News India-Times

`Frontier Gandhi' brings Pashtun peace icon to life

2010-02-09T00:09:00.000-08:00

Badshah Khan was so close o Mahatma Gandhi they hared reading glasses, inspiring jokes about their shared vision, but unlike his friend, the Pashtun champion of non-violent struggle has been almost forgotten by his people.

Now Canadian filmmaker Teri McLuhan hopes to drag the man dubbed "Frontier Gandhi," and his role in winning independence from British rule, back into the limelight.

Khan's message of peace, which won him a Nobel prize nomination in 1985, is still vital both in the conflicted areas where he spent most of his life, and in the West where it can help explode stereotypes about the Muslim world, she says.

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Intel Inside

2010-02-08T00:12:00.000-08:00

Six Indian American high school students from around the country are among the 40 finalists named by the Intel Science Talent Search committee Jan. 27. Their projects span space science, mathematics, chemistry and physics and, this March, they will face a virtual inquisition in Washington when highly qualified judges will grade their projects. The top prize is $100,000 from the Intel Foundation.

Considered the most prestigious, the competition attracts thousands of applicants from around the country. The list is whittled down to a roster of 300 best projects. Those semifinalists undergo further scrutiny from a panel of judges and a shortlist of 40 is drawn up. The Intel Science Talent Search is a program of the Society for Science & the Public. Over the last decade, several Indian Americans have featured in the top 40.

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Sailing solo around the world

2010-02-05T00:15:00.000-08:00

Commander Dilip Donde of the Indian Navy is on a quest to become the first solo sailor from India to complete a circumnavigation of the globe.

The 42-year-old Donde has reached the halfway mark of his nine-month "Sagar Parikrama" journey. Having started from Mumbai in August 2009, his `Mhadei' vessel passed through Fremantle (Australia) and Christchurch (New Zealand) and has now reached the Falkland Islands.

Here are excerpts from Donde's blog.

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Muslim artists from across country perform at Apollo Theater

2010-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN) hosted a diverse crowd of 1,500 at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York Jan.23 for a performance by Muslim artists from across the country and world.

The sold-out show was a special edition of IMAN's signature arts and culture event, Community Café, a press release said.

It was one of the first Muslim led arts and culture events at the Apollo,

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Infosys Technologies rides early recovery wave

2010-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

India's Infosys Technologies (INFY.BO) finds itself in a sweet spot as recovery hopes take hold, with customers showing a new urgency to outsource operations, its chief executive said on Jan. 27.

India's No. 2 outsourcer was hit hard early in the downturn, reflecting its heavy exposure to the United States and financial services. But it is now coming out of the trough ahead of many other international companies.

"You are seeing a pent-up demand of projects coming our way," Kris Gopalakrishnan told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

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Indian police officers briefed on FBI's terrorism task force

2010-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Members of the FBI's New York Joint Terrorism Task Force briefed delegates from the Indian Police Service (IPS) Jan. 27 about the task force's role in countering terrorism.

The Indian team was led by Bhamathi Balasurbramaniam, joint secretary with the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi, who was present for the briefing in addition to other members of the police force.

New York City was the first to get a joint terrorism task force as far back as in 1980 and the agency is considered one of the most experienced.

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New Hindi channel to debut on DISH Network

2010-02-01T00:04:00.000-08:00

A new Hindi channel has been launched in the United States via DISH Network.

Viacom Media Pvt. Ltd. and Network 18 announced the launch of Aapka Colors at a press conference Jan. 27 in New York.

Known as Colors in India, the channel offers a "unique blend of entertainment through scripted series, reality shows, game shows and blockbuster Bollywood films," a press release said.

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Washington Leadership Program extended to Gujarat

2010-01-29T00:04:00.000-08:00

Students from Gujarat can now get first-hand insight into how the American government works, thanks to the efforts of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC), Gujarat chapter, and Parikh Worldwide Media Inc., publisher of News India Times.

The two groups have signed an agreement to extend the prestigious Washington Leadership Program (WLP), which provides Indian-American students across the United States an opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill, to students in Gujarat.

The agreement was signed here Jan. 13 by Himanshu Vyas, chairman IACC-Gujarat and Dr. Sudhir Parikh, chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media Inc.

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Thousands pay last respects to Jyoti Basu

2010-01-28T00:08:00.000-08:00

Tens of thousands of mourners waving red flags walked through the streets of Kolkata to catch a final glimpse of communist patriarch Jyoti Basu, who died last weekend.

Basu, whose pragmatic politics twice brought him close to becoming prime minister, died on Jan. 17 at the age of 95.

He gained fame leading West Bengal for almost a quarter century, the longest-serving chief minister in Indian political history.

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Gates in Pakistan to seek action on Afghan Taliban

2010-01-27T00:23:00.000-08:00

Pakistan ruled out any new offensive against militants on Jan. 21, as Defense Secretary Gates began meetings aimed at persuading the country to expand its military campaign to take on Afghanistan's Taliban.

Gates, on his first trip to Pakistan since U.S. President Barack Obama took office last year, is visiting after a period of tense relations marked by a significant degree of distrust on both sides.

Islamabad has mounted big offensives against Pakistani Taliban factions attacking the state, but has resisted U.S. pressure to go after Afghan Taliban in border enclaves who do not strike in Pakistan but cross the border to fight U.S. troops.

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Vitamin E strain can protect brain after stroke

2010-01-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

New research led by Professor Chandan Sen of Ohio State University suggests blocking the function of an enzyme in the brain with a specific kind of vitamin E can prevent nerve cells from dying after a stroke.

In a study using mouse brain cells, scientists found the tocotrienol form of vitamin E, an alternative to the popular drugstore supplement, stopped the enzyme from releasing fatty acids that eventually kill neurons, a release from Ohio State said.

Sen and his colleagues have been studying how this specific kind of vitamin E protects the brain in animal and cell models for a decade, and they are going to continue to test its potential to both prevent and treat strokes in humans.

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Shah to coordinate U.S. disaster assistance to quake-hit Haiti

2010-01-21T00:44:00.000-08:00

Rajiv Shah, the new administrator of the country's foreign development assistance body, is already being tested within less than a week of taking office as administrator at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). President Obama has assigned him to coordinate a major inter agency effort to send help to Haiti, hit by a disastrous 7.0 magnitude earthquake Jan. 12 that killed tens of thousands of people.

Speaking from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House the morning after the quake, President Obama announced a massive aid effort to Haiti, including sending an aircraft carrier to waters near the island nation.

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'Delhi-6' is first Indian film launched on iTunes

2010-01-20T00:44:00.000-08:00

UTV's "Delhi-6," coproduced and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and starring Abhishek Bachchan and Sonam Kapoor, has been launched on iTunes.

It's the first Indian film to be made available on the iTunes store, the Indo Asian News Service reported.

The film is featured on the store's "New and Noteworthy" film section and is available for download-to-own for $9.99. "Launching `Delhi-6,' the complete film, on iTunes was a perfect fit as not only does the film appeal to all alike, but is another step in UTV's endeavor to set trends," the report quoted Lokesh Dhar, vice president of UTV Motion Pictures, USA, as saying.

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U.S. promoting Afghan trade with India, hopes for passage through Pakistan

2010-01-19T00:07:00.000-08:00

United States Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says building and redirecting Afghan agriculture requires helping expand its trade with other countries like India. Washington, he said, is actively engaged in helping Kabul raise its exports to its biggest trading partner.

Speaking in the midst of his trip to Afghanistan Jan. 11, in an audio media briefing, Vilsack said, "There's no question that agriculture is critical to the success in Afghanistan in the long haul," according to a transcript provided by the State Department.

Vilsack's trip included meetings with Afghani leaders, partners and farmers about U.S. efforts to rebuild that country's agricultural sector.

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Pyaar Impossible: Not the most original love story ever written

2010-01-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

One look at the promos and posters of "Pyaar Impossible" and you will know it's not the most original love story ever written.

The beauty and geek concept is one that has been played out many a time, but even the most rehashed plot can be resuscitated by fresh writing and spontaneous performances.

Instead, director Jugal Hansraj proceeds to concentrate on making sure that Priyanka Chopra's clothes get skimpier by the scene and insert meaningless songs and jokes, thus leaving this movie bereft of the one thing it needed the most -heart.

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Indian student attacked in St. Louis

2010-01-15T00:09:00.000-08:00

A 29-year-old female student from New Delhi, pursuing her Ph.D. at Washington University here, was found badly beaten last month in the basement of her off-campus student housing in University City. The student, whose name has not been made public, remains hospitalized in critical condition and has not been in a position to provide a statement to investigators, officials were quoted as saying in news reports.

A statement from the University City Police Department said, "A female graduate student at Washington University was found physically assaulted in the basement laundry facility of an off-campus apartment building in University City.

The building is owned and operated by Quadrangle Housing, a subsidiary of the university.

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Ex-McKinsey executive says Rajaratnam paid USD 1.75 million

2010-01-13T00:07:00.000-08:00

A former McKinsey & Co director told a court on Jan. 7 that Galleon hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam paid him $1.75 million in exchange for confidential information on clients to make illegal stock trades.

Anil Kumar, the former management consultant executive, made the statement in pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and securities fraud in Manhattan federal court. He was the seventh person to plead guilty in what U.S. prosecutors have called the biggest hedge fund insider trading case ever in the country.

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Hawaii academy to host Bollywood Film Festival

2010-01-12T00:09:00.000-08:00

The Honolulu Academy of Arts will organize its third annual Bollywood Film Festival from Jan. 23 to March 2.

The festival will screen 10 of Bollywood's best films, and will include new releases (from2009 and 2008) and premieres. The films, which will be shown in academy's Doris Duke Theater, will be from various genres, ranging from family centric romantic comedies and critically acclaimed films based on epics to a Shakespearean tragedy, Mumbai noir, socially conscious cinema and an indie production, the academy's Web site said.

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Gates' India visit expected to boost defense ties

2010-01-11T00:06:00.000-08:00

United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, whose term at the Pentagon was recently extended by at least a year, is to visit India later this month in a bid to boost defense cooperation.

Dates for what is likely to be a two-day visit have not been firmed up yet.

During his visit, Gates is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart A.K. Antony and meet top officials of India's armed forces, the Press Trust of India reported.

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Boston University to hold summit in India

2010-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Boston University alumni are joining their alma mater to throw a bash in India starting Jan. 8, in New Delhi and Mumbai.

The university is on the brink of opening a branch in India and the President of the institution is scheduled to meet with relevant ministers and officials this January to push that plan through.

The India 2010 Global Leadership Summit kicks off Jan. 8, at the home of one of the students and hosted by the U.S. deputy chief of mission,

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Chatterjee joins Senate Majority Leader's staff

2010-01-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, now boasts at least two Indian Americans among his top staffers.

His domestic policy director Rohit Kumar, has now been joined by Neil Chatterjee, who will advise the Senator on energy and agriculture, according to the Indian American Republican Council "To work for my home state Senator at a time when he is serving as the Party leader is the chance of a lifetime and I relish the opportunity and look forward to the challenge," Chatterjee, an attorney from the Senator's home state said in a release from the IARC.

Chatterjee has a Bachelor's degree from St. Lawrence University and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

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8-party meet set to resolve Telangana issue

2010-01-06T00:03:00.000-08:00

The Indian government has decided to convene has decided to convene a meeting of eight political parties in Andhra Pradesh in a bid to smooth out issues following the furor on all sides about the creation of the separate state of Telangana.

The ongoing strikes in some districts of Andhra, according to New Delhi, passed off peacefully Dec. 30. So it was issuing a call for the meeting, a press release from the Prime Minister's Office said.

The meeting is scheduled for Dec. 5. Union Home Minister P . Chidambaram has invited the eight parties for talks, the release said without naming them.

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Sachin Tendulkar to skip Sri Lanka-Bangladesh tri-series

2010-01-05T00:09:00.000-08:00

India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar has opted out of this month's triangular one day series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to save himself for the upcoming test series against Bangladesh.

The 36-year-old Tendulkar told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) he wanted a break from the shorter version of the game but would be available for the two tests.

"Sachin Tendulkar desired to be rested for the tri-series. He will play the tests against Bangladesh," the BCCI said in a statement on Dec. 25.

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Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan dies of cardiac arrest

2010-01-04T00:09:00.000-08:00

Popular Kannada actor and singer Vishnuvardhan died of cardiac arrest in Mysore, Karnataka, Dec. 30. The 60-year-old superstar was admired by fans as "Sahasa Simha."

His body was brought to Bangalore and kept at the National College Grounds for fans to pay their respects, news reports said.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, his Cabinet colleagues, Bangalore South Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha member H.N. Ananth Kumar,

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Pakistan to release 100 Indian fishermen

2009-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

Pakistan has ordered the release on humanitarian grounds of 100 Indian fishermen languishing in prison for illegally venturing into its territorial waters, the prime minister's office said.

"As a humanitarian gesture, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has decided to unilaterally release 100 Indian fishermen who have been in Pakistani custody," the prime minister's office said in a statement released late on Dec. 22.

A prison official in the port city of Karachi, where the fishermen are being kept, said nine children were among the group of 100 to be released.

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