Author: Indmedia

Apollo Quiboloy was arrested in the Philippines in August 2024 on human-trafficking charges and he pleaded not guilty and has been held in a Manila jail ever since. File. | Photo Credit: AP The United States has formally requested the extradition of a Filipino pastor wanted on sex-trafficking charges, the Philippines’ ambassador to Washington said on Thursday (August 6, 2026).Apollo Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” and ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested in the Philippines in 2024 on human-trafficking charges.He faces life in prison if found guilty in the case, which accuses him of using women…

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was loudly booed by sections of the crowd during a National Night Out Against Crime event in Staten Island on Tuesday, forcing him to keep his remarks to less than a minute before leaving the stage.According to local media reports, Mamdani addressed thousands of attendees gathered at Midland Beach during the NYPD’s 43rd National Night Out Against Crime celebration, an annual event aimed at strengthening police-community ties.Videos shared on social media showed people shouting at him to leave as he walked to the podium, while others gave him thumbs-down gestures.Despite…

At least 640 Russian civilians were killed and 561 others were wounded during Ukraine’s occupation of the southwestern Kursk region, the Investigative Committee said Thursday on the second anniversary of Kyiv’s surprise cross-border incursion. The updated figure from Russia’s top investigative body marks an increase from previous estimates that varied from around 350 to more than 500 civilian deaths during the months-long occupation. Investigators on Thursday highlighted a case in which a Ukrainian serviceman was convicted of terrorism and sentenced to life in prison for allegedly collaborating with fellow soldiers to kill 14 civilians, as well as raping and killing eight women. The Moscow…

Railway officials said Level Crossing Gate No. 29, which is normally opened for only three to five minutes to allow road traffic to pass between the two sides of the suburb, remained open from 11.49 am for nearly 25 minutes Thane: Central Railway services beyond Thane were severely disrupted on Wednesday afternoon after the Diva level crossing gate remained open longer than stipulated, causing trains to bunch up across all six busy railway lines connecting Mumbai with the rest of the country.Railway officials said Level Crossing Gate No. 29, which is normally opened for only three to five minutes to…

Arvind Kejriwal alleged the gov plans increased ethanol blending in diesel, Amit Malviya refuted these claims NEW DELHI: The political battle over ethanol-blended fuel intensified on Thursday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and BJP IT department head Amit Malviya locked horns on X over the Centre’s ethanol policy.While Kejriwal alleged the government was preparing to expand ethanol blending to diesel, aviation turbine fuel (ATF) and eventually petrol beyond E20, the BJP dismissed the claims as “fake news” and “fear politics”, asserting that no decision has been taken beyond the existing E20 programme.The exchange comes days after…

Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar and IT minister Priyank Kharge with Anthropic delegation in Bengaluru on Thursday Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday sought global artificial intelligence company Anthropic’s expertise on deploying AI to reduce fraud in govt systems, signalling the state’s intent to leverage advanced AI for improving governance and public service delivery.During a meeting with a senior Anthropic delegation led by Anthropic’s Head of International Policy Michael Sellitto, the CM Chief specifically explored how AI could help detect and prevent fraud in govt processes while enhancing the efficiency, security and transparency of public administration.Shivakumar also sought…

Hyderabad: Railway infrastructure works in Telangana are progressing at a brisk pace, with 21 major projects worth Rs 40,769 crore currently under various stages of execution across the state. According to a reply by Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Telangana has six new railway line projects and 15 track-doubling projects covering a total length of 2,347 km. Of these, 677 km have been commissioned so far, with expenditure of Rs 12,105 crore incurred till March.Among the major ongoing projects are the 174-km Malkangiri–Pandurangapuram via Bhadrachalam new line, estimated to cost Rs 3,592 crore; the…

The government also plans to improve the yields of pulses, fruits and vegetables to promote self-sufficiency and address nutritional gaps. (Representational image) CHENNAI: The C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government has set a five-year target of producing 131 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of food grains, with an immediate target of 125 LMT for 2026-27, as part of a roadmap to increase agricultural output and expand irrigation coverage.The government also plans to improve the yields of pulses, fruits and vegetables to promote self-sufficiency and address nutritional gaps.Presenting the TVK government’s maiden agriculture budget, agriculture minister R Vinoth said the government would focus…

The appointed officers will visit fertiliser dealers in person and accurately verify PoS machine data against physical stock Gandhinagar: The state agriculture and farmers welfare department has made special appointments of investigating and inspection officers in all districts to curb black marketing of subsidised fertilisers.Quoting agriculture minister Jitu Vaghani, an official statement said that a sustained drive has been launched to stop non-agricultural use of subsidised fertiliser, counterfeit fertiliser, and hoarding. Top urea-selling dealers in every district will be audited and strict action will be taken against those found guilty of irregularities. Daily operations of urea dealers will be monitored…

Aizawl: The youth wing of the ruling Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), “ZPM Thalai,” on Wednesday condemned the Mizoram Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) for allegedly disrespecting CM Lalduhoma’s image during a protest and criticised the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) for calling a statewide bandh.In a statement, ZPM Thalai said the MNF had no reason to be offended by Lalduhoma’s remarks on the 1986 memorandum of settlement and the role of former MNF president Laldenga.The youth wing said Lalduhoma had spoken about the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system and the Mizoram Peace Accord at the Mizoram Law College freshers’ social…