Aziz Haniffa In In Washington, DC

Stories by Aziz Haniffa In In Washington, DC

India sympathiser US Congressman Dymally dies at 86

India sympathiser US Congressman Dymally dies at 86

Rediff.com   22 Oct 2012

Us Congressman Meryvn M Dymally, like the late Democratic lawmaker Stephen J Solarz, was always in India's corner on capitol hill during the Cold War years when it wasn't cool to be a friend of India, and New Delhi was considered by many United States lawmakers as a surrogate of the erstwhile Soviet Union

Patels gift $12 mn to South Florida univ for new college

Patels gift $12 mn to South Florida univ for new college

Rediff.com   18 Oct 2012

Dr Kiran C Patel and Dr Pallavi Patel, both physicians and longtime residents of Tampa, Florida, have donated $12 million to the University of South Florida in a new endowment aimed at creating the Patel College of Global Sustainability, expanding on nearly a decade of world-leading applied research to advance sustainability around the globe and improve the lives of the world's most vulnerable people.

An endorsement by Clinton is a big deal for this desi

An endorsement by Clinton is a big deal for this desi

Rediff.com   18 Oct 2012

Dr Ami Bera, California physician, who according to conventional wisdom is the only Indian American congressional candidate this time around among all of the community's aspirants who has a good chance of winning, received a major boost when former President Bill Clinton publicly endorsed him in a public rally at the University of California.

Aziz's take: And the first round goes to Romney

Aziz's take: And the first round goes to Romney

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2012

Romney may not have scored a knock-out, but like Joe Frazier in the first of smoking Joe's fights with Ali, he was the clear winner on points, says Aziz Haniffa

'Haqqanis operate with absolute knowledge of ISI'

'Haqqanis operate with absolute knowledge of ISI'

Rediff.com   2 Oct 2012

Noted American experts and analysts argue that Foreign Terrorist Organisation designation of the Haqqani Network is meaningless unless Pakistan's intelligence agency is reined it. Aziz Haniffa reports

 'GOP has driven Indian Americans Democratic'

'GOP has driven Indian Americans Democratic'

Rediff.com   2 Oct 2012

Karthick Ramakrishnan, co-author and director of the National Asian American Survey believes the Indian American community's massive shift to the Democratic Party -- which was manifest in the polling data that showed overwhelming support for President Barack Obama over Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney

The Dawood-Haqqani-ISI nexus in Pakistan

The Dawood-Haqqani-ISI nexus in Pakistan

Rediff.com   2 Oct 2012

Gretchen Peters, of the United States Military Academy at West Point's Combating Terrorism Center, who has since 2005, spent considerable time studying the link between organised crime and insurgencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has told US Congress of the nexus between the criminal enterprise Dawood Ibrahim company, the Haqqani Network and the Inter-Services Intelligence.

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