Overview

Syria extends full diplomatic honours to South Korean FM during discreet visit

Syria extends full diplomatic honours to South Korean FM during discreet visit

Syria extended South Korea's top diplomat the highest diplomatic courtesies during his visit last week to forge formal ties, signalling a strong commitment to deepening cooperation in the economy, reconstruction and other fields, a Seoul official said Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul travelled to Damascus last Thursday to formalise the diplomatic relations, a milestone that completed Seoul's endeavours to have formal ties with every UN member state except North Korea.

Cho's trip was conducted discreetly due to the security situation in Syria, where an interim government has taken power following the overthrow of former leader Bashar al-Assad's half-century dictatorship.

During his brief visit, Cho was accorded top-level diplomatic protocol, including security three times the scale usually provided for a foreign minister, a Seoul official said on background.

Army soldier electrocuted to death atop train in J&K's Samba

Army soldier electrocuted to death atop train in J&K's Samba

An Army soldier was electrocuted to death when he climbed onto the top of a train in J&K's Sa.mba district, an official said on Tuesday.

The official said the incident occurred on Monday evening near Bari Brahmana railway station.

Official said that 24-year-old Ramchandra Choudhary of Rajasthan's Jodhpur was killed when he climbed to the top of a train.

Choudhary came into contact with a live wire and was electrocuted.

The incident occurred when Chaudhary, serving in a territorial Army battalion and posted in Srinagar, was going for his new posting in Sikandrabad of Uttar Pradesh.

Petrol pump manager on way to bank to deposit cash shot dead in Jharkhand

Petrol pump manager on way to bank to deposit cash shot dead in Jharkhand

A petrol pump manager was shot dead by unidentified criminals while he was on his way to deposit cash at a bank in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on Tuesday, police officials said.

The incident occurred in the Ichak police station area, highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation in the region.

The victim has been identified as Shankar Kumar, a resident of the Hazaribagh district.

According to the police, Shankar was carrying the cash collection of the last four days from the petrol pump located at Salparni on the busy Ranchi-Patna Road.

Preity Zinta shares effective exercise to strengthen back for those who sit a lot

Preity Zinta shares effective exercise to strengthen back for those who sit a lot

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta took to social media to share a simple yet effective exercise aimed at strengthening the back.

For people who spend long hours sitting at desks or in front of screens, Zinta’s routine offers a practical solution to combat back pain and improve posture. On Tuesday, the ‘Soldier’ actress posted a video showcasing a back-strengthening exercise using a ball. In the video, she demonstrates a simple yet effective exercise designed to alleviate back pain and improve posture, especially for those who spend long hours sitting.

Sharing her clip, Preity wrote in the caption, “For people that sit a lot, this is an amazing exercise to keep you back, glutes and legs strong. Thank you @adrianleroux for the inspiration & for helping me get back my form #Ting #Dontgiveup #pzfit #Strong.”

Known for her captivating presence on the photo-sharing app, the ‘Dil Se’ actress had earlier shared a stunning display of traditional Phulkari attire, featuring the intricate and simple needlework from Punjab.

70 pc upcoming malls in India to be of superior grade quality by 2026: Report

70 pc upcoming malls in India to be of superior grade quality by 2026: Report

India's retail real estate sector is going through a major transformation as over 70 per cent of the 12.3 million square feet of new Grade A mall space expected in 2025 and 2026 will be of Superior Grade (A+), a new report said on Tuesday.

This change is being driven by rising consumer aspirations, higher spending, and a shift in strategy by both brands and developers, according to a new report by Cushman and Wakefield.

These new malls will offer better quality, service, and experience, marking a shift from simply expanding space to upgrading standards.

Saurabh Shatdal, Executive Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield, said India’s retail sector is changing fast, and so are consumer expectations.

Pakistan: Three policemen killed, 16 injured in bomb attack in Balochistan

Pakistan: Three policemen killed, 16 injured in bomb attack in Balochistan

At least three policemen were killed and 16 others injured in a roadside bomb explosion in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday, officials said.

The incident took place near the Kund Masuri area of Mastung district, where a police truck carrying personnel from a training centre in Kalat district was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), revealed Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the Balochistan government.

"The condition of two injured is critical," Rind said.

He added that all the injured have been shifted to local hospitals, while those in serious condition are being transferred to Quetta for advanced medical treatment.

Anurag Kashyap, Kapil Sharma fight over basic premise of a story

Anurag Kashyap, Kapil Sharma fight over basic premise of a story

Comedian Kapil Sharma and auteur Anurag Kashyap are having disagreements over the story and premise of Kapil’s new project.

Kapil, who rules the television industry, is not happy with Kashyap over the latter’s choice of projecting the comedian in a new advertisement of a soft drink brand.

On Tuesday, Kapil took to his Instagram, and shared the brand film of a soft drink in which Anurag comes to him with a script. Anurag, who is known for his rooted stories, starts narrating him the script with the scene set in a public bus. Kapil questions the choice of the vehicle when Anurag tells him that he will pop in phone screens of a person who scans the QR code on the bottle of soft drink.

The two have disagreements on the idea behind the advertisement as Anurag tells him that he will ask the brand executives to find a new face for the commercial. At this point, Kapil interjects, and tells Kashyap that he is the brand ambassador of the soft drink which means the person at the thin end of the stick is Kashyap, and is more likely to be replaced.

Valve disorders may raise risk of severe heartbeat condition

Valve disorders may raise risk of severe heartbeat condition

People with a certain heart valve abnormality may be at an increased risk of developing severe heart rhythm disorders also known as arrhythmias, according to a study on Tuesday.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden showed that the valve abnormality called Mitral annular disjunction (MAD) increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmias -- a dangerous type of heart rhythm disorder that, in the worst case, can lead to cardiac arrest.

The team found that the risk of arrhythmias persists even after successful valve surgery.

MAD is often associated with a heart disease called mitral valve prolapse, which affects 2.5 per cent of the population and causes one of the heart's valves to leak. This can lead to blood being pumped backward in the heart, causing heart failure and arrhythmias. The disease can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and palpitations.

South Korea, US hold joint air exercise involving B-1B bomber

South Korea, US hold joint air exercise involving B-1B bomber

South Korea and the United States on Tuesday staged joint air drills, involving at least one US B-1B bomber, over the Korean Peninsula, the defence ministry said, in a show of force against North Korean military threats.

The drills, which also mobilised South Korean F-35A and F-16 fighter jets and US F-16s, were designed to demonstrate the allies' capabilities to respond to North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, according to the ministry.

The drills coincided with the 113th birth anniversary of North Korea's late state founder Kim Il-sung, a major national holiday in the North, called the "Day of the Sun."

"In order to deter and respond to North Korea's threats, South Korea and the US will continue to expand combined exercises and strengthen the level of cooperation of the South Korea-US alliance," the ministry said.

Registration begins for Amarnath Yatra 2025, pilgrims queue up at 540 bank branches

Registration begins for Amarnath Yatra 2025, pilgrims queue up at 540 bank branches

Registration of Yatris for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra began on Tuesday, with pilgrims registering themselves online through the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) website. Offline registrations have also started at over 540 authorized bank branches across the country.

The dates for the yatra were announced by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on March 5 during the 48th Board meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) held at Raj Bhawan in Jammu.

The board proposed various measures and interventions to further improve the facilities and services for the devotees.

The 38-day pilgrimage is set to begin from July 3, from two routes -- the 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the other 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, which is shorter but steeper.

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