RIVANCH

Due to competitor India’s decision to reduce its own shipments, Pakistan is expected to export more rice than ever before in the year that ends in June. This is because Islamabad is selling the grain at rates that are over 16 years higher than they have been in the past. The world’s largest exporter, India, placed curbs on shipments last year. The record exports are relieving some of those restrictions and will help Pakistan replenish its depleted foreign exchange reserves, which are essential for paying for imports. “We’ve seen a solid demand for rice in the last few months, mainly because India stopped exporting,” Chela Ram Kewlani, chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) told Reuters. India, which ships about 40% of global rice, unexpectedly prohibited shipments of non-basmati white rice last year and placed export duties on parboiled rice. Pakistan’s exports might reach 5 million metric tonnes in the fiscal year 2023/24, up from 3.7 million tonnes the previous...

Madame Tussauds New York unveiled the wax statue of Yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday in Delhi. The wax statue will be placed at the Wax Museum in Times Square, Manhattan. The wax statue of Baba Ramdev has been crafted in the Vrikshasana pose, also known as the Tree Pose in yoga. This pose involves standing on one leg with the other leg bent, resting the sole of the foot against the thigh. The hands are clasped and stretched overhead. The name “Vrikshasana” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Vriksha,” which means a tree, reflecting the pose’s resemblance to the stability and grace of a tree. According to reports, in 2018, Ramdev gave his photographs and measurements to the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London to a 20-member team to prepare his wax statue. He also tweeted a series of photographs of himself at the museum, including a yoga pose of vrikshasan (standing on one leg), which is the current statue’s pose as well. VIDEO | Yoga guru Baba Ramdev's wax statue unveiled by 'Mad...

Neel Acharya, an Indian student studying at Purdue University in Indiana state of the United States, who was reported missing since Sunday has been confirmed dead. As per the office of Tippecanoe County Coroner, officials were called to identify a body on Sunday to the 500 Allison Road in West Lafayette for a possible dead body. Upon arrival, they found a “college-aged male” deceased on Purdue’s campus. The deceased student was identified as Neel Acharya, a double major in computer science and data science at the John Martinson Honors College of Purdue University. He was reported missing on social media on Sunday. In an email addressed to the university’s computer science department on Monday, interim CS head Chris Clifton told students and faculty of Neel’s death, The Exponent reported. “It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our students, Neel Acharya, has passed away,” Clifton was quoted as saying by The Exponent . “My condolences go out to his friends, family,...

The US Consular Team in India achieved a milestone by processing an unprecedented 1.4 million US visas in 2023, bringing down visitor visa appointment wait time by 75 per cent. The US Embassy and Consulates in India reported that Indians now account for one-tenth of all US visa applicants globally. “In 2023, the US Embassy and Consulates in India processed a record-smashing 1.4 million US visas. Demand across all visa classes was unprecedented, with a 60 per cent increase in applications compared to 2022. Indians now represent one out of every ten US visa applicants around the world,” said US embassy in a statement. Visitor visas (B1/B2) have surged, marking the second-highest volume of applications in the history of the US Mission, totaling over 700,000. Through enhancements in processes and investments in staffing, the wait time for visitor visa appointments across the nation has drastically reduced from an average of 1,000 days to a mere 250 days, with minimal waiting periods ac...

The Centre on Monday extended ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) as an ‘unlawful association’ for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Bolstering PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision of zero tolerance against terrorism ‘Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)’ has been declared as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for a further period of five years under the UAPA. The SIMI has been found involved in fomenting terrorism,… — गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) January 29, 2024 Taking to X, Home Minister’s Office posted on X, “ Bolstering PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision of zero tolerance against terrorism ‘Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)’ has been declared as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for a further period of five years under the UAPA.” “The SIMI has been found involved in fomenting terrorism, disturbing peace and communal harmony to threaten the sovereignty, security and integrity of Bharat,” it added. The Indian government initia...

The Centre has shortlisted 30 cities spanning from Ayodhya in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south and Guwahati in the east to Trimbakeshwar in the west for the survey and rehabilitation of adults, especially women and children, involved in begging, according to a Times of India report. According to the report, citing officials, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment aims to assist district and municipal authorities in identifying ‘hotspots’ within these cities to eradicate beggary by 2026. More cities are likely to be included in this initiative over the next two years, added the officials. This effort, focusing on 30 cities with significant cultural, historical, or tourist importance, falls under a sub-scheme named ‘Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprises’ (SMILE). To ensure compliance with uniform survey and rehabilitation guidelines, in pursuit of the ‘Bhiksha-Vritti Mukt Bharat’ (beggary-free India) initiative, the ministry plans to ...

It feels like déjà vu all over again. Nitish Kumar is back to where he was in early 2022 — with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Sunday (28 January), the Janata Dal (United) {JD(U)} chief took the oath of office for the ninth time with the support of the BJP, after dumping his former allies — the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the INDIA bloc. It’s no surprise that the JD(U)’s flip — fifth time in over 10 years — has earned him the title of ‘ Paltu Ram ’ in Bihar politics. Shortly after he took the oath of chief minister, he was congratulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders. On the other hand, leaders from the INDIA alliance voiced their displeasure with the veteran politician, with some even describing him as a turncoat and ‘girgit’ (chameleon). But Nitish Kumar remains unfazed. He asserted that there is now no question of leaving the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-fold. “I was with them (NDA) earlier, too. We went on different paths, but now we are tog...