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June 27, 2013

Indian Overseas Congress invites Khalistan supporters in USA and Canada for talks

Vancouver - Prime Minister Stephan Harper on his last trip to India, assured the India Govt., no terror activity will be allowed from the Canadian Soil, especially from Anti-India Lobby and organizations with the belief of creating a Territory within the borders of Punjab, India. Indian Overseas Congress has always opposed such NRI Organizations, individuals, but wish to take a Fresh approach to the mindset and Thoughts of Khalistan supporters.

IOC in the Summer meeting in Whistler, B.C., was advised by their Lawyer Heidi Vaughn, to invite such Organizations and individuals for a roundtable discussion to support the integrity of India and Punjab. IOC President Vikram Bajwa, agrees to hold theses talks, since the ” Freedom of Right of speech”, cannot be violated in Canada or United States and ” if we sitting at a roundtable with Khalistanis, can improve the political thoughts which promote goodwill and integrity of India, we’re most willing to hold such a conference”.

General Secretary Sunil Malhotra, sends an “Open Invitation”, to Khalistan Affairs Council, Dashmesh Darbar, Sikhs For Justice, World Sikh Council, Canadian Sikh Council, to agree to IOC Invitation and then a date and Time can be arranged, for the meeting, to be held in Seattle, Washington. USA. All Khalistan supporters can call 604-617-8711 in Canada and 415-573-5234 in USA, or log into www.indianoverseascongress.us, for their response. ” It is high time somebody talks openly about our thoughts”, said Harpal Sidhu, a Khalistani activist of Toronto.

Federation of India, also supports such an initiative to bring Unity among Sikh and Hindus, across Canada and United States, which has been divided and has no relevance in politics of Punjab, back home or here in Canada and USA.

Even though there is a Registered Sikh Political Party in England, but none of the NRI’s have contested any Election on the platform of Khalistan, ” let us burry this issue”, where Pakistan does not encourage undercover operations in Punjab India, said Mohinder Singh, retired Police Officer of Punjab

Nelson Mandela's condition improves

Nelson Mandela's condition has improved and he "remains critical but is now stable", South African officials said on Thursday.

President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela in hospital in Pretoria after abandoning a planned trip to a summit in Mozambique. Mandela's medical team advised him of a slight improvement in the former president's health.

"I cancelled my visit to Mozambique today so that I can see him and confer with the doctors," Zuma said. "He is much better today than he was when I saw him last night. The medical team continues to do a sterling job. We must pray for Tata's health and wish him well. We must also continue with our work and daily activities while Madiba remains hospitalised."

The presidency added that it was disturbed by rumours being spread about Mandela's health and appealed for his privacy to be respected.

Mandela's eldest daughter has given a rare insight into his condition and accused foreign journalists of behaving like vultures.

Makaziwe Mandela said Zuma's decision to scrap his travel plans showed that "anything is imminent. I can also state that God only knows when it is the time to go".

In an interview with the public broadcaster SABC, she said Mandela was still opening his eyes and still reactive to touch.

"We will live with hope until the final end comes. I don't want to lie. He doesn't look good. But he's still opening his eyes. He might be waning off, but he's still there. I think for us as his children and grandchildren, as long as he's still there, we want to give him the positive support, the positive energy."

Makaziwe also vented family frustration at the intense media scrutiny that has followed their every move.

"There is sort of a racist element with the foreign media, where they just cross boundaries," she said.

"You have no idea what is happening at the hospital. In the middle of Park Street they just stand. You can't even get into the hospital. Truly, like vultures, it is like they are waiting for the last carcasses. That is what we feel as a family."

It was understandable that journalists were interested in Mandela's health, she added, "but they are going overboard".

She contrasted the situation with the death of Margaret Thatcher earlier this year. "Is it just because we're an African country that they feel they don't have to respect this? I just think it's crass. If people think they really care about Nelson Mandela, they should respect that. Part of him should be respected, not everything of him should be out in the public."

Zuma visited Mandela at about 10pm on Wednesday and found he remained in a critical condition. Doctors "are still doing everything they can to ensure his wellbeing," the presidency said.

Officials did not deny claims that he was on a life-support machine. "Yes, he is using machines to breathe," Napilisi Mandela was quoted as saying in media reports after visiting the hospital on Wednesday. "It is bad, but what can we do?"

Mandela's grandchildren gathered up cards, flowers and stuffed animals outside the hospital on Thursday and took them inside. They gave thanks for the public's support.

Members of a South African Salvation Army choir prayed and sang outside the hospital and the African National Congress (ANC) youth league spoke about Mandela's achievements.

Hundreds of people from South Africa and around the continent and the world gathered at the site along with numerous international TV crews.

Mandela has already spent 20 days in the hospital with a recurring lung infection, his fourth admission in six months. Many South Africans appear to be slowly coming to terms with the prospect of losing the father of the nation.

The US president, Barack Obama, is due to arrive South Africa on Friday as part of a three-nation Africa tour he has already started in Senegal. Officials said it was too early to say whether Obama's schedule in Johannesburg and Cape Town on Saturday and Sunday might be affected by Mandela's worsening condition.

Meanwhile an Australian politician apologised on Thursday to South Africa's high commissioner for incorrectly announcing that Mandela had died.

The resources minister, Gary Gray, acknowledged he wrongly told guests attending a dinner at Parliament House on Wednesday that the anti-apartheid leader was dead. "I apologise unreservedly and am deeply sorry to have relayed what I thought was reliable advice," Gray said.

US assures India's concerns over proposed talks with Afghan Taliban

New Delhi, June 26
In a move to reassure India and assuage its concern over plans by the Barack Obama administration to open talks with the Taliban, Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins arrived in Delhi to discuss issues, including the “Afghan-led reconciliation process” initiated by Washington.

After visiting Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan over the course of four days, Dobbins today met Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai with another discussion scheduled with Prime Minister’s Special Envoy Satinder Lambah.

The decision to send Dobbins to New Delhi was announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday after he assured New Delhi that its apprehensions on the issue would neither be undermined nor overlooked.

Ahead of Kerry’s arrival in India on Sunday, India made it clear that any effort to resolve the problem in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led and nothing should be done that appeared to give either legitimacy to the insurgent group or show it on the same footing as the elected government there.

Secretary Kerry stated that the talks with the Taliban would be held not by the US but the Afghan High Peace Council and emphasised that the conditions for it had not been met. The conditions included respect for the Afghan Constitution, rights for women and minorities and no links with the Al-Qaida or violence.

A news report published in a Washington daily, however, said officials in the Obama administration stated last week that two conditions — eschewing international terrorism and recognising Afghan democracy — had been met.

Kerry also said any final outcome from discussions with the Taliban would be decided by the people of Afghanistan through this negotiation or when elections were held next year without the Taliban.

The move by the Taliban to open an office in Qatar last week under a flag and a plaque identifying itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stirred a controversy with Karzai reacting strongly by pulling out from the scheduled talks with the US over exit plans for NATO forces there.

International wire services reported from Pakistan that Dobbins told Islamabad that Washington was “enraged” over the manner in which the Taliban opened its office, which was not quite in line with an agreement.

New Delhi’s concern

  • India has expressed its concern over lending credence to the Taliban by involving it in Afghanistan peace talks;
  • US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday assured New Delhi that its apprehensions will not be overlooked;
  • US Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins has arrived in Delhi to assuage India’s concerns.

June 26, 2013

Punjab sends relief material for Uttarakhand victi...

Punjab News Weekly: Punjab sends relief material for Uttarakhand victi...: Rishikesh, June 25 Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Punjab, Navjot Kaur Sidhu today reached Rishikesh  along with 6 truckloads of ...

June 17, 2013

NRI Law Group Canada: ਧੋਖੇਬਾਜ਼ ਐਨ. ਆਰ. ਆਈ. ਲਾੜਿਆਂ 'ਤੇ ਸਖਤ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ

NRI Law Group Canada: ਧੋਖੇਬਾਜ਼ ਐਨ. ਆਰ. ਆਈ. ਲਾੜਿਆਂ 'ਤੇ ਸਖਤ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ: ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ- ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿਚ ਵਿਆਹ ਦੇ ਨਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਹੋਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਧੋਖਾਧੜੀ 'ਤੇ ਨੱਥ ਪਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਵਿਆਹ ਦੀ ਰਜਿਸਟ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੈ। ਪੰਜਾਬ ਕੈਬਨਿਟ ...

June 16, 2013

BJP releases Nitish Kumar’s 2003 speech praising Modi

NEW DELHI: The bitter falling out between BJP and JD(U) was evident with the saffron party releasing Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's 2003 speech in which he praised Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as a leader with a future outside the state.

The BJP move to embarrass Kumar - who has made opposition to Modi a cornerstone of his "secular" politics - is intended to argue that the Bihar CM was not always opposed to the saffron strongman.

As the speech delivered at the inauguration of a railway project is well after the 2002 riots, the BJP's intent is obvious. "I am certain that Narendrabhai will not be confined to Gujarat for long and the country will get the benefit of his services," Kumar is quoted as saying.

JD(U) sources were, however, quick to argue that the BJP move smacked of its desperation after the breakup of the alliance and amounted to trying to shoot a messenger who bears bad news. "This won't take away from the fact that Modi is a deeply divisive and polarizing leader," a senior JD(U) leader said.

Meanwhile, BJP president Rajnath Singh said he was "saddened" by the "unfortunate" walking out of JD(U) from NDA and maintained that it would weaken the fight against Congress.

However, Singh also got a taste of continuing rumblings in BJP with veteran leader L K Advani reported to have brought up Modi's elevation as head of the party's campaign committee as a reason for the breakup of the alliance with JD(U).

Advani and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj see the end of the alliance as a highly unfortunate development although the mood of other leaders, including those from Bihar, has turned more aggressive. "The breakup of NDA is sad and unfortunate," Swaraj said on Twitter.

Rajnath, however, had a different take on the events and said, "We always treated JD(U) as a younger brother and our relationship of 17 years was not a political but an emotional one. It was never made under pressure."

Singh was speaking at a programme organised by the BJP's youth wing. "When a coalition is formed, it is based on trust and mutual understanding. When that goes, it is really sad. We can be betrayed but we will never betray," he said.

He said if Modi was being considered communal because of the 2002 post-Godhra riots, there have been thousands of riots in 24 years of Congress rule since independence.

Singh pointed out that in 2000, BJP was a bigger party than JD(U) in Bihar as it had 60 seats while JD(U) won only "36-37 seats". But still, BJP chose a JD(U) leader to become chief minister, he said.

He warned JD(U) that a party which does not care for the feelings of the people in a democratic country cannot survive for long.


Nitish Kumar risks all by dumping BJP
Nitish Kumar has made an extraordinarily risky political move by saying good bye to the BJP and thereby the strong upper caste lobby in Bihar.

Despite belonging to a numerically insignificant caste Kurmi, Nitish Kumar navigated the state's politics with such skill that from 2005, he maintained a social coalition of extremely divergent groups - ranging from the lowest Dalits to the upper castes. His alliance with the BJP was crucial to this.

Speaking at the JD(U) national executive in Delhi in April this year, Nitish Kumar had outlined his philosophy regarding alliances. Alliances necessitate some compromises in the party's programmes and politics, he had said. "But compromises cannot be made with our fundamental articles of faith.

related story

If we are asked to make such compromises, we will not do it, regardless of the consequences involved," he had said. He also said that in the event of being pushed to make such choices, electoral calculations would be irrelevant, and what matters would be one's beliefs. He counted secularism among such fundamentals of his principles.

Though he did not say it publicly, it has been made clear that if the BJP projects Narendra Modi as prime minister, he would read it as an act incompatible with his fundamental faith.

Many view the secular rhetoric of Bihar's politicians - Lalu Prasad Yadav included - with the scepticism that it is merely a ploy to get some Muslim votes. But what cannot be denied is the fact that Bihar - which has a bloody history of communal tensions - has not had a single riot since 1989. Many other states that often get feted for good governance, like Orissa, Karnataka, Gujarat, even Kerala have seen serious sectarian violence.

The rush to interpret Nitish Kumar's decision to part with the BJP as a shrewd political move to win Muslims is devoid of understanding. On the contrary, Nitish is entering an uncharted territory where the risks far outweigh the potential rewards. And he is not a political novice to miss the lurking dangers involved.

The disapproval among the upper castes for his autonomous political move has been demonstrated in the recent by-election in Maharajganj lok sabha constituency.

His administrative measures that helped the poorest and the most disempowered among the backward castes and Dalits may not reap him political dividends as these are small fragmented communities still threatened by the upper castes and Yadavs. Overall, his losses and risks are real; his potential gains are distant and hazy.

Therefore, one cannot explain Nitish's actions in terms of real politics. It can either be an act of obstinacy and defiance or be an act of faith. Probably, and refreshingly, it is the second. It is actually a leap of faith.

Indians account for 22% of Britain’s ultra-rich club

Super-rich Indians account for more than 20% of the wealth of ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals in Britain, a new list showed on Tuesday. As a national group, they are second only to expat Russians.

 The list, published by the Singapore-based Wealth-X group, places steel magnate and ArcelorMittal chairman Lakshmi Mittal at second place with a fortune of $15.8 billion. Mittal was pushed to the second spot this year by Russian Alisher Burkhanovich Usmanov, who is part owner of the English football club Arsenal and is worth $16.4 billion.

“Mittal has seen his net worth estimate decline along with the stock price of ArcelorMittal, losing at least $30 billion in recent years,” the report said.

The two other Indians on the top 15 list are the Hinduja brothers — Srichand at number 9 with a net worth of $7.6 billion and Gopichand at 12th with $6 billion.

Taken together, the wealth of the three Indian-origin industrialists makes up 22% of the top 15 total of $133.3 billion.

Apart from Usmanov, the two other Russians in the list include Roman Abramovich (at number 3, $12.1 billion) and Leonard Blavatnik (Number 5, $9.5 billion).

According to Wealth-X estimates, there are 10,760 individuals residents in Britain worth $30 million or more, with at least 310 new individuals joining the ranks of the ultra wealthy. On an average, Britain has added one UHNW individual every day since 2011. The combined wealth of the UHNW in Britain stands at an estimated $1.3 trillion.

“The wealth composition of the United Kingdom, London in particular, is diverse,” said David Lincoln, Director of Research at Wealth-X. “This is reflected in our data showing that 31% of the UHNW population in the United Kingdom is considered non-domiciled, with non-resident Indians and West AsianUHNWIs making up a significant proportion of these.”

11 Indo-Canadian achievers to be honoured

TORONTO: The Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) will honour 11 outstanding Indo-Canadian achievers at the chamber's Annual Awards and Gala Night 2013 on Saturday.

Among those who will be honoured at the event at Metro Toronto Convention Centre are Deepak Chopra, president of Canada Post, Raj Kothari, managing partner for Toronto for PriceWaterhouse Cooper, and young achiever Bilaal Rajan.

The event is expected to be attended by 1,200 people, including guest of honour Kathleen Wynne, premier of the Canadian province of Ontario, and a business delegation from the Indian state of Karnataka, the Globe and Mail reported.

Chopra, who will be honoured as the 'Corporate Executive of the Year', said that the award "is truly a tribute to numerous unsung heroes who helped shape my thinking along the way".

"I believe, success is never a random stroke of individual brilliance (as) it is the sum total of influences you have had along your life," he was quoted as saying.

Terming Canada Post as one of the crown jewels of this north American country's economic infrastructure, Chopra said that when he joined it as president in 2011, "it was facing the onslaught of electronic substitution eating into its revenues and a difficult labour relations environment".

He said that he helped ensure sharpen the focus on physical delivery as well as digital delivery networks.

Kothari, who will be honoured as 'Male Professional of the Year', said that he has "always been focused on how I can make a difference - first in the profession that I work in and second in the community that I live in".

Rajan, 16, who will be honoured as the 'Young Achiever of the Year', is a motivational speaker and the UNICEF's children ambassador.

An environmental and social activist, he was only four years old when in 2001, the Indian state of Gujarat was devastated by an earthquake.

He then raised funds to help the victims by selling oranges.

Stating that he was humbled by the ICCC award, he said: "It reaffirms to me that the activism work that I am doing to especially engage others (and primarily youth) is being taken seriously and is having an impact to change the mindsets of society."

Others who will be honoured in Saturday's event are Sarabjit Hans as 'Female Entrepreneur of the Year', Sujay Shah as 'Male Entrepreneur of the Year', Sadhna Joshi as 'Female Professional of the Year', Sapna Shah as 'Young Achiever of the Year', Nilesh Bansal as 'Technology Achiever of the Year', Chandrasekhar Sankurathri as 'Humanitarian of the Year', and Jananath Wani for 'Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement'.

The ICCC is one of the largest membership-based national business organisations in Canada with over 1,500 members representing all sections of the nation's economy.

NRI Sabha, Canada congrats them all for their achievements.

9-year-old UK schoolgirl enters Turkey using toy passport

LONDON: A nine-year-old British schoolgirl managed to get past Turkish customs officers with a toy passport identifying her as a unicorn.

Emily Harris, from Cwmbran, South Wales, had taken the toy passport she had made for her pink toy unicorn on holiday with her.

When the family passed through customs at Antalya airport to start their one-week holiday, Emily's mom Nicky accidentally handed over the toy's passport, instead of her daughter's, 'The Daily Express' reported.

However, the parents were shocked when they later realised their mistake - and discovered passport officials had even stamped the unicorn's passport.

The passport is quite obviously a fake, Nicky said, pointing out that it is not only a completely different size and shape to the official document, but that it also has gold teddy bears on the front.

"The man even asked Emily how old she was, and she told him nine, before he stamped it," Nicky said.

"The picture ID wasn't even of Emily, it was of a pink unicorn," she said.

It was only when they got outside that Nicky realised that instead of handing in Emily's passport, she had shown her daughter's Bear Factory passport for a unicorn toy called Lily Harris.

"We saw the funny side, and laughed at the fact that the officer had even stamped the passport. But at the same time, it's a worry to any parent, how easy it would be to smuggle a child through customs and into another country."

Imran Khan damaged Pakistan cricket: Aamir Sohail

In the aftermath of the crushing defeat to India, former skipper Aamir Sohail has launched a scathing attack on one of Pakistan's greatest cricketers, Imran Khan, saying the World Cup-winning captain is responsible for the current state of sport in the country.

"I want to say clearly here and for once we must face the truth that Imran is responsible for the state of affairs in our cricket," Sohail said.

With his statement that is clearly a fallout of Pakistan's disastrous campaign in the Champions Trophy in England, where they lost all their three group matches, Sohail left the other two guest on the show -- Zaheer Abbas and Younis Khan -- surprised.

"Imran damaged Pakistan cricket by encouraging our bowlers to tamper with the ball. This has led to a culture where we can't produce good new ball bowlers or quality openers," the 46-year-old former opener told a news channel.

Sohail was retorting to the views expressed by former pacer Shoaib Akhtar, who felt Pakistan "need a dressing room culture where a winning mentality is promoted" and someone like Imran to guide and produce quality players.

The storm was already brewing and yesterday's eight-wicket defeat to arch-rivals India only added to the wounds.

A proven player with 47 Tests and 156 ODIs under his belt, Sohail has worked as a chief selector in the past and was a member of the 1992 World Cup winning squad led by Imran.

Many other former players including Akhtar and Zaheer made it clear that it was time for Kamran Akmal, Imran Farhat, and Shoaib Malik to get the axe.

"Changes have to be made and new players must be brought in and given time to settle down. We have tried the same set of players time and again and they have not delivered in big tournaments," Akhtar said.

However, Younis, who was dropped for the Champions Trophy, felt changing and chopping or pressing the panic button will not solve problems.

On the sidelines, former captain Zaheer Abbas has lamented the shortage of quality batsmen in Pakistan and said the absence of role models has led to the side's woes in batting department.

"The way I see it our poor batting performances in recent years can be put down to the fact that we are not producing role models for the new players," Zaheer said.

"Tell me today who is the role model for young batsman in the team. In the past we had a line of top batsmen from generation to generation. When I came in I looked up to Hanif Muhammad and others when younger players came in they looked up to us," he said.

He pointed out that for years Pakistan had produced quality pace bowlers because new players had idols to follow.

"We need to think about how to revamp the system to produce quality players. I don't think any coaching will help until we get players of the highest caliber."

Zaheer referred to neighbouring India as the perfect example of how young players followed in the footsteps of quality role models.

"Today India has a wealth of quality batsmen why because they have maintained a culture of producing top line batsmen.

Today players like Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or Suresh Raina know if they don't live up to the standards set by their predecessors they will not survive for long in the team," he said.

"India produced quality batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Laxman and Sourav Ganguly and they all went at the right time leaving behind a legacy for new players to follow.

"Unfortunately in Pakistan cricket after Inzamam or Yousuf we have just not produced enough quality batsmen. Younis is the last in line and he is out of the team," Zaheer said.

Former captain, Aamir Sohail called for changes in the domestic structure and for regional cricket associations to be given more responsibility.

"You will only find quality new players from these regions. In the past the regions produced players and departments groomed them. They were big names in these departments. But over the years standards have declined," Sohail said.

June 15, 2013

Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport bags world's second best airport award

New Delhi - Indira Gandhi International Airport has been named the world's second best airport in the 25-40 million passengers category by the Airport Council International.

The airport also has been adjudged as the fourth best in the world among 199 airports across all categories.

A nine-member team, comprising representatives from airport operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), Central Industrial Security Force, Airport Operations Control and Air India received the 'ACI ASQ Award' at an award ceremony organised by the Airport Council International (ACI) in Istanbul, Turkey yesterday.

"This recognition is testimony to the efforts of all our employees and partners who have consistently met the expectations of the industry," DIAL CEO I Prabhakar Rao said.

IGI airport scored 4.83 out of 5 on the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) scale.

IGI has managed to retain its position of second best airport in the 25-40 million passengers per annum category for 2012 year.

The airport had an ASQ score of 3.02 in 2007 and ranked last among the 101 participating airports of the world.

The airport has an annual capacity of over 60 million passengers, but in 2012, around 34.2 million passengers passed through it.

IGI handled around 550,000 tonnes of cargo and over 300,000 aircraft movements during the same period.

Since its inception in 2006, the ASQ Awards have become the world's leading airport passenger satisfaction benchmark with over 275 airports participating in it.

The ASQ Awards recognise and reward the best airports in the world based on ACI's ASQ passenger satisfaction survey done on uniform format worldwide and represent an opportunity to celebrate the commitment of airports worldwide to continually improve passenger experience.

June 14, 2013

Prince William Has Indian Heritage? DNA Test Of Princess Diana's Lineage Indicates So

London - Prince William, second-in-line to the throne, will be first British king with proven Indian ancestry, DNA analysis has revealed. The DNA analysis of saliva samples taken from the Duke of Cambridge’s relatives has established a direct lineage between the 30-year-old prince and an Indian housekeeper on his mother Princess Diana’s side.

It is his only non-European DNA and means he will become the first Head of the Commonwealth with a clear genetic link to its most populous nation — India.

William is now likely to be encouraged to make his debut mission to India soon after the birth of his baby next month.

Researchers have uncovered the details of his lineage via a doomed relationship of William’s Indian great-great-great-great-great grandmother.

Eliza Kewark was housekeeper to Prince William’s great grandfather Theodore Forbes (1788-1820), a Scottish merchant who worked for the East India Company in the port town of Surat in Gujarat.

Eliza’s mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was passed on by her daughters and granddaughters directly in an unbroken line to Princess Diana and then on to Prince William and Prince Harry.

Eliza is claimed to have been Armenian, possibly because her surname is rather like the Armenian name Kevork and letters from her to Forbes have been found which contain Armenian script. “But we believe that all the evidence we have gathered shows that her genetic heritage through her motherline is Indian,” BritainsDNA, a DNA ancestry testing company, said in a release.

Decoding Ancestry
DNA analysis of saliva samples taken from Prince William’s relatives establishes his direct lineage to Indian housekeeper Eliza Kewark on Princess Diana’s side
Eliza was housekeeper to William’s great grandfather Theodore Forbes, a Scottish merchant who worked for the East India Company in Surat, Gujarat
Tests indicate Eliza’s mtDNA was passed on by her daughters and granddaughters to Diana and then on to her children
The two princes carry Eliza’s markers but will not pass this Indian mtDNA on to their children, as it is only passed from mother to child.

June 13, 2013

MD of Silver Oaks Hospital, wife booked for Rs 26-crore fraud for duping an NRI

Mohali, June 13
 The Delhi Police has booked the managing director of Silver Oaks Hospital, Phase IX, Mohali, Dr Akhil Bhargav, his wife Dr Manjari Bhargav and five others for allegedly duping an NRI of Rs 26 crore. The NRI is the chairman of a US-based firm.

The other accused have been identified as Rajnish Rametra, Surinder Rametra, Vijay Rametra, Amardeep Singh Sidhu and HS Cheema.

A case under Sections 420, 406, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC has been registered at the economic offences wing of the Delhi Police against the accused following a complaint by Dr Aditya Khindaria, chairman and director of Kare Partners India Private Limited.

Dr Akhil Bhargava said last year they had lodged a complaint against the US-based firm. “The case is pending with the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Company Law Board and Arbitrator. The company wants to buy shares but is not ready to shell out money. It is an arm twisting tactics to create pressure on us,” said Dr Bhargava.

In his complaint, Dr Khindaria said he had paid Rs 26.20 crore to the Bhargava couple and others for 63,03,281 shares, which were equivalent to 51 per cent of the paid up share capital then.

“My company had started negotiations with the doctor couple in 2011 for acquiring 100 per cent shareholding in Kamesh Bhargava Hospitals and Research Centre Private Limited (Silver Oaks Hospital) for about Rs 52 crore. The couple signed the contract on the behalf of other persons, the minority shareholders, with us. We had transferred Rs 26.20 crore in their account to acquire 51 per cent shares and signed the transaction documents. As these persons (the accused) did not fulfil their commitments as agreed in the documents, we gave them more time, but to no avail,” alleged Dr Khindaria in the FIR.

He alleged that the accused forged some important documents, including the annual returns and filing of the share holding patterns, which resulted in reducing the shareholding pattern of Kare Partners from 51 per cent to 35.92 per cent.

“With this, we have been cheated of 18,63,357 shares of the company which is equivalent to 15 per cent of the paid up equity,” alleged Dr Khindaria, while claiming that one of the accused had also threatened him.

Singer Nachattar Gill booked for rape

Ludhiana, June 13
Noted Punjabi pop singer Nachattar Gill and three others have been booked for allegedly raping and duping an aspiring model.

The city police claimed that the accused develpoed physical ties with the girl on the pretext of helping her become a top model and sending her abroad. They have been booked under Sections 376, 420, 506 and 120-B of the IPC and the IT Act 2000, for rape, fraud and criminal conspiracy.

Gurveer Singh Station House officer (SHO), PAU police station, said the accused were booked last night following a thorough investigation by senior officers.

Questions are being asked at the outgoing Commissioner of Police, Ishwar Singh, ordering an FIR against the singer on his last day in office.

The girl, a resident of Haibowal, told the police that the singer took her to a hotel in Chandigarh, where he gave her a drink laced with sedatives and took objectionable pictures of her. She alleged that the three other accused raped her in a similar fashion at a hotel in Singapore.

The matter first came to light in February when the victim approached the Commissioner of Police and the latter marked an inquiry into the case. At first Additional DCP- I Nilamberi Jagdale and ACP- West Gurpreet Kaur Purewal were asked to investigat the case. The inquiry was later shifted to ACP-North J Elanchezhian.

Gill allegedly told the investigating officers that a friend of the aspiring model was pressuring him into settling the issue by paying him Rs 1 crore. The girl alleged that she came in contact with the pop singer during a beauty pageant at Jalandhar in 2006 where Gill was one of the judges. She was adjudged the first runners-up at the pageant.

She claimed that during the function they exchanged mobile numbers. The two started talking to each other frequently and soon their friendship turned intimate. The girl met the singer at hotels in Phillaur and Ludhiana.

The girl said her ties with the singer turned sour after she asked him why she was not being featured in his music albums. She alleged that city residents Charandeep Singh of Hambra Road and Jagdeep Singh and Raja of Waddi Haibowal took advantage of her plight.They took Rs 20 lakh from her parents promising to send her abroad.

She claimed that when they were in Singapore, Raja and Jagdeep raped her and also made an MMS.

She alleged Charandeep established ties with her on the pretext of helping her seek legal action against those

June 5, 2013

Indians advised to avoid visiting three Nigerian states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa

The Indian High Commission in Nigeria has issued a warning to Indians to avoid visiting the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa where security forces are battling militancy.


Accra: Indians have been advised to avoid visiting three states in Nigeria where emergency has been declared to combat militancy. With the Nigerian security situation showing no signs of improvement, the Indian High Commission in Abuja has issued a warning to Indians to avoid visiting the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa where the Nigerian government has declared a state of emergency. On May 14, Nigerian authorities declared emergency in the three north-eastern states to battle militancy.

The high commission said that "following this measure, some areas in these states have witnessed higher level of violence and the security outlook appears to be uncertain at this stage". It asked "Indian nationals living in these three states to carefully weigh their options and consider relocation until the security situation settles down. Similarly, those planning to visit these three states are advised to consider postponing their visits until security situation settles down".

There are a total of 35,000 Indians in Nigeria. In general, Indians in Nigeria are well off and enjoy a largely non-controversial existence. The community has two temples in Lagos and a number of cultural and ethnic associations, most prominent of which is the Indian Cultural Association. The high commission cautioned Indian nationals who decide to continue living in or visit these states to be extra vigilant and take all possible security measures for their protection.

It recalled the death of two Indian nationals and one other person who was seriously injured in an attack by an unidentified armed group on an Indian owned Gum Arabic factory in Maiduguri, Borno, July 25, 2012. It took up the "matter of safety and security of the Indian community and their properties in Nigeria, with the concerned authorities in Nigeria". The high commission said, over the past few months, the "security situation in some parts of Nigeria has deteriorated. A sharp increase in cases of kidnappings in coastal belt, particularly by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, has also been noted. The high commission said that "these instances of insecurity have occasionally involved Indian nationals as unfortunate victims".

'While in most cases they were passive victims of a situation or a criminal conspiracy, there are cases when they were specifically targeted for kidnapping or physical harm. Either way, a more prudent and cautious conduct could have avoided a calamitous outcome,' it added. On June 4, gunmen assassinated Alhaji Murtala Attahiru, a Sokoto state assembly member representing Gada West constituency.

State Commissioner of Police Alhaji Lawal Gambo said a number of assailants on motorbikes killed Alhaji Attahiru while he was on his way home and took away his car. 'Investigation carried out at the scene revealed that the slain lawmaker struggled with the hoodlums when they wanted to snatch the car - his shirt was torn. Thus, it was during the struggle that he was killed by the miscreants,' Gambo added.

As the situation escalates, the US has posted a $23 million reward to help arrest five known militant leaders who are suspected to be behind the terrorist attacks that have spread from Nigeria to other part of the West Africa region. Anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of Nigeria's Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, who has openly invited Islamists from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to join the group to create an Islamic State, will receive $7 million.

The US has also targeted Malik Abou Abdelkarim, a senior fighter with Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and Oumar Ould Hamaha, the spokesman for Mali's Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, for rewards of up to $3 million each for information leading to their arrest.

June 2, 2013

NRI Sabha to fund education of poor

The district unit of the NRI Sabha would provide free education to five students of economically backward families in each sub-division every year, chairman and DC Varun Roojam said, while presiding over the meeting of the executives on Thursday. He said a special fund would be constituted and asked the president to co-ordinate with NRI philanthropists to revive the poor patient fund.

Sabha president said that the organisation had donated 883 fans to schools and 25 to the old age home in Ram Colony Camp and had undertaken sewerage, water supply and street light projects in Bhungarni and Sahri villages. He added that all CDPOs were provided wheat storage drums and that the sabha had received 38 complaints of which 324 had been settled.

On the occasion, a widow was given assistance of Rs. 80,000 for the medical education of her daughter.

Obama names NRI as federal judge

Washington: Chandigarh-born Indian-American legal liminary Srikanth 'Sri' Srinivasan has been nominated by President Barack Obama to what is "often called the nation's second-highest court", the US court of appeals for the American capital.

Srinivasan, 45, who in August last year was named principal deputy solicitor general of the US, succeeding another Indian American, Neal Kumar Katyal, creates history in becoming the first South Asian to be ever nominated to the circuit court. If confirmed, he will be just the third South Asian named to any federal judgeship.

Along with Srinivasan, the president also nominated Caitlin Halligan, to also serve on the same court.

"Caitlin Halligan and Sri Srinivasan are dedicated public servants who will bring their tremendous experience, intellect, and integrity to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit," Obama said.

Noting that "This important court is often called the Nation's second-highest court," he said: "Srinivasan will be a trailblazer and, like Halligan, will serve the court with distinction and excellence."

A White House statement said Srinivasan is a highly-respected appellate advocate who has spent a distinguished career litigating before the US Supreme Court and the US Courts of Appeals, both on behalf of the US and in private practice.

Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He received his BA with honours and distinction in 1989 from Stanford University and his JD with distinction in 1995 from Stanford Law School, where he was elected to Order of the Coif and served as an editor of the Stanford Law Review.

He also holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which he received along with his JD in 1995.

Srinivasan began his legal career by serving as a law clerk for Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit from 1995 to 1996.

He received the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Furthering US National Security in 2003 and the Office of the Secretary of Defence Award for Excellence in 2005.

In 2007, Srinivasan became a partner with O'Melveny & Myers LLP. In 2011, he was named the chair of the firm's appellate practice group. He was named as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General in August 2011.

NRI found murdered over property dispute

LUDHIANA: Fighting a property dispute against his brother, 70-year-old NRI Kulwant Singh, who had returned from England just three months back, was found murdered in his house at Mahima Singh Wala village in Dehlon.

The body was lying decomposed, indicating that the NRI was murdered a few days back.

He had reportedly returned following a property dispute with his brother Jaswant Singh, who is also settled in England.

Sarpanch Joginder Singh, after getting a phone call from NRIs third brother Charanjit Singh, went to Kulwants house and found the body. Charanjit had told the sarpanch that his brothers mobile phone was switched off and he did not appear before a court on May 20 for hearing in a property case.

There were injuries on the head of the deceased. Police sources said it seemed that the murder was committed using a blunt weapon. He was probably killed a week back, they added.

As there was no sign of the robbery, the police are suspecting the role of acquaintance behind the murder. They are also not ruling out the use of contract killers in the crime.

Inspector Satinder Pal Singh, SHO, Dehlon police station, said it was a planned murder. Police have registered a case under section 302 of the IPC against unidentified persons.