Americas

India-West Staff Reporter SUNY Old Westbury Assistant Professor Renu Balyan has been named to the State University of New York’s inaugural class of AI for the Public Good Fellows, recognizing her extensive research in deep learning and computational tools alongside 19

MUMBAI — India’s Federal Bank announced on October 24 that its Board of Directors has approved the sale of a significant 9.99 per cent stake to an affiliate of US-based private equity giant Blackstone. The deal, valued at $705 million,

India-West News Desk MUMBAI – Reliance Industries, India’s largest private refiner, has sharply increased its crude oil purchases from the Middle East as global sanctions tighten around Russian energy exports and Western political pressure mounts. The company has reportedly bought at

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Indian-American security expert Paul Kapur was officially sworn in as the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, marking a key appointment of the Trump administration for the region. The State Department Bureau of South

PICTURE CREDIT- DALITDIVA.COM India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Tamil Nadu government announced on October 22 that the 2025 Vaikom Award will be conferred on California-based activist and author Thenmozhi Soundararajan. The award, which carries a cash prize of ₹5 lakh,

PICTURE CREDIT-Brotman Baty Institute India-West Staff Reporter SEATTLE, WA - Dr. Jay A. Shendure, professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of 100 new members

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Former diplomat Nicholas Burns said that the Quad grouping is a way to "cement our relationship" with India and keep the country "closely knit" with Washington on security affairs. Speaking at an event at the Atlantic Council on October 21, Burns, who is a former

India-West Staff Reporter ATLANTA, GA – Atlanta City Hall glowed with the lights of Diwali as Mayor Andre Dickens joined the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) for the third annual celebration of the festival of lights on October 20. The

India-West Staff Reporter SCHAUMBURG, IL — Palm Bay, Florida, City Council Member Chandler Langevin launched a racist tirade against Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, calling him a “foreign occupier” and mocking his Indian heritage after the Illinois Democrat condemned Langevin’s earlier remarks urging the

Photo: J'adore Andy India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY – More than 400 supporters gathered at HK Hall on October 16 for the 12th annual ‘Diwali on the Hudson,’ New York City’s long-running Diwali charity event hosted by The Desai Foundation. The evening

India-West Staff Reporter OCEANSIDE, CA – MiraCosta College recently honored retiring Superintendent and President Dr. Sunita “Sunny” Cooke at its annual Community Leaders Breakfast, celebrating her transformative 11-year tenure and the college’s “Built to Adapt” future. The event drew more than

By MANISHA KOSHY NEWPORT BEACH, CA - Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster and Prime among others have long been a go-to solution for people chasing focus and vitality, but the caffeine highs and sugar crashes that follow have left

India-West Staff Reporter SCHAUMBURG, IL –Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services, has urged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to halt plans expanding eligibility for “catastrophic”

Photo: Wikipedia India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC - The White House on October 22 was forced to withdraw Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel after several Republican senators announced they would not support him, citing his history of

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA -  Los Angeles City Hall hosted an event for members of the Indian diaspora and the Consulate General of India on Diwali. The celebration featured the lighting of traditional lamps, music and dance performances, and the

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – The official White House twitter handle did not mention it. Then, it reposted Kash Patel, the administration’s FBI Director’s post which had a video and read, “Happy Diwali from the Oval with @POTUS” and alluded

Photo: Screenshot White House Feed WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump hosted a Diwali celebration at the White House, attended by a small group of about two dozen guests, including senior officials, diplomats, and business leaders from the Indian American community. Seated at his

India-West Staff Reporter BOSTON, MA -  The India Society of Worcester (ISW), one of New England’s largest community organizations, brought Diwali festivities to the heart of Boston with a grand celebration at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. The vibrant event drew hundreds of

PICTURE CREDIT-India in USA (Consulate General of India, Houston) Facebook India-West Staff Reporter HOUSTON, TX — The Consulate General of India and the City of Houston marked Diwali 2025 with a celebration at City Hall, bringing together elected officials, members of the Consular Corps, and the

India-West Staff Reporter MILPITAS, CA – The Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA) celebrated the festival of lights, Deepavali, with community spirit. The celebration brought together hundreds of Telugu families from across the Bay Area for an evening of cultural performances, music,

Photo: Youth were recognized at the gala for embodying the spirit of compassion. By Komal Agrawal LONG BEACH, CA — The ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach shimmered with purpose as more than 250 guests gathered for the Akshaya Patra

Photo: P. Taufiq Photography India-West Staff Reporter LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – Over 500 dancers from around the world came together at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the third annual Diwali Dance Fest, produced by Jashn Productions and led by Jeanie Beri. For the first time,

India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Global technology leaders, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, extended their Diwali greetings on October 20. Tim Cook shared a “stunning” Diwali photo captured by Mumbai-based photographer Apeksha Maker, noting that

NEW YORK, NY - A stretch of a road in New York has been renamed Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Marg honoring the ninth Sikh guru’s legacy. Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, who moved the city resolution for the reaming said it recognizes “the 9th Sikh Guru’s legacy of sacrifice,

WASHINGTON, DC - US President Donald Trump extended his greetings on the occasion of Diwali, calling it a "timeless reminder of light’s victory over darkness". In a presidential message, Trump wrote: “Today, I send my best wishes to every American celebrating Diwali

India-West Staff Reporter HARTFORD, CT - Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) fully supported the concerns of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) regarding the Trump Administration's $100,000 H-1B visa fee increase, warning that the policy risked a significant loss of talent for the

By Fatema Baldliwala ENCINO, CA — The spirit of Diwali shone brightly at the Encino Community Center this year, as the Valley Indian Senior Association (VISA) brought together generations of Indian Americans to celebrate the Festival of Lights with warmth, gratitude,

By India-West Staff Reporter SACRAMENTO, CA – Setting a national precedent, California will sell its own state-branded insulin, making life-saving diabetes medication affordable for millions. Governor Gavin Newsom announced that starting January 1, 2026, CalRx biosimilar insulin glargine pens will be

WASHINGTON, DC -  The US Chamber of Commerce, the country’s biggest business organization, has sued the Trump administration over the $100,000 H-1B visa application fee, calling it “unlawful”. In a lawsuit filed in a district court in Washington on October 17,

NEW DELHI - India has rejected claims made by President Donald Trump of having a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump on October 16 had claimed that, during a telephonic conversation, Modi had "assured" him that India won't be

From left: Dr. Alireza Mirahmadi, Samhita Kadiyala, and Dr. Kiran Agarwal-Harding. By Sabrina ChughNEW YORK, NY - Walking through the bustling corridors of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting at the Hilton Times Square, one booth stood out amid the

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON/NEW DELHI — India reaffirmed on October 16 its oil import decisions are guided  by national interest and consumer welfare, responding to  President Donald Trump’s assertion  that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him that India would halt

India-West News Desk SACRAMENTO, CA — The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) expressed deep disappointment following Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of SB 509, legislation designed to strengthen protections against transnational repression and improve law enforcement training to safeguard

India-West Staff Reporter PHILADELPHIA, PA — The American Association of Veterinarians of Indian Origin (AAVIO) hosted its Northeast Chapter meeting on October 12, bringing together veterinary professionals to explore emerging market trends, innovations, and best practices in the field. Kim Hutchinson of

India-West Staff Reporter DANVILLE, CA – As October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, 17-year-old Vaishnav Anand, a student at The Athenian School, is working to  turning awareness into action through pioneering research in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. On October 11, he presented his

India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a fiery news conference outside the Office of Management and Budget on October 14, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) joined a lineup of Maryland and Virginia lawmakers to condemn what they called the Trump administration’s

India-West Staff Reporter SEATTLE, W.A. — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) has welcomed the release of remaining hostages and Palestinian prisoners, describing the development and the accompanying ceasefire agreement as a “time of joy, reunion, and hope” after two years of devastating

WASHINGTON, DC - US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on October 14 that Washington expects support from its allies and friends, including India, over its attempt to counter China’s latest export controls on rare earths. In an interview with Fox News, Bessent characterized the

File Photo USA Cricket India-West Staff Reporter USA Cricket has blamed years of “commercial overreach” by its former partner, American Cricket Enterprises (ACE), for the current crisis that has pushed the governing body to the brink of bankruptcy and internal division. Calling the

India-West Staff Reporter PLEASANTON, CA — The Bay Area shimmered with light, devotion, and cultural pride as Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka 2025 transformed the Alameda County Fairgrounds into a dazzling celebration of Indian heritage on October 11. Drawing an estimated crowd of

Photo: Jatin Patel, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Jan Kulmann, Mayor India-West Staff Reporter THORNTON, CO — West Indian cricket legend and ICC Hall of Famer Shivnarine Chanderpaul officially opened a new cricket pitch and ground at the Thornton Sports Complex on October 4. The

NEW DELHI – Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai on October 14 announced the company’s largest-ever investment in India — a $15 billion Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh — marking a major step in India’s digital and

India-West Staff Reporter SACRAMENTO, CA — California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Senate Bill 509, a contentious measure that sought to mandate law enforcement training on “transnational repression,” following months of heated debate and community pushback. Introduced earlier this year by Senator

India-West News Desk NEW ORLEANS, LA — Dr. C. Bob Basu has taken office as president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the world’s largest association of board-certified plastic surgeons. His one-year term began on October 12 during the

By Maria Abraham SANTA CLARA, CA — The 8th U.S.-India Conference, organized by the All India Management Association (AIMA), drew a packed audience to the University of California, Santa Cruz, Silicon Valley Campus on October 7. The theme — “U.S.-India: Normalization

India-West News Desk Nalin Haley waded into what had largely been seen as a moment of clarity and restraint from Vivek Ramaswamy — and quickly turned it into a fresh round of religious sparring. The Ohio gubernatorial candidate had been speaking at

India-West Staff Reporter NEW YORK, NY — Times Square came alive with the colors, rhythms, and spirit of India as thousands gathered on October 2 for the Durga Utsav Celebration, organized by the Times Square Durga Utsav Association. The vibrant event

NEW YORK, NY — Around 90 members of the Indian American community gathered in New York for an interactive session with a visiting Indian parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP P.P. Chaudhary. The lawmakers praised the diaspora for its vital

NEW DELHI – US Ambassador-designate Sergio Gor met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on October 11, marking the start of his first official visit to India since being confirmed by the US Senate on October 7. During the

NEW DELHI – In what analysts view as a measured step toward repairing strained relations, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on October 13, emphasizing that both governments agree on the