Desi talk

www.desitalkchicago.com – that’s all you need to know 15 NATIONAL AFFAIRS March 13, 2026 A bright star in the eyes of her parents and teach- ers, with a promising future, Savitha Shan’s life was cut short in the mass shooting March 1, 2026, in Austin, TX. “As a dual-degree student at the University of Texas at Austin, I blend a strong foundation in Man- agement Information Systems and Economics with a passion for using technology to solve complex business problems. With hands-on experience in technology strategy consulting, product management, and busi- ness analytics …,” Shan’s accomplished bio on Linkedin goes on. Her death was caused by a gunman who opened fire in a vrowded bar, killing 3 and injuring 14 others. Other victims were identified as Ryder Harrington (19), and 30-year-old Jorge Pederson. The gunman was killed in an exchange of fire with police officers. The incident is being investigated as a potential terror attack, FBI told media, coming on the heels of the US-Israel attack on Iran, newsreports said. A law enforcement official told Associated Press the shooter, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, was wearing clothes with an Iranian flag design and bearing the words “Property of Allah” during the attack. Shan’s professor Russ Finney posted the following on X on March 3 – “Savitha was one of our superstar students at the UT Austin McCombs school of busi- ness – she was set to graduate this May, and then she was on to start her career at a big professional services firm. She was a double major with honors. Involved in student organizations – a light in the classroom. Abso- lutely crushing to lose her.” Shan served as a student volunteer at the Austin Tamil Sangam for 4 years and 8 months starting in August 2021, her Linkedin profile reveals. She was also a budding entrepreneur on Etsy for almost 4 years start- ing in 2020, where she says she, “Oversaw and operated sticker/apparel shop on Etsy with 110+ unique sticker designs resulting in 14K sales/8K+ 5-star reviews.” She “Managed social media accounts with 22K followers on Instagram and TikTok by posting audience-tailored graphics consistently.” Indian American Savitha Shan, Star Student, Among 3 Killed In Austin Shooting PHOTO LINKEDIN Savitha Shan, 21, killed in the Austin, TX mass shooting incident March 1, 2026. From News Dispatches Pakistani Man Convicted In Iran-Backed Plot To Kill Trump A Pakistani man was convicted Friday of a plan to work with the Iranian government to murder President Donald Trump and other high-rank- ing officials, in a trial that coincided with the United States’ escalating war with Iran. Asif Merchant was arrested in July 2024 and found guilty of attempted terrorism and murder for hire. His case in federal district court in Brooklyn focused on what prosecutors said was an attempt to steal docu- ments, launder money and hire hit men to attack Amer- ican politicians. In court this week, Merchant said he had been recruited by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, though he said he was motivated to act because he feared for his life and safety. In an email, Merchant’s lawyer, AvrahamMoskowitz said, “although we are disappointed in the result, we are grateful for the jury’s careful attention and hard work.” He added, “there are complex and significant legal is- sues yet to be decided. We remain confident that we will ultimately achieve a favorable result for Mr. Merchant.” Merchant’s plot was foiled before he made any at- tempts on officials’ lives. But his case has played out amid a broadening conflict in the Middle East. As the war enters its second week, Trump early Saturday said the number of targets in the war would expand. Israel also ramped up its strikes across Iran, with jets target- ing Tehran and Isfahan, including Revolutionary Guard Corps targets and missile storage units, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Iran also said it launched “large-scale” strikes on American posts in the region. Neighboring countries like the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting attacks. Merchant said he didn’t have explicit instructions on whom to kill. But at times, his handler mentioned Trump, former president Joe Biden and Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who was also the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Trump’s first term, according to prosecutors. Iran has sought to assassinate Trump since the airstrike that killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Janu- ary 2020, during Trump’s first term. Iranian officials have also threatened some of Trump’s former advisers, including Mike Pompeo and John Bolton. In the last week, alongside messages of regime change and the destruction of Iran’s missile capabilities, Trump has also described personal reasons for wanting to strike Iran. He told ABC News last week that the coun- try’s efforts to assassinate him partly shaped the U.S.- Israeli operation that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “I got him before he got me,” Trump said. “I got him first.” No evidence has connected Iran with the two at- tempts on Trump’s life in 2024. But those incidents and broader security threats weighed heavily on the cam- paign at the time. U.N. Ambassador MikeWaltz also pointed to Iran’s moves to target Trump as rationale for striking the coun- try. “It is responsible for a series of unprovoked armed attacks against the United States and Israel, violations of the U.N. charter, and threats to international peace and security across the Middle East,”Waltz said at an emer- gency meeting of the U.N. Security Council. “It has even attempted to assassinate the U.S. president, President Trump.” In a statement after the conviction, Joseph Nocella Jr., U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of NewYork, said Iran sent Merchant “here to sow mayhem and murder.” FBI Director Kash Patel said despite Merchant’s plans, law enforcement “stopped that deadly plot.” Merchant was at a Houston airport in April 2024 when he was initially searched and questioned by im- migration enforcement, including about recent travels in Iran. He was released but ultimately had his plot fall apart after meeting with an acquaintance who, unbe- knownst to Merchant, was an FBI informant, the New York Times reported. Merchant had explained his plans and did not know he was being recorded. -TheWashington Post By Rachel Siegel PHOTO:COURTESY ANI