T.N. Governor grants assent to Bill banning online gambling
Tamil Nadu Governor R.N Ravi has granted his assent to the Bill seeking to ban online gambling and regulate online gaming. A senior official at the State Secretariat said the Raj Bhavan had confirmed the Governor‘s decision to the government. The Bill, was first passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in October 2022. According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, online gambling and online games are addictive in nature and increase the threat to public order manifold, while posing difficulties in terms of designing appropriate regulation.
India denies trade talks with the U.K. halted over Khalistan protests
Government sources in New Delhi on April 10 said reports of India halting talks for a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom over the recent pro-Khalistan protests in London, are “baseless”. U.K. media had earlier reported that the Indian Government has “disengaged” from the trade talks, indicating that dialogue on the FTA could not proceed further “without a public condemnation of the Khalistan movement”. A government source however “denied” the report and termed it as “baseless” informing that the next round of trade talks will take place in London on April 24.
No one can encroach even an inch of our land: Amit Shah in Arunachal Pradesh
The era when anyone could encroach on India’s land has passed and no one can dare to eye its border, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on April 10. Launching the Vibrant Villages programme in the border village of Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, India’s easternmost place, Mr. Shah said the valour of army and ITBP personnel ensures that no one can encroach even an inch of India’s land. He said border areas are the top priority of the Modi Government, pointing to the infrastructure and other development works carried out in the Northeast. Meanwhile, China said that it firmly opposes Amit Shah’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, adding that the official’s activities in the area violated China’s territorial sovereignty.
The Supreme Court on Arpil 10 granted four weeks to the Centre to file its reply to a plea seeking debarment of those against whom charges have been framed in serious offences from contesting elections. A Bench of Justices K. M. Joseph and B. V. Nagarathna also said the Union Government first needed to identify what constituted serious offences. Noting that the Centre has not filed its response in the matter the Bench asked Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain to do the needful.
The Supreme Court on April 10 said it will hear in detail the Gujarat Government’s objections to sharing a report filed by an apex court-appointed committee led by its former judge, Justice H.S. Bedi, who investigated several police encounters which happened in the State during the chief ministerial era of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul listed the case on July 1 after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for Gujarat, and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for three Gujarat Police officers allegedly involved in the encounters, objected to the circulation of the copies of the Justice Bedi report to petitioners led by lyricist Javed Akhtar and others representing the late journalist BG Varghese. The petition was filed way back in 2007.
Ram Navami riots in Bengal ‘pre-planned, orchestrated’: fact-finding panel report
The six-member fact-finding Committee on alleged violation of human rights in West Bengal led by former Patna High Court Chief Justice Narasimha Reddy on April 10 in its interim report said that the riots during the Ram Navami procession were “pre-planned, orchestrated and instigated”. The fact-finding panel sought a National Investigation Agency probe into the violence. The Committee in its Report said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee just before the processions on Ram Navami, while sitting on dharna, made a call through a communal speech that any procession passing through ‘muslim areas’ (as spoken verbatim) will be seriously acted upon.
Pro-Khalistan propagator Amritpal’s close associate arrested under NSA from Punjab’s Hoshiarpur
Even as Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan propagator continues to be at large, one of his close associates Papalpreet Singh has been arrested by Punjab Police. Without taking any questions during a press conference, Inspector General of Police Headquarters Sukhchain Singh Gill on April 10 said that Papalpreet Singh has been arrested under National Security Act. Mr. Gill said Pappalpreet was arrested from Kathunangal area in Amritsar. Papalpreet, a close aide of Amritpal has allegedly been in contact with Pakistan’s ISI.
BJP’s first list of 170-180 candidates for Karnataka Assembly elections by April 12 : CM Bommai
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on April 10 said the first list of the BJP candidates for the May 10 Assembly elections will be released either on April 11 or 12. He said there is no confusion regarding finalising the list. “Most probably the first list will be released tomorrow or the day after tomorrow”. “There is a likelihood of releasing it this evening but since there are more discussions to happen, it could be released on Tuesday or Wednesday,” Mr. Bommai told reporters in Delhi.
U.S. President Biden says he will run again in 2024
U.S. President Joe Biden said on April 10 he plans to run for reelection in 2024 but was not prepared to announce it yet. “I plan on running but we’re not prepared to announce it yet,” Mr. Biden said in an interview with NBC’s “Today” show before the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Dalai Lama apologises to boy, his family after kissing video triggers row
The Dalai Lama issued a statement apologising for the “hurt his words may have caused” after a video showing the monk kissing a child on his lips and asking him to “suck his tongue” triggered a row on April 9 (Sunday). The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows the Buddhist monk kissing the boy on his lips. The purported video shows the Dalai Lama kissing the boy on his lips as the latter leaned in to pay his respects. After a few moments, the Tibetan spiritual leader can be seen pointing to his mouth and sticking his tongue out.
Ukraine Minister says India should be pragmatic in securing energy, defence resources
Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister on April 10 said India should be pragmatic in securing its resources, including energy and defence equipment. “We are not in the position of instructing India in their economic ties with other countries. We only think it is crucial to diversify all of the resources, not only energy but also military resources,” Emine Dzhaparova told reporters, responding to a question on India-Russia ties.
Taiwan detects 59 Chinese military planes, 11 warships near islandy
The Taiwan Defence Ministry said it spotted 59 Chinese military planes near Taiwan up until 10 a.m. (0200 GMT) on April 10. The ministry said that, among them, 39 Chinese planes crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and entered Taiwan’s air defence zones. China launched military drills around Taiwan on April 8, in what it called a “stern warning” to the self-ruled island’s government following a meeting between its President and the U.S. House Speaker.
Billionaire Gautam Adani’s group on April 10 listed out details of the $2.87 billion stake sales in group firms since 2019 and how $2.55 billion of this was ploughed back into business, as it looked to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim of ₹20,000 crore coming in to the conglomerate through ‘shell companies’. The statement was issued rebutting reports in an international publication, which apparently was the basis of Mr. Gandhi’s statement late last month questioning how “Rs 20,000 crore suddenly arrived in Adani’s shell companies.”
Hitting odds for six: Once asked to mop floor, Rinku scripts surreal tale
“You don’t have to tell anyone that you mop floors at a tuition centre. Just come in the morning, do the cleaning and leave. Nobody will know. But I didn’t like the idea,” Rinku Singh had once narrated his ordeal. These were his father’s words to a young Rinku before he began playing at Under-16 level for Uttar Pradesh. The family of seven, which included five sons, found father Khanchand’s meagre income from delivering LPG cylinders door-to-door insufficient for financial sustenance and most of them had to do odd jobs to make ends meet. However, his perseverance kept him going and now he has become a household name after his sensational power hitting in the IPL on the night of April 9.
Published - April 10, 2023 07:25 pm IST
