India will play integral role in keeping US economy competitive, say Indian Americans

Virginia (USA), Nov.4 (ANI): Indian Americans residing here are of the view that India can and will play an integral role in keeping the American economy competitive, despite the ongoing meltdown on Wall Street and its impact on global economies.

While they are in agreement with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's views on what ails the economy and what solutions need to be applied to ensure a quick turnaround, they also warn that Obama will face the reality of the American economy's competitiveness once he enters the White House on November 5.

"Obama, when he becomes the President, is going to face the reality of the competitiveness of the American economy. And, India plays an integral role to keep it competitive," said Sanjay Puri, the Chairman of the U.S. India Political Action Committee.

"What candidates sometime say during the campaign and when they look at the reality of the world vis-a-vis the competitiveness of the United States, I think, it's the whole different discussion," he told ANI.

Puri also felt that Obama, as president, might opt for a different approach to developments in South Asia as opposed to the Republican strategy of the past eight years. He suggested that the Democratic administration in Washington would pursue a proactive policy towards both New Delhi and Islamabad.

"Well I think he (Obama) is going to have a very strong policy towards India in the conversation that I have had and from everything we have seen. He has very strong feelings and regards for India. The one difference is he obviously has a very proactive approach towards Pakistan and that's something that's going to be different form what you see with other Democratic candidates as well as other Republicans like John Mc Cain," Puri said.

Pradeep Ganguly, Director, Department of Economic Development, Montgomery County, Maryland, said that most Indian Americans and Americans were searching for answers and solutions to end the meltdown, as also answers to where their country was headed. He suggested that there is an image of America in place that needed to be changed. In this year's elections, the Americans were not being driven by political affiliations, but by issues, and that is why so many more of them were coming out to vote as opposed to trends in the previous two elections (2004 and 2000).

"American people want to rebuild the economy. America was blessed with the strong economy for many years. Now, the economy is the biggest question mark in the minds of every voter," Ganguly told ANI.

"The biggest issue in the minds of the many voters of Indian American origin for example, is where our nation is going? We used to be the most beloved country of the world. Now, in the last eight years or so, we have become more of a gun-toting, immigrant bashing country. And, that image needs to be changed. And there got to be a new image a new direction for this country," he added.

"And, I think, you can see the numbers that people are voting, I think they are driven by these issues. I think, we need to be more caring, energetic, more technology oriented, forward oriented and a leader of the world. We need to regain the strength and respect we had in the global economy. So that's what the next four to eight years is going to do," Ganguly added.

Voters have made it clear they want change. When asked what they are looking for in a candidate, most say someone who can "bring about needed change".

Nearly half of the American population (49 percent) says the economy will be the most important issue in deciding their vote for the 44th president. That is a large part of what makes this race an uphill battle for John McCain, as more voters trust Obama to handle the economy by an 11-point margin (52 percent - 41 percent).

Obama bests McCain on which candidate people trust more to handle all the domestic issues -- by 17 points on health care, by 11 points on energy independence, and by seven points on taxes. McCain is preferred on handling the war on terrorism by eight points and by a slim three-point margin on Iraq. Voters also think McCain would respond better than Obama to a "test" by foreign governments or terrorists in the first six months of his presidency. By Smita Prakash

Dhoni to lead India in Nagpura Test

Mahendra Singh Dhoni will captain India in the fourth and final Test against Australia in Nagpura later this week and is therefore expected to be confirmed as the skipper in the longer version of the game besides being the one-day captain.

Chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth told journalists at the end of the drawn third Test match on Sunday that Dhoni will lead the Indian team in the next match starting on November 6.

He said Dhoni would also captain the team in seven ODIs against England later this month and a decision will be taken on the two-Test series against England before it starts.

220,000 Indians make US their home illegally

Washington, Nov 1 (IANS) An estimated 220,000 Indians have made the United States their home illegally with a whopping 81 percent increase in their number in last seven years, according to latest official figures.

The dramatic growth in the number of Indians has come about even as immigration from Mexico continues to dominate the unauthorised population growth, according to the Department of Homeland Security's latest statistics on 'illegal immigrants'.

The estimated population of Indians living illegally in the United States was 220,000 in 2007 compared to 120,000 in the year 2000, thus recording one of the highest percentage increases.

An estimated 11.8 million unauthorised immigrants were living in America in January 2007 compared to 8.5 million in 2000. The unauthorised population increased by 3.3 million between 2000 and 2007 while the annual average increase during this period was 470,000.

Nearly 4.2 million (35 percent) of the total 11.8 million unauthorised residents in 2007 had entered in 2000 or later. An estimated 7.0 million (59 percent) were from Mexico.

California remained the leading state of residence for the illegal population in 2007 with 2.8 million, followed by Texas with 1.7 million and then Florida with nearly one million.

California's share of the national total declined from 30 percent in 2000 to 24 percent in 2007 as the greatest percentage increases of unauthorised resident population occurred in Georgia (120 percent), Arizona (62 percent) and Texas (57 percent).

Murders in Chennai give rise to 'psychopath' story

One more person died under mysterious circumstances in Chennai on Thursday as Chennai police groped for clues regarding four similar deaths in the past two weeks amid a scare that a psychopath killer was on the prowl.

The body of Basha (50), a security guard with a real estate firm, was found half-burnt with a few liquor bottles in the upmarket Ashok Nagar area near Vadapalani. The incident took place barely 500 metres away from Ashok Nagar police station.

Four others including a rag-picker and a security guard, were found dead in similar fashion in the city.

The deaths sparked off fears of a psychopath stalking the upmarket neighbourhood. Last week police claimed to have solved the mystery of the deaths with the arrest of one Ekambaram stated to be a mentally unstable person.

However, two deaths have been reported after his arrest, taking the overall toll of mysterious deaths to five. So far, two persons were found dead with their heads smashed while the bodies of three others were found burnt while one was left injured.

Chennai Police Commissioner R Sekar had termed the killings as "a challenge" to police, and vowed to "put an end to such mysterious deaths in the neighbourhood."

Indian-origin stunner in British beauty pageant row

An Indian-origin beauty queen has unwittingly sparked a controversy by winning a beauty contest in a region where she does not reside.

Janeena Basra, 23, who is a resident of Leeds, was declared winner of the Miss Halton Pride in Cheshire, across the Pennines. She triumphed over Donna Hayes, who is considered a 'native' local contestant.

Local people in Halton believe the winner should be from nearby Runcorn or Widnes, and not one who is not a resident of the area. More than 50 comments appeared on a local newspaper website voicing displeasure over her win.

"Where is the justice in a girl from Leeds being crowned?" wrote a reader while another wrote: "Isn't it about time that Miss Halton was picked from girls who actually live in Halton."

Winning the Miss Halton Pride title qualifies Basra, who counts bhangra and salsa dancing among her talents, to contest the finals of the Miss England contest to be held in London on Friday. The winner of the contest will represent the country at the Miss World contest in Ukraine.

Miss England Limited, which runs the Miss Halton Pride contest, confirmed that as per rules, contestants do not have to originate from a particular area to represent it.

Basra, who has a degree in Human Nutrition and is awaiting the result of a Masters in Naturopathic Nutrition from the University of Manchester, said: "I can't understand it, there are no restrictions. I did not experience any hostility at the competition from fellow contestants."

3 missing Indians in New Zealand to expose agent

Sydney, July 17 (IANS) Three of the 39 Indians, who disappeared in New Zealand en route to attend the Catholic Church's week-long World Youth Day (WYD) festivities in Sydney, are believed to be in Tauranga and will tell immigration officers about the travel agent who duped them.

New Zealand Sikh Society spokesman Daljit Singh, who has been liaising with some of the missing Indians, most of who are from Punjab, told Radio New Zealand that the trio would meet with immigration officials later Thursday to reveal all about the travel agent who took Rs.500,000 (US$12,000) each from the 39 Indians, wrongly promising them permanent residency visas.

The 39, masqueraded as Catholics while some are Muslims and Hindus, were part of a group of 220 Indians who were billeted with Catholic families in Auckland on their way to Pope Benedict XVI led WYD celebrations in Sydney.

New Zealand Federation of Ethnic Councils' president Pancha Narayanan told Radio New Zealand that Bollywood movies are portraying New Zealand as an easy destination to migrate. However, the Department of Labour, which is incharge of immigration, has rejected such claims that New Zealand is a soft target for immigration scams.

Immigration Service head Andrew Annakin told the radio that New Zealand has advanced levels of security and is vigilant about trafficking.

Meanwhile, an embarrassed chairman of the World Youth Day committee in Auckland, Maurice Boland, has also appealed to the missing Indians to immediately contact immigration authorities. He said there was 'a lot of hurt' among the families who had agreed to host them.

Some of those who are missing absconded from Auckland International Airport on arrival in New Zealand in early July, while others absconded from their billets, all but one leaving their luggage there, according to the Department of Labour.

Representatives of the Catholic Church, which sponsored their transit through New Zealand, have handed the passports of 38 Indians to immigration officials. One person is said to be in possession of his own passport.

The absconding Indians, aged 17 to 35 and mainly from Jalandhar in Punjab, have valid visitor visa to remain legally in New Zealand until Aug 5 or 6 and the immigration head has appealed to them to come forward and meet the immigration authorities to resolve the situation.

Two Indian immigrants caught at British Army barracks

Five illegal immigrants were caught at a British Army barracks after they hid on board trucks in a military convoy, British police said on Thursday.

The men were spotted jumping from two lorries inside the military base in South Cerney in Gloucestershire in western England on Tuesday evening.

Police said it was thought the men had stowed themselves on board the lorries, which were being driven by private contractors, at the French port of Calais.

The convoy was shipping military Land Rovers back from Kosovo, The Sun newspaper said.

"They all seemed very jovial and quite happy. They did not seem concerned they had jumped into an Army barracks," Army Captain Giles Cutter told the paper.

"Fortunately there was a squadron on duty and a few burly Fijian soldiers wrestled the first two to the ground."

Police said the men, two from India, two from Afghanistan and an Iranian, aged between 15 and 26, were taken to a local police station before being handed over to immigration officials and taken to a detention centre.