Daily wrap: Indian squad for WC announced, IMD predicts normal monsoon
BCCI announces India’s squad for ICC World Cup 2019
The 15-member squad for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World Cup (WC) 2019 to be held in England during May-July this year, has just been announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The squad includes Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (Vice Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wicket keeper), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Shami.
SC refuses to stay HC order banning TikTok app
The Supreme Court on April 15 refused to stay the Madras High Court order that directed the Centre to ban the “Tiktok” app over concerns about access to pornographic content through it. The top court said that ban directive was just an interim order and the high court is schedule to hear the matter on April 16. It had directed the media not to telecast video clips made with TikTok. The app allows the users to create short videos and then share them. It had asked the government if it would enact a statute on the line of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in the US and posted the matter for further hearing on April 16.
Elections robs sheen off Koovagam Festival
The run up to the Lok Sabha elections and the by-elections in the state has turned out to be a dampener for the transgender community’s annual Koovagam Festival in the state. The Koovagam festival, which is observed in the village by the same name in Villupuram, sees a confluence of over 10,000 transgenders every year. Attracting visitors from across Indian and abroad, the festival this year will be commemorated on April 17, a day before the state goes to polls. Since the Tamil Nadu election will be held on April 18, attendees are having to choose between the two
Tharoor sustains injuries in Thiruvananthapuram temple
Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday (April 15) suffered head injuries while performing ‘thulabharam’ ritual at a temple. Tharoor performed the ritual at a Devi temple here in the morning before embarking on his poll campaign. He was accompanied by his family members and party leaders and workers including MLA VS Sivakumar. While he was sitting on one of the pans of the weighing scale, the hook came off and fell on his head, the party sources added. He was taken to Trivandrum Medical College hospital for detailed examination, the sources said.
Pakistan opens fire along LoC in in Jammu’s Rajouri district
Pakistani troops on April 15 lobbed mortar and opened fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, drawing retaliation from Indian troops. “At about 0815 hours, Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with mortars and firing of small arms along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district” PRO defence, said. The Indian Army is retaliating effectively, he said. Pakistani troops on April 12 shelled forward areas in Swajin sector of Poonch, leaving three persons injured.
Monsoon likely to be ‘near normal’ this year: IMD
Monsoon is likely to be “near normal” this year, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday (April 15). Monsoon is likely to be 96% of the long period average (LPA), a senior official of the IMD said. LPA is the average of rainfall between 1951 and 2000, which is 89 cm. Anything between 90-95% of LPA falls under the “below normal” category.
Annual fishing ban along TN coast comes into effect
The annual 61-day fishing ban along the Tamil Nadu coast came into effect from Monday (April 15) in view of the breeding season. Fisheries Department assistant director in Rameswaram M Gopinath said nearly 12,000 mechanised boats in 13 districts including Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore among others in the state would stay off the sea during the period. The ban would be in force till June 15, he added.
Ex-MP’s wife found murdered in Chennai
Former AIADMK MP Kulandaivelu’s wife was found murdered at her house in Besant Nagar, Chennai on Sunday (April 14) night. The deceased was identified as Rathinam, 63, residing alone at her residence after the demise of her husband Kulandaivelu, a couple of years ago. Kulandaivelu was an AIADMK MP representing the Tiruchengode constituency between 1991-96. She was killed soon after a distress call to her daughter, police suspect that she might have been murdered by her son Praveen over the property dispute. Besant Nagar police have registered a case under section 302 (Murder) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and further investigations are on.
