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☆ Canada cuts some consular services in India amid murder row
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Yp Rajesh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man on a bicycle passes by the Canadian High-Commision in New Delhi, India, September 20, 2023. The announcements affecting consulates in Bengaluru, Chandigarh and Mumbai came hours after Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats from India. Despite the dispute, two senior Indian government sources told Reuters the uproar would not spill into a trade dispute or impact investment, with imports from Canada continuing to flow. India has dismissed as absurd Trudeau's suspicions that its agents were linked to the murder of Nijjar, 45, a Canadian citizen whom New Delhi had labelled a terrorist. The Indian foreign ministry defended its downsizing of Canada's diplomatic presence and rejected Joly's statement that it violated the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations.

Persons: Anushree, Melanie Joly, Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh, Nijjar, YP Rajesh, Neha Arora, Nikunj, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Canadian, REUTERS, Reuters, Canada, Canadian High Commission, Immigration, Citizenship Canada, YP, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Canada, British Columbia, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Ottawa, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Canadian, Vienna

Former architect and tour guide Peter Sekules poses for a photo at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia September 29, 2023. REUTERS/Alasdair Pal/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Sydney Opera House celebrated its 50th birthday on Friday, with a laser show planned to illuminate the iconic building. Officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973, the Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural designs of the 20th century, with 10.9 million people visiting every year. As part of the 1956 Opera House international design competition, 233 designs were submitted by architects from around the world with Jorn Utzon from Denmark chosen as the winner. The Sydney Opera House was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007.

Persons: Peter Sekules, Alasdair Pal, Queen Elizabeth II, Robin Fox, Anthony Albanese, Jorn Utzon, Construction, Utzon, Lincoln Organizations: Sydney Opera House, REUTERS, Rights, Opera, Sydney Opera, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Australian, Denmark

☆ Canadian PM says India's actions making life hard for millions of people
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday the Indian government's crackdown on Canadian diplomats was making normal life difficult for millions of people in both countries. Trudeau spoke a day after Canada said it had withdrawn 41 diplomats following an Indian threat to unilaterally revoke their status. "The Indian government is making it unbelievably difficult for life as usual to continue for millions of people in India and in Canada. Trudeau said the expulsion of some of Canada's diplomats will hamper travel and trade and pose difficulties for Indians studying in Canada. India is by far Canada's largest source of global students, making up for roughly 40% of study permit holders.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, contravening, David Ljunggren, Rod Nickel Organizations: OTTAWA, Thomson Locations: Canada, New Delhi, India, Brampton , Ontario, Vienna, Ottawa

☆ Canada pulls 41 diplomats from India as bilateral tensions escalate over Sikh killing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Heavy security deployed at High Commission of Canada on September 19, 2023 in New Delhi, India. Canada has pulled 41 diplomats and their families from India, after New Delhi threatened to have their diplomatic immunities revoked if Ottawa did not comply with demands for parity in diplomatic staffing. The move effectively slashed Canada's diplomatic numbers in India — its largest source of new migrants — by about two-thirds. India's Ministry for External Affairs did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment after office hours. Tensions between the two countries escalated in September when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claimed there were "credible allegations" the Indian government orchestrated the extra-judicial slaying of a Sikh separatist in Canada.

Persons: Justin Trudeau's Organizations: High Commission, Canada, Ottawa, Canadian Foreign Ministry, India's, Affairs, CNBC, Canadian Locations: New Delhi, India, Canada, India —, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Mumbai

☆ Google to manufacture smartphones in India starting with Pixel 8
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The new Pixel 8 Phone is displayed in New York City, U.S., October 4, 2023. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) will start manufacturing in India and will partner with international and domestic manufacturers to produce its Pixel smartphones locally, starting with Pixel 8, an executive said on Thursday. The devices are expected to be rolled out in 2024, Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of devices and services, said at a Google event. "India is a priority market for Pixel smartphones, and we’re committed to bringing the best of our hardware and underlying built-in software capabilities to people across the country," Osterloh said. India is aiming to become a manufacturing powerhouse, amid a greater push for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" initiative.

Persons: Caitlin Ochs, Rick Osterloh, we’re, Osterloh, Narendra Modi's, Tanvi Mehta, Blassy, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, smartphones, Apple, Micron Technology, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, DELHI, India

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition unveiled in July a strategy toward de-risking Germany's economic relationship with China, calling Beijing a "partner, competitor and systemic rival". German investment in Asia excluding China is rising as a share of overall investment. "No company is going to say that it will leave China," said Sandra Ebner, senior economist at Union Investment, Germany's second-largest fund manager. "But what companies are increasingly doing is to produce in China for China and to position themselves around China for the remaining Asian or global market." In July, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck travelled to India with a delegation of executives to discuss opportunities for German companies.

Persons: Thomas Nuernberger, Nuernberger, Olaf Scholz's, Volker Treier, Munk, Ferdinand Munk, Scholz, Angela Merkel's, Martin Brudermueller, Max Zenglein, Juergen Matthes, Markus Horn, Matthias Bianchi, Joe Biden, Wolfgang Niedermark, Jan Roennfeld, Roennfeld, Sandra Ebner, BDI's Niedermark, Robert Habeck, Christoph Steitz, Sarah Marsh, Maria Martinez, Aditya Kalra, Sarita Chaganti Singh, Xinghui, Orathai, Brenda Goh Organizations: Reuters, Commerce and Industry, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, BASF, IW Institute, Big, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Economic Institute, Horn, German Association of, Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, Union Investment, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, BERLIN, Berlin, Beijing, China, Taiwan, India, Asia, Germany, Europe, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia, South China, European, Thailand, United States, Mexico, Indonesian, Eastern Germany, Malaysia, Frankfurt, New Delhi, Xinghui Kok, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai

☆ US monitoring India's next steps after court declines to legalize same-sex marriage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

India's top court on Tuesday declined to legalize same-sex marriage and left it to parliament to decide, agreeing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government that the legislature is the right forum to rule on the issue. "The United States supports marriage equality globally," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said. Chandrachud, said on Tuesday the Supreme Court "cannot make law. Asia, a continent where conservative values still dominate society in many nations, largely lags behind the West in accepting same-sex marriage. The U.S. State Department said it regularly engages with the Indian government on human rights concerns, including over LGBT rights.

Persons: Anushree, India's, Narendra Modi's, Chandrachud, Kanishka Singh, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . State Department, United, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, State Department, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, United States, U.S, Asia, India . New Delhi, Washington

☆ Sold out hotels and spike in beer sales: How the Cricket World Cup could boost India's economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Spectators react in the crowd during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 between India and Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium on October 11, 2023 in Delhi, India. Matt Roberts-icc | Icc | Getty ImagesIndia is once again hosting the Cricket World Cup after more than a decade. "We must remember that the World Cup coincides with the Diwali season. Media and advertisingDuring the last Cricket World Cup in 2019, a global average of 1.6 billion people tuned in. Spectators watch the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Oct. 16, 2023.

Persons: Matt Roberts, Shantanu Bhargava, Lalitya, Avi Mehta, Waterfield, Bhargava, Dhavala, Aditya Suresh, Suresh, Zomato, Prakash Singh, Mehta, —, Radico Khaitan, Shibani Kurian, It's, Tauseef Mustafa Organizations: ICC Men's Cricket, Arun, icc, Icc, Getty, Cricket, Waterfield Advisors, Hospitality, CNBC, International Cricket Council, Macquarie Group Demand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indian Hotels Company, Macquarie Group, Alcohol, Afp, Spirits, Kotak Mahindra AMC, Media, Disney, ICC, Board, Control, BCCI, Ekana Cricket Locations: India, Afghanistan, Delhi, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ahmedabad, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Pune, LSEG, New Delhi, Lucknow

☆ India allows restriction-free imports of laptops, tablets in policy dilution
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Shivangi Acharya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] People sit and work on their laptops at Deloitte's office in Gurugram, India, June 13, 2023. On Aug. 3, India imposed a licensing regime on laptops and tablet imports, but quickly deferred the decision following criticism from industry and Washington. India's electronics and software imports, which include laptops, tablets and personal computers, stood at $33.6 billion in the April to August period, up nearly 8% from last year. India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) said it "extends its profound appreciation towards the government's recent decision to maintain restriction-free imports of laptops and tablets." Further measures could be taken after September 2024 on the basis of the data collected, Krishnan told a press conference.

Persons: Anushree, Krishnan, Shivangi Acharya, Sakshi Dayal, Kim Coghill, Clarence Fernandez, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Companies India, Indian, Dell, HP, Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, HK, India Cellular and Electronics Association, Thomson Locations: Gurugram, India, DELHI, Washington

☆ Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats from India - foreign minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OTTAWA, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats from India amid a dispute over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Thursday, adding that Ottawa would not take retaliatory steps. Joly said India had threatened to unilaterally revoke the diplomats' official status by Friday unless they left. "Given the implications of India's actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated their safe departure from India," she told a news conference. "If we allow the norm of diplomatic immunity to be broken, no diplomats anywhere on the planet would be safe. India has dismissed as absurd Trudeau's suspicions that its agents were linked to the murder of Nijjar, a Canadian citizen whom New Delhi had labeled a "terrorist."

Persons: Melanie Joly, Joly, Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Nijjar, David Ljunggren, Leslie Adler, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: OTTAWA, Ottawa, Thomson Locations: Canada, India, Vienna, New Delhi, Ottawa, Vancouver suburb, Canadian

OTTAWA, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats from India amid a dispute over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Thursday, adding that Ottawa would not take retaliatory steps. Joly said India had threatened to unilaterally revoke the diplomats' official status by Friday unless they left. "Given the implications of India's actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated their safe departure from India," she told a press conference. Canada now has 21 diplomats in India. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the diplomats' departure meant Canada would slash the number of embassy staff dealing with immigration.

Persons: Melanie Joly, Justin Trudeau, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Joly, Nijjar, Marc Miller, David Ljunggren, Leslie Adler, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: OTTAWA, Ottawa, Immigration, Thomson Locations: Canada, India, New Delhi, Ottawa, British Columbia, Vienna, Canadian

☆ India's Tata Group mulls $1 bln infusion into super-app venture - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Tata Group is seen at a business meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi March 23, 2009. REUTERS/Vijay Mathur/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Oct 19 (Reuters) - India's Tata Group is considering a $1 billion capital infusion into its super app Tata Neu to improve its digital business, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Tata may provide the capital in 2024, the report said, adding talks are ongoing and details of the deal could change. A super app combines multiple services onto one platform. Tata Neu was launched in April 2022 and offers products ranging from apparel to airline tickets, and aims to compete with a fast-growing market dominated by Amazon.com (AMZN.O) and Walmart's (WMT.N) Flipkart.

Persons: Vijay Mathur, Tata Neu, Ashna Teresa Britto, Sonia Cheema Organizations: Tata Group, Confederation of Indian Industry, REUTERS, Rights, India's Tata Group, Bloomberg, Tata, Reuters, Amazon.com, Thomson Locations: New Delhi

☆ India and Japan will be Asia's next power couple
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Pranav Kiran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida upon his arrival at Bharat Mandapam convention center for the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. Evan Vucci/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Oct 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - India and Japan are edging closer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's governments form part of the so-called Quad security grouping with the United States and Australia to counter Chinese expansionism in Asia. Now the two countries are setting up an investment fund together. That’s delivering on a pledge by Kishida to invest 5 trillion yen, or some $42 billion, into India over the next five years.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Fumio Kishida, Evan Vucci, Fumio, Kishida, Wood Mackenzie, Sajjan Jindal, India’s, Lakshmi Mittal, JBIC, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Indian, Japan, Bharat, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, National Investment, Infrastructure Fund, Japan Bank, International Cooperation, Japan External Trade Organization, Nippon Telegraph, Telephone, Reuters Graphics, Teck Resources, Nippon Steel, ArcelorMittal, Japan Fund, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Japan, United States, Australia, Asia, Reuters Graphics India, China, Russia, South, Teck, Indian

☆ Canada removes 41 diplomats from India as dispute over Sikh activist’s assassination deepens
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Paula Newton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Ottawa CNN —Canada has withdrawn 41 diplomats and their families from India after New Delhi threatened to revoke their diplomatic immunity amid a deepening dispute over the assassination of a Sikh activist. Given the implications of India’s actions on the safety of our diplomats, we have facilitated their safe departure from India,” Joly told a press conference in Ottawa. Joly said those diplomats and their families had already left India while 21 Canadian diplomats remained in the country. Joly added the Canadian government would not retaliate in kind, saying that to do so would be a violation of international law. Nijjar was an outspoken supporter of the creation of a separate Sikh homeland that would include parts of India and be known as Khalistan.

Persons: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Justin Trudeau, Mélanie Joly, India’s, ” Joly, Joly, “, Hardeep Singh, Nijjar, ” Nijjar’s Organizations: Ottawa CNN —, Canadian Foreign Affairs, Sikh Organization of Canada, India’s, Indian National Investigation Agency, Khalistan Locations: Ottawa CNN — Canada, India, New Delhi, British Columbia, Canada, Ottawa

☆ Terror Probe, Tax Raids: Journalists See Efforts to Silence Dissent in India
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Tripti Lahiri | Shan Li | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Security officers carry boxes of material confiscated after a raid at the office of news website NewsClick in New Delhi early this month. Photo: Dinesh Joshi/Associated PressNEW DELHI—At around 6:30 a.m., dozens of police fanned out to an office and private homes in India’s capital earlier this month. When one of them subjected to a search pressed them for a warrant, he said a policeman whispered that the search didn’t require one—it was happening under a stringent antiterrorism law. “I was shocked,” said Urmilesh, the subject of the search and a former executive editor of the TV channel of India’s upper house of Parliament. The 67-year-old, who uses just one name, watched dumbfounded as police rummaged through his books, journals and his daughter’s stuff.

Persons: Dinesh Joshi, “, ”, Urmilesh Organizations: Associated Press, DELHI Locations: New Delhi

☆ These are the 50 best bars in the world for 2023 — another Barcelona bar tops the list
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Quek Jie Ann | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

SINGAPORE — Sips in Barcelona, Spain is the best bar in the world, according to this year's ranking by the 50 Best organization. The World's 50 Best Bars were announced at an awards ceremony in Singapore on Tuesday evening — the first time the ceremony was held in Asia. The annual ranking is published by William Reed Business Media, a U.K.-based company that also publishes "The World's 50 Best Restaurants" list — and in a first, "The World's 50 Best Hotels," published in September. The 50 Best organization has published an annual ranking of "The World's 50 Best Bars" since 2009, with London and New York dominating the lists ever since. Courtesy of The World's 50 Best Bars

Persons: William Reed, Sips, Marc Álvarez, Frida Calho, Sydney –, Madrid, Rome Hanky, Kitten, Scotland Mimi Kakushi, Renato, Simone Caporale, Röda, Apoorva Kohli Organizations: Sips, Mexico City, William, William Reed Business Media, CNBC, South America, United Arab Emirates, Barcelona Connaught Bar, South America Himkok, Greece BKK Social, Salmon Guru, Hong, Buenos Aires Röda Huset, SG Club, Cambridge Public House, Sons, Africa Scarfes Bar, Milan Carnaval, Bar, Athens Atlas, American, Asia Locations: SINGAPORE, Barcelona, Spain, Singapore, Asia, New York, Mexico, U.K, London, Sips, Europe, North, South, Australia, Dubai, United Arab, South America, Oslo, Norway, Seoul, North America, Paradiso, Paris, Limantour, London Alquímico, Cartagena, Columbia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Athens, Greece, Bangkok, Pony, Salmon, , New York, Hong Kong, Rome, Rome Hanky Panky, Melbourne, Trova, Miami Baba, Rum, Athens CoChinChina, Berlin, Stockholm, Tokyo, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Arab Emirates, Middle East, Milan, Lima, Peru L'Antiquario, Naples, Italy, Mexico City, Firenze, Florence, , New Orleans, Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Röda Huset, New Delhi, Alquímico

SYDNEY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Australia's top court on Wednesday quashed a levy on electric vehicles (EVs) by the state of Victoria, in a case that could make it more difficult for other states to pursue similar legislation. In 2021, Victoria introduced a levy of between A$0.02 ($0.013) and A$0.025 per km travelled in EVs, a tax that faced a wide range of opposition. After a case brought by two EV owners, the High Court ruled Victoria's excise duty can only be levied by the federal government. The states of New South Wales and Western Australia have previously announced plans to introduce similar legislation. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Hertzberg, Noah Schultz, Alasdair Pal, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: SYDNEY, EV, ABC, Australia Institute, Thomson Locations: Victoria, EVs, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australian, Sydney

☆ India aims to send astronaut to the moon by 2040
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People watch a live stream of Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft's landing on the moon, inside an auditorium of Gujarat Science City in Ahmedabad, India, August 23, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Oct 17 (Reuters) - India aims to send an astronaut to the moon by 2040, the government said on Tuesday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued instructions to the space department that include plans for a space station by 2035. After that success, India launched a rocket to study the sun and is scheduled conduct a test later this week as part of its crewed space mission. "Prime minister directed that India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station' (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending first Indian to the moon by 2040," the government said in a statement. "To realize this vision, the Department of Space will develop a roadmap for moon exploration," it added.

Persons: Amit Dave, Narendra Modi, Modi, Shivam Patel, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Bharatiya, Department of Space, Thomson Locations: Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad, India, DELHI

[1/2] Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin arrives at Beijing Capital International Airport to attend the Third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, October 16, 2023. "And if you look at the month-by-month statistics, Chinese investments are still increasing," he told Reuters. "So I see that in the next two or three years, Chinese investments will still increase drastically in Thailand." But a large proportion of the 228 Chinese investments proposals this year have come in the electronics sector, according to the BOI. Chinese investments will likely continue for the next two years, Jareeporn said.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Tingshu Wang, General Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Srettha, Xiaomi Corp's, Alain Lam, Narit, Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, Jareeporn, Chayut, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Thailand's, Beijing Capital International Airport, Forum, REUTERS, Rights, of Investment, Investment, Reuters, Thai, Initiative, HK, Toyota, Isuzu Motors, WHA, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BANGKOK, Thailand, Singapore, Southeast Asia's, Thailand's, Thai

☆ India's top court declines to legalise same-sex marriage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] A writer and member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community (LGBT community) holds the pride flag while waiting to hear the judgement on same-sex marriage by the Supreme Court in New Delhi, India, October 17, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Oct 17 (Reuters) - India's top court on Tuesday said it cannot legalise same-sex marriages, with the chief justice of the country saying making such a law is the domain of parliament. Chandrachud said there was a degree of "agreement and disagreement on how far we have to go" on same-sex marriages as he began reading his order. Two of the other four judges agreed with Chandrachud on the court not legalising same-sex marriages, making it a majority. The court ruling comes five years after a historic 2018 judgement when the Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex.

Persons: Anushree, Chandrachud, Narendra Modi's, Arpan Chaturvedi, Shilpa Jamkhandikar Organizations: REUTERS, Supreme, Rajesh, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, Taiwan, Nepal, Asia

India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a plea to legalize same-sex marriage, a stinging setback for gay people seeking equal rights in this socially conservative country of 1.4 billion people. A five-member bench of judges ruled unanimously against the petitioners, with the chief justice saying it was up to Parliament to create any laws recognizing same-sex unions. Still, it offered a few glimmers of hope to same-sex marriage proponents, if largely rhetorical in some cases. The judges ruled that transgender people can marry other transgender people, and expanded the definition of discrimination. Among the four opinions they issued in the ruling, some were pointedly sympathetic to the petitioners.

Persons: ”, Anjali Gopalan Organizations: Foundation Locations: India’s, New Delhi

☆ Indian wheat prices at 8-month high on festival demand, tight supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Rajendra Jadhav | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Indian wheat prices surged to an eight-month high on Tuesday, propelled by strong demand for big festivals, limited supplies and as import duty makes overseas buying unfeasible for domestic flour mills. Rising wheat prices could contribute to food inflation. Wheat prices in New Delhi jumped by 1.6% on Tuesday to 27,390 rupees ($329) per metric ton, the highest since Feb. 10. "Festival season demand is driving up wheat prices. As of Oct. 1, wheat stocks in government warehouses stood at 24 million metric tons, sharply down compared with a five-year average of 37.6 million tons.

Persons: Amit Dave, Pramod Kumar S, Sanjeev Chopra, Ashwini Bansod, Bansod, Rajendra Jadhav, Robert Birsel Organizations: Agriculture, REUTERS, Rights, Federation, Phillip Capital India, Ltd ., El, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, Rights MUMBAI, New Delhi, Ltd . India, Mumbai

☆ Rashid backs England to bounce back from Afghanistan loss
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Afghanistan posted 284 after half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ikram Alikhil, before bowling out England for 215 to claim just their second victory at a World Cup. We're not too concerned, it's just a game that we've lost," Rashid told reporters. "We know we've got tough competition coming up, but I'm confident we can play really well as a unit moving forward. "You are going to have games where players are out of form but I do believe we've got the squad, we've got the team and we've got the mentality to still be hungry." England, who face South Africa in Mumbai on Saturday, are fifth in the standings with one win from three matches.

Persons: Arun Jaitley, England's Adil Rashid, Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Andrew Boyers, Adil Rashid's, Rahmanullah, Ikram Alikhil, We're, it's, we've, Rashid, Aadi Nair, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, Rashid Khan REUTERS, England, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: England, Afghanistan, New Delhi, India, Africa, Mumbai, Bengaluru

☆ India same-sex marriage: The Supreme Court may be about to legalize it for millions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But they’re up against a tough opponent: the ruling government of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which argues that same-sex marriage is a “Western” concept without “any basis” in the constitution. Since then, India’s LGBTQ community – likely one of the world’s largest given its population of 1.4 billion people – has faced widespread marginalization from society. But Victorian laws governing same-sex marriage are one throwback to the colonial past his party has fought to retain. In 2018, after a decade-long battle, the Supreme Court struck down the colonial-era law that criminalized same-sex intercourse – though it left intact the legislation limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. Anand agreed, adding that what started off as a conversation in their home has morphed into a movement that has united India’s LGBTQ community.

Persons: Aditi Anand, Susan Dias, ” Anand, “, ” Weeks, Dias, Anand, Susan Dias India, ”, Dipa Chakraborty, India’s, –, Narendra Modi, Vivek, Vivek Kishore, Karan Johar, ” Vishwa, Suvir Saran, Saran, ” Saran, Anish Gawde, ” Gawde, ” Vivek, It’s Organizations: CNN, India’s, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Pride, Future Publishing, Bollywood, Pink List Locations: Mumbai, India, India’s British, England, Wales, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Pink List India

☆ Zampa braves back spasms to reignite Australia's stuttering campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Saurabh Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LUCKNOW, India, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australia's Adam Zampa would not rate his performance against Sri Lanka in Monday's World Cup clash among his best but its importance was not lost on the leg spinner. Smarting from back-to-back defeats, five-time champions Australia moved off the bottom of the points table after their five-wicket victory against 1996 champions Sri Lanka. Zampa went wicketless against India and bled 70 runs in his 10 overs for the lone wicket of Rassie van der Dussen against South Africa. The spinner said he did not try anything different against Sri Lanka. "We've got a tough game coming up next against Pakistan but I am going to try and keep things the same for me."

Persons: Adam Zampa, Smarting, Zampa, I've, Rassie van der, We've, Amlan Chakraborty, Ken Ferris Organizations: Sri, Australia, Sri Lanka, India, Thomson Locations: LUCKNOW, India, Sri Lanka, Lanka, South Africa, Pakistan, New Delhi

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