Latest news with #Indian-born
The Hindu
40 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Hindu Morning Digest, July 30, 2025
Pahalgam attackers entered India from Pakistan three years ago: officials The three Pakistani terrorists involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack used 'ultra high frequency wireless sets' to communicate with other operatives and also their aides across the border, a senior government official told The Hindu. They were killed in Dachigam in the Kashmir Valley. The three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, identified as Suleman, alias Faizal Jatt; Hamza Afghani; and Zibran,entered India from Pakistan around three years ago. Ruling dispensation lacked political will to carry out Operation Sindoor: Rahul Gandhi Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the ruling NDA lacked political will to carry out Operation Sindoor, and the entire exercise was carried out only to protect the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Participating in the special discussion on 'India's strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam' in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Gandhi said he wanted to tell the PM that the nation was above his image, his politics and his Public Relations exercise and Mr. Modi must have 'the humility and the dignity' to understand that. Meghnad Desai, eminent Indian-born economist and author, dies at 85 Lord Meghnad Desai, a 'multifaceted personality', eminent economist, holder of India's third-highest civilian honour, and a member of the United Kingdom's House of Lords has passed away, at the age of 85. Born Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai, Lord Desai, as he came to be known following his membership to the House of Lords in the U.K., was born in Vadodara in 1940. U.N. conference backs two-state solution, calls on Israel to commit to a Palestinian state High-level representatives at a U.N. conference urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state and gave 'unwavering support' to a two-state solution, signaling widespread international determination to end one of the world's longest conflicts. The 'New York Declaration' sets out a phased plan to end the nearly eight-decade conflict and the ongoing war in Gaza. The plan would culminate with an independent, demilitarized Palestine living side by side peacefully with Israel, and the nation's eventual integration into the wider Mideast region. Starmer says U.K. will recognize Palestinian state unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state in September – unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza and takes steps toward long-term peace. Mr. Starmer called ministers together for a rare summertime Cabinet meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza. He told them that Britain will recognize a state of Palestine before the United Nations General Assembly, 'unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, reaches a ceasefire, makes clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and commits to a long-term peace process that delivers a two state solution." Not a single world leader asked India to stop Operation Sindoor, PM tells Lok Sabha Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that India had put Pakistan on notice of retaliation through Operation Sindoor over the Pahalgam terror attack, adding that 'not a single world leader asked us to stop the operation. Our actions were precise and non-escalatory, just as we had committed'. This is a clear refutation of U.S. claims that the country mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Mr. Modi said this in his intervention during a debate in the Lok Sabha on Operation Sindoor, India's military action against terrorist targets in Pakistan that followed the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people dead. DGCA audit flags 51 safety lapses in Air India operations The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) found 51 safety lapses at Air India in its July audit, including lack of adequate training for some pilots, use of unapproved simulators and a poor rostering system, according to a government report seen by Reuters. The Tata Group-owned airline is already facing warning notices for running planes without checking emergency equipment, not changing engine parts in time and forging records, along with other lapses related to crew fatigue management. IMF upgrades India's FY26 & FY27 growth forecast to 6.4% in line with global growth uptick The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded India's growth expectations to 6.4% in both 2025-26 and 2026-27 as compared to what it had predicted in April. The growth upgrade, of 0.2 percentage points and 0.1 percentage points, respectively, is in line with the upgrades for global growth. The IMF's World Economic Outlook (WEO) July update released on July 29 upgraded its global growth forecast to 3% for 2025 and 3.1% in 2026, 0.2 percentage and 0.1 percentage points higher than what had been predicted in the April 2025 edition of the WEO. Deleted, not denied: The truth behind Kanthapuram's claim on Nimisha Priya's reprieve A curious development unfolded about the reported commutation of Malayali nurse Nimisha Priya's death sentence in Yemen. An ANI tweet about the reprieve, shared by Sunni leader Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar on X, disappeared from his social media handle. On Monday night, Mr. Aboobacker Musliar had announced that Yemeni authorities had waived the death sentence following a series of discussions involving scholars appointed by senior Yemeni Sufi scholar Sheikh Habib Omer bin Hafiz, Northern Yemen representatives and international diplomats. Torrential rain disrupts life across Bengal; Teesta overflows, landslides in north, house collapses in Kolkata Normal life was severely affected across north and south Bengal as torrential rain lashed the State over the past two days. The Teesta River overflowed onto National Highway 10 in north Bengal, while dilapidated houses collapsed in parts of Kolkata, injuring three persons. Between July 28 and 29, the water level of the Teesta River rose steadily and crossed the danger mark, according to daily flood reports issued by the Irrigation and Waterways Department of West Bengal. In several areas, National Highway 10 had to be closed due to water submerging key stretches, disrupting road connectivity between north Bengal and Sikkim. SC assures intervention if draft electoral roll reveals 'mass exclusion' of voters The Supreme Court promised to step in without fail, and immediately, if persons omitted as dead from the draft electoral roll, scheduled to be published on August 1 as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission of India (EC) in Bihar, are found 'very much alive'. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi made it clear to the EC that the court would not hesitate to act if the list was riddled with 'mass exclusions'. The petitioners had criticised the SIR as 'citizenship screening'. In India's first outreach to post-Assad regime, MEA Joint Secretary meets Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani Marking a fresh beginning in ties with Damascus in the post-Assad era, India reached out to the Syrian provisional government under the leadership of President Ahmed Hussein Al-Sharaa this week. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary Suresh Kumar, of the West Asia and North Africa division, met with the Syrian provisional government's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani in Damascus, according to officials here. Sources said he was accompanied by several other Indian officials, including the Indian Ambassador to Syria, Irshad Ahmed. Dharmasthala: No skeletal remains recovered at first spot The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged 'murders and burials' at Dharmasthala began the process of exhuming remains at the spots identified by the whistleblower/complainant on Tuesday, a long-standing demand of the complainant, his lawyers, and several activists. However, the day ended in an anti-climax, as digging through the day at the first spot the complainant had shown the SIT sleuths on Monday did not lead to any recovery of skeletal remains. The SIT will go ahead and dig up the second of the 13 sites on Wednesday, sources said. The second site is also in the forest area. National Herald case: Court defers order on cognisance of ED charge sheet A Delhi court deferred its order on taking cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case. Court sources said the matter is now listed for August 7 and 8 for certain clarifications. The ED has accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the alleged fraudulent takeover of ₹2,000 crore worth properties belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper. PM's 'shameful silence' on Israel's assault on people of Gaza height of 'moral cowardice', says Sonia Gandhi Asserting that Israel's military campaign in Gaza amounts to "genocide", Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi slammed the Modi government for being a "mute spectator to this affront to humanity", and said this was a "cowardly betrayal of our constitutional values". She also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "shameful silence" in the face of Israel's relentless and devastating assault on the people of Gaza is "deeply disappointing", as well as the height of "moral cowardice". Countdown begins for NISAR satellite launch The countdown for the NISAR satellite mission started at 2.10 p.m. on Tuesday (July 29, 2025). The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) with the 2,392-kg satellite is scheduled to lift off from the second launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 5.40 p.m. on Wednesday (July 30, 2025). It is the first joint satellite of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Renowned economist and author Meghnad Desai dies at 85
The eminent Indian-born British economist Meghnad Desai has died at the age of 85. Born in Vadodara in 1940, Desai completed his PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1963. He moved to London two years later, becoming a lecturer at the London School of Economics. He later became a professor and then a professor emeritus there. Desai was nominated to the House of Lords in 1991 as a Labour Party peer. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Indian government in 2008. He has written numerous books on economics as well as other subjects. His last work published in 2022 was titled 'The Poverty of Political Economy: How Economics Abandoned the Poor'. Desai also published a biography of film star Dilip Kumar titled 'Nehru's Hero: Dilip Kumar in the Life of India' in 2004. PM Narendra Modi condoled Desai's death on social media platform X, saying, "Anguished by the passing away of Shri Meghnad Desai Ji, a distinguished thinker, writer and economist. He always remained connected to India and Indian culture. He also played a role in deepening India-UK ties. Will fondly recall our discussions, where he shared his valuable insights. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti."
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Indian community stages protests in Ireland over racist attack
1 2 3 4 Bhubaneswar: Racist attack on an Indian at Tallaght, Dublin, has sent shockwaves through the Indian diaspora in Ireland, prompting them to stage protests in Dublin on Friday and Saturday. On July 19, an Indian national was brutally attacked by a group of youths in Tallaght, stabbed multiple times in the face, stripped naked, and left bleeding on the road for over an hour before emergency services arrived. "The attack in Tallaght was not just a crime against one Indian migrant but an attack on the dignity of every Indian living abroad. We came to Ireland to work hard, to study and to contribute. We deserve safety, respect, and justice just like any citizen," Prince Singh, a protester told TOI over the telephone from Ireland. On Saturday, 700 to 800 people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and even Ireland, as well as trade union members, organised a protest march from City Hall, Dublin City Centre, to the National Gallery. "It saw strong participation from trade union members, activists, and citizens from diverse backgrounds. The demonstration called for unity against racism, better protection for minorities, and stronger action from authorities," said Dayakar Reddy Komirelly, vice-president of VHCCI (Vedic Hindu Cultural Centre Ireland). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Shop Sale Libas Undo On Friday, around 200 people gathered in front of Ireland's department of justice for a peaceful and silent 40-minute protest, which was organised by Friends of India, Ireland, a collective of Indians from diverse regions and professions living across Ireland. "We protested in a non-violent and peaceful way," said Indian-born Senthil Ramasamy, a peace commissioner with the Irish govt from Waterford, who was part of the protest. He said there has been an increase in racist-related crimes in Ireland in the last 6 to 7 years. The video of the attack sparked outrage both in Ireland and across the world. An online petition with over 15,000 signatures was submitted to the minister for justice, Jim O'Callaghan, calling for immediate action, accountability, and systemic protections for minorities. While the majority in attendance at the protest were Indian migrants, the crowd also included members of other immigrant groups and Irish citizens. They displayed placards with "Say no to racism", "All lives matter" and "Ireland is home" as part of the protest. "I decided to be part of the protest because we have to stand for our rights," said Somanath Nanda, an IT professional. The organisers lauded An Garda Síochána (Irish police) for classifying the incident as "racially motivated". They also thanked the Embassy of India in Dublin for its support for the victim and his family. "We stand here with our community and with every migrant who has ever felt fear because of the colour of their skin or the accent of their voice. Ireland must act. And the whole world, including India, is watching," said Singh. Indians form the largest non-EU immigrant community in Ireland, numbering over 100,000. They play a significant role in the IT and healthcare sectors.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Comedian says ‘no chance in hell' her career would take off in native India, praises America for her 'destiny'
Comedian Zarna Garg is living proof that the American Dream still exists. "This is a country that looks at a person like me and says, we want to hear what you have to say," she told Fox News Digital. COMEDIAN REVEALS HOW DENYING AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE AT 14 YEARS OLD COST HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHERFor the Indian-born comedian, America didn't just offer opportunity — it offered a voice. After fleeing an arranged marriage at 14 years old and immigrating to the U.S., Garg says she found something here she never had back home: the freedom to be heard, and to joke. "My whole life, I did what in India is called talking back to your parents, where you're like, 'oh, you think you're a smart ass?' So, that was my life," Garg recalled. "I remember my dad, when I was very little, before I had ever stepped foot in America, he used to be like, 'Who do you think you are, an American woman?' Because all bad ideas back then came from America." "I remember getting off that stage and thinking, is it possible that this is my thing?" Garg says she has come "full circle" — from being told to bury her own voice to confidently living out what she now calls her "destiny." She began comedy in 2019 on a whim, saying that her daughter Zoya "forced" her to go to her first open-mic in New York City. Garg admits that she went only to appease her daughter and planned to "never step foot" in a comedy club again. COMEDIAN ZARNA GARG IS NOT SURPRISED AT THE LATE NIGHT HOSTS MELTDOWNS AFTER DONALD TRUMP'S ELECTION "But when I got up on that stage and I just rambled for a few minutes about my mother-in-law, life and whatever… I felt a click from the universe," Garg reflected, noting that she pulls from personal experiences to "mine for comedy gold." "I couldn't believe that people found my observations funny. I couldn't believe that anybody wanted to hear what I had to say about anything. My whole life people have been trying to shut me up. So, this was a real revelation that up on stage I could be saying all these random, really minute observations that I've made my whole life and that people would be excited to hear what I [had] to say." That moment on stage was more than just a big moment, it was a breakthrough for Garg. "I remember getting off that stage and thinking, is it possible that this is my thing?" she wondered. Garg, who was born and raised in Mumbai, reflected on what life may have looked like if she never immigrated to the U.S. COMEDIAN ZARNA GARG PRAISES USHA VANCE AS HUSBAND JD'S 'SECRET SUPERPOWER': 'YOU CAN'T DENY' THIS ABOUT HERWhen asked if her comedy career had been possible in India, Garg bluntly answered, "No chance in hell." "None of what I'm doing would be possible back home. That's what makes America, America. I'm like a middle-aged mom of three with a weird outfit and an accent — and here I am being asked what I have to say," she said. "This is a country that looks at a person like me and says, 'We wanna hear what you have to say.'" Garg is scheduled to do a live show of the "Zarna Garg Family Podcast" in Mumbai, India on Friday, marking it as her first show back in her native country. She admitted that she gets anxious about the idea of doing comedy in India, joking that Indians are "very serious people." "I get very gun-shy about doing comedy, because people don't take things lightly. We're not a fun type of people, we're a very serious people," she said. "What you will hear a lot of in India is the audience saying, 'I like hearing jokes, but that was too much.' Because anything becomes too much, any punchline is too much of a punchline. So, I get really anxious doing jokes." Garg's new comedy special, "Practical People Win," is out on Hulu. She's also the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir "This American Woman: A One-In-A-Billion Memoir," and is currently touring across the country. For tickets and tour dates, visit
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Lavish homes left by fleeing Gupta brothers up for sale in South Africa
South Africa is selling off three multimillion rand mansions owned by the Gupta brothers, a trio of influential Indian-born businessmen at the center of a corruption scandal that triggered the country's worst political and economic crisis since the end of Apartheid. Atul, Rajesh and Ajay Gupta began buying the properties in Thursday's auction in 2006. There, in Saxonwold, one of Johannesburg's oldest and most affluent neighborhoods, they entertained top politicians and businessmen for at least a decade. But as their public profile grew, so did allegations that they exerted undue influence over the state for their own enrichment. Protesters gathered regularly outside the compound's high walls and perimeter fences, demanding accountability. The brothers fled to Dubai shortly before the ruling African National Congress in 2018 forced Jacob Zuma to quit as president to stem a loss in electoral support, partly due to his links to the family. Their compound has been largely empty ever since. Protected by private armed guards, it became a symbol among opposition members and activists of the staggering levels of corruption in the country, and the challenges in holding those implicated in that corruption to account. President Cyril Ramaphosa has estimated that more than 500 billion rand ($28 billion) was plundered during his predecessor's near nine-year tenure and said that tackling graft — which has hobbled key institutions such as state power utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. and freight rail and ports operator Transnet SOC Ltd — is a priority. But to date, no senior official has been successfully prosecuted in connection to it. During a Saturday viewing of the compound organized by the auction house, Park Village Auctions, traces of the lavish lifestyle the brothers led in Africa's richest city were on display: a Cartier jewelry catalog, a Royal Caribbean cruise brochure and a hand-written inventory of fine whiskeys and champagne. Elsewhere green water fills an indoor pool, and moss grows on water features and a mini cricket pitch. Deep cracks run through window panes. Paint and plaster are peeling off walls. And the thatched roof of an outdoor bar is in tatters. The neglect means that although the three properties — which have different title deeds and will be auctioned separately — have a combined municipal value of about 64 million rand, they're likely to sell at a 'bargain price,' according to auctioneer Clive Lazarus. Individual residences in the neighborhood can sell for as much as 20 million rand, he said. Proceeds from the sale will help settle claims by creditors since Confident Concept Pty Ltd., the Gupta-linked company that owns the properties, entered into a local form of bankruptcy protection in 2018. The auction had been held up because it was in litigation over financial distress and disputes about property development with local authorities. The compound's role as the epicenter in what became known as 'state capture' was highlighted during a probe led by former chief justice Raymond Zondo, which began in 2018 and implicated more than 1,400 persons and entities. His panel heard that the brothers held clandestine meetings in their homes, where many people were offered kickbacks to help the family and their associates influence government decision making and secure contracts. The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing. Atul was the first of the brothers to arrive from India in South Africa in 1993, just as the country was transitioning to democracy. Dispatched to the continent in search of fortune by his father, a trader of spices and soapstone powders, he founded Sahara Computers Ltd., a year later. The company, an importer and distributor of Windows PCs, grew and his brothers joined him. A single introduction to a member of the new political elite paved the way for the Guptas to mingle in powerful circles. During the viewing of the mansions, a safe that appeared to be forced open, boxes of prescription medicine, as well as spices and cupboards piled high with dinnerware suggested the Guptas left South Africa in haste. Atul and Rajesh — who are wanted in South Africa on charges including money laundering and fraud, and sanctioned by both the US and UK government — were arrested in United Arab Emirates in 2022. That's after Interpol placed them on its most-wanted list. But a UAE court, in 2023, denied South Africa's plea to extradite the brothers and their arrest warrant was canceled. South Africa provisionally withdrew its arrest warrant for Ajay in 2019, according to Reuters. Spokespersons for the President and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development referred questions, including about plans to extradite the fugitive brothers and prosecute others implicated in graft, to the National Prosecuting Authority. The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, a unit of the National Prosecuting Authority, declined to answer questions. A fourth property in the compound still bears a 'SAHARA ESTATE' sign on the outer wall but it is not up for auction this week. It's registered to a separate company linked to the family, according to Deeds Office data. The three mansions in the auction are zoned for residential use. Should the new owners want to use them for something else, they'd have to apply for permits, which aren't guaranteed to be approved. For Lumkile Mondi, a senior economics lecturer at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand, the auction is an important step but challenges lie ahead. 'The reality is that when corruption, fraud, and destruction happens, it doesn't only take place the top, it filters down to other levels,' he said. 'For many South Africans, the biggest impact has been on the supply of water, electricity and fixing of roads. To change that requires serious commitment and it's going to take a long, long time before we get things right.'
