Dharam Shourie In New York

Stories by Dharam Shourie In New York

US divided on racial lines ahead of Prez poll

US divided on racial lines ahead of Prez poll

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2008

Barack Obama, who is attempting to script history by being the first black President of the United States, leads his Republican rival John McCain among all registered voters by 45 per cent to 39 per cent. However, in a sign of how racially polarised US voters are, Obama draws support from 89 per cent of blacks, compared with two per cent for McCain, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Indian Americans divided over invitation to Modi

Indian Americans divided over invitation to Modi

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2008

The Indian American community across the United States is sharply divided over an invitation sent to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to attend the second World Gujarati Conference to be held in New Jersey.While some organisations are mounting pressure on the US government to grant him a visa to attend the meet, the Coalition Against Genocide, an umbrella organisation of some 25 bodies, has written a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, asking her to deny visa.

US: Sikh truck driver arrested for wearing kirpan

US: Sikh truck driver arrested for wearing kirpan

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2008

A Sikh truck driver was arrested for wearing a kirpan and his turban "forcibly" removed while he was entering a Connecticut court to contest a traffic violation charge, a community advocacy group said on Tuesday.

Climate change: Pachauri says all eyes on G-8 meet

Climate change: Pachauri says all eyes on G-8 meet

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2008

R K Pachauri, chief of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said in the effort to structure a new climate change regime by 2009, there had been no major breakthroughs since the creation of the Bali action plan, but 'all eyes are focused on the G-8 summit' of industrialised countries. The Bali action plan was adopted as a two-year process to finalise a building agreement on Climate change at a UN conference in Indonesia last year December.

Slavery case: Indian-American jailed

Slavery case: Indian-American jailed

Rediff.com   28 Jun 2008

Mahender Sabhnani, 51, was sentenced by a federal court on Friday, a day after his wife, Varsha, 46, was jailed for 11 years and fined USD 25,000 for torturing the housemaids in a well-reported case, which brought out the hidden danger that aliens not conversant with English face.

Slavery case: Indian American gets 11-yr jail term

Slavery case: Indian American gets 11-yr jail term

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2008

India-born US millionaire Varsha Sabhnani, who along with her husband, was convicted of enslaving and torturing two Indonesian women, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined $25,000. The couple, who had a flourishing perfume business, was convicted in December last year on 12 counts including modern day slavery, forced labour, involuntary servitude and harbouring illegal aliens.

Indian American turns mobiles into virtual lens

Indian American turns mobiles into virtual lens

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2008

A new software system, which enables mobile phone users to obtain location-specific, real-time information, either actively or passively, from other users across the world has been developed by a team led by an Indian-American professor at Duke University.

Bush, Musharraf least trusted leaders: Poll

Bush, Musharraf least trusted leaders: Poll

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2008

Embattled Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his United States counterpart George W Bush are among the world's least trusted leaders along with Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a new survey in 20 countries, including India, shows.Musharraf has the poorest ratings around the world. Only in China, 37 per cent of the people feel that he inspires confidence as a leader, outweighing negative views (30 per cent), the poll conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org Just two countrie

India launches mango drive in the US

India launches mango drive in the US

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2008

Though the Indian mangoes are among the costliest in the US, the biggest importer of the fruit with the annual consumption 250,000 tons, officials have suggested several measure to the US regulators to cut down its price. After lifting of the 18-year ban on the import of the fruit from India, mangoes worth $1 million were exported to the US last year and the figure is likely to go up to around $7 million this year.

Obama in no hurry to choose veep

Obama in no hurry to choose veep

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2008

Barack Obama indicated on Thursday that he was in no hurry to choose his deputy, a ticket coveted by vanquished rival Hillary Clinton, saying he would look at a whole range of options.

Clinton to endorse Obama on Saturday

Clinton to endorse Obama on Saturday

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2008

"Senator Clinton will be hosting an event in Washington, DC, to thank her supporters and express her support for Senator Obama and party unity. The event will be held on Saturday," Clinton campaign official Howard Wolfson told reporters.

India, China on US trafficking watchlist

India, China on US trafficking watchlist

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2008

The Indian government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for elimination of trafficking, it said but conceded that New Delhi is making "significant efforts" to fight bonded labour.

Human trafficking: US puts watch on India, China

Human trafficking: US puts watch on India, China

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2008

The Indian government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for elimination of trafficking, it said but conceded that New Delhi is making 'significant efforts' to fight bonded labour. Equally dismal was the record of Sudan, Syria, Myanmar, Cuba, Fiji, Moldova and Papua New Guinea, according to grading done by the annual report.

McCain launches sharp attack on Obama

McCain launches sharp attack on Obama

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2008

Addressing an election rally in New Orleans, Louisiana, shortly before 46-year-old Obama declared victory, the presumptive Republican nominee also sought to distance himself from President George W Bush on energy, military and economic policies. The Vietnam war veteran told a cheering crowd that they would listen a lot during the coming months that he represents third term of Bush, but that is because the Democratic candidate has nothing to offer.

Prez race: Voting starts in Democratic primaries

Prez race: Voting starts in Democratic primaries

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2008

As voting opened in the primaries of South Dakota and Montana on Tuesday, scores of Democratic super delegates were apparently still undecided whether to back Barack Obama, who is on the verge of scripting history by becoming the first African-American Presidential nominee, or Hillary Clinton.Obama is currently 45 delegates short of the magic figure of 2,118. According to the Obama campaign, he would require only about 25 super delegates after results.

Democrats deal blow to Clinton

Democrats deal blow to Clinton

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2008

Democratic party leaders have agreed to seat the delegates from the renegade states of Florida and Michigan with halved voting rights, bringing Barack Obama within a striking distance of the Democratic presidential nomination.

US takes on 'developing countries' on Doha talks

US takes on 'developing countries' on Doha talks

Rediff.com   29 May 2008

Accusing a "handful" of "advanced developing countries" of "masking" their "narrow interests" behind claims for speaking for the rest of the developing world, the US said it is concerned the way trade negotiations are moving ahead of crucial talks for concluding Doha round.

McCain vows to support Indo-US nuclear deal

McCain vows to support Indo-US nuclear deal

Rediff.com   28 May 2008

Strongly backing the stalled civilian nuclear deal with India, Republican presidential candidate John McCain has said it would strengthen the US ties with the world's largest democracy and further involve New Delhi in non-proliferation efforts. McCain, 71, who has sealed the Republican nomination for the November Presidential elections, said the US should engage actively with both India and Pakistan to improve the security of nuclear stockpiles and weapons materials.

Iran has not revealed N-plan entirely: IAEA

Iran has not revealed N-plan entirely: IAEA

Rediff.com   27 May 2008

Iran is also defying UN demands to suspend uranium enrichment and is producing more powerful centrifuges, the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a strongly worded report, which is bound to renew demands from the US and its western allies for tougher sanctions against Tehran. The report is yet to be released officially, but is said to accuse Iran of not providing all information, especially relating to 'high explosives testing' relating to nuclear programme.

4 US-Indian dock workers hospitalised after strike

4 US-Indian dock workers hospitalised after strike

Rediff.com   25 May 2008

On a hunger strike for the last 11 days, Indian dock workers, who are demanding that they be allowed to stay in the United States till an inquiry against a company that allegedly exploited them is completed, have vowed to continue their stir even after four of them were hospitalised.