What is Signal and is it secure?

The suspected attacker in a shooting that plunged a press gala attended by US President Donald Trump into chaos has been identified by news media as a 31-year-old mechanical engineer from California.

Hours after gunshots rang outside the ballroom where the glitzy White House Correspondents' Association dinner was being held on Saturday, Trump shared a photo of the suspect handcuffed and face down on the carpeted floor.

The man with brown hair and a moustache was identified by multiple US news outlets, citing law enforcement sources, as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California.

US officials have not yet publicly confirmed the suspect's identity.

A LinkedIn profile with the name "Cole Allen" showed a picture of a man which appeared to match the photo shared by Trump.

On the social media profile, Allen claimed to be an engineer with a passion for game development, based in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area.

"Mechanical engineer and computer scientist by degree, independent game developer by experience, teacher by birth," his profile read.

A person named Cole Allen graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2017 with an undergraduate degree, the university told the New York Times.

Last year, Allen uploaded a picture wearing a graduation gown and cap, saying he was "done" with his computer science master's degree from California State University Dominguez Hills.

He also posted about an indie game he developed called "Bohrdom," described as a "skill-based, non-violent" fighting game "derived from a chemistry model that is itself loosely based on reality."

C2 Education, a test-prep company based in Torrance, named Allen as "teacher of the month" in an Instagram post dated December 2024.

In that post, a man with brown hair and a half-smile is pictured wearing a navy blue quarter-zip sweater, hands folded behind his back.

- Suburban residence -

Trump told reporters that the suspect, who was detained at the scene, was a California resident and law enforcement agents were probing his home.

The suspect is due to be arraigned in court on Monday on firearm and assault charges, officials said.

Authorities said he was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives, and was not known to Washington's Metropolitan Police Department.

"My impression is he was a lone wolf," Trump said, adding that the suspect's motivation was not yet clear but he believed the gunman was "sick."

FBI tactical agents were seen entering a gabled two-story residence in Torrance associated with the suspect on Saturday evening, according to an AFP photographer.

The brown house in the southwestern Los Angeles suburb was cordoned off, glowing red and blue under flashing police lights.

A neighbour told CNN that he saw Allen at the property "a couple of days ago."

According to NBC News, Allen attended the Pacific Lutheran High School in the LA suburbs and was a member of the volleyball team.

A former teammate described him as "borderline genius" and "super stable."

"Other people study hard. He didn't have to study. It would just come to him. He was really, really smart," the ex-teammate told NBC.

He was also described as a "gentle person".

Allen was registered to vote with no party preference, the Los Angeles Times reported.

According to Federal Election Commission records seen by AFP, a person named Cole Allen, identified as a teacher at C2 Education from Torrance, donated $25 to a group raising funds for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign.

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World leaders expressed shock after a shooter charged a glitzy media gala in Washington on Saturday night attended by US President Donald Trump -- and relief that there were no casualties.

US law enforcement said the sole suspect, armed with "a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives," has been detained and will face charges Monday in federal court.

Here is how leaders reacted:

- Keir Starmer -

Britain's prime minister said he was "shocked by the scenes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington overnight."

"Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," Starmer wrote on X on Sunday.

- Emmanuel Macron -

French President Emmanuel Macron said the incident was "unacceptable".

"Violence has no place in a democracy," he said on X. "I extend my full support to Donald Trump."

- Benjamin Netanyahu -

The Israeli prime minister said he and his wife Sara "were shocked by the attempted assassination" of Trump.

"We are relieved that the President and the First Lady are safe and strong," Netanyahu wrote on X.

"We send our wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the wounded police officer and salute the US Secret Service for their swift and decisive action."

- Narendra Modi -

The prime minister of India said he was "relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed."

"I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned," Modi wrote on X.

- Mark Carney -

The Canadian prime minister said he was "relieved that the President, the First Lady, and all guests are safe."

"Political violence has no place in any democracy and my thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event," Carney wrote on X.

- Claudia Sheinbaum -

The Mexican president wrote on X that "it is good that President Trump and his wife are safe following the recent events. We send them our respect."

"Violence must never be the way," Sheinbaum added.

- Pedro Sanchez -

Spain's prime minister condemned what he called "the attack that took place tonight against President (Trump)."

"Violence is never the answer. Humanity will only move forward through democracy, coexistence, and peace," Sanchez wrote on X.

- Viktor Orban -

Hungary's outgoing prime minister Viktor Orban, a Trump ally, said: "There's no place for violence in politics".

- Kaja Kallas -

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Sunday that "political violence has no place in a democracy".

Kallas said she was "relieved" there were no casualties, adding: "An event meant to honour a free press should never become a scene of fear."

- Shehbaz Sharif -

The Pakistani prime minister wrote he was "deeply shocked by the disturbing shooting incident."

"Relieved to know that President Trump, the First Lady, and other attendees are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with him, and I wish him continued safety and well-being," Sharif wrote on X.

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Fresh fighting erupted Sunday in the key Malian town of Kidal between Tuareg rebels backed by jihadists and government forces supported by Russian mercenaries, a day after insurgents launched coordinated strikes across the restive Sahel nation.  

Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition on Saturday had said they had seized the northern city of Kidal, supported by jihadist fighters. 

"Fighting resumed in Kidal this morning. We want to drive out the last Russian fighters who have taken refuge in a camp," Mohamed Ramdane, a spokesman for the Tuareg rebels said on Sunday.

A local elected official confirmed the fighting.

"Today, Sunday, fighting resumed in Kidal between the Malian army, the Russians and the (Tuareg) rebels. Residents heard gunfire. There's shooting," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Kidal, a Tuareg stronghold, was retaken in November 2023 by the Malian army backed by Russia's Wagner paramilitary group, ending more than a decade of control by rebels. 

The FLA also claims to have taken positions in the northern Gao region.

"The aim of the attackers was not to seize and control cities, but to carry out coordinated actions in order to at least capture Kidal, which is a rather powerful symbol," a security source told AFP on Sunday.

Mali has been ravaged for more than a decade by conflict and jihadist violence but Saturday's attacks were the worst since 2020, when the junta seized power.

They took place on the fringes of the Malian capital Bamako and in several towns and cities across the sprawling Sahel nation.

- Residents on edge -

The fighting left 16 civilians and soldiers wounded and caused "limited material damage," the government said in a statement on Saturday evening.

It added that "the situation is totally under control in all the localities" that were attacked.

In Bamako, soldiers were stationed Sunday morning around a clinic in the city where Defence Minister Sadio Camara was admitted the previous day, according to a medical source and witnesses.

According to residents, the minister’s residence in Kati, a neighbouring town of Bamako and a stronghold of the ruling junta, was largely destroyed by a powerful explosion. 

Camara's aides denied he was wounded.

In the capital, access to military facilities has been blocked by barriers and tyres on the roads, an AFP journalist said.

In the outlying district of Senou, where the airport is located and which witnessed heavy fighting on Saturday, the atmosphere was jittery.

"I still hear the blasts ringing in my ears. It's traumatising,” a resident said. 

Kati was calm after "the jihadists left the area, but we are living in fear," a resident told AFP on Sunday.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres condemned "acts of violence" in Mali.

"The Secretary‑General is deeply concerned by reports of attacks in several locations across Mali," his spokesman said in a statement.

"The Secretary-General calls for coordinated international support to address the evolving threat of violent extremism and terrorism in the Sahel and to meet urgent humanitarian needs," spokesman Stephane Dujarric added.

Russia's Africa Corps, an organisation under direct control of the Russian defence ministry, has taken over from the mercenary Wagner group in helping Malian forces fight jihadists.

Mali has resources including gold and other valuable minerals. 

Mali's rulers, like their military counterparts in neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, have severed ties with former colonial ruler France and several Western countries, moving closer to Russia.

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Slavutych was built as a Soviet paradise for refugees from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster but now it is being born again as a haven for people escaping Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

With is massive theatre, stadium, schools, hospital and rows of identical concrete apartment blocks, Slavutych was the perfect example of the Soviet Union's ideal of "friendship of the peoples".

After the Chernobyl reactor exploded on April 26, 1986, workers and architects from the eight Soviet republics -- Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Russia -- took part in the construction carried out at breakneck speed.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia had to leave their homes as Chernobyl's radiation spread across Europe after the world's worst nuclear accident. 

The population of the town of Prypyat, the town near the Chernobyl reactor where most of its workers lived, was mainly sent to Slavutych.

"All the residents aged over 39 are internally displaced," Slavutych mayor Yurii Fomichev told AFP. 

But the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the final closure of Chernobyl in 2000 saw many of Slavutych residents lose their job, and hope. Most decided it was best to leave. 

- Soviet welcome -

Now there are only about 20,000 people in a town designed to take 50,000. Some buildings in Slavutych were left to abandon, until Russia decided to invade in 2022.

Some 1,265 of the population moved to the town in northern Ukraine because of the war, according to Mykola Kalachnyk, the administration head of the Kyiv region that includes Slavutych. That, however, is just a fraction of the 3.7 million people that the United Nations says has been displaced by the Russian onslaught. 

Russian forces even occupied Slavutych for a few days in March 2022 but left when Kyiv's forces ousted them.

"Here the people have been through so much and they understand us," said Olga, a 50-year-old who lives in the town with her elderly, handicapped mother. 

Four years ago, Olga, who only gave her first name, was forced to flee the town of Enegodar that was home for workers of another Ukrainian nuclear power station at Zaporizhzhia. The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's biggest civilian nuclear power complex, remains in Russian hands. 

Olga and her mother spent 18 months living with another family in the town of Zaporizhzhia before arriving in Slavutych in 2024. She has been given a brand new apartment.

According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR representative in Ukraine, Bernadette Castel-Hollingsworth, every family in Ukraine has been "touched" in some way by the displacement of the war. 

A children's nursery and part of a hospital have been renovated, with help from the government and the United Nations, and turned into apartments for the displaced.

Kateryna Romanenko, 40, left the devastated city of Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region, just before it was captured by the Russians in 2023.

Romanenko is delighted by her Slavutych home which she called her "most positive" experience of the past four years. She pays no rent, just for power and services. 

But Olena Tolstova, 74, said she is feeling the pain of the war turmoil.

"I want to go home," said the retired pharmacist, who pines for her apartment in Energodar and small country dacha house in the countryside.

Tolstova, a widow, is living in hospital dormitory in Slavutych, after spending several months at the home of a friend who had worked at Chernobyl.

Despite wanting to leave Slavutych, she acknowledged that she had been helped under the Soviet principle of "friendship of the people".

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President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of "nuclear terrorism" on Sunday, as Ukraine marked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster amid deadly new drone attacks. 

Three people were killed across Ukraine after Moscow launched more than a hundred drones overnight, one of the relentless barrages the country has faced almost nightly since the beginning of the war in 2022.

In a social media post marking the Chernobyl anniversary, Zelensky said Russia, through its invasion, was "again bringing the world to the brink of a man-made disaster".

He highlighted how Russian drones regularly pass over Chernobyl and that one had hit its protective shell last year.

"The world must not allow this nuclear terrorism to continue, and the best way is to force Russia to stop its reckless attacks," he added.

The 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was the worst civilian nuclear disaster in history and changed global perceptions of nuclear energy.

Thousands are estimated to have died as a result of exposure to the radiation, though assessments of the precise human toll vary. Some 600,000 people involved in the clean-up operation -- known as "liquidators" -- were exposed to high levels of radiation.

A 2005 UN report put the number of confirmed and projected deaths at 4,000 in the three worst-affected countries. Greenpeace in 2006 estimated that the disaster had caused close to 100,000 deaths.

- Overnight strikes -

Russian strikes across Ukraine killed three people and wounded at least four others, Ukrainian officials said Sunday.

In the northeastern Ukraine border region of Sumy, a Russian drone attack killed two civilians, according to the head of Sumy's regional military administration.

"The enemy struck civilians in the territory of Bilopillia community -- near one of the settlements, less than five km from the state border with the Russian Federation," Oleg Grygorov said in a post on Telegram.

He said two men aged 48 and 72 were killed.

Drone and artillery attacks in the central-eastern city of Dnipro, meanwhile, killed one person and wounded four more, the region's military administration head Oleksandr Ganzha said, adding that homes and vehicles were damaged.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia had fired 144 drones overnight, of which 124 were downed. 

Earlier Sunday, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol in Russian-annexed Crimea said a man was killed in a vehicle during a Ukrainian drone attack that damaged several homes and a dance school in different neighbourhoods of the port city.

The governor said Russia shot down 43 drones in the attack.

On Saturday, Ukrainian authorities said at least eight people were killed in Dnipro, which was hit by waves of Russian strikes for 20 hours straight.

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World leaders expressed shock after a shooter charged a glitzy media gala in Washington on Saturday night attended by US President Donald Trump -- and relief that there were no casualties.

US law enforcement said the sole suspect, armed with "a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives," has been detained and will face charges Monday in federal court.

Here is how leaders reacted:

- Keir Starmer -

Britain's prime minister said he was "shocked by the scenes at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in Washington overnight."

"Any attack on democratic institutions or on the freedom of the press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms," Starmer wrote on X on Sunday.

- Benjamin Netanyahu -

The Israeli prime minister said he and his wife Sara "were shocked by the attempted assassination" of Trump.

"We are relieved that the President and the First Lady are safe and strong," Netanyahu wrote on X.

"We send our wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the wounded police officer and salute the US Secret Service for their swift and decisive action."

- Narendra Modi -

The prime minister of India said he was "relieved to learn that President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President are safe and unharmed."

"I extend my best wishes for their continued safety and well-being. Violence has no place in a democracy and must be unequivocally condemned," Modi wrote on X.

- Mark Carney -

The Canadian prime minister said he was "relieved that the President, the First Lady, and all guests are safe."

"Political violence has no place in any democracy and my thoughts are with all those who have been shaken by this disturbing event," Carney wrote on X.

- Claudia Sheinbaum -

The Mexican president wrote on X that "it is good that President Trump and his wife are safe following the recent events. We send them our respect."

"Violence must never be the way," Sheinbaum added.

- Pedro Sanchez -

Spain's prime minister condemned what he called "the attack that took place tonight against President (Trump)."

"Violence is never the answer. Humanity will only move forward through democracy, coexistence, and peace," Sanchez wrote on X.

- Shehbaz Sharif -

The Pakistani prime minister wrote he was "deeply shocked by the disturbing shooting incident."

"Relieved to know that President Trump, the First Lady, and other attendees are safe. My thoughts and prayers are with him, and I wish him continued safety and well-being," Sharif wrote on X.

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US President Donald Trump struck a philosophical tone Saturday after a shooter rushed a media gala in Washington, the latest in a series of incidents to target the Republican leader.

"I ask respectfully, why do you think this keeps happening to you?" a reporter asked Trump after the chaotic incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Trump had a ready answer, and it was about the 79-year-old's own position in the pantheon of US presidents.

"Well, you know, I've studied assassinations," Trump said. "And I must tell you the most impactful people, the people that do the most -- you take a look at Abraham Lincoln... the people that make the biggest impact, they're the ones that they go after."

"I hate to say I'm honored by that, but I've done a lot," Trump added. "We've changed this country, and there are a lot of people that are not happy about that. So I think that's the answer."

Trump, who survived an assassination attempt at an election rally in 2024, added that "I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it's a dangerous life."

"A lot of other people, you know, you read stories where they become basket cases. To be honest, I'm not a basket case."

Trump meanwhile took a measured tone towards the press -- despite previously calling it the "enemy of the people" -- saying there was "a tremendous amount of love and coming together" after the incident.

He said he had been ready to give the "most inappropriate speech ever made" but would now be "very boring" when the dinner was rescheduled.

The shooting on Saturday, which Trump blamed on a "would-be assassin," also caused him to riff on one of his favorite topics -- the huge $400 million ballroom he is building at the White House.

Trump said the venue for the correspondents' dinner, the Washington Hilton, was "not particularly secure" and showed the need for the construction of the new ballroom.

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US President Donald Trump and other attendees were evacuated Saturday night after gunshots were fired at a glitzy media gala in Washington. 

As details continue to emerge and investigations are underway, here is what we know about the shooting:

What happened in the ballroom?

Shots were heard after the welcoming speech at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association being held at the Washington Hilton Hotel, according to AFP reporters and other witnesses.

Tactical security teams with guns drawn took position on the stage where Trump was seated alongside his wife Melania, Vice President JD Vance and other officials, who were swiftly evacuated.

Hundreds of guests in black tie in the ballroom took cover under tables and later made their way into the hotel lobby and then outdoors as the event was postponed.

Authorities said no dignitaries or gala guests were hurt.

How did the shooting unfold?

A "sole gunman" rushed through a security checkpoint in the hotel lobby just outside the ballroom where the dinner was taking place around 8:36 pm (0036 GMT), according to authorities.

Trump shared footage on his Truth Social platform which appeared to show the suspect charging at the checkpoint before being swarmed by officers.

"He was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives," Metropolitan Police Department interim chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters.

Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the suspect and "intercepted that individual."

A uniformed Secret Service officer was "struck in his vest" and taken to hospital, but was doing well, Carroll said.

The suspect was not hit by gunfire, but was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

He was in custody and due to be arraigned on Monday in a federal court.

A long gun and shell casings were found on the scene, FBI Director Kash Patel said, adding that the agency was carrying out witness interviews as part of its probe.

Who is the suspect?

Trump shared photos of the suspected shooter, shirtless and in handcuffs facedown on a carpeted floor, in what appears to be the Hilton lobby.

Authorities are yet to publicly confirm his identity, but US media reported that the suspect was a 31-year-old named Cole Tomas Allen from Torrance, California.

Based on preliminary information, "we do believe he was a guest here at the hotel," Carroll told reporters.

The detained man is believed to be the only suspect in the case, officials said.

He is being charged with two counts currently: using a firearm during a crime of violence, and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said.

Other charges could still be brought as the investigation proceeds.

"My impression is he was a lone wolf," Trump said, adding that the suspect's motivation was not yet clear but he believed the gunman was "sick."

Were there security failures?

Questions swirled regarding the security at the reception and how a gun was brought into the hotel.

Attendees pointed out that there was a magnetometer placed outside the ballroom, but there was no such screening before that or at the entrance to the hotel itself.

Trump initially said it was "not a particularly secure building," but later said the ballroom where the event was being held was not breached by the gunman and was "very, very secure."

The checkpoint that the suspect tried to charge past was "right outside the ballroom," authorities said.

"Because that checkpoint worked, there was no one who was injured," Pirro said.

"We'll go through video across the hotel to figure out how the gun got in, how it got down here," Carroll added.

According to Trump, the security services did a "much better job than Butler," where he was the target of an assassination attempt in 2024 during a campaign rally in the state of Pennsylvania.

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India has ramped up purchases of Russian oil and revived alternate supplies from Africa, Iran and Venezuela to blunt a sharp crude shortfall from the crisis-ridden Middle East, analysts say.

India, the world's third-largest oil buyer, normally sources about half of its crude through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that has seen only a trickle of traffic since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.

India's heavy import dependence, combined with modest oil reserves compared with major consumers like China, has prompted analysts to warn that India could be among the most vulnerable to a sudden oil price hike.

But while India is grappling with disruptions to cooking gas supplies, it has so far avoided the petrol shortages that have hit some neighbouring nations.

Ship‑tracking and import data show that India has partially plugged the gap by turning to old allies, expanding promising ties and reviving suppliers it had not tapped in years.

The biggest backstop has been Russian crude -- a fuel source New Delhi spent much of the past year trying to pivot away from under stiff US tariffs.

Indian refiners imported an average of nearly 1.98 million barrels per day (bpd) from Russia in March, according to trade intelligence firm Kpler -- a sharp jump from the previous two months.

Analysts say the surge was likely aided by a temporary US waiver granted in March covering Russian oil already at sea.

"Imports rose from approximately one million bpd in January and February," said Nikhil Dubey, an analyst at Kpler.

"This near‑doubling suggests that this additional volume was likely contracted following the sanction waiver," he told AFP.

- Useful purchase -

India likely purchased an additional 60 million barrels of Russian oil that will be delivered through April, two trade analysts said.

Washington's exemptions have drawn criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who says they complicate efforts to choke off Russia's revenues more than four years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But Kyiv gained little leverage after US President Donald Trump last week extended the waiver on Russian seaborne oil by another month.

"The extension gives Indian refiners the runway they urgently needed," said Rahul Choudhary, vice‑president at Rystad Energy.

"Indian refiners will likely move quickly to lock in the additional barrels the extension unlocks before the May 16 deadline."

Other markets have also aided India.

Imports from Angola averaged 327,000 bpd in March, data from Kpler shows, nearly three times what India received in February.

Industry watchers say African crude purchases were made before the United States struck Iran and have proven to be useful.

"A lot of the uptick you're seeing from Angola in March or Nigeria in April comes because we were (already) looking at sources other than Russia," an official at a state‑run refiner told AFP, requesting anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with journalists.

"It's now come in handy because shipments from Iraq and most of the Middle East have fallen heavily."

According to Kpler, crude from both Iran and Venezuela began arriving this month.

Imports from Iran averaged 276,000 bpd as of mid‑April, while shipments from Venezuela stood at around 137,000 bpd, preliminary data from Kpler shows.

The purchases have proven to be a fortuitous windfall for refiners who largely steered clear of both suppliers previously to avoid US ire.

- Higher prices -

Despite the diversification, the road ahead looks difficult.

India's overall crude imports fell in March, sliding to 4.5 million bpd from 5.2 million in February, according to Kpler.

Analysts also cautioned that oil from the African nations has limits as a substitute.

"In a prolonged Iran conflict scenario, African crudes can partially backfill supply. However, they are unlikely to fully replace Middle Eastern barrels on a structural basis due to crude slate mismatches," said Dubey, explaining Indian refineries were configured for different grades than what comes from the African countries.

Higher prices are also a problem.

"The era of cheap oil is over for now, but access has been preserved. Either way, India doesn't have the luxury of walking away," said Choudhary, noting that April barrels were secured at between $5 and $15 above the Brent global oil benchmark.

State‑run retailers have yet to raise pump prices, with the government instead cutting excise duties on fuel.

Some analysts warn prices could rise by as much as 28 rupees (30 cents) per litre once voting in key state elections ends later this month.

The oil ministry acknowledged Thursday that government‑owned fuel companies were incurring losses but denied that a price hike was imminent.

"India is the only country where petrol and diesel prices haven't increased in the last four years," it said.

The government and state oil firms "have taken relentless steps in order to insulate Indian citizens from steep increases in international prices".

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Tibetans outside Chinese control vote on Sunday for a government-in-exile, an election of heightened significance as they brace for an inevitable, eventual, future without their revered spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

The India-based Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) -- condemned by China as "nothing but a separatist political group" -- is a key institution for the exiles, especially after the Dalai Lama handed over political power in 2011.

"Our votes matter," said Tenzin Tsering, 19, a first-time voter waiting to cast his ballot to push for greater youth representation.

"We need voices that reflect where our community is going, not just where it has been", he said, speaking in Bylakuppe in India's southern state of Karnataka, one of the largest Tibetan communities outside the Himalayan plateau.

Polling is due to take place in 27 countries -- but not China.

The 91,000 registered voters include Buddhist monks in the high Himalayas, political exiles in South Asia's megacities and refugees in Australia, Europe and North America.

The 90-year-old Dalai Lama, based in India since fleeing the Tibetan capital Lhasa after Chinese troops crushed an uprising in 1959, insists he has many more years to live.

But supporters of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate are acutely aware that self-declared atheist and Communist China said last year that it must approve the Buddhist leader's eventual successor.

The Dalai Lama says only his India-based office has that right.

Tibetan Buddhists believe he is the 14th reincarnation of a spiritual leader first born in 1391.

- 'Potential of young Tibetans' -

The five-year parliament, which sits twice a year, has 45 members from across the world: 30 representing three traditional provinces, 10 representing five religious traditions and five representing the diaspora.

Headquartered in Dharamsala in northern India, it functions as a representative body for an estimated 150,000 Tibetans living in exile worldwide.

Lines of red robed monks and nuns lined up to vote in the Indian hill town on Sunday.

The government's "sikyong", or leader, Penpa Tsering, was elected for a second term on February 1, after taking 61 percent in the preliminary round -- a high enough threshold to win outright.

Tsering, like the government, does not seek full independence for Tibet, in line with the Dalai Lama's long-standing "Middle Way" policy seeking autonomy.

Exiled voters represent only a fraction of ethnic Tibetans -- whom the CTA estimates at six million worldwide, compared with more than seven million China counted in its 2020 census.

Beijing, which in 1950 sent troops to the vast high-altitude plateau it calls an integral part of China, has condemned the elections as a "farce".

Its foreign ministry calls the exiled government an "illegal organisation that completely violates the Chinese constitution and laws".

Among younger voters, some were worried at the perceived underrepresentation of Tibet's next generation in the corridors of the exile government.

"I want to see fresh faces, leaders who represent the potential of young Tibetans," said 25-year-old Tenzin Pema, expressing her weariness at the sometimes divisive arguments between older political leaders.

More than half of voters, about 56,000, live in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

The remaining 34,000 are scattered around the world, including roughly 12,000 in North America -- including New York and Toronto -- and 8,000 in Europe, including Paris, Geneva, Zurich and London.

Results are expected on May 13.

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