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NATIONAL EDITION | Volume 13 • Issue No. 755 January 5, 2024 | The Community First - News Update 24X7 | South Asian Views On Global News
INSIDE
New Jersey imam shot and killed outside his mosque Page No. 4
Negative campaigning to dominate in 2024 US Presidential election
Page No. 8
Indian-American raises $612,348 for his Congressional campaign Page No. 4
Indian-Origin Real Estate Developer Charged In USD 93 Million Fraud Scheme Rishi Kapoor, a Miami-based developer, faces charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday Page No. 8
Bomb threats cause evacuations at multiple US statehouses Page No. 4
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USA NEWS
Trump asks Supreme Court to overturn Colorado ban HiIndia Newsdesk
Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to reverse a Colorado ruling that barred him from running for president in that state. Colorado's top court said last month Mr Trump was not an eligible candidate as it said he had engaged in insurrection over the US Capitol riot. His appeal comes a day after he challenged a similar decision by Maine. Dozens of lawsuits have been filed in multiple states seeking to disqualify Mr Trump from the November 2024 ballot. Courts in Minnesota and Michigan have dismissed similar efforts to disqualify the former US president. In other states, such as Oregon, cases revolving around the current Republican frontrunner's eligibility are still pending. A US Supreme Court ruling on the issue of Mr Trump's eligibility would be binding nationwide. In Maine and Colorado, Mr Trump was removed from the ballot after legal challenges that accused him of inciting the US Capitol riot of 6 January 2021. The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution bans anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding federal office.
In a statement, the Trump campaign accused the Colorado Supreme Court and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, of "doing all they can to disenfranchise
New Jersey imam shot and killed outside his mosque
Bomb threats cause evacuations at multiple US statehouses
HiIndia Newsdesk
The imam of a mosque in Newark, New Jersey, was shot and killed early on Wednesday morning by an unknown attacker who remains at large. Authorities said in a news conference that they believe the killing of Imam Hassan Sharif was not motivated by domestic terrorism or bias. Mr Sharif was found with multiple gunshot wounds outside his mosque, MasjidMuhammad-Newark, before dawn. He was taken to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. "The evidence collected thus far does not indicate that this was an act motivated by bias or an act of domestic terrorism," New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin told reporters. He added that investigators normally would "not go public with this type of information so early in our process" but that a rise in bias against the Muslim community compelled them to reveal their preliminary findings. "I know that in light of global events and with a rise in bias directed at many communities we're experiencing across our state particularly the Muslim community - there are many in New Jersey right now who are feeling a heightened sense of fear or anxiety at the news of this slaying," he said.;
Indian-American raises $612,348 for his Congressional campaign
Niraj Antani HiIndia Newsdesk
Colorado's top court said last month Mr Trump was not an eligible candidate as it said he had engaged in insurrection over the US Capitol riot.
HiIndia Newsdesk
State capitol buildings in at least six states were evacuated on Wednesday after being targeted by bomb threats. A Ke ntu c k y s e c re t ar y of s t at e spokeswoman said the threat came in "a mass email sent to several" state offices across the US. BBC has reviewed the email, which targeted at least 24 statehouses and appears to have
all American voters by attempting to remove President Trump". "This is an un-American, unconstitutional act of election interference which cannot stand," campaign spokesman Steven Cheung added. "We urge a clear, summary rejection of the Colorado Supreme Court's wrongful ruling and the execution of a free and fair election in November." The Colorado Supreme Court decision was narrow, with four judges in favour and three against. All seven justices were appointed by Democratic governors.
caused many to close at the start of new legislative sessions. No bombs have been discovered, and the FBI is investigating. The threatening email claims that "multiple explosives" had been "well hidden" inside the statehouses. It says the bombs would detonate "in a few hours". The sender promises that many will be killed. The FBI said that it was investigating the bomb threats, but it had "no information to indicate a specific and credible threat". "The FBI takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk," the law enforcement agency said. The threat was delivered at the start or just ahead of new legislative sessions, which brought many state lawmakers back to their statehouse offices.
US education official resigns over Biden's Israel-Gaza policy
HiIndia Newsdesk
WASHINGTON: (Reuters) - A senior official in the U.S. Education Department stepped down on Wednesday, citing President Joe Biden's handling of the conflict in Gaza, the latest sign of dissent in the administration as deaths continue
to grow in the war. Also on Wednesday, 17 Biden reelection campaign staffers issued a warning in an anonymous letter that Biden could lose voters over the issue. Tariq Habash, special assistant in the Education Department's Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, in a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, said: "I cannot stay silent as this administration turns a blind eye to the atrocities committed against innocent Palestinian lives, in what leading human rights experts have called a genocidal campaign by the Israeli government."
New York: (IANS) Niraj Antani, the first Hindu and Indian-American senator from the US state of Ohio, claims to have raised $612,348 in 38 days for his Congressional campaign. The 32-year-old Republican announced his campaign for Congress from Ohio's second congressional district in November last year. "I am incredibly excited to announce that I raised $612,348 in 48 days for my campaign for Congress! This total includes my 4th quarter campaign finance filing from November 14th through December 31," he wrote on X on Wednesday.
US admin sues Texas over controversial immigration law
HiIndia Newsdesk
Washington: (IANS) US President Joe Biden's administration has filed a lawsuit against Texas over a controversial immigration law that makes entering the state illegally a crime -- one of the toughest immigration laws passed in the country's history to curb illegal immigration. In December last year, the state's Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill into law SB 4 -- a transformative package of border security legislation to bolster Texas’ unprecedented border security efforts and crackdown on human smuggling; deter the flow of illegal border crossings; and protect the lives and property of Texans by funding the ongoing construction of the state's border wall, an official statement had said at the time. SB4 also allows local and state police officers to stop and arrest anyone suspected of having crossed the border illegally, except in schools and hospitals.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Prince Andrew faces allegations from unsealed US court documents about Jeffrey Epstein HiIndia Newsdesk
The Duke of York has been named in unsealed US court documents about people linked to the paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The court papers include a detailed witness statement from a woman who claimed Prince Andrew groped her at Epstein's house in New York. The documents from this 2015 lawsuit also include names such as former US president Bill Clinton. Many names had been kept anonymous, but a US judge allowed their publication. Much in these New York court papers had been revealed before - but it will still mean fresh embarrassment for
Akihabara Train Stabbing: Woman Arrested, Four Injured
HiIndia Newsdesk
The police arrested a woman who wielded a knife and injured four passengers inside a train that stopped at Tokyo’s electronic town of Akihabara late on Wednesday, Japanese media reported. The police rushed to the scene after a report that a woman was brandishing a knife while the train stopped at the Akihabara station, where four people were injured and taken to a hospital, NHK public television reported.
Ninety-five killed in bomb blasts near Iran general Qasem Soleimani's tomb
Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, who appeared on Christmas Day with the Royal Family in Sandringham. It is not being suggested that the names of these Epstein connections
Yemen's Houthis warned against new attacks on shipping in Red Sea
HiIndia Newsdesk
The US, UK and ten other states have warned rebels in Yemen they will face consequences if they continue to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea. In a joint statement, the group of mainly Western countries called for an immediate end to the attacks. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have declared support for Hamas in the war it launched against Israel in October.
At least 95 people have been killed by two bomb explosions near the tomb of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the US, Iran's state media report. Scores of others were wounded when the blasts hit a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque in the city of Kerman. Videos showed bodies on a road and ambulances rushing to the scene. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed the "terrorist attack" would be met with a "harsh response".
Since November, the rebels have attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea more than 20 times. They have used missiles, drones, fast boats and helicopters. They have claimed - often falsely - the ships were linked to Israel. US and British warships in the region have intercepted some missiles but they have resisted attacking targets in Yemen itself. That may be about to change. The group of 12 states - Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and the US - issued a formal warning to the Houthis. They called ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea "illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilising" and said there was "no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels".
HiIndia Newsdesk
Tel Aviv: (IANS) The Iranbacked Hezbollah militant group on Thursday named four of its members who were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon overnight. In a statement, the Hezbollah said the deceased fighters were identified as Hussein Hadi Yazbek, Hadi Racha, Ibrahim Pahtz and Hossein Ghazala. With the fresh fatalities, the number of Hezbollah militants killed in the ongoing skirmishes with the Israeli army since the October 2023 Hamas attack has increased to 151. Hezbollah said that most of its members were killed in Lebanon but a few in Syria as well. In a televised address on Wednesday night, the group's chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned to attack Israel "without restraint" if it expands attacks against Lebanon.
Junior doctors in England begin longest strike in NHS history
Russia, Ukraine Announce Largest Prisoner Swap Since War Began
More than 200 soldiers and civilians have been returned from Russian captivity, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram, posting a video of uniformed men celebrating.
HiIndia Newsdesk HiIndia Newsdesk
were involved in illegality, but it will once again revive awkward questions about Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein and his circle. The court papers include the testimony of Johanna Sjoberg who describes meeting Prince Andrew at Epstein's home in New York in 2001, along with Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, who went on to make and settle a civil sex assault claim against Prince Andrew. Ms Sjoberg's statement, which had previously been partly revealed, describes an encounter in which she claims Prince Andrew touched her breast. She recalls a scene in which Maxwell, who was later jailed for sex trafficking offences, had shown them a puppet of Prince Andrew, which was intended as a "great joke".
Hezbollah names 4 militants killed in Israeli strike in Lebanon
Ky iv : Uk raine and Russi a s aid Wednesday they had exchanged over two hundred captive soldiers each, in what officials have described as the biggest prisoner swap of the war so far. The two warring sides have carried out dozens of exchanges since Moscow invaded in February 2022, but the process stalled in the latter half of last year. In near simultaneous statements, Russia and Ukraine announced they had received over 200 soldiers each following talks mediated by the United Arab Emirates. "More than 200 of our soldiers and civilians have been returned from
Russian captivity," Zelensky said on Telegram, posting a video of uniformed men celebrating. Neither side had announced an exchange in almost five months, prompting Kyiv to accuse Moscow of deliberately blocking deals for political reasons. "There was a long pause in the exchanges, but there was no pause in the negotiations," Zelensky said in a later message, hailing the swap as "good news". Moscow's defence ministry said 248 of its servicemen had been returned, and that they were being provided with "medical and psychological assistance". The UAE said the deal reflected its "strong friendly relations" with both Russia and Ukraine.
HiIndia Newsdesk
London: (IANS) Tens of thousands of junior doctors in England have started six days of industrial action over pay disputes, marking the longest strike in the National Health Service's (NHS) 75-year history. "All we need is a credible offer we can put to members and we can call off these strikes," the British Medical Association's (BMA) junior doctors committee co-chairs Robert Laurenson and Vivek Trivedi said in a statement.
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INDIA NEWS
Negative campaigning to dominate in 2024 US Presidential election
HiIndia Newsdesk
Washington: (IANS) The 2024 US Presidential election is increasingly getting to be a campaign by both Republicans and Democrats to keep incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump miles away from the White House for specious reasons. There is no sense of positive vibes in the election campaigns across the aisles as Democrats harp on Trump being a danger to democracy and Republicans claim Biden has failed on all fronts to deliver to the American people from a failed economy to a massive immigration problem on the southern borders to foreign policy initiatives on the Ukraine and Israel Palestine wars, media reports analyse the campaign trends. Young voters, especially among the educated white youth, black and Hispanic votes are sharply divided on not wanting to vote for either of the candidates Trump or Biden – for different reasons, but common in one, they are too old for the post in White House which guides the world with its policies. More enraged are the young black and Palestinian voters over what they call the Biden administration's failure to halt the Israel-Hamas war while displaying unwavering loyalty to Israel but failing to prevent the loss of lives of innocent civilians in Gaza by Israel's stepped-up ground invasion, media analysts say.
BJP wants me arrested, so I can't campaign : Kejriwal on ED summons HiIndia Newsdesk
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged that the BJP-led central government wanted to arrest him to stop him from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a press conference here, he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of wanting to tarnish his image. "My lawyers have told me that the ED summons are illegal. BJP wants to arrest me to stop me from campaigning for Lok Sabha polls," he alleged. The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party
The Delhi chief minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of wanting to tarnish his image
Airplane Mechanic trying to collect $315,000 debt Kidnapped, Murdered by Indian-origin men
(AAP) national convenor refused to depose before the Enforcement Directorate for the third time on Wednesday. Amid claims by his party of his possible arrest by the Enforcement Directorate today, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that summons were issued to him so that he cannot campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He said no corruption had taken place in the Delhi liquor policy case and reiterated his party's claims that the BJP is trying to arrest him.
International Ramifications
Supreme Court Dismisses Petition Of Indian Arrested In US Murder Plot
If convicted Seetaram, Somjeet, and Hunter each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison or the death penalty. Zofeen Maqsood
In a chilling encounter it is being reported that Suren Seetal, a 36-yearold aircraft mechanic from MiamiDade was killed by two Indian-origin men from South Florida. Seetal went missing on November 2, 2023. His body was later found in Big Cypress National Preserve on November 21. Now three men are charged with murder for hire conspiracy, murder for hire, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice. The three men are -- Avin "smalls" Seetaram (24), Somjeet Christopher “Lil Chris” Singh (29), and Gavin Hunter (18). Two of these men are of Indian-origin. Seetal was running errands before heading out on a trip to Trinidad two days later, but he never returned home. The criminal report cites that
Singh owed Seetal approximately $315,000, and Seetal’s girlfriend told law enforcement that her partner was “trying to collect his debts.” The three suspects were communicating until Seetal’s phone lost signal the night he disappeared. Seetal, Singh and Seetaram previously worked together in the fireworks business. It also alleged that Seetaram lured Seetal to Somjeet's business, where Hunter was waiting with a firearm and shot Seetal. The next day, a tow truck took Seetal’s vehicle away from Singh’s business, which was allegedly traced by a toll system. There is also security footage captured at a Home Depot showing Singh and Seetaram buying a 96-gallon yard waste cart. If convicted Seetaram, Somjeet, and Hunter each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.
HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: Dismissing the petition filed on behalf of Nikhil Gupta, who has been accused by the United States of conspiring to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the Supreme Court has said that the matter pertains to international law and it must respect the sovereignty of courts in other countries. The court also said it cannot interfere because the matter is a sensitive one and has international implications. Mr Gupta is in prison in Prague in the Czech Republic and the United States has sought his extradition for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to commit "murder for hire". The US Department of Justice has charged Mr Gupta with conspiring with an Indian government official to assassinate Pannun on American soil.
Indian-Origin Real Estate Developer Charged In USD 93 Million Fraud Scheme
Rishi Kapoor, a Miami-based developer, faces charges filed by the SEC in the US. HiIndia Newsdesk
New York: An Indian-origin real estate developer has been charged by federal authorities in the US with perpetuating a USD 93 million fraud scheme. Rishi Kapoor, a Miami-based developer, faces charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday. The SEC announced that it obtained an
asset freeze and other emergency relief concerning the alleged USD 93 million real estate investment fraud perpetrated by Mr Kapoor. The SEC also charged real estate company Location Ventures, its affiliate Urbin and 20 other related entities in connection with the fraud scheme, a statement said. According to the SEC's complaint, from approximately January 2018, until at least March 2023, Mr Kapoor and certain of the defendant entities solicited investors by, among other things, making several material misrepresentations and omissions regarding Mr Kapoor, Location Ventures, Urbin, and their real estate developments. The false statements allegedly included misrepresenting Mr Kapoor's compensation; his cash contribution to the capitalization of Location Ventures; the corporate governance of Location Ventures
The complaint alleges that among other things, Mr Kapoor and other insiders misappropriated at least USD 6 million of investor funds - USD 4.3 million of which Mr Kapoor misappropriated for himself. He purchased a 68.7 foot yacht for five million dollars and leased an uber-luxury sportscar. and Urbin; the use of investor funds; and "As alleged in our complaint, Mr Kapoor Mr Kapoor's background. was the architect of a multi-pronged real The SEC's investigation found that Mr estate offering fraud that misappropriated Kapoor allegedly misappropriated at least millions from more than 50 investors," USD 4.3 million of investor funds and said Eric I. Bustillo, Director of the SEC's improperly commingled approximately Miami Regional Office. USD 60 million of investor capital between The SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. Location Ventures, Urbin, and some of the District Court for the Southern District other charged entities. of Florida, charges Mr Kapoor, Location The complaint also alleges that Mr Kapoor Ventures, Urbin, and the 20 related caused some entities to pay excessive fees entities with violating provisions of the and to represent higher returns to investors Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities by significantly understating cost estimates. Exchange Act of 1934.
Rishi Kapoor, a Miamibased developer, faces charges filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday
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DIASPORA NEWS
Padma Bhushan "If They Remove Trump's Name...": Vivek Awardee Indian Scholar Ved Ramaswamy On Ballot Withdrawals American Nanda Dies HiIndia Newsdesk
Wa s h i n g t o n : In d i a n - A m e r i c a n Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has urged his rivals to follow him and withdraw from the ballots of the US states of Maine and Colorado which disqualified the party's frontrunner Donald Trump from contesting this year's race for the White House. Maine and Colorado disqualified the 77-year-old former president from the presidency this year in the states because of his role in the attack on the US Capitol in 2021. Trump's disqualification was based on the Constitution's 14th Amendment, which says officials who take an oath to support the US Constitution are banned from future office if they "engaged in insurrection." In an interview with a news channel on Monday, the 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur said his goal was to "nullify" the two states that have removed Trump from their ballots by boycotting their elections. Trump, who is facing several legal hurdles ahead of the November 5, 2024 Presidential election, is currently the frontrunner among the Republican Party candidates.
Zofeen Maqsood
"I said I would remove my name from those ballots, and I called on the other Republicans in the race to do the same thing," he said.
thing," he said. R e p u b l i c a n p a r t y p r e s i d e nt i a l candidates- Indian American former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis-- have all opposed efforts "If they're (the states) going to behave to block Trump from participating in in that unconstitutional way, the Republican candidates can actually elections, the report said. stop this form of election interference," "If they remove Trump's name, my name is off too, and I call on Ron DeSantis, Mr Ramaswamy was quoted as saying Nikki Haley, and Chris Christie to do by The Hill newspaper. the same thing. Their words are cheap. "I said I would remove my name from those ballots, and I called on the other Action speaks louder than words," Mr Ramaswamy said. Republicans in the race to do the same
Renowned Indian American legal scholar, Professor Ved Prakash Nanda passed away on January 1. Nanda was awarded Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honor in 2018 for his contributions to literature and education. He was a distinguished university professor and Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law at the University of Denver in Colorado. Most Indian dignitaries have expressed their sorrow at his death. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar among others condoled his death. PM Modi wrote on X: “He was also a prominent member of the Indian diaspora in the USA and was passionate about strong India-US relations. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.”
Canadian study permit applications processed Doctor's for Indians down over 40% since July 2023: Data Indian-Origin Pandemic Rock Band HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: (IANS) The Indian demand for Canadian education declined significantly with the number of study permit applications processed going down by more than 40 per cent since July 2023, according to a newly-released data. The Canadian government processed almost 146,000 new study permit applications for Indian nationals from July to October 2002. But across the same period in 2023, it processed fewer than 87,000, representing a year-over-year decrease of 41 per cent, data released by ApplyBoard, an online platform for international student recruitment, said.
This means that almost 60,000 fewer student visas were processed for Indian students from July to October 2023 than over the same period in 2022. From January to June 2023, the Canadian government processed 25 per cent more study permit applications from Indian students than it did over the same period in 2022. The sharp drop comes
even as the Canadian government announced last month that it will more than double the cost-of-living financial requirement for incoming international students beginning January 1, 2024. So going forth, a single applicant will need to show they have 20,635 Canadian dollars ($15,181) in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs. While it remains to be seen how the announcement will impact international students in terms of numbers, the reason for the drop in later part of 2023 was attributed to a growing number of Indian students taking on to social media to speak about the hardships they faced in Canada, specifically calling out the high cost of living and lack of opportunity promised.
Firdaus Kharas has received 125 awards, including the prestigious Peabody Award
Ottawa: Firdaus Kharas, an India-born entrepreneur and thought leader, has been appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honours, for advancing social change through human-centred media. The Order of Canada is one of our country's highest honours. It recognises people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to Canada. Simon's office announced three new appointments of "companions" — the highest level of the Order of Canada — 15
HiIndia Newsdesk
London: An Indian-origin doctor with the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS) decided to get musical over the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, but what started as a one-man bedroom project has been gaining popularity with booked out shows. Gulzar (Gulz) Singh Dhanoya, 25, started the indie-rock band named Gulz during his university days as a officers, including one honorary officer, medical student. Now the lead vocalist and songwriter of the group has a and 59 members. four-member group made up of fellow Kharas, 68, had been appointed officer of the Order of Canada “for advancing social NHS medical professionals. change through human-centred media as "It was a lot easier when I was at university. I had a lot more time," a social entrepreneur, humanitarian and mass communications media producer”. Gulz told the BBC Asian Network this “I am deeply moved to receive this high week. honour, which is especially meaningful "I decided to release some stuff I'd been working on (over the pandemic). to me as an immigrant. Although a I was really nervous and I put it out high achieving community, Parsis are on socials, then deleted it all off my a minuscule community numbering phone for a week. I was worried my only 3,600 in Canada, so it is extremely satisfying to be noticed in this way," mates were going to give me stick for it. Luckily, it went pretty well," he said. Kharas said in a statement.
Indian-Origin Entrepreneur Receives One Of Canada's Highest Honours HiIndia Newsdesk
Now Has An Album
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SOUTH INDIA NEWS
Rajinikanth Invited To Attend Ram Temple Consecration Ceremony In Ayodhya
Ready to work with Congress, says Sharmila
HiIndia Newsdesk
Chennai: BJP leader Arjunamurthy on behalf of the Ayodhya, Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra invited megastar Rajinikanth for the 'Ayodhya Kumbabhishek' event on January 22. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Arjunamurthy shared a couple of pictures which he captioned in Tamil. He wrote, "Today's event was the best experience of my life! Our dear leader Mr. @rajinikanth I was very happy to visit him at his residence and invite him and his family on behalf of Ayodhya, Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra for the Ayodhya Kumbabhishek event on January 22 along with the RSS officials." The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust has decided to enthrone Ram Lalla at the sanctum-sanctorum of the Ram Temple at noon on January 22, next year. Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama,
No Spot Booking For Sabarimala Pilgrims From Jan 10, Says Temple's Top Body
HiIndia Newsdesk
holds great spiritual, historical and cultural significance for the people of India. Apart from Rajinikanth, invitations were sent to personalities that include
PM Modi Begins BJP's South Push With Multiple Projects, Airport Terminal
HiIndia Newsdesk HiIndia Newsdesk
Sabarimala (Kerala): As the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala prepares for the auspicious Makaravilakku festival, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the apex temple body managing the shrine, decided on Tuesday to regulate spot bookings for darshan due to the anticipated heavy rush on the occasion. There will be no spot bookings for pilgrims from January 10, and the virtual queue bookings are limited to 40,000 on January 15, the day of the Makaravilakku, TDB officials said.
Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day tour to Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and Kerala, his first trip in the New Year, beginning the big push to the BJP's "Mission South" in the run-up to the 2024 elections. His visit, where he inaugurated multiple projects, came packaged with a big political message.
"Tamil culture and tradition is the talk everywhere," the Prime Minister said on the occasion, citing the installation of the Sengol in the new parliament. As other examples, he cited the Kashi Sangamam and Saurashtra Sangamam -- festivals that aim to highlight the countr y's cultural diversity and reconnect people with pilgrimage centres. The inauguration of the 15-plus projects came with a reminder of the NDA government's largesse for the states. "In the 10 years before 2014, states got ₹ 30 lakh crore. In the 10 years starting 2014, states got 120 lakh crores. Tamil Nadu got 2.5 times more funds, road infrastructure got 3 times more," PM Modi said.
Metro connectivity to Hyderabad Airport mooted through Old City
PM Modi Hails Tamil Nadu For Its Cultural Leadership HiIndia Newsdesk
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated a string of projects in Tamil Nadu and laid foundation stone for new initiatives, in all worth ₹ 20,140 crore. The Prime Minister hailed Tamil Nadu for its cultural inspiration and by praising DMDK late leader Vijayakanth rooted for nationalism while Chief Minister M K Stalin championed the social justice-led Dravidian model of governance which, among other goals, is also aimed at taking education to all.
actors Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, and ace directors Rajkumar Hirani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rohit Shetty along with producer Mahaveer Jain.
HiIndia Newsdesk
Hyderabad: (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday directed Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL) to plan Metro connectivity to Shamshabad Airport from MGBS via the old city and also from L.B. Nagar. He directed that the Airport Metro plan of the earlier government from Raidurg to Shamshabad Airport (31 km; Rs 6,250 crore) shall be kept on hold as already a very wide Outer Ring Road (ORR) is available. Instead, Airport Metro connectivity should be planned from MGBS via the old city; and from LB Nagar, duly bridging the remaining gap of 5 km
from Nagole to LB Nagar Metro stations, he said. At a meeting, the Chief Minister thoroughly reviewed Phase-II of the Hyderabad Metro Rail. After a detailed presentation by HMRL MD N.V.S. Reddy, Revanth Reddy directed him that the expansion proposals should cater to major parts of the city and serve a maximum number of commuters. He asked the MD to refine PhaseII proposals in coordination with t h e C om m i s s i on e r, Hyd e r ab a d Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and quickly get the traffic studies and DPRs done for the revised Airport Metro alignment. He also wanted him to examine the feasibility of laying a part of the Metro in LaxmigudaJalpally-Mamidipally stretch ‘At Grade’ (road level) in the new alignment, since a 40 feet wide central median without any obstructions is available in this stretch. This can reduce the cost of Metro Rail construction.
Kadapa (Andhra Pradesh), : (IANS) YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) President Y. S. Sharmila on Tuesday announced that she has decided to work with the Congress. She told media persons at Idupulapaya in YSR Kadapa district that valuing the YSRTP’s sacrifice in Telangana, the Congress has invited her to join it. "I have no objection in working with the Congress. As Congress is the largest secular party in the country and it is working to provide security to everyone, I have decided to strengthen the party,” she said. Sharmila said she would be leaving for New Delhi on Wednesday.
Hyderabad: Fire breaks out at CMR shopping mall
HiIndia Newsdesk
Hyderabad: Property worth several lakhs was gutted down when fire broke out at CMR shopping mall at Uppal on Tuesday night. No casualties were reported in the incident. The incident occurred around 10.30 pm following which fire fighters reached the spot and started fire fighting operating. The fire department senior officials are supervising the fire fighting operation. Half a dozen fire tenders are on spot. The fire fighting operations were continuing till filing of this report.
Hyderabad gears up for Sankranti festivities HiIndia Newsdesk
Hyderabad: As the echoes of New Year celebrations dim, the streets of Hyderabad are abuzz with anticipation for the upcoming Makar Sankranti festival. With the festival just around the corner, the city has come alive with kites, charaks, and other festive items as vendors set up stalls along the roads, creating a kaleidoscope of colours and excitement. The joy of flying kites during Sankranti holds a special place in the hearts of Hyderabadis.
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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
Jury, New IRCC measures to verify foreign "Judge, Executioner": Arvind students’ letters of acceptance: Report Kejriwal HiIndia Newsdesk
Toronto: (IANS) In one of its first measures to bolster international student programme and prevent abuse, Canadian immigration has launched an online portal to verify letters of acceptance (LOAs) that students submit in support of their visa application. An LOA, submitted by the student to the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), is an official confirmation that a student has received admission into a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) -- the only schools in Canada authorised to accept international students. Obtaining an LOA from a DLI, for which the portal has been launched, is the first step in the application for a Canadian study permit. "We’ve developed a solution for designated learning institutions (DLIs)
India’s GDP to touch $4 tn ahead of LS polls: Piyush Goyal
to make sure the letters of acceptance that students submit are genuine," the IRCC said in a statement. "The goal is to protect vulnerable students and preserve the integrity of the International Student Program," it said. Under this new system, the DLIs will now be required to verify the LOAs students submit via the online portal, which only their representative(s) to the IRCC will have access to, the CIC news website reported.
There is also a time frame to verify letters of acceptance, up to 10 calendar days, past which the access will be denied. So, if a DLI fails to validate the LOA within that time frame, or if they validate the letter as fake, the student visa application will be cancelled and returned to the applicant. In addition to the application, the students will also be returned any fees that they may have paid as processing costs, the CIC report said. Canada started making massive changes in its student immigration system following the near deportation of 700 Indian students who were duped by a fraud immigration consultant by providing them fake admission acceptance letters. Indian agent Brijesh Mishra is currently incarcerated in Canada and his trial is set to begin next month.
Nikesh Arora, Once Google's Highest Paid Executive, Is Now A Billionaire Nikesh Arora's latest stint, as chief executive officer of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks Inc., catapulted the 55-year-old into the billionaire class.
HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: (IANS) India will become a $4 trillion economy before the Lok Sabha elections and in 2 to 2.5 years, it will touch the $5 trillion GDP mark, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. “India will have the third largest GDP in the world latest by 2027, as per every street estimate," Goyal said at the launch of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Utsav in the national capital. The Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held around April-May this year.
HiIndia Newsdesk
Nikesh Arora has repeatedly succeeded in winning big paychecks. At Google, he became the firm's highest-paid executive after getting a compensation package worth about $51 million in 2012, on his way to collecting stock awards worth at least $200 million by the time he left. Poached in 2014 by SoftBank Group Corp.'s Masayoshi Son — and touted as the legendary investor's likely successor — he amassed a $135 million first-year compensation package that broke
Japanese records and made him the world's best-paid executive. But it's Nikesh Arora's latest stint, as chief executive officer of cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks Inc., that's catapulted the 55-year-old into the billionaire class. Palo Alto Networks handed Nikesh Arora a $125 million stock and options compensation package when he was hired in 2018. Thanks to a boom in cybersecurity software after a series of high-profile hacking incidents that disrupted casinos, ports and even Treasury markets, the company's share price has more than quadrupled since then — and Arora's stake is now worth $830 million.
Twin Blasts Near Qassem Soleimani's Grave Claim Over 100 Lives in Iran HiIndia Newsdesk
Dubai: Two explosions caused by 'terrorist attacks' killed more than 100 people and wounded scores at a ceremony in Iran to commemorate top commander Qassem Soleimani who was killed by a US drone in 2020, Iranian officials said on Wednesday. Iranian state television reported a first and then a second blast during an anniversary event at the cemetery where Soleimani is buried in the southeastern city of Kerman. An unnamed official told the state news agency IRNA that "Two explosive devices planted along the road leading to Kerman's Martyrs' Cemetery were detonated remotely by terrorists". Babak Yektaparast, a spokesperson for
Iran's emergency services, was reported as saying 73 people had been killed and 170 injured. State television said later that at least 100 people had been killed. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. Videos aired by Iranian media showed dozens of bodies strewn around with
some bystanders trying to attend to survivors and others hurrying to leave the blast area. "A terrible sound was heard there, despite all the security and safety measures. We are still investigating," Reza Fallah, head of the Kerman Red Crescent Society, told state television. Red Crescent rescuers tended to wounded people at the ceremony, where hundreds of Iranians had gathered to mark the anniversary of Soleimani's death. Some Iranian news agencies said the number of wounded people was much higher. "We are now evacuating the wounded and injured in the area. The crowd is huge and the job is quite hard all the paths to there are blocked," Fallah said.
HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: In his response to the Enforcement Directorate after he skipped its summons in connection with the liquor policy case for the third time, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has said he is busy with the Republic Day preparations and Rajya Sabha elections, and would be "happy to answer" any questionnaire sent by the agency. In a letter posted by the Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday, Mr Kejriwal reiterated his objections that the summons is "motivated and issued for vexatious considerations" and said it is not clear whether he is being called as a witness or a suspect in the case. "The summons appear to be in the nature of fishing and roving enquiry as it does not specify whether I am being summoned as an individual or in my official capacity as Chief Minister of Delhi or as National Convenor of AAP," he added. The AAP has also raised similar objections to the summons while justifying why the chief minister did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate and claimed that the only aim was to arrest him. The BJP has, however, said Mr Kejriwal is "shaking in fear" and is not appearing before the agency because he knows that he is the "kingpin" of the alleged liquor policy scam. Stating that the elections for three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi will take place on January 19, Mr Kejriwal said, "Being National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, I am held up in the process and run up to these critical elections." He also pointed out that, as the chief minister of Delhi, he was "also quite occupied in planning and preparations for several programmes and functions for the Republic Day". "In such circumstances, I hope that you shall act as per law by transparently and fairly considering my objections as raised and indicated in my earlier responses dated 02.11.2023 and 20.12.2023. In the meanwhile, I would be happy to respond to any questionnaire if you seek any information/documents, which are in my knowledge/ possession," the chief minister said. "It won't be wrong to say that (Arvind) Kejriwal is afraid today because he knows that his arrest is imminent, he is aware that he is the kingpin and has no answers. That's why he is trying to evade the process of law," he added.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024
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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
"Truth Has Prevailed": Gautam Adani
Supreme Court Backs SEBI Clean Chit To Adani Group In Hindenburg Case Hindenburg case: Delivering the judgment, a Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said there are no grounds to transfer the probe to a special investigation team HiIndia Newsdesk
HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani today welcomed the Supreme Court verdict in the Hindenburg row as the victory of truth. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Adani said he was "grateful to those who stood by us". In a huge victory for conglomerate, the Supreme Court today said the George Soros-led OCCRP's report can't be the basis for doubting the capital markets regulator SEBI's investigation into the Hindenburg case. "The Hon'ble Supreme Court's judgment shows that: Truth has prevailed. Satyameva Jayate. I am grateful to those who stood by us. Our humble contribution to India's growth story will continue. Jai Hind," Mr Adani said in the post on X.
Don't Rely On Newspaper Reports: Chief Justice
HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: The Supreme Court today said that there were no grounds to transfer the capital markets regulator SEBI's investigation into the Hindenburg case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT). In a victory for the Adani group, the court ruled that George Soros-led OCCRP's report cannot be basis for doubting the regulator's probe. - "The government of India and the Sebi to look into if there is any infraction of law by the Hindenburg report on short selling and if so, take action in accordance with law." - "SEBI has completed investigation in 20 out of 22 matters. Taking into account the assurance of the Solicitor General, we direct the SEBI to complete the investigation in the other two cases within three months." - "The power to transfer investigation must be exercised in exceptional circumstances. Such powers cannot be exercised in the absence of cogent justifications."
New Delhi: In a huge victory for the Adani Group, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the report by the OCCRP - an organisation funded by billionaire George Soros, among others - can't be the basis for doubting the capital markets regulator SEBI's investigation into the Hindenburg case. Delivering the judgment, a Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said there were no grounds to transfer the probe to a special investigation team (SIT).
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has investigated 22 out of the 24 cases linked to the US-based short seller Hindenburg Research's allegations. The Supreme Court gave the SEBI three months to complete
investigation in the remaining two cases. The Supreme Court also ordered the government and SEBI to check whether Hindenburg has ignored rules in shorting the market and to take action accordingly. "The reliance on the OCCRP report is rejected and the reliance on a third-party organisation report without any verification cannot be used as proof. There are no grounds to transfer the probe in this case from SEBI," Chief Justice Chandrachud said in the judgment, referring to the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
PM 100s Of Wrestlers Protest - This Time "Mesmerising": Modi Praises Swati Against Bajrang, Sakshi And Vinesh Mishra's 'Ram Aayenge' Bhajan
HiIndia Newsdesk
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New Delhi: The ongoing crisis in Indian wrestling took a fresh twist today when hundreds of junior wrestlers assembled at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to protest against the loss of one crucial year of their careers, a situation for which they blamed top grapplers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat. Loaded in buses, the junior wrestlers arrived from different parts of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, catching the police unaware. Close to 300 of them came from Arya Samaj Akhara in Chhaprauli, Baghpat while many others
The protesters were carrying banners that read: 'UWW save our wrestling from these 3 wrestlers'. came from the Virender Wrestling Academy in Narela. Many are still packed in buses and they plan to de-board and join their colleagues when more wrestlers arrive at the landmark protest site. The security personnel struggled to control them as they shouted slogans against Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his admiration for the devotional song 'Ram Aayenge' sung by Swati Mishra. PM Modi, on X (formerly Twitter), shared a video of the soulful devotional songand said, "This devotional bhajan of Swati Mishra ji to welcome Shri Ram Lalla is mesmerising." 'Ram Aayenge' was released by Swati Mishra on her YouTube channel in October, last year. The song has garnered over 43 million views. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the Pran-Pratishtha of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22. “I feel very blessed. It is my good fortune that in my lifetime, I will witness this historic occasion,” the Prime Minister
Cops Says Indian Murdered Wife And Daughter In US, Then Killed Himself HiIndia Newsdesk
New York: The deaths of a wealthy Indian-origin couple and their daughter in the US state of Massachusetts last week have been ruled a murder-suicide by medical authorities after autopsy. Rakesh Kamal, 57, his wife Teena Kamal, 54 and their college-going daughter Arianna Kamal, 18 were found dead in their USD 5 million mansion in Dover, Massachusetts on December 28, 2023. A firearm was found near Rakesh Kamal. A press release issued by the office of Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey on Tuesday said that autopsy results issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirm that Teena
Rakesh Kamal, his wife Teena Kamal, and their college-going daughter Arianna Kamal were found dead in their USD 5 million mansion in Dover, Massachusetts on December 28, 2023. and her daughter Arianna were victims of homicide by gunshot. Rakesh died from a “gunshot wound
consistent with being self-inflicted”. The final autopsy report is likely to be completed in the coming weeks. The release further said that while full forensic and ballistics testing of the gun has not been finalised, the firearm found with Rakesh is consistent with a .40 calibre Glock 22. However, the firearm was not registered in Rakesh's name and “he was not licensed to possess it,” the release added. Massachusetts State Police have contacted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for assistance in determining the origin of the firearm. The incident remains under investigation by Dover and Massachusetts State Police.
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SPORT
It’s sentimental to me: "Changed My Technique To Copy Warner appeals for return of stolen baggy green Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma":Bedingham ahead of farewell Test HiIndia Newsdesk
David Bedingham was around 21 and full of promise, having already started playing First-Class cricket. But a horrifying car accident almost curtailed the South African's budding journey as he was out of action for a year. Bedingham, however, made a strongwilled comeback to become a Western Province bulwark and also plied his trade for Durham in English county making more than 6000 runs in 89 games before making an impressive Test debut against India at Centurion last week. Now, Bedingham is in a singular space, playing his first Test at Newlands, his home ground.“Whether I score runs or not, won't matter to them (his family) a lot or to my friends. But me just walking out there, will be special,” Bedingham said. He feels that the moment can't be quantified by performance. “It's quite surreal to play the game here as
PV Sindhu Among Top Paid Female Athletes Of 2023
(in the) previous years I would come to watch. My friends are all buzzing me, not to enquire if I am playing or not but for the tickets,” Bedingham laughed. The 29-year-old said it is a dream to score a hundred in front of friends and family as he owes them a lot.
Nadal Roars Back With 'Emotional And Important' Win Over Thiem In Brisbane
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Sindhu is the only shuttler and Indian in the list of top 20 female athletes released by the American business magazine. She is joint 16th in the list along with American gymnast Simone Biles. Both Sindhu and Biles have an estimate earning of $7.1 million (approx Rs 60 crore).
“My two favourites among Indian players are Sharma and Kohli. I think when I was between 13-18, I was trying to mould my technique like theirs (Kallis and Gibbs) and when I had a bad game, I changed my technique to copy Kohli's or try probably Sharma's,” said Bedingham.
HiIndia Newsdesk
Rafael Nadal won his first match back from a year-long injury layoff when
he beat former US Open champion Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International on Tuesday, calling it an "emotional and important day". The 22-time Grand Slam winner looked in superb touch with a clinical 7-5, 6-1 victory over the Austrian in front of a full house at Pat Rafter Arena. He will now play Jason Kubler in the second round after the Australian wildcard progressed when Aslan Karatsev was forced to withdraw injured with the scores locked at one set apiece. The 37-year-old Spaniard had not played singles since a second-round loss at the Australian Open last year, undergoing two rounds of hip surgery.
HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: (IANS) Having announced his ODI retirement on the morning of New Year's Day, Australia's departing opener David Warner has made a public plea via Instagram following the misplacement of his Baggy Green caps, purportedly taken while in transit from Melbourne to Sydney for the Test match. The veteran opener, who is gearing up to wrap up his remarkable 12year Test career in the upcoming third Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, expressed his distress in an Instagram video, expressing the sentimental value of the bag, particularly containing his cherished Baggy Green cap.
Former England captain Rooney sacked as Birmingham City coach
'Will be sorely missed', says Cummins on Warner's impact on the team HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: (IANS) influence Warner exerted on the A u s t r a l i a n Te s t entire team, expressing that his captain Pat Cummins presence as an individual will be reflected on David deeply missed after the conclusion of Warner's impact on the the third Test in Sydney. entire team, saying the “There’s always something going on veteran opener's absence with Davey. It’s always fun, (he) brings will be deeply felt as the a lot of good energy to the group. 36-year-old set to play his Over the course of over a dozen years, final Test match in Sydney, we’ve gone through a lot together. It’s starting from Wednesday. been great and he’s going to be sorely In 111 Tests since making missed," Cummins told Sen Cricket. his debut in 2011, Warner The veteran opener will play his 112th has amassed 8695 runs and final Test on his home deck, the at an average of 44.6. His SCG, when Australia hunts a 3-0 impressive record includes series whitewash against Pakistan. 26 centuries and 36 half- "I look back to when he started (and) centuries, showcasing his I think there was a way that you were ability to swiftly turn the game meant to bat in Test cricket. Especially in Australia's favor. He stands as one as an opening batter (where) there is of the most successful openers for a certain style and that’s how you’re Australia in the format. supposed to play. He turned that Cummins detailed the significant upside down.
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London: (IANS) Former England captain Wayne Rooney was sacked as coach of EFL Championship side Birmingham City on Tuesday after just 83 days in charge. Rooney lost his job in the wake of Monday's 3-0 defeat to Leeds United which means Birmingham lost nine of the 15 games he was in charge of, during a period that saw them slip from sixth to 20th in the 24-team division. Birmingham have taken fewer points than any other team in the Championship since Rooney took over after spells with Derby County and DC United, reports Xinhua. "We are committed to doing what is necessary to bring success to St Andrew's.
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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
"Death Of Test Cricket...": Australia Great Warns ICC
Truckers' Protest Against New Hit-AndRun Law Prompts Rush At Fuel Pumps
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Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has raised concerns over the future of Test cricket after South Africa named a second-string squad for their upcoming Test tour of New Zealand. The Proteas will play two Tests against the Kiwis, with uncapped batter Niel Brand will lead the side consisting of just three players -- Keegan Petersen, David Bedingham and Zubayr Hamza -- from the ongoing home series against South Africa. The top South African cricketers are contracted to play in the second season of the SA20, the T20 league launched by CSA and Indian Premier League investors, which clashes with the tour. According to a CSA ruling, no player contracted to SA20 franchises is eligible for selection for the Tests.
Former US President Bill Clinton Mentioned 50 Times in Sex Trafficking Probe Report
Protests have broken out in several states, including Bihar, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh New Delhi: Fuel pumps in several states are witnessing long queues over the past couple of days. No, this is not a rush to fill up tanks before prices go up. This is panic buying amid apprehensions that the truckers' protest against the soonto-be-implemented criminal code will hit supply. If the protest drags on, it may hit supply of other essential supplies too. Protests have broken out in several states, including Bihar, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh
The images on broadcaster NHK showed the plane with flames apparently coming from beneath it.
Tokyo, Japan: A Japan Airlines airplane was in flames on the runway of Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Tuesday, television pictures showed. The images on broadcaster NHK showed the plane moving briskly along the runway before an explosion of orange flames burst from beneath it. Confidential court papers - which will be made public this week have linked former US President Bill Clinton to Jeffrey Epstein case, reported the ABC News. About 150 individuals - who have previously been referred to as "Jane Does" or "John Does" in various court filings linked to the suit - are expected to be identified publicly when the materials tied to them are "unsealed in full", the ABC News report said. Bill Clinton has been named "Doe 36" in the papers. Clinton is named 50 times in the court papers in a case filed by Virginia Giuffre - who has claimed that Epstein made her have sexual encounters with several people, including Britain's Prince Andrew. Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 of paying young girls for massages, but served just 13 months in jail under a secret plea deal.
of All Punjab Truck Operators' Union, called the new law a "black law" that will destroy truckers in Punjab. Drivers of thousands of tankers that transport fuel to pumps are part of the protest. With them joining the strike, fuel crisis has already gripped several cities and other urban centres fear a similar situation in the coming days. An association of petrol pump dealers in Aurangabad have said fuel pumps in the district may go dry by Tuesday.
PM lauds Japan Plane In Flames After Collision Australian courageous Khawaja At Airport, Narrow Escape For 367 for standing up for
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and Chhattisgarh, against the high penalties for hit-and-run accidents in Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which is set to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code. Under the new law, hit-and-run cases can attract up to 10 years in jail and a fine of ₹ 7 lakh. Truckers, cab drivers and others operating commercial vehicles are asking how they would pay such a high fine in the event of an accident. Happy Sidhu, president
The cause of the incident was not immediately clear, but television reports said that the Airbus collided with a coastguard aircraft. Nearly 367 passengers were evacuated from the aircraft after it collided with another plane at the airport. The television footage showed flames coming out windows and the plane's nose on the ground as rescue workers sprayed it. There was also burning debris on the runway.
"My Mind Games Are Working": S Jaishankar's Dig After Putin Meet Criticised In December, S Jaishankar travelled to Russia for a fiveday visit and met Russian President Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavro. HiIndia Newsdesk
Ne w D el h i : D e s c r ibi ng Ind i a ' s relationship with Russia as "important and steady," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar asserted that the ties with Moscow have proven beneficial for New Delhi. He emphasized the need for India to approach thoughtfully while dealing with other nations. Replying to the Western media's criticism over his visit to Russia and the camaraderie between PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Putin,
Jaishankar said, "If people can't read me, that means my mind games are working. But the answer is honestly I see no reason that people should take any, you know what was happening other than at face value because we have always maintained that the Russia relationship is a very important one, very steady one." Notably, India has maintained a neutral stance on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, advocating for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the issues. During a meeting with President Putin in Samarkand in 2021, PM Modi emphasized, "This is not an era of war."
human values
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Sydney, Jan 2 (IANS) Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commended Usman Khawaja for "showing courage" in advocating for victims of conflict and "standing up for human values" during the ongoing Test series against Pakistan. During Australia’s first Test against Pakistan at Perth, Khawaja has attempted to display messages calling for an end to the war in Gaza including an image of a dove holding an olive branch with a reference to the UN’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and slogans such as "all lives are equal".
70 new COVID-19 cases reported in Bengal HiIndia Newsdesk
Kolkata, Jan 2 (IANS) A total of 70 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in West Bengal till Monday, as per figure compiled by different sources of health department. A death of a senior citizen with comorbidities who was detected positive has also been reported in the state. During the last 24 hours, 13 fresh cases have been reported from different pockets of the state. However, the state health department said that there is a possibility that cases may increase in the coming few days because of the massive gatherings at particular places on the occasions of Christmas.
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ENTERTA
Sunil Grover-starrer 'Sunflower' renewed for second season
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Mumbai: (IANS) The streaming show 'Sunflower', which stars Sunil Grover, Ashish Vidyarthi, Ranvir Shorey, Mukul Chaddha and Girish Kulkarni, is returning with its second season. The show is a crime comedy and revolves around a middle-class housing society in Mumbai called 'Sunflower' featuring an array of quirky characters. In the second season, the cast from season 1 will reprise their roles with Sunil Grover as Sonu Singh, Mukul Chaddha as Mr. Ahuja, Ashish Vidyarthi as Dilip Iyer, Ranvir Shorey as Inspector Digendra, and Girish Kulkarni as Inspector Tambe. The new season picks up where the first season left off, with DG and Tambe finding themselves stranded, searching for Kapoor's murderer. This time around, the intrigue deepens with twice the number of suspects including, of course, Sonu who is India’s most loved murder suspect.
‘May A Million Miracles Begin At Sunrise’: Samantha Ruth Prabhu
I am a different person when in Mumbai : Kusha Kapila Social media personality and actress Kusha Kapila has opened up on her experience of moving to Mumbai from Delhi, and shared how she is a "different" person when she is in the "city of dreams". YouTuber Kusha, who hails from Delhi is known for her work as a host of 'Comicstaan'. She also featured in projects like 'Dehati Ladke', 'Case Toh Banta Hai', 'Selfiee', among others. The 34-year-old recently featured in the coming-of-age drama series 'Dehati Ladke'. The story chronicles the life of a young boy, Rajat, who moves to Lucknow from a small village to pursue his college education, where his life transforms as he experiences the true trials of life. Rajat's innocence, aspirations, moral compass, and deeds are all defined by his village background, which makes 'Dehati' the central figure in Rajat's identity. Talking about her experience of moving to Mumbai from Delhi, Kusha said, "Moving to Mumbai has been fantastic. I'm not a stranger to the city, considering I've been working here for the last three to four years. But it's very fast-paced as compared to Delhi. People are workaholics here. I think I'm a different person when I'm in Mumbai." Kusha said she is very charged and
Actress Samantha Ruth on Monday extended warm greetings to her fans for the New Year, and said "may a million miracles begin at sunrise." The ‘Shaakuntalam’ actress, who enjoys a fanbase of 31.2 million followers on Instagram, shared a glimpse of the sunrise. The post was captioned: “May a million miracles begin at sunrise. Happy New Year.” In another post, Samantha shared her picture posing candidly for the lens, spreading her arms, fireworks in the backdrop. She is wearing a white thighhigh slit dress with thin straps. It was captioned: “And may many angels surround us. Happy New Year.” The background song was ‘Wish on an Eyelash’ by Ruby Chase. Meanwhile, on the work front she was last seen as Aradhya in the movie ‘Kushi’. The flick stars Vijay Deverakonda in the lead. She next has ‘Chennai Stories’ in her kitty.
always on her toes, when in Mumbai. "However, whenever I go back to Delhi, I like to take things a little slow. I like to strike that balance between both cities. I now have a little bit of Delhi and a little bit of Mumbai in me and my entire personality. My experience in Mumbai has been amazing. I love the people here. I love that it's so safe for women," she shared. Kusha further shared advice for people who move to metro cities from their hometowns. "I would say go for long walks in the city that you're in, especially if you're coming from a smaller city. Try to find a little bit of your city in the city you're moving t o, w h i c h a l s o means finding people who've moved from your city or people w ho ' ve c ome from different cities," said the 'Sukhee' actress.
Rakul Preet Singh, Jackky Bhagnani to get married next month in Goa
Actress Rakul Preet Singh and actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani are set to tie the knot in February. The couple will get married in Goa in an intimate ceremony. The couple made it official on Instagram back in October 2021. Earlier this year, Jackky Bhagnani shared a reel featuring the moments he and Rakul have spent together so far, wishing the actress on her birthday. The reel features glimpses of their vacation diaries, dinner dates, red carpet walks as well as on stage performances. Jackky also penned a special note for his girlfriend, as he wrote: "On your special day, I want to express my admiration for the one who always leaves me in awe. With you, every day feels like an incredible journey, and there's never a dull moment.”
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AINMENT
After an action-packed 2023, Bollywood's New Year promises flurry of surprises
After the hype and hoopla over the quartet of 'Pathaan', 'Jawan', 'Gadar 2' and 'Animal' that defined the Hindi film market in the year passing by, expect a lineup of big-bang surprises in 2024. The coming year's pipeline includes Ajay Devgn's 'Singham Again', Hrithik Roshan's 'Fighter' (with Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, directed by Siddharth Raj Anand, but not for the YRF spy universe), Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff 's 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan', 'Jigra' headlined by Alia Bhatt, and ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ (featuring Akshay yet again). Akshay, incidentally, is returning to his favourite action-comedy genre. Enough of 'cause' films, he must be telling himself! And of course, it will be a year of the big-bang apocalyptic film, Nag Ashwin's pan-India film 'Kalki 2898 AD', whose stellar lineup is topped up by Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan, Dulquer Salman and Amitabh Bachchan. When 'Kalki' was teased earlier this year at Comic Con, it created quite a buzz and raised expectations. The sweet surprise of the year will be Shah Rukh Khan's appearance with daughter Suhana in an untitled murder mystery film helmed by Sujoy Ghosh.
Aashiqui 3: Each song, laced with secrecy
The claim was not only quickly busted by social media users, but also made producer Mukesh Bhatt issue a public notice stating that Vishesh Films was the joint owner of the movie’s intellectual property rights [If he doesn’t like the script, we will make it with another director, Oct 7]. Given the drama that has preceded the making of Aashiqui 3’s album, it isn’t surprising that composer Pritam is working towards keeping the project closely guarded.
After the hype and hoopla over the quartet of 'Pathaan', 'Jawan', 'Gadar 2' and 'Animal' that defined the Hindi film market in the year passing by, expect a lineup of big-bang surprises in 2024. 2024 will see a couple of muchanticipated women-centric films as well, including Tabu, Kareen Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's 'The Crew' and Kajol-starrer 'Do Patti'.
Kareena will also be seen in 'The Buckingham Murders', a Hansal Mehta film centred shot in London and centred around a British-Indian detective. And, appropriately for a year that will see the country going to vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Hindi film audiences will get to see the biopic of the popular prime minister, Atal Bihar Vajpayee, reprised by Pankaj Tripathi. Another politically loaded film will be Kangana Ranaut's passion project, 'The Emergency', with the actress, who has not had a great run at the box office, plays Indira Gandhi.
Big B's exit from 'KBC', after making it a cultural phenomenon, marks an era's end
New Delhi: (IANS) Hindi cinema icon Amitabh Bachchan's journey as host of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' (KBC) has been nothing short of historic. The megastar stepped into the shoes of the quizmaster for the Indian version of the reality knowledge show 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?' in 2000, and since then, he has become synonymous with KBC becoming a blockbuster like the films that ensured his place in history. Bachchan's journey as host of 'KBC' also marked a comeback for him when he was really down and out. At a time when his film career had groun to a halt and he was saddled with debts, the small screen provided a platform for Bachchan to reconnect with the audience that grew up adoring him.
15th edition of Bangalore International Film Festival to be held from Feb 29
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the 15th edition of Bangalore International Film Festival will be held from February 29 to March 7.
Sharad Kelkar
Bangalore International Film Festival has also an accreditation of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations of Belgium. The inauguration ceremony will be held on February 29 while the film festival screening will be held from March 1 to 7. The closing ceremony will be held on March 7 with the Governor distributing the awards. The inauguration ceremony will be organized in front of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru and the closing ceremony will be organised in the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha. A tribute will also be paid to Kannada film legendary actress Lilavati, director Bhagavan and C.V. Shivashankar and other departed luminaries of Kannada cinema.
It's sad makers spend millions in marketing but spend poorly on dubbing Actor Sharad Kelkar, who voices the character of Ravan in the animated series ‘The Legend of Hanuman’, has expressed his displeasure over poor dubbing choices in the industry. The actor told IANS that this is particularly "frustrating because the content that has the potential to break new grounds in the Hindi market goes to waste because the makers don’t want to spend much on the dubbing process". Talking about the same, he said: "The craft of voice-modulation and voice acting is not appreciated in the
industry which I’m very angry about. I have seen such brilliant content in English or even from south India, it has the potential to disrupt new markets but it all goes to waste when the content is dubbed in Hindi." He further mentioned: "Most of the time the dubbing is so bad, sometimes knowingly with the lack of budget ruining the viewing experience for the audience. And then they cry 'ki Hindi belt se collections nahi aaye' (that collections from the Hindi belt are bad). Arre if you dub it so badly why will people put their money and watch a badly dubbed film? A layman can also say, ‘Arre kya kharab dub hai?’."
Manoj Bajpayee flaunts his abs in 'New Year New me'
Actor Manoj Bajpayee took to his Instagram handle to post a picture of his bare body flaunting his abs. The actor who is not known for his fitness or doing bare-body action sequences in films sure took everyone by surprise with this post and also left netizens impressed with his fitness. Sharing the photo, Manoj also credited soup for his 'killer look'. "New Year New Me! Dekho delicious soup ka meri body pe asar. Ekdum killer look hai na?" he captioned the post. Fans and colleagues of actor Manoj Bajpayee immediately took to the comment section to react to the post. "Chuppe Rustom," wrote filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Bajpayee's 'The Family Man' co-star wrote, "Yeh aib kahan chhupaye the ??" "Aag laga di aapne internet pe," commented actor Sunil Grover.
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Government bans pro-Pakistan separatist group Tehreek-eHurriyat, cites UAPA
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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
First Tsunami Waves Hit Japan After 7.5 Quake, 5-Metre Waves Expected Too HiIndia Newsdesk
The largest of the quakes prompted broadcasters to switch to special programming and make urgent calls for affected residents to leave for higher ground.
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The Centre on Sunday banned the pro-Pakistan separatist group Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH), years after the death of the separatist stalwarts who had founded the group — Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai. The ban suggests a new low for the political separatist movement in Kashmir, although militancy remains a challenge for the government. “The Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, J&K (TeH) has been declared an 'Unlawful Association' under UAPA. The outfit is involved in forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule. The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K,” Union home minister Amit Shah wrote on X.
US Sinks Houthi Boats After Red Sea Attack, 10 Rebels Killed
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Copenhagen/Dubai/Cairo: US helicopters repelled an attack by Iran-backed Houthi militants on a Maersk container vessel in the Red Sea, sinking three boats and killing 10 militants, according to accounts by American, Maersk, and Houthi officials on Sunday. The naval battle occurred around 0330 GMT on Sunday as the attackers sought to board the Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou, Maersk and US CENTCOM said. Helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely joined the ship's security team in repelling the attackers after receiving a distress call, CENTCOM said. Maersk said it was pausing all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours after the attack. A spokesman for the Houthis said the group carried out the attack because the ship's crew refused to heed warning calls. He said 10 Houthi naval personnel were "dead and missing" after their boats were attacked by US forces in the Red Sea.
Tokyo: A powerful 7.5 earthquake hit central Japan on Monday, the USGS said, prompting tsunami warnings and authorities to urge people in the area to move to higher ground."All residents must evacuate immediately to higher ground," national broadcaster NHK said after the quake hit the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture around 4:10 pm (0710 GMT). Hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 300 kilometres (190 miles) of the quake's epicentre along the Japan coast, the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. A tsunami of 1.2 metres was confirmed to have arrived in Wajima city in Ishikawa prefecture. But a much higher tsunami of five metres was expected to arrive in Noto in the same region, the Japan Meterological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA said the Noto region, on the Sea of Japan side of Japan's main island of Honshu,
experienced a rapid succession of quakes, starting with a 5.7 magnitude tremor at 4:06 pm local time. This was followed by a 7.6-magnitude quake at 4:10 pm, a 6.1 magnitude quake at 4:18 pm, a 4.5 magnitude one at 4:23 pm, a 4.6 magnitude quake at 4:29 pm, and 4.8 magnitude quake at 4:32 pm. Another quake with a magnitude of 6.2 hit soon after, the US Geological Survey said. The largest of the quakes prompted broadcasters to switch to special programming and make urgent calls for affected residents to leave for higher ground.
ISRO's New Year's Day "Only To...": Ram Temple Launch A Shot At Unravelling Priest On Uddhav Thackeray's "No Invite" Remark Universe's Big Mystery
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New Delhi: On New Year's Day, India started a new mission to solve what is among the oldest mysteries of the universe black holes. At 9.10 am, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched the XPoSAT or X-ray Polarimeter Sat At 9.32 am, ISRO announced that the lift-off of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) was normal and XPoSAT was launched successfully. "PSLV-C58 vehicle placed the satellite precisely into the intended orbit of 650 km with 6-degree inclination. The POEM-3 is being scripted," ISRO posted in X. Soon after, ISRO chief S Somanath announced the successful launch. POEM refers to PSLV Orbital Experimental Module. Astrophysicist Dipankar Bhattacharya told NDTV that today's launch was a "textbook launch". "The expected orbit has been achieved. Now all the expected science is hopefully going to work as planned," he said.
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Ayodhya: Reacting to the remarks made by Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray that he has not received invitation for the inauguration event of Ayodhya's Ram Temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, Chief Priest at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Sunday said that invitations have been extended only to those who are "devotees of Lord Ram". Speaking to ANI, Acharya Satyendra Das said, "Invitations are only extended to those who are devotees of Lord Ram. It is totally wrong to say that BJP is fighting in the name of Lord Ram, our PM is respected everywhere. He has done immense work under his tenure. This is not politics. This is his devotion." Acharya Satyendra Das also lashed out at Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on his remarks "BJP is left now to announce Lord Ram as their candidate".
"Domestic Violence Situation": US Attorney On Indian-Family's Death HiIndia Newsdesk
New York: Police in the US are still investigating the deaths of a wealthy Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter, who were found dead in their sprawling USD 5 million mansion in Massachusetts, a media report said. Rakesh Kamal, 57, his wife, Teena, 54, and their 18-year-old daughter, Ariana, were found dead in their 11-bedroom and 13-b at hro om mansion on Thursday. Norfolk District Attorney (DA) Michael Morrissey has described the tragedy as a "domestic violence situation," as a gun was found near Rakesh's body.
Rakesh Kamal, 57, his wife, Teena, 54, and their 18-year-old daughter, Ariana, were found dead in their 11-bedroom and 13-bathroom mansion on Thursday. Police are continuing to investigate the deaths of the three family members, NBC Boston reported late on Saturday. The report said the medical examiner's
office is still investigating the cause and manner of the deaths. Teena and her husband previously ran a now-defunct education systems company called EduNova. Their company was launched in 2016 but dissolved in December 2021, state records show. Their daughter Ariana was remembered by the schools she attended as a bright, kind young woman who had her whole life ahead of her, according to the report. She graduated this past summer from Milton Academy, which, in a statement, said it was heartbroken to learn of her death.
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BUSINESS
settles $5bn Adani Group to set up data centre, aerospace Google for 'private park in Telangana, says state government lawsuit mode' tracking HiIndia Newsdesk
Business conglomerate Adani Group on Wednesday held discussions with the Telangana government to set up a data centre and aerospace park in the state, an official release said. Adani Group representatives led by CEO of Adani Ports and SEZs Karan Adani and CEO of Defence and Aerospace Ashish Rajvanshi met Chief Minister Revanth Reddy here. investments from Adani Group to set The chief minister assured the Adani up industries in Telangana, even as the delegation that the state government Adani representatives said the group would provide the required amenities, would continue existing projects and infrastructure and subsidies to new sought necessary support from the industries to promote industrial government to establish new ones. growth and create more employment “The Adani Group delegation said the opportunities. company is ready to set up industries The CM said the government is inviting and create new jobs despite the change
Thailand and China to waive visa requirements from March
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Chinese company BYD has moved a step closer to toppling Elon Musk's Tesla as the world's biggest-selling manufacturer of electric vehicles. The firm said on Monday it had sold a record 526,000 battery-only vehicles in the last three months of 2023. That was helped by a more than 70% surge in sales in December. US-based Tesla is scheduled to release
its latest quarterly vehicle production and delivery figures before Wall Street opens on Tuesday. For the year as a whole, Shenzen-based BYD said it had sold more than 3 million so-called-new energy vehicles (NEVs), which includes battery-only vehicles and hybrids. Almost 1.6 million of its total sales were battery-only vehicles, the firm said. Industry analysts have forecast that Tesla sold around 483,000 electric vehicles in the last three months of 2023 and 1.82 million for the year as a whole. Last January, Mr Musk said that Tesla had the potential to achieve 2 million deliveries in 2023 but had since warned that higher borrowing costs were putting pressure on demand for his company's cars.
Indian origin-led early stage VC firm Countdown Capital to shut down
Electric 2-wheeler sales up 17% in India HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: (IANS) Electric twowheeler (E2W) sales volume in India rose 17 per cent year-on-year in December as electrification improved after a recent hiatus, a report showed on Wednesday. In the E2W space, Ola Electric (Ola) remained the market leader by volume and gained market share, reaching 40 per cent. Ola gained the most market share, followed by Bajaj Auto while TVS Motor lost the most, according to BNP Paribas India EV report. “Improvement in Ola’s market share was largely driven by the company’s aggressive marketing campaign 'December to Remember', under which it offered aggressive discounts to customers and also reduced prices of its products,” the report mentioned.
of government in Telangana. The representatives held talks with the government to set up a data centre along with an aerospace park in the state,” it said. Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari, IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and others were present at the meeting.
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Google has agreed to settle a US lawsuit claiming it invaded the privacy of users by tracking them even when they were browsing in "private mode". The class action sought at least $5bn (£3.9bn) from the world's go-to search engine and parent company Alphabet. Large technology firms have faced increased scrutiny of their practices in the US and beyond. Lawyers representing Google and its users did not immediately respond to the BBC's requests for comment.
China’s BYD closer to taking Tesla's electric car top spot Microsoft boss
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Thailand and China will permanently waive visa requirements for each other's citizens from March, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said. Thailand waived visas for Chinese nationals in September in a bid to boost tourist arrivals. The programme saw strong response at a time when Thailand was starting to lose its appeal for Chinese travellers. More than 22,000 Chinese entered the Southeast Asian nation in the first two days of the waiver, authorities said. "Right now we're ready to open the country and to take good care of tourists in both countries mutually. This is welcoming news," Mr Srettha said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Adani Group representatives led by CEO of Adani Ports and SEZs Karan Adani and CEO of Defence and Aerospace Ashish Rajvanshi met Chief Minister Revanth Reddy
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San Francisco, Jan 3 (IANS) Indian-origin entrepreneur Jai Malik-led early-stage venture capital firm Countdown Capital will reportedly shut down by March-end amid the funding winter. The company is slated to complete pending investments, return capital, cancel all uncalled commitments and permanently cease operation apart from current asset management, TechCrunch reported. Its founder and solo general partner Malik decided to close the fund as “funding industrial startups is not inefficient enough to justify our existence” and “larger, multi-stage venture firms are best
positioned to generate strong returns on the most valuable industrial startups", the report said, citing his annual letter. “Despite our performance to date, I’ve concluded that new investments are unlikely to yield strong returns,” Malik said in the letter, adding, "As a result, I no longer believe that Countdown’s existence is justified, for both our LPs and Countdown management.” Malik did not comment on the report. The firm has backed aerospace and defence sector startups like satellite bus developer K2 Space, machining startup Hadrian, and cybersecurity company Galvanick. Around 12 investments are listed on the firm’s website. Countdown’s second $15 million fund was announced in September 2022. Its first fund was $3 million. “To be clear, we’re not bearish on venture capital or the future success of venture-scale hard tech companies at large. We’re bearish on the ability of small, early-stage funds — particularly sectionally focused ones — to continue exploiting these opportunities profitably,” Malik wrote.
changes tune after criticism of UK
Microsoft president Brad Smith HiIndia Newsdesk
Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, has rowed back on criticism he made last year that the UK was "bad for business". Mr Smith made the comments after the competition watchdog initially blocked the tech giant's planned takeover of the gaming giant Activision Blizzard. He said people's confidence in the UK had been "severely shaken". But he has now said the Competition and Markets Authority, which went on to approve the deal, was "tough and fair".
Global premium phone market sees record sales in 2023, Apple leads HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi: (IANS) The global premium smartphone market has witnessed record sales in 2023 with Apple leading the market, a new report said on Tuesday. According to Counterpoint Research, the global premium smartphone (wholesale price ≥$600) market’s sales are likely to grow 6 per cent in 2023 to hit a new record. The premium segment is likely to capture close to one-fourth of global smartphone market sales and 60 per cent of revenues in 2023.
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Nitish Kumar New JDU Chief
EAM S Jaishankar says relationship between India and Russia much deeper
The external affairs minister said India and Russia are always trying to find new linkages, common points and the intellectual world can make a difference
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New Delhi: Nitish Kumar was unanimously re-elected as President of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal (United) at a meeting of the party's national executive in Delhi on Friday afternoon. The Bihar Chief Minister was re-appointed minutes after aide Lalan Singh stepped down, ending weeks of frenzied speculation. Speaking to reporters immediately after the meeting, Mr Singh shot down talk of a rift in the party, and said, "Anger? What anger? Why should I be angry? This is the first time I am hearing this word."
China urges regional alert as US military steps up forward deployment HiIndia Newsdesk
C hina's defence minist r y on Thursday urged the Asia-Pacific to be on high alert as the United States steps up forward military deployment in the region, after reports of a U.S. plan to revive a Pacific airfield that launched atomic bombings of Japan. The Chinese military is paying close attention to moves by the United States, and will firmly safeguard China's maritime rights, security and sovereignty in the region, Wu Qian, a spokesperson at the defence ministry, told a regular news conference.
Bumrah lacked support from other end: Rohit Sharma
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Jasprit Bumrah lacked support from other end as there was no reason to concede 400 plus runs on a bowling friendly track where South African speedsters showed how to go about the job, a dejected Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said on Thursday "This was not a 400-run wicket and we gave too many runs. We sprayed the ball all around, but it happens. One can't depend on one particular bowler (Bumrah), the other three pacers also needed to perform their roles, we could learn from how South Africa bowled," Rohit said after the match.
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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that the relationship between India and Russia is not just about diplomacy or economics, it is something much deeper. Jaishankar, who is here on a five-day official visit to Russia, made the remarks while interacting with Indologists at St. Petersburg State University. "The relationship between India and Russia is not just about politics or diplomacy or economics. It is something much deeper," he said, adding that the intelligentsia's role and the contribution of scholars to this understanding and
bonding is very important. He said India and Russia are always trying to find new linkages, common points and the intellectual world can make a difference. "We need to have a direct understanding of each other rather than by other countries or societies deciding it," he said. "Today, when you look at India, we are an economy, which is approaching 4 trillion dollars...You can see our effort is to ensure that in the next 25 years, we are successful and become a developed country. A developed country doesn't just mean a developed economy, it is also a country which is aware, conscious and proud of its traditions, heritage and culture," the minister added. "Pleased to interact with prominent Indologists at St. Petersburg State University. The academic and intellectual world plays a crucial role in nurturing our relationship. They shape societal sentiment in both countries. Discussed ways and means to deepen this aspect of our cooperation. Appreciated the initiatives and ideas proposed by the Indologists...," Jaishankar posted on X.
asks Yogi to Over 60 international, domestic flights Vedanti bring Advani to Ayodhya face delays owing to low visibility for Jan 22 event four notches above the season's average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. “Dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to continue during night/morning hours in many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and some parts of Uttar Pradesh during Thursday night till Saturday (December HiIndia Newsdesk 30) morning and in some parts for subsequent three days,” said the IMD. New Delhi, Dec 29 (IANS) Over the past few days, dense fog has engulfed the city, The IMD classifies fog intensity into four types -- shallow, moderate, dense especially in the mornings. A layer of and very dense fog. fog blanketed the national capital and its The visibility ranges from 999m to adjoining areas even on Friday morning 500m, 499m to 200m, 199m to 50m and with moderate to dense fog in isolated < 50m, respectively. pockets of Delhi. D elhi's Palam st ation recorded Visibility is likely to improve over the day and the minimum temperature 150m and Safdarjung 200m visibility, recorded stands at 10.7 degrees Celsius -- according to IMD.
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Ayodhya (UP), Dec 29 (IANS) Former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti, who was an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case in 1992, has urged BJP veteran and former Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani to attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Vedanti said the Yogi government must make arrangements for Advani’s visit, so that he could witness the grand temple and idol of Shri Ram at the sanctum sanctorum. The Temple Trust has already sent an invite to Advani, however, there were doubts over him attending the event because of his ill health.
Big Relief For 8 Indian Pegasus Spyware Targets Two Navy Veterans On Indian Journalists: Amnesty Death Row In Qatar
HiIndia Newsdesk
A joint investigation by human rights group Amnesty International and US newspaper The Washington Post has found that Pegasus spyware was used to hack the mobile phones of two Indian journalists in August and October. The Post’s rep or t, published on Wednesday, also quotes unnamed sources at Apple claiming that the Narendra Modi government had pressured the company to play down its alert to customers that their iPhones had been targeted by “Statesponsored attackers”. In O c tob e r, s e ve r a l O pp o s it i on politicians, journalists and at least one academic had received such alerts
The Washington Post’s report quotes unnamed sources at Apple claiming that the Modi government had pressured the company to play down its alert to customers that their iPhones had been targeted by 'Statesponsored attackers' from Apple. Apple didn’t reveal who these attackers were or which State they worked for. Although the Centre said the matter would be probed, it also made light of the Opposition’s claims of illegal surveillance. The Post’s report, titled “India targets Apple over its phone hacking notifications”, says: “As soon as journalists and Opposition politicians shared their warnings from Apple, BJP officials scrambled to contain the fallout. Responding to questions from The Post about whether the government had exerted pressure on Apple, the ministry of electronics and IT said in a statement: “We have instituted technical investigation in the reported matter. So far, Apple has cooperated fully in the investigation process.”
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New Delhi: Eight ex-Navy personnel sentenced to death by a Qatar court in October - for charges not yet known - will face commuted punishments, the Indian government said this afternoon. Details about the reduced terms - most likely heavy jail time are unclear since the judgement has not yet been released. The Indian government has said it is in "close touch with the legal team, as well as family members, to decide on the next steps". "We have stood by them since the beginning, and we will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also continue to take up the matter with Qatari authorities."
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024
U.S. foreign policy depletes wealth of its citizens
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PM Modi's Gift For Ayodhya: New Airport, Revamped Railway Station
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Beijing, Dec 30 (IANS) The foreign policy of the United States is not concerned with the well-being of its citizens and is an immense waste of wealth, an article of the Pearls and Irritations, a journal platform in Australia, has argued. Noting that U.S. foreign policy has been "hacked by big money," Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University in the United States, wrote in the article titled "U.S. foreign policy is a scam built on corruption" that "the American people are losing big," Xinhua news agency.
Bajrang Punia urges Sports Ministry to resume wrestling activity HiIndia Newsdesk
New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia contends the need for the Sports Ministry to resume the wrestling activities in the country with seven months remaining for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Punia expressed concern over the ongoing hiatus between the Wrestling Federation of India and the Ministry of Sports after former WFI President Brij Bhushan Singh’s aide Sanjay Singh President winning panel got suspended by the ministry.
France Sends Back NicaraguaBound Flight
Gujarat Police Questions 20 Passengers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off six Vande Bharat and two new Amrit Bharat trains. HiIndia Newsdesk
Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate the new airport in Ayodhya. The visit comes ahead of the much-awaited consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22. The Prime Minister arrived in Ayodhya and will lay the foundation stone of 46 infrastructure projects worth ₹ 15,700 crore. The city has been decked up in flowers and posters welcoming the PM have been put up in several places. A heavy security cordon is in place. Soon after his arrival, PM Modi held a roadshow during which
he waved and greeted at the people who had gathered along the route from the airport to the railway station. He also witnessed performances by cultural troupes along his roadshow's route. The Prime Minister inaugurated the redeveloped railway station, which will now be called Ayodhya Dham. The three-storey structure, redeveloped at ₹ 240 crore, is a certified green building and is equipped with lifts, escalators, waiting halls, cloakrooms and food plazas. The station's facade has a traditional look and many aspects of the design are inspired by Lord Ram's life as well as the Ram Temple. "The top of the station has a structure with a design that resembles a royal 'mukut' (crown) while a bow has been depicted on a wall just beneath it. This is to signify Ayodhya's association with Lord Ram," an official told news agency PTI. Prime Minister Modi also flagged off six Vande Bharat and two new Amrit Bharat trains. The Amrit Bharat trains, which are a new category of superfast passenger trains, feature the 'push-pull' technology, which increases their speed as well as passenger comfort. They also have improved amenities, including better seats, roomier luggage racks, LED lights, CCTV cameras and a public information system. The Ayodhya airport, which will be called the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham, has been developed at a cost of over ₹ 1,450 crore. The airport's terminal has an area of 6,500 sq m and will be equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually. Colourful murals depicting different stages of the Ramayana and Lord Ram's life adorn several sections of the airport
Indian-Origin Couple, Daughter Found Dead In Their $5 Million US Mansion HiIndia Newsdesk
New York: A wealthy Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter were found dead in their $5 million mansion in the US state of Massachusetts in an apparent domestic violence incident, according to media reports. The bodies of Rakesh Kamal, 57, his wife, Teena, 54, and their 18-year-old daughter, Ariana, were found in their Dover mansion at about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Norfolk District Attorney (DA) Michael Morrissey said. Dover is about 32 kilometres southwest of downtown Boston, the capital of Massachusetts. Teena and her husband, who also went by Rick, had previously run a nowdefunct education systems company called EduNova. The district attorney, who described the “terrible tragedy” as a “domestic violence situation,” said a gun was found near the husband's body. He declined to say whether all three
The district attorney refused to speculate on a motive for the slayings.
family members were shot dead — and by whom, the New York Post reported. Morrissey said he was waiting for the medical examiner's ruling, which was expected soon, before deciding whether to refer to the incident as a murdersuicide. The district attorney refused to
Indo-Canadian Arrested for Temple Break-ins in Canada HiIndia Newsdesk
At least 20 passengers from Gujarat who were on the Nicaraguabound flight which was sent back mid-route from France have been quizzed by police in a bid to unearth a suspected illegal immigration network operating from the state, a senior official has said. The Nicaragua-bound aircraft, an Airbus A340 carrying 276 passengers, was grounded in France for four days over suspected human trafficking. It landed in Mumbai in the early hours of December 26.
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A 41-year-old Indo-Canadian man has been arrested for multiple break-ins and thefts at Hindu temples in Canada's Durham Region and Greater Toronto Area, police said.
However, the offences do not appear to be hate crimes or motivated by hate, Durham Regional Police said in a press release on Thursday. The police identified the man as Jagdish Pandher from Brampton city. According to the press release, in the early hours of October 8, police responded to a break-and-enter at a Hindu temple in the area of Bayly Street and Krosno Boulevard in Pickering. Pan d h e r w a s s e e n on s e c u r it y surveillance breaking into the temple and taking a large quantity of cash from the donation boxes. He fled the area before police arrival, it said.
speculate on a motive for the slayings. The couple appeared to have faced financial problems in recent years, online records show. The grim discovery of their bodies was made after a relative had stopped by to check on the family members after not hearing from them in one or two days, the district attorney said.
Lord Ram Belongs to the Entire World: Farooq Abdullah
HiIndia Newsdesk
Poonch, Jammu And Kashmir : National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah today congratulated the people who have put efforts into making Ram Temple in Ayodhya, saying that brotherhood in India is diminishing and there is a need to revive it. Speaking to news agency ANI, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, "Ayodhya Ram Temple is about to be inaugurated. I would like to congratulate everyone who made the effort for the temple. It's ready now.
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Mahavir Senior Center Rings In The New Year With Grandeur At Jain Temple HiIndia Newsdesk
CHICAGO, IL- In a celebration that echoed with joy, camaraderie, and the promise of new beginnings, the Mahavir Senior Center orchestrated a magnificent New Year’s Eve gala at the revered Jain temple on Sat, Dec 30th. As the sun dipped below the horizon, marking the end of another year, the temple grounds resonated with the harmonious melodies of joyous laughter and melodious tunes. The event, graced by the presence of approximately 500 enthusiastic attendees, transformed the sacred grounds of the Jain temple into a festive haven. It was a confluence of tradition and celebration, as members of the senior center, along with their families and friends, gathered to bid farewell to 2023 and welcome 2024 with open arms. The evening commenced with a soul-soothing dinner, meticulously curated to cater to the diverse palates of the attendees. From delectable Jain delicacies to mouth-watering desserts, the culinary spread was nothing short of a gastronomic delight. The aroma of freshly prepared dishes wafted through the air, setting the stage for an unforgettable night ahead.
Meena ben Shah lightning lamp. Other committee members on stage are Bhanu Shah ,Arvind Shah, Samprati Shah, Kirit Shah, Vinod Shah and Dipak Shah
The event, graced by the presence of approximately 500 enthusiastic attendees, transformed the sacred grounds of the Jain temple into a festive haven. As the attendees relished their meals, the ambiance was further accentuated by the enchanting melodies that filled the air. Renowned musicians and Bollywood
singers Traicka, & Jay Chawda with local singers Pavitra and Rajesh Chalam took center stage, enthralling the audience with their soul-stirring performances. The melodies, resonating with nostalgia and hope, struck a chord with every heart present, creating an atmosphere of warmth and unity. But the night had much more in store. As the evening progressed, the rhythmic beats of music began to beckon the attendees to the dance floor. The temple grounds soon transformed into a vibrant dance arena, as attendees,
young and old, swayed to the infectious rhythms of the music. It was a sight to behold – elders gracefully dancing, children reveling in joy, and everyone coming together to celebrate the spirit of the New Year. The highlight of the evening was not just the festivities but the sense of community and camaraderie that permeated the air. The Mahavir Senior Center, known for its commitment to fostering unity and togetherness among its members, once again proved its mettle by organizing an event that brought smiles to the faces of many. As the clock struck midnight, marking the dawn of a new year, the attendees gathered to witness a mesmerizing display of fireworks that illuminated the night sky. The vibrant colors painted across the canvas of the night symbolized hope, joy, and the endless possibilities that awaited in the year ahead. As the celebrations drew to a close, the attendees exchanged warm wishes, hugs, and promises to make the upcoming year memorable. The Mahavir Senior Center’s New Year’s Eve gala at the Jain temple was not just an event; it was a testament to the enduring spirit of community, unity, and celebration.
Darbar-E-Khalsa Festival In Dr. Shivani Bothra Named Chair of Southern California Hosted By IIGS Jain Studies at Cal State Long Beach
Simrin Singh
POMONA, CA – On a sunny morning at Pomona Fairplex, the Darbar-EKhalsa celebration, organized by the International Institute of Gurmat Studies (IIGS), echoed with the Asa Di Vaar recitation. This annual December 25 event commemorates the 357th Prakash Utsav of Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, drawing thousands globally. Nimarta Kaur emphasized the event’s significance, uniting Sikhs to honor their tenth Guru and his teachings. Attendees engaged in Shabad Kirtan, visited the Khalsa Bazaar, and enjoyed Langar. Notably, 21 Kirtan groups and 450 children performed, including a collaboration of five raagi jathas singing Gurbani. The Khalsa Bazaar showcased Sikh art, attire, jewelry, and books. Community outreach booths highlighted Sikh initiatives. The day culminated in a Khalsa parade and Gatka, with devotees
Dr. Shivani Bothra HiIndia Newsdesk
bidding farewell to Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. Capt. Kanwar Harbhajan Singh initiated Darbar-E-Khalsa 37 years ago, emphasizing Sikh youth engagement. Aashna Singh lauded the event’s inclusivity, highlighting its impact on fostering understanding among diverse attendees. Volunteers tirelessly provided food, reflecting the Sikh community’s unity and service ethos.
LONG BEACH, CA – The Department of Religious Studies at California State University, Long Beach, proudly welcomes Dr. Shivani Bothra as an assistant professor, endowed with the Bhagwan Suvidhinath Chair in Jain Studies. Dr. Bothra’s scholarly pursuits center on themes of non-violence, modernization, and the role of women within the Jain faith. The distinguished chair is named in honor of the 9th Tirthankara, a revered figure in Jainism who attained enlightenment and served as a spiritual guide, transcending the cycle of rebirth. The establishment of this chair owes its existence to the generous contributions of Dr. Jasvant Modi and the Shah Foundation, represented by Raksha and Harshad Shah.
Reflecting on the prevailing global context, Dr. Modi emphasized the importance of fostering a culture of non-violence and mutual respect. He expressed his aspiration to see a world where differing beliefs coexist harmoniously. Dr. Bothra eagerly anticipates her new role, where she will impart knowledge not only on Jainism but also on the universal significance of non-violence across various world religions. She remarked, “The inclusion of Jain Studies within the Department of Religious Studies at California State University, Long Beach, underscores the profound influence of Jainism. It serves as a cornerstone in religious studies, illuminating a philosophy that champions the unity of humanity and advocates for harmonious coexistence among all beings.”
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Sikh International Film Fest Enchants Audience In New York City
(L-R) Hansdip Bindra, Paul Johar Teji Bindra, Vishavjit Singh, Ryan Westra, Vikas Khanna & Mandeep Singh HiIndia Newsdesk
NEW YORK, NY – The Sikh International Film them a mirror to their aspirations.” Festival 2023 illuminated the rich tapestry of Sikh “Colonel K•alsi: Beyond the Call”: This narrative heritage and cultural diversity at the esteemed Rubin chronicles the journey of Sikh individual Kamal Museum on December 16. This edition of the festival Kalsi, who championed the right to serve in the US captivated audiences with compelling narratives, Army while adhering to his religious beliefs. Through spotlighting standout films such as: themes of diversity, sacrifice, faith, and resilience, • “Baywatana: Without a Country”: Directed by high Colonel Kalsi shared, “Serving with my distinctive school students from Boston, this film delves into camo turban and beard was both a celebration of the challenges faced by Sikhs and Hindus during the my Sikh heritage and an embodiment of American Taliban regime in Afghanistan. patriotism.” • “American Sikh”: A poignant tale of an Indian The festival showcased over 10 films spanning diverse American Sikh striving to integrate into American subjects, from pressing contemporary issues to society. This Oscar-qualified animated short is insightful historical perspectives. Prominent figures produced by Guneet Monga, an Oscar-winning such as Teji Bindra, Founder and President of the producer known for “The Elephant Whisperers”, Sikh Art & Film Foundation; Mandeep Sobti, Senior along with the culinary genius and filmmaker Vikas VP and Chair of Finance; Dr. Paul Johar, Chair SAFF Khanna. The direction and illustration come from the – Film Festival; Harmeet Bharara, Former Chair FF protagonist, American Sikh Hero Vishavjit Singh, and and Gala; and Hansdip Bindra, Head of PR and Ryan Westra. Reflecting on the film’s impact, Vikas Marketing, voiced their satisfaction with the riveting Khanna remarked, “Screening ‘American Sikh’ at films that enthralled a full house at the Rubin Museum the Sikh International Film Festival was particularly in Manhattan. rewarding as it resonated with young viewers, offering Teji Bindra underscored, “For 17 years, the Sikh Art
& Film Foundation has championed Sikh awareness through cinematic and artistic endeavors. The caliber of films showcased this year was truly commendable.” Dr. Paul Johar added, “The 2023 Sikh International Film Festival provided a compelling lineup addressing pertinent Sikh Diaspora issues, shedding light on community challenges. Notably, Amardeep Singh’s documentary, “Oneness in Diversity: Elixir of Guru Nanak and the Indic Saints,” beautifully intertwined narratives of Saints and Sufi mystics, underscoring the timeless theme of unity amidst diversity. This festival not only celebrated Sikh heritage but also served as a vibrant platform for filmmakers to exhibit their craft. Since its inception in 2004, the Sikh International Film Festival has stood as a beacon of cultural enlightenment, championing Sikh culture through cinematic and artistic expressions. As the curtains fell on this edition, organizers expressed profound gratitude to the audience for their steadfast support, marking yet another memorable chapter in the festival’s illustrious journey.
Pop Star Dua Lipa, NYC Implements $16 Minimum Wage welcomes New Year And Additional Regulations In 2024 in India HiIndia Newsdesk
NEW YORK, NY- As the calendar flips to 2024, New Yorkers are set to experience a series of new legal changes that will significantly impact various facets of life in the city. Here’s a snapshot of some of the most impactful shifts: • Minimum Wage Boost: Starting January 1st, New York City’s minimum wage will climb to $16 per hour, thanks to a budget agreement endorsed by Governor Kathy Hochul. This is just the beginning of a gradual increase, as the wage will escalate to $16.50 and eventually $17 over the subsequent two years. Hochul emphasized the historical significance of this wage hike, stating, “This increase is pivotal in ensuring New Yorkers keep up with the escalating living costs.” Workers noticing any discrepancies in their pay are encouraged to report to the Department of Labor to ensure they receive their rightful wages.
• Rental Voucher Legislation:
Despite Mayor Eric Adams’ veto, the City Council has greenlit a new rental voucher law set for 2024. This legislation aims to widen the scope of eligible New Yorkers, including those on the brink of eviction, to receive city-funded rental vouchers. However, the future of this law remains uncertain due to the
Adams administration’s reluctance to allocate funds, citing potential costs of $17 billion. The law’s fate might hinge on ongoing legal challenges, as reported by the New York Daily News.
• Reforms & Controversies:
Mayor Adams has expressed reservations about several legislative changes slated for 2024. These include reforms to eradicate solitary confinement and mandate NYPD officers to document low-level stops. Despite both measures garnering veto-proof support in the City Council, Adams remains noncommittal, stating he’s “exploring all avenues.” The solitary confinement ban is set to kick in 180 days post-approval, likely in January. Conversely, the police report reform will be immediately
enforceable upon its legal sanction.
• Cultural Recognitions:
2024 heralds significant cultural milestones with the introduction of holidays recognizing Diwali and the Lunar New Year. Diwali, celebrated on November 1st, will mark the first time NYC’s public school students enjoy a day off, thanks to a statewide legislation endorsed by Adams and Assembly Member Jennifer Rajkumar. Additionally, Hochul’s approval ensures that the city’s students will also observe the Lunar New Year holiday on January 29th. With these changes, 2024 promises to be a transformative year for New Yorkers, setting the stage for a redefined urban landscape.
Zofeen Maqsood
Youth sensation and British-Albanian pop star Dua Lipa chose India to ring in the New Year. Lipa along with her parents and siblings visited Delhi before departing to Jaipur in Rajasthan to celebrate the New Year Eve. She posted a series of her pictures from Jaipur, also known as the Pink City in India famous for its historical structures and cultural significance. While in Delhi, Lipa and her family visited Humayun’s Tomb and Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi. They also visited another Indian city Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Dua is nominated for two Grammys — Song of the Year and Best Song Written for Visual Media for the “Barbie” soundtrack “Dance the Night.”
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Indian Couple Pursued From Jewelry Store To Residence, Robbed Of ‘Priceless’ Ancestral Jewels In CA HiIndia Newsdesk
ARTESIA, CA- In Orange County, California, a couple of Indian descent faced a devastating setback when they were targeted and robbed of their invaluable ancestral jewelry right outside their residence. Reports indicate that this traumatic incident transpired after the culprits trailed them from a jewelry store situated more than 25 kilometers away, as corroborated by family testimonies and multiple media outlets. The victims, identified as Dr. Vijay Wali and Dr. Jyotika Wali, fell prey to an ambush executed by two unidentified individuals last Friday upon their arrival home. Disturbing footage captured by their home surveillance system, notably a Ring device, depicted a part of this harrowing ordeal. The video showed Vijay being violently shoved to the ground within his driveway, ensnared in a confrontation with one of the assailants. Recounting the traumatizing sequence of events, Vijay narrated that he was unloading items from his vehicle’s trunk while his wife, Jyotika, was on the brink of entering their residence. In a sudden and shocking turn of events, one of the aggressors launched an assault
Screengrab of video footage showing the attack. The assailant can be seen here. Credit: Facebook/Priyanka Wali
Dr. Vijay Wali and Dr. Jyotika Wali faced an unexpected encounter with two individuals on him. As he shouted out to Jyotika, urging her to secure the entrance, he was viciously struck on his head. Attempting to intervene and assist her
husband, Jyotika was herself confronted, assaulted, and subsequently robbed. Reflecting on her ordeal, Jyotika shared with the media, “Suddenly, another man attacked me, snatching my purse, and as I witnessed my husband being assaulted, I cried out desperately for assistance.” Shedding further light on the incident, Dr. Priyanka Wali, their daughter,
elaborated in a poignant Facebook post that one of the culprits, communicating in Spanish, directed his partner to seize her mother’s handbag. The perpetrators had shadowed the Walis over an extensive distance, persistently tailing them through multiple stops, including a visit to Jyotika’s workplace. Priyanka elucidated in her social media update that this ominous pursuit spanned roughly 16 miles. She also emphasized the profound emotional and sentimental loss incurred, spotlighting the particular theft of dejhoor. These are traditional elongated earrings traditionally worn by Kashmiri Hindu brides prior to their nuptials. ABC 7 Los Angeles relayed Priyanka’s sentiments, quoting her, “They absconded with my dejhoor, those of my mother, and even those of my grandmother. This jewelry, imbued with ancestral significance, has been cherished in our lineage for generations; its value is truly immeasurable. Securing its return is paramount for us.” As investigations unfold, the Fullerton Police Department has verified to KTLA that they are actively probing the robbery, though intricate specifics remain undisclosed at this juncture.
Boston School Mourns The Death Education Department Probes UIC Over Alleged Discrimination Of Indian American Teenager
Arianna Kamal , 18 HiIndia Newsdesk
BOSTON, MS- The year 2023 ended on a somber note of the news of an Indian American family found dead in one of the most affluent suburbs outside Boston. The case which appears to be an incident of murdersuicide found three people – Rakesh Kamal and Teena found dead along with their daughter – 18-year-old Arianna. Now, the college and the school attended by the young girl have come forward to offer their condolences to their bright student. A statement by Vermont’s Middlebury College said, “Arianna Kamal was a first-year student and a member of the Class of 2027. Teachers at the college described Arianna “as a brilliant student and an amazing singer” who recently read at Middlebury’s Lessons and Carols service and who sang in the College Choir.” The statement
added, “Once we return from the break, we will work with Aria’s friends and possibly with her extended family to plan an appropriate remembrance. We will share details once they become available.” Arianna had just started attending Middlebury College after graduating from Milton Academy, a coeducational boarding and day school. The school shared a written statement: “Our thoughts are with all members of the Kamal family, their friends and our entire school community. Aria was a sweet, smart, kind young woman who was just beginning to realize her full potential. Her mother, Teena, who served as president of our Upper School Parents’ Association, was a committed and caring advocate for both parents and students at Milton. This is a devastating loss to our community.”
HiIndia Newsdesk
CHICAGO, IL- The University of Illinois – Chicago is currently under federal scrutiny due to allegations of discrimination. The U.S. Department of Education is examining more than a dozen institutions as part of the Biden Administration’s initiative to address an uptick in reported incidents of antisemitism, anti-Muslim sentiments, and anti-Arab activities on campuses across the country. The specifics of the alleged discrimination at these institutions have not been disclosed by the department. Recently, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was added to this list. Other institutions newly included are Springfield, IL Public Schools District 186, MNIT, UC Davis, and Drexel University. UIC issued a statement emphasizing its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment: “ The university is dedicated to creating an environment where all individuals, regardless of their
The specifics of the alleged discrimination at these institutions have not been disclosed by the department. Recently, the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign was added to this list. background or identity—including but not limited to race, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, national origin, or marital status— feel valued and can freely exchange diverse perspectives. We deeply value every member of our community and prioritize promoting tolerance, inclusivity, and diversity. As the investigation is ongoing, including any initiated by the OCR, we refrain from making specific comments. However, we treat all allegations of civil rights infringements with utmost seriousness and pledge our full cooperation to any inquiries.”
FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Diwali Celebrations By Gujarat Cultural Association, Chicago
Newark Ends Email Public Records Requests Jan 2024
HiIndia Newsdesk
Lamp lighting ceremony at Gujarat Cultural Association of Chicago HiIndia Newsdesk
CHICAGO, IL- The Gujarat Cultural Association, Chicago (GCA) hosted its Diwali Celebrations at The Meadows Club, located at 2950 W. Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, IL. The event witnessed an impressive turnout, including families, friends, and prominent figures from the city’s community, all gathering to enjoy an evening of cultural enrichment. Established in 1973 by visionaries such as Mr. Shankarbhai Patel, Lalubhai Patel, and Babubhai Patel, the GCA stands as the premier and most extensive Gujarati Association in the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The evening commenced with Mrs. Amisha Patel extending a warm welcome to attendees, acknowledging the presence of Banquet Chair, Mr. Jyotendra Patel, and GCA Chairman, Kanti S. Patel. The traditional lamp lighting ceremony, a significant part of the festivities, was gracefully conducted by Chief Guest Dr. Rasmi Patel, Guest of Honor Mr. J.B. Bhatti from the Indian Consulate Office, and other esteemed dignitaries. The program’s Masters of Ceremony were the charismatic duo, Mrs. Amisha Patel & Hetal Patel. They facilitated the proceedings, with Mr. Kanti Patel introducing the Chief Guest, Dr. Rasmi Patel, who
City Data Reveals Just 1% Of Recent Migrants In Chicago Granted Work Permits
lauded the tireless efforts of the GCA, especially highlighting Kanti Patel’s contributions. Guest of Honor, Mr. D.B. Bhatti, commended the leadership and entrepreneurial spirit of the Gujarati diaspora, paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi, a proud son of Gujarat. The event further graced by Hon. Dorothy Brown, Clerk of Circuit Court, IL, who acknowledged the GCA’s significant contributions during the Diwali celebrations. A highlight of the evening was the award ceremony, recognizing exemplary community leaders: • Distinguished Banker of the Year Award: Mr. Moti Agarwal • Outstanding Accountant Award: Mr. Anil Shah • Distinguished Community Leadership Award: Dr. Anuja Gupta • Women of the Year Award: Mrs. Rita Shah Additionally, several distinguished individuals from various sectors, including business and community service, were acknowledged and presented with bouquets by Kanti Patel. Notable mentions included Mr. Kalpesh Joshi of AAHOA, Mita Patel from Air India, Iftekhar Hasnat from MB Financial Bank, and several others. Concluding his speech, Kanti S. Patel extended New Year wishes, emphasizing the importance of continued support, cooperation, and participation in future events.
Dunki Enters The Border Authorities Uncover Use of Fake 200cr India And 400cr Passports by Migrants Posing as Minors Club Worldwide! Potential Direct Involvement of the Guinean Government in the Fraud
HiIndia Newsdesk
CHICAGO, IL — In Chicago, over 14,000 migrants reside in 27 cityoperated shelters, with most nearing the 60-day limit. However, only 1% of the 26,000 asylum seekers who arrived since August 2022 have received work permits and Social Security cards. By December 29, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services processed applications for just 1,480 new arrivals, of which only 284 got work permits and 279 received Social Security cards. Notably, application processing began only in November. Recently, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott chartered a plane bringing 350 migrants to Chicago, with 9,000 already nearing the 60day shelter limit by February 1. The mayor’s office hasn’t disclosed migrant work permit application numbers. Meanwhile, suburbs like Buffalo Grove are considering measures against “rogue” buses transporting migrants without notice.
NEWARK, NJ- Starting Jan. 1, Newark will mandate the use of an online GovQA portal for public records requests instead of accepting email requests. Newark City Clerk Kecia Daniels believes this platform will efficiently handle the thousands of annual requests, including those under OPRA and FOIA. Previously, requests emailed to the city’s public records address were distributed among about 10 individuals based on expertise, but the portal will assign requests directly to the relevant person. The portal also helps staff determine if requested documents can be exempted from public view. The state’s Government Records Council oversees OPRA compliance, and Newark has been informing the public about this change. Jersey City has utilized GovQA since 2016. While GovQA is a private platform, others like NextRequest and JustFOIA also exist. Newark resident Debra Salters opposes this shift, claiming it complicates the process and makes accessing records more challenging.
HiIndia Newsdesk
TUCSON, AZ- Border Patrol agents in the Tucson, Arizona sector have reported an increasing number of immigrants from Guinea attempting to enter the United States using counterfeit passports that falsely identify them as minors, as per an internal alert obtained by Fox News. These immigrants are manipulating their ages and presenting themselves as unaccompanied minors to enhance their chances of gaining entry into the U.S. The alert issued by Border Patrol outlines specific indicators agents should be vigilant about and offers examples of authentic and forged Guinean passports. Notably, passports
issued in Conakry, Guinea’s capital, after June 2023 are deemed highly suspicious of being counterfeit or tampered with. Furthermore, the notice raises concerns that the Guinean government may be directly involved in this fraudulent activity. Interviews conducted with Guinean migrants suspected of possessing counterfeit passports suggest that some Guinean officials could be facilitating the alteration of ages on passports, encouraging individuals to exploit the system by presenting themselves as minors to improve their chances of U.S. entry. The majority of these encounters involve adults falsely claiming to be unaccompanied minors. Additional intelligence from B order Patrol indicates that criminal entities have illicitly acquired a significant number of blank passport books from the Conakry ministry. These groups are reportedly distributing and issuing these passports outside of the standard protocols and procedures. This alert emerges as a surge of adult men from Guinea has been observed crossing into the Tucson sector. Border Patrol sources estimate that a substantial number, approximately 170 Guinean nationals, entered the Tucson sector on a single Saturday.
HiIndia Newsdesk
Dunki garners immense love of audiences worldwide with its feel good content and strong word of mouth. This is SRK’s 3rd film this year to cross these milestones Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki is breaking barriers with its constantly rising box office collections! Garners 203.08 Cr. India net and 409.89 Cr. globally! It’s worth marking that Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki with its soft and endearing genre is ruling not just the hearts of the masses but also the box office. The film has witnessed tremendous crowds of family audiences in the cinema halls and has proved to be an immensely relatable tale for the people living abroad.
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HEALTH
Cancer Treatment - Impact Of Virtual MindBody Fitness Programs : Dr Nilesh Mehta
C
HiIndia Newsdesk
ancer-related fatigue is an all too familiar burden for those battling the disease, particularly during active treatment phases. Whether it be the rigours of intravenous chemotherapy, the complexities of immunotherapy, the demands of radiation therapy, or the challenges of oral targeted medications, these treatments can exacerbate the exhaustion that often accompanies cancer. Fatigue is more than a physical sensation; it permeates the mind, sapping motivation and inner vitality. While there’s no panacea for cancerrelated fatigue, even when anaemia isn’t a factor, it remains a pervasive issue among patients. Contributing factors include tumour progression, cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapies, targeted molecular therapies and often the mindset of patients. Traditionally, interventions like fitness regimens, meditation, yoga, tai chi, and music therapy have shown promise in alleviating common side effects of cancer treatment, including fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Even pet therapy has been looked at in some clinics as an aid to help cancer patients undergoing therapy. However, a critical question lingers: how can these therapeutic activities be made accessible
standard of care combined with access to pre-recorded online meditation resources. These promising results were reported at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Care Symposium. Charu Aggarwal, a renowned cancer expert from Pennsylvania, USA, shared her insights on the matter, stating, “This trial demonstrated that a virtual mind-body fitness program can be seamlessly delivered to patients with cancer, significantly reducing treatment complications. Future research is needed to assess the potential for implementing such programs on a larger scale.” In essence, this groundbreaking research underscores the potential for patients to This trial demonstrated that a virtual mind-body fitness program can reap the benefits of mind-body fitness be seamlessly delivered to patients with cancer, significantly reducing programs without ever leaving the comfort of their homes, representing a treatment complications. Future research is needed to assess the transformative step forward in cancer potential for implementing such programs on a larger scale care and quality of life. More research to patients within the comfort of their body fitness program proved its worth will be forthcoming to provide practical own homes? by reducing unplanned hospitalisations, aid to our cancer patients. Enter the groundbreaking virtual Within my oncolog y practice, I hospitalisation days, and urgent care mind-body fitness program pioneered visits among patients actively receiving routinely counsel patients on the at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New cancer treatment. The study enlisted profound benefits of incorporating a York. Recognising the importance of 200 patients with various cancer fitness regimen into their lives, offering supportive care for patients undergoing a sanctuary for their minds as their diagnoses, offering them the choice of active cancer treatment, this innovative bodies navigate the challenging terrain participating in Integrative Medicine approach seeks to soften the impact of at Home weekly live virtual mind- of cancer treatment. In practical terms, therapy and allow for a potentially better body fitness classes, which included this could manifest as straightforward quality of life. as a post-meal stroll or the embrace of 20 sessions per week or enhanced In a landmark study, this virtual mind- usual care. The latter comprised the yoga guided by online resources.
Turkish medical group warns of flu Being overly optimistic may lead to poor decision-making: Study epidemic, urging use of masks
HiIndia Newsdesk
reported. Istanbul: (IANS) The Turkish Medical Association has recently warned about A Turkish health expert has also warned on Saturday that a flu epidemic is the potential escalation of a flu epidemic spreading across Turkey. across the country, urging the use of "Especially in the last two weeks, we masks in public transportation. have frequently encountered upper There are "unusual intensities" in respiratory tract infections. Almost all e m e rge n c y ro oms at h o s pit a l s nationwide due to the flu epidemic, of them are caused by viruses," said the medical group said on Sunday in Celalettin Kocaturk, a thoracic surgery specialist. a warning letter sent to the Health "We most f re quent ly encounter Ministry this week. "As long as the epidemic is not Influenza A, Influenza B, Parainfluenza, Rhinovirus, Covid-19, other types of extinguished, the health of society and healthcare professionals is under threat" coronaviruses, and Adenoviruses," he added. unless necessary measures are taken, the These viruses have the potential to cause letter said. death among older adults and those Each doctor at family centres sees at least 100 patients suffering from with additional diseases, according to flu symptoms per day in Istanbul, Kocaturk. He urged people to wear masks indoors, according to the association. observe hygiene rules, and avoid The association also urged the relevant sending sick children to school until authorities to distribute masks free of May, when the flu epidemic will ease charge and promote the use of masks in public vehicles, Xinhua news agency with the onset of warm weather.
HiIndia Newsdesk
London: (IANS) Positive thinking and people essentially deluding themselves optimism are frequently connected with to a degree,” said Dr Chris Dawson of success in life, good health, and longevity; the University’s School of Management. but, a new study has suggested that it "Plans based on overly optimistic beliefs can also lead to poor decision-making, make for poor decisions and are bound with particularly serious implications to deliver worse outcomes than would for people’s financial wellbeing. In realistic beliefs,” he added. the study published in the journal According to the researchers, decisions Personality and Social Psychology on major financial issues such as Bulletin, the researchers from the UK- employment, investments or savings, based University of Bath showed that and any choice involving risk and excessive optimism is actually associated uncertainty, were particularly prone to with lower cognitive skills such as verbal this effect and posed serious implications fluency, fluid reasoning, numerical for individuals. reasoning, and memory. The study took data from a UK survey Whereas those high on cognitive ability of over 36,000 households and looked at tend to be both more realistic and people’s expectations of their financial pessimistic in their expectations about well-being and compared them with the future. “Forecasting the future with their actual financial outcomes. accuracy is difficult and for that reason, The study found that those highest we might expect those with low cognitive on cognitive ability experienced a 22 ability to make more errors in judgments, per cent increase in the probability of both pessimistic and optimistic. But the “realism” and a 35 per cent decrease in results are clear: low cognitive ability the probability of “extreme optimism”. leads to more self-flattering biases -
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Travel trends to look forward in 2024 Author Bio:
Astro Friend Chirag
Celebrity Astrologer Chirag Daruwalla is the son of famous astrologer Bejan Daruwalla. He is known for his detailed astrological predictions on career, health, love, finance, and business. You can visit their website bejandaruwalla.com for guidance on problems related to your life and solve your problem with the help of expert astrologer Chirag Daruwalla. For guidance on problems related to your life you can talk to Astrologer Chirag Daruwalla on Call/Whatsapp: +91 9825470377 or also mail on: info@bejandaruwalla.com
(Son of Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla)
5th January 2024 to 11th January 2024 New Delhi,: (IANSlife) The unwavering appetite for exploration among Indian travellers is evident. As we step into 2024, Rajeev Kale President and Country Head, Holidays, MICE, Visa - Thomas Cook (India) Limited, believes that the robust travel sentiment persists, and anticipates a sustained surge in demand from the dynamic Indian market. "Event-based travel is emerging as a significant trend, driven by the enthusiasm of Young India's millennials, young professionals, and Gen Z. Their keen interest in the thrill of live concerts, events, and cultural immersion is poised to be a driving force for travel in the upcoming year. This demographic seeks immersive experiences that go beyond traditional tourism, reflecting a desire for dynamic and culturally rich journeys," says Rajeev. As we look ahead, to the year 2024, the data analysis of Thomas Cook reveals tourism industry anticipates the following trend not only to persist but to evolve, shaping the preferences and choices of contemporary Indian travellers.
Sleep Tourism and Wellness Retreats for Rejuvenation:
Young Indians are diverging significantly from the travel habits of previous generations, moving away from tightly scheduled sightseeing holidays to embrace more relaxed vacations. The current generation, burdened by work fatigue, seeks opportunities for rest and rejuvenation. Trends like sleep tourism, which go beyond uninterrupted sleep to include activities like yoga, swimming, and spa wellness therapy, are gaining widespread popularity. Consequently, accommodations offering soundproof rooms, sleep consultations, recorded sleep meditations, pillow menus, sleep kits, and concierge services are experiencing a surge in demand. Notable destinations for such experiences include Goa, Coorg, Mysore, Kodaikanal, Alleppey, and Puducherry. At the same time, more people are choosing wellness retreats for peace and well-being. This has led to a noticeable increase in yoga and meditation tourism in places like Rishikesh, Mysore, and Pondicherry,
showing how people today prefer a holistic approach to travel
Personalised and Curated Travel:
ndians increasingly seek personalised and tailor-made journeys, gaining more control over their itineraries. The demand for fully customisable private holidays, especially among discerning travellers, is on the rise. This trend caters to those looking for premium, experience-led travel, with a focus on a leisurely exploration of a destination's history, culture, cuisine, and hidden gems. This is anticipated to attract interest from High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs), multigenerational families, ad-hoc groups of friends, and honeymooners/couples, reflecting a preference for exclusive and tailored travel adventures.
Visa-Friendly Destinations on the Rise:
The recent announcements of free visa travel to countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Kenya are expected to spark increased interest among Indian travellers. The accessibility of easy-visa and visa-onarrival options in these destinations further contributes to the growing appeal for hassle-free international travel.
Top Destinations Overview:
We foresee Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Finland to be top choices when it comes to long-haul journeys. Meanwhile, those opting for shorter getaways favour bustling locations such as Singapore, Malaysia, the Maldives, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Thailand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Ras Al Khaimah, Oman, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Bhutan. And for those seeking something mid-way, destinations like South Korea, Japan, and Turkiye offer compelling options. Daniel D’Souza, President and Country Head of Holidays, SOTC Travel, adds, " In 2024, a dynamic shift in the global travel landscape is anticipated, blending enduring trends with compelling new ones. With 75 years of expertise, we believe no one understands the Indian traveller better than us. Leveraging this legacy, we not only discern our travellers' wants but also understand their evolving needs."
Aries Ganesha says that the people of Aries will be able to convince the world with their ability and strength this week. They will also get full support of luck in getting desired success in every field of life. Those who were worried about something for some time will get relief from their worries this week.
Taurus
Ganesha says that this week the people of Taurus will need to take any step in a life carefully. This week you have to avoid getting misled by others, otherwise, you may have to give and take. During this, you will not be able to get desired cooperation from your relatives.
Gemini
Ganesha says that this week is going to bring some problems for the people of the Gemini zodiac in terms of health and relationship. At the beginning of the week itself, due to the emergence of seasonal or any chronic disease, you may not only have to face physical but also mental problems.
Cancer
Ganesha says that Cancerians will heave a sigh of relief if a solution to a major problem is found at the beginning of the week itself. If you have any dispute going on in the court, then the decision can come in your favor or your opponents can take the initiative to negotiate with you.
Leo
Ganesha says that the people of the Leo zodiac will get many opportunities to move forward in life and achieve desired success this week, but they will have to avoid losing them due to laziness and pride. Unemployed people will get new employment opportunities at the beginning of the week.
Virgo
Ganesha says that this week has brought auspiciousness and desired success for the people of Virgo. From the beginning of the week, your planned tasks will be seen to be completed on time, due to which you will get to see tremendous enthusiasm.
Libra
Ganesha says that the dreams of the
people of the Libra zodiac will be seen to come true this week. At the beginning of the week itself, you will heave a sigh of relief when a major problem is solved with the help of a special person. In whatever direction you will try this week, you will get the full support and cooperation of your friends and relatives.
Scorpio
Ganesha says that the people of the Scorpio zodiac will be able to get whatever they want this week due to their intelligence, discretion, and speech. At the beginning of the week, you can take a big decision to solve any familyrelated issue.
Sagittarius
Ganesha says that this week has brought auspiciousness and good luck for the people of Sagittarius. At the beginning of the week, some great news related to career or business can be heard.
Capricorn
The people of Capricorn will need to think a lot before taking any step this week. The workload and responsibilities may suddenly increase on the heads of the employed people, while the opponents can do the work obstructing their work.
Aquarius
Ganesha says that the people of Aquarius will get the full results of the efforts and hard work done earlier this week. At the beginning of the week, you will heave a sigh of relief when the dispute related to land and building is resolved. This week, the influence and respect of people associated with politics will increase in society.
Pisces
Ganesha says that this week is going to be very auspicious for the people of Pisces. From the beginning of the week, he will find good luck working in every area of his life. This week will prove to be very auspicious for the employed class. Seniors will be seen appreciating your work in the workplace and juniors will get full support.
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