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Weather update: Heatwave reigns; IMD predicts rainfall in these states; Check full forecast here

Today, Interior Karnataka is likely to witness heatwave conditions, while East Rajasthan is forecasted to experience them on May 8 and 9.

Air India Express cancels 80 flights as crew members go on mass ‘sick leave’; apologises for disruptions

Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the merger process.

Bill to expand Florida’s ‘Safe Haven’ law now on DeSantis’ desk

Legislation to expand Florida’s “Safe Haven” policy is now awaiting Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature after passing through the state legislature. The existing “Safe Haven” law made it legal to surrender unwanted infants, as long as they are given up unharmed to certain drop-off locations, including hospitals and fire stations. The expanded bill would give women 30 days to drop off the newborn, up from the current seven-day time limit. The bill would also authorize 911 dispatchers to arrange an infant drop-off location in instances where the child’s parents do not have transportation available to reach an agency’s drop-off location. DEAD BABY DISCOVERED AT UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA IN FLORIDA “I think, basically, people were just wanting to give moms more time. And, other states have 30 days, and it’s a positive thing, really,” A Safe Haven for Newborns CEO Nick Silverio told Fox 13. “[The mother] might be going through postpartum. She might be going through a medical condition that she had delivering the baby… this just gives her more time.” An adoption agency in St. Petersburg, Florida, said this is the perfect time for the expanded law, after the six-week abortion ban took effect in the Sunshine State. “I think we’re going to see with the six-week [abortion] ban, we’re going to see an increase. I come from child welfare for over 30 years, and we’re going to see an increase in those children coming in for care,” Connie Going of Going Adoption and Surrogacy told Fox 13. DESANTIS TOUTS FLORIDA LAWSUIT SEEKING TO BLOCK BIDEN’S TITLE IX CHANGES “I think that we’re going to see an increase in adoptions,” she continued. “I think we’re going to see an increase in parenting, which means we as communities have to step up and provide services that support families.” The bill comes after a baby was found dead last week in a garbage can on the campus of the University of Tampa. The mother told police she delivered the baby in her dorm bathroom, where the child briefly cried before dying, court records showed, Fox 13 reported. The mother initially said she was unaware she was pregnant, but later told police she may have been in denial about not being pregnant and had not had a period in about a year.

DNA Exclusive: Inside scoop of Congress’ plan to defeat Smriti Irani, retain Amethi

It is pertinent to mention that though KL Sharma wasn’t too well-known in the national media circle, he holds quite a command in Amethi.

Sikh leaders welcome arrests in Canada activist killing, but questions loom

Montreal, Canada – Sikh leaders in North America have welcomed recent arrests in the killing of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, but allegations that the Indian government was involved continue to fuel questions and unease. Canadian police announced late last week that three Indian nationals were arrested in Canada for their involvement in the June killing of Nijjar, a prominent Sikh community leader in the westernmost province of British Columbia. Police added that their investigation into Nijjar’s shooting death would continue, including whether “there are any ties to the government of India”. Moninder Singh, a spokesman for the BC Gurdwaras Council, a coalition of Sikh temples in the province, told Al Jazeera there was “some relief” that arrests were made in the case. But Singh, who knew Nijjar personally, said the question of Indian state involvement is “looming” over the Sikh community, which numbers about 770,000 people across Canada — the largest Sikh diaspora outside India. “The foreign interference is real. The assassination plot is real,” said Singh, adding that it is imperative to get to the bottom of what India’s role has been. “All of that has to be exposed,” he continued. “There [are] numerous reasons why it’s very, very important for public safety in Canada, along with deterring India from carrying out this kind of operation ever again.” Canada-India tensions Tensions between Canada and India skyrocketed in September after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that authorities were investigating “credible allegations of a potential link” between Indian government agents and Nijjar’s killing. Nijjar was fatally shot on June 18, 2023, outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, a temple in Surrey, British Columbia, where he served as president. India vehemently denied the allegations that it was involved, calling them “absurd”. It also accused Nijjar of being involved in “terrorism” — a claim rejected by his supporters. Nijjar had been a leading advocate in what is known as the Khalistan movement, a Sikh campaign for a sovereign state in India’s Punjab region. While largely dormant inside India itself, Sikh separatism is largely viewed as a threat by the Indian government, which has urged Western nations to crack down on Khalistan movement leaders in the diaspora. Canada has provided shelter to “Khalistani terrorists and extremists” who “continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said as it rejected Trudeau’s allegations in September. But Sikh leaders in Canada said they have faced threats for years, and they accused the Indian government of trying to silence them. Nijjar’s killing amplified these longstanding tensions, and new reports have emerged of Indian officials’ involvement in other alleged plots to harm prominent Sikh leaders in Canada and the United States. Reports of threats For instance, in late November, the US Department of Justice announced charges against a 52-year-old Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, over a foiled attempt to assassinate Sikh American activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The plot to kill Pannun, another Sikh separatist leader, was organised in coordination with an Indian government employee and others, according to the Justice Department. Last week, The Washington Post reported that US intelligence agencies determined that the operation to target Pannun was approved by the then-head of India’s foreign intelligence agency, known as the Research and Analysis Wing or RAW. The Indian government rejected those allegations as “unwarranted” and “unsubstantiated”, according to media reports. But rights groups have said India “needs to do a lot more than issue denials” in such cases. “India’s alleged involvement in assassination plots in the US and Canada suggests a new and notorious leap in extrajudicial killings,” Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in December. Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is pictured in his office in New York in November 2023 [Ted Shaffrey/AP Photo] Pritpal Singh, an activist and founder of the American Sikh Caucus Committee, was among the prominent Sikh leaders who were informed of threats against them over the past year. Agents with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) visited Pritpal, who is based in the state of California, in June to warn him. In a statement to Al Jazeera this week, Pritpal said he commended “the unwavering commitment of Canadian and American law enforcement agencies” in their investigations into Nijjar’s killing and the surveillance of Sikhs. “The alleged involvement of the Indian government in these heinous acts is a blatant violation of international norms and human rights. It is wholly unacceptable for any government to engage in extrajudicial killings and suppress dissenting voices abroad,” he said. Pritpal also demanded accountability for threats against Sikh activists. “We must insist on US justice against those involved in India’s alleged murder-for-hire scheme targeting Americans on US soil,” he said. “It is imperative that these cases are prosecuted on American soil by the United States Department of Justice to prevent these perpetrators from self-prosecuting.” India hits out at Canada Still, India has continued to deny any involvement in the alleged plots, while blasting Canada over its approach to Nijjar’s killing in particular. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, did not respond to Al Jazeera’s requests for comment on the case. After news broke on Friday that Canadian authorities had made arrests, the Indian external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said the Canadian government had a “political compulsion” to blame India. Speaking to Indian news outlet The Economic Times this week, Jaishankar also accused Canada of “providing a haven to organised crime”. “We’ve been repeatedly telling the Canadians that, if you actually allow such forces to set up shop and create networks, this is going to harm their own society. But so far, I don’t think that advice has been well heeded,” the minister said. Canadian authorities have rejected the idea that they have allowed unlawful activity to proliferate. Experts also argue that many of the individuals India considers “terrorists” are not violating any Canadian laws. “Canada is a rule-of-law country with a strong and independent justice system as well as a fundamental commitment

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 804

As the war enters its 804th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Fighting One person was killed and four injured by Russian artillery fire in the eastern border region of Sumy, which has come under increasing aerial bombardment in recent weeks. Ukrainian police said Moscow’s forces had fired on the territory 224 times over the previous 24 hours. Five people were injured after Ukraine hit an oil storage depot in the Russian-occupied city of Luhansk triggering a large fire. Politics and diplomacy The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said it uncovered a Russian plot to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other senior officials. The SBU said Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) had set up a network of agents to carry out the plan and two colonels in the State Guard of Ukraine, which provides protection to top officials, had been arrested on suspicion of treason. Vladimir Putin was sworn in for a fifth term as Russian president in a Kremlin ceremony boycotted by the United States, the United Kingdom and several European Union countries. In a speech to mark the occasion, Putin said the country would emerge victorious and stronger from a “difficult” period. Several dozen protesters gathered outside The Hague’s Peace Palace to protest against Putin’s inauguration, calling for him to stand trial. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Putin and Russian Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on war crime charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children in March 2023. Chinese President Xi Jinping left France after a two-day trip during which he offered no major concessions on foreign policy, even as President Emmanuel Macron urged him to use his influence on Russia to help end the war in Ukraine. Zelenskyy said the island state of Cape Verde had become the first African country to agree to attend next month’s “peace summit” in Switzerland. Bern has invited 160 delegations to the event which is scheduled for June 15-16. Russia banned the US-based non-profit Freedom House, labelling it an “undesirable” organisation in Russia. In its 2024 Freedom in the World report, Freedom House assessed Russia as “not free”, noting restrictions on political rights and civil liberties had tightened since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Protesters gathered in The Hague to call for Putin to be jailed [Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters] Weapons Ukrainian state prosecutors told the Reuters news agency they had examined debris from 21 of about 50 North Korean ballistic missiles launched by Russia between late December and late February, as they work to assess the threat from Moscow’s cooperation with Pyongyang. The prosecutors’ office said evidence so far suggested a high failure rate. Speaking during a visit to the US, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said he was open to discussions on sending a Patriot missile system to Ukraine. Romania signed a $4bn deal to procure Patriots in 2017, with the first shipment delivered in 2020. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Russia and Ukraine each accused the other of using banned toxins on the battlefield in meetings in The Hague. The OPCW said the accusations were “insufficiently substantiated” but the situation remained “volatile and extremely concerning regarding the possible re-emergence of use of toxic chemicals as weapons”. Adblock test (Why?)

TikTok owner ByteDance files lawsuit against US law forcing app’s sale

ByteDance, the owner of the social media platform TikTok, has filed a lawsuit against the United States government in an effort to block a law that would force it to divest from its US assets. On Tuesday, lawyers for ByteDance filed the complaint in the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, arguing the law was “obviously unconstitutional”. President Joe Biden signed the law less than two weeks ago, on April 24, as part of a package that included foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as humanitarian relief for Gaza. Under the law, ByteDance has nine months to sell off its US-based operations. Its deadline is January 19, with an additional three-month extension possible should a sale be in progress. But in its suit, ByteDance argues divestment will not be possible within the timeframe allotted — “not commercially, not technologically, not legally”. It also argues it is being unfairly targeted by a law that violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects free speech. “For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide,” the lawsuit reads. A TikTok user protests outside the US Congress on April 23, as legislation was passed to force ByteDance to divest from its US operations [Mariam Zuhaib/AP] While ByteDance maintained it has no plans to sell TikTok, its popular video-sharing app, it said that doing so would not even be feasible under the law. Millions of lines of code would have to shift hands, the lawsuit explained, and any prospective owners would have to access ByteDance’s algorithms to keep it operational — something that would also be barred under the law. “There is no question: the Act will force a shutdown of TikTok by January 19, 2025, silencing the 170 million Americans who use the platform to communicate in ways that cannot be replicated elsewhere,” the lawsuit said. TikTok has been a target of bipartisan criticism in the US, with politicians concerned about its national security implications. ByteDance is a Chinese technology company, and its critics fear that the Chinese government could request the information it collects from users, raising privacy concerns. US Congress members like Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi said the April law is therefore necessary to protect US users. “This is the only way to address the national security threat posed by ByteDance’s ownership of apps like TikTok,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. “Instead of continuing its deceptive tactics, it’s time for ByteDance to start the divestment process.” ByteDance has long denied furnishing any information about US users to the Chinese government, and it has publicly pledged not to do so, brushing aside such concerns as “speculative”. The lawsuit also notes that the company spent $2bn to protect US user data and has made commitments under a 90-page draft “National Security Agreement” with the US government. TikTok has been in the US government’s crosshairs for nearly four years, as tensions continue between Washington and Beijing. In 2020, for instance, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban the video platform, citing national security concerns. But federal judges blocked the ban, saying that officials demonstrated a “failure to consider an obvious and reasonable alternative before banning TikTok”. States have similarly sought to block the app, most notably Montana. In April 2023, Governor Greg Gianforte signed a first-of-its-kind bill, SB 419, that would fine TikTok for operating within state lines, as well as any app stores that carried it. But it was unclear how Montana planned to enforce the law, which was quickly challenged in court. Montana’s SB 419 was scheduled to take effect on January 1, but a federal judge ultimately blocked it, awarding another win to ByteDance. The state’s attorney general has promised an appeal. Many free-speech advocates predict a similar fate awaits April’s federal law forcing ByteDance to sever itself from its US operations. Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, told the Associated Press that he anticipated ByteDance would prevail in Tuesday’s lawsuit. “The First Amendment means the government can’t restrict Americans’ access to ideas, information, or media from abroad without a very good reason for it — and no such reason exists here,” Jaffer said in a statement. For its part, China has taken similar actions against US-based companies like Meta, whose WhatsApp and Threads platforms were recently ordered to be removed from Chinese-based app stores over questions of national security. Adblock test (Why?)

‘Squad’ member Rep. Tlaib calls for Netanyahu’s arrest; GOP senators warn ICC of serious repercussions

“Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., called for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials in Israel for what she called violations of the Genocide Convention under international law. In a press release on Tuesday, Tlaib called out the government of Israel for its ground invasion of Rafah, linking the U.S. to the attack because of funding it provided. “It’s no coincidence that immediately after our government sent the Israeli apartheid regime over $14 billion with absolutely no conditions on upholding human rights, Netanyahu began a ground invasion of Rafah to continue the genocide of Palestinians — with ammunition and bombs paid for by our tax dollars,” she said. “Over 1.5 million Palestinian civilians, including over 600,000 children, are trapped in Rafah, living in makeshift tents, without food, clean water, sanitation, medicine, or any form of shelter.” Tlaib accused Israeli forces of killing over 35,000 Palestinians and displacing families in Rafah, exposing them to more “unimaginable human suffering.” BIDEN WARNS NETANYAHU AGAINST RAFAH INVASION AS ISRAEL PREPARES FOR ACTION She also warned her constituents in the release that many of her colleagues would express concern over the “crimes against humanity” in Rafah, even though the same colleagues voted in favor of giving Netanyahu the means to do so. “Do not be misled, they gave their consent for these atrocities, and our country is actively participating in genocide,” Tlaib said. “For months, Netanyahu made his intent to invade Rafah clear, yet the majority of my colleagues and President Biden sent more weapons to enable the massacre.” She claimed Netanyahu will only stay in power as long as fighting continues, adding that the U.S. must stop funding Israel. “It is now more apparent than ever that we must end all U.S. military funding for the Israeli apartheid regime, and demand that President Biden facilitate an immediate, permanent ceasefire that includes a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinians,” Tlaib wrote. “I urge the ICC [International Criminal Court] to swiftly issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials to finally hold them accountable for this genocide, as is obviously warranted by these well-documented violations of the Genocide Convention under international law.” ISRAEL URGES PALESTINIANS TO EVACUATE RAFAH AHEAD OF EXPECTED GROUND OPERATION IN HAMAS STRONGHOLD Tlaib’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment on whether Hamas leaders responsible for the atrocities in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, should also be held accountable for their actions and arrested. Despite the “Squad” member’s request for action, 12 U.S. senators warned Karim A. A. Khan, the prosecutor for the IC, that any actions against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials would result in severe sanctions. In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the 12 senators, led by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told Khan the arrest of Netanyahu would not only be illegitimate, but also lacked a legal basis. ISRAELI TROOPS GAIN OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF GAZAN SIDE OF RAFAH CROSSING, IDF SAYS “The ICC is attempting to punish Israel for taking legitimate actions of self-defense against their Iranian-backed aggressors. In fact, in your own words, you witnessed ‘scenes of calculated cruelty’ conducted by Hamas in Israel following the October 7 attacks,” the letter read. “These arrest warrants would align the ICC with the largest state sponsor of terrorism and its proxy. To be clear, there is no moral equivalence between Hamas’s terrorism and Israel’s justified response.” The letter also advised Khan that the ICC is prohibited from proceeding in any case unless the relevant government is willing or unable to police themselves. “By issuing warrants, you would be calling into question the legitimacy of Israel’s laws, legal system, and democratic form of government,” the letter stated. “Issuing arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel would not only be unjustified, it would expose your organization’s hypocrisy and double standards.” ISRAEL BEGINS ‘TARGETED’ STRIKES AGAINST HAMAS IN RAFAH The senators told Khan his office had not issued warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or any other Iranian official; Syrian President Bashar al Assad or any other Syrian official; Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh or any other Hamas official; nor General Secretary of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, or any other Chinese official. The letter also reminded Khan that neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of the ICC, and any action against them is outside the organization’s jurisdiction.  “If you issue a warrant for the arrest of the Israeli leadership, we will interpret this not only as a threat to Israel’s sovereignty but to the sovereignty of the United States,” the senators said. “The United States will not tolerate politicized attacks by the ICC on our allies. Target Israel and we will target you.” The letter warned that any action against either country would result in the end of all American support for the ICC, sanctioning of ICC employees and associates, and barring Khan and his family from the U.S.

DC mayor, police chief to testify before House lawmakers on George Washington University protests

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and police chief Pamela Smith will testify before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday to discuss ongoing anti-Israel protests and an encampment on the campus of George Washington University (GWU). The mayor’s office confirmed to Fox News Digital Tuesday that the mayor and the police chief will testify at the hearing.  The confirmation comes after Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, criticized D.C. leadership for not responding to the university’s request to help respond to protests that have grown increasingly combative in recent days.  Anti-Israel agitators at GWU are urging administrators not to call police to clear their encampment, which has remained on the campus for 13 days.  COLLEGES THAT ONCE EMBRACED ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS NOW CHANGING THEIR TUNE AS ENCAMPMENTS GROW MORE CHAOTIC Protesters in GWU’s U-Yard have erected tents and displayed Palestinian flags at their encampment. They also defaced a statue of the campus’ namesake, former President George Washington, with Palestinian iconography, which includes slamming “Free Palestine” stickers onto the statue. Even more alarmingly, demonstrators on campus have called for the ‘guillotine’ for school administrators, a video posted to social media recently showed. “Guillotine, Guillotine, Guillotine, Guillotine” a person with a bullhorn could be heard chanting as other demonstrators joined in. Comer said the House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing to “seek answers from local leaders on steps being taken to ensure this unlawful activity ends.” The Hearing on “Oversight of D.C.’s Response to Unlawful Activity and Antisemitism” is set to begin at 1 p.m. EST in the 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.  Fox News Digital’s Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.

Texas Gov. Abbott calls National Guard, Space Force proposal a ‘power grab’

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott strongly opposed a proposal that could shift members of the Air National Guard to roles in the Space Force without the consent of their respective governors. In a letter to President Biden, Abbott, who has clashed with the commander-in-chief on a number of matters, said the proposal is an “intolerable threat” to the National Guard.  “That proposal would give the Secretary of the Air Force unilateral authority to transfer Air National Guard units to the Space Force — without first obtaining gubernatorial consent,” Abbott wrote in the May 3 letter.  400-YEAR-OLD BATTLE GEAR DISCOVERED BY METAL DETECTORIST IN POLAND: ‘UNIQUE FIND’ On Monday, he called it a “power grab.” The Republican governor argued the measure would sideline governors as the commander-in-chiefs of the National Guard in each state and U.S. territory. “By departing from this sensible arrangement, and allowing the Secretaries to dismantle National Guard units on a whim, Legislative Proposal 480 would set a dangerous precedent,” he added. “Members of the Texas National Guard must always stand ready to respond to natural disasters, civil disturbances, and cartel activity that threaten our way of life.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House.  In April, Abbott and dozens of other governors wrote Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calling for the discontinuation of LP480.  They argued it would weaken or limit their authority and threaten readiness and the efficiency of National Guard units.