News
- In the backdrop of state elections in Karnataka, replying to M Mallikarjun Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at him, PM said "snake is the charm of lord Shankar's (Shiva) neck, and for me, the people of the country are the form of Lord Eshwar, they are the form of Shiva. So I'm fine with being the snake that adorns the neck of the people". The PM was addressing a public meeting in Kolar, Karnataka.
- West Bengal Congress leader and counsel of the Calcutta High Court Kaustav Bagchi wrote a letter to express displeasure over Congress leader and Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi defending Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee in the supreme court. Bagchi claimed that Bengal Congress leaders and workers feel ashamed of Singhvi.
- Delhi Public Works Department Minister Atishi wrote to Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and criticized the letter he sent to the chief secretary seeking records of the renovation of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence and submitting the report in 15 days. Atishi said that LG seeks to exercise a power that is wholly outside the jurisdiction and authority of his office.
- According to the US media, leaked US intelligence documents reveal that junior Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar cautioned Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif that Pakistan should avoid giving the impression of "appeasing" the West. The reports further say that Pak no longer should attempt to maintain a middle ground between China and the US. It says the partnership with the US would ultimately sacrifice the full benefits of its "real strategic" partnership with China.
- United States regulators have declared that First Republic Bank has been seized and a deal agreed to sell it to JPMorgan Chase, which will take $173 billion of loans and about $30 billion of securities of First Republic Bank including $92 billion of deposits. The deal makes it the third major U.S. bank to fail in two months.