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"I'll Be Back": Sonam Wangchuk Ends 21-Day Fast Over Ladakh Demands

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'I'll Be Back': Sonam Wangchuk Ends 21-Day Fast Over Ladakh Demands

Mr Wangchuk had started the fast on March 6.

Srinagar:

After surviving on salt and water for 21 days, noted climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike to press for statehood for Ladakh and the protection of the fragile Himalayan ecology, but insisted this was only the end of phase one and that his fight will continue.

When he had begun his fast on March 6, the reformer – whose life had inspired the character of Phsukh Wangdu in the 2009 film ‘3 Idiots’ – had said he would continue it for 21 days and that it could be “extendable till death”.

In a post on X, Mr Wangchuk said 7,000 people had gathered when he ended his fast. “I’ll be back… 7,000 people gathered today. It was the end of the 1st leg of my fast. By the way, 21 days was the longest fast Gandhi ji kept,” he wrote.

A video accompanied the post, in which he said in Hindi, “Today is an important day. The first phase has ended but the hunger strike has not come to a close. After me, women will begin a 10-day fast tomorrow. This will be followed by youth, Buddhist monks. Then, it could be women or I could come back. This cycle will go on. As many as 6,000 people, from all religions, joined me in a one-day fast.”

“I am hopeful that our voice will be amplified and reach the government. As many as 60,000 to 70,000 people have come here in the past few weeks and voted with their feet. I hope that our hunger strike will continue but I am more hopeful that the government will hear the voice of the people and fulfil its promises,” he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Wangchuk had urged the Union government to “show character” and meet the demands of the people of Ladakh. In a video posted on X, he had pointed to a frozen glass of water and said 350 people had joined him in the fast despite temperatures dropping to -10 degrees Celsius.

“We are trying to remind and awaken the consciousness of our Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and Home Minister Mr Amit Shah to safeguard the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan mountains in Ladakh and the unique indigenous tribal cultures that thrive here,” the activist said in the video.

“We do not want to think of PM Modi and Amit Shah ji as just politicians, we would rather like to think of them as statesmen but, for that, they will have to show some character and farsightedness,” he added.

Sixth Schedule

Ladakh, which consists of the Leh and Kargil districts, became a separate Union Territory after Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated on August 5, 2019.

Massive protests and hunger strikes began taking place in the UT earlier this year after leaders of Buddhist-dominated Leh and Muslim-dominated Kargil joined hands under the banners of the Apex Body of Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance to demand statehood and the safeguarding of rights of its majority tribal population under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

The Centre constituted a high-level committee to look into the demands but no breakthrough could be achieved after a series of meetings with representatives of the protesters. On March 4, leaders from the UT met Home Minister Amit Shah and said he had refused to accept the people’s demands. Mr Wangchuk began his fast in Leh two days later.

India

India poised to lead in AI with young innovators: PM Modi

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Speaking at the Startup Mahakhumb in Bharat Mandapam, the Prime Minister emphasized, “India will lead in AI, and we won’t miss this chance.”

Published Date – 20 March 2024, 01:50 PM


India poised to lead in AI with young innovators: PM Modi


New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that he was convinced that India will become the world leader in AI with its young innovators emerging as a driving force to take the nation ahead.

Addressing the Startup Mahakhumb at the Bharat Mandapam here, the Prime Minister said, “India will have the upper hand in AI and we will not let the opportunity go.”

He exhorted the young startup founders to find solutions that will not only help India solve its problems and achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat but also create a better future for the world.

PM Modi said tried and trusted innovations that were successful in India with its diverse geography would work anywhere in the world.

He said that India had now become the third largest startup ecosystem in the world, and the government had for the first time introduced the chapter of Startups as an Engine of Growth in the G-20 agenda this year bringing the country’s innovative talent on the world map.

PM Modi pointed out that India’s startup ecosystem had come a long way since he first launched the Startup India and Stand up India movements at a small gathering in Vigyan Bhavan attended by a few experts.

“Today the ecosystem has grown with over 1.25 lakh registered startups in the country and with which over 12 lakh youngsters are linked. The startups are providing employment on a large scale and the young founders have turned out to be job creators instead of mere job seekers as was the case earlier in the country,” he added.

He pointed out that over 45 per cent of the startup founders were women and this showed how the daughters of the country were playing an important role in nation building after the technological empowerment.

PM Modi said that the government’s policies of providing funds and incubators at leading educational institutions, such as IITs, to nurture startups have borne fruit and the huge numbers of the startup ecosystem are a reflection of this success story.

He also assured the young talent that the government would invest thousands of crores in the National Research Foundation to promote innovation.

PM Modi pointed out that that in the interim budget presented ahead of the polls, as much as Rs 1 lakh crore has been allocated for Research and Innovation and the funds would be made available to support long term projects.

He also assured the young tech entrepreneurs that the government was taking all necessary steps such as digital protection to promote startups.

He said that startups had a key role to play in making India the world’s third largest economy, which he had guaranteed would take place during his third term as the PM.

The Prime Minister exhorted the young tech entrepreneurs must help others, by way of intelligent advice, to take the entire system ahead.

“Just as someone held your hand to help you succeed, you must also hold the hand of some aspiring youngsters to help them succeed,” PM Modi remarked.

He also advised them to visit schools and colleges to inspire young minds with ideas so that “we develop a culture of innovation in the country”.

PM Modi pointed out that India had succeeded in “democratising technology” as the startup system had spread to small towns across the country and did not distinguish between haves and have nots.

Before his speech, PM Modi took a round of the pavilion and interacted with the young entrepreneurs to get a first-hand feel of their products.

The Starup Mahakhumb organised by the Commerce and Industry Ministry is India’s largest startup event and saw “unprecedented participation,” serving as a dynamic platform for all stakeholders in the country’s startup ecosystem, according to an official statement.

The event, aimed at nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship nationwide, attracted over 2000 startups, 1000+ investors, 100+ unicorns, 300+ incubators & accelerators, 3,000+ conference delegates, 10+ country delegations, and 50,000+ business visitors. It offered a vibrant atmosphere for collaboration and networking, the ministry’s statement added.

The event featured 10 thematic pavilions, showcasing the breadth and depth of innovation in areas such as Deeptech, AI & SaaS, Fintech, Agritech, Biotech & Pharma, Climate Tech, Gaming & E-Sports, D2C, B2B & Manufacturing, and Incubators.

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Karan Johar and other film personalities to hold over 20 masterclasses, panel discussions during CIFF

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The festival advisory board includes Rana Daggubati, former Head of Cannes Film Market Jerome Paillard, former Co-Director of Sundance Film Festival Nicole Guillemet, filmmaker Ajitpal Singh, Bangladeshi filmmaker and screenwriter Nuhash Humayun and the co-owner of the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency Julian Friedmann.

Published Date – 26 March 2024, 02:59 PM


Karan Johar and other film personalities to hold over 20 masterclasses, panel discussions during CIFF


Chandigarh: The first edition of the Cinevesture International Film Festival (CIFF) to be held in Chandigarh from March 27 to 31 will boast of a host of masterclasses and panel discussions, including one with filmmaker Karan Johar, which film critic Namrata Joshi will moderate.

The 20 masterclasses and panel discussions to be held at Taj Chandigarh will feature Shekhar Kapur, Jaideep Ahlawat, Tahira Kashyap, Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal, Roshan Mathew, Abhay Deol, Sudhir Mishra, ‘Kohrra’ star Suvinder Vicky, Boman Irani, Rasika Dugal, Rajshri Deshpande, Ajitpal Singh, Anurag Singh, Sudhir Mishra and Saugata Mukherjee, Head of Content, SonyLiv, Sony Pictures Network India, etc.

The opening film of the festival is the Cannes award-winning French film ‘The Taste of Things’ starring Juliette Binoche while the closing one is South Korea’s highest-grossing film of 2024 till date — the horror-mystery-thriller ‘Exhuma’ (‘Pamyo’), which premiered at the 2024 Berlinale.

The festival advisory board includes Rana Daggubati, former Head of Cannes Film Market Jerome Paillard, former Co-Director of Sundance Film Festival Nicole Guillemet, filmmaker Ajitpal Singh, Bangladeshi filmmaker and screenwriter Nuhash Humayun and the co-owner of the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency Julian Friedmann.

Nina Lath, Founder & CEO of Cinevesture, says, “CIFF wants to bring the best minds together through our specifically curated masterclasses to further the conversation on the creative as well as the business aspects of the industry and how to build upon it.”

Adding that masterclasses are an excellent way to have engaging conversations, CIFF Director V.S. Kundu says, “These classes are intended to touch every aspect of filmmaking and we are only hoping the best to come out of these panel discussions.”

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Watch: MS Dhoni's Reaction Goes Viral As Rizvi Plays Blinder On IPL Debut

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MS Dhoni reacted to Sameer Rizvi’s explosive batting in IPL 2024© X (formerly Twitter)

A combined effort from the batters powered the Chennai Super Kings to a massive total of 206/6 against the Gujarat Titans in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. GT would need to pull off a record chase at Chepauk following Shivam Dube and Rachin Ravindra’s demolition. Put to bat, CSK got off to a flying start, despite losing Rachin Ravindra’s wicket in the final over of the powerplay. The young New Zealand opener once again spread his wings in the powerplay and amassed 46 off just 20 deliveries. He took the onus of scoring runs, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad provided the ideal support on the other end. Rachin’s fiery knock brought up the third successive 50-plus opening partnership for CSK against GT.

Rachin’s transition from strike rotation to effortlessly picking up boundaries was a sight to behold as he struck six fours and three maximums. Rashid Khan brought an end to Rachin’s onslaught but the left-handed batter’s effort helped CSK amass 69/1.

Ajinkya Rahane walked back before he could adjust to the surface. Shivam Dube came and wasted no time getting going as he sent the ball sailing into the stand on two consecutive deliveries. Gaikwad (46), who used a cautious approach, got nicked by Spencer Johnson before he could complete his 50.

Dube continued his onslaught on one end while Daryl Mitchell took his time to get his innings going. The left-handed batter picked up Mohit Sharma’s back-of-the-hand delivery and smoked it straight into the stands. He picked up a double in the final ball of his over to raise his bat for 50 in 22 deliveries.

GT skipper Shubman Gill introduced Rashid back into the attack and instantly reaped rewards. The Afghanistan spinner removed Dube on the second ball of the 19th over.

Sameer Rizvi came in and joined the action straightaway with a six on his very first ball in the IPL. On the final ball of the over, he tonked another maximum to bring up 15 runs from the over.

In the final over, he tried to pick Mohit Sharma’s undercooked yorker but failed to get the elevation, with David Miller taking the catch comfortably. CSK ended the innings with a score of 206/6.

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Pak's ISI Interfering In Judicial Matters, Alleges Islamabad Judges

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Pak's ISI Interfering In Judicial Matters, Alleges Islamabad Judges

The Islamabad judges wrote a letter to Supreme Judicial Council over ISI interfering. (Representational)

Islamabad:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges have urged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to convene a judicial convention over the alleged interference of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in judicial matters, according to Geo News.

All seven judges of the IHC, except Chief Justice Amer Farooq, wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council and all judges of the Supreme Court, highlighting, how senior ISI officials have been influencing judicial proceedings and pressuring judges.

In a letter to the SJC, six judges of the IHC–Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz–sought guidance from the council on the “interference” of the spy agencies in courts’ affairs.

“We are writing to seek guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on the part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with discharge of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation, as well as the duty to report any such actions that come to his/her attention in relation to colleagues and/or members of the courts that the High Court supervises,” the letter read.

This came days after the top court declared the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal and directed that he may now be considered a retired judge, as reported by Geo News.

“This matter has arisen in the aftermath of the judgment dated 22.03.2024 rendered by the Supreme Court in the matter of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui vs. Federation of Pakistan (C.P. No. 76 of 2018), in which it has been declared that Justice Siddiqui, who was the senior puisne judge of Islamabad High Court (“IHC”), was wrongfully removed on the basis of a report of the Supreme Judicial Council (“SJC”) dated 11.10.2018, and would be deemed to have retired as a judge of the IHC,” it read.

“Justice Siddiqui had been removed after he had publicly alleged that operatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence (“ISI”), led by Major General Faiz Hameed (DG-C of ISI), were determining the constitution of benches at IHC and interfering with proceedings of the Accountability Court Islamabad,” the letter added.

The verdict further noted that the SJC proceeded against Justice Siddiqui on the “assumption that the truth or falseness of the allegations levelled” by the former judge was “irrelevant”.

It also noted that the SJC opined that Justice Siddiqui had failed to substantiate, independently corroborate, substantiate or prove the allegations levelled by him, according to Geo News.

The IHC judges, in their letter, noted that the code of conduct for judges prescribed by SJC does not guide on how they “must react to and/or report incidents that are tantamount to intimidation and interfere with judicial independence”.

The judges further said that they “believe it is imperative to inquire into and determine whether there exists a continuing policy on the part of the executive branch of the state” to interfere in judicial affairs.

Additionally, the IHC judges urged that a judicial convention be called to consider the matter of “interference of intelligence operatives with judicial functions and/or intimidation of judges in a manner that undermines the independence of the judiciary.”

Moreover, the judges further said, “Such institutional consultation might then assist the Supreme Court to consider how best to protect independence of the judiciary, put in place a mechanism to affix liability for those who undermine such independence, and clarify for the benefit of individual judges the course of action they must take when they find themselves at the receiving end of interference and/or intimidation by members of the executive.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Court Upholds Rs 3-Crore Compensation To Woman In Domestic Violence Case

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High Court Upholds Rs 3-Crore Compensation To Woman In Domestic Violence Case

The couple had got married in 1994.

Mumbai:

The Bombay High Court has upheld a trial court order directing a husband to pay a Rs 3-crore compensation and monthly maintenance of Rs 1.5 lakh to his estranged wife, observing a factor that can be considered for deciding the payout quantum is the impact of acts of domestic violence on the aggrieved person.

The amount is granted to the woman as a recompense not only for physical injuries but also mental torture and emotional distress, noted Justice Sharmila Deshmukh in her March 22 order in the domestic violence case.

“For obvious reasons, there cannot be a straight jacket formula applicable to all and the quantum will differ according to the facts of each case. In my view, while determining the quantum of compensation, one of the factors which can be considered is the impact of the acts of domestic violence on the aggrieved person,” the high court observed.

Justice Sharmila held that the trial court’s finding was based on a discussion that there were continuous acts of domestic violence from 1994 to 2017, which cannot be faulted.

The couple tied the knot in Mumbai in January 1994 and later moved to the USA, where, another marriage ceremony was held.

In 2005, the duo returned to Mumbai and started living in a house jointly owned by them. However, in 2008, the wife moved to her mother’s house, while the husband went back to the US in 2014.

In July 2017, the woman filed a case against her husband under provisions of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) before a metropolitan magistrate’s court. The woman alleged that, during their honeymoon, the husband called her “second hand” over her previous broken engagement.

In the USA, she was subjected to continuous acts of domestic violence, such as suspicion about her character, making false allegations of illicit relationships with other men and beating her up till she confessed to the same, the woman alleged.

The trial court noted the evidence of the woman as regards incidents of domestic violence which were corroborated by her mother, brother and uncle.

In its order passed in January 2023, the trial court held that the woman was subjected to domestic violence at the hands of her husband and directed him to pay Rs 3 crore as compensation to her.

It ordered the man to find a suitable accommodation – a residential flat of at least 1,000 square feet carpet area – for his wife in Mumbai’s Dadar area or alternatively pay Rs 75,000 towards house rent.

He was also directed to return all jewellery (‘streedhan’) and other belongings to the woman and pay her Rs 1,50,000 per month towards maintenance.

Aggrieved by the trial court’s order, the man filed a revision petition in the high court.

The single bench judge, while upholding the trial court’s order, said the compensation is to be granted for the injuries, including mental torture and emotional distress, caused by the acts of the accused.

It was of the view that although the abuse will necessarily result in mental torture and emotional distress for the aggrieved person, the gravity will differ from person to person.

“In the present case, admittedly both the parties are well educated and highly placed in their workplace and in social life. That being the social standing, the acts of domestic violence would be greatly felt by the woman as it would affect her self worth,” the court noted.

The high court said that the woman has been subjected to physical, economic, mental and emotional abuse and has to reside with her mother for nine years. The husband left the woman and went to the USA without making any provision for her.

The bench noted that the magistrate has granted the compensation considering the entire facts and circumstances and decided the quantum by considering the status of the parties and income.

The trial court came to its finding based on the discussion that there were continuous acts of domestic violence from 1994 to 2017, which cannot be faulted with, the high court said.

“I don’t find any reason in exercise of revisional jurisdiction of this court, to interfere with the impugned judgment and order. Revision application stands dismissed,” the judge added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Pak's ISI Interfering In Judicial Matters, Alleges Islamabad Judges

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Pak's ISI Interfering In Judicial Matters, Alleges Islamabad Judges

The Islamabad judges wrote a letter to Supreme Judicial Council over ISI interfering. (Representational)

Islamabad:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges have urged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to convene a judicial convention over the alleged interference of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in judicial matters, according to Geo News.

All seven judges of the IHC, except Chief Justice Amer Farooq, wrote to the Supreme Judicial Council and all judges of the Supreme Court, highlighting, how senior ISI officials have been influencing judicial proceedings and pressuring judges.

In a letter to the SJC, six judges of the IHC–Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir, and Justice Saman Fafat Imtiaz–sought guidance from the council on the “interference” of the spy agencies in courts’ affairs.

“We are writing to seek guidance from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) with regard to the duty of a judge to report and respond to actions on the part of members of the executive, including operatives of intelligence agencies, that seek to interfere with discharge of his/her official functions and qualify as intimidation, as well as the duty to report any such actions that come to his/her attention in relation to colleagues and/or members of the courts that the High Court supervises,” the letter read.

This came days after the top court declared the removal of former IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui illegal and directed that he may now be considered a retired judge, as reported by Geo News.

“This matter has arisen in the aftermath of the judgment dated 22.03.2024 rendered by the Supreme Court in the matter of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui vs. Federation of Pakistan (C.P. No. 76 of 2018), in which it has been declared that Justice Siddiqui, who was the senior puisne judge of Islamabad High Court (“IHC”), was wrongfully removed on the basis of a report of the Supreme Judicial Council (“SJC”) dated 11.10.2018, and would be deemed to have retired as a judge of the IHC,” it read.

“Justice Siddiqui had been removed after he had publicly alleged that operatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence (“ISI”), led by Major General Faiz Hameed (DG-C of ISI), were determining the constitution of benches at IHC and interfering with proceedings of the Accountability Court Islamabad,” the letter added.

The verdict further noted that the SJC proceeded against Justice Siddiqui on the “assumption that the truth or falseness of the allegations levelled” by the former judge was “irrelevant”.

It also noted that the SJC opined that Justice Siddiqui had failed to substantiate, independently corroborate, substantiate or prove the allegations levelled by him, according to Geo News.

The IHC judges, in their letter, noted that the code of conduct for judges prescribed by SJC does not guide on how they “must react to and/or report incidents that are tantamount to intimidation and interfere with judicial independence”.

The judges further said that they “believe it is imperative to inquire into and determine whether there exists a continuing policy on the part of the executive branch of the state” to interfere in judicial affairs.

Additionally, the IHC judges urged that a judicial convention be called to consider the matter of “interference of intelligence operatives with judicial functions and/or intimidation of judges in a manner that undermines the independence of the judiciary.”

Moreover, the judges further said, “Such institutional consultation might then assist the Supreme Court to consider how best to protect independence of the judiciary, put in place a mechanism to affix liability for those who undermine such independence, and clarify for the benefit of individual judges the course of action they must take when they find themselves at the receiving end of interference and/or intimidation by members of the executive.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

India

UP: Man rapes minor, posts video online

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The victim’s family filed a complaint saying that Waseem had threatened the girl of leaking the video on social media if she informed anyone about the incident.

Published Date – 20 March 2024, 02:11 PM


UP: Man rapes minor, posts video online


Muzaffarnagar:  In a shocking incident, a man allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar and posted the video of the crime online.

Circle Officer (CO) Rajkumar Save said that the accused, Waseem, allegedly raped the victim in a sugarcane field and made a video of the crime.

The victim’s family filed a complaint saying that Waseem had threatened the girl of leaking the video on social media if she informed anyone about the incident.

“The accused had forced the girl into a sugarcane field and raped her. He also threatened the girl of dire consequences and of making the video public, if she informed anyone about the incident,” the CO said.

Though the girl did not inform anyone about the incident, the accused still posted the video online on Tuesday after which the victim’s parents approached the police, he said.

Police have lodged an FIR under Indian Penal Code Section 376 and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

Several police teams have been formed to arrest Waseem who is absconding.

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Cyber Attack, Israel, WW3: US Bridge Collapse Sparks Conspiracy Theories

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Cyber Attack, Israel, World War 3: US Bridge Collapse Sparks Conspiracy Theories

There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the collapse

Washington, United States:

Conspiracy theorists said Tuesday that the Baltimore bridge collapse resulted from an intentional attack — despite officials quickly saying there was no evidence for that.

Hours after a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending vehicles and people plunging into the US city’s frigid harbor, users across X and other platforms blamed everything from terrorists to Israel.

Among the most widespread posts came from influencer Andrew Tate, who told his nine million followers on X that the 300-meter vessel “was cyber-attacked.”

“Lights go off and it deliberately steers towards the bridge support,” the US-born Briton said. “Foreign agents of the USA attack digital infrastructures. Nothing is safe.”

InfoWars founder Alex Jones, found liable in multiple defamation lawsuits for claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting was a hoax, reposted the allegation.

“Looks deliberate to me,” he said. “A cyber-attack is probable. WW3 has already started.”

There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the collapse, but Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there was no indication of terrorism.

Footage appeared to show the ship going dark twice in the moments before the collision, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore said during a press conference Tuesday that “the crew notified authorities of a power issue.”

Moore added that officials had not seen “any credible evidence of a terrorist attack.” Bill DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office, also said there was no evidence of terrorism.

Those assurances have not stopped the deluge of rumors on X, where some accounts are linking the tragedy to the United States’ abstention in a UN Security Council vote calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war.

“Did Israel just hit the US over not using the Veto power yesterday??” one account said in a post with thousands of interactions.

Others blamed the bridge collapse on the Islamic State group or corporate diversity initiatives that have become a flashpoint ahead of the US presidential election, while suggestions of a “false flag” populated the most conspiratorial pages.

Synergy Marine Group, the managers of the Singapore-flagged Dali container ship controlled by two Baltimore port pilots at the time of the collision, said the cause of the crash has yet to be determined. None of the crew were injured.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Congress yet to announce candidates for eight constituencies

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Amidst all these issues, the Congress is yet to announce candidates for the eight constituencies of Khammam, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal, Bhongir, Medak and Hyderabad.

Published Date – 26 March 2024, 08:30 PM


Congress yet to announce candidates for eight constituencies


Hyderabad: Even as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have announced candidates for mopst of the Lok Sabha seats, the Congress is embroiled in internal bickering and is also facing criticism from different sections over lack of social justice in allotment of tickets for candidates and priority being accorded to turncoats

This apart, there is dissent among a few sections over the filling up of nominated posts. Amidst all these issues, the Congress is yet to announce candidates for the eight constituencies of Khammam, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal, Bhongir, Medak and Hyderabad.

Of the five candidates announced, three candidates, including Sunitha Mahender Reddy (Medchal Malkajgiri), Danam Nagender (Secunderabad) and Ranjith Reddy (Chevella) had joined the Congress recently from the BRS. Already, leaders within the Congress have raised objections over turncoats being given prominence in allotment of tickets.

A few have even questioned the rationale behind allotting more tickets to a few families within the party. After the MRPS and the Telangana Muslims Joint Action Committee openly criticised the Congress for favouring a few community leaders and for being biased towards others, the CPI state unit is also demanding the Congress to allot at least one seat under the alliance.

With the Nalgonda candidate already being announced by the Congress, the CPI is now hoping for the Bhongir seat, despite there being stiff competition among Congress leaders.

In this context, the Telangana Congress is trying to strike a balance with all sections by nominating candidates from different communities.

Among the 17 constituencies, three are reserved for SC, two for ST and the rest for General categories. For instance, there are reports that Mynampally Hanumanth Rao is keen to contest from Medak parliamentary constituency.

But party sources say leaders are vying the option of fielding Neelam Madhu, a BC community leader from the constituency.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) is expected to convene its meeting on Wednesday in New Delhi to discuss candidates’ finalisation. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is expected to fly to New Delhi on Tuesday or Wednesday to attend the meeting.