News highlights: Acclaimed Brazilian writer Telles dies at 98

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Acclaimed Brazilian writer Telles dies at 98

Brazilian novelist Lygia Fagundes Telles, one of the most celebrated writers in the Portuguese language, died Sunday in Sao Paulo at age 98, the Brazilian Academy of Letters said.

Telles, who was elected a member of the academy in 1985, was a five-time winner of Brazil's prestigious Jabuti prize, and was awarded the Camoes, the most important prize in Portuguese literature, in 2005.

"She was a grande dame of Brazilian literature, one of the nation's best-loved writers," wrote newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo.

JUST IN | Shrikant Sharma, MLA from Mathura and former power minister, selected as BJP UP president

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader plays Hanuman Chalisa in loudspeaker, fined over Rs 5,000 by Mumbai Police

50% Hindus will convert to Islam if Muslim becomes PM: Yati Narsighanand

Notorious for making intemperate remarks, Yati Narsinghanand, the head priest of the Dasna Devi temple, stoked yet another controversy on Sunday with his comment that "50 per cent of Hindus will convert" in 20 years if a Muslim became the prime minister of India.

Addressing a 'Hindu Mahapanchayat' for which the Delhi administration had not granted permission, he also exhorted Hindus to take up arms to fight for their existence.

At least six dead in shooting in California's Sacramento: Police

Sri Lanka restores social media platforms after 15 hours

TheSriLankan government on Sunday lifted the ban it had imposed on social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram after declaring a nationwide public emergency and effecting a 36-hour curfew ahead of a planned anti-government rally over the worst economic crisis in the island nation.

The services of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TokTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger were restored after 15 hours, according to an official.

LeT modules busted in J-K’s Bandipora, five arrested

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) modules were busted and five militant associates were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district, police said on Sunday.

Based on specific information, police along with security forces arrested four terrorist associates in the north Kashmir district, a police spokesman said.

India exports rise to record high of $418 billion in FY22

India's merchandise exports spurted to a record high of USD 418 billion in the 2021-22 fiscal on higher shipments of petroleum products, engineering goods, gem and jewellery and chemicals, according to official data released on Sunday.

Outbound shipments touched an all-time high of USD 40 billion in a month in March 2022, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters here. Exports stood at USD 34 billion in March 2021.

Raj Thackeray's Gudhi Padwa speech scripted and sponsored by BJP: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday hit out at Raj Thackeray for demanding that loudspeakers on mosques shut down, saying the MNS chief's speech was "scripted and sponsored" by BJP. Speaking at a rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Saturday, Raj Thackeray demanded that if the playing of loudspeakers in mosques at high volume is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at a higher volume.

Over 600 protesters arrested in Sri Lanka for violating nationwide curfew

Over 6oo people were arrested in Sri Lanka’s Western Province on Sunday for violating a 36-hour nationwide curfew and trying to stage an anti-government rally to protest the country’s worst economic crisis.

Opposition lawmakers, led by their leader Sajith Premadasa, had set off on a march towards the iconic Independence Square in Colombo, defying a weekend curfew imposed by the government on Saturday, ahead of the planned protest for Sunday.

4 MoUs in the field of culture, disaster management, youth matters & financial intelligence were signed. Pres. also invited the President of Turkmenistan to visit India. Investment in several sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals petroleum & natural gas was also discussed: Sanjay Verma

The Presidents of India & Turkmenistan had talks on bilateral and international concerns. They looked at issues under the newly established India-Central Asia framework. They also discussed connectivity for commercial purposes: Sanjay Verma, MEA Secretary (West)

Delhi Congress holds protest against central govt over rising fuel prices

The Delhi unit of the Congress on Sunday staged a protest in east Delhi's Trilokpuri area against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government for constant rise in fuel and gas prices.

The protest, part of the opposition party's "Mahangai Mukt Bharat" campaign, was led by Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Chaudhary Anil Kumar.

The protesters raised slogans against the central government, holding it responsible for "sharp" increase in the prices of oil and natural gas.

Australia beat England by 71 runs to win ICC Women's World Cup

Australia, led by a sublime 170 from Alyssa Healy, rewrote the record books to beat a valiant England by 71 runs in the Women's World Cup final in Christchurch on Sunday.

Australia amassed a daunting 356 for five but the defending champions England, faced with a record target, kept up with the run rate but ran out of wickets to be dismissed for 285 in the 44th over, with Nat Sciver unbeaten on 148.

President Ram Nath Kovind visited the Halk Hakydasy Memorial

Witnesses: Explosion in Afghan capital wounds at least 15

An explosion in the centre of the Afghan capital of Kabul on Sunday wounded at least 15 people, according to witnesses.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the blast and no one immediately claimed responsibility. Taliban authorities didn't immediately comment.

Associated Press TV showed wounded being removed from the site, carried by passersby.

Bandipora Police bust two terror modules, arrest 5 terror associates

Bandipora Police have busted two terror modules & arrested five terror associates of the banned outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, who were providing logistics & transportation to terrorists in the districts

Social media platforms blocked in Sri Lanka amid curfew, opposition protest

SriLankan soldiers with assault rifles and police manned checkpoints in Colombo on Sunday as the government blocked social media platforms after imposing a curfew to contain public unrest triggered by the country's economic crisis.

The latest restrictions come after the government on Saturday implemented a countrywide curfew as protests against the government's handling of the economic crisis turned violent. The curfew will run till 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Monday.

Armed troops block Sri Lanka opposition protest march

Malaika Arora has been discharged from the hospital a day after her car met with an accident: Media reports

Australia set England a target of 357 at ICC Women's World Cup

ICC Women's WC: At 45.3 overs, Australia are at 316/2 against England

Sri Lanka blocks social media platforms after imposing emergency, curfew

India on Sunday reported a single day rise of 1,096 new Covid-19 infections and 81 fatalities. The tally of cases now stands at 4,30,28,131, while the death toll is 5,21,345.

Australia are at 173/1 at 31 overs against England in the ICC Women's World Cup

Price of petrol & diesel in Delhi at Rs 103.41 per litre & Rs 94.67 per litre respectively today (increased by 80 paise) In Mumbai, the petrol & diesel prices per litre at Rs 118.41 (increased by 84 paise) & Rs 102.64 (increased by 85 paise).

A consignment of 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel from India reached Sri Lanka on Saturday, the fourth such assistance from New Delhi, to mitigate the spike in power cuts in the island nation

Power cuts lasting over 13 hours were imposed on Thursday, the longest cut since 1996 when a strike by the state power entity employees caused a 72-hour black out.

Officials of the state fuel entity, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), said the Indian diesel supplies would ease the ongoing power cuts. The power cuts effective Saturday are over 8.5 hours.

The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry on Saturday rejected social media speculation that Indian Armed troops had arrived in the island nation to help maintain law and order, amidst growing public protests on rising prices and scarcity of essential commodities.

Secretary, Defense Ministry, Kamal Gunaratne told news personnel that local troops were capable of handling any national security emergency and no such aid from outside was required.

Sri Lanka declared a 36-hour nationwide curfew Saturday and deployed troops backed with sweeping new powers under a state of emergency to quell protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his relatives and even his most trusted shaman.

The lockdown that went into effect at dusk Saturday will be lifted Monday morning, police said -- a period that covers planned mass anti-government protests against worsening shortages of fuel, food and medicines.

China reports 13,146 Covid cases, the highest since the peak of the first wave more than two years ago, as the highly transmissible Omicron variant spread to more than a dozen provinces.

Army dedicates soft launch of Kashmir's first floating hamlet to citizens

The Army on Saturday dedicated the soft launch of Kashmir's first floating hamlet on the famous Dal Lake here to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesperson said.

The soft launch of Kachri Mohalla as a sample tourist floating village was done by General Officer Commanding, Chinar Corps, Lieutenant General D P Pandey and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, Colonel Emron Musavi said in a statement here.

3 Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers in West Bank

Three Palestinians were killed by Israeli soldiers southwest of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.

UN pays tribute to 8 peacekeepers in Congo helicopter crash

UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO) paid a final tribute to the eight peacekeepers who died during a helicopter crash in northeastern Congo.

The helicopter crash took place on March 29, Xinhua news agency reported.