NATIONAL 
EXPRESS

Star campaigners of different political parties are using all their might to woo the voters for the next phase of elections. Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader, Narendra Modi will campaign in Uttar Pradesh for the next 2 days. Two days ,seven rallies covering eleven lok sabha constituencies and high octane campaigning from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will embark on an aggressive campaign in state today and will be addressing back-to-back rallies for two days. He will be holding public gatherings in Jaunpur, Bhadohi, Pratapgarh and Azamgarh today. He is scheduled to stay in governor house Lucknow tonight and will address 3 more rallies in Barabanki, Fatehpur and Hamirpur constituencies tomorrow. These rallies are being held in the constituencies which will go for poll in 5th and 6th phase. On the other hand another political battleground will be in Fatehpur where senior BJP leader Yogi Adityanath and opposition leaders including Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj party supremo Mayawati will campaign today. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign for his brother Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli constituency while Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and senior Congress leader DK Shivkumar will also hold the press conference in Lucknow. Meanwhile, Aam Aadami Party Supremo Arvind kejariwal reached State capital Lucknow yesterday night. He will hold a press conference at Samajwadi Party office today.

In Uttar Pradesh, INDI alliance parties held a joint press conference in the state capital Lucknow today. In this press conference, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Samajwadi party Chief Akhilesh Yadav along with all the prominent leaders of both the parties were present. The Congress President said that the 2024 elections are very important to save the Constitution and democracy. Mr Kharge alleged that despite education, the youth are not getting jobs. He said government posts are available, but recruitment is not being done. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said that it is in his party’s vision document and also in the manifesto of INDI alliance that if they come to power all the vacant government posts will be filled and jobs will be given to educated youth.

US President Joe Biden has imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, batteries, steel, solar cells, and aluminium, saying it would ensure that American workers are not held back by unfair trade practices. These include a 100 per cent tariff on electric vehicles, a 50 per cent tariff on semiconductors, and a 25 per cent tariff each on electric vehicle batteries from China. In his address to the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House, Mr Biden said the US can continue to buy any kind of car they want, but it will never allow China to unfairly control the market for these cars. He said the US wants fair competition with China, not conflict. He said Washington is in a stronger position to win that economic competition of the 21st century against China than anyone else. Mr Biden alleged that for years, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese companies across a whole range of industries: steel and aluminium, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar panels, and even critical health equipment, like gloves and masks. The tariff increase will cover 18 billion dollars in Chinese products. Tariffs on EVs, steel and aluminum, and solar cells will take effect this year, and next year for chips.

AIIMS New Delhi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of Bolton Institute of Medicine to collaborate in the field of medical research, innovation and education. The medical institute said in a release that the MoU was signed through a virtual event by executives from both institutions. It added that the partnership will encompass various initiatives such as staff and student exchange, educational conferences and collaborative degree programmes. Hailing the deal as a milestone, Director of AIIMS, Professor M. Srinivas said that this will help the institutes to address global challenges and share expertise with the world.

In Odisha, the electioneering is heating up for the upcoming phases of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are scheduled to address a number of poll rallies and roadshows in support of their respective party candidates in the state today. Mr Shah will hold a roadshow at Cuttack this evening after addressing public meetings at Sorada under the Aska Lok Sabha seat and Boudh under Kandhamal parliamentary constituency, while Rahul Gandhi will join a bike rally and address an election rally at Bolangir. Aska and Kandhamal parliamentary constituencies and 14 assembly segments coming under their purview will go for vote in the fifth phase on 20th of this month, while Cuttack parliamentary seat and seven assembly seats coming under it will go to the polls on 25th of this month in the sixth phase. Odisha is going for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls this time.

Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi passed away in New Delhi yesterday. He breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi. He was battling with Cancer. President, Vice President and Prime Minister have expressed grief at the demise of Sushil Kumar Modi. In her condolence message, President Droupadi Murmu said, the sudden demise of Sushil Modi is an irreparable loss. She said, Mr. Modi’s gentle nature, contribution as an efficient administrator and integrity in public life were reflected in his personality and work. The President said, as Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Member of Parliament and Member of both the Houses of the State Legislature, Sushil Kumar Modi upheld high ideals. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said, the untimely demise of Sushil Kumnar Modi is a huge loss to the nation’s socio-political landscape. He said, as a Member of Parliament and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Mr Modi believed in political propriety and always exemplified decency and decorum. Mr Dhankhar said his Parliamentary contributions would ever be remembered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Sushil Kumar Modi has made an invaluable contribution to the rise of BJP and its success in Bihar. Mr Modi said, by opposing the Emergency strongly, he had carved a niche for himself in student politics. The Prime Minister said, Sushil Modi’s understanding of subjects related to politics was very deep. He said, Sushil Kumar Modi did a lot of commendable work as an administrator and his active role in passing GST will always be remembered. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Amit Shah said, Bihar has lost a great political leader forever. Mr Shah said his politics was dedicated to the interests of the poor and the backward. He said, in this hour of grief, the entire BJP stands with his bereaved family. BJP President J P Nadda said that Sushil Modi’s entire life was dedicated to Bihar and his  efforts have been very helpful in taking the state on the path of development. Mr Nadda said that his absence is an irreparable loss for countless BJP workers.

Senior BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today file his nomination from Varanasi constituency. Polling will be held in Varanasi in the seventh and final phase of general elections and today is the last day of filing nominations for this phase. After getting the blessings of Kaal Bhairav the Kotwal of Kashi, the Prime Minister will proceed for the nomination process today.  BJP is going to use the occasion of nomination as a show of strength which will include participation of the leaders of all alliance partners. Chief ministers of 12 BJP ruled states are expected to participate in the nomination. Several Union ministers, senior BJP leaders, Ministers of Uttar Pradesh Government and MP’s will also be present on the occasion. On the other hand, Congress President Mallikarjun khadge will participate in the nomination of Congress candidate Virendra Chaudhary from Maharajganj constituency. Mr. Khadge will address a political rally in Gorakhpur district also. BJP national president JP nadda and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath will address a political rally in Amethi while Congress General secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will also campaign in Amethi today.  Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav will hold a joint rally in favour of alliance candidates in Jhansi. Later the Samajwadi Party Chief will address a political rally in Jalaun district. Bahujan Samaj party Chief Mayawati will also hold a rally in Jhansi.

Washington: A long-awaited State Department report on Friday said that Israel likely violated norms on international law in its use of US weapons but it did not find enough evidence to block shipments. The report said it was "reasonable to assess" that Israel, which receives some $3 billion in US weapons a year, has used the arms in ways inconsistent with standards on humanitarian rights but that the United States could not reach "conclusive findings." The report had been held up for several days amid debate within the State Department on whether to reprimand Israel, a historic US ally which has faced growing criticism over the toll in the seven-month Gaza war. The State Department finally submitted its report two days after President Joe Biden publicly threatened to withhold certain bombs and artillery shells if Israel goes ahead with an assault on the packed city of Rafah. The report does not affect that decision, with the White House reiterating Friday that it was concerned about Israeli military action around the southern Gaza city, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have taken shelter. Biden, facing a furor over the war from within his Democratic Party months before elections, had in February issued a memorandum known as NSM-20 that asked countries that receive US military aid to make "credible and reliable" assurances they are complying with human rights laws. Israel -- which launched a war against Hamas after the militants staged the deadliest ever attack on the country on October 7 -- made assurances to the United States and "identified a number of processes for ensuring compliance that are embedded at all levels of their military decision-making," said the public version of the report, which was submitted to Congress. "The nature of the conflict in Gaza makes it difficult to assess or reach conclusive findings on individual incidents," it said. "Nevertheless, given Israel's significant reliance on US-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles covered under NSM-20 have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its IHL obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm," it said, referring to international humanitarian law. - Accepting assurances - The report also said that while the Israel Defense Forces have "the knowledge, experience and tools" to minimize harm, "the results on the ground, including high levels of civilian casualties, raise substantial questions as to whether the IDF is using them effectively in all cases." But despite some "serious concerns," the report said that all countries receiving US military aid had made assurances credible and reliable enough "to allow the provision of defense articles covered under NSM-20 to continue." A US official described the report as a snapshot and said the State Department would keep monitoring the use of weapons. The other recipients of US military aid covered by the report were Colombia, Iraq, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia and Ukraine. Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, called the report disappointing, saying it ignored "overwhelming evidence" on Israel's actions. "It's hard to believe that the administration sees what's happening in Gaza yet fails to conclude that Israel has violated the terms for use of American weapons," he said. Republicans in turn have criticized NSM-20 since it was issued, saying it hinders Israel's campaign against Hamas and that the United States already has rules to deal with human rights. - 'Deep concerns' on aid - The report also stopped short of finding Israel in violation on another key concern -- humanitarian aid. It said the United States had "deep concerns" over "action and inaction by Israel that contributed significantly to a lack of sustained and predictable delivery of needed assistance" to Palestinians. But it said that the United States does not "currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance." The United Nations has warned of risks of famine in the Gaza Strip, where virtually the whole population has been displaced with a lack of consistent food, water or power. The unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Electioneering will also conclude for the first phase of assembly elections in Odisha and single-phase assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh. Voting in the fourth phase will take place on Monday in 96 Lok Sabha seats spread across 9 states and a union territory. Simultaneously, legislative assembly elections for all 175 seats of Andhra Pradesh and 28 out of 147 seats of Odisha will take place. Top leaders of several political parties will be making last ditch efforts to gather support for their party candidates. Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will address public meetings at Kandhamal, Balangir and in Bargarh parliamentary constituencies in Odisha today. He will also hold an election rally at Chatra in Jharkhand.Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address public meetings in Andhra Pradesh.

Indian Coast Guard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindalco Industries for manufacturing and supply of indigenous marine-grade aluminium for construction of ships. The Indian Coast Guard fleet is presently operating 67 ships with aluminium hull with capability of operating in shallow waters. Defence Ministry said, to further boost coastal security, Indian Coast Guard has planned to induct more such vessels where the indigenously manufactured marine-grade aluminium will be utilised. The Ministry said, the MoU will also provide benefits such as quarterly pricing, priority in supplies and turnover discount.

The annual India-UK Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi yesterday. National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval co-chaired the meeting along with his United Kingdom counterpart Tim Barrow. During the meeting, they held discussions on deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and exchanged views on global security challenges. The External Affairs Ministry spokes­­person Randhir Jaiswal said that as part of this engagement, the two sides had extensive discussions covering all security issues. He said that the meeting focused around technology and security initiatives, which will be a major bilateral mechanism to strengthen cooperation in critical and emerging technologies. Mr Jaiswal further added that it is an important piece of emerging collaboration between India and the UK. He said that both sides also discussed regional issues and global matters of mutual interest. He emphasized that the visit will give a major boost to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of India and the United Kingdom. As part of the visit, National Security Advisor of UK also met with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and discussed a range of regional and global issues of importance. They also reviewed the progress in the India-UK bilateral ties. Akashvani’s correspondent reports that India and the United Kingdom share historic ties since several centuries. The two countries have a Strategic Partnership since 2004 and enjoy a multi-faceted relationship spanning across trade and economy, health, science & technology, defence & security, people-to-people relations, climate change and close cooperation on multilateral issues.

Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the BJP wants to build such an India which is wealthy and can lead the whole world in the field of knowledge, science and spirituality. Mr Singh, who is the BJP candidate from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, also said that a crisis of confidence has arisen in independent India towards political leaders due to the difference between their actions and words. "But I want to talk about the party I am in. We (BJP) have done what we promised. We have fulfilled each and every promise of our election manifesto, be it the promise to abolish Article 370 or building of Ram Temple," Mr Singh said while addressing the 'Prabuddha Nagrik Sangoshthi' organised at a private school in Gomti Nagar here. The sitting MP from Lucknow added that Ram Rajya in India will begin when a sense of responsibility arises within people. "If only there is a sense of authority without responsibility, then consider that Ram Rajya has not come and it is Kalyug," said Mr Singh. "I feel that in comparison to the past, a sense of self-responsibility among the people towards the country has grown today," he added. Calling himself a volunteer of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the defence minister said that the Sangh never talked about Hindu-Muslim (religion). He went on to say that the BJP does politics to build the country. "We want to build such an India which is wealthy and at the same time can lead the whole world in the field of knowledge, science and spirituality," he said. Mr Singh said the BJP government has provided the benefits of various schemes like free gas cylinder, houses, tap water, etc, without any discrimination. Mr Singh claimed that the terrorism has been wiped out of the country which is becoming self-reliant in manufacturing defence equipment. Lucknow will go to polls in the fifth phase of ongoing Lok Sabha polls on May 20.