Fresh News

S Krishnasamy, ethnic Indian leader of Malaysia's southern state of Johor, an assembly member representing the Malaysian Indian Congress was shot dead near his office as he was leaving to attend a meeting in the afternoon.

India will permit qualified overseas Indian professionals like doctors, dentists, architects and chartered accountants to work in the country.

India will sign pacts with other countries to exempt its nationals from making social security contributions. Negotiations are already in place with the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Norway.

Overseas Citizen of India cards were issued to over 200,000 applicants thus far.

Labour pacts have been signed with the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar for the protection and welfare of overseas Indians working in all sectors and similar pacts are targeted with Malaysia, Oman and Bahrain.

NRI teachers S Rajendra and M Sangeetha both 27, who were abused by their Malaysian employers for three years have decided to go back home to India without charging the Malaysian couple who ran the school, with cruelty and abuse. They settled for USD 1,300 for each as compensation.

It is estimated that NRIs contribute 5% to Britain's GDP.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the launch of the Overseas Workers Resource Centre and the Global Advisory Council at the inauguration of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Delhi.

Overseas Workers Resource Centre will operate as a multilingual helpline for grievance redressal and intervention as a pioneering effort to expand the scope of services to promote legal migration.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh affirmed that the security and welfare of NRIs is a top priority of the country's diplomatic missions.

UAE RAK - A sixty year old Indian drowned trying unsuccessfully to save his depressed son who jumped into the sea because he was not allowed to go back to his wife in Kerala.

The Kenyan NRI business community, most of whom are Gujaratis, have suffered losses estimated at around Rs500 crores (over US$12 million) in the recent ethic violence. Indian businesses in Kisumu have suffered most, with as many as a hundred food shops targeted by rampaging mobs that looted and burned the establishments.

The ten month old Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre for NRIs and PIOs has become so popular that they are considering an expansion of their service offers as the government prepares to host the year's Pravasi Bharatiya Divas shortly.

Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre's web site www.oifc.in was set up as a one stop site where NRIs and PIOs post queries for advice on investment opportunities as well as tax and real estate regulations.

Richa Gangopadhyay 21, a final year student at Michigan State University, majoring in dietetics and nutrition was crowned Miss India USA 2007 at the 26th annual beauty pageant held in New Jersey. Richa also won the title of Miss Photogenic.

At one hospital in Anand, Gujarat a number of pregnant women live, are cared for and nourished as they culminate their pregnancies as surrogates for children of infertile couples from around the world. The clinic matches them and counsels them as they prepare to birth the babies in a growing business of outsourced pregnancies with buyers from the US, Taiwan, the UK and beyond.

The Ministry for Overseas Indian Affairs plans to announce the introduction of an India Development Fund. The fund will channel contributions from NRIs towards philanthropic activities.

India will soon provide access to a 24/7 toll free helpline where NRI Overseas workers can voice their concerns on exploitation or neglect from anywhere in the world. Overseas workers' resource centres will be set up to deal with distress calls on the number 1800 11 3090. Counsellors will help callers in distress, will direct callers looking for employment opportunities.

Tata Motors launch its Rs 1 lac (US$ 2,500) Car named Tata Nano. It meets all the safety and environment norms and can carry 5 persons.