Top events today: Rafale review petition, Ayodhya land dispute case, & more

Before you start your day, take a look at the major events in the country that are likely to make headlines today: From LG V50 ThinQ 5G launch to Tata Steel workers' meet in Europe, here are some of the most important news events scheduled for today.

1. SBI, Eicher Motors, Oberoi ReALTY, PVR results eyed

Over 20 companies including SBI, L&T, Allahabad Bank, Canara Bank, Syndicate Bank, Eicher Motors, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Gujarat Poly Electronics, HT Media, IDFC First Bank, Kajaria Ceramics, Merck, Nocil, Oberoi Realty, Punjab Chemicals, PVR, Tata Investment Corporation, V2 Retail, Vakrangee, Venky's, V-Mart Retail, VST Tillers Tractors will announce their results for the quarter/annual ending March 2019 on Friday.

2. SC to hear Rafale review petitions today

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear Rafale review petitions filed against the top court's December 14 judgment on the Rafale deal.

Earlier the Centre had filed an affidavit before the top court and claimed, "Monitoring of the progress by PMO of government process cannot be construed as interference or parallel negotiations. The then Hon'ble Raksha Mantri had recorded on file that ...it appears that PMO and French President's office are monitoring the progress of the issues which was an outcome of the summit meeting." Read on...

3. LG Electronics will launch the V50 ThinQ 5G today

The smartphone was initially slated for a late April launch but it was delayed due to 5G connectivity concerns.

South Korea rolled out its 5G networks on April 4, but there were complaints over connectivity quality during the first two weeks of when the network first became available. V50 ThinQ 5G will be the second smartphone in South Korea to be released with 5G capabilities, after the Galaxy S10 5G, and has been touted as one of LG's most important launches. Read on...

4. Tata Steel workers to meet today

European workers at India's Tata Steel no longer believe that a joint venture with Thyssenkrupp is in the best interests of the company, the European works council said in a statement.

The two companies agreed last year to combine their European steel activities, a move that would create the continent's second-largest steelmaker but still needs approval from the European Commission, which plans to make a decision by June 17. The works council added it will call an emergency meeting on May 10, while British representatives will also seek to meet. Read on...

5. PM Modi to hold poll rallies in Punjab today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address election rallies on May 10 and May 13 in Punjab, where polling for all the 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held on May 19.

Modi will address first rally in Hoshiarpur on May 10 and second in Mansa on May 13. The BJP has fielded Phagwara legislator Som Prakash from the Hoshiarpur (reserve) seat and he is pitted against Congress candidate and MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal. Read on...

6. Rahul to address rallies in Himachal, Chandigarh today

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address election rallies in Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh on Friday. Gandhi will address his first election rally in the hill state in Una town in support of the party's Hamirpur candidate Ram Lal Thakur, who is pitted against sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur, a three-time MP. Likewise, he would address a rally in Chandigarh in favour of former Union Minister Pawan Bansal, who is contesting against BJP MP Kirron Kher, who is seeking re-election. Read on...

7. JMI 2019 admit card to be released on May 10

Jamia Millia Islamia will be releasing the admit card of JMI 2019 for all courses from May 10 in an online mode. The admit card will be available in a PDF form which can be saved and/or printed by the candidates. The eligible candidates who have successfully registered for all the UG and PG courses and filled the JMI application form 2019 will be allotted the JMI admit card. 

8. SC to hear contempt plea against Rahul today

The Supreme Court will hear contempt case against Congress President Rahul Gandhi's "chowkidar chor hai" remark attributing it to the top court on May 10.

Interestingly, the court's direction came after learning that the hearing in the contempt case against Rahul Gandhi had been segregated and posted for that date.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi said: "We are a little perplexed that the two cases (Rahul's contempt and Rafale) have been segregated." Read on...

9. Congress to review drought, political situation in Maharashtra today

The Maharashtra Congress will hold a review meeting to discuss the drought condition and political situation in the state on May 10.

The BJP-led Maharashtra government in October last year declared drought in 151 talukas of the state.

Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan said that in the meeting, the party leaders and workers from drought-hit areas will submit their feedback to the state leadership. Read on...

10. US raises tariffs on Chinese imports from 10% to 25%, effective today

Tension between Washington and Beijing has risen after a major setback in negotiations last week when China revised a draft deal and weakened commitments to meet U.S. demands for trade reform.

President Donald Trump responded by ordering a tariff hike, and China has said it would retaliate. The 10-month-old trade war has already cost companies in both countries billions of dollars.The United States has increased duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods, to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. The duties apply to cargoes leaving China after 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT) Friday. Consumer products, including cell phones, computers, clothing and toys, are to be especially hard hit.  Read on...

11. Ayodhya land dispute: SC to take up matter today

The Supreme Court will take up on Friday the matter relating to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case as the three-member mediator panel is expected to submit its report in a sealed cover.

Karunesh Shukla, the lawyer of a litigant, Mahant Dharam Das, said that the mediation panel, which was set up by the apex court, might say what they have decided and what the outcome of the mediation process was.

"The mediation panel will submit its report in a sealed cover to the apex court five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, and also comprising Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazir," Shukla said. Read on...