Manan Tandon

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Live Updates
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April 26, 19:16
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">PM Modi says Phase 2 has been 'Too Good"</h2>
In a tweet on the social media platform X, PM Modi wrote: "Phase Two has been too good! Gratitude to the people across India who have voted today. The unparalleled support for NDA is going to disappoint the Opposition even more. Voters want NDA&rsquo;s good governance. Youth and women voters are powering the strong NDA support."
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April 26, 18:57
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter Turnout in Phase 2</h2>
Voter turnout till 5 pm for phase 2 of #LokasabhaElection2024 Assam 70.66%
Bihar 53.03%&nbsp;
Chhattisgarh 72.13%
Jammu And Kashmir 67.22%
Karnataka 63.90%
Kerala 63.97%
Madhya Pradesh 54.83%
Maharashtra 53.51%
Manipur 76.06%
Rajasthan 59.19%
Tripura 77.53%
Uttar Pradesh 52.74%
West Bengal 71.84%
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April 26, 16:07
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter turnout till 3 pm</h2>
Assam 60.32% &nbsp; Bihar 44.24% &nbsp; Chhattisgarh 63.32% &nbsp; Jammu And Kashmir 57.76% &nbsp; Karnataka 50.93% &nbsp; Kerala 51.64% &nbsp; Madhya Pradesh 46.50% &nbsp; Maharashtra 43.01% &nbsp; Manipur 68.48% &nbsp; Rajasthan 50.27% &nbsp; Tripura 68.92% &nbsp; Uttar Pradesh 44.13% &nbsp; West Bengal 60.60%
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April 26, 14:32
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter turnout till 1 pm</h2>
Assam 46.31%, Bihar 33.80%, Chhattisgarh 53.09%, Jammu And Kashmir 42.88%, Karnataka 38.23%, Kerala 39.26%, Madhya Pradesh 38.96%, Maharashtra 31.77%, Manipur 54.26%, Rajasthan 40.39%, Tripura 54.47%, Uttar Pradesh 35.73%, West Bengal 47.29%
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April 26, 12:05
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter turnout by 11 am</h2>
Assam 27.43%,&nbsp; Bihar 21.68%, Chhattisgarh 35.47% ,Jammu And Kashmir 26.61% , Karnataka 22.34%,&nbsp; Kerala 25.61% , Madhya Pradesh 28.15%,&nbsp; Maharashtra 18.83% , Manipur 33.22% Rajasthan 26.84% ,Tripura 36.42% , Uttar Pradesh 24.31%,&nbsp; West Bengal 31.25%
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April 26, 12:00
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">26.61% Turnout in J&amp;K, 24.31% in UP by 11 am</h2>
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April 26, 11:22
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">SC dismisses all pleas seeking EVM verification</h2>
Supreme Court rejects all the petitions seeking 100 per cent verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
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April 26, 10:00
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Turnout from the South</h2>
Karnataka - 9.21% , Kerala - 11.98%
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April 26, 08:42
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter Turnout for JK, UP</h2>
Uttar Pradesh 11.67 %,&nbsp; 10.39% in J&amp;K
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April 26, 09:53
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter turnout-East</h2>
Assam - 9.71%,&nbsp; Bihar 9.84 %, Chhattisgarh 15.42%, Manipur 15.49%, Tripura 16.65%, West Bengal 15.68%
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April 26, 09:49
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Voter turnout in Rajasthan, MP and Maharashtra</h2>
MP - 13.82 % Maharashtra - 7.45 % Rajasthan - 11.77 %
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April 26, 08:42
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Sudha Murty says 'Don't sit at home"</h2>
Bengaluru: "Don't sit at home, come out and vote, it's your right.." says RS MP Sudha Murty after casting vote in Bengaluru
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April 26, 08:42
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Congress' Venugopal says: Kerala will show they are with Rahul Gandhi</h2>
Congress candidate from Kerala's Alappuzha constituency, KC Venugopal says, "I am confident that the people of Alleppey will stand with me. After phase one of the Lok Sabha elections, the PM is panicking. I thank the PM for bringing the Congress manifesto into the public domain in a big way. In Kerala, UDF will sweep all 20 seats People of Wayanad, Kerala will show that they are with Rahul Gandhi ."
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April 26, 08:42
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje exudes confidence in Party</h2>
BJP leader Vasundhara Raje says, "I feel, that with the kind of voting we are seeing this time, BJP will win again and Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister again. In this constituency, our candidate Dushyant Singh has received good support and he will have a historic win."
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April 26, 08:42
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">FM Sitharaman : People want a stable govt, so they want PM Modi to continue.</h2>
Bengaluru: Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "... I want more and more people to come out and vote...I think it is clear that people want a stable government, they want good policies, progress and development and that is why they are coming out. They want to see PM Modi continue his term ..."
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April 26, 08:35
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">PM urges higher voter turnout</h2>
"Urging everyone in constituencies voting today, in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, to participate in record numbers. A high voter turnout strengthens our democracy. I especially urge our young voters and women voters to turn out in great numbers. Your vote is your voice!" the prime minister said on X.
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April 26, 08:35
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">CEC urges citizens to vote</h2>
Festival of democracy is country&rsquo;s pride, voters must participate in large numbers: CEC Rajiv Kumar
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April 26, 07:08
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Polling begins on 88 seats across the nation.</h2>
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April 25, 21:33
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<h2 class="timeline-heading">Polling to begin across 88 constituencies at 7 am.</h2>
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New Delhi

Live

Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2:  Estimated 66.5% turnout across the nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday slammed the TMC over the cancellation of around 26,000 jobs following a high court, stating that the youths of West Bengal have suffered due to the&nbsp;"cut-and-commission"&nbsp;culture of the party, which is now&nbsp;"synonymous with scams".
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Addressing an election rally in Malda, the PM highlighted that the youths, who had taken loans to pay bribes to TMC leaders, are burdened by this situation.
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"The TMC indulges in scams for which the&nbsp;people of the state&nbsp;have to suffer. The party has been playing with the future of the youths of Bengal,"&nbsp;he said.
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"The teacher recruitment scam snatched the livelihood of around 26,000 families,"&nbsp;he said.
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Earlier this week, the Calcutta High Court declared the&nbsp;recruitment process of the&nbsp;State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as&nbsp;"null and void,"&nbsp;ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.
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"Under TMC rule, only one thing exists - scams totalling thousands of crores. The culprit is TMC, but the entire state&nbsp;is forced&nbsp;to pay for its deception,"&nbsp;he said.
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Hitting out at the Congress and the TMC for spreading canards about CAA, Modi said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act&nbsp;"is about granting citizenship and not snatching it." 
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"There is a competition of appeasement going on between these two parties. The Congress wants to grab your property, and the TMC is not uttering even a single word against this. The state government is working to settle Bangladeshi infiltrators in Bengal, and the Congress is talking about distributing your wealth among those,"&nbsp;he said.
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He further added that&nbsp;&lsquo;Nothing can happen in Bengal without corruption&rsquo;.&nbsp;
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The Prime Minister asserted that the TMC has regularly played with the future of&nbsp;Bengal&rsquo;s youth.

Kolkata

PM Modi slams TMC's 'cut-and-commission' culture, says Bengal's youth suffering

Polling has commenced for 13 Lok Sabha seats and one Assembly constituency in Rajasthan, marking the final phase of voting in the state.
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The voting process, which began at 7 am, covers regions such as Barmer-Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Chittorgarh, Banswara, Kota-Bundi, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Kota, Jhalawar-Baran, and Bagidora Assembly constituency.
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Around 2.8 crore eligible voters are expected to participate in this phase, which will continue until 6 pm. This phase follows the initial polling for 12 seats on April 19.
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Bagidora Assembly seat in Banswara, where a bypoll is underway, is also part of this phase, triggered by the switch of Congress MLA Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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To ensure the smooth conduct of elections, over 1.72 lakh personnel have been deployed on election duty, along with 82,487 security personnel, including police, home guards, forest guards, and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary jawans. Additionally, 175 companies of central police forces have been enlisted for security measures.
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After a modest voter turnout of 58.28 per cent in the first phase, leaders have been urging citizens to come out in large numbers for this phase. The voter turnout in 2019 stood at 64.02 per cent. The election campaign intensified during this phase, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeting the Congress in his rallies.
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In Banswara, Modi criticised the Congress, labelling it as a party of "urban Naxals" and alleging its intentions to redistribute wealth among Muslims if it comes to power.
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He further accused the opposition of planning to divert resources meant for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes to Muslims, contrary to constitutional principles. Such rhetoric has set the tone for a charged electoral atmosphere as Rajasthan approaches the conclusion of its polling process.
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Jaipur

Final phase: Rajasthan polls begin for remaining 13 Parliamentary constituencies

Ansh Mavani

In preparation for the Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress Party has unveiled its candidate lineup for Haryana, with Kumari Selja and Deepender Singh Hooda leading the charge from Sirsa and Rohtak, respectively. Mahendra Pratap and Varun Choudhary are set to contest from Faridabad and Ambala.
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Jai Prakash, Divyanshu Budhiraja, Satpal Brahmachari, and Rao Dan Singh are among the other candidates chosen by the Congress for Hisar, Karnal, Sonipat, and Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituencies.
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The electoral battle for the 10 parliamentary seats of Haryana is scheduled for a single-phase showdown on May 25. In a bid to maximise voter turnout, Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer, Anurag Aggarwal, has embarked on a unique initiative.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री <a href="https://twitter.com/kharge?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kharge</a> की अध्यक्षता में आयोजित 'केंद्रीय चुनाव समिति' की बैठक में लोकसभा चुनाव, 2024 के लिए हरियाणा के कांग्रेस उम्मीदवारों की लिस्ट। <a href="https://t.co/gs5IyLDNJZ">pic.twitter.com/gs5IyLDNJZ</a>
&mdash; Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/1783555331496505734?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Invitation letters akin to wedding invites are being dispatched to voters, urging them to exercise their franchise.
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The initiative aims to elevate voter participation to 75%, with booth-level officers extending warm welcomes to voters akin to wedding ceremonies. Voting in Haryana is slated for May 25, coinciding with the sixth phase of polling nationwide, with election notifications set to be issued on April 29.
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Reflecting on past elections, the BJP emerged victorious in all 10 seats in Haryana during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the preceding 2014 elections, the BJP secured 7 seats, while the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress clinched 2 and 1 seat, respectively.
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As the electoral process unfolds, the first phase of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha elections commenced recently across 108 parliamentary constituencies spanning 21 states and Union Territories. The subsequent round of voting is slated for April 26, with the eagerly anticipated results to be unveiled on June 4.

Chandigarh

Congress lists 8 Candidates in Haryana for Lok Sabha showdown

Deepan

Polling began at 7 am on Friday for three constituencies in northern West Bengal as part of the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, according to officials.
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The polling, covering Darjeeling, Balurghat, and Raiganj constituencies,&nbsp;is scheduled to&nbsp;continue until 6 pm. A total of 47 candidates, including state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, are vying for the three seats, with 51.17 lakh eligible voters poised to determine their fate.
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Across the three constituencies, 5,298 polling stations have been established, with Darjeeling having 1,999, Raiganj 1,730, and Balurghat 1,569, officials stated.
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Security arrangements are robust, with 272 companies, equating to 27,200 personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), deployed alongside 12,983 state police personnel for this phase of elections.
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In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured victory in all three seats. Incumbents Sukanta Majumdar and Raju Bista, seeking re-election from Balurghat and Darjeeling&nbsp;respectively, face contenders from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Congress.
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Debasree Chaudhuri, who previously won the Raiganj seat for the BJP, has been fielded as a candidate for Kolkata Dakshin.&nbsp;
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In her place, the BJP has nominated Kartick Paul, who will compete against candidates from the TMC and Congress.
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The electoral landscape presents high-stakes battles, with Majumdar facing off against TMC's Biplab Mitra in&nbsp;Balurghat,&nbsp;and Bista challenged by TMC's Gopal Lama and Congress's Munish Tamang in Darjeeling.
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West Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha seats&nbsp;are scheduled&nbsp;to vote in seven phases, with the first phase for three seats conducted on April 19.

Darjeeling

Voting begins for 3 Lok Sabha constituencies in north Bengal

Ayesha Banerjee

Polling started at 7 am in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka and will continue till 6 pm, a senior official said.
 The fate of 50 candidates is being decided for five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar as polling began amid tight security on Friday morning.
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Heatwave conditions were a concern, with temperatures rising above 40 degrees C, so arrangements for tents and drinking water had been made at the polling centres, a senior official &nbsp;said.&nbsp;
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Polling started at 7 am in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka and will continue till 6 pm, he added.
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Over 93 lakh voters, including 45.15 lakh women and 306 belonging to the third gender, will decide the fate of 50 nominees, including three women, in these five seats.
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Young voters form more than one-third of the electorate, with 13.77 lakh in the age group of 18-19 years and another 20.86 lakh aged between 20 and 29 years.
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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), a BJP ally, is contesting all the five seats, including Kishanganj, which it seeks to wrest from the Congress, while its MPs in the remaining four constituencies are trying to retain their turf.
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More than 150 companies of paramilitary forces are assisting the local police in ensuring free and fair polls, the official said.
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Patna

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Polling for five seats begins in Bihar

Google is marking the biggest celebration of democracy on the planet with a doodle of the inked finger, visible across the country on April 19, when phase-1 of the Lok Sabha elections begins.
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Click on the icon and you will be taken to all the top international and Indian websites covering election news, interactive maps and more.
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In this phase17 states and four Union Territories will go to polls covering 102 constituencies.&nbsp; About 16.63 crore voters will exercise their franchise In 1.87 lakh polling stations. Among them, 8.4 crore are men, 8.23 crore are women and 11,371 are third gender electors.&nbsp;
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Over the next six phases, the election process will continue until June 1 with 97 crore voters expected to exercise their democratic right.
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The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
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Over 18 lakh polling officials will be on duty to ensure a smooth voting process.
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It's voting day today: Google has the doodle for you

A day before the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Thursday highlighted the importance of voting, while reminding the people to use their vote, saying there have been instances when one vote has mattered in a critical contest.
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Elections are the most beautiful expression of India's democracy and there is "nothing like voting", CEC said in a video message.&nbsp;
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In view of the heatwave, Kumar said people must take all precautions. "But I know the spirit of the Indian voter will beat the summer heat," he said.&nbsp;
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"In our great democracy, elections belong to you, the choice belongs to you... you are deciding the government. You are doing it for your sake, for your family and children, for your village or town and, of course, for the country," he said.&nbsp;
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Mark your calendars! 🗓 Save the date: Polling in Phase-I of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Elections2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Elections2024</a> is Tomorrow i.e. April 19th Make your voice heard✨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChunavKaParv?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChunavKaParv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeshKaGarv?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeshKaGarv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IVote4Sure?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IVote4Sure</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ECI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ECI</a> <a href="https://t.co/lolt0LAFKc">pic.twitter.com/lolt0LAFKc</a>
&mdash; Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ECISVEEP/status/1780926909091856413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
"I call upon the youth to lead a revolution in electoral participation," the chief election commissioner said as he urged people to cast their ballot.
He reminded people that they should never underestimate the power of "your one vote". There are many instances when one vote has mattered in a critical contest, Kumar said.
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The 2024 Lok Sabha polls will kick off on Friday with polling for the first phase scheduled in 102 seats spread across 21 states and Union territories Simultaneously, assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats) will also be held.
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More than 16.63 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase.
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Voters include 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women, and 11,371 from the third gender. There are as many as 35.67 lakh first-time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
मुख्य निर्वाचन आयुक्त राजीव कुमार ने <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B52024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#आमचुनाव2024</a> के पहले चरण के मतदान दिवस की पूर्व संध्या पर देश के ~97 करोड़ मतदाताओं को दिया संदेश। अपना वोट डालें और <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#चुनावकापर्व</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#देशकागर्व</a> के उत्सव में शामिल हों। पूरा वीडियो यहां देखें 👉 <a href="https://t.co/K2MLr829mD">https://t.co/K2MLr829mD</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IVote4Sure?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IVote4Sure</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ECI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ECI</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gr1hphqNSS">pic.twitter.com/Gr1hphqNSS</a>
&mdash; Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ECISVEEP/status/1780921285041639904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Elections belong to you, you're deciding govt: CEC highlights importance of vote

Jyoti Amge, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's shortest woman, exercised her right to vote at a polling booth in Nagpur.
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Amid the fervor of the ongoing elections in Maharashtra, Amge made her mark not just as a record-holder but as a conscientious citizen.
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The polling day witnessed enthusiastic participation across five constituencies in Maharashtra, with voters queuing up since the early hours. Among them was Amge, whose presence at the polling booth garnered attention and admiration.
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VIDEO | &ldquo;I have voted today with my entire family. I want to appeal to every voter to cast vote as well as it&rsquo;s our duty,&rdquo; says Jyoti Amge, the world's shortest woman, after casting her vote in Nagpur, Maharashtra.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSPolls2024WithPTI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSPolls2024WithPTI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabhaElections2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabhaElections2024</a> (Full video&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/NFBr5rpR0h">pic.twitter.com/NFBr5rpR0h</a>
&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1781164446078918744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Following her vote, Amge took a moment to urge fellow citizens to fulfill their democratic duty. In a statement, she emphasized, "I voted today with my entire family. I want to appeal to every voter to cast their vote as well, as it's our duty."
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Nagpur

World's shortest woman Jyoti Amge cast her vote in Nagpur

Polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections is set to take place on Friday in which more than 1,600 candidates, including eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and an ex-governor will test their electoral fate.
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As many as 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union territories will go to polls in the first phase which is also the largest of the seven phases of the elections.
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Separately, voting will also be held for 92 assembly seats in the state elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday.
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Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively. The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them.
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<img src="https://api.newsarenaindia.com//uploads/whatsapp-image-20240418-at-62138-pmjpeg_1713444843356.jpeg" width="699" height="674">
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Voting will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm, though the closure of poll timings differs in some seats.
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The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations where over 16.63 crore voters will exercise their franchise.
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Read: <a title="LS polls 2024: A list of key constituencies, notable candidates" href="https://newsarenaindia.com/election-2024/lok-sabha-elections-2024-a-list-of-key-constituencies-notable-candidates/8668">LS polls 2024: A list of key constituencies, notable candidates</a>
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Voters include 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women and 11,371 third gender. There are as many as 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years.
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A total of 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly one lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel, the poll panel pointed out.
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Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations.
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Additionally, 361 observers -- 127 general, 67 police and 167 expenditure observers -- have already reached their constituencies days before the polls. They will serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission. Special observers have also been deployed in certain states.
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Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has been leading the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections for the past two years. He had led a conference of state chief electoral officers at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration.
&nbsp;
Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan.
&nbsp;
Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency.
&nbsp;
Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara.
&nbsp;
Of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase will see a high-voltage clash between former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.
&nbsp;
Aiming to enhance voter turnout, ahead of the polling, the poll panel had also organised a conference on low voter turnout with focus on parliamentary constituencies with a history of low poll participation in previous elections.
&nbsp;
Polling for the 543 seats for electing the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases. The votes will be counted on June 4.&nbsp;

Over 16.63 crore to vote in first phase for 102 constituencies on April 19

Lok Sabha Phase 2

Manipur's fragile peace was shattered once more on Thursday by a brazen bank robbery in Churachandpur district.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Around 2 pm, four unidentified armed men, their faces obscured by masks and helmets, stormed into the State Bank of India's Salbung branch in the Tuibong area.
&nbsp;
Eyewitnesses reported the assailants fleeing towards Kangvai after making off with an estimated Rs 20 lakh in cash.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The exact amount is yet to be confirmed by authorities. A search operation is underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
&nbsp;
This incident marks the fourth bank robbery in Manipur since the outbreak of ethnic violence last year.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The state, still grappling with deep-rooted tensions, now faces a growing concern over financial security.
&nbsp;
Churachandpur itself has borne the brunt of several such attacks.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
In September 2020, another SBI branch in the district fell victim to a Rs 1.15 crore heist. More recently, in July 2023, an Axis Bank branch located at the junction of Teddim and Thangzam roads was targeted.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This meticulously planned robbery saw over Rs 1 crore in cash and a significant amount of gold vanish, with the entry point inexplicably left untouched.
&nbsp;
The most audacious robbery, however, occurred in November 2023, when at least 10 armed men stormed a Punjab National Bank (PNB) branch in Ukhrul headquarters. 
&nbsp;
This heist, captured entirely on CCTV, involved a staggering Rs 18.85 lakh stolen.
&nbsp;
Furthermore, a Punjab National Bank branch in Ukhrul headquarters fell victim to a robbery in November 2023, with Rs 18.85 lakhs allegedly stolen by a group of armed men.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The entire incident was captured on CCTV, highlighting the audacity of the perpetrators in executing one of the largest bank heists in the state's history.

Imphal

Armed men rob SBI branch in Manipur's Churachandpur

Vats Ambardar

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu rebutted the charge of BJP about former Union Minister, Anand Sharma being an &lsquo;outsider&rsquo; in the Kangra Parliamentary constituency and asked if Prime Minister, Narendra Modi can leave Gujarat and contest from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, why can&rsquo;t the senior Congress leader contest from Kangra in his home state.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Anand Sharma is from Himachal Pradesh and the entire state is his home,&rdquo; Sukhu told reporters.
&nbsp;
He said it was good that senior Congress leader Anand Sharma has got a Lok Sabha ticket from Kangra.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;He has a good understanding of national and international issues and is a face recognised at the national level. He can raise issues in the Parliament effectively, and this will benefit Kangra and the entire Himachal,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Sukhu said when Anand Sharma was Commerce and Industry minister in the UPA government in the past, he had brought big projects in Kangra, which included the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Kangra, an industrial park worth Rs 1.5 Crore at Indora and a regional Tea Centre of National Tea Board in Palampur.
&nbsp;
The Chief Minister said the three BJP MPs from Himachal Pradesh had failed to get any support for the state in the worst natural disaster last year. He said Anand Sharma will play a significant role in the Congress government in the state bringing a special package for the state.
&nbsp;
Sukhu said the Congress was fighting against the saleable leaders and those who were killing democracy. He said the six Congress leaders, who were disqualified from the Assembly, were bought by the BJP.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Leader of Opposition and former BJP CM, Jai Ram Thakur is beating about the bush now as BJP is exposed in public. his mathematics is very weak as the Congress government has got peoples' mandate for five years and it will go to the people&rsquo;s court after completing full term&rdquo; he said. He said the people would choose anyone based on the service.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"People of Himachal know that Jai Ram Thakur never wanted the employees to get the Old Pension Scheme, women to get Rs 1500 per month, higher wages to MNREGA workers and Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milk. That is why he has tried to destabilise the Congress government with money power," said Sukhu.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He said the BJP will get a befitting reply from the people on June 4, when the poll results will come.

Shimla

Kangra will benefit from national leader Anand Sharma's presence in Parliament

In the unfolding drama of electoral decisions, the spotlight is once again on the iconic seats of Amethi and Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh, as Congress luminary Jairam Ramesh sheds light on the pivotal choice facing Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
&nbsp;
With bated breath, political observers await their decision, which Ramesh underscores as a deeply personal one, despite the party's collective hopes.
&nbsp;
Against the backdrop of extensive nationwide campaigning by Rahul and Priyanka, their candidate from Amethi and Raebareli, respectively, emerges as a matter of strategic importance for the Congress party.
&nbsp;
Yet, Ramesh's remarks emphasise the autonomy of the Gandhis in making this critical electoral choice. While the party and its workers advocate strongly for their candidature in these key constituencies, the final call rests firmly with the siblings themselves.
&nbsp;
The anticipation surrounding this decision is palpable, with expectations mounting for an official announcement by Thursday evening. As the Congress juggles internal deliberations and public expectations, the looming question of Rahul and Priyanka's electoral prospects adds an intriguing layer to the unfolding political narrative.
&nbsp;
Ramesh's remarks not only underscore the complexity of electoral decision-making but also highlight the broader dynamics at play within the Congress party.
&nbsp;
As star campaigners, Rahul and Priyanka wield considerable influence, both within the party and across the electoral landscape. Their decision, therefore, carries significant implications not only for the party's electoral strategy but also for its broader political trajectory.
&nbsp;
Amidst the fervour of electoral speculation, Ramesh's comments offer a glimpse into the inner workings of the Congress party's decision-making apparatus. While the party leadership and workers rally behind the Gandhis, the final decision underscores the deeply personal nature of electoral politics, where individual agency intersects with broader party objectives.
&nbsp;
Beyond the realm of electoral politics, Ramesh's remarks also touch upon broader issues confronting the Congress party, including its electoral alliances and policy agenda.
&nbsp;
With the INDI alliance poised to make significant electoral gains, Ramesh's confidence in a clear and decisive mandate reflects the party's optimism amidst the electoral fray.
&nbsp;
As the electoral landscape continues to evolve, Ramesh's remarks serve as a timely reminder of the intricate interplay between personal choices and political imperatives. In the crucible of electoral politics, the decisions of individuals can shape the destiny of nations, making every choice a momentous one.

Jairam Ramesh underscores personal choice for Rahul and Priyanka on Amethi, Raebareli contest

A whistleblower who accused a Boeing supplier of ignoring defects in the production of the 737 MAX has died, his family members have said.
&nbsp;
Former Spirit AeroSystems employee Joshua Dean, who alleged he was fired by the company manufacturing Boeing parts for raising concerns over safety standards at the company's Wichita, Kansas (USA), manufacturing plant, died on Tuesday after sudden illness, his family said in social media posts.
&nbsp;
Another Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, 62, was found dead on March 9 this year from what South Carolina authorities said was an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
&nbsp;
Dean's aunts and sister announced his death on social media posts.
&nbsp;
Seattle Times breaking the news, said Dean, also a resident of Wichita, was 45 years old and had &ldquo;been in good health and was noted for having a healthy lifestyle.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
His mother had, however, posted on Facebook earlier that he had been &ldquo;fighting for his life&rdquo; after contracting pneumonia and suffering a stroke following an MRSA infection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or 'staph' bacteria found on human skin is usually harmless but can cause serious infections often leading to death.
&nbsp;
Dean's aunt Carol Parsol said he fell ill unexpectedly and was hospitalised after complaining of respiratory problems two weeks back.
&nbsp;
A 737 MAX 9 mid-flight door panel malfunction in January this year had brought Spirit AeroSystems under the scanner as it had reportedly built the part.
&nbsp;
Passenger videos showed a plug (which seals a part of the plane that can be used as a door, closing off the opening if a door hasn&rsquo;t been installed) popping off a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California.
&nbsp;
In a complaint filed with the Federal Aviation Administration against Sprit AeroSystems, Dean had flagged serious failings at its production facility.
&nbsp;
He had also testified in a shareholder lawsuit against the company.
&nbsp;
In an interview in February to a US news outlet, Dean said his firing had been a message to others wanting to speak out. &nbsp;
&nbsp;
John Barnett retired in 2017 "on health grounds," after working for more than 30 years with Boeing.
&nbsp;
He had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company days before his death. Employed as a quality manager at Boeing's North Charleston Plant were the 787 Dreamliner is built, he had raised concerns over safety issues in the company's commercial planes.
&nbsp;
His body had been found in a vehicle at the Holiday Inn parking lot in Charleston a day after he testified in the deposition related to problems he allegedly identified at the Boeing plant.
&nbsp;

Boeing whistleblower Joshua Dean dies after 'sudden illness'

Air India has commenced services with its A350 aircraft on the international route by operating the first Delhi-Dubai flight on Wednesday and plans to fly the wide-body plane on more overseas routes in the coming months. 
The Tata Group-owned carrier is now operating a daily service between Delhi and Dubai, with the plane featuring a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats. 
In a release on Thursday, Air India said it commenced flights on the Delhi-Dubai route using its A350-900 aircraft on Wednesday and currently, it is the only airline to deploy the plane between India and Dubai. 
A source in the know said the airline is likely to start deploying the A350 plane for operations on the London route by November.
The airline will also be operating the plane on more international routes. 
Air India started inducting the A350 planes this year and are being used for domestic flights as well. The airline has placed an order for 40 A350 planes and at least four of them are in its fleet. 
Currently, Air India operates 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities, of which 32 are from Delhi.
&nbsp;

Air India commences A350 aircraft services to Dubai

Neha Singh

Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and JanaSena&rsquo;s understanding in Andhra Pradesh was a tactical move of the TDP to gain back power in the state. On the other hand, the BJP&rsquo;s idea of forging the alliance was to achieve its target of &lsquo;Abki Baar 400 Paar&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
The seat-sharing agreement gave a clear indication of TDP &mdash; contesting on 17 seats out of 25 &mdash; and BJP&rsquo;s larger goals. The latter has fielded candidates only on six seats.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Although JanaSena is part of the alliance (it has been given two seats), including Pawan Kalyan into the fray was to stop the party from eating on to the TDP and the BJP&rsquo;s vote share.
&nbsp;
Recent developments have laid bare the purpose of both the parties. Since they are fighting the elections in coalition, the manifesto is also expected to project the same.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
However, in an utter embarrassment for the alliance. The coalition&rsquo;s manifesto, namely, Prajagalam, misses out on Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s stamp, albeit it does contain imprints of N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan, supremos of TDP and JanaSena, respectively.
&nbsp;
The BJP&rsquo;s representative and Andhra Pradesh election observer, Siddharth Nath Singh, was present at the manifesto launch programme. However, sources claim that he did not even hold the manifesto during its release and was just sharing the dais with the other two leaders.
&nbsp;
This reminds us of the alliance&rsquo;s 2014 manifesto which had stamps of all the three faces of the parties&mdash; PM Modi, Naidu and Kalyan.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Why this discrimination now? Are the two regional parties trying to sideline a national party, which does not have any hold in the state? After all, the BJP could not secure even a single seat during the 2019 general elections.
&nbsp;
In another development, on Thursday, Naidu announced that he will provide 4 per cent reservation to Muslims if voted to power in the state.
&nbsp;
Naidu&rsquo;s declaration is opposite to the stance which the BJP is maintaining on Muslim reservation. The saffron party leaders through their high-octane speech &mdash; PM Modi, party&rsquo;s national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah &mdash; have made it clear that they will end the reservation given to Muslims by the Congress once they come to power at the Centre.
&nbsp;
The BJP is trying to safeguard the rights of Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities by ending the religion-based reservation given to Muslims, thereby consolidating its vote bank from them.
&nbsp;
While the Congress and Bharat Rashtra Samithi in Telangana opposing the BJP&rsquo;s call against Muslim reservation finds resonance with the present political dialogue in the country, allies going against it underscores the fissures in the alliance. This is what is happening in Andhra Pradesh.
&nbsp;
After the manifesto-launch ceremony, Naidu&rsquo;s support to Muslim reservation has raised eyebrows. Is everything in place with the alliance? Or, the coalition is an eye-wash, eyeing elections?
&nbsp;
Forging alliances to achieve political motives is not new in the political space of our country. However, exposing the loopholes even before the purpose is achieved is not the sign of intelligence.
&nbsp;
When it comes to Naidu, this is not the first time he has aligned with the BJP to save his political career. In 2018, TDP chief had walked out of the National Democratic Alliance, citing Centre&rsquo;s failure to provide special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
&nbsp;
However, in the subsequent state and Lok Sabha polls, his existence was nullified when TDP managed to secure only 23 out of 175 seats in Assembly elections and sent just three MPs to the Parliament.
&nbsp;
It is evident that the only alternative with TDP was to form an alliance with the BJP for polls in order to regain its lost shine.
&nbsp;
The alliance for the BJP in Andhra Pradesh is to win Lok Sabha elections with the help of regional political parties which is why the party does not care about its stamp on the manifesto. However, a take on Muslim reservation in the state is expected for the saffron party.
&nbsp;
And for Naidu, the alliance is based on two factors: First, to revive TDP and his career. Second, use the saffron party as a shield to restrict the YSR Congress, if it manages to retain power in the state.
&nbsp;

Amaravati

Fissures lack potential to stop TDP-BJP-JanaSena alliance from achieving its target

Palak Chouhan

Luxury car manufacturer BMW unveiled its latest offering, the 'M4 Competition M xDrive,' in India on Thursday. Priced at Rs 1,53,00,000 ex-showroom, the car will be available as a Completely Built-Up (CBU) model and can be booked through BMW's dealership network or online platform.
&nbsp;
Vikram Pawah, President of BMW Group India, expressed enthusiasm about the new release, stating, "The new BMW M4 Competition M xDrive truly embodies the best of BMW M &ndash; unstoppable power, incredible handling, and sporty styling."
&nbsp;
The M4 Competition M xDrive boasts a range of metallic paintwork options including Skyscraper Grey, Portimao Blue, Black Sapphire, Sao Paulo Yellow, Toronto Red, Brooklyn Grey, Isle of Man Green, Aventurine Red, and Alpine White.
&nbsp;
Optional BMW Individual metallic paint finishes available are &mdash; Tanzanite Blue and Dravit Grey.
&nbsp;
Under the hood, the car is powered by the BMW M TwinPower Turbo S58 six-cylinder in-line petrol engine, delivering dynamic power and the signature M sound.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;Paired with intelligent four-wheel drive M xDrive, the engine generates a maximum output of 530 horsepower and peak torque of 650 Newton meters, enabling acceleration from 0-100 kmph in just 3.5 seconds.
&nbsp;
In terms of safety features, the new BMW M4 Competition includes head and side airbags for both driver and front passenger, along with head airbags for rear seats, as standard.

BMW launches new 'M4 Competition M xDrive' in India

Shyna Gupta

Goldman Sachs has forecasted that the country's services exports are set to surge to $900 billion by 2030, accounting for approximately 12.4 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
&nbsp;
This optimistic outlook, announced as part of what the investment giant terms a "favorable scenario" for the Indian economy, highlights the growing prominence of the country's services sector on the global stage.
&nbsp;
At the heart of this anticipated growth are the Global Capability Centres, which are expected to play a pivotal role in driving India's services export expansion.
&nbsp;
Goldman Sachs emphasizes that India has been steadily gaining ground in professional consulting services globally, a sector characterized by relatively lower concentration compared to others.
&nbsp;
With the rise of GCCs, India will strengthen its share in this domain, positioning itself as a preferred destination for high-value services.
&nbsp;
The report highlights India's remarkable ascent in the global services export industry over the past decade and a half.
&nbsp;
From constituting less than 2 percent in 2005, India's slice of the global services export pie has swelled to 4.6 percent by 2023, marking a significant leap.
&nbsp;
In contrast, the share of goods exports, while also on an upward trajectory, remains relatively smaller, climbing from 1 percent in 2005 to 1.8 percent in 2023.
&nbsp;
During this period, India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide, trailing only Singapore and Ireland in terms of growth rates.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Goldman Sachs highlighted the pivotal role played by professional consulting services in India's export portfolio, with its share soaring by approximately 11 percentage points to reach 18.3 percent in 2023.
&nbsp;
This surge is attributed to the proliferation of GCCs in India, which have contributed significantly to the country's capabilities in delivering high-value consulting services to global clients.
&nbsp;
The forecast also holds promise for India's current account deficit, with Goldman Sachs predicting an improvement to average around 0.6 percent of GDP over the medium term.

Goldman Sachs forecasts India's services exports to reach $900 billion by 2030

L&amp;T Technology Services (LTTS) has recently clinched a substantial &euro;45 million deal with France-based automotive supplier FORVIA, signaling a strategic move into the clean mobility space.
&nbsp;
The contract, spanning five years, will see LTTS deliver cutting-edge engineering services to FORVIA, a significant player in the automotive industry.
&nbsp;
In a statement to the exchanges, LTTS revealed that as part of this collaboration, around 300 engineers currently stationed at FORVIA&rsquo;s sites in Germany and Bangalore will be seamlessly transitioned to LTTS.
&nbsp;
This transition, boasting a remarkable 95 percent success rate, ensures the retention of crucial skills within these teams, which will now undertake internal combustion engine-related engineering activities under the LTTS umbrella.
&nbsp;
Importantly, these engineers will continue to operate from their existing locations, facilitating a smooth continuation of services for FORVIA while enhancing collaboration for end customers across various digital product lifecycle management initiatives.
&nbsp;
Through comprehensive training and reskilling programs, supported by the LTTS Global Engineering Academy, these professionals will be equipped to explore diverse fields within the LTTS network, thereby broadening their expertise and contributing to the company's multifaceted projects.
&nbsp;
Amit Chadha, CEO and Managing Director of LTTS, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with FORVIA, highlighting its significance in fortifying LTTS's position within the transportation and automotive sectors.
&nbsp;
He highlighted the company's dedication to driving advancements in both traditional engine technologies and emerging domains, such as ultra-low emissions and clean mobility.

L&T technology services secures €45 million deal from FORVIA for clean mobility engineering services

Amarpreet Kaur

The Election Commission of India (ECI)&nbsp;on&nbsp;Thursday, appointed fifteen Expenditure Observers in Punjab ahead of the June 1 scheduled Lok Sabha elections in the state.&nbsp;The move comes to ensure that parties comply with expenditure regulations during the campaign period, officials said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Expenditure Observer is an officer appointed by the Central Government Services by the Election Commission of India to keep a close watch on the election expenditure of the candidates and to ensure that no inducements&nbsp;are offered to the electors during the entire election process for exercising&nbsp;their franchise.
&nbsp;
Harshad S Vengurlekar has&nbsp;been appointed&nbsp;for Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency, Bare Ganesh Sudhakar for Amritsar, Anurag Tripathi for Khadoor Sahib, Madhav Deshmukh for Jalandhar (SC), and Pawan Kumar Khetan for Hoshiarpur, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Similarly, Shilpi Sinha has&nbsp;been appointed&nbsp;for Anandpur Sahib, Pankaj Kumar and Chetan D Kalamkar for Ludhiana, and Akhilesh Kumar Yadava and Nandini R Nair for Bathinda constituency, he said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Additionally, Anand Kumar has been designated for Fatehgarh Sahib, Manish Kumar for Faridkot, Nagendra Yadav for Ferozepur, Amit Sanjay Gaurav for Sangrur, and Meetu Agarwal for Patiala as expenditure observers.&nbsp;

ECI appoints Expenditure Observers in Punjab to ensure regulated poll campaigning

West Bengal's class 10 board exams witnessed a heartening success rate this year, with 86.31% of students emerging victorious. This figure marks a slight improvement from the previous year's 86.15% pass rate.
&nbsp;
Over 9.12 lakh students appeared for the exams, with females (5,08,698) outperforming males (4,03,900) by a significant 25%.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This achievement highlights the state's commitment to bridging the gender gap in education.
&nbsp;
Leading the pack was Chandrachur Sen, a student from Cooch Behar district's Rambhola High School. Sen secured a remarkable 99% (693 marks), securing the coveted top rank. Following closely behind was Samyapriyo Guru of Purulia Zilla School with 98.86% (692 marks).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The third position saw a three-way tie, with Udayan Prasad (Balurghat High School), Puspita Basuri (New Integrated Government School, Ilambazar), and Nairit Ranjan Pal (Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission) all achieving an impressive 98.71% (691 marks) each.
&nbsp;
Geographically, the success story extends beyond Kolkata. Districts like Cooch Behar, Purulia, Dakshin Dinajpur, and Birbhum emerged as strong contenders, showcasing a well-distributed academic performance across the state.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Notably, Kalimpong topped the district rankings with a staggering 96.26% pass rate, followed by Purba Medinipur (95.49%) and Kolkata (91.62%). Somdatta Samanta of Kolkata's Kamala Girls School secured a commendable 97.71% (684 marks), finding a place among the top 10 candidates.
&nbsp;
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee extended her warm wishes to the successful students, their families, and teachers.
&nbsp;
"The consistent outperformance of students from districts beyond Kolkata indicates the state's success in expanding quality education beyond metropolitan areas," remarked West Bengal Board of Secondary Examination president Ramanuj Ganguly.
&nbsp;
Sushanta Sen, the proud father of topper Chandrachur Sen, revealed his son's aspirations to pursue a career in medicine. He further elaborated that Chandrachur wasn't a slave to a rigid study schedule, prioritizing focused learning over extended hours.

Bengal board shines with 86% pass rate in Board exams, girls outperform boys

Sikkim's pristine wilderness is getting a high-tech shield. The Forest Department, in collaboration with Aaranyak, a leading conservation organization, has deployed wildlife surveillance cameras in two crucial protected areas &ndash; Khangchendzongkha National Park and Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary.
&nbsp;
This initiative marks a significant step towards curbing wildlife crimes and bolstering overall biodiversity conservation efforts in the Himalayan state.
&nbsp;
Aaranyak's expertise played a pivotal role in bringing this project to fruition. Ivy Farheen Hussain, a Wildlife Crime Analyst and Project Officer, spearheaded the coordination with Sikkim's Forest Department.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This collaborative effort included capacity-building workshops for frontline forest staff.
&nbsp;
The first workshop, held at Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, equipped nine forest officials with the necessary skills to operate, deploy, and monitor the camera system.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This area, situated close to the international border with China, faces unique challenges. Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a pressing issue, often exacerbated by the presence of nearby defence bases.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The strategically positioned cameras will enable quicker surveillance within the 124 sq. km. protected area, ensuring the safety of both wildlife and local communities.
&nbsp;
The second workshop, conducted at Khangchendzongkha National Park, focused on a different set of threats. Poaching and illegal smuggling of endangered species, particularly the Musk Deer, pose a significant challenge to this UNESCO World Heritage Site.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The park, sprawling over 1700 sq. km, is a haven for diverse wildlife, including the majestic snow leopard. The camera network will be instrumental in monitoring animal movement across this vast landscape.
&nbsp;
The initiative has fostered the creation of two core teams within the protected areas. These teams, comprising forest staff and members of local communities, will play a critical role in ensuring the long-term success of the camera project.
&nbsp;
Aaranyak believes this collaboration serves as a model for effective conservation partnerships. "We are confident that these joint efforts will bridge crucial gaps and significantly enhance conservation outcomes," stated Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, CEO and Secretary General of Aaranyak.
&nbsp;
The financial support provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services further strengthens this initiative. Sikkim, recognized by the United Nations for its exemplary environmental and cultural policies, is poised to set a new benchmark in wildlife protection with this innovative camera deployment.
&nbsp;
Aaranyak's involvement in the project stemmed from the Sikkim Forest Department's recognition of their expertise in wildlife crime prevention.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;Jimmy Borah, Senior Manager at Aaranyak, highlighted the collaborative spirit behind the project.
&nbsp;
"We are excited to embark on this initial phase and explore the potential for long-term engagement with Sikkim's Forest Department," he remarked.

Gangtok

Sikkim strengthens wildlife protection with camera network

The Delhi High Court has instructed the Election Commission to address concerns regarding the use of deepfake technology in election campaigns, particularly amid the controversy surrounding a video allegedly featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Court emphasised the urgency of the matter and directed the EC to make a decision by Monday.
&nbsp;
Acknowledging the significance of free and fair elections, the Court clarified that it cannot intervene directly during ongoing elections but urged the Election Commission to take action and examine the issue promptly. It also requested the petitioner to submit a comprehensive representation to the EC.
&nbsp;
The plea, filed by Lawyer Voice, highlighted the detrimental impact of deepfake technologies on the electoral process, arguing that they contribute to the spread of misinformation and undermine the integrity of elections.
&nbsp;
The petitioner urged social media platforms such as Google, Meta (formerly Facebook), and X Corp (formerly Twitter) to remove deep fake content related to political candidates until the election results are declared.
&nbsp;
The plea pointed out that various international organisations and countries, including political parties in the European Union, have recognized the potential threat posed by deepfake technologies and have taken steps to address it.
&nbsp;
Senior advocate Jayant Mehta, representing the petitioner, emphasised the dangers of deep fake content, stating that it could manipulate election outcomes and undermine accountability.
&nbsp;
The plea highlighted the inadequacy of existing legal frameworks to address the harms of deepfake technologies and stressed the need for robust regulations to safeguard the integrity of elections.
&nbsp;
It called for decisive action to prevent the misuse of deepfake technology and protect the democratic process from manipulation.
&nbsp;
All things considered, the Court's instruction highlights the necessity of taking proactive steps to preserve the ideals of free and fair elections as well as the significance of tackling the problems presented by deepfake technology in political campaigns.&nbsp;

Delhi High Court instructs Election Commission to address concerns over deep fake tech in Elections

Activist and Scholar Dr Ritu Singh is the Bahujan Samaj Party - BSP's nominee for the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for June 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Singh hails from Tarn Taran, Amritsar, and remained in the headlines for her protest in front of Delhi University which&nbsp;lasted&nbsp;for&nbsp;over 200 days.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Singh is an Indian Dalit rights&nbsp;activist.
&nbsp;
Besides this, Singh&nbsp;was also involved&nbsp;in Kaumi Insaf Morcha&nbsp;which&nbsp;was staged&nbsp;for the release of Sikh prisoners at the Chandigarh-Mohali border.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
After her protest, Singh, who set up a pakoda stall named PhD Pakode Wali outside the Art Faculty, DU, faces charges under IPC Section 283.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Supporters including students, civil societies, and Bhim Army demand justice, rallying behind her cry for "naukri nahi nyay chahiye" (justice, not just a job).

Dalit Activist Dr Ritu Singh is BSP's nominee for Chandigarh LS seat

With just a few days left for the polls, how has the response been to the alliance between the TDP, BJP, and the Jana Sena Party?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
There is a palpable positive wave in favour of the alliance and against the incumbent government. Anti-incumbency is reflected everywhere as the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has destroyed the development ecosystem. All institutions of governance are demolished, leading to chaos and the state's financial bankruptcy. You take any sector, and you will find it in the doldrums.
&nbsp;
Andhra Pradesh will simultaneously see polling for the Lok Sabha and the State Vidhan Sabha Assembly on May 13. What sense are you getting from the people? Will they vote with the same sentiment for both elections?
&nbsp;
People have decided to replace the YSRCP. The people who come to me say that there is no governance on the ground and the mismanagement in every sphere is making people suffer. The infrastructure is destroyed, and people complain about lacking necessities like drinking water, power shortages, and broken roads.
&nbsp;
If you compare, the income of an ordinary man is far less compared to their expenditure, pushing them into a debt tap. The poor administration has taken its toll on every section of the state.
&nbsp;
What are your predictions about the poll outcome? Will the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance convince the YSRCP voters that a change in government will benefit them?
&nbsp;
The alliance will win at least 24 of the 25 Parliamentary seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The coalition has everything the citizens want: good administration in the state and benefits from the centre. The picture in the assembly polls is also similar. We hope to get 160 out of 175 seats and form the government in the state.
&nbsp;
During the 2019 elections, the TDP got just 3 seats in Parliament, while the YSRCP got 22 seats. What makes you so hopeful of sweeping these polls, and what strategy are you using to narrow this huge seat gap?
&nbsp;
I have been in politics for over four decades and worked with tall political leaders including NT Rama Rao. Every leader has some social and political ethics, and we respect each other and do not cross any limits of decency. But I can say without hesitation that Jagan Reddy is a psychopath.
&nbsp;
I normally do not use such language, but he is speaking ill against his mother and sister. And has now told his wife that I will get him killed. He has mental issues and has destroyed all institutions in the state, and every resident of Andhra Pradesh is his victim.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He is a big looter. May it be the liquor mafia, sand mafia, land mafia, private police for settlements, or grabbing, he has a hand in everything. Only one man has benefitted from the YSRCP government, Jagan Mohan Reddy. When people compare all this with the TDP government from 2014 to 2019, they know whom they should vote for.
&nbsp;
People in South India have not expressed much support for the BJP. Even in the alliance between the TDP-BJP-JSP (Jana Sena Party, led by Pawan Kalyan, actor turned politician), the BJP will benefit, not the other way around. Why did the TDP then consider the alliance with the BJP, as it would be only a one-sided gain for the BJP?
&nbsp;
The BJP may not have much presence in Andhra Pradesh, but the party will lead the NDA at the centre. For the people of Andhra Pradesh, special status for the state after its bifurcation in 2014 is a big issue. The YSRCP had come to power on the promise of getting a special status for the state, but in the past five years, it has made getting a special status a non-issue.
&nbsp;
A special status is required for the state's survival, which is heavily in debt. We will work with the BJP in the state and centre to ensure Andhra Pradesh gets the much-needed special status. All this is to rebuild Andhra Pradesh and restore the state's normalcy.
&nbsp;
Andhra Pradesh is headed for a triangular contest, with the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance pitted against the YSRCP and the Congress party led by Jagan&rsquo;s sister Sharmila in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Do you think the Congress will be a spoiler and eat into the votes of any one party? 
&nbsp;
The Congress is nowhere. If the Congress has a minor impact, it will be on the YSRCP, as Jagan and Sharmila seek votes from the same vote bank in their father's name, the late Raj Shekhar Reddy. The Congress will have no impact on our alliance.
&nbsp;
Without getting into the case's merits, do you think there is a sympathy factor in your favour after you were arrested and put into jail?
&nbsp;
People have seen how the land of the law was thrown to the winds, and I was arrested without any warning, notice, or summons. If this could happen to me, you can imagine the plight of a common man. People have been arrested on flimsy grounds to settle political scores.
&nbsp;
I had no idea how many cases were registered against me; from an apparent three cases, there were 23 matters in which I was named but not told to hit at me later by filing a case of non-declaration in the election affidavit. Have you seen anywhere that the complainant is named accused?
It has happened in the case of the murder of the chief minister&rsquo;s uncle. People have been booked on charges of mining on their land. Many instances of such highhandedness exist, and people feel very unsafe without safety and security. This will surely impact voting behaviour.
&nbsp;
The TDP is interested in an alliance with the Jana Sena Party led by Pawan Kalyan, an actor turned politician. Generally, film actors are good crowd-pullers, but this does not typically translate into votes. Do you think Kalyan's presence disproves this notion?
&nbsp;
Telugu Desam Party is a 43-year-old party. We have a good infrastructure and organisation from top to bottom, and we have been successful through ups and downs and have braved many crises. We can manage our politics, but Pavan Kalyan is different.
&nbsp;
He's the party head and has his vote bank; he is a fighter. Our love for the state and a common desire to eliminate anti-state factors have brought us together.
&nbsp;
The Delhi liquor scam has brought Telugu politics under the nation's microscope. K. Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, is in jail. Now, eyebrows are being raised over the TDP, which has allotted Ongole Lok Sabha constituency ticket to M Srinivasulu Reddy, father of Raghava Magunta - Delhi liquor scam case approver. What are your comments about this?
&nbsp;
Do not compare the two. M Srinivasulu Reddy is a good man. If he were otherwise, we would not have given him the party ticket. He has done a lot of work in the constituency. He is hardworking and people-oriented and has no connection with the liquor scam.
&nbsp;
The scams this person is fighting in the state are much bigger than the Delhi excise scam.
&nbsp;
What message are you sending the voters when they have a huge choice in a multi-cornered contest? Why should anyone vote for the TDP over the other parties? Do you ever take up this issue? If yes, what do you tell the voters?
&nbsp;
People want a change after five years of disaster caused by the YSRCP. I told them they should vote for the TDP if they want to see progress and development in the state. The welfare of the people and sustainable development are our trademarks.
&nbsp;
We have proved it before, and we will prove it again. People know who developed Hyderabad into a world-class information technology hub; it is a different matter that someone else took the credit for my work.
&nbsp;
People are scared of repeating the nightmare of the past five years; we are committed to rebuilding the state. Besides, only the NDA-led parties can do this. That is what I am promoting, and the people have belief and trust in me. The TDP is confident of the people&rsquo;s support and trust.
&nbsp;
What would be your priorities if you happened to form the government in Andhra Pradesh?
&nbsp;
The first and foremost thing to do is get the state back in order. The YSRCP has accumulated a debt of 13 lakh crore rupees. There is not enough money to pay pensions and salaries. People are making rounds to the government offices to enquire about pensions and, in the process, get heat stroke and die.
&nbsp;
Many such incidents have been reported. The YSRCP has done nothing for the past five years except collect money, and now it claims that the High Court is ready and the infrastructure for the state's capital is functional.
&nbsp;
I have never seen such a lair as the current chief minister. After these issues affecting the people in their day-to-day existence are handled, we will restore our fight for special status for Andhra Pradesh. The current dispensation abandoned this demand.

Chandrababu Naidu exudes confidence in TDP-BJP-JSP alliance victory, vows to rebuild Andhra Pradesh

In a press briefing held on Thursday, Sri Lanka's State Minister of Finance, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, asserted that despite the country's announcement of default in 2022, it has adhered to stringent financial measures while making tough decisions aimed at strengthening economic recovery.
&nbsp;
Siyambalapitiya revealed that the nation successfully serviced its multilateral debt obligations, amounting to USD 2.5 billion in 2022 and USD 2.6 billion in 2023, to institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The default declaration in mid-2022 affected only bilateral external debt payments.
&nbsp;
"We have maintained strict financial discipline while taking unpopular decisions to facilitate economic recovery," Siyambalapitiya said.
&nbsp;
Despite these efforts, discussions with sovereign bondholders to restructure approximately USD 46 billion of debt are ongoing. However, progress has faced hurdles, as the IMF rejected a proposal from private bondholders in March, citing misalignment with desired debt sustainability parameters.
&nbsp;
A subsequent proposal in April is currently under review, with parties aiming to reach an agreement by June.
&nbsp;
The outcome of debt restructuring discussions holds significant weight, particularly in an election year for Sri Lanka, with scheduled elections slated for the last quarter of the year.
&nbsp;
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, a proponent of IMF-led reforms, has emphasized their necessity for economic recovery.
&nbsp;
Wickremesinghe's administration has overseen a USD 2.9 billion IMF bailout spanning over four years.
&nbsp;
However, the opposition has taken a contrasting stance, pledging to renegotiate the terms of the IMF bailout to alleviate economic burdens faced by the public amidst the ongoing crisis.
&nbsp;
Critics, including the opposition, attribute economic hardships to the IMF-prescribed reforms and hold Wickremesinghe, also serving as the finance minister, accountable for intensifying public woes through these policies.

Colombo

Sri Lanka continues to honor multilateral debt despite default announcement

In a tragic turn of events, the Wisconsin district in the United States was rocked by a shooting incident at a local school, resulting in the fatal shooting of a student by police officers. The incident unfolded on Wednesday morning, plunging the entire district into chaos and prompting a lockdown of the affected area.
&nbsp;
According to reports, law enforcement officials responded to reports of an active shooter situation at a middle school in Mount Horeb. The situation escalated quickly as police encountered an armed student on the school premises. Despite the swift response from authorities, the armed student was fatally shot by police officers in an attempt to neutralise the threat.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The incident, while devastating, could have been far worse, as confirmed by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul during a press conference. Thankfully, no additional students or officers were injured during the ordeal, averting what could have been a much larger tragedy.
&nbsp;
However, the identity of the victim has been withheld by authorities, although it has been revealed that the individual was a male juvenile attending a school within the Mount Horeb Area School District. The circumstances surrounding the student's possession of the weapon remain unclear, leaving many questions unanswered.
&nbsp;
One of the key details yet to be disclosed is the type of weapon carried by the student at the time of the incident. Authorities have not provided any information regarding the nature of the firearm, leaving speculation to abound about the specifics of the situation.
&nbsp;
In response to the threat posed by the armed student, officers from the Mount Horeb Police Department took decisive action, firing bullets at the individual to neutralise the threat. However, it remains unclear whether the student fired at officers in retaliation, further complicating the investigation into the incident.
&nbsp;
As the investigation unfolds, law enforcement officials are working diligently to piece together the events leading up to the tragic shooting. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, prompting calls for greater measures to ensure the safety and security of students and staff in schools across the district.
&nbsp;
In the wake of this devastating event, there is a renewed sense of urgency to address the underlying issues that contribute to such acts of violence. The safety of students and staff must remain paramount, and efforts to prevent similar incidents in the future must be redoubled.
&nbsp;
As the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragic event, there is a collective sense of mourning and reflection. It is a stark reminder of the need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to safeguard against such senseless acts of violence in our schools.

New York

Wisconsin Attorney General confirms armed student's death in School shooting

Shweta Sengar

Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's grandson and suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna's driver, who leaked the alleged tapes of Revanna sexually harassing and abusing women, has gone missing.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the political slugfest continues over Revanna, with Congress demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for campaigning for Revanna in the Lok Sabha elections.
&nbsp;
Prajwal Revanna, the sitting MP and NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, who had sought time to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), is expected to arrive in Bengaluru at midnight on May 15.
&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://newsarenaindia.com/nation/sexual-assault-blackmail-accused-mp-prajwal-revanna-to-be-called-back-to-india/9741" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sexual assault &amp; blackmail accused MP Prajwal Revanna to be called back to India</a>
&nbsp;
In another development, the former driver of accused Prajwal Revanna, who had confessed that he had given the pen drive with the videos of the JD(S) leader sexually abusing women to BJP leader Devaraje Gowda, has disappeared following a SIT notice.
&nbsp;
The driver, Karthik, had worked with Prajwal Revanna for 13 years and fell out with him a year ago over an alleged land deal.
&nbsp;
Ex-CM HD Kumaraswamy suggested that powerful leaders, possibly Deputy CM Shivakumar, were involved in the driver's disappearance and questioned who sent him to Malaysia.
&nbsp;
Talking to the media, Dy CM Shivakumar asked, &ldquo;Is brother saying so? That means he knows everything. Let him get the information from the central government. I am not crazy to send him (Karthik) abroad. I am a street fighter. There is no necessity for me to carry out politics by hiding people. They (the Deve Gowda family) need it.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;That boy (Karthik) had claimed that he had given the pen drive containing obscene videos of Prajwal Revanna to BJP leaders. Let the discussion on the release of the pen drive take place later. Let's not divert from the real issue.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to cancel Prajwal Revanna's diplomatic passport.

Bengaluru

Prajwal Revanna's driver, who leaked sexual assault tapes, goes missing amid probe

The Northeast is reeling under the scorching sun, grappling with a severe water crisis. Both Meghalaya and Nagaland, once considered a wet zone, today, however, are heavily reliant on monsoons, and&nbsp;are witnessing the brunt of failing rains and a changing climate.
&nbsp;
In Nagaland's capital Kohima, the PHED Urban Division recently issued a statement acknowledging the water shortage.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Citing dry spells and their impact on spring sources, the department urged residents for cooperation and patience.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Spring sources, dependent on natural rainfall patterns, are particularly vulnerable during extended dry periods.
&nbsp;
Meghalaya is facing a similar situation, albeit with a sharper edge.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The state, known for its abundant rainfall, has seen a 15% decline in precipitation over the past five years, according to research by Baniateilang Majaw.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This alarming trend coincides with a growing demand for potable water, creating a perfect storm of scarcity.
&nbsp;
Experts point to a multi-pronged crisis like climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable water management practices are all significant contributors.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The decline in water availability is most acutely felt in urban areas like Shillong, the state capital.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Here, residents are forced to ration water, with some resorting to purchasing supplies from tankers. However, for many, this luxury is out of reach.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The desperate seek alternatives in local streams and rivulets, often lacking proper effluent treatment, raising hygiene concerns.
&nbsp;
Sohra, once the world's wettest place, exemplifies the dramatic shift. In 1861, it received a staggering 22,987mm of annual rainfall.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Today, that figure has shrunk by more than half, with the Indian Meteorological Department recording a mere 11,359.4mm.
&nbsp;
The crisis isn't solely driven by ecological factors. Research by Bankerlang Kharmylliem at IIT Guwahati highlights operational inefficiencies within the Public Health Engineering Department.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
A staggering 20.5% of water is lost before reaching consumers during treatment and transmission processes.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Furthermore, unaccounted-for water wastage, exceeding 50%, exacerbates the situation.
&nbsp;
Both Nagaland and Meghalaya are scrambling for solutions.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma convened a meeting with officials to discuss the issue on Wednesday, while the PHED in Nagaland pledged to continue serving the public to the best of its ability.

Shillong

Water crisis grips once wet Meghalaya and Nagaland

IPS Dr Atul Verma joined as Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh today and said the drug menace and cybercrime must be dealt with on priority in the state.
&nbsp;
Dr Verma is an IPS officer (1991 batch) of the Himachal cadre and is an MBBS doctor. He belongs to Jharkhand.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Talking to media persons in Shimla, Dr Verma said the new assignment was a challenge as well as an opportunity for him. He said the Policing in Himachal Pradesh has always been good, which could be seen by the outcome in different parameters as per assessment at the national level also. &ldquo;I will take this tradition forward and focus on the emerging crimes so that the state remains the best,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Asked about the increasing drug menace in the state, the new DGP said he was posted in the state CID before this, which has a state-level narcotic wing. &ldquo;We have made a detailed plan to check the drug menace.
&nbsp;
We will try to implement it phase by phase. Our focus would be on the demand side. Until the demand reduces, we can&rsquo;t check the problem in toto. For this, we will take various initiatives. Right from school children to counsellors&rsquo; training to better de-addiction centres, stigma, and outpatient treatment for addicts by involving doctors and rehabilitation, we will try to intervene actively on these fronts.
&nbsp;
We will simultaneously work on three aspects of the drug problem- demand reduction, enforcement to check the supply and the treatment &amp; rehabilitation for better strategy,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
The DGP said after drugs, cybercrime was another cause of concern at present. &ldquo;Fortunately, we don&rsquo;t have organised gangs or organised crime in the state. We have victims of online frauds in the state and the frauds are being committed from outside. The number of complaints in this regard in the state is quite high, approximately 60,000 in a year. We will certainly take it up also on priority,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
Replying to a question about the law and order in the state given the recent incident of a person attacking a girl multiple times with a sickle in the daytime at the Palampur bus stand, the DGP said the law and order in Himachal Pradesh has always been good and there is no organised crime in the state. &ldquo;The girls are safe in Himachal Pradesh. The girls use public transport in large numbers in the state, which speaks for itself.
&nbsp;
This is not the situation in other states. Yet we need to take the stray incidents of such crime against girls seriously and take strict action,&rdquo; he said. He added that he would review the said interpersonal incident, which happened recently, and see that proper investigation is done into it to ensure that the guilty is punished.

New HP DGP to deal with drug menace and cybercrime on priority

Remember how happy we were to get our Covishield and Covaxin vaccines after trawling the net endlessly and networking desperately to get that much-needed immunity against the dreaded Covid-19? Well, the picture of PM Narendra Modi is missing from the certificates issued by the health ministry in fresh downloads. And it&rsquo;s not because of what you are thinking.
&nbsp;
A social media user posted a copy of the CoWIN certificate on X, without the PM's picture and just the message: &ldquo;Together, India will defeat COVID-19." &nbsp; &ldquo;Modi ji no more visible on Covid Vaccine certificate. Just downloaded to check &ndash; yes, his pic is gone,&rdquo; he posted.
&nbsp;
However, as people speculated on social media that the recent development could have links to vaccine maker AstraZeneca&rsquo;s admission in a UK filing that the antidote against Covid could lead to thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome in rare (read &ldquo;rare&rdquo;) instances, a few other netizens shed light on the matter, saying it was because of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) which has been enforced for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
 In fact, according to a news website, the ECI had directed during state elections earlier that PM Modi's photograph be removed from Covid vaccine certificates because of MCC.

Covid vax certificates: PM's photo missing but it’s not what you are thinking

National Conference (NC) Vice-President and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah on Thursday accused the BJP of breaching the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and added that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has failed to take action.
&nbsp;
Omar added that BJP star campaigners get away without accountability for their hate speeches and brazen lies while campaigning.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
While talking to media persons after filing nomination papers at the Office of Returning Officer Baramulla, Omar Abdullah alleged that ECI has given a free hand to the BJP to spread hate and uses religion to influence voters.
&nbsp;
Omar also accused ECI of giving the BJP a free hand while others are being told to adhere strictly to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
BJP star campaigners are repeatedly using religion in their speeches and are spreading hate to charge communal atmosphere across the country,&rdquo; Omar said.
&nbsp;
He said NC is against the decisions taken on August 05, 2019, which is why today the party is seeking votes from people on the matter.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;National Conference opposes the decision taken on August 5th. We're asking for votes to fight against it. Many of our friends stand with us on this, and we're seeing a good number of people joining our cause,&rdquo; he said.
&nbsp;
He added that after a gap of twenty years, he is filing nomination papers to participate in the election, even in Jammu and Kashmir. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m filing nomination papers after a decade, which states how democracy flourishes in J&amp;K.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;NC and INDIA bloc is fighting LS elections jointly in Jammu and Kashmir. We are hopeful our togetherness will bag all five seats in J&amp;K and one of Ladakh,&rdquo; Omar added.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Srinagar

BJP star campaigners violate MCC without accountability, says Omar Abdullah

Mocking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Shashi Tharoor claims that winning 200 seats in the Lok Sabha elections seems&nbsp;to be&nbsp;challenging for the saffron party. Tharoor further termed the ruling&nbsp;party&rsquo;s&nbsp;loss a&nbsp;'foregone conclusion'.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
'BJP's&nbsp;claim of '400 paar'&nbsp;is a joke, '300 paar'&nbsp;impossible and even '200 paar'&nbsp;may be a challenge in the Lok Sabha&nbsp;polls', Tharoor stated, alleging that the BJP will draw a blank in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, and will do worse than its 2019 performance in the South.
&nbsp;
Tharoor, who was locked in a three-way contest with Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP and P Raveendran of the CPI in&nbsp;Thiruvananthapuram&nbsp;where polling took place on April 26, said he is looking at a&nbsp;"very comfortable win".
&nbsp;
If he emerges victorious, it will be a fourth consecutive win for the author-politician from Thiruvananthapuram,&nbsp;who is&nbsp;the longest-serving MP from the constituency.
&nbsp;
Back in Delhi after a nearly two-month high voltage campaign in Thiruvananthapuram, the Congress Working Committee member will now canvass in other parts of the nation, being a sought-after campaigner due to his oratory skills and celebrity status.
&nbsp;
Asked how it was looking for the Congress and the INDIA bloc after two phases of the polls, the former Union minister said,&nbsp;"190 seats have voted so far&nbsp;and&nbsp;what I am picking up from my sources, it is tremendously positive for our side. We are not suggesting&nbsp;that there is&nbsp;an overwhelming wave&nbsp;but&nbsp;there certainly&nbsp;isn't&nbsp;one for the government."&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Many who have been following elections for some time say that the difference between this election and the ones in 2014 and 2019 is that the predominant emotion of the BJP voters appears to be indifference and lack of enthusiasm,"&nbsp;Tharoor said during the freewheeling interaction.
In his view, Congress members&nbsp;are feeling&nbsp;"cautiously optimistic"&nbsp;about many places in Hindi-speaking states that have voted so far.
&nbsp;
"So, I would say that on balance, we are far more ahead than we would have expected at this time. Of course, there are 5 more phases to go in this unnecessarily protracted election,"&nbsp;Tharoor said.
&nbsp;
Asked how many seats the Congress and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) would get in the polls, Tharoor said in a lighter vein that he does not predict scores even as a cricket fan but only predicts victories.
&nbsp;
"I&nbsp;would say that right&nbsp;now&nbsp;it looks increasingly likely that the BJP-NDA government will lose its majority. The BJP losing its majority seems to be a foregone conclusion,"&nbsp;Tharoor said.
&nbsp;
In six states,&nbsp;he pointed out,&nbsp;the BJP won every seat, while in three states, it won all but one seat, and in two states, it won all but two seats.&nbsp;This, he said, is&nbsp;"simply not replicable".
&nbsp;
"In Haryana, the Congress won no seats&nbsp;and&nbsp;the (opinion) polls&nbsp;are indicating&nbsp;five-seven seats for us this time. In Karnataka, we won one seat&nbsp;and&nbsp;this time&nbsp;polls&nbsp;are ranging&nbsp;from 10-17, some&nbsp;are even saying 20,"&nbsp;he said.
&nbsp;
In&nbsp;all the states that the BJP did so well, they are losing some seats even in a conservative analysis, he said.
&nbsp;
"This 400 paar is a joke, 300 paar is impossible&nbsp;and&nbsp;(even) 200 paar may be a challenge for them (BJP) to get the way things are going."&nbsp;In&nbsp;Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, the BJP will get&nbsp;"zero"&nbsp;seats, he claimed.&nbsp;In Telangana, they got a handful of seats and would struggle to hold on to those, Tharoor&nbsp;said and&nbsp;added that the BJP would not be able to replicate its good show in Karnataka.
&nbsp;
In 2019, the BJP won 25 out of 28 seats in Karnataka. In Telangana, it bagged four of 17 seats.
&nbsp;
According to Tharoor, there is absolutely no doubt that the BJP&nbsp;is going to&nbsp;do worse than last time in the South.
&nbsp;
"In the North, as I said, they did so well last time&nbsp;and&nbsp;it is impossible to replicate that. Both in the North and South&nbsp;they&nbsp;are coming down from where they were. How well we do and how well the INDIA bloc parties do is yet to be seen because&nbsp;after&nbsp;all&nbsp;353 seats are yet to vote&nbsp;so&nbsp;there is still a big majority of the election yet to happen,"&nbsp;he said.
&nbsp;
But all indications are that this is an uphill struggle for the BJP&nbsp;and&nbsp;things are not going the&nbsp;government's&nbsp;way, he added.
&nbsp;
"I&nbsp;ask objectively, as an Indian citizen, why should a young man who voted for the BJP in 2014 because he was promised a&nbsp;job,&nbsp;still vote for the BJP 10 years later when he still does not have a job,"&nbsp;Tharoor said.
&nbsp;
When all the economists&nbsp;are saying&nbsp;80 per cent of&nbsp;India's&nbsp;population has seen a decline in its income in the last&nbsp;10&nbsp;years, why should these 80 per cent want to vote for the BJP that has put them in that predicament, Tharoor argued?
&nbsp;
He said that in 2014, the BJP ran on economics, but it&nbsp;was a disastrous government economically, and in 2019&nbsp;it&nbsp;ran on national security&nbsp;with&nbsp;Pulwama and Balakot being the predominant theme across northern India.
&nbsp;
"They (BJP)&nbsp;can't&nbsp;run on the economy this time because they mishandled the economy&nbsp;and&nbsp;people&nbsp;don't&nbsp;have jobs and&nbsp;can't&nbsp;buy in the market what they could a few years ago.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;They&nbsp;can't&nbsp;run on national security because everyone knows that China has been nibbling away at our frontier&nbsp;and&nbsp;there are 26 out of 65 patrolling points that both armies used to patrol, which the Indian army no longer has access to now, and that is on Mr (Narendra)&nbsp;Modi's&nbsp;watch so how is he going to beat his chest about national security,"&nbsp;he said.
&nbsp;
"That leaves what... the&nbsp;'Hindu Hriday&nbsp;Samrat'&nbsp;message, Ram mandir, the kind of inflammatory language we have been seeing and hearing from the PM and others, fear-mongering about one community and attempting to polarise the election on religion. That tactic has really&nbsp;been overused&nbsp;in the country&nbsp;and&nbsp;those voting along those lines are already voting for the BJP... it no longer appeals to neutral voters,"&nbsp;Tharoor said.
&nbsp;
He questioned the Election Commission for&nbsp;having the electoral process extend&nbsp;from March 16, when the schedule was announced, to counting day on June 4 and said it is&nbsp;"frankly preposterous".
&nbsp;
"It does not make any sense. I think somebody must explain. It is not as if there has been an increase in violence in the country. Surprisingly, the Election Commission should organise itself&nbsp;in&nbsp;this way,"&nbsp;Tharoor said, adding that many states could have had a single-phase election.
&nbsp;
"We could have done and dusted this election much quicker, especially&nbsp;at a time&nbsp;when our PM is speaking about&nbsp;'one nation, one election'.&nbsp;Does it make sense to show that it takes us so long to conduct an election for one Sabha and that too after we have had so much experience conducting elections,"&nbsp;the 68-year-old leader said?&nbsp;

Tharoor claims '400 paar' a joke for BJP, '300 paar' impossible, '200 paar' challenge

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has revealed six more candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
&nbsp;
According to the announcement, Saurabh Mishra will represent the party in the Gonda Lok Sabha seat, while Mohd Nadeem Misra has been chosen for the Dumariaganj seat.
&nbsp;
For the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat, the BSP has nominated Narendra Pandey, while in Sant Kabir Nagar, Nadeem Ashraf will contest on party symbol.
&nbsp;
Shiv Kumar Dohre will represent the party in the Barabanki Lok Sabha seat, and Mashoor Ahmad has been chosen for Azamgarh.
&nbsp;
With this latest announcement, the BSP has now disclosed approximately 50 candidates in Uttar Pradesh. The party, however, has changed candidates in over a dozen seats in the state.
&nbsp;
Uttar Pradesh, known for sending the largest number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, is currently undergoing elections in all seven phases. Phases one and two have already been completed, with the third phase scheduled for May 7.

Lucknow

BSP announces six more candidates in UP

Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, on Wednesday announced new features for WhatsApp Communities and its groups. Among the updates, groups associated with a WhatsApp Community now create events, making it easier to come together in person and online.
&nbsp;
The members now have the ability to respond to administrative announcements within Community Announcement groups, enabling administrators to get feedback from the group.
&nbsp;
Zuckerberg revealed these new features via his WhatsApp Channel, stating, &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re in a WhatsApp Community, you can now create events in your groups and reply to admin announcements.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Over the next few months more groups will be able to create events,&rdquo; he added.
&nbsp;
These events functionality allows users to seamlessly organize gatherings directly within WhatsApp, whether they're coordinating virtual meetings or birthday celebrations. Event creators can invite others, and participants can indicate their attendance, ensuring clarity within the group.
&nbsp;
Initially, events will be introduced to groups linked with a Community, with a broader rollout to all groups slated for the subsequent months, according to the company's announcement.
&nbsp;
Furthermore, the addition of reply features to Announcement Groups enables administrators to engage with members while maintaining the group's convenience as a platform for community updates.
&nbsp;
Replies will be grouped and condensed to provide users with contextual visibility, while notifications will be muted for all participants.
&nbsp;
In the coming months, Meta plans to continue deploying new features to Communities and groups, offering users additional tools to streamline their organizational efforts on WhatsApp.

Meta adds new features to organise events in WhatsApp communities

parvesh_kapoor

<h4 class="news-h">Preparations for Char Dham Yatra: Dehradun: Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) conduct a mock drill, organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), as part of preparations for the annual 'Char Dham Yatra', in Dehradun, Thursday.</h4>

Dehradun

Preparations for Char Dham Yatra

"Harry Potter"&nbsp;movies&nbsp;star Tom Felton has joined the cast of Hansal Mehta's much-anticipated series &ldquo;Gandhi&rdquo;, the filmmaker announced on Thursday.
&nbsp;
Felton, who became an international star with his performance as&nbsp;Drako&nbsp;Malfoy in eight "Harry Potter" movies based on author J K Rowling's best-selling book series, joined the show's cast along with seven actors -- Libby Mai, Molly Wright, Ralph Adeniyi, James Murray, Lindon Alexander, Jonno Davies, Simon Lennon.
&nbsp;
"We&rsquo;re in the thick of our shoot. Thrilled to be directing this stellar international cast - Tom Felton, Libby Mai, Molly Wright, Ralph Adeniyi, James Murray, Lindon Alexander, Jonno Davies, Simon Lennon #Gandhi #GandhiFilmingNow," Mehta posted on Instagram.
&nbsp;
Actor Pratik Gandhi is essaying the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the show, which is backed by Applause Entertainment.
&nbsp;
The series, which will also feature Bhamini Oza as Kasturba Gandhi, is based on historian and author Ramachandra Guha&rsquo;s two books &mdash; &ldquo;Gandhi before India&rdquo; and &ldquo;Gandhi: The Years that Changed the World&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;Gandhi&rdquo; is an international production and will be shot at various Indian and foreign locations. Siddhartha Basu is attached as a historical consultant, factual advisor and creative consultant on the project.&nbsp;

Mumbai

'Harry Potter' actor Tom Felton joins the cast of Hansal Mehta's 'Gandhi' series

As Apple Inc.prepares to announce its strategy of incorporating generative AI into its iPhones, investors brace for what could be the tech giant's largest quarterly revenue dip in over a year.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;With a keen eye on reviving slowing sales, particularly in the critical Chinese market, Apple's upcoming quarterly report is poised to shed light on its performance amidst mounting competition and concerns over AI integration delays.
&nbsp;
Apple has faced a sluggish trajectory in recent months, with its shares lagging behind other Big Tech counterparts, experiencing a more than 10% decline since the beginning of the year.
&nbsp;
Factors contributing to this downturn include apprehensions surrounding Apple's delayed rollout of artificial intelligence services, coupled with the resurgence of competitors like Huawei (HWT.UL) encroaching on market share, particularly in China.
&nbsp;
Analysts project a significant downturn in iPhone sales, which typically contribute roughly half of Apple's revenue, anticipating a notable 10.4% decline in the first quarter of 2024, according to LSEG.
&nbsp;
This projected drop would mark the most substantial decrease in iPhone sales in over three years, compounded by a challenging comparison to last year's figures, which were buoyed by pent-up demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.
&nbsp;
Despite Apple executives attributing part of last year's robust iPhone revenue to the mitigation of disruptions from pandemic-induced lockdowns in China, market expectations persist for a downward trend in iPhone sales, alongside an estimated 5% decline in total revenue for the fiscal second quarter ending in March.
&nbsp;
Such a downturn would constitute Apple's most substantial revenue decline since the end of 2022.
&nbsp;
Struggling with weakening revenue and a slip in market valuation, losing its title as the world's most valuable company to Microsoft, Apple seeks to rejuvenate its flagship device after a prolonged period without significant upgrades.
&nbsp;
In pursuit of this goal, the tech giant is reportedly in discussions with OpenAI and Google-owned Alphabet to integrate genAI features into the iPhone, with expectations mounting for a potential unveiling at the upcoming annual developer conference in June.
&nbsp;
While major tech rivals like Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta Platforms have openly articulated their AI strategies in recent quarters, Apple CEO Tim Cook has maintained a more reserved stance on the topic.

California

Apple sales drop as investors await AI upgrade in iphones

India's steadfast strategy of continuing to purchase affordable oil from Russia despite Western pressures has resulted in substantial savings of around $7.9 billion in the country's oil import bill during the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2022-23, significantly aiding in lowering its current account deficit.
&nbsp;
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian government has maintained its ties with Russia despite sanctions imposed by the West on Moscow.
&nbsp;
Recent data compiled by trade tracking agencies Kpler and LSEG revealed that in April of this year, India increased its imports of Russian oil while reducing imports from Iraq and Saudi Arabia compared to the previous month. The imports during April witnessed a notable increase of 13-17 percent.
&nbsp;
Russia retained its position as India's top oil supplier in April, followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia, according to the data.
&nbsp;
The volume of crude petroleum imported from Russia surged to 36 percent in the first 11 months of FY 2024, a significant rise from 2 percent in FY 2022, while imports from West Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait decreased to 23 percent from 34 percent, as per data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
&nbsp;
The substantial discounts on Russian oil have led to substantial savings in the oil import bill. According to an ICRA report, the unit value of imports from Russia was notably lower than that from West Asia, resulting in savings of $5.1 billion in FY 2023 and $7.9 billion in the first 11 months of FY 2024. This has contributed to a reduction in India&rsquo;s current account deficit (CAD)/GDP ratio by 15-22 bps in FY 2023-24.
&nbsp;
ICRA's calculations suggest that a $10 per barrel increase in the average crude oil price during the fiscal year would lead to a significant rise in net oil imports, potentially widening the CAD by 0.3 percent of GDP. Therefore, if the average crude oil price reaches $95 a barrel in FY2025, the CAD is expected to increase to 1.5 percent of GDP from the current estimate of 1.2 percent for FY 2023-24.

India saves $7.9 billion in oil import bill, lowers Current account deficit through Russian oil deals

Ashmita Chaliha produced a gallant fight before the young and inexperienced Indian women's team suffered a 0-3 loss to formidable Japan in the quarterfinals of the Uber Cup badminton tournament here on Thursday.
&nbsp;
Despite missing top guns such as PV Sindhu, India had qualified for the knockout stage with two superior victories against Canada and Singapore in the group stage but the 0-5 defeat against powerhouse China in the final league match was a reality check.
&nbsp;
On Thursday, India fought hard against multiple-time winners Japan with Chaliha and Isharani Baruah giving a good account of themselves in their singles matches.
&nbsp;
World No. 53 Chaliha showed once again that she has the wherewithal to trouble the top players during her narrow 10-21 22-20 15-21 loss to world no. 11 Aya Ohori in a 67-minute contest.
&nbsp;
The 20-year-old Isharani, ranked 83, too was up 14-11 and 9-7 in the first and second games before losing 15-21 12-21 to 2017 World Championships and former world no. 1 Nozomi Okuhara.
&nbsp;
In between, national champions Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Misra found a glimpse of what it would take to succeed at the highest level as they succumbed to a 8-21 9-21 loss to world no. 4 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida.
&nbsp;
The opening match was a battle between two left handers and it turned out to be a close affair as Chaliha upped her game.
&nbsp;
After losing the opening game, Chaliha made a superb comeback when she kept up her attacking game on Ohori and kept snapping at the heels of her opponent from 4-4 to 18-18.
&nbsp;
Chaliha made a judgement error at the backline to concede a match point but saved it with a leaping smash and then took a game point when Ohori hit the net.
&nbsp;
Another precise return at the backhand corner of Ohori helped Chaliha to stay alive in the match.
&nbsp;
In the decider, Chaliha looked in full flow as he opened up a 8-3 lead but Ohori started to find her mark as she set up the points with her precise angled returns and clawed back at 9-9.
&nbsp;
The Indian grabbed a two-point lead at the break but she couldn't sustain the pressure as Ohori clawed back at 12-12 with a straight down the line smash and then moved to a 15-13 lead.
&nbsp;
It was a Ohori show thereafter as she grabbed five match points before sealing the 67-minute match when Chaliha erred with her forehand smash.
&nbsp;
"The first game could have been better, the court conditions didn't suit me. I played her in Syed Modi but I wasn't good, so today I wanted to give my best. Third set I could have been better after the 11 points, I made silly errors," Chaliha said.
&nbsp;
"In the second game, I managed to play on her backhand side. She is a lefty like me, so I got confused initially. With my attacks, I got more points. Overall, I am happy with the way I played. It was a great experience." India had reached the semifinals of the Uber Cup thrice in 1957, 2014 and 2016.
&nbsp;
The Indian men's team, the defending champions, will face China in the quarterfinals of Thomas Cup later in the day.&nbsp;

Chengdu

Chaliha's struggle culminates in heartbreak as Indian women's team falls 0-3 to Japan in Uber Cup quarterfinals

The popular Indian comedy-drama series&nbsp;"Panchayat"&nbsp;is returning with its third season on streaming service Prime Video as announced on Thursday.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, and Sanvikaa are reprising their roles in season three,&nbsp;which is&nbsp;directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and written by Chandan Kumar.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The latest chapter of the show, created by The Viral Fever (TVF), will premiere in Hindi, with dubs in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, a streamer said in a press release.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Panchayat"&nbsp;revolves around Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar), an engineering graduate who&nbsp;for&nbsp;lack of a better job option, joins as secretary of a panchayat office in a remote village named Phulera in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The eight-episode series, which premiered with its first season in April 2020, was an instant hit on Prime Video and garnered overwhelming response&nbsp;leading&nbsp;to a second season&nbsp;that came out&nbsp;in May 2022.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"'Panchayat'&nbsp;is one of the most loved Indian Amazon Originals, resonating&nbsp;not only&nbsp;with audiences in India&nbsp;but also&nbsp;across the globe.&nbsp;The love for this heartwarming comedy lies in its simplistic narrative&nbsp;that&rsquo;s&nbsp;rooted in the slow-paced village life and&nbsp;is&nbsp;tightly woven&nbsp;through its satirical treatment of the daily issues faced by the residents of Phulera.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The third season delivers all that and more,&rdquo;&nbsp;Manish Menghani, director &ndash; of content&nbsp;licensing,&nbsp;at Prime Video India, said in a statement.

'Panchayat' season 3 to be out soon on Prime Video

In an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's transformative leadership by highlighting his incredible economic turnaround and surging stock markets over the past decade.
&nbsp;
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought about a sea change in the Indian economy over the last 10 years, with the share market skyrocketing," stated Shah.
&nbsp;
Shah attributed the buoyancy in Indian markets to robust domestic investment, particularly by Indian mutual funds, amidst foreign institutional selling.
&nbsp;
He talked about the success of schemes like Production-Linked Incentives (PLI), which have positioned India as a global manufacturing hub, attracting investment and fostering a vibrant ecosystem for startups and innovation.
&nbsp;
"Our children are registering startups every day, our companies are registering patents daily, and a plethora of self-employment opportunities have been created," Shah said.
&nbsp;
He applauded the nation's palpable growth in entrepreneurship and innovation under Modi's governance.
&nbsp;
Reflecting on the state of the economy when Modi assumed office, Shah recalled the challenges of mismanagement, sluggish production activities, and plummeting exports that plagued the nation.
&nbsp;
However, he highlighted the significant strides made since then, with India emerging as a pioneer in sectors set to shape the global economy for the next quarter-century.
&nbsp;
The minister pointed India's leadership in crucial sectors such as green hydrogen manufacturing and semiconductors.
&nbsp;
Shah also commended Modi's steadfast commitment to infrastructure development, ensuring inclusive growth across diverse regions of India.
&nbsp;
He stressed on the unprecedented scale of investment in infrastructure, with substantial allocations from the budget, and record-breaking collections in GST and direct taxes.
&nbsp;
"PM Modi has also made significant strides in strengthening the country's borders, ensuring national security and territorial integrity," Shah said.&nbsp;Looking ahead, he expressed confidence in India's progression.
&nbsp;
He proclaimed government's resolve to eliminate Naxalism within one or two years, citing substantial progress in combating the insurgency across several states.
&nbsp;
Shah concluded the interview by saying,"These 10 years will be written in golden letters in every field, symbolizing India's journey towards prosperity and progress under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi"

A decade of economic brilliance: Amit Shah celebrates Modi's achievements

Following a brief lull in March, militant attacks in Pakistan surged once again in April, as the country experienced 77 verifiable attacks last month, a security assessment report by an Islamabad-based think-tank said.
&nbsp;
Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS)&nbsp;in&nbsp;a&nbsp;report&nbsp;said the attacks, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly bearing the brunt, resulted in 70 fatalities, including 35 civilians and 31 members of security forces, Dawn News reported on Thursday.
&nbsp;
It said four militants&nbsp;were killed, and 67 individuals -- 32 civilians and 35 security personnel --&nbsp;were injured&nbsp;in the attacks.
&nbsp;
In comparison, March saw 56 militant attacks, resulting in 77 fatalities and 67 injuries.
&nbsp;
This&nbsp;indicates a 38 per cent increase in the number of militant attacks, although there was a nine per cent decline in deaths, with no change in the number of injuries.
&nbsp;
The security report also underscored the efforts of the country&rsquo;s security forces in thwarting numerous potential attacks during the month.
&nbsp;
At least 55 suspected militants&nbsp;were killed&nbsp;and 12 others arrested, including individuals involved in the Basham suicide attack, marking a 55 per cent increase in militant deaths compared to March.
&nbsp;
The report further said that 73 per cent of the total number of militant attacks reported in April took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the tribal districts of the province.
&nbsp;
Fifty-six attacks&nbsp;were reported&nbsp;in the province during the previous month. The attacks killed 43 people &mdash; 26 members of security forces and 17 civilians, the report said.
&nbsp;
The number of the injured stood at 32, with 19 members of security forces and 13 civilians with injuries.
&nbsp;
Within KPK, mainland districts saw more attacks and fatalities than tribal districts (formerly Fata).
&nbsp;
Mainland KPK witnessed 31 attacks, resulting in 25 fatalities and&nbsp;10&nbsp;injuries.
&nbsp;
The southern districts of D.I. Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Tank were the most affected, with D.I. Khan and Lakki Marwat facing seven militant attacks each, Bannu facing six, and Tank experiencing two attacks.
&nbsp;
Together, these districts accounted for 71 per cent of the attacks in mainland KPK.
&nbsp;
Additionally, Peshawar faced four attacks&nbsp;while&nbsp;Swat, Swabi, Charsadda, Shangla, and Battagram experienced one attack each.
&nbsp;
In the tribal districts of KPK (formerly Fata), PICSS recorded at least 25 attacks, resulting in 18 fatalities and 22 injuries.
&nbsp;
North Waziristan, Bajaur, and South Waziristan were the most affected districts, with nine, five, and four attacks reported, respectively.
According to the report, Balochistan faced 16 attacks, resulting in 21 fatalities, including 17 civilians and four security personnel, with 31 individuals injured.
&nbsp;
Most of these attacks occurred in the province's Baloch belt, particularly in the south and southwest.
&nbsp;
Specifically, three attacks&nbsp;were reported&nbsp;in Khuzdar, two in Kech, Kohlu, and Quetta, and one&nbsp;each&nbsp;in Chaman, Dera Bugti, Duki, Kalat, Kharan, Mastung, and Nushki.
&nbsp;
Punjab also witnessed a surge in militant activities, with four attacks reported in April compared to one in March, resulting in three fatalities. One attack was reported in Sindh, resulting in three&nbsp;fatalities.
&nbsp;
In the first four months of the year, the country experienced 323 militant attacks, resulting in 324 fatalities and 387 injuries, according to the report.&nbsp;

Islamabad

324 dead, 387 injured in Pakistan's 2024 militant wave

Shares of most Godrej group companies surged 2-8 percent on May 2 after the founding family reached an agreement to split the 127-year-old conglomerate into two branches.
&nbsp;
The family has decided to restructure its shareholding within the conglomerate, dividing operations into two distinct entities: Godrej Enterprises and Godrej Industries.
&nbsp;
As part of the split, Adi Godrej and his brother Nadir will stay at the helm of the listed entities which will come under Godrej Industries.
&nbsp;
On the other hand, cousin Jamshyd Godrej gets the control of unlisted companies and the land bank which will come under Godrej Enterprises.
&nbsp;
Shares of Godrej group&rsquo;s listed companies displayed a mixed trend in trading on Thursday following the announcement of a split within the conglomerate, as the founding family reached a settlement to divide the business into two branches.
&nbsp;
Godrej Industries witnessed a decline of up to 9 per cent, trading at 872.90, while Godrej Agrovet surged over 5 per cent, reaching an intraday high of 573.00 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
&nbsp;
Conversely, shares of Godrej Properties experienced a decline of 6.25 per cent, touching an intraday low of Rs 2,479.35 on the NSE.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Godrej group stocks trade mixed after conglomerate’s split

Manipur's ethnic clashes have cast a long shadow over inter-tribe couples, ripping apart families and severing once-vibrant lives.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Trapped within segregated "community" enclaves since the May 2023 violence, these couples now face a harsh reality.
&nbsp;
The geographical divide, with Meiteis concentrated in the Imphal Valley and Kukis restricted to the surrounding hills, has fostered a climate of fear and displacement.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Some stolen moments of connection, through monthly visits to neutral territories like Mizoram or Assam, are a fragile substitute for normalcy. For some, the pain runs even deeper.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Mothers grapple with single-handedly raising children, yearning for&nbsp;a normalcy&nbsp;shattered by violence.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
One such mother might only see her offspring once a month, while a father longs for a first meeting with a daughter born into this conflict.
&nbsp;
The emotional toll is immense. The constant fear of abandonment hangs heavy, with wives questioning the future of their relationships.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
As couples contemplate the wreckage of their lives, the future stretches before them, an uncertain path shadowed by the human cost of this ongoing conflict.
&nbsp;
Irene Haokip, for instance, is a Kuki who moved to Imphal after she got married. One year on, the 42-year-old has moved to Churachandpur, a&nbsp;Kuki dominated&nbsp;area, to be with her family while her husband and their children, a five-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter, stay on in Imphal.
&nbsp;
"My husband used to work as a construction contractor. I met him when a neighbour's house in Bishnupur was being constructed. We fell in love and he would come to the area to meet me often. We got married in 2018 and have two children," Haokip said.
&nbsp;
Bishnupur is between&nbsp;Meitei dominated&nbsp;Imphal and&nbsp;Kuki dominated&nbsp;Churachandpur. It earlier housed people from both communities and is now considered a buffer zone.
&nbsp;
"My husband sent me to my parents' home last year fearing for my safety in the valley when clashes broke out. There has been no going back since. The children are with him because we fear that they might not be safe in Churachandpur since they are Meitei children," Haokip added.
&nbsp;
She meets her family once a month in neighbouring Mizoram, travelling 15 hours each way.
&nbsp;
"He brings the children there too. Many other couples also do that. We meet once a month and come back to our respective houses. My children miss me but it feels like a choice between being alive and&nbsp;mothers'&nbsp;love," Haokip&nbsp;lamented.
&nbsp;
As Manipuris count their losses, many say that this was not always so.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Meitei-Kuki marriages were not uncommon and never a source of societal trouble with the two communities mingling easily.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
It changed on May 3 when trouble broke out&nbsp;after after&nbsp;a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
&nbsp;
A month later, Laishram Singh, a Kuki, became a father.
&nbsp;
He wanted to be the best father when he got to know about his wife's pregnancy in 2022. They were expecting their first child in June and were shopping for clothes and toys.
&nbsp;
But destiny had other plans.
&nbsp;
Singh moved to the hills where Kukis live and his wife Achanba, a Meitei, stayed back. She had lost her parents five years ago and had to move to a relief camp in Imphal Valley in May last year where she gave birth to a girl in June.
&nbsp;
Eleven months later, Singh hasn&rsquo;t yet met his daughter.
&nbsp;
Achanba worries the distance might just end her marriage.
&nbsp;
"I have a husband but I am still forced to live life as a single mother... he calls me sometimes and I send him pictures but the communication is gradually dropping. I fear that if this goes on for&nbsp;long, his family might pressure him into marrying a Kuki girl and he will abandon me. This also causes us to fight.&rdquo; "I am not a widow, I am not a divorcee...I don't know what kind of separation is this," Achanba added helplessly.
&nbsp;
Nirmala, a 45-year-old Kuki, who ran a shop in all&nbsp;women&nbsp;market Ima Keithel till last year, now lives in the hills and has no stable means of livelihood. She also fears being abandoned.
&nbsp;
Her husband, a Meitei, who lives with their son and his parents in&nbsp;Sugnu&nbsp;area in&nbsp;Meitei dominated&nbsp;Imphal, initially used to send her money but has stopped.
&nbsp;
"We have been married for 15 years. My shop was a good contributor to our household income&nbsp;that has&nbsp;stopped now. Here I live with my brother and sister-in-law and take up odd jobs but there is no stable income. I feel like I am a burden&nbsp;on&nbsp;them..if this continues I will have to move to a relief camp," Nirmala said.
&nbsp;
Others such as Pema Dimpu and her Kuki husband say they are constantly discussing whether they should move to another state. Dimpu, a Meitei, stays in Imphal Valley while her husband has gone to the hills.
&nbsp;
"That seems to be the only way out now that we move somewhere else and start a new life. It has been a year and there is no peace in sight... no idea when we can coexist like before without the threat of life constantly looming over us," Dimpu said.
&nbsp;
The hill state has witnessed sporadic,&nbsp;sometime&nbsp;intense, ethnic clashes since May 3 last year between the majority Meitei community and the Kukis.&nbsp;

Manipur violence: A year on, Meitei-Kuki couples bear the scars of displacement

Indian dairy giant Amul will sponsor USA and South Africa during the T20 World Cup in June, the cricket boards of the respective teams announced on Thursday.
&nbsp;
The USA will be making their tournament debut as co-hosts of the tournament beginning June 1. Part of the event, including the semifinals and finals, will take place in the Caribbean.
&nbsp;
Amul has been named the Lead Arm sponsor of the both USA and South African squad. The World Cup opener will be played between USA and Canada on June 1.
&nbsp;
The Indian dairy behemoth with global footprints has sponsored cricket teams in the past as well including the Netherlands, South Africa and Afghanistan.
&nbsp;Amul milk is also now being sold in the USA.
&nbsp;
USA recently beat Canada 4-0 in a bilateral series.
&nbsp;
"The goodness of Amul Milk will empower the USA Cricket team to win hearts and laurels from across the world. We wish our best to the team for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024," Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Amul, said in a statement.
&nbsp;
On the association with the Proteas, he added: "Amul has been associated with the South Africa team in the 2019 ODI series and 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
&nbsp;
We are proud to further strengthen our association with the South Africa men&rsquo;s cricket team and wish them all the best for the T20 World Cup." South Africa will play their World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on June 3.
&nbsp;
"Amul is one of India's most iconic and trusted dairy brands and will feature on the leading sleeve of the Proteas World Cup playing kit," said Cricket South Africa.

Indian dairy giant Amul is to sponsor the USA and South Africa cricket teams in the T20 World Cup

Vice-President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee, Naresh Chauhan&nbsp;today&nbsp;criticized the opposition BJP for resorting to low-level politics and shying away from discussion on achievements of the Congress government in the state in 15-month tenure.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Talking to media persons here, Naresh Chauhan emphasized the importance of public issues in polls, He&nbsp;said Chief&nbsp;Minister,&nbsp;Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had taken historic decisions like providing a Minimum Support Price on milk and&nbsp;enhancing the MNREGA wages.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He praised the state government's efforts to sell apples on a kilogram basis, increase the minimum support price of&nbsp;apples&nbsp;enhance the infrastructure for setting up Controlled Atmosphere (CA) stores, and&nbsp;introduction of universal cartons for sale of&nbsp;apples from the&nbsp;next&nbsp;season.
&nbsp;
The state Congress Vice President said that Himachal Pradesh had become the first state in the country to grant a monthly pension of Rs 1500 to women above 18 years of age.&nbsp;Additionally, 2.74 lakh women who previously received pensions ranging from Rs 1000 to 1100 are also now receiving Rs 1500 per month, he held.&nbsp;Chauhan criticised BJP for its indifference and inaction in the disaster in the state last year.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He said the state government ensured that the affected people get adequate relief money, but the&nbsp;BJP backed out in supporting the government's resolution in the Assembly&nbsp;urging&nbsp;the Centre to declare it a national disaster.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He said despite inheriting empty coffers from the previous BJP government, Chief&nbsp;Minister,&nbsp;Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu implemented numerous welfare schemes. He denounced BJP's double engine rhetoric and said it had not done any good to the state as the previous Jai Ram government relief on.&nbsp;loans&nbsp;only.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He also alleged that recruitment papers were sold during the previous BJP regime, whereas the present Congress government cracked down on corruption and safeguarded the future of the youth.
&nbsp;
Chauhan said the ten-year tenure of the BJP-led government in the Centre had been disappointing.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Now BJP leaders in the Centre are focussing on the politics of religion and caste in Lok Sabha polls rather than addressing real issues like inflation, unemployment and women's safety. They are trying to divert&nbsp;the attention of people&nbsp;from real issues affecting them," he said.
&nbsp;
The Congress leader said the gap between the rich and the poor had widened in the last ten years, which was a bad indicator for the country.

BJP shying away from discussion on Cong govt's achievements in HP: Cong Vice President

Popular microblogging website &lsquo; X&rsquo; (formerly known as Twitter) has suspended its Jharkhand Congress handle after a case was registered by Delhi police in the morphed video case of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
&nbsp;
Suspending the account X has written that the account has been suspended due to a legal demand. 
&nbsp;
The Special Cell of Delhi Police had registered an FIR in the case on April 28 after a deep fake video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah had surfaced on the website.
&nbsp;
Delhi Police has also summoned Jharkhand Congress President Rajesh Thakur for questioning on May 02. 
&nbsp;
He has been asked to appear in person at IFSO Office Special Cell Delhi Police on May 2. The deep fake video was also shared from Jharkhand Congress's X handle.
&nbsp;
In response to the notice of Delhi Police, Thakur had said that he is talking to his lawyer in this matter and only after that he will take his next step.
&nbsp;
According to the notice, Rajesh Thakur has been asked to bring the source of the video tweeted. He has been asked to bring the video uploaded on X from whichever mobile/laptop/tablet. 
&nbsp;
He has also been asked to bring whatever electronic device was used to record the related video.
&nbsp;
It has also been said that if the notice is ignored, criminal proceedings will be initiated under section 91/160 of CrPC.

Ranchi

Jharkhand Congress’ ‘X’ account suspended in morphed video case

In a buoyant start to Thursday's trading session, Indian equity benchmark indices surged, propelled by robust investor sentiment, record-breaking GST collections in April and substantial foreign fund inflows.
&nbsp;
The 30-share BSE Sensex spearheaded the rally, surging by 204.88 points to reach 74,687.66 in early trade. Similarly, the NSE Nifty climbed by 57.35 points, reaching 22,662.20, setting a positive tone for the day's trading activities.
&nbsp;
Key gainers among the Sensex constituents included Power Grid, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, Asian Paints, Tata Steel, Sun Pharma, and HDFC Bank, reflecting broad-based optimism among investors.
&nbsp;
However, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti, Wipro, and Titan experienced marginal declines.
&nbsp;
The surge in market enthusiasm was significantly fueled by the announcement from the finance ministry, revealing a remarkable 12.4% surge in Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections, soaring to an unprecedented high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This surge was attributed to robust economic momentum and increased domestic transactions and imports.
&nbsp;
"The domestic cues are strongly positive. The GST collection for April setting a record of Rs 2.1 trillion indicates a booming economy," remarked V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, echoing the widespread optimism among market participants.
&nbsp;
The positive momentum in Indian equities mirrored trends in Asian markets, where Tokyo and Hong Kong recorded gains while Seoul and Shanghai saw marginal declines.
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Wall Street's performance on Wednesday was mixed.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the global oil benchmark Brent crude registered an uptick of 0.53% to reach USD 83.88 a barrel, further underpinning market optimism.
&nbsp;
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained net buyers, injecting Rs 1,071.93 crore into the equity markets on Tuesday, as per exchange data.
&nbsp;
"Positive factors include record-high GST revenue, FIIs and DIIs being net buyers, and WTI oil prices falling below USD 80 a barrel," observed Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities Ltd., outlining the multiple drivers supporting the current market sentiment.
&nbsp;
Notably, domestic equity markets remained closed on Wednesday on account of Maharashtra Day.
&nbsp;
The previous trading session witnessed a modest retreat, with the BSE benchmark declining by 188.50 points and the NSE Nifty dipping by 38.55 points, ending a two-day winning streak.

Foreign fund inflows boost Indian markets optimism

Tsering Namgyal, the Leader of the Opposition in LAHDC, Leh, was declared the Congress's candidate for the Lok Sabha election from Ladakh late Wednesday, according to former minister and senior Congress leader Rigzin Jora.&nbsp; Earlier in the day, local Kargil Congress and National Conference (NC) officials announced Haji Hanifa Jan as their candidate for the Ladakh seat. However, Jora told the reporters that the Kargil section of Congress and NC proclaimed Haji Hanifa Jan's name to put pressure on the party.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Ladakh was meant to join the Congress as part of the INDIA bloc, and Haji is a leader of the NC. Congress cannot support an NC leader even when we are in an alliance," Jora said. Earlier, NC and Congress leaders from Kargil held several rounds of meetings, and consensus was formed on the name of the former Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC, Kargil, and Haji Hanifa Jan, who is also a senior district leader of NC. During a media conference, the Executive Councillor of LAHDC, Kargil Kacho Mohammad Feroz, said the media had speculated extensively about the candidate from the INDIA Bloc.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"All parties, including top leaders of Congress and the NC, decided on a series of talks in which the interests of Leh and Kargil were considered and a consensus was achieved.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"Haji Hanifa Jan will be our candidate for the Congress mandate," said Kacho Mohammad Feroz. He added that senior Ladakh Congress leaders had been to Delhi to persuade the national leadership of the decision. The party's senior command has opted to field Namgyal, which might spark a fight. However, because Jan is more well-known, the local stakeholders in Kargil chose his name.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Tashi Gyalson, the BJP's candidate for the next elections, filed his candidature in Leh on Wednesday. After filing the nomination, Gyalson stated that many people supported him and had come to file the nomination.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Congress fields Tsering Namgyal as their candidate for Ladakh LS seat

Strong winds blew away several tents of mountaineers at Camp II of Mt Everest on Wednesday. The incident temporarily halted the expedition of a 50-member mountaineers' group staying at the tents.
&nbsp;
The wind, with an estimated speed of 80-90 kph, was still hitting the tents until Wednesday evening and was expected to recede by Thursday morning.
&nbsp;
"Strong winds blew some tents in the mountain since Wednesday morning as dozens of mountaineers were sheltered in the camp on their way to scale the 8,848.86 metre peak. There were around 50 mountaineers, including those from the USA, Iran, and Europe, besides the Nepalese mountain guides, when the incident occurred," Expedition Manager Chhang Dawa Sherpa of Seven Summit Trek told PTI.
&nbsp;
The camps are situated at an altitude of 6,500 metres on Mt Everest, the world's highest, and all the mountaineers were safe and shifted to other safer tents that were intact.
&nbsp;
"Now the tents need to be reinstalled once the situation becomes normal on Thursday, and the expeditions will move forward," he said.
&nbsp;

Kathmandu

Strong winds blow away mountaineers' tents at Base Camp 2 of Mt Everest

Repolling necessitated by a misplaced voter&rsquo;s register at a booth in Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency began at 7 am on Thursday.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The Election Commission of India had declared polling held at this booth in the second phase on April 26 void after 17-A register (of voters) got misplaced by the presiding officer and announced repolling.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Elaborate security and other arrangements have been made for the repolling.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;Voting at the polling booth in Nandsi in Ajmer parliamentary constituency began at 7 am which will continue till 5 pm,&rdquo; spokesperson of the election department said here.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">A total of 753 voters will exercise their franchise in the repolling. Webcasting of this polling booth is also being done.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Rajasthan has a total of 25 Lok Sabha seats, out of which 12 went to polls in the first phase on April 19 and 13 in the second phase on April 26. 
&nbsp;

Repolling begins in Ajmer after 'misplaced' voter's register

After his removal from the post of the Trinamool Congress&rsquo;s West Bengal general secretary, Kunal Ghosh claimed that the party was aware of the school recruitment scam even before the 2021 assembly polls.
&nbsp;
The damaging statement from Ghosh, considered close to TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, came amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, as the SSC scam has escalated into a significant issue in the polls.
&nbsp;
Ghosh was removed from the post hours after he shared a stage with a Bharatiaya Janata Party Lok Sabha candidate and praised him on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The party was well aware of the fact that large-scale corruption and extortion in lieu of jobs was taking place in the school education department. The party was aware of it even before the 2021 assembly polls,&rdquo; he said in an interview with Bengali news channel ABP Ananda.
&nbsp;
Ghosh, who has been seeking more prominence for next-generation leaders and has been at loggerheads with the old guards in the TMC, said it was due to this &ldquo;information about large-scale corruption that Partha Chatterjee was shifted to the industry department from the education ministry after the party returned to power for the third consecutive term in 2021.
&nbsp;
Ghosh&rsquo;s remarks came a week after the Calcutta High Court declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as &ldquo;null and void&rdquo;, ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.
&nbsp;
Around 26,000 people have lost jobs following the court order. The TMC leadership had maintained that the party was not aware of the scam until the arrest of Chatterjee took place in 2022.
&nbsp;
TMC leader Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July 2022 for his alleged involvement in the SSC scam. Chatterjee was shown the door by the party following his arrest. He was also removed from the state cabinet.
&nbsp;
Several TMC leaders and TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya and Jiban Krishna Saha were arrested by the CBI for their alleged involvement in the scam.
&nbsp;

Kunal Ghosh spills the beans on SSC scam, reveals TMC new about it from before

The trailer for the highly anticipated superhero team-up movie Deadpool &amp; Wolverine has been making rounds on the internet since it was released a week ago. The movie is set to hit the theatres on July 26. The trailer on YouTube has already hit 12 million views in a week.
&nbsp;
Hugh Jackman will be reprising his role of Jackson after the X-Men films. The reunion of Wolverine and Deadpool in the new version comes after the duo starred together in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/73_1biulkYk?si=uOx6eGrKzN4ncccb" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool &amp; Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Marvel Studios&rsquo; Deadpool &amp; Wolverine delivers the ultimate team-up throwdown on July 26 in English, Hindi, Tamil &amp; Telugu.
&nbsp;

Marvel's 'Deadpool & Wolverine' to hit theatres on July 26

After AstraZeneca admitted in UK court that their vaccine Covishield may have some side effects, including thrombosis (blood clotting) and low platelet count, the doctors associated with the Gujarat BJP, however, said a study by an expert panel in the state had established that there was no direct link between COVID-19 vaccines and blood clotting which can lead to heart attacks.
&nbsp;
Opposition Congress alleged BJP government did not follow WHO guidelines for the Covishield vaccine and demanded compensation for families of those who died due to heart attacks or similar reasons after taking the vaccine.
&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://newsarenaindia.com/nation/what-is-thrombosis-a-side-effect-of-astrazeneca-covishield-vaccine/9752">What is Thrombosis &ndash; a side effect of AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine</a>
&nbsp;
AstraZeneca, a British pharmaceutical company, has admitted in a UK court that its vaccine, which is sold in India under the name Covishield, can cause a rare side effect related to blood clotting called TTS. The vaccine is produced in India through a partnership between AstraZeneca and the Serum Institute of India (SII).
&nbsp;
Gujarat Congress president and Rajya Sabha member Shaktisinh Gohil sought to know why data was not collected despite WHO's advisory.
&nbsp;
"Since the world did not have time to analyse the side-effects of vaccines at that time, WHO had said countries should keep a record of side-effects. Other countries followed this advisory and kept records," he said.
&nbsp;
"But, in our country, no such data was collected," Gohil claimed.
&nbsp;
The Congress leader claimed that many healthy and young people suddenly died due to heart attacks or brain strokes in Gujarat and elsewhere.
&nbsp;
"So why does the BJP government not follow WHO's guidelines? Why was no extra care about the side effects of vaccines taken, and why was no data collected? Our government did not care about people's health," he said.
&nbsp;
Dr Dharmendra Gajjar, convener of the Gujarat BJP's Doctors Cell, refuted Gohil's claims.
&nbsp;
He said it was not right to politicise the issue after over three years.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Ahmedabad

BJP doctors claim Covishield not linked to heart attacks, Gujarat Congress demands compensation

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday increased the polling time for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana by an hour in view of heat wave conditions prevailing in the state.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The new timing would be 7 am to 6 pm against the earlier 7 am to 5 pm.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Polling for all 17 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on May 13 in the fourth round of the seven-phase elections.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">While the extended time for voting will be applicable in all assembly segments of 12 Lok Sabha constituencies, in the remaining five parliamentary seats, the timing will apply in certain assembly segments, according to a notification issued by the commission.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
The hours of polling will be 7 am to 6 pm in the Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Zahirabad, Medak, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Chevella, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool (SC), Nalgonda and the Bhongir Lok Sabha seat, it said.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The new timing will also be applicable in five assembly segments of the Adilabad Lok Sabha seat, three of Peddapalle seat, six of Warangal (SC) seat, three of Mahabubabad (ST) seat and five of the Khammam Lok Sabha seat, the Election Commission said in its notification.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The decision &mdash; to change the timing &mdash; was taken following a request from the Telangana chief electoral officer in view of representations received from various political parties and contesting candidates on the prevailing situation of heat wave in the state and its effect on voter turnout, according to the notification. 
&nbsp;

Hyderabad

Amid heat wave alert, EC increases poll timing in Telangana

India has voiced hope that Palestine&rsquo;s bid to become a full member of the United Nations, which was blocked by the US last month, will be reconsidered and its endeavour to become a member of the world organisation will get endorsed.
&nbsp;
The US vetoed a resolution in the UN Security Council on a Palestinian bid to be granted full membership of the United Nations last month. The 15-nation Council had voted on a draft resolution that would have recommended to the 193-member UN General Assembly &ldquo;that the State of Palestine be admitted to membership in the United Nations&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
The resolution got 12 votes in its favour, with Switzerland and the UK abstaining and the US casting its veto. To be adopted, the draft resolution required at least nine Council members voting in its favour, with no vetoes by any of its five permanent members &mdash; China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;While we have noted that Palestine&rsquo;s application for membership at the United Nations was not approved by the Security Council because of the aforesaid veto, I would like to state here at the very outset that in keeping with India&rsquo;s long-standing position, we hope that this would be reconsidered in due course and that Palestine&rsquo;s endeavour to become a member of the United Nations will get endorsed,&rdquo; India&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said here.
&nbsp;
India was the first non-Arab State to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in 1974.
&nbsp;
Currently, Palestine is a &ldquo;non-member observer state&rdquo; at the UN, a status granted to it by the General Assembly in 2012. This status allows Palestine to participate in proceedings of the world body but it cannot vote on resolutions. The only other non-member Observer State at the UN is the Holy See, representing the Vatican.
&nbsp;

India hopes Palestine's application for UN membership will be reconsidered

One person was killed, and 11 others sustained injuries when a tempo traveller travelling from Srinagar to Jammu collided with a truck near Ramban on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway on Wednesday evening, said officials.
&nbsp;
Officials said the tempo traveller was carrying at least 16 people, including 12 tourists from Kerala when the accident occurred. According to reports, four of the injured are in critical condition.
&nbsp;
The accident occurred near the Shabanbass area of Banihal, prompting an immediate response from local authorities.
&nbsp;
Officials also confirmed that one person died on the spot due to the collision impact, while 11 others sustained injuries.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Soon after the incident, the injured were shifted to the hospital for treatment.

Jammu

Vehicle carrying Kerala tourists collides with truck near Jammu's Ramban; one dead, 11 injured

Comedian Shyam Rangeela, known for mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced on Wednesday that he will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi against PM Modi.
&nbsp;
In a post on X, Rangeela said, "I am excited by the love I am receiving from all of you after the announcement to contest elections from Varanasi. I will soon present my views to you on my nomination and contesting the elections through a video message after reaching Varanasi."
&nbsp;
In an earlier post, Rangeela said, "I will contest elections from Varanasi because nowadays no one is sure who will withdraw the nomination."
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
वाराणसी मैं आ रहा हूँ&hellip;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShyamRangeelaForVaranasi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShyamRangeelaForVaranasi</a> <a href="https://t.co/8BOFx4nnjn">pic.twitter.com/8BOFx4nnjn</a>
&mdash; Shyam Rangeela (@ShyamRangeela) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShyamRangeela/status/1785680070474158346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
Speaking to reporters, Rangeela said, "In 2014, I was a follower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I shared many videos supporting the Prime Minister. Videos were also shared against Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal. Seeing them, one could say that I will vote only for the Bharatiya Janata Party for the next 70 years. But the situation has changed in the last 10 years... I will now contest against the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha polls as an Independent candidate."
&nbsp;
He added: "My candidature will give the people of Varanasi an option while voting, unlike in Surat and Indore. So, I will go to Varanasi this week and file my nomination against Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
&nbsp;
On April 25, Rangeela asked his followers whether he should contest against PM Modi as an independent candidate from Varanasi.

Varanasi

Comedian Shyam Rangeela to contest against PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi

The Bharatiya Janta Party is not impressed with a former Pakistan minister heaping praises on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
&nbsp;
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, a former minister in Imran Khan's cabinet in Pakistan, shared a video on X featuring Rahul Gandhi and praised him. He shared a montage of some of Gandhi's election speeches.
&nbsp;
"Rahul on fire...," he wrote on his X handle while sharing the video from another handle. The video was of Rahul targeting BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Rahul on fire &hellip;. <a href="https://t.co/6pi1mL0bQN">https://t.co/6pi1mL0bQN</a>
&mdash; Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) <a href="https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1785635422309101683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
Meanwhile, the praise did not go down well with some leaders of the BJP.
&nbsp;
In a post on X, Amit Malviya, BJP's IT cell chief, said, "Ch Fawad Hussain, who served in the Imran Khan cabinet, as Minister for Information and Broadcasting, is promoting Rahul Gandhi. Is the Congress planning to contest election in Pakistan?"
&nbsp;
"From a manifesto that has imprints of the Muslim League to a ringing endorsement from across the border, Congress&rsquo;s dalliance with Pakistan can&rsquo;t get more obvious," he added. 
&nbsp;
The video also shows Gandhi attacking the BJP and the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and accusing the ruling government of ignoring the interests of the poor and youth.
&nbsp;

'Rahul on fire': Former Pakistan minister praises Gandhi, BJP fumes

Suspense over who would the Congress field from Amethi and Raebareli Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh is set to end today.
&nbsp;
Just one day before the nomination deadline. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is expected to announce the candidates for the two seats today.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Speculation has been rife regarding the candidature of former party president Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for Amethi and Raebareli, respectively. Rahul Gandhi, who faced an unexpected defeat in Amethi to Bharatiya Janata Party&rsquo;s Smriti Irani in 2019, is expected to contest from there again, possibly alongside his current constituency, Kerala&rsquo;s Wayanad.
&nbsp;
For Raebareli, held by Sonia Gandhi since 2004, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is being considered for the post. However, considering the &ldquo;dynastic politics&rdquo; charge that the party is often subjected to by the BJP.
&nbsp;
Despite the delay in the announcement, Congress leaders reassured on Wednesday that the party is not deterred. Senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said that there is no fear and discussions are ongoing. The last date for nominations is tomorrow (May 3).
&nbsp;

Cong to announce party's candidates from Amethi & Raebareli today

Heat waves are likely to scorch 265 mandals in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, a senior official said.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">According to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) managing director R Kurmanadh, &ldquo;severe&rdquo; heat waves are expected in 31 of the 265 mandals.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Fifteen mandals in Vizianagaram district, eight in Parvatipuram Manyam, five in Srikakulam, two in Prakasam and one in Alluri Sitaramaraju are likely to experience &ldquo;severe&rdquo; heat waves, Kurmanadh said on Wednesday.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Similarly, heat waves have been predicted for 21 mandals in Palnadu district, 18 in Eluru, 16 each in Guntur and Nellore, and 15 in Srikakulam district among others.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">On Wednesday, Koppanuru in Palnadu district registered a maximum temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Manganellore in Tirupati (46 degrees), Chilakallu in NTR (45.8 degrees Celsius) and Banaganapalle in Nandyala (45.7 degrees Celsius), among others.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Kurmanadh suggested people stay indoors between 11 am and 4 pm and take precautions to protect themselves from the heat waves. 
&nbsp;

Andhra Pradesh to experience heat waves in 265 mandals

The US Police have denied that Goldy Brar, the gangster behind the murder of Indian Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moosewala, was killed in California.
&nbsp;
Internet was flooded with reports that two men reportedly shot in Fairmont and Holt Avenue in Fresno, California, yesterday after a fight. One of them later died in the hospital, said the US police.
&nbsp;
Many speculated that the person who was shot dead was Goldy Brar.
&nbsp;
The Fresno police department has now responded to the reports, saying they are "untrue". In response to a query, Lieutenant William J. Dooley said, "If you are inquiring because of the online chatter claiming that the shooting victim is 'Goldy Brar', we can confirm that this is absolutely not true."
&nbsp;
The police said the reports were misinformation and added that they are getting inquiries from around the world.
&nbsp;
"We have received inquiries from around the world this morning as a result of misinformation being spread on social media and online news agencies. We are not sure who started this rumour, but it caught on and spread like wildfire. But again, it isn't true. The victim is definitely not Goldy," he added.
&nbsp;
According to some local reports, the man killed in the incident has now been identified as 37-year-old Xavier Galdney.

US Police deny Goldy Brar's murder reports

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairperson Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday welcomed the Election Commission&rsquo;s decision to postpone polls in the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency and said this has relieved several political parties.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Azad emphasised the importance of the assembly elections over parliamentary elections stating it is very important to have a legislative assembly and legislators put in place through polls.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;It is never too late. The decision of the Election Commission of India has relieved us. I thank the ECI for taking this right decision. All political parties will benefit from the decision. Actually, all parties are happy,&rdquo; he told the media.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Azad, who is on campaign trial in Rajouri for his party&rsquo;s candidate Mohammad Saleem pitted in triangular contest with PDP's Mehbooba Mufti and NC's Mian Altaf on Anantnag-Rajouri seat, pointed out that the Election Commission should have scheduled polling in this constituency for the sixth or seventh phase.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">He explained that this circumstance led him and other political parties to write a letter to the Election Commission, requesting the postponement of elections until the Mughal road is reopened.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Regarding the impact on the Nomadic community's ability to vote, Azad said, &ldquo;There will be no effect on the Nomadic community in terms of exercising their franchise. They generally move to upper reaches in June as the hills are covered by snow as of now. By then, we will even get the results and the government would also be formed.&rdquo;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
Taking a swipe at the Congress, Azad said, &ldquo;It is not the first time someone has raised questions on EVMs. Several parties have raised questions on EVMs. Debates were held in the Parliament on it. The court and the ECI have deemed them the right ones.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
&ldquo;When the Congress and regional parties win, then EVMs are right and they are wrong at the time of their defeat,&rdquo; he added.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Azad emphasized the importance of the assembly elections over the Lok Sabha polls and said &ldquo;it is very important for us to have a legislative assembly and legislators put in place through elections&rdquo;.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">He said that in a first, Jammu and Kashmir will get a joint MP after delimitation.
<p class="MsoNormal" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;

Ghulam Nabi Azad welcomes EC's decision to postpone polls in Anantnag-Rajouri constituency

Demonstrations surged across university campuses in the United States amid escalating tensions surrounding Israel's military actions in Gaza, resulting in widespread arrests and disturbing clashes between protesters and counter-protesters.
&nbsp;
In New York City, the NYPD reported 282 arrests at Columbia University and the City College of New York, clearing students who had occupied Columbia University's Hamilton Hall since April 30.
&nbsp;
The crackdown unfolded as law enforcement sought to reclaim the campus, leading to tense confrontations between police and protesters.
&nbsp;
Hamilton Hall, historically associated with activism during South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, became a focal point for protests, with students renamed it "Hind's Hall" in memory of six-year-old Hind Rajab, tragically killed in Gaza.
&nbsp;
Student journalist Meghnad Bose recounted witnessing police intervention, noting aggressive tactics used to disperse protesters.&nbsp;At the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), tensions escalated as pro-Israel counter-protesters clashed with pro-Palestine demonstrators.
&nbsp;
Witnesses reported violent attempts by counter-protesters to dismantle the pro-Palestine encampment, leading to confrontations with police. Despite the chaos, pro-Palestine protesters remained resilient, holding their ground against the attacks.
&nbsp;
The surge in protests stemmed from heightened tensions following Hamas' attack on southern Israel and the prolonged Israeli military campaign in Gaza, resulting in staggering Palestinian casualties.
&nbsp;
The recent wave of demonstrations gained momentum following Columbia University President Minouche Shafik's contentious testimony before a US congressional committee, which critics accused of prioritising lawmakers' interests over those of students.
&nbsp;
Protesters called for divestment from Israel and companies associated with the conflict, denouncing administrators for allegedly exploiting public safety concerns to suppress dissent.
&nbsp;
The protests extended beyond New York, with arrests reported at Tulane University, the University of South Florida, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
&nbsp;
The international community took notice, with the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory condemning the violent police response and calling for an end to the ongoing conflict. In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass condemned the violence at UCLA, while New York City Mayor Eric Adams defended the police crackdown.
&nbsp;
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) criticised both the NYPD and Columbia University for their handling of the situation, drawing parallels between the current actions and past oppression of student activism.

US University campuses Student protests continue amid Israel-Gaza conflict, 282 arrested

In a significant move under the 'KNOW BJP initiative,' Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda, along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, chaired a meeting at the party headquarters. They engaged with representatives of eighteen political parties from ten countries, marking an intriguing international exchange.
&nbsp;
EAM Jaishankar expressed optimism about the visit, believing it would enhance understanding of India's vibrant democratic processes. Taking to X, he shared details of the meeting, emphasising its potential contribution to broader insights into Indian democracy.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://api.newsarenaindia.com//uploads/image-1-28jpg_1714598112022.jpg" width="1500" height="800">
&nbsp;
The visit of these representatives was orchestrated by the BJP, aiming to provide them with firsthand experience and insights into the party's election campaign strategies. During the meeting, the delegation received a comprehensive briefing on the BJP's campaign strategies and the electoral process in India.
&nbsp;
Among the participating political parties were Australia's Liberal Party, Vietnam's Communist Party of Vietnam, Bangladesh's Awami League, Israel's Likud Party, Uganda's National Resistance Movement, and Tanzania's Chama Cha Mapinduzi. Also in attendance were representatives from Russia's United Russia Party, Sri Lanka's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, and United National Party.
&nbsp;
Additionally, delegates from Mauritius, including the Militant Socialist Movement, Labour Party, Mauritian Militant Movement, and Parti Mauricien Social Democrate, participated in the initiative. From Nepal, representatives of Nepali Congress, Janamat Party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), and Rashtriya Swatantra Party were present.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://api.newsarenaindia.com//uploads/image-1-29jpg_1714598127181.jpg" width="1500" height="800">
&nbsp;
The exchange reflects BJP's efforts to foster international engagement and share insights into its electoral strategies. The presence of delegates from diverse political landscapes underscores the significance of cross-border collaboration and learning in contemporary politics.
&nbsp;
The BJP initiative signifies a broader trend towards global political dialogue and exchange, highlighting the growing interconnectedness of political processes worldwide. As India's political landscape continues to evolve, such interactions offer valuable opportunities for learning and collaboration on a global scale.

BJP hosts international political delegation under 'KNOW BJP initiative'

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has ousted Kunal Ghosh from his position as State General Secretary, following his recent praise for BJP candidate Tapas Roy, who defected from the TMC.
&nbsp;
Ghosh's removal was justified by the party, stating his views don't reflect TMC's stance, leading to potential legal actions if misrepresented.
&nbsp;
Ghosh responded by calling Derek O&rsquo;Brien, a TMC leader, a "quizmaster," questioning the necessity of the press release about his removal. He asserted that he had already resigned from his roles, making the announcement redundant. Despite this, Ghosh affirmed his allegiance to the TMC, emphasizing his desire to remain a committed party member.
&nbsp;
The exchange underscores tensions within the TMC, exacerbated by Roy's departure and Ghosh's controversial statements. As the political landscape heats up ahead of elections, internal conflicts threaten to overshadow the party's unity and cohesion.
&nbsp;
Ghosh's dig at O&rsquo;Brien, invoking his past as a quizmaster, adds a personal dimension to the rift, hinting at underlying resentment and discord within the party ranks. The use of social media platforms to air grievances further amplifies the public spectacle, exposing internal fissures to broader scrutiny.
&nbsp;
Ultimately, the episode highlights the challenges faced by the TMC as it navigates through a turbulent political climate, balancing internal cohesion with external pressures and rivalries.
&nbsp;
The fallout from Ghosh's removal underscores the delicate nature of party dynamics, where loyalty and dissent often collide in the pursuit of political dominance.
&nbsp;
As the TMC seeks to maintain its stronghold in West Bengal, managing internal dissent and projecting a unified front becomes increasingly crucial. How the party addresses these internal rifts and reconciles divergent viewpoints will shape its prospects in the upcoming elections and beyond.

Kunal Ghosh removed from TMC party General Secretary’s post, Ghosh hits back

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday appealed to people to keep voting the Bharatiya Janata Party to power for the next 30 years for dealing with the problems that &lsquo;started from the era of Muhammad Ghori and Mahmud Ghaznavi&rsquo;.
&nbsp;
She was speaking at a rally at Pichhore in Madhya Pradesh&rsquo;s Shivpuri district in support of BJP candidate and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;This country is not going to recover soon. You will have to give a lot of time to (prime minister Narendra) Modi, because the problems plaguing the country have very deep roots. These problems are from the time of Mohammad Ghori. These are from the time of Mahmud Ghaznavi. These are from the Mughal period. These are from the British period,&rdquo; Bharti told the gathering.
&nbsp;
The Mughals and British left, but the Congress leaders who succeeded them after 1947 shared their characteristics, she said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The Congress leaders who came in the initial period (after Independence), when Amma (Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia) had left the Congress, had the characteristics of the Mughals and British. The country is suffering the consequences of all this, and to fix the problems that have been going on for thousands of years, the BJP needs at least 25-30 years at the Centre,&rdquo; Bharti said.
&nbsp;
Modi&rsquo;s biggest contribution to India is he instilled the pride of being &lsquo;Bharatiya&rsquo; in people as the country is now looked upon with respect everywhere in the world, the BJP leader said.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;A temple was constructed in a Muslim country and they had no objection to it,&rdquo; she said.
&nbsp;
Lord Ram has arrived (with the consecration of the temple in Ayodhya) and &ldquo;now Ram Rajya will come&rdquo;, the BJP leader said, adding, &ldquo;Modi cannot do it alone and he will need the help of associates, like Ram needed the help of Hanuman, Laxman, Guru Vashishth and others.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Bhopal

Uma Bharti evokes Ghori & Ghaznavi, urges people to choose BJP for next 30 years

Breaking his silence over the sexual abuse allegations against him, Hassan MP and BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate for Lok Sabha Prajwal Revanna said truth will prevail and sought seven days to appear before the SIT probing the charges, even as the Congress stepped up its attack against the saffron party.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;Is being part of Modi&rsquo;s &lsquo;political family&rsquo; a &lsquo;guarantee of protection&rsquo; for criminals?&rdquo; Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while the state chief minister Siddaramaiah urged the PM to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal that the Janata Dal (Secular) leader used to travel abroad.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">With his party under fire over the matter, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the saffron organisation cannot remain with those who commit atrocities against women.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Prajwal and his father HD Revanna, former Karnataka minister, were booked by police on Sunday on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household. Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and nephew of Karnataka ex-chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Taking to Facebook, Prajwal Revanna posted: "As I am not in Bangalore to attend the inquiry, I have communicated to CID Bangalore through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon.&rdquo; There was no immediate comment from the Special Investigation Team on Prajwal&rsquo;s request.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The MP left the country as soon as the election to his constituency ended and is believed to be in Germany. Nearly 3,000 explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal sexually abusing several women have gone viral in Hassan in recent days.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Congress kept up the heat on its rival BJP over the matter.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Besides Rahul, his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi also hit out at the BJP on the sexual abuse allegations against Prajwal Revanna and said PM Modi sought votes for him and did not stop the JD(S) leader from leaving the country.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;

Revanna sex scandal: MP breaks silence, seeks 7 days time to appear for probe

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday met Congress Councillor Niranjan Hiremath and assured justice for his daughter Neha who was stabbed to death inside her college campus last month.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The 23-year-old Neha, daughter of the Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, was stabbed to death by her former classmate Fayaz Khodunaik on the campus of her college in Dharwad on April 18.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The incident sparked widespread condemnation and protests.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">After meeting Shah, Hiremath said that the union home minister assured them that justice would be done, and said that if needed, the case can be handed over to the CBI for further investigation.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Speaking to PTI Videos, Hiremath said, &ldquo;Today union home minister came here and we met him. I have given a memorandum to him stating about my daughter&rsquo;s murder which happened on April 18. Though he is aware about the incident, I still gave him a copy of the complaint and FIR. I also gave him a request letter seeking changes in the IPC section for such incidents.&rdquo;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Hiremath urged Shah to ensure that capital punishment is given in such cases.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;I urged that such cases should be completed within 90 days or 120 days and also requested him for capital punishment in such cases,&rdquo; he said.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Neha&rsquo;s father said that he told Shah about the inquiry being conducted by the CID team and informed him that the accused in the case has been taken into custody and the investigation is underway.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;He (Amit Shah) assured me that we will get justice and also said that we are with you,&rdquo; he added. 
&nbsp;

Hubballi murder case: Shah assures justice to Neha Hiremath’s family

It&rsquo;s going to be a triangular contest for the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with the Syed Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party contesting against traditional rivals NC and PDP, even as political observers believe it will lead to vote fragmentation in Srinagar.
 That said, the main focus, however, in this contest is on two emerging stars, NC leader Agha Syed Mehdi Ruhullah and PDP youth leader Waheed Parra. Both advocate peace, development, restoration of Article 370 and statehood &ndash; all of which resonate with Kashmiri youth.
&nbsp;
Young and dynamic leaders, though aligned with different parties, are demanding political freedom and represent the aspirations of the younger generation.
&nbsp;
Ruhullah, a former cabinet minister and thrice-elected member of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, stands out as an exemplary candidate.
&nbsp;
His soft-spoken demeanour and humility have endeared him to people, especially the youth in the Valley.
&nbsp;
One of the positive aspects of his leadership is his consistent narrative about and stance on Article 370, and 35A.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
A prominent Shia leader who is attempting to reach out to the majority Sunni Muslims, Ruhullah has often, in his speeches, said, &nbsp;&ldquo;election results &nbsp;do not stop me; it&rsquo;s an opportunity to reclaim the lost space and political pride."
&nbsp;
Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, on the other hand, promises to raise the voice of the people of J&amp;K in Parliament.
&nbsp;
"Kashmiris are not happy,&rdquo; he has said, adding &ldquo;that our silence must not be misunderstood as our consent to what the BJP did on August 5, 2019."
&nbsp;
Although the PDP candidate is doing everything to mobilise people to vote, it&rsquo;s another matter that his party was once allied with the BJP, which abrogated Article 370.
&nbsp;
This would perhaps play on the voter's mind as he or she heads to polling booths &nbsp;on May 13 to decide the fate of two young leaders from Jammu and Kashmir.
&nbsp;

Srinagar LS seat: All eyes on emerging stars Mehdi Ruhullah and Waheed Parra

Congress&rsquo; caste census, removing 50% reservation cap is regressive.
&nbsp;
The Congress has made it official. Caste, not merit, will determine how one will get educated, and how one can get a job or own resources. It will hold a caste census. This will be followed by an economic and financial survey. Congress has also promised to survey various institutions, private and government, to find out the representation of different castes.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Above all, it has also announced that it will remove the Supreme Court&rsquo;s 50 per cent cap on reservations by enacting a new law. It has also been said that every caste and community, particularly the minorities, will get representation in all the institutions including the private sector, based on the proportion of its population, not any merit.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Gandhi never mentions merit in his speeches. He only mentions caste.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The Congress has not been even subtle about its intentions. Imagine a situation where merit will not just go to the background, it will simply be buried under the concept of the &ldquo;proportion of the population&rdquo;. Putting it simply means if one particular caste&rsquo;s population is 50 per cent, the same percentage of jobs would be reserved for it.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
No matter what the merit standing of the candidates will be, as long as there are vacancies reserved for that particular caste, they will manage to get selected. And in case, if candidates of some other castes score higher than the reserved castes, but do not have a sufficient number of vacancies, they will not get selected for the position or the job.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This has been happening even now, but with a 50 per cent cap on reservations, merit does get accommodated to a certain extent. If and after the cap is removed, merit will simply die.
&nbsp;
Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s reservation theory, which sounds worse and more dangerous than even Mandal Commission recommendations, according to him (Gandhi), will not be restricted to jobs alone.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This will be applied to and implemented in the education sector, private sector and of course in legislative bodies as well. The instant outcome of this policy will be reservation in the private sector also.
&nbsp;
Once the government makes laws for reservation in the private sector also, coupled with no cap, one can well imagine what will happen to those who depend solely on merit. It will not just hit the job prospects of the meritorious job seekers, but the private sector companies may also suffer a lot since they will be forced to compromise on merit.
&nbsp;
The Congress has check-mated the BJP on the reservation issue. No political party no matter how strong it may be and no political leader no matter how powerful he may be can afford to be perceived to be against reservations.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
When Congress says, it will enforce reservation everywhere that means it will enforce reservation in the private sector also, not only in jobs but also in education. This means the end of merit. No matter how meritorious and capable one is, s/he will have as much scope as the proportion of his/her population in getting a job or admission in any educational institution whether government or private.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Rahul Gandhi does not stop here. He goes on to say that he will distribute as much wealth among the poor, he has his definition of poor whom he counts as Backwards, Dalits, Adivasis and Minorities, as Prime Minister Modi according to him, gave away to Adani and Ambani.
&nbsp;
This is a separate story that Adani and Ambani worked their way very hard to create the wealth they own, rather than manage. Needless to mention how many jobs they have created in the process.
&nbsp;
This is not an exaggeration. This is what Rahul Gandhi has been telling people in his campaign speeches. Pick up any of his speeches from YouTube and listen to him carefully. Even the rabid and radical socialists and leftists have never suggested doing any such thing, as what Rahul intends to do.
&nbsp;
As mentioned already, given the sensitivity of people towards their castes and the way it gets reflected in voting patterns, no politician can ever dare to contradict what anyone is seeking and demanding in the name of caste. And if it happens, it will come at a heavy cost for the nation.&nbsp;

Death of Merit, pronounced by Rahul Gandhi

In a collaborative effort aimed at enhancing security preparedness, India and Israel recently conducted a joint security drill in New Delhi.
&nbsp;
Organised by the Israeli embassy in India, the exercise brought together various Indian security agencies and emergency services to assess their readiness in countering potential future threats.
&nbsp;
Led by Israeli Ambassador Naor Gilon, the drill was deemed a significant milestone in strengthening the cooperation between the two nations in matters of security and defence.
&nbsp;
Gilon expressed gratitude for the dedication and efforts of Indian security forces, highlighting the importance of such collaborative exercises in reinforcing their shared commitment to global stability and fostering a safer world.
&nbsp;
The exercise witnessed the participation of key agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police, the National Security Guard (NSG), and local emergency services such as the fire department and traffic police.
&nbsp;
Over the course of day and night sessions held at the Israeli Embassy, participants engaged in practising response strategies to potential terrorist incidents.
&nbsp;
One of the key aspects of the drill was the activation of elite units from both Israeli and Indian agencies to simulate various scenarios. These simulated scenarios allowed participants to refine their coordination, communication, and operational procedures, thus strengthening their joint efforts against terrorism.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the Delhi Traffic Police played a pivotal role in managing traffic control in the vicinity, ensuring smooth conduct of the exercise.
&nbsp;
The joint security drill served as a platform for Indian and Israeli security forces to enhance their coordination and operational capabilities. By working together in simulated environments, they were able to identify areas for improvement and streamline their response mechanisms. Such collaborative efforts are crucial in addressing evolving security challenges and mitigating potential threats effectively.
&nbsp;
<img src="https://api.newsarenaindia.com//uploads/untitled-design-20240501t210408992jpg_1714577670311.jpg" width="1500" height="800">
&nbsp;
Moreover, the exercise underscored the shared commitment of India and Israel to combat terrorism and ensure the safety and security of their respective nations.
&nbsp;
By conducting joint drills and exercises, both countries aim to bolster their preparedness and resilience against various security threats, reaffirming their strong partnership in addressing common security concerns.
&nbsp;
The joint security drill in New Delhi exemplified the spirit of cooperation and mutual support between India and Israel in the realm of security and defence.
&nbsp;
It provided a valuable opportunity for both nations to exchange expertise, share best practices, and strengthen their bond as strategic partners in safeguarding peace and stability in the region and beyond.

India and Israel collaborate in joint security drill in New Delhi

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has disbanded Tesla&rsquo;s charging team in a new layoff round, a move that was unexpected and &ldquo;surprising to everyone.&rdquo;.
&nbsp;
Despite partnering with major automakers like Ford and General Motors to utilise its connectors, Tesla has opted to let go of its Supercharger network team, which operates the North American Charging Standard (NACS) technology.
&nbsp;
In an email to senior staff, Musk directed further layoffs, urging the removal of employees who do not meet the criteria of excellence, necessity, and trustworthiness or to resign voluntarily.
&nbsp;
Affected employees, like Will Jameson, expressed uncertainty about the future of the charging network and the NACS technology on platforms like X, indicating a significant shift in Tesla's strategy.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;What this means for the charging network, NACS, and all the exciting work we were doing across the industry, I don&rsquo;t yet know. What a wild ride it has been,&rdquo; he posted on X.
&nbsp;
Nevertheless, Tesla &ldquo;will continue to build out some new Supercharger locations, where critical, and finish those currently under construction,"&nbsp; according to Musk&rsquo;s email, reports TechCrunch.
&nbsp;
Tesla plans to continue expanding its Supercharger network by building new locations where necessary and completing ongoing construction projects.
&nbsp;
This decision follows previous job cuts, which saw over 10% of Tesla's global workforce laid off as part of a restructuring effort. Additionally, Musk dissolved Tesla's public policy team in another restructuring move.

Elon Musk disbands entire Tesla's charging team in surprise layoff round

The Election Commission on Wednesday reprimanded Bharat Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrashekar Rao and barred him from campaigning for 48 hours for his &ldquo;objectionable&rdquo; remarks against the Congress.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The EC said his remarks at a press conference Sircilla on April 5 were violative of the provisions of the model code of conduct and its advisories.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The English transcript of his statement provided by the EC in its order shows he used invectives against the Congress which rules Telangana.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The 48-hour ban of the former Telangana chief minister comes into force at 8 pm on Wednesday.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">After Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, Rao is the second politician to be banned from campaigning for 48 hours in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">In his reply to a show-cause notice issued by the poll authority, Rao had claimed that his words were &ldquo;twisted&rdquo;. He also said the local poll officials could not follow the local Telugu dialect.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The order served on him reminded that Rao had violated the poll code in the past elections too.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">While strongly condemning him, the Commission used its constitutional powers to ban him from campaigning.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">A Congress leader had moved the poll panel against the BRS chief.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

EC raps KCR, bars from campaigning for 48hrs

Ola Electric, led by Bhavish Aggarwal, announced on Wednesday that it has secured over 52% of the market share in the electric vehicle (EV) two-wheeler segment for April.
&nbsp;
According to data from the government&rsquo;s VAHAN Portal, the company recorded 34,000 registrations during the month, marking a year-on-year growth of 54% compared to the same period last year.
&nbsp;
Anshul Khandelwal, Chief Marketing Officer at Ola Electric, attributed the increase in market share to the company&rsquo;s strong cost structures and vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;With the deliveries of our mass-market S1 X portfolio starting soon, we are all set and excited to enter the mass-market 2W EV segment in India,&rdquo; Khandelwal stated.
&nbsp;
Ola Electric recently entered the mass-market segment and unveiled revised prices for its S1 X portfolio. The scooter, available in three battery configurations (2 kWh, 3 kWh, and 4 kWh), is now priced at Rs 69,999 (introductory price), Rs 84,999, and Rs 99,999, respectively.
&nbsp;
Additionally, the company adjusted the prices of its premium offerings: S1 Pro, S1 Air, and S1 X+, which are now priced at Rs 1,29,999, Rs 1,04,999, and Rs 84,999, respectively.

Ola Electric captures 52% market share in EV two-wheeler segment in April

President Droupadi Murmu paid obeisance and performed &ldquo;aarti&rdquo; at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Before visiting the temple in the evening, Murmu took part in the Sarayu &ldquo;aarti&rdquo; and performed puja at the Hanumangarhi temple here.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;President Droupadi Murmu had darshan and performed puja at Shri Hanuman Garhi temple, Ayodhya,&rdquo; the president's official X handle said in a post on the microblogging platform.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Earlier in the day, the president was received at the Ayodhya airport by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">This was Murmu&rsquo;s first visit to Ayodhya since the newly-built Ram temple&rsquo;s consecration ceremony was held on January 22. 
&nbsp;

President Murmu pays obeisance at Ayodhya’s Ram temple

The Former Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar urged the voters to exercise their voting rights in support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if they wish for the nation's bright future. The remark of Khattar came on Wednesday, claiming the saffron party's win at the Centre.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"The work which Congress could not do in so many years&nbsp;was done&nbsp;by the (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi government in 10 years," Khattar said.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The senior BJP leader emphasised that the party is in a strong position&nbsp;not only in Haryana but&nbsp;the entire country.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
"The BJP-led alliance will form the government with more than 400 seats.&nbsp;The&nbsp;people of the country&nbsp;want to see Narendra Modi as the PM for the third time," Khattar said&nbsp;here.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
He added that people should vote in favour of the BJP if they want a bright future for the country.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Khattar&nbsp;was accompanying&nbsp;BJP leader and Haryana minister Ranjit Singh Chautala, who filed his nomination papers from here.
&nbsp;
Addressing the party workers and supporters before filing his nomination, Chautala said that India's respect has increased&nbsp;in the world&nbsp;under Modi's leadership.
&nbsp;
He said the prime minister&nbsp;has&nbsp;understood the problems of&nbsp;the poor&nbsp;and resolved them.
&nbsp;
The Congress and its allies are fighting&nbsp;only&nbsp;to save their existence&nbsp;but&nbsp;they do not seem to be getting success in this either, Chautala said.
&nbsp;
He claimed that due to the transparent policies of the Haryana government, for the first time&nbsp;deserving&nbsp;candidates have got jobs purely based on merit.
&nbsp;
Chautala joined the BJP in March&nbsp;and&nbsp;soon after&nbsp;he&nbsp;was named the party's candidate from Hisar Lok Sabha seat. The minister later resigned from the state assembly as an Independent legislator.
&nbsp;
The nomination process for the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state began on Monday. The deadline for filing nominations is May 6.&nbsp;

BJP has a stronghold in Haryana, says Khattar claiming party's win

At least three workers were killed in an explosion at a stone quarry here on Wednesday, and in the impact, their body parts got strewn around, with some buried in debris, police said.
&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Expressing grief over the deaths, Chief Minister MK Stalin conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families and said they would be given a solatium after the Election Commission&rsquo;s permission is obtained.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The explosion led to clouds of smoke and sand in the quarry and a small building &mdash; a warehouse &mdash; was flattened.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Visuals of the blast captured by a nearby CCTV camera was widely shared on social media and the impact of the explosion was felt by residents of nearby areas. The people staged a protest demanding that the quarry be shut.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Virudhunagar Police Superintendent K Feroze Khan Abdullah said the blast occurred when workers unloaded explosives from a vehicle in order to store them at the warehouse on the premises of the stone quarry.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Some body parts have been strewn around and also buried in debris, he said answering a question.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The explosion appeared to be &ldquo;due to mishandling&rdquo; of explosives, the official said, adding that a case has been registered and an investigation is on.
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;
<p style="background: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.87); font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: 2; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">&ldquo;They have explosives licence. It is a licensed premises and a person linked to the facility is being questioned in connection with the explosion,&rdquo; he said. 
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