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Saturday, April 30, 2016

Dr Saleha Jaffer, from Telangana elected as mayor of Lambeth city, South London.



Dr Saleha Jaffer, from Telangana, has been elected as mayor of Lambeth city, South London.
Dr Saleha, who was born in Nalgonda district in Telangana migrated to the UK in 1970.

She entered politics in 2014 through the Labour party after spending time in government service. She also previously held the post of the deputy mayor of the city.

6.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Vanuatu SAturday April 30,2016


A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit off the South Pacific island of Vanuatu today, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

No tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake struck at a depth of 4.8 kilometres (3 miles), some 85 kilometres (52.8 miles) south of the port city Luganville -- known locally as Santo -- USGS said.

Vanuatu is part of the "Ring of Fire", a zone of tectonic activity around the Pacific that is subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Kenya Torches World's Biggest Ivory Bonfire To Save Elephants Saturday April 30,2016


Eleven giant pyres of tusks were set alight Saturday April 30,2016 as Kenya torched its vast ivory stockpile in a grand gesture aimed at shocking the world into stopping the slaughter of elephants




Huge white clouds of smoke spiralled into the sky as the flames took hold, fuelled by thousands of litres of diesel and kerosene injected through steel pipes.

Lighting the fire in Nairobi's national park, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta demanded a total ban on trade in ivory to end the "murderous" trafficking and prevent the extinction of elephants in the wild.

"The height of the pile of ivory before us marks the strength of our resolve," Kenyatta said, before thrusting a burning torch onto the ivory.

"No-one, and I repeat no-one, has any business in trading in ivory, for this trade means death of our elephants and death of our natural heritage."

The tusks are expected to burn for days.

Kenyatta on Friday led a summit of African heads of state and conservationists pushing for a total ban.

"We will not be the Africans who stood by as we lost our elephants," he told the meeting in a keynote address.

The bonfires are the largest-ever torching of ivory, containing 105 tonnes from thousands of dead elephants, seven times bigger than any stockpile burned before.

Another 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn are also being burned, representing the killing of around 340 of the endangered animals.

State Of Emergency Declared In Baghdad As Protesters Take Iraqi Parliament Saturday April 30,2016


A state of emergency was declared in the Iraqi capital on Saturday April 30,2016 as protesters stormed Iraq's parliament, after bursting into the Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, where other key buildings including the U.S. Embassy are located, in a dramatic escalation of the country's political crisis.



Live footage on Iraqi television showed swarms of protesters, who have been demanding government reform, inside the parliament building, waving flags, chanting and breaking chairs. Some lawmakers were berated and beaten with flags as they fled the building while other demonstrators smashed the car windows. Others remained trapped inside rooms in parliament and feared for their lives, lawmakers said.

The surge of protesters into the secure area, which is off limits to most Iraqis, was the culmination of months of street protests. Under huge political pressure, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has attempted to reshuffle his cabinet and meet the demands of the demonstrators, who have been spurred on by the powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. But he has been hampered by a deeply divided parliament, where sessions have descended into chaos as lawmakers have thrown water bottles and punches at one another.

The political unrest has brought a new level of instability to a country that is facing multiple crises, including the fight against the Islamic State militant group and the struggling economy.

"This is a new era in the history of Iraq," screamed one demonstrator in the main lobby of the parliament, in footage on Iraqi television. Another said, "They have been robbing us for the past 13 years."

At the heart of the protesters demands is an end to the political quota system, which was put in place after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and sees positions shared out between sects. Sadr has demanded a new technocratic government.

Baghdad Operations Command said all roads into the capital had been closed

2016 VIVO IPL Season 09 - Murali Vijay Replaces David Miller as Captain of KXIP


Struggling IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab on Saturday April 30,2016 replaced out-of-form captain David Miller with Murali Vijay after losing five of their six games in the tournament so far.
"Kings XI Punjab announces M Vijay as the captain for Kings XI Punjab for the remaining part of the IPL 2016 tournament. David Miller continues to be an integral part of the team and is a very strong player of the squad," the team said in a statement.
KXIP who are set to face table-toppers Gujarat Lions  on Sunday May 01,2016 in Rajkot, are currently lying at the bottom of the heap with just two points in their kitty.

S.No Team P W L D NR Pts NRR
1 GUJARAT 7 6 1 0 0 12 +0.038
2 DELHI 6 4 2 0 0 8 +0.441
3 KOLKATA 7 4 3 0 0 8 +0.322
4 HYDERABAD 7 4 3 0 0 8 +0.060
5 MUMBAI 8 4 4 0 0 8 -0.104
6 PUNE 7 2 5 0 0 4 +0.265
7 BANGALORE 6 2 4 0 0 4 +0.065
8 PUNJAB 6 1 4 0 0 2 -1.174


David Miller has had a tough time scoring just 76 runs in 6 innings even though his strike-rate stands at 129
Murali Vijay, on the other hand, has been among the runs and has notched up 143 so far in six innings.

Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton Appears On Cover Of Vogue's 100th Anniversary Edition

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, will appear on the cover of the 100th anniversary edition of the British version of fashion magazine Vogue, following in the path of her husband's late mother, Princess Diana.

Late on Saturday April 30,2016 Vogue revealed the cover of its June edition on its website, which goes on sale on Thursday May 05,2016, showing a smiling Kate in a rural outdoors setting wearing a green hat, brown jacket and white blouse.


Another photo show her in a red and black stripy top, leaning on a wooden fence.

India batsman and IPL team Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma Inks Deal With Swiss Watchmaker Hublot Saturday April 30,2016



India batsman and IPL team Mumbai Indians captain, Rohit Sharma received a perfect gift on his 29th birthday (DOB April 30,1987)on Saturday April 30,2016 as he was signed for an endorsement deal by Swiss watch maker Hublot.

The limited-over opener received the Classic Fusion Aerofucion Chronograph 2016 ICC World Twenty20 cricket watch from Hublot.

Rohit Sharma said, "I have always been a watch fanatic; so being associated with a brand like Hublot is an absolute delight," on his association with the Swiss brand

Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI)Resumes Ties With Windies Board; India to Tour in July-August 2016 Saturday April 30,2016

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) on Saturday April 30,2016 announced the resumption of bilateral cricket ties with the West Indies starting with a four-Test series in July-August 2016

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India and the West Indies Cricket Board have resolved outstanding issues arising out of the abandonment of the tour of West Indies team to India in 2014," BCCI said in a statement.

Note

The last time India toured West Indies for a Test series was in 2011, where India won the two-Test series 1-0.

In October 2014, when West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo led the players' revolt over payment issues, the team had returned home mid-tour after the fourth ODI against India in Dharamsala

Single Entrance Exam for MBBS, BDS Courses to be Held as per Schedule in two phases - May 01 and July 24,2016

The Supreme Court of India on Friday April 29,2016 ruled that entrance exams for MBBS and BDS courses through National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) will go on as per the schedule. The apex court said that the bench will not be hearing any pleas on Friday for a relook on its order of holding NEET in two phases.

The matter will be heard in due course after the parties file applications seeking modification of its order.

Earlier, the Centre had moved SC raising objections against the order passed by the apex court on Thursday which cleared the decks for holding NEET, a single common entrance test for admission to MBBS and BDS courses.
The plea, seeking modification in the order, was mentioned by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi before a bench of Justices AR Dave and AK Goel.

The AG had suggested that the order passed by the apex court on Thursday had allowed holding of a two-phased NEET on May 01,2016 and July 24,2016 but there appeared to be some genuine difficulties and there is a need for change in the order.

He had suggested that the first phase of NEET scheduled for May 1 should be scrapped and all the aspirants should be allowed to take the exams on July 24. Rohatgi had further argued that the order propelled confusion and so a modification was required.

The SCI had on Thursday cleared the decks for the holding of NEET for admission to MBBS and BDS courses, in two phases for the academic year 2016-17. Around 6.5 lakh candidates are likely to appear for the exam.

It had approved the schedule put before it by the Centre, CBSE and the Medical Council of India (MCI) for treating All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) fixed for May 1 as NEET-1.

It had said those who had not applied for AIPMT will be given the opportunity to appear in NEET-II on July 24 and the combined result would be declared on August 17 so that the admission process can be completed by September 30,2016

The order implied that all government colleges, deemed universities and private medical colleges would be covered under NEET and those examinations which have already taken place or slated to be conducted separately stand scrapped.

The SCI order had also revived the government's Decemeber 21, 2010 notification for holding a single common entrance test through NEET with a clarification that any challenge on the issue would directly come before it and no high court can interfere in it.

Ex-Servicemen Call Off OROP Agitation, to Fight it Out in Supreme Court of India(SCI)Friday April 29,2016

Protesting ex-servicemen on Friday night April 29,2016 suspended their 320-day-old agitation for complete implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) as senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani assured them of leading their legal battle in the Supreme Court of India(SCI)

"The indefinite relay fast has been suspended now as we will be taking the legal recourse. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said that proverbial gun was been held to the head of the government by virtue of our presence at Jantar Mantar.

"Now that we have suspended the agitation, we believe that Parrikar will now keep his promises made to us," said Col (retd) Anil Kaul, spokesperson of the ex-servicemen movement.

Addressing armed forces veterans staging protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, Jethmalani said he would fight their case in the Supreme Court of India

"I am 93-year-old and I can die any day but I assure you that it will not happen before I get you justice from the Supreme Court," Jethmalani said.

Major General (retd) Satbir Singh, leader of the protesting veterans, claimed a case will be filed by Jethmalani on OROP demand in the Supreme Court in next 3-4 days and he will not charge any fee. He said four more cases have been filed in the armed forces tribunal.

"These cases pertain to rulings for jawans, war widows, arrears since 2006, payments for honorary ranks, rounding off of disability pension, and payments of reservists," he said. The veterans' protest at Jantar Mantar entered its 320th day today.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had in September 2015 announced implementation of the long delayed OROP for ex-servicemen but the veterans have been continuing with their protest demanding "complete" implementation of the scheme.

Forest Fires Rage Across the State of Uttarakhand in India , Air Force Help Sought


Major forest fires continued to rage on Saturday April 30,2016  across the State of Uttarakhand in India, the administration has sought the help of the Indian Air Force to contain the flames.

The administration also held a meeting with forest officials via video conferencing to take stock of the situation.

This came even as three teams of NDRF were deployed in Almora, Gauchar and Pauri and one team of SDRF in Nainital to extinguish the flames.

Since the beginning of forest fire incidents in the state in early February 2016, 922 incidents have occurred so far killing six people including three women and a child, in separate incidents, injuring seven and blighting 1890.79 hectares of green cover, Principal Conservator of Forest (Research) B P Gupta said.

Bipasha Basu Marries Karan Singh Grover Saturday April 30,2016


Actress Bipasha Basu married her Alone co-star Karan Singh Grover in a private ceremony on Saturday April 30,2016

Celebrities who attended the function





Indian Actor Priyanka Chopra Joins The Obamas At Star-Studded White House Dinner Saturday April 30,2016


Indian Actor Priyanka Chopra dined with the US President Barack Obama at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night April 30,2016

Priyanka Chopra posted a picture of her with the Obamas on Instagram today and wrote,

"Lovely to meet the very funny and charming @barackobama and the beautiful @michelleobama. Thank you for a lovely evening. Cannot wait to start working on your girls education program."

Priyanka Chopra was invited to the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner with the US President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama.

Priyanka Chopra(33) who found global recognition with her character Alex Parrish in the American TV series "Quantico", was earlier "not sure" about attending the dinner due to her work commitments.

The non-profit White House Correspondents' Association, whose members include the reporters, producers, camera operators and other journalists regularly covering the White House, traditionally hosts this annual dinner to raise money for journalism scholarships

Supreme Court of India(SCI) Bans Diesel, Petrol-Run Taxis in the NCR Saturday April 30,2016

Banning All diesel and petrol-run taxis in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Supreme Court of India(SCI)on Saturday April 30,2016 held that only CNG-fitted private taxis, including those being operated by aggregators like Ola and Uber, will be allowed to ply from Sunday May 01,2016

Holding a special hearing, SC Bench led by Chief Justice T S Thakur declined to extend the April 30 deadline fixed for conversion of all diesel and petrol-run taxis to CNG mode.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for some taxi owners, contended that there is no technology for converting diesel vehicles into CNG mode. “We will not be able to earn our livelihood. Moreover, we have to repay the bank loans taken to buy these taxis too,” he said.

But the SC Bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, turned down the plea for extension of deadline, pointing out that it had already been extended three times since last year.

On December 16 ,2015, the deadline for conversion to CNG mode was set as March 1. It was later extended to March 31,2016 and then to April 30,2016
 “We are not going to extend the deadline any further,” said the bench today.

In its December 16,2015 order, the court had observed that the move “will contribute substantially to reduction of pollution.”

The SC Bench today also extended its ban on fresh registrations of diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000 cc and above in the NCR till further orders. It said the issues relating to the continuing ban on registration as well as imposing environment cess on new diesel vehicles would be taken up on May 9.

The SC, however, allowed Delhi Police and Delhi Jal Board to register their new diesel-run vehicles of 2000 cc and above for transportation of undertrial prisoners, arms and ammunition and supply of water.
It asked Delhi Police to pay 30 per cent of the cost of the vehicle as Environment Compensation Charge (ECC). The Delhi Jal Board was exempted from the green cess on the ground that it ferries water tankers to people.


Commuters Face Problems as Diesel-Run Taxis Goes Off Delhi Roads

 

Commuters faced inconvenience on Sunday May 01,2016 as nearly 27,000 diesel-run taxis stayed off the after the Supreme Court on Saturday April 30,2016 refused to extend the April 30,2016 deadline fixed for their conversion into CNG mode.

According to transport department, about 60,000 taxis are registered in the national capital and of them 27,000 are running on diesel. Around 2,000 diesel-run taxis had converted into CNG mode in the last two months.

The SC order is not applicable on cabs having All India Permits but on most of the diesel cabs ply on local routes. This will essentially bring down the availability of cabs in the capital.

Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai has directed the enforcement wing of the transport department to launch a crackdown against diesel-run cabs plying on locals routes in Delhi.

"As per rule, taxis having All India permit are required to cover a distance of around 200 km. Taxis having all India permits cannot ply from one point to other point inside Delhi," a government official said.

Indian Boxer Vijender Singh Beats Frenchman Matiouze Royer For His 5th Pro Win in a Row Saturday April 30,2016.



Indian boxing star Vijender Singh's power-packed punches went unchallenged yet again as he notched up his fifth successive knockout win by battering Frenchman Matiouze Royer on Saturday April 30,2016.

Vijender was declared winner little over a minute into the fifth round of the six-round super middleweight contest, which was incidentally his longest bout so far.

The 30-year-old was up against his most experienced rival till date in Royer, who came into the bout with an accumulated 250 rounds under his belt.

But the Indian did not seem perturbed in the six-round contest and was once again looking to wrap it up early like his previous bouts.

Vijender spent the first round getting a measure of his overtly cautious rival, who preferred to keep a shell guard and hardly attempted a hit at his taller opponent.

But that could not save him from a couple of telling body blows from Vijender, who was also impressive with his jabs.

The Frenchman was reluctant to let go of the guard even in the second round and Vijender took it upon himself to go on the offensive.

The Indian seemed set for an early finish when he had Royer cornered with a flurry of combination punches but the Frenchman did not give in despite being left with a bloodied face owing to a cut above the left eye.

To Royer's credit, he withstood the onslaught and even tried to attack the dominant Indian but that was hardly enough to stop Vijender's march to victory.

Royer's determination finally broke in the fifth round after an unrelenting Vijender brought him to his knees with an onslaught of body blows.

The 29-year-old Frenchman could not continue after that because of his bloodied eye, giving Vijender yet another dominant victory.

Vijender will next be seen in action on May 13,2016  in Bolton against a yet-to-be-decided opponent.

"I am happy with my fifth knockout win in a row. Facing an experienced boxer was not that easy for me but I played as per my basics and tried some new punches which helped me to win against Matiouze Royer," said India's first Olympic and World Championships medallist.

"The best part is that I started attacking Matiouze Royer from the starting of first round and my confidence level was gone up.
With this win my morale is really up and I am confident of doing well in all future fights.
My amateur experience is helping me but pro is totally different game, so I am looking forward to my next bout on 13 May before the WBO Asia Title fight in India," he added.

2016 Petrol Price Revision Saturday April 30,2016

Petrol Price Hiked By Rs 1.06/Litre, Diesel Up By Rs 2.94/Litre

Petrol price was on Saturday hiked by Rs 1.06 per litre while diesel rate was increased by Rs 2.94 per litre. Revised prices will take effect from the midnight.

After Saturday April 30,2016's revision, petrol will retail at Rs 62.19 per litre in Delhi as against Rs 61.13 per litre until now, while diesel will be sold at Rs 50.95 per litre instead of Rs 48.01.

Fuel prices were last revised on April 15, when petrol was made cheaper by Rs 0.74 per litre and diesel by Rs 1.30, reversing their trend of rising rates in the previous one month.

State-owned fuel retailers IOC, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) revise rates of the fuel on the 1st and 16th of every month based on the average global oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight

Friday, April 29, 2016

Cambodia’s passenger train service between capital Phnom Penh and southwestern Sihanoukville resume after 14 years Saturday April 30,2016


Cambodia's passenger train services resumed regular operations between capital Phnom Penh and southwestern Sihanoukville on Saturday April 30,2016 after a 14-year hiatus.

 In a bid to promote the country's railways, Prime Minister Hun Sen boarded the first train, which ran on the 266-km railroad from the capital to the coastal province

John Guiry, CEO of the Royal Railway, said the resumption of passenger train services was made after the successful operation of a nine-day trial run early this month.

The services from Phnom Penh to and from Sinanoukville will be operated on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, departing Phnom Penh at 7.00 a.m., with two stops in the provinces of Takeo and Kampot, he said, adding that the train from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh also departs at 7.00 a.m.

"The one-way ticket price is $6," he said, adding "The wagons can accommodate over 200 passengers and the full journey may take around 7 hours."

Standard cars are equipped with fans, while VIP cars sport air-conditioners, he added.

The Southeast Asian nation has two lines of railroads. One southern line connects Phnom Penh to the seaport of Sihanoukville, and the other line in the north stretches from Phnom Penh to Poipet city and to Thailand in the distance of 385 km.


The two lines, which had been built between 1929 and 1969, were damaged during decades of civil war.

In 2009, the Asian Development Bank and development partners provided $141 million to the country for the rehabilitation of the two rail networks.

Google Doodles 100th Birthday of 'Father of Information Theory' Who Coined the Term 'Bit'


Known as the 'father of information theory', Claude Shannon was an American mathematician, electrical engineer, and cryptographer.

As a cryptographer for the US government in World War II, Shannon developed the first unbreakable cipher.

He juggled between tinkering with electronic switches to developing an electromechanic mouse called 'Theseus' which could teach itself to navigate a maze, much like the modern-day artificial intelligence.

He was often spotted in the halls of Bell Labs on a unicycle, and invented such devices as the rocket-powered frisbee and flame-throwing trumpet.

The mathematician is most famous for his 'A Mathematical Theory of Communication', published in 1949, in which he introduced information theory, the branch of mathematics focused on transmitting digital data.

It was in this work that he coined the term 'bit' - the fundamental unit of information which relates to digital certainty: true or false, on or off, yes or no.

Shannon is also known to have worked with Albert Einstein and Alan Turing. His work in electronic communications and signal processing gained him the title of the 'father of information theory' which led to revolutionary changes in storage and transmission of data


Baaghi(English:Rebel) - Hindi Film


Cast -Tiger Shrof,Shraddha Kapoor,Sudheer Babu,Paras Arora,Sunil Grover
Directed by Sabbir Khan
Produced by Sajjid Nadiadwala
Music Composed by Meet Bros,Amaal Malik,Ankit Tiwari and Manj Musik(Songs)and Julius Packiam(BG Core)
Cinematography by Binod Pradhan
scheduled to be released on Friday April 29,2016

LG G5 Modular Smartphone Coming to India on May 23,2016; Pre-bookings Start May 13,2016


The LG G5 is equipped with a Snapdragon 820 processor that offers 64-bit performance and Adreno 530 graphics.

The LG G5 allows users to view notifications time, date and other information without waking the phonne

The G5 offers Quick Charge 3.0 for fast charging
Encased in a metal aluminium body, the LG G5 features a slide-out battery design, which means users can easily swap out a depleted battery for a fully charged one in seconds.

The 3D Arc Glass in the G5's 5.3-inch display creates a gentle curve.

The main camera on LG's G5 smartphone will have both a regular lens for standard shots and a wider-angle lens so you can capture more of what's in front of you without having to step back.

A B&O sound system can also be added by sliding a module into the phone case.


2016 Kerala Assembly Elections - Election Commission launches Mobile App


Voters in Kerala, which is going to the polls on May 16, 2016 will have an easier option to search the electoral rolls, locate a polling station, collect information about candidates and file complaints about violation of the model code of conduct.

A mobile application launched by the Chief Electoral Officer of the State will help them do all these.
e-Voter, developed by the Kerala State IT Mission, can be downloaded from the Google Play store and installed in Android phones.

The app can be used to search the electoral rolls by keying in the voter ID card number and name of the district or by providing the name and house number. e-Voter helps locate a polling station on Google Maps. 

The user can first search his name on the electoral rolls and then click the locate button in the app to get the direction of the booth. Users also have the option to download the details of any candidates
The election commission has launched an innovative mobile application with comprehensive details abo...

Read more at: http://english.manoramaonline.com/in-depth/kerala-assembly-elections-2016/news/ec-launches-mobile-app-for-kerala-assembly-polls.html

Datsun ‘redi-Go’ priced at Rs 2.5 lakh; bookings open on May 01,2016

Japanese auto major Nissan has priced its compact car ‘redi-GO’, under the Datsun brand, between Rs. 2.5 lakh and 3.5 lakh.

The pre-booking orders for the model will begin from May 01,2016 and deliveries to the owners will commence from June, Nissan Motor India said in a statement.

“The Datsun redi-GO will be priced between Rs. 2.5 lakh and 3.5 lakh; the ex-showroom prices and variants will be announced during the launch in June,” it added.

“With the new redi-GO, we continue to expand and enhance our product offerings for young people in India who are ready to take a step forward in their lives,” Nissan Motor India Managing Director Arun Malhotra said.

Currently, the company has 217 outlets covering 165 cities, with plans to establish 300 sales and service outlets by the end of March 2017.

Customers can pre-book Datsun redi-GO with a fully refundable down payment of Rs. 5,000 at Nissan dealerships across India.

Manithan- Tamil Film


Cast - Udhayanidhi Stalin,Hansika Motwani,Aishwarya Rajesh,Prakash Raj,Radha Ravi,Vivek,Sathish

Directed by I Ahmed

Produced by Red Giant Movies

Music Composed by Santhosh Narayanan

Cinematography by R Madhi

scheduled to be released on Friday April 29,2016

2016 Iranian Parliamentary Run-Off Election Friday April 29,2016

The 2016 Iranian Parliamentary Election was held on Feb 26,2016 to elect 290 Members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly

The 290-seat Islamic Consultative Assembly has 285 directly elected members and five seats reserved for the Zoroastrians,Jews,Assyrian and Chaldean Christians and Armenians(one for Armenians in the north of Iran and one for Armenians in the south

The 285 directly elected seats are elected from 196 constituencies, which are a mix of single and multi-member. In single-member constituencies candidates must receive at least one-third of the votes in the first round. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round is held with the two highest-vote candidates

There were 54,915,024 registered voters (in Iran, the Voting Age is 18)

More than 12,000 people filed to run for office  and Nomination of 5,200 of candidates, mostly Reformists were rejected by the Guardian Council and 612 individuals withdrew.

According to Iranian law, in order to qualify as a candidate one must:
  • Be an Iranian citizen
  • Have a master's degree (unless being an incumbent)
  • Be a supporter of the Islamic Republic, pledging loyalty to constitution
  • Be a practicing Muslim (unless running to represent one of the religious minorities in Iran)
  • Not have a "notorious reputation"
  • Be in good health, between the ages of 30 and 75.


A second round is scheduled to be held on Friday April 292016 for some constituencies where candidates failed to obtain the required minimum 25 % of votes cast

Polls opened at 8 a.m. Friday and nearly 17 million Iranians are eligible to vote

An Iranian woman casts her ballot for the parliamentary runoff elections in a polling station at the city of Qods about 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of the capital Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 29, 2016

 

Iranians voted Friday April 29,2016 in the country’s parliamentary runoff elections, state media reported, a key polling that is expected to decide exactly how much power moderate forces backing President Hassan Rouhani will have in the next legislature.
The balloting is for the remaining 68 positions in the 290-seat chamber that were not decided in February’s general election, in which Rouhani’s allies won an initial majority.

In February 2016, a bloc of reformists and moderate allies of Rouhani won an initial majority — 106 seats — in a vote that saw a 62% turnout. The bloc needs to win 40 seats on Friday April 29,2016 to ensure its control over the parliament
But hard-liners, who have in the past controlled the chamber and who only won 64 seats in February, are also hoping to boost their presence in the next parliament


The elected MPs will serve from May 28, 2016 to May 27, 2020

2016 Madrid Open Tennis - Serena Williams(USA) withdraws from Madrid Open with flu Friday April 29,2016


Serena Williams(USA) has withdrawn from the  2016 Madrid Open because of flu, the organisers said on Friday April 29,2016
"Unfortunately, I have to withdraw from Madrid because I've been battling the flu and I'm not at 100 percent. I look forward to returning soon,"Serena Williams said in a statement.

Agnieszka Radwanska(Poland) takes over as top seed for the tournament, which starts on Saturday April 30,2016

 2015Madrid Open Champions

Women's Singles
Petra Kvitova(Czech)beat Svetlana Kuznetsova(Russia)6-1,6-2


Women's Doubles
Casey Delllacqua(Australia)and Yaroslava Shvedova(Kazakhstan)beat Spain's Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro6-3,6-7,10-5

Note

Serena Williams(34World Number One has only played four tournaments since August 2015, failing to win any of them.

Serena Williams  lost in the US Open semi-finals in September 2015, before defeats this year in the 2016 Australian Open and 2016 Indian Wells finals and a round-four loss in 2016 Miami Open

2016 West Bengal Assembly Election - Phase 5 Polling Saturday April 30,2016


In Phase 05 WB Assembly Elections,53 constituencies in south Kolkata, Hooghly and South 24-Parganas go to polls on Saturday April 30,2016




This phase — 53 constituencies in South Kolkata, Hooghly and South 24-Parganas will vote on Saturday — will see the chief minister and four scam-tainted Trinamool Congress legislators amid a test for the Left-Congress combine to prove its hold on Kolkata.

This phase is in TMC's stronghold, in the districts of South 24 Paraganas, Kolkata and Hooghly. The party won 46 out of these 53 seats in the 2011 WB Assembly Elections

What happened in 2011

South 24 Parganas

Party TMC Congress CPI(M) BJP
Seats 20 0 4 1
TMC completely dominated the show winning 20 of the available 25 seats. The Left only won in Basanti, Kultali, Bhangar and Canning East. SUCI won the Jaynagar seat, but they were supported by TMC, though now they are part of the Left fold.

Kolkata

Party TMC Congress CPI(M) BJP
Seats 10 0 0 0
In Kolkata, it was a complete sweep with the TMC taking all the seats and with a margin of close to 90,000 in some of them. The fervour of the paribartan was enough to get TMC a comfortable victory in almost all constituencies. Even then CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya lost his seat at Jadavpur.

Hooghly

Party TMC Congress CPI(M) BJP
Seats 16 0 2 0
In Hooghly, the district where Singur is located, most constituencies voted decisively for TMC. The Left could manage to win only a couple of seats. Congress was in alliance with the TMC in 2011.The party has very little influence in this part of South Bengal


What happened in 2014

South 24 Parganas

Party TMC Congress CPI(M) BJP
Seats 24 0 1 0
Once a fortress of the Left, South 24 Parganas has shifted loyalties big time. Thanks to the Left's terrible performance, TMC was ahead in 24 out of the 25 seats.

Kolkata

Party TMC Congress CPI(M) BJP
Seats 8 0 1 1
In Kolkata, TMC was ahead in eight constituencies. BJP was ahead in Bhawanipur by 185 votes and the Left was ahead in Jadavpur by 308 votes. Although TMC was ahead in eight of the 10, the margins were drastically less. It was a testament to BJP's strong performance and some amount of resentment towards the TMC in the urban pockets.

Hooghly

Party TMC Congress CPI(M) BJP
Seats 17 0 0 1
Mamata's party continued its dominance in Hooghly and was ahead in 17 of the 18 seats. BJP was ahead in Sreerampore.
So, in 2014, TMC was ahead in 49 out of 53 seats. It, in fact, managed to better its 2011 results— a virtual annihilation of the opposition.



All eyes are on Bhabanipur in South Kolkata — the seat from where Mamata Banerjee will contest against former Union minister Deepa Dasmunsi (Congress) and Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose(BJP)

Among those contesting are Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim from Kolkata Port, Kolkata Mayor Sovan Chatterjee from Behala East, Iqbal Ahmed from Khanakul in Hooghly and Subrata Mukherjee from Ballygunge — all purportedly involved in the Narada sting scam.

Other ministers in fray include Subrata Mukherjee (Panchayat), Partha Chatterjee (Education), Aroop Biswas (Housing and Youth Affairs), Manish Gupta (Power) and Javed Ahmed Khan (Fire Service and Disaster Management). Star candidates in this phase include singer Indranil Sen and footballer Nabi, who has been the skipper of Indian Super League side Mumbai City Football Club.

Apprehending violence, the Election Commission (EC) has ordered the imposition of prohibitory orders in all the 53 constituencies on Saturday. The day will seal the fate of 349 candidates, to be decided by 1.2 crore voters.