Taipei (Taiwan): Representatives of China, Russia and Iran called Friday for an end to US sanctions on Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme and a restart to multinational talks on the issue.

The three countries’ meeting was the latest attempt to broach the matter and come after US President Donald Trump wrote to Iran’s supreme leader in an attempt to jumpstart talks.

The letter, which hasn’t been published, was offered as Trump levied new sanctions on Iran as part of his “maximum pressure” campaign that holds out the possibility of military action while emphasizing he still believed a new deal could be reached.

China, Russia and Iran “emphasized the necessity of terminating all unlawful unilateral sanctions”, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu read from a joint statement, flanked by Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov Sergey Alexeevich and Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.

“The three countries reiterated that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remains the only viable and practical option in this regard,” Ma read.

In comments to the three representatives, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reinforced China’s commitment to a peaceful settlement and opposition to “illegal” sanctions, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

He added that China remains committed to the framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal between Iran and six major countries — the US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — as “the basis for new consensus.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has mocked Trump, saying he wasn’t interested in talks with a “bullying government”, although Iranian officials have offered conflicting signals over the possibility of negotiations. Trump sent a letter to Khamenei in 2019 with no apparent effect on rising tensions.

China and Russia are both permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with France and Britain, that took part in the original 2015 Iran nuclear deal preliminary framework agreement. Trump withdrew America from the accord in 2018, setting in motion years of tensions in the wider Middle East.

China and Russia have particularly close relations with Iran through energy deals and Iran has provided Russia with bomb-carrying drones in its war against Ukraine.

They are also seen as sharing a joint interest in diminishing the role of the US and other liberal democracies in determining world events in favour of their own highly authoritarian systems.

Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. However, its officials increasingly threaten to pursue a nuclear weapon. Iran now enriches uranium to near weapons-grade levels of 60 per cent, the only country in the world without a nuclear weapons programme to do so.

Under the original 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67 per cent purity and to maintain a uranium stockpile of 300 kilograms (661 pounds).

The last report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran’s programme put its stockpile at 8,294.4 kilograms (18,286 pounds) as it enriches a fraction of it to 60 per cent purity.

While Iran has maintained it won’t negotiate under duress, its economy has been savaged by the US sanctions. Protests over women’s rights, the economy and Iran’s theocracy in recent years have shaken its government.

China has sought to become more involved in Middle Eastern affairs and a year ago hosted talks leading to the full restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Gadag: In a shocking incident, at least seven schoolgirls were hospitalised after a gang of miscreants poured chemical-laced colours on them while celebrating Holi in the Lakshmeshwar town of the Gadag district of Karnataka Friday.

Out of the seven schoolgirls, the condition of four girls turned critical as they developed breathlessness and chest pain. They were shifted to the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) for further treatment, while the remaining girls are receiving treatment at the local government hospital in Lakshmeshwar, according to the preliminary information.

The incident has sparked public outrage, and the parents of the victims have rushed to the hospital. Given the seriousness of the case, the police have launched a manhunt for the gang of miscreants.

According to the police, the schoolgirls were waiting at the bus stand near Suvarnagiri Tanda, Lakshmeshwar town, to board a bus and go to school as all of them were supposed to write their exams today.

A gang of miscreants arrived on bikes, stopped near the bus stand, and began throwing colours at them. As the school bus arrived on time, the girls managed to board it. However, the gang chased the bus on bikes, boarded the vehicle, and specifically targeted the seven schoolgirls, pouring chemical-laced colours on them, sources said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the liquid contained a mixture of cow dung, eggs, phenol, and colours. Upon exposure, the girls unknowingly ingested small amounts of the substance, causing them to experience breathlessness and other symptoms.

The students fell sick and were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The scenes at the hospital were heart-wrenching, with the girls struggling to breathe and suffering from severe chest pain. Senior police officers arrived at the hospital, assuring parents that strict action would be taken against the culprits.

The accused managed to escape on bikes, and the police are gathering information from locals and other passengers on the school bus to track them down. More details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the case.

IANS

Ottawa: Canada has taken official steps by requesting consultations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to dispute US import duties on steel and aluminum products from Canada, according to a statement issued by the trade organization.

The request was circulated to WTO members Thursday, said the statement.

Canada argued that US measures, which ceased its exemption and increased duties, contravene US obligations under GATT 1994, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mary Ng, minister of export promotion, international trade and economic development, said Wednesday that Canada was seeking formal consultations with the US regarding tariffs on steel and aluminum.

“Canada is deeply disappointed that the US has chosen to reimpose these unjustified tariffs that hurt workers and businesses on both sides of the border,” Ng said in the statement. “These unilateral tariffs violate the United States’ obligations under both the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and the WTO Agreement.”

Francois-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, made a statement Thursday that Canadian steel and aluminum form the basis of North America’s critical infrastructure and manufacturing base, while supporting vital US industries, including defense, shipbuilding and automotive.

The industry minister said he directed Industry Canada to prioritise funding of projects that use predominantly Canadian steel and aluminum.

Canada announced Wednesday reciprocal tariffs on US steel and aluminum imports worth 29.8 billion Canadian dollars ($20.7 billion). This trade move came in response to US President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports coming into effect on the same day.

February 10, US President Donald Trump signed proclamations to raise tariffs on aluminum from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, aligning them with the existing tariff rate for steel.

He also decided to eliminate duty-free quotas, exemptions, and exclusions for steel and aluminum tariffs. These measures were set to take effect March 12.

March 11, Trump announced a plan to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent in response to tariffs on electricity exports from the Canadian province of Ontario. But the plan was reversed later that day after Ontario dropped the electricity export tariffs affecting three US states.

IANS

Lahore: A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) domestic flight landed on the Lahore airport with one of its wheels missing, an official said Friday.

However, no untoward accident was reported due to the Thursday morning incident, the official said.

One of the rear wheels of PIA flight PK-306, which left from Karachi for Lahore, was missing when it landed at the Lahore airport, the official said.

An investigation has been initiated into the incident, a PIA official told PTI.

He added it was being probed whether the aircraft left Karachi with the “missing wheel” or got detached and fell during the take-off.

He said some fragments of the wheel were found at the Karachi airport.

“It appears that one of the rear wheels was in shabby condition when the aircraft took off,” the official said.

A PIA spokesperson said the PK-306 made a “smooth and uneventful landing” as per the schedule.

“Passengers disembarked as per routine. During a walk-around inspection by the aircraft captain, it was revealed that one out of the six-wheel assemblies on the main landing gear (rear) is missing,” he said.

“As per the standard flight practices, the matter was taken up by PIA flight safety and the Lahore airport teams who are investigating the matter and will submit their report later,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said the aircraft was designed looking into these contingencies and that no risk was posed to the equipment and the passengers.

He said the investigation team would also probe whether the wheel was stolen, whose chances are otherwise slim.

Kochi: Former Congress legislator Anil Akkara, who played a key role in exposing the Rs 324-crore Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam, has claimed that if the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe proceeds in the right direction in this case, top CPI-M leaders will be named as accused in the final charge sheet.

Akkara’s remarks come in response to news that the ED has summoned Alathur Lok Sabha MP K. Radhakrishnan for questioning.

He alleged that Radhakrishnan, along with former minister and current CPI-M legislator A.C. Moideen and former Thrissur CPI-M district secretary M.M. Varghese, would be named as accused if the investigation is conducted thoroughly.

“So far, these leaders have been shielded due to a secret deal struck during the 2024 Thrissur Lok Sabha election. However, the ED has already recovered Rs 60 lakh from CPI-M party bank accounts and Rs 40 lakh from Moideen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This scam occurred during their tenure as Thrissur district CPI-M secretaries,” Akkara said.

The ED’s latest notice to Radhakrishnan comes after a gap of more than six months in the investigation. Radhakrishnan, a former two-time state minister and ex-Speaker, is a prominent CPI-M leader from Thrissur. The notice has put the ruling party on the defensive as it prepares for the 24th Party Congress in Madurai this April.

Radhakrishnan, a member of the CPI-M Central Committee, was served the notice upon his recent arrival in Thrissur. The party is reportedly seeking to delay his appearance, citing the ongoing Parliament session.

This is the first time Radhakrishnan has been summoned since the scam surfaced, sending shockwaves through the party. The ED has already questioned several senior CPI-M leaders, including Moideen, former Lok Sabha member P.K. Biju, former CPI-M legislator M.K. Kannan, and M.M. Varghese.

Several local CPI-M leaders and employees of the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank were arrested and jailed in connection with the scam, although many have since secured bail.

The Thrissur Lok Sabha seat holds particular significance as it was the only constituency in Kerala where the BJP emerged victorious in 2024, with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi clinching the win.

IANS

Washington: Federal agencies will begin to vacate hundreds of offices across the country this summer under a frenetic and error-riddled push by Elon Musk’s budget-cutting advisers to terminate leases that they say waste money.

Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency maintains a list of canceled real estate leases on its website, but internal documents obtained by The Associated Press contain a crucial detail when those cancellations are expected to take effect. The documents from inside the General Services Administration, the US government’s real estate manager, list dozens of federal office and building leases expected to end by June 30, with hundreds more slated over the coming months.

The rapid pace of cancellations has raised alarms, with some agencies and lawmakers appealing to DOGE to exempt specific buildings. Several agencies are facing 20 or more lease cancellations in all, including the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and the US Geological Survey.

Many of the terminations would affect agencies that aren’t as well-known but oversee services critical to many Americans.

They span from a Boise, Idaho, office of the Bureau of Reclamation — which oversees water supply and deals with disputes across the often-parched American West — to a Joliet, Illinois, outpost of the Railroad Retirement Board, which provides benefits for railroad workers and their survivors.

The lease terminations do not mean all the locations will close. In some cases, agencies may negotiate new leases to stay in place, downsize their existing space or relocate elsewhere.

“Some agencies are saying I’m not leaving. We can’t leave,’ said Chad Becker, a former GSA real estate official who now represents building owners with government leases at Arco Real Estate Solutions. “I think there’s going to be a period of pushback, a period of disbelief. And then, if necessary, they may start working on the actual execution of a move.

Errors add to confusion

DOGE says GSA has notified landlords in recent weeks that it plans to terminate 793 leases, focusing mostly on those that can be ended within months without penalty. The group estimates those moves will save roughly $500 million over the terms of the leases, which in some cases were slated to continue into the 2030s. The Bureau of Reclamation cancellation in Boise, for instance, would take effect Aug. 31 and is expected to save a total of $18.7 million through 2035.

But DOGE’s savings estimates — a fraction of Musk’s $1 trillion cost-cutting goal — have not been verified and do not take into account the costs of moves and closures. The group has released no information about what they will mean for agencies.

“My initial reaction is this is just going to cause more chaos,” said Jim Simpson, an accountant in Arizona who helps low-income people file taxes and serves on an IRS panel that advocates for taxpayers. “There’s a lot of room to help with government efficiency, but it should be done surgically and not with a chainsaw.”

Simpson said he was surprised to learn that dozens of IRS offices, including local taxpayer assistance centres, were facing upcoming lease cancellations. He refers clients there to get paperwork to file returns and answer IRS inquiries, and he said losing services would “cause a lot of anxiety” and delay refunds.

Plans to cancel the leases at several of the IRS centres and other sites were in error and have been rescinded, according to a person with direct knowledge of the changes who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity in order to avoid retaliation. Those changes are not yet reflected on DOGE’s list, which only removed one and added dozens more in its latest update published Thursday.

The GSA walked back the cancellation of a Geological Survey office in Anchorage, Alaska, for instance, after learning it did not have termination rights, according to the person familiar with the matter.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., said Monday that he’d convinced DOGE to back off lease terminations planned for the National Weather Centre in Norman, a Social Security office in Lawton and the Indian Health Services office in Oklahoma City. But all three leases remained on DOGE’s list of cancellations as of Thursday.

GSA’s press office didn’t respond to inquiries.

The real estate market is blindsided

While there was already a bipartisan push to reduce the government’s real estate footprint, the mass cancellations blindsided an industry known for its stability.

Landlords who had been expecting government agencies to remain tenants, for several more years in some cases under their existing leases, were stunned. Some agencies learned from building managers, not their federal partners, that their leases were being canceled, according to real estate managers.

Becker, whose firm is tracking the DOGE lease cancellations, and other observers said they expect some agencies will be unable to move their personnel and property out of their spaces within such tight timelines. That may force some agencies to pay additional rent during what’s known as a holdover period, undermining DOGE’s stated goal of saving taxpayer money.

The Building Owners and Managers Association, which represents the commercial real estate industry, told landlords in a recent advocacy alert to be prepared to seek payment from any federal government tenants who stay beyond their leases.

Many affected agencies aren’t speaking up

Asked about plans for buildings with leases that will soon expire, the IRS did not respond. A Social Security Administration spokesperson downplayed the impact of its offices losing leases, saying many were “small remote hearing sites,” did not serve the public, were already being consolidated elsewhere or planned for closure.

Several other agencies provided little clarity — saying they were working with GSA to consider their options, in statements that were nearly identical in some cases.

But a spokesperson for the Railroad Retirement Board expressed concern over the upcoming lease cancellations of its offices in Joliet, Illinois, and eight other states, saying it was working to maintain a public-facing office presence for the local railroad community.”

Government Accountability Office official David Marroni told a congressional hearing last week that the push to unload unnecessary federal real estate was “long overdue,” saying agencies have for too long held on to unnecessary space. But he warned the downsizing must be deliberate and carefully planned to “generate substantial savings and mitigate the risk of mistakes and unexpected mission impacts.”

That process had already started before Musk’s team arrived, with the federal government’s real estate portfolio steadily declining over the last decade. Indeed, critics of DOGE say if it were truly interested in cost-cutting, it could learn from GSA, whose mission even before Trump took office was to deliver “effective and efficient” services to the American public.

A law signed by former President Joe Biden before he left office in January directed agencies to measure the true occupancy rates of leased spaces by this summer. Those that did not meet a target of 60% use rate over time would be directed to dispose of their excess space.

”There is a logical and orderly way to do this,” Rep. Greg Stanton, an Arizona Democrat, said at last week’s hearing. Instead, he said, DOGE is pursuing a reckless approach that threatens to harm the delivery of public services.

Industry observers cautioned that each situation is different, and it will take months or years to understand the full impact of the lease cancellations.

“It really depends on the terms. But it is a shock, there is no question, that all of a sudden, boom, in six weeks, all these things have happened,” said J. Reid Cummings, a professor of finance and real estate at the University of South Alabama.

AP

Imphal: Four militants of different Imphal Valley-based proscribed outfits were arrested in separate operations, police said Friday.

A member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was arrested from her house in Sagolband Sayang Kurao Makhong in Imphal West district Thursday. She was identified as Thokchom Ongbi Anita Devi (46), they said.

Among the items recovered from her were a pistol with a magazine, 33 live rounds, five SIM cards, and six mobile phones, they added.

A member of the proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF-K) was arrested near the India-Myanmar border in the Tenugopal district. He was identified as Moirangtham Ricky Singh (22) of Khurai Chairenthong in the Imphal East district.

An active cadre of the banned PREPAK, involved in extorting local businesses, was arrested from Sekmaijin Ningolkhong in the Kakching district.

He was identified as Laishram Bishorjit Meitei (33).

Another man was arrested for extorting money from vehicles transporting timber, police said.

Yumnam Premjit Meitei (54) was arrested from a furniture shop at Kakwa in the Imphal West district. He was associated with the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (Apunba).

PTI

Brussels: In the year after Russia launched an outright war on Ukraine, NATO leaders approved a set of military plans designed to repel an invasion of Europe. It was the biggest shake-up of the alliance’s defence readiness preparations since the Cold War.

The secret plans set out how Western allies would defend NATO territory from the Atlantic to the Arctic, through the Baltic region and Central Europe, down to the Mediterranean Sea. Up to 300,000 troops would move to its eastern flank within 30 days, many of them American. That would climb to 800,000 within six months.

But the Trump administration warned last month that US priorities lie elsewhere. Europe must take care of its own security, and those goals now seem questionable. Mustering just 30,000 European troops to police any future peace in Ukraine is proving a challenge.

Billions of euros are being shifted to military budgets, but only slowly, and the Europeans are struggling to fire up production in their defence industries.

Beyond funding, tens of thousands more European citizens might have to complete military service, and time is of the essence.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that Russian forces could be capable of launching an attack on European territory in 2030.

Concerned about Russia’s intentions, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wants to introduce large-scale military training for every adult male and double the size of Poland’s army to around 500,000 soldiers.

“If Ukraine loses the war or if it accepts the terms of peace, armistice or capitulation … then, without a doubt — and we can all agree on that — Poland will find itself in a much more difficult geopolitical situation,” Tusk warned lawmakers last week.

<hl2>The scale of Europe’s military personnel shortage</hl2>The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that Europe, including the U.K., has almost 1.5 million active duty personnel. But many can’t be deployed on a battlefield, and those who can are hard to use effectively without a centralized command system.

The number of Russian troops in Ukraine at the end of 2024 was estimated to be around 700,000.

NATO troops are controlled by a US general, using American air transport and logistics.

Analysts say that in the event of a Russian attack, NATO’s top military officer would probably dispatch around 200,000 US troops to Europe to build on the 100,000 US military personnel already based there.

With the Americans out of the picture, “a realistic estimate may therefore be that an increase in European capacities equivalent to the fighting capacity of 300,000 U.S. troops is needed,” the Brussels-based Bruegel think tank estimates.

“Europe faces a choice: either increase troop numbers significantly by more than 300,000 to make up for the fragmented nature of national militaries, or find ways to rapidly enhance military coordination,” Bruegel said.

The question is how.

Making up the numbers

NATO is encouraging countries to build up personnel numbers, but the trans-Atlantic alliance isn’t telling them how to do it. Maintaining public support for the armed forces and Ukraine is too important to risk by dictating choices.

“The way they go about it is intensely political, so we wouldn’t prescribe any way of changing this — whether to go for conscription, elective conscription, bigger reserves,” a senior NATO official said on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to brief journalists unless he remained unnamed.

“We do stress the point that fighting with those regional plans means that we are in collective defence and likely in an attrition war that requires way more manpower than we currently have, or we designed our force models to deliver,” he added.

Eleven European countries have compulsory military service: Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and non-European Union nation Norway. The length of service ranges from as little as two months in Croatia to 19 months in Norway.

Poland isn’t considering a return to universal military service, but rather a reserve system based on the model in Switzerland, where every man is obliged to serve in the armed forces or an alternative civilian service. Women can volunteer.

Belgium’s new defence minister plans to write a letter in November to around 120,000 citizens who are age 18 to try to persuade at least 500 of them to sign up for voluntary military service. Debate about the issue goes on in the U.K. and Germany.

Confronting the challenges

Germany’s professional armed forces had 181,174 active service personnel at the end of last year — slightly lower than in 2023, according to a parliamentary report released Tuesday. That means it’s no closer to reaching a Defence Ministry target of 203,000 by 2031.

Last year, 20,290 people started serving in the German military, or Bundeswehr, an 8% increase, the report said. But of the 18,810 who joined in 2023, more than a quarter — 5,100 or 27% of the total — left again, most at their own request during the six-month trial period.

The German parliament’s commissioner for the armed forces, Eva Högl, said that army life is a hard sell.

“The biggest problem is boredom,” Högl said. “If young people have nothing to do, if there isn’t enough equipment and there aren’t enough trainers, if the rooms aren’t reasonably clean and orderly, that deters people, and it makes the Bundeswehr unattractive.”

At the other end of the scale, tiny Luxembourg has unique demographic challenges. Of its roughly 630,000 passport holders, only 315,000 are Luxembourgers. The number of people of military service age — 18 to 40 — is smaller still.

Around 1,000 people are enlisted. That’s small compared to some European powers, but bigger per capita than the UK armed forces. Recently, Luxembourg — where unemployment is low and salaries are high — has struggled to find just 200-300 military personnel.

Military service comes with many challenges too, not least being convincing someone to sign up when they might be sent to the front, and hastily trained conscripts can’t replace a professional army. The draft also costs money. Extra staff, accommodation and trainers are needed throughout a conscript’s term.

AP

New Delhi: Facing graft allegations, IIM-Rohtak director is set to be either suspended or sent on leave by the institution’s board following directions from the government.

The director, sources said, has also been asked to stay away from the IIM campus or rented area of IIM Rohtak until further orders.

The Union Ministry of Education Thursday asked the Board of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak, to either suspend institute Director Dheeraj Sharma or send him on leave till the completion of probe against him over alleged misappropriation of funds.

The allegations against Sharma include wrongfully inflating the financial health of IIM Rohtak and using such manipulated figures to pay a huge amount of variable pay (more than Rs one crore for each year) to the director of IIM Rohtak from 2018-19 onwards.

President Droupadi Murmu had earlier this month ordered an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak during the tenure of Sharma as director of the institute.

The inquiry will also include the verification of the educational qualification certificates of Sharma and other staff recruited at IIM.

The probe against Sharma was launched following an inquiry conducted by the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts, Ministry of Education, which found serious irregularities and grave misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak.

The Ministry also noted that Sharma’s degree certificate was sought by the ministry repeatedly during his first term as director of IIM Rohtak from 2017 to 2022 but was not sent by IIM Rohtak until the end of his tenure.

The Centre has also asked the Board to hand over the charge of IIM Rohtak to another faculty member who has not been associated with the financial matters of the institute.

“A formal letter in this regard has been sent to Jai Dev Shroff, Chairman of the Board, IIM Rohtak. The Ministry has also asked the IIM Board to cancel the proposal given for the renomination of Neeraj Kansal as a member of the Board of IIM Rohtak, as per the agenda circulated for the 63rd meeting proposed to be held March 17,” a source said.

“The inquiry will be conducted by Professor Manoj Tiwari, Director of IIM Mumbai, as the inquiry officer. He has been asked to complete the probe within three months,” the sources added.

PTI

Chennai: The TVK, founded by Tamil superstar Vijay, is set to convene its general council meeting in Chennai March 28.

According to party sources, up to 23 resolutions are expected to be passed, many of which will strongly criticize the policies of both the BJP-led Central government and the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu.

Vijay has recently become more vocal in his opposition to these parties, and the upcoming meeting is expected to escalate his criticism further. His shift in tone was evident in a video message released on Women’s Day, where he openly criticized the DMK government for the first time- a significant departure from his previous strategy of avoiding direct references to political parties. This change in approach has been well received within the party ranks, and Vijay is now expected to intensify his attacks on both the DMK and the BJP in his address at the general council meeting.

Apart from the general council meeting, TVK is also preparing to hold a booth committee conference soon as part of its broader political strategy.

Vijay officially launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) February 2, 2024, positioning it as a movement against corruption and divisive politics. While he chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he has confirmed that TVK will compete in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

August 22, 2024, Vijay unveiled the party’s flag and song at TVK’s headquarters in Panaiyur, Chennai. This was followed by the party’s inaugural political conference on October 27, 2024, in Vikravandi, Villupuram district. The event saw an estimated turnout of three lakh people, leading to significant traffic congestion in Vikravandi and Mundiyampakkam, forcing authorities to divert vehicles on the Chennai-Tiruchi National Highway.

During the Vikravandi conference, Vijay took a strong stance against both the DMK and the BJP. He labelled the BJP as his ideological adversary and the DMK as his political adversary. He accused the DMK of being a family-run party that exploits the Dravidian identity for personal gain while condemning the BJP for its divisive politics.

In response, the DMK dismissed Vijay’s criticism, alleging that he was indirectly supporting the BJP, calling TVK the “C team” of the saffron party.

Vijay’s influence in Tamil Nadu politics has been growing steadily, particularly after his fan club, All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), secured 115 out of the 169 seats it contested in the 2021 Tamil Nadu local body elections. This was in stark contrast to Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), both of which failed to secure any seats.

Vijay has also made it clear that TVK will align only with parties that recognize his leadership. Political analysts view this stance as a clear indication that he is positioning himself as a serious contender for the Chief Minister’s post in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

IANS

New Delhi: The Delhi Police said Thursday that they have arrested two men for allegedly raping and molesting a British woman at a hotel in Mahipalpur in southwest Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area.

Following the arrests, the police intimated the British High Commission about the incident, which took place on the night of March 11.

The woman travelled to India a month ago and stayed in Maharashtra for some time before visiting Goa.

She came to Delhi March 11 to meet Kailash, 24, whom she met on Instagram recently, said the police official.

The woman’s “friend” and his acquaintance have been arrested for rape and molestation, police said Thursday.

The incident took place Tuesday night after the victim and her friend Kailash, 25, an unemployed man, had dinner and drinks, the police said.

Kailash, a resident of Vasundhara-Mayur Vihar, has been charged with rape and his friend Wasim, a housekeeper, was booked for molestation, the police said.

Kailash has studied till Class-XII and cannot speak English, police said, adding that he managed to impress the British national on social media using Google Translate.

“Kailash used to speak in Hindi on Google translate and later read out the English version to the British woman,” said an official

The incident came to light when the woman went to a hospital and underwent a medical checkup Wednesday morning, the police said, adding that the hospital staff informed the Vasant Kunj North police station about the sexual assault.

The two accused, who have now been sent to remand, were arrested Wednesday noon, a police official said.

The woman, who came to India March 7 for a vacation in Maharashtra and Goa, telephoned Kailash and asked him to join her there, police said.

Kailash expressed his inability to join her in Mumbai and invited her to Delhi. She later visited the national capital March 11, and checked into a hotel in Mahipalpur.

After reaching the hotel, the woman called up Kailash and asked him to meet her. The accused allegedly came to the hotel along with Wasim and committed the sexual assault Tuesday.

The police said when Kailash was trying to assault her, she objected and raised an alarm, after which he called in Wasim to intervene.

During the investigation, the police recovered social media chats between Kailash and the victim.

An official said the woman was not even aware of Kailash’s profile.

IANS

New Delhi: DMK-led Tamil Nadu government move to replace the rupee symbol signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Thursday.

Launching a scathing attack on DMK, she said the party should have protested when the rupee symbol was adopted by the UPA in 2010. DMK was part of the ruling UPA alliance at the Centre.

“Ironically, rupee symbol was designed by D Udaya Kumar, the son of former DMK MLA N Dharmalingam. By erasing it now, the DMK is not only rejecting a national symbol but also utterly disregarding the creative contribution of a Tamil youth,” she said.

The attack comes on the day when DMK government has reportedly removed the official Rupee symbol ‘?’ from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 documents, which will be presented Friday.

The logo for the budget, released by the government Thursday, carried ‘ru, ‘ the first letter of the Tamil word ‘Rubaai, ‘ which denotes the Indian currency in the vernacular language. The logo also had the caption “everything for all,” indicating what the ruling DMK claims is its inclusive governance model.

“This is more than mere symbolism – it signals a dangerous mindset that weakens Indian unity and promotes secessionist sentiments under the pretence of regional pride. A completely avoidable example of language and regional chauvinism,” Sitharaman said in a tweet.

All elected representatives and authorities are sworn under the Constitution to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of our nation, she said, adding removing a national symbol from the State Budget documents goes against that very oath, weakening the commitment to national unity.

Sharing historical perspective, the finance minister said, the Tamil word ‘Rupaai’ itself has deep roots in the Sanskrit word ‘Rupya,’ meaning ‘wrought silver’ or ‘a worked silver coin.’

This term has resonated across centuries in Tamil trade and literature, and even today, ‘Rupaai’ remains the currency name in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, she said.

In fact, she said, several countries, including Indonesia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, officially use ‘Rupee’ or its ‘equivalent/derivatives’ as their currency name.

“Rupee symbol is internationally well-recognized and serves as a visible identity of India in global financial transactions. At a time when India is pushing for cross-border payments using UPI, should we really be undermining our own national currency symbol?” she wondered.

PTI

Superstar Aamir Khan has officially introduced his new partner, Gauri Spratt, to the public, revealing that they have been in a relationship for the past 18 months.

During an informal media interaction in Mumbai, Aamir expressed his admiration for Gauri, stating, “My girlfriend is prettier than Katrina Kaif. I feel like home when I am with her.” He also mentioned that his children, Junaid and Ira, have met Gauri and are happy for him.

When journalists asked Khan for more details about his girlfriend, he shared that Gauri is a mother to a 6-year-old son.

When asked about the possibility of marriage at the age of 60, Aamir responded thoughtfully, “I don’t know about marriage at this age, but we are deeply committed to each other.”

Gauri previously lived in Bengaluru before moving to Mumbai. Wrapping up the conversation, the ‘Dangal’ actor humorously referenced his 2001 blockbuster “Lagaan,” saying, “Bhuvan ko uski Gauri mil hi gayi.”

Who is Gauri Spratt?

According to a report by Pinkvilla, the couple first met 25 years ago but lost touch, only to reconnect recently.

Gauri, a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur, operates a hairdressing business and is currently associated with Aamir’s production house. She is also a mother to a six-year-old son.

As per Economic Times, Gauri, who has a mixed heritage of Tamil and Irish descent, has blended well with Aamir’s family. The couple currently resides together, and Gauri is adapting to the film world.

Aamir’s past

For the unversed, Aamir was initially married to Reena Dutta. The couple tied the knot in 1986 and had two children together, a daughter named Ira and a son, whom they decided to name Junaid. However, they decided to go their separate ways in 2002.

Later in 2005, Aamir married Kiran Rao from whom he has one son, Azad Rao Khan. Aamir and Kiran also parted ways in 2021.

PNN  & Agencies

Colombo: India has donated urgently needed medicines to Sri Lanka, responding to an urgent request from Colombo, the Indian High Commission said here Thursday.

India gifted 50,000 ampoules of Furosemide injection 20mg/2ml to cater to its shortage in Sri Lankan hospitals in the immediate term. These were handed over by Santosh Jha, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, to the Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa.

“India has been a reliable friend and first responder for Sri Lanka during times of difficulties and shortages, including in the health sector,” a release from the Indian High Commission said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, India supplied over 25 tonnes of medicines on a special aircraft to Sri Lanka in May 2020; gifted 5,00,000 doses of Covishield vaccine in January 2021; and 1 lakh Rapid Antigen Test kits in February 2022, it said.

In the wake of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, in February 2022, a USD 1 billion credit facility for supply of essential items, including medicines, was extended in March 2022 for a period of one year. It was subsequently extended until March 2024 on the request of the Sri Lankan government.

“Over 26 tonnes of drugs and other medical supplies were provided to Peradeniya University Hospital, Jaffna Teaching Hospital, Hambantota General Hospital, among others, in April- May 2022 to meet the acute shortage of medicines”, the release said.

The health sector has also been an important focus area for India’s development cooperation initiatives in Sri Lanka. Notable initiatives include the island-wide ‘1990 Suwa Seriya’ ambulance service; construction of 150-bed multi-specialty hospital at Dickoya; construction of a new surgical unit at Teaching Hospital, Batticaloa; infrastructure creation and up-gradation, as well as equipment supply, at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, District Hospitals at Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu; among others, the release added.

PTI

Washington: President Donald Trump Thursday threatened a 200 per cent tariff on European wine, champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.

The European tariff, which was unveiled in response to steel and aluminum tariffs by the US administration, was expected to go into effect April 1.

But Trump, in a morning social media post, vowed a new escalation in his trade war if the EU pushes ahead with the planned 50 per cent tariff on American whiskey.

“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES,” Trump wrote. “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.”

The Republican president  Wednesday signalled that he intended to take the action.

“Of course I will respond,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office exchange with reporters.

AP

Dhaka: Bangladesh Thursday termed the recent remarks by the Ministry of the External Affairs on the country as unwarranted and amounting to interference in another country’s domestic affairs.

Last week, India voiced concern over Bangladesh releasing certain violent extremists and underlined that it is the responsibility of the interim government in Dhaka to protect Hindus and other minorities as well as their religious institutions.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said Dhaka took note of the MEA’s comments concerning Bangladesh’s elections, law and order situation and matters related to minorities.

Bangladesh firmly believes these issues are entirely its internal affairs, and such remarks are unwarranted and tantamount to interference in another country’s domestic matters, he said in his weekly media briefing.

Alam, who also serves as the ministry’s public diplomacy wing director, said New Delhi’s comments were misleading as well as those did not “reflect the reality on the ground.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said India supports a stable, peaceful, inclusive and progressive Bangladesh in which all issues are resolved through democratic means and by holding inclusive and participatory elections.

We remain concerned about the deteriorating law and order situation, further exacerbated by the release of violent extremists who were sentenced for serious crimes, he said.

India has repeatedly underlined that it is the responsibility of the interim government to protect the Hindus and other minorities, as well as their properties and religious institutions.

The foreign office spokesman said Bangladesh upholds the principles of respecting every nation’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference in internal affairs. It remains committed to fostering friendly and constructive relations with India based on mutual respect, trust, and understanding, he said.

From this perspective, Bangladesh hopes that the relevant authorities of the Indian government will take necessary measures to refrain from making such remarks, he added.

There has been a sharp downturn in India-Bangladesh relations after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka in August in the face of a massive anti-government protest.

The relations nosedived dramatically after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.

PTI

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate Thursday raided multiple locations in Bengaluru and some other places as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged gold smuggling racket in which an actor was arrested by the DRI in Karnataka, official sources said.

A case has been field under the Prevention of Money laundering Act, taking cognisance of a recent Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR and a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) case in which actor Ranya Rao was arrested, the sources said.

Multiple locations in Karnataka, including Bengaluru, are being searched, they said.

PTI

New Delhi: India’s tea exports touched a 10-year high at 255 million kg in 2024 despite the uncertainties in the global market triggered by geopolitical tensions, data compiled by the Tea Board of India shows.

The country’s exports shot up by a robust 10 per cent during the year from the corresponding figure of 231.69 million kgs recorded in 2023, according to the figures. showed.

The average price of Indian tea in the export market also went up by 10 per cent, bringing welcome relief to the tea industry, which had been hit by inclement weather in 2023.

There was a sharp increase in shipments to Iraq, accounting for 20 per cent of tea exports, and merchants are expecting to send 40-50 million kg to the west Asian country this fiscal year, he said.

Indian exporters, who entered several markets of West Asia when the Sri Lankan crop was low, managed to retain the shipment volumes there, he said.

India exports tea to more than 25 countries, with UAE, Iraq, Iran, Russia, the US and the UK as the major markets.

India is among the top five tea exporters in the world, accounting for about 10 per cent of total world exports. India’s Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri teas are considered some of the finest in the world. Most the tea exported out of India is black tea, which makes up about 96 per cent of total exports. The other varieties include regular tea, green tea, herbal tea, masala tea and lemon tea.

India has taken several steps to boost tea output, create a niche brand for Indian tea and ensure the welfare of the families associated with the tea industry.

The Assam Valley and Cachar are the two tea-producing regions in Assam. In West Bengal, Dooars, Terai and Darjeeling are the three major tea producer regions. The southern part of India produces about 17 per cent of the country’s total output, with the major producing states being Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.

Small tea growers are the emerging sector contributing nearly 52 per cent of the total produce. Presently, there are nearly 2.30 lakh of small tea growers existing in the supply chain. The Government of India, through the Tea Board, has taken several steps to benefit this segment. These include the formation of 352 Self Help Group (SHG), 440 Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) and 17 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs).

Various interactions are also carried out with STGs for quality plucking, capacity building and rush-crop management. Besides, assistance has been provided towards the procurement of pruning machines and mechanical harvesters.

Mini tea factories have also been set up to encourage entrepreneurs and unemployed youth.

The Indian tea Industry employs 1.16 million workers directly, and an equal number of people are associated with it indirectly.

Paris: Defence Ministers from Europe’s top five military powers, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Poland, met in Paris and voiced support for the Ukrainian army.

In a joint declaration published after the meeting, the ministers agreed to strengthen European support for peace in Ukraine, including accelerating defence industrial cooperation projects with Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference, French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu told reporters that the defence capacity of the Ukrainian army would be “one of the first security guarantees” for Kyiv.

According to Lecornu, “the true guarantee of long-term security will be the capacities that we can provide to the Ukrainian army.”

Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto said that there would be no future for Ukraine “without the ability to defend itself.”

The ministers also agreed to consolidate their common approach to European defense within the frameworks of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

They said in the joint declaration that they would maintain a “strong” transatlantic bond while significantly increasing Europe’s contribution to the continent’s deterrence and defence.

When asked if the ministers discussed how to develop an independent European defence system in case of the US withdrawal, German defence minister Boris Pistorius said that it was a topic that has already “preoccupied” Europe for a while.

He proposed that Europe should work on administrative simplifications both at national and European levels to standardise weapon systems in different European countries. For him, European countries need to work together on European security.

Ukraine agreed Tuesday to a US proposal for an “immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire” following talks with a US delegation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to a joint statement.

The talks, notably held without European participation, resulted in the statement that Ukraine would receive renewed US security assistance and America got preliminary approval for access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.

Despite being left out of negotiations, European leaders welcomed the progress made between the US and Ukraine while continuing efforts to strengthen the continent’s defense capabilities.

Mumbai: The Indian equity benchmark indices opened higher Thursday amid mixed global cues, as buying was seen in the Financial Service and PSU Bank sectors in the early trade.

At around 9.31 am, Sensex was trading 61.17 points or 0.08 per cent up at 74,090.93 while the Nifty added 2.15 points or 0.01 per cent at 22,472.65

Nifty Bank was up 113.10 points or 0.24 per cent at 48,169.75. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 48,436.80 after declining 49.80 points or 0.10 per cent. Nifty Smallcap 100 index was at 14,981.45 after declining 62.90 points or 0.42 per cent.

According to market watchers, the Indian equity markets were expected to open on a flat to slightly bullish note, as indicated by GIFT Nifty, which was trading around 22,570 in early trades, reflecting a modest increase of 25 points.

“This suggests a cautious market sentiment, influenced by global cues and the absence of strong domestic triggers. Investors will closely monitor global trends, crude oil prices, and institutional flows to assess the market’s direction,” said Hardik Matalia of Choice Broking.

Meanwhile, in the Sensex pack, IndusInd Bank, Tata Steel, Zomato, Bajaj Finserv, ICICI Bank, Tech Mahindra, Infosys and SBI were the top gainers. Whereas, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Sun Pharma, Tata Motors, UltraTech Cement and Asian Paints were the top losers.

According to experts, given the prevailing market dynamics, traders are advised to exercise caution and wait for confirmation of price action at critical levels before initiating fresh positions.

In the last trading session, Dow Jones declined 0.20 per cent to close at 41,350.93. The S&amp;P 500 added 0.49 per cent to 5,599.30 and the Nasdaq climbed 1.22 per cent to close at 17,648.45.

In the Asian markets, Bangkok, Japan, Seoul and Jakarta were trading in green. Whereas China, and Hong Kong were trading in red.

Regarding institutional activity, foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 1,627.61 crore March 12, while Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) purchased equities worth Rs 1,510.35 crore on the same day.