THE HEADLINES::

1. Polling begins for second and final phase of assembly elections in West Bengal, amid tight security.
2. BJP wins 15 municipal corporations in Gujarat; Makes clean sweep in Morbi and Porbandar, bagging all 52 seats in both local bodies.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Ganga Expressway in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh today.
4. UAE decides to leave OPEC, giving major blow to oil producers’ group.
5. In IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in New Chandigarh.

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Polling has begun for the second and final phase of assembly elections in West Bengal. The voting which began at 7 AM, will continue till 6 PM. The assembly segments where voting is taking place today  cover seven districts, including Kolkata, Howrah, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly and Purba Bardhaman. A total of 1,448 candidates are in the fray for 142 assembly seats in this phase.
Over 3.22 crore electors are eligible to cast their votes. Out of them over 4.12 lakh are first-time voters in the age group of 18 to 19 years. Around 3,200 voters are aged 100 years and above.
Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements to ensure free and fair polling. It has deployed around 2,500 companies of Central Armed Police Forces along with over 6,000 Quick Response Teams to ensure law and order during polling. Strict monitoring and rapid response systems have been activated to prevent any disturbances during the election process. CCTV cameras have been installed at every polling station to monitor voting. More from our correspondent :

“The Election Commission has taken all necessary steps to ensure free, fair, and peaceful polling. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal urged voters to cast their ballots in a festive spirit. He confirmed that adequate central forces are deployed to maintain law and order, and that he is personally reviewing preparations on the ground. Mr. Agarwal also holds discussions with senior police officials, including the State’s Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and Director General of Police. Today he will connect via video conference with officers-in-charge of police stations to further strengthen coordination. About 30 percent of polling booths are identified as critical and vulnerable. The Chief Electoral Officer appealed to political parties, voters, and participants to cooperate fully to ensure smooth elections. SANDIPON GUPTA, AKASHVANI NEWS, KOLKATA”.

The first phase of polling in West Bengal registered a record voter turnout of 93.19 per cent on April 23. The counting for all four states – Keralam, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and one Union Territory Puducherry will be held on May 4.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged voters of West Bengal to vote in record numbers today in second phase of the State Assembly Elections 2026 and make the democracy more vibrant as well as participative. In a social media post, Mr Modi said, it is important that the women and youth of West Bengal, in particular, turnout in large numbers and exercise their franchise.

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The BJP emerged victorious in all 15 municipal corporations where elections were held on April 26. The party made a clean sweep in Morbi and Porbandar Municipal Corporations, bagging all 52 seats in both the local bodies. Of the 17 municipal corporations in the state, elections were held in 15. The term of the remaining two corporations is yet to expire. We have a report from our correspondent :

“The Bharatiya Janata Party has recorded a thumping victory in the Gujarat local body polls, securing a a major victory across all fifteen municipal corporations that went to Polls on Sunday . The party maintained its stronghold in major urban centers including Ahmedabad, Surat, and Rajkot, while achieving a clean sweep in Morbi and Porbandar by capturing all the seats. In the rural segment, the BJP won thirty-three out of thirty-four district panchayats and seventy-eight of the eighty-four municipalities. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged victorious in the Narmada district panchayat, winning fifteen out of twenty-two seats. The party is also claimed to have won 12 Taluka panchayat in the state. The Congress managed to secure six municipalities, showing a slight improvement in its tally. Aparna Khunt, Akashvani News, Ahmedabad”.

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The Prime Minister has expressed gratitude to the people of Gujarat for a sweeping mandate in the Mahanagarpalika, Nagarpalika, Taluka Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat elections held across the state. In a social media post, Mr Modi said that the results have made the bond between Gujarat and the BJP more stronger. He noted that the people have voted for the politics of good governance, seeing the excellent work of the state Government. Mr Modi assured the people of Gujarat that the BJP will work even harder in the times to come and take the state to newer heights of progress. He also applauded the efforts of the Gujarat BJP workers at the grassroot. Mr Modi noted that the BJP workers have always worked among the people and addressed their problems and this is the reason behind the repeated success of the BJP in Gujarat.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate the 594-km Ganga Expressway in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, linking Meerut to Prayagraj through 12 districts. Mr Modi will also address the gathering on the occasion. Built at a cost of 36 thousand 230 crore rupees, the six-lane Ganga Expressway stretches  from Bijauli village in Meerut to Judapur Dandu in Prayagraj, traversing 12 districts and connecting western, central, and eastern Uttar Pradesh. More from our correspondent :

“The Ganga Expressway developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority will connect western, central, and eastern regions of Uttar Pradesh through a single high-speed corridor. This will be the longest expressway in the state. It will cut travel time from nearly 12 hours to 6 hours between Meerut and Prayagraj. The expressway will pass through 12 districts: Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, RaeBareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj. The expressway also features a 3.5-km-long airstrip in Shahjahanpur to support emergency take-off and landing of Indian Air Force aircraft. The expressway project is also expected to give a boost to multiple sectors including industrial development, trade, agriculture, tourism and generate direct- indirect employment opportunities across the region.OM AWASTHI, AKASHVANI NEWS, HARDOI.”

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President Droupadi Murmu’s proposed visit to Atal Tunnel at Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh today has been cancelled. The decision was taken in view of adverse weather conditions. The region has been experiencing strong winds, and there are possibility of rain or snowfall today. During her visit to Himachal Pradesh, President Murmu was scheduled to inspect the Atal Tunnel and interact with officials of the Border Roads Organisation.

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The Reserve Bank of India has launched Mission SAKSHAM for capacity building of the Urban Co-operative Banking sector. It aims to enhance managerial and operational capabilities, improve compliance culture, and strengthen institutional resilience across Urban Co-operative Banking sector. More from our correspondent-

“Mission SAKSHAM is a mission-mode, sector-wide and all-India capacity-building training initiative for UCBs, under which the RBI will conduct a large number of training programmes, both in-person and through e-learning courses, covering about 1 crore 40 lakh participants. These programmes will target groups including board members, senior management, heads of risk, among others, and will also include content delivery in regional languages wherever feasible. Mission SAKSHAM aims to establish a sustainable, self-reinforcing ecosystem for systemic stability and the healthy growth and development of the UCB sector. Ankita Apte, Akashvani News, Mumbai”.

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The United Arab Emirates has decided to leave the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) beginning May 1. The UAE’s decision comes as a blow to the oil producers’ group ​as an unprecedented energy crisis caused by the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations. The exit of the UAE – one of the group’s biggest producers – weakens OPEC’s control over global oil supplies and widens a rift between the UAE and its neighbour Saudi Arabia. It could also free the UAE to increase output once exports via the Gulf resume as it would no longer be governed by OPEC quotas. Our West Asia correspondent has filed this report:

“After nearly six decades, the United Arab Emirates has stepped away from OPEC, marking the end of one of the most significant partnerships in global energy. Abu Dhabi joined the oil producers’ group in 1967, even before the UAE was formed, and went on to become one of its most influential members, ranking as the third-largest producer after Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

Recent disruptions linked to Iran and instability around the Strait of Hormuz have affected oil flows, adding pressure on the UAE’s export capacity. At the same time, long-standing differences over production quotas and the country’s ambition to raise output to five million barrels a day by 2027 have sharpened the need for greater flexibility.

For OPEC, the exit is a major setback. Losing a key member during a period of geopolitical strain and market volatility raises questions about the group’s cohesion. For the United States, which has often criticised OPEC’s influence on prices, the move could be seen as a strategic gain. And for global oil markets already facing uncertainty, this signals a new and potentially unpredictable phase. THIS IS VINOD KUMAR FOR AKASHVANI NEWS FROM DUBAI”.

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Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility Minister of Ecuador Gabriela Sommerfeld will be on a three day visit to India beginning today. Ms Sommerfeld will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita.

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In IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings by six wickets in New Chandigarh last night. Chasing a target of 223 runs set by Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals scored 228 for 4 in 19.2 overs. For Rajasthan Royals, Donovan Ferreira was the highest scorer with an unbeaten 52 runs. Yashasvi Jaiswal made 51 runs, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 43 runs off 16 balls. For Punjab Kings, Yuzvendra Chahal took 3 wickets.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl.

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The India Meteorological Department IMD has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in the North-eastern region today. The IMD said that Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Jharkhand are also expected to experience thundersquall conditions today. The Met Department also predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds over Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Interior Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Kerala, Mahe, Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha for the next two days. Similar conditions are likely to prevail over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Coastal Karnataka, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal for the next two days. The weather agency also forecast hot and humid conditions over Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal for the next two days.

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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS,

1. All newspapers have covered West Bengal 2nd phase election stage, set for final showdown. The Indian Express leads “Final round today, Election Commission adds 1,468 names to voter list after 139 in phase – 1”.
2. “Nari Shakti true strength of new India”, Amid political sparring, PM reiterates the Government’s will to implement the quota, seek public backing, reports The Pioneer. While The Asian Age adds “Women’s quota at all costs, vows Modi”.
3. “Rajnath Singh at SCO:’ No immunity for terror epicentres,’ calls for global action” writes The Statesman.
4. “UAE leaves OPEC; oil trade set for overhaul” says Financial Express. Experts say India stands to benefit from higher supply.
5. In its editorial piece ‘Battle of Wills‘ The Hindu elaborates The US should lift its blockade so that Iran can open the Strait of Hormuz. The US war on Iran has turned into a battle of wills in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, marked by duelling naval blockades and stalled diplomacy. The paper proposes a practical first step would be reciprocal de-escalation which would reinforce the fragile ceasefire and direct talks including Iran’s nuclear programme.
6. Finally, The Tribune writes “Google begins work on 15 billion dollar data centre in Vizag” highlighting Google held a groundbreaking ceremony for its major India AI hub investment in Visakhapatnam, marking the start of a large-scale data center project and related infrastructure.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN

1. Polling begins for second and final phase of assembly elections in West Bengal, amid tight security.
2. BJP wins 15 municipal corporations in Gujarat; Makes clean sweep in Morbi and Porbandar, bagging all 52 seats in both local bodies.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Ganga Expressway in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh today.
4. UAE decides to leave OPEC, giving major blow to oil producers’ group.
5. In IPL Cricket, Rajasthan Royals beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in New Chandigarh.

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