Siddaramaiah congratulates Shivakumar on completing six years as Cong state chief
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday congratulated his deputy D K Shivakumar on completing six years as the Congress state president.
He hailed Shivakumar's organisational skills and commitment to the party despite being "harassed" by the BJP in false cases.
"Congratulations to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on completing six years as the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president," Siddaramaiah said in a post on 'X'.
Shivakumar's organisational skills, ideological commitment and hard work are an example for all the young leaders of Congress, he said.
"Despite being harassed by the opposition BJP by filing false cases, Shivakumar has remained loyal to the party without giving in and is a testament to his uncompromising loyalty to the Congress party. This is an inspiring behavior for lakhs of Congress party workers," the CM said.
He lauded Shivakumar, saying that he worked day and night along with party leaders and workers to defeat the communal forces and bring the Congress party to power.
"Shivakumar has stood shoulder to shoulder with me in rebuilding the state as a garden of peace for all races. Shivakumar, who is younger than me, has a bright political future," Siddaramaiah said.
He said that it is a common desire to bring the Congress party to power in 2028. "I will also be with the party in organising and fighting for this."
Siddaramaiah congratulating Shivakumar comes on a day where the latter is going to throw a dinner party for Congress MLAs.
All eyes are set on the outcome of the "dinner meeting", which is happening in the midst of the power tussle in the ruling Congress between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
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Iran attacks oil tanker near Dubai; Trump warns of strikes on energy sites if Hormuz remains shut
Tel Aviv/Washington: Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would target Iran’s energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
According to a Reuters report, the Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi is owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and was capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of crude. . It was struck in what authorities later described as a drone attack. The company said the incident occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and hull damage. No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control, Dubai authorities said .
Oil prices rose briefly following the attack and added to volatility in global energy markets. In the United States, retail gasoline prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years, according to data from GasBuddy, as crude prices moved above $101 per barrel.
Israel said it carried out missile strikes on military infrastructure in Tehran and on sites linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut. Explosions were reported in parts of Tehran, with Iran’s Tasnim news agency saying power outages occurred in the eastern Pirouzi district following the blasts.
The Israel Defense Forces said four soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. In recent days, three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were also killed in separate incidents in the same area.
Iran’s military spokesperson said Tehran’s latest wave of missile and drone strikes targeted US military positions at five bases in the region and sites in Israel. Thousands of troops from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, according to US officials, expanding Washington’s military options even as diplomatic efforts continue.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters Trump wants an agreement with Iranian leaders before a revised April 6 deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that talks were progressing, while public statements from Tehran differed from private communications.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said proposals received through intermediaries were “unrealistic” and maintained that Iran was focused on defending itself.
In a social media post, Trump said that if a deal is not reached soon and the strait is not reopened, the US would strike Iran’s electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island. However, a report in The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told aides he may be willing to end the military campaign even if the strait remains largely closed and address reopening it later. The White House referred to earlier remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the strait would be opened “one way or another.”
The administration has also requested an additional $200 billion in funding for the conflict, a proposal that faces opposition in the US Congress.
