Alia Bhatt’s latest production,

The story follows Shyamili Das, affectionately known as Shy, who appears to have the perfect life at the beginning of the film. A glamorous opening sequence shows her receiving a symbolic ring from her boyfriend Mayank Jhunjhunwala and being introduced as the head of his family’s company. The fantasy soon gives way to reality, revealing that Shy has concealed several important details about her life from Mayank and her college circle.

Her family is struggling financially because of their debt-ridden saree business, while Shy is determined to build a more prosperous future. She sees her relationship with Mayank as a possible path toward an internship at his father’s company, a scholarship and greater financial security. Her carefully constructed plans unravel when Mayank ends their relationship on his 21st birthday.

Things become more complicated when Mayank begins dating Tara, played by Bianca Arora. In an attempt to provoke her former boyfriend, Shy starts flirting with Dhruv, a previous friend portrayed by Ansh Duggal. What begins as an effort to make someone jealous gradually develops into a more complicated emotional situation.

The film recreates the colorful atmosphere of a college romantic comedy, using friendship, family relationships, heartbreak and second chances as key elements. A competitive college festival provides an energetic backdrop, while dance and music remain central to the movie’s presentation. Songs such as Tum Ho Wahi, performed by Armaan Malik and Shreya Karmarkar, and Sona Mohapatra’s Re Bawri complement the youthful setting, with Ram Sampath handling the music.

Aarushi Bajaj brings confidence and determination to Shy’s character, while Bianca Arora gives Tara emotional depth. Ansh Duggal and Piyush Khati also make their roles work, while Kunaal Roy Kapur appears as Mr. Q and Neha Dhupia makes a special appearance.

However, the narrative becomes increasingly predictable. Several developments can be anticipated early, while the backstory of Shy’s parents receives limited attention despite its importance to the story. Ultimately, Don’t Be Shy offers an entertaining mix of romance, friendship, music and youthful energy, although its familiar storyline prevents the film from fully developing its potential.

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At 69, Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor continues to maintain an active approach to fitness. The veteran actor recently gave fans a glimpse of his cardio routine, sharing a video of himself working out on an exercise bike. In the post, Kapoor described the equipment as a long-standing favorite in his fitness routine, highlighting the familiarity he has developed with it over the years.

The latest workout is another example of Kapoor’s focus on staying consistent with exercise. Earlier, he had shared footage of himself recording a run after taking a four-year break from documenting his running sessions. Reflecting on that period, the actor explained that his fitness journey had continued even when the pace and form of his workouts changed.

For Kapoor, maintaining fitness is less about achieving quick results and more about continuing the effort over time. He has previously spoken about repetition and persistence as important elements of achieving progress, describing consistency as a force capable of producing significant results through small efforts repeated every day.

His approach to fitness has remained a recurring theme in his social media posts, where he has regularly shared glimpses of his workouts and reflections on maintaining an active lifestyle.

Meanwhile, Kapoor has also returned to Indian television with India Ke Top 1%, which premiered on September 19. The reality quiz show is an Indian adaptation of the international format The 1% Club and takes a different approach from conventional general-knowledge quiz programs.

Rather than concentrating primarily on trivia, the show challenges participants through questions involving logic, observation, common sense and reasoning. The format brings together 100 contestants who compete through 13 rounds, with the difficulty increasing as the competition progresses.

The program’s top prize can reach approximately $120,000. It airs on Star Plus on Saturdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. and is also available to stream on JioHotstar. Viewers can participate alongside the televised competition through the platform’s interactive “Play Along” feature.

With his latest workout post arriving alongside his television comeback, Kapoor continues to share both professional updates and glimpses of his long-running commitment to fitness.

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Akshay Kumar has offered a glimpse into his unusually strict approach to time, revealing that he often arrives at events much earlier than expected. The actor recently discussed his punctuality while speaking about his lifestyle, fitness routine and attitude toward Bollywood social gatherings.

Kumar explained that his decision to stay away from Bollywood parties is not necessarily connected to maintaining his fitness. Instead, he admitted that he simply does not enjoy them. Recalling an awards event, he said he and actor Boman Irani were already seated even though the show had not started. The two were reportedly waiting for the hosts to arrive so they could receive their awards and head home.

The actor also shared an amusing example involving weddings. Rather than treating the time printed on an invitation as a loose guideline, Kumar said he takes it literally. If a wedding invitation states that the celebration will run from 8 p.m. to midnight, he said he and Irani would aim to arrive at 8 p.m.

His approach can sometimes result in an unusual situation, Kumar joked, because the bride and groom themselves may not have arrived by the time he gets there. The anecdote reflects his long-standing reputation for maintaining a disciplined schedule.

Psychologist Dr. Neerja Agarwal, co-founder of Emoneeds, explained that punctuality can develop through several influences, including personality, upbringing, cultural expectations and personal experiences. She pointed to conscientiousness, a personality trait associated with organization and dependability, as one factor that can make people more likely to value being on time.

Agarwal also noted that people who grow up in environments where punctuality is emphasized may carry those expectations into adulthood. Experiences involving the consequences of being late can further reinforce the habit.

Psychotherapist and life coach Delnna Rrajesh discussed the broader impact of punctuality on relationships and professional life. She said consistently honoring commitments can demonstrate reliability and consideration for others. She also suggested that keeping promises to oneself can gradually build self-trust and confidence.

According to Rrajesh, maintaining disciplined habits can remain important even after achieving professional success. She emphasized preparation, continuous learning and respectful treatment of colleagues as behaviors that can continue regardless of status.

Kumar’s comments ultimately highlight how seriously he approaches schedules, whether he is attending professional events or social occasions.

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In her newly released Monthly Immigration Update for September 2026, Laura Collins, Director of Immigration Policy at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, presents a stark assessment of the American immigration landscape. The comprehensive policy analysis details how recent executive branch decisions, sweeping fee adjustments, and unprecedented administrative backlogs are creating severe headwinds for the U.S. legal immigration apparatus.

For the vibrant South Asian diaspora—particularly the thousands of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi families, tech professionals, researchers, and students navigating complex visa pathways—the findings highlight an increasingly unpredictable regulatory environment. Collins warns that the current trajectory not only harms foreign nationals who have diligently followed legal channels but also undermines the broader U.S. economy, educational institutions, and long-term national competitiveness.

Severe Systemic Backlogs and Shrinking Legal Pathways

A central focus of the Bush Institute’s September update is the dramatic slowdown in application processing across federal immigration channels. Citing a recent joint report for Third Way authored by immigration policy experts Sarah Pierce and Frank Sharry, Collins notes that current administrative measures are projected to reduce overall legal immigration to the United States by 33% to 50% before the end of the decade. This represents a net reduction of 1.5 million to 2.4 million legal immigrants, while overall net migration to the United States may have already dropped to zero.

Inside U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), operational paralysis is becoming increasingly apparent. The agency is currently on track to adjudicate fewer petitions in 2026 than in any single year over the past decade. Simultaneously, the total pending case backlog at USCIS has expanded to a record-breaking 12.1 million pending cases, creating multi-year delays across family petitions, adjustment of status filings, and employment authorization renewals.

High-Skilled Workers Face Unprecedented Obstacles

For South Asian professionals operating in technology, engineering, medicine, and corporate management, the update brings alarming news regarding specialty occupation visas and permanent residency pathways:

• Proposed $103,265 H-1B Visa Fee: Highlighting reporting from The Wall Street Journal, Collins draws attention to a federal proposal that would levy an unprecedented $103,265 fee on most new H-1B visa petitions for high-skilled foreign talent. Crucially, this fee would also apply to international professionals already residing inside the United States who are applying to switch employers or change status. Such a massive financial burden threatens to deter corporate sponsorship and disrupt the hiring pipelines that American tech and healthcare sectors rely upon.
• 179-Year Wait for Employment-Based Green Cards: Citing a policy brief from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), the report reveals that the employment-based Green Card backlog has now surpassed 1.2 million applicants. Due to country-based cap allocations, Indian employment-based applicants filing in 2026 face estimated waiting times of up to 179 years to secure permanent residency, leaving thousands of foreign-born professionals in perpetual limbo under temporary work statuses.

Higher Education and Student Visas in Decline

The Bush Institute report also tracks significant disruptions across higher education, where international talent pipelines are facing direct pressure from tightened vetting and administrative restrictions:

• Plummeting F-1 Student Visas: According to State Department data analyzed by Inside Higher Ed, approximately 23% fewer student visas were issued in 2025 compared to 2024. The decline accelerated sharply after student visa interviews were paused in May to implement mandatory social media screening requirements. Consequently, F-1 visas for degree-seeking students plummeted by 33.4% year-over-year. As U.S. colleges lose ground, countries such as Ireland, Germany, France, Hong Kong, and Japan are actively capturing international student interest.
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Restrictions: Following a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidance memo issuing stricter rules for university work-study programs, institutions like the University of Texas at Austin have been forced to scale back CPT options. The federal directive mandates that CPT can only be approved when practical training is strictly integral to the core degree curriculum, closing off previously flexible internship avenues for foreign students.

The Cost of Executive Uncertainty and the Path Forward

Beyond employment and education, Collins emphasizes that administrative shifts have left non-immigrants and humanitarian status holders vulnerable to unpredictable policy shifts. From the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections to sudden freezes on refugee processing—which saw U.S. refugee admissions collapse to just 10,258 in the first 10 months of FY 2026—the lack of legislative permanence creates widespread instability.

Collins concludes that Congress’s ongoing tendency to outsource immigration policy to executive orders leaves immigrant families and American businesses at the mercy of shifting political administrations.

“It’s tempting to think that the situation is only a problem for the immigrants,” writes Collins. “But the schools and companies that are recruiting for the future are hurt by outdated policies and uncertainty around potential future executive actions. It benefits all Americans to have a legal immigration system that ensures our future prosperity, vitality, and security.”

As legislative deadlines loom, the Bush Institute urges lawmakers across both parties to prioritize comprehensive, structural reform of the legal immigration system to ensure fairness, predictability, and economic vitality.

Verification and Compliance Checklist for South Asian Diaspora Families

• H-1B & Tech Professionals: Review company sponsorship policies and monitor pending litigation surrounding proposed filing fee adjustments and labor market test requirements before filing extensions.
• F-1 International Students: Verify that current social media handles across all platforms (LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram) are set to public prior to consular visa appointments, and consult university DSO offices regarding CPT eligibility restrictions.
• Green Card Applicants (I-485): Track monthly Visa Bulletin priority date movements closely, maintain valid underlying non-immigrant status (such as H-1B or L-1), and consult legal counsel regarding travel risks during pending adjustment of status.
• Family & Visitor Visa Sponsors: Audit all public benefit usage to maintain full compliance with updated USCIS public charge guidelines during Green Card and visitor visa adjudications.

Anjali V. Deshmukh 

Anjali V. Deshmukh is an immigration lawyer in Washington, D.C., who has been working in the field for more than 15 years. She focuses on employment and religious worker visas. She graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and has spent her career helping South Asian non-profits and cultural institutions understand the complicated rules and regulations that govern immigration in the United States. Anjali speaks at national legal forums a lot, and she cares deeply about giving the Indian-American community the legal clarity it needs to protect its rich spiritual and cultural traditions. You can reach her by email at anjali@deshvidesh.com.

The post U.S. Legal Immigration System Faces Mounting Pressure, Warns Bush Institute first appeared on Desh-Videsh Media reaches 1.5 Millions+ Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshi, and Indo-Caribbeans..]]> https://www.deshvidesh.com/oaklands-janani-ramachandran-seeks-45-day-data-center-halt/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:52:07 +0000 https://www.deshvidesh.com/?p=85588 Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran has called for a 45-day pause on approvals for new data centers, giving city officials time to examine the facilities’ potential environmental and economic effects. Ramachandran, who represents District 4, wants Oakland to review its existing regulations as the number of data center proposals grows alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence. Data centers are essential ...

Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran has called for a 45-day pause on approvals for new data centers, giving city officials time to examine the facilities’ potential environmental and economic effects. Ramachandran, who represents District 4, wants Oakland to review its existing regulations as the number of data center proposals grows alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence.

Data centers are essential to developing and operating AI technologies, but their substantial demand for electricity and water has prompted growing scrutiny. Officials and community groups have raised concerns about greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, utility costs and possible effects on local ecosystems. Ramachandran’s proposal would allow the city to evaluate these issues and determine whether additional safeguards or regulatory changes are needed.

The proposed Oakland moratorium follows similar measures being considered or adopted elsewhere in California’s Bay Area. Oakley approved a 45-day moratorium in April, with provisions allowing it to be extended for up to two years. Gilroy and Richmond have also adopted comparable temporary restrictions, while San Francisco and Hayward have announced plans for ordinances seeking similar pauses.

California lawmakers are also examining ways to improve oversight of data centers. Assemblymember Diane Papan has introduced legislation that would require facilities applying for local business licenses to disclose projected water consumption, identify their water sources and provide estimates of maximum daily and monthly use.

Separately, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan has proposed requiring data centers to report their power usage effectiveness ratios to the California Energy Commission. The agency would use the information to assess electricity demand trends associated with data centers and recommend ways to limit their impact in its 2027 energy policy report.

Ramachandran’s proposal would therefore give Oakland additional time to evaluate how data center growth could affect infrastructure, resources and surrounding communities before new projects receive approval.

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has introduced an experimental research tool designed to help scientists better understand how individual biomedical studies connect with the broader body of scientific evidence.

Called Linked Discoveries, the new platform was launched on September 24 by the NIH’s National Library of Medicine (NLM). It allows researchers to start with a publication indexed in PubMed and explore other studies that are closely connected to it through citations and other relationships.

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said the rapid expansion of biomedical research has created a growing challenge for scientists trying to understand how individual findings fit into the wider scientific landscape. According to Bhattacharya, researchers need more than keyword-based searches to identify meaningful relationships between studies and follow how scientific ideas develop over time.

More than 29 million PubMed publications are available through Linked Discoveries at launch. The platform creates a research “neighborhood” around a selected publication, allowing users to investigate related papers, including research that seeks to reproduce earlier findings.

The tool is part of a broader NIH initiative focused on improving replication and reproducibility across research supported by the agency. NIH noted that scientists can struggle to evaluate the significance of a particular finding when relevant studies and supporting information are distributed across multiple resources.

Linked Discoveries uses an AI-informed system to identify connections between publications. Researchers can view these relationships through graphical and timeline-based displays, making it possible to follow how research develops and how individual studies relate to earlier or subsequent work.

The platform also offers filters based on information involving conditions, genes and chemicals. In addition, users can identify relationships involving citations, review articles, retractions and publications connected to NIH funding.

NLM Director Peter Embi said the platform is intended to move researchers beyond viewing scientific literature as a fixed collection of information. By examining the surrounding network of studies, researchers can gain additional context about work published before and after a particular finding.

However, NIH emphasized that Linked Discoveries does not determine whether an individual study is scientifically reliable or establish whether a finding has been successfully replicated. Instead, the platform organizes relationships among publications and provides researchers with additional information they can use when evaluating evidence themselves.

The September 24 launch represents the tool’s first public version. NLM plans to continue testing and improving Linked Discoveries, with future development informed by feedback submitted by users through the platform.

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Five prominent Indian-origin figures were among the guests at a White House state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping. The gathering brought together senior government officials, business executives, technology leaders and other high-profile personalities during Xi’s visit to the United States.

The Indian-origin guests included Second Lady Usha Vance, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Micron Technology Chairman, President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, and Sangeeta Mehrotra, Sanjay Mehrotra’s wife.

No Indian government official was listed among the attendees. Instead, the Indian-origin representation came primarily from the US technology and business community, along with Usha Vance, who attended in her capacity as the wife of Vice President JD Vance.

The dinner was held in the White House’s East Room and formed part of Xi’s three-day visit to the United States. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted the event, which included more than 130 guests from politics, business, technology, media and other fields.

The guest list featured some of the most recognizable names in the American technology sector. Among those attending were Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple executive chairman Tim Cook, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos and AMD CEO Lisa Su.

Several senior members of the Trump administration and US lawmakers were also present, alongside members of the Supreme Court and other prominent public figures.

The dinner came during Xi’s first visit to Washington in more than a decade and his second meeting with Trump during 2026. The two leaders discussed subjects including artificial intelligence, trade, Taiwan, the Gulf region and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. China also said that discussions covered the Korean Peninsula.

Artificial intelligence emerged as an important theme during the broader summit, with Xi emphasizing the importance of keeping AI development under human control.

While prominent American business and technology leaders attended the dinner, Chinese corporate executives were reportedly absent from the guest list. According to reporting cited by the Associated Press, US and Chinese planners had discussed inviting executives from major Chinese companies, but disagreements over arrangements reportedly complicated their participation.

Xi’s visit was scheduled to conclude with a visit to the US National Archives, which is marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year.

The participation of Indian-origin leaders such as Pichai, Nadella and Mehrotra highlighted the significant presence of Indian-origin professionals in the US technology and business landscape, alongside Usha Vance’s presence among senior political figures.

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Several Indian-origin business leaders have been featured in TIME’s 2026 list of executives recognized for their influence across technology, data and digital innovation. The list highlights professionals working in areas ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to retail technology, financial services and enterprise transformation.

Among those featured is Suresh Kumar, Walmart’s executive vice president, global chief technology officer and chief development officer. His role involves using artificial intelligence to improve how the retail giant understands and serves its customers. TIME highlighted Walmart’s efforts to develop AI systems capable of anticipating customer needs and making interactions more personalized.

Rahul Patil, chief technology officer at Anthropic, is another Indian-origin executive included in the list. Patil oversees the company’s technology ecosystem around generative AI and Claude. TIME noted the rapid expansion of Anthropic’s business while also highlighting the broader challenge of developing increasingly powerful AI systems while addressing potential misuse.

At OpenAI, Vijaye Raji serves as chief technology officer of applications, working across the company’s Research and Scaling and Infrastructure organizations. His responsibilities include bringing together technical work involving data, experimentation and growth to support products such as ChatGPT and Codex.

The list also recognizes Indian-origin women in senior technology roles. Seemantini Godbole, executive vice president and chief information and AI officer at Lowe’s, has helped guide the home improvement retailer’s adoption of AI and digital tools. Her work includes efforts to make technology more useful for both employees and customers while improving the overall shopping experience.

Amala Duggirala, executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer at Delta Air Lines, is also featured. TIME describes her position as overseeing the airline’s digital and technology organizations, including the systems supporting its global operations and customer-facing digital services. Her work has included tools such as Delta Concierge, an AI-powered assistant designed to support travelers.

The broader “Leaders” category also includes Indian-origin banking executives Hari Gopalkrishnan, chief technology and information officer at Bank of America, and Firdaus Bhathena, executive vice president, chief technology and transformation officer at S&P Global.

Together, their inclusion reflects the expanding presence of Indian-origin professionals in senior technology, AI, data and digital leadership roles across major global companies.

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Indian scientists Roxy Mathew Koll and Neelima Satyam have been selected among the recipients of the American Geophysical Union’s 2026 awards, recognizing contributions to research, education and innovation across Earth and space sciences.

Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and a recipient of the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (Yuva), has been chosen for the AGU’s Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize. His work has focused on communicating the effects of climate change and documenting changes taking place across the Indian Ocean and South Asia.

His research and outreach have examined the warming of the Indian Ocean and its connection with changing monsoon patterns, marine heatwaves, cyclones and extreme rainfall. He has also highlighted how these environmental changes can affect communities, livelihoods and economies across the region.

The climate communications prize is presented annually to recognize scientists who effectively communicate climate science, particularly issues associated with climate change. Koll will receive a $25,000 prize along with an engraved award.

Neelima Satyam, a professor at IIT Indore, has been selected for the AGU’s Devendra Lal Memorial Medal. The award recognizes an early- or mid-career scientist for notable research in Earth or space sciences. Satyam’s work spans geotechnical engineering, seismic hazards, resilient infrastructure and strategies for reducing the risks associated with geological hazards.

Along with an engraved medal, Satyam will receive lifetime membership in the American Geophysical Union.

The 2026 AGU awards also include recognition for scientists of Indian origin working in the United States. Abdul Qadir, an assistant research professor at the University of Maryland, has been selected for the Science for Solutions award. His professional work has included collaboration with the North East Space Applications Centre in Shillong.

Faisal Hossain, a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle and an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, has been chosen for the AGU Ambassador Award.

The American Geophysical Union has announced 43 awards for 2026. The recipients are scheduled to be honored during the organization’s annual meeting in San Francisco in December.

The recognition of Koll and Satyam highlights Indian contributions to climate and Earth sciences, while the selection of Qadir and Hossain reflects the continuing participation of scientists of Indian background in research and academic institutions in the United States.

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Anticipation around Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film Love & War has grown after the release of Ranbir Kapoor’s first-look poster. The actor appears in a rugged, intense avatar, giving audiences an early glimpse of his character in the highly awaited drama. The film, which also features Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal, is scheduled to arrive in theaters worldwide on January 21, 2027.

Alia Bhatt was among the first to react to the poster. Sharing the image on Instagram, she complimented her co-star with a brief but affectionate message, calling him “handsome.” Her post added to the excitement surrounding the film, particularly as the project brings her together with both Kapoor and Bhansali once again.

The poster presents Ranbir in a striking cinematic setting. He is shown seated inside a vintage-looking car, wearing sunglasses and sporting a blood-stained sleeve. A bullet mark on his shirt further hints at the action and conflict surrounding his character. His serious expression and rugged appearance create a distinctly dramatic mood.

Vicky Kaushal also joined the social media buzz surrounding the reveal. The actor shared the first-look poster on his account and expressed his enthusiasm for Bhansali’s upcoming production. His post highlighted the film’s title, cast and confirmed release date, giving fans another reason to look forward to the project.

Love & War marks an important reunion between Ranbir Kapoor and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The two previously worked together on Saawariya, Bhansali’s 2007 directorial venture that also marked Kapoor’s debut in Hindi cinema. Alia Bhatt has separately collaborated with the filmmaker on the acclaimed 2022 biographical drama Gangubai Kathiawadi. For Vicky Kaushal, the movie represents his first major professional collaboration with Bhansali.

The film was initially announced with a Christmas 2025 release window, but its schedule was later revised. The makers have now locked January 21, 2027, as the theatrical release date.

Produced as a major Hindi-language drama, Love & War is expected to release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. With its three prominent leads and Bhansali at the helm, the film has already generated considerable attention ahead of its 2027 theatrical debut.

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