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200% RISE IN INVITES TO INDIANS FORCANADIAN PERMANENT RESIDENCY Canada has emerged as a coveted destination for India's diaspora

NEW YORK (TIP): Indians appear gung-ho about Canada's Express Entryprogram which invites top ranked candidates - under the country's point-basedimmigration system - to take up permanent residency. Express Entry is Canada'sflagship program for key economic migration.

Under the scheme, out of the 86,022 invitations sent in 2017, nearly 42% (or36,310) were to those holdingIndian citizenship. The totalnumber of invitations sent in 2017was more than double the previousyear - 33,782.

In 2016, the number of invitessent to those having Indiancitizenship in Canada was merely11,037, showing an increase bymore than 200% a year later.

contd on Page 20

WASHINGTON (TIP): According to aReuters/Ipsos opinion poll released onWednesday, June 13, just over half of allAmericans say they approve of howPresident Donald Trump has handled NorthKorea, but only a quarter think that hissummit this week with Kim Jong Un willlead to the denuclearization of the Koreanpeninsula, according to a

In a joint declaration following theirmeeting in Singapore on Tuesday, June 12theNorth Korean leader pledged to movetoward complete denuclearization of thepeninsula and Trump vowed to guarantee

contd on Page 20

Trump and Kim held a historic summit inSingapore and displayed rare statesmanship.

It may well be the beginning towardsdétente.

New York attorney general sues TrumpFoundation for 'illegal conduct'The lawsuit seeks $2.8 million in restitution andadditional penalties

NEW YORK

(TIP): New YorkAttorney GeneralBarbara Underwoodsued PresidentDonald Trump andhis charitablefoundation on

Thursday, June 14 alleging that the president and his adult contd on Page 20

Salman Khan among 5 Bollywood starssued for 'million-dollar breach' in USThe Chicago-based Vibrant Media Group in its lawsuitagainst the Bollywood artists, their agents alleged'breach of contract'.

NEW YORK

(TIP): SuperstarSalman Khan and ahost of otherBollywood artistsincluding KatrinaKaif, SonakshiSinha, RanveerSingh and PrabhuDeva have been suedby an Indian-American promoter,which alleged thatthey refused to

contd on Page 20

Salman Khan and his ensemble arescheduled to be on a US tour

starting June 22

Half of Americans back Trump’shandling of North Korea: Poll

Indian American Neel Gonuguntlaamong The Dallas Business Journal 2018Women in Business Awards honoreesThe 30 honorees, including US India Chamber ofCommerce President, Neel Gonuguntla represent avariety of industries and roles

DALLAS (TIP): TheDallas Business Journalhas announced thehonorees for its 11thannual Women in BusinessAwards program. These 30individuals, includingIndian American NeelGonuguntla represent avariety of industries androles that are crucial to theDallas-Fort Worthecosystem, includingfinancial and legalservices, commercial realestate and construction,and non-profitorganizations.

From leaders of global institutions, like Frito-Lay ChiefMarketing Officer Jennifer Saenz and AT&T Business'Anne Chow, to entrepreneurs behind innovative startups,like Elyse Dickerson of Eosera, the 2018 class of Womenin Business touches on a concentration of transformativeingenuity and enterprising imagination that can only befound in North Texas.

Four members of the Women in Business Awards class- Betty Garrett, Linda Kunz, Sandy Phillips, and CourtneySinelli - have been selected to receive the distinction as a"Tourism, Travel and Hospitality" honoree. This categoryhighlights the vital role that these verticals play inkeeping North Texas a contender in national andinternational spheres. The 2018 honorees will be honoredat a luncheon and trade show on Thursday, August 23, atthe Omni Hotel Dallas.

US India Chamber ofCommerce President, Neel

Gonuguntla has been chosenfor the Dallas Business

Journal's 2018 Women inBusiness Award.

Agents raid Texas 'stash house' and find 62 undocumented immigrants, says border patrol

DALLAS (TIP): Agents found andarrested 62 undocumented immigrantshidden inside a home in Laredo, TexasTuesday, June 12, according to U.S.Customs and Border Protection.

The immigrants were processed andfound to be from Mexico, Guatemala,Honduras, and El Salvador.

Laredo Sector Border Patrol found the "stash house" afterreceiving a tip that a large number of people were being held at aresidence and awaiting transfer to the interior of the United States.

This is one of several raids completed by border patrol in Texasthis week. On Sunday, agents found 50 undocumented immigrantshiding inside a house in Mission, Texas. The following day threemore houses were raided resulting in the discovery of 109undocumented immigrants, according to a press release.

Those men, women and unaccompanied children were fromHonduras, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ecuadorand Belize.

The arrests come amid a national conversation about the Trumpadministration's new "zero tolerance" policy towardsundocumented immigrants which requires federal prosecutors tocriminally charge anybody caught illegally crossing the border.The policy has resulted in the separation of families, drawingoutcry from immigrant advocates.

2 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018ADVERTISEMENT

3INDIANS ABROADTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Indian origin school girl achieves top scoreon Mensa IQ test, beats Einstein, Hawking

SURREY (TIP): Snnehal Vijay, aschoolgirl aged 11 just has achieved thehighest possible score in a Mensa IQtest, even surpassing that of famedscientists Stephen Hawking and AlbertEinstein.

The student, from Stanwell, Surrey,shocked her parents by scoring 162 onthe Cattell III B paper, something onlyone per cent of all entrants achieve.

Although her score is higher thanEinstein's, there is a catch. Adults canonly score a maximum of 161 whilechildren can get 162.

Snnehal's parents, Swatantra andNitika, said they were 'over the moon'when they opened the letter containingher exam score.

It turns out that Snnehal has alsobeen accepted into Henrietta BarnettSchool, one of the country's top-performing grammar schools, whereshe will begin in September.

Swatantra said he had the idea ofentering his daughter for the Mensatest after seeing her revise for the pre-entry exams into Henrietta Barnett.

The Cattell III B test, which examinesverbal reasoning, is one of two Mensause in their entry exams.

The other test, called Culture Fair, is

a diagram-only test which is moresuitable for people who do not haveEnglish as their first language or whoare dyslexic. (Source: Deccan Chronicle)

Snnehal Vijay, from Stanwell, Surrey, shocked her parents by scoring 162 on theCattell III B paper, something only 1 per cent of all entrants achieve

ATLANTA (TIP): A man fromVadodara, Gujarat, settled in the USwas shot dead in Atlanta on June 9evening.

Forty-eight-year-old Harikrishnaalias Harish Mistry was shot thriceby an African-American man nearhis store at about 4pm.

Police are yet to make an arrest in

the case. Mistry moved to Atlantawith his family about 15 years agoand ran a gas-station-cum-store. "Ourrelatives in the US informed us aboutthe killing on Sunday morning," saidDilip Mistry, a cousin of thedeceased.

"We were told that Harikrishnawas leaving his store when the attack

occurred. Our relatives said the manwho shot Harikrishna used to work athis store and was pulled up formisconduct a few days ago."

Harikrishna Mistry is survived byhis wife Sheetal and two children -Nancy, 19, and Nayan, 4.

Mistry's two sisters are also settledin the US.

Gujarat NRI shot dead near his store

Indian-American woman to become CFOof US carmaker General Motors

NEW YORK (TIP): DhivyaSuryadevara, currently the vicepresident of corporate finance, willsucceed Chuck Stevens, the GM'spresent CFO, on September 1, thecompany said in a statement.

Chennai-born Suryadevara, 39, hasbeen GM's vice president of corporatefinance since July 2017. She will reportto Chief Executive Officer (CEO) MaryBarra, 56, who has been head of theautomaker since 2014.

Barra and Suryadevara are the firstwomen in their respective positions inthe auto industry, as no other majorglobal automaker has a female CEO,nor a CEO and CFO who are bothfemale.

He earned her bachelor's andmaster's degrees in commerce from theUniversity of Madras in Chennai, IndiaShe moved to the US at the age of 22 topursue her MBA from HarvardUniversity.

She is a chartered financial analystand accountant and worked at UBS andPricewaterhousCoopers before joiningthe Detroit-based GM in 2005 at the ageof 25.

"Dhivya's experience and leadershipin several key roles throughout ourfinancial operations positions her wellto build on the strong business results

we've delivered over the last severalyears," Barra said in a statement.

Stevens, 58, has been CFO at thelargest US automaker since January2014 and will retire in March next yearas a more than 40-year veteran of thecompany.

He will remain with the company asan adviser until his retirement, thestatement said.

Stevens began at the Buick divisionin 1978 and, like Barra, was educated atGeneral Motors Institute, whichbecame Kettering University. He had akey role in GM establishing its jointventure in China with SAIC MotorCorp. and was a crucial player in GMselling its long-struggling Opelbusiness to French automaker PSAGroup.

An Indian-American woman, Dhivya Suryadevara has been named the ChiefFinance Officer of the US' largest automaker, General Motors

Indian origin New Zealand basedRadio Jockey dares Akal TakhtJathedar to open debate

CHANDIGARH (TIP): Akal Takhton Thursday, June 14, excommunicatedNew Zealand-based Harnek Singh Nekifor "derogatory" remarks on SikhGurus and for distorting Gurbaniwhile hosting a radio talk show.

The "hukamnama (edict)" by thefive Sikh high priests was pronouncedby Giani Gurbachan Singh. TheJathedar directed the Sikhs to initiatelegal proceedings to scrap Neki'sproject - Radio Virsa - for running arelentless "propaganda" against theGurus.

Speaking to The Tribune on thephone 12,000 km away, an unruffledNeki invited the Akal Takht chief to his show for an opendiscussion on the origin of Sikhism and its principles. "I do notacknowledge the authority of the Akal Takht Jathedar or theSGPC. Both have lost their credibility. I never saw myself as partof the community governed by them. I challenge the Akal TakhtJathedar or any SGPC representative to a debate on my show onSikh ethics and principles. Let the listeners decide forthemselves."

Mocking the clergy, he said the 'Taksali' Sant Samaj and SGPCrepresentatives had approached the New Zealand HighCommissioner in New Delhi to demand that his radio 'license' becancelled, "little knowing that in New Zealand, it is not requiredto run a small radio channel as Radio Virsa which I run incollaboration with a group of Sikhs settled there."

Jathedar Gurbachan Singh stressed that Neki was given threechances to appear before Akal Takht, but he did not respond. "Hehas been 'distorting' Gurbani and using objectionable languagefor the Sikh Gurus on his radio shows. The Sikh communitymust sever social, political and religious ties with him."

Neki was first summoned by the Akal Takht on May 16 andasked to respond to the allegations in writing within 10 days.Thereafter, he was called on June 1 and for the third time withinthe next one week. Parallel 'Jathedar' Dhyan Singh Mand toohad excommunicated Neki on May 30 on the same charges.

Indian American named finalist forSammies People's Choice Award

NEW YORK (TIP): Parimal Kopardekar, a NASA seniortechnologist for Air Transportation System, has been selected asa finalist, among 12, for the 2018 Sammies People's Choice Awardby the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals.

Kopardekar, who is also a principal investigator of theUnmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management at the MoffettField, Calif.-based NASA Ames Research Center, was named afinalist in the Promising Innovation category.

According to a report put together by the Heyman Service toAmerica Medals, the Federal Aviation Administration estimatesthat there could be more than 700,000 commercial drones flyingat a low-altitude to deliver packages, monitor traffic, trackstorms, inspect power lines, aid search and rescue operations by2022. However, it will require a sophisticated air trafficmanagement system for unmanned aircraft that will preventaccidents and airborne congestion, working efficiently to servepublic and commercial interests.

Kopardekar and his team of engineers and scientists at NASAhas designed a system that will safely manage multipleunmanned aerial vehicles flying in the same area at the sametime and he has created a program with an $18 million annualbudget, which has set the stage for an entire new era inunmanned aviation with the potential to unleash a multibilliondollar U.S. industry.

"PK is the principal architect, researcher and engineer of theunmanned traffic management system. He has acted as acatalyst for government and industry, and has brought peopletogether," said Sean Cassidy, the director of safety andregulatory affairs at Amazon.

Kopardekar became interested in aviation when he was agraduate student and it was then that he went to work for theFAA and then NASA.

He then started developing a system for managing drones in2012 and held a conference on drone traffic management issuesin 2014. By 2015, a convention on the topic drew nearly 1,500people. Kopardekar's management system is an open-sourcesystem that uses software, the internet and cell service, insteadof air traffic controllers, to keep the aircraft spaced apart,according to his bio report.

(Read full story on www.theindianpanorama.news.

The banished RadioJockey Harnek Singh

Neki

4 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018US

Trump administrationreconfirms its intent torescind H4 rule

WASHINGTON (TIP): The Trumpadministration has reconfirmed its intentto rescind H-4 rule regarding employmentauthorization to certain spouses of H-1Bvisas, popular among Indian ITprofessionals.

The move will have a major impact onIndian-American women as they are themajor beneficiary of the Obama-era rule.

"Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses fromthe Class of Aliens Eligible forEmployment Authorization," said theDepartment of Homeland Security'sUnified Agenda in the federal registernotification of its semi-annual regulatoryagenda.

As per the notification published onMonday, the Department of HomelandSecurity is proposing to remove from itsregulations certain H-4 spouses of H-1Bnonimmigrants as a class of aliens eligiblefor employment authorization.

It was in February 2015 that it hadpublished a final rule extending eligibilityfor employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1Bnonimmigrants who are seekingemployment-based lawful permanentresident (LPR) status.

The federal register notification said thatthe notice of proposed rulemaking orNPRM would be published in June.

However, the US Citizenship andImmigration Services (USCIS) insisted that"No decision about H4 visas is final until"the rulemaking process is completed.

USCIS will alert the public when theNotice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)has been posted for public comment.

An NPRM is posted for public commentand after comments have been consideredUSCIS will post the final rule, a USCISofficial told PTI requesting anonymity.

"The agency is considering a number ofpolicy and regulatory changes to carry outthe President's Buy American, HireAmerican Executive Order, including athorough review of employment-based visaprograms," Michael Bars, USCISSpokesperson told PTI.

"USCIS is focused on safeguarding theintegrity of our immigration system andensuring its faithful execution so that thewages and working conditions of USworkers are protected," he said.

"USCIS is committed to reformingemployment-based immigration programsso they benefit the American people to thegreatest extent possible," Bars said.

Meanwhile, scores of Indian-Americanswho have been waiting for years to get theirGreen Card met Congressman Paul Tonkoin Albany, New York to press for an earlyreform of the Green Card backlog and notto rescind H-4 rule on employmentauthorization.

Activist Renuka Rajkumar addressed thegathering about the impact of revokingemployment permits for spouses who havebeen waiting on green cards for a long time.

In her speech, she recalled despairing fora decade before she was afforded theopportunity to work.

In spite of her higher education andprior professional experience, it took heralmost a year to find a job in her chosenprofession. Hardik Chirra spokepassionately about the challenges faced byChildren on H4 dependent visas.

Hardik, a 10th grader who has beenstudying in Albany schools for the lastdecade spoke about the challenges faced incollege admissions, anxiety about having toself-deport, leaving his family behind whenhe turns 21.

Watchdog report blasts FBI butdoesn't hand Trump total win

WASHINGTON (TIP): An inspectorgeneral report condemning the FBI's actionsin the Hillary Clinton email investigationblasts former FBI Director James Comey butalso denies total vindication to the presidentwho fired him.

The 500-page document stops far short ofendorsing the attacks levied at Comey for thelast year by President Donald Trump.

Although Trump has alleged that apolitically tainted FBI tried to undermine hisRepublican campaign, the report foundnothing to suggest that political preferencesinfluenced how the investigation wasconducted.

Trump has suggested anyone lesspolitically connected than Clinton would havebeen charged for the same behavior, yet thereport does not second-guess the FBI'sdecision to spare her from prosecution.

And while the president has said Comey'sdeputy, Andrew McCabe, should have recusedhimself because of Democratic politicalcontributions to his wife, the report said heacted appropriately in flagging the issueinside the bureau.

"We found no evidence that the conclusionsby the prosecutors were affected by bias orother improper considerations; rather, wedetermined that they were based on theprosecutors' assessment of the facts, the lawand past department practice,'' the reportsays.

Yet there's no doubt the report gave Trumpfresh ammunition for continued attacks onComey and for his defense that Comey's firingin May 2017 an act now central to specialcounsel Robert Mueller's investigation intowhether the president sought to obstructjustice was wholly justified.

The report branded Comey asinsubordinate for repeatedly breaking withJustice Department protocol in his handlingof the email probe in the explosive finalmonths of the 2016 presidential campaign. Italso sharply rebuked FBI officials who tradedpolitically charged, anti-Trump text messageseven as the investigation into the campaignwas underway.

The report released Thursday documents inpainstaking detail one of the mostconsequential investigations in modern FBIhistory and reveals how the bureau, which fordecades has endeavored to stand apart frompolitics, came to be entangled in the 2016presidential election.

It underscores efforts by FBI and JusticeDepartment leaders to juggle developments inthe Clinton investigation _ she had usedprivate email for government business while

secretary of state with a separate probe thatwas then unknown to the American publicinto potential coordination between theTrump campaign and Russia.

Comey, whom Trump fired shortly aftertaking office, bore the brunt of much of thereport's criticism.

It says the FBI director broke from JusticeDepartment protocol when he announced inJuly 2016 that Clinton had been "extremelycareless'' with classified material but wouldnot be charged with any crime, and againmonths later when he told Congress just daysbefore the election that the investigation intoClinton's emails had been reopened.

Though it says those mistakes weren'tpolitically motivated, Trump supportersseized on the report's description of Comey as"insubordinate.'' And they quickly focused onthe report's recounting of anti-Trump textmessages from two FBI officials who workedthe Clinton probe and later the Russia case,including one from August 2016 in which anagent says, "We'll stop it,'' with regard to apossible Trump victory.

The report suggests that text from PeterStrzok, who was later dropped from Mueller'steam, "implies a willingness to take officialaction to impact the presidential candidate'selectoral prospects." It did not find evidencethat those views seeped into the investigation.

White House press secretary SarahHuckabee Sanders said the report "reaffirmedthe president's suspicions about Comey'sconduct and the political bias amongst someof the members of the FBI."

FBI Director Chris Wray told reporters theFBI accepted the report's findings and wasmaking changes, including requiring furthertraining for FBI employees and re-

emphasizing the importance of objectivity. Ina New York Times opinion piece released afterthe report, Comey said he disagreed withsome conclusions but respected thewatchdog's work.

The inspector general faulted Comey for hisunusual July 5, 2016, news conference atwhich he disclosed his recommendationagainst bringing charges, even though casesthat end without prosecution are rarelydiscussed publicly. Comey did not reveal toAttorney General Loretta Lynch his plans tomake an announcement.

"We found that it was extraordinary andinsubordinate for Comey to do so, and wefound none of his reasons to be a persuasivebasis for deviating from well-establishedDepartment policies in a way intentionallydesigned to avoid supervision by departmentleadership over his actions," the report says.

Comey has said he was concerned that theJustice Department itself could not crediblyannounce the conclusion of its investigation,in part because Lynch had met days earlieraboard her plane with former President BillClinton. Both said they did not discuss HillaryClinton's case.

Concerned about the "appearance thatformer President Clinton was influencing"the probe, Lynch began talking to her staff thenext morning about possibly recusing herselffrom overseeing the investigation, the reportsays. She told the inspector general shedecided not to step aside because it might"create a misimpression" that she and theformer president had discussed inappropriatethings.

Bill Clinton, also interviewed in the IGinvestigation, said he had "absolutely not"discussed the probe. (AP)

GOVERNOR SET TO SIGN SIX GUN-CONTROL MEASURES IN NEW JERSEYTRENTON (TIP): New Jersey on Wednesday

is set to become the latest state to enactmeasures to tighten its already strict gun laws.

Democratic Governor Phil Murphy says hewill sign the half-dozen bills that beganadvancing after the fatal high school shootingin Parkland, Florida, in February that left 17people dead.

Murphy also mentioned the Pulse nightclubshooting in Orlando in a tweet, saying "ourhearts are heavy'' on the two-year anniversaryof the attack. "I will sign into law some of thetoughest gun laws in the nation in honor of allthose lost to senseless gun violence,'' the first-term governor said.

New Jersey joins other states, includingFlorida and Vermont, enacting gun controlmeasures since the Parkland shooting, whichset off a series of rallies across the countryaimed at reducing gun violence through tighterlaws.

The legislation went through an emotionalhours-long meeting that included moms whosupport tighter gun laws wearing red T-shirtsthat read Moms Demand Action, self-identifiedNational Rifle Association members and even aformer Indy Car racer who worried about hisrights being eroded.

"I do fear in the next 50 to 100 years atyrannical government,'' former racer PJ

Chesson told lawmakers earlier this year,adding that he wants to keep his right to body-armor-piercing bullets and higher rounds.

While the legislation has earned the praise ofgun control advocates, including MomsDemand Action for Gun Sense, they have alsomerited scorn from gun rights advocates whosay the measure won't increase safety.

Murphy, who succeeded term-limitedRepublican Chris Christie this year,campaigned on the promise to strengthen thestate's laws. Current state law bans assaultweapons, limits magazine clip sizes andrequires permits to carry a concealed weapon.(AP)

5USTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

President Donald J. Trump hasRestored American Leadership onthe World Stage: White House "All the nations of the world - friend or foe - will find thatAmerica is strong, America is proud, and America is free." -President Donald J. Trump

WASHINGTON (TIP): White House Press Secretary's officeissued a statement on June 14 claiming Trump has restoredAmerican leadership on the world stage

MOMENTUM FOR POSITIVE CHANGE WITH NORTH

KOREA: President Donald J. Trump has taken a bold first

step to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

● President Trump held a historic summit with ChairmanKim Jong Un.

● The summit marked a bold first step to achieving thecomplete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization ofthe Korean Peninsula.

● During the summit, North Korea reaffirmed itscommitment to complete denuclearization, agreed to helpthe United States recover POW/MIA remains, andcommitted to destroying a missile engine testing site.

● The summit built on the progress President Trump hadalready achieved, including:

● The return of three Americans detained in North Korea;● The March pledge by North Korea to refrain from any

further nuclear or missile tests; and● The apparent closure of North Korea's nuclear test site.

WITHDRAWING FROM THE UNACCEPTABLE IRAN

DEAL: President Trump has ended United States

participation in the disastrous Iran deal.

● President Trump terminated United States participationin the Iran deal, as it failed to protect America's nationalsecurity interests.

● The one-sided "deal" gave Iran a windfall of cash, enablingits malign behavior.

● The President directed his Administration to immediatelybegin the process of re-imposing sanctions on Iran.

● The Trump Administration has issued serious sanctionstargeting Iranian entities and activities, including:

● Financial and procurement networks supporting theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.

● Iranian entities engaging in human rights abuses andcensorship on behalf of the Iranian regime.

● Iranian individuals providing ballistic missiles andtechnical expertise to Yemen's Houthis.

DESTROYING ISIS: The Trump Administration has

worked with allies to destroy ISIS and liberate territory

previously occupied by the self-declared caliphate.

● President Trump has empowered United Statescommanders with broad authority to defeat ISIS.

● ISIS has lost nearly all of its territory, more than half ofwhich has been liberated under the TrumpAdministration.

● In December 2017, the Iraqi government announced allIraqi territory had been liberated from ISIS control.

● ISIS' self-proclaimed capital city Raqqah was recapturedin October 2017.

RESPONDING TO SYRIA'S USE OF CHEMICAL

WEAPONS: President Trump has forcefully responded to

the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons.

● The President authorized military strikes, responding tothe Syrian regime's savage chemical weapons attacks.

● In April 2018, the United States, the United Kingdom, andFrance launched strikes against targets associated withthe Syrian regime's chemical weapons capabilities.

● In April 2017, President Trump directed United Statesmilitary forces to strike a Syrian airfield used in theregime's chemical weapons attack earlier that month.

● President Trump has joined with allies to call on Syria tofully declare and dismantle its chemical weapons arsenaland to deter chemical weapons use worldwide.

● Since February 2017, the Department of Treasury's Officeof Foreign Assets Control has rolled out sanctionstargeting 284 individuals and entities responsible forsupporting the Syrian regime's use of military force andchemical weapons against civilians.

RECOGNIZING JERUSALEM AS ISRAEL'S CAPITAL:

President Trump followed through on his promise to

recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and open the

United States Embassy there.

● President Trump acted on his pledge to recognize thereality that Jerusalem is Israel's capital and open theUnited States Embassy there.

● In December 2017, President Trump announced the UnitedStates would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

● In May 2018, the United States officially opened itsEmbassy in Jerusalem.

SAHAVE Announces Global LaunchFuturistic technology platform for Nonprofits and Non-GovernmentOrganizations Launched Globally and unveiled in US.

NAPERVILLE IL (TIP): SAHAVEannounced the official global launch ofThe Platform for Social Change at aninvitation only reception at theSheraton Naperville June 11. Fiveyears in the making, the dream of itsFounder and CEO Pradeep Kandimallais officially a reality with the globallaunch of the first two of thirty-twomodules as well as four applicationssupporting them. Pradeep Kandimallastated, "there is great need in the worldfor social change, where neighborshelp neighbors, as they did long ago,when there were no charities. Peoplerelied on their neighbors when thingsgot difficult, and SAHAVE is designedto bring communities together throughNonprofits, and NGO's, and cutting-edge technology."

The Global Launch Reception held atthe Naperville Sheraton gave invitedguests a glimpse into the platform andits ease of use, impressive flexibilityand power to change lives throughadvanced tech not available anywhereelse in the world. SAHAVE bringstogether individuals, educationinstitutions, businesses and theNonprofit. Each can impact their localcommunities through collaborationand mutual goals for a bettercommunity and the world.

With the release of the Volunteeringand Blood Donations modules,SAHAVE offers automation to growsocial change and help save lives byautomating the logistics involved withidentifying and fulfilling needs of bothpeople to support projects and getmuch needed blood to those when theyneed it seamlessly.

Many charitable organizations inthe U.S. struggle to survive and fail tofully execute their missions due toinadequate financial and humancapital. Of the more than 1.5 milliontax-exempt organizations registered in2016 - 70% of which were publiccharities - 66% of those had less than$500,000 in annual donations. Manyearned less than $50,000 a year andoperated with systems and staffingunable to serve their populations orallow them to grow to their fullpotential. A new digital platform nowbeing tested promises to improve bothby connecting these small to mid-size

charities with individuals, businessesand institutions that can support them.

SAHAVE's Kandimalla wasfrustrated to see that only largefoundations and organizations couldafford the solutions necessary tooperate effectively, and smallernonprofits were left to struggle, unableto maintain strong donor andvolunteer bases. With over 20 years'experience in information technology,including Artificial Intelligence, BigData, the Internet of Things, MobileTechnologies and EnterpriseResources, he was determined to levelthe playing field.

"I've committed my life to serving mycommunities and individuals who needhelp," Kandimalla said. "With SAHAVEwe've created a platform that willrevolutionize the way nonprofitsoperate. It will help them become moreefficient, grow capacity, and improvesustainability. And it will be a solutionthat all nonprofits can afford."

Called SAHAVE (Sa-ha'-vay), themobile-first application platform isbeing developed by an internationalteam of technology, business and non-governmental organization experts inthe U.S. and India who are creating away for organizations to effectivelyengage their communities in real timeto communicate their needs,coordinate volunteer efforts, raisefunds and execute mission strategies.While there are software packages thataddress some of these areas, none areas inclusive as SAHAVE and most arecost-prohibitive for smallerorganizations.

The platform, its technology patent-pending, addresses the United Nations'2030 Sustainable Development GoalsAgenda 16.6 to "Develop effective,accountable and transparentinstitutions at all levels."

SAHAVE is a suite of integratedapplication software modules that linknonprofits with individuals,businesses and educationalinstitutions. Individuals can findorganizations with which they wouldlike to volunteer or donate; businessescan demonstrate corporate socialresponsibility by supportingcommunity projects and campaigns;and educational institutions can

provide opportunities for theirstudents to develop soft critical skillssuch as interpersonal communication,teamwork, decision making andempathy.

SAHAVE will provide a single, real-time mobile platform for everyone inthe community service system. Any ofthe four groups can initiate andpromote causes or campaigns. Theycan also easily communicate andcollaborate with each other and amongthemselves.

For example, nonprofits can connectwith individuals, multiple businessesand other nonprofits. Using artificialintelligence and predictive analytics,the software will suggest potentialcampaigns and identify viable partnersin the local area, including individualcommunity members and serviceproviders. Additionally, data fromlinked social media accounts will beused to recommend campaigns andpartners and to educate users oncurrent issues in the community.

Realizing the impact that even smallshifts in operational efficiencies anddonations can have on an organization,Kandimalla offered this big-pictureobservation. "If we can improve theoperational efficiency of 20,000nonprofits by 20% using SAHAVE, thatcould free as much as $800 million formission execution. And if we can alsoincrease donations by even 5%, wecould generate another $1.25 billion inusable capital. This is the benefit thatSAHAVE will provide in just its startupphase. Think of the kind of impact itwill have when it has matured!"

Initially, SAHAVE will offer freeapplications to build brand awarenessand relationships, and to demonstratethe value of the system. Each usergroup can also implement additionalmodules including sponsormanagement, donor management,social media integration, volunteermanagement, grant management andpredictive modeling, among others, foran affordable fee. The software willfirst be available this year in the U.S.and India with plans for globalexpansion in late 2019.

(Photographs and Press release byAsian Media USA)

6 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 INDIA

VAJPAYEE CONTINUES TO BE IN ICU OF AIIMS

NEW DELHI (TIP):

Former prime minister AtalBihari Vajpayee continues tobe in the ICU of AIIMS, andhis condition is beingmonitored by a team ofdoctors round the clock,sources at the hospital said.

AIIMS Director RandeepGuleria had yesterday saidthe 93-year-old leader hasshown significant improvement and doctors are hopeful ofhis full recovery in the next few days.

Vajpayee was admitted to the premier hospital on June 11with kidney tract infection, chest congestion and his urineoutput being on the lower side.

“He was immediately evaluated by a team of doctors andwas put on injectable antibiotics,” Guleria had said.

Vajpayee, a diabetic, has one functional kidney. Hesuffered a stroke in 2009, weakening his cognitive abilities.Later, he developed dementia.

Political leaders, including Madhya Pradesh ChiefMinister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, RSS general secretaryBhaiyyaji Joshi and Rajasthan Chief Minister VasundharaRaje visited the ailing leader at the hospital today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah,RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, former prime ministersManmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda, and Congresspresident Rahul Gandhi have visited Vajpayee at the AIIMSover the past three days.

Vajpayee was thrice elected the prime minister between1996 and 1999 and is the only non-Congress prime ministerto complete the full term of five years, from 1999 to 2004. Ashis health deteriorated, he had slowly withdrawn himselffrom public life and was confined to his residence for years.

Source: PTI

Lok Sabha 2019 polls: AkhileshYadav to contest from Kannauj,Mulayam from Mainpuri

LUCKNOW (TIP): Samajwadi Party supremo AkhileshYadav will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from UttarPradesh’s Kannauj, which is represented at present by wifeDimple Yadav, while his father Maulayam Singh Yadav willcontest from Mainpuri.

Akhilesh made the announcement at a meeting of SPworkers at the party headquarters in Lucknow.

He said : “I will contest from Kannauj while netaji(Mulayam) will contest from Mainpuri.”

He said that the opposition has charged the SP with‘pariwarwad’ (nepotism) due to which his wife DimpleYadav will not contest the election this time.

To a question related to alliance and seat-sharing, he said,“With whosoever our alliance will take place, the partyworkers will ensure our victory and defeat of the BJP. Thistime, they will not get support of the people as they standexposed. They only paid lip service to the people and didnothing on ground.” Source: PTI

Centre challenges lower court orderto compensate Op Bluestar victims

NEW DELHI (TIP): The centralgovernment has filed a petition inPunjab and Haryana High Courtchallenging an order passed last year bythe Amritsar court instructing stateand Union government to pay Rs 4 lakhcompensation per head to 40 Sikhs whowere allegedly detained and kept inillegal custody at temporary prisonafter their arrest from Golden Templecomplex after Operation Bluestar.

Victims were allegedly kept in illegaldetention initially in Amritsar and thenin Jodhpur jail after Operation Bluestarhad ended. In its plea, Centre has saidthat it was not in jurisdiction ofAmritsar court to hear the petition andthe plaintiffs had, in fact, joinedterrorists during Operation Bluestar. Inits defense, the government also saidthat the Golden Temple was notattacked and the Army had stepped inon the request of civil administration.

“The question of attack on GoldenTemple did not arise, rather defendantsheld the holy Harmandar Sahib inutmost esteem. In fact, terrorists hadentrenched themselves in and aroundGolden Temple complex, which hadbeen declared as distributed area videgovernment of punjab gazettenotification and conditions ofinsurgency was created….. Armyauthorities were requisitioned in theaid of civil administration to maintainlaw and order in and around GoldenTemple, to flush out militants, to seizearms, ammunition and explosives,which were illegally stored byterrorists in Golden Temple complex,”the Centre said in its petition. Courtwill hear the petition filed by Centre onJuly 2.

Officially, total 379 Sikhs werearrested from the premises of GoldenTemple and adjoining inns afterOperation Blue Star in 1984. Out of 379,365 were alleged first time offenders.Police had registered FIR against these365 persons on June 10, 1984. Then thecase was hold over to Central Bureau ofInvestigation and another FIR waslaunched against these Sikhs undervarious sections of Indian Penal Code,Explosive Act and Arms act on June 141984.

After coming out of jail, 71 of these365 Sikhs filed a case to demandcompensation from government in 1991.While CBI won it in 2011, 41 out of 71again filed a civil appeal with districtand session court, Amritsar, in 2011.

In his April 12, 2017, verdict GurbirSingh, District Judge, said, “In view ofmy discussion, the appeal, in hand, isallowed and impugned judgment and

decree as rendered by the trial court areset aside and suit of the plaintiff ispartly decreed, with costs for recoveryof Rs 4,00,000 as compensation againstdefendants No.1 and 2 (state and centralgovernment). The plaintiff is also heldentitled to interest at the rate of 6 per

cent per annum from the date of filingthe suit till today. The plaintiff isfurther held entitled to future interestat the rate of 6 per cent per annum fromthe date of decision till actualrealization of the decretal amount.”

Source: The Indian Express

Make Operation Bluestar-related files public, orders UK judge

LONDON (TIP): A UK judge has ordered the declassification of documents thatare expected to shed further light on Britain's involvement in Operation Bluestarin 1984, dismissing the British government's argument that the move coulddamage diplomatic ties with India.

Judge Murray Shanks, who presided over a three-day hearing of the First TierTribunal (Information Rights) in London in March, ruled on Monday that amajority of the files relating to the period must be made public and rejected the UKgovernment's argument that declassifying the Downing Street papers woulddamage diplomatic ties with India.

The judge, however, did accept that one file marked "India: Political", from theUK's Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), could contain information that relates toBritish spy agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ (Government CommunicationsHeadquarters) and therefore the Cabinet Office was entitled to rely on atechnicality that exempts such material from the Freedom of Information (FOI)request appeal.

"We recognise that the period we are concerned with was a highly sensitive onein India's recent history and the strength of feeling it continues to evoke it shouldalso be remembered that the fact that 30 years has gone by is bound to have reducedany prejudice that may have resulted from release of the withheld material," thejudgment notes.

The FOI appeal was handled by KRW Law on behalf of freelance journalist PhilMiller, who has been investigating the exact nature of the then Margaret Thatcher-led government's assistance to the Indian Army operation on Golden Temple inAmritsar.

In 2014, UK government documents declassified under the 30-year rule to makesuch material public had revealed that British military advice was given to Indianforces prior to Operation Bluestar.

Then British Prime Minister David Cameron had ordered a review into thisdiscovery, named as the Heywood Review, which led to a statement in Parliamentdeclaring that Britain's role had been purely "advisory" and the advice provided bythe country's Special Air Service (SAS) had "limited impact in practice".

But Miller, the author of 'Sacrificing Sikhs: The need for an investigation' reportreleased last year, says only "full transparency" would reveal the exact nature ofBritain's involvement. Source: PTI

Tamil Nadu: Split verdict on MLAs relief for ADMKCHENNAI (TIP): In a huge relief to the AIADMK

government, the Madras High Court on Thursday gave asplit verdict on petitions challenging the disqualification of18 MLAs loyal to sidelined party leader TTV Dhinakaran, aruling that would maintain status quo in the corridors ofpower in Tamil Nadu.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee andJustice M Sundar delivered divergent verdicts on whetherthe MLAs deserved to be disqualified under the anti-

defection law for seeking the removal of Chief Minister KPalaniswami.The court ruled that the seniormost judge afterthe CJ would now pick a judge to hear the matter afresh.

The verdict came as a massive relief for the Palaniswamigovernment as restoration of the MLAs’ membership couldhave brought it perilously close to losing majority in theevent of their joining hands with the DMK-Congress-IUMLalliance, which has 98 MLAs in the 234-member House.

Source: PTIChief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami

7INDIATHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Kejriwal refuses to budge fromdharna, L-G Baijal meets Rajnath

NEW DELHI (TIP): Delhi chief minister ArvindKejriwal and three of his cabinet colleagues continuedtheir sit-in protest inside the lieutenant governor’s officefor the fourth straight day on Thursday even as L-G AnilBaijal met home minister Rajnath Singh over the standoffthat has brought the Capital’s administration to a standstill.

Kejriwal and three ministers, deputy chief ministerManish Sisodia, public works department ministerSatyender Jain and rural development minister Gopal Rai,have been camped at Raj Niwas since Monday, and haverefused to leave until the L-G orders IAS officers posted inthe Delhi government to call off an alleged strike.

Baijal briefed Singh about the protest, a home ministryofficer said on the condition of anonymity.

“The L-G also briefed the minister about the ongoingpolice investigation into an alleged assault on chiefsecretary Anshu Prakash in February this year. Baijal alsoinformed the minister about his communication with thebureaucrats on the issue,” the ministry official said.

The IAS Officers’ Association denied they were on strikeand released photographs that purportedly showed themworking in offices inside the Delhi secretariat, which alsohouses the office of the chief minister.

On Thursday, as Kejriwal and his ministers protested atthe L-G’s office, a meeting to discuss Delhi’s rising dustpollution was held. The meeting was attended by thegovernment’s environment minister Imran Hussain andPrakash in attendance. This was the first importantmeeting since the sit-protest started began four days ago.

Source: HT

Ramzan ceasefire in J&K may not extend beyond Eid

NEW DELHI (TIP): The government is not likely toextend the month-long ceasefire in place during Ramzan inJ&K, but it may refrain from publicly announcing theresumption of operations, BJP sources said.

“The announcement on halting of operations was tillRamzan, and the unilateral suspension will end on Eid. Thegovernment is unlikely to extend it because the AmarnathYatra will begin within days, and we have to sanitise thecorridors. We cannot keep the hands of the Army tied,” saida top leader of the party.

The ceasefire will “automatically” end on Eid, the leadersaid. “The government may not come out with an explicitannouncement on resuming operations. But in effect, it willend, and the implication will be resumption of operations,”the leader said.

However, sources said, the Centre’s specialrepresentative to J&K, Dineshwar Sharma, will meetseparatist leaders in the Valley after Eid. “We are expectingsome positive developments after Eid (for dialogue),”sources said. Although there were indications that theCentre would be open to extending the ceasefire beyond Eid,the top leadership of the ruling party and the governmentseem to have concluded that the time was not right tocontinue the “goodwill gesture”.

On Tuesday, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav was inSrinagar and met party leaders as well as those from theruling alliance partner PDP, including Chief MinisterMehbooba Mufti. On Wednesday, Madhav hinted that thegovernment may not favour the extension of ceasefire.“Ramzan is the holy month for Muslims so the Indiangovernment had decided to announce suspension ofoperations during this period as a goodwill gesture. We alsowanted that the same be reciprocated but there was nochange in the actions of separatists and terrorists,”Madhav was quoted as saying by ANI.

UN report on Kashmir slams bothIndia and Pak; India rejects it

NEW DELHI (TIP): In a first, theUN body OHCHR (UN Human Rightsoffice of The High Commissioner)published a report on human rightssituation on both sides of Kashmir andslammed both India and Pakistan.

"The 49-page report-the first everissued by the UN on the human rightssituation in Indian-Administered andPakistan-Administered Kashmir-details human rights violations andabuses on both sides of the Line ofControl and highlights a situation ofchronic impunity for violationscommitted by security forces," says thereport.

The report asks both sides to adhereto the ceasefire agreement and asksIndia to repeal AFSPA and releasepolitical prisoners, among others.

It also recommends, "Fully respectthe right of self-determination of thepeople of Kashmir as protected underinternational law."

In response to a question on theReport, the official spokesperson said:"India rejects the report. It isfallacious, tendentious and motivated.We question the intent in bringing outsuch a report. It is a selectivecompilation of largely unverifiedinformation. It is overtly prejudicedand seeks to build a false narrative.

"The report violates India'ssovereignty and territorial integrity.The entire state of Jammu andKashmir is an integral part of India.Pakistan is in illegal and forcibleoccupation of a part of the Indian statethrough aggression. We haverepeatedly called upon Pakistan tovacate the occupied territories. Theincorrect description of Indianterritory in the report is mischievous,misleading and unacceptable. There

are no entities such as 'Azad Jammuand Kashmir' and 'Gilgit-Baltistan'.

"Terrorism is the most egregiousviolation of human rights. Yet theauthors have conveniently ignored thepattern of cross-border terrorismemanating from Pakistan andterritories under its illegal control.Cross-border terror and incitement isaimed at suppressing the will of thepeople of Jammu and Kashmir,disrupting its political and socialfabric and undermining India'sintegrity.

"It is disturbing that those behindthis report have chosen to describeinternationally designated and UN-proscribed terrorist entities as "armedgroups" and terrorists as "leaders".This undermines the UN-led consensuson zero tolerance to terrorism.

"The motivated report deliberately

ignores that fundamental rights andfreedoms guaranteed under theConstitution to every Indian citizen,including in the state of Jammu &Kashmir, are protected also by anindependent judiciary, human rightscommissions, free and vibrant mediaand an active civil society.

"Our protest and views in the matterhave been conveyed unequivocally tothe Office of the High Commissionerfor Human Rights. We are deeplyconcerned that individual prejudicesare being allowed to undermine thecredibility of a UN institution.

"Such malicious reports cannotundermine the will of the people andthe Government of India to take allmeasures necessary to protect thesovereignty and territorial integrity ofthe country from cross-borderterrorism."

The report asks both sides to adhere to the ceasefire agreement andasks India torepeal AFSPA and release political prisoners, among others.

Rising Kashmir editor ShujaatBukhari shot dead in Srinagar

SRINAGAR (TIP): A seniorjournalist and chief editor of a popularKashmiri newspaper was killed onThursday by unidentified gunmen in adrive-by shooting in Srinagar that put analready tense state on edge and led chiefminister Mehbobba Mufti to describethe attack as a “new low for terrorism”.

Shujaat Bukhari, 48, the editor-in-chief of Rising Kashmir, was targeted bythree gunmen on a motorcycle while hewas in his car, having just left his PressColony office just before Iftar. He wasaccompanied by two security guards,Abdul Hameed and Mumtaz Ahmad,who were also killed as multiple bulletswere sprayed at them.

Union home minister Rajnath Singhsaid “there is no doubt that terroristshave killed Shujaat Bhukhari.” He alsospoke to the Jammu and Kashmir CMMehbooba Mufti late on Wednesday, andsaid she was “distraught”.

Jammu and Kashmir Police releasedpictures of the assailants, asking thepublic to help identify them.

A journalist for three decades, he had

worked for 15 years at The Hindu andwas known in the state and the rest ofthe country as an important Kashmirivoice. No militant organisation hadtaken responsibility for the attack by thetime of going to print. Bukhari was anadvocate of a peaceful resolution of theKashmir issue and was instrumental inorganising several conferencesinvolving former diplomats andgenerals from India and Pakistan.

He was also part of the Track-IIdiplomatic process with theneighbouring country.

The killing led to an outpouring of

condolence messages from people on allsides of the political spectrum,including separatist leaders.

“The killing of @RisingKashmireditor, Shujaat Bukhari is an act ofcowardice. It is an attempt to silence thesaner voices of Kashmir. He was acourageous and fearless journalist.Extremely shocked & pained at hisdeath. My thoughts and prayers are withhis bereaved family,” the home ministertweeted.

“I’m anguished to hear about thekilling of Shujaat Bukhari, editor of@RisingKashmir. He was a brave heartwho fought fearlessly for justice andpeace in Jammu & Kashmir. Mycondolences to his family. He will bemissed,” said Congress president RahulGandhi in a tweet.

Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, whowent to Bukhari’s house to meet hisfamily, broke down while speaking abouthim. “This is really shocking. He cameto meet me a few days back. This isupsetting...,” she said. Bukhari issurvived by his wife and two children.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, deputy CM Manish Sisodia, andstate ministers Satyendra Jain and Gopal Rai during a

sit-in protest at L-G Anil Baijal’s residence.

8 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018EDITORIAL

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it isbecause Fiction is obliged to stick topossibilities; Truth isn't," wrote Mark

Twain. Nothing proves it better than the summitbetween U.S. President Donald Trump andNorth Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un inSingapore on Tuesday. No reality TV show couldhave scripted an episode with greater suspenseand drama than what the two leaderssuccessfully imparted to their meeting.

Mr. Trump, the 72-year-old leader of one of theworld's oldest democracies, an $18 trillioneconomy with a 1.3 million strong military, ofwhom 28,500 troops are deployed in South Korea,and Chairman Kim, at 34 the third-generationleader of a totalitarian state with animpoverished economy estimated at less than$40 billion and a military force of 1.2 millionwith a newly acquired nuclear capability, makefor an unusual couple. And yet, as Mr. Trumpsaid, "From the beginning we got along."Describing Mr. Kim as "very talented", herecalled with a degree of empathy that the NorthKorean had faced a challenge when he took overhis country at just 26 years.

ART OF MAKING FRIENDS: Less than ayear ago, the heightened rhetoric on both sideshad led to growing concerns about thepossibility of a nuclear exchange as NorthKorea ramped up its nuclear and missile testingprograms. In September 2017, it conducted itssixth nuclear test, declaring it a thermonucleardevice, a claim that has been disputed. However,with a yield of 100-300 kt (kiloton), it marked asignificant improvement from earlier tests. Fourof the six tests have been undertaken by Mr. Kimwith a view to miniaturizing the device to fit amissile warhead.

Simultaneously, he accelerated the missileprogram conducting over 80 flight tests duringthe last seven years, compared to 16 undertakenby his father from 1994 to 2011. At least three newmissiles have been successfully tested andinducted. These include the Musudan (around3,500 km), Hwasong 12 (4,500 km) and Hwasong14 (around 10,000 km). Last November, Hwasong15 was tested with a range estimated at 13,000km, making it clear that North Korea was closeto developing the capability to target the U.S.mainland.

Mr. Trump warned North Korea with "fireand fury like the world has never seen". NorthKorea responded by threatening to hit Guam"enveloping it in fire". Mr. Trump announcedthat "military solutions are now fully in place,locked and loaded". The UN Security Councilmet repeatedly, tightening economic sanctionson North Korea. Mr. Trump described Mr. Kimas a "rocket man on a suicide mission for himselfand his regime" while North Korea vowed to"tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard withfire". Russia and China appealed for restraint,proposing a "freeze for freeze", calling on the U.S.to stop military exercises with South Korea inreturn for North Korea halting its nuclear andmissile testing.

BEGINNINGS OF A THAW: The situationbegan to change with Mr. Kim's New Year'saddress indicating that North Korea hadachieved its nuclear deterrent capability andoffering a new opening in relations with SouthKorea as it prepared to host the Winter Olympicsin February. Things moved rapidly thereafter.The two Korean teams marched together at theopening ceremony and the presence of Mr. Kim'ssister, Kim Yo-jong, added a dash of bonhomie tothe soft diplomacy.

Two senior South Korean officials visitedPyongyang in early March. Over a long dinnerconversation, Mr. Kim indicated continuedrestraint on testing and willingness to discussdenuclearization of the Korean peninsula ifmilitary threats to North Korea decreased andregime safety was guaranteed. The testingrestraint was formally declared on April 21, aweek before the summit between the two Koreanleaders on April 27 in Panmunjom, which wasacclaimed a success.

The U.S. was kept fully briefed by South Koreanofficials and in early March Mr. Trump indicatedreadiness to meet Mr. Kim, leading to heightenedspeculation about mismatched expectations allaround. Even after two visits by Mike Pompeo(first as CIA chief and then as Secretary of State)and the release of three Americans sentenced forspying, there were hiccups when NationalSecurity Adviser John Bolton held up the "Libyanmodel" for North Korea's disarmament and theU.S. launched air combat exercises together withSouth Korea. North Korea responded angrily. Thesummit was put off, followed by an exchange ofconciliatory letters between the two leaders amidmounting suspense, and on June 1 the summitwas reinstated.

There have been previous attempts by the U.S.to address concerns regarding North Korea'snuclear program. The first was the 1994 AgreedFramework after North Korea threatened towithdraw from the Nuclear Non-ProliferationTreaty (NPT). This was annulled by the Bushadministration in 2002 with the 'axis of evil'speech. Consequently, North Korea withdrewfrom the NPT. The Six Party talks (secondround) were initiated in 2004, resulting in a jointstatement the following year reiteratingcommitment to denuclearization, with a peace

treaty and security guarantees to be concluded.The process collapsed when the U.S. imposednew sanctions, and in 2006 North Koreaconducted its first nuclear test.

CHANGED SITUATION: Since then, thesituation has changed. The old process is dead;North Korean capabilities have growndramatically, increasing anxiety especially inSouth Korea and Japan and Chinese worriesabout U.S. deployment of missile defense inSouth Korea. There are challenges too. The U.S.would ideally like complete, verifiable andirreversible disarmament as would Japan.North Korea seeks regime legitimacy andregime security together with sanctions reliefwhile reducing its dependency on China. Chinawould like to prolong the process to ensure itscentrality. And South Korea would like to lowertensions while retaining the American presence.Reconciling these needs time and sustaineddialogue.

The Joint Statement in Singapore is shy ondetail but carries political promise. Instead ofobsessing on the nuclear issue, it reflects clearrecognition that a new beginning in U.S.-NorthKorea relations is possible only by replacing the1953 Armistice Agreement with a permanentpeace treaty and that regime security guaranteefor North Korea is a prerequisite fordenuclearization. Mr. Trump has accepted thatthe denuclearization process will take time, buthe wants to take it to a point that makes itirreversible. The affirmation of the PanmunjomDeclaration (signed between the two Koreanleaders in April) means that bilateralnormalization between the two Koreas willmove apace and a meeting involving the U.S. andpossibly China to conclude a peace treaty canhappen by end-2018.

Mr. Trump's unilateral announcements at thepress conference are equally promising. Heannounced suspension of joint militaryexercises with South Korea and indicated thatNorth Korea would dismantle a major missileengine testing site. There is no sanctions reliefyet but given the changing psychologicalbackdrop, it is likely that there may be aloosening by China and Russia.

Summit diplomacy has a mixed record. In 1972,U.S. President Richard Nixon travelled to Chinafor the first summit with Chairman Mao Zedongleading to a realignment of political forces whoseimpact is still reverberating. In 1986, U.S.President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leaderMikhail Gorbachev met in Reykjavik, comingclose to agreement on abolition of all nuclearweapons till realpolitik eventually prevailed.With Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim, it is difficult topredict how the process will unfold but it is a newopening. One can almost visualizeMr. Trump andMr. Kim telling each other as they said theirgoodbyes in Singapore: "I think this is thebeginning of a beautiful friendship."

(The author is a former diplomat and currentlyDistinguished Fellow at the Observer Research

Foundation. He can be reached atrakeshsood2001@yahoo.com)

THE INDIAN PANORAMA PPRREESSIIDDEENNTT//PPUUBBLLIISSHHEERR: Prof. Indrajit S. SalujaVVIICCEE PPRREESSIIDDEENNTT:: Chitagam SalujaCCHHIIEEFF EEDDIITTOORR:: Prof Indrajit S. SalujaAASSSSIISSTTAANNTT EEDDIITTOORR:: Bidisha RoyGGRRAAPPHHIICCSS DDIIRREECCTTOORR:: Om Parkash MalikDDIIRREECCTTOORR AADDMMIINNIISSTTRRAATTIIOONN:: Gauri BeriCCOONNTTRRIIBBUUTTIINNGG PPHHOOTTOOGGRRAAPPHHEERRSS:: Baldev Singh / BJ VideosGunjesh Desai / Masala JunctionJay Mandal, Mohammad Jaffer/ SnapsIndia

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AS I SEE IT

GUESTCOMMENT

By Rakesh Sood

Trump-Kimsummit - Canthe virus ofinformalsummitsproliferate?Practitioners of old-style diplomacy are

yet to catch their breath after thecurtains had come down on the

Trump-Kim summit in Singapore. No black-suited diplomat sat across the table to thrustand parry, no preparatory meetings of thealphabet soup of security advisory bodiesburnt the midnight oil. Yet, by all accountsthe summit concluded on a positive note.This is a huge takeaway, for the KoreanPeninsula dispute is rated as among theworld's intractable, frozen-in-timeanimosities that bigger statesmen haveopted to tip-toe around. That Kim andTrump, both looked down upon as neophytesamong the hard-bitten big boys of globaldiplomacy, appear to be cracking open apuzzle that eluded past deal makers like BillClinton, may well be a pointer to politicalleaders taking matters into their handsrather than wait for tenured diplomats andintelligence officials to conduct thepreliminary spadework.

PM Modi has also tried his hand atspringing diplomatic surprises: the invite toall SAARC heads of government at hisprime ministerial swearing-in ceremony andthe surprise touchdown in Pakistan weremeant to unlock a dispute through aninformal approach. Modi unlike Trump,however, missed a vital trick - he failed toconsult other players who also have equallyinterested fingers in the South Asian pie.The US and North Korea avoided a pushbackor a spoiler attempt like the Pathankotattack by whirlwind diplomacy that drew inRussia and China. PM Modi now seems to betaking a similar approach by longdeliberative sessions with Vladimir Putinand Xi Jinping, the two major players in theregion.

Old-school diplomats would look askanceat these unusual efforts to break ice. Butsimilar acts of creativeness - Indira Gandhi-Bhutto clinching the Simla agreementwithout aides or Henry Kissinger's secretvisit to Beijing that unfroze the Sino-USdeadlock - establish that history is madewith acts of political will, with or withoutthe diplomatic entourage. The subcontinentneeds one such moment in its backyard. Ifthe Trump-Kim bromance endures, PMModi won't be averse to a second informalshot at enduring peace in the neighborhood.

(Tribune, India)

AN IMPROBABLE FRIENDSHIP“ Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have stunned the world. They may yet surprise us bypulling off a détente."“ With Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim, it is difficult to predict how the process will unfold but it isa new opening. One can almost visualize Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim telling each other as theysaid their goodbyes in Singapore: "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

President Trump and Kim Jong Un in steptogether

9PERESPECTIVETHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

By M. P. Prabhakaran

Dinesh D'Souza, Once Ousted from Job forAdultery, Now Pardoned by President Trump

"Let me put in my two cents worth: Donald Trump issued the pardon becausehe wants Dinesh D'Souza out there, continuing his favorite job of spewing anti-Obama venom", says the author.

First, a clarification: The pardon President Trump issuedon May 31, 2018, has nothing to do with the adulteryDinesh D'Souza committed a few years ago. The adultery

did cost this Indian-American his job as president of anevangelical college in New York. But for Donald Trump,himself an adulterer and philanderer, it's no big deal. Moreabout the adultery, in a little bit.

Trump and D'Souza have one thing in common. They bothhate former President Barack Obama. Each has been engagedin his own character assassination campaign against Obamafor nearly a decade now. Since Obama left office and Trumpentered it, the latter added one more goal to his campaign: toerase all traces of the achievements Obama had during hiseight years in office. The pardon he issued last month,absolving D'Souza of the crime he committed during the 2012election, is his way of rewarding him for the stupendous workhe did in spreading anti-Obama venom. It is also aimed atenabling him to continue that work. More about the pardon, ina little bit.

Trump's destroy-Obama campaign started even beforeObama became president, soon after he became theDemocratic Party nominee for president. It started with a lie.The lie was that Obama was born in Kenya and henceineligible even to enter the presidential race, let alone bepresident. The only basis for Trump's claim was that Obama,though born to an American mother, had a Kenyan father. Andsince Trump became president, he has been making everyeffort to demolish the legacy the Obama presidency has leftbehind.

D'Souza Questions Obama's PatriotismThough the lie was exposed, with documents proving that

Obama was a native-born American, the fact that Obama wasborn to a Kenyan father gave both Trump and D'Souza amplematerial to build a conspiracy theory questioning Obama'spatriotism. Building conspiracy theories based on figments oftheir imagination has been a favorite pastime of both Trumpand D'Souza. To cite a few such theories D'Souza bandiedabout: Obama is against business because of the anti-colonialist trait in his character, which he inherited from hisKenyan father; the 9/11 terrorist attacks happened because of"America's moral decadence" caused by liberals; thescandalous incident at the Abu Ghraib, Iraq, prison was thefault of liberals, because the soldiers who did those despicablethings, Lynddie England and Charles Graner, were divorced,sex-crazed partiers, acting out "the fantasies of blue[Democratic] America"; the liberal billionaire-financier-philanthropist George Soros, who was a Jewish child in Nazi-occupied Hungary, was really a Nazi collaborator; etc., etc.

When D'Souza, a native of India who became a naturalizedcitizen of America, questioned the patriotism of a native-bornAmerican, he may have evoked chuckles in many quarters. Buthe knew full well that playing the patriotism card is the surestway of getting accepted in the ultra-right wing of theRepublican Party.

According to D'Souza, all economic policies Obama adopted,and actions he took in pursuance thereof, could be traced to hisanticolonialist mind-set. He dwelt at length on this theorizingin a cover story he wrote for Forbes magazine. The story, titled"Obama's Problem with Business," was published in theSeptember 27, 2010, issue of the magazine. It portraysanticolonialism as evil and elaborates on his outlandish ideathat President Obama was executing in this country theanticolonial agenda of his Kenyan father. A person born andbrought up in a former colony portraying anticolonialism asevil did come as a shock to many. I was one of them. I wrote aresponse to D'Souza's Forbes article and published it in thisspace, on September 21, 2010, under the title "An Indian ofQuisling Ancestry Ridicules Obama's AnticolonialistAncestry." The most important point I made in my responsewas:

"If anticolonialism is evil, Mahatma Gandhi of India, JomoKenyatta of Kenya and even the founding fathers of Americawere guilty of having espoused an evil ideology."

D'Souza's article in Forbes ended thus: "Incredibly, the U.S. isbeing ruled according to the dreams of a Luo tribesman of the

1950s. This philandering inebriated African socialist, whoraged against the world for denying him the realization of hisanticolonial ambitions, is now setting the nation's agendathrough the reincarnation of his dreams in his son. The sonmakes it happen, but he candidly admits he is only living outhis father's dream. The invisible father provides theinspiration, and the son dutifully gets the job done. Americatoday is governed by a ghost."

D'Souza dwelt at length on the same idea in his book, TheRoots of Obama's Rage, published in 2010, and a documentarybased on the book, released in 2012. Though many in thecountry found the idea stupid and sickening, the book soldvery well. The documentary, titled 2016: Obama's America andproduced with financial help from another Obama-hatingconservative, billionaire Joe Ricketts, "was one of the highest-grossing political documentaries of all time, behind onlyMichael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11," according to The New YorkTimes. D'Souza was happy to note that spreading hatred forObama pays.

The ideas he promoted through his numerous articles,nearly a dozen books, two documentaries (the seconddocumentary, Hillary's America: The Secret History of theDemocratic Party, was released on July 22, 2016) andappearances on radio and television talk shows won him alarge following among conservatives in the Republican Party.With the publication, in 2007, of the book What's So GreatAbout Christianity, he also became the darling of theevangelical wing of the party, making him a much-sought-afterspeaker at mega-churches in the country. His career also rosemeteorically. His new-found status among evangelicals wonhim the top-most position at The King's College, an evangelicalinstitution in New York. The presidentship of the college camewith a seven-figure salary.

Extramarital AffairBut the fame and prestige, which the presidentship of an

evangelical college brought him, lasted only two years, fromAugust 2010 to October 2012. On September 28, 2012, the manwho masqueraded as a holier-than-thou-Christian was spottedin an un-Christian-like act. He was seen sharing a room with awoman at a hotel in South Carolina. His explanation that hehad already been divorced from Dixie Brubaker, his wife since1992, and that Denise Odie Joseph II, the woman he was with,was his fiancée turned out to be only half-true. Nobodybelieved, either, his plea that "nothing happened" in the hotelroom between him and Denise.

Reporter Warren Cole Smith from World Magazine brokethe story on the illicit affair in the October 16, 2012, issue of themagazine. World is a biweekly Christian news magazinepublished by God's World Publications. Smith later discoveredthat D'Souza filed for divorce from Dixie only on the day hisstory appeared in World. In the wake of the controversy thescandal stirred, The Smith's College forced D'Souza to resign.

I had written an article on the controversy and D'Souza's fallfrom grace and published in this space, under the title "Obama-Baiting Indian-American Eased Out of His Job for Adultery."The article, among other things, said:

"A man losing his job for an extramarital affair may come asa surprise to many, especially in this day and age. But we are

not talking about just any man and just any job. The adultererwe are talking about is one who steadily advanced his careerby extolling Christian values and kissing up to the extremeright wing of the Republican Party. And the job he has beeneased out of is the presidentship of an evangelical collegewhose mission statement emphasizes a "commitment to thetruths of Christianity and a biblical worldview."

That the immoral act took place at the conclusion of anevent at which 2,000-odd people had gathered "to hear high-profile Christians speak on defending the faith and applying aChristian worldview to their lives," as the Smith story, puts it,made it all the more appalling. Dinesh D'Souza was thekeynote speaker at the event and Smith's report exposed hishypocrisy.

Illegal Campaign Contribution: It seems 2012 was the cruelest year thus far in D'Souza's

career. While the immoral act mentioned above cost him hisjob and the prestigious position he enjoyed amongevangelicals, an illegal act he committed the same year madehim a liability for the Republican Party. Until President Trumpcame to his rescue, that is. Let's briefly go through whathappened:

In the 2012 mid-term election in the country, the Republicancandidate for Senate from New York was Wendy Long, a friendof D'Souza's since his Dartmouth College days. Ms. Long hadrequested him to help her raise campaign funds by appealingto wealthy Indian doctors in Westchester. D'Souza knew that hewas the last person whom even Republicans among Indianswould lift a finger to help. So, he found another way of helpinghis friend. He persuaded the woman he was having an affairwith (the same Denise Odie Joseph II, married and 22 years hisjunior, who shared a hotel room with him in South Carolina)and her husband; and another couple (a young employeeworking under him and her husband) to contribute to Long'scampaign fund. The total contribution came to $20,000. Strictlyspeaking, there was nothing illegal about it, the legallypermitted limit of individual contribution being $5,000. Butthe $20,000 which the four individuals contributed wasreimbursed by D'Souza, as per his prior arrangement withthem. In other words, he used the four people as straw donors,a practice prohibited under campaign finance laws.

Sometime in 2013, when the F.B.I., while going through thecampaign records of Wendy Long, spotted large sumsappearing in the middle of small contributions. It raised a redflag. On further investigation, the Justice Department wasable to trace the source of the $20,000 donation to D'Souza. Hewas charged with breaking campaign finance laws, "willfullyand knowingly," and causing a false statement to be made tothe Federal Election Commission. The fact that his friend lostthe election to her opponent, the incumbent DemocraticSenator Kirsten Gillibrand, did not make his illegalcontribution less of a crime.

For four months D'Souza refused to plead guilty, arguingthat he was a victim of "selective prosecution." He was beingtargeted, he said, because he was a "sharp critic of the Obamapresidency who has incurred the president's wrath."

Richard M. Berman, the judge who presided over the case,dismissed D'Souza's arguments as "all hat and no cattle." OnSeptember 23, 2014, he issued his verdict. D'Souza was fined$30,000 and sentenced to five years' probation, including eightmonths in a supervised "community confinement center."

He was languishing in infamy, at least in the eyes of many,when he received the heart-warming news about his beingpardoned by the president. The first thing D'Souza did, after heheard of the pardon, was to send out tweets thanking Trumpand railing at President Barack Obama. His tweet to Trumpsaid: "Obama & his stooges tried to extinguish my Americandream & destroy my faith in America. Thank you@realDonaldTrump for fully restoring both."

The next tweet, sent out on the same day, was directed atPreet Bharara, the Indian-American who prosecuted his case.It read: "KARMA IS A BITCH DEPT: @PreetBharara wanted todestroy a fellow Indian American to advance his career. Thenhe got fired & I got pardoned."

contd on Page 20

Dinesh D'Souza

10 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018ADVERTISEMENT

11WORLDTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Nirav Modi got Mallya-likestay permit to stay in UK?

NEW DELHI (TIP): India has asked the UKto clarify whether fugitive jeweler Nirav Modihas permission to stay indefinitely in thatcountry even as the Enforcement Directorateplans to file extradition requests with multiplecountries as Modi has changed his locationfrequently in the past few months.

Sources said India has asked the UK homeoffice if Modi has been granted an 'ILR'(indefinite leave to remain). That would be acritical piece of the jigsaw puzzle.

An ILR is like a long-term visa that grantsa person legal protection againstdeportation. In simpler terms, Modi's statusin the UK would, with an ILR, be similar tothat of Vijay Mallya, and would require Indiato file for extradition under the bilateraltreaty.

If, however, Modi has not been grantedsuch a privilege, India would be on muchstronger ground to seek his deportation. TheUK has not yet responded to the query.

The government had revoked Modi'spassport in February. However, he had morethan one passport and is believed to havetravelled to the UK and Belgium on adifferent Indian passport. His secondpassport has also been revoked.

Modi does not qualify for asylum, sourcessaid, because India doesn't feature in the listof countries which persecute their citizensenabling them to seek asylum in othercountries. In addition, it has been establishedthat Modi did indeed commit large-scalefraud, which would also rule out any grant ofasylum.

Meanwhile, the ED is ready with legalpaperwork for its extradition requests,having filed a chargesheet against Modi andobtaining a non-bailable warrant from aspecial Mumbai court two days ago. Theagency has received information aboutModi's presence in Belgium after his recenttrip to London.

However, a source said it wascontemplating filing extradition requestswith multiple countries since thediamantaire was constantly switchinglocations.

Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi ofGeetanjali Gems are accused in the Rs 13,000crore PNB swindle. Both fled the countrywith their family members just before PNBfiled a case against them with the CBI.Immediately after, the ED registered a moneylaundering case against them underPrevention of Money Laundering Act.

The ED has received information thatModi travelled to the UK multiple times usinghis revoked Indian passport in March. TheED had given details of Modi's six passportsto the foreign ministry. However, it could notbe ascertained how he travelled on a revokedpassport. The ED has also approachedInterpol through the CBI for a red cornernotice against Modi. The agency has seizedassets worth over Rs 3,000 crore belonging toModi and his associates. A source said MehulChoksi is currently in the US and a similarextradition request against him will be filedafter the ED files a chargesheet against him.

(Source: PTI)

India has asked UK if Nirav Modi has beengiven a stay permit just as Mallya was given

Boris Becker claims diplomaticimmunity in bankcruptcy case

LONDON (TIP): Three-time Wimbledonchampion Boris Becker is claimingdiplomatic immunity from ongoingbankruptcy proceedings in the UK on thebasis that he is an ambassador for the CentralAfrican Republic, British media reported onJune 15.

Lawyers for Becker, a former world numberone, lodged a claim Thursday in the UK's HighCourt asserting immunity after he wasappointed a sports attache for the CentralAfrican Republic in April, the PressAssociation said.

Becker -- who won six Grand Slams in the1980s and 90s -- was declared bankrupt by aLondon court in June 2017 for failing to pay along-standing debt.

But his position as attache to the EuropeanUnion on sporting, cultural andhumanitarian affairs is covered by the 1961Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

This means the consent of UK ForeignSecretary Boris Johnson and his counterpartin Bangui is needed before Becker is subjectedto any legal proceedings, his lawyers said, thePress Association reported.

"The decision to commence bankruptcyproceedings against me was both unjustifiedand unjust," Becker said, according to thePress Association.

"A bunch of anonymous and unaccountablebankers and bureaucrats pushed me into acompletely unnecessary declaration of

bankruptcy, which has inflicted a whole heapof damage on me, both commercially andprofessionally, and on those close to me.

"I have now asserted diplomatic immunityas I am in fact bound to do, in order to bringthis farce to an end, so that I can start torebuild my life."

The German shook up the tennis world atWimbledon in 1985 when, as an unseededplayer, he became the then youngest-ever maleGrand Slam champion at the age of 17,defending the trophy the following year.

He went on to a glittering career andamassed more than $25 million in prizemoney.

Becker's tangled private life has also kepthim in the news.

He has a daughter conceived in a brief butnow famous encounter with a Russian modelwho claimed she met Becker at a London barand had sex with him in a broom cupboard ata nearby Japanese restaurant.

In January, Becker appealed for help intracking down five missing Grand Slamtrophies which he said he needed to sell tohelp pay off his debts. (AFP)

British gay rights activist arrested inRussia before World Cup

MOSCOW (TIP): British gay rights activistPeter Tatchell was arrested on June 14 inRussia for holding a one-man protest againstthe country's record on LGBT rights, hoursbefore the kick-off of the World Cup.

The veteran campaigner was led away bypolice shortly after unfolding a poster that saidPresident Vladimir "Putin fails to act againstChechnya torture of gay people" near RedSquare in central Moscow.

"There can be no normal sporting relationswith an abnormal regime like that of VladimirPutin," he said before being approached bythree officers.

Tatchell told one of the officers he wasdemonstrating for the Russian people and saida number of celebrated Russians, such as thecomposer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, were gay.

After a brief discussion about the legality ofthe protest, the 66-year-old was escorted to apolice car next to the walls of the Kremlin.

He was held at the central Kitai-Gorod policestation and released two hours later, he toldAFP. Officers ordered Tatchell to appear incourt on June 26, the activist said, but added heplanned to leave the country before the hearing.

The British embassy in Moscow said its staffwas offering the campaigner assistance.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs saidit was following the situation but believed itwas an issue for law enforcement, in commentsreported by news agencies.

In 2007, Tatchell was beaten by rightwing

demonstrators as he attended Moscow's second-ever gay pride parade, in an attack he says hasleft him with brain damage.

Last year gay men in Chechnya, a majorityMuslim republic in southern Russia ruled bystrongman Ramzan Kadyrov, said they hadbeen tortured by law enforcement agencies.

A controversial "gay propaganda" lawbrought in by Russia in 2013 officially forbidsthe promotion of "non-traditional sexualrelationships" to minors but effectively bansgay rights activism.

Tatchell said the law had been used to

criminalise peaceful protests, sack teachersand suppress organisations that offer supportto the LGBT community, in a written statementreleased to the media.

Russian campaigners have previously beencharged for sharing information about LGBTrights on social media and detained forcarrying rainbow flags at demonstrations.

Russian authorities have insisted lesbianand gay fans should feel safe travelling to thecountry for the World Cup, but some LGBTsupporters told AFP they had received violentthreats ahead of the tournament. (AFP)

China carries out missiledrills in South China Seaamid heightenedtensions

BEIJING (TIP): China's navy carried outdrills in the South China Sea to simulatefending off an aerial attack, state media saidon Friday, as China and the United Statestrade barbs over who is responsible forheightened tensions in the disputed

waterways. US Secretary of State MikePompeo expressed concern during a visit toBeijing on Thursday over China's efforts tomilitarise the seas.

His remarks came after a flurry of USactivity in the region, including reports lastweek that US Air Force B-52 bombers hadflown near disputed islands that drew a sharprebuke from China.

China's navy carried out a simulatedmissile attack in an unspecified area of theSouth China Sea using three target dronesmaking flyovers of a ship formation atvarying heights, the official army newspapersaid.

The drills were part of efforts by an alsounspecified training base to prepare for real-life combat against aerial targets after China'sleadership said some training failed toprepare troops effectively, the paper said.

The United States and China havefrequently sparred over who is militarisingthe South China Sea, with Beijing blamingtensions on actions such as the "freedom ofnavigation" operations carried out by the USnavy.

Washington says such operations arenecessary to counter China's efforts to limitnautical movement in the strategic waterway.(Reuters)

12 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 BOLLYWOOD

DAISY SHAH: DON’T WANTTO DISAPPOINT SALMAN

REKHA TO PERFORM ONSTAGE AFTER 20 YEARSAT IIFA 2018

Veteran star Rekha is all set to perform onstage after 20 years at the upcomingInternational Indian Film Academy

(IIFA) event.At the press conference of IIFA here last

night, actor Varun Dhawan made theannouncement and said it will be the“highlight” of the ceremony.

“For me, it is going to be such a big highlightto see her (Rekha) perform live. I know a littlebit of her act and to see that live is going to be ahuge thing,” Dhawan said as he invited Rekhaon stage.

Asked which songs she would be performingon, the veteran actor said, “I have a secondname- mystery. If I tell you now, then what’s thepoint?”

Apart from Rekha’s special act, IIFA willwitness performances by several Bollywoodstars including Ranbir Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor,Shraddha Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Bobby Deol,Kriti Sanon and Iulia Vantur.

The main ceremony will be hosted by KaranJohar and Riteish Deshmukh.

The celebrations will kickstart with IIFARocks and will have a special medley by musicdirector Pritam along with Sreerama Chandra,Amit Mishra, Shalmali Kholgade, Antara Mitra,Nakash Aziz and Nikitha. Source: PTI

Actress Daisy Shah, who is busypromoting her forthcoming film'Race 3', said that she didn't want to

disappoint her mentor and co-star SalmanKhan in the action film.

Interacting with media on Wednesdayduring a promotional event, Daisy, whostarted her career in the entertainmentindustry as an assistant to choreographerGanesh Acharya for 10 years before Salmangave her break in 'Jai Ho' before she is againsharing screen space with him, said, "Ithink life is about challenges. You have toface challenge since your birth.

"For me, to get break in 'Jai Ho' was achallenge and my journey after thatdepends on my work and luck so, I thinkblessing of my parents has helped to reachthis stage and I am really fortunate thatSalman Khan lifted me from one level andhelped me to reach another level.

"After that things depend upon my hardwork to lift that level further. Salman Khanis loved by a million people and if he has puthis faith on me so, I don't want to disappointhim. Today, there is sense of confidence andbelief in me only because Salman sir believein my abilities."

Sharing her experiences on the film,Daisy said, "We are very thankful to theaudience that they are giving a goodresponse to our film's trailer and songs, so itfeels nice. Only name 'Race' is matchingwith the earlier parts of this franchise, butother than that, everything is different.."

She said that this film not only has a newstar-cast, but its story is also completelydifferent, since the earlier films were abouttwo brothers but "in this film, there is astory of entire family. Flavour of the film issame and this film also has many twists andturns".

About her character, Daisy said, "I amplaying character of Sanjana in 'Race 3' andit is very a dark character in the initialphase of the film but towards the end, it getstransformed into a positive character."

Seen doing high-octane action sequencesin 'Race 3', she, about her experience doingaction for the first time, said, "I had so muchof fun doing action for 'Race 3'. All of usknow that for actresses in Bollywood onlyget few scenes and songs but 'Race' is onesuch franchise where female actors aregiven equal importance and they arepresented equally with their malecounterparts so, this film is not about anyspecific actor, it's about performance.

"Doing stunts all by myself has beendeliberate decision because I wanted to doall stunts by myself because female actors

don't get opportunity to work in action filmsand I think when you get such anopportunity, then you have to make most ofit. I fractured my ankle while practicing foran action scene and due to that, we had topostpone fight sequence between me andJacqueline (Fernandez) for one month butwhen we shot for that, it came out very wellas we got some extra time to practice."

'Race 3', directed by Remo D'Souza andproduced by Salman and Ramesh Taurani,stars Salman, Jacqueline, Anil Kapoor,Bobby Deol, Daisy, Saqib Saleem and FreddyDaruwala in lead roles. Source: IANS

Priyanka Chopra apologises for Hindu terror plot in QuanticoActor Priyanka Chopra on Sunday

tendered an apology for the recentcontroversial episode in her

American TV series Quantico, that showedIndians as terrorists.

Taking to her Twitter handle, the actorsaid that her intention was not to hurt thesentiment of the people and that she was aproud Indian.

“I’m extremely saddened and sorry thatsome sentiments have been hurt by a recentepisode of Quantico. That was not and wouldnever be my intention. I sincerely apologise.I’m a proud Indian and that will neverchange,” Priyanka tweeted.

The episode which aired on June 1 drewflak on social media, with fans questioninghow Priyanka, an Indian, could even agree tobe a part of the controversial plot.

The Baywatch star made her US televisiondebut in Quantico in 2015. The crime dramawas recently cancelled by the ABC Studios.

ABC, the Disney-owned network behindthe spy thriller show Quantico, has alsoissued an apology about a controversialscene that showed Indians as terrorists. A

recent episode of the show, starringPriyanka Chopra as a CIA operative, involveda plot in which a disgruntled Indian MIT

professor pretended to be a Pakistaninational who plots a nuclear attack in NewYork.

Apologising for the episode, which drewcriticism from certain sections of Indiansonline, ABC said in a statement toWashington Post: “ABC Studios and theexecutive producers of Quantico would liketo extend an apology to our audience whowere offended by the most recent episode,The Blood of Romeo. The episode has stirreda lot of emotion, much of which is unfairlyaimed at Priyanka Chopra, who didn’t createthe show, nor does she write or direct it. Shehas no involvement in the casting of theshow or the storylines depicted in theseries.Quantico is a work of fiction. Theshow has featured antagonists of manydifferent ethnicities and backgrounds, but inthis case we inadvertently and regrettablystepped into a complex political issue. It wascertainly not our intention to offend anyone.”

In the episode, Priyanka foils the plot byspotting a ‘rudraksha’ - prayer beads - on theperpetrator, identifying him as a Hindu.Hindu nationalism, as well as the violence inKashmir - which was the central issue of thesummit targeted by the terrorist in Quantico- have been controversial topics in India.

Hollywood star Olivia Munn has revealed she has dealt with'anxiety and sporadic bouts of depression' for most of heradult life.

The 37-year-old actor opened up about her struggles on Instagramfollowing the death of celebrity chef and food critic AnthonyBourdain, who died aged 61 after committing suicide in a hotel inFrance.

"I have lived with anxiety and sporadic bouts of depression formost of my adult life. 10 years ago I tackled it, learned to fullyunderstand it and haven't felt the dark depths of depression in abouta decade. But before that, thoughts of suicide crossed my mind morethan a few times. For those who don't understand depression, whensomeone is in that place it's not because they want to die... It'sbecause the ongoing, relentless darkness is too painful to endureanymore,'' she wrote.

Munn urged people to talk someone about their troubles."You don't have to suffer from anxiety and depression to feel that

low. Something very sad or traumatic can happen to you just once tobring about that feeling of despair. But please listen to me- fromsomeone who is telling you that she's been where you are- when I saythat SUICIDE IS NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE. "

"...Even if you think you don't want to get involved or don't wantyour friend to be mad at you or if you're the one suffering and don'twant to be talked out of it or feel insecure about asking for help.Those are temporary consequences. With suicide, there's no do-overs.Please try every single option you can before making a choice thatcannot be undone," she added. Source: PTI

13HOLLYWOOD THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

BROOKE SHIELDS WASBRANDED ‘FAT’ BY MOTHER

REESE WITHERSPOONCONFIRMS LEGALLYBLONDE 3 WITH POOLSIDE VIDEO

Reese Witherspoon has confirmed that shewill be reprising her role of idealisticElle Woods in Legally Blonde 3. The actor

took to Twitter and shared a video of herselfclad in a pink bikini, floating in a pool in a nodto a scene in the film.

“It’s true,” Witherspoon captioned the video.Witherspoon, 42, last played the character in2003’s Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde.

After the actor’s tweet, MGM Studiosannounced that the third part will release onValentine’s Day in 2020.

“Back in Pink in 2020! #LegallyBlonde3,”read a tweet from the studio’s official Twitterhandle. Witherspoon’s production companyHello Sunshine is also expected to produce thefilm. Source: PTI

Actress Brooke Shields, who is knownfor her beauty and a career that hasspanned decades after she shot to

fame as a child model when she was 12, saidthat she was constantly called fat by hermother and that lowered her confidence.

Reportedly, Shields, 53, said, "My motherwould get drunk and say, 'Why don't you moveyour fat a**?' So, I've always believed I had afat a**."

"I modelled swimwear when I was 15, andeven then, I didn't think I had a swimsuitbody," she added.

"I was a cover girl, not a supermodel. I wasneck-up - the face, the eyebrows - and I wasalways described as athletic, not rail-thin, nota runway model... Those messages, they seepinto your consciousness." Subsequently,Shields embarked on an ill-fated marriage totennis ace Andre Agassi, whom she divorcedin 1999 after just two years, to escape theclutches of her overbearing parent, who alsoserved as her manager.

"I needed Andre to separate from mymother. I'd spent my life, 24/7, being soworried that my mother was going to die, andmy whole world was wrapped around keepingher alive," she said.

"But that probably saved me and kept me onthe straight and narrow. I needed to get pastthat, so that I could start at square one and bea less encumbered version of myself. But Istill had so much growing up to do," sheadded.

She soon started to feel better about herselfafter embarking on a romance withscreenwriter Chris Henchy, with whom shecelebrated 17 years of marriage in April.

"I would walk backwards out of rooms, andhe'd say, 'No, I want to grab onto you'. Hereally celebrated my womanliness and mybody. And I needed a man to celebrate me,"said Shields.

While Brooke endured such issues, shefeels proud to say that her daughters Rowan,15, and Grier, 12, are both so much more"mature" and "confident" than she was whenshe was their age. Source: IANS

Olivia Munn opens up about her battle with depression

14 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018SOUTH ASIA

Pakistan ElectionCommission seeks army'shelp for general polls

ISLAMABAD (TIP): Pakistan's Election Commissionon June 14 sought the help of the army for security atsensitive polling stations during the general election onJuly 25 besides overseeing the printing and distributionof ballot papers across the country.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the ElectionCommission of Pakistan (ECP), the official bodyresponsible for organising the polls.

Sources in the ECP said that Army personnel will bedeployed at places where violence may erupt due to localrivalries or which can be targeted by militants.

The army will also be deployed to oversee the printingof ballot papers and later their distribution across thecountry.

It is not for the for the first time that army will bedeployed to maintain peace on the election day. Soldierswere also deployed during 2013 elections.

The ECP is currently scrutinising the nominationsfiled by candidates for deferral parliament andprovincial legislatures.

The electoral watchdog has also decided to installclosed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at more than20,000 polling stations throughout Pakistan, accordingto a local media report.

A total of 105 million people constitute the electoralroll across the six provinces Pakistan, which has apopulation of over 200 million, according to data on thewebsite of the ECP.

A triangular contest between the Pakistan MuslimLeague - Nawaz (PML-N) led by prime minister ShahidKhaqan Abbasi, cricketer-turned politician ImranKhan's PTI and former president Asif Ali Zardari's PPPis on the cards. (PTI)

TTP chief Mullah Fazal Ullah killedin US drone strike: Reports

KUNAR (AFGHANISTAN) (TIP): Tehrik-i-TalibanPakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazal Ullah has beenreportedly killed in targeted drone strikes conducted bythe United States, a US military official informed theVoice of America (VOA).

Army lieutenant colonel Martin O'Donnell told VOAthat counter terrorism strikes were carried out on June13 in Kunar province which lies close to Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Further, Pentagon officials refused to comment onwhether the strike was successful.

The officials further said that Mullah Fazal Ullah haddirected numerous high-profile attacks against the USand Pakistan. He had also conducted many other deadlyattacks including December 2014 attack on the ArmyPublic School in Peshawar that claimed lives of 151people, out of which 130 were children.

The US further underscored that it was Mullah FazalUllah who had ordered the 2012 attempted assassinationof Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai.

The US Department for State offered a $5 millionreward for Fazlullah in March soon after his son waskilled in a US drone strike on TTP training facility.

The official said the status of Fazlullah was unclear.Further, there was no confirmation, as of reportingtime, from the TTP regarding the strike and reports ofFazlullah's death. (ANI)

Blast at India-developedhydroelectricity project in Nepal

KATHMANDU (TIP): A bomb has exploded at theoffice of a major hydropower project being constructedwith Indian assistance in Nepal, the second suchincident at the facility in over a month. An unidentifiedgroup exploded an improvised explosive device in theoffice of Arun III hydropower in Tumlingtar, nearly 500km from here, on June 13. The explosion did not causeany serious damage and no one was injured in theincident, according to the police. Security arrangementshave been intensified following the incident, he said. Nogroup has so far claimed responsibility for the blast. OnApril 29, a CPN Maoist faction had exploded a bomb atthe office of the project weeks before its inauguration byPrime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI)

Former Maldives president, chiefjustice get 19 months in jail

MALE (TIP): A court in the Maldiveson June 13 convicted former presidentMaumoon Abdul Gayoom and the sittingchief justice for obstruction of justiceand sentenced them to 19 months inprison.

The trials are widely seen as part of aplan by President Abdulla Yameen totighten his grip on power ahead ofelections in September at which he seeksa second five-year term against anopposition yet to decide on a singlecandidate. The government denies this.

The country of 400,000 people ispopular with tourists but has seenpolitical unrest since its firstdemocratically elected leader, MohamedNasheed, was forced to quit amid a policemutiny in 2012.

Nasheed was convicted of terrorismcharges in 2015 and sentenced to 13 yearsafter a trial criticized as unfair.

Gayoom, who is the country's longestserving leader, Chief Justice AbdullaSaeed and Supreme Court Justice AliHameed were found guilty on Wednesdayafter they were charged for refusing tohand over their mobile phones for apolice investigation.

They received sentences of 19 monthsand six days. The Indian Ocean islandchain has faced upheaval since February,when Yameen, half brother of Gayoom,imposed a 45-day state of emergency toannul a Supreme Court ruling thatquashed the convictions of nineopposition leaders, including Nasheed.

During the emergency, authoritiesarrested the three men and a SupremeCourt administrator on charges oftrying to overthrow the government.They still face those charges.

Saeed and Hameed refused theopportunity to make a closing argument

saying their lawyers had earlier quit,citing grave procedural defects with thetrial.

Criminal Court Judge Hassan Najeebrefused multiple appeals by thedefendants to be given time to appointnew lawyers.

Najeeb said it was clear from"anonymous testimonies" that thedefendants had mobile phones andrefused to comply with a policeinvestigation and requests to hand overtheir devices and this representedobstruction of justice.

The opposition has accused Yameen'sgovernment of jailing leaders who couldchallenge Yameen's re-election bid, acharge the government denies.

Reacting to the political situation inMaldives, the Indian foreign ministry ina statement said, "It is, therefore, withdeep dismay that we learned that theformer President of the Maldives as wellas the Chief Justice of the SupremeCourt are being sentenced to long prisonterms without fair trial. This casts doubton the commitment of the Governmentof the Maldives to uphold the rule of law

and will also call into question thecredibility of the entire process ofPresidential elections in September thisyear."

Rights group Amnesty Internationalsaid in a statement the convictions arepolitically motivated and should bequashed because the trials did not meetinternational standards.

Athul Keshap, the US Ambassador forMaldives said in a tweet that an unfairtrial with no defense witnesses ordefence lawyers would always result inan unfair sentence.

"Judges cannot serve the cause of fairand impartial justice if they fear theExecutive. When will the people of#Maldives see the restoration of rule oflaw?," Keshap said on Twitter.

Gayoom told the court he denied thecharges and said the trial was unfair.Najeeb said the trial was conducted inaccordance with the law.

Dunya Maumoon, the daughter ofGayoom, who resigned from Yameen'sgovernment after her father wasarrested, said her family was deeplyshocked by the convictions. (agencies)

Overloaded boatcapsizes inIndonesia, atleast 13 dead

JAKARTA (TIP): A rescueofficial says a boat overloadedwith people heading home tocelebrate the end of Ramadan hascapsized off Indonesia's Sulawesiisland, killing at least 13 people.

Amiruddin of the local searchand rescue agency said theArista was traveling fromPaotere in South Sulawesi to thenearby island of Barrang Lompowhen it capsized after beingbattered by a 3 meter (10 foot)wave.

Amiruddin, who goes by onename, said rescuers saved 22people but eight others were stillmissing. Thirteen bodies wererecovered.

The wooden boat was carrying43 people, but was designed forjust 20.

Millions of people throughoutIndonesia, the world's largestpredominantly Muslim country,travel each year to their homevillages for a holiday markingthe end of the Muslim holymonth. (AP)

Taliban kill Afghan officials as government'sceasefire kicks in

KABUL: Taliban fighters killed a district governor in northern Afghanistan and kept upthe pressure to seize control over some parts of Faryab province, ignoring the temporaryceasefire announced by the government that came into effect on Tuesday.

Last week Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had announced for the first time anunconditional ceasefire + with the Taliban, coinciding with the end of the Muslim fastingmonth. In response, the Afghan Taliban announced a surprise three-day ceasefire + overthe Muslim Eid holiday in the middle of June.

The government's eight-day ceasefire started on Tuesday and the Taliban's three-dayceasefire will start on Friday.

The Taliban has not stopped their attacks. Insurgents killed Abdurrahman Panah, thedistrict governor of Kohistanat district in Faryab province.

At least eight Afghan security officials have been killed in the ongoing clashes, twoofficials said.

Javed Bedar, spokesman for Faryab province confirmed the death of a district governorand that the district centre had fallen to Taliban.

"We know that the ceasefire has been announced but we have the right to defendourselves," said Bedar, adding that they were seeking immediate reinforcements.

In Ghazni, a southern province, insurgents placed a Humvee vehicle car bomb near thehouse of a district governor on Tuesday.

Mohammad Arif Noori, spokesman for the provincial governor in Ghazni, said theTaliban fighters hit the first checkpoint of a district governor house's compound that leftfive Afghan security forces dead and 26 others injured, including the district governor.

Fighting was also underway in Sar-e-Pul, a northern province where the insurgents hadcaptured two checkpoints.

At the onset of the ceasefire Pakistan's army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa arrived in Kabulto meet President Ghani.

Afghanistan has blamed Pakistan for giving assistance to the Taliban and otherinsurgent groups. Pakistan has denied the accusations.

"Pakistan wishes to see a national unity government in Kabul and US/NATO succeedingto bring peace in Afghanistan," Asif Ghafoor, the official spokesman Pakistan's ArmedForces tweeted. Ghani in February offered recognition to the Taliban as a legitimatepolitical group in a proposed political process that he said could lead to talks to end morethan 16 years of war. The Taliban have rejected the offer. (Reuters)

15TRAVELTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Mahabaleshwar is a hill station in India'sforested Western Ghats range, south ofMumbai. It features several elevated

viewing points, such as Arthur’s Seat. West ofhere is centuries-old Pratapgad Fort, perchedatop a mountain spur. East, Lingmala Waterfalltumbles off a sheer cliff. Colorful boats dotVenna Lake, while 5 rivers meet at Panch GangaTemple to the north.

PLACES TO VISITThere are many places to visit in

Mahabaleshwar, which add to the laidbackvibe of this gorgeous hill town. From theserene Venna Lake (where you can go boatingtoo), and the cliff-tops which are the bestvantage points here, to the Pratapgarh Fortsoaked in history, and the lush Maprogardens—there’s lots to do here. Ideal forfamily vacationers, backpackers and couples,Mahabaleshwar is an ideal getaway for thosewho want to immerse themselves in nature’ssplendour and enjoy the tranquilsurroundings.

Mapro GardenOne of the most popular tourist places in

Mahabaleshwar is the Mapro Garden. It islocated at Gureghar on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani road which is approximately 11 kmfrom Mahabaleshwar. This isn’t an ordinarygarden; it encompasses attractions that wouldentice both children and adults like aChocolate factory, a small nursery and achildren play area. There is a restaurantserving mouth watering refreshments likesandwiches, fruit salads, strawberry shakesand ice creams.

Visitors can also purchase the Maproproducts like jams, preserves, marmalade,toppings, syrups and squashes, from the retailoutlet here. Around March/April, the Maproconducts a fascinating four days, StrawberryFestival. Where they present variety ofstrawberry based delicacies like strawberrypizza, strawberry bhel, chocolate dippedstrawberries and strawberry sandwiches.This would make an amazing time to visit theMapro Garden.

Wilson Point (Sunrise Point)Stand tall at 4,710 ft above the sea level and

mesmerise yourself as you watch the sun risefrom the Wilson Point. The rising sunbrightens up your life and rejuvenates you forthe journey ahead. There are three stoneplatforms built for tourists to sit andconveniently admire the pristine nature.

The Wilson point, which is also known asthe Sunrise point is the highest point inMahabaleshwar. It is named after Sir LeslieWilson, who was the Governor of Bombaywhen the British ruled. This Sunrise pointhas three watch towers, from where touristscan see the breath taking scenic beauty ofMahabaleshwar.

Mumbai PointThe Sunset Point at Mahabaleshwar is

known as the Mumbai Point, as it is situatedon the old road to Mumbai. Several touristsconsider this as one of the must places to visitin Mahabaleshwar. Each time the sun sets itpaints the sky with varied colours luring itsspectators.

Standing atop the hill you see the sunsubmerge in the valley and vanish. Thesoothing atmosphere and a pleasant weather,makes this place a perfect spot forrejuvenation. One can plan a picnic withfriends and family at this the Mumbai Point,an age old tourist attraction. The MumbaiPoint is open for visitors on all days.

Arthur’s SeatAmongst the several places to visit in

Mahabaleshwar, one of the most popular isthe Arthur's Seat. It is also known as the

Queen of the Points or the Madhi Mahaal. TheArthur’s seat is at a height of 1470m and islocated approximately 13 KM from the market

in Mahabaleshwar. The speciality of thispoint is that, in case you throw light weighedthing in the valley, it comes up again due toair pressure.

The Arthur’s seat is situated amidstfascinating panorama, one can admire theKonkan and the Deccan on another. The besttime to visit the Arthur’s Seat is from themonth of October to the month of June. Thetemperature throughout is moderate, thewinters are cool and the summers aremoderate.

Mahabaleshwar TempleThe Mahabaleshwar Temple that is

located 6 km to the north of the main city isdedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is oneof the significant pilgrimage sites for theHindus. It was built in the 16th century andit portrays a typical South Indianarchitectural style. The temple is verybeautifully built, it has stone walls and isdivided into two parts, one being thesanctum sanctorum and the other is thecentral hall. I

Enclosed by a 5 ft high stone wall, thistemple is divided into two areas, thesanctum sanctorum and the central hall.

The Mahabaleshwar temple also hasseveral mythologies associated to it, like thelegend states that the Maratha ruler, Shivajiweighed his mother Jijabai in gold in thistemple and then gave away the gold incharity. This temple is also an abode to LordShiva’s trishul, Rudraksha, damru and a bedwhich are approximately 300 years old.

Kamalgad FortThe Kamalgad Fort is located

approximately ten miles to the west of Wai. Itis surrounded by steep rocky area, which is achallenge to tread. The fort is built in a veryunusual way, there are no protective wallsbuilt around it, since the perilous sharp rocksaround give enough protection.

There is an 18- 20ft deep hole, which is anaturally formed well in the rock. All youexplorers, hungry to witness theextraordinary, should surely visit the place.For adventurers and thrill seekers this is aperfect destination for trekking and camping.

MAHABALESHWAR HILL STATION

No beauty look is completewithout a flawless manicure. It'sthe finishing touch everyone

needs for a balanced look whether youfavor bright polish and nail art or keepyour nails entirely bare. And if youhappen to treat yourself to aprofessional mani regularly, chances areyou want to extend the life of it as longas possible.

Following simple rules for upkeepingyour mani is key when a salon visit isn'tin the cards. We all know the importanceof the standard nail filing and usingquality polishes to achieve a clean andneat look.

Don't apply too many coatsApplying thick coats of nail paint gets

you one step closer to ruining yourperfect manicure. Slapping on layers ofpolish will increase your chances ofgetting smudges and nicks as the paintwill take much longer to dry completely.To avoid such accidents, apply thin coatsof the paint to ensure faster drying.

Always wait for a few minutes beforeadding more layers of polish. Also, paintit in just one direction to achieve asmooth finish.

Avoid hot waterIf you’re looking for a manicure that

lasts, then avoid contact with hot waterfor at least six hours after getting amanicure. Hot water can ruin your hardwork, so wear gloves while doing waterrelated chores and save your polish fromchipping.

On the other hand, cold water will beyour savior. Dip your nails into a bowl ofice water for 1-2 minutes. This will setand dry your polish in a matter ofminutes.

Don't shake the bottleDO NOT shake your bottle before

applying the nail paint. Shaking createsair bubbles which should always be

avoided if you’re looking for animmaculate manicure. When air getstrapped inside the bottle, it creates frothmaking your nails chip faster.

Instead of shaking, roll your bottle inyour hands and see the difference.

Don't skip the base coatJust like a good primer can keep your

make-up looking flawless every day,using a base coat will provide the sameservice to your nails. A layer of basecoat can easily extend the wear of yourmanicure by at least a couple of days.

Soaking a cotton swab in rubbingalcohol or white vinegar and applying toyour nails before the base coat will helpin sealing the natural oils and giving an

even finish to your manicure.

Don't cut your cuticlesCutting your cuticles is a major health

risk. Even beauty experts agree that cutscan easily get infected and it’s not anideal to commit this sin. Rather, pushthem back using cuticle pusher tool.This will prevent the paint from stickingto the cuticles which can heft the polishfrom the nail bed and cause chipping.

If you don’t have a cuticle oil handy,make your own using a combination ofolive and coconut oil. You can even add afew drops of your favorite essential oil tothe mixture. Apply your homemade oildirectly to your cuticles and gentlymassage.

INGREDIENTS250 gm tomato, 1 large

onion, 2 teaspoon turmeric, 2teaspoon ginger paste, 1teaspoon coriander powder, 1pinch salt, 1 tablespooncoriander leaves, 500 gm fish,2 tablespoon yoghurt (curd), 1teaspoon red chilli, 1/2teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon

sugar, 3 tablespoon refinedoil.

Method Remove any pin bones

from the fish fillets andcut into large chunks.Rub 1 ½ tsp turmericpowder and 1 tsp saltover the fish and set

aside for 10 minutes. Boil water in a pan.

Make a cross cut on thestem side of thetomatoes. Plunge thetomatoes in boilingwater for 30 secondsand remove. Peel thetomatoes and chopthem finely. Also, choponions very finely.

Heat oil in a large pan.Spread the fish pieceson the pan and fry tillgolden in color. Turnand fry on the otherside as well. Removewith a slotted spoon andset aside.

Add the onions to thesame pan. Saute for 5-6minutes till soft andcooked. Add theturmeric powder, redchili powder, cuminpowder, coriander

powder, ginger paste,sugar and choppedtomatoes. Mix well andcook for 4-5 minutes tillthe tomatoes are tender.

Remove from fire, coolslightly and blend in ablender to get a coarsepaste. Return the pasteto the pan on the fire.Add 1 cup water andbring to a boil.

Reduce the heat andallow to simmer for aminute. Whisk theyoghurt and add to thesimmering curry.

Add the fish piecesalong with any juicesand simmer for 4-5minutes. Add thechopped coriander andmix well.

Remove from fire andserve hot with rice orrotis.

16 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 WOMEN

TOMATO FISH

MANICURE MISTAKESYOU’RE MAKING

F O O D C O R N E R

Benefits ofhydraulic acidHydraulic acid (HA) is making headlines as the magic

ingredient in over-the-counter beauty productsworldwide. And for good reason too! It is naturally

found in the body (about 15g), and lends itself tomoisturising the skin and staying youthful. However, as oneages, it doesn’t help to have that boost of HA from anexternal source and apply it topically.

Using it regularly on your skin helps enhance tissuefunction. As the skin ages, and loses moisture and elasticity,HA helps hold in water and aids skin health and longevity.The skin is smoother and more supple. Microscopic studiesacross the world have shown a delay in the onset of wrinkles.Applying HA ensures that the moisture is locked in, and thelayer of serum or cream on your skin means that harmfulUVA and UVB rays of the sun don’t damage your skin.

Worried that you might be getting too much moisture? HAis considered a ‘smart’ ingredient. It adjusts itself accordingto each body and skin type’s need, the weather conditions,humidity and so on. Taken only on the advice andprescription of your dermatologist, and as an oralsupplement, HA can enhance collagen production, keepingthe skin cell structure intact for longer. Collagen is one ofthe most effective proteins that makes the skin firmer andmore supple, and HA boosts the synthesis of this protein.Certain HA creams are not meant for the face. Instead theyare used on the joints topically to repair damaged tissue, andare particularly useful in cases of osteoarthritis.

However, you need to watch out for a few things. Makesure that the serum or cream you’re opting for does notcontain alcohol, parabens or sulfates, since these ingredientswill counter all the good being done by HA, and couldbackfire. Consult your skin specialist before you make anychoices.

WHY VITAMIN C ISGOOD FOR YOUR SKIN

Vitamin C is one of the most effective nutrients foryour skin and is known for various benefits.Vitamin C infused in skincare products protects

skin from sun damage and harmful rays. This ingredientalso helps to smoothen out dark spots for a clearer skin. Ithelps to boost collagen production, which helps to hold theskin together, making it tighter and brighter. Thisingredient also rejuvenates skin, keeping dryness at bayand improving skin's clarity and glow.

How to get Vitamin CThis vitamin can be included by various fruits like

oranges, grapefruits, and lemons to name a few. A mediumsized orange has about 70mg of Vitamin C, which is one ofthe popular sources.Apart from this many Vitamin Cskincare products like serums, cream, lotions work greatfor topical use. It is best to consult a dermatologist for theright dosage. You can also look for facial therapies whichinfuse Vitamin C for skin lightening and brightening.

Injecting fat pockets with carbondioxide gas may help reduce bellyfat, scientists have found.

"Carboxytherapy could potentially bea new and effective means of fatreduction. It still needs to be optimised,though, so it's long lasting," said MuradAlam, from Northwestern University inthe US.

The new technique's benefits are thatit is a "safe, inexpensive gas, andinjecting it into fat pockets may bepreferred by patients who like naturaltreatments," said Alam, lead author ofthe study published in the Journal of theAmerican Academy of Dermatology.

"Non-invasive fat reduction hasbecome increasingly sought-after bypatients," said Alam.

Benefits of a non-invasive approachare diminished downtime, avoidance ofscarring and perceived safety.

Current technologies routinely usedfor non-invasive fat reduction includecryolipolysis, high intensity ultrasound,radiofrequency, chemical adipocytolysisand laser-assisted fat reduction.

Carboxytherapy has been performedprimarily outside the US, with a fewclinical studies suggesting it mayprovide a lasting improvement inabdominal contours.

The way carboxytherapy works is notwell understood. It is believed thatinjection of carbon dioxide causeschanges in the microcirculation, anddamages fat cells.

No randomised controlled trials forcarboxytherapy efficacy and benefitover time have been previouslyconducted.

The purpose of this study was toassess the effectiveness ofcarboxytherapy for fat reduction in arandomised, controlled trial, and todetermine if any observed benefitspersisted for six months.

The study consisted of 16 adults whowere not overweight and wererandomised to get weekly carbondioxide gas injection to one side of theirabdomens and a sham treatment on theother side once a week for five weeks.

A high-resolution ultrasound detecteda reduction in superficial fat after fiveweeks but not at 28 weeks. The patients'body weight did not change over thecourse of the study.

That the difference was notmaintained at six months suggests thetreatment stimulated a temporarymetabolic process that reduced the sizeof fat cells without inducing cell death,Alam said.

"If carboxytherapy can provideprolonged benefits, it offers patients yetanother non-invasive option for fatreduction. But we don't feel it's ready forprime time," Alam said. Source: PTI

17HEALTH & FITNESSTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

CARBON DIOXIDEINJECTIONS MAY

HELP CUT BELLY FAT

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PPAAGGEE SSPPOONNSSOORREEDD BBYY

WORK STRESS MAY LEAD TOIRREGULAR HEART RATE

Having a stressful job may increase the risk ofdeveloping a rapid and irregular heart rate, calledatrial fibrillation, which can lead to strokes and

premature death, according to a study.The most stressful jobs are psychologically demanding but

give employees little control over the work situation — forexample, assembly line workers, bus drivers, secretaries, andnurses.

The study published in the European Journal ofPreventive Cardiology found that being stressed at work wasassociated with a 48 per cent higher risk of atrial fibrillation,after adjustment for age, sex, and education.

“We need people to do these jobs but employers can help bymaking sure staff has the resources required to complete theassigned tasks,” said Eleonor Fransson, an associateprofessor at Jonkoping University in Sweden.

“Bosses should schedule breaks and listen to employees’ideas on how the work itself and the work environment canbe improved,” said Fransson.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythmdisorder (arrhythmia). Symptoms include palpitations,weakness, fatigue, feeling light headed, dizziness, andshortness of breath.

Atrial fibrillation causes 20-30 per cent of all strokes andincreases the risk of dying prematurely, researchers said.

“Atrial fibrillation is a common condition with seriousconsequences and therefore it is of major public healthimportance to find ways of preventing it. Little is knownabout risk factors for the disease and especially the role ofthe work environment,” said Fransson.

The study included 13,200 participants enrolled into theSwedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health(SLOSH) in 2006, 2008, or 2010.

Work stress was defined as job strain, which refers to jobswith high psychological demands combined with low controlover the work situation.

During a median follow-up of 5.7 years, 145 cases of atrialfibrillation were identified from national registers.

“In the general working population in Sweden, employeeswith stressful jobs were almost 50 per cent more likely todevelop atrial fibrillation,” Fransson said.

“The estimated risk remained even after we took intoaccount other factors such as smoking, leisure time physicalactivity, body mass index, and hypertension,” he said.

Source: PTI

Smoking, diabetes increases riskof calcium deposits in brain

People who smoke or have diabetes may be at a high riskof developing abnormal deposits of calcium in the brainregion crucial to memory, a study has found.

Dementia is a major public health problem that affects tensof millions of people worldwide.

One focus of dementia research has been the hippocampus,a brain structure important for both short- and long-termmemory storage. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common typeof dementia, is associated with atrophy of the hippocampus.

Researchers have anticipated that calcifications orabnormal buildups of calcium in the hippocampus region ofthe brain may be related to vascular problems, that couldcontribute to hippocampal atrophy and subsequent cognitivedeterioration.

“We know that calcifications in the hippocampus arecommon, especially with increasing age,” said Esther J M deBrouwer, from University Medical Center in Utrecht in TheNetherlands.

“However, we did not know if calcifications in thehippocampus related to cognitive function,” she added.

Researhers studied the association between vascular riskfactors like high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking andhippocampal calcifications.

While the study was not designed to conclusively determineif smoking and diabetes increase the risk of hippocampalcalcifications, the results suggest a link.

“In a recent histopathology study, hippocampalcalcifications were found to be a manifestation of vascular

disease. It is well known that smoking and diabetes are riskfactors for cardiovascular disease,” De Brouwer said.

“It is, therefore, likely that smoking and diabetes are riskfactors for hippocampal calcifications,” she said.

The development of the multiplanar brain CT scans hasenabled better distinction between hippocampal calcificationsand calcifications in nearby brain structures, according toresearchers.

“The hippocampus is made up of different layers, and it ispossible that the calcifications did not damage thehippocampal structure that is important for memory storage,”she said. Source: PTI

18 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 SCIENCE & TECH

STAR SYSTEM WITH THREEEARTH-SIZED PLANETS DISCOVERED

Scientists have discovered two new planetary systems,one of which hosts three Earth-sized planets.Researchers from Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias

(IAC) and the University of Oviedo in Spain analysed thedata collected by the K2 mission of NASA's Kepler satellite,which started in November 2013.

The study, published in the journal Monthly Notices of theRoyal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), reveals the existenceof two new planetary systems detected from the eclipses theyproduce in the stellar light of their respective stars.

The first exoplanetary system is located in the star K2-239,characterised as a red dwarf type M3V from observationsmade with the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), at the Roquede los Muchachos Observatory (Garafia, La Palma).

It is located in the constellation of the Sextant at 50 parsecsfrom the Sun (at about 160 light years). It has a compactsystem of at least three rocky planets of similar size to theEarth (1.1, 1.0 and 1.1 Earth radii) that orbit the star every 5.2,7.8 and 10.1 days, respectively.

The other red dwarf star, called K2-240, has two super-Earth-like planets about twice the size of our planet. Theatmospheric temperature of red dwarf stars around whichthese planets revolve is 3,450 and 3,800 Kelvin respectively,almost half the temperature of the sun. Source: PTI

Apple’s Siri will provide FIFAWorld Cup 2018 updates

Football fans around the world canstay up to date with statistics,scores and updates on their

favourite teams across all Apple devices,the company has said.

Virtual assistant Siri adds support forfootball in Brazil, Russia, Denmark,Finland, Malaysia, Turkey, Thailand,Saudi Arabia and Israel -- in addition to26 other countries that already supportSiri sports, including India.

Siri users can ask for scores,schedules, standings and team rosters,Apple said in a blog post.

Throughout the month, the App Storeeditors will highlight their favouriteapps and games from football stars, offertips on taking a perfect football photoand how to best get your football fix onsocial media.

The App Store will also feature keyfootball-related apps and games to help

fans dive deeper into the experience,with official broadcaster apps like FOXNOW or BBC Sport, and games like FIFAMobile and PES 2018.

Apple Music will feature playlists foreach of the 32 participating nations withthe most exciting artists in each countryas chosen by local teams. Source: IANS

Facebook launches Memories, a dedicated section for all yourpast special moments

Facebook has launched a new dedicated section forusers to access all their memories in one place. Called“Memories”, here users will be able to catch up on the

special moments and events celebrated on Facebook in thepast.

“Every day more than 90 million people use ‘On This Day’to reminisce about these moments they have shared onFacebook,” said Oren Hod, Product Manager at Facebook,in a blog post on Monday.

The new Memories page will have several sections. It willcontain all the content from “On This Day” which shows upon top of the news feed. Users can check their past posts andmajor life events from the available dates.

Here users will also be able to see the friends made onparticular days and check out special “friendversary”videos and collages.

Facebook will also show monthly recaps of memories inthe form of a message or a short video. This section willalso show recent posts that users might have missed fromthe previous week.

Users can access the Memories section by tapping on thededicated bookmark which will be available on the left sideof the News Feed on desktop. Facebook app users can accessit by tapping on the “more” button. At the same time userscan also access Memories via notifications and messages inNews Feed. Source: IANS

VIVO NEX ALL-SCREENPHONE WITH POP-UP SELFIE

CAMERA DEBUTSApart from Xiaomi Mi Mix, there

are barely any phones that havemet the promise of delivering an

all-screen phone. While most of thebrands have succeeded in increasingscreen-to-body ratio, the new crop ofphones comes with an ugly notch on thefront, without advanced features ofiPhone X. Vivo, however, is trying tostand out in the crowd with its latestNex.

Vivo Nex takes the all-screen-phonegame up a notch with an impressive91.24% screen-to-body ratio. Vivo Nex isanother concept Vivo phone that hasbecome a commercial reality. The phonewas first unveiled at the MWC?(MobileWorld Congress) 2018 as Vivo Apex.

To make an all-screen phone a reality,Vivo Nex has to adjust a few elements ofthe phone that we have grownaccustomed to. For instance, the frontcamera is tucked in the top edge andpops out whenever you need to take aselfie. Vivo claims the pop out time isultra fast, less than a second, to make theexperience fluid. The camera goes backto its housing when you’re done usingthe front camera.

Other adjustments includefingerprint scanner embedded into thescreen, similar to the company’s recentX21 smartphone that launched in India.Earpiece speaker is also under thescreen – which Vivo claims is a newtechnology called “screen soundcasting”that turns a display into audio output.

Rest of the stuff is pretty muchstandard. The volume and powerbuttons are located on the right edgewhile the top edge also houses the 3.5mmheadphone jack. The base has the USBport. In terms of specifications, VivoNex comes with a 6.59-inch UltraFullView display. It is powered byQualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor

with 8GB of RAM. On the back it has 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors aspart of a dual-camera setup. Like otherVivo phones, the camera comes with AIintegration of smarter scene and subjectrecognition. The phone comes with

256GB storage. It is powered by a large4,000mAh battery.

Vivo Nex will be available in Chinainitially followed by roll out in otherAsian markets like Singapore and HongKong. Source: HT

Truecaller acquires payments app Chillr

Truecaller on Wednesday announced it has acquired Chillr -- the country’sfirst multi-bank payments app. Truecaller forayed into the digital paymentssegment in India in March last year.

“Since launching ‘Truecaller Pay’ in 2017, we’ve seen an increasing number ofuse cases to make the lives of our users in India easier.

“By acquiring Chillr, we are reaffirming our commitment to mobile paymentsand strengthening our plans to increase its adoption amongst our user base,”Nami Zarringhalam, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Truecaller, said in astatement. The founders of Chillr -- Sony Joy, Anoop Sankar, Mohamed Galib andLishoy Bhaskaran -- will join Truecaller and Joy will be appointed Vice Presidentof Truecaller Pay. According to Chillr, it is planning to leverage its full reach ofover 150 million users in India as well as its over 300 existing partnerships toenable Truecaller Pay as a platform.

“We will, together, have a far bigger impact in this space through the foundationof the team’s expertise and a strong user base that trusts our platform and use iton a daily basis,” said Zarringhalam. Source: IANS

19BIZ & FINANCETHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Inflation hits 14-monthhigh in May

NEW DELHI (TIP): Inflation based on wholesale pricesshot up to a 14-month high of 4.43% in May on increasingprices of petrol and diesel, prompting industry to demandaction from policymakers to keep fuel prices under check.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation stood at3.18% in April and 2.26% in May last year. According togovernment data released on Thursday, inflation in foodarticles was at 1.60% in May 2018, as against 0.87% in thepreceding month.

Inflation in ‘fuel and power’ basket rose sharply to 11.22%in May from 7.85% in April as prices of domestic fuelincreased in line with rising global crude oil rates. Mayinflation at 4.43% was a 14-month peak. The previous highwas in March 2017, when the WPI inflation stood at 5.11%.

Industry chamber Assocham called for government actionto tame fuel price rise, saying increasing prices of petrol anddiesel may significantly impact import bills, which maysubsequently have an impact on exchange rates. Source: PTI

SoftBank to invest up to $100billion in solar power projects

TOKYO (TIP): SoftBank Group Corp has decided to invest$60 billion-$100 billion in solar power generation in India,Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on Friday.

SoftBank and the Indian government are expected to reacha formal agreement soon after final arrangements are made,the report said without naming its sources.

The company is expected to make the investment througha fund backed by Saudi Arabia’s government, NHK said.Saudi Arabia is the largest investor in SoftBank’s VisionFund, which raised over $93 billion last year.

A SoftBank spokesman declined to comment.In 2015 SoftBank pledged to invest $20 billion in Indian

solar projects with a goal of generating 20 gigawatts (GW) ofenergy as the majority partner in a joint venture with India’sBharti Enterprises and Taiwan’s Foxconn.

Last month, SoftBank secured 200 megawatts of solarcapacity at an auction in the south-western state ofKarnataka.

In April it teamed up with China’s GCL System IntegrationTechnology Co Ltd on a $930 million Indian solar energyventure.

India has set a target to achieve an operational solar powercapacity of 100 GW by 2022, five times current levels, underPrime Minister Narendra Modi’s renewable energy strategy.

SoftBank’s Vision Fund has exposure to solar energythrough its investment in the world’s largest such project inSaudi Arabia announced in March. Source: Reuters

RBI Governor seeks more powers to effectively regulate PSBs

NEW DELHI (TIP): RBI GovernorUrjit Patel has made a strong case formore powers to effectively regulatepublic sector banks (PSBs) as lawmakersasked him tough questions overincreasing bad loans and frauds.

As per sources, Patel also informed theStanding Committee on Finance that theRBI is in communication with thegovernment for discontinuing thepractice of appointing the central bank'snominees on boards of PSBs to avoid toany conflict of interest between theregulator and regulated entities.

Patel was asked about bad loans, bankfrauds, cash crunch and other issues,said sources.

They also said he assured the panelmembers that steps were being taken tostrengthen the banking system.

Regarding PSBs, Patel told the panelthat the RBI has "inadequate" controlover them and asked for more powers toregulate them.

RBI has cited at least 10 areas where ithas no control over PSBs. The centralbank has no powers to remove chairman,director or CEO of state-owned banksand also cannot impose restriction oncommon directors on PSB boards, amongothers.

Sources said committee memberNishikant Dubey observed that theBanking Regulation Act empowers theRBI to inspect and supervise commercialbanks as well as monitor financialinstitutions based on internationallyadopted CAMEL model. It focuses oncapital adequacy, asset quality and otheraspects.

"I don't think there is any need of extrapowers for the RBI," Dubey reportedlysaid in the meeting.

There are 21 state-owned banks,including State Bank of India.

The gross non-performing assets(NPAs) of PSBs stood at Rs 7.77 lakh croreat end-December 2017. The total NPAs ofall banks, including private ones, was awhopping Rs 8.99 lakh crore.

Patel also told the panel, headed byveteran Congress leader M VeerappaMoily, that there should be no centralbank nominee on the boards of PSBs,sources said.

The central bank, Patel said, wasdiscussing the matter of RBI nomineedirector with the Finance Ministry.

He categorically said the primary andcollective responsibility to contain fraudsin the banks rests with their respective

boards, according to the sources.In a written reply to the panel, Patel

said the main role of directors on abank's board, including nomineedirectors, is to ensure that the bank ismanaged efficiently and professionally,as per sources.

Patel was asked questions regardinggovernance issues in ICICI Bank andAxis Bank.

The proposals coming before the boardand its committees are consistent withnormal banking practices, guidelines ofthe government, the RBI and are notviolative of any law, he said.

"RBI nominee directors should bedistanced from management committeeof the board (which takes creditdecisions) to avoid any conflict ofinterest and the RBI nominee should notbe on the boards of the PSBs," he noted.

Further, sources said the RBIGovernor also answered queriesregarding the USD 2 billion fraudallegedly committed by diamondmerchant Nirav Modi and his associatesat the Punjab National Bank.

In the context of this fraud, Patelreportedly said it was impossible to lookafter each and every branch of a bank interms of an audit.

He said the separation of the post ofChairman from that of the CEO/MD, inthe nationalised banks, has been donewith a view to strengthening theindependence of the board andenhancing its oversight over themanagement.

Highlighting the need forimplementation of the Nayak committee

report on governance of bank boards, hesaid it will go long way in improving roleof the boards of the nationalised banks.

Sources further said that somemembers of the committee sought toknow about the reasons for recentinstances of ATMs running out of cashand why enough steps were not taken totackle banking frauds.

Patel told the panel that steps werebeing taken to strengthen the bankingsystem. "We are confident that we will beable to tide over the crisis," a sourcequoted the governor as saying withrespect to the NPA situation.

On an optimistic note, Patel informedthe committee that after implementationof the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code(IBC), the situation on the NPA front hasbeen improving.

Sources also said panel members putquestions to Patel about final amount ofthe cash returned to the banking systempost demonetisation, but they did not geta satisfactory answer.

According to the RBI Governor, therevised framework for NPA identificationissued on February 12 would providesufficient time to banks to put in requiredresolution plan.

"Thus the revised framework seeks toshorten the time period betweenmanifestation of a financial distress in aborrower and decisive action to resolvethe same," he reportedly said in a writtenreply.

Patel also appeared before theStanding Committee on Energy andanswered questions related to NPAs inthe power sector. Source: PTI

Indian-origin Dhivya Suryadevara appointedfirst female CFO at General Motors

HOUSTON (TIP): An Indian-American woman, Dhivya Suryadevarahas been named the chief financialofficer of the United States’ largestautomaker, General Motors.

Dhivya Suryadevara, currently thevice president of corporate finance, willsucceed Chuck Stevens, GM’s presentCFO, on September 1, the company saidin a statement.

Chennai-born Suryadevara, 39, hasbeen GM’s vice president of corporatefinance since July 2017. She will reportto chief executive officer (CEO) Mary

Barra, 56, who has been head of theautomaker since 2014.

Barra and Suryadevara are the firstwomen in their respective positions in

the auto industry, as no other majorglobal automaker has a female CEO, nora CEO and CFO who are both female.

GM will join a very short list of S&P500 companies, including Hershey Co.and American Water Works Co., withwomen in the positions of CEO and CFO.

Suryadevara earned her bachelor’sand master’s degrees in commerce fromthe University of Madras in Chennai,India. She moved to the US at the age of22 to pursue her masters in businessadministration (MBA) from HarvardUniversity. Source: PTI

20 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018TURN PAGE

contd from Page 1

Half of Americansback...

the security of the United States' old foe.Forty percent of those polled said they did notbelieve the countries would stick to theircommitments.

Another 26 percent said they believed theUnited States and North Korea would meettheir commitments, while 34 percent saidthey did not know whether they would followthrough.

Thirty-nine percent believe the summit haslowered the threat of nuclear war betweenthe United States and nuclear-armed NorthKorea, slightly more than the 37 percent whosaid they did not believe it changed anything.

Trump has pursued what he calls a"maximum pressure" campaign" againstPyongyang to force it to give up its nuclearweapons. He toughened up internationalsanctions to further isolate North Korea andthen agreed to meet directly with Kim afterSouth Korea's president convinced him thatthe North was committed to giving up itsnuclear weapons.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests theRepublican president has broad support forone of his biggest foreign policy efforts,despite criticism from non-proliferationexperts that Trump had exacted few concretecommitments from Kim on Tuesday ondismantling his nuclear arsenal.

Republicans appear much moreenthusiastic than Democrats about thepotential benefits of the summit. The pollfound that Republicans were twice as likelyas Democrats to say that the meeting loweredthe threat of nuclear war, and they were threetimes as likely to say that both sides wouldfollow through on their commitments.

Democrats typically give Trump low

approval ratings - only 12 percent approve ofhis overall job performance. But about 30percent said they approved of his handling ofNorth Korea.

Trump, who returned to Washington earlyon Wednesday, hailed the meeting with Kim,the first between a sitting US president and aNorth Korean leader, as a success that hadremoved the North Korean nuclear threat.Their seemingly friendly meeting was insharp contrast to their tit-for-tat insults andbellicose rhetoric late last year whilePyongyang carried out its biggest nuclear andmissile tests.

In the poll, Trump received a 51 percentapproval rating for his handling of NorthKorea and also led the list of leaders whoshould take the most credit for the summitand the joint pledge. Forty percent say theformer real estate developer should take themost credit, followed by South KoreanPresident Moon Jae-in with 11 percent. Kimwas third with 7 percent.

Trump has repeatedly touted his role inbringing the reclusive North Korea to thenegotiating table, a feat that he says hispredecessors were unable to pull off.

200% rise in invites to...Wait for Green Card sends desis to CanadaAccording to the Express Entry Year-end

Report, 2017, issued recently by the Canadiangovernment's immigration division, a littleover one lakh applications were received forpermanent residency under the ExpressEntry program in 2017, 86,022 invitationswere sent, and 65,401 permanent residentsand their families were admitted into Canada.

Nearly 40% of this total or 26,000-plusIndians became permanent residents inCanada.

Among those applicants who had job offersand were admitted as permanent residents,occupations like information system

analysts, software engineers and designers,computer programmers and universitylecturers topped the charts.

These statistics, showing an increase innumber of Indians opting for Canadianpermanent residency, strengthen the beliefthat many H-1B visa holders, tired of thebacklog and infinite wait for a green card inthe US-a green card grants permanentresidency on American soil-are now headingtowards Canada.

Currently, more than three lakh Indians inthe US are waiting for a green card, CATOInstitute, a Washington-based think tank,states that given the green card backlog, thewaiting period for Indians with an advanceddegree (those in the EB-2 category) could beas much as 151 years.

New York attorney...children illegally used it for personal,

business, and political expenses.The lawsuit alleges illegal activity that

took place over more than a decade, including"extensive unlawful political coordinationwith the Trump presidential campaign,repeated and willful self-dealing transactionsto benefit Mr. Trump's personal and businessinterests, and violations of basic legalobligations for nonprofit foundations,"according to a statement from the attorneygeneral's office.

The suit accuses the president, along withIvanka Trump, Eric Trump and DonaldTrump Jr., of violating multiple counts ofstate and federal law. The New York attorneygeneral's office began looking into the TrumpFoundation in the summer of 2016, followingan investigation by The Washington Post intothe then-candidate's philanthropy.

Barbara Underwood, the attorney general,asked a New York state judge to dissolve theDonald J. Trump Foundation and to banTrump, his sons Donald Jr. and Eric, and hisdaughter Ivanka from holding leadershiproles in New York charities.

Underwood said her office's 21-monthinvestigation, begun under her predecessorEric Schneiderman, uncovered "extensiveunlawful political coordination" by thefoundation with Trump's campaign, as well as"repeated and willful self-dealing" to benefitTrump's personal, business and politicalinterests.

Among the transactions the lawsuit citedas illegal was a $10,000 payment to theUnicorn Children's Foundation for a portraitof Trump purchased at a fundraising auctionin 2014, and $100,000 paid to another charity tosettle a legal claim in 2007.

The lawsuit, in the Supreme Court inManhattan, seeks $2.8 million of restitution,a 10-year ban on Trump serving as a directorof a New York nonprofit, and one-year ban forhis children. (Source: PTI)

Salman Khan among 5...perform at a concert in the US despite

having taken money from it.The Vibrant Media Group in its lawsuit

against the Bollywood artists and theiragents Matrix India EntertainmentConsultants Private Limited and YashrajFilms Private Limited alleged "breach ofcontract".

According to the complaint, in 2013 theVibrant Media Group had hired the artists toappear live and perform at the concert'Celebrating 100 years of Indian Cinema',which was to be held on September 1, 2013.

The show had to be cancelled as SalmanKhan was unable to leave India due to legaltroubles in Rajasthan. The Vibrant MediaGroup had agreed to postpone the event, thelawsuit said.

The Vibrant Media Group, according to thelawsuit, recently learned that Salman Khanand the other artists, instead of keeping their

promise or even offer to return the depositsthey had received for the performance, hadagreed to perform with another promoter.

"All calls to Mr Khan, his agents, and otherartists, for the return of the funds have goneunanswered," the group said as it soughtdamages of at least USD 1 million.

According to the complaint, Vibrant Mediapaid more than USD 200,000 to Salman Khanin advance of the concert to be held at theSears Centre in Chicago on September 1.

Katrina Kaif was paid USD 40,000 andSonakshi Sinha USD 36,000. None of thesefunds have been returned, it alleged.

The lawsuit, filed by Chicago-based VibrantMedia Group before a Northern DistrictCourt of Illinois, Eastern Division on June 10,has been assigned to District Judge SharonJohnson Coleman.

Others sued by the promoter includesuperstar Akshay Kumar besides singers UditNarayan, Alka Yagnik and Usha Mangeshkar.(Source: Deccan Chronicle)

contd from page 9

Dinesh D'Souza, Once...Preet Bharara was the U.S. attorney in New

York and the investigation of D'Souza'swrong-doing was undertaken by his office.Both D'Souza and Donald Trump treated himas their nemesis. As was expected, he becameone of the early casualties of Trump's erase-the-Obama-legacy campaign. No reason wasgiven for his abrupt dismissal. Presidentsdon't have to give any reason for dismissinganyone in the executive branch. It wasrumored, though, that Bharara's involvementin the investigation into the Trumpcampaign's alleged collusion with theRussian meddling in the 2016 election and hisbeing a protégé of Senator Chuck Schumer,the Democrat from New York who is also theminority leader in the U.S. Senate, hadsomething to do with it. Since his dismissal,Bharara has been a vehement critic ofTrump.

Bharara defended his prosecution ofD'Souza via a tweet of his own, which said:"The President has the right to pardon but thefacts are these: D'Souza intentionally brokethe law, voluntarily pled guilty, apologized forhis conduct & the judge found no unfairness."

THE REAL REASON BEHIND THE

PARDON: Yes, the president has the right topardon anyone. But impartial observers cannever stop wondering what made him pickD'Souza for this preferential treatment,ignoring all established procedures forgranting pardons and disregarding morethan 10,000 pending cases that are deservingof presidential pardon. The reason could be,many of them say, that the characterassassination campaign against BarackObama, which D'Souza has been conducting,resonates well with the one Trump has beenengaged in. He doesn't care that his actioncould be criticized as a clear abuse ofpresident's pardoning power.

The New York Times has come up withanother explanation: "Maybe the president issending a signal of loyalty and reassurance tofriends and family members who may soonfind themselves facing similar criminalcharges in connection with the specialcounsel's Russia inquiry" ("Dinesh D'Souza?Really?" - editorial, nytimes.com, May 31,2018). It is relevant to note here that one of thecrimes that Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen isnow being investigated for is the same as theone D'Souza was convicted of.

Let me put in my two cents worth: DonaldTrump issued the pardon because he wantsDinesh D'Souza out there, continuing hisfavorite job of spewing anti-Obama venom.

(The author is editor and publisher of TheEast -West Inquirer. He can be reached at

mpprabha@juno.com)

21ASTROLOGYTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

W E E K LY H O R O S C O P EJUNE 18 - JUNE 24, 2018

Aries: Ganesha says you rope in your associates in yourdealings and this proves to be a good move. Theattention also shifts from the work front to homeand family and there are many domesticresponsibilities and joys to handle and enjoy. Youalso have to invest some time in your housingsociety or community and you can't get awayfrom all this. Nor do you want to. There are otherresponsibilities to attend to as well. Plus, theremay be demands from siblings, co-workers,immediate and distant family and neighbors.

Taurus: Love and money are the twin themes of theperiod. You also find time to relax, and therecould perhaps be a home away from home as akind of holiday retreat or weekend getaway.There will be loans, joint accounts, bonds,insurance and funds of all kinds to deal with onthe money front, along with soaring expenses.You do a juggling act and manage it all well. Youwill also be spending a lot of time with lovedones and that will give you many happymoments.

Gemini: Your people skills will be at their best and youwill get the support of both colleagues and lovedones. Partnerships and collaborations are vitaland most beneficial in this period. You surmountmany obstacles and ride the wave to glorioustimes. You worry about your image and theremay be legal issues that could tarnish it. Youconfide in family and form a strong team tobattle these challenges. You find great supportand strength in your associations and emergevictorious with ease.

Cancer: Money and its jingle appeal to you more thanever before. You look at finances in a big way, asthat is the main theme of this period. Personaland work-related finances hog the limelight.There are tax issues and all sorts of monetarydevelopments that will take up your time. Youhave to solve it all and spend time behind closeddoors getting to the nitty gritty of your financesand its implications. There are meetings galorein this period but they all work out happily in theend.

Leo: Once the finances are worked out, you get tospending the money which you believe is hardearned. There are many expenses and for achange, your creative instincts blossom. You dowell at work and there is recognition. You mayeven get an award for something you have done.You love the limelight and the appreciation thatit all brings. You are the toast of the office, andmay get a promotion, if not more. If you are onyour own, you make tangible expansion of thebusiness / enterprise. There have been goodtimes and you have worked hard and earned welland now you want to get creative and bring somebeauty into your surroundings.

Virgo: You have achieved a lot, but you don't want tostop here. You are prepared to stick your neckout like a platoon commander flushing outterrorists. This works as you break new groundand make many startling discoveries. Your newinterests include religion and spirituality, traveland education. You have kept money aside forthe family and for a nest egg, and so monetaryissues are not the real focus this period. You lookfor harmony and try to smooth the feathers youhave rustled in the past.

Libra: Your conciliatory moves and work success arehighly appreciated. There is enhanced incomeand prestige. You party a lot now and look atfinances in the form of inheritance and legacies.You are a social butterfly and spend time atvarious gatherings enjoying yourselfthoroughly. You are ebullient and enthusiastic,and your happy mood is contagious. All this is awelcome respite from the hard slog that you haveput in over the last period.

Scorpio: You are again on the work track. You areconfident, pragmatic and determined and willforge ahead furiously. You look at holisticprogress and make the necessary adjustments toyour personal and work life so that both showsteady progress and harmony. You are also, onceagain, on a shopping spree with family and lovedones. Everyone has a ball!

Sagittarius: You give your best to work and yourrelationships and there is great intensity inwhatever you do. You extend your handtowards humanity, undertake social work andspend quality time with your children and / orparents. You are endowed now with a newvision and charisma and look at the futurewith immense possibilities in mind. You areriding the crest of a wave and feel that theworld is yours to conquer.

Capricorn: You see yourself in a new light and areempowered by your success. The early part ofthe period will be hectic and now you try toenjoy yourself and ride on the momentumgenerated in the previous period. You arecaring and considerate, alert and active. Thereis a new you eyeballing the world and whateverit has to offer. There is a chance that you aregetting too big for your boots. You spend andentertain easily and have happy, boisteroustimes.

Aquarius: You are busier than ever before and highlymotivated in all that you undertake - and itshows in the results. You spend quality timewith loved ones and there are possibilities ofexciting travel. But there are pinpricks likeunexpected expenses, ill-health in the family,and a frittering away of valuable resources onissues that are of no relevance to you; in otherwords, there is highly avoidable wastage ofboth time and money. There is envy andpolitics at the workplace and you have to treadwith caution.

Pisces: There are many distractions at play here.There are partnerships, religious ceremonies,meetings and interviews and several business/ collaborations / connections, all of whichlead you into a profitable, upward spiral. Thisis a good time to spread your wings and meetas many people as possible. There is romancein the air and, if married, there will bedealings with close family, your spouse, evenyour in-laws. If single, there is a chance thatyou may meet your life partner.

Shree Ganeshaya Namah

Bejan Daruwalla is world's most famousastrologertoday. He appears regularly onworld wide TV shows. Bejan who has been aprofessor in English, hasauthored a numberof books on astrology. India'sPrime MinisterNarendra Modi , on March 29, 2012,lunchedone of Bejan's books, '2012- End oftheWorld? Bejan contributes to a number ofjournals andnewspapers in many parts of theworld which includeBerkley Communications(London) Times of India(Delhi, Mumbai,Kolkata, Chennai) and The IndianPanorama (New York and Texas). Bejan'spredictionshave mostly been correct andpeople the world overrely on his predictions.

Bejan Daruwalla is available for astrologicalconsultations. He can be reached atinfo@bejandaruwalla.com and on phone 011-91-8141234275www.bejandaruwalla.com

22 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018 SPORTS

Messi, the superstar illuminatinga small Russian town

BRONNITSY (TIP): Lionel Messi’sarrival in Bronnitsy, a quiet town with 20,000residents some 50km southeast of Moscow,has brought an unprecedented level ofattention to a place most renowned for itsArchangel Michael cathedral.

But as the euphoric shouts echoing arounda temporary stand suggests, its selection asArgentina’s team base camp hastransformed it into one of the epicentres ofthe World Cup.

Flags bearing Messi’s face hang overbarriers, while a giant mural of theBarcelona star towers above the people ofBronnitsy as they come to terms with theintense spotlight now fixated on theirhometown.

Never has it been subjected to suchscrutiny, and perhaps never again will thistown founded in the middle of the 15thcentury attract such global recognition.

Around 400 fans flocked to Argentina’sbase camp on Monday for the team’s firstopen training session, each and every onedesperate to steal a glimpse of Messi in theflesh.

None of them were yelling “Aguero”,“Mascherano” or “Higuain”. They were allwaiting for Messi to emerge from a buildingby the training ground and began to eagerlychant his name.

“Messi! Messi!” they screamed, trying todraw the attention of the five-time Ballond’Or winner. He duly obliged, staying behindto sign autographs and posing for photos atthe end of the hour-long session, duringwhich his every touch was warmlyapplauded.

The bleachers were full to overflowing andtrembled with emotion. But supporters thereweren’t the only ones who didn’t want tomiss out, Argentina’s ambassador to Russia,Ernesto Lagorio, was also in attendance.

“It was great, it went very well, it’s been anice afternoon,” he told AFP.

Others like physical education teacherLucas Ledezma, who waited for the team’sbus to arrive last Saturday, repeated thatsame sentiment.

“We dream that we can do it, I think it’s aWorld Cup the national team deserves, thatMessi deserves and that all us Argentinesdeserve,” said the 30-year-old Ledezma, wholeft the Argentine city of Cordoba in on

January 5 and cycled 14,000km to follow theAlbiceleste.

‘Painting a legend’If anything is on a par with Messi these

days it could be the enormous mural of himthat stares out at passers-by on one of thestreets adjacent to Bronnitsy’s main road.

“When I was painting Messi, I waspainting a legend of my time. Messi is one ofthe best players (in the world),” said 29-year-old street artist Sergey Erofeev, who wascommissioned to redesign the wall afterwinning a competition.

Erofeev, still with paint splattered on histrousers and in broken Spanish that he onlyrecently learned, confessed he has a dream of

his own. “I want Messi to come and see mywork,” he said.

Close to Argentina’s training base is ahouse that has been converted into amakeshift sports bar serving “Mate Listo”, aversion of the caffeine-packed drink popularin South America.

It’s impossible to walk through Bronnitsywithout hearing Messi’s name, mostly inconversations between locals, and his imageis everywhere you turn.

Only his presence, and the stringentsecurity surrounding him, have managed toalter an otherwise peaceful day in a townthat has openly welcomed the striker despitestruggling to get close to him. Source: AFP

WORLD CUP 2018 ISRUSSIA’S TURN TO

PLAY BALL

When Saudi Arabia took on hosts Russiaat Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium onThursday, the 80,000 fans in the stands

were a tiny fraction of the nearly three billionpeople around the world to whom the kick-off ofthe 2018 FIFA World Cup was available ontelevision. For the next month or so, for lovers ofthe Beautiful Game, the world will appear to be ahappier, perhaps kinder, place. In the last editionin Brazil, the Vatican had called for a ceasefire inhostilities in global trouble spots. Four yearslater, Pope Francis’s native Argentina, led byLionel Messi — who may be making his finalappearance in a World Cup — are again one ofthe front-runners. Still, all the individualbrilliance on the field may not take away from thefact that the Cup is happening at a difficult timefor the world, and that too, in Russia.

Eight years ago, when Russia clinched the bidto host the Cup, Vladimir Putin exulted in themoment. Over the next few years, the countryhas been embroiled in the wars in Ukraine andSyria, a misadventure in Crimea, witnessedeconomic decline, faced allegations ofinterference in the US elections, and has beenheld guilty for an Olympic doping scandal.Despite the stringent sanctions imposed againstit, Putin is playing proud host to the world withRussia spending an estimated 678 billion rubles($11.6 billion) on projects for the tournament,70% of which is estimated to have come fromtaxpayers.

The World Cup moving to Russia highlights itsforay into new territories. In 2002, Asia got itsfirst Cup when Japan and South Korea hosted . In2010, the Cup graced the African continent withthe Bafana Bafana playing hosts. This year’stournament in Russia, at a time when it is backin geopolitical focus, will be followed by theWorld Cup making both -- its maiden foray toWest Asia in Qatar and a statement loaded withpolitical undertones.

Back on the field, the pundits are backingBrazil, Germany and France. But you can nevercount out Spain and Argentina, with Belgiumthis year’s dark horses. May the best team win!

Afghan bowlers make comeback after Vijay, Dhawan smash tonsBENGALURU (TIP): Hundreds from Shikhar Dhawan and

Murali Vijay gave Afghanistan the expectedly tough initiationinto Test cricket but the debutants managed to find theirbearings to leave India a tad uncomfortable at 347 for 6 on a rain-curtailed first day of the historic one-off Test here.

Dhawan (107 off 96 balls) bludgeoned the rookie Afghanbowlers into submission with a single session century whileVijay grinded them with a compact 105 off 153 balls as the duosmashed 168 in only 28.4 overs.

However, the world no.1 hosts did take their foot off the pedalin the final session losing five wickets for 99 runs in 32 overs.The result was that the day end scorecard didn't paint a sorrypicture for Afghanistan something that was threatening tohappen after the first two sessions.

The final session definitely belonged to Afghanistan as theirbowlers put up an inspired performance backed by the fielders.

Vijay and a well-set KL Rahul (54 off 64 balls) were removedin quick succession by the impressive pace duo of YaminAhmadzai (2/32 in 13 overs) and Wafadar (1/53 in 15 overs).

The Vijay-Rahul second wicket partnership yielded 112 runsbut their dismissals brought about a collapse.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane (10 off 45 balls) and CheteshwarPujara (35) couldn't maintain the momentum giving the visitingteam bowlers something to cheer about in the final session.

Rahane became Rashid Khan's maiden Test scalp whileMujeeb ur Rahman got Pujara caught at leg-gully with one thatspun in sharply.

Comeback-man Dinesh Karthik (4) was run-out needlessly asa solid foundation laid by the openers was wasted by the middle-order. Rashid (1/120 in 26 overs) conceded a 'century', getting areality check on the enormous gulf between T20 and Testcricket during the first two sessions.

However, being a quick learner, he came back well in the finalsession varying the pace of his deliveries and getting the ball todip in troubling the middle-order with a final spell of 9-2-15-1.

Earlier, Dhawan became the first Indian batsman to score acentury in the first session of a Test match joining theillustrious ranks of Sir Don Bradman, Victor Trumper, MajidKhan, and David Warner. The hapless bowlers struggled duringthe first two sessions as they were not able to hit the correct'Test match length', especially the spinners, who are used tobowling flat and quick. Source: PTI

FIFA World Cup 2018

One of the distinctive features ofHinduism is the worship of devis orfeminine deities which is a very ancient

and popular tradition. The Indus peopleworshipped some form of Mother Goddess. Thevedic people worshipped female deities alongwith gods such as Indra, Varuna, Agni andBrahmanaspati.

Aditi was the mother of gods. She gave birthto the Adityas or the solar deities. Saraswathiwas the goddess of learning who was comparedto a river. Lakshmi was the goddess of wealth.She brought happiness and prosperity throughharmony, bestowing cattle and good crops onpeople who invoked her. The earth wascompared to a mother while the heaven toPrajapathi, Indra or Brahmanaspathi. Usha wasthe goddess of dawn. She symbolized awakeningconsciousness and heralded the arrival of thesun in his golden chariot yoked by seven ruddyhorses. Uma Haimavathi of the KathaUpanishad, was the mysterious companion ofthe supreme Brahman, who acted as Hisemissary and imparted knowledge of Brahmanto Indra, Agni and Vayu and helped thembecome the first and the foremost among thegods of devaloka. Then there was Yami, whodesired the companionship and physical unionwith her own brother Yama, who was the Lord ofthe netherworld and epitome of justice.

As the vedic religion expanded andassimilated other religions and sectarianmovements such as Saivism and Vaishnavism,the Hindu pantheon acquired an interesting andcomplex character. The concept of Purusha, theuniversal male deity or the Supreme Self or God,and Prakriti, the universal female deity or theMother Goddess as the primal and dynamicenergy of God became popular. It becamecustomary to associate one or more femaledeities with each male deity not only at thehighest level, but at other levels also.

Thus Lakshmi of the Vedic world wasrecognized as the consort of Vishnu, Parvathi ofSiva, Saraswathi of Brahma, Iswari orMahadevi or Iswara, Aindri of Indra, Varuni ofVaruna and so on. Even asectic gods likeGanesha were associated with female divinities,Siddhi and Riddhi. In the process, the Hindupantheon acquired the character of a largefamily (vasudaika kutumbam) of gods in whicheach major divinity headed a family of his ownconsisting of wives, children, vehicles, weapons,assisting deities and in some cases worlds oftheir own recognized as their abodes or habitats.Saivism went a step ahead and personified theunion of male and female principles of creationin the form of Siva as Ardhanariswara, the halfmale and half female.

It is important to note that thesedevelopments were not products of someone'simagination but realization, during deepmeditative states, of the existence of thesedivinities and their powers within oneself andwithin the cosmos. It was as a result of theinternalization of ritual knowledge and ritualpractice and the discovery of a whole new worldwithin oneself. Some western scholars tend tocall this process erroneously as vedicimagination, but it was realization of oneself asthe highest self and the recognition of one's owndivine nature and its universal character. It wasan elevation of vision in which man foundhimself at the center of divine creation, as a toolby which all that was to be known could beknown not by going out but by looking withinoneself. Hidden within each human being is ablue print of the universe, the entire cosmicorder and its structure. Science explores it by

sending space missions or using extendedmeans of seeing through powerful telescopes. InHinduism we are advised to look withinourselves to find the universe that is hiddenthere. Our minds and bodies are perhaps the bestand the most powerful telescopes through whichwe can fathom the entire universe that is hiddendeep within. Patanjali's Yogasutras speak ofsiddhis or supernatural powers which can beacquired and used by advanced practitioners ofyoga to perform similar tasks. Our scripturesdescribe each being as a microcosmic aspect ofthe macrocosm. If Brahman is the self of theuniverse, atman is the self of the individual.

If the material universe with the planets, thestars, the elements, the worlds and the beingsconstitute the body of God, the physical andsubtle bodies of a being are a universe bythemselves in which reside some of thedivinities that also reside in the materialuniverse of God.

Hindu mythology describe the female deitiesas fickle, possessive and subject to emotionaloutbursts. At the same time they describe themas the highest and purest of divinities, courted,loved and pampered by their consorts withunconditional love and undivided attention andfrom whom, in their purest states, they areinseparable and indistinguishable. Some of thedivinities are depicted as vengeful and wrathfuland some as lovable, kind and motherly.

Going by the Puranas, these opposingbehaviors are often displayed by the samedivinity in different circumstances. In somecases, like that of Brahma and Saraswathi, theirrelationships do not stand the test of humanmorality. This seemingly contradictory behavioris quiet understandable.

These divinities are energies that reside in thematerial body of the universe and also in thebodies of the individual beings. It is for generalpublic we ascribe them human character andbuild a whole mythology around them. We allknow that the energy levels in our bodies arenever the same. They are constantly fluctuatingand fickle. They ebb and flow depending uponwhat we do, think and aim for.

They demand our attention, respond to ourpampering and work for us to the extent wenurse them and care for them. Some are easy toinvoke and some are difficult to find. Theseenergies are both positive and negative. Theycan help us in our spiritual advancement orbecome obstacles on our paths depending uponhow we use them or respond to them or which

energies we invoke. They can potentially help usor they can destroy us just as any other tool orenergy that we use in our day to day lives.

Apart from worshipping these femaledivinities or powers in the temples and homes,seeking their help and support in our materialsuccess, we need to know them from a higherperspective and seek their help in our spiritualjourney to achieve the four aims of human life,namely dharma, artha, kama and moksha.Knowing them is part of knowing ourselves. It isvery vital to our spiritual practice and selfawareness. In seeking their help we fulfill thedivine purpose for which they exist. They areinseparable aspects of our physical and mentalenvironments. They are as real as our minds andbodies.

23SPIRITUALITYTHE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

HINDU GODDESSES: THEIRSYMBOLISM & SIGNIFICANCE

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