The United States is aware of reports on the alleged ties between the Indian media organisation Newsclick and China, but it cannot comment on the veracity of those claims yet, an official said on Tuesday.

US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel added that the US has urged the Indian Government “about the importance of respecting the human rights of journalists, including freedom of expression both online and offline.” He was answering a question during a routine briefing in Washington DC.

The founder-editor and head of the human resources department of the news portal NewsClick were arrested on Tuesday after day-long searches at over 50 locations linked to the news portal, its employees and contributors. As The Indian Express reported, the searches and the arrest followed an August 17 FIR based on the Enforcement Directorate’s inputs that NewsClick had allegedly received illegal funding from China, routed through the United States.

When asked if the US has any information on the potential Chinese influence operation that might be connected to this, Patel answered in negative.

When asked to comment on media reports alleging Newsclick was part of a Chinese influence operation that’s funded through a network of an American businessman, Patel said, “We are aware of those concerns and have seen that reporting about this outlet’s ties to the PRC, but we can’t comment yet on the veracity of those claims.”

However, in response to a query about the raids being an infringement on the free press, Patel said, “… the US Government strongly supports the robust role of the media globally, including social media, in a vibrant and free democracy, and we raise concerns on these matters with the Indian Government, with countries around the world, through our diplomatic engagements that are, of course, at the core of our bilateral relationship.”

“We have urged the Indian Government, and have done so not just with India but other countries as well, about the importance of respecting the human rights of journalists, including freedom of expression both online and offline,” he added.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the Indian-American community have urged the Indian government to open a consulate in the second-largest US city and the entertainment capital of the world.

Currently, there are five Indian consulates in the US in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston and Atlanta.

During the historic State Visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June, it was announced that India would open two new consulates in the US, one of which would be in Seattle.

A group of Indian American organisations and the Los Angeles (LA) Mayor are urging that the second consulate should be opened in their city.

“I ask that you consider the City of Los Angeles for a new Indian Consulate. It would be my honour to work with you to open and provide continued support for this important platform for engagement and exchange,” Bass wrote in a recent letter to India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

“Tourism between India and Los Angeles is another source of mutual benefit, and Los Angeles has invested in India with a dedicated Tourism Office that opened in 2019 and remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bass wrote in her letter, a copy of which has been seen by PTI.

With more than 100,000 Indian visitors to Los Angeles every year, a consulate will not only provide important services but become a key partner to expand bilateral cooperation, she said.

“We are proud to host 94 foreign missions as part of our diplomatic corps, and my Office of International Affairs is dedicated to deepening our engagement with partners around the world,” she said.

“As the second largest city in the United States and home to more than 150,000 Indian Americans, I respectfully request you choose Los Angeles to host a new consular mission,” Bass said.

“With the largest port complex in the Western Hemisphere, thousands of start-ups and the third largest venture capital market in the United States, and a slate of international sporting and entertainment events scheduled over the next decade including the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I am excited by endless opportunities to strengthen ties between Los Angeles and India,” the Mayor said.

While acknowledging the important work of the Indian Consul General in San Francisco, she said 23 countries maintain consulates in both Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“Twelve G20 countries have consulates in Los Angeles and San Francisco and an additional five G20 countries have consulates solely in Los Angeles,” she said.

“Southern California’s diverse economy stretches well beyond the entertainment industry, and includes a thriving biotechnology and life sciences sector, global leaders in space and aerospace, and a booming sustainability and green technology field,” she said.

The Los Angeles region, she noted, is also home to more than 180 universities and colleges, centres for student experience, research, and innovation.

“California is proud to host more than 10 per cent of all Indians studying in the United States, and we value the bridges they create between our communities,” Bass said.

Gunjana Bagla, an eminent Indian-American from Los Angeles, who has launched an online campaign on the matter, said Los Angeles is one of the largest cities in the US without having an Indian consulate.

“We in the community feel that having a local consul general would be useful and beneficial not only to the Indian-American community but also to the business community at large,” Bagla told PTI.

“Over 40 per cent of all trade in the United States goes through the twin LA/Long Beach harbours. As a top five economy it is embarrassing for India to not have a diplomatic mission in such an important location,” said the online petition signed by more than 3,600 Indian Americans.

“The time to act is now: Prime Minister Modi and President (Joe) Biden announced in June that two new Indian Consulates will be opened. Los Angeles needs to take its rightful place before any other location in North America. Hurry and sign this petition,” it said.

Indian-origin US presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy is reportedly looking for a nanny for his two kids. As per a recent job listing on a staff recruitment website, Vivek Ramaswamy is offering a salary of $1,00,000, approximately over Rs 80 lakh in Indian currency, according to a report.

A Business Insider report mentioned that the job advertisement on the staff recruitment website EstateJobs.com says, “Curiosity, adventure, and constant motion define the family’s lifestyle. This is an exceptional opportunity to join a high-profile family, contributing to the growth and development of their children while participating in unique family adventures.”

The job advertisement describes the need for a candidate to work 84 to 96 hours a week with one week off, the report added. It also mentions that “the candidate will be needed to coordinate with the other house helps including a chef, housekeeper and private security to provide a seamless daily routine.” However, the name of the recruiter is not listed in the advertisement, but reports have claimed that the details mentioned in the advertisement point to Ramaswamy’s family The 38-year-old Republican presidential candidate is married to Apoorva T Ramaswamy who is a professor and physician at Ohio State University. The couple has two sons, aged 1 and 3.5 years.

Ramaswamy is a US presidential candidate for the 2024 election who will be running against Joe Biden. The Indian-origin candidate is also a well-known entrepreneur. He owns a pharmaceutical research firm, Roivant Sciences founded in 2014. However, he stepped down from his position as CEO of the company in early 2021 and resigned from his role as chairman in February this year. As per a report by Forbes, Ramaswamy’s net worth was estimated to be $1 billion in August.

Apart from the business, Ramaswamy has built a reputation for opposing corporate involvement in political, social, and environmental causes. As per his views, he strongly advocates for a more focused approach to national issues.

A group of eminent Indian-Americans has condemned the brazen hateful comments and a hostile environment against Hindus in Canada and asked Ottawa not to mix freedom of expression with freedom for terror and endorse hate crimes by being silent on the issue.

The demand by Indian-Americans came after an offensive video from a pro-Khalistan group threatening Hindus in Canada to leave the country went viral.

“It is concerning to see Khalistani terrorists repeatedly threaten Hindu Canadians by desecrating and scarring Hindu sacred spaces on Canadian soil. Silence in the face of such brazen Hinduphobia – or worse, the justification that this is an acceptable form of political expression – is tantamount to the endorsement of hate crimes,” said Professor Indu Vishwanathan, co-founder and co-director of the Understanding Hinduphobia at the Hindu University of America.

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should not mix freedom of expression with freedom for terror. He should instead stop radicalisation, and drug gangs and diplomatically handle international situations,” Khanderao Kand from the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) said in a media statement.

The Khalistani video surfaced days after Trudeau’s allegations on September 18 of the “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian citizen, on Canadian soil on June 18 in British Columbia.

The chair of government affairs of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, Dr Sampath Shivangi, appealed to US President Joe Biden and the US Congress to intervene and send a message to Canada to protect Canadian Indians, Hindus and thousands of Indian students from the threats.

On concerns of spilling this hatred over to the US, Chicago-based prominent Indian-American leader Bharat Barai said, “I doubt it will spill over. We should keep calm but be vigilant. Khalistanis represent a very tiny misled minority, instigated by ISI and involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking and other violent criminal activities.”

Chief-editor of Khalsa Today Sukhi Chahal separated the hateful radicals from Sikhism and said: “As a Sikh, I firmly believe in the teachings of our gurus, which emphasise the unity of all humanity.”

Menghrajani treats patients with leukaemia. She will spend a year working with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries and other administration officials. Kamal Menghrajani, an Indian-American cancer physician, is among 15 “remarkably gifted, passionate, and accomplished” individuals chosen to the 2023-2024 class of White House Fellows. Menghrajani is placed at the Office of Science and Technology Policy. She treats patients with leukaemia.

She will spend a year working with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking administration officials.

Menghrajani, who is from New York, is the lone Indian American among 15 “remarkably gifted, passionate, and accomplished” individuals chosen to the 2023-2024 class of White House Fellows, the White House said in a statement on September 20.

“President Biden announced my appointment as a White House Fellow. As the first oncologist ever selected, I’m excited to lead, serve, and innovate for our patients in this new role with the Cancer Moonshot and Health Outcomes teams @WHOSTP,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter), after the recent White House announcement.

Menghrajani will work with the Cancer Moonshot and Health Outcomes teams at the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President, she said in a post on her LinkedIn profile.

While on faculty at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, she conducted cancer research focused on early diagnosis and prevention, and has spearheaded health equity efforts for vulnerable populations in global contexts, including Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Uganda, the statement said.

“Congratulations Dr. @KamalMe, a former attending on MSK’s #leukemia service, on being named a @WHFellow supporting the #CancerMoonshot!” the cancer center posted on X on September 22.

As an entrepreneur, Menghrajani has co-founded startups to address unmet needs in cancer treatment and deploy AI for rapid cancer diagnosis. She helped grow the non-profit Nourish International, which engages student leaders as social entrepreneurs in international development work, it said.

Founded in 1964, the White House Fellows programme offers exceptional young leaders first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government.

Fellows spend a year working with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking administration officials and leave the Administration equipped to serve as better leaders in their communities.