Americas

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

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Congressman Ami Bera, (D-CA) has called on Congress to “stand together” in defending the “hugely important” relationship between India and the United States. Bera, who serves as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, discussed his recent

Photo: X India-West News Desk BOSTON, MA - Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo are leaving the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to join the University of Zurich (UZH) in Switzerland, where they will establish a new center for development economics. The

Photo: LinkedIn India-West News Desk DALLAS, TX - Daniel Keene, the 30-year-old owner of Boundaries Coffee, in the Dallas suburbs, is at the center of controversy after his remarks on immigration and H-1B visas sparked outrage online — and, he says, cost

India-West News Desk PALO ALTO, CA - Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has accepted advisory positions with Microsoft and the artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic. The BBC reported that Sunak said he was “delighted” to work with “two of the world’s

Photo: Screenshot India-West News Desk BOZEMAN, MT — Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy turned an awkward moment into a lesson on faith and constitutional values during a Turning Point USA event in Montana this week. When a young attendee at the Brick Breeden

India-West Staff Reporter FREMONT, CA —Community members gathered on October 8, here, for the Annual Candlelight Vigil to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence and to raise awareness about prevention and healing during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The event was co-organized

India-West Staff Reporter OTTAWA - More than 70 faith-based organizations across Canada are urging federal lawmakers to correct what they call a serious error in proposed anti-hate legislation that confuses the ancient “Swastika” with the Nazi “Hakenkreuz.” The coalition—comprising Hindu, Jewish, Muslim,

India-West Staff Reporter LOS ANGELES, CA - Supervisor Janice Hahn has once again led the effort to bring Diwali celebrations to Los Angeles County. The Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved her motion to officially recognize Diwali, the Festival of Lights,

Photo: Auro Bhatt, the owner of San Francisco, CA-based New India Bazaar poses with his family outside his store. (Photo provided) BY REENA RATHORE SAN FRANCISCO, CA — When a customer walks into Srinivas Sakhamuri’s Vijetha Indian Supermarket in San Ramon, Dublin,

India-West Staff Reporter UNIVERSAL CITY, CA – Caring Hand for Children hosted its 19th Annual Fundraising Gala on October 4 at the Hilton Los Angeles here, bringing together more than 325 guests for an inspiring evening of compassion, entertainment, and community

India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Researchers, Nabarun Dasgupta and Teresa Puthussery, are among those named as 2025 MacArthur Fellows, one of the United States’ most prestigious honors recognizing exceptional creativity and impact across disciplines. The John D. and Catherine

India-West News Desk SAN FRANCISCO — Elon Musk and X, formerly Twitter, have reached a settlement with former executives Parag Agrawal and Vijaya Gadde over $128 million in severance the executives claimed was withheld after Musk’s 2022 acquisition of the company. The

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — Google CEO Sundar Pichai has congratulated three physicists with deep ties to the company’s Quantum AI program—John Martinis, Michel Devoret, and John Clarke—after they were awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering work

WASHINGTON, DC – Several US Lawmakers on October 7 wrote a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to "reset and repair" India-US "critical partnership." The letter was co-signed by several prominent Democratic leaders, including Deborah Ross, Ro Khanna, Brad

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC: The U.S. Senate has confirmed political scientist S. Paul Kapur as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, entrusting him with oversight of U.S. diplomacy across a vast and strategically vital