International

Xi confronts Trudeau at G-20 in hot mic moment


Nusa Dua, Indonesia: Chinese President Xi Jinping chastised Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the G-20 summit on Wednesday for leaking details of a prior meeting during which Trudeau expressed concern about Chinese interference in domestic affairs. A Chinese spokesperson on Thursday accused Canada of acting in a “condescending manner” following a testy exchange between President...

India a Ray of Hope for the World, says PM Modi


Bali, Indonesia: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday underlined how India has opened more than 320 million bank accounts, calling it a number more than the entire population of the United States, and added that the country is the fastest-growing large economy and ranked first in several sectors. Addressing the Indian diaspora in Indonesia at...

Nobel Laureate Venki Ramakrishnan conferred UK’s Royal Order of Merit


Indian-origin Nobel laureate Professor Venki Ramakrishnan has been awarded the prestigious Order of Merit by Britain’s King Charles III for his distinguished contribution to science.  The Order of Merit is an exclusive mark of honor conferred by the British sovereign.  The 70-year-old hails from the temple town of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu and has worked as...

Starbucks co-founder Zev Siegl tries filter coffee, dosa at Bengaluru’s famed eatery


Zev Siegl, the co-founder of Starbucks – the largest coffee chain in the world, went to try filter coffee and some South Indian food at Bengaluru’s Vidyarthi Bhavan. A plate of masala dosa and a cup of traditional filter coffee were enjoyed by Siegl. The South Indian vegetarian restaurant Vidyarthi Bhavan, which was founded...

TCS to create 1200 local jobs in Illinois by end of 2024


Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced plans to expand its footprint in Illinois by creating 1,200 new jobs by the end of 2024. This investment in the local economy is accompanied by a commitment to accelerate its STEM outreach efforts in local schools to cover 25 percent more students and teachers.  More than 3,000 Illinoisans currently...

After Modi-Sunak meeting at G-20, UK gives go-ahead to 3,000 visas for Indians


Hours after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the G20 Summit on Tuesday, the United Kingdom (UK) government gave the go-ahead for 3,000 visas for young professionals from India to work there. In the Downing Street readout, the British government said India is the first visa-national country...

Indian-origin Sikh volunteer wins Australian of the Year award


A 41-year-old Indian-origin Sikh volunteer, who experienced ethnic slurs because of his beard and turban, has been honored along with three others with the prestigious 2023 New South Wales Australian of the Year Award for supporting the community during floods, bushfires, drought and the pandemic. The New South Wales government made the announcement in...

India, Canada ink open skies agreement


India and Canada have signed an Open Skies agreement, greatly expanding flight rights between the two countries. Airlines will now be able to operate unlimited flights between key cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, ending the cap of 35 weekly flights.   Under the deal, Canadian airlines can fly to Delhi,...

NY prosecutor returns looted antiquities to India, Pakistan


Washington: New York public prosecutor Alvin Bragg has returned to India and Pakistan hundreds of looted ancient statues and figurines, some as old as 5,500 years, that were brought into the US by a network allegedly masterminded by Subash Kapoor, a convicted antique smuggler. Bragg's office in Manhattan said that 235 antiquities from India, including many...