Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai

Just two days before the ceasefire deadline expired, Iran hardened its stance on talks with the United States, saying that keeping the door open to talks does not mean negotiating at any cost.“The announcement came at a time when US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that a US delegation would travel to Islamabad on Monday for fresh talks with Iran, state media Tasnim news agency reported. “We are offering a very fair and reasonable deal, and I hope they will accept it, because if they don’t, the United States will destroy every single power plant and every single bridge in Iran. Mr. Good Man will be no more!” He added.Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqai said on Monday that “Tehran currently has no plans for the next round of talks.” Despite this, Iran has not completely refused diplomacy. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, said in an interview with Al Jazeera, as quoted by ANI, that engagement with Washington would depend entirely on national priorities. He said that “Iran acts based on national interests” and is ready to do whatever is necessary to “safeguard the country’s interests and security.”Azizi stressed that continued dialogue is not without limits, saying, “It does not mean negotiating at any cost”. He stressed that Iran has defined red lines that “must be followed” and that sending a delegation to Islamabad would depend on receiving a “constructive response” and “positive signals” from the United States.Describing Tehran’s approach, Azizi said diplomacy is closely linked to its military stance. “We see the current talks as a continuation of the battlefield and we see nothing more than a battlefield in this,” he said. He said the talks would only be meaningful “if it delivers achievements that maintain the battlefield”, warning that this would not be the case “if the Americans intend to turn it into an area of ​​extreme demands based on their bullying approach.”“He also pointed to key conditions for any progress, noting that “the issue of Lebanon has been very important to us” and that “the release of frozen assets” remains a priority. Azizi warned that any move “contrary to the interests of the resistance front” would signal Iran’s rejection of the conditions and would have consequences.US-Iran ceasefire talks held in Islamabad on 11 April ended without any agreement. discussion, mediation by PakistanIt lasted for about 21 hours but failed to achieve success. The standoff centered on disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.Iranian state outlets said the US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains a central problem, with Tehran arguing it amounts to collective punishment.

New Delhi: A blow to actor-turned-politician Vijay, who is leading TVK’s political debut in the Tamil Nadu elections. Madras High Court On Monday, a petition seeking an income tax probe into his asset declarations was accepted.While hearing the case, the court found irregularities of more than Rs 100 crore in the oral affidavit and issued a notice in the case.“This is an irregularity. More than Rs 100 crore has not been disclosed,” the court orally remarked, according to Live Law.A division bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan issued notice to Vijay along with the Director General of Income Tax (Investigation). Election Commission of India (ECI), and Returning Officer for Perambur and Tiruchirappalli (East) constituencies.The petitioner has alleged that the disappearance of high value assets is a clear case of suppression of property, which raises serious concerns with regard to beneficial ownership, routing of funds and concealment of material details. It is further argued that such discrepancy between the declarations cannot be attributed to clerical error or guesswork. According to the petition, the only reasonable conclusion is that either one of the affidavits is false or the related corporate filings are false, requiring a thorough investigation in either scenario.If such irregularities are ultimately established, the consequences could be serious. Any proven concealment or false declaration in the election affidavit may invite criminal proceedings under applicable laws, potentially leading to fine or imprisonment, and may result in disqualification from contesting elections under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Additionally, discrepancies involving undeclared assets can trigger action by income tax authorities, including fines and possible prosecution for tax violations.

समाजवादी पार्टी के वरिष्ठ नेता आजम खान और उनके बेटे अब्दुल्ला आजम खान को दो पैन कार्ड मामले में बड़ा झटका लगा है. सेशन कोर्ट ने उनकी अपील खारिज कर दी है. इससे पहले निचली अदालत ने दोनों को दोषी पाया था और सजा सुनाई थी. इस फैसले के बाद उनकी कानूनी मुश्किलें और बढ़ गई हैं. कोर्ट का यह फैसला राज्य की राजनीति में भी अहम माना जा रहा है.

निचली अदालत की सज़ा बरकरार है
जानकारी के मुताबिक निचली अदालत ने इस मामले में आजम खान और उनके बेटे को दोषी करार देते हुए 7-7 साल की सजा सुनाई थी. साथ ही दोनों पर 50-50 हजार रुपये का जुर्माना भी लगाया गया. इस फैसले को चुनौती देते हुए दोनों ने सेशन कोर्ट में अपील दायर की थी, लेकिन अब कोर्ट ने उनकी याचिका खारिज कर दी है.

दो पैन कार्ड मामलों में दोषी ठहराया गया
यह मामला दो पैन कार्ड बनाने से जुड़ा है, जिसमें आरोप लगाया गया था कि नियमों का उल्लंघन कर अलग-अलग दस्तावेजों के आधार पर पैन कार्ड बनाए गए. इसी आधार पर कोर्ट ने दोनों को दोषी पाया था. इस मामले की सुनवाई के बाद कोर्ट ने सख्त फैसला सुनाया.

अपील खारिज होने से बढ़ी मुश्किलें
सेशन कोर्ट से अपील खारिज होने के बाद दोनों की सजा बरकरार रहेगी. इससे उनके सामने कानूनी चुनौतियां और बढ़ गई हैं. हालाँकि, आगे की कानूनी प्रक्रिया के तहत उच्च न्यायालय जाने का विकल्प अभी भी खुला है।

राजनीतिक असर भी संभव
इस फैसले का राजनीतिक असर भी देखने को मिल सकता है. आजम खान की गिनती उत्तर प्रदेश की राजनीति के बड़े नेताओं में होती है. ऐसे में उनके और उनके बेटे के खिलाफ यह फैसला भविष्य में राजनीतिक समीकरणों पर असर डाल सकता है. फिलहाल इस मामले को लेकर राजनीतिक गलियारों में चर्चा तेज हो गई है.

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has expressed serious concern over the condition of a British-era building in Mission Road, Cuttack, which currently houses St. Xavier’s School since January this year.A division bench of Justices KR Mohapatra and V. Narasimha took up the issue after examining a report submitted by the Cuttack district administration on April 16 following earlier directions to inspect the safety conditions of all schools in the city.“The report reveals a shocking situation,” the bench said. Considering that till now 48 schools have been inspected. This especially marked the position of St. Xavier School at Mission Road, Buxi Bazaar said the institution was functioning in an “almost dilapidated building” without a structural stability report.The court recorded the assurance of Additional District Magistrate Kamaljeet Dash that necessary steps would be taken to ensure the safety of students, teaching and non-teaching staff. “If necessary, alternative arrangements will be made in consultation with the school management,” the ADM assured. Taking note of this, the bench directed the authorities to submit the action taken report by May 4. The next hearing of the case will be on May 7.The building, a 143-year-old structure and an example of Indo-European architecture, has been a subject of concern for a long time. Built as a residence by Civil Surgeon Dr. WD Stewart in 1883, the building was later donated to the Baptist Mission in 1887 for educational purposes and became Christ Collegiate School in 1950.Official records show that as early as 20 February 2016, the Public Works Department warned that the structure was in a dangerously dilapidated condition and could collapse at any time. The school was later shifted to a nearby facility in 2019.Despite this, the building was reopened after reported repairs and St. Xavier’s School started functioning there from January 23, 2026.The issue of conservation versus security has also been in focus. In 2019, a PIL filed by lawyer Shivshankar Mohanty sought to declare the structure a heritage building under the Orissa Municipal Corporation Act, citing its architectural and historical importance. The High Court had then directed the civic body to take action on the petition.

Private school students are not included in the UK Royal Academy scheme, which provides funded training to five state-educated musicians/Image: Getty Images

The UK-based Royal Academy of Music has sparked debate after introducing a scheme that limits access to state-educated students, raising concerns that some less affluent private school pupils are being left out, according to The Times (UK).The Academy, established in 1822, is offering a fully funded foundation year for musicians aged 18 to 20. The course is aimed at those who are seen as under-represented, particularly students who have missed out on music training due to the long-term decline in provision in state schools.Only five students will be selected each year, with the program starting in July. Those selected will receive personal tuition, academic guidance, group training and assistance with university applications.The eligibility rule has been questioned by school leaders, who say background cannot be assessed solely by what type of school a student attends. Philip Britton said, “There are a lot of less affluent people in independent schools and a lot of privileged people in government schools.” He pointed out that some schools, including Bolton School, provide full fee support to families earning less than £20,000.Richard Jones, head of Bryanston School in Dorset, described the approach as “naïve” and said it risked reinforcing perceptions about private education. He said many independent schools have students on scholarships and said applications must be assessed individually.The academy has defended its position. Its principal, Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, said the focus is on students who “desperately need and deserve” support, particularly those who do not have adequate access to training but show strong potential.Funding for the first three years comes from the Clore Duffield Foundation. Its president, Vivian Duffield, said the program aims to give talented young musicians the time, training and guidance they need to move forward.The academy said students from independent schools are already more likely to have access to structured music education. It also highlighted its extensive work, supporting over 500 young people each year and providing £5.8 million of financial support to students last year.

We’re in Prithviraj Market, Delhi, visiting Mirajuddin, the best mutton shop I’ve ever seen. I proceed to place the order. The young man sitting at the counter outside the shop says, “Rajdeep Bhai has not come?” I say he is coming. The owner, wiping his cutting board, asks, “And where is Bhaijaan?” I reply, I am coming. Then he comes and says greetings to everyone. They all welcome him and begin animated conversations. This process is repeated outside the store with other employees and known patrons. He goes there often and everyone knows him. This is the same man who didn’t know how to say ‘Salaam’ when we got married 14 years ago. He is now “closer, closer Muslim”, as our Mirajuddin friend praises him.The ‘Love Jihad’ propaganda that keeps appearing in news cycles says that Hindu women are lured away by scheming Muslim men. They forget Muslim women. Maybe they are also doing love jihad? I can give many examples where Muslim women have inspired their husbands and families towards Islamic traditions while adopting Hindu customs as part of shared family life.My Afghan friend is married to a Sharma from Delhi. They met in Berlin and returned to India. Together they run an Afghan Center at the university, which provides a space for the Afghan people to showcase their talents, food and culture. When his son’s school did not grant holiday on Eid, the father told the principal, “My son is half Muslim. He will stay at home and celebrate the festival with the family.”An Indonesian friend is married to a Tamil Brahmin colleague. She fasts the entire month of Ramzan and people come to her house for Iftar. She once went home with her 13-year-old son during the fasting month. There on the first morning he realized that everyone was up for Sehri and he started his fast early in the morning. No one woke him up because they thought he was not used to it. He became upset and asked, “Why? Am I not part of this family?” He did not eat or drink anything and broke his fast in the evening along with everyone else. After this, he fasted during his stay in Jakarta. Another notable friend, who married his Assamese Muslim girlfriend, named their daughter Inara, which means shine in Arabic. She bears her father’s as well as her mother’s surname and is called ‘Inara Syed Mahapatra’. Finally, my beautiful colleague Nikhat recently had her Nikah and destination wedding in Türkiye. Her Greek partner has learned namaz, kalma and suras to win the hearts of his family in Lucknow.The patriarchal mindset believes that the man’s side is the winning side and that women will lose their identity, religion and customs in interfaith marriages. But when I see interfaith couples around me, this is not true. Women shape their families in decisive ways and have created a blend of Indo-Islamic-Hindu home cultures.They did this by accommodating the belief systems of both their religions. My in-laws do puja for housewarming, put lemon on the car and look for auspicious dates for the journey. To me, this is superstition; This is normal for them. Yet both parties accept each other, enjoying family gatherings and children’s play.My Indonesian friend makes sambar and payasam for her vegetarian husband. The Ganesh idol which his mother-in-law used to worship in Tamil Nadu is now in his house. My Afghani friend along with her husband abstains from meat on Hindu festivals and participates in all family rituals. She also celebrates Eid with all of them. The colleague from Lucknow has merged with her Greek family. She visits them every summer and appreciates their food, customs and culture. As far as baby Inara is concerned, she is going to learn Karl Marx and Foucault before she even hears about Hinduism or Islam.Love never gets old. Every generation sees it afresh and lives it openly. At a time of worldwide war, this is the only solace. Some scared groups may try to harm our lifestyle by calling it love jihad etc. But we are not the aberration that society tolerates, nor are we the exotic, strange species that others find unique. We are the dream of the India that our ancestors saw on the midnight of August 15, 1947. We are the family that Mahatma Phule envisioned in his poem “Christ, Mohammed, Mang, Brahmnaasi, Dharave Potasi, Bandhu Pari” (Translation: Whether they are followers of Jesus Christ or Mohammed, or belong to the Mang or Brahmin community – one should embrace them all with one’s heart like a brother.) As humanity expands, our tribe will grow.Samina Dalwai is a law professor. The name of her upcoming book is ‘Love Jihad: A Feminist Retelling’.

मुजफ्फरनगर जिले के बुढ़ाना कस्बे में पिस्तौल लहराते हुए वीडियो बनाकर सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल करने वाले युवक को पुलिस ने गिरफ्तार कर लिया है. अभियुक्त के कब्जे से एक अवैध पिस्तौल 315 बोर व एक जिन्दा कारतूस बरामद किया गया है। पुलिस की इस कार्रवाई को जिले में अपराधियों के खिलाफ चलाये जा रहे विशेष अभियान का हिस्सा बताया गया है.

वरिष्ठ पुलिस अधीक्षक के निर्देश पर चल रहे धरपकड़ अभियान के तहत बुढ़ाना थाना पुलिस लगातार संदिग्ध गतिविधियों पर नजर रख रही थी। इसी बीच वायरल वीडियो का संज्ञान लेते हुए पुलिस टीम सक्रिय हो गई और आरोपी तक पहुंचने में सफलता मिल गई.

सूचना के आधार पर एचपी गैस गोदाम के पीछे ट्यूबवेल के पास घेराबंदी की गयी.

पुलिस को सूचना मिली थी कि बुढ़ाना-कांधला मार्ग पर विज्ञाना जाने वाली सड़क के पास स्थित एचपी गैस गोदाम के पीछे ट्यूबवेल के पास एक युवक अवैध हथियार के साथ मौजूद है। सूचना को गंभीरता से लेते हुए मिशन शक्ति टीम तत्काल मौके पर पहुंची और घेराबंदी कर दी।

पुलिस टीम की सतर्कता के चलते युवक को मौके से हिरासत में ले लिया गया। तलाशी के दौरान उसके पास से अवैध पिस्तौल और कारतूस बरामद हुए।

तलाशी के दौरान 315 बोर का पिस्तौल और जिंदा कारतूस बरामद हुआ

पूछताछ में आरोपी ने खुद को बुढ़ाना कस्बे के चंदेडी रोड का निवासी बताया। तलाशी के दौरान पुलिस को उसके कब्जे से एक 315 बोर का देशी कट्टा और एक जिंदा कारतूस बरामद हुआ.

बरामदगी के बाद आरोपी के खिलाफ संबंधित धाराओं में मामला दर्ज कर आगे की कानूनी कार्रवाई शुरू कर दी गई.

मेरठ से खरीदा अवैध हथियार, लोगों में डर फैलाने के लिए बनाया वीडियो

प्रारंभिक पूछताछ में आरोपी ने पुलिस को बताया कि उसने यह पिस्तौल मेरठ से एक अज्ञात व्यक्ति से खरीदी थी. उसका मकसद सोशल मीडिया पर हथियारों के साथ वीडियो पोस्ट कर लोगों में डर और प्रभाव पैदा करना था.

जांच अधिकारियों के मुताबिक, सोशल मीडिया पर ऐसे वीडियो न सिर्फ कानून-व्यवस्था के लिए चुनौती बनते हैं बल्कि युवाओं के बीच गलत संदेश भी भेजते हैं.

पुलिस ने वायरल वीडियो का संज्ञान लेते हुए तुरंत कार्रवाई की

थाना प्रभारी सुभाष बाबू अत्री ने बताया कि आरोपी ने तमंचे के साथ बनाया वीडियो सोशल मीडिया प्लेटफार्म पर अपलोड किया था। वीडियो सामने आने के बाद पुलिस ने तुरंत संज्ञान लेते हुए आरोपी की पहचान की और उसे गिरफ्तार कर लिया.

पुलिस अधिकारियों का कहना है कि भविष्य में भी ऐसी गतिविधियों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई जारी रहेगी।

जिले में अवैध हथियारों के खिलाफ अभियान तेज हो गया है

जिला स्तर पर पुलिस प्रशासन लगातार अवैध हथियार रखने वालों और सोशल मीडिया पर आपत्तिजनक सामग्री फैलाने वालों के खिलाफ अभियान चला रहा है. इसी क्रम में संवेदनशील इलाकों में विशेष निगरानी रखी जा रही है.

अधिकारियों के मुताबिक ऐसी घटनाओं पर प्रभावी नियंत्रण के लिए पुलिस टीमों को नियमित रूप से सक्रिय रखा गया है.

सोशल मीडिया पर हथियारों का प्रदर्शन चिंता का विषय बन जाता है

हाल के दिनों में सोशल मीडिया प्लेटफॉर्म पर हथियारों के साथ फोटो और वीडियो शेयर करने का चलन तेजी से बढ़ा है. पुलिस का मानना ​​है कि ऐसी गतिविधियां कानून व्यवस्था के लिए खतरा बन सकती हैं.

इसलिए ऐसे मामलों में तुरंत कार्रवाई की जा रही है और आरोपियों के खिलाफ सख्त कदम उठाए जा रहे हैं, ताकि समाज में भय का माहौल पैदा करने की कोशिशों को रोका जा सके.

बद्री तुलसी एक औषधीय पौधा है, जो बद्रीनाथ क्षेत्र में पाया जाता है। बद्री तुलसी का विशेष धार्मिक महत्व है। इसे भगवान विष्णु का स्वरूप माना जाता है। बद्रीनाथ मंदिर में पूजा और प्रसाद के रूप में तुलसी की माला चढ़ाई जाती है। अभी तक बद्री तुलसी प्राकृतिक रूप से उगती है, लेकिन अब सगंध पौधा केंद्र सेलाकुई इसकी व्यावसायिक खेती पर काम कर रहा है।

सेलाकुई स्थित एरोमा सेंटर में पहली बार बद्री तुलसी की नर्सरी स्थापित की गई है। बद्री तुलसी के पौधे तैयार कर स्थानीय लोगों को खेती के लिए दिये जायेंगे। बद्री तुलसी में एंटीबायोटिक तत्व पाए जाते हैं, जिसके कारण इसका उपयोग मलेरिया, पाचन संबंधी समस्याओं, रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता बढ़ाने, तनाव कम करने, त्वचा में सुधार, सर्दी-खांसी में किया जाता है।

चारधाम यात्रा की शुरुआत: जयकारों के साथ खुले गंगोत्री-यमुनोत्री मंदिर के कपाट, पीएम मोदी के नाम से हुई पहली पूजा

Actor-filmmaker Adivi Shesh celebrates the success of ‘Dacait’ and shares a fan’s emotional story of finding courage after a brutal attack, inspired by his film ‘Major’. This meeting strengthened Shesh’s belief in the humanitarian power of cinema beyond business. He also highlighted the film’s challenging shoot and its musical success, with all four songs trending.

actor-filmmaker tribal balance The co-star is enjoying the success of his latest release ‘Dacait’ Mrinal Thakur. To celebrate this, the team organized a successful meeting on Saturday. During the event, the actor shared a touching moment from his visit to Bengaluru.

Tribal Shesh tells emotional story of fans

During the program, Adivasi Shesh talked about meeting a lawyer. Tamil NaduAccording to a report in Cinema Express, who told him a very personal story during his ‘Dacait’ promotions in Bengaluru. Shesh said, “He said he was attacked by a group of people and was hospitalized for a long time. After that, he was afraid to step out. He told me that watching ‘Major’ gave him the courage to face life again.” He also said, “The first thing he did after coming out was watch this film (Dacait). He said that he liked it very much and that he has come especially to meet me.“

Adivasi remains on the meaning of cinema

This moment forced the tribal Shesh to think deeply. He said, “At that moment, I realized that when we keep thinking about cinema and business, sometimes we forget humanity. He reminded me of that, and also why I make films.” He also talked about fans gifting him the Indian flag. He said that this love seems very true. He said, “Success comes only through hard work.” He told that he always wanted to make meaningful films and ‘Dacait’ gave him that happiness. Adivasi Shesh talked about the difficult conditions of the shooting. He said, “We shot in extremely harsh conditions, including the mountains, where the temperature reached 45 degrees. We faced risky situations, especially during the climax.” He said that the team has worked very hard to make the film look real. He also talked about music. He said, “Many people appreciated the climax background score. This is the first musical hit of my career and all four songs of the film are trending.”

About ‘Dacoit’

director Shanil Dev‘Dacait’ is co-written by him and Adivasi Shesh. The film stars Mrunal Thakur as Juliet, who betrays Adivasi Shesh’s character Hari, resulting in her being sent to jail. Later, Hari escapes from jail to confront him. These are also features in the film Anurag Kashyap, Prakash Raj and others in lead roles. After its release on April 10, the film crossed the Rs 50 crore mark.

Universities in England will face fines of up to £500,000 or 2% of income for free speech failings under the new system.

Universities in England will face tougher scrutiny over free speech under a new complaints system that allows staff to take their concerns straight to the Office for Students (OfS), with them facing huge financial penalties if they fail to protect free speech, the BBC reports. From the next academic year, university staff will be able to bring complaints to the regulator, which can review cases, order changes and direct compensation. From April 2027, universities could be fined up to £500,000 or 2% of their income, raising the possibility of fines of several million pounds for larger institutions.“Freedom of expression is the foundation of the success of every university,” Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson was quoted as saying by the BBC. He said a number of incidents have created an “unacceptable culture of fear and stifling the pursuit of knowledge”. The system is based on free speech laws introduced in August 2025, although students will not be able to use the new route and will have to continue with existing complaint channels. An earlier proposal to allow individuals to take universities to civil courts has also been dropped. After many controversies, the pressure for reform has increased. The Free Speech Union said it has handled more than 5,700 cases over the past six years, in almost one in ten of which universities have failed to protect free speech. A previous fine of £585,000 imposed on the University of Sussex, which is now subject to legal challenge, has highlighted the scale of enforcement. Sector bodies have urged caution. Universities UK said the powers should be used “fairly, transparently and proportionately”. Malcolm Press said “complex and balanced decisions” are needed to prevent harassment, hate speech and radicalization, as well as protect free speech. Political reactions remain divided. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said universities have been left subject to censorship with no clear routes to redress, adding that research has been silenced, controversial work stopped and institutions have been able to avoid accountability.