Narendra Modi said high voter turnout in West Bengal shows people are voting “without fear” and points to a BJP win. He said large crowds at polling booths reflect a desire to remove the Trinamool Congress. “Voting in Bengal is taking place in a fearless atmosphere, unimaginable in the last six or seven decades,” he said. He added that such participation strengthens democracy. Modi urged voters to continue coming out in large numbers. The Bharatiya Janata Party is hoping high turnout will help it form the government. Results will be declared on May 4. (PC: India Today)

Donald Trump said King Charles III agrees that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. Speaking at a White House dinner, Trump said, “Charles agrees with me — even more than I do.” Buckingham Palace later said the King follows the UK government’s long-standing position against nuclear weapons for Iran. It added he is “naturally mindful” of that policy. The dinner was part of efforts to strengthen ties between the US and UK. Charles also spoke about the importance of NATO and global cooperation during his visit. (PC: BBC)

Phase 2 voting in West Bengal saw EVM glitches, clashes and sharp exchanges between leaders. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari reached the same booth in Bhabanipur and traded barbs. Banerjee alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to “rig” polls, while BJP accused the Trinamool Congress of violence. EVM malfunction in Howrah led to protests and arrests. A BJP agent was allegedly attacked in Nadia. TMC MP Derek O'Brien challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign if TMC wins. Both sides also traded claims of voter intimidation. (PC: HT)

Rahul Gandhi criticised the Centre’s Great Nicobar project, calling it a “crime against nature” and tribal communities. Visiting the island, he said, “What I have seen is not a project.” He added that “millions of trees” would be cut and “160 sq km of rainforest” destroyed. He also said local communities were being ignored and displaced. The project aims to build a major port and infrastructure hub. It has received approval from the National Green Tribunal. Supporters say it will boost trade and security, while critics warn of damage to biodiversity and tribal life. (PC: India Today)

Voting in West Bengal’s final phase saw protests over alleged “EVM glitches” and delays at several booths. Clashes were reported in Bally, Baranagar and Hooghly. Nearly 40% turnout was recorded by 11 am. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused central forces of acting “as per the BJP’s directions” and showed a clip of an injured party worker. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress traded charges during polling. In Bally, two people were detained after a clash. Heavy security was deployed across booths. Over 1,400 candidates are in the fray across 142 seats in South Bengal. (PC: HT)

Kim Jong Un praised North Korean troops who killed themselves to avoid capture during fighting in Ukraine. Speaking in Pyongyang, he said those who “opted for self-blasting… to defend the great honour” were “heroes”. Reports say North Korean soldiers were sent to support Russia in the war. South Korea estimates over 15,000 troops were deployed and more than 6,000 killed. Neither Russia nor North Korea confirmed the figures. Intelligence reports suggest soldiers were told to avoid capture. A captured soldier earlier said, “Everyone else blew themselves up. I failed.” Kim described such acts as the “height of loyalty”. (PC: BBC)

The Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Trinamool Congress of poll malpractice during Bengal voting. BJP leader Amit Malviya said the party’s voting option was “blocked using a tape” in booths in Falta, Diamond Harbour. He called it the “Diamond Harbour Model” and sought repolling in affected booths. The area is linked to Abhishek Banerjee. The TMC denied the charge. Spokesperson Riju Dutta said, “We are not doing it,” and blamed election officials. State election chief Manoj Agarwal said action is being taken on complaints. (PC: NDTV)

King Charles III joked about history during a White House state dinner with Donald Trump. He said Americans might “be speaking French” if not for Britain. He was responding to Trump’s earlier remark that Europe would be speaking German without the US. “Of course, we both love our French cousins greatly,” Charles added. The dinner was part of his four-day US visit with Queen Camilla. He also joked about Britain burning the White House in 1814, calling it “real estate redevelopment.” Charles highlighted the long and complex ties between the US and UK. (PC: HT)

Violence was reported as West Bengal voted in the final phase across 142 seats on Wednesday. Voter turnout stood at 18.93% by 9 am. The contest is mainly between the Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party. In Nadia, a BJP polling agent alleged he was beaten by “15-16 TMC supporters,” claiming one carried a gun. A BJP camp office was also vandalised. In Howrah, voting was briefly disrupted due to an EVM glitch. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faces Suvendu Adhikari in a key contest. The BJP, backed by leaders like Amit Shah, aims to break TMC’s stronghold in South Bengal. (PC: India Today)

Residents in Karachi have begun storing cooking gas in plastic balloons as a stopgap measure amid severe supply shortages and prolonged load-shedding. The practice, reported in areas like Orangi Town, involves filling specially designed balloons during brief supply windows and using them later for cooking. Locals describe it as a last resort to manage daily needs. However, safety experts have raised serious concerns, warning that such storage methods pose extreme fire and explosion risks, especially in densely populated neighbourhoods. Authorities have been urged to address the worsening gas crisis urgently, as the trend highlights deeper energy supply disruptions affecting the region. (PC: NDTV)