Highlights of the day: OJ Simpson, ex-NFL star who was acquitted of murder, dies aged 76

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8:27 PM

OJ Simpson, ex-NFL star who was acquitted of murder, dies aged 76

OJ Simpson, a football star turned suspected murderer, has died, according to a statement by his family.

 

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Simpson’s account carried a simple message from his family.

 

“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” the statement said.

7:13 PM

Padma Shri S Damodaran's unique campaign; makes garlands, sells vegetables

Independent candidate from Trichy Lok Sabha seat Padma Shri S Damodaran indulges in making flower garland and sells vegetables as the part of Election Campaign

7:13 PM

US FAA proposes airworthiness directive for certain Boeing 747-400F airplanes, notice shows

The US Federal Aviation Administration has proposed an airworthiness directive for certain Boeing 747-400F series airplanes that would require applying cap seals to certain fastener collars inside the fuel tanks, according to a federal government notice.

7:10 PM

Principal among 3 arrested after bus carrying schoolchildren overturned in Haryana

Principal among 3 arrested after bus carrying schoolchildren overturned in Haryana, killing 6 students.

 

6:28 PM

Adani's stock prices started rising after 2014: RaGa

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, "PM Modi gave all the benefits to one person. I spoke about it in the Parliament. They took away my membership. The Supreme Court made me the MP again. I had only asked why Adani was visible in every industry... I asked PM Modi what relation he has with Adani. They cancelled my membership and took my house. They think I can be silenced if they take my home. I handed over the keys and said that I do not want your house, I have crores of houses in India. I live in the hearts of crores of people..."

5:41 PM

Israel preparing for scenarios in other areas than Gaza, says Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday that although Israel is still fighting in Gaza, it is also getting ready for contingencies in other fronts. This came amid fears that Iran was getting ready to attack Israel in retaliation for the deaths of senior Iranian commanders.

4:50 PM

Security of our country require us to take certain precautions: Jaishankar on Indo-Myanmar border fencing

After releasing the BJP manifesto in Aizawl, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today stated that the central government decided to fence the Indo-Myanmar border and end the Free Movement Regime (FMR) because the government gives top priority to the country's security. "I think the security of our country, security of our states, including Mizoram, require us to take certain precautions. But the precautions that we are taking right now are in response to a certain situation. Even right now our neighbour is going through a very difficult phase. If things were normal in Myanmar, this would not have happened," Jaishankar said.

4:47 PM

Supreme Court to hear on July 23 plea challenging Lyngdoh panel report on students union polls

The top court will hear on July 23 a petition challenging a recommendation by the Lyngdoh Committee which stipulates that a candidate cannot contest more than once for the post of an office bearer of a students' union. The plea came up for hearing on Wednesday before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan.

4:45 PM

Supreme Court voices concern over 'profuse misuse of social media' on subjudice matters

The top court has expressed concern over misuse of social media platforms with posting of messages, comments and articles on subjudice matters. "It is a matter of serious concern that nowadays there has been a profuse misuse of social media platforms on which messages, comments, articles etc. are being posted in respect of matters pending in Court," a bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose (now retired) and Bela Trivedi said.

The bench made the observation while initiating a contempt action against Assam MLA Karim Uddin Barbhuiya for his misleading Facebook post regarding a case reserved for judgment.

 

"It is a matter of serious concern that nowadays there has been a profuse misuse of social media platforms on which messages, comments, articles etc. are being posted in respect of matters pending in Court.

4:40 PM

Apple warns of Pegasus-like spyware attacks on select individuals

Technology giant Apple has warned its users about ongoing Pegasus-like sophisticated spyware attacks that target a very small number of individuals often journalists, activists, politicians and diplomats. Though deployed against a small number of individuals and often involve exceptional costs, mercenary spyware attacks are "ongoing and global", according to an Apple threat notification.

4:35 PM

News update: China blacklists 2 US defence-related companies over military sales to Taiwan

China on Thursday announced sanctions against two US defence companies over what it says is their support for arms sales to Taiwan.

The announcement freezes the assets of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems held within China.

4:00 PM

J-K update: Fire breaks out in Bandipora forest area

A major fire has broken out in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora forest area. Several fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.

3:40 PM

Vietnam court sentences property tycoon Truong My Lan to death in $12.5bn fraud case

A court in Vietnam has sentenced Truong My Lan, chair of major developer Van Thinh Phat, to death over her role in a $12.5bn financial fraud case, the country’s largest on record. State media reported that Lan was found guilty of embezzlement, bribery and violations of banking rules at the end of a trial in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday.

 

 

3:28 PM

Haryana school bus accident: High-level committee set up to investigate cause

"A high-level committee will probe the incident. FIR to be registered against the school. In March, a fine of Rs 15000 was imposed on this school bus due to incomplete papers. The negligence of the school is very clear in this case. I have ordered for fitness test of all school vehicles to be conducted in the state,"  Haryana Transport Minister Aseem Goel stated on Thursday.

 

3:16 PM

12 Indians arrested in UK visa raids on bedding, cake factories

UK's immigration authorities have taken into eleven men and one woman, all said to be Indian nationals, in a series of raids on suspicion of being in breach of their visa conditions and working illegally at a bedding and cake factory.  mmigration Enforcement officers descended on the bedding and mattress business in the West Midlands region of England following intelligence that illegal work was taking place on-site.

3:11 PM

13 children suffer electrocution injuries at Andhra Pradesh festival

Atleast 13 children sustained injuries because of electrocution during the Ugadi Utsavam celebrations in Chinna Tekur village of Kurnool district, Circle inspector Kiran Kumar of the Kurnool Rural Police Station said today.

3:07 PM

Lindy Cameron appointed as new British high commissioner to India

The UK has appointed Lindy Cameron as its new high commissioner to India. "Lindy Cameron CB OBE has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of India in succession to Alex Ellis CMG who will be transferring to another diplomatic service appointment," a British readout said on Thursday. Cameron will take up her appointment this month.

2:47 PM

Ukraine's parliament passes a controversial law to fill army ranks

After months of delay and thousands of amendments were submitted to water down the initial draft, Ukraine's parliament passed a law today that will govern how the country recruits new conscripts. The law was spurred by a request from the military command, who said Ukraine needs up to 500,000 new recruits to boost army ranks. Exhausted soldiers had no means to rotate out for rest, while many thousands of Ukrainian men continue to evade the draft.

2:42 PM

PM Narendra Modi interacts with top Indian gamers

2:41 PM

SBI refuses to reveal electoral bonds' details under RTI Act

 The State Bank of India (SBI) has refused to disclose under the RTI Act the details of the electoral bonds furnished to the Election Commission (EC), claiming that it is personal information held in a fiduciary capacity, even though the records are in the public domain on the poll panel's website. The court had directed the SBI on February 15 to furnish the complete details of the bonds purchased since April 12, 2019 to the EC, which would publish the information on its   website by March 13. The top court had ruled that the electoral bonds scheme was "unconstitutional and manifestly arbitrary."

2:28 PM

FSIB selects IFCI MD as SIDBI head, Sanjay Shukla for NHB MD

The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, has suggested the name of IFCI Managing Director Manoj Mittal as SIDBI Chairman and Managing Director. Besides, FSIB has recommended the name to Sanjay Shukla as Managing Director of National Housing Bank (NHB). The FSIB  interviewed 21 candidates on April 9 and April 10, the Bureau said. "Keeping in view their performance in the interface, their overall experience and the extant parameters, the Bureau recommended Manoj Mittal for the position of CMD in SIDBI," it said.

2:25 PM

12 Naxalites surrender in Jharkhand: Police

Twelve Maoists surrendered before security personnel in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Thursday, police said. The  were operating in Saranda and Kolhan forests.

2:11 PM

News update: BRS leader K Kavitha arrested by CBI in Tihar jail

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken custody of BRS MLC K Kavitha in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was held in Tihar Jail, where she was lodged after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), they said.

2:07 PM

Vistara flight disruptions: Worst is behind us, says Vistara CEO

After facing major flight delays recently, Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan today told the airline staff that the "worst is behind us" and operations have already stabilised. A shortage of pilots  have forced the Tata Group airline to temporarily cut down capacity by 10 per cent or 25-30 flights daily.

1:58 PM

PM Modi's response on China 'ineffective, feeble', says Congress leader Jairam Ramesh

The Congress today slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "ineffective and feeble" response to China for its border transgressions, and demanded that he apologise to 140 crore Indians for his June 2020 statement that no one has entered India nor has anyone occupied any post.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh stated that "the Prime Minister was at his cowardly worst" in his interview to Newsweek magazine.

1:56 PM

NIA arrests PLFI member in raids across Jharkhand, Assam

Following  raids across two states in coordination with the respective state police forces, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested one person in a case relating to revival attempts by People’s Liberation Front of India ( PLFI). The agency conducted the raids on Wednesday with assistance from local police, at two locations in Jharkhand and two in Assam. The raids led to the arrest of one Binod Munda alias Sukkhwa from Khunti district of Jharkhand.

1:53 PM

Income tax department issues FY25 interim action plan for tax officers

The income tax department has come out with an interim action plan for 2024-25 fiscal year, which includes identification of potential cases of prosecution, wherein there is short-payment of TDS and faster disposal of appeals.

1:01 PM

Russia-Ukraine war update: Russian attack cuts power to 200,000 in Ukraine's Kharkiv

A Russian military offensive on Ukraine's eastern region of Kharkiv cut power links to more than 200,000 consumers on Thursday, Oleksiy Kuleba, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, said.

12:49 PM

Centre extends till May 15 implementation of registration, return filing for pan masala, gutkha firms

The central government  has extended the deadline for implementation of special procedure for registration and monthly return filing of manufacturers of pan masala, gutkha and similar tobacco products till May 15. In January this year, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had announced the introduction of a new registration and monthly return filing procedure effective April 1, 2024.

12:46 PM

Hindus must seek permission to convert to Buddhism: Gujarat govt

The Gujarat government has released a circular clarifying the recognition of Buddhism as an independent religion, The Indian Express (IE) reported. According to the Gujarat government, conversions from Hinduism to Buddhism, Jainism, or Sikhism must receive prior approval from the relevant district magistrate in accordance with the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003.