New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited an Army cantonment in Sialkot of Punjab province on Wednesday evening, to meet and express solidarity with the soldiers. However, what could have been a morale-boosting exercise for Pakistani Defence forces turned out to be an ‘embarrassing and ignominious’ one because of the location, ambience and the backdrop in which the Pakistani PM interacted with them.Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Pakistani soldiers is seen as a clear attempt to copy that of his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in sending a message to the world.While India’s military prowess was reinforced during PM Modi’s visit to the Punjab airbase, the Pakistani establishment utterly failed not just in optics but also went to expose its flaws, its canards and the extent of devastation that it endured during India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.As India pummeled and pounced its multiple airbases on May 10 morning, in response to its escalation, Pakistan resorted to a barrage of lies, claiming that it downed Indian jets, destroyed its airbases and also captured an air force personnel. All those claims were outrightly rejected by India.Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s visit to the airbase in Punjab, yesterday, shredded its web of lies and demolished all its claims.PM Modi visited Adampur airbase, one of the forward areas, which Pakistan claimed to have destroyed in its airstrikes, and met the soldiers in the backdrop of India’s famed air defence system and also fighter jets, but Pakistan PM’s interaction with their soldiers took place in a deserted location, lined with some tanks and aircrafts parked at a distant location.The pictures shared by PMOs of both the nations clearly show the stark contrast in which the Prime Ministers met their respective soldiers.This clearly shows that Pakistan suffered large-scale decimation and also how its airbases and airfields suffered extensive damage in Indian bombing. The Pakistani PM’s interaction with soldiers in a deserted ground only confirms this.The Pakistan PMO shared pictures of Shehbaz Sharif with soldiers but not of any airstrip or runaway, thereby ascertaining that its airfields suffered severe damage in Indian strikes. The only prominent picture was of Shehbaz Sharif standing on an Army tank and addressing the soldiers.Sharif’s meet with Pakistani jawans has also been mocked and taunted by many social media users, who called it a copycat meet and the one aping the Indian style of lauding its braves but utterly failing in doing so.In stark contrast to this, PM Modi’s visit to Adampur airbase was high on symbolism as well as messaging, about how the nation and the Indian Air Force command stand firm and resolute, in wake of the barrage of drone and missile attacks.PM Modi’s pictures with the soldiers, with S-400 defence systems and MiG29 in the backdrop, right next to the airfield, said it all. Also, he landed at the airstrip in a Hercules aircraft, thus proving that there was no damage to the Adampur airbase.All this goes to expose Pakistan’s theatrics and bombastic rhetoric despite being cut to size by the Indian military in the May 10 strikes.This was well reflected in PM Modi’s rousing speech at the airbase, where he said that when our soldiers chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, the enemy trembles with fear.He also saluted the braves for teaching Pakistan a lesson and also thundered, ‘ghar mein ghus ke maarenge’.Notably, Indian forces inflicting severe damages on Pakistani airfields has also been reportedly globally, with two US dailies – The New York Times and The Washington Post, claiming that India took clear edge over Pakistan during ‘Operation Sindoor’.–IANSmr/rad

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Indian pharma market (IPM) has seen a 7.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth in April due to a surge in chronic therapies, according to a report.The monthly report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services showed that the IPM’s growth in April 2024 was 9 per cent. In March 2025 it was 9.3 per cent.The growth was driven by strong outperformance in cardiac, central Nervous System (CNS), and respiratory therapies.Notably, respiratory therapies saw a revival in YoY growth in April. Acute therapy growth stood at 6 per cent in April (vs. 6 per cent in April 2024 and 8 per cent in March 2025) owing to seasonality.IPM growth was also led by price (4.3 per cent), new launches (2.3 per cent), and volume growth (1.3 per cent).Further, the report said that therapies like cardiac (11.3 per cent), gastro (9.4 per cent), antineoplast — also known as anticancer drugs or chemotherapy drugs — (12.6 per cent), and urology (13.1 per cent) lead YoY growth on a moving annual turnover (MAT) basis. On the MAT basis, the industry reported 7.9 per cent growth YoY.Chronic therapies witnessed 9 per cent YoY growth, while acute therapies displayed 6 per cent YoY growth in April. The acute segment’s share in overall IPM stood at 61 per cent for MAT April, with YoY growth of 7.9 per cent.The report noted that domestic companies outperformed multinationals in April. As of April, Indian pharma companies hold a majority share of 83 per cent in IPM, while the remaining is held by multi-national pharma companies (MNCs). In March, Indian companies grew 7.4 per cent, while MNCs grew 7.4 per cent YoY.Similarly, a recent report, by rating agency India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), showed that IPM continued its growth in April with 7.8 per cent YoY in revenue.The report showed that the growth was driven by the price hikes taken by companies with volume growing 1.3 per cent YoY. Almost all major chronic therapies also showed positive value and volume growth.–IANSrvt/

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) Actress Shruti Haasan opened up about the nerves she experiences before going on stage and how she has learned to overcome them over time.

Sharing her journey, the actress revealed that while pre-performance nervousness still lingers, it now serves as a source of motivation that drives her passion and dedication. When asked if she ever gets nervous before a performance, Shruti told IANS, “I used to get really nervous before performing. Like, super super nervous. Now of course, over time I’m much better, but I still get like excited, uneasy feeling in my stomach. But it’s just that nerves before performing, which I think is great. It motivates me. But I love to dedicate time for practice.”“I think my band gets annoyed sometimes because I always ask for more rehearsals. I really love to rehearse with everybody and rehearse as much as I can when it comes to music. When it comes to acting, I don’t like rehearsing like too much, but I have no problem over rehearsing when it comes to music.”The ‘Ramaiya Vastavaiya’ actress also shared insights into her musical journey, revealing that some of her favorite songs to perform live are her originals, “Wash Me Away” and “Bury Me.” She expressed a deep emotional connection to these tracks and highlighted the challenge of singing them live, which adds to her enjoyment on stage.When asked about her all-time favorite singer, Shruti said she doesn’t have a single favorite. Instead, she admires a wide range of voices across genres — from Indian classical to rock and roll, appreciating both male and female artists.Haasan mentioned, “I don’t have one all-time favourite singer. I admire a variety of voices, a lot of Indian voices, classical voices, a lot of rock and roll voices, men and women. So no, I don’t have a particular name.”Professionally, Shruti Haasan is set to star alongside superstar Rajinikanth in the much-anticipated film “Coolie,” which is scheduled for a global release on August 14.–IANSps/

Kolkata, May 15 (IANS) West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose was discharged from a private hospital in Kolkata on Thursday morning after undergoing treatment there for 23 days.

He was admitted to the hospital following symptoms of heart blockage on April 23.The governor’s office informed that following the treatment, he recovered completely and was discharged.The health condition of the governor is stable, his office informed.”We are pleased to inform that the Honourable Governor of West Bengal, Dr C V Ananda Bose, has returned to Raj Bhavan after a brief period of medical care and rest at the hospital. We are happy to share that the Honourable Governor is now in good health and high spirits. We extend our sincere gratitude to all those who expressed their concern and conveyed their good wishes during this time. Your continued support and prayers are been highly appreciated,” a statement issued by the Governor’s office read.The Governor complained of uneasiness days after his return to Kolkata from the minority-dominated district of Murshidabad to review the situation there amid the communal tension and violence in several pockets of the district last month against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.However, he also submitted a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs based on his findings at Murshidabad. In that report, he said the West Bengal government had failed to curb communal violence.In the report, the Governor reportedly highlighted the shortcomings in the police infrastructure in West Bengal, a shortage of manpower, and an inadequately equipped police force.In his report, the Governor pointed out that because of these lapses, the necessity of deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in a crisis like that of Murshidabad strife was often prompted.He also called for the setting up of CAPF camps in sensitive areas, especially the minority-dominated and Bangladesh-bordering Murshidabad and Malda districts.Most importantly, he had suggested that the Union Government consider the use of provisions under Article 356 (President’s rule), if necessary, to maintain the law and order situation.–IANSsrc/svn

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) England captain Ben Stokes has expressed confidence in resuming his role as an all-rounder when the side begins its crucial Test summer through a four-day game against Zimbabwe, before the all-important five-match series against India takes centerstage.
Stokes had been out of action since tearing his left hamstring during the final Test in New Zealand in December 2024. After undergoing surgery in January, Stokes is now all set to captain England when they host Zimbabwe in a four-day Test at Trent Bridge, starting on May 22.”I feel great. Training and playing are completely different. No matter what you do at training, you cannot replicate the intensity your body is put through in a game. As excited as I am to get back on the field, I do know it’s going to be different to my training.“But in terms of my role as a player, that full seamer, batting at six, trying to dominate every situation I find myself, whether I’ve got a bat or ball in my hand, is what I want to get back doing out on the field, on the biggest stage. I know I’ve done it before, it’s something I’ve very confident in myself I can do,” said Stokes to Sky Sports on Thursday.A previous injury in the same region, sustained while playing in The Hundred last August, had ruled out Stokes from three home Tests against Sri Lanka and one away game in Pakistan. Stokes also insisted that he was feeling fitter than he has ever been in his playing career.”I always work hard. My ethos when I’m injured is I come back fitter than I was before I got injured. I’ve worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I’m going to be in a position when I am back on the field to potentially be in physically the best possible shape I have been in,” he added.Stokes signed off by revealing he’s been in talks with head coach Brendon McCullum about managing his fitness and rediscovering his best form in Tests. “I am 33, I don’t want to expose myself to a situation where I am off the field when I don’t have to be.”I talk to Baz a lot about many different things, we’ve spoken about this kind of stuff and how he’s going to help me better, how he’s going to speak to me a lot more about this stuff. We’ve worked together for so long, we know each other inside out and those discussions we’ve had over the last couple of months have been very good.”–IANSnr/bc

Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS) Nine people were rescued after a huge fire broke out in a multi-storey building in the Afzal Gunj area in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Firefighters saved nine people, including two children, from the third floor of the building located near Gol Masjid in the commercial centre of Siddi Amber Bazar.Police said fire tenders rushed to the spot after locals alerted the Fire Services Department. The firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to adjoining shops.Six fire tenders were pressed into service to extinguish the fire.Officials said the fire spread rapidly as plastic disposables were stored on the first two floors of the building.As the flames leapt to the third floor, a family staying there raised an alarm. The firefighters rescued the nine people with the help of a crane.The rescued people include two children and an old woman. They sustained minor injuries.Thick smoke from the building enveloped the entire area, sending panic among residents in adjoining buildings.Police, fire brigade and Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) personnel rushed to the spot. As the staircase was filled with thick smoke, the firefighters were using ladders and cranes to douse the flames through windows.According to police, the fire started on the first floor and spread to the second floor. Noticing the fire, some locals dialled the fire emergency number.The cause of the fire was not known. However, authorities suspect that a short-circuit led to the mishap.Meanwhile, a private bus was gutted in a fire accident in Medchal Malkajgiri district on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Thursday.The accident occurred on the Hyderabad-Nagpur national highway. A tragedy was averted as there were no passengers in the bus when it caught fire.The bus was heading to Kompallay from Banda Mylaram. The alert bus driver stopped the vehicle and jumped out along with the cleaner.–IANSms/svn

New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi is out of an induced coma after having urgent surgery following an abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City.
The 27-year-old was injured when he collided with a goal post in the 2-2 draw against Leicester in the Premier League on Sunday and was taken to hospital on Monday after further investigations by the Forest medical team.Having had the first part of the surgery on Monday, the forward spent Tuesday in an induced coma as medical staff monitored his progress as part of the procedure. Awoniyi had the second stage of the operation, including closing the wound, on Wednesday, BBC reports.On Tuesday, Nottingham Forest said that Awoniyi is recovering well following urgent surgery.Awoniyi had only been introduced as a substitute five minutes earlier when he collided hard into a post as he attempted to score the winning goal.It later turned out that Elanga had been offside but the sideline official didn’t raise their flag until after Awoniyi had struck the post. Awoniyi had tried to carry on playing despite being in clear discomfort after a lengthy treatment.Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis came on to the pitch after the game to express his concern to Espirito Santo over how Awoniyi’s injury was handled, sparking a heated discussion on the field between the club’s owner Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo.However, Nottingham Forest in its statement claimed the reports of a confrontation with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo as “fake news”.”The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium. There was only shared frustration among all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue.In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgment and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context.”Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social media traction serves no one — least of all the injured player. We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.–IANSbc/

Chennai, May 15 (IANS) A major explosion occurred in the early hours of Thursday at the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) tank of a dyeing factory in the SIPCOT industrial estate near Cuddalore, resulting in chemical-laced water inundating nearby residential areas. Several residents reported symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, and eye irritation, and were admitted to the Government Hospital in Cuddalore.The incident took place at Loyal Super Fabrics, a textile unit operating within the SIPCOT industrial complex.According to initial reports, the ETP tank, which had a storage capacity of six lakh litres, burst suddenly, releasing a large volume of contaminated water.The gushing water flooded houses in Kudikadu hamlet, catching many residents off guard as they were asleep at the time.Residents reported that more than 50 homes were flooded by the chemical-laced water.Panic spread quickly as people woke up to find their homes flooded with pungent effluent.Over 20 residents experienced symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, and eye irritation. They were promptly rushed to the Government Hospital in Cuddalore.Hospital sources confirmed that none of the affected individuals are in a critical condition.In response to the incident, agitated residents staged a road blockade on the Cuddalore–Chidambaram highway, demanding strict action against the factory management.Protesters called for a permanent solution to prevent such industrial mishaps from recurring in the area.Officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the local administration have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion.Environmental and health impact assessments are also underway.The incident has once again raised serious concerns about the safety standards maintained at industrial units in the SIPCOT estate and the lack of robust emergency response mechanisms for nearby residential areas.—IANSaal/rad

Patna, May 15 (IANS) A standoff has erupted in Darbhanga ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Samvad event after the district administration denied permission to hold it at the Ambedkar Hostel, drawing strong protests from Congress leaders and supporters.The Congress had planned the student outreach at the government-run hostel in Madarpur, aiming to connect with Dalit students as part of Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing campaign.However, District Welfare Officer Alok Kumar refused permission, citing concerns about potential disruption to the hostel’s environment.Defending the decision, District Magistrate Rajiv Roshan said, “An event like this cannot be allowed in a hostel setting. We’ve offered Town Hall as an alternative venue. They are welcome to hold it there.”The denial sparked a confrontation between Congress leaders and district officials. NSUI workers and local Congress leaders staged protests, raising slogans and accusing the administration of political bias and deliberate obstruction.To prevent any escalation, a heavy police presence and a duty magistrate were deployed at the hostel.The Bihar Congress condemned the move on social media, calling it an attempt to suppress dialogue with students from marginalized communities.“The administration is afraid of student unity. This is not just a denial of permission; it’s a conspiracy to silence Dalit voices,” a senior Congress leader said.The party highlighted that Nyay Samvad focuses on key student concerns such as timely degrees, fair job opportunities, and relief from education loans — issues particularly relevant to youth in Bihar.The campaign had been promoted widely online, inviting students to join through missed calls and digital registration.The incident has sparked a wider debate on students’ rights to assembly and political engagement. While the administration maintains it acted within the law, the Congress has accused it of stifling democratic discourse, especially on critical issues like education, justice, and reservations.–IANSajk/skp

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) Veteran actress Zeenat Aman has opened up about how her latest project, ‘The Royals,’ helped her reconnect with her passion for cinema.

Reflecting on her journey back to the screen, she shared that the experience reminded her of the joy and purpose she once found in acting. Speaking about the same, Zeenat, who made a royal return as Maji, shared, “When I read the script, I knew The Royals had heart. But what’s truly special is how the audience has connected with it — especially the younger generation discovering love stories in a new light. It reminds me of why I fell in love with cinema in the first place.”Zeenat Aman made her much-anticipated comeback in Netflix’s ‘The Royals.’ In the show, she played the role of Maji Sahiba — the regal matriarch of a royal family entangled in palace politics and contemporary scandals. “The Royals,” directed by Priyanka Ghose, also stars an ensemble cast including Bhumi Pednekar, Ishaan Khatter, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea, and Milind Soman.Set in modern-day India, the story revolves around a once-wealthy royal family grappling with financial hardships. Their fate begins to shift when the heir joins forces with a hospitality entrepreneur to transform their ancestral palace into a high-end luxury resort. The series debuted on Netflix on May 9, 2025, and garnered a mixed response from critics.Talking about his role, Ishaan Khatter, who played Prince Aviraaj, said, “I’m thrilled about the show being binged around the world. It’s been only a few days since release and I’ve been on the receiving end of overwhelming love from all over. The Royals is a fun show with something for everyone; but also deceptively layered with drama and I’m so glad people are seeing and appreciating all that I wanted to bring to Aviraaj as a character. The fact that it’s high up on the Global Non-English Top 10 is a delight and I hope more people keep discovering it in the coming days!”Bhumi Pednekar revealed what she loved most about her character, Sophia.“She’s building her own story. She’s sharp, independent, and not someone who’s easily swept off her feet. But even she doesn’t expect the kind of connection that sneaks up on her. I think that emotional undercurrent—of two very different people trying to meet each other halfway—is what’s really resonating with audiences,” revealed Pednekar.–IANSps/