THE HEADLINES::
- US President Donald Trump announces to extend Iran ceasefire indefinitely; Blockade of sea routes to also continue.
- Stage set for polling in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for assembly elections tomorrow.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh calls for enhanced collaboration between defence industrial ecosystems of India and Germany.
- Indian Army issues a stern warning to the perpetrators of terrorism on the first year of Pahalgam terror attack.
- Kedarnath Dham opens today for devotees in Uttarakhand.
- In Women’s Cricket, India to take on South Africa in 3rd T20 International in Johannesburg today.
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US President Donald Trump has said that he will indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran to allow the two countries to continue peace talks to end the war.The announcement came as two-week truce was set to expire this morning. In a Truth Social post, Trump said he is making the move at Pakistan’s request. However, he also said he would continue the US Navy’s blockade of Iran’s ports and shore, which Iran’s leaders have called an act of war. He said the blockade of Iranian ports will continue until Tehran presents a “unified proposal”.
Trump’s announcement appeared to be unilateral, and it was not immediately clear whether Iran, or the US ally Israel, would agree to extend the ceasefire, which began two weeks ago.
There was no immediate comment from Iran’s most senior leaders, but Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, said Iran had not asked for a ceasefire extension and repeated threats to break the US blockade by force.
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The government has said that the domestic LPG supply across the country remains normal and no dry out has been reported at any LPG distributor across the country. Addressing the Inter-Ministerial briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia in New Delhi, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sujata Sharma, said that despite the increased prices of crude oil and LPG in the international market, the government strived to ensure the domestic supply of LPG without any disruption.
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Stage is set for assembly elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal tomorrow.
In Tamil Nadu, polling will be held in a single phase for all the 234-Assembly constituencies in the state. Our correspondent reports that there are over five crore 73 lakh 43 thousand voters in the state.
“Polling arrangements are taking place all over the State. Awareness messages are displayed everywhere to emphasise the importance of voting. Banners, placards and posters are kept in public display to increase the number of voters. Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, registers 60 to 65 per cent voting, which is quite a low turn out. Security has been stepped up. This time it will be a hundred per cent webcast of polling booths and they will be monitored. Booth officials will present themselves today evening to take charge of the polling from tomorrow 7 am. Basic facilities like water, rest rooms, wheel chair, electric lights and power connection for EVMs and shamianas will be set up today at all the polling booths. Joy, akashvani, reporting from Chennai.”
In West Bengal Assembly elections will be held in 152 seats covering 16 districts tomorrow. Our correspondent reports that one thousand four hundred seventy-eight candidates are contesting the elections in this phase.
“The Election Commission of India has taken all arrangements to conduct a free, fair and peaceful election.Votes will be conducted in forty four thousand three hundred seventy six booths including nearly three thousand auxiliary booths. Five thousand four hundred forty four booths will be managed by women and there are two hundred seven model booths. Two PwD managed booths are there in Balurghat and Asansol Dakshin assembly constituencies. One hundred sixty seven women candidates are there in the fray in the first phase of elections. Hundred percent web casting will be done in all the booths. For a peaceful voting, Commission has taken all security arrangements including Quick Response Team (QRTs), flying squads, CCTV cameras, etc. Kalyan Laha, Akashvani News, Kolkata.”
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Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to lead several campaign programs today in support of the party candidates. According to party sources, he will address public meetings in Dum Dum, Habra in North 24 Parganas, and Saptagram in Hooghly during the afternoon, followed by a roadshow in Sonarpur later in the evening.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will arrive in the state today for election campaigning.
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The Election Commission has commenced the second phase of International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) for the ongoing Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar inaugurated the programme at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management in New Delhi yesterday. The Commission in a statement said that a total of 34 delegates from 17 countries including representatives from their Foreign Missions in Delhi will be participating in the programme.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that Aatmanirbhar Bharat is an invitation to co-create, co-develop, and co-innovate, as he made a strong pitch for enhanced collaborations between the defence industrial ecosystems of India and Germany. Addressing the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security on day one of his three-day Germany visit yesterday, Mr Singh asserted that the world today is faced with new security threats, and the technological transformation has made the situation highly complex and intricately connected. He said a new approach with the willingness to adapt to the changing environment is the need of the hour. He also asserted that India, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is witnessing an unprecedented transformation in the defence sector, and increased partnerships with the German industry can yield significant mutual gains.
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Today marks one year after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian Army in a social media post issued a stern warning to the perpetrators of terrorism asserting that when boundaries of humanity are crossed, the response is decisive. Our correspondent reports that in response to Pahalgam terror attack, Indian Armed forces launched the Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of 6th and 7th of May last year.
“Operation SINDOOR was conceived as a punitive and targeted campaign to dismantle the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistan. Under it, the well-coordinated strikes carried out by the Indian Armed Forces precisely hit nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), killing over 100 terrorists, their trainers, handlers, and associates. Most of the terrorists belonged to organisations like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The operation inflicted maximum damage on the terrorists and their hideouts, and minimum harm to the civilian population. The Operation demonstrated India’s capacity for high-precision, coordinated military action across land, air, and sea. The operation was made possible by years of investment in defence preparedness and the unwavering policy and budgetary support from the Government. Operation SINDOOR will be remembered as a defining moment in India’s defence history-a symbol of military precision, inter-service cooperation, and national resolve. It successfully eliminated terror threats, reaffirmed India’s regional dominance, and sent a strong message that cross-border terrorism would be met with a calibrated yet firm response. with ANAND KUMAR, chirag jha, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the country will never bow to any form of terror and the heinous designs of terrorists will never succeed. Remembering the innocent lives lost in the terror attack on this day last year, he said that the victims of the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack will never be forgotten. In a social media post, Mr Modi said that India stands united in grief and resolve. He added, his thoughts are also with the bereaved families as they cope with this loss.
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The portals of Kedarnath Dham, located in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, have been opened for devotees this morning with Vedic chants and traditional rituals. A large number of pilgrims from across the country and abroad are present at the shrine. Details from our Correspondent:
“On the occasion of the opening, Kedarnath Dham has been grandly decorated, and an atmosphere of devotion and zeal prevails across the region. Thousands of devotees are present at the shrine, and the entire Kedarnath valley is resonating with chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Shiv Shankar.”
Senior pilgrimage priest of Kedarnath Sabha, Umesh Chand Posti, said that all necessary preparations have been completed by the Rudraprayag district administration and the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee for the convenience of devotees. Adequate arrangements have been ensured along the travel route and at the shrine.
Devotees have also expressed that extensive arrangements have been made by the administration along the travel route and at the temple parisar. It may be recalled that the portals of Badrinath Dham will open for devotees tomorrow morning, while the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri Dhams have opened on April 19. Sakshi Singh, Akashvani News, Dehradun.”
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In Women’s Cricket, South Africa will take on India in the third T20 International of the five-match series at the Wanderers Stadium, in Johannesburg this evening. The Proteas Women have started the series strongly, winning the first two matches.
The Women in Blue will be eager to bounce back and keep the series alive by securing a win in the third T20I.
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In IPL Cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Delhi Capitals by 47 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad last night. Chasing a target of 243 runs, Delhi Capitals made 195 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.
Today, Lucknow Super Giants will face Rajasthan Royals at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The match will start at 07:30 PM.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS,
- With the conclusion of high-decibel campaign for State Elections, “Tamil Nadu and Bengal set to vote as campaign winds up”, is a prominent headline in The Hindustan Times.
- “Some boundaries should never be crossed”, Indian Army’s terse message on social media, “India marks a year since Operation Sindoor”, notes The Pioneer.
- The Hindustan Times on its editorial under the caption, ‘Leaving behind Pahalgam scars’, writes The Pahalgam terror attack on this day a year ago came against the backdrop of near normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir, and rising public anger against the army in Pakistan. The intent behind the attack was clear: Change the narrative about J&K from one of peace and hope, create a communal cleft in India, and distract attention in Pakistan from the corrupt army security establishment that had captured office. Islamabad Rawalpindi succeeded in its domestic intent, but a united India mourned the victims and punished Pakistan for its act of terrorism. Operation Sindoor, launched two weeks after Pahalgam, restated India’s resolve against terrorism and changed its terms of engagement with Pakistan.
Militarily, Operation Sindoor introduced a new paradigm of deterrence. The impact has been visible on the ground: Terror incidents in the valley have come down, and cross-border infiltration has reduced in the Chenab Valley. The real losers have been Pakistani citizens: Their country is back to being a garrison State, and its economy is staring into an abyss. - The Financial Express notes,”15,000 rupees cap for digital payments without OTP”.
- Finally, “As mercury soars, Delhi schools on heatwave alert”, to prevent dehydration, ‘No open air classes, “Water bell” system made mandatory’, notes The Delhi Tribune.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- US President Donald Trump announces to extend Iran ceasefire indefinitely; Blockade of sea routes to also continue.
- Stage set for polling in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal for assembly elections tomorrow.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh calls for enhanced collaboration between defence industrial ecosystems of India and Germany.
- Indian Army issues a stern warning to the perpetrators of terrorism on the first year of Pahalgam terror attack.
- Kedarnath Dham opens today for devotees in Uttarakhand.
- In Women’s Cricket, India to take on South Africa in 3rd T20 International in Johannesburg today.
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