Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Vladimir Andonov, from the <keyword id="12052982" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wagner-group" source="Orion">Wagner Group</keyword> of Russian mercenaries, had also fought in Syria and Libya, say reports.</li><li>Andonov's death appeared to be confirmed by Russian military sources.</li></ul><p>A notorious Russian mercenary accused of killing prisoners of war and civilians in <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> has been killed, according to reports. </p><p>Vladimir Andonov, 44, who has been dubbed "The Executioner," was shot by a <keyword id="12493185" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sniper" source="Orion">sniper</keyword> near <keyword id="13241011" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kharkiv" source="Orion">Kharkiv</keyword>, Ukraine, on June 5, according to several Russian media outlets including the newspaper <a href="https://ulan.mk.ru/incident/2022/06/05/boevoe-bratstvo-buryatii-podtverdilo-gibel-dobrovolca-vakhi.html">Moskovskij Komsomolets.</a></p><p>Zhambal-Zhamso Zhanaev, the head of <keyword id="11894337" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="russia" source="Orion">Russia</keyword>'s Trans-Baikal Territory in Buryatia, where Andonov lived, confirmed his death to the paper and said his body will be transported back to the region to be buried.</p><p>Andonov, who was known within Russia by his call sign Vakha or "the volunteer from Buryatia," gained notoriety due to his role in Russia's 2014 invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea.</p><p>He is reported to have come to the Donbas in 2014 as a volunteer and was part of a unit that "liberated" the town of Logvinovo, where three Ukrainian prisoners of war were later found <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/EUR5016832015ENGLISH.pdf">shot dead. </a></p><p>According to the website <a href="https://myrotvorets-center.translate.goog/criminal/andanov-vladimir-batobolotovich/?_x_tr_sl=auto&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en-US&amp;_x_tr_pto=wapp">Peacemaker</a>, which tracks Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, Andonov gave an interview about the mission in 2015 in which he boasted that "there were no survivors among the "dills,"' a Russian slur referring to Ukrainians.</p><p>He was known to be a mercenary of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company with close ties to the Russian government that has been accused of <a href="https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/06/11/russia-wagner-group-methods-bouta-killing-report/">committing war crimes</a> and using brutal methods in Ukraine and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-secretive-operations-by-wagner-group-mercenaries-benefit-russia-2020-9">other countries.</a></p><p>Following his time in the Donbas, he spent some years out of the public eye, during which he was widely rumored to have been deployed as part of Wagner units in Syria and Libya.</p><p>Last year, a survivor of a massacre in the town of Espia, Libya told the <a href="https://www-bbc-com.translate.goog/ukrainian/features-58170273?_x_tr_sl=auto&amp;_x_tr_tl=en&amp;_x_tr_hl=en-US&amp;_x_tr_pto=wapp">BBC</a> that he believed he recognized Andonov as one of the attackers that shot his family dead.</p><p>Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials have claimed its forces destroyed a Wagner Group military base in the eastern Luhansk region, killing 22, Ukrainian news outlet Hromadske said.</p><p>Head of Luhansk regional military аdministration, Serhiy Haidai, shared a video of a burning building at a football stadium in Kadiivka which was the site used by the Wagner Group.</p><p>"The Armed Forces of <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/ukraine">Ukraine</a> launched a well-aimed attack on it. Only one survived," Haidai tweeted.</p>

A Ukrainian sniper killed one of Putin's most notorious mercenaries, say reports

<br />
The expectations of the avid movie-goers in India were running high this weekend as <em>Kill Dil</em> took centre stage. The movie stars <keyword id="106133" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ranveer-Singh">Ranveer Singh</keyword>, <keyword id="562349" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Parineeti-Chopra">Parineeti Chopra</keyword>, Ali Zafar and <keyword id="6381730" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="govinda">Govinda</keyword> in the lead role and it is directed by <keyword id="94855" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shaad-ali">Shaad Ali</keyword> under the Yash Raj Films banner.<br />
<br />
From the promos,<em> Kill Dil</em> appeared to be a hatke movie that would go well with the young Indian audience. However, the movie could not get a spectacular opening at the Indian box office despite Govinda and Ranveer Singh’s commendable performance. On the opening Friday, <em>Kill Dil</em> did a business of Rs 6.53 crore and netted another Rs 6.39 crore on Saturday. The business improved slightly on Sunday as Kill Dil managed to pocket Rs 7.26 crore. On Monday, it collected Rs. 4.1 crore.<br />
<br />
Given that it was a solo release this weekend, it will continue to get similar collection figures all through the week, but at this stage, it looks unlikely that the movie will cross the Rs 100-crore mark. As per <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_Dil">Wikipedia</a>, <em>Kill Dil</em> has been made in a budget of Rs 35 crore.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, <em>Happy New Year</em> has managed to survive 25 days at the box office. Its collection on the 25<sup>th</sup> day was approximately Rs 44 lakh. Overall, the movie has now hit the Rs 200-crore mark and its total collections till date stand at Rs 205 crore.<br />
<br />
On November 21, 2014, it will be the turn of <em>Happy Ending</em> to try its luck at the box office. <br />

Box Office:
Kill Dil Gets Average Response

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher is standing trial for allegedly stabbing an unarmed prisoner to death, firing on innocent civilians, and obstruction of justice.</li><li>Amid testimony from his fellow Navy SEALs, one unexpectedly confessed to killing the prisoner Gallagher is accused of murdering.</li><li>Corey Scott, according to Andrew Dyer of the San Diego Union Tribune, said that while Gallagher stabbed the boy in the neck, it was he that killed him by holding his hand over the breathing tube and asphyxiating the prisoner.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>In a shocking twist in the war crimes trial of Navy Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, a fellow SEAL who was called to testify admitted that it was he, not the defendant, who killed the prisoner of war Gallagher is accused of murdering, <a href="https://twitter.com/SDUTdyer/status/1141758711439884288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.dataminr.com%2Fapp%2Fdashboard.html">according</a> to Andrew Dyer, a reporter with the San Diego Union Tribune.</p><p>Gallagher is on trial in San Diego for allegedly <span>killing an unarmed ISIS fighter with a hunting knife and firing on civilians with a sniper rifle while deployed in Iraq, as well as intimidating fellow SEALs. He has pleaded not guilty, and now his fate is in the hands of the jury.</span></p><p><span>On Tuesday, Navy prosecutors <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-navy-seal-edward-gallagher-trial-20190619-story.html">presented</a> a text message sent by the defendant showing a photo of Gallagher posing with the body of the ISIS prisoner, a teenage boy. The accompanying message read: "Good story behind this, got him with my hunting knife."</span></p><p><span>Two of his former comrades, Dylan Dille and Craig Miller, took the stand at Gallagher's court martial Wednesday. </span></p><p><span>Miller <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/edward-gallagher-us-navy-seal-charged-war-crimes-service-iraq-hears-testimony-trial-san-diego/">said</a> while a medical team that included Gallagher was treating the boy, he saw Gallagher suddenly stab the prisoner in the neck, "right here on the right side in the jugular vein." </span><span>Dille <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/edward-gallagher-us-navy-seal-charged-war-crimes-service-iraq-hears-testimony-trial-san-diego/">testified</a> Wednesday that Gallagher later confronted teammates who were upset about the incident, telling them that "this was just an ISIS dirtbag."</span></p><p><span>On Thursday, another SEAL testified that while Gallagher stabbed the prisoner, it wasn't Gallagher that actually killed him. Navy SEAL Corey Scott <a href="https://twitter.com/bonniestarrmcle/status/1141763966684655616">said</a> that he put his hand over the tracheal tube and suffocated the captured ISIS fighter, who was believed to be about 15 years old.</span></p><p>Scott testified with granted immunity, meaning that he cannot be charged with a crime for his confession. It is unclear how his testimony will affect the direction of the trial or the charges against Gallagher, but it is another unexpected development in a high-profile case full of twist and turns.</p>

Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher is on trial for allegedly murdering a prisoner of war. Another SEAL just confessed to the killing in bombshell testimony

<p>On Friday evening, a tornado touched down in north-central Alabama, splitting trees in half,&#xa0;<span>hospitalizing four people, </span>and&#xa0;stripping walls and roofs from homes, like the one shown below:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>This is only the latest wave of severe, and bizarre, weather that's hammered the South during Christmas week.<p>The funnel was spotted by witnesses outside the city at about 5 p.m. CST Friday and left a two square-mile swath of destruction before letting up. An hour later, first responders were on the scene.</p><p>Some people were trapped inside damaged houses, but, no one was killed. So far, four people have been transported to local hospitals with only minor injuries, <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/26/tornado-hits-birmingham-alabama-as-severe-southern-weather-continues.html">CNBC reported</a>.</p><h2>Severe weather on Wednesday kills 15</h2><p>The same can't be said for the parts of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas, who, on Wednesday, suffered severe storms, flooding, and an exceptionally long-lasting tornado. At least 15 people were killed, <a href="http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/tornado-photos-damage-southeast-mississippi-tennessee/54388401">AccuWeather reported</a>.</p><p>The tornado had winds <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSNashville/posts/950477205028564">up to 110 mph</a> and first touched down in northern Mississippi, but it didn't stop until it had reached western Tennessee.</p><p>"If it is continuous it would be the longest track (December) tornado on record here in the mid-South," the Memphis office of the weather service said, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/24/us/severe-weather/">according to CNN</a>.</p><p>Here's a map showing the tornado's path:</p><p><div></div></p><p>And some tweets of the damage:</p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p>This month's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-blistering-cold-follows-on-heels-of-wintry-storm-in-west-2015-12">unseasonably warm temperatures</a> helped spawn this torrential rain and deadly tornadoes. The bizarre weather can be linked to the record-breaking El Niñ0 weather pattern, which is why the East Coast has been enjoying spring-like weather this winter.</p><p>Among the 15 who died were eight people from Mississippi and six in Tennessee, including three who were found in a car submerged in a creek, according to the Columbia Police Department.</p><p>In addition, dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed and thousands were left without power.</p><h2>It's not over yet</h2><p>As of Friday, parts of Mississippi were still under a flood warning:</p><p><div></div></p><p>And Mother Nature isn't done, yet.</p><p>More severe weather is also in store for parts of Georgia and Tennessee until Monday. Residents were warned to brace for flash flooding and possible tornadoes.</p><p><div></div></p><p>As the rain continued to fall, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley on Friday issued an emergency declaration that covers any part of the state experiencing flash flooding. Officials in southeast Alabama are particularly concerned, as Pea River is approaching record-levels near the town of Elba, which has a history of severe flooding.</p><p>Peak tornado season in the South is in the spring, but such storms can happen at any time.</p>

Unseasonably warm temperatures spawned violent storms in the South this Christmas that killed over a dozen people

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span>As Taco Bell continues to roll out new menu items, like&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-takes-on-chick-fil-a-with-chicken-tests-2016-8">Crispy Chicken Chips</a>&#xa0;and&#xa0;<span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/taco-bell-plans-launch-of-fried-chicken-taco-2016-8">the Naked Chicken Chalupa</a>, there's one thing they've refused to bring to America: loaded fries.&#xa0;</span></span><p>Taco Bell locations around the world serve variations on loaded fries.</p><p>In <a href="http://tacobell.co.jp/home-3/">Japan</a>, loaded fries come with cheddar and nacho cheese, beef, sour cream, and green onions. <a href="http://tacobell.com.gt/">Taco Bell Guatemala</a> has an entire fry menu, and&#xa0;Latin American Taco Bell locations serve up<a href="http://tacobell.com.gt/?menus=papas"> "Papas Supreme."</a>&#xa0;In Chile, in addition to loaded fries, there's even a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/12-taco-bell-international-menu-items-2016-7">burrito stuffed with fries.</a>&#xa0;Taco Bell in&#xa0;<a href="http://www.tacobell.ca/en">Canada</a>&#xa0;serves Fries Supreme, Cheesy Fries, and Chili Cheese Fries.&#xa0;</p><p>Why can't the chain do the same in the US?&#xa0;</p><p><div>    </div></p><p>While many Americans who visit other countries' fry-serving Taco Bells are <a href="https://twitter.com/rolyaTKelsey/status/447593347922661377">initially</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/_LYNsanity_/status/299949644346187776">confused</a>, others are demanding the US start serving the dish.&#xa0;</p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p>Currently, the chain does serve&#xa0;cheesy fiesta potatoes, which can be topped with a&#xa0;variety of toppings, from beef to bacon.&#xa0;But no fries... yet.</p><p>"<span>We've tested fries in the US previously," Taco Bell spokesperson Laura&#xa0;<span>Nedbal told Business Insider. "<span>We're always looking for new items to test, so if we see a good fit for a particular region, we would never say never to testing them again."&#xa0;</span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>The Mexican fast-food chain is in a phase of experimenting with new ways of serving up fried chicken. Its&#xa0;<span>Crispy Chicken Chips are described as "<span>wedge-shaped chicken tenders" and its&#xa0;<span>Naked Chicken Chalupa is essentially a taco&#xa0;<span>that swaps a tortilla for fried chicken.&#xa0;</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>Since&#xa0;</span></span></span><span><span><span>Taco Bell's loaded fries are already a hit&#xa0;around the world, they could be the perfect match for the next wave of menu item testing. </span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span>American customers deserve a chance to try the nacho-fries mashup - and, if they prove the demand exists in the US,&#xa0;the test&#xa0;could become reality.&#xa0;</span></span></span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/healthy-fast-food-meals-pizza-papa-johns-mcdonalds-taco-bell-calories-fat-2016-8"> 5 'healthy' fast food meals that are worse for you than pizza</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="podm81NTE6i5MDBvAqA_50JCXE_Fm33q" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Taco Bell has a menu item that could kill nachos forever, but it isn't available in the US - yet

<ul class="summary-list"><li>TikTok urged its users to call Congress and protest a possible national ban of the app.</li><li>And call they did — but it angered some lawmakers who were already wary of the platform.</li></ul><p>On Thursday, TikTok <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-ban-china-congress-bill-force-sale-bytedance-why-2024-3">launched a pressure campaign</a> to leverage its power to sway Congress — but the move seems to have backfired.</p><p>In fact, it may have proven one of lawmakers' big concerns about the app.</p><p>TikTok made its move this week, sending some users messages on their home screens urging them to "speak up now" against a bill that could ban the app.</p><p>That proposal has gained momentum in Congress and support from President Joe Biden.</p><p>Lawmakers are worried about TikTok's Chinese ownership, the privacy of Americans' data, and the influence the app holds over teens and young adults.</p><p>The bill would force owner Bytedance to sell TikTok's operations to a non-Chinese company or shutter.</p><p>In response, TikTok warned the legislation would "damage millions of businesses" and "destroy the livelihoods of countless content creators." The home screen message included a link at the bottom for users to call their local reps.</p><p>And call they did, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/07/2024/tiktok-campaign-against-ban-backfires">Semafor reports</a>.</p><p>Congressional offices got a barrage of calls demanding lawmakers vote against the bill. Some offices got as many as 50 calls, according to Semafor.</p><p>Some users <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktokers-joining-war-on-congress-over-potential-ban-2024-3">filmed themselves</a> enthusiastically joining the app's call to arms.</p><p>"If you ban TikTok, I will kill myself," one caller said, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1765828859931631836">according to Politico's Olivia Beavers</a>.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/07/tiktok-ban-congress-phone-calls">Axios reported</a> that some lawmakers' offices turned off their phones during the flood of calls.</p><p>While calls to action by beleaguered apps aren't new, this one appears to have struck a particular nerve — and in some ways, affirms long-held fears about TikTok.</p><p>Politicians have accused it of being a propaganda tool — and the latest campaign may have shown exactly how influential TikTok is.</p><p>Beavers <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/olivia_beavers/status/1765800349640630298?t=tvrqXYaXqTtwjT01g1dw9A">reported</a> — citing an anonymous Republican source — that some members of Congress who were previously undecided are now leaning toward supporting the law against TikTok.</p><p>A TikTok spokesperson responded to the report with a statement to Business Insider: "If true, it is an interesting political calculation for a Member of Congress to hear from thousands of constituents imploring them to oppose a bill, get frustrated, and then vote yes to spite them," a TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider in a statement.</p><p>Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), who co-authored the bill with Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.), <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/CongressmanRaja/status/1765790980488270155?s=20">went on X</a> and called TikTok's move a "massive propaganda campaign."</p><p>And an anonymous GOP aide told Axios that TikTok's "crazy" strategy was "backfiring as members are livid about all the calls and misinformation."</p><p>After the calls started pouring in, a House panel voted to advance the bill.</p><p>All 50 lawmakers — Democrats and Republicans — voted in favor, a rare show of bipartisanship in a divided Congress.</p>

TikTok's pressure campaign accidentally proved Congress' fears

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Pickle juice has been shown to help prevent muscle cramps in athletes.</li><li>The vinegar in pickle juice may help reduce heartburn and stabilize blood sugar.</li><li>Pickle juice is loaded with sodium, so it's important not to drink too much of it at once.</li></ul><p>Pickles have long been a favorite side piece at backyard barbecues, but these days pickle juice has been thrust onto center stage. </p><p>Pickle juice is available on its own as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pickle-Juice-Original-Recipe-Sport/dp/B015TIBVMS/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2B1CNURTQPKDV&amp;keywords=pickle+juice+sports+drink&amp;qid=1642793275&amp;sprefix=pickle+juice+sports+drink%2Caps%2C101&amp;sr=8-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sports drinks</a>, <a href="https://slushiemachineguide.com/recipe/pickle-juice/#:~:text=Start%20with%20the%204%20cups,cups%20of%20kosher%20pickle%20juice.&amp;text=Put%20on%20the%20slushie%20machine,the%20VBENLEM%20110V%20slushie%20machine.&amp;text=Pour%20the%20chilled%20delicious%20pickle%20juice%20slush%20into%20glasses%20and%20serve." target="_blank" rel="noopener">slushies</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/thing-you-can-do-with-a-jar-of-pickles-2018-9#try-a-pickleback-shot-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alcoholic beverages</a>, and more, and people have been flocking to it for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pickle-juice-just-may-be-the-new-gatorade-2018-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported health benefits</a>. </p><p>"Athletes may use pickle juice in the belief that it will help improve performance," says <a href="https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediaroom/expertslisting/matthew-black" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matthew Black</a>, RD, a dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "While others may consume pickle juice under the belief that it will [help] muscle cramps and hangovers." </p><p>Are any of these <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> benefits true? Should you be chugging pickle juice every day? Here's what you need to know about the benefits and drawbacks of this salty green liquid. </p><h2>Pickle nutrition facts</h2><p>In general, pickles and pickle juice contain the electrolyte sodium and some recipes may also include added antioxidants like vitamin C and E, says<a href="https://realnutritionnyc.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Amy Shapiro</a>, RD, the founder of <a href="https://realnutritionnyc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Real Nutrition</a>.  </p><p>These important nutrients come from both the cucumbers (and other herbs and veggies) that manufacturers use to make pickles and also from the brine — which typically includes a mix of vinegar, salt, and seasoning — that does the pickling. </p><p>It's very rare for commercially-produced cucumbers to be fermented, but if you buy (or make) fermented pickles, they can also contain probiotics, "good bacteria" that support a healthy gut.  </p><p>Here's what the<a href="https://www.nutritionix.com/food/pickle-juice" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> nutritional facts for pickle juice</a> look like (although they will vary based on recipe and manufacturing process).</p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><strong>Amount per 1-ounce serving</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percent daily value</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Calories</strong></p></td><td><p>25</p></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Fat</strong></p></td><td><p>0.1 gram (g)</p></td><td><p>0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sodium</strong></p></td><td><p>877 milligrams (mg)</p></td><td><p>37%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Carbohydrates (total)</strong></p></td><td><p>5.9 g</p></td><td><p>2%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Fiber</strong></p></td><td><p>0.1 g</p></td><td><p>N/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sugar</strong></p></td><td><p>5.7 g</p></td><td><p>N/a</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Protein</strong></p></td><td><p>0.1 g</p></td><td><p>N/a</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Here are six ways that probiotics and other nutrients in pickle juice may benefit your health.</p><h2>1. Benefits gut health</h2><p>Your gut is home to<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-gut-bacteria-improve-your-health#:~:text=About%20100%20trillion%20bacteria,%20both,known%20as%20the%20gut%20microbiota." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> about a trillion</a> bacteria, known as your gut microbiome. Keeping these good bacteria thriving can<a href="https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/05/keeping-your-gut-check" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> reduce your risk</a> for allergies, arthritis, and a host of other conditions.</p><p>One way to keep your gut microbes happy and healthy is by consuming probiotics, or good bacteria, like those found in fermented pickle juice. </p><p>A<a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/07/fermented-food-diet-increases-microbiome-diversity-lowers-inflammation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> small 2021 study</a> found that people who ate a diet high in fermented foods had a more diverse gut microbiome and a healthier immune system. </p><p>To that end, "eating pickles is a great way to increase your microbiome population," Shapiro says.</p><p>To tell if your pickle juice contains probiotics look for the words "probiotic" or "fermented" on the label, Black says.</p><p>Just know that some companies will add probiotics in after the juice is already made instead of letting them grow naturally during fermentation. These products generally have fewer probiotic strains and likely aren't as beneficial, Black says.</p><p><strong>Quick tip:</strong> If vinegar is listed as one of the primary ingredients, just after cucumbers and water, your pickle juice is not fermented and won't have probiotic benefits. Also, in order to benefit your gut, fermented products shouldn't be pasteurized, a process that kills all bacteria, good and bad. </p><h2>2. Reduces muscle cramps</h2><p>Pickle juice has been shown to<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32459412/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> help prevent muscle cramps</a> in athletes when it's consumed during or after a workout.</p><p>Shapiro recommends taking a 1-ounce shot of pickle juice after intense workouts to prevent cramping. If you don't workout regularly, pickle juice might still help with muscle cramps, but there's no research on non-athletes. </p><h2>3. May promote weight loss, but it's not recommended</h2><p>The vinegar in many pickle juices may help with weight loss as some research has shown that vinegar can reduce appetite, Black says. </p><p>However, there are three big issues to be aware of with this: </p><ol><li>Vinegar reduces appetite<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23979220/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> by making people feel nauseous</a>, so it's generally not well tolerated. </li><li>In addition, most of the<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/apple-cider-vinegar-diet-does-it-really-work-2018042513703" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> research</a> on vinegar and weight loss involves <a href="https://www.insider.com/apple-cider-vinegar-benefits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apple cider vinegar</a>, which isn't typically used in pickle juice. </li><li>Lastly, most studies on weight loss and vinegar involve drinking vinegar before each meal. Consuming that much pickle juice would result in too much sodium intake, so this isn't a recommended weight loss strategy, Black says. </li></ol><h2>4. Reduces heartburn</h2><p>Heartburn can be triggered by acidic foods, which is why people with heartburn are told to avoid them. Despite that, some people report that pickle juice, which is very acidic, helps relieve their symptoms, Shapiro says. For others, it makes symptoms worse. </p><p>"This seems to be subjective," she says. "There is no research done on pickle juice for heartburn."</p><p>If you want to give it a try, take a one-ounce shot of pickle juice when you're experiencing symptoms. If the symptoms worsen, try some other <a href="https://www.insider.com/foods-that-can-help-ease-heartburn-2019-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remedies for heartburn</a> like consuming ginger or liquid aloe vera.</p><h2>5. Regulates blood sugar</h2><p>Research has found that vinegar can<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16015276/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> improve insulin sensitivity</a> and<a href="https://diabetesaction.org/article-vinegar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> lower blood sugar levels</a>, particularly when it's taken with meals involving complex carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables. Vinegar may also<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4438142/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> help</a> people with type two diabetes regulate blood sugar.</p><p>"Vinegar helps to improve insulin response and therefore helps manage blood sugar after meals," says Shapiro. </p><p>Although there are no studies on pickle juice specifically, pickle juice that contains lots of vinegar (rather than fermented pickle juice), likely has the same effect, she says.</p><h2>Risks of drinking too much</h2><p>The biggest risk of drinking pickle juice is consuming too much sodium. </p><p>The average adult should <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-much-sodium-per-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not consume more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium</a> each day, but most Americans consume more than that. Taking in too much sodium can<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/salt/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> increase blood pressure</a>, raising your risk for heart attack and stroke. </p><p>Because of that, most people shouldn't regularly consume pickle juice, Black says. This includes:</p><ul><li>People on <a href="https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/guidelines-for-a-low-sodium-diet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">low-sodium diets</a>, often used to treat kidney disease, heart disease, and high blood pressure. </li><li>People ages 14 and under have a <a href="https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/health-conditions/heart-health/eat-less-sodium-quick-tips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lower recommended daily sodium limit of no more than</a> 1800 mgs per day (dropping to 1500 mg for kids under 9, and 1200 mg for kids under 4) should therefore be particularly careful about consuming pickle juice. </li></ul><h2><strong>Homemade pickle juice recipe</strong></h2><p>Eating a whole cucumber — or pickle — will give you more fiber and less sodium than drinking the juice straight. But if you're strictly interested in pickle <em>juice</em> then making vinegar-based pickle juice at home is simple: </p><ul><li>Step 1: Combine a cup of boiling water, 1/2 cup of vinegar, and two tablespoons of salt. </li><li>Step 2: Add additional spices and flavorings to taste. Sugar, dill, mustard and pepper are all popular choices.</li><li>Step 3: The juice can be used immediately, but most people prefer to allow the juice to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate it before drinking. </li></ul><p>You can also make<a href="https://www.feastingathome.com/fermented-pickles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> fermented cucumbers</a> at home which is a healthier option, Black says. </p><h2>Insider's takeaway</h2><p>Although pickle juice is trendy, there's little evidence to support some of its purported health benefits, says Black. </p><p>Pickle juice may help with muscle cramps or stabilizing blood sugar. Fermented pickle juice can help support a healthy gut microbiome. But because pickle juice contains so much salt, it's not a healthy food. </p><p>"These products are high in sodium, so use sparingly," Black says. "The benefits may not outweigh the risk of consuming high amounts of sodium."</p>

5 benefits of drinking pickle juice and how much is too much

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Austrian <keyword id="6181" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Food">food</keyword> blogger Eva Friedl posted a popular TikTok video demonstrating how to turn <keyword id="6357071" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="watermelon">watermelon</keyword> into <keyword id="6400741" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Vegan">vegan</keyword> <keyword id="62494" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="sushi">sushi</keyword>. </li><li>The simple <keyword id="52676" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="recipe">recipe</keyword> requires five ingredients and four simple steps. </li><li>Friedl marinates the watermelon in a mixture of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, ginger, and sesame seeds to replicate the sashimi taste.</li><li>Friedl told Insider she was inspired to create the recipe after she saw videos of people <keyword id="27178" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="cooking">cooking</keyword> watermelon like steaks on a grill. </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/watermelon-steak-looks-like-meat-how-2018-8#:~:text=New%20York%20City%2Dbased%20restaurant,course%2C%20it%20is%20actually%20watermelon.">First came watermelon steak</a>, now there's watermelon sushi. </p><p>A new video shows how you can <a href="https://www.insider.com/viral-smoked-watermelon-looks-like-meat-2018-8">transform the fruit</a> into a sashimi replica in just a few simple steps — and it's already become <a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-cloud-bread-viral-food-tiktok-2020-8">a TikTok hit</a>, with more than 506,000 views at the time of writing.</p> <p><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vegaliciouslyeva/video/6864589013697776902?source=h5_m">Austrian food blogger Eva Friedl</a>, who made the video and calls herself a "software developer by day and recipe developer by night," told Insider that she loves how "close or actually better" the watermelon sushi tastes compared to actual tuna.</p><div type="image" title="vegan watermelon sushi" height="614" width="818" msid="77877639" hostid="261"></div><p>"I've let my boyfriend test it and he couldn't even guess what it is," she added. "He didn't believe me when I told him it is watermelon." </p><p>Friedl, who also runs the vegan Instagram account <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegaliciouslyeva/">@vegaliciouslyeva</a>, said the <a href="https://www.insider.com/ina-gartens-summer-pasta-dish-tomatoes-olive-oil-2020-8">recipe is "super simple."</a> </p><p>Her only big tip is to get the exact ingredients: watermelon, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and grated ginger.</p><p>"A lot of people keep asking me if they can use olive oil or any other oil," Friedl said. "But for an authentic 'tuna' experience, toasted sesame oil is very important. A lot of tuna sushi and sashimi recipes in restaurants that I tried before I went vegan had this taste in the dressing, so I think it helps a lot to create that kind of flavor combination that reminds you of the tuna." </p><p>Getting toasted sesame oil is also important, she said, "because regular sesame oil tastes pretty plain."</p><p>Friedl added that she likes to reuse the marinade as a salad dressing. "I love to use it with glass noodles, cucumber, peanuts, and spring onions — tastes absolutely amazing," she said.</p><h2>To begin making the vegan tuna sashimi, cut the watermelon into 'sushi-sized rectangles'</h2><div type="image" title="vegan tuna sushi" height="1182" width="664" msid="77877642" hostid="261"></div><p>After cutting watermelon into "sushi-sized rectangles," mix ¼ cup of soy sauce with two tablespoons of sesame seeds, one tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, and ¼ teaspoon of grated ginger for the marinade mix. Marinate the watermelon pieces in the mixture for at least four hours. </p><p>"You can also let it marinate overnight," Friedl said. "But then I would add a little bit of water so it doesn't get too salty." </p><div type="image" title="vegan tuna sashimi" height="1190" width="676" msid="77877645" hostid="261"></div><p>Once your watermelon is ready, cook it in a pot with the lid closed for about 10 minutes to soften up the pieces. Then drain the pot, saving the leftover marinade for a salad dressing if you like.</p><p>To serve, stick sesame seeds on all four sides of each watermelon piece. Plate them with cucumber slices, sriracha mayo, and spring onions to finish. </p><div type="image" title="vegan tuna sashimi" height="1194" width="670" msid="77877648" hostid="261"></div><h2>Eva Friedl was first inspired to make watermelon sushi <a href="https://www.insider.com/i-tried-dalgona-coffee-tiktok-trend-quarantine-2020-4">when she saw a recipe on</a> Pinterest last year </h2><p>"It was uncooked watermelon that I mixed with Sriracha mayo and wrapped up in some sushi rice and seaweed," Friedl said of the Pinterest recipe. "It was perfect and refreshing for summer, but it wasn't quite the fish experience." </p><p>Then, just a few weeks ago, Friedl saw videos of people making watermelon "steaks" on grills. </p><p>"I was surprised to see how the consistency looked like – I think it looks more like fish than a steak," she said. "So I tried it with the watermelon and it worked amazing." </p><div type="image" title="vegan tuna sushi" height="1314" width="1752" msid="77877650" hostid="261"></div><p>Friedl, who has been vegan since 2017, said she loves that her recipe is giving many people the chance to have a "similar taste experience" to eating sushi. </p><p>"A lot of people on TikTok wrote to me that they're super happy about this because they're allergic to fish and now have a recipe they can enjoy as well," she said.</p><p>The food blogger has re-created more than just sashimi, using carrots to imitate smoked salmon. </p><p>"It works so well that, last Christmas, my family members couldn't believe that they weren't eating real salmon," she said. "On a white bagel or toast with some vegan cream cheese, red onion, capers and fresh dill – it is just amazing."</p><h2><strong>Friedl is far from the only person to make watermelon sushi</strong></h2><p>YouTube food bloggers like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsTOw4BN4IE">Edgy Veg</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCiX1bJwy3I">avantgardevegan</a> have also used the fruit to create their own vegan versions of nigiri, spicy tuna rolls, and poké bowls. </p><p>And Stoke, a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAwuJ8s6cyQ">featured on Insider</a> in 2018 for its seared watermelon dish that looked like a tuna roll. </p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/viral-smoked-watermelon-looks-like-meat-2018-8">How a New York restaurant made smoked watermelon look like meat</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/ina-gartens-summer-pasta-dish-tomatoes-olive-oil-2020-8">I made Ina Garten's easy summer pasta dish and it reminded me of dinners in Italy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-cloud-bread-viral-food-tiktok-2020-8">Cloud bread is the latest food trend to take over TikTok, and you only need 3 ingredients to make it</a></li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/watermelon-steak-looks-like-meat-how-2018-8#:~:text=New%20York%20City%2Dbased%20restaurant,course%2C%20it%20is%20actually%20watermelon.">A restaurant is now serving 'watermelon steak' that looks just like real meat — and it's blowing the internet's mind</a></li></ul>

A woman's TikTok shows her turning watermelon into vegan sushi in just 4 easy steps

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Susan Walsh/AP</span></p><p class="caption">House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., center, speaks as she stands next to Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., left, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., right, following their meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Hello! Here's what you need to know for Thursday.</p><p><strong>1.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-reportedly-dating-former-tv-anchor-lauren-sanchez-2019-1"> Jeff Bezos is reportedly dating former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez</a>. </strong>Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos announced that they were divorcing after 25 years together. Sanchez is reportedly separated from her husband, a high-powered Hollywood agent.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong>2. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-jeff-bezos-mackenzie-bezos-divorce-shareholders-2019-1">Jeff Bezos' divorce could make MacKenzie Bezos one of Amazon's biggest shareholders</a></strong>. Jeff Bezos owns 16% of the e-commerce giant. MacKenzie could be entitled to up to half of those shares, however, it's still unclear how everything will shake out.</p><p><strong>3.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-national-emergency-declaration-border-wall-shutdown-2019-1"> Trump's threat of a national-emergency declaration to fund the border wall is leaving Capitol Hill in shock</a>. </strong>President Donald Trump has reportedly mulled over declaring a national emergency to build his desired wall along the US-Mexico border, but Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are unsure if he even has that authority.</p><p><strong>4. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-bye-bye-pelosi-schumer-border-wall-government-shutdown-to-2019-1">'Bye-bye': Trump reportedly issued terse farewell as he abruptly left his meeting with Democrats</a>.</strong> Trump later repeated his "bye-bye" on Twitter when explaining why he left negotiations withe Democratic leaders over the government shutdown.</p><p><strong>5.</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/starbucks-workers-petition-bathroom-needle-disposal-boxes-2019-1"><strong>Drugs and syringes have become a problem in Starbucks bathrooms.</strong></a> The company is testing out solutions including syringe-disposal boxes, thicker trash bags, and removing trashcans from some bathrooms, after workers reported health concerns.</p><p><strong>6.</strong> <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-sued-by-crash-victims-family-2019-1">The family of a teenager killed in a 116 mph Tesla crash is suing the company, alleging it makes 'unreasonably dangerous' cars</a></strong>. In a lawsuit, the victim's family alleged that a speed governor was removed by a Tesla technician without owner permission and accused the company of not doing enough to prevent battery fires.</p><p><strong>7.</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baidu-launches-openedge-an-open-source-platform-for-edge-computing-2019-1"><strong>Chinese tech giant Baidu is making a play for the next big thing after cloud computing</strong></a>. At the Consumer Electronics Show on Wednesday, the "Google of China" announced OpenEdge, the first open source edge computing platform out of the country.</p><p><strong>8.</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-government-shutdowns-in-congress-2018-1"><strong>The government shutdown is now the second-longest on record.</strong></a> The current shutdown, which began in late December, is the 21st time the federal government has had a funding lapse since the modern budgeting process began.</p><p>9. <strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-rod-rosenstein-departure-means-mueller-probe-2019-1">Here's what Rod Rosenstein's reported departure from the Justice Department means for the Mueller probe</a></strong>. Multiple news outlets reported that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein plans to leave the Department of Justice after a permanent replacement for former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is confirmed by the Senate. Experts weigh in.</p><p><strong>10. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/opposition-leader-tshisekedi-wins-presidential-election-in-congo-2019-1">After a long delay, a winner has been declared in Congo's presidential election.</a> </strong>Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was declared the winner, and it could be it the first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since the country's independence in 1960.</p><p><strong>And finally ...</strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ces-2019">If you can't be at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show, our reporters have an inside look at everything from robots, to cars, to wearable technology.</a></strong></p>      <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exercise-workout-shape-routine-2016-12">An exercise scientist reveals exactly how long you need to work out to get in great shape</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The 10 most important things in the world right now

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr railed against the NRA and the politicians the organization funds while commenting on the recent mass shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida.</strong></li><li><strong>"It doesn't seem to matter to our government that children are being shot to death day after day in schools," Kerr said.</strong></li><li><strong>It's not the first time Kerr has weighed in on political topics.</strong></li></ul><p><br>Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr railed against the NRA and politicians on Wednesday night after a reporter asked him to comment on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/florida-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the latest school shooting in Parkland, Florida</a>.</br></p><p>"It doesn't seem to matter to our government that children are being shot to death day after day in schools," Kerr said. "It doesn't seem to matter that people are being shot at a concert, in a movie theater. It's not enough, apparently, to move our leadership, our government, the people running this country to actually do anything. That's demoralizing."</p><p>It's not the first time Kerr has made his thoughts known on political issues, having spoken out previously <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-kerr-gregg-popovich-on-trump-immigration-ban-2017-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">against President Trump's proposed immigration</a> ban last year, as well as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-kerr-gun-control-texas-shooting-2017-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offering similar harsh words in the wake of another mass shooting</a> in November 2017, when <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/multiple-people-shot-at-baptist-church-in-texas-suspect-reported-dead-2017-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a gunman entered a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas</a> and killed 26 people.</p><p>Kerr finished his message with a call to action aimed at voters across the country.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>"But we can do something about it. We can vote people in who actually have the courage to protect peoples' lives and not just bow down to the NRA because they finance their campaign for them. So, hopefully, we will find enough people to vote good people with&#xa0;courage to actually help our citizens remain safe and focus on the real safety issues and not building some stupid wall for billions of dollars that has nothing to do with our safety, but actually protecting us from what truly is dangerous - which is maniacs with semi-automatic weapons just slaughtering our children. It's disgusting."</span></p><p><span>You can watch Kerr's comments in full below.</span></p><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-olympics-no-country-wants-to-host-games-2018-2">No one wants to host the Olympics anymore -&#xa0;will they go away?</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

Steve Kerr on Florida shooting: 'It doesn't seem to matter to our government that children are being shot to death'

<p><div class="image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stnGC9jL8Fk&amp;feature=related">YouTube</a></p></div></div></div><keyword id="125707" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Michael-Lewis">Michael Lewis</keyword>' latest piece for <a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112801/michael-lewis-passover-toy-goy#">The New Republic</a> explores his childhood as a gentile going to a Jewish school in New Orleans, the Isidore Newman School.</p>
<p>He was asked to return to the place where he was "incarcerated" from age 5 to 17 to address the Cum Laude Society — a society to which he never belonged.</p>
<p>Since it's Michael Lewis, the essay reads like a clean, simple reflection but when all is said and done, it's clear the piece is about the ongoing negotiation between who we are, who we were, and how the world sees us.</p>
<p>Lewis went back home to be treated with respect and to be held up as a hero, but in reality, he says, he was a pretty rowdy kid, and the memories all came back to him as he sat ready to receive an award.</p>
<p>From <a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112801/michael-lewis-passover-toy-goy#">The New Republic:</a></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">....slow-motion replays of the several times I nearly succeeded in getting myself tossed out of the Isidore Newman School. There was the hook report of Johnny Tremain, pathetically plagiarized word for word from a long blurb Oil the back of the dust jacket. There was the English teacher to whom, in the wake of her scathing and accurate evaluation of my person, I had actually said, "Are you always so pleasant to deal with or is this just an especially good day for you?"</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Then there was the perhaps first ever attempt to read a pornographic subtext into that singular portrait of childhood innocence, To Kill a Mockingbird. You may recall that one of its characters is a boy named Dill, who, possibly to emphasize his rootlessness, was given no last name. Possessed by some demon, I raised my eight-grade hand and announced my discovery that Dill's father was named Robert Doe. The teacher stood frozen in place as I prodded him with the obvious follow-up questions: "So what does that make Dill's name now?</p>
<p>At least he knew how to stand out, right?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112801/michael-lewis-passover-toy-goy#">Read the full essay at The New Republic&gt;</a></p>

It Sounds Like Michael Lewis Was A Handful When He Was Younger

<p>House Republicans aren't the only people rooting for the death of the Senate immigration bill. Ten thousand miles away, almost the entire Indian subcontinent is cheering on the bill's demise.</p>
<p>That’s because a coalition of domestic high-tech companies and pro-labor Democrats has twisted the worthy goal of knocking down America’s barriers to technical foreign talent into blatant protectionism.</p>
<p>Companies like <keyword id="10875" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="IBM">IBM</keyword> and <keyword id="6370971" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Accenture">Accenture</keyword> have managed to rewrite the H-1B visa program so as to allow themselves to add foreign workers to their U.S. payrolls while forcing Indian companies in the U.S. to subtract Indian workers from theirs.</p>
<p>Not only is this unfair but it sends the dispiriting message that America is not interested in abiding by the rules of free trade that it preaches to the rest of the world.</p>
<p>The Senate bill would raise the cap on high-skilled H-1B visas from 85,000 to potentially 185,000. But without naming them, it targets four companies—Tata Consulting Services, Wipro, <keyword id="6354512" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> and Cognizant<span>—</span>and bars them from taking advantage of the extra visas. (All are India-based except Cognizant, which is headquartered in New Jersey but was founded by an Indian.)</p>
<p>All four have a majority of their U.S. workers on H-1Bs or the equivalent. But the proposed visa rules would bar any 50-employee strong company with over 50% of its U.S.<strong> </strong>workforce on H-1Bs from applying for any more visas after 2016. In the interim, they will have to pay up to $15,000 in visa fees for every additional applicant compared to the $5,000 for other companies.</p>
<p>Even worse is the so-called outplacement restriction that would bar these companies from placing their H-1B workers on client sites in America, rather than having them work in-house.</p>
<p>Why are these companies being targeted for such outrageous treatment? Allegedly, because they are abusing the high-tech visa program to replace American workers with cheaper Indian workers.</p>
<p>“Americans would be shocked to know that the H-1B visas are not going to Microsoft; they’re going to these firms, largely in <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, who are finding workers, engineers, who will work at low wages in the US for three years,” fumes Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) who, along with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), championed these restrictions.</p>
<p>Cognizant President Gordon Coburn allows that such allegations might apply to “body shops” or employment agencies that rent out H-1B workers on a contractual basis so that American companies don't have to hire permanent staff. But that’s not what Cognizant or the others do.</p>
<p>They offer not workers but services, insists Coburn. These services include IT support or computer programming for non-core business functions such as payroll processing, tracking employee records, data analysis. And the supply chain for these services spans the globe.</p>
<p>For example, Indians have developed an unparalleled expertise in writing glitch-free software for old mainframe systems that American companies need to maintain as they transition to more cutting-edge web-based technologies, notes Vivek Wadhwa, Vice President at Singularity University.</p>
<p>This is partly because it was not cost-effective for American companies to deploy software engineers drawing top dollars for basic programming. So companies like Infosys have created entire campuses in India to train young graduates to fill this programming niche, among other things.</p>
<p>But these companies also need some portion of their staff on-site in the U.S. to understand the systems and specifications of their American clients, which is why they are heavy H-1B users. In fact, their clients<span>—</span>which include 480 of Fortune 500 companies<span>—</span>often contractually require them to place employees on site to troubleshoot.</p>
<p>The outplacement restriction deals a body blow to this whole business model. “It basically tells us not to do business in America,” says Som Mittal, President of India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies.</p>
<p>Durbin and Schumer maintain that these visa restrictions will force American companies to invest more in American talent and raise American wages. But good programmers already command up to $200,000 in wages, notes Wadhwa. Raising these salaries further will only prompt American companies to offshore their whole operations.</p>
<p>Microsoft supports these restrictions for the simple reason that in a world of finite visas, fewer visas for Indian companies means more for itself. But IBM and Accenture have even more insidious motives.</p>
<p>Both companies have been expanding their IT operations in India and are directly competing with Indian companies for American “offshore” business. IBM now generates about a third of its revenues in India where it employs over 100,000 people. The visa restrictions are simply an effort to cripple their foreign competitors and capture their offshore market share, something that won’t save a single American job.</p>
<p>None other than Ronil Hira, a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, whose work was instrumental in triggering the jihad against alleged visa abuse, pointed this out during his Congressional testimony. Because IBM and Accenture have a large American workforce, they will be able to hire even more H-1Bs than the Indian companies without running afoul of the new visa regime.</p>
<p>“Therefore, we will simply see the outsourcing shift from a company like Cognizant, which will face restrictions, to an Accenture, which will not,” he noted.</p>
<p>The Indian government is working behind the scenes to kill these discriminatory measures. Its effort now will be to replace the Senate provisions with a much cleaner H-1B bill proposed by Republican Congressman Darrell Issa that has already passed House Judiciary Committee.</p>
<p>If this effort fails, backlash would be inevitable. Infosys, TCS and Wipro are a pillar of India’s $100 billion IT industry and a source of national pride. Watching them be mistreated after they have worked hard and played by the rules is already igniting calls for retaliation, including giving Indian companies preferential access to government contracts over IBM and other American companies.</p>
<p>How ironic it would be if <keyword id="124780" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="immigration-reform">immigration reform</keyword> that was meant to knock down America’s existing walls to foreign talent ends up erecting new walls against American business abroad. Protectionism has a way of backfiring. Both Durbin and IBM should bear that in mind.</p>
<p><em>Shikha Dalmia is a Reason Foundation Senior Analyst and a Reason magazine columnist.</em></p>

You Searched For "Kill Dill" and got 12 results

A Ukrainian sniper killed one of Putin's most notorious mercenaries, say reports

Alia Shoaib

Box Office: Kill Dil Gets Average Response

Surbhi Chawla

Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher is on trial for allegedly murdering a prisoner of war. Another SEAL just confessed to the killing in bombshell testimony

Ryan Pickrell

Unseasonably warm temperatures spawned violent storms in the South this Christmas that killed over a dozen people

Associated Press,Jessica Orwig

Taco Bell has a menu item that could kill nachos forever, but it isn't available in the US - yet

KATE TAYLOR

TikTok's pressure campaign accidentally proved Congress' fears

Geoff Weiss

5 benefits of drinking pickle juice and how much is too much

Kelly Burch,Samantha Cassetty

A woman's TikTok shows her turning watermelon into vegan sushi in just 4 easy steps

Anneta Konstantinides

The 10 most important things in the world right now

David Choi

Steve Kerr on Florida shooting: 'It doesn't seem to matter to our government that children are being shot to death'

Tyler Lauletta

It Sounds Like Michael Lewis Was A Handful When He Was Younger

Linette Lopez

US Tech Firms Are Using A Sneaky Provision In The Immigration Bill To Screw Their Indian Competitors

Shikha Dalmia

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides