Breaking News Live May 6: ED raids Jharkhand minister's staff; recovers over Rs 35-cr cash, official documents - The Times of India

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Hamas chief says group accepts Gaza truce proposal

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Monday informed mediators Qatar and Egypt that his Palestinian militant group had accepted their proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza after nearly seven months of war.

Haniyeh had spoken on the phone with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and with Egyptian Intelligence Minister Abbas Kamel, "and informed them of Hamas's approval of their proposal regarding a ceasefire agreement", the group said in a statement published on its official website.

A senior Hamas official however stressed that "this does not mean that the ceasefire has come into effect yet", pointing out that "the Israeli side has not yet communicated its position".

"The ball is now in the court of the Israeli occupation, whether it will agree to the ceasefire agreement or obstruct it," another senior official told AFP on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the negotiations.

ED raids Jharkhand minister's staff; recovers over Rs 35-cr cash, official documents

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday seized Rs 35.23 crore "unaccounted" cash and official documents during searches on the premises of a domestic help of a secretary of Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam and some other locations, official sources said. A cache of more than Rs 32 crore cash was seized from this minister-linked location apart from Rs 3 crore that was recovered by the central agency from some other premises being searched in the state as part of a money laundering investigation linked to the state rural development department, the sources said.

The ED has been probing this case since last year and has arrested a former chief engineer of the state rural development department.

Videos and photos shared by the sources showed officials of the agency emptying wads of currency notes from large bags in a 2BHK flat located at Gadikhana Chowk here.

As many as eight note-counting machines were deployed by the agency apart from bank staff to ascertain the exact amount of currency that was majorly in the Rs 500 denomination. Personnel of central paramilitary forces stood guard at the building where the flat is located.

West Bengal: Police sends notice to user over sharing meme of Mamata Banerjee

The Crime Cell of Kolkata Police has sent a notice to a social media user who posted a meme of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the X platform.

The cyber cell has also asked the user to disclose his location over posting of "offensive, malicious and inciting" post.

The user had posted the meme on X with the caption "This is pure gold. Whoever made this deserves an Oscar", followed with laughter emojis.

Reacting to the post, the cyber cell stated, "You are directed to immediately disclose your identity including name and residence. If the information sought is not revealed, you shall be liable for legal action under section 42 of CrPC."

PM Modi reacts to an AI video on him

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while reacting to an AI video on him said, "Like all of you, I also enjoyed seeing myself dance. Such creativity in peak poll season is truly a delight"

NIA's Special Court pronounced varying jail sentences against five persons accused in a case relating to a conspiracy by the banned Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP) group to promote the ideology of ISIS and spread terror through acts of violence in India.

Brij Bhushan Singh case: Delhi Court may pass order on framing of charges tomorrow

The Rouse Avenue Court is scheduled to pass an order on 'framing of charge' in the matter related to Sexual Harrasment levelled by six women wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Singh.The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot on the last date of the hearing had fixed May 7, 2024, for the pronouncement of order in the matter.Recently the same court had dismissed an application moved by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, seeking further investigation and placing of a Call Detail Record of a coach. Brij Bhushan had sought a direction to place on record the CDR of coach Vijender concerning an alleged incident at the WFI office in New Delhi.

Five workers killed in sewage plant accident in Sicily

Five workers were killed on Monday in an accident at a sewage treatment plant near Palermo, on the island of Sicily, while another was found unconscious and taken to hospital, firefighters said.

According to Italian broadcaster RAI, the workers suffered from toxic gas poisoning, with one team member managing to get away and raise the alarm. There was no comment from AMAP, the regional group which is responsible for waste water treatment.

The deaths are a latest in a series of workplace fatalities in Italy that have caused anger among trades unions and were highlighted by union leaders in May Day rallies last week.

Several people trapped after building collapses in South Africa

Several people were trapped after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed in the South African city of George, a spokesperson for the municipal government said on Monday.

There were no immediate reports of fatalities, while 22 had been rescued from the site, said a spokesperson for the municipality of George, a coastal city east for Cape Town.

State-owned broadcaster SABC reported that more than 40 people were trapped under the rubble.

The Western Cape provincial government said it was monitoring the situation.

A man tried to shoot a pastor during a church service but his gun wouldn't fire, state police say

A man who tried to shoot a pastor during a service at a Pennsylvania church because "God told him to do it" was thwarted when his gun didn't fire and he was tackled by a congregant, authorities said. The chaos at the Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock took place Sunday while the service was being livestreamed, state police said in a news release.

Bernard J. Polite, 26, of Braddock entered the church just after 1 pm and walked toward the front while the Rev. Glenn Germany was giving a sermon, police said. The pastor told WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh that Polite smiled at him and they made eye contact just before Polite pointed the gun at him. Germany then ducked out of the way as a male congregant tackled Polite.

Germany and the congregant then worked together to wrest the gun away from Polite, who was soon subdued and held until state troopers arrived.

Polite said "God told me to do it" and that he planned to shoot Germany and "wait to be arrested" so he could go to jail and clear his mind, according to court documents. He faces numerous charges, including aggravated assault and attempted homicide, and was being held Monday without bail at the Allegheny County Jail. State police said they they didn't know if Polite has an attorney, and county court records did not list one.

Microsoft readies new AI model to compete with Google, OpenAI, The Information reports

Microsoft is training a new, in-house AI language model large enough to compete with those from Alphabet's Google and OpenAI, the Information reported on Monday.

The new model, internally referred to as MAI-1, is being overseen by recently hired Mustafa Suleyman, the Google DeepMind co-founder and former CEO of AI startup Inflection, the report said, citing two Microsoft employees with knowledge of the effort.

The exact purpose of the model has not been determined yet and will depend on how well it performs. Microsoft could preview the new model as soon as its Build developer conference later this month, the report said.

Prajwal Revanna episode: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah holds discussion with DGP

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday held discussions with state police chief Alok Mohan amid efforts to bring back JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, to the country. In a Facebook post on May 1, Prajwal had sought seven days to return to India. However, there are no indications of his return, even as the airports in Karnataka are on alert.

SIT announces helpline for sexual abuse victims

The Special Investigation Team probing the alleged sexual harassment of women by Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna has come out with a helpline number for the victims to approach them. SIT chief and Additional Director General of Police B K Singh said in a statement that the victims can call 6360938947.

Singh said the victims need not have to visit the SIT office as the team would personally approach them to offer them relief.

The official, however, remained tight-lipped about the number of complaints received so far on the helpline.

The SIT also warned people at large not to share the videos showing women being sexually assaulted and molested allegedly by Revanna on social media or personal messenger applications.

No breakthrough in terror attack on IAF convoy, search ops intensified in J&K's Poonch

A breakthrough eluded the security forces in the Poonch terrorist attack on a convoy of Indian Air Force even as a massive search operation in a vast area of the Jammu and Kashmir district entered the third day on Monday, officials said.

More than 20 persons were detained for questioning as the security forces are gathering clues to neutralise the terrorists who fled into nearby dense forests after carrying out the ambush near Shahsitar in Surankote area on Saturday evening.

Five IAF personnel were injured in the attack and one of them later succumbed to injuries at a military hospital.

The officials said a massive joint search operation by army and police is in progress in several areas including Shahsitar, Gursai, Sanai, Lasana and Sheendara top for the third day but there was no trace of the terrorists so far.

The security agencies are collecting clues which will ultimately help flush out the terrorists, they said.

Delhi LG recommends NIA probe against Kejriwal

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has recommended an NIA probe against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly receiving political funding from the banned terrorist organisation 'Sikhs for Justice', Raj Niwas sources said on Monday. There was no immediate reaction from the Aam Aadmi Party.

In a letter to the Union Home secretary, the lt governor's secretariat said Saxena had received a complaint that the Kejriwal-led AAP allegedly received USD 16 million funding from extremist Khalistani groups for facilitating the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar.

"The electronic evidences adduced by the complainant requires investigation including forensic examination," Saxena has said. The complaint is made against a chief minister and relates to political funding received from a banned terrorist organisation, the letter stated.

The move comes a day ahead of the Supreme Court considering granting Kejrwal interim bail in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The AAP chief is in Tihar jail.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offers prayers at the Lalbai Fulbai Temple in Khargone

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offered prayers at the Lalbai Fulbai Temple in Khargone

Trump Media dismisses auditor BF Borgers amid SEC fraud charges

Former US President Donald Trump's media and technology company said it had replaced its auditor, BF Borgers, after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged the accounting firm with "massive fraud" on Friday.Trump Media & Technology Group said in a filing with the SEC on Monday that it had switched to Semple, Marchal & Cooper on Saturday. The change was recommended and approved by the company's audit committee.Borgers, the auditor of the Truth Social parent since 2022, agreed to a $12 million civil penalty and to discontinue practicing as accountants on SEC filings, the agency said.Trump Media is looking forward to working with its new auditing partners following the SEC's decision, a spokesperson for the company said in an emailed statement on Friday.

Columbia University cancels main graduation ceremony due to Gaza protests

Columbia, the prestigious New York university at the heart of US campus protests against the war in Gaza, announced Monday that it has canceled the main ceremony for graduating students next week.

The Ivy League institution said it would "forego the university-wide ceremony that is scheduled for May 15" and hold a series of smaller events instead.

Gaza officials say Israel army strikes two Rafah areas it ordered evacuated

Gaza civil defence and aid officials said Monday that Israeli jets struck two areas in eastern Rafah the Israeli military had ordered to be evacuated, ahead of a possible ground invasion of the Palestinian city.

"The areas targeted by the Israeli occupation are near the perimeter of Gaza International Airport, the Al-Shuka area, the Abu Halawa area, the Salaheddin street area and the Salam neighbourhood," Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Ahmed Ridwan told AFP. Another aid official confirmed the strikes.

The Israeli military did not offer an immediate comment, but earlier on Sunday it ordered residents of Al-Shuka and Al-Salam to evacuate and move to a humanitarian area.

Australia criticizes China over 'unsafe' aerial confrontation over Yellow Sea

A Chinese fighter jet endangered those aboard an Australian military helicopter during an "unsafe" and "unacceptable" confrontation over the Yellow Sea last week, Australia said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Saturday, when a Chinese air force J-10 jet dropped flares above and several hundred meters ahead of an Australian MH60R Seahawk helicopter which was on a routine flight in the Yellow Sea as part of an operation to enforce sanctions against North Korea.

The helicopter, flying from destroyer HMAS Hobart, took evasive action and dodged the flares, but the possible impact of being hit would have been "significant," Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a statement.

"This is a very serious incident, it was unsafe and it is completely unacceptable," he said.

Putin orders nuclear drills, Russia captures Ukrainian villages

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered nuclear weapons drills near Ukraine, Moscow said Monday, in response to "threats" from Western officials to deploy NATO troops to Ukraine.

The announcement came as Russian forces said they captured two villages in the war-battered regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, where outgunned and outmanned Ukrainian troops have struggled to hold the line.

Russian officials in the border region of Belgorod meanwhile announced that Ukrainian attack drones had killed six people and wounded over 30, including several children.

Putin has upped his nuclear rhetoric since ordering his army into Ukraine in 2022, warning in February there was a "real" risk of nuclear war.

The defence ministry gave no date for the drills, but said they would involve the air force, navy and troops stationed near Ukraine.

It said they were aimed at ensuring Russian territorial integrity in the face of Western "threats."

Fire breaks out in the campus of Carbide factory in Bhopal

Fire broke out in the campus of Carbide factory in Bhopal. More details awaited.

Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Mukhtar Ansari's son Umar Ansari in criminal case

Supreme Court grants anticipatory bail to Umar Ansari, son of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, in a criminal case registered against him during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections for alleged violation of the model code of conduct. (ANI)

Former CM Hemant Soren moves SC against rejection of his bail plea by Jharkhand high court

Former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has moved the Supreme Court against the rejection of his bail plea by the Jharkhand high court. The JMM leader has sought an urgent listing of the matter.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, mentions the matter before Supreme Court for early listing of the case. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asks Sibal to send an email and it will look into it.

Massive fire breaks out on 3-storey plastic factory in Delhi's Narela

A massive fire broke out on three floors of a plastic factory in Narela's Bhorgarh Industrial Area in Delhi. Attempts to douse the fire are underway.

Paris: Campaigners for Tibet, Xinjiang protest as Chinese president Xi Jinping arrives in France

Chinese President Xi Jinping's arrival in France, Paris on Sunday witnessed a display of activism as campaigners for Tibet and Xinjiang gathered to highlight concerns over human rights abuses in these regions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is on his first journey to Europe in half a decade, with the visit expected to revolve around Russia's war in Ukraine and economic tensions between Beijing and Brussels.

His itinerary commences in France, where he is scheduled to engage in discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday in Paris, before proceeding to the Pyrenees region, Al Jazeera reported.

Panama's Mulino wins presidency, electoral authority says

Panama's electoral authority declared on Sunday Jose Raul Mulino the winner of the presidential election based on preliminary results.

Indian women's and men's 4x400m relay teams qualify for Paris Olympics

Indian men's and women's 4x400m relay teams qualified for Paris Olympics after finishing second in their respective second-round heats at the World Athletics Relays here on Monday. In the women's competition, the quartet of Rupal Chaudhary, M R Poovamma, Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3 minutes and 29.35 seconds to finish second behind Jamaica (3:28.54) in heat number one to book a Paris Games ticket.

Later, the men's squad of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Arokia Rajiv and Amoj Jacob finished with a collective timing of 3 minutes and 3.23 seconds to also finish second in their heat, behind USA (2:59.95).

The top two teams in each of the three heats in the second round were to qualify for the Olympics to be held from July 26 to August 11.

The Indian women's team had finished fifth in the first-round qualifying heat on Sunday with a time of 3 minutes and 29.74 seconds. (PTI)

Indian women's 4x400m relay team qualifies for Paris Olympics

The Indian women's 4x400m relay team qualified for Paris Olympics after finishing second in its second-round heat at the World Athletics Relays here on Monday. The quartet of Rupal Chaudhary, M R Poovamma, Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3 minutes and 29.35 seconds to finish second behind Jamaica (3:28.54) in heat number one to book a Paris Games ticket. The Indian team had finished fifth in the first-round qualifying heat on Sunday with a time of 3 minutes and 29.74 seconds.

Manipur CM N. Biren Singh tweeted, "All schools and colleges will remain closed on 6th May and 7th May 2024 due to the prevailing weather conditions in the state."

— NBirenSingh (@NBirenSingh)

In Panama election, Mulino surges ahead in early vote count

Panama's former security minister Jose Raul Mulino built a commanding early lead in the country's presidential election with almost half the votes counted, preliminary data showed on Sunday.

With more than 45% of the ballots tabulated, Mulino was pulling ahead with 34% of the tallied votes, with second placed Ricardo Lombana getting 25%.

Mulino was one of the favorites for the presidency after he replaced popular ex-President Ricardo Martinelli on the ballot after Martinelli was barred from running due to a money laundering conviction.

Martinelli played a key role in the election despite being holed up in Nicaragua's embassy in Panama's capital, where he sought asylum. Many voters saw Mulino as a proxy for Martinelli, though opponents called him a puppet of the former president. (Reuters)

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro hospitalised with skin infection

Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro was hospitalised for the second time in Manaus (AM) on Sunday to treat a bout of erysipelas, a type of skin infection, Brazil's online newspaper Metropoles reported.

In a post on social media platform X, Bolsonaro wrote, "I'm at Santa Julia Hospital in Manaus. Erysipelas...still not expected to be discharged. A hug to everyone."

Notably, Bolsonaro was in Manaus to meet with supporters at meetings and demonstrations.

He had to suspend his schedule in the region because of the hospitalisation, Metropoles reported.

Brazil mounts frantic rescue effort as flooding kills at least 78

Authorities in southern Brazil scrambled Sunday to rescue people from raging floods and mudslides in what has become the region's largest ever climate catastrophe, with at least 78 dead and 115,000 forced from their homes.

Entire cities were underwater, with thousands of people cut off from the world by the floodwater, brought by days of torrential rains.

In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state, residents stood on rooftops hoping to be rescued as others in canoes or small boats navigated streets that have become rivers.

After what one climatologist called "a disastrous cocktail" of climate change and the El Nino effect, more than 3,000 soldiers, firefighters and other rescuers were trying to reach residents, who were in many cases trapped without basic supplies such as running water or electricity.

Civil defense officials said at least 105 people were missing in the latest of a string of catastrophic weather events to hit the South American giant.

A massive fire broke out in a factory in Sahibabad Site 4 Industry area. 18 fire tenders are present on the spot. More details awaited. (ANI)

Two people arrested with weapons in J&K's Shopian

In a joint operation of the Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir Police, two persons in possession of weapons were apprehended at Aloora in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian on Sunday.

The weapons recovered from them are one pistol, two hand grenades and other warlike stores, said the army.

"Based on specific intelligence input, a Joint Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) was established today by #IndianArmy, @crpf_srinagar & @JmuKmrPolice at Aloora, Shopian. Two suspected individuals have been apprehended along with recovery of 01xPistol, 02xHand Grenade & other war like stores. Further Investigation is in progress," the army posted on X. (ANI)

Qantas Airways faces $66 million court penalty for flight cancellations

Australian flagship airline Qantas Airways said on Monday it reached a settlement agreement with the country's competition regulator under which it may be obliged to pay A$100 million ($66 million) civil penalty in a flight cancellation case.

The penalty would be subject to the approval of Federal Court of Australia, it said in a statement.

Qantas was sued in August by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which accused it of selling tickets to thousands of flights after they were cancelled, putting the airline at risk of huge fines.

As part of the settlement, Qantas will start a projected A$20 million remediation program for passengers impacted by flight cancellations, with each impacted customer getting payments from A$225 to A$450, the airline said.

EU chief says will urge 'fair' China competition in talks with Xi Jinping

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday she will press for "fair" competition with China in talks with its President Xi Jinping, who is in Paris on a state visit.

"We have to act to make sure that competition is fair and not distorted," she said in remarks issued hours before her three-way Paris meeting with Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron.

She added that, previously with Xi, "I have made clear that the current imbalances in market access are not sustainable and need to be addressed".

Russian attacks on Kharkiv, surrounding area kill one, injure 17, officials say

Russian attacks on Orthodox Easter Sunday killed a woman buried under rubble and injured 24 in Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv and the surrounding region, regional officials said.

Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said six people were injured in an overnight drone attack on the Osnovyanskyi district of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.

Prosecutors in Kharkiv region said 15 more were hurt in an attack later in the day by aerial bombs on the city centre.

"The next time it could hit my house. Why did it hit here? Just who is here? And on such a holy day. How? I cannot grasp it at all..." Natalia Avilova-Patrikeyeva said outside an apartment building with shattered balconies and windows blown out.

"I thought that at least on this day it would remain calm. At four in the morning there also was a strike. I don't sleep, I don't sleep at all."

After midnight, public broadcaster Suspilne reported power cuts in parts of Kharkiv region. It also said there had been power cuts in adjacent Sumy region after reports of drone attacks and explosions.

Parents of US, Australian tourists presumed killed in Mexico to try identifying bodies

The parents of an American and two Australian surfers presumed to have been killed in northern Mexico have arrived in the country and will try to identify the dead bodies believed to be their children, a Mexican regional official said on Sunday.

Authorities in the Baja California state are conducting forensic tests on three corpses they found in a well this week and which they believe to be Australian brothers Callum, 33, and Jake Robinson, 30, as well as American Carter Rhoad, 30.

But those tests are taking some time and Baja California's state Attorney General Maria Elena Andrade said the parents are currently filling out paperwork to see if the bodies can be "physically identified, that is to say, in plain sight."

If the parents are able to identify the bodies, it would void the need for DNA tests, Andrade said at a press conference.

The three foreigners went missing while on a vacation surfing near the popular tourist town of Ensenada, about 90 minutes south of the U.S.-Mexico border on the Pacific coast.

On Saturday, Andrade said there was a "high grade of probability" that the three bodies found earlier in the week belonged to the surfers.

Andrade said that while the bodies were found in an advanced state of decomposition at the bottom of a well more than 15 meters (50 ft) deep, "some physical descriptions give us that high probability".

A source from the attorney general's office told Reuters that all three bodies had a shot in the head.

Sierra Nevada records snowiest day of the season from brief but potent California storm

A weekend spring storm that drenched the San Francisco Bay area and closed Northern California mountain highways also set a single-day snowfall record for the season on Sunday in the Sierra Nevada.

The wet weather system had mostly moved out of the state by Sunday morning, but officials warned that roads would remain slick after around two feet (60 centimeters) of snow fell in some areas of the Sierra.

"Did anyone have the snowiest day of the 2023/2024 season being in May on their winter bingo card?" the University of California, Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab asked on the social platform X.

The 26.4 inches (67 centimeters) of snowfall on Sunday beat the second snowiest day of the season — March 3rd — by 2.6 inches (6.6 centimeters), according to the lab.

Treacherous driving conditions on Saturday forced the closure of several highways near Lake Tahoe, including Interstate 80 over the Donner Summit.

Flood advisories were issued for parts of the Bay Area, where up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain fell while temperatures dipped into the low 40s (around 5 degrees Celsius), the National Weather Service said. Wind gusts reaching 40 mph (64 kph) were reported Saturday near San Francisco.

The storm brought light rain and gusty winds to Southern California.

$400 million boost in federal funds for security at places of worship

A $400 million increase in federal funding is available for security in places of worship, senate majority leader Chuck Schumer announced Sunday. The boost in money comes as concerns rise over threats against Jewish and Muslim communities, fuelled in part by the Israel-Hamas war.

Places like synagogues and mosques could apply to use the money to hire security personnel or install cameras under the new increase in funding to the existing federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, Schumer, a democrat, said from New York City.

"We're going to keep funding so that no synagogue or other religious institution is going to have to live in the fear that they now live with," Schumer said.

The program allocated $305 million last year to nonprofits to help protect their facilities from potential attacks.

Three New York City synagogues and the Brooklyn Museum received bomb threats through email on Saturday, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department said. The threats prompted two synagogues to evacuate, though no explosives were found.

Houses of worship will need to apply by May 21 to tap into the first round of funds. (AP)

Russia takes control of Ocheretyne village in Ukraine's east

Russian forces have taken control of the village of Ocheretyne, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday.

The village, which lies northwest of the onetime Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka which Russia captured in February, had a pre-war population of around 3,000.

There was no comment from Ukrainian officials and no mention of Ocheretnye in the evening report of the Armed Forces General Staff.

Unofficial Ukrainian war bloggers, including the popular Deep State Map site, indicated that Russia was in control of the village.

Russia has made slow but steady advances since taking Avdiivka, with a string of villages in the area falling to Moscow's forces. (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden awards the Medal of Freedom to Nancy Pelosi, Medgar Evers, Michelle Yeoh and 16 others

US President Joe Biden on Friday bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on 19 people, including civil rights icons such as the late Medgar Evers, prominent political leaders such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. James Clyburn, and actor Michelle Yeoh.

Biden said the recipients of the nation's highest civilian honor are "incredible people whose relentless curiosity, inventiveness, ingenuity and hope have kept faith in a better tomorrow."

One of them, Clarence B. Jones, said in an interview that he thought a prankster was on the phone when he answered and heard the caller say they were from the White House.

"I said, 'Is this a joke or is this serious?'" Jones recalled. The caller swore they were serious and was calling with the news that Biden wanted to recognize Jones with the medal.

Jones, 93, was honored for his activism during the Civil Rights Movement. He's a lawyer who provided legal counsel to Martin Luther King Jr. and helped write the opening paragraphs of the "I Have a Dream" speech that King delivered at the Lincoln Memorial at the 1963 March on Washington.

The White House said the recipients are "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors."

The 10 men and nine women hail from the worlds of politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights and LGBTQ+ advocacy, science and religion. Three medals were awarded posthumously.

Panamanians vote in an election dominated by a former president who was barred from running

Panamanians began voting Sunday in an election that has been consumed by unfolding drama surrounding the country's former president, even though he is not on the ballot.

As the sweltering sun beat down over the normally sleepy Central American nation, voters lined up outside polling stations. Eager for change after months of political turmoil and protests, Panamanians are weighing promises of economic prosperity and migratory crackdowns against a corruption scandal.

"Panama's election will be one of the most complex in its modern history. The vote is marked by increased political fragmentation and social discontent under outgoing President Laurentino Cortizo," said Arantza Alonso, senior analyst for the Americas at the risk consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft, before the polls opened.

The presidential race remained in uncertain waters until Friday morning, when Panama's Supreme Court ruled that leading presidential contender José Raúl Mulino was permitted to run. It said he was eligible despite allegations that his candidacy wasn't legitimate because he wasn't elected in a primary.

Mulino joined the race late, replacing former President Ricardo Martinelli as the candidate for the Achieving Goals party. The fiery Martinelli was barred from running in March after he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for money laundering.

Elderly woman dies in Uttarakhand's raging forest fire, rains expected from May 7

A 65-year-old woman on Sunday died in AIIMS Rishikesh where she was admitted after getting burn injuries while trying to douse a forest fire that had reached her farm in a village in Pauri tehsil, officials said. With forest fires still raging in Uttarakhand, Director of the Meteorological Center in Dehradun Bikram Singh said that there is a possibility of rain in the state from May 7-8, which will intensify from May 11.

This may help extinguish the forest fires, he said.

The rain will start in the Kumaon region from May 7 and in the Garhwal region from May 8, Singh said.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asked Chief Secretary Radha Raturi to give all the district magistrates a week's notice and issue instructions to regularly monitor the forest fires.

In Thapli village on Saturday, Savitri Devi noticed a forest fire reaching her farm. She went to collect grass bundles kept there but got caught in the blaze, the District Disaster Management Center said.

She was referred to AIIMS Rishikesh, where she died during treatment in the early hours of Sunday, it said.

Conspiracy of Alipur gang war hatched in Jail to avenge Tillu Tajpuria's murder: Delhi police

Delhi police on Sunday revealed that the conspiracy of the Alipur murder case was hatched in Delhi Jail to avenge gang leader Tillu Tajpuria's murder by Gogi gang members.

Delhi police also mentioned that five of the shooters of the Tillu gang committed the crime on the instructions of jailed gangster Amit alias Dabang.

Additional CP Rajiv Ranjan Singh on Sunday said, "Delhi Police Special Staff of outer North District and special cell in two different operations have arrested two sharpshooters and an informant associated with the notorious Tillu Tajpuriya gang and worked out the broad daylight murder in gang war case in Alipur police station area."

"With the arrest of these two shooters, the mystery of murder has been solved. Both the arrested individuals hail from Haryana and were involved in killing of a rival gang member. Murder was planned and orchestrated in Prison to assert dominance and to avenge Gang Leader Tillu Tajpuria's death in jail by Gogi gang members. The informant behind the targeted killing, who is a resident of Alipur area, has also been arrested," he added.

Speaking to ANI DCP Ravi Kumar Singh said, "On April 22 a PCR call regarding firing near the opposite bus stop, Alipur was received at PS Alipur, Delhi. Upon receiving the call, the staff of PS Alipur reached the spot where they found a Tempo with multiple gunshot marks. Subsequent inquiry revealed that 5 individuals had opened fire on the occupants of the aforementioned Tempo. The injured persons were immediately rushed to SRHC Hospital, Narela, for treatment. 1 individual was declared dead by the doctors, while another sustained gunshot injury to the leg."

Trump accuses Biden of running 'Gestapo administration'

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump accused Democratic rival President Joe Biden of running a "Gestapo administration" in a private address to donors in which he also attacked prosecutors involved in his criminal indictments, according to a recording heard by US media outlets.

Trump, whose own rhetoric has drawn accusations of fascist tendencies from civil rights groups and other critics, made the comparison with the Nazi police in Germany's World War Two regime at a donor retreat Saturday night at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

The comments came after Trump reprised his complaint that the multiple indictments against him were politically motivated. He had just concluded 11 days of a New York hush money trial in which he is charged with falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment made to a porn star.

"These people are running a Gestapo administration," Trump said, according to an audio recording heard by the New York Times and the Washington Post. "And it's the only thing they have. And it's the only way they're going to win, in their opinion, and it's actually killing them. But it doesn't bother me."

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the reported remarks.

The former president, who held office from 2017 to 2021, faces an array of legal troubles in criminal and civil cases while he seeks to regain the presidency in the Nov. 5 election. He denies wrongdoing in all the cases. (Reuters)