Author: Indmedia

The MQ-9B Sea Guardian is equipped with advanced systems, state-of-the-art sensors and sophisticated payloads. NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at boosting the country’s maritime surveillance, the defence ministry on Monday signed a contract valued at Rs 1,943 crore with US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for leasing two MQ-9B Sea Guardian high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) for Indian Navy for a period of 30 months.The MQ-9B Sea Guardian, equipped with advanced systems, state-of-the-art sensors and sophisticated payloads, will significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s maritime domain awareness capabilities. The systems will provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage…

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Ayush Shetty with fans (PTI Photo) New Delhi: The last time Ayush Shetty was up against Shi Yu Qi, he was rendered clueless. In a contest that lasted only 42 minutes at the Asia Championships in April, Shetty could only win 18 points, extending the head-to-head in favour of the Chinese to 3-0. The overwhelming feeling was that the World No. 22 wasn’t allowed to play his usual powerful, smash-laden game.”Shi Yu Qi in the first round is better than him in the later round,” said legendary Pullela Gopichand when the draw was made. “With his big smash, I think…

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New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday sought to do a political balancing act over students’ concerns about examination irregularities by asking ally, Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, to meet agitating students in Ranchi even as he criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the cancellation and re-examination of certain UGC-NET June exams due to questionnaire issue.Maintaining that the Jharkhand students’ demands are “legitimate” and appreciating the state government’s efforts to initiate a dialogue with them, Gandhi told Soren: “However, the protests continue and some students remain on an indefinite hunger strike. I am…

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WASHINGTON — Civil rights advocates on Monday said they asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Texas law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments, teeing up a case that could set a new national standard for the limits of state-sponsored religious expression in classrooms.Supreme Court asked to review Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments in public schoolsOver two dozen Texas families represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups petitioned the nation’s highest court to overturn a split decision in April by the conservative-leaning 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The New Orleans-based appeals court’s…

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Hema Malini reviews Sunny Deol’s ‘Batwara 1947’ ‘Simply Brilliant’ and praises Aamir Khan for backing film with message of humanity and harmony Hema Malini has shared her thoughts on Sunny Deol-starrer ‘Batwara 1947’, praising the film for its emphasis on humanity, harmony and mutual respect. The veteran actor took to X to share her reaction to the Independence Day release, which is directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. While the film has faced challenges at the box office, Hema’s review highlighted the message she believes is particularly relevant in the present times.Hema Malini applauds the film’s messageAfter watching ‘Batwara 1947’, Hema described…

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Two drones targeted the office of the Kurdistan ​Regional Government’s Prime Minister in northern Iraq on ‌Monday (August 17, 2026) but there were no reports of ​any casualties, the KRG security agency ⁠said.The attack was launched from Iranian territory, it said in a statement, without clarifying whether the ‌drones had hit their target. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from ‌any group for the attack.Iran and Iran-backed ‌armed ⁠groups have repeatedly accused Iraq’s semi-autonomous ⁠Kurdistan region of harbouring Iranian Kurdish opposition groups that Tehran regards as a security threat. Iraqi Kurdish authorities deny ​allowing their territory to ‌be used…

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Two mountaineers made history by paragliding directly to a roadhead in Ladakh. (Representative image) JAMMU/LEH: From a towering 5,921-metre summit, two Indian mountaineers made history by paragliding directly to a roadhead in Ladakh, combining a high-altitude ascent with a pioneering aerial descent, the Army said Monday.Colonel Hem Chandra Singh, principal of Jawahar Institute of Mountaineering & Winter Sports (JIM & WS), and mountaineer Manish Makholia launched their paragliders from the summit of Mt Delta-41, also known as Mt Barmal, in Tangol region of Kargil, and landed safely at the Road Head Camp in Tangol village, around 3,600 metres, an Army…

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BMC chief Ashwini Bhide inspects some hawkers’ licences on Monday Mumbai: Days after corporators from across party lines criticised BMC for cracking down on licensed hawkers with identity cards bearing QR codes during its ongoing anti-encroachment drive, civic commissioner Ashwini Bhide said licensed hawkers could conduct business on footpaths, but their activities should not obstruct pedestrian movement.Bhide and her team of officers inspected several parts of south Mumbai over more than three hours as part of a review of implementation of the civic body’s ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign.Bhide, who checked some licences, asserted that licensed hawkers must conduct business only within…

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New Delhi: A routine investigation for a life-threatening heart condition led doctors at a Delhi hospital to uncover another serious illness in a 64-year-old man — a cricket-ball-sized cancerous tumour in his left kidney.Doctors treated his torn aorta — the body’s main artery — a severely leaking aortic valve and kidney cancer during a single hospital stay, with the doctors claiming it as a first in the world, based on available medical literature.The patient initially complained of severe breathlessness and extreme fatigue even during routine daily activities. Scans revealed a dangerous tear and swelling in his aorta and the leak…

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Bengaluru/New Delhi: Karnataka received no respite in the Cauvery water sharing dispute on Monday, with Supreme Court directing the state to ensure compliance with the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) order to release water to Tamil Nadu.The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, hearing Tamil Nadu’s plea seeking immediate release of its share, asked Karnataka why it was not releasing water and directed the state to comply with the CWMA order. The matter was posted for Aug 24, when the court will consider the further status of the releasesThere have been precedents of the state govt delaying compliance…

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