India-Post_12-12-2014_e-paper by Ghanshyam Bisht

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Shrien Dewani

Dewani cleared of honeymoon murder in SA Details on page 6

VOL 20, No. 1056

December 12, 2014

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U.S. TEAM TEACHES TRAUMA CARE Noble mission of Dr Dinesh Vyas in Jaipur RUCHIT SHAH

Man sentenced for threatening Tulsi Gabbard Details on page 6

JAIPUR: Dr Dinesh Vyas, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, and his team of surgeons from the US conducted a two-day intense training program for trauma care attended by 80 trainees including police, 108 drivers and para medics, besides emergency nursing staff. Dr Vyas last month conducted a video conference course for the faculty before his Jaipur visit. The faculty had a brief re-orientation session before the start of the

program. The two-day course called the Pre-hospital Trauma Care Training Program includes videos, slide presentations, a manual and emergency medical care kits. In August, he and medical student Apoorva Aekka traveled to Jodhpur in western India. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, he first trained the medical school's deans and professors on how to teach the course. Details on page 5

PM Narendra Modi wins Time readers' poll Details on page 5

Modi promises development in Kashmir Details on page 8

58 percent voter turnout in 3rd phase of J-K polls Details on page 9

Five Indian students injured in US car crash

US condemns terror attacks in Kashmir

Details on page 7

Details on page 9

Beware of fraud in discounted air tickets

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 48

Details on page 16

Community Post -------------- 16-27 Date Book -------------------------- 47

INDIA POST SURVEY

Edit Page --------------------------- 54 HealthScience Post --------- 32-35

survey@indiapost.com

Horoscope ------------------------- 49

This week’s question

Immigration Post ------------- 44-46

Time magazine is being parochial in dropping Modi from list?

Life Style ----------------------- 50-52 Philosophy ------------------------- 53

Last week’s result

Is the heavy voting in J&K aimed at keeping out BJP? YES 67%

NO 33%

STARS GALORE: When international tennis stars were shining in the capital of India December 8, courtesy Indian Premier Tennis League, could Bollywood be far behind? Actor Aamir Khan with his son and Deepika Padukone joined in the fun matches which Tennis Star Roger Federer said he enjoyed hugely.. (Details on page 12)

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 30-31 TechBiz Post ------------------- 36-38 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

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f you are a political party, NGO, a sadhu or swamiji, or an actor promoting a movie, where do you go for raising money? Come to the United States, of course. Because, back in India, whether anyone likes you or not, follows you or not, or for that matter, knows you or not, you are sure to find takers among Indian Americans who perpetually clamor for anyone who claims to be some kind of following in India. I have seen even ordinary party functionaries coming from India getting loud welcome receptions by Indian Americans who simply seem obsessed with getting their pictures taken with them. It has become an accepted trend among all of the above mentioned entities to make a bee line for the US whenever they want to collect money, especially the politicians. And so we have Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party, who fool hardily killed his own political career despite an entire nation's support, here in the US to raise money for his party for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi. News reports say that Kejriwal "assured" his supporters in the US that "he will not repeat the mistake of resigning if his party returns to power in Delhi". The statement is so full of ironies, it makes me laugh. First of all, these so called supporters are not going to be voting in the election; second of all, it seems ridiculous that Kejriwal has to "assure" Indians in America when he is not able to assure people in India, the actual voters, about his "noble" intentions. What I don't understand is, how a man who came into prominence with mass following because of his single minded crusade against the Congress-led party's corrupt governance, and took a sharp turn to entirely target the BJP as his enemy, and even considered an alliance with the Congress, can be trusted to take any sane decisions whether in power or not. Think a little, before you fund anyone. The damage that can be caused to the futures of nations with the wrong people in power is not worth the pictures you take with them.

Romesh K Japra rkjapra@indiapost.com

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Negative avatar After playing a fulfilled guy on the screen, Varun Dhawan has shifted to a darker role in forthcoming "Badlapur"

Cover Story: Trauma care Dr Dinesh Vyas from the US conducted intense training program for trauma care attended by 80 trainees in Jaipur

Community: Tickets fraud In the travel area, unsuspecting but bargain hunting greedy are taken for a ride with a lure of cheap tickets.

Suing Obama Three more states have joined a Texasled multistate coalition suing the Obama administration over executive actions

Life style: Private beach With a private beach, Destination One is the new haven for beach wedding seekers with food as fabulous as the music

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'Smart cities' Prince of Qatar is all set to invest Rs. 1,00,000 crores in Narendra Modi's ambitious 'smart cities' project

Manas Tiger Reserve Situated amidst the gentle slopes at the foothills of Assam, it is the only tiger reserve of its kind in the entire northeast

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December 12, 2014

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US medicos impart trauma care training in Jaipur RUCHIT SHAH

JAIPUR: Dr Dinesh Vyas, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, and his team of surgeons from the US conducted a two-day intense training program

Dr Dinesh Vyas, the team leader

for trauma care attended by 80 trainees including police, 108 drivers and para medics, besides emergency nursing staff. Dr Vyas last month conducted a video conference course for the faculty before his Jaipur visit. The faculty had a brief re-orientation session before the start of the program. The two-day course called the Pre-hospital Trauma Care Training Program includes videos, slide presentations, a manual and emergency medical care kits. In August, he and medical student Apoorva Aekka traveled to Jodhpur in western India. At the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, he first trained the medical school's deans and professors on how to teach the course. The local faculty in India assisted the US team together with the team that was previously trained at Jodhpur to conduct training with the concept of 2 trainees-1 trainer supervision model for a personal approach. Trainees were trained to use equip-

ment used by most efficient paramedics in the US including intubation and tourniquet application. The skills were recorded and trainees were shown their work for video recorded feedback. This is a novel concept of education and is considered the best skill-training program. The training involved exposing more than 20 local Professors of Anesthesia, Surgery, Orthopedics, Medicine, ICU, and Emergency Medicine to the course material and use of high fidelity simulation. The training team brought simulator worth 1.6 crores to train trainees. Trainees will be provided with the kit used worth 12,000 INR free of cost to use to save lives. Dr Vyas believe all lives are precious

Ajai Malhotra, Virginia Commonwealth University, Prof K Kant, Ex-Dean and Prof Surgery, S.N. Medical College, Prof. Rastogi, AIIMS, Jodhpur and Dr. Harshada

A brief demonstration of bleeding control was presented using the simulator to emphasize contextual education and impress upon them to leapfrog in educa-

The training involved exposing more than 20 local Professors of Anesthesia, Surgery, Orthopedics, Medicine, ICU, and Emergency Medicine to the course material and use of high fidelity simulation. The training team brought simulator worth 1.6 crores to train trainees Purohit, Jodhpur. M G Medical College invited Prof. Dinesh Vyas to address 700 medical students, residents and faculty to help them understand the need for interactive and inno-

tion similar to information technology. A special focus to regain the gap in medical care with the western countries is the need of hour. He brought his team's contribution in visiting various medical

this enables their education model immensely useful and applicable. He encouraged students to identify issues in society and own them to build their career. According to him this character building exercise will help us build a healthy, safe and proud society. He offered all kinds of help possible at his disposal to support the social vision. Dr Vyas also showed the use of MOOC to spread education to the masses at a minimal cost and showed how he has used one of the platforms edcast.com for first responder training across the globe. The team met with Health Secretary and Secretary to CM to conclude their visit. They received vociferous response to fa-

Training sessions for locals in progress

and they all must be saved. Hence, the cost of instrument is insignificant for these lives. The US team is spending a large fund to train first responders to accomplish their mission for a successful program and increase public awareness. The visiting team comprised Dr

vative education in the current era. Dr Vyas presented a stimulating one hour talk to encourage and engage them to be world leaders of healthcare. He stressed education to be focused and simplified for first responders to help us train efficient and effective first responders.

centers across the world especially India in last seven years to understand the needs and designing the education module that will impact that particular community. Dr Vyas has programs not only in Hindi and English but in three other languages. His team is working on other languages too and

cilitate establishment of centers of excellence in two cities in Rajasthan in phase II using overseas and local faculty with utmost stress on quality education. Dr Vyas will be involved with at least three visits a year in addition to his commitment to remain engaged with video conference technology.

Modi wins Time readers' poll NEW YORK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who did not make it to the final eight selected by TIME for the annual 'Person of the Year' title, has been hailed as one by its readers in an online poll conducted by the publication. Modi has been named winner of this year's readers' poll for Time 'Person of the Year', securing more than 16 per cent of the almost five million votes cast. Protesters in Ferguson, who were demonstrating against a grand jury's decision not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson who shot and killed un-

armed black teenager Michael Brown in August ranked second with 9 per cent of the votes. Time said "a strong showing of readers from India" helped drive Modi's first-place finish. "More people from the country voted than from any other country, with the exception of the United States," it said. Readers from more than 225 countries participated in the online poll, with US votes leading the tally at 37 per cent, followed by India at 17 per cent, and Russia at 12 per cent. Time said Modi became Prime Minister in May after securing a

landslide victory on a "platform of rebooting India's stalling economy." "But his detractors have questioned his past record," it added. Hong Kong protest leader

A majority of votes, 60 per cent, came from desktop computers. Just over 35 per cent came from mobile devices, and 4.5 per cent of readers voted on tablets

Joshua Wong, Nobel Peace Prizewinner Malala Yousafzai and the doctors and nurses treating Ebola rounded out the top five. A majority of votes, 60 per cent, came from desktop computers. Just over 35 per cent came from mobile devices, and 4.5 per cent of readers voted on tablets. Modi, who "entered office this year on the promise of reviving the country's economy", however has not made it to the list of eight finalists shortlisted by Time editors for the 2014 Person of the Year title. Names of the eight finalists were announced by Time editor

Nancy Gibbs. Making it to the final eight are founder and CEO of the Alibaba Group Jack Ma, Apple CEO Tim Cook, pop star Taylor Swift, Ferguson protestors, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ebola caregivers, National Football League commissioner Roger Goodell and President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Masoud Barzani. The annual honor, that has been bestowed by the magazine since 1927, goes to the person who "most influenced the news" during the year "for better or worse." -PTI

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Dewani cleared of honeymoon murder in South Africa CAPE TOWN: British-Indian millionaire Shrien Dewani, accused of hiring hitmen to kill his Indo-Swedish bride during their honeymoon here in 2010, has been acquitted by a South Afri-

The evidence presented by the prosecution fell "far below the threshold" of what a reasonable court could convict on, the judge ruled in a case that has grabbed international headlines.

Shrien and Anni Dewani

can court that dismissed the case against him, ending a four-yearlong dramatic murder saga. Western Cape High Court Deputy Judge Jeanette Traverso threw out the high-profile case against 34-year-old Dewani even before he started his defense against the accusation that he plotted to kill his 28-year-old wife Anni Hindocha. Traverso said the prosecution's case against Dewani was weak and that she can see no reasonable prospect that she might find him guilty once she has also heard his defense.

She said the evidence of the prosecution's main witness, taxi driver Zola Tongo, was "riddled with contradictions" and "highly debatable". Dewani is accused of hiring three men - taxi driver Tongo, Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni - to kill Anni on their honeymoon in South Africa in 2010. Anni was kidnapped and then murdered in Gugulethu Township near Cape Town on November 13, 2010. Mngeni was sentenced to life in prison for the murder but died in jail. Qwabe was sentenced to

25 years. Tongo was sentenced to 18 years following a plea bargain deal. Shrien lost a four-year legal battle in the UK to avoid extradition to South Africa, and was sent in April this year to stand trial. Dewani is now free to return to Britain immediately. Dewani's lawyers applied for his discharge at the end of the prosecution's case, arguing that the evidence against him was so weak he should be acquitted. Announcing her ruling, Traverso said: "The accused is found not guilty of this charge." Traverso said his application for discharging him is granted and he is found not guilty on five charges. She said the only reason not to grant the application would be in the hope that Dewani would implicate himself if he gave evidence. But to do so would be a "manifest misdirection", the judge said. Dewani walked out of the dock and down the stairs to the holding cell without any expression on his face. His family burst into tears and embraced each other after the verdict. A clearly disappointed Hindocha family left the court immediately. The judge said that she understood the plight of Anni's family, who had wanted Dewani to take the stand to get closure on the death of their daughter, but could not succumb to public opinion and had to apply the law. Acknowledging the huge pub-

lic interest in the case, Traverso said she could not allow public opinion to influence her decision in applying the law, as if courts allow this, it would lead to anarchy. Prosecutors in the six-weeklong trial said Dewani was a closet homosexual, and "needed to find a way out" of his marriage. Dewani admitted at the start of the trial that he is bisexual and visited male bondage prostitutes. But he also insisted that he loved his new wife Anni and had no hand in what happened. Traverso, the second most senior in the province, has made no secret of her dismay at the pros-

The judge said that even if Dewani had entered the witness box, the state would be left with a weak case that would not pass legal muster. "The court cannot cherry-pick from the evidence - reliable corroboration is required," Traverso said. She discredited the evidence at the trial by Tongo, adding that the picture became even bleaker by this testimony for the prosecution's case. Dewani's legal team brought an application for his discharge application, if the court believed there was no credible evidence at the close of the prosecution's

Dewani walked out of the dock and down the stairs to the holding cell without any expression on his face. His family burst into tears and embraced each other after the verdict.A clearly disappointed Hindocha family left the court immediately ecution case. She rejected evidence about Dewani's sexuality as "irrelevant" and repeatedly lambasted the prosecutors leading it. Traverso spent the first two sessions of the morning highlighting in great detail, the inconsistencies in the evidence of the state's key witness, taxi driver Tongo, who is now serving out a jail term. The entire story as told by Tongo is "highly improbable", Traverso said.

case. Dewani's lawyer Francois van Zyl had argued that the prosecution's evidence was full of contradictions and "cannot safely be relied upon". Dewani's trial started in October after he returned to Cape Town a few months earlier and spent time in an institution for monitoring his mental health. Dewani had fought a lengthy legal battle to avoid extradition to South Africa. -PTI

Man sentenced for threatening Tulsi Gabbard WASHINGTON: A man has been sentenced to 33 months in prison in the US for making a series of threats to Tulsi Gabbard, the first-ever HinduAmerican Congresswoman. Aniruddha Sherbow, 42, was given the prison term by a federal court. According to the government's evidence, he had been harassing Gabbard since February 2011, including making threats via email and telephone. The charges relate to two such threats, made in August 2013. On August 1 last year, Sherbow left a voicemail message on Gabbard's phone in which he threatened to kill her. Gabbard was in Washington, DC, when she received the message.

On August 3 the same year, Sherbow, identifying himself by name, sent an e-mail to Congresswoman Gabbard and others, including the FBI. The subject and body of this e-mail also contained threats directed at Gabbard. Sherbow was arrested in Tijuana by Mexican law enforcement officers and was handed over to the FBI. US attorney for the District of Columbia, Ronald C Machen, said Sherbow entered a plea of nolo contendere on February 21, 2014, in the Columbia District Court, to two counts of transmission of threats in interstate commerce. Under a nolo contendere plea, a defendant is convicted of the offense, accepts responsibility, and agrees that the government could prove him guilty beyond a

Tulsi Gabbard

reasonable doubt. However, the defendant in such a plea does not admit to the facts of the case. Following his prison term, Sherbow will be placed on three years of supervised release. During that time, he is barred from any direct or indirect contact with Gabbard. District Judge Reggie Walton also ordered Sherbow to pay USD538,282 in restitution to the US government, as reimbursement for security expenses incurred as a result of his threats. The judge also ordered Sherbow to get a mental health evaluation and treatment, if necessary. Sherbow has lived in New York, California, Mexico and Hawaii. -PTI

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US Sikhs reject new racial profiling guidelines WASHINGTON: Sikh Americans have rejected new racial profiling guidelines of the US government alleging that the rules are flawed and misleading. Although the new guidance explicitly recognizes that discriminatory profiling is "unfair" and "ineffective", and that biased practices "promote mistrust of law enforcement, and perpetuate negative and harmful stereotypes" it still allows discriminatory profiling by US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), alleged Sikh Coalition, a Sikh rights group. Both CBP and TSA are components of the US Department of Homeland Security, the largest law enforcement agency in the federal government. "This guidance is like a used car with new paint. The car looks better, but once you look underneath the hood, you realize it's unsafe to drive," said Rajdeep Singh, director of Law and Policy at the Sikh Coalition.

The new guidance also does not apply to state and local law enforcement activities and will not address gaps in trust at the grassroots level between police and the communities they serve, the Sikh Coalition said.

The new guidance also does not apply to state and local law enforcement activities and will not address gaps in trust at the grassroots level

"This is one step forward, 10 steps back. The new guidance recognizes that profiling is wrong but then gives CBP a green light to profile ethnic and religious minorities at the border, and continues to give TSA carte blanche authority to profile travelers based on stereotypes," Singh said. Since the inception of TSA, the Sikh Coalition has led efforts to promote accountability at the agency, in particular by repeatedly demanding an independent audit of TSA screening practices to prevent discriminatory profiling. In response to persistent complaints of profiling from turbaned Sikhs at American airports, the Sikh Coalition in April 2012 launched a free smartphone app called FlyRights, which allows travelers of any background to file official complaints with the TSA. In the last year alone, the Sikh Coalition secured re-training of TSA personnel after the agency mistreated three turbaned Sikh travelers.-PTI

Five Indian students injured in US car crash HOUSTON: Five Indian engi- funds to arrange to bring their parneering students have been seri- ents here for their care and to help ously injured after their car col- pay their medical bills. lided head-on with a truck in the Meanwhile, the truck driver, US state of Texas. identified as 25-year-old CleveThe collision occurred as the land, was reported to be in stable students, studying at Texas A&M condition. University, were returning back The collision late last month after Thanksgiving break in New occurred on the right passenger Orleans. The Courier of Montgomery County All five students are exreported the driver pected to survive, but are in swerved to try and avoid the truck when he critical condition at this saw it in his lane. point.Indian-Americans are The five Pranan raising funds to arrange to Kannan, 22; Akshay Jain, 22; Chiranjibi bring their parents here Boere, 23; Shachit Iyer, 23; and Kishan Bajaj, 24 were immediately taken to hospi- side of the vehicles, with the rear tals. passenger door of the Hyundai Life flight helicopters took two being impaled into the right front students Jain and Bajaj to Memo- of the 2002 Chevrolet pickup rial Hermann Hospital in critical truck. condition. Officials are investigating what All five students are expected caused Polawco's truck to veer to survive, but are in critical con- into the oncoming lane and do not dition at this point. believe alcohol or speeding were Indian-Americans are raising factors. -PTI

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Invoking Vajpayee, Modi promises development in Kashmir SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 8 invoked Atal Bihari Vajpayee's concepts of communal harmony, humanity and democracy to share the pain of Kashmiris and promised to take the state to new heights of development. "People of Kashmir have given me a lot of trust and love. I will repay this love and trust with interest in the form of development. I can die for this love and trust showered on me," he said in his first election meeting in the Valley, that avoided any mention of controversial issues like abrogation of Article 370. In his 30 minutes speech, Modi used the opportunity to attack the "all pervasive" corruption under successive governments of "Congress, father-son and fatherdaughter" in the last 30 years and asked the people to give him "one chance" to bring development. Wearing a traditional Kashmiri 'Pheran', Modi sought to strike a chord with the people saying," I as Pradhan Sevak have come to share your pain and anguish. Your sorrow is my sorrow, your pain is my pain, your problem is my problem. I have not come to take anything. "People in the army and police have died so have the innocent youths. Their loss is irreparable and no one can compensate for it but sharing can reduce the pain." Invoking Vajpayee's famous 2003 speech at the same venue, Modi said," Vajpayee made a good beginning. I have come to carry this forward. It is my duty to carry forward and fulfill his dreams of Insaniyat, Kashmiriyat and Jamhooriyat (democracy) which are the three pillars that can turn around Kashmir in the 21st century on the path of development."

Finger on EVM more powerful SAMBA, J&K: Three days after the deadly terror attack that killed 11 security personnel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 7 said a finger pressed on an EVM is more powerful than the one on an AK-47 trigger as he asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to give a decisive mandate to BJP. Modi also said the resettlement of displaced people is a national responsibility and his government will ensure that those who have been displaced are rehabilitated. "The finger pressed on an EVM is more powerful than a finger pressed on the trigger of an AK47," Modi said addressing an election rally here. Modi said the misguided youth are now feeling the burden of an AK47 and craving for Android 1, a platform for mobile

phones. He also hit out at what he called the "dynastic rule" in the state and said that J&K needs a stable

issue of abrogation of Article 370. Paying tribute to the Army personnel who laid down their lives in the recent terror attack, Modi

"You (J&K people) have exercised the right of franchise and shown faith in democracy. Those people who were suppressing you (people of J&K) with bullets, you have defeated the bullets by use of ballots," he said. "The finger that presses the trigger of AK-47 takes lives and kill people, but the finger that presses EVM changes the destiny of the country", Modi said. He said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election campaign rally at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket entire country Stadium in Srinagar on December 8 is proud of the people of government. said, "Army jawans have laid Jammu and Kashmir. "You have seen the rule of the down their lives for your democ"The way you (people of J&K) father and son. You have seen the racy. Their martyrdom will not go have defeated the bullets the rule of the father and daughter. in waste. It should not go in people of entire country are proud Have they done any thing for vain". of you. Everybody in the country you?" he said in an indirect referAddressing the election rally is praising you. It is a lesson for ence to National Conference and at Vijaypur, his fourth in Jammu those people who despite living PDP rule. and Kashmir, Modi praised the in an environment of peace, love There is a need for a majority high voter turn out of over 70 per and family comfort, do not come government, a BJP government in cent in the state and said the out to vote." J&K, he said. people had shown to the world "Your power is more than those The Prime Minister said that the power of ballot. holding AK-47 rifle so I have come the youth of the state needs emIn spite of the winter condi- here today to request you to form ployment and development, tions, "people of J&K have polled majority BJP government in the which only BJP can give. 70-71 percent votes and scripted state and stamp out the dynastic The Prime Minister once again history. I praise the people of J&K rule of the two families. I assure did not mention the controversial for this," he said. you that I will repay with interest

what you have given to me by undertaking development of the state", the Prime Minister said. Terming PDP, NC and Congress as beneficiaries of politics of opportunism, Modi alleged that they have neglected the J&K for decades together. "They should be rejected by the people of J&K," he said. Hitting out at Congress for enjoying power with both PDP and NC in coalition, the Prime Minister said that Congress sits into the lap of PDP and NC for power and then criticizes them during elections. Stating that BJP wants to start a new era of politics - the politics of development - in the state, he invoked the party's slogan of "sab ka sath, sab ka vikas". He said that politics of opportunism must end to undertake development of the state. "For this we have to get rid of dynastic rule of these families and form a government of BJP with majority in the state, he added. Modi said that people should vote to form a majority government rather than "3-legged or four-headed" government. Referring to the issue of refugees of PoK and other displaced people in Jammu and Kashmir, Modi said that it is the country's responsibility to rehabilitate them and give them full rights. Promising to mitigate the problems of 12 lakh displaced people in the state, he said that for 60 years they have not been given their rights.-PTI

Modi pays tributes to soldiers killed in Uri attack SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 8 visited the Army headquarters here and paid tributes to the soldiers killed in the deadly militant attack in Uri. Modi visited the Army's Badami Bagh headquarters and laid floral wreath at the war memorial as a tribute to the eight soldiers who laid down their lives while repulsing the militant attack in Uri. Eleven security force personnel, including eight soldiers and three policemen, were killed in a deadly pre-dawn attack by militants on an Army camp in Uri area of Baramulla district on Friday. All the six militants involved in the attack were killed. Modi visited the headquarters of the Srinagar-based 15 corps soon after addressing an election rally at Samba in Jammu region.-PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying wreath to the martyrs, at the Badamibagh headquarters of the Indian Army, in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on December 8

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Expats in S.Africa support 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' JOHANNESBURG: Indian expatriates in South Africa have extended their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' following an initiative undertaken by the Indian missions in this African nation. Indian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg organized a meeting with the community members to discuss the campaign that aims to make India clean and provide total sanitation for all by 2019, the year when India would be celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Modi launched the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on the birth anniversary of Gandhi this year. "Indian expatriates in South Africa are in large numbers, some of them since the first democratic elections here in 1994, and the idea behind convening the meeting was to encourage them to con-

rent Christmas holiday season here," said Indian High Commissioner Ruchi Ghanashyam. Various suggestions for implementation by members in support of the campaign during their visit to India were articulated. These included making financial contributions to projects di-

Bharat' campaign, Ghanashyam said: "2014, the year of launch of the campaign, also happens to be the 100th year of the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India and 2019 will be the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. "Therefore, it would be mean-

SRINAGAR: Unfazed by the recent militant attacks, a 58 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the third phase of the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday December 9 that involved 16 seats - all in the Valley as they continued to ignore boycott calls.

at the end of the polling, Chief Electoral officer Umang Narula said Charar-e-Sharief in Budgam district recorded the highest 82.74 per cent against 74.58 in 2008. Sopore constituency - the home town of hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani who spearheaded

2014, the year of launch of the campaign, also happens to be the 100th year of the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India and 2019 will be the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

ingful if Indians residing in South Africa, a country where the Mahatma spent 21 years of his life, contributed to a campaign inspired from his values. Mahatma Gandhi attached great importance to cleanliness in daily life and in fact equated it with godliness," she said. At the meeting, Indian community members agreed to establish a South Africa Chapter of 'Swachh Bharat' campaign. "This was in fact launched on Facebook during the meeting itself by Debajit Shome, a professional working for Rolfes Chemicals," said Consul-General Randhir Jaiswal. Indian corporates in South Africa proposed launching products File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi wields a broom with NDMC workers to launch 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' in Valmiki Basti in New Delhi which would specifically say that a small tribute to the 'Swachh Bharat cleanliness. contribution from the sale thereof Abhiyan' when they travel to InUnderlining the India-South would go towards the campaign. dia for vacation during the cur- Africa connect in the 'Swachh -PTI

rected at cleanliness; supporting small neighborhood projects; placing garbage bins where required; promotion of separation of waste; and writing to and advocating with authorities for clearing garbage and promoting

US condemns terror attacks in Kashmir WASHINGTON: Strongly condemning the terrorist attacks in Kashmir, the US has said it remains firm on its commitment to work with India to defeat terrorism in all forms. "The United States strongly condemns Friday's terrorist attacks in Kashmir, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians, military, and police personnel," a senior State Department official said. The Kashmir Valley was rocked by four terror attacks by militants from across the border who stormed an Army camp in Uri leaving 11 security personnel includ-

58 per cent voter turnout in 3rd phase of J-K polls

ing a Lt Colonel dead and killed two civilians in Tral. "The United States remains firmly committed to working in close partnership with India to defeat terrorism in all its forms," the State Department said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the families of those affected by this deplorable attack," it said. Earlier, the US said its policy on Kashmir has not changed and it is for India and Pakistan to decide on the pace and scope of peace talks between them. "Our policy on Kashmir hasn't

changed. We still believe that the pace and the scope and character of India and Pakistan's dialogue on Kashmir is for those two countries to determine," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters. "We are concerned about any violence in Kashmir," she said. "Of course our embassies in both places have raised these types of incidents with their respective host governments and certainly encouraged both to continue working together on the issue," she said in response to a question.-PTI

Women voters wait in long queues to cast their votes at a polling station during the 3rd phase of J & K assembly elections in Pulwama district on December 9

The turnout in the five-phase the boycott campaign - saw the elections was, however, less com- lowest 30 per cent polling but it pared to the first two phases was higher compared to 19.95 per which recorded 72 per cent poll- cent recorded in 2008. ing though it was nine per cent Narula said 79 per cent polling higher than that recorded in 2008 was registered in Baramulla Assembly polls. A 49 per cent district's Uri segment which witpolling was recorded for the same nessed the deadly attack on an segments in the previous polls. army camp Friday leaving 11 seWith the polling covering three curity force personnel and six milidistricts, voting has been com- tants dead. pleted in 49 of the 87 Assembly In the last assembly polls, the constituencies. The fourth and fifth phase will be held on Decem79 per cent polling was ber 14 and 20. Counting of votes registered in Baramulla will be taken up on Dedistrict's Uri segment which cember 23. Barring a petrol witnessed the deadly attack bomb attack by some unidentified persons at on an army camp Friday a polling station in leaving 11 security force Gulmarg, the polling was by and large peace- personnel and six ful in all the constituen- militants dead cies in Baramulla, Pulwama and Budgam districts of north, south and cen- constituency recorded 81.73 per tral Kashmir. cent voting. Voters including elderly perBeerwah constituency in sons lined up at 1,781 polling sta- Budgam district from where Omar tions in sub-zero temperatures at is locked in a multi-cornered conmany places in the morning to test, recorded an increase of decide the fate of 144 candidates nearly 17 per cent in the polling including Chief Minister Omar compared to last assembly elecAbdullah and three of his cabinet tions. The constituency recorded colleagues. 74.14 per cent as against 57.17 per Giving the breakup of voting cent in 2008.-PTI

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Ready to assist in resolving Kashmir issue: Ban UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Kimoon has expressed readiness to engage with India and Pakistan in resolving the Kashmir issue if requested by both and asked them to resume talks to reach an agreement that would serve their security interests as well as that of the region. "As I have stated in the past, if both countries request it, I am ready to engage further to assist in resolving this issue," the Secretary General said. Reiterating that peace in Jammu and Kashmir can be achieved only through dialogue, Ban called on the two countries to resume discussions and said that an agree-

ment on Kashmir would serve the security interests of both countries as well as that of the region. "I once again encourage both governments to resume discussions and identify confidence-building measures that will allow them to come to an agreement on Kashmir, which will serve the security interests of both countries as well as of the region," Ban told PTI. He said that Kashmiris need to be engaged in the process and their rights must also be respected at all times. Ban said he as well as other senior officials have been in close contact with au-

thorities from both Pakistan and India in recent weeks, given the tensions between the two countries when violence escalated along the Line of Control in October. "I am saddened by the loss of lives throughout this conflict, including this fall when civilians were killed and thousands more were displaced. I am convinced that peace and stability in Kashmir can be achieved only through dialogue," Ban said.PTI

UN chief Ban Ki-moon

Pakistan says no hand in Kashmir attacks ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reacted sharply to India's assertion that terrorists from across the border were responsible for the recent deadly attacks in Kashmir and that Islamabad's support to Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed was nothing short of "mainstreaming of terrorism". Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said, "We have taken a serious note of the remarks made by the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)." "Pakistan firmly rejects the baseless allegations about 'mainstreaming of terrorism'. Pakistan has been in the forefront of combating terrorism and is also its biggest victim," she said in a statement. Lashing out strongly, India had said Pakistan's support to UN-designated terrorist and Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Saeed and his proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawah was "nothing short of mainstreaming of terrorism." Also, the Kashmir Valley was rocked by four terror attacks by militants from across the border who stormed an Army camp in Uri leaving 11 security personnel, including a Lt Colonel, dead and killed two civilians in Tral. Srinagar and Shopian were the other two places where the militants struck. Terming the attacks as most unfortunate, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the militants came from across the border and fired at the jawans and security men at a camp. Aslam dismissed India's assertion that militants came from across the border, saying, "We also reject the equally baseless allegations and efforts to malign Pakistan by implicating it in the recent attacks" in Kashmir. She said, "on the contrary, if any evidence of mainstreaming of terrorism in India was needed, one only had to look at the perpetrators of Samjhauta Express terrorist attack and its masterminds." The Foreign Office Spoekesperson said Pakistan takes its obligations under the UN Security Council mandate very seriously. "India has to understand that the people of Jammu and Kashmir would accept nothing short of their right to self-determination, promised to them by the United Nations Security Council and accepted by India and the International community," Aslam said. -PTI

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India a great tennis town, says Sampras NEW DELHI: Not many sportspersons enjoy the status of a global icon but Pete Sampras certainly does and playing in India for the first time, the 14-time Grand Slam winner richly praised the fans' knowledge of the racquet sport and called the country a 'great tennis town'. Sampras and Roger Federer, two of the greatest tennis players of all time, have mesmerized the fans on their India debut in the Indian Premier Tennis League. Asked whether he expected a raucous reception on his arrival here, Sampras said: "I had a feeling. I have traveled all around the world and met a lot of people from India. They love tennis. They are excited to see you, they are enthusiastic, they are nice people. I could be in Germany or Los Angeles, I meet them and they know tennis, know Wimbledon. "They seem to know I did pretty well there. I see it as a great tennis town. I am happy I am here finally and hopefully I will come back." Sampras, whose 14 Grand Slam singles titles was a record until it was broken by his good friend Federer, was asked a barrage of questions on how the game has evolved ever since he stopped playing professionally in 2002. The American mastered the art of serve and volley tennis which doesn't find a place in the modern game of playing from the baseline. "My generation had serve and volley but it also had contrast. I was playing Boris Becker one day and Andre (Agassi) the next day. Now everyone plays the same and from the back. These three four guys (Federer, Djokovic, Nadal) are so much better than the rest. No one really wants to come, they don't know how to come in, that has been the biggest change, the style of play," said the 43-year-old. He further said: "I don't think the courts have gotten quicker, the style of play is just one dimensional, everyone is staying at the back and they are great at it but it would surely be nice to see some contrast. Sampras said he doesn't see the current style changing anytime soon. "The kids growing up are watching Novak, Roger and Rafa, they would like to play like them. My generation we had Stefan Edberg, Boris, (John) McEnroe who served and volleyed and I became familiar with it," he pointed out. The 2014 season saw first major winners in Marin Cilic (US Open) and Stan Wawrinka (Australian Open), challenging the supremacy of the 'top three' - Federer, Nadal and Djokovic.

However, Sampras feels the top three will continue to dominate in 2015.

uncertain but once he is healthy he is in the mix. Dimitrov (Grigor) is showing signs, he needs to learn how to win but he has got the talent. But I still see those three guys dominating. I see guys threatening them but when push comes to shove you will see those three in the second week of Majors, in semis and finals. "Wawrinka, Cilic are up and coming. It is going to be an interesting year but I still think those three are the cream of the crop. They have the experience so they will be tough to beat," reckoned the s e v e n - t i m e Wimbledon champion. What does a player need to succeed in the prevailing scenario and he said, "You need a good forehand. You look at Novak, Roger, Rafa, their forehands are Micromax India Aces, Pete Sampras during the penetrating, consislegends match against Singapore Slammers at the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) at IGI tent, they are weapstadium in New Delhi on December 7 ons. You need to have that shot or "Novak is the obvious choice, some sort of a weapon from back Roger is motivated to get to num- court. So I would say forehand is ber one again, Rafa's fitness is a start. Having a good serve helps

to set it up but the game is a lot more physical now, you need to move well. You have to have a weapon." "To have the serve and volley game, you need to start young. I started at 14. Serve volley takes time, the instincts, sense of play." During his time America dominated tennis but all that is now a thing of the past. Sampras called the tennis scene back home grim and attributed the decline to the

"At the moment I don't see myself traveling on tour for coaching. Boris and others are older, they are open to traveling. The Davis Cup captaincy is something I am not interested in either. I am not going to rule that out but I don't see myself doing it at the moment." On his IPTL debut, he said: "I was a bit rusty yesterday, jet lagged, had a rough trip from Los Angeles. I feel better now. The

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;On the tournament concept, he said: "There is a time and place for having these rules and now is the time.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; But like Federer, he also would not want to see any changes in the way the game is played on the tour popularity of the game world over. "It looks a bit on the slim side (in America). I don't really know anyone who is coming up. We got to take small steps. We are not in the 90s anymore. It takes time to see American tennis back to where it was. The game has become so international, so global, players are playing all around the world. "The world is hungrier and we are not just producing young kids with potential. It is just a phase and hopefully it doesn't last that long," he said. After retirement, Sampras has only appeared in a handful of exhibition matches. And it is going to continue that way, he said.

format is much quicker. It is fun and exciting for the fans." On the tournament concept, he said: "There is a time and place for having these rules and now is the time." But like Federer, he also would not want to see any changes in the way the game is played on the tour. "Look at the history of tennis. All began with US Open, Wimbledon. It is a very traditional sport and I don't see them changing any rules or hear that horn that we hearing here," he quipped referring to the innovative format IPTL is following, blending tennis with dance and music.-PTI

Overwhelmed Federer says he would be back in India NEW DELHI: Roger Federer's countless fans did not have enough of him on his rare Indian sojourn and the Swiss superstar reciprocated their feelings saying that one day he would travel the "beautiful country in a big way". How much the Indian fans love Federer was in full display on the final day of the Indian Premier Tennis League on Monday December 8 when he beat his world number one rival Novak Djokovic in a one off set amid a roaring crowd rooting for his win. He had asked his Twitter followers to photoshop him around the country, drawing 'hilarious' suggestions. Most of his two days in Delhi were spent on court and hotel but it was enough to overwhelm him. "The great moments I spent here will forever be in my memory. Thank you New Delhi! Tremendous crowd support! Forever grateful," he posted in the wee hours of Tuesday before leaving India.

Around five hours before his parting tweet, he spoke at length about his India experience. "Photoshop was so much fun. It was crazy reading it on the timeline. It was like 'are you serious'? said Federer after his night match against Djokovic.

"I really enjoyed it (being in India). Unfortunately I could not do much of those trips (as suggested on Twitter) but I know that one I will definitely travel India in a big way. I hope to get the company of some locals while I am traveling India. There is much to see.

Indian Aces perform a Bollywood dance with tennis star Roger Federer during the ongoing IPTL in New Delhi on December 8

I want to come with family and hopefully we can do it in peace. I would really like to travel this beautiful country," said Federer drawing a cheerful laughter from the media men. Did he expect that he is revered here? So much so that most at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium would support him over someone like a Djokovic. "Of course I did. I am in the Indian aces team," he quipped. Then he said what makes him an adoring figure around the world. "My fans are the ones who support me the most. They know how much I appreciate their support. I don't really scream about it all the time and they know it. But If they don't know and they are insecure that I didn't appreciate, or I didn't see the banner, I didn't see the flags, didn't see the t-shirt, I wanna tell them I did and I really loved it. And that is why I came here. I loved it. I can't thank them enough." -PTI

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Will help India down clean energy path: WB chief WASHINGTON: The World Bank will do everything it can to help India achieve the goal of clean energy to all, President of the international financial institution Jim Young Kim has said. "We're going to do everything we can to help India down a cleaner path," Kim said. "If we could build more bus rapid transit systems in India, if we could do many more thousands of kilometers of bus rapid transit systems, that would have a huge impact. They've already gone to natural gas-run buses that are much cleaner," said Kim who visited India early this year and met Narendra Modi in Delhi. "So there are lots of things we can do. What Prime Minister Modi is looking for - and this is our responsibility to him - he said to me specifically, if you can find cleaner ways of accomplishing what I have to accomplish, and

terms of increasing solar energy. So he's a great advocate of solar energy. And he did that when he was in Gujarat," he said. "He has an enormous problem in the sense that he has to find ways of providing energy for, still, 400 million people in India who live on less than USD 1.25 a day, while at the same time having a positive impact," he added. He said Modi had been clear and open to having discussions. "But, of course, the first thing

Jim Young Kim

that is creating jobs for all these young people, all these people that are, you know, exiting schools and looking for work, if you can find that, I will choose it," he said. Kim said he remained hopeful, but the overall discussion was a very complicated one.

"400 million people living on less than USD 1.25 a day that is also his (Modi) responsibility," he said. The President said he has had quite a few meetings with Modi. "Prime Minister Modi has told me that he has worked a lot in

Most CMs favor restructuring of Planning Commission no time-line has been fixed, saying the Centre will take a "considered view after consultations are over". However, there were indications that the shape of the new structure could be firmed by January 26 next year. Chief Ministers of West Bengal and Mizoram besides poll-bound Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand did not attend the meeting where the Prime Minister sought to give greater role for the states in the new body. At the meeting, Congress-ruled states supported the idea of revamping the Planning Commission set up by Jawaharlal Nehru in Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the CMs at the Retreat at Race Course Road, following 1950 but disfavored the meeting with the CMs on replacing Planning Commission, in New Delhi on December 7 its scrapping as they felt it can be existing set-up. ter, some Cabinet ministers and "evolved". However, some NDA states and Modi, who has announced in some Chief Ministers along with his Independent Day speech that technocrats and experts in vari- those ruled by parties like AIADMK and TRS wanted immethe Planning Commission would ous fields. be replaced by a new body which The Chief Ministers could be diate disbanding of the Planning is in sync with the contemporary included in the body on rotation Commission. The meeting deliberated pareconomic world, invoked former basis and the states could be Prime Minister Manmohan Singh given liberty to spend funds ac- ticularly on four aspects like the fate of five-year plan system, anwho had said on April 30 this year cording to their needs. that the current structure has "no Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, nual plans, the flow of funds from futuristic vision in the post-reform while briefing the media on the the Centre to states as per current period". deliberations of the meeting, said practice.-PTI NEW DELHI: A meeting called by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the future of the Planning Commission on Sunday December 7 saw most Chief Ministers favoring restructuring of the Soviet-era body but there was no consensus on disbanding the

they will say is, you know, we need a chance to industrialize, we need a chance to create jobs, we need energy," Kim said. "I'm hopeful in the sense that the leadership of China and the US I think was unexpected. And even at the G20 meeting, every single one of the leaders there knew that there was a reckoning coming, that they would have to state what they were going to do. And so we continue to work with them very closely," he said. -PTI

Modi pushed for an effective structure which strengthens "cooperative federalism" and the concept of 'Team India'. Indications from the day-long meeting suggested that the government is looking at a structure which will have the Prime Minis-

States told to stop all webbased taxi services NEW DELHI: Calling the rape of a 27-year-old executive as a "national shame," the Government has asked all states to stop operations of all web-based taxi services even as it emerged that the accused cabbie was a serial sexual offender and was allegedly involved in two previous rapes in 2011 in 2013. The anguish over the rape of the woman executive working in a Gurgaon firm reverberated in both Houses of Parliament as Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised to initiate all steps to ensure safety and security of women and children in the country. "The Ministry of Home Affairs has advised the state governments/UT administrations to ensure that the operations of the web-based taxi services are stopped," Singh said in Rajya Sabha while making it clear that the Government was not in favor

of banning taxi services but wanted to regulate them. As the case brought to light gaps in hiring of drivers by Uber, the US-based car booking service, investigators found alleged involvement of accused Shiv Kumar Yadav in a number of sexual crimes including a rape case last year in Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh. Police said he is a "big time rogue" and was arrested in a number of cases earlier. It had emerged that Yadav was arrested in a rape case in South Delhi's Mehrauli area in 2011 and had even spent seven months in Tihar jail. "UP police has found that he was involved in at least three more cases in the city including a case of rape and a molestation which were lodged in Mainpuri in UP. He was out on bail," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Madhur Verma.-PTI

US praises India's role in counter-piracy effort WASHINGTON: Praising India for playing an important role in international counter-piracy efforts, the US has said it looks forward to working with the country on the issue. "India played an important role (in international counter-piracy efforts). India is a major, major naval power. It's a major trading nation, and we greatly appreciate how India stepped up and stepped in to provide resources, energy," said Todd Chapman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs. Chapman, who recently met an Indian delegation at the international Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) in

Dubai, said, "We had a good exchange of information and views, and India's role is very important." "When ships come off of the Coast of Somalia, many of them are going straight east, and they're transiting the Indian Ocean and going onto other parts of the world and, of course, going through Indian waters," he said "So that's why I think it's so important that India did step up and play such a leading role, and we greatly appreciate that and look forward to working with India on this issue in the future," Chapman said. The CGPCS, which has been in existence since 2009, is really a model of 21st century international partnership.-PTI

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Harsha Bhogle named World Cup 2015 ambassador MELBOURNE: Seeking to woo Indian tourists to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Tourism Australia has announced new initiatives, including appointing commentator Harsha Bhogle as its new brand ambassador. Apart from appointing Bhogle, Tourism Australia will also collaborate with several airlines, including Air India, for promoting the 44-day event. According to the feedback received from the accredited travel agents of the ICC Cricket World cup 2015, over 6,000 Indians are expected to travel Down Under for the event, Tourism Australia's country manager for India, Nishant Kashikar, said. Tourism Australia is all set to tap the Indian overseas tourists

market by roping in several key airlines to promote attractive airfares during the event and also launch campaigns showcasing hot destinations through advocates like Bhogle. "Tourism Australia will be collaborating with its key airline partners including Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Air India during the January to March 2015 period to promote attractive airfares in to Australia," he said. Cricket matches in Australia

According to the feedback received from the accredited travel agents of the ICC Cricket World cup 2015, over 6,000 Indians are expected to travel Down Under for the event, Tourism Australia's country manager for India, Nishant Kashikar, said

would be held in cities like

Harsha Bhogle

Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Perth. Kashikar said that in a bid to leverage the attention and viewership that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is slated to receive in India, Tourism Australia (TA) was also planning a robust integrated media campaign, to increase visibility for the country as a tourism destination. As a part of marketing initia-

tive, TA has also collaborated with Bhogle, who will indulge in leisure activities to showcase to the dedicated followers of his owned social media channels. Kashikar said that the average spend by an Indian traveler into Australia was 4,350 Australian dollars and it was expected to rise during the upcoming cricket event. The events expected to woo Indian travelers' market were the Border - Gavaskar Test Series, ODI

Tri-Series with England in January 2015, followed by the prestigious ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. "Hosting an impressive line-up of matches including absolute crackers like the Boxing Day test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 opener between India and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval, destination Australia is ready to take its place in the spotlight," Kashikar said.-PTI

Govt asked to provide e visa facility in Amritsar WASHINGTON: A Punjabi association in the US has asked the Indian government to provide evisa facility at Amritsar airport. "Amritsar airport has the same importance as other nine airports and E-visa for Amritsar will promote the Punjab economy," Satnam Singh Chahal, executive director of the

North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Currently the recently launched e-visa facility is available at nine Indian airports Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. -PTI

Desi News Beware of utility bill scam this holiday season ROSEMEAD, CA: Southern California Edison (SCE) has warned customers to stay vigilant this holiday season as impostors, claiming to represent the utility, continue a telephone scam demanding immediate payment for allegedly past-due electricity bills. The hustle and bustle of the season makes customers especially vulnerable as telephone bill scammers increase calls threatening to disconnect electrical service unless immediate payment is made on past-due bills. The caller demands that payment be made through a prepaid card and urges victims to purchase a prepaid debit card, load a specific amount of money on the card and give the card number to the scammer. Cont’d on page 25

Nisha, 26, honored for 'renouncing world'

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Excellence in Teaching Award for Shiv Singh Details on page 25

December 12, 2014

Beware of discounted air tickets you may lose your shirt India Post News Service

CHICAGO: There is a saying in Gujarati - Lobhiya Hoy Tyan Dhutara Fave - 'Cheats prosper where Greed abounds'. This happens time and again and more so in the travel area when the unsuspecting but bargain hunting greedy are taken for a ride with a lure of cheap tickets.

eling to India and Pakistan. Low rates induced many to book their tickets with them but found themselves stranded either at the airport in Chicago or on their way back home. They suffered hefty losses in the process. A travel scam is alleged to have perpetrated by a travel agency in north side of Chicago suburb. The agency is said to be run by a

Some of the passengers who bought the tickets from this agency found to their utter dismay that their tickets were either cancelled or were really not paid for by the agency to the airlines or the wholesalers. Their realization came only when they reached Chicago airport. Some of the tickets were bought from a wholesale travel firm in Chi-

found they had lost their hard earned money. However, yet another unwholesome offshoot of the scam is that the wholesaler who used to sell the ticket to the defunct travel agency is also facing the music. Anonymous emails started getting circulated thru social media, in a subtle pitch that the wholesaler who has been in this busi-

SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago organized a well attended reception in honor of one of its young Jain followers and devotee Kumari Nisha Kapasi of New York who announced renouncing the word in a bid to seek spiritual upliftment and devoting her life for the betterment of society at large. She would formally renounce the material world on January 18 next at Samet Shikhar ji, one of the holiest Jain places in India, in the presence of highly revered Acharya Vijaysuriwasmini Ji. Details on page 18

Seniors of Chicago celebrate Annual Event JAYANTI OZA AND SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: Indian Seniors (ISC) of Chicago celebrated their Annual get together event on Saturday, November 22 at Manav Seva Mandir in Bensenville, a north side suburb of Chicago. More then 485 seniors and their guests attended this program. Lamp Lighting ceremony was performed by Chief Guest Mafatbhai Patel, often described as Uncrowned King of Devon and Dr Chitranjan Patel, a noted cardiologist. The ISC president Narsinhbhai Patel, Dahyabhai Prajapati, CV Desai and others were present too. Details on page 20

Traveling abroad and India

It happened in Chicago a few years ago when two travel agencies - one run by a Gujarati and the other by a Pakistani - announced hefty discounts for trav-

Gujarati, a person of Indian origin who was a recent entry. He succeeded in selling a good number of round trip tickets luring customers with huge discounts.

cago. Inquiries reveal that this travel wholesaler got the tickets cancelled as he was not paid for the tickets sold. Unfortunate victims hailing from middle class

ness for decades, should find ways to help the hapless victims of the fraud. Cont’d on page 21

Dr Inderjit Patel elected to lead FIA Chicago RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) Chicago headed by Keerthi Ravoori, held its annual elections Sunday December 7 at North Shore Banquet Hall in Chicago and elected its new executive team for the year 2014-15. Dr Inderjit Patel was unanimously chosen as the new President. The elections for the post of Executive Vice President and three positions for Vice Presidents were held in a democratic fashion while other office bearers were declared unanimously elected. Iftekhar Sharef, Chair FIA Trustee Board, expressed huge satisfaction observing that the new FIA team was the outcome of "the peaceful elections" and that he would request the winning

FIA stalwarts at the Annual Elections Meet in Chicago on Sunday Dec 7

team to work with everyone include who lost by few votes. "At the end of day we all are one family, winning losing should not matter. Let's work together with same spirit that we have been exhibiting over the years," he said in a statement.

The following are the elected office-bearers: 1. Dr. Inderjit Patel - President Unanimously elected 2. Ms. Vandana Valia - Executive VP - Elected 3. Harish Kolasani - Secretary Unanimous

4. Dr. Ram Gajella - VP - Elected thru contest 5. Babu Varma - VP - Elected thru contest 6. Kanti N. Patel - VP - Elected thru contest. Cont’d on page 20

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'Yoga Room' at Chicago Midway Airport of a "Yoga Room." In an effort to heighten its appeal to travelers, Chicago's Midway Airport authorities CHICAGO: A growing tribe of interna- have added a room for nursing mothers at tional airports offering Yoga facilities for the airport's C concourse, a short walk from the Midway Boulevard food court. They seem designed to give travelers respite from the hectic nature of air travel, with flat screens displaying nature scenes and soothing music playing in the background. Close on the heels of a similar facility offered at the O'Hare International airport in Chicago and four others in the country, the move by the City Aviation authorities has been accorded wholesome welcome by passengers and Yoga lovers alike. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Burlington International Airport Vermont-all in USA, and Helsinki Airport in Finland, already offer yoga facilities. The Midway facility features a sustainable bamboo wood floor, floor to ceiling mirrors, exercise mats, Yoga facilities at SF International airport frosted windows, video the health conscious travelers has one more monitor, and the audio plays soothing addition now. The Chicago Midway Inter- sounds. Sustainable elements were claimed national Airport has announced launching to be incorporated in the design and conRAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

Yoga facilities at O'Hare in Chicago

Midway Airport Yoga Room

struction of this room. The yoga room, which is unstaffed, will be free for passengers wanting to practice yoga, meditate or just relax." It's really just a quiet place for people to go through," said commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation, who got the idea for the yoga room after spotting one at San Francisco International Airport. The two rooms, which cost about $75,000, are part of a series of efforts to spruce up Midway and O'Hare International Airports, Andolino said. In the past two years, O'Hare has added a few spas and its

own yoga room, which has proved popular, she said. Another spa is being planned for Midway. Welcoming Yoga room at the Chicago Midway, Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also praised the existence of "Meditation Room" at Albuquerque International Sunport in New Mexico and Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina, and "Interfaith Airport Chapel" at Chicago Midway International Airport-all in USA. Meditation, prayer, reflection and contemplation bring positive results, he added.

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Nisha, 26, honored for 'renouncing world' SURESH SHAH

Nisha Kapasi with her father Manor Kapasi

was attended by hundreds of members of the Society and invitees. Kum Nisha in her brief address pitched for her urgent desire to seek spiritual happiness and observed that following the

cardinal principle of religion one can achieve spiritual goals. She is dubbed Diksharthi and her decision to renounce the material world at the young age of 26 was an eye opener for many.

11th year of Holiday Trees display in Pappas' office 90 religious and ethnic groups are on display through the holiday

Chicago Downtown. This is the 11th year of "Holi-

Christmas at Maria Pappas office in Chicago Downtown

Holiday trees and cultural displays decorated and mounted by some

season in the office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas in

James Lytle of First Bank & Trust to retire STEPHANIE KULKE

SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: Reflecting Chicagoland's ethnic diversity, the

Young Nisha honored for her decision to seek spiritual life

day Trees from Around the World," on display for public viewing till January 9, 2015, in Room 112 of the Cook County Building, 118 N. Clark St., Chicago. Sponsoring groups and individuals decorated three-foot-high Christmas trees in ways that show their own cultural traditions. In addition, displays from African American, Hindu and Jewish traditions and a Christian Nativity scene stand on counters through the Treasurer's Office. Pappas noted that with the traditional ornaments and tinsel, the trees have animals, flowers, fruit, balls, candles, plates, boats, stars and flags. "These trees and cultural displays show the great diversity of Cook County, one of the nation's most diverse regions," Pappas said.

CHICAGO: The co-founder and Managing Director of First Bank & Trust, James C. Lytle will retire December 31. Lytle began his career in banking in 1964 at the State Bank of Evanston. While maintaining his banking career he served a term as Alderman in 1973, and then served two terms as Mayor of Evanston in 1977 and 1981. After his term in office, Lytle joined the Pioneer Bank in Chicago. In 1988, Lytle and four other managers launched an Initial Public Offering and bought the bank. In 1993 the partners sold Pioneer Bank, and Lytle, Kain and Yohanan went on to found First Bank & Trust. The First Bank & Trust is locally owned and managed community bank and was founded in 1995 by Robert Yohanan, Howard Kain and James Lytle, with a mission to put community first, and provide personalized banking and investment services to individuals, owner-managed businesses and the not-forprofit community.

"The bank was founded to serve the community in every sense and because the community has embraced us, we have been able to grow exponentially," said Lytle. First Bank & Trust has grown rapidly from a single location at 820 Church Street in Evanston with a dozen staff members to nine branch locations and a staff of over 100 banking and

James Lytle

investment professionals serving Chicagoland including northern Cook and DuPage County. Recently the bank reported a third quarter earnings increase of 27% over 2013 with total deposits of $840 million compared with $766 million deposits last year.

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Traveling to India made Yoga course for credit in easy, but more needed Portland school SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: The news of ending of red tapism in issuance of visa for traveling to India from 43 countries has really gladdened the heart of many but a clarification from the Indian consulate has dampened a bit of that enthusiasm Travelers from 43 nations, including Germany, Japan, Russia and America, will now

India and Visa

be able to receive visas upon arrival. There are, unfortunately, some restrictions: " You have to apply online four days in advance, pay a $60 fee, and upload a passport photo and a scan of your passport. " It only works for the international airports in nine cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Goa. " It is valid for 30 days, and you can only get two per year.

The Narendra Modi government has referred to the changes as being for a "tourist visa". But the announcement makes clear the visa can be used for a "casual business visit", and many readers may decide that's good enough for them. The new policy is far from perfect, but it's a step in the right direction and one that travele r s should a p plaud, s a y s Madhu Patel, presid e n t N R I Press Club. It will convey a clear message that India is serious about making travel to the country easy, said an officer at the Indian Consulate in Chicago. "This is an encouraging attitude. On the part of the concerned in New Delhi but If the Modi government can pull off more changes along these lines, travelers-and the Indian economy-should benefit greatly," said David Potosi, an American businessman traveling to India.

India Post News Service

PORTLAND, OR: Woodrow Wilson High School in Portland-Oregon is offering oneof-its-kind Yoga/Mindfulness for-credit year-long course and according to sources this is getting very popular. "We are fortunate to be able to offer our students a course that incorporates mindful practice and yoga to help with stress management and achieve body awareness, strength and flexibility; improve concentra-

The idea behind mindfulness is that focusing on the present moment helps a person deal better with stress, difficult emotions and negative thoughts. Mindfulness, yoga and meditation have gained popularity among Americans in recent decades, buoyed by studies showing their benefits to emotional, mental and physical health Such practices are now offered by corporations like Google, Target and General Mills to their employees. Prison inmates, hospital patients and the U.S. Marines are

Yoga at Woodrow Wilson High School in Portland

tion, focus and attention; find healthy motivation; build confidence and healthy selfexpression; and develop conscious, compassionate, communication skills", the School website says.

using them to combat stress and illness, increase focus and well-being. And now schools all over the country are introducing the practices. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 22

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Seniors of Chicago celebrate Annual Event JAYANTI OZA AND SURESH SHAH

Lamp Lighting ceremony at the ISC Annual Day celebrations

Seniors line up showing their happiness

ISC secretary Hirabhai Patel welcomed all the guests and members giving details of ISC activities during the year. The Vice President of ISC Dr Rashikbhai Shah gave information about the program in coming year. ISC senior Bhupenrasinh Suthar performed mono acting in memory of a great show man and actor late Shri Raj Kapoor. He replicated a scene from film Mera Nam Joker song "Aye bhai Jara Dekh ke Chalo." There was also a Qawali by his team. Hema Sastri performed Radha Krishna dance. One of Chicago's most popular

A scene from Radha Krishna Dance

Dr Inderjit Patel elected to lead FIA Chicago Cont’d from page 16

7. Shaurin Mehta - Jt. Secretary - Unanimous 8. Ajeet Singh - Treasurer Elected unanimously 9. Jatin Patel - JT. Treasurer Elected unanimously. Offering congratulations to the new team, Iftekhar Shareef thanked all members who came out and voted for the winning team. In a talk to this paper, he said that FIA stood for certain principles and that it should be deemed highly inappropriate on the part of any body to set up another organization and still call it FIA. This amounts to misleading the community and its needs to be stopped immediately. He urged ethnic Indian media to project before the community the real FIA. He told this paper that his FIA has been there for over two and half decades while the other is masquerading as FIA but is not the real one, "We have not fully exhausted out legal options and we would be constrained to take legal action if the other group does not desist from using FIA name,"

he said. His appeal to the ethnic Indian media reads as follows: "It is our humble request to avoid those organizations that use dubious methods in forming them. Such an example is the fake FIA group who resorted to establish another FIA by manipulating the original FIA name by one word.

at the original FIA request media to help protect the integrity of our organization and also other bodies which face similar situation and problem. Our Media is there to support our community. It is no different than someone using the name of India Tribune to "Indian Tribune", India Post to "Indian Post", Hi India to "Hi Indians" ,

singers Nalini Parikh and her group sang 1960-70 songs. All members and guests enjoyed the songs that drew them back in memory lane. ISC President Narsinhbhai Patel in his presidential address briefed all those present about the organization and its working in the past 13 years. He said that the popularity of ISC has been surging among se-

niors and it has now more then 300 members. Every month all the members get together and seek solving seniors' problems common to many. At the end of the program, Treasurer CV Desai and Manubhaibhai Shah, Joint Treasurer thanked all participants and executives members who worked hard for the success of this program.

‘FIA stood for certain principles and that it should be deemed highly inappropriate on the part of any body to set up another organization and still call it FIA. This amounts to misleading the community and its needs to be stopped immediately’ These are the same individuals who were representing and were part of the original FIA formed in 1980's. When these individuals lost elections in 2009, they formed another FIA in 2010, manipulating by one word." "We will continue to knock on the legal doors to find a solution to resolve the issue. Using FIA name is unethical and illegal. We

Desi Talk to Desi's Talk" or similar way of manipulating names. Looking forward to work with you all. Jai Hind" Sunil Shah, founding president of the rival FIA group, said that his organization is duly registered with the concerned State authorities and that it has been rendering yeoman service to the community for the past three years or more.

Raj Kapoor song Aye Bhai

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PCS participates in Thanksgiving Parade SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: The Punjabi Cul- mance from Ringling Bros and tural Society of Chicago (PCS) par- Barnum & Bailey Circus in front ticipated in the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade held on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 27 on State Street in the heart of downtown Chicago. Celebrating its 81st. year, t h e McDonald'sÂŽ Thanksgiving Parade is the Bhangra on State Street Chicago biggest parade in Chicago and the city's premier holiday event. of Macy's department store. The The parade started with a perfor- freezing cold weather could not

Bride and the groom in traditional Punjabi outfit

Beware of discounted air tickets - you may lose your shirt Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 16

The wholesaler in this case, Air Tours, was constrained to inform the traveling public that it has nothing to do with the defunct agency and that it is also a victim of the fraud as it has to get its money for the tickets sold to the agency. Air Tours had to inform the traveling public that it has no connection - even for the name sake company that sold discounted tickets. It has advised people traveling to India to buy tickets from established and reputed travel agents or firm and not to get swayed by low price offers thru luring advertisements or talks. EviaTravel, a reputed travel firm in Chicago, has been running a campaign of its own urging the traveling public to rely only on established or accredited travel firms for their travel needs. "Buying from your own travel company not only ensures you confirmed

seats and tickets but also immense personalized services when you run into problem. "It helps traveling public choosing the right air line, competitive price and taking care of emergency changes in the travel plan," said Abdul Sidaki, the CEO of Evia Travel. After receiving many complaints from our readers, we confirmed that Air tours have been in the travel business for more than 25 years. It is one of the most reputed companies being a consolidator with top airlines like Air India, Qatar, Etihad, Emirate, Jet, Turkish and Sri Lankan Airlines. "Air tours is an independent company and has never assigned any travel agent to represent it or use its name for business. If somebody has tried to use, misuse or misrepresent its name in anyway, the right course for the intended victim or traveling public would be to report it to the police or concerned authority," said a spokesman for Air Tours.

deter PCS members dressed up in ethnic costumes of Achkan, Kurta Pajama and Lehnga Choli from participating. This colorful procession of more than 100 units consisting of giant helium balloons, remarkable floats representing many cultures and organizations, 23 high school marching bands, equestrian units, unique performance groups, and celebrities made their way down

State Street marching North from Congress to Randolph to kick off the holiday season. Beside the floats, MercedesBenz of Chicago featured a caravan of red and white Mercedes vehicles riding down State Street. "The theme of the PCS float and its contingent was an Indian Maharaja wedding procession (Baraat), which included the bride and the groom in traditional

Punjabi wedding outfits, the baraatis in festive ethnic costumes, Punjabi Dhol (drum), amplified Bhangra music, street dancing and interaction with spectators," said Rajinder Singh Mago, member PCS Board of Governors. Three Bhangra Dhol drum players led the PCS float with Punjabi Bhangra dancers entertaining the crowds. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 22

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Importance of Satyanarayan Katha in Kaliyuga PANDIT ANIL JOSHI

The Hindu Mandir at Grayslake has announced hosting its Samoohika Shri Satya Narayana Katha Puja on Saturday, 20 December from 2:30pm onwards. The Chicagoland residents are requested to participate in this Mahotsav wherein the significance as well as importance of the Katha will be explained. The "Kali" of Kali Yuga means "conflict", "discord", "quarrel" or "contention.' Human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga, which is referred to as the Dark Age because in it people tend to move away from God and Dharma. Kali Yuga is full of problems which are mostly created by our own actions. According to Vedas people need to observe four basic codes of conduct: Matru, Pitru, Acharya and Athiti as Devo Bhava. It literally means "be one for whom the Mother is God, be one for whom the Father is God, be one for whom the Teacher is God, be one for whom the guest is God. In Kali Yuga people tend to be result oriented and would not either perform any pooja or pray to God if the end result is non fulfillment of their desire. If their wish fails to come true or they face many problems, they get disinterested in puja or rightful conduct. They would blame

in the last analysis, God Almighty alleging that He is not taking care of them. As it is said in Ramayana, "kalahi karmahi isvarahi mithyaa dosh lagaa hi". Greed is very rampant among people in this age. They want to earn more money and become rich and fulfill their own personal

form Shree Satyanarayana Katha. The Satyanarayana Puja is worship of the embodiment of eternal Truth. The word Satya means Truth and Narayan means he who is abiding in everybody and everything. Thus, the worship of Lord Satyanarayana in the form of Lord Vishnu suggests the removal of difficulties and problems either caused by this life or previous births. Worshipping Truth means being truthful to oneself. Then, be truthful to others and also to oneself. Pandit Anil Joshi Priest, Hindu Mandir of Lake County, Grayslake The reasons for the needs. Their actions in pursuant popularity of this Katha are 1) it of these desires give rise to is very simple and easy to per'Asuri Pravarti' and negative en- form, and 2) it can be performed ergy. Acharyas therefore tell us by anyone; young or old, man or to become vigilant and righteous woman, and even widows. It thus and go towards God to attain proves that as far as God is conMoksha. cerned, there are no barriers. It is Resolving all these problems, only the sincerity, faith and dethere is only one solution - to per- votion of the Bhakta (devotee)

Shri Ramanujam visits HUA

that counts. It can also be performed on any day and at any time. According to Lord Vishnu we should understand His message on how to perform Katha. He said that the Katha should be performed with utmost devotion by a right Brahmin priest along with your family members, relatives and friends. Later on chant His name whole night. Worshipping, chanting or singing together creates harmony and positive vibrations, which help to overcome negative tendencies that cause conflicts and problems in our lives. Everyone on this earth pos-

sesses three Gunas namely Rajo Guna, Sato Guna and Tamo Guna. After performing this Katha with full devotion we will attain victory over Sato Guna, spending the money on Dharma and serving others we will win over Rajo Guna, chanting Lord's name in the night when negative energies are active we will conquest Tamo Guna. Hindu philosophy pitches for respecting and serving other people to become more humble and get rid of ego problem. This puja is performed to ensure the prosperity, abundance, happiness, wellbeing of the family and community members.

Yoga course for credit in Portland school Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 19

In this Oct. 1, 2014 photo, students meditate during Mindful Studies class at Wilson High School. Calling it a "step in the positive direction", Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, observed that Yoga, referred as "a living fossil", was a mental and physical discipline for everybody to share and benefit from. He urged that it would be in the fitness of the things if schools incorporate yoga as part of their curriculum. He further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali, who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

According to National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to an estimate, about 21 million Americans, including many celebrities, now practice yoga. Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed added. WWHS, a comprehensive public high school spread over 20 acres and with about 1230 pupils; exceeded District, State and National averages in SAT and AP scores. A part of Portland Public Schools (PPS), Brian Chatard is its Principal. PPS, largest school district in the Pacific Northwest founded in 1851, has about 48,745 students in 81 schools who speak about 94 languages at home. Ruth Adkins and Pam Knowles are CoChair of its Board of Education while Carole Smith is Superintendent.

PCS participates in Thanksgiving Parade Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 21

L-R: Abhinav Dwivedi, HUA Vice President, Sri Ramanujam and Anand Jujane

ri Ramanujam, disciple of Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji, re cently visited Hindu University of America in Orlando for a discussion on "Hinduism & Philosophy". Sri Ramanujam is a professional public speaker and insightful spiri-

tual instructor with sound experience in discoursing on philosophical, spiritual, devotional and personality-development aspects of human life. He speaks regularly on Indian television and has traveled throughout the world. He is adept in discoursing on Srimad

Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagwat Gita, the glory of the Vedas and the lives and works of great saints. Even while expounding on the deep philosophies, Sri Ramanujam highlights their practical aspects and applicability to our current modern lifestyle.

Bhangra music blasting from the float made the cheering crowd clap and tap their feet to the beat. Mona and Manjeet Bhalla were the bride and the groom in their wedding dresses. This parade tradition started in 1934 during the Great Depression in an effort to stimulate the economy and cheer up Chicagoans. Originally called the "Christ-

mas Caravan", the parade has evolved into a full-scale holiday spectacle and cherished tradition for Chicagoans and Americans alike. Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) is promoting education, good citizenship, community development, civic commitment and involvement, and preserving Punjabi culture, language, sports and performing arts among its goals.

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Story of Hindu-Muslim distrust in the guise of Shakespeare ARCHANA ASTHANA India Post News Service

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA: "Merchant on Venice", a repurposed appropriation of the Shakespearean "Merchant of Venice" was played out at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts several weekends in November, 2014. A production by Enacte in its third year of existence, it aimed to promote and showcase South Asian talent. The venue was pleasing, inviting and intimate, as the sparse audience settled down for an evening of versed dialogue with

which the audience was happy to give and was soon wrapped up in the story of love, betrayal, friendship, and a good dose of Bollywood elements complete with a song and dance sequence. Jeetendra, played by Sonu Bains, the struggling actor, wants to impress his girlfriend, Pushpa, played by Angelica Shah, and thus needs to borrow some money. His good friend, Devendra, played by Amasalan Doraisingam (also a codirector) provides the collateral against his ships in order for the local moneylender, the Vohra Muslim Sharuk, well portrayed by thespian Vijay Rajvaidya, to loan the

A surprise entrant is the character of Tooranpoi, loosely based on Launcelot Gobbo, superbly played by Ranjita Chakravarty, who entertains more in the spirit of the Shakespearean clown, and thus is used as a vehicle to deliver politically incorrect and sensitive issues. elements of old English play acting with masala overtones of Bollywood. The opening scenes take a while to get the story going where the confused audience tries to figure out the parallels between the characters on stage and the known characters of Shakespeare's play. The quick introduction by director, Sonalee Hardikar, where it is made known that this is a bold re-imagination of the original, set

in Culver City, on Venice Boulevard, did help somewhat, however, the lack of visual cues for the audience made for a bumpy start. The dialogue-intense play required complete engagement

moneys. Sharuk however, extracts the promise of emasculating Devendra and extracting "his ounce of flesh" upon failure to repay the loan. The plot essential to the story line thus established, moves on to introduce Pushpa as a movie director's daughter, and Jeetendra's love, who fields an array of suitors for her hand. In a twist from the original ploy where the suitors had to pick the

right one from a selection of three caskets to win the damsel's hand, now have to choose between three DVDs of movies. As the characters of Sharuk and Devendra are developed, we

get to see the bone of contention between them being that of the age old Hindu-Muslim distrust. Sharuk's many monologues, some of them lasting almost 5 minutes bring up a litany of unpleasantness committed in a far away land and centered on demonization of Muslims. Devendra, a religious bigot continues generalizing the Muslim stereotype much to Sharuk's increasing rage. A surprise entrant is the character of Tooranpoi, loosely based on Launcelot Gobbo, superbly played by Ranjita Chakravarty, who entertains more in the spirit of the Shakespearean clown, and thus is used as a vehicle to deliver politically incorrect and sensitive issues. Tooranpoi's mischievous and humorous antics lend an insight into his world, which is not always rosy, as he resents working for Sharuk, and flatters and convinces Jeetendra to hire him. He reflects on his promised salary, and conveys a sense of the plight faced by low waged employees, finding work within dubious establishments away from their homeland. It is regrettable that this character was not returned in the second act. Meanwhile, within Sharuk's family, another betrayal is about to unfold....that of his daughter Noorani, played by Sukanya Chakrabarti, who chooses her own mate, and goes off in the sunset to seek her fortunes with him. A sweetly sung rendition emotes the soulful union of this young couple. At the very same moment Sharuk is invited to break bread with Jeetendra and Devendra to seal the money lending deal. A rather interesting, but somewhat choppy introduction of a song and dance sequence incorporates the festival of Holi, with clever use of colorful duppattas to simulate the colors of Holi, that also underlines Sharuk's reluctance to this meeting with the Hindus in the midst of this Hindu festival. As the plot thickens with the loss of Devendra's collateral, he faces the reality of losing his masculinity to keep his promise to Sharuk. The court trial scene, a well remembered and oft replayed piece of the original is presented as a farce, done mainly to humor Sharuk. The lawyers, played by Pushpa, and her maid, Kavita, first dressed up in manly clothing, then made to change to Indian women's garb, try to argue

the lack of shedding blood as a key provision of this contract. A real twist comes in as Sharuk is ready to go ahead with his halal butcher who will be able to do just

in law, and SABU (South Asian Business Unit). In a conversation, the playwright Shishir Kurup mentioned that he conceived this play as

that. Devendra insists on honoring his promise and awaits his fate. Sharuk emotes the conflict he feels at this moment, in which Noorani's betrayal is greater than Devendra's blasphemy. In his mind, Devendra's complicity and perceived conspiracy takes the blame for the hurt he feels from his daughter's actions. In the end, however, Sharuk is unable to follow through, and puts away his scalpel. Kavita, who is played by Soma Mitra as Pushpa's servant, pleads impassionately to mend relationships between Hindus and Mus-

an appropriation of the original. This makes sense as he stripped away the flesh of the original "Merchant of Venice", keeping the bones intact; and re-layered it with the conflicts and issues in the South Asian context. He was inspired by the location of the intersection of Venice Boulevard with Carrington Boulevard in Culver City, where he noticed a medley of shops and people of mixed South Asian descent. Thus his characters in this appropriation depict various sub cultures of the Indian Diaspora with sometimes mixed results.

As the plot thickens with the loss of Devendra's collateral, he faces the reality of losing his masculinity to keep his promise to Sharuk. The court trial scene, a well remembered and oft replayed piece of the original is presented as a farce lims which further seals the nonaction on Sharuk's part. The audience is grappling with this turn of events, as it is a huge departure from the known plot, and merits tighter and unambiguous direction. The redemption for Sharuk comes not from conversion to Hinduism, but to a much applauded division of his wealth to benefit the temple, his daughter and new son

The writing, direction, and acting of this play is a composite work with many pleasing, light hearted and unexpected turns, while conveying the seriousness of the continuing religious conflict. It is a well written play, with many a twist and liberties with the English language to suit the needs of its "Bollywoodization", which provide the mirth and somberness of the issues at hand.

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Join in for DanceDilSe next production India Post News Service

DanceDilSe Colors show raised funds for Asha for Education

Powered By YouSmileDental. Platinum Sponsors: (SarTaj Realtors, C Bazaar, JB Fashion Store Dance Costumes, Vara Restaurant. Media Partners: (1170AM/ INDTVUSA) Gold Sponsors: (Malabis Cou-

PALO ALTO, CA: DanceDilSe (DDS), A Bollywood Dance Musical Company stage theater production successfully did a Mega show for raising funds for Asha for Education on September 20, "Colors" @ Spangenberg Theater, You may register for DDS Palo Alto, CA. Here is an invitation next Big Theater production to join DDS creative Show & dance perforteam. You may register for DDS next Big The- mances at celebrity ater production Show & events, Bollywood Film dance performances at auditions for roles celebrity events, Bollywood Film auditions for roles on/off screen @ ture, Peach Mode, Cash N Carry, DanceDilSeUSA@gmail.com/ Metro Realtor, Janaki Food, SunnyvalTravel, 3Dot) DanceDilSe.com/408 800 5237 DDS Leads: Ritu, Apla, The DDS conveyed a big Thank You to everyone for mak- Sujatha, Sekar, Shaurya, Madhavi, ing DDS "Colors" a huge success Rocky, Aaina, Alpa, Sangeeta, Main Organizer & Creative Di- Sumeetha, Pooja, Raghu, rector was Jyotsna Bendapudi. Soumyadeep, Pratik, Nehal, Core Organizing Team: Sandeep Prasad, Ajeetha, Mounika, Gangundi, Deepthi Karanam, Ishana, Vikrant, Aniket, Kartik, Tania Gandhe, Kabeer Soumyadeep. DDS celebrated the show sucManchanda, Sundar Sridharan,

DanceDilSe core organizing group

Kalpana Aroda, Parinita Kadam, Namitha Sripathi, Reefath Rajali, Richa Mehta. Dance Choreographers: Jyotsna, Deepthi, Sandeep, Tania, Sundar (Drama). Diamond Sponsors (DDS

cess on November 14 at Vara restaurant and Ash Kalra (San Jose City Council), Papiha Nandy (President of BroadCasting Company) & Joya Kazi were guests of honor.

DanceDilSe success celebration

December 12, 2014

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Beware of utility bill scam this holiday season ROSEMEAD, CA: Southern California Edison (SCE) has warned customers to stay vigilant this holiday season as impostors, claiming to represent the utility, continue a telephone scam demanding immediate payment for allegedly past-due electricity bills. The hustle and bustle of the

is to educate themselves, their employees and their friends about being aware when they receive telephone calls from individuals demanding money for payment," said Kari Gardner, manager, SCE Consumer Affairs. In recent years, an estimated 13,000 SCE customers have re-

Be suspicious of anyone who arrives at your house without an appointment asking to check an appliance, wiring or suggesting that there may be some other electrical problem inside or outside your residence. season makes customers especially vulnerable as telephone bill scammers increase calls threatening to disconnect electrical service unless immediate payment is made on past-due bills. The caller demands that payment be made through a prepaid card and urges victims to purchase a prepaid debit card, load a specific amount of money on the card and give the card number to the scammer. Once the impostor collects the card's value, the customer has been defrauded and the money is gone. Authorities warn that scammers have become more aggressive. Impostors recently resorted to making claims that local police will be called to your home or business if an immediate payment is not received. Others have established bogus telephone lines that state: "Hello. Thank you for calling Southern California Edison Disconnection Department." Truth is, SCE does not contact the police about customers' bill payments and the utility does not have a "Disconnection Department." "The best way for customers to protect themselves against utility impostors and this phone scam

ceived calls from phone scammers posing as utility employees threatening to disconnect service due to unpaid bills. According to law enforcement officials, the majority of victims are small business owners and entrepreneurs whose first language is not English. SCE customers who suspect a fraudulent call should ask for the caller's name, department and business phone number. SCE customers should end the call and report the incident immediately to local police or SCE at 1800-655-4555. SCE offers the following additional tips to customers: • SCE will never call and demand immediate payment with the threat of service disconnection. • An SCE employee will never ask for money in person. • SCE does not accept prepaid cards from customers for bill payments. • SCE does not conduct credit transactions on weekends or holidays. • Never reveal personal information, including your credit card, ATM or calling card number (or PIN number) to anyone. • Never use a call-back number provided by an unknown

caller to verify billing information. And, SCE does not use extension numbers. Instead, call legitimate SCE telephone numbers printed on your utility bill or access SCE's website (SCE.com). • If someone calls and requests you leave your residence at a specific time for a utility-related cause, call the police. This could be a burglary attempt set up by the caller. • Be suspicious of anyone who arrives at your house without an appointment asking to check an appliance, wiring or suggesting that there may be some other electrical problem inside or outside your residence. • SCE employees always have their SCE ID badge displayed on their person for customers to see.

Excellence in Teaching Award for Shiv Singh India Post News Service

SAN JOSE, CA: California Mathematics Council has awarded Shiv Singh of San Jose City College Faculty 2014 Excellence in Te a c h i n g Award. Mr. Singh was elected the best Professor of Mathematics in San Jose City College. Election was held under the direction of California Mathematics Council. The Award was presented to Professor Singh on December 6 at California Mathematics Council conference at Hyatt Regency, Monterey, California by the President.

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There are qualifications to know the Bhagvad Gita

n the previous article of this series (To fight or not to fight: A moral dilemma), Swami Nikhilanand Ji had explained in gist what the Gita is, what its origins are, and how we can have confidence that the Gita available today is an authentic account of the conversation that took place bet w e e n Krishna and Arjun on the battlefield o f Kurukchetra more than 5,000 years ago. Now that we understand the basics, let us know from Swamiji if there is a certain qualification for receiving the knowledge of the Gita. Q: Is there a right way to acquire

knowledge about the Bhagwad Gita? Every knowledge has restrictions with regard to who can learn it. This is as true in material matters as it is in spiritual matters.

Before beginning a Masters degree, one must have completed his undergraduate degree in that subject. Otherwise, he will not grasp the knowledge being given by his professor at the post-graduate

level, and instead of progressing in his understanding, he will only become more confused. The spiritual knowledge given by the various Hindu scriptures is also of different levels, from beginner to advanced. This is why every Hindu scripture has a specific qualification that must be met before someone can study it or learn it correctly. If an unqualified person attempts to study any scripture, then, instead of gaining clarity about the philosophy of Sanatan Dharma, he will only become more confused. Further, some types of knowledge can even be harmful to an unqualified person. For example, if someone learns that aspirin cures headaches, but doesn't know what the proper dosage is, he may swallow the whole bottle, assuming that if one is good, then more must be better. In other words, knowledge partially or incorrectly understood can be more harmful than no knowledge at all. In spiritual matters as well, if the teaching of a particular scripture isn't precisely and fully understood, it may be misinterpreted, and instead of helping a person on his spiritual path, his

wrong understanding becomes an obstacle. This is why we must pay heed to the statements of each scripture telling what the qualifications are to study it. Q: Are there any prerequisites to learning the Gita? If so, what are they? T h e qualification to learn the Gita is as follows: in chapter 18, verse 67, the Gita says that one who does not have faith in Shree Krishna should not hear the Gita. When translating this shlok, Jagadguru Shankaracharya said

this means if a person does not have faith that Krishna is

bhagwan, he is not qualified to listen to or read the Gita. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 27

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There are qualifications to know the Bhagvad Gita Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 26

Did Arjun have faith that Shree Krishna is God? Certainly he did. Otherwise, when given the choice, why would he have chosen a weaponless Shree Krishna over His entire army? When both Arjun and Duryodhan went to Dwarika to ask Shree Krishna's help in the war, He gave them a choice: one could have Him on their side, but with the condition that He would not lift a weapon for the whole war; and one could have His entire army, consisting of (number of divisions, etc.). Arjun was given the first choice, and he chose Krishna over His army. Who in his right mind would make such a decision, unless he believed that Krishna was God? Why did Shree Krishna reveal the Gita to Arjun, and not to Duryodhan? The simple answer to this question is that even God cannot instill faith in an unfaithful person. When Duryodhan learnt that Arjun had picked Lord Krishna, and not his massive army, Duryodhan was very relieved and thought that Arjun was extremely foolish to have not chosen His army. In other words, he had no faith in Shree Krishna. Later, when Krishna went to Duryodhan as a messenger of peace in order to avert the war, Duryodhan would not heed His advice. He insulted Krishna and tried to have Him imprisoned. Krishna even revealed His Divine almighty form before Duryodhan in an effort to influence him, but even then he did not accept Krishna's Divinity. It is amazing to think that even if God Himself comes to a person, if that person is not humble and faithful, then even God cannot help him.

When Duryodhan learnt that Arjun had picked Lord Krishna, and not his massive army, Duryodhan was very relieved and thought that Arjun was extremely foolish to have not chosen His army Then is it any wonder that Krishna chose to reveal the Gita to Arjun, instead of Duryodhan? A person must be humble to be open to the spiritual teachings, and faithful to accept them. Thus, we see that an unfaithful person, no matter how learned or intelligent he is, is unqualified to receive the teachings of the Gita. There is one more important qualification to learn the Gita, which I will cover in the next part of this series. Disciple of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj: Swami Nikhilanand Ji is a Canadian born Hindu spiritual leader based in Austin, Texas. He is a sanyasi disciple and pracharak of Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Attracted to the teachings of Hinduism from a young age, Swamiji eventually let his deep spiritual longing lead him to India, where he was most fortunate to come under

the guidance of Shree Kripaluji Maharaj. Thereafter, living in the ashrams of JKP, he extensively studied Hindi, the philosophy of the prime Sanskrit scriptures (Vedas, Darshan Shastras, Gita, Bhagwatam), and practiced meditation in the tradition of raganuga bhakti. In 2003, he was given sanyas. Now, with the blessings of his Guruji, he offers satsang programs Swami Nikhilanand Ji

throughout America, engaging audiences with his clear explanations of Hindu philosophy coupled with inspired chanting of Sanskrit mantras and shlokas and charming nam sankirtan. His informative and compelling speeches provide practical insight into how to adopt the teachings of Sanatan Dharm into our daily lives, and inspire us to awaken our inner spiritual potential. To stay in touch with Swami Nikhilanand Ji, like his Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/SwamiNikhilanand or follow him on twitter at https://twitter.com/ Swami_Nikhil.

TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

1 Manwa Laage : Happy New Year 2 Lovely : Happy New Year 3 Meherbaani : The Shaukeens 4 Meherbaan: Bang Bang 28 India Post

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December 12, 2014

5 India Waale : Happy New Year 6 Kill Dill : Kill Dil 7 Jaise Mera Tu : Happy Ending 8 Sajde : Kill Dil 9 Tu Meri : Bang Bang 10 Tere Hoke Rahenge: Raja Natwarlal

fter playing a fulfilled guy on the screen, Varun Dhawan has shifted to a darker role with his forthcoming film "Badlapur". He is confident the audience would accept him in his new avatar and adds that it is unwise to doubt viewers' intelligence. Known for being part of youth-centric money-spinners like "Student Of The Year" and "Main Tera Hero", Varun enters a darker territory with "Badlapur", which is loaded with violence. Set in the year 2000, the revenge saga would see Varun getting violent and killing people and he is impressive in his in act, as far as the trailer shows. Varun will get ample support from Huma Quershi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who are playing prominent characters in "Badlapur". As for his preparation for the role, Varun's mother feels he got so deeply involved with his character while shooting for "Badlapur" that she started feeling he was not her son. When asked if he took his character home, she said: "If he had a knife, he would have first stabbed me. It was a change in his personality I was scared about, but I believe that was for the best."

S M

anasvi Mamgai played one of the three leading ladies in Ajay Devgn starrer "Action Jackson" and now the model-turned-actress wants to work with all three famous Khans - Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir in a film as their solo heroine. "I would like to romance all the three Khans. Just as 'Action Jackson' has one hero and three heroines, I want to be the solo heroine with all the three Khans romancing me," said the former beauty queen. In "Action Jackson", Ajay romances Manasvi, Sonakshi Sinha and Yami Gautam.

onakshi Sinha, who worked as a costume designer before facing the cameras in films, has styled herself for few scenes in "Action Jackson". She says she liked doing so. The actress, who has usually been seen sporting traditional looks in her films, will flaunt a western look in "Action Jackson". Talking about it, she said: "I have my stylist a bit here and there, but I like to do it myself. I like to put my own stuff together at times. So I work on my own jacket, shoes and sunglasses in a song. In the film, she will be seen with Ajay Devgn. She says her co-star is allergic to dancing, but he was prepared for the film thanks to director Prabhu Deva.

Bollywood

December 12, 2014

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t a time when actors are leaving no stone unturned to portray their onscreen character with conviction, actress Chitrangada Singh says she won't shave off her tresses for any role, but only for something meaningful. "I have cut my hair for a role in a movie where I played a corporate person. But I won't go bald for fun. The role has to be that good and exciting. It has to be amazing and different," the actress says. Chitrangada has maintained a likeable blend between serious and commercial cinema with movies like "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi", "Desi Boyz", "Inkaar" and "I, Me Aur Main". At present, Chitrangda is busy preparing for Kushan Nandy's "Babumoshai Bandookbaaz".

t choreographer-turned-director Remo D'Souza's dance studio in suburban Mumbai, the waif-like Shraddha Kapoor is easy to miss in a crowd of boys, all dressed identically in vests, track pants and sneakers. "I feel like one of the boys," says a breathless Shraddha revealing that her ABCD 2 journey began with a new gym membership and plenty of apprehensions. "I was afraid that I won't be able to pull of the super-fast hip-hop dance steps that have made ABCD a brand. But however difficult the moves, Remo tells me to go for it," she smiles, insisting that the director's confidence in her has worked wonders. The svelte actress says that she's never felt fitter in her life and although she's working out too, the real sweating happens on the dance floor. Just then, Remo calls out to her. She has to jump, followed by a balancing act. Bursting with energy, the actress leaps into the air effortlessly, as if she is riding a trampoline. Within seconds, she is riding the shoulders of two fellow dancers and strikes a pose. The girl is clearly having fun.

kshay Kumar, who is counted amongst the fittest and most agile actors in the Hindi film industry, says he does not favor six-pack or eight-pack abs and that he believes in a "natural way of maintaining a good body". "It takes a long time to make abs. Tehelte tehelte nahi ban jaate abs (It is not a cakewalk to get such abs)," said Akshay on being asked about the trend of abs in Bollywood. "All that is shown onscreen might not be real either. I don't endorse these six-pack or eight-pack abs. I believe in the natural way of maintaining a good body," he added. The 47-year-old, who himself has a well-sculpted body, asserts that rather than focusing on building abs, people should care about their future health. "A lot of people depend on products that may give them a good feeling about their bodies for few days, but the long-term effect is dangerous," Akshay said.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It takes a long time to make abs. Tehelte tehelte nahi ban jaate abs (It is not a cakewalk to get such abs),â&#x20AC;?

Realty Tidbits

Housing prices stable during July-Sept NEW DELHI: Real estate market in the national capital region remained sluggish during July-September with no increase in the average housing prices over the previous quarter, according to a report. "Analysis of price trends in the previous quarter reveals that the Delhi NCR real estate market is sluggish and investors are still playing defensive," 99acres.com Senior Vice President-Sales Neeraj Sharma said in the report. According to the report, prices per square foot in Delhi-NCR region have remained unchanged during the third quarter of 2014 calendar year compared to previous quarter. "On the other hand, an annual comparison (Q3-14 with Q3-13) reflects a fall of 2 per cent in prices per square foot," the portal said in a statement. Rentals of 3 bed room flats fell by 1 per cent.. -PTI

Realty sees $4.5 bn investment during Jan-Sep MUMBAI: Country's real estate market attracted investments worth nearly USD 4.5 billion during the January-September period this year, with Mumbai receiving a significant part of it, says a report. According to property consultant CBRE, institutional investors pumped in USD 4.5 billion into India's realty sector during the first nine months of 2014, an indication of improved investor sentiment after the formation of a new government at the Centre. Out of the total investments, land and development stage transactions attracted the highest quantum of nearly 60 per cent from domestic as well as foreign entities during the period, indicating perhaps a significant amount of investment in greenfield and brownfield development, CBRE said. The commercial office segment, meanwhile, attracted more than 20 per cent of this total investment amount during the period in review. Mumbai attracted the highest investments, followed by Delhi and Bangalore, the report shows. In terms of total real estate investments made in Mumbai and Delhi during the period, land and development stage transactions spelt nearly 70 per cent and more than 60 per cent of total realty investments in the cities, respectively. -PTI

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Sebi bars 2 firms from raising public funds MUMBAI: Continuing with strict action against entities raising public money illegally, Sebi has restrained Greenworld Agro Industries Ltd and Mass Infra Realty Ltd from mobilizing funds from investors. Besides, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has barred these two companies and their directors from accessing the securities market.

December 12, 2014

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Hiring an appraiser to value an estate

ou've just inherited your grandmother's antique desk, or your father's coin collection. While the sentimental value may be obvious, the financial value may not be. You could be looking at a considerable financial windfall or just another pretty painting that's hardly worth more than the cost of the frame. A professional appraisal can help you decide if you should toss it or treasure it. It pays to know the value of what you own or inherit -- whether you need to purchase insurance, divide up your assets, value an estate or determine the worth of charitable tax deductions. And in many cases, an appraisal is required -- to obtain insurance or to write off taxes on donated items that exceed a certain amount, for example. David Goodis, CEO of software company Revelex Corp., hired an appraiser after his father died, and he took a look at what was in the estate. "My father had a lot of what I call 'blind' items: paintings, stat-

JUDY MARTEL

ues, jewelry -- and a lot of items from my grandparents," he says. "I had no idea what they were worth." Why an appraiser? An appraiser was able to help Goodis answer his immediate ques-

lievably valuable advice," he says. "I was going into it blind and I was grieving, so that's a vulnerable position. I wanted someone I could trust who is also knowedgeable. I knew there was value in the estate; I just didn't

tions about the value of items in his father's estate and then prevent him from making mistakes. "My first concern was, what is all this stuff worth, and second, what should I keep? What would appreciate in value? What is irreplaceable? Where is the market soft? My appraiser gave me unbe-

know what it was," he says. Andrew Kravit, president of Kravit Estate Holdings and the appraiser who helped Goodis, says estate valuations aren't always done after death. "Some people want to know the value while they're alive so they can divide the estate evenly," he says.

"In a lot of situations, we help avoid complications in the family." Internet offers limited information Although many inheritors think they can go on the Internet and find out the value of specific items, there's rarely enough detail to make an apples-to-apples comparison, Kravit says. "Almost everyone who inherits finds out that items are worth less than they thought. The original owners are the level-headed ones," he adds. "Inheritors see things online and think they're worth more, but different items look the same on the Internet. For example, if you have a Patek Philippe watch from the '60s, you need to know if the dial is original, what the metal is and details about the specific model." Art, in particular, can be difficult to appraise because each is a unique piece, Kravit says. "A lot depends on the subject matter, the period, the condition; there are a lot of intricacies involved." Cont’d on page 31

Real estate accounts for most black money MUMBAI: When it comes to flow of black money, real estate business accounts for a major chunk of such illicit funds, accounting regulator ICAI has told the government while seeking urgent steps to check this menace. In a representation made to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has suggested steps to improve business practices in the real estate sector to check flow of black money, an ICAI council member said. "Today, black money is largely parked in the real estate sector. The real estate can't be governed only by rules and regulations, but demand and supply mismatch vis-a-vis final consumers has to be addressed. "Once there is sufficient competition and supply exceeds demand, prices will come down and better practices will be followed by players," ICAI central council member Tarun Ghia told PTI.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the 29th regional conference of the Western India Regional Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He welcomed the government's move in the direction of real estate investment trusts (REIT) and foreign direct investment in the real estate sector. "Things like REIT and FDI relaxation are in the right direction, though they are merely small steps which have several limitations," he said. A REIT, or Real Estate Investment Trust, is a company that owns or finances income-producing real estate. REIT would infuse funds into the market and once it happens, competition would increase, pav-

ing the way to keep tabs on black money entering the sector. Today, the real estate market is in the hands of suppliers, Ghia said. The government must involve the ICAI to frame a policy to curb

the black money menace, he said, adding that the ICAI has a big role to play in unearthing black money. However, this should not end up as some kind of a voluntary disclosure scheme. The entire system of tracking black money would have to be examined so that creation of black money is plugged at the threshold, he said.

"The ICAI council recently made a representation before Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Being a partner in nation building, ICAI is concerned with the menace of black money and would join all efforts made by the government to address the menace," ICAI president K Raghu said. The ICAI has been batting for a robust taxation and accounting system to curb the menace for quite some time, he said. "The ICAI has always been working to ensure that black money levels in the economy is brought down through a transparent, robust taxation and accounting system," ICAI Vice President Manoj Fadnis said. Earlier, it was the ICAI which had recommended deduction of tax through tax deduction at source (TDS), whenever there is a transaction or sale of immovable property, which has already been implemented by the government, he said.-PTI

Real Estate Post

December 12, 2014

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M3M eyes Rs 12K-cr from Gurgaon project NEW DELHI: Having bought 185 acres of land in Gurgaon from Sahara group, realty firm M3M India has said it will develop a world-class mixed-use project, comprising housing, commercial and hotels, with an expected sales

also exploring the possibility of roping in international developers, financial institutions and private equity firms to develop this ambitious project, which could entail an investment of over Rs 4,000 crore. M3M India Pvt Ltd, which currently has 2,000 M3M India would be shortly acres of land in an around applying for approvals to Gurgaon, is developing 14 projects, including its develop this project which flagship 75-acre project is expected to be launched 'M3M Golf Estate', covering about 11 million sq in the last quarter of 2015 ft of built up area. revenue of Rs 12,000 crore over Announcing the big-ticket land the next 6-8 years. deal, M3M India Director Pankaj Gurgaon-based company is Bansal said: "We have acquired

Ashiana Housing to invest Rs 750 cr on new projects NEW DELHI: Realty firm Ashiana Housing has said it will invest about Rs 750 crore in the next 3-4 years to develop four new housing projects in Haryana and Rajasthan. Ashiana Housing, which focuses on the development of homes for senior citizens, has planned four new housing projects at Jaipur, Bhiwadi, SohnaGurgaon and Neemrana, its Managing Director Vishal Gupta said. The Delhi-based firm would develop over 2,800 apartments in these four projects. "We are launching four housing projects in the second half of this fiscal, of which one would be for senior living. The total project cost would be about Rs 750 crore and the same would be funded through internal accruals," Gupta said. The projects would be delivered in the next four years. Elaborating on the upcoming projects, Gupta said the company would develop 780 flats in a 13-acre housing project at Sohna-Gurgaon at a cost of about Rs 400 crore.

In Jaipur, Ashiana Housing will invest about Rs 180 crore to develop a 14-acre housing project comprising 1,100 flats. That apart, the company would construct 650 homes for senior citizens in Bhiwadi at a cost of Rs 130 crore and over 300 apartments at

million sq ft and construct 2.3 million sq ft area this fiscal. Ashiana Housing has presence in Jaipur, Bhiwadi, Jodhpur, Neemrana, Sohna-Gurgaon, Jamshedpur, Halol in Gujarat and Lavasa township near Pune. It has also tied up for a project in

Hiring an appraiser to value an estate Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 30

Ashiana Housing posted a net profit of Rs13.82 crore over a revenue of Rs30.35 crore during the second quarter of this fiscal

Neemrana at Rs 60 crore cost. Ashiana Housing, which is listed on BSE and NSE, posted a net profit of Rs 13.82 crore over a revenue of Rs 30.35 crore during the second quarter of this fiscal. Gupta said the company is likely to achieve sales booking of over 2.2

Kolkata as well, but is waiting for approvals. Last week, it announced foray into the Chennai property market to develop a housing project, including homes for senior citizens, in a tie-up with a local developer.PTI

185 acres of land in Delhi-NCR from Sahara group for Rs 1,211 crore... This is one of the biggest land deals in recent history in Delhi-NCR." This is the company's second major land deal. In 2012, M3M had bought 28 acre of prime land in Gurgaon from the country's largest developer DLF for Rs 440 crore. "We will come up with a high-

Greenworld and Mass Infra had garnered capital from several investors through issuance of redeemable preference shares (RPS) and non-convertible debentures (NCDs) respectively and had "prima facie" violated various norms. Sebi observed that issues by these two firms were made to more than 50 people. Under the rules, that made them public issues of debt securities requiring compul-

sory listing on a recognized stock exchange. They were also required to file their prospectus, which they failed to do. The regulator, in two separate interim orders, said that Greenworld and Mass Infra are prima facie engaged in fund mobilizing activity from the public through the offer of RPS and NCDs respectively and as a result of such activities have violated the provisions of the Companies Act.-PTI

end mixed-use development project on this land comprising branded homes, service apartments, offices, retail, hotels and entertainment centers. We are expecting sales revenue of Rs 12,000 crore from this project," Bansal said. The company would also have medical, educational and sports facilities in the project. M3M India would be shortly applying for approvals to develop this project which is expected to be launched in the last quarter of 2015 and get completed in the next 6-8 years. Asked about total investment on project, Bansal said: "It is too premature to estimate but it will be about one-third of the estimated sales revenue." On funding of this project, he said the company would fund the project cost largely from internal accruals. He also said that M3M is looking at partnering with international developers, financial institutions and private equity firms.-PTI

Riches lurk in unexpected places Gayle Skluzacek, principal and executive appraiser of Abigail Hartmann Associates, says the process of valuing an estate can lead to some unexpected discoveries. "As people get older, they forget where they put things," she says. "I've often found jewelry or coins hidden throughout the house -- under a mattress or in pockets. Never give away clothes without looking in the pockets first." One woman came to her with a painting she had purchased in the 1960s, but Skluzacek discovered a more valuable work of art on the

backside. "The painting on the front was probably worth $80,000, but the one on the back was worth $7.5 million." But more common, she says, is the flip side of the discovery. "People think their family history is valuable. Family history itself has no value. Just because Great Grandma had it, doesn't mean someone wants to buy it." Unique value of sentimental favorites Many of the heirs she advises keep items for the sentimental, rather than monetary, value. "They appreciate the piece just because it was Mummy's," Skluzacek says. Courtesy Bankrate.com

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10th Sierra Leonean doctor dies from Ebola FREETOWN, Sierra Leone: Another Sierra Leonean doctor has died from Ebola, the 10th to succumb to the disease, a health official said here. Chief Medical Officer Brima Kargbo said Dr Aiah Solomon Konoyeima's death came a day after two other doctors died from Ebola, emphasizing the tremendous toll the disease has taken on health care workers. Konoyeima worked at a children's hospital in the capital and tested positive for Ebola about two weeks ago. He was treated at the Hastings Ebola Treatment Center, which is staffed exclusively by Sierra Leonean medical personnel, as compared to many other treatment units, which are run by international organizations or employ some foreign staff. Because Ebola is transmitted through the bodily fluids of the sick and dead, it is sometimes called the "caretakers' disease." Hundreds of health workers have been infected in this outbreak. AP

Artificial enzymes suggest life doesn't need DNA LONDON: Researchers have developed artificial enzymes from genetic material that does not exist in nature, called XNA, an advance that hints at the possibility that life could evolve without DNA or RNA. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid or RNA are two self-replicating molecules considered indispensable for life on Earth. "Our work with XNA shows that there's no fundamental imperative for RNA and DNA to be prerequisites for life," said Philipp Holliger of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK. XNA or xeno nucleic acid created by Holliger's team contains the same bases - adenine, thymine, guanine, cytosine and uracil on which DNA and RNA rely for coding hereditary information, 'New Scientist' reported. In DNA and RNA, the sugars are deoxyribose and ribose, respectively. Holliger made new types of genetic material by replacing these with different sugars or other molecules. In the new study, researchers showed that XNAs can also serve as enzymes - indispensable catalysts for speeding up chemical reactions vital for life. -PTI

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Campaign in India to reduce salt intake

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Details on Page 34

Do not let your sons die DR NALINI TANDON

was numbed with grief today! I received a telephone call informing me that Sanjay, the son of our dear friend and neighbor, had passed away due to sudden heart failure. His problem? He was diabetic, very obese, and only 27 years old! His death has set me thinking about eating behaviors and parenting methods of the Indian community, specifically many in the middle class. Take the example of Sanjay's parents. His father is a software engineer working with a multinational firm and his mother is a lecturer with Delhi University. They are thus a typical middle class family in urban India, with comfortable earnings. They have two children; a daughter who is a doctor and married and Sanjay who was their second child. The parents pampered the children, especially their son. The children were given the latest gadgets and watched TV whenever they liked; their recreations were online games and games in the malls. Every event was celebrated with a party at

McDonalds or Pizza Hut since those fast food restaurants were considered prestigious. Both the parents were working and advancing their career, so they had very little time to cook or eat together as a family. In short, the family did everything wrong when it came to nutrition. When Sanjay was diagnosed

Dr Nalini Tandon with a young acquaintance

with diabetes four years ago, they were troubled, but despite the doctor's advice and some efforts

UN to declare June 21 as World Yoga Day NEW DELHI: The United Nations will soon declare June 21 as World Yoga Day following a proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said. "Three months ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appealed to the world community that India's yoga should be celebrated as World Yoga Day. I am happy to inform you that we have received support of 170 nations and the United Nations will declare June 21 as the World Yoga Day," Swaraj said at a function in the presence of yoga guru Ramdev. Addressing the 'Gita Prerna Mahotsav', organized "to celebrate 5,151 years of religious

made, there was little change in his weight. A young life was eventually snuffed out due to obesity and its complications! The World Health Organization has recognized the importance of the obesity epidemic. India is just emerging as the obesity hub. Research reveals that the number of overweight children in

book Gita" at the Red Fort Maidan here, the senior BJP leader said that yoga is not merely an exercise, but a road to prosperity and good health. During his visit to the United Nations in September this year, Modi had urged the world community to celebrate Indian yoga at the international level and that June 21 be declared as the World Yoga Day. Last month, European Union president Herman Van Rompuy also told PM Modi that the 28member EU supported his idea for a Yoga Day at the UN. Interestingly, in the cabinet reshuffle last month, he also named a minister for Ayush, dealing with Yoga and traditional medicines.-PTI

India ranges from 10% to 30 %, while obese children are in the range of 5%-7%. Considering the population of India these numbers range from 12- 40 million overweight children, and 2-2.5 million obese children! These are big numbers, and while we grapple with the problem of under-nutrition and underweight children, we cannot ignore obesity which is spreading its tentacles to debili-

are extremely worrisome developments; the Indian Diaspora must wake up to these facts and take action to protect their children and prevent untimely and unnecessary disease and death. There is no single solution like a magic wand to solve this problem! Collective effort is required from the government, industry, media and parents to nip this trend. Haphazard and unrestricted construction is gobbling up open spaces. Government regulations must be passed to limit and streamline construction to ensure availability of parks and walkways. Fast food industry must also shoulder the responsibility by serving healthier options, smaller portion sizes, and display of calorie contents. Media should limit advertisement of carbonated drinks and juices with high sugar content. However, parents too need to play a major role. Today, both the parents go out for work and they try to compensate for their absence, by providing children with the latest gadgets and other luxury goods, thus increasing the communication gap and pushing them towards obesity. A few simple lifestyle changes by the parents will go a long way! • Parents, please play with your child! This will benefit the entire family and there will be no need to visit the gym for exercise. • Parents, please eat meals as a

Parents, please eat meals as a family! Discuss the day's events rather than sitting in front of the TV, or each member becoming busy with his/her own gadget. tate our children or snatch them away from us. Affluent states of Punjab, Kerala and Delhi have higher prevalence where less physical activity, television, and junk food are the chief culprits. Obesity leads to many chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease due to atherosclerosis, which may occur as early as 11 years of age. Such children are also teased and bullied leading to low selfesteem, depression and other psychological problems. These

family! Discuss the day's events rather than sitting in front of the TV, or each member becoming busy with his/her own gadget. • Parents, cook your own meals! Processed food and fast food both are tickets to weight gain. Revert to cooking fresh food. Let us save our children. Next time when you plan a party at McDonalds pause to think of Sanjay. No child should die due to obesity! Nalini Tandon, MBBS, PGDHHM, is Master in Public Health (MPH) candidate 2015

December 12, 2014

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3D mammography improves cancer detection Chicago: Digital breast tomosynthesis, also known as 3-D mammography, has the potential to significantly increase the cancer detection rate in mammography screening of women with dense breasts, accord-

ing to a latest study. Breasts are considered dense if they

have a lot of fibrous or glandular tissue but not much fatty tissue. The researchers have shown that dense breasts are more likely to develop cancer, a problem compounded by the fact that cancer in dense breasts can be difficult to detect on mammograms. "A study of more than 25,000 women has found that digital tomosynthesis significantly increases the cancer detection rate in dense breast tissue," said a new study presented at the annual meeting of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) last week. Tomosynthesis provides 3-D views of the breast. Using digital mammography plus tomosynthesis, researchers detected 80 per cent of 132 cancers in women with dense

'Non-prevalent' states see rise in HIV patients NEW DELHI: The number of HIV patients has registered an increase in states where it was earlier being considered to be non-prevalent with 10 such states together accounting for 57 per cent of new infections in 2012. According to a report compiled by National Aids Control Organization (NACO) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), although HIV prevalence declined at the national level, a reverse trend was seen in certain states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Punjab, Assam and Uttarakhand where HIV prevalence earlier was considered to be low. Titled 'India HIV Estimates-2012', the report points out that the 10 low-prevalence states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttarakhand together account for 57 per cent of new infections. "On the other hand, the six high prevalence states account for only 31 per cent of the 1.16 lakh estimated new infections in 2011 among adults," says the report. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu. Indicating a positive trend in these states, it mentions that the adult HIV prevalence declined in these states during the period of 2007-2011. "India has done well overall but if you look state by state, there are varying trends," said UNAIDS India Country Coordinator Oussama Tawil. "Previously, HIV prevalence in parts of northern India was thought to be low. One example of this is the state of Punjab, where the problem is particularly related to injecting of drugs," he added. Migration from rural areas to high preva-

lence areas and higher prevalence among pregnant women with migrant spouses have also been identified as possible reasons for such trends. "Low levels of HIV among high risk groups in these states, large volume of outmigration from rural areas to high prevalence areas, higher prevalence in rural than urban population and among pregnant women with migrant spouses indicate the possible role of migration in fuelling HIV epidemics in these states," the report says. India has the third largest HIV population in the world with approximately 2.1

million people suffering from it, but there are only eight lakh people who are undergoing Anti- Retroviral Therapy (ART) treatment, according to official data. On World AIDS Day, Union Health Minister J P Nadda had sought the people's involvement to meet the global goals of zero new infection and death from HIV/AIDS. He had also stressed on raising awareness and boosting preventive methods as the key to the success of the mission. However, the report notes that the program has to customize its strategies to effectively address the emerging vulnerabilities and adapt them to suit the requirements of different geographical regions. -PTI

breasts, compared to only 59 per cent of mammography alone, it said. "Our results show that implementation of tomosynthesis might indicate a new era in breast cancer screening," said the study author Dr Per Skaane from the Department

The intention of the study was to see if tomosynthesis really would significantly increase the cancer detection rate in a populationbased mammography screening program of Radiology Oslo University Hospital in Oslo, Norway. "Tomosynthesis could be regarded as an improvement of mammography and would be much easier than MRI or Ultrasound to implement in organized screening programs," he said. According to the study, other imaging modalities like Ultrasound and MRI are of-

ten used to help find cancers that cannot be seen on mammograms, but both modalities have higher rates of false-positive findings, which are suspicious findings that turn out not to be cancer, it said. "This higher false-positive rate often results in more tests and unnecessary biopsies, making MRI and ultrasound expensive to implement in high volume screening programs," Skaane said. So the intention of the study was to see if tomosynthesis really would significantly increase the cancer detection rate in a population-based mammography screening program, he said. Skaane and colleagues have been studying tomosynthesis as a promising breast cancer screening option that addresses some of the limitations of mammography by providing 3-D views of the breast. The study compared cancer detection using full-field digital mammography (FFDM) versus FFDM plus digital breast tomosynthesis in 25,547 women between the ages of 50 and 69. Breast density was classified based on the American College of Radiology's Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BIRADS). The BI-RADS breast density scale runs from 1 to 4, with 1 being the least dense and 4 being the most dense.-AP

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Campaign in India to reduce salt intake India Post News Service

HYDERABAD, India: A national salt reduction program in India is set to target reductions in blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, said Professor K. Srinath Reddy at the Annual Conference of the Cardiological Society of India (CSI). Blood pressure is a key theme at the conference and is the focus of a session from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Professor Reddy, who is President of the Public Health Foundation of India and President of the World Heart Federation, said: "Salt consumption in India is high and ranges from 10 to 12 grams per day. Fruit and vegetable, and therefore potassium, intake is low which contributes to a poor sodium-to-potassium balance. Lowering salt intake should help to reduce blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and stroke." ESC President Professor Fausto Pinto, who spoke about hypertension, said: "Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone for preventing hypertension. To reduce blood pressure, ESC Guidelines recommend salt restriction to 5 to 6 grams per day and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables." India's salt reduction program will have a two pronged approach. A high proportion of salt consumed is added in cooking and at the table, and a campaign will be launched to educate the public about the importance of reduc-

ing these sources of salt in the diet. Processed foods, particularly salted snacks, are eaten by a large number of Indians, and work is ongoing with the Food Safety and Standards Agency of India to bring in regulations to restrict the amount of salt in processed foods. Professor Reddy said: "People in India consume more salt than the body needs and a reduction of at least 3 to 5 grams per day should be achievable without harmful effects. To that end, efforts to develop a national salt reduction program in India are underway." The Indian Migration Study found that vegetarians in India

on blood pressure." But he added: "Average consumption of fruits and vegetables in India is about 130 grams per day, which is much lower than the World Health Organization's recommended 500 grams. Even vegetarians in India eat small amounts of a limited variety. The potassium in fruits and vegetables protects against stroke through its effects on blood pressure. The combination of excess salt and low potassium in the Indian diet need to be urgently addressed." Dr HK Chopra, CSI PresidentElect, said: "We know that high salt intake has a direct link with greater prevalence of heart attack,

"Salt consumption in India is high and ranges from 10 to 12 grams per day. Fruit and vegetable, and therefore potassium, intake is low which contributes to a poor sodium-to-potassium balance. Lowering salt intake should help to reduce blood pressure had lower blood lipids and blood pressure. One of the factors contributing to vegetarians' lower blood pressure could be that they eat less salt. Professor Reddy said: "In India, people who eat meat tend to put more salt on their food. We also know that fruit and vegetables, which are consumed more by vegetarians, contain high levels of potassium which counteracts some of the effects of sodium

stroke and hypertension. Indians eat many foods with a high salt content, including pickle (achar) and snacks like namkeens, samosas and pakoras. Salt restriction is the need of the hour in Indians to reduce the rising menace of premature hypertension, heart attack and stroke." He added: "Many Indians have premature hypertension that is undetected. According to the Public Health Foundation of In-

dia, hypertension ranges from 20% to 39% in urban areas and 12% to 17% in rural areas. It is estimated that hypertension in India will rise from 140 million people in 2008 to nearly 215 million by 2030 with increased risk of premature heart attacks, strokes and kidney disease." Professor Bryan Williams, vice-chairperson of the ESC Council on Hypertension, spoke about hypertension that is resistant to treatment with medication. He said: "In contrast to popular belief, resistant hypertension is an uncommon problem. The reality is that many patients are just not taking their treatment or haven't been adequately investi-

gated. With regards to device based therapies such as renal denervation for patients with resistant hypertension, there is insufficient evidence to support their use in routine clinical practice." He concluded: "Hypertension is the most important and poorly controlled risk factor for heart disease. Most of the life years lost in people with hypertension are due to heart disease. As treatment for other risk factors continues to improve, such as statins to lower blood cholesterol, hypertension will remain the major unresolved issue in preventing ischaemic heart disease and later problems like heart failure."

Rs 1 lakh cr spent on diseases caused by tobacco NEW DELHI: Diseases caused by tobacco consumption caused an economic burden of Rs 1.04 lakh crore in 2011 to the country, according to a report by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In reply to an RTI query, the Health Ministry said a study carried out by it has found that in 2011, Rs 1.04 lakh crore was spent on tobacco-related diseases among people in the age group 35-69. The ministry said the Health Secretary had written to the Cabinet Secretary in this regard to set up an inter-ministerial committee

to coordinate between ministries over WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and issues related to control of tobacco. The health ministry said under the National Tobacco Control Program, spreading awareness among children is an important district-level activity. Delhi-based activist Gopal Prasad had filed an RTI asking about the cost borne by the government and public due to diseases arising from consumption of alcohol, cigarette and tobacco.PTI

Kansas policy tightens Osawatomie admissions OSAWATOMIE, KAN: A new Kansas policy in response to federal threats against overcrowding at Osawatomie State Hospital has mental health workers worried that more patients could end up in jails instead of hospital beds. The policy, initiated this week after federal regulators threatened to cut off Medicare and Medicaid funds to the hospital if it doesn't fix overcrowding issues by Feb. 13, limits how many psychiatric patients can be admitted. Osawatomie, which is licensed for 206 patient beds, gets about 20 percent of its budget from Medicare and Medicaid, The Kansas City Star reported. Under the new policy, whenever the hospital is approaching capacity it no longer will accept any patients who voluntarily commit themselves for treatment. It will triage, based on their di-

agnosis, patients who are involuntarily committed because they pose a threat to themselves or others.

Under the new policy, whenever the hospital is approaching capacity it no longer will accept any patients who voluntarily commit themselves for treatment. For those turned away, community mental health centers will be responsible for finding alternative sources of care. That will leave many centers searching for resources that

have grown increasingly scarce as more psychiatric facilities have closed, said Kyle Kessler, executive director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas. ``It's a significant concern. They're going to do their best to provide treatment,'' he said. But patients ``could be waiting for services in emergency rooms or jails. That's the last thing we want.'' Osawatomie State Hospital is about 50 miles southwest of Kansas City and is one of two psychiatric hospitals operated by the state. For much of this year, the facility that serves the Kansas City area and much of the eastern half of the state has been running above capacity. During an October inspection prompted by several complaints, inspectors found that the hospital was housing 258

patients - about 125 percent of its capacity. Inspectors also discovered such poor medical care and

Serious overcrowding issues that federal regulators considered unacceptable remained, and the hospital was told it had 90 days to clear up those problems once again face loss of funding. miscommunication among doctors, nurses and administrators that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said patients' health and

safety were in immediate jeopardy. CMS warned the hospital to correct those problems immediately or face loss of funding on Dec. 8. An inspection this week found those immediate life-threatening problems had been corrected. Serious overcrowding issues that federal regulators considered unacceptable remained, and the hospital was told it had 90 days to clear up those problems or once again face loss of funding. ``Obviously, we need to up our game,'' said Angela de Rocha, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. ``These are systemic problems we have to address. We think these things will fall into place once we have a solid handle on the (hospital's) census.''-PTI

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Acid reflux causing Obama's sore throat BETHESDA, MD: Acid reflux is responsible for the sore throat President Barack Obama has complained about for the past couple of weeks, the White House said, shortly after the president returned from undergoing diagnostic tests at a nearby military hospital. Obama's motorcade made the approximately half-hour crawl in rainy weather to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where a CT scan was performed and was normal. Obama, 53, was at the facility for about a half hour before returning to the White House. The CT scan followed a morning fiber optic exam performed on Obama at the White House by an ear, nose and throat specialist from Fort Belvoir Medical Center in Northern Virginia and supervised Dr. Ronny L. Jackson, Obama's physician and director of the White House Medical Unit. Jackson said in a statement that the fiber optic exam revealed ``soft tissue swell-

ing'' in the back of Obama's throat. Jackson said he and the specialist, who was not identified, determined that ``further evaluation with a routine CT scan was prudent.'' The CT scan was normal, Jackson said. ``The president's symptoms are consistent with soft tissue inflammation related to acid reflux and will be treated accordingly,'' he said, without elaborating on exactly how Obama's condition would be treated. Acid reflux is caused when the contents of the stomach flow back up the esophagus, causing heartburn and other symptoms. Treatments include avoiding certain foods and using over-the-counter or prescription medications, including antacids. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said ``The quickly scheduled test is a matter of convenience for the president, not a matter of urgency.'' Obama had a physical exam in May and was said to be in excellent health.-AP

Smoking may cause loss of Y chromosome LONDON: Smoking can cause loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells, which may put male smokers at a greater risk of cancer, a new study has found. Researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden found an association between smoking and loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells. Loss of the Y chromosome was more common in heavy smokers compared to moderate smokers, the study found.

Since only men have the Y chromosome, these results might explain why smoking is a greater risk factor for cancer among men and, in the broader perspective, also why men in general have a shorter life expectancy, researchers said. "We have previously in 2014 demonstrated an association between loss of the Y chromosome in blood and greater risk for cancer," said Lars Forsberg, researcher at the Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University. "We now tested if there were any

lifestyle or clinical factors that could be linked to loss of the Y chromosome. "Out of a large number of factors that were studied, such as age, blood pressure, diabetes, alcohol intake and smoking, we found that loss of the Y chromosome in a fraction of the blood cells was more common in smokers than in non-smokers," Forsberg said. The association between smoking and loss of the Y chromosome was only valid for men who were current smokers. Men who had been smoking previously, but quit, showed the same frequency of cells with loss of the Y chromosome, as men who had never smoked. "These results indicate that smoking can cause loss of the Y chromosome and that this process might be reversible," said Forsberg. "We found that the frequency of cells with loss of the Y chromosome was not different among ex-smokers compared to men who had never smoked. This discovery could be very persuasive for motivating smokers to quit," said Forsberg. It is not clear how loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells, induced by smoking, is connected with the development of cancer throughout the body. One possibility is that immune cells in blood, that have lost their Y chromosome, have a reduced capacity to fight cancer cells, researchers said. The study was published in the journal Science.-PTI

Parents want genome sequencing for newborns BOSTON: Most parents, regardless of their demographic background, are keen to have genome sequencing for their newborns that can provide valuable personalized health information and help diagnose an array of disorders, a new US study has found. The study, led by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Boston Children's Hospital, found that the majority of parents surveyed were interested in newborn genomic testing. As next-generation wholeexome and genome sequencing is integrated into clinical practice, researchers and clinicians are increasingly interested in genomic testing as a way to provide valuable personalized health information for newborns beyond what existing standard newborn genetic screening produces. But such testing, done shortly after birth, will require the interest and consent of new parents. "Several other studies have measured

parents' interest in newborn genomic screening, but none focused on new parents in the first 48 hours," said Robert C Green, a geneticist and researcher at BWH and Harvard Medical School and senior author of the study. The researchers surveyed 514 parents at the well baby nursery at BWH within 48 hours of their child's birth. After receiving a brief orientation to the genome and its impacts on human health, 82.7 per cent of parents reported being somewhat (36 per cent), very, (28 per cent) or extremely (18 per cent) interested in newborn genomic testing. Results were similar regardless of parents' age, gender, race, ethnicity, level of education, family history of genetic disease, or whether or not the infant was a firstborn child. Parents who had experienced concerns about the health of their newborn, however, were less likely to be interested in genomic testing. -PTI

Tech News India for early financing of Green Climate Fund LIMA: India insisted here on early financing of the Green Climate Fund to reach the USD 100 billion target, as Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar arrived here to participate in crucial negotiations to reach a historic deal to be signed next year in Paris. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) was established with a proposed USD 100 billion budget in order to assist developing countries with climate-related projects. India has been at the forefront of keeping the pressure on the developed countries to meet their commitment to provide climate finance. India has made it clear that a robust global agreement in Paris next year is directly linked to the predictable availability of financing through the Green Climate Fund. Javadekar said "the real issue" in Lima "is that [the Green] Climate Fund must become a reality".-PTI

Ban calls on India for climate change commitments UNITED NATIONS: UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called on India, the world's third-largest emitter, to spell out its nationally determined commitment on reducing emissions by June, saying a "constructive" role played by it will make a universal climate agreement possible in Paris next year. Against the backdrop of significant announcements by the US and China on limiting greenhouse gases, the Secretary General looks to India to also announce its own Intended Nationally Determined Commitment (INDCs) by June next year ahead of the 2015 climate conference in Paris where the new universal treaty on climate change will be adopted. India's Environment Minister Prakash Javedkar is representing the country at the ministerial-level at the UN Climate Change Conference in the Peruvian capital, Lima. On the commitment expected from India to rein in its growing emissions, Ban told PTI, "It would be very helpful for India to put forth an Intended Nationally Determined Commitment by June 2015 that is ambitious and appropriate for India's own development path." "In Lima, I expect countries to agree on the draft text of the Paris agreement and answer key questions on the nature of the commitments that will be made by countries next year.â&#x20AC;? -PTI

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Richard Heald, CEO UK India Business Council (UKIBC) along with Alan Yarrow, Lord Mayor of London and Patricia Hewitt, Chair of the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) at the inauguration of new UK India business Centre in Mumbai on December 9

Prince of Qatar invests Rs. 1,00,000 crores in Modi's 'smart city' project India Post News Service

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi's ambitious 'smart cities' project is attracting foreign investments. Prince of Qatar Sheikh Dr. Hamad Bin Nasser A A Al-Thani , member of ruling family, along with his Indian partner Mitesh Sharma is all set to invest approx Rs. 1,00,000 crores in coming years. This will be the first of its kind project in India. The focus of this huge investment is on ten smart-city projects in a first phase, whereas, the partners have shown interest in investing in various other areas well power, solar energy, infrastructure development, healthcare and education. They would be laying the first foundation key stone ceremony in the next three months (most probably in FebruaryMarch, 2015) and if things go well, they might think of investing more. Mitesh Sharma, a young Indian entrepreneur is handling all investment proposals in India. He is identifying various project areas and locations to be worked on. He has already met many senior officials

Prince of Qatar with Mitesh Sharma

in India. However, conclusive decisions over investments will be

taken by Sheikh Dr Hamad. The partners had met Andhra

Pradesh's CM Chandra Babu Naidu and Uttar Pradesh's CM Akhilesh Yadav separately while the Prince was in India recently. On behalf of NRS, Sheikh Dr Hamad and Mitesh have already signed a MOU in AP for a smart city project. Investments worth Rs. 12,000 and Rs. 60,000 crore will be made in Uttar Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh respectively. 38,000 crores will be diversified in sectors like power and natural gas. Moreover, the team is already working on huge investment plans for various other projects. The Qatar office of the Prince said: "The partnership between Sheikh Dr Hamad Bin Nasser A A Al-Thani and Mitesh Sharma, is the first of its kind in India. His Excellency Sheikh Hamad is a prince of Qatar. Mitesh is a young entrepreneur who has also partnered with us in Doha. They will be working out together on these plans. Mitesh will be identifying the project areas and Sheikh will be taking decisions over investments. Mitesh is putting constant efforts and developing new ideas about developments in India."

WTO rules in India's favor Karnataka launches multiin steel dispute with US mode mobile governance GENEVA/NEW DELHI: In a major relief to the steel industry, the WTO has ruled against the US which had imposed high duty on imports of certain steel products from India. The Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled that the duty imposed by the US on the Indian steel products is "inconsistent" with its Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures. However, it also rejected some of the findings of the Genevabased organization's dispute settlement panel which were in India's favor. The body has also recommended that the US should modify its norms and bring them in line with the WTO's agreement. After India filed its complaint

at the WTO in 2012, the dispute settlement panel of the body in July this year had ruled in India's favor against the USA's imposition of higher duties on New Delhi's steel imports. A member country can challenge panel's ruling and approach Appellate Body of the WTO. The US Department of Commerce (USDOC) had imposed countervailing duty (CVD) on India's exports of hot rolled carbon steel flat products. As per reports, Washington has imposed duties of about 300 per cent on these product imports. The US had imposed the higher duties on steel imports from India arguing that some domestic companies were being indirectly subsidized by the Indian government. -PTI

President Pranab Mukharjee, Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah and Governor of Karnataka Vajbhai R. Vala at the launch of the Unified Mobile Governance Platform for citizens "Karnataka MobileOne" in Bengaluru on December 8

BENGALURU: President Pranab Mukherjee has launched here what is considered the country's first and the world's largest multi-mode mo-

bile governance platform with over 4,500 services called 'Karnataka MobileOne' here. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 38

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Warning against attaching to unknown wi-fi MELBOURNE: In the backdrop of massive smartphone penetration in India, a US-based security solutions firm has warned users against attaching to free and unknown wi-fi connections. "Free and unknown wi-fi connections can compromise your machine or mobile devices," Peter Sparkes, Senior Director of Symantec's Cyber Security Services (Asia Pacific and Japan) said in Sydney recently while listing top do's and don'ts of averting a cyber attack. "It is safer to use corporate wifi connections but any unknown connections can be a risk," Parkes said. "Updating the devices to the latest third party technologies and using security software tools can

help reduce the risk of being a target of cyber attacks," Sparkes said. "Once you are online it means that you are visible," he said, adding that one should have different passwords for different logins of banking or social websites. Sparkes said as India advances to highest smartphone penetration it would mean that consumers would have increased connectivity across their devices, gadgets and machines leading to potential for a whole new range of security risks. India's smartphone market is said to have grown by 84 per cent year-on-year and it continues to be the third highest source of overall malicious activity contributing 5.11 per cent to the global

India optimistic on hiring plans for Jan-Mar 2015 NEW DELHI: Opportunities for job seekers are expected to grow even better in the New Year with employers in India being most optimistic foreseeing vigorous hiring activity in the January-March period, says a report. According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey by ManpowerGroup, this is the fourth time in a row that employers in India have reported the most opti-

The report said that hiring plans rebound for the upcoming quarter from the year-ago levels in most industry sectors and all regions, and overall hiring pace is expected to be "vigorous". "Companies are back in hiring mode. Opportunities for job seekers are expected to grow even stronger as emphasis is placed on improving both business growth and employment generation," Rao

mistic hiring plans among the 42 countries participated in the quarterly research. The net employment outlook for India stood at 45 per cent indicating that job seekers may benefit from a vigorous hiring pace in the months ahead. "The government initiatives, designed to make labor markets more flexible to effectively address employability gaps and combined with signs that the Indian business environment is improving, are reinforcing employer confidence," A G Rao Group Managing Director ManpowerGroup India said.

said adding that a rise in the number of start-up ventures and the emergence of India as an investment destination has also helped in building up the momentum. The most optimistic hiring plans are reported by employers in the wholesale and retail trade sector and the finance, insurance and real estate sector. From a regional perspective, employers in the Southern and Western regions anticipate the most opportunities for job seekers in the months ahead, reporting Net Employment Outlooks of 46 per cent and 45 per cent, respectively.-PTI

cybercrime. India is also top source of spam zombies emitting close to 1.45 billion spams into cyber space daily.

lion victims in India. "The year 2013 saw increase in targeted cyber attacks that rose by 91 per cent with major vulnerabili-

The total cost of cybercrime for 2013 stood at USD 4 billion or India and there were total of 18 mil-

ties like targeted attack campaigns, coordinated cyber espionage and potential cyber sabotage, in-

India the brightest spot in Asia Pacific region: S&P WASHINGTON: India has emerged as the brightest spot in the Asia Pacific region as reform has picked up pace in the country in recent months, a top credit rating agency has said. "India has been the region's brightest spot since our last report. After a modest beginning, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's government has picked up the pace of reform, eliminating the diesel subsidy in early November, liberalizing foreign investment into the insurance sector, and curbing discretionary government spending for the second half of the current fiscal year," the Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said. Confidence has improved and growth momentum is now at around seven per cent, S&P said in its latest quarterly updates on credit conditions in North America, the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and Europe. While a stronger US recovery is export-positive, the concurrent higher hike in the Fed Funds rate could cause stress if not managed, it said. "Against this backdrop, we see the credit cycle continuing to adjust to slower economic prospects, as well as high household and corporate debt in several countries weighing on some sectors' credit outlooks," it said. The US economic recovery is strengthening, and Standard & Poor's expects this trend to continue in the fourth quarter and through 2015, boosted by growing momentum in the labor and housing markets.-PTI

creased Hackivism and cybercrime," Sparkes said, adding that these attacks were growing and becoming smarter and more sophisticated. Top predictions for 2015 were attacks on the Internet of Things (IoT) which would focus on smart home automation, growing attacks on mobile devices, prominent data leaks of 2014 to keep cybersecurity in spotlight this year, scammers to continue to run profitable ransom scams and cloud to take to infinity and beyond. Recently, Symantec also uncovered a new piece of malware Regin, which the company said was bearing the hallmarks of a state-sponsored operation and was believed to have been in use since at least 2008.-PTI

EU blames TN govt for Nokia plant closure CHENNAI: European Union has put the blame on "lack of support from the state" for loss of jobs arising from suspension of Nokia's plant near here, a charge rejected by the government of the southern Indian state Tamil Nadu. Finland-based Nokia sold its worldwide handset business for USD 7.2 billion to Microsoft, but its Sriperumbudur plant was left out of the deal due to tax issues faced by Nokia India. The factory, considered to be among the largest for the company, stopped production from last month. Talking about the issue at an industry event here, European Union Ambassador Joao

Cravinho said it was an "unfortunate development" as Nokia's plant was very important when it comes to how European companies look at Tamil Nadu as a destination for investment. "I have not understood why there was no support from the state government (on the issue) which resulted in significant loss of employment" said Cravinho, who is heading a delegation of Ambassadors representing various EU member countries on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The delegation is studying investment opportunities available in the region and the growth perspective.-PTI

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India tops market for hotel guests in Abu Dhabi DUBAI: India has emerged as Abu Dhabi's top overseas source market for hotel guests with nearly 3,00,000 Indians checking in this year, according to a study. Some 2,838,842 Indians checked

in this year, a 33 per cent increase over last year, according to figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA). UK and Germany took second and third position with 22 per cent

Britons and 11 per cent Germans respectively, checking in at hotels, the study said. The city's year-to-date hotel revenues rose 14 per cent to almost USD 1.325 billion with room

revenues accounting for USD 677 million (14 per cent) and food & beverage to USD 502 million (11 percent). TCA Abu Dhabi said that more

were up 18 per cent year-on-year, guest nights rose 13 per cent while revenues lifted 4 percent. This upward momentum is likely to continue during December because of

guests have checked into Abu Dhabi's 156 hotels and hotel apartments in the first ten months of this year compared to any other comparative period. The figures show that from January-October end, guest arrivals topped the 8.5 million mark - a 20 per cent increase on the same period last year. "During October, guest arrivals

events programmed by emirates and this year's guest arrivals target looks well within our means," said Jasim Al Darmaki, Acting Director General of TCA Abu Dhabi. "The hotel performance will also improve because of increasing air links as direct service has been started between Vienna to Abu Dhabi thus opening up Austrian market," he said. -PTI

Communication satellite GSAT-16 launched successfully BENGALURU: Augmenting India's space capacity to boost communication services, its latest satellite GSAT-16 was successfully launched on board Arianespace rocket from the space port of Kourou in French Guiana in the early hours, after a delay of two days due to bad weather. The satellite with a lift-off mass of 3,181 kg was injected into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) about 32 minutes after a perfect lift-off of Ariane 5 at 2.10 AM on flight VA221, signifying the 221st launch of an Ariane family vehicle from the spaceport. In the dual rocket mission, GSAT-16 with 48 transponders, the largest-ever carried by a communication satellite built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was ejected into space four minutes after its co-passenger DIRECTTV-14 spacecraft, designed to provide direct-to-home television broadcasts across the US, Arianespace said. Soon after the launch, the Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO's Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka took over the command and control of the GSAT-16 and said initial checks indicated "normal health" of the satellite.

to the equator that is ideally-suited for missions into the geostationary orbit. Arianespace rescheduled it for Saturday at 02.09 AM (IST) but within hours that too was postponed, citing "unfavourable weather conditions (high altitude winds" over the launch pad. It was then rescheduled for wee hours of Sunday. "... two days we had to wait for

The launch of GSAT-16 was originally scheduled for Dec 5 but was put off hours before the liftoff due to inclement weather at Kourou, which is chosen for its strategic location of being close

cover the entire Indian sub-continent. It is the 18th ISRO satellite to be launched by Arianespace, starting with the Apple experimental satellite in 1981, an Arianespace release said.

Shortly after the orbit injection announcement, Arianespace Chairman and CEO St?phane Isra?l said: "Tonight, we are very proud of meeting the expectations of these two loyal customers, whose diversity clearly reflects our clientele" Shivakumar said Arianespace had given ISRO the precise injection parameters as assured and in the next few days rest of the op-

Hit by capacity crunch, ISRO has leased 95 transponders on foreign satellites mainly for private sector users like TV broadcasters who have often complained of inadequate transponder capacity to meet their requirements. this to happen, but it has happened excellently, so congratulations to all people from Arianespace for its excellent performance," ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC) Director S K Shivakumar said at the Arianespace facility. Arianespace said this was the 63rd successful Ariane 5 launch in a row. GSAT-16, a multi-application telecommunications satellite, will

erational activities like Onboard Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) firing and others will be carried out. "Subsequently telecommunication payload systems are planned as part of on orbit testing and we hope to have the spacecraft ready for services by the end of this year," he said. GSAT-16 has 24 C-band, 12 Kuband and 12 Upper Extended Cband transponders that will boost public and private TV and radio services, large-scale Internet and telephone operations. It improves the national space capacity with 48 transponders joining 180 odd existing transponders with ISRO. Hit by capacity crunch, ISRO has leased 95 transponders on foreign satellites mainly for private sector users like TV broadcasters who have often complained of inadequate transponder capacity to meet their requirements. The transponder augmentation has become a pressing need, prompting advancement of GSAT16 launch by about six months.PTI

Karnataka launches multimode mobile governance Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 36

The initiative makes Karnataka the first state in India to launch a unified mobile platform for delivery of citizens' services, both from government and the private sector through an open platform, which can accept any service and is thus future-proof, state government officials said. These anytime, anywhere, anyhow services will be available 24x7x365 days at any location in the state on any mobile device, they added. The Karnataka Mobile One platform services will be availed even on simple low-end phones through integrated voice response (IVR), SMS or Mobile Web. The platform was launched in the presence of Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Secretary e-Governance, IT, BT and S&T Government of Karnataka, Srivatsa Krishna, said using this platform, the people of Karnataka can pay utility bills, property tax, book railway and bus tickets, file income tax, m-passport, driving licenses and do many more citizen-related activities with

their smartphones. Over 4,500 services including G2C, B2C and G2B services can be availed by Karnataka-based citizens through this pioneering initiative, he said. The app is available for download on Android and iOS platforms and all major mobile service providers, such as Airtel, BSNL, Vodafone, Aircel, Idea and Reliance, are on board with the platform. Citizens can access all services through this platform by dialing a unique 3-digit #161, officials said. The Karnataka Mobile One will integrate digital media and advertising going forward to enable it to be a self-sustaining model to pay for some select services via advertising revenue, user fees and subscription models. Citizens can even take a simple picture of a non-functioning services such as potholes or streetlights and send it automatically to the concerned officials for redressal through smart geo-tagging. This initiative named as "ICARE", is a one-of-a-kind government-citizen engagement model, officials said.-PTI

December 12, 2014

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anas Tiger Reserve, situated amidst the gentle slopes at the foothills of the Himalayas in India's northeastern state of Assam, is the only tiger reserve of its kind in the entire northeast. Apart from the rising population of tigers, Manas is also the home of the rare golden langur, the hispid hare, the pigmy hog, the one-horned rhinoceros and at least twenty other species of animals and birds that are listed as highly endangered. Manas derives its name from the Goddess Manasa. The forest stretches beyond Indian territory to the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, with the crystal waters of the Manas River demarcating the international border. Some areas that adjoin the river path are often flooded, but only for a brief period; the water level subsides as soon as the rainfall stops because of the sloping. Mixed deciduous type of vegetation is found in the park. The dense forest cover often prevents the sunrays from reaching the forest. This beautiful park was previously known as North Kamrup and was declared a sanctuary on October 1, 1928, with parts of it having been notified as reserved forests as early as 1907 and 1927. It was established as the core of the Manas Tiger Reserve from April 1973 and consecutively inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1985 and elevated to the position of a National Park status on September 7, 1990. Best time to visit: The climate of Manas Tiger Reserve is tropical. The temperature during summer does not rise above 37Â°C and during the winter it stays at around 11Â°C. Monsoon season (May-September) brings heavy to very heavy rainfall to the tune of 160 cm, because of which the park often gets flooded. Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d on page 42

December 12, 2014

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Tourism circuits planned to attract Buddhist pilgrims NEW DELHI: To attract more overseas Buddhist pilgrims, the Tourism Ministry has identified three routes to be developed as 'Buddhist Circuits' in the country with the help of state governments and private stakeholders. The three clusters - 'Sacred Circuit', 'Extended Sacred Circuit' and 'Buddhist Heritage Trails' - have been identified for promotion to draw more pilgrims from abroad, a senior Tourism Ministry official said. According to the action plan, 'Sacred Circuit' will be a five to seven days' journey and will include visits to Gaya (Bodhgaya), Varanasi (Sarnath), Piparva (Kapilvastu) and Kushinagar, in addition to a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal. The 'Extended Sacred Circuit', also named as 'Retracing Buddha's Footsteps', will be a 10 to 15 days' travel and will include visits to Bodhgaya (Nalanda, Rajgir,

Barabar Caves, Pragbodhi Hill, Gaya), Patna (Vaishali, Lauriya Nandangarh, Lauriya Areraj,

Bodhgaya

Kesariya, Patna Museum), Varanasi (Sarnath), Kushinagar, and Piparva (Kapilavastu, Shravasti, Sankisa), and a day trip to Lumbini in Nepal. 'Buddhist Heritage Trails', also named 'State Circuits', will cover 11 states - Jammu and Kashmir,

Honeymooners prefer India destinations NEW DELHI: Domestic destinations trump exotic international locales for Indian honeymooning couples, according to a recent survey by travel portal happytrips.com. Sixty per cent of those surveyed said they preferred to go on a holiday inside India as compared to 40 per cent who picked to honeymoon abroad after their wedding, the survey says. The goal behind the survey was to find out how couples in India go about planning their honey-

moon with respect to the factors like choosing a destination, how much to spend, duration of the honeymoon, etc. When it came to honeymoon planning, it's the money rather than choice of spouse that matters for Indian men. "60 per cent of Indian men who participated in the survey said value for money was the most important factor while deciding, followed by online reviews," the sur-

vey noted. Also 70 per cent of men surveyed said they preferred to be accompanied by another couple on their honeymoon. With a sample size of 2,000 men and women spread across Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkata, the respondents fell under the age bracket of 25 years to 35 years. Typically, a majority of couples (50 per cent) said they booked trips before three months of their wedding. 20 per cent of couples took between three to six months of their wedding with only one per cent planning their trip at least a year before. Moreover, 20 per cent of couples said they booked trips only after their wedding. Either way, travelers chose destinations based on good value (60 per cent) dream destination, online reviews and lastly based on their spouse's choice. Most couples surveyed (60 per cent) spent between Rs 25,000 to Rs 75,000 while five per cent spent over Rs 3 lakhs for their trips, which typically ranged between less than a week (35 per cent) to over two weeks (12 per cent). -PTI

Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, O d i s h a , Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Sikkim and A r u n a c h a l Pradesh. It covers Buddhist destinations in Ladakh, Srinagar (Harwan, Parihaspara) and Jammu (Ambaran); Dharamshala, Spiti, Kinnaur and Lahaul in H i m a c h a l ; Sanghon in Punjab; and Jind and Yamunanagar in Haryana. In Maharashtra, the route includes sites like Ajanta, Ellora and

Pithalkora Caves in Aurangabad, Karla caves in Pune, Kanheri caves in Mumbai, Bhaja caves in Pune and Pandavieni caves in Nashik. The circuit identified in Andhra Pradesh includes Amravati, Nagarjunkonda and Borra caves. Buddhist sites at Sanchi, Satdhara, Andheri, Sonari, Murulkurd in Madhya Pradesh and Dhauli, Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udayagiri, Langudi and Khandagiri in Odisha will also be part of the heritage trails. Sirpur in Chhattisgarh, Indian Museum in Kolkata and Rumtek, Enchay and other monasteries in Sikkim are being included in the Buddhist trails. The official said the Mahabodhi

Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya, a World Heritage Site, remains the main attraction for Buddhist pilgrims in the country. Steps are be-

ing taken to develop these circuits in close coordination with state governments and private stakeholders to provide better connectivity and facilities to tourists.-PTI

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MANAS TIGER RESERVE

BADAMI

Greatest wildlife-protected area in India Contâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d from page 40

Tourist attractions Manas Tiger Reserve provides shelter to a variety of wildlife, including 55 mammalian species, 36 reptilian species and three amphibian species, thus making it the greatest protected area in India in terms of numbers. The tiger population at Manas Reserve is approximately 80 in number. Apart from the ones named above, capped langurs, hoolock gibbons, Assamese macaques, slow lorises, leopards, panthers, golden cat, fishing cat, marbled cat, binturongs, sloth bears, wild dogs, Ganges dolphins, hog deer, Indian muntjacs, water buffaloes, gaurs (Indian bison), giant squirrels, hispid hare, otters, Indian pangolins, and some 2,000 elephants are also found here. The rare and attractive red

panda has been spotted occasionally in the higher elevated portions of the forest. Over 450 species of birds have been recorded, including the Bengal florican, great pied

hornbill, wreathed hornbill and few unique species of waterfowls. Reptiles include different species of snakes and the monitor lizards. The Assam roofed turtle was spotted at the Reserve as recently as 1989. Manas forest is possibly as diverse as a natural biosphere can be. Its vegetation ranges from tropical semi-evergreen forests in the northern parts to tropical moist and dry deciduous forests of the other regions. There are extensive alluvial grasslands in the western region of the park, which comprises a variety of different grasses and shrubbery. There is also a considerable variety of aquatic flora along the Manas River. One can hire a jeep to go around the park. The Assam State Tourist Department conducts tours, including boat trips and elephant rides. These trips are both conve-

nient and cost effective. PLACES AROUND The state capital Guwahati is barely 176 km from Manas. It is a

historical city formerly known as Pragjyotishpur. Situated on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra,

wildlife sanctuaries worth visiting. The one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) and various spe-

drive down to the park. The journey lasts approximately five and a half hours. The nearest rail junc-

it is famous for the temple of Goddess Kamakhya, the shrine of Shakti worship built by the Koch king Naranarayan. Orang and Pabitora are two

cies of deer abound here. The town of Hajo (25 km west of Guwahati) is a sacred place for Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. The town also boasts of the Hayagriba Madhava Temple, accessible via a long stone stairway. Hajo and the adjacent Sarthebari village are renowned for their bell metal work. The nearby town Barpeta is notable for the monastery and shrine dedicated to the Va i s h n a v i t e s a i n t , Sankardeva. How to reach: Manas Tiger reserve is 176 km from Guwahati, from where one can

tion is at Barpeta Road, 136 km from Guwahati. Guwahati in turn is a well-connected rail junction as well as an airport. The regular bus services to the park by the state transport as well as private operators is yet another option.

December 12, 2014

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5 Free Things: NYC lit up and lovely at Christmas NEW YORK: The Christmas season is one of New York City's busiest times of year. Tickets for Broadway shows and hotel rooms go for premium prices and lines for top attractions are long. But some of the best and most beautiful things to see and do around the city during the holidays are free. Here are five of them. STORE WINDOWS Many of the city's best-known retailers go all out with spectacular holiday window displays that mix art, fantasy, technology and tradition. For example, Saks Fifth Avenue's windows at its flagship Fifth Avenue store at 49th Street depict six classic fairytales Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty - in Art Deco style. Other stores known for razzle-dazzle windows include Macy's at 34th Street, Lord & Taylor on Fifth Avenue between 38th and 39th, Tiffany on Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th, and

Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue at 58th Street. MENORAH LIGHTING A menorah that's 32 feet tall will

Street, across from The Plaza hotel. All lightings take place at approximately 5:30 p.m. except for before and after the Sabbath. The

In this Oct. 21, 2014 file photo, skaters take to the ice during opening day of the Bryant Park skating rink in midtown New York. The rink will be open seven days a week until March 1, 2015. Admission to the rink and lockers are free, but if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have your own skates, you do have to pay for rentals

be lit each night of Hanukkah, Dec. 16-23, near the entrance to Central Park on Fifth Avenue and 59th

Friday lighting will take place around 3:30 p.m. and the Saturday night lighting will be around 8 p.m.

Gujarat plans airport at Dholavira in Kutch VADODARA: The Gujarat Government is planning to construct and develop an airport at Dholavira in Kutch district, one of the two largest Harappan sites in the country and also a "paradise" for bird-watchers, to connect it to the national circuit for promoting tourism. State Tourism Minister Saurabh Patel said here the government has already identified 11 airstrips, including Ambaji, Palitana,

Dholavira in the 2nd and 3rd Millennia BC to the Jadeja Rajput rulers, who reigned from 1540s till the merger of states in 1940s, and endowed their princely state with forts, palaces, temples and other monuments of historic and religious importance," Patel said. The district is currently hosting the 'Rann Festival' (desert festival) which was inaugurated at Dhordo village by Chief Minister Anandi Patel.

In its Red List of 2013, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed the Great Indian Bustard (GIB) in the category of critically endangered species. There are around 50 GIBs in Gujarat and that too only in Kutch. The minister said Kutch is home for reservoirs that are crucial habitats for water and waterside birds and has flyways for migratory birds.

Ankleshwar, Dwarka, Mandvi (Kutch), Morbi, Rajkot, Parsoli, Rajpipla, Dholavira and Dahej, for the purpose of setting up the airport. "The government also wants to promote tourism through intrastate aviation service that will cover routes like AhmedabadSurat-Bhavnagar, Bhuj-RajkotAhmedabad, AhmedabadPorbandar-Jamnagar, KandlaMandvi-Amreli-Ahmedabad and Ahmedabad-Keshod-Diu," the minister added. "Kutch district has a long history, dating from the Harappan Civilization that had thrived at

The festival is the brainchild of the then chief minister and incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Patel said the cultural extravaganza has been drawing tourists from across the country and also from abroad in droves with each passing year. "Kutch is the habitat of the endangered and other wildlife species like the Indian wild ass. This district is known as the paradise for bird-watchers and is also the breeding ground for critically-endangered birds like Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican," said Patel.

Major attractions at the threemonth-long 'Rann Festival' are a camel safari, desert biking, paramotoring, para-sailing, besides folk music sorties. "The Tourism Department has organized the camel safari in white sand desert of Kutch in moonlight near Ghordo," Patel said. He said the drive launched by Gujarat Tourism's brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan has boosted the arrival of tourists at Rann Festival. "In year 2007-08, the event had attracted 7,71,000 tourists which had risen to 16,19,000 tourists in year 2012-13," he added.-PTI

ROCKEFELLER CENTER TREE The tree overlooking the skating rink at Rockefeller Center has become a symbol of Christmas in New York City. This year's tree is an 85-foot Norway spruce decorated with more than 45,000 LED lights and a gigantic star. The tree's former home was outside a century-old farmhouse in Danville, Pennsylvania. Thousands gathered to watch the annual lighting ceremony live on Wednesday night, even as hundreds jammed nearby Fifth Avenue within sight of the celebration to protest a grand jury's decision against indicting a police officer in a chokehold death. CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE The Cathedral of St. John the Divine at Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street is the world's largest Gothic cathedral. Each Christmas, the church hosts a ``peace tree'' decorated with hundreds of paper cranes. The tree is usually installed in early December. The cathedral is open daily

7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Services are free and open to public, including Christmas services. (Suggested donation of $10 is voluntary, but tickets are sold for concerts and other special events.) The church is Episcopal but hosts worshippers from many faiths. Also currently on display at the church are two monumental sculptures of phoenix birds by Chinese artist Xu Bing suspended from the cathedral's ceiling. SKATINGAT BRYANT PARK Free ice skating in midtown with an incredible view of skyscrapers and the Empire State Building every time you come around the rink? Yes! All you have to do is bring your own skates to the rink at Bryant Park. Admission and lockers are free; if you don't have skates, you do have to pay for rentals. It's a magical spot even if you don't skate, though crowded at holiday time like everything else in Manhattan. The rink entrance is off of 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues; details, http:// wintervillage.org/skate/overview. The park also hosts a holiday market of 125 shops.-AP

Indian exhibitors participate in Dubai Luxury Show DUBAI: A group of 22 Indian exhibitors representing various sectors, including travel, hospitality and entertainment have participated in an expo giving an insight into the splendid Indian lifestyle and luxury travel options. Sambhaji Chhatrapati, scion of the Kolhapur royal family, and Kumar Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar opened the second edition of Royal India Luxury Show. "I hope Royal India Luxury

luxury tourism in India at a global marketplace and the Middle East, especially the UAE," Chhatrapati said. India's Ambassador to the UAE, T P Seetharam said that the Arab world constitutes an integral part of India's extended neighborhood and is a region of critical importance in political, strategic, security and economic terms. "I believe such a show endorses our vision to showcase India as a

Paras Shahdadpuri, Gayathri Bhardwaj and I.R.V. Rao at the Press conference to announce the details of Royal India Luxury Show 2014 in Dubai

Show will fulfill the aspirations of the affluent living in the Middle East and expectations about the luxury and class out of India. I hope it will create an insight into the splendid Indian lifestyle and luxury travel options for the affluent. This event will enhance the

world-class platform in areas of tourism, travel, hospitality, luxury properties, fashion, jewellery, leisure, wedding, etc. There is a great scope for promoting Indian luxury portfolio in the Arab region through the UAE market," Seetharam said.-PTI

In Brief German party mocked over language call BERLIN: A German conservative party's suggestion that immigrants speak German at home is drawing criticism even from allies. The Bavarian-based Christian Social Union, one of three parties in the German government, has been mocked over a draft motion to be considered by its leaders ahead of a party conference. It states that people who want permanent residency ``should be urged to speak German in public and in the family.'' The general secretary of Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, Peter Tauber, said on Twitter it's ``none of politicians' business whether I speak Latin, Klingon or Hessian at home,'' the latter a reference to his home region's dialect. His counterpart from the center-left Social Democrats, Yasmin Fahimi, told news agency DPA the suggestion would be ``hilarious if it weren't so dangerous.''AP

Â&#x201E; 30 Bangladeshis immigrants to be deported AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Home Department has decided to deport 30 Bangladeshi nationals including seven women, who were in jail on charges of illegal immigration for more than a year, officials said here. "As per orders given to us by the Gujarat Home Department, 30 of the 34 Bangladeshi nationals, who were detained by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Gujarat police on the charge of illegal immigration to India, will be released soon," Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in the SOG, B C Solanki told PTI. SOG had detained the Bangladeshi nationals during different time periods from one year to three years, from various areas in the city, Solanki said, adding that there are seven women among the detainees. Solanki said that the 30 Bangladeshi nationals would be taken to Kolkata by SOG officials soon, where they would be handed over to Border Security Force (BSF) officials to deport them to their country. BSF officials would deport them to Bangladesh after completing due procedures, he said.PTI

Immigration 44 India Post

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December 12, 2014

Labor Dept. to modernize PERM recruitment Details on page 45

20 states to sue Obama over executive actions on immigration AUSTIN, TEXAS: Three more states have joined a Texas-led multistate coalition suing over the Obama administration's recently announced executive actions on immigration. The addition of Arizona, Florida and Ohio brings to 20 the number of states fighting the order in a federal district court in Brownsville. Many top Republicans have denounced the president's unilateral move designed to spare as many as 5 million people living illegally in the United States from deportation. But Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott took it a step further with filing a lawsuit in federal court in the Southern District of Texas. Most of the 20 states participating in the lawsuit are in the South and Midwest, but Abbott argues that Texas could be uniquely hurt by the executive orders because of its large border.AP

Cooper responds RALEIGH, N.C.: With Gov. Pat McCrory joining a lawsuit challenging President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration, Attorney General Roy Cooper said that he would monitor the case to determine whether North Carolina should join it. But the Democrat questioned entering a ``partisan lawsuit'' and worried it would cause further division on the immigration issue. McCrory, a Republican, has joined the lawsuit spearheaded by the Texas attorney general as part of a 17-state coalition. McCrory is one of four governors who are plaintiffs. Cooper, whose office represents the state in litigation, is not involved in the lawsuit. His office initially learned about it through a news media report, spokeswoman Noelle Talley said. McCrory told reporters that he encouraged ``support from our attorney general'' in the case, and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest urged Cooper in a letter later to join the case. Responding to Forest, Cooper said he was one of 35 attorneys general who urged Congress last

year in a letter to approve comprehensive immigration reform, which has yet to occur. Attorneys in Cooper's office will work to determine the

ingful immigration reform in the first place.'' McCrory's office issued a statement night saying it was disappointed in Cooper's response,

Texas Gov-elect Greg Abbott, right, is leading a coalition of 16 other states in suing the Obama Administration over the immigration executive actions enacted by President Obama, left. The suit argues Obama's executive action violated the U.S. Constitution.

litigation's effect on North Carolina ``and whether there is benefit for our state to join,'' Cooper wrote. ``However, I am concerned that a partisan lawsuit adds to the divisiveness that has prevented mean-

describing it as ``the latest example in a series of failures from the attorney general's office to defend North Carolinians from the actions of the president and the laws of our great state.''

In his letter to Cooper, Forest said failure to join on behalf of the state would ``acquiesce to a constitutional violation that has the potential to harm all North Carolinians.'' In announcing his involvement, McCrory said Obama's action would likely put more financial strains on state government services. The back-and-forth may have some bearing on future elections. Cooper is planning a run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2016. McCrory asked for donations to ``start off the 2016 campaign season'' and unveiled an upgraded campaign website. State GOP Chairman Claude Pope also called for Cooper to join the lawsuit.

Florida joins TALLAHASSEE, FLA.: Florida is joining a multistate coalition led by Texas in suing over the Obama administration's recently announced executive actions on immigration. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her intention to join the lawsuit.-AP

US House rebukes Obama on immigration WASHINGTON: Emboldened Republicans issued a stern but symbolic rebuke to President Barack Obama over immigration, passing a bill in the House of Representatives declaring his executive actions to curb deportations ``null and void and without legal effect.'' Even as emotions ran high in debate on the bill, many involved acknowledged it was mostly a sideshow as Republicans struggled to find some way to undo what Obama has done - not just register their disapproval. Party leaders acknowledged their options were limited given Obama's veto power, and no clear solution beckoned, even as Republicans prepare to take full control of Congress in January after

sweeping last month's congressional elections. Outraged Democrats, immi-

It was mostly a sideshow as Republicans struggled to find some way to undo what Obama has done - not just register their disapproval grant advocates and the White House said Republicans were voting to tear families apart and eject parents. Obama's executive ac-

tions last month will extend deportation relief and work permits to some 4 million immigrants here illegally, mostly those who have been in the country more than five years and have children who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. He also reordered law enforcement priorities and expanded an existing deportation deferral program for immigrants brought illegally as kids. ``Rather than deport students and separate families and make it harder for law enforcement to do its job, I just want the Congress to work with us to pass a commonsense law to fix that broken immigration system,'' Obama said ahead of the vote. Cont'd on Page 36

Immigration Post

December 12, 2014

India Post 45

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Labor Dept. to modernize PERM recruitment CYRUS D. MEHTA

he Department of Labor (DOL) has released a fact sheet announcing that it will review the PERM labor certification program and relevant regulations with a goal of updating them. DOL noted that it has received ongoing feedback that the existing regulatory requirements governing the PERM recruitment process frequently do not align with worker or industry needs and practices. DOL recently marked the 10th anniversary of the PERM regulations, which govern the labor certification process for the permanent employment of immigrant foreign workers and establish responsibilities of participating employers. The DOL said it has not comprehensively examined and modified the permanent labor certification requirements and process since their inception. This past fiscal year, employers submitted over 70,000 PERM applications requesting foreign workers. The majority of those job openings were for professional occupations in the information technology and science fields. As part of the new review, DOL will seek input on the current PERM regulations, including how they can be modernized to be more responsive to changes in the national workforce. Specifically, DOL will seek input on the following: • Options for identifying labor force occupational shortages and surpluses and methods for aligning domestic worker recruitment requirements with demonstrated shortages and surpluses; • Methods and practices designed to modernize U.S. worker recruitment requirements;

• Processes to clarify employer obligations to ensure that PERM positions are fully open to U.S. workers; • Ranges of case processing time frames and possibilities for premium processing; and • Application submission and review processes and the feasibility of efficiently addressing nonmaterial errors. DOL's Employment and Training Administration may also examine other aspects of the existing

all workers from exploitation and workers' rights violations, regardless of immigration status. "Many workers, however, are deterred or prevented from asserting workplace rights and protections. In some cases, employers may exploit immigration status to deter employees from asserting their rights. In other cases, the protections available to workers are unclear," the announcement notes. The working group will com-

"Many workers, however, are deterred or prevented from asserting workplace rights and protections. In some cases, employers may exploit immigration status to deter employees from asserting their rights. In other cases, the protections available to workers are unclear" PERM regulations to further align the program design with the objectives of the U.S. immigration system and the needs of workers and employers, and to enhance the integrity of the labor certification process. The fact sheet is available at http://www.dol.gov/dol/factsheet/immigration/perm.htm. Interagency Working Group on Worker Protections The Department of Labor recently announced the creation of an interagency working group to identify policies and procedures that promote the consistent enforcement of federal labor, employment, and immigration laws to "protect all workers in the U.S." The announcement notes that federal agencies responsible for worker protections seek to protect

prise federal immigration enforcement agencies and federal agencies responsible for worker protections, including the Departments of Labor, Homeland Security, and Justice; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and the National Labor Relations Board. The working group will seek to: • Ensure that agencies' immigration enforcement and worker protection policies promote workers' cooperation with labor and employment law enforcement authorities without fear of retaliation; • Ensure that federal enforcement authorities are not used by parties seeking to undermine worker protection laws by enmeshing immigration authorities in labor disputes; and, • Ensure the consistent enforcement of federal labor, employment, and immigration laws.

House leaders move to avoid immigration showdown WASHINGTON: Trying to avoid a showdown over immigration, House Republican leaders are moving to make a deal with Democrats to pass a spending bill that would keep the government running. The emerging strategy follows legislation passed by the House declaring President Barack Obama's executive actions to curb deportations of immigrants in the U.S. illegally to be ``null and void.'' That legislation wasn't enough for some conservatives, who complained that the only way to stop Obama's actions on immigration would be to forbid them in legislation that must pass if the govern-

ment is to stay open. Republican leaders are opposed to that course of action, fearing a government shutdown that they don't want, and they plan to rely on Democratic votes to pass a bill to keep the government going. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said that Democrats were committed to keeping the government open, but she warned that Republicans could lose their support if they include too many contentious so-called policy riders in the spending bill, on issues like school lunch nutrition standards and water quality. ``We haven't seen the bill. But

there are some very destructive riders in it that would be unacceptable to us and, I think, unacceptable to the American people,'' Pelosi said. ``The responsibility to keep government open is theirs. If the bill is anything that we can support, we will,'' added Pelosi, who has more leverage in the negotiations because of Boehner's likely need to rely on her to deliver Democratic votes. The spending bill would pay for the operations of most government agencies for a year while extending the Homeland Security Department operations only for a few months. Cont'd on Page 46

To achieve these objectives the working group will: • Develop policies and procedures to ensure consistent enforcement of labor, employment, and immigration laws; • Develop consistent standards and procedures for immigration agencies to contact labor agencies when they encounter a potential labor dispute within the meaning of the Revised Memorandum of Understanding between the Departments of Homeland Security and Labor Concerning Enforcement Activities at Worksites, executed on December 7, 2011; • Provide greater clarity to workers, worker representatives, advocates, and employers regarding processes and procedures on the intersection between immigration law enforcement and labor and employment law enforcement; • Strengthen processes for

staying the removal of, and providing temporary work authorization for, undocumented workers asserting workplace claims and for cases in which a workplace investigation or proceeding is ongoing; and • Provide stakeholders open and transparent modes of communication with enforcement authorities. The working group "will provide opportunities for communication with external stakeholders, including workers, worker representatives, advocates, and employers as appropriate." The fact sheet is available at http://www.dol.gov/dol/factsheet/immigration/interagencyworking-group.htm. * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com

PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law

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New profiling guidelines won't affect border stops WASHINGTON: New racial profiling guidelines being announced by the Obama administration would restrict the ability of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to take into account religion, national origin and other characteristics during investigations. But they would exempt agents from the Department of Homeland Security who do border checks and screen passengers at airports, according to a U.S. official familiar with the plans. The official said that the new guidelines banning racial profiling exempt the Transportation Security Administration and also do not cover inspections at ports of entry and interdictions at border crossings. The official was not authorized to discuss the guidelines by name and spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of a formal announcement expected within the coming days. The new guidelines apply to federal law enforcement agencies but aren't binding on local police departments that are more likely to have day-to-day contact with

community members. Their formulation also long predates high-profile cases, such as the August police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, that have placed police treatment of minorities in the spotlight. But the guidelines are nonetheless a significant legacy item for

munity relations with police. ``This new guidance will codify our commitment to the very highest standards of fair and effective policing,'' Holder told an audience in Atlanta in previewing the announcement. Federal law enforcement agents are banned from routine

outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder and come during a time of national conversation about racial bias in law enforcement and com-

racial profiling under a 2003 Bush administration policy that created a significant exemption for national security investiga-

US House rebukes Obama on immigration Cont'd from Page 44

Even the bill's supporters acknowledged that the bill, which says Obama was acting ``without any constitutional or statutory basis,'' was mostly meant to send a message. It was part of a two-part strategy by House Republican leadership to appease conservative immigration hardliners without risking a government shutdown. After gaining control of the Senate and adding to their majority in the House, Republicans pledged they would prove to Americans that they were ready to govern, not just obstruct the president. Yet a bigger battle might lie ahead as conservatives push to use must-pass spending legislation to block Obama. Republicans hoped that after approving the bill, the party would move on to vote on legislation to keep most of the government running for a year, with a shorter timeframe for the Homeland Security Department, which oversees immigration. The idea is to revisit Homeland Security early next year when Republicans will control both houses at the Capitol and have more leverage. The current government-funding mea-

sure expires Dec. 11 so a new one must pass by then. But that approach doesn't go far enough for some immigration hardliners, goaded on by outside conservative groups that donate massive amounts of money to candidates and tea party-aligned senators including Ted Cruz of Texas. They say the only real way to stop Obama is to include language in the upcoming spending bill to block any money for his actions on immigration. Republican leaders fear such spending-bill language could

court an Obama veto and even a government shutdown. That's something they're determined to avoid, a year after taking a political hit for provoking a 16-day partial shutdown in an unsuccessful attempt to overturn Obama's health care law. Democratic lawmakers rallied behind the president and immigrant advocates warned Republicans would be alienating Latinos heading into 2016 presidential elections in which the rapidly growing Hispanic vote is expected to be significant.-PTI

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 4. Just days before government funding expires, House Republican leaders are trying to strike a balance between the conservatives determined to stop President Barack Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immigration order and other lawmakers just as determined to avoid another politically damaging shutdown.

tions. This policy goes beyond the decade-old one, expanding the definition of racial profiling to ban the practice on the basis of religion, gender, national origin and sexual orientation, the official said. The American Civil Liberties Union said the inclusion of those categories represented a ``significant leap forward.'' Despite that, the guidelines will not end the FBI's ability to collect racial and ethnic information about neighborhoods, a practice known as ``mapping'' that has long disquieted civil liberties advocates, said Laura Murphy, director of the ACLU's Washington Legislative Office, who is familiar with the new policy. ``In essence, the guidance is a major improvement, but it's not sufficient,'' she said. The guidelines apply to law enforcement agencies within the Justice Department, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. ACLU officials

said they were troubled that the protocols wouldn't apply to Homeland Security components that serve at the borders or in airports, saying that exemption would disproportionately affect Latinos and religious minorities. ``Focusing on an entire class of people instead of on actual conduct is unfair and harms our national security by wasting scarce government resources and eroding minority communities' trust in government,'' the group said in a statement. Holder has made civil rights a cornerstone priority as attorney general, and the issue has taken on added importance in recent months with the Ferguson case and the July death of Eric Garner, a New York man who was placed by a police officer in what appeared to a chokehold. Local grand juries declined to indict the officers in both cases. Still, given the guideline' emphasis on federal law enforcement, it's not clear how much impact they'll have on the routine police practices of local agencies. '-PTI

House leaders move to avoid immigration showdown Cont'd from Page 45

Homeland Security includes the immigration agencies that would carry out Obama's executive actions, so the approach would allow Republicans to revisit them early next year, once they have control of the Senate and a bigger majority in the House. ``We think this is the most practical way to fight the president's action,'' House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said. Several conservative lawmakers sounded resigned to being ignored by Boehner, who with a bigger majority next year will have more room to maneuver around balky tea party lawmakers. ``My assumption is that the fix is in and they don't need us,'' said Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz. ``They're going to vote this with a large number of Democrats.'' The omnibus spending bill would cover the approximately one-third of the budget dedicated to day-to-day operations of Cabinet agencies. There's slightly more than $1 trillion for the Pentagon and domestic agencies plus more than $70 billion to tackle overseas military operations in Afghanistan and to fight Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Obama appeared likely to

get most of his $6.2 billion request for fighting Ebola at home and in Africa but not the infrastructure money he has requested. Most of the money issues are largely worked out, House Appropriations Committee spokeswoman Jennifer Hing said. But

The spending bill would pay for the operations of most government agencies for a year while extending the Homeland Security Department operations only for a few months. many of the policy riders, on environmental regulations, longhaul trucker hours, labor relations and more are unresolved. GOP Rep. Harold Rogers of Kentucky, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, hopes to achieve the framework of a deal with Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. -AP

Datebook

December 12, 2014

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK Upcoming

Upcoming Sat, Dec 13 • Adi Sakthi Venue: East Brunswick High School Auditorium, 380 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Time : 04:00 pm Contact: 732-801-4814

Fri, Dec 26 • Tribute To Jagjit and Chitra Venue: Edison Hotel, 3050,Woodbridge Ave, Edison, NJ 08837 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 732-277-6687

Wed, Dec 31 • Bollywood NYE King & Queen Competition Venue: Hotel Executive Suites, 30 Minue St, Carteret, NJ 07008 Time: 6:00 pm Contact: 732-703-6661

Thu, Dec 25

India Post 47

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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Fri, Dec 12 • Jingle Bell Rocks!!! A

Wed, Dec 31 • ICCs New Years Eve 2015

Venue: Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 718-207-0058

Venue: The Menu Indian Cuisine, 2700 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040 Time: 7:30 pm Contact :925-261-8682

Venue: India Community Center, 525 Los

Wed, Dec 31 • 11th Annual New Years Eve

Sat, Dec 13 • An Evening of Classical

Venue: The World Fair Marina Restaurant and Banquet Hall, 1 Worlds Fair Marina Flushing, NY 11369 Time : 8:00 pm

Venue: Jain Temple Auditorium, 722 S. Main Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 Timet: 5:00 pm Contact: 510-709-5967

Wec, Dec 31 • The Biggest International Bollywood New Years

• DJ Rekha Presents Bollywood Disco Xmas Edition

Blowout

Wed, Dec 31

• Harry Malhotras New Year Eve Masquerade Ball 2015 Venue: Antuns by Minar, 244 W Old Country Rd, Hicksville, NY 11801 Time : 08:00 pm Contact: 917-325-4903

Bollywood Ladies Night

Music and Ghazals

Fri, Dec 26 • YAK Qadam Pesh Tour - SFO Venue: The Golden Peacock, 24989 Santa Clara St, Hayward, CA 94544 Timet: 8:00 pm

Wed, Dec 13 • Hollywood Bhangra - Xmas

Bhangra Theme Party - Last One of 2014

Venue: Metropolitan, 652 N La Peer Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069 Timet: 10:00 pm

Wed, Dec 31 • The Biggest International Bollywood New Years Eve Ball Rhythm 2014

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 39900 Balentine Dr, Fremont-Newark, CA 94560 Time: 07:00 pm Contact: 510-432-6385

Wed, Dec 31 • PREETYSHA & SAMEER - New Years Bash 2015

Venue: Anaheim Plaza Hotel &amp; Suites, 1700 S.Harbor Blvd, Anaheim, CA 92802 Time :07:00 pm Contact: 714-397-7224

Coches Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 Time: 8:00 pm.

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 39900 Balentine Dr, Fremont-Newark,

ILLINOIS Upcoming • J K Yog Satsang and Bal Mukund Hindi Classes are held every 2nd and 4rth Sunday of Month Chicago Satsang Information: J K Yog, Chicago - Swami Mukundananda Venue: Clarion Inn/Waterford Banquets, Board Room, 933 South Riverside Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126 Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org

CA 94560 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 510-432-6385

ATLANTA Upcoming

1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins

Sat, Dec 13 • NEMA Christmas Party 2014

Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership)

Venue: Burlington Memorial Elementary School, 125 Winn St, Burlington, MA 01803 Time: 5:30 pm

Mondays and Fridays

Wed, Dec 31 • Millennium - New Year Eve Party Venue: Champagne toast at midnight, 25585 Berg Rd, Southfield, MI 48033 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 586-872-0770

Wed, Dec 31 • Welcome 2015 New year Bash Venue: Adora Hall, 12200 N Mopac Expy, Austin, TX 78758 Time: 07:00 pm Contact: 512-351-3108

Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807

• Free ESL - English as Second Language Classes Metropolitan Asian Family Services Venue: 9015 N Milwaukee Ave, Niles, IL, Time: 10:30am to 12:30pm Contact: 773-465-3105

Sat, Dec 20 • NATHAL FEST Malabar Konkani Christian Association (MKCA) has scheduled its Nathal Fest 2014 Venue: Courtland Square, Recreational Hall, 8909 David Place, Des Plaines, IL 60016 Time: 5:30 pm

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December 12, 2014

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Horoscope

December 12, 2014

India Post

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Your Weekly Future by Pandit Parashar

December 12th - December 18th, 2014 (March 21 to April 20)

ecisions taken in a hurry about career will turn out to be blessing in disguise. Money wise you will continue to stay in safe zone. A short trip will also take final shape. You may start buying gifts for person you will visit. Minor health issue will be resolved with home remedy. You may be spending little money on an automobile. Handle tools with extra care.

(April 21 to May 20)

bstructions will be se vere and you start calling people you trust for advise and easy way out. It will be better not to rush into any conclusion before you do all investigations. You may also miss a religious event because of last minute commitments. You will get to meet many old friends and relatives at another event.

(May 21 to June 20)

n old health issue could flare up and a minor surgery could be one of the options for permanent treatment. You may be asked for more papers before the application gets approved. You will learn something new from a well known person at the party this week. Ongoing legal matters could take a favorable turn. You will be extending a helping hand to spouse.

(June 21 to July 22)

ou will have more than one reason to celebrate life with family and friends. Recent developments in career will be encouraging. You may also finalize a small family trip for the year end. You may be in touch with an expert for his opinion to form a sound strategy. Change in diet will bring you back in very good shape.

(July 23 to August 22)

(November 23 to December 22)

trong Mars in sixth will help you overcome many obstacles and opponents. A bad deal you entered few months ago will keep draining you out. You might invest some money in stocks this week. Some of you may be getting ready to leave for a trip for family reunion. There is no harm in paying attention to what spouse is suggesting.

(August 23 to September 22)

ime spent on writing emails and calling people will get good results. If you maintain a tough stand, the other side will accept your proposal quickly. Planets very favorable for people connected with communication and sales. Some of you may be seriously working on a bright idea in association with some very like minded friends.

(September 23 to October 22)

usiness will pick up all of a sudden. You may buy some high tech electronics item for personal use. Trip will be relaxing and you will spend quality time with friends. Mind will stay slight restless because of some developments at work. You may try to get in touch with a government agency to check on pending application.

(October 23 to November 22)

uick actions will help you achieve targets in first shot. You may try to finish projects on hand well before deadline in order to prepare for upcoming short vacation. Do not fall for any too good to be true proposal you receive by phone this week. You will help spouse get rid of lots of old cloths and junk.

PANDIT PARASHAR, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations. He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com

ews you had been waiting for, will be delivered in a dramatic way. Suddenly taste will change and you will start enjoying hot and spicy food. A government agency may ask for some clarification in order to close a file. People in business will have great sales but will reinvest in new products and more inventory.

(December 22 to January 19)

pportunity will come as a pleasant surprise but try not to make it public too fast unless you want to get jinxed. Spouse may need little rest and home remedy will be helpful. You will be buying some nice things for children. Ongoing Legal matters will also take a favorable turn.

(January 20 to February 18)

ou will be spending money but very cautiously. You may be looking for another great deal to replace one of your vehicle. You will receive also confirm to attend a big event towards the end of 2014. Some one you knew long time ago will contact you and try to arrange a meeting. Do not ignore the idea given by spouse.

(February 19 to March 20)

ou will have a great opportunity to learn some tricks from an experienced person. It will be better to compromise rather than going for an unending legal battle. You may buy some nice items for close relatives and ship them out. Planets will also help those looking for an ideal soul mate. A small raise is also on the horizon.

510-886-4370 www.parashar.com

50 India Post

www.indiapost.com

December 12, 2014

At Destination One, food is as fabulous as the music and the wine selection as eclectic as the dishes on the menu.

PREETI VERMA LAL

f the gods were to peep down from heaven right now, they'd see a crowded squiggle by the Calangute Beach in Goa. From heaven, the human sea perhaps look like ants at work. Or, pilgrims' progressing. But if the gods were to peer harder at the heaven's calendar, they'll realize these are no sedulous ants at work; they are merry makers who have flocked to Goa to ring in Christmas and New Year in the state known for its silken sand and

Rajesh & Soniya Srivastava

dazzling sunshine. Wait. Do you loathe the clutter of public beaches? Do you yearn for a private beach where you can sink your toe in sand and forget the woes of the world? That's too much to ask for in Goa, ain't it? According to government regulations, coastal land up to 500 meters from the High Tide Line (HTL) and a stretch of 100 meters along banks of creeks, estuaries, backwater and rivers subject to tidal fluctuations is Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). Not even a handful of ritzy properties in Goa can puff about a private beach. Destination One, a gourmet-hub within the premises of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation's (GTDC) Calangute Residency Resort on Calangute Beach, can. Remember, this is not any luxury property hard selling itself as beach wedding destination. This one actually has a private

With a private beach, Destination One is the new haven for beach wedding seekers

beach, a 30,000 sq ft space by the Arabian Sea, perfect for weddings and beach parties. Recently inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar, Destination One has four venues: Escapade, fine-dining eatery; bakes, salads and beverage at CafĂŠ Hangout; a hip lounge bar called Panacea which has the license to stay open till 5 am; and Sea Lawns that sits smug by the sea. Everything under one roof. That gourmet hub began as a dream for Rajesh and Soniya Srivastava, the promoters of Destination One. They wanted to create a 5-star celebration hub by the silken sands where food is as fabulous as the music and the wine selection as eclectic as the dishes on the menu. Rajesh is a trained telecom and electrical engineer, but infrastructure is his forte (he is currently also working on Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue). Cont'd on Page 52

India Post 51

December 12, 2014 www.indiapost.com

Bollywood jodis pairing up, phir se!

hen these actors were cast together they gen erated much buzz. It's only natural that people are now looking forward to seeing them again on the big screen. A lot has been said about the chemistry that

together in his directorial venture. This seems to be Aditya's nod to the pair that came together in his dad's final movie. The last time they came together, SRK broke his rule of not locking lips onscreen, it remains to be seen what happens this time around.

Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt: While Varun lost Alia to Sidharth Malhotra in Student of the Year, but the rected her first home production two made an awe- NH10. Anushka approached some pair in Humpty Ranveer for the movie and the acSharma Ki Dulhania tor liked the subject so much that (HSKD). Their chem- he agreed to act in it instantly. The istry in the movie was two YRF discoveries have previgreat and the two are ously acted in the productions keen to work together house's Band Baaja Baaraat and again. Now we hear, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl too. Shah Rukh Khan-Katrina Kaif mentor Karan Johar S o n a m might Kapoor and they share on screen and filmmak- just make their Fawad Khan: ers have obviously taken note of wish come true. When they it. Most of the movies that these The filmmaker is came together pairs have starred in have also likely to produce f o r made money at the box office. And a romantic movie Khoobsurat, who doesn't like repeating a suc- to be directed by which was a cess formula? Here are some pairs HSKD director remake of the that will soon return to entertain S h a s h a n k earlier classic the janta once more: Khaitan, and is by the same keen to cast the name, people Shah Rukh Khan-Katrina Kaif: pair that starred didn't know The last time they came to- in the movie too. what to expect gether, it was for the late Yash If all goes well, from this jodi. Chopra's swansong Jab Tak Hai this will be However, Jaan. They danced and romanced Varun and Alia's Fawad proved in typical Yash Chopra style in the third film toto be the permovie. This time, it will be Chopra's gether. Ranveer Singh and Anushka fect Prince son and YRF head honcho Aditya, Sharma Charming, and who is likely to bring SRK and Kat Ranveer SinghSonam made Anushka Sharma: for a great Disney's desi doll. Their Exes can be great co-stars. Looks like chemistry couldn't be ignored in Anushka and Ranveer what went on to become the year's are out to prove this best romcom. Just like their first very statement. Not movie together, their second outonly have they acted ing too will be produced by in Zoya Akhtar's Dil Sonam's sister Rhea. Based on the Dhadakne Do, but book author Anuja Chauhan's book they are all set to work Battle For Bittora, the movie will see together yet again. Sonam playing and animation exThe movie will pro- pert, who finds herself contesting duced by Anushka's elections in Bittora opposite an exbanner and will be di- royal, played by Fawad. rected by Navdeep Singh, who has di- Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt Sinha:

Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan

Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha

Their first movie together Tevar releases next month, but it looks like Arjun and Sona have already caught filmmakers' attention. There is buzz that they will star in the film made on Sahir Ludhianvi and Amrita Pritam's life. Earlier, Priyanka Chopra was being considered for Sona's role, but the actress couldn't take on the role due to date issues. Fawad Khan is also slated to play an important role in the movie. While their chemistry in

Tevar seems to be great, it's the fate of the movie at the box office that will decide if Arjun-Sona make an exciting and commercially viable pair. Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone: Ranbir and Deepika are a certified hit jodi at the box office. Their last outing Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani broke box office records. And now the two actors are getting together in Imtiaz Ali's next movie titled Tamasha. While Ranbir has worked with Imtiaz in Rockstar, Deepika has worked with the director in Love Aaj Kal. This time the trio gets together.

Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone

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Priyanka Chopra voted Sexiest Asian

riyanka Chopra has won back the crown she lost to Katrina Kaif last year to be named the world's sexiest Asian woman in London. The 32-year-old actress and singer topped the top 50 list in an annual poll conducted by UK-based weekly newspaper 'Eastern Eye'. Popular TV actress Drashti Dhami, who had led the voting at one stage, narrowly missed out on the top spot to come in second. Fellow TV actress Sanaya Irani came third with last year's winner, Kaif, slipping to fourth place in the race. "Someone once told me, sexy is what sexy does and you do it best when you are yourself. I don't know what I did to deserve this but I'll happily accept this title," said Chopra. "I am very flattered to have been named 'Eastern Eye's' Sexiest Woman once again. The fact that this is decided from a public poll across the world makes this even more special to me. Lots of love to everyone who voted and here's to always being yourself," she added. 'Eastern Eye' showbiz editor Asjad Nazir, founder of the 'Sexiest Asian' list and chair of the judging panel, described this year's No 1 as an "important international icon for India."

"Apart from being one of the most stunning women in the world, Priyanka has demonstrated she is beautiful on the inside too with important humanitarian work," said Nazir.

this year and why she was trending across Twitter during the voting process," he added. The A-list star beat off very tough competition from some of the most stunning women from around the world in the 11th edition of the list. The 2014 rankings have been trending heavily on social media across India and Pakistan during the voting process, with over 10 million votes cast. The highest new entry was reality TV star Gauhar Khan at number 5 and the second highest new entry was young actress Preetika Rao (10). Other Indian television actresses who made the list included Nia Sharma (7), Asha Negi (12), Shakti Mohan (13), Surbhi Jyoti (16), Hina Khan (23) and Kritika Kamra (30). The highest placed American was 'Anger Management' star Noureen DeWulf (15), whose parents Priyanka Chopra named the world's hail from Pune in India. The sexiest Asian woman by Eastern Eye highest placed Pakistani was "She has also become a strong Humaima Malick (20) and the symbol of girl power with projects highest placed British girl was like 'Mary Kom' and represented reality TV star Jasmin Walia (32). her country admirably around the The oldest woman in the list was world. That is why more women 47-year-old Bollywood icon than men actually voted for her Madhuri Dixit (28).

A private beach? Yes, Destination One has it; plus fabulous food Cont'd from Page 50

a kitchen just any which way. Rajesh and Soniya roped in chefs with the best toques: Chef Mohd Kaleem Qureshi, Masterchef Son Boon Sriphirom, Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, President's Award winner of Best Chef in India, as well as sommeliers Magandeep Singh, India's first French-qualified sommelier, and flying sommelier Gurjit Singh Barry. At the inauguration, Nilesh Cabral, Chairman, GTDC, said, "The USP of Destination One is the private beach. Such exclusivity is perfect for beach weddings and parties." GTDC is bustling with ideas to make Calangute a wedding destination. Parking, the monstrous nemesis, is bePanacea, a hip lounge bar has the license to stay open till 5 am ing tackled with a Ko-

When the Goa government called for a tender for the space behind Calangute Residency, Rajesh stepped in along with his dream. That was nearly two years ago. What was once a crowded beach laden with garbage has been sedulously metamorphosed into a luxury hub. At Destination One, food is not, well, just any food rustled in

rean firm that is working laying bricks for a 1000-car puzzle parking facility. That done, the 1-km stretch to the beach will turn into pedestrian-only zone. For its inaugural evening, Destination One was dressed like a beach wedding venue - gig lamps, golden settees, enormous white candles, flower bouquets, sheer curtains, ribboned chairsâ&#x20AC;Ś. After lighting the lamp, Mr Manohar Parrikar, then Chief Minister of Goa, mused what Rajesh will call his next luxury property. Destination Two is too cheeky, Destination 1:1 too trite. Call it Destination One Up, Mr Parrikar suggested. From heaven now even the gods can identify that crowded squiggle on the map. It is Destination One in Goa's Calangute Beach. Fact file: Destination One Calangute Residency, Calangute Beach, Bardez, Goa: 16 W e b s i t e : www.destinationone.co.in

Las Vegas tourism ad features Imagine Dragons LAS VEGAS: The latest `What interviews filmed by R&R. ``We Happens Here, Stays Here' Las really owe everything to Vegas.'' Vegas ad campaign features a faImagine Dragons sold more miliar musical act from, well, right than 3.9 million copies of its 2012 here. debut album ``Night Visions'' Indie-rock band Imagine Drag- which included the Grammy-winons has teamed up with the Las ning single ``Radioactive.'' Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for the latest ad from the firm R&R Partners. One is selling a destination. The other is selling a forthcoming as-yet-unnamed album. The creative crew for R&R tasked with keeping the ad campaign fresh, had their idea: two ads, one with a man, the other a woman, who both crisscross through Las Vegas scenes running into each other pool-side, or amid a firebreathing variety act, at a 1920s-themed nightclub and a concert venue. Then, about two months Las Vegas Convention and Visitors ago, the hometown band ImagAuthority, actors and crewmembers ine Dragons came along with record a segment of a dual-purpose ad their newest single, ``I bet my video - to promote both Las Vegas and life.'' indie-rock band Imagine Dragons and The quickly conceived its upcoming as-yet-unnamed album, at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las commercials were shot on loVegas. cation at the SLS Las Vegas and MGM Grand casino-hotels. Rob Dondero with R&R PartThey cost $1.2 million to produce ners, who leads the team that sells and will cost the Las Vegas tour- Las Vegas to the world, said the ism agency an additional $7.6 mil- spots' messages are simple. lion to buy national air time on ``Las Vegas is a place where NBC, ABC, FOX, E!, Bravo, Food anything can happen,'' he said. Network, USA, Travel Channel, The destination has been relyComedy Central and several other ing more and more on entertainchannels. ment that doesn't involve taking ``We're in debt to Vegas,'' said an actual gamble, and the ads Dan Reynolds, the band's lead don't show a single slot machines singer and a Las Vegas native, in or casino floor.-AP

Bollywood filmmakers turn to Lucknow

he charm of 2 crore subsidy to be in UP given by the state government to films, 50 per cent of which are shot, seems to have worked on Bollywood filmmakers. The New Year will have two film shootings take place in Lucknow. While the first film is of National Award winning director Hansal Mehta, starring National Awardees Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao, the second one is of 'Delhi Belly' and TV show '24' director, Abhinay Deo's starring National Award winning actor Irrfan. While Hansal will begin shooting in Lucknow from January, Deo and his crew will be shooting theirs in and around Lucknow in February.

Hansal Mehta's film has Manoj Bajpayee playing a gay professor. The film's story is based on the real life incident of an Aligarh University professor caught in a compromising position with a rickshaw puller days before he was due to retire. Hansal's favorite actor Rajkummar is also expected to play a pivotal role of a journalist in the film. Mehta, in the recent past has won the National Award for Best Direction for Shahid and won critical acclaim for City Lights, both of which starred Rajkummar. Meanwhile, Abhinay Deo's film stars Irrfan as a middle class man belonging to Lucknow. The film, slated to be a dark comedy, will also feature Imran Khan.

Philosophy

December 12, 2014

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis ATMANANDA KRISHNA MENON

hen a person is talking, he is talking and you are listening. Of course, that is in the phenomenal level, in the lowest level. But you see, when I am speaking about the Absolute Truth, where are you? Where are you when I am talking to you about the absolute Reality? Well, are you listening to me? Is your attention directed to the language part of it? Is your attention directed to the language that I have been employing? Disciple: Not only that. Atmananda: Is it possible for you to experience two things simultaneously? D: No A: So your experience is certainly, your attention was not directed to the language part of it. That is granted. You understood the idea meant to be conveyed to you. You were in the idea part. But were you in the idea? If I am speaking to you... if I was speaking to you about the ultimate Reality which is transcending even ideas, you were certainly not in the idea then. You must have gone beyond it. So when you go beyond idea, where were you, please? So, when I was talking to you about the absolute Reality, where were you? In the absolute Reality itself. D: I was not the hearer. A: No, well, then, you cannot be hearing, you cannot be seeing,

OSHO

hy does man suppress so much and become unhealthy? Because the society teaches you to control, not to transform, and the way of transformation is totally different. For one thing, it is not the way of control at all, it is just the opposite. But there is no need to express on somebody else because the 'somebody else' is just irrelevant. Next time you feel angry go and run around the house seven times, and after it sit under a tree and watch where the anger has gone. You have not repressed it, you have not controlled it, you have not thrown it on somebody else - because if you throw it on somebody else a chain is created, because the other is as foolish as you, as unconscious as you. If you throw it on another, and if the other is an enlightened person, there will be no trouble; he will help you to throw and release it and go through a catharsis. But the other is as ignorant as you - if you throw anger on him he will react. He will throw more anger on you, he is repressed as much as you are.

there cannot be many, you cannot be there as the ego who puts the question now. I cannot be here as the person who returns answers to the questions. So, I was not here, you were not here, you never put any question to me, I never answered any question. But, of course…at the time the absolute…when the absolute Reality was talked about, we vanished entirely. We were there and

den self. It is just that way: Immediately, from the right Absolute. You descend down, climb down to the lowest level, to the ego again. D: What is the best way not to fall into that confusion? A: Understanding it in this manner will help you not to climb down in that manner. That is all. There is no other means. Understand it aright as I have now expounded it. That is the only

ture. D: In your talks, the experience is conveyed through words. A: Experience is conveyed. Yes. Well, you say that at a lower level. I grant it, at the lower level. It will by conveyed, etc. but it is not a case of conveying experience at all. You come to Experience. Experience is within you. You go to the deepmost level, to understand things.

When I talked about Absolute Reality, where were you? When the absolute Reality was talked about, we vanished entirely. We were there and there alone - one thing. That is it. Can you Atmananda Krishna Menon

prove that there were many there?

there alone - one thing. That is it. Can you prove that there were many there? That's my point. So, there was nobody talking to you. D: When you say it, it appears right. A: Ah well, that is experienced. When you say it, it appears just that is the perfect Truth, but then, subsequently, just after it, you feel: "No, but can it be so? Well, he talked and I heard." You immediately come back to your ego-rid-

means. There is no other way. D: This is not a thing to learn after much thinking. A: It is a case where you have been unlearning many things. You have been trained in the wrong groove of thinking from your babyhood. Well, that habit of thinking must go. Must leave you. Then everything will be quite all right. There will be no question whatsoever. You are always in your real Na-

That is what is called Experience, where you are alone. It is that way that you understand it. You have necessarily to rely upon your experience for any position that you take up, and if that experience is misunderstood, well, you see, your perspective is not right. Edited excerpt from chapter 'Beyond All' in Atmananda Tattwa Samhita. The 131st birth anniversary of Atmananda was celebrated on December 8

Then there comes a chain: you throw on him, he throws on you, and you both become enemies. Don't throw it on anybody. It is the same as when you feel like vomiting: you don't go and vomit on somebody. Anger needs a vomit. You go to the bathroom and vomit! It cleanses

have taken in and your whole psychic being wants to throw it out, but there is no need to throw it out on somebody. There is no need to throw anger on anybody. You can go to your bathroom, you can go on a long walk - it means that something is inside that needs fast ac-

tion then is to express anger, but not on anybody, because if you express it on somebody you cannot express it totally. You may like to kill, but it is not possible; you may like to bite, but it is not possible. But that can be done to a pillow. A pillow means 'already enlight-

Wisdom is knowing I am nothing, Love is knowing I am everything, and between the two my life moves. - Nisargadatta Maharaj The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God's eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love. - Meister Eckhart I will soothe you and heal you, I will bring you roses. I too have been covered with thorns. - Rumi If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything. -Mark Twain The reason I talk to myself is because I'm the only one whose answers I accept. - George Carlin

Society teaches you to control; not to transform

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley

Anger needs a vomit. You go to the bathroom

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool. - William Shakespeare

and vomit! It cleanses the whole body - if you suppress the vomit it will be dangerous, and when you have vomited you will feel fresh Osho

the whole body - if you suppress the vomit it will be dangerous, and when you have vomited you will feel fresh, you will feel unburdened, unloaded, good, healthy. Something was wrong in the food that you took and the body rejects it. Don't go on forcing it inside. Anger is just a mental vomit. Something is wrong that you

tivity so that it is released. Just do a little jogging and you will feel it is released, or take a pillow and beat the pillow, fight with the pillow, and bite the pillow until your hands and teeth are relaxed. Within a five-minute catharsis you will feel unburdened, and once you know this you will never throw it on anybody. The first thing in transforma-

ened'; the pillow is enlightened, a Buddha. The pillow will not react, and the pillow will not go to any court, and the pillow will not bring any enmity against you. The pillow will be happy, and the pillow will laugh at you. Excerpted from And the Flowers Showered. The 83rd birth anniversary of Osho was celebrated on December 11

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom. - Isaac Asimov Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. - Robert A. Heinlein

You Insure all your Valuables, all are replaceable except YOU! So Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs

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India needs to do more for maritime security

ix years ago, in November 2008, a group of Pakistan-based terrorists landed at unsecured waterfronts in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, and attacked public places such as hotels, restaurants, and a railway station. Although the Indian security forces were quick to respond, the attack, popularly referred to as 26/ 11, exposed three significant gaps in India's maritime security apparatus: a. the porous nature of India's coastline; b. the poor surveillance of the maritime domain; and c. the lack of inter-agency coordination. Post the 26/11 attacks, the Indian government undertook a number of proactive measures to restructure coastal security and push the defensive perimeter further away from the coast into the seas. The focus was on building national maritime domain awareness (NMDA) grid via a number of organizational, operational and technological changes. The Indian Navy has now set up the National Command Control Communication Intelligence (NC3I) network that hosts the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC). It connects 41 radar stations (20 Indian Navy and 31 Coast Guard) located along the coast and on the island territories, and helps collate, fuse and disseminate critical intelligence and information about 'unusual or suspicious movements and activities at sea'. There are plans for additional coastal radar stations to cover gap/shadow zones in the second phase; these are currently addressed through deployment of ships and aircraft of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. The IMAC receives vital operational data from multiple sources such as the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and the longrange identification and tracking (LRIT), a satellite-based, real-time reporting mechanism for reporting the position of ships. This information is further supplemented by shore based electro-optical systems and high definition radars. Significantly, maritime domain awareness is also received through satellite data. There are 74 AIS receivers along the Indian coast and these are capable of tracking 30,000 to 40,000 merchant ships transiting

India Post

VIJAY SAKHUJA

through the Indian Ocean. The AIS is mandatory for all merchant ships above 300 tons DWT and it helps monitoring agencies to keep track of shipping and detect suspicious ships. However the AIS is vulnerable to 'data manipulation'. According to a recent study, the international shipping manipulates AIS data for a number of reasons, and the trends are quite disturbing. In the last two years, there has been 30 per cent increase in the number of ships reporting false identities. Nearly 40 per cent of the ships do not report their next port of call to prevent the commodity operators and to preclude speculation. Interestingly, there is growing tendency among merchant ships to shut down AIS, and 'go dark' and spoofing (generating

Coastal Security (NCSMCS) that is headed by the Cabinet Secretary. The Indian government has also drawn plans to reinforce the NMDA via multilateral cooperation. It is in talks with at least 24 countries for exchanging information on shipping to ensure that the seas are safe and secure for global commerce. India has placed maritime security high on the agenda through active participation in the Indian Ocean Rim association (IORA), the Indian Ocean Naval symposium (IONS), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus. Additionally, it is in talks with other countries to institutionalize intelligence exchange among the respective security agencies.

Guarding the coast

false transmissions) is perhaps the most dangerous. It can potentially mislead the security forces who have to respond to such targets and on finding none, leads to loss and wastage of precious time and human effort which adversely affects operational efficiency of the maritime security forces. At another level, small fishing boats can complicate maritime domain awareness; however, it is fair to say that they can also be the 'eyes and ears' of the security agencies. Indian authorities have undertaken a number of steps, including compulsory identity cards for fishermen; registration of over 200,000 fishing boats and tracking them through central database; security awareness programs, etc. Furthermore, Marine Police Training Institutes have been established. They are coordinated by the apex National Committee for Strengthening Maritime and

The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard have been at the helm and have developed a sophisticated strategy that involves joint exercises, hot lines, exchange of intelligence and training with a number of navies. It will be useful to explore if the NC3I is suitably linked to the Singapore-based Information Fusion Centre (IFC) established at Changi Command and Control Centre (CC2C), which has received much acclaim as an effective MDA hub. It is fair to argue that weak legislations can compromise maritime security. In this connection, it is important to point out that the Coastal Security Bill drafted in 2013 is yet to be tabled in the Indian Parliament. Unfortunately, the draft Piracy Bill placed before the law makers in 2012 lapsed due to priority given to other issues. The writer is Director, National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi. Courtesy IPCS

Development mantra

ammu & Kashmir symbolizes religious divide the way no other state in India does. The Valley remains Muslim majority and the Jammu region is Hindu dominated. Ladakh, the third region in the equation, is taken for granted and not included in the name of the State as the vote of its Buddhist inhabitants doesn't threaten the unity of the State. In a bold move soon after Pak based terrorists had launched a number of attacks in the Valley to deter voters; Prime Minister Narendra Modi persevered with his plans to address election rallies in the State. If parts of the city of Srinagar was closed heeding the boycott call of the separatists, the rest were discouraged by the stringent security to come near the rally venue. Thus it can be guessed only the Modi sympathizers were present at the venue. But thanks to the electronic media, his appeal was heard far and wide. Clad in a phiran, the dress of the Kashmiris in winter, Modi sought a place in the hearts of Kashmiris by asking them to rise above differences and vote for development. He took up Atal Bihari Vajpayee's concepts of communal harmony, humanity and democracy to share the pain of Kashmiris and promised to take the state to new heights of development. The mantra of development should resonate with a modern electorate but religious differences are so entrenched in J&K that it would be a marvel if the results show that people have responded to his call. The voters have turned out in surprisingly large numbers this time. Even in Uri, where the terrorists launched their attack on an Army camp, 79 per cent polling was registered. That shows the people were not terrified by the attack. What turned them out in spite of the boycott calls was perhaps the fear of the BJP actually reaching the magic mark of majority as they had been projecting in their campaign. The separatists also fell in line with this approach appreciating that if the people stayed at home, the BJP might snatch a few seats in the Valley thus adding them to their expected health tally in Jammu. Modi has however been saying at every rally that development is the mantra which will take them out of their misery. He pointed how there were many more tourism potential places in the beautiful valley which could be developed with world class infrastructure. Indeed, to whatever religion or caste one may belong, everyone yearns for a better life, better facilities for education, jobs, health and entertainment. Religion is a private affair and it should be confined to the home or places of worship. Otherwise, in this era where smart cities are being promised based on latest technology, this northern most state will stay far behind. The talk of making Srinagar into a smart city with latest hi-tech facilities must be giving stomach ache to Pakistan. If people are well fed, well clothed and have facilities for good education and jobs thereafter, why would anyone worry about religion? Even a Muslim majority state deserves good infrastructure which has been denied to it by the pseudo secularism of the Congress, National Conference and the PDP variety. There has been massive corruption behind the name of secularism and this Modi had pointed out. The separatism promoted by Pakistan is doing the most damage to that country itself with more and more divisions inhabiting minds of the people and intolerance reaching epic proportions. India's ethos has been respect for all religions and all faiths living together. There are fringe elements of course which muddy the waters. Modi has to guard against such people in his own party who can damage his great mission to take India on the path of prosperity. The setback in by-election in UP soon after the great victory in the general elections should serve as a warning to all those who had taken to hate-mongering.

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