Kannada entertainment industry woke up to heartbreaking news on Wednesday as actor Dilip Raj He reportedly died of a heart attack at the age of 47. According to reports, the actor suffered severe chest pain at his residence in the early hours of the morning and was rushed to Apollo Hospital in Kumaraswamy Layout. However, despite medical care, he could not be revived.Known for his memorable work in Kannada television, theater and cinema, Dilip Raj has carved a special place in the hearts of audiences over the years. Soon after the news of his demise broke, social media was flooded with heartfelt tributes from fans, colleagues and members of the film fraternity.

Dilip Raj’s last Instagram post goes viral

After his sudden demise, fans started revisiting the actor’s last Instagram upload, which has now gone viral online. His last social media post was related to the release of his film ‘Nimma Vasthugaalige Neeve Javabadararu’, which was released in theaters in January 2025.Sharing the poster of the film on Instagram, Dilip Raj had urged the audience to support the film by booking tickets and watching it on the big screen. Following his death, the comments section of the post was filled with heartfelt condolence messages. Many fans remembered his impressive performance, while many thanked him for entertaining Kannada audiences for decades.Although ‘Nimma Vasthugaalige Neeve Javabadararu’ reportedly received enthusiastic reviews from the audience, the film struggled commercially during its theatrical run. It later received a digital release and is currently streaming on Sun NXT.

Dilip Raj’s journey from theater artist to popular Kannada star

Born on 2 September 1978, Dilip Raj started his artistic journey through theater long before entering television and films. He worked with prestigious theater groups like Natrang and Drishti, where he honed his acting skills and developed a strong base as an artiste.During his theater days, he reportedly met actress Nandita, who played a role in helping him move into television.His television career started with the telefilm ‘Kambada Mane’, which introduced him to Kannada households. Over the years, he became a familiar face through many hit serials including ‘Janani’, ‘Ardh Satya’, ‘Rangoli’, ‘Kumkuma Bhagya’, ‘Mangalya’, ‘Malebillu’ and ‘Rathsaptami’.

How Dilip Raj’s films and television made him a household name

Dilip Raj debuted as a lead actor with the Kannada film ‘Boy Friend’. However, she gained wider recognition after starring opposite late superstar Puneeth Rajkumar in ‘Milana’. His performance in the film received praise from both audiences and critics.In recent years, the actor became extremely popular among the family audience through the Zee Kannada serial ‘Hitler Kalyana’, which further strengthened his position in the television industry.Apart from acting, Dilip Raj also worked as a producer, director, dubbing artist and theater artist, showcasing his versatility across various formats of entertainment.See more: Dilip Raj dies at the age of 47 due to heart attack; Known for Puneeth Rajkumar’s ‘Milana’

A big loss for Kannada entertainment

The untimely demise of Dilip Raj has come as a deep shock to the Kannada entertainment industry. Fans continue to share clips of his films and television shows online, remembering him as an actor whose performances brought warmth and relevancy to the screen. His contribution to Kannada cinema, television and theater will be remembered for years to come.

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told members of his Cabinet on Tuesday he has no intention of resigning as calls for him to step down intensified within his Labor Party.Starmer sought to shore up support within his cabinet after a troubled few days following Labour’s landslide defeat in local elections last week, which, if repeated in a national election, would see him ousted from office by a landslide. Several junior ministers resigned from their posts on Tuesday, demanding a change in leadership, although no candidate has yet come forward to directly challenge Starmer. The resignations fueled speculation that Starmer could suffer the same fate as Boris Johnson in 2022, when dozens of ministers resigned en masse, forcing him to step down.Nearly 80 Labor MPs have now said Starmer should step down or at least set a timetable for his departure, but not enough to trigger a leadership contest. Under Labor rules, a fifth of its MPs, or 81 members in the House of Commons, must publicly support one of the candidates, and that has not yet happened.On Tuesday, the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Miyata Fahnbulleh, became the first member of his government to step down, urging Starmer to “do the right thing for the country” and setting a timetable for his departure. He was followed by Security Minister Jess Phillips, whose resignation letter described Starmer as “fundamentally a good man” but cited his inability to make bold changes. Phillips said, “I know you care deeply, but actions, not words, matter.” “I am not sure we are approaching this rare opportunity with the enthusiasm that is needed and I cannot wait for a crisis to make rapid progress.” The third British Department of Health minister to step down was Zubeer Ahmed. “It is clear to see that whatever the magnitude of individual achievements and progress, they are now being dwarfed and weakened by the lack of values-driven leadership at the centre,” he said on X. “It is clear in recent days that the public across the UK have now lost confidence in you as Prime Minister.”Despite scoring a landslide election victory in July 2024, Labour’s popularity has declined, and Starmer is receiving much of the blame. The reasons are varied, including a number of policy mistakes, a perceived lack of foresight, the struggling British economy and questions over his judgment – ​​notably the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington despite the ambassador’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.At the start of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Starmer said he took responsibility for the defeat in last week’s local elections across Britain, but that he would keep fighting. “The country expects us to continue to govern,” Starmer said.

New Delhi: From carrying out life-saving deliveries at midnight on the remote Lakshadweep island to treating patients in the harsh high-altitude terrain of Ladakh, 15 nursing professionals from across the country were honored with the National Florence Nightingale Award 2026 by President Draupadi Murmu on Tuesday.The awards were presented at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on International Nurses Day in the presence of Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav.Among the awardees was Ayesha Bibi K of Lakshadweep, who was recognized for conducting a midnight delivery on a remote island that saved both mother and baby during the emergency.Ladakh-based Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Kulwinder Parhi was honored for nearly three decades of service in difficult high altitude areas, including treatment of civilians and soldiers in difficult weather conditions.Dr. Shravan Kumar Dhaka, a nursing officer from Delhi, was honored for his role in COVID-19 vaccination outreach and public health services in underprivileged communities.Several award winners were recognized for health care delivery in remote tribal, island and high altitude areas, including emergency care during cyclones, COVID outreach and operations in difficult terrain.In his address, the President said that nursing personnel exemplify the highest standards of service and play a vital role in providing quality health care, often under challenging circumstances.The awardees included Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Registered Nurses, Nursing Officers and teachers from across the country, including Major General Lisamma PV of the Army Medical Services, who was honored for her contribution to military health care.The National Florence Nightingale Award instituted by the Union Health Ministry recognizes exceptional service, compassion and resilience in nursing. Each award carries a merit certificate, a medal and a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.Marking International Nurses Day, Nadda said nurses are central in strengthening health care systems and improving community health outcomes. Referring to this year’s theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives”, he said investing in the well-being of nurses is essential to building a healthy society.The Health Ministry said nurses remain the closest point of contact for patients and play a vital role in health care delivery, patient advocacy and public health implementation across the country.

Representative Image Credit: AP

Saudi Arabia carried out a series of unprovoked air strikes on Iran in late March in response to attacks inside the kingdom during the Middle East conflict, according to sources cited by Reuters.The strikes are the first known case of Saudi Arabia taking direct military action on Iranian soil, underscoring a major shift in the kingdom’s approach toward its main regional rival.The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on 28 February. In the weeks that followed, Iran targeted all six Gulf Cooperation Council states with missiles and drones, attacking US military bases, civilian sites, airports and oil infrastructure, while also closing the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting global trade.Saudi Arabia, despite its close military ties with the US, felt vulnerable as attacks breached the US security umbrella during the 10-week war.A Western official said the Saudi air force strikes were carried out as a “tit-for-tat attack in retaliation for the attack on Saudi (Arabia)”.These attacks reflected the growing scope of conflict throughout the Middle East and revealed a regional conflict that has remained largely out of public view. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the United Arab Emirates has also launched military attacks on Iran.The Saudi and Emirati actions together showed that the Gulf monarchies were responding militarily to the Iranian attack. However, their viewpoints differed.The UAE took a more hardline stance, trying to impose costs on Iran and rarely engaging in public diplomacy with Tehran. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has tried to defuse the conflict and has been in regular contact with Iranian officials, including Tehran’s ambassador to Riyadh, who did not respond to a request for comment.According to Iranian and Western officials, Saudi Arabia informed Iran about the attacks, leading to intense diplomatic engagement and warning the Saudis of further retaliation. The exchange ultimately led to an agreement on reducing tensions between the two countries.Ali Waze, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group, said tensions would be eased after the retaliatory Saudi strikes, “which would see practical recognition on both sides that unchecked escalation has unacceptable costs.”Such an order would reflect “not trust, but a shared interest in putting limits on confrontation before it escalates into a broader regional conflict,” he said, quoted by Reuters.The informal tensions eased a week before Washington and Tehran agreed to a ceasefire in their broader conflict on April 7. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.At a press conference in Riyadh on 19 March, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said that the kingdom “reserves the right to take military action if deemed necessary.”Three days later, Saudi Arabia declared Iran’s military attaché and four embassy staff members persona non grata.A senior Saudi Foreign Ministry official did not directly comment on whether any agreement had been reached on reducing tensions with Iran, but said, “We reaffirm Saudi Arabia’s consistent stance of advocating de-escalation, self-restraint and de-escalation in the pursuit of stability, security and prosperity of the region and its people.”According to reports, more than 105 drone and missile attacks were carried out targeting Saudi Arabia during the week of March 25-31. Between April 1-6, this number dropped to just under 25.

Prateek Yadav, step brother of Akhilesh Yadav and husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav, dies at the age of 38

Lucknow: Prateek Yadav’s step brother Akhilesh Yadav And husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav died in Lucknow on Wednesday morning. He was 38 years old.Sources said that Prateek Yadav was brought to the Civil Hospital at around 6 in the morning, where doctors declared him dead. The exact cause of death has not been revealed yet. Postmortem investigation is being conducted and more details are awaited.Prateek was the son of Samajwadi Party chief’s second wife Sadhna Gupta. Mulayam Singh Yadav. Despite belonging to one of the most prominent political families of Uttar Pradesh, he largely stayed away from active politics.In a post on Twitter, Samajwadi Party said, “Prateik Yadav’s demise is very sad. May God grant peace to the departed soul.”Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over Prateek’s death, calling it “extremely heartbreaking” and expressed condolences to the family.In a post on X, he wrote, “The sudden demise of Prateek Yadav, son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and husband of Uttar Pradesh State Women Commission Vice President Aparna Yadav, is extremely heartbreaking. My condolences to the bereaved family.”Also read: ‘Such an evil soul, going to divorce her’: Mystery shrouds Prateek Yadav’s death; old posts surfaceHe studied at the prestigious Leeds University and later started a business and fitness venture in Lucknow. He ran “The Fitness Planet”, a famous gym in the city and was known for his interest in health and fitness.His wife Aparna Yadav has been politically active for years. She contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt on Samajwadi Party ticket but lost to Rita Bahuguna Joshi.She later joined the BJP in 2022 and was appointed vice-chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Women in 2024.Prateek and Aparna tied the knot in 2011 in a high-profile ceremony held in the family’s native village Saifai in Etawah district.Earlier this year, Prateik Yadav had publicly spoken about his marital issues with Aparna Yadav. In a post on her verified Instagram account, she had accused him of straining her relationship with family members and said that she planned to seek a divorce. He had alleged that his focus was only on fame and influence and claimed that he was undergoing severe mental stress.(with agency input)

A Texas company owned by a Chinese national has been sued over allegations that it ran a fake childcare business to fraudulently obtain H-1B visas.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Golden Qi Holdings LLC, accusing the company of operating and advertising non-existent childcare services to sponsor foreign workers under the H-1B visa program. Yuan Yao, a Chinese national, has also been named as a defendant in the case.According to the lawsuit, Yao owned and managed several Texas companies, including Golden Qi Holdings, that allegedly ran websites presenting themselves as legitimate childcare providers. The services advertised never actually existed. Examples cited in the case include the Allen Child Care Center and the DFW ABA Center, which were allegedly operating as child care and autism therapy facilities.A visit to a listed site found no evidence of an active daycare. Blaze Media journalist Sarah Gonzales reported finding an abandoned building and a large playground at the site of the Allen Child Care Center.Gonzales also alleged that the businesses had filed more than 50 labor status applications and sponsored at least 37 H-1B visa workers for roles such as market research analyst and supply chain analyst, which appeared to be unrelated to childcare work. During the confrontation with Yao, he refused to answer detailed questions and told Sara to speak to her attorney. “All I can tell you is that everything is legal,” he said.A whistleblower quoted in the reporting claimed that this operation was part of a visa scheme. “He sells visas,” the man alleged, and suggested that foreign workers would have to pay up to $20,000 for sponsorship. The whistleblower also claimed that Yao’s father had connections to the Chinese government and provided financial support. The lawsuit further alleges that the businesses received more than $100,000 in federal Paycheck Protection Program loans, which were later forgiven, but the funds were not used for childcare operations. Prosecutors also say many of the listed business addresses were vacant or duplicated across multiple entities.Attorney General Paxton said: “This is a warning to anyone trying to scam the H-1B visa program. I will continue to fight to ensure that the H-1B program serves the interests of Americans, not Chinese citizens, and that those who abuse the program will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”The case comes as Paxton’s office continues to investigate suspected H-1B visa fraud in North Texas, where officials say some companies may be running “ghost” operations sponsoring foreign workers.