Diwali to be school holiday in New York

New York: Diwali, the festival of lights, will now be enshrined as a school holiday in New York City, authorities announced here. Mayor Eric Adams described it as a victory for the city’s residents. New York Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar said the fight took two decades for the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community. PTI

Indian-origin expert is UN space affairs head

UN: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Indian-origin satellite industry expert Aarti Holla-Maini as Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in Vienna. Holla-Maini of the United Kingdom will succeed Simonetta Di Pippo of Italy. Holla-Maini brings to this position over 25 years of professional experience.