Aziz Haniffa In Potomac, Maryland

Stories by Aziz Haniffa In Potomac, Maryland

Pakistan's paranoia for India may be justified: Expert

Pakistan's paranoia for India may be justified: Expert

Rediff.com   2 Oct 2012

For years, Congressman Brad Sherman, California Democrat, a senior member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the ranking Democrat on its Subcommittee on Terrorism has enjoyed the largesse of the Indian American community that has contributed generously to his campaign coffers.

Indian American voters are Obama's strongest supporters

Indian American voters are Obama's strongest supporters

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2012

Asian Americans favourability rating of Romney is considerably lower, about half of the level for Obama, says a study on the political and social attitudes of Asian Americans released in Washington DC. Aziz Haniffa reports.

Gurudwara shootout should not have happened: Obama

Gurudwara shootout should not have happened: Obama

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2012

Dr Rajwant Singh, an influential Sikh American community leader, met President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to personally thank them for their deep concern and unstinted support in the wake of the horrific massacre of Sikh worshippers on August 5 at a gurudwara at Oak Creek, Wisconsin by white supremacist and neo-Nazi Wade Michael Page.

Special category for Sikh Americans in FBI hate crime form

Special category for Sikh Americans in FBI hate crime form

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2012

Come mid-October, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is likely to acquiesce to more than two years of pushing by the Sikh-American community and United States lawmakers and finally create a special category for Sikh Americans in the agency's hate crime monitoring form.

Radical right-wing is growing in the US, warns expert

Radical right-wing is growing in the US, warns expert

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2012

There has been an "enormous growth in the radical right" in the United States over the last three years, believes Mark Potok, senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Centre, a much-respected non-profit civil rights organisation based in Montgomery, Alabama.

FBI was aware of Page's racist views, but could do nothing

FBI was aware of Page's racist views, but could do nothing

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2012

The Federal Bureau of Intelligence has admitted that it was fully aware that Wade Michael Page -- who killed six Sikh worshippers at a gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on August 5 -- was a racist and neo-Nazi. But, the agency said, its hands were tied as he had not committed any criminal act preceding his killing spree.

'We should work together to end hate crimes in US'

'We should work together to end hate crimes in US'

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2012

At a news conference that followed a United States Senate hearing on 'Hate Crimes and the Threat of Domestic Extremism,' representatives of several civil rights and interfaith organisations pledged to stand together to fight the unprecedented level of racial profiling, discrimination and hate violence against South Asians, Arab Americans, Sikhs and Muslims living in America ever since 9/11.

I still believe in the American dream: Oak Creek victim's kin

I still believe in the American dream: Oak Creek victim's kin

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2012

In a highly emotional yet powerful testimony before a United States Senate Committee on Capitol Hill, Harpreet Singh Saini, the 18-year-old son of one of the victims of the Oak Creek gurudwara shooting, urged the US government to add a separate category for Sikh Americans on the form used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to gather data on hate crimes.

US House passes bill condemning gurudwara massacre

US House passes bill condemning gurudwara massacre

Rediff.com   14 Sep 2012

The United States House of Representatives on Thursday passed by unanimous consent House Resolution 775, a legislation condemning the horrific massacre that killed six Sikh worshippers and priests at a gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin on August 5.

Resolution condemning Sikh massacre tabled in US Congress

Resolution condemning Sikh massacre tabled in US Congress

Rediff.com   11 Sep 2012

Ed Royce, co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, became an original cosponsor of the legislation introduced on Monday to condemn the shooting that killed six innocent people at the gurdwara Wisconsin, on August 5, 2012 by avowed white supremacist and neo-Nazi, Wade Michael Page.

Indian American Harris makes prime time address at DNC

Indian American Harris makes prime time address at DNC

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2012

California Attorney General Kamala Harris' close friendship with the president, gives her a prime time slot on the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina; in her remarks she bemoans the foreclosure contagion and recalls how proud her mom was when she bought her home. Aziz Haniffa reports

Kaushik Basu named World Bank's chief economist

Kaushik Basu named World Bank's chief economist

Rediff.com   5 Sep 2012

Kaushik Basu, till recently the chief economic adviser of the government of India, who created a political firestorm in April when he said here on the sidelines of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund meetings that no economic reforms were likely in India before 2014 when parliamentary elections are due, has been appointed the World Bank's Chief Economist and Senior Vice President.

Kal Penn back on the stump for Obama at Democratic meet

Kal Penn back on the stump for Obama at Democratic meet

Rediff.com   5 Sep 2012

Indian-American actor and erstwhile White House official, Kalpesh Suresh Modi alias Kal Penn used his prime time slot on the opening day at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, to both introduce a sense of levity and comic relief as well as implore young people to get enthused once again to re-elect Obama

Democratic manifesto campaigns against outsourcing

Democratic manifesto campaigns against outsourcing

Rediff.com   5 Sep 2012

Reflecting United States President Obama's consistent refrain in recent weeks while on the stump campaigning for his re-election where he has been railing against the outsourcing of American jobs to China, India, and elsewhere, the national Democratic manifesto unveiled at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, has said, "The Democratic Party believes in insourcing so that America can out-build the rest of the world again."

Democratic policy slams Republicans for playing politics

Democratic policy slams Republicans for playing politics

Rediff.com   5 Sep 2012

The Democratic manifesto unveiled at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina has claimed that the Obama administration 'has streamlined' the green process with regard to family reunification.

Democratic Party pledges to boost US-India ties

Democratic Party pledges to boost US-India ties

Rediff.com   5 Sep 2012

Unlike the GOP manifesto where the presence of one of the most influential and powerful Republican Indian Americans who served on the Platform Committee and actively participated in the foreign policy deliberations, transforming the original anemic language on India into substantial declarations, the lack of any Indian American Democrats with even a semblance of gravitas on the Democratic Platform Committee has resulted in the original bland language vis-a-vis India being ret

'GOP the natural party for Indian Americans'

'GOP the natural party for Indian Americans'

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2012

Sadanand Dhume, one of the rising stars in the Washington, DC, policy wonk circles, particularly among Conservatives, argues that while President Obama can take Indian Americans support for granted, their natural home should be the Grand Old Party

Sikh American creates history at Republican convention

Sikh American creates history at Republican convention

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2012

Ishwar Singh, president of the Sikh Society of Central Florida, created history on Wednesday at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, becoming the first Sikh American in US history to deliver an invocation at a national party convention.

Democracy provides lifeblood to Indo-US ties: Rao

Democracy provides lifeblood to Indo-US ties: Rao

Rediff.com   29 Aug 2012

The Indian and American people, belonging to two vibrant democracies, are the "lifeblood" of the Indo-US strategic partnership, said India's Ambassador to the United States Nirupama Rao while addressing over 300 members of the Indian American community and its leaders, senior US State Department officials, state and local bureaucrats and lawmakers.

Nikki Haley launches blistering attack on President Obama

Nikki Haley launches blistering attack on President Obama

Rediff.com   29 Aug 2012

The hardest part of my job continues to be this federal government, this administration, this president, says South Carolina Governor, Nimrata Randhawa Haley in a prime time speech at GOP Convention. Aziz Haniffa reports.