THE HEADLINES:
- West Bengal BJP legislature party to meet in Kolkata today to elect its leader.
- DRDO and Indian Air Force successfully conduct maiden flight-trial of indigenous TARA glide weapon.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi describes Somnath Temple as timeless symbol of Bharat’s resilience, unity and civilisational strength.
- US Court of International Trade declares Trump administration’s 10 percent universal tariff levied on imports from India and other countries illegal.
- US President Donald Trump says, United States and European Union are united in ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.
- In IPL Cricket, Delhi Capitals to take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Delhi this evening.
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The West Bengal BJP legislature party will meet in Kolkata this afternoon to elect its leader. The Party’s Central Observer and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be present in the meeting. The BJP registered a historic victory in the just-held assembly elections, ending the TMC’s 15-year rule in the state. More from our correspondent:
“From the airport, Mr. Shah went straight to Dakshineswar Kali Temple, where he offered prayers before moving on to his next engagements. Later today, he will attend a meeting with BJP’s newly elected MLAs at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre where the leader of the legislative party will be formally elected. The minister will remain in Kolkata overnight. Tomorrow morning, he is scheduled to attend the oath‑taking ceremony of the party’s elected members at Brigade Parade Ground. The event will also see the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the host of Union Ministers, and several Chief Ministers from BJP‑ruled states. Since the oath-taking ceremony is being held on the occasion of Rabindra Jayanti, special emphasis is also being given to cultural performances. The BJP is planning to showcase Bengali culture through Rabindra Sangeet and other cultural presentations. Sandipon Dasgupta, Akashvani News, Kolkata.“
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Discussions on forming the new government in Keralam are progressing. Congress, the leading party of the UDF is expected to announce its leader by Sunday. Congress sources informed that the decision on the Legislative Party Leader will be taken by the national leadership based on the report submitted by the party observers to Keralam. More from our correspondent :-
“The focus of discussions over the Chief Minister’s post in Keralam has now shifted to New Delhi. Following the meeting of the Congress Legislative Party, the observers appointed by the All India Congress leadership returned to Delhi on Thursday itself. The final decision on the Congress Parliamentary Party leader in Keralam is expected to be announced after consultations with the national leadership. Meanwhile, demonstrations and poster campaigns supporting various leaders are continuing across Keralam. Campaigns are actively being carried out in favour of former KPCC President and former Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, current Opposition Leader V D Satheesan, and sitting MP K C Venugopal. The Congress high command is expected to announce its decision on the Parliamentary Party leadership by Sunday. Smithy M Palluruthy, Akashvani News, Thiruvananthapuram.”
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In Tamilnadu, the challenge for the single largest party TVK, continues. With hectic parlaying, left parties have huddled in discussions on lending support to the majority. In a related development, Senior BJP leader B.L. Santosh has said that Congress will be ashamed of its decision in Tamilnadu. He also said that only time can decide on who will rule Tamilnadu. More from our correspondent:
“On the whole the milestone of forming a new Government for the new entrant TVK, which is the single largest Party in the State, has not yet been figured out. There have been political and legal talks on the prevailing situation by the TVK. Several rounds of talks with CPI, CPI(M), and VCK is to be completed today. DMK Chief M.K. Stalin is also holding a meeting with senior party colleagues. Political commentators are of the opinion that the stalemate should be resolved as soon as possible. Joy, Akashvani News, Chennai.”
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The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon off the coast of Odisha yesterday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, IAF, DcPP, and the industry for the maiden flight-trial. He described it as a significant development in advancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities. A report:
“TARA is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system that converts unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons. It has been designed and developed by the Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, along with other DRDO laboratories. The indigenous glide weapon system is the first to utilise state-of-the-art low-cost systems, aimed at enhancing the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon to neutralise ground-based targets. The development of the kit has been undertaken with Development-cum-Production Partners and other Indian industries, which have already started production activity. With Ankit Kumar, Saumya Sharan , Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Somnath Temple in Gujarat on 11th May to mark 75 years since the restored temple was inaugurated by India’s first President, Rajendra Prasad, in 1951. The Prime Minister today wrote an article in the National Daily paper and shared this information. In his article, he said it was a privilege for him to attend two important events related to Somnath within a few months. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi attended the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, which marked one thousand years since the first attack on the temple.
The Prime Minister called Somnath a symbol of India’s civilisational strength, unity and resilience.
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Akashvani organized a marathon in the national capital today as part of the celebrations marking 90 years of its distinguished service to the nation. The nearly 3.5-km marathon began from Akashvani Bhavan and passed through Krishi Bhavan, Rail Bhavan, and the RBI Building before concluding at Akashvani Bhawan. Employees of Akashvani, Doordarshan, and Prasar Bharati-along with their family members participated in the Marathon. All participants were awarded a finisher medal, while trophies were presented to the top three finishers in both male and female categories. Our correspondent reports that Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi and Director General of Akashvani Rajeev Kumar Jain flagged off the run.
“Similar marathon and walkathon events are being organized across Akashvani’s extensive nationwide network, ensuring widespread public engagement and outreach during the 90-year celebrations. On the occasion, Prasar Bharti CEO Gaurav Dwivedi said that the marathon will take the message of the fitness movement to the people. Director General of Akashvani Rajeev Kumar Jain said that a series of events will be organised this month at 232 Akashvani Kendras across the country. He said that the celebration marks the contribution of Akashvani as a public broadcaster in serving the country. The event aims to promote the message of fitness, public participation, and national unity, in line with the government’s vision of a healthy and active India. The initiative reflects Akashvani’s continued commitment to connecting with citizens and promoting socially relevant causes beyond broadcasting. Akashvani was established in 1936 and continues to be one of the country’s most trusted broadcasting platforms. In an age dominated by the digital world, Akashvani continues to hold a special place in people’s lives, blending nostalgia with relevance. It broadcasts news, music, and public service programmes in various languages. Through this Marathon, Akashvani not only celebrates its glorious history but also promotes the messages of fitness, unity, public outreach. Aman Yadav, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, has asserted that India is rapidly transforming from being the world’s fastest-growing aviation market into a major global destination for aircraft leasing and financing. Delivering the keynote address at the India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit 2.0 at GIFT City, in Gandhinagar today, the Minister stated that Gujarat serves as India’s window to the world, leading the charge in bringing aviation financing home with GIFT city becoming a global centre for aircraft leasing and financing.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has emphasised on India’s burgeoning role as a pillar of global economic stability and highlighted the nation’s significant contribution to international prosperity. The minister made these remarks during an address to representatives from various sections of Surinamese society in Suriname. He pointed to recent data to underscore the scale of India’s impact, stating, that according to the IMF expectation of global growth this year, India contributes 17 per cent of the total global growth.
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Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh has said that India’s approach to migration is guided by the core operational principles of protection of migrants, comprehensive governance across the migration lifecycle, and strong international cooperation. The Minister was addressing the Heads of Delegations to the 2nd International Migration Review Forum at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York.
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A US federal court has struck down President Donald Trump administration’s 10 per cent blanket global tariffs, calling them unlawful in a major setback to the White House’s trade policy. According to reports, the US Court of International Trade, in a split 2-1 ruling, said the administration failed to justify the tariffs under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act. The court noted that the government did not establish the existence of a serious balance-of-payments crisis required under the law.
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US President Donald Trump has said that the United States and the European Union are united in ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons. In a social media post, Trump said he held a great call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and discussed the situation in West Asia.
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The fragile ceasefire in West Asia is under severe strain after a wave of military escalations overnight. The US military confirmed its naval forces came under Iranian missile, drone and fast-boat attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, responding by eliminating inbound threats. Three US navy destroyers successfully transited the strait under fire, with President Donald Trump saying American vessels sustained no damage while US forces dealt what he called “great damage” to the attackers. More from our Correspondent:
“The United Arab Emirates moved swiftly to defend its territory early Friday. The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority confirmed UAE air defence systems were activated at approximately six-thirty in the morning local time to intercept incoming missile and drone threats.Separately, Iran’s military reported US strikes hit civilian areas across multiple sites in southern Iran, a claim Washington has not directly addressed. The competing narratives from both sides reflect the deep mistrust complicating the emerging 14-point peace framework – one that would pause hostilities and open a 30-day window for final negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, and Strait of Hormuz transit arrangements. This is Vinod Kumar For Akashvani News, Dubai.”
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In IPL Cricket, Delhi Capitals will face Kolkata Knight Riders at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi today. The match will begin at 7:30 PM.
Yesterday, Lucknow Super Giants defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 9 runs in a rain-affected match at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :
- West Bengal BJP legislature party to meet in Kolkata today to elect its leader.
- DRDO and Indian Air Force successfully conduct maiden flight-trial of indigenous TARA glide weapon.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi describes Somnath Temple as timeless symbol of Bharat’s resilience, unity and civilisational strength.
- US Court of International Trade declares Trump administration’s 10 percent universal tariff levied on imports from India and other countries illegal.
- US President Donald Trump says, United States and European Union are united in ensuring that Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.
- In IPL Cricket, Delhi Capitals to take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Delhi this evening.
