iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

ChatGPT developer OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has invested in an artificial intelligence (AI) startup, founded by two Indian-origin teenagers Aryan Sharma and Ayush Pathak in the Silicon valley in the US. The startup Induced AI, founded this year, has raised $2.3 million in its seed-funding round led by Altman and VC firm Peak XV, along with “an incredible set of investors”.

“We let anyone create virtual AI workers that can automate the execution of workflows on a browser in the cloud with human-like reasoning,” Sharma said on Wednesday.

Other angel investors include Balaji Srinivasan (former CTO Coinbase), Julian Weisser (Co-founder, On Deck), Tyler Willis (Co-founder, Unsupervised), Cory Levy (Z Fellows), Nakul Gupta (ex-Coinbase), Ankur Nandwani (Founder, ZetaChain), Sudarshan Sridharan (Founder, Pipeline), Rahul Agarwal (Co-founder, Valent), Enzo Coglitore, Daksh Miglani (Co-founder, Valent), Rahul Rai, Sanat Kapur (Dragonfly Capital), Kyler Wang and Karan Dalal.

Induced AI allows automation of workflows that require real-time reasoning or dynamic judgement (filtering leads, cross-referencing documents, memory. etc) — things that are hard and painful to set up with traditional browser automation/RPA.

Automation of browser tasks has so far been restricted to deterministic and ruleset-based workflows that are run on old RPA (Robotic Process Automation) software.

“Our automated workflows run on a purpose-built browser environment that is designed specially for autonomous navigation. Web interactions, authentication, reasoning, memory — all are embedded in this underlying browser layer,” informed Sharma.

Induced AI is also part of AI Grant’s Batch 2.

“We’re thrilled to have Nat Friedman (former CEO, Github) and Daniel Gross (ex-YC and Pioneer) join us as well,” according to the startup.

The startup has taken an infrastructure-centric approach, and instead of running on a standard browser, “we’ve purpose-built a browser that is designed for running automated workflows”.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has topped Forbes’ 400 richest people in America in 2023 list for the second year in a row, with an estimated fortune of $251 billion, leaving behind fellow tech titans Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and CTO and Co-founder of Oracle Larry Ellison.

According to Forbes, Musk is worth exactly the same as last year — and $90 billion more than second-place Bezos, who’s worth an estimated $161 billion.

Despite paying $44 billion for Twitter (now X) last year, he has maintained his wealth. This has been helped by a five-fold increase in the value of his rocket company SpaceX, which is now worth $150 billion after four years.

Nine of the top 20 are worth $100 billion or more, the most ever, and up from just four last year.

While Ellison ranked three with an estimated fortune of $158 billion, Forbes said that no one in America has become wealthier this year than him, who is $57 billion richer because of the generative AI craze boosting shares of his software company.

Google’s co-founder Larry Page, who ranked fifth, got $21 billion richer this year due to a 26 per cent jump in the shares of its parent company Alphabet. His wealth is now estimated at $114 billion.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who was once the world’s richest man, now sits at the sixth spot on America’s list with an estimated fortune of $111 billion, while Page’s Google co-founder, Sergey Brin, comes in at number seven with a fortune of $110 billion.

Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg spent part of this year fending off Musk’s challenge to a cage fight, but his early investment in AI has helped him consolidate his $106 billion fortune.

Gates’ former right-hand man, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, ranks ninth with $101 billion.

Ritu Jha–

“Everybody’s life matters,” says the wife of a South Asian clerk who was set on fire when he tried to stop a shoplifter at his store in the San Francisco Bay Area. On September 22, Kendall Lavamon Burton (38) allegedly tried to burn Suraj, who works at Appian Food and Liquor, a convenience store in El Sobrante with a lighter.

Matt J. Malone, Public Information Officer, Superior Court of California, Contra Costa County, told indica that Burton has been charged with six felonies, including assault with a deadly weapon, arson causing bodily injury, robbery, and more.

“An arraignment occurred on September 27, and the defendant was remanded to custody with bail set at $5,000,000. The bail has not been posted. A further readiness conference is set for October 6, 2023, at 8:30 A.M. in Department 23,” Malone said.

Sabeena Parajuli wife of Suraj, the victim, told indica, “He usually doesn’t say when they come and shoplift. But this was his third time that day and he kept coming again and again. Suraj was in the restroom, and when he came out this man was again stealing the fluid lighter, it was then Suraj said, “Hey bro you have to go out and you cannot do this thing and the perpetrator was confronting and standing by the door.”

She said the guy threw kerosene fluid on him and Surai thought if he threw the fluid now he would try to burn me and so he was trying to stop him not to getting the lighter but he already had a light and lit it.”

Suraj is the eldest of the family three siblings. “He has to support his family back home in Nepal,” said Parajuli, who came to the US in 2018 from the Himalayan nation. The couple had married in 2015.

Parajuli said, “You come to this country for a better life and greater opportunities. Nobody has to go through this pain and trauma… At age 25, I felt completely devastated. Our parents are not here and I feel scared. The first two weeks I was traumatized; now feel I am able to talk.”

She said she was doing regular household chores when a co-worker called. By the time I reached the store, he was taken to the hospital. I was too much in shock to realize what was happening for 15 minutes. I was like, what’s going on. Everything was just a blur and there were so many policemen.”

Suraj was taken to Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco. Parajuli told indica that Suraj has received second and third degree burns on his face, back of the neck, chest, shoulder, and hands. “His eye was badly swollen and he was not able to see properly. I thought it got damaged, but now doctors say it is okay.”

Parajuli has set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for pay for Suraj’s hospital bills, and future treatment. 

Preetesh Karki, President, Nepali Association of Northern California (NANC) told indica that there are about 30,000 Nepalis in and around the Bay area, and most of them have migrated within the past decade. “A majority of our population works in the retail and service industry,” he said. “We have considered this incident as an opportunity for the community to re-evaluate our workplace safety and standards. We are planning to host some workshops and seminars related to workplace violence and safety in the near future to keep our community more aware and hence safe.”

He added, “This young hard-working couple have always been active members of our community and have helped anyone in need. Now it’s our turn to help them back. So, I ask for everyone’s support. Please help,” Karki said.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Eight Kerala-origin Indian Americans will be honored at an award ceremony in New York this month for achievements in their respective fields and for their service to the society. The Indian American Kerala Cultural and Civic Center will present its 31st annual awards banquet on October 28 in Elmont, which will likely be attended by prominent leaders from India, US as well as members of the diaspora community.

“The Kerala Center has been honoring outstanding achievers since 1992. Every year we invite nominations and the committee has to make a unanimous choice for a candidate in a category to receive the award and this year is no different from previous years in terms of their achievements,” said Thomas Abraham, Kerala Center’s Trustee Board Chairman and Award Committee Member.

Shyam Kottilil, a virologist and immunologist, will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for making pivotal contributions in the field of Hepatitis and HIV. He is currently the Interim Director of the Institute of Human Virology in Baltimore.

Canada-based Sajeeb Koya, the man behind the LED façade lighting that lights up world’s tallest building Burj Khalifa in Dubai, will be honored with an Entrepreneurship Award. He hails from Thiruvananthapuram.

Lata Menon practised as a lawyer in Kerala, Maharashtra and Karnataka before immigrating to Canada. In addition to her professional activities as a lawyer, Lata is an active supporter and champion of women’s equality and rights.

“Lata has touched the lives of several of her clients who came to her in distress when faced with family discord, domestic violence, abuse, and family disputes, which she has influenced many of her clients to pull their lives together and persevere in the face of adversity,” a Kerala Cultural and Civic Center release noted.

“Lata’s achievements and success makes her a true leader, mentor, formidable force, influence, and inspiration to many.”

Dr Anna George, President of the Indian Nurses Association of New York (INANY), and Shelby Kutty will be recognized for their contributions in the field of healthcare, while Gopala Pillai will be honored for community service. Pillai has been with the World Malayali Council since 1995 as its secretary, president and chairman.

Jayant Kamicheril, a 2022 Sahithya Akademy award recipient, and Ajay Ghosh, Chief Editor and Co-Publisher of The Universal News Network, will also be recognized for contributions in the field of literature and media.

Kerala Center President Alex K. Esthappan said that the Center has recognised over 170 Americans hailing from Kerala in the last 31 years. The award ceremony will be followed by cultural and entertainment programs.

Though the exact number of Keralites in the US is unknown, Thiruvananthapuram-based International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMD) reckons that there are at least 4 million from the community abroad, of which at least 20 per cent are settled in the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.

Kerala is officially preparing a data bank of Keralites, a move that will help the state find the number of Malayalis working abroad, especially in the US, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

BioTek reMEDys, a Delaware-based pharma company and its Indian American CEO Chaitanya Gadde, have agreed to pay $20 million to resolve allegations of violating the False Claims Act of paying kickbacks to patients and physicians to protect its revenue stream.

The government alleged that, from at least August 2015 through May 2020, the specialty pharmacy that offers drugs and infusion services, routinely waived the copayments of Medicare and TRICARE patients to induce those patients to purchase its drugs and services.

Many of the specialty drugs offered by BioTek were expensive and required patients to pay large copays, a Department of Justice release stated on Monday.

The government said that the company sought to avoid deterring patients from purchasing its drugs and services by engaging in a scheme, orchestrated and implemented by Gadde to routinely waive these large copays, without regard for whether the patients were experiencing financial hardship.

When a Medicare beneficiary obtains a prescription drug covered by Medicare, the beneficiary may be required to make a partial payment, which may take the form of a copayment, coinsurance or a deductible (collectively copays).

Congress included copay requirements in the Medicare program in part to serve as a check on health care costs.

It was also alleged that BioTek provided remuneration in the form of gifts, dinners and free administrative and clinical support services to physicians to induce them to refer patients to BioTek.

The government named Dr David Tabby — who operated a neurology practice in Pennsylvania — and claimed that he knowingly solicited and accepted the remuneration in exchange for referring numerous patients to BioTek.

The Department’s release stated that Tabby has separately paid $480,000 to settle these allegations, based on his ability to pay.

“BioTek allegedly provided improper physician inducements and covered up kickbacks for patient referrals by waiving co-pays,” said US Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

“BioTek’s alleged scheme, orchestrated and implemented by Gadde, Dr Tabby, and others, to routinely waive these copays — without regard for whether the patients were experiencing financial hardship — ensured a steady revenue stream for BioTek and undermined patient care to citizens of this District,” Romero said.

The federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits the offering, paying, soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, of any remuneration — which includes money or any other thing of value — to refer or arrange for the referral of items or services payable by any federal healthcare program.

This prohibition extends to companies that routinely waive the copays of Medicare patients without determination of financial need.

The Anti-Kickback Statute also extends to the payment of remuneration to physicians in exchange for patient referrals.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by former BioTek employees Shantae M. Wyatt and Latoya Sparrow.

Under those provisions, a private party may file an action on behalf of the US and receive a portion of any recovery. Wyatt and Sparrow will receive $4 million as their share of the settlement with BioTek and Gadde, and $91,200 as their share of the settlement with Dr Tabby.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Tuesday said that Ottawa wants “private talks with India to resolve a diplomatic dispute” over the killing of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Reuters reported.

“We are in contact with the government of India. We take Canadian diplomats’ safety very seriously and we will continue to engage privately because we think diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private,” Reuters quoted Joly as saying to reporters.

The statement by Joly comes after a report said India had asked Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats.

READ: indica’s comprehensive coverage of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations and the aftermath

India has told Canada that it must repatriate the diplomats by October 10. Neither Joly nor Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded when asked if the report was accurate, as per Reuters.

There is a strain in India-Canada relations following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations regarding the Indian government’s ‘potential role’ in the fatal shooting of Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Trudeau, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

However, India rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The country has said it wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the allegations.

Trudeau on Tuesday said that his country was not “looking to escalate the situation with India,” adding that Ottawa wants to remain on the ground in New Delhi to help Canadians, Reuters reported.

“Canada is not looking to escalate the situation with India, will continue to engage responsibly and constructively with New Delhi. We want to be on the ground in India to help the Canadian families there,” Reuters quoted Trudeau as saying.

Trudeau had said last week that Canada is still committed to building closer ties with India, despite “credible allegations of the Indian government’s involvement” in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canada-based National Post reported. India has rejected the claims as “absurd” and “motivated”.

Pointing to the increasing influence of India worldwide, Trudeau said that it is “extremely important” that Canada and its allies continue to engage with India.

“India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented with our Indo-Pacific strategy, just last year, we’re very serious about building closer ties with India,” he had told reporters.

“At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasize that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,” National Post quoted Trudeau as saying.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said his government is “not looking to escalate” diplomatic tensions with India but did not say if his government would engage in a tit for tat response as the latter asked Ottawa to pull out 41 diplomats.

Trudeau was speaking as he arrived to attend the Liberal caucus meeting here on Tuesday, in wake of India seeking removal of 41 diplomats by October 10, following which it would revoke their diplomatic immunity, the CBC reported.

READ: indica’s comprehensive coverage of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations and the aftermath

To a question if his government would retaliate on the diplomatic front, Trudeau contended his government would try to keep working with India.

“We’re not looking to escalate, as I’ve said, we’re going to be doing the work that matters in continuing to have constructive relations with India through this extremely difficult time,” he said.

Bilateral ties between the two countries have nosedived recently, after Trudeau said there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the assassination of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.

Trudeau said Canada’s diplomatic relationship with India is “going through an extremely challenging time” and that the ongoing dispute between the two countries has made it “important for us to have diplomats on the ground working with the Indian government there to support Canadians and Canadian families”, the CBC said.

He said that his government is taking the diplomatic dispute “extremely seriously” and is going to continue to try and “engage responsibly and constructively” with India to sort it out.

Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he is very concerned about India’s decision to ask for the removal of Canadian diplomats and that his party will “monitor the situation” to protect Canadians here and abroad.

IANS-

A 31-year-old man from Hyderabad in the US died of drowning after accidentally falling into a swimming pool, as per information reaching his family here.

Mohammed Mustafa Shareef, who was working as a food delivery boy in Pinellas Park in Florida state, slipped into a swimming pool and died while returning after delivering food, according to the information.

He is survived by his wife and two sons with the youngest only five-month-old.

A resident of Mallapur in Rangareddy district near Hyderabad, Shareef had gone to the US only nine months ago. His family has requested External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to ask the Indian Embassy in Washington and Indian Consulate in Atlanta to provide the assistance. They also requested the minister to ask the US Embassy in New Delhi and the Indian Consulate General in Atlanta to issue emergency visas to the deceased’s parents and in-laws to attend final rites.

Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT) leader Amjed Ullah Khan met Shareef’s family members and consoled them.

 

 

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

India is now the second-biggest manufacturing hub for mobile phones due to heavy investment from original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers and companies dealing in components and parts, a new report showed on Tuesday. India is expected to export about 22 per cent of its total assembled mobile phones in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research.

However, China’s manufacturing and supply chain will still maintain its essential role in the longer run,” said senior research analyst Ivan Lam.

In a fillip to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, India saw mobile phones exports worth $5.5 billion (over Rs 45,000 crore) in the April-August period in the ongoing fiscal year (FY24), government and industry data showed recently.

As per the estimates by the Department of Commerce and the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), the April-August period saw mobile phone exports worth $5.5 billion, against $3 billion (about ₹25,000 crore) in the same period in FY22-23.

India is set to cross Rs 1,20,000 crore in mobile phone exports in the current fiscal year, with Apple leading the market with more than 50 per cent in FY24.

Meanwhile, according to the report, smartphone shipments from original design manufacturers (ODMs) and Independent Design Houses (ODMs/IDHs) declined six per cent (year-on-year) in the first half this year, according to the report.

“The YoY decline in ODM/IDH companies’ H1 2023 shipments was driven by Samsung, Xiaomi and Lenovo Group’s weak performance. However, Vivo, HONOR and Transsion Group’s rise offset part of the decline,” said senior research analyst Shenghao Bai.

Huaqin, Longcheer and Wingtech continued to dominate the competitive landscape of the global smartphone ODM/IDH industry in H1 2023.

The companies, also known as the ‘Big 3,’ accounted for 76 per cent of the global ODM/IDH smartphone market in the first half. Outsourced design shipments decreased in H1 2023 but their share increased when compared to the same period last year, the report mentioned. The top six ODMs took 95 per cent share of the total ODM shipments.

By Prakash Narayan–

(Prakash Narayan is chief technology officer at 3K Technologies)

IIT Bay Area’s Leadership Conference on September 16, 2023 at the Santa Clara Convention Center embraced the principles of Resilience and Reinvention.

As we are collectively facing the aftermath of the Pandemic-induced “Great Reset”, along with stubborn inflation, the ongoing war in Russia, a decline in GDP, and a deterioration of startup valuations, the conference equipped the attendees with the tools and ideas necessary to navigate through these turbulent times with knowledge, determination and strength.

The conference got off to a rousing start with the opening keynote by Jensen Huang, President of NVIDIA. Jensen was joined on stage by a rock star team of NVIDIA execs (all IIT Alumni) — Raj Rajagopalan, VP of Go To Market; Vivek Singh, VP of Advanced Technology Group — with responsibility for Computational Lithography; Sameer Halepete, VP of VLSI Engineering.

Jensen Huang mesmerized the audience by recalling the early beginning of NVIDIA — where he placed 2 big bets: Accelerated Computing and AI.

The fundamental principle that general purpose computing needs to be augmented by accelerated computing (by adding a parallel processor next to the CPU) has served NVIDIA well since its inception.

He envisions a world where anything with structure can be understood and composed by computing. At this time, Natural Language processing (which is structured) is largely tackled. There is structure in the physical world.

So, it should be possible to use deep learning to learn the language of climate, represent proteins, design enzymes that can eat plastic and carbon — thus mitigating the effects of global warming.

He believes that it should be possible to use digital technologies to revolutionize the world’s largest industries.

For example, buildings and factories are not efficiently designed. They are either over engineered (thus making them too expensive to build) or under engineered (thus making them prone to getting impacted under extreme conditions).

Jensen also talked about his recent meetings with Prime Minister Modi. He admired Modi’s bold stance of not exporting grain and export bread, instead. He also met with Nandan Nilekani and N Chandrasekaran (Chairman, Tata Group).

He admitted that the problems that they are solving in IT is much harder than AI. He predicted that India is going to be one of the largest AI markets in the world.

Jensen advised the audience to find problems that are hard for everyone and surround yourself with good people to try and solve those problems. He further advised that while there are hardships to overcome in reaching a goal, always remember the learnings and forget the pain and suffering.

When asked if he sees jobs being lost to AI, he responded, “We will not lose jobs to AI, we will lose our jobs to someone who uses AI.

Certainly, Jensen was right when the closing keynote speaker Prof. Jitendra Malik, UC Berkeley and Former head of AI Research at Meta talked on the topic of “When will we have Intelligent Robots”.

Dr. Malik said that what took 550 million years to develop is harder to replicate by AI / robots. So, while AI can perform complex tasks of supply chain automation; image / video recognition — including self-driving cars, AI cannot perform simple tasks that require dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

This is referred to as Moravec’s paradox which states that it is comparatively easy to make computers exhibit adult level performance on intelligence tests or playing checkers, and difficult or impossible to give them skills of a one-year-old when it comes to perception and mobility.

Dr. Malik showed some impressive videos of legged robots with the ability to adapt to unfamiliar terrain like sand, mud, grass and dirt.

More conference articles covered by indica can be read at the site https://iitbaycon.org.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

India is learnt to have told Canada to withdraw around 40 diplomats from the country by October 10 amid worsening ties between the two nations, according to reports. The reports have said that New Delhi has conveyed to Canada that if the diplomats are not withdrawn by the deadline, they will lose their diplomatic immunity.

There are more than 60 Canadian diplomats posted in India.

READ: indica’s comprehensive coverage of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations and the aftermath

Last month, after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had alleged in Parliament that Indian intelligence agents may have been involved in the murder of Sikh pro-Khalistan hardliner Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the diplomatic relations have hit an all time low between the two nations.

Following Trudeau’s allegations, both the countries had expelled a diplomat each.

India had also termed Canada’s allegations as “politically driven”.

On September 21, while replying to questions related to a possible reduction of Canadian diplomats stationed in India, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said: “Yes, we’ve informed the government of Canada that there should be parity in strength in our mutual diplomatic presence. Their number is very much higher than ours in Canada… I assume there will be a reduction from the Canadian side.”

Nijjar was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 by masked gunmen.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Indian American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign has asked the Republican National Committee (RNC) to limit the number of presidential candidates on stage to four for the party’s next presidential primary debate in Miami on November 8.

In a letter to RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, the presidential aspirant has asked the party to allow only top four candidates in national polling, aside from former President Donald Trump, to be allowed onto the debate stage, CBS News reported.

“Another unhelpful debate in November is not an option,” Ben Yoho, the CEO of Ramaswamy’s campaign, wrote in the letter.

“Voters are not well-served when a cacophony of candidates with minimal chance of success talk over each other from the edge of the stage, while the overwhelming frontrunner is absent from the center of that same stage,” he added.

Yoho also called for the donor threshold to be raised to 100,000 unique donors, up from the 70,000-donor threshold in the RNC’s current debate criteria.

He requested “greater time for candidates to respond to their competitors”, and for a single debate moderator “who is able to enforce debate rules and avoid candidates indiscernibly shouting over each other”.

Including Ramaswamy, the last primary debate in September had seven candidates — former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

According to the RNC, to qualify for the third debate, candidates will have to register a minimum of 4 per cent support in two national polls or one national poll and two state-wide surveys in early-voting states, and also have to show they have at least 70,000 unique donors.

Trump, DeSantis, Ramaswamy and Haley appear to have met the qualifications for the third debate stage, according to a tracker by Politico.

An average of national polls compiled by FiveThirtyEight shows that Trump remains the strongest challenger with 54.8 per cent votes, followed by DeSantis and Ramaswamy.

Chris LaCivita, a Trump campaign adviser, told CBS News that the former President will skip the third debate as well.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Former President Donald Trump arrived on Monday morning at a courthouse in lower Manhattan, New York City, where a civil trial against him is scheduled to begin. This lawsuit, brought by the New York attorney general’s office, alleges that Trump, his adult sons, their businesses, and Trump Organization executives were involved in fraudulent activities.

Trump is listed as a potential witness for both the attorney general and the defense, although it remains uncertain whether he will be called to testify, according to CNN.

There have been various attempts to exclude Trump from the ballot in the upcoming year based on his alleged role in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

However, the Supreme Court recently declined to entertain one of these challenges, rejecting an appeal from John Anthony Castro, a less-known candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

Castro’s case rested on a post-Civil War provision of the 14th Amendment, disqualifying any American official who has “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” or provided “aid or comfort” to insurrectionists.

Notably, the case was denied without any comment or recorded vote. Nonetheless, there are still ongoing 14th Amendment challenges against Trump in Minnesota and Colorado, with trials scheduled for later this year.

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign continues to criticize Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James, characterizing the upcoming fraud trial as politically motivated.

“Letitia James made clear that ‘getting Trump’ was the motivating force behind her campaign for attorney general,” the Trump campaign said in a new statement, which also referred to James as a “Democratic activist,” according to CNN.

In response, Attorney General Letitia James emphasized the principle that no one is above the law, regardless of their status or wealth. She stated, “My message is simple: No matter how powerful you are, no matter how much money you think you may have, no one is above the law.”

“The law is both powerful and fragile, and today in court we will prove our case,” James said before the expected start of former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial in Manhattan.

Last September, James brought a $250 million lawsuit alleging that Trump and his co-defendants repeatedly engaged in fraud by inflating asset values on financial statements to secure favourable terms on commercial real estate loans and insurance policies.

Last week, the attorney general noted that a Supreme Court judge found Trump and his co-defendants liable for fraud for grossly inflating asset valuations on financial statement, CNN reported.

Additionally, the trial is expected to provide insight into Trump’s business operations and net worth. The attorney general’s office has alleged that Trump inflated his net worth by up to USD 3.6 billion in various years between 2011 and 2021.

Trump’s attorneys have countered these claims, arguing that asset valuations are subjective, and they are still assessing the implications of the ruling for the company’s future, CNN reported.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

The US has said it is in close coordination with Canada on allegations regarding the Indian government’s involvement in the fatal shooting of designated Khalistan terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

“We remain in close coordination with our Canadian colleagues on this question,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said while responding to a question related to Nijjar’s killing in Canada.

Miller’s remarks came during a daily press briefing on Monday.

READ: indica’s comprehensive coverage of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations and the aftermath

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18.

Trudeau, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’.

Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Miller said the US has engaged with the Indian government on a number of occasions to urge them to cooperate with Canada’s investigation.

He said US State Secretary Antony Blinken had an opportunity to discuss the issue with India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during their meeting on Friday.

Meanwhile, Trudeau has said that Ottawa wants to “work constructively with India” regarding the allegations.

While addressing a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trudeau said, “In regards to India, Canada has shared the credible allegations that I talked about on Monday. With India, we did that many weeks ago. We are there to work constructively with India and we hope that they engage with us so that we can get to the bottom of this very serious matter.”

EAM Jaishankar recently said that the ongoing problem with Canada has been there for some years because of the “permissiveness” by the government regarding terrorism, extremism and violence in the country.

Jaishankar said that the current situation can’t be termed a “deadlock”, adding that the Indian government is open to looking at any specific and relevant thing shared by the Canadian side in connection with the issue.

Addressing a press conference in Washington DC on Friday, Jaishankar said, “Well, I don’t know if I would use the term deadlock…The issue is as follows: The Canadians have made some allegations. We have pointed out to them that this is not the Government of India’s policy and if they are prepared to share with us specifics and anything relevant, we are also open to looking at it. So in that sense, that’s where the matter stands”.

“But what we do not want to see is an incident treated in isolation because then that somewhere does not convey the right picture,” he added.

The EAM said that the ongoing problem with Canada is because of the “permissiveness” regarding terrorism, extremism and violence in the country.

India has suspended its visa services in Canada, following Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegations of Indian involvement in the killing.

Amid strained ties, India issued an advisory for its citizens and those who are travelling to Canada to exercise “utmost caution in view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence” in the country.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

A 19-foot statue of B.R. Ambedkar, named ‘Statue of Equality’ and also the largest outside India, is set to be unveiled in Maryland on October 14 to celebrate the life and legacy of the leader and architect of the Indian Constitution.

Built on 13 acres of land in Accokeek city, just 21 miles away from White House, it is a replica of the world’s largest 125-feet Ambedkar statue unveiled in Hyderabad recently, according to the organizers.

According to the Ambedkar International Center (AIC), it is the “largest statue of Ambedkar outside India”, and part of the organization’s first Ambedkar Memorial project in the US.

“Be a part of this inspiring occasion as we honor Dr Ambedkar’s contributions to equality, human rights, and empowerment,” AIC said in a statement.

“Witness the grand unveiling of the magnificent statue, a symbol of his enduring influence, and pay homage to the great leader who dedicated his life to fighting injustice.”

The event, which will begin at 10 a.m. EST, will be followed by cultural performances.

The statue is crafted by renowned artist and sculptor Ram Sutar, a Padma Shri award recipient, who also built the biggest Sardar Patel statue in Ahmedabad.

Sutar has made more than 90 monumental sculptures in the last 60 years, which have been placed in India, the US, France, Argentina, Italy, Russia and Malaysia.

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iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

India’s unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in 12 months during September, according to data compiled by the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). The overall unemployment rate declined to 7.09 per cent in September down from 8.10 per cent in August. The figures mark a reversal as the unemployment rate in August had shot up in August from 7.9 per cent in July.

India’s monsoon rainfall this year was its lowest since 2018 as the El Nino weather pattern made August the driest in more than a century, according to the weather department.

However, the rains picked up momentum again in September which had led to a revival in farm activity that appears to have created more jobs in the rural areas during the month.

Similarly, urban unemployment appears to have come down as key festivities gather momentum in September with Ganesh Chaturthi leading to more hiring, especially in the retail sector, that is also done keeping in mind that the Diwali and Dussehra festivals will follow soon after.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Air India flight AI-173, scheduled to depart for San Francisco from Delhi early on Tuesday, was cancelled hours before its scheduled take-off, causing inconvenience to the passengers.

“This is to inform you about your flight AI-173 (DEL- SFO) flight has been cancelled due to operational reasons,” read the message sent by Air India to one of the passengers.

The flight was scheduled to take off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6.a.m. on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, an Air India spokesperson said that an alternate Boeing 777 has been arranged which will depart for San Francisco on October 3 (Tuesday) afternoon.

“All the passengers have been taken care of. Those who cancelled their tickets have received full refund along with a compensation package. We have also arranged hotel stay for some passengers, who are scheduled to leave by the flight on October 3,” the spokesperson said.

“All the passengers have been taken care of. Those who cancelled their tickets have received full refund along with a compensation package. We have also arranged hotel stay for some passengers, who are scheduled to leave by the flight on October 3,” the spokesperson said.

This is the same flight, which enroute San Francisco from Delhi in June this year was forced to divert and make an emergency landing at the Magadan airport in Russia due to a technical issue with one of its engines.

The flight, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, encountered the problem mid-air, prompting the pilot to take immediate action to ensure the safety of all on board. Video footage had surfaced on Twitter showing stranded Air India passengers forced to sleep on the floor of a school after their flight was diverted to Magadan.

By Mayank Chhaya-

It is tempting to view the landmark antitrust trial against Alphabet, Google’s parent company, as a slugfest between Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella.

Interestingly, emblematic of how higher Indian American professionals punch above their demographic weight is the fact that it is District Judge Amit Mehta, who will decide the case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, testified against Alphabet and by, indirect implication, its CEO Pichai in what is shaping up to be a trial that goes to the heart of not just who dominates the search market but even how artificial intelligence or AI will influence the space.

Following Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI, there were expectations that the company’s laggard search engine Bing would be hopped up enough to shake Google’s stranglehold. However, Nadella seemed to suggest something precisely to the contrary.

He testified that Google would use its profits from its search engine to notch up exclusive deals with publishers as part of a strategy to train its AI models. This is likely to arrest the growth of Bing and other search engines.

It is remarkable that one powerful Indian American CEO is the most high-profile witness for the government against another powerful Indian American CEO. According to various media reports of his testimony, Nadella called the Internet “Google web” and suggested that even a company like Microsoft valued at $2.4 trillion could find it hard to challenge Google’s dominance.

The government’s overarching case is that Alphabet/Google had managed to strike anticompetitive deals which could easily finish all rivals. While the historic trial, the first of its kind in the age of the internet, is not a personal combat between Pichai and Nadella, in so much as they both head the two tech giants it does end up looking somewhat personal.

It was quite remarkable that with the advent of AI and Microsoft rapid entry into it was expected that the company would begin to gradually chip away at Google’s near total search dominance. However, Nadella was quoted as saying something quite striking during his three-hour long testimony. “Despite my enthusiasm that there is a new angle with A.I., I worry a lot that this vicious cycle that I’m trapped in could get even more vicious,” Nadella said.

Nadella’s tone may not have been defeatist, but he certainly sounded as if he was resigned to Pichai and Google not giving up its control over the market unless the antitrust trial managed to do it.

As an illustration of how direct Nadella was that he described as “bogus” Google’s claim that users could change their search engine whenever they like. He made it sound as if Google search were now a reflexive habit among the users. “You get up in the morning, you brush your teeth, and you search on Google,” he said.

On its part, Google has attributed Bing’s failure to gain ground to its inferior quality. Since its introduction in 2009, according to some reports, it has barely managed three percent of the search market as opposed to over 90 percent by Google, according to StatCounter. Microsoft’s attempts to get Apple to make Bing its default search on iPhone and other devices have not worked. According to Bloomberg, Nadella testified that Apple had used its negotiations with Microsoft to “bid up the price” with Google.

A lot rides on the 10-week-long trial not just for Nadella and Pichai but the tech industry generally.

(Photo credit :US District Court, District of Columbia.)

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp banned a record over 7.4 million bad accounts in India in the month of August, in compliance with the new Indian IT Rules 2021. Between August 1-31, the company banned 7,420,748 accounts.

About 3,506,905 of these accounts were proactively banned, before any reports from users, WhatsApp said in its monthly compliance report.

The popular messaging platform, which has over 500 million users in the country, received another record 14,767 complaint reports in August in the country, and the records “actioned” were 71.

“Accounts Actioned” denotes reports where WhatsApp took remedial action based on the report and taking action denotes either banning an account or a previously banned account being restored as a result.

“This user-safety report contains details of the user complaints received and the corresponding action taken by WhatsApp, as well as WhatsApp’s own preventive actions to combat abuse on our platform,” according to the company.

Moreover, the company received only one order from the Grievance Appellate Committee in the country in August, and complied with it.

In a bid to empower millions of Indian social media users, the Centre recently launched the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) that looks into their concerns regarding content and other issues.

The newly-formed panel, a move to strengthen the country’s digital laws to tame the Big Tech companies, will look into appeals by users against decisions of social media platforms.

“We are an industry leader among end-to-end encrypted messaging services in preventing and combating abuse. In addition to our safety features and controls, we employ a team of engineers, data scientists, analysts, researchers, and experts in law enforcement, online safety, and technology developments to oversee these efforts,” said WhatsApp.


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iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, while remembering former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary said that his iconic call for ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ resonates even today.

PM Modi today paid tribute to Lal Bahadur Shastri at Delhi’s Vijay Ghat on the occasion of Shastri Jayanti.

“Remembering Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji on his Jayanti. His simplicity, dedication to the nation, and iconic call for ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ resonate even today, inspiring generations. His unwavering commitment to India’s progress and his leadership during challenging times remain exemplary. May we always work to realise his vision for a strong India,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar also paid tribute to former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat on his birth anniversary.

Paying homage to Shastri, Congress national president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that the simplicity of Shastri will always be an inspiration to all.

“From land reforms to laying the foundation of milk and green revolution, from abolishing the third class in railways to providing seats for women in buses, from the 1965 war to serving the country with our Gandhian ideas – our ideals, We remember the unprecedented contribution of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri ji. The simplicity and simple life of Shastri ji, who was rich in high thoughts, will always be an inspiration for us.’Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan’,” Kharge said in a post on X.

Born in Uttar Pradesh in 1904, Lal Bahadur Shastri was the second Prime Minister of India and served from 1964 to 1966. He died in Tashkent on January 11, 1966, at the age of 61, soon after signing the Tashkent Pact with Pakistan.

Former PM Shastri was a great visionary leader, who understood people’s language and who led the country towards progress. Shastri Ji was deeply influenced by the political teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi’s Rajghat on the occasion of the icon’s birth anniversary on Monday.

Mahatma Gandhi’s impact is global, said PM Modi in a post on X, today while also urging to work towards fulfilling Gandhi’s dreams.

“I bow to Mahatma Gandhi on the special occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. His timeless teachings continue to illuminate our path. Mahatma Gandhi’s impact is global, motivating the entire humankind to further the spirit of unity and compassion. May we always work towards fulfilling his dreams. May his thoughts enable every youngster be the agent of change he dreamt of, fostering unity and harmony all over,” the Prime Minister said in his post.

Earlier on Monday, Congress national president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge paid tributes to Gandhi at Rajghat.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Delhi Lieutenant Governor LG Saxena also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.

Yesterday, on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, President Droupadi Murmu extended her greetings to citizens and appealed to people to follow his values and teachings in their thoughts, speech, and actions, dedicating themselves to the welfare of the country.

Born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar town of Gujarat, Mahatma Gandhi or Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi adopted a non-violent resistance and was at the forefront of the freedom struggle against colonial British rule.

This led to India finally achieving its independence in 1947. Fondly known as Bapu, his unwavering belief in ‘Swaraj’ (self-governance) and ‘Ahimsa’ (non-violence) won him accolades across the world.

Globally, Gandhi’s birth anniversary is celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a cleanliness drive beginning on October 1 to mark the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and said that Swachh Bharat is a shared responsibility, and every effort counts.

‘Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Saath’ Campaign is a mega cleanliness drive to mark the celebration of Gandhi Jayanti. This initiative is a run-up to the ‘Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva’ 2023 campaign.

Exhorting the people across the country to get involved in the cleanliness campaign, PM Modi said taking the campaign forward will be a giant step towards fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of a clean India.

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU–

Karnataka Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil has called upon the Kannada associations of America to invest in the state, an official statement said on Sunday.

Participating in a cultural event organised by the Naavu Vishwa Kannadigaru Association (NAVIKA), in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, Patil emphasised his vision for Karnataka. Over 100 members including entrepreneurs attended the event.

Expressing his gratitude to the incredible Kannadigas of the US for their warm and overwhelming welcome, he also urged the entrepreneurs present at the event to consider investments back into their home state.

“Your hospitality and support have touched my heart deeply and I am truly humbled by the warm reception. Your enthusiasm and warmth have further strengthened my commitment to serving our community and I am excited about the opportunities for collaboration and progress that lie ahead. Together, we can achieve great things.”

NAVIKA is a non-profit organization promoting Karnataka’s cultural heritage in the USA. The event was attended by several industry leaders along with John Keating, Mayor of Texas’ Frisco city a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.

NAVIKA President Manju Rao, Executive Committee Member Gowri Shankar, Ann Anderson, Vice Chair, Public Art, Frisco City, Gopal of Frisco School District Trustee, Angelia Pelham, Deputy Mayor of Frisco City and Tony Singh, City Council member were also present at the event.

The event was part of a 12-day US visit that Patil has embarked upon along with a delegation of senior officials of the Department of Commerce and Industries to attract investments into Karnataka.

Yashwant Raj (IANS)–

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was struck by how little people in the US, specially officials he met over the last days including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, knew about Canada’s permissive attitude towards terrorism and the thriving nexus of crime, extremism, and human trafficking that exists in that country.

This lack of awareness, the minister said, “is a part of the problem”.

It was important, therefore, for him to present to them the “accurate picture” and “our point of view” so that the ongoing debate is not confined to just one or two issues but “the bigger picture which has been going on for some time, and it’s a very serious picture”.

READ: indica’s comprehensive coverage of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s allegations and the aftermath

“A lot of Americans are astonished,” the minister told reporters on Friday, unlike Indians who won’t be surprised if told there are people in Canada “who are advocating violence or advocating separatism; there is a history out there”.

“I suspect very few Americans know this,” he went on to say, and added: “So, in a way, a lot of what I said at the meetings, I think, was new to the Americans.”

At an event at Hudson Institute, a think tank, Jaishankar first raised this difference in the way Americans look at Canada and how Indians look at Canada.

“When Americans look at Canada they see something; when we in India look at Canada we see something else.

“And that’s part of the problem,” the minister said, in a thinly veiled criticism of American officials who have been calling on India to cooperate in Canada’s investigation into allegations by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that India was behind the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani activist, in June. Nijjar was a designated terrorist in India.

White House and State department officials have expressed “deep concern” over Trudeau’s allegations and have said they support the investigation and want India to cooperate.

In fact, according to reports, it’s the US that provided key information to the Canadians about alleged India links to the killing as part of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing agreement that the two countries have with the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Jaishankar said it did not come up in the meetings. “It’s important that we, you know, talk it out with the Americans. After all, they are very close to Canada, they are good friends of ours,” the minister said about why he brought up the larger context for his American interlocutors.

“It’s important that they also have an accurate picture, that they have our point of view on this matter as well.”

This is a conversation that should continue with focus on all issues. “I’m not prejudging issues. I’m not taking absolutist positions,” the minister said. “What we have taken is a very reasonable stance. It should not be that the entire debate focuses on issue one, issue two, and the bigger picture which has been going on for some time, and it’s a very serious picture.”

To underscore the seriousness of issues at hand, Jaishankar brought up threats faced by Indian missions. “When was the last time that any of our missions was intimidated to a point where it could not continue with its normal functioning? And if someone says this could happen in a G7 country, in the Commonwealth countries it gives you a lot to think about.”

iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-

Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, author, and philanthropist, Sudha Murty, was conferred with the Global Indian Award by the Canada India Foundation at the biggest Indo-Canadian gala.

The Global Indian Award, which has a cash prize of $50,000, is given each year to a prominent Indian who has made a significant mark on his or her chosen field. Murty donated the award money to The Field Institute, University of Toronto, which is internationally renowned for strengthening collaboration, innovation, and learning in mathematics and across various disciplines.

“We are so pleased to present the Global Indian Award to Sudha Murty. She has spent her entire career paving the way for future generations to find success in whatever field they choose, and is passionate about giving back to society,” said Canada India Foundation chairman Satish Thakkar on Saturday, September 30, night. Sudha Murty was accompanied by the parents of her son-in-law and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to the Toronto gala event.

Accepting the award from Indian High Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Verma, Murty said, “It is my honor to get this award from your country.” Thanking the Canada India Foundation (CIF) for choosing her for this award, Murthy said, “The CIF is like Krishna in the Mahabharata. Krishna is the son of Devki as well as Yashoda. Devki was his biological mother and Yashoda brought him up. You were born in India but settled here – Yashoda – and your mother is India. You belong to both mothers.”

Lauding the Indo-Canadian diaspora as a bridge between the two countries, she said, “You are the carriers of Indian culture in a different land. Please keep it up.”

As her husband was also given the same award in 2014, Murty said amid laughter, “There is a funny thing about this award because Narayana Murty also got it in 2014 and I got it in 2023. So, we’re the first couple to get this award.”