Edition 12

Canada to probe India’s alleged interference in Friday, 26 January, elections 2024 Federal

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VOL: 01 • ISSUE: 12

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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onths after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of having a role in killing of proKhalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a designated terrorist in New Delhi, Ottawa has now announced plans to investigate alleged meddling by India in the country’s Federal elections in 2019 and 2021.

The Foreign Interference Commission, which was set up last year by the Trudeau government to investigate interference by foreign governments in the last two federal elections in Canada, said that it will also investigate India’s alleged interference in the elections.

The commission in a statement has asked the Canadian government to give it all information and documents related to said accusation. Earlier, the main target of the commission’s work was alleged interference by China and Russia. Now, India has also been included in its investigation after India-Canada relations nosedived in the wake of Trudeau’s allegations against New Delhi in Nijjar’s killing.

The commission, scheduled to begin its hearings next Monday, will examine all the information about foreign interference in the two elections and make recommendations to stop it.

It will submit its interim report by May 3 and final report by December 31.

26 JANUARY 2024

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Nari Sakhti, military might and diverse culture stand out during India’s Republic Day parade IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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ndia’s President Droupadi Murmu led the Nation in celebrating the 75th Republic Day on Friday as she unfurled the national flag at Kartavya Path in New Delhi and the parade began with ‘Aavaahan’, a band performance by over 100 women artists playing various types of percussion instruments, symbolizing Nari Shakti, a new element added to the customary march.

In a revival of tradition, President Droupadi Murmu and chief guest French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the Kartavya Path in a horsepulled buggy, the practice which made a comeback after a gap of 40 years.

For the first time ever, the parade was heralded by over 100 women artists playing Indian musical instruments. The parade commenced with the music of Sankh, Naadswaram, Nagada, etc. played

by these women artists.

Kartavya Path also witnessed a march past by a combined Band and Marching contingent of the French Armed Forces. A 30-member band contingent headed by Captain Khourda, which was followed by a 90-member marching contingent, led by Captain Noel.

See Pg. 02

urges North Not the Almighty, but the alternative: US Korea to refrain ‘threatening’ Biden sets the tone for his narrative from activity after cruise missile launches

By Yashwant Raj

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S President Joe Biden has switched into election mode in recent days.

Finally, as many Democrats will say, including his former boss President Barack Obama.

Biden is seen more in campaign ads, inserting himself himself into the ongoing Republican primaries, picking on the candidates, specially his predecessor Donald Trump, who holds an overwhelming lead over rivals, and Indian-American Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the UN who has been surging in polls and beats the President in head-to-head matchups with margins that beat Trump’s lead over Biden.

The Biden team’s plan is to now project their candidate -- the President -- as a choice between him and the Republican candidates, especially Trump. As the President likes to say: “Don’t compare me to the Almighty, compare me to the alternative.”

Obama, who won his re-election bid in 2012, advised Biden to pack off his top advisers to the re-election headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, from their current jobs in the White House.

Obama has been worried about Trump’s reelection chances and sought to counsel Biden over lunch in recent months, as it was first reported by The Washington Post.

The former President also suggested that the president hire an election strategist like David Plouffe, who worked on Obama election campaigns in 2008 and 2012.

That came from Obama. His aides from

his time in the White House have been pressuring Biden. One of them, David Axelrod, went as far as to suggest the president was too old to seek a second term and that he should step aside for someone younger.

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Trump is beating Biden in every poll. As is Haley.

he US has called on North Korea to refrain from further “threatening” activity and return to dialogue after Pyongyang fired several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea, the latest in a series of its weapons tests that heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

See Pg. 02

See Pg. 02

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

Trump testifies in E. Jean Carroll defamation case

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ormer US President Donald Trump has testified for less than five minutes in the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial in a New York court, local media reported. Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, who testified briefly was cut off by Judge Lewis Kaplan.

Trump said Carroll’s accusations were false though he was not allowed to testify that he didn’t assault Caroll.

The jury in the current trial has been shown threats of murder and rape that Carroll has received since 2019 when she went public with her story through emails, texts and tweets, reported CBS News on Thursday. Carroll, an American writer and former magazine columnist, accused Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s at a department store dressing room in Manhattan, New York City, and of later defaming her by denying her claims.

The trial is tasked to determine if Trump owns any more for defaming Caroll as another trial found him liable for sexual abuse and defamation with 5 million US dollars in damages awarded to Caroll in May 2023.

US urges North Korea to refrain from ‘threatening’ activity after cruise missile launches Contd. from Pg. 01 “We urge the DPRK to refrain from further threatening activity and call on Pyongyang to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy,” a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency. DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Later in a press briefing, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel repeated the message.

“It’s important to remember that we have been incredibly clear about the fact that we harbor no hostile intent towards the DPRK and continue to be open to diplomacy without preconditions,” he said.

“This is also an avenue for us to continue to consult closely with the Republic of Korea, with Japan and other allies and partners about how to best engage with the DPRK to deter some of their aggressive and destabilizing behaviors,” he added. Patel also underscored that the US goal of engagement with North Korea remains the same. “We are eager to engage in substantive discussions on identifying ways to not just manage military risk but create lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula as well as our continued stated goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” he said.

Nari Sakhti, military might and diverse culture stand out during India’s Republic Day parade Contd. from Pg. 01 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that based on the twin themes of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Bharat - Loktantra ki Matruka’, this year’s parade was witnessing the participation of around 13,000 Special Guests -- an initiative which provided an opportunity to people from all walks of life to take part in the celebrations and encourage Jan Bhagidari in this national festival. The parade is a showcase of India’s rich cultural diversity, unity, progress, its military prowess on the back of increasing indigenous capabilities, and the growing Nari Shakti, the MoD official added.

It also witnessed the maiden participation of an all-women Tri-Service contingent marching down the Kartavya Path. Women pilots also enthralled the audience during the Fly-past, representing ‘Nari Shakti (women power)’.

The contingents of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) also consisted of only women personnel. The Republic Day parade and ceremony started with the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the National War Memorial, where he led the nation in paying solemn tributes to the fallen heroes by laying a wreath. Thereafter, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries headed to the saluting dais at Kartavya Path to witness the parade.

The arrival of the President of India and her

But Democrats are more worried about the former president. Vice-President Kamala Harris has said she is “scared as heck” Trump could win. Michelle Obama, the former First Lady who remains an iconic figure in the party, said recently she is “terrified” of who could happen in the 2024 election and she is not talking about Biden here or Haley.

It’s not clear just how much Biden has heeded his former boss’s advice. But he is clearly more aggressive than he has been in a long time. He started with a strong speech on the eve of January 6, the third anniversary of the assault launched by Trump’s supporters to prevent the US Congress from certifying Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Biden framed the upcoming election as a fight for democracy with Trump as a threat.

“Today we’re here to answer the most important of questions: Is democracy still America’s sacred cause?” Biden said.

“It’s what the 2024 election is all about.

He left no doubt who he thought posed the biggest threat to democracy. Trump is trying to steal history the same way he tried to steal the election.

“We saw it with our own eyes. Trump’s mob wasn’t a peaceful protest. It was a violent assault. They were insurrectionists, not patriots,” he said.

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

SFJ’s Pannun threatens Kejriwal, Mann after aides arrested in Punjab again, he said that “hands that hold the Khalistan flag will not shy away from holding rocket launchers”.

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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he leader of pro-Khalistan Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has warned that the Chief Ministers of Delhi and Punjab will face a “political death” if his associates were not released by next month.

Reacting to a January 16 video in which Pannun urged gangsters to unite for an attack on Mann and Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, the Punjab Chief Minister said he doesn’t take these threats seriously.

Pannun’s threat comes hours after the arrest of Jagdish Singh, Manjeet Singh and Davinder Singh, all residents of Rajpura, by the State Special Operation Cell of Punjab Police on Friday.

French counterpart escorted by the President’s Bodyguard -- ‘Rashtrapati Ke Angrakshak’.

The President’s Bodyguard is the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. This Republic Day was special for this elite Regiment as the ‘Angrakshak’ have completed 250 years of service since its raising in 1773. As per tradition, the National Flag was unfurled followed by the National Anthem with a booming 21-gun salute given with indigenous gun system 105-mm Indian Field Guns.

Four Mi-17 IV helicopters of 105

Not the Almighty, but the alternative: Biden sets the tone for his narrative Contd. from Pg. 01

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Biden delivered these remarks at a community college in Pennsylvania state, which is merely 10 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park, where George Washington, who led the revolution and became the first president of the freed country, mobilized troops against the British some 250 years ago. Biden mentioned Trump by name 44 times in a 30-minute speech.

There is a view that the Democrats would actually like to see Biden challenged

by Trump, one of the most discredited American presidents in recent history.

He is the only US President impeached twice -- removal from office requires a senate vote, which did not come in both instances, and faces more than 90 criminal charges, any one of which could put him behind bars.

One set of these charges relates to Trump’s alleged involvement in the January 6 assault, which has already caused the incarceration of many participants.

Helicopter Unit showered the flower petals on the audience present at Kartavya Path. This was followed by ‘Aavaahan’, a band performance by over 100 women artists playing various types of percussion instruments, symbolizing Nari Shakti.

The parade then commenced with the President taking the salute. The parade was commanded by Parade Commander, Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, a secondgeneration Army officer. Major General Sumit Mehta, Chief of Staff, HQ Delhi Area is the Parade Second-in-Command.

NASA’s historic Mars helicopter Ingenuity grounded for good after 72 flights

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ASA said on Thursday its Mars robot helicopter Ingenuity, the first vehicle to achieve powered, controlled flight on another world, has been grounded for good after flying dozens of times over three years, ending a landmark mission that far exceeded all expectations. The fate of Ingenuity was sealed when imagery beamed back to Earth after its 72nd and final flight on Jan. 18 showed that a portion of one of the miniature whirligig’s twin rotor blades had broken off, leaving it incapable of further operation, NASA officials said.

“It is bittersweet that I must announce that Ingenuity, the ‘little helicopter that could’ - and it kept saying, ‘I think I can, I think I can’ - well, it has now taken its last flight on Mars,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a video posted on social media.

Some analysts have suggested that Biden actually relishes the prospect of running against Trump again.

What was planned as a 30-day technology demonstration of no more than five short flights ended up stretching well beyond the expectations of engineers who designed and built the helicopter at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) near Los Angeles.

Despite his popularity among Republican voters, Trump is a profusely damaged candidate with independent voters, who will decide the outcome.

Apart from the criminal charges, he has already been blocked from running in two states, Colorado and Maine.

Trump is appealing against them.

Ingenuity ultimately buzzed over the Martian terrain 14 times farther than originally planned, logging more than two hours, eight minutes of flight time and covering a distance of 10.5 miles (17 km) through all 72 flights. Its peak altitude was measured at 78.7 feet (24 meters).

In a video message shared on Saturday, Pannun claimed that the three youths worked directly with the SFJ for Khalistan Referendum voter registration that is due to start on January 26.

are not released by February 15... they will face the wrath of Sikhs who helped AAP to win Punjab,” SFJ’s legal counsel Pannun said, speaking in Punjabi.

He warned that Delhi and Punjab Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, respectively, will face the wrath of Sikhs who helped their Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to win in Punjab.

He claimed that the two AAP leaders collected donations to the tune of $6 million from Khalistan supporters in the US and Canada with an understanding that they will not intervene in their activities in Punjab.

“Kejriwal-Mann duo’ will face ‘political death’ if the three pro-Khalistan Sikhs

He further accused Kejriwal of coercing

Mann to follow the path of Beant Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab from 1992 to 1995, who was assassinated by Khalistan separatist group, Babbar Khalsa International on August 31, 1995.

“The Kejriwal-Mann duo must not forget August 31, 1995, the consequence they will face for “torturing” proKhalistan Sikhs,” Pannun, declared a designated terrorist in 2020 by India, said.

Threatening to assassinate Mann

Meanwhile, the three arrested men told police that Pannun had asked them to raise the Khalistan flag and spray paint walls with pro-Khalistan graffitti ahead of Republic Day. Pannun said that his three associates have not been given any arms, only the Khalistan referendum flag.

Pannun, wanted in nearly two dozen cases, including some of terrorism and sedition in India, recently called for shutdown of airports from Amritsar to Ayodhya ahead of the January 22 Ram temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

In addition, he exhorted Muslims in the country to “oppose” the ceremony, and urged them to carve out ‘Urduistan’ from India.

Former Trump adviser US public officials face surge of Navarro gets four months for threats ahead of 2024 election contempt of Congress IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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ormer President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro was sentenced on Thursday to four months in prison for contempt of Congress, with a judge scolding him for defying a subpoena in an investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack and telling him, “You are not a victim.”

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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ver since former President Donald Trump contested the 2020 elections as a “stolen one”

by Democrats, state and local officials have faced a surge of violent threats, harassment, and intimidation. Especially from his supporters following the infamous attack on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, when Trump lost the election to Joe Biden.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta told Navarro, 74, during the sentencing hearing in Washington federal court that his refusal to provide documents and testimony had hindered the work of the Democratic-led House of Representatives committee.

“They had a job to do and you made it harder,” Mehta said.

Navarro said he would appeal.

“It is a case that really asks the important question of whether a senior White House aide and alter ego for the president can be compelled to testify by Congress,” Navarro said outside the courthouse, as protesters blew whistles behind him.

Navarro also asked for donations to help pay his legal costs.

He was found guilty by a jury in September of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee. The panel

investigated the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters and broader attempts by the former president to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Mehta also reprimanded Navarro for his past statements that Biden and other prominent Democrats were behind the prosecution.

“Joe Biden is not responsible for your prosecution,” the judge told Navarro. “It’s those kinds of statements from somebody who knows better that contributes to why our politics are so corrosive.”

These threats, harassment and intimidation are virtually reshaping the way public officials across the US do their jobs, making them less likely to engage with constituents, hold public events, advocate for government policies that could lead to blowback, or run for re-election, the Time Magazine reported in a special dispatch this week.

Quoting a new report published on Thursday by the Brennan Center for Justice, the journal laid out how this abuse was interfering and affecting the efficiency of public officials. More than 40 per cent of state legislators surveyed reported being threatened or attacked in the past three years.

Nearly 90 per cent said they had suffered

less severe abuse, including harassment, intimidation, and stalking.

Almost 40 per cent of local officials, including 50 per cent of women, said the ongoing harassment made them less willing to run for re-election or to seek higher office.

This tally includes many state and local election officials, who in 2020 bore the brunt of the anger of Trump’s supporters, who falsely accused them of rigging that race and subsequently hounded many out of office, the journal said.

The resulting turnover means that more than 1 in 5 election administrators will be doing the job for the first time in 2024, according to the Brennan Centre’s data.

Public officials have of late faced some level of anger from constituents who disagree with them. And this disagreement and the severity and scale of this “constant barrage of intimidating behavior is now [having] an impact on the way they do their jobs,” Gowri Ramachandran, the Deputy Director of the Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center, told TIME.

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Publisher Note www.indoustribune.com

Friday, 19 January, 2024

Letter from Publisher

Published Weekly IndoUS Tribune Chicago Office: Lincolnwood, IL 60712 marketing@Indoustribune.com

Your support matters

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Dr. (H) Avi Verma publisher@Indoustribune.com

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CNN, US News, BBC, The New York Times, CBS, and ABC: Negative Narratives and Fear Mongering. These outlets have presented the inauguration in a manner that emphasizes political narratives, religious divisions, and alleged negative consequences. These reports raise concerns about the impact on the minority Muslim population and question the timing of the inauguration in the context of upcoming elections. However, it is essential to provide a nuanced perspective and challenge the negative framing of this monumental event. The Ram Mandir holds profound significance for Hindus, representing not just a place of worship but also a symbol of unity and cultural pride. The portrayal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s involvement as a political move neglects the genuine religious sentiments of millions.

Contrary to the fearmongering presented in some media coverage, the Ram Mandir inauguration serves as an opportunity for Hindu unity, awakening, and awareness. It is a momentous occasion that transcends political boundaries and emphasizes the rich cultural tapestry of India. Clarifying Misconceptions Amidst Opposition Propaganda on Ram Mandir Inauguration. In the wake of the historic inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, it is essential to address and dispel the negative propaganda propagated by certain opposition political parties, characterizing this momentous event as a mere political maneuver.

Editor in Chief

Rakesh Malhotra Ramesh Soparwala Madhu Patel Vandana Jhingan Neelam Verma

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n a historic moment that resonates with the sentiments of millions of Hindus, the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya marks a significant milestone in India’s cultural and religious landscape. The grand temple dedicated to Lord Ram has been the culmination of a long-standing aspiration for Hindus, symbolizing a revival of their cultural heritage. While the event has garnered widespread support and enthusiasm among the majority Hindu population, certain media outlets in the West and India’s opposition parties have chosen to portray it in a negative light. It is crucial to address and counter these perspectives that often perpetuate misconceptions and contribute to the division of communities.

Dr. (H) Avi Verma Publisher

India’s opposition parties have raised concerns, questioning the timing of the Ram Mandir inauguration and accusing Prime Minister Modi of exploiting the event for political gains, particularly with upcoming elections on the horizon.

However, it is crucial to untangle the web of political narratives and focus on the cultural and religious significance that this celebration holds for millions of Indians.

While political dynamics inevitably play a role in the public sphere, reducing the Ram Mandir inauguration to mere political posturing oversimplifies the profound sentiments that underpin this occasion. The construction of the temple has been a longstanding cultural aspiration for the majority of Hindus, transcending political affiliations. Critics may argue that the timing is strategic, given the upcoming elections. Still, it is equally important to recognize that cultural and religious celebrations are intrinsic to India’s diverse landscape and should not be dismissed solely as political tools.

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Friday, 19 January, 2024

Washington gives Ambassador Sandhu a rockstar farewell IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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utgoing Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is getting a rockstar’s farewell.

And the host administration is impressed. “Elton (John) did about 340 shows for his farewell,” Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma said, recalling one of the shows that he had himself attended. He added that he has been keeping track of Sandhu’s farewell, which could rival the British singer Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road”. Verma was speaking at -- where else? -- a farewell; hosted by the State Department for Sandhu on Thursday.

Sandhu went on to attend two more backto-back farewells later in the evening, one of which was hosted by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. Its rival US-India Business Council was among the first to host a farewell

Indian flag, temple flag hoisted on Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa

for the Ambassador. There was one farewell with the senior staff of the White House and a few that the Indian Embassy hosted for the Indian-American community.

Sandhu is leaving after four years as Ambassador to the United States. This was his fourth stint in the US starting out as a first secretary at the Washington DC embassy in 1997. He returned to the US to serve at the Indian mission to the UN and came back in 2017 to serve as deputy chief of mission at

the embassy in Washington DC. Sandhu and Verma have known each from the former’s first stint, when Verma was a congressional aide. Verma would go on to serve as the US ambassador to India. Recalling their long association over the years, Verma said: “Your ability to get things done. Your ability to deliver for people is truly amazing. And so you’re not only a world class diplomat, you’re also someone who we all count as a friend.”

Also recounting their long association and the arc of the India-US relationship over those years, Sandhu said: “We have actually gone through ups and downs. I mean the relationship today when we look back is definitely at a very different level. And that makes me feel very satisfied, very happy.”

Sandhu’s stint as Ambassador witnessed many ups, including a glitzy state visit hosted

by US President Joe Biden for Prime Minister

Pakistan warns Ram Mandir consecration ‘significant threat’ to ‘regional peace’

The opposition’s portrayal of the Ram Mandir inauguration as a political event overlooks the genuine religious fervor and unity it has generated among millions. It is crucial to distinguish between the political discourse surrounding the event and the deep-rooted cultural significance it holds for the people. As we navigate through differing political perspectives, let us not lose sight of the broader context. The Ram Mandir represents a symbol of cultural revival, unity, and shared heritage. Engaging in constructive dialogue and fostering understanding can contribute to a more comprehensive appreciation of this historic moment, beyond the realms of political contention.

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

Sandhu started his tenure as the US and, indeed the world, was beginning to come to grips with Covid-19, the world’s worst epidemic in 100 years,. The US would become the world’s worst hit and as both India and the US went under lockdown and banned incoming travel, he would oversee a major evacuation of Indians stranded in the US, mostly tourists, business people and students.

It was a complex and ambitious operation Health and education would become a key focus areas for Sandhu’s ambassadorship, along usual strategic and economic ties. He spoke on Thursday about feeling “passionately” about education “because my parents came here to study in this country in 1956”. They returned to India two years later, with a doctorate for his mother.

Russia playing with lives of Ukrainian prisoners: Zelensky

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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kraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of playing with the lives of Kiev’s prisoners, after a Il-76 military transport aircraft was shot down in Belogorod, the media reported. Zelensky’s comment came after Russia claimed that there were no survivors after Kiev downed the plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners, six Russian crew and three escorts, BBC reported.

May the Ram Mandir stand as a testament to the harmonious coexistence of diverse beliefs within the fabric of India.

Neha Arya

Narendra Modi in June 2023. He also saw an India visit by the US President later in the year for the G-20 summit hosted by India.

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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he Indian national flag will be hoisted on Africa’s highest mountain peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, located in Tanzania on Friday by Virendra Sisodia, a retired army man and a mountaineer from Lucknow, on the initiative of the Uttar Pradesh tourism department.

Uttar Pradesh tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh said, “The campaign to hoist the national flag on Africa’s highest peak was launched on the day of consecration of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya.”

“On January 26, when the President will be hoisting the Indian Tricolour on Kartavya Path in Delhi, about five and a half thousand kilometers away, the Indian national flag and the flag of Prabhu Shri Ram Temple will be hoisted on Mount Kilimanjaro,” he said.

“Our effort is to develop Uttar Pradesh as the most attractive tourist destination in the world. After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla, lakhs of people are visiting Ayodhya,” he pointed out. The large flow of pilgrims and tourists will not only boost the economy of the region but also put Ayodhya on the global tourism map,” he added.

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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akistan, in a letter to a UN official dealing with culture and civilisation, has warned that the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is a “significant threat” to “peace in the region”.

“Pakistan condemns in the strongest terms the construction and consecration of the ‘Ram Temple’ on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque in Ayodhya,” the country’s Permanent Representative Munir Akram wrote to Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Under-Secretary General and High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilisations.

desecration and destruction”.

He added: “The statements of some Chief Ministers of Indian states have linked such actions to territorial claims against Pakistan.”

The mandates of the UN Alliance of Civilisations include promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue and understanding.

Akram said in the letter, released on Wednesday, that the Mandir’s construction and dedication was “a significant threat” to “the harmony and peace in the region” and called for Martinos’s “urgent intervention for the protection of religious sites in India”.

A press release from Pakistan’s UN Mission on Wednesday said that Akram raised the Ram Mandir during a meeting of the ambassadors of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the group agreed to include it in the agenda for the next meeting. When it was discussed, the press release said that some Ambassadors mentioned the attacks on mosques in some European countries and Palestine’s Permanent Observer Riyad Mansour brought up the Israeli action at Al-Aqsa and the demolition of mosques and churches.

Akram asserted that “other mosques, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Mathura, face similar threats of

OIC’s General Secretariat on Tuesday had expressed “grave worry” over the inauguration of the Ram Mandir and denounced it.

“It is obvious that the Russians are playing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners, with the feelings of their relatives and with the emotions of our society,” he said. As Ukraine was not told to ensure safe airspace, as on previous occasions, this can point to Russia’s “deliberate” actions aimed at putting the lives and safety of the PoWs under threat,” Ukraine’s general staff was quoted as saying by Ukrainska Pravda.

On Zelensky seeking an international probe into the incident, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it means the Ukrainian President wants an international inquiry into “the criminal actions of the Kyiv regime”, and it is definitely needed. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukraine knew its prisoners would be transported to Belgorod for an exchange based on an agreement previously reached between the two sides.

Kiev’s move was an attempt to blame Russia for the deaths of the Ukrainian military personnel on board, said the Russian statement.

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US News www.indoustribune.com

Friday, 26 January, 2024

New York-bound flight canceled after passenger spots missing screws on plane’s wing IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

California river cleanup discovers homeless living in caves

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oments before take-off, a New-York bound Virgin Atlantic flight from Manchester was canceled after an alert passenger spotted missing bolts on the plane’s wing, the media reported. The incident occurred on January 15, when Phil Hardy, 41, who was onboard the flight at Manchester Airport in the UK, noticed four missing fasteners and informed the cabin crew.

3 killed, 2 injured after shooting at rental home in Texas IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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Friday, 26 January, 2024 IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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he Florida House of Representatives approved on Wednesday a bill aimed at barring children aged 16 and younger from social media platforms, following similar action in several states to limit online risks to young teenagers. Passed by a bipartisan vote of 106 to 13, the measure would require social media platforms to terminate the accounts of anyone under 17 years old and use a third-party verification system to screen out the underaged.

“We must address the harmful effects social media platforms have on the development and well-being of our kids,” said Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.

Florida lawmakers vote to restrict children’s access to social media measure was necessary to protect children from depression, anxiety and other mental health woes they say are linked to excessive use of social media, whose addictive aspects critics say make children especially vulnerable.

Opponents argued that the bill goes too far, with some urging less restrictive measures, such as letting parents opt in or out of allowing their children to use social media.

“Florida has a compelling state interest and duty to protect our children, their mental health, and their childhood.” The bill would also require firms to permanently delete personal information collected from the terminated accounts and let parents bring civil suits against those failing to do so.

Engineers were promptly called out to carry out maintenance checks on the Airbus A330 aircraft before its scheduled takeoff to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, New York Post reported quoting a Virgin Atlantic representative. In a video shared on social media, an engineer can be seen climbing on to the plane’s wing and fixing the issue.

Though Hardly was repeatedly assured by the airline staff that there was no safety issue, he was panicked as the incident comes days after one of the doors of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 9 MAX blew open mid-air.

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California river cleanup turned up an unexpected discovery: homeless people living in caves dug into the riverbank.

Police in Modesto, California, reported on Tuesday that they were collaborating with the volunteer group Operation 9-299 in removing trash from the Tuolumne River over the weekend when they discovered the cave dwellings.

Local media said there were eight caves equipped with beds, tables and chairs, shocking neighbors who were unaware how elaborate the dwellings were.

Modesto police said the people living in the riverbank area had been notified of the cleanup ahead of time and they were offered services to transition into housing.

Upon learning about the caves, city and state officials implemented “immediate safety measures” and restricted access with barricades and temporary fencing while assessing the structural safety of the surrounding areas, the city of Modesto said in a statement on Wednesday.

Trump’s six-point lead held even when respondents were given the option of voting for third-party candidates, including anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with Trump drawing 36%

support, Biden 30% and Kennedy 8%.

Slightly more than half of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the U.S. two-party system, with just one in four satisfied by it.

Whitney Tallarico, 33, a consultant interviewed in Washington, is among those considering an alternative.

The legislation now goes to the Florida state Senate for consideration.

Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature. Sponsors said the

Latest measure of US inflation British billionaire Joe Lewis shows progress toward Fed’s goal pleads guilty to US insider

trading charges

“The independents don’t really have a voice. Polarizing characters usually take the front seat, and it’s a little sad for our country,” Tallarico said this week. Asked whether she would vote for Biden or Trump, she said, “I’ll probably go for a third party.”

Governor DeSantis Alabama completes first execution Florida drops out of presidential race, by nitrogen asphyxiation endorses Trump IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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t least three people were killed and two others injured after a “very chaotic” shooting at a short-term rental home in the Houston area, US state of Texas, authorities said.

There was a gathering with about 10 to 20 people in their 20s at the rental home in Katy, a suburban city of Houston, Xinhua news agency reported.

A quarrel broke out and led to the shooting early Sunday morning, leaving at least five people shot, said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. A man and a woman died at the scene, and one died in hospital, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Two others showed up at the hospital with gunshot wounds later, said the local police.

There were people shooting outside the residence, and investigators estimate dozens of gunshots were fired, local media reported.

“Maybe people were fleeing. So a very chaotic and dangerous situation where others could have been injured as a result of just the random gunfire that was occurring outside,” Gonzalez added.

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labama put to death convicted murderer Kenneth Smith on Thursday evening, Govenor Kay Ivey said, completing the first execution using asphyxiation by nitrogen gas, which the state is advancing as a simpler alternative to lethal injections.

The state has called its new protocol “the most painless and humane method of execution known to man.”

United Nations human rights experts and lawyers for Smith, who survived Alabama’s previous botched attempt to execute him by lethal injection, had sought to prevent it, saying the method was risky, experimental and could lead to a torturous death or non-fatal

injury.

Alabama prison officials and journalists who observed Smith’s execution were due to brief reporters later on Thursday evening.

Smith, convicted of a 1988 murder-for-hire, was a rare prisoner who has already survived one execution attempt. In November 2022, Alabama officials aborted his execution by lethal injection after struggling for hours to insert an intravenous line’s needle in his body.

“On March 18, 1988, 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett’s life was brutally taken from her by Kenneth Eugene Smith,” Governor Ivery said in a statement. “After more than 30 years and attempt after attempt to game the system, Mr. Smith has answered for his horrendous crimes.”

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lorida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race just two days before the New Hampshire primary, and endorsed former US President Donald Trump.

“We don’t have a clear path to victory,” DeSantis said in a video posted on X as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

In the video, DeSantis said he was endorsing Trump because it had “become clear” that “a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance”.

DeSantis’ announcement came just a few days after a 30-percentage-point loss to Trump in the Iowa caucuses. Trump was leading with 51 per cent, and DeSantis came in second with 21 per cent.

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he last US inflation snapshot for 2023 revealed that the Federal Reserve’s preferred price gauge didn’t budge last month, holding at 2.6 per cent and wrapping up a year in which price hikes slowed while the economy remained strong.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index — the inflation gauge that the Fed uses as its target rate — was up 2.6 per cent annually in December, closing out 2023 with a softer punch than the 5.4 percent gain a year prior, according to Commerce Department data released Friday, CNN reported.

That’s 0.6 percentage points from the central bank’s goal of 2 per cent.

Excluding energy and food, components that tend to be more volatile, the closelywatched core PCE price index rose 2.9

percent annually, a slower pace than the 3.2 percent rate seen in November.

The core PCE gauge is at its lowest point since March 2021.

On a monthly basis, the headline PCE index rose 0.2 per cent, a slight acceleration from the 0.1 per cent drop seen in November when gas prices were tumbling. The core PCE index also rose by 0.2 per cent from the prior month.

Consumer spending finished the year strong and was up 0.7 per cent from November 2023, according to Friday’s report. Adjusting for inflation, spending was up 0.5 per cent, CNN reported.

Economists had projected PCE would rise 2.6 percent for the 12 months ended December and for consumer spending to grow 0.5 per cent from the month before, according to FactSet estimates, CNN reported.

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ritish billionaire Joe Lewis pleaded guilty to U.S. insider trading charges on Wednesday after being accused last year of a scheme that prosecutors said was designed to enrich friends and associates, and apologized to a judge for his conduct.

Lewis, 86, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud under an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan. As part of the plea deal, Lewis can appeal if the judge in the case sentences him to prison time, his lawyer David Zornow said.

Sentencing was scheduled for March 28.

Lewis, whose family trust controls a majority of the Tottenham Hotspur soccer team, was charged in July 2023

with passing inside information on his portfolio companies to two of his private pilots as well as friends, personal assistants and romantic partners, enabling them, according to prosecutors, to reap millions of dollars of profit.

Addressing U.S. District Judge Jessica Clarke during a hearing on Wednesday, Lewis said he knew at the time that what he was doing was wrong.

“I am so embarrassed and I apologize to the court for my conduct,” said Lewis, who in July had entered a plea of not guilty.

Lewis was charged by federal prosecutors with 16 counts of securities fraud and three counts of conspiracy for conduct that occurred from 2013 to 2021. While Lewis will not plead guilty to the other counts under the terms of his deal, Clarke said she may consider them for sentencing purposes.

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Newly-arrived migrants behind string of robberies in Chicago: Police IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

Indian-origin man charged with kicking cop during arrest in Singapore Haridas barricaded himself in a flat with his 52-year-old girlfriend.

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group of newly-arrived migrants are allegedly behind a string of retail thefts and burglaries plaguing a city in the US state of Illinois that also saw an Indian-origin liquor store worker being threatened with a gun on his temple. Claiming that the robbers may be part of a bigger crime ring, police said that in all, 47 migrants have been arrested since October in the village of Oak Brook, about 20 miles west of Chicago city,.

“These retail crimes involving migrant offenders are part of a bigger criminal enterprise and we are working closely with our federal partners to thoroughly investigate these cases,” Oak Brook Chief of Police, Brian Strockis, said.

Police believe members of an organized retail theft operation may have approached migrants in Chicago and offered to pay them to commit the thefts.

According to The Post, Chicago, which has received around 34,000 migrants since 2022, does not cooperate with federal authorities investigating crimes by illegal immigrants, or allowing local law enforcement to inquire about a person’s citizenship status.

3 Indians win United Kingdom’s prestigious Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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hree Indian scientists are among the nine recipients of this year’s Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK for their pioneering work in the fields of chemical, physical and life sciences. Rahul R Nair, Mehul Malik, Tanmay Bharat and others will be honoured and receive grants totalling 480,000 pounds at a black-tie gala dinner and award ceremony in London on February 27.

“Providing recognition and funding early in a scientist’s career can make the difference between discoveries that remain in the lab and those that make transformative scientific breakthroughs,” said Sir Leonard Blavatnik, Founder and Chairman of Access Industries and Head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. The 2024 Awards received 84 nominations from 40 academic and research institutions and this year’s laureates were selected by an independent jury of expert scientists across the UK. Now in its seventh year, the awards -- instituted by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences -- have donated 3.3 million pounds to scientists across UK academia since their inception.

49-year-old Indian-origin man in Singapore has been charged with assaulting a public servant, an offense for which he can be jailed for up to seven years and fined or caned. Haridas Ryan Peter allegedly kicked a 22-year-old special constable sergeant on his hip and right hand on January 23 at a carpark in Sembawang, a residential town located in the north of Singapore.

Officers from the Crisis Negotiation Unit, Special Operations Command, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force also responded to the incident as Haridas might have posed a danger to himself and others.

His case has been adjourned to February 8.

Following police’s arrival at the scene,

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43-year-old Indian national and three of her relatives, all in their 20s, died on Phillip Island in one of the worst drowning tragedies in the Australian state of Victoria since 2005, local media reports said.

Off-duty lifeguards surfing at the unpatrolled Forrest Caves beach were the first to rush to the aid of the struggling group on Wednesday at around 3.30 pm, The Age reported.

They found three women and a man unresponsive after being pulled from the water and were given immediate CPR by the emergency services who had rushed to

the site.

Three of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a woman was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne in critical condition where she succumbed to her injuries. Victoria Police Eastern Region Assistant Commissioner Karen Nyholm told The Age that they were from Clyde in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs and that the 43-year-old was an international visitor.

The Indian High Commission condoled the deaths as a “heartbreaking tragedy” and assured all assistance to the family and friends of the deceased.

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n Indian-American former Pfizer employee in New Jersey has been convicted of insider trading after he stole information from his employer and used it to reap illicit profits in the stock market.

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Amit Dagar, 44, who assisted in managing the data analysis in certain clinical drug trials at Pfizer, was found guilty following a two-week trial last week, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced.

He also tipped a close friend, who also purchased short-dated, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options. A day after, Pfizer publicly released the results of its Paxlovid study before the market opening.

A resident of Hillsborough, he was convicted of one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

That same day, following the publication of the positive results, Pfizer’s stock price increased substantially, opening -- and eventually closing -- more than 10 per cent higher than the prior day’s closing price. information about the results of clinical trials of Paxlovid, according to court proceedings and filings.

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“On my way to blow up the plane (I’m a member of the Taliban),” the message, sent before Verma departed Gatwick airport, read.

On November 4, 2021, he learned that a Pfizer trial of the drug Paxlovid -- a medicine used to treat mild to severe COVID-19 infections -- had produced positive results.

While the results remained confidential, Dagar purchased short-dated, out-of-the-money Pfizer call options that expired days and weeks later.

In the following weeks, Dagar sold his Pfizer call options for profits of more than US$270,000.

British-Indian teen’s killer will not face murder trial due to ‘mental illness’ IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday that the victims’ families -- who had hoped for a murder trial -- were consulted before deciding to accept the pleas entered by Calocane.

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32-year-old man who stabbed British-Indian teen, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and two others to death in the UK last year, will not face trial for murder after his plea of guilty to manslaughter was accepted as victims’ families grieved the loss of lives.

The court was told that Grace showed “incredible bravery” by attempting to fight off Calocane and save Webber as they were attacked while walking home from a night out.

Valdo Calocane, a dual Guinea-Bissau/ Portuguese national, killed 19-year-old students, Grace and Barnaby Webber, and 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates during an incident near Nottingham University on June 13, 2023.

Verma, a student of economics at Bath University, was on his way to the island of Menorca with friends in July 2022 when he made the remarks on Snapchat, claiming that he is a member of the Taliban, the BBC reported.

Indian-American ex-Pfizer employee convicted of insider trading

Dagar participated in an insider trading scheme in November 2021 to reap illicit profits from options trading based on inside

British-Indian faces trial in Spain after ‘Taliban’ joke to blow up plane

ritish-Indian student Aditya Verma is facing trial in Spain after he was accused of public disorder for sending a message joking about blowing up a plane in which he was traveling along with his friends.

4 Indians die in mass drowning in Australia’s Philip Island

www.indoustribune.com

Friday, 26 January, 2024

“After.. negotiation by CNU officers, the police saw an opportunity to breach the unit when they observed that the woman went to the toilet, thus buying them time to ensure her safety,” Police said in a statement. After cops managed to enter the flat, Haridas allegedly kicked a police officer during his arrest.

Police said they were alerted to a case of assault at Block 462 in the same neighborhood at around 9.15 pm that day, The Straits Times reported on Thursday.

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A court in Madrid heard on Monday that the message was picked up by the UK security services on Gatwick’s Wi-Fi network, who then alerted Spanish authorities, following which two Spanish F-18 fighter jets were sent to flank the aircraft with Verma onboard.

Verma, who was 18 at the time, was arrested and kept in a police cell for two days and was later released on bail, the court was told.

Back in the UK, he was questioned by the British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6, before he returned home to Orpington, Kent.

Appearing in court Verma said the message was “a joke in a private group setting” and that “the intention was never to cause public distress or cause public harm”.

While Verma is not facing terrorism charges or a possible jail term, he could be fined up to 22,500 euros (19,300 pounds) if found guilty.

The Spanish defense ministry is demanding 95,000 euros after two Spanish Air Force jets were scrambled to follow Verma.

A verdict on Verma’s case is expected in the next few days, the court told BBC.

Calling Calocane “a cold, cowardly and calculating killer”, Grace’s father, Sanjoy Kumar praised his daughter who “heroically and valiantly fought you. Like a hero, she put herself in harm’s way,” The Guardian reported.

During Tuesday’s hearing at the Nottingham Crown Court, prosecutors accepted Calocane’s guilty plea based on diminished responsibility after psychiatrists said he suffered paranoid schizophrenia.

“You deserve the harshest punishment available. A clear message must be sent out to the families in our country. They must be reassured that their children are safe ... and that something like this never happens again,” Kumar told the court.

The decision was made as Calocane suffered from “serious” mental illness, a judge was told. Also known as Adam Mendes, Calocane, who “believed MI6 was spying on him”, denied three counts of murder but admitted three counts of manslaughter based on diminished responsibility in November, 2023.

Calocane will also be sentenced for three counts of attempted murder after he tried to run over three pedestrians with a van on the same day he killed Grace, Webber, and Coates, local media reports said.

Indian-origin couple convicted in US for forced labor, physical abuse of kin IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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n Indian-origin Sikh couple has been convicted in the US for forcing a relative to work at their store for long hours, subjecting him to physical abuse and threats for years and confiscating his immigration documents.

Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 43, from Richmond, Virginia, enticed the victim -- then a minor -- to travel to the United States with false promises of helping him enroll in a school.

After he arrived in the US, they took the victim’s immigration documents and immediately put him to work, a Department of Justice release stated on Monday.

On three different occasions, they threatened the victim -- Singh’s cousin -- with a revolver for trying to take a day off and for trying to leave. Following a two-week-long trial, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday convicted the couple of committing forced labor, harboring for financial gain, and document servitude in connection with their operation of a gas station and convenience store in North Chesterfield.

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that, between March 2018 and May 2021, the couple forced the victim to provide labor and services at their store, including working as the cashier, preparing food, cleaning, and managing store records.

Singh and Kaur used various coercive means, including confiscating the victim’s immigration

Singapore’s top 3 ministers accused of graft in 2023 all of Indian-origin

documents and subjecting him to physical abuse, threats of force, and other serious harm and, at times, degrading living conditions to compel him to work extensive hours for minimal pay.

The jury heard that the victim was left at the store to sleep in a back office for days at a time on multiple occasions. The couple limited his access to food, refused to provide medical care or education, and used surveillance equipment to monitor the victim -- both at the store and in their home.

In addition, they refused his requests to return to India and made him overstay his visa.

The evidence further showed that Singh pulled the victim’s hair, slapped and kicked him when he requested his immigration documents back, and tried to leave.

Singh and Kaur face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and mandatory restitution for the forced labor charge.

The couple’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 8, and a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

auded as the least corrupt country in Asia, Singapore saw three Indianorigin Ministers face graft charges in the year 2023 alone -- the same year an economist of Indian descent took over the reins of the city-state as its ninth President.

While two of them -- Vivian Balakrishnan and K. Shanmugam were cleared of all charges as the year drew to a close, S. Iswaran’s pre-trial conference is scheduled for March 1, and he is presently out on bail of SG$800,000.

The trio belongs to the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP), which has been in power since 1959 and holds a sizable majority in the country’s Parliament.

With the next election due in November 2025, political experts say that the graft allegations could hit PAP’s support base in a country that is ranked the fifth-least corrupt country in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index.

Over the years, the government has justified seven-figure ministerial paychecks to keep out corruption.

According to a Bloomberg report, the country’s public officers are among the world’s best-paid, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong earning a total compensation of about S$2.2 million ($1.7 million) per annum.

The country witnessed its last corruption case in the year 1986, which saw Teh Cheang Wan, a national development minister, being probed for allegedly accepting kickbacks.

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Hamas says ready to observe ceasefire in Gaza if ICJ issues such ruling IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

Sri Lankan cabinet nod for FTA with Thailand IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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Iraqi PM stresses determination to end US-led coalition’s presence

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, confirmed on Wednesday that the United Nations has received communications from the Houthis, which gave the world body one month for all US and British nationals to leave the areas under the control of the de facto authorities.

It will also rule on South Africa’s demand for the court’s urgent intervention to stop Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

The ICJ is set to deliver a ruling on South Africa’s case against Israel on Friday in Hague.

On December 29, 2023, South Africa filed an application to the ICJ for

Pakistan, Iran to restore full diplomatic relations

Japanese police to set up 1,000 security cameras in quake-hit areas to fight crime

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“Following the telephone conversation between the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, it has been mutually agreed that ambassadors of both countries may return to their respective posts by January 26,” said a joint statement simultaneously issued by Tehran and Islamabad, Express Tribune reported. Also importantly, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, will undertake a visit to Pakistan on January 29, the statement added, the report said.

The two countries would decide the future course of action and work on a new mechanism to prevent the recurrence of events of the last week.

proceedings against Israel, concerning alleged violations by Israel of its obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide related to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

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apan’s National Police Agency (NPA) on Friday said it will install around 1,000 security cameras to prevent burglaries and other crimes in the quake-hit areas in central Japan, local media reported.

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outh Korean ruling party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin was attacked by an unidentified assailant on a street in Gangnam on Thursday during which she sustained head injuries.

A male pedestrian walked up to Bae and asked, “Are you the lawmaker Bae Hyunjin?” and struck her in the back of the head with a rock the size of an adult man’s fist, Yonhap news agency reported quoting the lawmaker’s office as saying Bae was rushed to Soonchunhyang University Hospital with her head

A complete 14-chapter draft FTA was prepared after nine rounds of discussions between the two sides, Xinhua news agency reported.

The National Trade Negotiations Committee has also exchanged views with all relevant local stakeholders during the negotiation process.

The NPA as well as Ishikawa and other prefectural police forces will contribute about 600 cameras, while the agency plans to procure the remaining 400 using 135 million yen (about $915,000) from reserve funds in its fiscal 2023 budget, Kyodo News reported.

Turkish Parliament approves Sweden’s NATO bid

The agency said that it had received 32 reports of crime including burglaries at evacuated homes and thefts in evacuation centers in the hardest-hit prefecture of Ishikawa as of Wednesday evening, Xinhua news agency reported.

Police have already increased the number of security cameras in the cities of Wajima and Suzu, which were severely damaged by a series of strong quakes of up to 7.6 magnitude on New Year’s Day this year, it added.

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ri Lanka’s cabinet has granted approval to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with Thailand, the government’s information department said on Thursday.

The department, in a statement said the development of supply capacity, attracting export-oriented foreign direct investment and expanding international market access for Sri Lankan goods and services had been identified as strategies essential for the country’s economic growth.

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In Ishikawa, a total of 41,834 houses were damaged in the earthquake, while the number of evacuees has topped 14,000, according to a prefectural tally released Thursday.

South Korean ruling party lawmaker attacked on street IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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In addition, it said that Hamas will release the Israeli prisoners detained by it if Israel releases the Palestinian prisoners detained by it,” noting that Israel must “end the siege that has been ongoing for 18 years in Gaza and allow the entry of all necessary aid for relief and reconstruction”, Xinhua news agency reported.

ays after Pakistan and Iran were on the verge of a major conflict, the two countries decided on Monday to restore full diplomatic relations with the return of ambassadors to their respective capitals later this week, a media report said.

UN asks Houthis to reconsider order to expel US, UK nationals he United Nations has asked Yemen’s Houthi authorities to reconsider their decision to expel US and British nationals working for the world body in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

“If the court issues a ceasefire decision, the Hamas movement will adhere to the ceasefire as long as Israel adheres to that,” the group said in a statement on Thursday.

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amas has announced that the group is ready to observe a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issues a ruling calling for it as long as Israel reciprocates.

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bleeding. Bae remained conscious and her injury is not believed to be life threatening.

The suspect was arrested by police.

Bae, 40, is a former television news anchor who was elected to her first term in the National Assembly in 2020.

She briefly served as a spokesperson for then President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol in 2022.

The attack on Bae comes some three weeks after Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan.

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urkish lawmakers have approved a long-delayed bill on Sweden’s bid to become the 32nd member of NATO. The Turkish Parliament on Tuesday voted on the bill after a debate in the Grand National Assembly. A total of 346 lawmakers participated in the voting, with 287 votes in favor, 55 against, and four abstentions, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign the bill into law within a few days. The Turkish Parliament’s ratification was welcomed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. “Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO,” he wrote on social media platform X. With Turkey’s ratification, Hungary remains the only NATO member country that hasn’t approved Sweden’s application to join the military alliance. Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO after Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine in 2022. Their accession requires the unanimous approval of all members of NATO.

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raqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani has said that any attack on Iraqi soil violates its sovereignty, stressing the country’s determination to end the presence of the US-led coalition.

Al-Sudani made the remarks during his meeting with the Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren, whose country is scheduled to assume the presidency of the NATO mission in Iraq in mid-May, according to a statement issued by alSudani’s media office on Monday.

The Prime Minister stressed his rejection of any attack on Iraqi territory or any violation of its sovereignty, reiterating “the government’s commitment to protecting diplomatic missions and advisors working in Iraq, as well as assisting the NATO mission in carrying out its tasks agreed upon with the Iraqi government,” the statement said as quoted

by Xinhua news agency report.

Meanwhile, al-Sudani affirmed “the Iraqi government’s decision to rearrange the relationship with the international coalition” and move from the presence of foreign forces in Iraq to bilateral relations and cooperation with the coalition countries, according to the statement.

For her part, Ollongren confirmed that the Dutch government agrees with al-Sudani’s vision that victory over the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) requires changing the mission of the international coalition and moving it to equal bilateral relations after the development of the Iraqi security forces’ capabilities, according to the statement.

She also confirmed that the Netherlands will assume the leadership of the NATO mission in Iraq in the middle of this year and “will work with the Iraqi government to achieve its new vision”.

The Netherlands is part of the USled international coalition tasked with training and advising the Iraqi s

“What needs to be said is that any request or requirement for UN staff to leave based solely on the nationality of that staff is inconsistent with the legal framework applicable to the UN,” said Dujarric. “It also, of course, impedes our ability to deliver on the mandate to support all of the people in Yemen. And we call on all the authorities in Yemen to ensure that our staff can continue to perform their functions on behalf of the UN.” He said UN staff serve impartially and serve

the flag of the United Nations and none other.

The spokesman refused to say how many US and British nationals are working for the UN in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

The order of the Houthi militia came amid rising tensions between the US and British forces stationed in the Red Sea and the Houthis who have been attacking “Israelilinked ships” in the region since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, 2023.

The US-UK maritime coalition in the Red Sea has carried out multiple airstrikes on Houthi camps in various northern provinces of Yemen. It said these actions are aimed at preventing further Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea shipping lane.

The Houthi group vowed to continue targeting ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea until Israel ends its attacks and blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Opposition blames ‘incompetent’ Canadian Storm Isha causes mass power cuts, travel PM for causing immigration ‘mess’ disruption in UK

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anadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for making a ‘mess’ of the country’s immigration system, just as Ottawa moved to cap new study permits for international students starting this year. The nation, under Trudeau’s leadership, opened its doors to immigrants to replace aging workers and plug labor shortages post Covid, bumping up the country’s population.

However, the number boom ended up putting a strain on the country’s resources, leading to a severe housing shortage, which pushed up rents and the cost of living across the country.

“We had the most successful immigration system in the history of the world here in Canada... And along came Justin Trudeau and through his total incompetence and irresponsibility... destroyed that common sense consensus on immigration,” Poilievre said in an interview with Canadian media outlet True North on Monday. The number of international students in Canada crossed the one million mark recently and more than 60,000 of them became permanent residents of the country in 2023, as per the latest immigration data.

The nation accepted about 455,000 new permanent residents in the 12-month period to October 1 while bringing in more than 800,000 non-permanent residents, including temporary workers, students, and refugees.

The Conservative Party boss said that immigrants, international students, and temporary foreign workers are not to be blamed for Trudeau’s “incompetence”.

Poilievre, who is trying to take down Trudeau, told Financial Post that if elected, he would link Canada’s immigration levels to the number of homes being built. Apart from the Conservative leader, New Democratic Party’s Jenny Kwan slammed Trudeau for “mismanagement”, warning that the new cap “might punish talented students who seek to build a better life”. Apart from the housing crisis concerns, the federal government has been under increasing pressure to cap the number of international students, amid reports that some are not here to attend school.

An analysis by Statistics Canada in November found that around 19 per cent of international students with study permits did not have a record of studying at a college or university here, a Globe and Mail report said. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that by imposing the cap, the government is taking action against some small private colleges taking advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses and charging high tuition fees.

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ens of thousands of homes were left in blackouts and trains were canceled on Monday as Storm Isha brought gusts and heavy rainfall across the UK. An unusual wind warning for almost the entire country issued by the UK’s Met Office.

About 45,000 people in Northern Ireland, along with thousands more in England and Wales, were left without power.

On Monday morning, Northern Ireland Electricity Networks said that “the severity and prolonged duration of Storm Isha has caused widespread damage to the electricity network” across the region. All passenger and freight train services in Scotland were suspended for safety reasons following the storm.

Network Rail, which owns and maintains the UK’s train infrastructure, said reopening Scotland’s Railway would be “a challenge” due to damages, including fallen trees and overhead wire damage in “at least 20 separate locations”.

12 Friday, 26 January, 2024

Prez Murmu approves Gallantry Awards for 80 armed forces personnel

India News www.indoustribune.com

Varanasi DM takes custody of Gyanvapi cellar as its receiver present.

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resident Droupadi Murmu on Thursday, ahead of the 75th Republic Day, approved Gallantry Awards for 80 Armed Forces personnel, including 12 posthumously.

These awards include six Kirti Chakras (three posthumous); 16 Shaurya Chakras (two posthumous); 53 Sena Medals (seven posthumous); one Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) and four Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

The Defence Ministry said on Thursday that three of the Kirti Chakras and two of the Shaurya Chakras will be awarded posthumously. These awards are equivalent to the wartime Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra, respectively.

Decline in migratory birds in Manipur’s Loktak Lake worries Ornithologists IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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rnithologists conducting a head count of migratory water birds at Manipur’s Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in South Asia, have expressed disappointment over spotting fewer winged guests this time.

The census, organized by the Bombay Natural History Society and supported by Manipur’s Environment and Climate Change Department and Loktak Development Authority, covered Loktak and the Keibul Lampao National Park (KLNP) last week.

KLNP, the largest floating park in the world and home to the rare and endangered browantlered deer, locally known as Sangai, served as the focal point of the head count. Students and researchers also supported the head count, he said.

Although the final census report is pending, Singh anticipates the total bird count to be less than 12,000, with a significant drop in species by around 10.

This decline is disheartening compared to previous figures, when over 20,000 birds of more than 20 species were spotted, and in some years, even over 30,000 birds were witnessed.

n compliance with the January 17 order of the district judge court, District Magistrate S. Rajalingam has completed the process of taking the southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque under his custody as the receiver.

Later, the official entered the mosque premises and completed the basic formalities, including measurement of the southern cellar and displaying a notice board mentioning its custody by the receiver.

As a representative of district magistrate , ADM (protocol) Prakash Chand reached the Gyanvapi mosque to attend a meeting with plaintiff and head priest of Acharya Ved Vyas Peeth temple Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas, his advocates and representatives of Anjuman Intezamia Masjid (AIM).

The process was completed prior to the hearing on Vyas suit, in which district Judge Ajay Krishna Vishvesha on January 17 had ordered to appoint the DM of Varanasi as the receiver of the southern cellar of the mosque.

The court, on Thursday, fixed January 29 as the next date of hearing in this case, said Vyas’s advocate Subhash Nandan Chaturvedi.

Chief executive officer of Kashi Vishwanath Dham Sunil Verma was also

Six workers killed in Nagaland coal mine accident IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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t least six workers were killed while four others injured following an accident on Thursday at a coal mine in Nagaland’s Wokha district, an official said.

According to officials, the workers were engaged in mining activities at the coal mine when a sudden landslide buried six of them to death.

All six deceased workers were reportedly residents of Assam’s Golaghat district. The injured were shifted to a hospital in Dimapur. Their condition is said to be critical.

Meanwhile, a report said that deaths have been caused by a fire outbreak in the coal mine, and not due to landslides.

Astha special trains for Ayodhya rescheduled

“Astha special trains that will be run from across the country will arrive as per plan from February 5 onwards but the schedule from January 26 till February 5 is now being reworked as it was felt that without decongesting the temple town, more incoming pilgrims will create problems for devotees for whom the government wants to ensure a hassle-free ‘darshan’,” said the state’s transport minister Daya Shankar Singh.

Singh was part of the high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to decongest the temple town and to ensure “best of facilities” to the pilgrims.

After Tuesday’s scramble, Yogi Adityanath had conducted an aerial inspection of the temple town, discussed crowd management and subsequently rushed two of his senior officers -- principal secretary, home, Sanjay Prasad and DG (law and order) Prashant Kumar -- to regulate the pilgrim flow.

Padma awards for four people from France underscore strength of its ties with India: Officials IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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he Padma awards were announced on Thursday, the day French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in India to be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade. Those from France who received the honour include 100-year-old yoga exponent Charlotte Chopin and Kiran Vyas (79), a global yoga and Ayurveda practitioner.

The other two are Pierre Sylvain Filliozat (87), a Sanskrit scholar dedicated to advancing Indian culture studies and Fred Negrit, an Indologist fostering great awareness and appreciation of Indian culture, according to government citations. All four of them have been bestowed with the Padma Shri.

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aipur on Thursday welcomed two powerful world leaders in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited different historical sites in the Pink City, besides holding bilateral talks and taking part in a roadshow.

Modi-Macron hold roadshow, visit heritage sites in Jaipur Both of them also visited the famed Hawa Mahal after which bilateral discussions were held between the two countries at the Rambagh Hotel, where the two leaders had dinner before leaving for Delhi.

Macron, who will attend the Republic Day Parade in Delhi on Friday as the chief guest, reached Jaipur directly from Paris.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma welcomed the French President Emmanuel upon his arrival in Jaipur by presenting him a bouquet.

During his visit, Modi also bought a replica of Ram Temple for Rs 500 by making UPI payment, and gifted it to President Macron.

A while later, Prime Minister Modi also reached Jaipur and was welcomed by the Governor and the Chief Minister at the airport, who presented him a bouquet.

During his visit to Hawa Mahal, Macron asked two questions -- How many windows are there in Hawa Mahal? Why is the color of the glass in it blue?

Later, Modi received Macron at the Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, where they also held a roadshow.

At the Amer, Macron was accompanied by Union Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari.

3, including cop hurt in clashes after Sardar Patel’s statue pulled down in Ujjain IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

t least three persons, including a Sub-Inspector were injured in stone pelting on Thursday following a clash between two groups over installation of the statue of Sardar Patel in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain city.

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early 20 ‘Astha special’ trains that were expected to bring pilgrims from across the country to Ayodhya from January 26 onwards have now been rescheduled to arrive here from February 5. The decision is aimed at decongesting the temple town currently flooded with pilgrims who poured into Ayodhya from Tuesday, the day when the grand Ram temple opened for common devotees.

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

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India News

Police said the violence occurred after the members of Bhim Army pulled down a statue of Sardar Patel, which was installed by people belonging to the Patidar community late on Wednesday.

Sources told IANS that people from the Dalit and Patidar communities have been engaged in altercations over the installation of the statue for the last few days.

While the Dalits wanted to install a statue of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar at the place, the Patidars wanted to put up a statue of Sardar Patel.

The issue was brought before the gram panchayat as both the communities have been staking claims on a portion of disputed land where Sardar Patel’s statue was installed, sources told IANS.

Government giving high priority to agriculture, manufacturing sectors: Sitharaman IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

The Finance Minister also elaborated on the need for better training for youths to enable them to become eligible for jobs in industry.

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inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the government was going in for a big push to the agriculture and manufacturing sectors to accelerate the country’s economic growth rate.

“Two days ago I had an engagement with the industry which is keen to recruit people. The only worry that industry has, is that as students come out of universities, they are not ready to be deployed straight into a job. There is a gap between what is learnt in these universities and the expectation of industries,” she said.

Addressing an event at the 125th anniversary of Delhi University’s Hindu College, the Finance Minister said that modernizing post-harvest practices to boost the country’s agriculture ecosystem, and pushing manufacturing in sunrise industries such as renewable energy, semiconductors, material sciences, earth sciences and space industries are among the government’s top priorities.

“High priority is being given to these sectors, and not just in the budget. We are also looking at improving R&D and bringing in top experts as advisors,” she said.

Sitharaman said that India has remained self-sufficient in the face of global challenges such as the Red Sea crisis, and many countries want to work with India to build a long-term understanding for food exports.

According to Sitharaman, while one set of fresh entrants into the workforce can get some technical training by industry groups, the skill gap faced by another set of entrants is being bridged by the government at the Central and state level.

India is nearly self-sufficient as far as agriculture is concerned, except in oil seeds and pulses, the Finance Minister said.

“Immense possibilities exist in agriculture, and we are investing in research and development activities in this sector,” she added.

The Finance Minister also said that the government had laid the material foundation for a “Viksit Bharat” by providing basic necessities to all.

She said that since 2014, the government has undertaken efforts to provide basic necessities of housing, water, roads, and electricity to people with a sense of urgency which was lacking over the previous 50-60 years.

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Business www.indoustribune.com

Friday, 26 January, 2024

Sony CEO assures staff of ‘long-term growth, strong future’ after Zee deal falls through

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.P. Singh, Sony Pictures Networks India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, assured employees that he, along with the senior management, is “committed to setting the company up for a long-term, strong future”. The development comes close to Sony terminating its $10-billion Zee merger deal, which led to shares of Zee Entertainment Enterprises slumping 30.5 per cent, its worst single-day fall, on January 23.

Nokia signs 5G patent cross-license pact with OPPO

The firm is also seeking a termination fee of $90 million on account of reported breaches of the Merger Co-operation Agreement (MCA).

how resilient and dedicated we can be when working towards a common goal.”

He continued by noting: “As we transition

from this phase, I am, along with the senior management team, committed to setting the company up for a long-term, strong future. We will actively explore

Microsoft now a $3 trillion company, second after Apple

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icrosoft has reached the coveted $3 trillion mark and became the second company after Apple to achieve this feat.

Microsoft reached a $3 trillion market cap, the first time in its 48-year history.

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okia on Wednesday signed a 5G patent cross-license agreement with global smartphone brand OPPO that covers Nokia’s fundamental inventions in cellular technologies. Under the agreement, OPPO will make royalty payments, along with catchup payments to cover the periods of nonpayment.

The agreement resolves all pending patent litigation between the parties, in all jurisdictions. The terms of the agreement remain confidential as agreed between the parties, the companies said in a statement.

Feng Ying, OPPO’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer, said they are pleased to have reached this global patent cross-license agreement with Nokia, which includes crosslicensing for 5G standard-essential patents.

Last year, OPPO deposited with the Delhi High Court 23 percent of the amount generated from its sales in India for infringing upon Nokia’s patent.

The Supreme Court had dismissed OPPO’s plea against a Delhi HC order which directed the company to deposit 23 percent of the amount generated from its sales in the country for infringing upon Nokia’s patent.

Courts in India, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Brazil have all given their verdicts in Nokia’s favor. OPPO had secured a license from Nokia in 2018 for using some of the Finnish telecom gear company’s technology for three years.

Amazon fined $35 mn over ‘excessive’ employee surveillance IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

The Satya Nadella-run company reached the milestone valuation after its stock climbed 1.5 per cent in trading on Nasdaq late on Wednesday. Tim Cook-led Apple hit the $3 trillion market cap around two years ago.

Microsoft’s stock has been rallying in recent months, amid its artificial intelligence (AI) push along with OpenAI. In the past five years, Microsoft’s stock price has moved from $107 to the current price of around $404.

Microsoft, under Nadella, has also acquired several AI companies and invested more than $10 billion into OpenAI, reports The Verge.

Nadella took charge of the company nearly 10

years ago, and acquired Minecraft developer Mojang, LinkedIn, GitHub, and Xamarin.

Earlier this month, Microsoft surpassed Apple’s market cap to become the world’s most valuable public company for a brief period. Now, it has finally crossed the $3 trillion mark and stayed there. The company’s stock saw a big bump after it announced a steep price on Copilot for Microsoft 365, its AI-powered Office documents. Since then, the company has been announcing new AI features every now and then.

According to media reports, at the core of the disagreement was Sony’s concerns over Zee’s Managing Director and CEO, Punit Goenka. Sony was adamant on making N.P. Singh the chief executive of the merged identity.

eBay to lay off 1,000 full-time employees, unspecified number of contractors IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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-commerce platform eBay is sacking around 1,000 employees, or 9 percent of its full-time workforce, and the company will also lay off an unspecified number of contractors “over the coming months.”

Despite registering a profit of $1.3 billion last quarter, eBay said that there is a “need for change.”

“Our strategy is the right one, but there is more we can do to ensure our success. We need to better organize our teams for speed - allowing us to be more nimble, bring likework together, and help us make decisions more quickly,” said Jamie Iannone, President and CEO, eBay. He announced plans to reduce the current workforce by approximately 1,000 roles or an estimated 9 per cent of full-time employees. The company is implementing organizational changes that align and consolidate certain teams to improve the end-to-end experience, and “better meet the needs of our customers around the world”.

Tesla recalls over 4K vehicles due to software issue IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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lon Musk-run Tesla has recalled more than 4,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles made between 2022 and 2023 in Australia due to a software issue. According to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts (DITRCA), the software issue in 4,382 vehicles could make the steering wheel difficult to use when driving in cold temperatures.

“Due to a software issue, the steering wheel may feel notchy when operating the vehicle in cold temperatures,” the notice reads.

However, the notice stated that, despite the malfunction, drivers are not at risk of serious injury while operating the vehicles.

“The defect will not affect the performance of the vehicle,” it noted.

Owners of affected vehicles are asked to contact Tesla to make an appointment to have the vehicle software version inspected and updated to version 2023.38 or later, free of charge, or update their vehicle’s software as they usually do using the main screen, according to the notice.

Earlier this month, Tesla recalled 1.6 million vehicles in China, its largest-ever recall in the

country, to fix its autopilot system.

The recall in China was to fix issues with Tesla’s driver-assistance features that could increase the risk of crashes, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The automaker had recalled two million cars in the US last year due to the same issue.

Second Boeing aircraft model to be inspected by US aviation agency IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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hecks are to be carried out on a second Boeing aircraft model in the US following the blowout of an unused door on one of its planes earlier this month, media reports said.

Sony had called off the deal on January 22, claiming delays and lapses in meeting closing conditions of the agreement.

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

new organic and inorganic possibilities to strengthen our market presence.”

IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

In a statement accessed by the media, Singh said: “Our journey towards the merger has been remarkable, showing us

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Business

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rance’s National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) has fined Amazon 32 million euros (nearly $35 million), saying that the system for monitoring employee activity and performance at its warehouses was “excessive”.

Following press articles about Amazon practices in its warehouses, the CNIL carried out several investigations. It also received several complaints from employees.

“Indicators tracking the inactivity time of employees’ scanners were put in place. The CNIL ruled that it was illegal to set up a system measuring work interruptions with such accuracy, potentially requiring employees to justify every break or interruption,” the Commission said in its ruling.

The CNIL ruled that the system for measuring the speed at which items were scanned was excessive. Based on the principle that items scanned very quickly increased the risk of error, an indicator measured whether an item had been scanned in less than 1.25 seconds after the previous one.

“More generally, the CNIL considered it excessive to keep all the data collected by the system, as well as the resulting statistical indicators, for all employees and temporary workers, for a period of 31 days,”: the Commission argued.

Such systems kept employees under close surveillance for all tasks carried out with scanners and thus put them under continuous pressure. Amazon said it strongly disagrees with the CNIL’s conclusions which are “factually incorrect and we reserve the right to appeal”.

The US Federal Aviation Administration grounded more than 170 of the 737 Max 9 fleet after a cabin panel broke away thousands of feet above the ground.

On Sunday, the agency said airlines should also inspect older 737-900ER models, which use the same door design, BBC reported. The FAA described the move as an “added layer of safety”.

It said there had been no reported issues with the 737-900ER, but that it uses the same style of panel to “plug” an unused door as the plane involved in the terrifying 5 January incident,

BBC reported.

Earlier this week, the FAA said it had carried out inspections on 40 of the grounded planes but did not say when they would be able to fly again.

In a statement on Sunday, the agency said: “The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning these aircraft to service”, BBC reported.

Boeing has said it will increase the quality of inspections in its manufacturing process in wake of the incident.

The 737-900ER models have carried out 11 million hours of operations without a similar incident to the newer 737 Max 9s. The FAA did not order the older model to be grounded while the visual inspections are carried out by operators, BBC reported.

Pokemon Co says will defend intellectual property after viral game sparks debate IndoUS Tribune Newsdesk

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he Pokemon Company said on Thursday it will investigate and take action over any infringement of its intellectual property rights, after a viral game from a Japanese developer became dubbed “Pokemon with guns”.

Survival adventure game “Palworld” from PocketPair, in which players can use guns to capture and train cute creatures known as “pals”, is in early access on Steam and has sold more than 8 million copies since its Jan. 18 release.

The title, which is also available on the Xbox, has received praise from

reviewers for its gameplay while generating debate over perceived similarities with the family-friendly Pokemon series.

“We have received libelous comments about our artists and some tweets that seem close to death threats,” PocketPair CEO Takuro Mizobe said in a post on X earlier this week.

The Pokemon Company said in a statement it has “received many inquiries regarding another company’s game released in January 2024.”

“We intend to investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to the Pokemon,” the company said.

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

Usman Khawaja named ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2023

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star of Australia’s World Test Championship triumph, opener Usman Khawaja has been crowned the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year for 2023. Khawaja’s stellar performances throughout the year played a crucial role in Australia securing their first ICC World Test Championship title. The left-handed batter commenced the year on a sublime note, carrying forward his momentum from the previous season by achieving a career-best score of 195 not out against South Africa.

Australian Open: Sabalenka ends Gauff’s journey to enter back-to-back final

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ustralian Open, reigning champion Aryna Sabalenka showcased her tenacity to knockout Coco Gauff in a compelling semifinal encounter by 7-6(2) 6-4 on Thursday, here at the Rod Laver Arena.

The Belarusian’s 7-6(2) 6-4 triumph not only avenged a previous defeat suffered at the hands of Gauff in the 2023 US Open final but also etched Sabalenka’s name in the annals of history. Her remarkable feat of reaching back-to-back Australian Open finals mirrors the achievement of tennis royalty, Serena Williams, who accomplished the same eight years ago.

With the final horizon in sight, Sabalenka now awaits the outcome of the clash between 12th seed Zheng Qinwen and Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska. The stage is set for a showdown that will determine who stands atop the podium as the Australian Open champion on Saturday.

Final, Khawaja rebounded emphatically during the Ashes against England, once again finishing as the highest run-getter in the series with an outstanding 496 runs. His pivotal contributions included crucial partnerships with Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Alex Carey, demonstrating his ability to navigate pressure situations with grace.

In the opening Test, after a surprise declaration at 393/8, Khawaja’s resilient century played a pivotal role in Australia’s pursuit of England’s total. His determination and skill were evident in the second innings as well, where he batted with grit for 65 off 197 balls, setting the stage for a memorable Ashes victory.

Neeraj Chopra meets Roger Federer, says: ‘It’s a dream come true for me’

Real Madrid overtake Man City as highest revenue-generating club

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The two sports icons exchanged notes about their passions, life experiences, and the shared responsibility of being Switzerland Tourism ambassadors. For Federer, the admiration was reciprocal. The 20-time Grand Slam winner lauded Neeraj’s remarkable achievements, citing his grit and determination as catalysts for personal and national success.

Neeraj, who clinched India’s second individual Olympic gold in the Tokyo Olympics, expressed his awe for Federer’s skill, sportsmanship, and ability to inspire millions worldwide.

“I am amazed by how much Neeraj has achieved personally and for his country through his grit and determination. It’s been great to meet him here in Zurich,” the 20-time Grand Slam winner was quoted as saying in a report.

“An absolute honor to meet a sporting icon, whose career has been and continues to be an inspiration to people. I had a great time talking to you, and hopefully we’ll meet again.@ rogerfederer,” said Neeraj after the meeting.

In a gesture of sportsmanship, Federer presented Neeraj with an autographed tennis racquet, while Neeraj reciprocated with a signed India jersey from the Asian Games.

www.indoustribune.com

Friday, 26 January, 2024

From Champion of Peace to World No. 1 in doubles, Bopanna’s tennis journey goes on and on Junior singles title in 1997 at the age of 17.

In 2002, he was selected for the first time to represent India in the Davis Cup.

Khawaja’s exceptional year reached its pinnacle with three scores of 40+ against Pakistan, culminating in a grand total of 1210 runs for the year. Notably, he stood alone as the sole player to breach the four-figure mark for Test runs in the challenging yet rewarding year of 2023.

The left-handed star’s standout performances included significant tons against South Africa (195*) and India (180), but it was against archrivals England in the Ashes where he truly shone.

Undeterred by challenges, Khawaja showcased his mettle during the away series against India, emerging as the top run-scorer with an impressive tally of 333 runs in four matches, featuring a century and two half-centuries. While facing a rare setback in the World Test Championship

ndian Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra found himself in the company of tennis legend Roger Federer in Zurich, a moment he aptly described as a “dream come true”. The two stars, both ambassadors of Switzerland Tourism, met in the picturesque backdrop of Zurich’s La Reserve Eden au Lac.

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Sports

eal Madrid have overtaken Manchester City and topped the Deloitte Football Money League as the world’s highest revenue-generating club in the 2022-23 season, with commercial revenue taking over as the largest income stream for teams. The Spanish club, leaders for the first time since the 2017-18 season, generated total revenue of 831 million euros ($907.78 million), followed by City (826 million euros) and Paris St Germain (802 million euros). Barcelona moved from seventh last year up to fourth, generating 800 million euros while Manchester United slipped one place to fifth as they made 746 million euros.

Real recorded an increase in revenue of 118 million euros over the previous year, their 16% growth attributed to strong retail performance, higher stadium attendance and recovery of sponsorship income. Despite City losing the top spot, which they had held for the last two years, the club reported its highest ever revenue for a season, thanks to their treble-winning campaign which bolstered their broadcast and commercial revenues.

Ash Barty to make sporting return with pro-am event at golf’s NZ Open

After gaining experience in both singles and doubles at the junior and senior ITF levels, Bopanna, known as ‘Bops’ in the Indian tennis circuit, turned professional in 2003.

The right-hander with a single-handed backhand, became a prominent topic on the front page of newspapers around the globe because of his men’s doubles partnership with Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.

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n the annals of Indian tennis, which has been dominated by the likes of Ramanathan Krishnan, Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna has carved a niche for himself by the dint of his talent, hard work and longevity. He is the oldest first-time world no. 1 at the age of 43, achieving the top ranking in men’s doubles earlier this week. He has further extended his aura by reaching his first final in the Australian Open 2024.

Bopanna is the fourth Indian to win a Grand Slam title after Paes, Bhupathi and Mirza and has now joined the list of star tennis players who have also been awarded the prestigious Padma Shri Award on Thursday.

Initially a singles player with a boom service,

which had earned him the nickname ‘Bofors’, Bopanna has played tennis for three decades making a name for himself on and off the court. The player from Karnataka has so far won one Grand Slam title -- the 2017 French Open alongside Gabriela Dabrowski in mixed doubles -- and reached three finals in men’s doubles and mixed doubles combined.

Born on March 4, 1980, in Bangalore, Karnataka, to M.G. Bopanna, a coffee planter in Kodagu district, and Malika Bopanna, a housewife, Bopanna started playing tennis at the age of 11 because his father wanted him to pursue the sport.

Though he also enjoyed sports like hockey and football, by the age of 19, tennis became young Bopanna’s calling as won his first ITF

For several years, the pair gained prominence as the ‘Indo-Pak Express’ and made an early impact when finished runner-up in the 2010 US Open. Their message of “Stop War, Start Tennis” a decade back had earned Bopanna and Qureshi a reputation as peace ambassadors. Though their partnership lasted from 2003 to 2014, they reunited as a pair for a few events in 2021, the ‘Indo-Pak Express’ won five ATP doubles titles and reached the final of the 2010 US Open.

Bopanna, along with Qureshi, was honored with the ‘Champion for Peace’ by the Monaco-based organization, Peace and Sport in 2010.

In all, Bopanna has won 24 career doubles titles in all and has finished runner-up in the ATP World Tour Finals in 2012 and 2015, and represented the country in two Olympic Games, reaching the mixed doubles semifinal in the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Squash player Joshna Manchester City sign Argentina starlet Chinappa to receive Claudio Echeverri from River Plate nglish Premier League winners Padma Shri Manchester City on Thursday

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rofessional squash player from Tamil Nadu, Joshna Chinappa was conferred with Padma Shri award on Thursday. The 37-yearold squash player was ranked world number 10 in the professional squash circuit.

She was the first Indian to win the British Junior Squash Championship in 2005 in the Under 19 category.

Chinnappa has won the national squash championship for a record 18 times, which is the highest by an Indian player.

In the 2014 Commonwealth Games, she partnered with Deepika Pallikal to win the gold medal in Squash doubles.

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confirmed they have signed Argentinean starlet Claudio Echeverri from River Plate for an initial fee of around 12.5 million pounds (almost 16 million U.S. dollars).

The reigning European and Premier League champion confirmed the 18-yearold has agreed a contract until the end of June 2028, although he will spend the next 12 months with River Plate before moving to England in January 2025.

A creative attacking midfielder, Echeverri has been compared to players such as Pablo Aimar and even Diego Maradona, thanks to his close control and ability to beat players

with the ball at his feet, reports Xinhua. He made his first team debut with River Plate in June 2023 and has impressed with the Argentinean Under-17 team, scoring 13 goals in 23 appearances.

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ormer No.1 tennis player Ashleigh Barty will be making a sporting comeback as she confirmed to headline the Ambassador line up for the 103rd New Zealand Open next month. The tournament will be played at Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort and will take place between February 29 and March 3.

Barty, who attended the New Zealand Open in 2023 as a spectator, is a three-time Grand Slam singles champion with an impressive competitive streak. She played on the world’s stage across her 12-year professional tennis career in which she was ranked world singles number one for 121 weeks overall.

After retiring from tennis in 2022 at the age of 25, Barty showed off her skills at the Icons Golf Series in New Jersey, where she held her own alongside other international sporting icons like American swimming legend Michael Phelps, English footballer Harry Kane and former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting. The three-time Grand Slam champion gave birth to her son, Hayden, in September. Barty has been spotted throughout the WTA Tour’s Australian residency this month.

Barty will tee it up alongside former New Zealand representatives Jeff Wilson (rugby and cricket), Sean Fitzpatrick (rugby), Israel Dagg (rugby), Stephen Fleming (cricket), Ella Gunson (hockey) as well as international rally driver Hayden Paddon, former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting, and former England cricket legend Sir Ian Botham.

Ghana sack coach Hughton after AFCON exit

Shah Khawar assumes charge as PCB chairman

Shoaib Bashir flies back to UK to resolve visa issues

Chris Hughton, coach of Ghana national football team, has been relieved of his duties after the team’s group stage exit from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire, the Ghana Football Association (GFA). The GFA said in a statement that it has also dissolved the entire technical team and will provide a roadmap for the future direction of the Black Stars in the coming days

Shah Khawar, an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, has assumed charge as the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Khawar, who is also the Election Commissioner of PCB, takes the post reportedly in an interim capacity after the exit of Zaka Ashraf last week. Khawar is the fifth person to sit in the post of PCB Chairman in the last 14 months.

England’s uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir has returned to the UK in order to sort out the visa delay preventing him from joining the national squad for the upcoming Test series in India.

The 20-year-old, of Pakistani descent, was initially left behind in Abu Dhabi while the rest of the team traveled to India on Sunday, awaiting resolution to the bureaucratic hurdle.

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

Saiyami Kher invited to attend the Australian Open

‘Fighter’ Hrithik Roshan says Indian Air Force flies high for the country

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Entertainment

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

Dwayne Johnson gifts TV host his ring after she compliments it

Cillian Murphy ‘moved to Ireland as he was desperate for quiet life’

Oscar nomination makes Paul Giamatti feel he ‘did the right thing’ with life

H

ollywood star Dwayne Johnson appeared in a chat show which drifted to his pinky ring, which he gifted to the host.

The host Molly Qerim complimented Johnson’s vintage pinky ring, which turned out to be (as per People) a David Yurman Empire Signet sterling silver ring. The vintage piece features black diamonds, and Qerim admitted she couldn’t keep her eyes off it.

A

ctress Saiyami Kher is all set to witness the excitement of the ongoing Australian Open, which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

Saiyami shared, “I have always been an ardent sports lover. And I am genuinely thrilled and honored to receive this special invitation from Tourism Australia to experience the Grand Slam spectacle at the Australian Open. Sport is my first love. And I have traveled to watch the Wimbledon, US Open, so the Australian Open was a bucket list I wanted to do.”

“I see it not just as a game but as a celebration of the human spirit, determination, and sheer athleticism. I am here rooting for Rohan Bopanna, he is someone who has given us so much but we don’t celebrate him enough. And in the men’s Singles I really hope Alcaraz wins! I feel he’s the future”.

Saiyami finds joy in the athletic spirit of each destination.

A versatile sportswoman herself, Saiyami is known for her prowess in cricket, badminton, and tennis. Her recent film, ‘Ghoomer’, directed by R Balki, showcased her dedication to the sport as she brilliantly portrays a paraplegic cricketer.

B

“That pinky ring. I don’t know if that is vintage, but I’m obsessed with rings if you couldn’t tell,” Qerim said, reports etonline. com.

ollywood star Hrithik Roshan has sent a message to NDTV following the release of his upcoming film ‘Fighter’ and said the Indian Air Force flies high for the country.

“I’ve just been staring at it the entire show.

It’s amazing.”

In an exclusive statement, Hrithik emphasized the parallels between the determination and courage portrayed by his character, Patty, in ‘Fighter’, and the unwavering commitment of NDTV to deliver news that holds significance for the nation.

Then, without an ounce of hesitation, Johnson took off the ring and handed it to Qerim.

Jennifer Lopez to produce ‘Bob the Builder’ animated movie

“The Indian Air Force flies high for the country and my character Patty is determined to do anything for the country in our film ‘Fighter’.

“Patty and his team members are determined, courageous and brave, just like NDTV -- India’s most trusted news network. For news that matters, watch NDTV,” Hrithik said in his message.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘Fighter’ is inspired by the IAF’s Balakote strikes post the Pulwama massacre. The film also stars Deepika

Padukone and Anil Kapoor, and serves as the first film in a planned aerial action franchise.

‘Fighter’ follows IAF aviators who come

together in the face of imminent danger, to form the Air Dragons. The story is about their camaraderie, brotherhood and battles, internal and external.

A

Sharing the video, the actress known for her work in ‘Hasee Toh Phasee’ penned a heartfelt note, sharing how music has always been her happy place. The post read: “Music, to me, has always been my happy place.. I’ve watched countless musicians all over the world performing on the stage and now it’s finally my time to be a part of that world. I feel so lucky, blessed and stressed about starting off a whole new chapter in my life and I honestly can’t describe how excited I am to embark on this musical journey.”

A

A twist on the long-running children’s series, ‘Bob the Builder’ follows Roberto (a.k.a Bob), who travels to Puerto Rico for a major construction job.

Parineeti added: “I hope you’re as excited for this as I am! [ New Announcement, Singers Live, Performance].”

She has earlier sung the female version of the patriotic song ‘Teri Mitti’, which is written by Manoj Muntashir and composed by Arko. It featured in the 2019 war movie ‘Kesari’, starring Akshay Kumar and herself.

A source said he has a personal “hatred” for the showy side of being a star and would far rather indulge his passion for listening to music at the four-storey, six-bed Victorian family home in Ireland he shares with his 51-year-old artist wife Yvonne McGuinness, who he married in 2004 and their two children.

An insider told Hello! magazine: “Cillian is

“He really hates that side of being an actor -- the press, the attention. But in his friendship group, a tight-knit group of people he knows and trusts, he’s really relaxed. He’s not shy, he’s really good company and he’s funny.

And he’s really into music. Apart from acting, that’s his thing.

“He moved to Ireland from North London when his kids were young. He just wanted to get away from it all, live a quiet life.”

When he was a rising star Murphy made the decision to move with his and Yvonne’s two boys to his native Ireland from his house in North London, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

They moved to Monkstown, Dublin, where they still live.

Supriya Pathak says Hansa is the most gratifying role of her life

A

ctress-singer Jennifer Lopez is producing ‘Bob the Builder’, and actor Anthony Ramos will voice the title character.

“A journey that gives me the opportunity to have two careers at once! How fun (and chaotic) So here’s to embracing the unknown and facing all my fears and kicking off my singing debut! I’m joining hands with the best@entertainmentconsultant and we’ve got some amazing things in store for you all this year,” she shared.

The ‘Oppenheimer’ star has been walking on red carpets for months courtesy his nowOscar nominated portrayal of nuclear physicist J Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ epic.

a really nice guy, but very private.

ctress Supriya Pathak, who is gearing up for the release of comedy-drama, ‘Khichdi 2: Mission Paanthukistan’, has called her character, Hansa, the most gratifying role of her life.

Parineeti Chopra starts her musical journey ctress Parineeti Chopra has embarked on a whole new chapter as she announced her singing debut, saying that this journey gives her the opportunity to have two careers at once.

Taking to social media on Thursday, Parineeti shared a video wherein she has shared clips of behind the scenes of her singing in a studio.

The video ends with the ‘Ishaqzaade’ fame crooning ‘Maana Ke Ham Yaar Nahi’. This song, sung by Parineeti is from the 2017 romantic movie ‘Meri Pyaari Bindu’, starring her alongside Ayushmann Khurrana.

H

ollywood star Cillian Murphy moved out of London as he was desperate to “live a quiet life” away from the showbiz glare he “hates”.

According to the official logline, audiences will see Bob as he “takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build. Bob’s journey will celebrate the vibrant and colorful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people.”

A director has not been announced, reports variety.com.

‘The Holdovers’ follows a curmudgeonly teacher (Paul) at a New England boarding school, forced to watch over a small group of students over the holidays.

As per ‘The Hollywood Reporter’, the film scored five Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture and Original Screenplay.

Talking about his nomination, the actor said, “I have been lucky to be acknowledged before. And I really love this movie. There’s something special about that. I’m older than I was 20 years ago, obviously.

Elaborating on the same, Supriya Pathak said: “Bringing Hansa back in ‘Khichdi 2: Mission Paanthukistan’ has been an absolute delight. The laughter, camaraderie, and the sheer absurdity of the character never fail to bring a smile to my face.”

In the sequel, the Parekh family goes on an adventure to save the world with Praful playing a double role and also serv-

This year, with Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’, Paul has scored a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, along with Bradley Cooper (‘Maestro’), Colman Domingo (‘Rustin’), Cillian Murphy (‘Oppenheimer’), and Jeffrey Wright (‘American Fiction’), reports ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.

He’s joined on campus by a grieving cook (played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who was also nominated on Wednesday) and a rebellious senior looking for trouble (newcomer Dominic Sessa).

‘Khichdi 2: Mission Paanthukistan’, which is the follow-up to ‘Khichdi: The Movie’ also stars Rajeev Mehta, Anang Desai, Vandana Pathak, Jamnadas Majethia, Kirti Kulhari, Anant Vidhaat Sharma, Reyaansh Vir Chaddha and Flora Saini with cameos by Farah Khan and Pratik Gandhi.

She further mentioned: “Hansa as a character has resonated so well across all age groups and it has been the most gratifying role of my life. This new installment guarantees another laughter-filled roller-coaster ride.”

A

ctor Paul Giamatti has scored his long-overdue first lead nod at the upcoming edition of the Oscars after coming extremely close with another Alexander Payne collaboration, ‘Sideways’, in 2004.

ing as an emperor of a fictional country Paanthukistan. The absurdity, the gags and the silliness return as the Parekh family’s adventure transcends various landscapes – cities, beaches, snow-clad mountains, deserts, and caves.

“I think there’s a way in which I feel a little bit like, ‘OK, I can relax.

I actually did the right thing with my life. And I’m going to work again, and I can recognise that I’ve done some good stuff, and I can feel good about it’. That’s a lot for me to say. So, it’s a really good thing.

It feels nice coming at this time of my life.”

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

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Shree Jalaram Mandir organizes a flag hoisting ceremony on India’s Republic Day

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

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hree Jalaram Mandir held a flag hoisting ceremony to honor India’s Republic Day on January 26. The event was held with great fervor and the attendees paid tribute to the fallen heroes that have sacrificed their lives for the nation.

World Hindu Council of America urges swift restoration of Kashi Vishwanath temple site

By Vandana Jhingan

T

he Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has officially affirmed the historical significance of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple site, revealing compelling evidence of a grand Hindu temple that predates the Gyanvapi mosque constructed by Aurangzeb in 1669. The ASI findings, released on January 25, 2024, emphasize the remnants of the temple visible in the foundation, columns, and rear part of the existing mosque.

Citing ancient Hindu scriptures such as Skanda Purana and Brahma Vaivarta Purana, the temple held profound spiritual value as one of the

twelve ‘self-manifested’ Jyotirlingas, a manifestation of Shiva. The ASI survey highlights key points: • An Arabic Persian inscription in a room dating the mosque’s construction to the 20th regnal year of Aurangzeb.

• Discovery of 32 inscriptions in Devanagari, Grantha, Telugu, and Kannada scripts, featuring names of deities such as Janardana, Rudra, and Umeshwara.

• Identification of pillars from the preexisting temple repurposed in the mosque’s construction. • Confirmation that the central structure of the former temple is now utilized as the hall of the current mosque.

In response to the ASI report,

Ajay Shah, President of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), remarked:

Amitabh Mittal, General Secretary of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA), added:

“Today’s ASI report substantiates what is evident to any visitor to the temple site. It is now imperative for the Muslim community to facilitate the handover of the entire Kashi Vishwanath Temple land to Hindus for the restoration of the sacred Shiva temple. Just as the inauguration of the Shree Ram Janma Bhoomi temple in Ayodhya reaffirms our resilience, Hindus worldwide are committed to reclaiming what is rightfully ours.

VHPA will spearhead a movement in the US to raise awareness and support for the prompt reconstruction of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.”

“The overwhelming response to our celebration of the Shree Ram Mandir construction demonstrates the unity among American Hindus in restoring sacred places of worship. Over 800 temples joined VHPA as partners in celebrating the consecration of Shree Ram Mandir earlier this week. VHPA plans a nationwide car rally to distribute prasad (sacred offerings) from the Ram Mandir to partner temples, utilizing this occasion to garner further support for the immediate reconstruction of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.”

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Chicago Indo-US Lions Club, MIBG Foundation serve prasad to over 14,000 people in Ahmedabad during Ram Mandir Pran Prathista Mahotsav

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Community

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

HAF holds a successful meet and great event in Chicago On January 14, HAF held its first Chicago Meet and Greet event of the year, on the day of Makar Sankranti, at the Harisumiran Hindu Temple in Long Grove, IL. The event introduced the Hindu American Foundation to the Chicago area, our activities in the field of Hindu education and advocacy and shared the accomplishments of 2023, as well as plans for future activities.

By Jayanti Oza

T

he Chicago INDO US Lions Club, in collaboration with the MIBG Foundation, proudly announces the successful distribution of sacred Prasad to over 14,000 individuals at Ahmedabad, India, marking a profoundly significant contribution during the auspicious Ram Mandir Pran Prathista Mahotsav in Ayodhya. On 22nd Jan, the synergistic efforts of the Chicago INDO US Lions Club and MIBG Foundation came to fruition in a massive Prasad distribution drive, aiming to spread joy, unity, and spiritual fulfillment among the community members gathered for the grand celebrations at Ayodhya. This event unfolded in conjunction with the momentous Ram Mandir Pran Prathista Mahotsav, a historic occasion that resonates with deep cultural and spiritual significance.

The Chicago INDO US Lions Club, renowned for its unwavering commitment

to humanitarian service and community development, joined hands with the MIBG Foundation, a respected organization dedicated to fostering social welfare. Together, they orchestrated the seamless distribution of Prasad to thousands of individuals, creating an atmosphere of joy, harmony, and cultural celebration.

“This collaboration between the Chicago INDO US Lions Club and the MIBG Foundation epitomizes the spirit of service and community engagement. We are honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to the joyous occasion of the Ram Mandir Pran Prathista Mahotsav and to share the divine blessings through the distribution of

Prasad,” said Lion Kishan Trivedi, President of Chicago INDO US Lions Club. Lion Hina , Founder President of the Chicago INDO US Lions Club, expressed her gratitude, stating, “Being part of such a significant event in Ayodhya, especially during the sacred Ram Mandir Pran Prathista Mahotsav, is a moment of immense pride for our club. Our commitment to humanitarian service aligns with the values of this auspicious occasion, and we are thrilled to have been a part of this meaningful celebration.”

Deepak Nayak Chairman of the MIBG Foundation added, “Collaborating with the Chicago INDO US Lions Club for this initia-

tive has been a transformative experience.

It’s heartening to see two organizations come together to contribute to the well- being and joy of a community during the momentous Ram Mahotsav. The distribution of Prasad symbolizes our shared commitment to social welfare and cultural harmony.”

The event not only showcased the dedication of the participating organizations but also highlighted the paramount importance of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya as a symbol of cultural and spiritual unity. The presence of the Chicago INDO US Lions Club and MIBG Foundation during this historic occasion exemplifies their shared dedication to making a positive impact on society, upholding the values of compassion, service, and cultural belief.

D Dr. Avi Verma

espite Chicago’s frigid temperatures, we had an excellent turn out: a total of 85 Hindu Americans attended this event!

The event began with Deep Prajwalan. Ganesh Vandana was recited beautifully by Shikha ji Joshi. Representatives from Harisumiran Hindu mandir, Umiya Mataji Sansthan Chicago Midwest, BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Hindu Satsang Group, Hindu SwayamSevak Sangh, Ekal Vidyalay, Maharashtra Mandal, Hindu Women’s Network, Vedic Sanatan Foundation, and many well-wishers and supporters attended.

Midwest Regional Director, Yash Desai gave an overview of Hindu American Foundation, highlighting some of our top organizational achievements over our 20 year history: Improving education about Hinduism is in 32 states, reaching more than 85,000 students, training more than 3400 teachers and 1360 professionals.

HAF’s work on honoring and recognizing

the Hindu origins of yoga have reached more than 90 news organizations and websites. Our summer internship program has empowered more than 50 young Hindus. More than 2200 individuals have been certified Dharma Ambassadors or Dharma Advocates.

Our 12 annual human rights reports have documented the ongoing struggles that Hindus face in selected nations and regions where they are a minority. Our 30+ human rights advocacy campaigns have also highlighted these struggles and roused our elected officials to action. In the US, we’ve assisted more than 17,500 Bhutanese Hindu refugees preserve their culture and integrate into American life.

We’ve worked with the US Congress and FBI to gather and act on data about hate crimes directed at Hindus, as well as better monitor anti-Hindu hate across the nation.

HAF has successfully advocated for the firstever recognition of Diwali in the US Congress.

Desai also highlighted some of the major

accomplishments of just the past year in recognizing the significant contributions of Hindus to American society: 15 Mayoral Proclamations Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation (HAAAM) in October and 20 Proclamations in November were received, the attendees from all these events attended during meet and greet.

Our sincere thanks to Harisumiran Hindu Swaminarayan Mandir for sponsoring the first Hindu American community event!

Upcoming HAF Online Event: HAF Dharma Ambassadors promote an authentic narrative from within the Hindu community to ensure that our religion is taught accurately and on par with other religions.

Please register @ https://www.hinduamerican.org/get-involved/dharma-ambassadors When: Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 12:00 noon CST, 1:00 PM EST, and 10:00 AM PT

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Dharam-Karam

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

Wearing your sentiments on your sleeve

S Ayushmann Khurrana Ayushmann Khurrana looked dapper in a kurta pajama paired with a printed Nehru jacket.

potted at the recently Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony were a bevy of Bollywood stars. Keeping up with the sentiments of the occasion the celebrities chose to dress in their ethnic best and some even took it a notch or two higher to have religious motifs sewn into their attire.

Actors Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani, Rohit Shetty attended the event. Here’s what they wore.

Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt Ranbir went with a white dhoti-kurta, really imbibing the vibe teamed with a cream-coloured Pashmina shawl, brown slippers. Alia chose a turquoise saree which distinctively featured a Ramayana-themed border adorned with embroidered images of Lord Ram, Lord Hanuman, and the Ram Setu.She wore her hair in a bun, applied minimal makeup, accessorized the ensemble with bold earrings, and left her neck bare.

Amitabh Bachchan Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan heading to the airport wearing a white kurta-pajama, a bandh and a shawl, which he teamed with a pair of sneakers.

Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal Gilded in gold Katrina Kaif touched all the style notes, while her beau Vicky Kaushal, accessorized his cream-coloured sherwani with a man bun.

Kangana Ranaut Kangana is not one for minimal or understated, sticking to her signature style she was seen wearing a white embroidered saree with an orange blouse featuring Lord Krishna motif holding a garland to welcome Lord Rama and a pink shawl.

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Beauty & Fashion

Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty dressed in a white kurta-pajama and a gray jacket.

Madhuri Dixit and Dr. Shriram Nene Madhuri Dixit looked resplendent in a yellow saree with golden shimmery borderwork complemented her ensemble with bold gold jewelry and a bindi. Her husband D.r Shriram Nene was seen in a red kurta paired with creamcoloured Patiala pants.

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

Soha Ali Khan shares personal skincare and beauty regimen N

Entertainment

ational Almond Day is annually celebrated on January 23, emphasizing the importance of these nut powerhouses. Almonds not only provide a delightful crunch to your snacks but also offer numerous health benefits. In honor of National Almond Day, Bollywood actor Soha Ali Khan shares with IANSlife her personal skincare and beauty tips including almonds.

“Taking care of our skin becomes even more crucial during winter when the cold temperatures and dry air can strip away its natural radiance.

This is particularly important for me as an actor, constantly in the spotlight. To maintain clear and glowing skin, I adopt a comprehensive skincare approach that involves self-care, proper hydration, and nutrition. As part of my on-the-go snacks, I include healthy options like almonds,

berries, and fruits. These choices contribute to both my skin health and overall well-being,” says Soha Ali Khan.

Let’s dive into some of the beauty regimes Soha follows:

Gentle skincare routine With a hectic work schedule, adapting my skincare routine for winter is crucial to maintaining healthy and radiant skin. To achieve a hydrated look, Soha exfoliates 1-2 times a week using a gentle scrub and opts for a mild, moisturizing cleanser to remove impurities without stripping natural oils from my skin. For added moisture, she uses a rich, nourishing cream that locks in hydration and acts as a protective barrier against harsh weather conditions. Followed by SPF 30 sunscreen to shield from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Nourish from within Opting for nutritious snacks, such as berries and a handful of almonds, provides healthy fats and antioxidants that support moisturized and smooth skin. Almonds, in particular, contain vitamin E (alphatocopherol), which has been shown to impart anti-ageing properties, benefiting skin health. The supermom also includes hydrating fruits like oranges, cucumbers, and melons in her diet, and ensures to drink at least eight glasses of water daily to stay well-hydrated. Overall, a diet rich in nuts like almonds, whole grains, citrus fruits, and leafy greens promotes

glowing skin.

Self-care and mindfulness Achieving good skincare and beauty extends beyond the products you use. Healthy skin requires mental and emotional stability.

To maintain this balance, she incorporates various practices into her routine. She says, “I work out every day, engaging in activities like pilates, yoga, or fast walking. This not only keeps me invigorated and focused but also promotes blood circulation for a youthful glow. Deep breathing exercises help me stay grounded, and stress-reduction strategies like mindfulness and meditation assist me in managing responsibilities to my family and job. Recognizing the importance of sleep for overall health, I ensure to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. This period of rest allows my body and skin to repair and regenerate. Overall, incorporating self-care and mindfulness practices into my everyday routine contributes to not only healthy and happy skin but also overall wellness and happiness.”

“I believe that achieving a winter glow and maintaining beautiful, healthy skin throughout the season is within reach for everyone. By following this comprehensive skincare and beautification routine, you too can balance a high-profile job with motherhood. With perseverance, the right techniques, and selfcare, you can enjoy gorgeous, glowing skin all winter long. However, you must remember, consistency is key, and seeking the opinion of a dermatologist or skincare specialist can provide customized guidance tailored to your unique requirements,” Soha concludes.

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Health & Fitness

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Friday, 26 January, 2024

All about preventing digital eye strain In our modern, fast-paced world, screens have seamlessly integrated into our daily routines.

Whether we are working on computers, scrolling through social media on smartphones, or indulging in our favorite shows on tablets, the time spent in front of screens has soared.

This increased screen exposure, however, brings with it a growing concern – digital eye strain.

Dr. Rishi Raj Borah

Understanding Digital Eye Strain Digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome, encompasses a range of eye and vision-related issues resulting from prolonged digital device use such as headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision and dry eyes. As our reliance on screens continues to rise, it becomes imperative to adopt strategies to manage and minimize the impact of digital eye strain on our overall well-being.

The 20-20-20 Rule When working on a desktop, ensure that your screen is at eye level, about an arm’s length away and that you are sitting in a comfortable, well-supported chair. Prolonged exposure to screens without breaks is a significant contributor to digital eye strain. The 20-20-20 rule proves invaluable in mitigating this strain: take a 20-second break every 20 minutes of screen usage and look at something 20 feet

away. Incorporating this simple habit into your routine helps reduce eye strain and keeps your eyes refreshed. This can also be done by setting timers or using apps that remind you to take these regular breaks, ensuring your eyes get the rest they need.

Adjusting Brightness The brightness of your screens plays an important role in eye comfort. Adjust your device brightness to match your surroundings, avoiding both excessive and low brightness that can put a strain on your eyes. Besides, consider using dark or night mode in the evenings to decrease exposure to blue light, which has been associated with disrupted sleep patterns.

Blinking and Eye Moisture Blinking, often overlooked, is crucial for maintaining eye moisture. Extended screen time can lead to reduced blinking frequency, resulting in dry and irritated eyes. Therefore, make a conscious effort to blink regularly as it keeps your

eyes lubricated. If necessary, use artificial tears recommended by a healthcare professional to alleviate persistent dryness.

Screen Quality Matters Invest in high-resolution screens with antiglare technology to minimize eye strain. Antiglare filters can be added to existing screens, diminishing reflections and glare. Besides, regular eye check-ups are essential to address any underlying vision problems promptly.

Managing digital eye strain requires a proactive approach. Incorporate simple habits like taking regular screen breaks, adjusting screen brightness and maintaining proper ergonomics into your daily routine to reduce eye strain.

Being mindful of your screen time and adopting these strategies not only enhances visual comfort but also contributes to your overall well-being. Striking a healthy balance between screen use and eye care is key to preserving your vision in a screen-centric world.

Importance of HPV vaccine for men Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra

offering peace of mind, and eliminating a potential source of self-consciousness.

F

or years, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been widely recognized as a crucial weapon against cervical cancer in women. However, its benefits extend far beyond protecting female health, playing a vital role in safeguarding men from several health risks as well.

The benefits of HPV vaccination for males transcend individual health. By lowering the overall HPV prevalence in the population, people can create a domino effect: a decrease in cervical cancer cases in women, a reduction in the burden on healthcare systems, and the promotion of overall sexual health for everyone.

Breaking the chain of transmission: While HPV is indeed classified as a sexually transmitted infection (STI), it’s important to understand that it can be spread through non-sexual skin-to-skin contact as well. This means that even uninfected men can carry the virus and unknowingly transmit it to their partners.

While a vaccinated man may still carry the virus, the HPV vaccine significantly reduces the viral load in their body. This translates to a lower risk of transmitting the virus to female partners, thereby indirectly contributing to a decrease in cervical cancer incidence.

Shielding males from cancers: The protective umbrella of the HPV vaccine extends beyond cervical cancer, shielding men from two potentially life-threatening diseases: oropharyngeal cancer (cancer of the throat) and penile cancer.

Studies have shown that HPV strains 16 and

HPV vaccination for males is not just an option, but a crucial public health intervention.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends routine HPV vaccination for all boys and girls starting at age 11 or 12 years. Even young men who missed out on early vaccination can benefit from catching up later, with the CDC recommending vaccination through age 26.

18, targeted by the vaccine, are responsible for approximately 70% of oropharyngeal cancers and 40% of penile cancers. By proactively getting vaccinated, men can drastically reduce their risk of developing these aggressive cancers, offering a powerful layer of protection.

Warts: Genital warts, while not life-threatening, can be a source of significant discomfort and embarrassment for men. These warts are also caused by certain HPV strains covered by the vaccine. Getting vaccinated reduces the chances of contracting these unsightly growths,

While the importance of protecting women from cervical cancer through HPV vaccination is well-established, it’s time to acknowledge the comprehensive benefits this vaccine offers for males as well. By empowering men with the knowledge and access to HPV vaccination, people can build a healthier future for everyone, both individually and as a community.

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