Financial Literacy Movement Launched By Sal Khan & Others

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterEducation, Finance/Economy, Science 0

A group of business, sports, entertainment and nonprofit leaders, including Khan Academy’s Indian American founder and chief executive officer Sal Khan, has banded together to launch the “Financial Literacy for All” initiative. The initiative, which launched June 21, will support embedding financial literacy into American culture. This 10-year commitment will reach millions of youth and working adults enabling them to achieve greater financial success for themselves and their families, according to a news release.

In addition to Khan, the group includes Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart; Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company; Brian Moynihan, chairman and CEO of Bank of America; Rosalind Brewer, CEO of Walgreens; Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines; Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL; Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA; Tony Ressler, executive chair of Ares Management and principal owner of the Atlanta Hawks; and John Hope Bryant, chair and CEO of Operation HOPE. McMillon and Bryant will serve as co-chairs of “Financial Literacy for All,” with expectation that the initiative will expand as additional organizations sign on.

“I believe we are in a moment in history, where the public and private sector can join together to help every American reach their potential and fully participate in the greatest economy on earth,” said Bryant. “With this initiative, we are not just seeking to change America’s relationship with their finances, but to change their mindset on what they can accomplish.” “Financial well-being begins with good pay and benefits, but it also includes real opportunity for career growth and access to tools and resources that help manage daily financial needs, build greater financial resiliency and plan for retirement.” added McMillon. “We are inspired by Operation Hope’s vision and look forward to collaborating with other major employers to discover new and better ways to support and engage our associates along their individual financial well-being journey.”

Underscoring the need for financial literacy, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s current Investor Education Foundation survey found that only one-third of U.S. residents surveyed could answer basic questions about interest rates, financial risk and mortgage rates—down by nearly one-quarter from 2009, according to the release. In addition, the cost of financial illiteracy to U.S. citizens is estimated to be $415 billion for 2020, according to a recent study by National Financial Educators Council.

Given the importance and societal impact of financial literacy and with a goal to expand people’s access to opportunities, these organizations are acting now—leveraging their collective innovative and creative expertise as well as their daily interaction with millions of employees, clients, customers and suppliers to spur a national movement of financial capability, it said. This alignment of vision and mission is supported by making financial literacy easier to understand and generating public awareness of its importance by directly connecting with working adults; and providing targeted outreach to middle and high school students as well as those attending community college and four-year universities with innovative outreach and existing “Best Practices.”

Specific steps include promotion of a recently launched educational video series from Walmart that will reach more than a million of its associates; all 80,000 Delta people in the U.S. will have access to in-person and/or virtual Operation HOPE coaches and curriculum starting July 12; and Bank of America will expand access to its award-winning Better Money Habits platform, the release noted.

With 20% of Covid Cases, “Delta Variant Is Greatest Threat to US”

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health, Science 0

The Delta variant has emerged as the greatest threat to the efforts of combatting the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. as it now accounts for more than 20 percent of cases in the country, top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has said. “As was the case with B117 – we seem to be following the pattern with the Delta variant, with a doubling time of about two weeks if you look from the May 8th with 1.2, to 2.7, to 9.9, and as of a couple of days ago, 20.6 percent of the isolates are Delta,” Fauci said at a White House briefing June 22.

“Similar to the situation in the UK, the Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate Covid-19,” he added. President Joe Biden had earlier set a target of vaccinating 70 percent of the country’s adult population with at least one dose by July 4. However, it looks like the country may narrowly miss the target. Currently, 65 percent of the adult population has received at least one shot and 56 percent are fully vaccinated, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At current rates, the U.S. is on track to get to about 67 percent people with at least one shot by July 4.

“Our aspirational goal for July 4th was 70 percent of the adult population receiving at least one dose, but that is not the goal line, nor is it the endgame. The endgame is to go well beyond that, beyond July 4th, into the summer and beyond, with the ultimate goal of crushing the outbreak completely in the United States,” Fauci said. Under-vaccinated people, particularly young individuals between 18 and 26, are the main obstacles for that, said Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Further, he said that the Delta variant is a growing threat and is more transmissible than the original Covid virus and Alpha variant.

“The transmissibility is unquestionably greater than the wild-type SARS-CoV-2, as well as the Alpha variant. It is associated with an increased disease severity, as reflected by hospitalization risk, compared to Alpha. And in lab tests, associated with modest decreased neutralization by sera from previously infected and vaccinated individuals,” Fauci noted. However, the good news is that the vaccines Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca are effective against the Delta variant, said Fauci. “The effectiveness of the vaccines – in this case, two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech – was 88 percent effective against the Delta and 93 percent effective against the Alpha when you’re dealing with symptomatic disease.

“When you look at hospitalizations, again, both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Oxford-AstraZeneca are between 92 and 96 percent effective against hospitalizations,” Fauci said. India-West Staff Reporter adds: According to a PTI report, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told MSNBC June 23 that the Delta variant, which he said now makes up 90 percent of all new cases, is significantly more transmissible and more dangerous in terms of severity of illness that it causes.

“We have seen how quickly it has taken over in the United Kingdom, where it’s become – getting close to 100 per cent of new COVID cases, Delta. And we have seen a surge here too. So I am worried,” Murthy said. “I’m quite worried about the Delta variant. It is more transmissible, significantly more transmissible. It also may be more dangerous in terms of severity of illness that it causes,” he said.

Taj Hotel In Mumbai Named Strongest Hotel Brand In The World

July 3, 2021November 8, 2022 Staff ReporterTourism 0

People who experienced Taj Hotels hospitality have always recommended it as a must-visit, at least once. It is, after all, one of the world’s most lavish hotel chains offered by the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), South Asia’s largest hospitality company. Now, its quality and hospitality have been acknowledged at the international level as Taj has been rated the Strongest Hotel Brand in the World by Brand Finance. The Taj has been rated as the ‘Strongest Hotel Brand in the World’ by Brand Finance, a leading brand rating consultancy. The hotel is part of Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL)—the largest hospitality group in South Asia, with 221 hotels in its portfolio. The latest ranking is part of the Brand Finance’s ‘Hotels 50 2021’ annual report, which ranks hotels across the world on brand value. Taj

Taj received an overall Brand Strength Index of 89.3 out of 100, with a corresponding AAA rating for customer familiarity, employee satisfaction and corporate reputation as well as its world-class customer service.Renowned for its world-class customer service, the luxury hotel chain scores very well in our Global Brand Equity Monitor for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India,” the report says. The report also focused on Taj’s R.E.S.E.T 2020 strategy that enabled the brand to effectively deal with pandemic-related issues.

A series of steps taken by Taj contributed to the brand’s re-entrance into the Brand Finance ranking for the first time since 2016 in 38th spot on its ‘Top 50 most-valued brands’ list In a major boost to the Indian hospitality industry, Indian Hotels Company’s (IHC’s) iconic brand Taj was named the ‘Strongest Hotel Brand in the world’ by brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance in its annual ‘’Hotels 50 2021′ report. Taj scored an overall Brand Strength Index of 89.3 out of 100, with a corresponding top rating for ‘customer familiarity, employee satisfaction and corporate reputation as well as its world-class customer service’, according to the Brand Finance report.

PuneetChhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Indian Hotels Company, said, “This is a proud moment for the Indian hospitality industry on the global stage. Taj being rated as the World’s Strongest Hotel Brand is a testament to the unwavering trust our guests have consistently placed in us and the warmth and sincere care our employees have embodied day-after-day”. In addition to measuring overall brand value, Brand Finance said it also evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, customer familiarity, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation. According to these criteria, Taj with a brand value of $296 million, is the world’s strongest hotel brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.3 out of 100 and a corresponding ‘AAA’ brand strength rating.

Taj luxury hotel chain scored very well on Brand Finance’s ‘Global Brand Equity Monitor’ for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India. Taj’s successful implementation of its 5-year plan – which focuses on selling non-core assets, becoming less ownership driven and reducing dependence on the luxury space – followed by the speedy adoption of its new R.E.S.E.T 2020 strategy, which provides a transformative framework to help the brand overcome the challenge of the pandemic, has contributed to the brand’s re-entrance into the ranking for the first time since 2016 in 38th spot, the Brand Finance report added.

Motel Owner Zeshan Chaudhry Murdered In CT Over Argument About $10 Pool Pass

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Tourism 0

The owner of a motel was shot and killed Sunday, June 27th during an argument with a guest over a pool pass, according to an arrest affidavit. The shooting happened at the Motel 6 on Hartford Turnpike around 4 p.m., authorities said. Police said 30-year-old Zeshan Chaudhry of Vernon, was shot multiple times. He was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Alvin Waugh, of Hartford. Waugh and his girlfriend had been staying at the motel for about a month, according to court documents.

Waugh’s girlfriend told police she asked Chaudhry about using the pool and began arguing with him after he told her she would have to pay $10 for a pool pass. Waugh joined the argument and at one point Chaudhry kicked the couple out of the motel and told the staff to lock them out of their room, according to the documents. While police were at the motel, Waugh called his girlfriend and talked to officers, saying he wanted to turn himself in. Police took him into custody and found the gun in a body of water where Waugh told them he tossed it, according to the court documents. According to officials, the gun was homemade.

Police said the shooting was captured on surveillance camera and it was revealed in court that there were multiple eyewitnesses. Once under arrest, police said Waugh confessed to the killing, according to the arrest affidavit. Interim AAHOA President and CEO, Ken Greene, issued the following statement in response to the murder over motel owner, Zeshan Chaudhry, of Vernon, Conn.:“A life taken over a $10 pool pass dispute. When will the violence end? America’s hotel owners are shocked and outraged by this senseless act of violence against a small business owner simply doing his job. The Vernon Motel 6 owner, Zeshan Chaudhry, was only 30 years old when he was shot multiple times on Sunday. He had a long life ahead of him, and we offer our deepest sympathies to his family, and our community is mourning with them today. Hate has no place in our Members’ hotels, or in any hotels.

In statement issued, AAHOA pointed out that, “there has been a rise in attacks against hoteliers and an increase in anti-Asian xenophobia during the pandemic. This murder is another statistic added to the unfathomable and growing list of violent crimes. It must stop now. “Hoteliers have already been through a very stressful year and a half dealing with the setbacks of the COVID-19 pandemic. These types of crimes add another layer of unnecessary anxiety and stress. Every hotelier knows that something like this could happen to them at any time.

“Another motel employee told the local news outlets Zeshan was all about the customers, trying to give them a better experience in the hotel. This statement holds true for most hotel owners, for service to others defines the spirit of hospitality.No one should ever feel threatened at work. For trying to make a living. And over a pool pass? It is unacceptable.We are confident that Connecticut authorities will help the Chaudhry family find justice.”

FIA Sends Medical Equipments To Help With Indian Pandemic

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The Federation of Indian Associations of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut (FIA-NY NJ CT) has once again proved its commitment to serve its motherland India in times of need. The federation recently shipped nine containers of Oximeters , Rescuation bags medical cargo, and two shipments of 350 ventilators and its supplies via Air India donated by the City of New York, to India as the country prepares for a likely third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The cargo, which comprises •300 – Hamilton T1 Ventilators•3000 -Ventilator circuits•3000 – Ventilator Filters•3000 – Ventilator Flow Sensors•3000 – Ventilator Expiratory Valves60 – Ventilator Battery Calibrator with cords•50 – Philips Trilogy 100 Portable Ventilators•310,176 – Pulse Oximeters•1000Sunmed Rescuation Bags was compiled at the warehouse, packaged, labeled and shipped with the help of a partnered transporter and freight forwarders all of which was coordinated and executed by FIA and sponsored by FIA donors. The cargo is headed to Delhi and Mumbai. FIA had arranged for a see-off at the warehouse in Keasbey NJ to allow for the sponsors and donors to personally see the packaging and loading of the cargo into the containers from the warehouse.

Besides the executive and board members of FIA, in attendance was Deputy Consul General of New York Shatrughna Sinha who took inventory of the shipment. He praised the efforts of FIA in taking charge of the cargo and handling the logistics for its timely shipment and thanked the City of New York, Maersk Air India and all the sponsors for their contributions. Parveen Bansal, general secretary and executive committee member of FIA Tristate who was appointed to lead the logistical efforts, said, “It is a privilege to be part of such an unprecedented relief effort and to serve our motherland”. Prabir Roy, the senior-most FIA board member in attendance, said, “The successful engagement of FIA in seeing this medical cargo through has turned the page in its history and made a statement with its work in service of the motherland.”

FIA Chairman Ankur Vaidya applauded the efforts of the City of New York, Hon. Mayor Bill De Blasio and his team, Jennifer Geiling from the Mayor’s office, Consul General-New York Randhir Jaiswal, DCG Shatrughna Sinha and the India team including Diwakar Mittal from NITI Aayog, Prime Minister’s Office, Red Cross India, besides sponsors including FIA President Anil Bansal, Kenny Desai, Board Member Prabir Roy, Executive Committee member Mahesh Dubal, Board Member Anand Patel. He also expressed his gratitude towards executive members Haresh Shah, Saurin Parikh and Alok Kumar.

Second deck remains the same for both options: The federation recently sent multiple shipments shipped 8 containersof medical cargo comprising pulse oximeters, ventilators machines, and its supplies. India battled a disastrous second wave of Covid-19 in the months of April and May. While the situation has eased for now, health experts have already warned of a possible third wave of the pandemic in the country in coming weeks. Several lives were lost during the second wave because of shortage of medical equipment. FIA hopes to help the Indian government with its efforts to ensure adequate availability of essential medical equipment ahead of the third wave.

Anant Agarwal Founded & Harvard-MIT Venture Edx, Acquired By 2U For $800 Million In Cash

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterBusiness, Technology 0

2U, Inc., a global leader in education technology, and edX, a leading online learning platform and education marketplace, announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to join together in an industry-redefining combination that will help power the digital transformation of higher education, expand access and affordability, and usher in a new era of online learning. 2U will acquire substantially all of edX’s assets for $800M in cash. Together, 2U and edX will reach over 50 million learners globally, serve more than 230 partners, and offer over 3,500 digital programs on the world’s most comprehensive free-to-degree online education marketplace.

Proceeds of the transaction will flow to the nonprofit that will continue under the leadership of edX founders Harvard and MIT and will be dedicated to reimagining the future of learning for people at all stages of life, addressing educational inequalities, and continuing to advance next generation learning experiences and platforms. Drawing on insights gained at Harvard, MIT, and other institutions, this organization will develop strategies and partnerships to help close the learning gap.

The transaction will bring together the unique strengths and complementary capabilities of two major forces in online education. 2U is the digital transformation partner of choice for more than 80 of the world’s leading universities and expects to approach $1 billion in yearly revenue by the end of 2021, and edX has built one of the world’s strongest online education brands and largest global communities of learners. Over the past decade, 2U and edX have each built mission-driven organizations grounded in the belief that online education and greater access to the world’s best nonprofit universities can change lives and impact generations to come. The combined scale, reach, capabilities, marketing efficiency, and relationships of 2U and edX will unlock unprecedented opportunities to reach and serve more learners, universities, and employers worldwide.

“2U and edX were founded on a shared vision that online education has the power to expand access, create opportunity, and transform lives,” said 2U Co-Founder & CEO Christopher “Chip” Paucek. “Alongside university partners and contributing faculty, Anant Agarwal and the edX team have built an innovative, respected, and globally recognized destination for online higher education. By combining 2U and edX’s global reach and offerings from free to degree, together we believe we can fully realize our shared vision, meet the growing worldwide demand for online education, and deliver growth and long-term value to shareholders and other stakeholders.”

Fulfilling a commitment to preserve and advance the edX mission, 2U plans to operate edX as a public benefit entity, a class of purpose-driven organizations that balances the interests of shareholders with other stakeholders. 2U has also committed to continuing to fulfill the edX mission by, among other things, guaranteeing affordability through the continuation of a free track to audit courses; protecting the intellectual property rights of faculty and universities that contribute massive open online courses; ensuring that participating colleges and universities may continue under their standing agreements with edX; protecting the privacy of individual data for all learners who use the edX platform; and contributing to the ongoing development of the fully open source and independent platform Open edX, owned by the nonprofit led by MIT and Harvard.

“As edX looks to its next phase of growth and impact, joining forces with 2U marks a major milestone in our evolution,” said Anant Agarwal, Founder and CEO of edX and MIT Professor. “2U’s people, technology, and scale will expand edX’s ability to deliver on its mission of providing access to high-quality education to enable all learners to unlock their potential. Together with our university and institutional partners, we will continue to reimagine education in ways that transform the lives of global citizens and positively impact generations to come.” “Our universities founded edX nearly ten years ago to raise the aspirations for online education and make university courses accessible to learners around the world, and it has been enormously gratifying to watch that vision blossom. Today’s announcement will carry forward this mission on a whole new scale, connecting many more learners with a wider range of high-quality options for content, credentials, and degrees.

With online education rapidly changing, it’s the right moment for this leap of evolution for edX,” said Harvard president Larry Bacow and MIT president Rafael Reif in a joint statement. “At the same time, the nonprofit that emerges from this transaction will enable us and our partners to support innovation that enhances learning for all and, we hope, play a catalytic role in closing the learning gap that exists for far too many.” Unlocking opportunity for learners, universities, and employers worldwide edX and 2U’s combined and complementary portfolios of more than 3,500 offerings from the world’s top universities and corporations will unlock new opportunities for edX’s community of global learners—79% of whom reside outside the U.S.—to accelerate their learning journeys, achieve their career goals, and enrich their lives.

edX offers over 3,000 online programs, including a substantial majority of courses with a free/audit track, Masters and doctorate degrees, Professional Certificates, and MicroBachelors® programs and MicroMasters® programs.
2U powers over 500 online offerings, including short courses, boot camps, professional certificates, and undergraduate and graduate degrees, including over 95 degree offerings in licensure-based disciplines. 2U expects to offer many of these programs directly to learners through the edX.org marketplace.

With the acquisition, 2U’s network will expand to include more than 230 partners—including over 185 nonprofit colleges and universities and 19 of the top 20 ranked universities globally. The combined capabilities of 2U and edX are expected to provide university partners with new opportunities to accelerate online growth and innovation, deliver exceptional student outcomes across the career curriculum continuum, and continue bending back the cost curve of higher education.

edX partners will continue to benefit from edX’s global reach, commitment to research, as well as the open source Open edX platform, while gaining access to 2UOS, 2U’s industry leading, comprehensive tech-enabled services and support in areas like marketing, field placement, career services, and digital learning design.
At the same time, edX’s thriving marketplace will enable current 2U partners to efficiently reach a larger audience of global learners, offer a wider array of offerings to meet changing learner needs, and expand the impact of their institutions.

The transaction will also expand 2U’s enterprise opportunity with edX for Business and edX Online Campus, creating a more robust set of solutions available to 2U and edX’s combined network of enterprise customers. edX for Business complements 2U’s existing array of enterprise offerings designed to close talent gaps, create diverse talent pipelines, and upskill and reskill the global workforce.

edX for Business is an on-demand enterprise training solution with thousands of courses and programs on cutting-edge, workplace-relevant topics utilized by over 1,000 leading companies globally.
edX Online Campus—edX’s enterprise offering designed for universities— supports more than 850 university customers from 72 countries around the world, complementing on-campus education with a rich array of high-quality online courses coupled with data-driven learner insights.

Nonprofit aims to reimagine education, support innovation, and drive inclusion

The nonprofit led by Harvard and MIT will focus on inclusive learning and education. Guided by the efforts and insights from Harvard and MIT research on the dynamics of learning, the nonprofit will collaborate with educational institutions, governments, and other organizations to develop and evaluate new approaches to learning and pedagogy; invest in new learning models that combine the best of online and in-person; promote the adoption of best practices across the education continuum; support innovation in lifelong learning; and advance next generation learning experience platforms, including Open edX. This work will seek to improve educational outcomes and reduce inequities in education by expanding reach to historically underserved communities and preparing all learners for success.

“The transformative power of education is the single best hope for individuals and for society. Through this nonprofit initiative to reimagine learning, Harvard and MIT are uniting to tackle the kind of persistent inequities in education which the pandemic brought so starkly to light,” MIT’s Reif and Harvard’s Bacow said. “Our hope is to tap into what we have learned about digital learning and to push the frontiers of learning toward greater equity and greater impact.”

Across learner ages and stages of life, a learning-and-opportunity gap has revealed itself in variable outcomes for learners and differences in how students engage with digital spaces and tools. The nonprofit will seek out meaningful collaborations and fund initiatives that more effectively serve students from all backgrounds, identifying how to most effectively blend digital tools with in-person support for maximum impact. With these efforts, it aims to advance the field of online education with use-cases for how to meet learner goals in acquiring new skills, increasing their readiness for college, supplementing their in-person training or coursework, and improving employability.

The nonprofit will also support investment in next-generation platforms to continue to advance learning experiences as well as ensure that the Open edX platform is continually improved, remains open source, and powers a vibrant open source community. Following the closing, 2U expects to be a significant contributor of code to the Open edX platform, and the transaction is expected to increase the impact that Open edX can have in supporting learning outcomes around the world. Open edX currently powers approximately 2,400 learning sites worldwide.

Religious Tolerance Central To Indians’ Identity, Pew Survey Finds

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCulture, Religion 0

Indians see religious tolerance as the central plank of their national identity but stick to their own religious group when it comes to making friends or getting married, says a new Pew survey. The survey report released on July 28 was based on nearly 30,000 face-to-face interviews with adults conducted in 17 languages between late 2019 and early 2020 before Covid-19 struck. Indians do not see any contradiction in their preference to “live together, separately,” the report said. “Indeed, many take both positions, saying it is important to be tolerant of others and expressing a desire to limit personal connections across religious lines,” it said.

In other words, unlike people in some countries aspiring to create a “melting pot” of different religious identities, Indians seem to prefer a country more like a patchwork fabric, with clear lines between groups. The country of 1.4 billion people is on its way to becoming the most populous in the world and is home to diverse as well as devout people including most of the world’s Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. India houses the world’s largest Muslim population of some 200 million besides having about 24 million Christians and 8 million Buddhists.

Most Indians share some common values and beliefs across religious lines like karma, Sufism or respecting elders, which is considered very important to their faiths. The survey also found Indians tend to see religious ceremonies for the three rites of passage at birth (or infancy), marriage and death as highly important. “For example, the vast majority of Muslims (92 percent), Christians (86 percent) and Hindus (85 percent) say it is very important to have a religious burial or cremation for their loved ones.” And yet members of major religious communities also tend to see themselves as very different from others.

“This perception of difference is reflected in traditions and habits that maintain the separation of India’s religious groups. For example, marriages across religious lines — and religious conversions — are exceedingly rare,” the report noted. Many Indians even prefer to keep people of certain religions out of their neighborhoods or villages, though few would go so far as to make their preferences public. “For example, many Hindus (45 percent) say they are fine with having neighbors of all other religions — be they Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist or Jain — but an identical share (45 percent) say they would not be willing to accept followers of at least one of these groups, including more than one in three Hindus (36 percent) who do not want a Muslim as a neighbor,” the report stated.

The survey also revealed that the majority of Hindus say it is very important to be Hindu and being able to speak Hindi to be “truly” Indian, and that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s appeal was greater among such Hindus. “In the 2019 national elections, 60 percent of Hindu voters who think it is very important to be Hindu and to speak Hindi to be truly Indian cast their vote for the BJP, compared with only a third among Hindu voters who feel less strongly about both these aspects of national identity,” the report said. But these sentiments were found to be considered common among Hindus in the largely Hindi-speaking northern and central regions of the country, where roughly half of all Hindu voters fall into this category, compared with just 5 percent in the south.

Religion is not the only fault line in Indian society. In some regions of the country, significant shares of people perceive widespread, caste-based discrimination.

The survey findings further suggest that for many Hindus, there is no contradiction between valuing religious diversity and feeling that Hindus are somehow more authentically Indian than fellow citizens who follow other religions. But 95 percent of Muslims, India’s largest minority, say they are very proud to be Indian and express great enthusiasm for Indian culture, most of them agreeing (85 percent) with the statement that “Indian people are not perfect, but Indian culture is superior to others.”

“Most Muslims across the country (65 percent), along with an identical share of Hindus (65 percent), see communal violence as a very big national problem,” the report said. “Religion is not the only fault line in Indian society. In some regions of the country, significant shares of people perceive widespread, caste-based discrimination,” the report said while noting that caste-based discrimination, as well as the government’s efforts to compensate for past discrimination, are politically charged topics in India. Religious conversion has had a minimal impact on the overall size of India’s religious groups.

For example, according to the survey, 82 percent of Indians say they were raised Hindu, and a nearly identical share say they are currently Hindu, “showing no net losses for the group through conversion to other religions. Other groups display similar levels of stability.” Changes in India’s religious landscape over time were largely a result of differences in fertility rates among religious groups, not conversion. “For Christians, however, there are some net gains from conversion: 0.4 percent of survey respondents are former Hindus who now identify as Christian, while 0.1 percent are former Christians,” the report noted.

Britney’s Explosive Testimony Changes Everything For Her Fans

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterWomen, Youth 0

In an emotional, frustrated, 25-minute monologue last week, the 39-year-old singer called on the court in Los Angeles to end the “abusive” conservatorship, and said those responsible for enforcing it, including her father, Jamie Spears, “should be in jail”. The conservatorship was instituted in 2008 after Spears experienced a period of mental ill health. Lawyers for Jamie Spears have claimed he saved her life by placing her under the arrangement, which is typically used to protect the interests of mentally infirm people who are unable to advocate in their own best interest.

For leaders of the #FreeBritney movement, advocating for Britney Spears’ independence has just become more urgent than ever. As fans and supporters rallied outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles last week, Spears delivered an explosive 23-minute testimony against the conservatorship that’s controlled her life for 13 years. Speaking from a remote location, she publicly stated for the first time that the court-enforced arrangement is “abusive” and pled with Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny to terminate it immediately.

“It was like our worst fears being confirmed,” says Junior Olivas, a leader of the #FreeBritney movement. “We knew some dark stuff was going on behind the scenes, but to actually hear it from her own mouth and hear the pain in her voice was honestly heartbreaking. I was going through all the emotions. I was sad. I was angry. I was happy that she was actually speaking her truth. It was a whirlwind.” It has been a long and often arduous battle to convince the world that Spears is suffering under the conservatorship—a legal guardianship typically reserved for individuals with severe mental disabilities or elderly people who can no longer make their own decisions. Spears herself emphatically condemning the arrangement seemed to signal a turning point to proponents of #FreeBritney, who have advocated for her freedom through organizing protests, spreading awareness on social media and working with conservatorship reform groups.

Validation after years of dismissal

“Now, no one can deny us. No one can say that we’re conspiracy theorists or that we’re wrong,” says Megan Radford, co-manager of Free Britney LA’s social media accounts. “Team conservatorship or team con, as we call them, has no leg to stand on because Britney just blew everything up.” At the hearing, Spears compared her existence to that of a sex trafficking victim and excoriated her father, Jamie Spears, who, having served as conservator of both her person and estate, has been at the center of the conservatorship since it was put in place in 2008. “My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management, who played a key role in punishing me… should be in jail,” she said.

Spears also detailed how she’s been drugged, forced to work against her will, and prevented from choosing her own legal representation, marrying her longtime boyfriend, Sam Asghari, and removing an IUD that’s kept her from having another baby. “I’ve lied and told the whole world I’m OK and I’m happy,” she said. “I’ve been in denial. I’ve been in shock. I am traumatized….I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry. It’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day.”

The June 23 hearing came on the heels of a series of developments that had put Spears’ situation back in the spotlight, beginning with her January 2019 announcement that she was undertaking an “indefinite work hiatus.” Around four months later, a fan podcast called Britney’s Gram aired audio of a voicemail from an alleged former paralegal for an attorney who worked with Spears’ conservatorship claiming, among other things, that the singer’s March 2019 stay at a mental health facility was involuntary. This prompted an April 2019 public demonstration in Los Angeles where #FreeBritney activists demanded her release from the treatment facility.

Rep. Ami Bera Urges Biden To Protect ‘Documented Dreamers’

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterImmigration 0

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D., D-CA, along with several others on Capitol Hill sent a letter June 25, 2021, to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recommending the DHS strengthen protections for children and young adults who have grown up in the United States as dependents of long-term work visa holders – a group known as the Documented Dreamers. Bera was joined by Rep. Deborah Ross, D-NC, and more than 30 House colleagues in sending the letter which sheds light on the fate of some 200,000 Documented Dreamers at risk of having to “self-deport” due to backlogs in the immigrant visa system, a large majority of them of Indian descent.

“America benefits immensely from H-1B and other nonimmigrant visa holders, highly skilled and talented individuals who contribute to the American economy and growing fields in engineering, medicine, and technology,” Dr. Bera is quoted saying in the press release. “Yet, due to decades-long backlogs in the immigrant visa system, around 200,000 children of nonimmigrant visa holders are at risk of having to “self-deport” when they reach the age of 21.” As a son of immigrants, Bera said, he was honored to Members of Congress in calling on the Biden Administration to take action to provide protections for young people who have grown up in the United States as dependents of long-term visa holders and who know America as their only home.

Specifically, the letter recommends updating the criteria laid down for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, to include Documented Dreamers and adjusting the way USCIS determines an individual’s age when he or she files for adjustment of status in order to protect more Documented Dreamers from aging out of the system.
“These recommendations would improve our immigration system and protect young people who maintained status as dependents of long-term visa holders,” the legislators said.

These Documented Dreamers were raised in the United States, went to school here, and graduated from American colleges and universities, the letter noted.“As STEM graduates, high-performing students, and essential workers, they contribute significantly to our nation,” the letter says. However, due to the decades-long backlogs in the immigrant visa system, many of these individuals will turn 21, and “age out” of eligibility for their temporary visa status and for permanent resident status before they can complete the process, the legislators noted.

Others, such as the dependents of E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrants, have no path to permanent residence, emphasize the lawmakers, so that when they turn 21, and are unable to change their status they end up remaining in the U.S. illegally or go back to their parents’ home countries that they have hardly or never lived in. In the interest of ‘family unity’ these legislators offered recommendations that include updating DACA criteria to include individuals who had lawful status on June 15, 2012; and direct the USCIS to use the date that an individual can file an application for adjustment of status as the basis for calculating a dependent child’s age under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) Under the CSPA, the age of a dependent child is calculated based on “the date on whch an immigrant visa number becomes available.”

Ambassador AtulKeshap Appointed Chargé d’Affaires In US Embassy In India

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile 0

The US State Department announced on June 29, 2021 that AmbassadorAtulKeshap, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, will be leaving for New Delhi to serve as Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, following the retirement of Ambassador Daniel Smith. “Ambassador Keshap will bring a wealth of experience to the role, having served previously at U.S. Embassy New Delhi and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia,” the statement from the spokesperson said, adding, “Ambassador Keshap’s appointment will reinforce the close U.S. partnership with the Government and people of India, demonstrated by our collaboration to overcome global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Over his 27-year career as an American diplomat, Ambassador Keshap has served at postings in India, Morocco, and Guinea, and as U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives. He has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, as U.S. Senior Official for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and as an Office Director in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs, according to his biography available on the State Department website.

Ambassador Keshap has negotiated or advanced bilateral and multilateral initiatives at senior levels with counterparts from the European Union, United Nations, ASEAN, APEC, and governments across the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, and North and South America, the biography states. He has also served at the Department of Defense as the National Defense University’s Vice Chancellor for the College of International Security Affairs.

Earlier in his career, he served as Director for North Africa and Middle East regional affairs on the National Security Council staff in the Executive Office of the President of the United States. In 2018, Ambassador Keshap received one of the State Department’s highest honors, the Distinguished Honor Award, in recognition of his leadership in advancing U.S. interests in the Indian Ocean region. He is also the recipient of a 2019 Presidential Meritorious Rank Award, as well as numerous individual State Department Superior and Meritorious Honor Awards, and six senior executive performance pay awards.

As Travel Returns To Normal, United Airlines To Buy 270 New Planes

July 3, 2021November 8, 2022 Staff ReporterBusiness, Tourism, Travel 0

United Airlines is placing a jumbo-sized order of narrow-body aircraft. The company is purchasing 270 new planes from Boeing and Airbus.Last year, U.S. airlines were fighting to survive. Struggling in the depths of the pandemic, they received an infusion of cash and cheap loans from the U.S. government and, between aid packages, furloughed tens of thousands of workers. Business and international flights are still down from pre-pandemic levels, but domestic leisure travel, the kind where single-aisle planes dominate, is roaring back. United is planning for growth and ready to spend billions to get there, though it did not mention a specific price tag on Tuesday.

“It’s a plan that’s a nose-to-tail plan for the future,” United’s Andrew Nocella told reporters on Monday. “And it’s something we’ve actually been working on for many, many years.” The company says this is the biggest jet purchase placed by a U.S. airline in the past decade. (In 2011, American Airlines purchased 460 planes in one fell swoop.) And factoring in the new planes that United had already ordered, the company will get 500 new jets over the next few years. They’re intended to replace some older planes and expand the total size of the fleet, allowing for more daily departures. In addition to adding new planes, United will also be retrofitting every narrow-body plane in its directly operated fleet, a process that will take several years. The retrofits will put more premium seats per aircraft, as well as add seatback entertainment on all seat backs and improve carry-on bag storage.

“It’s really making the gate-checked bags a thing of the past,” promised United’s Toby Enqvist in a call with reporters on Monday. “We’re going to have space for each and every customer’s [carry-on bags] … even on a full flight.” The order will include 200 Boeing planes from the 737 Max series (which returned to service six months ago after nearly two years grounded over a deadly software flaw) as well as 70 Airbus A321neo aircraft. United, perhaps anticipating criticism for planning big investments so soon after requiring taxpayer aid, heavily emphasized the potential positive ripple effects on the U.S. economy from placing this order. The company argued that the purchase will directly create 25,000 new unionized United jobs, while indirectly supporting many more jobs at manufacturers, airports and travel destinations. And the company was adamant that air travel, even the still-depressed international and business travel, would come roaring back.

Richard Aboulafia, an aviation industry analyst with the Teal Group, notes that these kinds of bulk airplane orders aren’t exactly written in stone. Airlines can place a big order but then shift exactly when the planes get delivered (and actually paid for), based on how business is going. “We’re talking about the last of these planes being delivered, if things are great, four or five years hence,” he says. “If they’re not so great, six or seven years hence. If they’re terrible, how about never — does never work for you?” And he noted that now is a reasonable time to place these orders. Borrowing money is cheap, fuel prices are rising, and new planes are more fuel efficient than their predecessors.

India Is The World’s Biggest Vaccine Maker. Yet Only 4% Of Indians Are Vaccinated

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth, Nation India 0

When Mumbai began lifting its coronavirus lockdown this month, Rekha Gala could finally reopen her late father’s photocopy and stationary store, which she runs with her siblings in a jumble of low-slung businesses north of the city center. They’d been closed for nearly three months. They needed to recoup business. But she was terrified. Gala had lost both her parents to other illnesses in the past year and several neighbors to COVID-19. She’d only been able to get her first vaccine dose, which she knew wouldn’t fully protect her from getting ill. So she strung a rope across her shop’s open doorway. Customers point at merchandise through the front window, and Gala passes things to them across the rope. Even so, business is “not even 50%” of what it was before the pandemic, she says.

“Small businesses like ours, we’re struggling to survive,” Gala says. “But we also need to take precautions for ourselves – and take vaccines if we can get them.” A medical worker observes COVID-19 patients in a sports stadium converted into a care facility. At the peak of the pandemic in India, there were over 400,000 cases — and 4,500 deaths — a day. Numbers are now starting to decline. On Tuesday, India confirmed 37,566 new coronavirus cases — less than a tenth of what it was seeing at its peak last month. As the country emerges from the world’s biggest and deadliest COVID-19 outbreak, scientists and policy makers say vaccinations will be key to India’s safety, confidence and economic recovery. Small business owners like Gala agree. But so far, only about 4% of people in India are fully vaccinated. And scientists say another COVID-19 wave may hit India this fall.

The Government’s Insufficient Order

That’s a surprising position for the country that’s home to the world’s biggest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India. It has long churned out more vaccine doses by volume than any other company, even before the coronavirus pandemic. A technician at India’s Serum Institute, the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines, waits to collect vials containing vaccine after they pass through a machine that checks for bottling and vaccine substance deficiencies. For a number of reasons, the supply of COVID vaccines for Indians has fallen short. So far only 4% of the population has been vaccinated.

Last spring, Serum’s CEO Adar Poonawalla made a gamble: He began mass-producing several COVID-19 vaccines even before clinical trials revealed which ones would work. He concentrated on one in particular – the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. He knew it would be useful in low resource countries because it doesn’t require ultra-cold refrigeration. Adar Poonawalla is the CEO of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. In late April, amid rising public anger over shortages of vaccines, Poonawalla left India for the United Kingdom. He told a British newspaper he faced “threats and aggression” from VIPs in India who couldn’t get their shots. He returned to India in June.

In late 2020, clinical trials yielded positive results. Countries around the world began granting emergency authorization to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and the World Health Organization followed suit. By then, the Serum Institute already had tens of millions of doses ready to distribute. Poonawalla promised half of his production to his home country of India. Confident with that pledge from Serum, the Indian government set ambitious goals at the start of its COVID-19 vaccination campaign in January. But it didn’t order enough doses. It wasn’t until Jan. 11 — five days before India’s national vaccination drive began – that the government ordered its first batch of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute. And it was an order for just 11 million doses – in a country of nearly 1.4 billion people. The government also pledged to order another 45 million from Serum and a smaller number of doses of another vaccine from another Indian company, Bharat Biotech.

At the time, coronavirus cases had hit record lows in India. So there wasn’t much urgency. Opinion polls revealed some vaccine hesitancy among the public. And the government was still negotiating with Serum for better prices before ordering more. The Indian government eventually did up its order and even donated tens of millions of doses as a gesture of goodwill to neighboring countries – and, analysts say, to compete with Russia and China, which have been selling and donating their own vaccines around the world. Then a second wave of COVID-19 exploded across India – and the country desperately needed those vaccines it had given away.

‘A Series Of Missteps’ Amid Increased Demand

Throughout April and May, Indians died of COVID-19 in record numbers. Many couldn’t get ambulances. Hospitals ran out of oxygen. At its peak, India was confirming more than 400,000 coronavirus cases a day and more than 4,500 daily deaths. But the real numbers may be many multiples higher because coronavirus testing collapsed too. Amid rising demand for vaccines at home, the Indian government quietly cut back on vaccine exports in April, redirecting those doses to the domestic population. “It’s unofficial of course, but India is going to be using all the vaccine manufactured in the country,” says MaliniAisola, one of the leaders of the All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), a health-care watchdog. “There is nothing left for export.”

In late May, Serum acknowledged that it would be unable to supply coronavirus vaccines to COVAX, the WHO’s program to distribute vaccines to lower-income countries, until the end of this year. Serum was supposed to be the program’s biggest supplier. In addition to COVAX, dozens of countries had placed orders with Serum and in some cases even paid for vaccines they never received. A worker surrounded by boxes of vaccines in the cold storage unit of the Serum Institute of India. In addition to manufacturing the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, the institute produces vaccines for measles, tetanus and many other diseases. But the supply of COVID vaccines for India — and COVAX, the global vaccine program — has been problematic.

Meanwhile in India, even with all of Serum’s output redirected domestically, there still wasn’t enough. Hundreds of vaccine centers across the country were forced to close temporarily in April and May for lack of supplies. Hundreds of thousands of Indians who’d managed to get a first dose couldn’t get a second one. On May 1, shortages were further exacerbated when the Indian government opened up vaccinations to all adults age 18 and up – without enough supply. At the time, health and frontline workers still hadn’t all been inoculated. Huge lines formed at vaccine centers across the country, and thousands of them ran out of shots and had to shut again.

In mid-May, the government also lengthened the interval between doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, requiring people to wait 12 to 16 weeks for a second dose. The government denies it was rationing vaccines, and defended the interval decisionas based on scientific data. But members of the government’s own scientific advisory board told Reuters they did not back the decision. “Unfortunately I think there has been a series of missteps. The current situation was not entirely unforeseeable,” Aisola says. “There was always going to be a large amount of vaccine required to immunize a huge population, and the government really should have made efforts not just in terms of purchasing but also efforts early on to utilize unused capacity.”

She says unlike the United States, which invoked the Defense Production Act to bolster vaccine production, India failed to use government authority to ramp up manufacturing and also exported or gave away early supplies. It also allocated 25% of its vaccine supply to private clinics, where prices were out of reach for a majority of Indians.

“What Happens When You Put All Your Eggs In One Basket”

Serum had pledged to ramp up its production, telling NPR in early March that it would soon be churning out 100 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca per month. That never happened. The company has been producing 60 to 70 million doses per month instead. It has cited price caps by the Indian government, lack of raw material exports from the U.S. – and a fire that damaged part of its facility. “It’s a demonstration of what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket,” says Milan Vaishnav, director of the South Asia program at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington D.C. “Frankly, the Serum Institute’s story — what they’re telling to the U.S. government, what they’re telling to the government of India, what they’re saying publicly — those stories don’t match up.”

In late April, amid rising public anger over shortages of vaccines, Poonawalla left India for the United Kingdom. He told a British newspaper he faced “threats and aggression” from VIPs in India who couldn’t get their shots. A spokesperson for Poonawalla told NPR he returned to India in late June. While NPR interviewed him in summer 2020, he has refused several requests for a follow-up interview.

Signing Up For A Vaccine: ‘Definitely A Challenge’

Amid high demand and low supply, it’s been difficult to book vaccination appointments in India. Initially, all appointments had to be booked on a government website or app called CoWIN. But they’re notoriously buggy. When NPR visited a vaccination center north of Mumbai back in late January, even hospital administrators were having trouble using CoWIN, amid power cuts. Social media has been full of comments by users exasperated by glitches on the app and website. So Berty Thomas took matters into his own hands. He’s a computer programmer who, in the wake of these glitches, built two apps – one for the under-45 age group, and another for those over 45. (On CoWIN, vaccine eligibility is different for those two groups.) Thomas’ apps essentially monitor CoWIN and alert users when slots for appointments open up. His service sends out a text message instructing users when to get online and book. More than 3.5 million people in India have used Thomas’ tools – and a few others have since emerged too.

“On one hand, I like that the government is doing a technology-driven vaccine rollout. There needs to be a central database where they know who is getting vaccinated,” Thomas says. “But at the same time, there are places where people do not have access to internet. So this is definitely a challenge.” Hundreds of millions of Indians lack smartphones or regular access to the internet. Several tens of millions of Indians also are unable to read. At first, the CoWIN app was only in English – spoken by a minority of Indians — but it has since expanded to 12 languages. Earlier this month, all government vaccination centers began accepting walk-ins for registration. “I tried and tried but for months I wasn’t able to book a shot online,” one man told local TV, relieved that he could finally register in person at a clinic in the capital New Delhi.

Modi Hits Back At Criticism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come under widespread criticism for problems with the country’s vaccine rollout. He was also attacked for holding election rallies – with scant social distancing – as coronavirus cases were rising in April. His approval ratings have dipped. After several weeks of silence, Modi gave a televised address to the nation on June 7 in which he hit back at some of the criticism. “We should remember that our rate of vaccination is faster than many more-developed countries, and our tech platform CoWIN is also being appreciated,” Modi said. He’s right in terms of real numbers: India has administered more than 330 million vaccine doses. But most of those are first doses. The vaccines used in India require two. So India has a long way to go before a majority of its nearly 1.4 billion people have some protection.

Modi also announced a major policy reversal: Starting on June 21, everyone in India age 18 and up became eligible for free COVID-19 shots. Previously, Modi’s central government agreed to vaccinate only those aged 45 and up at no cost — and left it to individual states to obtain and provide vaccines for younger people, often for a fee. Aisola, the public health advocate, says she approves of the reversal. It’s something the Indian government should have done from the beginning rather than leaving it to individual states to try to procure vaccines on the global market, she says. “Centralized bulk procurement is really the most efficient way to keep the price low, and also to optimize public resources,” Aisola says.

Finally, A Record Vaccination Day

On June 21, India administered some 8.6 million shots – a daily record for any country except China. Officials said it was possible because fresh supplies that the government had ordered during April and May are now finally coming online. “This is a new chapter in the war on corona,” India’s home minister Amit Shah told supporters that day in the western state of Gujarat. But an analysis of state data by local media shows states ruled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, may have withheld vaccinations in the preceding days in order to achieve that one-day record.

India’s health minister claims all Indian adults will be able to get fully vaccinated by the end of this year. But even with increased supply, that target may be too ambitious, experts say. “If we are able to give two doses to all the vulnerable, and if we can give one dose to the rest of the population, then we are in real good shape,” says Dr. GiridharaBabu, a Bengaluru-based member of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which is basically India’s equivalent of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Babu says he hopes that by late July, India might be able to vaccinate up to 10 million people a day.

Vaccinating quickly, ‘preparing for a third wave.’

Dr. Daksha Shah isn’t taking any chances. She’s a municipal health official in Mumbai — where, despite declining infections, she’s setting up new field hospitals. “We’re slowly opening up the economy, plus doing the vaccination drives — but at the same time, we are keeping a watch on daily positivity [rates] and on bed occupancy in the hospitals,” Shah says. “So we are preparing for the third wave also in case it happens.” India’s second COVID-19 wave was spread in part by attendees at a huge religious gathering in April on the banks of the Ganges River. Again this month, thousands of faithful gathered there to take a ritual dip in the river they consider most holy – despite local rules banning large gatherings.

“We have taken a bit of risk in coming here,” one devotee told local TV. “But we have taken all the safety precautions, like masks and hand sanitizers.” Meanwhile, whenever you make a phone call in India these days, you hear a similar message: “Wear your mask properly, wash your hands frequently, and yes, do not forget to take your vaccine on your turn.” It’s a COVID safety message from the government that plays before the ringtone for all phone calls. Hundreds of millions of Indians would like to heed that call – including Rekha Gala, the photocopy shop owner in northern Mumbai. But she’s still waiting her turn for a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. And she only managed to book an appointment for her first dose, with help from a local politician. She reached out to him after having trouble booking an appointment on CoWIN.

“The government is trying its best, but sometimes you have to go around and use your connections. It’s difficult. We have to take care,” Gala says. Right after she got her first dose, the government changed the rules, and she has to wait 84 days for her second dose. She says she just hopes another wave of COVID-19 doesn’t hit Mumbai before that.

(NPR producer Sushmita Pathak contributed to this story from Hyderabad, India.)

Google’s First Transparency Report Under The New IT Rules In India

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia, Technology 0

Google has published its first transparency report under the new Information Technology (IT) Rules 2021. It has published the report for April 2021. The rules were notified in February 2021. Google has published its first transparency report under the new Information Technology (IT) Rules 2021 (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code). Google received a total of 27,762 complaints for the month of April, and the number of removals stood at 59,350. according to the report. The search giant removes any content which violates its community guidelines, product policies, or local legal requirement.

The new IT rules require significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs) such as Google, Facebook, etc to publish a monthly report on the action taken on user complaints that they have received. The rules were notified in February 2021, and came into effect from May.It should be noted that this number of requests, does not include the number of other government requests for content removal. Google has been publishing these details as a separate report, every six months since 2009.

Google’s report under the IT rules also notes that in order to “allow sufficient time for data processing and validation, there will be a two-month lag for reporting.” The existing report does not include data on removals as a result of automated detection, data relating to impersonation and graphic sexual content complaints received post May 25, 2021. This will be included in future reports. Nearly 96 per cent complaints deal with copyright issues (26,707), while 1.3 per cent deal with trademark (357). Around 1 per cent dealt with defamation (275). Other legal requests were 1 per cent (272), counterfeit were 0.4 per cent (114 ) and circumvention were 0.1 per cent (37). According to Google, “some requests may allege infringement of intellectual property rights, while others claim violation of local laws prohibiting types of content on grounds such as defamation.”

Google specifies that each unique URL in a specific complaint is considered an individual “item”, which is why the number of removals is higher than total complaints. Further, “a single complaint may specify multiple items that potentially relate to the same or different pieces of content.” Nearly 98 per cent of the content removal was with regard to copyright: 58,391. The rest of categories were: trademark: 931 (1.6%) Circumvention: 13 (0.0%) Counterfeit: 7 (0.0%) Defamation: 7 (0.0%) Other Legal: 1 (0.0%)

The “removal actions” number represents the number of items where a piece of content was removed or restricted during the one-month reporting period as a result of a specific complaint. Google says they review all complaints carefully. It also notes that there are many reasons as to why they may not have removed content in response to a user complaint. “For example, some requests may not be specific enough for us to know what the user wanted us to remove (for example, no URL is listed in the request), or the content has already been removed by the user when we process the complaint,” notes the report.

US Court Dismisses FTC Lawsuit Against Facebook

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia, Technology 0

Just two weeks into her tenure as chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan has been handed her first crisis: how to rescue the agency’s near-dead monopoly lawsuit against Facebook and keep antitrust enforcement against the biggest technology companies on track. The US District Court for the District of Columbia Monday dismissed a complaint filed by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against social networking giant Facebook that sought to undo the company’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. This is being seen as a major blow to the US administration’s antitrust efforts against big-tech companies.

In December last year, an antitrust lawsuit was filed against Facebook alleging that has harmed competition by buying up smaller companies like Instagram and WhatsApp to squash the threat they posed to its business. While the suit was filed by the New York attorney general, 47 other state and regional attorneys general joined it. The overarching theme of the lawsuit was that Facebook, which acquired Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014, violated antitrust laws by purchasing companies that were potentially on their way to becoming competitors to Facebook in the social media market.

Judge James Boasberg said the FTC failed to sufficiently detail its claim that the company has monopoly power in the social media market. He gave the agency an opening to revive the complaint by fixing it and refiling in 30 days. Getting the case back on track rests with the 32-year-old Khan, who rose to prominence in the antitrust world by advocating for more forceful competition enforcement against tech companies. The FTC said it was reviewing its options. “There are plenty of facts out there to prove that Facebook has a dominant share of that market,” said Alex Petros, a lawyer at the tech policy organization Public Knowledge in Washington. “This is a bar they should be able to overcome.”

Yet the decision also underscores the hurdles U.S. antitrust enforcers face in bringing cases that challenge conduct by dominant companies. Supporters of more aggressive enforcement say the courts have created nearly insurmountable barriers to winning cases that accuse companies of violating monopoly laws and that Congress has to pass new legislation. “It’s not hard to look at these cases and come away with the sense that antitrust law, as it stands, is not capable of handling the problems posed by dominant technology companies,” said Blake Reid, a professor at the University of Colorado Law School.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are mounting a multi-pronged effort to reform the laws and give competition watchdogs at the FTC and the Justice Department new authority. Last week, the House Judiciary Committee advanced a package of bills aimed at the biggest tech platforms, including Facebook. The proposals would force the companies to exit certain business, impose restrictions on how they treat other firms that depend on their platforms, and make it harder to win approval for mergers. One would also increase filing fees to raise revenue for the antitrust agencies.

“We cannot rely on our courts to keep our markets competitive, open, and fair,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., after the Facebook decision. She has introduced her own antitrust reform proposals and has called for additional funding for the FTC and the Justice Department’s antitrust division. “We urgently need to rejuvenate our antitrust laws to meet the challenges of the modern digital economy,” she said. Democrats Jerrold Nadler of New York, who is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Antitrust Subcommittee Chairman David Cicilline, of Rhode Island, who led the House effort to reform the power of technology giants, echoed Klobuchar’s remarks.

The Facebook lawsuits were filed in December in an exiting salvo by the Trump administration as part of a widening crackdown on America’s tech giants. The cases followed a Justice Department complaint against Alphabet Inc. for allegedly monopolizing internet search, and the findings of a House investigation that accused technology companies of abusing their dominance. The Facebook lawsuits centered on the 2012 acquisition of Instagram and the 2014 takeover of WhatsApp. Officials say Facebook made the deals because it saw both companies as threats to its business. Rather than compete with its own products, Facebook followed Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg’s mantra: “It is better to buy than compete,” according to the FTC complaint.

According to a Reuters report, the US judge said the federal complaints were “legally insufficient”. Judge James Boasberg said the FTC failed to show that Facebook had monopoly power in the social-networking market but said the FTC could file a new complaint by July 29, the report said. He also dismissed a lawsuit by multiple US states saying they waited too long to challenge the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and 2014 respectively.

The Joe Biden administration has mounted a massive antitrust campaign against big-tech firms, in addition to the scrutiny these companies are undergoing from various other branches of the government. And while the case was filed in December, this could prompt the first reaction on the issue from the FTC under its new commissioner Lina Khan, a vocal critic of big-tech who was confirmed by the US Senate earlier this month at a time when there is a growing bipartisan consensus on Capitol Hill on the need to rein in the American technology majors.

Collisions Between Neutron Star And Black Hole Discovered

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterEnvironment, Science 0

On Jan. 5, 2020, astrophysicists heard a chirp from a distant part of the cosmos, some 900 million light-years away. The fleeting sound was unlike any they’d heard before and was caused by a great ripple in space-time — a gravitational wave — that spread out across the universe from over 900 million light-years away, washing over the Earth and pinging detectors. Chirp. Then, 10 days later, they heard another, similar sound. A cosmic twin. Gravitational waves had once again pinged Earth’s detectors. Chirp.

After careful analysis, the two signals have been identified as emanating from extreme, never-before-seen events in deep space: the collision between a black hole and a neutron star. The pair of collisions (or, less poetically, “mergers”) are detailed in a new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on Tuesday, featuring over 1,000 scientists from the LIGO/Virgo and KAGRA collaborations, a multinational effort to hunt for gravitational waves. The two newly described events are named GW200105 and GW200115, for the dates they were discovered, and provide the first definitive evidence of an elusive merger.

Prior to the dual detection, astronomers had only found black holes merging with black holes and neutron stars merging with neutron stars.”We’ve been waiting and expecting, at some stage, to detect a system with one of each,” said Susan Scott, an astrophysicist at Australian National University and a member of OzGrav and the LIGO collaboration. Now they have. Over the last two years, there had been suggestions that a collision between a neutron star and a black hole may have been spotted — but one of the objects appeared a little unusual. It was too big to be a neutron star and too small to be a black hole. The unknown object remains a mystery, which means GW200105 and GW200115 will go down in history.

“These are the first really confident detections of the merger of a neutron star with a black hole,” adds Rory Smith, an astrophysicist at Monash University in Australia and a member of the LIGO collaboration. There is huge excitement among scientists with the first confirmed detection of a neutron star-black hole (NS-BH) collision being reported. This ground breaking discovery of gravitational waves from a pair of NS-BH mergers was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on Tuesday. Professor SomakRaychaudhury, Director of Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), told the media that the development was expected for a long time but was not confirmed. A new analysis was done to reconfirm this discovery which has now been published in the international journal, said Raychoudhury.

Until now, the LIGO-Virgo collaboration (LVC) of gravitational waves detectors has only been able to observe collisions between pairs of black holes or neutron stars. For the first time, in January 2020, the network of detectors made the discovery of gravitational waves from a pair of NS-BH mergers. According to the IUCAA director, the technique used here to detect the signal is called matched filtering. “This was also used for the first discovery of gravitational waves. It may be recalled that this was developed at IUCAA in the 1990s by Sanjeev Dhurandhar and others,” he said. “Basically, we have been detecting binary black hole mergers and binary neutron star mergers (until now). This is a hybrid collision,” according to scientists at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, India (LIGO-India).

When contacted, DrTarunSouradeep, spokesperson of LIGO-India, said that researchers from LIGO-India have contributed to this major discovery. “This is an ongoing effort and the reason to make the detector network stronger is to discover a newer kind of phenomenon,” said Souradeep. This is a clear indication of neutron star and black hole merger, Prof Rajesh Nayak from the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences, IISER, Kolkata said.

Cricket Stars, Ashwin And Mithali Raj Recommended For Khel Ratna Award 2021

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterSports, Youth 0

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to recommend the names of spinner R Ashwin and women’s cricket team skipper Mithali Raj for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country’s highest sporting honor. According to ANI, KL Rahul, JaspritBumrah and ShikharDhawan’s names will be forwarded for the Arjuna Award. The 34-year-old right arm off-breaker, Ashvinhas represented India in 79 Tests, 111 ODIs, and 46 T20Is so far since his debut in 2010.

Mithali became the only woman cricketer to have an international career spanning more than 22 years. The 38-year-old legend had made her debut on June 26, 1999. Only Sachin Tendulkar (22 years 91 days) has a longer career than Mithali Raj across men’s and women’s cricket. No other cricketer has been active in international cricket for as long as 22 years.

Besides, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has recommended footballer Sunil Chhetri and the Odisha government nominated ace sprinter Dutee Chand for the Khel Ratna Award. Apart from Dutee, the Odisha government also sent five other recommendations to the sports ministry. Rohit Sharma was among five recipients who were awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for 2020. He was the fourth cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and ViratKohli to be honoured with the award last year.

T20 World Cup Planned From October 17-November 14

July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterSports 0

This year’s T20 World Cup, which has been moved to the UAE and Oman from India due to the COVID-10 pandemic, will be played from October 17 to November 14, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday. The ICC statement came a day after BCCI intimated the governing body that the event can be moved out of India. “The BCCI will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held in Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, from 17 October to 14 November 2021,” the ICC stated.

The first round of the tournament, comprising the eight qualifying teams, will now be split between Oman and UAE. Four of these teams will then progress to the Super 12s round where they’ll join the eight automatic qualifiers. The upcoming edition will be the first men’s T20 World Cup played since 2016, when West Indies beat England in the final in India. The eight teams competing in the preliminary stage are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman and Papua New Guinea, before the play-off stage and the Final on November 14.

“Our priority is to deliver the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 safely, in full and in its current window,” said acting ICC CEO Geoff Allardice. “…the decision gives us the certainty we need to stage the event in a country that is a proven international host of multi-team events in a bio-secure environment. “We will work closely with the BCCI, the Emirates Cricket Board and Oman Cricket to ensure fans can enjoy a wonderful celebration of cricket.”

BCCI president SouravGanguly added: “We would have been happier hosting it in India but considering the uncertainty due to the COVID-19 situation and the importance of a world championship, the BCCI will now continue to host this tournament in UAE and Oman.”

With ZEE5 launch in the US, A New Era of South Asian Entertainment Begins

June 25, 2021June 25, 2021 Staff ReporterCinema, Entertainment 0

ZEE5, the world’s largest streaming service for South Asian content, launched today in the U.S., opening up a world of multicultural entertainment for the South Asian diaspora and mainstream audiences across the United States.

“The launch of ZEE5 in the U.S. is a very significant moment for us,” said Amit Goenka, President, Digital Businesses & Platforms, ZEE Entertainment. “We’ve had a long association of over two decades with this market, bringing our viewers here the best of Indian entertainment through our channels. With ZEE5, we now look to offer both these audiences and the younger demographic access to a much wider choice of premium content with our Originals, digital premieres and more, on any screen of their choice and with a completely personalized viewing experience.”

ZEE5’s launch announcement was made by Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global, at a mega event attended by media and consumers from the U.S. and across the globe. She was joined by a special guest for the event, Actor, Producer, Activist and Entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas also joined Archana in unveiling ZEE5’s upcoming content slate and its new global brand campaign “Welcome to South Asia: Stories from our world.” The campaign spotlights stories from South Asia, where even ordinary stories are extraordinary, therefore leading to the narrative “if this is our reality, imagine our stories.”

The multiple announcements were interspersed with conversations between Archana Anand and Priyanka Chopra Jonas with the latter commenting on how streaming services have changed the landscape of content viewing, and on the hunger among South Asian communities to watch their own hyperlocal content and see themselves being represented to international audiences, and how streaming services were key in providing such a platform to help people feel represented.

Congratulating ZEE5, Priyanka Chopra Jonas said, “Wishing all the best to my friends at ZEE5 on their new launch. I have really enjoyed celebrating and spotlighting all the incredible talent from South Asia today. I look forward to watching these storytellers entertain new audiences around the world and will be cheering them on from the side lines.”

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global, added, “Bringing ZEE5 into the U.S. is so much more than just providing the South Asian diaspora here with a mega entertainment platform through which they can access a vast library of stories. It is a powerful bridge between them, their culture, and their languages. It is also a real-time connect between them and their families as they get to watch the same content across the ocean. And it is a platform through which their stories get showcased on an international stage. With this and the rich library of shows we have, I am confident that we will become the preferred destination for South Asian content and woo both TV and Streaming loyalists across all age groups across both South Asian and mainstream audiences in the shortest possible time.”

As part of the launch, the streamer announced an incredible line-up of Originals and other blockbusters, across languages to release on the platform in the coming months:

The upcoming magnum opus RRR from “Baahubali” filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli, starring N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, and Bollywood superstars Ajay Devgn and Alia Bhatt, in all South Indian languages.
Sunil Grover starrer Sunflower and Akshaye Khanna’s OTT debut State of Siege: Temple Attack.
New seasons of ZEE5 Originals Abhay 3, Rangbaaz 3, The Test Case S2, and Code-M S2.
Returning seasons of recently acquired TVF Originals Pitchers, Tripling, Humorously Yours, Aam Aadmi Family, and Engineering Girls available exclusively on ZEE5.
Pankaj Tripathi’s Kaagaz and Arjun Rampal’s Nailpolish.
Amitabh Bachchan starrer, the much-awaited film Jhund made by Nagraj Manjule.
Tamil Releases Handcuff, Blood Money, and Vinodhiya Chiththam.
Telugu releases Losers 2, Lol Salaam, Oka Chinna Family, and Net along with Shoot-out at Alair starring Prakash Raj.
Bangla releases: Ladies & Gentlemen, a 10-episode Bangla web-series directed by globally renowned director Mostafa Sarwar Farooki.
Pakistani releases: Asim Abbasi directed original series Churails, Mehreen Jabbar’s directorial venture Ek Jhoothi Love Story and Dhoop ki Deewar starring Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir.

An Existing Treasure Trove of Stories

ZEE5 provides viewers with an unparalleled library of 130,000 hours of stories from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, spread across:

1600+ best-loved TV shows from Zee channels like Zee TV, Zee Telugu, Zee Tamil, Zee Bangla, and others
3500+ movies including some of the biggest Bollywood blockbusters
200+ Originals with some of the biggest Bollywood stars
600+ Music, health, and lifestyle videos to be added soon and more.

This content is available in Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, as well as Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Arabic, Urdu, and Bangla (Bangladeshi) with key titles dubbed and/or subtitled in English.

For Hindi speaking audiences, ZEE5 offers a range of content across formats including best loved dramas Kundali Bhagya, Kumkum Bhagya, and Bhabi Ji Ghar Par Hai!.
The library also includes blockbuster films like Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, Uri: The Surgical Strike, Kedarnath, Simmba, and Dream Girl amongst others.
For its Telugu speaking audiences, ZEE5 brings the newly released Sita on the Road and other blockbuster movies like Naa Peru Surya Na Illu India, Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava, and Srimanthudu and shows like Krishna Tulasi, Mithai Kottu Chittemma, and more.
For Tamil speaking audiences, ZEE5’s vast library includes much loved shows like Sembaruthi, Rockstar, Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal, and Thirumathi Hitler among many other popular titles.
The Bengali community across the U.S. can now stream their favourite shows like Mithai, Kori Khela, and Rani Rashmoni, among others. ZEE5’s hit Original Bangladeshi productions, Contract, Jodi Kintu Tobuo, and Mainkar Chipay are also a must-watch.
Viewers can also watch a bouquet of Pakistani shows like Gauhar-E-Nayab, Teri Berukhi, and Mere Humdum Mere Dost, among others.

Seamless Access anywhere at a hugely affordable price:

Users can download the ZEE5 app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store, on Roku devices, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TVs, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire Stick. ZEE5 is also available on www.ZEE5.com.

ZEE5 will be available at a highly affordable price of $6.99 for a monthly pack, and an annual pack heavily discounted from $84 to a very attractive $49.99 as an introductory offer. The platform also announced a special discount for the student community with the monthly pack priced at $4.99 instead of $6.99.

Canada: Calling out Canada as another focus market, ZEE5 also announced that it was available for Canadian audiences and that it would also be launching its campaign in Canada, thereby kicking off its marketing in the country. ZEE5 sees much potential in the country, given that it has a tremendous amount of content across languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu, perfect for key diaspora audiences within the Canadian landscape.

Archana also called out a key strategic partnership that the streaming platform had locked in with NAAIS (North American Association of Indian Students), that will help ZEE5 build strong connects with a much younger audience.

As a registered non-profit, NAAIS today aims to connect, educate, and mobilize over 850,000 students and young professionals of Indian origin in the U.S. Over the next few months, ZEE5 will be exclusively partnering with NAAIS and work closely with Sudhanshu Kaushik, executive director of NAAIS across multiple initiatives, including student outreach programs across universities and colleges in the U.S. and numerous philanthropic endeavours, including COVID-19 relief efforts.

ZEE5 will also be partnering with MassMutual in the U.S. to reach the latter’s extensive South Asian customer database and jointly serve the South Asian community. ZEE5 and MassMutual share common goals to cater to the South Asian community with the tools and resources they both have to offer.

About ZEE5 Global

ZEE5 is the digital entertainment destination launched by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), a global Media and Entertainment powerhouse. The platform launched across 190+ countries in October 2018 and has content across 18 languages: Hindi, English, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, including six international languages Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Urdu, Bangla and Arabic. ZEE5 is home to 130,000+ hours of On Demand Content. The platform brings together the best of Originals, Movies and TV Shows, Music, Cineplays and Health and Lifestyle content all in one single destination. ZEE5 offers key features like 15 navigational languages, content download option, seamless video playback and Voice Search.

Users can download the ZEE5 app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store, on Roku devices, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TVs, Android TVs, and Amazon Fire Stick. ZEE5 is also available on www.ZEE5.com.

ZEE5 Global Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZEE5Global

ZEE5 Global LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zee5global/

ZEE5 US Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZEE5/?brand_redir=753452881530458

ZEE5 US Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZEE5USA

ZEE5 US Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ZEE5.USA/

37 Million People Connected in US through Yoga

June 24, 2021July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCulture, Lifestyle 0

On the occasion of the seventh International Day of Yoga on Monday June 21, 2021, the US State Department has reported that Yoga, the ancient discipline with origin s in India connects people around the world, including over 37 million people from the United States. Taking to Twitter, the US State Department said: “Happy #InternationalDayOfYoga! The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or unite. This ancient discipline from India connects people around the world, including over 37 million people in the United States who practice yoga.”

The International Day of Yoga is celebrated every year on June 21 across the country. This year, the theme of the occasion is ‘Yoga For Wellness’, and will focus on practicing Yoga for physical and mental well-being. Since 2014, the occasion has been observed in mass gatherings in different parts of the country. The observation of IDY is a global activity and the preparatory activities normally start 3-4 months prior to June 21. Millions of people are introduced to Yoga in the spirit of a mass movement as part of IDY observation every year, especially since 2015, a year after the Prime Minister suggested the day at the United Nations.

On the occasion, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President VolkanBozkir said that yoga was a lifeline during the COVID-19 lockdown as it helps to maintain physical wellbeing and manage the stress of uncertainty and isolation. “The COVID 19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the consequences of poor global health, the social and economic consequences have been devastating for many around the world. Yoga was a lifeline during lockdown,” Bozkir said in a statement on Monday. Earlier, the Indian Embassy in the United States on Sunday celebrated the IDY 2021 at the India House, with the theme “Yoga for Wellness”.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, TS Tirumurti on Monday stressed on practicing Yoga for physical and mental well-being on the occasion of the seventh International Day of Yoga. “Yoga has particularly emerged as a powerful tool to reduce the impact of stress and help with anxiety and depression during the pandemic,” said Tirumurti. Back home in India, “Yoga has provided a ray of hope to the people across the world amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, June 21, 2021, on the occasion of the 7th International Yoga Day.

“Yoga is a ray of hope amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as the enthusiasm for Yoga has only increased over the last two years,” he said while addressing the 7th International Day of Yoga (IDY). “When the invisible virus of Corona had struck the world, then no country was prepared for it, by any means, be it strength, in the form of resources or mentally,” Modi said, adding, “We all have seen that in such difficult times, yoga became a great medium of self-confidence.”

The Prime Minister further elaborated on how practicing Yoga has helped healthcare and frontline workers protect not just themselves from the coronavirus, but also helped their patients. “When I spoke to frontline warriors and doctors, they tell me that they’ve made Yoga a protective shield against the virus. They have used Yoga not just for safeguarding themselves, but also for patients,” he said. “There are pictures of hospitals, with doctors, nurses teaching Yoga performing breathing exercises,” PM Modi said. “Today, while the whole world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, yoga remains a ray of hope. For two years now, no public event has been organized in India or the world, but enthusiasm for Yoga has not gone down,” PM Modi said.

Noting that whenever India and its sages spoken of health, Modi said it has not only meant physical health. “That is why so much emphasis has been laid on physical health as well as mental health in Yoga. Yoga shows us the way from stress to strength and from negativity to creativity. Yoga takes us from depression to ecstasy and from ecstasy to ‘prasad’.”

The Prime Minister mentioned if there are threats to humanity, Yoga often gives us a way of holistic health. “Yoga also gives us a happier way of life. I am sure, Yoga will continue playing its preventive, as well as promotive role in healthcare of masses.”

When India proposed the International Day of Yoga in the United Nations, the Prime Minister said it was the spirit behind it to make this science of Yoga accessible to the whole world.
Today, Modi announced that India has taken another important step in this direction along with the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

“Now the world is going to get the power of M-Yoga app. In this app, many videos of yoga training will be available in different languages of the world based on the Common Yoga Protocol.” The seventh International Yoga Day is being celebrated in 190 countries across the globe on Monday. The theme for this year is ‘Yoga for wellness’.

US Election Reforms Bill Killed By Senate Republicans

June 24, 2021July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterNation USA 0

Republicans in the US Senate have torpedoed a Democratic bid to implement nationwide election rules, a cherished priority of President Joe Biden’s party.The huge bill – which sought to make it easier for Americans to vote – ended up deadlocked 50-50 along party lines. President Joe Biden said the issue was the “fight of his presidency”, but some Democrats accuse him of not fighting hard enough.Advocates say the bill would have been the most far-reaching election measure since the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

It comes as Republican-led states advance proposals – which Mr Biden has depicted as racially discriminatory – to tighten election laws, and as former President Donald Trump, a Republican, continues to peddle unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. The Democrats’ For the People Act passed the House of Representatives in March in a near party-line vote, with one Democrat joining all Republicans in opposing the bill. But 60 votes are needed in the 100-member Senate to advance most legislation, and the upper chamber is evenly split 50-50 between the two parties.

A procedural vote to open debate on the legislation was defeated by a tally of 50-50, falling short of the 60 votes needed to succeed. Democrats were united in favor of the vote after securing support from Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, but Republicans were united against it, causing the measure to fail to advance. Democratic senators have pitched the legislation a necessary counter to state-level efforts to restrict voting access, but Republicans have decried it as a partisan power grab and a federal overreach into state voting and election systems.

The bill’s failure to move forward will force Democrats to confront the question of what else they can do to press the issue and will likely trigger a fresh outpouring of calls from progressives to eliminate the legislative filibuster, which requires most bills to get the votes of at least 10 Republicans given the current Senate makeup. The votes are not there, however, to eliminate the filibuster with Manchin and several other moderate Democrats opposed.

The effort by Democrats to pass the voting legislation comes in the aftermath of former President Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and as Republican-controlled legislatures have pressed ahead with new state laws imposing limits on voting. As of May, state legislators in 48 states had introduced more than 380 bills with restrictive voting provisions, according to a tally from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.The Senate took up an amended version of legislation that passed the House in March. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell made clear on Monday afternoon that the legislation was destined to fail in the Senate, promising they would give it “no quarter.”

McConnell accused Democrats of trying to make election laws benefit their party, saying, “They’ve made it abundantly clear that the real driving force behind S1 is a desire to rig the rules of American elections permanently, permanently in Democrats’ favor,” rather than protecting the rights of voters. The legislative package that passed the House calls for far-reaching ethics and government changes that would impact Congress, the president and even the Supreme Court. It would institute an ethics code for the US Supreme Court that would apply to justices and would implement measures intended to prevent presidential conflicts of interest. It would stop lawmakers from using taxpayer money to reach settlements in employment discrimination cases stemming from their own actions. The bill also takes aim at Citizens United, the landmark 2010 Supreme Court decision, by calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn the ruling, which opened the door to unlimited spending by corporations and unions to influence elections.

As India Offers Free Covid Vaccination, Millions Receive Vaccine Daily

June 24, 2021July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

With the first day of the new vaccination policy by the Government of India coming into effect from Monday, June 21stst, India administered a record 8.596 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines. The new policy, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, ends a complex system introduced just last month of buying and distributing vaccines that overburdened states and led to inequities in how the shots were handed out.

The new vaccination policy, which took considerable prodding and criticism from the Supreme Court before the Centre decided to act, will see the government purchasing 75% of the vaccines produced by the manufacturers and distributing it free to states, based on their population, disease burden and vaccination progress, with the remaining 25% production allocated for private hospitals. However, experts say that India needs to administer a minimum of 1 crore doses a day in order to inoculate its 95-crore strong adult population by December. Moreover, vaccine availability is still patchy. That also explains why over 82% of the doses administered are the first shot.India’s vaccination record has been middling among the world’s 30 most populous countries with a rank 16 among them in terms of doses per 100 population. At 19.6 as of June 19, India’s level is less than a fifth of what the UK has achieved.

India is a key supplier of vaccines around the world, and its missteps at home have led it to stop exports of shots, leaving millions of people around the world waiting unprotected. Only about 3.5% of Indians are fully vaccinated and while supporters hope the policy change will make vaccine distribution more equitable, poor planning means shortages will continue. The rank remains 16 among these 30 countries even if we were to consider the proportion of the population fully vaccinated, but in this case the gulf between the UK (45.8%) and India (3.6%) is considerably wider.

While the government expects vaccine availability in India to be ramped up to 1 crore doses a day from July and August, there’s little certainty of the timeline being adhered to even as vaccine manufacturers try to scale up production. Unlike other cookie-cutter products, scaling up vaccine production is a complex process — in fact, just the process of filling up 10 lakh doses into vials takes 2 days following which, quality checks on the vials will consume another fortnight, before they can be shipped out. And that doesn’t include the production process which itself takes days — 100 machines working 30 hours will be able to produce 30 lakh doses.

The Delta variant, which appears to be both more transmissible and cause more severe disease, is spreading more rapidly in U.S. counties with lower vaccination rates, according to new research from genomics firm Helix soon to be published as a preprint study, CNN reports. The results underscore the urgency of vaccinating as many Americans as possible before the Delta variant becomes the dominant form of the coronavirus in the country. Brazil has officially reported more than 500,000 total COVID-19 deaths, per TIME’s tracker, more than any country aside from the U.S. However, as in other countries, Brazil’s true number of deaths is likely higher than the official count. The new milestone comes amid mounting domestic opposition to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who critics say failed to adequately handle the country’s outbreak

Expressing happiness over the fact that 80 lakh people got the vaccine jab on Monday, the Prime Minister praised the frontline Corona warriors for their hard work. “Today’s record-breaking vaccination numbers are gladdening. The vaccine remains our strongest weapon to fight Covid-19. Congratulations to those who got vaccinated and kudos to all the frontline warriors working hard to ensure so many citizens got the vaccine. Well done India!” he tweeted. India’s cumulative vaccination coverage has exceeded 28.80 ll crores on Monday, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said on Monday after 80 lakh dose was administered on single day.

According to the data released by the Union Health Ministry on Monday morning, a total of 28,00,36,898 vaccine doses have been administered in the country through 38,24,408 sessions, including 30,39,996 doses on Sunday. As many as 1,01,25,143 healthcare workers (HCWs) have received their first dose while 70,72,595 have been administered the second dose. Similarly, 1,71,73,646 frontline workers (FLWs) have been inoculated with the first dose while 90,51,173 have received their second dose.

A total of 5,59,54,551 people aged between 18 and 44 years have received their first dose, while 12,63,242 have been inoculated with the second dose. As many as 8,07,11,132 people aged between 45 and 59 years have received their first dose, while 1,27,56,299 have been administered the second dose. A total of 6,47,77,302 people aged over 60 years have received their first dose, while 2,11,51,815 have been inoculated with the second dose. (With inputs from IANS)

Iran’s Newly Elected President Takes Hard LineTowards US, Joe Biden

June 24, 2021July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal 0

EbrahimRaisi ,Iran’s president-elect staked out a hard-line position in his first remarks since his landslide election victory, rejecting the possibility of meeting with President Joe Biden or negotiating Tehran’s ballistic missile program and support of regional militias. The comments by EbrahimRaisi offered a blunt preview of how Iran might deal with the wider world in the next four years as it enters a new stage in negotiations to resurrect its now-tattered 2015 nuclear deal with global powers.

When asked about Iran’s ballistic missile program and its support of regional militias, EbrahimRaisi described the issues as “non-negotiable.” Judiciary chief EbrahimRaisi also described himself as a “defender of human rights” when asked about his involvement in the 1988 mass execution of some 5,000 people. It marked the first time he’s been put on the spot on live television over that dark moment in Iranian history at the end of the Iran-Iraq war.

Tehran’s fleet of attack aircraft date largely back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, forcing Iran to instead invest in missiles as a hedge against its regional Arab neighbours, who have purchased billions of dollars in American military hardware over the years. Iran also relies on militias like Yemen’s Houthis and Lebanon’s Hezbollah to counterbalance against enemies like Saudi Arabia and Israel, respectively.

Raisi, a protégé of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been sanctioned by the U.S. in part over his involvement in the mass executions. His victory in the balloting last Friday came amid the lowest turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history. Millions of Iranians stayed home in defiance of a vote they saw as tipped in Raisi’s favor.Of those who did vote, 3.7 million people either accidentally or intentionally voided their ballots, far beyond the amount seen in previous elections and suggesting some wanted none of the four candidates. In official results, Raisi won 17.9 million votes overall, nearly 62% of the total 28.9 million cast.

Raisi’s election puts hard-liners firmly in control across the government as negotiations in Vienna continue to try to save a tattered deal meant to limit Iran’s nuclear program, at a time when Tehran is enriching uranium at 60% its highest levels ever, though still short of weapons-grade levels. Representatives of the world powers party to the deal returned to their capitals for consultations following the latest round of negotiations on Sunday. Top diplomats from nations involved in the talks said that further progress had been made Sunday between Iran and global powers to try to restore a landmark 2015 agreement to contain Iranian nuclear development that was abandoned by the Trump administration. They said it was now up to the governments involved in the negotiations to make political decisions.

Raisi’s election victory has raised concerns that it could complicate a possible return to the nuclear agreement. The international efforts to bring Iran back in compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal that came apart after former US President Donald Trump abandoned continued in Vienna on Sunday even as the world powers brace for a more hardline administration in Tehran.

Senior diplomats from China, Germany, France, Russia and Britain met at a hotel in the Austrian capital for the final meeting of the sixth round of talks in Vienna. Iran’s deputy foreign minister for political affairs said that almost all documents pertaining to the nuclear deal have been negotiated and that the diplomats would return to their home countries for further consultations with their governments and take a final call. But apprehension remains over the incoming Iranian president of EbrahimRaisi, who won an election that offered only a veneer of choice to the public.

Raisi is the first Iranian president sanctioned by the U.S. government even before entering office, over his involvement in the 1988 mass executions, as well for being the chief of the Iranian judiciary, which has a penchant for capital punishment and disdain for due process. Israel’s new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned Sunday that Raisi’s election was “the last chance for the world powers to wake up before returning to the nuclear agreement and to understand who they’re doing business with”. “These guys are murderers, mass murderers,” he added.

Biden administration officials are insisting that the election of a hard-liner as Iran’s president won’t affect prospects for reviving the faltering 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. But there are already signs that their goal of locking in a deal just got tougher. Optimism that a deal was imminent faded as the latest talks ended Sunday without tangible indications of significant progress. And on Monday, in his first public comments since the vote, incoming Iranian President EbrahimRaisi rejected a key Biden goal of expanding on the nuclear deal if negotiators are able to salvage the old one.

At the same time, Raisi is likely to raise Iran’s demands for sanctions relief in return for Iranian compliance with the deal, as he himself is already subject to U.S. human rights penalties. “I don’t envy the Biden team,” said Karim Sadjapour, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who has advised multiple U.S. administrations on Iran. “I think the administration now has a heightened sense of urgency to revise the deal before Raisi and a new hard-line team is inaugurated.”

June 21st Is Child Tax Credit Awareness Day

June 24, 2021July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Finance/Economy 0

The White House has designated June 21 as Child Tax Credit Awareness Day to ensure eligible families know about the American Rescue Plan’s expansion of the child tax credit and know how to access the benefit. The American Rescue Plan signed in March as part of the stimulus relief bill includes a historic temporary expansion of the child tax credit for 2021 that will offer $3,000 for each child age six to 17 and $3,600 per child under six to eligible families. The benefit will be disbursed in two installments. The first half, $1,500 or $1,800 per child, will be paid in monthly payments of $250 or $300 starting July 15 and continuing through December. You’ll claim the other half on next year’s tax return.

You normally must have earned income to claim the child tax credit. For this year, you’re entitled to the credit even if you were not employed and had no earned income. And whereas the usual $2,000 credit is only refundable up to $1,2000, the entire expanded credit is refundable. What “fully refundable” means is that if your total federal income tax liability is less than the credit amount, you receive the difference back as a refund. For example, if your total tax liability is $0 and your credit is $3,600, you’ll receive $3,600 back. If your tax liability is $2,000 and your credit is $3,000, you’ll receive $1,000 back. The income threshold to receive the full credit is $75,000 for a single filer.

The IRS estimates that almost 90% of children are eligible to begin receiving monthly payments without any further action required, the National Association of Counties reported. This means if you filed your 2020 or 2019 taxes, you will not need to do anything further to begin receiving your payments starting July 15. Otherwise, you must file for the credit in order to receive it.

The IRS has set up two portals where you can input your information in order to ensure you’re covered. If you have not filed or are a non-filer in general, you can use the IRS Non-Filer Portal Tool located on the IRS website. If you’ve filed a tax return but have had a change in income or marital status or you’ve had a baby, you’ll use the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, which the IRS will make available before the monthly payments begin.

About 27 million children qualify for this direct income support, including many whose families have no earned income and thus would not be eligible for the child tax credit under the normal rules. Estimates suggest that the expansion could lift nearly 5 million children out of poverty in 2021, according to the National Association of Counties. This would represent an almost 50% reduction in the child poverty rate.

Bitcoin Rallies After Dropping Below $30,000 On China Crackdown

June 24, 2021July 3, 2021 Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy 0

Bitcoin recovered from a five-month low on Tuesday, June 22nd in volatile session in which it fell below $30,000, extending losses sparked a day earlier when China’s central bank deepened a crackdown on cryptocurrencies. But its outlook remained tilted to the downside, analysts said. As per Reuters, the world’s largest cryptocurrency dropped to $28,600, its lowest since early January. It was last up 3.7% at $32,802, and remains about 13% higher so far this year.

Bitcoin had fallen below $30,000 for the first time in more than five months, hit by China’s crackdown on the world’s most popular cryptocurrency on June 21st. The digital currency slipped to about $28,890, and has lost about 50% of its value since reaching an all-time high of $64,870 in April. China has told banks and payments platforms to stop supporting digital currency transactions. It follows an order on Friday to stop Bitcoin mining in Sichuan province.

On Monday, China’s central bank said it had recently summoned several major banks and payments companies to call on them to take tougher action over the trading of cryptocurrencies. Banks were told to not provide products or services such as trading, clearing and settlement for cryptocurrency transactions, the People’s Bank of China said in a statement. China’s third-largest lender by assets, the Agricultural Bank of China, said it was following the PBOC’s guidance and would conduct due diligence on clients to root out illegal activities involving cryptocurrency mining and transactions. China’s Postal Savings Bank also said it would not facilitate any cryptocurrency transactions.

Chinese mobile and online payments platform Alipay, which is owned by financial technology giant Ant Group, said it would set up a monitoring system to detect illegal cryptocurrency transactions. The latest measure came after authorities in the southwest province of Sichuan on Friday ordered Bitcoin mining operations to close down. Authorities ordered the closure of 26 mines last week, according to a notice widely circulated on Chinese social media sites and confirmed by a former Bitcoin miner.

Sichuan, a mountainous region in southwest China, is home to many cryptocurrency mines – basically huge centers with racks upon racks of computer processors, owing to the large number of hydroelectric power plants there. China accounted for around 65% of global Bitcoin production last year, with Sichuan rating as its second largest producer, according to research by the University of Cambridge. “Concerns mount over China’s ongoing clampdown and fears that widespread acceptance of Bitcoin and other digital currencies will be delayed because of concerns about their environmental impact,” noted analyst FawadRazaqzada at trading site ThinkMarkets.

Last month China’s cabinet, the State Council, said it would crack down on cryptocurrency mining and trading as part of a campaign to control financial risks. Some analysts have warned of potential further falls in the price of Bitcoin due to a price chart phenomenon known as a “death cross”, which occurs when a short-term average trendline crosses below a long-term average trendline.

Other cryptocurrencies also fell as investors worried about tougher regulation of digital currencies around the world.Separately, the auction house Sotheby’s said that a rare pear-shaped diamond that is expected to sell for as much as $15m can be bought at an auction next month using cryptocurrencies. It is the first time that such a large diamond has been offered in a public sale with cryptocurrency.

Hundreds Join Virtually International Yoga Day 2021 By GOPIO Manhattan, Happy Life Yoga

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Culture, Lifestyle 0

The GOPIO-Manhattan (NYC) and Happy Life Yoga in cooperation with The Indian Panorama and Indian American Forum (Long Island) organized an International Yoga Event to raise awareness of Yoga and raise funds for “The Covid-19 Relief in India”. SiddharthDeoraj Jain, Founding Life Member GOPIO Manhattan; introduced Tirlok Malik, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Happy Life Yoga speaker and invited him to start The International Yoga Day-2021.

Malik hosted a highly interactive and informative Yoga session featuring experts and speakers across various walks of life. He explained his vision, “A way of living inspired by the wisdom of Ayurveda, Yoga and Indian Philosophy is beneficial for everyone. In the aftermath of COVID, the world has realized that it is of paramount importance to have a good health, physically and emotionally, and the Happy Life Yoga platform can show how to achieve it.”

Ambassador Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, the Chief Guest, commented “Yoga is a way of life. The idea of Yoga is truly universal and it must be heard, celebrated and promoted in each and every part of our society and community. The key is to not just celebrate Yoga as a health practice, for it needs to be celebrated in its entirety,” asserted Jaiswal. He highlighted how the International Yoga Day has evolved into in major annual event that’s celebrated across the globe ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly back in September 2014.

Dr. BhuvanLall, the award-winning filmmaker, international entrepreneur, motivational speaker and author, touched upon the importance of Yoga in our day-to-day life and advised “Everybody wants to be happy. Everybody wants to have a long life and Yoga provides the answer by teaching us how to deal with unhappy situations that we come across. So, Yoga is really the way forward.”

Prof. IndrajitSaluja, Chief Editor/Publisher, The Indian Panorama quoted “The key is to love yourself and love the world around you. When you are trying to achieve equilibrium among the various faculties in your life that’s where Yoga comes into play.” Sangeeta Agrawal, CEO and Founder, Helpsy added “The first step involves preparing oneself as that equips one to deal with the situation. Further one must reach out to experts for their advice and guidance allowing one to make and execute plans aimed at recovery from the ailment.”

Deborah Fishman Shelby, Founder & Executive Director, FED talked about teachings of Judaism while sharing examples from Torah and exploring the idea of happiness. RanjuNarang emphasized upon the need to inhaling and exhaling out all the negativity and toxicity. Indu Jaiswal, Chairperson, Indian American Forum, an accomplished dietician and nutritionist spoke about the importance of balance diet for happy life.

Neil and Andrea Garvey, Publishers/Editors of the Creations Magazine, who have been vegans for over three decades emphasized about the need for communication between partners. Anil Narang, Vegan activist, talked about the benefits of vegan diet for a healthy living. While talking about the importance of harmony between mind, body and spirit, he stressed upon the need to go vegan during the COVID-19 times in order to boost immunity and health. Dr. Renee Mehrra talked about meditation and the need to control thoughts as a means to calm down the brain. PallaviVermaBelwariar, Founding Life Member GOPIO Manhattan; entertained the viewers with her melodious voice with Malik egging on the viewers to dance in their chairs.

ShivenderSofat, President GOPIO-Manhattan; spoke about importance of Yoga in daily life, discussed chapter activities and motivated everyone to donate generously towards the GOPIO Manhattan Fund Raising for The Covid-19 Relief in India. Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO Chairman; complimented GOPIO-Manhattan, NYC for taking this initiative and organizing several other programs during the last one year. Dr. Abraham also appealed the audience to support the Covid Indian Relief Fund and GOPIO-Manhattan’s Community Feeding conducted every last Monday of the month.

Chitranjan Sahay Belwariar, Founding Life Member GOPIO Manhattan; concluded with the Vote of Thanks to all Speakers at the event and provided technical support with Zoom streaming and recording. The event ended with a thunderous applause even as Malik promised to bring more Happy Life Yoga events in the near future. Happy Life Yoga is the creation of Tirlok Malik and the Ayurveda Cafe team. It is essentially an educational platform that offers a unique holistic approach to health and happiness using tools from Ayurveda, Indian Philosophy, and Yoga to help better manage modern-day challenges such as work, finances, relationships, family and other social pressures. It was launched in June 2019 in New York.

In accordance with its mission to serve the larger society and those in need, GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter has taken several initiatives in the recent past. A Community Feeding is organized by the Chapter providing vegan or vegetarian lunch for the homeless and needy at Tomkins Square Park in Manhattan on the last Monday of every month. The chapter appeals to the community to support the initiative by being a volunteer and/or a sponsor. For more info on GOPIO Manhattan, call President ShivenderSofat at 731-988-6969, e-mail: info@gopiomanhattan.org or visit here: https://gopiomanhattan.org/

Delta Variant Cases Found More In Midwest Region

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth 0

The Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread through the U.S., with Missouri and Kansas seeing high transmission as vaccination efforts remain sluggish in some parts of the country. Data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that the variant, which originated in India, has infected people at an uncomfortable rate over the past few weeks. On May 22, the variant accounted for only about 2.7% of cases, but as of last week it is now closer to 10% of all cases in the U.S., according to the CDC. However, the rate was already higher in some parts of the country with Missouri recording the variant as roughly 6.8% of cases in the state as of May 22. Kansas and other states with high rural populations have measured high rates of community spread over the past two weeks.

The Midwest and Mountain West states including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska are recording a rate closer to 23.5% of all cases resulting from the Delta strain. Around 8% of counties in the U.S. have recorded a high level of transmission, with around half of the counties in the U.S. still showing a moderate level of transmission. Kansas, meanwhile, has closer to the national average with around 10% of cases from the Delta variant, ABC News reported. The variant was first detected in October and the CDC upgraded the variant from one “of interest” to one “of concern.”

“It shows us that what we’ve got in the community is a much more infectious variant that we are having to deal with, which shows why we have such an explosion of cases not just in Greene County, but in southwest Missouri,” Kendra Findley, administrator of community health and epidemiology with Green County, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Health officials have repeated warnings that the Delta strain is likely to become the dominant strain in the U.S. within the next few weeks as the rate appears to be on track to continue doubling week over week.

IS IT A COLD OR COVID-19? SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR

“Right now in the U.S., it’s about 10% of infections doubling every two weeks, so it’s probably going to become the dominant strain here in the U.S.,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former head of the FDA, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” last week. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to see a sharp uptick in infections but it does mean that this is going to take over and I think the risk is really to the fall that this could spike a new epidemic heading into the fall,” he added.

However, health officials maintain that the current vaccines are still highly effective against the variant. Efficacy against the Delta variant appears to be around 88% – lower than the 95% that vaccines displayed against older variants, but still far more effective than the average flu vaccine by almost double. The Midwest states, though, have shown a sluggish administration of vaccine doses, with most states seeing under half of their population fully vaccinated at this point in time, according to Our World in Data. The CDC lists the Alpha, Beta, Epsilon, and Gamma variants as being “of concern,” while the Eta, Iota, Kappa, Delta, and Zeta remain variants of interest.

India Expresses Concerns Over Delta

The Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus has been declared by India as the one of concern, as more than two dozen cases have been detected in three states. This is the mutated version of the Delta variant, first found in India. The health ministry of India has advised Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh on the presence of the Delta Plus variant, which has been pegged as ‘variant of concern’ in certain districts of these states.

Union health secretary communicated to these three states that this variant has been found in genome sequenced samples from Ratnagiri and Jalgaon districts of Maharashtra, Palakkad and Pathanamthitta districts of Kerala, and Bhopal and Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh.

Here are the latest on the Delta Plus variant:

The health ministry identified three characteristics of the Delta Plus variant – increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells, and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.
The chief secretaries of the three states have been advised to take up immediate containment measures in the districts and clusters, including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, widespread testing, prompt tracing as well as vaccine coverage on a priority basis.
The health ministry also said that India is among the nine countries where the Delta Plus variant has been detected. It said that the variant has been detected in the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, China and Russia.
The clusters of the variant has been identified by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium or INSACOG. The government has advised the states that their samples are sent to designated laboratories of INSACOG so that it can provide guidance based on the clinical epidemiological correlations.
Twenty-two cases of the Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus have been detected in India, with 16 of them being reported from Maharashtra and the remaining from Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, according to the government.
At a press conference, NitiAayog Member (Health) Dr VK Paul said there is a consistent improvement in the pandemic situation but stressed that people must continue to follow COvid-19-appropriate behaviour and avoid crowds and parties.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said there has been an almost 90 per cent decline in India’s daily Covid-19 cases as compared to the highest peak reported on May 7.
He also said that a sharp decline of 84 per cent in weekly positivity rate has been noted since the highest reported weekly positivity of 21.4 per cent, recorded between May 4 and 10.
Over the past 24 hours India reported 42,640 new infections, the lowest since March 23, and 1,167 deaths.
Infections now stand at 29.98 million, with a death toll of 389,302, health ministry data showed. (picture: The Guardian)

CEO Satya Nadella Elected Chair Of Microsoft Board of Trustees

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile, Technology, Youth 0

Microsoft has elected Satya Nadella as Chairman of the tech giant, the first in two decades when Microsoft’s chairman will also be its CEO.Bill Gates was the only other Chairman and CEO of Microsoft who stepped down as CEO in 2000. In this role as Chairman, Nadella will lead the work to set the agenda for the board, leveraging his deep understanding of the business to elevate the right strategic opportunities and identify key risks and mitigation approaches for the board’s review, the company said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Gates stepped down as chairman in 2014 and the board then elected John Thompson as independent chairman. Gates left the Microsoft board entirely last year to pursue his philanthropic ambitions. Microsoft also unanimously elected John Thompson as lead independent director, a role he held previously from 2012 to 2014. As lead independent director, Thompson will retain significant authority including providing input on behalf of the independent directors on board agendas, calling meetings of the independent directors, setting agendas for executive sessions, and leading performance evaluations of the CEO, Microsoft said. In addition to these role changes, the board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.56 per share.

Accolades and congratulatory messages poured in for Satya Nadella, who was elected as Microsoft Chairman even as he held the CEO post at the tech giant, a feat achieved first time in two decades.

J.C. Pavan Reddy, a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader said the elevation of Nadella is a very proud moment for all the Telugu people across the globe. “Satya Nadella on his new role as Microsoft chairman! A very proud moment for Telugu people across the globe,” said Reddy on Friday. Earlier, TDP supremo and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu echoed with a similar message. “Congratulations to Nadella on his new role as Microsoft chairman! A very proud moment for Telugu people across the globe.

Nadella met Naidu back in 2015 when he was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Likewise, TDP national general secretary and the party’s second in command Nara Lokesh was elated to know about Nadella’s promotion. “Elated to hear that Nadella has been appointed as the chairman of Microsoft. He has made every Telugu proud with his stellar achievements,” said Lokesh. Congratulating the new MS chairman, Lokesh wished him all the best for his new role.

The new Microsoft chairman’s father, B.N. Yugandhar, was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and belonged to Anantapur district in the Rayalaseema region of the southern state. Nadella was born in Hyderabad (present-day Telangana) and earned bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology in Karnataka. “I always knew I wanted to build things,” he once said. On February 4, 2014, he was announced as the new CEO of Microsoft, the third CEO in the company’s history following Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.

Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft has become one of the most valuable companies in the world, riding on its growing Azure Cloud, Microsoft 365 and enterprise communication businesses (including Teams). Microsoft reported a strong growth of $41.7 billion in sales (up 19 per cent year-over-year) and $15.5 billion in net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2021.

The biggest growth engine was its Azure Cloud division that saw $15.1 billion in revenue, a 23 per cent year-over-year increase. “Over a year into the pandemic, digital adoption curves aren’t slowing down. They’re accelerating, and it’s just the beginning. We are building the cloud for the next decade, expanding our addressable market and innovating across every layer of the tech stack to help our customers be resilient and transform,” Nadella had said. Driven by online work and learning amid the ongoing pandemic, Microsoft Teams now have 145 million daily active users globally, almost double the numbers a year ago. (IANS)

Antonio Guterres Appointed To 2nd Term As UN Secretary General

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal, Profile 0

The UN General Assembly has appointed Antonio Guterres to a second term as the Secretary General to lead the world body through the crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic and the fight against global warming, which he has made his priority. After being sworn-in to his second term, Guterres said that he would work for a “breakthrough” for a world at “a critical moment in history”. The world is “at the cusp of a new era”, he said. “We are truly at a crossroads, with consequential choices before us. Paradigms are shifting. Old orthodoxies are being flipped.”

The 193-member General Assembly’s resolution adopted by acclamation said that in “appreciation for the effective and dedicated service rendered to the United Nations”, it approved the Security Council recommendation to give the former Portuguese Prime Minister another five years starting in January as the world’s top diplomat. Security Council President Sven Jurgenson said that Guterres confirmed to the highest standards of competence and integrity. The Assembly’s endorsement of the Council’s recommendation was only a formality because, in reality, the five permanent members of the Council through their veto powers control the selection and reappointment of the Secretary General.

Guterres ran unopposed because none of the self-nominated candidates was sponsored by a member nation. India, which is a non-permanent member of the Security Council, supported Guterres’s re-election there and in the Assembly. After a meeting with Guterres last month, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar tweeted that New Delhi “values” his leadership and would back his re-election. Guterres said: “We are writing our own history with the choices we make right now.” But he warned, “It can go either way: breakdown and perpetual crisis or breakthrough and prospect of a greener, safer and better future for all.”

However, he said that there were hopeful signs and “we feel a new momentum everywhere for an unequivocal commitment to come together to chart a course towards a better future” because of the pandemic’s lessons of “our shared vulnerability, our inter-connectedness and the absolute need for collective action”. The cooperation seen now in the fight against Covid-19 may not have been possible a decade ago, he said. He said that the world was beset by “geostrategic divides and dysfunctional power relations” that are manifest in “too many asymmetries and paradoxes”.

They have to be met head-on and “we also need to be aware of how power plays out in today’s world when it comes to the distribution of resources and technology”, he said. The global proliferation of mistrust is another problem that should not be allowed to overwhelm the world, he added. Guterres displayed masterful diplomacy in navigating a deeply polarised Council without antagonising the permanent members while managing the reflexive opposition of former US President Donald Trump to the UN and China’s aggressive diplomacy.

Earlier this month announcing the Council’s recommendation for a second term for Guterres, Jurgenson described him as a “bridge-builder”. Seven of Guterres’s predecessors were re-elected and only Boutros BoutrosGhali, an Egyptian, was limited to a single term because of Washington’s opposition. During the Covid-19 crisis, Guterres pursued the equitable distribution of vaccines and other resources while fighting disinformation, and set an agenda for post-pandemic rebuilding to put the world back on track in pursuit of the UN’s sustainable development goals.

His first term was marked by his passionate advocacy of fighting global warming, which he has called an existential threat to humanity, and a top agenda item. Guterres, who was a UN High Commissioner for Refugees, was the surprise consensus candidate in 2016 when the bets were on a woman, likely from East Europe, getting the job that had been held only by men and never by a East European. In his first bid in 2016, he received the essential approval of the Security Council after six straw polls in which he outlasted 12 candidates, seven of them women.But this time Guterres, who was nominated by Portugal, had no official rivals as the Security Council did not recognise at least seven other self-nominated candidates — including Arora Akanksha, a Canadian of Indian descent — because they lacked the backing of any nation.

The requirement for sponsorship by a UN member is not unambiguously stated in the UN Charter or its regulation, but the Council and the Assembly considered it a de facto qualification based on tradition. The Assembly resolution appointing Guterres to a second term, said it was “guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity” as set out in its 2015 resolution that established a modicum of openness to a process that had been shrouded by backroom deals. The Assembly required the candidates to appear before it to make a pitch for their election.

This time only Guterres came before the Assembly to layout his vision for his second term and the others were excluded because they were not recognized. Jugenson and General Assembly President VolkanBozkir have maintained that a nomination by a member state is necessary — a requirement that would prevent a stampede of self-nominated candidates demanding equal time at the General Assembly with the officially nominated candidates.

Of the self-nominated candidates, only Rosalia Arteaga, a former President of Ecuador, had any shred of credibility and the self-nominations were publicity stunts. Akanksha, 34, is an employee of the UN Development Programme who made a splashy campaign video pitching her youth and the need for change at a UN weighed down by a sclerotic bureaucracy. Although she received media coverage, she could not get the support of even her country, Canada, or of India and Saudi Arabia, where she had lived earlier.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)

Sumita Mitra Wins European Inventor Award 2021

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile, Science, Women 0

Indian-American chemist SumitaMitra has won the European Inventor Award 2021, one of Europe’s most prestigious innovation prizes, in the “Non-European Patent Office countries” category for her application of nanotechnology in dentistry. Mitra was the first to successfully integrate nanoparticles into dental materials to produce stronger, durable and more aesthetically pleasing fillings. Her innovation has been successfully commercialised and used in more than 1 billion tooth restorations by dentists around the world.

“SumitaMitra took an entirely new path in her field, and demonstrated how technological innovation, protected by patents, can transform a sector, and in this case bring benefits to millions of dental patients,” said Antonio Campinos, President at the European Patent Office (EPO), on Thursday. “Her invention remains commercially successful nearly 20 years after its launch — another reason why she is an inspiration to the next generation of scientists,” he added.

The 2021 European Inventor Award ceremony was held digitally and, for the first time, was open to the public who tuned in to the event from around the world. The Award, one of Europe’s most prestigious innovation prizes, is presented annually by the EPO to distinguish outstanding inventors from Europe and beyond who have made an exceptional contribution to society, technological progress and economic growth. The finalists and winners in five categories (Industry, Research, SMEs, Non-EPO countries and Lifetime achievement) were selected by an independent international jury.

“Curiosity and exploration are the essential points of starting an innovation. It is something that we really need to cultivate in our children,” Mitra said. SumitaMitra is a partner at Mitra Chemical Consulting, LLC, which advises companies on new technology development, product design, commercialisation, mergers and acquisitions. She was named the American Chemical Society Hero of Chemistry in 2009, inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018 and elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2021 for her work related to inventions in nanotechnology for use in dental materials. (IANS)

The European Patent Office June 18 honored Indian American chemist SumitaMitra with the European Inventor Award 2021 in the “Non-EPO countries” category. Mitra, who was named among the finalists for the award last month (see India-West article here: https://bit.ly/3gMCvI4), was the first to successfully integrate nanotechnology into dental materials to produce stronger and more aesthetically pleasing fillings, which are now used by dentists around the world.

“SumitaMitra took an entirely new path in her field, and demonstrated how technological innovation, protected by patents, can transform a sector, and in this case bring benefits to millions of dental patients,” EPO president AntónioCampinos said in a statement. “Her invention remains commercially successful nearly 20 years after its launch – another reason why she is an inspiration to the next generation of scientists.”

The 2021 European Inventor Award ceremony was held digitally and, for the first time, was open to the public who tuned in to the event from around the world. The award, one of Europe’s most prestigious innovation prizes, is presented annually by the EPO to distinguish outstanding inventors from Europe and beyond who have made an exceptional contribution to society, technological progress and economic growth, according to a news release. The finalists and winners in five categories — industry, research, SMEs, Non-EPO countries and lifetime achievement — were selected by an independent international jury.

While working in the oral care division of U.S. multinational 3M in the late 1990s, Mitra became aware of the limitations of existing materials used in dental fillings, which were either too weak to be used on biting surfaces, or quickly lost their polish, the release notes of the Indian American winner. At the same time, nanotechnology was emerging as a field of research and Mitra decided to explore how these new developments could be applied to dentistry. She began working on nanotechnology-based solutions for a new dental material, driven by a desire to use her expertise in polymer chemistry and materials science to develop inventions that solve real-life problems, it said.

Mitra and her team developed a technique for creating linked clusters of nanoparticles, which they called nanoclusters. These clusters combine single nanoparticles of varying diameters, resulting in a strong, durable and shiny material. By adding tiny amounts of pigment, and altering the chemical composition of the nanoparticles, the team was also able to create a range of different shades that can be matched to individual teeth, and layered to create a more natural finish, the release noted. “The use of nanotechnology gave me the opportunity to make a new material,” Mitra said in a statement. “It restores people’s smiles and improves the quality of their lives.”

Following this successful development process, Mitra worked closely with 3M’s patent attorneys to draft the patents to protect her ground-breaking research. Although several new generations of the material have been developed since its launch in 2002 as FiltekTM Supreme Universal Restorative, the current line of products is still based on Mitra’s European patents, according to the release. The enduring legacy of Mitra’s work can be seen in the fact that 3M was named as one of the top three manufacturers of global composite fillings in the dental restoration market in 2019.

Although she retired from the company in 2010, the success of her technology continues with products based on her inventions used in over one billion tooth restorations worldwide to date. Mitra herself continues to contribute to research and development through her own consulting company. In addition, she enjoys volunteering at schools and colleges, passing on her enthusiasm for science to young people: “Curiosity and exploration are the essential points of starting an innovation. It is something that we really need to cultivate in our children,” Mitra said in the release.

Mitra is a partner at Mitra Chemical Consulting, LLC, a company she set up with her husband after leaving 3M in 2010, and which advises companies on new technology development, product design, commercialization, mergers and acquisitions. She was named an American Chemical Society Hero of Chemistry in 2009, inducted into the U.S. National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2018 and elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2021 for her work related to inventions in nanotechnology for use in dental materials.

Other awards include a Hollenback Memorial Prize from the Academy of Operative Dentistry (2020); a Peyton-Skinner Award for Innovation in Dental Materials from the International Association of Dental Research (2012); and a Top 25 Women in Dentistry Award (2010). Mitrawas elected to the 3M Carlton Society in 1998 – the highest 3M award given for lifelong contribution to R&D, her bio notes. Mitra is named on 58 European patents, four of which are related to her nomination for the European Inventor Award 2021.

US Re-Launches International Entrepreneur Rule, to Help Foreigners Grow a Start-up Company

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterBusiness, Economy, Immigration 0

The Biden Administration has revived the International Entrepreneur Rule which creates a pathway for foreign entrepreneurs to live in the U.S., with their families, and grow a start-up company. The International Entrepreneur Rule is different from an E-2 investor visa: Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs are not eligible for an E-2 visa, which is limited to citizens of countries with which the U.S. has a qualifying “treaty of commerce and navigation.” Approximately 80 countries throughout the world have such qualifying treaties, but India and China do not.

The program is often mischaracterized as a start-up visa program, but the organization Boundless Immigration explains that only Congress can create a whole new visa category. The rule is based on the Secretary of Homeland Security’s discretionary authority to grant “parole” in special circumstances. In the immigration context, “parole” means temporary permission to be in the United States. Forbes Magazine notes that 3.2 million foreign-born entrepreneurs operate businesses in the U.S., representing nearly 22 percent of all business owners versus just 14 percent of the broader population. They hold disproportionate numbers of patents for new technologies, employ 8 million people and are represented as founders at more than half of all venture-backed “unicorns,” companies valued at over $1 billion.

Despite several Congressional efforts, the U.S. does not have a start-up visa to support foreign entrepreneurs. The International Entrepreneur program was an initiative of the Obama Administration, and began as President Barack Obama ended his tenure in the White House. The Trump Administration attempted to end the program, but a federal court allowed the program to continue. The legal Web site JD Supra reported that only 30 applications were received between 2017 and 2019, and that only one application for international entrepreneur parole was actually approved during that time period.

The Department of Homeland Security announced the re-launch of the International Entrepreneur program May 10, noting: “It will remain a viable program for foreign entrepreneurs to create and develop start-up entities with high growth potential in the United States. The program will help to strengthen and grow our nation’s economy through increased capital spending, innovation, and job creation.”

“Immigrants in the United States have a long history of entrepreneurship, hard work, and creativity, and their contributions to this nation are incredibly valuable,” said Acting USCIS Director Tracy Renaud in a press statement. “The International Entrepreneur parole program goes hand-in-hand with our nation’s spirit of welcoming entrepreneurship and USCIS encourages those who are eligible to take advantage of the program.” In an article written by Caleb Watney, Lindsay Milliken and Doug Rand — co-founder of Boundless Immigration — for the Innovation Frontier Project, the writers used DHS estimates to predict that 2,940 entrepreneurs would avail of the program each year, creating an average of 100,000 to 300,000 new jobs over 10 years.

To qualify for a visa under the program, foreign entrepreneurs must prove that they will provide a “significant public benefit because he or she is the entrepreneur of a new start-up entity in the United States that has significant potential for rapid growth and job creation,” according to the rule, which can be read in its entirety here: https://bit.ly/3gCiYLP. Boundless Immigration explains that the foreign entrepreneur must have a significant ownership stake in the start-up of at least 10 percent, and have an active and central role in its operations.

The start-up must have been formed in the United States within the past five years and demonstrated potential for rapid business growth and job creation. This can be demonstrated by attracting at least $250,000 from qualified U.S. investors, or $100,000 in awards or grants from federal, state or local agencies. Admission into a highly competitive start-up accelerator can also be used as a qualifier.

Entrepreneurs would be granted a two-and-a-half year visa, which can be extended for another two-and-a-half years, if the company meets qualifying criteria. The spouses and children of the entrepreneur are also granted a visa, and spouses are allowed to work. Up to three founders per start-up can apply for a visa under the International Entrepreneur Rule.

Radhika Fox Confirmed By US Senate To Lead Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterEnvironment, Women 0

The US Senate voted 55-43 to confirm Radhika Fox as head of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water on June 16th. The confirmation comes five weeks after Fox testified before the EPW Committee during her nomination hearing. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairman Tom Carper, D-Del., in remarks on the Senate floor, praised Fox’s record and highlighted the organizations endorsing her for the position, according to a report from The Hill. These include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Family Farm Alliance and the U.S. Water Alliance, where Fox previously served as chief executive, the report said.

“What those organizations have said — again and again — about Radhika Fox is that she is an exceptional leader who will work day and night to come up with practical solutions to our country’s serious water challenges,” Carper said June 16, according to the report. “Moreover, Ms. Fox will make sure everyone’s point of view is heard and taken into account when EPA acts to protect our country’s precious water resources.” Seven Republicans crossed the aisle and joined every Democrat present to vote in favor of Fox’s nomination: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine; Lindsey Graham of South Carolina; Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker of Mississippi; Richard Burr of North Carolina; Kevin Cramer of North Dakota; and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

According to her bio, Fox is the CEO of the U.S. Water Alliance, a national nonprofit organization advancing policies and programs that build a sustainable water future for all. The Alliance educates the nation on the value of water, accelerates the adoption of one water policies and programs, and celebrates innovation in water management. Fox also serves as director of the Value of Water Coalition, a national campaign dedicated to educating and inspiring people about how water is essential, invaluable, and needs investment.

The Indian American has over 20 years of experience in developing policies, programs, and issue-based advocacy campaigns. She previously directed the policy and government affairs agenda for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which is responsible for providing 24/7 water, wastewater, and municipal power services to 2.6 million Bay Area residents. She also served as the Federal Policy director at PolicyLink, where she coordinated the organization’s policy agenda on a wide range of issues, including infrastructure investment, transportation, sustainable communities, economic inclusion, and workforce development. Fox holds a B.A. from Columbia University and a masters degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley where she was a HUD Community Development Fellow.

Against GOP Objections ‘Obamacare’ Survives

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterNation USA 0

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s latest rejection of a Republican effort to dismantle “Obamacare” signals anew that the GOP must look beyond repealing the law if it wants to hone the nation’s health care problems into a winning political issue. Thursday’s 7-2 ruling was the third time the court has rebuffed major GOP challenges to former President Barack Obama’s prized health care overhaul. Stingingly for Republicans, the decision emerged from a bench dominated 6-3 by conservative-leaning justices, including three appointed by President Donald Trump.

Those high court setbacks have been atop dozens of failed Republican repeal attempts in Congress. Most spectacularly, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., flashed a thumbs-down that doomed Trump’s drive to erase the law in 2017. Along with the public’s gradual but decisive acceptance of the statute, the court rulings and legislative defeats underscore that the law, passed in 2010 despite overwhelming GOP opposition, is probably safe. And it spotlights a remarkable progression of the measure from a political liability that cost Democrats House control just months after enactment to a widely accepted bedrock of the medical system, delivering care to what the government says is more than 30 million people.

“The Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land,” President Joe Biden said, using the statute’s more formal name, after the court ruled that Texas and other GOP-led states had no right to bring their lawsuit to federal court. “It’s not as sacred or popular as Medicare or Medicaid, but it’s here to stay,” said Drew Altman, president of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “And it’s moved from an ideological whipping boy to a set of popular benefits that the public values.”

Highlighting the GOP’s shifting health care focus, in interviews and written statements Thursday, more than a dozen Republican lawmakers called for controlling medical costs and other changes, but none suggested another run at repeal. Congressional Republicans hadn’t even filed a legal brief supporting the latest Supreme Court challenge. “Just practically speaking, you need 60 votes in a Republican Senate, a Republican president, right? And we’ve tried that and were unable to accomplish it,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a leading voice on health care in the GOP.

Polling shows the risks in trying to demolish Obama’s law. A Kaiser poll showed Americans about evenly divided on the law in December 2016, just after Trump was elected on a pledge to kill it. By February 2020, 54% had a favorable view while 39% disapproved. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and other top Republicans issued a statement illustrating one line of attack the party is preparing — trying to handcuff all Democrats to “Medicare for All,” a costly plan for government-provided health care backed by progressives that goes beyond what Biden and many in the party have proposed.

Congress should “not double down on a failed health care law or, worse, move towards a one-size-fits-all, socialist system that takes away choice entirely,” the Republicans said. The GOP should focus on health issues people care about, like personalized care and promoting medical innovation, not repealing the health care law, said David Winston, a pollster and political adviser to congressional GOP leaders.

“Republicans need to lay out a clear direction of where the health care system should go,” Winston said. “Don’t look backward, look forward.” Most people have gained coverage from either Obama’s expansion of the government-funded Medicaid program for lower-income people or from private health plans, for which federal subsidies help offset costs for many. The law’s most popular provisions also include its protections for people with preexisting medical conditions from higher insurance rates, allowing people up to age 26 to remain covered under their parents’ plans and requiring insurers to cover services like pregnancy and mental health.

Key requirements like that are “locked in concrete,” said Joseph Antos, a health policy analyst at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. The political opening for Republicans would be if Democrats push hard for things like lowering the eligibility age for Medicare to 60 because for many conservative-leaning voters, he said, “that’s a sign of government pushing too far” into private marketplace decisions. Yet serious problems remain. Nearly 29 million Americans remained uninsured in 2019, and millions more likely lost coverage at least temporarily when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, according to Kaiser. In addition, medical costs continue rising and even many covered by the law find their premiums and deductibles difficult to afford.

In response, Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package enacted in March expanded federal subsidies for health insurance premiums for those buying coverage. His infrastructure and jobs proposal being negotiated in Congress includes $200 billion toward making that permanent, instead of expiring in two years. But his plan includes none of his more controversial campaign trail proposals to expand health care access, like creating a federally funded public health care option or letting Medicare directly negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies. While those proposals are popular with Democratic voters, they face tough odds in a closely divided Congress.

Still, Republicans gearing up for 2022 elections that will decide congressional control must decide where their next focus will be. One GOP strategist involved in House races, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe internal thinking, said the party should focus on issues like the economy and border security that register as higher voter concerns. A Gallup poll showed that in May, 21% of the public ranked the economy as the country’s top problem, with health care registering at just 3%.

Other Republicans say the Supreme Court’s rejection of the latest repeal attempt will clear the political field for them to refocus their health care attacks on Democrats. “Now it’s Medicare for All that will be a top health care issue playing a role in campaigns,” said Chris Hartline, spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

(Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe in Washington and Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Ind., contributed to this report.)

7th International Yoga Day Held In New York

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

The Federation of Indian Associations NY-NJ-CT, in partnership with the Consulate General of India-New York, organized a group yoga event on Sunday, June 20, to mark the 7th International Day of Yoga. Nearly 200 participants joined the hybrid event, with over 120 joining online. The Liberty State Park, with the backdrop of the majestic Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline, provided the perfect venue for the event.

Consul General of India NY Randhir Jaiswal, who briefly attended the event with DCG NY Shatrughan Sinha, appreciated and encouraged the participants.Celebrity yoga instructor, Reiki healer, and health coach Thara Natalie gave yoga lessons for all ages. She also shared health tips during the one-hour session. Singer and song writer Jay Sean was the guest of honor while former Miss America and American public speaker and actress Nina Davuluri, also a yoga practitioner, compered the event.

Lauding the efforts of event chair Parveen Bansal and his team in putting together the event, FIA president Anil Bansal said, “It is heartening to see people giving due importance to yoga. It is an ancient Indian discipline that purifies the mind and body with regular practice. Just like this morning, I hope everyone here continues to find time to invest in their health and well-being.”

“Last year was tough for everyone. Now, the community is slowly reeling out of the pandemic. The benefits of yoga are known to the entire world. We hope this event can give a positive push to our attempts to get back to the pre-pandemic days,” said FIA chairman Ankur Vaidya. He expressed his gratitude to CGI NY Jaiswal and DCG Sinha for their continued support in making the Yoga Day celebration a success.FIA provided complimentary coffee, munchkins, water, T-shirt, and yoga mat to all participants in attendance and held an attendee raffle in which 5 Google home devices were raffled as thank-you giveaways to the attendees.

FIA has been hosting Yoga Day event since 2015. The United Nations had, in December 2014, proclaimed June 21 every year as the International Day of Yoga. The FIA has been organizing yoga events to mark the day since 2015 when it was celebrated globally for the first time. Last year, with the Covid-19 pandemic raging across the world, the entire event was held online.

UN Emphasizes Yoga’s Role In Helping World Recover From Covid

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth, Lifestyle 0

Yoga, which provided a ‘lifeline’ during the Covid-19 pandemic, can help the world recover from its ravages, leaders at the United Nations said on Monday on the occasion of the 7th International Day of Yoga. “As we take steps to recover from the pandemic, let yoga inspire us to approach challenges holistically, to work together through the multilateral system so we recover better, stronger and greener,” UN General Assembly President VolkanBozkir said. “The social and economic consequences (of the pandemic) have been devastating for many around the world (and) yoga was a lifeline during the lockdown. It helped maintain physical well-being while also managing the stress of uncertainty and isolation,” he said.

Because of the pandemic, the Yoga Day was observed virtually at the UN this year — just like last year — without the mass exercises with the participation of top UN officials and diplomats from around the world that became a part of the UN tradition since 2015. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said that yoga can “play a significant role in the care and rehabilitation of COVID-19 patients in allaying fears and sorrow.” “The Covid-19 pandemic has caused enormous stress and anxiety to many people worldwide, who are stemming from loss, isolation, economic insecurity or disruption to normal routines and work-life balance. Yoga can help us cope with the uncertainty and anxiety,” she said.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, T.S. Tirumurti, said the Yoga Day this year “seeks to reaffirm the rejuvenating role of yoga in promoting health and wellbeing of the global community which is presently coping with the pervasive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.” “Yoga organisations and practitioners around the world have been raising awareness through digital platforms about the potential of yoga in mitigating the adverse effects of the pandemic on the physical and mental well-being of the people,” he said.

Yoga practitioners from eight countries participated in a digital demonstration conducted by New York-based yoga teacher Eddie Stern. The United Nations General Assembly had declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014 at the initiative of India with the support of 177 countries. Unlike the UN, which still maintains strict Covid-19 precautions, the host city New York had dropped most Covid related restrictions last week as the city’s vaccination rate surged to about 70 per cent, enabling a mass celebration.

On Sunday, the city’s Times Square held its first major event after the restrictions fell off, celebrating Yoga Day to coincide with the Summer Solstice, which came a day earlier this year. A relay of yoga practice with over 3,000 people participating took place at Times Square, which is known as the ‘Crossroads of the World’, from 7:30 am to 8 pm. Across the Hudson River at Jersey City’s Liberty State Park against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty, the tristate Federation of Indian Associations organised a celebration on Sunday. Both the events were organized in partnership with the Consulate General of India. (IANS)

Yoga On Times Square In New York, Gives Hope Of Coming Off Covid

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Rising from the pall of Covid-19 restrictions, New York City celebrated International Yoga Day at the Times Square with day-long performances of the ancient Indian art of developing a healthy mind and body. The city’s celebrations were held on Sunday, June 20th to coincide with the Summer Solstice, which falls a day early this year, but the UN observed the day virtually on Monday, June 21st. The UN General Assembly declared June 21 the International Day of Yoga in 2014 at the initiative of India with the support of 177 countries.

More than 3,000 people participated in the “Mind Over Madness Yoga” performances organised by the Indian Consulate General and the Times Square Alliance. India’s Consul General Randhir Jaiswal said at the celebrations: “Yoga is a universal idea, universal thought, universal action. And what better place than Times Square to celebrate a universal thought. This is the crossroads of the world. You have people from all over the world coming, here people from five continents coming here, people from all cultures coming here.

“While we celebrate yoga in various parts of the world, celebrating yoga here in Times Square is very special, very unique, more so today when it happens to be Father’s Day, what a happy coincidence.” Times Square Alliance President Tom Harris said yoga is about “health, harmony, unity and togetherness”. New York State had dropped most Covid-19 restrictions on June 15 and Yoga Day was the first major event at Times Square. “We are back. Now is the time to stop wishing and doing more,” Harris added.

The Consulate featured a stall with nature care, herbs and health materials from India, which Jaiswal said was to help people “live more in harmony with nature, more in harmony with traditional knowledge”. The relay of yoga exercises that began at 7.30 a.m. and continued till 8 p.m.. It was broadcast live on the internet to help those at home learn the art. The day has been observed at the UN with top officials joining in the mass exercises, except last year and this year because of the pandemic.

On Monday, the UN held a virtual event at 8.30 a.m. (6 p.m. Indian Standard Time) that was telecast over UN TV, which is available on the internet, and on the Indian Mission’s social media. General Assembly President VolkanBozkir delivered a message at the event and New York yoga teacher Eddie Stern is slated to give a demonstration. A Saudi yoga instructor, NoufMarwaai; an Indian doctor and author, Raman Krishnan, and Sam Rudra Swartz, a disciple of Swami Sachidananda and a hatha yoga teacher are to participate in an interactive dialogue on “Yoga and Wellbeing”.

Mindy Kaling Is Co-Founder Of Film School For Underserved

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Women 0

For those without connections, Hollywood’s film industry is notoriously hard to break into. Or at least, it has been. A coalition of Hollywood stars has partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District to form a public magnet high school focused on all things film. Celeb parents like George Clooney, Mindy Kaling, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria, Don Cheadle, and more hope the school will provide students from diverse and traditionally underserved communities with more opportunities to break into the industry, be it as cinematographers, set designers, screenwriters, or make-up artists.

Mindy Kaling, George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington are among several Hollywood personalities who will come together to co-found a film school for underserved communities next year. The institution, named Roybal School of Film and Television Production, will provide academic as well as practical lessons, and access to Hollywood stalwarts and professionals, besides an internship initiative, according to variety.com.

“Our aim is to better reflect the diversity of our country. That means starting early. It means creating high school programs that teach young people about cameras, and editing and visual effects and sound and all the career opportunities that this industry has to offer. It means internships that lead to well-paying careers. It means understanding that we’re all in this together,” Clooney said in a statement, reported the website. Others associated with the initiative include actor Grant Heslov, producers Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Hollywood talent scout Bryan Lourd, Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner, and Nicole Avant. (IANS)

Jesse Jackson Joins Efforts To Help COVID-Hit In India

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson argued for the importance of democracy, inclusiveness and unity in crises at an event calling for efforts to help the COVID-hit in India. Jackson, the founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, discussed his views in a short speech to celebrate the federal Juneteenth holiday at a press conference June 18 at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco. He also discussed his ongoing advocacy for helping India, where the coronavirus has claimed about 400,000 lives and impacted about 30 million. The event was co-hosted by Indiaspora founder M. Rangaswami.

The Indian American community has hailed Jackson pushing President Joe Biden to send COVID vaccines to India. “The pandemic is global and it’s real,” he said. “We have to realize we have to work together … and save millions of lives in India.” Jackson, a disciple of Martin Luther King Jr. and a believer in Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence, is dealing with Parkinson’s disease but looked active during the press conference. He stressed his India connections, pointing out that he had been there three times.

Asked what he thought about civil rights in India under the current administration there, he told the media, “Democracy cannot just be a word; democracy is about who you care for, your people and education. We are human beings … in jeopardy. I think in India the government is stable but people are poor – too poor… We need to make it right,” Jackson said. Sounding hopeful about working with the Narendra Modi government, he said, “I think the moment we talk [with Modi], we can act together on economic policy and democracy. Modi and I should work together on democracy,” Jackson said. He asked the Indian diaspora to support the poor in India with no homes, work or jobs, saying, “We members of the diaspora are blessed to be in good shape.”

Dr. Vijay G. Prabhakar, Rainbow PUSH Coalition global Ambassador and chairman of the American Association of Multi Ethnic Physicians, USA, has been working with Jackson. He told indica News he was surprised and pleased when Jackson called him in early May to discuss his support of India. Jackson and Dr. Prabhakar met President Biden and urged him to support India. The president has since pledged that of the 6 million he promised to send abroad, 2 million vaccine doses would go to India.

“That will be done by the end of June 2021,” Dr. Prabhakar told indica News on the sidelines of the press conference. He added that the doses, all provided free would include vaccines from AstraZeneca (after FDA approval), Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. There are more 60 million AstraZeneca stockpiled and which could be distributed from July 1. “Our request today is to have the Biden-Harris administration, through Jackson, to at least give us 20 million vaccines in the next 60 days,” Dr. Prabhakar said, adding that he and Jackson would be going back to Washington, DC, to personally pursue the matter again with Biden. Jackson also met President Biden during a presidential visit to Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr. Prabhakar said.

Dr. Prabhakar thanked Jackson for appealing to President Biden to remove the Defense Production Act ratings on three U.S. vaccine manufacturers to ease the shortage of raw materials to vaccine manufacturers in India. Describing Biden as a “minority-driven man,” Dr. Prabhakar said that he heard the president say he would set aside 15 percent for Black and brown people.

Dr. Prabhakar made an allusion to a wound being held, and explained it to indica News later: “We are aware of the friendship of Modi and Trump and their embrace at the Howdy Modi rally in Texas. Quite a large number of Indians were engaged in the campaign. What has not been forgotten yet by the Biden-Harris administration. This is why Jackson makes s difference. Because of him, President Biden agreed [to supply vaccines] … and the Modi government has accepted. Asked about reports about Modi visiting the U.S., Dr. Prabhakar acknowledged them, saying, “We have to work steadfastly to bring President Biden and Mr. Modi together.”

He said the work wasn’t easy, and had called for many phone calls with the Biden administration, and between Vice President Harris and Jackson. Rangaswami, founder and chairman of Indiaspora, a non-profit network of global leaders of Indian origin and the co-founder of the Sand Hill Group in Silicon Valley, told indica News that Indiaspora has raised close to $3. 5 million for the cause. He specifically cited PreetBharara, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who helped raise $130,000 for those affected by COVID in India.

Rangaswami said Indiapora’s Chalogive.org is working through a Delhi-based non-profit, Goonj, to distribute funds. He said that while a lot of other groups were working to supply oxygen needed by the COVID-hit, Indiaspora had focused on food and cash relief required in rural India. He said 230 million people in India have fallen into poverty since the pandemic began.

“I am sure the government is doing their bit. It’s such a big problem. Everybody needs to help,” he said, pointing out that hunger had become a big issue there.Rangaswami said that after the pandemic, too, the group would work to see how migrants could be given jobs where they live. “We learned a painful lesson in the U.S. last year, and have over 600,000 deaths,” Rangaswani said. “When the country is burning there [should be] no pointing of fingers,” he said, adding, “Maybe in the future we can give some constructive feedback. Right now the time is for India to get the vaccines.”

Modi Delivers Keynote Address At The 5th Edition Of Vivatech

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterNation India, Technology 0

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the 5th edition of VivaTech today via video conference. The Prime Minister was invited as a Guest of Honour to deliver the keynote address at VivaTech 2021, one of the largest digital and startup events in Europe, held in Paris every year since 2016.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that India and France have been working closely on a wide range of subjects. Among these, technology and digital are emerging areas of cooperation. It is the need of the hour that such cooperation continues to grow further. It will not only help our nations but also the world at large. Shri Modi mentioned Infosys providing tech support for the French Open tournament and collaboration involving French companies like Atos, Capgemini and India’s TCS and Wipro as examples of IT talent of the two countries serving companies and citizens all over the world.

Modi pointed out that where convention fails, innovation helps. During the pandemic, said the Prime Minister, digital technology helped us cope, connect, comfort and console. India’s universal and unique bio-metric digital identity system – Aadhar – helped to provide timely financial support to the poor. “We could supply free food to 800 million people, and deliver cooking-fuel subsidies to many households. We in India were able to operationalise two public digital education programes- Swayam and Diksha – in quick time to help students”, the Prime Minister informed.

The Indian leader praised the role of the start-up sector in meeting the challenge of the pandemic. The private sector played a key role in addressing the shortage of PPE kits, masks, testing kits etc. Doctors adopted tele-medicine in a big way so that some COVID and other non-COVID issues could be addressed virtually. Two vaccines are being made in India and more are in the development or trial stage. The Prime minister indicated that indigenous IT platform, Arogya-Setu enabled effective contact tracing. The COWIN digital platform has already helped ensure vaccines to millions.

Modi said that India is home to one of the world’s largest start-up eco systems. Several unicorns have come up in the recent years. India offers what innovators and investors need. He invited the world to invest in India based on the five pillars of: Talent, Market, Capital, Eco-system and, Culture of openness. The Prime Minister also stressed the strengths like, Indian talent pool, mobile phone penetration and Seven Seventy-Five million internet users, highest and cheap data consumption in the world and the highest use of social media to invite investors to India.

The Prime Minister also enumerated initiatives like state-of-the-art public digital infrastructure, five hundred and twenty three thousand kilometres of fibre optic network linking One hundred and fifty six thousand village councils, public wi-fi networks across the country. He also elaborated on efforts to nurture a culture of innovation. There are state-of-the-art innovation labs in Seven Thousand Five Hundred schools under the Atal Innovation Mission, the Prime Minister informed. Talking about the disruption in different sector over the past year, the Prime Minister insisted that disruption does not have to mean despair. Instead, the focus should be kept on the twin foundations of repair and prepare. “This time last year, the world was still seeking a vaccine. Today, we have quite a few. Similarly, we have to continue repairing health infrastructure and our economies. We in India implemented huge reforms across sectors, be it mining, space, banking, atomic energy and more. This goes on to show that India as a nation is adaptable and agile, even in the middle of the pandemic” Said Shri Modi.

Modi stressed the need for insulating our planet against the next pandemic. Ensuring we focus on sustainable life-styles that stop ecological degradation. Strengthening cooperation in furthering research as well as innovation. The Prime Minister called upon the start-up community to take the lead in working with collective spirit and a human centric approach to overcome this challenge. “The start-up space is dominated by youngsters. These are people free from the baggage of the past. They are best placed to power global transformation. Our start-ups must explore areas such as: Healthcare. Eco-friendly technology including waste recycling,

Agriculture, new age tools of learning”, said the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister emphasized that France and Europe are among India’s key partners. Referring to his conversations with President Macron, in summit with EU leaders in Porto in May, The Prime Minister said that digital partnership, from start-ups to quantum computing, emerged as a key priority. “History has shown that leadership in new technology drives economic strength, jobs and prosperity. But, our partnerships must also serve a larger purpose, in service of humanity. This pandemic is not only a test of our resilience, but also of our imagination It is a chance to build a more inclusive, caring and sustainable future for all,” concluded the Prime Minister.

UN Not Happy With New Indian IT Rules That Do Not Conform With International Norms

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia 0

Experts at the United Nations Office of the Human Rights Commissioner have said in a report that it is concerned that India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, in their current form, do not conform with international human rights norms. The observations were made in Mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.

The report is authored by Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Clement NyaletsossiVoule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and Joseph Cannataci, Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy. “As noted in previous communications sent to your Excellency’s Government, we are concerned that these new rules come at a time of a global pandemic and of large-scale farmer protests in the country, where the enjoyment of the freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to receive information, and the right to privacy, is particularly important for the realization of several other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights,” the report said.

“We would like to recall that restrictions to freedom of expression must never be invoked as a justification for the muzzling of any advocacy of multiparty democracy, democratic tenets and human rights,” the report said. The report said as a global leader in technology innovation, India has the potential to develop legislation that can place it at the forefront of efforts to protect digital rights. However, the substantially broadened scope of the Rules is likely to do just the opposite. “We would therefore encourage the Government to take all necessary steps to carry out a detailed review of the Rules and to consult with all relevant stakeholders, including civil society dealing with human rights, freedom of expression, privacy rights and digital rights”, the report said.

“We understand the new rules were issued under the Information Technology Act of 2000 and therefore, were not subject to parliamentary review or opened for consultation with stakeholders. We believe such consultations with relevant stakeholders are essential in order to ensure the final text is compatible with India’s international legal obligations, in particular with Articles 17 and 19 of the ICCPR,” it added. This observation along with India’s comment will also subsequently be made available in the usual report to be presented to the Human Rights Council, it added. Meanwhile India vigorously defended the much-debated IT Rules following critical comments by the UN special rapporteurs that certain aspects of the newly introduced regulation fall afoul of international human rights.

India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said: “The concern that the rules may be misused deliberately to make a large number of complaints so as to overwhelm the grievance redressal mechanisms created by social media platforms is misplaced, exaggerated and disingenuous and shows lack of willingness to address grievances of the users of these media platforms while using their data to earn revenues.” “The concerns alleging potential implications for freedom of expression that the new IT rules will entail is highly misplaced. India’s democratic credentials are well recognized. The right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The independent judiciary and a robust media are part of India’s democratic structure.”

The Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations, in a letter to the union government last week, had raised concerns on certain aspects of the Rules. “We are seriously concerned that Section 4 may compromise the right to privacy of every Internet user. We are notably concerned by the ability of executive authorities to issue orders to access to user data and restrict content, which seems to take place outside of any judicial oversight mechanism that would hold authorities accountable.” On Part 3 of the Rules on digital media: “We are seriously concerned that such broad powers given to the executive authorities, without judicial review, is likely to unduly restrict the free flow of information, which is protected by Article 19 (2) of the ICCPR [International Covenant on Civil and Political rights].”

Longest Day In The Northern Hemisphere

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterEnvironment, Science 0

Summer’s officially here! Longest day in the Northern Hemisphere is June 21st. Technically, the summer solstice occurs when the sun is directly over the imaginary Tropic of Cancer, or 23.5°N latitude. It’s also known as the northern solstice because it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere. This year, it occurred at 9:02 am IST on June 21st.Zenith Furthest Away from the Equator. A solstice happens when the sun’s zenith is at its furthest point from the equator. On the June solstice, it reaches its northernmost point and the Earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun, at about 23.4 degrees.

“Solstice” (Latin: “solstitium”) means sun-stopping. The point on the horizon where the sun appears to rise and set, stops and reverses direction after this day. On the solstice, the sun does not rise precisely in the east, but rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west, meaning it’s visible in the sky for a longer period of time. Although the June solstice marks the first day of astronomical summer, it’s more common to use meteorological definitions of seasons, making the solstice midsummer or midwinter.

Solstices in Culture

Over the centuries, the June solstice has inspired countless festivals, midsummer celebrations and religious holidays. One of the world’s oldest evidence of the summer solstice’s importance in culture is Stonehenge in England, a megalithic structure which clearly marks the moment of the June solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, where the June solstice is known as the shortest day of the year, it marks the first day of astronomical winter, but the middle of winter in meteorological terms.

Midnight Sun or Polar Night?

On the June solstice, the midnight sun is visible (weather permitting) throughout the night, in all areas from just south of the Arctic Circle to the North Pole.

Sunrise and Sunset Times

On the other side of the planet, south of the Antarctic Circle there’s Polar Night, meaning no Sunlight at all, on the June solstice.

Solstice Dates Vary

Even though most people consider June 21 as the date of the June solstice, it can happen anytime between June 20 and June 22, depending on which time zone you’re in. June 22 solstices are rare – the last June 22 solstice in UTC time took place in 1975 and there won’t be another one until 2203. The varying dates of the solstice are mainly due to the calendar system – most western countries use the Gregorian calendar which has 365 days in a normal year and 366 days in a Leap Year.

A tropical year is the time it takes the Earth to orbit once around the Sun. It is around 365.242199 days long, but varies slightly from year to year because of the influence of other planets. The exact orbital and daily rotational motion of the Earth, such as the “wobble” in the Earth’s axis (precession of the equinoxes), also contributes to the changing solstice dates. The 23.4° tilt in the Earth’s axis causes varying amounts of sunlight to reach different regions during its year-long orbit around the Sun. Today, the North Pole is tipped more towards the Sun than on any other day of the year. However, that does not mean more heat or that the Earth is any closer to the Sun, per common misconceptions.

Summer solstices happen twice each year (once in each hemisphere). Summer solstice for the Northern Hemisphere = Winter solstice for the Southern Hemisphere, and vice-versa. Also, during Equinoxes (vernal and autumnal), the Sun shines directly on the Equator and the length of day and night are nearly equal in either hemisphere. More key dates for 2021 (Northern Hemisphere): Autumn Equinox: Thursday, September 23, Winter Solstice: Tuesday, December 21.

Social Media Platforms Frustrated By India’s Changing Regulations

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia 0

US-based social media platforms have been frustrated by the relentless changing rules and regulations in India, the latest being India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Microblogging site Twitter has been facing the wrath of Indian authorities ever since it flagged a tweet by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on a ‘COVID Toolkit’, attributed to the Congress, on how to target the Centre over its handling of the COVID crisis. The row over the purported toolkit escalated after the Special Cell visited Twitter India offices on May 24 and served a notice, asking it to share information based on which Patra’s tweet had been tagged ‘manipulated media’.

The government had asked Twitter to remove the ‘manipulated media’ tag as the law enforcement agency was looking into the issue. Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari was questioned by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell on May 24 in connection with its probe into the case. He was questioned about the company’s policy on flagging tweets as ‘manipulated media’. Indian representatives of microblogging platform Twitter appeared before the parliamentary panel chaired by Congress’ Shashi Tharoor to discuss the issue of its guidelines and the misuse of its platform. During the deposition, Twitter India’s public policy manager Shagufta Kamran and legal counsel Ayushi Kapoor represented Twitter before the panel.

During the meeting, the panel asked the company, if it follows the law or the land, to which a representative responded saying, “We follow our own policies.” The members then told Twitter that law of the land is “supreme” and asked the company to abide by them. They also asked Twitter to explain why it should not be fined for ‘violating’ rule of land. On February 25, 2021, the Central Government enacted the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which cast various obligations on internet intermediaries, especially on social media platforms. It was reported that social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter were yet to comply with their obligations under the 2021 Rules. This gave rise to an apprehension among users of such websites that these websites could either stop operations or be banned in India for such non-compliance.

A user registered on Facebook can share information with his connections without the same being edited by Facebook in any manner. This passive role adopted by Facebook is what in essence enables it to be classified as an intermediary. Under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, intermediaries are granted protection from incurring any liability for third-party data available on their platform or hosted by them. This protection is essential as various intermediaries such as Facebook, Twitter or YouTube do not monitor the content posted by third-party users on their platforms. However, if any such content uploaded by a third-party user is in violation of any law, the intermediary does not incur any liability for such information.

Prior to the current 2021 rules, the 2011 Rules laid down the standards of due diligence required to be observed by intermediaries. The 2011 Rules required intermediaries to publish rules and regulations, privacy policy and user agreements which would enjoin each user not to post information which would contravene any law in force. These rules also required intermediaries to disable access or remove information which is unlawful upon receiving actual knowledge of the same. In Shreya Singhal versus Union of India, the Supreme Court read down the requirement of actual knowledge of an intermediary to mean knowledge of a court order directing it to disable access or remove such information.

The 2021 Rules supersede the 2011 Rules. In these rules, the requirement of publication of rules and regulations, privacy policy and user agreements which stipulate that no user shall post information which would contravene any law in force have been retained. The 2021 Rules now permit the intermediaries to take down any unlawful information on a voluntary basis and such voluntary removal would not affect the protection afforded to them under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. The 2021 Rules lay down additional due diligence requirements to be observed by “significant social media intermediaries”.

Any intermediary who primarily or solely enables online interaction between two or more users and allows them to create, upload, share, disseminate, modify or access information using its services and has more than 50 lakh registered users is classified as a significant social media intermediary. Thus, all popular social networking platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter would be required to observe these additional due diligence requirements. They social media platforms were given a three-month timeline for ensuring compliance of these rules. So far, none of the major international social networking platforms have complied with these requirements. Facebook has released a statement that it aims to comply with the 2021 Rules and was in discussion with the government on certain issues.

Under Rule 7 of the 2021 Rules, if an intermediary fails to observe any of the rules laid down, it loses protection afforded to it by Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Simply put, this would mean that an intermediary like Facebook or Twitter would be open for liability if a third-party user posts unlawful content on their platforms. On June 19, experts at United Nations Office of the Human Rights Commissioner have said in a report that it is concerned that India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, in their current form, do not conform with international human rights norms.

The observations were made in Mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy. The report is authored by Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Clement NyaletsossiVoule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and Joseph Cannataci, Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy.

“As noted in previous communications sent to your Excellency’s Government, we are concerned that these new rules come at a time of a global pandemic and of large-scale farmer protests in the country, where the enjoyment of the freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to receive information, and the right to privacy, is particularly important for the realisation of several other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights,” the report said.”We would like to recall that restrictions to freedom of expression must never be invoked as a justification for the muzzling of any advocacy of multiparty democracy, democratic tenets and human rights,” the report said.

The report said as a global leader in technology innovation, India has the potential to develop a legislation that can place it at the forefront of efforts to protect digital rights. However, the substantially broadened scope of the Rules is likely to do just the opposite. “We would therefore encourage the Government to take all necessary steps to carry out a detailed review of the Rules and to consult with all relevant stakeholders, including civil society dealing with human rights, freedom of expression, privacy rights and digital rights”, the report said.

The question here is whether freedom of speech is paramount or not. The Narendra Modi regime has been chipping away at various pillars of democracy and it is no wonder that another opportunity for the general public to voice its woes is being muzzled. Media too have been generally silenced be it through force or coercion. Popular voices have been thus silenced time and again by authoritarian governments the world over.

Bail for Delhi Riot accused

The impositions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) law against protestors have always been criticized by human rights activists and lawyers. A couple of days back, the Delhi High Court granted bail to DevanganaKalita and Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the Delhi riot case. Pinjra Tod activists DevanganaKalita and Natasha Narwal were arrested a year ago in the Delhi riots case. They were arrested in May 2020 for allegedly being part of a premeditated conspiracy behind the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020 during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The Delhi High Court granted interim bail to student activist Asif Iqbal Tanha, accused in a northeast Delhi riot case, so that he may appear for his three remaining backlog BA examinations papers.

However, the Delhi Police approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court granted bail to DevanganaKalita and Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha. While refusing to stay the Delhi High Court order, the Supreme Court observed that reading down of anti-terror law is an important issue and may have pan-India ramifications, and sought responses from three activists. It also said that the High Court judgement will “not to be treated as precedent by any court” to give similar reliefs, the Supreme Court said while hearing the Delhi Police’s appeal against the bail.

In its observation, the High Court said, “ We are constrained to say, that it appears, that in its anxiety to suppress dissent and in the morbid fear that matters may get out of hand, the state has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed ‘right to protest’ and ‘terrorist activity’. If such blurring gains traction, democracy would be in peril.” “Protests against governmental and parliamentary actions are legitimate; and though such protest are expected to be peaceful and non-violent, it is not uncommon for protestors to push the limits permissible in law,” the court had said. What the High Court observed is significant as the right to protest, just as freedom of speech, cannot be curtailed by imposing draconian laws by an all-powerful state. Let us wait for a further judgment by the Supreme Court of India in this case.

Sedition case against Aisha Sultana

Another interesting case that has come up in recent times is the one against Lakshadweep resident and activist Aisha Sultana, who has been charged with sedition for her “bioweapon” remark. The sedition case was registered against her on June 9 by the Kavaratti police following a complaint from BJP leader Abdul Khader Haji. The film director-cum-activist—a prominent face of Lakshadweep residents’ protest against a slew of draft proposals mooted by administrator Praful K Patel for the “development” of the island chain—had approached the High Court fearing arrest.

Kerala High Court had directed filmmaker Aisha Sultana to appear before the police in Lakshadweep for interrogation, but also granted her interim bail in case she is arrested. In an interim order, the court said Sultana should be released on interim bail for a week after executing a bond of Rs.50,000 in the event of arrest. She was told to appear before the Kavaratti police on June 20 for questioning. Sultana, during a debate on MediaOne TV on the proposed reforms and decisions of Patel, said the Centre has used a “bioweapon” on the island. Allegedly referring to the recent spurt in COVID-19 cases in Lakshadweep, Sultana said: “I can clearly say that Centre has used bioweapon in the island. There is already a calculation that China has used the coronavirus as a bioweapon…” she had said.

After the statement sparked controversy, Sultana clarified that she meant that the Centre was using administrator Patel as a “bioweapon” on the islands. The police had opposed her appeal saying that she had encouraged communalism. The unpopular measures proposed by Praful Patel include drafts of the Lakshadweep Animal Preservation Regulation, Lakshadweep Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Regulation, Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation and amendment to the Lakshadweep Panchayat Staff Rules.

Even in this case, there is an attempt to silence those who speak against a ruling authority such as the Administrator in the island who has become unpopular after a slew of measures that has run foul with the peaceful people of the Union Territory. Following the Kerala High Court’s direction in the case, the Lakshadweep Administration is trying to shift the islands’ cases to the Karnataka High Court as early as possible.

IAPC 8th INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE – ORLANDO FL. NOV 11-14, 2021

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

“The 8th International Media Conference of the Indo-American Press Club (IAPC), an association of Indo-American journalists in North America, will be held from November 11 to 14, 2021 in Orlando, Florida”. IAPC Chairman Dr.Joseph.M. Chalil and President Dr. SS Lal said in the joint meeting of the Board of Directors with National Executive on 14th June 2021. Seminars and workshops led by eminent journalists and media professional from different countries will be conducted as part of the seminar.

The first meeting of the IAPC, an organization formed in 2013 to bring Indo – American journalists under one umbrella, was held in New Jersey. IAPC is implementing plans to enhance the professional excellence of Indian-origin journalists in North America. As part of this, IAPC brings together renowned journalists from around the world every year as part of the International Media Conference. It seeks to improve the performance of Indian-American journalists as journalists by imparting new knowledge about the media to their me.

“We are emerging from the clutches of the Covid pandemic, and life is getting back to normal. Hence the venue selected for this year’s IMC at the entertainment capital at Orlando Florida will attract the participants and their families to enjoy the IMC and the thrill of a vacation outing.” added Dr. Mathew Joys, Vice Chairman IAPC. The meeting envisaged to form various Committees for the smooth running of the international Media Conference 2021, with the coordination of its Chapters in America and Canada.

E.U. Clears Americans For Travel To Europe

June 24, 2021November 8, 2022 Staff ReporterTourism 0

Lawmakers in the European Union have agreed to lift a travel ban on Americans that has been in place since early 2020. U.S. tourists can travel to Europe this summer, European Union lawmakers in Brussels said on Wednesday. The officials agreed to recommend E.U. member states lift travel restrictions that have been in place for Americans since early 2020. The region will also add the United States to its list of ‘safe’ countries for tourism, alongside the new additions of North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Lebanon, and Taiwan also earning the status. Both changes are expected to become official on Friday, according to a spokesperson for the European Council.

Some European nations, including Greece and France, already allow Americans to enter their borders, albeit with testing and/or vaccination requirements in place. But the E.U. giving its blessing for all nations across the bloc to permit American travelers is a significant milestone in the broader reopening of travel between the U.S. and Europe. For the first time in over a year, travelers from the U.S. may be permitted to more freely travel around the bloc, although subject to individual country entry requirements.

While the E.U. recommendation is not contingent on travelers being vaccinated, exact entry requirements will be at the discretion of individual countries, which can require (and some already are) a negative COVID-19 test and/or full vaccination. In May, the region’s leaders said they planned to open to Americans this summer because all coronavirus vaccines in use in the U.S. (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) are approved for use by Europe’s health officials. The E.U. Council’s recommendation is that nations should allow travelers who are either “[fully] vaccinated with an E.U.-approved vaccine” or are an essential traveler.

The list of countries considered ‘safe’ by the E.U. is revised every two weeks, and currently does not include the United Kingdom, which this week delayed its final phase of reopening by one month due to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, despite 57 percent of the U.K. population being fully vaccinated. The criteria for a nation to be considered ‘safe’ is that there are “not more than 75 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the previous 14 days,” along with other testing and positive-case-rate standards, and “overall response to COVID-19.”

Member states can halt travel at any time via an “emergency brake” established by European leaders as part of its tourism reopening. That plan relies on a digital health pass that rolled out this month in 13 E.U. nations. The pass, called a Green Certificate, will be available for use in all E.U. states on July 1. It confirms COVID-19 vaccination, test, and/or recovery; it is free to use and acceptable in both paper and digital formats via QR code.

Member states already allowing Americans are requiring an array of differing entry requirements, prompting travel agents to warn those considering a trip to double and triple check they meet the rules. France, for example, is only allowing vaccinated Americans who confirm their status via health form, while Greece is allowing Americans regardless of vaccination status if they test negative for COVID-19. Other nations are more complicated: Italy, for example, is only permitting entry via COVID-tested flights from 10 U.S. airports (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, and D.C.), all of which require proof of a PCR test taken 48 hours before travel; a Digital Passenger Form, health self-declaration, and rapid test upon arrival are also mandated. Travelers who don’t meet all Italy’s requirements are subject to a 10-day quarantine.

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin’s Economic Council Has World’s Top Luminaries

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterEconomy, Nation India 0

The Tamil Nadu government will constitute an Economic Advisory Council to guide chief minister MK Stalin to chart out a rapid and inclusive economic growth path for the state, said Governor BanwarilalPurohit on Monday, June 21st.A white paper detailing the true state of Tamil Nadu’s finances will be released in July, said Governor BanwarilalPurohit during the first session of the 16th state legislative assembly in Chennai. And it comprises an impressive lineup of leading economic experts from all over the world. We’re talking Nobel laureate Esther Duflo (in pic) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, former RBI governor RaghuramRajan, former chief economic advisor to the central government Dr Arvind Subramanian, development economist Jean Dreze and former Union finance secretary Dr S Narayan as council members.

The council will provide general guidance on economic and social policy, social justice and human development-related issues, and in matters related to equal opportunities for women and well-being of underprivileged groups.It will also make suggestions to boost growth, employment and productivity across all sectors, as well as act as a sounding board for ideas that might resolve roadblocks to development. As the first step towards bringing down the overall debt burden and improving fiscal position, a white paper detailing the true state of the state’s finances would be released in July so that the people are fully informed.

The Tamil Nadu government will form an economic advisory council comprising Nobel laureate Esther Duflo of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, and former Reserve Bank of India governor RaghuramRajan, to advise the chief minister. The other members of the council will be former chief economic advisor to the central government Arvind Subramanian, development economist Jean Dreze and former Union finance secretary S Narayan, Governor BanwarilalPurohit announced in his ceremonial address during the first session of the 16th state legislative assembly in Chennai on Monday.

“Based on the recommendation of the council, the government will revitalise the state’s economy and ensure that benefits of economic growth reach all segments of society,” Purohit said. He said the government will focus on improving the fiscal position and bringing down the debt burden. A white paper detailing the true state of Tamil Nadu’s finances will be released in July. During the first session of the 16th state legislative assembly in Chennai. The governor said while the Tamil Nadu government under MK Stalin would maintain a cordial relationship with the Union government, it would still fight for the rights of states.

The government has constituted a committee chaired by Justice AK Rajanto to study the adverse effects of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) on socially and educationally backward students, the governor said. Purohit announced that ‘Singara Chennai 2.0’ programme would be launched to provide world-class infrastructure and services in Greater Chennai Corporation. He also said the government would ensure speedy completion of phase two of metro rail.

Governor said the availability of medical infrastructure including oxygen beds has been substantially enhanced on a war-footing. “The Tamil Nadu government will urge the Union government to make necessary laws and amendments to grant Indian citizenship to Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka,” the governor said. He said the government is committed to transparency and accountability in temple management. “A state-level advisory committee for all major Hindu temples will be constituted to enhance the facilities for devotees, improve the maintenance of temples and to advise on related issues,” he said.

He added that the reservation policy of the state is 100 years old and has stood the test of time, delivering true social justice. “The 69% reservation currently available in Tamil Nadu will be continued and protected.” Purohit concluded his speech by saying DMK-led government will be a people’s government and not the party’s.

Canada Extends Border Restrictions To July 21

June 24, 2021November 8, 2022 Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

The Canadian government has announced that the Canada-US border agreement on travel restrictions will be extended for another month to July 21. “In coordination with the US, we are extending restrictions on non-essential international travel and with the US until July 21st, 2021,” Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said in a tweet on Friday.
Blair also said the government is planning measures for fully vaccinated Canadians, permanent residents, and others who are currently permitted to enter the country and will provide further details on June 21.

The new extension comes a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial premiers met to discuss the possibility of opening the land border between the two countries, which has been closed for non-essential travel since March 2020. The restrictions, which do not cover trade or travel by air, has been extended several times. he current restrictions were to expire on June 21.

Trudeau said on June 13 he had spoken with US President Joe Biden about how to lift the restrictions, but added that no breakthrough has been achieved. The Trudeau government closed its borders to non-essential travellers in March 2020. Since then, it has adjusted the rules to require Covid-19 testing before and after arrival, as well as a period of mandatory quarantine. Canada also limited international flights to just four airports in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary. In the fall of 2020, Canada expanded the list of travellers who were exempt from travel restrictions.

International students going to a Designated Learning Institution with a Covid-19 readiness plan were allowed to come to Canada to study. The exemptions also included extended family members, as well as travelers coming to Canada for compassionate reasons such as a funeral. In February 2021, Canada also added the mandatory hotel quarantine on incoming international travelers. New airport arrivals were to go immediately to wait for the results of a Covid-19 test at a government-approved hotel at their own expense.

U.S. To Invest On Antiviral Pill to Fight COVID-19

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth, Science 0

We’re not going to vaccinate our way completely out of this pandemic. With epidemiologists around the world increasingly accepting the reality that SARS-CoV-2 and its variants will become endemic viruses—like the seasonal flu—the push is on to develop antiviral medications that can be taken at home to prevent infections from leading to hospitalization and death. Today, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Biden Administration has authorized $3.2 billion to accelerate the development of antivirals already in the R&D pipeline, with the hope that at least one will be ready for release before the end of the year.

“The remarkable and rapid development of vaccines and testing technology has shown how agile scientific discovery can be,” said Dr. Francis S. Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in an HHS statement. “We will leverage these same strengths as we construct a platform for the discovery and development of effective antivirals.” The plan will focus on 19 drugs currently being investigated for their antiviral potential, with a goal of accelerating their development to Phase 2 clinical trials. Last week, the Administration already placed a major bet on one of the 19, announcing that it will purchase up to 1.7 million doses of an antiviral being produced by Merck, pending emergency use authorization or full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Of the $3.2 billion being allocated, $1.2 billion is going to fund the creation of what the HHS calls “collaborative drug discovery groups,” hoping that the push to create a COVID-19 treatment will also create a developmental infrastructure for other antivirals to treat other diseases.

The new drugs could not only fill the breach left by the vaccine-hesitant who are slowing the push in the U.S. and around the world to reach herd immunity, they could also serve as a backstop against breakthrough infections—cases of COVID-19 that occur even among the vaccinated. Late last month, for example, the CDC reported more than 10,000 breakthrough vaccinations in 46 states as of the end of April, at a time when just over 100 million vaccines had been administered in the U.S. In Massachusetts alone, there have currently been a total of 4,000 breakthrough infections recorded, reported the Boston Herald today. That’s still a relatively small number—representing just 0.1% of vaccinated people—but does make the new drugs attractive.

“New antivirals that prevent serious COVID-19 illness and death, especially oral drugs that could be taken at home early in the course of disease, would be powerful tools for battling the pandemic and saving lives,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in the HHS announcement.

Delta Covid Variant Has Now Spread To 80 Countries, And It Keeps Mutating

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth 0

The delta Covid variant, first detected in India, has now spread to more than 80 countries and it continues to mutate as it spreads across the globe, World Health Organization officials said Wednesday. The variant now makes up 10% of all new cases in the United States, up from 6% last week. Studies have shown the variant is even more transmissible than other variants. WHO officials said some reports have found that it also causes more severe symptoms, but more research is needed to confirm those conclusions.

The WHO is also tracking recent reports of a “delta plus” variant. “What I think this means is that there is an additional mutation that has been identified,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s Covid-19 technical lead. “In some of the delta variants we’ve seen one less mutation or one deletion instead of an additional, so we’re looking at all of it.” The United Kingdom recently saw the delta variant become the dominant strain there, surpassing its native alpha variant, which was first detected in the country last fall. The delta variant now makes up more than 60% of new cases in the U.K.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, said last week that “we cannot let that happen in the United States,” as he pushed to get more people vaccinated, especially young adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designated the delta variant as a variant of concern in the U.S. on Tuesday. The WHO designated the delta variant as a variant of concern in early May.

The WHO on Tuesday also added another Covid mutation, the lambda variant, to its list of variants of interest. The agency is monitoring more than 50 different Covid variants, but not all become enough of a public health threat to make the WHO’s formal watchlist. The lambda variant has multiple mutations in the spike protein that could have an impact on its transmissibility, but more studies are needed to fully understand the mutations, Van Kerkhove said. The lambda variant has been detected by scientists in South America, including in Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Argentina, thanks to increased genomic surveillance.

Sonu Sood Appointed As New Face Of Ayurvedic Brand

June 24, 2021June 25, 2021 Staff ReporterCinema 0

Bollywood actor SonuSood has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Krishna’s Herbal & Ayurveda that offers ayurvedic and herbal healthcare products, made with natural ingredients and sourced directly from select farms across the country. Commenting on the association, Sood said: “I have been using ‘jeevansanjeevanikwath’ in these tough times and we have decided that we will donate Rs 1 lakh Jeevan Sanjeevani bottles to the needy community across India.”

ShrawanDaga, founder of the Rajasthan-based brand, said: “We are so motivated by his actions. In the process of communicating with Sood for providing any help from us, we were informed that he contracted the virus. To our wonder, he was already using Krishna’s Herbal & Ayurveda’s immunity booster Jeevan SanjeevaniKwath.” The booster is a combination of medicinal herbs, including Tulsi, Geloy, Ashwagandha, Neem, Amla, Aloe vera, wheatgrass, harad and Arjuna bark. It is packed with the power of nature and helps in purifying the blood, detoxifying the body and strengthening immunity.

A part of the sale of Krishna’s Herbal & Ayurveda’s Products will be contributed to Sood Charity Foundation. Also, Rs 1 lakh Jeevan Sanjeevani bottles will be distributed to the needy people across India by Krishna’s Herbal & Ayurveda and Sood Charity Foundation, it said. (IANS)

Priyanka Chopra Signs Deal With Victoria’s Secret In Its Major Rebranding Bid

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterEntertainment, Fashion 0

American lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret has signed a new roster of female brand representatives that includes Indian actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, to replace its supermodels (or Angels as they were called), and focus on women empowerment, giving a platform to female athletes, activists and entrepreneurs. Victoria’s Secret announced on June 18^th of the creation of two new partnerships, designed to positively impact the lives of women. The brand’s previous campaigns had come under scrutiny for their embodiment of male fantasy over an accurate representation of what women seek in undergarments.

The new partnerships are ‘The VS Collective’ and ‘The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers.’ Chopra, being one of the founding members of both the partnerships, will be leading this drive to positive change. She and six other new brand ambassadors called the ‘VS Collective’ will model for Victoria’s Secret products, advise the brand and promote it on social media. Announcing her collaboration with the brand, Chopra posted on her Instagram handle, “Representation matters. It’s crucial for us to show EVERYONE all over the world that they matter and are seen! As a founding partner of #TheVSCollective and advisor to the business, this is exactly what I intend to do.”

She added, “It’s been so incredible to see your reactions to yesterday’s announcement. It’s fueled me further and I am excited to bring about meaningful change at one of the world’s most iconic brands. I’m so proud to be in the company of the Collective of incredible women that will helm this change.” “Ps: thank you to my dream team for always thinking big with me. For going on the wild rides I want to embark upon. And for fighting the big fights! Love u and am especially proud of u on this one!” Chopra concluded the post.

Besides Chopra, the roster comprises American soccer star Megan Rapinoe; Brazilian transgender model Valentina Sampaio; 17-year-old Chinese American freestyle skier; soon-to-be Olympian Eileen Gu, 29-year-old biracial model; inclusivity advocate Paloma Elsesser; photographer and Los Angeles-based media personality Amanda de Cadenet; South Sudanese-Australian model AdutAkech. “At Victoria’s Secret, we are on an incredible journey to become the world’s biggest and best advocate for women. This is a dramatic shift for our brand, and it’s a shift that we embrace from our core. These new initiatives are just the beginning. We are energized and humbled by the work ahead of us,” said Martin Waters, chief executive officer of Victoria’s Secret.

Among the first initiatives, the founding members of ‘The VS Collective’ will share their stories in a 10-episode recurring podcast hosted by award-winning broadcaster, Amanda de Cadenet. Each episode will showcase the remarkable experiences and perspectives of a member of the Collective, as well as reveal further details of their partnership with the brand. Furthering on their mission, ‘The VS Global Fund for Women’s Cancers’ with longstanding partner, Pelotonia, will fund innovative research projects aimed at progressing treatments and cures for women’s cancers and investing in the next generation of women scientists who represent the diverse population they serve.

Through the partnership, Victoria’s Secret will grant and award at least five million dollars annually to examine and address racial and gender inequities and unlock new innovations that improve cancer outcomes for all women. Annual grants will be awarded to individual scientists or research “dream teams” who are collaborating across institutions. Victoria’s Secret, which introduced raunchy lingerie to the masses in the ‘70s, has been overshadowed in recent years by brands that have openly embraced both ethnic and bodily diversity. After ages, the brand has now decided to drop Angels in a step towards women empowerment.

New Artificial Heart Shows Promising Results in ‘Auto-Mode’

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth, Science 0

Newswise — June 18, 2021 – An experimental artificial heart includes an autoregulation control mechanism, or Auto-Mode, that can adjust to the changing needs of patients treated for end-stage heart failure. Outcomes in the first series of patients managed with the new heart replacement pump in Auto-Mode are presented in the ASAIO Journal, official journal of the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

The study reports on the response to “pressure sensor-based autoregulation of blood flow” in ten patients for up to two years after implantation of the Carmat Total Artificial Heart (C‑TAH). “The C‑TAH Auto-Mode with built-in pressure sensors effectively produces appropriate physiological responses reflective of changing patients’ daily needs and thus provides almost physiological heart replacement therapy,” according to the new research. The lead author is Ivan Netuka, MD, of the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague. Auto-Mode may increase independence and quality of life in severe heart failure

Heart replacement pumps can restore cardiac output in patients with end-stage, biventricular heart failure (affecting both sides of the heart) whose only other option is heart transplantation. However, to enable patients to go home from the hospital and return to their usual activities, the pump should emulate normal heart function, with minimal need for adjustment. To meet that goal, the C‑TAH incorporates an Auto-Mode that automatically adapts the pumping action of the right and left ventricles in response to pressure sensors located inside the device, based on parameters set by the physician. The goal is to mimic normal physiological responses to changing needs – particularly physical activity.

Dr. Netuka and colleagues analyzed the Auto-Mode’s performance in the first 10 patients undergoing C‑TAH implantation in early European clinical experience. The patients were all men, average age 60 years. The C‑TAH was used as a bridge to heart transplantation in six patients and as a permanently implanted device in four. In all patients, the artificial heart was successfully switched from manual control to Auto-Mode in the operating room. Auto-Mode led to “an immediate appropriate cardiac output response” to the targeted settings. Hemodynamic data recorded by the C‑TAH showed expected variations in pumping output of the left and right ventricles, in response to changes in pressures and heart rate. Heart rate averaged 78 to 128 beats per minute; blood pressure was normal as well.

Over almost five years of aggregate follow-up, medical teams made changes in the Auto-Mode settings just 20 times. Most adjustments were performed during the first 30 days after device placement. Only four were done after the patient went home from the hospital: a rate of about 1 change per 11 months. “The reduced need for device management changes may contribute to greater autonomy for patients outside of the hospital environment and improvement in their quality of life,” Dr. Netukaand coauthors write. They acknowledge that their study is an initial experience in a relatively small number of patients.

“Nevertheless,” they add, “it represents a significant leap towards the next stage more physiological heart replacement therapy. The overall experience of more than four years of device performance represents a positive and promising outcome for the patients while requiring only minimal intervention from the clinicians.” The researchers plan further refinements based on the preliminary results; future studies will provide data on response to exercise and hospital readmission rates. A US clinical trial of the C‑TAH is scheduled to begin soon.

Click here to read “First Clinical Experience With the Pressure Sensor–Based Autoregulation of Blood Flow in an Artificial Heart.”

At NYIFF 2021, Tamil Film ‘Nasir,’ Actors Siddharth Menon, Akshata Pandavapura Among Winners

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterCinema, Entertainment 0

At the 2021 New York Indian Film Festival, presented by the Indian American-founded Indo-American Arts Council, the Kannada film, “Pinki Elli” (“Where is Pinki”), won the Best Screenplay award for PrithviKonanur and the Best Actress award for AkshataPandavapura. Director Ramesh Sharma’s “Ahimsa Gandhi: The Power of the Powerless,” a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, won the Best Documentary Feature Award. (NYIFF/Facebook photos). The Kannada film, “Pinki Elli” (“Where is Pinki”), which opened the 2021 edition of the annual New York Indian Film Festival, also won top honors at the festival – Best Screenplay award for PrithviKonanur and Best Actress award for AkshataPandavapura.

Through “Pinki Elli,” Konanur said he “wanted to hold a mirror to the society.” The film offers a gritty glimpse into the perspectives and experiences of everyday people. The complex tale weaves together the story of Bindu and Girish, a working couple in Bangalore with an eight-month-old baby girl, Pinki. When Pinki goes missing, the frantic search effort forces the film’s characters to confront strange places, people and situations that require each of them to reconcile their past, present and future.

When the awards were presented June 14 during a virtual ceremony, a documentary feature on Mahatma Gandhi, “Ahimsa Gandhi”; a short documentary, “Seva,” highlighting the Sikh tradition; and the Tamil-language drama, “Nasir,” also won big. “Nasir,” directed by ArunKarthick, was declared the Best Film. The Best Actor honor was accorded to Siddharth Menon for “June,” while Karan Dave won the Best Child Actor award for “Habaddi.”

In “Nasir,” salesman Nasir lives a contended life with his mother Fatima, wife Taj and nephew Iqbal in a closely populated ghetto. Employed in an apparel shop at the heart of a busy city, the middle-aged Nasir is a hard worker. He speaks humorously and makes others laugh. The film is an observational chronicle of an ordinary day in Nasir’s life. Director Ramesh Sharma’s “Ahimsa Gandhi: The Power of the Powerless,” a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, won the Best Documentary Feature award, while “Seva,” directed by RippinSindher, was declared the Best Documentary Short. The film shows how a wave of Sikh activists and leaders are challenging “otherism” through their seva, forcing the FBI to accurately report hate crimes against the Sikh community, according to the festival. Ajitpal Singh won the Best Director award for “Fire in the Mountains.”

“Fire in the Mountains” tells the striking tale of Chandra and her husband, Dharam, who run an inn in a small Himalayan village. The terrain poses a problem for the family, who must transport their son, Prakash, down the mountain in his wheelchair for doctors and school. While Chandra believes Prakash needs more medical attention, Dharam would rather put his faith in a shamanic ritual he believes will rid them of a deity’s curse, the cause of Prakash’s affliction. Tensions increase as their worldviews collide and slowly erode their familial ties.

“TasherGhawr,” directed by Sudipto Roy and starring acclaimed actress Swastika Mukherjee, won the award for the Best Short Narrative. The story revolves around Sujata, a middle-aged housewife residing in Kolkata with her husband during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. The festival, presented by the Indian American-founded Indo-American Arts Council, was held virtually from June 3-13.

Dr. Srinivas (Bobby) Mukkamala Elected As Chair, AMA Board Of Trustees

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile 0

Srinivas Mukkamala was elected as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association (AMA) on June 16th, 2021, for a term of one year. He served as chair Elect from June 2020 to June 2021. He is the only doctor of Indian origin ever to be elected as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Assocation. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeon, was elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees in June 2017. A graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, he is in solo, private practice in Flint, Mich.

Born to Sumathi&AppaRao in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Srinivas grew up in Flint, Michigan since he was 3.
SumathiMukkamala practiced Pediatrics in Flint from 1978 to 2000 and AppaRaoMukkamala practiced Radiology in Flint from 1975 to 2020. Dr. AppaRaoMukkamala served as President of Michigan State Medical Society in 2007-2008. Bobby Mukkamala served as President of Michigan State Medical Society in 2020-2021. Bobby &AppaRao are the only father & son to have served as Presidents of MSMS in the past 150 years. MSMS represents 15,000 physicians in Michigan.

Dr. Srinivas Mukkamala, who has been active in the AMA since residency, is a past Michigan representative to the AMA Young Physicians Section, a past recipient of the AMA Foundation’s “Excellence in Medicine” Leadership Award and, for the last 13 years, a member of the Michigan delegation to the AMA House of Delegates. In 2009 he was elected to the AMA Council on Science and Public Health and served as its chair from 2016 to 2017.Dr. AppaRaoMukkamala has been active in the AMA since his residency days in 1970 till his retirement on 2020. Both AppaRao& Bobby served on the AMA Councils at the same time from 2007 to 2010.

In addition to leadership roles at the AMA, Dr. Mukkamala has served as a member of the Michigan State Medical Society Board of Directors since 2011, as board chair for the past two years, and served as its president. He is also a past president of the Genesee County Medical Society (GCMS) and continues to serve on the GCMS Board of Directors. While a wide range of public health issues are important to Dr. Mukkamala, no issue strikes closer to home than his own city of Flint’s nationally publicized struggles with high levels of lead leaching into the drinking water. As the immediate past chair of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, he and the foundation’s board became the clearinghouse for funding projects focused on mitigating the effects of lead in local children. He is a member of the board of the Foundation for Flint, a supporting organization of the Community Foundation that is working to increase access to high-quality early education for children—a proven strategy for helping children who have been exposed to lead.

Deeply committed to the revitalization of his hometown, Dr. Mukkamala returned to Flint after completing his residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago in 2000. Today, he shares an office with his wife, Nita Kulkarni, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist. Together, as a further demonstration of their dedication to Flint, in 2012 they established the Endowed Health Professions Scholarships at the University of Michigan, Flint. Outside of medicine they enjoy family time with their twin teenaged sons, Deven and Nikhil, who are currently in college at the University of Chicago and University of Michigan, respectively.

American Medical Association (AMA), organization of American physicians, the objective of which is “to promote the science and art of medicine and the betterment of public health.” It was founded in Philadelphia in 1847 by 250 delegates representing more than 40 medical societies and 28 colleges. In the early 21st century the AMA had about 240,000 members. Its headquarters are in Chicago.

The AMA disseminates health and scientific information to its members and to the public and carries out a broad range of health education programs via the mass media and lectures. It keeps its members informed of significant medical and health legislation, and it represents its profession before the U.S. Congress and other governmental bodies and agencies, advocating its own views in the process. It helps set standards for medical schools and internship programs, and it tries to detect and alert the public to both quack medical remedies and medical charlatans.

In the AMA headquarters office are various departments concerned with a wide variety of medical topics, including geriatrics, maternal and childcare, hospital facilities, medical education, nutrition, drugs, insurance plans, scientific exhibits, health in rural areas, mental health, the cost of medical care, the health of industrial workers, and medical publications. Much of the work of the AMA is carried out under the guidance of committees and scientific councils, which collect and analyze data concerning new medical discoveries and therapies. Such bodies include councils on medical education, medical service, legislation, and ethical and judicial affairs. Publications of the AMA include the Journal of the American Medical Association, which is released 48 times a year, and 11 journals issued either monthly or bimonthly and devoted to such medical specialties as internal medicine, psychiatry, and pediatrics. In addition, the AMA publishes the online journal JAMA Network Open, which focuses on original research.

Vijayalakshmi Appareddy, M.D. Reappointed To AMA-COL

June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile, Women 0

Dr. Appareddy was recently reappointed to the Council on Legislation (COL), of the American Medical Association (AMA). The COL reviews proposed federal legislation and recommends appropriate action in accordance with AMA policy. It also develops model state legislation, recommends changes in existing AMA policy when necessary to accomplish effective legislative goals, and recommends to the Board of Trustees new federal legislation and legislation to modify existing laws of interest to the AMA.

The COL meets during the Annual & Interim meeting of the AMA, during the Sate advocacy conference, twice at Washington DC including the National advocacy conference. The COL works closely with the AMA legislative staff at Washington DC. During these unprecedented times the COL has been very involved in advising the AMA Board of Trustees in advocating for Physicians and Patients; with CMS, HHS, Congress and the White House.

Dr. Appareddy served AAPI as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees from 2002-2003. She was appointed by President Trump and President Bush to serve on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (PCPID).

Her continuum of service to the medical profession has spanned over three decades. She has been a Delegate/Delegate (A) to the AMA since 2007. Delegate to the Tennessee Medical Association (TMA). She is the past Chairperson of the AMA-IMG Governing Council. She represented AMA at the Commission to end Health Care Disparities. She is the recipient of several awards including the AMA Foundation leadership award.

Biden And Putin At Geneva Summit Make A New Beginning, But Issues Remain

June 18, 2021June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal, Nation USA 0

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first face-to-face meetings on June 16, 2021 at a historic summit in Geneva.At the end of their talks,first such meeting since 2018, both the leaders praised their talks, but have made little concrete progress.Biden said the tone of the talks were “positive,” and he told Putin that certain US “critical infrastructure” should be off-limits for cyberattacks. Putin described the summit as “constructive,” saying both countries will begin consultations on cybersecurity and US and Russian ambassadors will return to their diplomatic posts.

Disagreements were stated, said Biden, but not in a hyperbolic way, and he said Russia did not want a new Cold War.Putin said, Biden was an experienced statesman and the two “spoke the same language.” The talks lasted four hours, less time than was scheduled.Biden said they did not need to spend more time talking and there was now a genuine prospect to improve relations with Russia. The two sides agreed to begin a dialogue on nuclear arms control. They also said they would return ambassadors to each other’s capitals – the envoys were mutually withdrawn for consultations in March, after the US accused Russia of meddling in the 2020 presidential election. However, there was little sign of agreement on other issues, including cyber-security, Ukraine and the fate of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny,

“I really do think — not me, but I think we, the country, has put a different face on where we’ve been and where we’re going, and I feel good about it,” Biden said to the press, reflecting on his first foreign trip as President before boarding Air Force One. “There was a summary done by him and by me of what we covered. Lavrov and Blinken talked about what we covered. We raised things that required more amplification or we made sure we did not have any misunderstandings. It was after two hours there, we looked at each other like, ‘okay, what next?’ What is going to happen next is we’re going to be able to look back, look ahead in three to six months and say, did the things we agree to sit down and work out, did it work? Are we closer to a major strategic stability talks and progress? … That’s going to be the test. I am not sitting here saying because the President and I agreed we would do these things that all of a sudden it’s going to work. I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that I think there’s a genuine prospect to significantly improve the relations between the two countries, without giving up anything on principles and values.”

Biden also reiterated that “there were no threats” during the meeting. “Just simple assertions made… Just letting him know where I stood, what I thought we could accomplish together, and what, in fact, if there were violations of American sovereignty, what would we do,” Biden said.The US and Russia released a joint statement on Wednesday following the summit between the countries’ two leaders, noting that “even in periods of tension,” the two nations share goals of “ensuring predictability in the strategic sphere, reducing the risk of armed conflicts and the threat of nuclear war.”

“The recent extension of the New START Treaty exemplifies our commitment to nuclear arms control. Today, we reaffirm the principle that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought,” the statement said. “Consistent with these goals, the United States and Russia will embark together on an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future that will be deliberate and robust. Through this Dialogue, we seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures.” US President Joe Biden boarded Air Force One and departed Geneva en route to Washington, DC, following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

G7 Summit Leaders Offer United Front To Address Global Issues

June 18, 2021June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal, Nation USA 0

Leaders of the world’s largest economies unveiled an infrastructure plan Saturday for the developing world to compete with China’s global initiatives, but there was no immediate consensus on how forcefully to call out Beijing over human rights abuses. Citing China for its forced labor practices is part of President Joe Biden’s campaign to persuade fellow democratic leaders to present a more unified front to compete economically with Beijing. But while they agreed to work toward competing against China, there was less unity on how adversarial a public position the group should take.

Canada, the United Kingdom and France largely endorsed Biden’s position, while Germany, Italy and the European Union showed more hesitancy during Saturday’s first session of the Group of Seven summit, according to a senior Biden administration official. The official who briefed reporters was not authorized to publicly discuss the private meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity. In his first summit as president, Biden made a point of carving out one-on-one-time with the leaders, bouncing from French president Emmanuel Macron to German chancellor Angela Merkel to Italian prime minister Mario Draghi, a day after meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as if to personally try to ward off memories of the chaos that his predecessor would often bring to these gatherings.

Macron told Biden that collaboration was needed on a range of issues and told the American president that “it’s great to have a U.S. president part of the club and very willing to cooperate.” Relations between the allies had become strained during the four years of Donald Trump’s presidency and his “America first” foreign policy.Merkel, for her part, downplayed differences on China and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which would transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, bypassing Ukraine.“The atmosphere is very cooperative, it is characterized by mutual interest,” Merkel said. “There are very good, constructive and very vivid discussions in the sense that one wants to work together.”

Competing with Belt and Road

White House officials have said Biden wants the leaders of the G-7 nations — the U.S., Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Italy — to speak in a single voice against forced labor practices targeting China’s Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities. Biden hopes the denunciation will be part of a joint statement to be released Sunday when the summit ends, but some European allies are reluctant to split so forcefully with Beijing.

China had become one of the more compelling sublots of the wealthy nations’ summit, their first since 2019. Last year’s gathering was canceled because of COVID-19, and recovery from the pandemic is dominating this year’s discussions, with leaders expected to commit to sharing at least 1 billion vaccine shots with struggling countries. The allies also took the first steps in presenting an infrastructure proposal called “Build Back Better for the World,” a name echoing Biden’s campaign slogan. The plan calls for spending hundreds of billions of dollars in collaboration with the private sector while adhering to climate standards and labor practices.

It’s designed to compete with China’s trillion-dollar “Belt and Road Initiative,” which has launched a network of projects and maritime lanes that snake around large portions of the world, primarily Asia and Africa. Critics say China’s projects often create massive debt and expose nations to undue influence by Beijing.Britain also wants the world’s democracies to become less reliant on the Asian economic giant. The U.K. government said Saturday’s discussions would tackle “how we can shape the global system to deliver for our people in support of our values,” including by diversifying supply chains that currently heavily depend on China.

Not every European power has viewed China in as harsh a light as Biden, who has painted the rivalry with China as the defining competition for the 21st century. But there are some signs that Europe is willing to impose greater scrutiny.Before Biden took office in January, the European Commission announced it had come to terms with Beijing on a deal meant to provide Europe and China with greater access to each other’s markets. The Biden administration had hoped to have consultations on the pact.

But the deal has been put on hold, and the European Union in March announced sanctions targeting four Chinese officials involved with human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Beijing responded with penalties on several members of the European Parliament and other Europeans critical of the Chinese Communist Party. Biden administration officials see an opportunity to take concrete action to speak out against China’s reliance on forced labor as an “affront to human dignity.”

While calling out China in the G-7 communique would not create any immediate penalties for Beijing, one senior administration official said the action would send a message that the leaders were serious about defending human rights and working together to eradicate the use of forced labor. An estimated 1 million people or more — most of them Uyghurs — have been confined in reeducation camps in China’s western Xinjiang region in recent years, according to researchers. Chinese authorities have been accused of imposing forced labor, systematic forced birth control, torture and separating children from incarcerated parents.Beijing rejects allegations that it is committing crimes.

Johnson, the summit host, also welcomed the leaders from “guest nations” South Korea, Australia and South Africa, as well as the head of the United Nations, to the summit to “intensify cooperation between the world’s democratic and technologically advanced nations.” India was also invited but its delegation is not attending in person because of the severe coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Hundreds of environmental protesters took to the Cornish seaside early Saturday in a bid to draw the attention to climate issues. A crowd of surfers, kayakers and swimmers gathered on a beach in Falmouth for a mass “paddle out protest” organized by Surfers Against Sewage, a group campaigning for more ocean protections. The leaders took steps to transition away from the use of coal, committing to spend $2 billion to help developing nations move off the fuel by funding job training and technology improvements. Japan had expressed reluctance to slow the construction of new coal fired plants. China remains a big funder of the technology.

Biden ends the trip Wednesday by meeting in Geneva with Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The White House announced Saturday that they will not hold a joint news conference afterward, which removes the opportunity for comparisons to the availability that followed Trump and Putin’s 2018 Helsinki summit, in which Trump sided with Moscow over his own intelligence agencies. Only Biden will address the news media after the meeting. Putin, in an interview with NBC News, said the U.S.-Russia relationship had “deteriorated to its lowest point in recent years.”He added that while Trump was a “talented” and “colorful” person, Biden was a “career man” in politics, which has “some advantages, some disadvantages, but there will not be any impulse-based movements” by the U.S. president.(AP)

At the end of the Summit, leaders made the following statement — Our shared agenda for global action to build back better:

“We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, met in Cornwall on 11-13 June 2021 determined to beat COVID-19 and build back better. We remembered everyone who has been lost to the pandemic and paid tribute to those still striving to overcome it. Inspired by their example of collaboration and determination, we gathered united by the principle that brought us together originally, that shared beliefs and shared responsibilities are the bedrock of leadership and prosperity. Guided by this, our enduring ideals as free open societies and democracies, and by our commitment to multilateralism, we have agreed a shared G7 agenda for global action to:

End the pandemic and prepare for the future by driving an intensified international effort, starting immediately, to vaccinate the world by getting as many safe vaccines to as many people as possible as fast as possible. Total G7 commitments since the start of the pandemic provide for a total of over two billion vaccine doses, with the commitments since we last met in February 2021, including here in Carbis Bay, providing for one billion doses over the next year. At the same time we will create the appropriate frameworks to strengthen our collective defences against threats to global health by: increasing and coordinating on global manufacturing capacity on all continents; improving early warning systems; and support science in a mission to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, treatments and tests from 300 to 100 days.

Reinvigorate our economies by advancing recovery plans that build on the $12 trillion of support we have put in place during the pandemic. We will continue to support our economies for as long as is necessary, shifting the focus of our support from crisis response to promoting growth into the future, with plans that create jobs, invest in infrastructure, drive innovation, support people, and level up so that no place or person, irrespective of age, ethnicity or gender is left behind. This has not been the case with past global crises, and we are determined that this time it will be different.

Secure our future prosperity by championing freer, fairer trade within a reformed trading system, a more resilient global economy, and a fairer global tax system that reverses the race to the bottom. We will collaborate to ensure future frontiers of the global economy and society, from cyber space to outer space, increase the prosperity and wellbeing of all people while upholding our values as open societies. We are convinced of the potential of technological transformation for the common good in accordance with our shared values.

Protect our planet by supporting a green revolution that creates jobs, cuts emissions and seeks to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees. We commit to net zero no later than 2050, halving our collective emissions over the two decades to 2030, increasing and improving climate finance to 2025; and to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of our land and oceans by 2030. We acknowledge our duty to safeguard the planet for future generations.

Strengthen our partnerships with others around the world. We will develop a new partnership to build back better for the world, through a step change in our approach to investment for infrastructure, including through an initiative for clean and green growth. We are resolved to deepen our current partnership to a new deal with Africa, including by magnifying support from the International Monetary Fund for countries most in need to support our aim to reach a total global ambition of $100 billion.

Embrace our values as an enduring foundation for success in an ever changing world. We will harness the power of democracy, freedom, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights to answer the biggest questions and overcome the greatest challenges. We will do this in a way that values the individual and promotes equality, especially gender equality, including by supporting a target to get 40 million more girls into education and with at least $2¾ billion for the Global Partnership for Education.

We shall seek to advance this open agenda in collaboration with other countries and within the multilateral rules-based system. In particular, we look forward to working alongside our G20 partners and with all relevant International Organisations to secure a cleaner, greener, freer, fairer and safer future for our people and planet.”

2 Journalists Of Indian Origin Win Pulitzer Prizes

June 18, 2021June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia, Profile 0

Indian American journalist MeghaRajagopalan has won the United States’ top journalism award, the Pulitzer Prize, for innovative investigative reports harnessing satellite technology that exposed China’s mass detention camps for Muslim Uighurs and other minority ethnicities, Pulitzer Board announced on June 11^th, 2021.

The 2021 award in the International Reporting category has been shared by MeghaRajagopalanwith two colleagues from the internet media, BuzzFeed News. When China had started to detain Muslims in Xinjiang, Megha was the first journalist to visit a detention camp in 2017. China had denied such places existed and had her visa revoked. She was forced to leave the country. Working from London, she along with Alison Killing, an architect specialising in forensic analysis of architecture and satellite images of buildings, and Christo Buschek, a programmer who builds tools tailored for data journalists, investigated and published one of the worst human rights abuses in history.

Another Indian American journalist, Neil Bedi, won a Pulitzer in the Local Reporting category for investigative stories he wrote with Kathleen McGrory for exposing the Sheriff’s Office in Pasco County’s program that could identify people believed to be future crime suspects using computer modelling. Nearly 1,000 people including children were monitored under the program.

Bedi and Kathleen McGrory were given their award for exposing “how a powerful and politically connected sheriff built a secretive intelligence operation that harassed residents and used grades and child welfare records to profile schoolchildren,” the Pulitzer Board said. Bedi, who has a degree in computer science, is now a Washington-based reporter for ProPublica. He was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2019. This is the 105th year of the Pulitzer Prizes awarded by a board at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York recognizing outstanding work.The Pulitzer Prize is awarded yearly in twenty-one categories with each winner receiving a certificate and a $15,000 cash award. The winner in the public service category is awarded a gold medal.

In recognition of the proliferation of citizen journalism in the internet age, teenaged non-journalist Darnella Frazier was awarded a Pulitzer Special Citation for her courage in filming the killing of George Floyd, the African-American who died in police custody in Minneapolis last year. MeghaRajagopalan along with Alison Killing and Christo Buschek bagged the award for exposing a vast infrastructure of prisons and mass detention camps secretly built by China. The prisons had detained and housed thousands of Muslims in the Xinjiang region.

The video clip made on her smartphone go viral and set off prolonged nationwide protests against police brutality and led to measures in many states and cities to reform policing. The sight of a policeman kneeling on the neck of dying Floyd as he repeated, “I can’t breathe,” appealed to America’s conscience and led to a broader consideration of the problems faced by African-Americans. The Board said her that her video “spurred protests against police brutality around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists’ quest for truth and justice.” Rajagopalan and her colleagues used satellite imagery and 3D architectural simulations to buttress her interviews with two dozen former prisoners from the detention camps where as many as a million Muslims from Uighur and other minority ethnicities were interned. “I’m in complete shock, I did not expect this,” she said.

According to the publication, she and her colleagues, Alison Killing and Christo Buschek, identified 260 detention camps after building a voluminous database of about 50,000 possible sites comparing censored Chinese images with uncensored mapping software. Rajagopalan, who had previously reported from China but was barred from going there for the story, traveled to neighboring Kazakhstan to interview former detainees who had fled there, BuzzFeed said. “Throughout her reporting, Rajagopalan had to endure harassment from the Chinese government,” the publication said. The series of stories provided proof of Beijing’s violation of Uighurs’ human rights, which some U.S. and other Western officials have called a “genocide.”

Ousting Longest Serving PM, Israel Gets New Government

June 18, 2021June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal 0

The long and divisive reign of Benjamin Netanyahu, the dominant Israeli Prime Minister who led the nation for a long dozen years, officially ended, as the country’s Parliament gave its vote of confidence to a precarious coalition government stitched together by widely disparate anti-Netanyahu forces. Benjamin Netanyahu’s record 12-year run as Israel’s prime minister ended on Sunday, June 13th with Israeli Parliament approving a new “government of change” led by nationalist Naftali Bennett, an improbable scenario few Israelis once could have imagined. Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset, approved the new government by just a single vote — 60 to 59, with one abstention. Naftali Bennett took the oath of office as prime minister.

Under the coalition deal, Bennett, a 49-year-old Orthodox Jew and high-tech millionaire, will be replaced as prime minister in 2023 by centrist YairLapid, 57, a popular former television host. With his far-right Yamina party winning only six of parliament’s 120 seats in the last election, Bennett’s ascension to the premiership was a political jaw-dropper.They lead an eight-party alliance ranging from left to right, from secular to religious, that agrees on little but a desire to oust Mr. Netanyahu, the longest-serving leader in the country’s history, and to end Israel’s lengthy political gridlock.

Meanwhile, reports here suggest, Israel’s fragile new government has shown little interest in addressing the decades-old conflict with the Palestinians, but it may not have a choice.Jewish ultranationalists are already staging provocations aimed at splitting the coalition and bringing about a return to right-wing rule. In doing so, they risk escalating tensions with the Palestinians weeks after an 11-day Gaza war was halted by an informal cease-fire. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s best hope for maintaining his ruling coalition — which consists of eight parties from across the political spectrum — will be to manage the conflict, the same approach favored by his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, for most of his 12-year rule. But that method failed to prevent three Gaza wars and countless smaller eruptions.

That’s because the status quo for Palestinians involves expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, looming evictions in Jerusalem, home demolitions, deadly shootings and an array of discriminatory measures that two well-known human rights groups say amount to apartheid. In Gaza, which has been under a crippling blockade since the Hamas militant group seized power in 2007, it’s even worse. “They talk about it being a government of change, but it’s just going to entrench the status quo,” said Waleed Assaf, a Palestinian official who coordinates protests against West Bank settlements. “Bennett is a copy of Netanyahu, and he might even be more radical.”

Bennett said little about the Palestinians in a speech before being sworn in on Sunday. “Violence will be met with a firm response,” he warned, adding that “security calm will lead to economic moves, which will lead to reducing friction and the conflict.” Environment Minister Tamar Zandberg, a member of the dovish Meretz party, told Israeli television’s Channel 12 that she believes the peace process is important, but that the new government has agreed, “at least at this stage, not to deal with it.”

The government faces an early challenge on JabalSabeeh, a hilltop in the northern West Bank where dozens of Jewish settlers rapidly established an outpost last month, paving roads and setting up living quarters that they say are now home to dozens of families. The settlement, named Eviatar after an Israeli who was killed in an attack in 2013, was built without the permission of Israeli authorities on land the Palestinians say is privately owned. Israeli troops have evacuated settlers from the site three times before, but they returned after an Israeli was killed in a shooting attack nearby early last month.

Clearing them out again would embarrass Bennett and other right-wing members of the coalition, who already face fierce criticism — and even death threats — for allying with centrist and left-wing factions to oust Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Palestinians from the adjacent village of Beita have held regular protests against the settlement outpost. Demonstrators have thrown stones, and Israeli troops have fired tear gas and live ammunition. Three protesters have been killed, including 17-year-old Mohammed Hamayel, who was shot dead Friday. Initial reports said he was 15.

“I always taught him you should stand up for your rights without infringing on the rights of others,” his father, Said, said at a mourning event attended by dozens of villagers. He described his son as a popular teenager who got good grades and was a natural leader. “Thank God, I’m very proud of my son,” he said. “Even in martyrdom he distinguished himself.” Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state. The settlements are seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as a major obstacle to peace because they make it nearly impossible to create a contiguous, viable state of Palestine alongside Israel.

Every Israeli government since 1967 has expanded the settlements, and this one is unlikely to be an exception. Bennett briefly served as head of a major settler organization, and his party is one of three in the coalition that strongly support settlements.

India’s Health Ministry Says, 85% Decline In New Covid Cases

June 18, 2021June 24, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

India has registered a continuous decline since the number of new cases peaked on May 7, when India reported 4,14,188 new cases and they have declined by 85 percent, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India. “Almost 85 per cent decline has been seen in daily cases since the highest reported peak. We are witnessing this situation after 75 days, thus indicating an overall decline in infection rate, ” said Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry on COVID19 situation. On June 15^th, India reported 86,490 new cases, while on May 7, daily cases were at 4.14 lakh, but had come down to 2.67 lakh on May 19 and dropped below the 2 lakh mark subsequently.

Cumulative recovery rate has now reached 95.6 per cent, with recoveries outnumbering infections in all states, he said. As many as 366 districts across the country have reported a marked decline in cases over the past weeks, while there are 20 states and UTs where active Covid cases are less than 5,000. There has been a consistent decline in average daily new cases since the week of 5-11 May and a progressive increase in the rate of decline of average daily new cases, he added. The Health Ministry official further added that 3.28 per cent of children in the age group of 1-10 years contracted Covid-19 during the first wave while 3.05 per cent of children in the same age group were affected during the second wave.

“In the age group of 1-10 years, 3.28 per cent of children contracted COVID-19 infection in the first wave while 3.05 per cent during the second wave. 8.03 per cent were infected in 11-20 years of age group in the first wave and 8.5 per cent in the second wave, ” said Agarwal. He added that prioritising vaccination should be the focus in the country and added that Covid-19 safe behavior should be followed despite low Covid-19 numbers to contain the virulent variants of Coronavirus.

“Vaccination is an additional tool in the fight against coronavirus. I urge everyone to prioritise hygiene and abide by COVID appropriate behaviour including wearing masks and social distancing. Avoid travel as much as you can,” said Lav Agarwal. “Virus transmission is very low right now. Cluster cases should be contained. We are dealing with a highly transmissible variant this year than we were in 2020, hence we exercise greater caution and strictly abide by COVID appropriate behaviour, ” added Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NitiAayog while addressing the media in New Delhi.

Bill Introduced Allowing Doctors on J-1 Visas to Stay Longer in Rural Communities

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterEconomy, Immigration, Nation USA 0

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada; and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to increase the number of doctors able to work in rural and medically underserved communities, Klobuchar’s office said in a news release. The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act would allow international doctors to remain in the U.S. upon completing their residency under the condition that they practice in areas experiencing doctor shortages. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is an original co-sponsor along with Senators John Thune (R-SD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Roy Blunt (R-MO).

“We must provide opportunities for American-trained and educated physicians to remain in the country and practice in areas where there is an unmet need for quality care,” said Senator Collins. “By expanding access to health care in our rural and underserved communities, this bipartisan bill would promote healthier lives and ensure that families across the country receive the health care they deserve.”

“Over the last 15 years, the Conrad 30 program has brought more than 15,000 physicians to underserved areas, filling a critical need for quality care in our rural communities – a need that was highlighted during the coronavirus pandemic,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “Our bipartisan legislation would allow doctors to remain in the areas they serve, improving health care for families across the nation while retaining talent trained and educated here in the United States,” she added.

At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Klobuchar led a bipartisan group of 19 senators and 29 members of the House in a letter to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services calling on the administration to waive restrictions that prevent doctors on certain employment-based visas from providing medical services in rural areas. She also led a letter to USCIS with 24 senators and 13 members of the House, urging the administration to resume premium processing for doctors seeking employment-based visas.

“The American Medical Association strongly supports this bill that would ensure all patients, regardless of where they live, have adequate opportunities to be treated by skilled physicians in their local communities,” said Dr. Susan R. Bailey, President of the American Medical Association. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of rural and underserved areas having sufficient access to physicians and quality health care. Strengthening the Conrad 30 program is a vital part of making access happen.”

“Now more than ever, the U.S. must offer incentives and opportunities to trained physicians to work in areas of the country where we desperately need more excellent healthcare providers. The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act is a bipartisan effort to begin tackling our national physician shortfall, with a targeted focus on our rural and underserved area,” said Kristie De Peña, Vice President of Policy at The Niskanen Center.

“The latest extension of the Conrad State 30 Program will expire later this year, which is why we urge action to extend this critical program. Without timely reauthorization, patient access to care in the many communities that have benefited from these physicians may be threatened,” said Stacey Hughes, Executive Vice President of the American Hospital Association. “We also support the program improvements contained in the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act as part of this extension and stand ready to work with you and your colleagues to move this legislation forward.”

“NRHA applauds Senators Klobuchar, Collins, Rosen, and Ernst for reintroducing the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act. Rural Americans face greater health care workforce shortages than their urban counterparts, so we are proud to support this bill, which will help support the recruitment of physicians and the delivery of vital health care services in rural America,” said Carrie Cochran-McClain, Chief Policy Officer at the National Rural Health Association.

“Many highly trained hospitalists are immigrants and as COVID-19 has proven, they are crucial to our healthcare system, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) strongly supports the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act to help ensure these communities have the healthcare workforce necessary to care for the patients who need them,” said Eric Howell, MD, MHM, CEO of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Currently, doctors from other countries working in America on J-1 visas are required to return to their home country for two years after their residency has ended before they can apply for another visa or green card. The Conrad 30 program allows doctors to stay in the United States without having to return home if they agree to practice in an underserved area for three years. The “30” refers to the number of doctors per state that can participate in the program.

This legislation extends the Conrad 30 program for three years, improves the process for obtaining a visa, and allows for the program to be expanded beyond 30 slots if certain thresholds are met, while protecting small states’ slots. The bill also allows the spouses of doctors to work and provides worker protections to prevent the doctors from being mistreated. A version of the bill was included as an amendment in the comprehensive immigration bill that passed the Senate in 2013. The bill has received the endorsement of the Federation of American Hospitals, American Medical Association, the Niskanen Center, the American Hospital Association, the National Rural Health Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Eagle Act 2021 Gives Hope To Indians Stuck In Green Card Backlog

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterEconomy, Immigration 0

The Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment HR 3648 or the EAGLE Act 2021, introduced by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and Rep John Curtis, giving Equal Access to Green Cards for Legal Employment in the United States, is a welcome measure that is expected to do away with the seven percent per-country cap on employment-based immigrant visas. Considered to be a relief for tens of thousands of Indian nationals stuck in Green Card limbo, a bipartisan legislation introduced in the House of Representatives aims to remove per-country limit on employment-based green cards. He gives these pointers explaining the bill’s advantages

According to experts, getting out of the backlog will provide them a chance to change jobs, to start their own companies, to make investments and a freedom from the bondage of their organization rules specially on changing jobs, promotions, etc. So, it may be worth a try to push for the bill and hope for the best.EAGLE Act of 2021 phases out seven percent per-country cap on employment-based immigrant visas. It also raises per-country cap on family-sponsored visas to 15 percent. While skepticism remains on whether this bill has the potential to become a law or would change the landscape of the green card backlog anytime soon, some immigration experts believe that a good bill is better than no bill.

San Francisco Bay Area-based Prashant Prasad, a volunteer for Immigration Voice, a grass roots organization representing the high skilled immigrants in the US, explains why the current bill may be good news. He says, “We started advocating for a simple bill which would remove the per country caps for employment based green cards many years ago. The primary purpose of this was to ensure that employment based green cards are given on a first come first served basis.

As per experts, here is how, the Act will benefit:

Professional

Today about 80% of the people are not able to or do not change jobs because of the fear of starting the green card process all over again as it can take anywhere from 1.5 years to 4 years after most job changes.
The increased restrictions on H-1B holders, means that people who have been here for many years and may well be experts in their areas, fear that their visas may not renewed for some flimsy reasons, as has been the case for the last few years.
Losing a job for an H-1B visa holder means one has to find a job within 45 days (60 days today, but 15 days are required for LCA processing and H-1B filing) otherwise they have to leave the country with family.
Many companies do not hire H-1Bs, due to restrictive company policies in recent years driven by the ever increasing restrictions on H-1Bs in the previous Trump regime.

Hence, when I switched jobs just before Covid impacted this company, the entire team of about 8-9 people, who were recently hired, had to look for new jobs. While I was lucky to land a job within the available timeframe, many of the companies for whom I was a perfect fit and wanted to hire me, could not do so, because they were not hiring H-1Bs.

Ambitions get impacted as a majority of people just sacrifice career growth for the safety and stability of their jobs and hence the family.

Personal

It is a big disruption. If one has to move their family back to India especially with kids who have grown up in America and do not deserve an abrupt change.
My daughter came here when she was one year old and hence will not be covered by my green card process when she turns 21.

Even though she has grown up here, studied here, identifies with the school system here, has her friends here, I am worried that she will age out if I don’t get my green card before she turns 21. My priority date is 2014 and if no change happens in the law, I will probably not get a green card in another 20-25 years. There are many like me who live with the fear of kids aging out of the system.

I studied at a college which is ranked among the best for entrepreneurship and I was very enthused to start an entrepreneurial venture of my own, while still in college.

However, being on H-1B has more or less killed that dream, as we always have the visa situation at the back of our minds. The bill if implemented will solve this problem for many.

My wife, who herself is a M. Tech (Computer Science) and used to work in India, could not start working here for many years, until the H-4 EAD regulation came into effect.

Staying in a place where technology jobs are in abundance but unable to even try for one, was a very painful situation for her. H-4 EAD holders have been fighting a brave battle in the country from sacrificing careers to long wait for work permits. They do deserve a better deal than the current one.

Issues like delaying decisions to buy a house, deferring international travel, in the last few years due to challenges with H-1B stamping etc. are also a major reason why H-1Bs are leading uncertain lives in America.

Sarala Vidya Nagala Nominated By President Biden To Be A Federal Judge

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile, Women 0

Sarala Vidya Nagala of South Asian origin has been nominated by President Joe Biden to serve on the District Court for the District of Connecticut. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she would be the first judge of South Asian descent, nominated by President Biden. The White House announced last week that President Joe Biden has made a slate of judicial nominees June 15, 2021. She was chosen for this nomination being an “extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and US Constitution,” the White House said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Indian-American civil rights attorney Sarala VidyaNagala, who is working as a federal prosecutor in New Haven, Connecticut, has been nominated by US President Joe Biden as a federal judge in the state. She brings 13-year-long experience to the table. The appointment, if comes through, will make her the first judge of South Asian descent to serve on the federal bench in the state, media reports suggest. Besides her, Biden has also announced the names of four more judicial nominees on June 15.

The new nomination of VidyaNagala and others, according to the White House, is a continuation to fulfill President Biden’s “promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of the greatest assets as a country — both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds,” a statement said.

Indian-American VidyaNagala will receive a wide opportunity to use the leadership qualities that she has developed in many roles during her tenure at the US Attorney’s Office. She joined the US Attorney’s Office as an assistant attorney in 2012 and has been serving the state for over nine years now. In 2016, she took over the position of deputy chief. In her leadership role in the office, for the past four years, VidyaNagala has provided extensive results in a number of projects, including as Hate Crimes Coordinator, the White House announcement revealed. She had previously overseen the programs at Munger, Tolles, & Olson in San Francisco, California as an associate. She worked there between 2009 to 2012.

Nagala joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2012, and has served in a number of leadership roles in the office, including as Hate Crimes Coordinator, the White House announcement noted. Previously, she was an associate at Munger, Tolles, & Olson in San Francisco, California from 2009 to 2012. She began her legal career as a law clerk for Judge Susan Graber on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2009. Nagala received her J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law in 2008 and her B.A. from Stanford University in 2005.

Biden Administration Announces First National Strategy For Domestic Terrorism

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterNation USA 0

While international terrorism has received much attention across the nation, recent events, including the January 6^th violence on Capitol has made it urgent to address and tackle domestic terrorism. Responding to the newer realities, the Biden administration has released its first national strategy for domestic terrorism. The White House published its first national strategy for responding to domestic terrorism, five months after the 6 January attack on the US Capitol.

The national security council framework describes the domestic terrorism threat as more serious than potential attacks from outside the US, but also underlines the need to protect civil liberties and states that the approach must be “ideologically neutral”.

How will it work? The strategy has four pillars, writes Washington DC bureau chief David Smith, which include: understanding and sharing information about domestic terrorism threats, preventing Americans from being recruited, incited and mobilised, deterring and disrupting activity before violence and long-term contributing issues.
Meanwhile, Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, said on Monday that it was “highly unlikely” he would allow Biden to fill a supreme court vacancy in 2024, a presidential election year, if Republicans regained control of the chamber.
Extremist Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greeneapologized for comparing the House mask rule to the Holocaust.
Plus, how Republicans hold near total control – including the governorship and the legislature – in 23 US states.

Many Desis Win Primaries In New Jersey

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Profile 0

Several persons of South Asian origin have won the party primaries in the state of New Jersey,held on June 8^th this year in the state of New Jersey. Currently, there are three elected to the NJ state Assembly/Senate. Indian-American State Senator in Vin Gopal won the primaries and the other two Indian-Americans in the Assembly are Raj Mukherji and Sterly Stanley, who won a special election tonight for State Assembly in the 18th district in January 2021. All the three are set to go in November and will most probably win back their seats. Nevertheless, Gopal told Desi Talk he would take no chances and campaign for every vote.

Samip Joshi won the Democratic party Primary in his run for the Mayor of Edison Township. Joshi had many high-profile endorsements party high-ups favored him with, from U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, and Gov. Phil Murphy downwards, and was engaged in a battle with fellow Democrat Mahesh Bhagia. Joshi won 5,995 votes to Bhagia’s 3,185, according to centraljersey.com reporting based on Middlesex County Board of Elections.

“I want to thank my campaign team, the many Democratic leaders who embraced my candidacy and especially the people of Edison who saw clearly that we need a new direction for our community,” Joshi went on to say, concluding with, “I look forward to the General Election and hopefully to beginning a new administration in January that will deliver the bold, transformative leadership that Edison deserves.” Joshi is expected to face Republican candidate Keith Hahn, retired township police officer, and incumbent Mayor Tom Lankey, in the November elections.

In the State Senate, Gopal will fight against Republican Lori Annetta on November 2. Gopal turned the Red County (Montgomery) into blue when he got elected in an upset victory four years ago. “New Jersey is becoming more and more blue – over the last ten years,” he told Desi Talk. There are one million more Democrats registered today than before, he said, which gives this party the advantage. “I beat a very, very, very difficult incumbent in the last election, and I am going to take nothing for granted.” Gopal draws support from members of both parties, he noted. Sadaf Jaffer, two-term mayor of Montgomery Township, won the district 16 primary for the Democratic Party nomination and goes on November. At last count when the mail-in votes had yet to be added, Jaffer had won 44.19 percent of the vote and her running mate had secured 42.07 percent.

“This District is a purple district till a few years ago when it was all Republican,” she said. “I am very confident of winning the seat,” and she attributes that to the hard work done during the pandemic to keep the public informed and working as a team to marshal local and state resources and help small business and others. At the local grassroots level, Jaffer developed a Crisis Plan, and networked with very diverse communities. Jaffer’s ancestry goes back to the Kutch region of India and to Pakistan.

In District 18, Republican Vihal Patel was uncontested in his party primary for the State Assembly. On the Democratic side in this district, Mohin Patel lost the primary against Patrick Diegnan Jr. who won 75 percent of his party’s vote. So Patel will face off against Diegnan in November. Another uncontested Republican was Agha Khan who is running for the NJ State Senate Seat from District 33. He will face off against incumbent Sen. Brian Stack who was also unopposed. Notably, Stack won the 2017 election to the State Senate with 88.22 percent of the votes while his Republican opponent got less than 12 percent. Khan’s fate is not on the winning side. Khan tried his luck back in 2016 running as a Republican for the U.S. House of Representatives from District 8 in New Jersey.

Hirsh Singh, a Republican lost in a four-way primary for the Governor’s seat, but did not do too badly, securing 21.49 percent of the vote. Bina Shah, another GOP candidate for the State Assembly from District 14, along with her partner on the slate Andrew Pachuta, will be pitted against Wayne DeAngelo and Daniel Benson. One of the difficult races is the one from District 21, that saw Anjali Mehrotra, a community organizer and is President of the National Organization for Women of New Jersey. “This is a very competitive district,” Mehrotra told Desi Talk, with incumbents being all Republicans for the longest time, but with a trend favoring Democrats over the last decade.

“This year is a great opportunity for a pick up,” Mehrotra said. “We’re hoping to get two more Democrats into the Assembly.” Mehrotra and Elizabeth Graner go against Republicans Michele Matsikoudis and incumbent Nancy Munoz, who Mehrotra noted got the lowest percentage of votes despite being an incumbent.“This is definitely an opportunity to grow the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) caucus in the Assembly,” Mehrotra said, emphasizing that she decided to run when Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, the first Indian-American to be elected to the NJ lower house, said more South Asians needed to put their hats in the ring. District 21 is a suburban area with generally highly educated and wealthy electorate. Mehrotra sees women in the District going for her because of her past work on women’s issues.

4 Persons of Indian Origin Feature in Fortune’s 2021 World’s 50 Greatest Leaders List

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterProfile, Youth 0

Adar Poonawalla, head of the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, is among the top 10 among the 50 Word’s Greatest Leaders, 2021 listed by Fortune magazine. Others named to the list featured Armman organization’s Indian founder and chairperson Dr. Aparna Hegde at No.15; Indian Americans Sunrise Movement executive director Varshini Prakash at No. 28, and Brown University School of Public Health Dean Ashish Jha at No. 50. Topping the 2021 list is New Zealand Prime Minister JacindaArdern, “who had already sealed her position as a great leader early in her premiership of New Zealand, by empathetically steering her country through the aftermath of a terror attack and the deadly eruption of a volcano. Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and Ardern targeted not just suppression of the virus, but its complete elimination.”

While introducing the Top 50 world leaders, Fortune wrote: “Many of them emerged almost instantly, seemingly out of nowhere, to meet unimagined crises. Like Fairley, they embody Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s conception of “a true leader”—someone who “has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.” MacArthur also pointed out that such a person “does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of [their] actions and the integrity of their intent.”

On Poonawala, Fortune wrote: “Tasked with no less than bringing an end to the global pandemic, the SII has pledged to deliver up to 2 billion vaccine doses in the coming years to COVAX, a global initiative to provide vaccine to lower- and middle-income countries—and it has already provided more doses to that initiative than any other vaccine maker. The SII is producing two vaccines. The first, Covishield, is one of only a few vaccines approved by the World Health Organization and is based on the COVID vaccine AstraZeneca developed. SII’s other vaccine, called Covavax, is being produced in partnership with American firm Novavax, and may provide a 1.1 billion–dose boon to global vaccine stocks starting later this year once it clears clinical trials.”

Hegde, aurogynecologist, witnessed too many horrors delivering babies at a government hospital in Mumbai during her Residency. Worse, they were preventable: Time after time, she’d seen an infant or its mother, or both, die in childbirth, tragedies that could have been avoided with basic prenatal care or more timely dispatching of hospital resources, according to her profile. That’s what led her in 2008 to found Armman, an organization focused on bettering outcomes through the use of low-cost technology—like targeting pregnant women and new mothers with information through their cellphones, the bio said.

Today her nonprofit, which partners with the Indian government and dozens of NGOs in 17 states across the country, and represents one of the largest mobile health programs in the world and a lifeline for women in India: Armman has reached more than 24 million of them and trained more than 170,000 local health workers, it added. The model has proved powerful beyond prenatal care, too: When COVID struck, Armman’s network and virtual training platform made it a vital tool in educating women and health workers about the virus and vaccine.

Prakash was joined at her No. 28 ranking with Sunrise Movement training director Sara Blazevic. Co-founders Blazevic and Prakash helped officially launch the group of youth activists in 2017, and it is now one of the most effective coalitions fighting for climate action in the United States, according to the feature. Sunrise initially campaigned heavily for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, but Joe Biden actively courted it after emerging as the party’s frontrunner. Prakash was chosen by Biden to serve on the “unity task force” commissioned by both candidates to help assemble the party’s climate message. After the election, Sunrise leaders were also included in Biden’s transition, the profile said.

Rounding out the list was Jha. In the effort to contain an outbreak of COVID’s scope, there’s a delicate balance between messaging, compassion, and sober analysis, and Ashish Jha has become a downright Ariadne of this maze, the magazine said. A respected physician and public health scholar, Jha is a familiar face on cable news channels seeking insight on all matters COVID. Jha has a way, both in his public commentary and social media presence, of breaking down complicated public health issues in accessible language. His lack of a government affiliation has also helped him appear more trustworthy to skeptically inclined viewers, Fortune said. Jha’s unrelenting effort to share hard facts, easy-to-understand analysis, and a healthy sprinkling of empathy without judgment is a standard worth aspiring to, the report noted.

Covid’s Link To Life Threatening Blood Clots Discovered

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth 0

Irish scientists have identified how and why some Covid-19 patients can develop life-threatening blood clots. The work ,led by researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), could lead to targeted therapies that prevent such clots happening in future. The findings are published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. The scientists analyzed samples from Covid-19 patients in intensive care in the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. They found the balance between a molecule that causes clotting called the von Willebrand Factor (VWF) and its regulator, ADANTS 13, is severely disrupted in Covid patients who had elevated levels of the VWF protein.

The ADAMTS13 gene provides instructions for making an enzyme that is involved in regulating blood clotting, while VWF is a large multimeric glycoprotein in plasma. Deficiency or dysfunction of VWF can lead to either bleeding or thrombosis. The findings could lead to targeted therapies that prevent such clots happening in future, the BBC reported. The study is published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. “Our research helps provide insights into the mechanisms that cause severe blood clots in patients with Covid-19, which is critical in developing more effective treatments,” said Dr Jamie O’Sullivan, a research lecturer at the RCSI.She said more research needed to be done to determine whether targets aimed at correcting the levels of ADAMTS 13 and VWF can lead to successful interventions.

“It is important that we continue to develop therapies for patients with Covid-19,” O’Sullivan said. “Vaccines will continue to be unavailable to many people throughout the world and it is important that we provide effective treatments to them and to those with breakthrough infections,” she added. For the study, the team analyzed samples from Covid-19 patients in intensive care in the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Outside of novel coronavirus infection, these clot-causing antibodies are typically seen in patients who have the autoimmune disease antiphospholipid syndrome. The connection between autoantibodies and COVID-19 was unexpected, says co-corresponding author YogenKanthi, M.D., an assistant professor at the Michigan Medicine Frankel Cardiovascular Center and a Lasker Investigator at the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. “In patients with COVID-19, we continue to see a relentless, self-amplifying cycle of inflammation and clotting in the body,” Kanthi says. “Now we’re learning that autoantibodies could be a culprit in this loop of clotting and inflammation that makes people who were already struggling even sicker.”

United States Reaches Another Milestone, 600,000 Deaths From Coronavirus

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth 0

The U.S. surpassed 600,000 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, June 15^th, a stark reminder of the pandemic’s enduring toll even as the nation continues to take steps toward normalcy. The remarkable progress in the battle against the coronavirus, thanks to a concerted vaccination effort led by the federal government, has ushered in the lifting of restrictions and perhaps even a sense that the pandemic’s over. The precise number is under debate. Reuters reported, there had been 600,061 reports of covid-linked fatalities since the start of the pandemic, while a Johns Hopkins University tracker placed the death toll at 600,272. Either way, the United States is closing in on the total casualty count across the four-year long Civil War.

The nationwide death rate, however, has dropped sharply since inoculations became widely available. More than 79,000 people died of covid-19 in January, but it has taken almost four months for the death toll to go from 500,000 to 600,000.The current seven-day average of about 430 deaths a day is less than one-seventh of the 3,300 daily fatalities during the ghastly January peak. But even 430 represents a fourfold increase on the number of Americans per day who die of the flu in a typical year, and the U.S. still leads the world by plenty in reported coronavirus cases (33.4 million) and deaths.

Here are some significant developments:

The European Union will recommend lifting restrictions on U.S. travelers on Friday, a long-anticipated move that will allow a return to near-normal travel with the continent for the first time since the pandemic began, according to diplomats.
California fully reopened its economy even as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) stressed that “this thing can come back” if vaccination rates don’t continue increasing.
Fifty-two people associated with the Copa America soccer tournament held in covid-stricken Brazil have tested positive for the coronavirus, the country’s Health Ministry said Tuesday.
The Trump administration’s hunt for a pandemic “lab leak” went down many paths and came up with no smoking gun to reveal whether the virus could be the result of engineering or a lab accident.
Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin laid out a plan to fully reopen the economy in late October. The Southeast Asian nation has been in “total lockdown” since June 1, when it was registering more new cases per capita than any medium- or large-sized country in Asia.
The United States reported a seven-day rolling average of 13,530 new cases Tuesday, a 13.5 percent decrease from the previous week. Covid-linked hospitalizations fell by 13 percent.

And with half of Americans still unvaccinated, the potential for further grief and suffering has been far from eliminated.”The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight, but it doesn’t bring back any of those lives or bring solace to the grieving families,” said Dr. Steven Woolf, director emeritus of the Center on Society and Health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Europe Lifts Ban On US Travelers

June 18, 2021November 8, 2022 Staff ReporterTourism, Travel 0

The European Union is officially recommending that the 27-member bloc lift restrictions on US travelers, a long-anticipated move that will allow a return to near-normal travel with the continent for the first time since the pandemic began, according to diplomats.The European diplomats spoke on the condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement planned for Friday. EU ambassadors decided Wednesday to approve a proposal to add the United States — along with Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia — to its “white list” of places where nonessential travelers are allowed in from across the bloc, sources said. Although this list is nonbinding, it seeks to harmonize travel rules across the European Union. Some European countries, including Greece, Portugal, and Spain, are already accepting vaccinated US travelers.

Ambassadors from the 27 EU countries approved a European Commission proposal from May 3 to loosen the criteria to determine “safe” countries and to let in fully vaccinated tourists from elsewhere.The full resumption of transatlantic travel still has one further hurdle: The United States has yet to say when it will reciprocally lift its ban on E.U. travelers, although that move is similarly expected within weeks.Inclusion on the “white list,” created in June 2020, means E.U. countries can accept travelers regardless of their vaccination status, although each individual country can set its own requirements for entry and quarantine. Australia, Israel, Japan and New Zealand are among the countries already on the list.

Under current restrictions, people from only seven countries, including Australia, Israel and Singapore, can enter the EU on holiday, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated. The current main criterion is that there should be no more than 25 new Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the previous 14 days. The trend should be stable or decreasing and there should be a sufficient number of tests, which would need to show a minimum percentage of negative tests. Variants of concern can be taken into account.

The resumption of travel will be a major boost to tourism-dependent economies across the continent. Following a slow start to vaccine rollouts, European officials and policymakers hope that the bloc will reach herd immunity by July. So far, around 45 percent of the nearly 450 million E.U. residents have been inoculated with at least one shot, and around half of those have been fully vaccinated.Earlier this week, the E.U. Parliament also formally approved legislation to create a digital certificate system starting July 1 that would scrap quarantine requirements for people who can prove they are vaccinated or that they have recently recovered from covid-19 or tested negative for the virus.

Another Federal Holiday Added: Juneteenth, Commemorating The End Of Slavery

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterNation USA 0

The US Senate has unanimously passed on June 15^th, a measure that would establish a federal holiday for Juneteenth, the day that marks the end of slavery in Texas.The bill now heads to the Democratic-led House, where it is likely to be approved, although the timing remains uncertain. Unanimous Senate passage was an anticlimactic culmination to a long effort to commemorate Juneteenth, the day that enslaved Black people in Galveston, Tex., received news on June 19, 1865, that they had been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation — more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed it.

“Juneteenth commemorates the moment some of the last formerly enslaved people in the nation learned they were free,” said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). “Making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a major step forward to recognize the wrongs of the past — but we must continue to work to ensure equal justice and fulfill the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation and our Constitution.” The effort gained significant ground in the last Congress, but a July 2020 attempt to pass the bill establishing the holiday was foiled when Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) objected to its passage and GOP Senate leaders opted not to expend scarce floor time to get around his objection.

Johnson objected to the cost of granting federal workers an additional paid holiday, and he proposed amendments that would offset the cost by either removing Columbus Day from the list of paid federal holidays or subtracting a day from federal workers’ paid leave. That proposal prompted sharp criticism from conservative commentators such as Tucker Carlson, who last year accused Johnson and another Republican, Sen. James Lankford (Okla.), of “trying to cancel Columbus Day.”In a statement Tuesday, Johnson said that while he remained concerned about the cost, which he pegged at $600 million a year, he did not intend to object again.

The Congressional Budget Office has not delivered an official cost estimate for the bill. Johnson’s estimate is based on the wages and salary that would be paid to the federal workforce for the day off, plus overtime for those who would work that day. Had Johnson not withdrawn his objection, the legislation probably would have faced a tougher path to reaching the Senate floor, since bills that do not have unanimous consent require more time for debate, and the chamber’s leaders have focused that time instead on voting rights, infrastructure and other key parts of their legislative agenda.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.From its Galveston, Texas origin in 1865, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long over due. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society.

FIA To Organize Yoga Events On International Yoga Day

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

The Federation of Indian Associations of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and the Consulate General of India, New York, is organising a one-hour-long yoga and meditation program on the occasion of the Seventh International Day of Yoga on June 20, 2021 at Liberty State Park,200 Morris Pesin Drive Jersey City, New Jersey. The FIA has invited all to join the program.

An ancient Indian discipline that focusses on the physical, mental and spiritualwell-being of an individual, yoga has found a resonance across the . The United Nations, in acknowledgement of its global appeal, proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in December 2014. While introducing the proposal in the UN, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said: “Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition… embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action … it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.”

The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut is one of the largest esteemed umbrella organizations in the Indian community. Ankur Vaidya is the Chairman of FIA and Anil Bansal is the President of the federation that represents over 500,000 strong and vibrant Asian-Indians who provide significant grass root support.

Established in 1970, the FIA has blossomed into a commendable organization that has become an effective mouthpiece and mobilizer for the community. FIA represents various issues that concern a growing Asian-Indian community at the local, state, and national levels.

India Blames Twitter For Not Complying With Local Laws

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia, Nation India 0

NEW DELHI (AP) — The standoff between the Indian government and Twitter escalated Wednesday when the country’s technology minister accused the social media giant of deliberately not complying with local laws. Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Twitter has chosen “the path of deliberate defiance” when it comes to following new internet regulations that digital activists have said could curtail online speech and privacy in India.

“If any foreign entity believes that they can portray itself as the flag bearer of free speech in India to excuse itself from complying with the law of the land, such attempts are misplaced,” Prasad said in a series of tweets.The Indian government has been at odds with major social media websites over a new set of sweeping regulations that give it more power to police online content. It requires companies to erase content that authorities deem unlawful, comply with government takedown orders, help with police investigations and identify the originators of “mischievous information.”

Under the new laws, social media websites and tech companies will also have to remove content within 36 hours after an administrative or legal order is issued. Their employees can be held criminally liable for failing to comply with the government’s requests.Twitter said in a statement Tuesday that it was making every effort to comply with the new regulations. The company said it had appointed an interim chief compliance officer in India, a requirement under the new regulations, and will soon notify India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

The new rules also require social media platforms to appoint what the government calls grievance officers to handle complaints from law enforcement agencies. Prasad, the IT minister, also accused Twitter of bias and said it was labeling some content as manipulated media, “only when it suits its likes and dislikes.” In May, leaders from Modi’s party tweeted parts of a document they said was created by the main opposition Congress Party to discredit the government’s handling of the pandemic. Some Congress leaders complained to Twitter, saying the document was forged. In response, Twitter marked some posts as “manipulated media.”

Twitter rules apply “manipulated media” tags to posts that have been “deceptively altered or fabricated.” The new internet regulations, announced in February, are among many challenges social media companies face after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pushed back against criticism that its new rules restrict online speech.Modi’s government has sought for years to control social media and has often directed Twitter to take down tweets or accounts that appear critical of his party and its leaders, including his administration’s handling of the pandemic. Twitter has complied with most of those orders.

The friction has intensified recently, with the government threatening social media companies with legal action and their employees with prison time if they refuse to comply with the takedown directives.Initially, Twitter expressed concern about what it called “the potential threat to freedom of expression” when the new rules came into effect late last month.

Basmati Rice Ownership Shared By India, Pak

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterBusiness, Culture 0

In a rare agreement between two arch-rivals India and Pakistan, which have a history of long-time rivalry with disputes on every front from sea to land, exporters from both sides of the border have mutually agreed to share the ownership of the regions prized Basmati rice, a solution considered the most workable to reach the European markets. “There has to be a joint ownership, which is a logical solution to the dispute,” said Faizan Ali Ghouri, a Pakistani rice exporter.The fight between India and Pakistan over the claim of the origin of Basmati rice has a long history, as this variety is produced largely on both sides of the border.

India has filed a claim in the European Union (EU) seeking a geographical indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice. Pakistan, on the other hand, has opposed India’s claim and has filed a request for a protected GI tag.“There is no logic in both countries’ claim for the sole exclusivity of Basmati rice. Although its origin is Pakistani Punjab, it is grown in both sides of the border. Therefore, a joint ownership is the only viable solution to the long-standing dispute,” said Ghouri.“The EU buyers also prefer joint ownership of the rice variety as they want to keep both New Delhi and Islamabad on board in terms of commodity exports,” he added.

Ghouri’s views were seconded by Ashok Sethi, the director of Punjab Rice Millers Export Association in India, who also suggested that both the countries should jointly protect the Basmati heritage.“India and Pakistan are the only two countries which produce Basmati in the world. Both should jointly work together to save the heritage and protect the GI regime of the rice,” said Sethi.It is pertinent to mention that EU had recognised Basmati as a joint product of India and Pakistan in 2006.

Both Pakistan and India make good money from their respective exports of Basmati rice. Pakistan annually earns $2.2 billion, while India makes about $6.8 billion from Basmati exports.“Both countries export Basmati rice. India, in its application to the EU, has never stated that it is the only Basmati producer in the world,” insisted Vijay Sethi, a New Delhi-based exporter.While both sides still have their own historical details on the origin of Basmati, it is rare to see two arch-rivals, who are not ready to come to the table for talks until their demands are met, come down to a mutual agreement.

Pakistan demands India to reverse its August 5, 2019 decision that changed the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories by abrogating Articles 370 and 35A, as a benchmark to make way for dialogue and address other issues between the two countries.India, on the other hand, demands Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism and take decisive action against terror elements, which it claims, enjoy the support of the establishment. (IANS)

CDC Reports, CovidIncreased Suicide Attempts In Teenage Girls By Over 50%

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterHealth, Youth 0

Suicide attempts by teenage girls in the US rose by 51 per cent during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report showed that between February 21 and March 20, 2021, the emergency department (ED) visits for suspected suicide attempts were 50.6 per cent higher among girls aged 12-17 years than during the same period in 2019. Among boys aged 12-17 years, the suspected suicide attempt ED visits increased 3.7 per cent.The difference in suspected suicide attempts by sex and the increase in suspected suicide attempts among young persons, especially adolescent females, is consistent with past research.

“However, the findings from this study suggest more severe distress among young females than has been identified in previous reports during the pandemic reinforcing the need for increased attention to, and prevention for, this population,” the CDC said.The ED visits for suspected suicide attempts begin to rise in May last year. The average weekly number of ED visits for suspected suicide attempts among adolescents 12-17 years was 22.3 per cent higher during the summer of 2020 and 39.1 per cent higher during the winter of 2021 than during the corresponding periods in 2019, the report said.

While the average weekly number rose among girls — 26.2 per cent higher in the summer and 50 per cent higher in the winter, among boys aged 12-17, the visits increased only 3.7 per cent in the winter compared to the same period in 2019.Importantly, although this report found increases in ED visits for suspected suicide attempts among adolescent females during 2020 and early 2021, this does not mean that suicide deaths have increased, the agency said.

“Suicide prevention requires a comprehensive approach that is adapted during times of infrastructure disruption, involves multisectoral partnerships and implements evidence-based strategies to address the range of factors influencing suicide risk,” the CDC said.A recent study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, also showed that Covid-19 has had a significant, detrimental impact on adolescent mental health, especially in girls. The study found that negative mental health outcomes were disproportionately reported by girls and older adolescents (13-18-year-olds), compared to same-age peers prior to the pandemic. (IANS.

Boycotting Kareena Kapoor Khan on Twitter Grows

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCinema, Media 0

Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has been trending on Twitter but not for any pleasant reason. The star found herself in trouble after reports alleging her charging a whopping Rs 12 crore (approx. US $1.6 million) fee for playing Sita on-screen surfaced online.Days after a media outlet reported that Kareena had demanded such a big amount for the upcoming mythological period saga ‘Sita’, netizens took to Twitter and expressed anger, demanding to boycott the ‘Good Newzz’ actor.

Twitterati seemed to be miffed with Bebo asking for such a whopping amount and many alleged that she is hurting their religious sentiments and that the demand of Rs 12 crores for a role is ‘against humanity’.#BoycottKareenaKhan has been trending on Twitter with users slamming the actor. One of the users tweeted, “Remember the way she arrogantly replied to public that it’s you idiots who make us star, Don’t watch my flims, I don’t care. Let’s not watch such unworthy people. She playing in mythological film is disgusting #BoycottKareenaKhan.”

Another user wrote, “This role cannot be played by an actress who doesn’t respect Hindu God’s. #BoycottKareenaKhan.”“She doesn’t deserve to play the role of Mata Sita! So We just #BoycottKareenaKhan!” read another tweet.Saying Kareena should rather play “Shurpnakha”, a user said, “RT if you also think Kareena Khan with the “Shurpanakha” Role than “Mata Sita”.

Another one wrote, “A nationalist Indian would never accept an actress who has no faith in Hinduism for the role of Mother Sita. Bollywood film mafia spreads poison towards Hinduism, we should boycott all such artists who hurt the religious sentiments of the people.”The viral report cited a source who claimed that Kareena who usually asks for Rs 6-8 crores for films has quoted a sum of Rs 12 crores for playing the role of Sita in Alaukik Desai’s upcoming film, which is said to be a Bollywood recreation of the Hindu epic, Ramayana.

Meanwhile, Kareena, whose last movie was ‘Angrezi Medium’, will next be seen in ‘Laal Singh Chadha’, co-starring opposite Aamir Khan. Helmed by AdvaitChandan, the Bollywood flick is a remake of the Hollywood classic ‘Forrest Gump’. Apart from ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’, Kareena is also a part of filmmaker Karan Johar’s period epic ‘Takht’.

New B2B Tech Platform For Artisans From India

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterBusiness, Culture 0

(New York, NY – June 15, 2021) Currently, small businesses in the U.S. and Canada are unable to source products directly from India, due to high minimum order quantities (MOQs), trust & reliability issues and, now, strict travel restrictions in place post-COVID.

ENTER…BlueRickhsaw.com (BR), a highly-curated, digital, B2B, wholesale export platform launched in March, connecting verified small businesses, weavers and artisans across India to small and mid-size retailers, mom-and-pop shops and boutique stores in North America, all in an effort to promote lucrative, cultural exchange and accessibility across borders.

BR will serve as THE ONLY tech platform on which smaller retailers can personally select products from verified suppliers across various categories with minimum MOQs (in most cases, just ONE product per style). Since most sellers and buyers are unable to produce or procure volumes during these uncertain times, BR serves as the perfect matchmaking service for these small-to-mid-size businesses looking for alternative avenues.

Founded by fashion designer and entrepreneur, AkshayWadhwa, who was named one of the top ten designers of Vancouver Fashion Week in 2016 and covered in British Vogue, BR came into existence after multiple rejections from American retailers, when Wadhwa went knocking on their doors for some face time. Wadhwa realized he was not being taken seriously as an Indian designer because retailers had previous negative experiences with reliability and timely deliveries from Indian manufacturers. Banking on the untapped potential of the Indian artisan market in a highly dysfunctional infrastructure, Wadhwa, then, created Blue Rickshaw to provide international opportunities to undiscovered and unexposed talent, everyone from small weavers to artisans to manufacturers, to make their products available across the world through a transparent ecosystem.

To make his dream a reality, Wadhwa joined hands with Co-Founder Krishan Chandak, whose 23 years of experience in technology and leadership resulted in the formation of the B2B platform, which has been built from the ground-up with a focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive filtering of products, so that buyers can ultimately purchase an item in less than 30 seconds.

The long-term vision of BR is to help the small manufacturers, weavers and artisans of India expand in the international market without having to make investments in promotion or travel, while enabling retailers across North America create an inventory-free model to sell directly to their customers without having to invest in purchasing minimum orders.

Other platforms like Etsy or Amazon are either seller-centric or buyer-centric, whereas Blue Rickshaw caters to both segments equally by espousing the values of trust, transparency and timeliness as part of its core philosophy, making it the new leader in tech-based, B2B wholesale export. “We just want to help small businesses get back on their feet, post-pandemic,” says Wadhwa. To learn more about the BlueRickshaw story, please click HERE.

Facebook To Help Affordable, Fast Internet Access In India

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia, Technology 0

In a bid to expand affordable internet access for the public, Facebook India on Tuesday announced new partnerships with internet service providers (ISPs) D-Vois and Netplus. The ISPs will use Facebook Connectivity’s Express Wi-Fi platform to launch public Wi-Fi hotspots across Bengaluru and several cities in Punjab.

“From Dharavi in Mumbai to Shillong, Aizawl, Vadodara, Rajkot, and many other towns and cities, the Express Wi-Fi platform is helping expand internet connectivity in the country, enabling economic opportunities, innovation, and expression for people, businesses, and communities alike,” said Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships, Facebook India.Express Wi-Fi is a software platform that enables mobile operators, satellite operators, and ISPs to build, grow, and monetise their Wi-Fi businesses in a sustainable and scalable way.The platform is used by partners in more than 30 countries, connecting millions of people around the world.

In India, the platform has already been deployed by eight partners, providing public Wi-Fi options to people across 12 states.D-VoiS has a presence in 60 cities and operates its broadband services under the brand ION. “ION plans to expand public Wi-Fi to thousands of hotspots at restaurants, bus-stands, malls, cafes, hospitals, and other public spaces,” said Ramesh Sathyanarayana, Founder, D-vois Communications. Netplus Broadband, the internet arm of Fastway Group, is another leading ISP in the country.

“The Express Wi-Fi services will be available at several high footfall public areas such as malls, hospitals, bus stands, and market complexes across the cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandar, Patiala, and Bhatinda,” informed PremOjha, Fastway Group CEO.During the current Covid crisis in India, Facebook also leveraged the Express Wi-Fi partner networks to share Covid-related information from credible sources with micro communities and towns across the country.

Daler Mehndi Strongly Condemns Promoting Tobacco, Alcohol Or Guns In Songs

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterEntertainment 0

Punjabi pop music icon Daler Mehndi says that he is personally against the use of dirty, obnoxious words in music. “Since I am a teetotaler, I strongly condemn showcasing, promoting tobacco, alcohol or guns in songs,” he says.Having said that, Mehndi adds that one can’t necessarily pick on Punjabi songs, and that it is songs in general — the words are a reflection of the society.

“Look at certain Bollywood songs, the current hip hop lingo, certain Bhojpuri songs, so you can’t generalise ‘Punjabi’ songs to be looking down at women as objects or singularly promoting alcohol — I think that credit is to be shared by the entertainment industry across languages. The onus of the choice and promotion and then consumption thereof lies not only with the singer, song writer, lyricist, record label or producer but also the audience,” he told IANSlife in an interview.Asked about the growing popularity of Punjabi music on the world stage, and the tone having being set with music pioneers like himself as early as the 1990s, Mehndi says:

“It feels good, the seed I sowed is a huge tree today. What ‘Bolo Ta Ra Ra’ did was change the music scenario and now every Bollywood to South Indian film has a song with a Punjabi Pop flavour. I write the mukhdas of all my songs, compose them, design the rhythm patterns, and are unique and that’s why over three generations can be seen dancing to my songs. The times may have changed, a wider audience, fans directly engaging with their favourite singers, actors, the world has shrunk and horizons have widened and still ‘tunaking’ to ‘TunakTunakTun’.”

Finally, why does he think Punjabi beats resonate so well with people who may not even understand the lyrics?“It is simply because these beats are robust, flamboyant, hailing from the land of valour, love, purity, truth, innovation, and simply great spirits. Punjabis are Daler — big hearts and so there automatically will be the beat (heartbeat)! Our beats are vibrant, there is joy. It’s a great combo of melody and beats which imparts a feel good factor. And who doesn’t want to feel good! So it resonates with the listeners.” (IANS)

New USCIS Policy Provides Further Protections for Victims of Crime

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterImmigration 0

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to implement a new process, referred to as Bona Fide Determination, which will give victims of crime in the United States access to employment authorization sooner, providing them with stability and better equipping them to cooperate with and assist law enforcement investigations and prosecutions.

“Today we are taking steps to help victims of crime and promote public safety,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “These are individuals who have come forward to help law enforcement keep us all safe, but who are in need of a measure of protection for themselves as well. The Bona Fide Determination process is consistent with the Department’s statutory authorities and will ensure these individuals receive the support they need.”

“Victims of crime need a way to support themselves as they heal and continue their pursuit of justice,” said USCIS Acting Director Tracy Renaud. “This Bona Fide Determination process will allow U visa petitioners to work while they remain safely in the United States, providing valuable support to law enforcement to detect, investigate, or prosecute the serious crimes they have survived or witnessed.”

Through this new process, USCIS will issue employment authorization and grant deferred action to petitioners in the United States with pending U visa petitions that it determines are bona fide (made in good faith and without intention of deceit or fraud) and who merit a favorable exercise of discretion. To be considered bona fide, the petition must include a certification from law enforcement that the petitioner was a victim of a crime and that the victim has been, is being, or is likely to be helpful in the investigation or prosecution of that crime.

Congress has capped the number of principal U visas available each fiscal year at 10,000, but since 2010 USCIS has received more than 10,000 U visa petitions each year. As a result of this high case volume, U visa petitioners now wait approximately five years before receiving a determination that allows them access to an employment authorization document and deferred action. This wait time not only leaves these individuals vulnerable to financial instability and fear of deportation, but it also can disincentivize victims from coming forward and cooperating with law enforcement. Through this policy update, victims with pending bona fide petitions will receive the stability they need as they rebuild their lives while working with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminal activity. This increase in victim cooperation will further fortify law enforcement’s ability to protect communities throughout the United States.

USCIS will deem a petition bona fide if:

The principal petitioner properly filed Form I-918, including Form I-918B U Nonimmigrant Status Certification;
The principal petitioner properly filed a personal statement from the petitioner describing the facts of the victimization; and The result of the principal petitioner’s biometrics has been received.USCIS will issue employment authorization and deferred action if, after conducting and reviewing background checks, the agency determines, in its discretion, that petitioners merit a favorable exercise of discretion and do not pose a risk to national security or public safety.This guidance is effective immediately and applies to all Form I-918 and Form I-918A petitions that are currently pending or filed on or after June 14, 2021.

Congress created the U nonimmigrant visa with the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (including the Battered Immigrant Women’s Protection Act) in October 2000. The legislation was intended to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and other qualifying crimes, while also protecting victims of crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse due to the crime and who cooperate with law enforcement authorities during the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. In the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, Congress specifically authorized DHS to grant employment authorization to a noncitizen who has a pending, bona fide petition for U nonimmigrant status. This guidance implements that authority.

This reform is one of a number of initiatives designed to eliminate complex, costly, and unjustified administrative burdens and barriers, and thus to improve our immigration processes.Visit Victims of Human Trafficking and Other Crimes to learn more about other protections for victims of crime, human trafficking and domestic violence.

Delta Variant Is On The Rise. Experts Are Concerned

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

As U.S. states lift more coronavirus restrictions, experts are worried people who aren’t fully vaccinated could contribute to further spread of the virus. The Delta variant, first reported in India, currently accounts for nearly 10% of coronavirus cases in the U.S., according to the CDC.The Delta variant is on its way to becoming the dominant strain of coronavirus in the US, raising concerns that outbreaks could hit unvaccinated people this fall. And a new study shows the Delta variant is associated with almost double the risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha variant.

The Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant, which is “stickier” and more contagious than the original strain of novel coronavirus, became the dominant strain in the US this spring.But health experts worry the Alpha variant could be trumped by the Delta variant, which appears to be even more transmissible and may cause more severe illness for those not vaccinated.Right now, about 10% of Covid-19 cases in the US can be attributed tothe Delta variant. But that proportion is doubling every two weeks, Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration, said in a CBS interview Sunday.He said the Delta variant will probably take over as the dominant strain of coronavirus in the US.

“I think in parts of the country where you have less vaccination — particularly in parts of the South, where you have some cities where vaccination rates are low — there’s a risk that you could see outbreaks with this new variant,” Gottlieb said.While 52.4% of Americans have received at least one dose of vaccine, only 43.4% have been fully vaccinated, according to data Sunday from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Delta variant could pose a serious risk for states lagging in Covid-19 vaccinations, but the good news is Americans can stave off the danger by getting vaccinated.Studies suggest those who are fully vaccinated have protection against the Delta variant. “We have the tools to control this and defeat it,” Gottlieb said. “We just need to use those tools.”

New research shows the Delta variant may lead to more hospitalizations

The Delta variant — or the B1.617.2 strain first detected in India — has been linked to about double the risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha variant first found in the UK, according to the preliminary findings of a Scottish study published Monday in The Lancet.The Alpha variant used to be the dominant strain in the UK. But last week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Delta variant had taken over — making up 91% of new cases in the UK.

Novavax’s Covid-19 Vaccine Shows 90.4% Overall Efficacy In Phase 3 Trial

Researchers from the universities of Edinburgh and Strathclyde and Public Health Scotland analyzed data from 5.4 million people in Scotland. The study found that between April 1 and June 6, there were 19,543 Covid-19 cases and 377 hospitalizations.Among those, 7,723 cases and 134 hospitalizations were caused by the Delta variant. The early findings suggest two doses the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine does protect against the Delta variant — but it may be at a lower level of protection than against the Alpha variant.The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was found to provide 79% protection against infection from the Delta variant, compared with 92% against the Alpha variant, in community cases at least two weeks after the second dose.

Nagaraj Naidu Appointed As New UN President-Elect’s Chef de Cabinet

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal, Profile 0

India’s Deputy Ambassador to United Nations Nagaraj Naidu will be the Chef de Cabinet of the President-elect of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Abdulla Shahid. This is for the first time that an Indian diplomat has been given this post, and his tenure will be for one year.The post is similar to chief of staff, or like in the Indian system, PM’s principal secretary.On June 7, Abdulla Shahid, Maldivian Foreign Minister President-elect of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. He got 143 votes out of the 191 ballots cast in the 193-member General Assembly, winning against Afghanistan former Foreign Minister DrZalmaiRassoul, who got 48 votes.

“Today, I have appointed Ambassador Thilmeeza Hussain as Special Envoy of the PGA, and Ambassador Nagaraj Naidu Kumar as my Chef de Cabinet. They will be instrumental in delivering my vision for the #PresidencyOfHope,” Shahid tweeted.The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 193 Member States of the UN, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of international issues including peace and security,” Naidu said.

“It is indeed a privilege and an opportunity to serve under the leadership of President-elect Abdulla Shahid. We are looking forward to a Presidency of hope, Naidu told PTI. Shahid, accompanied by Naidu, met current General Assembly President VolkanBozkir on Wednesday to thank him for his support during the election and discuss the next steps. “Thank you Mr President, for sharing your insights and your experiences with me. We are both committed to a smooth and seamless transition to #UNGA76,” he tweeted.

An Indian Foreign Service Officer of the 1998 batch, Mr. Naidu is a fluent Chinese speaker and has served in China in four separate stints.Between 2000 and 2003, he had served at the Indian Embassy in Beijing, he served as Third and Second Secretary (Special Projects;) while between 2003 and 2006, he served as Consul (Political and Commercial) at the Indian Consulate in Hong Kong.From 2009 to 2012, he served as First Secretary and Counsellor (Economic & Commercial Affairs) at the Indian Embassy in Beijing. He took over as the Consul General at the Indian Consulate in Guangzhou, China from 2013 to 2015.From 2015 to 2017: After his return to the Foreign Ministry in New Delhi, Ambassador Naidu served as the Joint Secretary/Director General of the Economic Diplomacy Division in the Ministry of External Affairs.

During his term, the Economic Diplomacy Division of the MEA was given the “SKOCH Platinum First Prize for Smart Governance” in 2017. Mr. Naidu was also the National Coordinator for establishing the International Solar Alliance in India. He also served as a Board member in a number of Public Sector organizations including India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO), Water & Power Consultancy Services Ltd. (WAPCOS), Invest India, and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT).

From 2017 to 2018,Naidu served as Joint Secretary/Director General of the Europe West Division. During this period, Naidu was responsible for India’s bilateral political engagement with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Andorra, San Marino, Monaco and the European Union.Naidu has a Master’s Degree in Law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (Class of 2008). He is married to Padmaja and has two children.

After Being Rejected By Vatican, Indian Nun Seeks Solace From Indian Civil Court

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterReligion, Women 0

A Catholic nun who has exhausted all avenues of appeal against her dismissal from her congregation stemming from her activism in a rape case involving a Catholic bishop says she will not leave her convent until an Indian court decides on her petition.The Vatican’s supreme tribunal has rejected the appeal of Indian nun Lucy Kalappura against dismissal, leaving her with no other option than to move out of her congregation. Kalappura, however, has told the media on June 14 that she will continue to live in her convent until an Indian court settles the case about her right to housing. The nun has challenged her congregation’s order to move out of her convent, where she lived for more than three decades.

The Franciscan Clarist Congregation on June 13 ordered Sr. Lucy Kalappura to vacate the convent in Kakkamala in the Wayanad district of Kerala after the Vatican’s Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura categorically dismissed her revision petition against her dismissal.”My case will come up in the Indian court in June or July this year,” Kalappura told the media.The tussle began after Kalappura’s Franciscan Clarist Congregation based in southern India’s Kerala state dismissed her on Aug. 5, 2019, for alleged charges of disobedience and breaking religious vows.

The congregation, however, followed church laws to give her an opportunity to appeal to the Vatican and continue in the convent. The nun appealed against the congregation’s dismissal order before the Vatican’s Congregation for Oriental Churches, which rejected her appeal on Oct. 11, 2019.But she refused to move out of the convent and within a fortnight appealed to the Supreme Tribunal, the Vatican’s highest appeal court, against her dismissal. The appeal now stands rejected and the Vatican has confirmed her dismissal, said Sister Ann Joseph, the congregation’s superior general, in a June 12 letter.

Informing the congregation of the rejection of Kalappura’s second appeal, the nun said: “Let us raise our hearts praising the Almighty for his unspeakable gift.” But the nun is unfazed. “I will continue to live in the convent until the court settles my case,” she told the media on June 14. Kalappura currently lives in her congregation’s convent in Wayanad district in Mananthavady Diocese of Kerala.“I have already challenged my eviction from the convent and the case is still pending in the court,” she said. “I will not move out from the convent until the court pronounces its verdict.”

Earlier Kalappura said her convent began to act against her after she backed the public protests of five nuns in September 2018 seeking the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, who was accused of raping the former superior general of Missionaries of Jesus, a diocesan congregation under him.Bishop Mulakkal of Jalandhar was arrested on Sept. 21, 2018 year following fortnight-long public protests and faces court proceedings on rape charges. The congregation, however, claims that the nun’s case has no links with the bishop’s case.

For the past several years, the nun has been defiantly disobeying her superiors and the rules of the congregation, neglecting warnings and opportunities to correct herself, it said. The dismissal came after several written warnings, her superiors maintain, quoting documents in their support

Husband With 39 Wives Passes Away

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCulture, Lifestyle 0

A 76-year-old man believed to be the head of the world’s largest family has died in India’s Mizoram state.Ziona Chana, the head of a religious sect that practised polygamy, died on Sunday, leaving behind 38 wives, 89 children and 36 grandchildren.The news was confirmed by Mizoram’s chief minister, Zoramthanga, who offered his condolences on Twitter “with a heavy heart”. Chana reportedly suffered from diabetes and hypertension.

Doctors told the media that Chana’s condition deteriorated at home in his village, BaktawngTlangnuam. He was admitted to hospital on Sunday evening, where he was declared dead on arrival. It’s hard to say if Chana was indeed the head of the world’s largest family since there are others who claim the title.It’s also hard to estimate the exact size of Chana’s family. At least one report claims he had 39 wives, 94 children, 33 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, which adds up to 181 people.

While various local news reports have referred to him as holding the “world record” for such a large family, it’s unclear which global record it is. It has also been widely reported that the family has been featured twice on the popular TV show Ripley’s Believe it or Not.But world record or not, Chana and his family are a local sensation of sorts, attracting tourists to their village in India’s north-east. The enormous family lives together in a four-storied house called “ChuuarThan Run” or New Generation House, with 100 rooms. His wives share a dormitory near Chana’s private bedroom, according to local media.

The mansion is a major tourist attraction in the state, with people from around the world thronging the village to get a peek into the family’s lifestyle.According to Reuters news agency, Chana was born in 1945. He met his oldest wife, who is three years older than him, when he was 17. The family lives in a 100-room mansion, which is a tourist attractionThe family belongs to a Christian sect – Chana Pawl – that has about 2,000 followers. They all live around Chana’s house in BaktawngTlangnuam, about 55km (34 miles) from Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl. The sect, which allows polygamy for men, was founded by Chana’s grandfather in 1942.

Gujarati Seniors Of Chicago Plan To Kick-Start The Post-CovidActivities

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity 0

Chicago IL: Coronavirus Positivity Under 1 Percent In IL; 298 Cases Reported. Illinois fully reopened as Phase 5 began, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported that the state’s rolling seven-day positivity rate on all tests conducted dipped below 1 percent, falling to .9 percent on Sunday.

The positivity rate on individuals tested is at 1.2 percent. Though reported case numbers tend to decrease over the weekend, the state reported 298 new cases on Sunday and 11 additional deaths, with those who died ranging in age from a woman in her 20s to women in their 90s. That brings Illinois’ death toll to 23,061 since March 2020.

Gujarati Seniors of Chicago welcomed Illinois’ full reopening from Covid-19 with a grand picnic celebration on June 13 in Pottawatomie Park, a beautiful riverside resort-like setting on Fox River in St. Charles. In addition to the on-site prepared delicious food, including morning brunch, afternoon ice cream and watermelon treats, and full evening dinner, many of the 300 seniors attending the event took advantage of the beautiful, sunny day by enjoying the park amenities such as mini-golf and river cruises, or just strolling leisurely along the river bank. And, of course, there was live music and a game of Bingo! First outing of our seniors in almost 15 months with broad smiling faces – no masks, lots of hand shaking and loving hugs!

Are UFOs Real? Discussions Ongoing…

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterScience 0

After 75 years of taboo and ridicule, serious people can finally discuss the mysterious flying objects, and even skeptics say that’s a good thing.Stephen Bassett and Mick West don’t agree on much. Bassett has devoted much of his adult life to proving UFOs are helmed by aliens, and West has devoted much of his to proving they are not.
But they both agree on one thing: It’s good that, after nearly 75 years of taboo and ridicule going back to Roswell, New Mexico, serious people are finally talking seriously about the unidentified flying objects people see in the skies.

“If you look at the level of public interest, then I think it becomes important to actually look into these things,” said West, a former video game programmer turned UFO debunker. “Right now, there is a lot of suspicion that the government is hiding evidence of UFOs, which is quite understandable because there’s this wall of secrecy. It leads to suspicion and distrust of the government, which, as we’ve seen, can be quite dangerous.”

Later this month, the Pentagon is expected to deliver a report to Congress from a task force it established last year to collect information about what officials now call “unexplained aerial phenomena,” or UAPs, from across the government after pilots came forward with captivating videos that appear to show objects moving in ways that defy known laws of physics.While those who dabble in the unknowns of outer space are hoping for alien evidence, many others in government hope the report will settle whether the objects might be spy operations from neighbors on Earth, like the Chinese or Russians.

The highly anticipated report is expected to settle little, finding no evidence of extraterrestrial activity while not ruling it out either, according to officials, but it will jumpstart a long-suppressed conversation and open new possibilities for research and discovery and perhaps defense contracts.“If you step back and look at the larger context of how we’ve learned stuff about the larger nature of reality, some of it does come from studying things that might seem ridiculous or unbelievable,” Caleb Scharf, an astronomer who runs the Astrobiology Center at Columbia University.

Suddenly, senators and scientists, the Pentagon and presidents, former CIA directors and NASA officials, Wall Street executives and Silicon Valley investors are starting to talk openly about an issue that would previously be discussed only in whispers, if at all.“What is true, and I’m actually being serious here, is that there is footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are,” former President Barack Obama told late-night TV host James Corden.

The omertà has been broken thanks to a new generation of more professional activists with more compelling evidence, a few key allies in government and the lack of compelling national security justification for maintaining the official silence, which has failed to tamp down interest in UFOs.In a deeply polarized country where conspiracy theories have ripped apart American politics, belief in a UFO coverup seems relatively quaint and apolitical.’Truth embargo’Interest in UFOs waxes and wanes in American culture, but millions have questions and about one-third of Americans think we have been visited by alien spacecraft, according to Gallup.But those questions have been met with silence or laughter from authorities and the academy, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by conspiracy theorists, hoaxsters and amateur investigators.

West, the skeptic, thinks the recent videos that kicked off the latest UFO craze, including three published by the New York Times and CBS’ “60 Minutes,” can be explained by optical camera effects. But he would like to see the U.S. government thoroughly investigate and explain UFOs.The government has examined UFOs in the past but often in secret or narrow ways, and the current Pentagon task force is thought to be relatively limited in its mission and resources. In a new, leaked video, an unidentified object flies around a Navy ship off the coast of San Diego.U.S. Navy via Jeremy Corbell West pointed to models from other countries like Argentina, where an official government agency investigates sightings and publishes its findings, the overwhelming majority of which are traced to unusual weather, human objects like planes or optical effects.

“This is something that we could do here,” West said. “But right now we’re left with people like me, who are just enthusiasts.”John Podesta, a Democratic poobah who has held top jobs in several White Houses, has called on President Joe Biden’s White House to establish a new dedicated office in the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, which would help get the issue out of the shadows of the military and intelligence community.
Podesta, who has harbored an interest in UFOs since at least his days as Bill Clinton’s chief of staff, recently told Politico, “It was kind of career-ending to basically talk about this subject. That has clearly switched, and that’s a good thing.”Believers are unsurprisingly thrilled by the culture shift.

“The ‘truth embargo’ is coming to an end now,” said Bassett, the executive director of Paradigm Research Group and the only registered lobbyist in Washington dedicated to UFO disclosure. “I am elated to finally see this movement achieving its moment.”Bassett is convinced the government is covering up proof of extraterrestrial life and that everything happening now is elaborate political theater to make that information public in the least disruptive way possible — a view, of course, not supported by evidence or most experts. “This is the most profound event in human history that’s about to be taking place,” he said.

NASA’s Stunning Image Of The Spiral Galaxy NGC 4680

June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterEducation, Science 0

NASA has shared an image of the spiral galaxy NGC 4680 in all its glory. The image has been taken by the Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3.

NASA has shared a stunning image of the spiral galaxy NGC 4680 in all its glory. The image is said to have been taken by the Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3. The NGC 4680 galaxy had earlier made news in 1997, as it played host to a supernova explosion known as SN 1997bp according to NASA. The supernova had been identified by Australian amateur astronomer Robert Evans who is said to have identified 42 supernova explosions.

NASA states that the NGC 4680 is a tricky galaxy to classify. The space agency further states that this is because the galaxy is sometimes referred to as a spiral galaxy, but it is also sometimes classified as a lenticular galaxy. Lenticular galaxies are said to fall somewhere in between spiral galaxies and elliptical galaxies. The NGC 4680 galaxy is said to have distinguishable spiral arms that are not clearly defined, and the tip of one arm appears very diffuse.

NASA says that Galaxies are not static, and their morphologies vary throughout their lifetimes. Over time, Spiral galaxies are believed to evolve into elliptical galaxies. NASA states that this is most likely due to the galaxies merging with one another, causing them to lose their distinctive spiral structures.//www.instagram.com/embed.js

India’s New Covid-19 Cases Drop Below 100K After Over 2 Months

June 10, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

India’s daily coronavirus infections have dipped below 100,000 for the first time in more than two months as an overall downturn prompts some states to ease restrictions. India also reported 2,123 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, raising the overall death toll to 351,309. Both figures are believed to be vast undercounts.

India’s daily coronavirus infections have dipped below 100,000 for the first time in more than two months as an overall downturn prompts some states to ease restrictions. The 86,498 cases added in the past 24 hours pushed India’s total past 29 million on Tuesday, June 8^th is second only to the United States, which has more than 33 million. The Health Ministry also reported 2,123 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, raising the overall death toll to 351,309. Both figures are believed to be vast undercounts.

India peaked at adding more than 400,000 cases a day in May, but new infections and deaths have declined across the country since then. There were 85,801 new cases of Covid-19 across India on Monday, the first time fewer than 100,000 infections were added since April 5.The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in Delhi reduced further on Monday, dipping below the 300-mark for the first time since March 4. The Capital reported 231 new cases of the viral infection, showed Monday’s health bulletin.

With over 63,000 tests, the test positivity rate — proportion of samples that return positive — also fell further to 0.36%. The positivity rate in the city has stayed below 1% for eight days in a row, after the city saw its fourth and worst surge of cases between April and May.The city has added an average of 462 new cases each day over the past week.The test positivity rate is a vital metric to understand the spread of an infection in any region. The World Health Organization recommends a positivity rate below 5% before an infection can be considered under control in a region. In Delhi, the positivity rate has been below this number for 18 days now.

At the peak of the surge, Delhi recorded over 28,000 new cases in a day and a positivity rate of over 36%. The number of deaths has also reduced with the daily toll below 100 for five days in a row now. Fewer than 50 deaths were reported for the last two days, with 36 more fatalities reported in Monday’s bulletin. At the height of the fourth wave, 448 succumbed to Covid-19 on a single day (May 3).“It is highly unlikely that there will be a third wave unless the virus mutates. Hence, there is a need for the government to keep a close eye on the virus in circulation to pick up any mutations of concern quickly. In addition, the respite between the second and third surge in cases must be utilised for preparing for the next wave by creating permanent infrastructure and vaccinating the population,” said Dr Jacob John, former head of the department of virology at Christian Medical College – Vellore.

Dr John also said that governments should study the immune response generated if mixed doses of vaccines are used, if a half dose-full dose or a full dose-half dose regimen is used like it was mistakenly done in the global trial for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.The downturn has led some states to ease restrictions on commercial activities to spur consumption. Multiple states have, however, extended lockdowns and have been reluctant to reopen.A staggering change of course for a country that just reported its worst month of the pandemic, parts of India, including the capital city of New Delhi, are moving to ease some coronavirus restrictions over the coming week after reporting a sharp decline in new cases and deaths.

Some experts have sounded the alarm about a premature easing of restrictions. World Health Organization Chief Scientist SoumyaSwaminathan in mid-May warned data about dropping cases is unreliable due to a lack of testing in rural areas where the virus is still spreading quickly. “There are still many parts of the country which have not yet experienced the peak,” Swaminathan said, adding: “Testing is still inadequate in a large number of states.”Meanwhile, the federal government is going to take over vaccine procurement from the states and ensure vaccines are provided free of cost to every adult Indian. India’s vaccination drive has been marred by delays and shortages. Less than 5% of the population is fully vaccinated.

Biden’s First Ever Visit Abroad: Strengthening Alliance With NATO

June 10, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal, USA 0

President Biden embarks this week on the first foreign trip of his presidency to attend a series of European summits. He’ll attend the meeting of the Group of Seven nations (G-7) in Britain. Then, he’ll head to a NATO summit in Brussels where he’ll rub shoulders with the majority of the European Union’s leaders. All of that will precede what is likely to be a tense encounter with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16. After spending the past five months focused on domestic affairs and battling the pandemic, Biden will try to demonstrate how his administration is “restoring” U.S. leadership on the world stage.

In an op-ed for the Washington Post published on Saturday, the U.S. President promised to shore up Washington’s “democratic alliances” in the face of multiple crises and mounting threats from Moscow and Beijing. The U.S. will stand with its European allies against Russia, President Joe Biden has promised ahead of the first face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin.Most recent American presidents have selected North American neighbors for their first cross-border trips, though former President Donald Trump, whose penchant for unilateral action and open skepticism of the NATO alliance unsettled American allies, made his first overseas stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For Biden, the first trip is meant to turn the page from Trump’s approach to alliances.

“It’s both a practical chance to connect with key allies and partners on shared opportunities and challenges,” said Yohannes Abraham, the chief of staff and executive secretary of the National Security Council, in an interview with the AP. “But also it’s an illustration of something that the president has been clear about that the transatlantic alliance is back, that revitalizing it is a key priority of his, and that the transatlantic relationship is a strong foundation on which our collective security and shared prosperity are built.”

“We are standing united to address Russia’s challenges to European security, starting with its aggression in Ukraine, and there will be no doubt about the resolve of the U.S. to defend our democratic values, which we cannot separate from our interests,” he wrote.“President Putin knows that I will not hesitate to respond to future harmful activities,” he said. “When we meet, I will again underscore the commitment of the United States, Europe and like-minded democracies to stand up for human rights and dignity.”Since taking office in January, Mr. Biden has ramped up pressure on the Kremlin, and his comments likening Mr. Putin to a “killer” were met with fierce criticism in Moscow.

But both leaders have expressed hopes that relations can improve, with the Russian President saying on Friday he expected a “positive” result from the talks.Mr. Biden in his weekend op-ed also stressed that Washington “does not seek conflict” — pointing to his recent extension of the New START arms reduction treaty as proof of his desire to reduce tensions.“We want a stable and predictable relationship where we can work with Russia on issues like strategic stability and arms control,” he wrote.

Trump Denied Access To Facebook, Instagram For 2 More Years

June 10, 2021July 4, 2021 Staff ReporterMedia 0

In a blow to Trump, Facebook has extended Donald Trump’s suspension for two years and says it will only reinstate him “if the risk to public safety has receded.”

In a blow to Trump, Facebook has extended Donald Trump’s suspension for two years and says it will only reinstate him “if the risk to public safety has receded.” The decision comes after Facebook’s Oversight Board told the company it had been wrong to impose an indefinite ban on Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Facebook says it is setting new rules for public figures in times of civil unrest and violence, “to be applied in exceptional cases such as this.” Trump has received the maximum penalty under those rules, “given the gravity of the circumstances” leading to his suspension. Because the company took his Facebook and Instagram accounts down on Jan. 7, the two-year suspension will last until at least Jan. 7, 2023.

At that point, Facebook will consult experts and “evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest,” said Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs, in a statement.He was barred indefinitely from both sites in January in the wake of posts he made on the US Capitol riots, but last month Facebook’s Oversight Board criticized the open-ended penalty.Facebook said Trump’s actions were “a severe violation of our rules”. Trump said the move was “an insult” to the millions who voted for him in last year’s presidential election.

Facebook’s move comes as the social media giant is also ending a policy shielding politicians from some content moderation rules.It said that it would no longer give politicians immunity for deceptive or abusive content based on their comments being newsworthy.Trump’s ban was effective from the date of the initial suspension on 7 January, Facebook’s vice-president of global affairs Nick Clegg said in a post.”Given the gravity of the circumstances that led to Mr Trump’s suspension, we believe his actions constituted a severe violation of our rules which merit the highest penalty available,” it added.

“If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded.” On his return, Trump will be held to “a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions,” for any violations, Clegg’s statement noted. In a statement issued from his Save America political action committee, Mr Trump said: “Facebook’s ruling is an insult to the record-setting 75m people, plus many others, who voted for us. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this censoring and silencing, and ultimately, we will win. Our country can’t take this abuse anymore!”

In a second statement on the two-year ban, Trump attacked Facebook’s founder.”Next time I’m in the White House there will be no more dinners, at his request, with Mark Zuckerberg and his wife,” the former president said. “It will be all business!”The move by Facebook allows Trump to return to the platform before the 2024 presidential election. It also comes as he prepares to again hold the large scale in-person rallies that were a signature of his campaigns and presidency. One of his first is planned for Dallas, Texas, in early July, according to local media.

Earlier this week, it emerged that the communications platform set up by Mr Trump in the wake of his social media bans – From the Desk of Donald J Trump – has been permanently shut down.In addition to Facebook, which has over two billion monthly users, Mr Trump has also been banned from Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitch and other social media platforms over the January riot.Last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican Trump ally, signed the first law in the US that punishes tech companies for de-platforming politicians.

Facebook’s dilemma on Trump was complex, involved trade-offs, and was guaranteed to upset millions of people. The fact is – whatever their decision – it was bound to be polarising.But just to be clear: today Facebook, the world’s biggest social network, has denied access to its megaphone to a man who 74 million people voted for. They didn’t just know him, or approve of him; they voted for him to be US president. That is a big call.

What is Facebook’s new policy?

Facebook says public figures who violate its rules by inciting unrest or violence will be suspended for a month or, in more serious cases, up to two years.It comes as part of an effort to undo a previous policy of allowing newsworthy political speech despite a potential that it may cause harm.Posts that are deemed worthy of an exception, despite possible violations, may still be allowed but will be given a warning label by Facebook. The company says it will no longer treat “content posted by politicians any differently”.

“Instead, we will simply apply our newsworthiness balancing test in the same way to all content, measuring whether the public interest value of the content outweighs the potential risk of harm by leaving it up.”The company’s Oversight Board found that Mr Trump’s initial ban was appropriate, but that there was no rationale for the ban to remain indefinitely.The independent board, which is funded by Facebook, has 20 members who are able to make binding decisions on content. Among the members are legal scholars, journalists, freedom of speech experts and a former prime minister of Denmark.The announcement comes on the same day that regulators in Europe and the UK begin formal anti-trust inquiries into whether Facebook misused customer data.Biden Announces a Donation of 19 Million COVID-19 Vaccines to COVAX, With More to Follow

US To Donate 25 Million Doses of Covid Vaccine To Countries Impacted

June 10, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal, Health 0

President Joe Biden announced Thursday the U.S. will donate 75% of its unused COVID-19 vaccines to the U.N.-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing program, acting as more Americans have been vaccinated and global inequities have become more glaring.Of the first tranche of 25 million doses, the White House said about 19 million will go to COVAX, with approximately 6 million for South and Central America, 7 million for Asia and 5 million for Africa. The doses mark a substantial — and immediate — boost to the lagging COVAX effort, which to date has shared just 76 million doses with needy countries.

Overall, the White House aims to share 80 million doses globally by the end of June, most through COVAX. But 25% of the nation’s excess will be kept in reserve for emergencies and for the U.S. to share directly with allies and partners.“As long as this pandemic is raging anywhere in the world, the American people will still be vulnerable,” Biden said in a statement. “And the United States is committed to bringing the same urgency to international vaccination efforts that we have demonstrated at home.”

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. “will retain the say” on where the doses distributed through COVAX ultimately go.“We’re not seeking to extract concessions, we’re not extorting, we’re not imposing conditions the way that other countries who are providing doses are doing; we’re doing none of those things,” said Sullivan. “These are doses that are being given, donated free and clear to these countries, for the sole purpose of improving the public health situation and helping end the pandemic.”

The remaining 6 million in the initial tranche of 25 million will be directed by the White House to U.S. allies and partners, including Mexico, Canada, South Korea, West Bank and Gaza, India, Ukraine, Kosovo, Haiti, Georgia, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and Yemen, as well as for United Nations frontline workers.Vice President Kamala Harris informed some U.S. partners they will begin receiving doses, in separate calls with Mexican President Andres Manuel LópezObrador, President Alejandro Giammattei of Guatemala, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Prime Minister Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago. Harris is to visit Guatemala and Mexico in the coming week.

The long-awaited vaccine sharing plan comes as demand for shots in the U.S. has dropped significantly — more than 63% of adults have received at least one dose — and as global inequities in supply have become more glaring.Scores of countries have requested doses from the United States, but to date only Mexico and Canada have received a combined 4.5 million doses. The U.S. also has announced plans to share enough shots with South Korea to vaccinate its 550,000 troops who serve alongside American service members on the peninsula. White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said that 1 million Johnson & Johnson doses were being shipped to South Korea Thursday.

The growing U.S. stockpile of COVID-19 vaccines is seen by many overseas and at home not only as a testament to America’s achievement but also its global privilege.Tom Hart the, acting CEO of The ONE Campaign, called the Thursday announcement a “welcome step” but said the Biden administration needs to commit to sharing more doses. “The world is looking to the U.S. for global leadership and more ambition is needed.”

Biden has committed to providing other nations with all 60 million domestically produced doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine., which has yet to be authorized for use in the U.S. but is widely approved around the world. The U.S.-produced doses have been held up for export by an ongoing safety review by the Food and Drug Administration, said Zients.The White House says the initial 25 million doses will be shipped from existing federal stockpiles of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. More doses are expected to be made available to share in the months ahead.

As part of its purchase agreements with drug manufacturers, the U.S. controlled the initial production by its domestic manufacturers. Pfizer and Moderna are only now starting to export vaccines produced in the U.S. to overseas customers. The U.S. has hundreds of millions more doses on order, both of authorized and in-development vaccines.The White House also announced Thursday that it is lifting restrictions on sharing vaccines produced by AstraZeneca, as well as Sanofi and Novavax, which are also not authorized in the U.S., allowing the companies to determine for themselves where to share their doses.

Kamala Harris On Trip To Central America, Urges Illegal Immigrants, ‘Do not come to US’

June 10, 2021June 18, 2021 Staff ReporterImmigration, Profile, Women 0

Harris warned Central Americans not to migrate to the US and said the administration will intensify efforts to combat corruption in the region, after meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei. “Do not come. Do not come.”

Vice President Kamala Harris offered an optimistic outlook for improved cooperation with Guatemala during her first ever visit abroad since she assumed office as the Vice President of the United States. Harris warned Central Americans not to migrate to the US and said the administration will intensify efforts to combat corruption in the region, after meeting with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei. “Do not come. Do not come,” Harris said at a news conference in Guatemala City. “If you come to our border, you will be turned back.”

Speaking on her first overseas trip since taking office, she said the journey north was dangerous and would mainly benefit people smugglers. Her comments, during a press conference after she met privately with Giammattei, underscored the challenge that remains even as Harris engages in substantive talks with the Guatemalan and Mexican presidents during a three-day visit to the region this week, her first foreign trip as vice president.“I want to emphasize that the goal of our work is to help Guatemalans find hope at home,” Harris said. “At the same time, I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come, do not come.”

In conjunction with Harris’ trip, the Biden administration announced that the Justice Department would create an anti-corruption task force and an additional task force to combat human trafficking and drug smuggling in the region. Harris also promised a new program focused on creating education and economic opportunities for girls there, among other new initiatives. And she told Giammattei that her goal in the region was to restore “hope” to residents so they no longer felt the need to flee their homeland for better opportunities in the U.S.

Harris’s trip is part of the Biden administration’s effort to address the so-called root causes of migration from Central America, after more than 200,000 attempts by migrants from the region to enter the US since the start of the year. President Joe Biden directed Harris to lead the effort to stem the surge in migration.Harris and Giammattei had a “very frank and very candid” conversation that included “the importance of anti-corruption and the importance of an independent judiciary,” she said. In April, the country’s legislature — controlled by Giammattei’s party — refused to seat an anti-corruption judge, Gloria Porras, a move criticized by US officials.

More than 178,000 migrants arrived at the border this April, the highest one-month total in more than two decades, according to US border officials. Of those migrants, more than 40% originated from the Central American region known as the Northern Triangle: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. A central issue contributing to the border crisis is the corruption of government officials in the region, who have been accused of aiding in drug and human trafficking. Many migrants leaving the Northern Triangle say they are fleeing violence, discrimination and poverty.

The steady “brain drain” of locals has exacerbated problems caused by decades of political instability. These countries have also stressed that they are feeling the most adverse effects of global warming – most notably hurricanes – despite hardly contributing to climate change.The new announcements follow $310 million in humanitarian aid for Central America that Harris unveiled in April. US and regional leaders must “give the people a sense of hope that help is on the way and to then follow through, understanding that hope does not exist by itself,” Harris said earlier as her meeting with Giammattei began. “It must be coupled with relationships and trust. It must be coupled with tangible outcomes, in terms of what we do as leaders to convince people that there is a reason to be hopeful about their future and the future of their children.”

Republicans have criticized Harris’s effort, repeatedly noting that she has yet to travel to the US border. She said in response that the reason she’s in Guatemala is “because this is one of our highest priorities,” adding that she wanted to talk about “what we can do in a way that is significant, is tangible. I will continue to be focused on that kind of work as opposed to grand gestures,” she said.The Biden administration’s migration strategy is not yet fully formed, and Harris’s advisers have framed her first overseas trip as a fact-finding mission to help develop the policy. The final strategy is not expected to be released until after Harris returns to the US

US officials have said the Biden administration’s plan will center on improving economic conditions in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador so their citizens have less reason to leave. That strategy has been tried before with mixed results; those countries remain among the poorest in the Western Hemisphere and racked by violence.Harris regards corruption as a main driver of migration since it affects all sectors from the economy to criminal justice. She has pledged to work with non-governmental organizations and companies to direct assistance. Later Monday, she plans to meet with civil society leaders and entrepreneurs before flying to Mexico.

”These are efforts that have not been tried in the past that we believe will be quite productive,” Harris said. The benefits of greater US financial aid may be used to soften the blow of tough messages Harris and other officials are expected to send about cracking down on corruption and upholding democratic principles. The US has already condemned the government of El Salvador for a recent purge of the judicial branch and views Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez warily since federal prosecutors implicated him in a drug trafficking ring involving his brother.

Harris has been tasked by President Joe Biden with controlling a surge in migration at the southern border. Harris has described her task as finding solutions to tackle the root causes of the border crisis, including corruption and the lack of economic opportunities. Her staff say this first visit is primarily an information-gathering trip.

Cutting Edge CMEs, Spiritual, Healthcare, Business & Political Leaders At AAPI’s 39th Annual Convention In Atlanta

June 10, 2021June 11, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Education, Health 0

(Chicago, IL: June 9, 2021) “An impressive array of Bollywood stars, leaders in healthcare, business, spiritual, and political realms are planned to address and enrich the participants at the 39th Annual AAPI Convention & Scientific Assembly to be held from July 2nd to July 5th, 2021 at the fabulous and world famous Omni Atlanta at CNN Center and Georgia World Congress Center,” Dr. SudhakarJonnalagadda, President of American association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) announced here today.

The annual convention this year is being organized by AAPI’s Atlanta Chapter, chaired by Dr. SreeniGangasani. “The convention team is working hard and over time, to provide a delightful three days of events packed with educational CME credits, world-class entertainment, leadership seminars, networking opportunities, exhibits, and more,” Dr. Gangasani said. “This meeting offers a rich educational and entertainment programs featuring the latest scientific research and advances in clinical practice. In addition, physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene to develop health policy agendas and encourage legislative priorities for the upcoming year.”

Planned to have a limited number of participants due to the ongoing Coivd pandemic and taking into account the safety of those attending, including Physicians, Academicians, Researchers and Medical students, “the annual convention offers extensive academic presentations, recognition of achievements and achievers, and professional networking at the alumni and evening social events,” said Dr. Sajani Shah, Chair of AAPI BOT.

Honorable Brian Porter Kemp, Governor of Georgia; Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, US Senators from the state of Georgia; Stacy Abrams, Georgia’s Democratic Party leader; and,Keisha Lance Bottom, Mayor of Atlanta are among the political leaders, who will address the audience. Sri Dananpani, a well known Hindu Priest, Entrepreneur and a former Monk will enlighten the audience with his wisdom.

Dr. AnupamaGotimukula, President-Elect of AAPI, said, the delegates at the convention will have Eight Hours of CMEs, coordinated by AAPI CME Chair, Dr. Krishan Kumar, Dr. Vemuri Murthy, Advisor & CME Program Director, and Dr. Sudha Tata, Convention CME Chair, focusing on themes such as how to take care of self and find satisfaction and happiness in the challenging situations they are in, while serving hundreds of patients everyday of their dedicated and noble profession, said Dr. Raghu Lolabhattu, Convention Vice Chair.

Accordingly, some of the major themes as part of the CME sessions include: Pursuit of Happiness In Medicine; Burnout Prevention and Wellness in Physicians; Easy Life of a Hospitalist: An Illusion; and, Meditation and Mindfulness. Other themes at the CME include; Type 2 Diabetes in South Asians – the Unresolved Questions; and, Cardio-oncology: Clinical Practice and Echocardiography.

According to Dr. Ravi Kolli, Vice President of AAPI, an exciting Bollywood HungamaDhumDhamaDhum will feature popular stars Kosha Pandya, Rex D’Souza and Shilpi Paul. Talented artists VidyaVox and Ravi Drums will lead the cultural programs. Traditional DandiyaRaas will be led by AAPI’s own Garba King, Dr. DhirenBuch with live music by Aradhana Music Group of Los Angeles. World renowned fashion designer Ghazala Khan-choreographed Fashion Show by beautiful and talented local artists will be a treat to the hearts and souls of all the participants.

The popular and much loved Mehfil E Khaas will give the AAPI members and families a platform to showcase their talents impromptu, in music, dance, jokes and SheroShayari in an informal setting,” said Dr. Amit Chakrabarty, Secretary of AAPI and coordinator of the Mehfil E Khaas. “Pick up the Mic and you are the Star,” he added. Dr. SatheeshKathula, Treasurer of AAPI said, “The Future of Healthcare” will be discussed at the popular CEO Forum with expert participants from Healthcare, Technological, and Finance industries and moderated by Dr. N. Neealagaru, will share their expertise in ways to establishing and leading successful businesses, healthcare practice, managing investment and creating an ideal lifestyle.

The Women’s Forum, led by Drs. AnjanaSamadhar, Uma jonnalagadda, and UdayaShivangi, will feature Ambassador Nikki Haley, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta, Dr. Swati Kulkarni, India’s Consular General in Atlanta, Dr. Susan Bailey, President of American Medical Asociation, Dr. RenuKhator, President & Chancellor of University of Houston; Adv. Sheela Murthy, Founder & President of Murthy Law Form; Prof. Amita Sehgal, Professor of Neuroscience at UPENN, Dr. NahidBhadella, Director of Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases Policy &Reasearch; and, Dr. Mona Khanna, Emmy Award Winning Journalist.

Representing the interests of the over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, leaders of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the largest ethnic organization of physicians, for 39 years, AAPI Convention has provided a venue for medical education programs and symposia with world renowned physicians on the cutting edge of medicine.“Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country and internationally will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!” said Dr. Jonnalagadda. For more details, and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.aapiconvention.org and www.aapiusa.org

Colonial Pipeline CEO Defends Paying Ransom Amid Cyberattack

June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterEconomy, Technology 0

Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount made no apologies for his decisions to abruptly halt fuel distribution for much of the East Coast and pay millions to a criminal gang in Russia as he faced down one of the most disruptive ransomware attacks in U.S. history.Blount said he had no choice, telling senators uneasy with his actions that he feared far worse consequences given the uncertainty the company was confronting as the attack unfolded last month. “I know how critical our pipeline is to the country,” Blount said, “and I put the interests of the country first.”

His testimony to the Senate Homeland Security Committee on the May 7 cyberattack provided a rare window into the dilemma faced by the private sector amid a storm of ransomware attacks in which overseas hackers breach a company’s network and encrypt their data, demanding a ransom to release it back to them.

Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, temporarily shut down its operations on May 7 after a gang of criminal hackers known as DarkSide broke into its computer system. The Justice Department has recovered the majority of a multimillion-dollar ransom payment to hackers after a cyberattack that caused the operator of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline to halt its operations last month, officials said Monday.The operation to recover the cryptocurrency from the Russia-based hacker group is the first undertaken by a specialized ransomware task force created by the Biden administration Justice Department, and reflects what US officials say is an increasingly aggressive approach to deal with a ransomware threat that in the last month has targeted critical industries around the world.

“By going after an entire ecosystem that fuels ransomware and digital currency, we will continue to use all of our tools and all of our resources to increase the costs and the consequences of ransomware attacks and other cyber-enabled attacks,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Monday at a news conference announcing the operation.The 63.7 bitcoin ransom — a favored currency of hackers because of the perception that it is more difficult to trace — is currently valued at $2.3 million. “The extortionists will never see this money,” said Stephanie Hinds, the acting US attorney for the Northern District of California, where the seizure warrant was filed.

U.S. authorities tell companies not to pay the ransom, arguing the crooks may not provide the keys to unencrypt the data and that the payments will encourage future attacks and help sustain criminal networks typically based in Russia and Eastern Europe. Blount chose to disregard that advice within the first 24 hours of the attack and paid the equivalent of $4.4 million in bitcoin to retrieve the company’s data. U.S. officials said Monday they had recovered much of the payment.“I made the decision to pay, and I made the decision to keep the information about the payment as confidential as possible,” Blount said. “It was the hardest decision I’ve made in my 39 years in the energy industry.”

The company, he said, had to act fast as it worked feverishly to determine whether the criminal gang had compromised the operational systems or physical security of the 5,500-mile pipeline — and to try to avoid a more sustained shutdown.Asked how much worse it would have been if the company hadn’t paid to get its data back, Blount said, “That’s an unknown we probably don’t want to know. And it may be an unknown we probably don’t want to play out in a public forum.”His appearance before the Senate comes as lawmakers consider possible measures to address the ransomware attacks that have been launched against thousands of businesses as well as state and local government agencies.

“We’ve got to recognize these ransomware attacks for what they are. It’s a serious national security threat,” said Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio. “Attacks against critical infrastructure are not just attacks on companies. They are attacks on our country itself.”Already, the Justice Department and FBI have established a task force to deal with ransomware with some success, including managing to seize 85% of the bitcoin that Colonial paid as ransom. But many of the criminals behind the attacks are beyond their reach in Russia or other countries that will not extradite suspects to the U.S.The Biden administration has also made ransomware, and cybersecurity more broadly, a national priority in the wake of a series of high-profile intrusions.

Last month, the administration issued new regulations for the pipeline industry, requiring companies to conduct cybersecurity assessments and immediately report any breaches to the federal government. The industry has until now operated under voluntary guidelines.Blount disputed a media report that his company had refused to participate in one of the voluntary assessments, conducted by the Transportation Security Administration, earlier this year, saying it had merely been delayed because of COVID-19 and other issues. “That was quite a shock to me,” he said of the account.

The attack on Colonial Pipeline — which supplies roughly 45% of the fuel consumed on the East Coast — has been attributed to a Russia-based gang of cybercriminals using the DarkSide ransomware variant, one of more than 100 variants the FBI is currently investigating. The attack began after hackers used a company virtual private network that was no longer in active use, Blount said.“The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline affected millions of Americans, ” said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat. “The next time an incident like this happens, unfortunately, it could be even worse.”

Blount said the Georgia-based company began negotiating with the hackers on the evening of the May 7 attack and paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin — then valued at roughly $4.4 million — the following day. The hack prompted the company to halt operations before the ransomware could spread to its operating systems.The encryption tool the hackers provided the company in exchange for the payment helped “to some degree” but was not perfect, with Colonial still in the process of fully restoring its systems while working with consultants to assess the damage and improve cybersecurity, Blount said.

It took the company five days to resume pipeline operations. What took place in that time illustrated why they needed to quickly pay the ransom, he told the lawmakers.“We already started to see pandemonium going on in the markets, people doing unsafe things like filling garbage bags full of gasoline or people fist-fighting in line at the fuel pump,” he said. “The concern would be what would happen if it had stretched on beyond that amount of time.”

Crucial Voting Rights Bill Needs Lifeline To Move Forward

June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterNation USA 0

Sen. Joe Manchin announced that he will vote against Democrats’ expansive election and ethics reform bill, dealing a blow to one of his party’s top priorities. In an op-ed published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, the West Virginian warned that “partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy” and reiterated that he will not vote to scrap or modify the legislative filibuster.“Voting and election reform that is done in a partisan manner will all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen,″ Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia wrote in a home-state newspaper, the Charleston Gazette-Mail. He wrote that failure to bring together both parties on voting legislation would “risk further dividing and destroying the republic we swore to protect and defend as elected officials.”

The bill would restrict partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, strike down hurdles to voting and bring transparency to a murky campaign finance system. Among dozens of other provisions, it would require states to offer 15 days of early voting and allow no-excuse absentee balloting.Democrats have pushed the legislation as the antidote to a wave of restrictive state voting laws sweeping the country, many inspired by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of fraud in his 2020 election loss. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has pledged to bring the election bill to a vote the week of June 21, testing where senators stand. But without Manchin’s support, the bill has no chance of advancing. Republicans are united against it.

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin was unswayed by civil rights leaders who implored him to rethink his opposition to a sprawling election bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said is crucial to countering a “Republican assault on our democracy.” Manchin, from deeply Republican West Virginia, told reporters, “I don’t think anybody changed positions,” in a meeting he described as “excellent.” A participant said Manchin was “fairly well dug in.”The bill, known as HR1, is a top priority for Democrats and is viewed by many in the party as the antidote to a wave of Republican-backed laws being passed on the state level that restrict people’s ability to vote. It touches on almost every aspect of voting and was already passed by the House. But Manchin threw a wrench into the works when he said he would oppose the bill. That effectively dooms the measure in a narrowly divided Senate where it is universally opposed by Republicans.

His decision sent voting rights groups and members of his own party scrambling for options, raising the prospect that no voting legislation would pass Congress to address what experts say is the greatest attack on voting rights in generation. Manchin has said “inaction is not an option” when it comes to voting rights. But he has exasperated fellow Democrats and voting rights groups by insisting his support for any legislation would be contingent on some Republicans voting for it as well. He also opposes eliminating the 60-vote requirement to break a filibuster, a step that would allow Democrats to pass the legislation without Republican votes.

“We may get to a point where the dialogue reaches a dead end,” the Rev. Marc Morial, who attended Tuesday’s meeting with Manchin, told CNN. “And Joe Manchin was fairly well dug in.” Pelosi had told House Democrats there is no substitute for the bill.“It is my hope that the passage of (the bill) will create a legacy for all of us who want to strengthen our democracy,” the California Democrat wrote in a letter to colleagues before Manchin announced he wouldn’t support the bill. Now Democrats and voting rights groups are grasping for an alternative.

Some said they’d follow Manchin’s suggestions and get behind a narrower piece of legislation known as HR4 that updates the Voting Rights Act to reinstate a requirement that new voting laws and legislative districts in certain states be subject to federal approval. Others said they wanted to increase the pressure on Manchin. Still others insisted that Democrats needed to bring HR1 to the Senate floor this month, even it it’s certain to fail, to draw attention to Republican opposition and Manchin’s.

“It’s going to get messy,” said Fred Wertheimer, president of the good-government organization Democracy 21, who helped draft HR1 in 2017. “What Manchin said is not the final word, as far as we’re concerned. “I don’t believe he is prepared to go down in history as the senator that denied millions of eligible citizens, and in particular people of color, the opportunity to vote.”The Rev. William Barber II, a key liberal activist who leads the Poor People’s Campaign, represented the breadth of liberal anger at Manchin, tweeting Monday that his group would lead a march in West Virginia to “challenge Manchin.”

Only one Republican senator, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, has signed onto Manchin’s preferred Voting Rights Act update, an indication of how politics on the issue have shifted since the Senate unanimously renewed the Voting Rights Act in 2006. And the newly aggressive constellation of conservative voting groups that mobilized against H.R. 1 say it will now campaign to keep the GOP united against HR4 as well.“The end result of HR4 is the same — it’s a federal takeover of the election system,” Jessica Anderson, executive director of the conservative policy organization Heritage Action for America, said in an interview. “As long as you have consensus on the right, standing together in lockstep, you’re not going to have a bipartisan break.”

“They are not showing a readiness to stand up and do what’s right, so the notion you could get 10 of them to come along is farfetched,” said Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., a primary sponsor of HR1. “You are not going to get real change without filibuster reform.”

Family Of Dr. Vivek Murthy Sends Medical Supplies To Hospitals In Karnataka

June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Profile 0

The Scope Foundation, run by the family of U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is sending medical supplies to hospitals in the Indian state of Karnataka as the country continues to work toward curbing the recent COVID-19 surge.Media reports state Murthy’s father, Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy, said that the shipment containing 70 oxygen concentrators, four ventilators, N95 masks, respirator masks, step transformer pieces and cleaning supplies worth Rs 1.40 crore will soon arrive on behalf of the Scope Foundation.

Speaking with media, Murthy said that the supplies will be distributed in 12 smaller hospitals as these are short on medical resources, further adding that only taluk hospitals and two village PHCs have been selected. The foundation is trying to send more material worth Rs 70 lakh soon from New Delhi so that it can be distributed to other PHCs. The consignment contains 70 oxygen concentrators with adapter, 25 digital oral thermometers, 1,96,000 K95 face masks, 5000 full face shields, 5000 forehead foam, 300 surgical earlobe masks, 1200 medical face shields, 400 nitrile powder-free gloves, 50 oxygen cannula and five voltage transformers. The supplies have reached Bengaluru and will be handed over to the districts on Monday.

Vivek Murthy’s cousin Vasanth informed that the medical supplies will be handed over in his native village Hallegere, Mandya, Maddur, Malavalli, Nagamangla and other places, further adding that plans to build a Covid ward at the cost of Rs one crore are also in the pipeline.This essential medical equipment will be dispatched to 12 hospitals in two districts that are facing a shortage of equipment, the report added.

The Indian American surgeon general has roots in Hallegere village of Mandya district in Karnataka.Dr. Vivek H. Murthy was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States as a returning role. As the Nation’s Doctor, the Surgeon General’s mission is to restore trust by relying on the best scientific information available, providing clear, consistent guidance and resources for the public, and ensuring that we reach our most vulnerable communities As the Vice Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Murthy commands a uniformed service of 6,000 dedicated public health officers, serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations domestically and abroad.

During his previous tenure as 19th Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy has created initiatives to tackle our country’s most pressing public health challenges. As “America’s Doctor he helped lead the national response to a range of health challenges, including the Ebola and Zika viruses, the opioid crisis, and the growing threat of stress and loneliness to Americans’ physical and mental wellbeing. He also issued the first Surgeons General’s report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health, in which he challenged the nation to expand access to prevention and treatment and to recognize addiction as a chronic illness, not a character flaw. Dr. Murthy continued the office’s legacy on preventing tobacco-related disease, releasing a historic Surgeon General’s report on e-cigarettes and youth.

Cloudgen, A Tech Firm Admits To H1-B Visa Fraud Involving Indians

June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterBusiness, Immigration, Technology 0

A technology company has admitted to committing fraud to bring Indians on the coveted H1-B visas to the US, according to a federal prosecutor. JomonChakkalakkal, the corporate representative of Cloudgen, made the admission before a federal court in Houston, Texas, on behalf of the company on May 28, said acting federal Prosecutor Jennifer B. Lowery.

The prosecutor’s office in a news release circulated on Monday described the scam as a “bench and switch” ruse. It said that under the scam, in order to obtain the H1-B visas, Cloudgen submitted “forged contracts” showing that third companies had work for the persons it wanted to bring over.But once the employees came to the US there was no job for them and they were housed in different locations across the US, while Cloudgen would try to find work for them, according to the office.

“Such action gave Cloudgen a competitive advantage by having a steady ‘bench’ or supply of visa-ready workers to send to different employers based on market needs when the true process actually takes some time. Once workers had obtained new employment, the ‘switch’ would occur when the new third-party company filed immigration paperwork for the foreign workers,” the prosecutor’s office said. Cloudgen took a percentage of the worker’s salary, which amounted to nearly $500,000 from 2013 to 2020 when the scam took place, it said.

Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal of the Southern Texas federal court is to impose a sentence in September and it could be a fine of as much as $1 million and probation for five years.The prosecutor’s office said that Cloudgen was based in Houston, but on its website, the company lists an address in Manassas in Virginia. It also shows offices in Hyderabad, Canada and Romania. Chakkalakkal is described on the website as the senior vice president for sales.

GOPIO Manhattan Raises Funds ForCovid Relief By Organizing Virtual Musical Concert

June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Entertainment 0

The GOPIO-Manhattan, NYC and SwarTaal Musicals organized a Virtual Fundraising Musical Evening to raise funds for “The Covid-19 Relief in India”. The fundraiser was initiated by PallaviVermaBelwariar of SwarTaal Musicals & Founding Life Member of GOPIO-Manhattan. Pallavi was joined by BhargaviNaidana, Kaushal Sampat&Smita Sinha served as the MC for the evening. The singers chose soulful romantic songs of the yester years of Bollywood music for the evening mesmerizing the attendees. Additionally, few paintings by Pallavi were exhibited and sold to support the noble cause.

Dr. Thomas Abraham, GOPIO Chairman; said “GOPIO International has been raising funds and GOPIO Connecticut and Manhattan chapters have sent Oxygen concentrators to India while other chapters in the US and around the world are providing medical supplies and food for the needy.” Dr. Abraham complimented GOPIO-Manhattan, NYC for taking this initiative and organizing several other programs during the covid period in the last one year.ShivenderSofat, President GOPIO-Manhattan; thanked the singers for making the evening lively and supporting the charitable event. He shared few pictures and slides of health kiosks to be set up in five villages in India that will be supported from the donation proceeds collected by GOPIO-Manhattan.

Professor RajasekharVangapati, EVP GOPIO-Manhattan; spoke about chapter activities and motivated everyone to donate generously towards the noble cause. Chitranjan Sahay Belwariar, Founding Life Member GOPIO Manhattan; provided technical support with Zoom streaming and recording.

Priced at $10 for the ticket, the fundraiser netted over $1,000 from ticket sales and other donations. In accordance with its mission to serve the larger society and those in need, GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter has taken several initiatives in the recent past. A Community Feeding is organized by the Chapter providing vegetarian lunch for the homeless and needy at Tomkins Square Park in Manhattan on the last Monday of every month. The chapter appeals to the community to support the initiative by being a volunteer and or a sponsor. For more info on GOPIO Manhattan, call its president ShivenderSofat at 731-988-6969, e-mail: info@gopiomanhattan.org or visit here: https://gopiomanhattan.org/

AAHOA Names Ken Greene Interim President & CEO

June 10, 2021November 8, 2022 Staff ReporterTourism 0

In the wake of its recent announcement of a leadership transition, AAHOA has announced that it has appointed hotel industry veteran Ken Greene to serve as Interim President & CEO. Ken is a well-known and highly respected industry veteran who is well-suited to lead AAHOA during the organization’s leadership transition. The Board’s selection of Ken as AAHOA Interim President & CEO reflects the group’s trust and utmost confidence that he can carry the organization forward as the industry continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ken is eager to continue to execute upon the Association’s 2021-2023 Strategic Plan and serve alongside AAHOA’s Board and staff to continue its forward-thinking vision to be the foremost resource and advocate for America’s hotel owners.

During each chapter of Ken’s career, he’s been involved with AAHOA, its members, and industry partners. Prior to joining AAHOA, Ken served as a global leader of many iconic hotel brands, including President, Americas for Radisson Hotel Group, President & CEO for Delta Hotels and Resorts, and in various roles at Cendant Corporation, Wyndham Worldwide, and many of its divisions. Ken also recently founded Greenehouse Consulting, which focuses on acquisitions, management, and advisory services to the hospitality industry.

Ken has a deep understanding of and appreciation for the hotel industry and has many long-standing relationships that are well-suited to guide AAHOA during this leadership transition period. Ken also has served on and led several industry-related boards, providing and contributing to strategic direction in a number of capacities.“Ken will be leading the Association in an interim capacity during a critical time for AAHOA Members and the hotel industry,” AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel said. “We are confident his experience, relationships, and extensive knowledge and appreciation of the industry are the perfect fit to serve in this capacity as AAHOA Members continue down the road to recovery.”

AAHOA had announced earlier that Cecil P. Staton was stepping down as President & CEO. Staton will continue to work with AAHOA’s leadership to ensure an effective transition and the success of ongoing projects and relationships as a consultant.“On behalf of America’s hoteliers, we thank Cecil for his service to AAHOA,” AAHOA Chairman Biran Patel said. “For more than a year, hoteliers faced immense pressure as the COVID-19 pandemic brought a period of decade-long prosperity to a grinding halt. Cecil proved to be a steady hand, leading and guiding the association to record member engagement through this turbulent year. His leadership in the development of our Strategic Plan will have a lasting, positive impact upon the association.”

“I’m grateful to have led this organization through one of the hardest times in our industry’s and association’s history through our concentrated efforts related to COVID-19 support and relief and for making a difference in the lives of so many hoteliers,” Staton said. “AAHOA has the most dedicated team with whom I’ve had the privilege to work, and I’ve been impressed with their commitment to excellence from the moment I joined this great organization. Our work to develop AAHOA’s new Strategic Plan holds the promise to propel the association forward toward its fullest potential.” AAHOA Executive Vice President & COO Rachel Humphrey announced that she also will be exiting the association on August 7.

“AAHOA’s nearly 20,000 members represent the heart and soul of America’s hospitality industry and I am eager to step into this role, working alongside the hotel owners who drive our industry forward each and every day,” Ken said. “As our industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a critical time for owners and America’s tourism industry, and I’m looking forward to bringing my extensive experience to the organization to help propel America’s hotel industry forward on the path to recovery.”

Over the course of Ken’s career, he’s had the opportunity to personally get to know and form relationships with many of AAHOA’s Members. Ken is well-positioned to build on AAHOA’s strong foundation as the organization carries out its vision of being the foremost resource and advocate for America’s hotel owners during this critical time in the industry’s recovery.“We are confident Ken will bring the passion, dedication, knowledge, and insight he has exhibited in all of his prior roles within the industry to AAHOA and its members,” Patel said. “Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Ken in his new position as AAHOA Interim President & CEO.”

“AAHOA is a strong organization led by exceptional teams,” Patel said. “Our dedicated Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team, and professional staff will continue to lead AAHOA into the future. AAHOA’s work on behalf of our members will continue to be guided by our Strategic Plan, which will carry the association’s strategy into 2023 and leave a lasting impact for many years to come.”

AAHOA has accomplished remarkable work on behalf of its members during what has been one of the worst times in our industry’s history – and the work never stops. AAHOA is well-positioned to continue its work to fulfill its vision and the ambitious goals set forth in the Strategic Plan. The organization is in the process of conducting a comprehensive search process to identify new leadership that will continue to help guide America’s hoteliers on the road to recovery.

About AAHOA

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

China Hosts ASEAN Ministers, With Message For Quad

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterGlobal 0

China is hosting foreign ministers from the 10 ASEAN countries on Monday and Tuesday, with Beijing pushing for closer economic cooperation and aligning COVID-19 recovery efforts even as it looks to push back against the recent regional outreach of the Quad grouping. Chinese officials have in recent weeks stepped up criticism of the Quad — the informal India, Australia, Japan and United States grouping — and of Washington in particular. During recent visits to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, China’s Defence Minister called on both countries to reject “military alliances” — a term that some Beijing are using to describe the Quad, but a label that the group rejects.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a statement the China-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting, in the city of Chongqing, would mark the 30-year anniversary of relations and also “focus on combating COVID-19, promoting economic recovery, [and] better dovetail[ing] strategic plans.” A vaccine passport connecting China and ASEAN countries is also being discussed. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will hold bilateral meetings with all the visiting ministers, and also chair a meeting of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

Deepening economic cooperation, particularly following the signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade deal, would be China’s focus, analysts in Beijing said, even as it grapples with disputes over the South China Sea. Recently, China and the Philippines have clashed over the presence of Chinese vessels near a disputed reef, while Malaysia alleged the intrusion of 16 Chinese aircraft into its airspace.The Communist Party-run Global Times on Monday blamed the U.S. for those tensions rather than China’s moves that prompted the protests from the Philippines and Malaysia. Countries “see clearly that quarrels on South China Sea are not the biggest threat to regional stability; it is the U.S., whose warships frequently sail through the sensitive waters and try to force ASEAN countries take sides to confront China,” the newspaper wrote.

After the first Quad leaders’ summit held in March and the announcement of a regional vaccine initiative, many Chinese analysts framed ASEAN as a key space where Chinese and Quad initiatives may rub up against each other.China “cannot rule out the possibilities that Quad members will further rope in ASEAN members to counter China as Southeast Asia is of great significance to the US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy,” wrote Yuan Zheng, senior fellow of the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “Yet ASEAN will not easily take sides.”

The framing of the Quad as “an Asian NATO” by Beijing has been criticised by the group’s members. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in April described the using of words such as “Asian NATO” as “a mind game which people are playing”.ProPublica: Many of the uber-rich pay next to no income tax

India Announces Free Vaccination For Aged 18+

June 10, 2021 Staff ReporterCommunity, Health 0

India has fast-tracked vaccine procurement and will provide free shots to citizens above 18 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address to the nation on Monday, June 7th.The South Asian nation faces the challenge of vaccinating its large adult population as it emerges from a devastating second virus wave, with a critical shortage of inoculations leading some centers to close down as the country struggled to ramp up domestic production and procure doses internationally.

Modi’s speech came against the backdrop of a near breakdown in health infrastructure over the last two months, with major Indian cities running out of oxygen and hospitals flooded with patients, while crematoriums struggled to keep pace with the number of those who died of covid-19. His administration has come under intense criticism over its handling of the second wave and the vaccination rollout and its popularity ratings have fallen from 75% in 2019 to 51% this year, according the Local Circle polling company.All citizens aged above 18 would be vaccinated at free of cost by the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on June 7. All state-level vaccine procurement would also be taken over by the central government, Modi said.

The 25 percent vaccination procurement which was being conducted by the states would now be conducted by the central government, he said, adding that vaccines would be directly purchased by the Centre and given to the states for free.”From June 21, Tuesday, all citizens of India above 18 years of age will be given free vaccination,” Modi added.The Centre, as part of the new vaccination strategy, would procure 75 percent of the vaccines, whereas, the private sector would be allowed to purchase 25 percent of the vaccines, the prime minister said.

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

Rs 150 can be the service charge imposed by private sector for the overhead charges, he said. The vaccine policy was, on May 1, liberalised to allow the state government to directly procure the vaccines. “Within two weeks of May, several state governments changed their stance and said the earlier Centre-led vaccination programme would be preferred,” Modi said.Considering the demand raised by the states, the Centre has now decided to reverse the changes and lead the inoculation programme with 75 percent procurement of the vaccine doses, he added.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has welcomed the changes announced in the vaccination policy. “We thank PM Modi for this important announcement of universal vaccination for all to be carried out by the Government of India. IMA is constantly and proactively supporting the vaccination drive initiated by the prime minister,” news agency ANI quoted IMA president Dr JA Jayalal as saying.

Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) president TV Narendran also lauded Modi’s decision, claiming that it would facilitate quick rollout of vaccines.”Centralisation of procurement will ensure uniformity of procurement prices and create bandwidth among states to manage inoculation of their adult populations. This would also ensure an equitable allocation of vaccines in states and was a key ask of CII too. Making the vaccines available for all the eligible population free of cost will go a long way in protecting the citizens and resuming normal economic activities at the earliest,” he said.

Modi, during his address to the nation, also announced that the government will “continue the PM GaribKalyan Anya Yojana providing free grains to 80 crore people with free food grains till Diwali”. The free ration aid is aimed at mitigating the economic impact of COVID-19.Modi, while noting that “this is the deadliest pandemic in the last 100 years”, said India has been proactive to develop and procure vaccines “which are the only shield against the pandemic”.There are seven companies in India which are currently manufacturing vaccines, the prime minister said, adding that the inoculation of over 23 crore doses so far is largely through the two made-in-India vaccines – Covishield and Covaxin.

Efforts are also underway “to buy vaccines from other countries”, Modi pointed out. His remarks comes amid the state government’s demand that the Centre must procure the vaccines from abroad as global manufacturers are not dealing directly with the states.Modi also pointed out that experts have raised concerns about the vulnerability of minors to COVID-19, and the government, after taking cognisance of the concerns, have approved trials for vaccines for children aged below 18.

The prime minister added that a research is underway for the development of nasal vaccine against coronavirus. “If successful it could help support country’s COVID-19 vaccination drive,” he said.Modi claimed that his government, over the past seven years, has succeeded in increasing India’s overall vaccination coverage. “From around 60 percent coverage in 2014, we have managed to take it past 90 percent during our term,” he said.

Modi’s address to the country over the vaccination policy comes days after the Supreme Court raised questions at the Centre. The court expressed concern over the “digital divide” between rural and urban Indian in accessing the vaccines, and asked the government to adopt a policy in accordance to the “dynamic pandemic situation”.The court also called the non-extension of free vaccination to the 18-44 age group as “prima facie arbitrary and irrational” and asked why budgetary allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for vaccine procurement could not be used to inoculate this group free of cost.

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