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Israel welcomes Somaliland president in ‘historic’ visitNewsFeedIsrael hosted Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi on a landmark visit to Jerusalem after recognising Somaliland as an independent state in December. The breakaway region of Somalia has tried to expand its diplomatic ties to strengthen its claim of independence.Published On 14 Jun 2026
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday (May 22, 2026) | Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR HYDERABADWorking president of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) K.T. Rama Rao has demanded that the Telangana Government publish a white paper on the procurement of all Rabi crops made this year so far. He alleged that not even 35% of the total paddy produced has been procured so far, though the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy claimed 80% was procured.“We were expecting that the government would hold a review meeting on the paddy procurement, on farmers who died while waiting at the procurement centres, on the heaps of the produce due to heatwave conditions, heart attack and distress”, he said addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Friday (May 21, 2026). He claimed that over 10 farmers have died so far.Reiterating some details, he stated that Md. Naseeruddin had collapsed on his paddy heap at the procurement centre following heart failure at Nakrekal in Nalgonda district; four farmers died in Mancherial district, Venkateshwarlu in Nekkonda, Warangal, district and Shravan Kumar ended life due to long delay in procurement at Kolcharam in Medak district.A Congress activist Ponnala Tirumalesh who was waiting for sale of 200 bags of paddy at a procurement centre for long staged a half-naked protest. Farmers protested in Doultabad mandal of Kodangal constitutency.The BRS leader pointed out that shortage of gunny sacks forced the farmers to buy bags on their own by sparing ₹25 to ₹35 per bag, paying waiting charges of ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 per day for tractors and lorries for delays in unloading paddy at procurement centres. He accused the government of wilfully delaying procurement so that farmers could resort to distress sale at much lesser price.Further, he noted that 6 kg to 8 kg was being deducted for every 100 kg of paddy in the name of chaff and other wastage. He asked the government to show 80% procurement anywhere and if that is proven, BRS would apologise openly. The farmers were also being made to take tarpaulin sheets on hire to protect paddy from unseasonal rains.He demanded that the government procure discoloured and germinated paddy without any restrictions. He alleged that both the Chief Minister and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy were misleading farmers and people on procurement and demanded ₹25 lakh ex-gratia payment each to all farmers who died due to delays in procurement.On the POCSO case registered against Union Minister Bandi Sanjay’s son Bandi Bageerath, he sought to know who hid the accused for nine days. Published - May 22, 2026 01:08 pm IST
Efforts to end the conflict between the U.S. and Iran appeared to lose momentum on Friday as both sides exchanged fire in the Gulf, while a U.S. intelligence assessment reportedly concluded that Tehran could endure a naval blockade for several months, as reported by Reuters.A CIA assessment indicated that Iran would not suffer severe economic pressure from a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports for about another four months, as reported by Reuters, citing a US official familiar with the matter, suggesting that US leverage over Tehran remains limited as the two sides seek to end a conflict that has been unpopular with US voters.The Washington Post first reported the assessment.People also askAI powered insights from this story•5 QUESTIONSA CIA assessment reportedly concluded that Iran could endure a US naval blockade for about another four months without suffering severe economic pressure.Iran has introduced a new regulatory system requiring commercial ships to provide detailed information through a 40-question declaration and secure a transit permit before passing through the Strait of Hormuz.The US military fired on and disabled two Iranian oil tankers that were attempting to enter an Iranian port in violation of the US blockade.The Strait of Hormuz is a critical energy transit route, with vessels transporting nearly one-fifth of the world's oil passing through it daily.The US intensified sanctions on individuals and companies for aiding Iran's military in securing weapons and raw materials for its drones, aiming to pressure Tehran's military industrial base.A senior intelligence official called the “claims” about the CIA analysis “false,” saying the blockade “is inflicting real, compounding damage - severing trade, crushing revenue, and accelerating systemic economic collapse.”The past few days have witnessed the most intense clashes in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire took effect a month ago, with the United Arab Emirates once again coming under attack on Friday.At the same time, Washington is awaiting Tehran’s response to a U.S. proposal aimed at formally ending the war before moving on to negotiations over more contentious matters, including Iran’s nuclear programme.“We should know something today,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Rome earlier in the day. “We're expecting a response from them.”Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson said Tehran was still weighing its response, and none was reported by mid-afternoon in Washington, just before midnight in Tehran, Reuters reported.Sporadic clashes in Strait of HormuzMeanwhile, intermittent clashes between Iranian forces and U.S. naval vessels were reported in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. Later, Tasnim News Agency quoted an Iranian military source as saying that the situation had eased, although it warned that further confrontations could still occur.The U.S. military said it had targeted two Iran-linked vessels attempting to reach an Iranian port, with an American fighter jet striking their smokestacks and forcing the ships to turn back.Iran has largely restricted non-Iranian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict erupted following joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes across Iran on February 28. Last month, the United States also imposed a blockade on Iranian vessels.Amid the escalating tensions, oil prices moved higher, with Brent crude futures trading above $101 per barrel, although prices remained more than 6% lower for the weekTrump said on Thursday the ceasefire was still holding despite the flare-ups in the strait, which before the war handled one-fifth of the world's oil supply.The confrontation extended beyond the waterway. The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses engaged with two ballistic missiles and three drones from Iran on Friday, with three people sustaining moderate injuries.During the war, Iran has repeatedly targeted the UAE and other Gulf states that host U.S. militar
Even as Iran tightens its grip on global energy flows by controlling the Strait of Hormuz, its own oil sector is under mounting pressure from a US naval blockade. With no way to export the oil it is pumping out and diminishing storage space at home, Iran may be forced to dramatically reduce or cease production from some of its wells, perhaps as soon as two weeks, AP reported, quoting experts.The situation may not be as difficult as US President Donald Trump recently suggested, when he warned that pipelines could...
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