Hyderabad, May 5 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K.T. Rama Rao on Tuesday urged the Congress government to wake up from its “deep slumber” and take immediate steps to ensure the procurement of farmers’ produce across Telangana. He criticised the state government for its complete inaction despite large quantities of paddy, maize, groundnut, and other crops already arriving at market yards.KTR visited multiple procurement centres in the undivided Warangal district on Tuesday …

Thiruvananthapuram, May 5 (IANS) A day after the CPI-M-led Left suffered its worst-ever electoral drubbing in Kerala, K. M. Abraham, widely regarded as a trusted aide of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, signalling the first major administrative fallout of the verdict.Abraham, a 1982 batch IAS officer who retired as Chief Secretary in 2017, had continued to wield significant influence in the state’s administ…

Mumbai, May 5 (IANS) Actress Ameesha Patel, who was earlier stuck in Oman due to the clash between the UAE and Iran, has finally returned to India. On Monday, the actress took to the Stories section of her Instagram, and shared a picture of herself with her travel partner.She wrote on the picture, “Finallyyyyyy MUMBAI!! Thank u for all ur prayers everyone!! @kuunalgoomer !! Safe n sound !! Greatful”.Earlier, the actress took to her social media, and shared her ordeal, as she spoke about her …

Mumbai, May 5 (IANS) It seems like it will be Janhvi Kapoor vs Varun Dhawan at the box office this June.While Janhvi and Ram Charan starrer “Peddi” will be reaching the audience on June 4, Varun-led laughter ride “Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai” will be out a day later on June 5.Sharing a transformation video on her Instagram account, Janhvi reacted to the highly anticipated box office clash with her ‘Bawaa’ co-star.”Guess we’re clashing bitch @varundvn (sic),” Janhvi wrote the caption.Replying …

Washington, May 5 (IANS) The current US-Iran standoff in the Strait of Hormuz has left thousands of commercial vessels stranded, disrupting global trade and threatening energy supplies, with potential ripple effects for import-dependent economies like India.US officials said more than 22,500 mariners aboard over 1,550 commercial vessels are currently unable to transit the region due to Iranian attacks and threats to shipping.The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but critical waterway between Iran and O…

Islamabad, May 5 (IANS) Even though the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently urged the US government to redesignate Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the persecution of Christians continues to rise in Pakistan, demonstrating the urgent need for an international response, a report has highlighted. Extremist groups in Pakistan have been attacking not only places of worship but entire communities, Mission Network News stated.”They [extremists] will att…

Washington, May 5 (IANS) The United States on Tuesday urged its allies to step up and share responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz, signalling a push towards a broader international role in safeguarding one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Washington expects partner nations to contribute to maritime security even as US forces lead a new mission to protect commercial vessels from Iranian threats.“The world needs this waterway a lot more …

Washington, May 5 (IANS) US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Dan Caine have outlined “Project Freedom” as a limited, defensive military mission aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions with Iran. Hegseth said the operation was ordered by President Donald Trump to “restart the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz under the umbrella of Project Freedom,” stressing that it is “separate and d…

Islamabad, May 5 (IANS) A leading minority rights organisation on Tuesday warned that escalating persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan is no longer a “quiet crisis” but a glaring indictment of both national failure and global indifference.According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), year after year, reports reflect the same grim pattern: “targeted violence, systemic discrimination, and a justice system that too often turns away from those most in need of protection”, with the …

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) India’s push towards next-generation warfare has gathered remarkable pace, with the Indian Army transforming its soldiers into ‘drone warriors’ within a year of Operation Sindoor, significantly boosting its combat capabilities and technological edge on the battlefield.As the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor approaches, defence officials say drones have emerged as one of the most decisive and lethal tools in modern warfare, prompting a rapid and structured integrat…