Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (file photo)

The United States warned on Saturday that it is prepared to resume military operations against Iran if necessary, as President donald trump Reiterated that any deal with Tehran must meet key US conditions, including a permanent end to Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions.A draft outline is awaiting Trump’s approval, according to US officials cited by AFP. However, the President stopped short of making a decision after a meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday.Speaking at a defense summit in Singapore, the US Secretary of Defense pete hegseth Emphasizing Washington’s military readiness, he said the US is “very much capable” of resuming the war if needed and “our reserves are well suited for that.”US Central Command (CENTCOM) reinforced that message, saying on Twitter that US forces “remain present and alert throughout the region.”The comments came amid conflicting signals on a possible breakthrough in the talks. While the White House has indicated that Trump is considering a possible deal, Iranian officials say the talks have not yet led to a final agreement.Although a ceasefire signed in April remains largely intact, tensions remain high. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported that the country’s air defense systems intercepted a drone on Saturday and described it as “belonging to the American-Zionist aggressive enemy.”Diplomatic efforts are also continuing. Discussions have also focused on the conflict in Lebanon, which Iran has insisted on as a condition of any comprehensive agreement with Washington. Israeli troops are advancing into southern Lebanon, while military delegations from Israel and Lebanon met at the Pentagon on Friday.Trump has outlined several conditions for the deal, including guarantees that Iran will never acquire nuclear weapons and reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. “President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines,” a White House official told AFP. “Iran can never possess nuclear weapons,” he said.However, Iran has rejected what it sees as US efforts to dictate terms. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said the Islamic Republic had “said goodbye to the ‘essential’ language 47 years ago.”Acknowledging that messages were continuing to be exchanged between the two sides, Bakai said that “no final agreement has been reached.”Tasnim news agency also reported that the US maritime blockade remained in effect and that ships attempting to pass through the strait were “receiving warnings from CENTCOM to stop and not cross the blockade line.”Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Nikkei Asia that the ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is creating significant pressure on both Washington and Tehran. “The international impact – including energy security, food security and rising prices – is huge,” Fidan said.“It has become a situation that takes priority over the nuclear files,” he said.Meanwhile, fighting continues on the Lebanese front despite a separate ceasefire arrangement. The Israeli army issued new evacuation orders for villages in southern Lebanon on Saturday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces had advanced more than 30 kilometers into Lebanese territory.The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on April 17, but is being weakened by repeated violations, with both sides blaming each other.The latest tensions began in early March when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel following the US-Israeli assassination of Iran’s supreme leader. Israel responded with widespread attacks across Lebanon and subsequently launched a ground offensive. Israel and Lebanon have since resumed direct talks, with a fourth round of talks expected to take place next week.

Defending champion Coco Gauff crashed out of the French Open on Saturday as Anastasia Potapova battled back from a set down to win 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4 in the third round at Roland Garros.

Fifty-one weeks after lifting Suzanne Lenglen on the Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff walked off the same court with her title defence. Potapova, who had enjoyed a resurgence during the clay-court season, produced a composed performance in the decisive moments to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

Gauff appeared on course for a spot in the second week after recovering from an early loss in the opening set. After trailing 2-4, the American rallied from four consecutive games to win the set and take control of the contest.

The momentum changed dramatically in the second set. Potapova raced to a 5–1 lead and had two chances to serve out the set, only for Gauff to pull off another comeback by winning five consecutive games. With Potapova serving at 5–6, Gauff moved to within two points of victory, but the Austrian dominated the tiebreak 7–1 as the defending champion was finding errors in her game.

Gauff regained her composure early in the deciding set and took a 3–1 lead, while Potapova appeared to be physically weakening. Yet the 24-year-old once again held deep and clawed her way back into the match, while Gauff struggled to convert her lead into a winning position.

The decisive blow came from Gauff’s serve at 4-5 in the final set. A double fault and an ill-judged drop shot gave Potapova a chance for match point, and moments later Gauff sent a forehand into the stands, ending her bid for a second consecutive French Open title.

The defeat ended a mixed clay-court campaign for Gauff, who battled illness and an early exit in Madrid before finishing runner-up in Rome. Meanwhile, Potapova continued her stellar performance and booked her place in the fourth round.

Perry surprises Anisimova

While Gauff’s exit left the Paris crowd stunned, home favorite Diane Perry ensured there was still plenty to cheer about at Court Philippe-Chatrier.

The 23-year-old became the last Frenchwoman left in the women’s singles draw after beating sixth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career.

Perry, ranked 92nd in the world, overcame a slow start in the opening set by winning five consecutive games to overcome the 1-3 deficit. Anisimova, a two-time Grand Slam finalist and former Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2025, responded by winning the second set to take the decider.

The final set proved to be tense. Perry led 4–3 but Anisimova quickly fought back and produced a dramatic finish. With the home crowd roaring, the Frenchwoman raised her level in the tiebreak, quickly regaining control and sealing victory on her first match point after two hours and 44 minutes.

As chants echoed around Philippe-Chatrier and supporters waved flags in celebration, Parry soaked in the moment. For the first time in her career, she reached the second week of a Grand Slam, giving the host nation a player to rally around after another eventful day at Roland Garros.

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Symbolic Image (Photo Credit: AP)

According to the Associated Press, Russian officials said Ukrainian drone strikes opened fire on several Russian oil facilities overnight Saturday, the latest in a series of attacks targeting Moscow’s energy infrastructure.Officials in Russia’s Rostov region said falling drone debris caused a fire that damaged an oil depot and a tanker in the port city of Taganrog. In the neighboring Krasnodar Territory, authorities reported another fire at an oil depot in Armavir, reportedly caused by drone debris.ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky Confirming the attack on Armavir highlights Ukraine’s growing ability to attack targets inside Russian territory.“Another facility of Russia’s oil industry has been reached – Armavir,” Zelensky wrote on X, noting that the city is located “500 kilometers from our state border.”“We are literally bringing the war back to where it began,” he said.Ukraine has significantly expanded its long-range strike capabilities during the war, using domestically developed drones and missiles to target Russian military and energy infrastructure.Attacks on oil depots, refineries and fuel facilities are increasing as Kiev seeks to disrupt a key source of revenue supporting Russia’s military campaign.At the same time, Russia continues missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Kiev is preparing for the possibility of intensified Russian bombardment after Moscow warned of upcoming “systemic attacks” on the Ukrainian capital earlier this week.Zelensky said Thursday that he remains “very firm” in urging the United States to provide additional Patriot air defense missiles capable of deterring Russian ballistic missile attacks.The latest developments come a day after a Russian drone involved in attacks on Ukraine struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people from the NATO member state.The incident renewed concerns about the war spreading beyond Ukraine’s borders and prompted criticism from several European countries.Meanwhile, Russia’s state-owned nuclear power company Rosatom claimed that a Ukrainian drone attacked the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia nuclear power plant on Saturday. According to Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev, the drone hit the wall of a turbine hall, leaving a hole but causing no damage to critical equipment.Europe’s largest nuclear facility, the Zaporizhia plant, has been under Russian control since the early stages of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Although the plant is no longer operational, it still needs a stable power supply to cool its six closed reactors and spent nuclear fuel.

New Delhi: India’s Digital Health Mission has crossed a major milestone with over 90 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) created across the country, reflecting the rapid expansion of the nationwide digital health ecosystem that aims to make medical records accessible with a single click.The National Health Authority (NHA) on Saturday announced that Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has crossed the 90 crore ABHA mark from 14.7 crore in 2021, becoming one of the world’s largest digital health records initiatives.ABHA is a unique 14-digit digital health identity that allows individuals to securely link, access and share their health records across hospitals, clinics, laboratories and digital health applications with their consent. It is designed to reduce reliance on physical medical records and improve continuity of care.Growth has been particularly rapid in the last five years. Cumulative ABHA creation is expected to increase from 14.7 crore in 2021 to 30.4 crore in 2022, 50.6 crore in 2023, 72.2 crore in 2024 and 84.5 crore in 2025, before crossing the 90 crore mark this year.State-wise data shows Uttar Pradesh leads the country with over 15.3 crore ABHAs, followed by Rajasthan and Maharashtra with over 7 crore, Bihar with 6.3 crore and West Bengal with 5.9 crore. Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka are also among the top contributors.Many states and union territories have achieved almost universal coverage relative to their population. Andhra Pradesh recorded 98.5% ABHA saturation, while Odisha (91.9%), Chandigarh (90.8%), Rajasthan (89.7%), Himachal Pradesh (88.9%) and Chhattisgarh (86.6%) also reported high coverage levels. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu have achieved full saturation.Digital health initiatives have also seen strong participation from women, who constitute 49.75% of all ABHA holders, indicating that almost half of India’s digital health identities are created by women.Dr. Sunil Kumar Baranwal, CEO of National Health Authority, said that the creation of ABHA worth more than Rs 90 crore reflects the growing involvement of citizens, states and health ecosystem partners. He said ABHA enables secure, consent-based access to health information and will help reduce reliance on physical records while improving continuity of care and transparency in health care delivery.

Rebecca SomervellMumbai: In a trial that lasted 15 years, a magistrate court this week acquitted a Bhiwandi doctor accused of fabricating a breast cancer diagnosis. Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) Letterhead for a woman who sought treatment after having a tumor removed.Based on the pathology report, Devaki Pujari and the treating doctors believed that the woman was suffering from a serious fatal disease, but the document was later flagged as a complete forgery.Devaki was not examined as a prosecution witness. As a result, in a 13-page judgment the court acquitted Dr Arshad Shaikh, a lab owner, of multiple charges including fraud and forgery. The court found that the prosecution failed to prove that the laboratory owner actually handled the woman’s breast tumor or created fake medical records for financial gain. “The prosecution will not be in a position to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused himself conducted the pathological examination of Devaki’s breast tumor and, accordingly, issued the fabricated pathological report. As a result, the accused will have to be acquitted by giving the benefit of reasonable doubt,” said Judicial Magistrate First Class PS Shinde.An FIR was lodged at Bhoiwada police station in 2010. The patient’s ordeal began in late 2009, when a tumor was surgically removed and sent off for pathological examination. Prosecutors alleged that instead of actually testing the tumor, Shaikh kept the diagnosis fee and prepared a fake breast cancer diagnosis on September 12, 2009. Police claimed that the doctor fraudulently scanned Tata Memorial Hospital letterhead and combined the diagnosis data of two genuine cancer patients to create a fabricated document, with the aim of dishonestly tricking the woman and the doctors into believing that the tumor had been officially diagnosed.During a confrontation by the vigilance department at the hospital on March 15, 2010, Shaikh reportedly admitted to hospital security and administrators that the report was made on a computer.The prosecution questioned Devaki’s son Rajesh Pujari. He said that after the initial diagnosis by his family doctor, he took his mother to Dr. Harish’s hospital for further treatment. Dr. Harish recommended a mammogram and upon reviewing the results, referred the patient to another doctor. That doctor later removed a tumor and sent the tissue sample for testing to Maxim Lab in Kalyan, a facility owned by the accused.The alleged fraud came to light months later when the woman was referred to TMH, Parel for radiation. Upon examining the patient, a doctor at the hospital found that the physical symptoms did not completely match the serious fatal disease mentioned in the pathology report. The hospital’s internal investigation revealed that the demands and case numbers on the woman’s documents actually belonged to two other patients, and no valid record existed for Devaki in the hospital’s system.Twenty days later, the accused sent Devaki’s lab reports to the surgeon, who started chemotherapy and later referred her to TMH for advanced care, including radiation. However, when Rajesh went with his mother to consult the doctor at TMH, the doctors there found discrepancies in the lab reports.During the trial, the defense argued against the prosecution’s timeline and motive. During cross-examination by the defense counsel, Rajesh admitted that the tumor was sent to the laboratory by the surgeon and that he had never met the accused before the alleged incident. He also admitted that the said report was sent to the hospital by Dr. Harish.Referring to this, the Magistrate said that in such circumstances, the prosecution is duty bound to examine Dr. Harish to prove the connection between the removal of the tumor by him and its pathological examination by the accused. “But, the charge sheet shows that no such statement of Dr Harish has been recorded by the investigating officer. Therefore, this lacuna goes to the crux of the matter and raises doubts as to whether any such tumor of Devaki was sent to the laboratory of the accused,” the magistrate said.The magistrate found serious lapses in the police investigation, primarily noting that they did not record the statement of the woman who was suffering from cancer. Furthermore, the physical slides produced during the interrogation at the hospital were never sent for DNA testing to prove that they originated from the woman’s tumor.Addressing the lack of digital evidence required to prove forgery and fraudulent motive, the magistrate said the investigating officers failed to seize the computers allegedly used to morph the hospital letterheads.

An Indian-origin immigration lawyer has objected to the use of the word ‘alien’ for non-US citizens and asked whether Melania Trump is also an alien.

Indian-origin immigration lawyer Rahul Reddy opposed the official use of the word ‘alien’ in the US language to refer to non-US citizens and said that although the term is legal, it is dehumanizing and the White House should not use the term.Reddy said the term in immigration law refers to anyone who is not a US citizen, including a green card holder who has been paying taxes for 30 years. But when the White House says “aliens walk among us,” it becomes propaganda because they limit what it means to illegal immigrants.“These are people who followed the rules, stood in lines and earned their place. When the government packages that neutral legal term with fear, secrecy, invasion and threat, the message is clear: People who are here legally are being portrayed as something less than human,” Reddy asked, asking whether Melania Trump, who was born in Slovenia, is also a foreigner.“Melania Trump was born in Slovenia, immigrated to the United States, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. President Trump’s first wife, Ivana, was born in Czechoslovakia and was also naturalized. Her mother was born in Scotland. Her grandfather was born in Germany. Immigration is not a distant issue in the president’s life. It is his own family story. If legal immigrants are outsiders who “don’t belong here,” The president’s own family history is an immigrant story, too,” Reddy said.Pointing out the danger posed by the official use of such a word, Reddy said the US has every right to enforce its immigration laws but can do so without losing humanity.“The real danger of this language is that it no longer targets the undocumented. It spreads. It creates suspicion toward accents, foreign names, immigrant backgrounds, or foreign-born spouses. Lawful permanent residents, visa holders, students, naturalized citizens, and their American children all get caught in the crossfire. I see it firsthand in my own practice: People with legitimate status, legitimate work permits, and legitimate futures in this country are made to feel like intruders by their own government. Is. When the White House demonizes “aliens,” it is law-abiding immigrant families who pay the price,” Reddy said.

These decisions were taken in the cabinet meeting held here under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved a roadmap to end the decades-old contract employment system and also paved the way for regularization of over 65,000 employees in 51 government departments.In another important decision, the Cabinet gave retrospective approval to the reconstitution of the Cabinet Sub-Committee comprising Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora and Baljit Kaur to examine the issues related to pending arrears of revised pay, pension, leave encashment and dearness allowance.These decisions were taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant here. Value.Addressing the media after the meeting, Mann said that the Punjab Cabinet has taken a historic decision that we will end the contractual system in the state.He said, by eliminating the role of private contractors in government employment and creating a direct employer-employee relationship between the state and workers, the government has moved towards providing job security, respect and a clear path to permanent service for thousands of employees who have spent years serving Punjab without regular status.Sharing details, the Chief Minister’s Office said it has approved repeal of the Punjab Adhoc, Contract, Daily Wages, Temporary, Work Charged and Outsourced Employees Welfare Act, 2016.It also approved the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Alteration in Contractual Appointment) Bill, 2026 and the Punjab Contract Personnel (Absorption against Sanctioned Vacancies) Bill, 2026.“When we would go and meet people, we would hear from employees recruited through contractual and outsourcing systems and they would complain about their exploitation,” Mann said, adding that they would get all kinds of facilities at par with other government employees.He said, “We will send an ordinance in this regard to the Punjab Governor for approval. It (this bill) will be introduced in the state assembly.”Mann said, “More than 65,000 contractual workers of Punjab have given the best years of their lives in the service of the state. With this decision, Punjab has returned to them what is their rightful right.”Under the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Alteration of Contractual Appointment) Bill, 2026, outsourced Group C and Group D employees, who have completed five years of continuous service, will become contractual employees of the government. He said employees whose daily duties involve danger – such as fire service personnel, PSPCL linemen, sewer workers, sanitation workers of urban local bodies, waste management workers and field grievance staff – will be eligible for the next step after three years instead of five.He said that direct state employment would be provided after five years of continuous outsourced service.Thereafter, after completing 10 years of contractual service, the employees will be considered for absorption against regular sanctioned posts, as proposed under the Punjab Contract Personnel (Absorption against Sanctioned Vacancies) Bill, 2026.Highlighting the scale of the initiative, Mann said, “A total of 65,048 outsourced employees across 51 departments are covered under the ambit of this reform and more than 26,000 employees will be among the first beneficiaries.” He further announced that employees performing duties involving risk to life and health will get faster consideration under the policy.The reform will cover 15,753 power sector employees, including grievance redressal staff, PESCO staff, meter readers and nodal center staff; 8,436 employees of local government departments – mainly sanitation workers; 8,373 workers in sugar mills, co-operative institutions including Spinfed and Markfed; 7,704 employees in school education; 4,746 employees in the transport department; and 1,472 outsourced fire personnel, the CMO office said.Besides, 2,688 employees of health and family welfare, 1,575 employees of water supply and sanitation, 1,533 employees of agriculture, 1,311 employees of prisons, 1,251 employees of technical education, 1,570 employees of PWD (B&R), 1,322 employees of general administration and 1,231 employees of medical education departments will also benefit from the reform.Salaries will be deposited directly into the bank accounts of employees without any agency cut or commission. Employees will get statutory maternity benefits and 10 days casual leave every calendar year. They will also be covered under the biometric attendance system, Mann said.There will be transparency and protection from arbitrary action; He said that no employee will be removed without recording the reason in writing and without giving an opportunity of being heard.The implementation process will start within 45 days of Cabinet approval and eligible categories will be notified in phases by the Departments of Personnel and Finance.In another decision, the Cabinet sub-committee will consider payment of arrears arising from revised pay and pension benefits between January 1, 2016, and June 30, 2021, besides examining the DA and dearness relief arrears pending from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024.The committee will also study issues related to DA and dearness relief for various categories of employees and pensioners.To ensure speedy disposal of corruption cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the Cabinet approved the setting up of seven special special courts across Punjab.Three courts will be set up in SAS Nagar, while one court each will be set up in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Patiala. The Cabinet also approved the creation of 63 posts of support staff as well as seven posts of Additional District and Sessions Judges for the functioning of these courts.Speaking about BJP leader Amarinder Singh questioning his party’s decision to appoint Kewal Dhillon as Punjab BJP president, Mann said it is an internal matter of the saffron party.Mann said, “But Dhillon was considered close to Amarinder Singh. When Dhillon was a candidate from Sangrur for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections (from Congress at that time), Amarinder Singh had held rallies in his favor. Today he is saying that Dhillon is not capable.” PTI

Patna: : To curb illegal mining and unauthorized mineral transportation, the Department of Mines and Geology is set to launch a new digital monitoring and enforcement system soon, officials said.Under this, mine inspectors in the districts will be equipped with handheld digital devices. These tools will allow inspectors to check vehicles on the spot, verify documents, issue digital challans and collect fines instantly. He said they can verify the vehicle’s registration number, mineral quantity, transport challan, permits and other papers in real time.If documents are invalid or rules are violated, challan will be issued immediately without any paperwork. Additionally, drones will be used to keep an eye on illegal sand mining being carried out across the state, he said.According to official sources in the Mines and Geology Department, this step will help in controlling illegal mining, overloading and transportation without invoice. This will make enforcement swift, transparent and accountable and will reduce the need for offenders to visit government offices to pay fines.The department will specifically target vehicles carrying minerals in excess of the permitted limit or without valid invoices. Such violations result in revenue loss and violate mining rules. The digital system will be able to enable immediate identification and action, an official said.Vikash Kumar Paswan, assistant director, Department of Mines and Geology (HQ), said, “The scheme is in its initial stage. We are studying various high-tech and latest technologies being used by other states to implement it.” Bihar. The department is also planning to have its own drones to keep an eye on illegal mining.The entire system will be connected to the online monitoring network. Senior officials at the headquarters will get real-time data on inspections, challans issued and fines collected in each district, thereby strengthening monitoring.To ensure smooth implementation, the department will provide special training to officials and mine inspectors on device operation, data entry, online reporting and fine collection. Technical assistance and resources will also be made available in the districts.After implementation, the department is planning a statewide special inspection drive to send a strong message against illegal mining and transportation. The government hopes that the technology-based system will improve control over illegal activities and boost revenue collection through digital records and transparency.