Saudi Arabia arrests 11,300 illegal residents in week-long crackdown/Representative Image

Saudi Arabian security authorities have arrested more than 11,000 people for violating residence, labor and border rules during a week-long nationwide crackdown.The Interior Ministry said the arrests were made between April 23 and April 29 through a coordinated inspection involving multiple government agencies.According to the ministry, a total of 11,300 individuals were detained, including 6,244 for violating residence laws, 3,543 for violating border security regulations and 1,513 for labor-related crimes.Officials said enforcement measures are ongoing against about 29,913 migrants, including 27,699 men and 2,214 women, who are currently undergoing legal processes.

Authorities confirmed that 14,855 individuals had already been deported, while 18,601 others were sent to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents. Another 4,337 people are in the process of making travel arrangements for departure.Security forces also stopped 1,330 people trying to enter the state illegally. Of them, 43% were Yemeni citizens, 54% were Ethiopian citizens, and the remaining 3% were from other countries.Additionally, 51 individuals were arrested while trying to leave the country illegally.

Officials said 14 people were detained for assisting the violators by providing transportation, shelter or employment.The ministry warned that those involved in facilitating illegal entry or stay could face serious penalties.“Anyone who assists illegal entry, provides transportation or shelter, or provides any form of support will face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million,” the ministry said. The ministry said vehicles and properties used in such activities may be confiscated.The ministry urged residents to report violations through designated emergency numbers – 911 in Mecca, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 999 or 996 in other areas.Officials said the drive is part of ongoing efforts to enforce residency and labor rules across the state.

New Delhi: Assam assembly elections were held in one phase on April 9 with over 85% voter turnout, one of the highest in recent years. In an important match in Assam Bharatiya Janata Partyunder the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa SarmaSeeking third consecutive term. Meanwhile, the Congress, under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi, son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and currently the deputy leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, has started a determined effort to regain its hold in the state.

when and where to watch

Initial trends will start coming in from 8 am on May 4 as counting of votes begins in all 126 constituencies in the state. Real-time data will be available on the Election Commission website, along with live updates, analysis and seat counts on The Times of India.Follow complete election coverage Here

What voting predict

Exit polls released on Wednesday evening for the Assam contest suggest a clear majority for the current government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, with a majority of pollsters supporting the BJP winning the tea-producing state for the third consecutive time. The projections have sidelined the Congress, leaving the party in a weak position and giving little boost to its campaign under the leadership of Gaurav Gogoi in Assam. Overall, projections from various agencies indicate a comfortable victory for the BJP-led government, pointing to the possibility of a third consecutive term for the party under Himanta Biswa Sarma.

how to count

The vote counting process is conducted systematically and closely monitored. It begins with the counting of postal ballots, after which the votes recorded in electronic voting machines are counted. For each constituency, counting takes place in multiple rounds, with updates issued after each round. Once all the rounds are over and verified, the returning officer announces the final result. Security at the counting centers is tight, with strong rooms being constantly monitored and entry restricted only to authorized personnel and representatives of the candidates. While electronic voting machines enable faster vote tabulation, the need for verification and round-by-round counting means that the entire process continues throughout the day.

Konkona Sen Sharma says that despite some progress in OTT and small films, big budget films still give priority to male heroes. After 25 years in the industry, she believes meaningful roles for women are limited. She credits streaming platforms for the change and is currently promoting her upcoming series Welcome to Khoya Mahal.

Konkana Sen Sharma One of the most versatile actresses in the film industry, she has several acclaimed films to her credit, including the recent Anurag Basu directorial ‘Metro… In Dino’. Known for choosing roles that highlight her range and avoid typecasting, Konkana has consistently carved a unique niche for herself. After 25 years in the industry, the actress shared that it still hasn’t become easier for women to get more significant roles.

Konkona Sen Sharma says big films still prefer male heroes

Reflecting on whether the industry has changed over the last 25 years, Konkana said in an interview with News18, “In some ways, I think, to some extent, maybe in smaller budget films or OTT films, to some extent, yes. But if you follow the money (laughs), you will see that bigger films will inevitably have larger-than-life male heroes.” He said this trend is not a recent development but something that has persisted for years. “I don’t think it’s a problem today, but I think it’s been like that for many years. Every year, you’ll get some interesting films, films that don’t follow trends or a certain formula, but films like this are very rare.”

Konkona Sen Sharma on how OTT platforms are changing roles for women

The actress credited streaming platforms and short films for opening up more significant roles for female actors. She said, “To some extent, nowadays with streamers, there are some projects in which you will have female policemen and things like that, or you will have women in negative or complex roles. But you will see mostly older women in such roles, with a few exceptions.”

Konkona Sen Sharma promotes Welcome to Khoya Mahal

Currently, Konkana is busy promoting her upcoming series ‘Welcome to Khoya Mahal’. Made in collaboration with Konkana Jaideep SarkarThe show focuses on step-siblings Kanishk and Kanupriya, who are brought together due to a failed inheritance. The former royals are forced to manage their family’s secluded heritage hotel, ‘The Lost Palace’, and in an attempt to escape, they hatch a reckless plan, unaware of the secrets hidden in the property. The Prime Video series stars Rachit Singh along with Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparna Sen, Harish Khanna. Barun SobtiMaster Luca Adhikari, and Dhruv Sehgal.

An Indian-origin doctor, sharing her experience of obtaining a driving license in the UK, described the process as much more rigorous than in India.Sunita Sayammagaru wrote in a post on X that getting a driving license in India seems relatively easy, but the UK system requires a much higher level of skill and awareness.She said she already had an Indian license when she moved to the UK in 2007, but soon realized that her driving skills were not up to standard.“I realized how pathetic my driving was,” he wrote, adding that he had not been taught a large part of what was expected of drivers in the UK.According to their post, the UK licensing process involves both a theory test and a practical test, where candidates are closely assessed on several aspects of driving.He explained how testers check the use of mirrors, lane discipline, signaling, parking skills, speed control and the ability to navigate complex intersections.During her first attempt, she failed the practical exam.He said the examiner pointed out a major mistake – despite otherwise acceptable driving – was failing to do full mirror and shoulder checks before pulling out at an intersection.“He said the rest of my driving was fine and he was strict with me, but it was for my own good,” she wrote.She reapplied for a test two weeks later and was assessed again by the same examiner, which she said made her nervous.However, she passed in her second attempt.Sayammagaru also noted that many Indian drivers he knew had failed the UK test multiple times despite years of driving experience at home.“It’s very strict,” she said.Despite the difficulty, he argued that such standards are necessary.“Driving license tests should be rigorous. This ensures the safety of oneself and others,” he wrote.His post has since resonated with many users online, many of whom agree that stricter testing could make roads safer.

उत्तर प्रदेश के सिद्धार्थनगर जिले से एक दिल दहला देने वाली लेकिन राहत देने वाली खबर सामने आई है। कांशीराम आवास की पानी की टंकी पर फंसे दो किशोरों को भारतीय वायुसेना ने कठिन और जोखिम भरे ऑपरेशन के जरिए सुरक्षित बचा लिया। दोनों बच्चे करीब 15 घंटे तक जिंदगी और मौत के बीच फंसे रहे. इस दौरान नीचे खड़े परिजन और ग्रामीण पूरी रात प्रार्थना करते रहे। आखिरकार रविवार सुबह वायुसेना का हेलीकॉप्टर उनके लिए किसी फरिश्ते से कम नहीं साबित हुआ और दोनों की जान बच गई.

सीढ़ी टूटने से हादसा, एक की मौत
यह हादसा शनिवार दोपहर करीब 2 बजे हुआ, जब पांच बच्चे पानी की टंकी पर चढ़े हुए थे. अचानक टंकी की जर्जर सीढ़ी टूट कर नीचे गिर गयी. इस हादसे में तीन बच्चे नीचे गिर गए, जिनमें से एक बच्चे की मौके पर ही मौत हो गई. दो अन्य बच्चे गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गए, जिन्हें मेडिकल कॉलेज में भर्ती कराया गया है। दो किशोर, पवन और कल्लू, टैंक के शीर्ष पर फंसे रह गए और नीचे उतरने का कोई रास्ता नहीं था।

एसडीआरएफ की कोशिशें नाकाम, रातभर जारी रही मशक्कत
घटना की जानकारी मिलते ही प्रशासन हरकत में आ गया. शाम छह बजे गोरखपुर से एसडीआरएफ की टीम मौके पर पहुंची, लेकिन लगातार बारिश और सुरक्षित रास्ता न होने के कारण बचाव कार्य शुरू नहीं हो सका। बच्चे पूरी रात ऊपर ही फंसे रहे और उनके परिजन नीचे से उनका हौसला बढ़ाते रहे। प्रशासन ने ड्रोन के जरिए बच्चों तक पानी, बिस्किट, रस्सी और खाना पहुंचाया. मौके पर जिला पदाधिकारी शिवसरनप्पा जीएन समेत कई अधिकारी मौजूद थे.

वायुसेना का हेलीकॉप्टर बना ‘देवदूत’
जब ज़मीनी बचाव संभव नहीं हुआ तो राज्य सरकार के अनुरोध पर भारतीय वायु सेना को बुलाया गया। रविवार की सुबह करीब पांच बजे वायुसेना का एमआई-17 वी5 हेलीकॉप्टर गोरखपुर से सिद्धार्थनगर पहुंचा। वायुसेना के जवानों ने पूरी सावधानी और बहादुरी के साथ एक-एक कर दोनों किशोरों को सुरक्षित नीचे उतार लिया। बच्चों के सुरक्षित बाहर आने पर परिजनों और प्रशासन ने राहत की सांस ली.

नेताओं ने भी लिया जायजा
घटना की गंभीरता को देखते हुए नेता प्रतिपक्ष माता प्रसाद पांडे भी मौके पर पहुंचे. उन्होंने पूरे रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन का जायजा लिया और अधिकारियों को जरूरी निर्देश दिए. साथ ही मृत बच्चे के परिजनों को सांत्वना दी और घायलों का हाल जाना. यह पूरा ऑपरेशन वायुसेना की तत्परता और मानव जीवन को बचाने की उनकी प्रतिबद्धता का एक बड़ा उदाहरण बन गया है।