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NATIONAL EDITION | Volume 13 • Issue No. 750 December 01 2023 | The Community First - News Update 24X7 | South Asian Views On Global News

Henry Kissinger dies aged 100 Page No. 4

Indian-Origin Man Faces Charges For Allegedly Killing Three Family Members In New Jersey

US Congress vows to pass massive defense bill, culture wars loom Page No. 4

United States issued record 1,40,000 visas to Indian students last year: Official Page No. 4

Page No. 24


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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

USA NEWS

US Congress vows to pass massive Former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger defense bill, culture wars loom passes away at 100 HiIndia Newsdesk

WASHINGTON: (Reuters) - U.S. congressional armed services committee leaders vowed on Wednesday that a must-pass $886 billion defense policy bill will be enacted this year, despite disputes over social issues dividing Republicans and Democrats. "I'm optimistic we will find a reasonable compromise that both chambers can support. What everyone here needs to understand is, we will enact an NDAA this year," Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said at the formal start of talks to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. In truth, negotiators have been working for months and hope to release the text of a final bill as soon as this week. The National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, is one of the few major pieces of legislation Congress passes every year, a practice started in 1961. Separate from the appropriations bills setting government spending levels, the

US citizen among 16 Hamas hostages released

HiIndia Newsdesk

HiIndia Newsdesk

U.S. congressional armed services committee leaders vowed on Wednesday that a must-pass $886 billion defense policy bill will be enacted this year, despite disputes over social issues dividing Republicans and Democrats. NDAA governs everything from pay raises for the troops - this year's will be 5.2% - to purchases of ships and aircraft to policies such as support for Ukraine. This year, the Republican-led House

passed its version by a narrow 219-210, with Democrats voting no after hardright Republicans added amendments addressing social issues such as a repeal of a Pentagon policy reimbursing expenses for service members who travel to obtain an abortion. Republicans also accused Democrats of injecting propaganda into the military and weakening U.S. forces by backing diversity and inclusion programs.

Google and Canada reach deal to avert news ban over Online News Act

HiIndia Newsdesk

result of the law. The deal comes after months of talks between the search giant and Canada. The law - which is aimed at Google and Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram - requires tech firms to negotiate payment agreements with news outlets. T h e a g re e m e nt a n n o u n c e d o n Wednesday requires Google pay C$100m (£58m, $74m) annually, indexed to inflation, to news outlets. An announcement by Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge on Wednesday said the funding would be used "for a wide range of news businesses across the country, including independent news businesses and those from Indigenous and official-language minority communities".

A dual US-Israeli citizen held hostage in Gaza has been released as part of a temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The hostage, Liat Beinin Atzili, was taken from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel on 7 October. She was among 12 Israeli and four Thai hostages released by Hamas on Wednesday. Eight other US citizens are believed still to be in captivity.

Google has reached a deal with Canada to avert a news blockade over a law that forces tech giants to pay for news content. Google had vowed to remove links to news in Canada in response to the Online News Act, due to take effect on 19 December. Social media giant Meta is already blocking news on its platforms as a

Walmart Shifts To India From China For Cheaper Imports

Elon Musk says advertising boycott will kill X

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: Walmart is importing more goods to the United States from India and reducing its reliance upon China as it looks to cut costs and diversify its supply chain, data seen by Reuters shows. The world's largest retailer shipped one-quarter of its US imports from India between January and August this year, according to bill of lading figures shared with Reuters by data firm Import Yeti. That compared with just 2% in 2018.

HiIndia Newsdesk

In a profanity-laced outburst, Elon Musk has slammed advertisers that have left X, warning they will kill the social media platform. At an event in New York, he accused companies that have joined an ad boycott of the site formerly known as Twitter of trying to blackmail him. "Go [expletive] yourself," the billionaire said in an interview. Some firms have paused advertising on X amid concerns over antisemitism,

including a post from Mr Musk himself. The Tesla and SpaceX boss apologised on Wednesday for that post, saying it might be the "dumbest" thing he has ever shared online. But it was his response to a question about an advertising boycott by companies including Disney, Apple and Comcast that caused a stir at the gathering of leaders from the worlds of business, politics and culture. "I don't want them to advertise," Mr Musk said at the New York Times' DealBook Summit. "If someone is going to blackmail me with advertising or money go [expletive] yourself. He was apparently referring to Disney CEO Bob Iger, who spoke at the summit earlier in the day. In the room with Mr Musk was Linda Yaccarino, X's chief executive, who has been charged with trying to bring back advertisers to the platform.

Henry Kissinger, the secretary of state who dominated foreign policy under Nixon and Ford, dies at 100, reports AP. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the United States extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died on Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100. With his gruff yet commanding presence and behind-the-scenes manipulation of power, Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, earning both vilification and the Nobel Peace Prize. Decades later, his name still provoked impassioned debate over foreign policy landmarks long past. Kissinger's power grew during the turmoil of Watergate, when the politically attuned diplomat assumed a role akin to co-president to the weakened Nixon.

United States issued record 1,40,000 visas to Indian students last year: Official

HiIndia Newsdesk

As part of the Biden administration's endeavour to promote people-to-people ties with India, the US issued more than 1,40,000 visas to Indian students last year and is taking several steps to reduce visa appointment wait period. In an interview to PTI, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, said US missions in India worked six, seven days a week to make sure that students could be interviewed before their classes started. "We are really proud of what we have done in India this year. I think for the first time in history, we set a goal to issue one million visas in India and not only did we accomplish that, but it was done several months in advance. So, the number will go way beyond that.


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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Nepal becomes the first Untreated diseases could kill more South Asian country to register samethan bombings in Gaza, WHO warns officially sex marriage Untreated diseases could eventually kill more people in Gaza than bombings if the health system is not restored, the World Health Organization says.

HiIndia Newsdesk

Diarrhoea and respiratory infections are widespread among children in overcrowded UN facilities where almost 1.1 million people are sheltering. Patients with chronic illnesses like cancer are also receiving no treatment. The warning comes as a truce between Israel and Hamas entered a fifth day, after a 48-hour extension was agreed. The deal mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States should see an additional 20 Israeli women and children held hostage in

Pakistan high court acquits Nawaz Sharif in two corruption cases

Gaza being released in exchange for 60 Palestinian women and teenagers in Israeli prisons. On Monday, 11 hostages and 33 prisoners were freed on the fourth and final day of the initial agreement, bringing the totals to 50 hostages and 150 prisoners released. Nineteen foreign nationals, one of whom has Israeli citizenship, have also been handed over by Hamas under separate agreements. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza and imposed a siege in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack by Hamas gunmen on 7 October, in which at least 1,200 people were killed and about 240 others taken hostage. Gaza's Hamas-run government says more than 14,800 people have been killed in the territory since the war began. The UN estimates that more than 1.8 million people in Gaza have fled their homes over the past seven weeks. About 60% of them are sheltering in 156 facilities belonging to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa.

HiIndia Newsdesk

2 Palestinian children killed by Israeli gunfire in West Bank

HiIndia Newsdesk

Chinese officials have launched an investigation into one of the country's biggest shadow banks, which has lent billions to real estate firms. Zhongzhi Enterprise Group (ZEG) has an asset management arm that at its peak reportedly handled more than a trillion yuan ($139bn; £110bn). Authorities said they are investigating "suspected illegal crimes" against the firm, in a statement on the weekend. This comes days after reports that ZEG had declared it was insolvent. The struggling firm reportedly told investors in a letter last week that its

liabilities - up to $64bn - had outstripped its assets, now estimated at about $38bn. While authorities said they had taken "criminal coercive measures" against "many suspects" it's still unclear who they are, and what role they play in the firm. The company's founder, Xie Zhikun, died of a heart attack in 2021. ZEG is a major player in China's shadow banking industry, a term for a system of lenders, brokers and other credit intermediaries who fall outside the realm of traditional regulated banking. Shadow banking, which is unregulated, is not subject to the same kinds of risk, liquidity and capital restrictions as traditional banks.

Netanyahu says 'war to continue till Hamas are crushed'

HiIndia Newsdesk

Ramallah: (IANS) At least two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli army gunfire during its raid on the West Bank city of Jenin and its refugee camp, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The Ministry said on Wednesday in a brief press statement sent to Xinhua news agency that two children were killed as a result of being shot by Israeli forces in the city of Jenin. According to local sources and eyewitnesses, the army conducted a wide-scale arrest campaign in the refugee camp, and evacuated residents in the Damaj neighbourhood from their homes amid intense confrontations, Xinhua news agency reported.

Five months after the Supreme Court legalised it, Nepal on Wednesday formally registered the first case of same-sex marriage, making it the first South Asian country to do so. Trans-woman Maya Gurung, 35 and Surendra Pandey, 27, a gay, got legally married and their marriage was registered at Dordi Rural Municipality of Lamjung district in Western Nepal, according to Sanjib Gurung (Pinky), president of Blue Diamond Society, an organization working for the rights and welfare of the sexual minorities in Nepal.

China investigates major shadow bank for 'crimes' Afghan Embassy In Delhi Zhongzhi Enterprise Group (ZEG) has an asset management arm that at its peak reportedly handled more than a trillion yuan ($139bn; £110bn).

The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday acquitted Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in two cases of corruption in which he was convicted in 2018. Sharif, 73, had challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) his sentences in the Avenfield property and Al-Azizia cases. A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

HiIndia Newsdesk

HiIndia Newsdesk

Tel Aviv: (IANS) Five countries have been negotiating feverishly towards hammering out an agreement to extend the current ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas beyond Thursday for another four days even as fears loomed large over resumption of war in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister B enjamin Netanyahu said war will continue to crush Hamas fully even if ceasefire is extended and hostages are returned.

However, he faces pressure from US President Joe Biden to end the conflict. Negotiators from at least five countries were working towards an agreement to extend a ceasefire in Gaza Strip while Hamas announced on Wednesday that three militant-held Israeli hostages have died, media reports said. Hamas leaders were willing to extend the truce for another four days and release more Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the Times of Israel reported, citing a source close to the militant group. Israeli officials also showed interest in extending the ceasefire with the proviso that Hamas agree to release more hostages. Officials in Qatar, Egypt and the US have been working with Hamas and Israeli leaders on another temporary extension with an eye towards ending the 50-day war.

To Resume Operations In Few Days: Minister

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: The Afghan embassy in New Delhi will resume operations in the next few days, Deputy Foreign Minister in the Taliban set up, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, has said. Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai told Afghan broadcaster RTA that officials at the Afghan consulates in Hyderabad and Mumbai have visited the embassy following instruction from Kabul. The Taliban leader said Afghanistan wants good relations with the neighbouring countries.

Sri Lanka Implements Free Tourist Visas To Nationals From India, 6 Nations HiIndia Newsdesk

Colombo: Aimed at boosting the tourism sector, Indian tourists - the largest inbound group - to Sri Lanka, would receive free tourist visas with immediate effect, the Department of Immigration and Emigration has announced in Colombo. The facility follows a Cabinet decision from October to issue free tourist visas to travellers from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand amidst efforts to rebuild the debt-trapped island nation's tourism sector that had slumped since the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.


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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

INDIA NEWS

Kissinger Backs Robust India Ties with PM Modi

Telangana Votes, BJP And Congress Aim To Stop KCR Hat-Trick Telangana is the last of five states - the others were Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Mizoram - to vote in this round of elections, seen as a semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. HiIndia Newsdesk

HiIndia Newsdesk

After Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India in 2014, Kissinger, also the former US National Security Adviser, has been advocating strong ties with India. In fact, many say, over the past few years he has become a great fan of Prime Minister Modi Washington: Henry Kissinger, known for his disdain for India's leadership in the 1970s under Indira Gandhi, has died at the age of 100, but the well-known American statesman and former secretary of state had been advocating stronger US-India ties for the last one decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Considered the architect of the USChina relationship since the early 70s, Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut today. His consulting firm, Kissinger Associates, did not provide a cause of his death. After Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India in 2014, Kissinger, also the former US National Security Adviser, has been advocating strong ties with India. In fact, many say, over the past few years he has become a great fan of Prime Minister Modi. When PM Modi was in the US on an Official State Visit in June this year, Kissinger despite not keeping good health, travelled to Washington to listen to Narendra Modi's address at the luncheon at the State Department jointly hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Tata Technologies Lists At 140% Premium To IPO Price At Rs. 1,200 Per Share

Hyderabad: Voting for Telangana's 119 seats began this morning. The ruling BRS faces challenges from the Congress and the BJP - amid antiincumbency buzz. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is banking on social welfare schemes to win a third consecutive term. Several high-profile names were among the early voters, including former cricketer Mohd Azharuddin, the Congress candidate from Jubilee Hills. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, who is also the BJP's state chief, also voted, as did BRS lawmaker K Kavitha, who was questioned in the Delhi liquor case. Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao also voted. Voter turnout at 9 am was 8.52 per cent, according to the Election Commission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led appeals for a "record voter turnout" in this election. The PM, who was

in Hyderabad's Banjara Hills. Hailed as the 'founding father' of Telangana formed in 2014 - his BRS has won both Assembly elections since and is counting on that loyalty and its various social welfare schemes to win again. He is contesting from two seats today against the Congress' Revanth Reddy in Kamareddy and the BJP's Etala Rajender in his bastion of Gajwel.

India Achieved The Extraordinary BCCI Persuading Sharma for T20I During Its G20 Presidency: PM Modi Rohit Captaincy

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that India achieved the extraordinary during its G20 presidency as it revitalised multilateralism, amplified the voice of the Global South, championed development, and fought for the empowerment of women everywhere.

With Brazil set to take over the presidency from December 1, PM Modi highlighted the elite group's journey under India and expressed confidence that his country hands over the charge with the conviction that our collective steps for people, planet, peace, and prosperity, will resonate for years to come. In an opinion piece which appeared in several newspapers on Thursday, PM Modi said India's approach was defined by being "inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive" and the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration (NDLD), unanimously adopted by all G20 members, is testimony to our commitment to deliver on these principles.

India needs to take Canada's allegations seriously:Justin Trudeau The US Justice Department said that a 52-year-old man worked with an Indian govt employee, whose responsibilities included security and intelligence, on the plot to assassinate a New York City resident who advocated for a Sikh sovereign state in northern India

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: Tata Technologies Ltd shares soared to an impressive 180 per cent above their issue price during their maiden trading session on Thursday, marking the most spectacular debut on the Indian stock market so far in 2023. The shares commenced trading at ₹ 1,200 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and ₹ 1,199 on the BSE, representing a staggering 140 per cent premium over their initial public offering (IPO) price.

prominent in his BJP's campaign in the state, has called on people in Telangana to "strengthen the festival of democracy". "I particularly urge young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise..." he posted on X as voting began at 7 am. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, or KCR as he is called, is due to vote at a booth in Naveen Nagar, which is

HiIndia Newsdesk

US allegations that an Indian government official directed an unsuccessful plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on US soil underscores the need for India to take similar allegations by Canada seriously, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday. The US Justice Department said earlier

on Wednesday that a 52-year-old man worked with an Indian government employee, whose responsibilities included security and intelligence, on the plot to assassinate a New York City resident who advocated for a Sikh sovereign state in northern India. "The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we've been talking about from the very beginning, which is that India needs to take this seriously," Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa.

HiIndia Newsdesk

The BCCI brass will like to convince Rohit Sharma to lead the India team in T20 format despite his reluctance after the 2022 World T20 semi-final exit as the board announces the three squads for the South Africa assignment in New Delhi on Thursday. The BCCI's secretary and convenor of selection committee Jay Shah will meet chairman of panel Ajit Agarkar in the national capital to discuss the squads as well as prepare a roadmap for the next big-ticket event - the T20 World Cup.

Gautam Adani back in world’s top 20 richest billionaires list HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Gautam Adani is back in the list of top 20 richest people in the world following a rally in Adani Group stocks. As per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Adani is now the 19th richest person in the world with a net worth of $66.7 billion. Adani’s wealth jumped by more than $6 billion following the rally in Adani Group stocks.


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INDIA NEWS

Police Centre to convene all-party meeting on Dec Mumbai review Salman Khan’s 2 ahead of Parliament's Winter Session security HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Ahead of the Winter session of Parliament, the Centre has called for an all-party meeting at 11 a.m. on December 2. On behalf of the Central government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told the media in New Delhi. Calling the upcoming Winter session of Parliament starting from December 4 as the last session of the current Lok Sabha, Joshi on Wednesday appealed to all the opposition parties to cooperate and participate in the discussion in the House. He said that at present the Central government has fixed 24 bills for the current Winter session, its list will be finalised in the coming one or two days and the government will inform all the opposition parties about it in the forthcoming all-party meeting. The government is likely to introduce seven new bills in the House during the Winter session, including setting up a Central Tribal University in Telangana and giving reservation to women in

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the Legislative Assembly of Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry. The government has introduced the Indian Justice Code Bill -- 2023, Indian Civil Defence Code Bill -- 2023 and Indian Evidence Bill 2023, which

replaces the IPC, CrPC and the Indian Evidence Act, as well as those related to the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. Including this bill, 18 bills have also been listed for the session.

Villagers plan welcome Two doctors arrested in UP for for rescued tunnel selling newborn baby to corporator workers from UP HiIndia Newsdesk

Shravasti,: (IANS) The people of Motipur Kala village in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti district are getting ready to extend a warm welcome to six of the workers, rescued from the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi. Out of the 41 labourers rescued on Tuesday night, eight are from Uttar Pradesh of which six are from Shravasti.Sheela, wife of a rescued worker Ram Sundar, said: “We have made all arrangements for a warm welcome. We have arranged sweets and other favourite food items.

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Balrampur: (IANS) Two doctors of a private hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district have been arrested over allegations of selling a Hindu couple’s newborn baby to the family of a Muslim corporator. They told the parents that the child was still born, senior police officials said on Thursday. The infant was recovered on Monday, nearly a month later, of being sold to the corporator’s family and reunited with the real mother, who had lodged an FIR with Panchpedwa police

station on Sunday. The FIR followed the realisation that the doctors’ claims were false, and after she came to know about the sale of the child through various sources. Tu l s i p u r C i r c l e O f f i c e r ( C O ) , Raghvendra Singh, said the FIR was initially lodged against the two accused Akram Jamal, the operator of Mission Hospital, in Judikuiya locality, under the Panchpedwa police station limits; and his colleague, Hafiz-ur-Rehman of Badani, Siddartha Nagar; under section 311 of the IPC .

After repeated threats to Bollywood megastar Salman Khan, who is accorded a Y-Plus cover, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday reviewed his security status to check for any loopholes or shortfalls, officials said here. The review happened after Salman got another purported threat from the gangster Lawrence Bishnoi on a social media post on Sunday when he claimed responsibility for the shooting outside Punjabi actorsinger Gippy Grewal’s home in Canada. "You consider Salman Khan a brother, but now it’s time for your ‘brother’ to come and save you. This message is also for Salman Khan – don’t be under the illusion that Dawood will save you; no one can save you. Your dramatic response to Sidhu Moose Wala’s death did not go unnoticed. We all know the kind of person he was and the criminal associations he had… You’re now on our radar. Consider this a trailer; the full film will be released soon. Flee to any country you wish, but remember, death doesn’t require a visa; it comes uninvited," Bishnoi’s post read. In June 2022, the Mumbai Police had enhanced security at the Khan residence in Bandra west, Galaxy Apartments, after the death threats to him and his father Salim Khan from the Bishnoi gang. The police had recovered a letter warning of a ‘Moosewala’ with Salim-Salman father-son duo, with the initials LB – and a terse threat “Moosewala bana denge”.

Meet Professor Arnold Dix, the Australian expert who turned savior in Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation HiIndia Newsdesk

Australian underground tunnelling expert Professor Arnold Dix has become a hero ever since 41 workers trapped inside Uttarkashi's Silkyara tunnel came out unscathed on Tuesday. These workers were stuck inside the collapsed tunnel since November 12. Dix assured the families of the trapped workers that their loved ones would reach home safely before Christmas and made continuous efforts to ensure that he fulfilled his promise to the families of workers. This made him a hero among Indians, who called him the only Australian to give Indians some sort of good news. Indians were disappointed when Australia defeated India in World Cup 2023 final earlier this month. But who is Arnold Dix? Arnold Dix is the head of the Geneva-based International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association. The organisation is known for raising issues related to ethical, legal, environmental, and political risks pertaining to underground construction.

The Silkyara tunnel rescue operation was like an epic wherein the mountain was controlling everything. "It's like an epic from 3000 years! A mountain has taken 41 good workers: but keeping them warm, allowing food pipes, emergency services,"

Given his experience and expertise, he was roped in by the Centre to assist in the rescue operations and he arrived on November 20

Not only this, Dix is also a geologist, engineer and lawyer among other things. He has a science and law degree from Australia's Monash University. "Arnold

ability to translate technical, scientific and contractual project requirements into clearly understandable outcomes for his clients are firmly based on the foundation of his extensive international site and project hands on experience," his website arnolddix.com reads. Given his experience and expertise, he was roped in by the Centre to assist in the rescue operations and he arrived on November 20. Dix inspected the collapsed Silkyara tunnel, coordinated with agencies and suggested technical

solutions to overcome challenges through the rubble. Under his supervision, the workers dug out a tunnel and engaged in rat-hole mining to rescue the 41 trapped workers. Not only supervising rat-hole mining, Dix was also seen praying for the safe evacuation of the trapped workers in Uttarakhand. He also said in an interview that for him, the Silkyara tunnel rescue operation was like an epic wherein the mountain was controlling everything. "It's like an epic from 3000 years! A mountain has taken 41 good workers: but keeping them warm, allowing food pipes, emergency services," he could be heard saying in the interview. The expert's calm and relaxed attitude in the face of adversity was praised on social media by the likes of Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also backed Indian authorities and Arnold Dix after the successful rescue of 41 workers trapped inside the Uttarkashi tunnel.


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flurry of high-profile sexual abuse lawsuits were filed in New York this week to beat the expiration of a state law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on civil abuse and harassment claims, no matter how old. The list of defendants includes New York Mayor Eric Adams, music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, and rock legend Axl Rose, all of whom could face jury trials if the claims against them aren't dismissed or settled. The Adult Survivors Act, passed by New York lawmakers in the wake of the "Me Too" movement, took effect Nov. 24, 2022, and expired Thursday. "The Adult Survivors Act has enabled thousands of survivors to pursue justice that was previously unavailable to them," said Susan Crumiller, whose firm has handled several ASA cases. "But the flood of last-minute cases shows how desperately we need a reopened window. Many people are just learning about the Act." The first person sued under the law former President Donald Trump - was held liable by a Manhattan jury in May for sexually abusing New York author E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and ordered to pay $5 million in damages, showing how the statute can be successfully used in court even when the claims are decades old. Despite that early win, most cases under the law are in the early stages. Here are some of the defendants in suits filed this week:

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The first person sued under the law - former President Donald Trump - was held liable by a Manhattan jury in May for sexually abusing New York author E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and ordered to pay $5 million in damages, showing how the statute can be successfully used in court even when the claims are decades old.

A suit filed Nov. 22 by Cuomo's former executive assistant, Brittany Commisso, accuses the former governor of groping her breast and

Axl Rose A suit filed on November 22 by California actress and model Sheila

A suit filed on Thanksgiving Day alleges Combs drugged and raped a Syracuse University student during a date in 1991. The complaint by Joi Dickerson-Neal claims she suffered "substantial and lifetime injuries" from the assault, which she alleges was videotaped by Combs and shown to other men. "The sexual assault and public

Kennedy alleges she was assaulted by Rose in 1989, when the Guns N' Roses singer "was at the peak of his commercial success." According to the complaint, Rose "used his fame, status, and power as a celebrity and performer in the music industry to gain access to manipulate, control, and violently sexually assault Kennedy." The lawsuit outlines previous allegations of wrongdoing against Rose and criticizes his record label, Geffen Records, for celebrating Rose's "bad boy" image despite those claims. The suit also notes that the cover for Guns N' Roses album "Appetite for Destruction" features "a cartoon drawing of a battered young woman with underwear pulled down around her legs." Alan Gutman, Rose's lawyer, released a statement Wednesday, saying the incident "never happened," and described the claims as "fictional."

exposure of it, caused her to suffer overwhelming feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, violation, and constant apprehension about who all viewed it," according to the complaint. Dickerson-Neal claims the alleged assault sent her life into a tailspin, forcing her to seek medical help for depression and impeding her ability to finish college as Combs rose to fame and fortune. Another lawsuit against Combs under the Adult Survivors Act was filed the same day by an anonymous plaintiff. The court docket says the complaint was "returned for correction" and isn't yet available. The new complaints were filed about a week after Combs settled

A suit filed by South African model Caron Bernstein alleges Richardson forced her into oral sex at his studio in 2003 while they were working on a fragrance advertising campaign. He allegedly assaulted her in the presence of several male agents, employees and models. According to the complaint, Richardson photographed himself assaulting Bernstein and then published the photos without her consent in his 2006 book "Kibosh," as well as at art shows and online. A separate suit by Spanish model Minerva Portillo accuses Richardson of two sexual assaults in 2004. Portillo, who was booked by Trump Model Management for a photo shoot in Richardson's New York studio, alleges she was assaulted in a similar manner to Bernstein on multiple days. According to the complaint, Richardson displayed photos of the assault at a New York art exhibit titled "Terry Richardson: Terryworld," and later published the photos in "Kibosh." Portillo claims Richardson forced her to sign a release that falsely stated the photographs did "not depict actual sexually explicit conduct."

false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation," a spokeswoman for Cuomo said in a statement. "Ms. Commisso's transparent attempt at a cash grab will fail."

Sean "Diddy" Combs, music mogul

Andrew Cuomo, former New York governor

similar claims by a former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura. A spokesperson for Combs denied the allegations, describing the Dickerson-Neal suit as "an example of how a well-intentioned law can be turned on its head." The "32-year-old story is made up and not credible," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Mr. Combs never assaulted her, and she implicates companies that did not exist." Similarly, the Jane Doe allegations are "are fabricated claims falsely alleging misconduct from over 30 years ago and filed at the last minute," the spokesperson said.

Suits Target Celebrities Amid Expiring New York Law

Eric Adams, New York City mayor

A $5 million lawsuit was filed on November 22 by a woman who alleges she was assaulted by the Democratic politician in 1993 when they were both working for the City of New York. A two-page summons gives a barebones outline of the complaint, saying it alleges "sexual assault, battery and employment discrimination." "The claims brought here allege intentional and negligent acts and omissions for physical, psychological, and other injuries suffered as a result of conduct that would constitute sexual offenses," according to the suit. Adams denied the allegations. "The mayor does not know who this person is. If they ever met, he doesn't recall it," according to a spokesperson for Adams. "But he would never do anything to physically harm another person and vigorously denies any such claim."

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

buttocks. Commisso claims that she suffered "substantial personal injuries and economic loss" as a result of the alleged abuse, as well as gender discrimination and retaliation. "The continuous sexual harassment by defendant Cuomo included unwelcome sexual advances, sexualized comments about appearance and personal matters, relations, their dating, their sex life, and her marriage, assignment of humiliating and demeaning tasks, hugs, kisses, sexual touching of the buttocks, and forcible touching of the breast," according to the suit. Commisso, formerly identified only as "executive assistant #1" in a damning report on Cuomo's conduct by the

state attorney general, went public with her allegations more than two years ago in an interview with CBS News and the Albany Times Union. Cuomo has strenuously denied her allegations, as well as similar claims made by other women. "Ms. Commisso's claims are provably

Terry Richardson, fashion photographer


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DIASPORA NEWS

Balaji S Srinivasan: All About IndianAmerican Entrepreneur Praised By PM Modi

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rime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on X, formerly Twitter praised Indian-American entrepreneur and investor Balaji S Srinivasan for his optimism about India's investment climate. PM Modi restated the country's dedication to promoting innovation and welcoming global investments. "I love your optimism and will add - the people of India are trendsetters and trailblazers when it comes to innovation. We welcome the world to invest in our nation. India won't disappoint," PM Modi said, responding to Mr Srinivasan's post on why he is investing in India and Indians. PM Modi's remarks came in response to a post on X which called India an ancient civilisation that is simultaneously like a startup country. Mr Srinivasan said that he sees the growth potential in India because "it helps build up Bharat, and because a strong and self-sufficient India is good for the world". The angel investor's remarks conveyed optimism about the economic future of the nation and demonstrated confidence in the investment and growth opportunities within the Indian market.

Mr Srinivasan, in collaboration with Naval Ravikant, invested in Koo, a microblogging platform positioned as India's response to X (formerly Twitter).

Who is Balaji S Srinivasan?

Balaji S Srinivasan, a notable Silicon Valley investor and entrepreneur, formerly served as the Chief Technology Officer of the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and held the position of a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. He played an early investment role in various technology companies and

Indian-origin man jailed in Singapore for fatally hitting fellow traveller

HiIndia Newsdesk

Singapore: (IANS) A 33-year-old Indian-origin man was sentenced to four years in jail on Monday for hitting another man to death following an altercation while they were travelling in a taxi in July 2020. Sakthivel Sivasurian was convicted last month of one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to Manjunatha Louis Ravi, who fell and died in hospital five days later from neck and head injuries, The Straits Times newspaper reported. According to court documents, Manjunatha, a woman, Sakthivel and Sakthivel's wife were in a taxi on the way to Gangsa Road at around 11 p.m. when a dispute arose between the attacker and the victim.

Mr Srinivasan is the author of the best-selling book "The Network State"

cryptocurrency protocols. Additionally, Srinivasan is a co-founder of several companies that were later acquired.

He co-founded Earn.com (acquired by Coinbase), Counsyl (acquired by Myriad), Teleport (acquired by Topia),

and Coin Center. Serving as the CTO at Counsyl, a genomics startup that originated in a Stanford dorm room, the company conducted testing for four per cent of all US births. After a decade in genomics, with five years at Counsyl, he transitioned away from an executive role in November 2012 to explore other areas of technology. Mr Srinivasan, the author of the bestselling book "The Network State," outlines how to construct the successor to the nation-state concept he refers to as the "network state." With degrees in Electrical Engineering (BS/MS/PhD) and an MS in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University, he also served as a lecturer in the Departments of Statistics and Computer Science at Stanford. In 2017, he was considered for the position of leading the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in the Donald Trump administration, a crucial federal agency for the drug and pharmaceutical industry. In 2021, Mr Srinivasan, in collaboration with Naval Ravikant, invested in Koo, a microblogging platform positioned as India's response to X (formerly Twitter). Active on X, he boasts over 9.62 lakh followers on the platform.

Indian-Origin Ex MP Dave Sharma Indian-Origin Store Owner Receives Wins Australian Senate Seat: Report Community Order for Mr Sharma, who represented the Sydney seat of Wentworth until his defeat at the 2022 election, beat former New South Wales (NSW) minister Andrew Constance, a frontrunner backed by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Dave Sharma was backed by the moderates within the part HiIndia Newsdesk

Melbourne: Dave Sharma, who became the first Indian-origin lawmaker in Australia's Parliament in 2019, will return to politics after his victory in the New South Wales Liberal Senate race. Mr Sharma, 47, will replace ex-foreign minister Marise Payne, who has retired from the Senate, the Australian Associated Press reported. Mr Sharma, who represented the Sydney seat of Wentworth until his defeat at the 2022 election, beat former New South Wales (NSW) minister Andrew Constance, a frontrunner backed by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

In a vote by the New South Wales Liberal Party members, Mr Sharma defeated Constance 251-206 in the final ballot on Sunday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. Mr Sharma, who served as Australia's ambassador to Israel from 2013 to 2017, was backed by the moderates within the party. Asserting that taking over from former Senator Payne was a privilege, Mr Sharma said, "I would like to thank the party members for the opportunity to hold the Albanese government to account in the Senate over its many missteps and wrong decisions, and to fight for the many households across New South Wales (NSW) struggling to deal with Labor's cost-of-living crisis." "The opportunity to serve in the Senate will allow me to fight for our nation's national security interests in a time of greater global turmoil," he was quoted as saying in the report.

UK Hygiene Offences

HiIndia Newsdesk

London: (IANS) An Indian-origin store owner has been hit with a community order after food contaminated with rat droppings and poison was found at his store in UK's Birmingham city last year. Avtar Singh, 39, was sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement to complete 120 hours of unpaid work after he admitted to seven hygiene offences, BirminghamLive news website reported. The Birmingham Magistrates' Court also ordered him pay 1,430 pounds in costs and a 114 pound victim surcharge. Singh's offences date back to October 25 last year when city council officers discovered a number of issues at Singh's Diamond Drinks on Soho Road.


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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK

Why India's Response To US, Canada Probes Is Different - Envoy Explains

I

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ndian High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has clarified that India is cooperating with the United States' investigation into an alleged thwarted assassination attempt rather than Canada's probe into the June killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia's Surrey. The disparity in information shared between the two nations is cited as the reason for the differing levels of cooperation. Verma emphasized that the US has provided more specific information regarding the alleged assassination plot against India-designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil, leading to a higher level of collaboration from India. The US had informed India about concerns related to the plot, as reported by the Financial Times. In contrast, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau previously made allegations about India's involvement in Nijjar's killing in September. India

Top French honours for Indian translator, ISRO scientist

Speaking about Canada's inputs related to Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, he said that Indian authorities will not be able to respond on the case as conversations could have some facts of the case.

rejected the accusations as "absurd" and politically motivated, causing diplomatic tensions between the two nations. Verma asserted India's absolute non-involvement in Nijjar's homicide, terming it a "motivated and absurd allegation." He explained that India's cooperation in the US investigation is based on "legally presentable" inputs and the advanced stage of the

investigation. Regarding Canada's inputs on Nijjar's killing, Verma stated that without specific and relevant information, India cannot respond to the case. He highlighted the need for facts and specificity for legal authorities to grant permission for an investigation. The High Commissioner revealed that the US shared inputs about a nexus between gangsters, drug peddlers, terrorists, and gun runners in the US, with beliefs of some Indian connections, clarifying that these connections do not imply government involvement. India is prepared to investigate based on legally presentable inputs. In response to media queries, India's Ministry of External Affairs stated that the US-provided inputs on organized criminals, gun runners, and terrorists are being examined by relevant departments, emphasizing the serious nature of such information for both countries' security interests. Follow-up actions are being taken accordingly.

COP28: India too has no ‘option’ than to invest in nature

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: (IANS) The French government on Wednesday conferred its top awards on Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Dr V R Lalithambika and acclaimed translator and author Dr Arshia Sattar. For her engagement in space cooperation between France and India, Ambassador Thierry Mathou honoured Lalithambika, former Director, Directorate of the Human Spaceflight Programme, ISRO, with Legion d’Honneur -- the country's top civilian award. “I am delighted to confer the Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur on Dr V.R. Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist and a trailblazer in space technology. Her expertise, accomplishments, and tireless efforts have scripted a new ambitious chapter in the long history of the Indo-French space partnership,” Ambassador Mathou said in a statement. A specialist in advanced launch vehicle technology, Lalithambika has worked extensively on various ISRO rockets, particularly the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). In 2018, as Director of the Human Spaceflight Programme, she coordinated closely with the French National Space Agency for India’s Gaganyaan project.

India’s science-driven benchmarks to enhance climate plans and collective action pathways in nature, wildlife conservationist and Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) Director Kishor Rithe said: “India is also facing the serious consequences of climate change and it has no option than to invest in nature. As the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) approaches in Dubai, frontline groups emphasize the critical role of nature in combating climate change. India, facing the consequences of climate change, is urged to invest in nature. Leaders must acknowledge nature's importance, integral to achieving the Paris Agreement alongside rapid emissions cuts. Frontline delegations call for binding agreements, including the immediate phase-out of dirty energy, and meaningful climate reparations for affected communities. Indigenous leaders from 24 countries will demand greater protections for tropical forest communities at COP28, managing 80% of global biodiversity. The urgency for tangible action is stressed amid continuing deforestation and inadequate policy budgets. Lucy Almond, Chair of Nature4Climate, emphasizes the pivotal role of nature in tackling the climate crisis, providing one-third of the solution by 2030. The Global Stocktake at COP28 highlights the need for more action across sectors to meet Paris Agreement goals. Engaging indigenous people

and local communities is crucial, representing a cost-effective solution for protecting forests. Leaders from tropical forest countries advocate for urgent action to allow indigenous peoples to influence local plans for implementing climate solutions. The conference aims to set international norms for climate action over the next five years, emphasizing an explicit call to accelerate and invest in nature. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns that COP28 must address the alarming melting of Antarctic ice due to fossil fuel pollution. The decline in Antarctic sea ice, reaching an all-time low, underscores the urgency for global leaders to prevent the hopes for a sustainable planet from melting away. In conclusion, COP28 holds significance in addressing the intertwined issues of climate change, nature conservation, and the role of indigenous communities. The conference is an opportunity for leaders to commit to actionable measures, emphasizing the essential role of nature in achieving a sustainable and resilient future.


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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK

Mission made possible: Rat-hole miners rescue 41 workers trapped in Uttarkashi tunnel

"Am Senior, Will Be Last": Rescued Tunnel Worker Gabbar Singh's Brave Words

HiIndia Newsdesk

The unyielding mountain debris was eventually opened up by the skill and daring of rat-hole miners and 41 trapped workers were rescued from the Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel after a 16-day ordeal that swung often between hope and despair. The rat-hole miners removed the last barrier of debris with their bare hands and rudimentary equipment after US-imported machines had drilled a channel over a fortnight pockmarked with excruciating obstacles. nUnion minister V.K. Singh and Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed the workers asNDRF men brought them out through an escape passage that had been created by inserting steel Hume pipes one after the other through 57 metres of rubble. As the rat-hole miners came out after clearing 8-10 metres of debris, NDRF personnel took over and brought out the workers through the passage in stretchers. PTI quoted Dhami as saying that the youngest among the trapped workers could crawl out by themselves and did not need the help of stretchers.

In his telephonic conversation with the rescued workers late Tuesday night, Modi told them, “I congratulate you on coming

States On Alert After Centre Flags Surge In China Respiratory Infections

Indian Equity Market Enters Coveted USD 4 Trillion Club For 1st Time Ever

HiIndia Newsdesk

PM Modi speaks to rescued workers, lauds them for their courage while trapped in Silkyara tunnel out safely after being in danger for so many days. It is a matter of happiness for me and I cannot express it in words. If something bad had happened, can't say how we would have taken that. It is God's grace that all of you are safe." “Seventeen days is not a short time. You all showed a lot of courage and encouraged each other,” Modi told the workers, according to a video of the conversation released by the Prime Minister's Office.

While the BSE benchmark Sensex has rallied 5,540.52 points or 9.10 per cent so far this year, the market capitalisation (m-cap) of all listed firms at its platform have jumped about Rs. 50.81 lakh crore.

HiIndia Newsdesk

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: At least six states have put their health infrastructure on alert mode after the Centre's directive to review readiness in view of a surge in respiratory illnesses among children in China. State governments in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Tamil Nadu have asked hospitals and healthcare staff to ensure preparedness to tackle patients complaining of respiratory issues. The Karnataka health department has also asked citizens to be aware of the seasonal flu.

New Delhi: The combined market valuation of all listed companies on the leading stock exchange BSE reached the USD 4-trillion milestone for the first time ever today. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 305.44 points to 66,479.64 in early trade after beginning the day on a positive note. Thanks to the optimism in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies reached ₹ 3,33,26,881.49 crore in morning trade, translating into USD 4 trillion at the exchange rate of 83.31. While the BSE benchmark Sensex has rallied 5,540.52 points or 9.10 per cent so far this year,

HiIndia Newsdesk

Mumbai, Nov 29 (IANS) Gold prices increased to a seven-month high in the international market on Wednesday while in India gold prices were above Rs 62,500 per 10 gm for 24 carat gold. Gold prices have been rising in the international market on the back of depreciating US dollar and falling bond yields. There also growing expectations that the Federal Reserve is likely to cut rates in the coming months. Spot gold rose 0.24 per cent to cross the $2,046 per ounce by 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, which is the highest price since May 5.

the market capitalisation (m-cap) of all listed firms at its platform have jumped about ₹ 50.81 lakh crore. The 30-share benchmark hit its all-time peak of 67,927.23 on September 15 this year. The other markets valued more

US provided 'legally presentable' inputs unlike Canada: India’s high commissioner in Ottawa

Gold prices soar to 7-month high Sanjay Verma HiIndia Newsdesk

India's High Commissioner in Ottawa, Sanjay Verma, has highlighted a divergence in the responses from the US and Canada regarding two cases involving alleged Indian links. Verma emphasized that the US provided "legally presentable" inputs in the case of the attempted murder of Sikhs for

Over the 400+ hours the men spent buried - nearly 200 feet in the ground - Mr Negi taught his colleagues yoga and meditation, ensured they stayed physically and mentally active, and underlined his commitment to their safety by telling them he would be the last to be rescued. "'I am senior-most... I will be the last to come out...', this is what he told me," a smiling and visibly relieved Jaymal Singh Negi, his brother, told NDTV Wednesday morning, hours after all 41 men were extracted and given extensive medical check-ups to ensure they had suffered no injuries.

Justice head Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, while Canada merely alleged Indian government involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In an interview with CTVNews, Verma expressed India's disappointment with Canada's response, citing a lack of specific evidence despite ongoing conversations. He stated that India required concrete and relevant information to proceed with investigations, emphasizing the need for adherence to the rule of law. Drawing a contrast, Verma highlighted the cooperation received from the US based on reports from the Financial Times, indicating that India had initiated follow-ups based on the provided inputs. The comments underscore diplomatic challenges and differing approaches in addressing sensitive issues between India and its North American counterparts.

than USD 4 trillion of m-cap include the US, China, Japan and Hong Kong. O n May 2 4 , 2 0 2 1 , t h e m ar ke t capitalisation of all listed companies on the BSE touched the USD 3-trillion mark. The exchange had seen listed firms' valuation going past the USD 1-trillion level on May 28, 2007.

Rahul Dravid Signs New Contract, To Continue As Team India Head Coach

HiIndia Newsdesk

In a release, the BCCI said: "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announces the extension of contracts for Head Coach Mr. Rahul Dravid and the Support Staff of Team India (Senior Men). The BCCI engaged in productive discussions with Mr. Rahul Dravid after the term of his contract ended following the recently concluded ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and unanimously agreed to further the tenure.


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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

SPORT

Cummins Recalls IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya’s return opens World Cup Final Moment' vs leadership debate at Mumbai Indians 'Deathbed India, Mentions Kohli HiIndia Newsdesk

In a strategic move ahead of the upcoming IPL mega auction, the Mumbai Indians have successfully secured the return of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya. The decision to release Pandya in 2021, albeit reluctantly, was driven by the compulsion of retaining only four players, with Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kieron Pollard being the initial choices. The franchise faced a void in their playing XI following Pollard's retirement, and attempts to fill the gap with Cameron Green proved unsuccessful. Mumbai Indians, recognizing the need for a dynamic all-rounder, pursued the return of Hardik Pandya, who had played a pivotal role in leading the Gujarat Titans to championship glory in 2022 and runners-up in 2023. Pandya, expressing his eagerness to rejoin the Mumbai Indians, acknowledged the franchise's role in shaping his career since his humble beginnings in 2015. The team management, acknowledging the absence of an all-rounder, decided to invest in Pandya's return, finalizing the deal in an all-cash trade, costing them Rs 15 crore. The development has triggered

Sensational Jannik Sinner Steers Italy To Davis Cup Glory Over Australia

HiIndia Newsdesk

Italy won the Davis Cup for the first time since 1976 as Jannik Sinner crushed Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-0 to seal a 2-0 win over Australia on Sunday in Malaga. The world number four clinched victory in the second singles rubber after Matteo Arnaldi dug deep to beat Alexei Popyrin 7-5, 2-6, 6-4 in the opening clash. Sinner, who remarkably beat topranked superstar Novak Djokovic twice in one day on Saturday as Italy eliminated Serbia, secured his country's second title against Lleyton Hewitt's 28-time winners in style. "I felt quite good today ... this is a really important win for me, the whole team and Italy together," said Sinner. "This is something different, really special, because you don't play for yourself, you play for the whole team." The Italian demoralised the scampering De Minaur with a relentless performance, overpowering him with vicious ground-strokes to the delight of the majority of the packed Martin Carpena arena.

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Mumbai Indians owner Akash Ambani (left) greets Hardik Pandya during one of the IPLs from the past

speculation about the leadership role in the team. With Rohit Sharma currently at the helm, the return of Pandya adds a layer of intrigue as fans wonder if there will be a change in captaincy for IPL 2024. Mumbai Indians, known for their long-term vision, may be contemplating a seamless transition from Rohit to Hardik, although any decision is expected to be made with

Rohit's consent. The franchise, which faced budget constraints, freed up resources by trading Cameron Green to Royal Challengers Bangalore and releasing Jofra Archer, amassing a total of 17.75 crore in available funds for the upcoming auction, supplemented by an additional grant of Rs 5 crore per franchise.

BCCI Decision On Dravid's Future Made, South Africa Tour Offer On Table: Report being worked on. Dravid, under whose coaching India finished runners-up in both the World Test Championship (WTC) and the ODI World Cup, has had a good record in the past two years and many people in the BCCI believe that keeping him would allow the senior team to have continuity. “The BCCI secretary Jay Shah has had discussions with Dravid during last HiIndia Newsdesk week. Obviously, the fine prints of the The BCCI is likely to offer another two- new contract are yet to be worked out. year contract to Rahul Dravid but, as of “But BCCI wants Dravid to go to South now, the governing body wants the head Africa with the Test team,” a senior BCCI coach to guide the team during the tour office-bearer told PTI on conditions of of South Africa as the modalities are anonymity.

Real Madrid remain on top after Girona and Athletic Bilbao draw

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Madrid: (IANS) Girona and Athletic Bilbao drew a hugely entertaining game 1-1 on Monday night, meaning Girona surrender top spot in La Liga to Real Madrid, while Athletic are back in fifth place.

Viktor Tsygankov put Girona ahead in the 55th minute as he swept home at the far post following a typical flowing move from his side, but Inaki Williams cancelled out that goal 12 minutes later, reports Xinhua. Although the game had reached halftime goalless, it wasn't for lack of chances at either end, as both sides served up a feast of attacking football. Gorka Guruzeta should have put Athletic ahead after just five minutes after finding space from Mikel Vesga's cross in the Girona area, but he opted to shoot with the outside of his right foot when it looked easier with his left, and Paulo Gazzaniga saved. Oscar de Marcos then fired over for Athletic, before Gazzaniga again denied Guruzeta's powerful effort.

Recalling the game, Australia skipper Cummins picked his 'deathbed moment' and it was the wicket of Virat Kohli. Cummins revealed his pick during an interview to The Age. "On your deathbed, in 70 years time, what is the moment you will think of from that final?" asked columnist and author Peter FitzSimons. "I think the Virat Kohli wicket ...," replied Cummins. "I was obviously very pumped. And then we're in the huddle after that wicket, and Steve Smith says, "Boys, listen to the crowd for a second." And we just took a moment of pause, and it was as quiet as a library; 100,000 Indians there, and it was so quiet. I'll savour that moment for a long time," Cummins said.

Pakistan Batter Fined For Palestine Flag On Bat

HiIndia Newsdesk

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken a U-turn on its decision to impose a fine on batter Azam Khan for displaying the Palestine flag on his bat during a domestic match. As Azam Khan's team Karachi Whites took on Lahore Blues at the National Stadium on Sunday, his bat featured a Palestine flag. Subsequently, a 50% fine on the match fee was imposed on Azam. However, the PCB later reviewed and matter and decided to waive the penalty that was imposed by the match officials. In a release, the PCB said: "Azam Khan's 50 per cent fine imposed by match officials has been reviewed and waived off by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The Karachi Whites wicketkeeperbatter was fined 50 percent of his match fee for being found guilty of committing a level-I offence during his side's National T20 Cup 2023-24 match against Lahore Blues at National Bank Stadium, Karachi.


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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK

Markets await exit polls on Thursday

Bad news for Indian Petroleum Companies Vinod Chand

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) This week is likely to be volatile but a rally is likely soon. FIIs have already turned buyers. FII and DII money flows can trigger a large-cap led rally, says V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services. The market construct is turning favourable aided by global and domestic factors.

Foreign care workers ‘exploited on grand scale’ in UK: Report

HiIndia Newsdesk

London, Nov 28 (IANS) Overseas workers invited to the UK to plug gaps in health and social care sectors are being “exploited on a grand scale” with some being paid as little as five pounds an hour, according to a media report. Around 78,000 people got visas to come to the UK and work in social care in the year to June 2023. Most of these recruits have come from Nigeria, India and Zimbabwe and are charged thousands of pounds in unexpected fees, the Guardian newspaper reported.

VP calls Gandhiji a 'Mahapurush', Modi as 'Yugpurush' of last and present centuries

Sri Lankan Government cabinet has green flagged a 4.5 Billion Dollar proposal from China to build a petroleum refinery at Hambantota. This refinery is being set up by China for the purpose of export of petroleum products. Once this refinery comes up, crude will have another option for getting refined. Currently Indian companies like Reliance Petroleum, Nayara Energy, etc. import crude from the Gulf countries and also from Russia. They were refining this crude and selling the end products in India and abroad. Now with this Chinese refinery coming up, it may offer crude refining at cheaper prices. In India, most companies work under the policy protection of the Central Government (read that as Modi Sarkar) and thus have an advantage over Public Sector units that are engaged in similar activity. This is a small news but should worry the Indian companies and the Indian Government. A 4.5 Billion USD investment will help cash strapped

Sri Lanka to gain some ground. Also, beggars can’t be choosers. Sri Lanka is having Chinese debt therefore it is not in a position to negotiate or negate the need of such a refinery. Sri Lanka is also one of the biggest importer of petrol / diesel from India. When this refinery comes up, that business will go away.

"Don't Be So Narrow-Minded": SC Adani Total Gas Launches Hydrogen Blending On Plea To Ban Pak Artists In India Green Pilot In Ahmedabad

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a complete ban on artistes from Pakistan to perform or work in India, and asked the petitioner not to be "so narrow-minded".

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti said it was not inclined to interfere with the Bombay High Court order which junked the plea filed by Faaiz Anwar Qureshi, who claims to be a cine worker and artiste. "You should not press this appeal. Do not be so narrow-minded," the bench said. The top court also refused the submission to expunge certain remarks made by the high court against the petitioner. The Bombay High Court had dismissed the petition, saying the reliefs it seeks is a retrograde step in promoting cultural harmony, unity and peace, and has no merit in it.

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Ahmedabad: Adani Total Gas, the city gas joint venture of industrialist Gautam Adani's group and French energy giant TotalEnergies, has started blending green hydrogen in natural gas they sell to households for cooking purposes and to industries as fuel in Ahmedabad. The percentage of green hydrogen, produced by splitting water using renewable electricity, to be blended in gas will gradually be increased to 8 per cent, the company said in a statement.

More Hostages Freed As Hamas, Israel Fashion Designer Rohit Bal Critical, On Extend Gaza Ceasefire By 2 Days Ventilator Support

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Mumbai, Nov 28 (IANS) VicePresident Jagdeep Dhankhar has called Mahatma Gandhi as a 'Mahapurush' (Great Person) of the last (20th) century and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the 'Yugpurush' (Person of the age) of the present (21st) century. "I wish to say one thing... Mahatma Gandhi was the 'mahapurush' of the last century... Narendra Modi is the 'yugpurush' of this century," said Dhankhar on Monday. He was addressing the inauguration function of the Shrimad Rajchandra Memorial in Mumbai to mark the birth anniversary of Shrimad Rajchandra, the spiritual guide of Mahatma Gandhi, at the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission offices in Opera House, south Mumbai.

Chinese refinery coming up, it may offer crude refining at cheaper prices. In India, most companies work under the policy protection of the Central Government (read that as Modi Sarkar) and thus have an advantage over Public Sector units that are engaged in similar activity

HiIndia Newsdesk

Doha: Israel said Monday that 11 more hostages released in the Gaza Strip had arrived safely, hours after the announcement that a truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza will be extended by two days, opening the way for further releases. Hamas announced the agreement to prolong the truce by 48 hours shortly before it was due to end Tuesday, though there was no immediate confirmation from Israel. The move was nevertheless hailed by UN Secretar y-General Antonio Guterres as "a glimpse of hope and humanity in the middle of the darkness of war". Late Monday, Israel's military announced that 11 hostages

"Those released from Israeli prisons include 30 minors and 3 women, while the Israelis released from Gaza include 3 French citizens, 2 German citizens, and 6 Argentinian citizens," he added.

were "now in Israeli territory". "Our forces will accompany them until they are reunited with their families," it said in a statement, adding that the military "salutes and embraces the released hostages upon their return home". Shortly after the arrival of the hostages was confirmed, Israel's prison authority said 33 Palestinian inmates had been released. Israel's prison authority said early Tuesday that 33 Palestinian prisoners had been released "during the night". The release brought the total number of detainees freed by Israel during the initial, four-day pause in the fighting to 150.

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New Delhi: Fashion designer Rohit Bal is currently battling a critical health condition and has been put on ventilator support in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Gurugram's Medanta Hospital. Born in Srinagar, Rohit Bal began his career in 1986 and is one of the most renowned fashion designers in the country. Mr Bal, 62, was reportedly struggling with alcohol addiction and has been in and out of rehab. In November last year, Mr Bal's condition took a turn for the worse, necessitating his immediate admission to Medanta Hospital.


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ENTERTA

Javed Akhtar to host 'Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon

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Padma Bhushan, lyricist and celebrated poet Javed Akhtar will host 'Main Koi Aisa Geet Gaoon', and will delve deep into his treasure-trove to share golden trivia about magical collaborations with iconic composers, musicians, singers, directors, and actors. Presented by Saregama Live, Javed Akhtar will share golden anecdotes from Hindi film music. The evening will be brimming with unheard stories behind famous songs, and songs that led to unforgettable stories.

Richa Chadha worked hard on her 'voice and diction' for 'Heeramandi'

After working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in the film ‘Goliyon Ki Raas Leela Ram-Leela’, Richa Chadha will be in the filmmaker’s OTT venture ‘Heeramandi’ for which the actress said she worked hard on her voice and diction. Talking about in what light Richa would be seen in ‘Heeramandi’, Richa told IANS: “In this, particularly you will see a very loved lorne woman who is a classic woman. I worked hard on my voice and diction. I hope people appreciate me that at a time when all actors sound like they belong in 2023 even when they are working in a period film...”

Gauri Khan designs Ananya's 'dream home'

Bollywood diva Ananya Panday thanked superstar Shah Rukh Khan's wife designer Gauri Khan for designing her new "dream home", saying that nobody could have understood what she wanted better. Ananya took to photo-sharing application Instagram to thank Gauri for designing her new home. In the pictures we can see Ananya in a lilac dress with matching blazer. She is posing with Gauri, who is wearing a black outfit paired with a yellow blazer.

Voice modulation is the most untouched aspect in our cinema

Sharad Kelkar

Actor Sharad Kelkar, who is receiving a lot of positive responses to his work in the recently released streaming show 'Slum Golf ', has said that the craft of voice modulation is "largely untouched in our cinema". Sharad has been terrific behind the mic as well, providing voice to many characters on screen including Prabhas' titular role in the Hindi version of 'Baahubali'. Talking about how

more attention needs to be paid to voiceacting and voice-modulation, Sharad told IANS: "Voice modulation is the most untouched aspect in our cinema. The voice actors haven't got their dues on what they should. Forget about the money, they don't even get the credit for that." But he is hopeful that a change will come and wishes to be at the forefront of this change given his both his prowess and excellent track record in voice-acting. He further mentioned, "It's a sad scenario but, I strongly anticipate a change which will also help our cinema get better with the audience having a keen interest in the craft of voicemodulation as well." Created by Temple Bells Films and directed by Sujay Dahake, 'Slum Golf ' also stars Mayur More, and Arjan Singh Aujla in pivotal roles. 'Slum Golf ' is streaming on Amazon miniTV.

Gulati joins the Sanya says because of Meghna Gulzar Pavail cast of ‘Deva’ she could play Silloo Manekshaw Actress Sanya Malhotra, who currently awaits the release of her upcoming film 'Sam Bahadur', credits director Meghna Gulzar for helping her play her part of Siloo Manekshaw in the biographical war drama. 'Sam Bahadur' is based on the life of India's first field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw played by Vicky Kaushal in the film, which is slated to release on December 1. Talking about playing Manekshaw's wife Silloo, Sanya credited Meghna for all the help. "Completely 100 per cent, because of her (Meghna Gulzar) I could play Siloo Manekshaw. The challenge was to play her the best way and I got to know it from Meghna Gulzar how their daughters want them to be portrayed in the right way," she told IANS. She shared that the film not only covers what happens in the life of a soldier but also their families.

Actor Pavail Gulati, who is known for ‘Thappad’, ‘Made in Heaven’, ‘Dobaaraa’ and others, has joined the cast of the action thriller, ‘Deva’ which stars Shahid Kapoor in the lead role. The film is directed by Rosshan Andrrews, and is set to unravel a gripping narrative of a rebellious police. Talking about this, Pavail said in a statement: “I am incredibly excited to embark on this exhilarating journey and absolutely thrilled to collaborate with exceptional talents like Shahid Kapoor and the amazing director Rosshan Andrrews.”

'Bigg Boss 17': Salman Khan confirms Orry as wild card entry

Internet sensation Orry or Orhan Awatramani will be seen in the upcoming episode of 'Bigg Boss 17' as a wild card entry. In the latest 'Bigg Boss 17' promo, Salman also introduced Orry as a wildcard contestant. In the video, Salman joked about how many suitcases Orry was taking inside the Bigg Boss house. He asked Orry in Hindi, "You are a wildcard contestant, what will you do with much stuff?" Orry also confirmed the development himself, sharing pictures from the Bigg Boss 17 set. Taking to Instagram, Orry dropped two pictures with Salman as they posed together on the Bigg Boss 17 stage. The first selfie had Orry having a funny expression as he posed with Salman. The second selfie had Orry and Salman smiling as they posed together. The caption read: "Just leaving this here (red siren and SOS emojis)." His B-Town best friends took to the comment section over the news. "Is the world ready," wrote actor Janhvi Kapoor. Her rumoured boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya commented:, "Aap Orry ke peeche...Orry aapke peeche (You are behind Orry and Orry is behind you)... too much fun."


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AINMENT

Don't fall into my own traps of trying to maintain or sustain any image

I

Katrina Kaif

n a career spanning almost two decades, future lies,” Katrina, who is one actress Katrina Kaif has given many of the highest-paid actresses in blockbusters making her one of the India, added. biggest stars in Bollywood. “I think as an artist you need Talking about what she looks forward to doing to learn to evolve. You need to even though she’s touching the highs of highs, constantly check in with yourself. the actress said bettering herself as an artiste That is what is true for me and making sure I do not fall into my own today.” traps of trying to repeat myself or trying to The actress said what she maintain or sustain any image. wants to bring on screen Asked when you attain such high stardom, and where her conviction what do you look forward to from there, is going to lie now. Katrina told IANS: “Firstly, I think the love “Cu r re nt ly, I ' m ve r y and the support that I've gotten from the conscious that whatever audiences is incredible. It's phenomenal and it film I step onto I need will always be something which will always be to connect to it deeply one of the most special, special achievements and only then come I think or special occurrences. I would call it on to that set and rather in my life as an artist. But I think there bring everything is no certainty. You see ups and you see downs that I have.” as an actor.” “Excited to keep “And you need to know how to, ride that out getting the and how to have perseverance and to continue opportunities and to follow it and to perform and deliver in each chances to perform film that comes, no matter what the outcome in different roles is,” added the actress. and bring new Katrina, who has worked in blockbusters aspects of me such as ‘Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?’, ‘Namastey as a performer London, ‘Partner’, ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, o n s c r e e n ,” ‘Bang Bang!’ and the ‘Tiger’ franchise to name said the actress, a few, said that she is extremely happy and who had two grateful for the way her journey has been and s ets of B arbie how wonderful it has been. dolls modeled on her The actress, who is married to actor Vicky in 2010 and 2011. Kaushal and was recently seen in 'Tiger 3', said that she desires to better herself from here. “My desire right now would look forward to from here is exactly what I spoke about earlier about bettering myself as an artist,” said the Hong Kong born actress. “Making sure I do not fall into my own traps of trying to repeat myself or trying to maintain or sustain any image because I have done something before because I have fit into a particular, you know, type of role very well, does not mean that you know that is where my

Katrina Kaif: 'Salman Khan lives for his work'

Actress Katrina Kaif has heaped praise on her ‘Tiger 3’ partner Salman Khan and said that he lives for his work and is fantastic on sets. IANS asked Katrina about how Salman is on the sets, strict or fun, and pat came the reply: “Salman is fantastic on set. You know the great thing about Salman is he doesn't take it himself or anything too seriously. He lives for his work and he's also a very generous human being. So I think that combination makes him very amusing for everyone around him. Everyone on set is always entertained.” Katrina and Salman have often shared screen space together. They have worked in films such as ‘Maine Pyaar Kiyun Kiya?’, ‘Partner’, ‘Hello’, ‘Yuvvraj’, ‘Tiger’ franchise and ‘Bharat’. She says that everyone on set is smiling when Salman is around. “The crew is always smiling when he's around and also I think now he is very attached to the Tiger character he knows the world and he's there to create something in the scene. So we had a fantastic time together, especially when were on the Tiger films,” she said.

‘12th Fail’ submitted to Oscars as independent nomination

Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s recent release '12th Fail' has been submitted to the Oscars as an independent nomination, confirmed the film's lead actor Vikrant Massey, who plays IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma in the movie. During a media event, Vikrant shared the news and also spoke about his journey in the film industry that started when he was just 15. Going down memory lane, he spoke about how he had to look out for work since he did not want his college fees to be a burden on his father.

Mumbai street to be named in memory of actor Vikram Gokhale

The Maharashtra government has decided to name a street in Andheri West in honour of late National Award-winning actor-director Vikram Chandrakant Gokhale on his first death anniversary on November 26, officials said here on Saturday. The street is adjacent to the new headquarters of Cine & Television Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) and CAWT, which was inaugurated last month, and leads to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in the presence of the late actor’s wife Vrushali Vikram Gokhale, a galaxy of Bollywood and Marathi film personalities and political leaders, will perform the road-naming ceremony on Sunday.

Mohanlal looks serious in legal robes in latest 'Neru' poster Superstar Mohanlal is gearing up for his next film ‘Neru’, a legal drama. Dressed up as an experienced lawyer, the poster looks bleak and grounded, with the actor really selling his avatar. A bleak kind of legal drama, the narrative revolves around the actor taking the reins of delivering justice himself while fighting the very system which he works under. The movie was confirmed to be releasing sometime this year, though its release date was unknown with some even speculating that the film will not be released before 2024.


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TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK

Israel receives list of hostages to be released today

Vertical boring done up to 31 metres, rat-hole miners arrive for manual horizontal drilling HiIndia Newsdesk

HiIndia Newsdesk

Jerusalem, Nov 27 (IANS) The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said that it has received a list of hostages to be freed by the Hamas on Monday -- the final day of the four-day truce between the two warring sides. "Discussions are being held on the list that was received overnight and which is now being evaluated in Israel," CNN quoted the Office as saying in a statement on behalf of the government coordinator for the hostages and missing persons. Monday is the fourth, and potentially final, day of the initially negotiated truce between Hamas and Israel. As of Sunday both parties had discussed the possibility of extending the truce, but no such deal has been announced yet.

Shubman Gill appointed captain of Gujarat Titans

HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) IPL 2022 winners Gujarat Titans have named Shubman Gill as captain of the team ahead of IPL 2024 season. Gill, the right-handed opener, takes over from Hardik Pandya, who was traded to Mumbai Indians. Captaining Gujarat in IPL 2024 will be Gill’s first assignment as a captain in senior men’s cricket.

20 killed in lightning strikes amid unseasonal rains in Gujarat

Vertical drilling from the top of the Silkyara tunnel, where 41 workers have been trapped for the last 15 days, progressed to 31 metres on Monday as a team of rat-hole miners arrived at the site to start manual drilling horizontally through the rubble. Vertical and manual horizontal drilling are the two methods on which rescue efforts are being focused at the moment. Work on the other options, such as horizontal drilling from the Barkot end of the tunnel is also underway. A total of 86 metres have to be drilled vertically to prepare an escape passage. Pipes of 1.2 metres in diameter have to be laid vertically through the top of the tunnel on which work began on Sunday as a second option to reach the stranded labourers. Lt Gen Harpal Singh (retd), former

The past 16 days have seen government authorities constantly fine-tune their strategies and find new approaches to bring out the men at the earliest engineer-in-chief of the Army, informed reporters in Silkyara that vertical drilling has been done up to 31 metres. Singh, who has also headed the Border Roads Organisation, is involved in the rescue operation.

War against terrorism will continue till After election day in Rajasthan, all last terrorist accepts defeat: J&K DGP eyes are on Gehlot's

HiIndia Newsdesk

Srinagar, Nov 27 (IANS) Jammu & Kashmir DGP, R.R. Swain said on Monday that the war against terrorism has not ended as "wars end only after total surrender by one side". Swain was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Gurupurab function at Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi. He said that wars end only after one side accepts defeat and acknowledges that bloodshed

won’t yield any result. “Despite some losses, our war against terrorism will continue and there is no question of police backtracking from fighting terrorism. “Peechay hatne ka sawaal he nahi paeda hota (For J&K Police, the question of withdrawing from the fight does not arise). “At some point of time infiltration may go or come down and this is not something we put in the public domain each time,” he said. On the sacred day of Gurupurab, the Director General of Police (DGP) said that the police rededicates itself to public service. He wished the Sikh community happy Gurupurab and said that the universal message of Guru Nanak Devji is that there is no difference between the rich and the poor or on the basis of caste, colour or religion.

HiIndia Newsdesk

political future

HiIndia Newsdesk

Jaipur, Nov 26 (IANS) With Rajasthan's voters having exercised their franchise on Saturday, the streets are silent all over again. The corridors of politics and power, however, are abuzz with whispers regarding the fate of CM Ashok Gehlot. Will be become CM for the fourth time if he wins? And if he loses, is it curtains for his political career? Gehlot himself has been saying that his government will return, breaking the decades old tradition of power going to alternate hands after every election. The Congress high command had announced to go faceless to the assembly polls this time which means there is no official CM candidate as of now.

Khalistani Protesters Heckle Indian Envoy Visiting US Gurdwara HiIndia Newsdesk

Twenty people have been killed in lightning strikes in different parts of Gujarat during widespread unseasonal rainfall in the state, an official said Monday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah condoled the deaths due to bad weather and lightning in various cities of Gujarat on Sunday and said the local administration was engaged in relief work. As per an official of the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), a total of 20 rain-related deaths have been reported so far from different parts of Gujarat.

The 200-mm diameter pipes, which were inserted vertically earlier to learn about the soil strata and find out whether there are any obstacles on the way, have reached up to 70 metres, he said, adding preparations are also underway to start horizontal drilling inside the main tunnel manually. "Frames of 800-mm diameter pipes have been prepared. We will move ahead by half a metre to one metre gradually. If all goes well and no obstacles are encountered a 10-metre stretch can be covered in 24-36 hours," he said.

New York: A group of Khalistani protesters heckled Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Indian Ambassador to the US, at a New York gurdwara yesterday. Mr Sandhu was visited Hicksville Gurdwara in Long Island on the occasion of Gurpurab when the protesters surrounded him and started shouting. They accused him of plotting the A protester is heard shouting in Punjabi, assassination of Khalistani terrorist "You are responsible for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. You plotted to Hardeep Singh Nijjar and also conspiring kill Pannun." Others in the video are to get another terrorist Gurpatwant seen trying to defuse the situation. The Singh Pannun murdered. protesters follow Mr Sandhu and are A video of the exchange between Mr heard asking, "Why don't you answer?" Sandhu and the Khalistani protesters "Khalistanies tried to heckle Indian has now gone viral. The video starts with the envoy telling the protesters Ambassador @SandhuTaranjitS with baseless Questions for his role in the failed that he is visiting the gurdwara for seva plot to assassinate Gurpatwant, (SFJ) and (service). Khalistan Referendum campaign," BJP's

The Khalistani protesters accused him of plotting the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and conspiring to get another terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun murdered national spokesperson RP Singh wrote in a video post on X. Mr Singh said the protest was led by Himmat Singh. "Himmat Singh who led the pro Khalistanies at Hicksville Gurdwara in New York also accused ambassador Sandhu for India's role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was President of Surrey Gurdwara and the coordinator for Canadian Chapter of the Khalistan Referendum."


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BUSINESS

planned to Modi government to seek extra funds for UAE use climate talks to subsidies in Winter Session of Parliament make oil deals Officials were confident the government will meet the fiscal deficit target of 5.9 per cent of GDP for the fiscal amid a slowdown in nominal GDP growth

HiIndia Newsdesk

The Modi government is expected to table its first supplementary demand for grants for fertiliser, food and fuel subsidies along with the rural employment guarantee scheme. The increased allocation — the demand will be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament which starts next week — would not result in any significant net outflow of cash, with limited impact on fiscal deficit. If any new schemes are announced in the run-up to the parliamentary elections, the actual outgo would happen once they become fully operational — thus, the impact on the total expenditure this year is not expected to be material on this count. “Some funds provided for subsidy and rural employment guarantee scheme through contingency fund with the

Sitharaman assures Investors: PM Modi Expected to Return with Strong Majority

condition that they will be regularlised through parliamentary process….since the Lok Sabha is meeting would be placed for approval,” finance ministry officials said. Officials were confident the government will meet the fiscal deficit target of 5.9 per cent of GDP for the fiscal amid a slowdown in nominal GDP growth. While revenue collections have remained robust so far, persistent

US stocks dip slightly after Black Friday sales top a record $9.8 bn

HiIndia Newsdesk

HiIndia Newsdesk

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come back to power in 2024 with a "good majority" and global investors need not be "jittery". She also said the government is committed to systemic reforms to accelerate the pace of growth. Participating in a debate virtually organised by India Global Forum, she said, investors "need not be jittery at all" about the outcome of general elections due in April-May 2024.

Apple iPhone maker Foxconn to invest $1.5 bn in India

Washington: (IANS) Black Friday sales topped a whopping $9.8 billion across the country, edging US stocks to slide slightly lower on Monday as investors digested the retail sales results, which were mostly online. An extended cyber sales on Monday could have further impact as spending by consumers rises. Consumers spent a record $9.8 billion online during the sales event, according to Adobe Analytics. The wave of consumer holiday spending is set to continue with Cyber Monday deals. US stocks edged slightly lower on Monday as investors sized up a solid holiday sales results from Black Friday. Online spending hit a record $9.8

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billion, representing year-over-year growth of 7.5 per cent. Black Friday is now mostly an online shopping event as retailers extend their deals beyond brick-and-mortar stores. According to data from MasterCard, in-store sales increased 1.1 per cent year-over-year, while e-commerce sales jumped 8.5 per cent. Overall, MasterCard said Black Friday sales rose 2.5 per cent. The holiday consumer spending is set to continue as retailers launch a slate of Cyber Monday deals. Fundstrat's Tom Lee said that the spending data isn't strong enough to motivate the Federal Reserve into a tightening mode to raise interest rates. "I would not look at strong Black Friday numbers as something the Fed has to panic about," Business Insider quoted him as saying. . Here's where US stock indices stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. (local time) opening bell on Monday: S&P 500: 4,550.80, down 0.19 per cent Dow Jones Industrial Average: 35,374.66, down 0.04 per cent (15.49 points)

Vaping: Australia to ban disposable vape imports from January

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New Delhi: IANS) Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn plans to invest $1.54 billion in India, as the country doubles down on local manufacturing. In a stock exchange filing, Foxconn said that the investment will help it fulfil “operational needs.” The company, however, did not provide further details.

deflation in the wholesale price index is expected to keep nominal GDP depressed in 2023-24, well below the 10.5 per cent target set in the budget. “The net cash outgo in the supplementary demand for grants would be modest, offset by savings in various departments. “Moreover, tax revenues may overshoot the budgeted level, helping to prevent a material slippage in the fiscal deficit,” Aditi Nayar, chief economist, Icra, said. “We do not expect any net impact on the headline fiscal deficit ratio. We expect the

Australia will ban imports of disposable vapes from January, in an effort to curb nicotine addiction in children. New laws to stop single-use vapes from being made, advertised, and supplied in the country will also be introduced. It comes amid a broader push to phase out recreational vaping completely. Vaping has been marketed as a way to quit smoking, but Australia's health minister says it has created a "new

generation of nicotine dependency". Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are lithium battery-powered devices that have cartridges filled with liquids containing nicotine, artificial flavourings, and a range of other chemicals. It has been illegal for any Australian to purchase or import e-cigarettes or nicotine vapes without a doctor's prescription since 2021, but despite those restrictions rates of addiction have continued to skyrocket. A study from the University of Sydney earlier this year found that over a quarter of teenagers aged 14-17 had vaped, while research from Australia's Cancer Council charity found that nine out of 10 teenagers in the same age group found it easy to access nicotine vapes.

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The United Arab Emirates planned to use its role as the host of UN climate talks as an opportunity to strike oil and gas deals, the BBC has learned. Leaked briefing documents reveal plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations. The UN body responsible for the COP28 summit told the BBC hosts were expected to act without bias or self-interest. The UAE team did not deny using COP28 meetings for business talks, and said "private meetings are private".It declined to comment on what was discussed in the meetings and said its work has been focused on "meaningful climate action".

Bank boss concerned over UK growth outlook

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The governor of the Bank of England has raised concerns over economic growth as he warned again that interest rates will not be cut in the "foreseeable future". Andrew Bailey said he was concerned over the UK economy's potential to grow, adding "there's no doubt it's lower than it has been in much of my working life". It comes after the government's forecaster slashed its growth outlook for the UK, in part due to high inflation and interest rates.

Nissan to lead £2bn investment in UK electric car plant HiIndia Newsdesk

Nissan and its partners have announced a £2bn plan to build three electric car models at its Sunderland factory. The Japanese firm will build electric Qashqai and Juke models at the plant alongside the next generation of the electric Leaf, which is already produced there. The scheme could help preserve the jobs of about 6,000 workers directly, and thousands more across the UK.


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First batch of 13 Israeli hostages return home after 49 days

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Manual Drilling To Start Tomorrow As Fresh Snag Halts Uttarkashi Tunnel Op HiIndia Newsdesk

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Tel Aviv, Nov 24 (IANS) After spending 49 days in captivity of Hamas, 13 hostages who were kidnapped from Israel have returned home safely, an official said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a statement on Friday said that the 13 hostages are back in Israeli territory. After their release, they were escorted by the IDF as well as officers from Shin Bet, the Israeli intelligence agency. The IDF said that its officers were accompanying the released hostages till they are reunited with their respective families. The released hostages are Channa Katzir (77), Margalit Mozes (77), Yafa Adir (85), Hannah Perry (79), Adina Moshe (74), Danille Amoni (42) and Emilia Alony (9), Ruthi Monder (79), Keren Monder (59) and Ohad Monder (9), Aviv Asher (2) Raz Asher (5) and Doron Katz- Asher (34). The 13 hostages will be crossing into Israel through Karem Shalom crossing. Meanwhile, Qatar has announced the release of 39 Palestinian prisoners which include women and minors who were imprisoned in Israeli jails. This release by Israel, according to Qatar authorities, is part of the prisoner swapping deal that was agreed upon between Israel and Hamas through the good office of Qatar. The families of other hostages who are still in the custody of Hamas are worried over them and Idan Baruch, whose younger brother Uriel Baroch was kidnapped from Supernova festival, said that he expected a release of all the prisoners in the custody of Hamas.

24 Hostages Released By Hamas Nearly 2 Months After War Began

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Hamas was initially scheduled to deliver a group of 13 Israeli hostages to neighbouring Egypt in return for 39 Palestinians in Israeli jails. Hamas on Friday freed a first batch of hostages seized in the deadliest attack in Israel's history under a deal that saw a temporary truce take hold in warravaged Gaza. Thirteen Israeli hostages captured during Palestinian militants' crossborder raids were back in Israeli territory where they would undergo medical checks before being reunited with their families, the army said. They included four children and six elderly women, a list issued by the Israeli prime minister's office showed.

New Delhi: The rescue operation to save 41 workers trapped in the collapsed tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district faced another hurdle Friday evening as drilling was halted once again. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today said manual drilling will commence tomorrow. A specialised machine from Hyderabad has been summoned to cut the auger machine that is trapped inside the tunnel. "We are exploring all possible options. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking updates on a daily basis. We hope to complete the operations as soon as possible," he said. In an earlier press conference, senior officials had announced that only 1012 metres of drilling remained before reaching the trapped construction workers, confirming that groundpenetrating radar had not detected any significant metallic obstacles within the next five metres.

Shortly after drilling recommenced on Friday, the auger encountered a snag, thought to be a metallic object, causing a delay in the rescue operation. As the drilling machine bores its way forward, six-metre sections of steel pipe are welded together and pushed into the narrow tunnel passage. Once the steel chute is in place, rescuers will utilise wheeled stretchers to safely evacuate the workers through the newly created

tunnel. On Friday evening, rescue workers said that the drill bit was being withdrawn through the passage carved by the drilling machine. The two setbacks encountered within a span of two days have dealt a blow to anxious relatives camped outside the tunnel for several days. Prior to the operations being halted, 46.8 metres of the 800-millimetre-wide steel pipe had been inserted into the drilled passageway in the collapsed section of the tunnel estimated to be around 60 metres long. The six-inch-wide tube, a vital artery connecting the trapped workers to the outside world and their lifeline for food and other essentials, has reached a distance of 57 metres. In a statement to PTI, Garhwal Range Inspector General KS Nagnyal assured that arrangements have been put in place to swiftly transport the rescued workers to medical centres under a secure police escort through a dedicated "green corridor".

Amitabh Bachchan Gifts Juhu Bungalow Prateeksha To Daughter Shweta HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan has gifted his Juhu bungalow, Prateeksha, to his daughter Shweta Bachchan. As per a report by Money Control, a gift deed was signed on November 8, and ₹ 50.65 lakh was paid as stamp duty. The bungalow, which falls under the Vithal Nagar Cooperative Housing Society Ltd, is spread across two

plots. The size of the plots are 890.47 sq m and 674 sq. The valuation of the property is ₹ 50 crore, reported India Today. Prateeksha is located at a distance of one kilometer from Amitabh Bachchan's house Jalsa.As per Vogue India, Prateeksha was the first house bought by Amitabh Bachchan. The actor used to live with his parents .

"Not Modi Ji's Election": Ashok Gehlot Confident Of Rajasthan Win

Mahadev App 'Courier' Who Named Bhupesh Baghel Backtracks

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Jaipur: After casting his vote in Sardarpura, R ajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday saying his speeches "lack substance." Mr Gehlot also exuded confidence in Congress's victory, saying that the Congress government will return to power in the state. Voting on 199 assembly constituencies is currently underway in Rajasthan.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote at the Sardarpur assembly constituency, Mr Gehlot said, " There is no substance in Modi ji's speeches. This is the state assembly election. This is not Modi Ji's election. We will stay here. We will talk about development." "Congress will repeat government in Rajasthan...After today, they (the BJP) will not be visible from now on, and the results will be declared. They will next come after five years". He said that the "calibrity" of the seven guarantees promised by the party is "very high".

PM Modi Takes Sortie On Tejas Aircraft In Bengaluru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sortie on the indigenously built light combat fighter aircraft Tejas in Bengaluru today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bengaluru-based defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on Saturday and reviewed the ongoing work at its manufacturing facility, officials said.

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New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had been accused of taking ₹ 508 crore in the Mahadev betting app case by an alleged courier arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. But the 'courier', Asim Das, has now backtracked and claimed that he never delivered cash to politicians and has been framed. Das was arrested with over ₹ 5 crore in cash on November 3, four days ahead of the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections. ED said that Das claimed to be a courier and also said that the promoters of the Mahadev Betting app had made payments of ₹ 508 crore to Mr Baghel. The probe agency had said that the startling allegations were a matter of investigation.


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Qatar Accepts India's Appeal, Commutes Death Penalty for 8 Navy Veterans HiIndia Newsdesk

New Delhi: A Qatar court has accepted India's appeal against the death penalty to eight former Indian Navy personnel, who were handed the sentence last month in an alleged case of espionage. Sources said that the Qatari court will set a hearing date after examining the appeal. According to reports, the eight men were arrested in August 2022 by Qatar's intelligence agency for spying. But the Qatari authorities haven't made the charges against them public yet. Their bail petitions were rejected several times and the verdict against them was pronounced last month by the Court of First Instance in Qatar. Granted consular access to them, Indian authorities have been working to secure their release.

Election Commission Issues Showcause Notice to Rahul Gandhi Over 'Panauti' HiIndia Newsdesk

The Election Commission of India on Thursday issued a showcause notice to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “panauti” (bad omen) and likening him to a pickpocket during his election campaign speech in Barmer, Rajasthan, on Wednesday. Rahul has been given time till Saturday evening to provide his explanation and show cause why action should not be taken against him by the Election Commission under the Model Code of Conduct.

"7 Days To Align Policies": Centre To Social Media Firms Over Deepfakes

The Ministr y of Electronics and Information Technology earlier this month issued an advisory to social media platforms underlining the legal provisions that cover such deepfakes and the penalties their creation and circulation may attract.

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New Delhi: Rescue efforts for the 41 workers trapped in Uttarakhand's Silkyara tunnel entered the final stretch today. However, drilling operations had to be halted late last night after the auger machine broke down, said tunneling expert Arnold Dix. The horizontal drilling operation to rescue the trapped workers could encounter

Indian PhD Student, 26, Shot Dead Inside Car In US Aaditya Adlakha was a fourth-year doctoral student in the molecular and developmental biology programme at the University of Cincinnati Medical School, according to a statement from the medical school, WXIX-TV reported.

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Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Mr Chandrasekhar had said that it is a "legal obligation" for online platforms to prevent the spread of misinformation. "Remove any such content when reported within 36 hours of such reporting and ensure expeditious action, well within the timeframes stipulated under the IT Rules 2021, and disable access to the content or information," the statement said. The government, the minister added, is committed to ensuring safety and trust for Indians in the digital space. The Centre has said that the creation and circulation of deepfakes carry a strong penalty ₹ 1 lakh in fine and three years in jail.

Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue Delayed After Late-Night Snag Halts Drilling

ED summons Modi govt critic Prakash Raj for questioning in moneylaundering probe

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned actor Prakash Raj, a trenchant critic of the Narendra Modi government, for questioning in a money-laundering probe against a jewellery firm. The actor was the brand ambassador for the Trichy-based Pranav Jewellers, which was raided by the ED on Monday. “Khela hobe (Game on),” Raj wrote on X on Thursday night after news of the ED summons broke, borrowing Mamata Banerjee’s twoword dare to the BJP in the run-up to the 2021 Bengal Assembly elections.

"Officer will be appointed to ensure action against deepfake content," he said after meeting social media companies.

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New Delhi: Amid consternation and outrage over a series of deepfake videos on social media, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar today said that the Centre will appoint an officer to check such content. "Officer will be appointed to ensure action against deepfake content," he said after meeting social media companies. He said that social media platforms have been given seven days time to align their terms of use, as per the IT rules. Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the government will assist the citizens in filing First Information Report or FIR against the social media companies. The FIR will be registered against the intermediary and if they disclose the details from where the content has originated then the case will be filed against the entity that has posted the content, the minister said.

Washington: A 26-year-old Indian doctoral student died after being shot inside a car in the US state of Ohio, in an incident described by his medical university as "sudden, tragic and senseless". Aaditya Adlakha was a fourth-year doctoral student in the molecular and developmental biology programme at the University of Cincinnati Medical School, according to a statement from the medical school, WXIX-TV reported. Aaditya Adlakha died earlier this month at the UC Medical Center, according to the Hamilton County Coroner's Office. On November 9, Cincinnati Police Lt. Jonathan Cunningham said officers found a man shot inside a vehicle that

crashed into a wall on the upper deck of the Western Hills Viaduct. ShotSpotter, a gunfire locator service, reported there was gunfire in the area around 6:20 am, police said. Drivers passing by called 911 to report a vehicle that had bullet holes in it with a person inside who had been shot, said Cunningham. Aaditya Adlakha was transported to UC Medical Center where he was in critical condition and was pronounced dead two days later. No arrests have been made since the shooting was reported, local media reports said. Aaditya Adlakha came to Cincinnati from north India to continue his education in medicine. He got his bachelor's degree in Zoology in 2018 from Ramjas College of the University of Delhi in New Delhi.

additional obstacles, potentially up to three or four more, according to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain. Mr Hasnain stressed that predicting a timeframe for the rescue operation would be imprudent, considering the unpredictable and challenging nature of the task. Mr Hasnain further stated that 41 ambulances, one for each trapped worker, are stationed at the tunnel site, and arrangements have been made to airlift severely injured workers. The 41 workers trapped under the collapsed tunnel will be pulled out on wheeled stretchers one by one through a big pipe that is still being drilled to reach them, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Director General Atul Karwal told news agency PTI.

India defeat Australia by two wickets

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Half-centuries by Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan helped India secure a two-wicket win over Australia chaisng a 209-run target in the first T20I of a five-match series at Visakhapatnam on Thursday. This is India's highest T20I run-chase, outdoing chase of 208 against West Indies back in 2019. India is 1-0 up in the series. In the chase of 209, India started off well with Yashasvi Jaiswal hitting a four and six in the first over, but a miscommunication with Ruturaj Gaikwad ran out the latter for zero. India was 11/1 in 0.5 overs.


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Increasing Asylum Claims And Unauthorized Crossings Surge Along U.S.-Canada Border HiIndia Newsdesk

NEW YORK, NY- The number of people seeking asylum at the United States-Canada border has increased in the last year, reflecting larger global migration trends. Despite the dangers, more migrants, primarily from Mexico, are attempting to cross the 5,525-milelong northern border. In fiscal year 2023, there were 189,402 encounters at the northern border, with 10,021 arrests for illegal crossings. Migrants from Mexico accounted for the highest number of illegal crossings, followed by migrants from India and Venezuela. Experts note that global migration levels are the highest since World War II, with people moving at an accelerated pace. The northern border, while seeing fewer encounters compared to the southern

Indian American struck by a car while walking dies in Ohio Zofeen Maqsood

An Indian American man named Piyush Patel who lived in Brunswick Hills Township in Ohio was fatally struck by a car while he was walking in Ohio’s Medina county. While walking along the road a 019 Volkswagen Golf GTI hit him. Patel sustained fatal injuries due to the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. The car that struck the victim was driven by a 25-year-old, who remained uninjured in the accident. The investigations remain ongoing in the case.

Indian American Shivinder Singh running for Yorba Linda City Council

border, is also experiencing a rising trend. Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy proposed building two border walls, but experts believe it would be expensive and ineffective,

Woman Who Threw Coffee On Indian American’s Baby Surrendered To NYPD HiIndia Newsdesk

NEW YORK, NY- This morning Indian American Ashish Prashar who is based in. New York reported that the woman who attacked him and his 18-month-old baby surrendered herself to the New York Police Department. The woman is being charged with – charges of assault, reckless endangerment of a person and aggravated harassment – all hate crimes. Ashish Prashar is a political activist who was attacked for wearing a keffiyeh while he was playing with his son at the Edmonds Playground in Fort Greene.

Hadasa Karavanibozak, 48 threw hot coffee (Photo by NYPD)

Suddenly as his kid was playing a woman sprung up from the bench she was sitting at and told him, “You

Florida Man Confesses to $2.4M CARES Act Loan Fraud Mohamed A. Awad, 61, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges

Shivinder Singh Zofeen Maqsood

In northeastern Orange County, California, Indian American business owner Shivinder Singh is running for City Council in Yorba Linda. Singh is currently serving as the Chair Pro Tem of The Yorba Linda Planning Commission. Singh is aiming to prioritize the protection of local control, property rights, equestrian rights, parental rights, public safety, economic growth, transparency, accountability, and the promotion of community engagement through education and empowerment. Singh is also a business owner and CEO for over 23 years. He serves as an appointed delegate from the 40th Congressional District.

citing environmental challenges along the northern border. The risks of crossing the northern border are highlighted by tragic incidents, such as the death of José Leos Cervantes and

the deaths of eight individuals from Romania and India while attempting to cross the St. Lawrence River. Canada has also seen an increase in asylum claims, attributed to global migration and changes in visa requirements. The Canadian government waived certain visa requirements and entered into an agreement with the U.S. to prevent asylum requests from those entering Canada through unofficial points of entry. The surge in northern border crossings has become a lucrative opportunity for smuggling rings, with migrants paying substantial sums to cross. Smugglers have also turned to social media platforms like TikTok to promote irregular immigration, a trend that experts discourage due to its risks.

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TRENTON, NJ- A Florida man, Mohamed A. Awad, 61, of Ocala, admitted guilt for fraudulently acquiring more than $2.4 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) payments. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges. Awad falsified documents to exploit these programs intended for COVID-19 relief, submitting fraudulent loan applications with

fabricated employee numbers and false company information. He also used falsified tax documents. Afterward, he transferred funds among his bank accounts, withdrew cash, and sent money overseas to Egyptian banks. Sentencing is scheduled for April 9, 2024. The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Social Security Administration, Federal Reserve System Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. The case was part of the District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, established by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat pandemic relief fraud. Anyone with information about COVID-19-related fraud can report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-7205721 or online.

and your son are terrorists.” When the woman asked him to leave. He said, “we are not leaving,” and that’s when the woman began screaming. She said, “I’m Jewish American, and you don’t belong here” The woman went about shouting and saying inappropriate things in front of kids. When Prashar got out his phone to record, she threw her cup of hot tea which splattered over him. She also hit his phone telling him not to record.” Victim Ashish Prashar, 40, recorded the hateful confrontation (Photo by NYPD) While Prashar is not an Arab, the woman may have targeted him because of the Palestinian inspired scarf he wore and his brown skin. Prashar has in the past worked for Tony Blair when he was the Middle East peace envoy.

Indian American man found dead mysteriously in a planter in LA HiIndia Newsdesk

Under mysterious circumstances a 39-year-old Indianorigin man Satish Dharmarajan was found dead inside a planter in Los Angeles County. The cause of death and how he died is still under investigation. The news of his death was confirmed on November 25. His family posted on social media: “It’s with great sorrow we inform you that Saji (39), son of Dharmarjan and Saraswathi, and brother of Sarita Kumar, brother-in-law to Anil Kumar (past KCS president), and uncle to Sohan and Anisha, left us for his heavenly abode yesterday (11/25) due to unforeseen circumstances. Please give the family their privacy until we have additional details regarding services. Our hearts are heavy with sorrow, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this challenging time.”


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Edison, NJ Mayor Evaluating the two Indian American Republican Sam Joshi sued by woman due to car Candidates challenging Donald Trump accident Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy share the immigrant experience with a majority of Indian experience but they are unlikely to get the community’s popular vote because of their stand on immigration, jobs and things desis care for Zofeen Maqsood

Zofeen Maqsood

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ith things moving fast in the run-up to the Republican Presidential nomination for 2024, it's time that the candidates are making their final and most profound pitches to the voters in America. This time, in perhaps a first, we have two Indian-origin Republican candidates looking to unseat former President Donald Trump. Come November 2024, and the winner of the Presidential nomination will be standing in challenge to the Democratic nominee currently presumed to be Joe Biden

Nikki Haley

For most Indians living in the United States, Nikki Haley is a name they are familiar with. Even though Haley hasn’t made crossroads into the community to the extent where Indian Americans support her in majority, they do know her as one of the first Indian-origin and youngest governors in America. Haley

became one of the first candidates to announce her campaign in February. Haley’s history is similar to many immigrants. She was born to Punjabi Sikh parents who came to the US seeking a brighter future. Still, despite this shared experience most Indian Americans have failed to find a common ground with Haley to make her a popular candidate amongst the community. This may have something to do with her stand. For instance, in a recent interview on Fox News, when she was asked why she doesn’t play up her Indian American background. She said, “I think the problem is, when you start labeling people, you’re assuming that they’re different than you,” she said. “I don’t want to just be a woman. I don’t want to just be Indian. … Why add more divisions by talking about labels? I don’t want to talk about labels. I think that’s what’s caused us to get into this situation where everybody in this country’s so divided.”

A woman from Metuchen, New Jersey has sued the mayor of Edison in New Jersey over a car accident that took place last year. On Dec. 9, 2022, Sobia Qaiser was traveling south on a busy Vivek Ramaswamy road in Edison, when she was struck by Joshi, traveling eastbound in a Ramaswamy emerged as a surprise township vehicle. candidate for many as the Indian American entrepreneur has no prior The lawsuit charges that the lawmaker was “negligent and careless.” It also political experience. Despite this, he blames the township for being has managed to stay in the news. The Harvard and Yale graduate who ran “negligent in entrusting the vehicle to successful businesses in biotech and Joshi. asset management, does fit into the The lawsuit added that the lady had to notion of model minority. However, incur medical expenses and will have to continue to do so. It also added his defense of former President Trump that the accidents left her “disabled is something that may not have impressed all the immigrants of color. and prevented from attending to her necessary affairs and business.” Some of his eye-brow raising stances have included his statement that, if The township spokesman Philip Swibinski issued a statement saying elected, he would pardon Trump of his crimes. Even though Ramaswamy that the mayor had “publicly disclosed that he had been in a minor car is a Hindu, his stance at a high school accident immediately after it occurred graduation speech where he said, he last year and used it as a teachable had developed “a personal faith that was moment to encourage residents to neither Catholic nor strictly Hindu, but drive safely during the busy holiday was finally something that I could call season.” my own,” was seen by many as a way to Joshi is the first South Asian American woo Christian voters. and the youngest mayor in New Jersey

FBI Warns ‘Tis The Season For Holiday Scams HiIndia Newsdesk

HOUSTON, TX- As the 2023 holiday season approaches, Texans must remain vigilant against criminals who seek to steal rather than give. Shoppers looking for holiday bargains should be cautious of deceptive scams designed to pilfer money and personal information. In 2022, Texas residents suffered significant losses of over $763 million to fraudsters, including nearly $20 million from phishing and non-delivery scams, as reported by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). To ensure a scam-free holiday season for shoppers in the Texas Gulf Coast region, FBI Houston offers the following tips:

(1) Buyers Beware:

Exercise caution when encountering deals that seem too good to be true in phishing emails, text messages, and online surveys aimed at extracting personal information. Avoid unfamiliar websites promising unre a listic discounts on brand-name products. Be skeptical of social media posts offering special deals, vouchers, or gift cards, as

they often lead to scams. Research the legitimacy of websites independently before clicking on advertisements or sharing credit card information.

(2) Sellers, Stay Alert:

Be on the lookout for buyers who insist on shipping items before making payments, especially if they use different names for communication and payment. Exercise caution when buyers request refunds without returning the original merchandise, as this could be part of a larger fraud scheme.

(3) Charity Scams:

Exercise caution regarding charityrelated fraud during the holiday season. Scammers employ phone calls, email campaigns, and fake websites to solicit donations on behalf of fraudulent charities. Verify a charity’s legitimacy before donating by checking their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) on their website or contacting them directly. Steps to Avoid Holiday Fraud: • Secure your financial accounts with

strong, unique passphrases for each account. • Never share personal information like your date of birth, home address, Social Security number, or bank and credit card details with strangers, especially in response to social media promotions and giveaways. • Exercise caution with online transactions that require wire transfers, virtual currency, or gift cards. • Utilize a dedicated credit card for online purchases, regularly review your card statements, and avoid saving payment information online. Refrain from using public Wi-Fi for online payments. • Prior to donating to a charity, verify their TIN through their website or by directly contacting them. If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to fraud, immediately contact your financial institution and local law enforcement. Victims of online holiday scams should also file a complaint with the FBI at www.ic3.gov. Ensure a safe holiday season!


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Indian-Origin Man Faces Charges For Allegedly Killing Three Family Members In New Jersey Om Brahmbhatt, 23 identified as suspect in Shooting of Three Family Members: Dilipkumar Brahmbhatt, 72, Yashkumar Brahmbhatt, 38, and Bindu Brahmbhatt, 72 HiIndia Newsdesk

Dilipkumar, Bindu, and Yash Brahmbhatt

CA Assemblymember Ash Kalra appointed Chair of Judiciary Committee

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ — A 23-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the shooting deaths of three family members at a condominium in central New Jersey, according to authorities. On Monday around 9 a.m., police responded to reports of shots fired at a condominium unit on Coppola Drive in South Plainfield. Upon entering the residence, officers discovered two men, Dilipkumar Brahmbhatt, 72, and Yashkumar Brahmbhatt, 38, along with one woman, Bindu Brahmbhatt, 72, all of whom had sustained gunshot wounds, as confirmed by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. Tragically, both Dilipkumar and Bindu were pronounced dead at the scene, while Yashkumar succumbed to his injuries later at a nearby hospital, as stated by officials.

Minnesota CBP Seizes Dangerous Tampa Asylum Office Moving To New Unauthorized Injectable Tightening Gel Location

Zofeen Maqsood

The first Indian American to serve in the state legislature, Ash Kalra has been appointed chair of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary by Speaker Robert Rivas. Kalra represents California’s 25th Assembly District, which encompasses the majority of San José. He was first elected in 2016, when he became the first Indian American to serve in the California Legislature. He was re-elected to his fourth term in 2022. He was previously the chair of the Committee on Labor & Employment and has served as a member on the Housing & Community Development, Judiciary, Transportation, and Water, Parks, & Wildlife committees.

India forms Enquiry Committee to probe Allegations of plot to Kill Sikh extremist in the US

HiIndia Newsdesk

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport seized a shipment from Hong Kong labeled as "Vaginal Tightening Gel" on November 20. The package contained 2,536 pre-filled syringes of t he gel, re quir ing chemica lresistant gloves for handling, with a domestic value exceeding $19,000. In collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CBP seized the items due to violations of

the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Unregulated products pose serious health risks, lacking oversight and quality controls, potentially containing harmful substances. Officials emphasized the dangers of purchasing medications from unverified sources, urging consumers to consult healthcare professionals and buy prescription drugs from licensed U.S. pharmacies. The rise of e-commerce allows foreign sellers greater access to the U.S. market, but many may not understand U.S. admissibility laws, raising concerns about the safety of drugs manufactured in foreign facilities. The FDA enforces strict standards to protect consumers, and CBP remains vigilant in safeguarding the country by investigating and taking action against counterfeit and misclassified goods. The collaboration with partner agencies ensures national security.

American Sikh body asks NY Gurdwara to act against those heckled US Envoy

Zofeen Maqsood

A high-level enquiry committee has been constituted by Indian authorities in order to probe into the allegations relating to a conspiracy to kill a Sikh extremist on American soil. Last week, a report in the Financial Times had reported, without naming the sources that the US authorities had foiled a plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, and issued a warning to the Indian government over concerns it was involved in the plot. Indian External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has said that India constituted a high-level enquiry committee to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter.

Om Brahmbhatt, 23, who was present at the residence when law enforcement arrived, was swiftly identified as a suspect and subsequently taken into custody. He has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and is also facing related weapons offenses. While prosecutors noted that Om Brahmbhatt resided in the same home, which was located not far from New Durham Road, with the three victims, they did not specify his exact relationship to them. In a heartfelt Facebook post, Yashkumar’s wife mentioned that Dilipkumar and Bindu were her in-laws and requested prayers for her late husband, with whom she shared a 4-year-old son. Currently, Om Brahmbhatt is being held at the Middlesex County jail, pending a detention hearing.

Zofeen Maqsood

Sikhs of America, an American Sikh body based in Washington issued a statement after the incident involving Indian ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh who while visiting the Hicksville gurdwara in Long Island, New York on the occasion of Gurpurab was heckled

by a few individuals. The statement said: “We urge the management of the Gurdwara Sahib to take strict actions against these miscreants so that peace-loving Sikh Community in New York can come to gurdwaras freely without any fear or pressure,” Sikhs of America’s founder and chairman Jasdip Singh Jassee and its president Kanwaljit Singh Soni said in the joint statement. “Ambassador Sandhu went to Gurdwara Sahib to pray and the management of Gurdwara Sahib honoured him with Saropa Sahib. After that, a handful of miscreants tried to disrespect him and violated the peace and sanctity of the Gurdwara Sahib. Gurdwaras are places of worship and should be free from personal political views.”

HiIndia Newsdesk

TAMPA, FL- USCIS’ Tampa Asylum Office is moving to a new location. Effective Dec. 11, 2023, the new address will be: 3924 Coconut Palm Drive Tampa, Florida 33619 The current location will close to the public on Nov. 29, and the new location will open to the public on Dec. 11. We will begin accepting mail at the new location on Nov. 29. However, the Tampa Asylum Office will not have walk-in hours until Dec. 13. This move will not affect the Tampa Asylum Office’s jurisdiction. The Tampa Asylum Office will continue to adjudicate asylum claims filed by individuals residing in western and northern Florida as well as portions of central Florida. If you are an asylum applicant and you have been scheduled for an asylum interview, carefully review your interview notice for important information about your asylum interview, including where to go for your interview. As a reminder, asylum interviews are by appointment only. See the Asylum Office locator for more information about asylum office locations and services. For more information about what to expect at your affirmative asylum interview, see our Preparing for Your Affirmative Asylum Interview webpage.


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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

COMMUNITY NEWS

US To Launch New Plan For Work Visas In December, Indians To Benefit Most This comes months after the White House announced the plan during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June HiIndia Newsdesk

Washington: The United States is set to begin a pilot programme for domestic renewal of certain categories of H-1B visas in December, a step that will benefit a significantly large number of Indian technology professionals, a US official has said. This comes months after the White House announced the plan during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June. In an interview to news agency PTI, Julie Stufft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Visa Services, said, "In India, the demand (for US visas) is still very high. The wait time of six, eight and 12 months is not what we need and (it is) not indicative of how we view India." "We want to make sure that Indian travellers can get appointments as quickly as possible. One way we are doing that is through the domestic visa renewal programme, which is focused very much on India. We are piloting that," she said. Over a period of three months, beginning December, the State Department will be issuing 20,000 visas to foreign nationals who are already inside the country. "We will do 20,000 in the first group. The vast majority of those will be Indian nationals living in the US and we will expand as it goes on. "Because Indians are the largest skilled group of workers in the United States, we hope that India will benefit quite a bit from this programme and it will prevent people from having to travel back to India or anywhere for a visa appointment to get their visa renewed. It will allow our missions in India to concentrate on new applicants," Ms Stufft said. While the State Department has been working on launching such a programme on a pilot basis for quite some time now, it was formally announced during PM Modi's visit. The plan, which was mentioned in the joint statement

and announced by PM Modi during his address to the Indian diaspora at the Ronald Reagan Centre, has been cheered and welcomed by the Indian community in the US. Responding to a question, Ms Stufft said there will be a federal register notice, which is the first official notice of this coming out very soon, and that will describe all of the steps that need to be taken and who is eligible to apply in the first tranche and lay out those instructions. "But I can say that we are doing these visas here in the United States. So, the idea is for a visa to be mailed from the United States to us in Washington. We print the visa and process the visa, put it in the passport and send it back to someone in the United States," she said. "So (that) the people don't have to go to either Mexico or Canada or back to India or anywhere (else) to get that visa renewed. That is something that will be laid out very clearly in this federal register notice that comes out in a few weeks," she said. The domestic visa renewal programme is only for work visas, Ms Stufft underlined. "This is an existing regulation that was allowed that we

just have not used in about 20 years. These are work visas. It is intended for people who are living longterm in the US but want to renew their visa without going back overseas," she said. Describing it as a "huge undertaking", Ms Stufft said, "We're very excited about it. We're starting small with a pilot of 20,000 cases in December, January and February and we look forward to opening that to more categories of workers living in the United States in the rest of 2024." In a statement, Indian-American community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria termed the move by the State Department "significant". As commissioner to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, Mr Bhutoria has made such a proposal, which was accepted and recommended by US President Joe Biden. "I am happy to see the recommendation I presented on behalf of immigration subcommittees on the Commission for H-1B visa stamping in the USA finally being implemented," he said. This relief will ultimately impact over one million H-1B holders, a significantly large number of whom are Indians, he said. "My heartfelt thanks to President Biden, the State Department, the AANHPI Commission, immigration sub-committee members. Beyond this, my commitment to immigration issues remains unwavering, advocating for policy changes such as removing the seven-year country cap, reducing the green card backlog and EAD for approved I-140 with a five-year backlog and ageing out kids," Mr Bhutoria said. This progress, alleviating burdens for legal immigrants, reflects a society moving towards inclusiveness, he said.

attacks on Hindu Justice Department Unveils Charges Linked To Thwarted Stop temples, Canadian Conspiracy Targeting U.S. Citizen In New York City politicians told HiIndia Newsdesk

NEW YORK, NY- Today, a superseding indictment was unsealed in the Southern District of New York, accusing Indian national Nikhil Gupta of murder-forhire charges related to a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Gupta, an associate of an Indian government employee (referred to as CC-1), was allegedly recruited by CC-1 to orchestrate the assassination of a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (referred to as the Victim). The Victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads an organization advocating for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India. CC-1, an Indian government agency employee, directed the assassination plot from India. Gupta contacted a confidential source working with U.S. law enforcement to hire a hitman, who was actually an undercover officer, agreeing to pay $100,000 for the murder. An advance payment of $15,000 was made. In June 2023, CC-1 provided Gupta with personal information about the Victim, including the Victim’s address and phone numbers, and directed Gupta to provide updates on the assassination

HiIndia Newsdesk

Indian National Nikhil Gupta, Aged 52, Faces Murder-forHire Charges in Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City plot’s progress. Gupta instructed the undercover officer to carry out the murder promptly but to avoid highlevel U.S. and Indian government engagements. In a related incident, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an associate of the Victim and a leader of the Sikh separatist movement,

was murdered outside a Sikh temple in Canada. Gupta mentioned that Nijjar was also a target, and urgency increased following Nijjar’s murder. Nikhil Gupta faces charges of murderfor-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, e ach car r ying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The case is being investigated by the DEA’s New York Division and the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, with assistance from various law enforcement agencies. The indictment is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

Toronto: (IANS) Expressing its disappointment over no action against pro-Khalistan elements for vandalism at various Hindu temples, the Canada-India Foundation has asked politicians in the country to break their silence and rein in these radicals before it is too late. In an open letter to the politicians, the top Indo-Canadian advocacy body says: “The threats issued by a group of violence-prone extremists to our community have taken on dangerous dimensions of late. One such selfappointed extremist leader issued a warning to Canadians not to travel on Air India in the month of November.” Wondering why Canadian politicians and the media have ignored this threat, the letter says:“We are even more disappointed that our political leaders have maintained a total silence on this grave issue.


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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 01 2023

HEALTH

T

he World Health Organization (WHO) has warned against the misuse of antibiotics which could result in up to 10 million deaths a year by 2050 due to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Emerging as a silent pandemic, the global health body recognises AMR as 1 of the 10 major global public health threats, with an estimated 5 million deaths annually associated with bacterial AMR worldwide. The WHO-Europe conducted a survey involving 8,221 participants from 14 countries, mostly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The most common reasons for taking the antibiotics included colds (24 per cent), flu-like symptoms (16 per cent), sore throat (21 per cent) and cough (18 per cent) -- symptoms often caused by viruses against which antibiotics are not effective. The findings published in the journal Frontiers also showed that medical practitioners prescribed or directly administered the majority (67 per cent) of the antibiotics. Across the 14 countries, a third (33 per cent) of respondents consumed a nt i b i o t i c s w i t h o u t a m e d i c a l prescription. In some countries, more than 40 per cent of the antibiotics were obtained

Alzheimer’s market to reach $16 bn in 2030: Report

HiIndia Newsdesk

The Alzheimer's disease market is projected to reach $16 billion in 2030, according to a report on Friday. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, the number of people diagnosed with dementia is expected to almost triple by 2050. The World Health Organization estimates that 60-70 per cent of dementia cases could be Alzheimer’s disease. "With the number of dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnoses expected to increase so significantly in the coming years, devices to help diagnose and manage Alzheimer’s disease are more important now than ever," said Alexandra Murdoch, Senior Medical Analyst at GlobalData, in a statement. The report by GlobalData, a data and analytics company, forecasts the Alzheimer’s disease market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29 per cent between 2023 and 2030. The marketed products database shows 141 marketed devices that use Alzheimer’s disease as an indication. Within those 141 products, almost half (46 per cent) are within the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) therapy area, meaning many of the devices are tests to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease.

antibiotics are effective against viruses (they are not). “This research clearly shows the need for education and awareness raising,” said Robb Butler, Director of WHO/Europe’s Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health, in a statement. “Conser ving the effectiveness of antimicrobial medicines requires interventions at many levels, such as timely vaccination, improved hygiene and reduction of inappropriate prescribing,” added Danilo Lo Fo Wong, Regional Adviser for the Control of Antimicrobial Resistance. As global efforts to control AMR intensify, social and behavioural sciences are emerging as crucial yet underutilised areas of knowledge and expertise that can guide interventions in AMR control, radically increasing impact. “Other drivers of AMR have their roots in the social and cultural norms learned in communities, for example, not completing a course of antibiotics in order to save some for the next time you fall ill, or sharing with a sick relative or neighbour. T "his learned behaviour can take time to change, and it’s imperative that behavioural and cultural insights awareness among common people -- are used to the full when planning nearly half (43 per cent) incorrectly said interventions,” Butler said.

Misuse to drive 10 mn amr-related deaths a year by 2050: who

20

without medical advice. The survey also highlighted lack of

Mins workouts can boost brain

D

idn’t get a good night’s sleep? Just 20 minutes of moderate exercises can boost your brain, according to a study. The study, led by the University of Portsmouth researchers explored how sleep, oxygen levels, and exercise affect our ability to perform mental tasks. The team found that cognitive performance improves during a bout of moderate intensity exercise, regardless of a person's sleep status or oxygen levels. "We know from existing research that exercise improves or maintains our cognitive performance, even when oxygen levels are reduced. But this is the first study to suggest it also improves cognitive performance after both full and partial sleep deprivation, and when combined with hypoxia,” said Joe Costello, from the University's School of Sport, Health & Exercise Science (SHES). "The findings significantly add to what we know about the relationship between exercise and these stressors, and help to reinforce the message that movement is medicine for the body and the brain," he added. The study, published in Physiology and Behaviour, involved two experiments, each with 12 participants (24 in total). The first looked at the impact of partial sleep deprivation on a person's cognitive performance, and the second examined the impact of total sleep deprivation and hypoxia. In both, all participants experienced an improvement in cognitive performance after a bout of 20 minutes of cycling. "Because we were looking at exercise as a positive intervention, we decided to use a moderate intensity programme as recommended in existing literature," added Costello. "If the exercise was any longer or harder it may have amplified the negative results and became a stressor itself."

In the first experiment, individuals were only allowed five hours of sleep a night, over three days. Each morning they would be given seven tasks to perform at rest, and then while cycling. They were also asked to rate their sleepiness and mood before completing the tasks. The results showed the effects of three nights of partial sleep on executive functions were inconsistent. The paper says an explanation for this could be that some people are more resilient to a mild or moderate sleep deficit. However, regardless of sleep status, moderate-intensity exercise improved performance across all the tasks. In the second experiment, participants went an entire night without sleep and were then put in a hypoxic (low levels of oxygen) environment at the University's Extreme Environment Labs. Despite oxygen levels being lowered, exercise continued to improve cognitive performance.


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LIFESTYLE

New Book Launch THE GREAT INDIAN MANTHAN

In the tenth volume of the Rethinking India series, some of India’s most eminent persons from Sonia Gandhi, Margaret Alva, Hamid Ansari to Mallikarjun Kharge write of how we can think of re-engineering India's hardware (redressing structural flaws in India's existing institutions, creating new institutions equipped to address fresh challenges and re-engaging all of India's systems), as well as ensuring progressive forces radically reinvent their political strategies and operational methodologies to socialize Indians to constitutional values. In the midst of India's political evolution, this game-changing book emerges to challenge the norm and spark a dialogue that captivates the nation. "Rethinking India: The Great Indian Manthan" confronts critical issues head-on and offers a fresh perspective on India's socio-economic and political landscape.

RESTLESS LIVES Celebrating his 60th year of life, Harish Bhat, renowned for his business acumen, surprises his audience with his first poetry collection. This accessible and beautifully crafted book offers a fresh perspective on modern life, providing moments of solace within the chaos. The modern age is characterized by speed, impersonality, and absurdity. It is easy to get caught up in the rush and forget the small, everyday things that string together to build the everyday. At times pleasing, at others disturbing, the lines within these pages promise to give pause, inspire and stir emotion.

INDIA AND MODI AND THE BATTLE FOR BHARAT The year 2014 was a consequential one for the Bharatiya Janata Party and for India. Will 2024 also be so? Released on November 15th, this thought-provoking work delves into whether the 2024 election will be as pivotal for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and India as the transformative year of 2014. The authors skillfully dissect the concerns of the INDIA bloc regarding Narendra Modi's vision for the country and his alleged distortion of the 'idea of India.' Through evocative, anecdotal, and deeply researched arguments, the book chronicles the emergence of a new republic, raising questions about the potential shift towards a 'Hindu Rashtra'. Whether you're interested in politics, history, or the future of India, this book promises a sharp, incisive, and revealing exploration of the battle for Bharat.

THE VELVET HOTLINE

Arsh Verma's debut thriller, "The Velvet Hotline" is an adrenaline-fueled ride. This gripping novel introduces readers to Ayingbi Mayengbam, a kind-hearted kindergarten teacher turned crisis hotline operator, whose journey spirals into a world of supernatural terror and suspense. In this fast-paced narrative, Verma weaves a tale that transcends genres, offering readers a perfect blend of mystery, noir, and spine-chilling horror. Ayingbi, a resilient Manipuri woman, becomes an unlikely heroine as she battles not only the demons on the other end of the line but also the haunting secrets of her enigmatic boss, Dr. Rastogi.

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1st December 2023 to 7th December 2023 Aries Ganesha says that for Aries people, you will start getting the desired success in your work from the beginning of the week. Not only juniors but also seniors will be kind to you in the workplace. During this time, advice from a senior person can prove to be very beneficial for you.

Taurus

Ganesha says that for the people of the Taurus zodiac, at the beginning of the week, you may face physical and mental pain due to the reemergence of seasonal or old diseases. If your health does not support you, your planned work may remain pending.

Gemini

Ganesha says that this week will bring auspiciousness and good fortune for the people of the Gemini zodiac sign. At the beginning of the week, you may hear some good news related to your child, which will increase your respect in society.

Cancer

Ganesha says that this week may have some ups and downs for people of the Cancer zodiac sign. At the beginning of the week, you may have to rush a lot even for small tasks. The health of any female member of the house will also become a major cause of your worry. You will feel a little sad if you do not get support from seniors in your workplace.

Leo

Libra

Ganesha says that this week is going to be very auspicious for Libra too. At the beginning of the week, you may hear some good news related to your career or business. During this period, there will be a possibility of promotion in the workplace.

Scorpio

Ganesha says that if people of Scorpio zodiac sign manage to manage their time and money this week, they can achieve more success than expected. You will get full support from your close friends in completing your planned work and facing challenges related to life.

Sagittarius

Ganeshasays that people of Sagittarius zodiac sign will be successful in completing all their work on time this week with their wisdom. This week will prove to be lucky for employed people. If your promotion or transfer has been stalled for a long time, then this week all the obstacles coming in the way of your desire will be removed.

Capricorn

Ganesha says that this week is going to be more auspicious and favorable for the people of Capricorn than the previous week. At the beginning of the week, ongoing differences with siblings will be resolved with the help of a senior family member.

Aquarius

Ganesha says that for the people of Leo zodiac, from the beginning of the week, all your planned tasks will be completed on time, due to which you will see a different enthusiasm and confidence within you. The special thing is that this week both your health and friends will support you a lot.

Ganesha says that the people of the Aquarius zodiac will need more hard work and effort this week to achieve the desired success. Employed people will have to be very careful of those people in their workplace who often try to create obstacles in their work.

Ganesha says that this week is going to be more auspicious and beneficial for the people of the Virgo zodiac than the previous week. At the beginning of the week, you may suddenly have to face some big problem, but you will face that challenge boldly and perform your responsibilities in a better way.

Ganesha says that the planned works of Pisces people will be completed on time this week, due to which there will be a different enthusiasm within them. You will get full support from your friends in completing any action plan. At the beginning of the week, you may spend a large amount of money on luxuries.

Virgo

Pisces


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