Top news of the day: April 22, 2023

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ISRO PSLV-C55 successfully launches two Singapore satellites into orbit

Indian Space Research Organisations (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C55 (PSLV-C55) carrying Singapore’s TeLEOS-2 as the primary satellite and Lumelite-4 as a co-passenger satellite took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at 14.19 hours on April 2 and placed the them into the intended orbit. “Congratulations PSLV and NSIL for this successful launch,” said ISRO Chairperson S. Somnath, while adding that there are “interesting things” lined up in the near future. “The PSLV in its 57th mission has once again demonstrated its high reliablity and its suitability for commercial missions of such class,” Mr. Somanath said from the Mission Control Center.

2020 Delhi riots | Court directs DCP to take ‘immediate remedial action’ regarding incriminating but unverified video

Hearing a case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, a court here has directed the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) concerned to “take immediate remedial action” regarding an unverified, incriminating video against an accused. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat was hearing the matter fixed for orders on the point of charge against four people – Rahul Kumar, Suraj, Yogender Singh and Naresh – who have been accused of being a part of a riotous mob that committed arson in a place of worship and some shops on its ground floor on February 25, 2020.

Death threat to PM Modi, leaked security scheme spark political row in Kerala

A handwritten letter threatening to harm Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in Kerala on a two-day visit on April 24 and an alleged leak of the purported security scheme related to the VVIP’s protection has sparked off a political row. The police were yet to testify to the “compromised” security scheme’s authenticity. Nevertheless, the 49-page correspondence circulated widely in the media and online platforms appeared to list the PM’s itinerary and timings in granular detail and specified the responsibilities assigned to individual officers tasked with his protection.

Rahul Gandhi vacates official bungalow following Lok Sabha disqualification

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on April 22 said he was paying the price for speaking the truth and vowed to continue to raise people’s issues as he vacated his official bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi and shifted to his mother Sonia Gandhi’s residence. “I have paid the price for speaking the truth, I am ready to pay any price,” he said, adding he would continue to raise issues of price rise and corruption with double the force.

Northern Army Commander visits Poonch terror attack site, reviews security

Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi on April 22 visited the site of the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district that killed five Indian soldiers carrying fruits and other items in a truck for an Iftar gathering in a forward village. He reviewed the security in the border area and the ongoing combing operation to track down the terrorists who ambushed the Army truck on April 20.

CBI registers case against environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta and LIFE for FCRA violation

The CBI has registered a case against lawyer Ritwick Dutta and his organisation, the Legal Initiate For Forest and Environment (LIFE) for allegedly violating FCRA provisions. LIFE, along with U.S.-based NGO Earth Justice, has also been accused of attempting to stall coal projects in the country through litigation. According to the FIR, instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry, the main allegation against Mr. Dutta is that he received ₹41 lakh as foreign contribution in 2013-14 and then created LIFE, which got ₹22 crore from Earth Justice USA masked as a “professional receipt”.

GST not applicable on transfer of Jaipur international airport business to Adani group

The transfer of Jaipur international airport operations by Airports Authority of India (AAI) to the Adani group is exempt from Goods and Services Tax, the Authority for Advance Ruling has said. The AAI had approached the Rajasthan-bench of the Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR) seeking ruling on whether transfer of business to M/s Adani Jaipur International Airport Ltd is treated as supply as ‘going concern’ and whether GST is leviable on transfer of assets. Transfer of business as a going concern, as a whole, or independent part thereof, is considered as service under GST law and such supplies are exempt from goods and services tax.

No heat wave conditions in India for next 5 days: IMD

Providing some respite, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in its April 22 bulletin said there would be no heatwave conditions over most parts of the country for the next five days. However, the IMD predicted heavy rainfall over parts of Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala between April 22 and April 24. It also said hailstorms are very likely at isolated places over Sub Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, and over Odisha for the next three days. Hailstorm warning has been given to Bihar on April 24 and 25 and over Vidarbha on April 24.

Whistleblower AAP leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja arrested in Gujarat

Gujarat Police arrested the paper leak scam whistleblower and AAP leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja for allegedly accepting ₹1 crore from the accused in recently busted dummy candidates in recruitment exams scam. A prominent whistleblower, Mr. Jadeja exposed several scams of paper leaks in the recruitment exams conducted by the various agencies of the State. His exposé led to the scrapping of exams and arrests of people involved in leaking the exam papers or rigging the recruitment process. Now, the Police have charged him and his relatives and others with extortion and criminal conspiracy in the scam in which imposters were used in the recruitment and board exams in Bhavnagar district. Incidentally, it was Yuvrajsinh who had exposed the dummy candidate or imposters scam in which he has also been made an accused.

Sudan’s Army says evacuations of diplomats expected to begin

The Sudanese Army said on April 22 it was coordinating efforts to evacuate diplomats from the United States, Britain, China, and France out of the country on military airplanes, as fighting persisted in the capital, including at its main airport. The military said that Army Chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan had spoken to leaders of various countries requesting safe evacuations of their citizens and diplomats from Sudan. The country has been roiled by bloody fighting for the past week that has killed over 400 people so far, according to the World Health Organization.

Afghanistan-Pakistan border crossing landslip toll rises to eight

The death toll from a massive landslip earlier this week that buried a fleet of trucks waiting to cross from Pakistan into Afghanistan has risen to eight, officials said April 22. The pre-dawn landslip hit the Torkham border post on April 18, the busiest trade and transit point between the two countries, as more than 100 trucks were waiting to cross. “So far we have recovered seven dead bodies,” said Pakistani rescue services spokesperson Bilal Faizi, adding that “an operation is ongoing to recover an eighth body” from the debris.

U.S. urges China to cease military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan

The U.S. on April 21 urged China to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan, and instead engage in meaningful dialogue. “We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan,” said the U.S. Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel during a press briefing on April 21. He said: “The U.S. will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues consistent with the wishes and the interests of the people of Taiwan.”

Mexico migrant camp tents torched across border from Texas

About two dozen makeshift tents were set ablaze and destroyed at a migrant camp across the border from Texas this week, witnesses said on April 21, a sign of the extreme risk that comes with being stuck in Mexico as the Biden administration increasingly relies on that country to host people fleeing poverty and violence. The fires were set on Wednesday and Thursday at the sprawling camp of about 2,000 people, most of them from Venezuela, Haiti and Mexico, in Matamoros, a city near Brownsville, Texas. An advocate for migrants said they had been doused with gasoline.

Indian swimmer equals world record, becomes fastest male swimmer to cross Sea of Galilee in Israel

Indian swimmer, Aryan Singh Dadiala equalled the existing world record of the fastest male swimmer to swim the Sea of Galilee, braving extreme weather conditions. Sea Of Galilee is the second lowest water body in the world, approximately 214 metres below sea level, and poses multiple challenges such as whirlpools and indefinite wind storms. Dadiala, 21, who set a world record in November 2022 in Goa finishing 32 km open water sea swimming in 5 hours 36 minutes, is the first Asian swimmer to swim the Sea of Galilee.

Djokovic to miss Madrid Open along with Nadal

Top-ranked Novak Djokovic will miss the Madrid Open, apparently due to a fitness issue, the Spanish event said on April 22. The Madrid Open said on Twitter: “Wishing you a speedy recovery, we hope to see you back on court as soon as possible, Nole.” While no specific reason was given for Djokovic’s withdrawal, he did discuss issues with his elbow recently, mostly downplaying the extent of the problem.

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