NEW YORK – Indian American Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni, 39, is looking to run for Congress this year in Texas’ 22nd Congressional district against Republican Congressman Pete Olson.

Kulkarni served as a Foreign Service Officer for 14 years during which he toured Iraq, Israel, Russia, Taiwan, and Jamaica, and now he has come back to serve the country on the home front.

“I have spent my career trying to reduce conflict in other countries, but right now hostility and conflict are being inflamed in our own country, through the politics of anger and demagoguery, demonization of specific ethnic and religious groups, threats to rule of law, degradation of women, and an undermining of democratic institutions like a free press,” Kulkarni says on his website.

“The greatest danger to our country right now is not a foreign power, but the internal divisions in our society. We must recognize the sources which are fanning the flames of resentment and defuse them, by offering a positive vision for the future that all groups can believe in,” he adds.

According to his website, Kulkarni grew up in Houston, Texas and had to drop out of college at the age of 18 when his father Venkatesh Kulkarni, a published novelist, contracted leukemia.

After his father passed away, Kulkarni finished his college career and graduated from the University of Texas Plan II Honors program.

After serving as a Foreign Service Officer for 14 years, in 2015, Kulkarni accepted a Pearson Fellowship to serve as a foreign policy and defense adviser on Capitol Hill, where he assisted Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Kulkarni completed a mid-career Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School, just last year.

According to his website, Kulkarni and one of his Republican colleagues also founded a bipartisan initiative called “Breaking Bread,” which aims to “reduce the partisan hostility in our society”, that has been repeated in several states.

So far, 9 candidates have filed their nominations for the U.S. Representative District 22 seat that Olson has held since 2008.

While Olson will face Danny Nguyen-R, Eric Zmrhal-R and James Green-R in the March 2018 Republican primary, Kulkarni will be running against Letitia Plummer, Margarita Ruiz Johnson, Steve Brown and Mark Gibson in the Democratic primary, on March 6.

The post In Texas, Indian American Sri Preston Kulkarni to run for Congress appeared first on News India Times.

“The Big Bang Theory” is making headlines with stories around the brewing ego hassles and jealousy between the cast. But American actor Kevin Sussman, who essays Stuart Bloom in the hit sitcom, says the show “lucked out by having a group of people that work well together” with no ego clashes between the team.

“It is by far my longest job of any kind — be it acting or non-acting. It is amazing. I had done enough TV stuff before ‘The Big Bang Theory’. I had done enough to sort of appreciate how awesome everybody is on ‘The Big Bang Theory’, how nice and cool everybody is,” Sussman told IANS over phone from California.

Though he spoke out before the reports about the showrunners planning to end the series owing to the differences between the cast caught everyone’s attention, Sussman said: “I really think one of the reasons why the show is so successful is pure luck. There are really no jerks involved. Everyone is super-nice, there is not a lot of ego and stuff.

“The cast, they all are good friends. I think it is the only show, that I have been involved with, that has been so successful. But I would assume that it is a sort of necessary accident that needs to happen in order for the show to be successful because you are working in such close proximity for so long.

“I think I lucked out by getting the job and I think the show lucked out by just having a group of people that work well together.”

“The Big Bang Theory” universe originated with the story of how four nerds — Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) and Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) — react when a girl Penny (Kaley Cuoco) enters their life as a friendly neighbor.

With all the idiosyncrasies, quirky behaviour, cultural one-liners, including a lot of Indian references courtesy British- Indian actor Kunal, as well as dating fundas — the story that highlights the personal life of scientists and geeks was loved by one and all, making it a phenomenon.

Its universe expanded and introduced characters like neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) and Stuart Bloom, the owner of a comic book store the characters visit essayed by Sussman.

Currently in the middle of its eleventh season, the show might conclude with the twelfth edition.

Sussman, who has also featured in films like “Little Black Book”, “Ugly Betty”, “The Mentalist” and “Hitch” — which will air in India on Friday on Sony PIX — feels “surreal” to be part of such a big show.

“I used to actually work in a comic book stores in New York. The creatives didn’t know this when they offered me the role… I love this job,” he said, adding that a movie version of the show “would be awesome”.

Having been associated with showbiz since 1990s, Sussman says he has learnt a lot of things over time.

“I have a better sense to understand when to stop working so that I can continue to explore the work while the cameras are rolling,” said the actor, who also likes to write and is working on a project at the moment.

The post No Jerks Involved In ‘The Big Bang Theory’: Kevin Sussman appeared first on News India Times.

Two Indian-Americans were charged Jan. 10, in a 13-count indictment for allegedly engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the State of Connecticut of millions of dollars in taxes due on tobacco products imported into the state.

Pavan Vaswani, 39, of West Haven, Connecticut and Rishi Malik, 45, formerly of Fairfield, Connecticut, are accused of allegedly defrauding the State of Connecticut of approximately $5.8 million by operating a wholesale tobacco business based in Bridgeport, according to a Jan. 12, press release from the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Vaswani and Malik were both arrested; Malik was detained with a pending detention hearing that is scheduled for January 16 while Vaswani was released on a $250,000 bond.

The U.S. Attorney John H. Durham noted that the Indictment is not evidence of guilt and thus the charges are only allegations as of now.

The indictment states that Vaswani operated KDV Discounts LLC, a wholesale tobacco business based in Bridgeport.  Malik previously operated the business as Connecticut Discounts LLC before selling it to Vaswani in 2012.  Between 2013 and 2017, Vaswani allegedly filed false tax forms with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services that underreported his taxes due.  He then paid over those lower amounts instead of taxes actually owed, the indictment alleges, adding that  Malik conspired with Vaswani through means including forming a Pennsylvania company, Discount Deals, to acquire smokeless tobacco that was imported into Connecticut without payment of taxes.

Both Vaswani and Malik will be charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to violate the Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

The indictment also charges Vaswani with 12 counts and Malik with four counts of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, on each count.

The post Two Indian Americans charged with allegedly defrauding State of Connecticut appeared first on News India Times.

Just as the Indian-American community was breathing a sigh of relief over resolution of the H-1B visa extensions issue, and progress on the DACA front for youth who came as children to this country, it was hit by a major challenge when Immigration authorities launched surprise raids on some of their small businesses, a harbinger of more to come.

On Jan. 10, ICE agents went at 6 a.m. to 98 franchises of 7-Eleven around the country and arrested 21 people who were allegedly without immigration authorization. A significant proportion of franchises of this and other wellknown brands are owned by people of Indian origin. Several of those detained were of Indian descent, according to Srujal Parikh, president of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) for the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and South Asian Americans Leading Together, released a joint statement condemning the ICE raids, adding, “It’s clear from the numbers that any large scale immigration raids, detentions and deportations deeply impact the South Asian community in the U.S. With 450,000 undocumented Indians …”

Concerns

The 17 states where the 7-Elevens that were raided, are located included California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. According to ICE this was the largest such operation targeting a specific employer since President Trump took office, The Washington Post reported, adding that ICE agents went into the stores “to deliver audit notifications and conduct interviews.”

“Most of the ICE raids were in New Jersey, and as far as my information goes, most of them are Indians, and they will be deported,” Parikh told News India Times. ICE did not respond by press time to queries from News India Times about the nationalities of those arrested.

The ICE raids came just as the community relaxed from a threat to revoke H-1B visa holders’ right to extend their visas beyond 6 years while waiting for Green Card processing. According to some estimates, if revoked it would have affected 500,000 Indians most of them working in tech fields. Some progress was reported in the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals issue, when President Donald Trump in a meeting with members of Congress signaled support for letting them stay if a border wall could be negotiated. Asian Pacific organizations (National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and South Asian Americans Leading Together,) estimate there are 23,000 Indians and Pakistani DREAMers as they are popularly called, in the U.S.

The ICE warning that the action was just the first example of what will happen in the future, has shaken the Indian-American small business community to its core. And they have reason to be worried. The corporate headquarters of 7-Eleven informed this correspondent it terminates relationships with any franchises convicted of breaking federal employment laws.

“The 7-Eleven raids have really scared the small business community of Indian-Americans,” FIA’s Parikh said. “It seems like profiling to us. Some 90 percent of 7- Elevens, especially in New Jersey, are owned by Indians.”

ICE did not respond to News India Times request for its reaction to the profiling accusation.

Parikh said public officials and elected leaders should take up the issue. “We need representatives in government. This is a wakeup call for the Indian community,” said Parikh, adding that the FIA was going to discuss the matter with all its 35-40 member organizations. “It is a national issue. 7-Elevens and Dunkin Donuts are easy targets for Indian-Americans,” he said. Calls by News India Times to contact Indian-origin owners of several franchises in New Jersey and Maryland, were not returned.

“Like many, I’m disturbed by these raids and hope they are not the beginning of a policy of targeting immigrantowned small businesses,” Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, told News India Times,

New Jersey State Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, told News India Times while he did not know all the facts about the raids, “this situation highlights the need for comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to lawful residency or citizenship for undocumented immigrants.” According to him, these otherwise law abiding members of the community who paid taxes and raised families were at risk of deportation.

Warning

“Today’s actions send a strong message to U.S. businesses that hire and employ an illegal workforce: ICE will enforce the law, and if you are found to be breaking the law, you will be held accountable,” Thomas D. Homan, the acting head of ICE, said in a statement. “Businesses that hire illegal workers are a pull factor for illegal immigration and we are working hard to remove this magnet. ICE will continue its efforts to protect jobs for American workers by eliminating unfair competitive advantages for companies that exploit illegal immigration,” Homan added.

Indian and Indian-American owned small businesses are a mainstay of this community. Small businesses are probably the most important segment of the economy and the raids are likely to ripple through it, regardless of the ethnicities running them.

U.S. Census data from 2014, shows that out of the 5.83 million employer firms in the country, those with fewer than 500 workers account for 99.7 percent, and those employing less than 20 workers, make up 89.4 percent.

Commenting on the overall impact of the ICE action, columnist and attorney Andy Semotiuk, wrote in Forbes magazine Jan. 11, “The 7-Eleven raids sent an electric shock through the U.S. economy all the way up to the Canadian border.”

Small businesses get a bad rap despite their contributions and there is an underlying view based on anecdotal evidence, that small businesses in all communities pay below minimum wage to undocumented labor, or even those on students visas not allowed to work.

The small business community is worried that other franchises where Indian and Indian-American ownership is dominant, such as Dunkin Donuts, motels, convenience stores, etc., may also be targeted.

7-Eleven Responses

Meanwhile, Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven Inc., responding to a query from News India Times laid out its mandate for franchisees.

“We are aware of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions taken at certain franchise locations. 7-Eleven Franchisees are independent business owners and are solely responsible for their employees including deciding who to hire and verifying their eligibility to work in the United States. This means that all store associates in a franchised store are employees of the Franchisee and not 7- Eleven, Inc.,” the company said. However, “As part of the 7-Eleven franchise agreement, 7-Eleven requires all franchise business owners to comply with all federal, state and local employment laws. This obligation requires 7-Eleven franchisees to verify work eligibility in the US for all of their prospective employees prior to hiring. 7-Eleven takes compliance with immigration laws seriously and has terminated the franchise agreements of franchisees convicted of violating these laws,” the company said.

An immigration attorney and former federal official, Prakash Khatri, defended the ICE actions asserting that the raids would benefit those waiting for legal immigration. He said the bottom line of employing illegal aliens was that it deprived legitimate visa applicants of their chance to live in this country.

“I think we have lost the sense of rule of law,” he said. “Employers (who hire illegal workers) need to be punished. While many Indians are waiting to go through the immigration process, others (who are illegal) are getting jobs,” said Khatri, the first ever Ombudsman of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) who served from 2003 to 2008.

“Indians and Indian-Americans should instead be saying, ‘Do more of these raids so that those who are waiting for legitimate ways to be here are not hurt,'” Khatri said. On possible profiling, Khatri said one would have to see how future raids take place and where, before making such claims. While 7-Elevens do employ many Indians and South Asians, Khatri said, “What we need to be cognizant of is not painting these raids as bad, but ensure they don’t target a particular group.”

The Employment Verification Process

Under federal law, employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a Jan. 10 notification. “Ensuring each of its employees is legally authorized to work in the United States is one of many responsibilities facing every American business, from small start-up operations to our country’s largest and most prosperous corporations.” It requires filling up the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9, available on the site.

But one Indian-American community leader said “Lot of times our small business community does not do background checks. They take the Social Security Card, and hire them.” Some of them say that it costs too much or takes time to get the verification done. But immigration attorney and former UCIS official Prakash Khatri put paid to that argument. “The employment verification process that USCIS has is a free service. So employers need have no worry and just go through the process,” he said.

ICE said on its website that the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division of ICE, has developed a “comprehensive” worksite enforcement strategy that includes ensuring compliance with the laws through inspections of I-9 forms that employers must maintain to show they have verified that the employee is legally allowed to work enforcement, through the arrest of employers, knowingly employing undocumented workers, and the arrest of unauthorized workers for violation of laws associated with working without authorization, and instilling a culture of compliance and accountability.

UCIS said, “Officials generally choose where they will conduct a Form I-9 inspection. For example, officials may ask that an employer bring Form I-9 to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office. Sometimes, employers may arrange for an inspection at the location where the forms are stored.”

To ensure their legal standing, ICE advises employers to complete a self-assessment questionnaire, enroll in the DHS E-Verify program, establish a written hiring and employment eligibility verification policy and submit to a company-wide form I-9 inspection.

An ICE spokesperson told The Washington Post more resources were being allocated to make sure businesses comply with federal employment regulations. And the 7-Eleven raids are, “a demonstration of our commitment to enforcing the law.” A Washington Post-ABC survey showed an overwhelming majority of Americans want employers to verify the immigration status of hires; and a large majority of Democrats (65 percent) and overwhelming proportion of Republicans (93 percent) back these measures.

ICE told the Post it had conducted 1,360 employee audits last year and made 300 arrests on criminal and administrative violations. Businesses had to pay nearly $100 million ($97.6 m) in forfeitures determined by the courts, and another $7.8 million in civil fines.

The post The Indian-American small business community is rattled as immigration authorities target a slew of 7-Eleven franchises around the country appeared first on News India Times.

NEW YORK – Africa, Haiti and El Salvador are ‘shithole’ countries, according to President Donald Trump. Racism apart, the word conjures up images of extreme poverty – smelly slums, semi-naked beggars on roads, emaciated children, stray dogs wallowing in mile-high garbage in abysmal conditions, people defecating in the open, starvation deaths taken for granted. Question is: what does Trump think of India? Does he have contempt for India too? Think it’s a ‘shithole’ country? Or does he like India and Indians?

Comedian Trevor Noah poked fun at Trump’s nod for Norwegians to emigrate to the US, rather than the ‘shithole’ African countries, saying on his late night show of Norwegians: “People so white they wear moonscreen — that’s how white they are.”

For India, though, the vital question is not so much the likelihood of a light-skinned Kashmiri vs. a dark-skinned Malayalee finding favor with the most powerful man on Earth. It’s why Trump deems countries in Africa, Haiti and El Salvador to be ’shithole’ countries, compared to the US. The answer is as clear as watching a documentary on children dying of starvation in Ethiopia or Somalia vs. to look at mannequins dressed in a $10,000 outfit in a Saks Fifth Avenue Store. Poor people vs. Rich people.

So, don’t blame Indians for squirming, feeling dejected when they read the word ‘Shithole’, which would give unhealthy competition to the word ‘Slumdog’ (Millionaire) any day.

Here’s the truth, in case Trump didn’t know it already: according to the latest global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), in 2017, India’s ranking slid from 94 to 100, out of total of 199 countries from where data was collected.

A mammoth 14.5% of India’s population is undernourished, comprising of 190 million people. In 2007, India at 94/119 was trailing 93 countries. In comparison, South Africa’s rank is 55.

In 2017, India is trailing 99 countries, out of a total of 199 countries on the Global Hunger Index, reported the Quint.

Between 2007 and 2017, China brought down prevalence of hunger to improve its ranking from 47 to 29 among 119 countries. Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka are ranked higher than India. Only Pakistan and Afghanistan at 106 and 107, respectively, are worse off than India. Bangladesh, which trailed nine places behind India at 103 in 2007, is ranked at 88 in 2017. Strife-torn Iraq is ranked at 78, and totalitarian North Korea at 93 out of 119 countries, reported Quint based on the data.

When the MPI was first begun in 2010, Guardian reported that based on the inaugural data, there are more poor people in eight states of India than in the 26 countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

More than 410 million people live in poverty in the Indian states, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, researchers at Oxford University found. The “intensity” of the poverty in parts of India is equal to, if not worse than, that in Africa, the report said.

When Madhya Pradesh, which has a population of 70 million (at that time), was compared with the Democratic Republic of the Congo – the war-racked African state of 62 million inhabitants, the two were found to have near-identical levels of poverty. Overall, South Asia was home to over half (54%) of the global MPI poor population, while 31% live in Sub-Saharan Africa, the study concluded then.

While Bill Gates may have commended the Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Toilet – A Prem Katha’ for the innovative social feature which spread the need for millions of more toilets in India, and improve sanitation, Trump might find that fact disgusting, reach out for wipes after shaking hands with Indians.

India has the highest number of urban dwellers in the world who do not have access to safe and private toilets ─ 157 million people, according to a report in November, 2016, by WaterAid, a sanitation charity based in the UK. India is worse off than the African countries of Nigeria – the largest economy in Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ethiopia.

The report pointed out that eight Olympic-sized swimming pools could be filled daily with excrement produced by India’s 41 million urban residents who must defecate in the open.

Trump had reportedly mocked Nigerians earlier, saying if they were to ever come to the US, they would never go back to their ‘huts. For India, he might probably surmise the same, if not worse.

Yet, Trump is an anomaly, a puzzle like a Rubik’s Cube, needs to be decoded daily, if the color alignment is twisted around. His recent comments about India seem to suggest that he has, on the contrary what he feels for some other poor countries, high regard for India.

“Working with countries, whether it’s Russia or China or India, or any of the countries that surround this world and encompass this world, is a very good thing. That’s not a bad thing,” Trump told reporters at a joint White House news conference with Prime Minister, Norway, Erna Solberg, a day before his ‘shithole’ comment hit the ceiling.

If Trump’s a racist, he doesn’t necessarily show it in his hiring policies.

To defend his ‘shithole’ comment, this is what an Indian American working for him, spokesman Raj Shah, had to say: “Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people. Like other nations that have merit-based immigration, President Trump is fighting for permanent solutions that make our country stronger by welcoming those who can contribute to our society, grow our economy and assimilate into our great nation.”

The fact is also that Trump has hired more Indian Americans in his administration than any previous US administration, which shows he may be an elitist, but stands behind work performance.

Yet, how does one explain the overt tightening of immigration policies targeting skilled Indians in the US, to curb future emigration of Indians to the US by clamping down on chain migration?

Trump is also likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Davos later this month, which will see some more bonhomie between the two leaders, after they met twice last year, in Washington, DC, and in Manila at the ASEAN meet. It will be the first Davos trip for both Modi and Trump. A warm hug and embrace is not out of the question, especially if Modi decides to do so.

So, does Trump like India? Or does he like only rich, skilled Indians?

(Sujeet Rajan is Executive Editor, Parikh Worldwide Media. Email him: sujeet@newsindiatimes.com Follow him on Twitter @SujeetRajan1)

The post Does Trump think India is a ‘shithole’ country, or does he like India? appeared first on News India Times.

Land

Book by Feb. 2 and save up to $400 on select trips with EF Go Ahead Tours. For example, the Highlights of Eastern Europe tour departing March 26 starts at $1,769 per person double, a $400 savings. The trip includes 13 nights’ lodging in Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Warsaw and Krakow, Poland; 18 meals; six tours; motorcoach transport; and taxes. Request promo code RESOLUTION. Info: 800-590-1161, goaheadtours.com

Sea

Celebrity Cruises is offering up to $400 in savings, plus perks. For the Stateroom Savings, the first two guests sharing a cabin save $50 on an inside cabin, $100 on an ocean-view or veranda cabin, and $150 on concierge class or AquaClass. Also, two passengers in an ocean-view stateroom or one in a higher category can choose two free amenities: the classic beverage package, prepaid gratuities, unlimited WiFi or a $150 onboard credit. For the suite-class perks, two guests in a suite-class cabin each save $200 and receive all four goodies. Additional guests in any category save 50 percent on fares. Cruise prices vary. For example, the 10-night Hawaii cruise departing Vancouver on Sept. 21 costs $2,299 for the first two guests in a veranda stateroom and $799 for the third guest — a savings of $800. Add $327 for taxes. Book by Jan. 31; travel Feb. 1 through April 30, 2019. The deal applies to cruises of four nights or longer, with some exceptions. Info: celebritycruises.com/cruise-deals/special-offer

Viking River Cruises is offering free airfare on select 2018 and 2019 European river cruises, plus a $150 discount on select 2019 cruises. For example, with the discount, the Waterways of the Tsars cruise departing Moscow on Oct. 11, 2019, starts at $5,349 per person double. Price includes WiFi, airport transfers, shore excursions, lunch and dinner with beer and wine, port charges and airfare from Washington, which typically starts at about $800 round trip. Book by Jan. 31. Info: 800-304-9616, vikingrivercruises.com

Air

Alaska Airlines has a sale on nonstop service from BWI Marshall to San Diego. The round-trip fare starts at $237, including taxes. Other airlines are matching, but fares typically start at about $350. Fly Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays through March 14. Advance purchase of 21 days required. Book by Monday at alaskaair.com

Qatar Airways has a sale on flights booked by Tuesday. Sample round-trip fares from Washington Dulles start at $796 to Mumbai, $818 to New Delhi and $870 to Bangkok, including taxes. Travel through Dec. 10. Other airlines are matching. In addition, book a business-class ticket by Tuesday and receive a $30 voucher for the Qatar Duty Free outlets at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar. Info: qatarairways.com/en-us/homepage.html

Package

La Compagnie, the all-business-class airline, is offering a package with a stay in a boutique hotel in Paris. The deal starts at $3,240 for two passengers and includes round-trip air from Newark, to Charles de Gaulle Airport, one night at the Grand Amour Hotel and taxes. For a room at the Hotel Marignan, off the Champs-Elysees, pay from $3,380. Book by Jan. 21; travel Jan. 27-March 15. By comparison, the flight alone starts at $1,800 for one person. Info: 800-218-8187, lacompagnie.com/en/boutique-duo-offer-us

With South African Airways Vacations, save 10 percent on 2018 packages to Africa. For example, save $339 on the Affordable Cape and Safari Break tour, which starts at $3,060 per person double and departs April 1-May 31 and Aug. 11-Sept. 30. Price includes round-trip air from Washington Dulles to Johannesburg; three domestic flights; four nights at the Cape Milner Hotel in Cape Town; three nights at Chisomo Safari Camp in the Karongwe Private Game Reserve; 13 meals; tours and safari drives; airport transfers; and taxes. Book by Feb. 28. Info: 855-359-7228, flysaavacations.com

THE WASHINGTON POST

The post Travel deals: Airfare sale to San Diego and 10 percent off packages to Africa appeared first on News India Times.

Nikki Haley keeps delivering for Donald Trump.

Whether leading efforts to isolate North Korea or hailing cuts to the United Nations budget, Haley’s ability to channel Trump’s blunt style is prompting fellow U.N. envoys and foreign policy specialists to wonder whether the 45-year-old former South Carolina governor is laying the groundwork to succeed her boss in the Oval Office.

U.N. ambassadors from other nations take Haley’s “obvious domestic political ambitions” in stride, said Richard Gowan, a UN expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations. “Most foreign representatives are willing to shrug off her hard-line positions on Israel and U.N. costs as necessary political posturing.”

The theater of the U.N. podium and the Security Council chambers have long favored officials who can present their cases with flair and a sense of drama: think Colin Powell’s ultimately flawed arguments against Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction or, decades earlier, Fidel Castro’s tirades against colonialism and capitalism before the General Assembly.

Speculation about Haley’s future kicked back into gear after the American ambassador’s speech to the U.N. General Assembly last month, just before the global body condemned on a 128-9 vote President Trump’s decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel and move the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv. Haley held a defiant thank-you reception for the small group of nations who voted with the U.S., abstained or managed to be no-shows for the vote.

Never mind that much of the world viewed the vote as a rejection of Trump’s “America First” foreign policy. That wasn’t her audience.

Haley’s remarks — in which she said the U.S. had been “singled out for attack” after “exercising our right as a sovereign nation” — seemed more targeted to Trump and Republican voters than foreign diplomats, according to a Security Council diplomat from a U.S.-allied nation who asked not to be identified discussing the U.S. ambassador to the world body.

Even when events don’t go her way — an emergency Security Council meeting she called last week on street protests in Iran turned into a pointed defense of the nuclear accord Trump opposes — Haley is unfazed.

“Those don’t bother me,” she said of criticism from Security Council members. “We were there for the Iranian people. They were heard. That’s what matters.”

“Haley speaks her mind,” said Katon Dawson, an ally of Haley who ran the South Carolina Republican party from 2002 to 2009. “She’s got good political instincts.”

Dawson, who said he hasn’t spoken to Haley about her political ambitions, added one more thought that mirrored the speculation at the U.N.: “Nikki’s hot politically, she just is.”

In a written comment, Haley’s office said she “tunes out all the political speculation and stays focused on her work at the U.N., passing the toughest sanctions ever on North Korea, highlighting Iranian violations of missile bans and human rights, and standing up for America’s interests and those of our allies.”

Throughout 2017, Haley showed how to use the U.N. platform to her advantage. Her first day in the UN headquarters she warned that the U.S. would be “taking names” of countries that vote against Washington’s interests. That style continued all the way to Dec. 24, when she issued a statement emphasizing her role in cutting more than $285 million from the UN’s $5.4 billion budget, hinting more reductions were to come.

“We will no longer let the generosity of the American people be taken advantage of or remain unchecked,” Haley said. In future negotiations, she said, “you can be sure we’ll continue to look at ways to increase the UN’s efficiency while protecting our interests.”

While that statement wasn’t likely to endear her to the diplomatic community — which she still needs to rally behind U.S. positions on issues from Iran to North Korea — it could win her kudos among the Republican primary voters who regard the world body as anti-American.

“I sense she’s more worried about her next job than this one,” said Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. “She will be well-positioned in the Republican primaries.”

If Haley does run for president, she could help lure women back to the Republican party after they defected in 2016 and offer a big-tent vision of the party as the daughter of immigrants from India.

“If the Republican party is going to be a nationally viable party for years to come, it has to be more than a party of aggrieved old men — and that’s where people like Ambassador Haley, Marco Rubio and Tim Scott come into play,” said Rob Godfrey, a former Haley spokesman from her campaign days, referring to senators from Florida and South Carolina who also represent diversity and relative youthfulness.

Haley’s choice of advisers and her focus as U.S. ambassador have fueled the political chatter. She has an active Twitter account that ranges from talk about the latest Security Council sanctions to her favorite music playlists. Her closest aide isn’t an experienced foreign policy hand but Jon Lerner, the former pollster who helped her win the Palmetto state governor’s mansion. Lerner serves as Haley’s deputy in Washington, a key job that allows him to serve as her eyes and ears in the capital, taking part in “deputies meetings” with top officials from throughout the Trump administration.

One thing her supporters and detractors agree on is that Haley has shown she has the political chops to thrive in the high-pressure setting of the U.N.

“Her success as one of the first women and one of the youngest people ever to be governor of a southern state should tell you she’s got the moxie to be able do a lot of things,” said Dawson. “It’s certainly not out of our realm of thinking that a lot of friends of Nikki ought to have calendars kind of free by 2022,” giving her enough time to prepare for the 2024 primaries.

While Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has had to fend off reports that his retirement is imminent, or that he called the president a “moron” after a national security meeting, Haley has had a more stable public relationship with Trump. That has developed even though she endorsed one of Trump’s opponents — Rubio — during the Republican primaries and feuded with the future president on Twitter at the time.

Her posting in New York gives Haley a balance of access to the president and a safe distance from White House infighting. Asked about a new book that says many of Trump’s staff question his mental stability, Haley dismissed the assertion on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, but also said, “I’m there once a week, and I’m there for a day with White House meetings and everything. No one questions the stability of the president.”

Haley has shown she’s “an effective member of the Trump Cabinet — and that’s one of the rarest accolades in Washington right now,” Godfrey said.

A move from the U.N. to the White House isn’t without precedent: George H.W. Bush served as President Richard Nixon’s ambassador to the U.N. in the early 1970s before getting to the White House in 1981 as Ronald Reagan’s vice president and, in 1989, as president.

But given the turmoil of the Trump administration’s first year, Haley knows that she has to keep delivering, Dawson said.

“She doesn’t let her ambition get in the way of her day job,” Dawson said. “Nikki’s always had impeccable timing and very good political instincts.”

The post Haley for president? UN diplomats bet Trump envoy has ambitions appeared first on News India Times.

An adult-film star was paid $130,000 by a lawyer for Donald Trump in the weeks before the 2016 election to not talk publicly about a sexual relationship with the then-Republican candidate, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The lawyer, Michael Cohen, allegedly paid Stephanie Clifford to remain silent about an encounter at Lake Tahoe, California, in 2006, a year after Trump married his third wife, Melania, according to the Journal. The Journal said the payment was made to a client-trust account at City National Bank in Los Angeles.

The Washington Post was not able to independently confirm the payment and was not able to reach the bank.

“These rumors have circulated time and again since 2011. President Trump once again vehemently denies any such occurrence, as has Ms. Daniels,” Cohen said to The Post. Cohen also issued a statement that he said was from Clifford, whose professional name is Stormy Daniels.

“Rumors that I have received hush money from Donald Trump are completely false,” reads the statement, signed by Stormy Daniels. “If indeed I did have a relationship with Donald Trump, trust me, you wouldn’t be reading about it in the news, you would be reading about it in my book.”

Cohen has called himself Trump’s “fix-it man” and has become part of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election for his emails to Russian officials about a business project there, including a note to Vladimir Putin’s spokesman.

Clifford could not be reached for comment. Her partner, Glendon Crain, did not respond to messages. Keith Davidson, a lawyer that the Journal said was representing Clifford, did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment.

A White House official said “these are old, recycled reports, which were published and strongly denied prior to the election.” The official did not specifically respond to the allegation of a payoff to Clifford.

In the days before the 2016 election, The Journal reported that Clifford was in talks with ABC’s “Good Morning America” to air her story about Trump. That report came days after The Washington Post released a video from a 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording in which Trump said he could grab women by the genitals because he was famous.

The Journal also reported in 2016 that the National Enquirer – a publication owned by a close friend of Trump – paid Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 for her story about an affair with Trump, but never published it.

Clifford, a native of Louisiana, considered running against then-U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R, in 2010 but decided against it.

Her mother, Sheila Weimer, said she hasn’t spoken to Clifford in 12 years and had no idea if her daughter had made a legal settlement or had a sexual relationship with Trump.

“I don’t have her phone number. I don’t have a way to get in touch with her,” she said. She said her daughter “grew up and went her own merry way.”

She did not know her daughter was also known as “Stormy” or had starred in adult films.

But she had praise for Trump.

“I love Trump. I think he’s great,” Weimer said. “I think he’s making a lot of good progress for our country.”

The post Porn star was paid $130,000 to keep quiet about a relationship with Trump, Wall Street Journal reports appeared first on News India Times.

U.S. immigration authorities said on Saturday that it will resume accepting requests under a program that shields young people brought to the United States illegally from deportation after a court order blocked a government decision to end the program.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said on its website that people who previously received a grant of protection under the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) may apply for a renewal under the terms in place before it was rescinded in September.

The announcement comes after a U.S. judge on Thursday temporarily blocked a decision by President Donald Trump to end DACA later this year. Congress is debating whether or not to write new legislation that would grant legal status to these immigrants that were brought to the U.S. as children and remain illegally.

Former President Barack Obama enacted DACA to keep the undocumented immigrants, known as dreamers, from being deported.

The immigration office said that deferments under DACA do not confer legal residency but gives prosecutors discretion on enforcing immigration laws.

The post U.S. resumes DACA applications after judge blocks end to program appeared first on News India Times.

PRETORIA – India captain Virat Kohli played a steadying hand as the tourists reached 80 for two at tea on the second day of the second test against South Africa in Pretoria on Sunday.

After bowling out their hosts for 335 just before lunch, India lost two wickets in quick succession before Kohli (39 not out) and opener Murali Vijay (31 not out) put on an unbeaten third wicket stand of 52 to take the side to the interval.

The wicket is offering slow bounce to the South African seamers, uncharacteristic for the venue, and they have battled to create opportunities with the same regularity as they did in the 72-run victory in the first test at Newlands.

The Indian openers took the score to 28 before losing their first wicket when Lokesh Rahul (10) was caught and bowled by Morne Morkel (1-24), misjudging a delivery that held up on the surface.

They lost another wicket on the next ball when new batsman Cheteshwar Pujara took on the arm of Lungi Ngidi at mid-on and lost, run out by a direct hit.

Debutant Ngidi entered the attack shortly afterwards and bowled an opening spell of four overs for six runs, almost claiming the wicket of Vijay, whose cut fell just short of a diving AB de Villiers at third slip.

South Africa had started the day on 269 for six in their first innings and profited from four dropped catches from the visitors to add 66 runs.

After Keshav Maharaj (18) was out when he edged Mohammed Shami to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, the 100th wicket in test cricket for the seamer, India contrived to drop three catches in two balls.

Kagiso Rabada (11) was then missed by India skipper Virat Kohli at slip off Ravichandran Ashwin (4-113), and the next ball spooned a simple chance to point.

Hardik Pandya was put off by an onrushing Shami from short third-man though and spilled the effort onto the latter, who also had a bite at the ball before it dropped to the floor.

Ashwin then induced a thin edge off Faf du Plessis (63) that was spilled by Parthiv as the frustration grew for the visitors.

Ishant Sharma (3-46) finally had Rabada caught in the deep and bowled Du Plessis, before Ashwin claimed the final wicket of Morkel (6).

South Africa lead the three-test series 1-0 after a 72-run victory in Cape Town in the opening fixture.

The post Cricket: Kohli, Vijay steady India’s reply in second test against South Africa appeared first on News India Times.

NEW DELHI – Search engine Google on Sunday dedicated its doodle to noted author and social activist Mahasweta Devi on her 92nd birth anniversary.

Born on January 14, 1926 in Dhaka in present day Bangladesh, Mahasweta Devi was a Bengali fiction writer who was honoured with various literary awards such as the Sahitya Akademi Award (Bengali), Jnanpith Award and Ramon Magsaysay Award along with Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan. She died on July 28, 2016 in Kolkata.

Some of her famous literary works include “Hajar Churashir Maa”, “Rudali” and “Aranyer Adhikar”.

Mahasweta Devi wrote over 100 novels. Her first novel, “Jhansir Rani”, based on the life of Rani of Jhansi Lakshmibai, was published in 1956.

In 1997, she was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay award in journalism, literature and creative communication arts.

She was also awarded the prestigious Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Orders of Arts and Letters) in 2003 for her contribution to literature.

The post Google Doodle dedicated to Mahasweta Devi appeared first on News India Times.

The Trump administration Sunday pointed to the state of Hawaii for answers about a panic-inducing false alert of an incoming missile attack, an incident that raised broader questions about the national state of nuclear preparedness at a time of escalating tensions with North Korea.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen called the Saturday panic an “unfortunate incident” during her appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” indicating the problem must be handled by Hawaii state officials. And Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai reported that a full investigation was “well underway,” adding that “it appears the government of Hawaii did not have reasonable safeguards or process controls in place to prevent the transmission of a false alert.”

President Donald Trump, off for a golf weekend at Mar-a-Lago, told reporters that he was pleased that Hawaii officials “took responsibility.” Although he said the federal government would now “get involved” he did not say how.

“That was a state thing but we are going to now get involved with them. I love that they took responsibility. They took total responsibility. But we are going to get involved. Their attitude and their – I think it is terrific. They took responsibility. They made a mistake.”

Tensions have been high in Hawaii over the president’s charged exchanges with Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, as it builds and tests its nuclear capabilities.

A North Korean missile launch would pose dire threats to Hawaii and take about 30 minutes to reach the islands, experts have predicted.

Regarding the North Korea threat, Trump said: “Well we’ll see what happens. They have got a couple of meetings scheduled, couple of additional meetings scheduled, we’re gonna see what happens. Hopefully it’s all gonna work out.”

Hawaii Emergency Management System officials revealed Sunday that the incident was caused by human error – an employee pressing the wrong button during a training exercise.

Hawaii officials said the problem occurred about 8:05 a.m. Saturday when a worker faced two options from a drop-down computer menu: “Test missile alert” and “Missile alert.”

“In this case, the operator selected the wrong menu option,” agency spokesman Richard Rapoza said.

The result was a terse warning of a “missile threat” sent to mobile phones, televisions and radios across Hawaii. Reports from the scene suggested that many residents panicked, scrambling to seek shelter.

A White House official said Trump was quickly briefed by Deputy national security adviser Ricky L. Waddell, who accompanied Trump from Washington to the president’s Palm Beach club. He later discussed the episode with national security adviser H.R. McMaster and White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, the official said.

The federal government tracks North Korean missile launches through several means, including satellite surveillance, and officials around Trump would have known that no missile was detected.

Trump issued no statements about the incident Saturday. The only public mention came from deputy White House press secretary Lindsay Walters, who was with Trump in Florida and made clear that the federal government was not involved.

“The President has been briefed on the state of Hawaii’s emergency management exercise. This was purely a state exercise,” Walters said.

While there is no protocol that applies directly to such a mistake, past presidents have often weighed in to reassure the public at times of stress or threat.

The situation in Hawaii was made worse by the 38-minute gap between the initial alert and a follow-up message stating that the missile warning was a mistake.

Wireless emergency alerts are dispatched during critical situations – to warn the public of dangerous weather, missing children and security threats – and are a partnership of the FCC, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the wireless industry. Responsibility for sending those messages typically falls to emergency management officials.

Part of what worsened the situation Saturday was that there was no system for correcting the error, Rapoza said. The state agency has standing permission through FEMA to use civil warning systems to send out the missile alert – but not to send out a subsequent false-alarm alert, he said.

The state agency posted a follow-up tweet at 8:20 a.m. saying there was “NO missile threat.” But it was not until 8:45 a.m. that a cellphone alert was sent telling people to stand down.

“We had to double back and work with FEMA [to craft and approve the false-alarm alert], and that’s what took time,” Rapoza said.

The agency said it has also suspended all internal drills until the investigation is completed. It will issue a preliminary report and corrective actions next week. The employee in question has been temporarily reassigned, Rapoza said, but there are no plans to fire him.

Mistakes with the emergency alert system are not uncommon.

In May, a training exercise in New Jersey led to a dire “NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WARNING” being broadcast to two counties near the Hope Creek nuclear power plant in Salem County, N.J. State officials blamed “a coding error” for that mishap.

In August, Guam residents were shocked by an emergency alert of a “civil danger warning” broadcast by radio stations late at night. Guam is the closest U.S. territory to North Korea, and North Korea has explicitly threatened to attack Guam with missiles.

But Guam Homeland Security said the alert was a mistake and blamed human error.

The post Hawaii missile alert: How one employee ‘pushed the wrong button’ and caused a wave of panic appeared first on News India Times.

NEW DELHI – India and Israel on Monday signed nine agreements, including in the areas of cyber security and oil and gas, following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu here.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in cyber security was signed which envisages cooperation in the field of cyber security to develop, promote and expand cooperation in the field of human resources development through various platforms and arrangements such as training programmes, skill development, and simulator-based hands-on training.

It also envisages collaborating in the field of cyber security resilience, promoting B2B cooperation in cyber security and facilitating industrial summits, according to the External Affairs Ministry.

A second MoU was signed between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Israel’s Ministry of Energy in the oil and gas sector.

Through this MoU, both sides are looking to explore opportunities of long-term cooperative relationship and joint economic projects to enhance bilateral engagements in the field of oil and gas, including collaboration in upstream sector activities; research and development and technology; promoting institutional linkages between universities and research and development establishment for mutually beneficial collaboration; and in the area of start-ups.

A protocol between India and Israel on amendments to the air transport agreement was also signed which envisages entering into cooperative marketing arrangements, such as code share, bloc space or any other joint venture agreement for the purpose of operating the agreed services on the specified routes.

Another agreement was on film co-production between India and Israel. This envisages to establish a framework for encouraging all audio visual media output, especially the co-production of films for the benefit of the film industries of both countries and contribute to the economic growth of the film, TV, video and new media production for further development of cultural and technologies ties.

A third MoU between the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH and the Centre for Integrative Complementary Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Centre of Israel, related to cooperation in the field of research in homeopathic medicine was signed.

It envisages cooperation in the field of Research in Homeopathic Medicine, inter alia including establishment of a joint working group.

Another MoU between Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology for cooperation in the field of space was signed for cooperation in the areas of mutual interest in the field of space by establishment of joint working group for research, educational and training programmes.

A memorandum of intent was signed between Invest India and Invest in Israel for supporting and developing cooperation between the two sides through exchange of information on investment opportunities, relevant laws and regulations, policies and government initiatives.

Indian Oil and Israel’s Phinergy Ltd. signed a letter of intent for cooperation in the area of metal-air batteries.

This envisages to encourage joint research and development, deployment and manufacturing activities in the area of metal-air batteries for an array of applications like stationary energy storage systems and electric mobility solutions.

Another letter of intent between Indian Oil and Israel’s Yeda Research and Development Co Ltd was signed for cooperation in the area of concentrated solar thermal technologies.

This intends to encourage joint research activities in the area of concentrated solar thermal technologies including concentrated solar power generation, solar fuels, solar thermal storage materials, technologies, systems and concepts.

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

Netanyahu, accompanied by a 130-member business delegation, arrived here on Sunday on a six-day visit to India that will also see him going to Agra, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

This is the first Prime Ministerial visit from Israel to India in 15 years after that of Ariel Sharon in 2003.

The post India, Israel sign nine agreements appeared first on News India Times.

WASHINGTON – In that fraught and unsettled spring of 1968, Kenneth Jadin had a problem.

The 25-year-old architecture professor at Howard University needed a chunk of land. A big, big chunk of land.

Jadin and others had been tasked with the difficult challenge of figuring out how and where to house thousands of activists who would be flooding into D.C. for an antipoverty demonstration so grand in scale and so ambitious in scope that no one had ever seen anything like it.

Decades before Occupy Wall Street mainstreamed the notion of protest as semi-permanent encampment, Washington was about to become the scene of a demonstration so fixed in place that it would have its own Zip code: 20013.

The demonstration was to be the centerpiece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign, which he envisioned as a bold call to action to pressure the government to do more to address poverty. Jadin had a meeting scheduled with King, a man he admired but had yet to see in person, to discuss the difficult logistics of his plan to occupy Washington. That meeting was set to take place the first week of April.

But first, King would travel to Memphis, where an assassin’s bullet took his life.

The shots fired by James Earl Ray did not, however, halt King’s vision for a nonviolent show of civil disobedience – featuring a diverse array of African-Americans, as well as Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and Appalachian and rural whites – intended to rattle the capital and its powerful inhabitants. Jadin and other volunteers kept planning. They’d been considering staging the demonstration site – which would take the name “Resurrection City” – at an abandoned airfield or on undeveloped land owned by a cemetery. But now they pressed for approval for their first choice.

“We’re going to get the National Mall,” Jadin, now a professor emeritus at Howard, remembers telling colleagues. “They can’t say no now.”

And he was right. In the weeks to come a city grew on the expanse of land between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. At its height, 3,000 people would take up residence there in tents that Jadin designed.

But in a sense what they did there has been lost to time, wedged as it was amid the anguish of two of the signal tragedies of 20th-century America: the assassinations of King and Robert F. Kennedy, who was shot less than a month after Resurrection City was erected and three weeks before riot police forced the demonstrators out of their camp.

“It’s a forgotten part of our history,” Marc Steiner, a Baltimore radio host and longtime activist who lived at Resurrection City during its six-week run, said in an interview.

—

The assassinations of King and Kennedy drew so much attention that dozens of images captured by a freelance photographer on assignment for Life Magazine, Robert Houston, were pushed aside for bigger news – and never published.

An enlarged version of one of Houston’s photos greets visitors to a new exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of Resurrection City and the Poor People’s Campaign in space dedicated to the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the National Museum of American History. Half a century on, Houston’s photographs have a special resonance: while many of the images of the civil rights era were taken in black-and-white, Houston often shot with color film.

His image of a striking yellow school bus ferrying demonstrators from Newark pulls visitors into the exhibit, serving as a kind of beacon of brightness in a space where the lighting and the mood is more subdued. Houston’s photos have seldom been seen in public, but they came to the attention of the Smithsonian after an exhibition of his work was held at Morgan State University, Houston said.

On a recent morning, Houston – now 82 and still active as a photographer in Baltimore – stood beneath the school bus photograph looking up at the faces: young black men wearing pins bearing the image of a slain civil rights leader, but with expressions that could only be read as optimism.

“You heard that four-letter word a lot: H-O-P-E,” said Houston, who lived in a tent throughout the six-week demonstration. “Never before had I met a group of people who had absolutely nothing to lose. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Jadin, the Howard University professor who was one of many sympathetic whites who joined the cause, drew up diagrams on how to assemble the plywood-and-plastic, A-frame tents where Houston and the rest of the demonstrators would live. The parts were assembled at a Catholic brotherhood facility north of the city, he said, and trucked in by volunteers. But once the young demonstrators got ahold of them, they let their creativity flow.

“I was amazed at the inventiveness of people,” Jadin recalled. “These high school kids … made two-story units. One of them told me he’d never held a hammer before!”

He thought to himself, “If they’re an example of the youth of today, we’re in good shape.”

Some painted peace signs on the plywood. A people’s university was erected, so demonstrators could attend classes, and a culture tent was set up. A Washington Post headline awkwardly declared a “City of Huts Started Near Mall; Leaders Vow a Long Camp-in.”

In May 1968, demonstrators began arriving in bus caravans and in mule carts. They were determined to make their presence known. Among those who’d been vocally supportive was Kennedy, who was in the midst of his campaign for president and seemed to be on a path to the White House. Peter Edelman, a Georgetown law professor and the husband of civil rights leaders Marian Wright Edelman, recalled talking to Kennedy poolside one afternoon. Kennedy told him activists should go to the capital determined “to stay and to stay and keep on staying until people in Washington get sick of it and decide to do the right thing.”

—

The goals of the Poor People’s Campaign included an “economic bill of rights” and more money for housing and jobs programs. Folk singer Pete Seeger spent time there, as did Bill Cosby and Robert Culp, who had recently starred on one of the biggest shows on television, “I Spy,” Steiner recalled.

But the means of achieving their goals weren’t universally agreed upon. Steiner, the longtime radio host who lived at Resurrection City for weeks, and many of the demonstrators advocated a boisterous, disruptive approach that was sometimes in conflict with the movement’s leaders, he said.

One day, Steiner said he and others stormed into a hotel where the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy, who had assumed a more prominent leadership role after King’s assassination, was staying with other leading lights of the movement. Steiner, who’d been slogging through mud brought on by heavy rains that swamped Resurrection City, didn’t like the optics of some of the movement’s leaders staying in more comfortable digs.

“There was clearly a split between those of us in the camps and the leadership,” Steiner said.

But others saw the movement’s leaders as galvanizing forces. Jadin, the architecture professor, marveled at the daily speech the Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered while breakfast was distributed.

“I hadn’t ever heard such preaching,” Jadin said.

Three weeks into the demonstration, the nation was rocked by the assassination of Kennedy during a campaign event in Los Angeles. His funeral procession stopped at Resurrection City and the crowd broke into song.

“It was one of the most emotional moments you’ve ever experienced with that number of people,” Steiner recalled. “Black, white, Latinos, spontaneously breaking into the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’ His death in many ways was as profound as the death of Martin Luther King. He was someone who identified with poor people and wanted to do something about poverty.”

As the days dragged on, the resolve of the demonstrators waned and the population living in the more than 500 tents plummeted. By late June, the city’s tolerance for the demonstration was also gone. The demonstration permit was expiring, and protesters and police were trading accusations. Law-enforcement officials were accusing demonstrators of throwing rocks at officers, and Poor People’s Campaign leaders were arguing about alleged police brutality and saying riot forces were provoking camp residents by lobbing tear gas canisters.

On June 24, teams of riot police descended on Resurrection City firing tear gas. Houston, the freelance photographer, can remember leaping into the Reflecting Pool to wash the chemicals from his skin. More than 340 demonstrators, including Abernathy, were arrested. It was a demoralizing moment, as the demonstration came to an end without having achieved major tangible results.

“At the time I thought they’d crushed us. It was just dispersing all the energy of people who were coming in the beginning,” Steiner said. “That’s why people thought it was a failure.”

But, looking back, Steiner has begun to reassess. Yes, poverty persists as a huge problem – there were 35 million people, or about 17 percent of the total population, living in poverty in 1968, according to the Census Bureau, and there were 40.6 million, or about 12 percent, in the same condition in 2016.

Steiner noted how many of the activists returned to their communities and organized programs that helped countless people, a spirit that he believes lives on.

“The success is now – that 50 years later people are saying, ‘What? What happened?'” he said.

He was talking recently with a young activist who crowed that the protest movements of today are different.

“This is not your grandmother’s revolution,” the activist told him. “I said, ‘You’re part of a continuum.’ “

The post The forgotten dream of Martin Luther King Jr. appeared first on News India Times.

MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday Moscow will not support attempts by Washington to modify the Iran nuclear deal, arguing such a move could also complicate diplomacy over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Lavrov spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would waive nuclear sanctions against Iran for the last time to give Washington and its European allies a chance to fix the “terrible flaws” of the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We will not support what the United States is trying to do, changing the wording of the agreement, incorporating things that will be absolutely unacceptable for Iran,” Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow.

Russia’s top diplomat, who stressed that Russia will work to preserve the existing Iran nuclear deal, also warned that the agreement’s collapse could be detrimental to dialogue with North Korea.

Lavrov suggested Pyongyang would look at how Iran had been treated by Washington and wonder if any deal it did with the United States on its own missile and nuclear programme would hold or also be called into question.

“If the deal is put aside and Iran is told, ‘you keep up with your obligations or we will impose sanctions again’, then you have to see it from North Korea’s point of view,” saidLavrov, stressing the international community should approach the two countries’ nuclear programmes in the same manner.

“They are being promised that sanctions will be lifted if they give up their nuclear programme. They will give it up, but no one will lift the sanctions against Pyongyang.”

In separate comments on Monday, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, said Trump’s threats to withdraw from the nuclear deal were fanning “Iranophobia” and meant to deprive Tehran of the agreement’s economic benefits.

“Scaring the international community with the decisions of a mad man is a repetitive tactic that has proved to be ineffective,” Fars news agency quoted Shamkhani as saying.

The post Russia will not support U.S. bid to change Iran nuclear deal: Lavrov appeared first on News India Times.

ISLAMABAD – A senior U.S. diplomat had talks in Pakistan on Monday following an outcry over President Donald Trump’s accusation that the nuclear-armed South Asian state had engaged in “lies and deceit” as a U.S. ally in the war in neighboring Afghanistan.

Alice Wells, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, met with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, the Foreign Ministry and U.S. Embassy said.

A Foreign Ministry statement said Wells “acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts in eradicating terrorism” and “underlined the need for strengthening intelligence cooperation” to fight terrorism.

Relations between United States and Pakistan were already tense when Trump tweeted on Jan. 1 that the United States had foolishly given Pakistan $33 billion in aid over 15 years and was rewarded with “nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools”.

It is not clear what prompted Trump’s tweet, which infuriated Pakistani officials and caught the rest of the U.S. administration off guard.

The United States has long complained that the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani networks that target American troops inside Afghanistan are allowed to take shelter on Pakistani soil.

Pakistan denies this, and accuses the United States of ignoring its vast sacrifices – casualties have numbered in the tens of thousands – in fighting terrorism.

The Trump administration also last week announced the suspension of about $2 billion in security aid to Pakistan – officially a U.S. ally – over accusations that Islamabad is playing a double game in Afghanistan.

The post U.S. diplomat has talks Pakistan amid tension over Trump “deceit” tweet appeared first on News India Times.

NEW DELHI – The 70th Army Day was celebrated across the country on Monday, with top political leaders and famous personalities paying tribute to troops who made the ultimate sacrifice and Army chief General Bipin Rawat sending out a strong warning to Pakistan on its continued support to terror.

President Ram Nath Kovind, the supreme commander of the three armed forces, greeted soldiers and said the people could sleep safely only because they were protecting the country’s borders.

“Greetings to the valiant men and women of the Indian Army, to veterans and to families of those who have worn the uniform. You are our nation’s pride, the sentinels of our liberty. Citizens sleep securely knowing you are ever awake and ever vigilant,” Kovind said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and hailed the soldiers for putting the nation first and said the country had unwavering trust and pride in the Army.

“Our Army always puts the nation first. I salute all those great individuals who sacrificed their lives while serving the nation. India will never forget our valiant heroes,” Modi said.

“On Army Day, I convey greetings to the soldiers, veterans and their families. Every citizen has unwavering trust and pride in our Army, which protects the nation and is also on the forefront of humanitarian efforts during times of natural disasters and other accidents,” he said.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman extended her “best wishes” to all ranks of the Army, while Home Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the armed force for its “dedication, discipline and supreme sacrifices”.

General Rawat, along with Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, laid wreaths at the Amar Jawan Jyoti here to pay respect to the martyrs.

“All ranks of the Indian Navy join me in wishing our brothers-in-arms in olive greens and their families a very happy Army Day,” said Admiral Sunil Lanba.

Speaking at the Army Day celebrations later at the Cariappa Parade Ground here, General Rawat sent out a warning to Pakistan that India will scale up action if Islamabad continued to support terror and infiltration of militants, while also stressing the need to secure the northern borders along China.

He said any provocative action from Pakistan will lead to a befitting reply.

“On the Line of Control (LoC), the Pakistan Army is continuing ceasefire violations and helping terrorists to infiltrate (into India). We are using our might to teach them a lesson. Any provocative action from Pakistan’s side will get a befitting reply.

“If we are forced, we will scale up the level of our action, and can take other steps,” he said.

Talking about caution on the northern borders, he added: “Disputes are on along the Line of Actual Control, the northern border. Ensuring the security of the LAC is our primary responsibility.”

A colourful parade, with marching contingents, display of mechanised columns and operational display marked the occasion.

The systems on display included the Akash weapon system, Brahmos missile and tanks and Swathi Weapon Locating Radar.

For the first time, the Indian Army had invited around 100 students from other schools of Delhi, including Modern School, Sardar Patel Vidyalaya and DPS International, among others.

Gayatri, a student from Modern School, said the display inspired her to join the armed force.

“It was very exciting as for the first time we saw how our Army engaged the enemy and fights them. This definitely has inspired me to think of Army as a career option after completing my education,” she said.

The Army chief also presented gallantry awards to mark the celebrations that commemorate the day when Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa took charge as the first Indian Army chief in 1949, succeeding General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India.

The post On 70th Army Day, India remembers martyrs, warns Pakistan appeared first on News India Times.

A happy new year celebration turned deadly Jan. 1, when an Indian-American woman became the first homicide victim in New York City, after what was reportedly a night of some hard partying to ring in 2018.

Stacy Loknath, 26, formerly known as Stacy Singh, was found face down, unconscious and unresponsive with multiple stab wounds to her torso, in the early afternoon inside her home on 103^rd Avenue near 113th Street in Richmond Hill, Queens, according to police. Just a few hours before that, her husband Vishwanand Loknath, 42, referred to by friends and acquaintances, as Vinny, was found hanging from a tree in Forest Park, a mile and a half from their home, New York Daily News reported.

Two children are now left orphaned. But what is heartening is how the community is rallying to help the children and raise funds for their upkeep. Messages and donations poured in from hundreds of people following the tragedy and thousands have been raised. Meanwhile, social service organizations are demanding more attention be paid to domestic violence within the community.

Vinny Loknath’s death is being linked by police to Stacy Loknath’s murder, according to news reports and account given friends and family recounting what happened that fateful New Year’s Eve night.

The couple brought in the New Year by partying hard with family members and doing cocaine at a Queens restaurant, police said. Friends of the couple told police the two had been arguing with each other all night. Stabroek News, a media outlet from Guyana, identified Stacy Loknath as being of Guyanese descent.

Family members told New York Daily News that the fighting became so loud that at one point, the two were thrown out of the club where they were celebrating.

Romain Shaw, Singh’s brother-in-law, told the New York Daily News that Loknath was abusive.

“He was very abusive to her, but she stayed with him no matter what because they had two kids together. She was hoping for him to change, but he never did,” said Shaw.

Shaw added that Loknath had been drinking heavily and using cocaine at the New Year’s Eve party they attended.

“He was so drunk, so very drunk. He always beat her up when he went home high,” said Shaw adding that Singh “was a very sweet, very generous and caring person.”

A neighbor told New York Daily News that the couple fought constantly.

“The cops are always there. They were always having big fights. But she still came back to him,” the neighbor said recalling one incident which ended with Singh having to leave to the home in an ambulance.

The neighbor also described Loknath as a construction worker who was often seen sitting on the front steps of his house, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.

Cops had arrested Loknath for attacking Singh last September, and charged him with misdemeanor assault. A judge granted an order of protection barring Loknath from being near Singh until October 2019, but police say the couple ended up reconciling.

Also, the New York Daily News reported that Loknath had called his mother, who was unaware of Singh’s murder, and told her that he wanted his body to be cremated instead of being buried.

The couple leaves behind a 5-year-old son and a 1-year-old daughter who Singh “loved very much and spent every penny on them. They were her world,” added Shaw.

Police say the investigation, which they consider to be a murder-suicide, is still underway.

According to a local non-profit specifically dedicated to domestic abuse in the Indian-Caribbean community, urged elected officials to dedicate more resources to prevent violence against women.

Shivana Jorawar of the advocacy organization, Jahajee Sisters, is quoted in timesledger.com saying, “This is the fifth time Jahajee Sisters has had to respond to the violent murder of an Indo-Caribbean woman in Queens. How can it be that in one community, the same headline seems to run over and over again? Stacy’s death is a call to action for all of us, including our elected officials and faith leaders, who we look to in times of need.”

A Gofundme page was started by a friend, in the first week following the horrific murder. “With the permission and support of Stacy’s family, we have established this GoFundMe campaign to provide financial assistance while allowing the family to grieve and mourn Stacy and make plans for the caretake of her 5 year old son and 1 year old daughter,” the dedicated website says, adding that “All the funds donated will be put towards the funeral expenses of Stacy and support of the two children.  Any additional donations after the goal is reached will be placed into a fund that is setup by the family and will be used to provide for the two children left behind.”

The ‘Stacy Singh Memorial Fund’ goal of $10,000 goal has already been surpassed as of Jan. 15, reaching $14,028, as this went to print. Some 220 people had donated by that time. Those coming to the site expressed sorrow over the tragedy and concern for the children.

“From the moment I heard of this great loss of lives my heart has felt broken for all involved… my mother always says no matter what wrong your children do … a mothers love will never change. I pray that these two beautiful children always be loved respected and kept safe. I hope they will grow up to know that their parents loved them despite the selfish act that has taken place,” said a Naz Chan Shievdayal.

“Stacy story brought tears and alot of memories to me.i lost my 22year old daughter 10 years ago from a jealous fiancée similar to Stacy.RIP,” said Debbie Hardat.

“Stacy you were a wonderful mother, friend and co-worker. You will be missed, Rest In Peace my friend,” said Michelle Crane.

Pathaline Byrd said, “To the family: I am so sorry for your loss. Stacy was a beautiful woman, and she clearly adored her gorgeous children. I know she is already greatly missed. There are no words to express how much pain I feel for you all. My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.”

Annirood Mackhrandilal said, “RIP, may God bless the children and the family who steps up and accept the challenge to parent these children so they can realized their dreams and live on.

The post An Indian-American woman was brutally murdered in New York City’s first homicide of 2018 appeared first on News India Times.

The search for victims of last week’s deadly Southern California mudslides pushed into Monday, with hundreds of rescue workers with dogs and scanners hunting for four people still listed as missing after the rain-driven slides that killed 20 people.

Emergency officials said hopes were diminishing that they would pull more survivors from the ravaged landscape of hardened muck, boulders and twisted debris left behind by the Tuesday mudslides that scoured a landscape already left barren by last year’s record-setting wildfires.

“We’re still out there with search and rescue crews who will continue to work until we can account for those four still missing,” Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokeswoman Amber Anderson said in a phone interview.

The mudslides that scoured the affluent community of Montecito, 85 miles (137 km) northwest of Los Angeles, caused the greatest loss of life from a California mudslide in at least 13 years.

Ten people perished in January 2005 when a hillside saturated by weeks of torrential rains collapsed in the seaside hamlet of La Conchita, just 18 miles (29 km) southeast of Montecito, burying more than a dozen homes in seconds.

The White House on Monday said that President Donald Trump had been briefed on the situation.

“The President and First Lady extend their deepest sympathies to the families affected, their appreciation for the first responders saving lives, and their prayers for those who remain missing,” the White House said in a statement.

Another 900 emergency personnel arrived this weekend to join the relief effort conducted by more than 2,100 personnel from local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Navy and the American Red Cross.

The destruction covered 30 square miles (78 square km), leaving 65 single-family homes demolished and more than 450 others damaged. Nearly 30 commercial properties were damaged or destroyed, officials said.

As a precaution against the possibility of further slides, officials have ordered residents in most of the southeastern corner of Montecito to leave their homes for what was likely to be one or two weeks.

The post California rescuers search for victims of deadly mudslides appeared first on News India Times.

NEW DELHI – Denying that it is politicizing the issue of Judge B.H. Loya’s death, the Congress on Monday demanded a court-monitored inquiry into it, saying the matter relates to a vital organ of the Indian democracy.

“Nobody is suggesting that Congress party will be appointing a commission of inquiry. The whole argument that the party is politicizing the matter is false.

“We as a responsible stakeholder of Indian democracy, as a party are asking for an inquiry. The country wants a court-monitored independent inquiry,” said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

“My comments have nothing to do with the so-called Supreme Court imbroglio. I think every citizen in this country and every political party is independently entitled to ask for a fair and comprehensive inquiry into his death.”

Singhvi also said: “If a matter impinges on a vital organ of Indian democracy, then the demand for an inquiry is a demand by responsible stakeholders, and is not dependent on whether a family member wants it or not.”

This comes a day after Judge Loya’s son Anuj Loya said his family had no suspicions now regarding the death. He also said they were being “harassed” and “victimized”.

Singhvi said: “I have read the letter of Anuj Loya, son of Judge Loya, written in February 2015. The letter is very specific…requiring an inquiry in writing… There is then a clear doubt and suspicion of a grave kind expressed by one sister of Judge Loya, Anuradha Biyani.

“I have also quoted the shorter but clear suspicion expressed by the other sister of Judge Loya, Sarita Mandhane. She also contemporaneously has expressed grave doubt.”

Singhvi maintained that even Judge Loya’s father and an one of his uncles also expressed their doubts about the his death, adding that as a citizen, member of the family, and as an individual he would be very much for an inquiry.

Judge Loya died of heart attack on December 1, 2014 while on a visit to Nagpur, where he had gone to attend the wedding of a colleague’s daughter.

At that time, he was handling the sensitive Sohrabuddin Sheikh case in which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah was one of the accused (but later discharged), besides top Gujarat Police officers.

Singhvi said: “A matter of public and national interest is not dependent for an inquiry on whether anyone asks for it or deny and oppose it.”

The post Congress seeks court-monitored probe into Judge Loya’s death appeared first on News India Times.