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Pradeep Gupta elected Mayor of Cal city Details on page 5

Dr Mihir Meghani donates $ 100,000 to HAF

VOL 22, No. 1161

December 30, 2016

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U.N. IS A 'CLUB' FOR GOOD TIME: TRUMP

WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump has lashed out at the UN, describing the world body as a "club for people to get together, talk and have a good time".

"The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!" Trump said in a tweet.

Trump's remarks come following a decision by President Barack Obama to abstain from a UN Security Council vote condemning Israel's settlements in the West Bank

and parts of Jerusalem. The abstention marked a historic change in policy that permitted the resolution to pass.

Ahead of the vote, Trump had publicly asked the US to veto the resolution.

The Washington Post said Trump's tweet "signaled" that he would "likely challenge more than just the 71-yearold institution's approach to the Middle East once he takes office".

Trump has already said that things would be different Details on page 5 at the UN after January 20.

Details on page 17

Obama defense bill boosts coop with India

FOG Holiday Toy Drive brings joy to kids Details on page 16

Pravasis worry about demonetization Details on page 5

Gurudwara vandalized in Calgary, Canada Details on page 6

Abducted Indian priest appeals to Pope

Details on page 6

Four held for gangrape of US national

Details on page 8

CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29

Details on page 6

Classifieds ------------------------- 52 Community Post -------------- 16-25

INDIA POST SURVEY

Date Book -------------------------- 39 Edit Page --------------------------- 54

survey@indiapost.com

HealthScience Post --------- 44-47

This week’s question

GREAT MARATHA MEMORIAL:

Do you agree with Trump’s criticism of UN?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing Jal Pujan for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial in the Arabian Sea, 4 kms off Mumbai's Marine Drive, in Mumbai on December 24. Above is an artist's impression of the proposed structure. (Details on page 13)

Last week’s result

Indian sports performances are improving?

YES 83%

NO 17%

Horoscope ------------------------- 26 Immigration Post ------------- 34-38 Life Style ----------------------- 30-33 Perspective -------------------- 48-49 Philosophy ------------------------- 53 Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4 Real Estate -------------------- 50-51 TechBiz Post ------------------- 12-15 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43

Certified by “CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL Readership 117,765”

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Publisher’s Diary

N

ot many are likely to go to bed this 31st night thinking 'What a great year it was, 2016!' Nah, not many. To stretch the point, let's see, Indians are still coping with what hit them after their government invalidated most of their currency; the British are still unsure where Brexit has left them; Americans are still suffering election blues wondering if they need to dig those nuke safe bunkers under their homes; the French and Germans are asking what did they ever do to hurt anyone's religious sentiments; the Russians have been working way too hard messing with the rest of the world; and no point mentioning the Syrians who haven't had a good night in nearly a decade. I could go on, but well, you get the idea.

As I look back, and look ahead, there is a distinct sense of unease bordering on anxiety over the utter lack of political leadership in the world today. There may be the odd one who's better by degrees but I really think there's a dearth of visionary and future-oriented leadership, especially in the developed and wealthy nations that are typically expected to pave the pathways to the future.

Which world leader today has a plan for the future untouched by politics; to use innovative post-tech tools to tackle poverty, hunger, unemployment, homelessness, ethnic strife, terrorism, religious intolerance, depleting natural resources, climate change, disparate populations, exclusivism, corporate strangleholds, weaponization of society, as against using corrupt politics.

In our own backyard of 2016, I would have loved to hear the presidential candidates talk about, educate and prepare people by drawing a real time map for how automation, information technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, medical and climate science will be changing our lives; and how the younger generation that did not vote today will be coming of age in a different world where talk of coal mining jobs, unwanted foreigners, race and religion, and empty political rhetoric will be redundant and irrelevant in a globalized economy.

For the record, 2016 was the most regressive electoral campaigns I have witnessed in my life. Thankfully, life, in many ways, goes on despite politics.

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HIGHLIGHTS Bollywood: Playing Sanjay Ranbir Kapoor is excited to work on Sanjay Dutt's biopic but finds himself undeserving of enacting him on screen.

Cover Story: Club for good time Lashing out at the UN, Trump describes it as a "club for people to get together, talk and have a good time"

Community: FOG Toy Drive Festival of Globe and Fremont Hindu Temple organized a "Holiday Toy Drive" to spread the joy of holidays

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Immigration: Fearful Afghans An Afghan interpreter receives death threats from the Taliban for helping American troops and now lives in hiding

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UN a 'club' for good time: Trump WASHINGTON: US Presidentelect Donald Trump has lashed out at the UN, describing the world body as a "club for people to get together, talk and have a good time".

"The United Nations has such great potential but right now it is

change in policy that permitted the resolution to pass.

Ahead of the vote, Trump had publicly asked the US to veto the resolution.

The Washington Post said Trump's tweet "signaled" that he would "likely challenge more than

Trump's tweet to his more than 17 million followers came after in a CNN podcast, President Obama said a message that he could have defeated Trump in the November general elections. As per US laws, the presidency is term-limited to two four-year terms just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time.

So sad!" Trump said in a tweet.

Trump's remarks come following a decision by President Barack Obama to abstain from a UN Security Council vote condemning Israel's settlements in the West Bank and parts of Jerusalem. The abstention marked a historic

just the 71-year-old institution's approach to the Middle East once he takes office".

Trump has already said that things would be different at the UN after January 20.

Trump has nominated IndianAmerican Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina, as his Ambassador to the United Nations.

Obama would lose In another tweet, Trump said even Barack Obama would have lost against him in the presidential race.

"President Obama said that he thinks he would have won against me. He should say that but I say NO WAY! - jobs leaving, ISIS, OCare, etc," his tweet said.

Trump's tweet to his more than 17 million followers came after in a CNN podcast, President Obama said a message that he could have defeated Trump in the November general elections.

As per US laws, the presidency is term-limited to two four-year terms.

Obama was first elected in 2008 and then re-elected in 2012.

In an interview to his former aide David Axelrod that he could have easily defeated Trump in a hypothetical third-term.

"I am confident in this vision because I'm confident that if I if I had run again and articulated it, I think I could've mobilized a ma-

Pravasi delegates worry about demonetization India Post News Service

BENGALURU: The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is hosting its convention on 5th and 6th of January, 2017 at Hotel Le Meridien, Bengaluru in conjunction with Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conducted by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

This convention in Bengaluru attracts investors, political functionaries, business leaders from

Pravasi convention from all over the world," said Sunny Kulathakal, Convention Convener and GOPIO's Global Ambassador.

He said that many of them have in their possession demonetized currency notes that they may find difficult to exchange on arrival in India. GOPIO has requested the government to facilitate the exchange of these notes at various Indian embassies or other means.

Earlier GOPIO President Niraj Baxi had written to Finance Min-

"NRIs and PIOs should be allowed to exchange whatever amount they have as long as they show the proof of past conversion of foreign currency to Indian currency in the last 10 years," said Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International India and abroad and would be an important milestone which will chart out a course of action for the future.

Visitors from abroad are however ill prepared for the sudden demonetization of high value currency notes in India.

"One group that will be hit hard by the government's restrictions will be hundreds of delegates reaching Bengaluru for the

ister Arun Jaitley to extend by six months the cut-off date for depositing the demonetized notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations.

"NRIs and PIOs should be allowed to exchange whatever amount they have as long as they show the proof of past conversion of foreign currency to Indian currency in the last 10 years," said Dr. Thomas Abraham, Chairman of GOPIO International.

GOPIO will discuss this and other issues at the convention in Bangalore on January 5 and 6, 2017 at Hotel Le Meridien, Bengaluru. Union Minister of State for External Affairs M. J. Akbar will inaugurate the Convention at 4 PM on 5th. Chief Ministers of Southern States of India and other prominent personalities will attend.

On 6th morning Dr. Shashi Tharoor, MP will inaugurate the panel discussion on Diaspora issues. It will be followed by panel dialogue on philanthropy

by Lord Diljit Rana, Lord Raj Loomba and others. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien will be attending the valedictory function.

The Awards Banquet function at 7 pm on January 6 will be attended by the Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other dignitaries. GOPIO Community Service Awards will also be presented at the Finale Banquet event. This year's awardees are Dr. Abraham M. George, New Jersey, USA and Tamil Nadu, India; Chandu Patel, California, USA and Gujarat; Dr. George Cherian, Bahrain; Naliandra (Jay) Naidu, Durban, South Africa; Ram Buxani, Dubai, UAE and Vinod Patel, Fiji.

jority of the American people to rally behind it," Obama said.

"I know that in conversations that I've had with people around

Obama had campaigned vigorously for his former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, in the

Donald Trump

the country, even some people who disagreed with me, they would say the vision, the direction that you point towards is the right one," he said.

run up to the November 8 general elections.

Most of the time, he drew more crowds that others even the presidential candidates. -PTI

Pradeep Gupta elected Mayor of Cal city WASHINGTON: An IndianAmerican engineer has been elected as Mayor of South San Francisco city in the US state of California.

Pradeep Gupta, an IIT Chennai alumni, was sworn in as the Mayor of the city early this month, a media release said.

With this he has became the second Indian-American to be elected as the Mayor of the Californian city.

"It is my honor to step up and continue the work that former Mayor Mark Addiego has started," Gupta said.

"We have a great group of people on our Council, many who have served the City for years. I'm eager to lead this Council and our City during such exciting times," he said.

Gupta was appointed to the South San Francisco City Council for a one-year term on December 31, 2012 and was elected to a full four-year term in November 2013.

Prior to his appointment to the City Council, he was on the South San Francisco Planning Commission for three years, serving as the Commission's Chair in 2011.

He has a Master's degree and a Doctorate from Purdue University in Electrical Engineering, specializing in the area of energy efficiency and long term planning of

electric utility systems.

Gupta's professional career spans over thirty years of working with electric utility industries both in the US and abroad.

He earlier served as Vice Mayor of the City.

This election season, Savita Vaidhyanathan was elected as the new Mayor of Cupertino in California. -PTI

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Obama defense bill boosts Gurudwara vandalized in Calgary, Canada coop with India WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has signed into law the USD 618 billion defense budget for 2017, which enhances security cooperation with India and conditions nearly half of the funding to Pakistan on a certification that it is taking demonstrable steps against the Haqqani Network.

Currently vacationing in Ha-

jor defense partner".

A summary of the bill released

by Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain said NDAA-2017 "enhances security cooperation" between the US and India.

It also asks the administration to designate an individual within the executive branch who has ex-

US President Barack Obama

waii, Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2017, which asks Defense Secretary and Secretary of State to take steps necessary to recognize India as America's "ma-

perience in defense acquisition and technology to reinforce and ensure, through inter-agency policy coordination, the success of the Framework for the US-India Defense Relationship; and to

help resolve remaining issues impeding US-India defense trade, security cooperation, and co-production and co-development opportunities.

The NDAA, which among other things creates a USD 1.2 billion Counter-ISIL Fund, imposes four conditions on Pakistan to be eligible for USD 400 million of the USD 900 million of the coalition support fund (CSF).

The US Defense Secretary needs to certify to the Congress that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan and that Islamabad has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani Network from using any of its territory as a safe haven.

Early this year, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter refused to give a similar certification to Pakistan due to which it was not given USD 300 million under coalition support fund.-PTI

4 held for gangrape of US national NEW DELHI: Four persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged gangrape of a US national in a five-star hotel here earlier this year.

A senior police officer said they arrested a tour guide, a driver, a cleaner and a hotel staff. He, however, refused to reveal the names of the four as police will first conduct a test identification parade.

The arrest came on a day when

aged between 25-40, have joined the probe. They were called for questioning at Connaught Place police station and after a five-hour interrogation, they were arrested, he said.

They were being questioned extensively following the registration of an FIR on December 3.

The mobile phones of the accused have been seized by the police.

The court will have to sanction

The tour guide had denied his "involvement" in the crime and told police that the victim had given him a "positive feedback" in the forms. The woman had alleged that she was raped by the men for two days the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) issued a notice to Delhi Police asking them why the Rape Crisis Cell of the women's panel was not informed when the victim's statement was recorded.

In her complaint, the US national had alleged that she was raped by five persons in a fivestar hotel in April. Police are on a lookout for the fifth accused as the woman has not shared details about him, said the officer.

The remaining four accused,

the Test Identification Parade and it will take some time, sources said.

The woman is likely to return to the US and if the court grants permission to conduct identification parade, it might be done on Skype, they added.

The US national arrived here a few days ago to join the probe and recorded her statement in front of a judicial magistrate where she reiterated the charges she had made in her complaint.

Earlier, she had said that she

was not "satisfied" with the probe and was ready to come to India to identify the accused.

On December 8, the tourist guide, accused of raping the woman, along with his accomplices, was questioned by police after his arrival from Nepal.

Police had identified the man and had contacted him while he was in Nepal.

The tour guide had denied his "involvement" in the crime and told police that the victim had given him a "positive feedback" in the forms.

The woman had alleged that she was raped by the men for two days. They also threatened her with dire consequences if she reported the matter to anybody.

She had also stated that the accused had made a video of the act and had threatened to make it public if she reported the matter to anyone. She had also told police that the accused had claimed to have sexually assaulted a couple of other female tourists as well.

A team of psychologists and psychiatrists have been assisting the lady in recalling the details of the incident.

The team is also working with Delhi Police in their investigation to tie up loose ends.-PTI

TORONTO: A gurudwara in Canada has been spray-painted with "racist" graffiti and profanity by some unidentified persons, prompting police to probe the incident as a hate crime, a media report said.

The graffiti was visible around six locations in and around the building of the gurudwara situated in 81st Street in Calgary city

"The racist graffiti included a swastika and profanity," the organization said.

WSO Vice President for Alberta, and Calgary resident, Tejinder Singh Sidhu said, "While we are saddened to see the racist vandalism of the Sikh Society of Calgary, it comes at a time when we are seeing racist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic vandalism in

of Alberta province.

Police said a graffiti coordinator and a hate crime coordinator have been called in to investigate the vandalism, Calgary Herald reported.

The World Sikh Organization (WSO) of Canada has condemned the "racist vandalism" of the Sikh Society Gurudwara of Calgary and asked community members to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity around gurudwaras to the authorities.

several places across Canada".

"These deplorable acts are motivated by ignorance and all Canadians must stand in solidarity to ensure that racist and discriminatory rhetoric is loudly rejected," Sidhu said in a statement.

In January last year, a gurudwara in Edmonton was spray-painted with racist graffiti and earlier this year, racist antiSikh posters were posted at the University of Alberta, WSO said.

-PTI

Free Wi-Fi service at 100 railway stations NEW DELHI: With Kollam in south India becoming Wi-Fi-enabled, railways have completed the task of equipping 100 stations with free Wi-Fi service across the country by the end of 2016.

The next move is to cover 400 major stations with free Wi-Fi by next year.

"We started with Mumbai station and now connected Kollam in down south with free Wi-Fi network and with this we have completed the target of providing free Wi-Fi service at 100 busiest stations in partnership with Google by the year end," said a senior Railway Ministry official.

In January this year, railways launched its first free Wi-Fi ser-

vices at Mumbai Central station and then continued with connecting all busy stations like Bhubaneswar, Bangalore, Howrah, Kanpur, Mathura, Aligarh, Bareilly and Varanasi stations with the free internet service at rail premises.

"Our plan is to cover total 400 major stations with free Wi-Fi service by the end of next year," he said.

According to railways, over 10 million people who pass through these stations every day now have an access to fast Internet speed to stream, research their destination or download a new book or game for the journey ahead. -PTI

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50 top CEOs to interact with PM Modi GANDHINAGAR: Fifty top CEOs will interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, a senior official said here.

The meeting will be held as part of the 'Global CEO Roundtable'

"After the inauguration of Vibrant Summit, which will take place at around 3.30 pm on January 10, our PM, FM and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will attend Global CEO Roundtable event with 50 top industry leaders," Taneja said, adding that no

"The discussions during the roundtable would largely revolve around global as well as Indian investment climate and opportunities� after the official inauguration of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit on January 10 at Mahatma Mandir here.

Out of these top 50 industry leaders, 25 will be from India while the remaining will be from countries like US, Japan, France, UK, the Netherlands and Taiwan, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries and Mines) P K Taneja told reporters.

one from China is coming for the roundtable.

Though the final list of CEOs is yet to be finalized, Taneja said some global industry leaders have already confirmed their participation.

These include Chairman of global technology giant Cisco, John Chambers, who will also lead a US business delegation. Others are President of Boeing International

Bertrand-Marc Allen and Chief Executive Officer of French electricity giant EDF, Jean-Bernard Levy.

"The discussions during the roundtable would largely revolve around global as well as Indian investment climate and opportunities. We believe that the discussions and their outcome will be crucial in the wake of upcoming GST implementation in India and ongoing business scenario after demonetization," Taneja added.

According to him, the focus of this summit will be on facilitating more business-to-business meetings.

"On the second day of Vibrant Summit, we have planned to organize maximum numbers of B2B meetings. Our focus is to see that real work takes place. This time, we have also planned to set up facilitation desks of various government departments to provide quick guidance to the guests," the official added. -PTI

Cricket Aus picks Kohli 'ODI Capt of Year' MELBOURNE: Accolades continue to pour in for India's dynamic Test captain Virat Kohli, who has been named skipper of Cricket Australia's ODI team of the year which also featured young

ODI matches in 2016, but he again underlined his status as one of the best in the 50-over format," CA said in a statement.

"The right-hander scored 45 or more in eight of his 10 innings for

yorker specialist Jasprit Bumrah.

Kohli, who was earlier also picked captain of the ICC's ODI team of the year, was preferred over Australia's very own Steve Smith. Smith was, however, picked in the 'All-Star' team.

"India's skipper played only 10

the year, notching back-to-back centuries in a run feast against Australia in January and then a magnificent 154 (not out) in a successful pursuit of 289 against New Zealand, more than half of his team's total.

"He now averages an incred-

ible 90.10 in 59 successful run chases for India, and has been out in the middle for the winning runs on 20 occasions," it added.

CA said Bumrah made the cut riding on his consistency.

"India's unorthodox paceman Jasprit Bumrah was a stand-out in 2016, his first year as an international player.

"While nine of his 17 wickets for the year came against Zimbabwe, it was his ability to keep scoring to a minimum that impressed us the most; he conceded more than 40 runs in an innings just once all year and his extraordinary economy rate of 3.63 is easily the best in the world for 2016," the CA stated.

Cricket Australia's ODI Team of Year: Virat Kohli (India, captain), David Warner(Australia), Quinton de Kock (wk) (South Africa), Steve Smith (Australia), Babar Azam (Pakistan), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Jos Buttler (England), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Imran Tahir (South Africa).-PTI

Abducted Indian priest appeals to Pope KOCHI: An Indian Catholic priest abducted from Yemen this year has appealed to Pope Francis and the Union government through a purported video to secure his release from his captors.

"If I were a European priest, I

Father Tom Uzhunnalil

would have been taken more seriously. I am from India. I am perhaps not considered as of much value," said priest Father Tom Uzhunnalil in a weak voice in the video, aired by news channels in Kerala.

"Dear Pope Francis, dear Holy Father, as a father please take care of my life. I am very much depressed. My health is deteriorating," he said in the video, a day after Christmas.

Father Uzhunnalil, who looked very weak, appeared to be reading out from a text placed before him.

The veracity of the video, which was uploaded from You tube and Facebook, could neither be independently verified nor was the period when it was shot known.

Father Uzhunnalil, who hails from Kerala, was abducted in March by terror group Islamic State which attacked an old-age home run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in southern Yemeni city of Aden.

He claimed his captors have made many contacts with the Government of India--President

and Prime Minister. "I am very sad that nothing has been done seriously in my regard," he said.

He said reports had said everything has been done to get his release, "but in reality nothing" has been done.

Father Uzhunnalil said a news reporter abducted in the Middle East was released as she was from France.

"I am from India and not considered. Dear people, I pray you all, ask you all, beg you all to do your might to help me to save my life. I need hospitalization soon.

Please come to my help quickly," he said.

The Union Government has said efforts are being made to secure Uzhunnalil's release, but such attempts take time.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had informed Par-

Father Tom Uzhunnalil after his capture

liament that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has spoken to various countries through which contacts can be established in Yemen.

Swaraj had said it takes more time to secure release of people who are held captive and asked the MPs to keep "faith" in government's efforts to trace the abducted priest. -PTI

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India test-fires most lethal Diplomat lauds role of Indian-Americans missile Agni-V BALASORE, Odisha: India's strategic capabilities have taken a leap forward as it successfully test-fired Agni-V, the country's most lethal nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of over 5,000 kms that covers entire China.

The successful test-firing will pave the way for user trial of the missile and its eventual induction into the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), Defense sources said.

"Agni 5 was successfully flight tested by DRDO at 1100 hours from Dr Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. The full range test-flight of the missile has further boosted the indigenous missile capabilities and deterrence level of the country," a statement by the Defense Ministry said.

It added that all the radars, tracking systems and range stations tracked and monitored the flight performance and all the mission objectives were successfully met.

This was the fourth test of

the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 1105 hours, DRDO sources said.

About 17-metre long and weighing over 50 tonne, the missile majestically rose from the confines of its canister flawlessly and achieved all targets, sources in Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) said.

It is the fourth developmental and second canisterised trial of the missile, integrated with a sophisticated mobile launcher in its deliverable configuration that enables launch of the missile with a very short preparation time as compared to an open launch, they said.

While the first test of Agni-V

It is the fourth developmental and second canisterised trial of the missile, integrated with a sophisticated mobile launcher in its deliverable configuration that enables launch of the missile with a very short preparation time Agni-V missile and the second one from a canister on a road mobile launcher. All the four missions have been successful.

President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar congratulated the DRDO scientists, saying it will add tremendous strength to the country's strategic defense and deterrence capabilities.

"Successful test-firing of Agni V makes every Indian very proud.

It will add tremendous strength to our strategic defense," Modi said.

At present, India possesses Agni-I with a range of 700 kms, Agni-II with 2,000 kms range, Agni-III and Agni-IV with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 range in its armory of Agni missile series.

Agni-V missile has a range of over 5,000 kms and covers the whole of China, a country seen as a strategic challenge in India.

It has advantages of higher reliability, longer shelf life, less maintenance and enhanced mobility.

The three-stage, solid propellant surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from launch complex-4 of

was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second was on September 15, 2013 and the third on January 31,

2015 from the same base.

Among the missiles of Agni series, the latest Agni-V is the

most advanced having some new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine, the sources said.

Lot of new technologies developed indigenously were successfully tested in the trial. The very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) had ensured the missile reached the target point within few meters of accuracy, they said. -PTI

WASHINGTON: Indo-US rela- there would be successful Indiantionship has bipartisan support Americans in more prominent and would keep going up irre- places. spective of which ever governSandhu said Indian-Americans ment is elected, Deputy Chief of are facing the challenges of idenMission at the Embassy of India tity, modernization and economic has said as he lauded the role survival. played by the Indian-Americans In his address, the Deputy Inin strengthening bilateral ties. dian Ambassador stressed the imTaranjit Singh Sandhu was portance of connecting second speaking at an event organized by generation Indian Ambassador the Sikh community in Maryland with India. and Virginia to felicitate the diplo"Next economic potential mat in recognition of his efforts where is it? It is in India. to address the concerns and isThat is where the economic sues of the Sikh community generation, economic power to across the country. the world is going to come. And After serving the Indian Em- your children are uniquely placed. bassy for three and half years, Sandhu, a 1988 batch Indian Foreign In his address, the Deputy Service Officer is headed to be the Indian Indian Ambassador stressed High Commissioner to the importance of connectSri Lanka.

India-US relation- ing second generation Inship, is on "such a stable and bipartisan dian Ambassador with India support" Sandhu said, irrespective of which ever government is elected "our But they would be uniquely countries" are so closely bound placed if you connect them back that the relationship would keep with India," Sandhu said. going up and up.

Welcoming Sandhu, Virginia Contribution of Indian-Ameri- Republican leader Puneet cans is extremely important in Ahluwalia said the strength of the strengthening this relationship, community lies in its unity. "In this he said. new world, we all have to partici"The hard work of Indian- pate in the mainstream." he said.

Americans is very highly recog"In the coming years, US-Innized and appreciated. This has dia relationship is going to be so all come out of your commitment critical" and "we have to play an and focus," he said and exuded important role in that," he said. confidence that in coming years PTI

China tests new stealth fighter; eyes export BEIJING: China has tested an improvised version of its stealth fighter and plans to sell it at half the price of the US variant to break Western monopoly over the high-tech aircraft, which will have strategic implications for India as Pakistan has already shown interest in acquiring it.

An improved version of China's fifth-generation FC-31 Gyrfalcon stealth fighter jet conducted its maiden flight last week in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, state-run China Daily reported.

Previously known as the J-31, the twin engine, radar evading aircraft is still under development by Shenyang Aircraft Corp, part of the Aviation Industry Corp of China, (AVIC), it said.

The Chinese stealth aircraft have strategic significance for In-

dia as besides China, Pakistan which is producing JF-17 Thunder fighter along with Beijing - has already evinced interest in acquiring China's stealth fighter.

India is yet to have stealth air-

vember, 2015.

Specifications supplied by AVIC show the jet has a maximum takeoff weight of 28 metric tonnes, a flight radius of 1,250 kms and a top speed of Mach 1.8, or 1.8

craft in its arsenal.

AVIC displayed a large-scale model of the FC-31 at the 14th Dubai Airshow in the UAE in No-

times the speed of sound.

It can carry eight tonnes of weapons. The plane can hold six missiles in its internal weapons

bay and another six under its wings, AVIC said.

The first test flight of the FC31's second prototype took place at Shenyang Aircraft Corp four years after the first prototype took to the skies, the Daily quoted officials as saying.

The report also said fifth-generation fighters are the most advanced available.

Fu Qianshao, an aircraft expert with the PLA Air Force, said the new FC-31 has state-of-the-art instruments such as its electro-optical targeting system and helmetmounted display and sight system.

The new FC-31 seems to have better stealth capabilities, improved electronic equipment and a larger payload capacity, said Wu Peixin, an aviation industry observer in Beijing said.-PTI

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'Pak may face isolation on Minorities Bill' KARACHI: A minority Hindu lawmaker has said Pakistan might face isolation on international level if Sindh government abrogated the recently-passed Minorities Bill which criminalizes forced conversions in the Muslim-majority country.

Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council and Member of National Assembly (MNA) from the ruling PML (N) party, has expressed serious concern over reports of Sindh province's move to amend or repeal the Sindh Criminal Law (Protection of Minorities) Bill, 2015.

Vankwani warned if abrogation was done under pressure of "extremist religious parties", this would add to deepen the sense of insecurity among non-Muslims, Dawn newspaper reported.

He cautioned that "Pakistan might face isolation on international level if the bill was abro-

report said.

Vankwani said in a statement that they were not against the

gated" as the legislation had addressed growing complaints against increasing incidents of abduction and forced conversion of underage minor Hindu girls, the

conversion of religion as a result of deep study or preaching but their concerns were linked to forced conversions only.

Terming as "unjustified" the

protest of religious parties against the law, the Hindu parliamentarian said, "Why only underage Hindu girls in Sindh are changing religion?"

"I am inviting all honorable leaders of religious parliamentary parties to visit Sindh to observe ground facts to see for themselves how the name of a peaceful religion is being exploited by some extremist elements for their personal designs, and due to this, sentiments of non-Muslims are continuously getting hurt," Vankwani said.

He said the situation was causing outrage and trauma among non-Muslim population in Pakistan.

On December 16, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said the Minorities Bill had been sent to the governor for his assent and "whether he gives his assent or not, in both the conditions the bill would be

reviewed and amended by the assembly".

The Sindh Assembly last month adopted the bill against forced religious conversions and recommended a five-year jail term for perpetrators and facilitators of forced religious conversions will be handed a three-year sentence.

The Jamaat-i-Islami and the Jamiat Ulema Islam-F were opposing the law, claiming the law is part of a conspiracy to make Pakistan a liberal and secular country.

Jammat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed opposed the bill on December 5 and threatened to launch a movement against the law.

Cases of forced conversions have regularly been reported from different parts of Sindh province.

According to the South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, at least 1,000 girls mostly Hindus are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan every year. -PTI

Musa planned ISIS-style execution of foreigners NEW DELHI: Alleged terrorist mit the terror crimes before fleeMohd Mosiuddin was plotting ing.

ISIS-style chilling execution of He also allegedly procured foreigners, especially those from pepper spray from Snapdeal, an the US, Russia and the UK, who online marketplace to facilitate his would be visiting the Mother proposed criminal acts as the inHouse in Kolkata as it would be a tended target would be rendered "heart pleasing" experience for temporarily blinded by it. him, the NIA has claimed.

The charge sheet alleged that The NIA, in a chargesheet filed before a special court in During Musa's arrest, a .38 Kolkata recently, bore six-chamber revolver, claimed that Mosiuddin alias Musa was plan- three rounds of ammunition, ning to stab and kill for- a knife, a Samsung mobile eigners, a style fre- phone and other incriminatquently chosen by the ISIS to eliminate its tar- ing articles were seized gets.

The Mother House in West Musa discussed plans for conBengal capital is the headquarters ducting such attacks at the of Mother Teresa's Missionaries Mother House, which is freof Charity. quented by foreigners from the In its charge sheet, the anti-ter- US, Russia and the UK. Armed ror probe agency has said Musa forces of these countries are termed the militants operating in locked in fierce battles with the Kashmir as "Mujahids (holy war- ISIS in many nations. riors) with impure ideologies" who Musa had discussed with were fighting for Kashmiri land some others the exact location of when they should have fought in the Mother House and was support of Sharia, the Islamic ca- claimed to have told them that fornonical law based on the teach- eigners, particularly Russians, ings of the Koran and the tradi- Britishers and Americans often tions of the Prophet (Hadith and visited the place. He wanted them Sunna). killed as the governments of their The agency has provided countries had bombarded the ISIS Musa's photographs in Kashmir in Syria and Libya, the charge to buttress its claim that the ter- sheet alleged. rorist had visited the Valley.

The NIA had taken over invesNIA alleged it had proof of his tigation in the case from Howrah having bought a big knife to com- police on July 22. -PTI

December 30, 2016

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Tech News Intel to build quantum computer using silicon India Post News Service

TechBiz

C

hip maker Intel thinks that it might be able to shun exotic alternatives and use silicon transistors to build a quantum computer. Competitors are developing quantum components that are different from the ones crunching data in today's computers. MIT Technology Review reports that a team of engineers at Intel has shown it can build layers of ultrapure silicon on standard wafers used in regular chip factories. That process can be used to build the basic components of a quantum computer, called qubits.

The company will be playing catch-up: others can run code on prototype chips with several qubits made from superconducting circuits, and no one has yet advanced silicon qubits that far.

Still, both approaches need to be scaled up to be useful-and Intel thinks it could have an edge. "To get to hundreds of thousands of qubits, we will need incredible engineering reliability," says one of the researchers working on the project, "and that is the hallmark of the semiconductor industry."

75% of 60k officers trained for GST NEW DELHI: Uncertainty over the rollout date of GST notwithstanding, the NACEN has already trained about three-fourth of the targeted 60,000 field officials who would be instrumental in implementing the new indirect tax regime.

The National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN) has been tasked with the mammoth training target of 60,000 officials of both the Centre and states.

As per the latest data (up to December 17) of NACEN, 44,259 field officers have been trained.

The government intends to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime from April, but there are apprehensions that the date would be missed because the all powerful GST Council is yet to iron out several vexed issues, including jurisdiction of Centre and state governments over tax payers.

The Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising state finance ministers, has so far met seven times after Parliament amended the Constitution for implementation of GST. The next meeting is scheduled for January 3 and 4 to decide on the contentious issue of dual control over assessees and the legislation on IGST.-PTI

12 India Post

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December 30, 2016

Social aspects of Tech hardest to solve

T

his year has been a big one for technology. Autonomous cars have started driving real people around cities. Drones are making genuine deliveries. An AI beat the world champion at Go. The first threeparent baby was born.

But the problems being experienced by the tech industry show that, as Silicon Valley increasingly permeates every part of real life, the social aspects are some of the hardest to solve.

Facebook's year is a prime example: it's now a digital behemoth frequented by half the world's Internet users, but it's facing pushback over censorship, discrimination, and false information. As Bloomberg points out, that means that one of the industry's biggest challenge for 2017 isn't an engineering problem. It's how to integrate with the real world.

Law against 'benami' properties to be operationalised soon: PM NEW DELHI: Vowing to carry forward the war against corruption and black money post-demonetization, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the government will soon operationalise a strong law to effectively deal with 'benami' properties and this was just the beginning.

Making his last monthly address this year in his "Mann ki Baat" program, he defended the frequent changes in the rules of demonetization, saying these have been done to reduce the people's problems and defeat such forces who are out to thwart his government's fight against black money and corruption.

Modi sought the cooperation of public in making the "war on corruption" a success and said the wrongdoings of some are being caught only with the support of common people who are coming forward with concrete information about hoarders.

"I assure you that this is not the end. This is just the beginning in our fight against corruption. We have to win this war against corruption and black money. There is no question of stopping or going back in this fight," he said.

The Prime Minister also lamented the logjam in Parliament that evoked displeasure from the President and the Vice President besides all-round public indignation and ire, saying he wanted a good discussion on this campaign as well as on political funding, had both Houses run properly.

He said some people who are spreading rumors that political parties enjoy all concessions and exemptions "are wrong and all are equal before law" and they have to abide by it.

"It was my earnest wish that the ongoing campaign against corruption and black money, including the realm of political parties and political funding, be discussed extensively in the Parliament. Had the House functioned properly, there would have been comprehensive deliberation.

"Some people are spreading rumors that political parties enjoy

all kinds of concessions. These people are absolutely in the wrong.

The law applies equally to all.

Whether it is an individual, an organization or a political party, everyone has to abide by law and one will have to," he said, adding that people who cannot endorse

Giving a push to his plea for cashless economy, Modi also launched two new schemes for traders and customers that will dole out 15,000 prizes every day to those making digital transactions.

Defending the frequent

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

corruption and black money openly resort to searching for faults of the government relentlessly.

changes being made in rules after demonetization, Modi said "the government, being a sensitive government, amends rules as re-

quired, keeping the convenience of the people as its foremost consideration, so that citizens are not subjected to hardships."

Terming this war against corruption as "an extraordinary one", he said the forces involved in "this murky enterprise of perfidy and corruption" have to be defeated as they are devising new tactics to thwart government's efforts every day.

"To counter these new offensives, we too have to devise appropriate new responses and anti-dotes. When the opponents keep on trying out new tactics, we have to counteract decisively since we have resolved to eradicate the corrupt, shady businesses and black money," he said.

Lauding the public for their support in exposing the wrong-doings of some, who are devising "newer wily ways and means" to counter the fight against corruption, the Prime Minister sought more public support.

Cont’d on page 14

Nine Nobel laureates to attend Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit AHMEDABAD: Nine Nobel Prize winners, including Indianborn scientist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, have confirmed their participation in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, where they will interact with students and industry leaders.

"So far, nine Nobel laureates have confirmed their participation for the summit," Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh said at a press conference here.

The 8th edition of the investor event will be held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar from January 10 to 13.

The high-profile gathering is also a knowledge-sharing platform where the Nobel laureates

will interact with students, scientists and industry leaders, Singh said.

They will also attend a 'Nobel Prize Series Exhibition', which is part of the summit, to be held at

Science City here.

The five-week-long exhibition aims to spread knowledge about the Nobel Prize-awarded achievements and shares the laureates' inspirational stories with people.

These Nobel laureates will be here for three days, starting from January 9, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the exhibition, he said.

"On January 10, PM Modi will inaugurate the summit. After its inauguration, the Nobel winners will take part in the 'Nobel Laureate Dialogue' at Mahatma Mandir," said Dhananjay Dwivedi, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.

"This event at Mahatma Mandir will consist of two panel discussions, one about importance of innovation and another about role of science in uplifting society.

Cont’d on page 14

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December 30, 2016

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Trillion worth infra projects for Mumbai MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stones of many key infrastructure projects, including the country's longest sea bridge and two metro lines in the city, entailing investment of over Rs 1.06 lakh crore.

"Developmental works of over Rs 1.06 trillion are getting started in a single city at a single event.

This will be a big milestone in the city's history," Modi said at a public rally at the MMRDA grounds in suburban Bandra-Kurla Complex.

He kick-started progress on the much-delayed and ambitious projects, months ahead of local elections to the nation's richest civic body.

Projects include 22.5-km Mumbai Trans Harbour Link that will connect the city's eastern suburbs with the mainland across the harbour, via a 16.5 km sea bridge and a viaduct.

The Rs 17,843-crore project, for which multiple consortia have shown interest, will connect Sewri in central-east Mumbai with Nhava Sheva across the harbor which is close to the nation's largest container port JNPT. To be completed by 2019,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone of the two metro corridors and other projects, at Bandra Kurla Complex, in Mumbai on December 24. Governor of Maharashtra, C. Vidyasagar Rao, Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries are also seen

MTHL will also help increase connectivity to the proposed Navi Mumbai international airport.

Modi also laid the foundation stones of two new metro projects -- the 23.5-km DN Nagar-Bandra-

Mankhurd Metro-2B corridor and the 32-km Wadala-GhatkoparThane-Kasarvadavli Metro-4 corridor-- through a remote control at the event.

The two metro lines, part of a

plan to have a 200-km metro network across the Mumbai metropolitan area cutting through densely populated suburbs serving as feeders for the island city, will be built at an investment of Rs

10,986 crore and Rs 14,549 crore, respectively.

Both the metros will run 6-coach trains and is expected to carry 1,800 commuters per trip each.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority is aiming to reduce the overcrowding in suburban local trains run through these metro projects and also reducing the vehicular traffic woes.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for multiple works to be carried out as part of the third phase of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project with an investment of Rs 52,000 crore across the megapolis.

Major among these are suburban networks including two more lines between Virar-Dahanu Road, Panvel-Karjat double line suburban corridor and trespass control at 22 locations.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for flyovers to ease traffic congestion at critical spots which include two flyovers at Bandra's Kalanagar Junction.

He also laid the foundation for a Rs 3,600-crore grand memorial for Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th century warrior king, off the city coast. -PTI

Modi unveils two digital schemes NEW DELHI: With an eye on cashless economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled two schemes - Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana for customers and traders alike to promote mobile banking and epayments.

Making his last monthly address this year in his Mann ki Baat program, he said there is "an atmosphere of curiosity" in the country as to what is cashless, how cashless business can take place and how one can make purchases without using cash.

"To encourage this trend, strengthen mobile banking and inculcate the habit of making epayments, the government is launching from today encouragement schemes for consumers as well as traders. To encourage customers, the scheme is Lucky Grahak Yojana and to encourage traders, the scheme is Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana," he said.

Modi said that as a Christmas gift, 15,000 people will get rewards through a draw system, whereby each of the 15,000 winners will have Rs 1,000 in their accounts.

"Starting today, this scheme will continue for the next 100 days.

Everyday 15,000 people are going to receive rewards of Rs 1,000 each.

In the next 100 days, lakhs of families are going to receive crores of rupees as gift, but you will be entitled to this gift only if you make use of mobile banking, e-banking, RuPay card, UPI, USSD -such means and methods of digital pay-

mega bumper draw where rewards will be in crores of rupees.

Talking about the Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana, which is mainly for traders and businessmen, Modi said traders should adopt this scheme themselves and en-

ment," he said.

The draw for rewards will be done based on use of such digital payment methods.

In addition, he said, there will be a grand draw once every week for such customers in which the prize money will be in lakhs of rupees.

On April 14, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar, there will be a

courage their customers too in order to make their business cashless.

"Such traders will also be rewarded separately and there would be thousands of these rewards.

The traders will run their business activities smoothly and will also have an opportunity to win rewards," the Prime Minister said.

He said this scheme has been designed keeping all sections of

society in mind, with a special focus on the poor and the lower middle-class segments.

"Therefore, only those will get its benefits who make a purchase worth more than Rs 50 but less than Rs 3,000. Those who make purchases of more than Rs 3,000 will not be entitled to rewards under this scheme," he added.

Modi said that even the poor can use USSD on simple feature or ordinary mobile phones to buy and sell goods as well as make payments and all of them can also become prospective beneficiaries of this reward scheme.

"In rural areas too, people can buy or sell through AEPS and they can win rewards. Many will be surprised to know that now there are about 30 crore, i.e. 300

million RuPay cards in India, of which 200 million belong to poor families which have Jan Dhan accounts," the Prime Minister said.

These 300 million people can immediately become part of this rewards scheme, he added.

"I have confidence that the countrymen will evince interest in this system and if you enquire from the young people around you, they would surely be aware of these things and on your asking will tell you about these," he explained.

Modi termed digital movement as a golden opportunity for the youth who should impart as much strength as they can to this with their new ideas, technology and processes.-PTI

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No move on long-term capital gains tax NEW DELHI: To assuage market fears, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said there is no move to impose long-term capital gains tax on share transactions, an issue investors are hugely touchy about.

The statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly dropped a hint on increasing taxes on capital markets and the need for all sections, including market players, to contribute to the national exchequer.

"The speech (of the Prime Minister) has been misinterpreted (by

He further said the Prime Minister has made no such statement directly or indirectly.

"Therefore, I wish to absolutely clarify that there is no occasion or opportunity for anybody to reach such a conclusion because this is not what the Prime Minister said nor is the intention of the government as has been reported in a section of the media itself," he said.

Modi had said "those who profit from financial markets must make a fair contribution to nationbuilding through taxes... We should consider methods for increasing it in a fair, efficient and transparent way".

Modi had said "those who "... Now it is time to profit from financial re-think and come up with a good design markets must make a fair which is simple and contribution to nation-build- transparent, but also fair and progressive," ing through taxes�

Modi had said, adding that for various reaa section of the media) that this is sons, contribution of tax from an indirect reference to the fact that those who make money on the there could be a long-term capital markets has been low due to illegains (tax) on security transac- gal activities and frauds or due to tions. This interpretation is abso- the structure of our tax laws that lutely erroneous," Jaitley said on offer low or zero tax rate on certain the sidelines of Digi Dhan Mela types of financial income. here.

Profit gained from share transCurrently, long-term capital action in less than one year is gains on the sale of listed securi- called short-term capital gains, ties are exempt from taxes. These which are taxed at a flat rate of 15 are profits on sale of shares on a per cent at present. stock exchange platform after a At the same time, all stock marholding period of one year or more. ket transactions attract securities

transaction tax (STT) in a range between 0.017 per cent and 0.125 per cent.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

Jaitley asserted that the government has taken a number of steps to reduce black money - revised tax treaties, IDS, taxing benami properties and the like.

About demonetization, he said the effort is being made to reduce usage of cash in the economy by replacing it with digital currency.

"Common people are getting to understand (benefits of digital currency), but there are certain sections who take time to understand and some of our political friends also take time to understand this," he said.

It is in the interest of every country that it becomes less-cash economy and a lot has been written about this, Jaitley added.

Digital economy has picked up

Cash withdrawals curbs may continue NEW DELHI: Restrictions on withdrawal of cash from banks and ATMs are likely to continue beyond December 30 as currency printing presses and RBI have not been able to keep pace with the demand of new currency notes.

As the 50-day deadline for

completion of demonetization process draws near, there is a growing consensus among bankers that the restrictions on withdrawal would have to continue even in the New Year so as to maintain orderly working at the banks.

Banks at many places are not in a position to disburse even the current limit of Rs 24,000 per week due to cash crunch and are rationing the valid currency depending on cash availability.

If this limit is withdrawn for individual and businesses from

January 2, it is unlikely that banks would be able to disburse the higher demand for valid currencies given the current cash position.

"Most of us think that the withdrawal limit would not be completely withdrawn. It is a possibil-

in the last one and a half months, he said, adding that out of 75 crore debit and credit cards, 45 crore are

ity that it could be relaxed if the cash situation improves," said a senior public sector bank official.

At a time when banks are struggling to meet the demand of individual customers, it would be impossible to service MSME and big corporates which requires cash in large quantity, the official said, the practical way would be to relax it gradually.

Recently, SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya had also indicated that restriction on withdrawals cannot be lifted entirely unless more cash is made available to banks.

After the demonetization of high value Rs 500/1000 notes, the government has fixed a limit of Rs 24,000 per week on withdrawal from bank accounts and Rs 2,500 per day from ATMs in view of the currency crunch that followed.

The government and RBI has not specified when the restrictions will be withdrawn. Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa had said the withdrawal cap would be will be reviewed after December 30.PTI

actively used.

Making a pitch that the less-

cash economy will help strengthen government finances, the finance minister explained that the higher tax buoyancy leads to lower deficit so that allocation towards rural infrastructure and defense can be increased.

One of the evils of the cash economy is the low revenue realization of the government and higher deficit, he pointed out.

The current Budget size is Rs 20 lakh crore and the government's revenue from both direct and indirect taxes is Rs 16 lakh crore, leaving a gap of about Rs 4 lakh crore.

If revenue realization is higher, the government has more opportunity to spend on development and future generation is also not unduly burdened with debt, Jaitley reasoned.-PTI

Law against 'benami' properties to be operationalised soon: PM Cont’d from page 12

"Everyday many new people are being taken into custody, currency notes are being seized, raids are being carried out.

Influential persons are being caught. The secret is that my sources of such information are people themselves.

"Information being received from common citizens is many times higher than that being obtained through government machinery," he said, adding that people were taking risks to expose such elements. He asked them to share such information on e-mail address of the government as also on the MyGov App. Modi also talked about the Benami Property law that came into being in 1988, but neither its rules were framed, nor was it noti-

fied and laid dormant for years.

"We have retrieved it and turned it into an incisive law against 'Benami Property'. In the coming days, this law will also become operational. For the benefit of the nation, for the benefit of the people, whatever needs to be done will be accorded our top priority," he said.

The Prime Minister, however, lauded both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for passage of the Disabilities Bill to secure the rights of disabled and also their honour and dignity. The new law, he said, is in consonance with the spirit expressed by the United Nations.

He also wished the people on Christmas and remembered former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on his birthday while wishing him good health and long life.-PTI

Nine Nobel laureates to attend Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit Cont’d from page 12

We have invited students, scientists, heads of education institutes and other dignitaries to take advantage of this session," Dwivedi said.

Gujarat-educated Ramakrishnan won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on ribosome structure. He shared the prize with fellow scientists Thomas A Steitz and Ada Yonath.

Other Nobel laureates who will take part in the summit are

Richard J Roberts (1993, Medicine), Harold Varmus (1989, Medicine), David Gross (2004, Physics), Serge Haroche (2012, Physics), Randy Schekman (2013, Medicine), W E Moerner (2014, Chemistry), H C Harmut Michel (1988, Chemistry) and Ada Yonath.

"On January 11, these Nobel laureates will interact with students at various educational institutes such as IITGandhinagar, Gujarat University and MS University in Vadodara," Dwivedi added. -PTI

TechBiz Post

December 30, 2016

India Post

15

www.indiapost.com

Haryana connects 100 villages with Wi-Fi NEW DELHI: Heading towards a digital era, Haryana government has connected 100 villages with Wi-Fi services and decided to rename all common service centers (CSCs) opened in urban and rural areas as well as E-disha centers as

less transactions in the state.

Under the scheme, 65 winners were awarded five prizes of Rs 10,000 each, 10 prizes of Rs 5,000 each and 50 prizes of Rs 1,000 each for proactively transacting cashless.

"Atal Seva Kendras" at district headquarters.

This was announced by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while launching 53 new IT services pertaining to six departments on "Good Governance Day".

He also conducted a draw of the digital transaction award scheme meant to promote cash-

With the introduction of new IT facilities, citizens would get 170 e-services through "Atal Seva Kendras" in the state.

Apart from this, facilities available at CSCs would also be provided at E-disha centers.

The chief minister has earlier said that CSCs functional in rural areas would be shifted to Gram

Sachivalyas so that people could get all facilities under one roof.

Khattar said students passing Class X and XII from Haryana School Education Board would get certificates through digital locker.

He also launched "Knowledge Warehouse" set up in Gurgaon to promote start-ups through videoconference. A single platform will be provided to 40 start-ups at this warehouse which has been set up with the joint efforts of HARTRON and NASSCOM. The number of seats would be increased from 40 to 80.

Addressing deputy commissioners through video-conference, the chief minister directed them to ensure installation of rate lists of various services being provided at CSCs. They would also ensure that village level entrepreneurs (VLE) worked from the place allotted to them so that people of the area concerned could get benefit of the schemes.

He also extended greetings to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birthday. While interacting with media persons, the chief minister described Vajpayee as a highly regarded and widely respected leader. -PTI

Demonetization hits East's oldest trade fair KOLKATA: Demonetization has impacted Eastern region's oldest industrial trade fair as several exhibitors have pulled out of it, officials said here.

Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (BNCCI) 29th trade fair committee chairman Sourajit Palchaudhuri said at the inaugural function that due to demonetization the trade fair had

business community of the country including ours".

"You cannot suddenly change practice and also expect from people where banking facility is yet to reach," he said.

This year at the IITF, some 450500 participants have exhibited their products including from few foreign countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.

The IITF trade fair

been downsized.

Some 50-60 participants have pulled out citing demonetization as the reason, BNCCI officials said.

State Urban development minister Firhad Hakim said "Demonetization has affected the entire

Exhibitors remained concerned over impact on spending by people due to currency supply in the hands of consumers while trying to adopt digital payment methods.

The fair would continue till January 1. -PTI

IITs plan inter-institute LED use saves power in Varanasi tech meet

VARANASI: An estimated power saving of more than 100 million units per year has been achieved here by replacing conventional lighting systems with LED bulbs, according to the PSU entrusted with the central government job.

"The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable

told PTI here.

Tayal was here to take stock of installation of 'heritage street lights' and lighting of heritage buildings in Varanasi, which was inspected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was on a trip to the city on December 22.

One of the oldest cities in the

LEDs for All (UJALA) program was launched in Varanasi on June 8, 2015. Since then, nearly 8.97 lakh LED bulbs have been distributed, resulting in estimated energy savings of over 116.5 million units per year," Tarun Tayal, Additional General Manager of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL),

world, Varanasi has been attracting visitors from across the globe and from all walks of life.

In dire need of modern infrastructure, the city has been receiving renewed focus ever since it became the parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister.

Notably, Modi had stressed on

the need for bringing "LED revolution" in Varanasi which would "reduce municipal power bills and the money so saved could be spent on bringing about cleanliness, which is another crying need of this ancient city".

"We have completed replacement of conventional lights with LED ones at all the 84 ghats.

This includes replacing 720 high mast and mini mast lights with warm white LED flood lights which has resulted in a remarkable load reduction - from 466 kw to 138 kw," Tayal said.

"We have also completed installation of 25,352 LED street lights across the city.

Power consumption for this number of conventional street lights would have been 3,725, but LED technology has helped keep it less than half of that - only 1611 kw."

The agency has undertaken installation of facade lighting for nearly a dozen heritage buildings along the ghats. "Work is in progress at 10 other heritage buildings," he added. -PTI

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) may hold an 'Inter-IIT Tech Meet' every year where the brightest minds from these prestigious institutions will compete and participate in a variety of events.

While many of the IITs hold their tech fests, a proposal to hold

a joint technology meet was discussed in a meeting of Directors of these institutes held at Kanpur campus earlier this month, sources told PTI. It is learnt that while the Directors were enthusiastic about the idea, the funds and logistics in-

volved were also factored in, they said.

"The Directors felt that at the moment holding a separate standalone meet may not be feasible but as a pilot project the idea should be taken up. The idea is that an inter-IIT meet can clubbed with the annual tech fest of one of these institutions," a source said.

It is learnt that initial phase the inter-IIT tech fest may be clubbed with the fests held by one of the older IITs. "The inter-IIT Tech fest may be held each year in rotation by expanding the tech-fest by one more day in which all IITs may participate and compete like the inter-IIT sports meet," the source added. PTI

Desi News Consulate to hold fortnightly Open House SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: The Indian Consulate in Chicago has announced holding of an Open House every fortnight starting January 2017 to address the grievances of the people on issues related to visas, passports and OCI cards.

The Open House will be held from 10 am to 1 pm on the first Wednesday and 2 pm to 5 pm on the third Wednesday of every month with effect from January 2017. If the day happens to fall on a holiday, the Open House shall be held on the first working day thereafter.

Complaints and grievances pertaining to grant of visas, passports and/or OCI cards will be attended to in the Open House. All are welcome in the Open House.

COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA

16 India Post

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Satyagraha against AAP gains momentum

December 30, 2016

Details on page 23

FOG Holiday Toy Drive brings community, leaders together

Ellison disapproves of persecution of Hindus NEELA PANDYA

WASHINGTON DC: One week after Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) held a conference call with more than 30 leaders of the Indian American communities to clarify his contested record over legislation regarding India, the nominee for chair of the Democratic National Committee has released a detailed statement.

"As we discussed, I will do more to integrate the concerns and aspirations of the Hindu community in India into my legislative work," wrote Rep. Ellison. "I also pledge to highlight the persecution of Hindu minority communities throughout South Asia."

FOG memebers with dignitaries India Post News Service

FREMONT, CA: While holidays are a season for everyone to cheer, celebrate and be thankful, not everyone is that fortunate.

Holidays joy is derived as much in celebrating as in bringing smile on faces of others who are in need.

This year Festival of Globe (FOG) and Fremont Hindu Temple led the initiative to spread the joy and continuing the giving tradition and in spirit of holidays, organized a "Holiday Toy Drive".

Details on page 18 (L-R) Kamal Sahney, Manorama Joshi, Dr. Romesh Japra, Rajesh Verma, Kansen Chu and Ritu Maheshwari

OFBJP meet hails demonetization India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: On Sunday December 18, core think-tank volunteers of Overseas Friends of BJP (Northern California) led by Mr. Chandru Bhambhra, met in Milpitas, CA to discuss demonetization initiative taken by PM Modi in India.

Some of the members who were present in India during November brought back their personal experiences and insights.

Details on page 20

Dr Romesh Japra addressing the gathering

Fremont Temple devotees

On Sunday, December 18, Toy Giveaway was held to distribute toys to needy children including incarcerated youth and destitute kids. Alameda county juvenile justice system has many such children in its system. There is a strong felt need to give a little bit of cheer and joy to these kids during the holiday season.

There was tremendous response to FOG's appeal to community. Thanking the community's participation, Dr. Romesh Japra, Founder and Convener - FOG, said, "Over the years, FOG has taken pride in making holidays a wonderful time for all parts of community.

Cont’d on page 19

December 30, 2016

Community Across America

India Post 17

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Green signal for Ganesh Temple renovation RAMESH SOPARAWALA India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Lord Ganesh is deemed to be a harbinger of good tidings (sukhkarta) and remover of all obstacles (Vighna Harata) and many of his devotees could vouch for that unhesitatingly. And this was publicly proved one more time recently when the 50th Ward Chicago Alderman Silverstein for-

Hindu Temple, as well as the group's attorney and architect on December 8. The community hearing pertained to the approval for the rezoning and rehabilitation project for the Shree Ganesh Temple of Chicago that was attended by a good number of Ganesh devotees, supporters and well wishers of the temple The meeting was part of the process of obtaining a license from

Ald Debra Silverstein at community hearing meet flanked by with Mita Shewakramani, Group Architect and Attorney

mally gave green signal for rezoning and rehabilitation of the temple facility now located at 2543 W Devon Avenue in Chicago.

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) held a community meeting in West

the city's Zoning Board of Appeals in order to become a religious institution.

A brief presentation by Mita Shewakramani, Board member of the Shree Ganesh Temple of Chi-

cago, described the project, including a complete facade change to include traditional colorful pillars and tiers to the building. The interior will also include white marble floors and walls, with prayer mats and chairs for the elderly, and large ornate idols placed throughout.

Plans are for a palace-style facade decorated with colorful and ornate details, in particular a nearly 40-foot stone pyramid-like structure that would stand atop the onestory building.

The inside has a capacity for 150 people and would include a sanctuary, classroom, meditation room and hospitality room, and would offer lessons in Hindi, meditation, yoga, astrological readings and more to patrons and community members alike, Mita said.

There are 12 parking spaces behind the current facility while another 30 are slated to be set aside for those using the temple in a private parking garage across the street at Rockwell and Devon, said Elizabeth Santis, the temple's attorney.

However, as pointed out by Mita, about one-third of the temple's patrons would travel by foot rather than car." The added traffic would be an "integral facet" in improving a vibrant, but strug-

A number of supporters and devotees thronged the community hearing in West Ridge

Ridge alongside Mita Shewakramani of Shree Ganesh

Mita explaining salient features of the temple to a group of attendees

gling, commercial Devon Avenue," she added With over 50 people in attendance, the community, with overwhelming support, applauded the presentation and several members expressed their excitement and gratitude for the first Hindu temple in the Chicago city limits.

Alderman Silverstein offered her full support for the project. The Temple also offers free weekly yoga and Hindi language classes, as well as personalized astrological readings. Regal Foundation, the sponsors of the Temple, hope to have their grand opening on or before the Ganesh Chathurthi, September 2017.

Hindi Lovers Club has its office in the Temple at 2545 W. De-

von Ave (Inside Ganesh Temple) and conducts free Hindi classes every Saturday at 1.30 pm and Hindi

Kavi Darbar every 3rd Friday of the month from 7pm to 9 pm. Every Hindi lover is invited to join and enjoy.

Dr Meghani donates $100,000 to HAF SC SHAH

CHICAGO: California based Born in Philadelphia to parnoted Indian physician Dr Mihir ents from India, Meghani was Meghani has announced a hefty inspired to service by his family donation of $100,000 to the background - Mahatma Gandhi Hindu American Foundation to was a relative on his mother's give a boost to its efforts to train side and Zaverchand Meghani, more public school teachers to a Gujarati freedom fighter and teach Hinduism accurately and author was on dad's side. The strengthening relationships with message of "seva" or service of lawmakers to ensure that the Swami Vivekananda sharpened community voice is heard on is- his desire for community service. sues impactHe claims ing it, and that his grow HAF's broad Hindu presence religious and across the cultural upcounty. bringing has In his bid taught him to for larger believe in community ''Vasudhaiva participaKutumbakam'' tion, Dr - The Whole Meghani Universe is has urged One Family, the commuand ''Ekam nity memSat Viprah Dr Mihir Meghani bers at large Bahudha to contribVadanti'' ute in whatever way they can. Truth is One, Sages Call it by He does not expect them to do- Various Names. "I strongly benate a matching amount but lieve in cultural and religious hopes that "they will donate pluralism, acceptance, and tolsomething, even a $101 member- erance," he says. ship. "This will help HAF meet Since joining Kaiser its budget and also plan ahead Permamente in 2000, he has been for 2017," he said. an active member of the Emer"It's important for us to in- gency Departments in Hayward crease our membership and do- and Fremont, besides working nor base. Having a strong mem- some shifts in Modesto and bership will actually help us when we negotiate con- Since joining Kaiser tracts, organize Permamente in 2000, he has corporate sponsorships, apply for been an active member of grants or advocate in Washington D.C. the Emergency Departments in 2017. We have a in Hayward and Fremont long road ahead with the recent rise in hate crimes, shocking results Manteca. Kaiser has awarded of our anti-bullying survey of him the Hero Award, Community students, and continued threats Service Award, Asian Associato replace India with South Asia tion Award, and Everyday Hero and replace Hinduism with other Award. terms in school textbooks." He As a member of the U.S. Bay observed HAF is ready to tackle Area Disaster Medical Assisthis but needs strong support tance Team (now part of Hometo proactively take on these is- land Security); he served for two sues and be ready to take on weeks at the World Trade Ceneven more. ter site after the terrorist attack.

18 India Post

Community Across America

December 30, 2016

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Ellison disapproves of persecution of Hindus NEELA PANDYA

WASHINGTON DC: One week after Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) held a conference call with more than 30 leaders of the Indian American communities to clarify his contested record over legislation regarding India, the nominee for chair of the Democratic National Committee has released a detailed state-

to highlight the persecution of Hindu minority communities throughout South Asia."

The phone meeting on December 12 was organized by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), and was actively participated by many Indian leaders from across USA The Founda-

The phone meeting on December 12 was organized by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), and was actively participated by many Indian leaders from across USA The Foundation had voiced concerns regarding the veteran Congressman's legislative record. ment.

"As we discussed, I will do more to integrate the concerns and aspirations of the Hindu community in India into my legislative work," wrote Rep. Ellison. "I also pledge

tion had voiced concerns regarding the veteran Congressman's legislative record.

It was moderated by HAF's Executive Director, Suhag Shukla, and was joined by Rep. Tulsi

Gabbard (D-HI) and representatives of nearly 30 Indian American groups. The call covered a wide range of concerns ranging from Rep. Ellison's lop sided focus on South Asia that overlooked problems faced by Hindu minorities in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The talk also sought to have his position and views clarified if he would constructively engage the current Government of India to promote bilateral ties. Leaders on the call also queried Rep. Ellison as to how, should he be elected DNC chair, he would work with the incoming four Hindu American Democrats in Congress to increase engagement and involvement of the broader Hindu and Indian American communities.

Leaders on the call directly questioned Rep. Ellison regarding his focus on the Gujarat riots of 2002, while current Prime Minister Narendra Modi governed the state. Rep. Ellison responded that he viewed the Gujarat issue as a "closed matter" since the Indian Supreme Court has issued its ruling.

"On behalf of HAF and the

sponses," said Shukla. "It is now our hope to look towards the future. We look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of the Hindu American community with Mr. Ellison, should he be elected DNC chair or remain a Congressman."

Representatives from prominent national organizations as well as DNC supporters, were invited to participate in the meeting.

Among them were American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), American India Foundation, Art of Living, Asian American Hotel Owners' Association (AAHOA), Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist & Christian Unity Council, Coalition of Hindu Temples of North America, Ekal Vidyalaya, Federation of Indian Associations,

Leaders on the call directly questioned Rep. Ellison regarding his focus on the Gujarat riots of 2002, while current Prime Minister Narendra Modi governed the state.

Rep. Ellison responded that he viewed the Gujarat issue as a "closed matter" other community organizations present, we appreciate Representative Ellison's willingness to have an open dialogue about concerns of the Hindu American community, as well as the candor of his re-

Federation of Jain Associations in North America, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Hindu American Political Action Committee,

Hindu Mandir Executives Committee, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, India Development and Relief Fund, Indian American Community Foundation, Indo-American Kashmir Forum, Indicorps, Inter-

Rep Keith Ellison

national Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Kashmir Organization of America, Oversees Volunteers for a Better India, Northwest Indiana Hindu Religious Center, Sewa USA, United Hindu Jain Temple, US India Political Action Committee, US India Security Council, Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, World Vaishnava Association, Dr Bharat Barai , community activist and Kumar Barve, Chairman, Environment & Transportation Committee, Maryland General Assembly Surendra Ullal adds: In a talk to this paper, Dr Barai specifically asked Elision about his diatribe against Narendra Modi and happenings in Gujarat ten years ago. Dr Barai pointed out that his views were greatly colored by the propaganda and misinformation orchestrated by extremists and were highly one sided and not balanced. Rep. Keith said that he was briefed by a couple of persons who claimed to be present during the riot period but was now getting a clear picture after Supreme Court gave a clean chit to Modi and his government.

Dr Barai said that the riot was the outcome of burning of 59 pilgrims who came from Ayodhya and this angered many in Gujarat.

Rep. Keith did not mention about this aspect and laid entire blame on Modi Government. Barai offered to come to Washington to talk to him and his staff since he hailed from Gujarat and has a clear picture of what happened and how Modi handled it.

Keith also observed that he was not fully aware of the plight of minorities in Kashmir and persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh but he was for protecting the rights of minority anywhere in the world.

December 30, 2016

Community Across America

India Post 19

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Seniors honor Manu Vora & Shalli Kumar JAYANTI OZA

CHICAGO: Over 500 people participated in offering felicitations to Dr Manu Vora for his excellent work for the blind in India and also to offer congratulations to Shalabh "Shalli" Kumar for his recent appointment as Chairman for Republican Hindu Coalition. He was appointed by US President-Elect Donald Trump.

The US Department of Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has appointed Manu Vora as Fulbright Specialist. This event was organized by Bhartiya Senior Citizens of Chicago, a nonprofit and the largest seniors group in Midwest.

More than 70 association presidents were present to congratulate Dr Vora and Shalli Kumar.

A section of the audience

President) presented Community Award to Manubhai Vora.

Dr Vora has been appointed for a five year term (2016-2021) as a Fulbright Specialist. He will be eligible to be matched with incoming project requests from overseas academic institutions for Fulbright Specialists. He is in USA since 1989. The BFI's mission is to prevent and cure blindness and educate and rehabilitate permanently blind people in India. India has over 15 million blind people amounting to 1/3rd of the world's blind population. The BFI team has raised over $4 million to conduct 170,000 free cataract operations.

Haribhai Patel, President of BSC presenting Community Award to Manubhai Vora. (L-R) Neela Vora, Dr Manu Vora, Haribhai, Vinesh Virani.

Pics Jayanti Oza

The program began with Chicagoland singers like Jitendra Balsara, Nipa Shah, Rajesh Chalan singing old and new songs from Bollywood movies.

BSC Secretary Rakshika Anjaria began the program with Ganesh Vandana. BSC President Haribhai Patel gave details of the program and gave introduction about guests. Dr Manubhai Vora gave information about the Blind Foundation For India through slide presentation. Haribhai Patel (BSC

Among Community leaders present were Dr. Bharatbhai Barai, Chhotubhai Patel, Krishna Bansal, Brij Sharma, Yogesh Patel, Girish Kapoor, Dr. Umang Patel, Arjun Malavia, Gordhan Patel, Ravi Ravat, Nimesh Jani, Seth Lewis, Narendra Patel (KPS), Vinesh Virani (Art of Living), Samkanth Seth (VHPA President),Jitendra Diwarker, Sunil Shah, Nirav Patel, Purshotam Pandya (BSC), Niranjan Nathvani, Narsinh Bhai Patel, Raman Bhai Patel.

FOG Holiday Toy Drive brings community, leaders together Cont’d from page 16

This year Toy Drive has a special significance as we are living in the times where community is getting more stratified and it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that every part of our society gets involved and feels cared for."

At FOG Holiday Toy Drive, many boxes of toys were collected to be delivered to the needy. Assemblyman Kansen Chu, Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, Chief of Probation of Alameda County Wendy Still, Oakland Unite Coordinator Hattie Tate, Public Health Supervisor Prof. Erica Arana, Director Oakland Unified School District

Manisha Patel, Commissioner Kamal Nair and other local leaders participated in the drive. FOG team members Rajesh Verma, Manorama Joshi, Deepak Chhabra, Ritu Maheshwari, Kamal Sahaney, Manali Brambhatt, Raj Joshi, Ashok Kapoor, Neena Kapoor, Keshab Chopra and others were also present at the Toy Giveaway event.

FOG spearheads community events that benefit local charities and people in need. Throughout the year, FOG has multitude of initiatives that champion social causes and leave an indelible stamp of support on the community.

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Community Across America

December 30, 2016

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OFBJP meet hails demonetization India Post News Service

MILPITAS, CA: On Sunday December 18, core think-tank volunteers of Overseas Friends of BJP (Northern California) led by Mr. Chandru Bhambhra, met in Milpitas, CA to discuss demonetization initiative taken by PM Modi in India.

Some of the members who were present in India during November brought back their personal experiences and insights.

The overall consensus was in favor of the initiative towards fiscal transparency, digitization and gearing India's economic structure towards a cashless society. India being as diverse and economically disparate, the transition is definitely not an easy one and cannot be as smooth in practice as it's devised on paper. But it has been incredible to witness how Indian citizens have risen to the occasion to support PM Modi's efforts in undoing decades of corruption, money laundering, unaccountability among government, top-tier entrepreneurs and higher up businesses and bureaucrats.

Some of the observations that the NRI OFBJP members made were: • Non-cooperation in non BJP run states resulting to chaos and deceptions.

• ATM machines that are owned and run by individuals lacked credibility in the methods of currency distribution.

• Bank officials involved in scams and offering personal favors to certain clientele added to manipulations in the distribution process.

• Certain rural areas lacking basic infrastructure aren't prepared

tronic payments and checks rather than cash. This ought to draw more people into the tax net and reduce the amount of untaxed income sloshing around the economy. The only people who stand to lose are corrupt politicians and businessmen sitting atop mountains of untaxed cash, and terrorist groups that traffic in counterfeit Indian currency." This giant step by PM Modi is expected to bring great rewards.

• To begin with, demonetization has put the 20 trillion human trafficking industry to a staggering halt.

Chandru Bhambhra welcomed all and asked the members to talk on three points during discussion:

"Once the initial inconvenience of lining up to exchange the old bills or withdraw cash from overburdened ATMs subsides, the argument goes, India would have taken a giant step toward using credit cards, electronic payments and checks rather than cash” enough to go through cash-less economy like farmers, wholesale retailers etc.

• NRIs in possession of old currency abroad still don't have any alternative process in place to convert their old bills as not all visit India every year.

• However, as reported in the Wall Street Journal, "Once the initial inconvenience of lining up to exchange the old bills or withdraw cash from overburdened ATMs subsides, the argument goes, India would have taken a giant step toward using credit cards, elec-

1- How did each one of them personally like this Initiative?

2- What were their observations so far?

3- Their personal suggestions if any for making this initiative more successful.

He said demonetization is a courageous step in the right direction. Also the idea of introducing Rs 2000 bills in the Banks two days before demonetizing the old bills of Rs 500 & 1000 was great else the Bank employees would have become suspicious.

There probably was a miscal-

culation about the amount of deposits coming back to the banks.

The supply of new rupees 2000 bills was short in comparison to the deposit from old bills. But Government of India did quite well to improvise along the way.

He also said that some of his friends from India had told him that many of the ATM Machines were owned by individuals and those owners themselves were corrupt and involved in diverting the money in other directions for making extra bucks! Some bank managers also may have acted out of a corrupt mindset or under pressure from their respective State leaders and sold the new bills at a profit margin.

Still the Government will come out with flying colors, only if they can take proper care of poor people, particularly the smaller villages by supplying larger quantities of smaller bills there. So far the Government has done well in raiding the corrupt but still this process should be made more stringent and Government should not spare any political leaders.

Anyone found guilty should be punished immediately.

He also said that after some time these new bills of rupees 2000 should also be demonetized and at that time sufficient time should be given to people to deposit. Preferably then the rupee 100 bill should be kept the biggest bill in India.

Lalji Goswami felt that the reasons behind this demonetization move were, to stop black money and terrorism, improve on digitization. Execution has been poor.

He has personally heard of trouble

from resident Indian businessmen.

Somanjana Chatterjee opined that the attitude of over-regulation has been inherited by Indian governments from British rule. PM Modi is looking to change that.

During this process, some chaos is to be expected.

Mahadev Karadigudda broadly supports the move and execution.

It is a bold step. The scale of the exercise is such that there cannot be an execution with zero pain.

Feel sorry for those suffering. But government of India has been lis-

tening to ground reports and improvising along the way. There will be long-term benefits of this move.

Violence in Kashmir has significantly reduced and large scale surrender of Naxalites has also happened.

Shivu Vibhuti welcomed the step of demonetization. It is a gutsy step. Personally spoke with a carpenter who is very supportive of the step. Some NRIs had trouble as they had to spend part

of their vacation to convert currency. Some bank managers misused their power. Onus is on income tax department to behave honestly.

Prabhu Patil supported demonetization. After Pokhran tests under Atalji, this is the next biggest step in India. People trust PM Modi, so they generally support the move. Execution could have been better with increased supply of lower denomination currency.

Rajan Sadagopan said that initially, general public support was awesome. As time went on, there has been some frustration. Opposition parties have been trying to add fuel to this frustration. In Tamil Nadu, Cyclone Vardah made it worse. People are beginning to suspect banks.

Dinesh Neelavar said that this is transition. Even the Rs. 2000 bill can be demonetized over a period of time. He is concerned about fake news being propagated. Execution has been best ever in the world.

Sunil Ganu said that PM Modi's visionary leadership is the main reason for the success of demonetization. Taking out 86% of currency is a huge task. The fact that about Rs 13 lakh crore has come back is a concern. Some bank officials may be corrupt.

Gaurav Patwardhan said that he absolutely supports demonetization a very bold step taken by PM Modiji to stop the black money circulation in India.

His observations on his visit to India in November 2016, are: Only common people stand in lines at

ATM Banks to withdraw cash and it has become very difficult for a common man to operate on day to day basis due to shortage of cash.

Only Metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi had 500 Rs new notes and Tier 2 cities like Nagpur, from where he belongs, had only 2000 Rs bills. He said that new bills distributed by RBI should be tracked by serial number to ensure accountability.

Cont’d on page 22

December 30, 2016

Community Across America

Platform for Indian talent across the globe

www.indiapost.com

SURESH SHAH

CHICAGO: Gee Vision Inc. has announced presenting a stage like no other - International Indian Icon, 3iii - for Singing, Dance or Instruments talents for a chance to bloom. The golden opportunity knocks on January 18, 2017 when registration opens on www.InternationalIndianIcon.com The biggest ever Indian performance online/in-person reality show rolls out in five phases, starting with USA and Canada. The best part of this competition is that

individuals can audition and participate from the comfort of their own home. All they have to do is create an account on 3iii's website www.InternationalIndianIcon.com, pay a fixed registration fee (one time) and upload their performance video in their respective category.

Anyone can watch and like/ vote any video on the 3iii website to support their candidate. The best performances in each category will be selected as per online voting and decisions by Gee panel of judges.

and 2nd runners-up of Indian American/Canadian Icon and all State Indian Icons will receive an attractive trophy and endorsed cash prizes, gifts and vouchers.

This is one in a million chance one should not miss.

"There is an immense pool of untapped talent amongst the Indian Americans & Canadians eagerly waiting to entertain and we now present a stage for them in the form of 3iii. A fixed share of our total net profit will be donated to hidden agenda of helping students with brilliant education and talent but with poor economic background and the cleanliness initiatives in India", Sharan Walia, CEO, Gee Vision Inc, said.

The U.S will have 12 states while Canada will have 4. The US States are California, Washington, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Canada's Provinces are British Columbia (Vancouver), Alberta (Calgary), Quebec (Montreal), and Ontario (Toronto).

Each of these states/provinces will have 3 State Indian Icon winners, one for each category: Singing, Dance, and Instruments. Winners, one for each category: Singing, Dance, and Instruments. Giving the US 36 State Indian Icon winners (one in each of 3 categories from 12 states) and Canada 12.

Anyone can watch and like/vote any video on the 3iii website to support their candidate.

The best performances in each category will be selected as per online voting and decisions by Gee panel of judges The Gee Panel of judges will feature an esteemed trio. Anjana Sukhani (Bollywood actress and dancer) will judge the dance category. Rahul Vaidya (Bollywood singer) will helm the singing category and the decisions of the instruments/musician category will be taken by Shibani Kashyap (Bollywood composer, music director & singer).

Apart from the golden opportunity there are attractive prizes to be won. The International Indian Icon (3iii) winner of each category (Singing, Dance & Instruments) will get a cash prize. Winners, 1st

State winners will compete in their respective category for the title of "Indian American/Canadian Icon."

Over all, there will be six winners: three from the USA and three from Canada along with 1st and 2nd runner-up's who will go on to compete for the title of "International Indian Icon (3iii)" To learn more about the show visit www.InternationalIndianIcon.com Gee Vision, Inc. is an organization dedicated to Indian entertainment, a cultural initiative with the mission to bring together talents from various fields of performing arts to a common global platform.

Rahul Vaidya, Anjana Sukhani and Shibani Kashyap

India Post 21

Community Across America

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December 30, 2016

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UCCA holds grand Christmas Banquet HARISH RAO

Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India & Mrs. Farha Sayeed with UCCA hosting team [LtoR] Karunakar, Vinay Bandikala, Satish Dadipogu, Nandan Thogaru, Emanuel Neela, Keerthi Ravoori, Suneeta Christina, Raju Pasumarthi, Rene Thogaru, Pravin Neetipudi & Vasanth Charles

CHICAGO: The inclemency of the Chicago snowstorm could hardly ebb the reigning festive spirit of the Christmas celebrations hosted by United Christian Cultural Association [UCCA] on Friday, December 16 at the Bristol Palace in Mount Prospects, Illinois.

The celebrations were with full compliments of melodious carols, dance presentations, canticles, inspiring remarks and yuletide.

The Christmas carols singing

sounds of traditional Indian 'Dhol' and families relishing the joyous canticles of the Christmas upped by the presence of Indian CG Dr. Ausaf Sayeed and movie/ TV actress & Gospel speaker Divya Vani from India The evening celebrations set off with the lighting of the Advent Lamp led by Dr. Ausaf Sayeed and Divya Vani. Addressing the guests, Dr Sayeed extolled the festival of Christmas and reflected on the exceptional contri-

butions made by Christians in India in the field of education, health care, charity, social empowerment, emancipation of women socio-economic conditions and participation in public life. He added that Christianity has profoundly helped strengthen the social fabric in India.

Actress Divya Vani in her short yuletide sermon explained the significance of Christmas. Divya Vani was honored with a shawl

Cricket tournament trophies presented BABU TANGEWALA

CHICAGO: A highlight of the growing momentum among the gratifying to see the sport of Christmas Banquet was the pre- youth for the love for cricket with cricket fostering a sense of unity sentation of Cricket Tournament a renewed spirit of competition. among youth and promoting the Trophies and Awards by United Christian Cultural Association [UCCA] for excellence in cricket in various categories.

It was presented

by Indian CG Dr. Ausaf Sayeed and Telugu movie/TV actress Divya Vani to the winners and runners up teams.

Dr. Sayeed praised winners and the runners up for exemplifying the spirit of sportsmanship and the love for the game Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India, Telugu actress Divya Vani, Keerthi Ravoori and of cricket. Vinay Austin D'Souza presenting the Cricket Tournament trophies and awards to the Bandkalla, presidwinner and runners up teams ing over the troMovie actress Divya Vani pre- spirit of competition while showphy presentation, said 2016 cricket tournament showcased a senting the trophies said it is ing the sportsmanship.

and a flower bouquet.

Earlier, Keerthi Kumar Ravoori, Director of UCCA, welcomed the gathering and introduced Chief Guest Dr. Ausaf Sayeed. He was

provided by Johnson Kodipally & Athyun Nagelli. Several church pastors were also present including Mrs Subhadra Vipparathi, Rev. David Vidyasagar, and Rev.

The celebrations were with full compliments of melodious carols, dance presentations, canticles, inspiring remarks and yuletide.

The Christmas carols singing sounds of traditional Indian 'Dhol' and families relishing the joyous canticles of Christmas joined by UCCA team in honoring the Ambassador and his wife by presenting traditional shawls and flower bouquets.

Raju Enoch Pasumarthi, UCCA President thanked the gathering of the families. The music was

Samson Purohit. The evening celebrations concluded with entire hall shimmering in candle lights singing together the traditional Christmas carol "Silent Night" which was followed by the serving of the festive dinner.

OFBJP meet hails demonetization Cont’d from page 20

There is a $70/passport limit to exchange at International Airports which needs to be increased.

Several suggestions came from members, about how to assist NRIs with old Indian currency. Finally all agreed on one suggestion that the Government should ask the Indian banks abroad that up to certain date, they should collect old currency by limiting the amount per passport and issue a Certificate to the NRl for the amount collected which in turn the

NRI can exchange for new bills within may be 2-3 years on reaching India.

Coping up with any change always entails certain challenges, and India's economy has certainly gone through a lot. From independent free markets in the pre-colonization era to insanely regulated ones during the British Raj, to communist- socialist governments in independent India for decades and, now, gearing up to global economic resurgence, India with more than a billion population is looking forward to a new dawn in 2017.

Community Across America

December 30, 2016

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Satyagraha against AAP gains momentum MADHU PATEL

CHICAGO: A Satyagraha movement launched by Munish Raizada is now getting momentum and wider support. Munish is a medical doctor and a suspended member of Aam Aadmi Party who is seeking details from the AAM Party to make public details of donations that it has received.

Munish started the 'Chanda Bandh Satyagraha' (No list, no donation campaign) from Raj Ghat

in New Delhi on Dec. 24 and Anna Hazare, a Gandhian and a freedom fighter, has extended his support to his campaign.

Earlier, he had written an open letter to AAP on the Foundation Day (November 26) with an appeal to disclose donations of the party in a week's time.

It may be noted that the Aam Aadmi Party removed the list of donations from its website in

Anna Hazare letter

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June, 2016. It coincided with the party receiving three notices from Income Tax Department asking for explanation of certain discrepancies. The notice states, "The donation entries in the AAP website don't match the Election Commission records; please furnish documentary evidence to explain the issue."

Raizada stated that AAP came into being with a claim that it would be a truly public funded party and will honestly put all its donations in the public domain.

It was this core principle that attracted thousands of people to volunteer for the party. He worked in various capacities within the party. He was suspended in November 2015 for raising this issue in public.

The Munish movement demands all donations in public do-

main. Donations should be searchable by name (and not only via receipt number). Missing balance sheets after 2014 should be made public and inquiry should be ordered into the dubious do-

lation that it may be consuming black money. It is high time that Kejriwal 'de-monetizes' the hidden money within the party by displaying transparent funding.

Those who want AAM party

Raizada stated that AAP came into being with a claim that it would be a truly public funded party and will honestly put all its donations in the public domain. It was this core principle that attracted thousands of people to volunteer for the party. He worked in various capacities within the party. nations of R 2 crore that the party received in 2014.

Kejriwal had promised an inquiry into this if came in to power.

Raizada believes that by hiding donations made to the party, AAP is lending credence to the specu-

to come clean on this issue believe that since the party has been keeping mum on the funding issue, the volunteers, members, and supporters have no option but to launch a Satyagraha and take a pledge not to donate any further.

24 India Post

Community Across America

December 30, 2016

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Interfaith prayers to ring in New Year NEVADA: In a remarkable interfaith gesture and a unique way to welcome 2017, various religions are getting together in Reno to celebrate the ringing in of the New Year in a divine manner, away from the glitter of the casinos.

prayers.

Prayers are a more appropriate way to welcome the New Year to our lives than gambling and drinking in the casinos and bars.

Moreover, despite different faith traditions, diverse religions coming together in prayer and community sends a positive signal of love, hope and harmony for 2017, said Rajan.

Gambling is legal in the state of Nevada, which is known the world over for its casinos.

Coordinated by Rajan Zed, "Multi-faith New Year's Eve Service" is hosted by Reno Buddhist Center and it will include Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Baha'i, Shinto and Native American

Guests will be invited to sign a banner with a pledge for peace, love and unity in 2017. There is no "cover charge" for this Service, which will start on December 31 at 10-30 pm and end at midnight. All are welcome.

Complimentary snacks and coffee/tea will be available.

India Post News Service

December 30, 2016

Community Across America

EYCA hosts cricket tournament India Post News Service

FREMONT: East Bay Youth Cricket Association (EYCA), a 501 C3-non-profit, proudly hosted cricket tournament over the Thanksgiving weekend. Five lo-

India Post 25

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cal cricket academies (EYCA, California Cricket Academy, Cricket Zeal Academy, San Ramon Cricket Association and Milpitas Cricket Academy) competed in two age categories - U12 and U15.

EYCA parent volunteers

EYCA u15 team - Runner Up at the Thanksgiving Tournament

More than 150 kids (boys as well as girls) participated in the tournament that included venues from Morgan Hill to San Leandro. Several parent volunteers pitched in to make this tournament a great success. After a hard fought tournament, CCA won both, U15 and U12 categories while EYCA was runner-up.

This was the first time when all Bay Area Youth cricket academies competed in local tournament and ultimately "Cricket" was the winner. EYCA thanked all for their support for the event.

Ganesha & Vishnu pics misused for beer SURENDRA ULLAL

CHICAGO: Indians across the globe have joined in appealing to Amparo (Sao Paulo, Brazil) based "award-winning" Cervejaria Ashby brewery to apologize and withdraw Ganesha and Vishnu beers; calling these highly offensive to their religion.

"GaneshaAmbar IPA" and "Vishnu Red IPA" beers carry the pictures of the two Hindu deities.

Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, has taken a lead and is joined by Madhu Patel of NRI Press Club and Nand Kapur , a former head of Associations of Indians in America, in voicing their anger and protest to the Amparo management Rajan Zed said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. He added that Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu were highly revered in Hinduism and they were meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. Madhu Patel said that linking Hindu deities with an alcoholic beverage was very tasteless and offensive.

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken frivolously.

Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, the Indi leaders said.

Cervejaria Ashby, which describes itself as "Brazilian break-

fast tradition since 1993" and claims to be the "first microbrewery in Brazil", states: The Brewery unites the tradition

Beer with Lord Ganesha picture

of the best brewery schools in the world with the Brazilian flavor.

Ashby; whose products include beer, chopps and California cooler; claims to have over 100 distributors serving the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Paraná and Goiás. Scott Alan Ashby, founder and master-brewer of the brewery, is stated to have graduated as a brewmaster at California University. It claims to be "inspired by the North American and European breweries" and uses water from Serra da Mantiqueira.

Vishnu Red IPA, with 45 IBU, has alcohol content of 5.8% while Ganesha Ambar IPA, with 40 IBU, has alcohol content of 5.4%.

Amparo, known for its Winter Festival, is the seat of Roman Catholic Diocese of Amparo.

Horoscope

26 India Post

December 30, 2016

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Dec 30th - Jan 05th 2017 Please send your birthday, place of birth and time, so I can give you your zodiac sign, according to Vedic astrology. Send to Jaysastrology@gmail.com

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he professional matters look better.The promotions/recognition may be delayed. The students need more efforts. The health of father needs extra care. It is better to avoid haste and conflicts. Avoid unnecessary driving and risky ventures. Take care of your health as Mars is close to Ketu. Patience is the Mantra for you up to September 2017.

he professional matters look better.Things start improving. Those who are in international trading may get opportunities. The child may need help.Social interaction and communication is ok.

The health of the family needs care.Avoid conflicting situations up to February 2017, and take continued care of your health.Exercise patience. Relationship wise can spend with partner and enjoy a trip.

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he professional matters face sudden problems.

Manage problems and conflicts with patience. Silence is golden. There is extra mental stress. Handle relationship matters with patience. Keep new ventures pending.Avoid manipulations. Some of you may plan a journey. Child may need help. Avoid haste, speculation, aggressive behaviour and unnecessary driving.

he professional matters face obstructions.Child needs extra care & help.

Mental peace is disturbed.

Assets and real estate play a role. Some additional stress, losses and extra expenses are likely.It is better to avoid unnecessary driving.

Take care of your health. Problems in relationships with argument stay calm. Auto immune disease. Handle problems with government with care.

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he professional matters and health may face sudden problems. The promotion is likely to be delayed.Some additional expenses are likely. Stay away from manipulations, People trying to take advantage of you. It is better to avoid new ventures, put them on hold. The child may need help. Put hold on pursuing new love interest.

Avoid foreign travel if possible.

Obey the law.

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rofessional matters may face sudden concerns.

The promotion may be delayed. Health of family may cause concern get regular check up if needed. Better to avoid unnecessary driving, and risky ventures. Relationship takes a back seat and you and partner are not on same page. Obey the law. If you have cardiovascular and digestion problems check it out. Focus on health.

he professional matters face sudden concerns.

Some of you are likely to be out of favor. Avoid haste and conflicts. Students and those who are appearing in selections have good chance of success.The new opportunities are likely to face sudden problems. You can get emotionally involved with a partner. Some may travel to visit spiritual place or father.

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he professional matters may face sudden concerns.The mental peace, sleep and patience is likely to be disturbed.Stay away from manipulations.Some additional expenses are likely.

Silence is golden for you.Better to avoid conflicts.

Avoid unnecessary driving and avoid risky places and activities. Focus on your health, see a doctor if required.

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T

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he professional matters face sudden problems and conflicts. Those who are in temporary assignments face job threat.Work with patience and avoid conflicts.Keep new ventures pending. Your health needs proper attention.The week may involve some additional expenses.Some problems may surface in inheritance matters. Avoid haste, aggressive behaviour.

he professional matters may face sudden concerns. Additional expenses are likely. The new business opportunities should be put on hold up to January, 2017.

Avoid speculation and stock market. Always invest in safe assets. Patience is the best medicine up to January, 2017.

Relationships & partner relationships put on hold. Problems in income and older sibling and highly placed friends is seen.

he professional matters face obstructions. Obstructions are likely in the sources of income.Health of the parents may cause concerns.Manage obstructions with patience.It is better to avoid manipulations and unnecessary driving. Setbacks in relationships is there, please stay calm and patients watch your speech.

Focus on your health and take rest.

he professional matters face sudden problems.

Some business related journey is seen.Some additional expenses are likely. Health of the spouse is vulnerable, take care. Manage things with patience to avoid sudden mishaps. Many planets in a bad house causing obstructions, setbacks, expenses, foreign land, hospitalization, trouble with law.

Focus on health.

This weekly horoscope is more focused and accurate as these are based on ascending signs. The ascending sign is worked out on the basis of your date, time and place of birth. You will find the predictions at other places based on your Sun sign or Moon sign. The Sun remains in one sign of zodiac for one month whereas the Moon remains in one sign for about 54 hours. It is the ascending sign, which changes every couple of hours." That is how this site offers you more focused predictions.

JATIN P - ACHARYA MIHIR • JAYSASTROLOGY@GMAIL.COM • 630-675-7148

December 30, 2016

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TOP TEN HINDI FILM SONGS

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December 30, 2016

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anbir Kapoor is excited to soon start work on Sanjay Dutt's biopic, but says he finds himself undeserving of stepping into the shoes of the accomplished actor and enacting him on screen.

The biopic will be directed by Rajkumar Hirani and features Ranbir playing the Munna Bhai star. "I am starting the shoot next month. It is a very difficult film. To represent Sanjay Dutt and work with Raju Hirani...I don't even think I deserve this film. But, I am looking forward to working on it," said the 34-year-old actor.

1 Nashe Si Chadh Gayi: Befikre 2 Channa Mereya: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 3 Love You Zindagi: Dear Zindagi 4 Ude Dil Befikre: Befkire 5 Dhaakad: Dangal 6 The Breakup Song: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 7 Haanikaarak Bapu : Dangal 8 Ae Dil Hai Mushkil: Ae Dil Hai Mushkil 9 Tu hi hai : Dear Zindagi 10 Gilehriyaan: Dangal

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Meanwhile, Ranbir is gearing up for the release of Jagga Jasoos, directed by Anurag Basu. Sharing his excitement about the movie, which also Katrina Kaif, Ranbir said, "Our dream of two-and-half years is coming true now.

We are getting great response for the poster. Anurag Basu, Pritam, Katrina and I have made this film with our heart and worked really hard on it. It is a family film and I wish people will like it. I also wish the media presents in a positive way."

To represent Sanjay Dutt and work with Raju Hirani...I don't even think I deserve this film. But, I am looking forward to working on it

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hah Rukh Khan is of the view that actors should respect their audience and not look down upon them.

After working for so many years on film stories, with film people (celebrities), people who are watching films matter. As you wake up in the morning you should have respect for them (audience) and not look down upon them saying audience are silly they don't understand my films, I think they understand everything," said Shah Rukh Khan.

The 51-year-old actor who was present at an event in Mumbai, added, "One should respect their work. I am shy, I don't have sense of extra confidence, I take help of people who are backstage. I prepare a lot when I am on stage and I don't always get it right."

he may have featured in films backed by one of the biggest production houses known for glamorous stars, but Vaani Kapoor says in real life, she is not as fashionable as she looks in her films. The actress, who made her debut with Yash Raj Films' 'Shuddh Desi Romance' in 2013, says her style statement is keeping it simple sans too much experimentation.

"You can be comfortable and be stylish at the same time. I am simple when it comes to my sense of style. I am not that experimental, into 'fashion' fashion. I am not scared of any fashion policing, yet. Unless they completely rubbish me... But so far I don't think I've ever been questioned about that (fashion sense)," Vaani told.

The 'Befikre' star says she has a 'decent taste in clothing and styles' and feels she would any day choose clothes i n which s h e feels 'comfortable and confident.'

Bollywood

December 30, 2016

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Earlier this year, the 35-year-old star featured in an ad campaign by the organization which encouraged people to "be an angel" and adopt a homeless dog

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unny Leone will receive PETA's person of the year award for her dedication to promoting the rescue of homeless dogs and cats, as well as her compassion for animals abused and killed for their skin.

Earlier this year, the 35-year-old star featured in an ad campaign by the organization which encouraged people to "be an angel" and adopt a homeless dog.

"Sunny Leone's kindness proves she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. PETA is calling on people everywhere to follow her compassionate example by adopting and never buying companion animals, and by eating healthy, plant-based meals that save animals every time we sit down to eat," said Sachin Bangera of PETA.

rachi Desai is among the very few stars who have had a successful transi tion from television to films. The 28-year-old however, feels that Bollywood is still slightly biased towards those actors who hail from film families and have someone from the industry backing them. "Bollywood is a large family business. It's primarily a family industry and that's what it thrives on. Even today, there's a constant barrage of star kids whose pictures are flashed all over the internet even before they decide when and how are they going to debut," says Prachi.

The actor, who was last seen in Rock On 2, a sequel to her 2008 debut film Rock On, says, "There are a lot of talented actors out there who may probably never get those opportunities like these star kids do get. So yes, I think it's very evident for everybody to see that it is always about family connection in Bollywood."

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nil Kapoor says he will start shoot ing for 'Mubaraka', his new film in which he will share screen space with his nephew Arjun Kapoor for the first time, in January 2017. "I am playing a sardar in the film. I will start shooting from January 14. Arjun has already started shooting for the film." Anil said.

Anil recently caused a buzz on social media by sharing an image of his funky new hairdo. However, he said the look was rejected by director Anees Bazmee for 'Mubaraka'.

"I was trying this look for 'Mubaraka'.

I was trying different looks for the film...

It's one of them, but my director Anees Bazmee rejected this look. He said I have to play the role of a sardar, who wears a turban." said the actor. 'Mubaraka' also features Ileana D'Cruz and Athiya Shetty in key roles.

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December 30, 2016 plan, but you might want to set aside a few gigabytes for your holiday shopping.

Signing on to free Wi-Fi at a store or coffee shop can be risky. Hackers could be lurking on the networks, ready to use that connection to steal credit-card numbers or other personal information. If you're using free Wi-Fi, at least wait till you get home to check your bank account balances, Kaiser says.

FEAST OF THE PHISHES

Make sure your phone's operating system and all the apps you use to shop are up to date. That way you'll have the fixes for any recently discovered security problems.

Phishing spikes during the holiday season. Emails that offer great deals on holiday gifts or donation pitches from charities could actually be attempts to steal your credit card or login information. Another popular trick: Fake emails supposedly sent by online retailers or shipping companies.

Don't click on links in these emails, as they may lead you to a fake website that looks legitimate. Instead, type in the company's website directly.

NEW YORK: 'Tis the season to be jolly but it's also the season for identity theft, phishing and credit card fraud.

In the Christmas and New Year holidays season, people are using their smartphones and other devices to get a handle on their last-minute shopping. Hackers are on the

holiday season:

hunt as well, looking to steal personal information from easy targets. ``People just need to have their radar up, so that when they're trying to get their perfect gift to grandma's house in time for Christmas day, they're not clicking on things they shouldn't,'' says Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance.

Here are some tips for staying safe this

You should also enable multi-factor authentication in the settings on your important accounts. This is a security measure that requires you to enter a temporary code in addition to your password when signing in; services often text this code to your phone. It complicates life for hackers should they somehow manage to get your password.

Improvements in credit card fraud detec-

YOU'D BETTER WATCH OUT Make sure your phone's operating system and all the apps you use to shop are up to date. That way you'll have the fixes for any recently discovered security problems.

tion have pushed hackers to focus on stealing legitimate login credentials, so adding an extra layer of protection to these accounts is a must, says John Dickson with the cybersecurity firm Denim Group.

And while some cybersecurity experts question the value of changing your pass-

word frequently, Dickson says it's not a bad idea this time of year. ``If you had a New Year's resolution to change your passwords, move that up by about four weeks, because this is fraudster season,'' Dickson says.

SANTA (AND HACKERS) ARE WATCHING Nobody likes to dip into their mobile-data

CHECKING IT TWICE (OR MORE) Shoppers need to keep a close eye on their accounts. The easiest way to do this is to use the same credit card for all of your holiday shopping. Avoid debit cards - running up a credit card balance is one thing and can be challenged; draining your life's savings is another.

Use different passwords for your various shopping accounts. That way if one is compromised, it's less likely that the others will fall to hackers as well.

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December 30, 2016

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India Post News Service

dancer and I had seen some of her earlier songs in order to get an idea of her abilities and her good height and amazing dance moves helped!

Generally having such height restricts you from being agile and fast but that was not the case with her!"

The idea of having only Urvashi mesmerizing the audience with her suave dance steps is fascinating and will mark the start of a new concept in Bollywood!

Kaabil, produced by Rakesh Roshan and directed by Sanjay Gupta, stars Hrithik Roshan & Yami Gautam and will hit theatres on 25th of January 2017.

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aseeno Ka Deewana, the latest entrant in the B o l l y w o o d Chartbusters of the year is playing on minds. The combination of Rajesh Roshan's music, Ahmed Khan's choreography, Urvashi Rautela's sizzling moves and Hrithik & Rakesh Roshan's film is the formula for success!

In most dance numbers we've always seen an actress performing her moves with dancers in the background but this time round, the team of Kaabil has stepped into an entire new concept. With just Urvashi Rautela setting the stage on fire, there are absolutely no dancers in the background, leaving you no option but to focus on her sizzling moves.

Choreographer Ahmed Khan says "We had around 100 odd dancers and 200 junior artists in the song and decided to use them to add energy and cheering to the song rather than dance behind the artist. Generally there is one principal artist with dancers behind him or her but this time we entered into a new concept of just the principal artist performing with absolutely nobody supporting or dancing behind them in the same frame.

It was great working with Urvashi for Rakesh & Rajesh Roshan's Saara Zamaana. She is an amazing

Urvashi shines without background dancers

Akshay Kumar high in celebrity list India Post News Service

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kshay Kumar has ended the year on a high, with all three of his releases - Airlift, Rustom and Housefull 3 - ringing a phenomenal success in the box office, propelling him forward

as the 4th ranking celebrity of India (up 2 spaces from 6th in 2015) according to Forbes India's Celebrity 100 index. The superstar who continues to challenge the rest of the industry's contenders, had made a whopping 203.03 crores in the year - the third highest in the

list.

Akshay Kumar's presence was not just limited to Bollywood as he rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest Hollywood stars by hosting his friend Will Smith at his Mumbai house, while joining Salma Hayek and Mathew McConaughey at the Global Teachers Awards held in The Atlantis Palm hotel in Dubai.

The superstar is currently busy with sci-fi thriller 2.0 in which he co-stars with superstar Rajinikanth, and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha opposite Bhumi Pednekar.

His first release of 2017 is the courtroom dramedy Jolly LL.B 2 releasing worldwide on 10th February 2017. It has been produced

by Fox Star Studios. Akshay Kumar's role as the oddball lawyer Jagdishwar Mishra, aka Advocate Jolly, has met with an outstanding response. A small-time, struggling lawyer who moved from Kanpur to the city of Nawabs, Lucknow, to take on the establishment, is set to Inspire and entertain audiences with equal measure!

And what's more Jolly LL.B 2 marks the first time Akshay Kumar will perform the role of a lawyer refreshing to say the least!

32 India Post

December 30, 2016 www.indiapost.com

Vivian DSena voted Indian TV personality India Post News Service

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opular Indian television star Vivian DSena has been crowned the Indian Television Personality of 2016 after a huge poll on the UK's premiere Asian station, Sabras Radio and the UK's only Asian media and showbiz news website, BizAsiaLive.com.

The annual poll, now in its second year, consists of Top 30 finalists based on votes. It is helmed

by Raj Baddhan, who heads the two popular outlets in the UK. Founder of TV Personality 2016, Raj Baddhan said, "This has been a fantastic year of talent in the Indian television sector. With Indian TV now moving away from the saas-bahu sagas into a new direction, actors are being challenged with new characters. TV Personality 2016 has been able to demonstrate just some of the brilliant talent churned out from the Indian television sphere. Well done to the Top 30 finalists and a huge well done to Vivian DSena, who for the first time has clinched the title of TV Personality of the year. Thank you to everyone who voted and made TV Personality 2016 such a grand success. We got hundreds of thousands of votes this year crashing our systems during the five-week voting period."

Vivian's huge fan base around the world has earned him the title of TV Personality 2016 for the first time. The actor, who stars in Colors' hit show 'Shakti' plays Harman Singh and has constantly done well in ratings on the channel since it launched earlier this year. At the beginning of the year, Vivian was also seen in the 'Khatron Ke Khiladi' as a wild card entry.

On winning the TV Personality 2016 poll, Vivian thanked his millions of fans worldwide. He said, "Thank you so much to all the fans for voting me the No.1 TV Personality of 2016 on Sabras Radio and BizAsia. Guys this means a lot that you all got together and got me the No.1 TV Personality of 2016. It's a very proud moment for me. I'm touched the way you guys have voted for me. Thank you for all the love and support and the efforts.

2016 has been fantastic with Shakti and I promise that 2017 is going to be even better. Please keep giving me the same kind of love and I'll keep working hard. Thank you."

Elsewhere in the poll, Indian television princess, Drashti Dhami was at No.2 and was placed as the highest female in the countdown. Drashti, a name synonymous to a range of chartbusting shows is currently seen as Naina in Star Plus' 'Pardes Mein Hai Mera

Dil'. She said, "Thank you so much for voting me yet another time. No.2 - Thank you so much! I love you all and as I always say that whatever I am is only because of you. Keep showering me with your blessings. Have an amazing 2017!"

Helly Shah, actress of Colors' now defunct show 'Swaragini' did remarkably well at No.3, followed by 'Siya Ka Ram' actor Ashish Sharma, taking the fourth position. He said, "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my fans and supporters around the world for constantly showering their love and support since the very beginning of my career. Today, you have voted me as one of the biggest Indian TV stars - I'm hugely humbled and indebted by all your love.

Thank you so much."

Rounding off the Top 5 of the TV Personality 2016 countdown was Jennifer Winget, who returned to the small screen this year with the unique thriller 'Beyhadh' on Sony Entertainment Television.

The actress, who plays Maya has won immense adulation for the portrayal of a passionate lover with a negative shade.

In sixth place was 'Sadda

Haq' actress, Harshita Gaur, who shot to fame with this youthful show on Channel V. Even though, the show does not air in the UK, Gaur has witnessed huge success on the back of interviews on Sabras Radio and her program being streamed online. Equally, Parth Samthaan, formerly of 'Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan' fame proved one of the youngest heartthrobs of Indian television on MTV India. He is currently working on his Bollywood debut 'Googly Ho Gayi'. His ex-co-star, Niti Taylor was at No.8 for her hosting of 'Pyar Tune Kya Kiya' on Zing.

At No.9 is one of Indian's television most fashionable icons, Nia Sharma, who quit 'Jamai Raja' earlier this year for other projects including 'Comedy Nights Bachao'.

In tenth place was another actress from Colors' popular fiction 'Swaragini', Tejaswi Prakash, known for her character of Ragini.

Others in the poll, included Gautam Rode from 'Suryaputra Karn' (11), Krystle D'Souza from 'Bhramrakshas' (12), Shaheer Sheikh from 'Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi' (13), Namik Paul from 'Ek Duje Ke Vaaste' (14), Shakti Arora from 'Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa' (16), Nakuul Mehta from 'Ishqbaaaz' (20), Mouni Roy from 'Naagin' (22), Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya from 'Yeh Hai Mohabbatein' (29).

Kriti denies wearing Rs 2000-note dress

S

ocial media trolls have trained their guns on Kriti Sanon after a photo shopped picture of her wearing a dress made of newly-minted Rs 2000 notes surfaced. She decided to ignore it, thinking no one would take such an obviously fake picture seriously. "But everyone started tweeting and I was like, 'Do I look so demented to wear a Rs 2000-notes dress'," she laughs.

She shut them up with a subtle shade, tweeting, "I think it's the tiny brains that take this PS magic for real."

Before dress-gate, Kriti had hit headlines for stepping down as the female lead in Nikkhil Advani's 'Lucknow Central', which also features Farhan Akhtar. "There were date issues. The film was supposed to start by October and wrap up by December. I am also scheduled to do a little bit of 'patchwork' on Raabta in January and another schedule of 'Bareilly Ki Barfi' has popped up. Also, 'Lucknow Central' has so many actors; all our dates had to coin-

cide. I tried to work them out for the longest time but when it didn't work out, everyone decided that it was best for me to walk out," the actress clarifies.

Kriti completed two years in the industry, having made her debut opposite Tiger Shroff in Sabbir Khan's 2014 actioner, 'Heropanti', and following up with Rohit Shetty's 'Dilwale' in 2015. The actress admits that her pace has been a little slower than she'd expected but takes heart in the fact that she's managed to make a space for herself in Bollywood despite being an outsider.

"By a 'slow pace' I mean doing only one film a year despite the competition. As an actor, you can't control certain things. 'Farzi', with Shahid Kapoor, was to happen between 'Heropanti' and 'Dilwale' but due to some reasons it didn't take off. Raabta's release date also got pushed. But I would never take up work just to pace myself," she insists.

There have been rumors about

her dating her 'Raabta' co-star Sushant Singh Rajput ever since they kicked off filming in Budapest early this year. The duo was last spotted together at Manish Malhotra's 50th birthday celebrations. Is she dating Sushant? "No, I am not. Rumors are a part of this industry and being an outsider, you realize that much later," she says.

Reacting to reports that she was 'dirty dancing' with Sushant at Manish's bash, she retorts, "Apparently somebody has even posted a video, please check that out. It has me whispering some thing in his ears and that's about it. If that's called dirty dancing then your definition of the term is completely wrong."

Reiterating that Sushant is a 'really good friend' besides being a fabulous co-star and an intelligent actor, she adds, "Over time, I have realized that it's important to have a really good actor in front of you because then your scenes become much better.

Cont'd on Page 33

December 30, 2016

India Post 33 www.indiapost.com

Priyanka: I don't understand PR

cause we live in a male-dominated world. My parents raised me differently. They raised me as an opinionated girl, and equally, like my brother (Siddharth Chopra). I pay attention to the next thing that I am going to do or achieve. I don't like to sit back and revel in what I have just achieved, because ho gaya na abhi (it is done now). What next? (laughs)

P

riyanka Chopra recently re turned to India from the US. The actor, who makes her much-awaited Hollywood debut in Baywatch, will be seen playing an antagonist. Apart from getting accolades by audiences and the media in the US, the actor recently also bagged a global icon award on the home turf. Excerpts from the interview: Have you seen an attitudinal shift in people, now that you're a glo-

bal star?

I don't like to pay attention to that, because I don't think that way.

I am not part of this profession for the fame. Fame is incidental. To me, it is more about the satisfaction of being able to achieve and being successful. I want to be able to leave behind a legacy for being an achiever and a girl.

Women don't get the opportunity to be fearless often. We always have to end up being dependent on men, in a lot of ways, be-

Do you plan your career?

I never plan my career. I have never planned life. I am a big believer in the fact that 'Man proposes God disposes'. The only thing we can do is work hard on the opportunities that come our way. I am not a planner. I don't understand strategies. Contrary to what people believe, I don't understand PR (public relations). My work is like Saraswati (the goddess of learning) for me. It is knowledge; it is art, and I treat it that way. The work that I do is a very spiritual experience.

Will you go to extremes to physically transform yourself for a role?

I don't think gaining or losing weight is a transformation. For me, the biggest physical change was

Hackers are watching!

Tips for safe online shopping Cont'd from Page 30

NAUGHTY OR NICE? Websites that advertise hot deals on popular or hard-to-find gifts are probably scams. So are those touting free or deeply discounted gift cards. Stick with ecommerce sites you know are real. Don't click on web ads.

And if something advertised on a website or social media looks too good to be true, it probably is, says Brian Reed, chief marketing officer for ZeroFox, a cybersecurity firm that focuses on social media.

Instead of getting a great deal on a North Face jacket or a free iPhone, shoppers are getting their money and personal information stolen.

Also avoid apps that promise to generate gift card codes for

various retailers, Reed says. The apps can harm your device. And, if you manage to use a code, you're committing fraud.

GIVING THE GIFT OF IOT Internet-connected gadgets whether they be a ``smart'' thermostat, baby monitor or a talking toy - will be under many trees this year.

But the lack of security built into many of these devices is becoming an issue. Experts worry that they could be used to breach a home or business network and let hackers access another device that holds private information.

There's no way to tell from its box how secure any given gadget is, but an online search could fill you in on previously reported problems.

Default passwords should be changed right away, if possible.

Do some research to understand exactly what personal information the device is collecting and where it's being stored or sent.

Down the road, make sure your smart devices get their security updates. That includes your wireless router. If it's an older model, you're probably going to need to get them from the manufacturer's website.

Newer models often send updates through apps.

And if your router is really old and not getting updates, you might want to add that to your gift list. ``If that's your gateway and it's not secure, then you're allowing people to get into all of the devices connected to it,'' Kaiser says. -AP

to get in shape for Mary Kom (2014) - to look like a boxer who's been boxing for 15 years, and to know the sport. If you put me in a ring, I might not win, but I'll know how to box. I think that was one of my biggest wins when it comes to physical change.

Would you like to venture into

How about penning a book someday?

Maybe, but not yet. Where am I going to sit down to write? Even a column takes a really long time.

Right now, I am busy flying back and forth to manage my careers in two different continents. I don't even sleep enough. I don't have the bandwidth right now to think

I never plan my career. I have never planned life. I am a big believer in the fact that 'Man proposes God disposes'. The only thing we can do is work hard on the opportunities that come our way. I am not a planner. direction as well?

I don't know. Creativity works in different ways. I have written columns for publications as well, so maybe I will write someday. I don't know about direction yet, because I don't feel confident enough to captain the ship. I am definitely a creative producer. I know everything about the business, though.

I don't know where my life will go.

Like I said, I don't plan it.

about what I am going to do after this.

How do you balance it all?

It's just simple math. You work hard and strive for excellence every single day. Eventually, that will always get you to success. That's simple mathematics. That's how I treat my career. I work hard on opportunities every day. It eventually leads to whatever it ends up leading to.

Kriti denies wearing Rs 2000-note dress Cont'd from Page 32

There are really good actors and then there are very few who do their homework well. Sushant's process is very different from mine and that makes it interesting. He's not from a filmi background either so there's that common ground between us too," Kriti reasons.

Keeping with Raabta's romantic theme, the film was initially slated to release on Valentine's Day but has been now pushed to June.Why? "We wanted a solo release. Also, certain portions required VFX work, which will take time, and since it's Dino's (Dinesh Vijan) directorial debut, he wants to give it his best," the actress explains. In her other film, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari's romcom, 'Bareilly Ki Barfi', produced by Junglee Pictures, Kriti plays a small-town girl.

She shot her portions in a startto-finish schedule in Lucknow

and admits it was a different experience as she'd never stayed in the heart of Uttar Pradesh. "My character is a little tomboyish, which is a major cause of concern for her mother," Kriti reveals.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old actress has been plugging younger sister Nupur's music on her official Twitter account lately. Is Nupur set for a Bollywood innings as well?

"She's passionate about singing and has been training for the past four years but she's still figuring things out. I would love to see her give playback someday for me but she's too young right now," says the big sister, who is yet to chalk out her plans for New Year's. "I mostly ring it in with family in Delhi. But this year, my parents might come down to Mumbai. I have not made any plans as they usually never work out."

In Brief LA vote to fund immigrant legal aid LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles County leaders have voted to set aside $3 million to help provide lawyers to immigrants facing deportation in response to the election of Donald Trump.

The Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to set aside the funds over the next 18 months.

During a lengthy meeting, many residents voiced support for the plan as a matter of justice.

Some opposed, saying there are more pressing needs like homelessness.

The money will go toward a $10 million immigrant legal services fund being created by the county, city of Los Angeles and private foundations.

Cities and counties in Democratic strongholds across the country have been funding immigration lawyers in response to Trump's promises to boost deportations.

California state lawmakers have proposed a bill to provide lawyers to immigrants facing deportation.

-AP

„

Tucson passes immigrant-friendly resolution TUCSON, Ariz.: The Tucson City Council has reaffirmed the city's commitment to protecting immigrant residents in a new resolution.

The City Council approved a resolution that declares support for immigrants and condemns any threats of mass deportations.

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild said at a news conference the city

Jonathan Rothschild

will stand up for the civil rights of all of its residents and will challenge any unconstitutional measures in court.

The city will not use taxpayer money to help undocumented immigrants fight deportation.

At the news conference, city officials handed out material outlining what services are already available for undocumented immigrants.

Tucson is among more than 30 cities that have adopted similarly immigrant-friendly policies amid concerns about policies to come from Donald Trump's administration come January. -AP

Immigration

Wisconsin asks Trump for more control over refugees

34 India Post

www.indiapost.com

December 30, 2016

Details on page 36

Afghans who aided U.S., face long, fearful visa wait SAN DIEGO: Army Capt. Matthew Ball relied heavily on his Afghan interpreter during a yearlong mission in one of Afghanistan's most dangerous areas, entrusting him daily with his life.

The interpreter received death threats from the Taliban for helping American troops, and has now been in hiding for nearly four years.

He ventures out only in the cloak of darkness. ``I'm living my days in hell.

Even if someone is not really looking at me, I feel so paranoid, like this guy is going to kill me,'' Qismat Amin said in an interview with The Associated Press via an internet call.

Amin is one of more than 13,000 Afghans and their immediate family members waiting to get a special immigrant visa for aiding the U.S. mission, according to the U.S. State Department. A defense bill approved by Congress and sent to President Barack Obama calls for an additional 1,500 visas and extends the program until the end of 2020.

Scores of veterans like Ball, who have been trying to get their

translators out of the country, say the number is woefully inadequate and that the United States will be abandoning thousands who helped American troops. ``We leave and they're still there

a former Army ranger who now serves in the Reserves. ``Being an interpreter makes you a target. Unfortunately, we don't live up to our promises on the back end.''

America's longest war, which began in response to 9/11, grinds on in its 16th year. Afghan soldiers and police have been suffering heavy casualties in their battle against a resilient Taliban insurgency, while U.S. forces continue to hunt down al-Qaida and Islamic State militants there.

The special visa program started in 2009 to help Afghan translators, culArmy Capt. Matthew Ball talks to his Afghan interpreter tural advisers on his laptop at the Stanford law library in Palo Alto, and others who Calif. have worked for and they get hunted, basically, for U.S. military or government perwhat they've done,'' said Ball, 30, sonnel.

Ball's interpreter applied more than three years ago for a visa.

Among Amin's letters of recommendation was one from retired Army Gen. John Campbell, the former commander of American and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Islamic state fighters have demanded Amin return to his village, and they took his family's land last year. But Amin knows he will be killed if he goes back so he has moved to a nearby city.

A bomb blew up outside a police headquarters near where he lives now. A man living nearby was shot by unidentified assailants.

Neighbors said he was targeted after working for Americans.

Amin has been unable to work and has spent most of the earnings from working for the U.S. military, which paid him about $650 a month.

Ball has tried to find out why Amin's visa is in limbo. Now a Stanford University law student, Ball organized a letter drive that led to a dozen congressional inquiries into Amin's case, to no avail.

Cont'd on Page 38

Hong Kong ends visa free entry to Indians BEIJING: In a setback to Indian travelers, the Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, has withdrawn the visafree facility for Indians and they will now have to complete a prearrival registration from January.

"The Pre-arrival Registration for Indian Nationals will be implemented on January 23, 2017. The online service for 'Pre-arrival Registration for Indian Nationals' is now opened," the Hong Kong immigration department said in an announcement on its official website.

"Indian nationals must apply for and successfully complete pre-arrival registration online before they can visit or transit the HKSAR visa-free (if seeking to enter the HKSAR during transit). Pre-arrival registration is not required for Indian nationals in direct transit by air and not leav-

ing the airport transit area," it said.

This is a major set back for over half a million Indians who visit the former British colony for business, trade and holidays.

Till now Hong Kong, which is now a Special Administrative Region of China, has permitted Indians to enter with valid passport for a period up to 14 days without a visa. But the facility has been withdrawn despite representations from India ostensibly on the ground that the number of Indian asylum seekers was on the rise, official sources told PTI here.

Indian officials say that Hong Kong is using the asylum seekers as pretext to deny the visa free entry to Indians who are one of the largest spenders contributing the local economy.

There is also concern whether the move is being brought about

by Hong Kong due to pressure

from China.

Hong Kong s Immigration department assistant director Ma Chiming has been quoted by South China Morning Post as saying that

Among the current backlog of 10,335 refugee applications in the city, 80 per cent are claimants from India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia Indian visitors should not enter fake data to try to enhance their chance of entering Hong Kong to seek economic asylum as they would bear legal consequences.

Ma, in-charge of visas and policies, said the measure would be

reviewed soon after its launch and considered a pilot scheme.

"We picked India as a testing point as it was one of the major source countries," he said. "We do not rule out extending the scheme to other countries in the future."

Among the current backlog of 10,335 refugee applications in the city, 80 per cent are claimants from India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia, he said.

Except for India, other countries nationals including those from Pakistan needed visas to enter Hong Kong.

Indian officials say that Hong Kong has become attractive destination for asylum seekers from the sub-continent as it offered facilities for food and stay free of cost until the asylum requests are processed. -PTI

Immigration Post

December 30, 2016

India Post 35

www.indiapost.com

Cities, counties plan immigrant legal aid CHICAGO: Major U.S. cities and counties are beefing up legal services for immigrants to help them fight deportation and avoid fraudulent lawyers in the wake of Donald Trump's election and his hard-line immigration enforcement promises.

Tapping local government funds to represent immigrants in federal proceedings provides an early example of the type of pushback the Republican incoming president will receive in Democratic strongholds. Advocates call it a matter of justice and smart economics, but some question whether it's a fair use of taxpayer money.

Chicago has approved a $1.3 million legal fund. Los Angeles elected officials said they are working with private foundations to set up a $10 million fund, while some California state lawmakers have proposed spending tens of millions of dollars to provide lawyers to immigrants facing deportation.

New York is mulling a public-private legal fund, building on New York City's public defender program that's considered a national model. ``We need to be able to stand by people who are fearful,'' Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a former White House chief of staff, said after the measure passed the City Council last week.

Trump's pledges to build a bor-

der wall and deport the estimated 11 million people living in the country without legal permission have triggered uncertainty in immigrant circles. He has since scaled back the deportee number, but not detailed his platform.

Since his win, a lack of legal representation for immigrants has become a growing concern. It was the top issue raised by a Chicago task force of leaders, including Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, convened after the election. Los Angeles County supervisor Hilda Solis said she's especially worried about the fate of unaccompanied minors and young immigrants who filed personal information with the federal government to obtain work permits under the Obama administration.

In Los Angeles, officials want the fund set up before Trump becomes president in January. About half the money will come from the city and county and half from private donations. ``We don't know how far the new administration will go when it comes to our nation's immigration policy, but we've all heard the rhetoric, the dangerous rhetoric of the election,'' said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. ``And we are ready to support people who can't afford or who don't realize they might need a lawyer.''

Immigrants aren't guaranteed a lawyer in immigration court and

only about 37 percent of those in deportation proceedings have legal representation, according to a September American Immigration Council report.

Democratic state lawmakers in California have proposed legislation that could cost up to $80 million for immigration attorneys and

Esperanza Villalobos, a "community navigator," works at her office at The Resurrection Project in Chicago, Illinois

other legal training. Santa Clara County is looking into the idea and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee added $1.5 million to a fund for immigrant legal services.

In Chicago - where an estimated 150,000 people do not have permanent legal status - the money will be divided among two

Ohio colleges standing up for immigrants DELAWARE, Ohio: At least eleven Ohio colleges and universities are standing up for immigrant students who could see their statuses change after President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month.

Some advocates, lawyers and universities are concerned that Trump could cancel the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has allowed young immigrants to work and travel for humanitarian, educational or employment purposes.

Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio University in Athens, and Miami University in Oxford have joined schools nationwide in signing a statement urging for continuing and expanding of the program, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

Other Ohio signers include Columbus College of Art & Design, Denison University in Granville, Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio

Dominican University in Columbus and Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware. ``We will vigorously oppose any effort to make it more difficult for students to come to the

Online petitions urging institutions to become ``sanctuary campuses'' have also been circulating on many campuses, including Miami University, Oberlin College, Ohio State and Ohio University.

United States to pursue college degrees,'' Ohio Wesleyan Presi-

nonprofits. One will focus on poor immigrants facing deportation. The other will employ 200 ``community navigators'' who will network through churches, schools and community events to find immigrants who are in the country illegally and help them figure out if they have avenues to stay.

dent Rock Jones said in a statement to the newspaper.

He said Ohio Wesleyan will admit students in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies and won't disclose confidential student records ``without permission or legal mandate.''

Ohio Wesleyan also won't participate in a federal student registry based on national origin or other ``protected characteristics,'' he said.

Online petitions urging institutions to become ``sanctuary campuses'' have also been circulating on many campuses, including Miami University, Oberlin College, Ohio State and Ohio University.

Local police in so-called ``sanctuary cities'' are generally barred from inquiring about a person's immigration status, reporting them to federal immigration officials or assisting with deportations. -AP

``People are nervous,'' said Esperanza Villalobos, who already does the job in Mexican-heavy Chicago neighborhoods. She reports a surge in immigrants seeking her out since the election.

In Chicago, which has some of the most immigrant-friendly laws in the nation, the debate over the fund had tense moments, highlighting how contentious the issue is outside Democratic strongholds. Chicago set aside money only for one year and is banking on private donations to keep it going.

Three aldermen representing neighborhoods with strong Trump support voted against it, including Nicholas Sposato. He dismissed it as ``the legal defense fund for the illegals'' and said Chicago should consider the money for other issues. The cashstrapped city diverted the funds from a little-used homeowner re-

bate program. ``I'm not a hater,'' Sposato said during the vote at full the council meeting. ``Any given day, 1,000 homeless veterans out there. What are we doing for them?''

Another reason cited by local governments for creating the funds is the economy, because immigrants, regardless of legal status, work and pay taxes. In addition, children of immigrants who are deported may end up needing publicly-funded services such as foster care and health care, said Avideh Moussavian, a policy attorney with the National Immigration Law Center in Washington. ``There's the due process issue, but there's actually quantifiable economic impact,'' she said.

In 2013, New York City tested a program to infuse public defender offices with money for attorneys dedicated to representing detained immigrants. The program has grown from $500,000 in its initial year to roughly $6 million. Attorneys have represented more than 1,500 immigrants from 2013 through late last year, the most recent statistics available.

About 70 percent of attorneys won their cases, according to the nonprofit Vera Institute of Justice.

In Chicago, another goal is to help immigrants avoid fraudulent services, something 24-year-old Jose Lopez knows firsthand.

The college student, brought to the country illegally as a child, qualified for a work permit under the Obama administration. Twice he sought out attorneys who advertised on Spanish-language radio stations.

However, the paperwork they filed was unnecessary, his case stalled and he lost nearly $2,000.

He's since obtained the permit and has a graphic design job, but hopes others can avoid his mistakes. ``I had to stall a career. I had to stall school,'' he said. ``I had to stall life.'' -AP

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Immigration Post

36 India Post

December 30, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Wisconsin asks Trump for more control over refugees MADISON, Wis.: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker asked Presidentelect Donald Trump in a letter to give his state more authority in determining how many refugees can come from countries with ties to terrorism.

Walker also asked for help to allow the state to proceed with drug testing for some food stamp recipients and legalize the hunting of gray wolves.

The requests are among several that Walker, a Republican who challenged Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, makes in the letter. Walker offered few details on what he wanted Trump to do. It also wasn't immediately clear how quickly Trump could move to address his concerns given that some of what Walker wants has been blocked in court or would require law changes.

Walker is drawing attention to issues that play well with conservatives and on which he and President Barack Obama's administration disagree. Walker told The Associated Press that he was ``very optimistic'' Trump would act quickly on his requests after taking office next month.

Trump's spokesman did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin urged

Trump to work with the governor on what he called ``common sense reforms to increase flexibility and return authority to Wisconsin.''

On the refugee issue, Walker said governors and states should ``have a broader role in determining how many refugees and from which countries'' are admitted ``until we are comfortable with the vetting process that is being utilized to screen these individuals.'' ``We have no idea how many people may have ties to the Islamic State or to other forms of radical Islamic terrorism or jihadist groups, and I think it's a legitimate public safety concern,'' Walker said in the interview.

Wisconsin has been accepting refugee resettlements since 1974.

Since 2000, more than 16,000 refugees have been resettled in the state from 50 different countries, according to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

One of the leading refugee resettlement agencies operating in the state is Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. It plans to relocate 510 refugees in the state next year, said Mary Flynn, the group's refugee resettlement manager.

Flynn said she is confident in the security screening process that's already in place.

``I also see details in my daily work that I know these security screenings are ongoing and continuous until the person arrives in the United States,'' she said. And in some cases the monitoring con-

such screening. There's also been a Republican push in Congress to allow for it.

Walker also wants to charge higher premiums for childless adults earning less than the fed-

Governor Scott Walker and President-elect Donald Trump

tinues after the person is relocated, Flynn said.

Flynn said she wanted to review Walker's letter to Trump before commenting on it in detail.

Walker is also hoping a Trump administration will be more open to drug testing for childless adults who receive food stamps.

Walker sued Obama's administration to permit such drug testing after the Agriculture Department said federal law prohibits

eral poverty level of $11,880 a year if they ``purposefully increase their health risks,'' without saying what that means.

The hunting of gray wolves in Wisconsin is a hot issue, particularly in more rural northern parts of the state. Wolf hunting is not allowed in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota under a 2014 federal judge's ruling that threw out an Obama administration decision to remove gray wolves in the west-

ern Great Lakes region from the endangered species list.

Animal protection groups contend wolves must remain protected, but advocates for hunting them say they are increasing in number, becoming more aggressive and are moving south. Walker argues in the letter that Wisconsin successfully managed the wolf population prior to the court ruling and should be allowed to do so again.

Walker said he has spoken several times with Vice President-elect Mike Pence about these requests.

Walker has a close relationship with Pence, the governor of Indiana and helped him prepare for his vice presidential debate earlier this year.

Pence was among dozens of governors from mostly GOP states who attempted to block Syrian refugees following the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, saying there were questions about the federal government's refugee screening process. A federal appeals court blocked Pence's attempt to prevent social service agencies from helping resettle immigrants from certain countries in Indiana. A three-judge panel in October called it ``nightmare speculation'' that refugees might commit acts of terror. -AP

Growth in immigrants from Central America OKLAHOMA CITY: Talk quickly turns to tamales when Edgar Argueta considers the differences between Hispanic groups who call Oklahoma home.

The 64-year-old property owner prefers tamales wrapped in plantain leaves, like the kind he ate in his native Guatemala nearly 40 years ago. ``If I cook my food for the Mexicans, they don't like it,'' Argueta said, laughing before a weekly citizenship class he teaches at the Hispanic American Mission in Oklahoma City. ``It's different.

Mexicans say they have the best food, but we have the best.''

The great food debate may continue in Oklahoma for a while.

Residents who trace their roots to Mexico make up about 82 percent of the estimated 396,000 who live here and identify themselves as being of Hispanic origin, but Oklahoma has seen explosive growth over the past decade among those with ties to Guatemala and other Central American countries.

The number of those who identify as being from or who trace their heritage to Central America grew from an estimated 9,600 in 2005, to an estimated 24,300 in 2015, or by about 150 percent, according to

the U.S. Census Bureau. That compares to about 75 percent growth among those with Mexican heritage, according to The Oklahoman.

While their overall numbers are low, academics, policy analysts and community leaders have taken note, saying Central American population growth continues to have an impact on the state, from the economy to health care, to

The number of those who identify as being from or who trace their heritage to Central America grew from an estimated 9,600 in 2005, to an estimated 24,300 in 2015, or by about 150 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. public safety and education. ``These little mom-and-pop restaurants are showing up, and the food trucks,'' said Raul Font, president of the Latino Community Development Agency. ``They feel

that Oklahoma is a little further step away from the border, so it's safer for them. The families of people here feel there's a lot of work here. A lot of construction work and tons of stuff, from moving to doing flower beds, the restaurants. People are finding it's a good place to work and the cost of living is much lower than the other places.''

Argueta certainly did. He crossed illegally into the United States in 1977, first making a threeyear stop in Phoenix before settling in the Sooner State.

He worked on farms and in restaurants. He supported Ronald Reagan and the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act that granted amnesty to about 3 million illegal immigrants. He married, had a daughter and saved money to snap up properties. He became an American citizen.

In his four decades in the United States, Argueta has learned much about the differences between Hispanic groups, from their food and family traditions to their religious customs and Spanish slang.

There are other differences too, he said. Especially among younger Hispanic immigrants. ``It's a lot different now,''

Argueta said. ``They come here thinking they can have anything they want. That's not their right.

They do protests, telling the government they have to give them papers, with no reason. That's not right. We have to prove ourselves.

We have to work for this country.''

It's a message he delivers each week to between 15 and 20 immigrants in his citizenship class.

Waves of immigrants hit the

What often gets overlooked is that a growing number of unauthorized immigrants are living in the country longer, with census data showing two-thirds of adults having been in the U.S. for more than a decade.

United States each year, keeping heated the debate about illegal entry into the country. With domestic and foreign policy at stake, much of the discussion centers on where people are coming from,

and why.

What often gets overlooked is that a growing number of unauthorized immigrants are living in the country longer, with census data showing two-thirds of adults having been in the U.S. for more than a decade. That means they are expanding their families, and letting relatives and friends back home know about life in the U.S., and places such as Oklahoma. ``First of all, a small group makes the trip and they sort of establish beachheads so to speak, and in the United States, once they figure out `there's a good place to live, I can get a good job and support myself,' the situation becomes known to others, their family and friends and fellow villagers,'' said Craig St. John, chair of the Sociology Department at the University of Oklahoma. ``The more people that start coming and provide that base in a particular location in the United States, they expand every time a new person comes in. Eventually that kind of runs its course, plateaus and levels off. I bet we're seeing the takeoff strategy. That's my guess. Once you get the ball rolling, it's going to keep rolling on its own.''

Cont'd on Page 38

Immigration Post

December 30, 2016

India Post 37

www.indiapost.com

'This is my home,' say Somali refugees OWENSBORO, Ky.: Hamza Ibrahim Ahmed cried his little heart out on a recent morning.

The 4-year-old had a doctor's appointment to attend, but he would rather have stuck with his usual routine at Hager Preschool. ``Yesterday, he was telling me, `Papa, they're teaching us songs today!''' Ibrahim Hassan said from his living room the next day. He communicates with his son and daughter, Hafsa Ibrahim Ahmed, 2, in their native Somali tongue. ``He only had to miss school one day, but he came crying when he knew he couldn't go,'' Hassan said. ``He has good friends there.''

While a change in the routine may not move Hassan and his wife Sahara Amin Nekow to tears, the couple are just as fond of their new lives in Owensboro.

They moved here two months ago from Dadaab, a refugee camp in northeast Kenya - with about 350,000 refugees from various African countries. It's the largest refugee camp in the world. Of those, nearly 330,000 are from Somalia.

Situated in the Horn of Africa a peninsula in the continent's northeast that goes hundreds of miles into the Arabian Sea - Somalia is bordered by Djibouti to the north, Ethiopia to the central west, and Kenya to the southwest, with Yemen lying just north, across the Gulf of Aden.

Many Somalis fled in 1991 or soon after, when the country was wrecked by civil war. ``In Somalia, the main problem is interclan violence,'' Hassan said, noting two of the most powerful clans as the Hawiye, who generally live in the capitol Mogadishu and other south central areas, and the Daarood (commonly Darod), who mainly live in the north. ``Problems depended on which tribe you come from,'' he said. Of course, most descendants of those clans, or any clan, are not in-

always understand why as a child.

He left with his father and grandmother in 1994, landing in the Kenyan settlement. There, he met his wife, who is now 29; she had fled there with her parents two years earlier.

Throughout his time at Dadaab, Hassan worked with two of the many non-government organizations (NGOs) that provided services to the camp: the National Council of Churches of Kenya, with which he was a peace promoter; and Care International, with which he was a hygiene promoter.

He also attended high school there.

Here, Hassan works as a machine operator at Omico Plastics.

His wife - she had just left for an appointment with a case worker worked for a few weeks before the couple decided they could better care for their daughter, who's not in school yet, with only one of them having to be away.

Omico is fine for now, he said, but he has other dreams. ``I work 12 hours, 7:30 at night to 7:30 in the morning; you can't carry on working as a laborer, it's hard work and hard to stand for that long,'' he said. ``I want to study business administration, I'm interested in accounting. That's my main objective. ``Business is a large field; you can have your idea here and plant it anywhere in the world,'' he said.

Of the 150 refugees the International Center of Owensboro resettles each fiscal year, about 80 percent in the past three months have been from Somalia while the remaining 20 percent are from Myanmar (Burma). ``Over the past year, with improvements in the political situation in Burma, our arrivals have transitioned from mostly Burmese to mostly Somali,'' said site director James Litsey. The center has helped resettle people from Myanmar - who make up the larg-

`In Somalia, the main problem is interclan violence,'' Hassan said, noting two of the most powerful clans as the Hawiye, who generally live in the capitol Mogadishu and other south central areas, and the Daarood (commonly Darod), who mainly live in the north. volved in nor approve of the violent acts. For those who were, though, ``It was not only a matter of shooting; some would organize as troops and shoot, take things, force people from their apartment and takeover things they didn't own.''

It caused people to leave for their lives, but Hassan, 28, didn't

est population of refugees in town - Vietnam and Cuba over the years, but he doesn't anticipate any other nationalities for the 2017 fiscal year.

The International Center secures housing, food, medical care and jobs for the refugees, with the Tyson Foods Inc. plant in Robards being a major employment partner.

About half the new arrivals work at Tyson and the other half work at various places in Owensboro.

The International Center also has an orientation on American culture and life skills, and it enrolls children in to school and their parents into English classes. ``I'm routinely amazed by how well they do,'' said Litsey. ``Within months, even those who arrive with no knowledge of English, are working, their children are in school, and they are beginning to

He regards the U.S. as the most hospitable of the countries in the United Nations' refugee host program, as it resettles between 70,000 and 100,000 people each year. ``(The U.S. is) continuing to give substance to those words on the Statue of Liberty, `Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...','' he said. ``They're still coming and America is still welcoming them. And now com-

Somali refugees, Ibrahim Hassan, right, with his children, daughter, Hafsa Ibrahim Ahmed, 2, left, and son, Hamza Ibrahim Ahmed, 4, middle, pose at their apartment in Owensboro, Ky.

navigate our culture and our community. By one year they've submitted their first 1040 form and many have purchased a car. By five years, many are buying homes and becoming citizens.''

Refugee resettlement in Owensboro started with local churches and the Center was established to assist in those efforts, he said. Those partnerships have continued and the school systems, hospital, law enforcement, Owensboro Community & Technical College and the health department have long been a part of the effort. A growing group of landlords and employers are coming along now, he said.

Refugees often succeed here, he said, because of the ``good hearts of local people. ``Refugees are different from immigrants - immigrants choose to leave their country and come here, usually to find a better job,'' he said. ``Refugees didn't choose to leave their country for a better job. The refugees coming to Owensboro left their home country because of a war. They fled to a second country to seek shelter, but the country to which they fled was not willing to host them forever. Both immigrants and refugees have been an important part of the American experience since the beginning.''

munities like Owensboro are the new Ellis Island. It's an amazing opportunity for us. We're already doing a good job, but we can do even better.''

Litsey has heard stories of explosions, killings, sickness and crime surrounding the refugees' journeys from Somalia to Kenya to the U.S. He encourages local residents to be considerate of that.

But, ``These are real people who don't need or want our pity,'' he said. ``What they want is a safe

place to live and work and raise their children. They want to find the part they will play in the American story.''

The International Center welcomes volunteers, donations of home items like sheets and small appliances, and tutors. People can also help at the center's aforementioned partner organizations. ``Perhaps the most important way (to help) is to welcome them.

Take the first step. Smile. Introduce yourself,'' Litsey said. ``If you have new refugee neighbors, bake them some cookies. Learn their names.

Just remember, these are real people. Imagine your situations being reversed, and treat them the way you would want them to treat you.''

Hassan and his family have also found refuge at the Islamic Center of Owensboro. Staying connected to their faith eases the transition, though he still has a few things to get used to. ``The climate is so different. It's humid (in Kenya), but here, you shiver at midday,'' he said. ``I like the business centers where you shop; you can find everything you need at one place, like WalMart. ``And the people - there's good people and bad people everywhere you go - but here seems to be a higher percentage of good people,'' he said. ``You see them and they smile to you.''

Somalia has been crawling toward resolve and stability, the BBC reports, since an internationallybacked government was installed in 2012, but challenges remain.

His native country will always be a part of him. Kenya, too. But with both of his parents now deceased, Hassan said he has no plans to live there again. He and his wife hope to have more children and root their family here. ``This is my home,'' he said. ``We want to stay. I'm already an Owensboroan.'' -AP

Immigration Post

38 India Post

December 30, 2016

www.indiapost.com

Growth in immigrants from Central America Cont'd from Page 36

As the social network of immigrants expands, their Americanborn children, like 29-year-old Maria Argueta, the daughter of Edgar Argueta, sometimes find themselves in a clash of cultures.

Born in the U.S., bilingual and having attended Oklahoma schools, she eschews the country-and-hyphen prefix that many attach to their identities.

Still, Maria Argueta grew accustomed to being mistaken for a different nationality, particularly by classmates, even as various Hispanic groups at Northwest Classen High School segregated themselves during lunch. She often sat with a group of friends with Guatemalan heritage. ``Yeah, they always referred to me as Mexican,'' she said of some white students. ``With a lot of the kids at school, it's kind of a stereotype. `Oh, you speak Mexican?'''

While watching her father work

hard and establish himself, Argueta has felt the sting of antiimmigrant rhetoric. During a geography class in college, a white student opined about immigrants abusing the education and health systems, draining tax dollars and taking jobs from Americans.

But that hasn't turned Argueta into a champion of unrestrained immigration, even from Guatemala.

Because of the dangerous journey,

cently had a cousin who disappeared in the Mexican desert. It's an uncertainty. You don't know if you're going to make it through.

You hear of people who die and never make it through.''

Oklahomans are typically surprised to learn that Guatemalans, Hondurans Salvadorans are in the state, said Michael M. Smith, a history professor at Oklahoma State University.

The YWCA in collaboration with other legal services groups assisted a surge of immigrants in 2014, when the Texas border buckled under an influx of tens of thousands of minors Argueta would tell those seeking refuge in the United States to stay in their homeland. ``It divides my heart up,'' she said. ``I do have family there. A lot of them say `we're trying to flee from gangs and violence.' But my family says you get into violence because you're looking for it. I re-

``Given the domestic violence and the minimal economic opportunities, in some cases almost forced labor, in which many of the very poor find themselves, that trip to the United States is considered, even though they undergo some terrible dangers,'' Smith said. ``Ill-treatment and the payment of

Afghans who aided U.S., face long, fearful visa wait Cont'd from Page 34

Amin this month was told to come in for a medical appointment at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, another step forward in the process.

But he still has no word on whether he'll get a visa.

Amin's long wait is not unique.

Sher Mohammad Haidari, 26, submitted more than three dozen written recommendations from colonels, generals and other U.S. military officers who commended him for his bravery. In one incident, Haidari heard the Taliban speak in code about firing on two dozen soldiers and translated it to the troops. They took cover, and a three-hour firefight ensued. He was wounded.

In 2011, Haidari completed a three-hour interview for his visa.

Then everything stalled. He regularly received death threats until his visa finally was approved this year. Haidari moved to California with his wife and baby son in September. ``There's a lot of other interpreters who were shot, hurt, are crazy disabled, and all of them are stuck in Afghanistan,'' Haidari said.

David Sossaman, 57, a security specialist, lobbied for Haidari and three other interpreters who worked for him. ``I can't figure out why there is even a cap at all,'' said Sossaman,

who lives in Ramona, east of San Diego. ``If somebody assisted us in the war over there and saved American lives by running convoys so our troops could be doing their jobs, or whatever, and they now have gotten active threats by known Taliban, why even limit it?''

Congress has added 7,000 visas to the program over the past

The program has enjoyed bipartisan support. But veterans, like Ball, worry about its future under President-elect Donald Trump, whose national security campaign proposals included a temporary ban on Muslims two years to meet the demand, and the process has sped up. So far in fiscal year 2016, a total of 4,283 visas have been issued to Afghans who helped the U.S. mission. That compares to 2,636 for 2015, the state department said in an October report.

But thousands are still waiting amid the worsening security situ-

ation.

Betsy Fisher, policy director of the International Refugee Assistance Project, wanted Congress to approve an additional 4,000 visas so the process could be expedited for applicants living in danger.

New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, agreed, saying: ``It is no exaggeration to say that this is a matter of life and death as Afghans who served the U.S. mission continue to be systematically hunted down by the Taliban.''

The program has enjoyed bipartisan support. But veterans, like Ball, worry about its future under President-elect Donald Trump, whose national security campaign proposals included a temporary ban on Muslims, the religion of many of the Afghans who helped the U.S. mission. Trump's pick for attorney general, Sen. Jeff Sessions, has objected to increasing the visas. He raised concerns about its costs tied to federal benefits like Medicaid and food stamps that are available to Afghans who resettle in the U.S. and become lawful permanent residents.

After Trump's election, Ball received a message from Amin, who said he was growing increasingly fearful for his life. ``He told me, `If I stay too long, I might not make it,' which totally breaks my heart,'' Ball said. -AP

bribes to get in and stay in the county. The process of crossing the southern border, across Mexico, can be perilous activity.

The hazards that they face are very often completely unknown by most people in the United States, whether you are sympathetic or unsympathetic to the presence of people who are here.''

Those who work with newly arrived immigrants have seen their physical and emotional scars up close.

Laura Bachman is an attorney and immigration program manager with the YWCA in Tulsa. The group's immigrant and refugee program helps with representation in legal matters, job searches and social service referrals, among other offerings.

The YWCA in collaboration with other legal services groups assisted a surge of immigrants in 2014, when the Texas border buckled under an influx of tens of thousands of minors from Central American countries.

In the first weekend of December, ICE released more than 460 mothers and children from two immigration detention centers in San Antonio, Texas after a district court judge ruled Texas law doesn't allow them to hold families. Aid groups provided some of those released with assistance, but the current whereabouts of all 460 people could not be immediately ascertained.

Homeland Security said far

try together. When corrections officials in Texas discover that an unaccompanied minor has relatives in Oklahoma, they will work to place them here, Bachman said. ``It's a much more traumatized population for sure,'' Bachman said. ``I would say more than 90 percent have suffered sexual assault on their journey. Personally, every single woman and child fleeing from Central America that I have worked with have been sexually assaulted. There are a lot of undocumented, unaccompanied minors, and targeted violence against children, most specifically from El Salvador and Honduras, but Central America generally.''

There's a tremendous need for immigration, legal and social services in the state, but the most pressing need for Central American immigrants is competent mental health care, Bachman said. ``We're talking about victims of sexual assault and post-traumatic disorder,'' she said. ``It's really a tough need to fill in Tulsa, because we have a shortage of mental health providers who are also culturally sensitive and bilingual.''

As the Central American community in Oklahoma continues to grow, it faces challenges wrought by one of stiffest anti-illegal immigration laws in the nation.

HB 1804, which took effect in 2007, prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining official government-issued forms of identification, such as a driver's license or

“We're talking about victims of sexual assault and post-traumatic disorder,'' she said. ``It's really a tough need to fill in Tulsa, because we have a shortage of mental health providers� fewer Mexicans and single adults are trying to illegally cross the southern border, but more families and unaccompanied children are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. In 2014, Central Americans caught on the southern border outnumbered Mexicans for the first time, and it happened again this year, Homeland Security officials said.

The rising number of those from Central America, or with roots in that region, doesn't surprise Bachman, as the Tulsa County Jail is the only jail in Oklahoma authorized to hold inmates detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more than 72 hours. That means as facilities fill up in other states, many unauthorized immigrants are transferred to Tulsa.

Bachman said in the last year she's seen more mothers and children illegally coming into the coun-

occupational license. Illegal immigrants are not eligible for most taxpayer social services or benefits, and the state can require employers to check the legal status of their employees.

Laws aimed at illegal immigrants can affect their American-born children, said Gene Perry, policy director of the Oklahoma Policy Institute. ``A particular challenge with undocumented immigrants is that these are people who don't have access to things like health insurance and driver's licenses, which are important for keeping people out of the emergency room, for having safeguards, and to apply for jobs,'' he said. ``They end up falling through the cracks, or many of them might have children here who are citizens themselves, so if they can't get health insurance, this is going to affect their children.''AP

Datebook

December 30, 2016

India Post 39

www.indiapost.com

NEW JERSEY Upcoming Sat, Dec 31 • Mausam Cuisine - NYE 2017 Celebration Venue: Mausam Restaurant, 1150 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus, NJ 07094 Time: 08:00 pm

Sat, Dec 31 • NJPA New Year's Eve Party, 2017 Venue: Royal Alberts Palace, 1050 King Georges Post Road, Edison, NJ 08863 Time: 07:30 pm

Sat, Dec 31 • Prajee Events - New Years Eve : Party of theYear Venue: Ember Banquets (former Chutney Mary), 3793 Route 1, South Brunswick Township, NJ 08852 Time: 7:30 pm

NEW YORK

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Upcoming

Upcoming

Upcoming

Sat, Dec 31 • New Year Extravaganza 2017

Sat, Dec 31 • Fab Four Events - New Years Eve 2017

Venue: Pista House, 556 South Milpitas

Venue: Chandni Restaurant, 5748 Mowry

Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035 Time: 07:00 pm

School Road, Newark, CA 94560

Sat, Dec 31 • Desi New Year's Eve 2017 Venue: The Meadow Club, 1147 Rte 112, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 Time : 08:00 pm

Sat, Dec 31 • Royal Palace - New Year's Party Venue: Castle Royale, 92 Waverly Street, Yonkers, NY 10701 Time : 08:00 pm

Sat, Dec 31 • NYE 2017 Bash Party - Open Bar | Dancing | Hookahs Le Caire Lounge Venue: Le Caire Lounge, 279 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY 11596 Time : 07:00 pm

Sat, Dec 31 • BengaluruVoice - New Year Eve 2017 Venue: Vara Indian Cuisine, 250 East Java Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Time: 06:30 pm Contact: 5104024633

Sat, Dec 31 • Block Buster 2017 - Biggest New Year Telugu Party With Sharwanand Venue: Santa Clara County Fairgrounds,

CHICAGO

Time: 07:30 pm Contact: 4083829117

Sat, Jan 7 • The Indian Street Food Festival Venue: Santa Clara Country fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd, San Jose, CA 95111 Time: 7:30 pm Contact: 512-210-7258

ATLANTA Upcoming

344 Tully Rd, San Jose, CA 95111 Time: 7:00 pm

Sat, Dec 31 • 2017 New Year Party in Dunwoody

Sat, Dec 31 • FOG New Year Eve 2017

Venue: Curries Dec 31st NEW YEAR'S EVE party, 6115 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30328 Time: 7:00 pm

Venue: Royal Palace Banquet Hall, 6058 Stevenson Boulevard, Fremont, CA 94538 Time: 07:30 pm Contact: 5103045619

Sat, Dec 31 • New Year Eve in Duluth Venue: Poona Restaurant,3665 Club Drive, DULUTH, GA Time: 7:00 pm

Sat, Jan 7 • The Indian Street Food Festival

Sat, Dec 31 • Hawaiian style Grand New Year Party 2017

Venue: Santa Clara Country fairgrounds, 344 Tully Rd, San Jose, CA 95111

Venue: Skyland 540 Access Rd, Cumming, GA 30041 Time: 8:00 pm

Time: 05:00 pm

ILLINOIS 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 Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807

Mondays and Fridays • 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

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

Swami Ishatmananda • Bhagavad Gita: Philosophy of life Venue: Public Library-95th Street 3015 Cedar Glade Rd Naperville IL 60564 Time: 1st friday of every month 7-8 pm Contact: 630-637-0662

• India Eternal: From the Vedic Age to the Present Venue: Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago 10915 N. Main Street Glendale Heights, IL 60139 Time: 10:00 pm Contact: 630-655-8822

40 India Post

www.indiapost.com

December 30, 2016

KRISHAN SHARMA India Post News Service

V

isiting Myanmar after a gap of 50 years was like an experience one can never explain.

Many things have changed; still some remain the same as if time has come to a stop. The Shwedagon Pagoda with its glittering gold is still standing tall jutting into the skyline of Yangon. Shwedagon Pagoda believed to be built 2,500 years ago is one of the most revered temples.

The Burmese people and their humble hospitality surpasses any culture in the world. From one of the richest countries being called the rice bowl of Southeast Asia in the early sixties it became the poorest country by 2005.

Not anymore. Myanmar is back on the map of developing nations with change of leadership and democratic reforms. There are now several hotels and travelling has become easier and tourist friendly.

There are hotels for all travellers including many 5 star ones. The Strand Hotel, which is over 100 years old, was under renovation keeping its colonial look with super luxury 36 rooms. Travelling to other

cities has become much easier with Myanmar Airlines and other domestic airways now available.

Yangon with its broad roads is clean and traffic rules are strictly followed. It is also very green and pedestrian friendly. One of the main markets is Bogyoke Aung San Market, earlier known as Scott Market. Great place to shop for Burmese lacquerware and other jewellery, including Burmese rubies. The market is full of traditional arts and paintings.

Burmese food is another culinary delight. Not to mention Mohinga and KoughtSwe available everywhere. Avoid cold cuts and road side vendors. Anything boiled or heated should be safe for any traveller.

Another city for a must visit is Mandalay, which was the last kingdom of the Burmese kings. The Mandalay Fort is still the same but much cleaner around the moat. So is the Mandalay Hill and Pagoda.

Cont’d on page 42

Myanmar is back on the map of developing nations with change of leadership and democratic reforms. There are now several hotels and travelling has become easier and tourist friendly.

Travel & Hospitality Post

December 30, 2016

India Post 41

www.indiapost.com

Lists of top travel sites for 2017 W

here should you travel in 2017? Here's a list of top destination lists from expert sources across the travel industry, from guidebook and magazine publishers to travel agents, tour operators and websites.

Paris; Sulawesi, Indonesia; San Francisco; Fatima, Portugal; Nashville; Panama Canal; Nan Madol, Micronesia; Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda; Germany; Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine; Haida Gwaii, British Columbia; Doha, Qatar; Cuba

LONELY PLANET

THRILLIST

Asheville, North Carolina

Top 10 U.S. destinations: Asheville, North Carolina; Western Washington; Lincoln, Nebraska; California's southern desert region; Montana's Flathead Valley; Atlanta; New York's Adirondack Mountains; Texas Hill Country wine region; Denver; Florida's ``Emerald Coast'' Top 10 countries: Canada; Colombia; Finland; Dominica; Nepal; Bermuda; Mongolia; Oman; Myanmar; Ethiopia Top 10 cities: Bordeaux, France; Cape Town, South Africa; Los Angeles; Merida, Mexico; Ohrid, Macedonia; Pistoia, Italy; Seoul, South Korea; Lisbon, Portugal; Moscow; Portland, Oregon

Houston; Salt Lake City; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Miami; Las Vegas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Cincinnati; Nashville; Atlanta; Chicago; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Orlando, Florida; Portland,

FROMMER'S Montreal, Quebec; Karasjok, Norway; Bermuda; The Pantanal, South America; Mississippi River;

Oregon; Columbus, Ohio

tions: Skala Sikaminias, Greece; Bermuda; West Sweden; Okinawa, Japan; Kyushu, Japan; Hokkaido, Japan; Arizona; Puerto Rico; Singapore; Buenos Aires U.S. destinations: Asheville, North Carolina; Marfa, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Yolo County, Northern California; Haines, Alaska; New Orleans; Black Rock City, Nevada; Nashville; Park City, Utah; Santa Barbara, California; Chicago; Philadelphia; The Catskills, New York; Los Angeles; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Pittsburgh

TRAVEL + LEISURE MAGAZINE North America: Montreal, Quebec; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Baja Wine Country, Mexico; Veracruz, Mexico; India-

U.S. TOUR OPERATORS ASSOCIATION Top ``hot'' destinations: Cuba, Italy, Iceland, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, China, Vietnam Top emerging or off-the-beaten path destinations: Cuba, Iceland, Croatia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar, Iran, South Africa and Morocco, Cambodia and India TRAVEL LEADERS (travel agents) Domestic destinations: Or-

Miami; Las Vegas

AFAR MAGAZINE First 10 on a list of 100 destina-

International destinations: Caribbean cruise; Cancun, Mexico; London; European river cruise; Rome; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Paris; Mediterranean cruise; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya, Mexico

lando; Maui, Hawaii; New York City; Las Vegas; Alaska cruise; Honolulu; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Miami.

Madagascar; Rwanda; Seychelles Asia/Middle East: Cambodian Coast, Cambodia; Hampi, India; Kanazawa, Japan; Jerusalem; Al Jabal Akhdar, Oman; Suzhou, China; Laos Oceania: Noosa, Australia; Perth, Australia; Queenstown, New Zealand Europe: Helsinki, Finland; Jura, France; Provence, France; Hamburg, Germany; Paros, Greece; Belfast, Ireland; Turin, Italy; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Oslo, Norway; Belgrade, Serbia; Malaga,

Maui, Hawaii

napolis; Cincinnati; Honolulu; Nashville; Norfolk, Virginia; Philadelphia; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Tofino, Canada; Bermuda South America: Salta, Argentina; La Paz, Bolivia; Angra dos Reis, Brazil; Guayaquil, Ecuador; Nicaragua; Panama City, Panama; Pisco, Peru; Montevideo, Uruguay Africa: Okavango Delta, Botswana; Tamouda Bay, Morocco; Cape Town, South Africa;

Spain; Lake Lucerne, Switzerland; Devon, United Kingdom FODOR'S Helsinki, Finland; Hokkaido, Japan; Lima, Peru; Canada's national parks; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Medellin, Colombia; Aarhus, Denmark; Madagascar; Cyprus; Hong Kong; Oaxaca, Mexico; Edinburgh, Scotland; Alaska; Saxony, Germany; Wellington, New Zealand; Marfa, Texas; Kiev, Ukraine; Laos; Denver; Minho region, Portugal; Yorkshire, England; Washington, D.C.; Bordeaux, France; Cape Town, South Africa; Antigua and Barbuda -AP

Priyanka Chopra is Assam tourism ambassador GUWAHATI: After being turned down by cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar, Assam government says Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra would be the brand ambassador of the state's tourism for two years.

"We approached Sachin Tendulkar, but he refused. After that, we went to 4-5 more celebrities. Finally, we zeroed in on Priyanka Chopra," Assam Tourism Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at a press conference here.

He, however, did not reveal the reasons for the Bharat Ratna awardee declining the state's proposal.

Sarma said that the government had already signed a two-year

agreement with Chopra "free of cost".

"The agreement does not have any cost. We'll only have to pay

her during shooting and also for print advertisements as she will do so by leaving aside other work," he said.

For her first appearance for the state, Chopra will be coming to Guwahati to take part at the International Tour Operators Conclave, Sarma said.

"With her, we'll go global with countries like the US, the UK, Japan and Germany among others.

We'll hold promotional activities there.

"As she is the best, her association will definitely help Assam in attracting more national as well as global tourists," the minister said. -PTI

42 India Post

Travel & Hospitality Post www.indiapost.com

Cont’d from page 40

The MahaMyamuni Pagoda is one of the renowned places one must visit.

PyinOoLwin, also known earlier as Maymyo, is only 40 miles from Mandalay and is a well known hill station located in Shan States.

PyinOolwin is famous for strawberries and flowers during winters and a great place to be away from the heat during summer months.

If one has a choice, stay few days at PyinOoLwin Hotel with its cottages by the Kandawgyi Lake to

experience the pristine luxury and tranquil atmosphere.

PyinOoLwin is also famous for the horse drawn carriages which started in the colonial era. It is totally unique and serves as the local transport in the city even today. There are several local festi-

vals during the year and do check with the hotel manager while you are there.

There are at least 6 to 7 other cities one can visit. Pagan 9th century kingdom, which is one of the oldest cities consisting of almost over 2000 Pagodas, is also a must

while visiting Myanmar. Several airlines provide good connections throughout the year. Taungyi and Kalaw are other hill stations one can visit. One must check with the Government authorities before making any plans to visit other areas.

Myanmar is now considered a preferred destination for investment. Areas include hospitality, IT, pharma and it may become a major manufacturing hub for apparel industry.

Dollar is now valued at 1350 Kyats. Which is considered excellent for any business venture. Disciplined labour, hardworking and economical, which is extremely hard to find in any c o u n t r y.

What else! It is the country of my birth.

December 30, 2016

Travel & Hospitality Post

December 30, 2016

India Post

43

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In town of Jesus' birth, souvenirs made in China BETHLEHEM, West Bank: Christmas is approaching and pilgrims and tourists have begun to arrive, crowding the souvenir shops that line the narrow streets and alleys of Bethlehem, the biblical town revered as Jesus' birthplace.

But when visitors choose to take a piece of the Holy Land back home with them, they better check the labels. Many souvenirs - including the West Bank town's trademark rosary beads - are imported from abroad, mainly China.

A small number of souvenir shops are now trying to fight the trend, stocking their shelves almost exclusively with locally made products. Shopkeepers say that while their wares may be more expensive, the quality is much better and they give an important boost to the struggling economy. ``I've got nothing that is made overseas except for one thing, that's the magnets. It's something that sells for cheap and people want them,'' said Bassem Giacaman, owner of the Blessings Gift Shop and The Olive Wood Factory. ``Everything else is made locally so I can keep the local economy working.''

Some 120,000 people are expected to visit the Holy Land this holiday season, half of them Christian, according to Israel's Tourism Ministry.

Many will visit Bethlehem, where globalization has left its im-

print like everywhere else. Foreign-made crafts, especially Chinese ones, have come to represent a big part of the market here, including Christmas souvenirs.

While there are no official statistics, local officials and businessmen estimate that nearly half of

superior craftsmanship of the locally made goods.

Bethlehem is in the West Bank, occupied territory the Palestinians hope will be part of their future state. Tourism remains strong, but the rest of the economy has long languished, in

Craftsmen in Bethlehem are taking on the imported Christmas souvenirs from China, that are more prevalent in the alleys of the city.

the products, perhaps more, are imported.

Giacaman keeps just a few imported products in his store, most of them hidden in a small box beneath a counter. He takes them out to show customers and compare them to Palestinian-made ones. ``This is a plastic Jesus baby made in China and this is a ceramic one made in Bethlehem, and these are the olive wood rosaries that I make and the Chinese ones,'' he said, proudly showing what he said was the

part because of Israeli restrictions. Tourists must pass through a checkpoint in Israel's separation barrier to reach the town.

The ``Visit Palestine Center,'' located in a 200-year-old house along a stone stairway just a few hundred meters (yards) from The Church of the Nativity, promotes a ``Made in Palestine'' label. ``There's a big influx of imported products and a lot of traditional crafts are declining gradually,'' said Samy Khoury, the center's founder and general

Singapore, Bali top destinations for Indians NEW DELHI: Singapore and Bali have emerged as the top country and city for Indian travelers to visit in 2017, a trends report by leading travel search engine Skyscanner has said.

Singapore is followed by countries like Australia, Malaysia, Maldives and South Africa as the most favored destinations, says the report.

It analyses three years' data from Indian travelers, dating back to 2013, Skyscanner said.

Singapore records the highest growth with a whopping 202 per cent average increase in searches since 2013, it added.

Among the cities tipped to be the favorite destinations in the

coming year, Bali is at the top, followed by Budapest, Madrid, Kuala Lumpur and Amsterdam.

Skyscanner's data places Bali as a favored destination in 2017 with 35 per cent recorded average

manager.

The Visit Palestine Center, which started as an online store and travel guide five years ago, works with nearly 100 workshops and home-based artisans throughout the Palestinian territories and in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan.

It features Palestinian traditional crafts, including Christmasrelated ones like olive wood rosaries and mother of pearl ornaments. The center targets independent travelers and takes a fair trade approach to its business.

Trying to sell only Palestinianmade products comes with challenges. ``Maintaining consistency and quality, the right lead time, figuring how much production capacity the producers can give,'' are some of them, explained Khoury.

Then there's the issue of price.

Maher Canawati, owner of the Three Arches souvenir shop, sells locally made gifts and even has a wood workshop in the back. But he keeps room for imports as well. ``We have to carry all kinds of merchandise in our shop because we have different markets and different pilgrims with different budgets,'' said Canawati, whose family has provided services to pilgrims since the 16th century.

Canawati said he wants to give his customers options, and he is clear about the differences. ``A dozen of made-in-China ro-

saries sell for $4 while a dozen of locally made sell for $25,'' he said. ``The made-in-China Jesus babies sell for $20 and the Bethlehem ones sell for $64.''

While craft workshop owners grumble about foreign imports, not everyone believes the imports have seriously threatened local merchants and artisans. ``It's a business,'' said Samir Hazboun, Chairman of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce. ``I'm not aware of anyone running out of business because of the imports.''

Ali Abu Srour, director general of the Palestinian Tourism Ministry, said the government is trying to update its tourism laws to protect local producers and merchants.

Under the proposed regulations, shopkeepers would be required to carry 70 percent locally made products, with clear labels that distinguish between imports and ``Made in Palestine'' ones.

Muhammad Yusuf, a wood craftsman with The Olive Wood Factory, scoffs at the imports. ``It's not good, this is better,'' he said with a smile as he worked on a figure of the Virgin Mary.

Back at the Blessings Gift Shop, Julie Deler, 24, a tourist from Germany, bought a small olive wood camel made by a Palestinian craftsman. ``I prefer locally made because I want to support the locals,'' she said. -AP

Bali, Island in Indonesia

growth in searches in the past three years.

"In 2016, we saw the list heavily-domi-

Singapore

nated with South Asian destinations and in 2017, there has been a seismic shift to incorporate the near and far - from Australia to Europe," Skyscanner Growth Manager India, Reshmi Roy said.

This is an indication on changing

travel mindset as it becomes simpler and easier, she added.

"Each year the Skyscanner Travel Trend Report discovers more attributes of Indian travelers," Roy said.

Founded in 2003, global travel search company Skyscanner helps meet the travel planning needs of over 50 million people each month.

It provides free search of flights, hotels and car hire. -PTI

„ Health

Line

Sun bathing may prevent diabetes, heart disease

Health Science

S

un bathing and vitamin D supplements may be feasible and affordable approaches to improve or even prevent metabolic syndromes which pose a risk of diabetes and heart disease, a new study has claimed.

It is well known that a diet high in fat can trigger a metabolic syndrome. Scientists have now discovered that vitamin D deficiency is necessary for this syndrome to progress in mice, with underlying disturbances in gut bacteria.

"Based on this study, we believe that keeping vitamin D levels high, either through sun exposure, diet or supplementation, is beneficial for prevention and treatment of metabolic syndrome," said Stephen Pandol from Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in the US. Metabolic syndrome affects a quarter of the world's adult population, and it is defined by a group of risk factors that put you on the road to diabetes and heart disease.-PTI

Patients to get colored bed sheets daily AMBALA: The indoor patients of civil hospitals and primary health centers in Haryana will get bed sheets of different colors on their beds every day, state Health Minister Anil Vij said here.

He said that he had directed all the Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) and Civil Surgeons to implement it with immediate effect.

The Minister said that he had received the report that the white bed sheets being used in the government hospitals were not cleaned properly which might cause infection to patients admitted there.

Vij said he had asked the senior officers of the department to conduct surprise raid in the hospitals and take action against the concerned officials if the negligence in new arrangement was noticed.

He said that the civil hospitals were provided special fund for it.

Meanwhile, SMO of Ambala cantonment civil hospital, Dr Satish Kumar, said he had arranged sufficient number of bed sheets of blue, green, yellow, red and other colors to put the order of minister into practice.

He said that it would grant big relief to indoor patients.-PTI

44 India Post

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December 30, 2016

New search panel for AIIMS top job Details on Page 46

Microsoft India launches intelligent network for eyecare India Post News Service

C

ontinuing to enhance real life impact through tech nology, Microsoft India, in collaboration with L V Prasad Eye Institute, has launched Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare (MINE). This is a mission-driven global consortium of like-minded commercial, research and academic institutions who have joined hands to apply artificial intelligence to help in the elimination of avoidable blindness and scale delivery of eyecare services worldwide.

The partner organizations of this consortium include Bascom Palmer - University of Miami, Flaum Eye Institute - University of Rochester (USA), Federal University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Brien Holden Vision Institute (Australia). The partner organizations will collaborate and collectively work on diverse datasets of patients across geographies to

come up with machine learning predictive models for vision impairment and eye disease.

This will include the rate of change of myopia in children, conditions that impact children's eyesight, predictive outcomes of

sonalize a surgery and maximize its probability of success.

By studying this data and applying advanced analytics with Microsoft machine learning technology to derive insights, MINE will aim to drive strategies to pre-

Microsoft India, in collaboration with L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, on Monday launched Microsoft Intelligent Network for Eyecare

refractive surgery, optimal surgery parameters as well as ways to per-

vent avoidable blindness and help increase efficiency in the delivery

of eyecare worldwide. Currently 285 million people are visually impaired, of which 55 million reside in India.

As the technology driver, Microsoft will deploy its leading cloud platform technology - Cortana Intelligence Suite, for advanced analytics and to build Artificial Intelligence models on eyecare.

"By using our capabilities and pioneering work in the field of machine learning over the years, Microsoft has helped accelerate digital transformation in various key sectors in India, including agriculture and education," said Anil Bhansali, Managing Director, Microsoft India (R&D). "Today, I am happy to take forward the work we have done in healthcare with an esteemed set of partners.

MINE, a global collaboration, reinforces Microsoft's belief in the combined power of data, cloud and advanced analytics to drive public good.

Cont’d on page 45

'Disabilities Bill will transform India' WASHINGTON: The passage of the landmark Disabilities Bill by the Indian Parliament has a farreaching impact, laying the foundation for transforming the country's disability sector and bringing it on par with the developed world, said an IndianAmerican who campaigned for the cause.

"Finally, after 10 years of signing UN treaty, Indian Parliament has passed landmark bill for Divyang Jan, Specially Abled People which has far reaching impact and foundation for transforming India's disability sector," Silicon Valley-based IT professional Pranav Desai told PTI. Desai, head of 'Voice of Specially Abled People' (VoSAP) NGO, returned from India where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the third time as part of efforts to push for the bill and improve the lot of India's large disability sector.

An elated Desai said the new bill, will become a law upon sig-

nature of the President, has 21 types of disabilities is in line with international standards.

"This is expected to increase employment of Specially Abled People in the private sector. Most importantly, bill has empowered the community with provision of increasing reservation in government jobs to four per cent," he said.

"Our vision is to transform India's disability sector as thought

variety of reasons such as assault, insult or intimidation. It will largely increase social inclusion, dignity and compliance of the law," Desai, who had over 125 meetings to advance the agenda of empowering specially-abled people, said.

The new bill gives five years of time limit for upgrading existing government buildings - state and central both.

Among his other proposals to

Finally, after 10 years of signing UN treaty, Indian Parliament has passed landmark bill for Divyang Jan, Specially Abled People which has far reaching impact and foundation for transforming India's disability sector," Silicon Valleybased IT professional Pranav Desai told PTI. leaders and enablers which in turn will allow us to help other countries as well.

"Strict provisions for non-compliance such as fine up to Rs five lakh or jail term up to five years for

the Indian government include setting up special economic zone (SEZ) for making India "Global Hub" for manufacturing of Assistive Devices, targeting to provide one million employment

for Divyang by 2022 and enabling 100,000 people to get vision by 2020 by integrating, upgrading eye banks with hospitals and organ donation database IT solution for achieving 70 per cent successful transplant.

Voice of Specially Abled People has also called for providing one accessible coach per passenger train.

Desai said VoSAP has started working with the Gujarat government to develop it as a role model state in India for adopting and implementing initiatives for creating "Divyang Friendly", Inclusive Society.

"As part of the strategy, VoSAP has now stepped up efforts to engage actively with selected states, Smart cities and ministries such as HRD and Health with transformation initiatives now that goals of proper law, awareness creation are already achieved," Desai added. PTI

December 30, 2016

Health Science Post

India Post 45

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Without Aadhaar, patients to pay 10 times NEW DELHI: Soon patients who provide Aadhaar card at AIIMS will have their registration charges waived, but without it they will have to pay Rs 100 which is ten times the current fee.

Expected to be enforced from January, the move aims at encouraging digital transactions and streamlining patients' database which otherwise is getting cluttered as many patients misplace documents and OPD cards, Dr Deepak Agrawal, chairman, computerization, AIIMS, said.

At present, a patient has to pay Rs 10 for

registration following which a Unique Health Identification (UHID) number is assigned to him/her.

"What happens now is that multiple UHID gets created for a single patient as he misplaces documents and outdoor cards thus cluttering the data," Dr Agrawal said.

"Most likely from next month, registration will become free for patients who provide their Aadhaar number. Those who cannot provide Aadhaar card they will have to pay of Rs 100 for registration," he said.

However, those who cannot pay the hiked registration fee can get it exempted by approaching medical social workers.

AIIMS has already written to the Union Health Ministry requesting it to issue a notification that would mandate linking of Aadhaar number with UHID number.

Linking of Aadhaar number with UHID will also help in achieving the aim of health

records portability from one hospital to another, Dr Agrawal said.

Also, in the backdrop of the Centre's push for digital transactions, AIIMS is planning to introduce prepaid card scheme for cashless treatment.

"Under this scheme, people can deposit money before treatment and avail services.

If the amount is not fully utilized it would be refunded to the patient. The process of issuing tender for issuing these prepaid cards is complete," Dr Agrawal said.

AIIMS Deputy Director (Administration) V Srinivas said to promote digital transactions in patient services, AIIMS will procure 100 POS (point of sale) machines. These will be set up at cash counters.

AIIMS has also introduced 200 kiosks where net banking facilities have been operationalised. A payment section at www.ors.gov.in is operational since last year.

To promote digital transaction in the academic section of the premier medical institute, a payment section shall be introduced on wwww.aiims.edu website.

A committee comprising medical superintendent Dr D K Sharma, senior financial advisor Raj Kumar and others will be formed to oversee the timely implementation of the use of digital transaction, a release by AIIMS said.

AIMMS has also decided to purchase medical equipment and machinery through Government e-Marketplace (GeM), an integrated online portal, saying it will bring more transparency and efficiency into the procurement process. PTI PLB NSD AIIMS resident doctors' association has supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his campaign to promote cashless transaction in the country.

In a letter to the AIIMS medical superintendent in this regard, the association urged the administration to instruct owners of shops and canteens in the hospital premises to accept online modes of payment.-PTI

Microsoft India launches intelligent network for eyecare Cont’d from page 44

In our shared vision to eradicate preventive blindness, MINE will help redefine eyecare by bringing together the power of technology and knowledge of global experts."

"At LVPEI, we have been using Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and Power BI to drive clinical interventions and improve patient outcomes. Today, we take great pride in taking forward our partnership with Microsoft and joining forces with global institutes to revolutionize the field of ophthalmology in India and across the world. We are confident that this partnership will not only open doors to opportunities in the field of eyecare, but also pave way for others to leverage technology to address several other critical eye diseases,"

said G.N. Rao, Founder-Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute.

"At Microsoft, our ambition is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. This unique partnership with LVPEI and the consortium brings the best in the field together to reimagine healthcare using machine learning through the Microsoft Cortana Intelligence Suite," said Joseph Sirosh, Corporate Vice President of Data Group at Microsoft. "We will continue to drive our investments in cloud, machine learning and advanced analytics to provide the building blocks to empower people and organizations to build, innovate and transform."

As the next step, MINE will bring together different partner organizations on Azure and collectively work on ideas of impact.

You may live longer if your doc is female NEW YORK: In a surprise finding, a team of Harvard University researchers including one of Indian origin has found that elderly patients treated by female physicians are less likely to die within 30 days of admission, or to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge, than those cared for by male physicians.

For the study, the team analyzed data from more than one million Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older and hospitalized with a medical condition.

The study, published online in JAMA Internal Medicine, indicated that potential differences in practice patterns between male and female physicians may have important clinical implications.

"The difference in mortality rates surprised us. The gender of the physician appears to be particularly significant for the sickest patients," said lead author Yusuke Tsugawa, research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Massachusetts.

For the study, the team analyzed data from more than one million Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older and hospitalized with a medical condition.

The findings showed that the patients, if treated by a female physician, had a four per cent lower relative risk of dying prematurely and a five per cent lower relative risk of being readmitted to a hospital within 30 days.

The association was seen across a wide

variety of clinical conditions and variations in severity of illness.

If male physicians could achieve the same outcomes as their female colleagues, there would be 32,000 fewer deaths each year - a number comparable to the annual number of motor vehicle accident deaths nationally, the researchers estimated.

"Our findings suggest that the differ-

ences matter and are important to patient health. We need to understand why female physicians have lower mortality so that all patients can have the best possible outcomes, irrespective of the gender of their physician," added Ashish Jha, professor of Health Policy and director of the Harvard Global Health Institute.

"But women physicians are usually treated very differently - they are less likely to be promoted and are generally paid less than their male counterparts," Jha rued.Agencies

Health Science Post

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New search panel for AIIMS top job NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Office has ordered reconstitution of the search-cumselection committee tasked with short listing names for the AIIMS director's post amid allegations of nepotism against some members of the panel.

It is learnt, the move came after some applicants for the AIIMS top job accused some members of the panel of conflict of interest as they have close relationship with a particular candidate. They have also raised the issue of eligibility of promotee professors for the

Also, antecedents of applicants will be verified thoroughly before finalization of names, sources in the Union Health Ministry said.

"The PMO had ordered the reconstitution of the search-cumselection committee based on DoPT guidelines after certain issues concerning members of the panel were raised.

"Also, DoPT had sought opinion of the PMO regarding AIIMS president J P Nadda, who is also the Union Health Minister, chairing the panel," a source at the ministry said.

director's post.

"Some members of the panel have close relationship with one of the candidate. This may lead to bias during the whole selection process," a senior AIIMS faculty member who is also a contender for the top job alleged.

As per rules, the search-cumselection Committee selects a name from the list of candidates which is then sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by the Prime Minister for final approval.

Some faculty members at

AIIMS claimed that those who are appointed as professors through open selection cannot be equated with those who were promoted to professor grade. Thus professors by selection should be considered over professors by promotion for the top job.

A selection-cumsearch committee under the chairmanship of Nadda has been constituted and was supposed to meet on December 12. Later it was postponed to December 17. But the meeting has not taken place yet.

According to sources, 53 eminent doctors, including 35 candidates from outside AIIMS, have applied for the post and the screening of applications is complete.

The main contenders for the top post include, Dr V K Paul, head of the department (HOD) of pediatrics, Dr Randeep Guleria, HOD of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders, Dr Alka Kriplani, HOD of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr A B Dey, HOD of Geriatric Medicine, and AIIMS medical superintendent Dr D K Sharma.

Current AIIMS director Dr M C Mishra is set to retire on January 31, next year.-PTI

Comprehensive action plan on AMR soon: Union Health Secretary NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will shortly be releasing a comprehensive Action Plan on Anti-Microbial Resistance, according to Union Health Secretary, C K Mishra.

"Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a critical issue today and needs to be addressed urgently in India. Life saving devices should not become life threatening devices. Irrational use of medicines also raises the cost of health care for our country. In addition, very little research is happening on AMR, which is a larger concern.

"We therefore need a protocol for rational drug use and antibiotic stewardship in the country and support it with the necessary regulatory framework. The Ministry of Health will be coming out shortly with a comprehensive plan

of action on AMR," Mishra said.

He was speaking at a Policy Round table on "Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: Combating Antimicrobial Resistance" organized by Neeti Foundation, an independent think tank.

Earlier this year, the Centre launched "Medicines with the Red Line" campaign, which requires packs of certain medicines to be

Health Secretary C K Mishra

marked with a red line in order to check over-the-counter sale of antibiotics causing drug resistance for several critical diseases including TB, malaria, urinary tract infection and even HIV. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Arun Mehta also acknowledged that like measures to check pollutants and effluents undertaken by the government there is also a need to "develop clear norms on pharma effluent standards and re-examine the issue vis-a-vis the rising concern of AMR today."

Policy makers, think tanks, academia, NGOs, public health and environment experts called for a need to have a concerted action to tackle AMR.-PTI

Health Ministry wins Web Ratna award NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare won gold in the Web Ratna category in the recently concluded Digital India awards, 2016, conferred by the Ministry of Electronics and IT to promote e-governance initiatives by the government entities.

Digital India awards, earlier known as the Web Ratna Awards, were instituted under the Ambit of National Portal of India. The award acknowledges exemplary initiatives of various government entities in the realm of e-governance.

display the level of accountability in terms of quantity, quality, spectrum of coverage and innovation.

Level of convenience provided to the citizen for availing the services, usability and accessibility are also assessed.

The website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare conforms to the UUU trilogy. It is totally bilingual as per the directions of Parliamentary Committee of official languages and is accessible to all.

Special features have also been

Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology and Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad presented the award to Jitendra Arora, Director, e-Governance, at the Ministry of Health.

Web Ratna award felicitates a Ministry or a Department of the Government of India which has a comprehensive web presence and

incorporated in the website for visually challenged users.

All relevant web policies have been implemented with due approvals. Content has been grouped systematically under drop down menus that result in easy navigation and Social Media has also been integrated with the website.-PTI

Court orders fixing of coronary stents MRP

T

he Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to fix by March 1 next year the maximum retail price (MRP) of coronary stents, which are used to treat narrowed or weakened arteries in the heart.

The court was informed that the maximum price for coronary stents - both metal and drug stents - will soon be fixed by the central government as the notification to classify the stents as a Schedule 1 drug under the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013 has been issued.

But the bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked why the MRP had not been fixed even though the notification had originally been issued in July.

The move has come several months after the July 2016 order that had included coronary stents as an "essential drug" for which prices can be controlled by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), said the bench.

The bench's observation came after the central government said that the Department of Pharmaceuticals had issued a notification putting bare metal stents, drugeluting stents and bio-resorbable scaffold or biodegradable stents in Schedule-I of the DPCO. On July 19 this year, the Health Ministry included stents in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) after the court demanded action on a public interest petition filed by advocate Birender Sangwan, who sought price control on stents.

The petitioner alleged that the government and the NPPA are being "insensitive and irresponsible" towards the people by not taking any steps to fix the price of the medical device which is allegedly being sold at a high price in the country.

It had also claimed that people in all age groups in the country suffer from heart ailments, requiring use of stents and not all of them can afford this treatment.-PTI

December 30, 2016

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Northeast gets ayurveda HIV patients more prone & homeopathy institute to heart attack SHILLONG: The Union minister of state in charge of AYUSH, Shripad Yessa Naik has emphasized the need to preserve and promote knowledge of ayurveda and ho-

Shripad Yessa Naik

meopathy known as traditional healers across the north eastern region.

"We have to take this knowledge and use it in our modern system. We are trying to take and make it scientifically validated, based on ethno-botanical and scientific research with practical suitability for clinical practices," he said.

Naik inaugurated the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH) permanent campus located near the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) at Mawdiangdiang here. He

also declared commencement of the academic session 2016-2017 of both the under graduate teaching program in ayurveda and homeopathy.

Dedicating the lone institute of north east to the nation, Naik said that the NEIAH will focus on research related to traditional medicines from the northeast.

"Northeastern region has different types of folks and traditional healthcare practices among different ethnic groups and tribes of the region. The permanent campus of NEIAH in Shillong will benefit the research of these traditional practices ," he said.

The minister asserted that if required the Centre may also consider setting up a medicinal plant board for the entire north eastern region.

Naik also said that the primary aim of the institute is to produce quality human resources. "It will provide quality research and inter-disciplinary translational research in plant-based medical sciences namely Ayurveda and homeopathy," he said.

With NE region facing shortage of doctors, Naik said that the establishment of this institute will help to combat this problem in the remote, and hilly backward areas of the entire NE. He opined that quality and standard education will help to implement and improve the execution of national health policy for the welfare of the needy people of the region.

Students come up with non-polluting car NEW DELHI: As Delhi reels under severe air pollution, two school students here have come up with the concept of a 'selfsustainable' car that runs using electromagnetic induction to help tackle the health hazard.

Nandini Sharma and Kabir Arora, class eleven students of Amity International School - Pushp Vihar, bagged the innovation award after a two-month-long science competition on the topic 'Mitigating Air Pollution in Delhi'.

The 'self-sustainable' car, a nonpolluting, zero carbon footprint simulation concept that uses electromagnetic induction, was among several projects created by students from various schools in and around Delhi.

In the event, jointly organized by United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan, Sonalika Group of Companies, National Progressive Schools' Conference and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, students from other schools also bagged prizes in different categories.

The car project would also be proposed

to IIT-Delhi to be developed into a functional prototype.

Speaking at the award ceremony, JNU Rector Chintamani Mohapatra said that Delhi was not fighting pollution adequately.

Representative Image

"The focus is just on old vehicles and its emissions, but not on the number of vehicles an average family has," he added.

"The future of Delhi residents is bleak unless there is a co-operation between government and stakeholders to fight the war against pollution," he added.-PTI

In individuals with HIV, heart attack risk is nearly double than that of the general population, says a study. 'The actual risk of heart attack for people with HIV was roughly 50 per cent higher than predicted by the risk calculator many physicians use for the general population,' said first author Matthew Feinstein from the Northwestern

University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, US. The higher risk for heart attack - about 1.5 to two times greater - exists even in people whose virus is undetectable in their blood because of antiretroviral drugs, according to the study published in the journal JAMA Cardiology. 'There is chronic inflammation and viral replication even in people whose blood tests don't show any sign of the virus in the blood,' Feinstein ex-

plained. That is because the virus still lurks in the body's tissues, creating the inflammation that causes plaque buildup and can lead to a heart attack or a stroke.

Plaque build-up occurs 10 to 15 years earlier in HIV patients than in the uninfected population, the study said. 'It's this inflammatory state that seems to drive this accelerated ageing and these higher risks for heart disease, which are becoming more common in HIV patients as they live longer,' Feinstein said. For the study, the researchers analyzed data from approximately 20,000 HIV-infected individuals.

They compared predicted rates of heart attacks based on data from the general population to the actual rates of heart attacks observed in this cohort and found that HIV patients have nearly twice the heart attack risk. The scientists believe that primary driver of the higher risk was the HIV. Accurately predicting an individual's risk helps determine whether he or she should take medications such as statins to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. 'If you have a higher risk for heart attack or stroke, your ability to benefit from one of these drugs is greater and justifies the possible side effects of a medication,' Feinstein pointed out.-Agencies

48

Perspective

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December 30, 2016

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What 2017 has in store for cyber security RYAN FRANCIS

T

here is much uncertainty surround ing the security industry for 2017, and according to experts in the field, a lot of the trepidation is directly connected to what the nation's next president will do.

Here's what security vendors and analysts are predicting for the year ahead.

John B Wood, CEO of Telos Corporation, cites a need for cooperation between the government and the private sector. President-elect Donald Trump took a break from his "thank you" tour to meet with tech executives to smooth over a contentious time

believe that a change of administration will automatically lead to a change in regulatory policy.

"Although there will certainly be a big push by the Trump administration to roll back or modify overly burdensome regulations, I don't see this affecting cyber security regulations, like the NIST Cyber Security Framework that has been developed in consultation with the private sector," he commented.

Reuven Harrison, CTO and co-founder of Tufin, a provider of network security policy orchestration solutions for enterprise

between the two sides during his campaign.

"President-elect Trump has been vocal about the need for a stronger and more aggressive cyber security posture, and I'm confident that he'll work with leading members of Congress. Many non-political cyber experts throughout the government, various agency CISOs and [Federal Chief Information Security Officer] General Touhill will also be great resources to further refine cyber security policies to protect U.S. interests in the face of constantly changing threats," Wood said.

He also noted the renewed focus on U.S. Cyber Command. The President-elect has promised to eliminate the threat of defense sequestration and to spend more on the military. "This needs to include working to roll back the budget caps for defense spending and providing additional resources for cyber security, including more money for U.S. Cyber Command, which I believe is grossly underfunded," Wood added.

Speaking of funding, Wood does not

cyber security, said the thought of a Trump administration inevitably failing to uphold regulations will keep IT departments tossing and turning at night. "If Trump implements his deregulation promises, and penalties for non-compliance with industry-wide security regulations are relaxed, security teams will need to be self-disciplined to maintain a high level of security by turning to outside resources for security best practices," he said.

Carson Sweet, co-founder and CTO at CloudPassage, said privacy will take center stage over security.

"Trump's administration will create a fundamental shift in concerns as it pertains to security. There's a new sheriff in town, and many posit that he has less regard for privacy concerns than the current administration. Case in point, Trump supported the FBI in its battle with Apple over iPhone privacy and security," Sweet stated. "If this new administration demonstrates in their policies a value for law enforcement and

intelligence access over citizens' privacy, they'll double or triple down on the government's right to inspect data. The impact of such a reality would extend to the use of online services, cloud providers, even personal computing devices and IoT." What that impact would be is very hard to know, but it's safe to bet that it won't be positive, he said. The wars around PGP and personal encryption come to mind (anyone remember the Clipper chip?).

John Bambenek, threat systems manager at Fidelis Cyber security, said he never would have predicted last year that we would be talking about the DNC and hacking of elections.

"Ransomware will be on the upswing and evolve in new unforeseen ways. It will be more targeted and focus on more valuable

have all started both offensive and defensive cyber security operations. Nationstates have allegedly launched malware that damaged nuclear centrifuges, stolen intellectual property from private companies, and even breached other governments' confidential systems. Countries are hacking for espionage, crime investigation, and even to spread propaganda and disinformation."

Trump's administration will create a fundamental shift in concerns as it pertains to security.

Carson Sweet, CTO, CloudPassage: He believes 2017 will be much of the same: Behind the scenes, nation-states have been leveraging undiscovered vulnerabilities in their attacks, suggesting that these countries have been finding, purchasing, and hording zero-day flaws in software to power

"Trump's administration will create a fundamental shift in concerns as it pertains to security. There's a new sheriff in town, and many posit that he has less regard for privacy concerns than the current administration. Case in point, Trump supported the FBI in its battle with Apple over iPhone privacy and security" targets as we saw with healthcare. And it will continue to attack new, more damaging industries like we recently witnessed with San Francisco BART and Muni," he said.

While 2016 found the election under scrutiny because of alleged hacking by foreign powers, 2017 will continue the trend of identity theft and ransomware.

Forrester predicts that within the first 100 days, the new president will face a cyber crisis. The momentum of winning the election gives new presidents the public's support to follow through on key initiatives of their campaigns. However, the 45th president will lose that momentum coming into office by finding the administration facing a cyber security incident.

Forrester suggests that the administration prepare for nation-states and ideologies looking to disrupt and degrade. They believe the U.S. should be on the lookout for China, North Korea and Iran.

"Political ideologies use electronic means to both recruit and spread information. DDoS attacks using IoT devices are becoming a common means of disrupting operations for companies or individuals that threat actors disagree with. A company can become a target not just because of its size

their future cyber campaigns.

"In other words, the nation-state cyber cold war is an arms race to discover and horde software vulnerabilities - often ones in the private software we all use every day," he said.

In 2017, expect to see a civilian casualty from the nation-state cyber cold war, Nachreiner said. "We expect to see at least one private business or citizen become a victim of a zero-day flaw that a nation-state held secret in their arsenal," he said.

In an effort to combat terrorism and expand surveillance at least one Western government will follow Russia's lead and mandate access to encryption keys and certificates, foresees Kevin Bocek, vice president of security strategy and threat intelligence at Venafi.

"Widespread government access to encrypted communications has the potential to demolish internet privacy and devastate security. Encryption is the backbone of secure and private communications on the internet - it protects online banking, shopping, all manner of consumer services that our economy and critical infrastructure rely on. Once we allow governments universal access to encryption the likelihood of abuse

Forrester predicts that within the first 100 days, the new president will face a cyber crisis. The momentum of winning the election gives new presidents the public's support to follow through on key initiatives of their campaigns. However, the 45th president will lose that momentum coming into office or global presence but also because of its political donations or public statements. If you've never factored geopolitical concerns into your security risk analysis, you ignore them at your own firm's peril."

Civilian "casualties" in the Cyber Cold War Corey Nachreiner, CTO at WatchGuard Technologies, follows Forrester's way of thinking. "Whether you know it or not, the cyber cold war has started. Nation-states, including U.S., Russia, Israel, and China,

and misuse skyrockets. It's time to stand up against governments' efforts to hijack privacy and trust online," he said.

Scott Millis, CTO of mobile security company Cyber adAPT, believes that by next year every adult in the U.S. will know a relative who has had their identity stolen. The Internal Revenue Service reported that 2.7 million people had their identities stolen in 2014, and according to TransUnion 19 people fall victim to identity theft every minute.

Cont’ d on page 49

December 30, 2016

Perspective

India Post 49

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What 2017 has in store for cyber security Cont’ d from page 48

George Ng, co-founder and CTO of Cyence, believes many companies don't realize even the smallest things can expose personal information and make them more likely to be targeted. For example, a job listing for a CSO or CISO indicates a lack of senior leadership for cyber security. "[Personal identifiable information] continues to be a target for hackers and criminals and is very tangible information that can be sold easily on the dark web, just as easy as credit cards. PII records will continue to be specifically targeted because they fetch a higher price and are more versatile in their usage for hackers."

With privacy in mind, Forrester said surveillance marketing will blur the line between online and offline customer behavior. "The online ad world has been chipping away at people's ability to keep their online and offline habits separate for years."

New rules for U.S. internet service providers will unleash a flurry of lawsuits. Earlier this year, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) determined that ISPs like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon would be classified as "common carriers" - the same designation as landline telephony providers. On Oct. 27, the FCC voted on a set of rules that place limits on how these providers are allowed to monetize customer data. The carriers say that the FCC is restricting fair competition, since companies like Facebook and Google have no such rules.

"2017 will be a year of legal battles - between the internet giants and against federal regulators - while the promised consumer protections will fall short on enforcement," Forrester writes.

More data breaches Of course predicting more data breaches is not a real shocker. Forrester estimated that a Fortune 1000 company will succumb to a cyber breach and ultimately close down.

There will be no improvement in the time companies take to react to a breach, Millis said. Ponemon Institute found that when a breach was identified within 100 days, average costs were $5.83 million per breach.

However, if a breach went undetected for more than 100 days, costs rose nearly 40 percent.

Healthcare breaches will become as large and common as retail breaches, Forrester believes. The 2015 breach of Anthem that affected as many as 80 million patients will become commonplace. As a result of mergers, acquisitions, and other partnership arrangements, large healthcare insurer and provider conglomerates are only increasing in size - as is the critical patient information they store. The consolidation of providers leaves security fragmented with varying security levels.

Second, patient data carries unique, permanent information, such as genetic markers, and biometric data, such as fingerprints.

For malicious attackers interested in ransom, blackmail, and espionage, this data will be too tempting not to grab. Given the critical nature of the services and the sensitivity of the data at risk, healthcare firms should

spend on par with other critical infrastructure industries.

Mike Patterson, vice president of strategy at Rook Security, said there will be a billion-dollar breach. Costs for Anthem's breach reached hundreds of millions of dollars within a few months of its early 2015 disclosure that affected nearly 80 million accounts. Yahoo's acquisition by Verizon could see a devaluation or termination of

portant for insurance companies to better understand the risks facing individual clients, but they will need to view this data over their entire portfolios to understand aggregate risk and ensure they are not over extended," he said.

He added, the good news is that the insurance industry is beginning to rely on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cyber Security Frame-

Healthcare breaches will become as large and common as retail breaches, Forrester believes. The 2015 breach of Anthem that affected as many as 80 million patients will become commonplace. As a result of mergers, acquisitions, security gets fragmented the $4.8 billion deal value as a result of Yahoo's recent breach disclosure.

"If we are at the point where a big breach at a large enterprise can quickly generate hundreds of millions of dollars in costs or cost shareholders hundreds of millions of dollars in share purchases, we aren't far from a new breach in 2017 taking us over the $1 billion mark," he said.

By contrast, Justin Giardina, CTO at iland, believes the "little guys" will be the next targets. "While historically, it was the biggest organizations with the most attractive data that got hacked, increasing numbers of malicious attacks targets smaller, often weaker, targets. So, we'll see mediumsized enterprises raising their security and business continuity efforts."

There will be a shift in focus from broadbased attacks to more targeted attacks against specific firms or individuals, says Scott Petry, CEO at Authentic8. The best evidence of this is the intellectual property theft against law firms, insider spoofed spear phishing to finance and HR people,

work (CSF) to help standardize the view of cyber risk and ultimately manage aggregate, or portfolio, risk.

In the next year we are going to see a rebalancing of spending from traditional security solutions to data protection and recovery, said Paul Zeiter, president at Zerto.

"While security spend protects the perimeter fence, there are simply too many cases of breaches getting past these defenses to not have a plan B in place."

CIOs and CEOs are starting to recognize that millions of dollars in IT security investments, while critically important, are just not enough when a disaster such as a hack or ransomware breaks through the perimeter or a natural disaster like a hurricane floods their data center.

While security spend protects the perimeter fence, there are simply too many cases of breaches getting past these defenses to not have a plan B in place.

Paul Zeiter, president at Zerto: "In the wake of a disaster, companies quickly come to the realization that without the right in-

Just as network security ownership defaulted to network teams in the 1990s, the same will be true for agile security and DevOps teams in 2017. "Cloud and agile technologies are being adopted faster than ever, and the industry doesn't have time to wait for infosec to develop the needed skills. Therefore, DevOps teams will be on hook ransomware targeting healthcare after Methodist paid out.

Speaking of paying out, Rick Tracy, CSO and senior vice president at Telos Corporation, said cyber insurance needs to mature.

"Cyber attacks have increased over the past few years and will only get worse. Because cyber is so new, relatively speaking, there isn't a great deal of actuarial data to help insurance carriers underwrite cyber risk," he said.

The aggregate effect of cyber risk and the financial liability it poses are concerns for the insurance industry. For example, as bad as the Target breach was, what if there had been multiple, similar breaches that occurred simultaneously? What impact would this have had on the insurance carriers providing cyber liability coverage to these companies?

"Moving forward, not only will it be im-

vestments in a disaster recovery solution, their businesses are exposed. To be proactive, companies need a plan and tools in place to recover from any disaster very quickly with as little revenue and end-user impact as possible. Even if an organization has implemented the best preventative security technology, disasters can and do still happen," he said.

DevOps breach CloudPassage's Sweet predicts DevOps teams will own security implementation (or, DevSecOps will gain traction)."History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. In this case, the rhyme is that the primary technology owners will also own security control implementation - even if they don't operate it," he said.

As distributed computing and TCP/IP took hold in the early 1990's, the informa-

tion security world revolved around RACF and TopSecret - mainframe access management. Distributed computing and network security had never been issues before, so there were no skilled security practitioners to get the job done. The result… network security was owned by the network organization. The same thing happened when web application security became a demand; the web developers were responsible for implementing security controls (e.g. WAMs) even though central infosec was providing guidance and standards, he said.

Just as network security ownership defaulted to network teams in the 1990s, the same will be true for agile security and DevOps teams in 2017. "Cloud and agile technologies are being adopted faster than ever, and the industry doesn't have time to wait for infosec to develop the needed skills.

Therefore, DevOps teams will be on the hook for implementing actual security controls," he said.

The successful security team will recognize this and seek to provide tools that work with this trend instead of fighting it. In so doing these teams will maintain high degrees of visibility and create leverage for their already-stressed resources, he added. We've said for over a decade that security should be built in, not bolted on - here's a prime opportunity to move towards that reality.

Tufin's Harrison agrees about the importance of DevOps in the security process, ensuring compliance to internal and external security rules without slowing down the primary mission of the DevOps team. This will be a challenge, as security is not inherently baked into a DevOps culture of "move fast, break stuff." "In 2017, DevOps oversights could be the new data breach. We may see a major breach that gets tracked back to the DevOps approach, causing DevOps and security teams to become new best friends."

More predictions • Need to rethink endpoint security. Rick Grinnell, co-founder and partner at Glasswing Ventures, says in 2017 the industry will need to rethink the focus on security at the endpoint and instead begin to think about security at what he calls the "middle point" - or layers of security between the exploitable surface area of the internet of things (IoT), and the assets, data, and services that we need to protect. From a VC perspective, there are various areas that are ripe for innovation in this middle point, including new product areas (e.g., the detection and profiling of all connected devices) as well as improvements in existing solutions (e.g., next-generation security information and event management that can better analyze all of the output of new middle point and existing solutions).

• Moving away from security sprawl and towards true automation. Joerg Sieber, director of products at Palo Alto Networks, said to counter the malicious activities coming at them, security operations teams need to be more agile than ever, which means more visibility into what's coming at them, a reduction of noise, and automating for faster response.

-Courtesy CSO, an International Data Group company

„

Realty Tidbits

Vacant rail land to grow farm products NEW DELHI: Railways has given more than 8000 acres of vacant land for farming purpose under grow more food scheme.

The vacant railway land is given on license to railway employees working in Group C and D category under Grow More Food (GMF) scheme, said a senior Railway Ministry official.

According to railway policy, licensing of railway land to private parties for the purposes not connected with railway working is not permitted.

"Railways has given 8859.18 acres of land under grow more food scheme," he said adding "it helps preventing encroachment of vacant railway land."

There are about 930.75 hectares of railway land which is currently encroached upon including over 206 hectares of land is under illegal occupation in Northern Railway zone alone.

To outwit land encroachers, the Railways is now planning to lay new tracks on the extreme ends of existing lines. This would effectively deal with the problem of land encroachment, a politicallysensitive issue in the country. -PTI

„ NBWs against Unitech MDs cancelled NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has cancelled Non Bailable Warrants (NBWs) against two Managing Directors of real estate major Unitech Ltd in a case of alleged misappropriation of Rs 500 crore collected from investors for one of its housing projects.

Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal granted the relief to the firm's MDs Ajay Chandra and Sanjay Chandra, saying "it would amount to interference in the investigation by the police as it was the sole prerogative of the probe agency to arrest or not to arrest an accused in appropriate case... the consequent NBWs issued by IO against the accused are accordingly set aside."

However, the court said it would be open to the IO to come to a conclusion independently.

"During the probe, if he wants to arrest the accused, he would be at liberty as per law," it said while accepting the arguments advanced by accused's advocate Vijay Aggarwal.

Aggarwal had also said that the issuance of the NBW was wrong as it would amount to interference in the ongoing probe which is the sole prerogative of the investigating agency. -PTI

Real Estate 50 India Post

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December 30, 2016

Plan to redevelop Portland's east waterfront PORTLAND, Maine: Portland's Planning Board has approved a master plan to redevelop 10 acres of land on the city's eastern waterfront. The Portland Press Herald reports the board decided that the project conforms with the city's comprehensive plan and zoning rules.

Developer CPB2 is proposing a $10 million project that aims to transform the former Portland Co. complex on the waterfront. The project would roughly double the size of the existing marina at the site and add amenities such as laundry facilities, restrooms and parking. -AP

Land prices set to tumble in Chennai after demonetization V NAGARAJAN

S

oaring land prices would be come a thing of the past in Chennai if the current trend in the pace of enquiries is any indication, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetization drive which has jolted the property market. There are no takers for outright buying and even approved projects are entering the market for takeover with flexible terms, a phenomenon hitherto unheard of in the city.

According to leading developers, land prices are set to dip by 20-30 per cent from the current values quoted in the market in suburban and peripheral areas. A few land owners have already lost the opportunity cost in specific micro markets like Perambur, GST Road and OMR due to their rigid stance in declining strategic alliance with pan-India developers and are regretting their decision.

A number of plotted development projects with approval from the appropriate authorities in place are seeking exit routes. With the Madras High court declining to reconsider its order imposing ban on registration of unapproved

plots/layouts, there has been a spurt in the price of approved plots by 10 per cent, said a leading plot developer in the city. There is no dip in the quantum of enquiries for approved plotted development

keting agencies are shying away from committing to ventures and instead prefer to wait and watch the course of developments in the coming months.

The joint venture concept is

projects but the retail prices of plots are up depending on the location and the type of development.

With subdued real estate market showing no signs of revival for over two years now, the mar-

gaining momentum more than ever before but they are confined to location specific projects and leading developers are able to flex their muscles with their terms in the changing market scenario. Even

upfront advances and repayment schedules are eased if the intention is to go for development of residential units.

In anticipation of drastic home loan lending rates reduction in the coming months, end users and fence sitters are adopting a wait and watch attitude rather than plunge into action for better bargains. Property developers keen to go for prelaunch units have hiked their service charges for channel partners and are willing to consider better repayment terms for buyers. A leading developer has offered flexible repayment terms for built units on OMR recently in a move to get more buyers for its prelaunch exercise.

The demonetization exercise has heralded a new era in real estate development in land acquisition, pricing and better terms for developers for strategic alliance.

Landowners are in for hard times in their mindboggling unrealistic values and unless they become realistic and transparent in their dealings, there is no respite for them in the coming months.

Kingfisher Villa fails to find takers, again MUMBAI: The re-auction of embattled businessman Vijay Mallya's Goa property, Kingfisher Villa, yet again turned out to be a damp squib despite a reduction in reserve price by 5 per cent to Rs 81 crore by lenders.

This is the second failed attempt by the 17-lender consortium this week to recover its dues of over Rs 9,000 crore from Mallya by selling his prime assets.

The lenders failed to get any buyer for Kingfisher House in the city, when it was put under auction for the third time.

"There was hope that Villa could get some buyer this time, but unfortunately, none of the bidders came forward. The auction failed this time as well," a

source said.

According to experts, one of the reasons for failure of the auction could be that people are seeing correction in real estate and

Bidders would not have come forward for buying the villa as they are hoping that lenders will lower the reserve price for the property," said one of the analysts.

they expect lenders to reduce the reserve price further for the villa.

"Post demonetization, the real estate market has become dull. The property prices have come down.

The government on November 8 announced demonetization of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to root out black money, counterfeit currency and corruption. The

move has affected the real estate market where black money is rampant for buying and selling properties.

In October, when the villa was put under hammer for the first time, the reserve price was kept at Rs 85.29 crore. It failed as bidders found the reserve price too high.

The villa was once used by Mallya to host lavish parties.

The lenders took physical possession of the property in May this year after a long legal battle with United Spirits over tenancy rights. The villa was owned by United Breweries Holdings and mortgaged by the now-grounded Kingfisher Airlines to the consortium of banks to obtain loans in 2010.

Cont’d on page 51

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December 30, 2016

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Deciding on home-buying after demonetization NEW DELHI: India's real estate market has seen a lot of churning of black money in the past. Even economists have been guarded in their opinions while trying to gauge the impact of demonetization on stemming black money. A lot of unaccounted wealth is tied up in real estate.

However, the government is aware of this. So it is possible that the next step in curbing black money would be by way of going after real estate investments made through black money.

Post demonetization, many people are wondering if real estate prices are going to drop.

There is a finite possibility that prices will moderate in the coming months. "The reasons are obvious.

Black money and corruption in real estate have been disrupted by demonetization. Cashbased transactions that were being done rampantly to save taxes and duties have been impacted. However, not all real estate property will be impacted by demonetization," says Adhil

Shetty, CEO, BankBazaar.

There are broadly two types of residential property-luxury housing and budget housing.

The market for luxury housing may take a hit since this is where a great deal of undeclared income is invested. Budget homes, on the other hand, are often purchased by salaried people who pay taxes and whose incomes are declared. In such cases,

virtually nil.

"Therefore, circulation of black money in real estate transactions in case of such builders may be small. This may not be the case, however, with other builders who tend to accept cash towards sale considerations, thus developing the scope for black money circulation," says Shetty.

Apart from demonetization, there is the Real Estate Regula-

"The reasons are obvious. Black money and corruption in real estate have been disrupted by demonetization. Cash-based transactions that were being done rampantly to save taxes and duties have been impacted.� property prices may not fall dramatically.

The other way to view the impact would be through the type of builders. Established builders and Tier-1 property developers tend to keep their books clean, rendering the cash component of property purchases minimal to

tory Act (RERA), which will make the real estate market more buyerfriendly. In the past, buyers were at risk especially from unscrupulous builders and fly-by-night operators. There were cases of delays in delivery, shoddy work, and outright cheating on promised area with confusing terms such

Existing US home sales reach new high WASHINGTON: Americans bought homes in November at the fastest pace in nearly a decade. But rising mortgage rates, a deepening shortage of houses and higher

prices are likely to weigh on the market next year.

The National Association of Realtors said that sales of existing homes rose 0.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.61 million. That was up from a downwardly revised 5.57 million in October and the highest since sales hit a 5.79 million pace in February 2007. Sales were up 15 percent from a year earlier.

Sales rose 8 percent in the Northeast and 1.4 percent in the South, but fell in the West and Midwest.

Fewer than 1.9 million homes

were on the market, down 9 percent from a year earlier. The tight supply pushed the median price to $234,900 last month, up 6.8 percent from a year ago.

The Commerce Department reported that housing starts fell 18.7 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted 1.09 million. ``We have a housing shortage,'' said Lawrence Yun, the Realtors' chief economist. ``We are not

building enough housing.''

At the same time, the rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage last week rose to a 52week high of 4.16 percent. U.S. interest rates have climbed since the Nov. 8 election of Donald Trump.

Investors have bid rates higher because they expect Trump's program of tax cuts and higher spending on defense and infrastructure will boost economic growth and inflation.

The Realtors predict that higher rates and declining affordability in many parts of the country likely will lead to only a small gain in sales of existing homes next year - a 2 percent increase to about 5.52 million. ``Some prospective buyers are going to be straining to get to an affordable monthly payment with mortgage rates higher and may take a harder line on prices (or settle for less home) to make the numbers work,'' Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont Securities, said in a research note.

Still, a healthy job market has given more Americans the confidence to shop for homes. Unemployment is at a nine-year low 4.6 percent. -AP

as carpet area, built area, and the like. Usually, the agreement was found heavily in favor of the builder. RERA will, however, make property deals more transparent and fair to buyers.

The degree of impact Though this is in the realm of speculation, most experts are of the view that property prices may correct further. This could be even more in case of luxury housing and in the resale market. As per a few reports, the prices of luxury houses have already come down by more than 30% in a few circles in Mumbai and Delhi. This will remain so for the next 2-3 years depending on how fast the economy recovers from the demonetization impact.

If the much-promised crackdown on real estate happens next year, we can see further drop in prices. However, things will eventually stabilize and honest property buyers will reap the benefits of a cleanup in real estate.

Should you buy now or wait?

Even now, despite the clear intent shown by the Central government on black money, many builders are holding onto old prices. Buyers need not hurry and can afford to wait for a few months. "Having said that, for serious buyers looking to purchase property in the immediate future, this is probably the best time to go through various options available in their city. They should carefully evaluate options, negotiate a good price with the builder, and shortlist their dream property," advises Shetty.

The possible direction of repo rate Demonetization has brought down inflation. In fact, the inflation number that came in a week ago is the lowest in the last few quarters. Historically, the Reserve Bank of India has been open to lowering the repo rate when inflation is under control.

The "under control" inflation is usually 3-4%. We can expect the repo rate to come down in the next few months if inflation remains reigned in.

There are, however, some threats to the stability of inflation.

The US Federal Reserve System has increased interest rates recently, taking the country out of the near-zero rate that has prevailed since the Great Recession.

It has already resulted in capital outflow from emerging markets, including India, to the United States.

"If the government takes a view on this, the RBI will find it difficult to lower the rate. Even if there is a cut in the repo rate, it may not be drastic. There are other pressures on the inflation rate, such as expected increase in the prices of fuel and food," says Shetty.

Recently, many banks have already reduced their home loan rates by 25 basis points. These rates may go down further by another 25 basis points, but any expectation beyond this would be unrealistic. Hence, buyers should focus more on the fall in real estate prices than on home loan rate drops, and take a call on their property purchase decision.

-Courtesy Financial Express

Kingfisher Villa fails to find takers, again Cont’d from page 50

In the third failed auction of Kingfisher House, the erstwhile headquarters of the defunct airline, on Monday, the lenders had reduced the reserve price by 15 per cent to Rs 115 crore.

The prime property has a builtup area of over 17,000 sq ft and is located in the plush Vile Parle area near the domestic terminal here.

Mallya owes over Rs 9,000 crore to lenders like SBI, PNB, IDBI Bank, BoB, Allahabad Bank, Federal Bank and Axis Bank, among others.

This includes a little over Rs 6,000 crore in principal amount and the rest in accrued interests and penalties. Mallya had left the coun-

try on March 3 this year and is currently said to be in Britain.

Last month, CBI had initiated extradition request to bring him back from Britain through a special court in Mumbai.

The prime property has a built-up area of over 17,000 sq ft and is located in the plush Vile Parle area The investigative agency secured a non-bailable warrant against Mallya, following it up with an extradition request from the special court to competent authorities in Britain. -PTI

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Philosophy

December 30, 2016

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Page Sponsored by Sahanis RAMANA MAHARISHI

G

od, Grace and Guru are all synonymous and also eternal and immanent. Is not the Self already within? Is it for the Guru to bestow It by his look? If a Guru thinks so, he does not deserve the name.

The books say that there are so many kinds of initiations - by hand, by touch, by eyes and by mind.

They also say that the Guru makes some rites with fire, water, japa, mantras, etc., and call such fantastic performances Initiation, as if the disciple becomes ripe only after such processes are gone through by the Guru.

If the individual is sought he is nowhere to be found. Such is the Guru. Such is Dakshinamurti. What did he do? He was silent; the disciples appeared before him. He maintained silence; the doubts of the disciples were dispelled, which means that they lost their individual identities. That is wisdom and not all the verbiage usually associated with it.

Silence is the most potent form of work. However vast and emphatic the scriptures may be, they fail in their effect. The Guru is quiet and peace prevails in all. His silence is vaster and more emphatic than all the scriptures put together.

These questions arise because of the feeling, that having been here so long, heard so much, exerted so hard, one has not gained anyECKHART TOLLE

A

little spiritual practice I recommend is to go to a public place where you can sit and watch human beings, perhaps at a cafĂŠ or in the park. I call it "people-watching." The only difference between ordinary peoplewatching and this kind of peoplewatching is that your practice is not to attach any label or judgment on any human that you watch; you allow them to be as they are as they walk along or do whatever they do, and enjoy the incredible spectacle of the multiplicity of human forms.

There is no judging as good or bad; just allow them to be, so the mind does not call them anything.

You're there as an innocent observer. It's a beautiful thing; it even does something to the energy field where you are, where you're sitting. You bring in a different frequency, but that's a secondary thing. Don't start thinking, "I am here to bring in a different frequency‌"; just be there an alert watcher.

As you do this, something amazing can happen: you begin to love other humans, which for some people is a difficult thing.

It's easier to love a dog, for ex-

thing. The work proceeding within is not apparent. In fact the Guru is always within you.

Does Bhagavan give initiation?

Silence is the best and the most potent Initiation. That was practiced by Sri Dakshinamurti. Touch, look, etc., are all of a lower order.

Silence changes the hearts of all.

There is no Guru and no disciple.

The ignorant confounds his body with the Self and so he takes the other's body for the Guru. But does the Guru think his body to be the Self? He has transcended the body. There are no differences for Him. So the ignorant cannot appreciate the standpoint

his Premier in his residence.

There he was told that the Premier was engaged in repetition of sacred syllables. The King waited for him and, on meeting him, asked what the words were. The Premier said that it was the holiest of all, Gayatri.

The King desired to be initiated by the Premier. But the Premier confessed his inability to initiate him. Therefore the King learned it from someone else, and meeting the Minister later he repeated the Gayatri and wanted to know if it was right.

The Minister said that the mantra was correct, but it was not

the same man to hold the Minister, and it was immediately done.

The Minister laughed and said that the incident was the explanation required by the King. "How?" asked the King. The Minister replied, "The order was the same and the executor also, but the authority was different. When I ordered, the effect was nil, whereas, when you ordered, there was immediate effect. Similarly with mantras."

Bhagavan's is silent initiation, is it not?

Yes, this the highest form of initiation.

Is it applicable to the path of en-

Silence is the most potent form of work

Ramana Maharishi

The Guru is quiet and peace prevails in all.

His silence is vaster and more emphatic than all the scriptures put together. The doubts of the disciples are dispelled

of Guru and of disciple.

Can anyone get any benefit by repeating sacred syllables (mantras) picked up casually?

No. He must be competent and initiated in such mantras.

(Maharshi illustrated this by the following story): A King visited

proper for him to say it. When pressed for an explanation, the Minister called to a page close by and ordered him to take hold of the King. The order was not obeyed. The order was often repeated, and still not obeyed. The King flew into a rage and ordered

quiry only?

All the different paths are included in the path of enquiry.

Excerpted from Talk 398 in 'Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi'. The 137th birth anniversary of Ramana Maharshi will be celebrated on December 30

ample, than a human, usually, because there's no mind to get in the way: a dog doesn't judge you; a dog has unconditional love. It's easy to love a creature like that.

But humans are different because they're often burdened by mental activity and thoughts, conscious or otherwise, like, "Who are you? What do you want? What does he want from me?"

So, the next step up, of course,

with whom you don't share any past. Next step up is you practice with relatives, friends, and family; just in little moments when you watch them without wanting anything.

Do it with your children, without saying, "you should be doing this; why are you doing that?" Just watch. You can also say, "Yes, brush your teeth;" its fine, but just watching is beautiful.

itself in so many different ways.

You very rarely actually attract attention to yourself-which to the ego may not be such a great thing.

There are two egoic states that could arise while people-watching: one is to want to be seen and the other is to be afraid of being seen.

The purpose is going beyond both, and if people are looking, if you're not there as a thinking person-in other words, if you're there as presence-it doesn't matter if

The spiritual practice of people-watching

In the beginning was Brahman with whom was the Word and the Word was truly the supreme Brahman.

-The Vedas

The truth shall make you free.

-John

Sour, sweet, bitter, pungent. All must be tasted.

-A Chinese Proverb

-Moody Blues

Eckhart Tolle

So, that's an enjoyable method for incorporating awareness practice into everyday life. I've been practicing people-watching for many years. And after a time, you begin to love everybody, no matter what they look like, because it's all the human form expressing

Great doubt--great awakening Small doubt--small awakening. No doubt--no awakening.

-A Zen saying

I'm looking at myself, reflections of my mind. a song by the

It's easier to love a dog, for example, than a human, usually, because there's no mind to get in the way: a dog doesn't judge you; a dog has unconditional love. is to watch people that you know very well in the same way-at home or wherever there's a lot of past that you share. And then be present, even with people with whom you share a lot of past. But at first I recommend limiting your practice to observing strangers,

It takes just such painful and terrible things to occur for the great emancipation to take place.

-Nietzche

they're looking. It doesn't add anything to who you are nor does it detract anything from who you are; even the attention of 100 people doesn't add anything to who you are in truth.

Excerpted from Eckhart Teachings December Newsletter

We are what we think, having become what we thought.

-The Dhammapada

We are like one in water crying out "I thirst!"

-Zen Master Hakuin

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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Russia's search for new ground in Pakistan

R

ussia is all set to rebuild its relations with Pakistan, a move that could be a game-changer for both Pakistan and South Asia.

Given the dynamic strategic parameters in South Asia and a policy transition that might overcome the long drawn US-Russia Cold War rivalry that had also disconnected Russia from Pakistan, Moscow is now busy resetting the balance of power in South Asia. What induces this new attitude? Does the move lead to derail the Russian proximity with India? Is Moscow making a wrong choice?

Emerging Imperative The Russian experiment with Pakistan is purely a product of Moscow's emerging strategic calculus. Moscow's move could also be read as a sign of proscribing the growing rapprochement between Washington and New Delhi.

Through this move, Kremlin seems to be signaling to India to reconsider its increasing camaraderie with the US and to re-tilt relations in Russia's favor.

Moscow's refusal to call off its

ADARSH VIJAY

hunt for sprawling markets in the region to sell Russian-manufactured goods is threatened by the political instability and the dangerous security situation in Afghanistan.

While Pakistan will play an indispensable role in the Afghan peace process, Russia can also take Pakistan's help to leverage its commercial linkages in the region in the long run.

At Cross-purposes with New Delhi?

Russia is wise enough not to keep India in abeyance. Yet, the rapprochement between Moscow and Islamabad will create apprehensions for New Delhi. However, Russia remains India's largest arms supplier and so long as this relationship thrives, RussoIndian ties might still remain strong.

The recently concluded Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) between Washington and New Delhi has been a wake-up call for Moscow.

The agreement gives the US access to some of India's military

The Russian experiment with Pakistan is purely a product of Moscow's emerging strategic calculus. Moscow's move could also be read as a sign of proscribing the growing rapprochement between Washington and New Delhi first-ever bilateral military exercise with Pakistan on India's request, following the terrorist attack on the military base in Uri in September 2016, revealed the change in Moscow's psyche.

In another instance of this change, at the Heart of Asia conference held in Amritsar, India, on 3 and 4 December 2016, the Russian Envoy disapproved of branding Pakistan as a "terrorism-sponsoring state." Similarly at the October 2016 BRICS Summit in Goa, India, Russian President Vladimir Putin made no mention of Pakistan's sponsorship of terrorism which India had specifically emphasized upon at the meeting.

However, Moscow's policy is also indicative of the vitality it associates to Islamabad's cooperation in the efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

Kabul's stability is an add-on to peace in Central Asia. Russia's

facilities, including air and sea port establishments, for refueling and replenishment to meet logistical needs.

It similarly gives the Indian military access to some US military facilities for the same purpose. To Kremlin, the LEMOA with India reflects the US' intentions for containing both Russia and China in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

In a hypothetical scenario in which India moves into the American sphere of influence and distances itself from Russia, it would be critical for Moscow to ensure a strong foothold in the IOR. The new template has invoked a sense of caution for New Delhi.

Moscow is clear about the fact that the Russian proximity with Pakistan would serve as an alarm for India. This new strategic layout might synergies the traditional amity between India and

Russia, which obviously realigns US-India relations.

Pakistan: The Emerging Balancer?

Pakistan's leverage in South Asia grows through its "allweather friendship" with China and ties with the US, and now with the Russian rapprochement.

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has offered Pakistan a strong economic and political fall-back in the event of deteriorating relations with the US. Russia is likely to empower Pakistan with a higher degree of strategic autonomy in its relations than the US does.

Apart from the recent joint military exercises, Islamabad had also been working on finalizing the procurement of Su-35 aircrafts from Moscow. Interestingly, a Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation statement denied any negotiations in this direction.

In spite of this setback, Islamabad managed to clinch the deal for the delivery of four Mi35 attack helicopters from Moscow. Although Russia has dismissed claims of secret negotiations with Pakistan for joining the CPEC, Russia would still be interested in accessing the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, given that Russia is mostly surrounded by cold waters.

Kremlin's interest in linking the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) project with the Chinese Silk Road was misinterpreted as Russia's claim to be part of the CPEC. It is to be seen whether the 'rumors' about the Russian interest and stakes in the economic corridor would indeed materialize.

The complex setting in which South Asia operates makes this evolving Russia-Pakistan relationship an unpredictable one. US President-elect Donald Trump has already hinted at a pro-Russian attitude and the new US administration might even soften Moscow's perception of the USIndia relations.

Nonetheless, it is perhaps premature to analyze the exact nature of the emerging Russian endeavors in Pakistan and their repercussions. Even then, it would be a relief for New Delhi if Islamabad does not indeed substitute it as Moscow's South Asian friend.

The writer is Postgraduate Student, Madras Christian College, Chennai

India Post Year of disruptions I

f the year 2016 has been a year of disruptions, then the coming year 2017 will certainly be a year of uncertainties. In India, the demonetization gamble of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proved to be the mother of all disruptions. It will soon be seen where it takes the country - to a secure future with digital payments or a chaos that the government is unable to control.

The election of Donald Trump as the next US President has disrupted what C. Raja Mohan calls the "Washington Consensus," which entailed that economic globalization and liberalization are the only paths to development. In Europe the "Brexit" vote has given voice to the depth of resentment against globalism and supra-national economic institutions. And citizens of Great Britain are not the only ones railing against it. Indications are that France may also go the same way in the coming election. Russia's aggressive designs in Europe and its joining the Syria war show that it is working to dismantle American hegemony.

The greatest disrupter however has been China with its muscle flexing in the South China Sea. From India's point of view, China has been seeking to make things difficult by aiding and provoking India's neighbors into anti-India postures. China's economic corridor passing through Pakistan occupied Kashmir on its way to Balochistan and finally Gwadar port is not the only irritant for India. Apart from giving massive aid to Nepal, China is now having joint military exercises with that country. In its latest move, China is provoking Bangladesh to make demands on India about use of Brahmaputra waters.

If anything worries China it is the possibility of Donald Trump checking its giant footmarks all over the world. Trump wants the US "to greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding its nukes."

This remark was initially interpreted as aimed at Russia warning it of a new arms race.

However, US and Russia have mutual restraint and control treaties dictating the maximum number of warheads each can have. But since the end of Cold War it is the Chinese nuclear arsenal that is both expanding and modernizing across the board while those of the US and Russia have dropped dramatically. India meanwhile has also to contend with the expansion of Pakistani nuclear arsenal in combo with the Chinese one. However Trump has shown to have a peer respect for Russia, a contempt for China and deep suspicion of Pakistan.

Pakistan has grown so brazen about its nuclear arms that it recently threatened to nuke Israel. As it turned out it was a fake news that the Pakistani minister was reacting to.

There are only two countries in the world who talk so loosely about nuclear weapons. One is North Korea and the other is Pakistan. Indeed Pakistan's defense minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif can be called the Minister for Nuclear Threats. It was normal for him to issue nuclear threats against India on the slightest pretext.

But surprisingly, he and everyone in Pakistan has stopped this blackmail ever since India launched the surgical strikes against the terrorist bases in POK. Modi has called his bluff and now there are even attempts to pull India into the CPEC web that China has launched through Pakistani territory.

The hints emanating from Pakistan are indeed intriguing. A senior army officer stated recently that India should give up its enmity of Pakistan and join the CPEC. Interestingly such a view was supported by Global Times, the official publication of China, which said that India could boost its exports and slash its trade deficit with China via new trade routes that would be opened up by the CPEC. It added that areas bordering Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir will gain more economic growth momentum if India joins the project!

Are Modi's no nonsense policies changing our neighbors also?

December 30, 2016

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