The Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of the tri-state, one of the oldest and the largest non-profit umbrella organizations of the Indian-American community, celebrated India’s 70th Republic Day with its annual “Dance Pe Chance” competition, bringing youth closer to India’s cultural heritage and history.

Held at the Union County Arts Center, in Rahway, New Jersey, Feb. 2, the event attracted a sold-out crowd of more than 1,200 people, FIA President Alok Kumar told Desi Talk.

Students from various dance schools from four states participated to prove their mettle in a festive setting. Nine dance schools in four categories: Minor, Junior, Senior and Adult. With 515 participants and 21 performances the event set a new high for the FIA at this 35th annual celebration.

“This was the first time we added the “adult’ category because of demand from members,” Kumar said, adding, “This is one of the East Coast’s most prominent competition in terms of the interest shown and participation from schools, and they practice for months. It is because of the long history and dependable reputation of the FIA.”

“This event helps connect the young people with others in the community and with India. Kids who may not know Hindi, communicate through their dance, and learn about India. I truly believe it’s one where they feel themselves connected to India.” Among the dances choreographed and presented were stories of epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, about freedom fighters like Netaji Subhash Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, as well as modern derivations that portrayed mothers and kids interacting.

Aum Dance Creations, Arya Dance Academy, Aatma Performing Arts, B2Z Dance School, Dancing Shiva, Natraj Dance Studio, Nirmiti School Of Dance, Simply Dance, Pranavam School Of Dance are among the schools that participated.

The event commenced with the National Anthem of US and India. Kumar in his speech, welcomed guests, applauded participants and parents, and dedicated the 35th year of this cultural performance competition to children noting that more than 18,000 children had participated in this cultural dance competition over 3 decades.

Important guests were honored, including the judges and guests. The new FIA executive team took its oath which was administered by India’s Deputy Consul General in New York Shatrughan Sinha. The incoming team includes President Kumar; Executive Vice President Himanshu Bhatia; Vice President Saurin Parikh; General Secretary Amit Yadav; Treasurer Amit Ringasia; immediate Past President Srujal Parikh; and Joint Secretary Mardavi Patel.

Sinha expressed his appreciation for the role FIA has played in the community for 49 years and how it has worked with the Consulate in New York on pivotal issues beneficial to Indians in the Northeast.

Sinha also administered the oath to two new members added by FIA to the Board of Trustees, Jayesh Patel, past president and Ankur Vaidya, two-term past president, both long-time FIA veterans. Vaidya addressed the gathering on behalf of Chairman Ramesh Patel and recognized the support of the FIA Board that currently includes a number of community leaders including Ramesh Patel, Padma Shri Dr. Sudhir Parikh, Padma Shri H. R. Shah, Albert Jasani, Ram Gadhavi, Dipak Patel, Chandrakant Trivedi, Pravin Pandhi and Yash Paul Soi.

FIA also honored and had as a Guest of Honor, Emmy Award-winning travel show host and PBS Travel celebrity Darley Newman who applauded the performances and efforts including costumes and props displayed by the participants.

Participants were judged by an array of qualified personalities including Palvesha Latiwala, dancer and the CEO of Bombino Express; Gomathi Manoj, Bharatanatyam artiste, teacher and artistic director of Soundarya Natya Kalalaya; and Nirali Vakharia, director and founder of Natraj Nrityala School of Dance.

The event was sponsored by Pyar.com, BCB Indus American Bank, Movers.com, RWJ Barnabas Health, The South Asian Times, Air India, Cox & Kings, SBI New York, New York Life, Bombino Express, Akbar Restaurant, Universal Relocations, TV Asia, Parikh Worldwide Media, Hotstar, The Indian Panorama, EBC Radio and Printzazu.

The FIA honored all the dancers, choreographers and judges with monetary prizes as well as mementos, and certificates.

The top performance in all aspects in all categories ‘BEST OF THE BEST’ Judges Choice: AUM Dance Creations (Junior Category).

Winners:

Minor Category

• Best Costume: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Singham, Mamta Se Bhare
  Choreography: Arya Instructors
• Best Choreography: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Singham, Mamta Se Bhare
  Choreography: Arya Instructor
• Technique: Dancing Shiva
  Song: Song from Lagaan
  Choreography: Jeanie Beri and Neal Doshi
• 3rd Prize: Aum Dance Creations
  Song: Sridevi Medley
  Choreographer: Rina Shah and Anu Mysore
• 2nd Prize: Dancing Shiva
  Song: Song from Lagaan
  Choreographer: Jeanie Beri and Neal Doshi
• 1st Prize: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Singham, Mamta Se Bhare
  Choreographer: Arya Instructors

Junior Category

• Best Costume: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Shah Ka Rutba, Gajanan, Vande Mataram
  Choreography: Arya Instructors
• Best Choreography: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Shah Ka Rutba, Gajanan, Vande Mataram
  Choreography: Arya Instructors
• Technique: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Shah Ka Rutba, Gajanan, Vande Mataram
  Choreography: Arya Instructors
• 3rd Prize: Aatma Performing Arts
  Song: Kanna Nidurinchara, Soja Zara, Gulaab Gang
  Choreographer: Amit Shah, Serena Ortiz and Sapna Advani
• 2nd Prize: Aum Dance Creations
  Song: Garba/Raas – Kamariya, Chogada, Dholi Taro, Raangtaari, Dholida, Nagada Sang Dhol
  Choreographer: Rina Shah and Anu Mysore
• 1st Prize: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Shah Ka Rutba, Gajanan, Vande Mataram
  Choreographer: Arya Instructors

Senior Category

• Best Costume: Aatma Performing Arts/Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya , Dil Cheez Kya Hai/Albela Sajan, Jai Jai Kara, Jai Hanuman
  Choreography: Amit Shah, Sapna Advani and Swarali/Arya Instructors
• Best Choreography: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Albela Sajan, Jai Jai Kara, Jai Hanuman
  Choreography: Arya Instructors
• Technique: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Albela Sajan, Jai Jai Kara, Jai Hanuman
  Choreography: Arya Instructors
• 3rd Prize: Aum Dance Creations
  Song: Balleilaka, Suno Gaur Se, Satyamev, Maa Tuje Salaam
  Choreographer: Rina Shah and Anu Mysore
• 2nd Prize: Arya Dance Academy
  Song: Albela Sajan, Jai Jai Kara, Jai Hanuman
  Choreographer: Arya Instructors
• 1st Prize: Aatma Performing Arts
  Song: Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya , Dil Cheez Kya Hai
  Choreographer: Amit Shah, Sapna Advani and Swarali

More than 700 students attended the Feb. 2 celebration hosted by Usmania Fine Dining, at an event where several were awarded a scholarship as well as other items like laptops, tablets, and smartwatches.

A press release from organizers said it was a celebratory evening filled with enthusiastic youth, music, food and a message of empowering students through educational scholarship in an effort by the restaurant to give back to the community.

The Usmania Youth Tuition Scholarship Event was held at the Meadows Club and was organized, managed and marketed by Admark Digital, a Chicago-based marketing advertising agency, the press release said.

“Usmania Restaurant purpose for this event was to encourage students to continue their education and play their part to support students achieving their dreams,” organizers said.

The tuition grants were in the form of two scholarships of $2,500 each, and were won by Marryann Warda and Fariha Junagadhwala. Other prizes included 4 laptops, 10 tablets and 15 smartwatches which were all drawn in a raffle.

The master of the ceremonies was Javeria Sheeraz. The program included an interactive panel discussion on the importance of education which included Chief Medical Officer of Rush Hospital Dr. Omar Lateef, and Dilara Sayeed an educator. Bushra Amiwala, the Youth Icon for Usmania in this event, led the discussion. Bushra’s popularity as a Youth Icon in the South Asian fraternity precedes her decision to run for the office of the Cook County Board of Commissioners at the age of 19, the press release said.

The raffle round dominated the second half of the program. Students’ names were drawn from a bunch, and the lucky ones received the items earlier mentioned. They were awarded to winners by Dr. Omar Lateef, Dilara Sayeed, and Syed Hussaini.

The program concluded witha performance by Humza Abbasi, a local student who performed Bollywood and Pakistani songs, adding to the enjoyment of the youthful crowd, organizers said.

The 70^th Indian Republic Day was celebrated at Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, hosted by the newly-formed Indian American Association (IAA), along with the oldest Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) and the Hyderabad Association, Jan. 26.

Emcees of the Gala Dinner Banquet Motika Anand and Pratibha Jairath welcomed the Guests. Pranati Mitta sang the American national anthem, and the Indian anthem was also sung, followed by the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, India’s Consul General in Chicago, Neeta Bhushan, and special guest, Bollywood film actress Padmini Kolhapure, attended,

Other guests included CEO of State Bank of India Midwest Amit Jhingran and his wife, Malini Vaidhyanathan, the manager at Air India in the Midwest, and her husband; Dhitu Bhagwakar candidate for Schaumburg Village trustee, Nafees Rahman, candidate for Schaumbugg Mayor, Ashok Lakshman of Professional Mortgage Solutions and a committed supporter of IAA, businessman Mujahid Razvi and poet Ustad Dr. Arman Amerikavi, who is also an advisor to IAA; and Mayor of Hoffman Estates William D. McLeod.

The cultural segment of the evening was jump started Rhythms & Grace Dance Studios little kids, with Ishaan Ahmed presenting the patriotic song – Mere Desh Ki Darthi Sona Ugle, Ugle Hiray Moti.

Nawab Mir Hamid Ali Khan, president of IAA, welcomed the Indian and American guests in his brief speech and recognized the IAA Executive Committee members, Vice Presidents Sher Mohammed Rajput, Jitendra Bedi, Ajai Agnihotri, Dr. Sanhita Agnihotri, Kameswari Bulusu, Raju Shah, Kiran Mitta, Archana Mitta, General Secretary Shahid Razvi and Directors Dr. Togaru John, Ami Mehta, Prerana Mitta, Pankaj Modi, Mala Modi and Ishaan Ahmed.

The IAA President also welcomed Dr. Sanhita Agnihotri, president of the original Federation of Indian Association, and her executive committee members on the stage.  This was the first time that “two big and notable Organizations, FIA Original and IAA, shared the same stage and celebrated our National event,” organizers said in a press release. “That was big surprise for all Indian American community and everyone was happy to see this unity. Specially Consulate General of India, Mrs. Neeta Bhushan, was very pleased,” organizers said.

Bhushan said that the IAA had opened a new chapter of unity and friendship and she was “very glad it’s happened in my term,” despite past attempts to bring them together, the press releases quoted her saying.

Earlier in the day, Kolhapure, who came to Chicago to attended Republic Day Celebration event at the invitation of IAA, also attended Republic Day celebrations at the Indian Consulate, and at Meadows Club. She sang some famous songs.  Amrita, Sheena, and Nalini Parikh, sang, and Kameswari Bulusu, Ashok, Madhavi, Ajay, Mala Modi and Ishaan Ahmed also sang Bollywood songs.

Dances were performed by Rhythms & Grace Dance Studios, Alokita Dance School, Lavni and ADS Focuses, Soorya Dance School and Sree Gowsami Dance Group.

CHICAGO, Illinois – The Telugu Association of Greater Chicago, which considers itself the first Telugu association in North America, celebrated Makara Sankranti and India Republic Day with Chicago land area Telugu families at the HTGC Rama Temple Auditorium, in Lemont, Illinois on Jan. 26.

According to a press release from Asian Media USA, the event was a great success with an overwhelming response from the Telugu community and more than 1,100 attendees. The TAGC Board decided to focus on local talent and on promoting Telugu culture, and preserving traditions among youth.

The TAGC President Ramu Billakanti welcomed attendees, recognized and thanked all sponsors and volunteers and encouraged everyone to become a member of the organization.

Membership committee chair Venkat Gunuganti, people came from distant places despite the frigid temperatures. Cultural Head Uma Avadhuta said the event showcased 36 programs with more than 340 participants.

The lamp-lighting ceremony was followed by a Lord Ganesha prayer and several programs and shows designed around Sankranthi and Republic Day themes. The audience shared positive responses to the event with board members of TAGC. Chicago Local singers entertained with a variety of songs liked by the audience and some children went impromptu on the stage to dance to them

Some highlights from the event as listed by Asian Media USA included:

• Sankranti village backdrop decoration by Saumya Bojja
• Free Gorintaaku (Mehndi) for TAGC Members
• Muggulapoteelu – Sarees for Winners
• 30 Kids Fashion Show around Sankranthi Theme
• Musical Performances by Chicago Singers Kaasyap Boddapati, Archana Vuppulancha and Madhuri Durga
• Festive delicacies (Pongal Rice) by Bawarchi Biryanis Naperville

Code Ninjas, a center for kids focusing on Video Games, Robotics, Drones and other STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities, opened its doors to the Naperville community, where a significant number of Indians and Indian-Americans live. More than 250 people attended the event hosted by Shilpi Srivastava and Darshna Choksi, moms of 9 year old boys, who established the center, according to a press release.

Realizing the impact that technology has on the future, Srivastava and Choksi saw the need for a kids learning center in the community. At Code Ninja, kids learn to code through a game based curriculum that teaches teamwork, logic, math, and problem solving, the press release said.

Activities include learning how to code, earning belts where each belt introduces the kids to a new skill or coding language; learning Robotics or other stem activities and having fun while doing this with their friends.

The Code Ninja center offer flexible drop-in year round programs along with birthday parties, summer and spring camps on engaging topics.

The Mayor Steve Chirico of Naperville congratulated the duo on taking this initiative.

WASHINGTON – Senators in both parties Tuesday pressed Neomi Rao – President Donald Trump’s nominee to replace Brett Kavanaugh on the federal appeals court in Washington – about her past controversial writings, including about victims of date rape.

Rao, an advocate for broad presidential power, spent more than a decade as a law professor before she joined the Trump administration in 2017 as the White House’s regulatory czar.

Rao, 45, faces opposition from civil rights groups and Democratic senators concerned about her work to roll back government regulations and about provocative columns she wrote as a college student.

She also encountered resistance Tuesday from Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa who recently disclosed she was sexually assaulted while in college. Rao’s writings from the 1990s on date rape “do give me pause,” Ernst said during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

The senator said she is concerned about the message Rao’s columns send to young women “about who is to blame” and has not decided whether to back Rao’s nomination. “I really want to know more,” Ernst said in an interview.

Rao told senators she cringes “at some of the language I used” in columns she wrote as an undergraduate at Yale.

“I like to think I’ve matured as a thinker, writer and a person,” she said. And Rao emphasized “nobody should blame the victim.”

More than a dozen people, mostly young women, lined up outside the committee room Tuesday wearing black T-shirts with quotes from Rao’s column on date rape and the message #RejectRao.

The president initially tapped Rao in November to succeed Kavanaugh, who served a dozen years on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit before his elevation to the Supreme Court. Her nomination comes as Trump has installed a record number of appeals court judges throughout the country – more than any other president two years into a term.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s new chairman, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is moving quickly to confirm additional judges. The panel is scheduled to vote Thursday on a slate of nominees, including a half-dozen appeals court picks.

The D.C. Circuit is often referred to as the nation’s second-highest court because it reviews high-profile cases involving government regulations and separation of powers issues and because it has been something of a pipeline to the Supreme Court. Four current justices previously served on the D.C. Circuit.

In recent years, the appeals court has ruled on cases involving gun control laws, the Trump restrictions on transgender troops serving in the military and the use of military commissions to prosecute terrorism suspects.

But it was questions about Rao’s early writing rather than the court’s docket that dominated the discussion Tuesday. In a 1994 column, Rao wrote: “It has always seemed self-evident to me that even if I drank a lot, I would still be responsible for my actions. A man who rapes a drunk girl should be prosecuted. At the same time, a good way to avoid a potential date rape is to stay reasonably sober.”

Rao said at the hearing that her specific suggestion about women and alcohol was meant as “common sense observation” about “actions women can take to be less likely to become victims.”

Rao was rated “well qualified” by the American Bar Association this week and Republican Senators defended her record. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, noted she was unequivocal in the 1990s – and now – that anyone who commits a crime of violence should be prosecuted. Her suggestion that college students avoid excessive drinking, he said, is good advice, and he intends to give it to his own children.

“There is certainly nothing disqualifying here,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said. “Judicial nominations have become a blood sport,” a reference to lingering bitterness over Kavanaugh’s contentious confirmation battle.

Kavanaugh was confirmed by a narrow margin after California professor Christine Blasey Ford accused him of sexually assaulting her when both were teenagers – allegations he vehemently denied.

Senate Democrats also pressed Rao on her more recent legal writing and her work as head of the Trump administration’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.Rao’s academic papers suggest her approach would be similar to that of Kavanaugh’s when it comes to presidential power. Rao has expressed support for limiting the power of independent federal agencies.

Kavanaugh cited one of Rao’s articles in his 2016 opinion finding the structure of the government’s consumer watchdog agency unconstitutional in part it gives too much executive control to a “single, unaccountable, unchecked director.”

She has also called on the courts to revisit a doctrine, known as “Chevron deference,” which says judges should defer to federal agencies to interpret ambiguously worded laws as long as the agency’s decision is reasonable.

Sen. Christopher A. Coons, D-Del., called Rao’s sweeping view of presidential authority “so outside the mainstream and alarming for the scope and reach of executive power.”

Rao distinguished between the role of a legal scholar and that of a judge. If confirmed, she said, “I would put aside those academic views and follow the precedent of the Supreme Court.”

The committee’s top Democrat, Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), expressed concern about Rao’s involvement in the Trump administration’s effort to pull back Obama-era environmental regulations and protections against wage discrimination. The little-known, but powerful office Rao leads is charged with reviewing agency regulations.

Feinstein asked whether Rao, if confirmed, would recuse herself from lawsuits before the D.C. Circuit involving agency rules she’s reviewed in her role with the administration.

“I will not say, yes, I will not say, no. It is something I will consider,” Rao responded.

Before turning to teaching, Rao worked in all three branches of government. She graduated from Yale in 1995, earned a law degree at the University of Chicago and clerked for Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III on the Richmond-based 4th Circuit and for Thomas at the Supreme Court.

She served as nominations counsel for then-Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Orrin Hatch and as associate counsel to President George W. Bush, where she worked on judicial nominations.

At George Mason, Rao founded the Center for the Study of the Administrative State and was an outspoken supporter of naming the law school for the late justice Antonin Scalia.

Rao and her husband, Alan Lefkowitz, live in Washington and have two children.

Members of the Indian community in Schaumburg, Illinois, held a fundraiser for the Mayoral candidate Tom Dailly, Jan. 17. Held at the Chicago Prime Italian Restaurant in Schaumburg, the event was attended by business and community leaders as well as elected officials, according to a press release, which said, the event raised some $30,000 for Dailly. His current election war chest, is close to $90,000, with just 10 weeks to go for elections on April 2, and far outstrips his opponent.

Dailly’s opponent is Nafees Rahman, CEO of a manufacturing company, who on his campaign website admits he is new to politics, but wants to run for Mayor because Schaumburg is where he met his wife, raised their two daughters, and established his career. Rahman said he has served as deputy director in Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office. “Jesse’s goal has been to improve customer service and bring back integrity to an office that was once plagued by corruption and inefficiency. I have been doing my part to further that vision for the people of Illinois,” Rahman says on his website nafeesrahman2019. Another candidate, Indian-American Sunil Shah, withdrew his candidacy in December.

At the Dailly fundraiser, a Q & A session followed an hour of socializing. Neil Khot, a businessman, and past president of the Federation of Indian Associations, introduced Dailly and endorsed him for the mayoral position talking about his experience serving the village of Schaumburg as a trustee.

Mayor Bill McLeod and Krishna Bansal, president of Indian Community Outreach also endorsed Dailly in their speeches.

Other speakers included Ketu Amin, a successful telecom businessman and hotelier, Hina Patel, trustee of the Village of South Barrington, Gulzar Singh Multani, a successful construction business owner, Paul Dindona, Babu Patel and Dr. Kamal Patel. All showed their support for Dailly’s candidacy.

In his speech, Dailly talked about his many years of work experience with the various village Committees. He emphasized the need for inclusivity, for all the communities to be represent in the make up of the village administration. He also indicated that he would take Bansal’s guidance if he was elected as Mayor.

Dailly thanked the Indian community for supporting and hosting the fundraiser and said he looked forward to strengthening his relationship with the local community, host a community appreciation day and ensure that more new businesses are welcomed in the Village of Schaumburg.

Republican Sam Davis from New Jersey, recently reported “illegal voting activity” to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office after he wrote on Facebook that he lost the recent November local elections against Indian American Shreekant Dhopte because “all the Indian people” in Chesterfield Township voted illegally for his opponent.

According to a Philly.com report, Davis said he cannot wait until all of them had to pay $15,000 fines.

According to the results on the county election website, Davis lost his seat on the township committee by 117 votes.

Balvir Singh, the first Indian American to be on Burlington County’s Freeholder Board who swore in Dhopte last month, told Philly.com that since the Indian American community was upset about the post, he contacted the Prosecutor’s Office to get an update about the voter fraud investigation and found that the case was closed due to a lack of merit.

Davis is a retired high school science teacher.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The board of the Sabarimala temple in southern India said on Wednesday it now favored allowing female worshippers of menstruating age to enter, reversing its previous support for a centuries-old ban.

The board overseeing the Sabarimala temple also said it would withdraw from efforts to challenge the Supreme Court’s ruling that the ban on entry for women and girls aged 10-50 must be ended to uphold rights to equality of worship.

The temple in Kerala state has been the site of tension since the ruling in late September. Thousands of devotees have blocked attempts by women to visit the site. Some protesters have threatened the women and pelted them with stones, causing injuries to some and damaging property.

On Wednesday, the Tranvancore Devaswom Board told the Supreme Court it would abide by its decision to open the temple to women, after holding off for months saying it did not want to violate a historic tradition.

“After the Supreme Court judgement, we discussed a lot. We realise that we should respect the judgement of the court,” lawyer Rakesh Dwivedi told Reuters.

The board had decided to withdraw from petitions challenging the lifting of the ban because it now believed it was discriminatory, its president Padmakumar was quoted as saying by Reuters partner ANI.

After the Supreme Court ruling, Hindu groups physically blocked younger women from entering the temple, though a number managed to get in with help from police.

Devotees and petitioners in favour of the ban have contended that women should not be allowed inside the temple to prevent its deity Ayyappan from breaking the oath of celibacy he is believed to be observing. Some of them also consider menstruating women impure.

Pro-ban activists and politicians from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party called the temple board’s decision a betrayal.

“The government has not shown least respect to the sentiments of the devotees. The people of Kerala will give befitting reply,” Sreedharan Pillai, state president of the BJP, said, blaming the state government led by a communist alliance of undermining Hindu traditions.

The temple in Kerala pays homage to the god Ayyappan and draws millions of worshippers each year. It is one of only a few in India which had barred entry to girls and women between the ages of 10 and 50.

Activist Rahul Easwar, grandson of a former chief priest of Sabarimala, said the temple board had succumbed to pressure from the government.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s political parties have been abusing Facebook Inc’s popular messaging service WhatsApp ahead of the country’s general election and the company has warned them not to do so, a senior executive said on Wednesday.

WhatsApp declined to name the parties or give the exact nature of the alleged misuse, but there is mounting concern in India that party workers could abuse the platform by using automated tools for mass messaging, or spread false news to sway voters.

The messaging app has become a key campaign tool used widely by workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party, which accuse each other of propagating fake news while denying they do so themselves.

“We have seen a number of parties attempt to use WhatsApp in ways that it was not intended, and our firm message to them is that using it in that way will result in bans of our service,” Carl Woog, head of communications for WhatsApp, told reporters.

The next general election must be held by May.

The platform’s challenges in India are not unique. It was flooded with falsehoods and conspiracy theories ahead of the October election in Brazil, raising concerns that it was being used to distort the political debate.India is WhatsApp’s biggest market with more than 200 million users.

Ahead of state polls in the western state of Rajasthan in December, BJP and Congress workers showed a Reuters reporter dozens of WhatsApp groups they belonged to and used for campaigning.

Woog said they had engaged with political parties to explain the company’s view that the app was not a “broadcast platform”.

“We are trying to be very clear going into the election that there is abuse on WhatsApp. We are working very hard to identify it and prevent it as soon as possible,” he said.

The BJP’s head of information technology, Amit Malviya, told Reuters he had not met with WhatsApp representatives and declined to comment further.

Congress’ social media head, Divya Spandana, said the party does not abuse WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has been at the center of controversy in India since last year after false messages spread on its platform sparked a number of mob lynchings.

WhatsApp has tried to curb the spread of fake news by educating users through roadshow campaigns, as well as print and radio advertising. It also limited the number of people someone can forward a message to at one time.

WhatsApp, which has 1.5 billion active users globally, said on Wednesday (Feb. 6) it bans two million accounts each month for sending bulk or automated messages. It did not say how many are banned in India.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The main opposition Congress party said on Thursday it would scrap a decree passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government prescribing jail terms for Muslim men seeking an instant divorce if the party wins an election due by May.

Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in January issued an executive order making the practice – which allows Muslim men to divorce their wives by saying the word “talaq”, or “divorce” in Arabic, three times – an offence punishable with up to three years in jail.

The order was issued after a bill that had sought to make the practice a non-bailable offence faced resistance from Congress and some other parties in Rajya Sabha despite being approved by Lok Sabha late last year.

Modi has said the action is necessary to empower women, but Congress said it unfairly punished Muslim men.

“We oppose it because it is another weapon devised by Mr. Narendra Modi to imprison Muslim men or drag them to police stations,” Sushmita Dev, president of the women’s wing of Congress, said in a speech.

“I promise to you that a Congress government will come to power in 2019 and we will scrap this triple talaq law,” she said.

Dev was speaking at a meeting of minority members of the party, where Congress President Rahul Gandhi said to loud cheers that “irrespective of your language, religion, caste, Congress party will always protect you”.

India’s 1.3 billion population is 80 percent Hindu and 14.2 percent Muslim.

The BJP, which hopes to win the support of Muslim women by taking on a divorce practice banned in Muslim-majority nations such as Pakistan and Indonesia, called the Congress’ plan the “height of appeasement”.

“Neither Muslim women nor the Indian public will forgive them for such a regressive thought,” BJP spokesman Sambit Patra told reporters.

The Supreme Court outlawed triple talaq in August last year and asked the government to introduce legislation to enforce the court ruling.

The government first issued an ordinance against the practice in September, after instances of Muslim men divorcing their wives over the messaging app WhatsApp, or for reasons such as poor cooking.

A group of fugitives could play a crucial role in the world’s largest election.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is set to face about 875 million voters in his re-election bid, has stepped up efforts to punish a liquor tycoon, an arms dealer, a billionaire jeweler and a corporate lobbyist after they fled overseas to avoid undergoing trial at home. Just ahead of the polls due by May, the premier has already had some success.

U.K. Home Secretary Sajid Javid signed an order on Sunday to extradite Vijay Mallya, a colorful beer baron who now lives in London after an airline he owned defaulted on $1.3 billion in loans. The move follows a successful extradition of Christian Michel, an arms dealer accused in a $759 million chopper scandal and lobbyist Deepak Talwar, who were flown back from Dubai.

These developments are at the core of two major election issues for Modi — addressing corruption in a society mired with decades of graft and a banking system reeling under billions of dollars of soured debt. After winning a record mandate in 2014, Modi is looking increasingly vulnerable, with his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party losing key state elections. Prosecuting wealthy individuals accused of breaking the law could boost his image at a critical time in the campaign.

“This greatly enhances Modi’s reputation as an anti-corruption fighter and shows that he’s trying to clean up the system,” said Niranjan Sahoo, a senior fellow with the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think-tank. “Elections are about perceptions and optics, and this comes at the right time.”

Extraditing businessmen like Mallya and Nirav Modi, a billionaire diamond jeweler accused of defrauding $2 billion from a state-run bank will help to puncture an opposition narrative centered around the government’s coziness with big businesses.

Getting back Michel and Talwar, an aviation industry middleman alleged to have misused foreign funds that came to his non-profit organization, will feed into the image of Modi as a premier with no tolerance to corruption.

Mallya, Nirav Modi, Michel and Talwar deny the allegations. Mallya said he will appeal the extradition order.

Nabbing high-profile individuals accused of corruption also helps draw attention away from the government’s inability to create jobs and the ongoing fallout from demonetization and a poorly implemented goods and services tax.

“The Modi government is hailing this decision as a success in its anti corruption campaign,” said Katharine Adeney, director of the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute. “However, this is unlikely to have much impact on the election. For most Indians it’s the lack of jobs, rural poverty and the state of the economy that are the big pressing issues.”

His administration has already announced $13 billion worth of measures including cash handouts for farmers, a pension program for informal sector workers and tax relief for India’s squeezed middle class in the federal budget on Feb. 1 to win back voter support.

The accused represent a slice of India’s wealthy elite who are loathed by the poor for their perceived ability to avoid being brought to justice.

While the flamboyance of Mallya – a globetrotter with his private jets and yachts in his heyday – makes voters uncomfortable, Nirav Modi, whose jewelry were worn by Kate Winslet to Dakota Johnson, represents the power of the rich who typically get away with looting money from taxpayer-funded state-run banks.

“Symbolically, it has a lot of relevance for the election. Elections are a lot about optics,” Observer Research Foundation’s Sahoo said. “This is a big victory for the ruling party.”

She has decided we should know her name. It is Vanessa Tyson. And she has decided we should know her story. It is that a man who is poised to become the governor of Virginia sexually assaulted her more than 14 years ago.

Now comes a test for the rest of us – one that shows what was learned, if anything, as the country processed hauntingly similar allegations last year against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Democrats and women’s groups rallied in support of Christine Blasey Ford when she claimed that Kavanaugh had tried to force himself on her during a drunken encounter at a party of high schoolers in the early 1980s.

Will Tyson get the same reception, given that the target of her allegation is Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, a rising star in the Democratic Party and the man many hope will replace embattled Gov. Ralph Northam?

All of this comes as the entire Democratic leadership in Virginia is engulfed in overlapping scandals. Northam’s political survival is on the edge after photos surfaced from his 1984 medical school yearbook showing someone in blackface standing alongside another individual wearing a Ku Klux Klan robe. And it became a perfect storm on Wednesday, when the state’s attorney general, Mark Herring – second in line for the governorship behind Fairfax, should the office become vacant – said he, too, once donned blackface.

Fairfax’s accuser, like Kavanaugh’s, is an academic who lives in California. Tyson is a tenured professor at Scripps College in Claremont, California, and is on a yearlong fellowship at Stanford University, where she is involved in research on sexual violence against women and children. Like Ford, she cannot produce anyone who witnessed what she says she went through.

But, as with Ford, I keep coming back to the question: Why would she make this up?

Tyson surely is well aware of the ordeal that awaits her. Yet she decided Wednesday afternoon to go public with a lengthy and graphic statement about what she says happened.

In Tyson’s telling, what began as consensual kissing in Fairfax’s hotel room during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston turned into a traumatic and violent struggle during which Fairfax physically overpowered her.

“As I cried and gagged, Mr. Fairfax forced me to perform oral sex on him,” she wrote. “I cannot believe, given my obvious distress, that Mr. Fairfax thought this forced sexual act was consensual. To be very clear, I did not want to engage in oral sex with Mr. Fairfax and I never gave any form of consent.”

Tyson did not speak to anyone for years about the alleged episode, she said, because she had “suppressed those memories and emotions as a necessary means to continue my studies, and to pursue my goal of building a successful career as an academic. At the time, I found this horrific incident especially degrading given my regular volunteer work at a local rape crisis center.”

Fairfax insists the encounter was consensual. And, though he urged that Tyson be treated with respect – “I wish her no harm or humiliation, nor do I seek to denigrate her or diminish her voice” – that was not how he himself behaved toward her as word of her allegations seeped into the media.

Fairfax’s first reaction was to smear her. He claimed, falsely, that The Washington Post had investigated her story and found “significant red flags and inconsistencies within the allegations.” In truth, The Post had looked into her account after she approached the paper in November 2017, shortly after Fairfax was elected as lieutenant governor; our editors decided not to publish because The Post could not corroborate either version of events.

Fairfax has also suggested, without evidence, that the emergence of her account is the result of a political conspiracy against him, possibly by a Democratic rival. “Does anybody think it’s any coincidence that on the eve of potentially my being elevated that that’s when this smear comes out?” he asked reporters on Monday. It was easy to hear the echo of Kavanaugh blaming his predicament on “revenge on behalf of the Clintons.”

The questions surrounding conflicting versions of Fairfax and Tyson will serve as a gut check. Where, exactly, should the standards of proof be set in the (hash)MeToo era and in the wake of Kavanaugh’s confirmation?

Sexual assault is, practically by definition, something that happens during circumstances that are difficult to corroborate. Proof is difficult to come by.

That means the first thing we owe the women who come forward is an opportunity to tell their own stories, their own ways.

There probably will never be any way to know for sure what happened in Fairfax’s hotel room back in 2004. But, from what we have learned about the Virginia lieutenant governor over the past few days, we should have real doubts about whether he has earned our trust, much less a promotion.

Priyanka Chopra, Bollywood star who crossed over to Hollywood to portray a rookie FBI agent in ‘Quantico’, and went on to marry renowned singer Nick Jonas, launched her first-ever Madame Tussauds figure in her adopted-home of New York City, Feb. 7.

“Just in time for Valentine’s Day Priyanka’s figure also features a replica diamond wedding ring,” notes a press release from Madame Tussauds, which described her as a “truly global superstar” and informed the public that the Indian star’s figure would be appearing in the London and Sydney sites of Madame Tussauds in 2019, as well as, a touring figure visiting Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

“Priyanka Chopra Jonas is a global super star who is loved and admired by fans all over the world for her talent, intellect, beauty and compassion,” Christine Haughney, ‎Regional Head of Marketing at ‎Merlin Entertainments, plc. is quoted saying in the press release, adding, “We are excited to celebrate such an empowering role-model globally and to welcome her to Madame Tussauds New York, in her adopted-home city, to launch her first ever figure is truly special.”

The Vogue cover star and fashion icon worked closely with Madame Tussauds artists, including a private session inside her New York City apartment, choosing to recreate her iconic Emmy Awards look with a gown by Jason Wu, the press release said.

Chopra has starred in more than 50 and is also involved in advocating for women’s issues and equality. She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

“Known for shutting down any red carpet with her style and beauty, fans from all over the world can party with Priyanka in Madame Tussauds New York’s A-List Party Room,” the press release said.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tDbEaflTp5ctyanizMG-YahA43qyJLkA

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1APT78IKoLs7zVHvgR7gB1sUpXXm0UHk5

The very first solid food my mother fed me as a baby in our southern India household was mashed-up rice mixed with a little ghee. This set the stage for my lifelong love affair with this nutty, rich, golden clarified butter.

In recent years, ghee has become a global phenomenon, trending as a “superfood” and beloved by followers of the popular Keto diet. But its history – real and legendary – is long.

Ghee originated in India, where the heat was not conducive to storing butter for long periods. But when that butter was clarified – heated until the water evaporates and the milk solids separate away – the product had a long shelf life. For thousands of years, ghee has been featured in Indian recipes, and even in Hindu mythology, which attributes its origins to the divine. The story goes that Prajapati, lord of the creatures, rubbed his hands together to create the first ghee, which he then poured into flames to create his offspring. As a result, ghee is poured into sacred fires by Hindus to this day, a practice thought to be auspicious for marriages, funerals and other ceremonies.

It was also extensively consumed as part of a balanced diet. Ancient Sanskrit literature describes ghee as fit for the gods. Foods cooked in ghee are considered superior to those that eschew it; Vedic cooking divided all food into kacha khana (food not cooked in ghee) and pucca khana (food cooked in ghee). Modern Indian cooking no longer differentiates in this way, but the practice is carried on in religious ceremonies and cooking for festivals such as the Hindu festival called Navratri.

Ghee has also been venerated through the ages for its medicinal properties in Ayurvedic medicine, which prescribes it as a cooling food (it lowers the body’s temperature), as a digestive aid, and even as a salve to soothe burns. In “A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food,” K.T. Achaya writes that ghee is “strengthening, aids digestion, and acts quite powerfully on the mind, improving the memory and intellect.” That’s not all. Ghee is also high in butyrate, which reduces inflammation in the body, and it is also rich in vitamin A. It is also perfect for people who are lactose intolerant because hardly any of the butter’s lactose or casein remains.

Gone are the days when ghee was thought to clog up arteries, and gone are the unhealthy trans fats that tried – and failed – to replace it.

The United States has a particularly amusing history with ghee. In the 1950s, upon discovering that American dairy farmers had more than 260 million pounds of surplus butter, the government had a novel idea: Convert the butter into ghee, and offload it onto the Indian subcontinent, where millions of people adore the stuff.

The government took this prospect so seriously that dairy expert Louis H. Burgwald was dispatched to India, where he dutifully peddled the American ghee and got merchants to sample his wares. The first lesson that he learned was that tastes for ghee varied across the length and breadth of the subcontinent. The ghee preferred in the south and the west (ghee made from the milk of cows) varied vastly from the ghee preferred in the north and the east (ghee made from buffalo milk). Burgwald was enthusiastic, though, and reported back to his bosses that if regional tastes could be catered to, then the Indian subcontinent was ripe for the picking. Eventually, nothing came of the undertaking.

In a 1955 article in the New York Times headlined “Ghee is for good,” veteran writer R.K. Narayan waxed lyrical about its bountiful delights. “Ghee is, no doubt, clarified butter,” Narayan wrote, “but it is also something more, in the same way that wine is more than the juice of a squeezed grape. Ghee is like a genius born to a dull parent.” He calls the invention of ghee the subcontinent’s highest achievement.

Today, ghee is widely available, both online and in stores. Without the milk solids of butter, it can be used for frying and other high-heat cooking. Use the ghee as you would use any fat: Roast vegetables with it; slather it onto meat to baste; fry eggs with it. You can even stir it into your coffee (for that trendy “bulletproof” approach) or your morning porridge (which I love to do). Refrigerate your ghee if you like, but it’s not a requirement and will keep at room temperature; it will solidify in the fridge but melt at room temperature or when heated.

To make your own, the same way I do at home, here’s how to achieve pure golden, slightly nutty ghee:

– Heat a pound of unsalted organic butter (preferably made from the milk of grass-fed cows) in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat without stirring. Be patient. Eventually, the butter will begin to simmer and make a slight crackling sound.

– After about 20 minutes, the crackling will stop, and there will be a thin layer of fat on top and heavier solids at the bottom of the pan. Watch the ghee very carefully to make sure that it doesn’t burn. The butter should be a clear golden color on top, with very few air bubbles on the surface. At this point the ghee is done, and you can toss a handful of fresh curry leaves into it if you’d like.

– Turn off the heat and allow it to sit for an hour, then strain it carefully into a clean, dry, airtight container. The sediment at the bottom can be discarded, but the foam on top is okay.

– Store away from light and heat for three months, or refrigerated for up to a year – although in my experience ghee never lasts that long!

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GHEE-BAKED CAULIFLOWER (GOBI MUSALLAM)

Servings: 2 to 4

In this north Indian dish, the cauliflower receives layers of flavor, via pastes, steam and the heat of a high-temperature oven – and it doesn’t take that long to do.

MAKE AHEAD: The two pastes can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.

Adapted from a recipe by Padmasree Vardaraj of Chennai, India.

INGREDIENTS

For the cauliflower

1 medium head cauliflower, leaves removed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 small green chiles, stemmed, seeded if desired and coarsely chopped

One 4- or 5-inch piece peeled fresh ginger root, chopped (3 to 4 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala (spice blend)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the masala

One 4- or 5-inch piece peeled fresh ginger root, chopped (3 to 4 tablespoons)

4 tablespoons coriander seed

6 whole cloves

8 whole black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

4 whole cardamom pods

3 tablespoons whole almonds

One 1-inch piece cinnamon stick

1/4 cup freshly grated coconut (unsweetened)

1/2 cup store-bought or homemade ghee, at room temperature

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 large onion, chopped (3/4 cup)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plain full-fat yogurt

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

STEPS

For the cauliflower: Rinse the cauliflower and pat it dry. Fill a pot with a few inches of water, then place a steamer basket/insert inside it, making sure the level of water stays below the steamer.

Combine the garlic, chiles, ginger, chili powder and garam masala in a mini food processor, or use a mortar and pestle to create a coarse paste. Add the salt and lemon juice, pulsing or stirring to incorporate.

Rub this paste all over the cauliflower, getting some of it between the florets. Place the coated cauliflower in the steamer basket, cover and steam for 3 minutes, or until the vegetable is just tender enough to be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove from the heat.

For the masala: Combine the ginger, coriander seed, cloves, black peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, almonds, cinnamon and coconut in a dedicated spice grinder or mini food processor; grind to create a coarse paste.

Heat half the ghee in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion; cook for about 8 minutes, until they have softened, then stir in the masala paste, salt and then the yogurt, adding it 1 tablespoon at a time and stirring thoroughly to incorporate.

Stir in the tomatoes; cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they break down. This is your masala paste, which will lose a bit of moisture by the time it’s done; that’s okay. Remove from the heat and transfer the paste to a bowl to cool for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Coat the cauliflower with half the masala, all over, then place the cauliflower in the skillet. Dot the vegetable with the remaining softened ghee; roast (top rack) for 15 minutes, during which time the masala paste will darken and the cauliflower will be tender throughout.

Remove the skillet from the oven; spread the remaining masala paste over the cauliflower and then return it to the oven; roast for 5 minutes more.

Transfer to a platter, along with any masala paste in the pan. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve hot, with steamed rice/Indian bread.

Nutrition per serving (based on 4): 500 calories, 7 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 39 g fat, 21 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 950 mg sodium, 8 g dietary fiber, 7 g sugar

– – –

GHEE BISCUITS

Servings: 20

These are sweet, delicate five-ingredient cookies, akin to the meltaway kind made with confectioners’ sugar.

MAKE AHEAD: The biscuits are best enjoyed within a day or two; store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Adapted from a recipe obtained by Padmasree Vardaraj, of Chennai, India.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup store-bought or homemade ghee, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

STEPS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

Stir together the ghee and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until well blended, then add the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt, stirring to form a soft dough. Divide into 20 equal portions, rolling each one into a ball and placing it on the baking sheet as you work. Space the balls at least 1 inch apart.

Bake (middle rack) for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until set, showing no signs of brown around the edges. The color of the biscuits will be pale.

Cool completely on the pan before serving or storing.

Nutrition per biscuit: 100 calories, 0 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 30 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar

– —

Vardaraj is an associate editor at Asiaville and lives in Chennai, India.

As President Trump delivered his address in the U.S. Congress Feb. 5, responses from Indian-Americans predictably went along party lines. They ranged from those who did not watch it to those fully committed to the President’s agenda.

In-between were Indians who are not citizens but permanent residents, seemingly stuck in a groove.

The part that caught everyone’s attention was to do with immigrants – whether it was the border wall, or more specifically, the President’s statement, “I want people to come into our country in the largest numbers ever, but they have to come in legally,” which ordinarily should have gladdened the hearts of many Indians, an overwhelming majority of whom have come to this country legally. But there are hundreds of thousands waiting in line with H-1B visas, H-4 visas, working away and hoping things will change. They see a huge gap between word and deed.

Yet, it was an inspiring speech for those Republicans committed to the President.

“I am delighted and elated with what the President had to say yesterday,” said Puneet Ahluwalia, a political strategist and lobbyist who had been on Trump’s transition team on Asian American outreach. “He laid a very clear approach to what he saw as a bipartisan approach to making American great again.”

“In the Indian community, if there is a complete misunderstanding – it’s because Democratic Indians don’t want to support him,” Ahluwalia asserted, acknowledging that more than 60 percent of Indian-Americans are Democrat leaning.

“The agenda I will lay out this evening is not a Republican agenda or a Democrat agenda.  It’s the agenda of the American people,” President Trump declared at the outset, noting that despite differences, the 115th Congress just ended, had passed legislation to fight the opioid crisis, a farm bill, and Veterans Affairs reforms, and criminal justice reforms as this year’s session began.

“Many of us have campaigned on the same core promises: to defend American jobs and demand fair trade for American workers; to rebuild and revitalize our nation’s infrastructure; to reduce the price of healthcare and prescription drugs; to create an immigration system that is safe, lawful, modern, and secure; and to pursue a foreign policy that puts America’s interests first,” (emphasis mine) the President said.

But, the President said, “No issue better illustrates the divide between America’s working class and America’s political class than illegal immigration.  Wealthy politicians and donors push for open borders while living their lives behind walls, and gates, and guards.”

“Meanwhile, working-class Americans are left to pay the price for mass illegal migration: reduced jobs, lower wages, overburdened schools, hospitals that are so crowded you can’t get in, increased crime, and a depleted social safety net.  Tolerance for illegal immigration is not compassionate; it is actually very cruel,” said the President.

His statistics about ICE arrests and assaults by illegal entrants, were all to Ahluwalia’s satisfaction but not so the Democratic Party Indian-Americans. Some news channels also pointed out inconsistencies in the numbers.

By speaking now about a “commonsense” proposal of the ‘wall’ that was now described by the President as “a smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier — not just a simple concrete wall,” the President may have won over some more of those sitting on the fence. He spoke of humanitarian assistance, more law enforcement, drug detection, preventing child smuggling, all being part of the “crisis on the southern border,” something denied by Democrats and others.

For Ann Kalayil, founder of the Chicago-based South Asian American Policy Research Institute (SAAPRI), and former Obama administration official, the picture is radically different.

“The whole crux of the speech and action was fixated on the wall. That symbolizes for me an anti-immigrant stance,” Kalayil said. “The United States is a country of immigrants, and to be fixated on the wall …,” brings up historical issues about that border, Kalayil said.

“For our (Indian community), it only takes something minor to get you out of status,” Kalayil contended. “There are Indians and South Asians in the groups comprising the Undocumented and Dreamers (those brought here as children by parents). I personally know a bright young man who is now out of status,” she said. “I would like to tell my Republican friends that President Trump’s view on immigration is … just flawed. It is Eurocentric, and it does not even acknowledge Native Americans!”

Ohio State Representative Niraj Antani, a Republican has a different point of view. “Obviously, President Trump highlighted border security which is important to our nation,” Antani said. “I am a son of immigrants and illegal immigration is an insult to every sacrifice they made to be here. And most Indians are legal … they stood in line, got green cards …,” Antani said.

Antani added that the President was focused on the economy and it was doing “extremely well” in terms of jobs created and other reforms.

Neha Mahajan, co-founder of Skilled Immigrants in America, who is on an H-4 employment authorization status, told News India Times there is a big gap between what is said at the national level and what transpired for immigrants like her on the ground.

“One of the few takeaways that I have is that the rhetoric that if you come legally and with right documents, America welcomes you. But that is not the case,” Mahajan said. “Agencies are doing everything to tighten regulations and pushing people away. There is a big disconnect between what the President is saying about legal immigration and the ground reality.”

She also latches on the President Trump’s points about a growing economy and high level of employment, and low unemployment, including of women. “If that is the case, then why is the Department of Homeland Security going after EADs,” she questioned, referring to spouses of H-1B visa applicants who have been allowed to work under an Obama administration rule. “Their (DHS, USCIS) whole case is that we are taking away American jobs.” Mahajan claimed that the number of denials and ‘requests for evidence’ in visa processing had “tripled in the last two years.” Considering that this applies to H-1B visa holders, she said, “These are people who have been vetted for so many years – so what is wrong with them now?”

State Rep. Antani, when asked about the visa situation of Indian applicants for skilled worker visas, said, “These problems of H1-B and other visas have been going on for some time, even under other administrations.”

Other Issues

One of the highlights of the day, was U.S. Senator Kamala Harris delivering a prequel to SOTU, in a speech broadcast over social media, to highlight her agenda for the nation, as a candidate for the 2020 race.

Congressman Ro Khanna, D-California, who has called the border wall funding a ‘manufactured crisis’ in the past, appeared on several talk shows to speak about his views on U.S. energy and foreign policy.

Referring to the President’s SOTU, Khanna tweeted, “We need to transcend division and truly reconcile on issues like race, gender, and economic inequality. America can, and will, do better. #SOTU2019”

He has supported the outreach to North Korea saying “Partisan politics shouldn’t get in the way of pursuing progressive foreign policy goals.”

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, who has worked with legislators across the aisle said, “Last night our President used his #SOTU to call for an end to “ridiculous partisan investigations.” That’s not going to happen,” adding, “These investigations are necessary and they will follow the facts where they lead until the American people get the answers the country needs.”

He was referring to President Trump’s remarks, “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation.  It just doesn’t work that way.”

Rep. Ami Bera, D-California, who was just appointed chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, will now be wielding considerable influence on what transpires in the House relating to various foreign policy issues. “Our Subcommittee will have broad jurisdiction to conduct oversight into America’s foreign policy. Our goal is to hold government accountable, support the mission of our diplomats, and investigate abuses when they occur,” Bera said in a statement.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, D-Washington, who had boycotted last year’s SOTU, came this year with the whole cohort of Democratic women legislators dressed in white in honor of the Suffragettes, noted how climate change had not featured in the President’s speech.

“#SOTU Fact : A border wall won’t keep opioids out of the country. It’s not a national security necessity. Border apprehensions remain near historic lows. BOTH of Trump’s @DHSgov secretaries dismissed the efficacy of a border wall. I could go on and on. Just not correct,” Jayapal said.

“We knew he was going to ignore the crisis of climate change. That’s why I invited a pioneering scientist who has done the research to show that climate change is REAL,” Jayapal tweeted. She, like the other Democratic legislators, has supported giving Dreamers a permanent status, and vehemently opposed the kind of border wall envisioned by President Trump. She has also called for Medicare for all. She tweeted continuously through SOTU, expressing disagreement on numerous issues articulated by the President.

An Indian-American professor of history at the University of California, Los Angeles, has won the prestigious Dan David Prize for his contributions to history.

Sanjay Subrahmanyam, whose work focuses on the encounters between Asians, Europeans and indigenous and colonial Americans from 1400 through 1800, was named a laureate of the Dan David Prize awarded annually to those who “have made outstanding scientific, technological and humanistic accomplishments in fields representing the past, present and future of human achievement,” a Feb. 7 press release from the university announced.

The professor is sharing the $1 million prize with Kenneth Pomeranz, another renowned historian who is a professor at the University of Chicago.

“I greatly appreciate the international recognition afforded to my scholarship, which is a great encouragement,”  Subrahmanyam is quoted saying in the press release. He has written 16 books and edited an almost equal number.

“When I came to UCLA in 2004, I was proud to join a history department with some great and world-famous figures in it, and I have tried to live up to their example,” Subrahmanyam said, adding, “The Dan David Prize gives me a fresh wind in my sails, to push on with the next set of projects I have in mind: whether on global historiography, Islamic history or the enigmatic figure of Michel de Montaigne.”

Subrahmanyam has taught UCLA students in a methodology he calls “connected histories,” where scholars are encouraged “to cross conventional boundaries and define new problems.”

“This has meant setting the bar high for them, too, and making serious demands on their training and scholarship,” he said.” Such history may be somewhat unfashionable in the U.S., where other trends of narrow specialization often dominate, but it is reassuring to see it has an appeal worldwide,” Subrahmanyam said.

The Dan David Prize’s unique approach uses a new theme each year to select from three time dimensions —  recognizing accomplishments that expand knowledge of the past, enrich society in the present, and promise to improve the future of our world, the press release said.

Along with the macro history awardees, the 2019 Dan David Prize will also honor Michael Ignatieff and Reporters Without Borders for their “remarkable work” in defending democracy, as well as Christiana Figueres for her achievements in combating climate change.

The total purse of $3 million makes the Dan David Prize one of the highest-value prizes internationally. Others who have received the prize include world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma (2006), HIV co-discoverer Robert Gallo (2009), novelist Margaret Atwood (2010), filmmaker brothers Ethan and Joel Coen (2011), and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales (2015).

NEW DELHI – Facebook Inc. is toughening up the rules governing political advertisements in India to create more transparency ahead of the country’s general elections due before May, the social media giant said late on Thursday.

Users will see political advertisements with “published by” and “paid by” disclaimers, the Menlo Park, California-headquartered company said in a statement.

The move comes weeks after Facebook told Reuters it would extend some of its political advertising rules and tools for curbing election interference to India, Nigeria, Ukraine and the European Union before significant votes in these places in the next few months.

Users will be able to access a library that allows them to search and find out more about political advertisements such as how much is spent on them and the demographics of advertising views, Facebook said.

People will soon also be able to see country locations of users who manage Facebook pages that carry political ads.

“By increasing transparency around ads and pages on Facebook, we hope to increase accountability for advertisers, help people assess the content they’re seeing and prevent future abuse in elections,” Facebook said.

The new features and policy becomes effective Feb. 21.

The moves are part of Facebook‘s attempts to reshape its public image which took a beating last year after a privacy scandal involving British data consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

The company has also faced intense pressure from India, one of the world’s biggest Internet markets, to curb the spread of misinformation through its WhatsApp messenger that has lead to a spate of killings.

Facebook said it is also making it tougher to run a page using a fake account by introducing two-factor authentication and by asking for page administrators’ primary country location.

In past few years Facebook has effectively been used globally by politicians and their adversaries to distribute fake news and other propaganda.

Ads on Facebook can widen the reach of such material, but some of those influence efforts may violate election rules and the company’s policies.

Under intense global public scrutiny, Facebook last year introduced several initiatives to increase oversight of political ads.

NEW DELHI – India could lose a vital U.S. trade concession, under which it enjoys zero tariffs on $5.6 billion of exports to the United States, amid a widening dispute over its trade and investment policies, people with close knowledge of the matter said.

A move to withdraw the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) from India, the world’s largest beneficiary of a scheme that has been in force since the 1970s, would be the strongest punitive action against India since President Donald Trump took office in 2017 vowing to reduce the U.S. deficit with large economies.

Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has courted foreign investment as part of his Make-in-India campaign to turn India into a manufacturing hub and deliver jobs to the millions of youth entering the workforce.

Trump, for his part, has pushed for U.S. manufacturing to return home as part of his Make America Great Again campaign.

The trigger for the latest downturn in trade ties was India’s new rules on e-commerce that restrict the way Amazon.com Inc and Walmart-backed Flipkart do business in a rapidly growing online market set to touch $200 billion by 2027.

That, coming on top of a drive to force global card payments companies such as Mastercard and Visa to move their data to India and the imposition of higher tariffs on electronic products and smartphones, left a broader trade package the two sides were working on through last year in tatters.

The GSP was tied to the trade package and since that deal had slipped further away, the United States was considering withdrawing or scaling back the preferential arrangement, people familiar with the matter said.

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) was completing a review of India’s status as a GSP beneficiary and an announcement was expected over the next two weeks, they said.

“(The two sides) were trying to sort out the trade package, but were not able to actually finish the deal. In the meantime these other things, data localisation and e-commerce, have come along,” one of them said. “In a sense it’s like someone has rained on the parade.”

India and the United States have developed close political and security ties. But bilateral trade, which stood at $126 billion in 2017, is widely seen to be performing at nearly a quarter of its potential.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is due in New Delhi next week where he is expected to raise concerns about the e-commerce policy and data localisation, officials said.

VARIOUS NEW POLICIES

New Indian rules announced in December for the e-commerce sector banned companies such as Amazon and Flipkart from striking exclusive deals with sellers, restricted their ability to offer discounts and barred them from selling products via vendors in which they have an equity interest.

The move disrupted product listings on Amazon’s India website and forced it to change its business structures. Amazon and Walmart, as well as the U.S. government, had lobbied against the move, Reuters reported earlier.

The new rules, coming ahead of a general election, were seen as a bid by Modi to placate small traders, who had for years complained about business practices of large e-commerce players.

They form a key voter base for Modi who is facing a tightening election in the next few months.

The idea of the policy was to foster healthy competition and promote India’s e-commerce, an Indian government official involved in trade issues said, defending the curbs on the big firms.

But companies disagree and decry such sudden policy changes.

“These types of actions can really put a negative view on India as an investment destination,” one of the sources said.

India last year also announced proposals to force foreign companies to store more of their user data locally, in a bid to better conduct legal investigations. U.S. lobby groups had voiced concerns about those proposals too, saying they made it difficult for companies to do business in the country.

POSSIBLE INDIA SETBACK

If the United States eliminates duty-free access for about 2,000 Indian product lines, it will mostly hurt small businesses such as jewellery, said one of the sources. The number of goods qualifying for preferential treatment could be reduced, or the whole programme could be withdrawn.

There was no response to a request for comment from the USTR or the U.S. Embassy. India’s trade ministry also did not answer questions emailed to them about trade differences with the United States.

But an Indian government official briefed on the trade discussions said the trade package under which the two sides were negotiating better access to each other’s farm and dairy markets was unlikely until the elections in India this spring.

Talks on U.S. demands to relax India’s decision to cap prices of medical devices made in the United States had also got stuck, the official said.

“The list of grievances is getting bigger, now with e-commerce added in,” he said.

India fears Trump may demand a free trade agreement if both sides fail to reach a compromise on the trade package. Such a pact would mean zero tariffs for U.S. goods arriving in India, further threatening local industry.

Indian-Canadian comedian Sugar Sammy is will be headlining at Carolines on Broadway from Thursday, February 21 to Saturday, February 23.

Sugar Sammy has given many live performances internationally and has appeared on TV, as well as comedy festivals.

His credits include HBO Canada, Comedy Central Asia, Comedy Central India, The Comedy Network, and has also headlined many festivals in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, according to a press release.

According to his website, Sugar Sammy made his debut in the fall of 2016 in France and has since performed at more than 1,600 shows in 31 countries in English, French, Hindi and Punjabi.

His performance schedule at Carolines on Broadway is:

• Thursday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Tickets are available online at http://www.carolines.com/comedian/sugar-sammy or call the Carolines Box Office at 212-757-4100.