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CAPITOL JOURNAL
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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House clears first bill sponsored by Congressman Jindal
Freshman Congressman Bobby Jindal (R-LA) is already making a difference on the Hill as he promised when he came in. On March 14, the House passed a bill co-sponsored by him to stop disaster assistance grants to be taxed.
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Goodlatte reintroduces visa lottery repeal bill
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) reintroduced legislation (H.R. 1219) in the 109th Congress on March 10 to repeal the diversity visa lottery program which allows about 50,000 green cards each year based on a draw. Rep. Goodlatte had introduced this bill in the last Congress and it was approved by the House Judiciary Committee and brought to the House Floor but Congress could not deal with it before close of session.
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Republican legislators are being lobbied to name India Caucus co-chair
to House International Relations Committee
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (pronounced Layton) of Florida formally announced her bid for the Chairmanship of the House International Relations Committee on March 17.
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SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTE
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Hearing on ‘Strengthening Enforcement and Border Security’
The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Citizenship met to hold a hearing on March 14 on ‘Strengthening Enforcement and Border Security: The 9/11 Commission Staff Report on Terrorist Travel.’
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SENATE
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Old India-friend, Senator Paul Sarbanes of Maryland, plans to call it a day in 2006
Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), an old India-friend and close ally to Indian Americans in his state of Maryland, has said he will be retiring in 2006 when re-election comes around.
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CAPITOL DEBATES
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Focus on IACPA’s new ‘Local Leadership Program’
Welcome to Capitol Debates. Today we are going to be discussing ‘Local Leadership Development Program’ by Indian
American Center for Political Awareness (IACPA), the co-presenter of this show. We have with us Udai Tambar, assistant director, Policy Research Institute for the region at Princeton University, who will be coordinating the program, and
Prakash Parekh, who is Legal Counsel for IACPA.
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DELHI DIARY
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Visa denial to Modi purely a legal issue: U.S.
The State Department has described the decision to deny Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi a visa to come into this country as a purely legal decision and not a reflection on the Indian political or judicial system.
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‘Our members wanted to listen to Modi first-hand about opportunities’
The Asian American Hotel Owners Association said Washington’s decision not to allow Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to come to this country has denied its members investment opportunities and reflects negatively on the efficacy of the Indian judicial system.
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U.S. Commission on Internartional Religious Freedom advised State Dept. to prevent Modi from visiting U.S.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, chaired by Preeta Bansal, had advised the State Department to prevent India’s Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s from visiting this country. The State Department announced on March 18 it was denying Modi a diplomatic visa and also revoking his business visa on grounds that his government had in some way allegedly been linked to the deaths of some 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat nearly three years ago. The Commission said it was gratified by the State Department’s action.
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‘Historic day,’ says Grieboski of Institute on Religion and Public Policy
The prime mover of the petition demanding the denial of a U.S. visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has described the decision as “a historic day” for those protecting religious freedom worldwide.
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‘It’s the question of every Indian’s pride, I’ll fight’
Ahmedabad : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi described the U.S. move to deny him a visa because of the 2002 sectarian violence in his state as an insult to India and said he was ready to wage a battle for the country’s pride.
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Government expressed ‘deep concern and regret’ that
U.S. denied visa to Modi
New Delhi : India urged the U.S. to review its decision to refuse visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the 2002 sectarian violence, calling it an “uncalled for” and insensitive action.
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Visa denial to have no impact on U.S.-India ties, says INOC
Dr. Surinder Malhotra, president of the Indian National Overseas Congress (INOC), described the visa denial as “an isolated incident that should have no impact on U.S.-India relations.”
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An insult for Modi, not for India, says Modhvadia
Ahmedabad : The opposition Congress Party in Gujarat dismissed Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of the denial of a U.S. visa to him and said it was certainly not an insult to India but was “an individual matter.”
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‘Total violation of the sovereignty of India:’ Overseas Friends BJP
Overseas Friends BJP (USA), which represents informally represents the Bharatiya Janata Party’s interests here, has described the denial of a visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as “a total violation of the sovereignty of India and an insult to the entire nation.”
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Security at U.S. visa counter tightened; groups hail decision
Ahmedabad : Security was tightened at the U.S. visa counter here following protests against denial of U.S. visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The state police have provided extra security to the U.S. consul’s extension counter in the premises of the Gujarat Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the heart of the city.
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DIPLOMACY
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‘Given the shared value this could be an extraordinary relationship’
New Delhi : India and the United States on March 16 talked about developing an “extraordinary relationship in the next several decades,”even as they differed over their approach to Iran.
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Manmohan Singh to visit U.S. in mid-2005
New Delhi : India and the United States are working on a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the U.S. in the middle of this year following an invitation by President George W. Bush, a senior U.S. embassy official said here on March 16.
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Rice non-committal on sale of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan
Islamabad : U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has not made any assurances on the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan despite President Pervez Musharraf making a strong pitch for the deal and urging the country’s inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, media reports said on March 17.
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Twin blasts rock Kandahar as Rice arrives in Afghanistan
Kabul : A bomb blast in southern Afghanistan killed at least five people on March 17 as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a one-day trip aimed at congratulating the country for its steps towards democracy.
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Rice impresses dress
gurus with subtle style
NEW DELHI : Her light fawn-colored jacket is being applauded, as is the delicate string of pearls. The lipstick, some say, is a trifle too dark but overall U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has impressed Indian clothing gurus with her flair for choosing the right attire on her whirlwind daylong tour of India on March 16.
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IMMIGRATION
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Pakistani soldier Arafat Khaskheli gets U.S. citizenship
Arafat Khaskheli, a soldier of Pakistani origin, was among 47 military personnel who were made citizens at a ceremony held at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas, the American Forces Press Service (AFPS) reported on March 11.
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Fraud applications galore in Diversity Visa Lottery
More than 6.3 million people applied for entry into the U.S. through the 2006 Diversity Visa Lottery, but many were duplicate or fraud applications, according to the State Department. These 6.3 million applications were registered during the two-month electronic registration period, from noon on Nov. 5, 2004, through noon Jan. 7, 2005.
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20,000 more H-1B visas announced
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced last week that it was adding another 20,000 spaces for H-1B visa applicants, news that may sound like music to many Indian American skilled workers waiting in the wings to come to this country.
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NEWSMAKERS
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Tahir-Kheli, of Pakistani origin, appointed adviser for U.N. Reform by Secretary of State
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has appointed Dr. Shirin Tahir-Kheli her senior adviser on United Nations Reform. Some South Asia watchers and some Indian policy-makers see the appointment as possibly coming in the way of India’s push for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.
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Pankaj Advani, 19, becomes world billiards champion
India’s national champion Pankaj Advani is on a roll. After winning world snooker title at 16, the latest teen sensation has become the World Billiards Champion at 19, days after winning the Asian title.
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OUTSOURCING
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MphasiS acquires Eldorado, Phoenix BPO firm for $16.5m.
Mumbai : The MphasiS BFL Group, one of India’s leading mid-size IT services firms, said Monday it had acquired a US-based business process outsourcing (BPO) company for $16.5 million to expand presence overseas.
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UNDER 30
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Online poker is emerging as a serious career option
Online poker is emerging as a serious career option for many university students, notwithstanding its negative connotations. Campuses around the country have been witnessing a rise in students playing poker on the Internet and making substantial money, prompting some to treat as a possible career option.
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Center for India Studies at
Stony Brook will hold summer study program in Bangalore
The Center for India Studies at Stony Brook University, New York, is expanding its Summer Study Abroad program in Bangalore this year. The 6-week program includes a first week in Stony Brook (May 23-27), and 5 weeks in India, from May 27 through July 3rd, a press release said. The program offers 4 courses: Art and Architecture of India; Indian Democracy; Social Change in Modern India; and Language and Culture in India.
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Students want California U. to divest from Dow Chemical, a major donor
A students’ association has responded to a resolution sponsored by a coalition of South Asian and environmental students groups calling on the University of California to divest from Dow Chemical, the world’s largest chemicals manufacturer, and refuse all donations from the company.
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