The Indian Panorama

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  • US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma meets Indian officials to advance global strategic partnership

    US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma meets Indian officials to advance global strategic partnership

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma has met with senior Indian ministers and officials in New Delhi to advance the US-India global strategic partnership and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region, according to his spokesperson.

    Verma, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, is the highest-ranking Indian American in the State Department. The former US Ambassador to India was on an official visit to India from February 19 to 21.

    He met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Defense Secretary Giridhar Aramane, and Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri in New Delhi, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said here on Thursday.

    Verma’s meetings explored opportunities to strengthen US-India cooperation and people-to-people ties to ensure a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, Miller said.

    He also met with Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to discuss further expanding trade and economic ties between the US and India. “The Deputy Secretary and Indian officials further emphasized the benefits of close partnership on addressing global issues,” Miller said.

    Verma is on a six-day official visit to India, Sri Lanka and Maldives till Friday to strengthen bilateral ties with the nations, reaffirming America’s enduring commitment to a free, open, secure, and prosperous region.

  • Indian Embassy and consulate officials interact with Indian students from across US

    Indian Embassy and consulate officials interact with Indian students from across US

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Officials of the Indian Embassy here and its consulates held a virtual interaction with Indian students from across the US, discussing various aspects of student well-being and ways to stay connected with the larger diaspora. About 150 Indian Student Association office bearers and students from 90 US universities participated in the interaction led by Charge d’Affaires, Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan.

    It was also attended by the Consul Generals of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. The meeting gains significance in the backdrop of some deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students at universities across the US. During the meeting, Ranganathan highlighted ways to stay connected with the Embassy/Consulates and the larger Indian diaspora.

    Students were urged to spread the word amongst fellow Indian students in the US about the guidelines issued by the Embassy and the consulates for students studying in the US, including registration on its websites, general aspects related to student safety and well-being, and emergency contact details of the Indian diplomatic missions.

    The students presented useful suggestions on synergizing the efforts of the Embassy/consulates, university authorities, diaspora organizations and other stakeholders.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Leading Indian drone manufacturer enters US market

    Leading Indian drone manufacturer enters US market

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): India’s drone industry has “leapfrogged” in the last 10 years, gaining pace after the COVID-19 pandemic, the CEO of a leading Indian drone manufacturer has said as his company has showcased its products in the highly competitive US market. Indian drone manufacturing company IdeaForge, ranked fifth globally in the dual-use category of civil and defense, is entering the American drone market at a time when there is a reluctance to buy or acquire those made in China.
    Ankit Mehta, the CEO of IdeaForge, told PTI Videos in an interview that the Indian drone industry has “leapfrogged in the last 10 years with an enabling environment from the Indian government.” He said the sector gained pace after the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “I think before the pandemic, the rules and regulations around drones were fairly stringent, and they did not allow a lot of flexibility in terms of use and deployment,” Mehta said.

    “But since the pandemic, the floodgates, in a way, have opened the adoption of technology, which has become wholehearted. Now people want to deploy drones for as many use cases as possible,” he said.

    Drones had very restrictive regulations earlier, he said. “Now those regulations have become a little bit more relaxed in terms of allowing the use of drones under a regulated environment, which is conducive for operations.”

    “Therefore, we are seeing a lot of intent in terms of adopting the technology, and we are seeing a lot of regulatory support for doing that,” Mehta said.

    “We also have in India a production-linked incentive scheme for drones. We have the fact that there is a ban on import of technology from outside so that Indian companies can develop the technology and be overall in an environment where we can demonstrate the capability of what Indian companies can do in this space,” he said.

    Asserting the distinctiveness of Indian drones, he said, “I think Indian drones are very unique in the sense that they’ve been built in some of the harshest environments and the highest altitude requirements in the world.”

    “With the operations being conducted in India at 6,000 meters plus altitude due to the various regions we have in our country in the Himalayas, to operate in extremely low temperatures like minus 30 degrees Celsius and also looking at drones that can operate in deserts in Rajasthan,” he said.

    “So, we are essentially a country that has a very large number of terrain conditions and weather conditions we have to cater to when we are looking at drones. We also have a lot of use cases and applications that exist simultaneously in one place,” he said.

    Giving examples of applications around traffic management, crowd management, counterinsurgency, counter-terrorism, and border management Mehta said, “All of these challenges are quite acute, and there are a lot of challenges around not having proper land records, and many such applications are being developed in India, and they’re being used and deployed at scale.”

    Mehta is travelling to various cities in the US for product demonstrations to export different kinds of drones to the country. One of which was held in the Washington DC National Capital region here on Thursday.

    “We are seeing a lot of excitement about what we have on offer. The autonomy we offer again is very, very interesting and exciting for people, and we are currently engaging in getting as many demonstrations as we can and getting more real-world experience in the hands of the users over here. So that can localize our products better as well as give a flavor of our technology to everybody here,” Mehta told PTI.

    “For example, one of our products, Netra V 4 Pro, is a one-of-a-kind product that, in less than six kilograms, offers more than 90 minutes of flying time in the real world along with payloads. That is something that is not very common,” he said.

    “It is almost three times more than what is usually available in the market. In that sense, there is a lot of delight in when they actually see a product perform in that kind of condition, in that kind of real-world performance,” he added.

    Following one of the product demonstrations here, along with his team, Mehta said the idea is to showcase their technology over here and to look at what kind of uses the technology can put over here.

    IdeaForge, set up in 2007 by a group of Mumbai IITians , can bring the experience they are gaining in India, he said. “We have had our customers use our drones in over 420,000 missions within IdeaForge drones, flying almost every five minutes in India,” he said.

    “It’s really a rich experience that we can bring to the table here, and we see a lot of commonalities with respect to very low temperatures, very high temperatures, and some high-altitude areas over here as well,” Mehta said.

    “What we are building here to deploy at scale in India could be very, very useful in these environments as well,” he added. When asked about India purchasing armed drones from General Atomics for its armed forces at the cost of nearly USD 4 billion, Mehta said it would need sustained long-term investment from relevant sectors, including the Indian Government, to reach that level of manufacturing such drones.

    “Manpower is definitely not a debate because India does have some of the best talent. In fact, a lot of our best talent is here building a lot of these technologies,” Mehta said. Observing that the government has done a great job building the proper regulations for the drone ecosystem, Mehta said there is now a need to sustain these investments in areas like the production-linked incentive scheme.

    “We need to enhance it, and we need to give more encouragement. It is a one-of-a-kind scheme that does a lot of support to design incentives for drone companies because, in a way, it gives a lot of R and D (research and development) capital back to every company that is doing more value addition in the country,” he said.

    “A lot of upfront R and D capital needs to be allocated for this technology space, and that’s an area where some effort and support will be required for the drone ecosystem because a lot of times, incentives like the production-linked incentive are great to boost scale and to do more for players who are already achieved a certain scale,” he said.

    However, Mehta said that a lot of R and D capital for designing many subsystems in the country would be very useful for the overall benefit and development of the ecosystem.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Inspired by the Sikh notion of oneness, says Indian American running for Congress

    Inspired by the Sikh notion of oneness, says Indian American running for Congress

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Krystle Kaul, a noted Indian American defense and national security expert, says her running for the US Congress is inspired by the Sikh tradition of oneness and a strong sense of giving back to the community. “I am half Kashmiri Pandit and half Punjabi Sikh. I am very proud of both of my cultural backgrounds. Growing up in America, being bicultural is something unique and something that I have embraced. My grandparents and my parents have embedded that in me. I am proud to stand today as the first ever Kashmiri Pandit to stand for Congress and also as the only Sikh woman to currently run for Congress in the country,” Krystle told PTI in a recent interview.

    Kaul, who speaks nine languages – English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Dari and Kashmiri — is running from the 10th Congressional District of Virginia. The incumbent Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election, therefore making it an open seat.

    “My Nani (grandmother) Vimal Chaddha Malik used to take me to Glen Cove Gurdwara in Long Island, New York. There I would serve langar. I learned a lot about Sikh traditions and the notion of oneness. I’m proud of that. That’s something that has given me a very strong sense of community and giving back and is one of the core values that I embrace in my bid for Congress,” she said.

    “At the core of the tenets of Sikhism is this idea of feeding your community, of service, of making sure that everyone has what they need and that is reflective. If you go to Amritsar, for example, to the Golden Temple, you see that everyone gets fed at the Golden Temple. The halwa there is also the best in the world, I think,” she said.

    “It’s just a really beautiful concept to see in the community there on a micro level and one that can be scaled internationally and that can be embraced here in Virginia District 10. So again, I’m very proud of both sides of my heritage being Hindu and Sikh, and very proud of the fact that I stand again as the only Sikh woman running for Congress in the country today because we need representation and that’s important,” Kaul said.

    Notably, Dalip Singh Saund was the first Indian American, a Sikh, to be elected to the US House of Representatives from the 29th Congressional District of California for three terms beginning in 1957.

    In the current Congress, there are five Indian Americans in the House of Representatives: Dr Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal and Shri Thanedar. Jayapal is the first ever and only Indian American woman to be elected to the House of Representatives.

    Dalip Singh Saund is often a name that gets forgotten, Krystle said.

    “Today we focus heavily on the five Indian American members who were in Congress, but preceding all of them was this one Sikh man who came in as an outlier and was able to get the mass community support in his district at a time when we were such a new immigrant community in this country. That’s something that I’m proud of and one that I think is very notable,” she said.

    Despite doing well in various fields in the US, the Sikh community is not seen much in politics, she noted. “The Sikh community has done very well as the Indian American community, but as a subgroup. In terms of education, in terms of business and engineering, and IT and medicine across the board,” she said.

    “This group definitely needs representation. Of course, there have been a lot of cases of discrimination against Sikhs, which is very unfortunate,” Kaul said.

    Responding to a question, Krystle said there have been a lot of cases of discrimination against Sikhs, which is very unfortunate. “I’ve seen it in my district, I’ve seen it in Virginia, and I’ve seen it at a national level. I say repeatedly, it doesn’t matter (how much is) your bank balance, it doesn’t matter how prominent you are, if you’re a Sikh man, you wear a turban. It’s a visible thing that you wear and something that can be used against you in terms of a hate crime,” she pointed out.

    There is a need to create more awareness and understanding that this is something that is part of a religion and one that should be respected, she said.

    “That is through education, through awareness, and that comes from representation. When you have people in Congress who say, hey, I stand up proudly to be a Sikh and this is not okay, you cannot do this. That’s when people start to listen. I think that’s something that I want to advocate,” she added.

    Kaul said her campaign is doing good and she is running a genuine, authentic and grassroots campaign. “I have the most cash on hand today. I came out very strong in Q4 with USD 567,000 in cash on hand surpassing all candidates by a lot. They told me I couldn’t do it. They often underestimate you as a woman, as a woman of color and particularly as they see women. I worked really hard,” she said.

    “Along with cash on hand, I also have a very strong and growing team. I have a team that’s right now 85 plus and growing. A lot of great top firms, and amazing staff that I have on hand, but also a volunteer team that exceeds 50 in several districts, in several states and also nationally who are really inspired. A lot of them are young Indian American girls in particular, which I’m really proud of, a lot of young Sikh girls for example,” Kaul said.

    “I also have a very multicultural growing volunteer base of Latinos, people from different communities,” she said, asserting that it “showcases a strong base”.

    She said she spoke at the Sikh International Film Festival in New York where she got to interact with filmmakers, the heads of Sikhs for America, the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce, and the Sikh Chamber of Commerce.

    “I’ve got a lot of support from very many prominent Sikhs, again locally and nationally. And that has also felt great just from a community standpoint and one that is tied to my cultural roots,” she said.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Nikki Haley makes a compelling pitch to South Carolina voters ahead of key primary in home state

    Nikki Haley makes a compelling pitch to South Carolina voters ahead of key primary in home state

    CHARLESTON, SC (TIP): Indian-American presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Friday, February 23, made a compelling argument to fellow Republicans in South Carolina, on the eve of the crucial primary elections, with many of her supporters saying that she is the best bet for the US right now.

    Several Indian Americans who attended her political rally in her home state of South Carolina on the eve of the Republican presidential primary said that Haley would be the best person to lead the United States.

    With fingers crossed, given that former president Donald Trump is leading by over 22 percentage points, these Indian Americans were confident that Haley, 52, would continue her presidential campaign after Saturday and go up to the GOP convention.

    Even as Haley, a two-time former governor of South Carolina, has bridged the gap — once was more than 30 per cent — with Trump in South Carolina, the national media has virtually written her off and believes that the former president and her ex-boss would be the eventual nominee of the Republican Party.

    Haley and her team do not believe so. “In a general election, you’re given a choice. In a primary election, you make your choice,” she said.

    “This is the time for us to make our choice,” Haley, a former US ambassador to the UN, told her supporters numbering a couple of hundred at the Patriots Point site in Charleston, South Carolina ahead of Saturday’s Republican primary.

    “We can either do more of the same, and more of the same is not just Joe Biden, more of the same is Donald Trump, or we can elect a new generational leader that will lead us forward with solutions for the future,” she said, asserting that she is not leaving the race.

    “Some people in the media thought I would drop out of the race. Well, I’m not. Far from it,” she said.

    Haley said it is time to bring back normalcy to the US. “Our kids deserve to know what normal feels like. Joe Biden calls anybody who doesn’t support him fascist. And Donald Trump calls anybody who doesn’t support a vermin. That’s not normal,” she said.

    “Nikki is giving hope to the millions to make the change, which is needed. You could see the energy there,” said Arun Aggarwal, a longtime supporter and friend of the Republican presidential candidate.

    If elected, she would be the first-ever female and first-ever Indian-American president of the United States.

    Haley was born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa in South Carolina to immigrant Sikh parents from Amritsar, Punjab.

    “The speech was phenomenal. This was exactly the message she has been sharing with the voters over the last year,” Preya Samsundar, an Indian-American woman who attended the rally, told PTI.

    “Americans are concerned about what’s going around them every single day. As she said the world is on fire,” she said. Prittany Martinas, a young girl attending the Haley rally, said the former two-term governor of South Carolina is a common-sense conservative and brings hope to the people of the United States.

    “She is the leader that our generation needs. She is going to lead us in the right direction when it comes to the economy when it comes to reducing crime, reducing inflation. I think she is exactly what was needed in this new generation of leadership,” Prittany told PTI.

    “The one major difference here that we should focus on is that Nikki Haley gives us hope. Donald Trump does not give us hope,” said Elizabeth Smith, another woman participant at the rally.

    Meanwhile, Trump continued with his attack on Haley. Addressing a huge gathering of his supporters, Trump said “Tomorrow, you will cast one of the most important votes of your entire life.”

    He alleged that Haley is relying on Democrats and liberals and that the Democrats are financing her campaign.

    “Nikki Haley is not in this race to fight for you, she’s in the bidding for big donors, or maybe she wants to get a contract on CNN,” he said.

    He told his supporters not to vote for Haley. “A vote for Nikki Haley tomorrow is a vote for Joe Biden this November…A vote for Trump is a vote to FIRE Crooked Joe…,” Trump said.

    “So if you want a president who puts America first, then defeat Nikki Haley…fire Crooked Joe and elect your favorite president: Donald J. Trump,” he told the cheering crowd.

    In a conference call with reporters, Nikki Haley for President campaign manager Betsy Ankney announced a seven-figure ad buy across Super Tuesday states, the latest sign that Haley is moving full steam ahead.

    The ad buy consists of cable TV and digital platforms and will play in Super Tuesday states as 874 delegates are up for grabs on Tuesday, March 5.

    “History and the polls show that Trump cannot win. And thinking that Trump can somehow cobble together the winning coalition that propelled him to victory in 2016 against an enfeebled Joe Biden is just a pipe dream. Let’s look at what he’s done in just the last month,” Ankney said.

    “He has called women stupid. He has cozied up to dictators. He has encouraged Putin to invade Europe. He disparaged members of the military. And he also has spent USD 58 million in campaign contributions on his personal court cases.

    He lost Independents in New Hampshire by 22 points. He has done and said nothing that is going to bring back the demographics that our party has lost. They know who he is and they don’t like him. And they have rejected him in every single election since 2016,” she said.

    The Haley spokesperson said that there is a reason Biden and the Democrats want to run against Trump. “They know they can beat him. Again. If Trump is the nominee, the House is gone. If Trump is the nominee, the Senate map automatically shrinks from 8 or 9 targets to 3 – and keep in mind this is the best Senate map Republicans have for the rest of the decade,” Ankney told reporters.

  • Infosys CEO Salil Parekh joins USISPF Board

    Infosys CEO Salil Parekh joins USISPF Board

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP) : Salil Parekh, CEO and managing director at Infosys, has joined the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum as a member of its board of directors.

    An industry veteran with nearly three decades in the IT services industry, executing business turnarounds and managing successful acquisitions, Parekh, in his capacity as Infosys CEO, sets the strategic direction of one of India’s most notable IT giants while nurturing a strong leadership team to drive its execution.

    Salil’s recent addition to the USISPF Board accentuates the success story of Indian IT giants in the US For years. Infosys has been a household name in India, and IT services are one of India’s biggest exports to the United States, said USISPF president and CEO Mukesh Aghi.

    In an era of digital economy and digital trade, Infosys’ success in the US is a testimony to the growing synergy in tech ties and how India’s robust tech talent plays an integral part in strengthening and growing the tech sector in the United States, Aghi said.

    USISPF chairman John Chambers said Salil and Infosys’ participation on the USISPF Board will help forge a critical reliance for the two economies by consolidating digital trade, ultimately further establishing India as an innovation partner to the world, which is the organization’s core mission.

    I’m thrilled to have Salil, a leader with a great track record in the IT industry, join the USISPF Board. Infosys’ impact in the American tech industry has been extremely important, and the company played a vital part in India’s nearly USD 200 billion software exports for 2023, Chambers said.

  • 33 non-profit bodies to participate in second India Giving Day in US

    33 non-profit bodies to participate in second India Giving Day in US

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): As many as 33 top Indian American nonprofit organizations are participating in the India Giving Day on March 1, during which organizers expect to raise money for important social welfare programs in India. “The number (results) we’re going to announce at the end of India Giving Day is going to be significantly larger than last year. That’s because we have a track record as we’ve been working all year long and people are excited,” Alex Counts, executive director of the India Philanthropy Alliance and India Giving Day told PTI in an interview. India Philanthropy Alliance is a network of non-profit organizations that mobilize people and funding in the US for high-impact development programs in India.

    The second edition of the annual India Giving Day organized by India Philanthropy Alliance has launched a nationwide campaign to generate awareness among Indian Americans and “friends of India” in the US to donate generously on this important day dedicated to raise funds for a host of critical social and economic issues in India.

    The inaugural edition last year raised USD 1.3 million in one day. All funds raised through India Giving Day will be used to support programs based in India or to build a more robust fundraising operation in the US to benefit India, Counts said.

    “The three (issues) that were most common, perhaps almost exclusive issues last year were education for the poor, healthcare for the poor, wellbeing and third was we put a broad category of livelihoods, the ability of people to generate economic sustainability for themselves through good jobs and entrepreneurship,” he said.

    “Those remain central to what we’re doing. This year we’re adding a few more. We’re adding a few organizations that work in environmental preservation and climate change. We have a couple of groups that work in animal rights and animal welfare. We are expanding with more cultural organizations. Most of our money will be going towards these three — health education and livelihood,” Counts said.

    Urging Indian Americans and “friends of India” to donate generously, Counts said: “Give when you have surplus. If someone is just living paycheck to paycheck and is struggling economically, they can give in other ways. They can give their time. I wouldn’t want them to be giving financially. But for those who have been fortunate enough who’ve worked hard to develop some surplus financial resources, giving can be something that’s done in a communal and collective way.”

    He said that for many who are part of India Giving Day, it is where they were born or where their parents were born. Giving is an opportunity to really change that society for the better, to give new opportunities for healthcare, education, environment preservation, livelihoods.

    “It’s an opportunity to do it joyfully, to do it communally and to do it when you choose organizations that are really well designed,” the executive director of the alliance said. India, he asserted, has some of the best NGOs in the world and they do all or most of their work in India.

    “So you’re not talking about organizations that are kind of poorly organized. The 33 groups we have here are some of the best non-profits in the entire world. So when you work with them, you really have confidence that it’ll bring change,” Counts said. “I just ask people to also just do it, give what you can, give it joyfully, where you let others see what you’re giving and inspire them to give and know that if you choose groups that are well trained and well and they can execute, you’re going to change India as a result,” Counts said in response to a question,” he added.
    (Source: PTI)

  • Delegation from 17 US universities to visit India next week

    Delegation from 17 US universities to visit India next week

    WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): A high-powered delegation of 31 provosts, vice provosts, deans, and other leaders from 17 top American universities are travelling to India next week as part of their goal to strengthen India-US collaboration and student and scholar mobility between the two countries.

    The delegation from the American universities will visit 26 institutions in New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.

    This visit gains significance in the wake of the recent spate in incidents of attacks on Indian students and those of Indian origin in various parts of the country.

    The delegation builds on recent years of US and Indian government-led efforts to partner in pursuit of mutually beneficial strategies. Last year, the president and prime minister from each country embarked on state visits to the other, affirming the US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, a media release said.

    We will have the opportunity to meet with 26 Indian institutions to talk about collaboration, mobility of students and scholars between our two countries and securing and fostering enduring partnerships between institutions, A. Sarah Ilchman, co-president of Institute of International Education (IIE), told PTI in an interview before leaving for India. Indian students and scholars in the US now are at record numbers and it’s very exciting to watch close to 270,000 Indian students on US campuses and about 17,000 Indian scholars in the US right now. So, it’s an exciting time to be engaging with India and Indian institutions to try to further increase this engagement and collaboration, she said.

    The IIE Leadership Delegation to India from February 25 to March 2 would have representations from California State University, Long Beach; University of California, Berkeley; DePaul University; University of California, Davis; East Tennessee State University; University of Houston; Florida International University; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; Michigan State University; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Mississippi State University; University of Missouri; Montclair State University; University of Rochester; Oklahoma State University; University of Tulsa and Rutgers University.

    More than 40 per cent of India’s 1.4 billion population is under the age of 25, and demand for education exceeds in-country supply. Apart from meeting Indian government officials, the delegates will visit US consulates, the Indian School of Business, IIT Hyderabad, Mahindra University, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, and Somaiya Vidyavihar University. Topics to be discussed include setting up of international branch campuses in India, the impact of ed-tech in Indian higher education, and the higher education business landscape.

    We hope from this delegation that there will be many active partnerships and engagements between US institutions and Indian institutions and that we can increase the flow of students and scholars both ways, Ilchman said. Observing that the US has probably the most diverse higher education system in the world with specialized programs, institutions of all sizes and shapes and focuses, Ilchman said the United States has much to offer to students from India as compared to other global destinations.

    We also are a brand. People know that the reputation of an education in the US is highly sought after, and in addition, the United States has tremendous capacity and room to welcome international students,” she said.

    Some countries such as the UK or Australia or Canada have close to 20 per cent or more international students in their higher education system, Ilchman pointed out.

    “In the United States, only about six per cent of the higher education system are international students. So we have capacity to welcome more, she said. Ilchman said India has been a long-standing investor in US higher education by sending students and scholars through optional practical training (OPT), which is the opportunity to do practical work in your field of study after your degree programme.

    Many Indian students and scholars have had the opportunity to work in the United States to found organizations and companies that have done tremendous things, she said.

    So, the impact of Indians and other international students in the United States is significant in what they contribute back to society, she noted.

    The delegation would also meet members of the US embassy while in India.

    Of course, visas and the timely issuance of visas is critically important for all of this to work. The Department of State has been much more open and transparent about the number of visa applications that are in the pipeline, how many have been approved, and how long it takes to get a visa interview, the IIE co-president said.

    With this transparency we’re starting to see more data and more information that the visa process is working out, some of the obstacles in kinks that we have seen, she added.

    On a question on the spate in attacks on Indian students in recent weeks, Ilchman said, US colleges and universities prioritise the health and safety of all of their students on campus, both domestic and international.

    Building safe and inclusive communities is part of what US universities try to do every single day. They are very familiar with welcoming and supporting international students on their campuses. US institutions are on the forefront of providing mental health resources to ensure that all students have the support that they need during their studies, she added.

    Asked about some of the unscrupulous universities in the US, which many a times resulted in Indian students being deported from the US airports on arrival, Ilchman said, Unfortunately there are individuals who are working outside the system and creating opportunities that don’t exist and attract individuals there. I know that they’re trying to clamp down on these unfortunate actors in the industry.

  • Nvidia tops $2 trllion valuation in first for chipmakers

    Nvidia tops $2 trllion valuation in first for chipmakers

    Nvidia added $277 billion in stock market value on Thursday, Feb 24, Wall Street’s largest one-day gain in history after the heavyweight chipmaker’s quarterly report beat expectations and reignited a rally fueled by optimism about artificial intelligence. The company’s stock soared 16.4% to close at $785.38, a record-high close, lifting its market capitalization to $1.96 trillion after its January-quarter report late on Wednesday showed demand for its specialized chips used in AI computing continued to outpace analysts’ already-high expectations.
    The Santa Clara, California-based company’s results fed new fuel to a global rally in technology stocks linked to AI, propelling the S&P 500, Europe’s STOXX 600 and Japan’s Nikkei share average to record highs.
    Traders exchanged $65 billion worth of Nvidia’s shares on Thursday, accounting for almost a fifth all trading in S&P 500 stocks. Nvidia’s one-day increase in stock market value was the largest in Wall Street’s history, easily beating a record $196 billion gain by Meta Platforms on Feb. 2 after the Facebook parent declared its first dividend and posted robust results.
    The rise in Nvidia’s market value on Thursday eclipsed the entire value of Coca-Cola, at $265 billion. Its gain made Nvidia the U.S. stock market’s third-most valuable company, pulling ahead of Amazon.com and Alphabet after jockeying with the two tech powerhouses in recent weeks.

  • Byju’s shareholders remove CEO, company calls vote ‘invalid’

    Byju’s shareholders remove CEO, company calls vote ‘invalid’

    More than 60 percent of shareholders of edutech Byju’s on Fedb 23 voted for removal of founder CEO Byju Raveendran and his family over alleged “mismanagement and failures” at what was once India’s hottest tech startup, but the company dug in its heels, calling the voting done in the absence of founders as “invalid”.
    Prosus – one of the six investors who had called the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) – in a statement said “shareholders unanimously passed all resolutions put forward for vote.
    “These included a request for the resolution of the outstanding governance, financial mismanagement and compliance issues at Byju’s; the reconstitution of the board of directors, so that it is no longer controlled by the founder of T&L; and a change of leadership of the company.”
    Raveendran and his family stayed away from the EGM, calling it “procedurally invalid.” However, the outcome of the vote at the EGM will not be applicable until March 13, when the Karnataka High Court will next hear Raveendran’s plea challenging the move by certain investors to call the EGM. The High Court on Feb 22 had refused to stay the EGM, called by shareholders collectively holding more than 32 per cent stake in Think & Learn (T&L) – the firm that operates Byju’s, but any resolution passed shall not be given effect till the next date of hearing. Raveendran and family own 26.3 per cent in the company.

  • CAs from UK, Canada may be allowed to practise in India

    Chartered accountants (CAs) from the UK and Canada might be allowed to practise in India on a reciprocal basis, with the apex body ICAI making the proposal to the government.
    ICAI President Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal said the proposal would be implemented strictly on the reciprocal basis that CAs from India will also be allowed to practise in the United Kingdom and Canada. It will be the first time that an overseas CA will be allowed to practise in India.
    The proposal is part of India’s ongoing negotiations for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the UK and Canada.
    Agarwal also said a similar arrangement is being looked at with Australia. Once the reciprocal system is implemented, the CAs from the foreign countries will have to be registered with the ICAI, which will be regulating them.
    “It will be on a reciprocal basis and not on standalone basis. If they agree, it will be a win-win for both countries… we are very much hopeful…in the UK, there is an ageing population and most of the work has shifted from the UK to India…,” Agarwal, who took over as the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on February 12, said.
    To a query about what could be the impact of CAs from foreign countries practising in India, he said, India is a developing country and they are developed countries, referring to the UK, Canada and Australia.

  • UAE removed, Kenya and Namibia added to global money laundering list

    UAE removed, Kenya and Namibia added to global money laundering list

    Global anti-money laundering watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said Friday that it had removed the United Arab Emirates from its “grey list” of countries subject to increased monitoring, while Kenya and Namibia were added. Countries on the list have “strategic deficiencies” in their efforts to counter money laundering and terrorist financing, but are cooperating with the FATF to correct the problems and are subject to increased monitoring.
    FATF head Raja Kumar said that Kenya and Namibia suffered deficiencies in their anti-money laundering systems and that action plans had been developed to remedy them.
    A total of 21 nations are on the grey list.
    In addition to the UAE, Barbados, Gibraltar and Uganda were removed from the grey list.
    “They’ve all taken substantial steps to improve the AML-CFT safety systems and address all items on their actions plans,” said Kumar, referring to anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism.
    UAE foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, welcomed the FATF decision and said the changes will “strengthen the country’s leading status and competitiveness, and advance its position globally as an economic, trading and investment hub,” according to the country’s official news agency, WAM.
    In recent decades the UAE has sought to use its location in the Gulf to become a financial, trade and travel hub linking Asia and Europe. It was put on the FATF’s grey list in 2022 over concerns about murky financial transactions and a flood of Russian money into the country.
    More than 200 countries and jurisdictions have pledged to implement the recommendations of the FATF.
    The FATF also has a “black list” of nations which are considered high-risk jurisdictions.
    Countries are urged to apply countermeasures against Iran and North Korea to protect against money laundering and the financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation.
    Meanwhile, countries are requested to apply enhanced due diligence concerning Myanmar.
    The FATF also repeated its condemnation of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
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    It suspended Russia’s participation in the body last year and said its members are taking proactive measures to protect the global financial system given Moscow’s growing financial links to countries subject to FATF countermeasures.
    Source: AFP

  • No more stalking, WhatsApp might soon stop you from taking screenshots of other profile photos

    No more stalking, WhatsApp might soon stop you from taking screenshots of other profile photos

    In the last few months, Meta-owned WhatsApp has been taking steps to improve its overall experience. Be it working on a chat lock for the web version of WhatsApp or to let users connect with others without sharing their phone numbers, the messaging platform is taking steps to ensure enhanced privacy for users. And now, a report by WABetaInfo says that WhatsApp will soon ban users from taking screenshots of profile photos of other users.
    Until now, WhatsApp had the option of hiding profile pictures from strangers, but there was no option to stop other users from taking a screenshot of your profile photo. But if reports are to go by, this will be changed soon.
    WhatsApp working on new privacy feature
    As per the WABetaInfo report, WhatsApp is currently experimenting with a novel feature designed to stop users from capturing screenshots of others’ profile pictures, commonly referred to as display pictures. This latest addition to the instant messaging platform aims to enhance user privacy by curbing the unauthorized downloading and sharing of personal photos.
    The report further says that the recent WhatsApp beta for Android, accessible on the Google Play Store, introduces a notification when users attempt to screenshot someone else’s profile picture. The notification reads ‘Can’t take a screenshot due to app restrictions,’ as in an image shared by the publication.
    However, it’s important to note that users may still capture a photo of another person’s profile picture using a secondary device, such as a phone or camera. Hence, users must still be cautious about their display photos, even after the update rolls out.
    With that being said, the intention behind limiting screenshot capabilities for profile pictures is clear – WhatsApp aims to mitigate the risks of impersonation and harassment. Although the screenshot block feature is currently available to a select group of beta testers, it is expected that this feature will be rolled out to all users in the upcoming weeks.
    This move aligns with WhatsApp’s earlier decision in 2019 to prevent users from downloading profile pictures of others. Additionally, the Meta-owned messaging app is actively developing a specialised fact-checking chatbot to address the challenges posed by deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation.
    Chat lock feature by WhatsApp
    Earlier, WABetaInfo had reported that WhatsApp was working on a new feature for web users that will enable them to lock certain chats. Until now, WhatsApp web users had no option to lock certain chats and all the chats of the messaging platform would be open whenever a user logged in from a desktop or laptop.
    However, users will soon be able to lock away certain chats that can only be accessed by a specific pin. This means that users will have a secure place for storing all their WhatsApp conversations. Source: India Today

  • Fastest-growing black hole and brightest object in universe discovered

    Fastest-growing black hole and brightest object in universe discovered

    Astronomers have discovered the fastest-growing black hole ever recorded — the most luminous known object in the universe that is devouring the equivalent of one Sun every day. The researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) noted that the black hole with a mass roughly 17 billion times that of the Sun, has set a record that may not ever be beaten.
    “The incredible rate of growth also means a huge release of light and heat,” said study lead author Christian Wolf, Associate Professor at ANU.
    “So, this is also the most luminous known object in the universe. It is 500 trillion times brighter than our sun,” Wolf said in a statement.
    A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, including light, can escape it.
    Christopher Onken, co-author of the study published in the journal Nature Astronomy, noted that it was a surprise that the blackhole remained undetected until now, given what we know about many other, less impressive ones.
    The blackhole was first detected using a 2.3 metre telescope at the ANU Siding Spring Observatory near Coonabarabran in New South Wales (NSW).
    The research team then turned to one of the largest telescopes in the world – the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile – to confirm the full nature of the black hole and measure its mass.
    “The light from this black hole has travelled over 12 billion years to reach us,” said Professor Rachel Webster from the University of Melbourne said.
    “In the adolescent universe, matter was moving chaotically and feeding hungry black holes. Today, stars are moving orderly at safe distances and only rarely plunge into black holes,” Webster said.
    The intense radiation comes from the accretion disc — made of rapidly rotating gas — around the black hole, which is the holding pattern for all the material waiting to be devoured, the researchers said. “It looks like a gigantic and magnetic storm cell with temperatures of 10,000 degrees Celsius, lightning everywhere and winds blowing so fast they would go around Earth in a second,” Wolf said.
    “This storm cell is seven light years across, which is 50 per cent more than the distance from our solar system to the next star in the Galaxy, alpha Centauri,” he added. Source: PTI

  • Cryogenic engine for Gaganyaan missions now human-rated: ISRO

    Cryogenic engine for Gaganyaan missions now human-rated: ISRO

    ISRO has accomplished a major milestone in the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine that powers the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle for Gaganyaan human spaceflight missions, with the completion of the final round of ground qualification tests. ‘ISRO’s CE20 cryogenic engine is now human-rated for Gaganyaan missions,’ the space agency said on X.
    Rigorous testing demonstrates the engine’s mettle, it said, adding the CE20 engine identified for the first uncrewed flight LVM3 G1 also went through acceptance tests.
    The February 13 final test was the seventh of a series of vacuum ignition tests carried out at the High Altitude Test Facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri to simulate flight conditions, it said. The ground qualification tests for the human rating of the CE20 engine involved life demonstration and endurance tests, and performance assessment under nominal operating conditions as well as off-nominal conditions with respect to thrust, mixture ratio and propellant tank pressure, it said.

  • Risk-reducing mastectomy may lower breast cancer mortality in some women

    Risk-reducing mastectomy may lower breast cancer mortality in some women

    Risk-reducing mastectomies (RRM) in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic variant may significantly reduce the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer and also lower the probability of death.
    The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, examined how RRM affects the rate of death of women with a pathogenic variant but no cancer diagnosis.
    Women who have an inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant, have an 80 per cent risk of developing breast cancer over the course of their lifetime.
    Research has shown that an RRM reduces the risk of breast cancer by 90 percent.“The decision to have a risk reducing mastectomy is often difficult for a woman to make, and the more evidence we are able to provide them with when they are making that decision, the more informed their care plan will be,” said Prof Kelly Metcalfe of the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, from University of Toronto, Canada.
    Metcalfe said that in Canada, 30 per cent of women with a pathogenic variant opt for this surgery. It is, Metcalfe said, one of the most effective ways of preventing breast cancer in women with this risk profile.
    Through a pseudo-randomised trial, Metcalfe, and her team, followed over 1,600 participants from a registry of women with a pathogenic BRCA 1/2 variant from nine different countries over the course of six years, with half of the women having a risk-reducing mastectomy. Source: IANS

  • Rare fat molecule helps drive cell death: Study

    Rare fat molecule helps drive cell death: Study

    Researchers revealed that a rare sort of lipid plays a vital role in ferroptosis, a type of cell death described by Columbia professor Brent Stockwell. The findings shed new light on how cells die during ferroptosis, potentially improving understanding of how to prevent ferroptosis in contexts where it is harmful, such as neurodegenerative diseases, or induce it in contexts where it could be beneficial, such as using it to kill dangerous cancer cells.
    The study discovered that a diPUFA phospholipid, an uncommon type of lipid with two polyunsaturated fatty acyl tails, was present in a variety of situations where ferroptosis occurred, including aged brains and Huntington disease-affected brain tissue. The finding indicated that the lipid is efficient at promoting ferroptosis.
    The research was conducted by professors in Columbia’s Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and the Columbia University Irving Medical Centre.
    Stockwell first discovered ferroptosis in 2012, when he found that certain cells were dying because their lipid layers were collapsing- an unusual form of cell death that differs from the most common kind, which begins with the cell forming blisters on its outer surface. Since that discovery, researchers in Stockwell’s lab and elsewhere have continued to investigate ferroptosis, discovering that it can occur naturally in ageing cells, in pathological contexts, and can be induced to treat disease.
    Another paper out this month with several co-authors found that a gene named PHLDA2 can sometimes promote ferroptosis by attacking a different lipid and that this gene can block some tumours from forming.
    Together, these papers show that specific lipids promote ferroptosis, so defining the driver lipids in specific cancers is important. Source: ANI

  • Worrying signs and symptoms of high blood pressure during sleep

    High blood pressure is a silent killer and can over the time damage arteries increasing risk of heart attack or stroke. Hypertension if not controlled can also affect kidney function, cause vision loss and memory loss. High blood pressure can catch you off guard as there are no symptoms even in cases when BP readings reach dangerously high levels. However, if you stay vigilant and follow your body cues, there are certain signs that can warn you about abnormalities in your blood pressure. From your snoring patterns to frequent urination at night, there are certain signs of high blood pressure in night that can warn you about the silent threat. As per a new study published in the journal npj Digital Medicine, people who spend more time snoring at night are more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension. There are other signs and symptoms too that one must consider.
    SNORING
    One common indicator of high blood pressure is snoring, especially if it’s accompanied by pauses in breathing, known as sleep apnoea. Snoring occurs when the airway becomes partially blocked, causing vibrations in the throat tissues. However, in individuals with hypertension, snoring can signal more than just sleep apnoea; it may also indicate restricted blood flow due to narrowed blood vessels, a hallmark of high blood pressure.
    INSOMNIA
    While many factors can contribute to insomnia, such as stress, anxiety or poor sleep hygiene, hypertension can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.
    RESTLESS SLEEP
    Additionally, frequent awakenings or restless sleep may be indicative of hypertension-related issues, as elevated blood pressure levels can trigger the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, causing arousal from sleep.
    EXCESSIVE URINATION
    Furthermore, nocturia, or excessive urination during the night, can be a symptom of hypertension. Elevated blood pressure levels can put strain on the kidneys, leading to increased urine production and the need to wake up multiple times to urinate.
    HEADACHE
    Moreover, experiencing headaches upon waking or during the night can also be a sign of nocturnal hypertension. Headaches caused by high blood pressure tend to be most intense in the morning, as blood pressure naturally rises during sleep and peaks in the early morning hours.
    Monitoring these signs and symptoms, especially when occurring together, can help individuals identify potential issues with nocturnal hypertension and seek appropriate medical attention to manage their blood pressure levels and mitigate associated risks. Source: HT

  • Chicken Manchurian

    Chicken Manchurian

    Ingredients
    250 gm chicken, 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 1/4 cup refined oil, 1/4 teaspoon, crushed green peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon, chopped green chilli, 120 ml chicken stock, 1/4, teaspoon ground black pepper, 30 ml water, 1 tablespoon corn flour, 1 beaten egg, 1/4 teaspoon crushed ginger, 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1 handful chopped into cubes cilantro, 10 ml light soya sauce, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1 finely chopped spring onions
    Method
    – To prepare this delicious Chicken Manchurian recipe, take a bowl and add corn flour, flour, salt and pepper along with the beaten egg in it. Mix all these ingredients properly and prepare a batter. Next, dip the chicken pieces in the batter one by one. Make sure it is properly coated.
    – Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan over medium flame. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, place the coated chicken pieces in the oil and deep fry till they turns golden brown in colour. Once done, drain the excess oil and keep aside till further use. Now, to prepare the manchurian sauce, heat oil in another pan over medium flame. Once the oil is hot enough, add the garlic and ginger in it. Fry till it becomes slightly brown in colour. Now add in green chilies and cilantro leaves. Saute these for about a minute or so.
    – Then, bring the flame to low and add in the chicken stock, soya sauce, salt, sugar and pepper. Allow this mixture to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Once done, add in corn flour along with water in it and bring the mixture to a boil.
    – The last step is to place the fried chicken pieces into the manchurian sauce. Bring the flame to medium low and allow the dish to cook for close to 5 minutes. Once done, turn off the flame and transfer the Chicken Manchurian into a serving bowl.

  • Raw milk face packs for brighter skin

    Raw milk face packs for brighter skin

    Turmeric and Raw Milk Face Pack
    Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of raw milk1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
    Why this pack: Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory and brightening properties. When combined with the moisturizing effect of raw milk, this face pack becomes a potent solution for reducing blemishes and dark spots. Use it twice a week.
    Honey and Raw Milk Face Pack
    Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of raw milk1 tablespoon of honey
    Why this pack: Honey is a natural humectant that helps retain moisture, making it an excellent complement to raw milk. This pack is perfect for those with dry skin, providing hydration and a radiant glow. Apply it weekly, leave it on for 15-20 minutes, and rinse thoroughly. Ensure the honey used is pure and free from additives for optimal benefits.
    Oatmeal and Raw Milk Face Pack
    Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of raw milk1 tablespoon of finely ground oatmeal
    Why this pack: Oatmeal acts as a gentle exfoliant, making this face pack ideal for sloughing off dead skin cells and promoting cell turnover. Raw milk complements the exfoliation with its moisturizing properties. Use this pack bi-weekly for smoother and brighter skin.
    Cucumber and Raw Milk Face Pack
    Ingredients:2 tablespoons of raw milk2 tablespoons of cucumber juice
    Why this pack: Cucumber is renowned for its soothing and cooling properties, making it a perfect match for raw milk. This pack is excellent for calming irritated skin and reducing puffiness.

  • Protect your skin from sun without sunscreen

    From increasing your vitamin D levels to boosting your mood, sunlight can improve your health in numerous ways. But unprotected exposure to the sun can be unhealthy. The sun produces harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation that can cause problems like sunburn or sun poisoning. It can also have other adverse effects, such as premature skin aging, skin cancer, and eye damage. And it’s not just the sun. Artificial sources of UV radiation, like tanning beds, are also harmful.
    Daily sunscreen goes a long way toward shielding you from UV rays. But there are several other ways you can protect yourself. Keep reading for helpful skin-saving strategies. They’ll come in handy on your next beach vacation and for other outdoor activities.
    Cover yourself with clothing and a hat
    Covering your skin with protective clothing and a hat can help safeguard you from UVA and UVB rays. But certain clothes provide more protection than others. You can look for garments with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF), which shows how much the fabric protects your skin from UV rays. For example, a shirt with a UPF 50 rating blocks roughly 98% of the sun’s UV rays. The Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF) requires a minimum UPF of 30 to grant its seal of recommendation for effective sun protection.
    Wear sunglasses
    UV radiation can also damage your eyes, eyelids, and the sensitive skin around your eyes. Luckily, wearing sunglasses can shield these areas and reduce the risk of conditions such as cataracts.
    But like your clothing, not all eyewear is created equal when it comes to blocking sunlight. For example, studies suggest that goggles and large sunglasses may be more effective at protecting your eyes from UV rays than smaller sunglasses. One way to check the effectiveness of your sunglasses is with the eye-sun protection factor (ESPF®). The ESPF measures how well lenses block the transmission of light and UV reflection. If your sunglasses don’t have an ESPF rating, you can check for other factors. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends looking for sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of all types of UV light.
    Use an umbrella
    Umbrellas are not just for the rain. Using an umbrella or parasol can stop direct UV rays from hitting your skin. But research shows that they don’t block scattered or diffused UV rays, which may be common at the beach. So this shade-producing tool is most effective when you use it in combination with other sun-protecting strategies, like wearing sunscreen and protective clothing.
    Eat foods that provide sun protection
    There are plenty of good reasons to adopt a healthy diet, including keeping your skin healthy. A healthy diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can promote healthy skin.
    Many foods contain antioxidants. These nutrients can help prevent cellular damage.

  • Emma Stone’s Los Angeles home sells for $4.3 Million

    Emma Stone’s Los Angeles home sells for $4.3 Million

    Emma Stone has parted ways with her L.A. home just a few weeks after putting it up for sale.
    The actress, 35, first listed her charming home in Comstock Hills, a private, gated community located in L.A.’s Westwood neighborhood, for $3.995 million at the end of January, PEOPLE reported at the time.
    PEOPLE confirmed she’d sold it for $4.3 million — just over $300,000 above the original asking price.
    The sale marks another win for the star, who just took home a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award for her movie Poor Things. Fittingly, the star — who just depicted an aspiring HGTV host in The Curse! — recently renovated the Westwood residence, according to the listing, held by agent Eric Lavey of Sotheby’s International Realty’s Beverly Hills brokerage.
    Originally built in 1926, the newly rejuvenated 3,276 sq. ft. home boasts four bedrooms and four full bathrooms across two stories.

  • Hilary Swank opens up about challenge, rewards of raising twins

    Hilary Swank opens up about challenge, rewards of raising twins

    Hilary Swank discussed about the challenges and rewards of being a mother of twins. Swank and her husband Philip Schneider gave birth to twins, Aya and Ohm, in April 2023. The 49-year-old Oscar-winning actor spoke at the premiere of her new film Ordinary Angels recently at the SVA Theatre in New York.
    “I think that being a mother of twins, I never have had a singleton, so I don’t know what that’s like,” she explained.
    “But I know that the sleepless nights are hard and when you have one that might sleep through the night, the other one’s not, so it’s kind of this trade-off every night. But I know this is also a season, and it too will pass, and I try and remind myself that there’s going to be a day when I’m like, ‘Oh, I’d love to wake up right now and just hold you.’ So just trying and hold on to that.” She’s already looking forward to the next challenge — when the twins are more mobile.
    “Well, they’re only crawling, so it’s not like we’re out of control or anything,” she said. Swank stars in the Lionsgate film as Sharon Stevens, a “fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters,” according to an official synopsis.

  • Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin enjoyed a happy and relaxing vacation in Mexico

    Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin appeared to be in great spirits as they vacationed together in Mexico. The couple, known for keeping their relationship private, were photographed enjoying each other’s company during their getaway, offering a rare glimpse into their personal lives. According to a source speaking to People, Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin enjoyed a peaceful vacation in Punta Mita for a few days. The couple appeared content and relaxed, spending quality time together. They were seen lounging on the beach, with Dakota engrossed in a book, and they also partook in yoga and meditation sessions.
    An insider revealed that Johnson and Martin’s trip seemed to be spontaneous, and the couple returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday. Their Punta Mita vacation came shortly after the Mexico City premiere of Dakota Johnson’s film Madame Web at Cinemex Antara Polanco on Feb. 13.
    In Madame Web, Dakota Johnson portrays the character Cassandra Webb, a New York City paramedic who acquires clairvoyant abilities enabling her to foresee the future. The film is based on the Marvel Comics character introduced in 1980, known for her appearances in Spider-Man stories.
    Last year, Martin’s ex-wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, posted a photo of herself with Johnson on social media, mentioning their close bond. During an Instagram Q&A in October 2023, the Oscar winner, 51, stated, “We’re actually very good friends.”The next month, Paltrow shared another picture of herself and Johnson, smiling as they held hands. Martin and Paltrow tied the knot in 2003 before “consciously uncoupling” in 2014 and finalizing their divorce in 2016. The singer began his relationship with Johnson in 2017.
    In a March 2023 appearance on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, Martin offered a rare insight into his relationship with Johnson. He shared how she contributed to enhancing his band’s performances for the hearing impaired by introducing them to SubPacs, a device that enables individuals with hearing impairments to experience the vibrations of a concert.

  • Varun, Janhvi reunite for romance drama film ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’

    Varun, Janhvi reunite for romance drama film ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’

    Bollywood stars Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor are reuniting for romance drama film “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari”, the makers announced on Thursday, Feb 22,
    Backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Production, the movie will be written and directed by filmmaker Shashank Khaitan. It will be released in theatres on April 25, 2025.
    “Your Sanskari is on his way to get his Kumari! This love story wrapped with entertainment is coming to the big screens! #SunnySanskariKiTulsiKumari in cinemas, 18th April 2025,” the studio posted on Instagram.
    “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” will reunite Dhawan and Kapoor, who most recently worked together for Nitesh Tiwari’s relationship drama “Bawaal”.
    The project reteams Dhawan with Khaitan, who directed the actor in “Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania” (2014) and “Badrinath Ki Dulhania” (2017). Khaitan had also directed 2018’s “Dhadak”, which marked the acting debut of Kapoor.
    “Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari” will be produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Khaitan. Source: PTI