Morning Digest: April 12, 2023

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and other dignitaries at the release of first list of BJP candidates list for the Karnataka Assembly election 2023 in New Delhi on April 11, 2023.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Karnataka Assembly elections 2023 | BJP announces first list of 189 with 52 new faces

The ruling BJP on Tuesday announced its first list of candidates for 189 constituencies of the total 224 in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly that are going to polls on May 10. The highlight of the list is that it has 52 new faces on the lines of the Gujarat experiment, though the number of replaced incumbent MLAs does not match the Gujarat figures.

Unfazed India to hold G-20 event in Leh

In a strong message to China, the government plans to hold its next G-20 engagement group meeting in Leh this month, exactly three years since security forces first detected unusual numbers of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops amassing along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh. The meeting of the Youth-20 Summit, or Y-20, will be held from April 26 to 28 in Leh, bringing together about 80 delegates from nearly every G-20 country, officials said.

India set to grow by 5.9% this fiscal: IMF

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that India’s economy will grow by 5.9% for the current fiscal year April 2023 – March 2024, a downward revision of 0.2 percentage points since the January forecast. The IMF estimated a 6.3% economic growth rate for India for the next fiscal year, a downward revision of 0.5 percentage points from the last forecast. The IMF maintained an optimistic outlook on India, explaining the down revision as an adjustment for historical numbers that were better than expected.

My disqualification biggest gift, Rahul Gandhi says in Wayanad

A roadshow under the banner ‘Sathayameva Jayathe’ led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi evoked massive response in the hill town of Kalpetta on Tuesday. This was Mr. Gandhi’s first visit to Wayanad since his disqualification as an MP. Braving scorching heat, Mr. Gandhi, who was accompanied by his sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and senior leaders of the United Democratic Front (UDF), rode on an open truck.

IPL 2023: DC vs MI | Rohit finally finds his touch as Mumbai wins a last-ball thriller against Delhi

When Mumbai Indians stole a last-ball six-wicket victory, Ricky Ponting’s exasperated look said it all. Delhi Capitals’ winless streak had stretched to four and it remained at the bottom of the table. Despite making heavy weather of the chase, Mumbai Indians tasted its first win of the season.

NCERT revisions, deletions | Students in the dark on syllabus for competitive exams in 2024

Following the rationalisation of the syllabus this academic year, students and parents have had no clarity on how much the NCERT syllabus for Class 11 and 12 will be used for testing in competitive exams. While schools have made it clear that they would only cover the syllabus prescribed by the Board, parents are now having to pay several lakhs to the ever-growing sector of dummy/integrated schools, coaching classes and private tuitions to bridge the gap.

Congress questions LIC’s increased holding in Adani Enterprises despite 60% drop in market value of shares

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India is being used to bail out the Adani Group, the Congress alleged on Tuesday as it questioned the public sector financial giant buying 3.75 lakh crores of shares of Adani Enterprises between January and March this year despite the market value of the company’s stocks declining by almost 60% during this period. Taking to Twitter, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the new revelations made it essential to have a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the Adani Group.

NCP will not oppose JPC probe into Adani issue for sake of Opposition unity, says Sharad Pawar

In a  volte face from his earlier opposition to a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into allegations levelled against the Adani Group by short-selling firm Hindenburg, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said that he would not oppose a JPC probe for the sake of maintaining Opposition unity.

Airstrikes on Myanmar village feared to have killed 100

Airstrikes by Myanmar’s military on April 11 killed as many as 100 people, including many children, who were attending a ceremony held by opponents of army rule, said a witness, a member of a local pro-democracy group and independent media. The military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter a widespread armed struggle against its rule, which began in February 2021 when it seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. More than 3,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed since then by security forces.

BJP leaders hit back at Sonia Gandhi, term her article example of misplaced priorities

Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Dharmendra Pradhan took a jibe at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over her newspaper article on democracy and independence of institutions, saying it was an “illusory” statement of the highest improbity and a “classic example of Modi hatred”. The Ministers hit back at the former Congress president after she accused the Narendra Modi government of “misusing every power”.

Trudeau provides more Ukraine aid, dismisses site being down

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more military aid to support Ukraine in its war with Russia while hosting Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Toronto on April 11 (Tuesday). The new military assistance includes 21,000 assault rifles, 38 machine guns, and over 2.4 million rounds of ammunition.