New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would be happy to host the Quad Summit in 2024 as he attended the G7 Summit in Japan’s Hiroshima. He also met Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskyy for the first time since the war with Russia. Meanwhile, after days of hectic meetings, Karnataka finally got its new Chief Minister as Siddaramaiah was sworn in and DK Shivakumar took oath as his deputy. In the national capital, the Centre vs Delhi government fight reached the Supreme Court again days after a verdict favouring the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government. On the other hand, the Aryan Khan case made fresh headlines as the CBI filed a chargesheet against former NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede who dismissed allegations of extortion and mishandling.

INDIA

India To Host Quad Summit In 2024, PM Modi Announces

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will host the Quad Summit in 2024. Speaking during the Quad meeting in Hiroshima, he said, “Quad will continue to make efforts towards global good, the welfare of the people, prosperity, and peace”. PM Modi was in Hiroshima to attend the G7 summit being held under Japan’s presidency. Although India is not a part of the G7 nations, it was on PM Kishida’s invitation that Prime Minister Modi attended the summit representing India as a guest country. Meanwhile, United States President Joe Biden expressed his belief that the Quad Alliance possesses the capability to change global dynamics. Quad is a multilateral coalition comprising four nations namely India, Australia, Japan, and the United States. Its fundamental objective is to guarantee and promote a “free, transparent, and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.

Centre Moves SC Seeking Review Of Verdict On Delhi Govt’s Legislative, Executive Powers Over Services

The Centre on Saturday moved Supreme Court seeking a review of the May 11 Constitution bench judgment where the apex court held that the Delhi government has “legislative and executive power over services” in the national capital. In a unanimous verdict, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud held that the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) was bound by the decision of the Delhi government over services apart from public order, police, and land. The Centre has also brought an ordinance to create a National Capital Civil Service Authority that will have the power to recommend the transfer and posting of all Group A officers and officers of DANICS serving in Delhi. In its ordinance, the Centre made the Lieutenant Governor the final arbiter in the matter.

Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar Become K’taka CM, Dy CM. Rahul’s Big Promise After Oath Ceremony — Top Points

Congress veteran Siddaramaiah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for the second term at Bengaluru’s Kanteerava Stadium. Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar took oath as the deputy CM of the southern state. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Chief Minister and his cabinet as along with the CM and the Deputy CM, eight MLAs also took the oath of office. The names include Dr. G Parameshwara, KH Muniyappa, KJ George, MB Patil, Satish Jarkiholi, Priyank Kharge (son of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge), Ramalinga Reddy, and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan. Several prominent opposition leaders such as Mehbooba Mufti, Nitish Kumar, MK Stalin, and more attended the ceremony.

WORLD

Modi-Zelenskyy Meet: Russia-Ukraine War Issue Of ‘Humankind & Human Values’, Says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Japan’s Hiroshima, for the first time since the Russia-Ukraine conflict. After more than seven months since Prime Minister Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin this is “not an era of war”, he told Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the ongoing conflict is an issue of “humanity and human values”.  He assured Ukraine that “India and I will do whatever we can for resolution of war”. The bilateral in-person meeting between Modi and Zelenskyy, information regarding which was kept tightly under wraps, took place on the margins of the G-7 meeting in Hiroshima, Japan. During the meeting, Zelenskyy gave a detailed briefing to PM Modi on the ‘Ukraine Peace Formula’ and urged India’s participation in the initiative.  The Ukrainian President also “thanked” India for supporting our country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, in particular, at the platforms of international organizations, according to a statement issued by his office. 

US Backs Plan To Train Ukrainian Pilots On F-16 Fighter Jets, Joe Biden Tells G7 Leaders

US President Joe Biden told G7 leaders that Washington supports joint allied training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets, reported Reuters citing senior US officials. The move is a significant endorsement as Kyiv has been seeking to boost its air power against Russia for quite some time now. According to a Reuters report, training on the US-made jets will take place in Europe and will require months to complete, one of the officials said. The officials estimate that the most expeditious time needed for training and delivery of F-16s is 18 months. Furthermore, Denmark’s defense ministry said it was ready to support the training. As for the training, the US hopes to begin it in the coming weeks, the official added. Ukraine is seeking the jets, made by Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) It had said that the F-16s are far more effective than the Soviet-era fighters it still uses. Poland and Slovakia have handed over 27 MiG-29s to Ukraine. 

China Opposes G20 Meet In J&K, Says ‘Will Not Attend Any Such Meetings On Disputed Territory’

China will not attend the G20 meeting scheduled to be held in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar from Monday (May 22) citing ‘disputed territory as a reason. In a press conference on Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that Beijing will give the G20 meet in Srinagar a miss and will not attend any such meetings on the ‘disputed territory’ of Jammu and Kashmir. The response came to a question from a media person on the reports that China will boycott the next week’s G20 meeting on tourism. J&K will witness the tourism working group meeting of G20 members from May 22-24 ahead of a G20 summit in New Delhi in September this year.

SPORTS

IPL 2023: MS Dhoni Signs Autograph On Sunil Gavaskar’s Shirt After CSK’s Final Home Game At Chepauk

Cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni shared a heartwarming moment on field after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) played their final home game of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at Chepauk, which was against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday (May 15). The entire CSK unit, led by MS Dhoni, were taking a lap of honour for fans after the match got over. Sunil Gavaskar, who was part of the broadcasting team, rushed towards Dhoni after spotting him and asked for an autograph. The charismatic CSK legend obliged Gavaskar’s request. Video of their emotional interaction went viral on social media.

Nadal Won’t Take Part In French Open, Says 2024 Likely To Be His Last  Professional Year 

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal will not be taking part in the French Open due to injury and hence will not be defending his title at Roland Garros. This is the first time since 2005 that Nadal will not be playing in the  grand slam this year.  During a news conference at his tennis academy in Mallorca, the 36-year-old also stated that 2023 will be his last in professional tennis. The Spaniard  has not played the game ever since he suffered a hip injury in January while playing at  Australian Open against Mackenzie McDonald.

Virat Kohli Equals Chris Gayle’s Record Of Most IPL Centuries

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Virat Kohli recorded his sixth Indian Premier League (IPL) century off just 62 balls in an IPL 2023 match against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday (May 18). With this, the 34-year-old equalled West Indies Chris Gayle’s record of most number of hundreds in the cash-rich league. Riding on Kohli’s ton (100 off 63) RCB beat SRH by 8 wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. The fixture was also the first time in IPL history that a hundred was scored in both the innings of a match. Before Kohli’s masterclass, Heinrich Klaasen had also hit a hundred for SRH to help his team post 186/5.

BUSINESS

Adani-Hindenburg Row: Supreme Court Expert Panel Report Finds No Regulatory Failure On Price Manipulation

An expert panel constituted by the Supreme Court (SC) to probe Adani Group said it was not possible to conclude if there has been regulatory failure regarding price manipulations, according to a court filing seen by Reuters. The market regulator, SEBI, has drawn a blank in its probe regarding the groups entities’ ownership, the court committee said in the report. According to the Reuters’ report, the expert panel said that there was evidence of a build-up in short positions on Adani Group stocks ahead of a report by the US-based short seller Hindenburg Group. It was not possible to conclude whether there has been regulatory failure regarding price manipulations, the committee said in the report.

RBI To Withdraw Rs 2,000 Currency Notes From Circulation, To Be Legal Tender Till September 30

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has advised banks to stop issuing Rs 2000 denomination banknotes with immediate effect though banknotes in Rs 2000 denomination will continue to be legal tender. In a statement, the RBI said, “The Rs 2000 denomination banknote was introduced in November 2016 under Section 24(1) of RBI Act, 1934, primarily to meet the currency requirement of the economy in an expeditious manner after the withdrawal of legal tender status of all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes in circulation at that time. The objective of introducing Rs 2000 banknotes was met once banknotes in other denominations became available in adequate quantities. Therefore, printing of Rs 2000 banknotes was stopped in 2018-19.”

Binance, World’s Largest Crypto Exchange, To Cease Operations In Canada: Here’s Why

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of trading, announced its decision to exit the Canadian market on Friday. This move comes in response to the recent implementation of stricter regulations for crypto asset trading platforms in Canada, which include investor limits and mandatory registrations.

TECH

BGMI Unban: Battlegrounds Mobile India To Be Available For Download Soon, Will Be On 90-Day Trial

Krafton, the developer of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), has announced the imminent return of the game to the Indian market. The company expressed gratitude to the Indian authorities for granting permission to resume operations. BGMI, a modified version of PUBG Mobile tailored specifically for the Indian audience, was removed from both Apple’s App Store and Google Play store last year due to security concerns. The ban on the previous iteration, PUBG Mobile, remains in effect due to similar security issues and its connection to China.

TikTok Ban: Montana Becomes First US State To Restrict App Over Alleged Data Gathering By China

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a new legislation that will effectively ban Chinese-owned app TikTok from operating within the state. The move is aimed at safeguarding Montana residents from alleged intelligence gathering by China, making Montana the first state in the United States to impose such a ban on the popular short video platform. Under the new law, it will be deemed unlawful for Google and Apple’s app stores to offer TikTok to users in Montana. However, individual users will not face any penalties for using the app. The ban is scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2024, although it is expected to face legal challenges.

Twitter Confirms Censorship Of Content To Remain Operational During Turkey Elections

Twitter has officially acknowledged that it implemented content restrictions in Turkey ahead of the country’s recent presidential election. The official Twitter Global Government Affairs account, released a statement confirming the action taken. It stated, “In order to comply with legal procedures and ensure that Twitter remains accessible to the people of Turkey, we have taken steps to limit access to certain content within Turkey today.”

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Saturn Gets ‘Moon Crown’ Back As 62 New Satellites Are Found, Becomes Planet With Most Moons In Solar System

Saturn is now the planet with the highest number of moons in the solar system. Recently, astronomers discovered 62 new moons orbiting Saturn, which brings the total number of moons the gas giant has to 145. Thus, Saturn has got its ‘moon crown’ back from Jupiter, which has 95 moons as of February 25, 2023. The team, whose work resulted in the discovery of Saturn catapulting back into the first place of the ‘moon race’, was led by Dr Edward Ashton, a postdoctoral fellow at Taiwan’s Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The different milestones which the ringed planet has achieved after the discovery of the new moons include overtaking Jupiter to become the planet with the most known moons in the solar system, and becoming the first planet to have more than 100 discovered moons in total. 

Boon Or Ethical Concern? Human DNA Can Now Be Extracted From Thin Air And Water

Earlier, human DNA could be extracted only from blood samples, skin cells, hair strands, or some other body parts. But now, genetic information can be extracted from thin air. Surprising, isn’t it? Hereditary information can also be obtained from a person’s breath, sand, and a vial of water, according to a new study led by University of Florida. DNA can be found on the beach, in the ocean, along riverways, and many other places, because humans spit, shed and flush their genetic material into countless regions, the study, published May 15 in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, said. DNA which can be found in the environment is known as environmental DNA (eDNA). According to the study, human eDNA applications remain underutilised and under-considered despite the field of eDNA advancing rapidly. Pathogen surveillance, biodiversity monitoring, endangered and invasive species detection, and population genetics will become more advanced if scientists broadly adopt eDNA analysis, the study said. While eDNA is surely a boon for the scientific community, it also raises several ethical concerns and dilemmas. According to the authors, the ethical concerns include consent, privacy, surveillance, and data ownership. Therefore, further consideration and novel regulation are required. 

Did Humans Originate From A Single Place In Africa? Study Rejects Old Theory, Presents New Timeline

Human beings are said to have originated in Africa, but there are several theories surrounding where, when and how they emerged. Models on divergence and migration of humans across Africa have a lot of uncertainties. Scientists have long argued that humans originated from a single place in Africa, during a single period of time, but a new study rejects this theory. The study, published May 17 in the journal Nature, suggests that humans lived in different regions of Africa, migrated from one place to another, and mixed with one another over a period of hundreds of thousands of years. Thus, the study, led by researchers at McGill University and University of California, Davis, negates some of the dominant theories about human origins in Africa. The reasons the uncertainties surrounding human origins in Africa exist are a shortage of fossil and genomic data, and variability in previous estimates of human divergence times. According to the study, the earliest population divergence among contemporary populations occurred 1,20,000 to 1,35,000 years ago. This is the earliest population split detectable among early humans.  Before the population split, there were two or more weakly differentiated ancestral Homo populations that were connected by gene flow over hundreds of thousands of years. These ancestral populations are called stem populations. 

ENTERTAINMENT

Aryan Khan Drug Case: CBI FIR Details ‘Conspiracy’ To Extort Rs 25 Cr, ‘Corrupt Practices’ Charge Against Sameer Wankhede

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its FIR on former Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede stated allegations of “criminal misconduct and corrupt practices” levelled against him as the Zonal Director of NCB’s Mumbai unit during the investigation of the drugs-on-cruise case in which film actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested, but not named in the NCB chargesheet over lack of evidence.  It mentioned how Sameer Wankhede, in the capacity of the immediate supervisory officer had directed to take KP Gosavi and Prabhakar Sail as the independent witness in the proceedings against the accused and he directed to let KP Gosavi handle the accused while taking him to NCB Office “thereby allowing a freehand to Sh. KP Gosavi and others in order to create such a visual impression of KP Gosavi having the custody of the accused and escorting/dragging him towards NCB Mumbai office.” The CBI FIR mentioned that this position “allowed KP Gosavi and his aide Sanvile D’Souza amongst others to enter into the conspiracy to extort an amount of Rs. 25 crores from the family members of the alleged ‘accused’, Aryan Khan by threatening them of the accusation of offences of possession of Narcotics substances.”

The Kerala Story Is The Second Highest-Grossing Hindi Film Of 2023, Beats Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan

Controversial film ‘The Kerala Story’ has become the second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2023, beating Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’ and Salman Khan’s ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’. The Kerala Story is second to Shah Ruk Khan’s ‘Pathaan’, which is the highest-grossing film of the year. ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar’ and ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’ are the third and fourth highest-grossing Hindi films, followed by Ajay Devgn’s Bhola. ‘The Kerala Story’, starring Adah Sharma, was released in cinemas on May 5. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film claims women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State (IS). 

Sara Ali Khan Makes Her Cannes Red Carpet Debut In A Pastel Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Lehenga, Says ‘You Cannes Do It’

Sara Ali Khan served as Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s muse and chose a magnificent lehenga from the designer’s racks for her Red Carpet debut at Cannes. Sara served as Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s muse and chose a magnificent lehenga from the designer’s racks for her Red Carpet debut at Cannes. Sara chose a traditional appearance for Cannes and embraced her ethnic side with Dolly Jain’s drapery. She wore a pastel blouse with a plunging neckline and silver decoration embellishments.