Live! US fighter jet 'downed' in Iran, crew rescue underway: Report

BJP, Congress both against strong Muslim leadership: Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday campaigned for AIUDF candidates in Assam's Goalpara and Dhubri, alleging that BJP and Congress are "two sides of the same coin" when it comes to Muslim representation.

The Hyderabad MP accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of practising politics of hate, citing the eviction of over 3,000 mostly Bengali-speaking Muslim families in what he called an "illegal and unconstitutional manner."

''These families who were living in those lands were affected by river erosion. This is an example of hate politics against the Muslim community,'' the Hyderabad MP said.

Owaisi also trained his guns on Congress, saying it was no better for having initiated the NRC process, set up detention centres and Foreigners' Tribunals in the state. "The Congress is no better as it had started the NRC in the state and had taken steps that made the lives of Muslims very difficult," he said, adding that only a strong minority leadership could end these sufferings.

Backing AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal's candidates, Owaisi said no party can form a government in Assam without AIUDF support. Ajmal has promised land leases to the landless and due process before any eviction. Assam's 126 assembly constituencies go to polls on April 9, with results on May 4.

5 Indians among 12 injured by missile debris in Abu Dhabi

Five Indian nationals were among 12 people reportedly injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday by debris from an intercepted missile. Local authorities said the people sustained minor to moderate injuries in the incident.

The incident caused minor to moderate injuries to five Indian and six Nepali nationals, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on social media. It said another Nepali citizen sustained a major injury. The incident occurred in the Ajban area of Abu Dhabi when debris fell following a "successful interception by air defence systems", it added.

There was no word from the Indian side on the incident.

Since the conflict in West Asia began on February 28, eight Indian nationals have been killed and several others injured in the region.

CPI MP accuses Congress of cash-for-ticket scandal, writes to Rahul Gandhi

CPI Rajya Sabha MP P Sandosh Kumar wrote to Rahul Gandhi on April 3, accusing senior Congress functionaries of a "cash-for-ticket" scam ahead of assembly polls. Citing an FIR at Delhi's North Avenue police station, Kumar named KC Venugopal, K Suresh, Priyanka Gandhi's PA Sahab Ahmad Khan, and Venugopal's PA Anas Ali, describing them as individuals operating "within the inner circles of the Congress leadership."

Kumar also pushed back on Rahul's "malicious campaign" against the Left Democratic Front in Kerala, saying Congress must look inward first. Similar allegations from party workers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam, he said, pointed to a "systemic malaise" rather than isolated incidents.

He further demanded transparency over funds collected after the Chooralmala-Mundakkai landslides in Wayanad, urging Rahul to publish "complete and verifiable details." warning him that his credibility would be "judged not by rhetoric, but by your willingness to confront corruption and ensure transparency within your own ranks."

US jet down over Iran as rescue mission begins: Report

A US fighter jet has gone down over Iran, prompting an ongoing search-and-rescue mission for its crew in what appears to be a sharp escalation in the conflict, reported the Wall Street Journal.

 “A search-and-rescue operation was underway for the crew of a US fighter jet that went down over Iran, the first known loss of a jet inside the country since the start of the war, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal," stated the report.

U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed the circumstances of the downing or the condition of the crew. The search effort is ongoing.

Karnataka ex-Lokayukta Santosh Hegde hospitalised after collapsing at Bengaluru event

Former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde faced a health scare when he fainted at a public event in Bengaluru on Friday and was taken to a private hospital.

The octogenarian former Supreme Court judge fell ill at a felicitation programme for former minister P G R Sindhia, held by the Bharat Scouts and Guides at Kondajji Basappa Auditorium.

Dr Ramesh Babu, who initially treated Hegde at the venue, said, “While delivering his speech, he appeared fatigued. After speaking for a while, he sat down, felt dizzy, vomited, and collapsed. Those present gave him water, but there was no improvement.” 

Hegde was taken to the hospital in the official vehicle of Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader, who said, “He was given first aid and taken to the hospital in my vehicle,” he said.

Doctors said Hegde, who is diabetic, may have suffered a sudden drop in blood sugar levels. He is undergoing treatment at Manipal Hospital and is said to be recovering.

Iranian media claims US pilot ejected, no US response

A regional Iranian state television outlet reported Friday that a U.S. fighter pilot had ejected from an aircraft over the country’s southwest, though no corroborating details were offered.

The claim aired on a channel based in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, where a news anchor read a brief statement on air. Viewers were told that anyone who apprehended the pilot or pilots alive and handed them over to authorities would be rewarded with what was described as a “precious prize.” The broadcast stopped short of specifying when or where the alleged incident occurred, and did not provide images, footage, or independent confirmation.

U.S. officials did not immediately address the report. Requests for comment sent to Central Command, the Pentagon, and the White House went unanswered at the time of publication, leaving the account unverified and its circumstances unclear.

(With agency inputs)

French-linked ship crosses Hormuz amid Iran war

A French-linked container ship has passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing restrictions imposed by Iran, marking what appears to be the first such transit involving a Western European vessel since traffic sharply declined. The CMA CGM Kribi, sailing under a Maltese flag, moved from near Dubai along Iran’s coast, navigating between Qeshm and Larak islands while openly transmitting its location. By Friday, it had reached waters off Muscat, Bloomberg reported.

The voyage unfolds against tensions between Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump over how to respond to Iran’s control of the strait. Macron has rejected proposals to use force, calling them "unrealistic".

Since February 28, when US-Israeli operations began, Iran has limited access through the key oil route. Macron warned military intervention “would take forever, and would expose all those who go through the Strait to risks from the Revolutionary Guards but also ballistic missiles”. He added, "This is not a show. We're talking about war and peace... Let's be serious and not say one day the opposite of what we said the day before."

Siddaramaiah defends kin picks, rules out Congress rift

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended the Congress decision to field relatives of two deceased MLAs in Assembly bypolls, describing it as a continuation of established political practice. The vacancies followed the deaths of Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, with the party nominating Samarth Shamanur and Umesh Meti in their respective constituencies.

Responding to BJP criticism, he said, "It is a common practice that when a leader passes away, a family member is allowed to represent that constituency. The Congress party has followed this practice here as well." He also projected confidence in the April 9 polls, stating, "In both constituencies, we are confident of winning 100 per cent."

On minority voters, he maintained, "Minorities have always supported the Congress party." Addressing internal party speculation, Siddaramaiah dismissed talk of discord, saying, "Rahul Gandhi is the leader. Therefore, the question of a rift does not arise," while adding on leadership arrangements, "The high command will take a decision."

Iran claims second US F-35 downed amid West Asia tensions

Iran has claimed that it shot down a second US F-35 fighter jet over central parts of the country, according to a report by Mehr news agency, says Reuters. The agency also said that survival of the pilot is unlikely.

Iran also fired missiles at Israel and some Gulf nations while explosions were heard in Tehran and the central Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday, as the US prepared to further reinforce its already significant military forces in the West Asia.

"A second US fifth-generation F-35 was struck and downed over central Iran by a new IRGC Aerospace Force air-defence system. Given the massive explosion on impact and during the crash, the pilot is unlikely to have ejected," Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters Spokesman stated as quoted by Press TV.

Earlier, on March 19, Iran claimed to have become the first nation in the world to strike a US F-35 Lightning 2, one of the most valuable US aircraft and the backbone of the US's fifth-generation warfighting capabilities.

Iran's consulate in Mumbai shared the video of the F-35 jet on their X handle with a caption: "Another enemy F-35 hit and downed by our #indigenous defence systems. Iran is a force to be reckoned with."

French, South Korean leaders say they'll work together on Strait of Hormuz

French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed on Friday to work together to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease global economic uncertainties caused by the war in the Middle East.

Their summit in Seoul came as US President Donald Trump slammed allies for not supporting the US and Israeli war against Iran. Macron was making his first visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017 as part of an Asian tour that already has taken him to Japan.

Macron told Lee at the start of the meeting that the two countries can play a role in helping to stabilise the situation in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz, according to South Korean media.

At a joint televised briefing afterwards, Macron underscored the need for France and South Korea to cooperate to help reopen the strait and de-escalate Middle East animosities, while Lee said the two affirmed “their resolve to cooperate to secure the safe shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz.” The two leaders did not take questions and did not elaborate on how they would help reopen the strait, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which about one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

Lee said he and Macron agreed to expand cooperation in technology, energy and other areas. South Korean and French officials also signed agreements to cooperate on nuclear fuel supply chains, jointly invest in an offshore wind project in southern South Korea and to collaborate on critical minerals.