An Indian-American, Manoj Yadav, was arrested in New Jersey for his role in a technical support scam that defrauded over 7,000 victims of more than USD 13 million, announced US Attorney Philip R Sellinger. Yadav faces one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The scam involved deceiving victims into believing they were dealing with a legitimate tech support company linked to a major software firm, then charging excessive fees for unauthorized services. If convicted, Yadav could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a significant fine.

Donald Trump has offered unique praise for his Indian-American 2024 presidential rival Vivek Ramaswamy, saying he would make a "very good" vice president. In an interview, Trump called the 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur "very, very intelligent" with "good energy." Ramaswamy recently hinted he may run as Trump's VP if he loses the nomination. However, Ramaswamy said he is only interested in being president to reunite the country. Though nearly half Trump's age, he said he would appoint Trump as his top White House adviser given his experience. Trump's remarks signal Ramaswamy's rising stature as an alternative for Republicans.

A senior police officer in Lahore, Pakistan is being investigated for involvement in cross-border drug smuggling to India using drones. Lahore Deputy Inspector General Imran Kishwar said a Deputy Superintendent of Police was aiding the operation. The method was drones dropping drug bundles in India's Punjab, then returning for gangs in Pakistan to collect them. Payments were made in the UAE. The racket emerged when a drone carrying drugs crashed near Lahore. Despite making seizures, the accused DSP Mazhar Iqbal. allegedly enabled trafficking into India for years while heading the anti-narcotics wing. [Photo courtesy: Dawn]

In a significant embarrassment for host Pakistan, the Pakistan vs Nepal Asia Cup 2023 match on Wednesday witnessed nearly empty stands at Multan stadium. Despite Pakistan batting first, the Multan International Cricket Stadium had sparsely occupied stands, denting PCB's co-hosting aspirations. The contrast to expectations for a high-profile home match was stark. While heat might have played a role, online trolls targeted PCB and questioned splitting the Asia Cup from UAE. The turnout, or lack thereof, casts doubt on the move's justification.

Indian-American Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy advocates a stronger US-India alliance to reduce reliance on China. He wants India to commit to closing the Malacca Strait if a Taiwan conflict erupts. Following a breakout debate performance, Ramaswamy outlined his foreign policy vision, stressing the need to vigorously defend Taiwan due to its semiconductor dominance. He aims to counter China through enhanced partnerships with India, South Korea, and Japan. The entrepreneur-turned-politician favours strategic clarity against conventional Republican ambiguity. By urging an Indian role in Asian security, Ramaswamy signals ambitions to redefine US-India ties beyond the current cooperation.

The Queen unveiled a portrait of heroic WWII British spy Noor Inayat Khan at the RAF Club on Tuesday. Khan, an Indian princess, was the first woman infiltrated into Nazi-occupied France to aid the Resistance, before being executed at Dachau in 1944. She relayed crucial messages to Britain while evading capture. Camilla attended the portrait unveiling, renaming the room the Noor Inayat Khan Room. She praised the "very brave woman" painted posthumously. The portraitist faced challenges due to scarce photos of the undercover agent. But Khan's cousin called it an excellent likeness capturing her personality. Khan was awarded the George Cross in 1949 for her valour and sacrifice. The portrait honours the pioneering spy's remarkable legacy of courage.

Russian President Vladimir Putin informed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he won't attend the upcoming G20 Summit in Delhi next month. Instead, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will represent him. The two leaders also discussed global concerns during their conversation. India, hosting the summit, holds the G20 presidency, with world leaders like US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attending. The summit's discussions are expected to include Russia's Ukraine invasion. Putin recently attended the Brics summit virtually due to an ICC warrant against him for alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

The Biden administration has urged Congress to modernize the outdated immigration system, including stagnant temporary visa programs, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. She emphasized the need for legislative updates to address the 21st-century economic landscape. Currently, workers on specific temporary visas must find new employment or depart the US within 60 days. President Biden prioritized immigration reform on his first day in office, highlighting the pressing need to address the broken system. The administration's call for action underscores the significance of adapting immigration laws to the current economic and social context.

G20 Health Ministers achieved unanimous consensus on fostering resilient and equitable healthcare systems. Their focus encompassed affordable medicines and countermeasures in developing nations, prioritizing climate-resilient healthcare, and addressing antimicrobial resistance. They emphasized traditional medicine validation, digital health integration, and health data modernization. Acknowledging fragmented efforts, they aimed to establish a WHO-led Global Initiative on Digital Health, promoting interoperable solutions for enhanced healthcare access. The ministers aspired to fortify health systems against climate impacts and endorsed efforts for a pandemic-preparedness international instrument by May 2024.

Hundreds of thousands of airline passengers face significant delays and cancellations this bank holiday Monday due to a system failure with the UK's air traffic control organisation, Nats. The technical fault at Nats' Hampshire headquarters has grounded aircraft across Britain. Planes already airborne are likely being diverted to European airports. Even if swiftly resolved, major disruption is expected to continue through the day as aviation operates at full capacity. With minimal slack at Heathrow and Gatwick amid the summer travel rush, passengers finishing holidays abroad face chaos returning home today.