Bijapur: Reports say that 22 Maoists were killed and an army officer was martyred in an encounter between Maoists and security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur.
The encounter began around 7 am on Thursday in the Bijapur area. A large cache of arms has been recovered from the area.
As part of the anti-Maoist operation, a joint team was deployed under Gangalur police station in the border areas of Bijapur and Dantewada districts. The Maoists attacked them. Encounters and searches are still ongoing in the area.
Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced Eid al-Fitr holidays for private sector employees in the UAE. Accordingly, all private sector employees will have paid holidays from Sunday, March 30 to Tuesday, April 1. If Ramadan ends on 30, the holidays will be extended until Wednesday, April 2, the ministry announced on the X platform.
The Eid holidays for public sector employees were earlier announced by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR). The holidays for federal government employees will be from Shawwal 1 to 3. Work will resume on Shawwal 4. If Ramadan ends in 30 days, there will be an additional public holiday on the 30th.
Voter records will be linked with the Aadhaar database. This will be implemented by the Central Election Commission and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). The Law Ministry will amend Form 6B to show that providing Aadhaar details is voluntary. Voters who refuse to share the information will have to explain the reasons. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting held yesterday.
The linking will be done as per Sections 23(4), 23(5) and 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Senior officials from the Central Election Commission, Home Ministry, Law Ministry, IT Ministry and UIDAI attended the meeting. The decision comes in the backdrop of the opposition alleging irregularities in the voter list.
In 2021, the Center had amended the Representation of the People Act to link Aadhaar and Voter ID. The government informed Parliament that the Aadhaar numbers of about 66 crore people have been collected but have not been linked to voter ID. The Election Commission has concluded that linking Aadhaar and voter ID will reduce the chances of fraud later.
The much-awaited Mega Launch Event of tenth season of Star Singer, a show that has introduced countless musical gems to Malayali audiences, is all set to air on Asianet.
From a pool of over 6,000 participants who auditioned across various parts of Kerala, 35 contestants have been selected to compete in this spectacular Mega Launch Event — their final chance to secure a spot in the exciting journey of Star Singer Season 10.
The official inauguration of the Mega Launch event was marked by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by celebrated music legends like Jerry Amaldev, Ouseppachan, and renowned lyricist Shibu Chakravarthy. They were joined by the distinguished panel of judges for Season 10 — the iconic K.S. Chithra, Vidhu Prathap, Sithara, and Kishan Kumar, Channel Head of Asianet.
Adding star power to the evening were celebrated actresses Manju Warrier and Bhavana, who graced the event as special guests. The lively and charismatic hosting duo Mithun and Varsha brought energy and excitement to the stage.
The Star Singer Season 10 Mega Launch event will be telecast on March 29 and March 30 (Saturday & Sunday) at 7 PM on Asianet. Following the grand launch, the eagerly awaited episodes of Star Singer Season 10 will air from April 5, every Saturday and Sunday at 9 PM. With the inspiring tagline “Star Singer Season 10 – Kerala is Singing”, the show promises to turn Kerala into a melodious celebration. Adding to the excitement, coffee shops across Kerala will become lively hubs for soulful music sessions, creating a unique blend of music and camaraderie.Don’t miss this spectacular start to an unforgettable musical journey!
Thiruvananthapuram: ASHA workers’ strike enters third phase. The strike committee has announced that they will go on a hunger strike from the 20th of this month. Three top leaders will go on an indefinite strike. The ASHA workers’ strike is currently continuing in front of the Secretariat after a month.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to withdraw the honorarium norms, one of the main demands of ASHA workers. The government has issued an order withdrawing all 10 norms set by the government.
A section of ASHA workers are protesting in front of the Secretariat demanding salary hike and payment of honorarium arrears. The strike began on February 10.
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has announced the date of NEET PG 2025 exam. The NEET PG exam is scheduled on June 15. The exam will be conducted in two shifts in a computer-based format.The last date for completing internship for candidates has been fixed as July 31. The complete schedule of NEET PG, including detailed time table and other important information, will be released soon on the official website of NBEMS.The NEET PG exam will provide admission to 12,690 Master of Surgery (MS), 24,360 Doctor of Medicine (MD) and 922 PG Diploma seats in various institutions including All India Quota, State Quota, Deemed/Central Universities and Private Colleges.
more details https://natboard.edu.in/viewNotice.php?NBE=NGNQZks4OE00VmNvdVorL2FuMFNZUT09
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has quashed the state government’s action to appoint a judicial commission in Munambam. However, since the civil court had earlier found that Munambam is a waqf land, the right to take a decision on the waqf land lies with the Waqf Board and the Tribunal.
The court said that the government’s action to appoint the Munambam Judicial Commission is being quashed as the final right to the waqf land belongs to the Waqf Board.
The government failed to provide a proper explanation for the appointment of the commission. The court also clarified that it doubts whether the commission was appointed after a proper study. Moreover, the court found that there was no public interest in appointing the judicial commission.
Bolan: Terrorists hijack a train in Pakistan, take 120 passengers hostage. 6 soldiers were killed in the attack. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has taken responsibility for the attack. They hijacked the Jaffar Express train from Bolan. The terrorists have warned that if there is a military operation, the hostages will be killed.
After stopping the train by setting off an explosion on the railway track, the terrorists gradually took control of the train. There are reports that the engine driver was attacked and injured and that the terrorists who boarded the train opened fire.
The train was going from Quetta to Peshawar with 400 passengers when it was attacked. There are unconfirmed reports that the women, children, and Baloch locals on the train have been freed, and that only those who were part of the Pakistani army, police, Anti-Terrorism Force, and Inter-Services Intelligence have been taken hostage.
Thiruvananthapuram: Sathya Sai Trust Executive Director K N Anandakumar, accused in the half-price fraud case, has been arrested. The action of the Crime Branch comes after the Thiruvananthapuram Principal Sessions Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. The Crime Branch team had reached Anandakumar’s house in the afternoon and taken him into custody. He was taken to the hospital for a medical examination after he said he was undergoing treatment. After the examination, the doctors informed that there were obstacles to arrest him.
It has been found that Anandakumar is the main mastermind behind the fraud by promising to give him a two-wheeler at half the price. In the complaint filed by Kannur Seed Society Secretary A Mohanan, a native of Pallikkunnu Edachery, 7 people including Anandakumar have been named as accused. Charges of breach of trust and cheating have been filed. Anandakumar is the second accused in the case. The first accused is Ananthu Krishnan.
Kochi: The number of aircraft owned by Air India Express has crossed 100. Air India Express Managing Director Alok Singh flagged off the 100th aircraft in Bengaluru.
Earlier this month, Air India Express had flagged off its 100th aircraft to the newly opened Hindon airport. Air India Express is the only airline operating from two airports in the national capital, New Delhi and Hindon. Bengaluru is the main hub of Air India Express with over 445 flights a week. The 100th aircraft features Mural art, a traditional mural art of Karnataka.
Alok Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said that the arrival of the 100th aircraft is a significant milestone in the growth and transformation of Air India Express. Within three years of privatisation, the airline has completed a series of major changes, including a merger with another low-cost airline, more domestic, Gulf and South-Eastern routes, and the acquisition of more fuel-efficient and modern aircraft. He also said that their strong presence in small towns and cities, which play a vital role in the growth of the country, is playing a crucial role in the growth of the Indian aviation sector.
