Weekly Roundup: News Highlights from April 15th to April 21st 2024

Phase 1 of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Concludes with 65.5% Voter Turnout

Despite facing challenges, Phase 1 of the General Elections 2024 witnessed a peaceful turnout of around 65.5% across 10 States/UTs. Notably, tribal communities actively participated in democracy, with historic events like the Shompen tribe's voting in Great Nicobar. However, re-polling has been ordered in 11 Booths in Manipur following reports of violence. Tragically, 6 Nagaland districts saw ZERO VOTING due to a shutdown called by ENPO. Read more..

After Bangalore, Hyderabad is now grappling with water scarcity.

The demand for water tankers in Hyderabad has spiked this summer, with monthly trips doubling from 51,000 to 1.18 lakh between January and March. In just the first 20 days of April, tankers made 52,000 trips across Greater Hyderabad. Officials from the water board anticipate further increases until May due to the scarcity and the IMD's prediction of more heatwave days. The situation is dire, worsened by excessive concretization in the name of urbanization, which lacks permeable surfaces, hindering groundwater percolation and exacerbating groundwater depletion. Further, the diminishing water levels in the city's reservoirs are compounding the water crisis.

Source: TOI

India’s Pulses Imports Hit 6-Year High 

India's pulses imports surged 84% in fiscal 2024, reaching their highest level in six years due to lower production. Duty-free imports of red lentils and yellow peas were allowed to meet demand. The imports, totaling 4.65 million metric tons, valued at $3.75 billion, supported global prices. India's imports included red lentils from Canada, yellow peas from Russia and Turkey, and pigeon peas and chickpeas to offset production shortfalls. 

Source: DD News

Odisha faces intense heatwave; records 45.2°C

Odisha grapples with a scorching heatwave, with 18 cities recording temperatures above 41°C, and 10 places surpassing 43°C. Heatwave conditions persist in various districts. On April 21, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's government announced that summer vacations will commence in all state schools from April 25. On Saturday (April 20th), Odisha's Baripada registered the highest temperature in India at 45.2°C, mirroring conditions in the state capital, Bhubaneswar. 

Source: Livemint

IRDAI Removes Age Cap for Health Insurance Purchase

IRDAI lifts age cap of 65 years on health insurance policies from April 1, 2024. Insurers must offer products for all age groups. They cannot refuse policies to those with severe medical conditions. Waiting period has been reduced to 36 months for pre-existing conditions. Only benefit-based policies allowed, no indemnity-based policies permitted. Read more..

RCB all but out of IPL 2024

RCB's hopes in IPL 2024 dimmed after a narrow defeat to KKR, leaving them with just 2 points from 8 matches. With 6 games left, they need to win all and hope for favorable outcomes elsewhere to reach the playoffs with 14 points. Faf Du Plessis lamented missed opportunities, highlighting the team's determination to turn their fortunes around.

Dubai Submerged in Floods: UAE Records 75-Year Record Rainfall with Over a Year's Worth of Rain in Hours

On April 16, the UAE saw its heaviest rainfall since records began in 1949, causing widespread flooding and travel disruptions. The airport's flooded taxiways led to 1200+ flight cancellations at Dubai International Airport. Despite reopening, a passenger backlog remains. Experts suggest climate change as the likely cause of the record rainfall. Read more..

Indonesian Volcano Eruption Prompts Mass Evacuation

The Ruang volcano in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province erupted several times last week starting from Tuesday (April 16th 2024), spewing ash and smoke more than 2 kilometres into the sky. This prompted the closure of Sam Ratulangi International Airport and the evacuation of 11,000+ people. The country's volcanology agency warned of potential major eruptions, as seismic activity continues. Ruang volcano, currently the only one at the highest warning level, has a 6km exclusion zone, with over 6,000 residents evacuated. 

Source: theStar, VitenamNews/ANN, Al Jazeera

Chinese Swimmers Competed & Won Medals in Tokyo Olympics Despite Failed Drug Tests

It has emerged that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. They competed after receiving secret clearance from both Chinese officials and WADA. Despite this, several Chinese swimmers, including two-time gold medalist Zhang Yufei, went on to win medals in Tokyo, including three golds. Many of these athletes are expected to participate again at the Paris Olympics in 2024. The story, revealed through a joint investigation by German TV channel ARD and the New York Times, has sparked widespread criticism of WADA from senior figures in anti-doping. 

Source: DD News

Apple Loses Top Spot To Samsung As iPhone Shipments Drop

Apple's smartphone shipments fell 10% in Q1 2024 though global smartphone shipments increased 7.8% to 289.4 million units. Samsung emerged as the top phonemaker with a 20.8% market share, displacing Apple at 17.3%. Xiaomi secured the third position with a 14.1% market share. Samsung's Galaxy S24 series saw robust sales, shipping over 60 million units, while Apple shipped 50.1 million iPhones, down from down from 55.4 million units it shipped same period last year. The company earlier this year lost the crown as the world’s most valuable company to Microsoft.

Source: DD News