Month: April 2025

In a rare prisoner exchange aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Moscow, an American citizen has been freed from Russian detention, officials from both countries confirmed on Thursday, according to a report by New York Times.

Arrested in 2024, Ksenia Karelina, a dual US-Russian national, had been sentenced to 12 years in a Russian prison on charges of treason. Her conviction came after she donated approximately USD 50 to a nonprofit organisation that provides aid to Ukraine.

Sharing a post on X, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote, “American Ksenia Karelina is on a plane back home to the United States. She was wrongfully detained by Russia for over a year and President Trump secured her release. @POTUS will continue to work for the release of ALL Americans.

Russia’s intelligence agency, Federal Security Service (FSB), said in a statement that Karelina had been released after a presidential pardon in exchange for Arthur Petrov, a citizen of Russia and Germany whom the US Justice Department had charged with export control violations, New York Times reported.

According to CNN, the prisoner swap took place in Abu Dhabi on Thursday and was conducted by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Confirming the news of prisoner swap, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said, “The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has announced the success of mediation efforts in a prisoner exchange between the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The process saw the exchange of one Russian citizen and one US citizen, and was attended by representatives of the relevant authorities from both countries.”

“The Ministry expressed its appreciation to the governments of the US and the Russian Federation for the confidence placed in the UAE and for designating Abu Dhabi as the location for the prisoner exchange process, which was conducted in coordination between the US and the Russian Federation,” the statement added.

Furthermore, the UAE foreign ministry stated that choosing Abu Dhabi for the prisoner exchange process reflects the close friendship ties of both countries with the UAE and emphasised its hopes that these efforts will lead to de-escalating tensions and enhancing dialogue and understanding to achieve security and stability both regionally and internationally.

Earlier in February, Marc Fogel, an American teacher who was held in Russia for over three years, returned to the United States following an ‘exchange’ was negotiated between Moscow and Washington.

Fogel, draped in an American flag, arrived at the White House and was greeted by US President Donald Trump, who expressed that it was “an honour to have played a small role” in securing his freedom.

In a statement released on February 11, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said that President Donald Trump, along with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, had successfully negotiated an exchange for Marc Fogel. (ANI)

MS Dhoni is set to lead the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season following Ruturaj Gaikwad’s exclusion due to an injury.

Stephen Fleming, CSK Coach, said, “Due to injury, Rituraj Gaikwad is out of the IPL tournament, and Dhoni will take over as captain for the rest of the game,” Stephen Fleming said in the pre-match press conference.

Chennai Super Kings have encountered a significant setback before their upcoming match in the IPL 2025,scheduled to be held on Friday. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was sidelined from the league due to an elbow injury.

During his absence, the legendary wicketkeeper-batter will again assume the team leader role. This highlights his comeback as captain for the first time since he led the team to victory in the final of the IPL 2023 against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Fleming announced that Dhoni, an uncapped player, will be the team’s new captain for the rest of the IPL season. Dhoni readily agreed to take on the leadership role and help guide the team.

“We have an uncapped player, MS Dhoni, who will take over as captain for the remainder of the IPL. Dhoni had no hesitation to step up and help guide us out of this if we can,” Stephen Fleming said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Dhoni possesses an impressive record as an IPL captain. He has guided CSK and Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) to 133 victories out of 226 games, achieving a win percentage of 58. 84, and he has steered CSK to five IPL championships in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023.

He is also the sixth-highest run-getter in the tournament’s history, with 5,346 runs at an average of 39.31 and a strike rate of over 137, with 24 fifties and a best score of 84. In IPL 2025, Dhoni has made 103 runs in five innings at an average of 51.50 and a strike rate of over 153.73; his best score is 30.

CSK is placed in the ninth position. This injury is a significant setback for the five-time champions, who have lost four out of their initial five matches this season and will now be missing their captain and crucial batsman in the top order.

It is worth mentioning that Gaikwad has been CSK’s leading run scorer in three of the past four seasons. CSK will now play defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Jamie Overton, Shaik Rasheed, Nathan Ellis, Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Gopal, Sam Curran, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Andre Siddarth C, Vansh Bedi. (ANI)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday evening formally arrested Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the key conspirator in the deadly 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, immediately after his arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi, following his successful extradition from the United States, the agency said.

NIA had secured Rana’s extradition following years of sustained and concerted efforts and after the terror mastermind’s last-ditch efforts to get a stay on his extradition from the US failed.

Rana was escorted to New Delhi by teams of National Security Guard (NSG) and NIA, comprising senior officials, on a special plane from Los Angeles, United States. The NIA investigation team at the airport arrested Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin living primarily in Chicago (US), soon after he emerged from the airplane after completing all the necessary legal formalities.

With the coordinated efforts of India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the relevant authorities in the United States, NIA has worked closely with other Indian intelligence agencies through the entire extradition process, which marked a major step in India’s efforts to bring individuals involved in terrorism to justice, irrespective of which part of the world they had fled to.

Rana was being held in judicial custody in the US pursuant to proceedings initiated by the NIA under the India-US Extradition Treaty. The extradition finally came through after Rana’s various litigations and appeals, including an emergency application before the U.S. Supreme Court, were rejected with the active assistance of U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, U.S. Marshals Service, FBI’s Legal Attache Office in New Delhi, and U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Legal Adviser for Law Enforcement.

The diligent and persistent efforts of India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs culminated in securing the surrender warrant for the fugitive, leading to his eventual extradition.

Rana is accused of conspiring with David Coleman Headley @ Daood Gilani and operatives of designated terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami (HUJI), along with other Pakistan-based co-conspirators, to carry out the devastating terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008. A total of 166 persons were killed and over 238 injured in the deadly attacks. Both LeT and HUJI have been declared as terrorist organisations by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Security was beefed outside the NIA office at Lodhi Road in New Delhi. Delhi police put up barricades to avoid any mishap during the proceedings.

Meanwhile, the government has appointed Advocate Narendra Mann as the Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced his appointment through a gazette notification, stating that he will serve for three years or until the trial concludes, whichever comes first.

Between 2011 and 2019, Mann served as Special Public Prosecutor for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the Delhi High Court, handling major criminal cases, appeals, writ petitions, and corruption trials. His extensive experience includes high-profile matters such as the Medical Council scam, AICTE scam, Commonwealth Games cases, CGHS Societies scam, and banking frauds. (ANI)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogender Chandolia on Thursday extended his wishes to the residents of Delhi after the Ayushman Bharat scheme was rolled out in the national capital.

Speaking to ANI, Chandolia said, “Congratulations to the people of Delhi… Today’s day will be remembered because lakhs of people got the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Yojana card today.”

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari from North East Delhi constituency asserted that the newly formed government will open 1,100 health centres in the national capital.

“The people of Delhi are going to get such benefits that even imagining them will make a person happy… We are going to open 1100 health centres in Delhi in the next year… We have already identified 225,000 families for the Ayushman scheme… ‘Kyunki Modi hai toh mumkin hai’,” Tiwari told ANI.

Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said, “… We are progressing towards our target. We are getting support from the double-engine government… Our deadline for completing challenges is not five years. We keep our deadlines every 100 days…”

JP Nadda, along with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, distributed the Ayushman cards to beneficiaries in the national capital on Thursday.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, launched on 23rd September 2018, has been a game-changer in healthcare, mainly for the millions of poor and vulnerable families across the country. In just five years, it enabled them with timely access and quality healthcare without burdening them with catastrophic health expenditure during medical emergencies.

Addressing the public during the event, Nadda said, “Delhi was going through a dark chapter for seven years when 36 lakh eligible people were deprived of their rights. You should be compelled to think about how your rights are violated when a poor government is in power and that when a good government comes to power, you get your rights within 50 days.”

Nadda further expressed confidence that his party would win in West Bengal, the only state where the Ayushman Bharat Yojana has not been implemented yet.

“Three states had refused to implement Ayushman. The first was Odisha, where the previous government lost power, and then the lotus bloomed. The same happened in Delhi. Now, only West Bengal is left, where the lotus will bloom, and the current government will lose power,” Nadda said. (ANI)

There is good news for Tabu fans, as the actress has been roped in for Vijay Sethupathi and Puri Jagannadh’s next big project.

The makers, on Thursday, took to their Instagram account to announce that she is “on board” for the untitled film.

“She’s electric. She’s explosive. She’s the Tabu. Proudly welcoming the gem of Indian cinema, actress Tabu, on board for a role as dynamic as her presence in #PuriSethupathi,” the caption read.

Take a look

The film is being produced by Puri Jagannadh and Charmme Kaur under their banner, Puri Connects. More details about Tabu’s role are yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, Tabu will next be seen in the horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla, directed by Priyadarshan. Bhooth Bangla marks the reunion of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar after a long gap. The duo has previously given blockbuster films such as Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhag, Garam Masala, De Dana Dan, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, among others.

The film will also see a reunion of Akshay and Tabu after 25 years. The two were last seen together in Hera Pheri. Bhooth Bangla is produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms and Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films. The film is slated for a theatrical release on April 2, 2026.

The actress was last seen in the web series Dune: Prophecy, which also starred actor Mark Strong.

The series, set 10,000 years before the events of the Dune films, explores the origins of the Bene Gesserit, blending politics, power, and prophecy. Tabu played Sister Francesca, a powerful Bene Gesserit and former lover of Emperor Javicco Corrino, portrayed by Mark Strong. The series also explored the past of her character, with Charithra Chandran playing a younger Francesca. Her role in the web series as Sister Francesca received a lot of praise from fans and critics alike. (ANI)

The Indian men’s compound team of Abhishek Verma, Rishabh Yadav and Ojas Deotale opened India’s account at the Archery World Cup 2025 Stage 1 with a bronze medal in Auburndale, USA, on Wednesday.

The Indian archers got the better of Denmark’s team of reigning European champions Mathias Fullerton, Rasmus Bramsen and Martin Damsbo 230-223 in the bronze medal match, according to the olympics.com.

The Indian team led by a point at the halfway stage at 115-114 but then struck three Xs and four 10s from the remaining 12 shots to take a seven-point lead at the end.

India had earlier edged Guatemala 220-218 in the quarter-finals before going down narrowly to Italy in the semi-finals. Both teams were locked at 219 after four sets, with Italy prevailing 29-27 in the shoot-off to set up a gold medal clash against hosts USA on Saturday.

Verma and Deotale were part of the men’s compound team that won gold at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China.

In the men’s compound individual round on Tuesday, Rishabh Yadav finished 11th with a score of 698, followed by Abhishek Verma at 12th with 697 and Ojas Deotale at 18th with 695.

The Indian women’s compound team, however, did not compete on Wednesday as only Jyothi Surekha Vennam made it to the USA. Her teammates Madhura Dhamangaonkar, Chikitha Taniparthi and Aditi Swami missed out due to visa issues.

Deepika Kumari – India’s most decorated World Cup archer with 36 medals – and her husband Atanu Das are in action at the ongoing event in recurve archery

The Archery World Cup comprises four stages held in different countries. The top eight individual archers in each category across these stages qualify for the Archery World Cup Final, where they compete for the overall title.

The Archery World Cup 2025 Stage 1 in Auburndale will conclude on Sunday. (ANI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced a nationwide campaign titled ‘Waqf Reforms Awareness Campaign’, which will run from April 20 to May 5.

Through this campaign, BJP aims to expose the misinformation spread by Congress and its allies and educate the Muslim community about the benefits of the Waqf law reforms.

To kick off the initiative, a workshop was organised at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, where BJP National President JP Nadda addressed the participants. He highlighted how the Waqf reforms will ensure better utilisation of Waqf properties for the benefit of underprivileged Muslims, especially in sectors like education and healthcare.

Nadda criticised Congress and its allies for engaging in appeasement politics and misleading the Muslim community regarding the Waqf bill. He stressed that BJP workers will actively reach out to Muslim brothers and sisters to expose the lies and clarify the true intent and advantages of the law.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju also participated in the workshop and provided detailed insights into the Waqf reforms. BJP had invited three to four leaders from each state, including the Minority Morcha President of every state, to attend this training session. These leaders have been tasked with organising similar workshops in their respective states to train district-level BJP leaders.

BJP also sees this campaign as a strategic move to strengthen its outreach to the Muslim community, especially ahead of upcoming assembly elections. By raising awareness and clarifying the changes made to the Waqf law, BJP aims to counter opposition narratives and win the trust of the Muslim electorate.

Through this initiative, BJP intends to ensure that the truth about the Waqf reforms reaches the grassroots level, and that every Muslim citizen is informed about how these changes are meant to empower and uplift the community.

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025. After the Presidential assent, it has become a law. (ANI)

A bomb threat was received on Thursday at two prominent landmarks in the national capital — the Red Fort and Jama Masjid.

According to the Delhi police, Bomb Detection Teams (BDTs) and CISF swiftly carried out thorough checks at both sites. However, no suspicious objects were found, and the call was later declared a hoax by the Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Service (DFS).

Last month, a bomb threat was reported at the Tamil Nadu Bhawan in the national capital, prompting an immediate response from the Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Services. There also, no suspicious item was found.

Earlier in February 7, several schools in Delhi and Noida received bomb threats.

Previoulsy, Delhi Police cracked down on a series of hoax bomb threats sent to over 400 schools across the national capital, arresting a juvenile responsible for the menacing emails.

The accused, a public school student, was identified and apprehended after a thorough technical investigation by the Cyber Cell of the South District police.

The police recovered a laptop and two mobile phones from the accused, which were subjected to forensic analysis. The digital evidence revealed the accused’s involvement in sending threatening emails to numerous schools in Delhi.

The accused used anonymous and encrypted email services to conceal his identity but was eventually caught through advanced technical methods, according to the police. (ANI)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday stated that the EU will pause its countermeasures against the US tariffs for 90 days to give “negotiations a chance.”

She further warned that countermeasures will kick in if “negotiations are not satisfactory.”

Sharing a post on X, von der Leyen wrote, “We took note of the announcement by President Trump. We want to give negotiations a chance. While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days.”

“If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in. Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues. As I have said before, all options remain on the table,” the post added.

Earlier, von der Leyen welcomed US President Donald Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs for dozens of countries, calling it a necessary move to help stabilise the global economy.

“I welcome President Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs. It’s an important step towards stabilising the global economy,” von der Leyen posted on X.

“Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function. Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers. That’s why I’ve consistently advocated for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the European Union and the United States,” she added.

Notably, Trump had said the United States would implement a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for more than 75 countries currently engaged in trade discussions with Washington. These countries, including India, have reportedly refrained from retaliating against US trade policies and have requested dialogue through various US departments such as Commerce, Treasury, and the United States Trade Representative (USTR)

“Based on the lack of respect that China has shown to the World’s Markets, I am hereby raising the Tariff charged to China by the United States of America to 125 per cent, effective immediately,” Trump wrote on Truth Social amid intensifying trade tensions between the two nations as China imposed an additional import levy on American goods, imposing an 84% tariff from Thursday.

“Conversely… I have authorised a 90-day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10 per cent, also effective immediately,” the post added. (ANI)