LIVE! Storm: Delhi-bound flights delayed, diverted

LIVE

Mon, 25 April 2022

Storm: Delhi-bound flights delayed, diverted

Timeline Refresh

Representational image

23:48 Storm: Delhi-bound flights delayed, diverted

At least six flights were diverted and many more services were delayed due to thunderstorm over the Delhi airport on Monday evening, sources said.

A Vistara plane from Mumbai and two Alliance Air flights -- one from Jaipur and one from Lucknow itself -- were diverted to the Lucknow airport on Monday evening, they said.

IndiGo's two flights -- one from Jabalpur and one from Patna -- were diverted to the Jaipur airport, they said.

Air India's service from Vadodara was also diverted to the Jaipur airport, they mentioned.

The arrival and departure of many more services from the Delhi airport were delayed due to thunderstorm, they stated. -- PTI

US President Joe Biden

23:18 Biden nominates new US ambassador to Ukraine

US President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate Bridget Brink for US ambassador to Ukraine, a vacant post since May 2019.

The announcement on Monday by the White House came shortly after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a press conference at an undisclosed location near the Polish-Ukrainian border following a secrecy-shrouded visit to Kiev, where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Blinken told reporters he shared with Zelensky 'a number of things' the United States is committed to regarding Ukraine in its military conflict with Russia, 'including President Biden's intent to nominate a new ambassador to Ukraine, Ambassador Bridget Brink.'

Blinken described Brink, a Michigan native appointed by former President Donald Trump to serve as the US ambassador to Slovakia in August 2019, as 'deeply experienced in the region, who'll be a very strong representative for the United States in Ukraine.'

The United States has been without a Senate-confirmed ambassador to Ukraine since May 2019, when Trump recalled then-Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch over claims she was undermining the former president's efforts to press Ukraine to investigate the Biden family's business ties with the country.

Blinken also said US diplomats, who left Ukraine due to the war, will return to the country next week and 'start the process of looking at how we actually reopen' the US embassy in Kiev, which ceased operation in the lead-up to Russia's military operation in Ukraine. -- ANI

22:49 'Rusted ball' triggers bomb scare in Delhi

Bomb disposal protocols were initiated by the Delhi police on Monday after it was informed about a 'grenade-like' object being spotted at RK Puram in the city's southwest, officials said.

A senior police official said they initially suspected it to be a 'grenade,' but during preliminary inquiry it was found to be a 'rusted ball.'

The officer said senior police officials and a bomb disposal squad have been called at the spot.

"During initial inquiry we found out that the object was a rusted ball. However, we are conducting our regular drill and taking all precautions," the officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Southwest) Manoj C tweeted, "In view of sighting of an object, suspected to be an old, corroded, incendiary object, the place of sighting has been cordoned of and necessary precautionary measures are being taken."

In a video statement uploaded on Twitter, he has said, "Today (Monday) we got a call from RK Puram's Mohammadpur area where we found a rusty ball at a park. We initiated necessary protocol and took due precautions."

However, in a statement, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta alleged that "a bomb was planted by Rohingyas and Bangladeshis at party councilor's residence who had proposed in South MCD House to change name of Mohammadpur village to Madhavpuram." -- PTI

Representational image

22:35 Air India asked to repair aircraft after flyer complains of shabby interiors

Aviation regulator DGCA has asked Tata Group-owned Air India to repair its aircraft after a passenger complained on social media on Monday about the plane's shabby interiors, including a broken armrest, officials said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had last Wednesday grounded a SpiceJet aircraft over a passenger's complaint of dirty seats and malfunctioning cabin panels.

The SpiceJet plane took to the skies a day later after all the suggested repairs were effected.

On Monday, a passenger posted on social media a couple of pics of shabby interiors including a broken armrest of Air India's Airbus A320 aircraft with registration number VT-EDF, officials said.

As a result, the DGCA asked the airline to check and rectify the problem as soon as possible, they mentioned.

The plane will be in Kolkata on Monday night and the repair works will be done during that time, they said. Air India did not respond to PTI's request for a statement on this matter. -- PTI

The Madras high court on Monday refused to restrain film producer KE Gnanavelraja of Studio Green Films from releasing three of his films, before settling the pending 'fees' that are allegedly due to actor D Sivakarthikeyan.

Justice M Sundar, who took up the plea, appointed an arbitrator to settle the issue and directed Sivakarthikeyan to approach the authority.

According to the actor, Gnanavelraja did not pay the remuneration of Rs 15 crore in full for having acted in Mr Local, a Tamil feature film produced by him in 2018-19, and also did not remit the Tax Deducted at Source to the Income Tax department.

His prayer to the court urging it to restrain the producer from making any further investments in the latter's ongoing projects titled Rebel, Chiyan 61 and Pathu Thala and also to prevent him from transferring any rights with respect to the three movies either to film distributors for theatrical release or to Over-the-Top platforms, was not granted. -- PTI

What once seemed like a far-fetched idea might actually become true as reports suggest that Elon Musk might actually be buying Twitter eventually.

According to TechCrunch, multiple news outlets have reported that Twitter's board has actually considered Musk's funded offer over the weekend, with the corporate governing body's attitude towards the offer changing following Musk's outlining of his plan to source the funds to make real his $46.5 billion offer to buy the company.

After initially meeting up on Sunday, Twitter's board entered into negotiations with Musk on Monday morning in order to hammer out additional details.

Though reports stress that the deal has not yet been finalised and can still fall out however it's kind of amazing that it's even gotten this far.

The tech billionaire's bid was initially seen by critics as undervaluing the company significantly despite it representing a premium on the current Twitter stock price.

Further, Twitter's board had even instituted a 'poison pill' policy to try to block Musk from acquiring a much more significant ownership position in the company, as per TechCrunch. -- PTI

Author Shrayana Bhattacharya on Monday said she finally met her 'hero,' superstar Shah Rukh Khan and presented her book, Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh to him at his Bandra residence in Mumbai.

In an Instagram post, Bhattacharya said she sat down with Khan for an hour-long meeting at 'Mannat' on Sunday.

"They say you should never meet your heroes. Whoever wrote/thought that had clearly never encountered @iamsrk After meeting him for an hour at Mannat last night, I can only say that he is superhuman, not of this universe, yet the most humane... A million thanks to @poojadadlani02 without whom this would not have happened," she wrote.

Published by HarperCollins India, Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women and the Search for Intimacy and Independence was launched last year and received widespread acclaim.

In her post, Bhattacharya continued that the book had finally reached "its intended destination", Khan's home library as she shared a picture of the title placed in one of the bookshelves.

"Yes, we took photos. But woh kitaab ki one year anniversary par post karenge," she wrote, using the hashtag #finallyfoundshahrukh. Bhattacharya also shared pictures of the handwritten note Khan wrote for her. -- PTI

Representational image

21:02 Delhi adds 1,011 new Covid cases, positivity rate rises to 6.42%

Delhi on Monday reported 1,011 fresh COVID-19 cases and one death, while the positivity rate rose to 6.42 per cent, according to the health department.

The infection tally in the national capital now stands at 18,75,887 and the death toll at 26,170, the bulletin stated.

A total of 15,642 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the city the previous day, it said.

Delhi on Sunday saw 1,083 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 4.48 per cent, while one person died due to the disease.

The capital had reported 1,094 COVID-19 infections on Saturday, the highest since February 10, with a positivity rate of 4.82 per cent and two deaths.

Delhi had logged 1,042 cases with a positivity rate of 4.64 per cent and two fatalities on Friday.

On Thursday, the city reported 965 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 4.71 per cent and one death. -- PTI

20:47 Ranas file bail plea, hearing tomorrow

Bail petition of Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana has been filed in the Mumbai session court on Monday.

The matter will be heard on Tuesday. -- ANI

Representational image

20:28 Teen boy in Bhim Army chief's convoy killed after cow hits bike in MP

An 18-year-old boy was killed after his motorcycle, which was part of the convoy of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, was hit by a cow and then by another vehicle in Sagar district, a police official said on Monday.

The incident, which was captured on video, occurred on Sunday near Ratona village on Sagar-Bhopal road and the deceased has been identified as Shailendra Ahirwar (18), a resident of Semadhana village, he said.

"Ahirwar's motorcycle was first hit by a cow and then by another vehicle in the convoy. He was rushed to the district hospital where he died while undergoing treatment," Motinagar police station in charge Nawal Arya said. -- PTI

Representational image

20:15 Samajwadi Party leader booked in UP for hurting religious sentiments

An FIR was on Monday registered against a local Samajwadi Party leader here for allegedly making derogatory remarks against goddess Sita and Nishadraj, a figure revered by the Nishad community, the police said.

SP district president Vikas Yadav was booked under sections 298 (hurting religious feelings) and 505(c) (inciting people to commit offence) of the Indian Penal Code, they said.

In a purported video circulating on social media, Yadav is seen sitting on a boat during a visit to Sitamadhi Bhadohi and making objectionable comments against goddess Sita and Nishadraj.

The FIR was registered following a complaint of Nishad Party MLA from Gyanpur Vipul Dubey, they said.

Taking congisance of the video, an FIR was registered against Yadav at Gyanpur police station, superintendent of police Anil Kumar said.

Dubey said the remarks made by the SP leader "show his mentality". Meanwhile, Yadav released another video in which he expressed regret over his comments. -- PTI

A team of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Union minister Anurag Thakur, met in New Delhi on Monday as the party plans a big outreach to mark the third anniversary of the Narendra Modi government in its second term after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 ruled out any major public event during the first two anniversaries.

Members of a committee formed by the BJP to decide the modalities of the programme discussed various suggestions at a meeting held at the party headquarters.

Union minister Thakur, BJP general secretaries Arun Singh, CT Ravi and D Purandareswari and chief spokesperson Anil Baluni, among others, are part of the panel.

A party source said that as of now a draft has been prepared, and the list of programmes and activities will be finalised in the coming days to highlight various achievements of the government.

The committee members also include Union minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar, MPs Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Rajdeep Roy and Aparajita Sarangi besides other organisation leaders like Shiv Prakash and Lal Singh Arya.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken oath for a second term on May 30, 2019, after leading the BJP to an unprecedented 303 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

His second term has been marked by the government fulfilling several of its core ideological projects, including the nullification of Article 370 and the beginning of the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya following a Supreme Court verdict, with the BJP continuing to notch up impressive poll feats in several states. -- PTI

People wearing masks in public places must be ensured, vaccination coverage, including administering booster dose, should be stepped up, Chief Minister MK Stalin told the district collectors on Monday in a virtual meeting.

The government machinery should be prepared to face any kind of situation, the CM advised collectors and top state officials, amid concerns over emergence of a fourth COVID-19 wave.

The chief minister addressed the officials through vide-conferencing from the secretariat in Chennai.

Pointing to a rise in virus cases during the past one week in Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, he said and added that according to experts, a new sub-variant of Omicron strain was behind the spike.

"All of us should be prepared to face any kind of situation and that is my appeal," he told the Collectors and senior officials.

Reiterating that vaccination is the biggest weapon against coronavirus, Stalin said it should be "our paramount duty" to see to it that all eligible persons are vaccinated.

Of the 6.33 crore eligible population, 74.75 per cent of them have received two doses, 91.5 per cent the first dose and 41.66 per cent the booster dose, he said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed on Monday to launch the EU-India Trade and Technology Council, a strategic coordination mechanism to tackle challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security.

It will be the second trade and technology council involving the 27-nation European Union (EU) after its first one with the United States.

The decision to launch the new platform was taken during talks between Modi and von der Leyen.

The two leaders deliberated on a plethora of key issues, including the situation in war-hit Ukraine.

In a tweet, Modi said he was delighted to hold talks with the European leader and that both sides reviewed the 'full range of India-EU ties including economic and cultural linkages'.

Besides holding talks with the prime minister, the visiting European leader also met President Ram Nath Kovind.

"Today, our relationship is more important than ever. We have so much in common. We are vibrant democracies, we both support wholeheartedly the rules-based international order and we have both large economies, and we are both facing a challenging global landscape," von der Leyen said in her opening remarks at the meeting with Modi.

"For the European Union, the partnership with India is one of our most important relationships for the coming decade and strengthening this partnership is a priority," she added.

The European Commission president said she was glad that both sides are starting negotiations toward comprehensive trade and investment agreements.

The European Union said the EU-India Trade and Technology Council will allow both partners to tackle challenges 'at the nexus of trade, trusted technology and security, and thus deepen cooperation in these fields'.

It said both sides agreed that the rapid changes in the geopolitical environment highlight the need for joint in-depth strategic engagement. -- PTI

Kirit Somaiya

18:57 Ex-mayor arrested for attack on Somaiya's car

The Mumbai police on Monday afternoon arrested four Shiv Sena members, including former city mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, for allegedly vandalizing Maharashtra BJP leader Kirit Somaiya's car over the weekend, an official said.

According to the Khar police station official, besides Mahadeshwar, those arrested included former Shiv Sena corporator Haji Haleem Khan and party activist Dinesh Kunal.

They were charged with rioting as they allegedly hurled stones at Somaiya's car, he said.

The official said the BJP leader's car was allegedly attacked on Saturday amid a call given by independent Lok Sabha MP Navneet Rana and her MLA-husband Ravi Rana to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside the private residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in suburban Bandra.

The recitation plan was later called off by the politician couple who was placed under arrest by the police the same day.

Mahadeshwar told PTI, "We four, including former corporator Haleem and Kunal, were arrested but we do not know under which IPC sections and whether they are bailable or non-bailable. We are in the (Khar) police station."

An FIR was registered at the Bandra police station in connection with the incident. On Sunday morning, the case was transferred to the Khar police station as the incident took place under their jurisdiction.

Somaiya's car was also handed over to the Khar police for further probe, the official said.

Representational image

18:15 Govt blocks 16 YouTube channels, 1 FB account

The government on Monday blocked 16 YouTube channels, including six operating from Pakistan, and a Facebook account for spreading disinformation related to India's national security, foreign relations and public order, an official statement said.

The blocked YouTube channels and the Facebook account had a cumulative viewership of over 68 crore and were spreading "false, unverified information to create panic, incite communal disharmony and disturb public order in India", the information and broadcasting ministry statement said.

"None of the digital news publishers had furnished information to the ministry as required under Rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021," it said.

KP Maurya

17:36 FIR against 50 persons for assaulting KP Maurya's son

The police have registered an FIR against a group of around 50 people for allegedly manhandling and robbing Yogesh Maurya, son of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, during the assembly polls in the state.

The FIR was registered on Sunday based on a complaint filed by Yogesh Maurya, the police said, adding that 25 of the 48 accused are unnamed.

On February 24, some people allegedly manhandled Yogesh Maurya near Nara village and robbed his gold chain, Painsa police station SHO Ramesh Kumar said.

A probe is on, and action will be taken in the matter accordingly, the SHO said.

Keshav Maurya contested the assembly polls from the Sirathu seat but lost to Pallavi Patel, who contested on a Samajwadi Party ticket.

17:14 Mevani rearrested soon after getting bail

Gujarat Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani was rearrested by Assam Police on Monday for allegedly assaulting officials after a court in Kokrajhar granted him bail in a case related to a tweet by him against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Mevani, an MLA supported by the Congress, was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections related to voluntarily causing hurt, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty and others, police said.

Earlier in the day, a Kokrajhar court granted him bail in connection with a case related to his tweet against Modi.

The Gujarat legislator was arrested on April 19 from Palanpur town in Gujarat after an FIR was registered against him in Kokrajhar.

He was brought here two days later. -- PTI

16:20 Keep religion at home, says Sharad Pawar

Amid a political row in Maharashtra over the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said there is no need to display religious sentiments in public.

Speaking to reporters in Pune on the sidelines of an event, Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra, said it is a good thing that the state government decided to call an all-party meeting on Monday over the issue of loudspeakers at religious places, and he will be very happy if something good comes out of the meet.

He also said that earlier there used to be spirit of friendship among political opponents, but now "undesirable things" are being witnessed.

Asked about the atmosphere prevailing in the state in the wake of issues like the row over recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, Pawar said every person has his sentiments about their religion, but it is good if the person keeps that sentiment in his heart and in his house.

"There is no need to display it (publicly)," he said. "If efforts are made to spread hatred against communities or classes, adverse effects would be seen in society. Maharashtra never experienced this (kind of situation). Of late, such things are happening. I am surprised over this," he said.

Pawar said if someone wants to conduct a religious programme, he can do so in his own house. "But, if you decide to hold that religious programme at my doorstep, then people who have faith in me can become anxious. Unfortunately, some people are creating such kind of an atmosphere of late. Let's see, in the coming days, the atmosphere will improve," he said.

Benchmark indices tumbled for the second day in a row on Monday, with the Sensex tanking 617.26 points following heavy selling in market major Reliance Industries and negative global cues.

Unabated foreign fund outflows added to the weak sentiment. The BSE benchmark Sensex dived 617.26 points or 1.08 per cent to end at 56,579.89. During the day, it plummeted 840.28 points or 1.46 per cent to 56,356.87.

The broader NSE Nifty declined 218 points or 1.27 per cent to 16,953.95. Among the 30-share Sensex pack, Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra, NTPC, Reliance Industries, Titan, ITC, Larsen & Toubro and Sun Pharma were the major laggards. In contrast, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Nestle, Maruti Suzuki and Bharti Airtel were the gainers.

15:54 India's GDP likely to grow 7.5% in FY23: CII

India's economy is expected to grow 7.5-8 per cent this fiscal year with exports playing a key role in the country's success story, CII President TV Narendran said on Monday.

However, he said the country needs to remain prepared for any fallout of next wave of COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

"We are confident that the economy can retain a high growth trajectory this year. So, we are very optimistic on the export front. Exports will be a key component of India's success story going forward," Narendran said. In an interview to PTI, the President of the industry body said the resurgence of COVID globally will have an impact on the global supply chain and CII's India economic growth estimate of 7.5-8 per cent in the current fiscal factors these developments.

"The experience with COVID shows that every time there is a fresh wave globally, it does hit India as well. Therefore, we must be prepared for the future waves," he said. -- PTI

15:23 Cong MLA Jignesh Mevani gets bail

Arrested Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani has been granted bail by a local court in Kokrajhar, Assam today, his lawyer Angshuman Bora, said.

Mevani was arrested on Thursday from Gujarat's Palanpur by a team of Assam police after a local BJP leader from Kokrajhar filed a complaint against him.

Mevani - an arch critic of PM Modi - has called his arrest "vendetta politics by the PMO (Prime Minister's Office)".

The 41-year-old has been charged with criminal conspiracy, offence related to place of worship, outraging religious feelings, and provocation that might lead to breach of peace.

A healthcare worker prepares a Covid ward

15:20 Don't panic: Dr Devi Shetty on Covid spike

Amid fresh Covid-19 concerns in different parts of the country and apprehensions about a possible fourth wave of the pandemic, renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Prasad Shetty on Monday said, there is no need to fear or have panic reactions and the concentration should be on number of hospitalisations and not the positivity.

He advised people to continue to wear masks and maintain social distance. "Third wave was not that serious, so there is no need to fear or have panic reactions. We should only go by the number of patients admitted in hospital. One lakh people or 50,000 people getting positive does not mean anything," Shetty said.

Speaking to reporters Dr Shetty added, "The whole country may be positive, but if there are no COVID patients in hospital, it doesn't make any difference. So concentration should be on the number of patients in the hospital, not the positivity."

The founder-chairman of Narayana Health advised people to continue wearing masks and practice social distancing and consult doctors if there are any health issues. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is holding a review meeting with senior Ministers, officials and health experts today regarding the current Covid situation in the state. -- PTI

14:13 Some people anxious after losing power: Pawar

In an apparent jibe at the opposition BJP in Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said some people were getting anxious after losing power.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra, said it is a good thing that the state government has decided to call an all-party meeting over the issue of loudspeakers at religious places, and he will be very happy if something good comes out of the meet.

After the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena parted ways with long-term ally BJP over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party then tied-up with the NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state. Asked about statements of opposition leaders that the situation in Maharashtra warrants President's rule in the state, Pawar said it is true that some people get anxious after power goes out of their hands.

"This is not a new thing. Not everyone is like me. After our (state) government was dismissed in 1980, I was told about it at 12.30 in the night. I along with my friends immediately vacated the (CM's) house and moved to another place and on the next day, we all went to watch a cricket match at the Wankhede stadium and enjoyed the whole day," the former chief minister said.

" Power comes and goes, and there is no need to be anxious," the NCP chief said. "Of late, some people are getting anxious and I do not blame them, because before the (2019) state election claims were made of coming again to power, and it did not materialise, that's why there is this anxiousness," the former Union minister said.

Asked about a BJP delegation going to meet the Union home secretary over some incidents that have taken place in Mumbai, Pawar said it is obvious that some "anxious people" will go and explore their options, but there is no need to think over it. -- PTI

The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on Monday asked the Chinese government to allow the 11th Panchen Lama and his family members, taken into custody by China 27 years ago and not seen in public since then, to live a free life.

The CTA's appeal comes on the 33rd birth anniversary of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, who was recognised by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama when he was six-year-old. In a statement issued from here, the CTA said it intends to send a strong message to Beijing that the world has not forgotten about Nyima despite China's efforts to erase him from history.

"We call upon the Chinese government to rightfully allow the Panchen Lama and his family to live a free life they are entitled to under the international laws and treaties that China is obligated to, the CTA, which is unofficially known as Tibetan government-in-exile, said in a statement issued from its headquarters in Dharamshala.

On 14 May 1995, His Holiness the Dalai Lama endorsed Nyima as the 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama. However, China did not recognise his reincarnation and on 11 November 1995, it announced Gyaltsen Norbu, the son of a Communist Party member as the Panchen Lama, the second-highest spiritual title in Tibetan Buddhism, the CTA said in the statement.

Following this, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances expressed concerns about the whereabouts of the Panchen Lama and urged China to provide information on the case, it said.

Since then, a number of human rights bodies, including the UN Committee against Torture, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as Special Reporter on Freedom of Religion or Belief, have urged the Chinese government to make Panchen Lama's whereabouts known to the world, the statement said.

However, China has claimed that the Panchen Lama is an ordinary citizen, living a perfectly normal life and does not wish to be disturbed, according to the CTA statement. Therefore, the Panchen Lama's case continues to remain one of the longest cases of enforced disappearance in the world, it added. -- PTI

13:46 SL prez ready to form interim govt, says monk

Sri Lanka's embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has agreed to form an interim government to tackle the unprecedented economic crisis, a senior Buddhist monk claimed on Monday, as the debt-ridden country stepped up efforts to keep the economy afloat.

Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.

Rajapaksa expressed his intention to form the interim government in a letter to the powerful Buddhist clergy on Sunday. Rajapaksa had responded to a letter from the chief monks of the four Buddhist chapters dated April 4 in which they had asked Rajapaksa to dissolve the Cabinet to set up an interim government, Madagoda Dhammananda, Chief Registrar of one of the chapters, said.

A few days ago high-ranking Buddhist monks, who oversee and regulate the Buddhist clergy, have urged the President, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and all MPs to take effective steps to put the country in order and also said that they will be forced to issue a Sangha Convention if they fail to do so, Daily Mirror newspaper reported.

There was no immediate reaction from the President's Office. The four Buddhist chapters - Malwathu, Asgiri, Amarapura and Ramanya chapters - wield power to influence Sri Lanka's political leaders.

Former Union home secretary Madhav Godbole died due to cardiac failure at his residence in Maharashtra's Pune city on Monday, family sources said.

He was 85.

Before taking voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service in March 1993, Godbole served as the Union home secretary.

He had also worked as the secretary of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Urban Development Departments at the Centre, and principal finance secretary of the Maharashtra government. Godbole had also penned over 20 books on policy decisions.

He is survived by his wife Sujata, son Rahul, daughter Meera and their extended families. -- PTI

Terming the Uniform Civil Code a "good step", Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said the state government is examining the concept and is open to implementing it.

He also commented on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerging as the third political player in the state where the assembly polls are scheduled later this year.

"Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state. AAP's style of politics will not work there. The state will not accept any third alternative," he told reporters at the Himachal Bhawan.

The ruling BJP is facing a new challenger in AAP which had recently won the neighbouring state of Punjab. Asked to comment on BJP-ruled Uttarakhand's willingness to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Thakur said, "UCC is a good step. It is being examined in the state. We are open to implement it in Himachal Pradesh."

A Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation consisting of five party MLAs on Monday met Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and submitted a detailed report on the attack on former Lok Sabha MP Kirit Somaiya allegedly by Shiv Sena workers in Maharashtra.

Somaiya was also part of the BJP delegation. Somaiya said, "We had a detailed discussion with the Union Home Secretary on the situation in Maharashtra. He assured us that he is looking into the incident and if necessary a special team from Delhi will be sent to Maharashtra." -- PTI

The Congress high command has begun its crucial meeting to decide on whether it will accept poll strategist Prashant Kishor's proposal to revamp the grand old party ahead of the 2024 general election.

Besides party chief Sonia Gandhi, members of the seven-member committee that submitted a report to her on Kishor's proposal have reached the party chief's residence for the meeting.

The meeting is taking place at 10 Janpath today.

The committee members include KC Venugopal, Digvijaya Singh, Ambika Soni, Randeep Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider listing after summer vacation the pleas challenging the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for one of the petitioners, that the plea needed urgent hearing in view of the delimitation exercise being carried out in the state. This is the Article 370 matter.

The delimitation is also going on, the senior lawyer said.

"Let me see," the CJI said, adding, This is a five-judge matter. I will have to reconstitute the bench. The court agreed to re-constitute a five-judge bench to hear pleas after summer vacation.

Several petitions challenging the Centre's decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which splits J-K into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- were referred to a Constitution Bench headed by Justice N V Ramana in 2019 by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoi. PTI

Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa has requested the Karnataka government to name the airport that is coming up at Shivamogga after any illustrious personality of the state, following it's recent decision to name it after him.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after inspecting the ongoing work of the airport at Sogane in Shivamogga on April 20, had announced that it will be named after the former chief minister, and would send a proposal in this regard to the Civil Aviation Ministry, Government of India. Yediyurappa has written a letter to Bommai on April 24 in this regard.

"I am touched by Chief Minister Bommai's decision to name the Shivamogga airport after me. With all humility, I request the government to name the airport after any illustrious personality of Karnataka which will be a befitting tribute to their contribution," Yediyurappa said in a tweet along with a copy the letter.

The government's decision to name the airport after the state BJP strongman had elicited some opposition, with some people including those in the opposition pointing out that there were several prominent personalities from the district who deserve the honour.

Shivamogga is the political base of Yediyurappa, he is the MLA from Shikaripura Assembly segment in the district, while his elder son B Y Raghavendra is an MP from Shivamogga parliamentary constituency. -- PTI

As AAP expands nationally, new approach is part of attempt to woo Hindu voters aligned with BJP but disaffected by its governance, say party leaders. But some fear it may backfire. Read the column here.

11:26 Nawazuddin Siddiqui predicts his downfall

Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui believes reinventing as a performer is the only way to not become "jaded" in the film industry. In his career of more than two decades, Siddiqui has received acclaim in almost every film -- from his early breakout roles in "Black Friday", and Kahaani" to films which were riding on his shoulder like "Gangs of Wasseypur", "Badlapur" and "Photograph".

The actor said he never takes his audience for granted and hence his attempt is always to look for "something more" when a character comes his way.

"It is on you if you're making your character challenging enough. If you're doing that, means you're still curious. It is an ongoing process. The day I stop the process thinking that the audience will love me anyway as I am a great actor, my downfall will begin.

"Here, you can get too comfortable with the praise that comes your way, it can make you feel jaded. If I take that love, the audience for granted, I am finished," the 47-year-old told PTI.

Citing a cricket analogy, Siddiqui said just because a cricketer has hit a century in his last match, doesn't mean he gets to start his next from 100. "He also starts from zero. That's how acting is. Every film of mine, be it the big screen masala entertainers or so-called artistic films, my process remains the same: I always start from the scratch. I unlearn and then go into any project. That's what keeps me on my toes and makes me be more receptive to challenges."

The actor is currently awaiting the release of his next, "Heropanti 2". The actioner, headlined by Tiger Shroff, is among those projects that feels like a departure from the Siddiqui brand of movies, which are often mounted on a smaller scale but almost always guarantee a thought provoking cinematic experience.

The actor said he is aware that his appearances in commercial films like "Kick" and "Heropanti 2" can irk a section of his fans. "A section of my fan base abuse me when I do commercial films and say, 'Sir why are you doing this?' But for every 'Heropanti 2', I also have a 'No Lands Men', watch that then... I did 'Manto', it was a beautiful film, but when that didn't work, it pained me.

"When a credible, thoughtful film-- made after a lot of research-- is not watched by the audience, you feel like, 'Forget it, now I will do the other kind of cinema'. But hum aadat se majboor hai, I will keep doing my kind of films and strike a balance," he added. -- PTI

More than 192.74 crore COVID vaccine doses have been provided to States and Union Territories till date, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

"More than 192.74 crore (1,92,74,20,735) vaccine doses have been provided to States, UTs so far through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category," a statement from the Health Ministry said.

Further, the Ministry informed that more than 19.93 crore (19,93,69,660) balance and unutilized COVID-19 vaccine doses are still available with the States, UTs to be administered. -- PTI

By taking a leaf out of the fascist playbook, hate music is successfully communalising common sense and culture. Read the column here.

10:41 Pakistan objects to Modi's visit to Kashmir

Pakistan has objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kashmir and laying of foundation stones for the construction of the Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects on the Chenab river, which it claimed was a "direct contravention" of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Prime Minister Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday for the first time for a public engagement since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

During the visit, Modi laid the foundation stone of the Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects, an 850 MW facility to be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar at a cost of around Rs 5,300 crore, and a 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric project to be built on the same river at a cost of over Rs 4,500 crore.

The Foreign Office here termed Prime Minister Modi's visit to the Valley as "yet another ploy to project fake normalcy" in the Valley.

"Since 5 August 2019, the international community has witnessed many such desperate attempts by India to divert attention from the actual underlying issues in Kashmir," the Foreign Office said in a statement on Sunday night.

Pakistan also criticised the laying of foundation stones for the construction of the Rattle and Kwar Hydroelectric Projects (HEP) on the Chenab River in Kashmir.

Beijing on Monday began mass COVID-19 testing of over 3.5 million people in one of the city's high-profile districts following a spike in cases, while Shanghai reported a record 51 deaths in a day as the eastern metropolis continued to grapple with the Omicron variant for the fourth week.

Beijing's local government has ordered Chaoyang district, home to some 3.5 million residents, to have three rounds of mass nucleic acid testing starting from Monday after the district registered the most COVID-19 cases in the capital's latest epidemic surge, official media reported.

The test applies to those who are living and working in the district, which will be conducted respectively on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Chaoyang disease prevention and control leading team said in a notice on Sunday.

According to China's National Health Commission report released on Monday, Beijing reported 14 cases on Sunday of which 11 of them were in Chaoyang district which is the central part of the city where the top Chinese leadership resides.

The Chinese mainland on Sunday reported over 20,190 cases, majority of them being asymptomatic cases. Shanghai, a vast city of 26 million people, has reported 2,472 positive cases and 16,983 asymptomatic cases.

On Sunday, the city's COVID-19 death toll crossed 100 in the current outbreak. -- PTI

Maruti was among the gainers

10:21 Sensex tumbles 785 points in early trade

Equity markets opened the trade on a lower note on Monday, extending the previous day's fall, with the Sensex tanking 785 points in early trade, mirroring an extremely weak trend in Asian markets.

Also, unabated foreign fund outflows and selling in index majors Reliance Industries, Infosys and TCS added to the weak sentiment.

The BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 785 points lower at 56,412.14. The NSE Nifty declined 243.35 points to 16,928.60.

Among the 30-share Sensex pack, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Steel, IndusInd Bank, Wipro, Larsen & Toubro, Tech Mahindra, Titan, TCS, Asian Paints and Infosys were the major laggards in early trade. In contrast, ICICI Bank and Maruti were the gainers.

Shares of ICICI Bank on Monday gained nearly 2 per cent after the company reported a 59 per cent jump in standalone net profit for the fourth quarter of 2021-22.

The stock jumped 1.89 per cent to Rs 761.50 on the BSE. At the NSE, it went up by 1.83 per cent to Rs 761.35. The private sector lender on Saturday reported a 59 per cent jump in standalone net profit to Rs 7,019 crore for the fourth quarter of 2021-22.

Amravati MP Navneet Kaur Rana with husband MLA Ravi Rana

10:01 Sena sees BJP hand in Amravati duo's Chalisa chant

Matoshree-Hanuman Chalisa Row: The Shiv Sena in its newspaper Saamana says the BJP is responsible for Hanuman Chalisa fiasco by the the Ranas.

"Chanting of Hanuman Chalisa is not banned in this state, then why did they (Amravati MP Navneet Rana & husband MLA Ravi Rana) want to chant it in front of Matoshreee (CM Uddhav Thackeray's residence)? BJP's frustrated mind is behind this

"The Ranas wanted to chant Hanuman Chalisa at a national level. They should've instead chanted it at the residences of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah," the paper said.

Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana have been sent to 14 days of judicial custody after they were produced before the Bandra Magistrate Court on Sunday.

The magistrate court dismissed the plea for police remand and the bail application for Navneet Rana will be next heard on April 29. The police had asked the court for the custody of the couple for 7 days.

Mumbai Police on Saturday evening arrested MLA Ravi Rana and his wife, MP Navneet Rana, both Independent legislators from eastern Maharashtra, for allegedly "creating enmity between different groups" after escorting them out of their house in suburban Khar amid high drama.

The development came hours after the couple cancelled their plan to recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence `Matoshree'.

09:29 US announces $300mn aid, ammo to Ukraine

The United States announced new military assistance for Ukraine and a renewed diplomatic push in the war-ravaged nation as President Joe Biden's secretary of state and Pentagon chief completed a secrecy-shrouded trip to Kyiv.

In the highest-level American visit to the capital since Russia invaded in late February, top envoy Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Ukraine's president, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, and his advisers that the U.S. would provide more than $300 million in foreign military financing and had approved a $165 million sale of ammunition.

They also said Biden would soon announce his nominee to be ambassador to Ukraine and that American diplomats who left Ukraine before the war would start returning to the country this coming week.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv will remain closed for the moment. Zelenskyy had announced Saturday that he would meet with the U.S. officials in Kyiv on Sunday, but the Biden administration refused to confirm that and declined to discuss details of a possible visit even though planning had been underway for more than a week.

Image: The faithful walk between sandbags and hedgehog anti-tank barricades to attend a blessing of traditional Easter food baskets in Zhytomyr. Pic: Viacheslav Ratynskyi /Reuters

While on Ukraine...

Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Center for Civil Liberties (Ukraine) tweets this: "I remember @MalcolmNance because of his description "Russian getting ass kicked". It sounded very sincere, without a diplomat style, which hasn't work at all. Today I have read that he joined the Ukrainian International Legion. I hope to have the opportunity to shake your hand."

To which Malcolm Nance responds, "We will have dinner at the Last Barricade when this is over."

Oleksandra has accepted the invite, now if only this horrific war would end.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Covid-19 pandemic has taught Singapore valuable lessons "for which we have paid dearly", lessons that must not go to waste.

Speaking at an event on Sunday to mark 200 years since the establishment of Singapore General Hospital, Lee said Singapore "cannot thoughtlessly revert to the status quo ante" after the pandemic.

"We must make the most of the changes forced on us by the crisis to improve the way we do things," the prime minister said.

Lee credited Singapore's resilient healthcare system, an effective public health response and a high degree of public trust with making a big difference in weathering the pandemic. But while we count our blessings, we must prepare seriously for the next pandemic," said Lee.

It is entirely possible that within the next few decades, another novel pathogen more lethal and infectious than Covid-19 will sweep the world, the Channel News Asia quoted Lee as saying.

This means Singapore must keep its standards for medical excellence high, by investing in healthcare workers and good medical facilities and infrastructure, Lee said. -- PTI

The U.S. secretaries of state and defense met Sunday night with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the highest-level visit to the country's capital by an American delegation since the start of Russia's invasion.

The meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which was confirmed by a senior Ukrainian official, came as Ukraine pressed the West for more powerful weapons against Russia's campaign in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow's forces sought to dislodge the last Ukrainian troops in the battered port of Mariupol.

"Yes, they're meeting with the president. Let's hope something will be decided on further help," Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych told Russian lawyer and activist Mark Feygin on his YouTube show Feygin Live.

The United States has not yet commented.

Before the session with Blinken and Austin, Zelenskyy said he was looking for the Americans to produce results, both in arms and security guarantees. "You can't come to us empty-handed today, and we are expecting not just presents or some kind of cakes, we are expecting specific things and specific weapons,'' he said.

Zelenskyy's last face-to-face meeting with a top U.S. official was Feb. 19 in Munich with Vice President Kamala Harris, five days before Russia's invasion.

China reported 2,666 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 51 more deaths in the past 24 hours, the country's National Health Commission said on Monday.

Of the new local cases, 2,472 infections were reported in Shanghai while the rest of the cases were reported in 17 other provincial-level regions on the mainland including 79 in Jilin, 26 in Heilongjiang, and 14 in Beijing, Xinhua reported citing the commission.

The country also reported 17,528 locally transmitted asymptomatic infections of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, of which 16,983 local asymptomatic carriers were identified in Shanghai.

As many as 29,178 confirmed COVID-19 cases are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals while 2,982 patients recovered from the virus in the past 24 hours.

With 51 fatalities, all in Shanghai, reported in the past 24 hours, China's COVID-19 death toll mounted to 4,776, Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, China's capital city Beijing is on high COVID-19 alert after the city recorded 21 new community cases on Sunday.

Moreover, China has been witnessing surges in its big cities in the past few months including Shanghai, where residents have been in lockdown for four weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The country's financial hub, Shanghai, has been facing the worst COVID-19 outbreak and has been desperately seeking medical care and basic supplies like food.

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES