Nationwide, over 12.4 lakh chemists are set to strike on May 20, protesting online medicine sales and deep discounts. The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists highlights patient safety concerns, citing unregulated sales and potential misuse of prescriptions. They demand the withdrawal of specific government relaxations, fearing the impact on local pharmacies and healthcare access.

Congress leadership is nearing a decision to end Kerala's week-long Chief Minister deadlock after internal party discussions. Senior leaders, including Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, are expected to finalize the successor to the Left Front's decade-long rule. The prolonged uncertainty has somewhat dulled the UDF's election victory, with three prominent figures vying for the top post.

Rahul Gandhi registered a strong dissent against the CBI director selection process, calling it a «biased exercise» and a «mere formality.» He alleged the government denied him crucial information, including candidate appraisal reports, preventing a meaningful role. Gandhi stated he would not be a «rubber stamp» and boycotted the meeting.

Responding to Pakistan's warning, Indian Navy chief-designate Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan stated that India is prepared to counter any «misadventure» from across the border, emphasizing that such actions originate from there. He highlighted India's stance against terrorism, particularly from foreign soil, and underscored the Indian Navy's role as the guardian of the increasingly contested Indo-Pacific maritime domain.

RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale stated that every Hindu voter became a Hindu worker in West Bengal, viewing the assembly polls as a civilisational question. He emphasized that the organization faced hurdles and attacks due to its work for Hindus. Hosabale also advocated for people-to-people contact to improve India-Pakistan ties and dismissed calls to eradicate Sanatan Dharma.

Iran still maintains operational access to most of its missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, according to the New York Times Read Full Article at RT.com

Exam nixed for 1st time since NTA took over in 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has significantly reduced his motorcade size, aiming to inspire austerity across the government. The Special Protection Group is implementing this directive, cutting convoy vehicles by half while maintaining security standards. This move, coupled with the PM's call for reduced fuel and gold consumption, signals a broader push for cost-saving measures within ministries and departments.

Public sector oil companies are facing daily losses of Rs 1,000 crore, potentially forcing fuel price hikes soon. Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted significant under-recoveries, warning that companies cannot sustain these losses indefinitely. While elections are not the reason for the freeze, a drop in crude prices or reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could offer relief.

Donald Trump’s previous Beijing trip occurred in 2017

Milorad Dodik also denied weapons from Republika Srpska are in Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister will also likely discuss the Ukraine situation and settlement prospects

Joseph Aoun said he will cooperate with the international community to protect Lebanon's sovereignty and ensure complete Israeli troop withdrawal

14 people were injured

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was met with boos and mockery as he pitched welfare cut plans to trade union delegates Read Full Article at RT.com

US President Donald Trump has not ruled out a possible Russia visit this year, indicating he remains hopeful on settling Ukraine conflict Read Full Article at RT.com

The Strait of Hormuz crisis has changed the calculations of every major power Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukrainians file nearly 12,000 complaints over mobilization Read Full Article at RT.com

The FBI director offered a brash defense to questions centering on a recent news report alleging that his “excessive drinking” impaired his ability to do the job.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will join the men's national team at the world championship in Switzerland, his NHL club and Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.

Three Dawson Creek residents have received national honours for saving their friend and mother during a bear attack near the northeast B.C. city in 2022.

A wildfire threatening homes near Whitecourt continues to rage a few kilometres southeast of the northern Alberta town.

All 11 teachers who were suspended in 2024 for allegedly fostering a toxic climate at a Montreal school have had their licences revoked. Quebec's Ministry of Education released the final report by two interveners tasked with monitoring the situation at the Bedford elementary school and producing an action plan.

The 21st Livestock Census report's release has been postponed to after June due to technical issues in data compilation and validation. This quinquennial exercise, which concluded its data collection in February last year, aims to provide crucial updated figures on livestock and poultry populations for policy decisions.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Enforcement Directorate's plea to cancel the bail of alleged coal smuggling kingpin Anup Majee. While issuing a notice, the court noted the ED's prolonged investigation. Majee, accused in a Rs 2,700 crore scam, claims cooperation, but the ED highlights his accountant's absconding status and alleged payoffs.

Constitutional courts should be extremely reluctant to alter religious practices, a nine-judge Supreme Court bench cautioned. Only the will of the people, expressed through elected representatives in Parliament and assemblies, can bring about reforms in religious customs. The court emphasized that it's impossible to scrutinize every religious practice.

The India Meteorological Department has launched an AI-enabled monsoon forecasting system offering localized weather information up to four weeks in advance for farmers. A pilot service for Uttar Pradesh provides high-resolution rainfall forecasts at 1km resolution for up to 10 days, utilizing advanced AI and observational data.

A protracted property dispute between Sunjay Kapur's mother and wife has prompted the Supreme Court to appoint former CJI D Y Chandrachud as mediator. The apex court noted the legal battle's intensity, comparing it to the Mahabharat. A fresh plea alleges circumvention of a previous order, with the court set to hear the matter further.

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The Court of Appeal has temporarily suspended High Court conservatory orders that had blocked the implementation of a Kenya-US health cooperation framework, allowing the government to proceed with the programme pending determination of an ongoing appeal.

[allAfrica] When COP31 opens in Antalya, Türkiye, this November, you'll recognize the choreography immediately. I saw it all play out at COP29 in Baku: African ministers arrive with speeches about ambition, negotiators disappear into rooms with marked-up drafts, banners line the walkways outside, and climate slogans sound urgent. Ten days later, the summit ends and the final communiqué again calls for solidarity and a renewed pledge to keep 1.5°C alive.

[Dabanga] Khartoum / Omdurman / El Obeid / El Goz Locality / -- Sudan's worsening humanitarian crisis deepened sharply on Tuesday as the United Nations warned that drone warfare, artillery shelling, fires in displacement camps, and intercommunal violence are driving the country towards an even bloodier phase of conflict.