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☆ India elections 2024: Once again, millions of migrants are unable to vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Noemi Cassanelli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Often referred to as the “city of dreams,” Mumbai draws migrants from across the country hoping to find wealth and success. Noemi Cassanelli/CNNThe Covid-19 pandemic only underscored the volatility of migrant workers’ circumstances when millions lost their jobs almost overnight and were forced to go home. The biggest group is in the United Arab Emirates, with 3.4 million NRIs, followed by 2.5 million in Saudi Arabia; next is the United States with 1.2 million. The massive group of disenfranchised migrant workers stands in sharp contrast to these achievements – with no solution in sight. That means for now, voting remains an unlikely reality for many migrant workers.

Persons: India CNN — Chanu Gupta, ” Gupta, Chanu Gupta, Noemi Cassanelli, ”, Gupta, –, “ Organizations: India CNN, CNN, Nations, United Arab, ”, Workers Locations: Mumbai, India, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, ” Mumbai, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, United States, United Kingdom, Dubai, NRIs

☆ Gold Gala fashion: ‘It’s the one place where you can really represent’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Stephy Chung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

On Saturday, stars gathered on the steps of The Music Center in Los Angeles for the Gold Gala — a celebration of Asian Pacific influential talent across entertainment, fashion, technology and more, hosted by the non-profit Gold House. Actor Eugene Lee Yang attends the Gold Gala in an eye catching ensemble. It’s not something that I grew up imagining I’d have for myself.”Lucy Liu, wearing a gown by Bibhu Mohapatra, and Karan Johar exchange a greeting at the Gold Gold 2024. Michael Kovac/Getty ImagesFrom left to right, Shelby Rabara and Harry Shum Jr. attend the Gold Gala. So that’s been wonderful to see people take chances, and how we’ve knocked it out of the park,” Lakshmi told CNN.

Persons: Karrueche Tran, Thai Nguyen, “, ”, Tran, Nymphia, Sheng Cheong, Karan Johar, Agnez Mo, Eugene Lee Yang, Charley Gallay, Araya Doheny, Jeannie Mai, ” “, Padma Lakshmi, Lucy Liu, Joel Kim Booster, ” Lucy Liu, Bibhu Mohapatra, Michael Kovac, Shelby Rabara, Harry Shum Jr, Monica Schipper, USC Annenberg, Tommaso Boddi, Rodin Eckenroth, that’s, we’ve, ” Lakshmi, Prabal Gurung Organizations: Los Angeles CNN, The Music Center, CNN, Getty, Pacific, Gold House, USC Locations: Los Angeles, Pacific, American, Vietnamese, African American, City, ”, Indonesia, Hollywood, Thai

☆ India election and economy: Meet the winners of rising power’s boom
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Noemi Cassanelli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Mumbai, India CNN —As Indians head to the polls in a massive ongoing nationwide election, much attention has focused on the country’s explosive growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. There is expected to be 740 million active smartphone users in India by 2030, according to EY India. “I wanted to make similar shoes that were printed with ‘Made in India,’” Shah says. After four years of trial and error, Shah Shoes was born. Some 17 years on, Shah Shoes has helped support his family back in Bihar, including six siblings.

Persons: Narendra Modi’s, — Modi, Javed Khatri, Noemi Cassanelli, he’d, Khatri, “, ”, –, ’, Apoorva Mukhija, —, Instagram, Mukhija, ” Mukhija, That’s, she’s, she’d, Jameel Shah, CNN Jameel Shah, Shah, wasn’t, CNN Shah, Kylie Minogue, ” Shah, ‘, ’ ” Shah, Shah Shoes, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, He’s, Modi’s Organizations: India CNN, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, CNN, EY, World Bank, Facebook Locations: Mumbai, India, “, Bangalore, Silicon, ”, EY India, Dubai, London, California, …, Delhi, Bihar, India’s, Dharavi, Australian

☆ India’s economy and Modi, Ambani, Adani: The three men shaping the next economic superpower
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Fellow billionaire Gautam Adani, founder of the Adani group, was also invited. Reliance Industries and the Adani Group are sprawling conglomerates worth over $200 billion each, with established businesses in sectors ranging from fossil fuels and clean energy to media and technology. As a result, these three men — Modi, Ambani and Adani — are playing a fundamental role in shaping the economic superpower India will become in the coming decades. Both Adani and Ambani have become key allies as the country embarks on this revolution. “India cannot grow rich before it becomes old on the back of a few big firms like Adani or Ambani,” he said.

Persons: Mukesh Ambani, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, popstar Rihanna, David Blaine, Ambani, Gautam Adani, Jeff Bezos, ”, Rohit Lamba, Narendra Modi, — Modi, Adani, Noemi Cassanelli, ’, John D Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, James Crabtree, Modi, Guido Cozzi, Cozzi, Ambani’s, Dhirubhai, helms, Cantor Fitzgerald, Cantor, ’ Ambani, Amit Dave, Hindenburg’s, ferociously, ” Cantor, Modi’s, Prasanna Tantri, Crabtree, Lamba Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN —, Reliance Industries, Pennsylvania State University, Investors, Adani, CNN, Adani Realty, Frick, Astor, Carnegie, Samsung, Hyundai, World Bank . Coal, University of St, Adani Group, Reliance, Reliance Industry, Adani Enterprises, AEL “, Tata Group, Modi, India’s, Hindenburg, GQG Partners, Indian School of Business Locations: New Delhi, Gujarat, Davos, Coachella, Silicon Valley, India, China, Mumbai, Antilia, America, Asia, Britain, South Korea, Worth, United Kingdom, University of St Gallen, Switzerland, American

☆ India election 2024: The indelible ink behind the world’s biggest election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Dhruv Tikekar | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Election Commission uses indelible ink, or “voter ink”, to prevent fraud or duplicate votes. Sujit Jaiswal/AFP/Getty ImagesMore than 960 million people are eligible to vote in India’s election, the world’s biggest. “Indelible ink serves no other purpose,” said Irfan. The company now supplies indelible ink to more than 35 countries, including to Ghana beginning in the late 1970s. However, Ghana’s election commission recently announced it would phase out the use of indelible ink, opting for biometric verification methods instead.

Persons: CNN CNN —, ”, K Mohammed Irfan, Manish Swarup, Deepika Padukone, Sujit Jaiswal, Irfan, “, Ornit Shani, Shani, ” Shani, Prakash Singh, MVPL, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV, Mukulika Banerjee, Rakesh Nair, Banerjee, haven’t, ‘ I’ve Organizations: CNN CNN, CNN, Getty, Universal, Bloomberg, London School of Economics, Reuters “ Locations: Neemrana, India, Mumbai, AFP, Mysuru, Karnataka, Chennai, Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, Mysore, Ghana, West Bengal

☆ Airbnb’s Icons allow you to drift off in the ‘Up’ house or rest in Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ mansion
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —If you have ever wanted to dream in the balloon-lifted “Up” house, party with Kevin Hart or jam with Doja Cat, Airbnb has just the thing. With Icons, we’ve created the most extraordinary experiences on Earth.”Here are some of the entertainment-focused Icons announced so far:An actual photo of the Airbnb house recreated to look like the home in the Disney/Pixar movie "Up" -- both the interior and exterior. Ryan LowryDrift off in the “Up”house - “Sleep inside one of Disney and Pixar’s most iconic homes – and yes, it floats. You’ll enjoy an unforgettable living room performance from the Grammy-winning artist, including her favorite songs and tracks from her latest album.”"Purple Rain" House - AirBnb Icons Eric OgdenStay in Prince’s “Purple Rain” house - “Prince purchased the Minneapolis, Minnesota home featured in the legendary film ‘Purple Rain,’ but it’s never been available to the public until now. Explore the home and go crazy for rare and special tracks from Prince’s world in an exclusive studio session.

Persons: Kevin Hart, Airbnb, Brian Chesky, we’ve, Ryan Lowry, ”, You’ll, Kevin, Doja, Eric Ogden, “ Prince, it’s, Khaby, Holly Andres Step, Marvel, you’re, Joy, Janhvi Kapoor Organizations: CNN, Wednesday, Disney Locations: Abiquiu , New Mexico, Minneapolis , Minnesota, Milan, Italy, Westchester , New York, Paris

☆ At a Holi festival in Brooklyn, tradition and contemporary celebration create a colorful union
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Sheetal Banchariya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Hindu festival Holi has become more popular and inclusive, especially in the Indian diaspora. The Hindu festival of colors, observed as Holi in India and Fagu Purnima in Nepal, holds immense cultural significance for South Asians. "There were not many or any events celebrating Holi at that time, despite a considerable number of Indians living in Jackson Heights," she said. He said that over the years he'd seen Indians, Pakistanis, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Sri Lankans, African Americans, and Irish people attending his Holi event. Love was in the air at the Holi celebration.

Persons: —, Fagu, bhalle, gulab jamun, I'd, Sheetal, Zayira Ray, Uma Kapoor, Kapoor, Manny Singh, Jarrod Fox, Festivalgoers, Akash Sheth, Sheth, Singh, Elise Young, Elise's Bodyshop, Carmen Perez, Young, who's, Vijay Satnarine, It's, Satnarine, Love, Lord Vishnu, King Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad, Hiranyakashipu's, Holika, Radha Rani, Lord Krishna Organizations: Service, BI, Morgan, Morgan Stanley's IT, Google, Hindu American Foundation, gulal, Apple Locations: Brooklyn , New York, India, Fagu Purnima, Nepal, New York, Asian, Queens , New York, Jackson Heights, Jersey, New York City, Morgan Stanley's, City, Brooklyn, Sri Lankans, African, Connecticut, Massachusetts, London, Wales

☆ In ‘Monkey Man,’ Dev Patel attempts to reclaim Hinduism for the underdog
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —“Monkey Man,” Dev Patel’s directorial debut action thriller that he also stars in, wrote and produced, opens with a tale familiar to Hindus around the world. This mythology is the foundation of “Monkey Man,” which hit theaters on April 5. In "Monkey Man," Kid plots revenge on the corrupt forces that raided his forest village and killed his mother. Dev Patel directed, wrote, produced and starred in the action thriller "Monkey Man," which is inspired by the Hindu legend of Hanuman. “Monkey Man,” then, is a warning about what can happen when people are oppressed and disempowered for too long.

Persons: ” Dev Patel’s, Hanuman, Patel himself, —, Patel, ” Patel, Kid, ’ ”, Rana Singh, Sikandar Kher, Baba Shakti, Makarand Deshpande, Rana, Sita, Sobhita, Rama, Ravana, Lord Rama, Sailaja Krishnamurti, ‘ What’s, ” Krishnamurti, “, Thrisha Mohan, Narendra Modi, Lord Ram, Imtiyaz Khan, ” Mohan, Baba Shakti —, ”, Krishnamurti, Mohan, Modi, it’s, wasn’t, Siddhant Adlakha, ” Adlakha, It’s, Amitabh Bachhan, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Keanu Reeves, Hollywood’s, Hollywood’s “ John Wick ”, India’s underclasses, “ He’s, Dev Patel, Monica Schipper, hijras, Kid bungles, he’s, Baba, Shiva, Parvati, Bedatri D, Choudhury Organizations: CNN, SXSW, Universal Pictures, Queen’s University, Human Rights, Indian, Anadolu, Getty, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, TIME, Alpha, Philadelphia Inquirer Locations: Yatana, India, Ayodhya, Hong Kong, Hollywood’s “, Kid’s

CNN —British singer Ed Sheeran wowed the stage in Mumbai with Diljit Dosanjh over the weekend as the pair sang a rendition of the Indian artist’s hit track “Lover” in Punjabi, a duet that promptly lit up India’s social media. Both artists posted videos of their performances on Instagram, with huge cheers from the crowd as Sheeran invited his singing partner onto the stage. “Got to bring out @diljitdosanjh tonight in Mumbai and sing in Punjabi for the first time. I’ve had such an incredible time in India, more to come!” Sheeran wrote in a post. Fans and Indian celebrities on social media praised Dosanjh for getting Sheeran to sing in an Indian language.

Persons: Ed Sheeran, Dosanjh, Sheeran, “, I’ve, ” Sheeran, Singer, Diljit, ”, Varun Dhawan, Sahil Bulla, ” Dosanjh, “ Hass Hass, Sia Organizations: CNN, Spotify Locations: British, Mumbai, India, London, Australia, Punjab, Pakistan

☆ The Ambani Wedding Event Signifies the Rise of the Oligarch in Modi’s India - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Sonia Faleiro | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Those were some of the highlights of what is likely the most ostentatious “pre-wedding” ceremony the modern world has ever seen. Watching the event, I couldn’t help thinking of the 1911 durbar, or royal reception, when King George V was proclaimed emperor of India. It’s difficult to imagine the Ambani-Merchant wedding event in an India that isn’t ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India’s richest 1 percent now own more than 40 percent of the country’s wealth, according to Oxfam. Oxfam has described this new India as the “survival of the richest.”

Persons: Rihanna, Mark Zuckerberg, Mukesh Ambani’s, Anant, Radhika Merchant ., Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, King George V, Ambani, isn’t, Narendra Modi, Modi, ” Organizations: Radhika Merchant . Monarchs, India, Oxfam Locations: Gujarat, India, Britain

☆ India banned TikTok overnight but 200 million people learned to live without it
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that could lead to a nationwide TikTok ban. While the Chinese-owned app is not disappearing from Americans’ phones anytime soon, many of its 170 million users in the country are deeply rattled. “[Former] US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had welcomed the ban, saying it ‘will boost India’s sovereignty.’”While India’s abrupt decision shocked the country’s 200 million TikTok users, in the four years since, many have found other suitable alternatives. Within a week of the ban, Meta-owned Instagram cashed in by launching its TikTok copycat, Instagram Reels, in India. According to Ray, Indian content creators swiftly moved all the old content they had shot for TikTok to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

Persons: TikTok, ”, Nikhil Pahwa, Mike Pompeo, TikTokkers, Saptarshi Ray, Instagram, Moj, Ray, Clyde Fernandes, Vivan Sharan, ” Sharan, “ Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, India, Google, YouTube, Oxford, Advisory Locations: New Delhi, United States, India, China, Delhi, American, Bengaluru, Opraahfx, Beijing

☆ The Juggernaut promised to revolutionize South Asian news. But insiders say the company's founder misled investors, struggled to raise money, and left workers 'heartbroken.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Katie Warren | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +33 min

They were gathered for the inaugural summit of The Juggernaut, a digital South Asian news startup that launched in 2019. The Juggernaut spokesperson told BI that "multiple employees have equity in the company," but BI was unable to identify any such employees. "Twenty years ago, you might've struggled to mention a South Asian actor that you've seen in a movie," he said. As of January, the site had about 10,500 subscribers, Sur told investors in an email viewed by BI. Some feel that the publication has strayed from its mission of delivering "untold, smart South Asian stories and news you won't find anywhere else."

Persons: —, Richa Moorjani, Manish Chandra, Anish Melwani, Sadiq Khan, Amitav Ghosh, Roy Rochlin, Jay Bhattacharya, didn't, Sur, Padma Lakshmi, Moorjani, Mira Nair, Oprah Winfrey, she'd, who've, Josh Benson, Bhattacharya, might've, you've, Dev Patel, Priyanka Chopra, Black millennials, Bhattacharya's, Adam Hansmann, Kevin Lin, Albert Ni, Charles Hudson, Steve Jennings, Sur's, Kyle Stanford, Axios, Stanford, Snigdha, Winfrey, MICHAEL TRAN, hadn't, wouldn't, Fariha Róisín, Meghna Rao, Róisín, Rao, Rao didn't, they'd, she's, it's, Hudson, who'd, Reetu Gupta, Aditi Shah, Sean Gupta, Steven Simione, would've, we're, Brian Morrissey, Morrissey, cofounders, Narendra Modi's, Sneha Mehta Organizations: Spring Studios, Netflix, Business, New Yorker, Harvard Business School, Guardian, American, Old Town Media, Athletic, BI, Indian, Yale, McKinsey, Precursor Ventures, Forbes, Getty, TechCrunch, YouTube's Sustainability, YouTube, Paramount Pictures Studios, Immigration Services, Stanford, Digiday, Gannett Locations: York City, chai, Jean's, hasn't, Sur, New York City, South, Asian, India, Madhya Pradesh, Queens, Sur texted, Indian American, AFP, Róisín, Los Angeles , California, South Asia, Silicon

☆ Anant Ambani pre-wedding photos: Rihanna, Mark Zuckerberg among stars at Indian billionaire heir’s celebrations
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Oscar Holland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Ambani is the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, who has an estimated fortune of $117 billion, according to Forbes. Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and their daughter Arabella pose with the groom's father, billionaire Mukesh Ambani. On Wednesday, the Ambani family hosted a communal dinner for more than 50,000 villagers. Reliance Industries/Handout/ReutersActors Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan perform during the pre-wedding celebrations. Reliance Industries/Handout/ReutersBillionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani with his son Anant and wife Nita.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, jetted, Anant Ambani’s, Rihanna, David Blaine, Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Jared Kushner, Arabella, ”, Paula Hurd, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Taimur Ali, Anant, Nita, Anjali Organizations: CNN, Forbes, Reliance, Reuters, Reliance Foundation, Microsoft, Reliance Industries, Reuters Billionaire, AP Former India Locations: India, Silicon Valley, Jamnagar, Gujarat, New Delhi, Mumbai

☆ Rihanna came out of retirement for the Ambani wedding concert and a hefty payday
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewIt's the concert we all wished we were at but sadly had to watch through grainy phone camera footage: Rihanna's one-night-only comeback. The show also included live renditions of the songs "We Found Love," "Stay," "Rude Boy," and "All Of The Lights," and ended with the whole Ambani family joining Rihanna onstage. Rihanna received a payday somewhere between $5 and $9 million, according to estimatesThere's been rampant speculation on how much Rihanna was paid for her performance. AdvertisementMukesh Ambani, the Chairman of Reliance Industries, Isha Piramal, Rihanna, Shloka Mehta Ambani, Akash Ambani, and Radhika Merchant react on the stage during pre-wedding celebrations of Anant and Radhika. The Ambani family reportedly spent over $100 million on the pre-wedding ceremony of daughter Isha Ambani and her now-husband, Anand Piramal, according to The Guardian.

Persons: —, Anant Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump, Rihanna, Anant, Radhika, Isha Piramal, Shloka Mehta Ambani, Akash Ambani, Ambani, Isha Ambani, Anand Piramal, Anant's, Beyoncé, Chris Martin, Shloka Mehta's, Adam Levine Organizations: Service, Business, NME, India Today, Daily Mail, Reliance Industries, Reuters, Fortune, Guardian Locations: Jamnagar, India, Switzerland

☆ In a Land of Lavish Weddings, This Prenuptial Party Takes the Cake
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Suhasini Raj | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When a member of one of India’s wealthiest families gets married, big-name guests and showstopping pomp and circumstance are nothing unusual. But it’s not every day that the invitees include royalty, business titans, Bollywood luminaries and Rihanna, for three days of a pre-wedding spectacular, months ahead of the actual ceremony. Mr. Ambani, 28, the younger son of Mukesh Ambani, will welcome the guests at a sprawling venue in the western Indian state of Gujarat, along with his fiancée, Radhika Merchant. Merchant, 29, comes from a family that owns health care businesses and is trained in Indian classical dance. The couple started the festivities earlier this week with a community feast: hosting thousands of people from neighboring villages and serving them Gujarati delicacies.

Persons: it’s, Rihanna, Anant Ambani, Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Merchant Organizations: Reliance Industries Locations: India, Gujarat

☆ Meet the Ambanis, who live in a $1 billion skyscraper and mingle with royals and Bollywood stars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Katie Warren | Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mukesh Ambani is worth $111 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The Ambanis live in a 27-story skyscraper in Mumbai thought to have cost $1 billion to construct. The Ambanis made headlines in 2018 for throwing one of the most lavish wedding celebrations ever for Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. This week the family is staging an extravagant 3-day pre-wedding celebration for Anant, Mukesh Ambani's youngest son. The Ambani family home in Mumbai is a 27-story skyscraper that cost an estimated $1 billion to build.

Persons: Mukesh Ambani, —, Anant, Isha Ambani, Anand Piramal, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Hillary Clinton, Arianna Huffington, Mukesh Ambani's, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Rihanna, Sundar Pichai, Jay Y, Lee, Ambani Organizations: Bloomberg, Reliance Industries, Service, Tech, Guardian, Reuters, Samsung Electronics, The Locations: Mumbai, India, Gujarat, The Times

☆ A garland-wearing Mark Zuckerberg arrives for a glitzy Indian wedding celebration — and boy is he in full vacation mode
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla are attending the lavish Ambani pre-wedding party in India. The Meta CEO appears to be in full vacation mode after being pictured with a floral garland. The event for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant is due to feature a performance by Rihanna. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . He appears to be in full vacation mode after flying in with his wife for the Ambani family's extravagant three-day affair.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla, Ambani, Anant Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Rihanna, —, Mukesh Ambani, Anant, He's, Viren Merchant, Isha Ambani, Anand Piramal, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Hillary Clinton, Arianna Huffington, Mukesh, Nita, Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, Zuckerberg, he'd, Larry Fink, Murray Auchincloss, Sundar Pichai, Jay Y, Lee, Rihanna hasn't, Abu Organizations: Service, Encore Healthcare, The, Samsung Electronics, Reuters, India Today, Prix Locations: India, Gujarat, The Times

☆ Anant Ambani pre-wedding bash: Celebrities, tycoons jet to Indian billionaire heir’s celebrations in Jamnagar
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New Delhi Reuters —Charter jets for tycoons and celebrities, a performance by Rihanna and directions to don “jungle fever” outfits when visiting an animal rescue center — that’s how billionaire Mukesh Ambani is kickstarting big fat Indian wedding celebrations for his son. The occasion of the moment that has India transfixed is a three-day pre-wedding jamboree for his youngest son Anant Ambani, 28, who is set to marry his long-time girlfriend Radhika Merchant, 29. Anant is a director at Reliance’s new energy business and one of Ambani’s three children who are the heirs to his empire. Ambani also made headlines with his daughter Isha’s wedding in 2018 which was described by some as a mini-Davos summit. Guests to Anant Ambani’s celebrations are set to savor 500 dishes created by around 100 chefs.

Persons: Rihanna, Mukesh Ambani, Ambani, Anant Ambani, Radhika Merchant, Anant, David Blaine, Bill Gates, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Bob Iger, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Anant Ambani’s Organizations: Delhi Reuters —, Reliance, Forbes, Disney, Reliance’s, Encore, Former U.S, Reuters Locations: Delhi, India, Jamnagar, Reliance’s, Gujarat, Davos, Former, New Delhi, Mumbai

☆ Pankaj Udhas, Bollywood Singer and Maestro of the Ghazal, Dies at 72
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Suhasini Raj | John Yoon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Pankaj Udhas, a singer from India whose soulful renditions of ghazals, or lyric love songs, were a cornerstone of many Bollywood films over his decades-long career, died in Mumbai on Monday. His death was announced on social media by his daughter Nayaab Udhas. Mr. Udhas moved generations of people in India and the Indian diaspora by singing ghazals, the lyric poems that have been written for centuries in Persian, Hindi, Urdu, Turkish and other languages. He also worked as a playback singer, the term for a vocalist who recorded tracks offscreen for actors to lip-sync over. Mr. Udhas became a stalwart in the Indian music industry through both his discography of more than 50 albums and the enormous success of the movies in which he sang.

Persons: Pankaj Udhas, Nayaab Udhas, Udhas Locations: India, Mumbai

Ameen Sayani, a pioneering radio presenter who drew generations of listeners in India with his melodic voice on a radio show that became a national phenomenon, died on Tuesday. Born in 1932, Ameen Sayani was introduced to radio by his elder brother who was an English-language presenter. In 1952, Ameen became one of the first voices to be heard on the airwaves in Asia by starting the radio program for which he became the most famous, “Binaca Geetmala,” showcasing Bollywood music. He hosted the program on Radio Ceylon, one of the oldest radio stations in the world, based in what is now Sri Lanka. The show was later moved to All India Radio, the state-owned public broadcaster.

Persons: Ameen, Narendra Modi, Sayani’s, “, ” Mr, Rajil, Ameen Sayani, Binaca Organizations: Radio Ceylon, India Radio Locations: India, English, Asia, Sri Lanka

☆ Deepfake porn is a huge problem — here are some of the tools that could help stop it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The overall percentage is now lower, but the overall volume of deepfake content which is pornographic has exploded," Ajder said. Deepfake porn of pop superstar Taylor Swift has raised awareness of the issue. Criminal deterrentsThis has had an effect on legislation in the UK, where the Online Safety Act has made it illegal to distribute deepfake porn — but not to create it. AdvertisementThough hard to prosecute, criminalizing deepfake porn is still an important deterrent, in his view. In India, a deepfake porn scandal involving Bollywood actresses spurred the government to fasttrack legislation and pressure the big tech companies to prevent AI-generated content from being spread online.

Persons: —, Trace, Henry Ajder, Midjourney, Ajder, Taylor Swift, Bauer, Griffin, Elon Musk, Biden, ChatGPT, they're, it's, Ben Zhao, Joe Biden, Joe Morelle, deepfakes, criminalizing Organizations: Service, BBC News, Google, Meta, Coalition, telltale, University of Chicago, NPR, Anadolu, Getty, Associated Press, Federal Communications Commission Locations: Deepfakes, British, New York, New Hampshire, India

☆ An influencer who faked her death from cervical cancer says she did it to raise awareness for women who actually died from the disease
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pandey said she did it to raise awareness for women who have actually died from cervical cancer. "Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer," a post on Poonam Pandey's Instagram read. I didn't die because of cervical cancer. But this is not just lip service, instead I'm committing my entire body to the service of Cervical Cancer." The American Cancer Society recommends women undergo cervical cancer screenings starting at age 25.

Persons: Poonam Pandey, Pandey, —, Instagram, chastized Pandey Organizations: Service, Business, American Cancer Society, BI

☆ Photos: Ayodhya Ram Mandir temple inaugurated in consecration ceremony overseen by Modi
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Crowds gather during the opening of a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Lord Ram, in Ayodhya, India, on January 22, 2024. Inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple Monday, Modi presided over the Pran Pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, of an idol of Lord Ram, one of Hinduism’s most revered deities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plays a leading role in the ceremony consecrating a statue of the god Ram. “Today our Lord Ram has come. A man prays on the banks of Sarayu River on the occasion of Ram temple's consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Lord Ram, Rajesh Kumar Singh, –, Modi, Pran Pratishtha, Ram, Imtiyaz Khan, ” Modi, “ Ram, Money Sharma, Hinduism's Lord Ram, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Mukesh Ambani, Anupam Kher, Beckham, ”, Ram Charan, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Alia Bhatt Rajesh Kumar Singh Organizations: CNN, Indian, Anadolu, Getty Locations: Ayodhya, India, India's Uttar Pradesh, Sarayu, Babri

☆ Indian Devotees Splurge on Jets, Gold Idols as Hindu Temple Opens
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani are among the 8,000 or so attendees at Monday's inauguration event for the Ram Temple, which devotees believe is built on the birthplace of Lord Ram, a sacred Hindu deity. Officials estimate 100 private jets will descend on Jan. 22 on Ayodhya airport, filling it to capacity. Mehra did not disclose the price of the charters, but private jet booking website JetSetGo lists the price of a Mumbai-Gorakhpur flight on a Falcon 2000 jet with nine passengers on board at about $74,000. There is a waiting period of two weeks," said Baldev Singh, a manager at HS Jewellers in Lucknow city. "People are betting on economic prosperity but there's also emotional attachment to be part of the Ayodhya story."

Persons: Saurabh Sharma, Tanvi Mehta, Narendra Modi, Mukesh Ambani, Lord Ram, Modi, It's, Rajan Mehra, Mehra, Baldev Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhinandan, Abhinandan Lodha, Aditya Kalra Organizations: Indian, Ram, Bharatiya Janata Party, Dassault, Reuters Locations: Tanvi Mehta AYODHYA, India, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Mumbai, Thailand, Lucknow city

☆ ChatGPT, Oppenheimer and Indian entertainment top the most-viewed Wikipedia pages in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Sergio Padilla | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Given its massive surge in popularity, the page about OpenAI’s virtual chatbot ChatGPT was the most viewed page on Wikipedia this year, amassing more than 49.4 million page views. The Wikipedia entry about the series drew more than 38 million page views. Virat Kohli of India bats during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 Final between India and Australia at Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, 2023 in Ahmedabad, India. The page for the league itself received more than 32 million views and the 2023 season receiving more than 20 million views. Chris Pizzello/APThe Oppenheimer film received more than 28 million page views, the page about real-life physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer himself received 25.6 million views while the Barbie film received 18 million.

Persons: New York CNN —, ChatGPT, ”, Anusha Alikhan, Alikhan, It’s, “ Oppenheimer, Virat Kohli, Narendra Modi, Gareth Copley, Jawan, Pathaan ”, Barbie ”, ” Barbie, Oppenheimer, Chris Pizzello, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, Lionel Messi, Andrew Tate, misogynist influencer, Tate, Barbie, Cristiano Ronaldo, Matthew Perry, Lisa Marie Presley Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Wikipedia’s, Wikimedia Foundation, CNN, Indian Premier League, Cricket, ”, United Nations, Internet, Mobile Association of India, eventual, Australia, ICC Men's Cricket, Narendra, Getty, Men’s Cricket, Warner Bros, Los Feliz Theatre, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Premier League Locations: New York, ” India, India, United States, United Kingdom, China, Australia, Ahmedabad, Wikipedia’s, Los Angeles, Gaza, Ukraine, Hamas, Israel, Romania, ChatGPT, Water

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