Immigration  fraud : plight of Indian students

Hundreds of Indian students, mostly from Andhra Pradesh, face the prospect of deportation from the US after authorities raided and shut down a university in the Silicon Valley on charges of a massive immigration fraud .The Tri-Valley University in Pleasanton, a major suburb in San Francisco Bay Area, has been charged by federal investigating authorities with being part of an effort to defraud, misuse visa permits and indulge in money laundering and other crimes.
According to a federal complaint filed in a California court, the University, which was raided and shut down last week, helped foreign nationals illegally acquire immigration status. The university is said to have 1,555 students. As many as 95 per cent of these students are Indian nationals, the complaint said.
Investigations by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) found that while students were admitted to various residential and online courses of the university and on paper lived in California, in reality they "illegally" worked in various parts of the country as far as Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
ICE has called it as a "sham university." The ICE investigations found that more than half of these students were reported to be residing in a single apartment located in Sunnyvale California. For a student to maintain an active immigration status, they must show proof that they are making reasonable process towards completing coursework and physically attend classes. During the course of the investigation ICE found that the university gave the residential address of its students in order to conceal that they did not live in California, said the court papers.
The Indian Government and the Indian Associations in America are trying to help the Indian Students. Authorities from customs enforcement in US who interrogated scores of Indian students mostly from Andhra Pradesh conned by the sham Tri-Valley University, Shackled ankles of several victims with Radio tracking devices.  The Government of India reacted very strongly because Indian students are radio-tagged. It cautioned the US government not to treat students like criminals

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Gary Kirsten New Coach for Mumbai Indians

According to The Times, London, Kirsten's rapport with Sachin Tendulkar could lead to the former South African opener being appointed in a top position in Mumbai Indians which is to appoint a director of coaching before the IPL 4.

 

[caption id="attachment_379" align="aligncenter" width="247" caption="Mrs. Neeta Ambani"][/caption]

"Kirsten could easily take up such a position while still developing his international academy that is in the planning stage at Claremont Cricket Club in Cape Town," it added.

The report also said current India bowling Coach Eric Simons could not be ruled out as a possible candidate to replace Kirsten.

"The Indian cricket board has not yet started a process to recruit a successor to Kirsten, but it is not unlikely that it will approach Simons as a candidate. Simons, a former Proteas all-rounder and national coach, was highly regarded by the Indian team when he came aboard this summer," the report said. 

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Good news for senior Citizens

Corrupt Couple

The illegal assets of the IAS-officer couple caught in Madhya Pradesh for corruption allegedly exceed Rs 300 crore.

The Enforcement Directorate has found several violations relating to foreign currency and investments. "This is a mind-blowing figure... hard to believe that officers can raise illegal assets of Rs.300 crore or even more. Several businessmen in the state are struggling for years to keep their empire over the Rs.100 croremark, but the Joshi couple have really produced a shocker.

The officer was reacting to a report of the income-tax department that said in its 7,000 page report to the state government that the 1979 batch IAS couple - Arvind and Tinoo Joshi - have properties, investments and valuables worth at least Rs.300 crore.

Arvind Joshi was in charge of the rehabilitation of victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy.

"The IAS couple's story is unbelievable, but it's fact. They have probably set an example for the country's hundreds of corrupt people holding high posts in state governments and at the centre. I wish no one excels them," an income-tax official said in a lighter vein.

The IAS couple was suspended in February last year when an income-tax raid found a little over Rs.3 crore in cash at their Bhopal residence.

The department recently handed over a comprehensive report to the state government as well as the Lokayukta (ombudsman) in which it listed out the illegal assets it had unearthed during last year's raid.

The report says the couples owned at least two dozen flats in Assam, New Delhi and Bhopal, and have about 400 acres in various districts of Madhya Pradesh, like Sehore, Raisen, Balaghat, Mandla and Umaria.

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Marriage is good for physical as well as mental health

Long-term committed relationships are good for mental as well as physical health and this benefits increases over time, suggests a new study. David and John Gallacher from Cardiff University say that on average married people live longer.

They say that women in committed relationships have better mental health, while men in committed relationships have better physical health, and they conclude that, "on balance it probably is worth making the effort."Men's physical health probably improves because of their partner's positive influence on their lifestyle and "the mental bonus for women may be due to a greater emphasis on the importance of the relationship", they write.

But the journey of true love does not always run smoothly, maintain the authors, pointing to evidence that relationships in adolescence are associated with increased adolescent depressive symptoms. But the journey of true love does not always run smoothly, maintain the authors, pointing to evidence that relationships in adolescence are associated with increased adolescent depressive symptoms.

They also confirm that breaking up is hard to do, saying "exiting a relationship is distressing" and divorce can have a devastating impact on individuals. Having numerous partners is also linked with a risk of earlier death. They conclude that while relationship failures can harm health this is not a reason to avoid them. A good relationship will improve both physical and mental health and perhaps the thing to do is to try to avoid a bad relationship rather than not getting into a relationship at all.
(The study has been published in the Student BMJ)

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Short Temper

(Continued from the last blog)

It is perfectly natural to lose your temper sometimes. Many situations and circumstances arise in everyday life who will anger, irritate and frustrate you, and often you will find it difficult controlling your emotions. When you feel overwhelmed by rage, your muscles tense, heart rate increases, breath becomes shorter and faster and temples start pounding.

There are definite triggers that may cause you to lose your temper - stress, anxiety, demanding workloads, hectic lifestyles, family, social and financial responsibilities and unrealistic expectations of people. If someone constantly calls you names, bullies, torments or humiliates you, this is bound to cause a reaction.

There are various solutions and coping mechanisms such as psychotherapy, anger management, communication skills training, or self-control training are all ways to control angry and aggressive behaviors. These strategies will teach you to draw boundaries, take positive control of negative emotions and channel them more constructively.

By including relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, visualization techniques, repeating positive affirmations, meditation or yoga into your lifestyle can make a significant difference in helping you to control your temper and remain calm.



Last week Questions:
We gave 10 questions to answer.  The answer may differ from a person to a person.  However, the right situation is appended here under.

Those who have marked

I don't feel angry at all eight times out of 10.
I feel slightly annoyed seven times out of 10.
I feel little angry six times out of 10.
I feel moderately angry six times out of 10.
I feel very angry seven times out of 10 and
I feel furious eight times out of 10

are strongly advised to consult a psychologist or psyche-therapist or psychiatrist for counseling to lead much happier life.

 

Newsenviews Team