Truck driver Shamsher Singh (Source: NZ Herald)

A married father of two in New Zealand has been jailed for six years and nine months after raping a woman he met on a dating app while driving late-night freight.Indian-origin Shamsher Singh, 33, attacked the victim inside the cab of his commercial truck while it was parked on an isolated stretch of highway between Nelson and Blenheim, the NZ Herald reports.Singh was found guilty of rape and sexual assault. Despite the medical evidence and the guilty verdict, Singh has denied any wrongdoing.The incident occurred in January 2024 when the pair connected online and met for lunch in Nelson. Upon learning that the woman’s father was a truck driver, Singh invited her to accompany him on a commercial delivery during the night. The victim accepted the invitation because her memories of traveling with her father as a child made her feel safe around trucks.The attack occurred during the return leg of the journey in the early hours of the morning. The victim was sleeping on a bed inside the vehicle when Singh stopped in the remote Rai valley and immediately attacked him.When the woman protested, Singh told her, “F***, I’m horny, let’s do it,” before pinning her down and forcing himself on her.Crown prosecutor Sophie O’Donoghue said the victim was vulnerable, noting that she was trapped in a completely isolated area and had no means of escape. O’Donoghue said Singh ignored the woman’s distress and later attempted to avoid blame by claiming the victim had a choice and could have escaped sooner.After the attack, Singh drove back to the Nelson Freight Depot, where the victim ran away and contacted police. Later, medical examination revealed injury marks all over his body.The woman cried in court, saying the attack had destroyed her sense of security and ruined her childhood memories. Addressing Singh directly, she said, “You stole from me the happy memories of when you held me and raped me. You made me feel disgusted and ashamed and I blamed myself for what happened and for getting into your truck.”When sentencing Judge Harrop said that responsibility for the crime rested solely with the criminal. He also said that Singh did not participate in restorative justice, did not apologize and showed no remorse, so he did not receive a normal sentence reduction.Defense lawyer Paul Borich, KC, said the attack was an “unusual event” for Singh, pointing to his steady work record and support from his family and the South Island branch of the New Zealand Sikh Society. He also said that Singh’s wife still supports him despite his impact on the family.Judge Harrop imposed an initial sentence of eight years in prison. He then reduced it slightly for Singh’s previous good character and by 10% for the financial and emotional hardship the prison sentence would cause to his wife and two young children.Singh received a final sentence of six years and nine months for rape, with a concurrent sentence of two years for sexual assault

New Delhi: The Center on Wednesday sought the support of major social media platforms including Meta, Google and Telegram to crack down on rumours, fake paper leak claims and panic-inducing posts ahead of the NEET-UG re-exam, as the government stepped up efforts to restore confidence in the country’s biggest medical entrance exam after the recent leak controversy.Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired a high-level meeting with representatives of social media companies and separately reviewed security preparedness with central intelligence and law enforcement agencies, directing “focused action” on organized misinformation networks operating online ahead of the exams.According to Education Ministry officials, concerns were raised over the increasing spread of fake content through Telegram channels, anonymous groups and automated bots that become highly active ahead of major examinations. Officials said many such channels broadcast fabricated paper leak claims, clickbait messages and unverified information to create panic and confusion among students and parents.“Many suspicious channels were found operating through a limited set of phone numbers, indicating coordinated and organized activity,” a senior ministry official said, citing inputs shared by intelligence agencies during the meeting.Officials said it was learned that the social media platforms have assured active cooperation to the government in identifying, preventing and removing misleading content related to the examinations. Pradhan directed the companies to work closely with the ministry, National Testing Agency (NTA) and law enforcement agencies to swiftly remove channels spreading “fake information, propaganda and panic”.Intelligence and security agencies have also been asked to strengthen digital surveillance ahead of the exams and keep an eye on emerging online patterns, officials said. Particular attention is being paid to encrypted messaging platforms and rapidly growing groups that claim to provide candidates with advance access to exam materials or “inside information”.These meetings are being held ahead of the re-examination of NEET-UG, which was announced after the May 3 exam was canceled following allegations that parts of the paper were leaked ahead of the exam. The controversy revived concerns over exam security following paper leak allegations, grace marks controversies and NEET-related controversies involving organized malpractice networks.Earlier on Tuesday, again in a review meeting on NEET preparations, Pradhan stressed that all the weaknesses identified in the previous examination process should be comprehensively addressed. Officials were directed to hold coordination meetings with District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police of the states to ensure strong monitoring and strict implementation of safety protocols at the examination centres.The minister also directed the officials to ensure adequate student facilities including transportation, drinking water and uninterrupted arrangements during the re-examination.

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday unveiled the schedule for the 2026-27 domestic season, confirming the… ranji trophy The two-phase format will continue to be followed. The major first-class tournament is scheduled to begin on October 11, while the domestic calendar will begin with the Duleep Trophy on August 23.The upcoming season will feature 1,788 matches across multiple categories in both men’s and women’s cricket. The competitions will include Under-16, Under-19, Under-23 and Senior tournaments in the men’s circuit as well as Under-15, Under-19, Under-23 and Senior tournaments in the women’s circuit.In another notable change, the BCCI has decided to shift the Under-23 one-day tournament and the inter-zonal university competition for the Vizzy Trophy to the T20 format in line with the evolving demands of the modern game.“The 2026-27 domestic season reflects BCCI’s continued commitment to building a strong and competitive domestic structure while ensuring balanced progress across all formats and categories,” the board said in the release.The Duleep Trophy, which has returned to the zonal format, will be played between August 23 and September 10. The entire tournament will be held at BCCI’s Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.The Irani Cup between Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir and Rest of India will be played in Srinagar from October 1 to 5.The first phase of the Ranji Trophy, the blue ribbon event of the BCCI’s domestic calendar, will be held from October 11 to November 5 with four rounds being held.The second phase will take place between January 17 and March 3, 2027, after the completion of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (National T20) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (National 50-over meet).SMAT will be conducted between November 14 and December 6. The four venues for the league stage are Mumbai, Mohali, Vizag and Kolkata. The knock-out stage will be held in Nagpur.The timing of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy will allow talent scouts to prepare their lists ahead of the IPL auction which will be held sometime in December.Vijay Hazare Trophy will be held from 14 December 2026 to 8 January 2027.A good decision taken by the BCCI scheduling team is to play the Vijay Merchant Trophy (U16) from November to January, thereby improving the scheduling and preparation of the players.It also helps school cricketers prepare for their annual or board examinations which are generally held in February and March. (With inputs from PTI)

‘Rick and Morty’ is heading towards a feature film as Warner Bros. is developing an animated film based on the hit Adult Swim series. The show’s longtime director Jacob Heyer is in talks to direct the project. The film is still in early development, and the studio has not shared any plot details yet. The move comes as the Emmy-winning series prepares for its ninth season and continues its run with a renewal through Season 12.

‘Rick and Morty’ movie director update

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jacob Heyer is in talks to direct a ‘Rick and Morty’ movie for Warner Bros. Heyer has directed episodes of the Adult Swim series since 2019 and now serves as a supervising director on the show. Inschneider first reported his involvement.Series co-creator Dan Harmon Hair’s role was also confirmed during a junket interview with CinemaBlend on Tuesday. Harmon said that the team did not look for a director outside the show. He said, “Jacob Heyer is the director. We didn’t shop around.”There is no release date for the animated film yet. Warner Bros. has also kept this story a secret. The series follows inventor Rick Sanchez and his teenage grandson Morty as they travel across universes and encounter strange, dangerous, and often chaotic situations.

Dan Harmon on the ‘Rick and Morty’ movie

Harmon and Justin Roiland co-created ‘Rick and Morty’, which premiered in 2013. The show has won Emmys and has ranked as basic cable’s most watched comedy for several recent seasons. A spinoff titled ‘President Curtis’, starring Keith David in the lead role, is also set to premiere soon on Adult Swim.In 2023, Adult Swim severed ties with Roiland following serious allegations of domestic abuse, which were later dismissed. Roiland voiced both Rick and Morty before the roles were recast.Harmon previously told The Hollywood Reporter that he had discussed a film version with Warner Bros. executives and felt optimistic about it. He said, “My philosophy would be to just take a Rick and Morty adventure, and spend extra money on it and make it 90 minutes longer.”He added, “Not trying to earn its feature status based on the canonical dramatic tone change or anything like that, but just making it a super badass episode of Rick and Morty.”Harmon also said that Zack Snyder once offered to help get the film started. Snyder later appeared as himself in season eight of the series.

Here are the top 5 stories of the day

India, Italy elevate ties to special strategic partnership; PM Modi highlights AI, space cooperation

India and Italy on Wednesday announced the elevation of ties to a special strategic partnership during the Prime Minister Narendra ModiDuring the visit to Rome, the two countries unveiled a joint strategic action plan for 2025-2029 focused on trade, technology and innovation. “Technology and innovation are the engines of our partnership. PM Modi said, there are endless possibilities for our partnership in the fields of AI, quantum, civil nuclear energy and space. Follow live updates

Kerala Portfolio Allocation: CM Satheesan has 35 ministries

Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar approved the portfolio allocation recommended by Chief Minister VD Satheesan, Lok Bhavan said, two days after the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government was sworn in. The UDF returned to power in Kerala after a decade, defeating the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the April 9 assembly elections. Satheesan, who served as the leader of opposition in the previous assembly, will oversee 35 departments including finance, law, general administration and ports. Read the full story

‘Pandemic not emergency’: WHO warns of high local Ebola risk, says global threat low

WHO said the risk of Ebola spreading in Congo and neighboring Uganda remains high nationally and regionally, although the global risk is currently considered low. WHO also said the Ebola outbreak does not currently meet the threshold to be declared a pandemic, although the agency warned that the spread of the virus suggests the outbreak may have started several months earlier. Read the full story

‘Stored at -4°C, need -80°C’: Police ‘request’ family to take Twisha Sharma’s ‘decayed’ body

Bhopal Police has urged Tvisha Sharma’s family to take possession of her body, warning that prolonged storage at AIIMS Bhopal could lead to decomposition as the mortuary lacks minus 80-degree preservation facilities. The family has refused to accept the body alleging irregularities in the initial autopsy and has moved court demanding a second post-mortem. Read the full story

As Afghanistan is ravaged by hunger, families ‘sell’ their young daughters for food

Disturbing incidents have emerged from economically impoverished Afghanistan, where families are selling their young daughters to be able to afford food, medical expenses and debt relief. Fathers struggling with extreme poverty and unemployment said they have been forced to make “impossible choices” as hunger deepens across the country, according to a BBC report from Afghanistan’s Ghor province. Read the full story

Alexander Zverev recorded his 500th match win on the ATP Tour in Toronto. (AP)

Alexander Zverev is finally entering the French Open 2026 with another golden opportunity to win his first Grand Slam title. The German star has been one of the most consistent performers on clay over the past few years, but he is still deprived of a major trophy. With current champion Carlos Alcaraz withdrawing from the tournament, many people believe that the path has become a little easier for Zverev this time.Now second seed Zverev has reached Paris under pressure but with new hope. The 29-year-old has already reached several semi-finals and one final French Open In recent years. However, his biggest challenge may still come from world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who has dominated him in the current season. Despite struggling with fatigue and fitness concerns recently, Zverev is confident he can finally cross the line. He can become Grand Slam champion.

Alexander Zverev still looking for answers against dominant Jannik Sinner

Alexander Zverev has had a strong record at Roland Garros over the past five years. He reached the semi-finals from 2021 to 2023 and the final in 2024 before losing to Carlos Alcaraz. Last season their campaign ended in the quarter-finals Novak Djokovic.The German star is known for her powerful serve, strong backhand and effortless movement on clay courts. These qualities make him one of the hardest players to beat in Paris. However, questions have been raised over his repeated defeats against modern greats like Sinner. They’re about whether he can finally win a major title.This season, Zverev has faced Sinner four times and has lost every match in straight sets. Their latest meeting took place in the Madrid Open final, where the Italian player completely dominated the competition.Speaking after that defeat, Zverev acknowledged that many players are struggling to match Sinner’s current level. He explained that he keeps losing to the Italian because he consistently reaches the later rounds and faces him more often. The German also said that there is currently a clear gap between Sinner and the rest of the tour.Zverev recently had to make an early exit at the Italian Open, losing to Luciano Darderi. He later withdrew from the Hamburg tournament due to a back problem. Despite those setbacks, the German remains optimistic ahead of Roland Garros.He must maintain the belief that he can one day defeat Sinner and even dominate Djokovic again in the upcoming French Open 2026. According to Zverev, losing confidence would mean handing over the trophy. That too before the start of the tournament.

Disturbing incidents have emerged from economically impoverished Afghanistan, where families are selling their young daughters to be able to afford food, medical expenses and debt relief.The United Nations says three out of four people in Afghanistan are unable to meet basic needs amid widespread unemployment, a struggling healthcare system and dwindling international aid. It estimates that 4.7 million people, or more than 10% of the population, are one step away from famine.Fathers struggling with extreme poverty and unemployment said they have been forced to make “impossible choices” as hunger deepens across the country, according to a BBC report from Afghanistan’s Ghor province.

‘I am ready to sell my daughter’

Abdul Rashid Azimi, a resident of the province, said he was considering selling one of his seven-year-old twin daughters, Rokia and Rohila, because extreme poverty, debt and unemployment had left him unable to support his family.“I am ready to sell my daughters. I am poor, in debt and helpless,” Abdul Rashid Azimi tearfully told the BBC.“I come home from work with dry lips, hungry, thirsty, upset and confused. My children come to me and say ‘Baba, give us some bread.’ But what can I give? Where is the work?” He added. “I am heartbroken by this decision,” Abdul said while hugging and kissing Rohila while speaking to reporters, but called it the only option for his family’s survival.Another father, Saeed Ahmed, said he was forced to sell his five-year-old daughter Shaika to a relative because his daughter had appendicitis and liver cysts and he could not afford the medical treatment she needed.“I didn’t have the money to pay for the treatment. So I sold my daughter to a relative,” the BBC quoted him as saying.He said, “If I had taken the entire amount at that time, he would have taken her away. So I told him to give me enough money for her treatment now, and in the next five years you can give me the rest after which you can take her away. She will become his daughter-in-law.” Saeed said the money for Shaika’s surgery came from a 200,000 Afghani arrangement under which she would eventually be married into a relative’s family. He initially accepted only enough money to pay for the operation, delaying the rest of the payment so that his daughter could live with him for a few more years.Two years ago, his family, like millions of Afghans, received food aid, including flour, cooking oil, pulses and nutritional supplements for children. But sharp cuts in international aid, especially as the US cut nearly all aid to Afghanistan and other major donors reduced support, left families deprived of basic lifelines.

Why were daughters sold instead of sons?

Families are largely selling daughters instead of sons because boys are traditionally seen as future earners who can support families financially. In Afghanistan, this priority has become even more pronounced under Taliban sanctions that limit education and employment opportunities for women and girls. There is also an age-old practice in which the groom’s family gives money or gifts to the bride’s family during the wedding, making the daughters a source of immediate financial relief for poor families facing hunger, debt and medical crises.The practice of early marriage is widespread in Afghanistan and has reportedly increased since the Taliban prevented girls from getting an education. Experts said girls are often sold because restrictions on women’s education and employment have deepened gender inequality, while the Taliban’s policies towards women have also contributed to international donors withdrawing aid, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

New Delhi: For years, people suffering from kidney stones have been advised to drink more water to prevent recurrence of this painful condition. But now a major study published in The Lancet shows that hydration alone may not be enough.The researchers found that despite regular reminders, counseling and encouragement to encourage more water intake, kidney stones continued to recur at the same rate.The study included 1,658 participants aged 12 and older who had a history of urinary stones and low urine output, a known risk factor for stone formation. One group received standard medical advice, while the other received a behavioral program designed to increase fluid intake through coaching, reminders, and personalized hydration goals.After two years of follow-up, symptomatic stone recurrence occurred in 19% of participants in the intervention group and 20% of participants in the standard-care group, showing no major difference.The researchers said that participants who received the intervention increased their urine output, meaning they were drinking more fluids. However, it did not significantly reduce the incidence of new stone formation, stone growth, or painful stones.Dr Manoj Kumar Singhal, director of nephrology and kidney transplant at Medanta Super Specialty, said the findings reflect what doctors have seen in clinical practice over the years.He added, “Hydration alone rarely tells the whole story. Kidney stone recurrence is fundamentally a metabolic disorder, not simply the result of low water intake.”According to Dr. Singhal, many patients who continue to develop stones despite drinking enough water may have underlying factors such as high salt intake, high animal protein consumption, abnormal calcium or uric acid levels in the urine, or a specific type of stone that requires targeted dietary correction.He said, “In many cases, a 24-hour urine analysis is far more informative than simply advising to drink more water. Patients with recurrent stones require a comprehensive metabolic assessment and individualized prevention strategy.”Experts said the findings do not mean hydration is unimportant, as low urine volume remains a major risk factor for kidney stones. Instead, studies suggest that fluid intake alone may not be enough for many patients and that factors such as diet, obesity, genetics, and metabolic disorders may also contribute significantly.The study also found that people who increased fluid intake reported greater urinary frequency, urgency, and nighttime urination during the early months of follow-up. No major safety concerns associated with increased hydration were reported.Kidney stones are becoming increasingly common around the world, including India, especially during extreme heat when the risk of dehydration increases rapidly. Doctors say adequate hydration is important, but patients with frequent kidney stones may need comprehensive prevention strategies, including dietary changes, medical evaluation and treatment of underlying risk factors.