Trending

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurating Tamil Nadu’s Pamban bridge today, mocked the Opposition, saying they are like people who cry without any reason. In the backdrop of Chief Minister MK Stalin’s complaints about delimitation and the third language issue, PM Modi pointed out that the funds allocated for the rail projects of the state has gone up nearly seven times. 

“The infrastructure of Tamil Nadu is a top priority for the government… Before 2014, only Rs 900 crore were received every year for rail projects and you all know who was heading the INDI Alliance at that time. This time Tamil Nadu’s rail budget is more than Rs 6000 crore… This year, Tamil Nadu’s railway budget is more than 6,000 crore rupees,” he said amid allegations of inadequate allocation of funds.

The government is also modernising 77 railway stations, including the one in Rameswaram, he said.

Pointing to the Centre’s largesse in another area, he said, “Over the last 10 years, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, a lot of work has been done on village roads and highways”.

“After 2014, with the help of the central government, around 4,000 km of roads have been built in Tamil Nadu,” he added.

Chief Minister Stalin has repeatedly alleged that the Centre has been attempting to curb the southern states – politically through delimitation and culturally through the three-language policy. The Centre, he said, has made it clear that the state’s funds will be held back if it did not follow the National Education policy.

These, however, were not the issues PM Modi referred to. H, instead, took on the leaders of Tamil Nadu for signing in English and not in Tamil and challenged the state to introduce medical education in Tamil.

As Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Pamban bridge, Mr Stalin skipped the event, inaugurating a government-run medical college high in the Nilgiris. In his address even today, he demanded that the centre give a firm commitment that the present proportion of MPs in parliament will be protected.

“Through this meeting, I want to ask PM Modi to allay the just fears of Tamil Nadu. From the soil of Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister should give an assurance that  the proportion and percentage of MPs in states that have controlled population will not come down,; he said, demanding a constitutional amendment in this respect.

The BJP has failed to open its account in Tamil Nadu I the last two general elections. Now with its majority gone in parliament, as it navigates coalition politics at the centre, it is looking for new states to expand in. Most of the northern states being saturated, the paty has now cast its eyes on the south.
 

The Indian film industry is mourning the loss of legendary actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, who passed away early on Friday morning, 4 April 2025. His death has deeply saddened fans and people across the country, with tributes coming in from all parts of the film world. The ‘Purab Aur Paschim’ actor was given a state funeral at the Pawan Hans crematorium on Saturday. Many Bollywood stars, including Abhishek Bachchan, Salim Khan, and Arbaaz Khan, attended to pay their last respects.

Prayer meet held in Mumbai
On Sunday, the Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA) held a quiet prayer meeting in his memory. The gathering took place at JW Marriott in Juhu from 4 to 6 PM. Friends, actors, and filmmakers came together to remember and honor the veteran star.

In an official message, CINTAA said, ‘With deep sorrow, CINTAA shares the prayer meet details of Shri Manoj Kumar Ji (Shri Harikrishan Goswami), on behalf of the Goswami Parivar.’ The group also praised his work, adding, ‘He made the nation and all of us proud with his zeal, vision and cinematic excellence.’
Family and industry members arrive for the prayer meet
Manoj Kumar’s wife, Shashi Goswami, arrived at the prayer meeting along with their sons and other family members. The gathering, held to honour the late actor’s memory, saw the presence of many well-known names from the film industry.

Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh and his wife Rukmini Sahay were among the first to reach the venue. They were soon joined by producer Ashok Pandit, actor-director Farhan Akhtar, who came with his mother and veteran writer Honey Irani, and actress Esha Deol.

All came together to pay their respects remember ‘Kranti’ actors’ lasting legacy and to celebrate the life and contributions of a man who was not only a film icon but also a symbol of national pride.

As Indian equity markets panic turn and exporters brace for US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs to kick in, the question is – will it be as harsh as feared? Regardless of gloom forecasters, pragmatism is the key.

Trump has imposed a flat 26% tariff on Indian exports to the US in addition to a baseline duty of 10% applicable to all countries. The latter came into force on April 5 and the country-specific duty will go live Wednesday.

The worst impact will be felt by the electronics, gems, and jewellery sectors, experts fear. But that impact will be limited and short-term because of the country’s moderate share in global exports. The impact of the tariffs on competing economies is another aspect that may end up benefiting India, sources said.

Advantage India?

The US has imposed higher tariffs against countries like China, Vietnam and Indonesia – which compete with India in the export sector – and Indian exporters will benefit from this, said sources. India has the first mover advantage since it is the only country that began negotiations with the US for a Bilateral Trade Agreement, they said.

China, a major manufacturing hub that caters to the world, has retaliated to the Trump tariffs by imposing 34 per cent duty on the US. But India did not make any such move. This was a wise play that gives India an edge in trade talks, sources said.

They also pointed out that the US sent its officials only to India for negotiations on tariffs after Trump took office in January. India and US are now trying to expedite the bilateral trade agreement that will be mutually beneficial and will cover a range of issues including deepening supply chain integration, according to the Commerce Ministry.

India is negotiating with seven countries for a free trade agreement and trade talks will soon begin with Bahrain and Qatar, sources pointed out, suggesting that such deals would resolve the tariff tangle. New Delhi will also find new markets for its marine and jewellery products and other sectors impacted by the tariffs, they said.

Should Exporters Fear?

India’s share in global exports has doubled between 2005 and 2023. It stood at 2.4 per cent in 2023, according to a report by the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The share of merchandise exports was 1.8 per cent and that of services export was 4.3 per cent.

“The US is the world’s biggest economy and their global multi-sector tariffs will have an immediate impact on our exporters, but India does not have a big share in global exports, so this won’t impact us a lot in the long term,” said PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) CEO Ranjeet Mehta while talking to NDTV.

The industry body assesses the tariffs on Indian exports could impact only 0.1% of the GDP due to the country’s price competitiveness and supportive government policies.

“Strong domestic manufacturing, continued government handholding by (introducing) strategic policy measures like the PLI, Make in India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, among others, will support India’s growth resilience,” said Hemant Jain, president, PHDCCI.

‘New Business Models Will Emerge’

At the same time, the tariffs will provide Indian exporters an opportunity to expand their footprint, said Mr Mehta, pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “apada me avsar” call to find opportunities amid challenges during the Covid pandemic.

“New business models and policies will emerge from this global tariff war. Even during a global disaster like the pandemic, India managed to find opportunities,” said Mr Mehta.

Diversification and innovation will be key that will sustain Indian exporters despite the challenges. Mr Mehta suggests that India must look for new opportunities and adapt to the changing scenario.

“India is a very big market of 1.4 billion people. Our consumption is huge. India is still the fastest-growing economy in emerging markets. But we must look at new opportunities and create new models. We must create a new ecosystem that will help us make our products more innovative and useful,” he said.

Opportunities Worth $50 Billion

The Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) expects market opportunities to grow by over $50 billion for Indian sellers due to the tariffs. “We assess that in the next two to three years, Indian exporters will have a market opportunity of more than $ 50 billion in the international market due to the reciprocal tariff imposed by the US,” FIEO CEO Ajay Sahai told NDTV.

Ajay Srivastava, founder of think-tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), too said the tariffs present a strategic opportunity for New Delhi to boost its presence in global trade and manufacturing. The textile industry may benefit from this. Higher tariffs on countries like China and Bangladesh may allow Indian garment manufacturers to gain market share, he said.

Higher tariffs may put Vietnam and Thailand on the back foot and India – with initiatives like the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme – may help the domestic electronics manufacturers better position themselves in the global markets, he said. Similarly, with Taiwan facing higher tariffs from US, India has the potential to emerge as a preferred destination for semiconductor manufacturing.

Microsoft co-founder and former CEO Bill Gates is interviewed by host Brenda Song during a 50th Anniversary event at Microsoft headquarters, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Redmond, Wash. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Microsoft is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month, and co-founder Bill Gates sat down with current CEO Satya Nadella. Among all the conversations, he opened up about one critical misstep during the company’s early days when Gates himself was the CEO, and that was underestimating the importance of government relations.
“You know, I might tell my younger self, watch out for the government,” Gates said during a recent podcast featuring all three CEOs who have led Microsoft throughout its half-century history. “I was pretty naive about not engaging in Washington, DC, as soon as I should have.”
This political naivety ultimately led to a massive antitrust case against Microsoft in the 1990s, when the US Department of Justice alleged the tech giant was becoming a monopoly. The legal battle resulted in a 2000 ruling that Microsoft had violated antitrust laws, with an initial order to split the company in two—though an appeals court later overturned this decision.

Another mistake Bill Gates made as CEO of MIcrosoft

Gates’ Washington mistake wasn’t his only regret. He also acknowledged misconceptions about team building during Microsoft’s formative years.
“I certainly at first thought that engineering skill meant you would be good at other things. That turned out to be wrong,” Gates admitted. “We had to really build teams in a more mixed, diverse set of skills than I expected.”
The billionaire philanthropist has previously shared advice he would give his younger self, noting in a 2017 Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session that “smartness is not single-dimensional and not quite as important as I thought it was back then.”
Despite these early missteps, Microsoft has grown into one of the world’s most valuable companies under the leadership of Gates, Steve Ballmer, and current CEO Satya Nadella. Now a tech behemoth that revolutionized personal computing, Microsoft’s journey from startup to industry titan stands as a testament to its ability to learn from mistakes—including Gates’ early political oversight.

A 24-year-old woman died in a rollercoaster accident at a popular amusement park on the outskirts of Delhi, just months before her wedding. The victim, identified as Priyanka, was visiting the Fun and Food Village near Kapashera in South West Delhi with her fiance on Thursday when the ride malfunctioned, leading to a fatal fall.

According to the police, Priyanka had gone to the water and amusement park with her fiance, Nikhil. The trip turned deadly when the structural support of a rollercoaster ride gave way while the couple was aboard. Priyanka, seated in the swing-like ride, plummeted from a height when the stand broke. She sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a hospital by Nikhil, where she died of her injuries.

Priyanka had been engaged since January 2023. The wedding was scheduled for February 2026. According to her family, she wanted to secure her financial independence before marriage. Working as a sales manager at a private telecom company in neighbouring Noida, Priyanka had told her parents she wanted to help support her family before marrying Nikhil.

Her family, residing in Chanakyapuri, consented to the delay in marriage. So did Nikhil, who lives in Najafgarh. According to Priyanka’s brother Mohit, the couple remained close and supportive of each other’s aspirations.

According to the police, the couple reached the amusement park around 1 pm on Thursday. After spending the early part of the day on water rides, they headed to the amusement section in the evening. At approximately 6:15 pm, they boarded the rollercoaster ride.

Nikhil told police that as the swing reached its highest point, a supporting stand broke, causing Priyanka to fall. Her injuries were severe. Police confirmed visible trauma on the body, including a laceration on the right leg, a puncture wound on the left leg, and other injuries on her forearm and knee.

Police arrived at the hospital to collect the medical report and later handed over the body to her family after a post-mortem. An FIR has been registered under sections 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animals or machinery) and 106 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which recently replaced the Indian Penal Code.

There has been no official comment yet from the management of Fun and Food Village. The park has not issued a statement or responded to media inquiries. The section of the park where the accident occurred remains shut.

KATHMANDU: Beneath the cluttered skyline of tangled wires, scaffolds, prayer flags, and pro-monarchy banners fluttering over recent protests, entrepreneurs and business owners in Kathmandu have grown accustomed to fast-changing ministries just as they have to the valley’s notoriously erratic weather.
Across boardrooms, shop floors and startup hubs, one sentiment rises above the rest: political stability, regardless of who delivers it-king or elected leader-is now the most valuable currency in Nepal’s economy.
Since declaring itself a federal democratic republic in 2008, Nepal has cycled through 12 prime ministers. Most held office just long enough to introduce fresh policies, which their successors promptly scrapped or reversed.
The consequences, entrepreneurs say, aren’t just political. They affect operations. Each new regime, entrepreneurs say, arrives not just with a different tone but with a dramatically different playbook. Business policies shift abruptly – from tax incentives to trade norms – often reversing the decisions of the previous administration. For those investing capital or hiring at scale, this volatility makes long-term planning feel less like strategy and more like guesswork.
“We’re not concerned about the political system,” said a hotelier in Thamel. “What we need is stability and regimes that take consistent decisions.”
This inconsistency has contributed to a steady exodus of Nepali workers. Over 6 lakh Nepalis –people say the true figure is higher — left the country last year for jobs abroad, mainly in Malaysia, South Korea and the Gulf. For many, migration has become a substitute for economic opportunity at home. Labour migration, once seen as a temporary fix, has become a structural feature of the economy. The economic footprint of this exodus is staggering. Remittances touched nearly $11 billion in 2023, accounting for over a quarter of Nepal’s GDP. The money keeps families afloat, funds education, builds homes – and props up a national economy struggling with investment uncertainty and anaemic job creation.
But the business community knows that exporting human capital is no long-term growth model. With domestic opportunity stalling, they are looking outward for trade, investment, and regional infrastructure partnerships – particularly with India. In 2022-23, India accounted for 64% of Nepal’s total trade, valued at approximately $8.85 billion, according to India’s ministry of external affairs. Yet entrepreneurs believe much of that relationship remains under-leveraged.
Two newly built international airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa remain underutilised, despite significant investment. Entrepreneurs cite aviation restrictions as one reason growth remains stifled. Himalayan Airlines, which has Chinese investors, has not been granted permission to fly to Indian cities. To be sure, Nepal has long requested new air entry points into India – via Janakpur, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar – to shorten routes and improve connectivity. But progress has been slow, with Indian authorities citing security sensitivities, particularly near the Gorakhpur airbase. For now, all international flights into Nepal must detour through Simara, adding fuel costs and operational inefficiencies. “We understand the concerns,” said an aviation executive. “But we believe there’s space for flexibility that can benefit both nations.”
On land, too, mobility remains uneven. Indian vehicles entering Nepal face nominal fees – Nepal Rs 250-500 (INR 150-300) per day – and little paperwork.
In contrast, Nepali vehicles crossing into India are subject to cumbersome requirements: prior approvals, bank guarantees and multiple layers of documentation. Even individual movement faces friction. Entrepreneurs report delays in visa processing and heightened scrutiny at Indian airports.

Madikeri/Bengaluru: BJP on Saturday launched a fierce protest at Kushalnagar, Kodagu district, demanding that two Congress MLAs be named in the FIR linked to the alleged suicide of opposition party worker Vinay Somaiah.
The protest escalated into a tense standoff with police, even as chief minister Siddaramaiah accused BJP of indulging in “politics over death” and home minister G Parameshwara ruled out a CID probe for now.
BJP state president BY Vijayendra, MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, former MP Pratap Simha, and former speaker K G Bopaiah were among several senior functionaries detained by police as they attempted to lay siege to the office of the deputy superintendent of police at Kushalnagar.
The protest turned chaotic with a large number of BJP workers raising slogans against police and the govt. The party demanded that Virajpet MLA AS Ponnanna and Madikeri legislator Mantar Gowda be named in the FIR, based on a purported death note allegedly posted by Somaiah in a WhatsApp group before he died by suicide in Bengaluru on Friday.
Initially, his family refused to conduct his final rites until the two MLAs were named in the FIR. They relented after the senior BJP functionaries were detained, and the cremation was held at Gonimaruru village in Somwarpet.
Following a complaint from the deceased man’s elder brother Jeevan KS, a case was registered against Congress worker Thennira Maheena and others. However, the two MLAs were not named in the FIR despite being mentioned in the handwritten complaint.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah dismissed BJP’s demand. “We can’t respond to BJP’s demands. BJP people are frustrated and they are saying such things. They are doing politics over death. BJP often does this,” he said.
Home minister G Parameshwara assured that police would act in accordance with the law. “The police department is investigating. Somaiah posted a detailed note on WhatsApp, and police will analyse everything and take action,” he said. On the possibility of a CID probe, he said, “If necessary it may be done, but at present, we don’t see the need.”
Vijayendra earlier alleged that police stations were functioning like Congress offices and accused the ruling party of shielding its MLAs. “It is under MLAs’ pressure and oppression that our karyakarta has committed suicide.
Let it take any amount of time. Until the officials get permission from the magistrate court and mention MLAs’ names in the FIR, we will wait. If they don’t do it, police will be responsible for the things that may happen. Police should not allow the law and order situation to deteriorate under political pressure,” Vijayendra said.
——–
Quote
I can only say an FIR has already been registered and an investigation is going on. At this stage, I don’t want to interfere in the case. I don’t want to make any statement
-Siddaramaiah, chief minister

Barcelona vs Real Betis LIVE Streaming, La Liga: Where And How To Watch© AFP

PBKS vs RR LIVE Score, IPL 2025 LIVE Cricket Updates© BCCI/Sportzpics

NEW DELHI: Around five years back, the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) organised open nets for its Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) probables at a Delhi University (DU) college ground. Among the hundreds who had assembled was a young Digvesh Singh Rathi who got a chance to bowl after observing action from the sidelines.
The batters, featuring plenty of Indian Premier League (IPL) regulars, were hitting the ball out of the small North Campus ground, and one of Rathi’s deliveries received similar treatment. Without a ball to continue, he walked up to a member of the coaching staff and requested for a replacement, only to be asked to stand in a corner.
Also See: IPL Live Score, RR vs PBKS
His trial was done. He never got an opportunity to bowl again and didn’t feature in the shortlist which was released.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Rejection was not new, but the lesson learnt that afternoon changed his bowling and life for good. Not conceding a six became his new obsession, and with no state-level opportunities coming his way, the highly competitive club and corporate fixtures in Delhi-NCR were the only games he looked forward to. Even in those matches, where he was paid for an appearance, not conceding runs remained his motto to keep getting regular games and match fees.
“Run lagte hai to bulate nahi hai ye dubara, isi liye kheech ke daalta hu (If I get hit for runs, they don’t call again. That’s why I bowl tight),” Rathi would say whenever he was asked about his bowling.
A bowler who modelled his game by watching Sunil Narine, Rathi began as the usual off-spinner who bowled a menacing carrom ball in his early days. The art of hiding the ball was picked up by watching Narine, and while it gave him control and kept the economy rate in check, the wickets column didn’t have substantial contributions. He identified it as something to be worked on after attending trials for Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, and a plan was prepared.
After watching hours of Wanindu Hasranga footage on his phone, Rathi figured out that a googly was needed. He worked on it and finally cracked a delivery which turns differently, and more than his carrom. His regular celebration, before the notebook gesture went viral, was inspired by the Sri Lankan spinner and completed his bowling package.
Rathi has played nearly 300 local games, had a stint with Delhi Capitals as a net bowler, played for Delhi U-25 in the 2022-23 season, but the magical paddle went up only at the IPL mega auction in 2024 when Lucknow Super Giants secured him for Rs 30 lakh.
Part of the Delhi Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad that season, thanks to his exceptional bowling in the Delhi Premier League where he was the find of the season with 14 scalps from 10 games, the 25-year-old watched the auction from his hotel room and was a relieved man. “IPL khelna hai… ,” was something he would say often but was lost for words when his phone started buzzing after the bid.
Just like his bowling, his cricketing journey has been anything but conventional. The payouts from local games, appearances for Delhi U-25 and net bowler stint allowed him to upgrade his two-wheeler to a Royal Enfield Bullet but the drive to challenge himself in different T20 games only increased.

For those who have watched him from a young age, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he has conceded just three sixes in four IPL games. All those sixes came against a marauding Sunrisers Hyderabad.
He had learnt his lesson during those trials back in the day, and it was his life challenges and the obsession to play the IPL which shaped the bowler he is now.
For a bowler who was picked as a backup for Ravi Bishnoi and M Siddharth, Rathi has stormed into a leading role for the Rishabh Pant-led unit and has become the toast of the nation for his celebrations and ice-cool temperament in pressure situations.