Hindu legislator of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party jailed in Pakistan
Hollande, Sarkozy heading to French vote runoff
PARIS,April23,2012: Francois Hollande, a mild-mannered French Socialist who wants to take better care of the jobless and the poor, is heading to a presidential runoff election against tough-on-immigration Nicolas Sarkozy in a vote that could alter Europe's political and economic landscape. Hollande heads into the May 6 second round with the upper hand after narrowly edging the conservative Sarkozy in the first round of France's voting Sunday, according to near-complete official results. In the campaign's biggest surprise, nearly one in five voters chose far right candidate Marine Le Pen instead, handing her a solid third place and a chance to weigh in on French politics with her anti-immigration platform that targets France's millions of Muslims. With 93 percent of the vote counted, Hollande had 28.4 percent of the ballots cast and Sarkozy 27 percent, according to figures released by the Interior Ministry. Le Pen was in third with 18.3 percent of the vote so far, the best showing ever by the far right National Front party founded by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen. In fourth place was leftist firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon with 11 percent, followed by centrist Francois Bayrou with 9.1 percent and five other candidates with minimal support. Turnout was also surprisingly high, at more than 80 percent, despite concern that a campaign focusing on nostalgia for a more protected past would fail to inspire voters. Hollande, a 57-year-old who has worried financial markets with his pledges to boost government spending, vowed Sunday night to cut France's huge debts, boost growth and unite the French after Sarkozy's divisive first term. ``Tonight I become the candidate of all the forces who want to turn one page and turn over another,'' Hollande, displaying a confidence and stately air he has often lacked during the campaign, told an exuberant crowd in his political fiefdom of Tulle in central France.
Sarkozy, speaking at his campaign headquarters on Paris' Left Bank, said he recognized voters' concerns about jobs and immigration, and ``the concern of our compatriots to preserve their way of life.'' Ten candidates faced off for Sunday's first round of voting, a referendum on Sarkozy at a time when many French voters are worried about high joblessness and weak economic prospects and the president is seen as too cozy with the rich. ``Hollande should be happy. ... Sarkozy's objective was to beat him. It will be very difficult for Sarkozy now,'' said Damien Philippot of polling agency IFOP. ``When you see the results it's clearly a vote of sanction for Nicolas Sarkozy.'' Three French polls conducted Sunday evening as results came in predicted Hollande would win the May 6 runoff by 8 to 12 percentage points. Ipsos, CSA and IFOP said their soundings showed worries about jobs and personal income which drove many voters. Sarkozy is battling to avoid becoming France's first one-term president since Valery Giscard d'Estaing lost to Socialist Francois Mitterrand in 1981. Sarkozy has said he'll pull out of politics if he loses. The race is on now to sway Le Pen's voters for the decisive second round. Le Pen herself told AP last week that she was not going to give instructions to her voters. While Sarkozy has borrowed some of her anti-immigrant rhetoric and campaign themes of national identity, Le Pen has repeatedly criticized Sarkozy and says he is a has-been with no chance of returning to office. The Socialist camp _ not a natural ally for Le Pen supporters _ reached out to her voters after Sunday's result. ``We also have to think of those who are angry,'' who feel forgotten and humiliated by Sarkozy's first term, Socialist Party chief Martine Aubry said. Sarkozy ally and Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, asked by the AP about Le Pen's strong showing, said, ``We have to speak to these French people _ that doesn't mean doing a party-to-party accord, surely not. Their aspirations must be taken into account, and Nicolas Sarkozy has largely done that by developing certain themes like a Europe that protects us against some mishaps of globalization.'' Le Pen rails against Europe, what she claims is the Islamization of France and the ``system'' of bankers and decision-makers that she says is ruining France. She said Sunday that the ``battle of France has just begun.'' Le Pen said in the interview last week with The Associated Press that she would consider it a victory if she matched the first-round score of her father in 2002. That year, he got nearly 16.8 percent of the vote and was propelled into the final round and a face-off with then-President Jacques Chirac. Anti-racism group SOS Racisme said Le Pen's victory could represent ``a major danger for democracy.'' It blamed Sarkozy for allowing Le Pen's party to push extremist themes to the front of the national debate, and urged the candidates for the runoff ``to put equality, more than ever, at the heart of their plans.'' ``This is an election that will weigh on the future of Europe. That's why many people are watching us,'' said Hollande after voting. Whatever happens to France's leadership will affect the rest of the 27-nation European Union. France was one of six countries that in the 1950s founded the predecessor of the EU, and is the eurozone's second-largest economy after Germany. Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel _ a tandem that some call ``Merkozy'' _ have championed a treaty on budget austerity for the 17-nation eurozone. But Hollande wants the treaty to also address economic growth, not just cost-cutting.
Julien Vadrot, 18, in his last year in high school, said he voted for Sarkozy ``because he seems the best in this crisis. For five years, he held the country together ... and kept the country standing better than the other (countries)'' like Spain, Portugal or Italy, he said. ``It's lost less than the other euro countries.'' At a time when voters across Europe have ousted incumbents amid economic woes, a Hollande victory would tilt the continent's political balance to the left even as other leading European nations have governments on the right.
Hollande, who wants to tax high-income earners at 75 percent, has tapped into a fear of the free market that has always held more sway in France than almost anywhere in the West, and has enjoyed a resurgence in the era of Occupy Wall Street and anti-banker backlash. Foreign policy has barely played a role in this campaign but will be a big part of the next president's job. Candidates of many stripes want to bring France's 3,600 troops home from the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, and Hollande has vowed a fast timetable: A pullout by the end of this year. Sarkozy said he wants three debates before the May 6 runoff, on the economy, society and international affairs. But Hollande dismissed that, saying one debate, as had been previously planned, is plenty. ``Because (Sarkozy) is in a very difficult situation he wants to change the rules. But you can't change the rules. When you are a bad student, you get bad grades, you cannot ask to change professors,'' Hollande said as he left Tulle late Sunday night for Paris.
Sarkozy, speaking at his campaign headquarters on Paris' Left Bank, said he recognized voters' concerns about jobs and immigration, and ``the concern of our compatriots to preserve their way of life.'' Ten candidates faced off for Sunday's first round of voting, a referendum on Sarkozy at a time when many French voters are worried about high joblessness and weak economic prospects and the president is seen as too cozy with the rich. ``Hollande should be happy. ... Sarkozy's objective was to beat him. It will be very difficult for Sarkozy now,'' said Damien Philippot of polling agency IFOP. ``When you see the results it's clearly a vote of sanction for Nicolas Sarkozy.'' Three French polls conducted Sunday evening as results came in predicted Hollande would win the May 6 runoff by 8 to 12 percentage points. Ipsos, CSA and IFOP said their soundings showed worries about jobs and personal income which drove many voters. Sarkozy is battling to avoid becoming France's first one-term president since Valery Giscard d'Estaing lost to Socialist Francois Mitterrand in 1981. Sarkozy has said he'll pull out of politics if he loses. The race is on now to sway Le Pen's voters for the decisive second round. Le Pen herself told AP last week that she was not going to give instructions to her voters. While Sarkozy has borrowed some of her anti-immigrant rhetoric and campaign themes of national identity, Le Pen has repeatedly criticized Sarkozy and says he is a has-been with no chance of returning to office. The Socialist camp _ not a natural ally for Le Pen supporters _ reached out to her voters after Sunday's result. ``We also have to think of those who are angry,'' who feel forgotten and humiliated by Sarkozy's first term, Socialist Party chief Martine Aubry said. Sarkozy ally and Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, asked by the AP about Le Pen's strong showing, said, ``We have to speak to these French people _ that doesn't mean doing a party-to-party accord, surely not. Their aspirations must be taken into account, and Nicolas Sarkozy has largely done that by developing certain themes like a Europe that protects us against some mishaps of globalization.'' Le Pen rails against Europe, what she claims is the Islamization of France and the ``system'' of bankers and decision-makers that she says is ruining France. She said Sunday that the ``battle of France has just begun.'' Le Pen said in the interview last week with The Associated Press that she would consider it a victory if she matched the first-round score of her father in 2002. That year, he got nearly 16.8 percent of the vote and was propelled into the final round and a face-off with then-President Jacques Chirac. Anti-racism group SOS Racisme said Le Pen's victory could represent ``a major danger for democracy.'' It blamed Sarkozy for allowing Le Pen's party to push extremist themes to the front of the national debate, and urged the candidates for the runoff ``to put equality, more than ever, at the heart of their plans.'' ``This is an election that will weigh on the future of Europe. That's why many people are watching us,'' said Hollande after voting. Whatever happens to France's leadership will affect the rest of the 27-nation European Union. France was one of six countries that in the 1950s founded the predecessor of the EU, and is the eurozone's second-largest economy after Germany. Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel _ a tandem that some call ``Merkozy'' _ have championed a treaty on budget austerity for the 17-nation eurozone. But Hollande wants the treaty to also address economic growth, not just cost-cutting.
Julien Vadrot, 18, in his last year in high school, said he voted for Sarkozy ``because he seems the best in this crisis. For five years, he held the country together ... and kept the country standing better than the other (countries)'' like Spain, Portugal or Italy, he said. ``It's lost less than the other euro countries.'' At a time when voters across Europe have ousted incumbents amid economic woes, a Hollande victory would tilt the continent's political balance to the left even as other leading European nations have governments on the right.
Hollande, who wants to tax high-income earners at 75 percent, has tapped into a fear of the free market that has always held more sway in France than almost anywhere in the West, and has enjoyed a resurgence in the era of Occupy Wall Street and anti-banker backlash. Foreign policy has barely played a role in this campaign but will be a big part of the next president's job. Candidates of many stripes want to bring France's 3,600 troops home from the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan, and Hollande has vowed a fast timetable: A pullout by the end of this year. Sarkozy said he wants three debates before the May 6 runoff, on the economy, society and international affairs. But Hollande dismissed that, saying one debate, as had been previously planned, is plenty. ``Because (Sarkozy) is in a very difficult situation he wants to change the rules. But you can't change the rules. When you are a bad student, you get bad grades, you cannot ask to change professors,'' Hollande said as he left Tulle late Sunday night for Paris.
Is your car colour safe?
Indian-born Kamaljit Bawa elected to prestigious US academy
FBI urged to check hate crimes against Sikh-Americans
WASHINGTON,April23,2012: As many as 92 US lawmakers have urged the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to collect data on hate crimes against Sikh-Americans as their appearance makes them acutely susceptible to violence. "The more information our law enforcement agencies have on violence against Sikh-Americans, the more they can do to help prevent these crimes and bring those who commit them to justice," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to FBI. "The Department of Justice and FBI have carried out important outreach efforts in coalition with the Sikh community, but these efforts must also be paired with data collection to ensure we are doing everything possible to crack down on hate crimes against the Sikh community." Sikh-Americans are often targeted for hate crimes because of their distinct identity and common misperceptions with respect to their attire and appearance, wrote lawmakers led by Democrat Joseph Crowley, chief deputy whip in the US House of Representatives. Attackers often appear to erroneously believe that Sikh-Americans are affiliated with extremists and were somehow responsible for the Sep 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
Over the past year, Sikh-Americans and their religious institutions have been threatened or attacked in highly-publicised incidents in New York, Michigan, Virginia and California, where two men were murdered.
Advocacy groups believe it is likely that many other incidents have occurred but went unreported. A former six-term member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Crowley currently serves as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. He has often taken up issues related to Indian-Americans and the Sikh-American community.
Over the past year, Sikh-Americans and their religious institutions have been threatened or attacked in highly-publicised incidents in New York, Michigan, Virginia and California, where two men were murdered.
Advocacy groups believe it is likely that many other incidents have occurred but went unreported. A former six-term member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Crowley currently serves as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian-Americans. He has often taken up issues related to Indian-Americans and the Sikh-American community.
Indian-origin woman burns hubby in US
'Shooting of Indian student in Boston not hate crime'
NEW YORK,April23,2012: A 24-year-old Indian student, who was found dead near the Boston University campus, was not a victim of hate crime and his killing appears to be an isolated incident, a prominent Indian-American organisation has said. Odisha native K Seshadri Rao, a student at Boston University's Graduate School of Management, was shot in the head and leg in the early hours of April 19.
He was pronounced dead on the scene by Boston police. Telugu Association of North America executive vice- president Mohan Nannapaneni said Rao's killing was not a hate crime, as is being speculated in some sections of the media. "It is absolutely not a hate crime. It is an isolated incident. We do not yet know who did it and why but it is definitely not a hate or targetted crime," Nannapaneni told PTI over phone from Boston. The police has some good leads in the case and any speculation about the cause of the shooting could jeopardise the investigation, he said. No arrests have yet been made in the case. Nannapaneni said students from across the world come to study at Boston University and he has not heard of any incident where a student has been targetted because of his race. He termed as false and incorrect some reports that said Rao was "dragged" from his apartment and shot because of his race. Nannapaneni said he had spoken to Rao's roommates who denied that the young student was dragged from his rented house or that they were under attack because of their Indian background.
He was pronounced dead on the scene by Boston police. Telugu Association of North America executive vice- president Mohan Nannapaneni said Rao's killing was not a hate crime, as is being speculated in some sections of the media. "It is absolutely not a hate crime. It is an isolated incident. We do not yet know who did it and why but it is definitely not a hate or targetted crime," Nannapaneni told PTI over phone from Boston. The police has some good leads in the case and any speculation about the cause of the shooting could jeopardise the investigation, he said. No arrests have yet been made in the case. Nannapaneni said students from across the world come to study at Boston University and he has not heard of any incident where a student has been targetted because of his race. He termed as false and incorrect some reports that said Rao was "dragged" from his apartment and shot because of his race. Nannapaneni said he had spoken to Rao's roommates who denied that the young student was dragged from his rented house or that they were under attack because of their Indian background.
Lessons in tabla, dholak in Trinidad schools
PORT-OF-SPAIN,April17,2012: Nearly 167 years after Indians arrived here, the sounds of the tabla, dholak and harmonium will be heard in over 550 primary schools of Trinidad and Tobago which will now teach the Indian musical instruments to students. According to Education Minister Tim Gopeesingh, the cabinet has agreed to introduce a multicultural form of music in the primary school curriculum, representative of the country's diverse culture. The current music programme in primary schools is based on the Western musical tradition. According to the minister, the instrument of choice so far has been the steel pan or drum because of its origin. Guitar, cuatro, xylophone and African drums will also form part of the new programme, he said. This programme will be called the Multicultural Music Programme, instead of the Pan-in-The Classroom Unit. Indians arrived in Trinidad and Tobago between 1845 and 1917 to work on sugar plantations. The Indian High Commission has been holding classes in Indian music and dance through the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Exchange.
Click Here Saudi Indian school alumni association holds soccer tournry
JEDDAH,April17,2012: The 10-week long football tournament organized by the International Indian School Jeddah Alumni Association ( IISJAA) ended with a high note. In the final match last weekend, the team Dabangg embraced the championship with a record win of 9 out of 10 matches without a single loss, while Spartans became runners up and Regals Club grabbed the third position. Nine teams - Dabangg, Spartans, Regals Club, Barca, Arabian Falcons, Junior Man City, Scorpions, Never United and Terminators participated in the tournry. The former students of IISJ contested the tournament. However, well-known football player Mohammed Habib along with Dr Karimuddin, member of Saudi Indian School's higher board and Ghazanfar Ali Zaki, ex-Santosh Trophy player kicked off the tourney. Faisal Khamees (Regals) won the Golden Boot award for being the top scorer while Mohammed Samiullah (Dabangg) won the best goal keeper award. The best kit award went to Regals while the Fair Play award was to Spartans.
Indian boy in UAE helps save environment
ABU DHABI,April 17,2012: A 10-year-old Indian boy in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE) is doing his own bit to save the environment. Every day, he makes paper bags and distributes them to supermarkets, stores and malls. Abdul Muqeet started his project when he was only eight. Abdul's father explained to him the negative impact the non-biodegradable plastic bags have on nature. This led Abdul to think about eco-friendly ideas -- what he could do personally and how he could get other people to act, the Gulf News reported. Every day after school, Abdul began making bags from old newspapers. In two years, he has made and distributed about 4,500 bags to supermarkets, stores and malls. "I make 10-15 bags a day, except on exam days," Abdul said. His schoolmates have nicknamed the bags "Abdul Muqeet Bags", and he is popularly known as the " paper bag boy". Abdul is never shy about stopping a stranger in a supermarket to deliver his message. He waits at the check-out counters and politely asks for a minute of their time to talk about the environment. "I tell them that recycling one tonne of paper saves 17 trees," he said.
Abdul has held demonstrations in Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall, Khalidiya Mall, Jimi Mall in Al Ain, Dubai Festival City and Dubai Marina Mall. His mother Andaleeb Fatima said Abdul has received several awards for his commitment to environmental conservation. His parents now accompany him to his demonstrations.
"When we saw his enthusiasm, we wanted to nurture his interest. I want to tell mothers that every child can give back to the community," she said.
Abdul has held demonstrations in Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall, Khalidiya Mall, Jimi Mall in Al Ain, Dubai Festival City and Dubai Marina Mall. His mother Andaleeb Fatima said Abdul has received several awards for his commitment to environmental conservation. His parents now accompany him to his demonstrations.
"When we saw his enthusiasm, we wanted to nurture his interest. I want to tell mothers that every child can give back to the community," she said.
MasterCard's Ajay Banga to head US-India Business Council
WASHINGTON,: Ajay Banga, president & CEO of MasterCard Worldwide, has been elected next chairman of the US-India Business Council (USIBC), a trade association made of 350 top American and Indian companies. Banga, who became the president and CEO of global payments and technology company in July, 2010, takes over from Harold "Terry" McGraw III, president, chairman, and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies. "As a long time supporter and member of USIBC, I have witnessed the council's stature and influence rise dramatically as a direct result of the iconic leadership provided by former chairs Chip Kaye, Indra Nooyi, and Terry McGraw," said Banga. "It is an exceptional honour to be entrusted with such a legacy and I look forward to building on their successes." Banga currently serves on the board of Kraft Foods and is a member of such prestigious groups as the Council on Foreign Relations, the Business Roundtable, and the Foreign Policy Association. Banga's "deep business experience in India, as well his global business acumen and leadership, will be enormously helpful as we move forward to realise the full potential of closer US-India relations," said McGraw. "By expanding the partnership between our two nations over the next several years, including passage of a bilateral investment treaty, we can move from $100 billion in two-way trade to $500 billion by the end of the decade," he added. "MasterCard's activities in India empowering people via financial inclusion and making available to every segment of Indian society innovative payment solutions are central to the future US-India growth story," said USIBC President, Ron Somers.
Young Indian American wins school board election primaries
WASHINGTON,Apr 16, 2012: A young Indian American has created history of sorts after winning the primaries in a school board election in the State of Maryland. Raheela Ahmed, 18, finished first in the Prince George's County (Maryland) Board of Education elections, while the incumbent School Board Chairwoman, Jeana Jacob, received about 1,000 votes less than her. Jacobs has been the School Board Chair for the past five years, and is vying for her second re-election. She received 25 per cent of votes compared to Raheela's 34 per cent. If elected in November, Raheela, an undergraduate student at University of Maryland, will become part of a nine-member School Board, which administers the 18th largest school system in the US, with more than 120,000 students and an annual budget of USD 1.6 billion. "I am committed to lifting the performance of our county school system and to excellence in education," said Raheela, who attributed her victory to her strong grassroots organisation. She had over 50 volunteers to help her go door to door in neighbourhoods and campaign. A young community activist and leader, Raheela graduated from The Science and Technology Program at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in May 2011, with above a 4.0 cumulative GPA. Currently at the University of Maryland, College Park as a student in the Honors College, studying Biology and Business there, Raheela has already started preparing for the November elections. "I go to sleep thinking about the campaign every night," she said. "I'm taking a class in accounting, and then somehow I'm linking it to budgets and linking it to campaigning," she said.
Harappan civilisation relics found in Haryana village
Chandigarh(India), April 15,2012: Relics believed to be associated with the ancient Harappan civilisation have been dug out from a village in Haryana by archaeological experts from Cambridge and the Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Extensive excavations at the ancient Tida Bud Teela, a mound spread out over 400 sq m area, in Khalsa Bohla village in Karnal district, 160 km from here, have led to the relics. “The relics include pottery, bones, mud wall, grain store and red-coloured utensils, which are believed to have been used by people belonging to the Harappan era,” Arun Pandey, the excavation team leader, told IANS. He said the relics were found in the first few days of excavation that saw digging up to a depth of four metres. These have been sent for carbon-dating and other examination to know their exact period and whether these belong to the Harappan period. The excavation was initiated March 28 and would continue till April 16. A London-based historian, Patrick, is helping the excavation team. The team is planning to dig up to 40 metres.
He said during the excavation, the relics of late Harappa period have been found. Pandey said the survey of this mound was done in 1975 by the Haryana Archaeology department. He said the excavation was being carried out carefully so that no damage was caused to any historical object. Residents of the village, which has a population of about 3,000 people, are very excited. They say the historical findings will give a new identity to their village. Khalsa Bohla headman Gurmeet Singh said the village is located in the area where the historic battle of Mahabharata was fought between the Pandava and Kaurava armies of Hindu epics.
Raghubir Singh, a village resident, said: “The Teeda Bud Teela could be 5,000 years old and related to the Harappan civilization. Elders have told us that during ancient times, this place was occupied by a ‘Sheesha Bazar’ (glass market) which got destroyed due to some natural disaster.” Though the present-day settlers in the village and adjoining areas have agriculture as their mainstay, the mound has not been affected over the years. The village itself is now a developed one. Haryana has prominent Harappan era heritage sites at Thanesar near Kurukshetra and Banawali near Fatehabad town. While the Banawali site dates to the period of 2500-1450 B.C., the Thanesar mounds date back to the late Harappan era and the visit of Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang in the seventh century. There are over a dozen other sites where excavations have been carried out in Haryana in the last over five decades.
He said during the excavation, the relics of late Harappa period have been found. Pandey said the survey of this mound was done in 1975 by the Haryana Archaeology department. He said the excavation was being carried out carefully so that no damage was caused to any historical object. Residents of the village, which has a population of about 3,000 people, are very excited. They say the historical findings will give a new identity to their village. Khalsa Bohla headman Gurmeet Singh said the village is located in the area where the historic battle of Mahabharata was fought between the Pandava and Kaurava armies of Hindu epics.
Raghubir Singh, a village resident, said: “The Teeda Bud Teela could be 5,000 years old and related to the Harappan civilization. Elders have told us that during ancient times, this place was occupied by a ‘Sheesha Bazar’ (glass market) which got destroyed due to some natural disaster.” Though the present-day settlers in the village and adjoining areas have agriculture as their mainstay, the mound has not been affected over the years. The village itself is now a developed one. Haryana has prominent Harappan era heritage sites at Thanesar near Kurukshetra and Banawali near Fatehabad town. While the Banawali site dates to the period of 2500-1450 B.C., the Thanesar mounds date back to the late Harappan era and the visit of Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang in the seventh century. There are over a dozen other sites where excavations have been carried out in Haryana in the last over five decades.
Indian, British MPs play T-20 cricket match in Dharamsala
Dharamsala(India), April 15,2012: It was cricket in the clouds with some diplomacy thrown in as well. A group of parliamentarians from India and Britain played a cricket match in this picturesque Himachal Pradesh town, located at an altitude of 4,000 feet, with a Briton expressing the hope that this would help improve bilateral trade relations. In an unique initiative to bring India and Britain closer, the members of parliaments Friday played a friendly T-20 cricket match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium.
“This is just an initiative to understand more about each other,” HPCA president Anurag Thakur, the brainchild behind the friendly cricket match between the members of parliaments of both countries, told IANS here. He said besides the match, the parliamentarians discussed a host of issues related to both the countries, including expanding trade opportunities. “…they can influence their respective governments when they go back,” Thakur said. “Cricket, a popular game in both countries, can help strengthening bilateral and trade relations.” The MPs reached here Thursday in a chartered plane. The contingent comprised 17 Indian parliamentarians and 19 British parliamentarians and embassy officials. Indian parliamentarian and former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin said Dharamsala is home to “one of the best grounds in the world”.
“It’s fit for hosting test matches too,” the Congress MP said. “Such matches give a chance to the parliamentarians to relax and interact with their counterparts. Matches should be organised with other countries too,” he added. Another parliamentarian Rajiv Pratap Rudy, from the Bharatiya Janata Party, said more such friendly initiatives should be organised. The visiting British delegation includeed Matthew Hancock (captain), Nigel Adams, Oliver Colvile, Lord Faulks, Jo Johnson, Graham Jones, Mark Lancaster, Guy Opperman, Lord Razzall and Graham Stuart. Hancock said it was a wonderful event to improve relations between the two countries. “We were looking forward for such an opportunity to improve bilateral trade relations because India is the biggest emerging market,” he added. Thakur said: “From next year the HPCA would try to invite parliamentarians from neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for the friendly cricket series (in Dharamsala) and for understanding problems and (trade) opportunities.” The HPCA stadium, 250 km from state capital Shimla, has a 20,600 seating capacity, besides separate practice areas, a club lounge, restaurant, bar and a banquet hall.
“This is just an initiative to understand more about each other,” HPCA president Anurag Thakur, the brainchild behind the friendly cricket match between the members of parliaments of both countries, told IANS here. He said besides the match, the parliamentarians discussed a host of issues related to both the countries, including expanding trade opportunities. “…they can influence their respective governments when they go back,” Thakur said. “Cricket, a popular game in both countries, can help strengthening bilateral and trade relations.” The MPs reached here Thursday in a chartered plane. The contingent comprised 17 Indian parliamentarians and 19 British parliamentarians and embassy officials. Indian parliamentarian and former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin said Dharamsala is home to “one of the best grounds in the world”.
“It’s fit for hosting test matches too,” the Congress MP said. “Such matches give a chance to the parliamentarians to relax and interact with their counterparts. Matches should be organised with other countries too,” he added. Another parliamentarian Rajiv Pratap Rudy, from the Bharatiya Janata Party, said more such friendly initiatives should be organised. The visiting British delegation includeed Matthew Hancock (captain), Nigel Adams, Oliver Colvile, Lord Faulks, Jo Johnson, Graham Jones, Mark Lancaster, Guy Opperman, Lord Razzall and Graham Stuart. Hancock said it was a wonderful event to improve relations between the two countries. “We were looking forward for such an opportunity to improve bilateral trade relations because India is the biggest emerging market,” he added. Thakur said: “From next year the HPCA would try to invite parliamentarians from neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for the friendly cricket series (in Dharamsala) and for understanding problems and (trade) opportunities.” The HPCA stadium, 250 km from state capital Shimla, has a 20,600 seating capacity, besides separate practice areas, a club lounge, restaurant, bar and a banquet hall.
Bomb attack in Bahrain, all Indians safe
New Delhi, April 15,2012: India Friday condemned a bomb attack in a village in Bahrain and assured that the over 400,000 Indians living in the Gulf country are safe. “We condemn such acts of violence,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said here. “Our embassy in Manama, Bahrain is closely monitoring the situation and has conveyed that all Indians in Bahrain are safe,” the spokesperson said. Two home-made bombs Thursday were hurled into a school in Bahrain, but there were no casualties. Seven policemen were injured earlier this week after a petrol bomb exploded in East Ekar area. Anti-government protesters have stepped up activities as Bahrain is set to host the Formula 1 race April 20-22. The protesters have urged the international community to boycott the race.
Indian-origin Norway resident found dead in Delhi
New Delhi, April 15,2012: A 21-year-old Norway resident of Indian origin was found dead in a hotel room in Delhi, police said Thursday. Valentilo Raffaello, 21, an Indian origin Norway resident, was found dead at around 8.30 p.m. Wednesday at Roma Deluxe Hotel in Nabi Karim area in central Delhi. Some sleeping pills, pain killers and injections were found from his possession, police said, adding that the body has been taken to custody and the post-mortem report awaited. According to police, “As per the hotel staff, the victim checked in at the hotel around 6 a.m. Wednesday. “Till 8.30 p.m., when he didn’t come out from his room, the hotel staff got suspicious. After knocking on the door several times, when he did not open the door, police was called and after the door was broken open he was found dead on his hotel bed.” His father, Akshay Gaurav resides in Vasant Kunj area, police said.
Indian-origin agent implicated in counterfeit marriages, visa fraud scam
Sydney, April 15,2012: An investigation by a Brisbane based newspaper has exposed a number of counterfeit marriages brokered by an Indian-origin immigration agent, Chetan Mashru. Oxley-based Mashru is accused of profiteering through applications for refugee and skilled migrant visas, and entrapping students who have no prospect of getting residency in Australia. In one of the cases, a happily married father of two, who didn’t want to be named said Mashru offered to arrange residency for him in January if he divorced his wife. The man’s family in India then received a threatening text warning against pursuit of complaints against Mashru on Friday. The Federation of Indian Students of Australia has called for more criminal trials of spiteful agents. Another victim of Mashru’s swindling tactics is Vikram Singh, who met him when his wife required visa advice. Singh, 28, said he refused a blatant offer from Mashru to secure his residency by arranging a marriage to an Australian, New Zealander or African woman for 5000 Australian dollars. “Chetan said, ‘I have an option for you, if you divorce your wife’,” The Daily Telegraph quoted Singh, as saying. This transpired after Mashru intentionally bungled a visa application for Singh’s actual wife Navneet Kaur, which has resulted in the couple and their children, aged two and six months, being forced to leave Australia this month. Kaur said she had wanted to extend her student visa, but Mashru deceived her into applying as a skilled migrant. She said she was ‘horrified’ to learn that Mashru had falsely listed her job as ‘pharmacist’, and then even refused to refund the 1580 Australian dollar fee. Meanwhile, Mashru has denied all allegations, saying he did not remember Singh and his wife Kaur, and had never applied for marriage visas. “I’m just one small guy in my office in Oxley. Students who cannot get the visa they want will point the finger at anyone,” Mashru said.
Indian-American shot dead in California
Washington, April 15,2012: A 20-year-old Indian-American has been shot dead in Fremont, California, sending shock waves in the community. Rohit Sharma, who migrated to the US from Jalandhar along with his parents some seven year ago, was shot in the head while standing in a driveway of his apartment complex in Fremont, California on April 5, police said. He was pronounced dead at Regional Medical Center of San Jose. The reason for his killing is not clear yet. The Fremont Police this week released the sketch of a suspect, who has been described as a black male in his 20′s, wearing a white t-shirt and earings in both ears.
Rahul was working toward his GED at the Fremont school district’s Adult and Continuing Education programme. “My son was a good boy who wanted to go to school and do good things,” said his mother, Davinder Sharma, in an emailed statement from the family to the Jan Jose Mercury News. His services were held yesterday. Rahul was living with his parents Pran Sharma, mother Davinder Sharma, two sisters Mehak (18) and Deepti (22) and a one-year-old brother. In a statement, the North American Punjabi Association condemned the murder and demanded a high-level inquiry into it. Association president Satnam Singh Chahal said that racial discrimination towards the Punjabi community exists throughout the US and people from community were facing racial discrimination and such attacks there every day.
Rahul was working toward his GED at the Fremont school district’s Adult and Continuing Education programme. “My son was a good boy who wanted to go to school and do good things,” said his mother, Davinder Sharma, in an emailed statement from the family to the Jan Jose Mercury News. His services were held yesterday. Rahul was living with his parents Pran Sharma, mother Davinder Sharma, two sisters Mehak (18) and Deepti (22) and a one-year-old brother. In a statement, the North American Punjabi Association condemned the murder and demanded a high-level inquiry into it. Association president Satnam Singh Chahal said that racial discrimination towards the Punjabi community exists throughout the US and people from community were facing racial discrimination and such attacks there every day.
Indian chef found dead in Maldivian resort
Male, April 15,2012: An Indian national working as a chef in a Maldivian resort was found dead in his room, police said today. The 55-year-old man, whose name was not disclosed by police, worked at the W Maldives Resort on the Island of Fesdhoo. He was found dead in his room at 3.40 am local time, police officer Hassan Haneef said. The doctors, who examined the body, were yet to give the cause of the death, but said that there appeared to be no foul play.
Chinese politician's wife arrested for murder
BEIJING,April11,2012: China's biggest political crisis in decades took a dramatic turn with the removal of one of the Communist Party's biggest stars from his post and his wife's arrest on suspicion of murder.
Bo Xilai, the charismatic former party leader of Chongqing city, had been tipped for the very highest echelons of power in China until he was sacked from the post last month before being suspended from the Politburo on Tuesday. The announcement that he had been removed from the powerful 25-member Politburo was followed by the shock revelation that his wife was being investigated over the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. Gu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun, a medical orderly at Bo's home, fell out with Heywood over "economic interests", the state news agency Xinhua reported. Both are now under investigation for murder, while Bo Xilai is suspected of being involved in "serious discipline violations", Xinhua said. In China, that usually refers to corruption. Analysts say the rare, public scandal has exposed deep rifts within the ruling party ahead of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition due to take place later this year. The People's Daily newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, on Wednesday said Bo had "seriously violated the party discipline, causing damage to the cause and the image of the party and state". The Xinhua dispatches came late on Tuesday just before midnight, confirming China's biggest party upheaval since a purge before the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The announcement of Bo's ouster and his wife's arrest came in brief dispatches from the official news agency just before midnight. Before his downfall, the former commerce minister had been tipped to become a member of the party's Standing Committee -- the apex of political power in China -- when seven of its nine members step down in the autumn. His revival of "red" culture -- including sending officials to work in the countryside and pushing workers to sing revolutionary songs -- drew accolades from the traditionalist left of the party. But the 62-year-old's high-profile campaign, coupled with his "princeling" status as the son of a hero of China's revolution, alienated many in the party. Last month, China's Premier Wen Jiabao warned against a repeat of the Cultural Revolution, a decade of brutal chaos launched by revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, in comments seen as a swipe at Bo's Maoist revival campaign. "One party, two factions will remain. The princelings will still survive, they will continue to be a very, very important force. But Bo Xilai will be gone forever," said Cheng Li, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. "For other leaders, no matter what faction they belong to, when they see all these charges, no one will support Bo Xilai." Bo's troubles started in February when Wang Lijun, his former police chief, fled to a US consulate and reportedly asked for asylum. The scandal remained shrouded in mystery until news emerged late last month that London had asked China to reinvestigate the death of a British national in Chongqing in November, amid rumours it might have been linked to Bo's family. Bo's downfall appeared on the front pages of all the major Chinese newspapers on Wednesday and was the most talked-about subject on China's hugely popular weibos -- microblogs similar to Twitter. Many web users lamented the "worrying" levels of corruption in Chinese politics, while others said the scandal showed China's leaders enjoyed too much power. "Corruption exists at all levels. The Chinese system is worrying," posted one under the name Pingfandelouyi89.
Bo Xilai, the charismatic former party leader of Chongqing city, had been tipped for the very highest echelons of power in China until he was sacked from the post last month before being suspended from the Politburo on Tuesday. The announcement that he had been removed from the powerful 25-member Politburo was followed by the shock revelation that his wife was being investigated over the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. Gu Kailai and Zhang Xiaojun, a medical orderly at Bo's home, fell out with Heywood over "economic interests", the state news agency Xinhua reported. Both are now under investigation for murder, while Bo Xilai is suspected of being involved in "serious discipline violations", Xinhua said. In China, that usually refers to corruption. Analysts say the rare, public scandal has exposed deep rifts within the ruling party ahead of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition due to take place later this year. The People's Daily newspaper, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, on Wednesday said Bo had "seriously violated the party discipline, causing damage to the cause and the image of the party and state". The Xinhua dispatches came late on Tuesday just before midnight, confirming China's biggest party upheaval since a purge before the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. The announcement of Bo's ouster and his wife's arrest came in brief dispatches from the official news agency just before midnight. Before his downfall, the former commerce minister had been tipped to become a member of the party's Standing Committee -- the apex of political power in China -- when seven of its nine members step down in the autumn. His revival of "red" culture -- including sending officials to work in the countryside and pushing workers to sing revolutionary songs -- drew accolades from the traditionalist left of the party. But the 62-year-old's high-profile campaign, coupled with his "princeling" status as the son of a hero of China's revolution, alienated many in the party. Last month, China's Premier Wen Jiabao warned against a repeat of the Cultural Revolution, a decade of brutal chaos launched by revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, in comments seen as a swipe at Bo's Maoist revival campaign. "One party, two factions will remain. The princelings will still survive, they will continue to be a very, very important force. But Bo Xilai will be gone forever," said Cheng Li, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. "For other leaders, no matter what faction they belong to, when they see all these charges, no one will support Bo Xilai." Bo's troubles started in February when Wang Lijun, his former police chief, fled to a US consulate and reportedly asked for asylum. The scandal remained shrouded in mystery until news emerged late last month that London had asked China to reinvestigate the death of a British national in Chongqing in November, amid rumours it might have been linked to Bo's family. Bo's downfall appeared on the front pages of all the major Chinese newspapers on Wednesday and was the most talked-about subject on China's hugely popular weibos -- microblogs similar to Twitter. Many web users lamented the "worrying" levels of corruption in Chinese politics, while others said the scandal showed China's leaders enjoyed too much power. "Corruption exists at all levels. The Chinese system is worrying," posted one under the name Pingfandelouyi89.
US tax filing: Help for US citizens and Green Card holders living in India
In an earlier article, we saw the US tax implications of foreign income on US citizens and green card holders living in the US. In this article, we take a look at the implications of such income on US citizens and green card holders living outside the US - specifically in India. Remember that the rules can be complicated and this article only seeks to provide a broad understanding. Consult your CPA or tax advisor for your individual situation.
What are the tax obligations of a US citizen or green card holder?
Florida based tax attorney Rahul Ranadive explains, ''All US citizens and green card holders must file their tax returns in the US on their global income irrespective of where they live. They must pay taxes on such foreign income unless a treaty or statutory exclusion or foreign tax credit applies to reduce their US tax liability to zero."
Residence in both countries?
The above particular requirement of the US law might give rise to some confusion. As a citizen of the US or a green card holder living outside the US, you are treated at par with a 'US resident' for tax purposes. So you must pay taxes on your global income in the US. At the same time, if you have lived in India for more than 182 days in a financial year, you are treated as a resident of India. As per the Indian income tax act, a resident of India must pay taxes in India on his global income.
While the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) talks about solving this tie-breaker, it does not mean that a person will file his returns only in the country that he qualifies as a resident (according to tie-breaker rules). Vinay Navani, a CPA and director of tax at New Jersey based firm Wilkin & Guttenplan, P C, explains, ''A US citizen or green card holder living in India will have to declare his global income in his US tax return as well as his India return. The DTAA will only help in ensuring that a particular income is not taxed twice."
Cecil Nazareth, a CPA and partner with the cross border consulting firm India-US Consulting services also clarifies, ''Most people think that they will be taxed twice on the same income. That is not true. India and the US have a treaty agreement in place and you will get tax credit in each country on the taxes paid in the other."
According to Article 4 of the DTAA between India and the US, if a person qualifies as a resident of both countries at the same time, then he shall be treated as a resident of the country where he either has a permanent home or has closer economic ties. As this can be confusing, do seek a professional advisor to help you out.
How various incomes are taxed
Since this article seeks to address the needs of US citizens and green card holders residing in India, let us assume that the individuals in this case have a permanent home in India. Now, let us look at how various incomes are taxed.
Pensions
This is perhaps a common occurrence for a lot of people so let's deal with that first. You may have lived and earned in the US but finally retired to your homeland. You draw a pension from a company in the US.
The DTAA says: Any pension, (other than a Govt pension), or any annuity derived by a resident of a Contracting State (in our case India) from sources within the other Contracting State (US) may be taxed only in the first-mentioned Contracting State.
So if you are a green card holder or US resident living in India, any pension that you receive from US will be taxed only in India. In such cases, Navani explains, ''You would include with your US tax return, Form 8833, Treaty Based Return Position Disclosure and the pension received while a resident of India would not be included in the US tax calculation. However, to get the benefit of the treaty, a US return must be filed and the Form 8833 must be included. No credit is claimed since the income is not part of the calculation of US taxable income."
For Govt pensions, the rules depend on the nature of pension. Do consult your tax advisor.
Earned income: Salaries, wages and self employment income
If you are living in India and earning a salary from a company in India, then according to the DTAA, you will be taxed only in India. Similarly, in the case of self employment income, if you earn such income from doing a business in India, you will be taxed only in India.
Since this income is taxed only in India, you must file Form 8833 - Treaty Based Return Position Disclosure to indicate that according to the treaty this income will not be taxed in the US. Having filed this form, you would not have to declare this income in your Form 1040.
Such individuals also have an option of claiming 'earned income exclusion'. Ranadive explains, ''For earned income, citizens and GC holders living abroad can exclude up to $95,100 in 2012 from their taxable income. For earned income, no foreign tax credit is allowed on the first $95,100 excluded, but foreign tax paid on the amount of salary above $95,100 can be taken as a foreign tax credit."
Navani adds, ''The foreign earned income exclusion is based on US tax law, not tax treaties, so Form 8833 is not required. However, the taxpayer must file a US tax return and complete Form 2555 to claim the foreign earned income exclusion."
Read more on foreign earned income exclusion
Rental income
If you own a property in the US and have given it on rent, you must pay taxes in the US on that rental income. But since, as a resident of India, you are required to pay taxes on your global income, you must declare this income in your India tax return and then take a credit for taxes paid in the US.
For property given on rent in India, you will first pay tax in India and credit will be available in the US.
Interest and dividend
According to the DTAA, both countries will have the right to tax these incomes but a lower rate of tax maybe available on interest and dividends from the US. So if you earn interest from a company in the US, you will be subject to tax in the US at a lower rate of 10-15% depending on the nature of interest. You will then have to declare this interest in your India return and pay tax thereon, claiming a credit of taxes paid in the US.
If you earn dividends from a company in the US, you will be subject to tax in the US at a lower rate of 15-25% depending on the nature of dividend. You will then have to declare this dividend in your India return and pay tax thereon, claiming a credit of taxes paid in the US.
For interest earned in India, you would first pay tax in India at the regular rates of tax. Then you would declare this income in the US return and claim a credit thereof. In the case of dividends, they are tax free in India. But you would need to declare this in your US tax return and pay taxes thereon.
Capital gains
According to the DTAA, each country will have the right to tax capital gains as per its domestic law. Therefore, as per law, if you earned capital gains in India, you would pay taxes in India and claim a tax credit in the US tax return. If you earned capital gains in the US, you would pay taxes in the US and claim a tax credit in the India return. But this particular interpretation has a limitation.
''The problem is that in order to get a US foreign tax credit for taxes paid to India, the gain must be considered 'foreign sourced'. Under US law, the source of a capital gain from an intangible, such as stock in an Indian Pvt. Ltd., is considered US sourced if the seller is a US person and accordingly, there is no foreign sourced income on which to claim the credit," Navani explains.
It is best, therefore, to consult a tax professional to get your house in order.
Other income
In addition to the above heads, the DTAA deals with incomes such as royalties, alimonies etc. Please consult your tax advisor for details on each of these incomes.
All other income, which are not specifically dealt with in the DTAA will be taxed in the country of residence, in this case India. The individual must nevertheless declare this income in the US tax return and claim credit of taxes paid in India.
Filing tax returns
When it comes to filing tax returns, if you are a US citizen or green card holder residing overseas on the regular due date of your return, you are allowed an automatic 2-month extension to file your return and pay any amount due without requesting an extension. So this year, the automatic 2-month extension is to June 15. ''But remember that while no penalty is charged, interest is still charged on the balance due between April 15 and June 15," says Navani.
If you are unable to file your return by the automatic 2-month extension date, you can request an additional extension to October 15 by filing Form 4868 before the automatic 2-month extension date. However, any tax due payments made after June 15 will be subject to both interest charges and failure to pay penalties.
Filing your US tax returns from India can be quite a challenge. Not all software are equipped to handle foreign tax issues such as earned income exclusions - form 2555, foreign tax credit - form 1116, form 8938, form 8833 and so on. Moreover you may not be able to efile unless you have a US address. In most such cases, you would need to fill up the forms, print and mail them to the IRS office.
We cannot emphasize enough the need for solid professional advice. The laws are complex and further, the IRS is keenly tracking offshore incomes of its residents and citizens. You don't want to go wrong in that area.
What are the tax obligations of a US citizen or green card holder?
Florida based tax attorney Rahul Ranadive explains, ''All US citizens and green card holders must file their tax returns in the US on their global income irrespective of where they live. They must pay taxes on such foreign income unless a treaty or statutory exclusion or foreign tax credit applies to reduce their US tax liability to zero."
Residence in both countries?
The above particular requirement of the US law might give rise to some confusion. As a citizen of the US or a green card holder living outside the US, you are treated at par with a 'US resident' for tax purposes. So you must pay taxes on your global income in the US. At the same time, if you have lived in India for more than 182 days in a financial year, you are treated as a resident of India. As per the Indian income tax act, a resident of India must pay taxes in India on his global income.
While the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) talks about solving this tie-breaker, it does not mean that a person will file his returns only in the country that he qualifies as a resident (according to tie-breaker rules). Vinay Navani, a CPA and director of tax at New Jersey based firm Wilkin & Guttenplan, P C, explains, ''A US citizen or green card holder living in India will have to declare his global income in his US tax return as well as his India return. The DTAA will only help in ensuring that a particular income is not taxed twice."
Cecil Nazareth, a CPA and partner with the cross border consulting firm India-US Consulting services also clarifies, ''Most people think that they will be taxed twice on the same income. That is not true. India and the US have a treaty agreement in place and you will get tax credit in each country on the taxes paid in the other."
According to Article 4 of the DTAA between India and the US, if a person qualifies as a resident of both countries at the same time, then he shall be treated as a resident of the country where he either has a permanent home or has closer economic ties. As this can be confusing, do seek a professional advisor to help you out.
How various incomes are taxed
Since this article seeks to address the needs of US citizens and green card holders residing in India, let us assume that the individuals in this case have a permanent home in India. Now, let us look at how various incomes are taxed.
Pensions
This is perhaps a common occurrence for a lot of people so let's deal with that first. You may have lived and earned in the US but finally retired to your homeland. You draw a pension from a company in the US.
The DTAA says: Any pension, (other than a Govt pension), or any annuity derived by a resident of a Contracting State (in our case India) from sources within the other Contracting State (US) may be taxed only in the first-mentioned Contracting State.
So if you are a green card holder or US resident living in India, any pension that you receive from US will be taxed only in India. In such cases, Navani explains, ''You would include with your US tax return, Form 8833, Treaty Based Return Position Disclosure and the pension received while a resident of India would not be included in the US tax calculation. However, to get the benefit of the treaty, a US return must be filed and the Form 8833 must be included. No credit is claimed since the income is not part of the calculation of US taxable income."
For Govt pensions, the rules depend on the nature of pension. Do consult your tax advisor.
Earned income: Salaries, wages and self employment income
If you are living in India and earning a salary from a company in India, then according to the DTAA, you will be taxed only in India. Similarly, in the case of self employment income, if you earn such income from doing a business in India, you will be taxed only in India.
Since this income is taxed only in India, you must file Form 8833 - Treaty Based Return Position Disclosure to indicate that according to the treaty this income will not be taxed in the US. Having filed this form, you would not have to declare this income in your Form 1040.
Such individuals also have an option of claiming 'earned income exclusion'. Ranadive explains, ''For earned income, citizens and GC holders living abroad can exclude up to $95,100 in 2012 from their taxable income. For earned income, no foreign tax credit is allowed on the first $95,100 excluded, but foreign tax paid on the amount of salary above $95,100 can be taken as a foreign tax credit."
Navani adds, ''The foreign earned income exclusion is based on US tax law, not tax treaties, so Form 8833 is not required. However, the taxpayer must file a US tax return and complete Form 2555 to claim the foreign earned income exclusion."
Read more on foreign earned income exclusion
Rental income
If you own a property in the US and have given it on rent, you must pay taxes in the US on that rental income. But since, as a resident of India, you are required to pay taxes on your global income, you must declare this income in your India tax return and then take a credit for taxes paid in the US.
For property given on rent in India, you will first pay tax in India and credit will be available in the US.
Interest and dividend
According to the DTAA, both countries will have the right to tax these incomes but a lower rate of tax maybe available on interest and dividends from the US. So if you earn interest from a company in the US, you will be subject to tax in the US at a lower rate of 10-15% depending on the nature of interest. You will then have to declare this interest in your India return and pay tax thereon, claiming a credit of taxes paid in the US.
If you earn dividends from a company in the US, you will be subject to tax in the US at a lower rate of 15-25% depending on the nature of dividend. You will then have to declare this dividend in your India return and pay tax thereon, claiming a credit of taxes paid in the US.
For interest earned in India, you would first pay tax in India at the regular rates of tax. Then you would declare this income in the US return and claim a credit thereof. In the case of dividends, they are tax free in India. But you would need to declare this in your US tax return and pay taxes thereon.
Capital gains
According to the DTAA, each country will have the right to tax capital gains as per its domestic law. Therefore, as per law, if you earned capital gains in India, you would pay taxes in India and claim a tax credit in the US tax return. If you earned capital gains in the US, you would pay taxes in the US and claim a tax credit in the India return. But this particular interpretation has a limitation.
''The problem is that in order to get a US foreign tax credit for taxes paid to India, the gain must be considered 'foreign sourced'. Under US law, the source of a capital gain from an intangible, such as stock in an Indian Pvt. Ltd., is considered US sourced if the seller is a US person and accordingly, there is no foreign sourced income on which to claim the credit," Navani explains.
It is best, therefore, to consult a tax professional to get your house in order.
Other income
In addition to the above heads, the DTAA deals with incomes such as royalties, alimonies etc. Please consult your tax advisor for details on each of these incomes.
All other income, which are not specifically dealt with in the DTAA will be taxed in the country of residence, in this case India. The individual must nevertheless declare this income in the US tax return and claim credit of taxes paid in India.
Filing tax returns
When it comes to filing tax returns, if you are a US citizen or green card holder residing overseas on the regular due date of your return, you are allowed an automatic 2-month extension to file your return and pay any amount due without requesting an extension. So this year, the automatic 2-month extension is to June 15. ''But remember that while no penalty is charged, interest is still charged on the balance due between April 15 and June 15," says Navani.
If you are unable to file your return by the automatic 2-month extension date, you can request an additional extension to October 15 by filing Form 4868 before the automatic 2-month extension date. However, any tax due payments made after June 15 will be subject to both interest charges and failure to pay penalties.
Filing your US tax returns from India can be quite a challenge. Not all software are equipped to handle foreign tax issues such as earned income exclusions - form 2555, foreign tax credit - form 1116, form 8938, form 8833 and so on. Moreover you may not be able to efile unless you have a US address. In most such cases, you would need to fill up the forms, print and mail them to the IRS office.
We cannot emphasize enough the need for solid professional advice. The laws are complex and further, the IRS is keenly tracking offshore incomes of its residents and citizens. You don't want to go wrong in that area.
Will you give more tip to Sikh drivers, Nikki Haley asked
WASHINGTON,April11,2012: South Carolina's Indian American governor Nikki Haley has again ruled out a vice presidential run, but what is a making more news is a "bizarre" and "insensitive" question posed to her about Sikh taxi drivers. Time magazine editor Belinda Luscombe asked her at the end of an interview this week: "In New York City, which you're visiting for a couple of days, a lot of our taxi drivers are Sikhs. If you get one, are you going to give him a slightly bigger tip?" Born Nimrata Randhawa to Sikh immigrant parents from India, Haley, who was on a book tour promoting her autobiography, "Can't Is Not An Option" seemed unfazed as she responded with a laugh, "Oh, I give the same tip to everyone." Politico, a leading a political newspaper, called it a bizarre question, and The Hill, which focuses on Congressional politics sounded off on the incident under the headline, "Haley forced to sit through joke about Sikhism." "Even if you get past the question itself, the context makes it even more insensitive considering Haley had just explained why she was no longer a Sikh," it noted. In fact, Luscombe had asked Haley if things would have been different if she had run for office as a Sikh. The tea party favourite replied that discussing the issue of faith in her new book was important because "I felt like a lot of people wanted me to discount the way I was raised." "And that was something I would never do," Haley continued. "I'm very proud of the way that I was raised, I'm very proud of the way that my parents raised me. But I also know that being Christian is something that's very true to me and (husband) Michael."
Lessons in tabla, dholak in Trinidad schools
PORT-OF-SPAIN,April11,2012: Nearly 167 years after Indians arrived here, the sounds of the tabla, dholak and harmonium will be heard in over 550 primary schools of Trinidad and Tobago which will now teach the Indian musical instruments to students. According to Education Minister Tim Gopeesingh, the cabinet has agreed to introduce a multicultural form of music in the primary school curriculum, representative of the country's diverse culture. The current music programme in primary schools is based on the Western musical tradition. According to the minister, the instrument of choice so far has been the steel pan or drum because of its origin. Guitar, cuatro, xylophone and African drums will also form part of the new programme, he said. This programme will be called the Multicultural Music Programme, instead of the Pan-in-The Classroom Unit. Indians arrived in Trinidad and Tobago between 1845 and 1917 to work on sugar plantations. The Indian High Commission has been holding classes in Indian music and dance through the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Exchange.
NRI body to felicitate five Indian Americans
WASHINGTON,April11,2012: Five Indian Americans will be felicitated by the Connecticut chapter of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin ( GOPIO) for their achievements and contributions at an awards banquet April 28. They are Vivek Maru (entrepreneur), Faquir Jain (applied science and research), Chandra Prasad (arts and letters), Neena Singh (community service) and Malika Bhandarkar (young person award). William "Vijay" Pinch will be honoured with a Friend of India award at the banquet in Stamford.
"The award selection is a rigorous process conducted by an independent committee which evaluates all nominations and we are glad we select the best possible candidates every year," said GOPIO-CT president Shailesh Naik. Vivek Maru is a CEO of Namati, an international organization that tests the potential of legal empowerment through innovative interventions and research. Namatis' work seeks a better understanding of the impacts of legal empowerment and to create the most effective mechanisms for achieving them.
Faquir Jain, professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut, has collaborated to form Biorasis Inc to commercialize a minimally invasive glucose sensor for real time, continuous glucose monitoring. Chandra Prasad, a multi-talented writer whose work has received praise in Booklist and USA Today, created the popular career guide "Outwitting the Job Market" and has written scores of articles on diversity and the workplace. Neena Singh, co-president of the PTA of the Greens Farms Academy and co-leader of the Girls' Scout Troop and is active in community building activities in Wilton and Stamford. Malika Bhandarkar, an accountability expert who influences decision makers at all levels to amplify the message "Women Count for Peace", and her team work in post-conflict countries to build responsive accountability systems that monitor and enhance gender equality and women's empowerment. Pinch, professor of History and Chair of the History Department at Wesleyan University. Pinch's principal areas of research and teaching are South Asian history, religion and history, and maritime world history.
"The award selection is a rigorous process conducted by an independent committee which evaluates all nominations and we are glad we select the best possible candidates every year," said GOPIO-CT president Shailesh Naik. Vivek Maru is a CEO of Namati, an international organization that tests the potential of legal empowerment through innovative interventions and research. Namatis' work seeks a better understanding of the impacts of legal empowerment and to create the most effective mechanisms for achieving them.
Faquir Jain, professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut, has collaborated to form Biorasis Inc to commercialize a minimally invasive glucose sensor for real time, continuous glucose monitoring. Chandra Prasad, a multi-talented writer whose work has received praise in Booklist and USA Today, created the popular career guide "Outwitting the Job Market" and has written scores of articles on diversity and the workplace. Neena Singh, co-president of the PTA of the Greens Farms Academy and co-leader of the Girls' Scout Troop and is active in community building activities in Wilton and Stamford. Malika Bhandarkar, an accountability expert who influences decision makers at all levels to amplify the message "Women Count for Peace", and her team work in post-conflict countries to build responsive accountability systems that monitor and enhance gender equality and women's empowerment. Pinch, professor of History and Chair of the History Department at Wesleyan University. Pinch's principal areas of research and teaching are South Asian history, religion and history, and maritime world history.
Religion may be taken out of marriage registration
NEW DELHI,April11,2012: The Union Cabinet is likely to consider a proposal that seeks to do away with the requirement to disclose one's religious affiliation for registration of marriages as well as the demand of Sikh bodies that their marriages be registered under a separate law. The move has been prompted by the consideration to help those opting for inter-faith marriages, along with the need to make registration of marriages a simpler affair. It is recognized that those who marry outside their religion face harassment, including from the conservative sections of the bureaucracy. Administrative convenience is the other consideration, with the law ministry suggesting that registration of marriages will become easier if a clause on marriage registration is added to the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1969. In its note to the Cabinet, the ministry has argued that since infrastructure to register births and deaths is already in place in civic authorities, it can easily handle registration of marriages once the law has been suitably amended. As for the demand of Sikh bodies, they have argued that their marriages should be, as is the case with other minority communities - Muslims, Christians, Jews, Parsis - registered under a separate law. Marriages of Sikhs along with those of Buddhists and Jains are currently registered under the Hindu Marriage Act: an arrangement which is being opposed by many Sikhs as part of their pursuit for a distinct identity. These groups argue that their demand can be accepted by amending the Anand Marriage Act, 1909. The Cabinet will be required to factor in view that meeting the demand will spark similar pitches from Jains and Buddhists: two other communities that have so far been comfortable with the practice, where their marriages are registered under the Hindu Marriage Act.
Sonia wants Rahul to play key role in Andhra Pradesh affairs
NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD,April11,2012: Finally, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi is waking up to the developments in Andhra Pradesh. Concerned over the manner in which the popularity of the Congress has been plummeting in the state since the death of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and the revival of the Telangana agitation, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has turned to her son Rahul to informally take charge of the party's affairs in AP and ensure that things look up by the time the elections take place in 2014.
AICC sources told TOI that towards that end, Rahul has initiated the process of getting himself briefed about the state of affairs in AP. "Last week, Rahul met former PCC chief D Srinivas and on Tuesday, newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP R Ananda Bhaskar was summoned by the young Gandhi's office for an exclusive meeting with the AICC general secretary. Rahul is slated to meet a few more young leaders from the state before deciding what steps to take to revive the Congress fortunes in AP," the sources said. There are also indications that Rahul might visit Hyderabad in the next few days.
According to the sources, it was the Congress chief who first began worrying about the way events were unfolding in AP over the last few months. "The emergence of the Jaganmohan Reddy factor, the Telangana issue, the poor performance of the Congress in the bypolls and the infighting in the state Congress and the state government made Sonia realize that drastic steps needed to be taken," said the sources.
It was in this backdrop that Sonia first met D Srinivas and Ananda Bhaskar last week, this at a time when she refused appointments for senior leaders from the state including chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, deputy chief minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha and several others who have been camping in the national capital for an audience with madam.
The sources said the two leaders briefed Sonia about the latest situation in the state. "D Srinivas briefed her about the situation in Telangana and the infighting among the top leaders and the Congress prospects in the bypolls to 18 assembly seats. Ananda Bhaskar briefed her about the overall situation in the state," they said.
Bhaskar has been submitting reports to the Congress high command from Gandhi Bhavan on behalf of the state Congress for the past six years and 'madam apparently has a lot of faith in his understanding and analysis,' the sources said.
It was after these meetings that Sonia had with the two state leaders that Rahul was brought into the picture. In his 15-minute meeting which Ananda Bhaskar had with the Amethi MP on Tuesday, the two reportedly discussed matters such as party organization, party programmes, government functioning and the steps to be taken to strengthen the party ahead of the 2014 elections.
Ananda Bhaskar, who is yet to take oath as Rajya Sabha MP, however, declined to reveal the details of the meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. "The AICC general secretary was keen to know about the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the state," is all he told TOI.
Incidentally, Rahul has been till now inaccessible to state leaders. But things seem to be changing now. Newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP Palvai Govardhan Reddy is currently camping in Delhi and waiting for an audience with Sonia and Rahul. All this is likely to culminate in a visit to Hyderabad by the AICC general secretary very soon, the sources claimed.
AICC sources told TOI that towards that end, Rahul has initiated the process of getting himself briefed about the state of affairs in AP. "Last week, Rahul met former PCC chief D Srinivas and on Tuesday, newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP R Ananda Bhaskar was summoned by the young Gandhi's office for an exclusive meeting with the AICC general secretary. Rahul is slated to meet a few more young leaders from the state before deciding what steps to take to revive the Congress fortunes in AP," the sources said. There are also indications that Rahul might visit Hyderabad in the next few days.
According to the sources, it was the Congress chief who first began worrying about the way events were unfolding in AP over the last few months. "The emergence of the Jaganmohan Reddy factor, the Telangana issue, the poor performance of the Congress in the bypolls and the infighting in the state Congress and the state government made Sonia realize that drastic steps needed to be taken," said the sources.
It was in this backdrop that Sonia first met D Srinivas and Ananda Bhaskar last week, this at a time when she refused appointments for senior leaders from the state including chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, deputy chief minister C Damodar Raja Narasimha and several others who have been camping in the national capital for an audience with madam.
The sources said the two leaders briefed Sonia about the latest situation in the state. "D Srinivas briefed her about the situation in Telangana and the infighting among the top leaders and the Congress prospects in the bypolls to 18 assembly seats. Ananda Bhaskar briefed her about the overall situation in the state," they said.
Bhaskar has been submitting reports to the Congress high command from Gandhi Bhavan on behalf of the state Congress for the past six years and 'madam apparently has a lot of faith in his understanding and analysis,' the sources said.
It was after these meetings that Sonia had with the two state leaders that Rahul was brought into the picture. In his 15-minute meeting which Ananda Bhaskar had with the Amethi MP on Tuesday, the two reportedly discussed matters such as party organization, party programmes, government functioning and the steps to be taken to strengthen the party ahead of the 2014 elections.
Ananda Bhaskar, who is yet to take oath as Rajya Sabha MP, however, declined to reveal the details of the meeting with Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday. "The AICC general secretary was keen to know about the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the state," is all he told TOI.
Incidentally, Rahul has been till now inaccessible to state leaders. But things seem to be changing now. Newly-elected Rajya Sabha MP Palvai Govardhan Reddy is currently camping in Delhi and waiting for an audience with Sonia and Rahul. All this is likely to culminate in a visit to Hyderabad by the AICC general secretary very soon, the sources claimed.
Ten-day Indian film festival begins in Russia April 13
New Delhi, April 11,2012: It’ll be yesterday once more when 15 Bollywood movies including “3 Idiots”, “Ishqiya” and “Fashion” are screened in Moscow and St. Petersburg at a film festival to mark 65 years of diplomatic relations between India and Russia.The festival will revive memories of the 1950s and 1960s when the late Raj Kapoor and other actors of his time were a huge hit with audiences in the erstwhile Soviet Union.The 10-day festival will start April 13 in Moscow and will travel to St. Petersburg after three days, said a statement.
Filmmaker Raju Hirani along with actors R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi will attend the festival. They will be joined by cinematographers Jyoti Singh and Kaushik Chawla, who will meet students studying in film institutes there.
The festival is being organised by Routes 2 Roots, a Delhi-based NGO, Art Center Bereg-an NGO in Russia, Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Some of the other movies that will be premiered for Russian audiences during the festival are “Johdaa Akbar”, Taare Zameen Par”, “Wake Up Sid”, “Delhi-6″, “Jab We Met”, “Agneepath”, “Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna”, “I Hate Love Stories” and “Corporate” subtitled in Russian.
Telugu film “Kannathil Mutha Mittal” and Marathi film “Tarayanche Bait” will also be the part of festival.
Nizami Brothers will also give a qawali performance.
Pakistani Hindus protest kidnapping of two young girls
Islamabad, April 10,2012: Some political parties and Hindu groups in Pakistan are furious over the kidnapping and alleged conversion of Hindu girls in Sindh province. The Human Rights Club, Young Hindu Forum, Minority Commission of Pakistan, Awami Jamhoori Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Hindu Council and Aurat Foundation held a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club Sunday, the Daily Times reported Monday.
They alleged that a Hindu girl, Rinkal Kumari of Mirpur Mathelo town, was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. Another girl, Asha Kumari, was kidnapped from Jacobabad about a month back. Pakistan Hindu Council chief Ramesh Vankwani alleged that a Supreme Court directive for the recovery of Asha Kumari has not been followed by the police, the Dawn reported. He said another Hindu, Gangaram Motiani, president of the Hinglaj Mata Shewa Mandli, was kidnapped by men in police uniform in Bela area of Balochistan April 6. The incident took place ahead of one of the largest annual Hindu gatherings at the Hinglaj Mata temple, he said. Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans, the demonstrators said a conspiracy was being hatched to expel the Hindu community from Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Hindu Council, Hindus constitute around 5.5 percent of Pakistan’s 170 million people. Of them 94 percent live in Sindh while the rest are distributed in Punjab and Balochistan.
They alleged that a Hindu girl, Rinkal Kumari of Mirpur Mathelo town, was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam. Another girl, Asha Kumari, was kidnapped from Jacobabad about a month back. Pakistan Hindu Council chief Ramesh Vankwani alleged that a Supreme Court directive for the recovery of Asha Kumari has not been followed by the police, the Dawn reported. He said another Hindu, Gangaram Motiani, president of the Hinglaj Mata Shewa Mandli, was kidnapped by men in police uniform in Bela area of Balochistan April 6. The incident took place ahead of one of the largest annual Hindu gatherings at the Hinglaj Mata temple, he said. Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans, the demonstrators said a conspiracy was being hatched to expel the Hindu community from Pakistan. According to the Pakistan Hindu Council, Hindus constitute around 5.5 percent of Pakistan’s 170 million people. Of them 94 percent live in Sindh while the rest are distributed in Punjab and Balochistan.
Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor tours White House kitchen
Washington, April 10,2012: India’s celebrated chef Sanjeev Kapoor was given a rare insight into the historic kitchen of the White House, which prepares the food for US President Barack Obama, his family and the large number of guests invited to the resident of the first family every day. Kapoor was not only given the tour of the historic kitchen, but also had an intensive discussion with the team of White House chefs led by its executive chef, William ‘Bill’ Yosses, for several hours yesterday. He was accompanied by K N Vinod, an eminent Indian-American chef from Washington who runs three popular Indian restaurant in the nation’s capital. Yosses, said to be a great lover of Indian food himself, took Kapoor and Vinod around the White House kitchen, but also gave him a tour of the kitchen garden of the First Lady Mitchell Obama.
A frequent visitor to Indique and Indique Heights the two popular Indian restaurants in the nation’s capital Yosses discussed at length of the growing popularity of Indian food in the US and at the white house. Kapoor presented his latest encyclopedic work on Indian food, ‘How To Cook Indian’ to Yosses and submitted copies of it for the President and the First Lady. “It was a great experience,” Kapoor said after his, what he termed as ¿ once-in-a-life experience. “It is great to see how interest in India food is growing. When (Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh Comes (to the White House) Indian food being on the menu is quite understandable. But Indian food is being introduced in other ways also,” he said. Kapoor said, a trip to the White House Sunday, on the eve of Easter when it is expecting 30,000 visitors and the kitchen is making preparations for them, reflects the gaining importance and recognition of Indian food in the White House.
Yosses took them around and shared behind the scene preparations for the Easter. Before visiting a White House kitchen, one would expect a fairly large, but that’s not the case, he said. “Being a chef I can tell you that cooking 4,000 people from that kitchen is not an easy thing, which can be very very challenging,” Kapoor said.
A frequent visitor to Indique and Indique Heights the two popular Indian restaurants in the nation’s capital Yosses discussed at length of the growing popularity of Indian food in the US and at the white house. Kapoor presented his latest encyclopedic work on Indian food, ‘How To Cook Indian’ to Yosses and submitted copies of it for the President and the First Lady. “It was a great experience,” Kapoor said after his, what he termed as ¿ once-in-a-life experience. “It is great to see how interest in India food is growing. When (Prime Minister) Manmohan Singh Comes (to the White House) Indian food being on the menu is quite understandable. But Indian food is being introduced in other ways also,” he said. Kapoor said, a trip to the White House Sunday, on the eve of Easter when it is expecting 30,000 visitors and the kitchen is making preparations for them, reflects the gaining importance and recognition of Indian food in the White House.
Yosses took them around and shared behind the scene preparations for the Easter. Before visiting a White House kitchen, one would expect a fairly large, but that’s not the case, he said. “Being a chef I can tell you that cooking 4,000 people from that kitchen is not an easy thing, which can be very very challenging,” Kapoor said.
Indian shepherd in Saudi Arabia to return India after 18 years
Dubai, April 10,2012: An Indian man, who went to work in Saudi Arabia as a shephard in 1994 but could never return as his sponsor withheld his salary and did not allow him a vacation, is finally set to return home following intervention of the local police. P Periyaswamy from Mangalamedu Talukin Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu, even tried to commit suicide during the 18 years he spent working as a shepherd in Saudi Arabia. He had arrived in Hail region of Saudi Arabia to work as a shepherd in 1994, just a year after his marriage. According to officials at the Indian Consulate in Jeddah, all these years he never fought for his right to go home but tried to commit suicide once. The matter was brought to the attention of the local police and the governor by a good-hearted Saudi citizen who learnt of his plight. Following complaint, the Saudi sponsor was arrested and ordered to pay the dues and air ticket to Periyasamy. The man is now under the care of Al Shamli police authorities, which have been instructed by the governor’s office to make arrangements for his immediate repatriation and payment of his dues. Since he does not have any travel document, he has been issued an emergency certificate (Outpass) by the consulate. The consulate is also making efforts to locate Periyaswamy’s family in India.
‘Dirty’ Asian shops? Former Washington mayor under fire
Washington, April 10,2012: A former Washington mayor’s controversial remarks about Asian businesses running “dirty shops” in the US capital city have drawn fire from 35 local and national organisations, including South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). Marion Barry, a former four-term mayor and a current city council member, had at a primary election victory party this week, said: “We got to do something about these Asians coming in and opening up businesses and dirty shops…They ought to go. I’m going to say that right now.” “Barry’s statement is of serious concern because it undermines the notion that developing the District of Columbia’s economy and neighbourhoods is in the interest of all communities, regardless of national origin or ethnic background,” the group said condemning the remarks. “While Barry has recently indicated that he was ‘sorry for offending the Asian community,’ we call upon him to provide a sincere apology and ensure meaningful engagement with our communities to improve the well-being of all individuals in the district.” Numerous institutions, from small businesses to non-profit organisations, as well as individuals, provide vital services and job opportunities, contribute their tax dollars, and engage in civic and political life within the city, the statement pointed out. Within the District of Columbia, according to 2007 data, Asians own 5.9 percent of businesses, joining other communities in strengthening the economy. Rather than acknowledging and appreciating the contributions that Asian businesses, alongside other racial and ethnic communities, have made to the city, Barry’s remarks appear to fan the flames of racial divisions and imply that Asian Americans are not invested in developing a robust economy that benefits all residents, the joint statement said.
Budget benefits NRIs and quashes tax fears
When a non-resident Indian (NRI) lands in India now, he or she can zoom through customs with duty-free goods worth Rs.35,000 ($685). That’s a small increase from the earlier duty-free allowance of Rs.25,000.
As millions of Indians travel abroad every year and have become big spenders, they have been clamouring for a duty-free allowance of at least Rs.50,000 ($1,000). They argue that considering the prices of designer goods which the middle and upper income Indians and NRIs aspire for, even this amount is not enough. So we just thank the government for small mercies as we walk the green channel with goods worth Rs.35,000 plus a laptop, a mobile and a camera, among other small items. The budget has quashed a major fear of NRIs to pay income tax on their global income if they stay in India for more than 60 days a year. Frantic e-mails on this topic were whizzing around for weeks before the budget. It was feared that if an NRI goes to India on different trips and stays for a total of 60 days in the year, he will be considered as a resident and will have to declare his foreign income and pay tax on it. It does not matter if the person has lived outside India for decades.
This change in tax residency is deferred for now (but not dropped). Phew! It’s a great relief! The change in tax residency is part of the Direct Tax Code (DTC). Hence, an NRI will be considered as tax resident in India in a financial year only if he stays in India for more than 180 days in that financial year.
The big news in this budget is retrospective legislation for income tax liability in the famous Vodafone case. The Indian government lost $2 billion in tax after Vodafone bought Hutchison’s stake in Hutch Essar for $12 billion. In a court case, the tax department argued the tax is payable in India as the assets involved are located in India. Vodafone and Hutchison argued that the sale took place outside India. Vodafone won the case in January this year. The tax department has moved to the Supreme Court. The budget announced that the government can tax merger and acquisition (M&A) deals overseas for Indian assets with effect from April 1962. This announcement sent ripples abroad and many NRIs became worried about their deals going back 50 years. How will NRI directors of a foreign company taking part in a foreign exchange transaction of assets located in India be affected even when the transaction is done outside India? A leading lawyer and a qualified accountant, Rajan D. Gupta of SRGR Law Offices, clarified, “The proposal for retrospective amendment to undo the effects of the Vodafone judgment of the Supreme Court is intended to cover only those situations where the businessmen invested into Indian companies holding substantial business assets through shell companies/investment vehicles setup in tax heavens. Therefore, such provisions would not apply to NRIs directly holding assets in India, whether in the nature of shares in Indian companies or immovable properties in India. Only those NRI directors of foreign companies who hold Indian assets through investment vehicles set up in offshore tax havens would need to take into account such provisions. Indeed, it is important to understand that transfer of assets, which are directly held by NRIs, would always be subjected to taxation in India and the benefits under applicable double taxation treaty, if any, would apply.” NRIs are entitled to claim relief in India only based on Tax Residence Certificate (TRC) from the government of the resident country. Even though no difference between individuals and companies has been given, a TRC appears to be more relevant for an offshore company because it will be important to determine if such a company is a mere shell entity or is a real company having substantial presence in that country. In the case of an individual, the tax residence cannot be easily determined/established by way of entry stamps of countries visited/stayed in his/her passport, said Gupta. Payments by some Indians to NRIs will be examined by the tax officer for determining taxable income. If such remittances from Indians are intended to be free of withholding tax (TDS), a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from tax officer will be required. Basically, the budget has encouraged NRI investors.
-Courtecy: KUL BHUSHAN(Pravasi Today)
As millions of Indians travel abroad every year and have become big spenders, they have been clamouring for a duty-free allowance of at least Rs.50,000 ($1,000). They argue that considering the prices of designer goods which the middle and upper income Indians and NRIs aspire for, even this amount is not enough. So we just thank the government for small mercies as we walk the green channel with goods worth Rs.35,000 plus a laptop, a mobile and a camera, among other small items. The budget has quashed a major fear of NRIs to pay income tax on their global income if they stay in India for more than 60 days a year. Frantic e-mails on this topic were whizzing around for weeks before the budget. It was feared that if an NRI goes to India on different trips and stays for a total of 60 days in the year, he will be considered as a resident and will have to declare his foreign income and pay tax on it. It does not matter if the person has lived outside India for decades.
This change in tax residency is deferred for now (but not dropped). Phew! It’s a great relief! The change in tax residency is part of the Direct Tax Code (DTC). Hence, an NRI will be considered as tax resident in India in a financial year only if he stays in India for more than 180 days in that financial year.
The big news in this budget is retrospective legislation for income tax liability in the famous Vodafone case. The Indian government lost $2 billion in tax after Vodafone bought Hutchison’s stake in Hutch Essar for $12 billion. In a court case, the tax department argued the tax is payable in India as the assets involved are located in India. Vodafone and Hutchison argued that the sale took place outside India. Vodafone won the case in January this year. The tax department has moved to the Supreme Court. The budget announced that the government can tax merger and acquisition (M&A) deals overseas for Indian assets with effect from April 1962. This announcement sent ripples abroad and many NRIs became worried about their deals going back 50 years. How will NRI directors of a foreign company taking part in a foreign exchange transaction of assets located in India be affected even when the transaction is done outside India? A leading lawyer and a qualified accountant, Rajan D. Gupta of SRGR Law Offices, clarified, “The proposal for retrospective amendment to undo the effects of the Vodafone judgment of the Supreme Court is intended to cover only those situations where the businessmen invested into Indian companies holding substantial business assets through shell companies/investment vehicles setup in tax heavens. Therefore, such provisions would not apply to NRIs directly holding assets in India, whether in the nature of shares in Indian companies or immovable properties in India. Only those NRI directors of foreign companies who hold Indian assets through investment vehicles set up in offshore tax havens would need to take into account such provisions. Indeed, it is important to understand that transfer of assets, which are directly held by NRIs, would always be subjected to taxation in India and the benefits under applicable double taxation treaty, if any, would apply.” NRIs are entitled to claim relief in India only based on Tax Residence Certificate (TRC) from the government of the resident country. Even though no difference between individuals and companies has been given, a TRC appears to be more relevant for an offshore company because it will be important to determine if such a company is a mere shell entity or is a real company having substantial presence in that country. In the case of an individual, the tax residence cannot be easily determined/established by way of entry stamps of countries visited/stayed in his/her passport, said Gupta. Payments by some Indians to NRIs will be examined by the tax officer for determining taxable income. If such remittances from Indians are intended to be free of withholding tax (TDS), a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from tax officer will be required. Basically, the budget has encouraged NRI investors.
-Courtecy: KUL BHUSHAN(Pravasi Today)
Gujarat, Delhi devour 30% of ice cream in India
AHMEDABAD,April7,2012: Cold treats seem to be a hit with Amdavadis. The city consumes more ice-cream than bigger cities like Mumbai and Pune, says a report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( Assocham). The report says almost 35% of ice-cream sold in India is savoured by the western region - Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa. And, Ahmedabad tops the list in the region. The group's report takes into account countrywide consumption between April and December 2011. Put together, Delhi and Gujarat consume about 30% of the total ice-cream in the country. "The acceptance of ice cream as a dessert is higher in the western region, especially as compared to other cities. Another reason is the population here has a power to spend," says GCMMF MD RS Sodhi. GCMMF markets Amul ice-cream that dominates major metro markets of Maharashtra and Gujarat, like Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat. "Demand for 500 ml and one-litre packets has doubled in recent years. Though the volumes come from traditional flavours, consumers like experimenting. International flavours, including different varieties of chocolate, are going to be in this season," says Rajesh Gandhi, managing director of Vadilal Industries who is also the president of the Indian Ice Cream Manufacturers' Association (IICMA). The report pegs the total size of the ice-cream market in India at Rs 3,000 crore, of which 60% is controlled by the organized sector.
Jayalalithaa gets over radiation fear, may visit US ship
CHENNAI,April7,2012: Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa is likely to be among the highprofile guests at a dinner party on board a ship accompanying USS Carl Vinson on April 9. Official sources said the CM was keen to take part in the final day celebrations of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier calling on Chennai Port as part of the Malabar exercise. She is yet to officially confirm her participation though. While a guest list of 30 VVIPs from Chennai, including Tamil Nadu governor K Rosaiah, has been drawn up, the CM's name does not figure in it yet. But state officials were confident that the CM would take part in the dinner being held to mark the three-day visit of USS Carl Vinson to the city. "Indian officials have invited the Tamil Nadu governor, the chief minister, chief secretary Debendranath Sarangi, home secretary G Rajagopal and few senior bureaucrats and defence officials for the event. Until Friday, 30 dignitaries had confirmed their participation. We hope the CM will participate, too," said an official. Not too long ago, when the USS Nimitz, another nuclear-armed aircraft carrier, was to anchor off the Chennai port, the AIADMK chief had opposed it saying the ship's visit would expose Chennai to "grave hazards of radiation". In 2007, Jayalalithaa had objected to the ship coming to the Chennai harbour, saying permission should not be granted to such a "deadly and disastrous" vessel to enter Indian waters. The nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson ( CVN-70) became famous when the US military made it known that the ship's deck was used to dispose of the body of Osama bin Laden in the Indian Ocean. The ship is in the region to take part in the 2012 edition of the annual Indo-US Naval exercise "Malabar" being held in the Bay of Bengal and beginning Saturday. The 10-day exercise, which will go on until April 16, will see the participation of frontline units from Navies of both India and the US. The Harbour phase, scheduled from April 7 to 9, is being held in Chennai.
‘Titanic 3D’ more magnificent after 15 years
Film: “Titanic 3D”;
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane;
Director: James Cameron;
Rating: **** 1/2
Since “Titanic” originally released in 1997, the first question that comes to one’s mind is of reasons to ‘revisit’ the film. The second question is about a film that may have won maximum Oscars, but whether 3D is good enough reason to not buy a DVD instead?
Vivacious Jack (DiCaprio) travelling third class on Titanic falls for the beautiful but lonely Rose (Winslet). As the ship hits an iceberg, a battle for survival is waged even as the jealous, industrialist fiance Cal (Zane) bays for the blood of the two lovers.
Titanic, the film, as the ship in 1914, has become stuff of legends so it’s pointless to recount the obvious. Let’s try and see the invisible.
The most striking thing about ‘Titanic’ is the immaculate and almost painful detailing. Like Stanley Kubrick, James Cameron delights both the novice and discerning viewers with the detail in every door knob, every headgear, every marking on every china-plate and every expression on actors faces.
It is thus the mother of all disaster movies not because it is based on a real incident but because of this attention given to so much detail. That is perhaps the reason why, among many other probables, Titanic became first among the classics to gain a 3D restoration.
The already immaculate detailing is enhanced by 3D, increasing engagement and thus the viewer’s experience.
Beyond its technology though, ‘Titanic’ is literally a masterpiece of metaphors. The most obvious and overarching is that of the class segregation in society. Titanic becomes a microcosm of our planet earth and its social, structural divisions.
Even physically the ship represents a class pyramid, with the majority in the lower decks filled with the have-nots, aspirational class forming the base while the higher decks of rich, hedonist and have-all class forming the pyramid’s small but affluent, tip. Cameron scathingly points out the hypocrisy of the latter even as he celebrates the giving, caring and sacrificial spirits of the lower class.
“Titanic” is also a very feminist film. Set at a time where women were thought to be nothing better than decorative pieces, it pits two perspective: one where the woman has everything physically at the cost of her freedom and the second where she may not have any worldly riches but has love, beauty and freedom. Rose vacillates between the two perspectives, till finally going with her ‘heart’.
Thus the story of ‘Titanic’ might seem linear and juvenile, but like his later film ‘Avatar’ Cameron hides layers and layers inside its deceptively simple, sugar-coated shell. And though the acting of our lead pair may not be up there, but their chemistry and youthful and innocent exuberance carries the film through.
Oscar-winning producer of Titanic Jon Landau had told IANS two week back when he was in India to promote the film, that James Cameron had himself supervised every one of the nearly half a million frames that had to be converted to 3D and $18 million and over a year spent in the same. The effort shows as 3D enhances the brilliant detailing, adding an extra shine to an already bright film.
In 1997 people had gone to watch ‘Titanic’ multiple times. Watch it in 3D on the large screen – on the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking – and you’ll go see it another time for the magic is not only still there, but is enhanced by 3D.
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet and Billy Zane;
Director: James Cameron;
Rating: **** 1/2
Since “Titanic” originally released in 1997, the first question that comes to one’s mind is of reasons to ‘revisit’ the film. The second question is about a film that may have won maximum Oscars, but whether 3D is good enough reason to not buy a DVD instead?
Vivacious Jack (DiCaprio) travelling third class on Titanic falls for the beautiful but lonely Rose (Winslet). As the ship hits an iceberg, a battle for survival is waged even as the jealous, industrialist fiance Cal (Zane) bays for the blood of the two lovers.
Titanic, the film, as the ship in 1914, has become stuff of legends so it’s pointless to recount the obvious. Let’s try and see the invisible.
The most striking thing about ‘Titanic’ is the immaculate and almost painful detailing. Like Stanley Kubrick, James Cameron delights both the novice and discerning viewers with the detail in every door knob, every headgear, every marking on every china-plate and every expression on actors faces.
It is thus the mother of all disaster movies not because it is based on a real incident but because of this attention given to so much detail. That is perhaps the reason why, among many other probables, Titanic became first among the classics to gain a 3D restoration.
The already immaculate detailing is enhanced by 3D, increasing engagement and thus the viewer’s experience.
Beyond its technology though, ‘Titanic’ is literally a masterpiece of metaphors. The most obvious and overarching is that of the class segregation in society. Titanic becomes a microcosm of our planet earth and its social, structural divisions.
Even physically the ship represents a class pyramid, with the majority in the lower decks filled with the have-nots, aspirational class forming the base while the higher decks of rich, hedonist and have-all class forming the pyramid’s small but affluent, tip. Cameron scathingly points out the hypocrisy of the latter even as he celebrates the giving, caring and sacrificial spirits of the lower class.
“Titanic” is also a very feminist film. Set at a time where women were thought to be nothing better than decorative pieces, it pits two perspective: one where the woman has everything physically at the cost of her freedom and the second where she may not have any worldly riches but has love, beauty and freedom. Rose vacillates between the two perspectives, till finally going with her ‘heart’.
Thus the story of ‘Titanic’ might seem linear and juvenile, but like his later film ‘Avatar’ Cameron hides layers and layers inside its deceptively simple, sugar-coated shell. And though the acting of our lead pair may not be up there, but their chemistry and youthful and innocent exuberance carries the film through.
Oscar-winning producer of Titanic Jon Landau had told IANS two week back when he was in India to promote the film, that James Cameron had himself supervised every one of the nearly half a million frames that had to be converted to 3D and $18 million and over a year spent in the same. The effort shows as 3D enhances the brilliant detailing, adding an extra shine to an already bright film.
In 1997 people had gone to watch ‘Titanic’ multiple times. Watch it in 3D on the large screen – on the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking – and you’ll go see it another time for the magic is not only still there, but is enhanced by 3D.
Indian missions in US outsource passport services
Washington, April 7,2012: The Indian embassy and its consulates in other parts of the country have, like many missions in other parts of the world, outsourced passport related services. Outsourcing Agency VFS Global would begin its operations for the embassy in Washington, and for the consulates general in Chicago and New York from April 16, the embassy announced Thursday.
For the consulates general at Houston and San Francisco, the operations would begin from April 30.
In Washington The VFS Global website http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/usa and a Call Centre number 202-800-7412 would be functional from April 9 for providing assistance to passport services seekers.
Applications would be accepted by VFS Global in person or delivered by mail from April 16 at Suite 103, 1625 K Street NW Washington DC. Addresses of VFS Global at other locations in support of the consulates general would be available on their respective websites. Indian Visa/OCI/PIO services have been outsourced to Travisa Outsourcing company earlier and that arrangement continues. Miscellaneous services like attestation of power of attorney would continue to be extended by the embassy and consulates general of India directly, for which no prior appointment is required. Any information on these services can be accessed from the websites of the Embassy and Consulates General, the embassy said.
For the consulates general at Houston and San Francisco, the operations would begin from April 30.
In Washington The VFS Global website http://www.vfsglobal.com/india/usa and a Call Centre number 202-800-7412 would be functional from April 9 for providing assistance to passport services seekers.
Applications would be accepted by VFS Global in person or delivered by mail from April 16 at Suite 103, 1625 K Street NW Washington DC. Addresses of VFS Global at other locations in support of the consulates general would be available on their respective websites. Indian Visa/OCI/PIO services have been outsourced to Travisa Outsourcing company earlier and that arrangement continues. Miscellaneous services like attestation of power of attorney would continue to be extended by the embassy and consulates general of India directly, for which no prior appointment is required. Any information on these services can be accessed from the websites of the Embassy and Consulates General, the embassy said.
Indian-American linguist wins US academic award
Washington, April 7,2012: An Indian American professor, Mohammad Jahangeer Warsi, has been selected as a 2011-12 recipient of the James E. McLeod Faculty Recognition Award by the students of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Previously called the Faculty Awards, this year the ArtSci Council decided to rename the event in honour of one of their biggest supporters James E. McLeod. Viewed as a very prestigious honour in academics, the award is given to those who have positively and profoundly influenced the educational experiences to the students at Washington University. Warsi, a gold medallist linguist from Aligarh Muslim University and a West Bengal Academy award holder, will receive the honour April 16 at a Recognition Ceremony hosted by the School Council, the undergraduate organization and executive governing body for the College of Arts & Sciences. He is also the recipient of “unsung Hero” award from the University of California at Berkeley in 2005, and a recipient of UP Hindi-Urdu Literary Award 2011. Congratulating Warsi, Robert E Hegel, Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures said: “This is indeed exciting news–congratulations! This is a wonderful honour and strong testament to your efforts in the classroom”. Laura Olivier, a senior student at Washington University said: “I am ever so grateful to Warsi for all the work he has put into my development as a student of both linguistics and Indian culture”.
22,000 H-1B visa applications filed in first four days
Washington, April 7,2012: The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has received about 22,000 petitions for the much sought after H-1B work visas in the first four days after it started accepting applications on April 2, officials said. “We have received approximately 22,000 H-1B petitions for the fiscal 2013 beginning October 1 this year,” US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson Bill Wright said. The USCIS official, however, was quick to note that these are preliminary figures. The 22,000 H-1B petitions received in the first four days are from both the categories: Congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 in the general category and another 20,000 in the advance degree category. Even these preliminary figures indicate that there has been quite an increase in the H-1B petitions this year as compared to the previous two years, it is much less than the previous years when the cap was reached on the very first day. In 2011, in the first week, the USCIS had received approximately 5,900 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap, and approximately 4,500 petitions toward the 20,000 cap exemption for individuals with advanced degrees. In 2010, USCIS had received only 13,500 petitions in the Congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 in the first week and approximately 5,600 petitions for individuals with advanced degree. USCIS, in 2009, had received 42,000 H-1B applications under the Congressional mandated quota of 65,000 in the first week. In the advanced degree category it received about similar number of applications. US businesses use the H-1B programme to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields, such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers.
Indians may be put off as UK closes post-study visa
London, April 7,2012: A facility that allowed Indian students to work here for two years after their courses are over will be closed from tomorrow as part of the Cameron government’s drive to cut migration, which may put-off those aspiring to study in the UK. Under the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route, Indian and other non-EU students were able to take up work for two years here after the completion of their university courses. This route will be closed from tomorrow, the Home Office has announced. The facility was popular among self-financing Indian students who sought to recover some of the expenses of studying here by working for two years. The facility also enabled them to gain work experience in the UK that was seen to aid career prospects in India. There are already reports of falling numbers of Indian students applying for university courses starting from September 2012. From tomorrow, following the closure of the facility, international students will be able to apply for leave to remain in the UK under other immigration routes if they meet the criteria, but most such students are unlikely to meet the higher income level and other criteria.
International students are estimated to contribute over 14 billion pounds annually to the UK economy.
The closure of the post-study route was opposed by Universities UK and the British Council, given the possibility that the measure would reduce Britain’s attraction as a destination for students from India and other non-EU countries. Prime Minister David Cameron had promised to crack down on immigration at last year’s Conservative party conference. In February, the British Council had called for an “urgent review” of the changes to the student visa system, particularly the closure of the popular post-study work visa from April this year. The Council, which is responsible for promoting British education overseas, presented a detailed report to the government on the likely impact the recent student visa changes will have, and compared the experiences of Australia and US in this regard. In a report titled ‘Impact of Visa Changes on Student Mobility and Outlook for the UK’, the British Council said: “Students from certain countries who mainly study postgraduate courses in the UK –such as India, Pakistan and others –will be affected by the removal of the post-study work visa…The sooner this situation is addressed, the more contained the damage of bad publicity overseas will be.” The Home Office also announced that the annual limit for skilled Indian and other non-EU migrants with job offers in the UK would remain at 20,700 for the next two years until April 2014. During the first year of its operation ending this month, the limit has been undersubscribed by about 50 per cent. Immigration Minister Damian Green said: “The government has been clear that the UK is open for business and our limit has been designed with the industry’s needs in mind. We believe there is no incompatibility between economic growth and controlling migration –our reformed, more selective immigration system can achieve both.”
International students are estimated to contribute over 14 billion pounds annually to the UK economy.
The closure of the post-study route was opposed by Universities UK and the British Council, given the possibility that the measure would reduce Britain’s attraction as a destination for students from India and other non-EU countries. Prime Minister David Cameron had promised to crack down on immigration at last year’s Conservative party conference. In February, the British Council had called for an “urgent review” of the changes to the student visa system, particularly the closure of the popular post-study work visa from April this year. The Council, which is responsible for promoting British education overseas, presented a detailed report to the government on the likely impact the recent student visa changes will have, and compared the experiences of Australia and US in this regard. In a report titled ‘Impact of Visa Changes on Student Mobility and Outlook for the UK’, the British Council said: “Students from certain countries who mainly study postgraduate courses in the UK –such as India, Pakistan and others –will be affected by the removal of the post-study work visa…The sooner this situation is addressed, the more contained the damage of bad publicity overseas will be.” The Home Office also announced that the annual limit for skilled Indian and other non-EU migrants with job offers in the UK would remain at 20,700 for the next two years until April 2014. During the first year of its operation ending this month, the limit has been undersubscribed by about 50 per cent. Immigration Minister Damian Green said: “The government has been clear that the UK is open for business and our limit has been designed with the industry’s needs in mind. We believe there is no incompatibility between economic growth and controlling migration –our reformed, more selective immigration system can achieve both.”
NRI woman robbed, kin injured
PHAGWARA,ASpril6,2012: An NRI woman was allegedly robbed of cash and valuables by three armed men, who also attacked and injured her father-in-law here, police said today. The US-based woman was with her father-in-law on a rickshaw when three motorcycle-borne men intercepted them. Ritu Chaudhary was robbed of Rs 4.5 lakh near KG Resort, she claimed in her complaint to police. When her father-in-law, Shishupal Singh, tried to intervene he was attacked by the assailants, police said. Chaudhary also lost her passport, mobile phone and laptop to the assailants, she said in the complaint. "The case is being probed," Sadar SHO Manjit Singh said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)