Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the Election Commission and those involved in conducting the assembly elections for maintaining the dignity of India’s democracy.
PM Narendra Modi waves to supporters at party headquarters in New Delhi. (AFP)
The prime minister was addressing party supporters gathered at the BJP headquarters after massive win in West Bengal and Assam.
“Our constitutional institutions have won, our democratic processes have won. In West Bengal, 93 per cent turnout has been historic. In Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala, new turnout records have been made,” PM Modi said in the address on Monday evening.
“Today, I would like to say a big thank you to the Election Commission, its staff, and those who worked during election, and security workers. The history will always remember the contribution of all of you in maintaining the dignity of India’s democracy,” he added.
PM Modi thanked the voters in five assemblies- Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry.
The speech comes as the BJP won West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry. BJP was on track to become the single-largest party in the West Bengal Assembly, crossing the critical halfway mark of 148 seats.
The prime minister lauded the leadership of party president Nitin Nabin and said it was the first victory since the BJP MP took over the reigns of the party.
In Bengal, the BJP won or was leading in 204 seats, crushing the dream of a fourth term for Mamata Banerjee.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “This record victory of the BJP in West Bengal is the result of the tireless efforts and struggles spanning decades by our dedicated workers. I pay my respects to all of them. They have put in relentless hard work at the grassroots level and faced numerous challenges. They have advanced our development agenda. They are the true strength of our party.”
A United Airlines flight met with an accident on Sunday afternoon after it struck a light pole during landing at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The United Flight 169 arrived at Newark Airport from Venice, Italy, around 2pm on Sunday.
Representational image. (Unsplash)
A video of the moment the plane met with an accident surfaced as FAA released a statement providing details of the incident.
“While on approach to land at Newark Liberty International Airport, United Airlines Flight 169 struck a light pole on the New Jersey Turnpike around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, May 3. The Boeing 767 landed safely and was arriving from Venice, Italy.”
Here’s the video of the moment when the flight struck the pole. The video was recorded by a bystander from a car near the airport.
According to reports, the United Airlines flight a bakery truck. A video from the dash camera on the bakery truck, which recorded the flight striking it. Reports indicate that the driver of the truck has been hospitalized with small cuts. Here’s the video:
Recently, team Varanasi held a major promotional panel at CCXP Mexico 2026. Producer SS Karthikeya presented exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and the Varanasi to the World video at the event. The film’s lead star, Mahesh Babu, was called the ‘biggest star’ in Telugu cinema at the event, and his wife, former actor and model Namrata Shirodkar, couldn’t be prouder.
Namrata Shirodkar and Mahesh Babu have been married for over 21 years.
Namrata Shirodkar proud of Mahesh Babu
At CCXP, the anchor hosting Karthikeya said, “Mahesh Babu, for those who don’t know, is one of, if not the biggest actor in Telugu cinema. Tollywood, specifically. And it’s fair to say SS Rajamouli is one of, if not the biggest filmmaker, in Indian cinema as a whole. And this is the first time that these two are working together.”
Talking further about the film, the host added, “And when I talked to SSR during our interview, which you can now watch on Screen Rant’s YouTube, I asked him how long this has been in the works for, and it had been like a decade. It had been a long time of trying to get schedules aligned, trying to figure out the right project for them to collaborate on.”
“The homecoming of one of the biggest movie stars in Indian cinema history, as well as one of the biggest Indian stars, but specifically action. Mahesh Babu has done so much great action films along with India’s biggest revolutionary filmmaker working today,” he added later. Namrata re-shared the video posted by a fan on her Instagram stories with red hearts and clapping emojis, clearly proud of her husband.
About Varanasi
Talking at the CCXP panel, Karthikeya said, “The story begins and revolves and ends in Varanasi, the holy city of India, called the spiritual capital of India. It’s one of the oldest cities to be built and still inhabited. And obviously, our director, Mr SS Rajamouli, had a vision of some breathtaking sequences in the ghats of Varanasi. Which, practically, couldn’t have been possibly executed there. As producers, our responsibility is to make that happen. We sent our production design team to Varanasi to get all the possible measurements, pictures, and references. To get his vision come true, we built the Varanasi ghats brick by brick.”
Varanasi is an epic action-adventure film directed by Rajamouli, co-written by V Vijayendra Prasad and SS Kanchi, and produced by Sri Durga Arts and Showing Business. The film stars Mahesh Babu, Priyanka Chopra and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles as Rudhra, Mandakini and Kumbha. There are high expectations for the film as it’s Rajamouli’s next after the blockbuster RRR (2022). It is scheduled to release on April 7, 2027, for Ugadi.
A former employee of JPMorgan has filed a sexual abuse case against high-ranking executive Lorna Hajdini under the pseudonym John Doe. He is described as “socially awkward,” yet he met the bank’s performance standards, as per a new report.
JPMorgan executive Lorna Hajdini is accused of sexually harassing her junior. (Screengrab)
According to the New York Post, during the internal investigations, a former colleague described Doe, who is reportedly a former basketball player and a graduate of Rutgers, as “socially awkward” but noted that he “met the requirements” to continue his employment at the bank.
Additionally, the report said that Hajdini and Doe were merely colleagues on the leveraged finance team, which is involved in significant corporate acquisitions, mergers, and buyouts.
NY Post report questions authenticity of allegations against Lorna Hajdini: 5 shocking facts
The report from the New York Post has cast doubt on the reliability of the allegations. It asserts that Doe engaged with a legal chatbot almost 10 months before initiating the lawsuit.
On May 2, 2016, screenshots of a dialogue between Doe and a legal advice service, AskALawyerOnCall.com, became widely circulated on social media. The conversation seems to depict him outlining allegations akin to those subsequently featured in his complaint, prompting worries that certain aspects of the case might have been premeditated.
1. Chatbot Conversation Sparks Controversy
According to the report, Doe purportedly used a chatbot to articulate allegations of sexual assault several months before initiating the lawsuit.
In one message, he mentioned, “I was raped, sexually assaulted, harassed, and forced to do drugs by my former boss at Morgan Stanley. I was then retaliated against for seeking to move groups internally at the firm. HR conducted an ‘investigation’ but they ultimately made me sign a separation agreement.”
When the chatbot inquired for additional information, he said, “I need help.”
2. Initial reference to a male accused
Another aspect emphasized in the viral screenshots is that Doe first described the accused as a male while seeking legal counsel from the attorney who operated under the username “Joycelaw.”
In the conversation, he remarked, “It’s been a tough time for me, though. I was sexually assaulted and harassed by my former boss, and he even forced me to do drugs. It’s been really hard to deal with.”
His use of “he” implies he was referencing a male individual at that time, which contrasts with the subsequent allegations against Hajdini.
3. Mention of Morgan Stanley instead of JPMorgan
The screenshots also reveal Doe mentioning Morgan Stanley instead of JPMorgan. This has contributed to the confusion, as Doe has reportedly been employed at both institutions.
The inconsistency has raised additional inquiries regarding the reliability of his assertions and the sequence of events described.
4. Internal investigation revealed no supporting evidence
As per reports, JPMorgan carried out an internal review that involved scrutinizing phone records, analyzing emails, and interviewing team members. The inquiry allegedly uncovered no evidence that substantiates the claims.
Additionally, the report states that Doe chose not to engage in certain aspects of the internal investigation.
“Following an investigation, we don’t believe there’s any merit to these claims,” the spokesperson said, as per NY POST. “While numerous employees cooperated with the investigation, the complainant refused to participate and has declined to provide facts that would be central to support his allegations.”
5. Victim was supervised by Jon Wolter
Sources familiar with the development informed the Post that Hajdini reported to managing director Brandon Graffeo, whereas Doe was under the supervision of another managing director, Jon Wolter – this suggests that Hajdini lacked the authority to affect the amount of his bonus.
“He has tarnished her with a complete fabrication,” another colleague stated to the Post.
As per sources, he filed an internal complaint in May 2025, claiming harassment and abuse of power based on race and gender, and subsequently pursued a multi-million dollar settlement as part of his departure from the company.
Chandigarh, A two-day national summit on “innovation and inclusivity” concluded here on Friday, with an emphasis on best practices, new initiatives and strengthened health systems.
Health: National summit on ‘innovation and inclusivity’ concludes in Chandigarh
The summit served as a premier platform for states and Union territories to showcase path-breaking innovations and best practices in the health sector, with a focus on advancing inclusive, accessible and affordable healthcare across the country.
Union Health Minister J P Nadda inaugurated the “10th National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity: Best Practices Shaping India’s Health Future” here on Thursday.
The second and concluding day of the summit witnessed in-depth technical deliberations centred on the findings of the 17th Common Review Mission , a cornerstone mechanism for independent, evidence-based assessment under the National Health Mission .
The first day of the summit focussed on the presentation and dissemination of best practices and innovative interventions implemented by various states and Union territories.
These sessions provided a valuable platform for peer learning, showcasing scalable and replicable models across key thematic areas, including primary-healthcare strengthening, digital-health innovations, maternal and child health, and non-communicable disease management, an official statement said.
In addition, a series of presentations on new and ongoing initiatives of the health ministry was conducted to enhance awareness and facilitate better understanding among states. These sessions enabled stakeholders to align programmatic strategies with national priorities, while also supporting effective implementation at the field level.
Structured presentations coordinated by the ministry highlighted key observations emerging from CRM visits to 17 states and Union territories, providing insights into health-system performance, service-delivery mechanisms and governance practices.
The CRM findings reflected encouraging progress in several priority areas, including the operationalisation of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, expansion of comprehensive primary healthcare services and increased adoption of digital-health solutions, the statement said.
Notable improvements were observed in the delivery of maternal and child health services, screening and management of non-communicable diseases, and the use of teleconsultation platforms to enhance access to care.
The deliberations also provided an opportunity to identify areas where further strengthening could enhance service-delivery outcomes.
The discussions highlighted the importance of continued efforts towards optimising human-resource deployment, ensuring availability of essential drugs and diagnostics, and enhancing the reach of healthcare services in remote and underserved regions.
Emphasis was also laid on improving data quality and leveraging digital platforms for real-time monitoring and evidence-based decision making.
Strengthening referral systems, enhancing supportive supervision and promoting community participation were identified as key enablers for sustaining gains and improving health outcomes.
Additional Secretary and Mission Director, NHM, Aradhna Patnaik, appreciated the significant progress made by states and Union territories in achieving short-term priorities under the NHM, and emphasised the need to now progressively orient efforts towards medium- and long-term health system goals.
She highlighted the importance of aligning ongoing interventions with the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030, underscoring the need for sustained, outcome-oriented planning and implementation.
Patnaik further stressed that while digital-health initiatives are transforming service delivery, it is essential to ensure that no beneficiary particularly the most vulnerable is inconvenienced due to digitalisation.
In this regard, she emphasised the need for continuous sensitisation and capacity building of frontline health workers to ensure inclusive and user-friendly service delivery.
Drawing attention to operational challenges observed across states, she also highlighted the importance of strengthening biomedical-waste-management systems as a critical area requiring focussed attention to ensure safe and compliant healthcare practices.
Patnaik further noted the significance of key initiatives launched during the summit and called upon the states to effectively operationalise these interventions to maximise their impact at the ground level.
The deliberations on the concluding day reinforced the collective resolve to build a resilient, inclusive and future-ready public health system that is responsive to the evolving healthcare needs of the population.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
India, China, Indonesia, South Korea, Germany, and the UK are among countries that have been leveraging the renewable energy transition as a cornerstone of energy security, Simon Stiell, the UN Climate chief said on Thursday at opening of the COP31-International Energy Agency High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue.
An aerial view of the world’s largest renewable energy plant, the 30 GW Khavda Renewable Energy Park, in Kutch. (ANI)
Renewables offer safer, cheaper, cleaner energy that can’t be held captive by narrow shipping straits, or global conflicts, Stiell emphasised. “That’s why so many governments are pushing renewables plans into overdrive: to restore national security, economic stability, competitiveness, policy autonomy and basic sovereignty,” he added.
“China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Germany, the UK, and more, have been clear that pushing forward with the renewables transition is a cornerstone of energy security,” Stiell said.
“War in the Middle East is taking a terrible human toll across the region. Civilians suffering. Lives torn apart. Economies stalling…the fossil fuel cost crisis now has its foot on the throat of the global economy, and stagflation on the march,” he said.
Ironically, the crisis is also driving a boom in renewable energy.
“Those who’ve fought to keep the world hooked on fossil fuels are inadvertently supercharging the global renewables boom. Last year, clean energy investment was set to be double that of fossil fuels. Solar generation was up 600 terawatt-hours in 2024, a colossal increase – though the transition remains uneven,” Stiell said.
The momentum should lead to a real shift, Stiell added, so that, when countries meet at COP33 in 2028 for the second Global Stocktake of climate action, they are closer to meeting the commitments made at the first.
Many developing countries want to embrace clean energy, and climate resilience. But major barriers, including lack of finance , are holding them back, Stiell noted.
“We must get finance flowing, rapidly. That includes delivering the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance in full and on time, and making the roadmap to $1.3 trillion a reality,” he added.
HT reported on April 28 that India has flagged “mitigation ambition gap” by developed countries in its climate plan for the 2031-35 period submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, pointing out that achieving the targets laid out in this, for India and other developing countries, is contingent on the availability of adequate climate finance.
India ranks third globally in renewable energy installed capacity, after China and the US, according to Renewable Energy Statistics 2026. China has the highest renewable energy capacity at 2,258.02 GW, followed by the US at 467.92 GW and India at 250.52 GW. India is followed by Brazil with a capacity of 228.20 GW and Germany with 199.92 GW. As of March 31, a total of 283.46 GW of capacity from non-fossil fuel sources has been installed in the country. This includes 274.68 GW renewable energy (150.26 GW solar power, 56.09 GW wind power, 11.75 GW bioenergy, 5.17 GW small hydropower, 51.41 GW large hydropower) and 8.78 GW nuclear power capacity.
According to a report by International Institute for Sustainable Development released on Wednesday, subsidies for renewable energy reached ₹26,406 crore ($ 3 billion) in FY 2025 in India, with nearly half of this directed to decentralized solutions such as rooftop solar and farmer-led renewable energy systems. Support for electric vehicles also rose to ₹16,812 crore ($ 2 billion). Together, these shifts ease long-term fiscal pressures and strengthen energy security if supported by targeted policy and investment, IISD researchers said.
However, India’s clean energy subsidies currently still account for only about 10% of total energy subsidies in the country.
“The energy crisis is yet another opportunity for India to boost clean energy supplies. Strategic, targeted support that combines investments in decentralized renewables, clean cooking alternatives, and electric mobility strengthens India’s energy security and mitigates economic risk over time,” said Swasti Raizada, senior policy advisor at IISD.
India spent at least ₹4.3 lakh crore ($ 51 billion) on energy subsidies last financial year, 75% of which were consumption subsidies for electricity and LPG, IISD said.
“The recent tensions in the Gulf highlight India’s exposure to global LPG price volatility. If prices remain elevated at current levels, under-recoveries could exceed ₹60,000 crore ($ 7 billion) in FY 2026-27, increasing pressure on public finances. Scaling alternatives such as electric cooking and decentralized biogas, while better targeting LPG support, can improve affordability and reduce long-term fiscal risks,” said Sunil Mani, policy advisor at IISD.
