Latest news with #Subramanian
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
Key moments from the sixth week of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial
NEW YORK -- The sixth week of the Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial was shortened by a holiday and a juror's illness as prosecutors nearly concluded their case, setting the stage for a one- or two-day defense presentation next week. In the trial's first five weeks, jurors repeatedly heard testimony about drug-fueled marathon sex events described as 'freak-offs' by one of Combs' ex-girlfriends and as 'hotel nights' by another. In the sixth week, they were shown about 20 minutes of video recordings from the dayslong events. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges in the trial, which continues Monday. Here are key moments from the past week: Jurors largely kept their reactions muted when they were shown about 20 minutes of recordings made by Combs of his then-girlfriends having sex with male sex workers at the elaborately staged 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights.' Prosecutors say the events were proof of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges because Combs coerced his employees, associates and even his girlfriends to recruit and arrange flights for sex workers while his workers obtained drugs, stocked hotel rooms with baby oil, lubricant, condoms, candles and liquor and delivered cash. In her opening statement, defense lawyer Teny Geragos had called the videos 'powerful evidence that the sexual conduct in this case was consensual and not based on coercion.' Prosecutors played about 2 minutes of the recordings before the defense team aired about 18 minutes of the videos. The public and the press were unable to observe whether the prosecutors or defense lawyers had the better arguments after the judge ruled that neither the recordings nor the sound could be seen or heard by anyone except lawyers, the judge and the jury. Several jurors seemed to cast their eyes and sometimes turn their bodies away from the screens directly in front of them while the recordings played. The jurors listened through earphones supplied by the court, as did Combs and lawyers. Judge Arun Subramanian started the week by dismissing a juror whose conflicting answers about whether he lived in New Jersey or New York convinced the judge he was a threat to the integrity of the trial. Subramanian said the juror's answers during jury selection and in the week before he was excused 'raised serious concerns as to the juror's candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the jury.' 'The inconsistencies — where the juror has lived and with whom — go to straightforward issues as to which there should not have been any doubts, and the answers also go to something vital: the basic qualifications of a juror to serve,' the judge said. Residents of New Jersey would not be permitted to sit on a New York federal jury. A day before Subramanian ruled, defense lawyers argued fiercely against dismissal, saying that replacing the Black juror with a white alternate juror so late in the trial would change the diverse demographics of the jury and require a mistrial. The jurors are anonymous for the Combs trial. It wasn't the only issue regarding jurors for the week. The judge, angered by a media report about the questioning of another juror the week before that occurred in a sealed proceeding, warned lawyers that they could face civil and criminal sanctions if such a leak happened again. That juror was not dismissed. And Wednesday's court session had to be canceled after a juror reported "vertigo symptoms" on the way to the courthouse. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo seemed to close the door on any chance Combs would testify when he said Friday that the defense presentation would be finished Tuesday or Wednesday the following week, even if prosecutors don't rest until late Monday. It is not uncommon for defendants to choose not to testify at criminal trials. Besides being exposed to cross-examination by prosecutors, the testimony can be used by the government against the defendant should there be a need for a retrial. Also, if there is a conviction, the judge can conclude that the jury believed the defendant lied on the stand. Brendan Paul, fresh off the college basketball courts where he once played in a cameo role for Syracuse University, joined Combs' companies as a personal assistant in late 2022 and was warned by a friend who had worked for Combs about what was ahead. 'He told me to get in and get out,' Paul recalled for the jury, citing the endless days and always-on-edge existence. 'If you have a girlfriend, break up with her. And you're never going to see your family.' The friend also instructed him to 'build a rolodex of clientele and get out,' he said. Paul said he worked 80 to 100 hours a week for a music power broker who received 'thousands and thousands' of text messages and emails a day. He was paid $75,000 salary initially, but it was raised in January 2024 to $100,000. He said Combs told him he 'doesn't take no for an answer' and wanted his staff to 'move like Seal Team Six.' Several times, Paul said, he picked up drugs for Combs and knew to keep his boss out of the drug trade because 'it was very important to keep his profile low. He's a celebrity.' The job came to an abrupt end in March 2024 when Paul was arrested at a Miami airport on drug charges after a small amount of cocaine that he said he picked up in Combs' room that morning was mistakenly put in his travel bag as he prepared to join Combs on a trip to the Bahamas. The charges were later dropped in a pretrial diversion program.
India Today
19 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Chandrayaan-2 captures debris of crashed Japanese spacecraft on the Moon
In a remarkable feat of space sleuthing, India's Chandrayaan-2 mission has helped locate the debris of a crashed Japanese lunar lander, thanks to the sharp eyes of space enthusiast Shanmuga high-resolution images captured by Chandrayaan-2's Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC), Subramanian identified the scattered remains of the Japanese spacecraft Japanese lander, which lost contact during its descent had left mission controllers and space enthusiasts worldwide searching for clues about its fate. Resilience debris found in Chandrayaan-2 images. (Photo: Isro) advertisement The spacecraft was tagetting to land on the Moon's Sea of Cold in the Northern Hemisphere when Mission Control in Tokyo lost communications and telemetry with the after the spacecraft crashed on the Moon, ispace revealed the initial findings from data it received moments before the spacecraft had a hard landing on the laser rangefinder used to measure the distance to the lunar surface experienced delays in obtaining valid measurement values. As a result, the lander was unable to decelerate CHANDRAYAAN-2Chandrayaan-2's OHRC, with its impressive 0.25-meter resolution—the highest achieved by any lunar orbiter—provided the crucial data needed to pinpoint the crash Subramanian, who previously made headlines for discovering the debris of India's own Vikram lander from the Chandrayaan-2 mission in 2019, once again demonstrated his extraordinary skill in analysing lunar through the OHRC's detailed images, he identified unusual patterns and bright spots in the expected crash zone, which matched the characteristics of spacecraft OHRC images are incredibly detailed, allowing astronomers to spot even small fragments on the lunar surface. Resilience lunar lander above the Moon. (Photo: ispace) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is however, yet to confirm the orbiter has been praised for its technological capabilities ever since it was deployed in 2019. It was also responsible for scouting the landing zone for the crashed spacecraft for private company discovery not only provides important data for the Japanese space agency's analysis of the mission failure but also highlights the growing role of citizen scientists in space orbiter continues to deliver high-resolution imagery and scientific data, supporting both Indian and international lunar missions. As the world gears up for renewed exploration of the Moon, Chandrayaan-2 remains central for imagery and analysin of the lunar Watch
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Pune on My Plate: How Tamil restaurants in city keep their signature flavours, traditions alive
In the lanes of Pune, a quiet cultural revolution is simmering — in the form of piping hot sambar, crispy dosas, soft pongal, and filter coffee. Tamil food, with its regional diversity and deep-rooted cultural significance, has a loyal fanbase in the city. From temple-style meals to spicy street food, restaurants across Pune are offering a taste of Tamil Nadu to the people. 'We don't just serve food, we serve memories of home,' says Aravindh Subramanian, 47, manager of Akshayapatram Restaurant in Pimpri. 'Most of our customers are working professionals or families from Tamil Nadu who miss the taste of traditional meals. Our core strength lies in serving full Tamil-style vegetarian meals — what we call 'Virundhu Sappadu'. It includes rice, sambar, rasam, poriyal, kootu, appalam, pickle, and payasam — all served on banana leaves, just like it is done back home,' he says. On maintaining the authenticity of Tamil food, Subramanian says, 'We source our ingredients like sundakkai, manathakkali, and even our nalla ennai (gingelly oil) from suppliers in Tamil Nadu to retain the same taste. The preparation of our sambar is still done using the stone-ground masala we make fresh every morning — no shortcuts. The rasam here is made with crushed garlic, jeera, pepper, and real tamarind pulp — not readymade powders.' The most popular item on their menu is the Special Mini Tiffin. 'It's a combo of idli, medu vada, pongal, masala dosa, kesari and filter coffee. It costs just Rs 150 and gives a complete breakfast feel. On weekends, we serve over 700 thalis and 900+ tiffin plates,' Subramanian says. 'During Pongal, we serve sakkarai pongal, ven pongal, thalagam kuzhambu, and aviyal — all prepared using temple-style recipes. Customers queue up from 8 am on Thai Pongal day. For us, it is not just business, it is a way to bring Tamil culture alive in Pune.' 'Tamil food is also spiritual food — made with intention, devotion, and love,' says Suresh Kannan, 35, the store manager of Ayyappa Center in Pimple Nilakh. Kannan adds, 'The Ayyappa Center started as a small prasadam counter during Ayyappan puja gatherings, and now it has grown into a must-visit for Tamil folks in Pune. We are famous for our authentic Kanchipuram idli, puli aval, and nei appam — all made using traditional techniques, with no compromise.' Their Kanchipuram idli is a favourite for many. He says, 'It is steamed in lotus leaves and has pepper, jeera, ginger, and curry leaves — just like it is made at temples in Tamil Nadu.' The highlight is their Ayyappan Prasadam Combo, which includes lemon rice, tamarind rice, curd rice, sakkarai pongal, sundal and appalam — all for Rs 90. 'We keep the prices low because our goal is to serve people, not profit,' he adds. During the grand Ayyappa Swamy Makara Jyothi celebration, 'we serve ellu sadam, chakkarai pongal, and kadalai paruppu sundal to over 2,000 devotees who gather from all over Pune. Volunteers help us serve meals continuously for six to seven hours.' Deepa Rajalakshmi, head of Aph Aparna Hotel in Baner, 76, says, 'We bring that ooru (village) feel — whether it is in our Madurai kari dosa, Chettinad chicken curry, or nethili fry. Here at Aph Aparna Hotel, we specialise in street-style Tamil food that you would find in towns like Madurai, Thanjavur, and Trichy. Everything is made with freshly ground masalas, and we don't use frozen meat or canned gravies.' On the dish that is most in demand at their store, she says it is 'our Madurai bun parotta with mutton salna — a soft, layered parotta soaked in spicy gravy. Priced at Rs 210, it sells out every night by 9 pm.' Other crowd favourites include meen kuzhambu and Thalappakatti biryani, besides grand festival menus. 'During Deepavali and the Tamil New Year, we go all out with a 20+ item saapadu, including thengai sadam, inji puli, kari kola urundai, and boondi laddu. We also prepare adhirasam and Mysore Pak in-house — just like our grandmothers used to,' says Rajalakshmi. 'Our sales peak during the Tamil New Year and Pongal. We do 2,500+ parcels a day during those festivals. Tamil food is about diversity, tradition, and bold flavours, and we celebrate that in every dish.' Mr and Mrs Iyer's Kitchen, a humble home-style eatery in Ghorpadi, focuses on sadhya-style meals served on banana leaves. 'It is essential to understand the originality of the authentic Tamil experience. The most famous dishes are part of the sadhya — sambhar, rasam, payasam, avial. Meals are something special during sadhya servings,' says Iyer. They also serve fast-moving items on regular days. 'The Tamil variant of ghee podi dosa is very famous. Ghee podi, sponge onion uttapam, and pongal are fast-moving items. Chakkarai pongal, arisi payasam, chana dal payasam, kesari, yellni payasam, and coconut water payasam are other popular items,' he says, adding, 'It is essential to understand the originality of the authentic Tamil experience through which we forge a deeper sense of culture and belonging in the Indian subcontinent.' Alister Augustine is an intern with The Indian Express. With inputs from Tanay Iyer
Time of India
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
ETAutoTech Summit 2025: Autonomous driving for India, by India - but with global vision, say experts
Bengaluru: India must not just adopt, but lead the development of autonomous vehicle technologies tailored to its unique challenges - technologies that are developed in India, by India, but for the world. This was the recurring sentiment echoed by industry leaders at the ETAutoTech Summit 2025 in Bengaluru. 'Autonomous technologies are the need of the hour for India,' says Dr. K Subramanian , Senior Vice President, Ashok Leyland . Highlighting the complexity and diversity of Indian roads, driving patterns and environments, he emphasises the need for the country to be at the centre stage of development, testing, piloting, and deploying autonomous systems. Dr. Subramanian expresses concern over the current trajectory of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) in India. 'I'm not happy with the way ADAS is panning out in the country,' he says. Instead of aiming for overly futuristic and complex solutions, he suggests focusing on simplicity, both in hardware and software. 'Make the hardware simpler and apply simplicity to the software, which can then be updated over time. As an industry, we must ensure that ADAS doesn't complicate vehicle architecture but rather lays the foundation for simple, efficient autonomous technologies,' he notes. He also urges a relook at how the industry is approaching these technologies, advocating for V2X ( Vehicle-to-Everything ) and V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) integration that enables a robust, communication-led ecosystem. Echoing the sentiment, Debashis Neogi, Managing Director, Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India says: 'We cannot just cut-copy-paste global solutions. We need indigenous technologies, developed and tested in India's diverse and dynamic environment.' Neogi stresses on the role of smart road infrastructure in accelerating adoption. 'We need to work closely with the government to unclutter traffic signals and enhance road infrastructure. That will pave the way for V2X and V2V systems to thrive.' Highlighting India's strength in frugal innovation, he adds, 'India has the potential to lead the world in cost-effective, intelligent ADAS and autonomous system development.' Dr. P Rajalakshmi , Cyient Chair Professor and Director of the NMICPS TiHAN Foundation, IIT Hyderabad , says, 'We are confident that autonomous driving will become a reality in India with the right regulations. R&D is already progressing.' Describing autonomous vehicles as cyber-physical systems that operate in a closed-loop without human intervention, she explains, 'The system involves sensors, perception, path planning, and control. The control algorithm is a critical piece in the autonomous tech stack, and we are developing an end-to-end stack validated across various categories of vehicles.'
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
CM to inaugurate urban health centre in Adyar next month
On July 3, the urban welfare centre under construction in Adyar will be inaugurated, Health Minister M. Subramanian announced on Wednesday on the sidelines of the launch of protein kits for persons undergoing renal dialysis at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. The Minister said that the government had proposed to launch 708 health centres across the State. Of this, 500 has already been inaugurated. The Chief Minister will be commissioning the rest of the 208 centres. Currently, 9,180 persons are undergoing dialysis in government hospitals in the State. A person on dialysis spends between ₹2,000 and ₹25,000 per session and may require at least two sessions a week. The scheme to provide high protein food would benefit poor patients, Mr. Subramanian added. The protein kit, which provides 27 gm of protein (around 40 KCal), contains 100 ml milk, 2 eggs, black/white lentils, 3 biscuits each weighing 20 g. The provision of protein kit had been announced in the Assembly Budget earlier this year. During the event, the Minister interacted with patients who had undergone complex procedures at the hospital. Senior health officials of the department were also present.
