Trump picks Seema Verma to head Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services November 30, 2016 10:02
US President-elect Donald Trump nominated Indian-American (Dr) Seema Verma as the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in his administration. She is the second Indian-American woman picked by Republican Donald Trump to a top administration position. Mr. Trump put her in charge of a federal agency within the health department as part of a "dream team" which he said would transform America's healthcare system. Trump said in a statement, "I am pleased to nominate (Dr) Seema Verma to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services." On the same occasion Trump also nominated Congressman Tom Price as his Health and Human Services Secretary. "She has decades of experience advising on Medicare and Medicaid policy and helping states navigate our complicated systems. Together, Chairman Price and Seema Verma are the dream team that will transform our healthcare system for the benefit of all Americans," Trump said. "I am honored to be nominated by President-elect Trump today," said Verma, who met Trump in New York last week. "I look forward to helping him tackle our nation's daunting healthcare problems in a responsible and sustainable way," she said. Verma completed her Master's degree in Public Health, with a concentration in health policy and management from Johns Hopkins University, and received her Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences from the University of Maryland. The presidential transition team, said that, "Verma has extensive experience redesigning Medicaid programmes in several states. Verma is the architect of the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP), the nation's first consumer directed Medicaid programme under Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana and then-Governor Pence's HIP 2.0 waiver proposal." Also Read: Trump chooses Nikki Haley as US Ambassador to UN! Nandini
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Australia to build memorial in honour of Indian bus driver! November 26, 2016 10:27
A memorial will be set up in Australia to honour the Indian-origin bus driver who was brutally killed by a man in Brisbane last month triggering massive outrage among the Indian community in the country. According to the preliminary investigation by the Australian authorities, the probable cause behind the the horrific killing of 29-year-old Manmeet Sharma alias Alisher was the mental illness of the assailant. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said in response to a question in Rajya Sabha that, the Brisbane City Council has pledged to honour Manmeet by setting up a permanent memorial for him. He was a well-known singer in the Punjabi community. The Council also has set up a fund to support Manmeet's family to which an initial contribution of $10,000 each has been made by the Queensland Premier's Office and Lord Mayor's office. Manmeet was burnt to death on October 28. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised India's concern over the incident with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull. Singh said that, "Motive for the attack is still under investigation but preliminary interrogation has indicated mental illness of the assailant as the probable cause." India has called for a thorough investigation so that justice is delivered to the bereaved family, he said. Also Read: Modi takes up killing of Indian-origin bus driver with Australian PM! Nandini
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Indian philanthropist gives Rs 10 lakh to compatriot living on terrace in UAE! November 26, 2016 09:56
After media reported about the Indian jobless man, who has been living on the terrace of a commercial building in UAE for more than eight months without proper food, an Indian businessman from Oman has given Rs 10 lakh to help the compatriot. Indian businessman from Kerala Dr K T Mohammed Rabeeh Rabeeullah, chairman and managing director of a healthcare conglomerate, came from Muscat and handed over 5,000 dirham (Rs 93,272) to Rajan for immediate relief and also promised to transfer Rs 10 lakh to his bank account in India. "It is a big relief for me because my pocket is empty. I have not received any money for the past eight months and my travel back home seemed impossible," he said. Sajeev Rajan, an electrician in his early forties, belongs to Kollam in Kerala state of India, where his wife, two children and ageing parents live. According to the media reports, the man was left with no other option but to live on the terrace of a building in Ajman city after his employer had refused to return his passport after settling his dues. His company officials visited the Indian consulate and agreed to return his passport at the earliest. "The employer from Punjab, India, promises to return my passport in front of officials who mediate for my release, but once he leaves their office, he refuses to hand it over to me," Rajan said. Also Read: Jobless Indian lives on building's terrace for 8 months in UAE! Nandini
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Indian-American boy wins $100,000 in top US quiz show! November 24, 2016 10:44
An Indian-American student has won $100,000 in a top US quiz show 'Jeopardy! Teen tournament'. The Indian-origin teenager Sharath Narayan, a sophomore from Madison, Alabama, won the most coveted quiz show of the country after defeating Alex Fischthal and Michael Borecki, who came second and third, respectively in the competition. The "Jeopardy!" was hosted by long-time host Alex Trebek. The competition attracts 23 million viewers each week and is in its 33rd season. Sharath said after winning the award, that, "I'd still like to go on a trip to Europe with my family (maybe Italy or Germany), but the majority of it will probably go towards taxes and college tuition." "I'm definitely more confident since I won the tournament, and it has showed me that I can surprise myself and accomplish things that I never would have thought of," he said. Also Read: Trump chooses Nikki Haley as US Ambassador to UN! Nandini
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Jobless Indian lives on building's terrace for 8 months in UAE! November 23, 2016 12:32
A jobless Indian man was left to live on the terrace of a building in the UAE. The one-eyed nab from Kollam in Kerala has been living on terrace for more than eight months without proper food after his employer withheld his passport. Sajeev Rajan, an electrician in his early forties worked for a Sharjah-based construction company, was living on the terrace of a building in Ajman city after his employer also an Indian had refused to return his passport after settling his dues. Rajan said that, "Please send me home or I will die here... there is no money for food or room. I was living in the company accommodation for two years. My contract ended on March 11 and I wanted to go home. Working for 900 Dirham (Rs 16,761) per month did not meet my expectations," he said. "When my boss refused to settle my dues and release my passport, I went to the Sharjah immigration department with a complaint. Afterwards, my boss has been trying to delay the process. He is not abiding by the court order. He also filed an absconding case against me even though I had not absconded," he said. According to the media reports, he has approached the labour court "several times", the Indian Consulate, community associations and others "but nobody could help me". "The employer from Punjab, India, promises to return my passport in front of officials who mediate for my release, but once he leaves their office, he refuses to hand it over to me," he said. Also Read: Government received over 62,000 complaints from Indians working abroad Nandini
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Government received over 62,000 complaints from Indians working abroad! November 21, 2016 12:16
The government received more than 62,000 complaints regarding wage related issues, violation of contractual terms and adverse working conditions from Indians working in Gulf and some other countries in the last four years. Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar placed the data before Rajya Sabha while answering a question on complaints reported in Indian missions by Indians in the Middle East. According to the minister, the government received a total of 13,132 complaints from Indians working in Middle East and some other Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries. The figure in 2014 and 2015 was 17,801 and 16,390. Akbar said that, "However, complaints are received from Indian emigrants in ECR countries, from time to time, regarding violation of contractual terms, adverse working conditions, wage related issues, employer related problems, medical and insurance related problems and compensation/death claims." Also Read: Record 25 per cent rise in number of Indian students in US! Nandini
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India is incredibly important for me: Pramila Jayapal November 17, 2016 11:00
The first ever Indian-American woman to be elected to the US House of Representatives, Pramila Jayapal described India as "incredibly important" citing there is a lot to be done to make sure the United States continues to support India on everything from poverty to clean energy. The 51 year old Jayapal was elected from the Seventh Congressional District of Washington State to the US House of Representatives. She is the first Indian-American woman to be ever elected to the House. PTI reported, Jayapal said that, "I think India is not only incredibly important to me not only because I was actually born in India. I am very deeply tied with India. My parents still live in India. They live in Bangalore. My son was born in India. For me the relationship between the United States and India is not only a political relationship, but also a personal relationship. It is actually what I live every day." "That is going to require that we put resources to it. It is going to require that we strengthen our diplomatic relationship. And it is going to mean that we continue to advocate for democracy in the bigger sense of the word that includes religious freedom and tolerance in both India and the US," Jayapal said. "I come from the land of Gandhi. Believe that war should be our last option and not our first. The duos US and India have some work to do where we go on that front," she added. "The priorities that I ran on and that I remain deeply committed to includes free college, really making college affordable, raising the minimum wage and providing economic opportunities to working people," she said. "We have to be absolutely ready to take on any behaviour, rhetoric or legislation that attacks our constitution and civil rights that is against Muslim Americans, whether it is against undocumented immigrants or whether it is against the LGBTQ movement. I feel my first priority is to make sure I never back down from a necessary fight," Pramila said. Also Read: Trump shortlisted Indian-origin Amul Thapar for Supreme Court judge Nandini
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Nikki Haley to meet Trump, considered for Secretary’s post November 17, 2016 10:52
The two-term Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley will meet US President-elect Donald Trump, the presidential transition team said. The 44-year-old Haley is being considered for a cabinet position, particularly for the post of Secretary of State. The spokesman for the transition team, Sean Spicer Indian-American Haley as one of the candidates Mr. Trump expected to be meeting. Among others the president-elect will be meeting Gen (rtd) Jack Keane, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Ken Blackwell and Admiral Mike Rogers. Ms. Haley is the second Indian-American name being floated for a Cabinet position in the Trump Administration. Former Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal is also appearing in many short lists of potential Cabinet names. The South Carolina Lt Governor Henry McMaster, said that, “It would be like how Mr Trump is bringing fresh eyes to running our government.” College of Charleston political scientist Kendra Stewart, said that, “Secretary of state is going to be a bit of a stretch for Haley’s area of expertise. Haley has yet to be vetted about foreign policy, trade and protectionism.” Ms. Haley had supported Florida Senator Marco Rubio during the primaries and was also critical of Mr. Trump in her Republican response to the State of the Union Address by US President Barack Obama in January. Also Read: Indra Nooyi: Pepsi workers worried about safety after Trump's win Nandini
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Indra Nooyi: Pepsi workers worried about safety after Trump's win November 16, 2016 16:42
US President-elect Donald Trump's supporters have attacked Indra Nooyi, the Chief Executive Officer of the PepsiCo after she said, her employees are worried about their safety after Trump election for president. Indian-American Nooyi, who is a staunch Hillary Clinton supporter, said that, the Democrat candidate’s loss has left her daughters and PepsiCo’s workers devastated. Nooyi joked “Do you have a box of tissues here?”, when asked how she felt after the results. Nooyi said while speaking at the New York Times Dealbook Conference a day after the election results, “I had to answer a lot of questions from my daughters, from our employees. They were all in mourning. Our employees were all crying. The question that they are asking, especially those who are not white ‘Are we safe’, women are asking ‘Are we safe’, LGBT people are asking ‘Are we safe’,” Nooyi said . Regarding the Trump's comment about women, Nooyi said, “Forget about the Pepsi brand. How dare you talk about women that way.” “The process of democracy happened, we just have to let life go on. We have to come together and life has to go on,” she said. Also Read: Trump shortlisted Indian-origin Amul Thapar for Supreme Court judge Nandini
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Trump shortlisted Indian-origin Amul Thapar for Supreme Court judge November 15, 2016 13:06
US President-elect Donald Trump picked for the Supreme Court judge includes Indian-American Amul Thapar. His name was figured in the Trump's second list of individuals to be considered for the nomination of a Supreme Court judge. They announced the list on September 23. At present, Thapar is serving as the US District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Another minority candidate to be shortlisted is 64 years old Venezuelan-born Federico Moreno, who hold the position of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The Trump Campaign said that, "He has taught law students at the University of Cincinnati and Georgetown. Thapar has served as an Assistant US Attorney in Washington and the Southern District of Ohio." Trump had said in September while releasing the list that, "This list is definitive and I will choose Justices of the United States Supreme Court only from it." "I would like to thank the Federalist Society, the Heritage Foundation and many other individuals who helped in composing this list of twenty-one highly respected people who are the kind of scholars that we need to preserve the very core of our country and make it greater than ever before," he said. Thapar was born in 1969 in Detroid, Michigan. He was nominated by George W Bush to a seat vacated by Joseph M Hood on May 24, 2007. On December 13, 2007, he was confirmed by the Senate and received commission on January 4, 2008. Also Read: Indian-American Kamala Harris to take on Donald Trump's Immigration Policies! Nandini
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Record 25 per cent rise in number of Indian students in US! November 15, 2016 11:21
A recent report shows that, a record 165,918 Indians students were pursuing study in the United States during academic year 2015-16, which is a rise of 25 per cent over the previous academic year. With this rise, India has became the second leading country of origin among international students in the USA. According to the 2016 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, "It was the highest absolute rise of students ever and followed the previous year's record growth." According to the new report, "The number of international students at US universities and colleges surpassed one million for the first time during the 2015-16 academic year, a hike of seven per cent from the previous year to a new high of nearly 1,044,000, representing five per cent of the total student population at United States institutions." The Institute of International Education publish the Open Doors report in partnership with the US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, annually. "The new report indicates there were a record 165,918 students from India, a 25 per cent increase on the year before, making it the second leading country of origin among international students in the US," the report said. "In 2015-16, there were nearly 69,000 more international students in United States higher education compared to the previous year," it said. US Ambassador Richard Verma said that, "Higher education continues to be the bedrock of our people to people ties. More students from India studied in the United States than ever before at all levels and I am especially pleased to see the record back-to-back, year-on-year growth in student numbers." "With efforts such as our Passport to India initiative, we are also seeing the number of American students in India beginning to grow," he added. The report said, "India stands on 13 number among the top 25 destinations of US study abroad. The number of US students going to India to study for academic credit at their home university in the United States decreased by 3.2 per cent to 4,438, although this number has remained relatively flat across the last five years at 4,500." Also Read: No OCI card for people with military background! Nandini
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No OCI card for people with military background! November 14, 2016 14:50
The Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card will not be given to Indian origin persons with military background as a inter-ministerial committee recommended to the Indian Government that, any kind of act to grant OCI cards to such people will be against the interests of the country. The high-level committee's recommendation came after carefully examining the all aspects of granting OCI cards to people of Indian origin who had served the militaries of any foreign country. A senior government official privy to the development said that, "The committee felt that any person with military background should not have uninterrupted access to Indian territories. If such a person is granted OCI card, he or she could enter India without visa and the facility is offered for life." The decision came after the government received several applications of persons of Indian origin who had served in the armed forces of foreign countries. In January 2015, the government had declared that all Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders are deemed to be Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders. An OCI card holder gets benefits like life-long visa and exemption from appearing before the local police station on every visit. Also Read: NRIs in UK will get help to deposit banned notes: Indian envoy Nandini
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