Dinesh Trivedi (file photo)

New Delhi: BJP leader and former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi is likely to be appointed India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, with his “extensive experience” cited as a key factor, PTI reported citing sources.If confirmed, Trivedi, who hails from West Bengal, which shares a border with Bangladesh, would be a rare political appointment to the ambassadorial post.Prannoy Verma, who was serving as India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, was on Friday appointed as the next Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union. Verma, a 1994 batch diplomat, took charge as High Commissioner to Dhaka in September 2022.According to reports, New Delhi is considering appointing a political figure to the key diplomatic post in Dhaka amid efforts to reset bilateral ties following the formation of a new government led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Tariq Rahman in February.India-Bangladesh relations saw a significant deterioration under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which took charge in August 2024 after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in student-led protests.Trivedi, 75, served as Railway Minister and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare during the Congress-led UPA government as a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He was later elected to the Rajya Sabha from West Bengal and was also a Lok Sabha MP from Barrackpore. He left TMC in February 2021 and joined BJP, which has been the country’s ruling party since May 2014.Although there has been no formal announcement, BJP IT cell chief and co-in-charge of West Bengal Amit Malviya has posted a congratulatory message for Trivedi on social media.Malviya wrote on Twitter, “Congratulations to senior BJP leader, former Union Minister and Barrackpore MP Shri Dinesh Trivedi on being appointed as the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh.”

Here are the top 5 news of the day

PM Modi targeted TMCPromised Rs 5 lakh Free healthcare for women in bengal

PM Modi stepped up his election campaign in West Bengal, focusing on women-centric welfare schemes and criticizing Trinamool Congress for opposing the Women’s Reservation Bill. At a rally in Bankura, he promised free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh, financial assistance for pregnant women and free dialysis if the BJP comes to power. Read the full story

‘Who is he?’: Pezeshkian hits out at Trump over nuclear remarks

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian questioned the US authority to restrict Iran’s nuclear program and said Washington has no legal basis to deny Iran access to its technology. He also criticized Donald Trump, asking, “Who is he who deprives a country of its rights?” Read the full story

Shooting in Italy: Two Indians killed near place of worship in Bergamo

Two Indian men were shot dead in Covo in Italy’s Bergamo province while they were coming out of a warehouse being used as a place of worship during Vaisakhi celebrations. The firing took place late Friday night. The victims were identified as Raginder Singh, 48, of Covo, and Gurmit Singh, 48, of Agnadello. Read the full story

Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh announce second pregnancy

Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh announced their second pregnancy through a heart-touching social media post. The post features a family photo which seems to hint at Deepika’s baby bump, which has created a stir among fans and the film industry. Read the full story

IPL 2026: KKR made a splash in the beginning while chasing the target of 156 runs against Rajasthan Royals

KKR, chasing the target, got off to an early start as Rajasthan Royals clean bowled Tim Seifert for a golden duck with Jofra Archer on the very first ball. Nandre Berger then reduced the damage by dismissing Ajinkya Rahane for a duck on his second ball, leaving Kolkata Knight Riders at 21/2 after 3 overs while chasing 156 against the Royals. Follow live updates

a top operator of Lashkar-e-TaibaOmar Harris alias “Khargosh” (Rabbit), who has roots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is now believed to be in Saudi Arabia after fleeing India using a fake passport, officials told PTI on Sunday. The document was issued under the name “Sajjad”, in which Harris described himself as a resident of Rajasthan. Officials said the investigation into the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror module is being led by Srinagar Police, which has shared details with central agencies, raising concerns over systemic lapses enabling such abuses.The case registered by Jammu and Kashmir Police earlier this month is likely to be handed over National Investigation Agency (NIA). Meanwhile, important details have already been shared with the state police forces to take prompt action and plug critical deficiencies, officials told PTI.Contrary to earlier reports linking Omar Harris to Karachi, investigators have now established that he hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.He reportedly joined Lashkar-e-Taiba to escape police action, before the terrorist organization pushed into Jammu and Kashmir in 2012, with several arson cases pending against him in Karachi.Harris earned the nickname “Rabbit” due to his ability to move quickly and avoid safety nets. According to investigators, after infiltrating the Kashmir Valley from the northern side, he stayed in Bandipora and Srinagar, and eventually married the daughter of a Lashkar-e-Taiba Over Ground Worker (OGW). The Nikah was conducted in Jaipur under his fake identity “Sajjad”.Officials said the marriage documents later became crucial in supporting his application for an Indian passport, a revelation that has raised serious questions about flaws in the verification systems. The revelation of the interstate module by the Srinagar Police has exposed systemic flaws, particularly how passports can be issued in Rajasthan despite established checks. Also read: Not card but code, identification is done through QR in terror affected PahalgamInvestigators believe Harris fled to Indonesia and later went to Saudi Arabia between 2024 and 2025 using another forged travel document. Efforts are now underway through diplomatic channels to secure his deportation.Fresh details emerged as Srinagar Police busted a “deep-rooted” inter-state LeT module with the arrest of five operatives, including Pakistani terrorist Abdullah alias Abu Huraira, who was on the run for 16 years and had established bases outside Jammu and Kashmir.The arrest of Abdullah along with another Pakistani national Usman alias Khubaib is a major breakthrough, coming six months after we dismantled a “white-collar” terror cell linked to Faridabad’s Al Falah University.During questioning, Abdullah revealed details of his and Harris’s activities across India, particularly in Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. This included a Jaipur wedding, after which the bride’s father was detained for allegedly knowing about Harris’s real identity, officials said.The operation, launched on March 31 and closely monitored by DGP Nalin Prabhat, has also thrown light on LeT’s financing and financial networks. Investigators say the group relied heavily on forged identities and documents to build a multi-state network.Those arrested included three residents of Srinagar, Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat and Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Mama, who were accused of providing shelter, food and logistics support. The network began to be exposed with the arrest of Naqeeb Bhat from Pandach area, where police recovered a pistol and incriminating material.During interrogation, Bhat admitted his links with Lashkar-e-Taiba, saying he purchased weapons from another associate, Adil Rashid of Zakura, and provided support to foreign terrorists. His revelations led the police to Mir and Rashid Bhat, both active operatives, and helped uncover several hideouts in the forested areas around Srinagar.Officials told both pakistani terrorist They are classified as ‘A+’ terrorists and had infiltrated into India about 16 years ago, and have been active in the Kashmir Valley over the years, “commanding” about 40 foreign terrorists, most of whom have been neutralized.The bust comes nearly six months after the “Al Falah module” was exposed in November 2025, when a Srinagar Police investigation revealed a network of radicalized professionals, many of whom were doctors.One of the accused, Omar-un Nabi of Al Falah University, was behind the blast in a car packed with explosives outside the Red Fort on November 10, killing more than a dozen people. Officials said he had previously made an unsuccessful attempt to join terrorist groups in 2016 and 2018.

Mamta Banerjee (file photo)

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday reacted sharply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of opposition parties, including TMC, over the failure of the Women’s Reservation Bill.In a long message shared on social media, he accused the Prime Minister of misleading the country instead of directly addressing the concerns. He also defended his party All India Trinamool CongressStating that it has consistently supported women’s political representation.He wrote, “It is extremely unfortunate that the Prime Minister chose to mislead the nation instead of addressing it honestly.” He further said that Parliament and state legislatures have the highest proportion of women representatives. He said, “The question of opposing women’s reservation does not arise and has never arisen.”However, Mamata made it clear that her party opposes the proposed delimitation process and alleged that the Center is trying to push it by using women’s reservation for political gains. “We are fundamentally protesting against the delimitation process which the Modi government is conspiring to push forward by using women as a shield for its vested political agenda,” he wrote.Claiming that such steps would change the Constitution, he said, “This is an attack on federal democracy. And we will not watch it happen quietly.” Questioning the timing of the bill, the West Bengal CM asked why the government delayed implementing the bill after it was passed in September 2023 and why it was being linked to delimitation. He also criticized the Prime Minister for not addressing Parliament directly. “Next time you address the nation, have the courage to do so from the floor of Parliament,” he wrote, calling his comments “cowardly, hypocritical and double-spoken.”He said, “What you did yesterday was cowardly, hypocritical and cowardly. You can feel power slipping through your fingers. And you are ready to go to any extent to hold on to power for a short period of time.”His reaction came after PM Modi, in his address to the nation on Saturday night, accused opposition parties of blocking the bill. “For us, national interest comes first. But for some people, when party interest becomes everything, women empowerment and national interest suffers,” she said. “The women of this country have had to pay the price for the selfish politics of parties like Congress, DMK, TMC and SP,” she said.

Congress MP Manikam Tagore

New Delhi: As the defeat of the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha has triggered a political debate on women’s reservation, Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Sunday said he is ready to give up his Virudhunagar seat for a woman candidate if 33 per cent reservation is implemented in existing constituencies.Tagore also asked a question in a post on X PM Modi And Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “If 33% reservation is implemented in all 543 constituencies as promised in the 2023 Women’s Reservation Act, I am ready to leave the Virudhunagar seat for sister. But why are Modi and Shah not ready to leave Varanasi and Gandhinagar? Why is there this hesitation?”“Instead, they talk about creating new seats – clearly avoiding real social change. Women’s reservation cannot be symbolic or selective. It should be fair, immediate and should not be delayed through delimitation of existing constituencies or diversion tactics. The battle is simple: genuine representation versus political convenience,” Tagore said.The bill, which sought to implement women’s reservation with delimitation-related provisions, failed to garner the required two-thirds majority, receiving 298 votes in favor and 230 against.It proposed to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 543 to 816 seats with 33 percent reservation for women as per the delimitation based on the 2011 census. Following its defeat, the government decided not to proceed with two other related bills.In his address to the nation, PM Modi criticized opposition parties for blocking the bill and said they have “crushed” women’s dreams despite the government’s efforts. She described the defeat as “a blow to women’s self-respect” and said voters would remember “an insult to their pride”.The Prime Minister also said that the proposed amendment under the Nari Shakti Vandan Act aims to expand opportunities for women and strengthen their representation in governance. He further accused the Congress of historically obstructing reforms and alleged that its approach of “delay, distract, obstruct” has slowed down national progress.

Tamil Nadu elections: Vijay’s TVK supports independent candidate in Edappadi’s Salem, calls for ‘appropriate lesson’

New Delhi: Ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on April 23, actor-turned-politician Vijay has announced that his party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), will support an independent candidate in the high-profile Edappadi constituency. This step has been taken after the party’s official candidate was unable to field.In a post on Twitter on Sunday, Vijay urged voters in Salem district to support his fan club’s former administrator K Premkumar, calling him “our own brother”. He said the party has “unanimously decided to support” Premkumar, who is contesting under the “television set” symbol.“Therefore, I would like to inform you that, on behalf of our Tamil Nadu Vijay League, we have unanimously decided to support our former administrator, Shri K Premkumar,” Vijay said while appealing to voters to ensure his victory by a “huge margin”, as reported by PTI.The TVK chief also struck a sharply political tone, calling on supporters to deliver a result that would serve as a “fair lesson” to those who allegedly tried to suppress the party symbol through “underhanded means”.

Nomination setback signals strategic shift

Premkumar’s support comes after the Election Commission rejected the nomination of TVK’s official candidate Arun Kumar on technical grounds, forcing the party to realign its strategy in the constituency. Premkumar is now being projected as the “emotional candidate” of the party.Edappadi assembly seat is considered to be the stronghold of AIADMK general secretary and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, making the contest politically significant.The development comes days after Vijay unveiled TVK’s manifesto for the elections, which outlined a host of welfare measures including monthly financial assistance for women, interest-free loans for self-help groups, employment generation initiatives and expanded health care coverage.Launched in February 2024, TVK is contesting its first assembly elections, presenting itself as a challenger to the established Dravidian parties in the state.

“Bhagya Lakshmi” – one of the two Indian-flagged tankers – returned to the Strait of Hormuz after being denied passage by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy following Iran’s announcement to close the narrow waterway.In a video shared by an Iranian journalist on Twitter, the ship’s crew members can be heard requesting permission to cross the Strait of Hormuz, while trying to communicate with the Iranian navy.Also read: Indian ship’s frantic distress call during Hormuz shootout revealed However, the Iranian Navy informed the ship that it did not have access.“Iranian Navy, it is bhagya lakshmi. I read you loud and clear,” a crew member said.On the other hand, the Iranian Navy asked the ship to “immediately return”. Bhagya Lakshmi complied.Meanwhile, another distress call emerged from the Sanmar Herald. A crew member aboard the crude oil tanker said, “SEPA Navy. SEPA Navy. This is the motor tanker Sanmar Herald. You cleared me to go. My name is second on your list. You are firing now. Let me go back,” the man was heard saying.Two Indian-flagged tankers returned to the Strait of Hormuz after reportedly being fired upon by Iranian gunmen yesterday, as the waterway – through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes – remains at the center of confusion amid tensions between the US, Israel and Iran. Sources said no one was injured in the firing and there was no damage to the ships.According to Reuters, ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday received radio messages from Iran’s navy telling them they were not allowed to pass, while two ships were reported fired upon. The report said several commercial ships attempted to transit the strait after a notice to sailors a day earlier said passage was permitted but would be limited to lanes deemed safe by Iran.Meanwhile, India has expressed concern over the safety of merchant ships and sailors following reports of firing on commercial ships. The Ministry of External Affairs said that Iran had earlier also helped in ensuring safe passage for many ships bound for India.Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri urged the Iranian ambassador to convey New Delhi’s concerns to officials in Tehran and to quickly resume the process of facilitating safe passage for Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The Ambassador assured that India’s concerns would be conveyed.As Iran addressed the incident of firing on Indian-flagged ships in the Strait of Hormuz amid rising regional tensions, its top representative in India stressed strong ties and called for peace.“Relations between Iran and India are very strong and I do not know anything about this incident that you have mentioned and we hope it will be fine and resolved,” said Dr. Abdul Majeed Hakim Elahi, representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in India.Iran’s Joint Military Command later said that control over the strait had returned to “strict management” by the armed forces.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned through the Tasnim news agency that ships approaching the strait could be considered to be operating in support of hostile forces and could be targeted.