DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Sun, 21 Sep 2025 16:26:32 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/telangana-student-missing-in-us-for-a-week-540756.html Hyderabad May 9 A student from Telangana pursuing his masters from a university in the US has been reported missing in Chicago for a week as per his family The Consulate General of India in Chicago said in a post on X that it was deeply concerned to learn that Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi has been incommunicado since May 2 It said it was in touch with the police and Indian diaspora to locatereestablish contact with Chintakindi Chintakindi had gone to the US in December 2023 and was pursuing a masters degree from Concordia University in Wisconsin City Chicago police have also issued a statement about the student urging residents to provide any information about him Chintakindi hails from Warangal district and his family is worried about his whereabouts It has requested the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in the US to help trace him According to his family members he was in regular touch with them His father Sadanandam said he last spoke to him through a WhatsApp call on May 2 and Chintakindi told him that he was busy with some work Later Sadanandam tried to reach him but he remained offline After waiting for two days Chintakindis family members contacted his roommates They informed him that he left the room on April 30 saying he was going to meet someone from Texas who had come to meet him He told them that he would return in two days but did not return At the familys request his roommates lodged a complaint with Chicago police Sadanandam approached Union Minister G Kishan Reddy who wrote a letter to the Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar seeking assistance to trace the missing student Last month a student from Hyderabad who had been missing since March 7 was found dead in the US city of Cleveland Mohammed Abdul Arfath pursuing his masters degree in Information Technology at Cleveland University Ohio had not been in touch with the family since March 7 and his family here had received a ransom call IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/telangana-student-missing-in-us-for-a-week-540756.html Thu, 09 May 2024 19:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/telangana-student-missing-in-us-father-says-spoke-to-him-last-on-may-2-540783.html Hyderabad May 9 A student from Telangana pursuing his masters from a university in the US has been reported missing in Chicago for a week as per his family The Consulate General of India in Chicago said in a post on X that it was deeply concerned to learn that Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi has been incommunicado since May 2It said it was in touch with the police and Indian diaspora to locatereestablish contact with ChintakindiChintakindi had gone to the US in December 2023 and was pursuing a masters degree from Concordia University in Wisconsin CityChicago police have also issued a statement about the student urging residents to provide any information about himChintakindi hails from Warangal district and his family is worried about his whereaboutsIt has requested the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in the US to help trace himAccording to his family members he was in regular touch with them His father Sadanandam said he last spoke to him through a WhatsApp call on May 2 and Chintakindi told him that he was busy with some workLater Sadanandam tried to reach him but he remained offlineAfter waiting for two days Chintakindis family members contacted his roommates They informed him that he left the room on April 30 saying he was going to meet someone from Texas who had come to meet him He told them that he would return in two days but did not returnAt the familys request his roommates lodged a complaint with Chicago policeSadanandam approached Union Minister G Kishan Reddy who wrote a letter to the Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar seeking assistance to trace the missing studentLast month a student from Hyderabad who had been missing since March 7 was found dead in the US city of Cleveland Mohammed Abdul Arfath pursuing his masters degree in Information Technology at Cleveland University Ohio had not been in touch with the family since March 7 and his family here had received a ransom call IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/telangana-student-missing-in-us-father-says-spoke-to-him-last-on-may-2-540783.html Thu, 09 May 2024 20:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/eam-jaishankar-meets-singapores-top-leadership-conveys-pm-modis-greetings-530326.html Singapore March 25 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met top leaders of Singapore and valued their support for the strategic partnership as he conveyed personal greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to them On a threeday visit to Singapore to cement close ties between both nations he also met leading corporate figures who spoke of Indias growth story based on investment experiencesDr Jaishankar praised Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs positive sentiments on the IndiaSingapore relationship which he said have always been a source of strength for our tiesHonoured to call on Prime Minister leehsienloong at The Istana Conveyed the personal greetings of PM narendramodi Valued his perspectives on the current state of the world the EAM wrote on XHe also called on Singapores Indianorigin Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan with whom he exchanged views on the IndoPacific and West AsiaReviewed the progress of our bilateral cooperation Spoke about preparations for the next ISMR IndiaSingapore Ministerial Roundtable meeting Discussed marking 60 years of our diplomatic ties Dr Jaishankar saidEnvisioned by Prime Minister Modi the first ISMR between the two nations seeking to deepen existing cooperation and identifying opportunities for collaboration in new and emerging areas was held in 2022 Following the inaugural meeting PM Modi conveyed his appreciation and hoped that initiatives like ISMR would help further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countriesDr Jaishankar also met Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong where perspectives on advancing bilateral ties especially on newage technologies were shared in addition to views on the evolving global economic situationHe wrapped up his visit to the Southeast Asian nation after meeting Home Affairs amp Law Minister K Shanmugam and said that he values the Indianorigin ministers consistent support for our strategic partnershipThe EAM last visited Singapore in October 2023 to deepen the Strategic Partnership between the two countries where he met President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan After concluding the Singapore visit EAM Jaishankar will be travelling to Malaysia and The Philippines to engage with them on regional issues of mutual concern IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/eam-jaishankar-meets-singapores-top-leadership-conveys-pm-modis-greetings-530326.html Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/american-dream-of-several-indian-descent-families-ends-inexplicably-in-pools-of-blood-529322.html Washington March 18 Their American dream ended in a pool of their own blood at their own hand and at their homes But the world will never know what drove these Indianorigin families in the US to this extreme step because the police have either closed their investigation or will as has been the trend Anand Sujith Henry 37 his wife Alice Priyanka Benziger 38 and their 4yearold twin children Noah and Neithan were found dead at their home in San Mateo California on February 13The police called it a case of murdersuicide in which Henry killed his wife their children and himselfWe do not yet have an answer towards the motive to share said Jeanine Luna Community Relations Officer San Mateo Police Department on Monday almost a month after the discovery of the bodiesHenry and Benziger came to the US from Kerala for higher studies and stayed on They were both IT professionals Henry worked for Google and then Meta before founding his own AI company and she worked for Zillow Both died of gunshots and the children had either been smothered or poisoned because there were no signs of trauma on their bodiesA month ago another Indiandescent family was found dead at their home in Dover Massachusetts The police said Rakesh Kamal 57 had shot his wife Teena Kamal 54 and their daughter Arianna Kamal 18 before turning the gun on himselfThe motive appeared to be financial troublesKamal was under a mountain of debt and had been served an eviction notice from their multimillion dollar homeHe had been living it up without the means to support his expensive taste for luxury cars and bespoke suitsBut there are no leads to the motives or reasons for the two Indiandescent families that were found dead at their home in Dublin Ohio in February 2023Rajan Rajaram 54 had shot himself after killing his wife Santhalatha Rajan 51 and their son Anish Rajan Rajaram 19Rajaram worked as an engineer for Technosoft Corporation based in Cincinnati This case has been closed and ruled a murdersuicide The Dublin Police Department does not have any information on a motive per that investigation said Rebecca Myers Public Information Officer for the city of Dublin OhioWhy did Rajaram who had lived in that house since 1998 take this extreme stepAnother familys end is headed for a similar blind alleyTej Pratap Singh 43 had killed his wife Sonal Parihar 42 and their son 10 and daughter sixSingh a software engineer from Kanpur and the family came to the US in 2009 and neighbours have recalled them as a nice and happy familyThe bodies were found at their home in Plainsboro New JerseyThe police have suggested it was a case of murdersuicide But why did Singh take this extreme stepThe police informed me that they are in the process of closing out that investigation No criminal charges are being filed due to the fact of all parties being deceased said Brynn Krause Public Information Officer of Middlesex County prosecutors office which has jurisdiction over the Plainsboro Township Police Department IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/american-dream-of-several-indian-descent-families-ends-inexplicably-in-pools-of-blood-529322.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 23:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/100-pc-we-will-have-15-years-of-stable-govt-even-longer-eam-s-jaishankar-527088.html Tokyo March 8 Exuding confidence that India will have a stable government for 15 years even longer External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday that longterm political stability is essential for good governance His remarks at the Nikkei Forum on IndiaJapan Special Strategic Partnership in Tokyo came as India heads for crucial general elections with nearly 960 million voters gearing up to exercise their right to vote in the coming monthsHundred per cent we will have 15 years of stable government we may have even longer Jaishankar said in response to a question at the forumThe minister underlined the importance of a reformist visionary leadership backed by a strong political mandate which in a democracy means having a majority in Parliament and results in longterm stabilityYou can have a majority but you do not have a vision or you have a vision but you do not have the political support So you need both Now what has happened in our cases certainly for the last 10 years we have had it and we hope to continue that S Jaishankar said as he praised his government that has been able to take good decisions tough decisions but needed decisionsFurther reinforcing the importance of political stability for economic growth and investments the top diplomat said Business world today values political stability For them political stability means policy stability Anybody who is coming you know somebody who is taking a big bet on India wants to know what will India be in the next 10 yearsFortunately that has been good for us for the last decade and I am very confident for the next one the minister addedWhen asked about Indias position on the RussiaUkraine conflict the minister took a sly dig at world powers saying they cherrypick one issue one situation one principle and they highlight it because it suits themeven today parts of India are occupied by another country But we did not see the world respond saying oh there is a great principle involved And therefore let us all go with India So yes today we are being told that there are principles involved I wish I had seen that principle in play for the last 80 years I have seen those principles cherrypick S Jaishankar remarkedBefore taking on questions at the forum the minister reiterated that India and Japan today are convergent on the big picture and the key concerns with an improvement in their inclination and ability to respond in a more coordinated mannerHe added that the bilateral partnership has identified more avenues for increased cooperation and will draw strength from their larger activities together especially in the QuadCalling all Quad nations India Australia Japan and the US strong maritime powers the diplomat said that the grouping is meeting more rapidly and more issues are getting added onEAM Jaishankar is on a threeday visit to Japan from March 68 to impart further momentum to bilateral exchanges and set the agenda for future cooperationOn Thursday he addressed the 16th IndiaJapan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue with his Japanese counterpart Yoko Kamikawa and participated in the first Raisina Roundtable a key step towards enhancing track two exchanges between India and Japan IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/100-pc-we-will-have-15-years-of-stable-govt-even-longer-eam-s-jaishankar-527088.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 12:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/nikki-haley-to-quit-gop-presidential-race-526616.html Washington March 6 IndianAmerican Republican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley is set to quit the race for the White House clearing the decks for her former boss and GOP frontrunner Donald Trump according to media reports The former twotime South Carolina Governor is expected to make the announcement on Wednesday at Charleston in her home state sources in know of her plans told CNNThe 52yearold on Tuesday scored a surprising victory over Trump in the Republican primary in Vermont state which came just after her Washington DC win putting her in the history books as the first woman ever to achieve the milestoneHer move follows a series of losses in GOP nominating contests on Super Tuesday where her rival Trump maintained a formidable leadTrump and US President Joe Biden are leading in Super Tuesday wins in their respective partys primaries for the 2024 presidential electionHaving been defeated in South Carolina her home state questions were being raised about Haleys presence in the race and more importantly how long would she get donors to pump money into her campaignDespite her debacle at the primary Haley made clear in her speech that she was not giving upI said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina I would continue to run Im a woman of my word she said Im not giving up this fight when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden she added sharpening her attacks on Biden and Trump by calling them grumpy old men IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/nikki-haley-to-quit-gop-presidential-race-526616.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/eam-jaishankar-meets-mayor-of-korean-city-with-ayodhya-connect-526507.html Seoul March 6 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke of shared cultural heritage and longstanding peopletopeople relations as he met Hong Taeyong Mayor of Gimhae City in South Korea on Wednesday Jaishankar also presented a replica of Ayodhyas Ram Mandir to Taeyong whom he met after addressing the opening session of the 10th IndiaSouth Korea Joint Commission meeting on WednesdayDelighted to meet Mayor Hong Taeyong today The GimhaeAyodhya connect is a testament to our shared cultural heritage and longstanding peopletopeople relations Discussed greater cultural and educational cooperation with Gimhae City the Minister posted on X on WednesdayIn March 2001 Ayodhya and Gimhae signed an International Sister City bond to encourage cultural and mutual development and established the Queen Huh Memorial Park in AyodhyaLegend has it that Queen Huh Hwangok known as Suriratna in India was the princess of Ayodhya before she went to South Korea and married King Kim Suro of the Karak Clan in 48 ADAccording to the Uttar Pradesh tourism website it is believed that she reached Korea on a boat and was the first queen of King Suro of Geumgwan GayaAround 60 lakh people of the Karak clan consider Ayodhya as their maternal home and hundreds of South Koreans visit the memorial every year to pay respects to the legendary Queen the website saidIn his address to the Indian community in South Korea in 2019 Prime Minister Narendra Modi narrated the legend of Princess Suriratna and said that Indians have a blood relation with KoreansFor the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January this year an invitation was also extended to Kim Chilsu from South Korea a member of the Queen Heo dynastyHighlighting the importance of Ayodhya to both countries South Korean Ambassador to India Chang JaeBok said last year The legend about an Indian princess marrying a Korean king 2000 years ago has an Ayodhya connection as one of our history books has a mention of a princess from Ayuta It is generally assumed that Ayuta was Ayodhya or Ayodhya was Ayuta IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/eam-jaishankar-meets-mayor-of-korean-city-with-ayodhya-connect-526507.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-envoy-thanks-governor-of-quake-hit-ishikawa-for-helping-indians-525058.html Tokyo March 1 Indian Ambassador to Japan Sibi George met Hiroshi Hase governor of the quakehit Ishikawa on Friday and thanked him for all the assistance extended to Indians there A 76magnitude earthquake struck the northernmost peninsula of Noto in Ishikawa this year killing hundreds of people and rendering many homelessAmbassador AmbSibiGeorge visited Ishikawa Prefecture amp met Honble Governor Mr Hiroshi Hase Expressed his condolences for loss of lives due to Noto Peninsula earthquake the Indian Embassy in Japan said in a post on XThanked for assistance extended to Indians in Ishikawa and reiterated Indias solidarity to Ishikawa and Japan the post readAs per a Japan Times report the death toll in the quake has risen to 240 with 75000 homes being damaged in the disasterHours after the earthquake the Indian embassy in Japan set up an emergency control room and issued helpline numbers for its citizensIn a letter to his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed Indias solidarity with Japan and its people and said that he is deeply anguished and concerned over the earthquakeI am deeply anguished and concerned to learn about the major earthquake that struck Japan on January 1 PM Modi wroteI express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families of those who lost their lives We stand in solidarity with Japan and its people affected by the disaster he addedJapans ambassador to India Hiroshi Suzuki has expressed his gratitude and said Indias support is much valued during this difficult timeDear friends in India I am deeply grateful for so many sincere condolences prayers and warm encouragement regarding the Noto Neng Deng Earthquake in Japan Ambassador Suzuki said on XAmbassador Georges meeting comes in the backdrop of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankars visit to Japan from March 68 for the 16th IndiaJapan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-envoy-thanks-governor-of-quake-hit-ishikawa-for-helping-indians-525058.html Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/8th-indian-in-qatar-to-return-after-fulfilling-certain-requirements-mea-524912.html New Delhi Feb 29 The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that the eighth Indian Navy veteran who was sentenced to death in Qatar along with seven others on espionage charges will return home after fulfilling certain requirements India scored a diplomatic victory with seven of its former navy personnel who were working for Dohabased Dahra Global and were taken into custody in August 2022 returning home earlier this monthThey were identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill Captain Birendra Kumar Verma Captain Saurabh Vasisht Commander Amit Nagpal Commander Sugunakar Pakala Commander Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor RajeshWhile Commander Purnendu Tiwari has been released from prison along with others he is yet to land in India with sources indicating his arrival by next weekAs you know all eight Indian nationals who were involved in the Dahra Global case have been released Seven of them have returned to India Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said while addressing a weekly media briefing on ThursdayThe eighth Indian national has certain requirements to fulfill he will return as and when those are completed he addedThe spokesperson did not elaborate on the requirements that Commander Tiwari needed to fulfill to ensure his return to India Earlier Commander Tiwaris cousin Dr Meetu Bhargava had expressed her joy upon hearing the news of his release which she said would not have been possible without Prime Minister Narendra Modis helpThe MEA spokesperson also confirmed that the first group of civilian crew replacing Indian troops has reached MaldivesThe first team of technical personnel to operate the advanced light helicopter at Gan has reached Maldives It will replace the existing personnel that were until now operating it Jaiswal said in response to a questionThat is where it is as far as the core group meeting is concerned We will have more details later he addedIn a statement released on Monday the Maldives Ministry of Defence said The civilian crew who will operate the helicopter in place of the Indian troops currently stationed in Seenu Gan Addu city has arrived in Maldives this eveningAs of now there are close to 80 Indian military personnel in the island nation to operate two Indian helicopters and an aircraftThe Maldivian defence ministry also stated that the helicopter stationed at Kadhdhoo Airport would be returned to India for maintenance adding that a replacement helicopter would arrive aboard an Indian warshipMaldives proChina President Mohamed Muizzu promised to remove Indian troops from the island nation after winning the countrys presidential election in November 2023Earlier this month he said the first group of Indian military personnel will be sent back before March 10 while the remaining will be withdrawn by May 10 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/8th-indian-in-qatar-to-return-after-fulfilling-certain-requirements-mea-524912.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 19:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-sridhar-ramaswamy-named-ceo-of-data-cloud-firm-snowflake-524690.html New York Feb 29 Indianorigin Sridhar Ramaswamy has been named as the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of USbased data cloud company Snowflake Ramaswamy who previously held the position of Senior Vice President of AI at Snowflake replaces Frank Slootman who has decided to retire but will continue to serve as Chairman of the BoardIn the last 12 years Frank and the entire team have established Snowflake as the leading cloud data platform that is providing enterprises with the secure scalable and cost effective data foundation and cuttingedge AI building blocks they need to build for the future said RamaswamyI am honored to have been chosen to lead the company into this next chapter of growth We have an enormous opportunity ahead to help all customers leverage AI to deliver massive business value My focus will be on accelerating our ability to bring innovation to our customers and partners Ramaswamy addedSince joining Snowflake in May 2023 in connection with the companys acquisition of Neeva the worlds first private AIpowered search engine Ramaswamy has been spearheading Snowflakes AI strategyHe led the launch of Snowflake Cortex Snowflakes new fully managed service that makes AI simple and secure for all users to quickly drive business valueSlootman said that there is no better person than Ramaswamy to lead Snowflake into the next phase of growth and deliver on the opportunity ahead in AI and machine learningHe is a visionary technologist with a proven track record of running and scaling successful businesses I have the utmost confidence in Sridhar and look forward to working with him as he assumes this new role Slootman saidPrior to joining Snowflake Ramaswamy cofounded Neeva in 2019Previously Ramaswamy led all of Googles Advertising products which included search display and video advertising analytics shopping payments and travelDuring his 15 years at Google he was an integral part of the growth of AdWords and Googles advertising business from 15 billion to over 100 billionRamaswamy also held research positions at Bell Labs Lucent Technologies and Bell Communications Research BellcoreHe was a Venture Partner at Greylock Partners from October 2018 until recently and he sits on the board of trustees at Brown University IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-sridhar-ramaswamy-named-ceo-of-data-cloud-firm-snowflake-524690.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 10:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/thousands-of-devotees-take-part-in-palkhi-yatra-at-baps-uae-temple-524526.html Dubai Feb 28 Thousands of devotees took part in a grand procession of the Hindu community members at the newlyinaugurated BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi which is set to open its doors to the general public from March 1 Dressed in traditional Indian attire singing and dancing to devotional songs more than 1100 people participated in the Palkhi Yatra which usually precedes or follows the opening of a new temple Khaleej Times newspaper reported on WednesdayIdols from the seven main shrines of the temple were placed on decorated palanquins and taken around the temple during the Sundays procession held as part of the Festival of Harmony an event that marked the majestic temples opening on February 14This was followed by an address to the community by Brahmviharidas Swami the project head of the BAPS Hindu MandirIve never seen so much devotional joy and colour as we danced around the Mandir We thank the BAPS Mandir for opening their hearts to all of us and making everyone feel welcome We truly feel it is our Mandir And all that is thanks to the guru Mahant Swami Maharaj Lina Barot a community member told Khaleej TimesThe temple authorities announced on Tuesday that the Mandir will open its door to the public from March 1 from 9 am to 8 pm and it will remain closed to visitors every MondayThe temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Gulf nation and was attended by over 5000 inviteesBuilt at a cost of approximately Rs 700 crore the temple is spread over a 27acre plot in Abu Mureikhah near Al Rahba and is constructed using more than 18 million cubic meters of sandstone sourced from Rajasthan IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/thousands-of-devotees-take-part-in-palkhi-yatra-at-baps-uae-temple-524526.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/hindu-vote-becomes-a-factor-in-us-elections-524315.html Washington Feb 27 Niraj Antani a Republican running for US Congress is aggressively projecting his Hindu faith Bhavini Patel a Democrat running for Congress is battling allegations of courting Hindu nationalist donors And Indiandescent donors are pressing the BidenHarris campaign for a Hindu page in its 2024 campaign manifesto The Hindu Vote appears to have become a factor in US politicsThere is no rock solid count of Hindus in the US because the US Census does not record religious affiliation in its surveys But there are several estimatesPew Research Center said 07 per cent of Americans were Hindu in 2015 and that their number is projected to grow to 48 million by 2050 Harvard Divinity School estimated their number to be 25 million in 2018 And some Hindu Americans put the number generously at 5 million which they concede includes Sikhs and JainsAs crucial as their number is US politics so is their ability to write big donation checksNiraj Antani an Ohio state lawmaker who is running in the Republican primary for a congressional seat has frequently described himself as Hindu and posted this message on X to mark the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya As the 1st Hindu American State Senator in Ohio history today it was my privilege to do Darshan to Lord Ram at BAPS Cincinnati Mandir to mark the opening of his Mandir in Ayodhya As we celebrate this occasion let us stand for religious freedom around the world Jai Shri RamHis pinned post on X is an endorsement from the Hindu American PACBhavini Patel a Democrat who is seeking to unseat the incumbent Democrat in a congressional race in Pennsylvania is being attacked by her opponent for courting Hindu nationalist donors as also for her unstinting support for IsraelA fundraising call she hosted with Mihi Meghani a cofounder of the Hindu American Foundation was being cited as proof of her courting Hindu groups Meghani is also the chair of the Hindu American PACs whose endorsement is a pinned post on Antanis X feedThe Patel campaign has denied these allegationsThe back and forth only demonstrates the growing presence of a Hindu vote in US politicsThere was always a Hindu vote which was not recognised publicly said Ramesh Kapur a longtime Democratic donor and strategistBut it is being recognised now and has come to the fore in the context of the 2024 electionsA bunch of donors are also pressing the BidenHarris reelection campaign to include a Hindu Page in its manifesto whenever it is announcedThe same group had tried but failed to convince the Biden campaign to feature the same page in its manifesto that ran on the campaigns website as Joes Vision It had sections dedicated to Muslims Jews African American and so on The campaign did issue Bidens agenda for Indian Americans but this group of Hindu donors were insistent on a Hindu Page in Joes Vision specially because of the observances in the section for MuslimsJoe Biden has been disappointed by the measures that the government of India has taken with the implementation and aftermath of the National Register of Citizens in Assam and the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act into law it had said referring laws that sought to fasttrack citizenship request from nonMuslims fleeing neighbouring countries and keeping a national registry of citizensBoth laws remain unenforcedThese donors are pressing for the page with an offer to provide President Biden the cushion of Hindu American votes to offset the possible boycott of Arab and Muslim votes over the administrations support of Israel offensive against the Hamas in Gaza specially in the key swing states that tend to determine most presidential racesA phrase being used frequently in this context is plug the gapWisconsin one of the swing states will be critical Biden won this state by 20000 in 2020 It has an estimated 38400 Hindu Americans and they may be able cushion the blow from the boycott by the states 68000 Muslims to an extent These numbers come from a document prepared by these donors to make their caseHindu Americans are more confident of their ability to help Biden better in Georgia a state he won by roughly 12000 The state is home to 172000 Hindu Americans who can more than compensate for its 123000 MuslimsIn Pennsylvania which Biden won by 44000 Hindu Americans number 129700 to 149500 Muslim Americans Hindu Americans are not able to fill the gap completely but they are arguing they can help the campaign fill the gapBut all this presumes Hindu Americans will turn up and vote and not as mostly before staying homeThese Hindu Americans feel particularly confident of their clout on account of two key political developmentsOne they believe they helped Glenn Youngkin a Republican win the Governorship of Virginia and two convinced Gavin Newsom the California Governor with widely acknowledged White House aspirations to veto a legislation passed by the California legislatures to add caste to the list of prohibited discriminatory practicesHindu Americans are mostly of Indian descent but a sizable number of them are also from Nepal Bangladesh Pakistan the Caribbean Afghanistan and American converts such as former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbards familyIndian Americans have been a growing political force in the US but many among them have begun to differentiate themselves as Hindu Americans a trend that has been helped along by the rise of the BJP in India specially the immense popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Multiple groups have cropped up with names wrapped around the word Hindu Republican Hindu Coalition American Hindu Coalition Hindus 4 America Hindu American PAC Political Action CommitteeRaja Krishnamoorthi Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal the three Indian American members of the House of Representatives are all Hindu but they have rarely if ever flouted their faith to further their politics And they have now been members of US Congress since 2017 serving three terms Shri Thanedar who joined them in the House in 2023 has been demonstrably bolder He heads the Hindu Caucus in the House IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/hindu-vote-becomes-a-factor-in-us-elections-524315.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 22:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/family-of-slain-british-indian-teen-slams-uk-cops-for-mismanagement-524016.html London Feb 27 Slamming the police for mismanagement families of the victims of Nottingham murders which included an Indianorigin student said they will continue to raise serious concerns about the case and will not be silenced BritishIndian Grace OMalleyKumar fellow student Barnaby Webber both aged 19 and 65yearold school caretaker Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane near the University of Nottingham on June 13 2023In a joint statement the families also accused the Nottinghamshire Police of gagging the media in an attempt to stop details of case failings being made public the Shropshire Star newspaper reported on MondayCalocane 32 was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order last month after prosecutors accepted his plea of guilty to manslaughter based on diminished responsibility with psychiatrists saying that he suffered from paranoid schizophreniaThe victims families who had hoped for a murder trial reacted with shock and anger to the verdict which said that Calocane would not face a murder trial due to mental illnessFurther they criticised the police after it emerged during a misconduct hearing that they shared details about the murder victims on a WhatsApp groupWe will not be silenced This behaviour must be addressed and urgent changes made as this must not happen again to other innocent families the families said in the statement released on MondayThey said their lengthy and detailed statement was sent to highlight their concerns and ongoing mismanagement by the Nottingham PoliceThey also mentioned in the statement that the police force held an offtherecord press briefing last week where they told the journalists that they could not report the information discussedAs of now the families are awaiting a response from the Home Secretary and have also written to Opposition leader Keir Starmer seeking a meeting with him and his shadow ministersCalling for a public inquiry into the case the families have also met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who promised them that we will get the answersMeanwhile Attorney General Victoria Prentis KC MP said the sentence of manslaughter by diminished responsibility and attempted murder was unduly lenient and will be referred to the Court of Appeal IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/family-of-slain-british-indian-teen-slams-uk-cops-for-mismanagement-524016.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 07:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-born-economist-geeta-batra-named-as-first-woman-director-of-world-banks-gef-523495.html Mumbai Feb 25 Geeta Batra an Indian economist has been named as the new Director at the Independent Evaluation Office of the World Banks Global Environment Facility GEF making her the firstever woman from a developing country to hold the coveted post Batra 57 is currently the Chief Evaluator amp Deputy Director for Evaluation at the GEFs Independent Evaluation Office IEO affiliated to the World BankHer name was unanimously recommended for the coveted position at the 66th GEF Council Meeting held in Washington on February 9 and was announced last weekMy top priorities will be to deliver sound evaluative evidence on the results and performance of the GEF provide leadership to ensure that the GEF IEO stays at the forefront of environmental evaluation and strengthen the IEO teams and invest in skills Batra told IANS from Virginia USShe will also build partnerships with multilateral and bilateral agencies foundations and networks and share knowledge of what works where and whyBorn in New Delhi Batra studied at the Villa Theresa High School 1984 in Mumbai then completed her Economics from the Stella Maris College Chennai 19841987 followed by an MBA in Finance from the NMIMS Vile Parle 1990 in MumbaiAfter her MBA she was inspired by one of her professors Harkant Mankad to go to the US August 1990 to pursue a PhD in EconomicsArmed with a doctorate she worked for a couple of years as Senior Manager Risk at American Express before joining the World Banks Private Sector Development Department in 1998Serving there for seven years till 2005 she implemented competitiveness projects in East Asia and Latin AmericaSubsequently she took over as the Head amp Chief Evaluator at the International Finance Corporation for its advisory services portfolio before moving to the World Banks IEG as Chief Evaluator and Manager for country and corporate thematic evaluationsIn 2015 Batra joined the GEFs IEO established in July 2003 which assesses the progress and impact of GEF interventions where she manages a team of evaluation professionals providing oversight on the design implementation and quality of evaluationsSince the Rio Earth Summit 1992 the GEF has been one of the largest players in the environmental sector providing around 24 billion in grants plus marshalling an additional 138 billion in cofinancing over 5700 projects in 170 countries till 2020Through the GEFs Small Grants Programme SGP more than 20000 grants were given to civil society and communitybased organizations totalling over 1 billionThe GEF is a partnership for international cooperation with 183 countries working together with international institutions private sector and civil society to address global environmental concernsFor the past over 23 years developed and developing countries have provided funds to support activities pertaining to biodiversity climate change international waters land degradation chemicals and waste in the context of development projects and programsBatra has coauthored books and articles plus managed over 100 evaluations and is interested in development issues with a particular focus on promoting the use of feasible and practical approaches in monitoring and evaluation to help achieve better outcomesShe lives in Northern Virginia with her husband Prakash and their daughter RoshiniWhen she is not working Batra loves the outdoors goes hiking in national parks reads historical biographies besides tries out different types of mouthwatering cuisinesHowever she confessed with a smile that her alltime favourite foods include Indias good old pavbhaji panipuri puri and chholebhatureQuaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-born-economist-geeta-batra-named-as-first-woman-director-of-world-banks-gef-523495.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 12:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/kandulas-death-case-a-grim-reminder-of-a-us-cops-brutal-assault-on-sureshbhai-patel-523357.html New Delhi Feb 24 The recent development in the Indian student Jaahnavi Kandulas death case in the US echoes a 2015 incident in the state of Alabama where a police officer was acquitted for brutally assaulting an Indian man which left him partially paralysed Kandula a student of Northeastern University in South Lake Union died in January 2023 after she was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle driven by police officer Kevin Dave at a pedestrian crossingMore than a year after the 23yearolds killing the Kings County Prosecutors Office said this week that they will not be pressing charges against Dave due to the lack of sufficient evidenceWhile her case is now being referred to the Seattle City Attorneys office for review as the family pursues legal rights to obtain justice police officer Eric Parker was cleared of criminal charges a year after he was accused of using excessive force against Gujarat resident Sureshbhai Patel in 2015What happened in 2015Patel who had come to the US on the birth of his grandson was taking a stroll around his sons home in Madison Alabama in February 2015 when a neighbour called police to report a skinny black man walking along the streetWhen police stopped Patel then 57 years old on the sidewalk to ask what he was doing he repeatedly told officers that he didnt speak English and pointed at his sons houseCameras inside patrol vehicles recorded officer Eric Parker using a leg sweep to take Patel to the ground which left him in need of spinal surgery and sparked outrage among the Indian community in the USFollowing his vertebrae surgery at Madison Hospital Patel was treated at the Healthsouth Rehabilitation Center in Huntsville where he had to relearn how to walkIn the five years since Patel was slammed to the pavement the juries couldnt reach a unanimous verdict in two trials that were held in federal court in Huntsville on the matterFollowing the two mistrials US District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala in January 2016 granted a motion to acquit ending the federal civil trial for Parker who was then taken off administrative leave and returned to work with the Madison Police Department in September 2016In 2020 a federal appeals court ruled that there was enough evidence for Patel to proceed with his lawsuit against Parker igniting hopes for the Indian familyThe lawsuit filed in February 2015 by Patels family said that the City of Madison violated federal law by allegedly failing to train its police officers resulting in a violation of the victims constitutional rightsThe lawsuit was settled in 2021 for 175 million with Patels attorney reportedly saying that the case was formally dismissedAccording to BBC Parker had told jurors that Patels actions and appearance were in sequence with those of a burglarAs of nowWhile Patel has returned to India and has to take the support of a walker to move Kandulas family in Andhra Pradesh continues to seek justice for the daughter who left foreverIn a statement sent to KIRO 7 news channel on February 21 the family said that they will take legal recourse to secure justice for Kandula as the city of Seattle has failed to do soWe are shocked and disappointed that the King County Prosecutors office has failed to criminally charge the Seattle police officer whose reckless behavior killed Jaahnavi Kandula the statement readWe are pursuing our legal rights to obtain justice for Jaahnavi even though the city of Seattle has failed to do soThe Indian Consulate said that they are awaiting the completion of Seattle Polices administrative investigation and will continue to monitor progress in the caseThey have also raised the matter with the local authorities including Seattle Police for appropriate redressThe recent Indian deaths in USMore than five Indians mostly students have died in quick succession in the US seen as a land of opportunity by the community since the start of this yearVivek Saini a 25yearold student from Haryana was hit 50 times on the head with a hammer by a homeless drug addict in GeorgiaThe death of a 23yearold Purdue University student Sameer Kamath in Indiana at the beginning of this month was ruled as suicide according to the Warren County Coroners officeNeel Acharya 19 also a Purdue University student was found dead outside a building on the campus after he went missing late in January The Tippecanoe County Coroners Office said no signs of trauma or significant injuries were found during the autopsyG Dinesh 22 from Wanaparthy in Telangana and Nikesh 21 from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh were found dead in January this year under suspicious conditions at their Connecticut accommodationMeenakshi Iyer can be reached at meenakshiiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/kandulas-death-case-a-grim-reminder-of-a-us-cops-brutal-assault-on-sureshbhai-patel-523357.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 18:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/kandula-death-case-a-grim-reminder-of-us-cops-brutal-assault-on-sureshbhai-patel-523365.html New Delhi Feb 24 The recent development in the Indian student Jaahnavi Kandulas death case in the US echoes a 2015 incident in the state of Alabama where a police officer was acquitted for brutally assaulting an Indian man which left him partially paralysed Kandula a student of Northeastern University in South Lake Union died in January 2023 after she was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle driven by police officer Kevin Dave at a pedestrian crossingMore than a year after the 23yearolds killing the Kings County Prosecutors Office said this week that they will not be pressing charges against Dave due to the lack of sufficient evidenceWhile her case is now being referred to the Seattle City Attorneys office for review as the family pursues legal rights to obtain justice police officer Eric Parker was cleared of criminal charges a year after he was accused of using excessive force against Gujarat resident Sureshbhai Patel in 2015What happened in 2015Patel who had come to the US on the birth of his grandson was taking a stroll around his sons home in Madison Alabama in February 2015 when a neighbour called police to report a skinny black man walking along the streetWhen police stopped Patel then 57 years old on the sidewalk to ask what he was doing he repeatedly told officers that he didnt speak English and pointed at his sons houseCameras inside patrol vehicles recorded officer Eric Parker using a leg sweep to take Patel to the ground which left him in need of spinal surgery and sparked outrage among the Indian community in the USFollowing his vertebrae surgery at Madison Hospital Patel was treated at the Healthsouth Rehabilitation Center in Huntsville where he had to relearn how to walkIn the five years since Patel was slammed to the pavement the juries couldnt reach a unanimous verdict in two trials that were held in federal court in Huntsville on the matterFollowing the two mistrials US District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala in January 2016 granted a motion to acquit ending the federal civil trial for Parker who was then taken off administrative leave and returned to work with the Madison Police Department in September 2016In 2020 a federal appeals court ruled that there was enough evidence for Patel to proceed with his lawsuit against Parker igniting hopes for the Indian familyThe lawsuit filed in February 2015 by Patels family said that the City of Madison violated federal law by allegedly failing to train its police officers resulting in a violation of the victims constitutional rightsThe lawsuit was settled in 2021 for 175 million with Patels attorney reportedly saying that the case was formally dismissedAccording to BBC Parker had told jurors that Patels actions and appearance were in sequence with those of a burglarAs of nowWhile Patel has returned to India and has to take the support of a walker to move Kandulas family in Andhra Pradesh continues to seek justice for the daughter who left foreverIn a statement sent to KIRO 7 news channel on February 21 the family said that they will take legal recourse to secure justice for Kandula as the city of Seattle has failed to do soWe are shocked and disappointed that the King County Prosecutors office has failed to criminally charge the Seattle police officer whose reckless behavior killed Jaahnavi Kandula the statement readWe are pursuing our legal rights to obtain justice for Jaahnavi even though the city of Seattle has failed to do soThe Indian Consulate said that they are awaiting the completion of Seattle Polices administrative investigation and will continue to monitor progress in the caseThey have also raised the matter with the local authorities including Seattle Police for appropriate redressThe recent Indian deaths in USMore than five Indians mostly students have died in quick succession in the US seen as a land of opportunity by the community since the start of this yearVivek Saini a 25yearold student from Haryana was hit 50 times on the head with a hammer by a homeless drug addict in GeorgiaThe death of a 23yearold Purdue University student Sameer Kamath in Indiana at the beginning of this month was ruled as suicide according to the Warren County Coroners officeNeel Acharya 19 also a Purdue University student was found dead outside a building on the campus after he went missing late in January The Tippecanoe County Coroners Office said no signs of trauma or significant injuries were found during the autopsyG Dinesh 22 from Wanaparthy in Telangana and Nikesh 21 from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh were found dead in January this year under suspicious conditions at their Connecticut accommodationMeenakshi Iyer can be reached at meenakshiiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/kandula-death-case-a-grim-reminder-of-us-cops-brutal-assault-on-sureshbhai-patel-523365.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 18:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaahnavi-kandula-death-us-hindu-group-asks-where-is-the-justice-523190.html New York Feb 24 A top Hindu advocacy group in the US has said that it is shocking and disheartening to see that the investigation into the killing of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula is dismissed with no charges against those who struck her Kandula a student of the Northeastern University in South Lake Union died after she was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle driven by officer Kevin Dave at a pedestrian crossing on the night of January 23 last yearAuthorities in the US ruled on Wednesday that Dave will not face any criminal charges due to the lack of sufficient evidenceHindu advocacy group Coalition of Hindus of North America CoHNA said on Friday local time that it is doubly shocking that such serious violations of civil rights of Hindus of different backgrounds and ages do not even merit any restorative justiceIt is shocking and disheartening to see the investigation into the killing of JaahnaviKandula be dismissed with no charges against those who struck her Where is justice for the family of this young international student run over in a Seattle sidewalk by a police car CoHNA said in a post on XThe group said that they are reminded of the infamous 2015 case of Sureshbhai Patel who faced police brutality that left him paralysedPatel then 57 was out for a walk in a neighborhood in Alabama when a 27yearold police officer Eric Parker searched him for weaponsHe then took the Indian national to the ground which resulted in serious spinal cord injury and paralysisCoHNA said that charges against Parker were similarly dismissed due to lack of sufficient evidenceThe King County Prosecutors Office said in a statement on Wednesday that they will not be moving ahead with the trial against Seattle Police Officer Dave and no criminal charges will be pressed against himKandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle and died on the spot IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaahnavi-kandula-death-us-hindu-group-asks-where-is-the-justice-523190.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-consulate-strongly-raises-jaahnavi-kandulas-case-with-us-authorities-523237.html Seattle Feb 24 The Indian consulate in Seattle said that it has strongly raised the issue of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandulas killing in the US with the city police and the case is now being referred to Seattle City Attorneys office for review The move comes after the Kings County Prosecutors Office said on Wednesday that they will not be pressing charges against Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave who ran over and killed Kandula last year due to lack of sufficient evidenceIn a statement posted on X on Friday the Indian Consulate said that they are awaiting the completion of Seattle Polices administrative investigation and will continue to monitor progress in the caseWe have also raised the matter strongly with local authorities including Seattle Police for appropriate redress The case has now been referred to Seattle City Attorneys office for review the Consulate saidIn addition the Consulate said that it is in regular touch with the designated family representatives and will continue to extend all possible support in ensuring justice for Jaahnavi and her familyKandula a student of the Northeastern University in South Lake Union died after she was hit by a Seattle Police vehicle driven by officer Kevin Dave at a pedestrian crossing on the night of January 23 last yearDave who was responding to a high priority call that day at 8 pm had reportedly chirped his siren but did not have it running consistently as he plowed into KandulaAfter staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership I have determined that we lack sufficient evidence under Washington State law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt the King County Prosecuting Attorney said in its statement on WednesdayAttorney Leesa Manion however noted Kandulas death is heartbreaking and impacted communities in King County and across the worldMeanwhile the Coalition of Hindus of North America CoHNA a USbased Hindu advocacy group said on Friday that it is shocking and disheartening to see that the investigation into the killing of Kandula is dismissed with no charges against those who struck herIt is shocking and disheartening to see the investigation into the killing of JaahnaviKandula be dismissed with no charges against those who struck her Where is justice for the family of this young international student run over in a Seattle sidewalk by a police car CoHNA said in a post on XKandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle and died on the spotI fked up Dave was heard saying after the accident at the intersection where he accelerated up to 74 miles per hour at one point much higher than the prescribed limits of 25 and 20 mph respectivelyAccording to the footage moments after reaching the top speed he slowed down the car before striking Kandula at the intersectionThe bodycam video also showed Dave performing CPR on Kandula after the collisionKandula came to the US in 2021 and was pursuing a Master of Science in Information Systems at the College of Engineering Northeastern University She was set to graduate in December 2023She was the daughter of a single mother who earned less than 200 a month and had taken an education loan to send Kandula to study abroad IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-consulate-strongly-raises-jaahnavi-kandulas-case-with-us-authorities-523237.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 12:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-former-prison-officer-jailed-for-bribery-bid-in-singapore-522933.html Singapore Feb 23 A 57yearold Indianorigin former prison officer in Singapore was sentenced to more than three years in jail on Friday for attempting to seek bribes totalling SG133000 in exchange for transferring an inmate out of his jail cluster Kobi Krishna Ayavoo a retired senior chief warder was convicted of eight charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act The Straits Times newspaper reportedIn addition he was found guilty of instigating his colleagues to access the prison system to view the inmates information in July 2017 following which he was suspendedThe prosecution told the court that Kobi sought bribes from an inmate named Chong Keng Chye on eight separate occasions between September 2015 and March 2016 to pay his car loan instalments house renovations a birthday celebration and credit card billsChong who was sentenced to 20 years of preventive detention in 2005 for beating his girlfriends sevenyearold son until the child died wanted a transfer out of a cluster in Changi PrisonKobi tried to obtain between SG3000 and SG42000 but did not receive any money from him as Chong knew Kobi did not have the capability or the authority to help him the court was toldClaiming that Chong lied Kobi denied asking for money from him on any of the eight occasions and said that he spoke to him only during yard time when there were always inmates within hearing distance IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-former-prison-officer-jailed-for-bribery-bid-in-singapore-522933.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/muraleedharan-bats-for-global-south-urges-g20-to-maintain-focus-on-development-related-issues-522960.html Rio de Janeiro Feb 23 Recalling the consensus achieved in the G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration NDLD Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan has urged the grouping to maintain its focus on developmentrelated issues Participating in the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Rio de Janeiro from February 2122 he also called upon the grouping to accelerate progress on all the agreed NDLD decisions and outcomesHe also emphasised the importance of an inclusive and actionoriented response to contemporary global challenges which have a disproportionate impact on the Global South the Ministry of External Affairs said on FridayAt a session on Global Governance Reform on Thursday the minister noted that the global order has undergone dramatic shifts since the creation of the present multilateral governance architecture in the 20th centuryHe highlighted the critical need for a paradigm shift in the structures and working methods of key global institutions to make them more responsive to contemporary challengesRecalling that the G20 leaders had in the NDLD agreed to deliver better bigger more effective and more representative Multilateral Development Banks MDBs he called for enhanced financial flows to enable accelerated progress SDGs and climate actionHe stressed the importance of an open transparent and outcomeoriented process of UN reforms including the UN Security Council in a defined timeframe and reiterated Indias support to policies that enable trade and investment to serve as an engine of growth and prosperity for allThis came as back home External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar pitched for UNSC reforms at the 9th Raisina Dialogue and spoke of the UNs failure to address global challengesIf you look at the last five years all the big issues in a way we have not been able to find a multilateral solution he said at Indias flagship conference on geopolitics on ThursdayAt another session on G20s role in dealing with ongoing international tensions on Wednesday the minister expressed Indias steadfast support to Brazils G20 Presidency while noting that four developing countries Indonesia India Brazil and South Africa IBSA are holding the groupings presidency in a rowAccording to his X handle he also shared his views on the current significance of IBSA potential areas for future collaboration and the exemplary role of the IBSA Fund while participating in the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting on ThursdayForeign ministers and heads of delegation of G20 members and international organisations participated in the Foreign Ministers Meeting that was chaired by Mauro Vieira Minister of Foreign Affairs of BrazilMuraleedharan also met the Indian community in Rio and had a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Uruguay Omar Paganini IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/muraleedharan-bats-for-global-south-urges-g20-to-maintain-focus-on-development-related-issues-522960.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 14:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaishankar-praises-indian-community-in-canadas-saskatchewan-province-522252.html New Delhi Jan 20 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday lauded the Indian community in Canadas Saskatchewan province as he welcomed the regions Premier for the 9th Raisina Dialogue hereTaking to X Jaishankar wrote it was great to meet Premier Scott Moe and praised the Indians for serving as a bridge between the two nations Appreciate PremierScottMoes strong support for our partnership and looking forward to deepening our cooperation Jaishankar said as he also shared a picture of the two leaders shaking hands An important supplier of potash lentils and uranium Saskatchewans Indianorigin community has truly been a bridge between us he added Saskatchewan is home to 15660 Indians according to the 2021 census and from 2016 to 2021 immigrants from India made up 184 per cent of total immigrants moving into the province The provinces exports to India stand at more than 1 billion and roughly make up a third of Canadas total exports to the country In addition the province also has a trade and investment office in New Delhi Following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus allegations relating to the death of a Canadian national by Indian agents in September last year Moe had told CBC news channel that such issues between Ottawa and New Delhi should be kept separate from the trade relationship with the country Moe had also led a highlevel delegation to India in March last year and met Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh During the meeting a discussion was held on cooperation and joint ventures in areas like electric vehicles quantum technologies green hydrogen fuel and deep ocean mining among others Moe said that CanadaIndia relations have made great strides in recent years and have become truly multidimensional spurred by a significant convergence of interests mutual goodwill and exchange After the meeting Singh had said that the 23 millionstrong Indian diaspora was reinforcing IndoCanadian relations and contributing to the development of both nations Meanwhile leaders from across the world have begun arriving in the capital for the Raisina Dialogue Indias premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday announced the touch down of Foreign Ministers Lyonpo DN Dhungyel from Bhutan Gabrielius Landsbergis from Lithuania and Margus Tsahkna from Estonia The countrys flagship conference on geopolitics will witness the participation of representatives from over 100 countries and over 2500 participants from about 115 countries will be joining the inperson dialogue According to a Ministry of External Affairs release the theme of the 2024 edition is Chaturanga Conflict Contest Cooperate Create IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaishankar-praises-indian-community-in-canadas-saskatchewan-province-522252.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 20:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/top-us-consular-official-visits-missions-in-mumbai-chennai-delhi-521910.html New York Feb 20 US Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter arrived in India to engage with embassy and consulate colleagues in Chennai Mumbai and New DelhiDuring her weeklong visit which will conclude on February 27 she will also be visiting Doha to observe the work of US consular teams a US State Department statement saidIn India home to the second largest US consular operation in the world she will visit facilities in Chennai and Mumbai and lead a delegation in a bilateral consular dialogue with counterparts in New DelhiOur consular operations in India and Qatar bolster the critical peopletopeople and economic ties the US shares with these vital partners the statement said The Assistant Secretarys trip highlights our sustained commitment to the protection of US citizens overseas and the facilitation of legitimate travel and immigration to the USHer visit follows a year of recordbreaking visa issuances in the country with Indians now representing one out of every 10 US visa applicants around the worldThe US Embassy and Consulates in India processed 14 million visas during 2023 and appointment wait time dropped by 75 per cent according to the US EmbassyBitters visit comes just as Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R Verma arrived in India on February 18 to advance the USIndia global strategic partnership on a full range of issues including economic development security and technologyVerma who served as the 25th US Ambassador to India from 2014 to 2017 met Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on MondayVermas India visit is part of a threenation tour from February 1823 which will also cover Maldives and Sri Lanka in an attempt to strengthen the countrys cooperation with each of these key IndoPacific partners IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/top-us-consular-official-visits-missions-in-mumbai-chennai-delhi-521910.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-english-test-scandal-foreign-students-launch-legal-action-against-home-office-521913.html London Feb 20 A group of international students who were falsely accused of cheating in English language tests in the UK have launched legal proceedings against the Home OfficeThe students many of them from countries like India and Pakistan are now seeking compensation for unlawful detention false imprisonment loss of earnings and damage to their mental health ITV News reportedBindmans a law firm representing 23 students who have already won immigration appeals and had their visas returned is now working to obtain a blanket compensation scheme for themBetween October 2020 and March 2022 the firm issued 23 claims with only one case being settled so farThe move comes 10 years after the Home Office abruptly terminated the visas of 35000 international students making their stay in the country illegal overnightA 2014 BBC documentary reported organised cheating at two of the UKs language testing centres for international students run by third parties on behalf of USbased test provider Educational Testing Service ETSAfter the BBC report then Home Secretary Theresa May asked ETS to investigate which found that 97 per cent of its English tests taken in the UK between 2011 and 2014 were in some way suspiciousA 2019 report by the Public Accounts Committee said the Home Office rushed to penalise overseas students and did not bother to find out whether ETS was involved in fraud or if it had reliable evidenceGiven scale of fraud it is impossible to say that nobody was wrongly affected and we acknowledge a number of appeals have succeeded However we continue to believe there was a largescale problem with cheating a Home Office spokesperson told ITV NewsThe students had also approached and presented a petition to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in March last year seeking his help to clear their namesIn their petition to the Prime Minister the students called for a simple free mechanism to apply for a decision or reconsideration of their case IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-english-test-scandal-foreign-students-launch-legal-action-against-home-office-521913.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 06:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-university-slammed-for-confusing-sikhs-with-muslims-in-social-media-post-521923.html London Feb 20 Members of the Sikh community in the UK have slammed the University of Birmingham for confusing them with Muslims in a social media post saying that these mistakes should not happen in 2024The University deleted and apologised for the post incorrectly claiming that a recent langar community meal event hosted by its Sikh students was part of an Islamic awareness week The Birmingham Mail newspaper reported on MondayStudents within the universitys Sikh Society hosted the event earlier this month serving free vegetarian meals on the campusBut they were left disappointed when a staff member tagged their event in a post with the text Discover Islam Week which is an annual awareness campaign run by the universitys Islamic SocietyIt is disappointing There is clearly an issue with the training and education given to the staff Jasveer Singh a member of Sikh Press Association told the newspaperSingh said that aspects of Sikhism are taught at the University which has lecturers from the community and regularly hosts Sikh eventsSocial media users described the mistake as embarrassing that left them utterly gobsmackedThe university sincerely apologises for any offence or upset this has been caused We recognise this post was incorrect It was identified shortly after being posted and immediately deleted a University of Birmingham spokesperson saidThe university respects and celebrates the diversity of our community and continually works to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment We have made contact with relevant individuals and groups to apologise directly and listen to their viewsSingh said that the University owes a wider apology to two groups for the mistake IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-university-slammed-for-confusing-sikhs-with-muslims-in-social-media-post-521923.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-launches-construction-of-houses-for-plantation-workers-in-sri-lanka-521758.html Colombo Feb 19 India has launched the construction of houses for the Indian origin plantation workers across six different provinces in Sri LankaThe construction will be carried out under the Indian Housing Project IHP and around 1300 houses will be built for 10 000 for Indian origin plantation workersSri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday virtually launched the project along with Indian High Commissioner Santosh JhaIn May 2017 during his visit to the plantation regions of Sri Lanka Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced Phase IV of IHPAlong President Wickremesinghe on November 2 2023 the foundation stone for the project was laid by Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit to Indias southern neighbourGovernment of Indias total commitment under the flagship IHP currently stands at 60000 houses In the first two phases 46000 houses were covered in Northern and Eastern Provinces Indian High Commission in Colombo saidIt said that under PhaseIII at least 4000 houses being built for plantation workers are at the verge of completionIndian origin Tamil community and plantation regions have been of specific focus under the government of Indias development cooperation partnership with Sri LankaThe overall portfolio of grant projects alone stands at more than SLR 30 billion or nearly Indian rupees 8 billionIn addition to the remaining 14000 houses India launched another landmark project which is the construction of a multispecialty hospital in Dickoya in the Central upcountryMarking the 200 years of arrival of the Indian origin Tamil community to Sri Lanka in July 2023 a multisectoral package of SLR 3 billion was also announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-launches-construction-of-houses-for-plantation-workers-in-sri-lanka-521758.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/nottingham-murders-cops-slammed-for-sharing-details-about-british-indian-others-on-whatsapp-521521.html London Feb 19 Families have slammed the British Police after it emerged during a misconduct hearing that they shared details about the victims of the 2023 Nottingham murders which included an Indianorigin teen on a WhatsApp groupBritishIndian Grace OMalleyKumar fellow student Barnaby Webber both aged 19 and 65yearold school caretaker Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane near the University of Nottingham on June 13 2023A message by an unnamed police officer shared details about the injuries suffered by the three victims on the encrypted platform The Sun reported on MondayFollowing this police constable Matthew Gell passed on the distasteful message to his wife and a friend the misconduct tribunal heard recentlyWhat an abhorrent way to conduct an investigation Webbers mother was quoted as saying in the Londonbased dailyTo learn there has been internal needless voyeurism on our loved ones is unforgivableCalling it shocking the tribunal reportedly gave a final written warning to the copsLast week the family of OMalleyKumar was shocked to learn that their daughters body was tested for drugs and alcohol but killer Calocane identified as a paranoid schizophrenic was not subjected to similar testsIn January an independent review was ordered into prosecutors decision to accept the manslaughter pleas of a 32yearold Calocane based on diminished responsibility which meant that he will not be tried for murder Calocane has been detained in Ashworth secure hospital since JanuaryCalling for a public inquiry into the case the families have also met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who promised them that we will get the answers IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/nottingham-murders-cops-slammed-for-sharing-details-about-british-indian-others-on-whatsapp-521521.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-jailed-for-life-over-murder-committed-30-years-ago-520973.html London Feb 17 A 51yearold Indianorigin man who murdered a mother of two children 30 years ago has been sentenced to life after new DNA techniques used on a single hair left at the scene proved he was the killerSandip Patel who stabbed 39yearold Marina Koppel more than 140 times in a flat in Westminster on August 8 1994 was convicted of murder and sentenced at the Old Bailey court the BBC reported on FridayPatel who was a 21yearold student at the time of the murder became a suspect in 2022 after investigators found a hair strand stuck in a ring worn by KoppelWhile sentencing Patel Justice Cavanagh said aggravating factors included the use of and attempted disposal of a knife the gratuitous and sustained violence the vulnerability of Koppel and a lack of remorse the news outlet reportedThe terror and pain that you inflicted on Koppel is difficult to imagine You deprived her of many more years of life No sentence that I pass can compensate the family of Mrs Koppel for their loss he addedThe jury deliberated for more than three hours before finding Patel guiltyAccording to the Metropolitan Police Koppels husband found her body unresponsive and covered in blood when he reached her Westminster flat and alerted the policeFollowing a crime scene analysis police found the ring and a plastic shopping bag that had Patels fingerprints on itHowever Patel worked in the shop where the bag had come from so the presence of his fingerprints was not considered significant evidence and for many years the case went unsolved the Metropolitan Police said in a statement released on ThursdayThe needle of suspicion pointed at Patel only in 2022 when sensitive techniques available allowed for a DNA profile to be obtained from the hair on the ringUnsolved historic murders can be among some of the most complex and challenging cases for police to solve However todays result provides an example where forensic science newer technologies and collaborative working practices have had a positive impact in bringing a brutal killer to justice Operational Forensic Manager Dan Chester Metropolitan Police saidPatel was arrested on January 19 2023 on suspicion of Koppels murder after which fingerprint experts also matched his footprints to some bloodstained bare footprints that were found at the crime sceneA bank card belonging to Koppel stolen from her flat was used by Patel at a cash point just half a mile from his home shortly after the murderMarinas family members were left distraught after her death and sadly her husband died in 2005 before he saw her killer brought to justice the police saidShe Koppel was a loving mother and worked hard to send money home to her family in Columbia including her two children who were being cared for by her family there the police statement readIn a victim impact statement read out in court Koppels son said that it is not easy for him to relive the saddest moment of his life I am convinced that my mum had a lot of life to live still it was not her time and this is very painful it tears my very soul IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-jailed-for-life-over-murder-committed-30-years-ago-520973.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 11:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foreign-students-falsely-accused-in-uk-test-scandal-to-pitch-tv-drama-on-lines-of-mr-bates-520741.html London Feb 16 Indians and several other international students unjustly accused of cheating in English language tests in the UK are creating a television drama pitch on the lines of Mr Bates vs the Post Office to highlight their struggles and seek justice in a decadelong unresolved issueThe recently released ITV drama series showed how hundreds of Post Office employees fought back to clear their names after they were falsely prosecuted for theft and fraud because of faulty accounting software forcing politicians to sit up and take noticeThe Home Office abruptly terminated the visas of 35000 international students making their stay in the country illegal overnight after a 2014 BBC documentary reported allegations of cheating at two of the UKs language testing centres for overseas studentsWhile some 7200 students left the country after detention threats many stayed protesting flawed evidence as they struggled with homelessness huge legal fees and stressinduced illnessesAccording to The Guardian students from India Pakistan and several other countries met recently to begin chronicling their prolonged struggle in a final attempt to bring politicians and the publics attention to the issue which largely went unnoticed in the mainstreamIf it takes a drama to make people understand then well make a drama Weve been inspired by how people have responded to the Post Office drama and there are so many parallels Nazek Ramadan Director of Migrant Voice told the DailyThe charity has been fighting for these students since 2017 and is now helping them to write their stories and has sought the advice of a film director who previously showed interest in the charitys workThis is a huge injustice that most people still dont know about Thousands of students young men and women who came here in good faith had their lives ruined We want people to empathise and support them What they went through must be documented she told The GuardianAbdul Qadir Mohammad 36 who left India in 2010 to study business in London spent more than 20000 pounds trying to clear his name in the scandal pushing him and his family into debtHe said he gets panic attacks and feels ashamed to face my family back home who ask him Abdul you have lived in the UK for 14 years What have you achievedAccording to the news report 33yearold Navjot Kaur who came to Britain from Amritsar to study tourism management when she was 19 is looking forward to converting her experiences into dramaI had no need to cheat in the English test This has ruined my life and my career she saidMeanwhile fresh evidence has been presented in the court this month that questions the Home Offices move against the foreign studentsThe students had also approached and presented a petition to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in March last year seeking his help to clear their namesIn their petition to the Prime Minister the students called for a simple free mechanism to apply for a decision or reconsideration of their case IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foreign-students-falsely-accused-in-uk-test-scandal-to-pitch-tv-drama-on-lines-of-mr-bates-520741.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tulsi-gabbard-open-to-talks-on-running-as-trumps-mate-discusses-foreign-policy-520556.html Washington Feb 16 HinduAmerican Tulsi Gabbard a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate has spoken to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and his advisors about the countrys foreign policy keeping her options as the former Presidents 2024 running mate open media reports suggestedThe first Hindu in the US Congress left the Democratic Party in 2022 calling it an elitist cabal of warmongers and accusing its leadership of cowardly wokenessNow with the country likely set for a TrumpJoe Biden rematch in 2024 the talks with Gabbard focused on how the Defence Department should be run in case of a second Trump term The Washington Post reported Also with Trump telling his advisors and donors time and again that his personnel choices at the Pentagon cost him there were broader conversations on how Trump 20 would manage things differentlyA military veteran who served in the Iraq war between 2004 and 2005 for the Hawaii Army National Guard before entering Congress Gabbard has long been critical of US intervention overseas and has also blamed Russias invasion of Ukraine on Bidens failed foreign policyShe appeals to Republicans who are skeptical of intervention overseas which is now a majority of Republican voters GOP strategist Andrew Surabian told NewsweekWhile appearing on Fox News Fox amp Friends recently the former Hawaii representative said she would be open to a conversation with Trump on running as his 2024 running mateId be open to that conversation My mission in life is to serve our country and serve the American people and find the best way to be able to do that Gabbard saidGabbard recently inked a deal with Elon Musk to host a show on X to defend free speech saying she will be sharing stories of those whose voices have been silencedTrump bulldozing his way to grab the crucial GOP nomination for the 2024 presidential race is yet to announce his vicepresidential pickWhile media speculation throws up several candidates Trump has said very little about whom he or she he has shortlisted or even what qualities hes looking for in a potential candidate media reports said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tulsi-gabbard-open-to-talks-on-running-as-trumps-mate-discusses-foreign-policy-520556.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-dies-in-flooding-as-severe-weather-batters-australias-queensland-520568.html Melbourne Feb 16 An Indian national has died in a flooding incident in Queensland as wild weather battered the region with severe rain and thunderstorms the Indian High Commission in Canberra said on FridayExpressing condolences the Indian mission said that it is in touch with the family and providing all possible assistanceHeartbreaking tragedy in Australia an Indian national lost her life in a flooding incident near Mount Isa Queensland Deepest condolence to the family of the deceased Mission team is in touch for all necessary assistance the Indian High Commission posted on XWhile further details are awaited the victims name was not revealed by the missionThe local media reported that a 28yearold woman was found dead inside a partially submerged car in floodwaters in Queensland on FridayAustralias Bureau of Meteorology in the country has issued a severe thunderstorm alert for parts of southeast Queensland which includes heavy rainfall warnings across Logan Redland City and parts of BrisbaneAccording to the most recent update by the bureau a severe thunderstorm was likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flashflooding in some parts of the state IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-dies-in-flooding-as-severe-weather-batters-australias-queensland-520568.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/i-heard-my-mothers-last-screams-canadian-sikh-shooting-survivor-slams-cops-for-inaction-520283.html Toronto Feb 15 With 13 bullets pumped inside her body the lone survivor of a shooting spree in Canada last year who watched her Sikh parents die in front of her wants swift justice and says police didnt do their duty wellJagtar Singh Sidhu and Harbhajan Kaur both in their 50s were shot more than 20 times just before midnight on November 20 at their rental property along the CaledonBrampton border in Ontario provinceWhile Sidhu died on the spot Harbhajan succumbed to injuries in the hospital where she was rushed along with their daughter Jaspreet Kaur SidhuSpeaking to CBC News from her hospital bed Jaspreet said a man broke into her familys Caledon rental home and started shootingMy father was shot in front of me I heard my mothers last screams and after that there was complete silence Only the noises of gunshots were there I didnt even get to meet them for the last time a choked Jaspreet told the news channelI wasnt able to do anything I called 911 as soon as I got my consciousness back Whole family shot this is what I was saying repeatedly she saidJaspreet and her brother Gurdit Singh had come to Canada as students a few years ago and sponsored the arrival of their parents who came to the country in July and were supposed to return to India in January this yearThe heartbroken children are seeking answers to several questions which include a visit by an officer from Peel Regional Polices Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau to meet his parents just four days before their murderJaspreet said that almost two months into the tragic incident the police still say Its under investigation and have no concrete evidenceLaunching a homicide investigation soon after the incident the Ontario Provincial Police said in a release that they believed multiple suspects were involved in the deaths that occurred in a possible case of mistaken identityWhatever happened the police didnt do their duty well Nobody contacted us nobody gave any answers she saidPeel Police came before this happened at our house My parents were home and they didnt know English So they contacted my brothers friend to talk to the policeA spokesperson for Peel police had confirmed that the homicide bureau did connect with the family on November 16 about an undisclosed investigationWe have been sending multiple emails out more than 2000 emails have been sent to different authorities Nobody replied Its just its hardJaspreet said that the cops were there on the driveway for a long time after making inquiries and checking passportsIf they had warned us we could have left right away Jaspreet said adding that she is scared for her brother Gurdits life who was not at home when the incident happenedThankfully he wasnt home We dont know if were safe to go out Every time my brother goes out I am scared Every night I call him multiple times If any stranger comes to my room I always get scared Jaspreet who is on a long road to recovery from her physical and mental injuries told CBCIt took more than 1819 hours for my surgery and the doctors didnt think I would survive I still have to learn sitting standing walking Some days are okay some days are filled with pain lots of pain and panic attacks she saidAppearing frail but with an iron resolve Jaspreet said she wont stop until justice is deliveredIf this happened with us today tomorrow it can happen with anyone else IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/i-heard-my-mothers-last-screams-canadian-sikh-shooting-survivor-slams-cops-for-inaction-520283.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/haryana-man-sentenced-for-stealing-150k-from-elderly-woman-in-us-520285.html New York Feb 15 An Indian national hailing from Haryana has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for his role in stealing 150000 from an elderly woman in the US state of MontanaSukhdev Vaid 24 admitted targeting elderly Americans via an international computerhacking scheme that resulted in more than 12 million in total losses US Attorney Jesse Laslovich said on WednesdayThe court ordered that upon his release from custody Vaid will be remanded to the Bureau of Customs and Immigration Enforcement for deportation and asked him to pay 1236470 restitutionIt has become all too common for people outside of our country to victimise Montanans especially as it relates to wire fraud and get away with it But not this time Vaid is going to federal prison Attorney Laslovich saidPhantom Hacker scams layer imposter tech support financial and government personas to gain access to someones computer and personal information Sadly these scams are increasingly targeting our seniors said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBISinha said what added to the depravity of the case was that the scammer traveled overseas to collect the victims money in personThe government alleged in court documents that a large enterprise originating from India was involved in stealing 1236470 from elderly AmericansThe Montana case arose in February 2023 when Glacier Bank notified the FBI that Jane Doe a 73yearold woman in Kalispell had been defraudedThe fraudsters tricked Jane Doe into giving them money through a popup notice that appeared on Jane Does computer screenThe notice explained that Jane Doe had been hacked and for her to call a number for customer supportJane Doe complied and fraudsters directed her to remove cash from her bank accounts for safekeeping at the Fed She gave 150000 in cash to the fraudstersAfter learning of the scam the FBI set up a ruse in which Jane Doe told the fraudsters she still had 50000 in cashThe FBI arrested Vaid along with his codefendant Eddly Joseph of Gainesville Florida when they traveled to Montana to collect the moneyThe investigation determined that the fraudsters remotely accessed Jane Does computer using UltraViewer which they installed on her computerJoseph was sentenced previously to two years and nine months in prison for his conviction in the caseTo protect yourself never click on unsolicited popups links sent by text message or email dont download software at the request of someone you dont know and always remember that the government and law enforcement will never call and ask you for money FBIs Sinha said in a statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/haryana-man-sentenced-for-stealing-150k-from-elderly-woman-in-us-520285.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/elderly-indian-american-motel-owner-shot-dead-after-altercation-over-room-rental-520289.html New York Feb 15 A 76yearold Indianorigin motel owner has been shot dead in the US state of Alabama following a confrontation over room rentalPravin Raojibhai Patel the owner of the Hillcrest Motel in Sheffield was gunned down last week after which police arrested 34yearold William Jeremy Moore Alabamabased news outlet alcom reportedMoore was arrested shortly after the incident as he was trying to break into an abandoned house on 13th Avenue Sheffield Police Chief Ricky Terry saidAccording to investigators Moore wanted to rent a room at the motel when an altercation with Patel took place on February 8 following which the former pulled a handgun and shot the elderly manWhen searching Moore the murder weapon was found in his possession Terry saidThe police chief added that Moore is currently being held in the Sheffield City Jail until a warrant is issued after which he will be transported to the Colbert County JailJemeriz Owens who works as a barber across the street from Patels motel told WAAY 31 news channel that he heard three gunshots go off backtobackHe Patel was outside He was just trying to get somebody to leave and they didnt want to leave and they shot him Owens saidPatels body was transported to the Alabama Forensics Lab for an autopsy and a funeral service was held for him at Morrison Funeral Home in Tuscumbia on February 12 according to his obituaryCalling the incident a senseless act of violence the Asian American Hotel Owners Association AAHOA said on Thursday that the countrys hotel owners are deeply saddened shocked and outragedSenseless acts of violence have no place in our communities and our hearts are breaking for Pravins family including his wife children and grandchildren said AAHOA Chairman Bharat PatelNo family should have to endure what Pravins family is going through and we send our condolences to everyone who knew and loved himHoping that authorities will help the Patel family find justice AAHOA Alabama Regional Director Sanjay M Patel said the motel owner spent more than four decades in the town of Sheffield owning and operating the same businessHe was a very familyoriented person jolly and a keen businessman Everyone in town knew him as a familiar face in the community after being there for 40plus years and the family was wellknown in the community for being genuine and caring Sanjay Patel saidBeginning this year a series of unfortunate incidents involving the Indian community in the US have been reportedOn Monday an IndianAmerican couple hailing from Kerala and their fouryearold twins were found dead inside their 21 million mansion in San Mateo CaliforniaAnand Sujith Henry 42 and his wife Alice Priyanka 40 were found inside a bathroom with gunshot wounds while their two sons were found in the bedroom with no signs of trauma on their bodies according to the policeLocal media reports said Anand was a former software engineering manager at Meta and Google and wife Alice was a senior analyst IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/elderly-indian-american-motel-owner-shot-dead-after-altercation-over-room-rental-520289.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/man-who-ran-child-abuse-sites-along-with-british-indian-jailed-in-uk-520294.html London Feb 15 A mechanic who created and moderated sites dedicated to child sexual abuse on the dark web with an Indianorigin doctor and several others working for him has been jailed for 16 years in the UKNathan Bake 28 from Cheshire was one of three UKbased moderators of a site called The Annex and worked with around 30 staff members to enforce the sites rules and ensure it continued to run smoothlyHe was sentenced on Wednesday at Chester Crown Court to 16 years imprisonment placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention OrderAs the head moderator Bake was second in command of The Annex which is no longer active and had around 90000 global members who used it to share and discuss some of the most extreme kinds of abuse material involving hurtcore and the sexual abuse of babies and toddlersKabir Garg a 33yearold Indianorigin psychiatrist from London was one of the staff members and sat just below Bake in the sites hierarchy as one of the moderatorsHe was jailed for six years last year after pleading guilty to eight charges including facilitating the sexual exploitation of children three counts each of making and distributing indecent images of children and possession of prohibited imagesNew users of The Annex would first be held in the gateway where they would have to impress and gain the trust of the sites administrators by posting a certain amount of abuse material before being granted access to the wider siteBake Garg and other moderators would advise members on techniques to evade law enforcement detection and encourage them to keep the site busy by sharing links to child abuse contentBake was one of a select number of individuals who played a vital role in ensuring The Annex continued to run and was able to facilitate child sexual abuse on a global scale said Daniel Waywell Senior Investigating Officer from the National Crime Agency NCANCA officers arrested Bake at his home in Runcorn in November 2022 and seized several devices including laptops phones USBs and external hard drivesThey gathered evidence from his devices which proved Bake was cocreator of a second child abuse site and was also the head moderator of a directorystyle page which contained links to further abuse forums on the dark webHundreds of thousands of indecent images and videos of children were also recovered from his storage devices as was the 576page paedophile manualBake pleaded guilty to 12 counts in November 2023 including facilitating the sexual exploitation of children participating in an organised crime group possession of a paedophile manual and distributing and making indecent images of childrenLike Blake Garg was also given a Serious Harm Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for lifeHe was arrested from his flat in Lewisham in November 2022 at a time when the site was open on his laptopInvestigations showed that Garg was responsible for enforcing the rules of the site and removing members who did not complyOver 7000 images and videos of child abuse were also recovered along with messages that showed him applying for and being promoted to a site moderator rank with greater responsibility and accessAdam Priestley from the National Crime Agency said that as a doctor of psychiatry Garg knew full well the devastating impact and trauma that abuse causes children but this did not deter him IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/man-who-ran-child-abuse-sites-along-with-british-indian-jailed-in-uk-520294.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-couple-4-year-old-twins-found-dead-in-california-519998.html New York Feb 14 In a series of unfortunate incidents involving IndianAmericans a couple and their fouryearold twins were found dead inside their home in San Mateo CaliforniaPolice are investigating the deaths of Anand Sujith Henry 42 his wife Alice Priyanka 40 and their sons Noah and Neithan as a murdersuicideOfficers responded at about 915 am Monday to the home on the 4100 block of Alameda de las Pulgas to conduct a welfare check NBC Bay Area reportedAfter not receiving a response they went inside the house through an unlocked window and found two children dead inside a bedroom and there was no sign of trauma on their bodiesThe man and woman were found inside a bathroom with gunshot wounds and a 9millimeter pistol and a loaded magazine were also found there police saidWhile the cause of the death is still being investigated police believe the boys were smothered strangled or given a lethal overdose sources with direct knowledge of the investigation told NBCPolice said they have been called to the home a few times in the past but refrained from disclosing the nature of those callsThe San Meteo Police said in a statement that there was no note left at the scene and that the deaths appeared to be an isolated incident with no danger to the publicWhile the motive remains unclear police are waiting for autopsy results and forensic analysisWe are confident the person responsible was located within the home they saidNeighbors said the friendly couple had lived in the home for more than four years and seemed like a happy familyThe identities of the couple were revealed by their friends and police are yet to officially release the namesAnands LinkedIn profile identified him as a former Software Engineering Manager at Meta and GoogleAfter leaving his position at Meta in June last year he founded his own artificial intelligence company LogitsAccording to court records Anand filed for divorce in December 2016 but did not go through with it IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-couple-4-year-old-twins-found-dead-in-california-519998.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/malaysian-indian-sues-singapore-airlines-for-s178m-519861.html Singapore Feb 14 A MalaysianIndian former flight steward is suing Singapore Airlines SIA for S178 million after he slipped and fell onboard a plane in 2019 resulting in spinal injuriesDurairaj Santiran who was employed by SIA from April 2016 to April 2021 alleged that his former employer was negligent in allowing the workplace to be unsafe The Straits Times newspaper reported on TuesdayThe 35yearold was in the economyclass galley of a flight from San Francisco which was scheduled to land in Singapore on the evening of September 6 2019He said about two hours before landing he slipped on a patch of grease on the floor and fell on his back hitting his head on the floorSantiran who wore a neck brace when he attended court on February 13 claimed that as a result of his spinal injuries he is medically unfit to continue working as a flight stewardHe is seeking S129 million for loss of future earnings S30000 for loss of earning capacity and S150000 for future medical and transport expensesAccording to the lawsuit the international carrier failed to ensure that the floor of the aircraft was free of any substance that might cause Santiran to slip and failed to ensure that there was a system of cleaning to keep the floors safeHis lawyers Ramasamy Chettiar and Kasturibai Manickam said that the fact that SIA did not take any preventive measures showed that the work system was inadequate and the workplace was allowed to be unsafeSIA denied Santirans claims saying that SIA pays all valid and legitimate claims made by employees but responds firmly to invalid illegitimate and false claimsSIA lawyers highlighted that Santiran made two previous work injury claims in 2017 and 2018 which the airline did not contestIn these claims he was awarded compensation for back and neck injuries through the Work Injury Compensation Act WICA processHowever his present WICA claim has been objected to as his injuries appeared to be preexisting they arguedGoing further the lawyers contended that there was no grease patch on the floor of the economyclass galley near the ovens beside the galley island as alleged and that this was not the location where Santiran fellHe also claimed that after he fell his colleagues helped him into a crew seat But SIA said he was assisted into the businessclass section where he remained until the plane landedThe SIA lawyer told the court that the entire claim about there being a patch of grease that caused him to fall was bogus to which Santiran disagreed IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/malaysian-indian-sues-singapore-airlines-for-s178m-519861.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/9-pios-slapped-with-serious-crime-prevention-orders-in-uk-519889.html London Feb 14 Nine Indianorigin members of a crime group in the UK received Serious Crime Prevention Orders SCPO to limit their ability to engage in serious and organised crimeThe group was recently convicted for removing 155 million pounds from the UK to Dubai hidden in suitcases as well as attempting to smuggle 17 migrants into the countrySwander Dhal 38 Jasbir Kapoor 36 Diljan Malhotra 48 Charan Singh 46 Valjeet Singh 35 Jasbir Dhal Singh 33 Jaginder Kapoor 48 Jacdar Kapour 51 and Amarjeet Alabadis 32 received lengthy prison sentences in addition to the recent SCPOsThe terms of their SCPOs include restrictions on finances assets bank accounts and the purchase of international travel tickets the National Crime Agency NCA said on TuesdayThe terms will come into effect once the offenders have served their jail sentencesThe nine British Indians were part of a 16member group who were given jail sentences totalling more than 70 years for their involvement in international money laundering and people smuggling in the UK in September last yearThe group led by ringleader Charan Singh was said to have smuggled around 70 million pounds in cash out of the UK making hundreds of trips to Dubai between 2017 and 2019Following a threeday sentencing hearing at Croydon Crown Court Valjeet Singh got 11 years while trusted lieutenant Swander Singh Dhal got 10 years for money laundering and an additional five years for people smugglingCharan Singh from Hounslow was handed a 12andahalfyear jail term NCA reported earlierSCPOs are part of the NCAmanaged ancillary orders to limit opportunities for criminals to engage in illegal activity and also make offenders less attractive to organised crime gangs looking to rerecruit or work with them after they have served prison sentencesThe NCA on Tuesday published an updated list of these ancillary orders used to support the lifetime management of serious criminals and prevent future offendingOver the last year 24 individuals have been issued with ancillary orders many of which will come into force once the offender has left prisonAncillary orders are vital allowing us to prevent future offending through a wide variety of means Many career criminals return to lives of organised crime following their stint in prison believing themselves to be beyond the reach of the law Alison Abbott Head of the NCAs Prison and Lifetime Management Unit saidPart of the power of these orders is that they make offenders toxic to other criminals who are reluctant to engage with individuals who are being actively monitoredThe NCA said in a statement that publishing data on criminals who are subject to these orders enables other organisations and the public to report breachesApart from SCPOs other ancillary orders include Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Orders Financial Reporting Orders and Travel Restriction Orders IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/9-pios-slapped-with-serious-crime-prevention-orders-in-uk-519889.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-sonali-korde-takes-oath-as-assistant-to-usaid-administrator-519583.html New York Feb 13 IndianAmerican Sonali Korde took oath as assistant to the Administrator of USAIDs Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance BHA on MondayAs the US governments lead for international disaster response the BHA monitors mitigates and responds to global hazards and humanitarian needsSonali most recently served as Deputy to the US Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues charged with leading the countrys diplomacy efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in GazaLeading the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance is one of the toughest jobs at USAID Its a time of peak global conflict climatedriven disasters and displacement and we all know the demand for aid is dramatically outpacing our ability to provide it USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statementBHA needs a leader who can deftly navigate bureaucracy to mount efficient responses who has the personal skills the Congressional connections and the budgeting experience to be a powerful advocate for people in need And someone who can cultivate nurture and empower teams to step up and meet the moment That describes Sonali uniquely Sonali unique Sonali Power saidPower said that Sonalis Indian immigrant parents who attended the swearingin ceremony virtually endowed her with a deep appreciation for a world outside of their Cranford New Jersey homeShe praised Sonalis strong sense of justice and a desire to address inequity and unfairness which she said comes from her parentsThey took frequent trips back to India where Sonali saw a tale of two countries such incredible dynamism and burgeoning intellect culture but also such extreme poverty which persists in many parts of the country even with all of the success lifting so many hundreds of millions of people out of poverty but seeing people with and people without Power saidAccording to the BHA Sonali brings extensive experience in legislative affairs national security policy global health and humanitarian aidBefore joining BHA Sonali served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the Office of the Administrator at USAID and prior to that as Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator at USAIDs Bureau for Legislative and Public AffairsIn this role she provided strategic and operational oversight of USAIDs engagement with the US Congress including negotiation of USAID legislative and budget issues with members of Congress their committees and staffHaving worked for USAID in various roles since 2004 she has a background in legislative affairs national security policy infectious diseases and emergency humanitarian response and global health the BHA saidFrom 20192020 Sonali served as Senior Policy Advisor on the Ebola response in Eastern Congo as well as Deputy Director for Coordination on the Covid19 responseKorde has an MA in International Relations from Yale University and a BS in Economics from New York University IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-sonali-korde-takes-oath-as-assistant-to-usaid-administrator-519583.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 08:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/another-sikh-separatists-house-hit-by-gunfire-in-canada-519592.html Toronto Feb 13 The house of a Sikh separatist associated with proKhalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who is a designated terrorist in India has been hit by gunfire in Canadas Ontario province a media report saidThe incident comes just days after multiple shots were fired at the Surrey home of Simranjeet Singh a friend of banned Khalistan Tiger Force leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar a designated terrorist in India who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia last yearAccording to The Guardian a bullet hole was found in the window of an unfinished house belonging to Khalistan supporter Inderjit Singh Gosal in Brampton on MondayWhile no injuries were reported the Peel Regional police could not rule out that more shots were fired at the houseBut they confirmed that a single bullet hole had been found with Constable Tyler BellMorena of Peel Regional Police saying it is too early to link the shooting to Gosals role in the Khalistan movementGosal recently announced that a proKhalistan rally would be held outside the Indian consulate in Toronto on February 17According to the report Gosal works closely with Pannun who is the chief legal counsel of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice and was the target of a foiled assassination bid in the USThe shooting incidents come just as India and Canada accused each other of interfering in their internal affairsRecently Canada named India as a foreign threat that could potentially interfere in their elections months after they accused New Delhi of playing a role in the killing Nijjar on Canadian soil in June last yearIndia categorically denied the allegation levelled by Canadian agencies of interference as absurd and motivatedFurther India said that it is Canada that has been interfering in Indias internal affairs India has time and again asserted that the core issue with Canada is the space it gives to separatists terrorists and antiIndia elements on its soilIt is not the government of Indias policy to interfere in democratic processes of other countries In fact quite on the reverse it is Canada which has been interfering in our internal affairs External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/another-sikh-separatists-house-hit-by-gunfire-in-canada-519592.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 09:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-indian-origin-men-indicted-for-committing-visa-fraud-in-us-519604.html New York Feb 13 Two Indianorigin men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly staging armed robberies to commit visa fraud in the US state of MassachusettsRambhai Patel 36 and Balwinder Singh 39 from New York staged armed robberies so that victims could apply for immigration benefits in exchange for thousands of dollarsThe two were indicted last week on one count each of conspiracy to commit visa fraud according to the US Attorneys Office for the District of MassachusettsPatel was arrested in Seattle on December 13 2023 and following an initial appearance in the Western District of Washington he was ordered detained pending trialSingh was also arrested on the same day in Queens and had his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New YorkAccording to the charging documents beginning March 2023 Patel and his coconspirators including at times Singh set up and carried out staged armed robberiesThese were carried out at eight convenienceliquor stores and fast food restaurants across the US including at least four in MassachusettsIt is alleged that the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks present to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U nonimmigration status U VisaA U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activityIn the course of the alleged staged robberies the robber would threaten store clerks andor owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing while the interaction was captured on store surveillance videoThe clerks andor owners would then wait five or more minutes until the robber had escaped before calling the police to report the crimeThe victims are alleged to have paid Patel to participate in the scheme In turn Patel allegedly paid the store owners for the use of their stores for the staged robberyOne purported victim allegedly paid 20000 to participate as a victim in one of the staged armed robberiesIt is alleged that at least two purported victim coconspirators submitted U Visa applications based on being victims of the staged armed robberiesThe charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison three years of supervised release and a fine of 250000 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-indian-origin-men-indicted-for-committing-visa-fraud-in-us-519604.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-meera-joshi-named-to-serve-on-nycs-mta-board-519655.html New York Feb 13 IndianAmerican Meera Joshi has been nominated by New York City Mayor Eric Adams to serve on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority MTA BoardJoshi a deputy mayor for operations for New York City since January 2022 oversees the Adams administrations transportation infrastructure and climate portfoliosAnnouncing her nomination in a statement last week Mayor Adams called Joshi a perfect person to help secure the MTAs future and deliver a worldclass safe reliable and accessible transportation system to all New YorkersNew York Citys transit system is our backbone and once confirmed to the MTA Board Deputy Mayor Joshi will help ensure our backbone is stronger than ever Adams saidJoshi spearheads the administrations street safety work which in 2023 helped make New York City the secondsafest year for pedestrians since Vision Zero began in 2014 a statement from Adams office readIt said that her teams work every day to expand the citys open green and aquatic space reduce New York Citys building and transportation emissions as well as its waste stream and protect New Yorkers from the evermounting threats from excessive heat and rainwaterThe MTA is responsible for public transportation in the New York City metropolitan area of the US state of New York and all its board nominations are subject to a confirmation from the state senateSupporting the MTAs fiscal and operational wellbeing through this moment of transition would be a great honor and privilege Joshi said in a statement expressing she is deeply grateful for the nominationFrom delivering needed upgrades to effectively operationalising congestion pricing I am committed to faithfully serving the people of New York as a member of the MTAs Board of Directors she addedPrior to joining the Adams administration Joshi was US President Joe Bidens nominee for administrator of the US Department of Transportations Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration the agency responsible for regulation of interstate truckingIn addition to her roles in transportation oversight Joshi was previously the inspector general for the New York City Department of Correction responsible for investigations of corruption and criminality at all levels of New York Citys jail operations between 2002 and 2008She was the first deputy executive director of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board leading investigations of civilian allegations of police misconductJoshi holds both a BA and JD from the University of Pennsylvania IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-meera-joshi-named-to-serve-on-nycs-mta-board-519655.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 11:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/pm-modi-to-strengthen-deep-connect-with-diaspora-foreign-secy-519469.html New Delhi Feb 12 As art of his twonation tour to the UAE and Qatar beginning Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi will strengthen Indias deep connect with its diaspora in both countriesRoughly 840000 Indians reside in Qatar and at 35 million the community forms the largest expatriate group in the UAE forming an important connect between the host and mother countriesA day before inaugurating the BAPS Mandir the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi on February 14 the PM will address the Indian community at an event in Zayed Sports CityOn the 13th itself the Prime Minister will be addressing a community event in Abu Dhabi to further strengthen our deep connect with our diaspora family in the UAE Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said at a special Ministry of External Affairs briefing on MondayMarking his seventh visit to the nation since 2015 the PM will hold bilateral meetings with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the President of the UAE and discuss ways to further deepen expand and strengthen the strategic partnership between the countriesKwatra said that a strong diaspora is an equally important connect between India and Qatar with roughly 840000 strong vibrant Indian community residing thereHe added that the PMs second visit to Qatar on February 14 will provide an opportunity for the top leadership of the two countries to discuss ways to further deepen and strengthen our multifaceted partnership as well as exchange views on different regional and international issues of mutual importanceModis visit to Qatar was announced hours after the release of eight Indian former naval officers detained in the country since August 2022 and sentenced to death by Qatars Court of First Instance on October 26 last yearKwatra added that PM Modi himself personally constantly supervised all the developments in this case and has never shied away from any initiatives that would ensure the return of Indian nationals back to homeWhile the visit to the UAE was announced days in advance the trip to Qatar was announced just after seven navy veterans landed in India on MondayAsked by reporters about this Kwatra said that the Prime Ministers visits are planned and scheduled months in advance IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/pm-modi-to-strengthen-deep-connect-with-diaspora-foreign-secy-519469.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/charities-under-strain-as-foreign-students-struggle-in-canada-report-519334.html Toronto Feb 12 With international students struggling amidst worsening housing and affordability issues in Canada charities and support groups say they are under strain and have urged the government to step up supportWith nearly 500000 international students living in the Greater Toronto Area Khalsa Aids national director Jindi Singh says charities are taking on more than their fair share of the load Ottawabased CBC news channel reportedWe truly feel its not really our role Singh told the news outletThe Canadian branch of Khalsa Aid helping over 8000 students struggling to access food clothes and shelter in cities across the country says the government and postsecondary institutions should be doing more to support international students in needJind said that the organisation has been presently receiving five calls a day from international students needing food clothing and shelter especially from Brampton in Ontario province where he said that the situation is acuteSince last June Khalsa Aid has delivered over 5000 grocery bags full of nonperishable food to students in this city which attracts tens of thousands of international students annuallyThe president of the College Student Alliance Azi Afousi told CBC that student unions across Ontario have reported fielding more calls about housing struggles adding that one of her colleagues shares a house with 15 other peopleInternational students contribute about CA22 billion 164 billion annually to the Canadian economy and pay four times more tuition than domestic studentsAccording to a September 2023 report by consulting firm Higher Education Strategy Associates students from India alone contributed 2 billion to Ontarios postsecondary institutions operating income last year compared to roughly 18 billion the provincial government contributedFor colleges and governments to not provide wraparound services like housing food and job referrals is a pure money grab Singh told CBCThis comes even as the government has set out to cap new study permits for international students and cancelling work permits for their spousesHowever Deepa Mattoo of Sukhmani Haven says that the cap doesnt do anything to help the students who are already in Canada and are strugglingWhile they welcomed the study permit cap both Mattoo and Singh urged the government to put in place more support for international students who are already there in the countryThe number of international students in Canada crossed one million mark with Indians leading the pack accounting for 215190 out of the 579075 permits issued till November 2023In addition to the twoyear study permit cap the Canadian government also announced that it will more than double the costofliving financial requirement for incoming international students on January 1 2024Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller said a single applicant will need to show they have 20635 Canadian dollars 15181 in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costsEarlier Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for making a mess of the countrys immigration systemHe said that immigrants international students and temporary foreign workers are not to be blamed for Trudeaus incompetence IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/charities-under-strain-as-foreign-students-struggle-in-canada-report-519334.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-english-test-scandal-indians-other-foreign-students-renew-bid-to-clear-their-names-519409.html London Feb 12 A group of international students including many Indians who had their visas revoked almost 10 years ago after accusations of cheating in English language tests in the UK are making renewed efforts to clear their namesAccording to a report in The Guardian fresh evidence has recently been presented in the court that questions the Home Offices cheating allegations against 35000 international studentsThe Home Office abruptly terminated the visas of these students making their stay in the country illegal overnight following a 2014 BBC documentary reporting allegations of cheating at two of the UKs language testing centres for international studentsAbout 2500 students were deported after immigration enforcement teams mounted dawn raids on students accommodation the news report saidWhile some 7200 students left the country after detention threats thousands stayed protesting flawed evidence as they struggled with homelessness huge legal fees and stressinduced illnessesAfter judges and watchdog reports highlighted flaws in the evidence of cheating around 3600 won appeals against the Home Office while the rest of them couldnt because of the prohibitive cost of taking legal actionAbdul Qadir Mohammad 36 who left India in 2010 to study business in London spent more than 20000 pounds trying to clear his name in the scandal pushing him and his family into debtAbdul told The Guardian that he gets panic attacks and feels ashamed to face my family back home who ask him Abdul you have lived in the UK for 14 years What have you achievedmy father is still angry with me He has spent so much money first on my education and then on trying to clear my name He had a small grocery shop and saved up to put 15000 pounds into my college fees Ive got debts on my credit card of 10000 My mother sold her gold to support me he saidThe Hyderabad resident said he feels angry about how the whole issue has been handled destroying his lifeThese tests are easy to pass I had no reason to cheat I want to clear my name and get on with my studies I spend my days sitting in the park desperately waiting for my hearing he told The GuardianThe students had also approached and presented a petition to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in March last year seeking his help to clear their namesIn their petition to the Prime Minister the students called for a simple free mechanism to apply for a decision or reconsideration of their caseThey also wanted the immigration record of every student cleared of cheating facilitate their return to study or support those on work or entrepreneur visas to find new jobs or restart their businesses by removing barriers created by the cheating allegationsAfter the BBC report then Home Secretary Theresa May asked the USbased test provider Educational Testing Service ETS to investigate which found that 97 per cent of its English tests taken in the UK between 2011 and 2014 were in some way suspiciousAccording to a 2019 report by the Public Accounts Committee the Home Office rushed to penalise overseas students and did not bother to find out whether ETS was involved in fraud or if it had reliable evidence IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-english-test-scandal-indians-other-foreign-students-renew-bid-to-clear-their-names-519409.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-wanted-in-connection-with-fathers-murder-in-canada-519163.html Toronto Feb 12 Police are on the lookout for a 22yearold Indianorigin son who fled after allegedly murdering his father at their home in Canadas Ontario provinceSukhaj CheemaSingh is wanted for firstdegree murder after 56yearold Kuldip Singh was found with severe injuries at his Stoney Creek home in Hamilton on Saturday nightReleasing an image of CheemaSingh the Hamilton Police said in a release on Sunday that officers were called to a home near Trafalgar Drive and Mud Street at around 740 pm on February 10The victim was transported to hospital where he succumbed to his injuriesWitnesses told officers that CheemaSingh fled the residence in a small darkcoloured SUV following an altercation with his fatherThe vehicle was last seen heading north on Trafalgar toward Mud Street police said adding that CheemaSingh was believed to be in the area for about 30 minutes before the incidentWith investigations continuing police warned that the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous as the weapon used has not been recoveredInvestigators have asked witnesses or anyone with video footage of the area to get in touch with them IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-wanted-in-connection-with-fathers-murder-in-canada-519163.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 07:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-admits-stabbing-teen-wife-to-death-in-london-519018.html London Feb 11 A 24yearold Indianorigin man has pleaded guilty to stabbing his 19yearold wife to death in South London in October last yearSahil Sharma a resident of Croydon appeared in custody at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday where he admitted murdering Mehak Sharma from Gurdaspur PunjabSharma is due to be sentenced at the same court on April 26 the Metropolitan Police said in a statement released on SaturdayOn October 29 2023 Sharma dialled 999 and told the police operator that he had killed his wife at their home on Ash Tree WayUpon reaching officers found Mehak unresponsive with catastrophic knife injuries to her neck and despite the efforts of medics at the scene she was pronounced dead around 20 minutes laterA special postmortem examination conducted on October 31 2023 found that Mehak died due to a stab wound to her neckSahil Sharmas actions have devastated a family In killing his wife he has robbed her family of a loving daughter for reasons known only to himself Detective Inspector Laura Semple from Metropolitan Polices Specialist Crime Command saidWhile I am pleased that Mehak Sharmas loved ones will now be spared the experience of going through a trial nothing can bring her back to them Semple addedMehaks body was repatriated to her native Jogi Cheema village in Punjab in December 2023 for last ritesAccording to media reports Mehaks mother accused Sharma of harassing threatening and physically abusing her daughter in LondonMehak was killed in her own home the place where she should have been safest by the person who should have loved and protected her My thoughts today are with her family and loved ones Detective Inspector Semple said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-admits-stabbing-teen-wife-to-death-in-london-519018.html Sun, 11 Feb 2024 16:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-scientists-essay-published-on-nasa-earthdata-519027.html Washington Feb 11 IndianAmerican scientist Rahul Ramachandrans essay has been published on NASA EarthData websiteThe essay titled From petabytes to Insights Tackling Earth Science Scaling Problem addresses the challenge of scaling in Earth science due to increasing data volumesHe also discusses the issue of scale in science and how the integration of artificial intelligence into informatics may be a solution to this challengeThe essay was originally intended as a presentation for the prestigious American Geophysical Unions AGU annual Greg Leptoukh LectureBut as Ramachandran was unable to present at AGU due to an unforeseen medical emergency within the family he adapted the lecture into an essay formatIt is with great honour that I acknowledge my nomination to deliver the Leptoukh Lecture at AGU 2023 a recognition that holds special significance for me said Ramachandran Project Manager NASA IMPACTMy early career was marked by the privilege of working alongside Greg Leptoukh and our discussions on the value of semantic metadata added the eminent scientistIn the essay Ramachandran discusses the integration of Artificial Intelligence into informatics as a potential solution to these challengesHe reflects on his journey in informatics and emphasises the importance of managing the science data life cycle effectively in the face of evergrowing data volumes advocating for innovative approaches to support the research life cycle IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-scientists-essay-published-on-nasa-earthdata-519027.html Sun, 11 Feb 2024 16:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-truck-driver-caught-in-87-mn-drug-bust-at-us-canada-border-518585.html Toronto Feb 10 An Indian truck driver from Canada has been charged for attempting to bring about 87 million worth of cocaine into the US according to court documentsGagandeep Singh a citizen of India and resident of Canada was charged with intent to distribute controlled substances as he made his first court appearance in Detroit on WednesdayThe US Customs and Border Protection CBP officers at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit asked Singh to pull over for an inspection at about 1145 pm on Monday the CTV News reported citing documentsThe accused ignored the officers and attempted to continue to the tolls before being stopped just before the tolls by CBP officers the criminal complaint readOfficers were alerted to the odour of controlled substances by a K9 a border police canine following which they found 13 cardboard boxes sealed with duct tape in the transport trailerA white powdery substance worth 290 kilograms fieldtested positive for cocaineDue to my training and experience I estimate the value of the seized suspected cocaine to be approximately 8700000 Jeffrey Richardson Special Agent for Homeland Security Investigations wrote in the complaintRichardson alleged that the seizure is consistent with largescale drug distribution activitiesHe told the court that scissors and duct tape matching the tape used to seal the boxes were found in the cab of the transportAccording to officers Singhs manifest indicated he was transporting agricultural equipment but the seal on the trailer was for a Canadian health and beauty care company IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-truck-driver-caught-in-87-mn-drug-bust-at-us-canada-border-518585.html Sat, 10 Feb 2024 09:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-tech-executive-dies-after-assault-outside-us-restaurant-518600.html New York Feb 10 A 41yearold Indianorigin tech executive has died in the US days after he was assaulted outside a restaurant in Washington according to media reportsVivek Taneja president and cofounder of Dynamo Technologies succumbed to his injuries on Thursday after he was assaulted by a man on February 2 outside Shoto Restaurant the WUSA9 news channel reportedTaneja was knocked to the ground by the suspect and hit his head on the pavement following a verbal altercation that got physicalAccording to the police incident report Taneja stepped in to defend a female companion who was being harassed by the suspectPolice found him at around 2 am on the pavement with lifethreatening injuries and rushed him to hospitalAn eyewitness who knew Taneja told the news channel that the fight started inside the restaurant after which both men were kicked outSeeking public help police on Friday released a surveillance video of the suspect walking in the courtyard outside the bar They are offering a reward of up to 25000 for any information leading to his arrestTaneja was a graduate of the University of Virginia and was wellloved by neighbours who left flowers on his doorstep Friday afternoon the news channel reportedThe recent incident comes amid a spate of attacks on Indian students in the US with five of them reported dead so far this yearEarlier this week an Indian student from Hyderabad Syed Mazahir Ali was left bleeding from his nose and mouth after he was attacked by robbers in ChicagoExpressing regrets over the attacks on Indian students US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti assured while speaking to the local media that America is a wonderful and safe place to study for Indians IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-tech-executive-dies-after-assault-outside-us-restaurant-518600.html Sat, 10 Feb 2024 10:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaishankar-visits-sailani-avenue-named-after-indian-origin-soldier-in-australia-518635.html New Delhi Feb 10 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Indian community leaders as he visited Sailani Avenue a street in Australias Perth city named after Shimlaborn soldier Nain Singh SailaniSailani was one of 12 known Indian Anzacs Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who served with the Australian Imperial Army during World War IEnlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1916 he was killed in Belgium while on active duty in June 1917Visited Sailani Avenue in Perth Named after Nain Singh Sailani an Indianorigin soldier honored in Australia Jaishankar who is on a twoday visit to Australia to attend the 7th Indian Ocean Conference wrote on XGlad to meet some of our veterans and Indian community leaders thereThe minister earlier joined his counterpart Penny Wong to discuss IndiaAustralia ties Indian Ocean architecture and the shared interests of both countries in the IndoPacificSailani Avenue was earlier known as Nelson Avenue and was renamed in honour of the Sikh war hero in 2023 following a personal request from Prime Minister Narendra ModiSailani Avenue will act as a tangible reminder of the role Anzacs from the Indian community played in shaping our states history and paving the way for future generations Basil Zempilas Lord Mayor of Perth had saidBorn in Shimla in 1873 Sailani migrated to Australia in 1895 as a 22yearold and initially lived in the town of Geraldton about 400 kilometres north of Perth where he found work as a labourerHe was 43 when he volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force in 1916 and was allotted to the 44th Battalion as the First World War broke outHe served with his unit in France and was one of two IndianAustralian soldiers the other being soldier Sarn Singh killed in action on June 1 1917Sailani was buried at the Strand Military Cemetery in Belgium alongside other Australian soldiers and a plaque was put in Kings Park Perth in 2017 to honour his sacrificeHe received the British War Medal Victory Medal and the 191415 Star in recognition of his service IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaishankar-visits-sailani-avenue-named-after-indian-origin-soldier-in-australia-518635.html Sat, 10 Feb 2024 12:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-sanket-bulsara-named-to-ny-us-district-court-518172.html Washington Feb 9 President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Indianorigin judge Sanket Jayshukh Bulsara to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkBulsara who has been a United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of New York since 2017 was among the four individuals nominated by Biden to federal district courtsAll of the nominees are extraordinarily qualified experienced and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution the White House announced on WednesdayThese choices also continue to fulfill the Presidents promise to ensure that the nations courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country both in terms of personal and professional backgroundsFrom January 2017 to May 2017 Bulsara served as the Acting General Counsel of the US Securities and Exchange Commission where he had been the Deputy General Counsel for Appellate Litigation Adjudication and Enforcement since 2015Before that he worked at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP as an associate from 2005 to 2008 a counsel from 2009 to 2011 and a partner from 2012 to 2015For six months between 2007 and 2008 he served as a Special Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County Brooklyn District Attorneys Office and worked as an associate at Munger Tolles amp Olson LLP in Los Angeles California from 2003 to 2004As a magistrate judge he has presided over 400 settlement conferences several bench and jury trials and authored over 300 published opinions according to the US District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkBulsara is an adjunct professor of Law at St Johns Law School where he teaches Remedies and Securities Litigation and a guest instructor at the Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy WorkshopA graduate of Edgemont High School Bulsara received an AB degree magna cum laude in 1998 from Harvard College and a JD degree cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2002In recognition of his pro bono work in support of victims of domestic violence he received the Sanctuary for Families Above amp Beyond Award three separate timesA resident of Long Island City Bulsara was born in the Bronx to immigrant parents before moving to New Rochelle and later Edgemont New YorkAccording to the White House this was Bidens 45th round of nominees for federal judicial positions bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 219 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-sanket-bulsara-named-to-ny-us-district-court-518172.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-lawmaker-from-arizona-resigns-to-focus-on-congressional-run-518193.html New York Feb 9 IndianAmerican doctor Amish Shah has stepped down from the House of Representatives in the US state of Arizona to focus on his congressional campaignThe first IndianAmerican to serve in the Arizona legislature 46yearold Shah announced his run as a Democrat last year from the states 1st Congressional District which is presently held by Republican David SchweikertWith mixed emotions I resigned as your House Rep this week to pursue my Congressional campaign Serving at the State Legislature was an incredible honor offering diverse perspectives As a Congressional candidate I am eager to bring our collective values to the national stage Shah wrote in a post on XAlong with Shah an emergency physician for over 15 years at least six other candidates are seeking a Democraticrun from the district which covers parts of Scottsdale and northern PhoenixThe top issues Shah is running on include education healthcare and voting rights and according to his website he wants fair wages for workers universal healthcare and abortion accessThanking Shah for his service and leadership the Arizona House Democrats said on X Worth your time DrAmishShah bids a fond and thoughtful farewell to his House colleagues Dr Shah who is running for Congress resigned today after 5 years in office and a tremendous track record of bipartisan legislationShahs departure leaves three empty Democratic seats in the House amidst the legislatures bill season Arizonabased KGUN9 news channel reportedShah said in a release that he raised more than 530000 from individual donors in the opening quarter of his congressional campaign and over 75 per cent of these donors were from ArizonaAccording to his campaign statement he has made a name for himself with his unique brand of doortodoor campaigning having visited over 15000 households and to date he has had more bills signed into law than any other Democrat currently in the Arizona legislatureGiving back is a core value for me Because of the sacrifices of my parents who both came to this country from India to pursue a better life I was able to become a doctor and be the first IndianAmerican to serve in the Arizona legislature Shah said in an earlier statementBorn and raised in Chicago Shahs parents were engineering students who immigrated from India in the 1960sHe attended Northwestern University in Evanston and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in EconomicsHe graduated from the Northwestern University Medical School as part of the Honors Program in Medical EducationOutside of his medical practice he founded the first Arizona Vegetarian Food Festival as a philanthropic endeavour to promote healthy eatingHe was named the 2022 Womens Health Care Champion Legislator of the Year by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology for his work protecting reproductive rightsHe also received the Nursing Hero Award in 2022 from the Arizona Nurses Association and the Presidents Award for Mental Health Advocacy from the Arizona Psychiatric Society IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-lawmaker-from-arizona-resigns-to-focus-on-congressional-run-518193.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/haley-reiterates-us-will-have-a-female-president-either-her-or-kamala-harris-518278.html Washington Feb 9 Fresh out of her stinging loss in the Nevada primary a confident Nikki Haley has reiterated that the US will have a female president in 2024 either her or Vice President Kamala Harris both IndianAmericansThis is about the fact that we are going to have a female President of the US It will either be me or it will be Kamala Harris the Republican presidential aspirant told Fox News Night on ThursdayFollowing her first Republican presidential debate last year Haley had said that the thought of having Harris as president should send a chill up every American spine adding that a vote for President Joe Biden is a vote for HarrisHaley first spoke about the US having a female president during a meet and greet at a Columbia barbeque restaurant last weekWe will have a female president of the US Haley told a gathering of about 100 people at Docs BBQ which booed when she said the hard truth is its going to be me or Kamala HarrisAccording to a Morning Consult survey 33 per cent of voters said they hold a positive view of Haley while 40 per cent said they have an unfavorable view of her which equates to a net favorability rating of negative 7As for Harris 37 per cent of respondents held a favorable view while 56 had a negative view of her resulting in a net favorability rating of negative 19 a Newsweek report said citing the surveySpeaking to Fox News Haley said her rival and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump cannot win the general election moments after the US Supreme Court finished hearing arguments in a landmark legal case to decide whether the former president can be on the ballot in Novembers electionHe cant win a general election Thats a fact We lost in 2018 We lost in 2020 We lost in 2022 hes got a years worth of court cases yet Everything he touches is chaos and we continue to lose Haley told the news channelHaving voted for Trump twice and proud to serve in his administration as UN ambassador Haley asked How many more times do we have to lose before we realise that is the problemThe lone woman in the 2024 White House race said that the US cannot be a country in disarray in a world on fire and go through four more years of chaos We wont survive it she saidTrump won Nevadas Republican caucuses after being the only major candidate to participate and said that Haley continuing with the 2024 presidential run hurts the party as well as the countryAddressing reporters outside his MaraLago residence on Thursday the septuagenarian highlighted Haleys losses in Iowa New Hampshire and NevadaI dont know why she continues I dont really care if she continues but let her continue We have a big win coming up as you know in South Carolina and the polls are indicating that were through the roof on that oneHaley ran in Nevadas symbolic staterun presidential primary on Tuesday where voters chose none of these candidates over herWhile speaking to Fox News she insisted after these results that the whole thing was rigged for TrumpNevada its such a scam They were supposed to have a primary Trump rigged it so the GOP chairman whos been indicted would go and create a caucus Haley saidFollowing her Nevada loss Haley said her campaign is in full steam ahead in South Carolina and beyondTrumps Nevada victory gives him all 26 of the states delegates and the 77yearold needs to accrue 1215 delegates to formally clinch GOPs presidential nomination IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/haley-reiterates-us-will-have-a-female-president-either-her-or-kamala-harris-518278.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 13:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-care-worker-arrested-for-allegedly-assaulting-elderly-in-canada-518301.html Toronto Feb 9 A 32yearold Indianorigin personal support worker has been arrested for allegedly assaulting an 89yearold elderly at a care home in Canadas Ontario provinceSuman Soni 32 has been charged with two counts of assault that occurred on January 29 and February 2 the York Regional Police said on ThursdayPolice said they were contacted on February 2 in connection with elder abuse incidents that occurred at a care home in Vaughan a city located in the regional municipality of York OntarioThrough investigation police learned an 89yearold male resident was assaulted by a PSW personal support worker on two occasions January 29 and February 2 2024 a release by the York Regional Police saidInvestigators believe there are more victims and are releasing photos of the accused asking that any other victims please come forward it addedAsking anyone with information to contact them the York police said that the probe into the case will continueIn November last year a 49yearold employee at a care facility in Alberta was arrested and charged with physically assaulting an 87yearoldAs per the 2021 census the number of Canadians over 85 years of age has more than doubled over the last two decadesThe abuse of older people has increased since the pandemic with a 2022 World Health Organisation study saying that one in six people 60 years and above experienced some form of abuse in community settings in the past yearThe number of people in this age bracket is expected to grow by 38 per cent from 1 billion to 14 billion between 2019 and 2030 according to the UNThe WHO report pointed out that the rates of abuse of elders are higher in nursing homes and longterm care facilities with two in three staff reporting that they have committed abuse in the past year IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-care-worker-arrested-for-allegedly-assaulting-elderly-in-canada-518301.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 14:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/us-indo-american-satwinder-kaur-elected-kent-city-council-president-518366.html New York Feb 9 The Kent City Council in Washington has unanimously elected IndoAmerican Satwinder Kaur as its president for a twoyear termIn her new role Kaur who is in her seventh year on the council replaces Bill Boyce who nominated her for the top position according to news outlet Kent ReporterYouve got some little shoes to fill Im sure you will do a great job and we are here to support you and make sure you are very successful Boyce said after Kaurs election in a February 6 meetingThanking Boyce for mentoring her Kaur said As I start this I know all of us have the same goal of serving the community and making sure Kent is a better place for all of usThe sevenmember council is the legislative body for the City of Kent and besides establishing policies and regulations it approves financial expenditures and the citys biennial budgetIn addition to serving as the official spokesperson for the council Kaur will work closely with the mayor to see what kind of support the council will give to issues and proposalsAccording to the Kent City Council website Kaur sees her role on the council as a great learning opportunity and a chance to bring a fresh set of eyes to the Citys problemsI want to bring new perspectives that may not have been considered before the website says quoting KaurHaving served as an intern in the Mayors Office Kaur feels she has a good understanding of resident issues and concernsKent is often overlooked but there are so many things about Kent that people dont know and we have so many great stories to tell she saysVoters first elected Kaur in 2017 and reelected her to another fouryear council term in 2021 when she ran unopposedKaur a 2004 Kentridge High School graduate narrowly lost to her opponent in the August 2022 Democratic primary race for the District 47 Senate seat IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/us-indo-american-satwinder-kaur-elected-kent-city-council-president-518366.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-police-arrest-2-teens-after-shooting-incident-at-nijjars-aides-home-518394.html Toronto Feb 9 Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with a shooting incident that occurred last week targeting the home of a Sikh activist linked to proKhalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar a designated terrorist in India who was shot dead in Canada last yearMultiple gunshots were fired in the incident which occurred just after 120 am on February 1 at the South Surrey home of Simranjeet SinghThe Surrey unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP said on Thursday that their Serious Crime Unit executed a search warrant on a residence in the 7700block of 140 Street on February 6Police seized three firearms and multiple electronic devices during the search Two 16yearold males from Surrey were arrested for careless use of a firearm and discharge a firearm with intent Surrey RCMP Corporal Sarbjit K Sangha said in a statementWhile the two have been released without charges police said that investigators continue to gather information on the case to determine the motivation behind the shootingSurrey RCMP takes threats and acts of violence seriously and we work closely with victims to ensure their continued safety Sangha saidAccording to CBC news channel a car was heavily damaged in the gunfire and there were multiple bullet holes in the house itselfMoninder Singh a spokesperson for the British Columbia Gurdwaras Council identified Simranjeet as a friend of Nijjar a designated terrorist in India whose killing outside a Sikh temple in Surrey in June last year triggered a diplomatic row between New Delhi and OttawaJalandharborn Nijjar moved to Canada in 1997 where he worked as a plumber and led the outlawed militant group Khalistan Tiger ForceMoninder told CBC that community members believe Simranjeets links with Nijjar might have played a part in the shootingHe added that the firing came just days after Simranjeet helped organise a proKhalistan protest at the Indian consulate in Vancouver on January 26According to Moninder Simranjeet was in touch with the RCMP to report being followed after protests and fears for his life IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-police-arrest-2-teens-after-shooting-incident-at-nijjars-aides-home-518394.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-purdue-student-sameer-kamaths-death-ruled-suicide-517656.html New York Feb 8 The death of a 23yearold IndianAmerican Purdue University student Sameer Kamath in Indiana has been ruled a suicide according to a release from a US county coroners officeSameer Kamath whose body was found at Crows Grove Nature Preserve in Williamsport died from a selfinflicted gunshot wound to the head Warren County Coroner Justin Brummett said citing preliminary autopsy reportsA forensic pathologists autopsy was performed on Kamaths body on February 6 afternoon in Crawfordsville IndianaThrough extensive investigation by the Warren County Coroners Office in conjunction with multiple other local and federal agencies we are now able to release a preliminary cause and manner of death the release saidKamath a US citizen according to the coroners office was a doctorate student in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Purdue University Indianabased Journal amp Courier reported citing the Coroners OfficeHe graduated from the department in August 2023 with a Masters degree in mechanical engineeringThe Warren County Sheriffs Office earlier said there is no threat to the public and that the incident is being investigated by themBrummett expressed his deepest sympathies and said that the family had been informed about Kamaths deathOur deepest sympathies and condolences go out to the family and we hope they are respected during such a difficult time Brummett saidWith Kamaths death five Indian students have died in quick succession in the US since the start of this year including Shreyas Reddy Benigeri in Cincinnati and Neel Acharya in IndianaAcharya 19 was also a Purdue University student who was found dead outside a building on the campus after he went missing late last monthThe Tippecanoe County Coroners Office said no signs of trauma or significant injuries were found during the autopsy of Acharya a US citizen IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-purdue-student-sameer-kamaths-death-ruled-suicide-517656.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-partners-with-russia-as-it-sees-us-as-weak-doesnt-trust-it-to-lead-haley-517662.html Washington Feb 8 Asserting that India has always played it smart IndianAmerican Republican Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley said that the country partners with Russia as it doesnt trust the US to win and leadIn an interview with Charles Payne of Fox Business News the 51yearold former UN ambassador said that she has dealt with India and spoken to Prime Minister Narendra ModiIndia wants to be a partner with us They dont want to be a partner with Russia The problem is India doesnt trust us to win They dont trust us to lead They see right now that were weak Haley said responding to a volley of questions on the US letting India buy cheap oil from RussiaDespite efforts by Ukraine and its allies to persuade countries around the world to distance themselves from Russia Indias oil purchases from the Central Asian nation rose sharplyWhile Western nations cut Russian oil imports at the start of the RussiaUkraine war a White House official said that every sovereign country including India has the right to buy oil or lubricants from any countryIndia has always played it smart They play it smart and they stay close with Russia because thats where they get a lot of their military equipment Haley said adding that the US needs to get the weakness outThe twotime former South Carolina governor said things will get better when the US acknowledges that it has a problemWe need to start building up our alliances You have to first acknowledge you have a problem she saidWhen we start to lead again when we start to get the weakness out and stop putting our head in the sand thats when our friends India Australia New Zealand all of them will and Israel Japan South Korea all of them want to do thatCiting examples of India and Japan Haley said the countries gave themselves a billiondollar stimulus to become less dependent on China IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-partners-with-russia-as-it-sees-us-as-weak-doesnt-trust-it-to-lead-haley-517662.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tribunal-dismisses-british-indians-claims-that-she-was-racially-targeted-at-deloitte-518026.html London Feb 8 An employment tribunal has dismissed a British Indian workers claim that she was racially targetted at Deloitte after a colleague compared her to Pocahontas a Disney character based on the life of a Native American womanShivali Patel who was hired as a senior consultant in Deloittes digital division in March 2019 made the allegations against her colleague Ben Combes a director in the company The Telegraph newspaper reported At a recent hearing in London the tribunal was told that a team drinks event was held in September 2021 at a local BrewDog pub where Combes and Patel were present Patel claimed that during a conversation Combes made an uncomfortable remark about his wife in which he said she looked like Pocahontas Patel felt there was a racial and sexual element to this remark in which he was comparing her to his wife and subsequently Pocahontas the Daily reported I am an Indian female the insinuation was that his wife looked similar to Pocahontas the insinuation was that I had similarities to his wife and that he was in some way interested in me Patel told the tribunal If his wife is a Caucasian female and Pocahontas in the Disneyfied version is tanned and somewhat looks like me the insinuation is that I look like his wife who is tanned It felt like he was implying he found me attractive it had a sexual tone to it I felt uncomfortable about said Patel who resigned from Deloitte in 2022 without citing any reason The tribunal was told that Patel was denied a promotion after feedback from colleagues stated that her attitude could wildly vary which made some staff feel like they had to walk on eggshells as one slight comment could derail a conversation In his defence Combes said he was discussing the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are and had mentioned that his wifes family believe they are descendants of Pocahontas Clarifying that he did not comment on Patels appearance Combes said he was not insinuating any connection between his wife and colleague The employment judge dismissed Patels claims of discrimination and harassment last week and suggested she had unconsciously embroidered the discussion Our conclusions were that the conversation about Pocahontas related to genealogy and that Ms Patel had misremembered misheard andor unconsciously embroidered the discussion Employment Judge Natasha Joffe was quoted as saying in The Telegraph We could see nothing in the context or in any other behaviour of Mr Combes which supported an inference that any of these remarks were intended to be flirtatious or arose from an attraction to the claimant which would make them inherently sexual Judge Joffe added In addition Patel sued many of her colleagues over several incidents that she perceived amounted to sex discrimination race discrimination harassment and constructive unfair dismissal All the claims were dismissed by the panel In November last year a former Deloitte solicitor of Indian origin was charged over an alleged kiss at an office party in March 2022 Jassen Venkatasamy was accused of kissing a person on the lips which was noted as inappropriate unwanted and sexually motivated The solicitor in an interview with The Law Society Gazette vehemently denied any wrongdoing and vowed to contest all allegations IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tribunal-dismisses-british-indians-claims-that-she-was-racially-targeted-at-deloitte-518026.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/five-indo-canadians-arrested-for-extortion-threats-targeting-south-asians-517771.html Toronto Feb 8 Canadian police have arrested three men and two women of Punjab origin and laid almost two dozen charges in connection with extortion threats targeting the South Asian business community in the Greater Toronto AreaGagan Ajit Singh 23 Anmoldeep Singh 23 Hashmeet Kaur 25 and Lymanjot Kaur 21 all from Brampton and Mississauga face a laundry list of charges which include extortion firearmsrelated offences and fraudThe fifth suspect Arundeep Thind 39 has been charged separately in connection with an alleged extortion incident on January 26 the Peel Regional Police PRP said in a statement released on WednesdayGagan Ajit and Anmoldeep were held for bail hearings and attended the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton police saidWhile Iymanjot and Hashmeet will attend the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date Thind was held for a bail hearing and attended the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton the PRP release saidWe understand the impact these incidents have caused to the victims and their families and see how deeply these incidents are being felt throughout our community PRP chief Nishan Duraiappah said in a statementDuraiappah who also addressed a news conference on Wednesday announcing the arrests added that police agencies in India as well as Canada have been contacted as theres a complex ecosystem of people involved in these crimesThe PRP said its 23member Extortion Investigative Task Force EITF with the support of the Ontario Provincial Police OPP executed a search warrant resulting in the arrests concerning incidents that occurred throughout the GTA since December 2023These incidents included mischief to property threats and firearmsrelated offences a PRP statement readWe took immediate steps in mobilising the Extortion Investigative Task Force With the help of our community we have made arrests and will continue to hold accountable those responsible Duraiappah said in a statementEITFs lead superintendent Shelley Thompson said 29 cases are currently under investigation and of these nine incidents have involved shootings at local businesses with multiple bullets being fired the CP24 news channel reportedThompson said the businesses being targeted are South Asianowned and include restaurants bakeries trucking and transport companies independent used car dealerships and jewellery storesSpeaking about their modus operandi Thompson said the victims are contacted via phone or social media and threatened to pay in cash or transfer money either in Indian or Canadian currencyPolice believe that a lot of these incidents are underreported due to victims fear of the suspectsWe believe that there could be more residents and businesses who may have been contacted I urge those business owners and community members to come forward to speak with our Extortion Investigative Task Force Duraiappah saidRaising concerns over an alarming escalation of extortion threats against Indian and South Asian business communities mayors in the Canadian towns of Brampton and Surrey urged the government last month to take swift action to root out the menaceBrown and Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke expressed deep concern over a growing number of extortion attempts and violent acts including shootings in a letter addressed to Canadas Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc in January IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/five-indo-canadians-arrested-for-extortion-threats-targeting-south-asians-517771.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 12:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/in-a-first-indian-origin-australian-senator-takes-oath-on-bhagavad-gita-517809.html Melbourne Feb 8 Indianorigin barrister Varun Ghosh has become the firstever Australian Senator to take the oath of office on the Bhagavad GitaThe 38yearold took his position in the Australian Senate with the Labour Party officially confirming him as their pick to represent Western Australia WA replacing present senator Patrick DodsonWelcoming Ghosh in his new role Penny Wong Minister for Foreign Affairs and South Australia senator wrote on X Senator Ghosh is the first ever Australian Senator sworn in on the Bhagavad Gita I have often said when youre the first at something youve got to make sure youre not the lastPrime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ghosh a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers will be a great voice for WAI was so pleased to support your candidacy and I say this as well youve got big shoes to fill Albanese was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning HeraldThe PM earlier wrote on X Welcome Varun Ghosh our newest Senator from Western Australia Fantastic to have you on the teamGhosh is the second Indianorigin Australian in the Senate after Dave Sharma who was sworn in as a senator for New South Wales NSW in DecemberGhosh who joined the Labor party in Perth at the age of 17 after his parents moved from India in the 1980s said his preselection was an honour he wont take for grantedI have had the privilege of a good education and believe strongly that highquality education and training should be available to everyone he said in a statement issued earlierAt the 2019 federal election Ghosh was placed in fifth position on the Australian Labour Partys Senate ticket in Western Australia but was not electedHe received degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Western Australia and was a Commonwealth Scholar in Law at the University of CambridgeHe previously worked as a finance attorney in New York and as a consultant for the World Bank in Washington DCGhosh returned to Australia in 2015 as a senior associate with King amp Wood Mallesons representing banks resource companies and construction companies in dispute resolution IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/in-a-first-indian-origin-australian-senator-takes-oath-on-bhagavad-gita-517809.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-fined-for-demanding-cash-from-environment-agency-officers-517388.html London Feb 7 An Indianorigin owner of a waste treatment plant in East London has been fined for barring environment inspectors from entering the site twice unless they paid her thousands of pounds in bogus feesGurjit Athwal 51 director of Keep Green at Atcost Road in Barking was ordered to pay a fine of 3000 pounds another 3000 in cost and a victim surcharge of 1200 poundsThe Barkingside magistrates court heard that between February 24 and April 18 2023 Athwal intentionally obstructed Environment Agency officers in the exercise or performance of their powers or dutiesThe court was told that one of the officers called Keep Green in February 2023 as the Environment Agency was concerned about the amount of waste stored at the site since the last visual check six months beforeThe officer wanted to check operations were within the conditions of Keep Greens environmental permit to treat household commercial and industrial waste and that pollutioncontrol measures were in place a government release stated on WednesdayIt said Athwal stopped the officer from entering the premises and demanded 500 pounds and insurance documents to let her inThe officer left having explained to Athwal why she was there but the 51yearold wouldnt listen or look at the officers authorisation card which listed her powers as an Environment Agency member of staffOne of the most direct ways the Environment Agency can ensure companies like Keep Green operate without harming the environment is through inspecting waste sites and other commercial operations Barry Russell environment manager for the Environment Agency in north and east London saidAthwal intentionally obstructed Environment Agency staff from carrying out their work to keep communities safe he addedAthwal later made several unsubstantiated claims about the officer in writing saying she abused her position adding the Environment Agency official had lied about being denied access to the siteWhen asked to followup the allegations in detail by the Environment Agency she failed to do so according to the releaseThe officer went back to Atcost Road with a colleague two months later but Athwal again denied them entry to her business and demanded moneyThis time Athwal made notes and did look at the officers cards but still told them they werent coming in claiming to video them on her mobile phoneFollowing the second visit Athwal invoiced the Environment Agency for 1500 pounds for an inspection fee and what she called written descriptionsThe Environment Agency has the power of entry to visit and inspect any location that holds a permit to operate and does not pay any operator whose site it regulatesIn July last year five months after Athwal halted the first inspection and three months after she did it again the Environment Agency summoned her to an interviewAthwal again demanded hundreds of pounds to attend and even wanted her travel costs paid The interview never took placeShe was sentenced in absentia on January 30 and was charged with breaching regulation 342 of the Environmental Permitting England and Wales Regulations 2016According to the law the Environment Agency has a duty to make appropriate periodic inspections of regulated facilities to ensure that the operator is complying with their permit IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-fined-for-demanding-cash-from-environment-agency-officers-517388.html Wed, 07 Feb 2024 10:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-sentenced-for-carrying-loaded-ghost-gun-in-mall-517469.html Toronto Feb 7 A 23yearold IndoCanadian has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for carrying a loaded ghost gun at a mall in the countrys British Columbia provinceArunjit Singh Virk who was arrested in March 2021 was also prohibited from possessing any firearm restricted weapon or ammunition for 10 years Ontariobased CTV News reported on TuesdayIn a presentence report presented to the British Columbia Provincial Court recently Virk acknowledged the harm he could have caused by bringing a loaded gun into a busy mallThe court heard that a police officer was patrolling the Metrotown shopping centre in Burnaby when he spotted Virk engaged in a suspected drug deal on March 28 2021When Virk saw the officer Virk left the mall and got into a taxi but the police quickly intercepted the cab and arrested himWhen police searched his satchel they found a loaded Polymer 80 model PF940CL semiautomatic handgun Judge Reginald P Harris said adding that police could not trace its origins as it was a ghost gunGhost guns are unregulated do not have a serial number and untraceable firearms that anyone can buy and build without a background checkThe court was told that Virk who recently married was born and raised in British Columbias Lower Mainland and went through a traumatic experience at the age of 15 when his uncle diedHe started using oxycodone marijuana and alcohol after which his parents took him to India for substance abuse treatment and he completed another recovery program back home in 2022 before quitting drugs again last yearAt the time of his sentencing Virk working as an office assistant at the same business where his mother works admitted that he makes poor decisions when using substancesIn a psychological assessment presented to the court a doctor diagnosed Virk with an unspecified mood disorder traits of an antisocial personality disorder and a polysubstance use disorderThe doctor did not conclude or suggest that Virks offence was linked to his mental health or drug use but the latter told him that he possessed the gun for protectionWhile the maximum penalty for possessing a loaded handgun is 10 years in prison prosecutors sought a threeyear prison term in the case citing denunciation and deterrence of the weapons offence as the primary sentencing objectives the CTV News reportedTurning to Virks moral culpability and I recognise he has experienced some struggles there is insufficient evidence to conclude that his mental health or drug use caused or contributed to his offence Judge Harris wrote in his sentenceIt is aggravating that Mr Virk chose to possess a firearm in a highly public area namely the exterior and interior of a mall he added It is aggravating that the firearm was loaded and without a serial number IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-sentenced-for-carrying-loaded-ghost-gun-in-mall-517469.html Wed, 07 Feb 2024 13:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/california-civil-rights-department-accepts-caste-not-essential-part-of-hinduism-517353.html New York Feb 7 In a victory for Hindu Americans the California Civil Rights Department has amended a 2020 complaint and stated that caste and castebased discrimination are not an essential part of HinduismThe department voluntarily filed a motion in the first weeks of December to amend their complaint against Cisco Systems alleging that caste discrimination occurred at the Silicon Valley tech giant a statement released by the Hindu American Foundation HAF said on TuesdayThe amended complaint removes the erroneous and unconstitutional assertion that caste and caste discrimination is an essential part of Hindu religious teachings and practicesWe believe this is a significant step forward in protecting the First Amendment religious rights of Hindu Americans As we argued in our Motion to Intervene the California Civil Rights Department is constitutionally prohibited from defining Hinduism or any religion for that matter HAF Managing Director Samir Kalra saidHowever the Washingtonbased Hindu advocacy group said that several problematic statements and citations in the complaint remainForemost among these is the reliance on the fundamentally flawed and statistically invalid survey by activist group Equality Labs on the alleged high prevalence of caste discrimination in the US it saidFurther HAF claimed that the survey has specifically been called into question by academic researchers at the Carnegie Endowment Penn and Johns Hopkins whose work found that caste discrimination in the US was in fact very rareAccording to HAF the CRD California Civil Rights Department continues to pursue its case on the basis of many false and xenophobic claims about people of South Asian origin as well as the dubious implication that caste discrimination in India is tied to skin colourThis it said is in an obvious attempt to draw direct parallels with skincolouredbased racism in the USThe statement said CRD continues to assert what can only be described as counterfactual statements about the nature of what the plaintiff experienced at Cisco Systems as evidenced by publicly available court documents that have been filed since the CRD filed its original case in October of 2020Two Indianorigin Cisco engineers Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella were accused in the CRDs lawsuit of discriminating and harassing an employee on the basis of caste in 2020Last year CRD voluntarily dismissed its case alleging caste discrimination against Iyer and Kompella while still keeping alive its litigation against tech giant CiscoHAF said that its involvement in the case was far from over and that they planned to continue to hold the CRD accountable for its violation of the constitutional rights of Hindu and Indian Americans in CaliforniaWhile our motion to intervene was not accepted by the court well continue to pursue our civil rights claims against the CRD in our ongoing lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Hindu and Indian Americans in California HAF Executive Director Suhag Shukla said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/california-civil-rights-department-accepts-caste-not-essential-part-of-hinduism-517353.html Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-admits-to-passport-and-citizenship-fraud-in-us-516907.html New York Feb 6 An IndianAmerican man in Florida has pleaded guilty to procuring citizenship unlawfully misusing evidence of naturalisation and making false statements in a passport applicationJaiprakash Gulvady 51 faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison a release by the US Attorneys Office Middle District of Florida announced last weekAccording to court records Gulvady an Indian national came to the US in 2001 on a temporary business visaIn August 2008 less than two weeks after divorcing his wife a US citizen whom he had married the year before Gulvady married another US citizenBased on that marriage Gulvady was able to adjust his status and became a lawful permanent resident in June 2009Two months later in August 2009 Gulvady travelled to India for the first time since he had arrived in 2001 and married an Indian woman before returning to the USOn a subsequent visit to India Gulvady and his Indian spouse conceived their first and only child born in January 2011 and in August 2013 Gulvadys marriage to his US citizen wife was dissolvedThe following year Gulvady filed an Application for Naturalisation in which he falsely stated under penalty of perjury that he was not currently married that he did not have any children and that he had never been married to more than one person at the same timeBased on that application Gulvady became a naturalised US citizen in August 2014 a probe by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services foundUsing his fraudulently obtained Certificate of Naturalisation as evidence of US citizenship Gulvady applied for a US passport in which he falsely omitted his Indian spouseThe Department of State issued Gulvady a US passport which he then used to reenter the US on at least three occasionsWhile his sentencing date is not yet set Gulvadys conviction for unlawfully procuring citizenship results in the automatic revocation of his US citizenship at the time of sentencing IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-admits-to-passport-and-citizenship-fraud-in-us-516907.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-lawyer-appointed-australias-race-discrimination-commissioner-516928.html Melbourne Feb 6 Indianorigin employment lawyer Giridharan Sivaraman has been appointed Race Discrimination Commissioner by the Australian Human Rights Commission AHRCSivaraman is currently the Chair of Multicultural Australia and a Principal Lawyer at Maurice Blackburn where he is head of the firms Queensland Employment Law departmentIm honoured to be appointed Commonwealth Race Discrimination Commissioner And excited and slightly terrified But there is so much work to be done and I cant wait to work with the team at the AusHumanRights Sivaraman wrote in a post on X on MondayAccording to the AHRC he has run numerous state and national race discrimination cases and led the pro bono compensation scheme for underpaid 7eleven workers many of whom came from migrant backgroundsIn addition he provides advice and legal representation in all areas of employment law including workplace bullying employment contracts redundancy restraint of trade workplace discrimination sexual harassment adverse action and unfair dismissalWelcoming the appointment AHRC President Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher said that the fight for systemic equality and speaking truth to power have been at the heart of Sivaramans workHis distinguished legal career has seen him lead significant cases in workplace and discrimination law which coupled with his public advocacy for the rights for racially marginalised communities has led to tangible results that have improved and empowered peoples lives Croucher saidAccording to the Commission president the appointment comes at a time when there has been a marked increase in reports of racism and hate speech in recent monthsCalling him a widely respected champion of racial equity Croucher hoped Sivaraman would help make Australia a more respectful and equitable place for all people regardless of their backgroundHis lived experience passion for diversity and inclusion and deep understanding of human rights and Australian discrimination law means he will be a powerful asset for the Commission during what is very much a delicate time in the country she saidAs a member of the Queensland Multicultural Advisory Council Sivaraman appeared at a state parliamentary inquiry to demand legal reform to better protect the rights of victims of racial vilificationHis work with Multicultural Australia oversees the continued and extensive support provided to new arrivals in Queensland and in his advocacy he also committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of First Nations peoplesSivaraman will commence his role on March 4 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-lawyer-appointed-australias-race-discrimination-commissioner-516928.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 09:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapore-police-to-probe-racism-in-ranks-after-indian-origin-officers-death-minister-517197.html Singapore Feb 6 The Singapore Police Force SPF will investigate cases involving racial slurs or casual racism among its officers as possible misconduct and a disciplinary breach following the death of an Indianorigin officer who claimed to have been bullied by seniors a minister announced on Tuesday Making a statement in the Parliament Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said that the SPF has reviewed its policy on such cases Uvaraja Gopal 35 died in hospital in July last year after he was found lying motionless at the foot of a residential block in Yishun He had served with the police for more than 10 years and was last an officer with the Ang Mo Kio Police Division Channel News Asia reported In a Facebook post that was later deleted Uvaraja said he had been bullied by his superiors and subjected to ethnic slurs by his teammates He also claimed that some officers misconduct was covered up his performance appraisals were unfair to him and he was ostracised at work He alleged that in 2019 his superior shredded his leave form and uploaded a video of this action in a group chat After the allegations Shanmugam asked police to investigate claims saying We will get to the bottom of it And be accountable We have a clear policy of nondiscrimination All officers are entitled to be treated fairly SPF as an organisation is committed to that principle We will investigate the facts Police had said they found the allegations of racial discrimination made by Uvaraja in 2015 unsubstantiated Shanmugam told the House on Tuesday that the AGC AttorneyGenerals Chambers has reviewed the findings and determined that no further actions were needed The investigations found some of Uvarajas allegations were true and some officers involved were disciplined or punished at the time But other allegations were false the minister said He added that the police will also continue to engage officers shape culture and engage in frank discussion on such issues around racial slurs or casual racism through platforms like the annual ethics seminar Addressing Uvarajas claims that he was unfairly held back in his career and given unfair performance appraisals Shanmugam said These are untrue As for his performance appraisals Shanmugam said that investigations found his performance grades were a fair assessment of his work contributions He was also awarded the Covid19 Resilience Medal IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapore-police-to-probe-racism-in-ranks-after-indian-origin-officers-death-minister-517197.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 18:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-charged-with-stealing-donations-from-temples-in-canada-516956.html Toronto Feb 6 A 41yearold IndoCanadian man has been charged with breaking into temples and stealing cash from donation boxesThe accused has been identified as Jagdish Pandher from Brampton cityAccording to police multiple breakandenter incidents were reported in Peel Region comprising Brampton Mississauga and Caledon between March and August 2023Surveillance footage from three places of worship showed the suspect breaking into temples and stealing cash from donation boxesPandher was also caught on surveillance cameras breaking into other commercial locations and stealing moneyFollowing a lengthy and coordinated investigation by police agencies across the Greater Toronto Area Pandher of Brampton has been identified as the suspectPandher who is already in custody for similar offences has been charged with five more counts of breaking in temples and businesses and stealing money IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-charged-with-stealing-donations-from-temples-in-canada-516956.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 11:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-presidential-candidate-haley-seeks-secret-service-protection-report-516982.html Washington Feb 6 IndianAmerican Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley the lone challenger left against former US President Donald Trump has formally requested Secret Service protection citing multiple issues the BBC reportedThe former South Carolina Governor and United Nations ambassador discussed the request for protection in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on MondayWeve had multiple issues Its not going to stop me from doing what I need to do she said after a campaign event in Aiken South CarolinaWhen you do something like this you get threats Its just the reality Thats not going to deter me Does it mean we have to put a few more bodies around this Yes thats fine she told the paperHaley who has been urged by the former President Trump and his backers to exit the race and unify the party against Democrat Joe Biden currently uses personal security while campaigningIn addition protesters have shown up at her campaign events to slam her support for Israel and UkraineAt the end of the day were going to go out there and touch every hand were going to answer every question were going to make sure that we are there and doing everything that we need to she saidThe White House hopeful has been a target of swatting attempts with the recent one on New Years Day when a hoax call was made to law enforcement agencies saying Haleys daughter had been shot and was lying in a pool of bloodDays before her Kiawah Island home was also swatted when a man called the police and claimed to have shot a womanWhile Haley was not at home her parents were there along with a caregiver Calling it an awful situation she had said It put the law enforcement officers in danger it put my family in danger Thats what happens when you run for presidentSecret Service protection is granted to major candidates under federal law usually when they look certain to become their partys nominee the BBC saidA call on providing Haley with Secret Service support would be taken by the US Secretary of Homeland Security who would first confer with a Joint Congressional CommitteeAs former President Trump who enjoys a large doubledigit lead over Haley gets Secret Service protection for lifeDespite lagging behind her former boss in the two primaries held so far Haley raised a massive 165 million in January aloneThe next major primary is scheduled to be held in her home state of South Carolina later this month IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-presidential-candidate-haley-seeks-secret-service-protection-report-516982.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/student-from-hyderabad-in-chicago-injured-in-attack-by-robbers-517293.html Hyderabad Feb 6 A student from Hyderabad was injured when four armed robbers attacked him in Chicago as per his family hereSyed Mazahir Ali pursuing Masters in information technology from Indiana Wesleyan University was attacked and robbed by three men at Campbell Avenue on Sunday morning local timeAlis wife Syeda Ruquiya Fatima Razvi who lives in Langar Houz area in Hyderabad on Tuesday appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to help in ensuring best medical treatment to himIn a letter to the minister she requested that arrangements be made for her travel to the US along with their three minor children She said she received a call from her husbands friend that he was attacked and robbed at Campbell Avenue when he was near his apartment He was taken to a hospitalFatima said she got in touch with her husband after some time but he was in shock and was unable to talk to her She wrote that she was worried about the safety of her husbandVideo footage of the incident shows Ali walking on a road and three masked men chasing him Another video clip shows the profusely bleeding victim narrating the incidentWith blood oozing out from his forehead nose and mouth he said he was returning home with a food packet when four men chased and attacked him I slipped near my house and they punched and kicked me and snatched my mobile phone he said pleading for helpThe incident comes in the wake of four Indianorigin students being found dead in the US during the last one month IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/student-from-hyderabad-in-chicago-injured-in-attack-by-robbers-517293.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 22:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-singer-fined-for-molesting-woman-in-singapore-516639.html Singapore Feb 5 A 42yearold Indianorigin singer in Singapore has been fined SG 3000 for molesting a female production crew member in a drunken stupor in 2022Sivabalan Siva Prasad Menon who had consumed between 10 and 15 cups of whisky on the day of the incident pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of molestationTwo other charges including one more molestation charge were considered during sentencing The Straits Times newspaper reportedOn the day of the incident the victim reported at the Mediacorp Campus in Stars Avenue at around 11 am to work on the production of a show that had hired Menon as a singer and dancerDeputy Public Prosecutor Grace Teo told the court that Menon who was also present at the venue had downed up to 15 cups of whisky between 3 pm and 1130 pmThe victim and a friend were waiting for the lift after the show ended and when it arrived Menon walked out of the lift and grabbed the victim by her jaw kissing her cheekThe victim while trying to pull away told Menon that she did not like being treated in such a manner following which her friend intervened and asked Menon to leaveTeo told the court that after Menon left the vicinity the victim cried and hyperventilated because she felt stressed by the incident She alerted the police later that dayMenons lawyer told the court that the incident was Menons first brush with the law and that the contact between the two was fleeting lasting less than three secondsFor molestation an offender can be jailed for up to three years fined caned or receive any combination of such punishments IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-singer-fined-for-molesting-woman-in-singapore-516639.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 15:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/football-team-asks-betting-firm-to-return-money-stolen-by-indian-american-516444.html New York Feb 5 Jacksonville Jaguars a Floridabased football team has asked sports betting firm FanDuel to return some or all of the nearly 20 million in stolen proceeds that its former Indianorigin employee lost on the siteAmit Patel manager of financial planning and analysis of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2018 to 2023 misused the teams virtual credit card programme VCC to steal 22 millionAccording to ESPN Patel lost about 20 million of the funds on daily fantasy and sports bets at FanDuel which had assigned him a VIP hostPatel transferred money directly from the team VCC to FanDuel which the latter is unwilling to pay the sports channel reported citing sourcesThe way they FanDuel see it we got this money fair and clear Its not our problem that we have to forfeit it back to you a source said adding that discussions are on between FanDuel the Jaguars and the National Football League NFLPatel was a highstakes and highvolume daily fantasy player on FanDuel and DraftKings both of which are official betting partners of the NFL according to online recordsIn December he was charged with wire fraud and illegal monetary transactions in court documents filed by the US District Court in FloridaAmong other things Patel allegedly used the stolen money to purchase a condominium in Ponte Vedra Beach Florida acquire a new Tesla Model 3 sedan a Nissan pickup truck and a wristwatch that cost more than 95000Patels attorney in a December 7 statement denied that Patel funded his lifestyle with the stolen money and said his home and car were bought with family or earned moneyHe faces up to 30 years in prison and a 500000 fine when he is sentenced on March 12Sources told ESPN that FanDuel alerted the NFL to Patels betting in January 2023 after he placed traditional sports bets in TennesseeThe Jaguars remained oblivious to Patels machination until they were notified by the NFLGambling sites have a duty to perform AntiMoney Laundering and Know Your Client procedures to ensure they do not onboard funds of an illicit origin Stephen Bell an attorney told ESPNMaking a court appearance last year Patel said he has a gambling disorder and is seeing a therapist weekly for treatmentHe also underwent treatment for alcohol and substance abuse from March to June last year IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/football-team-asks-betting-firm-to-return-money-stolen-by-indian-american-516444.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 09:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-universities-to-review-international-student-admissions-516769.html London Feb 5 The international student admission process in the UK is set to be reviewed after accusations of universities lowering entry standards for foreign applicants who pay far higher tuition fees Universities UK which represents 140 universities announced a series of measures to review international foundation programmes and the use of recruitment agents employed to attract foreign students The Guardian reported In addition to taking a review the universities will also update their admissions code of practice to clearly state its applicability to international students The move comes after Higher Education Minister Robert Halfon said in the House of Commons that he was very disturbed by a Sunday Times report that clearly showed bad practice in the use of agents and thats not acceptable While I am a strong supporter of international students I want a level playing field for all domestic students as well Halfon said while taking up questions from the MPs last week After Halfons remarks Vice Chancellors said they would work with the government to review the use of agents and make changes to improve resilience and identify bad practice According to the Times report the University of York has told staff to be more flexible in admitting international students with lowerthanexpected grades The Times investigation also recorded agents acting for universities such as Durham and Exeter claiming that international students with poor grades could easily gain entry via international foundation courses Denying the accusations Durham University said in a statement that entry requirements for international students who have completed international foundation years are benchmarked to ensure they are equivalent to those for home students entering with Alevels Indians form a large chunk of international students coming to the UK with the Home Office reporting a substantial 54 per cent increase in the number of sponsored study visas granted to Indian students in 2023 compared to 2022 It is anticipated that the number of Indian students enrolling in UK universities will cross three lakhs in the upcoming academic session According to local media reports the number of Indian students at Durham University which was mentioned in the Sunday Times report has grown by more than 200 per cent to 340 in the last four years IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-universities-to-review-international-student-admissions-516769.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/fresh-trouble-for-sunak-as-minister-accused-of-giving-infosys-vip-access-report-516571.html London Feb 5 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing a fresh conflict of interest row after a Conservative minister on a trade mission to India last April said he would be happy to help IT firm Infosys owned by his wifes family grow in the UKAccording to a Daily Mirror investigation Trade Minister Dominic Johnson said he was keen to see a bigger Infosys presence in the UK and would be happy to do what he could to facilitate thatThe development comes as the Bengalurubased firm founded by Akshata Murtys father vies for contracts in the UK worth 750 million pounds and plans to increase its workforce in its secondbiggest market by 20 per cent to 6000Valued at more than 500 million pounds much of the enormous wealth accumulated by Sunak and his wife who has a 091 per cent stake and reaped dividends of 13 million pounds in the last financial year comes from this IT firmAt a meeting at the companys office details of which were obtained by The Mirror by using Freedom of Information requests Johnson steered Infosys on how to obtain UK visas for its staffJohnson outlined the mobility schemes available which Infosys could take advantage of particularly the High Potential Individual visa scheme which allows holders to stay in the UK for two yearsThe April 2023 meeting also discussed how the IndiaUK Free Trade Agreement FTA would benefit InfosysReassure that the FTA will further create new opportunities and investorfriendly policies to support business growth one of the points mentioned in the briefing notes for Johnson readAhead of Sunaks visit to India for the G20 summit in September last year trade experts and parliamentarians raised concerns alleging that Infosys would financially benefit from the postBrexit trade dealInfosys which is one of the biggest investors in Johnsons Somerset Capital was reassured by the minister who said We value the relationship with Infosys and will continue to engage at a Ministerial level when requested of usCalling the uncovered documents damning the opposition Labour said the government had serious questions to answer about giving VIP access to a business so personally close to Sunak and Liberal Democrats demanded full transparencyThis government seems intent on wrecking the publics trust in politics The public has a right to know what the Government is up to We must have full transparency of all government dealings with a firm so closely linked to the Prime Minister Liberal Democrat Deputy leader Daisy Cooper told The MirrorThe Mirror reported that Infosys has received at least 66 million pounds in public contracts since 2015 and more than 46 million pounds worth of these have been awarded since Sunak became Chancellor in 2020Infosys has offices in London Edinburgh and Nottingham and two out of the tech firms top 10 executives are UKbased IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/fresh-trouble-for-sunak-as-minister-accused-of-giving-infosys-vip-access-report-516571.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 13:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-pm-speaks-on-racism-says-parents-wanted-him-to-speak-without-an-accent-to-fit-in-516171.html London Feb 4 UKs first Indianorigin PM Rishi Sunak shared his experiences of facing racism as a child saying his parents sent him for extra drama lessons so that he could speak properly without an accent to fit into societyIn an interview with Anushka Asthana of ITV News Sunak recalled the pain of hearing slurs directed at his younger siblings adding that racism stings and hurts in a way that other things dont The Guardian reportedYou are conscious of being different Its hard not to be right and obviously I experienced racism as a kid he told Asthana who detailed her encounter with the Prime Minister in The TimesThe PM also spoke about the sting of racism in July last year when he made a special appearance at the England versus Australia Ashes Test match at Lords Cricket Ground in LondonBorn in Southampton in a Hindu Punjabi family that had migrated from East Africa the 43yearold leader said his parents his mother in particular were keen for him and his siblings to fit in and not for it to be in any way shape or form a barrierOne of the things my mum was obsessed with was that we didnt speak with accents and we would speak properly he said So she was keen for us to try to do some extra dramaCalling any form of racism simply unacceptable he also mentioned Britains reputation among global leaders as a model for racial harmony and equalityAddressing his first Conservative Party conference as party leader in Manchester in October 2023 Sunak using his example as proof said that the UK is not a racist country and that his skin colour is not a big deal in the countrySunak admitted while speaking to Asthana that he never expected to see an individual from the ethnic minority community becoming Britains prime minister one day because you didnt have role models like that hadnt happened yetFrom lighting diyas on the steps of 10 Downing Street on Diwali to praying at Hindu temples the Southamptonborn leader has shown that he is proud of his Indian roots and Hindu faith which he says guides him in every aspect of his lifeAttending a Ram Katha ceremony at the University of Cambridges Jesus College last year Sunak said Being Prime Minister is a great honour but it is not an easy job There are difficult decisions to make hard choices to confront and our faith gives me courage strength and resilience to do the best that I can for our country IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-pm-speaks-on-racism-says-parents-wanted-him-to-speak-without-an-accent-to-fit-in-516171.html Sun, 04 Feb 2024 10:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uks-labour-party-launches-measures-to-reconnect-with-british-indian-voters-515885.html London Feb 3 From organising trips to India to hiring community volunteers the UKs main opposition Labour Party has announced a series of measures to win back the support of the British Indian community which has been on the wane in recent yearsNearly twothirds of British Indians who form the secondlargest immigrant group in the UK and the largest minorityethnic group supported Labour for years The Guardian reportedBut the numbers fell sharply with a UKbased thinktank showing that in 2019 only 30 per cent voted for the Keir Starmerled party in stark contrast to 61 per cent in 2010Weve taken Indian voters for granted for years but its becoming increasingly obvious they are going elsewhere and we need to do something about that a party official told the paperTo reengage with the community the party has rolled out new initiatives which include hiring community outreach volunteers revamping the Labour Friends of India group and organising a trip to India for two of its senior shadow ministersAs a canvassing umbrella initiative focused on event organisation and social media dissemination were looking to serve the widest group of stakeholders to ensure a Labour victory Krish Raval the groups chair told The GuardianThe group has hired two volunteers to brief Labour parliamentary candidates on issues of importance to India and on Sunday shadow ministers David Lammy and Jonathan Reynolds will travel to Delhi and Mumbai on a fiveday tripIn November last year Sir Keir Starmer joined top members of the British Indian community including Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami to celebrate Diwali where he expressed his gratitude to the Hindu Sikh and Jain communities in the UKIn June 2023 he emphasised the importance of modern India and said that a strategic partnership with India will be key to a future Labour governmentCiting experts The Guardian said that a shift in the British Indian stance has come about partly for socioeconomic reasons and partly for religious onesAs they have become richer in recent years survey data shows their attitudes have become more conservativeIn addition the party had an uncomfortable relationship with India after the party under Jeremy Corbyns leadership unanimously passed a motion on Kashmir at the 2019 Labour conferenceIn 2019 BJP activists actively campaigned for the Conservatives in more than 40 seats across the UK and now with Rishi Sunak as Britains first Hindu Prime Minister the sailing is likely to be rough for the opposition IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uks-labour-party-launches-measures-to-reconnect-with-british-indian-voters-515885.html Sat, 03 Feb 2024 04:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/from-varun-chheda-to-neel-acharya-the-purdue-deaths-that-shook-indians-515890.html New Delhi Feb 3 The recent death of Purdue University student Neel Acharya has put the focus back on the security and safety of Indian and Indianorigin students at and around the campus that witnessed a total of four deaths from the community between 20222024Placed at No 33 in the US and No 86 worldwide in the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings the prestigious university is a dream of almost every student growing up in India as well as abroadFor some the dream came true with a heavy priceA KNIFE ENDS A 20YEAROLD LIFEOn October 5 2022 20yearold data science student Varun Manish Chheda was gaming and chatting online with friends when he was stabbed to death inside his firstfloor McCutcheon Hall room on Purdue Universitys West Lafayette campusAccording to police Varuns death was Purdues first oncampus homicide in more than eight yearsVarun whose grandfather migrated to the US in 1964 from Gujarat was allegedly stabbed by his roommate multiple times in the head and neck with a folding knife an incident that the police called senseless and unprovokedJi Min Sha a 22yearold cybersecurity major from South Korea was charged with Varuns murder and was found fit to stand trial in September last year He could face between 45 and 65 years in prison if found guilty of murderMaking his first court appearance before the Tippecanoe County Magistrate just after the murder on October 14 Sha claimed he was blackmailed when asked why he killed Varun but did not elaborate furtherHe also said he was very sorry when asked if he had anything to tell the victims familyRemembered as a humble person and bright student by faculty and friends Varun was just 10 days away from celebrating his 21st birthdayJust a few hours before the murder his mother sent him her usual evening text message Eat well sleep well Finish your homework and Varun responded by saying Yes Mom Ive done it allIn his last text to his mother at 1145 pm Varun wrote Goodnight mamaA TWIN TRAGEDYJust a year and a week after Varuns death 25yearold Tanya Roy and her twin sister Rayna Roy died after falling from their seventhfloor apartment around the Purdue campus on October 11 2023While there was no record of Rayna as a Purdue student Tanya graduated with a bachelor of science degree in environmental and ecological engineering in 2020 from the university and was a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship in 2019The twin sisters were found dead in an alley between Campus Edge Apartments and Westwood Apartments West Lafayette according to The Purdue Exponent the universitys studentrun newspaperFirst responders tried to provide lifesaving help but the girls died at the scene the West Lafayette Police Department Lt Jon Eager said adding that the girls parents were visiting from New York State and were anticipating helping the twins move backAccording to the forensic autopsy the sisters died by suicide as a result of multiple bluntforce injuriesFROM MISSING TO BEING MISSEDOn January 28 2024 officials were called around 1130 am to 500 Allison Road in West Lafayette for a possible body which turned out to be that of 19yearold Neel AcharyaNeel went missing a day before his death and was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off at the University His body was found outside Maurice J Zucrow Laboratories on the Purdue campusHe was a double major in computer science and data science at the John Martinson Honors College where the slain IndianAmerican Varun was also a student majoring in data scienceAccording to his LinkedIn profile Neel finished his schooling at St Marys School in Pune before joining Purdue in 2022He also participated in and won the Cozmo Clench competition at Techfest 201819 hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology IITAt Purdue Neel worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant and was adept at C Programming Language Artificial Intelligence AI Research Skills Python Programming Language and Generative ArtHOW SAFE ARE INDIANS AT PURDUEAccording to the university website Purdue is currently home to more than 2782 Indian students representing 219 per cent of their international student body up from 182 per cent two years agoThe university has 876 undergraduates 1906 graduates and 73 online students from India alone and has offered meritbased scholarships to students from the country through the Indian Emerging Scholar fundThe university also has Indian Graduate Students at Purdue IGRASP a campus cultural organization that aims to build a sense of community away from home for Indian graduate students at the UniversityFollowing Varuns death Purdues president assured that the safety and security of students is the single highest priority on the campusPurdue is an extraordinarily safe place on any given day and compared with cities of Purdues population approximately 60000 in all we experience a tiny fraction of violent and property crime that occurs elsewhereA death on our campus and among our Purdue family affects each of us deeply IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/from-varun-chheda-to-neel-acharya-the-purdue-deaths-that-shook-indians-515890.html Sat, 03 Feb 2024 07:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-barrister-varun-ghosh-appointed-to-australian-senate-515905.html Melbourne Feb 3 Indianorigin barrister Varun Ghosh will take his position in the Australian Senate next week with the Labour Party officially confirming him as their pick to represent Western Australia WAA joint sitting of WA Parliament on Thursday selected the 38yearold Ghosh a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers to replace present senator Patrick DodsonThe Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council have chosen Senator Varun Ghosh to represent Western Australia in the Senate of the Federal Parliament the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia announced on XGhosh joined the Labor party in Perth at the age of 17 after his parents moved from India in the 1980s and began working as neurologists news website WAToday reportedHe said his preselection was an honour he wont take for granted I have had the privilege of a good education and believe strongly that highquality education and training should be available to everyone he said in a statementVarun has spent the last few years working as a barrister with both WA business amp on the international stage with the World Bank I look forward to working with him as part of ourwalabor Senate team in CBR Canberra Minister for Veterans Affairs Matt Keogh wrote on X platformAt the 2019 federal election Ghosh was placed in fifth position on the Australian Labour Partys Senate ticket in Western Australia but was not electedHe received degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Western Australia and was a Commonwealth Scholar in Law at the University of CambridgeHe previously worked as a finance attorney in New York and as a consultant for the World Bank in Washington DCGhosh returned to Australia in 2015 as a senior associate with King amp Wood Mallesons representing banks resource companies and construction companies in dispute resolution IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-barrister-varun-ghosh-appointed-to-australian-senate-515905.html Sat, 03 Feb 2024 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/multiple-gunshots-fired-at-home-of-nijjars-friend-in-canada-515631.html Toronto Feb 2 Gunshots were fired at the house of a Sikh activist related to proKhalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar a designated terrorist in India who was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in the Canadian province of British Columbia last yearNo injuries were reported in the incident which occurred just after 120 am on Thursday at a South Surrey home located near the 2800 block of 154 Street the Surrey Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP saidMoninder Singh a spokesperson for the BC Gurdwaras Council identified the house owner as Simranjeet Singh a friend of Nijjar the CBC news channel reportedHe added that the overnight attack nearly claimed the life of Simranjeets sixyearold childAccording to CBC a car was heavily damaged in gunfire and there were multiple bullet holes in the house itselfInvestigators with the Surrey RCMPs Major Crime Section believe this was an isolated incident but did not confirm how many shots were fired into the homeCorporal Sarbjit Sangha said officers have spoken to the neighbours and witnesses and are currently reviewing CCTV footage to find out more about the shootingThe investigation is in still very early stages so the motive of this shooting has not been determined as of this time Sangha told CBC NewsMoninder told the news channel that community members believe Simranjeets links with Nijjar might have played a part in the shootingHe added that the shooting came just days after Simranjeet helped organise a proKhalistan protest at the Indian consulate in Vancouver on January 26According to Moninder Simranjeet was in touch with the RCMP to report being followed after protests and fears for his life He also said the shooting would not deter Simranjeets activism for a separate Sikh state IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/multiple-gunshots-fired-at-home-of-nijjars-friend-in-canada-515631.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indians-pakistanis-among-15-arrested-in-cyprus-sham-marriage-scam-515716.html New Delhi Feb 2 A criminal network facilitating illegal migration into the European Union via sham marriages has been busted in Cyprus leading to the arrest of 15 individuals including Indians and Pakistanis European police saidInvestigations by Europols Operational Task Force OTF found that the network was also involved in human trafficking and money laundering activities as well as forcing victims into bogus marriages for immigration purposesThe suspects allegedly recruited Latvian and Portuguese nationals and facilitated their journeys to Cyprus where the women entered into arranged marriages with thirdcountry nationals the European police agency said in a statement Thereafter these suspects mainly Indian Pakistani and Portuguese citizens arranged all the logistics including the purchase of flight tickets and the acquisition of passports and other required documents The arrested individuals are being held by the Larnaca district court in Cyprus until February 7 A total of 133 marriages of convenience were conducted between Portuguese and Latvian women and Indian and Pakistani men investigations by the OTF found The sham marriage ceremonies took place in town halls around Aradippou Livadia and Nicosia enabling the nonEU nationals to obtain residence permits from third countries which they then used to travel to other European countries The two main organisers were arrested in Latvia and Portugal and 13 others were arrested in Cyprus Europol said adding that four of them were highvalue targets IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indians-pakistanis-among-15-arrested-in-cyprus-sham-marriage-scam-515716.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 18:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/we-work-closely-with-india-on-our-most-vital-priorities-us-515471.html Washington Feb 2 Reiterating that its partnership with India is one of the most consequential relationships the US has said it is working closely with the country on most vital prioritiesThe remarks by State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller came hours after the Biden administration notified the US Congress on Thursday of its decision to sell 31 armed drones to IndiaI would say that our partnership with India is one of our most consequential relationships We work closely with India on our most vital priorities State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news briefing on ThursdayWishing outgoing Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu on his future endeavors Miller said that the US looks forward to welcoming his replacementWe have had a close working relationship with the ambassador have been able to work with him on a number of those shared priorities including the crucial role India plays in ensuring a free open IndoPacific that is connected prosperous secure and resilient We wish him well in his future endeavors and look forward to welcoming his replacement Miller saidThe spokesperson also informed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar share a close working relationshipThey have a close working relationship where they are able to engage on some of our most urgent and important priorities Obviously the Secretary has traveled to India to meet with the foreign minister on a number of occasions Hes welcomed him here hes met with him in New York on the margins of the UN General Assembly and we look forward to continuing to work with him Miller told reportersOn being asked about the timeline or the next steps and how important the Predator Drone deal would be Miller said that the exact timeline of the delivery is something that the US will explore with the India government over the coming monthsI will say with respect to the deal itself the 399 almost 4 billion sale of 31 MQ9B SkyGuardian aircraft will provide India with an enhanced maritime security and maritime domain awareness capability It offers India outright ownership and a 16fold increase in the number of aircraft as compared to their current lease of two MQ9A aircraft Miller saidThe deal was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden in June 2023 along with joint production of GE jet engines in IndiaCongress now has 30 days to either greenlight the deal by doing nothing or reject it through a congressional vote There is no attempt to put a hold on it yet but as a person familiar with the development told IANS The clock starts nowIndia is buying these drones in a governmenttogovernment deal through a process called Foreign Military Sale FMS IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/we-work-closely-with-india-on-our-most-vital-priorities-us-515471.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-british-indian-musicians-in-royal-philharmonic-society-awards-shortlist-515517.html London Feb 2 A British Indian conductor and a sitarist are among 19 individual performers and composers shortlisted for this years prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society RPS Awards celebrating classical music and musicians across the UK Billed by The Sunday Times as the biggest night in UK classical music the awards shine a light on brilliant musical individuals groups and initiatives inspiring communities nationwideAlpesh Chauhan OBE Music Director of the Birmingham Opera Company has been nominated in the Conductor category and sitarist and composer Jasdeep Singh Degun is in the Instrumentalist Award and the LargeScale Composition Award categoriesOf the 19 individual performers and composers shortlisted 42 per cent represent the global majority including cellist Ayanna WitterJohnson Music Director of the Birmingham Opera Company Alpesh Chauhan and sitar player Jasdeep Singh Degun a press note by RPS readIn a post shared on X Leedsborn Degun thanked his teacher for supporting him in his musical journeyVery surreal to announce that Ive been nominated for two RoyalPhilSoc Awards For Best Instrumentalist and Large Scale Composition I am very thankful to my teacher Ustad Dharambir Singh and to the numerous individuals and organisations that have supported me over the years Degun saidHis work as a composer comusic director and soloist in the highly praised opera Orpheus commissioned by Opera North in partnership with South Asian ArtsUK earned him a nomination for the LargeScale Composition Award according to a press noteOrpheus garnered fivestar reviews and earned Degun a 2022 Critics Circle Music Award for Outstanding Achievement in OperaHis other awards and acknowledgments include the Songlines Best Newcomer Award an Asian Achievers Award an Asian Media Award and an Ivor Novello Classical Award nomination for Best Stage WorkLearning under the guidance of Ustad Dharambir Singh MBE Degun has performed all over the world in prestigious venues including Buckingham Palace the Amphitheatre in Doha and Westminster Abbey at the Royal Commonwealth Service 2022 in the presence of the British Royal Family and Prime MinisterDegun trained intensively in India under maestro Ustad Shujaat Khan in 2010 and studied as an International Scholar at the prestigious Sangeet Research Academy Kolkata under the guidance of Pandit Partho Chatterjee and Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty in early 2016Birminghamborn Chauhans debut album featuring orchestral works by Tchaikovsky was released with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on Chandos Records in June 2023He entered the Royal Northern College of Music in 2008 to study the cello before pursuing the prestigious Masters Conducting CourseFollowing his musical debut in 2015 he was appointed Principal Conductor of Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini in Parma and performed much of the great symphonic repertoire including a complete cycle of Brahmss symphoniesIn 2022 Chauhan was named Miglior Direttore by the Italian National Association of Music Critics for concerts given across Italy in 2021 and in January 2022 received an OBE for Services to the Arts in the Queens New Year HonoursThe RPS Awards will take place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester on March 5 with tickets priced between ten to 25 pounds IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-british-indian-musicians-in-royal-philharmonic-society-awards-shortlist-515517.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/four-indian-students-dead-in-us-angry-netizens-call-for-travel-advisory-515563.html New Delhi Feb 2 Four Indian students have died in quick succession in the US sparking fears regarding the safety and security of those studying abroad and angry netizens calling for a travel advisoryThe most recent reported case was of Shreyas Reddy Benigeri a student of Lindner School of Business in Cincinnati on Thursday after the deaths of Purdue Universitys Neel Acharya MBA student Vivek Saini in Georgia and University of Illinois Akul B DhawanAnnouncing Benigeris death the Indian Consulate in New York said that a police investigation is underway even as calls for an advisory for Indian students grew louder among netizensDeeply saddened by the unfortunate demise of Shreyas Reddy Benigeri a student of Indian origin in Ohio Police investigation is underway At this stage foul play is not suspected the Consulate said in a post on XThe Consulate further said it is in touch with the Benigeri family and is extending all possible assistance to themMEA Ministry of External Affairs needs to issue an advisory for Indian students on keeping them safe in the US Just shipping their remains to India is not their sole job Debashish Sarkar a user on X wrote in response to the Consulates postCalling the US an increasingly becoming an unsafe place for Indians X user Sonam Mahajan wrote Its high time India issued a travel advisory against the US for Indians looking to move to the country for both higher education and work opportunitiesIndia should perhaps issue travel advisory for Indian students wanting to study in US another user Rakesh Bakshi wrote while many others urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take swift actionIndia last issued a travel advisory for its students and nationals in Canada in September 2023 given growing antiIndia activities and politically condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in the countryThe tragic incidents come with Indian students constituting more than 25 per cent of the over one million foreign students studying in the United States according to a November 2023 Open Doors reportThe number of Indians who travelled to the US for higher education increased by 35 per cent and resulted in an alltime high of 268923 students in the academic year 202223 the report saidLast year the US consular team in India issued over 140000 student visas more than in any other country in the world setting a record for the third year in a row IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/four-indian-students-dead-in-us-angry-netizens-call-for-travel-advisory-515563.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 13:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/relatives-pay-last-respects-to-4-indian-victims-of-australia-beach-tragedy-515403.html Sydney Feb 1 Grieving relatives travelled from India on Thursday to bid final adieu to four of their family members who died last week on Phillip Island in one of the worst drowning tragedies in the Australian state of Victoria since 2005Siblings Jagjeet Shivam Anand 23 and Suhani Anand 20 along with Kriti Bedi 20 and Reema Sondhi 43 died after the tide turned at the unpatrolled Forrest Caves beach in NewhavenThe four victims were cremated on Thursday after a service that combined Sikh and Hindu rites and was attended by about 200 mourners including family members The Sydney Morning Herald reportedRemembering his late nephew niece sister and sisterinlaw Ankur Chhabra said his young relatives came to Australia for a better future and in a few seconds we lost everybodyHe recalled Jagjeet as a goldenhearted boy Suhani as the most beautiful girl Reema as the bravest girl and Kirti as an animal loverWhile Jagjeet was a dedicated aged care worker and sister Suhani was studying nursing Kirti had arrived six months ago from Punjab to study psychologyShe stayed with Jagjeet and Suhani in Clyde alongside Chhabra the report saidReema a mother of two teens was two weeks into her Australian holiday when the tragedy struckEmergency services in the past have warned against swimming at the relatively remote Forrest Caves beach which they say is a spot best suited to surfersChhabra told The Herald that his family didnt see the warnings of dangerous waters at Forrest Caves urging the authorities to improve safety signageWe have lost four family members we dont want anyone else to lose their family members Chhabra saidAlong with Chhabra other family and friends thanked the emergency services for trying to save their loved onesThey also praised the Indian High Commission and local MP Cassandra Fernando for helping the Indian family members enter the country for Thursdays serviceOffduty lifesavers surfing nearby had rushed to the drowning familys aid and pulled three people from the water unresponsive on January 24 at around 330 pmA rescue boat retrieved the fourth person after the Cape Woolamai Surf Lifesaving Club responded at about 340 pmThree of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene while Suhani was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition where she succumbed to her injuriesThe Indian High Commission condoled the deaths as a heartbreaking tragedy and assured all assistance to the family and friends of the deceasedWe all worked tirelessly to help those people Ambulance Victoria manager Paul James had told the media after the tragedyLiam Krige Life Saving Victorias general manager of operations said at a press conference that 19 people have drowned in Victoria since December 1 two more than the same period last summerBehind each one of these drownings there is a family theres a brother theres a sister theres a mother theres a daughter he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/relatives-pay-last-respects-to-4-indian-victims-of-australia-beach-tragedy-515403.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 21:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-army-man-jailed-for-sex-attempt-on-minor-in-singapore-515200.html Singapore Feb 1 A 50yearold Indianorigin warrant officer with the Singapore Armed Forces SAF was sentenced to 10 months in jail on Thursday for attempting to have sex with a 15yearold in 2021Subramaniam Thaburan Rangasamy pleaded guilty last month to one count of sexually penetrating the minor who is now 17 The Straits Times newspaper reportedTwo other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing even as Subramaniam was suspended from all duties following his arrestA Ministry of Defence spokeswoman told the Daily that SAF will take further actions after court hearings which may include discharging Subramaniam from serviceThe incident happened on December 6 2021 when the victim was supposed to have an online meeting with her school counsellor in the morningThe Secondary 3 student was walking down from the fifth floor of the carpark when she fell and hit a door and Subramaniam helped her to her feetShe thanked him and after chatting for about an hour on one of the floors of the carpark they became intimateSubramaniam tried to have sex with her but failed following which they parted ways and exchanged numbers the news report saidThe court heard that they remained in contact via WhatsApp but the messages were not of a sexual natureTwo days after the incident the girl made a police report because she felt that Subramaniam had taken advantage of herDeputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair had told the court in earlier proceedings The accused was not at any time misled as to the victims age The accused did not force or coerce the victim to be intimateFor penetrating a minor below 16 an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-army-man-jailed-for-sex-attempt-on-minor-in-singapore-515200.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 14:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/3-indo-canadians-to-be-extradited-to-us-for-drug-trafficking-514972.html Toronto Feb 1 Three Indianorigin men have been arrested in Canada and will be extradited for trial in the US for their alleged links with a network trafficking drugs between Mexico and the North American nationsA joint operation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP dubbed Operation Dead Hand saw 19 people charged in two US federal indictments for their alleged roles in the organized crime ringAyush Sharma 25 and Guramrit Sandhu 60 both from Brampton and Subham Kumar 29 from Calgary were arrested under an international arrest warrant the RCMP said in a release on TuesdayDrug trafficking is a global problem being driven by sophisticated organised crime groups who put profits over peoples lives Motivated by greed these criminals destroy lives devastate families and wreak havoc in our community said US Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of CaliforniaInvestigators developed information indicating the organised crime group used Canadian handlers and dispatchers who travelled from Canada to Los Angeles for short amounts of time a Department of Justice release notedThe handlers coordinated the pickup and delivery of large shipments of cocaine and methamphetamine which were loaded onto longhaul semitrucks destined for Canada Wholesale quantities of fentanyl were seized as a result of the investigationThe transportation was coordinated by a network of drivers working with dozens of trucking companies who made numerous border crossings from the US to Canada via the Detroit Windsor Tunnel the Buffalo Peace Bridge and the Blue Water BridgeSidhu also known as King is alleged to have orchestrated the trafficking and exportation of largescale quantities of controlled substances to Canada working with several codefendants described as suppliersAccording to the indictment Sidhu occupied the position of an organiser supervisor and manager and in this role obtained substantial income and resourcesHe has been charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise and if convicted he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prisonSharma and Kumar were identified in the indictment as semitruck drivers involved in exporting drugs to CanadaBoth the indictments allege illicit drug trafficking activity cumulatively involving approximately 845 kgs of methamphetamine 951 kgs of cocaine 20 kgs of fentanyl and 4 kgs of heroinOver 900000 in cash was seized during the investigation The estimated wholesale value of the narcotics seized was between 1628 millionArrest and search warrants were executed on Tuesday morning by a coalition of international law enforcement partners in various cities including Los Angeles Sacramento California Miami Odessa Texas Montreal Toronto and Calgary Canada IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/3-indo-canadians-to-be-extradited-to-us-for-drug-trafficking-514972.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-pleads-guilty-to-bank-secrecy-act-charges-in-1bn-scheme-515234.html New York Feb 1 An IndianAmerican man admitted that he failed to maintain an antimoney laundering programme in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act as part of a scheme to bring lucrative and highrisk international financial business to a small unsophisticated credit unionGyanendra Asre 56 a certified antimoney laundering specialist from New York is scheduled to be sentenced on May 3 a Department of Justice release stated on WednesdayAccording to court documents from 2014 to 2016 Asre was a member of the supervisory board of the New York State Employees Federal Credit Union NYSEFCU a financial institution that was required to have an antimoney laundering programThrough the NYSEFCU and other entities Asre participated in a scheme that brought over 1 billion in highrisk transactions including millions of dollars of bulk cash transactions from a foreign bank to the NYSEFCUExperienced in international banking and trained in antimoney laundering compliance and procedures Asre represented to the NYSEFCU that he and his businesses would conduct appropriate antimoney laundering oversight as required by the Bank Secrecy ActBased on Asres representations the NYSEFCU a small credit union with a volunteer board that primarily served New York state public employees allowed Asre and his entities to conduct highrisk transactions through itContrary to his representations Asre failed to implement and maintain an antimoney laundering program at the NYSEFCUThis failure caused the NYSEFCU to process the highrisk transactions without appropriate oversight and without ever filing a single Suspicious Activity Report as required by lawA federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factorsAsres case was prosecuted by Acting Chief Margaret Moeser of the Criminal Divisions Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section MLARSMLARS Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions including their officers managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-pleads-guilty-to-bank-secrecy-act-charges-in-1bn-scheme-515234.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-doctor-found-not-guilty-of-masturbating-next-to-minor-on-plane-515249.html New York Feb 1 A 33yearold IndianAmerican doctor accused of masturbating next to a 14yearold girl on a plane has been found not guilty following a threeday trial in Boston federal courtSudipta Mohanty a primary care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston was accused of performing the lewd act on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Honolulu to Boston in May 2022After a judge cleared him of any wrongdoing on Wednesday Mohanty said the accusation had been difficult for his family The New York Post reportedMy fiance was sitting next to me on that flight and neither of us can understand why this happened to us he said in a written statementI have dedicated my life to caring for others as a physician and it has been heartbreaking to step away while I dealt with these false accusationsFollowing the incident Mohanty was arrested and charged with one count of lewd indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the USAccording to the charging documents Mohanty was seated next to the minor who was travelling with her grandparents seated nearbyAbout halfway through the flight the minor allegedly observed that Mohanty had covered himself with a blanket up to his neck and that Mohantys leg was bouncing up and downShortly thereafter the minor observed that the blanket was on the floor no longer covering Mohanty and that he was masturbatingThe minor moved herself to an empty seat in a different row for the remainder of the flight and claimed to have felt disgusted and very uncomfortableAfter arriving in Boston she informed members of her family about the incident and law enforcement was notifiedMohanty said that the dozen passengers around them and the flight attendants never acted like anything was wrong during the time frame the girl accused him of selfpleasure The Post reportedAfter being indicted in September he opted for a bench trial meaning he handed his case down to a judge not a juryThe charge of lewd indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US provides for a sentence of up to 90 days in prison up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to 5000Prosecutors said they were disappointed with the cases outcome saying Our office has no reservations about having proceeded with this caseOur office will remain steadfast in supporting victims particularly minor children It is critical that victims know they can come forward and they will be heard and be fully supported by our office US Attorney Joshua Levy was quoted as saying in The PostDr Mohanty is a talented and dedicated medical doctor He has absolutely no history of wrongdoing whatsoever Mohantys lawyer Claudia Lagos said in a statementThe last six months have been a bizarre nightmare for him and he is relieved this is finally over so that he can rebuild his life Lagos said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-doctor-found-not-guilty-of-masturbating-next-to-minor-on-plane-515249.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-driver-arrested-after-406-kg-of-meth-found-inside-truck-515022.html Toronto Feb 1 A 29yearold IndoCanadian driver has been arrested after border officials found 4062 kilograms of whats believed to be methamphetamine from large suitcases inside his commercial truck police saidKomalpreet Sidhu from Winnipeg was arrested by the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP on January 14 and is expected to appear in court today the CBC news channel reportedHe faces two charges importation of methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance for trafficking in what has been described by the officials as the largest narcotic seizure ever made in the PrairiesThe truck which was en route to Winnipeg was searched at the Boissevain port of entry Ken McGregor of the Canada Border Services Agency CBSA said at a news conference in Winnipeg on WednesdayHe said 200 individually wrapped packages were discovered inside suitcases in the truck and would be eventually destroyedThe total amount of suspected drugs seized adds up to about four million illicit doses with an estimated street value of more than CA 507 millionInspector Joe Telus a division intelligence officer with RCMP federal policing said the truck came from the United States and the drugs would have likely been distributed to locations across Manitoba and possibly in Western Canada and OntarioAccording to him the truck has been linked to a commercial trucking company based in the province of Manitoba where they believe the driver workedTelus further said that the size of the shipment suggests the transport of the drugs involved organized crime at the local national and international levelsSidhus arrest comes just as three other IndoCanadians are set to be extradited to the US for their alleged links with a network trafficking drugs between Mexico and the North American nationsThey were identified as Ayush Sharma 25 and Guramrit Sidhu 60 both from Brampton and Subham Kumar 29 from Calgary according to an RCMP statement released on TuesdaySidhu also known as King is alleged to have orchestrated the trafficking and exportation of largescale quantities of controlled substances to Canada working with several codefendants described as suppliersHe has been charged with one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise and if convicted he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prisonSharma and Kumar were identified in the US indictment as semitruck drivers involved in exporting drugs to Canada IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-driver-arrested-after-406-kg-of-meth-found-inside-truck-515022.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/no-signs-of-trauma-or-injuries-found-on-neel-acharyas-body-coroner-514562.html New York Jan 31 No signs of trauma or significant injuries have been found during the autopsy of Indian student Neel Acharya a US county coroner said confirming that foul play is not suspected at the moment in the death of the Purdue University studentTippecanoe County Coroner Carrie Costello said she met with the next of kin of Acharya on Tuesday who confirmed his identity as a 19yearold Purdue University studentOn January 29 2024 a forensic autopsy was performed at the Tippecanoe County Coroners Office on Neel There was no trauma or significant injuries found during the autopsy No foul play is suspected at this time Costello saidShe added that a report on the preliminary cause of death toxicology and the preliminary manner of death are still pendingThis is an ongoing investigation with the Tippecanoe County Coroners Office and the Purdue University Police Department Costello addedWhile meeting the next of kin of Acharya Costello expressed her deepest sympathies and condolences to the family that is going through a difficult timeOfficials were called around 1130 am on Sunday to West Lafayette after a collegeaged male was found deceased outside Maurice J Zucrow Laboratories on Purdue University campusAcharya a double major in computer science and data science at the John Martinson Honors College had gone missing last week just before his deathAccording to Goury Acharya her son was last seen by the Uber driver who dropped him off in Purdue UniversityChris Clifton the universitys Computer Science head called Acharya a driven individual and academically talentedAcharyas friend and roommate Aryan Khanolkar told The Purdue Exponent the universitys studentrun newspaper that he was a loving charismatic soul and will be cherished by all of us IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/no-signs-of-trauma-or-injuries-found-on-neel-acharyas-body-coroner-514562.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/review-ordered-into-decision-to-accept-manslaughter-pleas-of-british-indian-teens-killer-514693.html London Jan 31 An independent review has been ordered into prosecutors decision to accept the manslaughter pleas of a 32yearold attacker who stabbed an Indianorigin teen and two others to death in the UK last yearValdo Calocane a dual GuineaBissauPortuguese national killed 19yearold students Grace OMalleyKumar and Barnaby Webber and 65yearold school caretaker Ian Coates during an incident near Nottingham University on June 13 2023Attorney General Victoria Prentis said she ordered an urgent review into the way the Crown Prosecution Service CPS handled the case the BBC reportedPrentis asked His Majestys Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate to carry out the review saying The senseless deaths of Barnaby Webber Grace OMalleyKumar and Ian Coates have horrified the countryWhile nothing will bring their loved ones back the families understandably want to understand what happened in this caseThats why I have asked the inspectorate to carry out a prompt and thorough review of CPS actionsA spokesperson for His Majestys Chief Inspector of the CPS said they accept the request for the review the findings of which are expected by EasterThe move by Prentis comes less than a week after prosecutors during a hearing at the Nottingham Crown Court accepted Calocanes guilty plea based on diminished responsibility which means he will not be tried for murderAccording to BBC the CPS said psychiatrists provided overwhelming evidence the killer was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia which resulted in him believing that the MI6 was spying on himHowever Webbers mother said the CPS had not consulted them and said they had been rushed hastened and railroadedCalocane denied three counts of murder but admitted to three counts of manslaughter and three counts of attempted murderFollowing the attorney generals decision the victims families issued a joint statement saying that they were united as families in this national tragedyWe reiterate our deep and grave concerns in this case and our disappointment that we have had to resort to this additional level of trauma and stress to feel listened to and for further actions to be takenIn addition to a full open and transparent investigation the families also asked to be given an opportunity to discuss in person the concerns and evidence of concerns that they have with the IOPC Independent Office for Police Conduct and the attorney generalCalling for a public inquiry into the case the families met Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday who promised them that we will get the answersIn an interview with the ITV News Sunak said on Tuesday that a decision about whether a public inquiry is the next logical step will be made after all the agencies involved in the case have been independently investigatedOnce we hear back from that then we can sit down with them and decide if there are more questions that need answering Sunak said at ITVs This MorningMeanwhile in line with the Attorney Generals announcement Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins ordered on Monday a special review into Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust where Calocane was treated for paranoid schizophreniaConducted by The Care Quality Commission CQC the review will be carried out alongside the Independent Mental Health Homicide Review ordered by NHS England to examine the case of Valdo Calocane IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/review-ordered-into-decision-to-accept-manslaughter-pleas-of-british-indian-teens-killer-514693.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-sentenced-for-nearly-28mn-healthcare-fraud-in-us-514500.html New York Jan 31 A 43yearold Indian national in the US state of Michigan has been sentenced to nine years in prison for orchestrating a nearly 28 million healthcare fraudYogesh K Pancholi from Northville was also found guilty of wire fraud conspiracy engaging in money laundering aggravated identity theft and witness tamperingAccording to court documents and evidence presented at trial Pancholi owned and operated Shring Home Care Inc a home health company based in Livonia Michigan a Department of Justice release saidDespite being excluded from billing Medicare Pancholi purchased Shring using the names signatures and personal identifying information of others to conceal his ownership of the companyIn a twomonth period Pancholi and his coconspirators billed and were paid nearly 28 million by Medicare for services that were never providedPancholi then transferred these funds through bank accounts belonging to shell corporations and eventually into his accounts in IndiaAfter being indicted and on the eve of trial Pancholi using a pseudonym wrote false and malicious emails to various federal government agenciesIn those emails he alleged a government witness had committed various crimes and should not be allowed to remain in the US in an attempt to keep the witness from testifyingIn September 2023 a federal jury in the Eastern District of Michigan convicted Pancholi of conspiracy to commit healthcare and wire fraud two substantive counts of healthcare fraud two counts of money laundering two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of witness tamperingPacholis case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Field Office and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General HHSOIGThe Justice Departments Criminal Division has been making efforts to combat healthcare fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force ProgramSince March 2007 this program currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts has charged more than 5400 defendants who collectively have billed federal healthcare programs and private insurers more than 27 billion IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-sentenced-for-nearly-28mn-healthcare-fraud-in-us-514500.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/h-1b-visa-process-begins-march-6-amid-overhaul-of-lottery-system-514520.html New York Jan 31 The initial registration for the H1B visa application for fiscal year 2025 will open from March 6 and run through March 22 the US Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS said on TuesdayThe announcement came as part of a final rule to strengthen the integrity of and reduce the potential for fraud in the registration process of the nonimmigrant visa that allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupationsSome of the steps taken by the federal agency include reducing the potential for gaming the registration system and ensuring each beneficiary would have the same chance of being selected regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalfThe initial registration period for the FY 2025 H1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 6 2024 and run through noon Eastern on March 22 2024 USCIS said in a news releaseDuring this period prospective petitioners and their representatives if applicable must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary it addedThe agencys final rule contains provisions that will create a beneficiarycentric selection process for registrations by employers codify start date flexibility for certain petitions subject to the congressionally mandated H1B cap and add more integrity measures related to the registration processWere always looking for ways to bolster integrity and curtail the potential for fraud while improving and streamlining our application processes said USCIS Director Ur M JaddouThe improvements in these areas should make H1B selections more equitable for petitioners and beneficiaries and will allow for the H1B process to be fully electronic from registration if applicable until final decision and transmission of approved petitions to the Department of StateUnder the beneficiarycentric process registrations will be selected by unique beneficiary rather than by registrationThis new process is designed to reduce the potential for fraud and ensure each beneficiary would have the same chance of being selected regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf by an employerStarting with the fiscal year 2025 initial registration period USCIS will require registrants to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiaryThe passport or travel document provided must be the one the beneficiary if or when abroad intends to use to enter the US if issued an H1B visaEach beneficiary must only be registered under one passport or travel document the USCIS said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/h-1b-visa-process-begins-march-6-amid-overhaul-of-lottery-system-514520.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/punjab-man-guilty-of-fatal-car-crash-in-canada-deported-to-india-514140.html Toronto Jan 30 A 26yearold man hailing from Punjab has been deported to India less than a year after he was found guilty of a car crash that killed a woman and her elderly mother in the Canadian province of AlbertaBipinjot Gill who arrived in Canada in 2016 on a student visa sped through a red light in Calgary on May 18 2019 killing Uzma Afzal 31 and her mother Bilquees Begum 65 on the spotHe left Canada after his attempts to have a deportation order stayed were rejected by a Federal Court judge this month the Calgary Herald newspaper reportedThe applicant committed and was convicted for a serious crime Lives were lost The families of the victims will never see family members again Judge Shirzad Ahmed said in his rulingHe also dismissed Gills claims that he would face harm if returned to India by not being able to access treatment for his mental health issuesAnd while Gill has struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues he has been found criminally responsible for his conduct by a competent court of lawGill who was 21 at the time of the accident was behind the wheel of a Hyundai that crashed into a Toyota Corolla at the intersection of Metis Trail and 128 Avenue NE in the early morning hours of May 18 2019While the two women were pronounced dead on the spot the driver of the Toyota Begums husband and Uzmas husband were taken to the hospital in critical conditionHe was convicted of the double fatality case in April 2023 and sentenced in November to a term of house arrest 300 hours of community service and one year of probationThree months after the accident Gill was also convicted of dangerous driving and fleeing from a peace officer in August 2019 the judge notedHe was issued a deportation order on September 6 2022 after being found inadmissible to Canada for serious criminality The Herald reportedGills lawyer said his client ran out of time in his bid to stay the deportation order and acted without legal counsel for too longA native of Punjab Gill earned a twoyear diploma from Bow Valley College in 2018His parents and brother are in Canada on temporary visas while his uncle and grandparents are Canadian citizens IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/punjab-man-guilty-of-fatal-car-crash-in-canada-deported-to-india-514140.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/king-charles-charity-leads-initiative-to-focus-on-education-of-4-million-indian-kids-514182.html London Jan 30 The British Asian Trust a charity founded by King Charles III is leading an educational initiative that will impact the lives of up to four million children in India across five yearsThe initiative LiftEd Learning and Innovation in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy to Transform Education aims to strengthen Indias education ecosystem and was launched on International Day of Education last weekTargeting public school children across grades 13 LiftEd brings together a diverse mix of education experts to improve Foundational Literacy and Numeracy FLN in India raising up to USD 20 million INR 166 crore from a consortium of 26 partnersNotable names include Atlassian Foundation Bridges Outcomes Partnerships Michael amp Susan Dell Foundation Reliance Foundation Standard Chartered Bank UBS Optimus Foundation and USAIDThe initiative comes after the Indian government identified FLN as an urgent and necessary prerequisite to learning and in 2021 launched the landmark NIPUN Bharat Mission to equip every child aged 410 with FLN skills by 202627Applying our learnings from previous successes in education in India we recognised the value of aligning with the Government of Indias goals embedding a systemschange approach and unlocking the power of technology early on said Bharath Visweswariah Executive Director India British Asian TrustFLN is understood as the ability to read and understand basic text and solve basic mathematical problems by the end of grade threeLiftEds ambition is to strengthen these building blocks of learning through a dual approach onground and athome interventions the British Asian Trust said in a statementIt further said that LiftEds onground education partners are working with state governments and school facilitators in five geographies Himachal Pradesh Haryana Delhi NCR Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to train them and build their capacity to improve FLN levelsParallely LiftEd has also launched an EdTech Accelerator to develop digital solutions to improve FLN for lowincome students in IndiaThe British Asian Trust was founded in 2007 by King Charles III when he was the Prince of Wales along with a group of British Asian business leaders to tackle widespread poverty inequality and injustice in South Asia IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/king-charles-charity-leads-initiative-to-focus-on-education-of-4-million-indian-kids-514182.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 11:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-couple-convicted-of-exporting-gbp57-mn-cocaine-to-australia-514197.html London Jan 30 A British Indian couple has been convicted of exporting more than half a tonne of cocaine worth 57 million pounds to Australia after a probe found they were behind a company that sent the drugs by plane under a cover load of metal toolboxesArti Dhir 59 and Kavaljitsinh Raijada 35 were convicted of 12 counts of exportation and 18 counts of money laundering by a jury following a trial at Southwark Crown Court on MondayThe married couple from Hanwell in the Ealing district of West London who denied exporting cocaine to Australia and money laundering will be sentenced at the same court todayDhir and Raijada were identified by National Crime Agency NCA investigators after the Australian Border Force intercepted the cocaine upon its arrival in Sydney in May 2021The drugs had been shipped via a commercial flight from the UK and consisted of six metal toolboxes which when opened were found to contain 514 kilos of cocaineOfficers traced the consignment back to Dhir and Raijada who had set up a front company called Viefly Freight Services with the sole purpose of smuggling drugsBoth defendants had been directors of the company at different points since its incorporation in June 2015 the NCA said in a statement released on MondayRaijadas fingerprints were found on the plastic wrappings of the metal toolboxes containing the seized drugs while receipts for the order of the toolboxes worth 2855 pounds were discovered at the couples homeThe NCA claimed that there had been 37 consignments sent to Australia since June 2019 of which 22 were dummy runs and 15 contained cocaineAccording to the crime agency their knowledge of the airport freight procedures with both of them having worked for a flight services company at Heathrow was used to cover their criminal activitiesArti Dhir and Kavaljitsinh Raijada used their insider knowledge of the air freight industry to traffic cocaine worth tens of millions of pounds from the UK to Australia where they knew they could maximise their revenue Piers Phillips NCA Senior Investigating Officer saidThey kept their illicit profits in cash at their home and in storage units as well as purchasing property gold and silver in an attempt to hide their wealth These defendants may have thought they were removed from the misery caused by the drugs trade but their greed was fuelling it Phillips addedDhir and Raijada were arrested at their home in Hanwell on June 21 2021A search of their premises led to 5000 pounds worth of goldplated silver bars 13000 pounds inside the home and 60000 pounds in cash in a safety deposit boxFollowing further investigations the pair were arrested again in February 2023 and this time officers discovered almost three million pounds in cash hidden in boxes and suitcases at a storage unit in Hanwell which Raijada had rented in his mothers nameFinancial inquiries found they had also purchased a flat in Ealing for 800000 pounds and a Land Rover for 62000 pounds despite declaring profits of only a few thousand pounds to HMRC His Majestys Revenue and CustomsInvestigations showed that both defendants held cash in bank accounts which far exceeded their declared incomeThey had deposited almost 740000 pounds in cash into 22 different bank accounts since 2019 and were further charged with money laundering IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-couple-convicted-of-exporting-gbp57-mn-cocaine-to-australia-514197.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-arrested-in-connection-with-fatal-shooting-of-teen-514228.html Toronto Jan 30 An 18yearold IndoCanadian has been taken into custody and an arrest warrant has been issued for a 16yearold in connection with the shooting death of a fellow Indianorigin teen last monthPreetpaul Singh was arrested after homicide investigators executed a search warrant at a house in Brampton Ontario and has been charged with accessory after the fact to commit an indictable offence the Peel Police said in a releaseOn December 19 2023 a local hospital notified Peel Police about 18yearold Nishan Thind who was admitted with a gunshot wound just before 6 pmPolice said Thind who succumbed to his injuries in the hospital was shot at an unknown location and timeThe alleged shooter a 16yearold boy continues to be at large and is wanted on a Canadawide warrant for manslaughterHe cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act the police said in a recent statementPolice said active investigation into the case is on and anyone with information is asked to contact homicide detectives IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-arrested-in-connection-with-fatal-shooting-of-teen-514228.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 13:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-orders-review-into-nhs-trust-which-treated-british-indian-teens-killer-513837.html London Jan 29 The UK government has ordered a special review into the National Health Service NHS Trust where a 32yearold man was treated for mental illness before he went on to stab three people including a BritishIndian studentValdo Calocane a dual GuineaBissauPortuguese national was given a hospital order after he killed 19yearold students Grace and Barnaby Webber and 65yearold school caretaker Ian Coates in Nottingham on June 13 2023Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins ordered a special review into Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust where Valdo Calocane was treated for paranoid schizophreniaThe review will provide further answers for the families affected by the horrendous and tragic killings in addition to focusing on wider issues in mental health care provision in Nottinghamshire the Department of Health and Social Care stated on MondayMy thoughts remain with the families and friends of Barnaby Grace and Ian who lost their lives in such a tragic cruel and barbaric way It is crucial that our mental health services ensure both the care of patients and the safety of the public Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins saidConducted by The Care Quality Commission CQC the review will be carried out alongside the Independent Mental Health Homicide Review ordered by NHS England to examine the case of Valdo CalocaneAny concerns regarding patient safety quality of care or public safety will be reported by the CQC and it will have access to witness statements and oral evidence regarding health services that were called during the criminal trial the Department said in a statementAcknowledging the importance of identifying any failings as quickly as possible Atkins has asked the CQC to present its findings in March following which the government will issue its response to the review in due courseWe will conduct a rapid review into mental health services in Nottingham to understand whether there are any practical actions which can be taken to improve the quality of services and ensure people receive safe and effective care Director of Mental Health at CQC Chris Dzikiti saidHe added that they would begin the work immediately aiming to report to the Secretary of State before the end of MarchClaire Murdoch NHS national mental health director informed that NHS England is commissioning an independent investigation into the caseCalocane was sentenced last week at the Nottingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter based on diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murderThe court was told that Grace showed incredible bravery by attempting to fight off Calocane and save Webber as they were attacked while walking home from a night outCalling Calocane a cold cowardly and calculating killer Graces father Sanjoy Kumar praised his daughter who heroically and valiantly fought you Like a hero she put herself in harms way IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-orders-review-into-nhs-trust-which-treated-british-indian-teens-killer-513837.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-student-killed-by-homeless-man-in-georgia-fuel-station-514111.html Washington Jan 29 An Indian student working parttime at a convenience store in USs Georgia was brutally beaten to death with a hammer by a homeless man he and other employees had been helping for the past couple of days the police said as quoted by media reportsThe incident in which Vivek Saini 25 was killed occurred on January 18 local channel WSBTV reported on SundayWitnesses say Vivek was attacked with a hammer by a homeless man at the Chevron Food Mart at Snapfinger and Cleveland Road in Lithonia on January 18 late nightWorkers at the Food Mart said since January 14 evening they allowed a homeless man who police have identified as 53yearold Julian Faulkner to come in and out of their store WSBTV reportedHe asked us for chips and coke We gave him everything including the water said one of the employees at the ChevronHe added that they spent almost two days helping the manHe asked if I could get a blanket I said we dont have blankets so I gave him a jacket He was walking in and out asking him for cigarettes water and everything said the employeeHe was sitting here all the time and we never asked him to get out because we know that its coldBut on January 16 night Saini told Faulkner it was time to go WSBTV reportedHe asked him to leave or else he was going to call the cops he had been there for two days said the employeePolice said as Saini left to go home Faulkner attacked him with a hammerHe hit him from the back then he kept on hitting for almost 50 times on the face and on the head the employee addedAccording to the incident report when officers arrived Faulkner was still holding a hammer and standing over the victimPolice gave him verbal commands to drop the hammerVivek a recent MBA graduate was pronounced dead inside the store WSBTV reportedCant even describe what Im feeling We were always trying to be helpful and we never expected this sort of thing would happenPolice said Faulkner is in jail on charges of malice murder and interference with government property IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-student-killed-by-homeless-man-in-georgia-fuel-station-514111.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 01:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-pleads-guilty-in-dark-web-drug-case-150m-in-crypto-cash-seized-513880.html New York Jan 29 An Indian national has admitted to selling controlled substances on dark web marketplaces and agreed to forfeit 150 million in what is believed to be the largest seizure of cryptocurrency in the history of the US Drug Enforcement AdministrationBanmeet Singh 40 who hails from Haldwani Uttarakhand pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering before a Columbus court last weekOver the course of the conspiracy the Singh drug organisation moved hundreds of kilograms of controlled substances throughout the US States a Department of Justice release statedIn doing so it established a multimilliondollar drug enterprise that laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency accounts which ultimately became worth approximately 150 millionAccording to court documents he created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces such as Silk Road Alpha Bay Hansa and others to sell controlled substances including fentanyl LSD ecstasy Xanax Ketamine and TramadolCustomers ordered controlled substances from him using the vendor sites and by paying with cryptocurrency following which Singh personally shipped or arranged the shipment of controlled substances from Europe to the United States through US mail or other shipping servicesBanmeet Singh operated a global dark web enterprise to send fentanyl and other deadly and dangerous drugs to communities across America in all 50 states as well as Canada Europe and the Caribbean said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration DEAThe DEA had also designated Singh as a Consolidated Priority Organisation Target CPOT a title that has been given to other notorious drug traffickers like Joaquin El Chapo GuzmanFrom at least mid2012 through July 2017 Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the US including cells located in Ohio Florida North Carolina Maryland New York North Dakota and Washington among other locationsIndividuals in those distribution cells received drug shipments from overseas and then repackaged and reshipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states Canada England Ireland Jamaica Scotland and the US Virgin IslandsIn the Singh organisations drug orders the members frequently used the vendor name Liston and signed off with the signature phrase Im still dancing said US Attorney Kenneth L Parker for the Southern District of OhioToday with Banmeet Singhs plea of guilty the dance is over Parker addedAccording to Parker Singh has at least seven coconspirators of which two have been convicted in the Southern District of Ohio and the rest are facing charges in New York North Carolina North Dakota and MarylandSingh who was arrested in London in April 2019 and extradited to the US in 2023 faces an agreedupon sentence of eight years in prisonThe Justice Department said its Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Singh from the United KingdomWhile a sentencing date has not yet been set a federal district court judge will determine it after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-pleads-guilty-in-dark-web-drug-case-150m-in-crypto-cash-seized-513880.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foundation-stone-laid-for-first-ever-ashoka-pillar-in-sri-lanka-513714.html Colombo Jan 29 The foundation stone for the firstever Ashoka Pillar in Sri Lanka was laid during a ceremony at the Waskaduwe TempleThe ceremony was held on January 28thThe foundation stone was laid in presence of High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santhosh Jha and Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation IBC Shartse Khensur Jangchup Choeden RinpocheThe chief of the temple Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Maha Nayaka Thero welcomed the guestsFollowing the stonelaying the guests visited the shrine housing the sacred Kapilavasthu relics The Anushasana was conducted by Waskaduwe Thero which narrated the historical journey of the authentic relics and also emphasised the role of King Asoka in preserving Buddhist teachingsIn his speech the High Commissioner echoed sentiments of deeprooted ties between India and Sri Lanka under PM Modi and governments commitment which include a generous USD 15 million grant to promote Buddhist tiesDamenda Porage also expressed gratitude to King Asoka pledging to establish nine pillars in each province as a tribute to his contributions to BuddhismThe ceremony symbolises commitment to preserving and promoting Buddhism as the rising pillars act as bridges connecting the two nations in shared heritage and spiritual devotion The event not only strengthens the historical ties but also the first official ceremony attended by the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foundation-stone-laid-for-first-ever-ashoka-pillar-in-sri-lanka-513714.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/man-arrested-for-threatening-swinging-swords-at-sikh-temple-in-canada-513989.html Toronto Jan 29 A 23yearold man was arrested after allegedly making threats and aggressively swinging two large swords inside a Sikh temple in Canadas British Columbia provinceOfficers responded to the disturbance during an evening service inside the Penticton Sikh Temple at 3290 South Main Street last week the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP said in a statementPolice said one person was taken into custody and released later to attend Penticton Provincial Court at a future dateInvestigations are underway by the area Mounties into the incident which saw no one getting injuredThe temple released a statement saying that it was an unruly group of nonSociety members inside the templeThis same group was recently barred from the Penticton Sikh Temple by the duly elected Committee the Penticton Sikh Temple said in a statement published by Global NewsAs a communitydriven society we take these acts of violence and threats seriously for the safety of our congregation and those in the community who attend the various programs hosted on siteJesse Garcha from the Penticton Sikh Temple Society said additional safeguards have been put in place to ensure there is no repeat of this incidentIt is regrettable such an incident had taken place and as a Committee we will ensure this Gurdwara will remain a welcoming and safe place for the Penticton community Garcha saidGarcha thanked the Penticton RCMP for their quick response and resolution IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/man-arrested-for-threatening-swinging-swords-at-sikh-temple-in-canada-513989.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-museum-gets-200k-pounds-grant-to-tell-stories-of-last-sikh-maharaja-513475.html London Jan 28 A museum founded by the son of the last Sikh emperor of Punjab in England has received a grant of nearly 200k pounds which will be used to tell the familys story through its displays events and activitiesPrince Frederick Duleep Singh the son of Maharaja Duleep Singh gifted the Ancient House Museum to the people of Thetford town in the south of Norfolk in 1924The National Lottery Heritage Fund which supports a wide range of heritage projects across the UK awarded 198059 pounds to the museum which enters its centenary year in 2024Through the foresighted generosity of Prince Frederick Duleep Singh for the past 100 years Ancient House Museum has served the people of Thetford and beyond preserving the history of the town and surrounding area said Councillor Margaret Dewsbury Cabinet Member for Communities Norfolk County CouncilThis award will enable the museum to better serve our diverse communities and promote a deeper appreciation of an important aspect of the towns heritage she addedThe displays will present fascinating and important stories of the wider Duleep Singh family including Prince Frederick and his remarkable sisters Princesses Sophia and Catherine Duleep Singh both pioneers of womens political and private autonomyIn addition they will include a Treasury style display of treasures of AngloPunjab history a model of Elveden Hall personal items such as the Maharajahs walking stick given to him by the future King Edward VII when he was Prince of Wales which was donated to the museum in 2023Councillor Robert Kybird Chairman of the Breckland Area Museums Committee said that the award will further enhance Thetford as a destination of choice for visiting SikhsThe youngest son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Duleep Singh became the ruler of Punjab at the age of five but was removed from the throne after the Britain annexation of the territory in 1849He arrived in England at the age of 15 and lived at Elveden Hall tucked away in the Suffolk countrysideThe story of Ancient House as a museum begins when Prince Frederick Duleep Singh purchased the rare timbered Tudor house and gifted it to the people of Thetford as a Public Museum charity with the Council as TrusteeAncient House opened as a museum on December 11 1924 and was last redisplayed in 20042006Since then interest in the Duleep Singhs has grown significantly with new films articles TV and radio programmes books and annual Punjab festivals in Thetford attended by thousands of people Norfolk City Council saidOther funding for the twoyear project has come from the Thetford Town Council community grant the Friends of Thetford Museum Norfolk County Council and Arts Council England as part of the Norfolk Museum Services National Portfolio Organisation grant IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-museum-gets-200k-pounds-grant-to-tell-stories-of-last-sikh-maharaja-513475.html Sun, 28 Jan 2024 18:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-parents-accuse-illinois-univ-of-negligence-after-teen-sons-death-513033.html New York Jan 27 Parents of an IndianAmerican teen who was found dead last weekend with signs of hypothermia have filed a complaint alleging negligence by the police department of the university where the son studiedAkul B Dhawan an 18yearold studying electrical engineering at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign was reported missing last Saturday just before 130 am by his friend the USA Today reportedAccording to the University of Illinois Police he was found nearly 10 hours later on the back porch of a building near the university campus in west Urbana which experienced brutal cold and freezing temperatures dipping between 20 to 30 degreesIsh and Ritu Dhawan said on Wednesday that their son was found just 400 feet from where he was reported missing based on locationtracking data on their sons phoneAccusing the universitys police department of negligence they filed a complaint against them over how the search was handled The Today reported citing The NewsGazetteThis is bizarre that a kid is never found who was just less than a block like one minute away sitting there dead frozen to death Imagine as a dad and mom whats going through in our mind I visualise his every minute that my son froze to death in a university campus Ish Dhawan told The GazetteWe really need answers his mother said What is the proof that they totally searched in this area around the area theyre talking about this halfblock My kid would have been foundDhawan came to the University of Illinois Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering to study robotics despite his parents opposition who wanted him to study closer to home in CaliforniaThe exact cause of Akuls death is under investigation by the campus police the Illinois State Police and the Champaign County Coroners OfficePreliminary investigations by the University police suggest that there was no foul play involved and the death is initially believed to be accidentalAccording to the coroners office preliminary findings of an autopsy performed on Tuesday showed signs of hypothermiaThe preliminary findings showed no evidence of significant trauma There was evidence of hypothermic skin changes The final autopsy report is pending toxicology studies the Champaign County Coroner said in a news statementUniversity of Illinois Police have requested anyone with information on the incident to contact the department IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-parents-accuse-illinois-univ-of-negligence-after-teen-sons-death-513033.html Sat, 27 Jan 2024 12:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-jailed-for-molesting-domestic-worker-hurting-man-in-singapore-512980.html Singapore Jan 27 A 61yearold Indianorigin man was sentenced to 10 months in jail in Singapore for molesting a domestic worker in a lift and punching a man with a metal chain wrapped around his fistSingaram Palianeapan pleaded guilty to a charge of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person and a charge of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weaponFour other similar charges were considered during sentencing digital news outlet Today reported on FridayAccording to court documents the domestic worker was buying food at a coffee shop when she was approached by Singaram who offered her S2 to buy herself a drinkShe accepted the money upon being insisted by Singaram who followed her as she proceeded to head back to her employers residenceThe two reached the lift lobby of the housing block where the worker was living and she entered the lift even though Singaram did not live there The pair were alone in the liftDeputy Public Prosecutor DPP Jordy Kay said that once the doors closed and the lift started to move Singaram tried to touch the victims chest area and began to molest herFrightened the victim kept trying to push him away and after managing to escape she told her employer what had happened following which they filed a police reportSingaram was arrested on September 28 and released on bail the next day the online news outlet reportedAll of Singarams actions were captured on the lifts closedcircuit television camera which also showed that he was in the lift with the victim for about a minute and 28 secondsSingaram and all of his actions were captured on the lifts closedcircuit television cameraIn Singapore anyone using criminal force to outrage the modesty of a person could be jailed for up to three years fined or caned or receive any combination of these punishmentsA month after this incident Singaram went to Hu Jianpengs bicycle shop located along Woodlands Close to confront him about the problems he was facing with the personal mobility device PMD that he bought from himA dispute broke out between the two as they shouted at one another and Hus friend Yeoh Su Kai who was present there tried to calm them downSingaram retrieved a metal chain from his PMD wrapped it around his right fist and punched Yeoh in the face three times who was then rushed to hospitalYeoh was found to have sustained a two cmlong superficial wound over his left upper eyelid as well as tenderness over his neck and right buttock areaAnyone who voluntarily causes hurt with a dangerous weapon could be jailed for up to seven years or fined or caned or be given any combination of these punishments IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-jailed-for-molesting-domestic-worker-hurting-man-in-singapore-512980.html Sat, 27 Jan 2024 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-student-acquitted-after-taliban-joke-to-blow-up-plane-513008.html London Jan 27 A BritishIndian student has been acquitted by a Spanish court after he was accused of public disorder for joking about blowing up a plane in which he was travelling along with his friendsAditya Verma a student of economics at Bath University was on his way to the island of Menorca with friends in July 2022 when he made the remarks on Snapchat claiming that he is a member of the TalibanOn my way to blow up the plane Im a member of the Taliban the message sent before Verma departed Gatwick airport saidIn a trial held at the National Court in Madrid a judge in Madrid ruled on Friday that no explosive was found that would lead one to believe it was a real threat the BBC reportedA court in Madrid heard on Monday that the message was picked up by the UK security services on Gatwicks WiFi network who then alerted Spanish authorities following which two Spanish F18 fighter jets were sent to flank the aircraft with Verma onboardHowever a spokesperson for Gatwick Airport told BBC News that its WiFi network does not have that capability even as Snapchat an encrypted app refused to comment on the caseThe judges resolution said that the message for unknown reasons was captured by the security mechanisms of England when the plane was flying over French airspace the BBC said citing Europa Press news agencyIt was not immediately clear how UK authorities were alerted to the message with the judge noting they were not the subject of evidence in this trialVerma who was 18 at the time of the incident was arrested and kept in a police cell for two days and was later released on bailBack in the UK he was questioned by the British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 before he returned home to Orpington KentAppearing in the court on Monday Verma said the message was a joke in a private group setting and that the intention was never to cause public distress or cause public harmIt was just sent to my friends I was travelling with on the day Since school its been a joke because of my features It was just to make people laugh he was quoted as saying in the BBC reportIf he had been found guilty the student faced a fine of up to 22500 euros 19300 pounds and a further 95000 euros in expenses to cover the cost of the jets being scrambled IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-student-acquitted-after-taliban-joke-to-blow-up-plane-513008.html Sat, 27 Jan 2024 11:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-sikh-says-was-urged-to-confess-post-office-theft-due-to-her-asian-descent-512881.html London Jan 26 An elderly British Sikh former post office operator has claimed that she faced discrimination due to her Asian heritage and was urged by the auditors to confess to stealing 30000 pounds Kuldeep Kaur Atwal 73 was accused of stealing the money over a period from July 1995 until November 1996 when Post Office auditors made a morning visit to the Coventry branch in 1997 Before her trial at Coventry Crown Court in 1997 Atwal then 46 was told by the auditors that her cultural background may have played a role in her criminality The Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday While she was cleared of all charges later Atwal claims it was suggested by the auditors that if she admitted to being at fault she may be able to avoid the harshest sanctions A mother of three Atwal said the auditors alleged comment had made her angry at the time but she had felt powerless to respond One of the auditors commented to me that It is quite common in your society that women come under pressure to take money on the side they dont tell the family Is someone putting pressure on you Atwal recounted He meant being an Asian woman the culture is such that the rest of the family puts pressure on the woman leading to theft I said Dont be silly While Atwal was declared not guilty due to lack of evidence the Post Office went on to demand that Atwal pay the money she had been falsely accused of stealing following which she had to sell off her branch for a fraction of its market value Last year the Post Office apologised after a document was discovered in which operators like Atwal were categorised as negroid types ChineseJapanese types and darkskinned European types After this many individuals came forward alleging that racial biases influenced their prosecutions with one claiming that he was told by a Post Office staff member that all Indians are doing it Looking back I feel like saying they were bullies to be honest I lost my job and everybody judges you The Post Office was so strong everybody feared them Atwal told The Guardian I felt for my husband more than anything with all the staff all the students looking down on him she said The accounting system that Atwal used in her branch in Coventry was Capture a predecessor to the infamous Horizon IT software whose malfunctioning led to the wrongful conviction of more than 900 people Internal documents seen by the Guardian suggested the Post Office had also been aware of serious problems with Capture prompting a series of software upgrades What makes me angry is that the Post Office knew all along about the problems with Horizon and now they are not coming clean about the preHorizon system The Capture system was full of bugs and errors Labour MP Kevan Jones who has been prominent in the campaign for the post office operators told The Guardian Meanwhile Londons Metropolitan Police has opened a new investigation into the Post Office over potential fraud offences The UK government said earlier this month that it will introduce new legislation to overturn the convictions of hundreds of post office managers who were wrongly convicted of theft and fraud IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-sikh-says-was-urged-to-confess-post-office-theft-due-to-her-asian-descent-512881.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 16:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-ex-lawyer-gets-jail-for-misappropriating-nearly-358k-in-singapore-512668.html Singapore Jan 26 An Indianorigin former lawyer has been sentenced to three years and 11 months in jail in Singapore for misappropriating nearly SG480000 approx US358k of clients money Gurdaib Singh Pala Singh 70 who used to be a lawyer at Gurdaib Cheong amp Partners GCP continued to act as an advocate and solicitor even after he was struck off the rolls in 2018 He pleaded guilty last year to two counts of criminal breach of trust involving nearly SG459000 and an offence under the Legal Profession Act The Straits Times reported on Thursday A third criminal breach of trust charge involving another SG21000 was considered during sentencing Singhs bail was set at SG100000 on Thursday and he is expected to surrender himself at the State Courts on February 15 to begin serving his sentence The Straits Times earlier reported that a man named Zulkifli Osman engaged GCPs services for the sale of his late fathers flat in December 2010 which was sold in 2011 and the firm received sale proceeds of more than SG356000 Between Zulkifli and Singh it was agreed that out of that sum the formers brother was to receive SG13887650 Following this Zulkifli deposited SG138876 into GCPs client account to be held in escrow as his brothers share of the sales proceeds on December 15 2011 However between December 20 2011 and May 3 2012 Singh misappropriated Zulkiflis funds in GCPs client account by issuing cheques to pay for other matters such as the firms office expenses Zulkifli made three requests to Singh between August 2012 and July 2014 to withdraw a portion of the money unaware that it had been fully expended Singh then disbursed a total of SG10156 to Zulkifli by using money in the GCP client account that belonged to the firms other clients In June 2015 Zulkifli asked Singh to withdraw the remaining SG128720 from the funds but the offender failed to disburse any money to him After being struck off the company rolls in 2018 Singh agreed to represent a man in divorce proceedings The man unaware that Singh had been struck off the rolls paid him SG1750 between September 7 and 27 2019 In 2020 the man asked Singh for a full refund as he no longer wanted his services following which the offender returned S1000 to him IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-ex-lawyer-gets-jail-for-misappropriating-nearly-358k-in-singapore-512668.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-faces-trial-in-spain-after-taliban-joke-to-blow-up-plane-512701.html London Jan 25 BritishIndian student Aditya Verma is facing trial in Spain after he was accused of public disorder for sending a message joking about blowing up a plane in which he was travelling along with his friends Verma a student of economics at Bath University was on his way to the island of Menorca with friends in July 2022 when he made the remarks on Snapchat claiming that he is a member of the Taliban the BBC reported On my way to blow up the plane Im a member of the Taliban the message sent before Verma departed Gatwick airport read A court in Madrid heard on Monday that the message was picked up by the UK security services on Gatwicks WiFi network who then alerted Spanish authorities following which two Spanish F18 fighter jets were sent to flank the aircraft with Verma onboard Verma who was 18 at the time was arrested and kept in a police cell for two days and was later released on bail the court was told Back in the UK he was questioned by the British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 before he returned home to Orpington Kent Appearing in court Verma said the message was a joke in a private group setting and that the intention was never to cause public distress or cause public harm It was just sent to my friends I was travelling with on the day Since school its been a joke because of my features It was just to make people laugh he was quoted as saying in the BBC report While Verma is not facing terrorism charges or a possible jail term he could be fined up to 22500 euros 19300 pounds if found guilty The Spanish defense ministry is demanding 95000 euros after two Spanish Air Force jets were scrambled to follow Verma A verdict on Vermas case is expected in the next few days the court told BBC IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-faces-trial-in-spain-after-taliban-joke-to-blow-up-plane-512701.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 10:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-charged-with-kicking-cop-during-arrest-in-singapore-512284.html Singapore Jan 25 A 49yearold Indianorigin man in Singapore has been charged with assaulting a public servant an offence for which he can be jailed for up to seven years and fined or caned Haridas Ryan Peter allegedly kicked a 22yearold special constable sergeant on his hip and right hand on January 23 at a carpark in Sembawang a residential town located in the north of Singapore Police said they were alerted to a case of assault at Block 462 in the same neighbourhood at around 915 pm that day The Straits Times reported on Thursday Following polices arrival at the scene Haridas barricaded himself in a flat with his 52yearold girlfriend Officers from the Crisis Negotiation Unit Special Operations Command and the Singapore Civil Defence Force also responded to the incident as Haridas might have posed a danger to himself and others After negotiation by CNU officers the police saw an opportunity to breach the unit when they observed that the woman went to the toilet thus buying them time to ensure her safety Police said in a statement After cops managed to enter the flat Haridas allegedly kicked a police officer during his arrest His case has been adjourned to February 8 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-charged-with-kicking-cop-during-arrest-in-singapore-512284.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 13:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-teens-killer-will-not-face-murder-trial-due-to-mental-illness-512184.html London Jan 25 A 32yearold man who stabbed BritishIndian teen Grace OMalleyKumar and two others to death in the UK last year will not face trial for murder after his plea of guilty to manslaughter was accepted as victims families grieved the loss of lives Valdo Calocane a dual GuineaBissauPortuguese national killed 19yearold students Grace and Barnaby Webber and 65yearold school caretaker Ian Coates during an incident near Nottingham University on June 13 2023 During Tuesdays hearing at the Nottingham Crown Court prosecutors accepted Calocanes guilty plea based on diminished responsibility after psychiatrists said he suffered paranoid schizophrenia The decision was made as Calocane suffered from serious mental illness a judge was told Also known as Adam Mendes Calocane who believed MI6 was spying on him denied three counts of murder but admitted three counts of manslaughter based on diminished responsibility in November 2023 Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday that the victims families who had hoped for a murder trial were consulted before deciding to accept the pleas entered by Calocane The court was told that Grace showed incredible bravery by attempting to fight off Calocane and save Webber as they were attacked while walking home from a night out Calling Calocane a cold cowardly and calculating killer Graces father Sanjoy Kumar praised his daughter who heroically and valiantly fought you Like a hero she put herself in harms way The Guardian reported You deserve the harshest punishment available A clear message must be sent out to the families in our country They must be reassured that their children are safe and that something like this never happens again Kumar told the court Calocane will also be sentenced for three counts of attempted murder after he tried to run over three pedestrians with a van on the same day he killed Grace Webber and Coates local media reports said The CCTV footage played in court showed Calocane walking calmly just hours before the attack carrying a rucksack and a holdall later found to contain multiple weapons After the first killings Calocane called his brother and told him to take the family out of the country When asked Are you going to do something stupid Calocane replied Its already done According to witnesses they heard an awful bloodcurdling scream and saw Grace crawl towards the houses on the opposite side of the road shouting for help The Guardian reported that Calocane had been receiving mental health treatment since 2020 which included being treated with antipsychotic medication Prosecutor Khalil said Calocane who came to the UK at the age of 16 with his family in 2007 and earned a mechanical engineering degree at Nottingham University actively concealed symptoms of psychosis and refused to take his medication In 2020 he was admitted to the hospital after breaking down two doors to different apartments in his block and a year after he assaulted a police officer during a search of his flat in which a bag of unused medication was found Calocane who is now scheduled for a twoday sentencing hearing may face life imprisonment or a hospital order IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-teens-killer-will-not-face-murder-trial-due-to-mental-illness-512184.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/western-australia-interested-in-having-indian-nurses-investments-deputy-premier-512470.html Chennai Jan 25 Western Australia the largest state of the country is interested in having Indian nurses and paramedical staff to serve there apart from Indian investments in electric vehicle EV battery manufacturing hospitality and other sectors its Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said on Thursday Speaking to the media here Saffioti who is also the Treasurer and Minister for Transport and Tourism said there is a strong demand for nurses and other paramedical staff in Western Australia According to her there is also a huge opportunity in the tourism sector as its beaches are unique Saffioti said there is a need for a large number of hotels and a direct link between India and Perth in Western Australia Queried about how Western Australia will attract Indian tourists given their recent negative sentiments against the Maldives Saffioti evading the contentious issue said talks with the Indian travel organisers revealed lack of information about her region Saffioti said Western Australia will now take action to correct the problem so that Indian travel players have adequate information about the tourism opportunities in Western Australia During her Indian visit Saffioti had met officials of Indian airlines to explore the possibility of having a direct flight to Perth from Chennai As regards the EV battery manufacturing she said Western Australia has huge mineral reserves needed for making the EV batteries and is seeking investments in that sector According to officials a Chennaibased company will be inking an MOU with a Western Australian company in making vanadium redox flow battery IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/western-australia-interested-in-having-indian-nurses-investments-deputy-premier-512470.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 19:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/four-indians-dead-in-australia-beach-tragedy-512216.html Melbourne Jan 25 A 43yearold Indian national and three of her relatives all in their 20s died on Phillip Island in one of the worst drowning tragedies in the Australian state of Victoria since 2005 local media reports said Offduty lifeguards surfing at the unpatrolled Forrest Caves beach were the first to rush to the aid of the struggling group on Wednesday at around 330 pm The Age reported They found three women and a man unresponsive after being pulled from the water and were given immediate CPR by the emergency services who had rushed to the site Three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene while a woman was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in critical condition where she succumbed to her injuries Victoria Police Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Karen Nyholm told The Age that they were from Clyde in Melbournes southeastern suburbs and that the 43yearold was an international visitor The Indian High Commission condoled the deaths as a heartbreaking tragedy and assured all assistance to the family and friends of the deceased Heartbreaking tragedy in Australia 4 Indians lost their lives in a drowning incident at Phillip Island Victoria Deepest condolences to families of the victims cgimelbourne team is in touch with friends of the deceased for all necessary assistance the Indian High Commission said in a social media post on X on Thursday We all worked tirelessly to help those people Ambulance Victoria manager Paul James told The Age Victoria Police said investigation is on as to what led to the tragedy even as emergency services warned against swimming at the relatively remote Forrest Caves beach a spot best suited to surfers I couldnt define the worst incident ever but I certainly say this was horrific Nyholm told The Age Liam Krige Life Saving Victorias general manager of operations said at a press conference that 19 people had drowned in Victoria since December 1 two more than the same period last summer Behind each one of these drownings there is a family theres a brother theres a sister theres a mother theres a daughter he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/four-indians-dead-in-australia-beach-tragedy-512216.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-ex-pfizer-employee-convicted-of-insider-trading-511818.html New York Jan 24 An IndianAmerican former Pfizer employee in New Jersey has been convicted of insider trading after he stole information from his employer and used it to reap illicit profits in the stock market Amit Dagar 44 who assisted in managing the data analysis in certain clinical drug trials at Pfizer was found guilty following a twoweek trial last week the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced A resident of Hillsborough he was convicted of one count of securities fraud which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison Dagar participated in an insider trading scheme in November 2021 to reap illicit profits from options trading based on inside information about the results of clinical trials of Paxlovid according to court proceedings and filings On November 4 2021 he learned that a Pfizer trial of the drug Paxlovid a medicine used to treat mild to severe COVID19 infections had produced positive results While the results remained confidential Dagar purchased shortdated outofthemoney Pfizer call options that expired days and weeks later He also tipped a close friend who also purchased shortdated outofthemoney Pfizer call options A day after Pfizer publicly released the results of its Paxlovid study before the market opening That same day following the publication of the positive results Pfizers stock price increased substantially opening and eventually closing more than 10 per cent higher than the prior days closing price In the following weeks Dagar sold his Pfizer call options for profits of more than US270000 As the jurys swift verdict shows the proof at trial was overwhelming that Amit Dagar stole information about Paxlovid from his employer Pfizer and used that illegal edge to profit in the stock market US Attorney Damian Williams said Combatting the corruption of our financial markets continues to be a top priority of this Office Wouldbe insider traders tempted by the prospect of easy money should know that the Southern District of New York is watching well catch you and well make sure you pay the price for violating the law Williams added This case was handled by the Offices Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge at a later date IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-ex-pfizer-employee-convicted-of-insider-trading-511818.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-sikh-driver-surrenders-in-2021-fatal-car-crash-case-511910.html Toronto Jan 24 A 27yearold Sikh driver has surrendered himself to police more than two years after a car crash in Canadas Ontario province left a 21yearold woman dead Harkamalpreet Singh who turned himself in earlier this month is scheduled to make his first appearance at a Brampton court on February 23 He has been charged with dangerous operation causing death flight from a peace officer and failure to stop at an accident the Ontario Provincial Police OPP said in a release The collision took place just before 3 am on November 5 2021 after a Mississauga OPP officer tried to stop a black vehicle that appeared to be driving erratically near Highway 410 and Sandalwood Parkway in Brampton Police said the vehicle then fled before colliding with a red vehicle at the intersection of Sandalwood and Dixie Road While Shellome Peart the driver of the red vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene her 25yearold copassenger was taken to hospital with lifethreatening injuries The collision was also investigated by the provinces police watchdog looking into the conduct of the officer who attempted the traffic stop according to a CP24 news report The Special Investigations Unit SIU found that the OPP officer briefly sped after the black vehicle before discontinuing the pursuit SIU Director Joseph Martino concluded on March 4 2022 that there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in the collision IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-sikh-driver-surrenders-in-2021-fatal-car-crash-case-511910.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 15:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/this-race-is-far-from-over-nikki-haley-after-new-hampshire-loss-511684.html Washington Jan 24 IndianAmerican Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said that the race for White House 2024 was far from over after her former boss Donald Trump won the New Hampshire primary solidifying his position as GOPs likely nominee With 36 per cent of the estimated vote counted the former president registered 536 per cent support against Haleys 453 per cent in the critical early state contest Tuesday the New York Post reported New Hampshire is first in the nation it is not last in the nation Haley the twotime former South Carolina governor told supporters in Concord minutes after Trumps projected victory by the local media Congratulating Trump for the victory Haley said that he earned it but added that this race is far from over There are dozens of states left to go And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina Trump who doesnt consider Haley as a threat leads her by about 30 points in South Carolina ahead of the February 24 primary in the state according to a polling average by RealClearPolitics Calls among Trumps supporters grew louder for the former ambassador to the United Nations to drop out of the race especially after the former presidents victories in the states of Iowa and New Hampshire Haley who was endorsed by Republican Governor Chris Sununu and 2022 GOP Senate candidate Don Bolduc went on to blast both Trump and President Biden With Donald Trump you have one bout of chaos after another This court case that controversy this tweet that senior moment You cant fix Joe Bidens chaos with Republican chaos Haley said Meanwhile Trump celebrated his win with a victory speech in Nashua slamming Haley without naming her Shes doing a speech like she won She didnt win she lost Trump said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/this-race-is-far-from-over-nikki-haley-after-new-hampshire-loss-511684.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/will-you-marry-me-trump-supporter-asks-nikki-haley-511704.html New York Jan 24 A marriage proposal was thrown at IndianAmerican Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley by rival Donald Trumps supporter as she addressed a rally in the US state of Hampshire Will you marry me the supporter asked interrupting the 52yearolds speech midway drawing laughter from her as well as the crowd at the Artisan Hotel in Salem The twotime former South Carolina governor has been married to William Michael Haley since 1996 and the couple has two children daughter Rena and son Nalin Responding swiftly to her suitor Haley in turn asked Are you gonna vote for me to which the man replied that he was voting for Trump Oh get out of here Haley said in a lighthearted repartee that was shared on X by conservative political commentator Benny Johnson The post garnered some hilarious reactions from the netizens where one user referred to former GOP rival and fellow Indian American Vivek Ramaswamy She doesnt even try to convince him to vote for her Vivek would have been like lets talk Too funny Nobody wants Nikki We want Trump another user wrote Despite a strong performance in the New Hampshire primary and support from Republican Governor Chris Sununu and 2022 GOP Senate candidate Don Bolduc Haley lost to Trump With 36 per cent of the estimated vote counted the former president registered 536 per cent support against Haleys 453 per cent in the critical early state contest on Tuesday However the lone woman candidate in the presidential bid vowed to continue the fight against Trump saying the race is far from over IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/will-you-marry-me-trump-supporter-asks-nikki-haley-511704.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 10:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/3-indians-win-uks-prestigious-blavatnik-awards-for-young-scientists-511736.html London Jan 24 Three Indian scientists are among the nine recipients of this years Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK for their pioneering work in the fields of chemical physical and life sciences Professors Rahul R Nair Mehul Malik Dr Tanmay Bharat and others will be honoured and receive grants totaling 480000 pounds at a blacktie gala dinner and award ceremony in London on February 27 Providing recognition and funding early in a scientists career can make the difference between discoveries that remain in the lab and those that make transformative scientific breakthroughs said Sir Leonard Blavatnik Founder and Chairman of Access Industries and Head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation We are proud that the Awards have promoted both UK science and the careers of many brilliant young scientists and we look forward to their additional discoveries in the years ahead Professor Nair a materials physicist at The University of Manchester was named Laureate in Physical Sciences amp Engineering for developing novel membranes based on twodimensional 2D materials that will enable energyefficient separation and filtration technologies Using graphene and other 2D materials his research aims to study the transport of water organic molecules and ions at the nanoscale exploring its potential applications to address societal challenges including water filtration and other separation technologies He will receive 100000 pounds in unrestricted funds for his research that has provided valuable insights into the movement of water and other molecules in nanocapillaries as those movements differ from their behaviour on the macro scale the award statement said A Quantum physicist and Professor of Physics Professor Mehul Malik is advancing quantum communications at HeriotWatt University through revolutionary techniques that harness highdimensional entanglement a complex quantum physics phenomenon His innovations enable the normally fragile entanglement to survive long distances and harsh conditions laying the foundation for noiserobust and highcapacity quantum networks that securely transmit large amounts of information encoded on individual photons Dr Bharat a structural microbiologist and programme leader in the Structural Studies Division at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology has developed and applied cuttingedge cryoET techniques to create atomiclevel pictures of cell surface molecules on microorganisms According to the award committee his work has important biomedical implications since most pathogenic bacteria infect humans by forming multicellular antibioticresistant biofilm communities In addition his work is also vital for the fundamental understanding of the dynamics of celltocell interactions that led to the historical evolution of multicellular life on earth a statement read Both Bharat and Malik will receive a grant of 30000 pounds for their research The 2024 Awards received 84 nominations from 40 academic and research institutions and this years laureates were selected by an independent jury of expert scientists across the UK Now in its seventh year the awards instituted by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences have donated 33 million pounds to scientists across UK academia since their inception A day after the award ceremony in London the honourees will present their research with a series of short interactive lectures at a free public symposium at the RSA House in London IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/3-indians-win-uks-prestigious-blavatnik-awards-for-young-scientists-511736.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapores-top-3-ministers-accused-of-graft-in-2023-all-of-indian-origin-511194.html New Delhi Jan 23 Lauded as the least corrupt country in Asia Singapore saw three Indianorigin Ministers face graft charges in the year 2023 alone the same year an economist of Indian descent took over the reins of the citystate as its ninth President While two of them Vivian Balakrishnan and K Shanmugam were cleared of all charges as the year drew to a close S Iswarans pretrial conference is scheduled for March 1 and he is presently out on bail of SG800000 The trio belongs to the ruling Peoples Action Party PAP which has been in power since 1959 and holds a sizeable majority in the countrys Parliament With the next election due in November 2025 political experts say that the graft allegations could hit PAPs support base in a country that is ranked the fifthleast corrupt country in Transparency Internationals latest Corruption Perceptions Index Over the years the government has justified sevenfigure ministerial paychecks to keep out corruption According to a Bloomberg report the countrys public officers are among the worlds bestpaid with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong earning a total compensation of about S22 million 17 million per annum The country witnessed its last corruption case in the year 1986 which saw Teh Cheang Wan a national development minister being probed for allegedly accepting kickbacks The case of Balakrishnan and Shanmugam Home Affairs and Law Minister Shanmugam and Foreign Minister Balakrishnan were accused of corruption relating to the rental of their colonialera bungalows in the citystate The 26 and 31 Ridout Road are two 100yearold bungalows in the Ridout Park area that have been rented to the two Ministers In May last year opposition Reform Party Chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam questioned if the two Ministers were paying less than the fair market value for their rental of the twostate properties It was debated in the Parliament in July following a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau CPIB investigation and a review by senior Minister Teo Chee Hean The CPIB said in its report that it did not find any wrongdoing on the part of Shanmugam and Balakrishnan while Teos review found that processes had been followed Even as they were cleared Lee Hsien Yang the brother of Singapores Prime Minister wrote posts on Facebook in July accusing them of corruption over the rental of their bungalows Yang accused the ministers of acting for personal gains by having the Singapore Land Authority SLA give them preferential treatment by illegally felling trees without approval and also having SLA pay for renovations to the bungalows The ministers sued Yang currently in selfexile overseas for defamation with the judgment being granted in their favour The case of innocent Iswaran As per a New York Times report Transport Minister S Iswaran was among the 4G or fourth generation leaders who were considered with Prime Minister Lee hoping to step down following PAPs leadership transition within 10 months But Iswaran was arrested on July 11 last year in one of the most highprofile cases involving a minister in the Asian financial hub in nearly four decades The 61yearold faces 27 charges of offences in a corruption probe which included receiving tickets from Ong Beng Seng who is credited with bringing F1 racing to Singapore While pleading not guilty to all the charges Iswaran said he was innocent and resigned from the Cabinet as a Member of Parliament and as a member of the ruling PAP According to the CPIB Iswaran has allegedly obtained kickbacks worth SG38434098 286181 from Ong partly to advance the property tycoons business interests These ranged from tickets to shows private plane rides hotel stays football matches and various editions of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix If convicted he could be fined up to SG100000 or face seven years in prison Indian diaspora in Singapore Indians make up around nine per cent of the Singapore population and as of 2024 their estimated population is seven lakh According to the latest 2020 Census 573 per cent of Singapores Indian population declared themselves as Hindus mostly Tamils Excluding Iswaran who recently resigned the present cabinet now includes four Indianorigin ministers Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Indranee Rajah serving as Second Minister for Finance as well as Second Minister for National Development Janil Puthucheary serves as a senior Minister of State for the Ministries of Transport and Communications and Information Pritam Singh the SecretaryGeneral of the Workers Party the largest opposition party in Singapore is also of Indian descent The penalty for the corrupt In Singapore graft cases are mostly handled by the CPIB or Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau a government agency that investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors The agency reports directly to the Prime Minister enabling the CPIB to operate independently A person convicted for corruption offences under either Section 5 or 6 of the Prevention of Corruption Act faces a fine not exceeding SG100000 or a custodial sentence of up to five years or both for each charge for which he is convicted Meenakshi Iyer can be contacted at meenakshiiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapores-top-3-ministers-accused-of-graft-in-2023-all-of-indian-origin-511194.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 05:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canada-sets-two-year-cap-on-international-student-permits-511212.html Toronto Jan 23 The Canadian government has announced a twoyear cap on new study permits for international students which is expected to result in approximately 360000 approved study permits this year a 35 per cent reduction from 2023 Asserting that international students enrich their communities Immigration Minister Marc Miller made the announcement on Monday as the government faced backlash after their growing influx in recent years exacerbated the countrys housing crisis I announced a twoyear cap on new study permits starting in 2024 This is expected to result in approx 360000 approved study permits this year and will be allocated to provinces and territories to distribute among their DLIs Designated learning institutions Miller wrote on X The development came as the number of international students in Canada crossed one million mark with Indians leading the pack accounting for 215190 out of the 579075 permits issued till November 2023 Miller stated that to ensure the integrity of the programme and uphold the academic experience Canada will continue to implement reforms and the number of permits to be issued in 2025 will be reassessed at the end of this year Miller said that by imposing the cap the government is taking action against some small private colleges taking advantage of international students by operating underresourced campuses and charging high tuition fees The minister further said that from September Canada will no longer issue postgraduate work permits PGWPs to students studying under curriculum licensing arrangements These programmes are notorious for lacking oversight and do not provide the quality academic experience that Canada is renowned for Miller said In the coming weeks the country will no longer issue work permits to spouses of international students apart from those in masters and doctoral programmes the minister added Earlier it was announced that from this year students will have to show at least in their CA20635 account on top of their oneyear tuition fees and if they bring one family member they will need to show an additional CA4000 To get a study visa to Canada a student currently needs to show 10000 in his or her account to cover the initial cost of living International students contribute about CA22 billion 164 billion annually to the Canadian economy IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canada-sets-two-year-cap-on-international-student-permits-511212.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 09:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-gets-more-than-7-years-in-jail-for-duping-people-in-singapore-510984.html Singapore Jan 22 A 53yearold Indianorigin man was sentenced to seven years and four months jail on Monday for cheating 20 people including his family friends and acquaintances of SG 25 million 18 million in Singapore Murali Krishnan Naidu was earlier convicted of 17 counts of cheating linked to nine people and another 43 charges including those involving the remaining victims were considered during sentencing The Straits Times reported In an investment scam between 2008 and 2013 Naidu told victims that their money would be invested in a money lending business set up by his wife According to court documents most of the victims had drawn from their retirement savings to fund the investments The prosecution said that in August 2006 Naidus wife was the sole proprietor of a licensed money lending company known as San Tee Credit STC where he was a manager Having worked with a money lending company before Naidu knew that it was common for such companies to borrow cash from investors through investment agreements A 69yearold woman who was one of Naidus victims had entered into six investment agreements totalling SG335000 with STC having funded the investments with her life savings According to the prosecution Naidu made false representations to the victims by saying their monies would be invested in STCs money lending business The victims were promised returns between 25 per cent and 3 per cent that would be paid out monthly along with a repayment of their investment capital one year from the date of the investment agreement Naidu then induced his victims to hand over their money but completely stopped paying dividends to them in early 2013 and to date it is unclear how he utilised the victims money the court was told Screenings by the Registry of Moneylenders showed STC had not concluded any moneylending transactions between 2011 and 2013 Despite the absence of any business activities undertaken by STC the accused continued to pay the requisite fees to renew STCs moneylending licence with the Registry of Moneylenders This fortified the accuseds representations that STC was a legitimate and live money lending business the prosecutors informed the court The court documents did not say what happened to STC after 2013 and neither did they disclose how the offences came to light which led to Naidus charging in the court in 2019 Court documents also did not disclose how the offences came to light The prosecutors had urged the court to sentence him to at least seven years and 10 months jail stating that his offences had involved a high degree of premeditation and planning For each count of cheating an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined in Singapore IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-gets-more-than-7-years-in-jail-for-duping-people-in-singapore-510984.html Mon, 22 Jan 2024 23:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/brampton-mayor-suggests-changes-in-foreign-student-visa-to-tackle-housing-crisis-510964.html Toronto Jan 22 Calling for a cap on the number of international students arriving in Canada Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown announced that the City Council has unanimously passed a motion urging the government to require study visas to include an accommodation address The move comes in the wake of an exacerbating housing crisis leading to unaffordable rentals that are forcing students many of them Indians to live in unsafe and illegal conditions in the country We cant have international students living in 3rd world conditions while being used as an ATM for the college they are going to Brown whose city has seen a large influx of international students wrote in a post on X on Saturday Brampton City Council has unanimously passed a motion calling on the federal government to require international student visas to include a housing address consistent with local by laws as a component of the approvals process Brown said According to the Mayor the current system allows international students to be routinely taken advantage of and is exacerbating the housing crisis Requiring a housing address as part of the visa approval process would ensure every college has an appropriate housing plan and spur new student housing construction Brown wrote According to official figures the number of international students in Canada has crossed the one million mark just as the country mulls capping their arrival There were more than 800000 international students in Canada in 2022 and the federal government has said previously it expected more than 900000 in 2023 As the housing crisis has been blamed on an increase in migrants and international students Brown said it is the immigration system that needs to be fixed while supporting the arrival of international students in Canada Enough is enough Its time to clean up this broken federal program he said In a letter to the federal immigration and housing ministers last month Brown also called on the government for a more restrictive visa policy according to The Globe and Mail newspaper This included capping student permits issued annually and prioritising postsecondary institutions that have a housing plan Data demonstrates Ontario has more international students than all other provinces and territories combined and a substantial portion of new international students settle in Brampton where they face issues such as housing affordability and as a result insufficient living conditions the letter read These changes to the international student program will help alleviate the pressures international students face and municipalities like Brampton who carry the responsibility of creating conditions to help international students thrive Brown told The Globe that many students reside in his community while attending colleges hundreds of kilometres away Its a massive resource drain The city gets no compensation for the fact that theyre not paying taxes Theyre living quite often 16 people in a basement apartment Brown said Earlier this month Immigration Minister Marc Miller said he will closely analyse the number of international students and temporary residents entering into the country with the government facing backlash over housing affordability and rising cost of living Further he called on the provinces to stop licensing substandard private colleges that he says churn foreign graduates out like puppy mills Brown also mentioned in his letter that public and private colleges have significantly increased international enrollment to up their profit over the past 10 years but have added little to no new oncampus housing According to economist Mike Moffatt Ontario added 423000 nonpermanent residents in the past two years compared with around 417000 in the past 20 years with the population boom linked to international students IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/brampton-mayor-suggests-changes-in-foreign-student-visa-to-tackle-housing-crisis-510964.html Mon, 22 Jan 2024 23:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/lot-of-ways-to-drive-change-in-this-country-vivek-on-his-role-in-possible-trump-20-510554.html Washington Jan 21 With speculation rife that he is going to be the next Republican vice presidential pick IndianAmerican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy declined to say what job he would want if former President Donald Trump marched back to White House in 2024 Endorsing Trump the 38yearold ended his Republican presidential campaign early this week after a dismal finish in Iowas leadoff caucuses trailing on the distant fourth spot There are a lot of ways to drive change in this country inside and outside government For the last few years Ive been doing it through the market he told Fox News when asked about a possible second role in a possible second Trump administration Making an appearance alongside Trump in Atkinson New Hampshire Vivek gave an eightminute fiery speech amidst chants of VP VP VP by supporters He urged Republican voters to put an America First patriot in the White House saying There is not a better choice left in this race than this man right here Vivek said pointing at Trump And that is why I am asking you to do the right thing as New Hampshire and to vote for Donald Trump as your next president After his remarks Trump praised the political newcomer calling him very special and told his supporters that the latter is going to be working with us and he will be working with us for a long time Going further he told Fox News that it would be healthy for the country if the two other Republican candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis drop out of the 2024 White House race and endorse former Trump DeSantis and Haley who emerged second and third in the caucus hope to overtake Trump further down the primaries but the gap between the former President and both his rivals remains too wide While Trump has remained tightlipped about his VP pick son Donald Trump Jr suggested on Friday that conservative pundit Tucker Carlson could make a good running mate for his father Trump meanwhile ruled out Haley as his choice for president as well as vice president She is OK but she is not presidential timber And when I say that that probably means she is not going to be chosen as the vice president he said at a rally in Concord IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/lot-of-ways-to-drive-change-in-this-country-vivek-on-his-role-in-possible-trump-20-510554.html Sun, 21 Jan 2024 10:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/newly-arrived-migrants-behind-string-of-robberies-in-chicago-police-510598.html New York Jan 21 A group of newlyarrived migrants are allegedly behind a string of retail thefts and burglaries plaguing a city in the US state of Illinois that also saw an Indianorigin liquor store worker being threatened with a gun on his temple Claiming that the robbers may be part of a bigger crime ring police said that in all 47 migrants have been arrested since October in the village of Oak Brook about 20 miles west of Chicago city the New York Post reported on Saturday These retail crimes involving migrant offenders are part of a bigger criminal enterprise and we are working closely with our federal partners to thoroughly investigate these cases Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis said Earlier this month Pankajkumar Patel was left shaken after four armed men entered the shop in Wicker park put a gun to his temple and punched his coworker before fleeing away with cash and cell phones The robbers carrying revolvers and semiautomatic handguns hit three liquor stores in Chicago within a period of less than 40 minutes Give me everything dont move or Ill shoot one of the robbers told Patel as he put the gun to his temple and fled with around 3000 to 4000 from the cash registers including cell phones I have two children and a wife a shaken and terrified Patel had told told CBS News Prior to this five liquor stores were targeted in a span of less than two hours in Irving Park according to police According to a news release by DuPage County States Attorney Bob Berlins office Jaime Ubaldo ObandoAndrade 32 allegedly tried on a 395 jacket at the department store on January 13 and walked out without paying for it Officers found approximately 3000 worth of suspected stolen goods in ObandoAndrades car as well as rolls of tin foil and a fake drivers license police said adding that shoplifters line bags with tinfoil to escape theft detection devices in stores Police believe members of an organised retail theft operation may have approached migrants in Chicago and offered to pay them to commit the thefts We do think its part of something bigger Strockis said According to The Post Chicago which has received around 34000 migrants since 2022 does not cooperate with federal authorities investigating crimes by illegal immigrants or allowing local law enforcement to inquire about a persons citizenship status IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/newly-arrived-migrants-behind-string-of-robberies-in-chicago-police-510598.html Sun, 21 Jan 2024 11:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foreign-students-cross-1-million-mark-in-canada-report-510284.html Toronto Jan 20 The number of international students in Canada now goes beyond one million official figures say just as the country mulls capping their arrival amid growing cost of living crisis Tt the end of December last year there were 1028850 study permit holders with just over half of them in Ontario the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada IRCC told The Globe and Mail news outlet The numbers that have increased rapidly from 637855 in 2019 to 807260 in 2022 include school college and university students and those pursuing other studies According to the IRCC of the millionplus study permit holders 526015 were in Ontario 202565 in British Columbia 117925 in Quebec 18695 in Saskatchewan and only 10 in Nunavut Much of Canadas population growth now one of the fastest in the world comes from foreign students nonpermanent residents and temporary foreign workers according to immigration experts More than 60000 international students became permanent residents of Canada in 2023 representing an increase of 9670 from the 52740 international graduates who became international students in 2022 an IRCC data said Last week Immigration Minister Marc Miller said he will closely analyse the number of international students and temporary residents entering into the country with the government facing backlash over housing affordability and rising cost of living Further he called on the provinces to stop licensing substandard private colleges that he says churn foreign graduates out like puppy mills India remains the top source country for international students in Canada followed by China The number of permits given to Indian students declined by four per cent last year due to a diplomatic row between the two nations but they remained the largest group according to Immigration Minister Marc Miller In a move likely to impact Indians Miller announced that from this year the students will have to show at least in their CA20635 account on top of their oneyear tuition fees and if they bring one family member they will need to show an additional CA4000 To get a study visa to Canada a student currently needs to show 10000 in his or her account for covering the initial cost of living IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foreign-students-cross-1-million-mark-in-canada-report-510284.html Sat, 20 Jan 2024 13:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-gets-jail-caning-for-molesting-british-woman-in-singapore-510200.html Singapore Jan 20 An Indian national who was in Singapore on a student pass has been sentenced to four years in jail and six strokes of the cane for molesting a British woman at a nightclub in 2022 according to a media report Erugula Eswara Reddy 25 pleaded guilty to a molestation charge and was arrested shortly after the incident on August 20 2022 The Straits Times reported on Friday The court heard that Reddy approached the victim at a restaurant in Turf Club road when she was drunk and was waiting for a friend to pick her up As he started talking to her she felt uncomfortable and told him she did not need any help after which she messaged her friend informing him about her encounter with the accused Deputy Public Prosecutor John Lu told the court that Reddy then lifted the victim off her chair and carried her out of the restaurant During this time the victim asked the accused not to take her and to let her go but the accused persisted with his actions The accused also took the victims handphone from her Lu said Reddy took the woman to a nearby field even as she constantly told him to stop and stay away from her and molested her The victims friend who had received the messages left the restaurant with a party of searchers to look for her and spotted the two at an open field in the distance The friend called for the police and Reddy was arrested soon after During his interaction with the victim the accused must have noticed that the victim was drunk alone and vulnerable which is why the accused chose to take advantage of her Lu said as he urged the court to sentence Reddy to four years jail and six strokes of the cane For committing the offence Reddy could have been jailed for between two and 10 years and caned IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-gets-jail-caning-for-molesting-british-woman-in-singapore-510200.html Sat, 20 Jan 2024 09:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-truck-driver-admits-trafficking-nearly-30-kg-of-cocaine-into-canada-509775.html New York Jan 19 An IndoCanadian commercial truck driver admitted to a drug trafficking crime after authorities in the US found approximately 30 kilograms of cocaine in watermelon pallets Kareshmaa Kaur Jagroop 42 from Ontario was attempting to enter Canada at the Montana border when she was caught by the Customs and Border Protection officers US Attorney Jesse Laslovich said on Tuesday Jagroop pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine as charged in a superseding information and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison a 1 million fine and at least three years of supervised release The government alleged in court documents that in July 2021 a commercial truck was northbound on Interstate 15 near the Sweetgrass Port of Entry in Toole County As it approached the border in the outbound lane Customs and Border Protection officers signaled the truck to stop but the driver ignored the signal and continued past the outbound booth Officers chased down the truck which eventually stopped and had Jagroop reverse the truck back to the outbound booth for inspection As part of the inspection Jagroop drove through a screening machine which showed potential anomalies in the trailer Officers conducted a manual search and unloaded the contents with a forklift They removed two pallets of watermelons and saw a plastic bag that contained approximately 30 kg of cocaine During an interview Jagroop told officers she entered the US about a week prior to the stop and delivered produce to supermarkets in Oregon and California She eventually admitted that she was hauling cocaine for a group in Canada Jagroops sentencing has been set for May 23 and she was released on conditions to a treatment centrer in Montana pending further proceedings The court will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-truck-driver-admits-trafficking-nearly-30-kg-of-cocaine-into-canada-509775.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 09:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/over-60k-foreign-students-became-permanent-residents-of-canada-in-2023-509823.html Toronto Jan 19 Even as Canada considers capping the arrival of international students amid growing housing crisis 62410 of them became permanent residents of the country in 2023 according to the countrys immigration data This number represented an increase of 9670 from the 52740 international graduates who became international students in 2022 a November 2023 Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada IRCC data said Much of Canadas population growth now one of the fastest in the world comes from foreign students nonpermanent residents and temporary foreign workers according to immigration experts The nation opened its doors to immigrants to replace aging workers and fill labour gaps but the boom in numbers has put a strain on the countrys resources Last week Immigration Minister Marc Miller said he will closely analyse the number of international students and temporary residents entering into the country with the government facing backlash over housing affordability and rising cost of living The minister said he is mulling over options which include reforming permits and capping intake of nonpermanent residents Meanwhile Montrealbased Desjardins Securities warned that closing doors to temporary workers and foreign students allowed into Canada would blunt the countrys economic recovery and deepen recession According to predictions by the capital market company the countrys real GDP would drop by 07 per cent in 2024 and grow an average of 178 per cent annually over the following four years There are many pathways available to international students who want to transition to Canadian permanent residence and the fastest among them is the Express Entry Program International students form the biggest cohort opting for permanent residency in Canada every year with Indians grabbing the lions share The number of permits given to Indian students declined by four per cent last year due to a diplomatic row between the two nations but they remained the largest group according to Miller There are approximately 330000 new immigrants and students from India living in Canada as of 2023 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/over-60k-foreign-students-became-permanent-residents-of-canada-in-2023-509823.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 11:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-announces-run-for-california-state-assembly-509454.html New York Jan 18 IndianAmerican community leader Tara Sreekrishnan has announced that she is running for California State Assembly from District 26 as a Democrat Located in the heart of Silicon Valley in the Southern area of the San Francisco Bay Area the district encompasses Santa Clara County including the cities of Sunnyvale Cupertino Santa Clara and North and West San Jose Serving on the Santa Clara County Board of Education since 2021 Tara 30 has been charged with overseeing a combined 270000 students across the Countys 31 school districts and balancing a budget of 300 million In her campaign statement Tara also a former piano teacher at a Cupertino music academy said she wants to tackle issues like climate change education affordable housing and safe communities Its crucial to acknowledge the challenges our residents face housing affordability climate change traffic congestion and an education system that needs strengthening Addressing these challenges and spending tax dollars efficiently and effectively is why Im running for State Assembly her statement read I understand what it takes to make California financially responsible improve our education system so that our children have future career opportunities and to make sure our communities are safe clean and affordable she added According to Tara she is the right pick for District 26 having professional experience across all levels of local government school district city county and state Ive written and passed legislation that developed housing for the homeless modernised our schools curbed youth drug overdoses and expanded job training and apprenticeship programs she said in her campaign website Crediting her immigrant parents Tara said her inspiration for public service came from them as they taught her the value of education and to give back to her community Tara graduated from Mills College the oldest womens college on the West Coast following which she set out to work as a community and political organiser for grassroots campaigns Having served on several local nonprofit boards she cofounded Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action SVYCA which empowered hundreds of students across Santa Clara County to combat climate change through impactful education and policy initiatives She has served as a top aide and advisor to State Senator Dave Cortese in the state legislature and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors drafting and passing a range of legislation and successfully navigating bureaucracies on behalf of constituents IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-announces-run-for-california-state-assembly-509454.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/mayors-call-for-action-as-extortionists-target-indians-south-asians-in-canada-509299.html Toronto Jan 18 Raising concerns over an alarming escalation of extortion threats against Indian and South Asian business communities mayors in the Canadian towns of Brampton and Surrey have urged the government to take swift action to root out the menace Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and his counterpart from Surrey Brenda Locke expressed deep concern over a growing number of extortion attempts and violent acts including shootings this week in a letter addressed to Canadas Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc This alarming development underscores the severity and widespread nature of these threats which are predominantly targeting members of the South Asian business community the letter read The mayors said that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP and local police departments including Peel Regional Police have acknowledged the gravity of the situation According to CP24 news channel Peel police recently launched the Extortion Investigative Task Force which is now probing the circumstances surrounding 16 incidents of extortion The suspects often know the name of the victim as well as their phone number address and business information and contact them through social media and demands for money allegedly are made under threats of violence police said The mayors urged the government to prioritise the issue and engage with local and provincial authorities along with necessary federal agencies to develop a comprehensive strategy to address these extortion threats The complexity and interjurisdictional nature of these crimes necessitate a more comprehensive strategy involving provincial and federal authorities It is imperative the federal government through your Ministry takes a leading role in facilitating this collaboration the letter continued By leveraging the resources and intelligence capabilities of the RCMP in concert with local law enforcement agencies we can formulate a robust and unified approach to tackle this issue The mayors noted that the incidents have instilled fear in their respective communities with Brown telling CP24 that he wants the Justin Trudeau government to send a clear message that these incidents will not be tolerated On January 3 police in Edmonton Alberta announced that theyre investigating 18 extortion incidents in the region that they believe are linked to a series of arson and driveby shootings They also reported six arrests connected to extortion shootings and arson which included Parminder Singh 20 who remains in custody for 12 firearmsrelated charges Hassan Dembil 18 Manav Heer 18 Ravinder Sandu 19 were also charged but have been released as of now A police Law Enforcement Only bulletin which was leaked late in December 2023 said the Hindispeaking suspects use WhatsApp messaging service to contact victims and threaten violence after demanding large quantities of currency the Global News reported The bulletin said the suspects are believed to be tied to a gang based in India headed by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and the scheme targets affluent members of the South Asian community In the early hours of December 27 2023 as many as 14 shots were fired at the residence of a Hindu temples heads son in British Columbia Satish Kumar president of Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey said he and his family members havent received any extortion calls or letters but the escalating violence has people on edge The community is very shaken right now Kumar told Global News IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/mayors-call-for-action-as-extortionists-target-indians-south-asians-in-canada-509299.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 09:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapores-indian-origin-transport-minister-resigns-amid-graft-charges-509319.html Singapore Jan 18 Singapores Indianorigin Transport Minister S Iswaran has stepped down from his post after facing 27 charges of offences in a corruption probe which also included receiving tickets from a top property tycoon The 61yearold minister who was arrested on July 11 last year and released on SG800000 bail also resigned as an MP from the ruling Peoples Action Party The Straits Times reported on Thursday In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong dated January 16 Iswaran said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau CPIB charged him with various offences I reject the allegations in the charges and will now focus on clearing my name Given the circumstances I feel it is right for me to resign from Cabinet as a Member of Parliament and as a member of the PAP he wrote Iswaran who was on a leave of absence since the probe began in July 2023 will repay his salary as a minister and allowances as an MP from that month My family and I have decided to return the monies because we cannot in all good conscience benefit from them when I was unable on account of the investigations to discharge my duties as a minister and Member of Parliament he said in the letter He added that he will not be seeking the return of the amount if he is acquitted The Prime Ministers Office said that effective from Thursday Chee Hong Tat will replace Iswaran as Transport Minister Earlier in the day Iswaran appeared before a district judge and was charged with two counts of corruption over bribes He is accused of accepting more than SG160000 from billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng to advance the latters business interests in a Singapore Grand Prix contract with the citystates Tourism Board in September and December 2022 Iswaran also faces 24 charges of accepting valuable items worth more than SG218000 including Singapore Grand Prix tickets between November 2015 and December 2021 from Ong credited with bringing F1 racing to Singapore while being a public servant and one charge of obstructing justice in May 2023 His political career spans more than 26 years and he was first elected in 1997 as an MP for West Coast Group Representation Constituency In May 2021 he was appointed Minister for Transport and was concurrently ministerincharge of trade relations at the Ministry of Trade and Industry MTI since May 2018 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapores-indian-origin-transport-minister-resigns-amid-graft-charges-509319.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/not-guilty-says-ex-indian-origin-singapore-minister-facing-corruption-charges-509341.html Singapore Jan 18 Following his recent resignation as Singapores Transport Minister Indianorigin S Iswaran on Thursday pleaded not guilty to all 27 charges including corruption obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant and obstructing justice Arriving at the State Courts at about 8 am on Thursday with his legal team the 61yearold former minister did not respond to questions from reporters The Straits Times reported When the judge asked Iswaran how he intended to plead he said Not guilty Iswarans Senior Counsel Davinder Singh told the court that he was initially charged on January 15 with 36 charges and that cautioned statements were taken on these charges He said the defence learnt on Thursday morning that there were now 27 charges and asked if the prosecution was proceeding on the remaining nine charges to which the prosecution said it was not Iswarans pretrial conference is scheduled for March 1 and he is presently out on SG800000 bail He was elected into Parliament in 1997 as an MP for West Coast Group Representation Constituency where he served for the last 26 years He has held ministerial positions in the ministries of education home affairs and communications and information According to court documents most of the offences Iswaran faces involve billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008 Ong was also arrested along with Iswaran on July 11 2023 as part of the corruption probe The charge sheet states that Iswaran received valuable things worth more than S384000 US285000 from Ong between 2015 and 2022 These ranged from tickets to shows private plane ride hotel stays football matches and various editions of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix Iswaran was arrested by CPIB on July 11 2023 following its investigation into a separate matter after which he was released on bail He was instructed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to take a leave of absence until investigations were completed and his monthly pay was reduced to SG8500 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/not-guilty-says-ex-indian-origin-singapore-minister-facing-corruption-charges-509341.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/armed-robbers-target-3-liquor-stores-in-us-threaten-indian-origin-employee-509648.html New York Jan 18 An Indianorigin liquor store employee in the US state of Illinois was left shaken after four armed men in their 20s entered the shop put a gun to his temple and punched his coworker before fleeing away with cash and cell phones The robbers carrying revolvers and semiautomatic handguns hit three liquor stores in Chicago within a period of less than 40 minutes on Monday night the police said Mr P Beverage Depot in Wicker Park where Pankajkumar Patel works was the first store to be targeted in the area at around 845 pm I have two children and a wife a shaken and terrified Patel told CBS News Patel told the channel that of the four robbers two were inside the store holding him and his colleague at gunpoint and two other in the parking lot keeping a close watch The two inside the store jumped the counter and put a gun to Patels temple as the employee raised his hands up They then punched Patels colleague in the face and took around 3000 to 4000 from the cash registers including mobile phones of both the employees According to Chicago Police shortly after 9 pm the robbers entered Before You Go Liquors store in Bucktown and at 920 pm they robbed the Clybourn Market liquor store in North Center In all the three cases the robbers swung into action saying Give me everything dont move or Ill shoot the police said The incidents of robbery seem to be on a rise in Chicago with five liquor stores hit in a span of less than two hours in Irving Park last week The Chicago Police Department could not confirm whether the same gang was involved in the robbery which took place this Monday and asked businesses to be on alert and keep their surveillance cameras in working order They also urged staff at businesses to stay alert and watch out for suspicious people loitering in the area IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/armed-robbers-target-3-liquor-stores-in-us-threaten-indian-origin-employee-509648.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 19:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-lawyer-suspended-in-singapore-for-falsely-attesting-documents-509000.html Singapore Jan 17 An Indianorigin lawyer with more than 25 years of experience in the field has been handed a oneyear suspension for false attestation of documents in Singapore While several documents were not signed in her presence Kasturibai Manickam falsely attested in 2020 that they were The Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday The Law Society of Singapore had argued for 30 months suspension for Manickam but the Court of Three Judges said this was an instance of a grave error of judgment rather than a character defect There was no dispute that the documents were signed by the intended signatories Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon who was leading the bench said He said Manickams error was to decide to attest that she witnessed the signing of the documents because she knew the parties and thought no harm would ensue The court allowed Manickams suspension to take effect on March 7 The judges heard that Manickam had acted for two siblings Santha Devi V Puthenveetil Kesava Pillay and her brother Raman Puthenveetil Kesava Pillay who were the registered owners of a condominium unit Manickams firm East Asia Law Corporation had previously acted for the Pillays in several matters prior to the sale of the property The Pillays had sold their condominium unit in September 2020 to two individuals according to the news report In the course of acting for the siblings Manickam prepared six documents for the transaction which were all signed by Santha Devi Between September 7 and November 5 2020 Manickam signed as a witness to Santha Devis signature but did not witness the signing Five of the documents a transfer instrument a sellers stamp duty declaration and a letter of authority for the sale proceeds to be paid to the firm were sent to the law firm acting for the purchasers Santha Devi later lodged a complaint with the Law Society against Manickam following which a disciplinary tribunal was appointed in May 2022 to investigate the matter At the tribunal hearing Manickam admitted that she signed as a witness to Santha Devis signature despite not having witnessed the signing Arguing on behalf of Manickam Senior Counsel N Sreenivasan said the lawyer did not act for her personal benefit He said Manickam did so only to help her elderly clients avoid travel during the Covid19 pandemic adding that there was very little harm caused as the transaction was legitimate The tribunal found Manickams act of false attestation involved an element of dishonesty constituting grossly improper conduct and referred it to the court for further action The tribunal found that the case was serious enough to be referred to the court which has the power to suspend or disbar lawyers During the court hearing on Tuesday Sreenivasan said his client would like to tender her deepest apologies to the court and to the profession The court allowed the suspension to take effect on March 7 to give her time to find another lawyer to take over her files IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-lawyer-suspended-in-singapore-for-falsely-attesting-documents-509000.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-in-uk-sentenced-for-gym-thefts-to-fund-lavish-lifestyle-509004.html London Jan 17 An Indianorigin man and his partner have been sentenced for breaking into gym lockers and stealing bank cards to pay for their lavish lifestyles in south east London Ashley Singh 39 and Sophie Bruyea 20 of Widmore Road in Bromley would visit gyms and rifle through victims lockers as they got busy in their workouts the Metropolitan Police said on Monday The pair would then max out their victims credit cards on expensive tech and designer gear before selling them on and using the cash to buy bags shoes holidays and a pedigree puppy The duo was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on January 10 to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between January 2022 and January 2023 with a total value of 250000 pounds Singh was sentenced to three years imprisonment while Bruyea received a 20 months sentence at a young offenders institute suspended for two years The court also asked her to undergo a rehabilitation programme and complete 120 hours of unpaid work The pairs spree was noticed by a local officer who realised there was a pattern and flagged it to detectives who are experts in economic crime A Lewishambased team traced the pairs phones cars and faces on CCTV and linked them all together Officers from the Metropolitan Police arrested them at Gatwick Airport on January 27 2023 as they returned from Paris with 2000 euros worth of designer goods At least 18 people were targeted in what the sentencing judge branded a wicked conspiracy The judge described the impact the pairs wideranging spree had had on people including instances where people no longer felt safe around strangers or had suffered professionally due to the stress DC Luis Da Silva from the Mets economic crime team that investigated this case said We know Londoners are worried about theft Its a horrible crime and it causes a lot of stress pain and financial loss Thats why we take this crime seriously and a whole team of us were committed to catching Singh and Bruyea You couldnt fail to be moved by the devastating impact their callous behaviour had on people and we hope that by catching them this offers victims a little bit of solace He urged anyone who has had something stolen to get in touch and said that the proceeds of the duos crimes will be used to help compensate the victims There were 18 fraud reports in total with 14 in the Metropolitan area one from Sussex one from Hertfordshire and two reports from Cambridgeshire IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-in-uk-sentenced-for-gym-thefts-to-fund-lavish-lifestyle-509004.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/next-republican-debate-cancelled-after-haley-refuses-to-take-stage-without-trump-509013.html Washington Jan 17 The next Republican presidential debate has been cancelled with IndianAmerican aspirant Nikki Haley refusing to appear on stage unless former President Donald Trump takes part Following her thirdplace finish in the Iowa caucus Haley took to her X on Tuesday and said that so far they have had five great debates in the campaign Unfortunately Donald Trump has ducked all of them He has nowhere left to hide The next debate I do will either be with Donald Trump or with Joe Biden I look forward to it Haley the lone woman candidate in the presidential race said The ABC News and local New Hampshire outlet WMURTV scrapped the debate scheduled for Thursday at Saint Anselm College in Manchester The New York Post reported In addition a CNNmoderated debate in New Hampshire which is slated for January 21 is also in doubt Haleys announcement came a day after Americas twiceimpeached former President facing more than 90 criminal charges emerged triumphant in Iowa and solidified his position as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination The party frontrunner won by a wide margin over Haley who won just over 19 per cent of the vote Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who edged out Haley by two points to finish in second place in Iowa slammed his rivals for refusing to debate him In the runup to the New Hampshire nominating contest he accused them of running a basement campaign What does that say We have four candidates for president now Joe Biden Donald Trump Nikki Haley and me Im the only one whos not running a basement campaign at this point DeSantis told voters during a town hall in Henniker New Hampshire Training his guns at the former South Carolina Governor DeSantis said Haley is afraid to debate and she is just running to be Trumps Vice President Nikki Haley is afraid to debate because she doesnt want to answer the tough questions such as how she got rich off Boeing after giving them millions in taxpayer handouts as governor of South Carolina DeSantis wrote on X after Haleys announcement I wont snub New Hampshire voters like both Nikki Haley and Donald Trump and plan to honor my commitments I look forward to debating two empty podiums in the Granite State this week he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/next-republican-debate-cancelled-after-haley-refuses-to-take-stage-without-trump-509013.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-urges-haley-desantis-to-drop-out-of-presidential-race-endorse-trump-509021.html Washington Jan 17 After suspending his presidential campaign IndianAmerican Vivek Ramaswamy thinks it would be healthy for the country if Republican candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantisdrop out of the 2024 White House race and endorse former President Donald Trump In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday the biotech entrepreneur said the Republican voter base in Iowa has spoken loud and clear that they want Trump to be the presidential nominee I think Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley would actually at this point do this country and this party a service by stepping aside to make sure that were focused on not only nominating Donald Trump but getting this country back and reviving those founding revolutionary ideals the 38yearold said I do think that would be healthy for this country he added The twiceimpeached former President facing more than 90 criminal charges emerged triumphant in Iowa and solidified his position as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination DeSantis and Haley who emerged second and third in the caucus hope to overtake Trump further down the primaries but the gap between the former President and both his rivals remains too wide I think its very clear who the Republican primary electorate is saying that they want to be their nominee I ran to be that person They sent me a very positive message But the very positive message they sent to all of us is that Donald Trump needs to be the nominee of this party Ramaswamy said And I think that you know what especially Ron DeSantis at least of the two of them will have an important role to play in the future of this country leading this nation he added Fresh out of winning the Iowa Caucus Trump made his first campaign trail appearance in Atkinson New Hampshire with Ramaswamy where the latter gave an eightminute fiery speech amidst chants of VP VP VP by supporters After his remarks Trump praised the political newcomer calling Ramaswamy very special and told his supporters that the latter is going to be working with us and he will be working with us for a long time IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-urges-haley-desantis-to-drop-out-of-presidential-race-endorse-trump-509021.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tunisian-man-locked-up-indefinitely-for-killing-indian-origin-teen-in-london-508418.html London Jan 16 A Tunisian national has been locked up indefinitely in a psychiatric hospital for killing and nearly beheading a 19yearold Indianorigin student at her university accommodation in London in 2022 Maher Maaroufe 24 stabbed his girlfriend Sabita Thanwani an aspiring psychologist in the neck at Arbour House student flats in Clerkenwell area of London on March 19 2022 Appearing before the Old Bailey last year Maaroufe of no fixed address admitted manslaughter by means of diminished responsibility saying he was suffering from schizoaffective disorder at that time He also pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating an emergency worker While sentencing him on Monday Judge Nigel Lickley KC said Maaroufe carried out the attack during the height of a psychotic episode the BBC reported He said Maaroufe had been aggressive and controlling towards Thanwani during their relationship and hit her at least once and that his behaviour may have been part of his emerging illness Sabita had her whole life ahead of her You ended her life Your actions will continue to cause enduring pain and suffering the judge told Maaroufe The Old Bailey heard that Maaroufe who entered the UK legally on an unknown date but had overstayed was in the process of claiming asylum at the time of the incident According to the prosecution during his psychotic episodes Maaroufe smoked cannabis and thought that Thanwani was a male devil The evening before the attack they met outside a mosque and spent time in central London After they had returned to Thanwanis accommodation other students heard her shouting stop I cant breathe and I beg you dont kill me following which emergency services were alerted Police saw blood stains around the bed as well as blankets and duvets on the floor of Thanwanis room She was pronounced dead at the scene at 6 am and a postmortem examination gave her cause of death as sharp force trauma to the neck Maaroufe was found by police asleep under a tarpaulin in a garden shed and allegedly headbutted a police officer while trying to evade arrest Thanwanis family in a statement released at the time of her death described her as our angel and said she had a radiant smile and incredible heart The family described Maaroufe as an evil sadistic murderer his actions were calculated to kill her because she rejected him IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tunisian-man-locked-up-indefinitely-for-killing-indian-origin-teen-in-london-508418.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-surgeon-in-uk-to-pay-135k-pounds-after-car-hits-minor-508440.html London Jan 16 A Indianorigin surgeon in southcentral England has been ordered to pay 135000 pounds in damages after her car hit a 12yearold girl causing serious head injury collarbone fracture and other complications Dr Shanthi Chandrans car collided with the schoolgirl as she stepped into the road on her way to school in Buckingham Road Bicester in January 2018 Chandran a consultant physician at Milton Keynes hospital was on her way to work in her BMW i3 Range Extender when the incident happened the Oxford Mail newspaper reported last week The childs head struck the nearside windscreen of her car causing the glass to shatter the police said Officers said her body was thrown or carried 11 metres beyond the pedestrian crossing and almost to the entrance of a nearby petrol station due to the force of the collision Following the accident the girl who is now 18yearsold suffered a serious head injury a bleed to the brain and a fracture in her left collarbone According to court documents she was intubated and ventilated for three days and was in hospital for 10 days During the first year post accident she was left with cognitive and psychiatric problems suffered nightmares and PTSDtype symptoms Blaming Chandran for negligence the girl said she was driving too fast given the prevailing conditions and if she were driving at a safe and reasonable speed the collision would not have happened Chandran told police that she was driving at 28mph which was below the applicable speed limit of 30 mph and appropriate for the conditions and that she immediately stopped her car after she saw that a young girl had been struck In her defence Chandran told the court that the incident was caused by the girl stepping out into the road when the lights were green During a case hearing last year Judge Dexter Dias said it was a common misconception that it was reasonable to drive just below the speed limit While this case is not about a fatality it shows yet again how dangerous it is to drive at excessive and unreasonable speed Judge Dias had said The court determined a 40 per cent reduction in the initially proposed 225000 pounds in damages because of the contributory negligence of the girl stepping out into the road while the traffic lights were green The Mail reported The compensation was determined at the High Court last month and the judgment was published on January 11 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-surgeon-in-uk-to-pay-135k-pounds-after-car-hits-minor-508440.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 09:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-ramaswamy-drops-out-of-2024-republican-race-to-wh-endorses-trump-508486.html Washington Jan 16 IndianAmerican tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy announced that he is dropping out of the 2024 Republican presidential race and endorsed former US President Donald Trump who won the crucial Iowa caucuses The 38yearold biotech entrepreneur told his supporters on Monday night that he is ending campaign after a dismal finish in Iowas leadoff caucuses The political newbie and the youngest candidate in the presidential race was trailing on the distant fourth spot with seven per cent of the votes counted As of this moment we are going to suspend this presidential campaign Earlier tonight I called Donald Trump to tell him that I congratulate him on his victory and now going forward you will have my full endorsement for the presidency The Hill reported Ramaswamy as saying Trump Americas twiceimpeached former president facing more than 90 criminal charges emerged triumphant in Iowa solidifying his position as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination The Republican frontrunner who has always praised Ramaswamy as a smart guy and a very intelligent person recently slammed the political newcomer as very sly and asked voters not get duped by his deceitful campaign tricks Ramaswamy said he is not going to criticise Trump in response to his attack which he called a friendly fire Asserting that he is not a Plan B person Ramaswamy has ruled out the possibility of him being the Vice President saying he would not do well in a number two position in August last year The exit of the antiwoke crusader who launched his campaign bid in February 2023 comes not long after former New Jersey governor Chris Christie announced he was dropping his White House bid Huge Gurdon editorinchief of conservative publication Washington Examiner wrote that every presidential election throws up an interesting candidate who is evidently intelligent highly unconventional and less like any of the others than they are like each other And Ramaswamy had become the interesting candidate of the 2024 election cycle Born to immigrant parents from India he made millions as a pharmaceutical entrepreneur and wrote a book slamming woke to test the waters for a plunge into politics He was clearly the star of the first Republican debate as he forced himself into most of the conversation which included sharp jabs from Christie who said he sounded like ChatGPT Fellow IndianAmerican and Republican rival Nikki Haley called him a scum for bringing up her daughters reference in a debate on TikTok She also said that Ramaswamy has no foreign policy experience and it shows IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-ramaswamy-drops-out-of-2024-republican-race-to-wh-endorses-trump-508486.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/new-chapter-in-india-bangladesh-bilateral-ties-high-commissioner-508612.html Dhaka Jan 16 During a meeting with Bangladeshs newlyelected Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma said a new chapter of bilateral relations between the two neighbouring nations has opened and would work more closely to take the ties forward The meeting took place on Monday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka I came here to pay a courtesy call on the new Foreign Minister I have congratulated him and also on behalf of our External Affairs Minister There were discussions on various bilateral issues We would work more closely to take our relationship forward Verma told reporters The High Vommissioner further said their discussions focused on the advancements and successes achieved in bilateral relationships during the last decade Our bilateral relationship reached a close state in the last 10 years he added He also noted that discussions took place over issues that we can consider in future For instance on the climate issue we can cooperate in the Bangladesh Prime Ministers plan in building a smart Bangladesh by 2041 the envoy added Expressing Indias interest in working with the new Awami League government he said We hope that our partnership will thrive under the new government which would be conducive for the national interests of both sides We have always been ready to cooperate with the people of Bangladesh Referring to the previous three national elections in the country Foreign Minister Mahmud said India has consistently extended its support to preserve democratic continuity in Bangladesh India stood by our side in 2014 when many conspiracies were going on surrounding the election In 2018 there were efforts to make the election controversial as well as to raise many questions about it India was beside us then too This time you all know what was or is the stance of India over holding an election to maintain democratic continuity he stated The newlyappointed Foreign Minister also expressed his interest in making his first overseas trip to India Asked about the probable date he said he had been invited from India and both sides were working to find a time suitable for the two Foreign Ministers Regarding his discussions with Verma Mahmud said We discussed different issues though it was a courtesy call We particularly discussed the issues of connectivity border haats and trade expansion with great importanceBesides they discussed scopes of trade expansion through transactions in the Bangladeshi taka and Indian rupee which have already started on a small scale There were discussions between us on ways to expand it make it popular and known to all If it is done our dependency on the dollar will subside and so will Indias It will be conducive for trade expansion in both countries IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/new-chapter-in-india-bangladesh-bilateral-ties-high-commissioner-508612.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/how-an-indian-origin-driver-is-helping-homeless-canadians-in-sub-zero-temperatures-508618.html Toronto Jan 16 An IndoCanadian driver has been providing critical shuttle services to people seeking shelter in subzero temperatures in the countrys British Columbia province Upkar Singh Tatlay executive director of the Engaged Communities Canada Society is up before dawn to drive community members with no home of their own to a warming centre in a white multipassenger van There are so many people that need assistance Tatlay who makes multiple trips transporting people from the end of November through March told CBC news channel Knowing well that being exposed to bitter cold can be lifethreatening Tatlay picks unhoused people from an overnight shelter in Surrey to drop them at the Societys Daytime Warming Centre in the neighbouring city of White Rock While overnight shelter is available at the South Surrey Recreation Centre users have to vacate it before 630 am Tatlay then transports these people to the centre which is open from 7 am to 10 pm at North Bluff Road and is funded by the city and public donations People are sleeping in really difficult situations so we are always trying to find out where they are he told CBC adding that he also keeps an eye for those in need of shelter services We see seniors we see people that have been discharged from the hospital we see people who are renovicted a lot of folks who actually have really good jobs but they just dont compare to the astronomical rents cost of living and food Tatlay said When Tatlay arrives with his first batch they are welcomed by volunteers serving croissants and coffee In addition they have access to mental health and medical resources at the centre and are also provided warm clothing and blankets IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/how-an-indian-origin-driver-is-helping-homeless-canadians-in-sub-zero-temperatures-508618.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/cutting-off-foreign-students-temporary-workers-will-hit-canadian-economy-report-508259.html Toronto Jan 15 Closing doors to temporary workers and foreign students allowed into Canada would blunt the countrys economic recovery and deepen recession a capital market company has warned According to predictions by Montrealbased Desjardins Securities the countrys real GDP will grow just 01 per cent in 2024 and an average of about 195 per cent annually from 2025 through 2028 But if it were to shut the door to temporary residents real GDP would drop by 07 per cent in 2024 and grow an average of 178 per cent annually over the following four years Bloomberg News said citing the report On the other hand if it doubles the pace of nonpermanent resident admissions the country would experience a milder economic slowdown than anticipated and avoid a potential recession altogether Randall Bartlett Desjardins senior director of Canadian economics said Real GDP would then grow 1 per cent in 2024 and top 21 per cent on average after that Bartlett said in a report released last week The report comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces backlash over rising cost of living and growing inflation acknowledging the need for adjustments in immigration policy In one of the most recent moves to address these issues the government decided to double the amount of money that international students need to show to get a study visa It would be a mistake to blame international students for the housing crisis But it will also be a mistake to invite them to come to Canada with no support including how to put a roof over their heads Immigration Minister Marc Miller had said while making the announcement in December The students will now have to show at least in their 20635 account on top of their oneyear tuition fees and if they bring one family member with them they will need to show an additional 4000 The North American nation accepted 454590 new permanent residents over the 12month period to October 1 while bringing in a record 804690 nonpermanent residents which includes temporary workers foreign students and refugees According to Bartlett Much of Canadas population growth now one of the fastest in the world comes from nonpermanent residents temporary foreign workers and students The nation opened its doors to immigrants to replace aging workers and fill labour gaps but the boom in numbers has put a strain on the countrys resources and needs to be reconsidered according to the countrys top economists IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/cutting-off-foreign-students-temporary-workers-will-hit-canadian-economy-report-508259.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 17:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/im-not-interested-in-being-vice-president-nikki-haley-508021.html New York Jan 15 Hours before the Iowa caucuses kickstarting the Republican presidential nomination process IndianAmerican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley has said she is not keen on playing second fiddle to former boss Donald Trump Pushing across icecold Iowa and hoping for a strong finish in the state the lone woman in the 2024 presidential race remains confident about her election as the next US President I dont play for a second Ive never played for a second Im not going to start now Im not interested in being Vice President Im running to be President and Im running to win and we will Haley said in a CBS News interview While Trump still leads the Republican pack as the voters best bet in November it is Haley who right now holds a bigger lead over President Joe Biden than either Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in potential headtohead matchups according to a recent CBSYouGov poll Republicans need to start winning again I will stomp all over Joe Biden in the general election Haley had said in a post on X on Sunday An Emerson College PollingWHDH New Hampshire survey released last week found Haley sitting at 28 per cent in the states presidential primary up from 18 per cent in November 2023 Trump on the other hand had 44 per cent support among Republican primary voters in the state down from 49 per cent in November last year With the New Hampshire primary scheduled for January 23 and South Carolina on February 3 the former UN Ambassador said that the Republican presidential race will be a contest between her and Trump I think its going to be me and Donald Trump going into New Hampshire And youre going to see its already close Its going to get even closer And then were going to take it to my state in South Carolina Haley told Fox News in an interview On being asked by the CBS what she would say to voters who like her for vice president but who are still backing Trump Haley said Well I think look if you want four more years of chaos thats what youre gonna get Trump faces 91 felony counts across four trials including two separate indictments for alleged election subversion and one for withholding classified documents after leaving the White House While claims of his executive immunity as President are also under scrutiny Haley reiterated that she doesnt want fellow IndianAmerican Kamala Harris as President You look at those head to head polls Trump and Biden are pretty much even Its gonna be a nail biter of an election Were gonna be holding our breath I dont want a President Kamala Harris Haley told CBS News IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/im-not-interested-in-being-vice-president-nikki-haley-508021.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-teen-dies-as-bus-catches-fire-after-collision-in-singapore-508290.html Singapore Jan 15 A 17yearold Indian national died and three others were injured when a bus travelling from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur collided with a motorcycle and burst into flames The bus with 28 passengers onboard was travelling along the northbound side of the NorthSouth Expressway on January 13 at about 350 am according to a Channel News Asia report Alor Gajah District Police Chief Superintendent Arshad Abu said the Indian girl suffered burns and was pronounced dead while receiving treatment Her body has been sent to Melaka Hospital for a postmortem police said The three injured passengers who were trapped in the back seat of the bus and suffered burns were taken to Alor Gajah Hospital for treatment The injured passengers are family members with one of them a Singaporean the police chief told CNA According to police investigation the bus crashed into the motorcycle and dragged it for a few metres before the bus caught fire The motorcycle was on the road due to an earlier accident when a 21yearold motorcyclist lost control of it IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-teen-dies-as-bus-catches-fire-after-collision-in-singapore-508290.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/top-trump-adviser-rules-out-ramaswamys-chances-as-vp-pick-508062.html New York Jan 15 A top aide of former US President Donald Trump has said that voters are likely to rule out IndianAmerican longshot presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy as the Republican frontrunners Vice Presidential pick The remarks by Jason Miller comes a day after Trump slammed the very sly biotech entrepreneur in a blistering social media post on January 13 saying a vote for Vivek is a vote for the other side Trump said voters should not get duped by Ramaswamys deceitful campaign tricks and that he is a threat to MAGA Make America Great Again In a post shared on X on January 13 Ramaswamy said he is not going to criticise Trump in response to his attack which he called a friendly fire On Sunday Miller told The New York Post that voters could probably rule out Ramaswamy as the expresidents running mate Pretty safe to say it wont be Vivek he said Trump who leads the Republican race despite indictments and civil cases against him has always praised the political newcomer as a smart guy and a very intelligent person who has a lot of talent and good energy While being asked on a TV show in September last year whether he was considering a Vice President Ramaswamy Trump said Well I think hes great Look anybody that said Im the best president in a generation So I have to like a guy like that You know I cant get upset with him The former President had however warned the political newcomer that he was becoming a little bit controversial asking him to be a little bit careful with what he says Asserting that he is not a Plan B person Ramaswamy had ruled out the possibility of him being the Vice President saying he would not do well in a number two position in August last year While several names are being floated for the second top executive position in the US Trump said last week that he has already chosen his running mate but has decided not to announce it yet In an NBC News interview about two months ago Trump said he likes the concept of a woman as Vice President Were going to choose the best person he said IANS had reported earlier that 39yearold Elise Stefanik one of Trumps fiercest allies fits this bill perfectly and she could end up as his running mate though her credibility with swing states is still a big question IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/top-trump-adviser-rules-out-ramaswamys-chances-as-vp-pick-508062.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 10:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/pair-jailed-in-uk-after-high-speed-driving-leads-to-elderly-sikh-womans-death-508114.html London Jan 15 Two men including an Indianorigin driver have been jailed for six years after their racing led to the death of an 81yearold Sikh woman in the UKs West Midlands region in 2022 Surinder Kaur was pronounced dead on the scene after she was hit by a vehicle on Oldbury Road in Rowley Regis West Midlands on November 13 2022 the BBC reported citing police In addition to the jailterm Arjun Dosanjh 26 and Jacek Wiatrowski 51 were banned from driving for eight years by the Wolverhampton Crown Court last week The court heard that Dosanjh and Wiatrowski who did not know each other decided to race after pulling up at traffic lights next to each other Both vehicles were significantly exceeding the speed limit when they hit Kaur who was reportedly on her way back home from a gurdwara CCTV footage showed Wiatrowski who was driving a black BMW braking heavily as he spotted Kaur crossing the road the detectives handling the case said He narrowly missed but caused Dosanjhs blue Mini to swerve on to the wrong side of the road hitting Kaur Both defendants pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing Wiatrowski and Dosanjh did not know each other and were driving competitively this dangerous and foolish action has cost a life Detective Sergeant Chris Ridge West Midlands Police said In a victim statement read out to the court and released by police Kaurs family said Our mum lived a very simple life She was a deeply religious woman and on the day of the accident she was on her way home from the Gurdwara The days and weeks after mums death were really tough as well as trying to come to terms with our loss we had to deal with an ongoing police investigation Meanwhile road safety campaigners slammed the sentences of Dosanjh and Wiatrowski and called for stripping off their licences IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/pair-jailed-in-uk-after-high-speed-driving-leads-to-elderly-sikh-womans-death-508114.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 12:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-voters-in-iowa-feel-abandoned-by-haley-report-507921.html New York Jan 14 With just a day to go for the Iowa caucuses IndianAmerican voters in the state have said that they feel abandoned by 2024 Republican presidential aspirant and proud daughter of Indian immigrants Nikki Haley According to a New York Times report while the lone woman in the presidential race has a number of prominent IndianAmerican donors she has not aggressively courted voters from the community in the Hawkeye State and rarely plays up her identity to pull in new votes The twotime South Carolina Governor and former UN ambassador officially launched her presidential bid on February 15 calling herself a proud daughter of Indian immigrants who left Punjab in search of a better life Being among a handful of IndianAmerican candidates to ever run for president and second woman of colour to ever seek the GOPs nomination for the White House has inherently generated interest in the Indian and South AsianAmerican communities Speaking to the NYT leaders of prominent IndianAmerican groups said they started reaching out to the Haley campaign at a time when she was still polling in the single digits with hopes of hosting her at their temples town hallstyle events or house parties But so far nothing has worked the leaders said calling the lack of outreach as frustrating and alienating for some their membership It really raises the question Who are you willing to engage in the dialogue Do you want the support and do you support the engagement of Indian Americans across the board asked Prakash Kopparapu chairman of the Indo American PACIA Himanshu Pathak who has served as president of the Indo American Association of Iowa surmised that Haley perhaps saw the electorate as too small to make a difference That would be a mistake he said adding We are low in numbers but not that low And we are increasing day by day On the contrary Haleys fellow IndianAmerican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has made several appearances at the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Iowa In addition he is set to participate in an Indo American PACIA event this week The 51yearold has taken the lead over other GOP rivals but still trails behind former president Donald Trump in Iowa according to a recent poll of 500 likely Republican caucus goers The IndianAmericans form nearly 1 per cent of all registered voters in the US and are considered to be key players in the battleground states The community has historically been Democratleaning 72 per cent of registered IndianAmerican voters backed President Joe Biden in 2020 77 per cent voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and 84 per cent for Barack Obama in 2012 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-voters-in-iowa-feel-abandoned-by-haley-report-507921.html Sun, 14 Jan 2024 12:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/asian-americans-fastest-growing-group-of-eligible-voters-in-us-pew-research-507563.html New York Jan 13 AsianAmericans have been the fastestgrowing group of eligible voters in the US over roughly the past two decades and since 2020 says a new study as the country goes to polls to elect a new president this year Their number has grown by 15 per cent or about 2 million eligible voters in the past four years faster than the three per cent growth rate for all eligible voters during that span and the 12 per cent for Hispanic eligible voters says a Pew Research Center study This November a projected 150 million Asian Americans will be eligible to vote making up just 61 per cent of all eligible voters according to the Washingtonbased thinktanks projections Overall more than half of all Asian Americans in the US 58 per cent are eligible to vote By comparison 72 per cent of the total US population is eligible Asian Americans are less likely than Americans overall to be eligible to vote because a significant share are immigrants who are not US citizens the study said Asian immigrants who are not eligible to vote include permanent residents green card holders and those in the process of becoming permanent residents those in the US on temporary visas and unauthorised immigrants Asian Americans are the only major racial or ethnic group where more of its eligible voters are naturalised citizens than USborn citizens 56 per cent vs 44 per cent the study noted About four in ten Asian eligible voters 41 per cent are ages 50 and older and they have relatively high levels of educational attainment They are also more likely than the general eligible voter population to have a postgraduate degree of some kind such as a masters degree or law degree The study also found that as of 2022 more than half of AsianAmerican eligible voters 55 per cent live in only five states and they typically lean Democratic California has the highest number of AsianAmerican eligible voters by far 44 million The state is home to nearly a third 31 per cent of the entire US Asian electorate The states with the nextmost AsianAmerican eligible voters are New York 12 million Texas 11 million Hawaii 580000 and New Jersey 575000 They make up 55 per cent of the electorate in Hawaii the only state where a racial or ethnic group other than singlerace White nonHispanic eligible voters are the majority IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/asian-americans-fastest-growing-group-of-eligible-voters-in-us-pew-research-507563.html Sat, 13 Jan 2024 15:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uks-sacked-home-secretary-warns-voting-against-rwanda-bill-507613.html London Jan 13 With the Rwanda asylum bill set to return to the UK Parliament next week sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she will vote against the legislation if there were no improvements in it One of the toughest immigration legislation ever introduced to Parliament the bill which aims to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda will face its third reading vote after MPs debate and vote on amendments to it on January 1617 Im only going to support a bill that works As currently drafted this bill does not work And if there are no improvements to it I will have to vote against it Im afraid Braverman said in an interview with GB News Im sent to parliament to vote for things to be for things or to be against them not to sit on the fence The third reading vote is the final chance for the Commons to debate the contents of a bill before it is sent to the House of Lords for further scrutiny Right wing Conservative MPs have been warning Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who narrowly won the immigration debate in Parliament last month that his Rwanda bill will not work unless it is significantly beefed up Braverman said that the third piece of legislation which the government has put through to stop the boats will not work as it is fundamentally fatally flawed and pretending otherwise betrays British people Citing reasons the Indianorigin former cabinet minister said that it doesnt stop the scenario as seen in June 2022 when the first deportation flight was blocked by a lastminute injunction from the European Court of Human Rights According to her the bill has to preclude individual claimants that is illegal migrants who have come to the UK on boats from legally challenging the governments powers to detain or to remove them So what well see is wide scale and repetitive individual claims being made through the courts time and time again only having the effect of delaying their removal to Rwanda Braverman told the GB News Echoing her views Robert Jenrick who resigned as immigration minister over the bill told the BBC Its my strong view that this bill doesnt work it doesnt create that deterrent effect and so we need to improve it Sunak who has said he would welcome bright ideas to improve the bill stated earlier that the endless scourge of illegal migration is costing the UK billions of pounds and costing innocent lives Through this new landmark emergency legislation we will control our borders deter people taking perilous journeys across the channel and end the continuous legal challenges filling our courts Sunak had said in a statement released by the Home Office last month Once the bill receives Royal Assent it will pave the way for the UK to begin next steps in processing people for relocation and starting removal flights to Rwanda According to the Home Office the British government intends to fasttrack the emergency legislation through the House as soon as possible IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uks-sacked-home-secretary-warns-voting-against-rwanda-bill-507613.html Sat, 13 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/biden-names-indian-origin-judge-to-illinois-district-court-507441.html New York Jan 12 President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate IndianAmerican judge Sunil R Harjani for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Harjani is among six individuals named by Biden to federal district courts all of whom are extraordinarily qualified experienced and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution the White House said in a statement This will be Bidens 44th round of nominees for federal judicial positions bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 215 These choices also continue to fulfill the Presidents promise to ensure that the nations courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds the White House said on Wednesday Harjani has been a United States Magistrate for the Northern District of Illinois since 2019 He previously served as an Assistant Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Section in the US Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Illinois from 2008 to 2019 He also practiced federal civil litigation as a senior counsel at the US Securities amp Exchange Commission from 2004 to 2008 and as an associate at Jenner amp Block LLP in Chicago from 2000 to 2001 and 2002 to 2004 Harjani served as a law clerk for Judge Suzanne B Conlon on the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois from 2001 to 2002 He received his JD cum laude from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in 2000 and his B A from Northwestern University in 1997 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/biden-names-indian-origin-judge-to-illinois-district-court-507441.html Fri, 12 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/i-come-from-a-country-where-toxic-air-is-a-big-issue-india-born-uk-mayoral-candidate-507272.html London Jan 12 An Indiaborn investment banker standing as an independent in the 2024 London Mayoral election has said that he comes from a country where toxic air is a big issue and wants things to be greener and more effective in the British capital Tarun Ghulati told The Standard newspaper that he was entering the race due to be held on May 2 this year to get London moving again as the capital has lost its mojo I certainly come from a country where toxic air is a big issue and I believe we should work towards making things greener and more effective Ghulati who expects to be polling ahead of the Liberal Democrat and Green candidates within six weeks told The Standard Having lived in London for more than 20 years the 63yearold said he wants to completely scrap the Ultra low emission zone ULEZ remove the congestion charge on weekends and abolish low traffic neighbourhoods According to Ghulati hindrances to cars such as roadblocks in low traffic neighbourhoods were in fact contributing to pollution by causing vehicles to stand still and emit fumes Calling ULEZ unfair he said wealthy Londoners can easily afford the 1250pound daily charge for noncompliant vehicles while those on lower incomes are deterred from using their cars His other priorities include increasing police presence on the street and building more police stations in areas where there is a high crime rate The 2024 London mayoral election is scheduled to be held on May 2 and will take place simultaneously with elections to the London Assembly and local elections across England and Wales Sadiq Khan who has been the Mayor of London since 2016 is seeking reelection as the Labour candidate A total of 12 candidates have reportedly declared that they will be running for the job which includes Conservative Susan Hill Liberal Democrat Rob Blackie Reform UKs Howard Cox Green Partys Zoe Garbett and Social Democratic Partys Amy Gallagher While Mayoral elections are traditionally held every four years voting was last held in 2021 instead of 2020 because of the Covid19 pandemic It will be the first time the election will use the firstpastthepost system Mayoral elections are traditionally held every four years However voters last went to the polls in 2021 rather than 2020 as the election was postponed because of the Covid19 pandemic IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/i-come-from-a-country-where-toxic-air-is-a-big-issue-india-born-uk-mayoral-candidate-507272.html Fri, 12 Jan 2024 15:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/london-mayoral-election-second-british-indian-throws-hat-in-the-ring-507354.html London Jan 12 London may get its first Indianorigin mayor with finance and property broker Shyam Batra announcing his intent to run as an independent in the May 2024 election Batra 62 is the second BritishIndian to throw his hat in the ring after investment banker Tarun Ghulati in the fastgrowing group of contenders for this years election looking to unseat Mayor Sadiq Khan who is seeking reelection as a Labour candidate A resident of Uxbridge in west London Batra told the BBC that he did not see himself as a party political candidate but rather as someone who just wants to fix London and give people a voice Like Ghulati his main priority if elected is to abolish the Ultra Low Emission Zone Ulez as well as the congestion zone and 20mph speed limits I drive an old car and now when I drive into London I have to pay congestion and Ulez charges It is a joke You should not be charged for driving in your own city he told the BBC Some of his other priorities include tackling the costofliving crisis and improving housing issues by introducing a finance scheme to get everyone on the property ladder Stating that he is passionate about making London a better place Batra said I know what the general public think and want because I am one of them I am fed up myself and if I am mayor I wont take any nonsense So far 12 candidates including Batra have reportedly declared their intent for the job which Khan hopes to hold for an historic third term The list includes Conservative Susan Hill Liberal Democrat Rob Blackie Reform UKs Howard Cox Green Partys Zoe Garbett and Social Democratic Partys Amy Gallagher As nominations for the election are open until March 27 more candidate announcements are expected over the coming weeks The election is scheduled to be held on May 2 and will take place simultaneously with elections to the London Assembly and local elections across England and Wales While Mayoral elections are traditionally held every four years voting was last held in 2021 instead of 2020 because of the Covid19 pandemic IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/london-mayoral-election-second-british-indian-throws-hat-in-the-ring-507354.html Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapore-hopes-to-recruit-auxiliary-police-officers-from-india-other-asian-nations-506905.html Singapore Jan 11 An Indianorigin minister in Singapore has said that the city state is considering hiring auxiliary police officers APOs from Asian nations like India China the Philippines and Myanmar Home and Law Affairs Minister K Shanmugam told Parliament on Wednesday that his Ministry hopes to expand the jurisdictions where officers can be recruited from for their Auxiliary Police Force Channel News Asia reported In a written parliamentary response to MP Sylvia Lim Shanmugam said the move is being considered as the number of APOs currently being hired from Taiwan dropping significantly since the practice began in 2017 The minister also pointed to a growing demand for APOs due to heightened security threats and new infrastructure such as Changi Airport Terminal 4 We need to allow the auxiliary police forces to recruit foreign APOs to meet the increasing demand for security services Shanmugam said They Auxiliary Police Force face challenges in sustaining an adequate pool of APOs given the shrinking local workforce requirements such as physical fitness and the job options Singaporeans have Singaporeans made up about 68 per cent of the total population of APOs with the remaining 32 per cent being Malaysian and Taiwanese as of November last year The Minister further noted that it has been a challenge to recruit and keep the Taiwanese APOs with their numbers decreasing by more than 60 per cent since 2017 to about 70 today Citing reasons he said this was due to the demanding nature of publicfacing security work improved job opportunities and prospects in Taiwan a desire to settle down with a family and homesickness APOs are trained in areas such as handling firearms and counterterrorism and they are deployed in a range of functions including protecting key installations and nongovernmental premises such as commercial banks In addition they are also given police powers to search and arrest offenders when on duty and can escort people in custody As for the risk of letting nonSingaporeans carry firearms the minister told the parliament that the authorities address this through security screening training and supervision So far misuse of firearms by APOs is extremely rare and is not more prevalent among nonSingaporeans Shanmugam said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapore-hopes-to-recruit-auxiliary-police-officers-from-india-other-asian-nations-506905.html Thu, 11 Jan 2024 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-charged-for-trying-to-transport-cocaine-worth-486-mn-506972.html Toronto Jan 11 A 35yearold Indianorigin commercial truck driver has been charged after he was caught by the authorities while trying to transport cocaine worth approximately C65 million 486 million into Canada Sukhwinder Dhanju was arrested by the Canadian Border Services Agency CBSA on September 26 last year after he arrived at the primary inspection booth at the QueenstonLewiston Bridge port of entry in NiagaraontheLake in Ontario province The driver was referred for secondary examination of his truck and trailer the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP said in a release issued on Wednesday An inspection of the cargo led to the discovery of 202 brickshaped objects which tested positive for cocaine and had a total weight of 233 kg Dhanju was then arrested by the CBSA and transferred to the custody of the RCMP Border Integrity Unit along with the suspected drugs Following a thorough investigation the RCMP on December 19 last year charged Brampton resident Dhanju with importation of cocaine and possession for the purpose of trafficking The RCMP and the CBSA once again through a joint effort demonstrated continued commitment in working together to effectively disrupt the drug trade sais Superintendent Rae Bolsterli Officer in Charge RCMP Border Integrity Program According to the release Dhanju has been released with strict conditions and his next court date is scheduled for February 2 at St Catharines in Ontario Last month another Indianorigin commercial truck driver was charged after authorities seized more than 100 pounds of suspected cocaine in Ontario Manpreet Singh 27 was taken into custody by officers of the RCMP and formally charged with importation of cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking Both Dhanju and Singh are residents of Brampton city In December 2023 a Canadawide arrest warrant was issued against an elderly Sikh truck driver who fled to India after he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking Raj Kumar Mehmi from Surrey was sentenced in November last year for smuggling 80 kg of cocaine into British Columbia through the CanadaUS Pacific Highway border crossing From January to October 31 2023 the CBSA in the Southern Ontario region reportedly seized more than 1300 kg of narcotics IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-charged-for-trying-to-transport-cocaine-worth-486-mn-506972.html Thu, 11 Jan 2024 12:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-doc-suspended-for-inappropriate-prescription-in-singapore-507079.html Singapore Jan 11 An Indianorigin doctor with 35 years of experience who inappropriately prescribed longterm sedatives to his patients has been suspended from medical practice for three years by a disciplinary tribunal in Singapore Maninder Singh Shahi a 61yearold general practitioner at a Marine Parade clinic pleaded guilty to 14 charges of professional misconduct in relation to his actions from 2002 to 2016 Channel News Asia CNA reported on Thursday Accepting the Singapore Medical Councils SMC submissions for the suspension on January 9 the threemember tribunal ordered for Shahi to be censured He also has to provide a written undertaking to the SMC that he will not repeat his conduct and pay costs of the proceedings Of the seven patients to whom Shahi improperly prescribed longterm sedative medication three were elderly The threemember tribunal heard that Shahi who ran an extremely busy practice seeing as many as 40 to 70 patients per day inappropriately prescribed benzodiazepines zopiclone or zolpidem In addition he failed to refer patients or refer them in a timely manner to a psychiatrist or medical specialist and did not maintain sufficient details in patients medical records Benzodiazepines treat a range of conditions such as insomnia and anxiety while zolpidem and zopiclone are nonbenzodiazepine drugs that treat insomnia To one of his patients suffering from insomnia Shahi prescribed benzodiazepines beyond the recommended period of four weeks along with medication containing opioid analgesics such as codeine CNA reported Where benzodiazepines are repeatedly prescribed doctors must clearly document certain aspects in the patients medical records SMC said Shahi exposed his patients to substantial potential for serious injury or harm In his mitigation Shahi said that he was not motivated by profit or greed but wanted to help his patients by prescribing hypnotics to them Shahi claimed that he also tried to refer three patients to a psychiatrist but they were not keen to do so The tribunal considered Shahis long and unblemished record his plea of guilt and cooperation with the authorities but rejected his argument that he should be given a shorter sentence due to a delay in prosecution which caused him mental anguish anxiety and distress It noted that Shahis prolonged period of offending would have exposed his patients to a very real risk of developing dependency on benzodiazepines despite no evidence of actual harm being caused to the patients IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-doc-suspended-for-inappropriate-prescription-in-singapore-507079.html Thu, 11 Jan 2024 15:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/sheikh-hasina-govt-to-have-25-cabinet-ministers-11-state-ministers-506864.html Dhaka Jan 11 Bangladeshs Prime Ministerdesignate Sheikh Hasina has invited some 25 party MPs to become Cabinet Ministers and 11 as State Ministers in her new ministry while dropping many of her old colleagues and bringing in several new faces it was announced on Wednesday The new cabinet of Sheikh Hasina following her Awami League securing its fourth straight term in the January 7 elections will be swornin by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at the Bangabhaban here on Thursday evening At a briefing on Wednesday Cabinet Division Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain said the new cabinet will comprise of 25 ministers and there will be 11 state ministers and deputy ministers After the swornin ceremony the Prime Minister will distribute the portfolios among the ministers state ministers and deputy ministers of the new cabinet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is retaining some trusted associates including some AL heavyweights but may change their portfolios Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said he received a phone call from the Cabinet Division on Wednesday evening I was told to take the oath on Thursdaywithout mentioning any ministry he said Local Government Minister Tajul Islam also said he received a similar call without confirmation on which ministry he would get Law Minister Anisul Huq Education Minister Dipu Moni Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and Information Minister Hasan Mahmud also said that they received calls for the swearing in There were speculations that Salman F Rahman the Prime Ministers advisor on private industry and investment may get a berth in the new cabinet but he told bdnews24com that he was not invited to join Hasinas new council of ministers Jahangir Kabir Nanak who had worked as the State Minister for Local Government in the 20092014 government but did not get a berth in the next government also said that he had also received a call Obaidul Quader AKM Mozammel Huq Muhammad Faruk Khan and Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali are among the new cabinet members who will be assigned to key ministries Awami League General Secretary Quader told IANS that he retained his berth as Road Transport and Bridges Minister Others who have been selected as ministers in the new cabinet are Md Abdus Shahid Sadhan Chandra Mazumder RAM Ubaidul Muktadir Chowdhury Md Abdur Rahman Narayan Chandra Chanda Abdus Salam Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Farhad Hossain Md Faridul Huq Khan Md Zillul Hakim Saber Hossain Chowdhury Nazmul Hasan Yafesh Osman and Dr Samanta Lal Sen will be under the technocrat quota Those have been invited to take oath as state ministers are Simin Hossain Rimi daughter of Tajuddin Ahmedm a close associate of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Nasrul Hamid Junayed Ahmed Palak Mohammad Ali Arafat Md Mohibbur Rahman Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury Zahid Faruque Kujendra Lal Tripura Begum Rumana Ali Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury and Ahsanul Islam Tito IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/sheikh-hasina-govt-to-have-25-cabinet-ministers-11-state-ministers-506864.html Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-dentist-fined-for-dodging-over-53k-pounds-in-tax-506650.html London Jan 10 An Indianorigin dentist in Englands West Midlands region has been ordered to pay 22654 pounds by His Majestys Revenue and Customs HMRC for evading tax worth 53528 pounds Jasbinder Singh a resident of Coventry was named publicly by the HMRC for deliberately defaulting on tax from April 6 2012 to April 5 2015 and April 6 2015 to April 5 2018 the Coventry Telegraph reported recently A person or business is named publicly if they have deliberately defaulted on more than 25000 pounds in tax according to HMRC In the West Midlands the biggest amount of tax avoided by a company was a whopping 243647 pounds It was said to have been owned by Daily Drinks 007 Ltd in Smethwick Birmingham Golden City Limited in Selly Oak Matthew Electronics Limited in Birmingham and Solihull Financial Services Limited are some of the other companies in the West Midlands that have failed to pay tax Last year an Indianorigin manufacturer was found guilty in what the HMRC described as one of the countrys largest ever carousel tax frauds Arif Patel was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for false accounting conspiracy to cheat the public revenue the onward sale of counterfeit clothing and money laundering He was accused of trying to steal around 97 million pounds via VAT repayment claims on false exports of textiles and mobile phones In 2019 two Indianorigin restaurateurs were banned from the formation promotion or management of a company over tax evasion which caused the UK tax department losses of more than 4 million pounds Sukdev Gill admitted that he caused companies he was a director of to conceal valueadded tax VAT over six years resulting in a loss of 197 million pounds to HMRC His business partner Inderjit Singh was disqualified for nine years for trading through successor companies while also concealing VAT resulting in a loss of 437 million pounds IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-indian-dentist-fined-for-dodging-over-53k-pounds-in-tax-506650.html Wed, 10 Jan 2024 15:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-armyman-pleads-guilty-to-sex-attempt-on-minor-in-singapore-506434.html Singapore Jan 10 A 50yearold Indianorigin warrant officer with the Singapore Armed Forces has pleaded guilty to one charge of penetrating a minor below 16 in 2021 Subramaniam Thaburan Rangasamy who had helped the minor after she had a fall on stairs in a carpark is likely to face two more charges during his sentencing on February 1 The Straits Times newspaper reported on Tuesday Deputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair said the incident happened on December 6 2021 when the victim was supposed to have an online meeting with her school counsellor in the morning The Secondary 3 student who is now 17yearsold was walking down from the fifth floor of the carpark when she fell and hit a door and Subramaniam helped her to her feet She thanked him and after chatting for about an hour in one of the floors of the carpark they became intimate Subramaniam tried to have sex with her but failed following which they parted ways and exchanged numbers the news report said The court heard that they remained in contact via WhatsApp but the messages were not of a sexual nature Two days after the incident made a police report because she felt that Subramaniam had taken advantage of her The prosecutor noted that the accused was not at any time misled by the victims age and added that he did not force or coerce the victim to be intimate In response to queries from The Straits Times a Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said they have suspended Subramaniam from all duties following his arrest The SAF will initiate further actions upon the conclusion of court hearings which may include discharging him from service she added She said the SAF holds its servicemen to high standards of discipline and integrity and that those who commit offences will be dealt with in accordance with the law For penetrating a minor below 16 Subramaniam could be jailed for up to 10 years fined or both IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-armyman-pleads-guilty-to-sex-attempt-on-minor-in-singapore-506434.html Wed, 10 Jan 2024 09:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/us-surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-renamed-country-representative-on-who-board-506487.html Washington Jan 10 IndianAmerican Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has been named again to serve as the USs representative on the executive board of the World Health Organization WHO by President Joe Biden The 46yearolds nomination was resent as his confirmation to the position had been pending in the Senate since October 2022 He will serve in his new position alongside his continued duties as the countrys Surgeon General the White House said in a statement on Monday In March 2021 he was confirmed by the US Senate to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the US and had previously served on the same post under then President Barack Obama As the Nations Doctor the Surgeon Generals mission is to help lay the foundation for a healthier country relying on the best scientific information available to provide clear consistent and equitable guidance and resources for the public the White House noted The first Surgeon General of Indian descent Murthy is focused on drawing attention to and working across governments to address a number of critical public health issues This includes the growing proliferation of health misinformation the ongoing youth mental health crisis wellbeing and burnout in the health worker community and social isolation and loneliness As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Murthy also commands a uniformed service of over 6000 dedicated public health officers serving the most underserved and vulnerable populations Born to immigrant parents from Karnataka Murthy was raised in Miami and is a graduate of Harvard the Yale School of Medicine and the Yale School of Management Before entering government service Murthy cofounded VISIONS a global HIVAIDS education organisation and the Swasthya Project a rural health partnership that trained women in South India to become community health workers and educators IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/us-surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-renamed-country-representative-on-who-board-506487.html Wed, 10 Jan 2024 11:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-in-ohio-wants-cops-to-step-up-action-after-robberies-in-store-506787.html New York Jan 10 An Indianorigin convenience store owner in the US state of Ohio has called for increased police action with robbers frequently targeting his shop despite a robust security system put up by him Rakesh Rocky Patel has been selling beer wine and groceries at City Foods on East 12th Street and Chester Avenue in Cleveland since 2018 the WEWSTV channel reported Patel who claims to have spent thousands of dollars to protect his store from cameras to door locks said one more security option could put him out of business In one of the surveillance videos from December seen by the news channel a man is seen grabbing alcohol from a top shelf An employee is thrown to the floor while trying to keep him from getting away with the bottles Before they used to cover their face and come and now they dont even have fear It happened like three weeks in a row one week continuously like every day Patel said Im working hard paying taxes and I feel sorry that Im working hard I work double so I can help college and everything for my son he told the TV channel Patel who has had to rearrange store shelves and put the expensive stuff higher up thinks its the same two or three people who have been at it They were grabbing like four or five those are like 40 bottles the store owner said adding that he cannot afford to hire a security or offduty police officer as the cost goes so high I cant even stay in business According to the police the theft investigations are very active and the area is under special attention until arrests are made But Patel who is also worried about his employees wants more police patrols at night when the crimes are mostly happening IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-in-ohio-wants-cops-to-step-up-action-after-robberies-in-store-506787.html Wed, 10 Jan 2024 19:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/2-people-injured-following-protest-outside-sikh-temple-in-canada-506118.html Toronto Jan 9 Police opened an investigation after a twoweeklong protest outside a Sikh temple in Canada turned violent over the weekend leaving two people injured Officers were called to the Dashmesh Culture Centre in northeast Calgary on Sunday evening after violence broke out during an ongoing protest over the temples leadership committee CTV News reported Police told the news channel that between 50 and 100 people were involved in a fight at 745 pm at the building located at 135 Gurdwara Sahib Boulevard According to Calgary Police Service CPS two calls for service were received from the Dashmesh Culture Centre on Sunday each for different disturbances between the protesters and the buildings occupants At approximately 115 pm officers were initially dispatched for reports of a disturbance regarding individuals who were believed to be protesting at the location Shortly after a second call came in reporting the protesters had moved inside the building Officers worked with the involved parties to deescalate the situation CPS said in a statement It added that no weapons were involved in the fight and there were no arrests The protests began on December 24 Gurpartap Baidwan one of the protests organisers told CTV that they have been agitating to oppose the temple leadership which was not following the rules of their faith or obeying the governance of the Sikh religion They are required to abide by the Sikh Rehat Maryada that is issued by the Akal Takht which is kind of like our Vatican he said The protesters are also accusing the leaders of a lack of communication unwillingness to settle conflicts in the community and general negligence Calgary police have not released any details about what sparked the assault or if anyone has been charged IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/2-people-injured-following-protest-outside-sikh-temple-in-canada-506118.html Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-jailed-in-singapore-for-cheating-to-get-medical-treatment-505998.html Singapore Jan 9 A 42yearold Indianorigin man has been sentenced to six weeks jail in Singapore for impersonation multiple times to get medical treatment in hospitals and polyclinics across the city state On Monday Logeswaran Mohandas pleaded guilty to six charges including five for cheating by personation The Straits Times reported Instead of registering as himself Mohandas pretended to be his brother and an acquaintance who ended up being charged for his medical bills 17 times Mohandas who was getting treatment for back pain had another 19 charges most of them for similar offences taken into consideration in his sentencing The court heard that Mohandas impersonated his brother on nine occasions at the National University Hospital NUH between May 1 2018 and September 16 2019 and incurred bills totalling SG94535 including an SG430 bill for an MRI scan After receiving bills from NUH his brother made a police report on February 10 2020 In another case of impersonation Mohandas contacted an acquaintance in 2015 and asked for a copy of his identity card and name card on the pretext of getting him a job as a transport contractor in a hotel Deputy Public Prosecutor Chan Yi Cheng told the court However he did not contact the acquaintance with any job opportunities with the hotel after the latter sent him his identity proofs Instead he visited Alexandra Hospital and Changi General Hospital as well as the polyclinics in Bedok Bukit Merah Geylang Queenstown and Outram on eight occasions between April 29 2016 and March 6 2018 He gave his acquaintances Identity card number to the staff for registration and then consulted the doctor for his back pain and was given medication The acquaintance received multiple letters informing him of the outstanding medical bills amounting to SG42174 following which he alerted the police According to the news report while Mohandas has repaid his brother via instalments his acquaintance did not wish for any restitution Defence lawyer Danny Nah said in mitigation that his client suffered a slipped disc following a holiday in India and his offences involving the hospitals was to seek relief for the pain and not capital gains He added that his client had various other health problems including heart disease and diabetes In his judgement District Judge Lim Tse Haw said the totality of Mohandas conduct justified a jail term even though the amount in each charge involving cheating the hospitals was small For each charge of cheating by personation Mohandas could have been jailed for up to five years and fined IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-jailed-in-singapore-for-cheating-to-get-medical-treatment-505998.html Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/new-jersey-township-gets-its-first-indian-american-sikh-mayor-506291.html New York Jan 9 Neena Singh has become the first Sikh and IndianAmerican woman to be sworn in as Mayor of Montgomery Township in the US state of New Jersey She was administered the oath of office by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman at the Montgomery Township Reorganisation Meeting on January 4 Singh who has lived in Montgomery for 24 years was unanimously selected to serve as Mayor by her fellow Township Committee members Its an enormous privilege to be sworn in by trailblazer Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman as the first elected Sikh woman Mayor in New Jersey and the first IndianAmerican woman Mayor said Mayor Neena Singh What energises and motivates me is the spirit of service I strongly believe we all have a responsibility to give back and I am blessed to do so in a town that reflects Americas diversity said Singh whose priorities for 2024 are public safety and health Having previously served as Deputy Mayor and Township Committeewoman Singh was nominated to the position by outgoing Mayor Devra Keenan and committeewoman Patricia Taylor Todd As an executive officer at STAND Central NJ a grassroots nonprofit she worked not only on engaging and educating voters but also on empowering them to participate in the democratic process Neena Singh embodies commitment to public service She has made her lifes work fighting for social justice economic opportunity and human rights for all Im confident shell bring her experience and passion for the township to her term as Mayor Watson Coleman said in a statement In her new role Singh will preside at meetings of the Township Committee and will have the power to appoint subcommittees with the Committees consent In addition she will also have the power to make proclamations concerning holidays and events of interest in the township and to exercise the ceremonial power of the township IndianAmerican New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal sent a congratulatory video calling Singh a role model for South Asian girls across the state My Central Jersey news outlet reported For every young South Asian girl growing up not just in Montgomery but across New Jersey theyre going to have a true role model to look up to Gopal said Vincent P Barragan who was named as the Deputy Mayor said he was proud and humbled to be able to serve with such a diverse team of individuals IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/new-jersey-township-gets-its-first-indian-american-sikh-mayor-506291.html Tue, 09 Jan 2024 18:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/mumbai-born-minita-sanghvi-announces-candidacy-for-ny-state-senate-seat-506091.html New York Jan 9 Mumbaiborn Minita Sanghvi a Democrat has announced her candidacy for the 44th State Senate District in New Yorks Capital Region currently held by Republican Jim Tedisco If elected Sanghvi will be the first gay woman and first IndianAmerican to represent the District which includes Saratoga County Niskayuna and the city of Schenectady A Commissioner of Finances in the Saratoga Springs city council Sanghvi was reelected last November and began her second twoyear term in the position beginning this year After careful consideration and lots of conversations Ive decided to run for State Senate I believe we have a leadership gap and we need someone who puts the needs of our community first she posted on X Im running for State Senate because we deserve better Sanghvi said in a press release on Monday We need a leader who will prioritise the needs of our community over partisan politics in Albany Im not a career politician Im a parent a business educator and a dedicated public servant committed to fiscal responsibility My track record reflects my ability to listen to the people and collaborate with others to deliver tangible results she added Her priorities include securing infrastructure dollars for bridges and roads getting more state aid to counties and cities bringing green and hightech jobs to communities and establishing an innovation corridor linking Schenectady and Saratoga I believe in protecting rights and freedoms for all residents no matter where they live or what political party they belong to Sanghvi said in a statement Ill protect womens access to health care defend LGBTQ rights and ensure everyone has an equal shot at the same American Dream this country has given to me she said in a statement According to the state Board of Elections there are approximately 226000 active registered voters in the 44th State Senate District Born in Mumbai into a family of entrepreneurs Sanghvi moved to the US in 2001 and became a citizen in 2010 In 2014 she moved to Saratoga Springs to teach at Skidmore College in the Management and Business Department In Saratoga Springs Sanghvi has served on the Charter Review Commission was the founding member of the Human Rights Task force and was elected to the Saratoga Springs Public Library where she served for five years An MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies she went on to do her PhD from Bryan School of Business and Economics at University of North Carolina Greensboro She was a senior account executive at Leo Burnett assistant manager at WalMart and a retail media coordinator at CARQUEST While in Greensboro she served on the Human Relations Commission whose mission was to encourage fair treatment and promote mutual understanding and respect among all IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/mumbai-born-minita-sanghvi-announces-candidacy-for-ny-state-senate-seat-506091.html Tue, 09 Jan 2024 13:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/son-holds-vigil-seeking-justice-for-sikh-parents-slain-in-canada-505903.html Toronto Jan 8 A Sikh man held a candlelight vigil seeking justice for his parents from India who were killed in a shooting spree in Canadas Ontario province in November last year Jagtar Singh Sidhu and Harbhajan Kaur both in their 50s were shot more than 20 times just before midnight on November 20 at their rental property along the CaledonBrampton border While Sidhu died on the spot Harbhajan Kaur succumbed to injuries in the hospital where she was rushed to along with their daughter who was shot 13 times and continues to battle for her life Im feeling very sad because my whole family has been shot They were just at the wrong place at the wrong time Gurdit Singh Sidhu the couples son told CP24 news channel Gurdit Singh and his sister had come to Canada as students a few years ago and sponsored the arrival of their parents who were supposed to return to India this month At the vigil held on Saturday at Brampton attendees carried placards that read Innocent visitors brutally killed Is Canada safe to live Stop illegal weapons and Complete failure of law amp order Gurdit Singhs cousin Paramvir Bhatti said they want concrete actions from all levels of government to ensure that communities are safe and violent incidents like this could be avoided Once the suspects are caught they should be always behind bars for their life without parole Thats what we want he told CP24 Remembering his parents as nice and good people who were helpful to others and always cooked for the family Gurdit Singh rued that so far police have made no arrests in the case The heartbroken son is seeking answers to several questions which include a visit by an officer from Peel Regional Polices Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau to meet his parents just four days before their murder They must have known something was going to happen he said adding that the shooting and the death of his parents could have been avoided in the first place A spokesperson for Peel police confirmed on Saturday that the homicide bureau did connect with the family on November 16 in relation to an undisclosed investigation All aspects of this case are now part of an active and ongoing investigation with the Ontario Provincial Police OPP and any further updates will be provided at the appropriate time Constable Tyler BellMorena said in a statement Launching a homicide investigation soon after the incident the Ontario Provincial Police OPP said that they could have possibly died in a case of mistaken identity and that they believe multiple suspects were involved in the killing IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/son-holds-vigil-seeking-justice-for-sikh-parents-slain-in-canada-505903.html Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/passenger-gets-400k-compensation-after-negligence-by-indian-origin-taxi-driver-505656.html Toronto Jan 8 A cab company in Canada has been ordered to pay more than C400000 in compensation to a wheelchairbound passenger who suffered due to their Indianorigin drivers negligence Jane Stillwell got ejected from her wheelchair and suffered significant injuries when driver Gurdeep Singh Sohi made an abrupt and hard brake to avoid collision with another car in 2018 The car ahead of Sohi employed with Richmond Cabs Ltd had braked to avoid hitting a raccoon the Richmond News website reported recently Stillwell will also get C171470 for her future care and C10423 in special damages making the total 406893 the British Columbia Supreme Court said in a judgment issued on December 27 2023 In a trial lasting for more than nine days the court heard that Sohi had picked up Stillwell from the Richmond Hospital to take her to her residence in Steveston in March 2018 Stillwell who relies on a power wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy was ejected from the wheelchair as Sohi applied brake resulting in injuries including whiplash bruising lacerations a broken nose and multiple fractures in her lower body She was hospitalised for two weeks and experienced a loss of muscle strength and function In her lawsuit against Richmond Cabs Ltd and Sohi Stillwell claimed the two were negligent and liable for her injuries which happened when Sohi hard braked to avoid colliding with a car at Railway Avenue in Richmond city of British Columbia She argued that the two were negligent in not affixing her threepoint wheelchair seatbelt that would have secured her body in place and he should have at least asked if she needed help doing so In their defence Richmond Cabs and Sohi said they did not breach any standard of care regarding his driving and said the law has not recognised a standard of care to assist an adult with fastening their seatbelt Further the two said that Stillwell contributed to the incident by failing to secure a belt attached to her wheelchair In her ruling Justice Francesca Marzari wrote This was particularly devastating for Ms Stillwell as the maintenance of muscle strength and function has been a lifelong fight against the effects of muscular dystrophy She found Sohi was more likely than not consistently going faster than the 50 kmph speed limit and was travelling close enough that a very hard braking manoeuvre was required to avoid colliding with that vehicle when it came to a stop Further Marzari noted it was uncontroversial that Sohi did not affix the wheelchair seatbelt and found Stillwell would not have been able to do so herself due to her position According to the judge Sohi breached the standard of care owed to Stillwell by not securing the threepoint wheelchair seat belt which is included in the training materials for wheelchair taxi drivers and supported by expert evidence This is particularly true in these circumstances where Mr Sohi knew that passengers with disabilities require more care to be taken and that he knew that his passenger in this case was not properly restrained Marzari wrote in her judgement IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/passenger-gets-400k-compensation-after-negligence-by-indian-origin-taxi-driver-505656.html Mon, 08 Jan 2024 13:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/it-executive-mayor-state-senator-in-race-for-us-congress-samosa-caucus-505951.html Washington Jan 8 The Samosa Caucus is growing From one in 2013 it has grown to FiveOne that is five Indiandescent lawmakers in US Congress and former colleagues of theirs in the White House And it could welcome new members in 2025 Rishi Kumar an IT professional from Mumbai who calls himself the Slumdog Engineer is running for US Congress from California for an open seat vacated by a longtime Democrat He had run to unseat her in 2020 and 2022 and although he had lost he looked in a position to win because he had won enough votes to make it on the general election ballot beating other competitors in the primaries California has had a toptwo primary system since 2011 Ravinder Bhalla a Sikh American who is mayor of Hoboken a city in New Jersey state is challenging his own partys lawmaker from the state Rob Menendez whose father Senator Bob Menendez is facing federal charges that he worked on behalf of the Egyptian government while serving as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and accepted bribes including a gold brick He is probably hoping for the elder Menendezs legal problems to doom his sons reelection chances Both Kumar and Bhalla are Democrats Niraj Antani a Republican state Senator in Ohio is running for US Congress from a seat vacated by a retiring Republican He is only 32 and if elected will become the youngest Indian American in US Congress While the first Indian Americans to serve as members of US congress go decades back Dalip Singh Saund from 1957 to 1963 and Piyush Bobby Jindal from 2005 to 2008 and Ami Bera in 2013 their solitary presence did not merit a group name which came in 2017 when Bera was joined by three Indiandecent members in the House of Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi Rohit Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal and one in the US Senate Kamala Harris Krishnamoorthi first used the term Samosa Caucus for the group which was picked up by the media and the group soon came to be called by that name to some discomfort of its members Harris left the group in 2020 when she was elected to serve as President Joe Bidens Vice President But her loss was soon made up by Shri Thanedar who became the fifth member of the group in 2023 They are all Democrats and its not clear yet if the Samosa Caucus would welcome Republicans such as Antani if he is elected IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/it-executive-mayor-state-senator-in-race-for-us-congress-samosa-caucus-505951.html Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/record-british-ethnic-minority-mps-to-sit-in-commons-after-elections-think-tank-505802.html London Jan 8 A record number of female and ethnic minority MPs in Britain are expected to sit in the House of Commons following the muchanticipated general elections in the next half of this year according to a report Whatever the actual outcome of the election the number of ethnic minority MPs is most likely to rise from 65 to as many as 83 The Guardian reported citing a study by thinktank British Future The number crossing 75 means a fivefold jump in a decadeandahalf with the 2005 to 2010 parliament having just 15 ethnic minority MPs out of 650 The next parliament will be the most diverse ever reflecting a new norm across political parties More ethnic minorities and more women are likely to sit in the Commons than ever before Parliament is gradually catching up with the electorate that it represents said Sunder Katwala director of British Future But this needs to accelerate further if it is to keep pace with the growing diversity of our society and close the gender gap Katwala added The study estimates that in a first there will be over 250 women in the Commons post the next general election up from 220 in 2019 with 153 of them in the Labour party and 72 in the Conservative In case of the Labour winning 326 seats the think tank claims that there will be 254 women MPs 39 per cent of the total in the Commons According to the news report seven of the 14 constituencies in which Labour MPs have decided to stand down have selected ethnic minority candidates For instance Indianorigin Jas Athwal who was selected in Ilford South in a contest with former shadow minister Sam Tarry will defend a 24101 majority in the London constituency Likewise Baggy Shanker in Derby South Satvir Kaur in Southampton Test and Harpreet Uppal in Huddersfield are in with a good chance of winning However Katwal said that while having the strongest overall record on ethnic minority representation in the Commons the Labour is selecting those candidates this time at a much lower rate of 12 per cent compared to the 20 per cent proportion now in the parliamentary Labour party On a recent visit to Mansfield in central England Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that according to his working assumption the UK will have a general election in the second half of this year According to some political experts the Conservative party that has been in power since 2010 and has had five leaders and prime ministers in 14 years is expected to lose the election to the main opposition The last general election held in December 2019 was won by Boris Johnson on a pledge to get Brexit done IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/record-british-ethnic-minority-mps-to-sit-in-commons-after-elections-think-tank-505802.html Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-hoping-for-permanent-residency-dies-in-canada-car-crash-505413.html Toronto Jan 7 A 26yearold Indian national hoping to get permanent residency in Canada died in a singlevehicle crash in the countrys New Brunswick province Harwinder Singh a resident of Mohali in Punjab died on the spot in the December 26 crash on Highway 2 at SainteAnnedeMadawaska that left two others with nonlife threatening injuries the Global News reported this week Singh had worked at the Papa Johns on Smythe Street in Fredericton since last summer and had dreams of opening up his own pizza shop according to his coworkers They said that he worked on two jobs and was trying for permanent residency in the country The restaurant which considered Singh as family is now raising money for their deceased workers fiancée and family Calling it a heartbreaking incident restaurants owner Erica Vallis said they will donate all proceeds from Wednesday sales to help pay the costs to transport Singhs body back to India as well as a funeral Donations streamed in throughout the day and by noon the restaurant was approaching 15000 in sales and over 250 orders We are definitely beyond exceeding our expectations and it is amazing to see the support that were getting with this Vallis told the news outlet Just before the holidays the staff along with Singh had donned Christmas headbands and posed for some lighthearted photos Singhs colleagues said that would be their last memories shared with him Its really heartbreaking how it ended up Were all a big family here so its like we lost a family member and its really sad Ste Marie a coworker told Global News IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-hoping-for-permanent-residency-dies-in-canada-car-crash-505413.html Sun, 07 Jan 2024 14:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/bangladesh-ec-cancels-candidacy-of-mostafizur-from-banshkhali-constituency-505463.html Dhaka Jan 7 Bangladesh Election Commission EC has cancelled the candidacy of ruling Awami League AL candidate and incumbent lawmaker from Chattogram16 Banshkhali Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury EC Secretary Muhammad Jahangir Alam told IANS that the action was taken after Mostafizur threatened law enforcement officials by entering a police station Earlier Mostafizur was also criticised for his unruly behavior when he hit media persons and also led an election rally while holding arms IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/bangladesh-ec-cancels-candidacy-of-mostafizur-from-banshkhali-constituency-505463.html Sun, 07 Jan 2024 17:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-store-worker-sues-canadian-cop-for-deportation-threat-505333.html Toronto Jan 7 An Indianorigin convenience store worker in the Canadian province of Manitoba has filed a lawsuit against a police officer for allegedly searching his place without warrant and threatening to have him deported Harjot Singh a clerk at a Sargent Avenue convenience store said Winnipeg police officer Jeffrey Normans actions left him so shaken that he quit his job at the store the CBC news channel reported on Friday Singh was told that he was under arrest for obstruction of a police officer after taking away his cellphone and handcuffing him A statement of claim filed by Singh in Manitoba Court of Kings Bench late last month said that Norman wanted to enter the shop while it was temporarily closed on December 2 last year Singh unlocked the door after a very brief interval and Norman then proceeded to search the premises without a warrant The statement of claim revealed that Norman questioned Singh and threatened him with deportation from Canada if he didnt cooperate According to the lawsuit the search which was warrantless and unreasonable in the manner in which it was carried out left Singh so shaken that he quit his job at the store While none of the allegations in the statement of claim have been tested in court the lawsuit alleged that the officers conduct was highhanded and discriminatory on the basis of national or ethnic origin It further stated that Normans actions amounted to battery false imprisonment and arbitrary detention unreasonable search and seizure and a violation of Singhs Charter rights In addition to asking for an unspecified amount in general constitutional and punitive damages the lawsuit has also asked a judge to order the City of Winnipeg to implement a remedial education program for the Winnipeg Police Service Along with Norman the City of Winnipeg has also been named as a defendant in the lawsuit While no statements of defence have been filed yet CBC reported that Norman has been named in at least two previous lawsuits alleging excessive use of force IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-store-worker-sues-canadian-cop-for-deportation-threat-505333.html Sun, 07 Jan 2024 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-ex-usaid-head-named-to-new-york-fed-board-of-directors-504934.html New York Jan 6 Dr Rajiv Shah the IndianAmerican president of Rockefeller Foundation has been named to the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System appointed Shah as a Class C director for a threeyear term ending December 31 2026 Class C directors on the New York Feds Board of Directors represent the interests of the public the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in a statement released on Friday Shah has led The Rockefeller Foundation a philanthropy whose mission is to promote the wellbeing of people around the world since 2017 Prior to joining the foundation he was founder and managing partner of Latitude Capital a private equity firm focused on infrastructure and energy projects in Africa and Asia From 2009 to 2015 he served as head of the US Agency for International Development USAID In that role he served on the National Security Council led the US responses to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the 2014 West African Ebola pandemic and secured bipartisan support for the passage of the Global Food Security Act and the Electrify Africa Act Before joining USAID Shah served as chief scientist and undersecretary for research education and economics at the US Department of Agriculture where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture Earlier in his career he was a director at the Bill amp Melinda Gates Foundation where he created the International Financing Facility for Immunisation Shah is a graduate of the University of Michigan the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Wharton School of Business He served as a distinguished fellow in residence at Georgetown University and has received the Secretary of States Distinguished Service Award and the US Global Leadership Award Each of the Reserve Banks operate under the supervision of a board of directors as laid down by the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 Each Reserve Bank has nine directors who represent the interests of their Reserve District and whose experience provides the Reserve Banks with a wider range of expertise that helps them fulfill their policy and operational responsibilities The nine directors of each Reserve Bank are divided evenly by classification Class A Directors represent the member banks in the District Class B Directors and Class C Directors represent the interests of the public The directors of the Reserve Banks act as an important link between the Federal Reserve and the private sector ensuring that the Feds decisions on monetary policy are informed by actual economic conditions IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-ex-usaid-head-named-to-new-york-fed-board-of-directors-504934.html Sat, 06 Jan 2024 09:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/labour-scrutiny-over-closure-of-company-owned-by-sunaks-wife-504977.html London Jan 6 After UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks wife Akshata Murthy wounded up her startup investment firm Catamaran Ventures in December last year the countrys main opposition has raised questions asking the impact of its closure on other companies Indianorigin Murthy became a majority shareholder in the investment company founded by the couple in 2013 after Sunak stepped down as its director in 2015 when he became an MP In a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden the Labour Party has asked what impact the closure of Catamaran Ventures could have on the governmentbacked business and any other companies it retained a stake in the BBC reported The partys national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden also asked what the arrangement was for the payment of tax owed to HMRC His Majestys Revenue and Customs and whether the firm would fulfil all its liabilities to the British taxpayer It is vital that these questions are answered in the interests of to quote the Prime Minister himself integrity professionalism and accountability McFadden wrote in the letter It was reported last year in the local media that Catamaran Ventures held shares in Study Hall an education startup which received a government grant of almost 350000 pounds According to the BBC with the election expected in 2024 McFaddens move most likely signifies Labours willingness to try to make Akshata and her wealth an issue in campaigning Denying that the Labour was trying to create political capital out of the issue McFadden said his party just wanted to ensure that everything is properly declared here as this venture now winds up A spokesperson for Murthy said after the business was wound up a significant donation has been made to ShareGift an independent UKregistered charity with experience accepting donations in the form of shares With the exception of one company all the holdings of Catamaran Ventures have been transferred to ShareGift the BBC reported Early last year Sunak came under scrutiny after it emerged that his billionaire wife had shares in a childcare agency which stood to gain from a new policy announced in the then budget It was reported that Koru Kids which listed Murthy as a shareholder was likely to benefit from a scheme announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt According to an October 2023 media report Murthy earned more than the combined parliamentary salaries of all Labour MPs in the year The couple entered The Sunday Times Rich List in 2022 for the first time with their joint 730 million pound fortune Akshata Murthy is said to be wealthier than even King Charles III due to her 430 million pounds stake in her billionaire tycoon father Narayana Murthys IT empire IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/labour-scrutiny-over-closure-of-company-owned-by-sunaks-wife-504977.html Sat, 06 Jan 2024 11:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/trinidad-and-tobagos-first-pm-of-indian-descent-basdeo-panday-dies-504584.html New Delhi Jan 5 Basdeo Panday the first Indianorigin Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago who once said If you see me and a lion fighting feel sorry for the lion has passed away at the age of 90 A lawyer trade unionist economist actor politician and former civil servant Panday wore many hats and was the fifth Prime Minister from 19952001 after the Carribean nation gained independence in August 1962 Panday died on the New Year surrounded by his family according to a statement by his daughter Mickela Panday With deep sorrow we would like to share that our loving husband and father Basdeo Panday passed away on 1st January 2024 surrounded by his family Mickela wrote on Facebook informing about her fathers demise In life and death he was a fighter He passed with his boots on keeping everybody around him on their toes with his wit and humour He will live on in all of us remembered as a wonderful husband father grandfather leader and friend Mickela added that her father was an inspiration to his family and everybody who knew him and that they will continue to celebrate his life and treasure the times spent with him A 2005 Pravasi Bharatiya Samman recepient Basdeo Panday is survived by his wife Oma Panday and their four daughters Born on May 25 1933 in a rural village in Princes Town he studied at New Grant Government Primary School and later Presentation College San Fernando where he obtained his Cambridge School Certificate Moving to England he undertook a Diploma Course in Drama from the London School of Dramatic Art in 1960 and earned a degree in law in 1962 from Inns of Court of Law H e cofounded three political parties including United National Congress UNC whose electoral base was primarily IndoTrinidadian He first entered Parliament on September 15 1972 as an Opposition Senator and subsequently became a Member of the House of Representatives representing the Couva North constituency In 2005 Basdeo Panday was arrested in a case related to an airport construction contract and was accused of corruption However with supporters claiming the accusations were politically motivated the corruption charges were dropped Mourning his demise Trinidad and Tobago President Christine Kangaloo said in a statement that Panday was a giant of a man who led this country with passion and compassion Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar who replaced Basdeo Panday as UNC leader wrote in a message posted on her Facebook page I am saddened that Mr Panday has passed away I will always love and be grateful that he significantly influenced my life He was a great leader and spent most of his years helping the oppressed and poor Mr Panday will always be remembered with love and adoration by all of us whose lives he touched A day after his death a religious celebration was held in Chaguanas on Tuesday night and was attended by his family and friends Indians make up around 38 per cent of the Trinidad and Tobago population and the approximate population of Indians in the country as of 2023 is 560 lakh According to a government data India contributed about 143000 indentured workers to Trinidad between 1845 and 1917 with a vast majority of them coming from northern India mainly from the erstwhile districts of the United Provinces and Bihar IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/trinidad-and-tobagos-first-pm-of-indian-descent-basdeo-panday-dies-504584.html Fri, 05 Jan 2024 11:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tamils-in-singapore-to-kick-off-pongal-celebrations-in-little-india-504847.html Singapore Jan 5 A heritage trail around Little India a bevy of cultural performances and activities will be witnessed at the annual Pongal Open House as Tamils across Singapore mark the harvest festival this month Organised by the Indian Heritage Centre IHC the festivities will be held across two weekends January 67 and January 1314 The Straits Times newspaper reported on Friday On the heritage trail to Little India visitors can enjoy the sights and sounds of the festivities and learn about various foods and decorations related to Pongal In addition they can also look forward to seeing live cattle on display along the trail at the 2024 edition of the Pongal Open House The 11 sq km Little India district comprising a large Tamil population is the hub of ethnic shops desi restaurants temples and mosques There will also be a cooking demonstration on how to prepare pongal a sweet dish which shares its name with the festival The cooking demonstration will be conducted by chef Annil Ravindran owner of Chemmeen SG a catering company on January 14 It is my first year being involved in the celebrations and I am super excited to be here Pongal is a festival where we pay homage to the simplest of ingredients and I am very happy to carry this tradition forward Ravindran told The Times The activities will be complemented by the pongal lightup which will be on display until February 6 in Little India A slew of traditional performances and activities have been planned While some activities are free others are ticketed with prices ranging from 10 to 18 The Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association will also hold its own events to mark the harvest festival throughout January including cultural shows and pongal distribution Pongal heralding the onset of spring will be celebrated from January 15 to 18 in Singapore According to the Ministry of External Affairs Indians make up around 9 per cent of the citystates six million population The approximate population of Indians in Singapore as of 2024 is 7 lakh and at 5418 per cent Tamils from countries like India Sri Lanka and Malaysia form the largest ethnic group IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/tamils-in-singapore-to-kick-off-pongal-celebrations-in-little-india-504847.html Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-medical-biller-arrested-for-stealing-over-1-mn-504554.html New York Jan 5 A 61yearold Indianorigin medical biller has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than 1 million intended for surgeons who provided care to injured workers in New York Amrish Patel and his two companies Medlink Services and Medlink Partners were charged on Wednesday with 27 felony counts for the thefts they allegedly committed from January 2012 through January 2019 Patel who was arraigned before the Honorable Holly Trexler in Albany City Court provided billing services to a Brooklynbased orthopedic surgery practice according to the Office of the New York State Attorney General He allegedly submitted falsified claim forms to the New York State Insurance Fund NYSIF to steal at least 11 million in workers compensation reimbursements for himself Doctors and health care professionals provide crucial care to our communities and they rely on accurate and ethical billing to sustain these services and ensure our wellbeing said New York Attorney General Letitia James When money is illegally diverted away from doctors and providers all New Yorkers suffer as a result Fraud of any kind will never go unchecked in our state and my office will continue to use every measure to hold accountable those who seek to cheat New Yorkers for personal gain As outlined in the 27count complaint Patel abused his position as a medical billing agent over the course of nearly seven years by diverting payments meant for surgeons Starting in 2011 Patel and his companies were responsible for submitting billing for surgeries related to workrelated injuries under the New York State Workers Compensation Law Under the law authorised providers are reimbursed for their treatment of injured workers by the insurance carrier for the employer Under the terms of their client agreement Patel submitted bills for surgical procedures to NYSIF the workers compensation carrier in this instance and then the payments would subsequently be issued directly to the surgical practice or its doctors In exchange for these transactions Patel and his companies were paid monthly service fees However he allegedly submitted falsified claim forms to NYSIF and requested that the payments be sent to his companies instead of the doctors In total Patel allegedly stole at least 11 million in payments originally intended for three doctors for services provided between January 1 2012 and January 4 2019 The felony counts against him and his companies included one count of Insurance Fraud in the First Degree one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree 11 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree and 11 counts of Workers Compensation Fraud Patel was released with electronic monitoring and a 100000 bond IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-medical-biller-arrested-for-stealing-over-1-mn-504554.html Fri, 05 Jan 2024 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/man-arrested-in-uk-for-opening-fire-inside-shop-owned-by-indian-national-504823.html London Jan 5 A 49yearold gunwielding man was arrested for opening fire inside a shop owned by an Indian national before going on a rampage outside a packed cinema in Englands Liverpool city The Merseyside Police said they were called to the News and Booze store known locally as Sangha Newsagents on Lower House Lane Norris Green at around 830 pm local time on Wednesday It was reported that a man had entered the shop at about 8 pm threatened the store assistant and demanded cash before opening fire and leaving the store empty handed The store assistant was not injured in the incident but was left extremely distressed by the ordeal the Merseyside Police said in a statement No damage was caused to the shop which is owned by Indian national Harjoodh Kular according to the UK Companies House The video of the man surfaced on social media in which he could be seen wearing a hoodie black trousers and flipflops firing shots inside the shop Just before the man attacked the shop the police received another call that shots had been fired outside the Showcase Cinema at the Stonedale retail park in Croxteth It was reported that a man armed with a gun entered the cinema complex and threatened two members of the staff in the foyer before leaving When he got outside he fired a number of shots in the air before escaping in a car No one was injured in the incident and no damage was caused either At the time of the incident majority of the people in the cinema were watching film screenings and they became aware of the incident when officers arrived at the scene and the complex was put into lockdown Following these two incidents further reports were received that at about 1020 pm the same day gunshots were heard at a property on Malpas Road No one was injured in the incident The man was arrested by the Armed Response Officers at 446 am on Thursday when raids were carried out at a property in Fazakerley Assistant Chief Constable Jenn Wilson said The shocking and distressing impact these incidents will have on the shop assistant the staff at the Showcase Cinema and those filmgoers who found themselves in a lockdown situation in the complex after shots were fired outside the cinema and the residents of Malpas Road cannot be underestimated Thankfully incidents like this involving a single offender in three separate shootings in close proximity and in quick succession are extremely rare and this is the first time we have had to deal with an incident of this nature on the streets of Merseyside Wilson added According to the police when the officers arrested the man he was aggressive and a Taser had to be deployed He has been taken into custody on suspicion of possession of Section 1 firearm with intent to endanger life and robbery and has been taken to a police station in Merseyside The police said that high visibility patrols will remain in the area to reassure the members of the local community IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/man-arrested-in-uk-for-opening-fire-inside-shop-owned-by-indian-national-504823.html Fri, 05 Jan 2024 18:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-faces-15-charges-for-duping-football-association-of-singapore-504351.html Singapore Jan 4 An Indianorigin former deputy director at the Football Association of Singapore FAS faces 15 cheating charges for awarding the sporting bodys supply contracts to companies linked to him or his wife Rikram Jit Singh Randhir Singh has admitted to exploiting his position by inducing FAS to disburse SG609380 from which he and his wife Asya Kirin Kames made a profit of SG127896 Their profits have been seized by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau CPIB and will be returned to the FAS The Straits Times newspaper reported on Thursday In addition to the 15 cheating charges another 30 similar charges will be taken into consideration for Singhs sentencing on January 16 Having joined FAS in December 2010 as a marketing manager Singh rose through the ranks to become a deputy director in July 2017 FAS is responsible for developing and advancing football in Singapore and is partially funded by Sport Singapore which falls under the Ministry of Culture Community and Youth Asya who was then not married to Singh left FAS in December 2013 to set up her own company All Resources Network ARN specialising in event management and the sale of sporting and recreational goods ARN regularly organised or supported FAS events and the two got married in 2018 the news report said In 2016 Singh convinced former colleague Pallaniappan Ravindran not to wind down his unprofitable company Myriad Sports amp Events so he could use it as a front to quote for supply jobs that he would then pass to ARN While Ravindran agreed to the scheme he didnt know who the actual supplier would be Deputy Public Prosecutor Thiagesh Sukumaran told the court On Singhs recommendation the FAS management approved Myriads quotations disbursing SG116335 to it for clappers stress balls scroll banners and football scarves between July 2016 and February 2017 In one instance Ravindran submitted a quotation for 130000 clappers valued at SG28600 The funds were handed over to Singh and ARN supplied the items to FAS The Straits Times said Singh continued to work with Asya and Ravindran to dupe FAS into disbursing a further SG287300 to Myriad between October 2017 and October 2018 In October 2017 Asya transferred ownership of ARN to Rikrams friend Shankar Suppiah as she was planning to marry Singh and did not want FAS to find out about their conflict of interest Asya however still controlled ARN and it was agreed that she would receive 60 per cent of the firms profits Singh Asya and Shankar duped FAS into disbursing a further SG58100 for the supply of clappers and banners the court heard Their offences came to light when CPIB received information in January 2019 that Singh had misappropriated money from FAS An independent audit conducted by the company found it had not paid more than the market rate for the items supplied by ARN Deputy Public Prosecutor Sukumaran sought a jail term of 24 to 30 months for Singh stating that Singhs offences involved a misuse of public funds and were difficult to detect by virtue of his position as deputy director His accomplice Shankar was sentenced to four months jail in November 2022 after pleading guilty to five counts of cheating The cases of Asya and Ravindran are pending in the court IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-faces-15-charges-for-duping-football-association-of-singapore-504351.html Thu, 04 Jan 2024 17:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-announces-npr-1k-cr-aid-to-nepal-for-post-quake-reconstruction-504387.html Kathmandu Dec 4 India on Thursday announced a Rs Nepalese Rupee 1000 crore grant for Nepals reconstruction bid during the seventh meeting of NepalIndia Joint Commission at the Foreign Ministeriallevel an official said Earlier following the devastating earthquake in 2015 in the Himalayan nation India had announced a 1 billion grant and loan for Nepals reconstruction bid The newly announced assistance of Rs 1000 crore however is a fresh one an official said The agreement was signed during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Kathmandu Jaishankar arrived here on a twoday visit on Thursday and paid a courtesy call to President Ram Chandra Poudel and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal also known as Prachanda The other three agreements are the implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects in Nepal for which India will provide NPR 200 million for each small project in its neighbouring nation Another agreement is for the longterm power trade between the two countries wherein Nepal can export up to 10000 MW of energy in the next 10 years Likewise both sides have launched a Service Agreement for nano satellite developed by Nepal Academy of Science and Technology The pact was signed between Nepal Academy of Science and Technology and NewSpace India Limited An official said the another MoU was for cooperation in Renewable Energy Development between Nepal Electricity Authority and NTPC Limited India IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/india-announces-npr-1k-cr-aid-to-nepal-for-post-quake-reconstruction-504387.html Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-raises-612-348-for-his-congressional-campaign-504188.html New York Jan 4 Niraj Antani the first Hindu and IndianAmerican senator from the US state of Ohio claims to have raised 612348 in 38 days for his Congressional campaign The 32yearold Republican announced his campaign for Congress from Ohios second congressional district in November last year I am incredibly excited to announce that I raised 612348 in 48 days for my campaign for Congress This total includes my 4th quarter campaign finance filing from November 14th through December 31 he wrote on X on Wednesday This total includes no general election dollars nor selffunding Antani currently serving his first term in the Ohio Senate said He further said that the amount raised vaults them into the toptier of this race as we enter the new year and march towards the primary election day on March 19 Now we will work to raise the rest of the funds needed to win Antani will be contesting the Republican primary on March 19 after Congressman Brad Wenstrups retirement from Ohios 2nd Congressional District in November last year He was first elected to Ohio statehouse in 2014 from the 42nd District and became the youngest member of the House at 23 Thanking his supporters Antani said I am so deeply grateful for my supporters Their support is extremely appreciated and I am very grateful I have fought for the American Dream every day in the Ohio legislature and Ill do the same in Congress While announcing his Congressional bid Antani said he has worked hard every day to ensure every Ohioan has an opportunity to achieve their American Dream He has previously served three terms as State Representative in the Ohio House of Representatives I am running for Congress to be a warrior for our communitys values and fight against those who seek to wreak havoc on us I will stand steelspined for the policies that benefit our community and strongly oppose those who kowtow to those against us he had said If elected to Congress Antani said one of his first tasks will be to rein in government spending and cut taxes Born and raised in Miami Township he graduated from Miamisburg High School and has a bachelors degree from the Ohio State University He was named to Forbes Magazines list of the top 30 Under 30 people in the US for Law amp Politics in 2015 Ohios second Congressional District spans 16 counties from suburban Cincinnati east and includes Wilmington Hillsboro Circleville Chillicothe Portsmouth and Gallipolis and is mostly Republican leaning IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-raises-612-348-for-his-congressional-campaign-504188.html Thu, 04 Jan 2024 10:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-in-uk-jailed-for-indecent-exposure-in-front-of-woman-504240.html London Jan 4 A 43yearold Indianorigin man has been sentenced to nine months in prison for performing a sex act in front of a lone woman onboard a London Underground train leaving the victim frightened and upset Mukesh Shah a resident of Primrose Way in Wembley was found guilty of indecent exposure at London Inner Crown Court last month the British Transport Police BTP said on Tuesday Shahs disgusting actions have not only secured him time behind bars but restrictions following his release prevent him from repeating his actions in the future Investigating Oofficer Detective Constable Mark Luker said Shah was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and subjected to a 10year Sexual Harm Prevention Order The court heard that on November 4 2022 that at around 1140 pm the victim was travelling alone in an empty Piccadilly Line carriage between Sudbury Town and Acton Town when Shah boarded the train Despite the empty carriage Shah sat diagonally opposite the victim and she noticed him staring at her making her feel uncomfortable It was then that she noticed he was exposing himself and masturbating the transport police said adding that the victim bravely captured Shah on camera hoping it would deter him But when it didnt she confronted Shah and told him to stop and move away from her He protested he hadnt done anything wrong but moved along the carriage The victim reported the incident to the BTP along with the video which was circulated within the police and led to the identification of Shah This was a frightening and upsetting experience for the victim and I commend her bravery in confronting the offender managing to capture an image of Shah and reporting this Luker said in a statement We will always take reports of sexual offences seriously and will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice I urge anyone who sees or experiences this behaviour to report it to British Transport Police the police official added IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-man-in-uk-jailed-for-indecent-exposure-in-front-of-woman-504240.html Thu, 04 Jan 2024 12:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-security-guard-jailed-for-pocketing-residents-wallet-in-singapore-504250.html Singapore Jan 4 A 56yearold Indianorigin man was sentenced to three weeks jail in Singapore for pocketing a Louis Vuitton wallet worth SG1800 dropped by an inadvertent resident and containing SG500 A Murugaiya pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of criminal breach of trust by dishonest misappropriation Channel News Asia reported The court heard that a 46yearold resident dropped his black coloured wallet and keys at the entrance of The Alcove Condominium on August 27 last year A passerby found the wallet minutes after it was dropped and immediately passed it to Murugaiya who was manning the security desk at the condominium according to the news report As Murugaiya took the wallet to his home instead of returning the victim turned up the next day asking Murugaiya and his supervisor about his lost property Murugaiya eventually admitted taking the wallet and signed on a piece of paper along with his supervisor indicating that the wallet was with him The victim was handed back his keys on August 29 2023 but received his wallet only a day later with S490 missing Thereafter the victim made a police report and Murugaiya was arrested in December 2023 and remanded The prosecutor sought at least four weeks jail noting Murugaiyas lack of past convictions However she said there was a high quality and degree of trust placed in Murugaiya who was a security officer tasked with ensuring the safety of the premises property and of the condo residents As such any resident of the condominium who returns a lost item to the accused would have a high degree of trust in the accused that the item would be safely returned to the rightful owner Channel News Asia quoted Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Poh as saying She added that the wallet was returned only after the victim spoke with Murugaiya and his supervisor For criminal breach of trust by dishonest misappropriation Murugaiya could have been jailed for up to seven years fined or both IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-security-guard-jailed-for-pocketing-residents-wallet-in-singapore-504250.html Thu, 04 Jan 2024 12:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-real-estate-developer-charged-with-perpetuating-93-mn-fraud-scheme-504314.html New York Jan 4 US authorities have charged Rishi Kapoor an Indianorigin real estate developer in the state of Florida with perpetuating a 93 million investment fraud scheme The Securities and Exchange Commission SEC on Wednesday announced that it obtained an asset freeze and other emergency relief concerning an alleged investment fraud perpetrated by the Miamibased developer In addition Location Ventures LLC Urbin LLC and 20 other related entities were also charged in connection with the fraud scheme According to the SECs complaint from approximately January 2018 until at least March 2023 Kapoor and certain of the defendant entities solicited investors by making several material misrepresentations and omissions regarding Kapoor Location Ventures Urbin and their real estate developments The false statements allegedly included misrepresenting Kapoors compensation his cash contribution to the capitalisation of Location Ventures the corporate governance of Location Ventures and Urbin the use of investor funds and Kapoors background The SECs investigation uncovered that Kapoor allegedly misappropriated at least 43 million of investor funds and improperly commingled approximately 60 million of investor capital between Location Ventures Urbin and some of the other charged entities The complaint also alleges that Kapoor caused some entities to pay excessive fees and to represent higher returns to investors by significantly understating cost estimates As alleged in our complaint Kapoor was the architect of a multipronged real estate offering fraud that misappropriated millions from more than 50 investors said Eric I Bustillo Director of the SECs Miami Regional Office This emergency action reflects our commitment to protecting investors and holding those who defraud them accountable for their actions The SECs complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida charged Kapoor Location Ventures Urbin and the 20 related entities with violating provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 In addition it also sought permanent injunctions civil monetary penalties an officeranddirector bar against Kapoor and disgorgement of illgotten gains with prejudgment interest against Kapoor and certain of the charged entities IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-real-estate-developer-charged-with-perpetuating-93-mn-fraud-scheme-504314.html Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-mit-engineer-develops-vibrating-pill-to-help-treat-obesity-503824.html New York Jan 3 An Indianorigin engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT has developed a new vibrating and ingestible capsule that could create a sense of fullness tricking the brain into thinking its time to stop eating and one day help treat obesity The ingestible capsule vibrates within the stomach which activates the same stretch receptors that sense when the stomach is distended creating an illusory sense of fullness In animals who were given this pill 20 minutes before eating the researchers found that this treatment not only stimulated the release of hormones that signal satiety but also reduced the animals food intake by about 40 per cent For somebody who wants to lose weight or control their appetite it could be taken before each meal said lead author Shriya Srinivasan a former MIT graduate student and postdoc student This could be really interesting in that it would provide an option that could minimise the side effects that we see with the other pharmacological treatments out there added Srinivasan now an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University In the paper published in the journal Science Advances Srinivasan explained that when the stomach becomes distended specialised cells called mechanoreceptors sense that stretching and send signals to the brain via the vagus nerve As a result the brain stimulates production of insulin as well as hormones such as Cpeptide Pyy and GLP1 All of these hormones work together to help people digest their food feel full and stop eating At the same time levels of ghrelin a hungerpromoting hormone go down I wondered if we could activate stretch receptors in the stomach by vibrating them and having them perceive that the entire stomach has been expanded to create an illusory sense of distension that could modulate hormones and eating patterns Srinivasan said Her team designed a capsule about the size of a multivitamin that includes a vibrating element When the pill which is powered by a small silver oxide battery reaches the stomach acidic gastric fluids dissolve a gelatinous membrane that covers the capsule completing the electronic circuit that activates the vibrating motor In a study in animals the researchers showed that once the pill begins vibrating it activates mechanoreceptors which send signals to the brain through stimulation of the vagus nerve The researchers tracked hormone levels during the periods when the device was vibrating and found that they mirrored the hormone release patterns seen following a meal even when the animals had fasted The pill not only reduced the animals appetite by 40 per cent it also helped animals gain weight more slowly during periods when they were treated with the vibrating pill The study also found that the animals did not show any signs of obstruction perforation or other negative impacts while the pill was in their digestive tract Compared to the drugs such as GLP1 agonists that are costly and have to be injected Srinivasan said the MIT capsules could be manufactured at a cost that would make them available to people who dont have access to more expensive treatment options IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-mit-engineer-develops-vibrating-pill-to-help-treat-obesity-503824.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 12:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-familys-death-in-us-ruled-murder-suicide-503964.html New York Jan 3 A recent tragedy that claimed the lives of an Indianorigin couple and their teenage daughter in the US state of Massachusetts has been ruled as a murdersuicide after the examination of autopsy results Rakesh Kamal 57 his wife Teena Kamal 54 and their 18yearold daughter Arianna were found dead in their 5 million mansion in Dover on December 28 2023 According to NBCBoston the Norfolk District Attorneys Office announced on Tuesday that Rakesh was found to have fatally shot his wife and daughter before turning the gun on himself A 40caliber Glock 22 was found near Rakesh but it was neither registered on his name nor did he have a license to possess it The autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Teena and Arianna as victims of homicide resulting from gunshot wounds Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey said The final autopsy report was expected to take several weeks to complete and the incident remains under investigation by Dover and Massachusetts State Police Morrissey had previously said the incident was apparently a case of domestic violence while also adding that the family had no previous reports involving domestic issues He told reporters that at the house there was no sign of any kind of a breakin and therefore he added I am led to believe that it is safe to tell you its probably a domestic issue incident WBZ TV in Boston said that according to investigators a relative went to the house to check on the family saw someone dead and called police Arianna a freshman studying neuroscience at Middlebury College in Vermont was home for winter break at the time of her murder according to Morrissey There were indications of the family facing financial problems with Boston 25 News TV reporting that Teena Kamal had filed for bankruptcy in a federal court last year It said that she later sold the house for 3 million even though it was valued at 68 million Teena who previously ran an education systems company called EduNova with Rakesh also filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in September 2022 According to state records the company was was launched in 2016 but was dissolved in December 2021 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-familys-death-in-us-ruled-murder-suicide-503964.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 15:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/worker-acquitted-of-causing-indian-origin-colleagues-death-in-singapore-503970.html Singapore Jan 3 A 44yearold machine operator from Bangladesh was acquitted in Singapore of causing the death of an Indianorigin worker in 2020 a media report said Uttom was charged with endangering the safety of workers by committing a negligent act which led to the death of Karuppaiah Selvaraj The Straits Times newspaper reported on Wednesday The court heard that Uttom was operating a shear machine at a plant at 11 Shipyard Crescent on February 24 2020 when the accident occurred On January 2 Uttom was given a discharge amounting to an acquittal meaning he cannot be charged with the same offence again The Ministry of Manpower MOM said in a media alert last year that it has fined Kim Hock Corp a company that processes scrap metal for overseas export SG240000 over Karuppaiahs death According to the ministry Karuppaiah was observing the shear machine before the accident while Uttom was operating it via a mobile panel When prompted to activate the machine Uttom wrongly pressed a button that instead caused the machines door to pin Mr Karuppaiah against the machine the MOM had said in the alert issued in November 2023 While Karuppaiah was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic MOMs investigations revealed that Kim Hock Corp failed to establish adequate safe work procedures to control the risks posed to employees It also noted that the company failed to ensure that all employees performing maintenance works on the machine were provided with the right training and instructions beforehand IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/worker-acquitted-of-causing-indian-origin-colleagues-death-in-singapore-503970.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 16:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/4-indian-origin-men-accused-of-scamming-elderly-millionaire-in-scotland-503746.html London Jan 3 A group of five people including four Indianorigin men have been accused of running a fraudulent scheme in Scotland through which they scammed an elderly millionaire out of her fortune Mukesh Vippanapelli 41 Vageesan Sunmugaraja 50 Sunil Theyath 39 and Umar Mohammed 39 appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court recently Scottish TV channel STV news reported All of them including a woman Hafeeza Samreen 34 face a single charge of being involved with a fraudulent scheme and were due to appear in the court again The report did not mention about the modus operandi of the gang but said that an elderly millionaire victim from South Lanarkshire had a sevenfigure sum stolen between May and August 2023 The five of them made no plea and were committed for further examination and remanded in custody the news channel reported They were arrested as part of a joint ongoing probe into significant fraud by Police Scotland and policing partners in Essex London and Eastbourne Police Scotland officers were also assisted by partners from the National Crime Agencys National Economic Crime Centre and colleagues from other police forces The arrests took place in Eastbourne Stansted Dagenham and East Ham in London Two other men aged 23 and 28 were released and will be appearing at court at a later date IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/4-indian-origin-men-accused-of-scamming-elderly-millionaire-in-scotland-503746.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 09:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/2-indian-origin-men-indicted-for-kidnapping-murder-of-aircraft-mechanic-in-us-503777.html New York Jan 3 A federal grand jury in the US state of Florida has charged three people including two Indianorigin men for the violent kidnapping and murder of an airplane mechanic who went missing last month The body of Suren Seetal 36 who worked at Opalocka Airport and Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport was found in Big Cypress National Preserve on November 21 2023 the US Attorneys Office Southern District of Florida said in a recent release Avin smalls Seetaram 24 Somjeet Christopher Lil Chris Singh 29 and Gavin Hunter 18 from Broward County were charged with murder for hire conspiracy murder for hire kidnapping conspiracy kidnapping and obstruction of justice According to allegations contained in the previously filed criminal complaint Seetal was last seen alive on November 2 2023 when he was leaving work After leaving work his telephone was in the vicinity of Dr HVAC Singhs air conditioning business before going off network shortly thereafter The MiamiDade resident was supposed to be running errands before heading out on a trip to Trinidad two days later but when he never returned home his family said on a GoFundMe page Authorities alleged in a criminal report that Singh owed Seetal approximately 315000 and Seetals girlfriend told law enforcement that her partner was trying to collect his debts the WPTV news channel reported Citing court documents the news channel said that Seetal and Somjeet knew each other from working in the fireworks business The documents further claimed that the three suspects had been communicating until Seetals phone lost signal the night he disappeared It also alleged that Seetaram lured Seetal to Somjeets business where Hunter was waiting with a firearm and shot Seetal While Seetaram and Hunters arraignment hearing have already concluded Somjeets arraignment hearing is scheduled for Wednesday If convicted of the charges contained in the federal indictment Seetaram Somjeet and Hunter each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison or the death penalty IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/2-indian-origin-men-indicted-for-kidnapping-murder-of-aircraft-mechanic-in-us-503777.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/small-boat-arrivals-expected-to-rise-this-year-uk-border-force-officials-union-503345.html London Jan 2 A union of Border Force officials in the UK have warned that the number of people arriving in small boats is expected to rise again this year after government figures reported a fall in migrants crossing the English Channel by about a third in 2023 Last year 29437 migrants made the crossing compared to 45774 in 2022 according to the latest figures from the UK Home Office but the number was the secondhighest since 2018 about 1000 above the total in 2021 The Immigration Services Union representing border force officials warned the latest lull was probably a glitch due to extremely poor weather in recent months The last crossing of 2023 was on December 16 when 55 people arrived from France in one boat following which no further crossings were recorded due to heavy rain and high winds Lucy Moreton the unions professional officer told the BBC that the planning assumption for 2024 is that 2023 has been unusually low She said that other confounding factors particularly high winds have made migrant crossing much more difficult for much of the year But we have also had much larger boats much more seaworthy boats so the planning assumption is that this is a glitch she said adding that the Border Force would need to continue to resource itself to deal with higher numbers in the future Migrants coming in small boats has been a major political issue in Britain with more than 45000 migrants crossing the English Channel in that manner to reach the UK in 2022 Ever since then stopping the boats has been one of the top priorities of Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks government The government has also tried to send those migrants to Rwanda following an agreement with the African country But in a big setback to the government the countrys Supreme Court in November last year rejected plans to send migrants to Rwanda as unlawful as it would put them at risk Despite a lot of criticism of its Rwanda policy at home and abroad Sunaks government insists its still committed to it IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/small-boat-arrivals-expected-to-rise-this-year-uk-border-force-officials-union-503345.html Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/asylum-backlog-target-met-with-more-than-112-000-cases-cleared-sunak-503603.html London Jan 2 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday that he has delivered on his commitment with more than 112000 asylum cases being processed in the past year and small boat crossing arrivals down by 36 per cent In December 2022 Sunak pledged to tackle the remaining legacy asylum backlog which had more than 92000 cases of individuals who claimed asylum before 28 June 2022 which were still waiting for an initial decision Fundamental changes to the decisionmaking process and boosting efficiency has resulted in 112000 asylum decisions this year and the highest annual number of substantive decisions in a year since 2002 the UK Home Office said in a statement I am determined to end the burden of illegal migration on the British people That is why we have taken action to stop the boats return hotels to their local communities and deter those wanting to come here illegally from doing so Sunak said in a statement By clearing the legacy asylum backlog deciding more than 112000 cases we are saving the taxpayer millions of pounds in expensive hotel costs reducing strain on public services and ensuring the most vulnerable receive the right support he added The government said it stepped up processing deploying an additional 1200 caseworkers meeting their target to double the number of asylum caseworkers and tripling productivity to ensure more illegal migrants are returned to their country of origin All cases in the legacy backlog have now been reviewed with 86800 decisions made the Home Office said In one fourweek period from November 20 to December 17 2023 there were 20481 initial asylum decisions made this is more than the number of asylum decisions made in the entirety of 2021 While all cases have been reviewed and 112000 decisions made overall 4500 complex cases have been highlighted that require additional checks or investigation for a final decision to be made According to the Home Office these hard cases typically relate to asylum seekers presenting as children where age verification is taking place those with serious medical issues or those with suspected past convictions where checks may reveal criminality that would bar asylum Ending the legacy asylum backlog comes as endofyear statistics show small boat crossings were down by 36 per cent in 2023 In recent months crossings have fallen even more sharply by 45 per cent in the second half of the year and 64 per cent in the final quarter of 2023 against equivalent periods in 2022 This is despite sea crossings into Europe surging by 80 per cent in 2023 I will continue to do everything possible to stop the boats No people smuggler will be safe we will work with law enforcement partners and governments across the world who want to tackle this threat and ensure that British taxpayer money is not wasted on people trying to abuse our generosity Home Secretary James Cleverly said The government said it will progress its Safety of Rwanda Bill through Parliament which will deem Rwanda a safe country for illegal immigrants IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/asylum-backlog-target-met-with-more-than-112-000-cases-cleared-sunak-503603.html Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-student-visa-ban-on-dependants-comes-into-effect-503611.html London Jan 2 International students starting courses this month in the UK will no longer be able to bring their family members following restrictions to student visa routes coming into effect on the New Year A neareightfold rise in the number of dependants joining foreign students led the UK government to announce the ban in May last year for those not studying highvalue degrees under government plans The changes have also seen people banned from using the student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK and will see an estimated 140000 fewer people come to the UK the Home Office said on Tuesday Yesterday a major part of that plan came into effect ending the unreasonable practice of overseas students bringing their family members to the UK This will see migration falling rapidly by the tens of thousands and contribute to our overall strategy to prevent 300000 people from coming to the UK Home Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement The Office for National Statistics ONS estimated that net migration was 672000 from June 2022 to June 2023 In the year ending September 2023 152980 visas were issued to dependants a more than 930 per cent rise from the 14839 in the year ending September 2019 The changes to student dependant rules are part of a wider package of measures to come into force this year According to the government it will drastically bring down the high numbers of migrants coming to the UK to sustainable levels and crack down on those who take advantage of the flexibility of the UKs immigration system As per the 202021 data Indians represent the second largest cohort of international students coming to study at UK universities with 87045 firstyear enrolments behind Chinas 99965 In 2022 the number of Indian students excluding dependents who went to the UK for studies was 139539 according to the Ministry of External Affairs Education experts have expressed concern about the measure saying international students will go to competitor nations if they are discouraged from coming to the UK The government remains committed to the International Education Strategy which recognises the important benefits that international students bring to the UK including the economic contribution they make the Home Office stated This means balancing the commitment to lower overall levels of migration with ensuring those coming to the UK are highly skilled and provide the most benefit to our economy The government added that it will work with universities to design an alternative approach in order to continue to attract the brightest and the best to the UK IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-student-visa-ban-on-dependants-comes-into-effect-503611.html Tue, 02 Jan 2024 19:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-ramaswamy-reiterates-vow-to-withdraw-from-maine-colorado-ballots-503381.html Washington Jan 2 Coming out firmly in support of his Republican presidential rival candidate Donald Trump IndianAmerican Vivek Ramaswamy has reiterated that he will withdraw from the ballot in states that remove the former President from running in the primaries Ramaswamys vow came after Colorado and Maine barred Trump recently from running in the states presidential primary for his role in the January 6 2021 US Capitol riot They ruled that Trump engaged in insurrection when he spread claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election and instigated supporters to march on the Capitol to stop lawmakers from certifying the vote In an interview on NewsNation Prime on Monday Ramaswamy said his goal was to nullify Maine and Colorado by boycotting their elections The Hill reported Look it wasnt in protest Im actually a very practical person I think that it was deeply unconstitutional and wrong for one individual secretary of state without any trial or procedure or anything else just to decide and wake up one day Donald Trumps not on the ballot Thats wrong the tech entrepreneur said Trumps campaign said it would quickly file an objection to the atrocious decision by Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows The former President who is leading opinion polls by a large margin in the race for the Republican nomination vowed to appeal the Colorado ruling and criticised ballot challenges as undemocratic If theyre going to behave in that unconstitutional way the Republican candidates can actually stop this form of election interference So I said I would remove my name from those ballots and I called on the other Republicans in the race to do the same thing Ramaswamy said Now the others have been sidestepping the issue have been radio silent on it Ramaswamy told NewsNation Prime referring to other Republican candidates in the presidential race The 38yearold biotech entrepreneur added that their unwillingness to do so reveals that theyre actually complicit in part in whats happening even if indirectly I think its unconstitutional and we need to stand on principle so my position is clear he said Following the Colorado ruling former US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Ramaswamys fellow Republican presidential candidates denounced efforts to block Trump The idea that judges are going to take it upon themselves to decide who can and cant be on the ballot is truly unthinkable And I think the people of Colorado should be furious Haley also an IndianAmerican had said in an interview with Fox News IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-ramaswamy-reiterates-vow-to-withdraw-from-maine-colorado-ballots-503381.html Tue, 02 Jan 2024 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/japan-earthquake-indian-embassy-issues-emergency-numbers-for-citizens-amid-tsunami-warnings-503172.html New Delhi Jan 1 The Indian Embassy in Japan on Monday set up an emergency control room for its citizens and said that it is in the touch with concerned authorities in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami warning In a post on X it said Embassy has set up an emergency control room for anyone to contact in connection with the Earthquake and Tsunami on January I 2024 In a picture attached with the post the Indian Embassy shared emergency numbers 818039301715 Yakub Topno 817014920049 Ajay Sethi 818032144734 DN Barnwal 818062295382 S Bhattacharya and 818032144722 Vivek Rathee People seeking assistance can also contact the embassy on email addresses ssconstokyomeagovin and offfsecotokyomeagovin The embassy further urged Indian citizens to follow instructions of the local government On Monday a series of strong earthquakes with major ones measured at up to 76 magnitude have struck the central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa with tsunami warnings issued according to the Japan Meteorological Agency JMA Even waves as high as 12 meters were observed after a series of strong quakes struck Japans western coast on Monday afternoon according to the JMA Strong quakes with major ones measured at up to 76 magnitude have struck a wide area on the Sea of Japan coast in central Japan earlier in the day the JMA said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/japan-earthquake-indian-embassy-issues-emergency-numbers-for-citizens-amid-tsunami-warnings-503172.html Mon, 01 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foreign-students-bringing-dependents-unreasonable-practice-uk-home-secy-502997.html London Jan 1 British Home Secretary James Cleverly has said the unreasonable practice of international students bringing their family to the UK will end as restrictions on visa routes come into force beginning today A neareightfold rise in the number of family members joining foreign students led the UK government to announce the ban last year for those not studying highvalue degrees under government plans Further to prevent misuse of the visa system foreign students will be stopped from switching from the student visa route into work routes until their studies have been completed According to an Evening Standard report Cleverly said the government is delivering on its commitment to the British public by setting out a tough plan to cut migration by tens of thousands and prevent people from manipulating the UK immigration system Today a major part of that plan comes into effect ending the unreasonable practice of overseas students bringing their family members to the UK This will see migration falling rapidly by the tens of thousands and contribute to our overall strategy to prevent 300000 people from coming to the UK he said Revised Office for National Statistic ONS figures released last month showed net migration ran at a record figure of 745000 in the year to December 2022 In the year ending September 2023 152980 visas were issued to dependants of students As per the 202021 data Indians represent the second largest cohort of international students coming to study at UK universities with 87045 firstyear enrolments behind Chinas 99965 enrolments In 2022 the number of Indian students excluding dependents who went to the UK for studies was 139539 according to the Ministry of External Affairs Education experts have expressed concern about the measure saying international students will go to competitor nations if they are discouraged from coming to the UK I dont celebrate the new changes Nick Hillman director of the Higher Education Policy Institute Hepi think tank told The Standard International students benefit the UK in all sorts of ways For example they are vital to maintaining our worldclass university sector as their fees crosssubsidise the teaching of home students and also help to fund UK research According to estimates international students add 35 billion pounds a year to the UK economy Foreign students and their dependents contributed to the UK economy not just through fees of 10000 pounds to 26000 pounds but also via an NHS surcharge of 400 pounds a year for the student and 600 pounds for a dependent according to the UKbased New Way Consultancy IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/foreign-students-bringing-dependents-unreasonable-practice-uk-home-secy-502997.html Mon, 01 Jan 2024 10:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-sikh-polar-preet-claims-record-for-fastest-solo-ski-across-antarctica-503030.html London Jan 1 Having already broken two Guinness World Records for polar exploration British Sikh Army medic Harpreet Chandi has said she now has a third one By covering 1130km of Antarctic ice in 31 days 13 hours and 19 minutes Chandi also known as Polar Preet claims she has become the fastest woman to ski solo across Antarctica The Independent reported Im tired but so glad I made it This was completely different to my last expedition I completely pushed myself to my limits on my last expedition a speed attempt is completely different the 34yearold said speaking from the south pole After my last expedition I knew I could cope well on the ice which gave me the confidence to tackle this head on she added The Guinness World Records will need to verify the claim which can take several months and if confirmed it would beat the previous record holder Canadian Caroline Cote by a day 14 hours and 34 minutes For the trek Chandi left the Hercules inlet on the Ronne ice shelf on November 26 and arrived at the south pole at 224 am UK time on December 28 She skied for between 12 and 13 hours a day on average and pulled a 75 kg sled that had everything she needed to survive behind her It was definitely not a sprint but I had to constantly weigh up my effort and how long I would ski for each day Too long or too fast and I was going to burn out Too slow or finish too early and Id miss out on the record she told PA news agency Calling Antarctica an amazing place and glad that it allowed her a safe passage Chandi said its an absolute privilege to be here It is not a place any person can conquer it is a place you treat with respect and hope it allows you safe passage Chandi is on a career break from military service where she was a physiotherapist providing rehabilitation for injured soldiers and officers Speaking about her journey she said that her focus was on what she could control not what she couldnt I couldnt control the conditions the blistering sun the whiteouts the temperatures of minus 30C but I can control how I dealt with them Just keep taking it one step at a time Chandi who was named Member of the British Empire MBE recently said Also honoured as woman of the year at the Women in Defence Awards 2022 Chandi made history by becoming the first woman of colour to complete a 700mile Antarctic journey solo and unsupported to the south pole in 2021 Chandi said never thought she would return to Antarctica this year but returned after realising that this expedition was just not about pushing herself but also about inspiring others to challenge their boundaries and break their barriers One of my biggest motivations in those dark times on the ice is the thought of inspiring others to face their own challenge she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/british-sikh-polar-preet-claims-record-for-fastest-solo-ski-across-antarctica-503030.html Mon, 01 Jan 2024 12:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/family-raises-questions-over-death-of-indian-worker-in-singapore-502792.html Singapore Dec 31 The family of a 23yearold construction worker from Tamil Nadu who died in a workplace accident in Singapore earlier this month have been questioning about circumstances leading to the young mans death Ponraman Eazhumalai a concrete pump assistant was caught between the chassis of a concrete pump truck and a retracting outrigger at a worksite in Jurong Road The Straits Times reported Outriggers are retractable legs that extend out and away from a concrete pump to provide stability and prevent it from tipping over Ponraman was the breadwinner of the family supporting his grandfather parents an older sister and a 13yearold brother none of whom is working Seeking answers Ponramans relatives hoped that the authorities would look into what exactly caused the fatal accident which occurred at about 1120 pm on December 2 Ponmaran came to Singapore eight months back and was employed by TMC Concrete Pumping Services According to the news report he was standing at the back of the concrete pump truck putting away a steel plate when the mishap happened After the accident he was able to walk away from the truck but collapsed shortly afterwards He was taken to a hospital in a private transport that was arranged by the main contractor of the project China Railway 11 Bureau Group Corp While Ponmaran died of his injuries the next day the authorities have not mentioned what injuries he had Two of his uncles who work in Singapore said they believed the injury was not serious when they were alerted that same night but in less than 24 hours their nephew was dead Why wasnt an ambulance called and why didnt they take him to the nearest hospital His life could have been saved they asked According to them Ponmaran was not taken to the nearest hospital to the accident site which was a five to 10minute drive away Ponmaran had a diploma in mechanical engineering from India and was about to take lessons to get a Class 3 driving licence after obtaining his Class 2B and 3C licences in November his uncles told The Times His death leaves the family with thousands of dollars in debt Our family is suffering We dont know how we will recover from this Every day we are talking about this we cannot sleep we cannot eat the uncles added In response to queries from The Straits Times Singapores Ministry of Manpower MOM said that as a general safety measure workers should keep a safe distance from construction equipment and machinery such as concrete pump trucks and mobile cranes while they are in operation According to the police based on preliminary investigations no foul play is suspected There have been at least 22 workplace deaths reported in the media since the start of 2023 in Singapore IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/family-raises-questions-over-death-of-indian-worker-in-singapore-502792.html Sun, 31 Dec 2023 09:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/sikh-man-says-cops-visited-parents-days-before-their-murder-in-canada-502841.html Toronto Dec 31 A Sikh man has said that police spoke to his visiting parents from India just four days before they were killed in a shooting spree in Canadas Ontario province last month Jagtar Singh Sidhu and Harbhajan Kaur both in their 50s were shot more than 20 times just before midnight on November 20 at their rental property along the CaledonBrampton border While Jagtar died on the spot Harbhajan succumbed to injuries in the hospital where she was rushed to along with their daughter who was shot 13 times and continues to battle for her life Devastated the couples son Gurdit Singh Sidhu a Canadian citizen told CBC News that he wants to know why and who did this to his parents who were supposed to return to India in January He told the news channel that why an officer from Peel Regional Polices Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau showed up at his property and spoke to his parents four days before their murder I felt like I should have never called them here I am just praying for my sister Sidhu said adding that he hasnt told her about the parents Sidhu who has quit his job to look after his sister told CBC that the first thing that came to his mind after he learnt of the shooting was the police visiting his parents before the killing Thats the question we are trying to ask the police Why were you here Why was our family targeted Why have you not informed us of anything Because for sure they knew something was going to happen he said We couldnt even think these things could happen in Canada Thats why I took citizenship here thinking it was a safe country Sidhus parents were alone at home when Peel police visited the house located near Mayfield and Airport roads on November16 As neither of them spoke English they phoned a friend Daman Preet Singh who offered to translate the conversation Daman told CBC Toronto that he asked the police officer for his badge number andthen answered the officers questions about who was staying in the house since Gurdit Singh Sidhu moved in over a year ago The police officer was telling me we are looking for somebody thats why were here to identify the people living here said Daman Sidhu is clueless as to why Peel police would be asking questions as the area is under the jurisdiction of Ontario Provincial Police Sidhu said Harbhajan told him the police remained parked on the street for close to an hour and that the police officer left his card with them which included the badge number He said he has asked the police several times about the visit but they are saying we cant say anything we have no comments he said Launching a homicide investigation soon after the incident the Ontario Provincial Police OPP said that they could have possibly died in a case of mistaken identity and that they believe multiple suspects were involved in the killing Investigators are probing all aspects of this homicide including whether or not the victims of this crime were intended targets or not Detective Inspector Brian McDermott OPP had told Toronto Star newspaper It is still too early to make any firm determinations on that aspect he had said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/sikh-man-says-cops-visited-parents-days-before-their-murder-in-canada-502841.html Sun, 31 Dec 2023 12:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-sikh-woman-charged-with-murder-after-victims-body-found-502564.html Toronto Dec 30 A 28yearold Sikh woman is facing a firstdegree murder charge in connection with the suspicious death of another woman in Canadas British Columbia province police said Preety Teena Kaur Panesar was taken into custody a day after the victims body was discovered earlier this month at a property in Delta a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia The Delta Police did not share the victims name age or any other identifying details about her except that she has an unspecified familial relationship with Panesar Officers were called to a home in the citys Ladner neighbourhood in the evening after receiving a report that a woman was found dead at the property the CTV News reported citing Delta Police Initially describing the circumstances as suspicious investigating officers said they had conclusively determined that the deceased was the victim of a homicide In a news release the Delta Police Department offered sincere condolences to the victims family during this challenging period In consideration of the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings no further details will be disclosed at this time the release stated Police told the local media that the death was not linked to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict which has spread across the British Columbia province Beginning this year the Lower Mainland has seen multiple gangrelated shootings with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit estimating 188 gangs in British Columbia IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-sikh-woman-charged-with-murder-after-victims-body-found-502564.html Sat, 30 Dec 2023 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-indian-origin-men-arrested-for-committing-visa-fraud-in-us-502586.html New York Dec 30 Two Indianorigin men have been arrested and charged with one count each of conspiracy to commit visa fraud in the US Rambhai Patel 36 and Balwinder Singh 39 allegedly staged armed robberies so that victims could apply for immigration benefits the US Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts said on Friday Patel was arrested in Seattle on December 13 2023 and following an initial appearance in the Western District of Washington he was ordered detained pending trial Singh was also arrested on the same day in Queens and had his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York While Singh appeared in federal court in Boston on Friday afternoon Patel is expected to appear at a later date in the same court According to the charging documents beginning March 2023 Patel and his coconspirators including at times Singh set up and carried out staged armed robberies These were carried out at eight convenienceliquor stores and fast food restaurants across the United States including at least four in Massachusetts It is alleged that the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks present to claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U nonimmigration status U Visa A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity In the course of the alleged staged robberies the robber would threaten store clerks andor owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video The clerks andor owners would then wait five or more minutes until the robber had escaped before calling police to report the crime The victims are alleged to have each paid Patel to participate in the scheme In turn Patel allegedly paid the store owners for the use of their stores for the staged robbery The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison three years of supervised release and a fine of 250000 Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the US Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case The details contained in the charging documents are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law the attorneys office said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-indian-origin-men-arrested-for-committing-visa-fraud-in-us-502586.html Sat, 30 Dec 2023 12:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-tech-company-heads-teen-daughter-found-dead-in-us-prosecutor-suspects-domestic-incident-502515.html New York Dec 30 An Indianorigin couple who headed a tech company and their teen daughter have been found dead in Massachusetts State and the local prosecutor said it was likely a domestic issue incident The prosecutor Michael Morrissey identified them on Friday as Rakesh Kamal 57 his wife Teena 54 and their 18yearold daughter Ariana and said the incident happened on Thursday evening He told reporters that at the house there was no sign of any kind of a breakin and therefore he added I am led to believe that it is safe to tell you its probably a domestic issue incident He said that a gun was found next to Rakesh Kamal but would not say how they died But Morrissey added that previously theres been no police reports theres been no problems no domestic issues no nothing at that house or in the entire neighbourhood that Im aware of Teena Kamal who had graduated from Delhi University and studied at Harvard University was the CEO of EduNova according to the American Red Cross which said that she was on the board of directors of its Massachusetts chapter The Better Business Bureau which showed her as the CEO listed Rick Kamal as President of the company WBZ TV in Boston said that according to investigators a relative went to the house to check on the family saw someone dead and called police There were indications of the family facing financial problems with Boston 25 News TV reporting that Teena Kamal had filed for bankruptcy in a federal court last year It said that she later sold the house for 3 million even though it was valued at 68 million The palatial house in Dover about 30 km from Boston has 27 rooms according to WCVB TV On TV newscasts the house appeared to be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments Earlier Morrisseys spokesperson David Traub issued a statement that the evidence available at this time does not indicate the involvement of any outside party but suggests that this is a deadly incident of domestic violence Morrissey said that Ariana Kamal was a student at Middlebury College in neighbouring Vermont State Boston 25 TV reported that Middlebury College said that she was a brilliant student and an amazing singer enrolled in her first year According to NBC10 TV in Boston Milton Academy said that she had graduated from the high school this year and her mother was the president of the parents association Calling the deaths a devastating loss to our community the school said Aria was a sweet smart kind young woman who was just beginning to realise her full potential It added that her mother was a committed and caring advocate for both parents and students at Milton The Massachusetts chapter of the American Red Cross said on its website that she had worked at Aegis Software Corp EMC Corporation and Fidelity Investments and held three patents In a statement quoted by WCVB the American Red Cross said it is deeply saddened by the tragedy in Dover The Better Business Bureau said that EduNova affiliated with Zendigo Group and Acera develops and markets educational systems directly to consumers learning centres and educational institutions The business also provides LCP Large and Complex IT Assessment Services to large businesses in the educational and financial fields IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-tech-company-heads-teen-daughter-found-dead-in-us-prosecutor-suspects-domestic-incident-502515.html Sat, 30 Dec 2023 05:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/shots-fired-at-house-of-temple-heads-son-in-canada-502333.html Toronto Dec 29 Canadian police said it is investigating an incident in which shots were fired at the residence of a Hindu temples heads son in British Columbia in the early hours of Wednesday Police said no one was injured during the incident at the 14900 block of 80 Avenue in Surrey the residence of the son of Satish Kumar president of Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Officers are still working to determine the motive of this incident said Constable Parmbir Kahlon Media Relations Officer for Surrey RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police Kahlon added that the residence involved sustained damage consistent with bullet holes According to the IndoCanadian voice website as many as 14 shots were fired at the Hindu businessmans house Police remained in the area examining the scene speaking with witnesses and canvassing the neighbourhood for CCTV footage The Surrey RCMP General Investigation Unit is conducting the probe and has appealed to anyone with more information including dash cam footage of the incident to get in touch with them Canada has witnessed a rise in incidents of vandalism and attacks against Hindu temples and installations in the country with proKhalistan elements getting active beginning this year The situation worsened after Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead outside a Sikh temple in Surrey on June 18 this year The same Lakshmi Narayan Mandir of Surrey was targeted in August this year after antiIndia and proKhalistan posters were found pasted on its front and rear walls Last month Indianorigin Canadian MP Chandra Arya shared a purported video of proKhalistan supporters in Surrey claiming they want to create trouble at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir In September Shri Mata Bhameshwari Durga temple in Surrey was defaced with antiIndia and proKhalistan graffiti on its outer walls Incidents of vandalism have also occurred at temples in Brampton and the Greater Toronto area IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/shots-fired-at-house-of-temple-heads-son-in-canada-502333.html Fri, 29 Dec 2023 16:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/6-members-of-indian-origin-family-killed-in-road-crash-in-texas-502143.html New York Dec 29 Six members of an Indianorigin family have been killed in Texas when their minivan was struck headon by a pickup truck driven by a teenager that veered to the wrong side of the highway The Texas Department of Public Safety DPS said that in the crash on Wednesday one person in the minivan survived as did the teenager and a companion in the other vehicle that crossed over in a noovertaking zone media reported The driver of the minivan was identified by the DPS as Rushil Barri 28 from Irving Texas while the others travelling with him were visiting from Alpharetta Georgia According to the DPS the others killed were Naveena Potabathula 36 Nageswararao Ponnada 64 Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada 60 Krithik Potabathula 10 Nishidha Potabathula 9 Barris causing Lokesh Potabathula 43 who survived the crash was hospitalised in critical condition the DPS said The driver of the truck and the other teenager in it were hospitalised with severe injuries and police have not been able to interview them Fox4 reported This was a no passing zone DPS Sergeant William Lockridge was quoted by Fox4 TV in Dallas We dont know what caused the vehicle to cross into the northbound lane The portion of the highway where the accident happened had a speed limit of 70 mph 112 kph According to Fox4 among those killed were Lokesh Potabathulas wife and children parentsinlaw and cousin Barri Ashok Kolla of the Telugu Association of North America told the station Right now we are authorised by both the families to send the human remains to India and we want to do it as soon as possible in the next 2436 hours Rakesh Barri told ABC8 TV in Dallas that his brother Rushil had spent the day with his relatives in the Fossil Rim Wildlife Safari Park in Glenn Rose Texas and were on their way to his home The Ponnadas were on visit from India Rakesh Barri told the station that his mother could not come to terms with his brothers death He said that his mother maintains He is still alive Im praying to the God he will be back with you You will be back with him to India IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/6-members-of-indian-origin-family-killed-in-road-crash-in-texas-502143.html Fri, 29 Dec 2023 03:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/no-charges-laid-in-2002-canada-bus-crash-that-left-sikh-man-dead-502181.html Toronto Dec 29 No charges will be filed in connection with a bus crash in Canada that left four people including a 41yearold Sikh dead and many others injured on Christmas Eve last year Karanjot Singh Sodhi from Butala in Amritsar died on the spot when a bus in which he was travelling rolled over on an icy highway in British Columbia BC province at 6 pm on December 24 2022 Dan McLaughlin a representative from the BC Prosecution Service said Crown counsel concluded the standard for charges had not been met the Global News TV channel reported For charges to be approved there must be a substantial likelihood of conviction and public interest must be served McLaughlin said last week Crown Counsel must consider what material evidence is likely to be admissible and whether there are viable defences or other impediments to the prosecution that remove any substantial likelihood of a conviction the prosecution service said in a statement The crash happened east of Merritt on Highway 97C also known as the Okanagan Connector and investigators believed the bus was occupied by 45 passengers at that time The British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP had said in a statement that extremely icy road conditions along the highway caused the bus operated by Albertabased Ebus to rollover Shortly after the crash 22 passengers were transported to Kelownas hospital six to Pentictons hospital and 13 to Merritts hospital Four passengers including Sodhi died at the scene Sodhi came to Canada on a work permit in September 2022 just three months before the accident and was employed as a chef in a restaurant of an Okanagan winery On December 24 he was travelling in the illfated bus to spend the holidays with his cousin Kalwinder Singh Kulwinder a transport truck driver told CBC News that he does not believe the accident was the drivers fault He said the highway should have been closed due to poor winter driving conditions and the driver should have refused to drive that night The BC government did not clean the road properly There is no good justice Kulwinder told CBC Sodhi is survived by his mother wife and two children back home in Amritsar In an email to Global News RCMP Staff Sergeant Kris Clark said that the BC Highway Patrol investigation had ended As no charges have been laid we are not in a position to confirm any details of the investigation other than to say that road and weather conditions were contributing factors in the crash Clark said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/no-charges-laid-in-2002-canada-bus-crash-that-left-sikh-man-dead-502181.html Fri, 29 Dec 2023 10:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-charged-in-connection-with-hindu-temple-break-ins-502241.html Toronto Dec 29 A 41yearold Indianorigin man has been arrested in connection with multiple robberies at Hindu temples in the Canadian province of Ontario in recent months police said Jagdish Pandher from Brampton is facing charges for numerous offences and is currently being held for a bail hearing the Durham Regional Police said on Thursday Investigators have linked Pandher to numerous breakandenters at Hindu temples throughout the year most of which occurred in Durham Region and around the Greater Toronto Area In a media release police said that on October 8 at approximately 1245 am its officers responded to reports of a breakandenter in progress at a Hindu temple in the area of Bayly Street and Krosno Boulevard in Pickering A male was seen on security surveillance breaking into the temple and taking a large quantity of cash from the donation boxes the release said adding that he fled the area prior to police arrival He was seen on surveillance footage later that morning committing additional breakandenters at Hindu temples in Pickering and Ajax Although these offences occurred at places of worship they do not appear to be hate crimes or motivated by hate Durham Regional Police said At least six Hindu temples were reportedly robbed in the month of September and October alone mostly in the Greater Toronto Area which included the Chintpurni Temple in Brampton Rameshwar Mandir in Caledon and the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga According to local media reports last year close to halfadozen Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area were reportedly robbed in a span of ten days The Peel police in Toronto arrested three Canadabased Punjabi men in 2022 responsible for vandalism and theft in Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area from November 2021 until March 2022 Pandher was one of the three accused which also included Gursharnjeet Dhindsa and Parminder Gill from Brampton They were slapped with as many as 78 charges including Disguise with intent 13 counts each and Break enter and commit an indictable offence 13 counts each according to media reports IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-charged-in-connection-with-hindu-temple-break-ins-502241.html Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/nijjars-murder-suspects-in-canada-to-be-arrested-in-coming-weeks-report-501771.html Toronto Dec 28 Canadas Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP is expected to arrest two men who investigators believe fatally shot Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year and are still in the country a media report said The suspects who have been under police surveillance for months can be arrested and charged in a matter of weeks The Globe and Mail newspaper reported citing sources The three sources told the daily that police will explain the alleged assassins involvement and that of the Indian government when charges are laid against the two men It remains unclear whether the RCMP are expected to arrest any suspected accomplices in the slaying especially after The Washington Post reported in September citing video footage and witness accounts that at least six men and two vehicles were involved in the killing The RCMP is yet to respond to questions from the daily about the investigation and whether charges were imminent Nijjar 45 was fatally shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia province on June 18 following which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government in September of being involved in the shooting India vehemently denied Trudeaus claims calling them absurd and motivated after which bilateral relations went off the course with titfortat expulsion of diplomats New Delhi temporarily suspending visa operations in Canada and Ottawa calling off trade talks According to the Indian government Nijjar was actively involved in operationalising networking training and financing members of the banned militant group Khalistan Tiger Force Reacting to Trudeaus remarks Indias Ministry of External Affairs said as far as Canada is concerned they have consistently given space to antiIndia extremists and violence That is at the heart of the issue In an interview to Canadian Press this month Trudeau said that his statement linking Indian agents to the killing of Nijjar was meant to deter India from repeating a similar action in the country He said the message was intended as an extra level of deterrence as too many Canadians were worried that they were vulnerable IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/nijjars-murder-suspects-in-canada-to-be-arrested-in-coming-weeks-report-501771.html Thu, 28 Dec 2023 09:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-admits-role-in-phone-scam-costing-victims-thousands-of-dollars-501793.html New York Dec 28 An Indianorigin man in the US has pleaded guilty for taking part in a phone scam in which he called victims around the country and lied to extract thousands of dollars from them Satishkumar Rameshchandra Patel admitted to one charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud punishable by up to 20 years in prison before a federal court in the US state of Kentucky the Lexington HeraldLeader reported on Tuesday From August 2018 to August 2021 Patel took part in the scheme wherein the scammers called up the victims and told them that they were government officials They convinced people they were in legal or financial trouble and needed to send money to resolve the issues or protect their savings according to Patels plea Patel provided fake names to others taking part in the scam as well as addresses where they could direct victims to send money the news report said In one of the cases a Texas woman was made to send 48000 to the address of a Dollar General store in Pulaski County where someone associated with the conspiracy could pick it up Citing another case Patels plea mentioned a woman from California who received a call from someone posing as a Social Security Administration official The caller told the woman that her Social Security number had turned up in a drug investigation and that as a result her money was in danger of being confiscated by the government To prevent that the woman sent a total of 380000 by Federal Express to addresses in the Chicago area Patel picked up two of the shipments according to his plea document which stated that the government contends there were 10 or more victims of the scam who caused substantial financial hardship to one or more of the victims While Patel operated the scam out of the Chicago area he was charged in Kentucky as the conspirators used addresses in the state to receive fraudulent payments according to the indictment IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-admits-role-in-phone-scam-costing-victims-thousands-of-dollars-501793.html Thu, 28 Dec 2023 10:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-arrested-in-thailand-for-illegal-high-interest-loan-operation-501924.html Bangkok Dec 28 A 29yearold Indian national has been arrested in southern Thailand for operating an unlicensed money lending business Yadav Durgesh was arrested on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal loan activities by police authorities The Thaiger news website reported He was at a rental property at Ban Na San in Surat Thani city where he was found to be charging an interest rate exceeding the legal limit on his loans According to the news report Yadavs illicit operation was first flagged following an investigation into unusual activities at his residence He had rented his premises to accommodate foreign nationals who were suspected of extending loans to locals and residents which led the police to monitor his activities Yadav was found to be making daily rounds on a motorcycle collecting interest from clients by the investigating officials On the day of his arrest he attempted to evade capture by fleeing towards the Huay Mud community but the police were able to apprehend him at his rented property where he had retreated in an attempt to elude the officers During interrogation Yadav confessed to the illegal money lending operation admitting to charging an exorbitant 20 per cent daily interest rate Following his confession Yadav was handed over to the investigation officer at the Ban Na San police station He was charged with working as a foreigner conducting a lending business without permission and lending money to others at an interest rate higher than legally permissible The case is awaiting further legal proceedings In November another Indian national identified only as Harinda was arrested for operating an illegal loan scheme in Ang Thong The loan shark targeted market traders disguising the operation as a roaming sales business IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-arrested-in-thailand-for-illegal-high-interest-loan-operation-501924.html Thu, 28 Dec 2023 15:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-sikh-woman-remembered-in-vigil-to-mark-domestic-violence-victims-501945.html Toronto Dec 28 A CanadianSikh woman who was allegedly stabbed to death in October by her husband was remembered along with 14 other victims of domestic violence this year in a vigil in the countrys British Columbia province Kulwant Kaur 46 was stabbed to death in her New Westminster home on October 13 following which police took husband Balvir Singh into custody and charged him with seconddegree murder A group of people gathered at Robson Square Wednesday holding signs to honour the women victims between the age groups of 22 to 57 the CTV news channel reported Each sign had the name of one of the women killed as people holding them stood in stoic silence Theyre white women South Asian women Indigenous women Male violence against women is hurting all women Hilla Kerner a spokesperson for Vancouver Rape Relief and Womens Shelter told CTV News We dont even have the full number Its very hard to get clear information from the police Kerner added At around 5 pm on October 14 officers of the New Westminster detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP were called to the 200block of Suzuki Street On their arrival the first responders found Kaur suffering from lifethreatening injuries Despite lifesaving efforts by the responding officers with support from the British Columbia Emergency Health Services Kaur succumbed to her injuries Balvir was previously found guilty of uttering threats against Kaur and breaching a release order that he have no contact with her If there are men that are known to be violent you have to find a way to monitor them to supervise them because otherwise they will harm women said Kerner Kaur came to Canada in 2019 to give her son a better life and brighter future I hope shes remembered for who she really was which was an amazing mom and an amazing person And someone that tried so hard to give her kid a better life family friend Gulpreet RaiSangha told CTV News in an interview at the time IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/canadian-sikh-woman-remembered-in-vigil-to-mark-domestic-violence-victims-501945.html Thu, 28 Dec 2023 16:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-food-firm-in-singapore-charged-after-live-cockroaches-found-in-premises-501611.html Singapore Dec 27 An Indian food supplier firm was charged in Singapore on Wednesday after live cockroaches were allegedly found among chutney packets and at the chapatimaking area in the premises Suvai Foods was handed three charges under the Sale of Food Act after numerous lapses were found at its premises at Aljunied Avenue The Straits Times reported Founded in Singapore in 2012 the company sells vegetarian and halal products and boasts of being the only company in Southeast Asia that produces preservativefree batter and that its products have a unique authentic taste According to the chargesheet the premises were allegedly stained and dirty with broken floor tiles and its office space was illegally modified to be used as a packing area Live cockroaches were found in several areas including in a grey basket containing packets of Suvai Coconut Chutney at the chapatimaking area and on the food processing machine Three live cockroaches were allegedly also found at the rear of its registered goods vehicle The prosecutor from the Singapore Food Agency said they would be seeking a fine for each of the charges when the case is expected to be heard again on January 24 2024 If convicted of failing to ensure its establishment is properly maintained and kept clean Suvai Foods can be fined up to SG5000 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-food-firm-in-singapore-charged-after-live-cockroaches-found-in-premises-501611.html Wed, 27 Dec 2023 17:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/australian-sikh-driver-returns-aud8-000-found-in-cab-says-doesnt-want-reward-501635.html New Delhi Dec 27 In a heartwarming incident a Sikh taxi driver in Australia returned around AUD 8000 Rs 453 lakh to a passenger who left the cash in the back seat of his cab Charanjit Singh Atwal who has been working as a taxi driver in Melbourne for over three decades said in an Instagram post by bramaleard that he took the money to the police as soon as he found it The Good Samaritan said that the thought of keeping the cash never crossed his mind and that he keeps finding things left behind by passengers in his car When he was asked if he got a reward from the owner he replied No I dont need a reward As the story went viral on social media netizens applauded Atwal saying Singh is king He is blessed and his honesty and good deed will be returned to him tenfold an Instagram user said Its always the good deeds social services and sharing food etc that comes to mind when I hear about Punjabis I hope and wish it remains like that another user commented Earlier this year an Indian trolley pusher from Brisbane was hailed for his honesty as he returned a lost handbag containing a wallet mobile phone and cash Beant Singh was offered a cash reward for his act but he said I cant take any money for just doing the right thing IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/australian-sikh-driver-returns-aud8-000-found-in-cab-says-doesnt-want-reward-501635.html Wed, 27 Dec 2023 18:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-trio-arrested-for-conning-business-owner-in-new-jersey-501396.html New York Dec 27 Three IndianAmericans in the US state of New Jersey have been arrested for allegedly deceiving a business owner by charging him two hundred thousand dollars for a contract work that never got done Viral Patel and Priyanka Patel from Jersey City and Pratik Patel from Ramsey were each charged last week with theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft the Jersey City Times website reported According to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez the three defendants between the age groups of 33 to 38 were operating under the name Janvi Hotel Supply LLC located at 23 Thorne Street in Jersey City The business has been described as a scam by three people on google reviews They were hired to perform contract work at a business owners three properties in March this year for which the latter was billed two hundred thousand dollars However the work was never performed even though the business owner paid full amount to the Patels Suarez said She did not identify the business owner or the nature of the work according to the news report Viral and Priyanka who are married according to public records were arrested on December 20 at the Hudson County Prosecutors Office in Secaucus and at a residence in Jersey City respectively Pratik was arrested a day after at the County Prosecutors Office The three were then taken to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending their first court appearances IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-trio-arrested-for-conning-business-owner-in-new-jersey-501396.html Wed, 27 Dec 2023 10:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/couple-tells-indian-american-to-go-back-to-pakistan-after-taking-over-his-house-501449.html New York Dec 27 An Indianorigin man has heaved a sigh of relief after two squatters finally moved out of his New York house following a legal battle of more than 22 months Bobby Chawla had bought the 1536squarefoot home on Friendly Lane in Jericho in a bank auction in February 2022 but was unable to move in because Barry and Barbara Pollack refused to leave the property the New York Post reported Chawla claims to have shelled out more than 85000 so far to keep up with taxes mortgage payments and other bills while the alleged squatters live in their house Barry Pollack 72 was also caught on video telling Chawlas parents from India to go back to Pakistan The accused squatters had originally bought the house in 1990 for 255000 but stopped paying their mortgage by 2006 due to financial constraints The home ended up in a bank auction after the couple was sued for foreclosure in 2008 and dragged the case out for more than a decade according to court papers The couple then began filing skeleton and frivolous bankruptcies seven in total to stop the bank from taking over the house records showed These filings automatically paused any eviction which meant that the Pollacks stayed in the New York house without paying the mortgage for nearly two decades The latest bankruptcy came last month when movers hired by the Chawlas to empty the home were forced to abandon the effort after Barbara Pollack showed up with bankruptcy paperwork Theyve fought in three different courts for 17 years to stay in the home frequently without regularly paying The Post report said A federal bankruptcy judge barred the Pollacks from further filings last week and the couple finally left the house on December 22 It feels like a Christmas miracle I cant believe it Chawla who paid 762200 when he bought the home in February 2022 told The New York Post I did feel a sense of relief but I wont be satisfied until I have possession of my home This guy is not to be trusted he said He plans to give the home to Bobbys sixmonthpregnant sister and her husband IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/couple-tells-indian-american-to-go-back-to-pakistan-after-taking-over-his-house-501449.html Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/gurdev-singh-gill-canadas-first-indian-origin-physician-dies-at-92-501250.html Toronto Dec 26 Gurdev Singh Gill who made history in 1958 as the first IndoCanadian to practise medicine passed away at the age of 92 in Canadas New Westminster city Gill moved to Canada from India in 1949 at a time when there were only about 2000 South Asians in the country the CBC news channel reported citing Canadian Encyclopedia estimates He was the first IndoCanadian to graduate with a medical degree from the University of British Columbia and the first IndoCanadian to practice medicine in Canada according to the British Columbia government On Sunday community members gathered at a gurdwara in Vancouver to pay respects to Gill who died on December 17 He was an active staff member of St Marys the Royal Columbian and Queens Park hospitals and was active in fundraising for the Cancer Society Rotary Club and the Childrens Hospital He was honoured with the Order of British Columbia in 1990 in its inaugural year alongside luminaries such as musician Bryan Adams Olympic medallist gymnast Lori Fung and businessman Jim Pattison Being on stage with all those other wonderful Canadians He was so proud of that recognition his grandson Imran Gill told CBC adding that his grandfather lived a very selfless life He also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Gill was devoted to uplifting others not just in Canada but building sanitation infrastructure in Punjabi villages including the one he left in 1949 Imran said His medical practice was more than a medical practice It was a community hall where new immigrants came for guidance and advice he added Gill went on to become President of Vancouvers Khalsa Diwan Society following which he oversaw the building of a new gurdwara in South Vancouver at a time when few existed for local Sikhs Jarnail Singh Bhandal South Vancouver gurdwaras assistant secretary told CBC that Gills presidency was marked by a provincewide effort to raise funds for a new larger building to host worship meals and community events for the burgeoning faith community He retired after 40 years of practice in New Westminster and went on to help 25 villages in Punjab with infrastructure and educational improvements through the IndoCanadian Friendship Society which was founded by him the Global News reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/gurdev-singh-gill-canadas-first-indian-origin-physician-dies-at-92-501250.html Tue, 26 Dec 2023 18:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/three-indo-canadians-held-after-police-seize-fake-cardboard-licence-plates-500997.html Toronto Dec 26 Three IndoCanadians have been taken into custody after police seized fake licence plates made out of cardboard affixed to a vehicle being used by the suspects and a small quantity of drugs Lovepreet Singh 33 Prabhpreet Singh 28 and Rajwinder Mangat 37 from Ontario province are facing a total of eight charges including obstructing a peace officer CP24 news channel reported Police said they responded to the Monarch Drive business at around 225 pm last week after receiving reports that a group of suspects in a number of recent thefts were seen filling a shopping cart with electronic devices According to the Ontario Provincial Police once officers arrived at the business the suspects opted to leave the premises without the goods But they subsequently spoke to the suspects and commenced an investigation the news channel reported During the investigation officers discovered that the licence plate displayed on their vehicle was made out of cardboard highlighting the arts and craft skills utilised to try and avoid detection the police said Police say that while the plate numbers adorning the cardboard were not linked to the vehicle at the scene they were a match for a vehicle with the same make model and colour Police ultimately took all three suspects into custody seizing the fake plates and a small quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/three-indo-canadians-held-after-police-seize-fake-cardboard-licence-plates-500997.html Tue, 26 Dec 2023 09:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/rwanda-bill-best-bill-to-tackle-small-boat-crossings-cameron-501024.html London Dec 26 The Rwanda Bill is the best bill to address the issue of small boat crossings in the English Channel British Foreign Secretary David Cameron has said in remarks aimed at those unhappy with the legislation Prime Minister Rishi Sunak managed to avoid a major rebellion by Rightwing Conservative MPs earlier this month when they abstained on his controversial Rwanda bill saying it was a partial and incomplete solution to the problem of sending back illegal asylum seekers from Britain For the moment they refrained from pulling the rug on Sunak on the basis that he had indicated to them that he was willing to accept amendments that would tighten the Bill Asserting that it is best bill to get the job done Cameron said that failure to tackle the issue of small boat crossings in the English Channel would be destructive to peoples faith in the government The Guardian reported Its the best bill to get the job done and I think its a mistake to think in terms of Ooh is it full fat or half fat Its designed to deliver the policy he added referring to some of the terms that some Conservative MPs used to describe the Bill The former Conservative leader who was brought back into government last month said he believed the Foreign Office could be more involved in helping to deliver the Bill which forms the core of Sunaks policy to stop the boats one of five key priorities which he set out at the start of the year Cameron said it could get migration dialogues going with countries where some of their citizens are coming in small boats to Britain and we should help Having very visible illegal migration is incredibly destructive to a countrys legal migration and immigration system and its also destructive to peoples view of the ability of politicians and governments to act on their behalf he added Since Brexit net immigration has continued to mount touching a record of 606000 in 2022 Last year a record 45775 people were detected arriving without permission in Britain in small boats So far this year more than 27000 have arrived this way Launched in April 2022 by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson the Rwanda plan aims to discourage asylum seekers from making the perilous journey of about 20 miles across the Channel from Europe in small boats or inflatable dinghies to Englands southern beaches Under the plan anyone who arrived in Britain illegally after January 1 last year faced deportation to Rwanda Following a last minute injunction from the European Court of Human Rights the first deportation flight in June 2022 was blocked According to media reports UK is presently spending more than three billion pounds per year on dealing with asylum applications and the cost of housing migrants as their claims are processed runs at about six million pounds per day IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/rwanda-bill-best-bill-to-tackle-small-boat-crossings-cameron-501024.html Tue, 26 Dec 2023 11:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-ceo-led-energy-tech-firm-enphase-lays-off-350-workers-500660.html San Francisco Dec 25 American energy technology company Enphase led by Indianorigin Badri Kothandaraman is laying off 10 per cent of its global workforce impacting approximately 350 contractors and employees According to Enphase President and CEO Kothandaraman the move is to streamline operations by ceasing contract manufacturing operations in two locations in the US and resizing other contract manufacturing sites We have decided to reduce our global workforce by approximately 10 per cent impacting approximately 350 contractors and employees In addition we will continue our hiring and travel freeze through 2024 and cut discretionary spending on several other fronts he said in a message to employees Kothandaraman took full accountability for the decision I understand this is difficult for all of us especially when it impacts our valued colleagues and friends who are departing We will treat our departing colleagues with the utmost respect and empathy provide them with severance packages engage in consultation where required and support them with their transitions he wrote Headquartered in Fremont California Enphase develops and manufactures solar microinverters battery energy storage and EV charging stations primarily for residential customers The company has shipped more than 48 million microinverters to 25 million solar systems in more than 140 countries Kothandaraman said that over the last 12 months the solar market has seen a lot of turbulence worldwide In the US high interest rates have caused a significant drop in consumer demand while Californias NEM 30 transition continues to create further uncertainty These challenges have caused our topline revenue to decrease In response we must rightsize the company and get our nonGAAP operating expenses to be within a range of 75 million to 80 million per quarter in 2024 said the CEO The companys worldwide microinverter contract manufacturing operations currently have a combined capacity of approximately 10 million units per quarter We are planning to reduce that capacity to approximately 725 million units per quarter to be closer aligned to the expected demand To that end we are ceasing operations at our contract manufacturing locations in Timisoara Romania and Wisconsin United States and resizing our other contract manufacturing sites Kothandaraman announced IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-ceo-led-energy-tech-firm-enphase-lays-off-350-workers-500660.html Mon, 25 Dec 2023 10:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/sikh-mother-son-jailed-in-uk-for-conspiring-to-steal-from-community-wedding-fund-500445.html London Dec 24 A Sikh mother and son have been sentenced to a total prison term of more than three years in the UK for conspiring to steal 8000 pounds from a community wedding fund Kalwant Kaur 41 was jailed for 15 months and Jung Singh Lankanpal 22 was handed a 30month jail term as they appeared before the Southampton Crown Court on Friday A court heard a group of women from the local Sikh community had helped organise a collection to pay for a wedding within the community While they were counting the money Lankanpal armed with a gun burst inside the property at Clovelly Road in Southampton on September 15 He threatened the women and demanded they hand over the money the Hampshire Police said in a statement The court heard that the vehicle used to get away from the scene a red Hyundai was found to be registered in the name of Kaur who was at the address and helping with the collection Kaur and Lankanpal made a cold and callous decision to steal such a large sum of money from people they knew money which was meant to help people in their community Detective Constable Jess Swift from the Western Area Crime Team said Despite Kaur trying to present herself as a witness to a crime it was quickly established she had used her knowledge to help orchestrate this burglary Swift added Both mother and son were arrested the same day they committed the crime and pleaded guilty in October to a charge of conspiring to commit a burglary Through some very comprehensive enquiries we have been able to ensure both pleaded guilty to these offences and will serve a jail sentence I hope this provides the local community some reassurance and gives them some justice for what happened Swift said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/sikh-mother-son-jailed-in-uk-for-conspiring-to-steal-from-community-wedding-fund-500445.html Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/calendar-dedicated-to-creator-of-rock-garden-unveiled-in-canada-500446.html Chandigarh Dec 24 To mark the birth centenary of Nek Chand the man who brought Indias first planned city on the international map through his creations from waste material environmental justice activists came together in Canadas Surrey for the unveiling of a calendar dedicated to him The creator of the famous Rock Garden in Chandigarh which houses sculptures made out of waste material was born on December 15 1924 The 2024 calendar published by Radical Desi an online magazine and released on Saturday along with others bears important dates related to the environmental movement Anjali Appadurai a wellknown climate justice activist did the unveiling She had previously run for the federal election and also for the leadership of the ruling BC NDP She was presented with the Environmental Justice Hero Award on the occasion by antiracism educator Annie Ohana on behalf of Radical Desi Appadurai who was the keynote speaker shared the story of her political journey and why it is important to talk about the environment in todays world grappling with both climate emergency and social injustice A moment of silence was held at the beginning of the event in memory of the firefighters who died this year in the line of their duties both in Canada and across the globe and thousands of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks Others who addressed the gathering included Shukouh Farshidfar from Hamsoo a group dedicated to recycling and waste management Tara Shushtarian from West Coast Climate Action Network Ravneet Singh from Eco Sikh prominent entertainment jockey Gaurav Shah who is from Chandigarh and has been associated with Rock Garden as an event organizer renowned journalist Gurvinder Singh Dhaliawal who is vocal on human rights and Radical Desi Director Gurpreet Singh Jennifer Sherif from Indigevision was the Master of Ceremonies Being an indigenous educator she made all the connections between the indigenous peoples unique relationship with the land and the broader climate justice movement IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/calendar-dedicated-to-creator-of-rock-garden-unveiled-in-canada-500446.html Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-truck-driver-charged-for-possessing-52-kg-suspected-cocaine-500456.html Toronto Dec 24 A 27yearold Indianorigin commercial truck driver has been charged after authorities seized more than 100 pounds of suspected cocaine in the Canadian province of Ontario this month Manpreet Singh a resident of Brampton was taken into custody by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP and formally charged with importation of cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking CP24 news channel reported According to the Canada Border Services Agency CBSA Singhs truck entered the country at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry in Point Edward Ontario and was referred for a secondary examination While inspecting the vehicles trailer border services officers allegedly found and seized boxes containing 52 kgs of suspected cocaine The CBSA subsequently arrested Singh on December 4 and handed him over to the RCMP the news report said His case is now before court The RCMP works collaboratively with CBSA to protect Canadians from threats identified at our borders This is another example of the tremendous work being done by our agencies to keep illegal drugs from reaching the streets in our communities Superintendent Rae Bolsterli of the RCMPs Border Integrity Program said in a release From January to October 31 2023 the CBSA in the Southern Ontario region seized more than 1300 kg of narcotics IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indo-canadian-truck-driver-charged-for-possessing-52-kg-suspected-cocaine-500456.html Sun, 24 Dec 2023 09:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/teen-charged-with-murder-of-indian-security-guard-in-new-zealand-499975.html Auckland Dec 22 A 17yearold teenager was charged on Friday in connection with the murder of a 25yearold Indian security guard in a suburb of West Auckland in New Zealand Ramandeep Singh was reported unresponsive just after midnight on December 18 and was pronounced dead after being found at the Royal Reserve carpark in Massey the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported Born and raised in Kotli Shahpur village in Gurdaspur Punjab Singh had moved to New Zealand on a study visa in 2018 to pursue higher education He was his parents only son The latest arrest comes after a 26yearold man was taken into custody on Monday and also charged with Singhs murder Singhs family have been advised of the latest arrest Detective Inspector Aaron Proctor said adding that two people are now before the courts in connection with Singhs murder Our investigation team has been working hard day and night to bring justice for Mr Singh whose life was senselessly cut short while he was going about his job We are continuing to piece together the events leading up to his murder in the early hours of Monday morning Proctor said Armourguard the company which employed Singh said its community has been shattered by the sudden loss of Singh who leaves behind a broken family and friends in mourning We send our sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of Ramandeep and are offering our full support to them during this difficult time the company wrote in a social media post For his parents he wasnt just a son he was their only son the pride of their lives His death serves as a reminder of the risks our security personnel face every day when they go to work the post said adding that Singh had dreams that extended beyond the borders of his homeland Singhs company is also contributing to the costs of returning Singh to his family in India and has established a Givealittle page to raise funds for his family IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/teen-charged-with-murder-of-indian-security-guard-in-new-zealand-499975.html Fri, 22 Dec 2023 17:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/cops-warn-after-burglars-target-indian-americans-in-washington-499764.html New York Dec 22 Police have warned residents after a recent uptick in daytime burglaries targeting IndianAmericans in Bothell a city in the US state of Washington The burglaries have been happening in the city located in Snohomish county along 35th Avenue Southeast between 180th Street Southeast and 228th Street Southeast local media reports said The Snohomish County Sheriffs Office SCSO released photos of three suspects on Wednesday seeking public assistance in identifying them Seattlebased KOMO TV channel reported I felt like this neighborhood was very very safe like when we moved in but right now it doesnt feel so Anu who moved to the area just a few months ago told the channel Her husband Ram said theyve spent thousands of dollars on buying pepper sprays and security cameras to protect themselves We have a dog but Im thinking about getting one more dog a guard dog to make ourselves safer Ram told KOMO TV The Robbery and Burglary Unit RBU SCSO believes the suspects are part of a larger organised group operating throughout the region and have asked residents in the area to share any surveillance video or pictures they may have of the suspects I wouldnt be surprised if maybe more than 50 per cent of the residents in the area of the burglaries are from the Indian heritage Rohit Patil the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center president told KING 5 News According to Patil the burglars are after valuables like jewelry and other precious metals Detectives have urged residents to take care of their valuables and ensure all windows sliding doors and access points are locked The RBU is also looking for more information on two cars associated with the suspects a black early2000s Mercedes sedan and a newer silver Mercedes SUV with unknown plates IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/cops-warn-after-burglars-target-indian-americans-in-washington-499764.html Fri, 22 Dec 2023 09:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapore-cab-company-probing-drivers-go-back-to-india-comments-against-passenger-500042.html Singapore Dec 22 A ridehailing company in Singapore is investigating an incident in which a driver made racist remarks against a passenger asking him to go back to India Grab Rentals took the action after the passenger shared an account of the incident and screenshots of his conversation with the driver on the Instagram account sgfollowsall on Dec 21 The Straits Times reported on Friday According to the report the exchange began when the driver said that he is not able reach the pickup point due to nearby road works and asked the passenger not to wait When the passenger asked the driver to cancel the trip the latter asked him if he was an Indian and then told him to go back to India The passenger whose name was not given in the report said in his post that he has lived and worked in Singapore for 10 years He described the incident as blatant racism that was totally uncalled for But then again one bad apple doesnt change my experience of Singapore I love it and have had so many people reach out to apologise for what I experienced the passenger wrote In response to queries from The Straits Times a Grab spokesman said the company is investigating the incident and takes a strong stance against discriminatory behaviour and language on its platform In accordance with Grabs code of conduct driverpartners are expected to be fair and not discriminate against passengers in any way the spokesman told The Times The incident comes closely after a Tada cab driver in Singapore was fined SG3000 for hurling racist insults at a passenger in September saying You are Indian Im a Chinese You are the very worst kind When the passenger told the driver that he was being racist he raised his voice and replied I know you India I am Chinese you try to be funny with me Tada permanently barred the driver from working with the company and said in a statement that the drivers remarks that insinuated racial differences are completely unacceptable within Tadas community guidelines and ethos IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/singapore-cab-company-probing-drivers-go-back-to-india-comments-against-passenger-500042.html Fri, 22 Dec 2023 19:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-rows-back-salary-threshold-for-family-visas-after-backlash-report-499815.html London Dec 22 Following widespread backlash the UK government has rowed back on plans to hike the salary needed to bring family members to the country from GBP38700 to GBP29000 the BBC reported An estimated 300000 nonBritons many of them Indians were left in shock after the increase from the current level of GBP18600 was announced earlier this month as part of a plan to reduce net migration The change of plan was confirmed by Lord Sharpe of Epsom in answer to a parliamentary question He said the threshold would now rise to GBP29000 in the spring before then rising in incremental stages to give predictability He added that the plan was for it to eventually rise to GBP34500 and then GBP38700 but no dates were given Reacting to the uturn the opposition Labour said the change showed Tory government chaos Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers had failed to consult properly on the new threshold adding its no surprise they are now rowing back in a rush The government had been under duress to cut arrival numbers after net migration the difference between the number of people coming to and leaving the UK climbed to a record 745000 last year A policy document said the new threshold could contribute a low tens of thousands cut towards the governments overall target to cut legal migration by 300000 this year As per official statistics 82395 familyrelated visas were issued in the year to September 79 per cent to partners 13 per cent to children and 8 per cent to other relatives Reunite Families UK a campaign group on UK visa rules that threatened legal action against the government over the salary limit said the new GBP29000 threshold was still very high for most families The group said the governments decision to raise the threshold gradually was baffling adding The process is already complicated enough without this too IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-rows-back-salary-threshold-for-family-visas-after-backlash-report-499815.html Fri, 22 Dec 2023 11:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-tax-evader-to-pay-nearly-550k-in-restitution-to-us-499870.html New York Dec 22 A 56yearold Indianorigin tax return preparer in the US state of Georgia has been sentenced to two years in prison after he pled guilty to tax evasion Samir Patel of Statesboro was ordered to pay approximately 550000 in restitution to the United States a fine of 95000 and serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term Much of our nations operating revenues are dependent on the lawful participation of citizens in the income tax system and those who evade their responsibilities place a greater burden on everyone else US Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Jill E Steinberg said on Tuesday This sentence demonstrates the substantial consequences of attempting to cheat the system Patel a tax return preparer at a national return preparation business purchased a franchise of the business in Claxton in 2015 according to court documents and testimony As the owner he hired trained and supervised tax preparers and continued to prepare returns for customers Patel however willfully filed false income tax returns that omitted more than 128 million in income including almost 118 million from a company called SampW Amusements and evaded proper assessment of his personal taxes for years 2015 2016 and 2017 SampW Amusements placed coin operated amusement machines in convenience stores and gas stations As part of his sentence Patel is prohibited from preparing tax returns for others or for entities in which he has no interest during his term of supervised release IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-tax-evader-to-pay-nearly-550k-in-restitution-to-us-499870.html Fri, 22 Dec 2023 13:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-driver-sentenced-to-jail-for-fatally-hitting-elderly-woman-in-singapore-499586.html Singapore Dec 21 An Indian national has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for reckless driving causing the death of a 79yearold woman in Singapore Lorry driver Sivalingam Suresh 40 pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one charge of driving without due care and attention leading to Bernadette Mah Sui Hars death in February The Straits Times newspaper reported Bernadette was walking across a zebra crossing in Marine Parade when the vehicle hit her and she died on the same day due to a head injury Suresh who has a history of errant driving will also be disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for eight years after his release Deputy Public Prosecutor Benedict Teong told the court that Suresh was driving his lorry along Marine Terrace towards Marine Crescent at about 1130 am on February 28 He said the traffic flow was light and the road surface damp at the time of the accident and the weather was fine with good visibility Despite that Suresh failed to notice Bernadette as he approached a zebra crossing alongside Ngee Ann Primary School colliding into her the prosecutor informed the court Teong said there was no evidence to suggest that possible mechanical failure of the lorry could have caused or contributed to the accident Bernadette was rushed to Changi General Hospital where a scan revealed she had suffered multiple injuries including a skull fracture and bleeding on the surface of her brain She was pronounced dead at about 7 pm Citing Sureshs history of driving offences which included inconsiderate driving and failure to conform to a red light Teong asked the court to sentence him to 10 to 11 months jail and impose a driving ban of eight years During his mitigation plea Suresh who did not have a lawyer expressed his remorse at causing the death of the elderly woman and said that he was the sole earner in his family in India It depends on me to support my family by driving in Singapore Im very reliant on this job Your Honour Suresh who has a twoyearold son and wife who severed her hand in an accident said For causing death by driving a vehicle without due care and attention Suresh could have been jailed for up to three years and fined up to SG10000 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-driver-sentenced-to-jail-for-fatally-hitting-elderly-woman-in-singapore-499586.html Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-indians-in-advisory-council-of-charity-founded-by-king-charles-499335.html London Dec 21 The British Asian Trust a charity founded by King Charles III has announced the appointment of entrepreneurs Nikhil Kamath and Neerja Birla to its India Advisory Council Kamath cofounder of one of Indias largest stockbrokers Zerodha True Beacon a wealth management firm and venture capital firm Gruhas hopes to address complex social changes in India in his new role with the Council I am committed to partnering with innovative and pioneering social organisations as part of my philanthropic approach Im therefore honoured to join the British Asian Trusts India Advisory Council made up of notable business leaders and philanthropists Together we aim to address complex social challenges innovatively and at scale across the country Kamath said in a statement released by the Trust Through Zerodha he has committed 100 million to Rainmatter Foundation which supports solutions for climate change specifically afforestation ecological restoration and livelihoods He is the youngest Indian to sign Bill Gates and Warren Buffets The Giving Pledge making a promise to give at least 50 per cent of his wealth to charity Additionally he is a key figure in the Young India Philanthropic Pledge a commitment by Indias new age philanthropists to dedicate a minimum of 25 per cent of their wealth to enhance global change starting with India Neerja Birla Founder and Chairperson of Aditya Birla Education Trust ABET said she is thrilled to join the Council and expand her work in mental health across India Significant barriers continue to exist in providing the right support for mental health to millions of citizens in the country The British Asian Trust is doing commendable work in this space across the world she added Her initiative Mpower seeks to foster a positive change in attitudes towards mental health through awareness and advocacy and provides holistic care so that individuals with mental health concerns may lead meaningful and productive lives with the utmost respect and dignity Bharath Visweswariah Executive Director India at the British Asian Trust said that the inclusion of Kamath and Birla into their advisory council will contribute immensely to the future of their work in India Nikhils passion for conservation and livelihoods and Birlas outstanding journey in education and mental health will help us expand our impact innovatively and effectively Visweswariah added The two join other eminent business and philanthropic leaders on the Council including Reliances Mukesh Ambani S Ramadorai CBE former chairman of National Skill Development Council and Bombay Stock Exchange and Natasha Poonawalla Chairperson Villoo Poonawalla Foundation and Executive Director of Serum Institute of India IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/two-indians-in-advisory-council-of-charity-founded-by-king-charles-499335.html Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/fbi-offers-10k-reward-for-indian-student-who-went-missing-in-new-jersey-4-years-ago-499603.html New York Dec 21 The Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI is offering a reward of up to 10000 for information about a 29yearold Indian student who went missing from New Jersey over four years ago Mayushi Bhagat was last seen leaving her apartment in Jersey City on the evening of April 29 2019 wearing colourful pyjama pants and a black Tshirt She is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall medium build with black hair and brown eyes Her family reported her missing to police on May 1 2019 according to the information on the FBI website The FBI Newark Field Office and the Jersey City Police Department said last week that authorities continue to seek publics help in locating Bhagat The FBI is offering a reward of up to 10000 for information leading to the location or recovery of the missing person Mayushi Bhagat and the identification arrest and conviction of the persons responsible the FBI website said The FBI added Bhagat to its list of Missing Persons in July last year seeking assistance from the public on her whereabouts Born in India in July 1994 Bhagat came to the US in 2016 on an F1 Student Visa and was enrolled at the University of New Hampshire According to the FBI Bhagat speaks English Hindi and Urdu and has friends in the South Plainfield New Jersey area The law enforcement agency said any person with information about Bhagat should contact the local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate The FBI has put Bhagats Missing Person poster on the Most Wanted page of its website under the list of KidnappingsMissing Persons IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/fbi-offers-10k-reward-for-indian-student-who-went-missing-in-new-jersey-4-years-ago-499603.html Thu, 21 Dec 2023 18:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/missing-indian-student-found-dead-in-east-london-cops-appeal-for-assistance-499349.html London Dec 21 The body of a 23yearold Indian student who went missing in the UK last week has been found near a lake in East London police said appealing for assistance to help piece together his last known movements Gurashman Singh Bhatia a student of Loughborough University was reported missing from Canary Wharf after a night out with friends on December 14 He was last seen on CCTV in the South Quay area at around 0420hrs on December 15 according to the police Officers carried out extensive enquiries including viewing CCTV speaking to witnesses and analysing phone and financial data Water searches were also carried out the Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Wednesday On Wednesday afternoon police divers found his body in the water in South Quay and officers are now appealing for assistance to help piece together his last known movements Although formal identification has not yet taken place Gurashmans family in Jalandhar has been informed Gurashmans death is being treated as unexpected and while there is nothing to suggest it was suspicious we will ensure our investigation is as thorough as possible to confirm this Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway responsible for local policing in Tower Hamlets said Because of this we are releasing a CCTV image of Gurashman that was taken before his disappearance and would like anyone who may have seen him in the Marsh Wall area on the evening of Thursday 14 December and in the early hours of Friday 15 December to contact us he said On December 17 BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa took to his X handle to inform about the missing Indian student in London Seeking External Affairs Minister S Jaishankars assistance he also urged Loughborough University and the Indian High Commission to locate Gurashman Reacting to Gurashmans death Sirsa said in a video posted on X Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of G S Bhatia a Loughborough University student who was missing since December 15th Our thoughts are with the family and friends during this difficult time Last month another 23yearold Indian student who moved to the UK from India on September 19 was found dead on the bank of Thames river four days after being reported missing by his family Mitkumar Patels body was found on the riverbank at Caledonian Wharf on the Isle of Dogs at roughly 1045 am on November 21 by a passerby IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/missing-indian-student-found-dead-in-east-london-cops-appeal-for-assistance-499349.html Thu, 21 Dec 2023 09:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/andhra-medical-student-killed-in-us-499384.html Vijayawada Dec 21 A 22yearold medical student from Andhra Pradesh died in an accident in the US Shaik Zaheera Naaz who was doing MS in physiotherapy died in Chicago due to gas leak in a car in which she was travelling According to information received by her family at Prasadampadu on the outskirts of Vijayawada she fell unconscious along with the car driver due to the gas leak She was shifted to a hospital where doctors declared her brought dead The incident occurred on Wednesday Zaheera who completed degree in physiotherapy in a college in Vijayawada had gone to the US in August this year for MS The family has appealed to the Centre and state governments to help in bringing home the body IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/andhra-medical-student-killed-in-us-499384.html Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/after-colorado-ruling-ramaswamy-comes-out-in-trumps-support-498971.html Washington Dec 20 IndianAmerican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy has pledged to withdraw his name from the Colorado primary ballot unless former President Donald Trump is reinstated Ramaswamys move comes after Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday barred Trump from running in the states presidential primary ruling he had engaged in insurrection on January 6 2021 Coming out strongly in support of his Republican presidential rival Ramaswamy said in a post on X This is what an actual attack on democracy looks like in an unAmerican unconstitutional and unprecedented decision a cabal of Democrat judges are barring Trump from the ballot in Colorado I pledge towithdraw from the Colorado GOP primary unless Trump is also allowed to be on the states ballot In addition the 38yearold entrepreneur also urged his fellow Republican presidential aspirants Ron DeSantis Chris Christie and Nikki Haley to do the same immediately He added that their failure in doing so would mean they are tacitly endorsing this illegal maneuver which will have disastrous consequences for our country The apex court cited Trumps role in the January 6 attack when a mob of supporters invaded the US Congress at his urging and direction to prevent lawmakers from certifying Joe Biden as the next President The ruling came under Amendment 14 of the US constitution that bars people engaging in insurrection from running for President Having tried every trick in the book to eliminate President Trump from running in this election the bipartisan Establishment is now deploying a new tactic to bar him from ever holding office again the 14th Amendment Ramaswamy said A Trump campaign spokesperson said that an appeal would be filed on Tuesday night According to Fox News disqualification lawsuits relating to Trumps appearance on the ballot are pending in 13 states including Texas Nevada and Wisconsin IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/after-colorado-ruling-ramaswamy-comes-out-in-trumps-support-498971.html Wed, 20 Dec 2023 10:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/2-indian-origin-men-jailed-for-34-years-in-uk-for-drug-smuggling-498908.html London Dec 20 Two Indianorigin men have been sentenced to prison in the UK for smuggling cocaine cannabis and cigarettes into the country hidden in shipments of perishable goods Anand Tripathi 61 and Varun Bhardwaj 39 were both sentenced to 19 years and 15 years in jail respectively after they were convicted in November following a 71day trial at Isleworth Crown Court the Crown Prosecution Service CPS said They were also sentenced for not paying 9774220 pounds in import duties and VAT on 186 million cigarettes they smuggled on three dates separate from the drug imports The court heard that in total the men imported 27286 kg of cocaine and 250336 kg of cannabis across four shipments between September 2021 and November 2022 One shipment contained just over two tonnes of cannabis hidden amongst yams from Ghana Another containing 49 kg of cocaine was concealed with oranges from South Africa The drugs had an estimated street value of 289 million pounds but were all seized before they could be sold on and later destroyed by police These two men played vital roles in trying to flood UK streets with huge quantities of illegal drugs The cost and damage to lives that drugs cause in our society is incalculable Richard Partridge from the CPS said This conspiracy was only made possible by Anand Tripathis experience in importation and customs clearance and Varun Bhardwajs willingness to assume day to day management of their operation Partridge added that there were others involved in the scheme who havent yet been identified The scheme involved the pair using their freight company as a cover to clear shipping containers that held drugs and cigarettes and diverting them from their intended destination to a warehouse they controlled There they would be offloaded by organised crime groups according to the CPS It was exposed when they failed to divert one container which instead went to a farm in Somerset in April 2022 The farmer found plastic covered blocks of cocaine with a street value of 15 million pounds hidden amongst animal feed from Colombia The three consignments of smuggled cigarettes came hidden alongside Bombay mix snacks from Mumbai coconut fibre used to manufacture doormats from Sri Lanka and biscuits from Chennai The drugs and cigarettes were seized on different dates at ports including Portsmouth Felixstowe and London Gateway When police searched Bhardwajs home in Hounslow west London they found a 1 kg packet of cannabis in a cupboard under the stairs valued at 10000 pounds He claimed it had fallen out of a shipment while it was being unloaded and he was keeping it as evidence He did not know what it contained and was going to inform the police but never did Bhardwaj also refused to disclose the PIN number to one of his mobile phones Tripathi was convicted of three counts importing cocaine importing cannabis and evading duty payable on cigarettes Bhardwaj was convicted of the same counts as Tripathi but received a slightly different sentence of 19 years He was also sentenced on two further counts possession of cannabis one year and failing to disclose a PIN number to a mobile phone one year IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/2-indian-origin-men-jailed-for-34-years-in-uk-for-drug-smuggling-498908.html Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/congressional-hindu-caucus-in-118th-congress-announced-498913.html Washington Dec 20 US lawmakers Pete Sessions and Elise Stefanik have announced the inauguration of the Congressional Hindu Caucus in the 118th Congress The Caucus under the chairmanship of Congressman Sessions and Chairwoman Stefanik is dedicated to representing the values that are significant to the HinduAmerican community The inauguration of the Congressional Hindu Caucus marks a significant step towards recognising and amplifying the voice of the HinduAmerican community in our nations capitol Congressman Sessions said in a statement We are committed to addressing their concerns celebrating their contributions and ensuring their perspectives are heard at the highest levels of government he added Originally established during the 115th Congress the caucus continues its pivotal role in forging a vital connection between the HinduAmerican community and policymakers in Washington DC It advocates for free enterprise limited government fiscal discipline strong family values and a robust foreign policy stance against authoritarian regimes according to the lawmakers This proactive approach not only strengthens the HinduAmerican presence in Washington but also enhances its influence in shaping a more representative and diverse nation a release from Sessions office stated Embodying a diverse coalition the Caucus represents Hindus from various countries including India Nepal Sri Lanka Indonesia Bangladesh Bhutan Pakistan Afghanistan the UK and the Netherlands It also includes members of other faiths with Indian origins such as Sikhs Jains and Buddhists In addition to Congressman Sessions and Chairwoman Stefanik the Caucus includes members like Congressman Andy Biggs among others who are dedicated to advancing the Caucuss mission IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/congressional-hindu-caucus-in-118th-congress-announced-498913.html Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-doc-accused-of-molesting-woman-acquitted-in-singapore-498923.html Singapore Dec 20 A 35yearold Indianorigin doctor accused of molesting a woman in Singapore earlier this year has been acquitted after paying compensation to the victim Dheeraj Prem Khiatani was given a discharge amounting to an acquittal after he had the matter compounded in a district court on December 18 The Straits Times newspaper reported Compounding an offence means an alleged victim and the accused are allowed to settle the matter without entering a conviction Usually the accused issues a public apology and pays a monetary compensation to the victim Causing hurt outrage of modesty are some of the offences that can be compounded under Singapore law Khiatani now cannot be charged again over the same offence but before agreeing to the terms the public prosecutor will need to consider the public interest circumstances of the offence and whether there are any aggravating factors In a statement to The Straits Times on Monday the AttorneyGenerals Chambers AGC said Khiatani had sought to compound the offence in lieu of prosecution The victim accepted the terms offered by the accused person Having reviewed the facts and circumstances of the case as well as the victims agreement the prosecution decided to accede to the request to have the matter compounded a spokesman for the AGC said Details about the compensation terms were not disclosed by the spokesperson Khiatani was accused of molesting a woman at a Marina Bay Sands lounge on June 25 this year The Singapore Medical Councils database shows that he practises at The Integrative Medical Centre by The Iron Suites in River Valley Road Offenders convicted of molestation can be jailed for up to three years fined caned or receive any combination of such punishments IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-doc-accused-of-molesting-woman-acquitted-in-singapore-498923.html Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/haley-top-republican-alternative-to-trump-in-new-hampshire-poll-498523.html Washington Dec 19 IndianAmerican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley has emerged as the top alternative to former US President Donald Trump among Republican voters in the state of New Hampshire according to a new poll While Trump still leads in the Granite State the former South Carolina Governor has consolidated much of the nonTrump vote the latest CBS NewsYouGov poll found Twentynine per cent of the likely Republican primary voters said they would vote for Haley 15 per cent behind Trump Eleven per cent said they would vote for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and 10 per cent said they would vote for former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie No other candidate received more than 10 per cent Haley gets the best marks on being seen as likable and reasonable and she runs nearly even with Trump on being prepared notable considering he held the presidency the poll said A little more than half of the voters said Trump would definitely beat President Joe Biden while for Haley it was 32 per cent The poll conducted between December 8 15 on a representative sample of 855 registered voters in New Hampshire also gauged how the Republican voters in the state felt toward each candidate Haley is overwhelmingly seen as the most likable receiving 55 per cent of the vote and DeSantis falls in second holding 37 per cent of the vote Trump and IndianAmerican entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are on the third position holding 36 per cent of the vote A majority of voters also said Haley is the most reasonable of the candidates 51 per cent voted for her while 37 per cent said DeSantis was the most reasonable Trump was next in line with 36 per cent votes According to the poll 54 per cent felt that Trump is the most prepared and Haley just fell one per cent short While Haley doesnt think her former boss is the right person to be president at the moment nearly 70 per cent saw Trump as a strong leader while for Haley it was 41 per cent Trump has also consolidated his already commanding lead in Iowa with nearly all the Republican voters in the state saying that things were better when he was President Trumps backers in Iowa were also the most firm in their choice as most described their support as very strong Ive decided the CBS poll said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/haley-top-republican-alternative-to-trump-in-new-hampshire-poll-498523.html Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/you-are-india-you-are-the-very-worst-kind-cabbie-fined-for-racial-insults-in-singapore-498798.html Singapore Dec 19 A cab driver in Singapore has been fined SG3000 for hurling racist insults at a passenger in September following an argument over the dropoff location In a video filmed by the passenger and posted on social media driver Peh Boon Hua 54 is heard shouting You are Indian Im a Chinese You are the very worst kind Hua pleaded guilty last week to one count of using insulting words causing distress under the Protection from Harassment Act The Straits Times newspaper reported According to court documents the 46yearold passenger of Eurasian descent was travelling in a Tada cab with her nineyearold daughter to Pasir Ris Drive 6 at around 2 pm on September 23 An argument about the dropoff location ensued between Hua and the victim before he made a Uturn and drove towards Pasir Ris Street 12 As the victim started recording the argument on her phone Hua got angry and shouted You are India India ah I am Chinese okay you are India I am a Chinese you are the very worst worst worst customer The passenger informed him that she was in fact Singaporean Eurasian and not Indian She also told him he was being racist Hua then raised his voice and replied I know you India I am Chinese you try to be funny with me Deputy Public Prosecutor Sheldon Lim said The overtly racial nature of the accuseds insults is unacceptable and cannot be disregarded There is no place for such language or sentiment in Singapore and any sentence imposed on the accused must sufficiently deter him and others from repeating this mistake in the future Lim noted that Hua had no prior criminal record and had demonstrated remorse by pleading guilty early the news report said In addition Tada Huas cab company also suspended him in the wake of the videos circulating on social media In response to queries from The Straits Times Tada said Hua is permanently barred from working with the company as a driver The drivers remarks that insinuated racial differences are completely unacceptable within Tadas community guidelines and ethos the company said IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/you-are-india-you-are-the-very-worst-kind-cabbie-fined-for-racial-insults-in-singapore-498798.html Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-ashwin-ramaswami-announces-run-for-georgia-state-senate-498603.html Washington Dec 19 IndianAmerican software engineer Ashwin Ramaswami has announced his run as a Democrat from the US state of Georgia seeking to represent Senate District 48 If elected Ramaswami will become the first IndianAmerican in the Georgia state Senate first Gen Z member and the only state senator with a computer science and a law degree Im excited to announce my campaign for GA State Senate District 48 I am committed to bringing inclusive informed and forwardthinking leadership to our State Senate Ramaswami posted on X announcing his run I have worked to make positive change in my community through nonprofits religious communities technology startups and law and policy Its time for me to pay it forward and help advocate for the futures of young people and everyone in our community his campaign statement read Ramaswami will be fighting to lower costs for all families increase economic and business opportunity expand healthcare access and preserve protect and defend democratic institutions for Georgians His announcement follows the indictment of the incumbent Republican State Senator Shawn Still for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results I am running in the Democratic party against an incumbent who got indicted for trying to overturn the 2020 election results It is important to have people in public office with integrity and who serve the community first the secondgeneration immigrant said on X According to his campaign website Ramaswami has over seven years of experience working to build tech startups and has worked in the federal government on cybersecurity for three years He established and managed a cybersecurity program for state and local election officials while at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency CISA supporting election security efforts for both the 2020 and 2022 elections He worked with states across the country including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office to flag and fix election security problems A devout Hindu Ramaswami began teaching classes at Chinmaya Mission for middle and high schoolers about Hindu philosophy and culture including the Bhagavad Gita At Georgetown he founded the Dharmic Law Student Organization programs for Buddhist Hindu Sikh and Jain students and helped raise 100000 to establish an endowment Currently he runs a consulting company around software architecture technology law and policy and has attended Georgia Tech Stanford University and Georgetown University Law Center IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-ashwin-ramaswami-announces-run-for-georgia-state-senate-498603.html Tue, 19 Dec 2023 12:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/anti-israel-protesters-scream-silence-is-violence-outside-indian-american-congressmans-home-498627.html Washington Dec 19 ProPalestinian supporters gathered outside the home of IndianAmerican Congressman Shri Thanedar in the middle of the night slamming his support for Israel in its war with Hamas that has left thousands dead This is my home at 3 AM Sunday night Thanedar wrote on X and shared a video showing a protestor waving keffiyeh a chequered black and white scarf worn by Palestinians Amidst blaring car horns a protester can be heard shouting you are complicit in the bombing of Gaza Your silence is violence Your silence is abhorrent and we will not let you sleep There will be a price to pay Another protester in the video is seen holding a placard that read 20000 Gazans dead Wake the fk up Shri The video shared by Thanedar was posted on X platform by Huwaida Arraf a PalestinianAmerican humancivil rights attorney and activist according to her X bio Along with the video Arraf wrote the message Detroit constituents of Rep Shri Thanedar visited his house in the middle of the night to get him to WakeTheFUp about the ongoing genocide in Palestine that hes supporting If Gazas children cant sleep from the USsupplied bombs Israel is dropping and babies are being blown to bits no enabler should be allowed to sleep she wrote A staunch supporter of Israel Thanedar had called for the elimination of Palestinian militant group Hamas from the face of the earth saying that they are just barbaric terrorists I condemn these violent attacks against the Jewish people and the state of Israel The calculated aggression targeting innocent civilians is heartbreaking and cannot be tolerated America stands firmly with Israel Thanedar had said as Hamas launched the massive attack on southern Israel on October 7 He also urged the Congress to rally behind Israel until the threat is addressed and security is restored Nearly 20000 Palestinians have been killed with 70 per cent of them women and children according to the territorys health officials According to human rights advocates and aid groups a vast majority of Gazas 22 million people are displaced and an estimated half face starvation Israeli military officials say 118 soldiers have been killed during the countrys ground invasion in Gaza which came after 1200 people were killed and about 240 hostages were captured by Hamas on October 7 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/anti-israel-protesters-scream-silence-is-violence-outside-indian-american-congressmans-home-498627.html Tue, 19 Dec 2023 13:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-sentenced-for-assaulting-three-women-in-new-zealand-498188.html Wellington Dec 18 A 67yearold Indian national who assaulted three women on a beach in New Zealand on the pretext of taking photographs with them was ordered to pay NZ3000 to his victims on Monday Jawahar Singh had previously pleaded guilty to three charges of indecent assault and one charge of an indecent act relating to three incidents at the Tahunanui beach in Nelson news website Stuffconz reported At the Nelson District Court on Monday Judge Jo Rielly said Singh has brought shame upon himself and upon his son who he had been visiting in New Zealand Singh was convicted and sentenced to pay NZ1000 in emotional harm reparations to each of his three victims the website reported According to the police summary of facts provided to Stuff on September 28 a woman was walking her dog along the beach at around 915 am when Singh approached her for a photograph with him When the woman took Singhs phone to photograph him he moved next to her put his arm around her shoulders and put his hand close to her back despite being warned by the victim the website reported On September 30 he approached the second victim on the beach at 845 am requesting a selfie with her After taking a picture with her Singh grabbed the victims thigh and asked for a kiss the report said While the second victim managed to get away from Singh he accosted the third victim on October 1 who was collecting rubbish along the beach The woman pushed Singh away and said he could take a selfie with one arm around her He then tried to kiss the victim putting his arm down her back when she escaped and hid in the bushes During interrogation Singh told police that he met females at the beach but didnt speak to them During the sentencing Judge Rielly said the women were affected to varying degrees and were left feeling angry rattled and scared For one it has significantly impacted their feeling of safety in the community the Stuff quoted Rielly as saying Singhs lawyer Tony Bamford presented a letter at the court confirming the 190 hours of community work he had undertaken at an animal welfare organisation in New Zealand Rielly said Singhs son had organised counselling for him on his return to India and that he accepted it was no longer appropriate for his father to remain in New Zealand Singh who is supposed to leave for India on Tuesday was given credit for his remorse his community work and for his early guilty plea The judge accepted that he was remorseful after having read carefully worded letters of apology to each of the three victims IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-national-sentenced-for-assaulting-three-women-in-new-zealand-498188.html Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-pleads-guilty-to-threatening-jewish-organisation-in-ny-498258.html New York Dec 18 A 21yearold Indianorigin man has pleaded guilty to leaving a threatening voicemail targeting a Jewish organisation in New York Deep Alpesh Kumar Patel a resident of Sarasota city in Florida faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison if convicted US Attorney Roger B Handberg announced last week He was arrested and charged last month for transmitting an interstate threat to injure According to the plea agreement on October 21 Patelhad left a threatening voicemail at the World Jewish Congress in New York City in which he identified himself by name Screaming numerous expletives he said If I had a chance I would kill every single one of you Israelis Every single one of you Cause mass genocide of every single Israeli Patel also admitted that he had called a synagogue in Temple Terrace Florida the same day and left another expletiveladen voicemail threatening to close it down He agreed to a special finding that he intentionally selected Jewish andor Israeli individuals as the objects of his threat based on their actual or perceived race religion national origin or ethnicity When law enforcement officials visited Patel at his home October 24 he confirmed making the phone call to the World Jewish Congress but denied threatening anyone While Patels sentencing date is yet to be set his case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-american-pleads-guilty-to-threatening-jewish-organisation-in-ny-498258.html Mon, 18 Dec 2023 15:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-ramaswamy-participates-in-over-40-campaign-stops-in-a-week-498094.html Washington Dec 18 IndianAmerican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy participated in 42 campaign stops last week more than any other 2024 candidate According to the USA Today newspaper the 38yearold biotech entrepreneur hopes to keep up his rigorous timetable hitting 38 events this week At a campaign stop in Iowa on Friday Vivek acknowledged that there is a logistically grueling element to his schedule but the energy of the crowds in the state is keeping him motivated The Yale Law School graduate with a net worth of about 630 million said the formula that works for him is WORK and it all stems from a lesson learned from his parents Heres how you spell luck WORK Ramaswamy said Its always been a formula that has worked for me in my life and be it in my academic background be it as a student be it in my career as a businessman and now on this journey he told USA Today Anson Frericks who cofounded the company Strive Asset Management with Ramaswamy early last year told USA TODAY theres no time for rest in the latters schedule Theres no one that Ive ever met that gets up in the morning works out while hes taking phone calls said Frericks whos known Ramaswamy since high school Ramaswamy worked 16 hours per day at Strive Frericks said and that work ethic culture permeated throughout the organisation He is running fourth nationally in the aggregation of polls by RealClear Politics which shows him with five per cent support in Republican primaries In the New Hampshire state primary RealClear Politics places him fifth with seven per cent On January 23 that state will be the second to hold intraparty elections for the Republican Party nomination which can enable it and Iowa which will be the first on January 15 to influence the primaries that follow in determining who stays on in the race where former President Donald Trump holds an overwhelming lead Im confident thats going to be the right way to get elected not being insulated from the people who are representing but in many ways being responsive to the people were representing he told USA Today Id rather spend time with these caucusgoers and Pizza Ranches across the state rather than being a cloistered mega donor retreat he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/vivek-ramaswamy-participates-in-over-40-campaign-stops-in-a-week-498094.html Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/taxi-driver-sentenced-for-hitting-injuring-indian-origin-worker-in-singapore-498376.html Singapore Dec 18 A taxi driver was on Monday sentenced to two months in jail for falling asleep at the wheel and hitting an Indianorigin man who was carrying out road works in Singapore Ong Boon Leong 64 pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt to Madhavan Naveen Kumar 25 and for driving without due care and attention The Straits Times reported He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for five years from his date of release Madhavan who suffered multiple injuries including a fracture on his skull and bleeding in his brain was warded for 14 days and had to go on more than 100 days of medical leave According to the news report Ong was driving along Queensway towards Portsdown Avenue on September 14 2022 when he dozed off just before 2 am The vehicle then struck Madhavan who was carrying out road works For causing grievous hurt to another person by driving without due care and attention an offender can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to SG5000 IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/taxi-driver-sentenced-for-hitting-injuring-indian-origin-worker-in-singapore-498376.html Mon, 18 Dec 2023 18:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/drunk-indo-canadian-man-crashes-car-in-us-with-four-month-old-baby-inside-498422.html Toronto Dec 18 A 30yearold IndoCanadian has been charged in the US state of Florida for driving drunk and crashing his vehicle with his fourmonthold daughter inside Peeyush Gupta a resident of Ontario province was taken into custody last week and remains behind bars in Monroe Countys Key West jail facility He faces two felony child neglect charges in addition to a misdemeanor DUI Driving under the influence charge according to Miamibased WPLG news channel The Monroe County Sheriffs Office said it received a call on December 12 for a driver who crashed a red vehicle into a concrete wall on the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys However he continued to drive speeding up and slowing down before stopping at a gas station the police said When he drove away from the gas station the deputies followed the vehicle swerving from side to side and following other vehicles too closely leading them to pull over the driver According to the arrest report the deputies saw Guptas wife who was also drunk and his wailing child inside the vehicle Gupta who smelled of alcohol told deputies he was coming from Canada then Miami then Key West where he downed a pitcher of Budweiser within five minutes While Gupta was taken into custody after he failed sobriety tests the wife told the deputies that the baby was crying as she was hungry The wife added that they were planning on driving from Key West to Miami to get food for the baby Deputies wrote in their report that they arrested Gupta on charges of child neglect without great bodily harm based on his impaired driving and not having food for the infant Authorities said they notified the Florida Department of Children and Families IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/drunk-indo-canadian-man-crashes-car-in-us-with-four-month-old-baby-inside-498422.html Mon, 18 Dec 2023 19:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaishankars-help-sought-as-indian-student-goes-missing-in-uk-497754.html New Delhi Dec 17 A BJP leader has sought External Affairs Minister S Jaishankars help for an Indian student who has been missing from East London since December 15 Gurashman Singh Bhatia is a student of Loughborough University and has been missing since December 15 BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa informed on X on Saturday Bhatia was last seen in Canary Wharf East London according to Sirsa who also urged Loughborough University and the Indian High Commission to locate him GS Bhatia a student of Loughborough University has been missing since December 15 Last seen in Canary Wharf East London Bringing to the kind attention of DrSJaishankar Ji We urge lborouniversity amp HCILondon to join efforts in locating him Your assistance is crucial Please share and spread the word Sirsa wrote on X Anyone with information has been asked to contact on the following numbers 917841000005 or 447387431258 Bhatia was issued a twoyear UK residence permit which was valid until June 2 2024 He was a postgraduate student according to his university identity card posted on social media by Sirsa Located in Leicestershire England Loughborough University has around 18000 international students from over 130 countries according to its website IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/jaishankars-help-sought-as-indian-student-goes-missing-in-uk-497754.html Sun, 17 Dec 2023 08:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/bangladesh-war-of-liberation-is-bedrock-of-our-ties-ambassador-verma-497867.html Dhaka Dec 17 Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pranay Verma on Sunday said that the 1971 Liberation War remains the bedrock for ties between Bangladesh and India which epitomises closeness shared by the two nations It is time for us to cherish our friendship and reiterate the commitment to preserve and promote the spirit of 1971 which remains the bedrock of our ties the High Commissioner said while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines inaugural flight from Dhaka to Chennai at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka He said that shared sacrifices for Bangladeshs freedom stand testimony to the timetested friendship between Delhi and Dhaka He said that India stands ready to walk together with Bangladesh in realising its vision of a stable progressive and prosperous nation As nations whose destinies are as connected as our geographies and historical roots we are today at the cusp of realising the promise of a Sonali Adhyay golden chapter in our ties the Ambassador said He said that the level and scope of partnership and the engagement between Bangladesh and India has grown at a rapid pace in recent years and connectivity has been one of the major manifestations of this transformation in the relationship In terms of air connectivity alone there are more than 120 flights linking Dhaka with five major Indian cities on a weekly basis besides a Delhi flight linking Chattogram with Kolkata the Ambassador said He said that during the last financial year India has issued over 15 lakh visas to Bangladeshi citizens visiting India while the number is going to be surpassed this year We do indeed want this number to grow because we believe that peopletopeople relations are what makes our relationship special he said He said that the Indian High Commission in Dhaka is constantly endeavouring to improve its resources to better handle the huge volume of visa requests from Bangladeshi nationals The new transport links which are being constantly added to enhance our crossborder linkages and the rising number of our people travelling to each others countries reflect a new era of our growing engagement and a new momentum in our peopletopeople relations he said State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali inaugurated the flight of the national flag carrier virtually as the chief while Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim gave the welcome speech The inaugural flight operated by Boeing 737 carrying 161 passengers took off from Dhakas Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport HSIA at 1250 pm local time and is scheduled to reach Chennai International Airport in India at 320 pm local time IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/bangladesh-war-of-liberation-is-bedrock-of-our-ties-ambassador-verma-497867.html Sun, 17 Dec 2023 13:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/plot-to-kill-biden-admin-briefs-indian-american-lawmakers-on-nikhil-gupta-497477.html Washington Dec 16 IndianAmerican Congressmen were briefed by US President Joe Bidens administrationon the indictment of Indian national Nikhil Gupta allegedly involved in a foiled bid to kill a Sikh separatist leader in the US Releasing a statement the five lawmakers Ami Bera Shri Thanedar Raja Krishnamoorthi Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna appreciated the administrations move in providing them a classified briefing on Guptas indictment We appreciate the Administration providing us a classified briefing on the Department of Justices indictment of Nikhil Gupta which alleges that an Indian government official engaged in a murderforhire plot of an American citizen they said in the statement As members of Congress the safety and wellbeing of our constituents is our most important priority The allegations made in the indictment are deeply concerning The lawmakers also welcomed Indias efforts in announcing a Committee of Enquiry to fully investigate the murder plot it is critical that India fully investigate hold those responsible including Indian government officials accountable and provide assurances that this will not happen again they said New Delhi had reacted to the US indictment of an Indian individual in a plottokill charge and said it is a matter of concern and also contrary to the government policy The lawmakers further said that failing to address the matter appropriately is likely to cause a dent in the bilateral relations that have strengthened over the years We believe the USIndia partnership has made a meaningful impact on the lives of both of our people but we are concerned that the actions outlined in the indictment could if not appropriately addressed cause significant damage to this very consequential partnership the statement said US prosecutors have announced murderforhire charges against 52yearold Gupta for involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate US citizen Gurpatwant Singh Pannun allegedly on behalf of an Indian government employee New Yorkbased Pannun who was not named in the indictment is a designated terrorist in India and the legal counsel of banned Khalistan group Sikhs For Justice Gupta incarcerated in a prison in Prague was arrested by Czech authorities on June 30 in response to a request by the US under an extradition treaty He faces a 20year jail term if convicted of the murderforhire and conspiracy charges The US has also accused an Indian government employee whose identity has been withheld at this time IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/plot-to-kill-biden-admin-briefs-indian-american-lawmakers-on-nikhil-gupta-497477.html Sat, 16 Dec 2023 09:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-mps-raise-concerns-over-indian-origin-samir-shah-as-bbc-chair-report-497506.html London Dec 16 A crossparty group of British MPs have expressed concerns over the appointment of Indianorigin TV executive Samir Shah as the next BBC chair according to a media report The 71yearold will be in charge of upholding and protecting the BBCs independence and ensuring the broadcaster fulfils its mission to inform educate and entertain Ahead of his formal appointment Shah appeared in front of a House of Commons Culture Media and Sport Select committee on Wednesday the BBC News reported While the committee agreed that Shah was appointable as chair they questioned whether he had the necessary strength and character to challenge BBC executives We were disappointed that Dr Shah was not willing to express a view on fundamental principles such as board level interference in the BBC and other bodies and on political impartiality the MPs report said The report added that Shah did not sufficiently demonstrate the strength and character that is needed to challenge the executive leadership of the BBC The MPs said they had serious reservations about his willingness to offer his opinions and insight on some of the most fundamental issues facing the corporation At the committee hearing Shah was asked about his opinion of allegations that a BBC board member had attempted to interfere in editorial matters Although the BBC is politically independent its Chairperson is appointed by the government The House of Commons Committee is allowed to question candidate for the top BBC post and it operates separately from the government Shah will succeed Richard Sharp if the government goes ahead with his appointment Sharp resigned earlier this year after breaking rules over dealings with then Prime Minister Boris Johnson ahead of his appointment Shah has worked in TV for more than 40 years starting at London Weekend Television in 1979 BBC reported Since then he has held positions as the BBCs head of television current affairs and later went on to head the corporations political journalism across radio and television In 2007 he was appointed as a nonexecutive director on the BBC Board Shah is currently chief executive of Juniper an independent production company which supplies programmes to the BBC as well as other organisations including Channel 4 Netflix and National Geographic IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/uk-mps-raise-concerns-over-indian-origin-samir-shah-as-bbc-chair-report-497506.html Sat, 16 Dec 2023 11:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-hotel-owners-arrested-in-us-for-hiding-fugitives-497286.html New York Dec 15 Two Indianorigin hotel owners have been arrested in the US state of Tennessee for allegedly lying to the police about the whereabouts of fugitives whom they hid inside their building Dakshaben Patel and Harshil Patel who own the Super 8 and Mountain Inn in Monteagle were each charged with felony on Wednesday for making false reports to police officers during an investigation on July 18 Fox News reported The Monteagle Police Department said their officers had been conducting surveillance on the rear of the hotel due to high drug transition in the area They spotted two individuals on the balcony and identified them as having felony warrants out of Franklin County Officers chased the wanted suspects on foot and quickly took them into custody After interrogation investigators found that the hotel had a hide out room on the corner of the building and determined that was where the fugitives had been living police said Both Patel subjects had been advised multiple times about the wanted suspects and had lied to officers about their residence at the hotel the department said in a release IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-hotel-owners-arrested-in-us-for-hiding-fugitives-497286.html Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-ex-airline-representative-admits-role-in-bribery-conspiracy-497364.html New York Dec 15 An Indianorigin former airline corporate real estate director and two other coconspirators admitted accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from a company in exchange for helping it obtain contracts from the airline New Jersey residents Alok Saksena 45 Anthony Rosalli 44 and Lovella Rogan 48 each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud at the Trenton federal court recently The defendants compromised their positions by accepting bribes in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of home renovations electronics and jewelry Commercial bribery of this kind corrupts the fairness of our economic system US Attorney Philip R Sellinger said According to documents filed in this case the three held positions with the airline that enabled them to influence which companies the airline would award certain contracts to at Newark Liberty International Airport Newark Airport According to local media reports they were employed with the United Airlines The defendants conspired to receive bribes and kickbacks from a company that provided maintenance and construction services in exchange for helping that company obtain lucrative airline contracts at Newark Airport In September 2021 the maintenance and construction company bid on a contract to renovate restrooms at Newark Airport The defendants sat on the selection committee and each of them voted to award the contract to the company In exchange for the defendants help in obtaining the contract and with the expectation that they would use their positions to help the company obtain future contracts the company agreed to pay for significant renovations at the defendants personal residences This included renovating and building bathrooms renovating a deck installing floors and sheetrock and renovating a kitchen The company gave the defendants valuable items including electronics and jewellery The total value of the bribes paid was approximately 539000 to Saksena approximately 276000 to Rosalli and approximately 409000 to Rogan The defendants also conspired with an employee of the maintenance and construction company to fraudulently inflate change orders which amended the contracts scope of work to recoup some of the bribe costs With the defendants knowledge and consent the company submitted change orders which contained fraudulently high numbers to obtain money not legitimately earned by the company so that the company could partially fund the bribe payments to the defendants The trio faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to 250000 Saksenas sentencing is scheduled for April 17 next year and for the other two it has been scheduled a day after IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/indian-origin-ex-airline-representative-admits-role-in-bribery-conspiracy-497364.html Fri, 15 Dec 2023 19:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/pio-accused-of-receiving-sexual-favours-from-men-in-return-for-stay-in-singapore-496669.html Singapore Dec 14 An Indianorigin Immigration and Checkpoints Authority ICA inspector is facing six charges of corruption in Singapore for obtaining sexual favours from six men in exchange for helping them with their shortterm visit pass applications Kannan Morice Rajagopal Jayaram 53 allegedly obtained favours from the men between 2022 and February 2023 The Straits Times reported on Thursday District Judge Brenda Tan said during the hearing that the prosecution is ready to take the accuseds plea of guilt if he wishes to take that course Defence lawyer Tan Wei Chieh said he has to take instructions from his client on how to proceed Kannan is out on SG30000 bail and his case will be heard again on January 11 2024 The ICA told The Straits Times that after it came to know about Kannas activities he was immediately reported to the relevant authorities for followup investigation We take a serious view of errant officers Our officers are expected to maintain a high standard of integrity and remain professional at all times Officers who break the law will be dealt with in accordance with the law the ICA said I f convicted Kannan can be fined up to SG100000 and jailed for up to five years for each offence IANS https://dailyworld.in/india-abroad/pio-accused-of-receiving-sexual-favours-from-men-in-return-for-stay-in-singapore-496669.html Thu, 14 Dec 2023 11:05:00 +0530