Morning digest: Imran Khan tweets PM Modi’s Pak Day greetings, IPL-12 begins at Chepauk today, and more

A select list of stories to read before you start your day

Chennai Super Kings captain M.S. Dhoni and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli seen during the practice session for the VIVO IPL 2019 Twenty20 cricket match at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Received message from PM Modi, tweets Pakistan PM Imran Khan ahead of National Day

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday evening tweeted: “Received msg from PM Modi: ‘I extend my greetings & best wishes to the people of Pakistan on the National Day of Pakistan. It is time that ppl of Sub-continent work together for a democratic, peaceful, progressive & prosperous region, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence’.”

Clash of the titans — a high-voltage launch to IPL Season 12

The showdown between the icy Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the often volatile Virat Kohli at Chepauk on Saturday will be a high voltage launch to IPL-12.

BJP releases second list of Lok Sabha candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party released a list of 36 candidates from four States for the upcoming 2019 general elections in the wee hours of Saturday

Ground Zero | Art in the marketplace: how the Kochi-Muziris Biennale is driving interests worldwide

It took less than a decade for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale to become a top international art destination. As the 2018-19 edition draws to a close,

The Hindu looks at the inclusive, artist-driven Kochi model that is driving interest among art institutions worldwide

Centre bans Yasin Malik-led JKLF under UAPA

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday banned separatist Yasin Malik’s Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) under the anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). The move comes days after the Centre banned Jamat-e-Islami (JeI-J&K) under Section 3(1) of the UAPA.

Yeddyurappa payoffs: Court unlikely to admit diary as evidence

The ‘Yeddyurappa diary,’ if it reaches the court, may be fated to die a quick death. Section 34 of the Indian Evidence Act requires ‘diary entries’ to cross a series of steep hurdles to pass muster as evidence.

Livelihood issues will determine outcome of election: Sitaram Yechury

After the recent snub by the Congress, the Left Front has been forced to go it alone in West Bengal. Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who had pitched a “no-contest” proposal, speaks on the Opposition’s political strategy, and the electoral prospects of the Left Front in the upcoming polls.

Govt. earns ₹85,000 crore from disinvestment, overshoots target

The government has overshot its disinvestment target for the second consecutive year, according to the Ministry of Finance.

EC panel issues notice over ad on Modi biopic

A full-page advertisement for the trailer of Narendra Modi biopic in two Hindi newspapers has invited the ire of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC), set up by the Election Commission, in East Delhi.

Coming, a law to empower forest staff

A proposed legislation accords significant powers to India’s forest officers — including the power issue search warrants, enter and investigate lands within their jurisdictions, and to provide indemnity to forest officers using arms to prevent forest-related offences.

Scientists study biochemical blood parameters of Indian adolescents

For the first time, the blood biochemical parameters of Indian adolescents have been measured on a large scale and a normative range has been arrived at.