JAMMU, Apr 27: A special NIA court on Monday extended the remand of separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah by 10 more days in connection with a three-decade-old terror case, officials said.
Shah was produced before the court on the expiry of his previous 10-day remand. He has moved a bail application which is likely to be taken up on the next date of hearing, they said.
During the proceedings, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought further custody of Shah for more questioning. The court, after hearing the submissions, granted the agency an additional 10 days of remand.
Shah was arrested by the Srinagar branch of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 17 in Delhi in the 1996 case involving a terrorist attack on policemen during a militant’s funeral. The Patiala House Court allowed his transit remand and subsequently he was produced before the NIA court in Jammu the next day.
The separatist leader was recently released on bail after nearly seven years of imprisonment in other cases. (Agencies)
Separatist Shabir Shah Produced Before NIA Court In Jammu; Remand Extended By 10 Days
Pope Leo vows to keep working to overcome differences in meeting with first Anglican female leader
VATICAN CITY, Apr 27: Pope Leo XIV vowed Monday to keep working to overcome differences with the worldwide Anglican Communion during a meeting with its first female leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally.
Leo acknowledged that “new problems” in their relationship have been added onto “historically divisive issues.” But he nevertheless vowed to continue the tradition of past popes to continue to try to reunite the churches, deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.
Anglicans split from Rome in 1534, when English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment. Despite a formal theological dialogue that began in the 1960s, big differences remain, especially over the Church of England’s decision to ordain women. The Roman Catholic Church reserves the priesthood for men.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, prayed with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, an encounter between Christianity’s two most famous religious figures that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, given the divisions between their two churches over women’s ordination and her historic appointment.
Mullally thanked Leo for welcoming her on her first foreign visit since she was installed last month as the first woman leader of the Church of England and spiritual leader of millions of Anglicans around the world.
Mullally, whose appointment has split the already divided Anglican Communion, arrived early to meet with Leo in his library. The two then prayed together in the Urban VIII Chapel inside the Apostolic palace for what the Vatican said was a “moment of prayer”.
In her remarks to Leo, Mullally said both of them were called to preach the Gospel with “renewed clarity”.
“In the face of inhuman violence, deep division, and rapid societal change, we must keep telling a more hopeful story: that every human life has infinite value because we are precious children of God; that the human family is called to live as sisters and brothers,” she said.
“We must therefore work together for the common good – always building bridges, never walls; that the poorest among us are closest to the heart of God.”
The Vatican didn’t immediately provide the text of Leo’s remarks to Mullally.
A pilgrimage to Rome amid challenges
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Mullally is on what she has called a four-day pilgrimage to Rome that has included visits to the main pontifical basilicas, where she has prayed at the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul and met with top Vatican officials.
Lambeth Palace says her visit is designed “to strengthen Anglican–Roman Catholic relations through prayer, personal encounter, and formal theological dialogue.
“It aims to deepen bonds of communion, affirm a shared witness, and encourage ongoing collaboration at both global and local levels.”
Anglicans split from Rome in 1534, when English King Henry VIII was refused a marriage annulment. Despite a formal theological dialogue that began in the 1960s, big differences remain, especially over the Church of England’s decision to ordain women. The Roman Catholic Church reserves the priesthood for men.
The first female Anglican priests were ordained in 1994, its first female bishop in 2015, and now Mullally as the first archbishop of Canterbury.
Leo and Mullally have already exchanged greetings, with Leo congratulating her on her installation last month but acknowledging she was taking over at a “challenging” time and that differences still divide the Anglican and Catholic churches.
“We also know that the ecumenical journey has not always been smooth,” Leo wrote. “Despite much progress, our immediate predecessors, Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby, acknowledged frankly that new circumstances have presented new disagreements among us,” Leo wrote.
He nevertheless vowed to continue dialogue, and in October Leo welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the Vatican, where they prayed in the Sistine Chapel. Charles is the titular head of the Church of England.
That event, October 25, marked the first time since the Reformation that the heads of the two Christian churches had prayed together.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first formal ecumenical statement between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, signed in 1966 at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls basilica by Archbishop Michael Ramsey and Pope Paul VI.
Mullally for her part has expressed solidarity with Leo’s peace message, after the American-born pope was harshly criticised by President Donald Trump for his calls for peace in Iran.
An historic meeting that follows the king’s visit
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George Gross, an expert on theology and the monarchy at King’s College London, said the meeting was historic, particularly given the Vatican doesn’t recognise the female priesthood.
“If we were to go back several hundred years, it’s unthinkable,” he said. “It’s the fact that the pope is willing to meet, but in itself it also shows the difference, the gap.”
Gross said the prayer was clearly an attempt to show the two churches united, especially in confronting the global conflicts and projecting a message of unity. Such optics, he said, were in continuity with the visit to the Vatican in October by the king.
“It’s a doubling down of togetherness,” he said.
An appointment that divides the Anglican communion
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Her appointment though has split the Anglican Communion, whose 100 million members in 165 countries are deeply divided over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. Many in England and other Western countries hailed her appointment as a historic breaking of a stained-glass ceiling.
But the communion’s largest and fastest-growing churches in Africa belong to a conservative group called the Global Anglican Future Conference, or Gafcon, which has sharply criticised her appointment and threatened a final break.
In the US, the conservative Anglican Church in North America formed in a break from the more liberal US and Canadian Episcopal churches and has signed onto the Gafcon statement opposing Mullally’s appointment. (AP)
Araghchi to hold talks with Putin, Lavrov on Iran conflict
MOSCOW, Apr 27: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday said he will discuss the evolving conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel during high-level meetings in Russia as the major hurdle in the peace talks lies the key sticking points.
Araghchi, who arrived in St. Petersburg, is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The visit comes amid what Tehran describes as an “imposed war” and follows recent diplomatic engagements in Pakistan and Oman.
In remarks shared on Telegram, Araghchi said Iran and Russia maintain close coordination on regional and global issues, but consultations had slowed due to the conflict. “We are using this opportunity to discuss developments related to the war and carry out necessary coordination,” he said.
The Kremlin underscored the significance of the talks, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stating that the meeting’s importance “cannot be overestimated” given the current situation in Iran and the broader Middle East.
Araghchi also blamed Washington for the collapse of recent Iran-US negotiations held in Pakistan, accusing the United States of making “excessive demands” and pursuing “incorrect approaches.” He said earlier rounds of dialogue had shown some progress but ultimately failed to produce results.
“Negotiations did not achieve their goals due to American approaches and wrong policies,” he said, stressing that Iran must safeguard its national interests following weeks of resistance.
Pakistan had acted as a mediator in the talks, prompting Tehran to engage in further consultations with officials in Islamabad to assess the diplomatic situation.
Highlighting ongoing flashpoints, Araghchi described the Strait of Hormuz as a critical global concern, emphasizing the importance of ensuring safe maritime passage. The waterway remains a focal point of friction between Iran and the United States.
Araghchi said his discussions in Russia would also review the broader regional situation and recent diplomatic efforts, expressing confidence that Tehran-Moscow coordination would play a key role in navigating the crisis.
Some of the core sticking points between the United States and Iran are the scope of Iran’s uranium enrichment program and the fate of its stockpile of enriched uranium. Iran insists it has a “right” to enrich nuclear fuel under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
(UNI)
A predawn Russian drone strike hits Ukraine’s Odesa, wounding 14; 2 killed in Russian-held Kherson
KYIV, Apr 27: A Russian drone attack before dawn on Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa wounded 14 people, including two children, authorities said Monday, in the latest barrage of civilian areas that have been a hallmark of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, now in its fifth year.
The drones hit residential neighborhoods and civilian infrastructure, said the head of the city’s administration, Serhii Lysak. Russia has repeatedly targeted Odesa, a key Black Sea port for Ukraine.
Five of the injured, most of them with shrapnel wounds, were hospitalized, according to the head of the regional military administration, Oleh Kiper.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike killed two people in the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine’s Kherson region, Moscow-installed Gov. Vladimir Saldo said Monday. A man and a woman in their 70s died in the village of Dnipriany, he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that over the past week Russia has fired approximately 1,900 attack drones, nearly 1,400 powerful guided aerial bombs and around 60 missiles of various types at Ukraine.
Ukraine’s wartime development of cutting-edge military technology means it is intercepting more than 90% of the drones that Russia launches, Zelenskyy claimed in a post on X. However, Ukraine needs more American-made Patriot air defense missiles that are able to shoot down Russia’s ballistic missiles.
Ukraine has recently been helping countries in the Middle East and Gulf region, which are countering attacks on their territory by Iranian drones, with know-how amid the Iran war.
Also, Norway is the latest European country to enter into a joint drone manufacturing agreement with Kyiv, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said Monday.
Zelenskyy noted a recent raft of good news for Ukraine: NATO partners, excluding the United States, have contributed to a financial arrangement to buy American weapons, the European Union has approved a 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) loan to Ukraine, and the EU intends to place more sanctions on Moscow.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been assailing oil terminals and refineries deep inside Russia with long-range drones and missiles, aiming to disrupt Moscow’s economy.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said late Sunday it has seen geolocated evidence that Ukrainian forces conducted at least 10 strikes against Russian oil and gas infrastructure in the past two weeks. (AP)
SkyHop Aviation gets air operator certificate from DGCA to start seaplane operations
NEW DELHI, Apr 27: SkyHop Aviation, a venture promoted by daughter of SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh, on Monday said it has received air operator certificate from regulator DGCA for starting commercial seaplane operations.
Avani Singh is the Founder & CEO of SkyHop.
The company successfully completed test flights earlier this month, including water take-offs & landings at the Ganga Barrage and Tehri Lake in Uttarakhand, according to a release.
In the first phase, SkyHop said it plans to connect five islands in Lakshadweep with each other and with the mainland.
Operations will begin with a 19-seater aircraft.
The company said it has received Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and is ready to launch commercial seaplane operations. (PTI)
Rupee settles 1 paisa higher to close at 94.15 against US dollar
MUMBAI, Apr 27: The rupee settled on a flat note, registering gains of just one paisa to close at 94.15 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday, as rising global uncertainty, escalating tensions in West Asia and soaring crude oil prices weighed on investor sentiments.
Forex traders said the INR/USD pair pared its initial losses, but the overall bias remains negative as FII sell-off and elevated crude oil prices restricted the gains for the local unit.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 94.25 against the US dollar, and touched an intraday high of 94.11 and a low of 94.28 against the greenback during the day.
At the end of Monday’s trading session, the rupee was quoted at 94.15 (provisional), registering a gain of just 1 paisa over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee extended its losing streak for the fifth day in a row, depreciating 15 paise to close at 94.16 against the US dollar.
“The rupee snapped a five-session losing streak, rebounding in tandem with a rally across regional currencies. However, the mood remains apprehensive as the market braces for a potential RBI intervention around 94.30 and higher crude oil prices,” said Dilip Parmar – Senior Research Analyst, HDFC Securities.
On the charts, the USDINR pair has reclaimed its upward momentum, carving out a classic bullish structure of higher highs and lows on the daily time frame, he said, adding that for the coming sessions, 93.80 serves as a support, with 94.40 acting as the primary hurdle.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, was down 0.21 per cent at 98.32.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 2.36 per cent at USD 107.82 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex jumped 639.42 points to settle at 77,303.63, while the Nifty surged 194.75 points to 24,092.70.
Foreign Institutional Investors offloaded equities worth Rs 8,827.87 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
Meanwhile, India’s forex reserves jumped by USD 2.362 billion to USD 703.308 billion during the week ended April 17, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Friday.
In the previous reporting week, the forex kitty had increased by USD 3.825 billion to USD 700.946 billion. (PTI)
Sigma Advanced Systems inks Rs 3,800 cr long-term agreement with Rolls-Royce
HYDERABAD, Apr 27: Hyderabad-based Sigma Advanced Systems on Monday said it has signed a seven-year long-term agreement with Rolls-Royce, valued at Rs 3,800 crore to manufacture and supply aerospace systems.
Under the agreement, Sigma Advanced Systems will supply a wide portfolio of high-precision-engineered, safety-critical components and assemblies for Rolls-Royce’s aerospace programmes, a release said.
This is a programme-level partnership delivered through the company’s manufacturing network across India and the UK, reflecting how the company is increasingly operating as an integrated global platform rather than a location-specific supplier, it said.
Sigma Advanced Systems Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Sunil Kumar Kalidindi said: “This partnership with Rolls-Royce reflects how our strategy is taking shape. It validates the investments we have made in building a connected India–UK platform and our focus on quality, reliability, and long-term partnerships. We see this as an opportunity to deepen our role in global aerospace programs while continuing to scale our capabilities across both regions.” (PTI)
Sterling Tools inks collaboration pact with China’s Nanjing Haohang
NEW DELHI, Apr 27: Auto components maker Sterling Tools Ltd on Monday said it has entered into a collaboration with China’s Nanjing Haohang to develop advanced rider assistance systems for India’s two-wheeler industry.
The company has entered into a Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) and supply agreement (SA) with Nanjing Haohang, a developer of advanced rider assistance systems (ARAS), Sterling Tools said in a statement.
Under the agreement, Sterling Tools will lead the local development, system adaptation, manufacturing and sales of ARAS for the Indian market, it added.
The collaboration will leverage Haohang’s proven technology platform alongside Sterling Tools’ deep understanding of the Indian automotive market, enabling automakers to deploy production-ready safety systems at scale, it added.
Developed specifically for two-wheelers, ARAS functions similarly to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) in cars, leveraging sensors, software and control systems to provide real-time alerts and assist riders in avoiding potential hazards, the company said.
“This partnership with Haohang, tailored for the Indian market, equips two-wheeler OEMs with advanced rider assistance technologies that address a critical safety gap,” Sterling Tools Director, Anish Agarwal said.
Stating that two-wheeler accidents account for a significant share of road fatalities in India, Agarwal said,”Our collaboration aims to foster a safer environment for the 2W industry and its manufacturers.”
Nanjing Haohang General Manager Li Zhipan said India represents one of the most important markets for advanced rider assistance technology, given the scale and safety challenges of its two-wheeler segment.
“Our collaboration with Sterling Tools allows us to localise our solutions for Indian road conditions and bring validated, life-saving technology to automakers and riders across the country,” Zhipan added.
Sterling Tools and Nanjing Haohang have rigorously tested and validated critical ARAS features such as front collision warning, rear collision warning, blind spot detection, lane change warning, wrong-side alert on Indian roads with many more features in the pipeline for the future, the statement said. (PTI)
Stock markets bounce back after three-day decline; Sensex jumps 639 pts
MUMBAI, Apr 27: Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded nearly 1 per cent on Monday, snapping the three-day falling streak following a rally in Reliance Industries and Sun Pharma and positive global trends.
The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 639.42 points or 0.83 per cent to settle at 77,303.63. During the day, it surged 755.83 points or 0.98 per cent to 77,420.04.
The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 194.75 points or 0.81 per cent to close at 24,092.70.
Among the 30-Sensex firms, Sun Pharma jumped 7 per cent after it announced the acquisition of US-based Organon & Co in an all-cash deal at an enterprise valuation of USD 11.75 billion, one of the largest overseas buyouts by Indian firms.
Reliance Industries jumped 2.88 per cent. Adani Ports, Tech Mahindra, Mahindra & Mahindra, NTPC, HCL Tech and Tata Consultancy Services were also among the major gainers.
Axis Bank, Bharat Electronics, Trent and ICICI Bank were among the laggards from the blue-chip pack.
In Asian markets, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, Shanghai’s SSE Composite index ended higher, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index ended lower.
Markets in Europe were trading in positive territory. US markets ended mostly higher on Friday.
“A key catalyst behind today’s strength was improving global sentiment, particularly reports of a potential de-escalation between the US and Iran around the Strait of Hormuz. This development eased supply disruptions and supported global risk appetite, helping domestic markets stabilise and rise,” Hariprasad K, Research Analyst and Founder, Livelong Wealth, said.
Sectoral participation played an important role in sustaining the rally, he noted.
“The pharmaceutical space saw strong traction, led by a sharp surge in Sun Pharmaceutical Industries following its announcement of a large acquisition deal involving Organon. The IT sector also witnessed a notable rebound after recent underperformance,” Hariprasad added.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, traded 2.53 per cent higher at USD 107.9 per barrel.
“Indian equities began the week on a positive note, supported by improved sentiment amid renewed expectations of near-term de-escalation in the Middle East. Gains were widespread, with all major sectoral indices ending in positive territory. Overall, markets demonstrated resilience but remain highly sensitive to geopolitical developments,” Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, an online trading and wealth tech firm, said.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 8,827.87 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
On Friday, the Sensex dropped 999.79 points or 1.29 per cent to settle at 76,664.21. The Nifty slumped 275.10 points or 1.14 per cent to end at 23,897.95. (PTI)
Beat The Heat With An Onion In Your Pocket: Scindia
GUNA (MP), Apr 27: Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has shared an age-old remedy to beat the heat during peak summer time by keeping an onion in his pocket.
He was addressing locals at Pichhore-Shivpuri in his Guna constituency during a programme on Sunday evening.
Scindia said that in today’s modern age, everyone carries phones, but he carried an onion, explaining it helps regulate body temperature in scorching heat, before pulling one from his pocket to everyone’s surprise.
“I don’t use AC in my car, I just carry an onion in my pocket,” he said. “Keep an onion in your pocket; nothing will happen even in 51-degree heat,” the minister added.
While Scindia spoke, an elderly man in the crowd smiled and drew an onion from his pocket, in a gesture of support. (Agencies)