battleground states.

The electoral college system the US uses to elect its president, each state is given a number of votes based on how many members it sends to Congress – House and Senate. A total of 538 electoral college votes are up for grabs, so a candidate needs to hit 270 to win.

As the map above shows, some battleground states have a lot more electoral college votes on offer than others so candidates often spend a lot more time campaigning in them.

Who’s leading in the battleground states?

At the moment, polls in the battleground states look good for Joe Biden, but there’s a long way to go and things can change very quickly, especially when Donald Trump’s involved.

The polls suggest Mr Biden is ahead in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – three industrial states his Republican rival won by margins of less than 1% to clinch victory in 2016.

But it’s the battleground states where Mr Trump won big in 2016 that his campaign team will be most worried about. His winning margin in Iowa, Ohio and Texas was between 8-10% back then but it’s looking much closer in all three at the moment.

That’s one of the reasons why some political analysts rate his chances of re-election as low as things stand. FiveThirtyEight, a political analysis website, says Mr Biden is “favoured” to win the election, while The Economist says he is “very likely” to beat Mr Trump.

Do polls show who won the first debate?

Many pundits called the debate for Mr Biden and the BBC’s Anthony Zurcher agreed, describing it as “the political equivalent of a food fight” with the former vice-president emerging as the man “least covered in slop”.

But what do the polls tell us? Well the ones we have all put the Democrat ahead, but by varying margins.

An NBC News/Wall Street Journal national poll conducted after the debate found Mr Biden on 53% and his rival on 39% – a gap six points wider than in their previous poll two weeks earlier.

But more worrying for the president are two battleground state polls conducted by the New York Times and Siena College that found Mr Biden ahead by seven points in Pennsylvania and five points in Florida.

Overall, it doesn’t appear that the president’s debate performance helped him close the gap on his rival.

Has coronavirus affected Trump’s numbers?

The coronavirus pandemic has dominated headlines in the US since the start of the year and the response to President Trump’s actions has been split predictably along party lines.

Support for his approach peaked in mid-March after he declared a national emergency and made $50 billion available to states to stop the spread of the virus. But it dropped after that point, even among Republicans.

The virus is likely to be at the forefront of voters’ minds and one leading model produced by experts at the University of Washington predicts the death toll will have risen to about 240,000 people by election day.

Mr Trump may be hoping Operation Warp Speed, his administration’s vaccine initiative, can produce an “October surprise” – a last-minute event that turns the election upside down.

The chief scientific adviser to the initiative has said it’s “extremely unlikely but not impossible” that a vaccine could be ready to distribute before 3 November.

Can we trust the polls?

It’s easy to dismiss the polls by saying they got it wrong in 2016 and President Trump frequently does exactly that. But it’s not entirely true.

Most national polls did have Hillary Clinton ahead by a few percentage points, but that doesn’t mean they were wrong, since she won three million more votes than her rival.

Pollsters did have some problems in 2016 – notably a failure to properly represent voters without a college degree – meaning Mr Trump’s advantage in some key battleground states wasn’t spotted until late in the race, if at all. Most polling companies have corrected this now.

But this year there’s even more uncertainty than normal due to the coronavirus pandemic and the effect it’s having on both the economy and how people will vote in November, so all polls should be read with some scepticism, especially this far out from election day.

What questions do you have about the US election?

The US election process can be confusing. The BBC is here to help make sense of it. Please put your questions below.

In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.

At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.

The BBC retains the right to select from these contributions based on editorial requirements and subject to online terms and conditions and BBC editorial guidelines. For more information about how the BBC handles your personal data, see here.

(Sourrce: BBC News: Written and produced by Mike Hills and Will Dahlgreen. Design by Irene de la Torre Arenas. Development by Katie Hassell, Marcos Gurgel, Steven Connor and Shilpa Saraf.)

Priyanka Chopra’s Memoir ‘Unfinished’ Unveiled

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Profiles, Women 0

Priyanka Chopra, 38-year-old actor, took to Instagram to share an intriguing short clip featuring the posters of her films. The video that starts from a monochromatic picture of her parents, showcases some iconic characters essayed by the actor over the big screen. The video is created in form of a film reel which plays horizontally, in the same fashion as a movie plays in a cinema hall, with the sound of the reel rolling up and down. The clip featuring the posters chronicle the journey of the actor from the very beginning. It puts on display the poster of ‘The Hero: Love Story of A Spy’, ‘Fashion’ ‘Mari Kom’, ‘Dostana’, Barfi, ‘Bajirao Mastaani’, ‘Quantico’ and ‘Baywatch.’ It also summaries the journey of the actor from Bollywood to Hollywood.

Alongside the clip, Priyanka wrote, “This is my story. #unfinished.” It was in June 2018 that the star first announced of making her memoir, and had said that it “gives you an indescribable sense of accomplishment” when you tick off something from your “bucket list”. ‘Unfinished’ will be a collection of personal essays, stories, and observations by the actor, producer, singer, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Chopra.

Priyanka Chopra is an Indian actor and singer who has appeared in many movies and TV dramas. The actor is also the winner of Miss World 2000 pageant. Priyanka was born on 18 July 1982 in Jamshedpur, Bihar to Ashok Madhu Chopra, both physicians in the Indian Army. Priyanka is one of the most popular personalities in the country today.

The actor began working on ABC thriller series Quantico, making her the first South Asian woman to headline an American network series. Priyanka made her Bollywood debut in The Hero: Love Story of a Spy co-starring Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta. She got critical acclaim for her roles in films like Fashion and Barfi. She has won National Film Award for Best Actress for portraying a troubled model in Fashion. Priyanka also starred in commercially successful movies like Don starring Shah Rukh Khan. Priyanka is also the recipient of Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, by the government of India in 2016. Priyanka has become a multifaceted personality with her forays into the various divergent of the entertainment industry.

Puneet Ahluwalia In Virginia State Lieutenant Governor’s Race “I Wasn’t Born An American, My Wife And I Are Americans By Choice”

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Politics, Profiles, U.S. 0

Indian American Puneet Ahluwalia is the type of candidate the multi-cultural state, Virginia needs to be part of the leadership on the Beltway State, Virginia. “I wasn’t born an American, my wife and I are Americans by choice,” says, Ahluwalia, who is part of the crowded 11-way race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor in 2021.

With five Democrats and four Republicans launching campaigns for their party’s nomination and several more potential candidates exploring bids, the race has become highly competitive.

Ahluwalia, a McLean businessman who emigrated from India, said he is running as a jobs creator who’d push to extend Northern Virginia’s economic success to the state’s struggling rural and urban areas, such as parts of Richmond and Hampton Roads. Ahluwalia, 53, said he’s opposed to some of the pandemic restrictions Northam imposed on businesses.

A Sikh whose wife is Muslim, Ahluwalia said he strongly supports gun rights, citing a 1984 massacre in Delhi when Sikhs were singled out and killed in revenge for the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards. “Armed minorities are harder to repress,” he said.

Virginia’s part-time lieutenant governorship comes with just two duties: presiding over the state Senate and taking over for the governor if he can no longer carry out his duties. But the post is considered a steppingstone to higher office, particularly governor. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a former governor, all occupied the lieutenant governor’s seat before advancing in their political careers.

Several of the new Democratic candidates said they want to bring new focus to the lieutenant governor’s job, arguing that there should be more advocacy for core Democratic goals, including workers’ rights, racial equity and environmental justice from the office that is second in line to lead the state should the governor suddenly leave office or become unable to serve.

The Republican candidates said they want to reimpose pragmatic governance in the Democratic-controlled state, arguing that Virginia has veered too far to the left on policies related to law enforcement and the economy.

In his message to the electorate, the Indian American candidate, Ahluwalia says, “We want all Americans-including our own children and your’s – to enjoy the freedom and opportunity that have so blessed Nadia and me. We have operated and managed small businesses for many years. We have succeeded, we’ve failed, and we’ve succeeded again. We have also seen our businesses destroyed by rioters and looters.”

On the current political turmoil facing the nation, Ahluwalia says, “When the law breaks down though, the people hurt most are people of color. Where’s Ralph Northam? Where’s Justin Fairfax? All they do is blame Trump, then fade into the background. That’s not leadership. It’s finger-pointing. No more excuses.”

Taking a dig at the current leadership in his home-state, the India-born candidate, says, he runs to bring about a positive change in values: “The policies of progressive Democrats have trapped too many Virginians in poverty, a failed education system, and hopelessness. Virginia can enjoy a brilliant future, but it means holding the line on taxes, reducing unfair regulations, and standing up to those who attack our free enterprise system. Progressives think we Virginians work for them. It’s not true. And it’s time we take back our state and the values we share: hard work, personal responsibility, and love for neighbor. That’s why I’m running for Lieutenant Governor. I hope you’ll join me.”

Covid-19 Deaths, 1 Million and Surging

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth 0

Covid-19 deaths worldwide have surpassed 1 million. With new cases of coronavirus infections rapidly mounting again, the numbers of Covid-19 deaths are feared to surge in the coming months.

It took approximately 40 weeks to reach the first million Covid-19 recorded deaths. Some have projected the second million Covid-19 deaths to take about 10 weeks, arriving in late December, and the third million to take an additional 4 weeks, arriving in late January.

Approximately 60 percent of the 1 million Covid-19 deaths to date have taken place in 6 countries (Figure 1). The United States continues to maintain its dominant lead in Covid-19 deaths as well as in coronavirus cases. With only 4 percent of the world’s population, the U.S. accounts for 21 percent of all Covid-19 deaths worldwide, or approximately 210,000 deaths that have jettison Covid-19 to the third leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease and cancer.

The country in second place is Brazil, which with less than 3 percent of the world’s population accounts for 14 percent of all Covid-19 deaths. Brazil is followed by India at 10 percent, Mexico at 8 percent, and the United Kingdom and Italy both at 4 percent.

In several months India is projected to overtake the U.S. as the country with the largest number of Covid-19 deaths. India’s daily virus-related deaths are currently around 1,100 versus 760 for the U.S. In addition, India’s daily virus infections have surpassed 90,000 compared to about 42,000 for the U.S.

Due to differences in the population size of countries, Covid-19 death rates provide a meaningful comparative perspective on the performances of countries in confronting the coronavirus pandemic. While the Covid-19 death rate for the world is about 130 deaths per million population, the rates of the dozen deadliest countries, which except for the U.S. are located in Latin America and Europe, are about 600 or more Covid-19 deaths per million population (Figure 2).

The top two countries are Peru and Belgium, with rates of 980 and 860 Covid-19 deaths per million population, respectively. The countries with the next highest death rates of approximately 670 Covid-19 deaths per million population are Spain, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile.

The high Covid-19 death rate of Peru is believed due in part to the country’s poor health system, which failed to conduct effective testing and contact tracing, and the fact that 70 percent of Peruvian workers are in the informal sector with most not able to afford to isolate as they are dependent on daily earnings.

In the case of Belgium, government officials say their high Covid-19 death rate is likely due to a number of factors including their exceptional way of counting unconfirmed Covid-19 deaths, the high level of elderly placed in care homes and poor initial preparations at home care centers permitting the virus to spread rapidly and have devastating effects.

In striking contrast to the rates of the deadliest dozen countries are the substantially lower Covid-19 death rates of many other countries around the world. Denmark and Germany, for example, report Covid-19 death rates of 112 and 114 per million population, respectively. Even lower rates are observed in Norway, Australia and Japan, of 50, 35 and 12 Covid-19 deaths per million population, respectively.

Unfortunately, in many countries a combination of denial, deception and defiance stands in stark contrast to the overwhelming public health evidence concerning the dissemination of the coronavirus and lethality of Covid-19.

The interaction of the pandemic’s fallout with the growth of populism and extremism around the world hindered effective responses. In too many instances, the recommended mitigation measures became politized and openly ignored, denigrated and resisted by some groups.

Some contend that the various public health measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus, including masking wearing, social distancing and sheltering-in-place, are infringements on their liberties and freedoms and constituted unconstitutional violations of their basic rights.

However, it is widely recognized that measures and regulations intended to promote the health and safety of the general public are well within a state’s authority.

Many of the deaths in the high Covid-19 mortality countries likely would have been prevented by the early intervention and widespread use of face masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, sheltering-in-place, testing, contact tracing and related other measures.

Downplaying the threat of the pandemic, making misleading pronouncements, sending confused messages, offering unfounded reassurances, maligning health officials, delaying/resisting public health measures and deflecting blame to others contributed to the disastrous spread of the disease and subsequent rapid rise of Covid-19 deaths in many countries.

For example, if the United States response to the pandemic had been more successful and had been able to achieve the relatively low Covid-19 death rate of Germany (114 versus 638 per million population), the U.S. Covid-19 death toll would have been approximately 38,000 rather than 210,000.

Even the relatively higher Covid-19 death rate of neighboring Canada (246 deaths per million population) would have more than halved the US death toll, avoiding approximately 130,000 U.S. Covid-19 deaths (Figure 3).

Similarly, the different approaches of Sweden and Denmark resulted in significantly higher Covid-19 death rates for Sweden, 583 versus 112 deaths per million population. While Sweden adopted libertarian policies of minimal regulations perhaps with the aim to achieve herd immunity, Denmark imposed social distancing, mask wearing and related public health measures.

If Sweden had been able to achieve the Covid-19 death rate of nearby Denmark, the Swedish death toll from Covid-19 would have been substantially less, about 1,100 rather than 5,900.

While in mid-April the world’s daily Covid-19 deaths peaked at around 8,500, the average daily number of deaths near the end of September was approximately 5,300. In recent weeks, however, growing numbers of countries in various regions are reporting surges in daily coronavirus cases.

In the third week of September, nearly 2 million new Covid-19 cases were reported worldwide, the highest number of reported cases in a week since the start of the pandemic.

In Europe weekly cases are now exceeding those reported when the pandemic first peaked in March. Those growing numbers of coronavirus cases point to the beginning of a second surge of Covid-19 deaths, especially for many of the countries in the northern hemisphere where approaching cold weather will drive more people indoors.

A vaccine for the coronavirus, which now has approximately three dozen candidates in human trials, is unlikely to be widely available before the expected second wave of the pandemic. If the second wave follows the path that some now fear, the current number of one million Covid-19 deaths could triple in a matter of months.

Moreover, if the world’s Covid-19 death rate were to begin to approach the current level of the United States or the United Kingdom, the million Covid-19 deaths could more than triple in the coming year.

It is widely recognized that a vaccine for the coronavirus will not be 100 percent effective. Some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies place the effectiveness of a hoped for vaccine at around 60 percent. In the United States the Food and Drug Administration has indicated that any coronavirus vaccine must be at least 50 percent effective to secure approval from regulators.

Some scenarios envision the coronavirus pandemic continuing for the long haul, perhaps for at least several more years. Some fear that an approved vaccine may offer only limited seasonal protection, similar to other coronaviruses in circulation.

Also, significant numbers may decide to avoid getting inoculated while many others may simply delay their decisions fearing vaccine safety may have been seriously compromised due to political influence. In addition, the global distribution of an approved vaccine may remain limited for some time due to insufficient supplies, relatively high costs for those in low income countries and international political disputes.

Consequently, in order to check the spread of the second and subsequent waves of coronavirus infections and limit the numbers of Covid-19 deaths, public health mitigation measures, including mask wearing, social distancing, hand hygiene, sanitizing, sheltering-in-place, quarantining, testing, contact tracing and staying at home when sick, will remain the primary tools in the medical arsenal to confront the pandemic for the foreseeable future.

(By Joseph Chamieat IPS. He is an independent consulting demographer and a former director of the United Nations Population Division.)

A Coffee Table Book, Chronicling The History Of AAPI, Released During AAPI’s Mini Convention In Chicago Dr. Ranga Reddy, Chair, AAPI History Task Force & Past President Of AAPI Honored For Being the Historian Of AAPI

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterEducation, Profiles 0

A Coffee Table Book, chronicling the history of AAPI was released during the MINI Convention and the Fall Governing Body Meeting of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin on Saturday, September 26^th, 2020 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, Chicago, IL. Arun Kumar, Consul General of India in Chicago, along with Dr. Suresh Reddy, Immediate Past President of AAPI and Dr. Ranga Reddy, Chair, AAPI History Task Force & Past President, 1997-98, who is the author of the book, released the book in the presence of AAPI delegates from around the nation.

“This coffee table book is dedicated to all the “First Ladies” who have sacrificed innumerable hours of their family time for the sake of AAPI,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, while releasing the Book, said. “My sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the leaders of AAPI, and in particular to Dr. Ranga Reddy for being the “Shrusti-Kartha” of this book. He chronicled the history of AAPI. Spending thousands of hours in the past 25 years, making sure this book saw the light of the day. He wrote the biographic sketches of each past President with inputs from most of them. It is an honor and privilege for me to be included in this club of the Past Presidents of AAPI.”

Dr. Ranga Reddy, who was honored during the Convention, in his remarks, stated, “The journey to the land of opportunities by Physicians of Indian Origin began in the early 1960s and the 1970s and began establishing themselves across the United States. It was tough and challenging for the pioneers to establish practice and find suitable job opportunities in the US. Faced with instances of overt as well as subtle discrimination in Residency recruitment and License Reciprocity, physicians of Indian Origin organized themselves in several states to fight the unfair treatment.”

“It was a passion for history” that made this historic moment a reality, said Dr. Ranga Reddy, Medical Graduate of Kurnool Medical College, where he had obtained MBBS and M.S Degrees. Dr. Ranga Reddy had his Training in Anesthesiology at SUNY in New York. Starting his career at St. Louis University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, he later on, moved to Springfield, Illinois to join practice in Memorial Medical Centre, where he served as the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology.

Dr. Ranga Reddy served AAPI in various capacities including as its President and as a member of the Board of Trustees. During his Presidency “One Member One Vote” policy was introduced for electing the leaders making the process truly democratic.

During his Presidency, in order to comply with AAPI’s 501 (3) C status, AAPI’s Political Action Committee was replaced with Legislative Affairs Committee. He led efforts to create AAPI’s Patron Trustee Membership to support AAPI Charitable Foundation and raised over $600,000 during his Presidency. The Annual Convention held in Dallas, highlighted participation of the second-generation physicians into AAPI for the first time.

In India, Dr. Ranga Reddy started an AAPI Charitable Clinic in a remote village called Ellayapalle to provide medical services to the indigenous people. He promoted “Adopt the Primary Health Care Center of Your Native Place” in Andhra Pradesh. He co-sponsored a water project with Nandi Foundation to supply clean water to the villagers.

Dr. Ranga Reddy was invited to the White House in 1995 by President Bill Clinton on behalf of AAPI Leadership. He is the recipient of the AAPI Distinguished Service Award, Distinguished Public Service Award by American Telugu Association and Leadership Award by the Association of International College of Physicians.

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, current President of AAPI, while summarizing the history and the growth of AAPI, said, “Over the past 37 years, AAPI has grown and is now the largest ethnic medical society in the United States, representing the interests of over 100,000 Indian American physicians and Fellows. AAPI has come to be recognized as a vibrant, united, transparent, politically engaged organization, ensuring active participation of young physicians, increased membership, enabling that AAPI’s voice is heard in the corridors of power.”

AAPI Urges US Senate To Pass South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2020

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health, Politics, U.S. 0

(Washington, DC: October5th, 2020) “We want to express our sincere gratitude and appreciatio9n to US Congress for unanimously passing the legislation, South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2020 on September 29th, 2020,” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) said here today. “We urge the US Senate to take up the Bill without further delay, helping South Asians living in the United States to become aware of the risks they face daily due cardiac issues.”

Initiated by Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, H.R.3131 – South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2020 was voted overwhelmingly by the full House of Representatives. The Act stipulates raising awareness on the alarming rate of heart disease in South Asian communities in the United States while investing in strategies to reverse the deadly trend. The Bill was received in the US Senate on September 30^th and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

“As the first South Asian-American woman ever elected to the House of Representatives, I am fully committed to not only raising awareness and educating the South Asian community about the risk factors for heart disease but also ensuring that those living with heart disease receive the care, treatment, resources and support they need,” Congresswoman Jayapal, who represents Washington’s 7th Congressional district. “I am proud that this urgently necessary legislation passed (the) committee today and I won’t stop fighting until it becomes law,” she added.

The legislation directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary to create grants, such as South Asian Heart Health Promotion Grants at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide funding for community groups involved in South Asian heart health promotion and to develop culturally appropriate materials to promote heart health in the South Asian community.

The Bill also asks the HHS Secretary to fund grants through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct research on cardiovascular disease and other heart ailments among communities disproportionately affected by heart disease, such as South Asian populations living in the United States, and develop a clearinghouse and web portal of information on heart health research, such as South Asian heart health.

Dr. Brahma Sharma, a prominent cardiologist affiliated with VA University of Pittsburgh, and serving as the Chair of AAPI-AHA Liaison committee on South Asian Heart Disease, said, “This is a historic day for south Asian community and we all appreciate the bipartisan efforts by Rep. Pramila Jaypal and Rep Joe Wilson (R- SC). It is gratifying to see this hidden threat for South Asians community finally being recognized. We have to continue this advocacy, so it passes through US Senate as well and provides the necessary support for education, research for early detection , prevention and even reversal of this epidemic of cardio-metabolic disease among South Asians who are at the highest risk.”

Indeed, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and the U.S. spends over $500 billion on cardiovascular disease each year. Studies have shown that immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal are experiencing a dramatic rise in heart disease. South Asians make up 25 per cent of the world”s population but they contribute 50 per cent to global cardiovascular deaths.

Prevalence of Diabetes for the South Asian subgroup in the United States has been found to be an alarming 23.3%, an important research relevant to South Asian cardiometabolic disease, by Cheng YJ, Kanaya AM et al entitled, “Prevalence of Diabetes by Race and Ethnicity in the United States, 2011-2016,” published in JAMA in December, 2019 stated. These valuable data demonstrate the incredibly high, vastly under-appreciated burden of diabetes among South Asians. Particularly distressing is how many South Asians have diabetes without even knowing it. This phenomenon is surely fueling the cardiovascular epidemic among South Asians.

Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “The vital findings of the JAMA paper and the need for creating awareness about the prevalence of Diabetes, the symptoms, efforts to prevent and effective treatment are very critical today. The passing of the crucial Bill by the US Congress recognizes the need for additional resources to be made available for creating awareness, offering preventive measures and treatment to our community, and continuing with the research on this vital healthcare area.”

Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalgadda offered total commitment to these efforts. “I am very impressed with the energy and strength of the leaders who have taken upon themselves this noble task on creating awareness and educating the physicians and the public on this very serious disease among South Asians in the US. We have the talents, skills, strength and the commitment. Let’s put them to work and help our brethren.” For more information on AAPI, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

Shri Venkiah Naidu Urges AAPI To Build Collaborations In Research And Development To Address Various Health Issues In India

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

“It’s very great joy that I welcome you all who have come to be part of the MINI Convention and the Fall Governing Body Meeting of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin here in Chicago, IL. I appreciate your presence here in spite of the fears of the Covid Pandemic,” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President, AAPI, told the AAPI delegates who had come from around the nation on Saturday, September 26^th, 2020 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, in the Windy City.

“Basically organized as the “Volunteers Recognition Ceremony” to honor all those hundreds of volunteers of AAPI, who have worked hard during the year 2019-20, especially during the COVID Pandemic, the Convention has been unique in so many ways,” Dr. Suresh Reddy, Immediate Past President of AAPI and the Chief Organizer of the Convention, said. “A special feature of the Convention has been honoring the hundreds of Volunteers who have dedicated their time, energy and efforts in the past one year for the success the many initiatives under my leadership. All the volunteers have raised the bar of AAPI and we salute your generosity and admire your sacrifices.”

Chief Guest at the Convention, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Honorable Vice President, in his address, virtually, said: “I congratulate the leadership of AAPI and the members for your great contributions to India, your motherland and the United States, your adopted land.” Referring to the Convention, the leader of India said, “This is not just an event but a showcase of a critical health mission that will empower us greatly to tide over the crippling effects of this pandemic.”

“I applaud AAPI for being a dynamic body, spearheading legislative agendas and influencing the advancement of medical care not only in the US but across the globe,” Shri Naidu said. “I am also glad to know that AAPI’s mission for India is to play an important role in making quality healthcare accessible and affordable to all people of India. It is indeed a laudable objective as both accessibility and affordability are the need of the hour, especially in a vast developing country like India with a huge population of middle class and lower middle class,” Shri Naidu said.

India is now facing a huge challenge in the form of rising Antibiotic Resistance. The Vice President of India “urged the AAPI fraternity to share with their Indian counterparts and Indian Medical Association, the invaluable experiences gained by our doctors working abroad, which will help in devising an effective strategy to combat Antibiotic resistance. “I would also urge Indian doctors working abroad to build collaborations in Research and Development to address various health issues, including combating tropical diseases like Tuberculosis and Malaria. Such collaborations will provide a boost to India’s quest to effectively and quickly eradicate these diseases,” India’s Vice President told AAPI leaders.

A dedicated pool of Physicians led by Dr. Meher Medavaram, Convention, Cahir, has been working hard to make the convention a memorable experience for all. “With Corona Virus impacting every aspect of life around the world, posing several challenges in carrying out with numerous plans and programs for AAPI in 2020, Dr. Suresh Reddy, the 36th President of AAPI, has been right on task and has devoted the past one year leading AAPI to stability and greater heights. The deadly pandemic, COVID-19 that has been instrumental in the lockdown of almost all major programs and activities around the world, could not lockdown the creative minds of AAPI leaders,” she said.

A Coffee Table Book, chronicling the history of AAPI was released. “This coffee table book is dedicated to all the “First Ladies” who have sacrificed innumerable hours of their family time for the sake of AAPI,” Dr. Suresh Reddy said. “My sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the leaders of AAPI, and in particular to Dr. Ranga Reddy for being the “Shrusti-Kartha” of this book. He chronicled the history of AAPI. Spending thousands of hours in the past 25 years, making sure this book saw the light of the day. He wrote the biographic sketches of each past President with inputs from most of them.”

In her farewell message, Dr. Seema Arora, Immediate Past COT Chair, said, “I am honored and humbled to have served our dignified organization working harmoniously together with the Executive Committee throughout this term. We overachieved all missions and goals of our organization in spite of the unprecedented pandemic, which actually brought us together with fresh ideas and creativity, helping to enhance the image of AAPI around the world.”

“Taking the lockdown and the social distancing as a challenge, the organizing committee of the AAPI Mini Convention has put together a unique Convention with Physical Distancing; Universal Masking; and Total Outdoor Setting,” said Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman of AAPI Board of Trustees. Strict Covid precautions as per CDC, state and federal regulations was observed throughout the convention, ensuring the safety and well-being of every participating delegate, she added.

Other main Guests at the Mini Convention included, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Consulate General of India in Chicago, Honorable Amit Kumar and Dr. Srinath Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India.

Describing Indian American Physicians as the “Best of America,” Raja Krishnamoorthi praised them for their dedication and skills. “We are proud of your achievements,” he told AAPI members. Given that a physician of Indian origin sees every 7th patient in this country and every 5th patient in rural and inner cities across the nation, the reach and influence of AAPI members’ contributions go well beyond the Convention, he said, while urging everyone to participate actively during the General Election on November 3rd.

Ambassador Amit Kumar acknowledged with gratitude the contributions of Indian American Physicians, especially during the pandemic. He referred to AAPI members writing over 1,000 prescriptions to the stranded visitors and students from India during the Covid pandemic. Ambassador Kumar thanked AAPI for its numerous initiatives to benefit people in India thorugh AAPI’s collaborative efforts with Apollo Hospital and Tata Trust in India.

Under the leadership of Dr. Vemuri S. Murthy, Chair of AAPI Webinar CME Committee, during the CMEs, eminent and world renowned experts in their respective areas of expertise shared their knowledge and wisdom, enlightening the delegates with new advances in their field of practice.

Physician Wellness: Stress and Burnout was the topic addressed by Dr. Lucky Jain, Professor and Chair at Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics& Chief Academic Officer, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; and, Dr. Rohit Kumar Vasa, an Attending Neonatologist at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago, Chair of Pediatrics and Neonatology Site Leader, Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago.

CME on “A Global Health Topic: Learnings for India’s Health System” featured Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India and was moderated by Dr. Navin C. Nanda, Distinguished Professor of Medicine & Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; and, Dr. T.S. Ravi Kumar, President, AIIMS, Mangalagiri, AP, India and a Member of WHO Global Patient Safety Experts Curriculum Committee.

The session on Surgical Management of Intracerebral Hemorrhage was led by Dr. Joseph C. Serrone, Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery and Radiology at Loyola University Medical Center & Neurosurgeon, Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital in Maywood, Illinois; and, Dr. Suresh Reddy, Associate Professor of Radiology at Loyola University Medical Center & Chief of Radiology, Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital in Maywood, Illinois.

“The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin Mini Convention offered an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin,” Dr. Anupama Gotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI, said. “The General Body Meeting and the Convention had participants discuss and plan activities and program priorities for the current year and beyond,” she added.

“The Mini Convention provided a forum for AAPI members to network, share knowledge and thoughts, and thus, enrich one another, and rededicate ourselves for the health and wellbeing of the people in the US and back home in India,” Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI, said,

Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Secretary of AAPI said. “The Mehfil/AAPI Talent Show provided a perfect setting for the AAPI delegates to display their talents. The Convention also featured and honored the “Best Mask; Best Obesity; and, Best Monument Picture.”

“The convention offered a variety of ways to reach physicians and their families. It provided access to AAPI members who attended in person and virtually, regarding new products and services,” Dr. Satish Kathula, Treasurer of AAPI, said.

Physicians of Indian Origin in the United States are reputed to be leading health care providers, holding crucial positions in various hospitals and health care facilities around the nation and the world. Known to be a leading ethnic medical organization that represents nearly 100,000 physicians and fellows of Indian Origin in the US, and being their voice and providing a forum to its members to collectively work together to meet their diverse needs, AAPI members are proud to contribute to the wellbeing of their motherland India, and their adopted land, the United States.

In his Message, calling for Unity, Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda said: “When we come together for AAPI events we meet as friends. We interact with one another with respect, acknowledging the unique qualities and background, each one comes from. We respect their languages, religions, regional backgrounds and work together for what AAPI stands for. We may have differences of opinions; differences of approaches to various issues; our political and cultural affinities are unique. We acknowledge and accord that each of us will work together for the common good of the people we are called to serve and to realize the vision and mission of AAPI,” the President of AAPI added. For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

AAPI Sends Well-Wishes to the President and First Lady

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, U.S. 0

Washington, DC — October 4th, 2020: “The members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) join the nation in praying for the speedy recovery of President Donald J. Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, who have been diagnosed with the deadly pandemic Covod-19, and are being treated for the symptoms,” said Dr. Sudhakar Jonalagadda, President of AAPI here today. Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda issued the following statement after he conveyed well-wishes to the President of the United States and the First Lady on behalf of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI). “The presidency is not about a person, it is about the office and what it represents not just to the American people, but to people around the world. COVID-19 is a serious illness and we are hopeful that the President and First Lady make a full and speedy recovery. Many AAPI members have witnessed firsthand the devastating impact that the coronavirus has had on families across America. We have been on the frontlines in the war against this pandemic, and we will not stop fighting. As physicians, we have joined forces with researchers, scientists, and academics, to develop appropriate therapeutics and we hope, effective vaccines, to stop the spread of this disease, not just in the United States, but in India and around the world. It is our sincerest wish that during these trying and very difficult times, that the American people will set aside their differences and work together so we can defeat COVID-19,” added Dr. Jonnalagadda. Indian-Americans constitute less than one percent of the country’s population, but they account for nine percent of the American doctors and physicians. One out of every seven doctors serving in the US is of Indian heritage, providing medical care to over 40 million of US population.

Dr. Sajani Shah, Chairwoman of AAPI’s Board of Trustees pointed to the fact that “The deadly Corona Covid-19 virus has claimed nearly 180.000 deaths around the world with the US leading the chart with nearly 45,000 deaths. The pandemic has placed the entire healthcare sector, and in particular the Indian American medical fraternity at the frontlines of the fight against the pandemic.” There are about 80,000 practicing Indian American physicians who are at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Dr. Jonnalagadda said, “APPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the country has taken several proactive steps in educating their members and the general public about the disease, the preventive steps that needs to be taken at this time and most importantly, they are using all their contacts and resources at the hospital administrative and government level to facilitate treatment protocols to be in place at the various hospitals around the country.” For more information about AAPI, please visit: www.aapiusa.org

COVID-19 Infects Majority Of Bad Dreams: Study

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth 0

Scientists used artificial intelligence to help analyses the dream content of close to a thousand people and found that the novel coronavirus had infected more than half of the distressed dreams reported.

The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. The researchers crowdsourced sleep and stress data from more than 4,000 people during the sixth week of the COVID-19 lockdown in Finland. About 800 respondents also contributed information about their dreams during that time – many of which revealed shared anxiety about the pandemic.

“We were thrilled to observe repeating dream content associations across individuals that reflected the apocalyptic ambience of COVID-19 lockdown,” said lead author Dr. Anu-Katriina Pesonen, head of the Sleep & Mind Research Group at the University of Helsinki.

“The results allowed us to speculate that dreaming in extreme circumstances reveals shared visual imagery and memory traces, and in this way, dreams can indicate some form of shared mindscape across individuals,” added Pesonen.

“The idea of a shared imagery reflected in dreams is intriguing,” she added. Pesonen and her team transcribed the content of the dreams from Finnish into English word lists and fed the data into an AI algorithm, which scanned for frequently appearing word associations.
The computer built what the researchers called dream clusters from the “smaller dream particles” rather than entire dreams.

Eventually, 33 dream clusters or themes emerged. Twenty of the dream clusters were classified as bad dreams, and 55 per cent of those had pandemic-specific content.

Themes such as failures in social distancing, coronavirus contagion, personal protective equipment, dystopia, and apocalypse were rated as pandemic specific.

For example, word pairs in a dream cluster labelled “Disregard of Distancing” included mistake-hug, hug-handshake, handshake-restriction, handshake-distancing, distancing-disregard, distancing-crowd, crowd-restriction and crowd-party.

“The computational linguistics-based, AI-assisted analytics that we used is really a novel approach in dream research. We hope to see more AI-assisted dream research in future. We hope that our study opened the development towards that direction,” Pesonen said.

The study also offered some insights into the sleep patterns and stress levels of people during the pandemic lockdown. For instance, more than half of respondents reported sleeping more than before the period of self-quarantine, though 10 per cent had a harder time falling asleep and more than a quarter reported more frequent nightmares.

Not surprisingly, more than half of the study participants reported increases in stress levels, which were more closely linked to patterns like fitful sleep and bad dreams. Those most stressed-out also had more pandemic-specific dreams.

The research could provide valuable insights for medical experts who are already assessing the toll the coronavirus is having on mental health. Sleep is a central factor in all mental health issues, according to Pesonen.

“Repeated, intense nightmares may refer to post-traumatic stress. The content of dreams is not entirely random, but can be an important key to understanding what is the essence in the experience of stress, trauma, and anxiety,” she said. (ANI)

Americans Favor A Single Government Program To Provide Health Care Coverage

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

A majority of Americans continue to say the federal government has a responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage. And since last year, there has been an increase – especially among Democrats – in the share saying health insurance should be provided by a single national program run by the government.

How we did this

Among the public overall, 63% of U.S. adults say the government has the responsibility to provide health care coverage for all, up slightly from 59% last year. Roughly a third (37%) say this is not the responsibility of the federal government, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted July 27 to Aug. 2 among 11,001 adults.

When asked how the government should provide health insurance coverage, 36% of Americans say it should be provided through a single national government program, while 26% say it should continue to be provided through a mix of private insurance companies and government programs. This is a change from about a year ago, when nearly equal shares supported a “single payer” health insurance program (30%) and a mix of government programs and private insurers (28%).

Most of the increase has come among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. A 54% majority of Democrats and Democratic leaners now favor a single national government program to provide health insurance, up from 44% last year. Support for single payer health coverage has increased among most groups of Democrats, including those who describe their political views as very liberal (up from 66% to 77%), liberal (50% to 61%) and conservative or moderate (35% to 43%).

Among Republicans and Republican leaners, a 66% majority says the government does not have the responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage. Among the one-third of Republicans who say the government does have this responsibility, opinion is divided over whether or not it should be provided through a single government program or a mix of private and government programs.

Although most Republicans say it is not the government’s responsibility to ensure health coverage for all, a 54% majority says the government “should continue to provide programs like Medicare and Medicaid for seniors and the very poor.” Only 11% of Republicans say the government should not be involved at all in providing health insurance.

While divisions remain within the Democratic Party about the best way to provide health insurance, increasing shares across most demographic and ideological groups support a single national government program.

Very liberal Democrats, who in 2019 constituted 15% of Democratic registered voters, are far more likely than liberal Democrats (32% of Democrats) and moderates and conservatives (51%) to say that health insurance should be provided by a single government program.

White Democrats remain more likely than those of other races and ethnicities to support a single national program, but White, Black and Hispanic Democrats have each increased their support for a single national program by about 10 percentage points since last year.

A similar pattern emerges with age: Younger Democrats are still more supportive than older Democrats, but Democrats of all ages have increased their support over the past year.

(Source: Pew Research Center. By Bradley Jones)

Trump Cannot Restrict Visas For High-Skill Workers, Judge Rules

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterTravel 0

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in Oakland, Calif., agreed with several big U.S. business groups, which argued President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by imposing the immigration restrictions. The order, at odds with the conclusion reached by a federal judge in Washington, means the fight will likely move to an appeals court.

White said his order doesn’t apply nationwide but only to the members of the plaintiff organizations. Those members, which include giants like Amazon.com and Microsoft Corp., comprise hundreds of thousands of U.S. businesses of all sizes and from a cross-section of economic sectors.

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Trump declared in a June proclamation that foreign workers pose a threat to the U.S. labor market amid the downturn caused by coronavirus pandemic. His decree froze new H-1B and H-4 visas, used by technology workers and their families, as well as L visas for intracompany transfers and most J visas for work- and study-abroad programs, including au pairs, through the end of the year. Thursday’s order also blocks restrictions on J and L visas.

In his ruling, White distinguished the visa ban from Trump’s earlier travel ban restricting nationals of six predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S., which was upheld by the Supreme Court as a legitimate exercise of the president’s power to conduct foreign affairs.

The visa ban “deals with a purely domestic economic issue — the loss of employment during a national pandemic,” the judge wrote. “This court rejects the position that the proclamation implicates the president’s foreign affairs powers simply because it affects immigration.”

White added, “There must be some measure of constraint on presidential authority in the domestic sphere in order not to render the executive an entirely monarchical power in the immigration context.”

The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation sued to block the restrictions, saying they impede the hiring of engineers, executives, IT experts, doctors, nurses and other critical workers who help drive the American economy.

The Chamber is a longtime supporter of high-skilled immigration and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which provides legal status for some migrants who entered the country as children.

Approximately 580,000 foreign workers with H-1B visas in specialized jobs are in the United States, according to the suit. Almost 160,000 L visas were issued in 2019 for executives, managers and employees with special experience and their dependents, and about 300,000 exchange visitors enter the U.S. annually on J visas, the Chamber said. Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News, is among the companies that have expressed support for a court order blocking Trump’s policy.

30th Anniversary Of World Summit For Children – Today Children Need A New Initiative

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterEducation, Youth 0

On the eve of the UN’s 75th anniversary, Antonio Guterres, the UN’s Secretary-General has declared that the coronavirus pandemic is the world’s top security threat. He has called for action – for greater international co-operation in controlling outbreaks and developing an affordable vaccine, available to all. Such action is needed and possible -even in the absence of a large gathering of world leaders in New York to celebrate the anniversary. But children today in every country need more.

Thirty years ago, on 29/30 September 1990, the largest gathering of world leaders that had ever taken place, met at UN Headquarters under the auspices of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF. This was The World Summit for Children. It was an enormous success, gathering headlines around the world-and leading to worldwide action for children.

The Summit set goals for improving the situation of children everywhere, in health, education and their needs in especially difficult circumstances. Every country in the world adopted and agreed to these goals and, since then, all but the United States has– ratified the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The World Summit for Children was the brainchild of the American James P. Grant, the charismatic head of UNICEF. After initial doubts about whether more than a handful of presidents or prime ministers would come for a high -level meeting on children – as opposed to one on trade or the economy – The World Summit for Children took place with 71 heads of State, including President Bush and Prime Minister Thatcher.

Such was the success of the event that the idea of holding Summit meetings soon caught on – the Earth Summit in 1992, the World Summit for Social Development in 1995, the Millennium Summit in 2000, and the Summit for Sustain able Development in 2015. agreed at the Summit for children.

More importantly, following the goals, child survival has improved dramatically: the number of children dying under five has been reduced by 60%, from 12 million in 1990 to well under 6 million today. Immunization, growth monitoring and other actions have improved the health and life expectancy of millions of children in the developing world, and all countries have accepted that “the best interests of a child shall be a primary consideration.”

Today when children are under serious threat from Covid-19, the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Summit is a highly appropriate time for countries to renew and update the vows they made then.

Though children are much less likely to suffer direct effects from the virus, the indirect effects are already serious -in disrupted education, in neglect of essential medical care, in disturbed relations with family, relatives and friends. Many are also suffering the consequences of domestic violence and child abuse. Countries are turning away from collective national and international action just when it is needed most.

Today’s COVID crisis could be an opportunity -for a new impetus to invest in our children and in the next generation of doctors, nurses, scientists, statisticians and carers, who will need to be well prepared to deal with future crises and emergencies.

Though a collective meeting is not possible, every country needs to consider and plan for its children, both to recover from the immediate effects of the virus and to set new paths for the next five and ten years.

Prime ministers and heads of state should take the lead, citizen’s assemblies should add to the specifics and communities and governments should make the commitments. A World Summit is not possible nor necessary, -but every country needs to consider the new priorities for its children and make serious plans and policies to respond to them.

(by Richard Jolly. He is a Honorary Professor at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. From 1982-95 he was Deputy-Executive Director of UNICEF when Jim Grant was Executive Director. Among the books he has written are “UNICEF- Global Governance that works” and “UN Ideas that Changed the World”, which he co-wrote with Tom Weiss and Louis Emmerij.)

GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter Launched

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Profiles 0

During a solemn virtual ceremony, which was live webcast around the world, GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter was launched, with a new team led by Shivender Sofat as the President assuming charge of the GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter on Thursday, September 24th, 2020. Attended by several community and business leaders from around the New York region, Consul General of India in New York, Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, inaugurated the new Chapter.

The program, compered by Co-Secretary Dr. Lisa George with Co-Host Bhavaya Gupta, started with American National Anthem by Shruti Sen followed by Indian National Anthem by Jaya Sharma. Since Mahatma Gandhi’s 150^th Anniversary was being celebrated throughout the world, in commemoration, his favorite bhajan Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye was sung by Jyoti Singh

Ambassador Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, Chief Guest, said, “It’s a privilege to be able to join you all in inaugurating the GOPIO-Chapter, which will strengthen GOPIO, the NRI community and the Consulate in New York.” Ambassador Jaiswal congratulated the leadership of GOPIO, which he said, “has played a stellar role in shaping Indo-US Relations. We are proud of your achievements.”

Showering praises on the Indian Diaspora in the US, the Senior Diplomat from India said, the success stories of every Indian American is “a great source of strength to the people in India. GOPIO has played an important role in fostering this relationship, he said. While assuring whole-hearted support to GOPIO, he urged GOPIO to “connect with the youth both in India and the USA.”

Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman GOPIO International, in his introductory remarks said, “GOPIO was born in 1989 and today, it has over 100 chapters across the world, contributing to the larger community. GOPIO chapters also serve the local communities in need, by sponsoring soup kitchens and giving scholarship to needy students. During the Covid-19 period, GOPIO chapters have been making financial contributions and replenishing food items at the food pantries serving the needy. Some chapters also provided N-95 medical masks to frontline workers, he said.

Summarizing the long-felt need for a GOIPIO Chapter in the Business Capital of the US, Dr. Thomas Abraham said, “In Manhattan, there are a large number of Indian-American young professionals who move to the city from all over the country. Also, many parents are moving to Manhattan to be closer with their grownup children who work in New York City. We have been receiving enquiries from those who move to the city to join a GOPIO chapter and we want to make that happen.

Shivender Sofat. President, GOPIO-Manhattan, said, GOPIO was started in NYC and now we are back in action reviving the organization in the city, where 60 to 70 percent of NRIs have a connection. Describing some of the programs GOPIO-Manhattan has envisaged, the President of the Chapter said, “Motivate our Indian Diaspora community to participate and help in local charitable and social service activities including soup kitchens and walkathons benefitting local charities; Organize seminars and symposium on subjects of interest to the Indian Diaspora community; Host elected officials from New York and India with interactive sessions; A welcome networking reception and dinner for all new students from India who join colleges and universities in New York city; and, Build an Indian American Youth and Young Professionals network and organize program for them.”

Prof. Arvind Panagariya, a Padmabhushan Recipient, former Niti Ayog Vice Chairman and a Faculty at Columbia University, while according a warm welcome to the new Consul General in New York, shared his greetings to the new OIffice Bearers of the GOPIO Chapter in NYC. He applauded Dr. Thomas Abraham and called him “a Pillar of the Indian Community globally.”

Prof. P. Somasundaran, a Padmashri Recipient and Faculty at Columbia University, in his address, complimented GOPIO, which he said, “is a brainchild of some creative people.” Referring to the extreme challenges, particularly climate change, chaos and political violence, he said, “We need the comfort and support of each other. Current pandemic has shown how important and critical it is to stay united and for all of us to work together.”

New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, described the launch of the GIPIO Chapter in Manhattan as “awesome” and thanked “GOPIO for bringing us together as one family.” He praised the Indian Diaspora for its great contributions to the larger American community. “I am so proud to be the first Indian American Senator in NY,” he said. Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Indian American candidate for NY State Assembly called upon the Indian Diaspora to stand united to promote India and its heritage in the United States.

Dr. H.R. Shah, a Padmashri Recipient and Chairman, TV Asia, while offering whole hearted support, extended his heartfelt greetings to GOPIO and the officers of the New Chapter. He called upon the 5.7 Million Indian Diaspora to play an active role in the local communities and in politics. He called upon GOPIO to “encourage the new generation and motivate them to join politics and serve the community.”

Dr. Sudhir Parikh, a Padmashri Recipient and Chairman and Publisher, Parikh Worldwide Media, in greetings, congratulated GOPIO and the leadership of Dr. Thomas Abraham “for his vision” and wished the best to the new Chapter team for the leadership. Stating that he has been associated with GOPIO since its inception, he described GOPIO to be “a home away from home.”

Neeta Jain, a Democratic leader from Queens and national delegate for Biden, who is running as a City Council member, shared about her 30 years of fight for “equality and cultural recognition, which is ongoing.” Dr, Navin Mehta, Chairman, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, NYC, praised Dr. Thomas Abraham, who is “always with full of energy.” Extending wholehearted support to GOPIO, said, New York City has much potential and “we can do so much together.”

Sunil Hali, Publisher & Promoter of Indian Eye Newsweekly, Radio Zindagi and Divya Bhaskar NA Edition, described the launch of a new Chapter in NYC as “an extraordinary moment in NRI history.”

Indian American Global Chamber of Commerce President Rajeev Bhambri said that GOPIO Manhattan will fill in a void for providing service to our community and extended all help through his media outlets.

Others who facilitated GOPIO included Poet Anoop Bhargava and Global Indian Trade and Cultural Council Chairman Harinder Singh Panaser,

GOPIO-Manhattan activities and services to be provided were explained by its board members and committee chairs including Youth Initiative Coordinator Mukul Gupta, Vice President Dr. Vimal Goyle (Supporting food pantries/soup kitchens), Executive VP Prof. Rajasekhar Vangapaty (Welcoming and Hosting Students from India) and Siddharth Jain (Reaching Out Indian American College Students). Treasurer Braj Aggarwal outlined the membership details and appealed everyone to become members. Membership form is available online at https://forms.gle/r7qpsX3QPndNMV1dA.

GOPIO-Manhattan’s charitable and social service activities got a boost when Philanthropist Sreedhar Menon committed $10,000 for the next two years. Others in attendance were India’s Deputy Consul General Shatrugna Sinha. Consul for community Affairs A.K. Vijayakrishnan, GOPIO Vice President Ram Gadhavi, SACSS Executive Director Sudha Acharya, GOPIO-New York President Beena Kothari, GOPIO-CT President Ashok Nichani and GOPIO Central New York President Patsy Leopald. The hour and a half long program concluded with greetings by GOPIO International Coordinator-at-Large Dr. Asha Samant and vote of thanks by GOPIO-Manhattan Board Member and Legal Advisor Megha Bhouraskar.

GOPIO International is Pan-Indian community organization for NRIs and PIOs with over 100 chapters spread in 35 countries. In the New York area, GOPIO has chapters in New York (Central NY and Queens & Long Island), in New Jersey (Central and North) and in Connecticut. These chapters organize programs tailored to the Indian community, motivating the community to participate in civic and local community activities, and provide services to the larger society. GOPIO-Manhattan is already registered as in New York State a charitable organization and has accorded non-profit 501 (c) (3) status by the IRS. For more information and participation, contact GOPIO-Manhattan President Shivender Sofat, Tel: 731-988-6969, E-mail: shivisofat@gmail.com

“Ekal Foundation” Embarks on a Trailblazing Goal

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Education 0

“Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation (EVF)” hosted its annual ‘International Conference’ in virtual mode with 600 registrants from USA, Canada, India and Australia. The multiple agenda-packed gathering, not only saw and discussed the presentations on what had been achieved to date, but also, the futuristic goals for the holistic development in 102,000 villages where it has intrinsic presence. As the youths are the future of any organization, ‘Ekal’, as EVF is popularly known, also involved youths in this conference at every level, under ‘Youth Leadership’ program.

The seeds of this ‘youth element’ were sowed, in fact, in a grand scale event called “Parivartan Kumbh” (Transformation Convention) in Lucknow, India in February this year, which was convened specifically to assess overall changes brought upon by EVF to rural India. Although rooted in education, Ekal in recent years has blossomed into healthcare, integrated village development, digitization, farming research and socio-economic empowerment. From this perspective, the conference was a total game-changer.

This year’s Covid-19 clampdown had posed an unprecedented challenge to Ekal for fund-raising which had been an essential part of this largest grass-root movement. Ekal overcame this hurdle by motivating its loyal donor-base in series of concerts and successfully raised almost 80% of the funds through them. Until now, Ekal had been tenaciously eradicating illiteracy by imparting functional literacy to 2.8 million youngsters each year through one-teacher schools, computer-equipped vans, – called ‘Ekal-on-Wheels’- use of ‘tablets’ where possible and empowering rural folks by adult-education & skill-training. Starting 2021, having fulfilled the noble assignment given by the Hon. PM Modi to establish 100,000 schools in villages, two years in advance, Ekal set up a new trailblazing agenda for the next 5 years.

In essence, Bajarang Bagra, CEO of ‘Ekal Abhiyan’ (umbrella organization of all ‘Ekal’ satellite-divisions) proposed to keep 102,000 school tallies ‘as is’ and embark on a transformative ‘roadmap’ that would revolutionize rural life in all its aspects. Among the primary goals adopted by the delegates were to increase – ‘Ekal On Wheels’ vans from current 25 to 85; ‘Integrated Village Clusters’ (30 villages each) from current 12 to 51; ‘Skill Development Ctrs’ from current 33 to 100; ‘Gramotthan Resource Ctrs’ (GRC) from current 16 to 27; ‘Telemedicine’ from current 120 villages to 6,000 villages and ‘Intensive Health Care’ from current 1,200 villages to 6,000 villages.

In addition, the most ambitious project that Ekal wants to push forward is that of ‘E-Shiksha’ or digital education. It wants to spread it from current 1,200 villages to 100,000 villages by Yr. 2025. A new initiative, called ‘GRANE’ (Gramotthan Atma-Nirbharata for Ekal), was also introduces to bring E-commerce activity to the villages so as to avail villagers with new economic opportunities. There is a plan to accomplish this by rewarding farmers, empowering village women and providing necessary tools to the ground team. The conference also resolved to plant 10 Million trees in next 5 years. There were some break-out parallel discussions too. Youths from schools and colleges had brain-storming sessions of their own under the auspices of ‘Ekal Youth Leaders’ to formulate their own initiatives. The initiatives include getting connected to youths in schools & colleges, visiting Ekal villages, starting activities in slum-areas, raising funds every which way possible, promoting ecological aspect and healthy lifestyle.

This year, youths connected to Ekal-USA played an important role during the corona pandemic. They, not only, kept the home-bound school children engaged through their DIY (Do-It-Yourself) educational campaign, but also, raised donation through this effort. In last few years, ‘Arogya (Health) Foundation of India’ had been a force to reckon with in rural healthcare.

Their Medical-camps, initiatives for Anemia control, child & women health-practices and Herbal-medicine & ‘Telemedicine’ have found wide spread acceptance. Now, for ophthalmic care, there are plans to deploy numerous mobile-clinic vans, called ‘Eye-Van’. Hon. PM Modi has said that, “no education in the world can succeed by giving up its culture and values”. Therefore, to prepare self-reliant and value-based rural India, Ekal has floated a fleet of ‘Kathakars’ (storytellers of India’s cultural identity and heritage) to reach out to the lowest strata of the society.

From current strength of 1000 such ‘Kathakars’, the plans are under way to double that number by 2025. The price-tag for this 5-year wish-list is estimated to be $80 Million and Ekal-USA has been challenged to bear at least 1/3 of that amount. Touching on this ambitious budget Suresh Iyer, President of Ekal-USA and his ‘Board’ resolved to master ‘grant- writing’ efforts to court philanthropic ‘Foundations’ & ‘Corporate-Wings’ for specific ventures. As a successful technocrat, he wants to introduce ‘Technology’ at every possible level to streamline accountability and progress of all projects. While doing this phenomenal work, the importance of public-relation, its exposure in the Media and the ‘reach-out’ aspect within the Indian diaspora, wasn’t lost on the participants. The conference applauded all the efforts of the ‘Media Teams’. This conference was a splendid example of the ‘multi-model connectivity’ that Hon. PM Modi floated in his Aug.15, 2020 address to the nation. More information is available on www.ekal.org

Indian Overseas Congress, USA Condemns The Rape And Murder Of Manisha Valmiki Of Hathras, U.P

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics 0

Indian Overseas Congress, USA joins millions of non-resident Indians across the globe in condemning the horrific rape and murder of Manisha Valmiki of Hathras, U.P. The barbarity and the bestiality involved in the killing show the depraved and criminal mindsets of those who perpetrated such heinous acts against a Dalit woman who is from the lowest rung of India’s caste system. The ghastly way this woman was raped and murdered has indeed shaken the nation to its core and terrorized the people of conscience across the world.
The victim, who belonged to the Dalit community, was raped by four men on September 14 in the heartland state of Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district. The woman’s family told local media that they found her naked, bleeding, and paralyzed with a split tongue and broken spine in a field outside her home. On Tuesday, she died two weeks later after battling severe injuries in a hospital in New Delhi.

To add insult to injury, the police barricaded her family members & locals inside the house and forcibly burned the body. The family was not allowed to see their daughter for one last time and say good-bye. As it has been said by Yogendra Yadav, “even criminals are allowed dignified cremation. Here is a rape victim being cremated by police at 2.30 AM without family members”.

“Mr. Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party in U.P. and the centralized control you exercise, you more than anyone else have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs,” said George Abraham, Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. Your past statement, such as ‘women not capable of being left alone and their energy should be regulated, lest it becomes worthless and destructive,” is not only despicable but misogynistic and chauvinistic.

“while you have ordered an inquiry, Mr. Chief Minister, you haven’t taken any steps to cure this rape culture in your state or shown any resolve to change the social, political, and administrative conditions under which such anti-Dalit hatred is bred,” said Mohinder Singh Gilzian, President of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA. Your continuing inaction in this regard will gain you the title as the Chief administrator of the notorious Rape State in India,” Mr. Gilzian added.

“It is indeed the growing culture of violence emanating out of the wrong-headed sense of ultra-nationalism and majoritarian arrogance that is polarizing the communities and dividing the nation. We call upon the Modi Government to stop paying lip service with slogans like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and provide true leadership in bringing perpetrators of this pervasive rape and abuse of women culture across the country to justice regardless of their party affiliations and oust any government officials who remains stumbling blocks to that effort” the statement added.

Geneva Adopts Highest Minimum Wage In The World, At $25 An Hour

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness 0

Voters in Geneva, Switzerland, have agreed to introduce a minimum wage in the canton that is the equivalent of $25 an hour — believed to be the highest in the world. According to government data, 58% of voters in the canton were in favor of the initiative to set the minimum wage at 23 Swiss francs an hour, which was backed by a coalition of labor unions and aimed at “fighting poverty, favoring social integration, and contributing to the respect of human dignity.”

While Switzerland has no national minimum wage law, Geneva is the fourth of 26 cantons to vote on the matter in recent years after Neuchâtel, Jura and Ticino. “This new minimum wage will apply to about 6% of the canton’s workers as of November 1st,” Geneva State Counselor Mauro Poggia told CNN in a statement. Communauté genevoise d’action syndicale, the umbrella organization of unions in Geneva, described the result as “a historic victory, which will directly benefit 30,000 workers, two-thirds of whom are women.”

The decision was also praised by Michel Charrat, president of the Groupement transfrontalier européen, an association of workers commuting between Geneva and nearby France. Top of Form Bottom of Form

Charrat told The Guardian that the coronavirus pandemic “has shown that a certain section of the Swiss population cannot live in Geneva,” and argued that the new minimum wage is “the minimum to not fall below the poverty line and find yourself in a very difficult situation.” Charrat didn’t return a CNN request for comment. The Geneva Council of State, the local executive branch, said in an opinion against the measure that the new minimum wage would be “the highest in the world.”

A measure introduced by citizens

The Swiss system of direct democracy calls on voters to exercise their right four times a year, and allows citizens to collect signatures to introduce “popular initiatives” to be enacted. “On two occasions in the past, initiatives to set a mandatory minimum wage in Geneva had been submitted to the population and rejected,” said Poggia, who is in charge of the Department of Security, Labor and Health for the Geneva canton.

The two previous votes took place in 2011 and 2014, and in the latest case, it was a national referendum to introduce an hourly minimum wage of 22 Swiss Francs, which found 76% of voters were opposed.

“On 27 September, a new vote on this subject was finally accepted, for a salary of 23 Swiss Francs per hour, or slightly more than 4,000 Swiss Francs per month for an activity of 41 hours per week,” Poggia added. That’s roughly $4,347 per month.

While a $25 per hour minimum wage might look staggering from the perspective of the United States, where the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, context is key.

Geneva is the 10th most expensive city in the world, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2020 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. The roughly 4,000 Swiss francs workers will now earn puts them slightly above the poverty line of 3,968 Swiss francs for a household of two adults and two children younger than 14, as estimated by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office in 2018.

Switzerland is among the wealthiest nations in the world, but it wasn’t shielded from the damaging impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its economy.

Overall, the Swiss government’s economic experts group expects the adjusted Swiss GDP to fall by -6.2% in 2020, and average unemployment to be around 3.8%, the lowest economic slump since 1975.

Did coronavirus impact the vote?

Michael Grampp, Deloitte’s chief economist in Switzerland, said he believed the coronavirus pandemic had an impact in determining how many voters were in favor of passing the minimum wage initiative. Low income workers in the service sector were the most affected by the lockdown measures put in place in Switzerland.

“I think many people realized how many people are working in these sectors. It’s not like everyone here is working for a bank or a chocolate factory. We also have a broad service sector that was hit hard due to the lockdown,” Grampp told CNN. “It definitely helped push the vote towards almost 60%,” he added.

Grampp believes more cantons will enact minimum wage legislation. But Poggia said he doesn’t believe the pandemic had a significant impact on the vote.

“Compared to other countries, given the strong social security coverage in Switzerland, the economic effects of Covid are currently being contained, even though job losses are already occurring in the sectors that have been directly affected, such as tourism, hotels and restaurants,” he said.

Babri Masjid Demolition A Criminal Act And CBI Court Verdict Must Be Challenged NAPM Condemns The Criminal Neglect Of The Prosecution In The Case And Complete Denial Of The Findings Of The Liberhan Commission

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics 0

National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) is shocked and dismayed at the verdict of the CBI Special Court in acquitting all 32 persons accused of being responsible for the demolition of Babri masjid on December 6, 1992. For reasons best known to it, the CBI led a weak prosecution based upon defective evidence, even though the Liberhan Commission after its detailed investigation (1992-2009) pointed to the involvement of senior RSS and BJP leaders, including L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti. It is indeed sad commentary for our democracy that active participants in a movement such as this often say one thing inside Court and the exact opposite outside it and yet go scot-free. The Judgement running in to 2,300 pages then goes at length to say that there was no active conspiracy, it’s a mockery of the rule of law.

The verdict does nothing to remedy the illegality of the demolition, which was recognized by the Supreme Court in its Ayodhya Verdict on November 9, 2019, but on the other hand has encouraged claims for demolition of other mosques, leading inevitably to increasing discord, hate and violence in society. Further, the verdict trivializes Supreme Court’s comment that the Babri masjid demolition was “an egregious violation of rule of law”.

Prima facie, it appears that the Prosecution not only failed to do its job but also willfully worked in favour of pleasing its political masters, since on record, in front of Liberhan Commission, Uma Bharti, one of the co-accused had taken responsibility for her role in the demolition of the mosque. There is enough evidence visual and written in public domain from the times where their speeches, actions and everything has been recorded. Photographs of leading lights who were leading the Ramjanmabhoomi movement and were on stage near the site of the demolition celebrating the fall of the mosque are a case in point. All right thinking citizens are therefore dismayed at the decision that they had no role in the demolition of the Babri Masjid. NAPM condemns this decision of the CBI court and demands that this be challenged in the High court.

The verdict has shocked everyone, though given the state of affairs and continued miscarriage of justice in recent times, it has not come as a surprise to many. This completely falls in the current pattern where students activists, professors, lawyers, journalists, human rights activists and critics of the regime are being arrested on false charges, and conspiracies are being established on WhatsApp chats and social media posts, case being Bhima Koregaon Conspiracy and Delhi Riots Conspiracy. The judicial system has always been seen as the last recourse of common people in the face of a rapacious executive and a complicit legislature, which are destroying the social fabric of our nation. Unfortunately, judiciary is abdicating its responsibility.

We urge that the Supreme Court takes suo moto note of this verdict and brings the perpetrators to justice. The demolition of Babri mosque was a body blow to the secular fabric of the nation and a criminal act. And it is with deep sorrow that we note that the Ram Mandir will be built on the back of demolition, violence and miscarriage of justice.

We the People, who have faith in the Constitution of India, are being constantly failed by its three pillars, and all public servants. In the face of failing democracy, we still believe and trust that the Judiciary at all levels will yet rise above the political pressures that it faces, and display its independence. We expect it to stand tall with courage and belief in the power of truth, to uphold justice without fear or favour, and honour their Constitutional oath to serve the People of India.

Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Dr. Sunilam, Adv. Aradhna Bhargava, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti; Rajkumar Sinha, Chutka Parmaanu Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, Madhya Pradesh;

Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Shankar Singh, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), National Campaign for People’s Right to Information; Kavita Srivastava, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL); Kailash Meena NAPM Rajasthan;

Prafulla Samantara, Lok Shakti Abhiyan; Lingraj Azad, Samajwadi Jan Parishad & Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, Manorama, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti; Lingaraj Pradhan, Satya banchor, Anant, Kalyan Anand, Arun Jena, Trilochan Punji, Lakshimipriya Mohanty and Balakrishna Sand, Manas Patnaik, NAPM Odisha;

Sandeep Pandey (Socialist Party of India); Richa Singh & Rambeti (Sangatin Kisaan Mazdoor Sangathan, Sitapur); Rajeev Yadav & Masihuddin bhai (Rihai Manch, Lucknow & Azamgadh); Arundhati Dhuru & Zainab Khatun (Mahila Yuva Adhikar Manch, Lucknow), Suresh Rathaur (MNREGA Mazdoor Union, Varanasi); Arvind Murti & Altamas Ansari (Inquilabi Kamgaar Union, Mau), Jagriti Rahi (Vision Sansthan, Varanasi); Satish Singh (Sarvodayi Vikas Samiti, Varanasi); Nakul Singh Sawney (Chal Chitra Abhiyan, Muzaffarnagar); NAPM Uttar Pradesh

Chennaiah,Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union-APVVU, Ramakrishnam Raju,United Forum for RTI and NAPM, Chakri (Samalochana), Balu Gadi, Bapji Juvvala, NAPM Andhra Pradesh;

Jeevan Kumar & Syed Bilal (Human Rights Forum), P. Shankar (Dalit Bahujan Front), Vissa Kiran Kumar & Kondal (Rythu Swarajya Vedika), Ravi Kanneganti (Rythu JAC), Ashalatha (MAKAAM), Krishna (Telangana Vidyavantula Vedika-TVV), M. Venkatayya (Telangana Vyavasaya Vruttidarula Union-TVVU), Meera Sanghamitra, Rajesh Serupally, NAPM Telangana;

Sister Celia, Domestic Workers Union; Maj Gen (Retd) S.G.Vombatkere, NAPM, Nawaz, Dwiji, Nalini, Madhu Bhushan and Mamatha Yajaman, NAPM Karnataka

Gabriele Dietrich, Penn Urimay Iyakkam, Madurai; Geetha Ramakrishnan, Unorganised Sector Workers Federation; Suthanthiran, Suthanthiran, Lenin & Arul Doss, NAPM Tamilnadu;

Vilayodi Venugopal, CR Neelakandan, Prof. Kusumam Joseph, Sharath Cheloor, Vijayaraghavan Cheliya, Majeendran, Magline, NAPM, Kerala;

Dayamani Barla, Aadivasi-Moolnivasi Astivtva Raksha Samiti; Basant Hetamsaria, Aloka Kujur, Dr. Leo A. Singh, Afzal Anish, Sushma Biruli, Durga Nayak, Jipal Murmu, Priti Ranjan Dash, Ashok Verma, NAPM Jharkhand;

Anand Mazgaonkar, Swati Desai, Krishnakant, Parth, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti; Nita Mahadev, Mudita, Lok Samiti; Dev Desai, Mujahid Nafees, Ramesh Tadvi, Aziz Minat and Bharat Jambucha, NAPM Gujarat;

Vimal Bhai, Matu Jan sangathan; Jabar Singh, Uma, NAPM, Uttarakhand;

Manshi Asher and Himshi Singh, Himdhara, NAPM Himachal Pradesh

Eric Pinto, Abhijeet, Tania Devaiah and Francesca, NAPM Goa

Gautam Bandopadhyay, Nadi Ghati Morcha; Kaladas Dahariya, RELAA, Alok Shukla, Shalini Gera, NAPM Chhattisgarh;

Samar Bagchi, Amitava Mitra, Binayak Sen, Sujato Bhadro, Pradip Chatterjee, Pasarul Alam, Amitava Mitra, Tapas Das, Tahomina Mandal, Pabitra Mandal, Kazi Md. Sherif, Biswajit Basak, Ayesha Khatun, Rupak Mukherjee, Milan Das, Asit Roy, Mita Bhatta, Yasin, Matiur Rahman, Baiwajit Basa, NAPM West Bengal;

Suniti SR, Sanjay M G, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe, Mukta Srivastava, Yuvraj Gatkal, Geetanjali Chavan, Bilal Khan, Jameela, Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan; Chetan Salve, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Pervin Jehangir, NAPM Maharashtra;

Faisal Khan, Khudai Khidmatgar, J S Walia, NAPM Haryana;

Guruwant Singh, Narbinder Singh, NAPM Punjab;

Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan, Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan; Mahendra Yadav, Kosi Navnirman Manch; Sister Dorothy, Aashray Abhiyan, NAPM Bihar;

Rajendra Ravi, NAPM; Bhupender Singh Rawat, Jan Sangharsh Vahini; Anjali Bharadwaj and Amrita Johri, Satark Nagrik Sangathan; Sanjeev Kumar, Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch; Anita Kapoor, Delhi Shahri Mahila Kaamgaar Union; Sunita Rani, National Domestic Workers Union; Nanhu Prasad, National Cyclist Union; Madhuresh Kumar, Priya Pillai, Aryaman Jain, Divyansh Khurana, Evita Das; Anil TV, Delhi Solidarity Group, MJ Vijayan (PIPFPD)

Amazon Prime To Launch Anthology Of Five Tamil Films Featuring Stories Of Love, New Beginnings, Second Chances & A Glimmer Of Hope

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Amazon Prime Video is set to launch Putham Pudhu Kaalai, an anthology of five Tamil films, featuring stories of love, new beginnings, second chances and a glimmer of hope. Putham Pudhu Kaalai brings together five of the most celebrated directors in Tamil cinema – Sudha Kongara, Gautham Menon, Suhasini Mani Ratman, Rajiv Menon, and Karthik Subbaraj to create Amazon Prime Video’s first Indian anthology film Putham Pudhu Kaalai will release on the 16th of October in over 200 countries and territories.

The anthology includes five short films:

Ilamai Idho Idhodirected by Sudha Kongara (Soorarai Pottru) starring Jayaram (Uttama Villain), Kalidas Jayaram (Poomaram), Urvashi (Soorarai Pottru), and Kalyani Priyadarshan (Hero).
Avarum Naanum/Avalum Naanum, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon (Yennai Arindhaal) starring M.S. Bhaskar (Sivaji: The Boss) and Ritu Varma (Pelli Choopulu).
Coffee, Anyone? directed by and starring Suhasini Mani Ratnam (Sindhu Bhairavi), Anu Hasan (Indira)) and Shruti Haasan (Treadstone)
Reuniondirected by Rajiv Menon (Kandukondain Kandukondain) starring, Andrea (Vada Chennai), Leela Samson (OK Kanmani) and Sikkhil Gurucharan.
Miracledirected by Karthik Subbaraj (Petta) featuring Bobby Simha (Petta) and Muthu Kumar (Pattas)

The anthology is a first for Amazon Prime Video and follows the successful release of several Tamil films such as Nishabdham, Penguin, and Ponmagal Vandhal as well as Amazon Original series Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa and will be available to stream across 200 countries and territories from the 16th October 2020.

Putham Pudhu Kaalai was shot in compliance with rules and regulations set by the Film Employees’ Federation of South India (FEFSI) for filming during the ‘Unlock’ phase.

“Putham Pudhu Kaalai was born with the intent of talking about hope, love and new beginnings and the fact that art finds expression in the most challenging times,” said Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video, “With Putham Pudhu Kaalai, we are delighted to bring to our customers a unique offering by some of the best creative visionaries from the Tamil entertainment industry.”

The new releases will join the thousands of TV shows and movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the Prime Videocatalogue. These include Indian-produced Amazon Original series like Four More Shots Please!, Pataal Lok, Breathe: Into The Shadows, Bandish Bandits, The Family Man, Mirzapur, Inside Edge, Made In Heaven, as well as award-winning and critically acclaimed global Amazon Original series, including Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Hunters, Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, all on Prime Video, which is available at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members. The service includes titles available in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi and Bengali.

Crispy Chicken Karaage (Less oil frying technique)

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterAmmu's Hearty Treats 0

Wanna try an appetiser recipe that’s easy to follow yet would fetch you all praises?This great asian fried chicken recipe is like none other that it’s promised to win hearts of kids and adults alike for its rightly crisp texture and not too spicy yet flavourful marinade. How I developed this recipe – Karaage is a Japanese cooking technique of deep frying leaving a crusty and crispy coating of flour on top. This amazing appetiser could be doubled as a dinner time snack if you ever need a break from with your regular KFC buckets , chicken popcorn or wings as nothing compares to crispy yet juicy chicken karaage made at home.Having this dish from restaurants and seeing everyone praise its unique crisp, I badly wanted to try this at home, but was intimidated when I saw the amount of oil used for frying the chicken- actually they double fry it -for crisp benefits of course!So I did improvise this recipe a little bit and came up with an idea where first fry is in the air fryer during which most of the moisture is dried out making the second fry in oil more effective and easier. You could try the other way around too.i.e., first fry in oil and second in the air fryer if you prefer a more succulent chicken. What’s special about this recipe- “Perfectly crisp on the outside and juicy tender meat on the inside” is what I would describe this chicken Karaage as. And my version guarantees a “more healthier low calorie less oil technique “ so that you are left with no other option than to try making this dish at home.This is a very flexible recipe that, I have tips, tricks and alternative methods for people who do not have an airfryer at home. What you’ll need- For marination– 500g Boneless skinless chicken thighs (each thigh cut into 2 pieces) 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1.5 teaspoons white pepper powder Half teaspoon salt Half a beaten egg 1/4 cup flour For frying– 1.25 cups cornflour Water-as required Half teaspoon salt Neutral oil like canola or sunflower,etc. for frying How to make- Marinate the chicken in all the ingredients listed under marination -except egg and flour-atleast for an hour or preferably overnight in the refrigerator. Mix in the egg and flour to get a battery coating over the chicken pieces. In a bowl, combine cornflour with salt and add water by tablespoons mixing well after each addition to get a crumbled textured pearly flour coating. 3 methods of efficient “less oil” frying:

In this method you air fry the chicken first for 10 minutes at 200 degree Celsius, then deep fry it in the oil until light brown and crispy and drain excess oil on a towel
Or instead you could deep fry it first in the oil until just golden and cooked through, drain excess oil on a towel and then air fry at 200 degree Celsius for 10 minutes, until light brown and crispy.
Here is the alternative method for people who don’t have an airfryer at home. Choose your preferred method from the above two at use your 200 degrees preheated oven in the place place of the airfryer- but don’t forget to lay your chicken pieces uncrowded on a foil or parchment lined on a baking tray before putting it in the hot oven.

Notes, tips and suggestions-

-This dish is traditionally serve with lemon wedges and sliced cabbage.
-You could also used a mayo dip or a sriracha dip or even just ketchup.
-Another quick and easy dip would be equal parts of sriracha mixed with equal parts of mayo.
-Sprinkle your fried chicken with one or two pinches of paprika for a hotter version.

Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterHealth, Science & Technology 0

Are you looking for the best Indian diet plan to lose weight? The rules are simple. All you need to do is start eating right. But in India, this can feel like an insurmountable challenge, given our food culture and dietary habits. For instance, a typical Indian meal is high in carbohydrates and sugar – we eat a lot of potatoes, rice and sweets. We also love our snacks and can’t imagine a day without our fix of namkeens and bhujias. We pressurize our friends and family into eating too much, as a sign of hospitality and affection, and consider refusing an extra helping a rebuff. To top it all, we’ve never embraced physical exercise as essential. It’s no wonder that India is battling a growing obesity problem.

But the answer doesn’t lie in shunning Indian food in favour of foreign ingredients or fad diets. You’ll find that the best Indian diet plan consists of foods you’ve already got in your kitchen and that you can lose weight by making a few changes to your diet.

Understand the Science Behind Weight Loss

Weight loss and gain, revolve around caloric consumption and expenditure. You lose weight when you consume fewer calories than you expend. Conversely, you gain weight when you consume more calories than you expend. To drop those excess kilos, all you need to do is eat within your calorie budget and burn the required number of calories. A combination of the two works best suggest experts. Get your daily requirement of calorie consumption and burn based on your lifestyle and dietary preferences, by signing up on HealthifyMe.

However, simply determining how many calories your body needs isn’t enough. After all, four samosas (600 calories), two slices of pizza (500 calories) and two gulab jamuns (385 calories) may be within your daily requirement of 1500 calories, but these unhealthy food choices will eventually lead to other health problems like high cholesterol and blood sugar. To lose weight the healthy way, you also need to ensure your diet is balanced i.e. it covers all food groups and provides all the nutrients you need necessary for good health.

The Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss

No single food provides all the calories and nutrients the body needs to stay healthy. That’s why a balanced diet comprising of macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein and fat along with micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, is recommended.

The best Indian diet for weight loss is a combination of the five major food groups – fruits and vegetables, cereals and pulses, meat and dairy products, and fats and oils. Knowing how to divvy up the food groups, allocate portion sizes, and the best/ideal time to eat is also important.

1200 Calorie Diet Plan

A lot can be spoken about what goes into an ideal diet chart. However, one’s nutritional requirement varies based on various factors. It could change depending on gender, for example, male dietary requirements vary from that of a female. Geography can play a role as well, with North Indian diets being largely different from South Indian ones. Meal preferences come into play since the consumption of food by a vegetarian or a vegan differing largely from that by a non-vegetarian.

However, we have put together a diet plan for weight loss with Indian food. This 7 day diet plan, 1200 calorie diet plan is a sample, and should not be followed by any individual without consulting with a nutritionist.

Day 1:

After starting your day with cucumber water, have oats porridge and mixed nuts for breakfast.
Have a roti with dal and gajar matar sabzi for lunch.
Follow that up with dal and lauki sabzi to go with a roti for dinner.

Day 1	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Oats Porridge in Skimmed Milk(1 bowl) Mixed Nuts(25 grams)
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Dal(1 katori)Gajar Matar Sabzi(1 katori) Roti (1 roti/chapati)
4:00 PM	Cut Fruits(1 cup)Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Tea with Less Sugar and Milk(1 teacup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Dal(1 katori)Lauki Sabzi(1 katori) Roti (1 roti/chapati)

Day 2:

On the second day, eat a mixed vegetable stuffed roti with curd for breakfast.
For lunch, have half a katori of methi rice along with lentil curry.
End your day with sauteed vegetables and green chutney.

Day 2	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Curd(1.5 katori)Mixed Vegetable Stuffed Roti(2 piece)
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Lentil Curry(0.75 bowl)Methi Rice(0.5 katori)
4:00 PM	Apple(0.5 small (2-3/4″ dia))Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Coffee with Milk and Less Sugar(0.5 tea cup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Sauteed Vegetables with Paneer(1 katori)Roti (1 roti/chapati) Green Chutney(2 tablespoon)

Day 3:

Breakfast on day 3 would include Multigrain Toast and Skim Milk Yogurt.
In the afternoon, have sauteed vegetables with paneer and some green chutney.
Half a katori of methi rice and some lentil curry to make sure you end the day on a healthy note.

Day 3	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Skim Milk Yoghurt(1 cup (8 fl oz))Multigrain Toast(2 toast)
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Sauteed Vegetables with Paneer(1 katori)Roti (1 roti/chapati) Green Chutney(2 tablespoon)
4:00 PM	Banana(0.5 small (6″ to 6-7/8″ long))Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Tea with Less Sugar and Milk(1 teacup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Lentil Curry(0.75 bowl)Methi Rice(0.5 katori)

Day 4:

Start Day 4 with a Fruit and Nuts Yogurt Smoothie and Egg Omelette
Follow that up with Moong Dal, Bhindi Sabzi, and roti.
Complete the day’s food intake with steamed rice and palak chole.

Day 4	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Fruit and Nuts Yogurt Smoothie(0.75 glass) Egg Omelette(1 serve(one egg))
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Green Gram Whole Dal Cooked(1 katori)Bhindi sabzi(1 katori) Roti (1 roti/chapati)
4:00 PM	Orange(1 fruit (2-5/8″ dia))Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Coffee with Milk and Less Sugar(0.5 tea cup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Palak Chole(1 bowl)Steamed Rice(0.5 katori)

Day 5:

Have a glass of skimmed milk and peas poha for breakfast on the fifth day.
Eat a missi roti with low fat paneer curry in the afternoon.
End the day with roti, curd and aloo baingan tamatar ki sabzi.

Day 5	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Skimmed Milk(1 glass)Peas Poha(1.5 katori)
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Low Fat Paneer Curry(1.5 katori)Missi Roti(1 roti)
4:00 PM	Papaya(1 cup 1″ pieces)Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Tea with Less Sugar and Milk(1 teacup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Curd(1.5 katori)Aloo Baingan Tamatar Ki Sabzi(1 katori) Roti (1 roti/chapati)

Day 6:

On Day 6, have idli with sambar for breakfast
For lunch, roti with curd and aloo baingan tamatar ki sabzi
To end Day 6, eat green gram with roti and bhindi sabzi

Day 6	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Mixed Sambar(1 bowl)Idli(2 idli)
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Curd(1.5 katori)Aloo Baingan Tamatar Ki Sabzi(1 katori) Roti (1 roti/chapati)
4:00 PM	Cut Fruits(1 cup)Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Coffee with Milk and Less Sugar(0.5 tea cup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Green Gram Whole Dal Cooked(1 katori)Bhindi sabzi(1 katori) Roti (1 roti/chapati)

Day 7:

On the seventh day, start with besan chilla and green garlic chutney.
Have steamed rice and palak chole for lunch.
End the week on a healthy note with low fat paneer curry and missi roti.

Day 7	Diet Chart
6:30 AM	Cucumber Detox Water(1 glass)
8:00 AM	Besan Chilla(2 cheela)Green Garlic Chutney(3 tablespoon)
12:00 PM	Skimmed Milk Paneer(100 grams)
2:00 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
2:10 PM	Palak Chole(1 bowl)Steamed Rice(0.5 katori)
4:00 PM	Apple(0.5 small (2-3/4″ dia))Buttermilk(1 glass)
5:30 PM	Tea with Less Sugar and Milk(1 teacup)
8:50 PM	Mixed Vegetable Salad(1 katori)
9:00 PM	Low Fat Paneer Curry(1 katori)Missi Roti(1 roti)

Balanced Diet Chart

While creating a diet chart, it is important to make sure it is balanced, in order to ensure that you receive all the required nutrients. Include the following nutrients in your diet plan:

1. Carbohydrates

Carbs are the body’s main source of energy and should make up half of your daily calorie requirement. However, it’s important to choose the right type of carbs. Simple carbs, such as bread, biscuit, white rice and wheat flour, contain too much sugar and are bad for you. Instead, opt for complex carbs that are high in fiber and packed with nutrients as compared to simple carbs. Fiber-rich complex carbs are slow to digest, leave you feeling full for longer, and are therefore the best option for weight control. Brown rice, millets such as ragi and oats are all good complex carb choices.

2. Proteins

Most Indians fail to meet their daily protein requirement. This is troublesome, as proteins are essential to help paper writer the body build and repair tissue, muscles, cartilage and skin, as well as pump blood. A high protein diet can also help you lose weight, as it helps build muscle – which burns more calories than fat.

About 30% of your diet should consist of protein in the form of whole dals, paneer, chana, milk, leafy greens, eggs, white meat or sprouts. Having one helping of protein with every meal is essential.

3. Fats

A food group that has acquired a bad reputation, fats are essential for the body as they synthesize hormones, store vitamins and provide energy. Experts suggest one-fifth or 20% of your diet comprise of healthy fats – polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids. Using a combination of oils for different meals – including olive oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil, soya bean, sesame, sunflower and groundnut oil – along with restricted quantities of butter and ghee is the most optimal way to consume fats. Avoid trans fats – that are found in fried snacks, completely.

4. Vitamins and minerals

Vitamin A, E, B12, D, calcium and iron are essential for the body as they support metabolism, nerve and muscle function, bone maintenance, and cell production. Primarily derived from plants, meat and fish, minerals can be found in nuts, oilseeds, fruits and green leafy vegetables. Experts recommend consuming 100 grams of greens and 100 grams of fruits everyday.

5. Meal Swaps

One of the easiest ways to eat healthy is to swap out the unhealthy foods in your diet with healthier alternatives. For example, fulfil your cravings for a snack to munch on with air popped popcorn instead of relying on potato chips. Check out a few healthy meal swaps that you could try going forward:

Along with a balanced diet plan, these habits will help you stay healthy

Opt for 5-6 meals a day: Instead of three large meals, try having three modest meals and a few snack breaks through the day in controlled portions. Spacing your meals across regular intervals prevents acidity and bloating, and also keeps hunger pangs at bay. Quit your junk food habit by making healthier snack choices.

Have an early dinner: Indians eat dinner later than the other societies across the world. Metabolism slows down at night, so a late dinner can lead to weight gain. Experts recommend you eat your last meal of the day by 8 pm.

Drink a lot of water: How does drinking more water help you lose weight? For starters, it’s zero calories. Also, drinking a glass of water can help curb hunger pangs. Have six to eight glasses of water daily to lose weight. You can also find a list of drinks that will help you lose weight here.

Eat a lot of fiber: A person needs at least 15 gm of fiber every day, as it aids digestion and heart health. Oats, lentils, flax seeds, apples and broccoli are some great sources of fiber.

You don’t have to ditch your regular food habits or make massive changes to your diet, you just need the best balanced Indian diet plan to get fit!

(source: https://www.healthifyme.com/blog/best-indian-diet-plan-weight-loss/?fbclid=IwAR2Yy8i6yP7ancgpkgIiW1u3kj6Tw_P42lsAanPoxgHhsjueChH9t_o5vgQ)

Community Mourns Death of SPB, Popular Indian Playback Singer

October 7, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Profiles 0

S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, an Indian singer who delivered songs for more than 1,000 movies in a smooth and vibrant voice and in a multitude of regional languages, died on Sept. 25 in Chennai, India. He was 74. The cause was complications of Covid-19, according to a statement from MGM Healthcare, where he had been hospitalized.

The singer was hospitalized at a private hospital in Chennai after testing positive for COVID-19 and was keeping unwell for quite some time now. From Rajinikanth to Kamal Haasan, music maestro AR Rahman to Lata Mangeshkar, celebrities across India took to social media to mourn the death of the singer.

Meanwhile political leaders across the country — President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, DMK President M.K. Stalin, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, PMK Founder S. Ramadoss and Chief Ministers of several other states mourned the singer’s death. Actor Rajinikanth tweeted: “Balu sir … you have been my voice for many years … your voice and your memories will live with me forever … I will truly miss you …”

“With the unfortunate demise of Shri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, our cultural world is a lot poorer,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India wrote on Twitter. “I have no words to say. There can be one and only Balu Sir. I have sung a couple of songs with Balu Sir in Tamil movies. In those days the recording used to be live and it was interesting. He encouraged me a lot. Some months back I had met him. He enquired about my family and me,” playback singer Jency said.

The legendary singer who has recorded over 40,000 songs in 16 languages over a period of five decades, died on Friday afternoon due to cardio-respiratory arrest at the M.G.H. Healthcare. Earlier in the day, hundreds of people stood in a long queue to pay homage to the singer as well as celebrities from the movie world at the farm house.

On August 5, in a Facebook post, the 74-year-old SPB said that he was suffering from a very mild attack of coronavirus and had got himself hospitalized to take rest. He had said that though the doctors had advised him to stay at home and take rest, he decided to be in a hospital, as at home his family members would get concerned.

He hoped to get discharged from the hospital in two days. But it was not to be. For a brief period, he showed some improvement in his health condition and had tested negative for coronavirus on Sept. 4. But on Sept. 24 the hospital said his condition was extremely critical. Since then, the indications about Balasubrahmanyam were not good. He was placed on ECMO and other life support systems. The singer’s family members were present at the hospital.

Director Bharathiraja, after visiting the iconic singer at the hospital, told the media at this time of grief he was not able to say anything. It was movie director Venkat Prabhu who first tweeted about the singer’s death. Prabhu tweeted “#RIPSPB 1:04pm” announcing the sad news.

For more than four decades Mr. Balasubrahmanyam, better known as “S.P.B.” or “Balu” to his fans, was a major presence as a playback singer, who sings tunes that are later lip-synced by actors in India’s movie musicals. His best-known songs were in the languages of Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.

“I often sit with the lyricists and ask them what they meant to convey so that I get the emotional crux of the song,” he once said in a newspaper interview about having to be expressive in so many languages. “If I think I cannot pronounce something well, I opt out of the song.”

Mr. Balasubrahmanyam was also a music producer and character actor. He won the National Film Award, one of the country’s most prestigious entertainment prizes, six times. He also received two of India’s top civilian honors: the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011.

Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam was born on June 4, 1946, in Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, a state in southeastern India. His father, S. P. Sambamurthy, was a singer and stage actor; his mother, Sakunthalamma, was a homemaker.

Mr. Balasubrahmanyam once said that he became a singer by accident. He was studying engineering in college when he won a singing competition, which opened doors for him in the Telugu-language film industry as a playback singer. His first movie performance came in 1966.

Encouraged by his initial success, he went on to perform in a band; one member, Ilayaraja, also became well-known. He broke into Bollywood in 1981. He later collaborated often with the composer A.R. Rahman, who won two Oscars for his work on the hit movie “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008).

Mr. Balasubrahmanyam often spoke of the inspiration he received from Mohammed Rafi, one of the most popular Indian singers in the 1950s and ’60s. “I was so bewildered by the talent with which he was singing,” he said on his YouTube channel in 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Savitri Balasubrahmanyam; his daughter, Pallavi Balasubrahmanyam; his son, S.P.B. Charan; and two grandchildren.

Seeking Greater Role For India, Modi Questions Relevance Of United Nations

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterIndia, Politics 0

Articulating an inclusive vision for the world and India’s role in manifesting it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) how long India would be kept out of the top UN decision-making bodies. He assured the world of the adequate supply of vaccines and highlighted India’s contribution to UN peacekeeping mission and its non-exclusive foreign policy, making the case for India playing a leading role in the UN.

In his address to the 75th United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2020, the Indian Prime Minister said the problems and solutions of the world in 1945 were quite different from today. “Today we are in a completely different era,” he said, asking if the character of an institution from those times is even relevant today. He said the UN enjoyed “unparalleled” respect in India but Indians were concerned whether the reform process would “ever reach its logical conclusion.”

Modi questioned the relevance of the United Nations to meet 21st Century challenges with a 19th Century structure that did not include India as a permanent member of the Security Council, and made a call to arms for nations to work for all humanity in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Modi posed the question of “Whether the character of the institution, constituted in the prevailing circumstances of 1945, is relevant even today?”

Despite several “stellar achievements” Modi in effect, argued that the UN had failed to stem the tide of terrorism and civil wars despite avoiding a ‘third world war’. And as for the pandemic, Modi slammed the international institution, asking, “Where is the United Nations in this joint fight against the pandemic? Where is its effective response?”

His answer: “Reform in the responses, in the processes, and in the very character of the United Nations is the need of the hour.” India has been waiting for the long-pending promised reforms which are supported by the United States and virtually all nations. “For how long will India be kept out of the decision-making structures of the United Nations?” Modi demanded, noting that this is the largest democracy in the world with more than 18% of its population, “which was a leading global economy for centuries and also one which has endured hundreds of years of foreign rule.”

In his speech, Modi noted that even during these very difficult times of the raging pandemic, the pharmaceutical industry of India has sent essential medicines to more than 150 countries. As the largest vaccine producing country of the world, “I want to give one more assurance to the global community today. India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis.”

India is now in phase 3 of clinical trials and Modi promised to help all the countries trying to enhance their cold chain and storage capacities for the delivery of the vaccines. Modi contended that India had never been a power-hungry nation through history. “When we were strong, we were never a threat to the world, when we were weak, we never become a burden on the world. Your Excellency, How long would a country have to wait particularly when the transformational changes happening in that country affect a large part of the world?” Modi questioned.

Drawing attention to India’s standard view of the world as one (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam), Modi detailed the contributions his country had made in the last 75 years of the UN, including 50 peacekeeping missions where India has lost the most number of peacekeeping personnel.

He attributed numerous initiatives India jumpstarted and which were adopted by the UN including ‘International Day of Non-Violence,’ ‘International Day of Yoga,’ the initiatives of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the International Solar Alliance, among them.

He articulated India’s strategic priorities like ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and the ‘Act East Policy’, taking a swipe at China’s power moves in the region including in the South China Sea, he mentioned the Indo-Pacific region’s security and growth, going on to say that India helped nations not with a “malafide intent” at the cost of making a partner “dependent or hapless.”

“We must congratulate him for his firm, decisive approach to China,” Parikh said referring to Modi’s comments on following the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region. India’s experiences at development, Modi said, would help many countries who are trying to progress.

He claimed that during his administration over the last 4 years, India had succeeded in bringing more than 400 million people into the formal financial sector, provided toilet facilities to 600 million people; and within 2-3 years, provided more than 500 million people access to free health care services. He also dwelt on progress toward a ‘digital’ India, mentioned the water supply initiative as well as the goal to achieve a tuberculosis-free nation, empowerment of women, and ensuring the rights of transgender people.

“Prime Minister Modi has eloquently made a case for India’s inclusion (in the Security Council),” said Anju Bhargava, a management consultant, formerly in the Obama administration’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnership, as well as founder of Hindu American Seva Communities. “He has presented India’s strength from the ancient past to the present as well as pointed to the future. Despite its challenges India has tremendous strength and can play a significant role on the world stage in the future,” Bhargava added.

“In the changed circumstances of the post-pandemic era, we are moving forward with the vision of a “Self-reliant India”. A Self-reliant India will also be a Force Multiplier for the Global Economy,” Modi declared, concluding with a poignant hope that the UN would remain relevant in the brave new world.

Biden Adds Pressure on Trump By Releasing Tax Returns

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Democratic nominee Joe Biden released his most recent tax returns just hours before Tuesday night’s debate with Donald Trump, signaling he wants new revelations about the president’s taxes at center stage for their first face-to-face encounter.

The difference between the two candidates’ tax history is fodder for Biden’s argument that Trump has conned working-class voters into supporting him. The debate begins at 9 p.m. New York time.

Biden’s taxes showed that he and his wife Jill paid more than $346,000 in federal taxes and other payments for 2019 on an income of nearly $985,000 before seeking a refund of nearly $47,000 they said they had overpaid the government.

“This is a historic level of transparency meant to give the American people faith once again that their leaders will look out for them and not their own bottom lines,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, said on a call with reporters. “Mr. President, release your tax returns or shut up,” Bedingfield added.

Billionaire Trump, meanwhile, paid $750 in 2016 and 2017, and nothing in ten of the last 15 years, according to the New York Times.

With more than a million Americans already casting early ballots and time running out to change minds or influence the small sliver of undecided voters, the stakes are enormous as the two White House candidates take the stage five weeks before the Nov. 3 election.

The 90-minute debate, with a limited and socially distanced in-person audience because of the coronavirus pandemic, will begin at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT on Wednesday) at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, with Chris Wallace of Fox News serving as the moderator. It is the first of three scheduled debates.

The Biden tax returns gambit ahead of the debate shows that the former vice president is seeking political advantage on an issue that could resonate with voters – a wealthy real estate developer-turned-politician who has, according to the New York Times report, often avoided paying federal income taxes.

Democrats have sought to portray Trump as a tax dodger. Trump’s persistent refusal to release his taxes has been a departure from standard practice for presidential candidates. Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh issued a statement responding to Biden’s disclosure, accusing him of being dishonest in public statements about his own past earnings, but did not address whether Trump would release his returns.

The Times also reported that Trump was currently embroiled in a decade-long Internal Revenue Service audit over a $72.9 million tax refund he claimed after declaring large losses. If the IRS rules against him, he could have to pay over $100 million, according to the newspaper.

BIDEN INCOME

Biden’s 2019 return showed most of his income came from a company he has said handles payments from his speaking and writing engagements and from a University of Pennsylvania teaching post from which he took an unpaid leave of absence after launching his candidacy.

The 2019 tax returns for Biden’s running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, also were released. Harris and her husband, lawyer Doug Emhoff, reported paying about $1.2 million in total federal taxes on $3.3 million of income for the year, according to the tax returns released on Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence released a decade of returns before the 2016 election but no tax information since then.

The combustible Trump and more low-key Biden will debate an array of urgent political challenges, including a pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 people in the United States and thrown millions out of work, a brewing battle over Trump’s nomination of conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, and continued protests for racial justice.

Biden, 77, has held a consistent lead over Trump, 74, in national opinion polls, although surveys in the battleground states that will decide the election show a closer contest.

The debate will be divided into six segments: the records of Trump and Biden, the Supreme Court, the pandemic, the economy, election integrity and “race and violence” in U.S. cities. A senior Trump campaign official told reporters aboard Air Force One that the president “knows exactly what he wants to communicate” and hopes to get into his differences with Biden on trade, “endless wars,” the issue of America’s “haves and the have nots” and Biden’s long career in elected office.

Biden is certain to press his criticism of Trump’s response to the pandemic, and highlight Trump’s efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act, the law known as Obamacare that has helped millions of Americans obtain health insurance.

AAPI’s Mini Convention Held In Chicago Shri Venkiah Naidu, Vice President Of India, Urges AAPI To Build Collaborations In Research And Development To Address Various Health Issues In India

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

(Chicago, IL: September 28th, 2020): “It’s very great joy that I welcome you all who have come to be part of the MINI Convention and the Fall Governing Body Meeting of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin here in Chicago, IL. I appreciate your presence here in spite of the fears of the Covid Pandemic,” Dr. Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, President, AAPI, told the AAPI delegates who had come from around the nation on Saturday, September 26^th, 2020 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel, in the Windy City.

A CME on “A Global Health Topic: Learnings for India’s Health System” featured Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, President, Public Health Foundation of India and was moderated by Dr. Navin C. Nanda, Distinguished Professor of Medicine & Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; and, Dr. T.S. Ravi Kumar, President, AIIMS, Mangalagiri, AP, India and a Member of WHO Global Patient Safety Experts Curriculum Committee.

GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter Launched

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Showering praises on the Indian Diaspora in the US, the Senior Diplomat from India said, the success stories of every Indian American is “a great source of strength to the people in India. GIOIO has played an important role in fostering this relationship, he said. While assuring whole hearted support to GOPIO, he urged GOPIO to “connect with the youth both in India and the USA.”

Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman GOPIO International. In his introductory remarks, said, GOPIO was born in 1989. Today, it has 00 chapters across the world, contributing to the larger community. GOPIO chapters also serve the local communities in need, by sponsoring soup kitchens and giving scholarship to needy students. During the Covid-19 period, GOPIO chapters have been making financial contributions and replenishing food items at the food pantries serving the needy. Some chapters also provided N-95 medical masks to frontline workers, he said.

Prof. P. Somasundaran, a Padmashri Recipient and Faculty at Columbia University, in his address, complimented GOPIO, which he said, “is a brain child of some creative people.” Referring to the extreme challenges, particularly climate change, chaos and political violence, he said, “We need the comfort and support of each other. Current pandemic has shown how important and critical it is to stay united and for all of us to work together.”

New York State Senator Kevin Thomas, described the launch of the GIPIO Chapter in Manhattan as “awesome” and thanked “GOPIO for bringing us together as one family.” He praised the Indian Diaspora for its great contributions to the larger American community. “I am so proud to be the first Indian American Senator in NY,” he said. Jennifer Rajkumar, the first Assemblywoman of Indian Origin in New York called upon the Indian Diaspsora to stand united to promote India and its heritage in the United States.

Neeta Jain. A Democratic leader from Queens, and national delegate for Biden, shared about her 30 years of fight for “equality and cultural recognition, which is ongoing.” Dr, Navin Mehta, Chairman, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, NYC, praised Dr. Thomas Abraham, who is “always with full of energy.” Extending whole hearted support to GOPIO, said, New York City has much potential and “we can do so much together.”

Sunil Hali, Publisher & Promoter of Indian Eye Newsweekly, Radio Zindagi and Divya Bhaskar NA Edition, described the lauch of a new Chapter in NYC as “an extraordinary moment in NRI history.” Others who facilitated GOPIO included Rajiv Bhambri and Mukul Gupta.

Pandemic is Time to Rethink Way of Life, Economics, Social Systems: Pope Francis Addresses UN General Assembly

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterCulture/Religion 0

Pope Francis while addressing the United Nations General Assembly, called for the organization to continue to focus on human rights and the environment. Due to the pandemic, his address was sent in a pre-recorded video in Spanish. “In these days, our world continues to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to the loss of so many lives.,” Pope Francis said. “This crisis is changing our way of life, calling into question our economic, health, and social systems, and exposing our human fragility.”He suggested this is a time when society must separate what is necessary from what is not. This can lead to “rethinking our way of life and our economic and social systems.” The Holy Father noted the need to address many humanitarian crises around the world, including refugees, ongoing conflict, and inequality of economic opportunity. “I urge civil authorities to be especially attentive to children who are denied their fundamental rights and dignity, particularly their right to life and to schooling,” the Pope said. He also urged continued attention on equality for women. This was the second time Pope Francis has addressed the General Assembly. The first time was in person, exactly five years ago, on September 25, 2015. It will be the sixth time a Pope has addressed the UN, following Pope Paul VI in 1964, Pope John Paul II in 1979 and 1995, Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

Following is the full address, provided by the Vatican.

Mr. President,Peace be with all of you!I offer cordial greetings to you, Mr. President, and to all the Delegations taking part in this significant Seventy-fifth Session of the United Nations’ General Assembly. In particular, I greet the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, the participating Heads of State and Government, and all those who are following the General Debate. The seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations offers me a fitting occasion to express once again the Holy See’s desire that this Organization increasingly serves as a sign of unity between States and an instrument of service to the entire human family.[1] In these days, our world continues to be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to the loss of so many lives. This crisis is changing our way of life, calling into question our economic, health, and social systems, and exposing our human fragility. The pandemic, indeed, calls us “to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing, a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not”.[2] It can represent a concrete opportunity for conversion, for transformation, for rethinking our way of life and our economic and social systems, which are widening the gap between rich and poor based on an unjust distribution of resources. On the other hand, the pandemic can be the occasion for a “defensive retreat” into greater individualism and elitism. We are faced, then, with a choice between two possible paths. One path leads to the consolidation of multilateralism as the expression of a renewed sense of global co-responsibility, a solidarity grounded in justice, and the attainment of peace and unity within the human family, which is God’s plan for our world. The other path emphasizes self-sufficiency, nationalism, protectionism, individualism, and isolation; it excludes the poor, the vulnerable and those dwelling on the peripheries of life. That path would certainly be detrimental to the whole community, causing self-inflicted wounds on everyone. It must not prevail. The pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to promote public health and to make every person’s right to basic medical care a reality.[3] For this reason, I renew my appeal to political leaders and the private sector to spare no effort to ensure access to Covid-19 vaccines and to the essential technologies needed to care for the sick. If anyone should be given preference, let it be the poorest, the most vulnerable, those who so often experience discrimination because they have neither power nor economic resources. The current crisis has also demonstrated that solidarity must not be an empty word or promise. It has also shown us the importance of avoiding every temptation to exceed our natural limits. “We have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology; we can put it at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier, more human, more social, more integral”.[4] This also needs to be taken into careful consideration in discussions on the complex issue of artificial intelligence (AI). Along these same lines, I think of the effects of the pandemic on employment, a sector already destabilized by a labor market driven by increasing uncertainty and widespread robotization. There is an urgent need to find new forms of work truly capable of fulfilling our human potential and affirming our dignity. In order to ensure dignified employment, there must be a change in the prevailing economic paradigm, which seeks only to expand companies’ profits. Offering jobs to more people should be one of the main objectives of every business, one of the criteria for the success of productive activity. Technological progress is valuable and necessary, provided that it serves to make people’s work more dignified and safe, less burdensome, and stressful. All this calls for a change of direction. To achieve this, we already possess the necessary cultural and technological resources, and social awareness. This change of direction will require, however, a more robust ethical framework capable of overcoming “today’s widespread and quietly growing culture of waste”.[5] At the origin of this “throwaway culture” is a gross lack of respect for human dignity, the promotion of ideologies with reductive understandings of the human person, a denial of the universality of fundamental human rights, and a craving for absolute power and control that is widespread in today’s society. Let us name this for what it is: an attack against humanity itself. It is in fact painful to see the number of fundamental human rights that in our day continue to be violated with impunity. The list of such violations is indeed lengthy and offers us a frightening picture of a humanity abused, wounded, deprived of dignity, freedom, and hope for the future. As part of this picture, religious believers continue to endure every kind of persecution, including genocide, because of their beliefs. We Christians too are victims of this: how many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world are suffering, forced at times to flee from their ancestral lands, cut off from their rich history and culture. We should also admit that humanitarian crises have become the status quo, in which people’s right to life, liberty, and personal security are not protected. Indeed, as shown by conflicts worldwide, the use of explosive weapons, especially in populated areas, is having a dramatic long-term humanitarian impact. Conventional weapons are becoming less and less “conventional” and more and more “weapons of mass destruction”, wreaking havoc on cities, schools, hospitals, religious sites, infrastructures, and basic services needed by the population. What is more, great numbers of people are being forced to leave their homes. Refugees, migrants, and the internally displaced frequently find themselves abandoned in their countries of origin, transit, and destination, deprived of any chance to better their situation in life and that of their families. Worse still, thousands are intercepted at sea and forcibly returned to detention camps, where they meet with torture and abuse. Many of these become victims of human trafficking, sexual slavery, or forced labor, exploited in degrading jobs, and denied a just wage. This is intolerable, yet intentionally ignored by many! The numerous and significant international efforts to respond to these crises begin with great promise – here I think of the two Global Compacts on Refugees and on Migration – yet many lack the necessary political support to prove successful. Others fail because individual states shirk their responsibilities and commitments. All the same, the current crisis offers an opportunity for the United Nations to help build a more fraternal and compassionate society. This includes reconsidering the role of economic and financial institutions, like that of Bretton-Woods, which must respond to the rapidly growing inequality between the super-rich and the permanently poor. An economic model that encourages subsidiarity, supports economic development at the local level, and invests in education and infrastructure benefiting local communities, will lay the foundation not only for economic success but also for the renewal of the larger community and nation. Here I would renew my appeal that “in light of the present circumstances… all nations be enabled to meet the greatest needs of the moment through the reduction, if not the forgiveness, of the debt burdening the balance sheets of the poorest nations”.[6] The international community ought to make every effort to put an end to economic injustices. “When multilateral credit organizations provide advice to various nations, it is important to keep in mind the lofty concepts of fiscal justice, the public budgets responsible for their indebtedness, and, above all, an effective promotion of the poorest, which makes them protagonists in the social network”.[7] We have a responsibility to offer development assistance to poor nations and debt relief to highly indebted nations.[8] “A new ethics presupposes being aware of the need for everyone to work together to close tax shelters, avoid evasions and money laundering that rob society, as well as to speak to nations about the importance of defending justice and the common good over the interests of the most powerful companies and multinationals”.[9] Now is a fitting time to renew the architecture of international finance.[10] Mr. President,Five years ago, I had the opportunity to address the General Assembly in person on its seventieth anniversary. My visit took place at a time marked by truly dynamic multilateralism. It was a moment of great hope and promise for the international community, on the eve of the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Some months later, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change was also adopted.Yet we must honestly admit that, even though some progress has been made, the international community has shown itself largely incapable of honoring the promises made five years ago. I can only reiterate that “we must avoid every temptation to fall into a declarationist nominalism which would assuage our consciences. We need to ensure that our institutions are truly effective in the struggle against all these scourges”.[11] I think of the alarming situation in the Amazon and its indigenous peoples. Here we see that the environmental crisis is inseparably linked to a social crisis and that caring for the environment calls for an integrated approach to combatting poverty and exclusion.[12] To be sure, the growth of an integral ecological sensitivity and the desire for action is a positive step. “We must not place the burden on the next generations to take on the problems caused by the previous ones… We must seriously ask ourselves if there is the political will to allocate with honesty, responsibility, and courage, more human, financial, and technological resources to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, as well as to help the poorest and most vulnerable populations who suffer from them the most”.[13] The Holy See will continue to play its part. As a concrete sign of the Holy See’s commitment to care for our common home, I recently ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.[14] Mr. President,We cannot fail to acknowledge the devastating effects of the Covid-19 crisis on children, including unaccompanied young migrants and refugees. Violence against children, including the horrible scourge of child abuse and pornography, has also dramatically increased. Millions of children are presently unable to return to school. In many parts of the world, this situation risks leading to an increase in child labor, exploitation, abuse, and malnutrition. Sad to say, some countries and international institutions are also promoting abortion as one of the so-called “essential services” provided in the humanitarian response to the pandemic. It is troubling to see how simple and convenient it has become for some to deny the existence of a human life as a solution to problems that can and must be solved for both the mother and her unborn child. I urge civil authorities to be especially attentive to children who are denied their fundamental rights and dignity, particularly their right to life and to schooling. I cannot help but think of the appeal of that courageous young woman, Malala Yousafzai, who speaking five years ago in the General Assembly, reminded us that “one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world”. The first teachers of every child are his or her mother and father, the family, which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights describes as the “natural and fundamental group unit of society”.[15] All too often, the family is the victim of forms of ideological colonialism that weaken it and end up producing in many of its members, especially the most vulnerable, the young and the elderly, a feeling of being orphaned and lacking roots. The breakdown of the family is reflected in the social fragmentation that hinders our efforts to confront common enemies. It is time that we reassess and recommit ourselves to achieving our goals. One such goal is the advancement of women. This year marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Conference on Women. At every level of society, women now play an important role, offering their singular contribution and courageously promoting the common good. Many women, however, continue to be left behind: victims of slavery, trafficking, violence, exploitation, and degrading treatment. To them, and to those who forced to live apart from their families, I express my fraternal closeness. At the same time, I appeal once more for greater determination and commitment in the fight against those heinous practices that debase not only women but all humanity, which by its silence and lack of effective action becomes an accomplice in them. Mr. President,We must ask ourselves if the principal threats to peace and security – poverty, epidemics, terrorism, and so many others – can be effectively be countered when the arms race, including nuclear weapons, continues to squander precious resources that could better be used to benefit the integral development of peoples and protect the natural environment. We need to break with the present climate of distrust. At present, we are witnessing an erosion of multilateralism, which is all the more serious in light of the development of new forms of military technology,[16] such as lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) which irreversibly alter the nature of warfare, detaching it further from human agency. We need to dismantle the perverse logic that links personal and national security to the possession of weaponry. This logic serves only to increase the profits of the arms industry while fostering a climate of distrust and fear between persons and peoples. Nuclear deterrence, in particular, creates an ethos of fear based on the threat of mutual annihilation; in this way, it ends up poisoning relationships between peoples and obstructing dialogue.[17] That is why it is so important to support the principal international legal instruments on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and prohibition. The Holy See trusts that the forthcoming Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will result in concrete action in accordance with our joint intention “to achieve at the earliest possible date the cessation of the nuclear arms race and to undertake effective measures in the direction of nuclear disarmament”.[18] In addition, our strife-ridden world needs the United Nations to become an ever more effective international workshop for peace. This means that the members of the Security Council, especially the Permanent Members, must act with greater unity and determination. In this regard, the recent adoption of a global cease-fire during the present crisis is a very noble step, one that demands goodwill on the part of all for its continued implementation. Here I would also reiterate the importance of relaxing international sanctions that make it difficult for states to provide adequate support for their citizens. Mr. President,We never emerge from a crisis just as we were. We come out either better or worse. This is why, at this critical juncture, it is our duty to rethink the future of our common home and our common project. A complex task lies before us, one that requires a frank and coherent dialogue aimed at strengthening multilateralism and cooperation between states. The present crisis has further demonstrated the limits of our self-sufficiency as well as our common vulnerability. It has forced us to think clearly about how we want to emerge from this: either better or worse. The pandemic has shown us that we cannot live without one another, or worse still, pitted against one another. The United Nations was established to bring nations together, to be a bridge between peoples. Let us make good use of this institution in order to transform the challenge that lies before us into an opportunity to build together, once more, the future we all desire.God bless you all! Thank you, Mr. President.

6 Indian-Origin People On 2020 TIME100 List

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Profiles 0

Six Persons of Indian-origin have made to the prestigious 2020 TIME100 List of the world’s most influential people. They are: Ravindra Gupta, a professor of clinical microbiology at the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease at the University of Cambridge; Ayushman Khurana, Indian actor, singer, and television host; Sen. Kamala Harris, Vice Presidential running mate of Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden in the United States; Indian Prime Minister Naredra Modi; Alphabet CEO and Google head Sundar Pichai; and Bilkis, Shaheen Bagh’s ‘dadi’.

Other people in the TIME 100 List are: Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Angela Merkel, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and William Barr. To coincide with the launch of its annual list of the world’s most influential people, TIME is also hosting 2020 TIME100 honorees for a special three-part series of consecutive TIME100 Talks, TIME’s series of virtual conversations that convenes influential leaders across fields to encourage cross-disciplinary action toward a better world. This series of TIME100 Talks is airing on September 23, 24 and 25 on Time.com and across TIME’s social media platforms.

“The TIME100 is more than a list. It’s a community of hundreds of leaders from across the years and around the world whose visions can guide us and whose achievements can bring us hope,” said TIME executive editor and editorial director of the TIME100 Dan Macsai. “We look forward to convening this community for this special series of TIME100 Talks.”

Thousands of people participated in last year’s widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in New Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh. Three feisty grandmothers also took part in these demonstrations surrounded by young women with prayer beads in one hand and the national flag in the other.

One of the Shaheen Bagh grandmothers (Dadi), 82-year-old Bilkis who became the face of the Shaheen Bagh protests in India, has featured among Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential personalities in the world. While she is happy about the praises garnered, she also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has now featured four times in the magazine’s influential personalities’ list.

In the latest influential people’s list released by Time Magazine, Bilkis has been placed in the ‘Icon’ category. Bilkis told IANS, “I am very happy that I have been honored with such respect. Although I did not expect this but who knows whom God gives recognition?”

“I have only read the Quran and never went to school. But today I am happy, congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too. He is also my son. I did not give him birth but that does not mater. God bless him with a long life and always give him happiness,” Bilkis added. “Our fight first is with corona, the disease must be eliminated from the world only then something can be thought of the world after that,” the 82-year-old added.

Grandmother Bilkis, who emerged as the face of the NRC-CAA protests, originally hails from Hapur. Her husband died nearly 11 years back. At present, she lives in Shaheen Bagh with her sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren.

Bilkis’ family is also happy that her name has featured alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Time Magazine’s 100 ‘Most Influential People’ in the world list.

The TIME coverage included a brief write-up on Khurrana by actress and friend, Deepika , Padukone. In a statement Khurrana said, “I’m truly humbled with the recognition that TIME has bestowed on me. As an artiste, I have only looked to contribute towards bringing a positive change in society through cinema and this moment is a huge validation of my belief system and my journey. I have always believed that cinema has the power to bring about change by triggering the right conversations among people and society. Hopefully, through my content choices, I have been able to contribute towards my country and countrymen.”

After dabbling for some years in theatre and television, Khurrana made his Bollywood debut with the Shoojit Sircar directed ‘Vicky Donor’. He went on to act in critically acclaimed and commercially successful films such as Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Andhadhun, Badhaai Ho, Article 15, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, and Bala.

His latest work is featured on Amazon Prime Video’s dramedy Gulabo Sitabo, where he shared screen space with Amitabh Bachchan for the first time.

Other Indians featured on the list include Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, London based doctor Ravindra Gupta, who found a cure for AIDs and Bilkis – Shaheen Bagh ‘Dadi’ who has been a vocal critic of the Indian government’s Citizenship Amendment Act, which opponents contend singles out Muslims by not mentioning them among those favored for citizenships status.

While Trump Refuses TO Commit TO Peaceful Transfer, Mcconnell Promises An ‘Orderly’ Transition Of Power

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

President Trump cast doubt on the transition last week, questioning the probity of the vote with so many ballots likely to be cast by mail. But Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said there would be a peaceful handover in January as there had been every four years since 1792. Democratic senators label Trump a grave threat to American democracy. The president currently trails his challenger, Democrat Joe Biden, in national opinion polls with 40 days to go until the election. Many more Americans than usual will be casting their votes by post this year, due to the pandemic, and Trump has been questioning the security of this mail-in ballot system. If Trump were to refuse to accept the result of the election, it would take the country into uncharted territory. Biden has suggested that should this happen, the military could remove Trump from the White House. However, Trump’s spokeswoman said the president would abide by the results of a free and fair election.

What have Republicans said?

“The winner of the November 3rd election will be inaugurated on January 20th,” Mr McConnell tweeted on Thursday. “There will be an orderly transition just as there has been every four years since 1792.” Other Republican lawmakers, including vocal Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham, have similarly promised a safe and fair election. “I can assure you it will be peaceful,” Mr Graham told Fox News, but suggested a decision could go to the nation’s top court. “If Republicans lose we will accept the result. If the Supreme Court rules in favour of Joe Biden, I will accept that result.” Senator Mitt Romney offered a more critical response on Wednesday, saying “any suggestion that a president might not respect this Constitutional guarantee is both unthinkable and unacceptable”.

What did Trump say?

On Thursday, Mr Trump again cast doubt on the integrity of the election, saying he was not sure it could be “honest” because, he claimed, postal ballots are “a whole big scam”. The president sparked the controversy on Wednesday evening when he was asked by a reporter if he would commit to a peaceful transfer of power “win, lose or draw” to Mr Biden. “I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots,” Mr Trump said. “And the ballots are a disaster.” When the journalist countered that “people are rioting”, Mr Trump interjected: “Get rid of the ballots, and you’ll have a very – you’ll have a very peaceful – there won’t be a transfer, frankly, there’ll be a continuation.” Back in 2016, Trump also refused to commit to accepting the election results in his contest against the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton, which she characterised as an attack on democracy. He took the White House after winning the all-important electoral college count, although he lost the popular vote by three million ballots, an outcome he still questions.

What have Democrats said?

Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the third most powerful politician in Washington, told reporters on Thursday that she was not surprised at Mr Trump’s earlier remarks. Mrs Pelosi added that the president “admires people who are perpetuating their role in government”, citing Russia’s Vladimir Putin, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “But I remind him: you are not in North Korea, you are not in Turkey, you are not in Russia, Mr President… so why don’t you just try for a moment to honour your oath of office.” Speaking to reporters in Delaware, Mr Biden said Mr Trump’s comments on the transition of power were “irrational”. The Democrat’s team also said “the United States government is perfectly capable of escorting trespassers out of the White House”. A Biden spokesman told Politico the former vice-president “obviously, has participated in a peaceful transition of power before” and will do so after the 2020 election as well. Biden has himself been accused by conservatives of stoking unrest over the election by saying in August: “Does anyone believe there will be less violence in America if Donald Trump is re-elected?” Last month, Mrs Clinton urged Mr Biden to not concede defeat early on election night. “I think this is going to drag out, and eventually I do believe he will win if we don’t give an inch.” She raised the scenario that Republicans would try “messing up absentee balloting” and mobilise an army of lawyers to contest the result. Doubts about the fairness of November’s vote come as another high-stakes political battle is fought – on whether or not to appoint a new Supreme Court justice before the election.

Cardinal Becciu: Vatican Official Forced Out In Rare Resignation

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness, Culture/Religion 0

High-ranking Vatican official Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu has unexpectedly resigned but has revealed he was told to do so by Pope Francis. He said he was suspected of giving Church money to his brothers, and denied any wrongdoing. Cardinal Becciu was a close aide to the Pope and previously had a key job in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State.

He became involved in a controversial deal to invest in a luxury London building with Church funds. That investment has since been the subject of a financial investigation.

Resignations at this level of the Vatican are extremely rare and the Holy See said little in its communique released late on Thursday.

“The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the office of Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and from the rights connected to the Cardinalate, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu,” a statement said.

But the cardinal, 72, told Italian website Domani he was being forced out because he was suspected of giving Church money to his brothers. “I didn’t steal even one euro. I am not under investigation but if they send me to trial, I will defend myself,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking later at a news conference, the cardinal said his removal had come “like a bolt out of the blue”. He said the Pope “was suffering” when he delivered the news. “It’s all surreal. Up until yesterday… I felt I was a friend of the Pope, the faithful executor of the Pope. “Then the Pope told me that he no longer had faith in me because he got a report from magistrates that I committed an act of misappropriation.”

Cardinal Becciu insisted there had been “a misunderstanding”, adding: “I am ready to explain everything to the Pope. I have not done anything wrong. I said to the Pope: why are you doing this to me, in front of the whole world?”

The anguished words of one of the Church’s most senior cardinals – now fired and stripped of his right to choose the next Pope. Giovanni Angelo Becciu had served as Deputy Secretary of State – a role with unfettered access to Pope Francis – and was latterly head of the department that chooses future saints.

But on Thursday evening, he was summoned for a reportedly tense meeting with his boss. Cardinal Becciu had managed a controversial €200m (£180m) purchase of a London property with Church funds, including alms money. Other reports allege he propped up a failing Roman hospital which employed his niece.

“The Holy Father explained that I had given favours to my brothers and their businesses with Church money… but I am certain there are no crimes”, he told new Italian newspaper Domani.

But his denial was not enough. It’s been dubbed an “earthquake at the Vatican”.

The choreography of his dismissal may seem cloak-and-dagger – but it is a reminder yet again that the scandal and corruption that beset governments across the world also reach the highest echelons of the Holy See.

Who is Cardinal Becciu?

Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who is Italian, spent the early years of his career in the Vatican’s diplomatic service. Then, from 2011 to 2018, he had the powerful role of Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State, when he met the Pope on a daily basis.

It was Pope Francis who made him cardinal in 2018, when he took up a new role of running the department that looks after sainthoods and beatifications.

“It’s a blow for me, my family, the people of my country. I’ve accepted out of a spirit of obedience and love of the Church and the Pope,” Italian media quoted the cardinal as saying on Friday morning.

What is known of the London property deal?

It was during the cardinal’s time as Substitute for General Affairs that he was linked to a luxury property deal in a wealthy area of London. The $200m (£155m) purchase of the apartment block in Sloane Avenue was bought out of Church money through offshore funds and companies.

Five members of staff were suspended last year following a raid of the offices of the Secretariat last year. Vatican police officers seized documents and computers. Then, in June, Italian businessman Gianluigi Torzi was arrested by Vatican police on suspicion of extortion and embezzlement.

Earlier this year, Cardinal Becciu defended the purchase.

“An investment was made on a building. It was good and opportune occasion, which many people envy us for today,” he said in February. He also denied that money collected for the poor, called Peter’s Pence, had been used in the deal.

Why now?

The cardinal’s sudden departure may not just be linked to the London deal. In his interview on Friday, the cardinal said the Pope confronted him over Church money he had given to co-operatives and businesses run by his brothers.

A co-operative in Sardinia, run by his brother Tonino Becciu, provided help to migrants and the cardinal said all the money had been accounted for. Other funding was used to renovate the Holy See’s building in Cuba.

Italian reports also suggest the Pope was unhappy with the use of Peter’s Pence funds for other investments. Last year, Italian weekly L’Espresso published a report from the Vatican’s anti-corruption authority alleging more widespread speculative investments amounting to $725m.

Cardinal Becciu will keep his title despite his resignation from the congregation. However, he will not be able to vote for the next Pope. The last cardinal to give up his right to vote for a new Pope was Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien who resigned in 2013 amid a sex scandal. He died five years later.

Two Million Deaths ‘Very Likely’ Even With Vaccine, WHO Warns

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

The global coronavirus death toll could hit two million before an effective vaccine is widely used, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. Dr. Mike Ryan, the WHO’s emergencies head, said the figure could be higher without concerted international action. Almost one million people have died with Covid-19 worldwide since the disease first emerged in China late last year. Virus infections continue to rise, with 32 million cases confirmed globally. The start of a second surge of coronavirus infections has been seen in many countries in the northern hemisphere as winter approaches. So far, the US, India and Brazil have confirmed the most cases, recording more than 15 million between them. But in recent days, there has been a resurgence of infections across Europe, prompting warnings of national lockdowns similar to those imposed at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. “Overall within that very large region, we are seeing worrying increases of the disease,” Dr Ryan said of the marked spike in cases in Europe. He urged Europeans to ask themselves whether they had done enough to avoid the need for lockdowns – and whether alternatives, such as testing and tracing, quarantines and social distancing, had been implemented. “Lockdowns are almost a last resort – and to think that we’re back in last-resort territory in September, that’s a pretty sobering thought,” Dr Ryan told reporters at the WHO’s headquarters in Geneva.

What did he say about the death toll?

Asked whether two million fatalities worldwide was possible before a vaccine became available, Dr. Ryan said: “It’s not impossible.” He added that fatality rates were dropping as treatments for the disease improve. But better treatments and even effective vaccines might not be enough on their own to prevent deaths surpassing two million, he said. “Are we prepared to do what it takes to avoid that number?” Dr Ryan asked, calling on governments to do everything to control Covid-19. “Unless we do it all, the number you speak about is not only imaginable, but unfortunately and sadly, very likely.”

What are the latest developments globally?

Around the world, stricter social-distancing guidelines and restrictions on businesses are being brought into effect to curb a second spike. In Spain, the government has recommended reimposing a partial lockdown on all of Madrid area, where cases have risen sharply. Instead, local authorities stepped up restrictions on some districts of the city, affecting a million people. Meanwhile in France, staff from bars and restaurants in the southern city Marseille protested against the closure of their workplaces on Saturday. On Friday, more restrictions were announced in several regions of the UK, as new daily infections continue to rise. The pandemic officially started when the WHO declared it in March 2020 but how will it end? In contrast, curbs on businesses are being lifted in some US states, despite the increasing number of cases nationwide. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious diseases expert, said the first wave of the pandemic had not ended yet in the US, because infections have not decreased sufficiently since the initial outbreak. “Rather than say, ‘a second wave,’ why don’t we say, ‘are we prepared for the challenge of the fall and the winter?’,” Dr Fauci told CNN. Elsewhere, Israel tightened restrictions on businesses and travel, one week after the country became the first in the world to begin a second nationwide lockdown.

Biden Vows To Address Indian-Americans’ Concerns On H-1B

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, Travel 0

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has vowed to address the Indian-American community’s concerns related to the H-1B work visa, which President Donald Trump’s administration has temporarily suspended, the media reported.

Biden made the remarks while addressing a virtual fundraiser organized by the community on Tuesday, The American Bazaar reported on Wednesday. “It makes parents wonder whether their kids will have the kind of future they dreamed of when they came here.

“As President, I promise I am going to draw on the best, not the worst, beat this pandemic and build the economy back, help our kids get a good education and make sure healthcare is a right not a privilege,” the former Vice President was quoted as saying.

In June, the Trump administration suspended the H-1B and several other categories of foreign work visas until the year end. The decision has been opposed by Indians, who have received as much as 70 per cent of H-1B visas over the past five years.

US business leaders have also criticized the move saying it will block their ability to recruit critically needed skilled workers from foreign countries. Slamming Trump for the move, the Democratic nominee said: “This President makes things worse, not better.”

While praising the community for their hard work and entrepreneurship, he said Indian-Americans have powered the economic growth of the US and helped forge cultural dynamism in the country, adding: “That is a continuation of who we are, we are a nation of immigrants.”

Biden has chosen Indian-origin California Senator, Kamala Harris as his running mate for Vice President. During the virtual event, Biden also spoke to Vivek Murthy, who served as surgeon general during the former Barack Obama administration, during which also recalled the work he had done to forge close India-US relations, reports The American Bazaar.

“Seven years ago, as Vice President, I told a business owner in Mumbai that the US-India partnership was the defining relationship in the 21st century. “I am not just saying it now, I said it then and I mean it… I will work to make sure it occurs,” he added.

Meanwhile, support for Biden among Indian-Americans appears to have fallen by 11 per cent compared to the voting for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 elections, according to polls.

While she received 77 per cent of votes from Indian-Americans, the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey (AAVS) released earlier this month found Biden getting only the support of 66 per cent. Trump’s support has however, increased by 12 per cent in the court years to 28 per cent. (IANS)

Broccoli & Spinach Soup with Poached Egg and Croutons (lactose free)

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterAmmu's Hearty Treats 0

You’ll love sipping this green goodness. You could have it anytime of the day as this soup is perfect for a nutritious start to a cold winter morning to even a starter for a lovely dinner treat. Rich in greens and packed with flavours, this is a must try recipe. How I developed this recipe- The only soups kids usually have are the creamy ones, which uses a mix of flour-butter-milk— which makes the white sauce base. Even though I like how cream of vegetable soups taste,I never found the use of white sauce or dairy cream as a very healthy thing in these soups. As many of the kids today are lactose intolerant, including myself, I really tried my best to make this recipe creamy, yet almost dairy free (used ghee- make it completely lactose free) and with nutritiously better dairy substitutes. Not only that, unlike many other vegetable soup recipes, this one uses a variety of greens which adds to the nutritive value of this recipe. What’s special about this recipe- . Lots of greens- Even though the main veggies used in this recipe are broccoli and spinach, I’ve incorporated more veggies like zucchinis, brussel sprouts, onions, cellery, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, leeks & tomatoes in recipe, packing it with folate and lots of vitamins. . Dairy free substitutes- I’ve used cashew cream/coconut cream substitutes instead of flour-butter-milk white sauce and milk cream in this recipe. This not only makes this recipe simply lactose free, but also, makes it more nutritious. . Poached egg – The addition of a perfectly poached egg not only adds more protein and good fats into this recipe, but also, makes it extra delicious. Whatyou’ll need- . 2 cups broccoli florets. 2 cups spinach leaves . Half cup roughly chopped carrots. Half cup roughly chopped brussel sprouts . Half cup roughly chopped white onions . Half cup roughly chopped tomatoes . Half cup roughly chopped leeks. Half cup roughly chopped cellery . Half cup roughly chopped zucchini . Half cup roughly chopped button mushrooms . 4 cups vegetable stock . 5 garlic cloves . 2 teaspoons ghee or olive oil. Salt & Pepper to taste . Half teaspoon oregano . 1 teaspoon white vinegar . 2 tablespoons cashew cream or coconut cream . 1 poached egg ( per bowl of soup). A pinch of red chilli flakes.. Bread croutons . Chopped parsley How to make-

Heat oil/ghee & sauté onion & garlic until garlic starts browning.
Now add rest of the veggies-reserving half cup of broccoli & spinach and sauté it adding few pinches of salt, until lightly browned and mushy.
Blend this sautéed veggie mix with a little of the broth until well puréed.
Pour it back to the pan and heat to a boil added rest of the broth.
Lower the flame and stir in the cashew/coconut cream.
Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the oregano too.
Boil the soup down to a desired thicker consistency.
In another pan heat a little olive olive and sauté the broccoli and spinach with a pinch of salt, until broccoli is tender.
Serve hot soup topped with sautéed broccoli & spinach, bread croutons, chopped parsley & poached eggs sprinkled with chilli flakes and salt.

Notes, tips and suggestions- . You could make this recipe gluten-free by just omitting the bread croutons or substituting it with gluten-free ones. . You could go for crumbled or pan fried tofu instead of poached eggs, if you are a vegan. . Directions for perfectly poached eggs are given in detail with my Egg Benedict & Egg Florentine recipe.

Chicago Blasters Cricket team clinch spectacular win against the Michigan Stars

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterSports 0

The newly constituted Chicago Blasters Cricket Team clinched magnificent back-to-back victories against the Michigan Stars with the young cricketers putting up domineering performances highlighted by tenacious bowling, outstanding fielding and remarkable boatmanship in the Minor League Cricket tournament on a warm crispy afternoon on Sunday September 27, 2020 at the Mountain View Park cricket grounds in Des Plaines. Illinois USA with appreciative cricket-lovers and families gathered to watch this exciting clash.

This second game between Chicago Blasters and the Michigan Stars kicked off to an exciting start with Michigan Stars electing to bat first. Having wrapped up the Michigan Stars for a total of 169; the Chicago Blasters took to the field hammering all across the field with openers Shaheer Hassan and Fahad Babber executing powerful shots taking the Chicago Blasters to a spectacular victory. Shaheer Hassan scored a magnificent102 not out with 16 shots to the boundary including 8 sixes; while Fahad Babber scored 65 with 5 sixes taking this amazing partnership to lift the team to a decisive victory – creating a record in the USA Cricket franchise in the Minor League Cricket.

Earlier, The Chicago Blasters kicked off its maiden cricket match with a thrilling victory against the Michigan Stars at the Lyons Oaks park stadium near Detroit Michigan on September 19, 2020 scoring a magnificent knock excelling in both batting and bowling. After an initial slow rate, the Chicago Blasters displayed outstanding batting prowess with batsman Anirudh Jonnavituila scoring an amazing 74; while bowler Hunain Amin took 4 wickets with his immaculate bowling spell. Later, the Michigan Stars walked into the field scoring runs but the tenaciousbowling and fielding kept the Michigan Stars fall short of their target – thus the Chicago Blasters emerged victorious in its first encounter in Detroit, Michigan.

Iftekhar Shareef, CEO/Owner of the Chicago Blasters Cricket Team welcomed the team, families, other cricket enthusiasts gathered at the grounds including the ‘live’ online viewers and praised the Chicago Blasters for chronicling stunning victories and applauded their robust collective team spirit that helped forge an impressive win. Iftekhar Shareef thanked and acknowledged the core inner operational team including Khurram Syed, Vice President supported by Satish Dadepogu and the management team of Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Ajai Agnihotri & Dr. Sanhita Agnihotri. The ChicagoBlasters Cricket team is based in Chicago, USA was constituted as an affiliate team in the United States of America under the authorized aegis of the International Cricket Council [ICC]. The Chicago Blasters team members consists of Ashar Mehdi (Captain &Wicket Keeper), Joshua Kind (Vice Captain), Fahad Babar, Shaheer Hasan, Najmi Hasan, Anirudh Jonnavitula, Sachin Veeraswamy, Talha Mohsin, Hunain Amin, Ibrahim Khaleel, Sai Charith Duggupati, Adnan Yar Khan and Mann Patel, Coach/ Manager Afroze Siddiqui, Selectors Neeraj Patel, Mohammes Ashfaq & Ahmed Shareef. (Source: Asian Media USA ©)

S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, A Legendary Bollywood Singer Leaves a Lasting Legacy Of Enchanting Songs

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Profiles 0

One of India’s most renowned film singers, SP Balasubrahmanyam, the legendary singer passed away at the age of 74 due to Covid related complications. The mortal remains of famous playback singer and Padma awardee S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, popular as SPB or Balu in the movie world, was laid to rest with police honors at his farmhouse in Chennai on Saturday, September 26th. At about 12.30 p.m. SPB’s body was lowered into a dug up pit bringing to end a great musical era. Speaking briefly to the media outside the MGM Healthcare Hospital, his son S.P. Charan said Balasubrahmanyam passed away at 1.04 p.m. and thanked the hospital officials for the treatment and service. The singer’s body was taken to his residence after embalming for public homage in the evening. The singer was hospitalized at a private hospital in Chennai after testing positive for COVID-19 and was keeping unwell for quite some time now. From Rajinikanth to Kamal Haasan, music maestro AR Rahman to Lata Mangeshkar, celebrities across India took to social media to mourn the death of the singer. Meanwhile political leaders across the country — President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, DMK President M.K. Stalin, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko, PMK Founder S. Ramadoss and Chief Ministers of several other states mourned the singer’s death. Actor Rajinikanth tweeted: “Balu sir … you have been my voice for many years … your voice and your memories will live with me forever … I will truly miss you …” “I have no words to say. There can be one and only Balu Sir. I have sung a couple of songs with Balu Sir in Tamil movies. In those days the recording used to be live and it was interesting. He encouraged me a lot. Some months back I had met him. He enquired about my family and me,” playback singer Jency said. The legendary singer who has recorded over 40,000 songs in 16 languages over a period of five decades, died on Friday afternoon due to cardio-respiratory arrest at the M.G.H. Healthcare. Earlier in the day, hundreds of people stood in a long queue to pay homage to the singer as well as celebrities from the movie world at the farm house. The singer’s family performed the last rites. The mortal remains were brought to the farmhouse on Friday evening. On Friday, a large number of people gathered at his residence here to have a last glimpse of the singer and pay their respects. Later in the evening, his body was taken in a van to his farmhouse at Thamaraipakkam. Enroute several people stood on the pavement and bade SPB a tearful goodbye. On August 5, in a Facebook post, the 74-year-old SPB said that he was suffering from a very mild attack of coronavirus and had got himself hospitalised to take a rest. He had said that though the doctors had advised him to stay at home and take a rest, he decided to be in a hospital, as at home his family members would get concerned. SPB hoped to get discharged from the hospital in two days. But it was not to be. MGM Healthcare in a statement said: “In a further setback this morning, despite maximal life support measures and the best efforts of the clinical team, his condition deteriorated further and he suffered a cardio-respiratory arrest. With profound grief, we regret to inform that he has passed away on September 25 at 13.04 hours.” The hospital said, Balasubrahmanyam was on life support measures since Aug 14 for severe Covid-19 pneumonia. On August 5, in a Facebook post, the 74-year-old SPB said that he was suffering from a very mild attack of coronavirus and had got himself hospitalized to take rest. He had said that though the doctors had advised him to stay at home and take rest, he decided to be in a hospital, as at home his family members would get concerned. He hoped to get discharged from the hospital in two days. But it was not to be. For a brief period, he showed some improvement in his health condition and had tested negative for coronavirus on Sept. 4. But on Sept. 24 the hospital said his condition was extremely critical. Since then, the indications about Balasubrahmanyam were not good. He was placed on ECMO and other life support systems. The singer’s family members were present at the hospital. Director Bharathiraja, after visiting the iconic singer at the hospital, told the media at this time of grief he was not able to say anything. It was movie director Venkat Prabhu who first tweeted about the singer’s death. Prabhu tweeted “#RIPSPB 1:04pm” announcing the sad news.

Indian Lyricist, Writer Javed Akhtar to be Honored with 2020 Richard Dawkins Award

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Profiles 0

Indian writer, poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar will be presented next month with the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award. Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, will present Akhtar with the award at an Oct. 24 virtual ceremony.

“Their work has inspired and enlightened millions of people around the world and across generations. Their passionate advocacy for reason and their unapologetic questioning of religion and superstition have broken taboos and changed the cultural landscape,” the Center for Inquiry said in a news release.

In a virtual ceremony hosted by Dawkins from the UK and streamed live over Zoom, Akhtar will formally accept the Richard Dawkins Award for 2020, followed by an extended, unscripted conversation between the two, the release noted. This 90-minute live event will take place Oct. 24 at 11 a.m. ET.

“We are excited to honor such a distinguished luminary for his work challenging religion and promoting critical thinking, but this event means something even more,” said Robyn Blumner, president and CEO of the Center for Inquiry.

“It’s an opportunity to bring the wisdom and insight of both of these remarkable individuals to new audiences,” Blummer added. “Viewers in India will get to hear directly from Richard Dawkins, one of the world’s most famous and respected scientists and a leading voice for atheism, and western viewers will be introduced to the eloquence and courage of Javed Akhtar.”

Akhtar has written some of India’s most popular and acclaimed films, earning multiple awards for screenplays and lyrics. As a poet and social commentator, Akhtar has advocated for education and equal rights for all, and called for the rejection of religious fundamentalism and superstition, his bio notes.

He has been honored with India’s prestigious Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for “distinguished service of a high order,” and nominated to the Rajya Sabha of India’s Parliament.

The Richard Dawkins Award is presented annually by the Center for Inquiry, home to the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science, and given to a distinguished individual from the worlds of science, scholarship, education or entertainment who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism, upholding scientific truth wherever it may lead.

Mcconnell’s Fabricated History To Justify A 2020 Supreme Court Vote

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterPolitics, U.S. 0

Senate Republicans’ decision to vote on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s successor reflects individual and collective cost-benefit calculations of seating a rock-ribbed conservative in what may be the Trump administration’s waning days. As a fig leaf to obscure the hypocrisy of voting on President Trump’s election-year nominee after refusing to vote on President Obama’s in early 2016, Republicans have claimed an historical norm that doesn’t exist.

The GOP Senate’s initial claim

In March 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to justify denying a vote on Obama’s nomination of DC Circuit Court Judge Merrick Garland to replace Justice Antonin Scalia: “All we are doing is following the long-standing tradition of not fulfilling a nomination in the middle of a presidential year.”

There is no such tradition. The table shows the nine Supreme Court vacancies in place during election years in the Court’s post-Civil War era—once Congress stabilized the Court’s membership at nine and the justices largely stopped serving as trial judges in the old circuit courts. Those nine election-year vacancies (out of over 70 in the period) were all filled in the election year—one by a 1956 uncontested recess appointment and eight by Senate confirmation.

Last year, given the lack of any “long-standing tradition” but anticipating the possibility of an election-year vacancy, McConnell fabricated a different history to justify treating a Trump nominee differently from Obama’s. He argued that “[y]ou have to go back to … 1880s to find the last time … a Senate of a different party from the president filled a Supreme Court vacancy created in the middle of a presidential election. That was entirely the precedent.” When that anticipation became reality with the death of Justice Ginsburg, he offered a slightly different excuse: “Since the 1880s, no Senate has confirmed an opposite-party president’s Supreme Court nominee in a presidential election year”. A National Review article claimed a norm: “when their party controls the Senate, presidents get to fill Supreme Court vacancies . . . [but] when the opposite party controls the Senate, the Senate gets to block Supreme Court nominees . . .”.

Other Republican senators have fallen in line. Mitt Romney (Utah) cited the party-control distinction in claiming that he “came down on the side of the Constitution and precedent as I’ve studied it.”

Pre-2016 modern-era confirmations offer a different story: First, it’s not as if there were a string of election-year vacancies, some during unified government, which got filled, and others during divided government, which didn’t. Rather all five election-year vacancies from the 1890s until the 1950s were during unified government, offering no test of whether divided government would have confirmed them. However, the three voice votes suggest the minority party, had it been in power, would have confirmed.

Second, even excluding as McConnell does the 1880s’ two divided-government confirmations, the two more recent divided-government vacancies got filled:

in 1988, the Democratic-majority Senate voted 97-0 to confirm Justice Kennedy (after the 1987 rejection of the controversial Bork nomination), and
Eisenhower made an uncontested October 1956 recess appointment of Justice Brennan. Had the Senate been in session, it would have confirmed a Brennan nomination—as it did early in 1957.

Bottom line: there was no historical justification for denying Garland a vote; thus, voting for Trump’s late-2020 nominee is hypocritical.

But there is more to this fig-leaf history than its lack of a factual basis. First, it provides no reason why a vote is permissible only if the same party controls both the White House and the (constitutionally malapportioned) Senate. McConnell’s September 18 statement said “Americans reelected our majority in 2016 and expanded it in 2018 because we pledged to work with President Trump,” including on judicial appointments. Even so, 2018’s two-seat gain reflects no national consensus that a president elected with large popular vote deficit should be able to reshape the Court in the waning days of his reelection bid.

Second, historical precedents—even accurate ones—are of questionable value given that today’s Supreme Court confirmations happen in a different world than before. Let’s look at the period from 1901 to the end of the Johnson administration (1969) for some context. During that time, there were 10 median days to confirmation, with 62% by voice vote; since then, 65 median days and no voice votes.

Third, this cynical power play will weaken the Court’s legitimacy. I noted here the arguments from many sources that presidential elections put a necessary but indirect popular imprint on the judiciary, assuming that those choosing the judges reflect in some sense popular majorities. With the late 2020 confirmation, the Court will have a six-member conservative majority, five of whose members were appointed by presidents who gained office after initially losing the popular vote.

Finally, the appointment will strengthen what was until recently a fringe restructuring movement. If Democrats control the White House and Congress, there will be great pressure to restructure the Court by adding seats to counterbalance those occupied by Trump appointees. Some say, were roles reversed, Democrats would do what McConnell and company are doing. Maybe so, but that’s not the situation facing the country now. (Source: Russell Wheeler at the Brookings Institute)

As Planet Burns, One Million Species in World’s Eco-System in Danger of Extinction

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterEnvironment 0

UNITED NATIONS: (IPS) – When UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the 193-member General Assembly last December, he focused on the smoldering climate crisis– pointing out that the last five years have been the hottest ever recorded.

Ice caps are melting, he said, In Greenland alone, 179 billion tonnes of ice melted in July. Permafrost in the Arctic is thawing 70 years ahead of projections. Antarctica is melting three times as fast as a decade ago.

“Ocean levels are rising quicker than expected, putting some of our biggest and most economically important cities at risk. More than two-thirds of the world’s megacities are located by the sea. And while the oceans are rising, they are also being poisoned,” Guterres warned.

And as the planet burns, one million species in the world’s eco-system are in near-term danger of extinction
According to a new survey of 222 leading scientists from 52 countries conducted by Future Earth, there are five global risks — failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation; extreme weather events; major biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse; food crises; and water crises. And four of them — climate change, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and water crises — were deemed as most likely to occur?

Asked about the impending disaster, Dr. Anne Larigauderie, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) told IPS that climate change, extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and food and water crises are already happening, primarily as a result of human activities, and they are deeply impacting the lives of people around the world.

“It is therefore imperative for the science and expert community to make their voices heard – as Future Earth has done, building on the key messages of the IPBES Global Assessment Report – to provide decision-makers with the evidence and options they need to act.”

Of real significance, however, is that it is not just the voice of science that is now speaking up for nature – consider that the global business community has also become increasingly vocal about the risks of the nature crisis and the need for evidence-informed action.

For example, in the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risk Report, the top five perceived risks are all environmental and “systems-level thinking,” as called for.

Decision-makers have a wide range of options across sectors, systems and scales to shift to more sustainable pathways.

One million species face extinction, but the solutions to the nature crisis are still within our reach, said Dr Larigauderie, in an interview with IPS.

In the run-up to October’s historic UN Biodiversity Conference, officials and experts will convene at FAO headquarters, Rome, 24-29 Feb. for negotiations on the initial draft of a landmark post-2020 global biodiversity framework and targets for nature to 2030.

The new framework will be considered by the 196 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the 2020 UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP15), Kunming, China, 15-28 Oct.

Excerpts from the interview:

IPS: How many of the 20 Aichi biodiversity targets—including the integration of biodiversity values into national and local development and poverty reduction strategies – have been achieved so far/will still be achieved even as the 2020 deadline is looming over the horizon?

Dr. Larigauderie: The IPBES Global Assessment Report shows that, of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, good progress has been made towards components of just 4 target, moderate progress towards components of 7 more targets, with poor progress towards all components of 6 other targets. Conservation actions, including protected areas, efforts to manage unsustainable use and address the illegal capture and trade of species, and the translocation and eradication of invasive species, have been successful in preventing the extinction of some species.

Good progress has been made on less than 10% of the 54 total elements. On 39% of the elements, poor progress and even some loss of progress has been seen.

As a result, the state of nature overall continues to decline, with 12 of 16 indicators showing significantly worsening trends.

It has never been more urgent for decision-makers at every level to have the best evidence and heed the warnings of science, for the decisions made now will have direct implications for our shared future.

IPS: How is the world doing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially as regards the impact of the nature crisis and the likely missing of most of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets on efforts to achieve these?

Dr Larigauderie: Human development depends directly on nature – from food and water security, to jobs, health and general well-being. The rapid declines we are seeing now in biodiversity, and many of nature’s contributions to people, mean that most international development goals will not be achieved – unless we make fundamental, system-wide changes. The IPBES Global Assessment Report found that 80% of assessed SDG targets will be undermined by negative trends in nature.

The Sustainable Development Goals and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets are closely connected, with many of the Aichi Targets having been integrated into the SDGs.

Our failure to achieve the Aichi Targets does not bode well for efforts to achieve the SDGs – unless we see fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values – to tackle the direct and the indirect drivers of the nature crisis.

Besides clear connections to climate, oceans and land, the nature crisis has direct implications for poverty, hunger, health, water, and cities in addition to more a complex relationship to education, gender equality, reducing inequalities, and promoting peace and justice.

Without transformative change addressing both the direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, we will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

IPS: How will the rising global population — from the current 7.6 billion to an estimated 8.6 billion in 2030, with 43 cities reaching over 10 million each by 2030– have an impact on biodiversity targets? There are already warnings that the increase in population will have negative implications on the demand for resources, including food, infrastructure and land use.

Dr Larigauderie: Population growth is a major indirect driver of change in nature. Since 1970, the human population has more than doubled, but at the same time, per capita consumption has also risen sharply [15% since 1980], the global economy has grown nearly fourfold, global trade has grown tenfold, and the environmental and social costs of production and consumption have shifted away from those most directly responsible.

In other words, population growth is important but is only one of many key indirect drivers of change underpinning the unsustainable use of our natural resources. Other important indirect drivers include economy and technology, institutions and governance and conflicts, all of these being dependant on our values and behaviours.

Addressing all of the indirect drivers, including population growth, in an integrated and holistic way, will best enable us to achieve our shared global development goals.

Indeed, as the co-chairs of the CBD’s Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework note, “the wide-ranging changes that are needed to reach the 2050 Vision will require an unprecedented degree of collaboration and whole-of-society engagement.” (Zero draft, page 3, 6(f))

IPS: In this important “super year” for nature, with major milestones expected on both climate change and biodiversity, what plans are there to bring the science/expert communities from both climate and biodiversity together to help best inform the decisions and actions for the coming decade?

Dr Larigauderie: 2020 has real potential to be a turning point for society, where we can begin to holistically transform our relationship with nature. The ‘Super Year for Nature’ is an opportunity for decision-makers at every level of society to listen and act on the science on both biodiversity and climate change. The stakes could not be higher.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are inseparable challenges that must be addressed together, in the scientific community as well as in policy and business.

From 12 –14 May this year, well before the two major UN biodiversity and climate conferences in 2020, IPBES and the IPCC will co-sponsor a workshop – the first of its kind – to bring leading scientists together to focus on the opportunities to meet both of these challenges and on the risks of addressing them separately from one another.

The workshop report will be an important document informing the CBD and UNFCCC Conferences of the Parties (COP15 and COP 26, respectively) regarding implementation of the Paris Agreement, the post-2020 biodiversity framework and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The IPBES Global Assessment found that nature-based solutions can provide more than one-third of climate mitigation needed to keep warming below 2°C.

The writer can be contacted at thalifdeen@ips.org

India’s Ministry of Health Updates Guidelines for International Arrivals

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterCommunity, Travel 0

India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has updated the Guidelines for international arrivals in India. Per the announcement of the Ministry, here are the guidelines:

Before Planning for Travel

i. All travelers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel. ii. They should also give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory
quarantine for 14 days i.e. 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home with self-monitoring of health. iii. Only for compelling reasons/ cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in family, serious illness and parent(s) with children of the age of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days. iv. If they wish to seek such exemption under para (iii) above, they shall apply to the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final. v. Travelers may also seek exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RTPCR test report on arrival. This test should have been conducted within 96 hrs prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration. Each passenger shall also submit a declaration with respect to authenticity of the report and will be liable for criminal prosecution, if found otherwise. The test report could also be
produced upon arrival at the point of entry airport in India.

Before Boarding

i. Dos and Don’ts shall be provided along with ticket to the travelers by the agencies concerned. ii. All passengers shall be advised to download Arogya Setu app on their mobile devices. iii. At the time of boarding the flight/ ship, only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board after thermal screening. iv. Passengers arriving through the land borders will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, and only those who are asymptomatic will be enabled to cross the border into India. v. Suitable precautionary measures such as environmental sanitation and disinfection shall be ensured at the airports. vi. During boarding and at the airports, all possible measures to ensure social distancing to be ensured.

During Travel

i. Travelers who had not filled in self-declaration form on the portal shall fill the same in
duplicate in the flight/ship and a copy of the same will be given to Health and Immigration
officials present at the airport/ seaport/ Iandport. Alternatively, such travelers may submit
self-declaration form on the online portal at arriving airport/ seaport/ Iandport as per the
directions of the concerned authorities, if such facility is available. ii. Suitable announcement about COVID-19 including precautionary measures to be followed shall be made at airports/port and in flights/ships and during transit. iii. While on board the flight/ ship, required precautions such as wearing of masks, environmental hygiene, respiratory hygiene, hand hygiene etc. are to be observed by airline/ ship staff, crew and all passengers.

On arrival

i. Deboarding should be done ensuring social distancing. ii. Thermal screening would be carried out in respect of all the passengers by the Health officials present at the airport/ seaport/ Iandport. The self-declaration form filled online shall be shown (or a copy of physical self-declaration form to be submitted) to the airport health staff. iii. The passengers found to be symptomatic during screening shall be immediately isolated and taken to medical facility as per health protocol. iv. Post thermal screening, the passengers who have been exempted from institutional
quarantine (decision as indicated on the online portal in advance) will show the same to the
respective State Counters on their cell phones/other mode before being allowed home
quarantine for 14 days. v. The remaining passengers shall be taken to suitable institutional quarantine facilities, to be arranged by the respective State/ UT Governments. vi. These passengers shall be kept under institutional quarantine for a minimum period of 7 days. They shall be tested as per ICMR protocol available at https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/Revisedtestingguidelines.pdfIf they test positive, they shall be assessed clinically. a. If they are assessed as asymptomatic / pre-symptomatic/ very mild cases, they will be
allowed home isolation or isolated in the Covid Care Centre (both public & private
facilities) as appropriate. b. Those having mild/ moderate/ severe symptoms will be admitted to dedicated Covid
Health facilities and managed accordingly.If found negative, they shall be advised to further isolate themselves at home and self-monitor their health for 7 days. vii. In case, any symptoms develop they shall inform the district surveillance officer or the
state/national call center (1075). NOTE: States can develop their own protocol with regards to quarantine and isolation as per their assessment post arrival of passengers in the state concerned.

Indian Immigrants Send Back Home $11.72 Billion a Year

September 30, 2020 Staff ReporterBusiness, Community, Finance/Economy 0

With hundreds of American banks and financial institutions shuttering physical branches due to COVID-19, it’s now even more difficult for the US-based Indian immigrant community to send money back home, which totals $11.72 billion annually. As an alternative to traditional in-person money transfers, Paysend digitizes the entire money transfer process via its mobile app, making it easier and safer to send money abroad.

Starting Sept. 22, 2020, to support US-based customers who send money to loved ones across borders, Paysend is waiving fees for digital money transfers from the US to India. This offer includes 70+ other countries and runs throughout October 31.

America’s 9 million expatriates, 47 million immigrants and 1 million foreign exchange students continue to navigate living abroad in the face of the novel Coronavirus and its economic impacts. The announcement comes on the heels of Paysend’s U.S. launch, which enables American residents to securely transfer funds internationally across accounts operated in more than 70 countries within minutes — without visiting a physical bank location.

“As people around the world struggle to financially navigate COVID-19, it is more important now than ever for every individual to have an affordable, safe and accessible way to send money internationally,” said Matt Montes, Paysend’s U.S.-based general manager. “Since the start of 2020, nearly one million new global users have joined Paysend’s platform – transferring money to loved ones around the world, without leaving the comfort and safety of their homes. Since the U.S. is home to the largest global transfer market in the world, we wanted to further accelerate peer-to-peer (P2P) payments during this difficult time by waiving transaction fees.” To take advantage of zero-fee money transfers during the month of October, U.S. residents can download the Paysend mobile app from the App Store or Google Play. Paysend’s standard $2 transfer fee will automatically be waived through October 31, 2020 for money transfers sent from U.S. customers to international cards, bank accounts or digital wallets in more than 70 countries.

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Understand the Science Behind Weight Loss

The Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss

1200 Calorie Diet Plan

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

Balanced Diet Chart

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Following is the full address, provided by the Vatican.

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Before Planning for Travel

Before Boarding

During Travel

On arrival

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