NATIONAL 
EXPRESS

Today, gold was trading up at the Multi Commodity Exchange for June contracts. The precious metal was 272 rupees up to trade at 69,200 rupees per ten grams. Silver futures for May contracts was also up by 984 rupees to trade at 78,020 rupees per kilogram when reports last came in. In the global markets, gold was trading up at 2,292 dollars and 50 cents per ounce at COMEX. Silver was also up at 26 dollars and 39 cents per ounce in the intra-day session.

President Droupadi Murmu will visit Mumbai today, where she will dedicate CAR-T Cell Therapy to the nation at IIT Bombay. The CAR-T Cell Therapy (used to treat cancer patients) has been developed in India by IIT Bombay-incubated Company Immunoadoptive Cell Therapy (ImmunoACT). The CAR-T Cell Therapy product has been developed as a collaborative effort between IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). Designed and developed at IIT Bombay, the therapy has undergone integrative process development and manufacturing at ImmunoACT. Clinical investigations and translational studies were conducted by teams at TMH. The CAR-T Cell Therapy product is expected to save many lives at much lower cost compared to the cost of such products available outside India

BJP today hit out at Congress leader Randeep Surjewala for his alleged derogatory remark against Party MP Hema Malini. Briefing the Media in New Delhi, the Party’s spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that this is a new low to disrespect and demean the dignity of women in Indian politics by the Congress party. He alleged this is not just merely an isolated statement by a Congress leader but a structured and well-thought-of dastardly mindset of the Congress party regarding the dignity of women. Meanwhile Congress leader Randeep Surjewala clarified that he never intended to insult or hurt the actor turned politician Hema Malini. A video has come to the fore on social media in which Mr. Surjewala was seen making some objectionable remarks about MP Hema Malini.

Congress Spokesperson Gourav Vallabh today joins BJP. He has resigned from all of the party’s posts this morning. He was inducted into the party in the presence of BJP General Secretary Vinod Twade. Former Bihar Congress President Anil Sharma also joined the BJP on this occasion.

Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi has said that the NDA government is making all efforts to make India a developed country. Addressing a rally in Jamui in Bihar, Mr Modi said India has become the first country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole. He said India has also become the fifth largest economy in the world. He said India also gives befitting reply to those who support and indulge in terror activities.  Mr Modi said those people can never do any good to the youth of Bihar, who asked youth to register their land for recruitment in railways. He said during previous alliance governments only dilapidated trains used to run. But now like the whole country, people of Bihar are also traveling in the Vande Bharat train.

NATO is celebrating 75 years of collective defense across Europe and North America today. At a cake-cutting ceremony in Brussels, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts will mark the moment the alliance’s founding treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, in Washington. A bigger celebration is planned when NATO leaders meet in Washington from July 9 to 11. The alliance’s ranks have almost tripled over more than seven decades from its 12 founding members. That promise – Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which has been shipped to Brussels for the ceremony – stipulates that an attack on any one of their number must be met with a united response. It’s only ever been used once, after the Al-Qaeda attacks on U.S. soil in 2001. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on the eve of the anniversary that the NATO was founded on a single, solemn promise: An attack on one ally is an attack on all. Blinken described NATO as a defensive alliance with no designs on the territory of any other country, but with a determination to protect the territory of each of its members and to do it in a way that has been unique in human his. At the other end of the scale lies the operation in Afghanistan. NATO took command of the security effort in 2003 and it became the longest, costliest and deadliest in alliance history. It was marked by a chaotic retreat in August 2021.

Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi today took oath as Rajya Sabha MP. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar administered the oath to Mrs Gandhi. She has been elected from Rajasthan.

Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will address a public meeting at Rasleela Maidan in Coochbehar, West Bengal this afternoon. He will address the rally at around 3:30 pm.  BJP has fielded Nisith Pramanik from Coochbehar parliamentary constituency, which will go to polls on 19th of April along with Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri. Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will address a public meeting at Mathabhanga of Coochbehar at around 12 noon today. Trinamool has fielded Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia from Coochbehar seat.

In IPL cricket, Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Delhi Capitals by 106 runs at the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam last night. Chasing a target of 273, Delhi Capitals were all out for 166 runs in 17.2 overs. For Delhi, Skipper Rishabh Pant scored 55 runs in 25 balls, while Tristan Stubbs scored 54 off 32. For Kolkata, Vaibhav Arora and Varun Chakaravarthy scalped three wickets each. Earlier choosing to bat first, Kolkata Knight Riders scored 272 for seven in 20 overs, making it the second highest total in IPL history. For Kolkata, Sunil Narine scored 85 off 39, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored 54 off 27. Anrich Nortje took three wickets for the Capitals. Sunil Narine has been declared Player of the Match. Today, Gujarat Titans will face Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will start at 7.30 PM

In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired the 72nd Board Meeting of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) at Raj Bhawan in Jammu yesterday. The Board reviewed the progress of its various past decisions, progress of different developmental initiatives and held extensive deliberations on crucial aspects of pilgrim facilitation, ratified and gave in-principle approvals to as many as 27 agenda items to augment pilgrim services and to ensure smooth functioning of the Board. Early start of heli-service in the Jammu-Panchhi sector and Medical College of the Board at Kakryal, construction of different buildings in various sectors aimed at augmenting capacities etc were the major decisions taken at the meeting. The Board observed that direct helicopter service between Jammu Airport and Panchhi Helipad on the Shrine track will not only bolster emergency response capabilities but also improve pilgrimage experience of devotees. The LG, who is also the Chairman of SMVDSB, reviewed the progress of ongoing works and emphasized on timely completion of all projects for the ease of pilgrimage. The important projects in this regard were ‘New Vaishnavi Bhawan at the shrine’, ‘Cottages (near Sports Stadium), Katra’, ‘Staff Quarters (G+2) at Banganga’, ‘Covered Holding Area at Adhkuwari’, ‘Yatri Facilitation Centre at Railway Station, Katra’, ‘New Yagyashala at Bhawan’ etc. The Board appreciated the facade lighting project initiated for enhancing the aesthetics/ambience at Bhawan, Adhkuwari and Darshani Deodi through a captivating visual spectacle and spiritual enlightenment. Various new projects were also approved by the Board, which include ‘Construction of Exit Track at Bhawan’, ‘Remodelling of Manokamna Area at Bhawan’ and ’Covered Waiting Area at Darshani Deodi, Ban-Ganga’.

Chief of Royal Australian Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond today met Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar in New Delhi. During the meeting, they discussed on avenues to strengthen bilateral maritime cooperation, including increased operational engagements, training exchanges and information sharing. Earlier today, Mark Hammond laid a ceremonial wreath at the National War Memorial. During his five-day visit, Mark Hammond will visit the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command at Kochi and Western Naval Command at Mumbai. Defence Ministry said India and Australia share the commonality of perspective on several contemporary maritime security issues in the Indo-Pacific.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has called for shunning double standards in combating the menace of terrorism. He said, perpetrators of terrorism should be effectively and expeditiously dealt with including those involved in cross-border terrorist activities. Mr Doval was addressing a security conclave of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, Kazakhstan yesterday. He underlined the need for holding accountable the sponsors, financiers and facilitators of terrorist activities. Mr Doval also raised the issue of the continued threat posed by various terror groups in the SCO region, including those designated by the UN Security Council such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Al Qaeda and its affiliates and ISIS. The National Security Advisor strongly condemned the barbaric terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22 and expressed condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Mr Doval said, security is India’s priority in the SCO as elaborated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in line with his vision for a SECURE SCO. The acronym SECURE stands for Security, Economic Cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environment Protection. The NSA emphasised that India’s relationship with SCO countries goes back several centuries and it is committed to further deepening it. The SCO comprises India, Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Iran.