G7 MEET: MODI VISIT TO HIROSHIMA FIRST BY INDIAN PM AFTER POKHRAN N-TESTS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is headed to Hiroshima for the G7 leaders’ summit this Friday — the first visit to the Japanese city by an Indian Prime Minister since India conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran in 1974. The last Indian PM to visit Hiroshimam was Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957.

Modi’s presence at Hiroshima is significant since India is one of the few countries which has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). He will join the G7 leaders when they visit the Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to the victims and survivors of the attack. From Japan’s perspective, it is an important moment since Japanese PM Fumio Kishida hails from Hiroshima, and his constituency is located in central Hiroshima city.T

Sources said the Indian side is cognizant of the sensitivities of the people of Japan, and Hiroshima in particular, with regard to India’s nuclear tests and Delhi not being a signatory to the NPT.

As Tokyo is likely to arrange a meeting of the G7 leaders and other invitees with families of the atomic bomb victims, Delhi is preparing to underline that it views the NPT as discriminatory, its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, its commitment to unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests and no first-use policy when it comes to nuclear weapons.

Besides India, the G7 grouping – Japan, Italy, Canada, France, US, UK and Germany — has invited the EU, Australia, Brazil, Comoros (African Union chair), the Cook Islands (Pacific Islands Forum chair), Indonesia (ASEAN chair), South Korea and Vietnam as invitees to the outreach session. The UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO and WTO will also attend the summit.

INDIA SLAMS UN RAPPORTEUR FOR OBJECTING TO G20 MEET IN SRINAGAR

India has put down an attempt to rake up Kashmir at the United Nations, ahead of a G20 meeting scheduled in Srinagar next week. Terming as “baseless” the comments of a UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, the Indian Mission in Geneva said the statement issued on minority issues contained “unwarranted allegations”.

“As G20 president, it is India’s prerogative to host its meetings in any part of the country,” asserted the Indian Mission in a tweet.

UN Special Rapporteur (SR) Fernand de Varennes has tweeted that holding a G20 meeting in J&K while massive human rights violations are ongoing is lending support to attempts by India to “normalise the brutal and repressive denial of democratic and other rights of Kashmiri Muslims and minorities”. “G20 should on the contrary uphold international human rights obligations and the UN Declaration of Human Rights. The situation in J&K should be decried and condemned, not pushed under the rug and ignored with the holding of this meeting,” he said in a statement.

“We are aghast that Varennes has acted irresponsibly to politicise this issue. He has misused his position as SR to publicise on social media his presumptive and prejudiced conclusions in a gross violation of the code of conduct for SRs,” said the Indian Mission.

Srinagar will host the G20 meeting of the working group on tourism from May 22 to May 24. Pakistan too had raised the issue to which India had replied that it was strange that a country which was not a part of G20 was being unnecessarily intrusive. The latest attempt by Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the sidelines of the Goa Foreign Ministers’ meeting was dismissed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: ACT ON INDIA SELLING FUEL MADE WITH RUSSIAN CRUDE

For the first time since India has been buying cheap Russian oil over the last year or so, European Union’s foreign and security policy chief — equivalent to foreign minister — Josep Borrell said the EU should crack down on India reselling Russian oil as refined fuels, including diesel, to Europe.

Borrell told The Financial Times that Brussels was aware that Indian refiners were buying large volumes of Russian crude oil and processing it into fuels for sale in Europe, adding that the EU should act to stop it. “If diesel or gasoline is entering Europe… coming from India and being produced with Russian oil, that is certainly a circumvention of sanctions, and member states have to take measures,” he said.

He made these remarks ahead of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Brussels.

Responding later, Jaishankar said: “My understanding of the Council regulations is that Russian crude, if substantially transformed in a third country, is not treated as Russian anymore.”

Indian refiners exported an average of around 284,000 barrels per day (bpd) of refined petroleum products to Europe in the December-April period, up from about 170,000 bpd in the year-ago period.

"FLAWED": CENTRE REJECTS US REPORT CRITICISING INDIA ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

India on Tuesday trashed as "motivated" and "biased" a report by the US State Department on religious freedom that criticised the country for alleged attacks on minorities.

The annual report listed alleged attacks on religious minorities in India and expressed concerns over such incidents.

"We are aware of the release of the US State Department 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom. Regrettably, such reports continue to be based on misinformation and flawed understanding," said External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. "Motivated and biased commentary by some US officials only serves to undermine further the credibility of these reports," he said.

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KYIV SAYS SHOT DOWN VOLLEY OF RUSSIAN ‘HYPERSONIC’ MISSILES

Ukraine’s air defence intercepted six hypersonic Kinzhal missiles fired by Russia early Tuesday, officials said. If confirmed, the strikes would be further evidence of Ukraine’s ability to shoot down one of the most sophisticated conventional weapons in Moscow’s arsenal.

The six Kinzhals were among a volley of 18 missiles Russia fired at Ukraine overnight, lighting up Kyiv with flashes and raining debris after they were blasted from the sky. Russia also launched nine Kalibr cruise missiles from ships in the Black Sea, three short-range ballistic missiles from land and a number of drones, according to the commander in chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. All of the drones and missiles were shot down, the military said. The aerial assault over Kyiv was the eighth large-scale attack on the city this month

The statement from Ukraine’s Air Force  did not specify whether an Americanmade Patriot air defence system was involved in shooting down the Russian missiles, but Ukraine until recently lacked the capability to intercept Kinzhals and had pressed allies for Patriot systems that it hoped would provide protection. The US was yet to comment.

PAK ARMY TO TRY 9TH MAY RIOTERS UNDER ITS TOUGH LAWS

Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders on Tuesday said that rioters and their backers who attacked state assets and military installations to protest the arrest of former PM Imran Khan will be tried under army laws.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Security Committee chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif. It is an endorsement of the military, which said on Monday “restraint will no longer be exercised” on groups attacking military installations. “The Armed Forces are well aware of the planners, instigators, abettors and perpetrators of these attacks and attempts to create distortions in this regard are absolutely futile,” the military said in a statement late Monday. “Those involved in these heinous crimes against the military installations and personal/equipment will be brought to justice through trials under relevant laws of Pakistan including Pakistan Army Act and Official Secret Act. ”

The army’s move to include the tough Army Act and the Official Secrets Act is a serious provision in which Khan and his party supporters could be slapped with charges that can lead to either a death sentence or life imprisonment. Military courts which proceed under the army act and related legislation do not have to hold to the standard of evidence and process that regular courts are obligated to uphold.

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DEADLOCK CONTINUES, SONIA GANDHI TO TAKE FINAL CALL ON KARNATAKA CM

The Congress is continuing its deliberations to choose the Karnataka Chief Minister with both Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar persisting with their claims and another round of meetings slated to take place on Wednesday morning to reach a conclusion.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi is todayis expected to meet some leaders who are part of the decision-making process in Karnataka.

Dr G Parameshwara, former Karnataka deputy CM, has also shown his keenness for the top job in the state, stating that if he is assigned the responsibility, he will fulfil it.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has held talks with all stakeholders in Karnataka. Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said a good decision will come.

The results of assembly polls were declared on Saturday and the newly-elected Congress MLAs on Sunday authorised Kharge to take a decision.

With the action shifting to Delhi, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar reached Delhi.

GEHLOT CAMP CALLS SACHIN PILOT'S DEMANDS 'IMPRACTICAL, INCOMPREHENSIBLE’

A day after Congress leader Sachin Pilot’s ultimatum to the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan govt on three demands concerning corruption and the youth, the Gehlot camp on Tuesday shot back at Pilot saying the demands are impractical.

After Cabinet Minister Mahesh Joshi said Pilot and minister Rajendra Gudha’s corruption allegations against the govt led by their party as “very surprising and regrettable”, Congress MLA Chetan Dudi, from Deedwana in Nagaur, said that “the three issues raised by Mr Sachin Pilot are impractical and completely incomprehensible”. He went on to say, “Don’t you know that RPSC (Rajasthan Public Service Commission) is an independent constitutional body that can never be dissolved? Even the resignation of an RPSC member is accepted by the President. Why are you confusing the youth?”

On Raje cases, Dudi asked Pilot to tell “which cases of the Vasundhara govt are still pending, which they want to get investigated, because … these cases have been settled by the High Court and the Supreme Court and all the mining leases have also been cancelled”.

MAHARASHTRA SPEAKER EXPLAINS HOW HE’LL DECIDE DISQUALIFICATION PLEAS

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar Tuesday said that the Election Commission’s decision recognising Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is “not retrospective” and that he will determine which faction represented the political party in July 2022 — the one led by Eknath Shinde or the one with Uddhav Thackeray.

The Supreme Court has called the Speaker’s decision from July 2022 to recognise Shinde faction’s Bharat Gogawale as the Shiv Sena’s chief whip based on the legislative strength of the faction as “illegal.” The SC said the whip is that of the political party and not the legislative party and that the Speaker should have first ascertained which faction of the Sena represents the political party.

Both Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former CM Uddhav Thackeray have hailed the verdict, interpreting it as being in their favour.

“Once we identify which faction represents the political party, the next step will be to decide whose whip will apply. On the basis of that, we will take a call on the disqualification pleas,” said Narwekar, a BJP MLA.

NITISH SLAMS ‘HINDU RASHTRA’ CALL BY A SEER WHO DRAWS CROWDS IN PATNA

Three days after he landed in Patna trailed by rising popularity and feted by the BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh, ‘Baba Bageshwar’ Dhirendra Shastri finally elicited a response from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

The Mahagathbandhan leaders had avoided taking note of Shastri, a 26 year old, who started a five-day religious sermons session, “Hanuman Katha”, on May 13. However, on Tuesday, the Baba proclaimed that “India would be on its way to becoming a Hindu Rashtra when even 5 crore of the 13 crore people of Bihar apply tilak and go on a march”.

With BJP leaders making a beeline for Shastri’s event since he landed, Nitish hit back, saying that the country has a Constitution and no one can “change the name of our nation”.

RJD state president Jagdanand Singh demanded that the Nitish govt, of which the party is a part, arrest Shastri in the same manner as BJP leader L K Advani was arrested during his rath yatra.

‘DON’T CREATE FEAR’: SC RAPS ED ON CHHATTISGARH SCAM

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) not to create an atmosphere of fear after the Chhattisgarh Govt accused the probe agency of “running amok” and attempting to implicate Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in a money laundering case connected with an alleged Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam in the state.

“Even a bona fide cause becomes suspect when you behave like this…. Don’t create an atmosphere of fear,” a Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who represented the ED.

The court’s comments came after senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing the Chhattisgarh Govt, alleged that the state excise department officials had complained that the ED was threatening them and their family members with arrest and was trying to implicate CM Baghel. The officers, the govt claimed, had said they would not work in the department.

16 SMUGGLED ARTEFACTS RETURNED TO INDIA, SAYS MET MUSEUM AMID GLOBAL SCRUTINY

Facing widespread criticism and legal scrutiny over several of its catalogued antiquities, that included at least 77 Indian works linked to jailed smuggler Subhash Kapoor, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York has said 16 of those works have been returned to India.

Museum director Max Hollein issued a statement earlier this month that “last month, in light of new provenance information, we returned 16 works to India, including the Celestial Dancer, a sculpture that enraptured visitors for decades.” This is a reference to the 11th-century sandstone sculpture of an “Apsara” from Madhya Pradesh valued at more than $1 million.

When asked about the Met returning the antiquities, an official in the Ministry of External Affairs said legal processes were on and “we can’t comment more than this as of now”.

WHATSAPP COOPERATED IN BLOCKING NUMBERS WE FLAGGED USING AI: IT MINISTER

Messaging platform WhatsApp has “cooperated” with the Centre in blocking several accounts of users using mobile connections by potentially fraudulent means who were detected by a facial recognition-based artificial intelligence tool developed by the govt, Union Minister of Communication Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The govt is working with other social media platforms as well, he added.

The tool, called Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification (ASTR) has been developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for detecting individuals who have registered more than 9 mobile connections – the maximum allowed currently – to verify whether they have been created using legitimate means.

Vaishnaw said that in one case 6,800 connections were taken against the same image of the subscriber (same face, different names). In another case, 5,300 connections were taken against the same image (same face, different names).

The details of the disconnected numbers were also shared with banks, payment wallets and social media platforms for disengaging these numbers from their respective platforms.

WHO CALLS OUT ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

Non-sugar sweeteners do little to help lose weight or reduce body fat, and may in fact increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Nutritionists, researchers, and doctors have been sounding warning bells for years, and now, the WHO has lent its weight to the argument.

In guidelines released Monday, the global health body recommended against the use of such products.

Synthetic or naturally derived non-nutritive sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and stevia extracts have been touted by companies as the ‘healthy’ substitute to sugar— especially for people watching their weight.

After reviewing the existing evidence, an international committee of experts from universities around the world led by WHO concluded that non-sugar sweeteners do not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children. Not only that, these may put people at potential risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults, in the long term.

IPL MATCH 63: MOHSIN HOLDS NERVE TO HELP LSG EDGE MI BY 5 RUNS

Mohsin Khan made a fine comeback from a long injury lay-off as the left-arm pacer defended 11 runs off the final over against the destructive Tim David to hand Lucknow Super Giants a five-run win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL in Lucknow on Tuesday.

Marcus Stoinis flaunted his raw power on the way to an unbeaten 89 off 47 balls as LSG recovered from a poor start to post 177 for three after Mumbai opted to bowl.

Mumbai were on course for a comfortable win but fluffed the chase in the second half of the innings to end with 172 for five in 20 overs. In the final over bowled by Mohsin, Mumbai need 11 for a win but they could manage only 5.

Mohsin, who missed the whole of domestic season due to a shoulder injury, helped LSG (15 points from 13 matches) take a major step towards a top-four finish by holding his nerve in the final over.

Mumbai (14 points from 13 matches) too remain in contention for a Play-Off spot despite the loss.

GT are now sure to enter the Play-Offs as the No. 1 team.

Apart from DC and SRH, each of the other 7 teams are still in contention for the 3 remaning Play-Off berths.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time. – Voltaire

OFF TRACK

The husband staggered into the house at two o'clock in the morning. As he entered his bedroom, he found another man in bed with his wife.

She pushed the man off her and demanded to know where he (the husband) had been until two o'clock in the morning.

He in turn looked at the man in the bed and demanded, "Who in the hell is this guy, and what is he doing in bed with you?"

The wife responded, "Don't go changing the subject! Where in the hell have you been so late?"