New Delhi: From gram flour and edible oils to shrimp and cold-pressed seed oils, India’s food regulator is tightening safety standards across a wide range of food items consumed daily in households amid growing concerns over contamination, adulteration and chemical residues.Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued revised and draft rules covering heavy metals, toxins, antibiotic residues and quality standards for both commonly used food items and emerging food products.Under the revised rules to come into effect from December 1, 2026, FSSAI has expanded the lead and cadmium-related contamination standards to also include pulses, including pulse flour and packaged mixes like besan.The regulator has also updated the limits for aflatoxins – toxins produced by certain fungi – in oils, oilseeds and ready-to-eat oilseed products. It has additionally revised the testing criteria for arsenic in fish oil and updated the standards for safrole, a naturally occurring substance found in foods and beverages containing nutmeg and mace.In another significant change, amid growing global concern over antimicrobial residues entering the food chain, FSSAI has introduced residue limits for antibiotics such as trimethoprim and oxolinic acid in seafood products including shrimp, prawn and fish products.Monita Gehlot, a dietician at AIIMS Delhi, said strict contamination standards were important as chronic exposure to heavy metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium can increase the risk of kidney damage, neurological disorders and cancer over time. He said expanding surveillance from pulses to pulse flour is important as products like gram flour are now widely used in packaged snacks, ready-to-cook foods and home cooking.Gehlot also warned that if antibiotic residues persist in seafood for long periods of time, it could lead to antimicrobial resistance, allergies and reduced effectiveness of life-saving drugs.In a separate draft notification, FSSAI has proposed quality and safety standards for underutilized edible oils made from chilli, tomato, melon and okra seeds as demand for cold-pressed oils, seed-based snacks and plant-based nutrition products is increasing.The proposed norms require these oils to be kept free from adulteration, harmful impurities, rancidity and mineral oil contamination, while limits are also set for moisture, acidity and metal content.According to experts, the popularity of cold-pressed and specialty seed oils has grown rapidly in urban India, but regulation has not kept pace with market growth, leading to concerns over adulteration, misleading labeling and inconsistent nutritional quality.The draft rules also include edible seeds such as watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame and flax sold in raw, roasted or salted form, which are required to be cleaned and free from insects, fungus and visible contamination before sale.FSSAI has invited public comments for 60 days before finalizing the draft rules.

Ambati Rayudu has advised Yashasvi Jaiswal to leave Rajasthan Royals to get out of the shadow of Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Jaiswal has been with RR since 2020 and has played 82 matches and scored 2592 runs.

However, this season sees Jaiswal playing second fiddle to Suryavanshi. Who has scored 680 runs and is currently the Orange Cap holder. Jaiswal has scored 426 runs in 15 matches and has captained the Royals on two occasions. But his season has been marred by inconsistency at the top.

Even during the eliminator win against SRH, Jaiswal scored 29 runs off 29 balls. On the other hand, Suryavanshi got 97 runs in the same number of deliveries.

Rayudu said that Jaiswal cannot dominate Suryavanshi all the time and he can be a match-winner in any other team.

Rayudu said that Suryavanshi will continue to overshadow other players and will need a senior partner who will not compete with her.

“He needs to change his team. Because he can’t just bat with that guy and dominate him every time. He is a star in himself. If he goes to another team, he will win matches on his own. He needs that place and that platform. Because this guy will keep dominating people, he needs to have a senior partner who can deal with that and be happy for him. Be happy for what is happening and not compete with the non-striker. Do it,” he said on ESPN Cricinfo.

Which team can Jaiswal go to?

If Jaiswal goes into the auction pool, there will be many suitors in line for him. However, Rayudu feels that Mumbai Indians would be a good fit for the Indian opener.

Rayudu said, “Mumbai Indians is a good team for Jaiswal.”

MI would be a good fit for Jaiswal as Rohit Sharma is reaching the final stages of his career.

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Haifa Airport (Image Source: ANI)

As tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East, Haifa port is being seen as a vital link in India’s growing strategic and economic engagement with the region.Located in a natural, protected bay in northeastern Israel, the Port of Haifa is one of Israel’s three major international ports and handles the transportation of goods, cargo, and tourists.Officially opened in 1933, the port has the capacity to handle approximately 30 million tons of cargo annually, including 1.5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) shipping containers.Why does Haifa Port matter to India?In 2023, industrialist Gautam Adani meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the official handover ceremony of Haifa Port. Adani Group. A consortium of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and Israel’s Gadot Group won the bid to privatize Haifa Port for US$1.18 billion, with Adani Group holding a 70 percent stake in the consortium.The acquisition was widely seen as one of India’s most significant foreign infrastructure investments and a major strategic move in West Asia.Despite the uncertainty, operations at the port are reportedly continuing uninterrupted, highlighting its importance not only to Israel’s economy, but also to India’s long-term connectivity and trade ambitions.In March 2026, Adani Group said in a statement that its Haifa port in Israel is completely safe and in working order amid the escalating military conflict in Iran. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone said all port assets and infrastructure are completely safe.Major exports between India and IsraelAccording to the Indian Embassy in Israel, while bilateral trade has traditionally been dominated by diamonds, petroleum products and chemicals, cooperation in sectors such as electronic machinery, high-tech products, communication systems and medical devices has been growing in recent years.India also remains a major focus country for Israel’s trade expansion efforts.1. India’s major export to IsraelThese include pearls and precious stones, automotive diesel, chemicals and mineral products, machinery and electrical equipment, plastics, textiles and apparel, base metals, transport equipment and agricultural products.2. Israel’s main export to IndiaThis includes diamonds and precious stones, chemicals and fertilizers, machinery and electrical equipment, petroleum oils, defence-related products and transport equipment.Could further escalation of tensions affect Israel’s trade with India? For India, stability in the Middle East is directly linked to trade, energy security and regional connectivity.Haifa Port is also expected to become one of the most important hubs in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).Under the proposed corridor, goods from Indian ports would travel by sea to the UAE and then travel through a railway network in West Asia before reaching Haifa, creating a faster trade route connecting India to Europe.Any prolonged conflict in the region could disrupt shipping routes, impact maritime movements and slow down IMEC-related strategic projects.linked to india through historyIn 1918, Indian cavalry soldiers fought in the Battle of Haifa during World War I and helped liberate the city from Ottoman control.Haifa is strategically important because of its port and railway connections. Its capture would allow the Allied forces to maintain supply routes while continuing their advance deeper into Ottoman territory.India also celebrates Haifa Day on 23 September every year to honor the Indian soldiers who participated in the war.Statues and monuments associated with Indian cavalry regiments exist in both countries, while Indian Army units tracing the lineage of those regiments continue to preserve the memory of the battle.

North Korea on Thursday strongly condemned a joint statement by Quad countries calling for Pyongyang’s “complete denuclearization”, and declared it will “never give up” its nuclear weapons programme.The sharp reaction comes days after the foreign ministers of the Quad grouping India, the US, Japan and Australia reiterated their commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea during their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.In a statement carried by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused the Quad of interfering in its sovereign affairs and acting as “nothing but a political and diplomatic tool for the realization of US unipolar dominance”.“To put it clearly once again, ‘denuclearization’ of the DPRK will never be forever,” a ministry spokesman said, using the abbreviation of North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.Pyongyang also rejected the “hostile stance” of the “US-led” Quad and urged the group to stop “confrontational tendencies that undermine regional peace and stability.”

Quad condemned Pyongyang missile program

The reaction came after the joint statement of the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting issued after talks hosted by India in New Delhi on May 26.In the statement, the Quad countries said, “We reaffirm our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with the relevant UNSCRs and urge North Korea to comply with all of its obligations under the relevant UNSCRs.”The group also condemned North Korea’s “unlawful development of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction” and expressed “grave concern” over Pyongyang’s cyber activities allegedly funding its weapons programs.The Quad urged all UN member states to implement sanctions against North Korea, including a ban on arms transfers and purchases.The statement also expressed concern over the countries’ “deepening military cooperation with North Korea”, saying such steps undermine the global nonproliferation regime.South Korea’s Unification Ministry described the latest criticism of North Korea as relatively mild compared with previous years.A ministry official said Pyongyang has long viewed the Quad as a potential model for an “Asian version” of NATO and has repeatedly criticized the group.Unlike last year, when North Korea primarily targeted the United States, this year’s response also criticized Japan and Australia while defending China’s position, the official said.

DK Shivakumar Finally ready to take charge as Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah His resignation from the top post on Thursday was the culmination of the decades-long political journey of the Congress leader, who emerged as the party’s trusted troubleshooter and mass leader in the state.After the two leaders visited Lok Bhavan earlier in the day, DK Shivakumar’s supporters celebrated by distributing sweets outside his Bengaluru residence.In Kalaburagi, Indian Youth Congress members performed a special puja at the Sri Sharan Basaveshwara Temple and demanded that Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge be appointed deputy chief minister if Shivakumar holds the top post.

The rise and rise of DKS

From student politics in Bengaluru to becoming one of the most powerful organizers of the Congress party in Karnataka, DK Shivakumar has built a political career defined by flexibility, loyalty to the party high command and an unmatched reputation as a trouble-shooter.Known as a mass leader with keen organizational skills, Shivakumar began his political journey at the age of just 18 when he joined the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress. Between 1981 and 1983, he served as the president of the Bengaluru district unit of NSUI while studying at Rama Narayana Chellaram College, Bengaluru. He later joined the Youth Congress and became the general secretary of its Karnataka unit.His entry into electoral politics was absolutely easy. In 1985, the Congress fielded young Shivakumar against veteran Janata Dal leader and future Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in the Sathanur assembly constituency. Although he lost, Shivakumar attracted attention by putting up a tough fight against one of the tallest leaders of Karnataka.Two years later, in 1987, he was elected to the Bengaluru Rural District Panchayat from Sathanur. In 1989, he won his first assembly election from Sathanur on a Congress ticket, beginning a winning streak that cemented his position as one of the party’s strongest leaders in old Mysore.

Rise of DKS within Congress

Shivakumar’s rise within the Congress was rapid in the early 1990s. He played a key role in bringing the S Bangarappa-led government to power in Karnataka and was rewarded with a ministerial berth. As Jail Minister, he became one of the youngest ministers in the state cabinet.Even setbacks failed to stop his political rise. Denied a Congress ticket in the 1994 assembly elections, Shivakumar contested the election as a rebel candidate and won, underscoring his independent political strength and grassroots support.By 1999, Shivakumar had emerged as an influential strategist within the Karnataka Congress. He supported SM Krishna during his rise in the party and played a major role in the Congress campaign that won the assembly elections with 139 seats. Shivakumar organized a large campaign during the campaign and was credited with garnering support across the state. He won the Sathanur seat for the third consecutive time and was inducted into the cabinet as Cooperation Minister.Over the years, Shivakumar held several key portfolios, including urban development and energy. As Chairman of the State Planning Board and Cabinet sub-committees, she pioneered youth empowerment and women-centric initiatives such as Rajiv Yuva Shakti and Stree Shakti.His reputation as the crisis manager of the Congress Party continued to grow. Be it protecting MLAs during times of political instability or negotiating delicate alliances, Shivakumar has time and again proved his importance to the Congress leadership. In 2004, after the Congress-JD(S) alliance came to power in Karnataka, he played an important role in the internal negotiations despite not getting a place in the cabinet.Shivakumar also developed a reputation for rivaling the Deve Gowda family politically. In 1999, he defeated Deve Gowda’s son HD Kumaraswamy in Sathanur, despite the national stature of the JD(S) patron after his tenure as Prime Minister.

time of disputes

However, his political journey was not without controversies. In August 2017, the Income Tax Department had raided properties belonging to him. In September 2019, Shivakumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case, spending several weeks in jail before being granted bail. The episode triggered a massive show of support from Congress workers, further cementing his image as a leader who had weathered political and legal storms.

DKS revives Congress in Karnataka

Soon after his release, the Congress leadership reiterated its confidence in him. On March 11, 2020, Sonia Gandhi appointed Shivakumar as the President of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), and tasked him with rebuilding the party in the state where it was struggling against the BJP.Shivakumar threw himself into reviving the organisation, by running an aggressive campaign coupled with grassroots mobilisation. Along with senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, he led the party’s campaign in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. The Congress registered a decisive victory and ended the BJP’s rule in the only southern state it ruled.The victory also intensified speculation about the chief ministerial post, with Shivakumar emerging as one of the strongest contenders due to his organizational role and electoral success. Although Siddaramaiah was ultimately selected as Chief Minister, Shivakumar was named Deputy CM – a recognition of both his political clout and his years of loyalty to the Congress.For many within the party, the appointment is the culmination of the decades-long journey of a leader who evolved from a student activist to the Congress party’s trouble-shooter in Karnataka politics.

You can love him or hate him, but you can’t ignore him. yes, we are talking Rakhi Sawant. After creating a stir with her appearance in ‘Bigg Boss Marathi’ season 6, Rakhi is currently busy giving interviews and enjoying her time in India. From sharing stories about her struggles and success to opening up about her marriage, surgeries, films and personal difficulties, Rakhi is revealing a side of her life that the audience has never seen before.

Rakhi Sawant revealed that she did this breast surgery at the age of 11

Speaking on comedian Bharti Singh’s podcast, Rakhi opened up about her difficult childhood and journey in the entertainment industry. Rakhi, who comes from an economically struggling background, talked about being pushed into menial jobs at a young age, while still harboring dreams of making it big. From undergoing breast surgery at the age of 11 to dealing with heartbreak, marriage and divorce, the actress left no chapter untouched during the conversation.

Rakhi Sawant recalls their first meeting Govindasays he burped in her face

Reminiscing about her struggling days in Bollywood, Rakhi also shared a funny but shocking anecdote from the sets of Govinda starrer ‘Joru Ka Ghulam’. Twinkle Khanna. She revealed how she got to do the popular item song ‘Khula Hai Mera Pinjra’ with Govinda almost by chance.“I was coming down from my building when I met Shakeel Noorani, the director of ‘Joru Ka Ghulam’. He asked me, ‘You dance, right?’ I said yes and that’s how I got the item number,” Rakhi recalled.Sharing another unexpected moment from the shoot, Rakhi said, “I reached the set at 6 in the morning and waited for hours because I admire Govinda sir a lot. When he finally came, I greeted him with ‘Namaste’, and he burped straight in my face. It was a very loud burp – khana kha ke aayenge,” she laughed.However, Rakhi said that she never felt bad about it. “I considered it a blessing,” he joked.The actress further revealed that she did not even have proper costumes for the shoot and had to bring her own costumes for the song.

An Indian-origin delivery driver has been sentenced to 29 years in prison for the murder of a woman, whose body was found dumped on a roadside in England’s West Midlands last year.Tanvir Singh, 32, was convicted of the murder of Shara Miller, 41, after her body was found in Smethwick in August 2025.During his sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday, Judge Michael Chambers described Singh as a “manipulative and cynical” man who showed no remorse for the murder, PTI reported.The court heard that Singh met Miller after drinking at a pub before driving to Soho Road, where he contacted sex workers. Prosecutors said he later attacked Miller inside his van and strangled her to death.Detective Inspector Joe Davenport, of West Midlands Police, said the victim was “brutally killed by a dangerous predator”.“Singh had been drinking in a pub at night and had gone to Soho Road to look for sex workers. He then picked up Shara in his van and was fatally attacked,” Davenport was quoted as saying by the news agency.Investigators told the court that Singh attempted to destroy forensic evidence by pouring liquids on Miller’s body before leaving her on the sidewalk after the murder.A member of the public later discovered the body, after which West Midlands Police launched a murder investigation.CCTV footage reviewed by detectives showed a white van arriving at the scene before removing Miller’s body and leaving it on the roadside. Authorities later traced the vehicle to a rental company and established that Singh was using it for parcel delivery work at the time of the crime.Police tracked down Singh to his home address in West Bromwich before arresting him on suspicion of murder.A forensic post-mortem examination found that Miller suffered head injuries and died from strangulation.During the trial, jurors heard that Miller was living with drug addiction and was involved in sex work at the time of her death.Following the sentencing, West Midlands Police said it continued to work with support organizations supporting vulnerable women involved in sex work.“No woman deserves to feel unsafe, and we are committed to providing safe spaces to report and access support,” the force said in a statement.