In the House of 342, the winning candidate should get support of at least 172 lawmakers.
Shehbaz, the younger brother of former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, received 174 votes – two more than the simple majority of 172. He is the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan. He has served as chief minister of the country’s most populous and politically crucial Punjab province thrice.
Former president and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chair Asif Ali Zardari had proposed Shehbaz’s name for prime minister’s position in a joint opposition’s meeting to replace Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion. The process of electing the new leader of the House began on Sunday after prime minister Imran Khan was removed from office through the no-confidence vote, becoming the first premier in the country’s history to be sent home after losing the trust of the House. Pakistan has struggled with political instability since its formation in 1947 with multiple regime changes and military coups. No prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term.
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Two terrorists killed in encounter in Kulgam
A Pakistani terrorist was among two ultras killed in an encounter in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, while two policemen were also injured, officials said Monday evening. A police official said security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Khurbatpora area of Kulgam in south Kashmir following inputs about the presence of militants there.
Russia threatens legal action if forced into sovereign debt default
Russia will take legal action if the West tries to force it to default on its sovereign debt, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told the pro-Kremlin Izvestia newspaper on Monday, sharpening Moscow’s tone in its financial wrestle with the West. Russia faces its first external sovereign default in more than a century after it made arrangements to make an international bond repayment in roubles last week, even though the payment was due in U.S. dollars.
Epygen Biotech gets funding from Centre for affordable vaccine
Epygen Biotech on Monday said it has received a funding of Rs 24 crore from the Department of Biotechnology to initiate trials for a new COVID vaccine. With an anticipated price point of less than Rs 150 per dose, this will be the first time an Indian company will be able to adopt the highly productive C1-cell protein production platform, which has been demonstrated by the scientists at the European Union Zoonotic Anticipation and Preparedness Initiative (ZAPI) program, Epygen Biotech said in a statement.
Two killed, five wounded in shooting near Los Angeles
The gunfire erupted at about 4 p.m. Sunday on a residential block in the community of Willowbrook, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. A 17-year-old boy and a man died at the scene, officials said. Sheriff’s Lt. Vincent Ursini said the teenager was shot in the upper body at least once. The victims’ identities were not immediately released. No arrests have been mad and a description of the shooter, or shooters, was not available.
Italy freezes villa of Russian F1 driver and father
Italian authorities said Monday they have frozen a 100-million-euro ($109 million) Sardinia villa linked to Russian motor racing driver Nikita Mazepin and his oligarch father Dmitry. The financial police imposed a freezing order on the Rocky Ram villa in Porto Cervo, on the spectacular Costa Smeralda coast on the northeast of the Italian island, a government official said.
Germany may have to junk 3 million COVID-19 shots by late June
Germany’s health ministry said Monday that the country may have to discard 3 million doses of expired COVID-19 vaccine by the end of June. Ministry spokesman Hanno Kautz told reporters in Berlin that “not many doses” have been destroyed so far, though he couldn’t give an exact figure.
Russia demands Google remove threats against Russian users
Russia’s communications regulator on Monday demanded Google take immediate steps to remove threats against Russian users from its platforms. “Roskomnadzor sent a demand to the American IT company Google LLC to immediately take measures to exclude statements of threats against Russian users from the company’s services”, the regulator, known as Roskomnadzor, said in a statement.
Adani Green becomes 10th most valued firm
Adani Green Energy on Monday entered the list of top-10 valued firms as its market valuation zoomed over Rs 4.22 lakh crore, backed by a sharp rally in its share price. The company commanded a market valuatuion of Rs 4,22,526.28 crore to grab the tenth spot on the top-10 list. Shares of the company jumped 16.25 per cent to settle at Rs 2,701.55 apiece on BSE. During the day, it zoomed 19.99 per cent to Rs 2,788.70.
Rajnath Singh arrives at the Pentagon
India’s Defence Minister is in Washington DC on a 2+2 meet, where he will confer with his American counterpart Lloyd J Austin III
MHA designates JeM’s Mohiuddin Aurangzeb as a terrorist under UAPA
Aurangzeb was involved in the Pulwama terror attack
Pak PM-elect Sharif says country heading for historical deficits
Pakistan’s prime minister-elect Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said the country was on the way to posting the largest budget deficit in its history as well as historical trade and current account deficits. Sharif, in his speech after winning a parliamentary vote to elect a new prime minister, said that the outgoing government of Imran Khan had mismanaged the economy, and his new government was faced with a huge challenge to bring it back on track.
Germany agrees deal with CureVac, GSK for mRNA vaccines until 2029
Germany has signed a contract with CureVac and its British partner GlaxoSmithKline for domestically produced mRNA vaccines to bolster supplies in case of public health emergencies, the German biotech firm said https://www.curevac.com/en/curevac-and-gsk-enter-into-pandemic-preparedn ess-contract-with-german-government on Monday. The five-year contract allows for production of up to 80 million doses at short notice until 2029, CureVac said, adding that those doses could be for the remainder of the current pandemic or future outbreaks.
IS fanatic found guilty of killing UK lawmaker David Amess
A jury in London on Monday found an Islamic State fanatic guilty of stabbing lawmaker David Amess to death and plotting to attack other lawmakers. The jury deliberated for just 18 minutes to find Ali Harbi Ali guilty of murder and preparing terrorist acts. The 26-year-old carried out the attack at the veteran lawmaker’s office on October 15 last year.
Indonesia police fire tear gas to disperse protest at parliament
Indonesian police fired tear gas and water cannon on Monday to disperse hundreds of university students protesting high cooking oil prices and a mooted extension of President Joko Widodo’s stay in office. Crowds of demonstrators were seen running away from the scene outside parliament in the capital Jakarta, according to a Reuters witness, while Kompas TV said rocks had been thrown into the complex.
Russia will not pause military operation in Ukraine for peace talks
Russia will not pause its military operation in Ukraine for subsequent rounds of peace talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday. Russian officials say peace talks with Ukraine are not progressing as rapidly as they would like, and have accused the West of trying to derail negotiations by raising war crimes allegations against Russian troops in Ukraine, which Moscow denies.
TCS posts 7.4% rise in March quarter profit
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd reported a 7.4% rise in March-quarter profit on Monday, as India’s top IT exporter benefited from a wave of digital transformation sweeping across the globe. Net profit rose to 99.26 billion rupees ($1.31 billion) in the three months to March 31 from 92.46 billion rupees a year earlier.
Warner Bros Discovery shares climb on first trading day
Shares of Warner Bros Discovery Inc rose on Monday, the first trading day of the media and streaming firm formed from the $43 billion merger of Discovery Inc and assets of AT&T Inc. Warner Bros Discovery shares were up 2.3% at $24.99, while AT&T stock climbed 2.1% to $18.65 in premarket trade.
EU states give 2.5 million euros to ICC for Ukraine war crimes
Three EU countries said on Monday they were giving around 2.5 million euros ($2.7 million) to the International Criminal Court as it probes alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The announcements by the foreign ministers of Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden were made just after they met the ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan with other EU nations. Khan announced in early March, a week after Russia’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbour, that his office had opened “active investigations” into possible war crimes in Ukraine.
Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan opposition leader, elected new PM
Pakistan: PTI members walk out of the session to elect new prime minister
Qureshi says although he was the PTI’s candidate for the prime minister, he announces to boycott the election, reports Pakistan’s Samaa
Philippines reports 21 dead in landslides after tropical storm Megi
- The Philippines has recorded at least 21 deaths from landslides caused by tropical storm Megi, a local disaster agency said on Monday.
- The bodies were recovered on Monday and 16 more people were injured, as heavy rains triggered landslides in 10 mountainous communities, according to the disaster agency of Baybay City in Leyte province, eastern Philippines.
PM Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF to the next of kin of the deceased, who lost their lives in a fire incident at a factory in Gujarat’s Bharuch district and the injured would be given Rs. 50,000.
PM @narendramodi has expressed grief on the loss of lives due to a mishap at a factory in Bharuch. He extends condo… https://t.co/zgj6uGKkdB
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) 1649665172000
Pakistan: PTI members are in the Assembly, but Imran Khan is absent
Acting Speaker Qasim Suri announces to forward the declassified letter of foreign conspiracy for a regime change in Pakistan to the Chief Justice of Supreme Court.
Pakistan court defers till Apr 27 indictment of Shehbaz and his son Hamza in money laundering case
- A Pakistani court on Monday deferred until April 27 the indictment of joint Opposition’s prime ministerial candidate Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz in a high-profile money laundering case and also extended their pre-arrest bail till the same day, allowing the PML-N president to become the new prime minister.
- The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) special court on Monday accepted Shehbaz’s application seeking exemption from personal appearance in court in the money laundering proceedings for one day, and extended the pre-arrest bail of the father and son for April 27 on their request, a court official told PTI after the proceedings.
- Shehbaz Sharif is in Islamabad to contest the election for the prime minister’s post after Imran Khan was ousted after he lost a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly on Sunday.
Pakistan: National Assembly session begins to elect new PM. Joint opposition candidate Shehbaz Sharif remains only contestant following en masse resignations by Imran Khan’s party.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy asks South Korea to provide arms to fight Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged South Korea on Monday to provide his country with arms to help it fight Russia’s military. Zelenskyy made the request in a video address to South Korean lawmakers that came hours after Seoul’s Defense Ministry confirmed it had rejected a Ukrainian request for anti-aircraft weapons during a call between the countries’ defense ministers last week. The ministry cited the South Korean government’s principle of limiting its military help to Ukraine to non-lethal supplies.
Delhi High Court dismissed the petitions challenging the 6 plus years age criteria for admission in KVS for the year 2022-23, reports ANI
The man who has 16 billion and 8 billion rupees of corruption cases, whoever selects and elects the Prime Minister can not be a big insult to the country. We are resigning from the National Assembly, says Imran Khan
Pakistan | We are resigning, says ousted PM Imran Khan
آدمی پر 16 ارب اور 8 ارب روپے کے کرپشن کیسز ہیں،اسے جو بھی وزیراعظم سلیکٹ اور الیکٹ کرتا ہے اس سے بڑی ملک کی توہین… https://t.co/wywtLpOs3B
— Rabia Malik (@RabiaaMalikPK) 1649669579000
PTI MNAs will resign en masse from the National Assembly, the party has decided, reports Pakistan’s Samaa
Rakesh Tikait calls for ‘another farmer protest’
Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday joined the protest held by the Telangana leaders in New Delhi against the Centre’s paddy procurement policy and said that there is a need for another protest in the country. Tikait also added that the farmer umbrella body Samyukt Kisan Morcha will back every Chief Minister who fights for the farmers’ issues. Addressing the event, the BKU leader said, “There is a need for another protest. This is not a political platform, Chief Minister KCR is a farmer and he is not asking for votes here. The Chief Minister who fights for farmers’ issues, Samyukt Kisan Morcha will be with them.”
Visuals: Scenes from outside Pakistan National Assembly in Islamabad
Scenes from outside Pakistan National Assembly in Islamabad The National Assembly of Pakistan will elect a new Pri… https://t.co/jAazbITKOK
— ANI (@ANI) 1649667456000
Russian oil embargo could be part of next EU sanctions package, ministers say
The European Union’s executive is drafting proposals for an EU oil embargo on Russia, the foreign ministers of Ireland, Lithuania and the Netherlands said on Monday, although there is still no agreement to ban Russian crude. “They are now working on ensuring that oil is part of the next sanctions package,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said of the European Commission as he arrived for a meeting with his EU counterparts in Luxembourg. “The European Union is spending hundreds of millions of euros on importing oil from Russia, that is certainly contributing to financing this war. We need to cut off that financing … the sooner that can happen the better,” Coveney added.
West Bengal | Ministry of Home Affairs deploys additional 5 Coys of CAPFs in the poll-bound areas (of Ballyguange and Asansol). Earlier 133 coys of CAPF had already been deployed. Polling due in the aforementioned constituencies for tomorrow, April 12
Austria’s chancellor on Monday will become the first European leader to visit Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Kyiv prepares for a huge Russian offensive in the country’s east, reports AFP
Delhi govt keeping watchful eye over Covid situation; no reason to worry until a new variant of concern is detected
– Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain
Maharashtra | A devotee died due to electrocution at ISKCON temple in the Juhu area of Mumbai. Police arrested the contractor after registering a case of negligence. Further investigation underway: Juhu Police
Supreme Court fixes timeline for filing claims for Covid ex-gratia
- The Union Health Ministry in a statement on Monday said that the Supreme Court vide its Order dated March 24 in the Miscellaneous Application No. 1805 of 2021 in Writ Petition (C) No. 539 has fixed the a timeline to file claims for the payment of ex-gratia assistance to the families of Covid-19 deceased as announced by National Disaster Management Authority. An outer time limit of 60 days will be applicable from March 24 to file the claims for compensation in case the death occurred due to Covid1 prior to March 20, said the ministry.
- As per the direction from apex court, for any future deaths, 90 days’ time shall be provided from the date of death due to Covid-19 to file the claim for compensation. However, the earlier order to process the claims and to make the actual payment of compensation within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of claim shall continue to be enforced.
Visuals: People in Colombo continue to protest against Sri Lanka govt
People in Colombo continue to protest against Sri Lanka govt as the country faces economic crisis "This protest wi… https://t.co/ebAECqTdqE
— ANI (@ANI) 1649665381000
Bank of Baroda hikes MCLR across tenors by 0.05 pc
State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) on Monday said it has raised the marginal cost of funds based lending rates by 0.05 per cent across tenors with effect from April 12, 2022. The benchmark one-year tenor MLCR will rise to 7.35 per cent. The bank has approved the review of marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) with effect from April 12, 2022, BoB said in a regulatory filing. The overnight, one-month, three-month and six-month MCLRs have been hiked by 0.05 per cent each to 6.50 per cent, 6.95 per cent, 7.10 per cent and 7.20 per cent respectively.
Israeli troops shoot Palestinian near Bethlehem
Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man near the city of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said early Monday, the latest in a growing wave of violence that has erupted during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The Israeli military said it opened fire at a man throwing a firebomb at an Israeli vehicle driving on a West Bank highway late Sunday. The shooting raised to three the number of Palestinians killed in the past 24 hours, among them an unarmed woman who was shot and killed at a military checkpoint near Bethlehem. Ramadan this year converges with major Jewish and Christian holidays. Protests and clashes in Jerusalem during Ramadan last year boiled over into an 11-day war between Israel and Gaza militants
Telangana CM gives 24 hrs time to Centre for responding to state’s demand on paddy procurement, failing which it will intensify protest, reports PTI.
Russian gas flows to Europe via Ukraine rise from weekend levels
Russian gas deliveries to Europe through Ukraine rose on Monday from levels over the weekend while flows remained eastbound into Poland from Germany through the Russia-EU Yamal pipeline. Nominations for flows into Slovakia from Ukraine via the Velke Kapusany border point were at 823,941 megawatt hours (MWh) per day on Monday, data from Slovakian operator TSO Eustream showed. That was up from about 786,00 MWh/day on Friday and flows below 670,000 MWh/day at the weekend, the data showed. Russia’s Gazprom continues to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine in line with requests from European consumers, it said on Monday.
Gujarat tops NITI Aayog’s State Energy and Climate Index-Round 1 among larger states, reports PTI
Godrej Industries announces launch of Godrej Capital, reports Reuters
Rescue operation underway at ropeway site near Trikut in Deoghar, Jharkhand
8 people have been rescued so far, in a rescue operation by ITBP and NDRF. 40 more persons are yet to be rescued, reports PTI
Is growing paddy Telangana farmers’ fault?…I warn PM Modi that you can’t mess with farmers. Indian history is a testament that wherever farmers cried, govt loses power.Nobody is permanent…When in power,don’t treat farmers unfairly
– Telangana CM KCR at dharna, Delhi
ED questioning senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge in money laundering probe linked to National Herald case, say officials
AgustaWestland Case: Court summons ex-Defence Secy, four ex-IAF officials
A Special Court on Monday issued summons against former Defence Secretary and former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Shashi Kant Sharma and Four India Airforce (IAF) retired officials in AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper alleged scam case. Special Judge Arvind Kumar on Tuesday issued summons against all accused named in the supplementary charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court took cognizance of the charge sheet and directed all the accused to appear before it on April 28, 2022.
Shanghai to ease lockdown in some areas despite rise in COVID infections
- Authorities in China’s financial centre of Shanghai will start easing lockdown in some areas from Monday, despite reporting a record of more than 25,000 new COVID-19 infections, as they strive to get the city moving again after more than two weeks. Shanghai has classed residential units into three risk categories, to allow those in areas with no positive cases during a two-week stretch to engage in “appropriate activity” in their neighbourhoods, city official Gu Honghui said.
- “Each district will announce the specific names of the first batch (of communities) divided into the three types, and three subsequent lists will be announced in a timely manner,” he told a news briefing.
Russia’s Gazprom continues gas exports to Europe via Ukraine
Russian state-owned gas producer Gazprom continued to supply natural gas to Europe via Ukraine on Monday in line with requests from European consumers, the Interfax news agency reported. Requests stood at 95 million cubic metres for April 11, Interfax reported, citing Ukraine’s gas pipeline operator.
Special NIA Court on April 18 will frame formal charges against Yasin Malik, others in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case. Earlier the court had ordered framing of charges against several separatist leaders under UAPA and IPC.
Supreme Court issues notice to Centre on a petition seeking leniency in the adoption modalities in the country, reports ANI.
Two Mi-17 helicopters are involved in rescue operations in Deoghar district of Jharkhand where several people are stuck in a ropeway trolley due to a mishap. The operations are still on: Indian Air Force officials
Russian shelling has continued in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with Ukrainian forces repulsing several assaults resulting in the destruction of Russian tanks, vehicles and artillery equipment, the UK’s Ministry of Defence tweeted
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 11 April 2022 Find out more about the UK governm… https://t.co/rK3V6brtub
— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) 1649654453000
Punjab Congress’ official Twitter handle hacked
Punjab Congress' official Twitter handle hacked. https://t.co/wXcNuKjsoQ
— ANI (@ANI) 1649655278000
Tata Steel buys stake in unit Tata Steel Mining for 6.25 billion rupees, reports Reuters
Pakistan: PTI to launch countrywide protests on Wednesday
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to launch a countrywide protest campaign on Wednesday (April 13) against the removal of its government and the formation of the new administration which is most likely to be headed by Pakistan Muslim League-N President Shehbaz Sharif. “We are going to start a nationwide campaign from Wednesday from Peshawar,” PTI leader and Pakistan former Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.
VVIP Chopper scam case
A Special Court takes cognizance on CBI’s supplementary chargesheet against former Defence Secy and ex CAG Shashi Kant Sharma, and 4 IAF retired officials in AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper alleged scam case Court issued summons against them. All have to appear before court on April 28, reports ANI
Omicron giving rise to many new variants. It’s of X series like XE & others. These variants will keep on occurring. Nothing to panic about as none of these are causing serious diseases or at the moment from Indian data it doesn’t show a very rapid spread.
– NK Arora, NTAGI chief
