Iron-rich rice, protein wheat and fortified millets are part of solution to India’s problem hidden hungerNEW DELHI: With nearly 67 per cent of Indian children and more than half of women suffering from anemia, Indian agricultural scientists have developed 203 biofortified crop varieties rich in iron, zinc, protein and vitamins in an attempt to combat malnutrition through daily staple food.The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) said in a new report released this year that nutrient-rich varieties developed between 2014 and 2025 include iron-rich rice, protein-rich wheat, zinc-rich maize and fortified millet, aiming to improve nutrition without requiring people to change their eating habits.The report cited data showing that 67.1% of children aged 6-59 months and more than 57% of women aged 15-49 years in India are anemic, while the country still faces a severe burden of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. India also faces widespread “hidden hunger” due to lack of essential micronutrients such as iron and zinc, the report said.The publication, Biofortified Crop Varieties: A Sustainable Way to Alleviate Malnutrition, states that these crops are developed through traditional and molecular breeding methods to naturally increase nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, protein and vitamin A.ICAR said India has so far developed 70 biofortified wheat varieties, 43 maize varieties, 18 pearl millet varieties and 16 rice varieties, as well as nutrient-rich pulses, oil seeds, vegetables and fruits.Launched by Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the SEHAT (Science Excellence in Health through Agricultural Transformation) mission, ICMR and ICAR seek to link agriculture with nutrition and disease prevention and promote the development of nutrient-rich crops.The report argues that biofortified crops could provide a low-cost and sustainable alternative to supplements and food fortification programs because nutrients are provided through the foods people eat on a daily basis.ICAR Director General ML Jat said dietary risks currently account for 54.6% of India’s disease burden and stressed the need to increase the nutritional sensitivity of the country’s agri-food system.Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said India’s foodgrain production will reach a record 357.7 million tonnes in 2024-25, but added that improving nutritional quality was equally important for food security.
A US museum displays a sari worn by Indian scientist Nandini Harinath. who is she?
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is known for its collection of iconic aircraft and space artifacts, but its latest exhibit is something very different. Suspended among the high-tech gears of space history is a humble sari. Although it never left Earth’s atmosphere, the women who wore it helped India reach another planet. This dress belongs to Nandini Harinath, she is a Indian Space Research OrganizationThe legendary “rocket women” whose leadership played a vital role in India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan).
Who is Nandini Harinat?
She was born and raised in India, the daughter of a math teacher mother and an engineer father. Before joining ISRO, she completed her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in engineering.
In her career of more than 20 years, she has supported more than 14 missions at the Indian Space Agency. Of her mission, she once told Condé Nast Traveler, “Every job you do feels like it’s the most important.”
However, Mars The mission is very different from others. The space scientist recalled, “But Mangalyan was special because there were so many people watching our event. It felt great to be recognized for your expertise and abilities. The Prime Minister shook our hands. NASA congratulated us; they are now working with us. But it’s not just industry, it’s the wider public, institutions, schools – they’re all really interested! They’re even following it on social media.”
In a 2025 interview, Nandini Harinath recalled how her fascination with space began by watching a popular TV series. “There was a very popular series on television called Star Trek,” she recalled while speaking at ET Enterprise AI’s 2025 Artificial Intelligence Jobs Summit. bangalore.
She added: “My whole family are absolute fans and we never miss an episode. Another movie I love watching over and over again is Apollo 13. Those stories of exploration and teamwork have always stayed with me.”
Why saree?
“Nandini Harinath, one of India’s ‘Rocketwomen’, helped her country land on Mars. She wore this dress saree “Work begins the day the Indian Space Research Organization’s spacecraft successfully leaves Earth’s orbit and begins a 300-day journey to Mars,” the Smithsonian wrote in an Instagram post.
The share also read: “As a rocket scientist and deputy director of operations for the Mars Orbiter mission, Harinat was an integral part of mission planning and operations. The spacecraft spent eight years in orbit, documenting the Martian surface and atmosphere well beyond its six-to-ten-month mission.”
It added, “The team’s success makes India the first Asian country and the fourth country in the world to reach Mars. The sarees worn by the female leaders of the mission symbolize their national identity and India’s success in space.”
The museum shared a video and photo of a “mannequin wearing a vibrant red and blue saree with intricate patterns.”
“The saree consists of a blue blouse and red and blue draped fabric with detailed designs.”
What is a Mars Orbiter Mission?
This is ISRO’s first interplanetary mission. On November 5, 2013, a spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
The goal of MOM, also known as the Mangalian mission, “is to test key technologies for interplanetary exploration and study the Martian surface and atmosphere from orbit using its five science instruments.”
‘Very sensitive to criticism’: Manjrekar reveals big story about Virat Kohli
New Delhi: One of the greatest batsmen of all time, Virat Kohlimay often say he ignores the noise outside, but the former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar Trust the star batsman to pay close attention to the criticism leveled at him.Speaking on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast, Manjrekar said that Kohli, who is currently playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), sometimes becomes “cold” towards him after hearing negative comments about his performance.
According to Manjrekar, Kohli is “very sensitive to criticism” and usually understands “what people think about him”.“So he was one of the first people who kept saying, you know, we don’t care what people say… but he was also very sensitive,” Manjrekar said. He added that the criticism might actually motivate Kohli and said it could “motivate him to get his next hundred”.Kohli spent the 2026 IPL season in a hybrid format with Royal Challengers Bangalore. He started strong but has had back-to-back starts against Lucknow Supergiants and Mumbai Indians recently.Manjrekar also praised Kohli’s leadership in Test cricket, calling him one of India’s greatest captains. He explained how Kohli maintained high energy levels despite the difficult situations faced by the bowlers. “The best thing about him as captain is that when things are going well… he still makes sure the team has momentum,” Manjrekar said.He also spoke about Kohli’s positive influence on his teammates and added: “Under Virat Kohli, every player has to be like Virat Kohli.” Kohli retired from Test cricket last year ahead of India’s tour of England.
Keir Starmer vows to bring UK closer to EU amid calls for Brexit
LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged on Monday to prove “doubters” wrong within his party and across the electorate as he sought to resist calls to step down after Labour’s local election results were undermined.Starmer said he would “face big challenges head-on” and restore hope to the country, in part by working with European UnionSix years after Britain’s acrimonious Brexit. “I know there are people who doubt me and I know I need to prove them wrong and I will,” Starmer said in a speech in London. He said Labor was “fighting for the soul of our country” and warned the country would be on “a dark path” if the anti-immigration party Reform Britain, led by Nigel Farage, came to power. Labor MP Catherine West has vowed to postpone the speech if it does not mark a major turning point, although she urged Starmer to resign before September. Dozens of other lawmakers also urged him to announce a departure date. Starmer hopes to regain momentum with an ambitious package of legislation set out in Monday’s speech and King Charles III’s speech at the opening of parliament on Wednesday. He announced plans to nationalize the remaining assets of the once-mighty British Steel Corporation, a move that could save some industrial jobs in areas where working-class voters have deserted Britain’s Reform Labor Party. Starmer also promised to put the UK “at the center of Europe” and build closer ties with the 27-nation EU. Farage is leading the movement Brexit campaign to oppose any move closer to the EU. ap
INICET candidates report portal crash and test center remoteness
NEW DELHI: Thousands of postgraduate medical students appearing for the Institutes of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI-CET) in May 2026 said admit card admission and allotment of exam centers hundreds of kilometers away are being delayed, just a week away from the May 16 exam.The admission tickets for the AIIMS exam in Delhi were released around 3 pm on May 9, but candidates said the website slowed down or crashed soon, leaving many unable to download their venue tickets for nearly 9 to 10 hours. Some students said they could only access the portal after midnight, prompting a flood of complaints on social media.“You charged Rs 4,000 for the application form and still the website crashed for hours,” Dr Aman Kumar (@manish__aman) tweeted.According to AIIMS officials, heavy traffic due to simultaneous logins temporarily slowed down the portal. “If a billion people visit any website at the same time, it may slow down or crash. This happens for many exams, including NEET. The website is now functioning well and candidates have been able to download their admit cards,” officials said.Candidates also marked the allotment of remote examination centres. Applicants from large states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan said they were allotted centers 500 to 800 kilometers away as INI-CET collects only preferences from states and not cities during registration.A candidate from Agra said she was posted in Varanasi, about 650 km away, while a candidate from Mumbai claimed she was based in Nanded, adding to travel costs and logistical difficulties. Students say traveling within states like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan can take 12 to 24 hours, and with a gap of seven days between issuance of admit cards and exams, there is little time to book trains or flights.“There are hundreds of such cases,” said a candidate, who urged AIIMS to review the center allotment process.Regarding complaints about remote centres, AIIMS officials said allotment depends on seat availability and preference pattern, adding that candidates are asked to fill state and not city preferences to prevent possible malpractice in allotment of centres. “Our effort is always to allot the nearest centers possible, but in large states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, some candidates may still opt for centers 500-800 km away if nearby seats are filled,” officials said.Dr. Naval K. Vikram, deputy director of examinations at AIIMS, Delhi, said that around 95,000 candidates have been granted first or second preference status and more than 1 lakh candidates will appear for the examination this year. As of Sunday, nearly 96,000 admission tickets had been downloaded, he said.INI-CET is held twice every year in May and November for admission to postgraduate courses at AIIMS and other nationally important institutions across the country.
California mayor admits to being Chinese agent; quits job
WASHINGTON: The mayor of Arcadia, California, has agreed to plead guilty to serving as an illegal agent for China, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Wang, who has resigned as mayor of Arcadia, is expected to plead guilty in Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks.
Wang, 58, and her then-fiancé Sun Yaoning are accused of promoting pro-China propaganda in the United States at the request of Chinese government officials, federal prosecutors announced Monday.
Mr Sun, 65, is currently serving a four-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in federal court last October.
In a related document, Wang agreed to plead guilty to a felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Wang was elected in November 2022 to the Arcadia City Council, a five-member governing body from which the mayor is elected on a rotating basis.
“Those in our country who covertly take orders from foreign governments undermine our democracy,” said Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
“This plea agreement is the latest in our determination to defend our homeland and oppose China’s corruption of our institutions,” Essaly said in a statement.
“By her own admission, Irene Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government,” said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.
“Let this be a clear warning: Individuals who influence our democracy on behalf of foreign governments will be identified, investigated and brought to justice,” Rozavsky said.
“Individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the American people they represent,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.
According to her plea agreement, from late 2020 to 2022, Wang and Sun worked to direct and control Chinese government officials to promote Beijing’s interests, including by promoting pro-People’s Republic of China propaganda in the United States.
Wang and Sun run the website American News Center, which claims to be a news source for the local Chinese-American community.
The two received and carried out instructions from Chinese government officials to post pro-China content on the website.
Wang admitted in her plea agreement that she failed to notify the attorney general that she was acting as a Chinese agent in the United States.
She also failed to disclose on her website that some of her content was posted at the direction of members of the Chinese government.
This article was generated from automated news agency feeds without modifications to the text.
Cricketer, 28, dies in horror car accident
England cricketer Jamie Spence has died in a car crash in New Zealand along with another man, French national Raphael Jean-Gabriel Roellinger. Jamie is 28 years old from Yorkshire. The accident occurred on April 29 near Kinliss, North Island, New Zealand.Jamie plays for local cricket club Hull Strikers, who describe him as one of the most energetic and enthusiastic members of the team. According to the Daily Mail, the club said in a heartfelt tribute: “Jamie has been a true member of the Strikers family from the start. He was our youngest but one of our most energetic, fun-loving and passionate souls on and off the pitch.”
They also remembered Jamie’s devotion to the club, saying: “His smile, his spirit and his love of the game brought life to our club.”Just days after his death, Hull Strikers still played a scheduled game against Hessle CC with just 10 players and won by seven points. The team dedicated their victory to Jamie.The club said the defeat left “a void that can never truly be filled”, adding: “He was more than just a player, he was one of the club’s biggest supporters, always bringing energy, passion and a smile that lifted everyone around him.”Jamie’s father Jon was in attendance for the match, which the club described as a special and emotional moment for everyone involved.The club concluded their tribute with touching words to their late teammate: “This victory was yours. There is no better tribute than giving everything as you always have. You will always be part of this team. Always a striker.”
Nazi-looted portrait found in Dutch SS leader’s home: art detective
The Hague: An artwork looted by the Nazis from the world-famous Goudstikker collection has surfaced among the family of a notorious Dutch SS collaborator, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand said on Monday.Brand said Dutch artist Thun Kelder’s “Portrait of a Young Girl” likely hung in the homes of Hendrik Seifert’s descendants for decades, calling it “the strangest case of my entire career.” The case is similar to a discovery that made global headlines in 2025 when an 18th-century Nazi-looted painting – also from the collection of the late Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker – appeared in a real estate ad in Argentina.In the Dutch case, Brand said he was approached by a man who had recently discovered two horrific secrets: He was a descendant of Seifert, and his family had been displaying looted art for years. The unnamed family member told Brand he saw the painting hanging in the hallway of the granddaughter of Seyffardt, who was assassinated by Dutch resistance fighters in 1943.Seifert was one of the Netherlands’ highest-ranking collaborators with the Nazis, commanding a Waffen-SS unit of Dutch volunteers on the Eastern Front. In 1943, the New York Times published news of his death on its front page and he was given a lavish Nazi state funeral in The Hague, complete with a wreath from Adolf Hitler. Brand said Seifert’s granddaughter told the family that the painting was “Jewish looted art, stolen from Goodstick. It cannot be sold. Don’t tell anyone. “But the family member wanted the story to go public and contacted Brand, who had made a name for himself by solving a number of high-profile art theft cases. The family member told The Telegraph Daily: “I am ashamed. The painting should be returned to Goodstick’s heirs.” The painting has a Goudstikker label on the reverse and the number 92 is engraved on the frame. Brand searched the archives of a 1940 auction where part of the looted Goudstikker collection was put up for sale and discovered item 92: Toon Kelder’s Portrait of a Young Girl.When Goudstikker fled to Britain in 1940, high-ranking Nazi official Hermann Goering looted his entire collection. Brand speculates that Dutch collaborator Seyffardt bought the painting at auction in 1940 and that it was passed down from generation to generation. Lawyers for the Goudstikker heirs confirmed to Brand that the painting had been stolen and demanded its return.Brand’s family was contacted in hopes of returning the painting to Goodstick’s heirs, but police were unable to do so because the statute of limitations for the theft had expired.The Dutch Restitution Commission, which advises on looted Nazi art, has also been hampered because it cannot compel individuals to return art. “The family member believes that public exposure is the only way to hope to return the painting to Goodstick’s heirs, where it rightfully belongs,” Brand said. AFP
Himanta Biswa Sarma will be sworn in as Assam Chief Minister for a second consecutive term today
New Delhi: Himanta Biswa Sarma sworn in Chief Minister of Assam On Tuesday, he became the first non-Congress leader in the state to achieve the feat.The swearing-in ceremony of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led UDF government in Assam for its third consecutive term will be held at 11:40 am at the Veterinary College Stadium in Kanapala.Prime Minister Narendra Modi The event is expected to be attended along with senior BJP leaders and Union ministers such as Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman and Sarbananda Sonowal. BJP national president Nitin Nabin and several NDA chief ministers and deputy chief ministers are also likely to attend.Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who formally appointed Sarma as chief minister on Sunday, will administer the oath of office and secrecy to him and the new council of ministers.Sarma, who first became chief minister in 2021, will now join the group of BJP leaders led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold the top job in his state continuously.
California mayor admits to being ‘China agent’: This is the maximum sentence she faces
former mayor of a city Los Angeles Suburban resigned after her case became public and agreed to plead guilty to serving as an unregistered foreign agent for China during her stay in the United States.
Aileen Wang accused of promoting Chinese propaganda and postings Chinese According to unsealed court documents, the government guidance purportedly admitted the charges, Bloomberg reported.
Which city is she mayor of?
Wang served as mayor of Arcadia, a city located northeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. She was elected to the City Council in 2022. But she resigned from the position after her case came to light.
“We can confirm that there was no involvement of city finances, staff or decision-making processes,” City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a statement.
What punishment might she face?
The 58-year-old man reportedly faces 10 years in prison. according to a statement us She will enter a plea in the coming weeks at a Los Angeles attorney’s office. She pleaded guilty Monday to serving as an unlawful agent of the People’s Republic of China.
What did she do?
The FBI accused her of running a news website and posting pro-China content on the site at the direction of officials in Beijing. The agency claims she continued this practice between 2020 and 2022.
The WeChat posts showed the articles she received and the reaction from Chinese officials after she posted them, according to the agency.
“All Americans should be wary of an elected official blatantly promoting propaganda on behalf of the Chinese government,” Patrick Grandy, assistant director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, told CBS News.
“this FBI Works to root out those who act at the behest of America’s adversaries and illegally act as agents of foreign governments. “
Did she do it alone?
Wang reportedly worked with another man, her then-fiancé named Yaoning “Mike” Sun. He pleaded guilty last October to promoting the scheme. He is currently serving a four-year sentence, according to a statement from the FBI.
According to Bloomberg, Roman Rozavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s counterintelligence and espionage division, said in a statement that “by her own admission, Irene Wang secretly serves the interests of the Chinese government.” “Let this be a clear warning: Individuals who influence our democracy on behalf of foreign governments will be identified, investigated and brought to justice.”
What did Wang Ailing say?
“She apologizes for the mistakes she has made in her personal life,” Wang’s attorneys, Brian A. Sun and Jason Liang, said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Her love and devotion to the Acadian community has not changed or wavered. She asks for the community’s understanding and continued support,” her attorney added.
Kashi Patel reacts:
FBI Director Kash Patel tweeted about the incident. “Mayor Erin Wang of Arcadia, California was charged with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China in the United States. Mayor Wang admitted that from at least 2020 to 2022, she served as a foreign agent to promote the People’s Republic of China in the United States and acted at the direction of the People’s Republic of China to further their interests. She has agreed to resign and plead guilty,” he wrote.
“The FBI and our federal partners continue to act aggressively to root out this impact on U.S. institutions across the country,” he added.