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Mumbai, May 13 (IANS) Celina Jaitly has opened up about the difficult health challenges she faced during her pregnancy. The actress shared her traumatic experience with a C-section, along with struggles like gestational diabetes, multiple hernias, and cholestasis of the liver. In her latest post on Instagram, Celina shared her emotionally and physically demanding journey through motherhood, celebrating the triumphs and struggles of being a mother of twins plus one. In her caption, she reflected on her rare and difficult pregnancies, emphasizing the resilience required to navigate both the joys and challenges of raising children.Describing her experience, Celina wrote, “#momoftwinsplusone – I am a Mom of twins plus one… two very difficult consecutive & very rare spontaneous twin pregnancies, one perfect and one extremely traumatic C-section, gestational diabetes, multiple hernias, cholestasis of the liver, PUPP rash, breastfeeding twins consecutively through the nights, waiting by the breast pump just to fill enough bottles to at least get through one night and some… and yet, I find myself here… it was all worth it!! I would give anything in the world to do it all over again.”In her Mother’s Day message, the ‘No Entry’ actress celebrated the courage of mothers everywhere, encouraging them to wear the “medal of motherhood” proudly.She stressed the importance of self-care, saying, “Happy Mother’s Day to every incredible mother and mother figure of all genders out there! Never underplay what you went through, wear the medal of motherhood proudly. It’s okay to pat yourself on the back, to ask for help, and to care for yourself. Only when you nurture you can you truly enjoy the little miracles you manufactured with your blood, sweat, tears, and of course… your soul. Still celebrating Mother’s Day.”Her post was accompanied by a touching photo of Celina posing with her children, capturing a moment of warmth and togetherness.Celina Jaitly is married to Austrian entrepreneur and hotelier Peter Haag. The couple welcomed their first set of twin sons, Winston and Viraaj, in March 2012. In 2017, they were blessed with another set of twin boys, Shamsher and Arthur.–IANSps/

Seoul, May 13 (IANS) South Korean stocks edged up on Tuesday following a trade agreement between the United States and China. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 1.09 points, or 0.04 percent, to close at 2,608.42, following a 1.17 percent jump on the previous day, reports Yonhap news agency.Trade volume was moderate at 413.3 million shares worth 8.32 trillion won ($5.87 billion), with gainers closely beating decliners 450 to 418.Institutions and individuals led the daily decline, dumping a net 100 billion won and 136.9 billion won, respectively, while foreigners purchased a net 174.1 billion won.After two-day high-level negotiations over the weekend, Washington and Beijing reached an agreement to cut reciprocal tariffs on each other for 90 days.Wall Street was buoyed by the deal, with all three major indexes finishing higher.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.81 percent, and the S&P 500 jumped 3.26 percent. The Nasdaq composite vaulted 4.35 percent.In Seoul, however, market heavyweights ended in mixed territory.Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution sank 2.95 percent to 312,000 won, and Samsung SDI lost 2.29 percent to 170,900 won.Defence giant Hanwha Aerospace dropped 1.95 percent to 804,000 won, and LIG Nex1 dropped 0.92 percent to 378,000 won.LG Chem, a major chemicals maker, tumbled 3.56 percent to 203,000 won, and the state-run power supplier, KEPCO, slumped 4.28 percent to 25,750 won.Chipmakers finished mixed as Samsung Electronics declined 1.22 percent to 56,900 won but SK hynix rose 1.79 percent to 198,500 won.Food giant CJ Cheiljedang fell 4.02 percent to 238,500 won, and instant noodle maker Samyang Food went up 0.42 percent to 950,000 won.Top carmaker Hyundai Motor added 0.46 percent to 196,700 won, and leading pharma Samsung Biologics gained 0.91 percent to 1 million won.The local currency was quoted at 1,416 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., down 13.6 won from the previous session.Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 4.0 basis points to 2.370 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bonds increased 4.5 basis points to 2.496 percent.–IANSna/

Mumbai, May 13 (IANS) Sunny Deol took to social media to celebrate 40 years of his iconic film “Arjun”, which was released in 1985.Reflecting on the timeless relevance of the film, the actor called the film a classic now lost in time. In his recent post celebrating 40 years of his film Arjun, Deol called for a revival of cinema that gives voice to the unheard and the forgotten. Reflecting on the kind of storytelling that once resonated deeply with audiences, the Border actor emphasized the need to bring back films rooted in real issues, emotions, and struggles.He noted that while the prints of such classics may fade over time, the essence and impact of their stories continue to burn in the hearts of audiences. By highlighting Arjun as a symbol of meaningful cinema, Deol urged filmmakers to reconnect with narratives that champion the common man, question injustice, and spark conversation.Taking to his Instagram handle, Sunny Deol posted a video of his scene from the movie and wrote, “#40yearsofArjun — a classic now lost in time. Though its print may have faded, the fire still burns in our hearts. It’s time we revive not just cinema, but the soul of stories that spoke for the forgotten. #Arjun Time to reboot cinemas!.”In the video, the ‘Jaat’ actor can be heard delivering a power-packed dialogue: “I am the Arjun of that Mahabharat, Trivedi saab, in which you are Dronacharya.”“Arjun,” directed by Rahul Rawail, starred Sunny Deol and Dimple Kapadia. The plot of the action drama revolves around a group of radical young men who take matters into their hands to fight against corruption. The film was subsequently remade in multiple languages, including Tamil as “Sathyaa,” Telugu as “Bharatamlo Arjunudu”, “Kannada as Sangrama,” and Sinhala as “Suranimala.” The film was released on 20 April 1985.–IANSps/

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) Increasing internet adoption and data consumption by rural subscribers are emerging as structural drivers for growth in average revenue per user (ARPU) of Indian telecom companies and to capitalise on the trend, telcos are strengthening rural connectivity, which should help expand their data subscriber base and returns, according to a report released on Tuesday.Over the four calendar years ended December 31, 2024, internet penetration in rural India surged from 59 per cent to 78 per cent, outpacing urban areas, which grew from 77 per cent to 90 per cent, according to a Crisil Ratings report.Internet penetration in rural areas is expected to further increase by 4-5 per cent by the end of fiscal 2026, supported by continued adoption of online communication, digital payments as well as increasing usage of social media, content streaming services and e-commerce.Despite being more price sensitive, rural internet user base stayed resilient over the past year even in the face of tariff hikes introduced in mid-2024, reflecting high dependence of rural users on mobile internet.Surge in per-user data usage in the rural areas is also being supported by network expansion, competitively priced plans and better affordability of smartphones. Much of this momentum is visible in circles B and C, which form nearly 70 per cent of the rural subscriber base in India.Data consumption in these circles has clocked a compound annual growth rate of 19–22 per cent over the past four years — outpacing the 17-19 per cent growth seen in metros — highlighting the penetration of mobile data services and steady demand for it. This growth trend should sustain with the expansion of the 4G networks in the underpenetrated areas and will drive up the ARPU, going forward.Anand Kulkarni, director of Crisil Ratings, said, “The industry ARPU is expected to rise by Rs 20-25 to reach Rs 225-230 by the end of this fiscal, assuming tariffs remain stable. Around 55-60 per cent of the incremental ARPU is expected to come from rural subscribers”.In keeping with this trend, telcos have also been aligning their offerings with varied data-centric plans and investing in spectrum acquisition and tower densification in rural areas. In the auction held in June 2024, telcos acquired bulk of the spectrum in circles B and C. Further, a sizable portion of the planned capex of Rs 8,000-9,000 crore to be undertaken by independent telecom tower companies in fiscal 2026 will be directed towards rural areas.Crisil Ratings team leader Mohini Chatterjee said, “The targeted network and spectrum investments in rural areas, along with growth in ARPU, will help increase telcos’ return on capital employed to around 12 per cent in fiscal 2026 from 10 per cent in fiscal 2025. With 75 per cent of the cost being fixed in nature, even a modest hike in ARPU can materially benefit earnings.”–IANSsps/na

United Nations, May 13 (IANS) Amid fighting and disease, deadly floods posed additional dire challenges in South Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians said.”Local authorities in South Kivu report that overnight flooding in Fizi territory between May 8-9 killed more than 60 people,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.”Many people are still missing, and search efforts continue. More than 150 houses were also destroyed, leaving 1,000 people homeless.”The office said the officials warned that continued heavy rainfall threatens further damage and have issued an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance. The deluge worsens existing vulnerabilities, where ongoing clashes and a recent surge in cholera cases heighten the risk of a major public health crisis.OCHA said local authorities convened an emergency meeting in Uvira to coordinate response efforts.In North Kivu province, the humanitarians said hostilities also continue, and officials report that nine civilians were killed and 50 others injured in an overnight attack in a village of Lubero territory on Wednesday and Thursday.Further north, in Ituri province, OCHA said assessments by its humanitarian partners indicate that more than 40,000 people arrived in the Fataki and Rety areas of Djugu territory between February and April. The new arrivals were mainly fleeing violence in other regions or returning home from previous displacement during a period of calm.”The crisis is overwhelming already strained services in these areas, affecting 155,000 people,” OCHA said.”Humanitarian partners report acute needs across all sectors, including shelter, food and healthcare.”The office said the world body continues to mobilise assistance despite access constraints and funding gaps, Xinhua news agency reported.According to the World Health Organization, Cholera outbreaks occur regularly in some countries. In others, they are less frequent, and it may be years between outbreaks. Cholera is linked to limited access to safe water, basic sanitation facilities and poor hygiene practices.This may be due to conflict, population displacement, climate events like cyclones, floods or drought, and lack of investment in maintaining and improving WASH services and infrastructure. Preventing and controlling cholera involves a combination of strengthening surveillance, improving water, sanitation and hygiene, increasing risk communication and community engagement, improving access to quality treatment and implementing oral cholera vaccine campaigns.–IANSint/jk/

New Delhi, May 13 (IANS) US researchers have developed a novel vaccine that protects against H1N1 swine flu and can also protect against influenza in humans and birds.The vaccine strategy developed and tested by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the US can also eliminate the need for annual flu shots.”This research sets the stage for developing universal influenza vaccines, so people won’t have to go to the doctor and get a flu shot every year,” said virologist Eric Weaver at the varsity.”This vaccine will protect you against the different strains that are out there,” Weaver said.In the study, published in Nature Communications, swine vaccinated with the immunogens exhibited no signs of illness after being exposed to a commonly circulating flu strain. They also developed antibodies against a multitude of viruses from several decades and multiple species; and maintained their immune response throughout the six-month longitudinal study.Post-experiment regression analysis indicated that the immunity would not dissipate for a decade, Weaver said.The Epigraph vaccine, named after the computer software, used to design it, significantly outperformed a commercial vaccine used by the pork industry and a “wild type” vaccine based on naturally occurring strains with similar immunogens.The study confirms previous research that demonstrated the vaccine design protected against the H3 influenza subtype.The new results are particularly encouraging because H1 swine flu variants are detected twice as often as H3 variants — and have nearly three times more genetic diversity, Weaver said.”This H1 subtype is the largest and most genetically diverse subtype in pigs,” Weaver said. “It’s also among the viruses that jumped from swine to humans to cause the 2009 swine flu pandemic. It’s a big target and one of the harder targets to hit.”The influenza A virus regularly infects as much as 15 per cent of the human population and causes thousands of deaths each year. Current vaccines often fail to provide long-lasting protection because of the genetic diversity and rapid mutation of proteins that help form the virus.Another challenge in controlling influenza is that it infects multiple species: birds, swine, horses, and dogs, along with humans.Swine often act as a mixing vessel because they are susceptible to human and bird flu variants, contributing to the evolution of novel forms of the disease that can be transmitted back to humans.”If we can prevent influenza in swine, we can also prevent zoonotic jumps from avians to swine to humans, or from swine directly to humans. We could basically cut off this evolutionary arsenal or advantage that the virus has,” Weaver explained. “The ultimate goal is to eliminate or eradicate influenza.”–IANSrvt/

Canberra, May 13 (IANS) Sussan Ley has been appointed as the leader of the Liberal Party, becoming the first woman to lead the federal party in its 80-year history.

She defeated her rival Angus Taylor in a tight party room ballot, taking over as Australia’s first female opposition leader, according to local media report.Ley took over the position from former opposition leader Peter Dutton.The Liberal-National coalition, which is presently Australia’s main opposition party, suffered a historic defeat in the elections on May 3.Dutton, who led the coalition, also became the first federal leader of an opposition to lose his own parliamentary seat, Australian news agency ABC reported.In an address to the nation as the leader for the first time, Ley said she planned to “do things differently” and would adopt a “fresh approach” after the coalition’s massive election loss.Later speaking to reporters gathered in the Liberal party room, she said she was humbled, honoured and “up for the job.””I want to harness the talents of every single person in our party room going forward to develop the clear, articulate policy agenda that does meet Australians where they are,” she said.Taylor congratulated Ley, stating that her success was a milestone for the party, which needed to come together.”The Liberal Party has suffered a historic defeat, and we have lost many good people in this election. This result shows we must do more to convince Australians that the coalition is the best party to support aspiration, economic opportunity, and the Australian dream,” he said.Meanwhile, Ley dismissed the claims that her appointment to the Liberal leadership is an example of the “glass cliff effect.”The glass cliff effect refers to women being more likely to be appointed to leadership positions when an organisation is in a precarious position, ABC reported.”I don’t accept that. I do say it sends a signal to the women of Australia that the Liberal Party has elected its first woman leader, but my agenda is much more than that. It’s about connecting with women and listening to where we went wrong,” she said.–IANSint/scor/sd/

Seoul, May 13 (IANS) South Korea’s People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo said on Tuesday that he is not considering expelling impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol from the conservative party ahead of the June 3 election.Kim resisted growing calls from his own party to sever ties with Yoon, who was removed from office last month over his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3 and now faces trials on charges of leading an insurrection.”Whether former President Yoon decides to leave the party or not is up to him,” Kim told reporters during his campaign stop in the southeastern city of Daegu.”If we judge that former President Yoon did something wrong and demand that he leave, then our party also bears responsibility,” he added.Kim, who apologised on Monday for the public’s suffering from Yoon’s martial law attempt, described the move as “one of the most extreme measures,” emphasising that it is not an appropriate approach to resolve political disputes.The former labour minister urged the party to overcome controversies related to Yoon’s martial law and impeachment and move forward to win the election.After Kim registered as the PPP’s candidate on Sunday following days of an internal feud over a unified candidacy with former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Yoon urged conservatives to rally behind Kim for the race, Yonhap news agency reported.If elected, Kim said he would push for an early summit with US President Donald Trump to negotiate a trade deal that would ease broad tariffs.He also unveiled support measures for the Artificial Intelligence sector to foster 200,000 young professionals in the field and create a private-public fund worth 100 trillion won ($71.2 billion) by drawing foreign investment.On security, Kim vowed to develop Nuclear-powered submarines to counter Pyongyang’s Nuclear threats and pursue unification with North Korea to save its people suffering from hunger and oppression.”Progressivism should bring prosperity, not poverty. I want to tear apart fake progressivism,” Kim said.–IANSint/jk/rad

Taipei, May 13 (IANS) Taiwan on Tuesday said that it spotted 31 Chinese aircraft (30 of which crossed the median line of the strait and entered the northern and southwest airspace), 7 Chinese warships, and one official ship, continuing to operate around the Taiwan Strait. The Taiwanese army used mission aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems to closely monitor and respond.”31 sorties of Chinese army aircraft, 7 Chinese navy vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 30 out of 31 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone,” the Ministry of National Defence posted on X.The defence ministry also stated that China carried out a satellite launch mission that passed through central Taiwan toward the western Pacific Ocean, and as the altitude is outside the atmosphere, it posed no threat to Taiwan.These satellites were launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) in China’s southwest Sichuan Province in the early hours on Tuesday.”At 02:09 (UTC+8) today, China launched satellites from XSLC with the flight path over central Taiwan toward the Western Pacific. The altitude is beyond the atmosphere, posing no threat. Taiwan’s Armed Forces monitored the process and remain ready to respond accordingly,” the ministry said.Last month, Taiwan strongly condemned China’s joint military drill when it detected 19 Chinese Navy ships around Taipei, and stated that Beijing’s provocations threatened regional peace.The Taiwanese defence ministry called the move a disruption to the status quo and said it had deployed military vessels and aircraft in response to the threats.Taiwanese President Lai had also labelled China a “foreign hostile force” and ramped up national security measures in the face of growing threats and a string of spying cases.China claims Taiwan to be a part of its territory that must be reunified with the mainland by force if necessary. In recent years, Beijing has increased military exercises in the Taiwan Strait to intensify pressure on Taiwan.Meanwhile, the US and its allies consider the Taiwan Strait as an international waterway and routinely send warships through the strait, asserting their influence in the Indo-Pacific region and countering the growing influence of China.–IANSint/scor/sd/

In a move aimed at reshaping its global image and economic future, Vietnam is set to roll out a new…