Shillong, May 15 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday said that the government has been planning to build a digitally empowered youth population in the hill state.

“The government is making sustained investments in the IT sector as part of its broader vision to create a digitally empowered and economically self-reliant youth population,” said the Chief Minister. “The presence of global and national IT players is helping to position Meghalaya as a preferred destination for technology businesses. The state has skilled human resources, and the government is supporting IT-enabled services, which will open opportunities for the youth of the state,” the Chief Minister added. Sangma inaugurated the new office of SIROBILT Software Services Pvt. Ltd., a US-based technology solutions company, at the IT Park in Mawdiangdiang in Shillong. “SIROBILT’s presence in the region marks a significant step forward for our local IT ecosystem. The company plans to recruit up to 300 software professionals, creating valuable opportunities for our youth and boosting employment in the tech sector,” the Chief Minister said. SIROBILT is the fifth company to set up operations at the Shillong Tech Park. The establishment of the new office marks the full occupancy of Phase I at the IT park. The expansion of the Shillong Tech Park (Phase – II) will attract more IT companies, start-ups, and the establishment of skill development hubs focused on digital technologies, such as AI, blockchain and cloud computing. The Chief Minister also informed that the government is supporting start-ups and companies willing to invest in the IT sector. “Meghalaya’s youth are its greatest asset. Through our investments in digital infrastructure, capacity building, and public-private partnerships, we are unlocking their potential and enabling them to be part of the global tech revolution,” the Chief Minister added. Meanwhile, in a separate function, the Chief Minister also stressed the need for documentation and research and added, “The documentation of seminars in the form of compilations, books or papers is important not only to support the research but they also become the tool of knowledge sharing.” He also said that the Chief Minister’s Research Grant, which supports research studies and announced this program will be expanded further to support more research scholars. –IANS tdr/dan

Tirana, May 15 (IANS) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday announced that the United Kingdom is in talks with several countries to set up ‘return hubs’ for failed asylum seekers while they await deportation.”We are in talks with a number of countries about return hubs. I see them as a really important innovation,” Starmer said at a news conference alongside Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama during his first official visit to the country.Later, he took to his social media handles, asserting that the UK would work together with Albania on deterring, detecting, and returning illegal migrants.”Working together with Albania, we will deter, detect, and return illegal migrants. By tackling illegal migration overseas and smashing the gangs at source, we’re making our streets safer and easing pressure on public services. That’s my Plan for Change in action,” Starmer posted on X.The British PM’s office highlighted that as part of an enhanced strategic partnership, Starmer and Edi Rama are expected to agree to go further on clamping down on people smuggling, supporting human trafficking victims and ensuring Albanians deported home do not attempt a second journey.”Global challenges need shared solutions, and the work the UK and Albania is doing together is delivering security for working people in both countries. And our joint work to deter, detect and return illegal migrants is a further proof that intervening upstream to protect British shores and secure our borders is the right approach,” said Starmer.”Every step we take to tackle illegal migration overseas, cripple the criminal networks that facilitate it and stem the finance streams that fund it is delivering safer streets in the UK, and reducing the strain on taxpayer funded services. But we cannot take this action alone, through closer partnerships and greater cooperation, we are creating real change with our partners across Europe and delivering on our Plan for Change,” the British PM added.Earlier this week, Starmer said that the UK risks becoming an “island of strangers” without stronger and stricter immigration curbs.Starmer made the comment while addressing media on the Immigration White Paper where he also announced that the residency period required to obtain permanent settlement in Britain has been extended from five to 10 years.”In a diverse nation like ours, and I celebrate that, these rules become even more important. Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together,” Starmer stated.–IANSint/as

Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS) Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) has announced the cancellation of its academic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yunus Emre Institute of Turkey in the wake of Turkey’s support to Pakistan in the recent Indo-Pak conflict following the terror attack at Pahalgam.The University said on Thursday that the decision has been taken in protest against Turkey’s support for Pakistan in the backdrop of Indo-Pak tensions.MANUU had signed an MoU with Yunus Emre Institute last year for a period of five years, under which a diploma in Turkish language was started at the School of Languages, Linguistics & Indology, MANUU.Services of a Visiting Professor were hired for this. The university said in a statement that the visiting Professor from Turkey has already returned to his country.The MoU was signed on January 2, 2024 in the presence of MANUU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan. MANUU Registrar Prof. Ishtiaque Ahmed and Consul General of Turkiye Orhan Yalman Okan, on behalf of Yunus Emre Institute, signed the MoU.Yunus Emre Institute is a world-wide non-profit organisation created by the Turkish government in 2007. Named after the famous 14th century poet Yunus Emre, it aims to promote the Turkish language and the culture around the world.It was announced after signing of the MoU that the collaborative effort will enable exchange visits between members of their academic and administrative staff for delivering lectures, engaging in research, developing joint projects and establishing cultural activities.It was also stated that MoU will also facilitate exchanging students, exchange of resident and non-resident faculty members, project development and implementation, capacity building related to the educational, academic, cultural and scientific matters, primarily in science diplomacy, providing technical assistance as may be required, within the scope of University missions and Academic and Scientific Cooperation Project of Turkey.MANUU cancelled the MoU on a day when Centre revoked security clearance to Turkey’s Celebi Airport Services Pvt Ltd. This arm of Celebi Aviation was engaged in ground handling at passenger and cargo terminals in Delhi, Bengaluru, Goa and Hyderabad.The Civil Aviation Ministry revoked the clearance with immediate effect in the interest of national security.The Civil Aviation Ministry revoked the clearance with immediate effect in the interest of national security.Several prominent Indian universities have suspended their academic Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with institutions in Turkey, citing national security concerns. Jamia Millia Islamia in a statement on Thursday also announced the immediate suspension of all MoUs with any institution affiliated with the Government of the Republic of Turkiye.In a post on X, the university said: “Due to national security considerations, any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and any institution affiliated with the Government of the Republic of Turkiye stands suspended with immediate effect, until further orders. Jamia Millia Islamia stands firmly with the Nation.”The move comes after Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) suspended its own MoU with Inonu University in Turkey.–IANSms/pgh

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) Singer Chris Brown was taken into police custody on Thursday in Manchester, England, for allegedly hitting music producer Abe Diaw with a tequila bottle at a London nightclub back in 2023.The arrest comes weeks before the singer’s Breezy Bowl XX Tour.Shedding light on the matter, a Met spokesman revealed, “A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 02:00hrs on Thursday, 15 May on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. He has been taken into custody, where he remains. The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on 19 February 2023. The investigation is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit.’’Brown reportedly took off to Manchester on a private jet on Wednesday. As the Met detectives learned about this, they also flew to Manchester to arrest him.Back in October 2023, Diaw filed a lawsuit against Brown. He claimed that Brown “inflicted severe and lasting injuries” on him as he attacked him over the head with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 in February 2023 at the Tape London nightclub.Diaw was taken to the hospital, and he even needed crutches to walk by the time he was discharged. The alleged attack took place when Brown was on the Ireland leg of his worldwide tour. The tour started in Dublin’s 3Arena on February 11, 2023, eight days prior to the alleged incident.However, this is not the first time Brown has gotten into legal trouble. Back in 2009, the singer pleaded guilty to brutally beating his then-girlfriend, Rihanna.Not just that, in 2017, Rihanna was even granted a five-year restraining order against Brown.Going by the reports, Brown allegedly became aggressive towards Rihanna for not giving back the money and gifts he had given her during the course of their relationship.–IANSpm/

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that the project-affected people of the Koyna Dam project have sacrificed for the state and that it is the government’s responsibility to provide them with alternative land.

He said that the proposals regarding land allotment for these project-affected persons, received from the District Collectors of Pune, Satara, Sangli, and Solapur, should be immediately verified and sent to the Divisional Commissioner of Pune by the end of the month. He instructed the Pune Divisional Commissioner to verify the applications and, in the first fortnight of June, hold a meeting with organisations representing the project-affected to ensure that the eligible beneficiaries receive land allotment without delay.Pawar, who chaired the meeting at Mantralaya, said that the complete rehabilitation and land allotment for the Koyna dam-affected have been pending for a long time, adding that the issue should be resolved without further delay. The meeting was attended by the Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Makarand Patil, and government officials.“At present, a list of 310 eligible project-affected persons from Satara district and 215 from Sangli district has been prepared, and land allotment to them must be completed urgently. District Collectors from the remaining districts must also verify pending proposals and forward them to the Divisional Commissioner for further action. The Divisional Commissioner may take decisions at his level, and those matters requiring resolution at the government level should be forwarded to the state, which will take prompt action,” said Pawar.His directives came when the Bombay High Court had asked the state government to allot a family alternate land for their rehabilitation, especially when their land was taken over for the construction of the Koyna dam in Satara in 1960, but they weren’t allotted alternate plots as promised. The petitioner said that 1.6 hectares of land were eventually allotted to the Kadam family at Pendhar in Panvel tehsil in November 2017, following a policy decision taken by the state government to rehabilitate the displaced families. However, in January 2019, the allotment order was abruptly cancelled, with the state government claiming that the allotted land was uneven, the area was not contiguous, and there were some constructions on it.–IANSsj/dan

Narainpur (Chhattisgarh), May 15 (IANS) Manipur and Punjab won their respective matches against Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim, in Group C of the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship, at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground, on Thursday. While Manipur defeated Uttar Pradesh 2-0, Punjab overcame Sikkim 3-2.Manipur got their first win in Group C, defeating Uttar Pradesh 2-0 on Thursday. They scored one in each half.Md Abash opened the scoring for Manipur in the 21st minute, when he showed good presence of mind to position himself inside the six-yard box to tap in a low cross from the left. Leishungbam Bankimchandra Singh gave Manipur some cushion in the last quarter of an hour, when he skipped past his marker on the right and sent in an attempted low cross, the trajectory of which was goalwards. The ball evaded a melee of legs and a pair of hands as it rolled in at the far post.Manipur remain fourth in the group despite the win, having garnered three points from two matches. Uttar Pradesh, on the other hand, remain top of the group despite this defeat. They are on six points from three matches, the same as Punjab, but are ahead of the latter by dint of a better head-to-head record.Punjab saw off a late charge by Sikkim to secure their second victory of the campaign, winning 3-2 in the second match of the day. The side from North India were 2-0 ahead at half-time.Karan Kumar Sharma opened the scoring for Punjab when he bundled in a free-kick from the right in the 35th minute. Just seconds before the half-time whistle, Harmandeep Singh doubled Punjab’s lead with a strike from inside the box.Choden Lepcha pulled one back for Sikkim in the 58th minute with a swerving strike from just outside the box, before Gurmeet Singh restored Punjab’s two-goal lead with a 70th-minute strike. He controlled an aerial ball on his thigh inside the Sikkim box and drilled it into the bottom corner. Tsheten Tashi Bhutiya scored a second goal for Bhutan deep in injury time, but Punjab ran away with the three points.Punjab, with this win, move on to the second spot in the group, as they are on six points from two matches. Sikkim are third with three points from two matches.–IANShs/bsk/

Riyadh, May 15 (IANS) India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Suhel Khan met pilgrims from different Indian states in Mecca on Thursday as the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued to make efforts to ensure a smooth and seamless Haj pilgrimage for all.

“Ambassador Suhel Khan visited pilgrims from various states and enquired about their welfare and issues of concern in Mecca today. The Government of India remains committed to ensuring the comfort and safety of the Indian pilgrims and making their spiritual Haj journey hassle-free,” the Embassy of India in Riyadh posted on X.Earlier in the day, the Indian Ambassador accompanied by Indian Consul (Haj) Muhammed Abdul Jaleel and other coordinators, inspected various functional desks, branch offices, and branch dispensaries set up to serve the Indian pilgrims in Mecca.The Ambassador also undertook a comprehensive review of the Azizia transport in Mecca. Azizia transport is seamless, 24-hour service provided for the pilgrims from their residences to the Haram Sharif by the Indian Haj Mission.The medical and accommodation facilities for Indian Haj pilgrims are also being continuously monitored and reviewed. The Indian Consul General of Jeddah, Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri on Wednesday held a review meeting with the officials and staff deployed in temporary branch offices and dispensaries, various cells and desks, set up by the Indian Haj Mission.In a significant moment under the Indian government’s progressive ‘Lady Without Mehram’ (LWM) policy, the Indian Ambassador and his wife on Wednesday received an all women Haj pilgrim group from Kerala at the Jeddah Haj Terminal in Saudi Arabia.”Ambassador Suhel Khan, along with his spouse Rifat Khan welcomed an all-women group of pilgrims from Kerala at the Jeddah Haj Terminal today. Women are benefiting from the Government of India’s progressive policy of allowing Haj without a male companion under the Lady Without Mehram’ category,” the Embassy of India in Riyadh posted on X.With the Indian government committed to ensuring a smooth and seamless Haj pilgrimage for all, Ambassador Khan on Wednesday also reviewed the arrival arrangements of Indian pilgrims during his visit to the Jeddah Haj Terminal. Accompanied by Indian Consul General in Jeddah Mohammed Hashim, the Indian diplomat met all the staff and the community volunteers.The first batch of Indian Haj pilgrims arrived in the country on April 29. With the government according highest priority for Indian Muslims to undertake the annual pilgrimage, the country allocation for India has gradually increased to 175,025 in 2025 from 136,020 in 2014.For Haj 2025, the Indian Haj Mission is ensuring dedicated support for elderly pilgrims and persons with special needs, the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), which through the Haj Committee of India manages arrangements for the bulk of the quota allotted to India, said on Wednesday.All the necessary arrangements including flight schedules, transportation, Mina camps, accommodation, and additional services have been taken up and completed as per the Saudi requirements, within the given timelines.–IANSint/scor/as

Bagaha (Bihar), May 15 (IANS) In the small town of Bagaha in Bihar, the Pradhan…

Belagavi, May 15 (IANS) Karnataka Police have filed an FIR against a man for posting false information on social media, claiming that the RSS had attacked the residence of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi’s in-laws in Belagavi district, officials said on Thursday.

The Belagavi Cyber Crimes, Economic and Narcotic Offences (CEN) police have registered a suo motu case against one Anis Uddin under Section 353(2) (circulation of false information, rumours, or alarming news, including through electronic means, with the intent to incite hatred or ill will between different groups based on religion, race) and Section 192(a) (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot).The accused, using the social media handle ‘@uddinanis867,’ falsely claimed that the RSS had attacked the residence of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi’s in-laws in Konnuru village, Gokak taluk, Belagavi district. He also shared an old photo of a ransacked house, which sparked outrage across the state and the country.Following the viral post, Belagavi SP Bheemashankar Guled and senior police officials rushed to the residence and confirmed that the news was fake.Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had made the post while in Canada. The police succeeded in having the misleading content removed from the social media platform.SP Guled directed officials to register an FIR against the individual responsible. He further stated, “We are gathering information about the accused Anis Uddin. If he is in India, he will be arrested immediately. If he is in Canada, we will pursue diplomatic channels and coordinate with the Central government to initiate action.”Qureshi is married to Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi, a native of Konnur village near Gokak in Belagavi district, Karnataka.Her in-laws in Karnataka were congratulated by villagers and people from surrounding areas after she became a national celebrity by addressing the media on ‘Operation Sindoor’.Her father-in-law, Ghouse Saab Babu Saab Bagewadi, expressed his immense pride and joy, saying: “I am overjoyed that both my daughter-in-law and my son are serving the country. Both are colonels, and our family is proud. Since Sofiya appeared on television, my family hasn’t let me sleep. They kept calling me all night to offer congratulations.””Even though there is the possibility of war, I’m not worried about their safety. They are serving the nation. I have another son who works with the Fire and Emergency Services. I’ve already told him that if war breaks out, he should be the first to volunteer. I had children nine years after marriage, and I am proud of Sofiya Qureshi,” he had stated.Speaking on Pakistan’s attempts to incite religious divisions, Ghouse said, “There are no differences among us. Whatever Pakistan does will only lead to a tragic end for them. Unko Allah ki maut nahin aati (They won’t have a dignified death). They are not honest. They attack from behind. But we Indian Muslims face our enemies head-on – that’s why we earn respect. If our women are this strong, imagine how strong our men are. We believe in unity. For us, there is only one identity: Hindustani. Those who promote caste divisions will be left with nowhere to go.””I attend all Hindu religious functions. A Lingayat swami even donated Rs 2 lakh to our Urs festival and arranged food and sweets for the people. There is no caste or religious difference – we are one. This is the mindset we must have, and Allah will bless us for it,” he concluded.–IANSmka/dan

Mumbai, May 15 (IANS) Masaba Gupta took to social media to share a heartwarming glimpse of her mother, Neena Gupta, embracing her nani duties with love and affection.

The cherished moments captured the veteran actress enjoying her role as a doting grandmother. On Thursday, Masaba posted a sweet video of Neena singing the classic song ‘Dum Maro Dum’ while holding the baby. Capturing this sweet moment, the fashion designer wrote, “Mozart for babies < Nani singing whatever comes to mind. It’s a miracle I turned out ok. @neena_gupta.” In the video, Neena is casually dressed, cradling the baby in her arms while singing the iconic song, as Masaba lovingly captures the candid moment on camera.Last year in October, Masaba Gupta and actor Satyadeep Misra were blessed with a baby girl. The couple announced the happy news with a joint statement on Dussehra. They also shared an adorable picture of their baby girl’s feet and captioned it, “Our very special little girl arrived on a very special day. 11.10.2024. Masaba and Satyadeep.”Masaba and Satyadeep tied the knot in a private court ceremony in January 2023, surrounded by close family and friends, including Masaba’s parents, Neena Gupta and Vivian Richards. In April of the same year, the couple shared the joyful news that they are expecting their first child. Neena also wrote on her Instagram handle, “Humare bacchon ka baccha aane Wala hai. Isse zyada Khushi ki baat Kya ho sakti hai (My children are about to have a child. What could be a happier news?)”For the unversed, Masaba’s parents never tied the knot, and she was brought up by Neena. She reestablished contact with her father when she reached the age of 20. Reportedly, Neena Gupta had a short-lived relationship with West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards during the 1980s. At that time, Richards was married but separated and was a father to two children.--IANSps/