The Hinduja Group has breathed new life into Britain's iconic Old War Office, the World War II site of Winston Churchill's leadership, by renovating it into a luxury Raffles hotel. The Indian conglomerate acquired the landmark London building 8 years ago and has undertaken extensive renovation alongside Accor for this multi-million-pound transformation. With restored interiors and heritage suites occupying former offices of influential leaders, the Grade II listed building will now be publicly accessible as a hotel when it opens on September 29, 2023. The sensitive restoration by the Hinduja Group preserves the grandeur of this heritage building while creating an unparalleled luxury experience in the heart of London.

Broward County in Florida has declared November as 'Hindu Heritage Month' and also recognized Hinduism as one of the world's largest and oldest religions. The County acknowledged the contributions of Hinduism in areas like yoga, ayurveda, meditation, arts, music, and more. It noted that Hindu Americans have made major contributions in sectors like IT, medicine, hospitality, academia, and more. The resolution highlighted how Hindu philosophy of Vedanta has inspired American leaders like President John Adams, Martin Luther King Jr., Henry David Thoreau, and others. It mentioned that over 50,000 people in Broward County observe Diwali every year. The County aims to recognize the Hindu community's cultural impact and contributions through this special heritage month.

Influential Indian-Americans were named to TIME Magazine's 100 most important people in artificial intelligence list, recognizing their impact across healthcare, education, ethics and more. Those featured include 17-year-old Sneha Revanur, who advocates for ethical AI use, healthcare startup founder Neal Khosla, recycling tech expert Tushita Gupta, analysts Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor, and billionaire philanthropists Romesh and Sunil Wadhwani. The honour highlights Indian-Americans as leaders spanning AI applications from activism to innovation. (Image courtesy: TIME.com)

More than 100 newly arrived Indian students in North Bay, Ontario faced homelessness and protested as they struggled to find affordable housing for the fall semester. Despite Canada earning over $30 billion from international education programs annually, students were left with little support, highlighting gaps for newcomers. With shared accommodations exceeding $650 per month, some resorted to commuting from cities 350km away. The crisis prompted criticism as colleges failed to ensure basic needs were met. Only after media coverage did schools take action, but many argued Canada's lucrative international education sector still does not provide adequate housing assistance, leaving students vulnerable.

An Indian-origin London police officer, Constable Mandeep Dharni, has been fired for gross misconduct after using excessive force during an arrest in north London earlier this month. The video showed Dharni employing unreasonable restraint on a man later charged with criminal damage, failing to exercise appropriate authority and courtesy. Chief Superintendent Dan Knowles said Dharni exceeded acceptable force limits considering other officers present could help detain the suspect. The incident sparked an investigation after the video was shared online. A misconduct panel concluded Dharni breached professional behaviour standards and was dismissed without notice.

The Mayor of Louisville, Kentucky issued a proclamation declaring September 3rd as 'Sanatan Dharma Day' in the city during a major Hindu temple event. Spiritual leaders like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar attended along with officials like the Deputy Mayor. The proclamation recognizes the positive impact of the Hindu community in Louisville and beyond. Swami Chidanand emphasized the importance of bringing spirituality into daily life. Sadhvi Bhagawati highlighted the intersection of science and spirituality in Hinduism. The Deputy Mayor presented honorary citizenship certificates to Sri Sri and Swami Chidanand. Also 2024 onwards,NYC will have Diwali as public school holiday, it is noted that there are more than 600,000 Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists across New York City who celebrate Diwali. (Image courtesy: New India Abroad)

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed encouragement regarding enhanced collaboration between India and the UK in financial services. She stated the UK conveyed willingness to expand its presence in GIFT City IFSC and build a robust FinTech partnership. Sitharaman said she is pleased with the tangible progress made through the India-UK financial partnership forum for public and private sector dialogue. She highlighted the forum's evolution into a leading platform across the financial sector. Sitharaman's remarks indicate deepening financial ties between the two countries, with the UK aiming to increase investment in India's finance hub and collaborate on emerging technologies like FinTech. The strengthening cooperation is a boost for India's financial sector.

ACG Prem Sagar, the Consul General of India in Durban, attended a medical camp organized by the Ramakrishna Mission of South Africa on September 10, 2023 in Phoenix. He appreciated the humanitarian mission of providing free medical care and assistance to underprivileged people in the community. The medical camp embodied the spirit of 'One World One Health' and 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - the ideals of universal brotherhood and welfare embraced by India.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met reporters in Brussels on Friday morning [CLICK the link to watch the press conference]. Earlier on Thursday, he held closed-door meetings with some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels. This marked the start of his three-nation European tour. During the meetings, the human rights situation in Manipur was one of the topics of discussion. This follows a July resolution adopted by the European Parliament entitled 'India, the situation in Manipur.' Gandhi's visit to Brussels was not listed on the official parliamentary agenda. Sources from the Opposition party described the discussions as successful.

The High Commission of India in London hosted the first ever UK Defence Alumni of India Meet on September 6, 2023. High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami praised the efforts of the alumni group, who announced the formation of the UK Defence Alumni of India Association at the event. The Alumni association aims to bring together British officers who have studied, trained, or worked in India over the years. By forming an alumni network, they hope to strengthen defence ties and cooperation between the two countries as a part of the 'Living Bridge'. [Photo courtesy: HCI London]