Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings' Fame, Passes at 79

Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings' Fame, Passes at 79 Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'' and went down with the ship as the captain in Titanic, has died. Hill, 79, passed away Sunday morning, agent Lou Coulson said. Hill joined The Lord Of The Rings franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002's The Two Towers, as Thoden, King of Rohan. The following year, he reprised the role in Return of the King, a movie that won 11 Oscars. In one of the film's most memorable scenes, Hill's character fires up his overmatched forces by delivering a battle cry on horseback that sends his troops thundering downhill toward the enemy and his own imminent death. Arise, arise, riders of Thoden! Hill hollers. Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! Death! Death! Death! In Titanic,'' Hill played Captain Edward Smith, one of the only characters based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film also won 11 Academy Awards. As the doomed ship takes on water, Hill's character silently retreats to the wheelhouse. As the cabin groans under the pressure of the waves, he takes a final breath and grabs the wheel as water bursts through the windows. Hill first made a name for himself as Yosser Hughes in Boys From the Blackstuff, a 1982 British TV miniseries about five unemployed men. He was nominated for an award in 1983 from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for the role, and the show won the BAFTA for best drama series. His death came the same day the second series of the BBC drama The Responder was to air, in which he played the father of the show's star, Martin Freeman. Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent, said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.

Jadeja breaks Dhoni's CSK record in IPL

Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh): Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja surpassed the franchise's legendary wicketkeeper batter, MS Dhoni, to become the player with the most Man of the Match awards for the five-time champions in the Indian Premier League. It was a through-and-through Jadeja show at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. He starred with the bat and then produced a valuable spell to turn the tides in favour of the defending champions. He played a match-turning knock of 43 off 26 deliveries, which was further glistened with three boundaries and two maximums. With the ball, he picked up three important scalps while giving away just 20 runs in his four-over spell. He was adjudged Player of the Match for his influential performance and talked about his role for CSK.This marked the 16th time Jadeja was awarded the POTM award. He dethroned Dhoni, who held his spot at the top with a tally of 15 in the cash-rich league.Former CSK star, Suresh Raina is next on the list with 12 POTM awards, followed by current skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who holds an impressive tally of 11. Coming to the match, PBKS won the toss and elected to field first. CSK lost their wickets at regular intervals. Knocks from Ravindra Jadeja (43 in 26 balls, with three fours and two sixes), Ruturaj Gaikwad (32 in 21 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Daryl Mitchell (30 in 19 balls, with two fours and a six) took CSK to a respectable 167/9 in their 20 overs.Rahul Chahar (3/23) and Harshal Patel (3/24) were the pick of the bowlers for PBKS. Arshdeep Singh got two wickets, while Sam Curran got one too.In the run-chase, PBKS lost two wickets early, with Tushar Deshpande (2/35) striking for Men in Yellow, but Prabhsimran Singh (30 in 23 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Shashank Singh (27 in 20 balls, with four boundaries) helped them recover with a 53-run partnership. However, Ravindra Jadeja (3/20), Mitchell Santner (1/10) and Simarjeet Singh (2/16) helped CSK make a stunning comeback and restrict Punjab to 139/9 in their 20 overs. CSK moved to third place in the points table with six wins and five losses, giving them 12 points. PBKS is in the eighth spot with four wins, seven losses and just eight points.

Dhoni first player to achieve this massive record in IPL

Known for his lightning reflexes and astute wicketkeeping, Chennai Super Kings legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni's achievement in Indian Premier League (IPL) underscores his exceptional skill and longevity in the cricketing world. Dhoni's milestone as a Chennai franchise stalwart exemplifies his enduring impact on the game, inspiring future generations of cricketers.

Campaigning for third and final phase of polling in 4 Assam LS seats ends

GUWAHATI: Campaigning for the third and final phase of Lok Sabha polls covering four seats in Assam concluded on Sunday. Despite heavy rains dampening the last day, both ruling and opposition parties engaged in a vigorous campaign marked by bike rallies, roadshows, public rallies, and door-to-door appeals by candidates. The constituencies in the final phase are Dhubri, Barpeta, Kokrajhar (ST), and Guwahati. Voting is scheduled to take place on May 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarun Kharge and AICC leader Priyanka Gandhi actively participated in rallies and roadshows across the state. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also spearheaded the campaign, emphasising the importance of the PM's return for a third successive term. Opposition parties, led by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, Raijor Dal's Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, focused on various issues such as citizenship, connectivity, infrastructure, unemployment, and price rise. The BJP campaign was focussed on highlighting the various development schemes of both the central and state governments and the achievements made by the saffron party during its ten years and eight years rule at the Centre and state, respectively. The opposition parties focused on the citizenship issue, doubtful voters, connectivity issues, poor infrastructure development, unemployment, price rise, benefits of schemes not reaching, lack of industrial development, among others. Barpeta has the highest number of candidates at 14, while Guwahati has the lowest with eight. In Guwahati, a direct contest is on the cards between BJP's Bijuli Kalita Medhi and Congress candidate Mira Borthakur Goswami, both debutants in Lok Sabha polls. In Barpeta, a triangular contest is expected between NDA partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate Phanibhushan Choudhury, CPI(M)'s Manoranjan Talukdar, and Congress's Deep Bayan. In Dhubri, 13 candidates are in the fray with AIUDF strongman Badruddin Ajmal, seeking a fourth term, locked in a triangular contest with Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain and NDA partner AGP's Zaved Islam. In Kokrajhar (ST), a triangular contest is projected between NDA partner United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) Jayanta Basumtary, Congress Garjen Mushahary, and Bodoland People's Front's (BPF) Kampa Borgoyary. In the first phase polls held on April 19, 78.25 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 35 candidates for Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the second phase held on April 26, 81.17 per cent of the electorate cast their votes to decide the fate of 61 candidates for Karimganj, Silchar(SC), Diphu (ST), Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one each from the state.

Campaigning ends for third phase of polling in four Bengal LS seats

KOLKATA: Campaigning for four Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal - Maldaha Uttar, Maldaha Dakshin, Jangipur, and Murshidabad - going to polls in the third phase on May 7 came to an end at 6pm on Sunday, officials said. A total of 73,37,651 voters, including 36,12,395 women and 154 third-genders, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 7,360 polling stations. Out of the 57 candidates contesting in this phase, Jangipur has 14, Maldaha Uttar (15), Maldaha Dakshin (17) and Murshidabad (11), he said. Murshidabad will witness a key contest between senior CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim, TMC's Abu Taher Khan and BJP nominee Gouri Shankar Ghosh. In Maldaha Uttar, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has nominated former IPS officer Prasun Banerjee, while the Congress has awarded the ticket to veteran leader Mostaque Alam, and the BJP has selected Khagen Murmu as its candidate. In Maldaha Dakshin, the BJP has fielded Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, the Congress has nominated Isha Khan Choudhury, and the TMC has put forward Shahnawaz Ali Raihan. In Jangipur, Khalilur Rahaman from the TMC is competing against BJP's Dhananjay Ghosh and Congress' Khalilur Rahaman. Heavyweights such as Union Home Minister Amit Shah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge campaigned for their respective party candidates.

Campaigning ends for Gujarat LS polls: BJP aims to repeat sweep despite Cong-AAP alliance

AHMEDABAD: Campaigning for polls to 25 of 26 Lok Sabha seats and bypolls to five assembly constituencies ended in Gujarat at 6 pm on Saturday, with voting scheduled for May 7. The BJP's Mukesh Dalal has already won from Surat unopposed after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in the signature of proposers and other candidates withdrew. Among the prominent candidates in the fray are Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, as well as his cabinet colleagues Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala from Porbandar and Rajkot, respectively. During the campaign, the BJP had to face the ire of the Kshatriya community over a remark made by Rupala in Rajkot. He had claimed several rulers from the community had oti and beti (marriage and trade) relations with the British and other foreign invaders. Rupala is up against former Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, who had defeated him in the 2002 assembly polls. The Congress has fielded four sitting and eight former MLAs. It is contesting the polls in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. As part of the agreement, the Congress got 24 seats (including Surat), while the AAP has been given Bhavnagar and Bharuch. Geniben Thakor, sitting MLA from Vava in Banaskantha district, has been fielded from Banaskantha against BJP's Rekha Chaudhary, making it the only seat in the state where the main contest is between two women. The BJP's campaign, in a state considered its strongest base, was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among the star campaigners, along with Mallikarjun Kharge, who recently addressed a rally in Ahmedabad. A host of senior leaders from the BJP and the Congress also took part in the campaign in the state, where the ruling party blanked out the grand old party in 2014 and 2019. These leaders included Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman for the BJP and Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, Abhishek Sanghvi and Pawan Khera etc for the Congress. The AAP has fielded sitting MLAs Chaitar Vasava from Bharuch and Umesh Makwana from Bhavnagar, and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's campaign saw rallies by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as senior leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Yadav. Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of the Delhi CM who is in jail in connection with a excise policy linked case, also held a roadshow in Bharuch for Vasava. On the last day of campaigning on Sunday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP state unit president CR Paatil and minister Harsh Sanghavi participated in motorcycle rallies. While the presence of PM Modi towered over all else in the campaign, the Congress tried to corner the BJP by claiming unemployment, inflation were at an all time high. The Congress also tried to impress upon the voter that the BJP would change the Constitution if it retained power, while the ruling party hit back claiming the opposition party planned to snatch quotas of Dalits, tribals and OBCs and give them to Muslims. As per poll officials, a total of 4.97 crore persons, comprising 2.56 crore males, 2.41 crore females and 1,534 from the third gender, will vote in 50,788 polling booths. They said intensive voter awareness drives were carried out under the guidance of Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi. On Sunday, just before the campaign period ended, the Election Commission organised a 'Run for Vote' event across all the districts in the state, they pointed out. To address the potential challenges posed by heat waves, polling booths across the state will be equipped with essential amenities such as drinking water, seating arrangements, adequate shade as well as baby care centres, the CEO informed. Of the 25 seats that will go to polls on May 7, Ahmedabad (East) has the highest number of candidates at 18, while the lowest is in Bardoli, where three contestants are in the fray, as per EC data. Navsari has the highest number of voters, while the lowest is in Bharuch. Out of 50,788 polling stations, 17,275 are in urban areas and 33,513 in rural areas, EC data showed. Those on election duty have exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha poll and five assembly bypolls through 2,23,052 postal ballots at voting facilitation centres across the state.

Gujarat LS Polls: BJP Targets Repeat Victory Amidst Congress-AAP Challenge

Gujarat LS Polls: BJP Targets Repeat Victory Amidst Congress-AAP Challenge Campaigning for polls to 25 of 26 Lok Sabha seats and bypolls to five assembly constituencies ended in Gujarat at 6pm on Saturday, with voting scheduled for May 7. The BJP's Mukesh Dalal has already won from Surat unopposed after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in the signature of proposers and other candidates withdrew. Among the prominent candidates in the fray are Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, as well as his cabinet colleagues Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala from Porbandar and Rajkot, respectively. During the campaign, the BJP had to face the ire of the Kshatriya community over a remark made by Rupala in Rajkot. He had claimed several rulers from the community had ''roti and beti'' (marriage and trade) relations with the British and other foreign invaders. Rupala is up against former Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, who had defeated him in the 2002 assembly polls. The Congress has fielded four sitting and eight former MLAs. It is contesting the polls in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. As part of the agreement, the Congress got 24 seats (including Surat), while the AAP has been given Bhavnagar and Bharuch. Geniben Thakor, sitting MLA from Vava in Banaskantha district, has been fielded from Banaskantha against BJP's Rekha Chaudhary, making it the only seat in the state where the main contest is between two women. The BJP's campaign, in a state considered its strongest base, was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among the star campaigners, along with Mallikarjun Kharge, who recently addressed a rally in Ahmedabad. A host of senior leaders from the BJP and the Congress also took part in the campaign in the state, where the ruling party blanked out the grand old party in 2014 and 2019. These leaders included Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman for the BJP and Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, Abhishek Sanghvi and Pawan Khera etc for the Congress. The AAP has fielded sitting MLAs Chaitar Vasava from Bharuch and Umesh Makwana from Bhavnagar, and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's campaign saw rallies by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as senior leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Yadav. Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of the Delhi CM who is in jail in connection with a excise policy linked case, also held a roadshow in Bharuch for Vasava. On the last day of campaigning on Sunday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP state unit president CR Paatil and minister Harsh Sanghavi participated in motorcycle rallies. While the presence of PM Modi towered over all else in the campaign, the Congress tried to corner the BJP by claiming unemployment, inflation were at an all time high. The Congress also tried to impress upon the voter that the BJP would change the Constitution if it retained power, while the ruling party hit back claiming the opposition party planned to snatch quotas of Dalits, tribals and OBCs and give them to Muslims. As per poll officials, a total of 4.97 crore persons, comprising 2.56 crore males, 2.41 crore females and 1,534 from the third gender, will vote in 50,788 polling booths. They said intensive voter awareness drives were carried out under the guidance of Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi. On Sunday, just before the campaign period ended, the Election Commission organised a 'Run for Vote' event across all the districts in the state, they pointed out. To address the potential challenges posed by heat waves, polling booths across the state will be equipped with essential amenities such as drinking water, seating arrangements, adequate shade as well as baby care centres, the CEO informed. Of the 25 seats that will go to polls on May 7, Ahmedabad (East) has the highest number of candidates at 18, while the lowest is in Bardoli, where three contestants are in the fray, as per EC data. Navsari has the highest number of voters, while the lowest is in Bharuch. Out of 50,788 polling stations, 17,275 are in urban areas and 33,513 in rural areas, EC data showed. Those on election duty have exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha poll and five assembly bypolls through 2,23,052 postal ballots at voting facilitation centres across the state.

Poll campaigning culminates for two Goa Lok Sabha seats; over 11 lakh voters to exercise franchise on May 7

Poll campaigning culminates for two Goa Lok Sabha seats; over 11 lakh voters to exercise franchise on May 7 More than 11 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise for elections to the two Lok Sabha seats in Goa where campaigning ended on Sunday evening. Polling will be held in the North Goa and South Goa parliamentary constituencies on May 7. In North Goa, BJP's sitting MP Shripad Naik is pitted against Congress candidate Ramakant Khalap. In South Goa, the BJP has fielded Pallavi Dempo, the executive director of Dempo Industries, against Viriato Fernandes of the Congress. The South Goa Lok Sabha seat is currently held by Congress Francisco Sardinha. A total of 16 candidates, eight each in North and South Goa Lok Sabha constituencies, are in the fray. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among the star campaigners of the BJP. For the Congress, its senior leaders Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera campaigned in Goa. A total of 1,725 polling stations have been set up across the coastal state, including 863 in the North Goa seat and 862 in the South Goa parliamentary constituency, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ramesh Verma said in a media statement. ''Among these polling stations, 43 model polling booths have been identified in North Goa and 45 in South Goa. The move is aimed at streamlining the voting process and reducing the waiting time,'' he said. As on April 19, the state has 11,79,644 voters, including 5,80,710 in North Goa and 5,98,934 in South Goa, as per the website of the office of Goa's CEO. Among the voters, 5,71,617 are men, 6,07,715 women and 12 transgender persons. Besides, there are 300 service voters, including 133 in North Goa and 167 in South Goa, as per the data. To cater to the needs of senior citizens, medical camps will be set up at eight model polling stations in urban areas where there is a higher percentage of elderly voters, Verma said. ''After casting their vote, senior citizens can avail the basic facility of health checks provided by doctors from the Directorate of Health Services,'' he said. In a bid to empower female voters and promote gender equality, 40 dedicated polling stations for women, also known as 'Pink Booths', have been set up in North and South districts of Goa, the official said. ''These polling stations will be exclusively managed by women personnel, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for female voters to exercise their democratic right,'' he said. Verma said environment sustainability has been prioritised and 40 'green' polling stations have been set up in the two districts. ''These eco-friendly booths are decorated using environment sustainable materials such as bamboo and coconut leaves sourced from local vendors, reflecting a commitment to reducing the ecological footprint of the electoral process,'' he said. To ensure inclusivity for persons with disabilities, divyang polling stations have also been set up in both the districts - five in North Goa and three in South Goa, he added.

Video: Fire breaks out at BSNL office in Ranchi

Video Fire breaks out at BSNL office in Ranchi

Andhra Pradesh CEO Announces Deadline Extension for Poll Duty Employees to Exercise Franchise

Andhra Pradesh CEO Announces Deadline Extension for Poll Duty Employees to Exercise Franchise Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena on Sunday said that the Election Commission will facilitate another opportunity to vote for employees on election duty who missed exercising their franchise. During a visit to Vizianagaram to check voting facilities, the CEO noted that such employees will be given the opportunity on May 7 and 8. ''We are working with the goal to ensure that every employee discharging election duties will be offered the postal ballot facility,'' said Meena in a press release. In the event of eligible employees not finding their names on the postal ballot list and also in case of not applying for this facility, Meena said they can still go ahead and include their name to vote by producing the election duty order and identity card at their relevant facilitation centres. ''Home voting and postal ballot voting for all will be completed by (the) 9th of this month (May),'' the CEO told PTI. Further, he highlighted that minimum facilities and helpdesks have been arranged at all facilitation centres. Besides making all the necessary arrangements for conducting polls in the southern state, Meena observed that election staff have already undergone two rounds of training. Moreover, he noted that cash, liquor and other inducements worth Rs 450 crore have been seized in the run-up to polls until now. Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13.

IPL 2024: CSK Pacer Matheesha Pathirana Returns To Sri Lanka For Hamstring Injury Recovery

Chennai Super Kings: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) said on Sunday said fast-bowler Matheesha Pathirana will be returning to Sri Lanka for further recovery from a hamstring injury. Pathirana made his CSK debut in IPL 2022 season, and played a pivotal role in their title-winning run in 2023. Chennai Super Kings pacer Matheesha Pathirana is nursing a hamstring injury and will be returning to Sri Lanka for further recovery. Chennai Super Kings wishes Pathirana a quick recovery, said the franchise in a statement. Pathirana played six matches for CSK this season, picking up 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68, including a four-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians. He currently sits as CSKs second-leading wicket-taker in IPL 2024 behind Mustafizur Rahman's 14 scalps. The Sri Lankan is the second CSK pacer to be dealing with injuries this season after Deepak Chahar pulled his hamstring and went off the field after bowling the first two balls of the Punjab Kings chase at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 1. In ten matches of IPL 2024, defending champions CSK have lost five and have won as many games. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side are currently placed at fifth position on the points table and need a win over their ongoing match against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala to keep their IPL 2024 playoffs chances alive.

TMC, BJP cautiously navigate Jhargram's complex identity dynamics

TMC, BJP cautiously navigate Jhargram's complex identity dynamics The tumultuous days of Maoist violence may now be a thing of the past for residents of Jhargram constituency in western West Bengal but the tribal-dominated seat sits on a powder keg of identity politics which has a direct bearing on the elections. A long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe status by the minority Kurmis, a traditional tiller community listed as OBCs in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, had led to sporadic violence in the recent past and has vertically divided the inhabitants of region with the majority Adivasis, enlisted STs, firmly opposing it. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP have chosen to tread cautiously over this ''extremely sensitive'' issue which, some voices from the ground feel, has the ''potential to explode at the slightest provocation''. While the ruling party in the state has declared in its poll manifesto that it would ''actively work with the Centre'' to award the desired status to the Kurmi-Mahato community, the saffron party has officially remained silent. The BJP is defending this ST-reserved seat it snatched from the TMC five years ago but the latter bounced back in the 2021 state elections, winning all seven assembly segments of Jhargram and reducing the saffron camp to naught. ''Unless a quick constitutional remedy to the impasse is found, Jhargram could turn into another Manipur,'' warned Ashok Mahato, a local Kurmi leader. ''Parties across the board make promises ahead of polls but have hardly taken effective steps to make progress in the matter. The BJP made the same promise in 2019 but barely moved an inch. The state claims it has sent the Cultural Research Institute (CRI) report to the Centre with necessary recommendations but there is no feedback yet from the other side. People are getting impatient,'' he said. The Kurmi leader, who had previously unsuccessfully contested the state polls as an Independent candidate, said he has filed for registration for a separate party of Kurmis named Jungal Mahal Swaraj Morcha. In 2004, the Jharkhand government had recommended listing Kurmis as STs rather than OBCs. Following the Centre's Tribal Research Institute opposition to the proposal, the Union government turned down the state's plea in 2015. ''Kurmis have every right to make their demand but we oppose it,'' said Samai Hansda, leader of the Bharat Jakat Majhi Pargana Mahal, a social organisation of the Santhal community in Jhargram. ''Mahatos are primarily Kshatriyas and are already entitled to various social opportunities. It's the tribals who need constitutional protection due to their backwardness. As long as the Kurmis agitate in a democratic manner, we have no issues. But if push comes to shove, we won't stay silent,'' Hansda added. Over the past year or so, Jhargram and its neighbouring areas have witnessed multiple instances of long periods of road and railway track blockades by agitating Kurmis who were joined by their counterparts from adjoining Jharkhand. ''This matter must be resolved by making all stakeholders, including the state and central governments, sit across the table for discussions. I will do everything in my limited powers to facilitate that process, should I win the elections,'' said BJP candidate Pranat Tudu. Tudu was named as candidate after the party's sitting MP Kunar Hembram resigned from the BJP on March 9, barely days before the polls were announced, citing ''personal reasons''. TMC's nominee, Kalipada alias Kherwal Soren, a noted Santhali playwright and author recognised with Sahitya Academy and Padma Shri awards, said his party has already taken a principled stand on the issue which it clarified in its poll manifesto. ''We stand by the Mahato demands and have sent our CRI recommendation. The ball is now in Centre's court,'' he said. ''In my sustained interactions with the Adivasis during my campaign, I found no adverse repercussions on the ground over this,'' he claimed. A hotbed of ultra-Left Maoist activities during 2008-2011, Jhargram and its adjacent Bankura, Purulia and Paschim Medinipur districts witnessed wanton blood spill where victims included militants, security personnel and ordinary people. Following the encounter killing of Maoist commander Kishenji in November 2011, the Naxals lost grip over the region resulting in steady subsiding of turbulence. Despite acknowledging the benefits of peace returning to the region, Tudu was reluctant to give credit to the Mamata Banerjee administration for it. ''Everyone knows that the Maoist problem was the TMC's own creation. The rebels helped the party to come to power,'' he alleged. The sharp differences over ST status demand aside, both Kurmis and the tribals broadly agree on the other pertinent issues of Jhargram over which the elections are likely to be fought. ''People of Jhargram are looking forward to better facilities in sectors such as education, health, employment and environment protection,'' Mahato said, stressing on the need to build a dedicated elephant corridor to address increasing instances of man-animal conflict in the region. Hansda said, ''Adivasis are sensitive about their indigenous religion and associated social practices. We want no interference from governments in our traditional and personal lives and expect both the Centre and the state to honour our rights to water, forest and land.'' ''If the BJP implements Uniform Civil Code, like they say they would, the tribals would be the hardest hit,'' the TMC nominee chipped in. ''We have long fought for our rights to self control and never bowed before the British. Any attempts to impose social codes from above will meet stiff resistance from the Adivasis,'' Soren said. A radiologist by profession, BJP candidate Tudu highlighted ''crippled health infrastructure'' of the region, calling it an issue of ''paramount importance''. ''The Jhargram Medical College, the only facility which is supposed to provide tertiary healthcare to patients, does not even have an MRI machine nor performs echocardiogram on patients,'' he alleged. The 15 lakh-odd voters of the seat would exercise their franchise on May 25 during the sixth phase of polls.

Migrant workers urge Odisha, Telangana govts to rescue them from brick kiln

BHUBANESWAR: A group of labourers from Balangir, who were allegedly assaulted at a brick kiln in Makthal village of Telangana, have appealed to the governments of Odisha and Telangana to rescue them. The migrant labourers belong to Sukuan village under Deogaon block of Balangir district. Sources said at least 26 labourers including seven children were brought to a PVC brick kiln in Makthal in October last year allegedly by labour sardar of Belpada block of Balangir, Biranchi Kumbhar, after payment of an advance of Rs 20,000 per person. On April 28 this year, when the labourers urged the brick kiln owner Ajay Chaudhury to let them return to their village as they had completed six months of work and made bricks worth the money paid to them as advance, the latter assaulted one of the workers, Tankadhar Kumuria. Subsequently, some of the workers reported the matter to local police. The next day, Chaudhury forced them to make a video stating they were fine and wanted to continue working. However, after this episode, the workers again sent a message to us stating that the owner continued to assault them, said a relative of one of the labourers, Angada Chinda. Chinda along with relatives of the labourers have written to Telangana Police and labour officials seeking their intervention in the case. They further alleged the brick kiln owner forced all the labourers and the children to work for 14 to 15 hours a day under inhuman conditions. Sources said none of the workers had registered themselves with Balangir police or labour officials before migrating to the neighbouring state for work.

Kerala: Six-fold rise in third gender voters, but not many exercise their franchise

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 2024 Lok Sabha election saw an increase in the number of transgender voters in the state. Compared to 2019, there was a five-fold rise in the number of transgender community voters this time. However, this did not reflect in polling as only half of them could cast their votes. In the 2024 election, there were a total of 367 voters from the transgender community in the state. However, only 150 of them could cast their votes, a mere 40 per cent. In 2019, the total number of transgender voters in the state was 62. However, only 22 people exercised their franchise (35.63 percent). During the five-year gap in which the number of voters rose six times, there was only a five per cent increase in the number of people who exercised their franchise. Kerala was one of the first states which framed a policy for transgender people in 2015 when separate voter ID cards were issued nationwide for the community in 2014. The transgender community was granted entry into parliamentary democracy very recently, social scientist J Devika told this daily. Hence, society has the responsibility to persuade them to vote. The community has to feel a connection with the democratic process, she said. Incidentally, in 2019 Lok Sabha election in Kerala the first intersex candidate Aswathi Rajappan contested in Ernakulum seat. It was seen as a sign of LGBTQ individuals getting more acceptance in public sphere. However, Syama S Parbaha, state secretary, Democratic Transgender Federation of Kerala, a wing of DYFI which formed the first political wing for transgender people in the country, said community members could not cast their votes as they failed to change their address in the voter ID card. Many of the community members are living in places far away from their native places. Some of them are outcasts from their families and villages. In this election even though many transgender members had applied for address change, most of them were rejected. We dont know the real reason. There were also issues of duplicate cards in some districts, she said.

Kochi airport to add six cities to its domestic network

KOCHI : As demand soars, Kochi airport is set to add services to six new domestic destinations this month. Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) will revamp its summer schedule by adding Kolkata, Chandigarh, Varanasi, Raipur, Ranchi, and Lucknow to its network while enhancing its connectivity on established sectors. According to officials, the new routes will enhance connectivity. There has been a steady increase in domestic traffic. Passengers can take advantage of new routes and more flights to existing destinations, a CIAL official said. In 2023-24, CIAL handled a record total of 1.05 crore passengers. Our summer schedule listed 1,628 services every week. To this, we are set to add 60 services, which will begin operations in the first week of May. Air India Express will operate services to Kolkata; IndiGo will fly to Ranchi, Chandigarh, Varanasi, Raipur, and Lucknow; Air India Express will start its services to Pune, and Air Asia to Ranchi and Bagdogra, the official said. CIAL has also increased its daily flights to Bengaluru (20 services), Delhi (13), and Mumbai (10). Additionally, IndiGos Kozhikode-Kochi-Agatti-Kochi service which was kicked off on May 1 has received a good response. At present, Alliance Air operates 10 services a week to Agatti. Meanwhile, Air India has announced that it will increase the number of weekly services to London from three to four. There has been an increase in tourists flying to the East Asian region, including Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City, said the official.

Not many takers for home voting in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR : The Election Commission of Indias (EC) pioneering initiative to facilitate home voting, introduced for the first time in the parliamentary polls for elderly citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), did not find many takers in Chhattisgarh. Aimed at making the electoral process all-inclusive and accessible by enabling the voting convenient for eligible citizens above 85 years of age and PwDs with 40 per cent benchmark disability, the new move gives them an opportunity and a privilege to choose to exercise their right to franchise from home in the new move as part of festival of democracy. Despite the facility of home voting offered by the Commission kept easy, the initiative evidently couldnt generate much appeal to persuade or motivate the eligible voters who were required to complete Form 12D within five days of the election notification and submit it to the returning officer. The PwD voters have to provide a certificate on their baseline disability along with their applications. Elections in Chhattisgarh are in three phasesApril 19, April 26 and May 7. According to the data acquired from the state chief electoral office, in the first phase of the restive Bastar constituency where the elector count of elderly citizens and PwD are 16,190, only 254 applications were received and 223 voted sitting at home. The second phase comprising three Lok Sabha seats too didnt evoke a promising response as many were not inspired with the ECs offer. Only 1,346 applications were received out of the eligible 67,950 voters (16,644 were 85+ and 51,306 as PwDs) and 1,267 of them availed the facility. In the third phase covering seven constituencies, there are 1,91,196 eligible for home voting out of the 1.39 crore voters. However, in this phase, the total applications received were 2,927 and till 2 May 2,687 have voted. Only those voters whose applications were received can only be entitled for home voting facility. The official admitted the response has not been heartening but will surely improve in the coming years. One plausible reason for less applications received could perhaps be that senior citizens or PwDs might like to join as vibrant voter participation, keep the zeal high on polling day to realise it as #DeshkaGarv or f#ChunavkaParv by visiting the polling centres. Still some might be out of their place of living for individual causes or perhaps health reasons, the officer added. In the 2019, BJP won nine out of the 11 seats, while Congress had two.

IPL 2024 | You keep fighting, thats what I keep telling myself: Pandya

Pandya was handed over the captaincy after the franchise removed national captain Rohit Sharma, something that the fans didnt really embrace with the colourful Baroda all-rounder being booed every time he entered the pitch

SP, BJP locked in intense fight in six Yadav strongholds

LUCKNOW : With Yadav land being the main battleground in Uttar Pradesh in phase-III, the Samajwadi Party is leaving no stone unturned to save its citadel from saffron onslaught, while the BJP is also creating a furore through its big fighters. Mainpuri, Firozabad, Etah, Baduan, of Phase -III and Kannauj and Etawah, of next phase on May 13, are set for a fierce fight between the ruling party and the main opposition. Meanwhile, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav himself is commanding the fort in Kannauj against sitting BJP MP Subrat Pathak. While in Mainpuri, the SP chiefs wife Dimple Yadav is ready to carry Mulayam Singh Yadavs legacy forward by challenging state tourism minister and BJP candidate Jaiveer Singh who is a sitting MLA from Mainpuri assembly segment. Akshay Yadav, Akhileshs cousin and SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadavs son, is again trying his fate from Firozabad seat, another bastion of SP against Vishwadeep Singh. Akshay had lost the seat to BJPs Chandrasen Jadon in 2019. In Badaun, the SP has put its stake in Aditya Yadav, another cousin of Akhilesh and son of Shivpal Yadav. However, the BJP has reposed faith in a local RSS pracharak firebrand leader Durvijay Singh Shakya. On the remaining two seats of the Yadav land, SPs Devesh Shakya is challenging late Kaylan Singhs son and sitting BJP MP Rajveer Singh in Etah and Jitendra Dohre is challenging BJP MP Ram Shankar Katheria in Etawah reserved seat. In the 2019 elections, of the six seats in the region, the BJP had bagged five Etah, Firozabad, Etawah, Badaun and Kannauj while the SP could win only Mainpuri. To repeat its 2019 performance, the BJP has launched an extensive campaign led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and CM Yogi Adityanath. The BJP plans to pin down the SP in its stronghold by launching a hectic campaigns. The Yadav familys defeat will pave the way for consolidation of the BJP support base in the Yadav land, said a BJP leader. All the Yadav family members Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Shivpal Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, Dimple Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav are canvassing. While Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath have been targeting SP over dynastic politics and appeasement politics, Akhilesh Yadav is urging voters to exercise their franchise to dethrone the BJP and protect the Constitution. Shivpal Yadavs rebellion in 2019 weakened the SP in its stronghold. It could win just one seat in the elections. With Shivpal back in the family fold, the SP hopes to regain the lost ground. The OBCs, Dalits, Muslims and upper castes play a decisive role in deciding the fate of the candidates on the five seats. On the other, the BSP has made the contest triangular on the five seats by fielding Shiv Prasad Yadav from Mainpuri, Mohammad Irfan from Etah, Chaudhary Bashir from Firozabad, Sarika Singh Baghel from Etawah and Imran Bin Zafar from Kannauj.

JMM in a fix as rebels go solo in Giridih and Lohardaga

RANCHI : JMM is in a fix as two of its senior party leaders, after being denied ticket, have filed their nomination from Lohardaga and Koderma as independents against the candidates fielded by INDIA bloc. JMM is hesitant to act against them though Congress has sought immediate action. Bishunpur MLA Chamra Linda is contesting from Lohardaga against Congresss Sukhdeo Bhagat while former JMM MLA from Gandey Jai Prakash Verma has filed his nomination against CPI (ML) candidate Vinod Singh. Linda is considered to be popular among tribal voters and remained on third position after BJPs Sudarshan Bhagat and Congress Rameshwar Oraon in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Verma is also supporting NDA candidate Dilip Kumar Verma contesting against former CM Hemant Sorens wife Kalpana Soren in Gandey assembly bypoll. Due to some obvious reasons, party is hesitant to take any action against them as they are senior party leaders and have a strong mass base, said a JMM functionary requesting anonymity. He added that Gandey by-poll being crucial the party does not want to upset any of its workers.

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Omar conducts roadshow in Beerwah, highlights his dev initiatives

Budgam, May 04: National Conference Vice President and former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday urged the voters to exercise their franchise for the progress of Jammu and Kashmir. Omar, who is the NC candidate from north Kashmirs Baramulla parliamentary constituency, conducted a roadshow in the Beerwah assembly constituency in central Kashmirs Budgam district. He []

Technology is there to take care of human error: Umpire Madanagopal

CHENNAI: Former Tamil Nadu cricketer and noted umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal will be making his World Cup debut in the T20 World Cup to be played in the West Indies and USA from June 1. Nitin Menon is the other umpire on the panel from India. They are part of a panel of 20 umpires who will be officiating 55 matches across nine venues. Having made his debut in women's one-dayers back in 2013, Madanagopal stood as an umpire for the first time in a men's international during the 2021 India-New Zealand T20I at Ranchi. He has also officiated in an international match at his home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium. A smooth-stroking batter for Tamil Nadu, Madanagopal, has been a coach of TNPL teams and First Division teams in the TNCA league too. Since 2007, he has been on the BCCI panel of umpires and will be emulating the likes of S Venkataraghavan and S Ravi, the other umpires from Tamil Nadu, to officiate in a World Cup. Madanagopal is delighted to be part of the World Cup panel and spoke to this daily about pressure, DRS, fitness of umpires and more. Excerpts from the interview. Any pressure to be part of the WC panel? The job will be the same. I have been officiating International matches for the last three years. So the expectations and challenges remain the same. It won't be any different, but it's definitely a great opportunity (ICC T20 World Cup). On DRS and pressure With DRS everything is out in the open, almost black and white. So it is an instinct. Umpiring is always an instinct. You do your preparation, you study the angles and then, based on the evidence in front of you, make a decision. There's no pressure. The game is getting benefited. Right decisions are made. The game moves on in the right direction. It's absolutely fine. It's not about pressure. It's about getting the game in the right direction. So we are happy with DRS. An on-field umpire gives a decision not out, the fielding side opts for DRS and gets it reversed. Does he get upset or does the decision upset his concentration? No. It is part of the game. And what we need to see is the game remains unaffected because of a human error. That is the most important thing. The game has to flow in the right direction. And human judgment is corrected by technology, which is what the game requires. So that should be the mindset. It is not about an umpire making a mistake or umpire getting it correct. It is about the game. The game needs to go in the right direction. That is why technology is there to take care of any human error that may possibly be there. Another challenge for umpires today is intimidation from players in high-profile games? For us, our job is about making decisions and controlling the game. And that is why we are there, out in the middle. We are expected to handle some high-profile players and that is what we have to do. So this is where we prepare ourselves for that. There is no intimidation from big players. On fitness of umpires It (umpiring) is just basically an extension for me. Right from playing days, I have been used to this kind of lifestyle, travelling and staying. So it is a natural extension for me. Right from twelve years, I've been travelling and being in a team environment. So, okay, it is definitely not new for me. I've been doing this for the last 30, 35 years now. Noise is definitely a problem with large crowds out there. The hearing may not be, you know, like in a normal domestic game or something. But then you adapt to those situations. You adapt to the conditions, your awareness is so much heightened when you get into a situation like that. Yeah, there are other clues that you are trying to pick up and it kind of set into your system. You get adapted to the system. On improving his skills over the years The growth has been constant. I have been learning right through whatever and whenever I get an opportunity. Every game is a learning experience for me. Definitely, I've learned and am improving. And it's a continuous process. It doesn't stop,'' explained the genial umpire. Does he watch his own videos to study and improve? Nowadays, almost all the games are televised, so I get to watch and dissect decisions. Yes, there is some homework that I do. There is a process that I follow. I take some feedback. I work on my game (umpiring).

'Had a cappuccino and thought I...': Dinesh Karthik

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's explosive start, led by Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, set the tone for a thrilling encounter. Du Plessis, in particular, showcased his aggressive intent, smashing the ball to all corners and registering the franchise's second-fastest fifty off 18 balls against Gujarat Titans in the IPL match in Bengaluru. While du Plessis took on the aggressor role, Kohli provided crucial support, resulting in their highest Powerplay score of 92 in the history of the IPL.

Modi Attacks Opposition, Recalls Godhra in Bihar Rally

NEW DELHI: In one of his fiercest election speeches in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday raked up the 2002 Godhra train arson, an issue that he rarely mentions even at such events, to attack the Congress-led UPA and the then railways minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav for practicing appeasement politics at a rally in Bihars Darbhanga. Earlier in the day, the PM addressed two rallies in Jharkhands Palamu and Lohardaga and later in the evening, he held a roadshow in Uttar Pradeshs Kanpur, where he continued his attack on the Opposition over corruption, votebank politics and attempts to change the Constitution for providing reservations to Muslims. Addressing his third rally of the day in Bihars Darbhanga, Modi raked up the 2002 Godhra train arson issue and accused Lalu Prasad of trying to save those responsible for burning alive more than 60 kar sevaks. It is because of this appeasement politics that the father of Bihar's shehzada (allusion to Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident, said Modi, adding that after all, it was the rule of Sonia madam. He (Lalu Prasad Yadav), who has himself been convicted (in fodder scam cases), was railway minister. He set up an inquiry committee and got a report, which exonerated those guilty of the horrendous crime. But the court threw the report away, said Modi. Kicking off his gruelling campaign schedule for the day from Palamu, Jharkhand, the PM took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi without naming him and said Pakistan wanted him as the Prime Minister, but India wants a strong country with a strong government. Maa Bharati's disrespect won't be tolerated anymore. New India's surgical and air strikes shook Pakistan, which was known for supporting terror attacks on India during the Congress regime The new India knows how to enter enemy territory and strike... Shaken by the surgical and air strikes, leaders in Pakistan are now praying that the Congress' shehzada' becomes PM of India... But our strong nation wants a strong government and leader, Modi said at the rally to campaign for the BJP candidate from Palamu, V.D. Ram. The Prime Minister said that earlier, after any terror attack on the country, the Congress-led governments were helpless. But that has changed under the strong BJP-led government at the Centre. Now, Pakistan is seeking help from the world to save the nation. He told the audience that their one vote had contributed to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya after generations struggled for 500 years, as well as the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress and the INDI alliance want to usurp your land. They want to snatch SC, ST and OBCs' quotas to provide reservations to Muslims by altering the Constitution. Till I am alive, I will not now allow any such design of the Congress to succeed, he asserted. In his address, the Prime Minister claimed that over 25-crore people came out of poverty in the last 10 years of the NDA government. He said: The Congress never bothered for the welfare of people. The party's shehzada was born with a silver spoon and poses for the camera when he visits the house of the poor. But it is my commitment to transform IndiaThere has been no blot of corruption on me in the past 25 years as Chief Minister and Prime Minister. I don't own a home or even a bicycle... The corrupt JMM and the Congress leaders have amassed huge wealth for their children. In Sisai, Lohardaga, Modi said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces and all those who indulged in corruption will face action under law in the next five years. Hitting out at jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren without taking his name, Modi said: The former Jharkhand CM is behind bars for corruption... Modi is committed to wipe out the menace of corruption. In the next five years, all those who indulged in corruption will face legal action, he said. The INDI alliance leaders, neck-deep in corruption, hold rallies, including in Delhi and Ranchi, voicing support for corrupt people, which reveals their true character, the PM said. Modi also blamed the Congress for the backwardness of tribal districts, alleging that food grains used to rot in godowns during the UPA regime from 2004 to 2014, while tribal children died due to starvation. Modi said the NDA government ensured that the poor got access to the internet unlike the Congress, which was against it. Today's youths are the heroes of social media. The Congress had made the internet a thing for the rich, but Modi ensured it became available for the poor. We made mobile data affordable for all, he said. The PM also slammed the Congress for not taking any action against Maoists to preserve the party's votebank. He said: But, as long as Modi is alive, no one will be allowed to put tribal lives at risk. Modi also accused the Opposition parties of trying to rob SC, ST, OBC and tribals of reservations because of the disillusionment these deprived sections feel towards the INDIA bloc. The INDI alliance is trying to divert reservations to Muslims. They are going against the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, neither of whom was in favour of reservations on religious lines, Modi claimed. He also slammed Tejashwi Yadav for bringing up the Hindu Muslim narrative at rallies while talking about the Agnipath scheme and said, When we talk about the martyrdom of Captain Hameed, do we think of him as a Muslim? Without referring to Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav by their names, he said, There is a shehzada in Delhi and one in Patna, both of whom think of the country as their jaagir (fiefdom). He added: Their mindset was exposed when they raised questions about the surgical strikes and spoke ill of the armed forces. A large crowd cheered for the Prime Minister at the Kanpur roadshow in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Modi visited the Gumati Gurdwara before starting his roadshow in support of the BJP's candidates for the Kanpur and Akbarpur Lok Sabha seats.

Loco Pilot Run Over By Rajdhani Express In Jharkhand: Cops

A loco pilot was run over by the New Delhi-Ranchi Rajdhani Express when he was crossing the railway tracks in Jharkhand's Koderma district on Saturday morning, police said.

IPL, PSL dates may clash next season; players will be forced to make a choice

CHENNAI: The stage is set for an unlikely India-Pakistan clash in the opening months of next year. With next year's Champions Trophy to be staged in Pakistan in February and March, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the country's franchise-based short-form competition, could be moved to a 5-6 window in the months of April and May. This is, of course, when the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played. Due to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being held in the traditional event window, the event window for the 2025 event will be April 7May 20, 2025, a PCB press release proposed on Saturday. The board proposed these dates after consulting with franchise owners. At the back of this meeting, and in relation to the most suitable window for PSL 2025 and beyond, the PCB will share further data with the franchise owners so that they can discuss amongst themselves, PCB COO, Salman Naseer, was quoted as saying in the release. We look forward to working closely with the franchisees to take timely decisions, he added. Usually, the PSL is reserved for FebruaryMarch so players aren't forced to pick between featuring in one of the two leagues. In 2025, that may not be the case as a major chunk of the IPL will be in April and May (it could even be brought forward by a week or so if India qualifies for the WTC final to enable Indian players rest and recover before flying out to the UK). Taking 2024 as a yardstick, some of the players who would have been forced into a decision would have been Luke Wood, Sikandar Raza, Rovman Powell, Rilee Rossouw, Shai Hope and Tom-Kohler Cadmore. One wonders if this would influence the decision of what players the IPL owners may want to target at next year's mega auctions. It also remains to be seen if the Indian government will sign off on the team travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

Watch: SRH Stars Irritated By Fans, Social Media Blasts IPL Franchise

SunRisers Hyderabad are currently in great form in the IPL 2024 and are fourth in the points table

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iconic characters from the Star Wars franchise

Lok Sabha Poll Candidate Arrested From Ranchi Collectorate After Filing Nomination

Devendra Nath Mahato accused the Congress, JMM, and BJP of misusing power to detain him, vowing to win the election despite opposition.

Dhoni is playing my father's role in my cricket life: CSK's Matheesha Pathirana

CHENNAI: Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has termed the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a father figure in his cricketing career, saying the former Chennai Super Kings skipper's advice has given him a lot of confidence. The 21-year-old slinger made his Indian Premier League debut in 2022 and has since become a vital cog in CSK's pace attack, including their title success last season. Speaking on the guidance he received from Dhoni, Pathirana said in CSK's 'Lions up close' show on the franchise's YouTube channel, After my father, in my cricket life, mostly he's (MSD) playing my father's role. He always takes care of me and gives me some advice on what I have to do -- similar to my father's thing when I'm doing in my home. I think that's enough. He's not telling a lot of things when I'm on the field and off the field. He's just telling me small things, but it makes a lot of difference, and it makes a lot of confidence for me. At the moment, he knows how to maintain the players. Off the field, we don't talk much. If I have to ask something from him, definitely, I'd go to him and ask him, he said. The lanky Sri Lankan has had a great IPL 2024 season so far, being the team's second-highest wicket-taker after Mustafizur Rahman (14), grasping 13 wickets in six matches at an economy of 7.68, including a four-wicket haul. As for Dhoni, he has been in good touch with the bat this season, especially as a finisher. While there has been speculation about Dhoni's future for the last three seasons, this year, too, has been no different. Rumours continue to swirl around that it could well be Dhoni's final season in this high-profile Twenty20 league, but the veteran is yet to make a formal announcement. But, inspired by him so much, Patheerana has emotionally requested Dhoni to continue at least for one more season. Mahi bhai, if you can play one more season, please play with us if I'm here (chuckles), he said. CSK has had an unstable season this term under new captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. In 10 matches, CSK have lost five and won as many games and are placed fifth on the points table.

PCB Identifies The April 7- May 20 Window For PSL 2025; To Clash With IPLs Next Season

The Pakistan Cricket Board: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has identified a window between April 7 to May 20 for hosting the 2025 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). It means that the PSL 2025 will clash with the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), with this years tournament starting on March 22 and slated to end on May 26. The shift in PSL 2025 dates is caused due to the 2025 Champions Trophy that Pakistan will be hosting in February-March. It comes after the PCB met six franchise owners of the PSL, in the buildup to their General Council meeting, at the Gaddafi Stadium here on Saturday. Due to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 being held in the traditional event window, the event window for the 2025 event will be April 7May 20. Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi to host matches in Pakistan with each side playing, at least, five matches on home ground. The PCB will continue to explore additional venues. Four playoffs proposed to be staged at a neutral venue, stated the PCB in a release on Saturday. A possible clash between IPL and PSL dates in 2025 will impact the overseas players' participation in both leagues for the very first time. As always, we had a very exciting and interesting brainstorming session with the franchise owners on the window for Pakistan Super League 2025. The passionate franchise owners provided their all-rounded insight and views on the PCB-recommended window and playoff venues for the 2025 event and beyond. At the back of this meeting, and in relation to the most suitable window for PSL 2025 and beyond, the PCB will share further data with the franchise owners so that they can discuss amongst themselves, make a more informed decision and share their ideas and thoughts at the General Council meeting. We look forward to working closely with the franchisees to make timely decisions for the future trajectory of one of Pakistans biggest brands, said Salman Naseer, PCB Chief Operating Officer.

Giancarlo Esposito to join MCU: What character will he play?

Celebrated actor Giancarlo Esposito, renowned for his captivating portrayal of villains across various franchises, is poised to leave his mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Esposito, is best known for his iconic portrayal of Gus Fring in Breaking Bad.

Lok Sabha Poll Candidate Arrested From Ranchi After Filing Nomination

Devendra Nath Mahato accused the Congress, JMM, and BJP of misusing power to detain him, vowing to win the election despite opposition.

'More Worried About Reputational Impact Than Financial Impact,' Says Kotak CEO On RBI Curbs

RBI's order has had an impact on the franchise and reputation, he said. In particular, the credit card business and Kotak 811 will be the most affected.

Loco Pilot Killed After Being Hit by Rajdhani Express in Bihar's Gaya District

Patna: P ankaj Kumar Singh, a loco pilot, tragically lost his life after being hit by the Rajdhani Express in Bihar's Gaya district. The accident occurred as Singh was crossing the tracks after parking the light engine in the loco buffer of Ghazhandi. The impact of the collision caused his immediate death. The incident took place between Gurpa and Gajandi stations. RPF Inspector Jawaharlal reached the spot upon receiving information and reported the incident to the GRP. The body of the deceased has been sent for post-mortem examination. The accident occurred around 3:30 in the morning when Pankaj Singh was struck by the New Delhi-Ranchi Rajdhani Express. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined. Whether the loco pilot failed to notice the approaching Rajdhani Express or if there were other factors involved remains uncertain and will only be revealed through a police investigation. Nepal Decides to Print New Rs 100 Currency Note with Controversial Map Yogi Adityanath Accuses Congress of Planning to Implement Jizya Tax Crorepati Candidates Dominate Odisha Lok Sabha Polls: A Detailed Analysis of Wealth Distribution

Farooq Abdullah Alleges Modi Inciting Fear Among Hindus for Political Gain

Farooq Abdullah Alleges Modi Inciting Fear Among Hindus for Political Gain National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to create a fear psychosis among Hindus to stay in power and said he no longer talks about the issues of the common people that propelled him to the top post in 2014. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister asked people to stay away from ''this divide-and-rule politics''. Addressing a rally in the Khanyar area of the city here in support of the NC's Lok Sabha poll candidate Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Abdullah said, ''Modi is trying to create fear among Hindus and to create that fear, he is telling them that your mangalsutras will be taken away and sold to give money to Muslims. Are we such bad people that we will snatch mangalsutras from our mothers and sisters?'' The member of Parliament from Srinagar said the prime minister is telling Hindus that if the INDIA opposition bloc comes to power after the ongoing polls, their savings will be taxed and if they have two houses, one would be taken away and given to Muslims. ''He is creating hatred among Hindus towards Muslims and then he says Muslims produce more children. God gives children. Many (people) do not have (children). What does he know about children when he does not have any? He did not even value his wife, how could he have valued his children,'' Abdullah asked the gathering. He accused the prime minister of trying to ''create hatred'' in the country and said ''we are against it''. ''We pray to god to bring him (Modi) down. He is lying,'' Abdullah said. The veteran leader, who is not contesting the Lok Sabha polls due to his health conditions, said Modi no longer talks about the issues of the common people that propelled him to the prime minister's post in 2014. ''When he came to power in 2014, he used to raise the issue of the price of LPG cylinders. The price of a domestic gas cylinder was Rs 400 at that time. He used to raise the issue of price rise, and unemployment. ''Ten years have gone by and what is the price of a gas cylinder now? It is Rs 1,100. Diesel prices have risen, cooking oil prices have gone up, the prices of vegetables, mutton etc. have increased. He (Modi) installed smart metres that run even when there is no electricity,'' Abdullah said. He asked people to remain cautious and stay away from ''this divide-and-rule'' politics. Later, talking to reporters, Abdullah said the prime minister should answer whether he is the PM of only a few people or the entire country. ''I consider him my prime minister. But his politics of hate needs to be stopped so that India can be saved,'' he said. The NC president said it is ''unfortunate'' that the country's prime minister and home minister were giving statements that are ''creating tension among different communities''. ''We will not need enemies from outside, we will have enemies inside. And when there is tension within the country, how will you fight with China,'' he asked. Abdullah further said that terrorism will not stop unless India and Pakistan become friends. On the BJP's assertion that the situation has changed in Kashmir and political parties were conducting elections rallies freely after the abrogation of Article 370, the NC president said he used to roam the Valley in 1996 as well when terrorism was at its peak. ''When my house was targeted with bombs, I did not stop... When they raised Indian flag at Lal Chowk, they came with a battalion, but I was never afraid,'' he added. On Modi's remark that he did the biggest service by implementing the Constitution of India in Kashmir, the former J-K chief minister asked, ''Were we not Indians enough before the abrogation of Article 370?'' He said the NC and INDIA alliance will not allow the BJP to change the Constitution. ''Our major fight is against that,'' Abdullah added. Referring to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the former chief minister said all top officials in the Union territory are outsiders. ''Be it SSPs (senior superintendents of police), DCs (deputy commissioners) or any other bureaucrats -- all of them are from outside. We have to fight this. We have to show them (the BJP-led Centre) that we do not accept the decisions of August 5, 2019,'' he said. On August 5, 2019, the Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution that had conferred special rights on Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories. Abdullah also asked the voters to check the electronic voting machines (EVMs) while exercising their franchise. ''When you vote, make sure you check the EVMs. See if the light turns on, so that your votes are not wasted. Check the VVPATs as well. Government agents will try to bribe you, but you have to remain cautious and honest,'' he said.

IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya Looked Like A Man Under Pressure, Says Graeme Smith

Kolkata Knight Riders: Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith said Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya has looked like a man under pressure in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after the five-time champions suffered a 24-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday evening. This is also their eighth defeat in 11 matches of this season so far, leaving MI in ninth position and more importantly, their playoffs chances are now hanging by a slim thread. Hardik has really struggled; he's looked like a man under pressure. That's created a little turmoil in the air, who knows how that's affected the people. But even the batting lineup, they look like they're confused. Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir were fighting in the middle order, Dhir was batting at three, and Hardik moving all over the place. They should have had Tilak at 3, Sky at 4, and Hardik batting at 5 throughout the season, with David at 6. Then, figure out your bowling units. All over and all around, they've been a very confused team this season and it's been hugely disappointing from one of the mega franchises of the IPL. A lot of people in the MI fanbase and camp will be very sore after this, said Smith to JioCinema. Apart from a leadership role, Hardik is enduring a horrid time in IPL 2024 with both bat and ball. With the bat, he has amassed only 198 runs, averaging just 19.8, while picking only eight wickets at an economy rate of 11. Shane Watson, the former Australia all-rounder, was left baffled over certain on-field decisions from the MI camp. To keep bowling Naman Dhir when it was so critical (KKR were at 57-5), it was a big mistake from the leadership of the Mumbai Indians, whether it was Hardik Pandya making the decisions or information coming from the sideline. Bumrah had bowled only one over at that stage, so (they needed to) get him in the game again to try and break the partnership of Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey, but they didn't. They just let them cruise and build momentum in the partnership. Before you know it, they hadn't played a shot in anger and that built the partnership to a point where it was too late when he came in. There were a lot of baffling decisions from the Mumbai Indians' leadership, which is going to be hard to explain, he said. Amidst all the gloom for MI, Suryakumar Yadav rose to be the bright light via his 35-ball 56. With Sky at the crease, you always believe you have a chance. He was head and shoulders above every other batter in the MI lineup, nobody looked at all comfortable with the conditions, the pressure, or with their games. Sky came right with excellent stroke play, the usual hitting the ball in awkward areas. He played spin well, he played seam well, front-end or back-foot. While he was there, the whole fanbase of MI thought they had a chance, concluded Smith. Mumbai Indians will next take on fourth-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

Congress Leader Khera Raises Concerns About PM's Sleepless Nights Over LS Polls

Congress Leader Khera Raises Concerns About PM's Sleepless Nights Over LS Polls Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday claimed the 2024 Lok Sabha polls were giving sleepless nights to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a press conference here, Khera said this was because the Union government had nothing worthwhile to show after being in power for 10 years. ''After two phases we can say these elections have taken away Modi's sleep. After two rounds, he is unable to sleep. Earlier, he used to be awake for 18 hours, now he is awake for 23 hours. After the third phase, he will stay awake all 24 hours,'' Khera said in a swipe at the PM's famed workaholism. ''The reason is clear. The Union government has not come out with its performance report card of 10 years. They won't bring it before the country because the government has not done any worthwhile work,'' Khera claimed. On the low turnout in the first two phases, Khera claimed it was the BJP voter who was keeping away ''either due to deep frustration or because of a feeling that BJP will surely get 400 seats''. ''Our voters, the people who want change, are stepping out to exercise their franchise.'' he said. Accusing the BJP-led Union government of not answering questions about the nation, not addressing press conferences, diverting people's attention by raking up controversies and instead taunting the opposition, Khera said ''this disease brought in by the BJP will cost the country dear''. ''Two youngsters are committing suicide every hour in the country. The Centre has tabled this fact in Parliament three months ago. Thirty farmers are committing suicide daily. This is not my figure but that of the government of India. Four rapes are taking place in an hour in the country. Hundred rapes are taking place in a day,'' he pointed out. ''The PM is seeking votes but not coming out with his government's 10-year report card. Ten years ago, people believed your guarantees. Unemployment is at a 45-year high, so suicides are bound to take place,'' he claimed.

Pandya 'Baffling, KKR Had No Right To Win': Ex-IPL Champion Shreds MI

Australia's World Cup-winner allrounder Shane Watson said that the Kolkata-based franchise didn't deserve to win the match as they lost the first five wickets very quickly

Shraddha Kapoor features in MyGlamm Super Makeup Range as Brand Ambassador

(Photo:Instagram) With the aim of empowering women to embrace their diverse identities, MyGlamm launches the Super Range with Actor, Brand Ambassador Shraddha Kapoor with four new makeup products that adapt to every role a woman plays, fueled by the #SuperMakeupForASuperYou movement. Good Glamm Group portfolio brand MyGlamm, India's #1 online D2C makeup brand launches super successful franchise Super Serum Makeup with campaign #SuperMakeupForSuperYou featuring actress, brand ambassador, Shraddha Kapoor in a DVC, introducing four new products. The MyGlamm Super Makeup Range is an innovative collection of makeup products designed to cater to the multi-tasking lifestyle of today's empowered women, with a lineup of versatile beauty essentials that aim to redefine conventional makeup routines and empower users to express their unique identities effortlessly. MyGlamm's latest DVC starring Brand Ambassador, Shraddha Kapoor highlights the Super Serum Makeup franchise with MyGlamm Super Makeup Range to #GlammUpLikeAStar, including the four new products - Super-Kohl Long Stay Kajal, Super-Lash Volumizing Mascara, Super-Duo Lipstick + Liquid Lipstick and Super-4 4-in-1 Liquid Lipstick Stack - groundbreaking products that combine the benefits of serum and makeup in one. With added SPF for protection, this product promises to revolutionize skincare-infused makeup routines in India, with the #SuperMakeupForASuperYou campaign. Commenting on the launch, Shraddha Kapoor, Actress, Brand Ambassador, MyGlamm said, As a woman constantly on the move, I understand the importance of makeup that keeps up with your busy lifestyle. The MyGlamm Super Makeup Range is tailored for women like us, offering versatile products that effortlessly transition from day to night. The #SuperMakeupForASuperYou is a belief that every woman is capable of embracing her inner superhero through the power of self-expression and confidence and I am super thrilled to be part of it. Sukhleen Aneja, CEO of Good Brands Co, expressed her excitement about the launch, stating , We are thrilled to introduce MyGlamm's Super Makeup Range, offering multi-functional makeup solutions for women who are juggling myriad roles within their lives .We aim to deliver versatile, high performance products that resonate with the vibrant lifestyles of contemporary Indian women of today. With the Super Makeup Range, we are redefining makeup by offering innovative multi-tasking solutions that empower women to express themselves effortlessly. The MyGlamm Super Makeup Range is specifically created for the Super-Nari of today, celebrating the multi-tasker extraordinaire who defies conventional norms and takes on various roles with ease. Whether you're a friend, sister, mother, or CEO, the Super Range is tailored to fit seamlessly into your diverse roles and lifestyles. With the #SuperMakeupForASuperYou campaign, MyGlamm aims to break free from pre-defined beauty standards and offer makeup solutions that adapt to the diverse needs of modern women.

'KKR had no right to win...': Ex-Aussie all-rounder

After the clash between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, Australia's World Cup-winner allrounder Shane Watson said that the Kolkata-based franchise didn't deserve to win the match as they lost the first five wickets very quickly.

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PM Modi Vows to Pursue Legal Action Against the Corrupt Within the Next Five Years

PM Modi Vows to Pursue Legal Action Against the Corrupt Within the Next Five Years Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces, and all those who indulged in corruption would face action under law in the next five years. Hitting out at jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren without taking his name, Modi said leaders of the Congress and the opposition INDIA bloc take out rallies in support of the corrupt. ''The former Jharkhand CM is behind bars for corruption; Modi is committed to wipe out the menace. In the next five years, all those who indulged in corruption will face legal action,'' he said at a poll rally in Gumla's Sisai to campaign for BJP candidate Samir Oraon from the Lohardaga Lok Sabha seat. The INDIA bloc leaders, neck-deep in corruption, hold rallies, including in Delhi and Ranchi, voicing support for corrupt people, which reveals their true character, the PM said. Modi also blamed Congress for the backwardness of tribal districts, alleging that food grains used to rot in godowns during the UPA regime from 2004 to 2014, while tribal children died due to starvation. No force on earth can stop free ration delivery to the poor, this is Modi's guarantee, the prime minister asserted. Modi said the NDA government ensured that the poor get access to the internet, which was meant only for rich people during the Congress rule. The PM also slammed the Congress for not taking any action against Maoists to preserve the party's vote bank.

Not many takers for ECIs initiative on home voting in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: The Election Commission of India (ECI) pioneering initiative to facilitate home voting, introduced for the first time, in the parliamentary polls for elderly citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) didn't find many takers in Chhattisgarh. The ECIs plan was intended to make the electoral process all-inclusive and accessible by enabling voting convenient for eligible citizens about 85 years of age and PwDs with 40 percent benchmark disability, giving them an opportunity and a privilege to choose to exercise their right to franchise from home in the new move as part of festival of democracy. Despite the facility of home voting offered by the Commission kept easy, the initiative evidentlycouldn't generate much appeal to persuade or motivatethe eligible voters who were required to complete Form 12D within five days of the election notification and submit it to the returning officer. The PwD voters have to provide a certificate on their baseline disability along with their applications. Elections in Chhattisgarh are in three phasesApril 19, April 26 and May 7. According to the data acquired from the state chief electoral office, in the first phase of the restive Bastar constituency where the elector count of elderly citizens and PwD are 16190, only 254 applications were received and 223 voted sitting at home. The second phase comprising three Lok Sabha seats too didn't evoke a promising response as many were not inspired with the ECs offer. Only 1346 applications were received out of the eligible 67950 voters (16644 were 85+ and 51306 as PwDs) and 1267 of them availed the facility. In the third phase covering 7 constituencies, there are 191196 eligible for home voting out of the 1.39 crore voters. However in this phase the total applications received were 2927 and till 2 May 2687 have voted. Only those voters whose applications were received can only be entitled for home voting facility. The official admitted the response has not been heartening but will surely improve in the coming years. One plausible reason for less applications received could perhaps be that senior citizens or PwDs might like to join as vibrant voter participation, keep the zeal high on polling day to realise it as #DeshkaGarv or f#ChunavkaParv by visiting the polling centres. Still some might be out of their place of living for individual causes or perhaps health reasons, the officer added.

Change Is Inevitable: Ganguly On The Impact Of T20 Games On Cricket

The Bengal Pro T20 League: Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly believes that T20 cricket is an integral part of the sport, poised to propel it forward. Ganguly feels that the shortest form of the game is not going anywhere and will remain a significant aspect of the sport. He also praised the T20 format and explained why it has become so important in cricket.Ganguly made these remarks during the unveiling of the Bengal Pro T20 League trophy here in Kolkata on Friday. The Bengal Pro T20 League trophy was unveiled in the presence of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly, Sourav Ganguly and former Indian women's cricketer Jhulan Goswami. It is a great introduction to the game. Change is inevitable in everything. Many of us who started playing 2-day cricket and 4-day cricket will have to accept that T20 cricket is here to stay and it is something that will take the game forward, Ganguly said during the event. Bengal Pro T20 League is the official franchise-based premier T20 cricket league of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Speaking about the same to the media, Ganguly said, Its (T20 Leagues) happening in every state. We are probably 5-6 years late on this. Any way of playing the sport will always be very helpful. T20 is an important part of cricket these days and this will be a huge opportunity for everyone to perform. The much-awaited inaugural edition of the Bengal Pro T20 League is set to kick off from June 11, 2024, in Kolkata as 8 teams get to ready showcase their talent on the big stage.

England Women's Cricket Coach Jon Lewis Using AI To Pick Team

England Women's cricket coach Jon Lewis revealed Friday he is using artificial intelligence to aid team selection, saying the technology helped his side square last season's Ashes. Lewis first became familiar with the work of London-based PSi when he took charge of the UP Warriorz franchise in India's Women's Premier League. Now the 48-year-old former England paceman uses the company to assist with his decisions about squad composition, team balance and in-game match-ups between players. The system plots projected outcomes depending on the composition of each side. I can send multiple different line-ups to the PSi in London and they run, I think, about 250,000 simulations per team that I send, with all different permutations that could happen through the game, he said. We are able to run simulated teams versus the simulated opposition to give us an idea about how those teams may match up against each other. I came across it during my time at UP Warriorz and it's something I looked at and thought it could add some value to the England Women's cricket team. Lewis said he still favoured a people-first approach but he added: What data can do is give you a really objective view of what could happen and what has happened previously. I think it will help with borderline decisions in terms of selection and match-ups. Lewis, who has spoken to England's rugby union coach Steve Borthwick about his own use of the PSi model, said the system had proved its worth as his side drew last season's multi-format Women's Ashes series against arch-rivals Australia. There was one selection particularly last year, one period of the Ashes that we targeted as a team, said Lewis, speaking at the announcement of England's squad for T20 and ODI series at home to Pakistan later this month. There were a couple of selections where AI really helped because both players I was thinking about picking were both in really good form and were both really selectable and it did help with those selections. We saw a real strength in Australia and we matched up our strength to that. That worked really, really well and it helped us win the T20 series in particular, which got us back in the Ashes. AI is becoming an increasing feature of top-level sport, with International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach saying last month it could help identify talented athletes in every corner of the world. Also Read: Join Our WhatsApp Channel For IPL 2024 Updates He said AI could also provide more athletes with access to personalised training methods.

Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes Receives Glowing Early Reviews: 'Summer Blockbuster'

While many critics believe that Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes might not be the best in the sci-fi franchise, they, however, agree that the movie is a fantastic continuation of the plot.

Rosamund Pike joins the cast of 'Now You See Me 3'

Actor Rosamund Pike has officially joined the cast of 'Now You See Me 3'. Details of her role in the third installment of the magic-themed franchise have been kept under wraps, but she will have a pivotal role in the film according to a press release. Pike joins the previously announced cast members Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, and Ariana Greenblatt. Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, and Morgan Freeman are all returning for the threequel Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer is set to helm 'Now You See Me 3' with Eric Warren Singer, Seth Graham Smith, and Mike Lesslie penning the script. Plot details for the film are unclear at this point, but the film is set to once again delve into the world of the illusionists. The story will not just follow the Horsemen but also introduce the audience to a new generation of magicians. Backed by Bobby Cohen, Alex Kurtzman of Secret Hideout, Meredith Wieck and Chisom Ude will oversee the project for Lionsgate. Pike, best known for her performances in movies such as 'Pride & Prejudice', 'Gone Girl' and 'I Care A Lot', most recently starred in Saltburn, which earned her BAFTA and Golden Globes nominations. She will be next seen in the psychological thriller 'Hallow Road' and in 'Lionsgate' and Guy Ritchies 'In the Grey'. She will also be seen in the third season of her Prime Video series 'The Wheel of Time'.

Palnadu: 1,350 voters to exercise franchise through VfH

GUNTUR : As many as 19,095 employees will administer votes through postal ballot on May 5,6 and 7 in Palnadu district, informed Collector Sivasankar Lotheti. Addressing a press conference, he said that employees who are allotted poll duties are provided with postal ballots to exercise their franchise prior to the polling date on May 13. He also said that the Election Commission of India has introduced Vote from Home (VfH) facility through postal ballots for two categories of voters, individuals aged 85 years and above, apart from persons with disabilities (PwD), with minimum 40 per cent certified differently-abled. Under the provision, two polling officials will visit eligible voters accompanied by a videographer and record the voting process at the voters residences. On May 5, POs, APOs, OPOs and micro observers will administer their votes. In addition to this, home voting will be held on May 8, and 9. A total of 1,350 people, including 714 with age above 85 years and 636 differently-abled can exercise their franchise at their home in the district. As many as 41 special polling teams have been formed including 246 employees and 41 routes have been proposed in seven constituencies. A text message will be sent to the voters a day before the polling on May 7.

Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac to star in 'Flesh Of The Gods'

Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac are teaming up to star in a vampire thriller, Flesh Of The Gods. The film is helmed by Panos Cosmatos, who is best known for his 2018 action-horror Mandy. The story revolves around Raoul and Alex, a married couple in the 80s. They live in Los Angeles and every night, they leave their posh apartment and enter a wild, exciting nightlife scene. One night, they meet a mysterious person named Nameless and her group of party-loving friends. Raoul and Alex are drawn into a flashy, strange world full of fun, but also danger and excitement. Oscar Isaac is set to portray Raoul and Kristen Stewart will portray Alex. Adam McKay and Betsy Koch of Hyperobject Industries and Gena Konstantinakos and Isaac for Mad Gene Media are producing the film. The script is penned by Andrew Kevin Walker based on a story by Cosmatos and Walker. The film is to start shooting later this year. Kristen Stewart is best known for her roles in the Twilight franchise, Panic Room, Love Lies Bleeding, Spencer, Crimes of the Future, and Personal Shopper. Isaac Oscar is best known for his roles in A Most Violent Year, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Two Faces of January, and Ex Machina.

'Aranmanai 4' movie review: An in-form Sundar C finds the sweet spot between humour and horror

CHENNAI : Some ideas are par for the course in the Aranmanai franchise, like the nightly ghost routine, the not-so-novel use of heroines, the hit-or-miss comedy... Despite all of this, Aranmanai 4 doesnt succumb to franchise fatigue, mainly due to refreshing plot twists and Sundar Cs mastery of commercial filmmaking. Truth be told, the film doesnt get off to a good start. Advocate Saravanan (Sundar C) fights bad guys who are against a love marriage, with the scene serving as a mere exposition of his love for his sister Selvi (Tamannaah), who, we learn, eloped with her lover (Santhosh Pratap) 10 years ago. Having not heard from her for a very long time, the news of his sister and brother-in-laws sudden deaths shatter Saravanan, who leaves for the village where they reside to learn that their deaths arent as straightforward as being reported by the police. In fact, the veracity of their deaths comes under question. Things get murkier when Saravanan goes out on an investigation. And all of this is what Aranmanai 4 is all about. In a refreshing departure from the franchise, the evil being in Aranmanai 4 has no personal vendetta with the family in question. This wise choice by writers Sundar C, Venkatt Ragavan, and SB Ramadass has rendered the screenplay flexible enough to conjure mystery by showing seemingly unrelated events in random peoples lives that ultimately have a connection. Neither does the connection lack originality nor are we able to guess the eventual reveal. This suspense, a rarity in an Aranmanai film, is sustained gainfully in the first half. Discovering the presence of the evil creature, Baak, and certain qualities ascribed to it in the second half is instrumental in introducing the twists and the eventual challenges in taking it down. All of this adds spice to the second half. Audiences familiar with the Aranmanai franchise will not mind tonal inconsistency, especially when the comedy scenes evoke laughter. This film is an example of how comedy on paper can convincingly get replicated on screen. Just like the film itself, the comedy scenes also begin underwhelmingly but gradually get better. The pre-climax scene, in particular, is a laugh riot. Sundar Cs Saravanan is laudable for taking the back seat for the majority of the runtime. Feeling clueless about what happened to his family and what is going on in the village makes us empathetic towards the character. Morphing into a superhero for the climax fight has long ceased to be an oddity; it is still not readily acceptable given what we have seen of him for over two hours. Also, a relatively less problematic portrayal of the leading ladies makes Aranmanai 4 better than its predecessors. Tamannaahs Selvi is a compelling character, and the actors performance sells the mandatory flashback. To a lesser degree, Raashii Khannas Maya is useful too, and crucially, isnt wasted on a romantic track or relegated to being mere eye candy. The otherworldly elements in this film, no matter how far-fetched they are, still need to come with certain rules within the storys universe. And yet, I found myself wishing that the evil spirit had been written better and not restricted to just being the cause of jump scares. Another letdown is the supposed powers of the good spirit and how the film doesnt really get into it. These are scenes that try to make the most of VFX, which too is just par for the course. Yet, Sundar C keeps things engaging enough with suspense and twists, and add some effective comedy, emotional strength, and measured music by Hip Hop Adhi, and you have got the recipe for an entertaining Aranmanai film. The cameos at the end and the lead to a fifth installment only add to the intrigue, making a strong case for the extension of this franchise. Sundar C clearly has something to fall Baak on. Film: Aranmanai 4 Director: Sundar C Cast: Sundar C, Raashii Khanna, Tamannaah Bhatia, Santhosh Pratap, Yogi Babu, Kovai Sarala Rating: 3/5

RCB hope power-hitter Will Jacks leads from the front against GT

Languishing at the bottom of the points table with three wins from 10 matches, the Bengaluru franchise is clinging to a flimsy thread of hope of making the playoffs. A rain-marred contest against a struggling Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy stadium will wash away even the mathematical chance Faf du Plessis and his men have of advancing in the competition.

Pandya Has Lot Of Questions With MI All But Out Of IPL, Puts Blame On...

Hardik Pandya was handed over the MI captaincy after the franchise removed national captain Rohit Sharma

Logs worth 5L seized in PTR, 4 held

Chatra admin, NTPC hold voters programme

25 senior cops keep hawk eye on campaign

HC allows Hemant to attend shradh of uncle in police custody

BCCL to pay dividend to CIL for the first time

Days after evading arrest, Giridih candidate summoned by poll office

ACs, coolers fly off shelves as mercury soars in Ranchi

Brothers feud steals limelight in Chatra

Borewell operators now need to notify RMC prior to drilling

Thousands wait in blazing sun for PMs roadshow in Ranchi

38 of 45 girls of CMs school of excellence fail in intermediate exam

BJP appeals to migrant voters to come home and vote

Nine candidates take political plunge to bring social change

Paramount will let exclusive talks with Skydance lapse, NYT reports

Paramount will let exclusive talks with Skydance lapse, NYT reports Paramount Global will end its exclusive negotiations with Skydance Media without reaching a deal, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of Paramount rose 3% in extended trading. A special committee of the Paramount board, created to evaluate offers for the company, has been holding exclusive deal talks with Skydance Media. That period of exclusivity ends Friday. Skydance Media and a spokesman for the special committee of the Paramount board declined to comment. Sony Pictures Entertainment and private equity firm Apollo Global Management on Wednesday submitted a $26 billion offer for Paramount Global but have yet to receive a response as of Friday, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. The companies submitted a non-binding offer letter on Wednesday, signed by Sony Pictures Chief Executive Tony Vinciquerra and Apollo partner Aaron Sobel, a source confirmed to Reuters. The $26 billion offer is a combination of cash and assumption of debt. Paramount's special committee is set to meet on Saturday to discuss the deal, NYT reported, citing two people with knowledge of the company's plans. Sony would hold a majority stake in the venture, a source previously told Reuters, and operate Paramount, whose movie library spans Star Trek, Mission: Impossible and The Godfather, alongside TV characters like SpongeBob SquarePants. Apollo would be a minority shareholder. The last-minute expression of interest from Sony and Apollo may well force Paramount's board to evaluate other offers, especially after some shareholders raised concerns about the deal with David Ellison's Skydance and have urged Paramount to consider other offers, including the one from Apollo. Apollo declined comment to Reuters, which reported in April that Sony's SPE and Apollo were in talks about a joint bid. Paramount and Sony also declined comment on the Apollo-Sony offer, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The rival offer comes at a tumultuous time for Paramount. Shari Redstone's media empire replaced CEO Bob Bakish with a trio of executives on Monday, while four independent members of the Paramount board are set to step down at the company's annual shareholder meeting on June 4. Bakish was once viewed as Redstone's loyal lieutenant. However, their relationship began to sour in May 2023, when he urged Redstone to support a cut the company's share dividend, saying it would help lift Paramount's sagging stock -- a prediction that never came true, according to two sources close to Redstone. PARAMOUNT'S STRUGGLES Paramount has been struggling to recover from last year's months-long strikes by Hollywood writers and actors, a soft advertising market and cord-cutting in the United States that has eroded profit for its TV business. Its streaming service also widely trails rivals such as Netflix and Disney+ in subscriber numbers - even though Redstone had hoped the merger of CBS and Viacom in 2019 would help the combined company, later renamed Paramount Global, compete better. Shares of Paramount have fallen more than 65% since then, losing more than $14 billion in market value. At Wednesday's closing price of $12.26, the company was valued at $7.67 billion, according to LSEG data. It has more than $14 billion of debt. The potential acquisition would help SPE grow its share of the North American box office. Sony Pictures earned $1.01 billion in U.S. and Canada box office revenue last year, compared with Paramount's $842.4 million, according to data from Comscore. SPE, a unit of Tokyo-based Sony Group, says its operations span movie and television production, acquisition and distribution, digital content creation and distribution, studio facility operation and the development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. The group has more than 3,500 movie titles and notable franchises such as Jumanji, Resident Evil and James Bond. This is not the first time Sony has pursued Paramount. Vinciquerra had previously approached Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, to explore acquiring the Paramount Pictures film studio, according to two people familiar with the matter. At the time, Redstone was uninterested in breaking up the company, according to one of the sources. The latest overture would mark the beginning of a process that would involve due diligence. There also are potential regulatory obstacles to Sony Pictures, a division of the Tokyo-based Sony Group, owning Paramount's CBS broadcast network. Sony's U.S.-based partner, Apollo, acquired Cox Media Group's television stations in a 2019 deal that required approval of the Federal Communications Commission.

Daughter of suspected Maoist aide arrested

Will there be more Batman movies? Jonathan Nolan reveals details about franchise's future

Jonathan Nolan has been well acclaimed for co-writing the Batman movie 'The Dark Knight' and with speculations doing rounds about a new film on Batman with a possibility of Winston Duke starring as the Caped Crusader, the writer reveals details about the franchise

How to get bejewelled balloters to the booth

South Bengaluru, south Chennai, south Delhi, south Mumbai, south Kolkata. There is something special about the southern parts of Indian metros that makes the affluent stay there. Quite the contrast from the laggard Global South. The problem with what we might call Indias Urban South is that they dont like lifestyle disruptions like voting at elections. We have seen that this year in the constituencies of Chennai South and Bengaluru South, both of which saw less than 55 percent voters showing up. I am tempted to bet their Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai counterparts may try to match them in low turnouts. Not even the talk of a never-proposed but much-disposed inheritance tax may shake them from their electoral slumber, unless you think out of the ballot box. About 15 years ago, a friend listed in jest 10 reasons why Mumbai Souths elite voters didnt show up to vote in 2009. Two reasons stood out: no valet parking, and they didnt want to stand in the same queue as their household help. Youve got to say bye-bye to voting if you spot your bai out there. In the best tradition of Indian-style innovation, I am thinking of ways to end such apathy. While at that, I am also intrigued by the tendency of Indians in general and the affluent in particular to splurge or lose money through various endeavours while hating the thing called tax. Its not a condition peculiar only to India. The Beatles sang in their 1966 song, Taxman : Now my advice for those who die (taxman) / Declare the pennies on your eyes (taxman) / Cause Im the taxman / Yeah, Im the taxman / And youre working for no one but me (taxman). Even before the Fab Four, Bollywoods Kishore Kumar sang in 1954: Kuchh income tax le jaata hai / Kuchh beewi udaati hai (Some money is taken away by income tax / and some blown up by the wife). Later, in 1970, when tax raids happened on film stars, he sang: Nagad naayan ke sab yaar / In sabke pichhe pad gaya income tax / Are bam-bam naache Kishore Kumaram (Everybody is a friend of the god of bucks / The income tax is after their backs / and Kishore Kumar dances bam-bam). But then, tax and voting are different things for celebrities. These days movie stars vote in style. Queues are bent for them so they can do the celeb act: posing for cameras in designer shades with ink on their forefingers. For all we know, they might be imagining showing a middle finger to politicians, but what we see is what we think we get. But stars and tycoons need to be treated with deference to make them part with cash. The poor can be made to part with cash through offerings made to astrologers and priests in exchange for the fulfilment of their wishes. The middle class can be had with get-rich-quick schemes in everything from unreliable chit-fund schemes to dud shares, and if they are techno-hip, through cyber frauds and crypto scams. The truly rich wont fall for all this. Some of them got rich in the first place by partly or wholly trying some of the tricks mentioned above (occasionally described in boardrooms as strategy). We need to reverse-swing this whole business with some designer jugaad . We need to take a leaf out of their books and charm them into doing unto the taxman what some of them do unto their clients and, sometimes, shareholders or bankers. What I suggest to counter electoral apathy in the Urban South is a Premium Voting Lounge, much like those fancy corners in airports or plush hotels. You have to pay so that you dont have to stand in queues, certainly not with your helps. You have sofas in air-conditioned waiting areas. The electronic voting machines flash a welcome message after a welcome drink. And yes, you can pose for a selfie with your EVM and pay a service charge (GST extra). Valet parking, of course, is included. There you have it. Farmhouse parties in Delhi and bashes in Malabar Hill will never be the same again. Page 3 smiles and Instagram videos will complete the picture. Bejewelled balloters will happily part with a lakh or two if they are told that voting is not an act of duty but a style statement. I can imagine Ms Chopra in South Delhi doing a pre-election photoshoot as well. If she is complimented later about having lost weight, she might even reply: You see, I have been exercising my franchise. Diamond and platinum brands are well advised to sell this idea to the powers that be. Fingers are meant to hold expensive rocks, not just press an EVM button. An election symbol can now be transformed into a status symbol. If the Unique Identification Authority cooperates, designer Aadhaar cards with filter-fixed photos wont be a bad idea either, though immigration officials may object. The wealthy are not fools who part easily with their money. They would rather pay for a holiday home they will never stay in, or do a 50-50 deal with a suitable deity than pay inheritance tax. The government is well advised to hire consultants of the premium variety to do something about this. Smart consultants dont come cheap. (Views are personal) (On X @madversity) Madhavan Narayanan | Senior journalist

Sony, Apollo await response to $26 billion Paramount bid

Sony, Apollo await response to $26 billion Paramount bid Sony Pictures Entertainment and private equity firm Apollo Global Management on Wednesday submitted a $26 billion offer for Paramount Global but have yet to receive a response as of Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter. A special committee of the Paramount board, created to evaluate offers for the company, has been holding exclusive deal talks with Skydance Media. That period of exclusivity ends Friday, and a separate source familiar with the matter said the exclusivity period is unlikely to be extended, opening the doors to other bidders. The companies submitted a non-binding offer letter on Wednesday, signed by Sony Pictures Chief Executive Tony Vinciquerra and Apollo partner Aaron Sobel, a source confirmed to Reuters. The $26 billion offer is a combination of cash and assumption of debt. Sony would hold a majority stake in the venture, a source previously told Reuters, and operate Paramount, whose movie library spans Star Trek, Mission: Impossible and The Godfather, alongside TV characters like SpongeBob SquarePants. Apollo would be a minority shareholder. The last-minute expression of interest from Sony and Apollo may well force Paramount's board to evaluate other offers, especially after some shareholders raised concerns about the deal with David Ellison's Skydance and have urged Paramount to consider other offers, including the one from Apollo. Apollo declined comment to Reuters, which reported in April that Sony's SPE and Apollo were in talks about a joint bid. Paramount and Sony also declined comment on the Apollo-Sony offer, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Skydance and a spokesman for the Paramount special committee also declined comment. The rival offer comes at a tumultuous time for Paramount. Shari Redstone's media empire replaced CEO Bob Bakish with a trio of executives on Monday, while four independent members of the Paramount board are set to step down at the company's annual shareholder meeting on June 4. Bakish was once viewed as Redstone's loyal lieutenant. However, their relationship began to sour in May 2023, when he urged Redstone to support a cut the company's share dividend, saying it would help lift Paramount's sagging stock -- a prediction that never came true, according to two sources close to Redstone. PARAMOUNT'S STRUGGLES Paramount has been struggling to recover from last year's months-long strikes by Hollywood writers and actors, a soft advertising market and cord-cutting in the United States that has eroded profit for its TV business. Its streaming service also widely trails rivals such as Netflix and Disney+ in subscriber numbers - even though Redstone had hoped the merger of CBS and Viacom in 2019 would help the combined company, later renamed Paramount Global, compete better. Shares of Paramount have fallen more than 65% since then, losing more than $14 billion in market value. At Wednesday's closing price of $12.26, the company was valued at $7.67 billion, according to LSEG data. It has more than $14 billion of debt. The potential acquisition would help SPE grow its share of the North American box office. Sony Pictures earned $1.01 billion in U.S. and Canada box office revenue last year, compared with Paramount's $842.4 million, according to data from Comscore. SPE, a unit of Tokyo-based Sony Group, says its operations span movie and television production, acquisition and distribution, digital content creation and distribution, studio facility operation and the development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. The group has more than 3,500 movie titles and notable franchises such as Jumanji, Resident Evil and James Bond. This is not the first time Sony has pursued Paramount. Vinciquerra had previously approached Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, to explore acquiring the Paramount Pictures film studio, according to two people familiar with the matter. At the time, Redstone was uninterested in breaking up the company, according to one of the sources. The latest overture would mark the beginning of a process that would involve due diligence. There also are potential regulatory obstacles to Sony Pictures, a division of the Tokyo-based Sony Group, owning Paramount's CBS broadcast network. Sony's U.S.-based partner, Apollo, acquired Cox Media Group's television stations in a 2019 deal that required approval of the Federal Communications Commission.

Hardik Pandya Admits Numerous Questions to be Answered But Time Needed

Hardik Pandya Admits Numerous Questions to be Answered But Time Needed All but out of play-off contention after eighth defeat in 11 games, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya seemed as if he was groping in the dark for replies to all the unanswered questions hounding the five-time champions in yet another disastrous IPL season. Pandya was handed over the captaincy after the franchise removed national captain Rohit Sharma, something that the fans didn't really embrace with the colourful Baroda all-rounder being booed every time he entered the pitch. ''There are a lot of questions that will take time to answer. But for now, not much to say. Obviously, we couldn't form partnerships and kept losing wickets. Bowlers did a fantastic job on this track,'' Pandya said after his team failed to score 170, losing to KKR at home for the first time in 12 years. Pandya felt that it was better to bat late evening once dew set in but MI failed to capitalise. ''The wicket got better if I'm not wrong. Dew came in the second innings. Will go through the game and see what we can do better,'' he said. Pandya tried to put up a brave front as he spoke about fighting till the last match. ''You keep fighting, that's what I keep telling myself. It's challenging, but you take the challenges.'' His opposite number Shreyas Iyer was delighted that his team is on the cusp of a play-off berth. ''We are (knocking at the door) at the moment. Lot of thinking would have gone behind that (had we lost today). Just got to know about the stat (of KKR not winning at Wankhede for 12 years)... '' The ''Impact Player'' rule did help KKR as Manish Pandey, who came in at the fall of the fifth wicket, contributed 42 priceless runs. ''This Impact Player rule specifically helped us in this game. Manish has being eyeing an opportunity from the first game. We got to a commendable total. I told the boys that if we have got here, we can defend it,'' Iyer said. He was all praise for the performances from spin twins Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, both of whom returning with identical figures of 2 for 22. ''Spinners were unreal, absolutely spot on in executing their lines and lengths as discussed in team meetings. Kudos to them,'' Iyer said.

DC Report Makes Officials Visit Hilltop Village

Visakhapatnam: Following a report published in Deccan Chronicle on May 1, revenue inspector M. Laxmikant and revenue officer T. Kondababu of Anantagiri mandal walked five kilometres and visited the remote hilltop village of Kalyan Gummi. The officials made detailed inquiries about the villagers demands and took stock of the situation. Kalyan Gummi villagers have to leave their homes two days before the voting day. They take up an arduous journey of 70 kilometres across two districts, including walking through the hills, to reach their polling centre in Cherikibidda of Anantagiri mandal, where they finally exercise their franchise. The villagers' journey to the polling centre is a testament of their determination to cast their vote. The demand of Kalyan Gummi villagers is that the government connect their village with transport facilities.

Powell To Lead Strong West Indies Team, Shamar Called In For T20 World Cup

Rajasthan Royals power-hitter Rovman Powell will lead a strong West Indies squad, filled with some of the world's best franchise freelancers, in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas.

England Women's cricket coach using AI to pick team

England Women's cricket coach Jon Lewis revealed Friday he is using artificial intelligence to aid team selection, saying the technology helped his side square last season's Ashes. Lewis first became familiar with the work of London-based PSi when he took charge of the UP Warriorz franchise in India's Women's Premier League.

Heatwave to Persist for Two More Days in Eastern and Southern Peninsular India

Heatwave to Persist for Two More Days in Eastern and Southern Peninsular India The record-breaking heatwave spell affecting east India and parts of the southern peninsular region continued unabated on Friday, with temperatures settling above 44 degrees Celsius in at least 13 places. Intensely hot conditions prevailed in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Maximum temperatures settled in the range of 43-46 degrees Celsius in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra and 40-43 degrees in parts of Gangetic West Bengal, Marathwada and north interior Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh sizzled at 46.3 degrees Celsius, the highest maximum temperature in the country on Friday. The mercury settled at 44.6 degrees Celsius in Odisha's Boudh, 45 degrees in Khammam (Telangana), 46.2 degrees in Cuddapah (Andhra Pradesh), 43.4 degrees in Erode (Tamil Nadu), and 44.6 degrees in West Bengal's Kalaikunda. The IMD said the ongoing heatwave spell in east and south peninsular India will continue until May 5-6 and abate thereafter. The Met office on Wednesday said above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country in May and a significantly high number of heatwave days expected over the northern plains, central region and adjoining areas of peninsular India. April witnessed record-smashing maximum temperatures in east, northeast and southern peninsular India, prompting health warnings from government agencies and some states to suspend in-person classes in schools. A number of stations recorded their highest-ever April day temperatures. Five active western disturbances led to rainfall, thunderstorms and hail storms over north and central India at regular intervals in April, preventing heat waves. IMD data shows that heat waves this April were far worse than in 2023, the warmest year on record so far. This trend is likely to continue in May, with around eight to 11 heatwave days predicted over the south Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada and the Gujarat regions. The remaining parts of Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and some parts of Chhattisgarh, interior Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, north interior Karnataka and Telangana may record five to seven heatwave days during the month. Normally, the northern plains, central India and adjoining areas of peninsular India experience around three days of heat waves in May. India witnessed two spells of heat waves in April -- from April 5 to 7 and April 15 to 30. The IMD attributed the prolonged heatwave spell over east, northeast and south peninsular India in April to the absence of thunderstorms and an anticyclone at lower levels over the west central Bay of Bengal and the adjoining eastern coasts of India. This caused the sea breeze to cut off over Odisha and West Bengal on most days. The weather office said south peninsular India recorded an average maximum temperature of 31 degrees Celsius in April, the second-highest since 1901. The mean temperature (28.12 degrees Celsius) in April in east and northeast India was the highest since 1901, it said. The IMD said above-normal maximum temperatures have become frequent over south peninsular India since the 1980s. The region recorded 12.6 mm rainfall in April -- the fifth lowest since 1901 and the second-lowest since 2001. According to IMD data, the number of heatwave days this April was the highest in 15 years in Gangetic West Bengal and nine years in Odisha. Odisha also experienced the longest heatwave spell (16 days) in April since 2016. Amid the prevailing but weakening El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier warned of extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Hundreds of thousands of voters had to cope with the searing heat when they stepped out to exercise their franchise in the second phase of the elections on April 26. Polling for 94 constituencies across 12 states will take place on May 7. The weather office had earlier expected four to eight heatwave days in different parts of the country in April against a normal of one to three days. Ten to 20 heatwave days are expected against a normal of four to eight in the entire April-June period.

Windies pacer Joseph gets surprise call-up for T20 WC

Shamar Joseph has only played three T20 matches in franchise-based leagues and has not taken a wicket.