All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Turkey Must Reconsider Support To Pak: Owaisi

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday called on Turkey to reassess its support for Pakistan, highlighting India’s historical ties with Ankara and the fact that “over 200 million honourable Muslims,” a far larger number than in Pakistan, live in India.

Speaking to ANI, Owaisi also emphasised India’s stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and its resolve to present the issue on global platforms as part of a multi-party delegation visiting key partner nations.

“Turkey must reconsider their stance of supporting Pakistan. We must remind Turkey that there is a bank in Turkey called Isbank, whose earlier depositors were people of India. Turkey has many historical connections with India…We must constantly remind Turkey that more than 200 million honourable Muslims live in India…There are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. The way Pakistan has behaved so far, they have nothing to do with Islam at all…,” Owaisi said.

Owaisi also criticised the US announcement of cessation of hostilities, arguing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have announced it.

“I have said it before, I will say it again, our Prime Minister should have announced the ceasefire, not the US President. Do you know that Pakistan’s trade with the US is worth only 10 billion, whereas for India it is over 150 billion. Is it a joke?”

Slamming the US, Owaisi asked, “can America guarantee that Pakistan will not carry out terror attacks on us anymore?…”

“Pakistan’s military will always mess with India. How long will we tolerate this?… How can you trade with Pakistan? They are beggars… We are only expecting this much from the US, that they should designate the TRF (The Resistance Front) as a terrorist organisation…TRF is nothing but a Pakistan-sponsored group of LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba)…”

Owaisi, named as part of a delegation to project India’s fight against cross-border terrorism and highlight Operation Sindoor, stressed the importance of the mission.

“This is not about any party affiliation… We will have a more detailed meeting before leaving… This is an important task. I will try my best to fulfil this responsibility well. As of now, I know that the group I belong to will be headed by my good friend Baijayant Jay Panda. I think this group will include Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu, and Ghulam Nabi Azad. The countries I think we’ll be going to are the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Denmark,” he said.

He further added, “We are representing the government of India and our country… We are going to those countries to tell how our daughters are getting widowed, our children are being orphaned, and how Pakistan wants to destabilise our country. We are the fifth-largest economy. If there is destabilisation in India, it will affect the whole world… Never forget that 21 civilians have also been killed (in cross-border shelling). Four children were killed in Pooch. Five of our jawans were killed. We will present all this to the countries… We will present the Indian government’s vision to the best of our capability.”

The All-Party Delegations will project India’s national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations. They would carry forth to the world the country’s strong message of zero tolerance against terrorism.

Members of Parliament from different parties, prominent political personalities, and distinguished diplomats will be part of each delegation.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. India’s precision strikes in Pakistan and PoJK on May 7 killed over 100 terrorists. (ANI)

India Curbs Bangladeshi Exports Via Land Ports After ‘Landlocked’ Remarks Of Yunus

India has imposed restrictions on the entry of Bangladeshi ready-made garments (RMG) and other products through its northeastern land ports — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram — and Fulbari and Changrabandha in West Bengal, following controversial remarks by Bangladesh’s interim chief advisor Muhammad Yunus.

During a speech in China, Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Yunus had described India’s northeastern states as a “landlocked region with no access to the ocean.” This comment has sparked diplomatic friction, with Indian officials viewing it as undermining the region’s connectivity and status.

The new restrictions will force Bangladesh to reroute exports — including Ready-Made garments (RMG), plastics, melamine, furniture, juices, carbonated drinks, bakery items, confectionery, and processed foods — through Kolkata port in West Bengal or Nhava Sheva port in Maharashtra, sharply increasing logistics costs.

With 93 per cent of Bangladesh’s exports to India previously moving through these land routes, the impact on its RMG sector — which exports nearly USD 740 million worth of garments to India annually — could be severe.

Indian officials defended the move as a step toward ensuring “fair trade,” highlighting that Bangladesh enjoys unrestricted access to India’s northeastern markets while imposing barriers on Indian exports. They also noted that Bangladesh charges Indian goods 1.8 taka per tonne per kilometre, more than double its domestic rate of 0.8 taka.

“Bangladesh cannot assume market access without reciprocity. For years, India extended concessions without equal returns. This decision restores balance,” an Indian official told ANI.

According to sources, Bangladesh continues to impose port restrictions on Indian exports particularly at ICP’s bordering North Eastern states. Industrial growth in the Northeastern States suffer a triple jeopardy due to imposition of unreasonably high and economically unviable transit charges by Bangladesh denying in practice access for the Northeast to the Indian hinterland.

The move is expected to disrupt Bangladesh’s garment industry, raising costs and limiting market access, while creating new opportunities for Indian manufacturers. (ANI)

Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Arrested For Spying For Pakistan

Haryana Police has arrested a woman from Hisar for allegedly spying for Pakistani agencies.

Jyoti Rani, daughter of Hisar resident Haris Kumar, was interrogated for allegedly passing information to the Pakistani side. She allegedly met a Pakistani officer, Ahsan-ur-Rahim, in Delhi, travelled to Pakistan twice, and shared sensitive information.

Hisar DSP Kamaljeet said the police has taken the woman on five-day remand. She has been booked under Official Secret Act and relevant sections of BNS.

The DSP said police received “some suspicious things” from her mobile and laptop.

“Yesterday, based on inputs that we had, we arrested Jyoti, daughter of Haris Kumar, under the Official Secret Act and BNS 152. We have received some suspicious things after we recovered her mobile and laptop. We have taken her on a 5-day remand, and further investigation is on. She was in continuous contact with a Pakistani citizen,” Kamaljeet said.

During the preliminary investigation, the woman told the police that she went to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in 2023 to apply for a visa and met a man named Ahsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish. She later travelled to Pakistan. (ANI)

Nancy Tyagi Wows Cannes For The Second Time With Self-Designed Silver Gown

Nancy Tyagi, a Delhi-based fashion influencer, has once again made a statement on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.

The influencer, who made her debut at the festival last year, wore a stunning self-designed gown that has garnered praise from the internet.

The custom creation featured a plunging neckline, a corseted bodice adorned with glittering sequins, and a multi-layered tulle skirt.

The gown’s structured design and rose florets added to its grandeur.

Videos of Nancy’s appearance on the red carpet have been doing the rounds on the internet.

Sufi Motiwala, a fashion influencer, shared a video of Nancy’s red carpet appearance on Instagram, captioning it “Nancy Tyagis second majestic Cannes slay”.

Nancy’s look was completed with statement-making jewel pieces, nail art, and a sleek centre-parted twisted bun.

Her makeup look featured silver smokey eyes, winged eyeliner, and a brown lip shade.

Last year, Nancy made headlines after she debuted on the Cannes red carpet in a beautiful pink gown.

According to her social media handle, the gown took 30 days, 1000 meters of fabric to be made, and weighed over 20kg. (ANI)

Angelina Jolie Shimmers In Sequinned Gown At Cannes 2025 Red Carpet

Hollywood icon Angelina Jolie made a dazzling appearance on the Cannes Film Festival 2025 red carpet, wearing a stunning embroidered strapless gown at the premiere of ‘Eddington’.

As per Page Six, the 49-year-old actress looked radiant in a Brunello Cucinelli made-to-measure look made entirely of cashmere and silk, covered in sequins.

Jolie’s gown was a masterpiece of luxury fashion, featuring intricate embroidery and exquisite textiles. She completed her look with Chopard jewellery, wearing a diamond necklace with a pear-shaped centre stone and matching earrings.

The actress held hands and posed with Marie Colomb, Finn Bennett, and Chopard co-president Caroline Scheufele.

According to Page Six, Jolie was named godmother of this year’s Trophee Chopard Award and will present it to young actors at the festival.

She will offer guidance to the winners throughout the year, following in the footsteps of past mentors like Demi Moore, Robert De Niro, and Julianne Moore.

Jolie’s appearance at Cannes marks her return to the festival after a 14-year absence.

The actress has become increasingly involved in the fashion industry, launching her own line, Atelier Jolie, in 2023.

While she often wears Atelier Jolie designs on the red carpet, she opted for a different designer look at Cannes this year. (ANI)

Over 230 Firefighters Battle Large Fire At German Scrap Metal Yard

More than 230 firefighters were battling a large fire at a scrap metal yard near Oldenburg in north-western Germany on Saturday, according to the fire brigade.

The fire started late on Friday and spread rapidly through the yard, where several hundred cars and stacks of tyres were burning.

By Saturday morning, the flames were largely under control, although about two-thirds of the site remained ablaze, a fire department spokesman said.

The intense heat from burning vehicles caused additional waste to ignite, complicating firefighting efforts. The heat set a workshop building alight, amid exploding gas cylinders and metal alloy reactions.

Firefighting operations were expected to continue into the afternoon, although it could take days to extinguish the final embers, the spokesman said. (ANI/ WAM)

Paresh Rawal Confirms Exit From Hera Pheri 3

For over two decades, Paresh Rawal’s character, Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, aka Babu Bhaiya, from the ‘Hera Pheri’ series has been one of Indian cinema’s most iconic and beloved comedy characters to date.

Earlier this year, director Priyadarshan confirmed a third instalment of the iconic franchise, with the OG trio–Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty–returning. Fans were left excited ever since the news was announced.

However, actor Paresh Rawal has now confirmed that he has exited the third film in the beloved series. When ANI reached out to the actor to ask if the news was true, he replied, “Yes, it is.”

Soon after the news went viral, heartbroken fans quickly expressed their disappointment on social media.

One user wrote, “This can’t be true. If it is, then how can they let go of an actor like Paresh Rawal? Aur inhe kya lag raha hai, Paresh Rawal as Babu Bhaiya ke bina Hera Pheri 3 bana lenge? I hope they just request him to return; otherwise, this decision will make fans furious.”

Another user commented, “Paresh Rawal QUITS Hera Pheri 3. Just shut your shops and declare this movie as shelved. There is no Hera Pheri without any of the three, especially not Baburao Ganpatrao Apte.”

Meanwhile, the reason for his exit has not been revealed yet.

Directed by Priyadarshan, Hera Pheri was released in 2000. It featured Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, and Tabu in the lead roles. The second part, which came out in 2006, was directed by the late Neeraj Vora. It featured Akshay, Paresh, Suniel, Bipasha Basu, Rajpal Yadav, and Rimi Sen in the lead roles. (ANI)

Fake Narratives, Part Of A Malicious Media Campaign: BYJU’s Founder Raveendran On Being Labelled Fugitive

Byju Raveendran, the founder and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of embattled ed-tech company BYJU’s has denied the allegations of being a “fugitive,” attributing these claims to a “fake narrative” and a “malicious media campaign,” adding that these narratives were created to take control of the company.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Raveendran accused US-based “lenders” of tarnishing the company’s reputation which led to the downfall of all stakeholders and investors. He further alleged that they tried to create “prejudice” in the Indian courts for calling Raveendran and his brother “fugitive.”

“These are narratives which they have created in trying to take control of the company. Unfortunately, in a company which is built on the founders’ name, or where the founder played an important role in the early years, they miss the fact that if you tarnish the founders name, it’ll have a huge impact in the company’s valuation. Even they overplayed that game to such an extent that has hurt everyone, all stakeholders, investors, including themselves. That’s a game played wrong and by a few vulture lenders who were based out of US. This is exactly what was created, used to create prejudice in Indian courts by calling us fugitives, by calling me and my brother is having lookout notices,” Raveendran told ANI.

Raveendran has publicly acknowledged the company’s dramatic decline and vowed to rebuild, despite facing lawsuits, financial turmoil, and investor disputes. Byju’s, once valued at $22 billion, has experienced a significant decline due to financial problems, regulatory issues, and legal battles.

The BYJU’s founder also spoke about the investigations conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) saying that the inquiry was around the company and there was nothing personal in it.

He said, “Now, we were freely traveling to India as and when required, keeping Dubai as a base for international expansion. These are all wrong narratives or fake narratives. There is no truth in this. The only truth here is the fact that there was an ED enquiry which was around the company, nothing personal over there. That investigation is closed and it’s adjudication stage.”

Speaking on the lookout notices issued by the ED against him, Raveendran attributed it to the “wrong media narratives” implying that ED never makes such things public because that ‘defeats’ the purpose.

He further pointed out that there was never a chargesheet or a Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) case against him rather there were only summons to which he cooperated.

“I have been traveling to India like even after the ED inquiry started. First of all, if ED puts out a lookout notice, they will never make that public because that defeats the purpose. It’s a wrong media narrative around the ED investigation, it was never personal. It was on the think and learn transactions, which was other than a few misses on the filing timelines, there was never a PMLA. There was never a charge sheet. There were summons, I went and met, we cooperated. Investigation is closed. So, the whole narrative was blown out of proportion,” the BYJU’s founder said.

Further clarifying the allegations of being declared a “fugitive,” Raveendran stated that this was just a part of a “malicious media campaign,” as this word was used just “verbally” and didn’t had any mention in the official documents.

He said, “Our entire wealth, entire company was built out of India. All our wealth which we created was made in India, taxes were paid in India, invested back in India. We have nothing outside India. This is created by a few vested interests. If you see this fugitive word, they only use verbally. None of the filings, none of the court filings, none of the affidavits, you will never find any of this. This is just part of a malicious media campaign. None of the documents will have this word.” (ANI)

Dy Chairman RS Harivansh To Lead Indian Delegation For Inauguration Ceremony Of Pope Leo XIV

Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh will lead the Indian Delegation to Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration ceremony in Vatican City in Rome on May 18.

As per Parliament sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has nominated Harivansh, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Yanthungo Patton, Deputy Chief Minister, Nagaland to represent India at the ceremony of the inauguration of the Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City in Rome on May 18.

The delegation departed from Delhi for Rome on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended wishes to Pope Leo XIV and expressed India’s commitment to continued dialogue and engagement with the Holy See to further shared values.

He noted that Pope Leo XIV’s leadership of the Catholic Church comes at a moment of profound significance in advancing the ideals of peace, harmony, solidarity and service.

In a post on X, PM Modi stated, “I convey sincere felicitations and best wishes from the people of India to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. His leadership of the Catholic Church comes at a moment of profound significance in advancing the ideals of peace, harmony, solidarity and service. India remains committed to continued dialogue and engagement with the Holy See to further our shared values.”

Pope Leo, born Robert Prevost in Chicago, was elected on May 8, becoming the first US-born Pope. This news surprised and delighted many Catholics across the Americas, CNN reported.

In his first formal meeting with Cardinals, which began with a standing ovation, the new Pontiff said he chose his papal name to continue down the path of Pope Leo XIII, who addressed “the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution.”

Pope Leo XIII ruled the Roman Catholic Church from 1878 until he died in 1903 and is remembered as a pope of Catholic social teaching. He wrote a famous open letter to all Catholics in 1891, called “Rerum Novarum” (“Of Revolutionary Change”), which reflected on the destruction wrought by the Industrial Revolution on the lives of workers. (ANI)

Amarnath Yatra from ramban

We Want Amarnath Yatra To Be Incident-Free: Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the tourism sector has been badly affected and the administration is now focusing on ensuring a safe and incident-free Amarnath Yatra.

“Tourism has been hit quite badly. We hardly have any tourists coming in the summer season. We are now focusing on the Amarnath Yatra. We want the Amarnath Yatra to pass incident-free. We want the devotees coming for the Amarnath Yatra to go back safe and sound after their visit,” Abdullah said.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 17 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the tourism sector has been badly affected and the administration is now focusing on ensuring a safe and incident-free Amarnath Yatra.

“Tourism has been hit quite badly. We hardly have any tourists coming in the summer season. We are now focusing on the Amarnath Yatra. We want the Amarnath Yatra to pass incident-free. We want the devotees coming for the Amarnath Yatra to go back safe and sound after their visit,” Abdullah said.

The JK CM was chairing a meeting with the Hoteliers Association at the Civil Secretariat. He held the meeting to discuss the concerns of the Hoteliers after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack which had significantly impacted tourism in the region.

CM Abdullah assured the various stakeholders present at the meeting that the government is fully committed to supporting the sector and will carefully consider their valuable suggestions.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister called for the formulation of a comprehensive and well-thought-out tourism revival plan, according to an official release.

“This is my suggestion for your consideration that we thoughtfully shape and finalise this plan without undue haste,” he said.

He proposed that a robust tourism revival strategy be jointly developed with the Tourism Department after the conclusion of this year’s Shri Amarnath ji Yatra, added the release.

The package, he said, should extend support to hotels, houseboats, shikaras, taxis, handicrafts and explore innovative models such as unique shopping festivals on the analogy of those in Dubai.

“We should also consider engaging artists for cultural performances, restarting the laser fountain shows, and introducing other attractions to enhance the tourist experience,” the Chief Minister added.

Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the tourism sector, Omar Abdullah said, “I understand the challenges many of you are grappling with, be it managing establishments, retaining employees, or dealing with fixed overheads. Many among you are under pressure due to bank loans.”

He expressed particular concern for small-scale entrepreneurs who have recently taken loans to purchase tourist taxis, deluxe minibuses or built guest accommodations in their homes, added the release.

“In this regard, I plan to engage with the Tourism Department and relevant authorities to advocate for a dedicated relief package from the Government of India,” he said.

“A comprehensive package should cater to individuals affected in the border areas, where homes and shops have been damaged. For the tourism sector, we will explore the possibility of loan deferments for at least two quarters, which would provide temporary relief and reduce financial stress on stakeholders,” the Chief Minister stated.

Highlighting the ongoing interest in J-K as a tourism destination, Omar Abdullah said there is already enthusiasm for promotional activities and FAM (Familiarisation) tours.

“I have been receiving calls from individuals and organisations eager to promote Jammu and Kashmir and bring back tourists in large numbers,” he said, adding that he would personally participate in joint promotional campaigns as the situation stabilises.

The Chief Minister assured the gathering that he would take up the issue of financial support and interest relief directly with the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, and other senior central government officials.

“We will approach this in a structured and result-oriented manner,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, speaking on cross-border tensions, Omar Abdullah said, “There is no report of any ceasefire violation in the border areas, on the Line of Control. We are assessing the damage (due to cross-border firing by Pakistan) and once the damage assessment report is prepared, we will prepare a compensation package.”

Speaking on the all-party delegation visiting key partner countries to highlight India’s fight against cross-border terrorism and Operation Sindoor, he said, “In the past, after the Parliament attack, during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, some parliamentary delegations were sent to many countries. This is a good opportunity to put forth India’s voice.”

The Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 killed 26 tourists. After the attack India destroyed nine terror site in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor. (ANI)

The JK CM was chairing a meeting with the Hoteliers Association at the Civil Secretariat. He held the meeting to discuss the concerns of the Hoetliers after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack which had significantly impacted tourism in the region.

CM Abdullah assured the various stakeholders present at the meeting that the government is fully committed to supporting the sector and will carefully consider their valuable suggestions.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister called for the formulation of a comprehensive and well-thought-out tourism revival plan, according to an official release.

“This is my suggestion for your consideration that we thoughtfully shape and finalise this plan without undue haste,” he said.

He proposed that a robust tourism revival strategy be jointly developed with the Tourism Department after the conclusion of this year’s Shri Amarnath ji Yatra, added the release.

The package, he said, should extend support to hotels, houseboats, shikaras, taxis, handicrafts and explore innovative models such as unique shopping festivals on the analogy of those in Dubai.

“We should also consider engaging artists for cultural performances, restarting the laser fountain shows, and introducing other attractions to enhance the tourist experience,” the Chief Minister added.

Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the tourism sector, Omar Abdullah said, “I understand the challenges many of you are grappling with, be it managing establishments, retaining employees, or dealing with fixed overheads. Many among you are under pressure due to bank loans.”

He expressed particular concern for small-scale entrepreneurs who have recently taken loans to purchase tourist taxis, deluxe minibuses or built guest accommodations in their homes, added the release.

“In this regard, I plan to engage with the Tourism Department and relevant authorities to advocate for a dedicated relief package from the Government of India,” he said.

“A comprehensive package should cater to individuals affected in the border areas, where homes and shops have been damaged. For the tourism sector, we will explore the possibility of loan deferments for at least two quarters, which would provide temporary relief and reduce financial stress on stakeholders,” the Chief Minister stated.

Highlighting the ongoing interest in J-K as a tourism destination, Omar Abdullah said there is already enthusiasm for promotional activities and FAM (Familiarisation) tours.

“I have been receiving calls from individuals and organisations eager to promote Jammu and Kashmir and bring back tourists in large numbers,” he said, adding that he would personally participate in joint promotional campaigns as the situation stabilises.

The Chief Minister assured the gathering that he would take up the issue of financial support and interest relief directly with the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, and other senior central government officials.

“We will approach this in a structured and result-oriented manner,” he affirmed.

Meanwhile, speaking on cross-border tensions, Omar Abdullah said, “There is no report of any ceasefire violation in the border areas, on the Line of Control. We are assessing the damage (due to cross-border firing by Pakistan) and once the damage assessment report is prepared, we will prepare a compensation package.”

Speaking on the all-party delegation visiting key partner countries to highlight India’s fight against cross-border terrorism and Operation Sindoor, he said, “In the past, after the Parliament attack, during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, some parliamentary delegations were sent to many countries. This is a good opportunity to put forth India’s voice.”

The Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 killed 26 tourists. After the attack India destroyed nine terror site in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor. (ANI)