An Indian embassy official has been allegedly found dead under mysterious circumstances inside the mission premises in Washington. According to reports, local police and the Secret Service are currently investigating the incident, including the possibility of suicide. The Embassy confirmed the death in an official statement but did not give any further details. "With deep regret, we wish to confirm that a member of the Embassy of India passed away on the evening of 18th September 2024. We are in touch with all relevant agencies and members of the family to ensure the swift transfer of the remains to India," it said.
Dhruvi Patel crowned Miss India Worldwide
Indian American Dhruvi Patel, a Computer Information Systems student has been crowned Miss India Worldwide 2024, marking her as the latest winner of the longest-running Indian pageant held outside India. The Miss India Worldwide pageant is organized by the India Festival Committee, based in New York, and led by Indian-Americans Neelam and Dharmatma Saran. Patel, who has aspirations of becoming a Bollywood actor and a UNICEF Ambassador, expressed her excitement following the victory at the Edison, New Jersey event.
Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife,’ nominated for award
Salman Rushdie’s memoir, ‘Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,’ has been nominated for a National Book Award. This candid and resilient account of his 2022 stabbing is a notable addition to Rushdie’s distinguished literary career. The National Book Foundation released the long lists for the nonfiction and poetry categories on September 12. These lists, which include 10 nominees each, will be narrowed down to five finalists on October 1. The winners will be announced at a Manhattan dinner ceremony on November 20.
Pak complains against Af diplomat
Islamabad has complained to Kabul after an Afghan diplomat failed to stand up when the Pakistani national anthem was played during an event in the country’s northwest, officials said. The foreign ministry also summoned Ahmad Shakib, Afghanistan’s charge d’affaires and its most senior diplomat in Islamabad, in protest over the incident. According to Pakistani officials, Mohibullah Shakir, the Afghan consul general in Peshawar, remained seated during the anthem at an official ceremony. The ministry spokesperson said such disrespect of the host country’s anthem went against diplomatic norms.
Nikki Haley turns radio host
Former Republican prez candidate Nikki Haley is launching her own radio talk show on SiriusX Mthat’s set to air once a week. She’ll do interviews, take listener calls and talk politics on the show. Her radio show, however, “is not going to be about campaigning for a particular candidate,” she said. She said she’d been approached by some partisan news outlets, but she didn’t identify them. Her campaign, she said, taught her how the media is tainted and partisan outlets are predictable. “That’s what Americans are tired of,” she said. “They don’t want to go on and watch a news show and know exactly which candidate they're pushing. They want to know the issues.”
Pak names US-educated Gen as new ISI chief
Pakistan’s ISI will have a new chief in Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik from Sept 30, replacing former PM Imran Khan’s appointee, Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, the military’s media wing said. Malik is a graduate of Fort Leavenworth in the US and the Royal College of Defence Studies in London. A recipient of the Sword of Honour in his course, he had also served as the chief instructor at the National Defence University in Islamabad and taught at the Command and Staff College, Quetta. Malik takes over from Anjum at a time when Pakistan has been facing a surge of militant attacks in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Arrest warrant against Argentina president
Venezuela’s highest court, Supreme Tribunal of Justice, approved a warrant for the arrest of Argentina’s Prez Javier Milei, a vocal critic and ideological rival of counterpart Nicolas Maduro. The warrant was issued over the “theft” of a Venezuelan plane seized in Buenos Aires for alleged sanctions violations. But it is only symbolic as Milei is unlikely to set foot in this country, where the warrant applies. Warrants were also issued for Argentina’s security minister and the presidential advisor.
US lawmakers express outrage
More than two dozen top American lawmakers have expressed outrage over the recent vandalism of a Hindu temple in New York, which came days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US. The road and the signage outside the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Melville, New York, were sprayed with expletives last week. “The desecration of this Hindu house of worship is vile. Hate has no place on Long Island or anywhere else in New York or across America,” Senate Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer said. “I am deeply saddened by the desecration of the BAPS Mandir. This act of vandalism is a clear attempt to incite hatred against Hindus and has no place in our country,” he said
Kerala-born Norwegian citizen under probe
A man from Wayanad who migrated to Norway has emerged as an alleged link in the sensational pager explosions in Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah fighters and killed 12 people. Norta Global Ltd, based in Sofia, Bulgaria - allegedly owned by Rinson Jose (37) of Wayanad, now a Norwegian citizen - is being probed by international security agencies following reports linking it to the sale of hundreds of pagers. Hungarian media reported that Norta Global had facilitated the sale of the pagers. The firm’s website has been taken down now. However, Bulgaria’s State Agency for National Security said that Norta Global and its owner had “not carried out any transaction linked to the sale or purchase of the merchandise” or that which “falls under laws on terrorism financing.”
