Aziz Haniffa

Stories by Aziz Haniffa

'Lashkar is a jihadi Frankenstein today'

'Lashkar is a jihadi Frankenstein today'

Rediff.com   6 Nov 2009

Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Tayiba's recent attempt to recruit an American national to carry out terrorist attacks against targets in India, including individuals and institutions, is yet another tangible manifestation of its global reach, now extending even into America, intelligence sources have said.

Coming up: India-US Education Council

Coming up: India-US Education Council

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2009

As part of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's State visit to the United States on November 24, India and the US are planning to announce the convening of an India-US Education Council on the lines of the US-India Business Council, Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal has disclosed.

Indian-American gets Utah business award

Indian-American gets Utah business award

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2009

Sanchaita Datta, chief technology officer, vice president and co-founder of Fatpipe Networks in Salt Lake City, Utah, has won the Young Women's Christian Association's Outstanding Achievement Award for Business and Industry.

PM to unveil US-India Education Council on US tour

PM to unveil US-India Education Council on US tour

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2009

As part of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's state visit to the United States at the invitation of President Barack Obama on November 24, India and the US are endeavoring to announce the convening of a India-US Education Council on the lines of the US-India Business Council, Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal disclosed in Washington on Friday.

Obama appoints ex-DD newsman to Commerce Dept

Obama appoints ex-DD newsman to Commerce Dept

Rediff.com   30 Oct 2009

The Obama Administration has appointed Secunderabad-born Suresh Kumar, currently president and managing partner of KaiZen Innovation, LLC, a management advisory firm that specializes in installing global marketing processes and programs, based in Princeton, New Jersey, as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service.Kumar said that he was a sports commentator and anchor for Doordarshan.

Bishop gets Gandhi award for apology to Hindus

Bishop gets Gandhi award for apology to Hindus

Rediff.com   30 Oct 2009

The Reverend J Jon Bruno, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, California, was awarded the Hindu American Foundation's annual Mahatma Gandhi Award for the Advancement of Religious Pluralism at the HAF's Sixth Capitol Hill reception in early October.

US: Indian political body launches action fund

US: Indian political body launches action fund

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2009

The Indian American Leadership Initiative, founded by political activist Varun Nikore a decade ago to promote Indian-American participation in the mainstream political process and to support the community's candidates at the local, state and national levels, formally launched its political action committee on Capitol Hill in September-end.

India has begun recharging N programmes: Kerry

India has begun recharging N programmes: Kerry

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2009

Diplomatic observers and foreign policy wonks were left perplexed trying to figure out what Senator John F Kerry meant when he said India had begun "to reinvigorate its own programme there", which he described as "absurd on both sides".

Pak may become epicentre of terrorism: US Senator

Pak may become epicentre of terrorism: US Senator

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2009

American Senator John F Kerry, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who just returned from a trip to Afghanistan after twisting Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's arm to acquiesce to hold a run-off election after charges of massive fraud and corruption were uncovered in the recent election, has warned that Pakistan could become the epicenter of terrorism in the world, since it is now the headquarters of the Al Qaeda.

'Afghans must not see America as occupiers'

'Afghans must not see America as occupiers'

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2009

'Riding around in an armed personnel carrier, as I did when I was there, and seeing the faces through the window of Afghans watching that monster vehicle go by, you get a sense of the disconnect that Afghans must experience,' US Senator John F Kerry said.

No proof of Karzai's bro being a drug lord: Kerry

No proof of Karzai's bro being a drug lord: Kerry

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2009

Despite claims that Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's younger brother Ahmad Wali Khan Karzai is a drug lord, Senator John F Kerry says no US agency has given him proof.

Indian American heads US college of chest doctors

Indian American heads US college of chest doctors

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2009

Dr Kalpalatha K Guntupalli of Houston, the only woman president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian origin, has been elected as the first Asian American woman president of the 75-year-old American College of Chest Physicians.

US: 'Tainted' Lankan billionaire financed LTTE

US: 'Tainted' Lankan billionaire financed LTTE

Rediff.com   23 Oct 2009

Rajaratnam, 52, founder of the Galleon Group, was indicted on October 16 for insider trading. The litigants have accused him of knowingly financing the LTTE and providing it with other forms of support through front organisations.

Nuke deal embedded in Indo-US ties: Clinton

Nuke deal embedded in Indo-US ties: Clinton

Rediff.com   22 Oct 2009

The Obama Administration has reiterated its strong commitment to the US-India civilian nuclear deal consummated during the tenure of the previous George W Bush Administration and said it's "embedded" in a broader strategic dialogue between Washington and New Delhi, but contended it's certainly not a template for negotiations with the likes of Iran.

Pakistan's N-stockpile is safe, says Hillary

Pakistan's N-stockpile is safe, says Hillary

Rediff.com   22 Oct 2009

The continuing and sustained terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including the recent attack on its army headquarters, and the past record of the nuclear black market operated by the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb A Q Khan, are certainly cause for concern and remain so, but that country's nuclear arsenal is secure, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said

Tweeting better than sending press release:Tharoor

Tweeting better than sending press release:Tharoor

Rediff.com   19 Oct 2009

Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor recently made his first foray to the United Nations -- where he had served for more than two decades as Under Secretary General of Communications -- over two-and-a-half years after his unsuccessful bid for the position of UN Secretary General.

Pallone supports release of Diwali stamp

Pallone supports release of Diwali stamp

Rediff.com   17 Oct 2009

The decade-long quest by community activist Dr Shailendra Kumar of Maryland to convince the US Postal Service to issue a stamp commemorating Diwali as it has other religious festivals, has gotten a boost with Congressman Frank Pallone introducing legislation urging the Postal Service to do just that, particularly now that President Barack Obama himself lit the White House diya in observing Diwali.

Obama's Diwali 'observance' irks Indian community

Obama's Diwali 'observance' irks Indian community

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2009

However, one younger Indian-American activist pointed out that 'this is the first time, a sitting president is actually going to be there at the Diwali observance.'

Kerry reassures Pakistan over aid bill concerns

Kerry reassures Pakistan over aid bill concerns

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2009

Kerry, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who last week stood side-by-side with Qureshi and declared there are no conditions attached to the aid and that the bill in no way impinges on Pakistan's sovereignty, reiterated these assertions and also out a lengthy fact sheet which he said, separates "myth from fact on the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009."

Perturbed by Pak response to US aid: Ackerman

Perturbed by Pak response to US aid: Ackerman

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2009

Congressman Gary Ackerman, New York Democrat, and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who last week slammed the Congressional passage of the massive economic and military largesse to Pakistan to the tune of $1.5 billion annually over five years, as the House dutifully fell in line with the Kerry-Lugar bill passed by the Senate last week tripling the aid to Islamabad, has denounced the Pakistani military's hostility to this aid because it contains some cond