ISSUE 30 by indoustribune

Lok Sabha polls: Last phase of campaigning ends in India, all eyes on June 1 voting

Friday, 31 May 2024

The campaigning for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections came to a close on Thursday as leaders from the prominent political parties heightened their efforts with rallies till the last minute.

On June 1, polling is scheduled to take place in 57 parliamentary constituencies spanning seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to decide the fates of 904 candidates in the fray.

The electoral battleground in the final phase will see 13 seats going to the polls in both Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, followed by West Bengal (9), Bihar (8), Odisha (6), Himachal Pradesh (4), Jharkhand (3), and the lone Lok Sabha seat in Chandigarh.

Also, elections for 42 Assembly seats in Odisha are slated to take place on Saturday. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

On the final day of campaigning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a rally in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted rallies across various locations in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to bolster support for the BJP candidates.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi rallied in support of the party candidate in Balasore, Odisha, and subsequently engaged with the farmers at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar in Punjab.

Party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra conducted a roadshow in Solan, Himachal Pradesh.

Leaders from both the BJP and the INDIA bloc have spared no effort in their campaigns to win over the voters.

The BJP-led NDA is aiming for a historic third consecutive term, while the Opposition INDIA bloc is striving to overturn its electoral setbacks of the past decade.

In addition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi contesting from Varanasi, other notable BJP candidates for the final phase include Union Minister Anurag Thakur from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, Ravi Shankar Prasad from Patna Sahib, Bihar, and Kangana Ranaut from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

Representing the Congress are Manish Tewari from Chandigarh, Vikramaditya Singh from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, and Ajay Rai from Varanasi, among others.

Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s fate will also be sealed on June 1. He is contesting from Diamond Harbour.

Donald Trump found guilty in historic New York hush money case

In a historic verdict that could impact the presidential elections with reverberations around the world. Donald Trump, who is in the middle of a campaign to reclaim the White House, has become the first former President to be convicted of crimes.

The verdict came on Thursday from a jury of 12 ordinary citizens -- seven men and five women -- who convicted Trump on 34 criminal charges relating to hush money paid before the 2016 election to buy the silence of a porn star who alleged that they had a sexual tryst.

US laws, however, do not prevent him from running for President or getting elected. Of the four criminal cases pending against him, this is the first to conclude with a verdict before the November election and the others may be delayed.

Trump was charged with falsifying business records to cover up the hush

money payments by showing them on his company ledgers as legal expenses paid to his lawyer Michael Cohen, an offence under New York state laws.

He faces a range of sentences from probation or a fine to prison sentences of as many as four years for each of the 34 charges. Even if he is sentenced to prison, he could still stay out and campaign with an appeal to a higher court which is most likely.

PM Modi breaking barriers to make India ‘Vishwaguru’, say prominent attendees at key London event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s growing stature as a global leader was once again on full show as The Unity of Faiths Foundation (TUFF) and NID Foundation, which works in association with the Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in London, earlier this week to further the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

The organizations, which have relentlessly worked towards creating a more inclusive and equitable world over the past decade, joined hands to enhance community cohesion and promote social inclusion by leveraging their presence in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, India, Iceland, and South Africa.

The UK-based charitable organization TUFF was founded in 2013 with the goals

of enhancing social integration, financial inclusion and community integration. It is known for its comprehensive community engagement and initiatives to help rebuild social integration, ﬁnancial inclusion, and community cohesion in global settings while NID Foundation and IMF are recognized for their commitment to the empowerment of Indian minority communities.

TUFF co-founder and social psychologist Shamender Talwar, a British citizen whose father hails from New Delhi, insists that the same NRIs who used to feel a bit “embarrassed to be called an Indian” earlier are now proud to call themselves from Bharat, all thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has enhanced the image of the nation massively over the last 10 years.

UN Chief hails UN Gender Advocate Award winner Major Sen as ‘true leader, role model’

N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called Indian Army Major Radhika Sen a “true leader and role model” while presenting her with the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.

“Her service is a true credit to the United Nations as a whole,” Guterres said of her work as a Peacekeeper in the Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).

An Indian Army medic, Naik Dhananjay Kumar Singh, who died while serving in the same mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last year, was awarded the Dag Hammarskjold medal during the ceremony.

“Despite direct attacks by armed groups, harsh operating environments, and the emergence of new weapons of war -- including digital technology and artificial intelligence -- our Peacekeepers persevere,” Guterres said.

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US permits Ukraine to strike Russian targets with its weapons near Kharkiv

US President Joe Biden’s administration has given Ukraine permission to strike certain areas inside Russia with US-provided weapons, the Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet reported, citing foreign media.

According to the report, Washington allowed Kiev to use US-provided weapons for counter-fire purposes and solely against sites near Russia’s border with Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region as quoted by Xinhua news agency report on Thursday.

The decision was adopted due to “worsening conditions” for Ukraine on the battlefield following Russia’s advances and improved position in the Kharkiv region, the report said.

The US policy regarding long-range strikes inside Russia has not changed and Ukraine was not given permission to use American weapons for attacks deep into Russia, it added.

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Donald Trump found guilty in historic New York hush money case

Leaving the court, Trump said, “This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt.”

“This is long from over,” he added.

Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case, set the sentencing for July 11, just four days before the Republican Party Convention that is expected to formally declare him its candidate for President as he has won an overwhelming majority of the delegates in the primaries, the intra-party elections.

Trump said the real verdict will be in November when the presidential elections are held. A poll sponsored by the government-subsidized Public Broadcasting Service showed that 67 per cent of voters said his conviction would not influence their vote; among independents, it was 74 per cent. Trump is evenly matched in polls with President Joe Biden, with less than 1 per cent lead in the aggregation of polls by RealClear Politics and even a small percentage of voters switching away from him could sway the outcome.

Biden campaign’s Spokesperson Michael Tyler said, “There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box. Convicted felon or not, Trump will be the Republican nominee for president.” Trump for now carries the taint of criminal conviction, a boon for Biden’s campaign. Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson, a Republican, said, “Today is a shameful day in American history.”

He said, “The weaponization of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden Administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents.”

In New York, the local prosecutors are elected in partisan elections and Alvin Bragg won as a Democrat with the indirect backing of groups linked to the controversial international political financier George Soros. Bragg’s predecessor and federal prosecutors had declined to prosecute Trump on business

records falsification charges. This court victory puts a national spotlight on the local prosecutor, who has come for criticism for being lenient towards violent criminals. Falsifying business record is a non-criminal minor offence, a misdemeanor, but Bragg raised it to a criminal offence by asserting that it was a “conspiracy” to promote another crime, election interference. Even though Trump was not charged with it, Bragg maintained that buying Stormy Daniels’ silence amounted to election interference because it suppressed a scandal that could have adversely affected him at the polls.

High drama that included salacious tidbits punctuated the trial. Stormy Daniels, the porn star, testified on the witness stand about the sexual position they allegedly adopted. Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness after falling out with Trump, said in court that he stole $30,000 from Trump and admitted to having lied under oath. Trump’s lawyers hammered these admissions to the jury to dent his credibility, but apparently they were not swayed. Trump made personal allegations against Merchan, his family and witnesses prompting the judge to impose fines and to threaten him with jail if he continued the attacks. Undeterred, Trump continued the attacks.

If Trump gets a prison sentence and is denied bail and ordered to prison there will be the unusual scenario of Secret Service agents accompanying him there as by law he has to have their protection. Of the other cases, the one accusing him of conspiring to change the election results in Georgia is caught up in a controversy over the prosecutor having an affair with one of the lawyers she hired with a payment of $650,000 to help prosecute the case even though he did not have experience in the matter. The federal case in Washington is centered on the riots when his supporters invaded the Capitol in January 2021 and he is charged with trying to prevent Congress from certifying the election of President Joe Biden.

That case is held up while the Supreme Court considers an appeal from Trump that he has presidential immunity from those charges.

UN Chief hails UN Gender Advocate Award winner Major Sen as ‘true leader, role model’

Contd. from Pg. 01

Speaking on the occasion, Major Sen said she was “deeply honored and humbled” to receive the award “on behalf of my esteemed colleagues in MONUSCO and my home country, India”.

“This award is special to me, as it recognizes the hard work put in by all the Peacekeepers working in MONUSCO’s challenging environment,” she said.

Major Sen also said that she hoped one day a man would get the award she received because “gender-sensitive peacekeeping is everyone’s business, not just women’s”.

In a video of her work shown earlier at the ceremony, Sen said, “It is very rewarding for me to see women and young girls come up and say that they feel very happy and empowered when they see a woman soldier leading a team comprising both male and female soldiers.”

Recalling Sen’s work as a Peacekeeper in the DRC, Guterres said that as commander of the Indian contingent’s engagement platoon, Sen led her unit on countless patrols “in an escalating conflict environment in North Kivu”.

“Under her leadership marked by humility, compassion, and dedication, her troops actively engaged with conflictaffected communities, including women and girls as she earned their trust,” Guterres said.

Because of the “safe and welcoming platform” she developed for women to share their ideas and concerns, Monusco could better respond to their needs”, he said. She was also the battalion’s officer charged with preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, Guterres noted. Besides her military duties, she also undertook educational and vocational efforts for women in the DRC, he added.

PM Modi breaking barriers to make India ‘Vishwaguru’, say prominent attendees at key London event

“That shows the incredible power, the upliftment, the empowerment that PM Modi has brought to every single Indian on the whole planet. There is no doubt about that all,” Talwar said in an interview after the signing of the MoU in London.

Another co-founder of the Unity of Faiths Foundation, Ann Clare Bornholt, an Australian citizen, believes that Prime Minister Modi has “touched the hearts and the divine spark in everybody, giving everyone a big hope” with eyes firmly set on 2047,” said Bornholt.

She added: “I think that Prime Minister Modi is very secular and has been embracing so many difficult situations that have lasted for way too long in India. He is managing to break through barriers that nobody even attempted to do before. And, he is doing it with such an exceptional approach”.

Nunzio Quacquarelli, the founder-president of London-based education services provider QS Quacquarelli Symonds, recalled his meeting with PM Modi in October 2021, saying that the Indian PM’s passion for education and genuine commitment to raising the quality of education across the country remains unmatched.

He elaborated on how India, under PM Modi, is now the fourth largest producer of research papers in the world, has a top institute like IISc Bengaluru and has institutions which are in the list of top-ranked universities in the world.

“I believe that Indian higher education is on a very positive trajectory. Modi hai toh education mumkin hai,” he remarked.

Heaping praise on India and PM Modi, Edwin Shukhar, a Jew born in Iraq who has been a Tuff Trustee since 2013, said that India is probably the only place in the world where anti-Semitism never stood a chance.

“My ancestors lived and still live in peace and prosperity there (in India), following their religion. Many years ago, I met PM Modi along with a Jewish philanthropist. We realized at that time that Prime Minister Modi is not just a leader, Prime Minister Modi was India and India was him,” said Shukhar.

Sarosh Zaiwalla, a hugely-experienced litigator and the first non-white to start a law firm in London, says he is quite impressed with PM Modi as he wants to get rid of corruption, the “biggest problem” India has had over the years.

“India is now the fifth richest economy in the world and is expected to be in the third spot soon. That is something that many would have never expected. I left India with three Pounds in my pocket 42 years ago because that was all the Reserve Bank gave us. Today, things have changed so much and there are no exchange control restrictions. India is progressing to its rightful place,” he said.

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White House says US waiting for further investigations into Rafah attacks

The US has no plans to change its Israel policy following a deadly airstrike on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, but it is closely watching an Israeli investigation on the incident, the White House has said.

Palestinian medics on Tuesday said dozens of people had died in fresh Israeli attacks on Rafah, two days after 45 people were reportedly killed in an airstrike which sparked international condemnation. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US was waiting for further investigations from Israel into the attacks.

“The Israelis are going to investigate it. We’re going to be taking great interest in what they find in that investigation. And we’ll see where it goes from there,” Kirby said.

Nikki Haley writes ‘Finish Them’

on Israeli artillery shell, drawing criticism

Republican former presidential contender Nikki Haley wrote “Finish Them!” on an Israeli artillery shell during a recent visit to Israel, amid an ongoing assault on Gaza that has left tens of thousands dead in the past eight months. An image of Haley crouched in front of pallets of shells, writing with a marker on one, was shared on social media by Danny Danon, an Israeli politician and former ambassador to the United Nations. A second image he shared showed Haley’s signed message: “Finish them - America HEART Israel, Always.”

Danon had accompanied Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations when Donald Trump was president, during the visit this past weekend. Haley was quickly criticized for the message by human rights groups.

“Conflict is no place for stunts. Conflict has rules. Civilians must be protected,”

Amnesty International said in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to Haley’s act. Israel’s three-week-old offensive in Gaza’s Rafah has prompted an outcry from global leaders after an airstrike on Sunday killed at least 45 people when a blaze ignited in a tent camp in a western district. The World Court last week ordered Israel to immediately halt its military

assault on Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling in South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide. Israel denies genocide allegations.

Kenneth Roth, a former Human Rights Watch executive director, said of Haley in a post on X on Tuesday night: “Why not just sign I favor Israeli war crimes.” Later on Wednesday, Haley posted on X: “Israel must do whatever is necessary to protect her people from evil,” adding that Israel was fighting “enemies” of the United States. Haley has been a longstanding supporter of Israel, whose war in Gaza has come under mounting international criticism, divided U.S. lawmakers over the Biden administration’s support and prompted protests at campuses across the United States.

The local Palestinian health ministry puts the death toll from the war at over 36,000. There is also widespread hunger in the narrow coastal enclave and nearly its entire 2.3 million population has been displaced.

Palestinian presidency blames US for escalation in Rafah

The Israel War cabinet has approved new guidelines regarding the hostage-ceasefire “indirect” talks with Hamas.

Sources said that the war cabinet has communicated to the negotiating team including Mossad Chief David Barnea and Shin Bet Director, Ronen Bar to continue negotiations for the return of the hostages.

of the hostages released footage of the abduction of five female soldiers from Nahal Oz base by Hamas on October 7.

At least 128 hostages are still in Hamas custody.

Egypt, which is a key negotiator in the “indirect” truce talks between Hamas and Israel, has threatened to withdraw from mediation after it was reported that Egypt mishandled the last round of hostage talks which led to the collapse of

the negotiations.

“Attempts to cast doubt and offend Egypt’s mediation efforts will only lead to further complications of the situation in Gaza and the entire region and may push Egypt to completely withdraw from its mediation in the current conflict,” Diaa Rashwan, Head of Egypt’s State Information Service said.

It was reported that Cairo had presented two separate proposals to Hamas and Israel. While the one presented to Israel was closer to its demands, another presented to Hamas supported its requirements.

These proposals, according to media reports, had infuriated the CIA Director, William Burns who was one of the main coordinators in the negotiation talks.

The US did not consider the attacks as a major military or major ground operation at this point, he said.

“But again, we’re watching it very closely.”

Kirby said the US continued to believe that a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip was wrong. “We still don’t want to see the Israelis smash into Rafah with large units over large pieces of territory. We still believe that and we haven’t seen that at this point. But we’re going to be watching this of course very, very closely.”

US President Joe Biden “said that should that occur, then it might make him have to make different decisions in terms of support”, Kirby said.

Dangerous weather continues to threaten Texas, more states put on alert

More than 190,000 Texas homes and businesses remained in the dark Thursday as residents cleaned up from weeks of wild storms and tornadoes amid concerns that more severe weather was on the way. The National Weather Service in Dallas warned that some storms forecast for Thursday into Friday may be severe, producing large hail and damaging winds. A flood warning was in effect for the Trinity River through Friday morning.

“A tornado or two cannot be ruled out,” the weather service said in its hazardous weather forecast. At least 19 deaths have been reported after a series of severe storms and tornadoes battered the South and the Great Plains over Memorial Day weekend, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power.

Eight storm-related deaths were reported in Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a news conference Sunday evening; seven storm-related deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas; two in Mayes County, Oklahoma, and two in Kentucky: one in Louisville and another in Mercer County, where a tree fell on a house. The dead in Arkansas included a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient who depended on an oxygen concentrator that stopped working when power went out, Huckabee Sanders said. Other deaths included a person who died of a heart attack and another who perished when a downed tree or branch hit a trailer, she said.

Residents in Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee were hit with twisters, heavy winds and flooding in terrible conditions that began Saturday and moved into Sunday. Tornado watches and warnings were issued across multiple states Sunday night. More than 334,000 customers were without power Sunday evening in Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kansas, according to poweroutage.us.

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Publisher Note

Trump’s Conviction: A Turning Point for American Democracy and the 2024 Election

Letter from Publisher

Can He Vote?

Trump’s ability to vote, given his residency in Florida, is subject to state laws governing the voting rights of felons. In Florida, a constitutional amendment passed in 2018, known as Amendment 4, restored the voting rights of most felons upon completion of their sentences, including parole or probation. However, this amendment excludes those convicted of murder or felony sexual offenses unless they have been granted clemency by the state.

Dr. (H) Avi Verma

Publisher By Dr. Avi Verma Publisher

The recent conviction of former President Donald Trump has sent shockwaves through the US political landscape, raising critical questions about the future of American democracy. As the nation grapples with the unprecedented situation of a former president facing criminal convictions, we must consider the broader implications for the political environment, electoral processes, and public opinion.

Can a Convicted Felon Be Elected to the US Presidency?

One of the most pressing questions is whether a convicted felon can run for and be elected to the presidency. The US Constitution does not explicitly prohibit a convicted felon from running for president. According to Article II, Section 1, the requirements to become president are being a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a resident of the United States for at least 14 years. There is no mention of criminal records as a disqualification. This constitutional silence on the matter means that, technically, Trump could still run for office despite his conviction. However, this raises significant ethical and practical concerns about the integrity of the presidency and the broader electoral system.

If Trump’s conviction does not fall under these exclusions, he could potentially regain his voting rights after fulfilling any sentencing requirements. This legal nuance underscores the variability in felon voting laws across states and highlights the importance of statespecific legislation in determining the civic participation of convicted individuals.

Impact on Other Criminal Cases

Trump’s conviction means little for his three other criminal cases, which will continue to proceed as they were prior to him being found guilty in the New York case. Trump’s federal election subversion criminal case has been on hold while the US Supreme Court considers his claims of presidential immunity. The judge overseeing his classified documents case in Florida has indefinitely postponed the trial. And the Georgia election interference case is in legal limbo while Trump and several of his co-defendants try to disqualify the Atlanta-area prosecutor who brought the charges.

The legal principle of “presumption of innocence” no longer applies once a person is convicted, which could influence the proceedings and outcomes of his other cases. Legal battles will become more arduous for Trump as prosecutors may leverage his existing conviction to strengthen their arguments in pending cases. This cascading effect could result in more severe penalties if he is found guilty in additional trials.

Political Support and Public Opinion

The conviction of a former president is a monumental event with profound implications for political support and public opinion.

Trump’s base has remained remarkably steadfast through numerous controversies, but a criminal conviction presents a different challenge. While his most loyal supporters may continue to back him, moderates and undecided voters could be swayed by the legal determinations.

Moreover, the Republican Party faces a critical juncture. Aligning with a convicted felon could alienate key voter demographics and undermine the party’s image. Conversely, distancing itself from Trump could fracture the party and alienate his substantial voter base. This delicate balance will be a defining factor in the GOP’s strategy moving forward.

Broader Implications for American Democracy

Trump’s conviction brings to light fundamental questions about the rule of law, accountability, and the resilience of democratic institutions. It challenges the notion that no one is above the law and underscores the importance of maintaining ethical standards in public office. The situation also serves as a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of electing leaders with contentious legal and ethical backgrounds.

In conclusion, Trump’s conviction has far-reaching implications for the US political landscape. While the Constitution permits a convicted felon to run for president, the ethical and practical considerations are profound. The impact on Trump’s other legal cases, his political support, and the broader principles of democracy cannot be understated. As the nation navigates this unprecedented territory, it is imperative to uphold the values of justice, integrity, and accountability that underpin American democracy.

By addressing these challenges head-on, we can ensure that the political system remains robust and resilient, capable of weathering the storms of controversy and emerging stronger for it.

Best Regards, Dr. (H) Avi Verma Publisher, IndoUS Tribune

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Living in ‘unsuitable housing’, Indian students face increased hostility and discrimination

in Canada

Afresh Canadian government report says that students from India were more likely to live in unsuitable housing than their counterparts from other countries. According to the report released by Statistics Canada using the most recent census data, international students were more likely to live in unsuitable housing in 2021 than Canadian-born students.

In the top 10 municipalities with the largest number of international students, 25 to 63 per cent of them were living in unsuitable housing, the report said.

By comparison, the rate of students living in unsuitable housing was 13 to 45 percentage points lower among Canadian-born students aged 18 to 24, the Canadian Press reported last week.

One of the requirements for suitable housing was that adults should have their own bedroom if they are not part of a couple. The report also found that country of origin accounted for most of the variations between municipalities in rates of housing suitability among international students.

country has introduced a policy of reducing 25 per cent immigration permits, triggering protests by Indian students earlier this week.

As a result of this policy change, hundreds of Indian students have faced deportation. Also, the reduction of work permits has resulted in frustration and tension among Indian immigrants who arrived in PEI on temporary work permits. They argue they should be allowed to stay permanently. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that it was not aware of Indian students’ deportation from the Canadian province.

Canada has been a major destination for many Indian students for the past few years. Among the international students, those from India constituted the largest national cohort, comprising 37 per cent of the 579,075 permits issued until November 2023.

The surge in the number of Indian students studying in Canada has been substantial over the past five years, rising from 107,070 in 2018 to the current figures.

“Notably, Indian students were more likely to live in unsuitable housing than students from other countries. In Brampton, Ontario, and Surrey, the municipalities with the largest proportions of Indian students, more than 60 per cent of international students were living in unsuitable housing,” the Canadian national news agency said citing the report.

The Statistics Canada report comes amid reports of many Indian students in Canada’s

Prince Edward Island facing deportation due to the recent changes in the province’s immigration rules.

Observers say that Indian students in Canada have been facing increased hostility and discrimination in recent days.

Studying in Canada used to be considered a rewarding experience for many Indian students in the past. However, this perception has changed as the Canadian federal and provincial provinces are creating an unsafe and hostile environment for international students in general, and Indian students in particular.

Prince Edward Island (PEI) in Canada is a case in point. The smallest province in the

T20 World Cup: India vs Pakistan game in New York receives ‘lone wolf’ attack threat

ISIS-K has called for a “Lone Wolf” attack on the India-Pakistan World Cup Cricket match in New York next month, a top police official has warned while putting security on high alert.

In a video that has gone global, the terror group is “calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out”, said Patrick Ryder, the Police Commissioner of Nassau County where the match is scheduled for June 6.

“Lone Wolves” are members or sympathizers of terrorist organizations who take cues from the organizations and operate independently by themselves making it more difficult to track them down.

On Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that she has “directed the New York State Police to engage in elevated security measures, including an increased law enforcement presence, advanced surveillance, and thorough screening processes”.

Bruce Blakeman, the head of Nassau County bordering New York City, said at a news conference, “We make sure that we are on top of every situation that could potentially arise. Now to that end, we have taken many, many precautions.”

Additional police officers will be mobilized at the cricket stadium at Eisenhower Park, Ryder said at the news conference.

“We will go to every fine detail when it comes to the security and safety of the residents here,” he added.

Earlier there had been some ambiguity about the level of the threat posted in a chat group by ISIS-Khorasan, the offshoot of the Islamic State terrorist organization operating in South and Central Asia. Before the news conference by Nassau officials, Hochul had said that “there is no credible public safety threat at this time,” but added, “We continue to monitor the situation closely.”

“My administration has been working for months with federal law enforcement and Nassau County to ensure New Yorkers and visitors are safe,” she said.

Blakeman said at the news conference, “We take every threat seriously. There are the same procedures for every threat. We don’t minimize threats. We track down all of our leads.”

Ryder said, “When you have a game and a crowd as big as this, everything is credible.”

He said they had received threats starting in April “where it was a global and international style threat from what’s called ISIS-K”.

“Then it got a little bit more specific towards the actual game of India versus Pakistan but did not name the place,” he said.

“And then yesterday, you all saw the video that went global, and they are calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out.”

He was referring to a video with “an image of the cricket stadium at Eisenhower Park in Nassau County with drones flying over it showing the date, “9/6/2024”, when the India-Pakistan match, that was posted by ISIS-K on a British chat site.

ISIS-K has carried out attacks in Pakistan and has threatened terror strikes on India. In March, ISIS-K terrorists attacked a concert hall in Moscow killing about 130 people adding gravity to the latest threat.

The World Cup Cricket stadium, which has a 30,000-capacity, was built specially for the tournament and will share the fixtures in the US with the arena in Dallas. It will kick off on June 1 with an exhibition match between India and Bangladesh and will be followed by regular tournament matches starting on June 3, pitching India against Sri Lanka, and running till June 12 with an India vs US match.

“A large number of students have gone to Canada to study. The figure is pretty significant. But we haven’t come across several students facing deportation... We do not have any updates on that. We are not aware. There may be one case here or one case there. But we don’t see any major problem as far as students in Canada are concerned,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week.

In 2023, a survey done by the Canadian Association of University Teachers also found that 40 per cent of Indian students in Canada reported discrimination.

The diplomatic tensions between both countries over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardip Singh Nijjar in British Columbia’s Surrey have further exacerbated the issue.

Sudanese army chief, Blinken discuss Sudan conflict, humanitarian access

Chairman of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has held a phone talk with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, discussing the need to end the conflict in Sudan and enable unhindered humanitarian access to alleviate people’s suffering, according to a statement from the council.

The US State Department has called for ending the conflict in Sudan and allowing humanitarian access, said the statement on Wednesday as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

During the phone call from Blinken, the two sides also touched upon the resumption of the Jeddah talks and the need for cessation of hostilities in El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur State in western Sudan, it added.

Al-Burhan, also the general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), in addition, discussed with Blinken bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly clashes between the SAF and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 15, 2023, which have killed 15,550 people and displaced more than 8.8 million others so far, according to the latest estimates by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

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FAA refuses to allow Boeing to increase Max plane production until quality is fixed

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The Federal Aviation Administration will not immediately allow Boeing to increase 737 MAX production as it addresses ongoing safety issues, its administrator said on Thursday, after a meeting with outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun and other executives.

The FAA’s enhanced oversight of Boeing will continue in the coming months, with weekly meetings and quarterly exchanges between the heads of the company and the U.S. regulator. The planemaker was barred in February by the FAA from boosting production of its best-selling plane after a door panel blew out during a Jan. 5 flight on a new 737 MAX 9.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said he did not expect Boeing to win approval to increase production of the MAX “in the next few months” and has had no discussions with Boeing yet about the issue.

He said the FAA would monitor Boeing over the coming months to understand its quality and safety improvements “to give us a fundamental picture of whether they are in the right zone… We want to make sure the system is running as safely as it should.”

Boeing late on Thursday released an 11page executive summary of its improvement plan based on findings from FAA audits

and feedback from employees among other sources, including six critical, safety-focused production areas it will address.

The key performance measures include employee proficiency, the number of hours to address issues, including the total number of rework hours per airplane, and supplier shortages. Boeing said the data “will provide real-time insights

US confirms 3rd human bird flu case tied to dairy outbreak

Asecond human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5) virus infection has been identified in the state of Michigan, marking the third human case associated with an ongoing multistate outbreak of A (H5N1) in US dairy cows, US health authorities said.

The new case is a dairy farm worker with exposure to infected cows, probably resulting from cow-to-person spread, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as quoted by Xinhua news agency report on Thursday.

This is the first human case of H5 in the US to report more typical symptoms

of acute respiratory illness associated with influenza virus infection, including A (H5N1) viruses, according to the CDC.

The CDC continues to closely monitor available data from influenza surveillance systems, particularly in affected states, and there has been no sign of unusual influenza activity in people, including no increase in emergency room visits for influenza and no increase in laboratory detection of human influenza cases.

The risk for the US general public who do not have exposure to infected animals remains low, said the CDC. However, this development stresses the importance of recommended precautions in people with exposure to infected or potentially infected animals, according to the CDC.

into production system health, enabling the company to identify and remediate potential quality and thus potential safety hazards before they fully mature.”

Production of the 737 MAX airplane is vital to the company’s finances. Last week the planemaker’s top finance executive said they will burn rather than generate cash in 2024 due in part to delayed deliveries.

Justice Samuel Alito rejects call to skip Trump cases amid flags row

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has rejected calls to remove himself from crucial election-year cases after a controversy over flags outside his homes. Justice Alito, a conservative, said in a letter to Democratic senators that the flags in question had been flown by his wife. An upside-down US flag and a pine tree, or ‘Appeal to Heaven’, flag were pictured outside his home in suburban Virginia and a holiday home in New Jersey. Both were carried during the US Capitol riot of 6 January 2021, when supporters of Donald Trump stormed Congress. Justice Alito said the matter did not affect his impartiality in cases involving Trump and Capitol rioters.

“My wife is fond of flying flags,” he wrote in a letter to two senators who asked him to remove himself from key cases. “I am not.” Justice Alito said the upside-down US flag, which is sometimes used to signify distress, was raised by his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, after a dispute with neighbors in January 2021 – shortly after the US Capitol riot.

“As I have stated publicly, I had nothing whatsoever to do with the flying of that flag,” Justice Alito wrote. “I was not even aware of the upside-down flag until it was called to my attention. As soon as I saw it, I asked my wife to take it down, but for several days, she refused.”

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Historic criminal trial of Hunter Biden to probe drug addiction

The criminal trial of Hunter Biden on gun charges kicks off next week, with federal prosecutors likely to dissect lurid details of his crack cocaine addiction that could provide fuel for opponents of his father’s presidential reelection bid.

Hunter Biden will be the first child of a sitting president to be a criminal defendant when jury selection begins on Monday, coming just days after another historic first: the criminal trial of a former U.S. president. The son of President Joe Biden has pleaded not guilty to three federal criminal charges related to his 2018 purchase of a .38-caliber Colt revolver.

He was charged in September by U.S. Special Counsel David Weiss, a Trump appointee, with lying about his use of illegal drugs when he bought the handgun and with illegally possessing the weapon for 11 days in October 2018. If convicted on all charges, Hunter Biden faces a maximum punishment of 25 years in prison, according to the Department of Justice.

Bruhat Soma, 12, wins US national spelling bee in a spell-off

Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old from Tampa, Florida, won the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee in a spell-off on Thursday, correctly spelling 29 words in 90 seconds including some of the most obscure, complex and downright tricky words in the English language.

With two finalists standing as time ran out, the annual competition went to a spell-off, a rapid-elimination method introduced in 2021, for just the second time. Bruhat advanced to the spell-off by correctly spelling “Hoofddorp,” a town near Amsterdam.

That put him head-to-head with Faizan Zaki, a 12-year-old from Allen, Texas, who nailed “nicuri,” a word derived from a Brazilian palm, without asking any questions about its origin or definition. Bruhat then raced through a list of words in the spell-off, getting 29 before time ran out. Faizan correctly spelled 20 words from the same list in his 90 seconds. That gave the prestigious trophy and $50,000 prize to Bruhat, a basketball fan who was shown shooting hoops in a recorded segment earlier in the televised event.

Thursday’s eight finalists came from regional competitions that narrowed the field to 245 local winners, ages 8 to 15, for the final three days of competition at a convention center outside Washington.

Some of the finalists fell victim to such brain-teasers as Lillooet (a people from modern British Columbia), “kanin” (boiled rice in the Philippines) and “murrina” (a horse disease).

California academic workers strike in support of pro-Palestinian protests

Discord from last month’s mob attack on pro-Palestinian student activists encamped at the University of California, Los Angeles, flared again on Tuesday as academic workers staged a strike on campus protesting UCLA’s response to the violence.

Unionized academic researchers, graduate teaching assistants and post-doctoral scholars at UCLA walked off the job over what they regard as unfair labor practices in the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent weeks, organizers said.

They were joined by fellow academic workers at two other University of California campuses - UC Davis near Sacramento, and UC Santa Cruz, where the protest strike began on May 20. The strikers are demanding amnesty for grad students and other academic workers who were arrested or face discipline for their involvement in the protests, which union leaders say were peaceful except when counter-demonstrators and other instigators

were allowed to provoke unrest.

The state Public Employee Relations Board ordered the University of California and the strikers to take part in mediated talks. A representative for the strikers said the parties met once over the weekend.

The strike was organized by the United Auto Workers union Local 4811, which represents some 48,000 non-tenured academic employees across 10 University of California campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The UAW local includes about 6,400 academic workers at UCLA, 5,700 at Davis and about 2,000 at Santa Cruz. A union representative said thousands were withholding their work as of Monday. Several hundred attended a march and midday rally on the UCLA campus on Tuesday.

The expanding work stoppage marks the first union-backed protest in solidarity with the recent wave of student-led demonstrations on dozens of U.S. campuses against Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

US Army opens new 155mm artillery munitions plant in Texas

The U.S. Army inaugurated its new Universal Artillery Projectile Lines facility in Mesquite, Texas, on Wednesday, marking a significant step in producing more 155mm artillery and modernizing domestic munitions production capabilities.

The plant, managed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is part of a broader effort by the Army to update its industrial base and achieve a goal of making 155mm artillery shells at a rate of 100,000 a month. Demand for 155mm artillery rounds has soared in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But allies’ supplies for their own defense have been run down as they have rushed shells to Kyiv, which fires thousands of rounds per day.

Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth highlighted the importance of the facility, noting the plant’s role in enhancing national defense by increasing production. “The work done in these production facilities contributes directly to our nation’s defense and makes us stronger,” Wormuth stated at the opening ceremony.

The more than $500 million facility was funded through supplemental spending bills from fiscal 2022 and 2023

and features advanced manufacturing technologies and automation for producing large-caliber metal parts. It is designed to flexibly produce various munitions sizes with minimal adjustments, to facilitate the Army’s modernization goals. or other animals, or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other infected animals, are at greater risk of infection and should take precautions, the CDC added.

Biden government grants school districts $900 million for electric school buses

The White House on Wednesday unveiled nearly $900 million in awards to 530 school districts to replace thousands of aging, gas-fueled school buses with cleaner, mainly electric models.

The funding is the third tranche of $5 billion that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hand out over five years through a clean school bus program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021.

The EPA rebates will support the purchase of 3,400 school buses, 92% of them electric, the White House said. School districts in low income, tribal and rural communities will receive about 67% of the funds.

Judge rejects gag order on Trump in Florida documents criminal case

Afederal judge on Tuesday rejected a request by prosecutors to issue a gag order barring Donald Trump from making inflammatory comments about law enforcement, after his campaign falsely claimed the FBI had been authorized to assassinate him when it searched his Florida resort for classified U.S. documents.

Florida-based U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon rebuffed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s motion to modify the former president’s conditions of release as he awaits trial on charges of mishandling classified material. Smith had said Trump’s “false and inflammatory” comments about the FBI could subject the agency, as well as trial witnesses, to threats, violence or harassment.

Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump in 2020, wrote that Smith should have meaningfully conferred with Trump’s lawyers before making the gag order request. Instead, the judge wrote, the special counsel’s conferral was “wholly lacking in substance and professional courtesy.”

It is one of four criminal cases Trump faces as he continues campaigning as the Republican challenger to Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election.

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Indian-origin truck driver who caused bus crash in Canada ordered to be deported

An Indian-origin truck driver who caused a horrific bus crash in Canada involving a junior hockey team was on Friday ordered to be deported to India.

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, a truck driver from Calgary, barreled through a stop sign and into the path of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team’s bus at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Saskatchewan, in 2018. Sixteen people on the bus were killed and 13 injured, CityNews Calgary reported.

The decision came on Friday at an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing in Calgary for Sidhu.

Sidhu’s lawyer Michael Greene has said the decision was a foregone conclusion, as all that’s required to deport Sidhu is proof that he’s not a Canadian citizen and he committed a serious crime, CBC reported. Sidhu is from India and has permanent resident status in Canada.

Indian-origin

13 Indians successfully rescued and repatriated from Laos

The Embassy of India in Laos said on Sunday that it has successfully rescued and repatriated 13 Indians, including seven Odiya workers from a wood factory in Attapeu province and six Indian youngsters from the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in the Bokeo province of the Southeast Asian country.

“So far, the Embassy has rescued 428 Indians from Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR). We thank Lao authorities for their cooperation,” the Embassy said in a post on X. Stating that ensuring the safety and well-being of Indians remains its top priority, the Embassy also advised Indian workers coming to Laos/Lao PDR, to not get duped by fake or illegal job offers.

Earlier this month, the Embassy had issued an advisory detailing recent instances wherein Indian nationals were lured for employment through Thailand to Laos.

“These fake jobs are for posts such as ‘Digital Sales and Marketing Executives’ or ‘Customer Support Service’ by dubious companies involved in call-center scams and crypto-currency fraud in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos. Agents in places such as Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and India associated with these firms are recruiting Indian nationals by taking a simple interview and the typing test, and are offering high salaries, hotel bookings along with return air tickets and visa facilitation,” the advisory stated.

It added that victims are illegally taken across the border into Laos from Thailand and held captive to work in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos under harsh and restrictive conditions.

Advising Indian nationals to not get enticed and entrapped in fraudulent or exploitative job offers, the Embassy requested them to exercise extreme caution and verify the antecedents of recruiting agents as well as any company before taking up any job offer in Laos.

researcher finds way to charge car in 10 minutes, to revolutionize EV future

Indian-origin researcher Ankur Gupta and his team have discovered a new technology that could charge a dead laptop or phone in a minute or an electric car in 10 minutes. In the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers discovered how tiny charged particles, called ions, move within a complex network of minuscule pores.

According to Gupta, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at the US-based University of Colorado Boulder, this breakthrough could lead to the development of more efficient energy storage devices, such as ‘supercapacitors’.

The discovery is important not only for storing energy in vehicles and electronic devices but also for power grids, where fluctuating energy demand needs efficient storage to avoid waste during periods of low demand and to ensure speedy delivery during high demand, Gupta said.

Supercapacitors, energy storage devices that depend on ion collection in their pores, have fast charging times and longer

life spans compared to batteries, he added. As per researchers, the primary appeal of supercapacitors lies in their speed. Before this study, ion movements were only defined in the literature in one straight pore.

This discovery allows for the simulation and prediction of ion flow in a complicated network of thousands of interconnected pores in minutes, the researchers mentioned.

Indian-origin man dies after inhaling toxic fumes in Singapore, body repatriated

The body of an Indianorigin man who died of inhaling toxic fumes in Singapore has been taken to his hometown in India for the final rites. Srinivasan Sivaraman, 40, a cleaning operations manager at Supersonic Maintenance Services, died on May 23 after inhaling toxic fumes while flossing a tank at national water agency PUB’s Choa Chu Kang Waterworks.

He and two Malaysian workers were discovered unconscious at the PUB facility after inhaling the gas. He was pronounced dead at the hospital later that day. The Malaysian workers are still in intensive care, said Stargroup Est, which employs one of the workers.

Preliminary investigations revealed the workers had inhaled hydrogen sulfide gas, a by-product of the water treatment process, said PUB. Sivaraman’s body was taken to India for the final rites on May 28 after it was embalmed and handed over to his grieving family and friends on May 26, reported The Straits Times and Tamil Murasu, a Tamil language daily.

Around 50 people, comprising family, friends and colleagues, paid their final respects at a gathering on May 26.

Telangana woman studying in US dies after speeding car hits her in Florida

A25-year-old woman from Telangana was killed after being hit by a car in the US’s Florida state, her family said on Monday.

Guntipalli Sowmya died on the spot after she was hit by a speeding car while she was crossing the road on Sunday night, according to information received by her family. Sowmya, a native of Yadagaripalli in Yadadri Bhongir district, had gone to the US for higher studies. She had completed her Masters from Florida Atlantic University and was trying to find a job.

Sowmya’s family was shocked upon receiving the news of her death. Her parents Koteswara Rao and Balamani have appealed to the Center and the state governments to bring her body back to India. Telangana Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy expressed condolences to Sowmya’s family. He said efforts were being made to bring back her mortal remains.

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France NRI Iqbal Singh Bhatti denies involvement in AAP’s pro-Khalistan funding

Days after his name cropped up as a “reference” in the case of Khalistani funding for AAP, France-based NRI Iqbal Singh Bhatti this week landed at the office of Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to deny he had played any such role.

Bhatti, who has been into social service for decades in his adopted country, maintained he was “not connected in any manner to the AAP funding episode”. He runs Aurore Dawn, an outfit that helps cremate Indians who die in France. On this visit to India too, he is carrying eight urns containing the ashes of Indians cremated in France. “I have nothing to do with the funding. The complaint against me is wrong,” he told The Tribune.

The NRI even produced documents to show he was a social worker and

had each time met Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited France. He claimed a few weeks ago he, in collaboration with the Overseas Friends of BJP, even organized a car rally in favor of PM Modi in Paris.

On May 5, the Principal Secretary to the L-G had sent a letter to the Union Home Secretary, which referred to another January 2014 letter written by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to Bhatti on a decision of the Delhi Government. Bhatti had then been fasting at Jantar Mantar while demanding an SIT probe into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and release Sikhs, including Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, languishing in jails for decades.

Kejriwal’s letter to Bhatti mentioned, “The AAP government has already recommended to the President the release of Bhullar and would be working on other issues, including the formation of an SIT, sympathetically and in a time-bound manner.”

Indian-origin teenage footballer Tahsin included in Qatar squad

Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid created history in the Qatar Stars League by becoming the first-ever Indian player to play in the division for Al Duhail. The 17-yearold made his debut in the competition for his side in their 2-0 defeat to Al Rayyan on Sunday (March 31).

The teenager has set the bar high for Indian footballers by proving himself capable of playing in a major Asian football league like the QSL. He came on for the last 12 minutes or so of the match, replacing Ibrahima Diallo – who can be better remembered for his time playing in the Premier League for Southampton from 2020-2023.

For Tahsin, this is something that has been a long time coming. The 17-yearold is a product of Qatar’s famous Aspire Football Academy, which has been responsible for churning out quality national team stars in the last decade. He has roots in India through his parents, who are both Indians residing in Qatar – where the 17-year-old was born and lived his entire life. His parents, Jamshid and Shaima – who were former varsity footballers in India.

Interestingly, Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid also has Indian citizenship – meaning that he can actually represent India at the international level too. He only has a temporary Qatari passport, probably a ‘mission passport’ – which is needed for the purpose of sports competition.

Veteran British Indian Labor MP Virendra Sharma says won’t seek re-election

Virendra Sharma, Britain’s veteran Indian-origin member of Parliament and a vocal advocate of closer India-UK relations over the years, has announced his decision to step back from frontline politics and not seek re-election in the UK’s July 4 general election. The 77-yearold Labor Party MP, who has won a record four general elections since a by-election victory in 2007 from the heavily Punjabi dominated Ealing Southall constituency, said it was time for a new chapter in his life as a grandfather.

The politician born in Mandhali village

in Punjab moved to the UK in 1968 and started out as a bus conductor before going on to study at the London School of Economics (LSE) on a Trade Union Scholarship and becoming a prominent trade unionist of his time.

“As a British Indian and as a Hindu, as a Labor Member, Councilor and MP I have never struggled to reconcile those different, but complementary, identities,” said Sharma in a letter addressed to his party on Monday evening. Sharma, who chairs the Indo-British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and cochairs the British Hindus APPG, has been a very vocal advocate of closer India-UK relations over the years.

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Allied income sources of Sheikh Shahjahan now under ED scanner

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials have brought under the scanner the allied income sources of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan which are in addition to illegal land grabbing, fisheries and fish exports. Sources said that the Central agency got information that the fund flow from the alleged income sources was much less compared to that from illegal land grabbing, fisheries and fish exports, but these added up substantially in crores to the kitty of Shahjahan and his associates.

According to sources, one of the principal sources of this allied income was rents from local shop-owners at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district who were running their businesses on lands owned by Shahjahan. The ED officials have cross-checked that the rent money flow was mainly unaccounted for since the rents were paid in cash and that

Karnataka: SIT to grill sexual abuse case prime accused Prajwal Revanna

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the sexual abuse allegations against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, will grill the leader on Friday. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) arrested Prajwal from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport soon after he arrived from Munich, Germany by Lufthansa flight in the wee hours, and handed him over to the SIT probing the case. Prajwal’s mobile phone and baggage have been seized. The mobile phone and his voice samples will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).

The accused will first be taken to Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru for medical tests, and after that, the team, headed by SIT Chief B.K. Singh, will question him. Afterward, the SIT is likely to take him to his residence and office in Hassan, where the sexual assaults and multiple alleged rapes were committed, and conduct a spot mahajar (investigating the crime scene and working out the sequence of events with the accused).

After bringing Prajwal back from Hassan, he will be produced before the court, SIT sources said. Meanwhile, a team of advocates has arrived to meet Prajwal. The grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Prajwal, had left the country on April 26 after the alleged sex video tapes against him surfaced. The authorities had issued an arrest warrant, a lookout notice and a Blue Corner notice against him.

too without any receipts. Apart from the rent, Shahjahan associates used to collect small amounts daily from all show-owners as protection money. Although the daily amounts collected from the show-owners were nominal, when added up finally the inflow from these sources was substantial. The third source of allied income, according to sources, was from the state government contracts in Sandeshkhali which Shahjahan bagged because of his influence in the ministerial circle. Apart from that share of profit in the multicrore ration distribution case in the state was

another important source of this allied income. Shahjahan was known as an extremely close confidant of the former State Food & Supplies and Forest Minister Jyotipriyo Mallick, who is currently behind bars in the ration distribution case.

The ED, on May 27, submitted a charge sheet at a special PMLA court in Kolkata, where the Central agency officials accused Shahjahan of collecting Rs 261 crore through illegal land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. The ED counsel informed the court that the Central agency officials have identified 180 bighas (59.5 acres) of land illegally grabbed by Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali. Besides Shahjahan, his brother Sheikh Alamgir and his close associates Didar Bux Molla and Siboprasad Hazra have been named as accused in the charge sheet. The ED has so far confiscated assets and property worth Rs 27 crore owned by Shahjahan. Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on February 28 for attacking the officials of the Enforcement Directorate.

‘Anti-Sanatan mindset’: BJP slams INDIA bloc for questioning PM Modi’s meditation

BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Friday slammed the INDIA bloc for being “antiSanatan” and questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

“What has happened to Congress and the INDIA bloc? If the Prime Minister says something, they have a problem. If he goes to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial for meditation without saying anything, even then, they have a problem,” Poonawalla said.

He said this reflects the opposition’s “frustration” and “anti-Sanatan” mindset.

“These (opposition) people opposed Ram Temple, labeled it as useless and said that there is no relevance of Lord Ram. They used phrases like Hindu terror and said that Sanatan is a disease. Now, these people have a problem with a Hindu meditating peacefully and will issue fatwas?” Poonawala said.

Responding to allegations that the

Acourt in Pune on Friday sent builder Vishal S. Agarwal and his father Surendrakumar B. Agarwal to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the case about threats and abduction of their driver and other charges. The accused are the father and grandfather of the accused minor boy -- currently in a juvenile correctional home -- whose speeding Porsche car killed two Madhya Pradesh techies, both aged 24, early on May 19, triggering an outrage.

While Vishal S. Agarwal, 50, was arrested late on Monday (May 27), Surendrakumar B.

Parts of North East remain isolated as submerged railway tracks disrupt connectivity

Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur along with southern Assam remained isolated for the third consecutive day on Thursday as most railway tracks remained waterlogged or damaged due to the landslides which were triggered by the incessant rains in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, officials said.

A Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) official said that railway tracks were either inundated or the water is overflowing over the tracks due to incessant rains or have been damaged in at least ten places in the New Haflong-Bandarkhal section under the Lumding division in southern Assam’s Dima Hasao district, which is a connecting route to south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram.

meditation violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), Poonawalla said that PM Modi is not violating the MCC. “The Prime Minister is not campaigning or promoting, he is not saying something, he is not passing any political statements, nor is this a political gathering,” he said.

He said that the opposition claims that meditation violates the MCC and should not be covered by the media. “Today, in the times of social media, everyone has a smartphone and data costs have fallen by 90 per cent. If someone is making a video, will you stop them?” he asked.

The BJP Spokesperson highlighted a contrast, noting that when Rahul Gandhi was contesting elections in Wayanad on April 26, he was campaigning in neighboring Karnataka and making political statements.

“The silent period turned into violence, and the opposition remained silent,” he said.

The BJP Spokesperson concluded that the opposition’s stance against PM Modi is increasingly showing signs of being “antiSanatan.”

“The water levels of all rivers including Barak, Madhura, and Jiri are flowing above the danger level in the region. Once the water level recedes, restoration work can be started.

“Currently intermittent heavy rain also badly hampered the work. However, our engineers and workers are working roundthe-clock to restore rail services,” an NFR official said in an interview.

India Meteorological Department said that the Southwest monsoon has advanced into most parts of the northeast region on Thursday, which was advanced by a week from its normal date. The railway official said that with the onset of monsoon if the rain occurs in the coming days then it is uncertain about the resumption of railway services in the region. The NFR had canceled a large number of express, passenger and goods trains bound for south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram since Tuesday.

Passenger and goods train services have been affected in the region since April 25 owing to heavy landslides causing damage to railway tracks in the Jatinga LumpurNew Harangajao section under the Lumding division after heavy rains lashed the mountainous Dima Hasao district.

Agarwal had been arrested earlier under fresh charges, and both were remanded to police custody till May 31.

Simultaneously, the minor accused’s mother, Shivani V. Agarwal has now come under the police radar in connection with the probe into the swapping of the boy’s original blood report which was swapped, ostensibly to get him off the hook in the serious crime.

In a related development, a couple of friends of the 17-year-old boy who were in the Porsche, have told the Pune Police that he was heavily drunk and driving at the time of the crash that killed IT professionals Ashwini Koshtha and Aneesh Awadhiya that morning.

Considering the damaged railway tracks and weak soil in the region, the NFR recently operated a limited number of trains in the daytime on the hilly route, besides regulating long-distance, express and goods trains. The disruptions in services caused a major shortage of transport fuel -- petrol and diesel -- and other essential goods in southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.

Due to the heavy rain and landslides, highway connectivity was also affected in these states, which are heavily dependent on fuel, essential items, food grains and other commodities from the outside.

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Porsche crash case: Accused minor’s father, grandfather get 14-day judicial custody

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Monsoon

arrives simultaneously in Kerala, northeastern states

The southwest monsoon has arrived simultaneously in Kerala and the northeastern states on Thursday, two days ahead of its expected date of June 1. IMD had said on Wednesday that conditions were rapidly becoming favorable for the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala within the next 24 hours. This was a day earlier than IMD’s first forecast for the onset of the monsoon on May 31.

The influence of Cyclone Remal is reported to have accelerated the onset of monsoon over the northeast as well. Normally, the monsoon arrives in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, and Assam on June 5. The onset of the monsoon in Kerala marks the start of India’s southwest monsoon season, which stretches from June to September, and accounts for over 70 per cent of the country’s annual rainfall.

The monsoon plays a key role in the Indian economy as close to 50 per cent of the country’s farmland does not have any other source of irrigation. The monsoon rains are also crucial for recharging the country’s reservoirs and aquifers from which the water can be used later in the year to irrigate crops.

RBI shifts 100 tons of gold from vaults in UK to India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has shifted around 100 tons of its gold kept in bank vaults in the UK to its own vaults in India in a move aimed at saving storage costs, according to media reports. This is the first time since 1991 that India has undertaken such a large-scale overseas transfer of gold reserves.

Economist Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the PM’s Economic Advisory Council, said, “While no one was watching, RBI has shifted 100 tones of its gold reserves back to India from the UK. Most countries keep their gold in the vaults of the Bank of England or some such location (and pay a fee for the privilege). India will now hold most of its gold in its own vaults. We have come a long way since we had to ship out gold overnight in 1991 in the midst of a crisis. For those of my generation, the shipping out of gold in 1990-91 was a moment of failure that we will never forget. This is why this shipping back of gold has a special meaning,” he pointed out.

In 1991, when the country was in the grip of a severe foreign crisis with no money to pay for essential imports, the Chandra Shekhar government pledged gold to raise funds. The RBI then pledged 46.91 tons of gold with the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan, to secure $400 million. More than half of the RBI’s gold reserves are held overseas in secure custody with the Bank of England and the Bank of International Settlements, while approximately a third is stored in the RBI’s vaults in Nagpur and Mumbai.

Swati Maliwal case: Delhi HC reserves order on Bibhav Kumar’s plea against arrest

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its order on the maintainability of the plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar challenging his arrest in the Swati Maliwal assault case.

Senior Advocate Sanjay Jain, representing the Delhi Police, opposed issuing notice on the plea, raising preliminary objections to the petition. Jain argued before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma that Kumar’s petition was not maintainable because it did not disclose that an application had been filed before the trial court on the issue of non-compliance with Section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which was subsequently rejected.

Jain submitted that the trial court had rejected Kumar’s application on May 20, and technically, Kumar has 90 days to file a revision against the order under Section 397 of the CrPC. He said that an alternative remedy was available to Kumar, rendering the current petition unnecessary.

Jain further said that no interim relief was sought in the petition, questioning the urgency of hearing the matter on the last day before the court’s summer break. Kumar is seeking compensation for what he terms his “illegal arrest”.

Kumar’s plea argues that his arrest was conducted in violation of the Supreme Court’s guidelines established in the landmark

Arnesh Kumar judgment, which outlines the procedures and conditions under which arrests should be made to prevent unnecessary detentions. In his petition, Kumar has urged the High Court to declare his arrest unlawful, asserting that the authorities did not adhere to the legal standards mandated by the Supreme Court.

The Arnesh Kumar judgment says that arrests should only be made in cases where it is absolutely necessary and mandates that police officers must provide reasons for arresting an individual in writing.

Kumar contends that his arrest did not meet these criteria and therefore, constitutes a breach of his legal rights.

He has also sought financial compensation for the alleged illegal detention, arguing that it

Election Commission revises sixth phase turnout to 63.37 per cent

The Election Commission on Tuesday revised the voter turnout in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha election, spanning 58 seats in 8 states/UTs, to 63.37 per cent, while also releasing the absolute number of voters for the phase.

The previously estimated turnout, released late on Saturday night after polling in the day, was pegged at 61.20 per cent. According to the revised estimates, the gender-wise turnout was 61.95 per cent for males, 64.95 per cent for females, and 18.67 per cent for third-gender voters.

The turnout ranged from 82.71 per cent in West Bengal (8 seats) to 54.04 per cent in UP (14 seats), while J&K’s Anantnag-Rajouri seat logged an impressive 55.40 per cent - the highest in several decades.

The turnout in other states/UTs was 74.45 per cent in Odisha (6 LS seats and 42 Assembly seats), 65.39 per cent in Jharkhand (4 seats), 64.80 per cent in Haryana (10 seats), 58.69 per cent in Delhi (7 seats), and 57.18 per cent in Bihar (8 seats).

A total of 889 candidates were in the electoral fray, including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from Odisha’s Sambalpur, former Union Maneka Gandhi from UP’s Sultanpur, former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangophadhyay from West Bengal’s Tamluk, industrialist Naveen Jindal from

Kurukshetra (all BJP), Kumari Selja from Haryana’s Sirsa, Deepender Singh Hooda from Haryana’s Rohtak, J.P. Agarwal from Delhi’s Chandni Chowk (all Congress), PDP President and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti (Anantnag-Rajouri), and actor-politician Deepak Adhikari Dev from West Bengal’s Ghatal (Trinamool Congress).

Other prominent contests included Union Minister Sushma Swaraj’s daughter Bansuri Swaraj making her electoral debut from New Delhi against Aam Aadmi Party’s Somnath Bharti, Congress’ Raj Babbar taking on Union Minister and sitting MP Rao Inderjit Singh in Gurgaon, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s cousin Dharmendra Yadav against sitting BJP MP Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirhua’ in Azamgarh.

caused him undue distress and damage.

A Delhi court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of Kumar in the case. He is currently in judicial custody. During the hearing, Swati Maliwal broke down in the courtroom alleging character assassination and life threats being given to her.

Delhi Police had opposed Kumar’s counsel’s submission that Maliwal went to the CM’s residence with the intent to malign his aide, while his counsel had alleged a three-day delay in filing an FIR. His counsel had further argued that Bibhav Kumar was not present at the CM’s residence and that Maliwal had no appointment.

Bibhav Kumar was arrested on May 18 in connection with the assault on Swati Maliwal on May 13.

Stay alert, keep hawk’s eye on EVMs on June 4: BJP tells its booth in-charges

After two and half months of marathon campaign and the last phase of polling on June 1, the stage is set for the counting of votes on June 4. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), not letting its guard down after the conclusion of high-intensity campaign, has issued directions to its booth agents and booth incharges to stay alert and maintain a hawk’s eye on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on the counting day i.e. June 4. In clear and detailed guidelines, the party’s booth in-charges and agents have been briefed to keep a strong vigil on the EVMs and report the matter if they spot any discrepancy or deviation from standard practice.

“You must check if the EVMs are properly sealed or not before counting,” is the message circulated from the party as it seeks to realize the mission of 370 seats on its own. All the EVMs are affixed with a white paper and if it is missing from any of them, for whatsoever reason, it calls for a closer inspection and scrutiny of the machine. The booth agents have also been told to ensure that the EVMs are opened in front of them, when the counting of votes begin on June 4. They have also been told to keep an account of total votes cast, as mentioned in the Form 17 linked with the EVMs. All the booth agents and booth in-charges have been directed to report to the respective centers, at least half an hour before the counting begins. Over the past two and half months, the BJP mounted a vigorous campaign to woo the electorate and with ‘extra effort’ on counting day, the party wants to ensure its presence in every booth to rule out any aberration, big or small.

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Iran rules out sabotage explosion behind Raisi’s helicopter crash

Iran has ruled out the possibility of a sabotage explosion leading to the helicopter crash that resulted in the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, local media reported.

The General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces released the second report on the causes of the helicopter crash on Wednesday. The report said given the results of the tests on the helicopter’s wreckage and remaining parts and the way the remains had been scattered at the scene of the incident as well as their distance from the fuselage, the possibility of an explosion caused by an act of sabotage during the flight or moments before the chopper’s crash into the mountain was dismissed. No sign of an act of electronic warfare was detected on the crashed helicopter, it said, adding that the weather conditions on the way back to Tabriz, the capital of East Azerbaijan province, would need further investigations. The first report of the investigation committee of the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces was released on May 23.

Belarus suspends participation in conventional arms treaty in Europe

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed the document to suspend the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the media reported. The document was signed by Lukashenko on May 24, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the decision to suspend the CFE was made in the context of the collapse of the existing conventional arms control system in Europe and the continued escalation of the military and political situation in the region.

The Ministry added that if NATO ends its suspension of the treaty, Belarus would do the same.

The CFE was signed in November 1990 in Paris by 16 NATO member states and six Warsaw Pact countries. It came into effect in November 1992. The treaty limits the number of military equipment signatory countries can possess.

Thousands protest in New Zealand as government reveals budget

Thousands of New Zealanders took to the streets on Thursday in a nationwide protest ahead of the new government’s first budget.

Te Pati Maori (the Maori Party) alongside the Toitu Te Tiriti (Honor the Treaty) called for the protests to demonstrate a unified response to “the Government’s assault” on Maori and New Zealand’s founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Te Pati Maori called for the establishment of a Maori Parliament after the protests.

“Up and down the country, nearly 100-thousand people have taken part in activation rallies and we have saturated social media networks. We have mobilized our people in a matter of days in a beautiful harmonious activation against this Government,” it said in a statement.

“We now begin the process of establishing our own Parliament. Our people will design

what this looks like for us, nobody else.”

Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson said officers were monitoring multiple gatherings across the country. “While there has been disruption to travel in some locations, the

participants have been well-behaved overall.” Johnson said in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, hundreds of vehicles had clogged roads. Groups were converging in Auckland central, on Parliament Grounds in Wellington, and in many other cities and towns.

IDF takes control of key Gaza-Egypt border road, discovers 20 tunnels

The Israeli military has said that it has taken operational control of the entire route along the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi area, and discovered 20 tunnels that were used for cross-border smuggling. This was announced by the spokesperson of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hageri on Wednesday night. He said several rocket launchers were discovered on the border.

The IDF spokesman said that the newly captured strip of land runs 14 km along the Gaza-Egypt border and is considered Hamas’s Oxygen Pipeline for smuggling weapons.

Hageri said that of the 20 tunnels

discovered, some were known to the Israeli Army but others were discovered for the first time. The spokesperson said that 82 tunnel shafts leading into the tunnels have been located in the newly captured border area. The IDF said its troops are physically controlling most of the corridor but a small section is controlled by aerial surveillance. The Israel Defense Forces spokesperson in the statement also said that Hamas terrorists positioned the rocket launchers near the Egypt border believing that Israel won’t shoot fearing that it would reach into Egyptian territory.

“Hamas took advantage of the Philadelphi area, and built its infrastructure just dozens of meters from the border with Egypt so that we can’t strike there,” Hageri said.

Russia’s ex-President Medvedev threatens Poland with

‘radioactive ash’

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has threatened Poland with the prospect of “radioactive ash” in response to remarks on the use of nuclear weapons from Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski over the weekend. Sikorski had earlier told British newspaper The Guardian how the US would purportedly react to a Russian use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

“The Americans have told the Russians that if you explode a nuke, even if it doesn’t kill anybody, we will hit all your targets (positions) in Ukraine with conventional weapons, we’ll destroy all of them,” Sikorski told the paper.

Medvedev responded on the social network X by saying that the US had said nothing of the sort since “they are more cautious”.

“Americans hitting our targets means starting a world war, and a foreign minister, even of a country like Poland should understand that,” the deputy head of the Russian Security Council wrote on Sunday.

Polish President Andrzej Duda had asked for tactical nuclear weapons from the US to be stationed in Poland, Medvedev said. “Warsaw won’t be left out, and will surely get its share of radioactive ash. Is it what you really want?” Medvedev added. Duda had said in April that Poland, one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, was prepared to accept NATO nuclear weapons as a counterweight to the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

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Pakistan Army calls on judiciary to punish culprits behind 2023 riots and violence

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Terming it as pivotal for the “collective good” of the country, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Thursday re-emphasized the significance of bringing to justice the culprits behind the violent attacks on military installations on May 9, 2023. Munir’s remarks came at the 83rd Formation Commanders Conference, held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi which was also attended by Corps Commanders, Principal Staff Officers and all Formation Commanders of Pakistan Army.

The Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said that the forum emphasized on the transparent dispensation of justice in last year’s riots and vandalism case. The forum also took serious note of what it termed as “politically motivated and vested digital terrorism”, which it maintained was unleashed by conspirators working on the agenda of foreign forces.

The latest statement from the Pakistan Army Formation Commanders’ Conference has yet again indicated that there remains no possibility of any backdoor talks or engagement with former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Finland submits defence pact with US for parliamentary approval

The Finnish government has submitted the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Finland and the US for parliamentary approval. The agreement was signed last December. The Finnish government recommended to Parliament that a two-thirds majority be required for the final approval, as parts of the DCA contravene the Finnish constitution.

In the Finnish parliamentary process, the parliamentary constitutional committee ultimately determines the required majority. Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen expressed hope on Thursday that the DCA would be passed within a few weeks, the national radio Yle reported.

Finnish nuclear energy laws prohibit any presence of nuclear weapons in Finland. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has assured that the DCA does not change this situation. Orpo reiterated in mid-May that there is no intention in Finland to start changing the nuclear energy laws now.

On May 9 last year, after the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from the Islamabad High

Court, supporters of the party and its top leaders stormed important military installations to express their anger against the military establishment. The violent protests resulted in targeted mob attacks on major military installations across Pakistan, including the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

EU imposes new sanctions on Russia over Navalny

The Council of the European Union (EU) has announced a new framework for restrictive measures against Russia over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The sanctions regime involves trade restrictions on equipment, technology and software intended primarily for use in information security and the monitoring or interception of telecommunications, the Council said in a statement on Monday.

It also sanctioned one entity and 19 individuals alleged to have played key roles in the imprisonment and ultimate death of Navalny, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sri Lanka urges Russia to stop sending Lankan mercenaries to battlefront

Sri Lanka has urged Russia to immediately stop sending Lankan ex-military personnel, now serving as mercenaries in the war against Ukraine, to the warzone. State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said on Thursday that the Lankan government has made an official request in this regard till a decision is made after a meeting between Russian diplomats and Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry.

Balasuriya said that 455 complaints have been received so far with regard to Sri Lankans who have been fighting for Russia. Unconfirmed reports have said that more than 200 Sri Lankans fighting in Russia may have died and hundreds of them are being treated in Russian hospitals.

The reports also indicated that nearly 1,000 Sri Lankan ex-soldiers who earlier fought in the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for 26 years have now been lured to join mercenaries fighting for Russia.

Balasuriya said that it was difficult to know the exact number of Sri Lankans who had gone to fight in Russia as many of them have gone via different countries. The country’s security agencies have launched a probe into a human smuggling racket to send ex-soldiers to the Russia-Ukraine war and have arrested several suspects, including a retired army official. The Sri Lankan government has also made it mandatory to get the Defence Ministry’s clearance for any ex-military men leaving for Russia.

A Sri Lankan delegation comprising officials from the Foreign and Defence Ministries is set to visit Moscow from June 5-7 to discuss the matter.

NATO FMs meet in Prague on Ukraine amid protest

Foreign Ministers of the NATO member states gathered in the Czech capital for a two-day informal meeting to discuss support for Ukraine and preparations for the July NATO summit in Washington D.C., the US. Speaking at a joint press conference with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that he expects leaders in Washington to make important decisions in three areas: strengthening NATO’s defences, deepening the alliance’s partnerships, and increasing support for Ukraine.

Fiala said that the Czech Republic had fulfilled its commitment to spend two per cent of its GDP on defence this year and will continue to do so in the coming years. He also added that his country will continue to supply Ukraine with ammunition into next year.

On Thursday afternoon, several dozen “anti-war” demonstrators gathered in Prague’s Hradcany Square to protest the Czech Republic’s involvement in the Ukraine war. Protesters carried drums and banners with slogans such as “Stop guns”, “Let’s get out of NATO” or “Stop NATO”, the Czech News Agency reported.

Slovak PM Fico discharged from hospital

Swas released from hospital and taken to his apartment in Bratislava, the media reported. The F.D. Roosevelt Hospital in the central city of Banska Bystrica said on Thursday that Fico had a further medical check-up which confirmed that his health had improved and that he had started rehabilitation. According to the hospital director Miriam Lapunikova, when Fico is discharged, he will go straight into home care as Fico allegedly wishes.

Fico was rushed to the Roosevelt Hospital in Banska Bystrica, a city nearly 200 km from the capital, after being shot by 71-year-old Juraj C when he greeted supporters after chairing a government meeting in the central Slovak town of Handlova on May 15.

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Samsung grapples with labor dispute, semiconductor setbacks

Samsung is grappling with internal and external challenges at a critical time when it should be focusing on enhancing its competitiveness in the key semiconductor business amid a rapidly changing business environment.

Earlier this week, the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) announced plans to go on a strike in protest against stalled wage negotiations with the management. Although the union has not yet gone on strike, this announcement made headlines, as Samsung Electronics has not had a strike since its founding in 1969.

The NSEU is the biggest labor union in Samsung Electronics with nearly 28,000 members, accounting for 22 per cent of the company’s 125,000 employees. This intensifying management-labor dispute coincides with rising concerns over Samsung Electronics’ struggles in the semiconductor sector.

Ex-Porsche engineer Manfred Harrer joins Hyundai in top role

Hyundai Motor Group said on Tuesday it has hired a former Porsche engineer who led the development of the luxury sports car brand’s first electric vehicle (EV), Taycan, as it strives to further improve its vehicles’ performance.

The South Korean carmaker has appointed Manfred Harrer as executive vice president and head of the newly established Genesis & Performance Development Tech Unit, the group said in a statement.

The unit operates under the Research and Development (R&D) division of Hyundai Motor and Kia, two key affiliates of the automotive group. Harrer reports to Yang Heui-won, president of the Hyundai-Kia R&D Division, it said.

Harrer, 51, has worked on diverse projects, including chassis development, electronic systems, and software development, at leading car makers such as Audi AG, BMW Group, and Porsche AG in the past 25 years, reports Yonhap news agency.

He also previously worked at Apple as senior director of product design engineering.

Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing biz leaders agree to form private-sector economic consultative body

Business leaders of South Korea, Japan and China have agreed to form a trilateral economic consultative body to promote economic cooperation and resolve pending issues, the country’s main business lobby said on Monday.

Chey Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI); Masakazu Tokura, Chairman of the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren); and Ren Hongbin, Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade

(CCPIT), announced a statement on the trilateral partnership in Seoul as quoted by Yonhap news agency report.

The eighth trilateral business summit, which took place for the first time in fourand-a-half years in Seoul, comes on the sidelines of the ninth trilateral summit of leaders from the three nations.

The KCCI, Keidanren, and the CCPIT said in the statement that they had reached a consensus on the need to set up a private-sector, working-level consultative body to jointly respond to pending trade issues amid growing business uncertainties.

Chey, who leads South Korea’s chipsto-battery conglomerate SK Group, initially proposed the trilateral consultative platform in the private sector. The three business lobby groups have also agreed to cooperate in digitalization, trade, and supply chains for the growth of the three countries while vowing to make joint efforts on the issues of carbon emissions and aging societies for sustainable growth, the statement said.

The ninth trilateral business summit is scheduled to be held in Japan.

Tata Group, Serum Institute of India in Time’s world’s top 100 most influential companies’ list

Tata Group and the Adar Poonawalla-run Serum Institute of India (SII) have been recognized among the top 100 ‘World’s Most Influential Companies of 2024’ by Time magazine.

While the Tata Group was included in the list under the ‘Titans’ category, Pune-based SII was part of the ‘Pioneers’ section.

“Founded in 1868, the Tata Group long ago cemented its place in India’s economy, its vast portfolio extending from steel, software, watches, subsea cables, and chemicals, to salt, grains, air-conditioners, fashion, and hotels,” according to the

company’s description by the magazine in its list.

As the world’s biggest vaccine maker, Serum is no stranger to churning out billions of vaccines -- it makes 3.5 billion doses every year, including for measles, polio, and most recently, HPV. Serum’s CEO Poonawalla told Time magazine that the company’s success can largely be chalked up to its private ownership.

The company provided 90 per cent of the vaccines for India, and after that, began exporting the vaccine to other countries as well. At the end of 2021, the SII stopped manufacturing Covid-19 vaccines, and in 2022, it destroyed around 210 million doses of vaccines sitting in stockpiles.

‘This

is not correct’: WhatsApp head on Musk’s claims on Meta sharing user data

WhatsApp head Will Cathcart on Tuesday said the claim made by X owner Elon Musk that the Meta-owned messaging platform exports your user data is “not correct.”

Last week, Musk, in a post on X, said, “WhatsApp exports your user data every night. Some people still think it is secure.”

Now, Cathcart has criticized the tech billionaire for making an incorrect claim.

“Many have said this already, but worth repeating: this is not correct. We take security seriously, and that’s why we end-to-end encrypt your messages. They don’t get sent to us every night or exported to us,” said the WhatsApp head.

“If you do want to backup your messages, you can use your cloud provider, and you can even use end-to-end encryption for that too,” added Cathcart, advising users.

However, disagreeing with Cathcart, users in the comment section said that Musk had said nothing about messages but data.

“He said user data. He did not specify messages,” a user wrote.

“That’s off-topic. The tweet says Meta exports user data - i.e., metadata like telecom providers collect. Will’s answer talks about content (which telecom providers don’t usually collect). Feels like misdirection, which is Meta modus operandi,” another user said.

One more user mentioned, “You’re misleading. It’s user data, including metadata, not messages.”

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Rajeev Chandrasekhar welcomes US giant UPS to come and manufacture in India

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday welcomed American major United Parcel Service (UPS) for its plans to manufacture tags used in tracking packages in the country. UPS is a multinational shipping and supply chain management company founded in 1907.

Reports said the world’s largest parcel delivery company is apparently in touch with some state governments for its local production plans, leveraging a friendly chip investment environment in the country. The country is on the path to becoming a key player in the global semiconductor supply chain with $10 billion of incentives provided to encourage local chip manufacturing.

From a negligible presence in the global supply chain a decade back, the country now has a significant role to play in the supply chain ecosystem, creating investment and job opportunities. The IMF estimates say that India will be the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, with a GDP of $5 trillion.

Global giants like Apple, FedEx and Foxconn -- along with US-based semiconductor giant Micron -- are scaling up manufacturing in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently laid the foundation stone for chip plants worth over Rs 1.25 lakh crore.

India leading global fintech ecosystem thanks to UPI, says PM Modi

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Driven by digital public infrastructure (DPI) models like unified payments interface (UPI), the country is now leading the global fintech ecosystem and several countries are ready to embrace the ‘India Stack’ solutions to empower the masses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

In an exclusive interaction at his official residence in the national capital, PM Modi said when he kicked off the ‘Digital India’ movement, opposition parties made allegations that this was being done to serve the needs of the service providers.

“They could not understand how big this area is and the 21st century is a technology-driven century. Moreover, technology today is driven by artificial intelligence (AI),” PM Modi said in an interview.

The digital revolution, driven by UPI and QR-code-based payments, has shown to the world that DPIs like UPI, Aadhaar,

and DigiLocker can transform millions of lives.

The UPI platform processed 13,115 crore transactions in FY24, aggregating to nearly Rs 200 lakh crore in value, compared with 8,376 crore transactions worth Rs 139 lakh crore in FY23. The transactions via UPI are expected to breach 100 crore transactions per day by FY27.

PM Modi said in an interview that UPI has played a huge role in the world of fintech and due to this, “several countries are ready to embrace UPI because this is the era of fintech and India is now leading the fintech ecosystem”.

The third largest globally, India’s fintech ecosystem is poised to reach nearly $70

billion in annual revenue by FY30, according to reports. India is home to more than 10,000 fintech companies working in diverse sectors and segments.

Last month, UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Dennis Francis said India exemplifies how the digital revolution can be made accessible to millions and become “a fundamental driver of social transformation and progress”. Speaking at a conference on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) hosted by India’s UN mission, the UNGA President noted that in just seven years, India’s DPI model has achieved over 80 per cent financial inclusion for its citizens and now accounts for more than 60 per cent of all digital transactions worldwide.

The G20 summit in New Delhi last year recognized the transformative power of DPI and following this, India took the initiative to establish a global repository for DPIs, currently housing over 55 DPIs from 16 countries. The country has pledged $200 million to a social impact fund that will accelerate DPI adoption worldwide, especially in developing countries.

South Korea to operate strategic R&D centers in US, Europe

South Korea will operate strategic research and development (R&D) centers in the United States and Europe to enhance global R&D collaborations, the science ministry said on Thursday.

The strategic hubs aim to create a network between small overseas research centers in the regions and communicate with local authorities to find project partners, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT. The ministry plans to select these strategic centers among existing facilities and start test operation after securing the necessary budget next year, reports Yonhap news agency.

Additionally, the ministry will create a comprehensive map outlining the technological levels of global leaders in 12 national strategic technologies designated by

Samsung, Lennox join hands for HVAC business in US, Canada

Samsung on Tuesday said that it has agreed to set up a joint venture (JV) with a leading provider of climate solutions Lennox for a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC) business in the US and Canada.

According to Samsung, the newly-established JV, named Samsung Lennox HVAC North America, will sell ductless AC and heat pump products in the countries. The JV is 50.1 per cent owned by Samsung, with the remaining stake being held by Lennox, Yonhap news agency reported.

However, Samsung did not reveal the amount of investment for the JV. The JV will be distributing Samsung ductless AC and heat pump products, as well as “Lennox powered by Samsung”-branded products for Lennox, which will be sold through Lennox stores and a direct-to-dealer network, according to the company.

the South Korean government, as well as key technologies for achieving carbon neutrality.

The 12 technologies are semiconductors and displays, secondary batteries, advanced mobility, next-generation nuclear power, advanced biology, aerospace and ocean engineering, hydrogen, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, next-generation communications, advanced robotics and

quantum technology.

As an initial step, the government analyzed the maps for three technologies: solar power, wind power and power grid.

The findings showed that South Korea ranks fourth in hyper-efficient solar battery technology, 11th in large-scale wind turbine technology and fifth in intelligent power supply system technology.

Separately, the ministry announced four flagship global R&D projects, which will be on top of the government-backed programs, including the Boston-Korea Project and NetZero Korea Project.

The Boston-Korea project aims to strengthen cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. to advance biotechnology, while the Net-Zero Korea project targets improving the country’s hydrogen technologies.

Committee led by Altman, others

days. After 90 days, the committee will share its suggestions with the full Board.

ChatGPT maker OpenAI Board has formed a Safety and Security Committee led by directors Sam Altman (CEO), Bret Taylor (Chair), Adam D’Angelo, and Nicole Seligman, the company said on Tuesday. According to the AI startup, this committee will be responsible for making suggestions to the full Board on critical safety and security decisions for the company’s projects and operations. The first task of this committee will be to evaluate and further develop OpenAI’s processes and safeguards over the next 90

“Following the full Board’s review, OpenAI will publicly share an update on adopted recommendations in a manner that is consistent with safety and security,” the company mentioned. In addition, the ChatGPT maker said that OpenAI technical and policy experts Aleksander Madry (Head of Preparedness), Lilian Weng (Head of Safety Systems), John Schulman (Head of Alignment Science), Matt Knight (Head of Security), and Jakub Pachocki (Chief Scientist) will also be on the committee.

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OpenAI Board forms Safety and

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‘Double

trouble’ for Hardik Pandya ahead of the T20 World Cup!

After a few rough years due to back injury needing surgery and inconsistent form, 2022 finally became the year when Hardik Pandya was back as India’s go-to all-rounder, especially in the T20I format. But in the run-up to 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, Pandya is under pressure – on and off the field. But right now, as India prepare for the showpiece event in New York, all eyes will undoubtedly be on Pandya, who had a torrid time in IPL 2024 as an allrounder and captain for Mumbai Indians, who finished at the bottom of the ten-team points table.

He was also subject to unprecedented and constant boos and jeers from the crowd in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad, with fans angry over him for making a switch from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians, where he replaced five-time championship winning skipper Rohit Sharma as the side’s captain. Moreover, rumors of the end of his relationship with

Bill

Walton, NBA Hall of Famer and free spirit, dead at 71

Bill Walton, a two-time NBA champion and member of the basketball Hall of Fame, whose brilliant but injury-riddled career led to a second act as a free-spirited broadcaster who waxed philosophical on the air, died on Monday at the age of 71, the National Basketball Association announced. Walton, who had a prolonged battle with cancer, was surrounded by his family when he died, the National Basketball Association said.

“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement that recalled his many accomplishments on the court and his “insightful and colorful commentary” as a broadcaster. “But what I will remember most about him was his zest for life.” Walton, a 6-foot-11 (211-cm) center who moved gracefully despite his height, rose to stardom in college where he was part of the University of California, Los Angeles, dynasty under Coach John Wooden, winning National Collegiate Athletic Association championships in 1972 and 1973.

wife Natasa Stankovic have added more fuel to the scrutiny on Pandya. Pandya is everything India envisaged since he came into limelight via his IPL 2015 exploits for Mumbai Indians–a world-class seam-bowling allrounder who packs a punch with the bat in both skillsets, especially at the international level. Since coming into the Indian team in 2016, Pandya excelled in his all-round roles in all formats, till a back injury in the 2018 Asia Cup and a surgery post the 2019 World Cup stopped him from being back at his absolute best, resulting

in him playing only as a batter in the 2021 T20 World Cup, where India didn’t even enter the semifinals. But everything changed for the good for Pandya in 2022 – a move to new IPL franchise Gujarat Titans, that too as their captain, helped Hardik prove his fitness as an all-rounder in IPL - making 487 runs with the bat and taking eight wickets, including 3/17 in the title clash, as the side won the trophy in its first year.

That was enough to earn him a recall for T20Is against South Africa in June and from there, he became an inseparable part of the Indian team yet again. He even got to captain India in T20Is against Ireland and hit his first T20I fifty as well as pick four wickets in a stellar spell against England at Southampton. In the 2022 Men’s Asia Cup league match against Pakistan in Dubai, Pandya took 3-25, hit an unbeaten 33, including the winning six off left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz in the final over of a tense chase of 148 to beat

Who wouldn’t want to play with someone as good as Mbappe, says Bellingham

Fans are trembling in anticipation in the wait for Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe’s arrival to Real Madrid with the move being all but confirmed. One of the most talented midfielder in the world Jude Bellingham also shared the excitement of playing with someone as good as the French forward.

Mbappe’s transfer saga with the Los Blancos has been ongoing for nearly a decade and it appears that the move is imminent with only the announcement pending.

The announcement is expected to be made after the Champions League final that is scheduled to be played on June 2 (IST) at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London, England. Real Madrid will be taking the field with the

“Who wouldn’t want to play with someone as good as him? I don’t want to kind of put any more pressure on the situation, I know for him it’s probably difficult having everyone always talking about him, but yeah it would be really nice [to play alongside him,” added the 2023 Kopa Trophy winner.

The Champions League final is expected to be an emotional encounter with Toni Kroos and Marco Reus, two German legends playing their final matches with their respective clubs in what will be the perfect fairytale ending for one of the two midfield Maestros.

Paris Olympics will be played on the world’s first carbon-zero hockey turf

The hockey competition at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games will have something unique about it -the matches will be played on the world’s first carbonzero hockey turf which is setting new standards for sustainability in sports surfaces.The carbon-zero turf being used in Paris is made from 80% sugarcane and manufactured using green electricity, thus having a lesser impact on the environment. It also requires less water to irrigate it before every match.

In the T20 World Cup, Pandya was the calming figure at the other end when he and Virat Kohli took India from 31/4 to acing the chase against Pakistan at Melbourne. He would also hit a fifty in the semi-final against England, and be one of the shining lights for India in the campaign. IPL 2024 saw Hardik far from his best as an all-rounder – amassing 216 runs at a strike rate of 143 and picking 11 wickets at an economy of 10.75.

The batting didn’t have the calmness and punch associated with him and in his powerhitting, while the bowling was bereft of zip and penetration, especially as a middle-overs enforcer. With India playing only one warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1, Pandya needs to be free from clutter in his mind to execute his skills to the best-possible extent in the World Cup, like he did in 2022.

Stanley

Cup Final to begin on June 8

World No.1 Novak Djokovic dug out of an early hole on Thursday evening to down Dutch star Tallon Griekspoor for a place in the semifinals at the Geneva Open.

The 27-year-old Griekspoor could have won the first set as he looked the better player on the court. The Serbian served at 4-5, 0/40 in the opening set, a game during which he fended off four set points. The top seed escaped with either an ace or a hefty first serve that resulted in a missed return from the Dutchman.

In the ensuing set, it was the World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings who jumped to a 0/40 lead, finally breaking Griekspoor after two deuce points. Djokovic then held to love to close the topsy-turvy first set. Djokovic saved all seven break points he faced and converted four of his nine opportunities according to ATP Stats.

Djokovic, who turned 37 on Wednesday, is the oldest semifinalist in Geneva tournament history. Making his first appearance at the clay ATP 250, the 98-time tour-level titlist is aiming for his first trophy of the season. Now 14-5 on the year, Djokovic earned his 1,100th tour-level match win Wednesday when he beat Yannick Hanfmann in the second round.

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hopes of winning their record extending 15th Champions League title against Borussia Dortmund. Pakistan as India’s campaign was off to a winning start.

French Open: Djokovic advances with easy victory as Zverev builds up on Nadal win

French Open: Djokovic advances with easy victory as Zverev builds up on Nadal win. Top seed Novak Djokovic continued his quest for a recordextending 25th Grand Slam with another comfortable display even as Alexander Zverev backed up his statement win against Rafael Nadal with a dominant display against David Goffin in the French Open on Thursday. Aiming for his fourth trophy on the clay courts of Paris, the 37-year-old Djokovic showed flashes of his best tennis across a convincing 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 victory against Roberto Carballes Baena.

Zverev, the fourth-seeded German, who upset 14-time winner Nadal in straight sets in the opening round, came up with another fine display in his clash with Goffin as he overpowered the Belgian, 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2, hitting 37 winners under the roof on Court Suzanne-Lenglen to advance after two hours and 22 minutes. Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and Denis Shapovalov of Canada also moved into the third round by winning in contrasting styles. Dimitrov, the 10th seed, romped past Fabian Marozsan of Hungary 6-0, 6-3,6-4 while Shapovalov came back after losing the first set to hand 25th seed Frances Taifoe of the

Defending champion Djokovic cranked up his level late in the first set and rarely looked back Thursday as he got the better of Roberto Carballes Baena. A highly contested opening set ended with Djokovic producing more

aggressive baseline play, stepping in on returns and maneuvering the Spaniard from corner to corner to earn a decisive break at 5-4. Djokovic built upon his momentum with clean ballstriking and quickly jumped to a double break 4-0 advantage in the second set.

Djokovic, who must reach at least the final to have a chance to hold off Jannik Sinner and remain World No. 1 in the ATP Rankings, brought the crowd to a standing ovation in the opening game of the third set when he responded to Carballes Baena’s drop shot by skillfully hitting the ball around the net post. The Serbian won 55 per cent of his return points, according to Infosys Stats, and broke Carballes Baena’s serve seven times to improve to 3-0 in his ATP head-to-head series with the World No. 63. All three of their meetings have come at Grand Slam level.

Zverev suffered a catastrophic ankle injury at the clay-court major in 2022, turning his ankle during his semi-final clash with Nadal at the end of the second set. After returning to Tour last year, the 27-year-old looks back to his best, having won his sixth ATP Masters 1000 crown in Rome earlier this

month. The No. 4 player in the ATP Rankings is chasing his first major title and will next play Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor or Italian Luciano Darderi. Zverev is 30-9 on the season, earning 12 of those wins on clay. After winning a tight first set, Zverev moved through the gears in the second and third sets to take full control against former World No. 7 Goffin. The German committed just five unforced errors in the second set and did not face a break point in the third set, according to Infosys Stats, to improve to 4-2 in the pair’s ATP head-to-head series.

In other action, Felix Auger-Aliassime moved past Germany’s Henri Squire 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the third round in Paris for the second time. The 23-year-old Canadian has enjoyed success on clay this year, reaching the final at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid. Auger-Aliassime will continue his run in the French capital against Ben Shelton or Kei Nishikori. Eighth seed Hubert Hurkacz also advanced, defeating American Brandon Nakashima 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(5) in three hours and 20 minutes. Hurkacz fired 16 aces and won 83 per cent (67/81) of his first-serve points.

Virat Kohli to Mitchell Starc: Players to watch out for in T20 World Cup

The much-awaited T20 World Cup 2024 is set to begin on Sunday (as per IST) with co-host USA taking on Canada in the tournament opener in Texas. As teams gear up for the T20 showpiece in the West Indies and the USA, here’s a look at some players who can set the stage on fire in the tournament.

Virat Kohli (India)

Virat Kohli has been the backbone of India’s batting line-up since the last decade. His records at the ICC events are spectacular. In the last ODI World Cup in 2023, he broke legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s famous record after amassing 765 runs in the single edition of the tournament to clinch the Player of the Tournament accolade.

The right-handed batter, who is also the highest run-getter in T20Is, will eye to replicate his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 form in the T20 extravaganza after finishing the cash-rich league as the top run-scorer. The 35-year-old will play a crucial role in India’s campaign in the tournament.

Jos Buttler (England)

The England captain will head into the tournament as the defending champion

after lifting the title in 2022, beating Pakistan in the final at Melbourne Cricket Ground. The wicketkeeper-batter is the highest run-getter for the country in T20Is with 3011 runs in 115 matches. He scored 359 runs for Rajasthan Royals in the recently concluded IPL season including two centuries.

In the ongoing home series against Pakistan,

Bronny James to forego college eligibility and stay in the NBA draft

Bronny James, son of the NBA’s all-time leading top scorer LeBron James, will be foregoing his college eligibility to stay in the NBA Draft according to his agent and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. A two-way contract is usually offered to second-round and undrafted prospects. It limits players to four days on the NBA roster with the player having to spend the rest of the season in the G-League, the lower division. Each NBA team has three two-way contracts in addition to 15 regular roster spots.

Buttler slammed 84 runs in the second T20I in continuation of his stellar form. His fierce batting at the top will play a significant role in England’s campaign in the tournament.

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Re-appointed Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam will arrive at the mega event with a bagful of T20i runs and consistent form. The right-handed batter is set to lead the Men in Green in the hope of his first ICC title in a leadership role after finishing the last edition as runners-up. Babar is the second-highest run-getter in T20I, only behind Kohli with 3987 runs in 118 matches. The right-handed batter will look to steer his team to title glory in his second stint as captain.

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah is raring to play in the T20 pinnacle after missing the last edition of the tournament due to a back injury. The right-arm speedster finished the IPL season with 20 wickets in 13 matches for Mumbai Indians. He is also the third-highest (74 wickets) wicket-taker for the country in the shortest format after Yuzvendra Chahal (94 wickets) and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar (90 wickets).

Bumrah will lead India’s pace attack in the T20 World Cup along with Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj.

Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will spearhead the fast-bowling department. The tall bowler will be a key figure in their bowling line-up with his variations of deliveries in the 20-over match. He finished the last edition with 11 scalps, the joint-highest for Pakistan with Shadab Khan.

With 91 scalps, the left-arm-pacer is also the four-highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in the T20Is. Shaheen will look to dismantle the opponent’s batting lineup along with Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, and Haris Rauf.

Mitchell Starc (Australia)

Mitchell Starc will bring in his experience to showcase his bowling prowess for Australia. The experienced pacer will be at the forefront of Aussie’s pace-attack. The lethal speedster had a good outing with Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL-winning season. The pacer will carry that confidence in the T20 World Cup and eye to end the tournament with another ICC title.

SRK hails his KKR warriors as they clinch the IPL trophy

After

and

as he urged them not to let the

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Friday, 31 May 2024

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dominating the league stage of IPL 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won their third IPL title with a stroll past Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final in Chennai on Sunday. Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, whose IPL franchise clinched the trophy shared word of appreciation for his team its players. The actor also said he loves each member of his team dancing stop. United States, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 defeat in a second-round clash on Court 11.

Friday, 31 May 2024

Jack Reynor joins Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas for musical comedy ‘Power Ballad’

Irish actor Jack Reynor will once again collaborate with filmmaker John Carney in the upcoming musical comedy ‘Power Ballad’, after working together in ‘Sing Street’.

The film also stars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. Tagged as an “uplifting and music-driven story,” the film follows a wedding singer, a rock star, and the song that comes between them. Details about who will play what are still under wraps, reports variety.com.

This marks the fourth collaboration between Reynor and Carney, following the musical comedies ‘Sing Street’ and ‘Flora and Son’, as well as the series ‘Modern Love’. ‘Power Ballad’ is currently filming in Dublin.

Anupam Kher admits he’s a ‘bad dancer’ - and reveals his first acting role

Anupam Kher, who is well-known for his versatile performances in mainstream cinema as well as international productions, admitted at an event that he is “a very bad dancer”, but he does “dance with emotions”.

He also went down memory lane and talked about his first outing as an actor when he was in Class V in school -- he played a monkey in Lord Hanuman’s army. The memory was triggered by the ‘gada’ (mace) he was carrying at the launch of the live-action film ‘Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan’, where he will be seen along with Makarand Deshpande and Navneet Kaur Dhillion. The film will be released theatrically on May 31.

Talking about his poor dancing skills, Kher said, “That is why the audience has not seen me dancing quite often.”

Two songs from the film, ‘Jamboora’ and ‘Zara Muskura’, were unveiled at the event in the presence of the cast and crew. It was in the context of the songs that the actor was asked about how it felt to dance to the songs.

“I am a very bad dancer,” Kher said. “That is why the audience has not seen me dancing that often. But very soon you will see me in a surprise avatar in this film. I wish I was a great dancer too. Actually, I dance with emotions. I believe I dance through my acting.”

Deepika tops IMDb’s 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars, SRK in second place

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, who will be soon seen in ‘Singham Again’ and ‘Kalki 2898 AD’ has topped the IMDb list of Top 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars of the Last Decade. Following her is the actor opposite whom she made her debut with ‘Om Shanti Om’, Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan.

This list of all top Indian stars is determined by the actual page views of the more than 250 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide. Third spot on the list is occupied by actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who recently walked the red carpet at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Alia Bhatt is on the fourth spot followed by the late actor Irrfan Khan. Aamir Khan and Salman Khan, too find a place in the top 10. While Aamir is at number six, Salman holds the eighth spot, separated by the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput at number seven.

The list also includes Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Amitabh Bachchan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kareena Kapoor, Nayanthara, Ajay Devgn, Triptii Dimri and others. The list has actors from the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada film industries. Kamal Haasan, at Number 54, has the longest film career in the list with his debut as a child actor in 1960.

The Top 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars of the Last Decade on IMDb list is based on the IMDb weekly rankings from January 2014 through April 2024.

Sanya Malhotra-starrer ‘Mrs’ to be closing film for New York Indian Film Festival

The upcoming film ‘Mrs,’ starring Sanya Malhotra in the lead, has been selected as the closing film for the 24th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF). The film will be screened on June 2.

‘Mrs’ is a captivating account of a woman’s strength and resilience. It also stars Nishant Dahiya and Kanwaljit Singh in pivotal roles. It is the Hindi remake of the acclaimed Malayalam film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen,’ which starred Nimisha Sajayan.

Reacting to the news, Sanya said, “It is a proud moment for me that ‘Mrs’ has been chosen as the closing film for NYIFF. Playing Richa, a character grappling with the delicate balance between tradition and ambition, was an immense honor and responsibility, given that it embodies the struggles of so many Indian women. Our endeavor to breathe life into this story has been incredibly rewarding, and I am eagerly awaiting to share it with the world.”

In addition, ‘Sumo Didi’ will also be screened on June 2 at the upcoming edition of the film festival. The film has secured double nominations for Best Debut Film and Nikhil Sachan for Best Screenplay. Shot in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Japan, ‘Sumo Didi’ follows the story of a middle-class girl from a conservative Marwari family. She defies the odds to turn her perceived weakness into her strength and

breaks the glass ceiling.

Presented by Jio Studios in association with Fresh Lime Films and MA + TH, ‘Sumo Didi’ is produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Akash Chawla, Amit Chandrra, and Arunava Sengupta. Meanwhile, ‘Mrs’ has secured nominations for Sanya in the Best Actress category and Arati Kadav in the Best Director category. ‘Mrs’ is produced by Jio Studios and Baweja Studios.

APriyanka Chopra Jonas, who recently lent her voice to the wildlife documentary ‘Tiger’ as a narrator, has congratulated the Indian talents that scored huge victories at the recently concluded 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. On Monday, Priyanka took to the Stories section of her Instagram and sent her best wishes to the winners, Anasuya Sengupta, Payal Kapadia, and Chidananda S Naik.

While Anasuya won the Best Actress Award at Cannes, Payal’s film ‘All We Imagine as Light’ was feted with the ‘Le Grand Prix’ award, and Chidananda’s short film ‘Sunflowers were the first ones to know’ was honored with the La Cinef Award for Best Short Film. The actress shared three different stories, one each for Anasuya, Payal, and Chidananda. India had one of its best years at the Cannes Film Festival this time. Payal’s film was screened at the Palme d’Or (main segment) of the Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Indian film in 30 years to compete in the main segment after ‘Swaham’, which was released in 1994.

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Priyanka Chopra congratulates Indian winners at Cannes for scripting history ctress

Entertainment

Friday, 31 May 2024

Kourtney Kardashian opens up on her attempts to have a baby: Suffered 5 failed IVF cycles

Kourtney Kardashian has opened up about her struggles with IVF, revealing that she endured five “failed IVF cycles” before giving birth to her baby boy.

During a recent Q&A session with her fans on Instagram, Kourtney spoke about her challenges on the social media platform, reports ‘Female First UK’.

Kourtney, who has a six-month-old son, Rocky, with her husband Travis Barker, shared on Instagram, “I stopped after a year of trying (5 failed IVF cycles, 3 retrievals). My body relaxed, and I believed in God’s plan for my life. Lots of prayers for whatever was meant to be for us. Also, lots of optimizing my health. I know how hard it is to feel like you’re not trying, but believing in God’s plan and saying your prayers is so powerful.”

As per ‘Female First UK’, Kourtney had to undergo emergency fetal surgery before giving birth to her youngest son in 2023.

The brunette beauty, who also has Mason, 14, Penelope, 11, and Reign, 9, with Scott Disick, wrote on Instagram at the time, “I will be forever grateful to my incredible doctors for saving our baby’s life. I am eternally grateful to my husband, who rushed to my side from the tour to be with me in the hospital and take care of me afterward, my rock. And to my mom, thank you for holding my hand through this.”

“As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant. Praise be to God. Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing,” she added.

‘General Hospital’ actor Johnny Wactor shot dead during suspected theft in LA

Actor Johnny Wactor, known for his portrayal of Brando Corbin in the show ‘General Hospital’, was shot and killed during a suspected catalytic converter theft attempt here. He was 37 years old. Wactor’s talent agent, David Shaul, confirmed the actor’s death.

“Johnny Wactor was a spectacular human being. Not just a talented actor who was committed to his craft but a real moral example to everyone who knew him. Standing for hard work, tenacity and a never give up attitude.

“In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be,” Shaul said in a statement, reports variety.com. The statement further read, “Our time with Johnny was a privilege we would wish on everyone. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”

As per the Police Department in Los Angeles, a man was shot by one of three suspects attempting to extract the catalytic converter from his car at about 3 a.m. in the

area of Pico Boulevard and Hope Street. The man was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Wactor appeared in more than 160 episodes of ‘General Hospital’, the longest-running television daytime drama in the US. He made his television debut in the Lifetime drama series ‘Army Wives’. He also guest starred in the series ‘Westworld’, ‘The OA’, ‘Station 19’, ‘Siberia’, ‘Agent X’, ‘Fantastic’, ‘Animal Kingdom’, ‘Hollywood Girl’, ‘Training Day’, ‘Criminal Minds’, ‘Struggling Servers’, ‘Age Appropriate’, ‘NCIS’, ‘The Passenger’, and ‘Barbee Rehab’.

Judge denies Alec Baldwin request to drop indictment for ‘Rust’ shooting

ANew Mexico judge last week rejected Alec Baldwin’s bid to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge for the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, opening the way for an unprecedented trial of a Hollywood actor for an on-set death.

Baldwin’s lawyers argued at a May 17 hearing that a grand jury indictment of the actor was “a sham” as a New Mexico state prosecutor failed to tell jurors they could question defense witnesses and stopped them hearing evidence helpful to the actor’s case.

District court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer, in a court filing, denied the request. The trial is scheduled to stand trial on July 10. Hutchins was shot with a live round after Baldwin pointed a gun at her as she set up a camera shot on a film set near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The “30 Rock” actor maintains he did not pull the trigger, an assertion, that has become central to the case.

Sommer sentenced “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez to 18 months prison in April after a Santa Fe jury found her guilty of involuntary manslaughter for loading

the live round into the reproduction Colt Single Action Army revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with. Hutchins died in the first on-set

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fatal shooting with a live round mistaken for a dummy blank round since Hollywood’s silent era, according to historian Alan Rode.

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20 Dharam - Karam

Friday, 31 May 2024

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21 Dharam - Karam

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www.indoustribune.com Friday, 31 May 2024 23

Friday, 31 May 2024

The historic Ram Lalla Rath Yatra concludes in Chicago with overwhelming response from the community

VHPA organizes ‘Swagat ceremony and Sampan Samaroh’ that saw the attendance of over 200 people who were there to welcome back Shree Ram Lalla with all their heart.

By Vandana Jhingan

After visiting 49 States 27000 Miles visiting 850 Hindu Mandirs in 65 Days Ram Rath came back home. It left on March 23rd and came back on May 26th 2024. It was led by Mr Amitab Mittal, General Secretary of VHPA and was joined by Ms Tejal Shah, the Joint Secretary and partially joined by Mr Ajay Shah, President, VHPA.

The event was attended by around 200 People from various different suburbs of Chicago. The Weather prediction was 89% rain & thunderstorm but before 2 hours of Rath arriving to the venue, the sky cleared completely with a 75 degree F temperature.

The Program started with prayers and receiving the Rath by Priest Anil Joshi ji of Hindu Mandir of Lake County Grayslake and all the community members present chanted lord Shree Ram’s name in unison.

Welcome address was given by Mr Harendra Mangrola, President VHPA Chicago, where he welcomed all the guests and thanked all the supporting Mandirs of Chicagoland. He said this Yatra has helped in uniting all of the Chicagoland temples and said Ram Rajya call has begun from Chicago/US by thanking Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi Ji.

Master Vedarth, Anirved Marfatia and Shiva Vaishnavi Chanted Hanuman Chalisa. Ms Anjika Awasthi performed Mere Shree Ram Aaye Hain.

Mr Ajay Shah, President VHPA, thanked all Chicago Community for making the event possible. He said today is the first day of Ram Rajya. The responsibility of VHPA is to connect Mandirs and “we are successful in that effort.”

Mr Abhay Asthana, Chairman, Advisory Board of VHPA, said, “the Inspiration of this Rath Yatra came from the Car Rally but I never expected this Rath Yatra will

take this shape. It became very successful. Visiting 850 Mandirs and making connections is an exceptional achievement.

Mr Sanjay Mehta, Scretary, Advisory Board VHPA stressed that ‘Dharmo Rakshti Rakshita’. We don’t want Bhagwan to come and protect us, we have to do it ourselves.

Volunteers Hetal Patel, Shipra, Anurag Awasthi, Niyati Vasani, Kathryn and

Manan Raval were among those who helped and were honored. Ms Meghna Bansal, Dr Panna Barai and revered journalist Vandana Jhingan honored Ms Preet Mital and Dr Barai. Additionally, Krishna Bansal honored Amitabh Mittal ji.

Jaya Asthana led the VHPA Prathna and Bhojan Mantra and Nirav Patel offered a vote of thanks which concluded the event.

www.indoustribune.com

24 Community

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Shree Jalaram Mandir Chicago organizes its annual Health Fair

By Jayanti Oza

Shree Jalaram Mandir located in Hoffman Estates, IL organized its annual Health Fair on Sunday, May 19, 2024. Annual Health Fair is held with the goal to help community members and devotees who need medical help and cannot afford to pay. The event was a great success with over 300 people taking advantage of various medical services.

Medical Services offered during

the health fair included: Physician’s consultation, dental examination, EKG interpretation by a cardiologist, physical therapy, diet/nutrition consultation, ayurvedic consultation and foot scan.

In addition, the following tests were performed for each participant: Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar, Laboratory tests such as Complete Blood count, Chem Profile, Lipid Profile, TSH and HGA1C, Urinalysis, and Bone Density.

The Health Fair was partially supported by local vendors and the Lohan Association of Greater Chicago. Shree Jalaram Mandir committee members have worked hard to maintain participants’ smooth flow along with their safety. The mandir kitchen team also offered tea, coffee and light breakfast to all the attendees.

The success of this event goes to Health Care and non-Health Care volunteers who took time from their busy schedule to provide service. About six physicians, two cardiologists,

two dentists, and close to 75-80 volunteers participated making the event a huge success.

Health Fair coordinators Jayantibhai Thakkar and Bakul Thakkar were grateful to community members and devotees who came and took advantage of much needed services. They acknowledged the special efforts of the Health Fair committee and Shree Jalaram Mandir committee members who had put together the plan and resources needed to make this event a great success.

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Community

Dr. Gandhi (Cardiologist) checking patient’s medical EKG report. People registering their name for the event. Health Fair coordinators Jayantibhai Thakkar and Bakul Thakkar were grateful to community members and devotees who came forward with their support. People waiting patiently for their turn for the health checkups.

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Incorporating wellness into wedding preparations

The air is abuzz with excitement and joyous celebrations this season, and one of the reasons is the ongoing wedding season. From attending cozy winter weddings to breezy spring weddings, lengthy preparations across families go into making them remarkable and auspicious celebrations. However, amidst the hustle and bustle of preparing for the grand affair, there is one thing we should continue to focus on —cultivating a healthy lifestyle. It’s the secret to feeling your best and being able to relish every moment of the wedding festivities.

Here are five simple, everyday steps that can be seamlessly integrated to maintain a healthy lifestyle alongside the chaos of wedding preparations.

1. Incorporate smart meal sizing During wedding preparations, savor the joy of good food and avoid postevent guilt by being a little mindful of health. This can be achieved through clever portion control. Here’s a practical move: Trade that 12-inch plate for a 9-inch one. Fill half with non-starchy, low-calorie veggies like broccoli and spinach, and limit carbs such as rice and chapati to a modest one-fourth of the portion. Let protein options like eggs, chicken, soya and dal join the party in the remaining space.

Sipping some water before the feast is also a great tip as it helps distinguish between hunger and thirst. And remember to chew your food well, giving your taste buds a delightful encore by relishing each bite. With these simple adjustments, your meals become a celebration of joy and health, leaving you nourished and ready for the festivities ahead.

2. Making an informed choice: Select healthier fats

Fats play a crucial role in a healthy diet. So, learn about the better ones to make an informed choice about eating right. Choose good fats like MUFA and PUFA. MUFA helps increase good cholesterol while PUFA reduces bad cholesterol.

While cooking, opt for multisource (blended) edible oils – a healthier

alternative. MSEOs boast a higher smoke point and a good balance of MUFA and PUFA. These oils are laden with antioxidants and are well-proven to deliver several health benefits. These healthier alternatives are better choices for a well-rounded wedding celebration.

3. Choose better metabolic health and enhanced radiance with whole grains

Whole grains like oats, whole wheat, jowar, bajra and millets are nutritional superheroes and are perfect for boosting overall metabolic health. But these grains play a backstage role in the beauty scene too. Packed with essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, they provide essential nourishment to your hair and skin.This wedding season, rely on whole grains to keep you comfortably full for longer and reduce hunger pangs. One way to incorporate them into your diet is by swapping refined grains with nutrient-rich alternatives like oats, whole wheat, millet or broken wheat. Opt for sweet or savory oats, whole wheat wraps, daliya, upma or millet-based recipes as healthier alternatives to their refined counterparts

4. Nourish health with leafy greens, vegetables and whole fruits Wedding preparations are a mix of excitement and stress,

so nutrition can become your secret ally. Embrace a nutritious diet rich in vegetables and whole fruits to boost your fiber and micronutrient intake. Sprinkle veggies like carrots, tomatoes, and green beans into omelets or toss them into poha, and upma giving them a healthy twist. Prepare vibrant stir-fry creations using broccoli, baby corn, and red and green bell peppers. These small, joyful adjustments sneak more veggies into your routine, leaving you energized. Make oranges, sweet lime, strawberries, and the in-season fruits your go-to snacks. They provide natural sweetness, perfect for pairing with cereals or oats. Turn them into delightful desserts – sorbets, popsicles, or parfaits – for a guilt-free treat.

5. Be agile and incorporate physical

activity into your routine

Maintain high spirits and a nimble body during wedding preparations by infusing some physical activities into your routine. Turn on some music during household chores to add extra pep while attending to your cleaning chores at home. Opt for stairs instead of elevators for a mini workout. Turn phone calls into an opportunity to stand up and pace around to add more mobility to your body. Park at the far end of the parking lot or get off the subway or bus one stop early. Download an app to track your steps and boost your motivation. Aim for a daily goal of 10,000 steps or a 30-minute moderate physical activity. Keep these activities in mind as you prepare for the wedding, ensuring a healthier and more joyful celebration.

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Health & Fitness

Understanding Your Blood Test Results

By Health Corner, IndoUs Tribune

What’s the difference between HDL and LDL cholesterol (and which one is good)? What are triglycerides? Why is it important to know how many white or red blood cells you have? Your blood holds a wealth of information about your health. It can reveal your cholesterol levels, whether you’re diabetic, anemic, or fighting an infection. Blood tests provide clues about the functioning of your liver, heart, and thyroid.

Blood tests are often part of routine check-ups, as doctors analyze how your body is functioning. However, unless you’re a medical professional, understanding the results can be challenging.

When you visit your primary care physician for a check-up, your doctor may perform a blood draw to check your cholesterol, blood count (red and white blood cells and platelets), and a basic metabolic or chemistry panel.

Lipid Panel = Cholesterol

Your doctor will order a lipid panel to assess your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is divided into “good” (HDL) and “bad” (LDL). LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, can build up in your arteries, slowing blood flow and potentially leading to heart attack or stroke. High cholesterol typically has no symptoms, making the blood test crucial.

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood different from cholesterol. High triglycerides can contribute to the hardening of arteries, similar to high LDL cholesterol. You want your HDL cholesterol to be higher than 45 milligrams (mg) per deciliter (dL) of blood. LDL should be less than 130 mg/dL. Triglycerides should be under 150 mg/dL, and your total cholesterol should not exceed 200 mg/dL. If you’re at average risk for heart disease, it’s recommended to check your

cholesterol every five years starting at age 18.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

This routine test evaluates your general health and can detect a range of diseases. Doctors order this test to investigate symptoms like fatigue or bruising. The CBC measures your levels of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. White blood cells fight infection, so higher levels might indicate an infection. Abnormal red blood cell counts could indicate various diseases. Platelets help your blood clot, and abnormal levels can also signify disease.

Basic vs. Complete/Comprehensive Metabolic Panel

The basic metabolic panel tests your blood glucose (sugar), kidney function, and levels of calcium, sodium, and potassium. The complete metabolic panel includes these tests plus liver function tests. These panels might be part of a routine check-up or ordered to check for specific diseases.

Thyroid Function

This test measures the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood. High TSH levels may indicate hypothyroidism, while low levels may suggest hyperthyroidism. Both conditions come with various symptoms, and this test can help rule out other diseases.

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)

This test measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. It is a crucial test for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes. An HbA1c level of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes, while a level between 5.7% and 6.4% suggests prediabetes. Managing your HbA1c levels can help prevent complications associated with diabetes.

Vitamin and Mineral Levels

Blood tests can also check for deficiencies or excesses in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and magnesium. Deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to a range of health issues, including

fatigue, weakness, and bone health problems. Addressing these deficiencies through diet or supplements can significantly improve your overall health.

Inflammatory Markers

Tests such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) measure inflammation in the body. Elevated levels of these markers can indicate chronic inflammation, which is associated with various conditions like heart disease, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases.

Talk to your primary care doctor at your next check-up about which blood tests might be right for you. Understanding your blood test results can provide valuable insights into your health and help you take proactive steps towards maintaining or improving it.

For more information and tips on managing diabetes, consult your healthcare provider and stay tuned to Health Corner, IndoUs Tribune.

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Health

Corner

Flaunt those curves: The best way to dress according your body type

Getting dressed is so much easier and faster when you know how to bring out the best in you. With an awareness of your body shape and what you want to enhance or distract from, here is how you can style yourself to always turn heads.

She is said to be the backbone of the family. Moreover, the back (Mother) undergoes a lot of jumbles in its lifetime to maintain the overall structure of the body (family). Hence, one needs to value it and take care of it in all the best possible ways.

1. Apple

If you have heavier shoulders, arms, and bust, you are likely to be apple shaped. The common issue most apple shaped people face is that the top and midriff can look out of proportion and bigger than the rest of the body.

The missing balance can be brought in by wearing deep necks and v-necks with covered shoulders. You should avoid padded or puffed shoulders. You can also draw attention to your legs and your shapely waist with clothes that fit well around the area, or get flashy with some thigh high slits.

2. Pear

The trait of the pear body shape is heavy butt and thighs. This shape is easy to style and most outfits look great. The only risk you can run into is over enhancing the curves around your hips. Wearing clothes that fit well around the waist and hip help draw attention to the very effeminate curves and makes for a well balanced and proportionate look. You can experiment a lot with shapes and silhouettes as well.

3. Hourglass

Hourglass shapes are also very easy to style, which makes them so ideal. There are few outfits which wouldn’t look good on you if you have an hourglass body shape. The freedom to experiment that comes with this body shape is really great if you like to follow trends and live on the edge with your fashion choices. While anything is likely

to look great, the best way to dress for an hourglass body is to wear things which fit smoothly to draw attention to the proportionate body.

4. Rectangle

The rectangular body shape is well

shaped with no very pronounced curves and equally balanced upper and lower body. This shape also has a lot of scope for experimentation with clothing. Well fitted clothes are always easy to carry with a rectangular body. Loose silhouettes and flowy dresses are also equally flattering. With the shapely limbs that come with this body shape, you should try to show them off whenever possible.

5. Peach/ Inverted triangle

This is the incredible athletic body shape that most people work very hard in the gym for: it is characterized by broader shoulders than the hips.

V-line dresses and straight cut jeans flatter this body shape very well by adding definition to the waist and hips. In order to enhance the naturally athletic shapes, do not forget to wear some strappy tops every now and then and get everyone swooning. Human bodies come in all beautiful shapes and sizes, and each has its own unique styling points. With a little bit of knowledge and attention, you can enhance the best parts of your body and dress to kill for every occasion.

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Fashion

Beauty &

Beauty & Fashion

Are

you tired of your greasy hair

Stop making these common mistakes

Greasy hair can ruin the best of days, make the prettiest outfits look lifeless, and make your face look flat even when you are wellrested and free of any breakouts. For some of us, greasy hair is very common, making every other day a bad hair day.

There are many reasons your hair can get greasy quickly, and many of them are easy to avoid, but we simply don’t know about them. Here are some possible reasons why your hair is greasy and how to avoid this from happening any longer.

1. You are brushing or combing it too much

When the teeth of your comb consistently hit the scalp, it stimulates the scalp and results in excessive production of oil. While some amount of natural oil is necessary for the health of your hair, too much can obviously make your hair greasy and make it look limp and lifeless. Avoid brushing or combing your hair unless you have to, and if you have flyaways, tame them with your palms and use some hairspray.

2. You are washing your hair too often

Shampoos, no matter how mild or even organic, contain a certain amount of chemicals which enable them to wash off the gunk and build-up in your scalp. These chemicals can be harsh on your scalp if you wash your hair too often and either trigger the production of oil at the scalp or completely dry it out, leading to dandruff and dryness. Wash your hair no more than three times a week, and consider conditioning your scalp with hot oil or deep conditioner one to two times a month.

3. You are using the wrong products and tools

When was the last time you washed your comb with soap and water? The dirt, oil, and hair products you use can collect on hairbrushes, combs, straighteners, and curling irons. These get transferred back to your scalp every time you use them and cause your hair to become greasy. Wash your combs and clean hairbrushes once in at least two weeks. Ensure you wipe clean your styling tools with rubbing alcohol to sanitize them.

4. Your hair needs a detox

Sometimes the hair needs deep and intense rejuvenation, and we do not know it. Hair treatments, frequent styling, dry shampoos, styling moose, hair spray and other products can affect the hair in multifold ways. It may block the pores on the scalp, clog the roots of hair, or form a thin film across the length of the hair upon repeated use. All of this can make the hair lose its shine, affect its texture and quality, and contribute to lack of healthy hair.

Use a clarifying shampoo to detox your hair and avoid this from happening. Getting a haircut and laying off color treatments for a while can significantly help improve the texture of the hair.

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