Cong-JDS MLAs locked up in luxury hotels ahead of today's trust vote The Congress and JD(S) MLAs have been lodged in a luxury resort and hotel in Bengaluru City since the last nine days ahead of the trust vote scheduled to be held today. The Congress has lodged its MLAs at the Hilton Embassy Golflinks at Domlur, while their JD(S) counterparts are staying at Prestige Golfshire Resort off Devanahallion the outskirts of Bengaluru city. Amidst speculations in media about the MLAs not being allowed to even use mobile phones and contact their families, media cell in-charge Sadananda said, "Our MLAs will go back to their constituencies once the floor test is over. Nobody has taken away their mobile phones. They are freely talking to their family members." ______________ EC’s plan B for Simultaneous polls: one year, one election The Election Commission (EC) has now suggested “one year one election” as an alternative to the “one nation one election” proposal, according t...

IMD issues cyclone warning in 5 states, 1 UT The India Meteorological Department on Thursday issued an advisory to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and the Lakshadweep archipelago over cyclonic storm 'Sagar.’The cyclonic storm lay centered over the Gulf of Aden, about 390 km east-northeast of Yemen's Aden city It is very likely to intensify further slightly during the next 12 hours and continue to move westwards for some more time and then move west-southwestwards thereafter, the advisory said. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas of west central and southwest Arabian Sea during the next 48 hours. 'Save the Democracy' day to be held, 4 states await Karnataka's precedent  The Congress is all set to observe 'Save the Democracy day' on Friday to protest against rival BJP. Hours after BJP's BS Yeddyurappa took over as chief minister of Karnataka on Thursday, the Congress has decided to a...

Chennai tourist killed in Kashmir after being hit in stone pelting incident A tourist from Chennai who was visiting Jammu and Kashmir, reportedly passed away after sustaining injuries during a stone pelting incident. Deceased Thirumani succumbed to his injuries in late Monday night after a vehicle he was travelling in got caught in the clashes between security forces and stone pelters. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who visited the deceased’s family in the hospital expressed her grief and said "My head hangs in shame,” according to news reports. Slamming the PDP-BJP government, former CM Omar Abdullah on microblogging site Twitter said, “Let’s try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone pelters & their methods." _________________ Congress’ Mani Shankar creates new controversy with anti BJP comments in Pak Ousted Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Monday made controversial remarks again...

Toronto ‘white van’ road rash kills 10, 16 injured At least 10 people were reported dead and 16 were declared injured after a white van struck pedestrians on a busy Yonge street and Finch Avenue in Toronto, on Monday. The car fled from the scene but was roped at an intersection and the driver was taken into custody. The incident occurred as Cabinet ministers from the major industrial countries were gathered in Canada to discuss a range of international issues in the run-up to the G7 meeting near Quebec City in June. “Our hearts go out to anyone affected,”Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said to media agencies, expressing his grief. _______________ Karnataka Polls 2018: Yeddyurappa son’s will not contest elections BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the upcoming Karnatala Assembly elections, BS Yeddyurappa on Monday announced that his son BY Vijayendra will not be contesting polls for the Varuna constituency seat, quashing possibility of a highly anticipated face-of...

J&K Encounter: 13 terrorists gunned down, 3 jawans & 4 civilians killed At least 12 terrorists and three soldiers were among 20 people killed in three gunfights in the Kashmir Valley on Sunday. Taking to Twitter, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid informed the encounter has been concluded. Three separate encounters took place in the valley -- one in Anantnag during the night and two on Sunday morning in Dragad and Kachdoora villages. As many as 25 others were injured in the encounters. Authorities have ordered the closure of all schools and colleges in the valley on Monday as a precautionary measure. _________________________________ CBSE Paper Leak: HRD ministry suspends official for negligent supervision at centre The Human Resource Ministry on Sunday said a Central Board of Secondary Education official has been suspended for alleged lax supervision of the Class 12 economics examination, reported media. HRD Ministry Sec...

Government withdraws plan for orange passports amidst criticisms The government has scrapped its plan to issue orange colored passports to those who have not passed their Class 10 examination. It has also decided not to discontinue printing the last page of the passport, which is used as a valid proof of address. Critics of the orange passport proposal had said that the move was discriminatory and was against the Right to Equality as it amounts to discrimination and segregation of persons solely on the basis of their education and economic status. Legal experts had also pointed out that although the plan was supposed to protect vulnerable laborers from exploitation abroad, it would instead increase the vulnerability of workers, who are often duped by middlemen who promise them jobs. Taking these criticisms into consideration the Ministry of External Affairs reversed its decision. _______________________ SC, HC judges get 200% salary hike President Ram Nath Kovind ...

Income Inequality in India highest since 1922 Lucas Chancel and Thomas Piketty, renowned economists in their latest report on Wednesday have stated that income inequality in India is highest since 1922- the year in which Income Tax was introduced. The report suggests that Indian income inequality now stands at 22 percent as against the earlier 6 percent in the early 1980s period. In India, the top 1% billionaires in India are responsible for 29% of the economy’s growth, whereas the bottom 50% account for merely 11% of the company’s economic growth. In the 1980’s this band was responsible for 28% of the country’s growth.   Sensex, Nifty close lower as tensions mount over North Korea The Indian benchmark indices lost for the second time in the week on Wednesday as market sentiment was hit due to geopolitical tensions between the US and North Korea. The Sensex fell almost 148 points to 31,661 and the Nifty lost 0.36% and closed at 9,916, after hitting a low of 9,...

Petrol, Diesel may soon  be delivered at your door-step Home delivery of petrol and diesel on pre-booking is being mulled as the world's third-biggest oil consumer experiments with daily price revision at select towns beginning May 1, news agency PTI reported on Friday. The move is being seen as a bid to help consumers avoid spending excessive time and long queues at fuel stations. The ministry through a series of tweets confirmed the development and also stated that a parliamentary consultative committee met in Srinagar to discuss 'digital modes of payment' at all fuel outlets. ___________________________ Fire kills 14 in Madhya Pradesh PDS Centre At least 14 people were burnt alive in a major fire that broke out at a public distribution system (PDS) centre at Bargi village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district on Friday, the police said. Four persons are said to be injured and one is in critical condition, police officials added. MP government ...