TODAY NEWS ON April 18, 2024

News Headlines for CAT, CLAT and IPM aspirants

Campaigning ends for 102 seats in first phase of Lok Sabha polls

Political parties held their last rallies in 102 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 17 as campaigning came to an end for the first phase of the general election. Voting will be held in these seats, scattered across 21 States and Union Territories, on April 19. While the BJP based its campaign on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Opposition INDIA bloc targeted the ruling party by raising issues such as unemployment, farmers’ distress, and price rise.

Election Commission halts proposed visit of West Bengal Governor to Cooch Behar

Acting tough, the Election Commission of India (EC) on Wednesday advised a halt to the proposed tour of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to Cooch Behar on April 18-19 saying it would violate the Model Code of Conduct.

Worker from Bihar shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag

Militants shot dead a non-local in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday evening, just two days ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha election in J&K. Security forces busted a hideout and arrested two suspects in the Union Territory.

Chhattisgarh encounter | Tactical adjustments, unusual routes yielded results: police

Not following usual routes, improved coordination between forces, and additional backup helped security personnel minimise risk and inflict more damage in the April 16 anti-Maoist operation in which 29 alleged Maoists were killed in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh.

Wrestler Sakshi Malik listed among 100 most influential people by Time magazine

Olympic medallist Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik has been listed among the 100 most influential people of 2024 by Time magazine. Sakshi, India’s only female Olympic medallist in wrestling, has been honoured for her relentless fight against alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Ghulam Nabi Azad backs out of race from Anantnag-Rajouri seat

The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Wednesday decided against contesting from south Kashmir’s Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat. However, no reasons were cited for the decision. DPAP provincial president Mohammad Amin Bhat said his party had decided to field Advocate Mohammad Saleem Parray for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.

Israel-Hamas talks on Gaza truce ‘stalling’: mediator Qatar

Negotiations between Israel and Hamas to secure a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages have stalled, Qatar’s Prime Minister said on Wednesday. “We are going through a sensitive stage with some stalling, and we are trying as much as possible to address this stalling,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a news conference with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.

What caused the storm that led to Dubai floods?

Following the floods in Dubai, questions were raised whether cloud seeding, a process that the UAE frequently conducts, could have caused the heavy rains. But the UAE’s meteorology agency said there were no such operations before the storm. The huge rainfall was instead likely due to a normal weather system that was exacerbated by climate change, experts say.

Trinamool manifesto promises several welfare measures, repeal of CAA

The Trinamool on April 17 released its Lok Sabha poll manifesto promising several social welfare measures and repeal of the CAA if the opposition INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre. Releasing the manifesto at the party headquarters in Kolkata, Trinamool Rajya Sabha party leader Derek O’ Brien said, “These are the promises which we will fulfill as part of INDIA bloc, when it forms the next government.” Senior party leader Amit Mitra said, “We promise to control petrol and diesel prices through the formulation of a price stabilisation fund. We also promise to repeal the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and stop the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in the country.”

Modi government will eliminate Naxals in very short period of time: Amit Shah

“The Narendra Modi government will eliminate Naxals from the country in a very short period of time,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted on April 17. “The Central government has been conducting incessant operations against terrorism and Naxals,” he said in a statement, a day after security forces gunned down 29 Maoists in Chhattisgarh. “I can say with conviction that operations against Naxals will continue in the times to come, and under the leadership of Modi, we will uproot Naxalism from our nation in a very short period of time,” Mr. Shah said.

Naveen Patnaik to fight Odisha Assembly elections from Kantabanji, and his long-held Hinjili constituency

In an effort to thwart the Bharatiya Janata Party’s aspirations to replicate its 2019 triumph in the Lok Sabha election in western Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal on April 17 announced to field Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from Kantabanji Assembly constituency in Balangir district. Mr. Patnaik will now be contesting upcoming Assembly elections from two seats — Hinjili, his long-held seat in his home district of Ganjam and now Kantabanji.

‘5,000 lives in one shell’: Gaza’s IVF embryos destroyed by Israeli strike

When an Israeli shell struck Gaza’s largest fertility clinic in December, the explosion blasted the lids off five liquid nitrogen tanks stored in a corner of the embryology unit. As the ultra-cold liquid evaporated, the temperature inside the tanks rose, destroying more than 4,000 embryos plus 1,000 more specimens of sperm and unfertilized eggs stored at Gaza City’s Al Basma IVF centre. The impact of that single explosion was far-reaching -- an example of the unseen toll Israel’s six-and-a-half-month-old assault has had on the 2.3 million people of Gaza.

Russian missiles slam into a Ukraine city and kill 11 people as the war approaches a critical stage

Three Russian missiles slammed into a downtown area of the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv on April 17, hitting an eight-floor apartment building and killing at least 11 people, authorities said. At least 22 people were wounded in the morning attack, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said. Chernihiv lies about 150km north of the capital, Kyiv, near the border with Russia and Belarus, and has a population of around 2,50,000 people.

U.K. PM Rishi Sunak tells Israel’s Netanyahu to exercise restraint in wake of Iran’s missile attacks

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called on his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint and let “calm heads” prevail in the wake of Iran’s missile attacks as his Foreign Secretary David Cameron landed in Tel Aviv for talks on April 17. In a phone call, Mr. Sunak reiterated the U.K.’s “steadfast support” for regional stability and told the Israeli leader that Iran had miscalculated its move, being isolated on the global stage as a result.

Pakistan High Court orders government to restore X in one week: lawyer

Coming down heavily on the continuous suspension of social media platform X in Pakistan since February, the Sindh High Court (SHC) on April 17 directed the Ministry of Interior to revoke its decision on the suspension within one week, according to a media report. SHC Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, while hearing multiple petitions on the suspension of the social media platform previously called Twitter, said, “What are you (Interior Ministry) achieving via shutting down trivial things… The world must laugh at us,” Geo News reported. The Elon Musk-owned X has been suspended since February owing to the government’s decision to curb access to the social media platform citing national security threats.

Adani infuses ₹8,339 crore more in Ambuja Cements, raises stake to 70.3%

Billionaire Gautam Adani’s family infused an additional ₹8,339 crore in Ambuja Cements, raising its stake in the company to 70.3%, to help the cement maker’s manufacturing capacity. The Adani family previously invested ₹5,000 crore in the company on October 18, 2022, and ₹6,661 crore on March 28, 2024. With the latest investment, it has completed ₹20,000 crore planned infusion, the company said in a statement. “The promoters of the company - Adani family - has fully subscribed to the warrants program in the company by further infusing ₹8,339 crore, thereby infusing a total amount of ₹20,000 crore,” it said.

IPL-17, GT vs DC | Delhi Capitals bundle out GT for 89 as bowlers come to party, finally

Delhi Capitals bundled out Gujarat Titans for 89 in their Indian Premier League match here on Wednesday, the bowlers finally having a say after being blasted all over the park in the last few matches. Mukesh Kumar was the most successful bowler for DC with figures of 3/14, while there were two wickets apiece for Ishant Sharma (2/8) and Tristan Stubbs (2/11).

Champions League | Real Madrid eliminate holders Manchester City in penalty shootout

Real Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger scored the decisive penalty to lift his team to a 4-3 shootout victory over holders Manchester City after their Champions League quarterfinal tie finished 4-4 on aggregate.

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