hi INDiA | March 17, 2023 | The Community First

Eric Garcetti’s Nomination As India Envoy Cleared By US Senate

Guo Wengui: US accuses Chinese tycoon of billiondollar fraud

New Delhi: Eric Garcetti, President Joe Biden’s close aide, was confirmed as US Ambassador to India after the Senate on Wednesday voted on his nomination,

US threatens TikTok ban if app is not soldreport

The US government says TikTok should be sold or else face a possible ban in the country, according to reports.

The video-sharing app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is accused of posing a national security risk through data gathered from millions of users.

A request for a change in ownership, first reported in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), was confirmed to BBC News by TikTok.

The company said a forced sale would not change its data flows or access. The White House has not yet responded to a BBC News request for comment.

filling a key diplomatic position after a gap of two years.

The Senate voted 52-42 advancing the former Los Angeles mayor’s nomination that caps off months of stasis for Garcetti. The former mayor’s nomination was

pending before the US Congress since July 2021 when he was nominated for the prestigious diplomatic posting by Biden. The position has remained vacant for more than two years. Mr Garcetti’s nomination was not brought to the Senate floor for a vote during the last Congress as the ruling Democratic Party did not have enough support to get him through.

US Cautions Russia After Drone Shot Down

Moscow denied it was to blame and instead accused Washington of conducting “hostile” flights in the region.

“The United States will continue to fly and to operate wherever international law allows,” Austin told reporters just following the call with Shoigu.

US authorities have charged a Chinese property tycoon based in New York with orchestrating a billion-dollar fraud.

Guo Wengui and one of his business partners, Kin Ming Je, are accused of wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.

Mr Guo is a critic of the Chinese government and an associate of exWhite House chief strategist Stephen Bannon.

A fire broke out at Mr Guo’s Manhattan penthouse apartment hours after he was arrested.

A spokesman for the city’s fire department said the fire was put out, no injuries were reported and the cause is still under investigation. In an online post earlier, Mr Guo said he was handcuffed and interrogated for more than an hour.

Washington: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed Wednesday that US aircraft will fly “wherever international law allows” and warned Russia to operate with caution after one of its jets allegedly downed an American drone. Austin made the statement shortly after speaking by phone with Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu about Tuesday’s incident over the Black Sea, when two Russian fighters allegedly harassed an unmanned US surveillance drone and damaged its propeller, forcing its ditching in the waters below.

The United States labeled the incident “reckless” and “unprofessional” while

“And it is incumbent upon Russia to operate its military aircraft in a safe and professional manner,” he said.

US Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley said the Pentagon is still analyzing video and data from the drone to see exactly what happened.

“Was it intentional or not? -- don’t know yet,” he told reporters.

“We know that the intercept was intentional. We know that the aggressive behavior was intentional, we also know it was very unprofessional and very unsafe,” Milley said.

“The actual contact of the fixed-wing Russian fighter with our UAV, the physical contact with those two, not sure yet.”

Mr Guo goes by several aliases including Miles Guo, Miles Kwok and “Brother Seven”. He was named in the indictment unsealed Wednesday as Ho Wan Kwok.

The indictment alleges that Mr Guo and Mr Je raised $1bn (£830m) from thousands of online followers who thought they were funding media businesses and an exclusive membership club. They also allegedly used a cryptocurrency called Himalaya Coin to steal millions from investors.

Mr Guo’s opposition to the Chinese Communist Party and his links to high-profile, right-wing US politicians and activists earned him hundreds of thousands of online followers, most of them Chinese people living in Western countries.

Wall Street Expert Predicts The Next Big US Bank Failure

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The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the US sent ripples through the financial markets across the world. Stock markets sank in Asia and faltered in Europe, with banks sliding on contagion fear after the collapse of two lenders. And now, an investor has predicted that another big bank is set to collapse. Wall Street analyst Robert Kiyosaki, best known for his successful prediction of the 2008 Lehman Brothers’ collapse, has claimed that Credit Suisse is the next bank at risk of collapse. “The problem is the bond market, and my prediction, I called Lehman Brothers years ago, and I think the next bank to go is Credit Suisse,” Mr Kiyosaki told Fox News.

explained how the bond market will put the US in “serious trouble” as he expects the American dollar to weaken.

Robert Kiyosaki said he is “concerned” about Credit Suisse

The Rich Dad Company co-founder

“The bond market is much bigger than the stock market. The Fed is up and they’re the firemen and the arson,” Mr Kiyosaki said on Fox News’ ‘Cavuto: Coast to Coast’ show. “The US dollar is losing its hegemony in the world right now. So they’re going to print more and more and more of this... trying to keep this thing from sinking,” he added. Mr Kiyosaki said he is “concerned” about Credit Suisse - the world’s eighth largest investment bank - due to the “perfect storm” caused by the bond market crash and the upcoming retirement of his generation. He also advised exploring or buying into silver and gold investments

during a volatile market. Mr Kiyosaki’s prediction came just hours before Credit Suisse admitted to a “material weakness” in its reporting procedures for the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years. “The material weaknesses that have been identified relate to the failure to design and maintain an effective risk assessment process to identify and analyse the risk of material misstatements in its financial statements,” the report said. PromotedListen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com Credit Suisse has endured a barrage of problems in recent years, including its exposure to the implosions of US asset manager Archegos and UK firm Greensill.

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Eric Garcetti: The Senate voted 52-42 advancing the former Los Angeles mayor’s nomination that caps off months of stasis for him.

Guo Wengui

“Increased” US Spying On Russia Led To Drone Incident: Moscow

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Moscow: The Russian defence minister told the Pentagon chief on Wednesday that Washington’s “increased” intelligence gathering against Russia had led to a drone incident, Moscow said.

The United States on Tuesday accused Russia of forcing down one of its Reaper surveillance drones over the Black Sea through a collision with a Russian Su27 warplane.

Russia denies that it deliberately brought the drone down.

It was the first such incident between Moscow and Washington since President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022.

On Wednesday, Defence Minister Sergei

Pak Cops Warn of “Strict Action” Against Imran Khan’s Party Workers

Punjab: After failing to arrest

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister

Imran Khan, Punjab province

Inspector General of Police Usman

Anwar warned his party activists of tougher action if they continued to resort to violence in their attempt to prevent his team from arresting PTI Chief, The News International reported. The IG further stated that the violent protesters would be apprehended with the help of CCTV footage as damaging public properties and setting police vehicles on fire came under the terrorism act and these protesters would be tried under that act.

Indian Consulate in Brisbane briefly shut due to Khalistani menace: Report

Melbourne: (IANS) The Indian Consulate in Brisbane was forced to close down temporarily today after Khalistani supporters blocked the entry raising slogans against the Hindus, days after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s assurance to curb anti-India elements in the country, a media report said. According to The Australia Today, slogans were raised against Hindus calling them ‘supremacists’ at the Consulate, which is located on Swann Road in the Taringa suburb of Brisbane.

The Queensland Police said it was an unauthorised gathering.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu Shoigu told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that “increased intelligence activities against the interests of

Drought risk to England regions after dry February

the Russian Federation” and “noncompliance with the restricted flight zone” declared by Moscow due to its campaign in Ukraine had led to the incident, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The ministry in Moscow also warned that it would react “proportionately” to any future US “provocations”.

“Flights of American strategic unmanned aerial vehicles off the coast of Crimea are provocative in nature, which creates pre-conditions for an escalation of the situation in the Black Sea zone,” the ministry said.

“Russia is not interested in such a development of events, but it will continue to respond proportionately to all provocations.”

N.Korea fires missile ahead

of S.Korea-Japan summit

South Korean’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Sunan area in Pyongyang at 7.10 a.m., and the missile, fired at a lofted angle, flew some 1,000 km before hitting the waters, reports Yonhap NewsAgency. A month earlier, the North test-fired a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Observers have raised the possibility of Pyongyang launching a solid-fuel ICBM, which is faster to fire and harder to spot in advance of take-off.

It might feel wet this week but experts are warning that parts of England need unseasonable rainfall to compensate for an abnormally dry winter.

Rivers in some of England and Wales ran their lowest on record for February, according to data from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. England had its driest February for 30 years, according to the Met Office. Rivers and reservoirs that supply drinking water and feed crops rely on winter rain to top up before spring.

Food prices in Sweden record highest surge in 7 decades

Seoul: (IANS) North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile towards the East Sea on Thursday, just hours before summit talks between the leaders of South Korea and Japan on pending bilateral issues and regional security.

“The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the US are conducting a comprehensive analysis in consideration of recent movements related to the North’s missile development program,” the JCS said in a statement.

West trying to pull apart Russia, says Putin

Russian President accuses the western states of seeking to ‘improve their geopolitical standing’

televised by Russian state networks. “For us, this is a fight for the existence of Russian statehood.”

Stockholm: (IANS) Food prices in Sweden surged over 20 per cent for the past 12 months, registering the highest increase in over seven decades, according to official data. Statistics Sweden said on Wednesday that food and non-alcoholic beverages became 20.95 per cent more expensive between February 2022 and February 2023, compared with the same period of the previous 12 months, reports Xinhua news agency.

This is the biggest annual increase of food prices in Sweden since the beginning of the 1950s, it said.

Multinational troops arrest 900 Boko Haram collaborators

President Vladimir V. Putin said on Tuesday that Russia is fighting for its very existence in Ukraine, which he said Western states were using to destabilize and “pull apart” Russia.

Speaking at a military helicopter factory in Buryatia, a mountainous Russian republic more than 2,700 miles east of Moscow, Putin said that western states were seeking to “improve their geopolitical standing” by getting involved in the war in Ukraine but that for Russia the stakes were much more serious.

“This is not a geopolitical task for us,” said Putin in a meeting that was

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion more than a year ago, the Kremlin has been trying to portray the war in Ukraine as an existential fight that Russia cannot afford to lose. Putin has been saying that he was left with no choice but to send troops to Ukraine after spending years trying to settle the conflict in the country’s east. He was referring to tensions over Russia’s earlier invasion of Ukraine in 2014 when it illegally seized Crimea and supported the establishment of two self-declared pro-Russian republics in the country’s east.

Western states argue that Putin is waging a war that is at once deeply personal and imperial in scope.

Lagos: (IANS) At least 900 collaborators of the extremist group Boko Haram were arrested during a recent operation by the troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a spokesperson said. In a statement, Kamarudeen Adegoke, an MNJTF spokesperson, on Wednesday said troops of the regional joint task force nabbed at least 900 people, including women, children, and the elderly suspected to be family members and collaborators of the insurgents, in a joint coordinated operation in the Kamadugu Yobe River general area, Xinhua news agency reported. “Collaboration with national authorities and subsequent profiling and handing over are ongoing,” he added.

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News Breif

Indian-American Confirmed As Assistant Secretary Of US Air Force

CBI lodges fresh FIR against Manish Sisodia

Zofeen Maqsood

Washington: The United States Senate on Wednesday confirmed Indian American Ravi Chaudhary as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Air Force, one of the top civilian leadership positions in the Pentagon. The Senate voted 65-29 to confirm the former Air Force officer’s nomination with more than a dozen votes from the opposition Republican party. Mr Chaudhary previously served as a Senior Executive at the US Department of Transportation where he was Director of Advanced Programs and Innovation, Office of Commercial Space at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He was responsible for the execution of advanced development and research programs in support of the FAA’s commercial space transportation mission. While at the transportation department, he also served as the executive director of the regions and centre operations, where he looked over the integration and support of aviation operations in nine regions.

Banking fears spread across global markets

Foxconn plans $200 mn factory in India

Taiwanese contract manufacturer

Foxconn has won an order to make AirPods for Apple Inc and plans to build a factory in India to produce the wireless earphones, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

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New York: (IANS) The US’ Dow opened the day with a decline of more than 600 points Wednesday as banking fears spread across global markets, reports said.

The S&P and Nasdaq slipped roughly 2 per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively, CNN reported

Shares of embattled Swiss lender Credit Suisse were down by more than 20 per cent after its biggest shareholder chose not to increase funding. That comes after the bank cited “material weakness” in its financial reporting Tuesday and got rid of executive bonuses, CNN reported.

Shares of US banks also fell: Wells Fargo was down 4.9 per cent and JPMorgan Chase stock dropped 3.6 per cent.

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia over alleged corruption in the Delhi government’s Feedback Unit (FBU).

The FBU was formed by the AAP after coming to power in Delhi in 2015.

“The unlawful manner of creation and working of the Feedback Unit has

caused wrongful loss to the government exchequer to the tune of approximate ₹ 36 Lakhs,” the CBI claimed. Reacting sharply to yet another case against the jailed AAP leader, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the move as “sad for the country”. Reacting sharply to yet another case against the jailed AAP leader, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the move as “sad for the country”.

“Will Speak In Parliament If They Let Me”: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi today denied giving any anti-India speech on his way to attending parliament, where the ruling BJP has repeatedly demanded his apology for his remarks in London raising concerns about the state of democracy in India.

“I didn’t give any Anti India speech,” Rahul Gandhi told NDTV. On the BJP’s allegation that he insulted the nation on foreign soil, the Congress MP said: “I will speak inside the House if they allow me to.”

“He Will Score 110

The deal will see Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker and assembler of around 70% of all iPhones, become an AirPod supplier for the first time and underlines efforts by the key Apple supplier to further diversify production away from China. AirPods are currently made by a range of Chinese suppliers. One source said Foxconn will invest more than $200 million in the new India AirPod plant in the southern Indian state of Telangana. It wasn’t immediately clear how much the AirPod order would be worth. The person, who requested anonymity as the matter was not public yet, said Foxconn officials had debated internally for months about whether to assemble AirPods due to relatively lower profit margins on making the device, but ultimately opted to go ahead with the deal to “reinforce engagement” with Apple.

Centuries”:

Shoaib Akhtar’s Big Prediction About Virat Kohli

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar believes that India batter Virat Kohli is going to score 110 international centuries by the time he brings down curtains on his career. After a wait of 1205 days, Virat Kohli last week finally registered a Test century, bringing up three figures on day four of

the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad. Kohli brought up his 28th Test century. There was a gap of 41 innings between his last century and this one, with the previous one coming over three years ago against Bangladesh in November 2019.

Indian American Michigan Teen Wins $250,000 Science Award

on the list. Two other Ambika Grover from Greenwich, Connecticut ranked sixth won a $80,000 award and Siddhu Pachipala from Woodlands, Texas placed ninth has received a $50,000 prize. The results were announced by the Society for Science that ran the competition sponsored by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.

Research scheme waits for PMO decision

Neel Moudgal, a teenager from Michigan has won a top $250,000 award in the 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search. The talent search is America’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school students. Two other Indian origin kids are also

Moudgal won for creating a computer model that can rapidly and reliably predict the structure of RNA molecules using only easily accessible data. He believes this will make it easier to diagnose and treat certain diseases. Ambika Grover received an $80,000 award for developing an injectable layered microbubble designed to target and break up blood clots and prevent them from reforming.

A scheme begun shortly after Independence to recognise distinguished academics and artists and make use of their expertise in furthering research has come to a halt, with officials saying the fate of the programme awaits a decision from the Prime Minister’s Office. There has been not one National Research Professor — against the sanctioned strength of up to 12 at a time — for the last three years.

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Neel Moudgal has won the prestigious science talent search award for high school students in the US. Credit: IANS Photo Zofeen Maqsood

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The Feedback Unit (FBU) was formed by the AAP after coming to power in Delhi in 2015.

Indian-American nominated chair of S.Carolina’s health, environment board

and has been its Vice-Chair since 2021 -- will become the first person of colour and the second woman to lead the Board.

“Shrivastava-Patel is a highly respected member of the South Carolina Board of Health and Environmental Control.

Indian family facing deportation over son’s

Down Syndrome allowed to stay in Australia

Indian-American Seema Shrivastava-Patel

New York: (IANS)

South Carolina

Governor Henry McMaster has nominated Indian-American Seema Shrivastava-Patel to be the next chair of the Board of Health and Environmental Control.

If confirmed, Shrivastava-Patel -- who has served on the Board since 2018

With this extensive knowledge of the agency and her experience as Vice-Chair, she is the best choice to lead a smooth transition that will propel the agency forward and advance South Carolina’s public health and environmental missions,” Governor McMaster said in a statement.

As a member of the Board, ShrivastavaPatel has helped navigate the agency through the Covid-19 pandemic, led the search for a new agency director, improved customer service, renewed a focus on recruitment and retention of staff, and emphasised the importance of measurable outcomes for the agency.

Indian-origin teen charged for cheating bank in Singapore

reported.

The UOB account he opened was then allegedly used by scam syndicates to launder criminal proceeds of more than SG$249,000.

An Indian family that was asked to leave Australia due to their son’s Down Syndrome has now been offered permanent residency after Immigration Minister Andrew Giles intervened.

Singapore: (IANS) An Indian-origin teen in Singapore was charged on Friday with one count of cheating and one count of abetting an unknown person to secure unauthorised access to a bank’s computer system.

Mathana Raaj Singh Balbir Singh, 19, opened a bank account and allowed others to use it after reading on messaging platform Telegram about a cash loan being offered in exchange for bank account details, The Straits Times

According to court documents, Singh deceived the bank into believing that he was the sole operator of the account that he was opening, and allegedly gave his i-banking login credentials to an unknown person for effecting transactions on UOB computer system without authorisation.

According to the report, Singh indicated his intention to apply for legal aid.

If found guilty of cheating, Singh can be jailed for up to three years, fined or both. He can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to SG$5,000, or both if he is found guilty of abetting an unknown person to secure unauthorised access to a bank’s computer system. Singh will return to court on April 6.

Melbourne: (IANS) An Indian family that was asked to leave Australia due to their son’s Down Syndrome has now been offered permanent residency after Immigration Minister Andrew Giles intervened.

After living in Perth for seven years, Aneesh Kollikkara’s family was facing the prospect of being deported to India next week as their 10-year-old son Aaryan failed the visa health test, WA Today reported. The Kollikkara couple said they were denied residency because their son was considered a “burden” on the health system. After a three-year fight for the visa, the family received official word on Wednesday that Giles had intervened and granted them permanent residency.

“The department rang us this morning to say they were granting the family a bridging visa until the minister made his decision ... and literally within half

an hour of that call, the minister’s office rang and said we’ve decided to intervene and offer you a full permanent residency,” family advocate Suresh Rajan was quoted as saying in WA Today.

“The minister has applied complete human rights principles here, and we’re so grateful to him for that. It’s an incredible decision and incredibly quick,” Rajan said.

According to the Immigration Department, the cost of looking after Aaryan would be $664,000 over 10 years.

Aaryan’s mother Krishna had said that her son doesn’t rely on any disability support services. According to 7News, the couple’s two children are privately schooled and the family has private health too. It said that the family has used Medicare for some of Aaryan’s appointments but has never claimed financial help through the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Study by Indian-origin researcher, team could provide clues to extraterrestrial life

An Indian-origin researcher and a team of scientists from Rutgers University have identified part of a protein that could provide clues to detecting planets on the verge of producing life.

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New Delhi: (IANS) An Indian-origin researcher and a team of scientists from Rutgers University have identified part of a protein that could provide clues to detecting planets on the verge of producing life.

According to Vikas Nanda, a researcher at the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM) at Rutgers, the research has important implications in the search for extraterrestrial life because it gives researchers a new clue to look for. Based on laboratory studies, Rutgers scientists say one of the most likely chemical candidates that kickstarted life was a simple peptide -- a constituent of a protein made up of a few elemental building blocks known as amino acids -- with two nickel atoms. The two nickel atoms are called “Nickelback” because its backbone nitrogen atoms bond two critical nickel atoms.

“Scientists believe that some time between 3.5 and 3.8 billion years ago, there was a tipping point, something that kickstarted the change from prebiotic chemistry - molecules

before life - to living, biological systems,” Nanda said. “We believe the change was sparked by a few small precursor proteins that performed key steps in an ancient metabolic reaction. And we think we’ve found one of these ‘pioneer peptides’.

“When scouring the universe with telescopes and probes for signs of past, present or emerging life, NASA scientists look for specific ‘biosignatures’ known to be harbingers of life. Peptides like nickelback could become the latest biosignature employed by NASA to detect planets on the verge of producing life,” Nanda said.

An original instigating chemical, the researchers reasoned, would need to be simple enough to be able to assemble spontaneously in a prebiotic soup. But it would have to be sufficiently chemically active to possess the potential to take energy from the environment to drive a biochemical process. To do so, the researchers adopted a “reductionist” approach: They started by examining existing contemporary proteins known to be associated with metabolic processes. Knowing the proteins were too complex to have emerged early on, they pared them down to their basic structure.

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Stalin urges PM to intervene in release of 16 fishermen from TN in Lankan custody

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the release of 16 fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

by the Sri Lankan nationals/Navy within a month and as you are aware, these fishermen are solely dependent on their fishing activity for livelihood and such frequent incidents shatter the livelihood of poor fishermen and also create fear psychosis in the minds of poor fishermen from Tamil Nadu.”

He said that 102 fishing boats are in the custody of the Sri Lankan Navy as of date and added that six fishing boats that were released by Sri Lanka are yet to be repatriated to India.

Hyderabad News

Parking on Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge can cost you Rs 2,000

Chennai: (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the release of 16 fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

In a letter to the Prime Minister on Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister requested him to initiate diplomatic steps to ensure the release of the fishermen.

“This is the third incident of attack/arrest of Indian fishermen

PM Modi Meets Actors, Former Cricketers For Dinner In Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met Kannada actors Yash and Rishab Shetty, former cricketers Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, along with some other noted personalities here. According to sources, the meeting took place at a dinner meeting hosted at the Raj Bhavan here on Sunday after Modi arrived here in the evening to participate in the inauguration of 14th edition of Aero India here on Monday. The Karnataka BJP has tweeted a picture of PM Modi along with Yash, Shetty, late actor Puneeth Rajkumar’s wife Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, and comedian Shraddha, popularly known as “Aiyyo Shraddha”, among others.

Gold Worth Rs. 2.03 Crore Seized At Chennai Airport

Chennai: About 3,953 grams of gold worth about ₹ 2.03 crore was seized from three passengers at the airport here, Principal Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport, M Mathew Jolly said on Thursday. Based on intelligence, the Chennai Air Customs officials intercepted a male passenger who arrived from Malaysia on February 8 and found in his checked-in baggage, 4 gold ingots of 24K purity weighing 2,200 gm valued at ₹ 1.13 crore. The gold ingots, concealed in a mixer, were seized and the passenger was arrested and remanded to judicial custody, Mr Jolly said in a press release.

Stalin, in the letter, requested the Prime Minister to initiate “necessary diplomatic steps to secure the early release of all 16 fishermen and 102 fishing boats that were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy.”

The Chief Minister also recalled his earlier letters addressed to the Union External Affairs minister who had taken up the matter with the Sri Lanka government and despite all the efforts such incidents are continuing.

Student groups protest at TSPSC office over exam paper leak

Tension prevailed at the TSPSC office in Nampally area here when workers of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) barged into the premises by scaling the boundary wall.

Hyderabad: Attention thrill seekers and photography enthusiasts: the stunning Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge may be an Instagram-worthy location, but heed the warning before venturing there with your two/fourwheelers.

In recent months, despite alerts from authorities concerned, many visitors have been stopping and parking their vehicles on the bridge, especially after sunset, unaware of the potential consequences. The fine for parking on the bridge can range from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000, a steep price to pay for a few photos, a birthday celebration or simply hanging out with friends.

Hyderabad: (IANS) Student and youth wings of various opposition parties in Telangana on Tuesday tried to lay siege to the office of Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) to protest over the leakage of question paper.

The protesters damaged the TSPSC Board. Police had a tough time controlling the protesters. Carrying BJYM flags and raising slogans, the protesters clashed with the policemen who had erected barricades. Demanding suspension of TSPSC chairman and secretary, activists of the youth wing of Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) also staged protest. Police detained the protesters who tried to barge into office premises and shifted them to a police station.

Telangana HC bars Chiranjeevi from construction on disputed land

Microsoft Chief Satya Nadella Meets Telangana IT Minister

Hyderabad, March 14 (IANS) The Telangana High Court on Tuesday barred Telugu superstar K. Chiranjeevi from any construction activity on a piece of land in Jubilee Hills Housing Society here.

In an interim order, the High Court directed the status quo on the disputed land. The court took up hearing on a petition filed by J. Srikant Babu and others alleging that 595 square yard land meant for public purpose was sold to Chiranjeevi by Jubilee Hills Society. The petitioner argued that since the Greater Hyderabad Municipal

The Telangana High Court on Tuesday barred Telugu superstar K. Chiranjeevi from any construction activity on a piece of land in Jubilee Hills Housing Society here.

Corporation (GHMC) did not take control of the land, the society sold the land to the megastar in violation of rules. The court was also informed that the actor took up construction activity on the land. After hearing the arguments, the court directed the GHMC and Jubilee Hills Housing Society to file counter affidavits. It adjourned the hearing to April 25.

Hyderabad: Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao on Friday met with Microsoft Executive Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella here and the two discussed business and biryani. “Good start to the day when two Hyderabadis get to catch up @ satyanadella. We chatted about Business & Biryani,” Rama Rao tweeted, and posted a couple of pictures of the meeting. Other information about Nadella’s visit to Hyderabad, understood to be personal, was not immediately available.

During his ongoing visit to India, Nadella had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also attended the ‘Microsoft Future Ready Technology Summit’ in Bengaluru. Speaking at the Bengaluru summit, he had talked about his lighthearted ChatGPT (popular AIenabled software) conversation and said, as a Hyderabadi, his intelligence cannot be insulted by saying Biryani is a South Indian tiffin. ChatGPT had categorised biryani as tiffin item.

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India’s single-screen cinemas were grand structures, built to accommodate large audiences and boasted diverse architectural styles.

Chaturvedi began his project in 2019, and has photographed 950 theatres across 15 states so far.

“In the past 25 years, the number of single-screen cinemas has dwindled from 24,000 to 9,000,” he says. Some have been demolished to make space for malls and buildings, others are in ruins as they’ve lost their clients.

“These theatres were the building blocks of India’s cinema-viewing culture. They helped people enjoy films even in the smallest towns across India,” Chaturvedi says.

The idea of the project struck him when he took a trip to his grandparents’ home in Uttar Pradesh state’s Allahabad city. There, he revisited Lakshmi Talkies, a theatre he had frequented as a child, but was now shut. In the crumbling structure was a statue of a goddess after whom the theatre was named, but she was covered in dust and was missing an arm.

Chaturvedi says it made him realise how the city was losing so much of its history to urbanisation. From there began his quest to document India’s single-screen cinemas.

Niranjan Talkies in Uttar Pradesh was built in the 1940s but shuttered its doors around 1989 due to a dispute over the property.

In its heydays, it was an impressive structure with its spacious interiors, art deco design and sunburst mosaic floors. The theatre is in ruins now but traces of its grandeur peek out in places that have survived the ravages of time.

“It is believed to be the first airconditioned cinema in Allahabad city,” says Chaturvedi.

“Locals told me how their grandparents would gather outside the exit towards the end of a film so that they could enjoy the air-conditioned air as people left the theatre.”

Ganga Talkies in Rajasthan state is said to have been built by the ruling king of the time.

The theatre has been shut for the past 20 years, but in dusty corners and on crumbling walls, one finds a wealth of memorabilia, including the original posters of Shammi Kapoor’s 1961 hit Junglee and Nargis’ last film, Raat Aur Din (1967).

Vijayanand Talkies in the western state of Maharashtra was built in 1914.

India’s disappearing single-screen cinemas

£99) on a trip to Mumbai (then called Bombay) in 1896.

Ten years later the projector arrived. It was installed in the open air theatre, which became one of the first ones in India to screen silent movies, according to Chaturvedi. Today only the ticket window of the theatre exists.

Bhagwat Chitra Mandir in Sholapur city in Maharashtra is a grand theatre built in 1935.

The owners claim that singer Lata Mangeshkar performed in public for first time here at the age of five. They built three more theatres within the same compound. “The owner likes to say that they were the founders of the multiplex concept in India,” Chaturvedi says.

These three theatres, Chhaya Mandir,

Local legend has it that Dadasaheb Phalke - who made Raja Harishchandra, India’s first full-length feature filmused to screen black and white films on a white cloth tied between two trees on a plot of land near this theatre.

“Apparently, people were terrified seeing

the moving images, and thought it was a result of black magic. So they trashed Dadasaheb, broke his projector and burnt his films,” Chaturvedi says.

“The local police had to conduct drives informing people that he was showing a new technology called cinema and that it was not jaadu tona (black magic).”

Royal Talkies in Mumbai is located in an area that was called ‘Play House’ in the 1800s, because the stretch had many theatres for plays and musicals. They were converted into movie halls after cinema came to India in the 1900s.

“The theatres that are still standing have green room areas and stages behind the screen,” says Chaturvedi. “At Royal Talkies I chanced upon two old letterheads from 1950 and 1962. They had the first and only physical evidence I’ve found of the term ‘Play House’ being used for the area,” he adds.

In the erstwhile princely state of Wadhwan in Gujarat, there stands a dilapidated structure with a solitary ticket window that has a fascinating backstory.

Legend has it that the king of Wadhwan booked a cinématographe - an early film projector invented by the Lumiere Brothers - for 10,000 rupees ($121;

Kala Mandir and Uma Mandir, were built by WM Namjoshi, who designed close to three dozen single-screen theatres in India.

“The owner told me how there was a time when all four theatres would run to capacity, and he and his father would throw crackers from the roof to disperse huge crowds clamouring for tickets outside,” Chaturvedi reminisces.

Nishat Cinema in Mumbai was shut for a long time for renovation and opened its doors recently to screen Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s comeback hit Pathaan.

The theatre ran so full that the owners had to source a ‘Houseful’ board from a neighbouring theatre, as they hadn’t used theirs in decades and didn’t know where it was.

“Many people messaged me after the movie released, saying that it had revived single-screen theatres in India. And all I could say to them is: what happens after Pathaan? Do the theatres go back to languishing in obscurity?”

Content Courtsy :

By Cherylann Mollan BBC News, Mumbai

Thousands of singlescreen cinemas once dotted India’s landscape. The emergence of multiplexes led to their slow demise and now, there are just a few hundred of them left. Cinematographer Hemant Chaturvedi has been chronicling the last vestiges of a dying tradition.

‘I decided to go for it’: Hrithik Roshan hits the gym despite his injury

Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan keeps inspiring his fans with his fitness and rigorous workout regime. He believes in continuing his fitness routine despite of injuries and other health conditions. Recently, the actor shared a video from a gym with his fitness trainer and was working out even after his left bicep tendon injury. He wrote in his caption: “Laughter wasn’t on the agenda that morning. I remember waking weak , it was back and bicep day I think. Both precarious for my injuries. Dreading the number of sets and reps, target obviously set at the highest intensity by Kris. My left bicep tendon injury felt like it’s acting up, I just didn’t want to workout that morning. I felt fear and uncertainty. Decision was left to me. Choice was to take the day off, or to train.

Curiosity won’t kill this Kapoor

When Tillotama Shome promises to spill the beans on Anil Kapoor’s anti-ageing secrets that have kept him in good stead over the years, we are eager to lend an ear. “It’s his sense of security and curiosity that keeps him young,” she says, anticlimactically. Shome, who is resting on the laurels she has received for her act of a government employee attempting to nab a criminal, found it tough to come to terms with Kapoor’s praise.

Sara Ali Khan and Vikrant Massey starrer Gaslight’s first poster out!

Just like the general public, Ileana D’Cruz too has also enjoyed watching some big scale spectacular movies of the recent past. The actress believes that the success of films like RRR or Pathaan in theatres and the adoration they have received from viewers are only a phase or trend that will soon pass.

Ileana told, “We have seen so many trends. There was this trend of women centric films too.” With south films doing great, when asked if she would like to go back to doing them, she replied, “South films are doing well. It is great, absolutely. I feel in a way I am not someone who would just jump in a running train. If the project feels right, if the character feels right… then maybe. It all comes straight down with the gut feeling.”

Ileana further added, “If

you are sitting with a director, producer and you feel they are going to make a great project and you feel like you would love working with them then I would do it. I had that feeling when I met one of the directors of my upcoming project. I hadn’t even seen their work, but somewhere I felt that they are going to be amazing with their work.”

Talking about working in south cinema again, she stated, “When it comes to jumping in the running trend, I have worked down south for 6 years and it feels great. If a sort of a project came up where it made sense then I don’t think why I wouldn’t do it. But I am not someone to say achcha chalo yeh trend chal raha hai toh let’s do it.”

On the professional front, Ileana D’Cruz was last seen in The Big Bull starring alongside Abhishek Bachchan. She will be next seen in Tera Kya Hoga Lovely alongside Randeep Hooda. She will also appear in a Vidya Balan and Pratik Gandhi starrer.

Hemlata is a complicated character to play: Ratna Pathak Shah on ‘Happy Family...’

Mumbai: (IANS) Veteran actress and director Ratna Pathak Shah, who is remembered for playing snobbish socialite woman Maya Sarabhai in popular sitcom ‘Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai’, is happy to collaborate with Jamnadas Majethia and Aatish Kapadia again for the web series ‘Happy Family: Conditions Apply’. However, she said that this time her character Hemlata is going to be completely different from Maya Sarabhai. She shared: “Hemlata is a complicated character to play, it’s not easy as Maya Sarabhai, it’s also not one dimensional so it definitely was a challenge, when Atish

narrated and as the episode progressed the character too was having a good graph, the both character of Hemlata and Maya are outspoken in their own completely different ways, And I hope this character works out she is not smooth but yet she is charming.” The 65-year-old actress has done theatre, films and TV. She has been part of several well-known Hindi and English plays. She has also been part of romantic comedy ‘Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na’, the action comedy ‘Golmaal 3’, family drama ‘Kapoor & Sons’, the black-comedy ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’, romantic comedy, ‘Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu’, among others.

Suniel Shetty CONFIRMS that Sanjay Dutt has bagged the third part of Hera Pheri

Pooja Banerjee began a new chapter of her life last year when she became a mother to a baby girl. After a year’s break, the actor joined the cast of Bade Acche Lagte Hain season 2 as it took a generational leap. She claims that while she has caught a few episodes of the Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar show, the remake is a different story, especially after the leap. “With time, everything changes.

The makers of Gaslight released its first poster today. The film is slated to stream exclusively on the OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar from March 31. The official trailer for the movie will be released by the makers on March 14, 2023. In the poster, Vikrant is seen carrying a lantern standing next to Chitrangada and behind Sara in the first poster.

Suniel Shetty has confirmed Sanjay Dutt’s casting. The actor excitedly spoke about this development and assured readers that Sanju Baba will take the film to another level. To quote Suniel Shetty, “With Sanjay Dutt on board, the film will be a laugh riot, because

Sanju’s sense of comedy is unbelievable. His comic timing and body language will add ek aur chaand to this project. He will take this to another level. We share a fantastic relationship and that will transpire on screen, too.”

‘Pooja Banerjee: Have become more patient and volatile’

I am not someone who would just jump in a running train

Kunal Khemu to play a middle-class miser in ‘Kanjoos Makhichoos’

‘Kalyug’ actor Kunal Khemu has been roped in for the movie ‘Kanjoos Makhichoos’ also featuring Shweta Tripathi and Piyush Mishra. Written and directed by Vipul Mehta, the comedy-drama is all about a middle-class man and how he suffers because of the powerful corrupt system. It is a fight between a common man and an illicit system.

Talking about the movie, and being part of it, Kunal said: “’Kanjoos Makhichoos’ is the kind of film that I would love to watch with my family because it is a complete mass entertainer. It has the perfect dose of drama, comedy, plot twists, a sweet message, and a whole lot of entertainment. Also, I had a great time shooting with my coactors and the entire crew because the energy on set was great. I am sure my fans and their families will enjoy this film.”

Farhad Samji on Satish Kaushik: He was the first to encourage me

Oscars 2023: This actually happened!

PM greets ‘RRR’, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ teams for winning Oscars

Satish Kaushik’s untimely demise could be difficult to comprehend for industry folk who continued to film with him till a mere few days before his passing. Director Farhad Samji, whose upcoming projects — the comedy series Pop Kaun and the Salman Khan-led Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (KKBKKJ) — will feature the deceased actor, remembers him as his first audience member. “I began my journey as a lyricist 22 years ago, and got my first break when Salman sir heard the songs [I had written]. Satish ji was sitting beside him, and was the first person to encourage me, and call me promising. Then Salman sir gave me opportunities,” recalls Samji, whose maiden song as a lyricist was in David Dhawan’s 2002 comedy, Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, which also starred Kaushik.

Samji’s Hum Kisise Kam Nahin track, Munna mobile pappu pager is based on Kaushik’s popular character, Pappu Pager. “Satish ji even visited us while we were recording it,” recounts Samji, adding, “I have written many characters for him. He plays a lovely role in this film, which will release on Eid.” The dependable funny-man of Hindi cinema was an obvious choice for Samji when the latter began casting for the Disney+Hotstar series, Pop Kaun.

Monday morning would have commenced unusually for film aficionados in India. Abreast with the knowledge that three Indian films were competing for top titles at the world’s biggest film awards night, movie buffs would have kicked off their day groggily browsing through their phones to learn if we indeed did clinch an Oscar. The country won not one, but two titles, making this event a historic one for Indian cinema.

At the 95th Academy Awards, SS Rajamouli’s RRR took home the Best Original Song title for MM Keeravaani’s composition, Naatu naatu. The dance number that became an anthem of sorts in India, acquired international acclaim after RRR began to pick up titles across international galas, this year.

Guneet Monga and Kartiki Gonsalves’s The Elephant Whisperers earned the country its second Academy Award this year, making this the first Indian production to win an Oscar.

RRR presenter Jayantilal Gada tells mid-day, “The Oscars is always the dream and the ultimate goal [for filmmakers]. We are humbled and grateful to Rajamouli ji for partnering with us. The film has made India so

proud. I congratulate the entire team.” Gonsalves and Monga dedicated their win in the Best Documentary Short category to India. The Netflix offering about the unbreakable bond between an abandoned elephant and its caretakers earned Monga her second Oscar after Period. End of Sentence. The 2019 film also earned her a title in the same category. “I stand here to speak of our connection with the natural world, for the respect of indigenous communities, and empathy towards other living beings we share a space with,” Gonsalves said, dedicating the win to her “motherland, India”. Monga, who graced the stage in a pink Banarasi saree, said in a statement, “This is an incredibly powerful and historical moment. We, as two women from India, stood on that global stage making this historic win. An independent production house from India has made history to be the first ever Indian film by an Indian production to win an Oscar. My heart is racing with all the joy, love, and excitement in the moment. Today I can say, the future for Indian cinema is audacious, the future is here and not to forget, the future is truly female.”

Deepika Padukone Stuns in Black on Oscar Stage

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated music director M.M. Keeravani and lyricist Chandra Bose after their song “Naatu! Naatu!” from the Telugu film “RRR” won the prestigious Oscar award. Modi also congratulated the team of documentary film “The Elephant Whisperers” for winning the Oscar in the “Best Documentary Short Film” category.

“Exceptional! The popularity of ‘Naatu Naatu’ is global. It will be a song that will be remembered for years to come. Congratulations to @mmkeeravaani, @boselyricist and the entire team for this prestigious honour,” Modi tweeted after “Naatu! Naatu!” won the award.

Telugu states’ CMs compliment ‘RRR’ team on ‘Naatu Naatu’ win

The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana expressed happiness Monday over the Oscar victory for ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the Telugu movie ‘RRR’.

Stalin congratulates Guneet, Kartiki for ‘The Elephant Whisperers’

Shah Rukh Khan lauds ‘RRR,’ ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ Oscar wins, says “truly inspirational”

Taking to Twitter, SRK wrote, “Big hug to @guneetm & @EarthSpectrum for Elephant Whisperers. And @ mmkeeravaani #ChandraBose ji @ ssrajamouli @AlwaysRamCharan @ tarak9999 thank u for showing us all, the way to do it. Both Oscars truly inspirational!!”

Gonsalves and Monga; Chandrabose and MM Keeravaani; the performance at the gala; RRR leading men Ram Charan and Jr NTR. Pics/AFP

Wearing a custom Louis Vuitton, to the Oscars, Bollywood star Deepika Padukone made a major fashion statement. Padukone was one of the presenters at the Oscars stage and she introduced Natu Natu performance on the stage.

The musical performance by Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj was a hit. The crowds cheered loudly when Deepika described the song as a banger. The performance got a standing ovation from the crowds and was a major hit.

San Francisco: The company behind the ChatGPT app that churns out essays, poems or computing code on command released Tuesday a long-awaited update of its artificial intelligence (AI) technology that it said would be safer and more accurate than its predecessor. GPT-4 has been widely awaited ever since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late November, wowing users with its capabilities that were based on an older version of OpenAI’s technology, known as a large language model.

“We’ve created GPT-4, the latest milestone in OpenAI’s effort in scaling up deep learning,” a company blog said, adding that the AI technology “exhibits human-level performance” on some professional and academic tasks.

The company said the model is “more creative and collaborative than ever before” and would “solve difficult problems with greater accuracy” than its earlier versions.

With its update, text responses from GPT-4 will be more accurate, and -- in future -- will come from both image and text inputs in a major leap forward for the technology, though this aspect has not yet been released.

For example, if a user sends a picture of the inside of a refrigerator, GPT-4 will not only correctly identify what is there, but also concoct what can be prepared

“More Creative, Still Flawed”: ChatGPT Creator OpenAI Announces GPT-4

ChatGPT: The company said the model is “more creative and collaborative than ever before” and would “solve difficult problems with greater accuracy” than its earlier versions.

with those ingredients.

OpenAI said it was working with a partner company, Be My Eyes, to prepare the next advance.

Much of the new model’s firepower is now available to the general public via ChatGPT Plus, OpenAI’s paid subscription plan and on a AI-powered version of Microsoft’s Bing search engine that is currently being tested.

OpenAI is backed by Microsoft, which earlier this year said it would finance the research company to the tune of billions of dollars.

The Windows-maker then swiftly integrated the tech into its Bing search engine, Edge browser and other products.

Microsoft’s aggressive adoption of ChatGPT has sparked a race with Google which announced its own versions of the AI technology, with Amazon, Baidu and Meta also wading in, eager to avoid being left behind.

- Less ‘hallucinations’ -

OpenAI said that the new version was far less likely to go off the rails than its earlier chatbot with widely reported interactions with ChatGPT or Bing’s chatbot in which users were presented with lies, insults, or other so-called “hallucinations.”

“We spent six months making GPT-4 safer and more aligned. GPT-4 is 82 percent less likely to respond to

China tightens grip on lithium

Lithium is a crucial component in electric vehicle batteries and demand for the metal is set to soar as petrol and diesel cars are phased out

in the Goulamina lithium mine in Mali in 2021, which is scheduled to start shipping products towards the end of this year.

requests for disallowed content and 40 percent more likely to produce factual responses,” OpenAI said. Founder Sam Altman admitted that despite the anticipation, GPT-4 “is still flawed, still limited, and it still seems more impressive on first use than it does after you spend more time with it.” “The power of the algorithm will increase, but it’s not a second revolution,” said Robert Vesoul, CEO of Illuin Technology, a French AI start-up.

Vesoul questioned the safety measures taken by OpenAI, which has already been hit by criticism from billionaire Elon Musk that the company is overly curbing speech on its AI in order to avoid more embarrassing responses.

“I am not sure if I want an AI to block responses on unknown topics… Should an AI decide if I smoke or not?” Vesoul told AFP.

Other companies partnering in the rollout of GPT-4 include Morgan Stanley that will use the AI to help guide its bankers and their clients.

“You essentially have the knowledge of the most knowledgeable person in Wealth Management— instantly,” said Morgan Stanley Jeff McMillan in a statement.

Other partners include Khan Academy, the online tutoring giant and Stripe, a financial app that will use GPT-4 to fight fraud and for other uses.

India stays top arms importer

European nations following the Russian invasion in February 2022, the report says.

Kyiv, which had imported few major arms since Ukrainian independence in 1991 till the end of 2021, was the 14th biggest overall importer during 201822, it adds.

Part of this will come from projects in China mining lepidolite — a type of lithiumbearing rock — that are relatively quick to develop. UBS estimates China’s lepidolite will rise from 88,000 tons last year to about 280,000 ton by 2025. However, recent investment in African projects is also expected to trigger rapid growth in supply.

“We are watching a number of key projects that we have higher conviction [in],” the analysts wrote in a recent note. These include the Arcadia lithium project near Harare, Zimbabwe, which was bought by Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt for $422 million last December.

Ganfeng Lithium, another Chinese business, bought a $130 million stake

Chinese-backed projects in Africa produced about 3,000 tons of the metal last year but this is on course to rise to 160,000 tons by 2025.

China’s dominance of the battery industry has triggered alarm in the West as tensions between Beijing and Washington rise.

The US is trying to push through trade rules aimed at breaking China’s stranglehold over the battery metals market.

The proposals stipulate that a large portion of the critical metals in an electric car battery must come from the US or one of its Free Trade Agreement partners in order to qualify for subsidies. Senator Joe Manchin said carmakers should “get aggressive and make sure that we’re extracting in North America.

India continues to be the world’s top importer of major weapons and military equipment, accounting for 11 per cent of the global arms imports between 2018 and 2022, says a report released on Monday by the Swedish think tank, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).

While this suggests the Narendra Modi government’s “Make in India” motto for the defence sector has a long way to catch up, the report says Indian arms imports fell 11 per cent between the periods 2013- 17 and 2018-22, partly because of domestic production.

Saudi Arabia was the world’s secondlargest arms importer for the 2018-22 period followed by Qatar, Australia and China.

Ukraine became the third-largest importer of major arms during 2022 (after Qatar and India) as a result of military aid from the US and many

Prime Minister Modi had last month said that India had “rejuvenated” its defence production sector in the last eight to nine years and was looking at increasing its export of military hardware from $1.5 billion to $5 billion by 2024-25.

“India’s tensions with Pakistan and China largely drive its demand for arms imports,” the Sipri report says.

“With 11 per cent of total global arms imports, India was the world’s biggest importer of major arms in 2018-2022, a position it has held for the period 1993-2022. It retained this position even though its arms imports dropped by 11 per cent between 2013-17 and 2018-22.” The decrease, the report says, can be attributed to factors such as India’s slow and complex arms procurement process, efforts to diversify its arms suppliers, and attempts to replace imports with major arms that are designed and produced domestically.

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Father Of Indian-American Doc Killed In Carjacking Case Worried For Others

New York, March 11 (IANS) Father of an Indian-American doctor killed by carjackers in Northwest DC, last year, worries that the thieves, who remain at large, may still be harming others. Rakesh Patel, 33, from Washington Hospital Center had left his Mercedes running while he dropped off a package for his friend near Florida Avenue and 18th Street in Adams Morgan on March 8, 2022, NBC4 Washington reported. A group of thieves jumped into the car, and when Patel tried to stop them, they ran over him and drove away.

Security cameras showed two masked men leaving the car at 16th Street and Roxanna Road in Northwest later that night. They returned the next day with what looked like a bottle of bleach and they took a floor mat.

Raj Patel told NBC4 that he is still

$50,000 Reward Offered For Information On Theft Of USPS Letter Carrier Truck

heartbroken over the death of his son. “Once they said they had a lead, and then they said they lost the lead, and that’s about it,” Raj Patel said.”It hurts to know that nobody can reverse what happened, nobody can change it,” Patel said.

Arun Subramanian Is The First Indian American NY District Court Judge

“But I think the people that committed the crime, that if they don’t go after them, they keep on doing it.” With so far no arrests being made in the case, Raj worries that the carjackers might kill another innocent person. “My son is not going to come back, but at least somebody else’s son might be saved,” he said. “You don’t know… It could be the president’s son. You never know, but they can be saved, right?” The doctor was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.

According to DC Police, the victim’s stolen vehicle was found the following afternoon about five miles from the scene of the hit-and-run — close to the Maryland border. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrests of the killer or killers.

New Jersey Toy Manufacturer Recalls 3.2 Million Toys for Choking Hazard

NEW JERSEY- A toy company based in New Jersey, Epoch Everlasting Play, has recalled 3.2 million children’s toys due to a serious choking hazard. The

Calico Critters toys, sold with a baby bottle and pacifier, have caused three choking incidents, including two deaths. All Calico Critters animal figures and sets with the recalled accessories are included in the recall. The toys were sold nationwide at retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and the company’s website between January 2000 and December 2021. Customers are advised to remove the recalled products from their children and contact the company for replacement accessories and disposal instructions.

Ex-College Indian Origin Student In Wisconsin Arrested For Alleged Threats In Michigan

DENVER, CO —The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is seeking information on the robbery of a U.S. Postal Service truck that took place on January 28th, 2023 at around 3:09 PM. The truck was near the intersection of Kearney Street and 19th Avenue in the South Park Hill neighborhood when it was robbed by an unknown suspect. The suspect fled the scene in a silver Honda sedan, traveling eastbound on East 19th Avenue.

The USPIS has described the suspect as a Hispanic man who was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a red jacket at the time of the robbery. If anyone sees the suspect, they are advised to contact local law enforcement or the USPIS line at 1-877-876-2455. All information reported will be kept confidential. The USPIS is offering a reward of up to $50,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. The USPIS is urging anyone with information about the robbery to come forward to help bring the suspect to justice.

Arvin Raj Mathur

MADISON, WI. – Arvin Raj Mathur, a former graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been arrested and charged with interstate or foreign threat to injure after he allegedly sent emails containing death threats to nine people associated with the university. Mathur was arrested at Detroit Metropolitan Airport by federal agents after traveling from Copenhagen, where he was enrolled at a university. He is currently being

Mathur sent emails from outside the U.S. to graduate students, staff members, and professors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, threatening to kill their children

held without bond in Michigan’s St. Clair County Jail and is scheduled for a detention hearing on Tuesday. According to court records, Mathur sent emails from outside the U.S. to graduate students, staff members, and professors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, threatening to kill their children. In one email, he reportedly threatened to “murder their children” and “hide their flesh inside of their burger meat.” In another email, he threatened to kill the daughters of an assistant professor. The emails left the recipients frightened and worried about their family’s safety.

Mathur has been charged in the U.S. District Court’s Western Division of Wisconsin and is being represented by court-appointed attorney Amanda Bashi. At the time of writing, Bashi has not responded to messages seeking comment.

NEW YORK, NY- Indian-American

Arun Subramanian will be the District Judge for the Southern District of New York according to confirmation by the United States Senate. Subramanian’s nomination was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 58-37. This will be the first time a South Asian will be holding this position. Senate Majority Leader Senate Chuck Schumer said, “We have confirmed Arun Subramanian as an SDNY (Southern District of New York) judge. He’s a son of Indian immigrants and the 1st South AsianAmerican judge confirmed to SDNY — which has one of the largest South Asian-American populations in the country. He’s dedicated his career to fighting for people.” Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Subramanian’s parents immigrated to America from India in the early 1970s

Two Indian American CEO’s In Biden’s Advisory Committee

Another accomplishment in the long growing list of Indian Americans scaling new heights in the country came in the form of two new names in President Biden’s Advisory Committee. The President has named two IndianAmericans — Revathi Advaithi, who is the CEO of Flex, and Manish Bapna, CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council — into the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.

Biden would be appointing 14 people to the Advisory Committee, which provides overall policy advice to the United States Trade Representative on matters pertaining to development, implementation, and administration of the US trade policy.

Advaithi is a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Advanced Manufacturing CEO Community and joined the WEF Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. Bapna is an economist and he started his career at McKinsey & Company and the World Bank.

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(L-R) Manish Bapna & Revathi Advaithi HiIndia Newsdesk

TAGC Honors Women’s Achievements On International Women’s Day Celebration

The participants raised money for non-profit organizations, Suguna Foundation and Akshaya Foundation, which support the care and living for needy seniors and education for children respectively.

CHICAGO, IL: The International Women’s Day celebration organized by the Telugu Association of Greater Chicago (TAGC), in collaboration with the American Telangana Sangham (ATS) was a huge success. The event brought together over 500 women from different parts of the Chicago area to celebrate the theme “Be the heroine of your life.” The program started with a devotional song by Singer Shruti Thakur and the lighting of the lamp by TAGC President, Sri Parameswara Reddy Yarasani, and other dignitaries.

The keynote speech was given by Smt Vidya Nahar, who spoke about the importance of yoga for women, and other speakers, Smt Satya Rangaraju and Smt Subhapriya Lakshmanan, spoke about women’s empowerment. The event also recognized several senior women from the Chicago Area Telugu Seniors (CATS) association who have made significant contributions to the Indian community over the years.

ISKCON Celebrates Gaura Purnima Festival

The celebration included a fashion walk, reels competition, guess and grab a saree, Kahoot games, and other activities that kept the attendees engaged. Delicious evening snacks and dinner were arranged by the TAGC food team, and anchor Sameera Illendula added energy to the event with her fun lines and witty questions. The participants raised money for non-profit organizations, Suguna Foundation and Akshaya Foundation, which support the care and living for needy seniors and education for children respectively. Regal Jewelers sponsored gold and silver coins for raffle tickets, and every participant received a return gift sponsored by Kalyani Jonnavithula, the owner of PM consulting.TAGC President Parameswara Reddy Yarasani and Women’s Day Chair Madhavi expressed their hope that the event would inspire attendees to continue to work towards empowering women in their communities and thanked the sponsors and partners who supported the event.

Rising Indian American Badminton Star Shines In Atlanta

Alabama Democrats Push For Exceptions In State’s Abortion Ban For Rape And Incest Cases

CHCAGO, IL: Gaura Purnima, the celebration of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance, was held at the ISKCON Temple in Chicago on March 6th, 2023. The event was attended by hundreds of people from various backgrounds, including devotees from different nationalities, races, and religions.

The Deputy Consul General of India, Chicago, Shri T. D. Bhutia, addressed the gathering and spoke about the relevance of the Bhagavad Gita as a solution to daily problems. ISKCON Chicago has been serving the Rogers Park community for over 50 years and is part of the global ISKCON community of 650+ temples, Bhakti Centers, farmlands, eco-villages, and vegetarian restaurants.

The Hare Krsna movement is based on Bhakti Yoga and traces its roots back 5,000 years. The temple holds regular Sunday Feast events, study groups, music and Sunday school classes, distributes food and spiritual books, and hosts festivals and workshops.

ATLANTA, GA- Excelling in sports requires a combination of physical, mental, and emotional skills, and 9-year-old Sai Ratan Shankar is well aware of this. Currently ranked 6th in the USA Badminton Junior Ranking (Boys Singles Under 11 category), Sai is well on his way to becoming a professional badminton player. Sai was introduced to the sport at the tender age of six, and what started as fun quickly turned into a love for the game. Recognizing his potential, Sai’s parents decided to get him professional help, and that’s when Coach Allan de Leon entered the picture. As the former head coach of the Philippine Badminton Association, Coach Allan brought the expertise and stability needed to take Sai to the next level, and he has been instrumental in shaping his career ever since.

Proper technique is the foundation of any sport, and Coach Allan makes sure that Sai doesn’t falter in this regard. He provides support, motivation, and guidance every step of the way.

A fourth-grader from south Forsyth

County, Georgia, Sai is not to be taken lightly. With early morning practice sessions before school and extended sessions after, his relentless training and hard work have paid off. He has been wowing audiences with his technique and resilience, beating players with much more experience.

Sai’s support system is fortified by the Atlanta Badminton Club, located in Johns Creek, GA, and owned by Chandra Sivalingam. Chandra provides a safe and encouraging environment for training, and is very accommodating of Sai’s schedule.

Sai has competed in various tournaments around the States, and each win has made him more confident in his pursuit. In 2023, he started the year with a bang, bringing home 2 Gold, 1 Silver, and 2 Bronze medals. Notable wins include a Bronze in the Boys Singles and Gold in both Boys Doubles & Mixed Doubles categories in the 2023 South California Open Regional Championship, and a Silver for Boys Singles Under 11 and Bronze in Boys Doubles Under 11 in the 2023 South Frisco Open Regional Championship.

Sen. Vivian Davis Figures proposes exceptions for rape and incest in Alabama’s restrictive abortion ban

MOBILE, AL- Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, a Democrat from Mobile, Alabama, has filed legislation to allow exemptions for rape and incest in the state’s near-total abortion ban.

The ban, which went into effect this summer, allows no exceptions for rape or incest. Democrats in the Alabama Legislature are seeking to change this, but without Republican support, their efforts are unlikely to succeed. Republicans hold large majorities in both the Alabama House of Representatives and the Senate. Despite this, Republicans in the state have shown some openness to revision of the abortion ban, with Rep. Terri Collins indicating a willingness to have conversations with fellow Republicans on the issue.

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Tragedy Strikes NYC Family As Son Stabbed Teen Sister In Fit Of Anger

neighbors say drives a cab and owns a taxi service, is currently on a trip to Bangladesh.

The boy allegedly got into an argument with his sister and used a steak knife to stab her multiple times. He then called 911 to report a “break-in” with a knife, but the wounded sister was able to identify her brother as the attacker. Police say the boy told them that his sister was “bothering” him before the attack.

One neighbor reported that the boy is autistic and often has screaming fits, but the family was considered to be the nicest neighbors they ever had and there was never any trouble before the incident.

USCIS Processing Times For Orphan And Hague Adoption Cases

QUEENS, NY- A 13-year-old boy in Queens, New York is facing assault charges for allegedly stabbing his 14-year-old sister multiple times inside their family home in Jamaica. The boy’s mother, Rupiah Begum, says she is at a

loss to understand what happened and that her son and daughter typically have a good relationship.

Begum was at work when she received the emergency call about the stabbing incident, which took place around 7 p.m. on Saturday. Her husband, who

The boy is speaking to detectives at the 113th Precinct stationhouse, while his sister remains in critical condition at Jamaica Hospital. The mother says she still doesn’t know what happened and is struggling to understand the situation.

City Of Chicago Settles With Juul Labs For $23.8M Over Marketing To Underage Youth

CHICAGO, IL — The City of Chicago has reached a settlement of $23.8 million with JUUL Labs over allegations of harmful and deceptive business practices. JUUL Labs was accused of marketing and selling its e-cigarette products to underage users. The settlement will be used by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to prevent and reduce youth vaping through education, local policies, parent and teacher supports, cessation supports, improvements in data, and community engagement and outreach initiatives. JUUL Labs introduced its e-cigarette products in 2015 and quickly became the leading supplier in the United States. Today, high school students in Chicago are 10 times more likely to use e-cigarettes than traditional combustible cigarettes. The use of e-cigarettes among

Three Patients At A Hospital In Cincinnati Have Tested Positive For Legionella

CINCINNATI, OH- The Christ Hospital in Mount Auburn, Ohio has taken the precautionary measure of switching to bottled water for its staff, patients, and guests after three patients tested positive for the presence of Legionella. Although it is not yet clear whether the patients have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease, a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, the hospital has taken immediate action to increase water testing protocols and initiate an investigation. The source of the bacteria remains inconclusive, but the hospital is using bottled water as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of its patients, staff, and guests.

youth is a serious public health concern, as it can lead to addiction to nicotine, inhalation of toxic chemicals, exposure to illicit drugs, an increased risk of asthma attacks, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

The settlement agreement resolves a lawsuit brought by the City in May 2020, which claimed that JUUL violated City ordinances by marketing its products to minors and selling without implementing strict age verification requirements. JUUL has been named in thousands of lawsuits for its deceptive

marketing practices and minimizing the risks of its products.

The City of Chicago has taken action against multiple sellers of e-cigarettes and e-juices for their unfair marketing tactics aimed at luring youth into a harmful addiction. Since 2018, the City has filed nine lawsuits against 45 online vaping retailers and has reached settlements with 50 companies, requiring them to change their business practices and pay almost $27 million in fines. JUUL has agreed to pay the City $2.8 million within 30 days of the execution of the agreement, with an additional $21 million payment later this year and up to $750,000 in courtawarded payments. The settlement agreement is a victory for the City of Chicago in its fight against chronic disease and to protect its youth from the dangers of vaping.

Man Sentenced For Gun Linked To Fatal Shooting Of A Sikh Store Owner In Ogden

was reportedly used in the murder of Satnam Singh, 65, owner of the Super Grocery convenience store in Ogden. The incident took place in February 2021 when Antonio Garcia, a 15-yearold, entered the store with the intent of robbing Singh but ended up shooting him twice, ultimately resulting in his death.

WASHINGTON, DC- USCIS announced a change in our method for calculating orphan and Hague adoption case processing times. In response to this announcement, we received several questions from stakeholders that we address in this FAQ posted on our USCIS Electronic Reading Room (PDF, 136.04 KB). We know that behind every adoption case is a child and a family, and we take this responsibility very seriously. We are always looking for ways to streamline our adoption-related processing. We will continue to adjudicate intercountry adoption cases as quickly and efficiently as possible and provide you with as much transparency as we can. Engagement and Outreach

We welcome feedback from our adoption stakeholders. We are planning a USCIS national adoption engagement in the coming months. You may visit our Feedback Opportunities and Contact Us pages for information on the many ways you can communicate with us.

Teenagers Riding Stolen Horses Hit By Vehicle On Dallas Highway

DALLAS, TX- At least one person and two horses were killed early Tuesday morning after being hit by a vehicle on a busy road in Dallas. According to the Dallas police, the incident occurred just before 6 a.m. on Great Trinity Forest Way near Interstate 45. The three juveniles who were riding the stolen horses were struck by the vehicle.

OGDEN, UT -On March 10th, Taydon Tailor,22, Law was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and an additional three years of probation for unlawfully possessing a firearm that

Garcia was found guilty of murder and related charges, receiving three consecutive terms of five years to life in prison. Law had admitted to knowingly possessing a firearm and ammunition without permission from a residence where he was employed. This admission was made in court on October 18th, 2022.

One of the teens and one of the horses died on the spot, while the second horse had to be euthanized by a veterinarian at the scene. The third horse was injured but is expected to survive. The two other teens were taken to the hospital with injuries. The driver who hit them did stop to help and is cooperating with the authorities. The police investigation has led to the closure of both east and westbound directions of Great Trinity Forest Way for several hours.

It is still unclear if the surviving teens will face charges for riding stolen horses. However, the driver is not expected to face any charges as they stopped to help and are cooperating with the investigation.

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(L-R) Taydon Tailor, 22 & Satnam Singh, 65

Indian Seniors Of Chicago Celebrated March Yoga And Birthday Program

Vimal Kapur Becomes CEO Of US-Based Honeywell As IndianOrigin Glory Continues

CHICAGO, IL-On Saturday, March 11, 2023, the Indian Seniors of Chicago held their monthly general meeting at the Manav Seva Mandir at 10:00 a.m. The meeting was well-attended, with approximately 230 members present. The program began with a prayer and the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa by executive members Bhupendra Suthar, Geeta Suthar, Panna Shah, and Anjana Patel. All members joined in the prayer. The meeting was successfully conducted by Mr. Naleen Shah. Mr. C. V. Desai presented the account

Gold Nuggets And Bars Valued At $67,830 Seized By Cincinnati CBP

CINCINNATI, OH—On March 9, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized an outbound shipment of clothing at the Port of Cincinnati after discovering it also contained loose gold and gold bars worth far more than the declared value of $125 USD.

The shipment originated from San Francisco and was headed for Hong Kong. They then found four gold bars and a box of loose gold concealed within articles of clothing. CBP’s Laboratories and Scientific Services confirmed the gold was approximately 98% pure, leading import specialists to assess the value of the shipment at $67,830.

of February 2023 and acknowledged the names of the donors. Shri Bipin Shah shared insightful details about Holi and Dhuleti. On the occasion of Ramnavami, Shri Ashwin Seth spoke emotionally about Shri Ram Janma, Ramayana Life Message.

A program of greetings was held for members whose birthdays fall in the month of March. Mr. Bhupendra Suthar invited the members whose birthdays were in March to come forward, and all members greeted tham. The birthday members were felicitated with birthday cards.

Mr. Ratilal and Manju Patel sponsored

the meal for the day, and Kantibhai Patel honored them with a bouquet of flowers and thanked them. The main program for the day was a yoga demonstration. Shri Chittaranjan Desai introduced Mrs. Anu Malhotra, an expert in yoga. Mrs. Anu Malhotra demonstrated different yoga asanas and meditation for about an hour. Shri Narsinhbhai Patel honored her with a bouquet of flowers and thanked her and the members for participating in the yoga program. The members chanted a group prayer ‘Sahna Vavatu Sanau Bhunaktu Saha Viryam Karva Wahi’ and enjoyed a delicious meal, concluding the program.

Chicagohenge Is Coming Up On March 20

CHICAGO, IL- It’s that time of the year again when photography enthusiasts pick up their cameras to go and capture the unique natural phenomenon that can be seen from the city, just twice every year. Due to the architecture of Chicago’s street grid, when the sun is in equinox position viewers get to watch a stunning sunrise and sunset almost as if framed between the city’s high rises. This year, the spring equinox is on March 20 and the best time to view and capture this would be on the day as well as a day before and after the equinox day. You can watch the sun appearing to magically nestle between Chicago streets at sunrise or sunset time.

Border Clash: Migrants Attempt To Force Entry At El Paso-Mexico Crossing

EL PASO, TX- On March 13, 2023, hundreds of migrants, mostly Venezuelan nationals, attempted to cross the bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez in Mexico and El Paso, Texas in the United States. The migrants broke through Mexican security but were stopped by US border agents in riot gear and barbed wire. Videos posted on social media showed the crowd, which included children, attempting to cross the bridge before retreating back to the Mexican side. The incident prompted criticism from Republican leaders, with Texas Senator John Cornyn accusing President Joe Biden of failing to work with congressional leaders to address the issue of migration.

Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) said that the group posed “a potential threat to make a mass entry”. In the year ending September 2022, a record total of 2.76 million migrants were

stopped from entering the United States. Some of the migrants in the crowd claimed frustration with the new US government app, CBP One, meant to streamline the asylum application process, while others said they heard a rumor that they would be let into the United States due to a “day of the

migrant” celebration.

Several migrants’ rights organizations have reported issues with the CBP One app, including lack of appointments, geolocation failures, and glitches. The US Department of Homeland Security says recent updates to the app will improve the system.

New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) USbased consumer tech conglomerate Honeywell on Tuesday announced that Vimal Kapur, President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Darius Adamczyk as CEO on June 1. Having graduated from the Thapar Institute of Engineering in Punjab’s Patiala as an electronics engineer with a specialisation in instrumentation, Kapur was also appointed to the company’s board of directors, effective March 13.

Adamczyk will continue to serve as Executive Chairman of Honeywell, said the company, adding that these moves ensure a seamless leadership transition and position Honeywell for continued outperformance versus peers.

“Kapur brings 34 years of deep knowledge about our businesses, end markets and customer needs. His ability to drive our key sustainability and digitalisation strategic initiatives, along with his advancement of our world class operating system –Honeywell Accelerator – throughout the organisation, gives him an outstanding platform to drive continued outperformance for our shareowners,” said Adamczyk. Kapur, 57, was named President and COO in July 2022, and has been leading the creation of new solutions to help customers drive their sustainability transformations and accelerate their digital transformation journeys.

As COO, Kapur has also overseen the continued integration of Honeywell Accelerator across the organisation and furthering its adoption as an operational system for everything that Honeywell does.

Prior to his role as COO, he served as President and CEO of Performance Materials and Technologies (PMT), an $11 billion global leader in the development of high-performance products and solutions. Kapur said that it has been a privilege to work in a variety of businesses and functions over his three decades with Honeywell. “Honeywell is playing a major role in making the world a better place, and I am both proud and humbled to take on the CEO role of this great company,” he said. Prior to leading PMT, Kapur served as President and CEO of HBT, a $6 billion global leader in building technology offerings.

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Vimal Kapur

News Breif

Russia jet hits US drone

US Panel Considers EADs for Green Card Applicants Waiting Over 5 Years

including Indians. The recommendation proposes that the Department of Homeland Security’s US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS-USCIS) grant employment authorisation documents (EADs) and travel documents to individuals who have approved I-140 employment-based visa petitions in the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 categories.

that require theoretical or technical expertise.

Two Russian aircraft on Tuesday intercepted a US Air Force surveillance drone over the Black Sea, striking the drone’s propeller and forcing US forces to bring it down in international waters, according to US European Command, which caused the incident “unsafe and unprofessional”. The collision occurred at around 8:03am Central European Time and involved Russian Su-27 fighter jets and an MQ-9 Reaper drone, the statement said. One of the Russian fighters struck the propeller of the drone, it said. “Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” the statement said. “This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”

Telugu superstar

Krishna Ghattamaneni, only Indian in the Oscar Memoriam section

The recommendation comes at a time when highly skilled foreign-born workers face long waits for their immigrant visas to be processed

A presidential advisory commission has discussed the possibility of issuing employment authorisation cards in the early stages of Green Card application, a move if approved by the Biden administration would end the agonising wait for the Permanent Resident Card for highly skilled foreign-born workers,

And also who have been waiting in the visa backlog for five or more years regardless of whether they have filed applications for adjustment of status.

Members of the President’s Advisory Commissioner for Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander commission on Tuesday held a detailed discussion on the proposal moved by an eminent Indian-American community leader and its member Ajay Jain Bhutoria, who in his presentation highlighted the challenges faced by H-1B visa holders in the United States.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations

Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. During the meeting, which was webcast live, members of the commission sought further information on this recommendation and decided to bring it up in the next full commission meeting.

Bhutoria said such a move would benefit the US by ensuring that the country can continue to attract and retain global talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and by improving the lives of many foreign-born scientists, engineers, and physicians.

The recommendation comes at a time when highly skilled foreign-born workers, including Indians, face long waits for their immigrant visas to be processed during which they may lose out on job opportunities or be forced to leave the country because their prior nonimmigrant visas have expired.

Opposition Calls Off March On Adani Row After Big Blockade By Delhi Police

Leaders of several opposition parties were on Wednesday stopped by the police at Vijay Chowk here as they took out a protest march from Parliament House to hand over a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate on the Adani issue.

As the opposition leaders were stopped from proceeding to the agency’s office, they returned to Parliament complex. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the police was not allowing the opposition MPs of around 18 parties to march in protest and present its case for a detailed investigation into the Adani issue.

The police said the opposition MPs cannot march forward as Section 144

Zofeen Maqsood

Every year, as part of the Oscar awards ceremony, the ‘In Memoriam,’ segment pays tribute to the filmmakers, artists and people associated with the worldwide cinema who lost their lives the previous year. This time, as the Oscar ceremony took off, the ‘In Memoriam’ segment paid respects to Hollywood big wigs such as Raquel Welch, composer Burt Bacharach, directors Wolfgang Petersen and many others. Out of the 270 artists remembered for their contributions was also the name of one Indian.

Krishna Ghattamaneni, yesteryears’ Telugu superstar and father to South Indian sensation Mahesh Babu who lost his life in November 2022 was mentioned in the segment. Ghattamaneni, began his career in the 2960’s and has done 350 films in his career. He was also the highest paying actor of his time.

“My Arrest Part of London Plan”: Imran Khan Releases Another Video

CrPC was imposed in the area. “Opposition MPs of nearly 18 parties want to give a memorandum to the Enforcement Directorate on the Adani issue, but the government is not allowing us to march forward and the police have stopped us at Vijay Chowk,” Kharge told reporters.

“We want to present our case to ED for a detailed investigation on the Adani issue and we will keep trying to march forward,” the Congress chief said. Congress deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Pramod Tiwari said, “We are 200 MPs of opposition parties and were seeking to march to ED office to present a memorandum for a probe into the Adani issue, but we were stopped forcibly by the police.”

Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi, Daughter Get Bail In Land-For-Jobs Case

Islamabad: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan accused the federal government of planning his arrest saying this is all part of a “London plan” to finish all cases against the country’s former premier Nawaz Sharif.

In a video message, Imran Khan said, “This is part of the London plan and an agreement has been signed there to put Imran in jail, make the PTI fall and finish all cases against Nawaz Sharif.” He further stated that he doesn’t understand the reason behind the attack on people as he had already assured that he will be present in court on March 18. These comments came as the tension prevailed in Lahore in the early hours of Wednesday. More contingents were called to PTI chairman’s Zaman Park residence -- where a stand-off between party supporters and law enforcers has been going on for more than 14 hours -- for the former prime minister’s arrest. “According to Code of Criminal Procedure Section 76, if this surety bond is given to the arresting officer, then I cannot be arrested,” Imran said.

a corruption case. The case will be heard next on March 29.

Lalu Yadav arrived in a wheelchair in his first court appearance after a kidney transplant in Singapore three months ago.

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As the leaders were stopped from proceeding to the agency’s office, they returned to Parliament complex

New Delhi: Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and their daughter Misa Bharti were granted bail today by a CBI court in

India became the capital of women’s boxing: IBA president Kremlev

New Delhi: (IANS) The International Boxing Association (IBA) president Umar Kremlev on Tuesday termed India as the capital of women’s boxing as the country is all set for the biggest boxing event with the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2023, kickstarting on Wednesday at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, here.

Hosted by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), the prestigious tournament is taking place in India for the third timethe most for any country in the history of the championship. The previous two editions took place in 2006 and 2018 in New Delhi.

“India became the capital of women’s boxing and now we are witnessing historical moments together. Generally, 250 to 260 boxers compete in such championships but this year it’s a huge championship,” Kremlev said while addressing the media during the press conference which was also attended

104 matches in 2026 World Cup

by the BFI president Ajay Singh along with the Rio Olympics champion Estelle Mossely of France and the reigning African champion Sara Haghighat-joo from Sierra Leone.

“I think the fact that India is hosting the championship for the third time is testimony to the fact that India is a real power in boxing and as the IBA President

Steve Smith to lead Australia in ODI series

said it is indeed a capital of women’s boxing in the world. What gives us even greater pleasure is the fact that the sport has enabled us to empower women in our country. And we look upon boxing as one of the paths by which women from backgrounds, which are not often the best, rise up and become champions of the world,” said BFI President Ajay Singh.

Sunil Gavaskar reckons Hardik Pandya can lead Team India

Senior batter Steve Smith will lead Australia against India in the upcoming three-match ODI series as regular captain Pat Cummins, who lost his mother recently, will not return to the country for the whiteball contest.

Cummins had left for home after the second Test in Delhi to take care of his mother Maria, who died of breast cancer last week.

The first game of the three-match series will be played in Mumbai on Friday.

“Pat won’t be coming back, he’s still taking care of what’s happened back home,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said.

Shreyas Iyer suffers lower back pain again

The 2026 World Cup will have 104 matches instead of the traditional 64 games due to the expanded format with 48 teams taking part, Fifa said on Tuesday.

The 2026 edition, which will be cohosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will be the first edition of the quadrennial tournament where 48 teams are taking part.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar reckons Hardik Pandya can stake claim for leadership role in one-dayers too after the World Cup this year, provided his side emerges victorious against Australia in the first ODI here on Friday. With regular skipper Rohit Sharma set to miss the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium due to family commitments, Pandya has been named the stand-in captain for the contest.

The 29-year-old all-rounder, who captained Gujarat Titans to title win in their maiden appearance in the Indian Premier League last season, is already the incumbent leader for India in the shortest format. “I have been very impressed with his (Hardik’s) captaincy at the T20 level for the Gujarat Titans and for India when he is captaining the T20 side. I do believe that if he wins the first game in Mumbai, then you can almost stamp him as the India captain once the World Cup is over in 2023,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.

“He can be an impact player as well as a game changer in the middle-order. Even for the Gujarat team, he was promoting himself up the order knowing that this was the time when the team needed some momentum and push, and he would do that,” Gavaskar said.

I let complications grow on me, not scoring big was eating me up: Kohli

India’s star batter Virat Kohli has admitted that not being able to make any substantial contribution to team India’s cause for a long time was “eating him up” and he let the expectations overwhelm him a bit because he was desperate to score a big Test hundred. Kohli hit a splendid 186 against Australia in the drawn fourth Test, ending a three-year wait to get his 28th Test century.

In a conversation with head coach Rahul Dravid, the 34-year old Kohli revealed that the weight of expectations became a bit tough to handle for him.

“Honestly, I’ve let the complications grow on me a bit because of my shortcomings,” Kohli told Dravid in the chat, the video

of which was posted by the BCCI on its website.

“The desperation to get to the three-figure mark is something that can grow on you as a batsman. I let that happen to me to a certain extent. But a flip side to it is, I’m not a guy who is happy with 40-45. I take a lot of pride in performing for the team.

“It’s not like when Virat Kohli should stand out. When I’m batting on 40, I know I can get a 150. That was eating me up a lot.

“Why am I not able to get that big score for the team? Because I took pride in the fact that when the team needed me, I stood up, scoring in difficult conditions.

The fact that I wasn’t able to do that, was bothering me,” he added.

Asked by Dravid how tough it was, Kohli said, “If I’ve to be brutally honest, it does

become a little difficult as the moment you step out of the hotel room, right from the guy outside, to the guy in the lift, the bus driver everyone is saying ‘we want a hundred’.

“So, it does play on your mind all the time but that’s also the beauty of playing for so long to have these complications come up and overcome these challenges,” Kohli said. Kohli dished out an uncharacteristic 364-ball innings, spanning more than eight hours and 30 minutes. It was his 75th international century across formats.

The Indian team and National Cricket Academy’s injury management has once again come under scanner with the recurrence of Shreyas Iyer’s back injury. Pain in his lower back forced Iyer to miss his batting turn on day four of the fourth Test here. There is a high possibility that Iyer could miss the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting March 17 in Mumbai.

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Design Houses Are Introducing India Specific Collections

It’s no news that is India is home to countless embroideries, surface embellishments and textile treatments. Bandhani, kalamkari, kashida and rabari are literally the tip of the iceberg – there also lies an uncharted pandora box housing lesser known techniques from quaint little parts of our nation. Given the rich textile legacy, it’s but natural for the west to turn to our centuries spanning heritage for designing collections that pay homage to our motherland.

Louis Vuitton’s India ‘Rani Pink’ Shoe Collection

Aries

Author Bio:

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

17th March to 23rd March 2023

Ganesha says that that the people of Aries will have to avoid haste while doing any work this week. At the beginning of the week, suddenly some big problems may come in front of you, which will need to be solved patiently. During this, avoid being misled or pressured by anyone.

Taurus

The limited edition collection launched by the LVMH owned company was an attempt to break into the competitive Indian wedding and festive market, the launch date was proof. Featuring rani pink and metallic gold block heels, mules, sneakers and the slingback pumps, the condensed lineup stayed true to the LV’s prototypical sensibilities.

Michael Kors’ Diwali Collection Jimmy Choo’s Shaan Capsule

Ganesha says thatthe people of Taurus should avoid running towards other things leaving the opportunity at hand this week, otherwise the saying of the half leaving everything, half getting nothing can come true with them. This week you will have amazing energy and enthusiasm to do your work, which if used in the right direction can give you unexpected success.

Gemini

Ganesha says that if the people of the Gemini sign complete their work on time this week in a planned way, then they can get desired success and profit. This week, he will get the full support of luck and his best friends.

Cancer

make a decision, don’t hesitate at all.

Libra

Ganesha says that at the beginning of the week, some problems related to life can become the cause of your troubles. Something said by a dear family member can hurt your heart. Due to the dispute related to land and building, one may have to visit the court. Due to not getting the cooperation of the senior in the workplace also, the mind will be a little upset.

Scorpio

Ganesha says that the natives of Sagittarius will have to deal with some domestic problems at the beginning of the week. During this time a loved one may stand against you. In the field also, due to not getting the expected cooperation from seniors and juniors, the mind will remain upset.

Sagittarius

Ganesha says that for some, this week can be difficult in terms of finances. Despite innovative ideas and strategies, there are strong chances that most colleagues and superiors will not take your ideas seriously. Avoid arguments with your boss and colleagues as they may harm you adversely.

Capricorn

Crossword Puzzles

Ganesha says that the people of the Cancer zodiac will have a special need to keep a lot of restraint on their speech and behavior this week. Cancerians may have to face some difficulties in the workplace this week, but you will be able to solve them with the help of your best friends.

Leo

Ganesha says that this week is bringing good luck for the people of the Leo zodiac sign. At the beginning of the week, you will get to hear some good news related to your career and business. Employed people can get desired promotion or transfer.

Virgo

Ganesha says thatfor the people of Virgo, this week will prove to be spoiling or making incomplete works. If you were trying to complete some work for a long time, then it will be done with the help of an influential person. To do this, if you have to take a step back and

Ganesha says that this week will generally be a factor of profit and progress for the people of Capricorn. This week you will spend lavishly on things related to your comforts. Cooperate of both seniors and juniors will be received in the field of work. New and good opportunities for career business can be found.

Aquarius

Ganesha says thatthis week will prove to be more auspicious and beneficial for the people of Aquarius as compared to the previous week. At the beginning of the week, you will feel much relieved when a family problem is resolved with the help of a senior person.

Pisces

Ganesha says thatthe people of Pisces should try to make their dreams come true this week instead of relying on luck. If you manage to manage your time and energy this week, you will definitely get the desired success. On the other hand, ignoring it can spoil the work done.

Inspired by the Festival of Lights, Michael Kors launched its exclusive India Capsule Collection, exclusively for sale in India, back in 2022.

Launched only a few months ago, Jimmy Choo’s India exclusive collection ‘Shaan‘ tried propelling their bestselling styles in shades of red, pink & gold in order to tune into the desi crowd’s preferences.

Amid the two deaths recorded in Karnataka and Haryana due to the Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus, its rapid spread across India has been a cause of concern. But experts say that much of the spread has got to do with atmospheric pollution. “The low humidity and high concentrations of pollutants are causing the high levels of transmission,” says Dr Ajay Aggarwal, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Noida.

Why are we seeing a surge in the number of flu cases? Is it unusual?

“This year, we are seeing a surge in the number of flu cases. This can be attributed to the low temperature along with low humidity conditions prevailing now in Delhi-NCR. Often low humidity is conducive for virus transmission. Also, the high pollution levels are causing people to develop more respiratory infections that are making their lung health susceptible to viral attacks. Another plausible explanation may be the decline in immunity post-Covid but that is still being studied,” adds he.

So how does air pollution cause the H3N2 virus to spread faster? “That association has been proven by many studies. Particulate matter in the air is worrying. Tiny particles, both liquids and solids, float about in the air and are so small that they can penetrate both the lungs and blood stream and do considerable damage. They weaken

Often we wonder why heart attacks in people after 60 tend to turn fatal. That’s because the traditional triggers like high cholesterol and smoking are getting compounded by new ones like obesity and Type 2 diabetes, something which we still consider given and are not proactive about.

Most Indians must optimize their risk factors with some sense of urgency and now. The most important yet overlooked aspect is lifestyle modification. Start eating a healthy diet (rich in fibre, fruits, cereals , lean cuts of meat). Sometimes family traditions trigger heart problems such as preferring a sedentary instead of active family time or eating meals that typically include more unhealthy than healthy options. This results in obesity among most Indians. Blood pressure or hyperetension, another trigger for a heart attack, goes up with weight. Manage your weight with regular exercise (ask the type and intensity of exercise permitted by your doctor), practise stress management with activities like yoga, meditation and other relaxing activities. Keep a track of your weight, blood pressure and blood sugars. Quit smoking and avoid alcohol. If your family has had a history of heart attacks, you are already in the high risk category and should start a preventive regime now. For example, you can have familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition that causes severely high cholesterol, regardless of optimal diet and exercise. It affects approximately one in 250 people, often causing no symptoms until the first heart attack or stroke. This can be detected early enough with some specific blood tests and gene testing. Given the high cardiac risk and the work-induced stress profile among Indians, we should get into a preventive routine as early as possible and there are several imaging tests to assess the condition of our heart.

H3N2 virus spread: How to distinguish it from adenovirus? Is pollution to b lame?

infections,” says Dr Aggarwal. “Chemicals also affect pathogens and can make them more dangerous,” he adds. Researchers have shown a link between multidrug-resistant bacteria and exposure to zinc, lead and disinfectants. Mercury and arsenic are known to alter the immune response and increase susceptibility to infectious diseases in multiple species of laboratory animals. Epidemiological studies in humans have linked exposure to various chemicals in the womb with reduced levels of antibodies triggered by childhood vaccines and increased risk of infectious diseases.

Particulate matter weakens the lungs and makes it easier for the virus to manifest itself with more severity, says Dr Ajay Aggarwal, Director, Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Noida

the lungs and make it easier for the virus to manifest itself with more severity.

A study by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health had found that breathing more polluted air over many years could worsen the effects of viruses like COVID-19. That study had found an association between air pollution over many years with

a 11 per cent increase in mortality from COVID-19 infection for every 1 microgram/cubic meter increase in air pollution. Another study way back in 2007 had shown how exposure to air pollutants can induce oxidative stress, resulting in the production of free radicals, which in turn, can damage the respiratory system, reducing the resistance to viral and bacterial

Satish Kaushik heart attack death:

The other big problem in managing spiralling numbers is the cocktail of viruses circulating, particularly adenovirus. How do we spot the difference? “Both influenza and adenovirus are circulating in the air and it is difficult to differentiate between the two. Often the two present themselves as typical viral prodromes or early indications of the onset of the disease. However, adenovirus infections are often accompanied by pink eyes as well. And they could be milder,” adds Dr Aggarwal.

Why is it fatal after 60? Obesity, food obsession and Type 2 diabetes are triggers

2. Be regular with your follow-ups

Timely follow-up on advised dates help your doctors to assess your recovery and if required optimise or change your medicines. It helps the physician to ascertain if you are recovering well and help in detecting any deterioration in early stages.

3. Participate in cardiac rehabilitation

Generally patients are advised cardiac rehabilitation post heart attack. This is a medically supervised programme designed to accelerate your recovery and get you back to a productive and functional form carefully. Do not miss this supervised recovery.

Surviving a heart attack is also a lifechanging experience. Patients feel overwhelmed, they are still in disbelief, scared and confused. To add to the pandemonium, you will have a barrage

of instructions and advice coming in from your well-wishers and healthcare team. Following a heart attack our priority should be to prevent future heart attacks.

1. Take your medications –

It is very important for you to take the heart medicines prescribed to you on time. Medicines like blood thinners, statins, are very important to prevent stent blockage and further attacks along with cholesterol drugs and your hypertension and diabetes medications. Take them at the same time every day and do not skip any doses.

If you experience any discomfort or side effects, consult your doctor.

4. Do not feel shy to seek support

It is common for heart attack survivors to feel broken, depressed or confused. Surround yourself with family and loved ones, join a support group where you can discuss your experiences, worries and common questions. Try to remain cheerful and avoid stressful situations, give yourself a little break. Always discuss your doubts with your health care provider.

Following these steps will help the patients get back to living a healthy and productive life, being an active part of society again and decreasing the chances of having a future heart attack significantly.

Manage your weight with regular exercise (ask the type and intensity of exercise permitted by your doctor), practise stress management with activities like yoga, meditation and other relaxing activities.

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