SUBHADITYA NEWS CHANNEL PRESENTS NEWS OF THIS WEEK DATED 6/4/2024 : SCIENCE, POLITICAL, SPORTS ,MOVIE AND BOOK NEWS THIS WEEK

 

1) mRNA drug offers hope for treating a devastating childhood disease By Elie Dolgin

Drug trial results show that vaccines aren’t the only use for the mRNA technology behind the most widely used COVID-19 jabs.A drug that uses messenger RNA technology has shown early success in addressing the core deficiency behind a rare genetic disorder. The results have ignited hope that the technology — which first gained attention through its breakthrough use in COVID-19 vaccines — could realize its long-awaited promise of generating therapeutic proteins directly in the body.This clinical advance, reported today in Nature1, provides a boost to current mRNA applications, which remain limited to vaccines.

“This is a first step in the right direction,” says Katalin Karikó, a Nobel prizewinning pioneer of mRNA technologies who is affiliated with the University of Szeged in Hungary and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.Yet challenges remain — especially the fleeting nature of mRNA and the side effects it causes, which complicate the path towards widespread adoption.

Metabolic makeover

Designed by Moderna in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the current therapy uses mRNA technology to restore metabolic function in people with propionic acidaemia.

This rare genetic disorder, which affects about one in 100,000 individuals worldwide, arises from mutations in either of two genes that together encode an enzyme necessary for the efficient breakdown of certain protein components. Without this enzyme, cells can’t process some nutrients properly.That leads to the accumulation of toxic chemicals in the blood and tissues, and damages vital organs, including the heart and the brain. Symptoms, such as vomiting, usually start within the first few days after birth.People can manage the condition with measures such as special diets. But there are currently no treatments that tackle the underlying cause directly.

Moderna’s drug, known as mRNA-3927, aims to address that gap. It contains two mRNA sequences that each craft parts of the otherwise faulty enzyme. These mRNAs are encased in a tiny fat bubble — called a lipid nanoparticle — similar to the carrier used in the company’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The therapeutic mRNA drug is administered slowly through hours-long infusions every two or three weeks. It is also given in doses hundreds of times greater than those of COVID-19 vaccines. Once the therapy enters the bloodstream, the lipid nanoparticles help to direct the mRNA to cells in the liver, where the functional enzyme is made.

Trade-offs and benefits

Initial results from a small trial of mRNA-3927 indicate that the restoration of enzymatic activity is beneficial. Eight of the 16 participants had experienced life-threatening episodes connected to their impaired metabolism in the year before starting treatment. For those eight, the likelihood of experiencing another such event decreased by an average of 70–80% while taking the therapy.This outcome, based on a small number of people, did not reach the threshold of statistical significance. Nonetheless, “it’s a very encouraging step”, says Jerry Vockley, a medical geneticist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania who helped to design the trial but who was not involved in its execution.

According to Kyle Holen, head of therapeutics development at Moderna, the company is now recruiting more trial participants as it advances mRNA-3927 towards the goal of marketing approval.Moderna is also analysing other outcome measures related to quality-of-life metrics — indicators that, anecdotally at least, seem to be improving for some recipients of the treatment.

Nassrine Fawaz in Livonia, Michigan, has witnessed a transformation in her 4-year-old daughter, who has received mRNA-3927 for the past 2.5 years. After each infusion, “she’s focused, she’s energetic, she’s up and ready for the day — all of those great things”.

Room for improvement

Developers of mRNA therapeutics had long worried that repeated administration might trigger immune responses against the treatment. However, with individuals having now received regular infusions of mRNA for months or even years without issue, this concern has been alleviated.“That’s pretty big,” says Alex Wesselhoeft, director of RNA therapeutics at Mass General Brigham’s Gene and Cell Therapy Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.But there are trade-offs: most people reported side effects in response to the treatment. These ranged from infections to severe swelling of the pancreas. However, as study investigator Andreas Schulze, a metabolic-disease specialist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, points out, many of the reactions are more likely to be “related to the underlying disease” than to the treatment.

Still, with a side-effect profile close to what Wesselhoeft describes as the “upper limit of tolerability”, and only modest clinical gains, he and others think that further refinements are needed before mRNA technologies can provide a fully corrective and long-term solution to genetic diseases.“I’m just doubtful this is going to be a long-term therapy,” says Romesh Subramanian, a biotechnology consultant in Framingham, Massachusetts, who, in a previous job, worked in collaboration with Moderna scientists to develop mRNA therapies for rare diseases. “I think it needs to be much less frequent dosing with better [nanoparticles] or more potent mRNA.”

Meanwhile, many families affected by propionic acidaemia are maintaining a wait-and-see attitude. “The verdict is still out,” says Jill Chertow, founder and president of the Propionic Acidemia Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Deerfield, Illinois.

“We can only be hopeful since, right now, that’s all that we have.”

2) Gut bacteria break down cholesterol — hinting at probiotic treatments By Julian Nowogrodzki

Species in the human microbiome have enzymes that can metabolize a potentially dangerous lipid. Scientists have pinpointed human gut bacteria that have a useful tool: an enzyme that can convert artery-clogging cholesterol into a more harmless form that is not absorbed by the body. The finding points towards possible treatments for high cholesterol levels.Although the newly described bacterial species can metabolize cholesterol in the laboratory, whether they can cause changes in their hosts’ blood cholesterol levels has yet to be confirmed in animal models or clinical trials.“It’s very exciting to further explore,” says bioinformatician Daoming Wang at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, who was not involved in the research.Wang adds that the methods in the study, published on 2 April in Cell1, address thorny challenges in human microbiome research. The research is “really outstanding”, agrees bioinformatician Alexander Kurilshikov at the University of Groningen, who also was not involved in the work.

Missing link

It has been established that the human gut microbiome affects cholesterol levels, and previous research has pointed to microbial enzymes that might be involved. A 2020 study2 identified a bacterial enzyme called ismA that can convert cholesterol into coprostanol, a lipid that is excreted instead of absorbed by the body. People whose gut bacteria made this enzyme had lower cholesterol levels in their blood than did those who did not. This study was published by the same research group — led by gastroenterologist and microbiologist Ramnik Xavier at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston — that is responsible for the new finding. Until now, it was not clear which bacteria produced enzymes that metabolize cholesterol.For the current study, the researchers analysed microbial genomes in stool samples from 1,429 participants in a long-term study of risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The team found many gut-bacteria species, including those in the genus Oscillibacter, that were correlated with lower cholesterol levels. The researchers confirmed their results in participants in two independent studies.

Dark matter of the gut

Next, the team searched two Oscillibacter species and one other bacterial species for genes similar to those known to affect cholesterol metabolism. To do so, the scientists used a deep-learning algorithm that they call a ‘protein language model’. The model assesses not only the features of a gene itself, but also predictions of how the protein encoded by the gene will fold into a 3D structure. The extra information makes the algorithm more sensitive than those that rely on only information about the gene.

They found that the three species have genes encoding proteins that are structurally similar to ismA and other enzymes involved in cholesterol metabolism.

This technique is “innovative and significant”, says Wang, because it provides a method for getting at the ‘dark matter’ of the microbiome: the large number of bacterial genes that aren’t similar enough to any known genes to give clues about their function.

The authors also showed in lab experiments that these three species can metabolize cholesterol. Xavier suspects, on the basis of their data, that there are “many more” Oscillibacter species to be discovered than the 25 identified in the study.

Treatment barriers

If the bacterial species or enzymes could be delivered to the right place in the gut, it might be possible to lower the necessary dose of drugs such as statins to reduce or manage cholesterol levels.But there are hurdles facing development of such a treatment. Delivering beneficial bacteria has worked very well in treating infections with the common pathogen Clostridium difficile, says Xavier, but C. difficile’s toxin kills off a lot of bacteria, creating space for helpful bacteria. Individuals receiving treatment for high cholesterol would still have their usual gut microbiome community, he says, which could squeeze out the beneficial bacteria.“It's a long way off,” says Xavier. But “maybe in patients at risk, we could lower that risk at a much earlier stage”, he says.

3) Right- or left-handed? Protein in embryo cells might help decide By Sumeet Kulkarni

Gene that codes for structural protein could determine the dominant side of the human brain. To what extent do genes determine how you pick up your morning cup of coffee? Researchers examined rare genetic variants from a database of more than 350,000 individuals’ genetic data to hunt for clues for what influences handedness in humans. Their findings implicate tubulins — proteins that build cells’ internal skeletons.The results, published on 2 April in Nature Communications1, were obtained specifically at protein-coding parts of the DNA, and add to previous studies that linked genetic variations with handedness .

“This is an important and significant study” that supports tubulins’ involvement in determining the left–right brain asymmetry, says Sebastian Ocklenburg, a neuroscientist at the Medical School Hamburg in Germany.During the embryonic stage of human development, the left and right brain hemispheres get wired differently, which in part determines innate behaviours, such as where we lean when we hug someone, on which side of our mouth we tend to chew our food and, most prominently, which hand is our dominant one. This turns out to be the left hand for around 10% of the human population.

Because most people have a clear preference for one hand over the other, finding genes linked to handedness can provide clues for the genetic basis of the brain’s left–right asymmetry.Previous studies looking at genome-wide data from UK Biobank2 found 48 common genetic variants associated with left-handedness, which were mostly in non-coding regions of the DNA. These included sections that could control the expression of genes related to tubulins. These

proteins assemble into long, tube-like filaments called microtubules, which control the shapes and movements of cells.

But Clyde Francks, a geneticist and neuroscientist at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and his team looked for genetic variants in protein-coding sequences. Their analysis of 313,271 right-handed and 38,043 left-handed individuals’ genetic data, from the UK Biobank, uncovered variants in a tubulin gene, dubbed TUBB4B, which were 2.7 times more common in left-handed people than in right-handers.Microtubules could influence handedness because they form cilia — hair-like protrusions in cell membranes — which can direct fluid flows in an asymmetric way during development.In spite of affecting only a small proportion of the people in this considerable data set, rare variants “can give clues to developmental mechanisms of brain asymmetry in everyone”, Francks says. He adds that these findings pave the way for future work to determine how microtubules, which themselves have a molecular ‘handedness’, can give an “asymmetric twist” to early brain development.

4) A frozen chunk of genome rewrites our understanding of bird evolution by University of Florida

An enormous meteor spelled doom for most dinosaurs 65 million years ago. But not all. In the aftermath of the extinction event, birds—technically dinosaurs themselves—flourished.

Scientists have spent centuries trying to organize and sort some 10,000 species of birds into one clear family tree to understand how the last surviving dinosaurs filled the skies. Cheap DNA sequencing should have made this simple, as it has for countless other species.

But birds were prepared to deceive us.

In a pair of new research papers released April 1 scientists reveal that another event 65 million years ago misled them about the true family history of birds. They discovered that a section of one chromosome spent millions of years frozen in time, and it refused to mix together with nearby DNA as it should have.

This section, just 2% of the bird genome, convinced scientists that most birds could be grouped into two major categories, with flamingos and doves as evolutionary cousins. The more accurate family tree, which accounts for the misleading section of the genome, identifies four main groups and identifies flamingos and doves as more distantly related.

"My lab has been chipping away at this problem of bird evolution for longer than I want to think about," said Edward Braun, Ph.D., the senior author of the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and a professor of biology at the University of Florida. "We had no idea there would be a big chunk of the genome that behaved unusually. We kind of stumbled onto it."

Braun supervised an international team of collaborators led by Siavash Mirarab, a professor of computer engineering at the University of California San Diego, to publish their evidence that this sticky chunk of DNA muddied the true history of bird evolution. Mirarab and Braun also contributed to a companion paper published in Nature that outlines the updated bird family tree, which was led by Josefin Stiller at the University of Copenhagen.

Both papers are part of the B10K avian genomics project led by Guojie Zhang of Zhejiang University, Erich Jarvis of Rockefeller University, and Tom Gilbert of the University of Copenhagen.Ten years ago, Braun and his collaborators pieced together a family tree for the Neoaves, a group that includes the vast majority of bird species. Based on the genomes of 48 species, they split the Neoaves into two big categories: doves and flamingos in one group, all the rest in the other. When repeating a similar analysis this year using 363 species, a different family tree emerged that split up doves and flamingos into two distinct groups.With two mutually exclusive family trees in hand, the scientists went hunting for explanations that could tell them which tree was correct.

"When we looked at the individual genes and what tree they supported, all of a sudden it popped out that all the genes that support the older tree, they're all in one spot. That's what started the whole thing," Braun said.

Investigating this spot, Braun's team noticed it was not as mixed together as it should have been over millions of years of sexual reproduction. Like humans, birds combine genes from a father and a mother into the next generation. But birds and humans alike first mix the genes they inherited from their parents when creating sperm and eggs. This process is called recombination, and it maximizes a species' genetic diversity by making sure no two siblings are quite the same.Braun's team found evidence that one section of one bird chromosome had suppressed this recombination process for a few million years around the time the dinosaurs disappeared. Whether the extinction event and the genomic anomalies are related is unclear.

The result was that the flamingos and doves looked similar to one another in this chunk of frozen DNA. But taking into account the full genome, it became clear that the two groups are more distantly related.

"What's surprising is that this period of suppressed recombination could mislead the analysis," Braun said. "And because it could mislead the analysis, it was actually detectable more than 60 million years in the future. That's the cool part."

Such a mystery could be lurking in the genomes of other organisms as well.

"We discovered this misleading region in birds because we put a lot of energy into sequencing birds' genomes," Braun said. "I think there are cases like this out there for other species that are just not known right now."

5) Hair from tiger thought to be extinct found by conservationist on Java by Bob Yirka , Phys.org

A team of environmentalists and zoologists affiliated with several institutions in Indonesia has confirmed that a tiger species once thought extinct is still living on the island of Java. In their study, published in the journal Oryx, the group conducted a DNA analysis of a hair found by a conservationist on a plantation on the island.A team of environmentalists and zoologists affiliated with several institutions in Indonesia has confirmed that a tiger species once thought extinct is still living on the island of Java. In their study, published in the journal Oryx, the group conducted a DNA analysis of a hair found by a conservationist on a plantation on the island.

Prior research has shown that the Java tiger once flourished on the island. The tiger is a subspecies of the more well-known Sumatran tiger. But as humans encroached on their territory, leaving little land for the tigers, their numbers began dwindling. After farmers began shooting them for killing livestock, they disappeared completely. In 2008, the species was declared extinct. In this new effort, the research team has found evidence that the declaration may have been premature.

Over the past several decades, there have been reports by nonscientists of tigers still living on the island; some even suggested that livestock had been killed by one or more of them. But the sightings were unconfirmed.

Then, five years ago, a conservationist working on the island saw what he believed to be a Java tiger on a western part of the island near a plantation. He reported this to a researcher on the island who visited the site and found footprints and claw marks on shrubbery and also a single hair stuck to a fence.

A later in-depth interview with the conservationist led the researchers to believe the hair was indeed from a Java tiger. They tested it genetically and compared the results with samples from a museum specimen of a Javan tiger collected in 1930, which showed them to be closely matched.

Based on the genetic evidence, the researchers concluded that the hair had come from a Java tiger. The finding shows that the tiger did not go extinct when thought and members of its species had been living on the island, but whether Javan tigers are still there needs to be confirmed with further genetic and field studies.

6) Early humans used wood splitting 300,000 years ago to hunt animals, study show by University of Reading

Early humans used sophisticated crafting techniques such as "wood splitting" to hunt and to clean animal hides, a new study has revealed.

Using new cutting-edge imaging techniques such as 3D microscopy and micro-CT scanning for the first time, scientists from the Lower Saxony State Office for Cultural Heritage (NLD) and the Universities of Reading and Göttingen examined the oldest complete hunting weapons known to humankind. The weapons, believed to be 300,000 years old, were found during archaeological excavations in Schöningen, Germany in 1994.

The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identifies how pre-Homo sapiens hunters re-sharpened broken points of spears and throwing sticks. Other tools were made by splitting wood, a behavior previously thought only to be practiced by our own species, Homo sapiens. Some tools made from split wood were likely used not for hunting, but to soften and smooth animal skins.

Dr. Dirk Leder, from NLD, said, "There is evidence of much more extensive and varied procedures of spruce and pine woodworking than previously thought. Selected roundwoods were worked into spears and throwing sticks and brought to the site, while broken tools were repaired and recycled on-site."

Dr. Annemieke Milks, from the University of Reading, said, "What surprised us was the high number of point and shaft fragments coming from spears and throwing sticks that were previously unpublished. The way the wooden tools were so expertly manufactured was a revelation to us."

Crucial raw material

At least 20 spears and throwing sticks were among the weapons found at Schöningen three decades ago. In the years that followed, extensive excavations yielded numerous wooden objects dating from the end of a warm interglacial period 300,000 years ago. The findings suggested a hunting ground on the lakeshore.

The wide range of woodworking techniques used on the weapons and tools show the importance of wood as a raw material 300,000 years ago. The Schöningen finds bear witness to extensive experience in woodworking, technical know-how and sophisticated work processes. Project leader Professor Thomas Terberger, who works at the NLD and the University of Göttingen, said, "Wood was a crucial raw material for human evolution, but it is only in Schöningen that it has survived from the Paleolithic period in such great quality."

Schöningen is therefore part of the internationally outstanding cultural heritage of early humankind. Only recently, the site was included in the nomination list for UNESCO World Heritage Site at the request of the state of Lower Saxony.

7) New data from fossil shows changes in axial skeleton that foreshadow the evolution of walking by Sam Sholtis, Pennsylvania State University

Reconstruction of Tiktaalik roseae. Reconstruction in (A) dorsal, (B) ventral, (C) left lateral, and (D) oblique views.

Before the evolution of legs from fins, the axial skeleton—including the bones of the head, neck, back and ribs—was already going through changes that would eventually help our ancestors support their bodies to walk on land.A research team including a Penn State biologist completed a new reconstruction of the skeleton of Tiktaalik, the 375-million-year-old fossil fish that is one of the closest relatives to limbed vertebrates. The new reconstruction shows that the fish's ribs likely attached to its pelvis, an innovation thought to be crucial to supporting the body and for the eventual evolution of walking.

A paper describing the new reconstruction, which used microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to scan the fossil and reveal vertebrae and ribs of the fish that were previously hidden beneath rock, was published April 2 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Tiktaalik was discovered in 2004, but key parts of its skeleton were unknown," said Tom Stewart, assistant professor of biology in the Eberly College of Science at Penn State and one of the leaders of the research team. "These new high-resolution micro-CT scans show us the vertebrae and ribs of Tiktaalik and allow us to make a full reconstruction of its skeleton, which is vital to understanding how it moved through the world."

Unlike most fish, which have vertebrae and ribs that are the same along the length of the trunk, the axial skeletons of limbed vertebrates show dramatic differences in the vertebrae and ribs from the head region to the tail region. The evolution of this regionalization allowed the performance of specialized functions, one of which was a mechanical linkage between ribs in the sacral region to the pelvis that enabled support of the body by the hind limbs. The pelvic fins of fish are evolutionarily related to hind limbs in tetrapods—four-limbed vertebrates, including humans. In fish, the pelvic fins and bones of the pelvic girdle are relatively small and float freely in the body. For the evolution of walking, the researchers explained, the hind limbs and pelvis became much larger and formed a connection to the vertebral column as a way of bracing the forces related to supporting the body.

"Tiktaalik is remarkable because it gives us glimpses into this major evolutionary transition," Stewart said. "Across its whole skeleton, we see a combination of traits that are typical of fish and life in water as well as traits that are seen in land-dwelling animals."The original description of Tiktaalik focused on the front portion of the skeleton. Fossils were meticulously prepared to remove the surrounding matrix of rock and expose the skull, shoulder girdle and pectoral fins. The ribs in this area were large and expanded, suggesting that they may have supported the body in some way, but it was unclear exactly how they would have functioned. In 2014, the fish's pelvis, discovered in the same location as the rest of the skeleton, was also cleaned of matrix and described.

"From past studies, we knew that the pelvis was large, and we had a sense that the hind fins were large too, but until now couldn't say if or how the pelvis interacted with the axial skeleton," Stewart said. "This reconstruction shows, for the first-time, how it all fit together and gives us clues about how walking might have first evolved."

The researchers explained that, unlike our own hips where our bones fit tightly together, the connection between the pelvis and axial skeleton of Tiktaalik was likely a soft-tissue connection made of ligaments.

"Tiktaalik had specialized ribs that would have connected to the pelvis by a ligament," Stewart said. "It's astonishing really. This creature has so many traits—large pair of hind appendages, large pelvis, and connection between the pelvis and axial skeleton—that were key to the origin of walking. And while Tiktaalik probably wasn't walking across land, it was definitely doing something new. This was a fish that could likely prop itself up and push with its hind fin."The new reconstruction of the skeleton also sheds light on specializations for head mobility in Tiktaalik and new details of the fish's pelvic fin anatomy"It's incredible to see the skeleton of Tiktaalik captured in such vivid detail," said Neil Shubin, Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Service Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago and one of the authors of the paper. 

"This study sets the stage for ones that explore how the animal moved about and interacted with its environment 375 million years ago."

1) This is the time to fight, says Sanjay Singh as he walks free from Delhi jail

Sanjay Singh with other AAP leaders at the party office in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Singh – who is one of the tallest leaders of the AAP, is an aggressive public orator, and has relationships across parties – was surrounded by the AAP’s brass Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member and Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Singh was released from Tihar jail on Wednesday, triggering celebrations among swarms of party supporters who stood outside the prison complex in west Delhi to welcome the leader, who walked out of imprisonment after 181 days.

“This is not the time for celebrations. It is a time for struggle. And we will struggle,” the 52-year-old said to rapturous applause as he stood atop a car and briefly addressed the crowd, a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail. “Our party’s biggest leaders – (Delhi chief minister) Arvind Kejriwal, (former deputy chief minister) Manish Sisodia and (former health minister) Satyendar Jain have been kept inside these walls of this jail. I am sure the locks will break and our leaders will be released,” he said, alleging that the country was being choked under a dictatorship.

Singh then headed towards the chief minister’s residence on Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines to meet Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, accompanied by his wife, son and daughter, who met him outside prison. Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in October last year and imprisoned for his alleged role in a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped 2021–22 Delhi excise policy.

ED did not oppose his bail plea on Tuesday, after the court asked the agency why Singh should be kept behind bars after serving six months in jail, considering that there doesn’t appear to be any concrete evidence against him, and no money has been recovered linking him to the alleged money laundering offence.

Singh reached the chief minister’s residence in Civil Lines around 9.20pm.

As he got out of the car, Singh was greeted by Sunita Kejriwal, whose feet he touched.

Sunita Kejriwal then hugged Anita Singh, Singh’s wife. He then left for the AAP headquarters in Rouse Avenue around 9.45pm. At 10.05pm, the senior party leader, whose exit from prison is a significant fillip for the embattled AAP, made his way to a makeshift stage inside the headquarters where he was garlanded by Delhi minister and party convener Gopal Rai.

Late on Wednesday, Singh and his family met Seema Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister’s wife.

Singh – who is one of the tallest leaders of the party, is an aggressive public orator, and has relationships across parties – was surrounded by the AAP’s brass, including MLAs Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj. A large image of Arvind Kejriwal behind bars was also kept at the stage, usually reserved for speeches after the election victories. ED arrested Rajya Sabha MP Singh on October 4 last year in relation to the controversial 2021-22 excise policy, which has since been withdrawn. His arrest was based on a statement made by Dinesh Arora, who claimed to have delivered a sum of ₹2 crore to Sarvesh Mishra, an alleged associate of the MP. These funds were delivered at Singh’s official residence, Arora said in his statement recorded by the trial court, and the receipt of this was confirmed by Singh when they next met. Arora turned an approver in the case, seeking pardon.

ED had filed supplementary complaints against Singh and other co-accused on December 2 and December 19 following which the trial court rejected grant of regular bail to Singh on December 22.“Kailash Gahlot was called in for questioning for 4.5 hours. What kind of dictatorship is being enforced in this country?” he asked.

He said that all AAP workers in the country stand firmly with Arvind Kejriwal despite his arrest.“The BJP is not asking for the chief minister’s resignation. They want to stop all these welfare schemes,” he said.He stressed that Kejriwal would run the government from jail.“The jail manual says that anyone can write an unlimited number of letters from jail. Why are questions being raised about whether governments can be run from jail… The court’s permission can be taken to issue government letters. The jail superintendent can attest these letters,” he said.Atishi said Singh’s release was a “victory for truth”. “They have been probing the liquor case for two years now. CBI and ED have put thousands of officers behind us, and hundreds of raids have been carried out. But not a single paisa has been recovered. Today the release and bail of Sanjay Singh is testament to the honesty and truth of the AAP.”

Responding to the developments of the day, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said, “The kind of celebrations (by the AAP) makes it appear as if Singh has been acquitted in the excise case. The court has granted him conditional bail, but they are celebrating as if he has been acquitted.”

Delhi BJP spokesperson Abhay Verma added, “The way he spoke today — the day isn’t far when he breaks the bindings imposed by both the Supreme Court and the trial court, and he may land back (in prison) with Arvind Kejriwal and the others.”

2) Thousands show up at INDIA bloc rally in Delhi

Speeches of various top leaders elicit a range of emotions among the crowd, often resulting in jeering, sloganeering and the occasional laughs Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc have assembled at Delhi's historic Ramlila Maidan for their ‘Loktantra Bachao’ (save democracy) rally on Sunday. While the AAP, a member of the alliance, said that the rally is to protest the arrest of AAP national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal by the ED in the excise policy case, the Congress, the largest constituent, said that the protest is not ‘person-specific,’ and that the Opposition will raise its voice against the ‘dictatorship’ of the BJP-led central government.

Delhi Police have permitted the rally, though with certain conditions. While the venue can accommodate over one lakh people, permission is only for around 20,000 participants; the police, however, expect more than 30,000 people to attend. The AAP, on the other hand, claimed that the ground will be ‘fully packed.’

Almost all top leaders from the INDIA bloc are expected to attend, including Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunita, and Kalpana Soren, the wife of Hemant Soren. The ED arrested the ex-Jharkhand CM in January concerning an alleged land mining scam.

3) Priyanka Gandhi announces 5 demands, Rahul accuses BJP of ‘match-fixing’

INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Sharad Pawar, and Tejashwi Yadav, have organized 'Loktantra Bachao Rally' at the Ramlila ground in the national capital against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's ED arrest today, March 31. The Enforcement Directorate has arrested the AAP supremo in an excise policy-linked money laundering case on March 21. Currently, Kejriwal is in ED custody till April 1.

Delhi Police has issued a traffic advisory in view of the INDIA bloc protest. It said that the movement of vehicles in the city would be regulated for six hours on that day. Traffic movement will be regulated and may be restricted on Ranjeet Singh Flyover from Barakhamba Road to Guru Nanak Chowk, Vivekanand Marg from Minto Road to roundabout Kamla Market, Hamdard Chowk, JLN Marg from Delhi Gate to Guru Nanak Chowk and Ajmeri Gate, round about Kamla Market to Guru Nanak Chowk from 9 am to 3 pm.

The commuters are requested to cooperate by avoiding or bypassing the roads, if possible, and by making maximum use of public transport, especially metro services, it said.

Catch all the LIVE updates on INDIA bloc's maha rally against Arvind Kejriwal's arrest here,After attending the INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said, “People who came here today believed that what PM Modi did was not right. PM Modi might have been attacking others, but this time he has attacked Arvind Kejriwal, so he will have to suffer."

The INDIA bloc's five demands announced by Priyanka Gandhi at the grand rally were:

1. The Election Commission of India must ensure equal opportunities to everyone in elections.

2. The Election Commission must stop the coercive actions being taken against opposition parties by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax Department.

3. CM Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren should be released immediately.

4.The action to "strangulate" opposition parties financially should be stopped.

5. An Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be formed under the supervision of the Supreme Court to investigate the allegations of Electoral Bond, extortion and money laundering.

INDIA bloc demands immediate release of Hemant Soren, Arvind Kejriwal

"Hemant Soren, Arvind Kejriwal be immediately released," said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi as she read out INDIA bloc demands at rally in Delhi.

This match-fixing is done not just by Narendra Modi...,' says Rahul Gandhi

"This match-fixing is done not just by Narendra Modi. This match-fixing is done by Narendra Modi and three-four billionares,' said Rahul Gandhi.

He added, "Congress is the biggest opposition party and all our bank accounts have been closed in the middle of elections. We have to run campaign, send workers to states, put up posters but all our bank accounts have been closed. What kind of election is this."

While addressing the grand INDIA bloc's rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, Rahul Gandhi said PM Narendra Modi is trying to do “match fixing" in the Lok Sabha polls. "If you do not vote with full force, their match-fixing will succeed; if that succeeds, Constitution will be destroyed," he said.

"IPL matches are being held today. When umpires are pressurised, players are bought and captains are threatened to win matches, it is called match fixing in cricket. We have Lok Sabha polls before us; umpires were chosen by PM Modi. Two players from our team have been arrested before the match," Rahul Gandhi added.

Probe agencies used by BJP to raise donations is new invention’, Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, who reached Delhi on Sunday to attend INDIA bloc's grand rally at the Ramlila Maidan slammed the BJP and alleged that deploying central investigation agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Income Tax Department to raise donations for the ruling party is a "new invention."

"As far as corruption is concerned, it is a long list. Why have we not got donations? It is a new invention that ED, CBI and IT are deployed and donations are raised. The BJP will not say anything about this corruption. No one in the universe has lied as much as the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)," Yadav said speaking to ANI on Sunday after reaching Delhi.

We are not scared of raids’, says Tejashwi Yadav

At the Maha Rally at the Ramlila Maidan, former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "The ED, CBI and IT are the cells of the BJP. Lalu Ji has been harassed a lot of times. There have been cases against me. My mother, my sisters, my brother-in-law, all the relatives of my father, there were cases against everyone... Many of our leaders are being raided currently. ED, IT raids are underway. But we are not going to be scared... We will struggle. Only lions are caged. All of us are lions... We are fighting for you..."

This will strengthen the INDI alliance’, says Hemant Soren's wife

"This historic 'sankalp sabha' is being organised today against dictatorship (in the country). I thank everyone who has come here today, this will only strengthen the INDIA alliance," says Kalpana Soren, wife of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, addressing the INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.

‘I have made all the planning from where the money…’, says Sunita Kejriwal

"I am not asking for votes today... I invite 140 crore Indians to make a new India... India is a great nation with thousands of years old civilisation... I think about Mother India from inside the jail and she is in pain... Let's make a new India... If INDIA Alliance is given an opportunity, we will build a new India... I present 6 guarantees on behalf of INDIA Alliance. First, there will be no power cuts in the whole country. Second, electricity would be free for the poor people. Third, we will make government schools in every village. Fourth, we will make Mohalla Clinics in every village. We will make a multi-speciality government hospital in every district. Everyone would get free treatment. Fifth, farmers would be given the correct price for the crops. Sixth, the people of Delhi have faced injustice for 75 years... We will give statehood to Delhi... We will complete these 6 guarantees in 5 years. I have made all the planning from where the money for these guarantees will come..."

We are here to protect democracy’, says Uddhav Thackeray

From the Maha Rally at the Ramlila Maidan, Former Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray says, "Now, their (BJP's) dream is of crossing 400 (seats)... It is time that one party and one person's government have to go... We are not here for the election campaign, we are here to protect democracy... BJP washed the people who they once alleged of corruption. They washed them in a washing machine and made them clean. How can a party full of corrupts run the government?... The BJP is calling this rally, a rally of thugs..."

4) SC issues notice to Election Commission on plea demanding 100% VVPAT verification

The petitioner states that simultaneous verification and the deployment of additional officers in each assembly constituency could help complete the VVPAT verification within five to six hours. The Supreme Court of India on Monday, April 1 sought the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s response on verifying all Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips during elections. Currently, VVPAT verification only examines votes recorded in five randomly selected Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) per assembly segment. However, the petition seeks tallying of each vote cast in the EVM against corresponding VVPAT slips.The petition, filed by lawyer and activist Arun Kumar Agrawal, also argues that the ECI's guideline of sequential VVPAT verification causes undue delays in the counting process. It adds that simultaneous verification and the deployment of additional officers in each assembly constituency could help complete the VVPAT verification within five to six hours.

A bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta has issued the notice to the ECI and grouped the plea with other pending matters concerning EVMs and VVPAT.The ECI had cited practical difficulties in verifying all VVPATs on another petition filed recently. A bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna had expressed reservations about the demand for 100% VVPAT verification, saying that it will add to the ECI's burden without any significant advantage.

According to reports, the petition filed on Monday also suggests allowing voters to physically deposit their VVPAT slips in a ballot box to ensure accurate representation of their ballots. The plea recalls previous legal battles surrounding VVPAT verification, including requests for increased VVPAT verification by opposition parties before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Supreme Court had increased the verification count from one to five EVMs per assembly segment and dismissed the plea. Given past discrepancies between EVM and VVPAT vote counts and various concerns raised by experts, the petitioner states that it is important that all VVPAT slips be meticulously counted.Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the notice was an important first step.”But for it to be meaningful, the matter should be decided before the elections commence. It bears constant repetition that the Election Commission has refused to meet a delegation of INDIA party leaders who have been demanding 100% VVPATs in order to increase public confidence in EVMs and to ensure the integrity of the electoral process,” he added.

5) Elections By Ballot Paper The Rule' : Lawyer Seeks To Intervene In Supreme Court Plea On EVM-VVPAT

Suggesting that voting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections should be conducted through ballot papers, Advocate Mehmood Pracha has approached the Supreme Court and prayed that he be permitted to intervene in the matter pending before the Court regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) verification. rein.

Pracha states in the application that he has been requesting the Election Commission of India to conduct the elections "through the constitutionally and statutorily mandated mechanism, i.e. through ballot papers, to ensure that the process is fair, transparent, and free from any illegal, external and surreptitious interference or manipulation", however, to no avail. On the strength of the ECI Handbook titled “EVM BROCHURE FOR CANDIDATES & POLITICAL PARTIES”, he claims that there is no inherent security feature in the mechanism of EVMs. "...the sanctity of the voting process and the count recorded in the EVMs is secured solely by honest, vigilant and error-free supervision and handling by various stakeholders", the plea stated.

It is also Pracha's claim that in terms of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 and Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, election by the use of Ballot Papers and Ballot Boxes is the rule, and resorting to EVMs can be considered by the EC on a case to case basis only in exceptional circumstances (to be recorded in an order). Elections by the use of Ballot Papers and Ballot Boxes is the rule," his plea stated.

The petition further asserts that a system where the voter may take the VVPAT slip and deposit it in a ballot box himself is an alternative of greater transparency than the current system, where it is not possible for the voter to verify his vote at any stage. "A visual inspection of a slip through a glass, for a few seconds, is not a Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) in its true sense", Pracha pleads.

Notably, Pracha is himself contesting the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from a constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

The intervention application is moved through Advocate-on-Record RHA Sikander.

CASE TITLE: ARUN KUMAR AGRAWAL v. ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA & ANR, WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 184 OF 2024

6) SC to hear plea for cross-verification of EVMs with VVPAT by voters

The NGO had sought direction from the Election Commission and the Centre to ensure the voters are able to verify through VVPATs that their vote has been 'counted as recorded' The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear next week a plea seeking cross-verification by the voters of votes cast by them as "counted as recorded" in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).

A bench headed by Justices Sanjiv Khanna said this after advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO Association of Democratic Reforms pleaded that the matter should be heard urgently in view of upcoming elections. If the case is not heard, the plea would become infructuous, the bench was told.

Justice Khanna, who was sitting in a special bench along with Justice MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, said the court is aware of the situation and would hear the matter next week.The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will begin on April 19.

In July last year, the apex court asked the Election Commission of India to respond to the plea.The NGO had sought direction from the Election Commission and the Centre to ensure the voters are able to verify through VVPATs that their vote has been "counted as recorded".

Declare unconstitutional the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 and the practice and procedure of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the extent that they violate the fundamental right of the voters to verify through VVPATs that their vote has been "recorded as cast" and "counted as recorded", the plea said. The requirement of the voters verifying that their votes have been "recorded as cast" is somewhat met when the VVPAT slip is displayed for about seven seconds after pressing the button on the EVM through a transparent window for the voters to verify that their vote has been recorded on the internally printed VVPAT slip before the slip falls into the 'ballot box', it stated.

It said there is a complete vacuum in law as the poll panel has provided no procedure for the voter to verify that his or her vote has been 'counted as recorded' which is an indispensable part of voter verifiability.

7) PM Modi sleeping after taking opium': Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge takes jibe on Chinese 'entering' India

With the Lok Sabha election approaching, Congress this week launched a nationwide door-to-door campaign wherein the party will be distributing 'Guarantee Cards' which list 25 guarantees of the party Congress party chief Mallikarjun Kharge has launched a scathing against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Sino-Indian border issue. Kharge accused the prime minister of "sleeping" after taking "opium" while China entered Indian territory.

"Modi says 'I have a 56-inch chest, I will not be scared'. If you are not afraid then why have you left a large part of our land for China? They are coming inside and you are sleeping. Have you taken sleeping pills? Have they taken opium from the fields of Rajasthan," the Congress MP said. With the Lok Sabha election approaching, Congress this week launched a nationwide door-to-door campaign wherein the party will be distributing 'Guarantee Cards' which list 25 guarantees of the party. Besides, on Friday, top Congress leaders will release the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress has given 25 guarantees under 'Yuva Nyay', 'Nari Nyay', 'Shramik Nyay', 'Kisan Nyay', and 'Bhagidari Nyay'. Congress 25 guarantees:

Under the 'Yuva Nyay', 30 lakh government vacancies pending in various central government departments will be filled if they come to power. Graduates will be provided an apprenticeship with a guarantee of ₹1 lakh in the first year. The party has promised to make laws to prevent paper leaks. The party, if comes to power, will create a corpus fund of ₹5,000 crore for youth entrepreneurship. Under the Naari Nyay, one woman from an impoverished family will be given assistance of ₹1 lakh annually. The party has pledged to start 50% job reservation in the government sector for women.Under Kisan Nyay, a legal guarantee will be provided for the Minimum Support Price, which will be fixed according to Swaminathan Commission Recommendations. The Congress party said that the transfer of money would be done within 30 days in case of crop damage.

Under the Bhagidhari Nyay, the 50% cap on reservations will be removed through constitutional amendment.Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed

8) ‘Ensure people don't face problems’: Sunita Kejriwal shares jailed Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's message for AAP MLA's

Arvind Kejriwal sent a message from Tihar jail instructing all AAP MLAs to visit their respective constituencies daily Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal on Thursday said that the Delhi CM in a message from jail has asked Aam Aadmi Party MLAs to visit constituencies daily, to ensure people don't face any problems.

In a post on X, AAP said, “Arvind Kejriwal has sent a message to all MLAs. Just because I am in jail, the people of Delhi should not suffer in any way. Every MLA should visit their area every day and discuss people's problems and sort them out."Kejriwal, in his message from jail, noted, “Resolve every issue faced by anyone. And I am not just talking about solving government-related problems, we should also try to address other issues faced by people."

“The 2 crore people of Delhi are my family, and no one in my family should be unhappy for any reason. May God bless everyone, Jai Hind!"

Kejriwal was detained by the federal probe agency on March 21 in connection with the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy of his government and is in judicial custody till April 15. Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court declined to consider a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) requesting the removal of Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to the excise policy. On Wednesday, AAP MP Sanjay Singh exited Tihar Jail amidst chants of “Jail ke taale tootenge, Arvind Kejriwal chhootenge" (Prison bars will break, Arvind Kejriwal will be freed).

Despite his arrest, Kejriwal, who has not yet resigned as Chief Minister, remains adamant about running the government from jail. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have reiterated that Kejriwal will not step down and will continue to discharge his duties from jail.

9) Congress Manifesto 2024 Highlights: What are the key promises?

Congress Election Manifesto 2024 Key Highlights: Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, and passing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs are among the promises made by the Congress in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.

With just a fortnight remaining for the Lok Sabha Polls, the Congress released its manifesto at its party headquarters in New Delhi on Friday.

The manifesto, titled ‘Nyay Patra’ was released in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and P Chidambaram. It focused on five “pillars of justice” (Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Kisaan Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay) with 25 guarantees under them.

Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, and passing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs are among the promises made by the Congress in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.

Appealing to people to look beyond religion, language, caste and choose wisely to install a democratic government, the party said the general elections present an opportunity to radically the change style of governance that has been in evidence over the past decade.A constitutional amendment to raise 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC communities Ten per cent quota in jobs, educational institutions for EWS will be implemented for all castes, communities

Passing the ‘Right to Apprenticeship Act’ to provide one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below age of 25.

📌  Legal guarantee to Minimum Support Prices (MSP)

📌 Immediately restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood

📌 Scrapping the the Agnipath Scheme

📌 The Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh will be adopted for universal healthcare

📌 National minimum wage will be Rs 400 per day

📌  Launch of the Mahalakshmi scheme to provide Rs 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family.

📌 Scrapping contractualisation of regular jobs in govt, PSUs and ensure regularisation of such appointments.

Filling nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts at various levels in the central government.

 

 

1) Chess Candidates Tournament 2024 Live Updates: All five Indians end opening rounds in draws

Candidates Chess 2024 Live Updates R Praggnanandhaa D Gukesh and Vidit Gujrathi are among the top names who will participate

FIDE Chess Candidates 2024 Live Updates: Out of the eight games played in Round 1, seven ended in a draw including the ones with the five Indians. Round 2 matches will start from midnight on Saturday. All five Indians competing at the Candidates tournament ended up playing out draws in the first round of the year’s biggest chess event. The all-India clashes between D Gukesh and compatriot Vidit Gujrathi in the men’s section and Vaishali vs Koneru Humpy in the women’s section ended in draws early in the morning on Friday. The fifth Indian in the competition, Praggnanandhaa, also ended with a draw against Alireza Firouzja.

While the Gukesh (playing with white) vs Vidit clash ended in 21 moves, the Vaishali (white) vs Humpy game was wrapped up after 41 moves. Meanwhile, after briefly forcing his opponent into time trouble, Pragg (playing with black) had to be content with a draw against Firouzja after 39 moves. Of the eight games, seven have ended in draws. The final game between Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi saw a decisive result, with Tan defeating her compatriot.

In the big result of the day, two-time world championship contender Ian Nepomniachtchi was held to a draw by Nijat Abasov, who is the lowest-rated player in the open event at the Candidates chess tournament.

For the eight men in the open category, there’s a chance to take on world champion Ding Liren at stake. The eight women are battling to face Ju Wenjun.

Among the men at the Candidates 2024 chess tournament are three Indian grandmasters: R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh and Vidit Gujrathi. Standing in their path are big names like Ian Nepomniachtchi, Hikaru Nakamura, Alireza Firouzja, Fabiano Caruana and Nijat Abasov. All players will face off in a double round robin tournament, meaning everyone plays 14 games. The one name missing from action is former world champion Magnus Carlsen, who relinquished his crown without a pawn marching down the chess board and then chose to skip the Candidates as well this year.

Meanwhile, India is represented by Koneru Humpy and R Vaishali in the eight-player women’s event.

2) AIFF suspends Deepak Sharma for alleged physical assault of two women players

Two footballers of Himachal Pradesh-based Khad FC, taking part in the Indian Women's Football (IWL) League second division, had alleged that Sharma, the owner of the club, had barged into their room and physically assaulted them on the night of March 28.The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday has suspended Deepak Sharma, who is an executive committee member of the federation, for allegedly assaulting and misbehaving with two women footballers of a club during their stay in Goa for the ongoing Indian Women’s League 2.

Two footballers of Himachal Pradesh-based Khad FC, taking part in the Indian Women’s Football (IWL) League second division, had alleged that Sharma, the owner of the club, had barged into their room and physically assaulted them on the night of March 28.

“The AIFF Executive Committee has decided to suspend Mr. Deepak Sharma from participating in any football-related activities until further notice,” AIFF said in a statement. The Goa police on Saturday has arrested Deepak Sharma and an FIR has been registered under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code.

In the complaint letter to the AIFF accessed by The Indian Express, the two women alleged that after a match in the Indian Women’s League second division, they returned to their accommodation and were boiling eggs as dinner was over. Sharma, who the girls alleged was in an inebriated state, barged into their rooms and assaulted them. The letter stated that Sharma was drinking alcohol in front of the girls during their journey from Himachal to Delhi, and continued to do so in Goa as well. The AIFF has taken all steps necessary to ensure the safe passage of the complainants to their hometowns and will continue to provide any support that might be necessary.” He said the AIFF has been at the forefront of development of women’s football since he took charge as its president.

“There are currently 27,030 registered women players in the country with 15,293 registered between September 2022 and March 2024. The increase in number of women footballers in various age groups is one of the most encouraging trends,” Chaubey said.“This season, we started the IWL 2 for the first time, and there is a definite plan to introduce promotion and relegation in the IWL from the next season. India made their best-ever finish (runners-up) in Turkish Women’s Cup recently and defeated European opponents.”

Serial offender

One of the women footballers, who was allegedly assaulted, told The Indian Express this is not the first time Sharma had assaulted someone. “We have seen him hit players from Khad FC earlier. I cannot take their names. When we were in the camp prior to this tournament, we saw him hit a girl. We were very scared that day but the players who were already part of the team said that he gets angry sometimes and these things happen,” she claimed. “When it happened to me, I didn’t initially want to file a complaint. But if nobody complains, his confidence to get away with this would grow. I took a stand because I didn’t want someone else to be beaten up by him because I didn’t say anything,” she said, adding that the AIFF assured them that action would be taken.

3) Football: After India’s disastrous outing against Afghanistan, AIFF sets up committee to discuss Igor Stimac’s comments

Stimac said he would quit his position if India failed to reach the third round of the World Cup qualifiers

India had a disastrous performance in the recently concluded World cup Qualifiers against Afghanistan where the first match which was held in Saudi Arabia ended as a draw while the second one, which was held in Guwahati, saw India suffer a 1-2 defeat

All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey on Friday constituted a 5-member panel which will hold discussions with national coach Igor Stimac and seek clarification on his recent comments where he said he would quit his position if India failed to reach the third round of the World Cup qualifiers.

“Never mind the contract, If I don’t take India to the third round, I will leave,” Stimac had said at the pre-match press conference in Guwahati on Monday. “With my pride, with my honour, with everything that I have done in the last five years. But if we qualify, there’s plenty of work that has to be done.”

The 5-member committee comprises of N.A. Haris, Vice President, AIFF, Mr. Menla Ethenpa, Member, Executive Committee and Chairperson, Finance Committee, Anilkumar Prabhakaran, Member, Executive Committee and Chairperson, Competitions Committee, I/M. Vijayan, Member, Executive Committee and Chairperson, Technical Committee, and Mr. Climax Lawrence, Member, Executive Committee and Technical Committee. Chaubey also held a virtual meeting with senior federation members to discuss the recommendations made by the Technical Committee after India’s below par performances.

India had a disastrous performance in the recently concluded World cup Qualifiers against Afghanistan where the first match which was held in Saudi Arabia ended as a draw while the second one, which was held in Guwahati, saw India suffer a 1-2 defeat at the hands of the team ranked 158th in the world. Minutes after the loss, hundreds of fans surrounded the team bus as the players and coach exited the stadium, chanting ‘Stimac out!’ amidst a din of boos. The man who pulls no punches is now Indian football’s favourite punching bag. India can still finish second in their group and make the cut, for the first time, for the third round of World Cup qualifiers. Though historic, it might not necessarily be a good thing. It will only paper over the cracks and give the administrators at Football House a false sense of achievement despite deep structural problems.

4) IPL 2024: Shashank Singh powers Punjab Kings to a superb win as Shubman Gill’s knock is trumped

Shashank Singh celebrates after guiding Punjab Kings to a win over Gujarat Titans

Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings Highlights, IPL 2024: Shashank Singh scripted a fine turnaround for Punjab as they chased down 200 in Ahmedabad to return to winning waysShashank Singh, who was part of a dramatic auction story, pulled off a stunning run-chase for Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Shubman Gill smashed a brilliant 89* off 48 balls to power Gujarat Titans to 199/4. In the run-chase, Punjab kept losing wickets at regular intervals but Shashank, along with a fine cameo from Impact Sub Ashutosh Sharma, powered his side home to the target with a ball to spare.

Gill’s stroke-filled knock, along with a late cameo by Rahul Tewatia, saw Gujarat punish some ordinary bowling in the backend. Punjab conceded 65 runs in the last 5 overs. But in the end, Gill and Co were left ruing some dropped catches and poor death bowling.

Earlier, Punjab Kings opted to bowl first. Both teams missed out on their middle-order heavy-hitters with Liam Livingstone (PBKS) and David Miller (GT) missing out. Sikandar Raza and Kane Williamson get their first matches of the IPL season.

5) GT vs PBKS 2024, IPL Match Today: Playing XI prediction, head-to-head stats, key players, pitch report and weather update

GT vs PBKS IPL 2024 Gujarat Titans face Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday

Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2024: A look at the Playing XI prediction, head-to-head stats, venue records, pitch and weather updates of the GT vs PBKS clash today.

The teams enter the contest with a contrasting run of form. While Gujarat lost their away fixture to Chennai Super Kings after a win over Mumbai Indians, they bounced back with a six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad at home. Meanwhile, Punjab have lost two consecutive matches after opening the campaign with a win.GT predicted XI vs PBKS: Shubman Gill (C), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Azmatullah Omarzai, David Miller, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmed, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma. Impact Player: Darshan Nalkande.

Gujarat Titans player to watch out for: Mohit Sharma – The veteran bowler has been at the peak of his powers with his slow-ball mastery weaving a crucial win for the Titans over Hyderabad in the previous outing. Mohit returned with three wickets for 25 in four overs while conceding only three runs in the last over. PBKS predicted XI vs GT: Shikhar Dhawan (C), Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Shashank Singh, Harshal Patel, Harpeet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar. Impact Player: Arshdeep Singh.

Punjab Kings player to watch out for: Shikhar Dhawan – With improved returns in the PowerPlay, skipper Dhawan will be crucial for Punjab to set up an imposing total in Ahmedabad.

 

Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Prime Video (April 5):

The romantic comedy, starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon in the lead, has been written and directed by first-time filmmakers Amit Joshi and Aradhana Sah. The film has Shahid essaying the role of a robot scientist, who develops feelings for Kriti's Sifra, a highly-intelligent female robot. The film was released in theatres on February 9, 2024.

Farrey, Zee5 (April 5)

Bollywood witnesses several dream debuts every year, and in 2023, Salman Khan launched his niece Alizeh Agnihotri with Farrey. Farrey is a slang word used by students for small chits of paper bearing answers, that they sneak into exam halls. The film is directed by Soumendra Padhi, who also made the acclaimed Netflix series Jamtara. The film was released in theatres on November 24, 2023.

Wish, Disney+ Hotstar (April 3)

Prepare to gather the family for a movie night this weekend, as Disney's latest animated film is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, it follows the life of Asha, a 17-year-old girl in the Kingdom of Rosas, as she discovers a horrible secret about Magnifico, her country's tyrannical ruler.

Parasyte: The Grey, Netflix (April 5)

Things get really creepy in Netflix's Korean sci-fi horror Parasyte: The Grey. The series, which draws inspiration from the Japanese Manga Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki, is about a young woman 'caught between her humanity and parasitic influence'. "When unidentified parasites violently take over human hosts and gain power, humanity must rise to combat the growing threat," says Netflix about the series.

Scoop, Netflix (April 5th)

Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell's Scoop is a dramatised feature about the BBC’s Newsnight team scoring a sensationally revealing 2019 interview with Prince Andrew about his relationship with millionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes and Romola Garai also feature in Philip Martin's Netflix film about journalism, privilege and sexual exploitation.

DUKAAN – THEATRES

Planning to step out and enjoy a film in cinemas this weekend? If so, then Siddharth Singh and Garima Wahal’s film Dukaan is a good watch. The film starring Monika Panwar, Sikandar Kher, and Monali Thakur, follows a young woman who becomes a surrogate mother to help couples with problems fulfil their dreams.

THE FIRST OMEN – THEATRES

A prequel to The Omen (1976), The First Omen tells the story of an American woman who moves to Rome to begin a new life of service but ends up discovering a conspiracy involving the Antichrist. A must-watch film for all horror genre lovers out there.

BOOK OF THIS WEEK:

Breaking the Mould : Reimagining India's Economic Future by Raghuram Rajan (Author), Rohit Lamba (Author)

 

Where is India going today? Is it surging forward, having just overtaken the United Kingdom to become the fifth-largest economy in the world? Or is it flailing, unable to provide jobs for the millions joining the labour force? What should India do to secure a better future?

India is at a crossroads today. Its growth rate, while respectable relative to other large countries, is too low for the jobs our youth need. Intense competition in low-skilled manufacturing, increasing protectionism globally and growing automation make the situation still more difficult. Divisive majoritarianism does not help. India broke away from the standard development path—from agriculture to low-skilled manufacturing, then high-skilled manufacturing and, finally, services—a long time back by leapfrogging the intermediate steps. Rather than attempting to revert to development paths that may not be feasible any more, we must embark on a truly Indian path.

In this book, the authors explain how we can accelerate economic development by investing in our people’s human capital, expanding opportunities in high-skilled services and manufacturing centred on innovative new products, and making India a ferment of ideas and creativity. India’s democratic traditions will support this path, helped further by governance reforms, including strengthening our democratic institutions and greater decentralization.The authors offer praise where the Indian establishment has been successful but are clear-eyed in pointing out its weaknesses. They urge India to break free from the shackles of the past and look to the possibilities of the future. Written with unusual candour, and packed with vivid examples and persuasive arguments, this is a book for anyone who has a stake in India’s future.

Raghuram G. Rajan

Raghuram Rajan is the Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at Chicago Booth. He was the 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between September 2013 and September 2016. Between 2003 and 2006, Dr. Rajan was the Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund.

Dr. Rajan’s research interests are in banking, corporate finance, and economic development. The books he has written include Breaking the Mold: Reimagining India's Economic Future with Rohit Lamba,  The Third Pillar: How the State and Markets hold the Community Behind 2019 which was a finalist for the Financial Times Business Book of the Year prize and Fault Lines: How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy, for which he was awarded the Financial Times prize for Business Book of the Year in 2010.

Dr. Rajan is a member of the Group of Thirty. He was the President of the American Finance Association in 2011 and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In January 2003, the American Finance Association awarded Dr. Rajan the inaugural Fischer Black Prize for the best finance researcher under the age of 40. The other awards he has received include the Infosys prize for the Economic Sciences in 2012, the Deutsche Bank Prize for Financial Economics in 2013, Euromoney Central Banker Governor of the Year 2014, and Banker Magazine (FT Group) Central Bank Governor of the Year 2016. Dr. Rajan is the Chairman of the Per Jacobsson Foundation, the senior economic advisor to BDT Capital, and a managing director at Andersen Tax.Recent publications include “Sovereign Debt and Economic Growth when Government is Myopic and Self-interested” with Viral Acharya and Jack Shim, forthcoming, Journal of International Economics, “Liquidity, liquidity everywhere, not a drop to use: Why flooding banks with central bank reserves may not expand liquidity”, with Viral Acharya, forthcoming, Journal of Finance,  “The Decline of Secured Debt”, with Efraim Benmelech and Nitish Kumar,  Journal of Finance Jan 2024; “Secured Credit Spreads”, with Efraim Benmelech and Nitish Kumar,  Journal of Financial Economics, Oct 2022; “The Relationship Dilemma: Organizational Culture and the Adoption of New Technology in Indian Banking”, with Prachi Mishra and R. Prabhala, Review of Financial Studies, June 2022; “Going the Extra Mile: Distant Lending and Credit Cycles”, with Joao Granja and Christian Leuz, Journal of Finance, Apr 2022.

Rohit Lamba

Rohit Lamba is an assistant professor of economics at Pennsylvania State University and a visiting assistant professor of economics at New York University Abu Dhabi. He received a PhD in economics from Princeton University and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cambridge. He publishes regularly in leading academic journals and newspapers. He has also worked as an economist at the office of the chief economic adviser to the Government of India.