SRINAGAR, May 4: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday called upon the Athletes to act as the Ambassadors of Nasha Mukt Jammu Kashmir Abhiyaan and inspire the youth to shun drugs and embrace sports.
The Lieutenant Governor was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of All India Inter-University Wushu Championship at University of Kashmir.
In his address, the Lieutenant Governor reiterated that the Administration is committed to building a robust sporting culture across Higher Educational Institutions, ensuring equal opportunities for every student to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.
The Lieutenant Governor said that the All-India Inter-University Wushu Championship is more than a sporting contest; it is a vibrant celebration of Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat and serves as a powerful platform to promote unity in diversity, discipline, excellence, and national integration.
“This championship carries with it a responsibility to uphold and renew the essential spirit of sport that transcends competition and connects us to our highest aspirations as human beings. Let the Inter-University Wushu Championship at Kashmir University be remembered not only for the brilliance of the contests but for the bonds of friendship it forged, the barriers it broke, and the sense of one united, determined, compassionate Indian family it renewed. May every athlete continue to light the path forward for generations to come,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that the rigorous discipline of Wushu reflects the resilience of our youth. He stated that the championship serves as a platform for cultural exchange, where rivals become friends and mentors shape the future “heartbeat of India.”
The Lieutenant Governor encouraged each athlete to create a short video on their mobile phones and share it on social media to spread awareness against substance abuse and inspire others to adopt sports and creative activities for a positive lifestyle.
“You are the role models for India’s new generation. Your appeal will inspire the youth to walk on the right path,” he added
The championship has drawn an impressive participation of more than 150 Universities and over 1000 athletes, bringing together top Wushu talent from across the country. The event showcases both men’s and women’s competitions, reflecting the growing popularity and inclusivity of the sport at the University level.
The championship, being conducted under the aegis of the Association of Indian Universities will continue for 6 days, featuring multiple bouts and categories in Wushu, a martial art that combines agility, strength and precision.
Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor Kashmir University, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Commissioner Secretary Youth Services & Sports, Ram Niwas Sharma, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education, Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, Registrar Kashmir University along with senior University Officials, prominent sports personalities, coaches and sports enthusiasts attended the inaugural event organized by the Directorate of Physical Education & Sports, University of Kashmir.
LG Inaugurates All India Inter-University Wushu Championship At University Of Kashmir
Air India SATS inks pact to fast-track Samsung Data Systems shipments from Noida airport
MUMBAI, May 4: Gateway and cargo service operator Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS) has signed an agreement with Samsung Data Systems India to fast-track shipments of the latter’s products from the multi-modal cargo hub at the Noida International Airport.
Samsung has a manufacturing facility at Noida in Uttar Pradesh, one of the world’s largest mobile manufacturing clusters, producing smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other devices.
This partnership will significantly enhance cargo efficiency, providing a streamlined export pathway for high-value electronics shipments, further strengthening India’s position as a leading electronics exporter with Samsung SDS playing a pivotal role in logistics digital transformation, AISATS said.
The strategic proximity to Samsung’s manufacturing unit will enable faster cargo throughput, reduced transit time, and improved access to export markets, driving profitability, it said.
The cargo hub at Noida airport is spread across 87 acres and designed as an integrated logistics platform, with a 30-acre Integrated Cargo Terminal (ICT) and a 57-acre Integrated Warehousing and Logistics Zone to cater to various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, engineering goods, and e-commerce.
The facility has an annual handling capacity of approximately 255,000 metric tonnes of cargo in phase 1 at its ICT.
“India’s role as a global manufacturing hub, particularly in electronics, requires logistics infrastructure that is agile, reliable, and at par with international standards. Our partnership with Samsung SDS is a significant step in enabling high-value, time-sensitive cargo to move seamlessly through a globally benchmarked cargo ecosystem,” said Ramanathan Rajamani, CEO, AISATS.
India’s electronics exports have increased to an all-time high, reaching approximately USD 47 billion in 2025, with a growth of nearly 37 per cent over 2024, according to AISATS.
Electronics goods are the third-largest export category in the country, driven largely by mobile phone shipments, which crossed USD 15 billion in FY24. With India’s electronics production projected to reach USD 240 billion by 2030, such partnerships will play an important role in enabling scale, speed, and global competitiveness, it said.
“Our association with AISATS will enhance the speed and efficiency of our export supply chain. As India transforms into a global manufacturing hub, Samsung SDS is strategically positioned to bridge the nation’s key production centres with the global market through our advanced logistics expertise,” said Namjin Moon, Vice President, Samsung SDS MEIA (Middle-East, India and Africa). (PTI)
Pakistan clears donkey meat exports after Chinese firm warning
KARACHI, May 4: Pakistan has approved the export of donkey meat to China after a Chinese company warned it could shut operations.
The dispute involves the Hangeng Trade Company operating in Gwadar, a port city central to China-backed projects, where export approvals had been delayed for months, raising questions about bureaucratic difficulties affecting foreign-backed projects in Pakistan.
The Pakistan government’s decision comes amid buzz about Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China later this month for an investment forum.
Hangeng Trade Company runs a slaughterhouse exporting donkey meat and hides to China, where they are used to produce a traditional medicine that is usually marketed as a blood tonic and for skin-related issues.
Pakistan exports about 216,000 donkeys annually for meat and hides, mainly to China. The sector could generate around USD 300 million each year, according to government estimates.
On May 1, the company issued a public statement saying it was being forced to halt operations in Pakistan due to “non-market factors” and operational barriers. It further said it would be “compelled to shut down the factory” and informed employees of planned closures.
The company also warned other businesses to carefully assess policy execution gaps and institutional uncertainty before investing. It said its shipments had remained stalled despite meeting export standards, adding that it had been in contact with Pakistani authorities for three months without resolution.
The dispute centred on pending approvals from Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and the Animal Quarantine Department, which regulates livestock exports.
Officials said the approvals had been delayed for several months.
After the company’s statement, Tauqir Shah, an adviser to the prime minister, intervened and escalated the matter to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Officials said the Prime Minister’s Office stepped in on Friday, triggering a rapid approval process.
Pakistan’s cabinet cleared the export of donkey meat the following day, after which the Animal Quarantine Department issued the required permissions.
A senior official in the Cabinet Division said procedures had been followed, adding that decisions by the Economic Coordination Committee – a government body that reviews financial matters – are sometimes ratified in phases.
The official confirmed that the export summary was ratified on Friday.
Government officials also said the company had not fully met agreed conditions, including breeding standards required for international-quality exports. (PTI)
US-led task force tells ships to reroute on first day of new effort to reopen Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI, May 4: The United States kicked off an effort to “guide” stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, as it tries to counter economic disruptions that outlasted the peak of fighting with no peace deal in sight.
A day after US President Donald Trump announced what he called “Project Freedom,” the Joint Maritime Information Centre said Monday that the US had set up an “enhanced security area” south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities “due to anticipated high traffic volume.” The Strait sits between Iranian and Omani territory.
The centre warned that passing close to the usual routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, “should be considered extremely hazardous due to the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated.”
The US-led maritime task force’s announcement marked the start of the effort to revive traffic and restore confidence among commercial vessels transiting the strait.
The disruption of the waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes has become one of the most enduring consequences of the war that the US and Israel launched Feb. 28. It has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf supplies and added new volatility to energy prices for households and businesses worldwide.
New standoff over Strait
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Announcing the ship shepherding effort in a social media post Sunday, Trump promised “neutral and innocent countries “that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.”
US Central Command said the initiative would involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members. The Pentagon did not immediately answer questions about how they would be deployed.
Ships and seafarers, many on oil and gas tankers and cargo ships, have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crew members have described to The Associated Press seeing intercepted drones and missiles explode over the waters as their vessels run low on drinking water, food and other supplies.
“They are victims of circumstance,” Trump wrote, describing the effort as a humanitarian gesture “on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries, but, in particular, the Country of Iran.”
Trump also sounded a warning: “If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”
As more ships reported coming under attack Sunday, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency called Trump’s announcement part of his “delirium.” Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission of Iran’s parliament, said on X that any interference in the strait would be seen as a ceasefire violation.
Trump spoke hours after Iran said it was reviewing the US response to its latest proposal to end the war and made clear these are not nuclear negotiations. The fragile three-week ceasefire appears to be holding.
Iran reviews US response to latest proposal
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Tehran is reviewing the US response to its latest proposal to end the war, Iran’s judiciary Mizan news agency cited Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei as saying Sunday.
But “at this stage, we have no nuclear negotiations,” Baghaei said. Iran’s nuclear program and enriched uranium have long been the central issue in tensions with the US, but Tehran would rather address it later.
Iran’s proposal wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire, according to Iran’s state-linked media. Trump on Saturday said he was reviewing the proposal but expressed doubt it would lead to a deal.
Iran’s 14-point proposal calls for the US lifting sanctions on Iran, ending the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, withdrawing forces from the region and ceasing all hostilities, including Israel’s operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran’s security organisations.
Iran stands firm on the Strait of Hormuz
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Iranian officials have vowed the strait won’t return to its prewar conditions and moved to impose charges on transiting ships, but the US has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran in any form.
The US naval blockade since April 13 has been depriving Tehran of the oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. The US Central Command on Sunday said 49 commercial ships have been told to turn back.
“We think that they’ve gotten less than USD 1.3 million in tolls, which is a pittance on their previous daily oil revenues,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News on Sunday, adding that Iran’s oil storage is rapidly filling up and “they’re going to have to start shutting in wells, which we think could be in the next week.” (AP)
Pak foreign minister discusses regional situation with Iranian counterpart
ISLAMABAD, May 4: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed the situation in West Asia and Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts for peace and stability in the region with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, officials here said on Monday.
Dar and Araghchi held a telephonic conversation late Sunday night, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“The discussion focused on the regional situation and Pakistan’s ongoing diplomatic efforts for peace and stability in the region,” it said.
Araghchi appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role and its mediation efforts between the concerned parties.
Dar, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting constructive engagement, underscoring that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path toward peaceful resolution of issues and achieving lasting peace and stability in the region and beyond.
The development comes after US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he was reviewing a fresh Iranian proposal aimed at ending the conflict, while expressing scepticism about the prospects of a deal.
According to reports, Iran has sent a 14-point proposal via Pakistan in response to a nine-point US proposal.
Pakistan is mediating the peace talks between the US and Iran.
The Iran war, triggered by joint strikes by the US and Israel on February 28, has been on hold since April 8, with one round of peace talks having taken place in Islamabad since then.
Pakistan hosted the first round of direct talks between Iran and the US in Islamabad on April 11, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement to end the war.
On April 21, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire. (PTI)
Indian submarine Sindhukesari arrives in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, May 4: An Indian Navy submarine, Sindhukesari, has arrived at the port of Colombo for Operational Turnarounds, the Sri Lankan Navy said in a statement issued on Monday.
The Sri Lankan Navy welcomed the Indian submarine with full naval traditions on its arrival on Sunday.
The submarine’s crew is scheduled to participate in a variety of programmes organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, including visits to several tourist attractions in the island nation.
“#INSSindhukesari, a submarine of the #IndianNavy, arrived at the Port of #Colombo for Operational Turnarounds and was welcomed by the @srilanka_navy with full naval honours,” High Commission of India in Sri Lanka posted on social media.
The navies of India and Sri Lanka have recently executed deep-sea dives, enhancing joint capabilities in underwater search, rescue and salvage operations, as part of a bilateral naval exercise held off the coast of Colombo. (PTI)
Spike Lee praises ‘Michael’; defends against controversy over exclusion of child sex abuse claims
LOS ANGELES, May 4: Filmmaker Spike Lee has defended “Michael”, the new biopic on ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, against criticism that it does not show child abuse claims against the late singer.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the new biopic is a hit at the box office and features Michael Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson in the title role.
“First of all, if you’re a movie critic, and you’re complaining about the stuff, all this other stuff-but the movie ends at ’88. The stuff you’re talking about, accusations, happen (later),” Lee told CNN.
“So you’re critiquing the film on something that you want in, but it doesn’t work in the timeline of the film. But people showed up. Worldwide, people showed their love.”
The filmmaker said he misses Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50 from acute propofol intoxication.
“I miss Mike. I miss Prince. I mean, these are my brothers. I worked with both of them. Both beautiful, beautiful people.”
Fuqua had also explained why he did not include the allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson in this movie, saying they planned to do sequel to the story later.
“Unless you can truly take your time, let’s go back to the beginning and really show people who he was on the stage. He’s a superhero on the stage. Just like a human being, movies have the power of empathy to just say this is a human being. No one is perfect,” Fuqua told Deadline.
“It was important to take the audience through a process of how do you get to wherever it’s going to go in a second movie; for people to get a bigger idea of his personality and what shaped him.”
Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor in 2003. He denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty before being acquitted on all counts in 2005. After his death in 2009, other accusers have come forward. (PTI)
Shooting at lake near Oklahoma City sends at least 12 people to hospitals
EDMOND (US), May 4: A shooting Sunday night at a party at a lake near Oklahoma City sent least 12 people to hospitals, according to police and hospital officials.
Edmond police spokesperson Emily Ward said authorities received reports of shots being fired at about 9 pm at a gathering of young people near Arcadia Lake. She said late Sunday that no arrests had been made yet.
“This is obviously a very terrifying situation and we understand the concern from the public and those involved and we are working extremely hard to find the suspects,” she said.
“We’re kind of all over the metro speaking with victims and witnesses,” Ward said.
She said that 10 people were taken to hospitals and others drove themselves. She said victims were in “various conditions”.
Nine people were at Integris Health Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City and three were at Integris Health Edmond Hospital, according to a hospital system spokesperson. The spokesperson said the patients were all still being assessed late Sunday night.
While police did not provide details about the party, a flyer seen on social media after the shooting suggested that an event called Sunday Funday had been scheduled near the lake Sunday evening.
Arcadia Lake, located around 13 miles (21 km) north of Oklahoma City, is an artificial reservoir used for flood control that is also a popular recreational spot that offers fishing, boating, picnicking and camping.
It’s located in Edmond, an Oklahoma City suburb with about 100,000 residents.
Forty years ago, Edmond was the site of one of the deadliest workplace shootings in US history. On Aug 20, 1986, postal worker Patrick Sherrill shot 20 co-workers, killing 14 of them. He then killed himself. (AP)
New Mexico seeks child safety restrictions on Meta apps, algorithms in trial’s 2nd phase
SANTA FE (US), May 4: New Mexico state prosecutors are seeking fundamental changes to Meta’s social media apps and algorithms to safeguard children in the second phase of a landmark trial on allegations that platforms such as Instagram have created a public safety hazard.
Opening statements are scheduled for Monday in the three-week bench trial to decide whether the platforms of Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, pose a public nuisance under state law.
In the first phase, jurors ordered USD 375 million in civil penalties against Meta, determining that it knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
Prosecutors are now asking a judge to impose fundamental changes aimed at reining in addictive features, improving age verification and preventing child sexual exploitation through default privacy settings and closer oversight.
Meta has vowed to appeal the jury verdict and warned that it could eliminate Instagram and Facebook service in New Mexico if forced to comply with impractical mandates.
“The fact that we’re having a trial on nuisance is itself a remarkable outcome,” said Eric Goldman, co-director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University School of Law in California. “That theory is not well accepted as applied to the internet, and that theory doesn’t really fit the internet.”
Trial could alter algorithms that define social media
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New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said the jury verdict punctured the aura of invincibility protecting tech companies from liability for material on their platforms under Section 230, a 30-year-old provision of the US Communications Decency Act.
A Los Angeles jury separately found both Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children, validating long-standing concerns about the dangers of social media.
New Mexico prosecutors are demanding that Meta help remedy a mental health crisis among children through a series of safeguards and changes, including a redesign of algorithms that make content recommendations so they no longer prioritise constant engagement.
Prosecutors are also targeting other features linked to compulsive use, such as “infinite scroll,” which continuously loads content; push notifications; and default settings that show tallies for “likes” and sharing. Their lawsuit also seeks improvements to age verification and other steps aimed at curbing child sexual exploitation.
And New Mexico wants child accounts on Meta platforms to have an associated parent or guardian, as well as a court-supervised child safety monitor to track improvements over time.
Meta asserts free speech protections
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Executives have said the company continuously improves child safety and addresses compulsive use, and that many demands from prosecutors are redundant.
Meta plans to call an array of technical experts as witnesses in arguing that the demands are impractical if not impossible, and would force it to “disregard the realities of the internet.”
The company also argues that its platforms are being singled out among hundreds of apps that teens use, leaving children vulnerable on platforms with less robust protections.
The company is invoking free speech protections that have shielded social media for decades.
“The state’s proposed mandates infringe on parental rights and stifle free expression for all New Mexicans,” Meta said last week in a statement.
Influence could be far-reaching
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The case is the first to reach trial among lawsuits filed by more than 40 state attorneys general on allegations that Meta contributes to a youth mental health crisis. Most are pursuing remedies in US federal court.
Torrez, the state attorney general, said that puts the case in a unique position not only “to try and change the paradigm of how this company does business, but also how Big Tech generally is expected to do business going forward.”
Goldman said prosecutors may be venturing into uncertain legal waters just in seeking age verification mandates.
“In practice, a court order saying that Facebook had to impose age authentication would have no Supreme Court textual support,” he said. “The Supreme Court might bless it. We don’t know.”
The first phase of the trial saw six weeks of testimony from witnesses, including teachers, psychiatric experts, state investigators, top Meta officials and whistleblowers who left the company. (AP)
Bajaj Auto total sales up 40 pc at 5,13,792 units in April
NEW DELHI, May 4: Bajaj Auto Ltd on Monday reported a 40 per cent jump in total sales in April at 5,13,792 units as against 3,65,810 units in the same month last year.
Total domestic sales were up 13 per cent at 2,48,210 units as compared to 2,20,615 units in April 2025, Bajaj Auto said in a statement.
Exports grew by 83 per cent at 2,65,582 units as compared to 1,45,195 units in the year-ago month, it added.
Two-wheeler sales in the domestic market were at 2,10,063 units last month as against 1,88,615 units in April 2025, a growth of 11 per cent, the company said.
Exports of two-wheelers jumped by 78 per cent to 2,29,890 units as against 1,29,322 units in the year-ago month, it added.
Total commercial vehicles sales were at 73,839 units in April 2026, as compared to 47,873 units in the same month last year, up 54 per cent, Bajaj Auto said. (PTI)