Russian TV went into a full frenzy of celebration as it reported Moscow's capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. There were comparisons to the Red Army liberating Berlin in 1945, congratulations relayed from President Vladimir Putin and announcers emphasizing the victory by using the city's nearly century-old Soviet name of Artyomovsk.

Despite the Russian claims, top Ukrainian military leaders say the fight there is not over, even though they still control only a small part of the city. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that  Ukrainian troops hold parts of its southwestern outskirts, while fighting continues for the strategic heights in the northern and southern suburbs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Papua New Guinea (PNG) was special in more ways than one. On May 22 , PM Modi was conferred with the highest civilian awards of both Papua New Guinea and Fiji. Besides, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Chris Hipkins, flew down specially to meet him.

At a ceremony at the Government House, Governor General of Papua New Guinea Sir Bob Dadae conferred PM Modi with the Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL). This is the highest civilian award of PNG.

In addition, PM Modi was also conferred the highest honour of Fiji by the PM of Fiji titled 'Companion of the Order of Fiji' in recognition of his global leadership. Only a handful of non-Fijians have received this honour to date.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins travelled to PNG to meet PM Modi on the sidelines of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit. This was their first interaction since Hipkins assumed office in January.

Meanwhile, during the third FIPIC (which has 14 Pacific islands as members) meet, PM Modi reiterated the need to have a free and open Indo-Pacific.

PM Modi has since landed in Sydney which is the last leg of his three-nation tour. He will have a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, besides interacting with the business community.

An Australian climber has died on Everest,  in the 10th fatality on the world's highest peak this climbing season.

Jason Bernard Kennison, 40, who reportedly survived a bad car crash in 2006, died after becoming unwell.

Kennison's death is the sixth among non-Nepalis while four Sherpas have lost their lives on Everest in this year's climbing season.

On average, five climbers die every spring climbing season on Everest. But in 2019, 11 people died, with four of the deaths blamed on overcrowding on the mountain.

Nearly 450 climbers have already climbed Mount Everest this season.

Nepal has issued 478 permits to foreign climbers this year, with each paying an $11,000 fee.

Since most will need a guide, more than 900 people -- a record –- were expected to try to summit during the season, which runs until early June.

British novelist Martin Amis, who brought a rock ‘n’ roll sensibility to his stories and lifestyle, has died. He was 73.

His death at his home in Florida, from cancer of the esophagus, was confirmed by his agent, Andrew Wylie.

Amis was the son of another British writer, Kingsley Amis. Martin Amis was a leading voice among a generation of writers that included his good friend, the late Christopher Hitchens, Ian McEwan and Salman Rushdie.

Among his best-known works were “Money,” a satire about consumerism in London, “The Information” and “London Fields,” along with his 2000 memoir, “Experience."

Jonathan Glazer’s adaption of Amis’ 2014 novel “The Zone of Interest” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, about a Nazi commandant who lives next to Auschwitz with his family, drew some of the best reviews of the festival.

The Holocaust was the topic of Amis' novel “Time's Arrow” and Josef Stalin's reign in Russia in “House of Meetings,” examples of how his writing explored the dark soul.

The banks will start exchanging Rs 2,000 note from their anxious holders, marking the end of term for the currency which was launched in 2016. Banks have made special arrangements to meet the rush of customers. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), , had announced the withdrawal of Rs 2000 notes from the system and had set May 23 as a start ing date to exchange or deposit the notes.

Bankers are promising a smooth experience for customers by providing shades and drinking water, creating separate counters and windows for this purpose.

The rush of customers to exchange notes will not be as huge as witnessed after demonetisation announced in 2016. However, banks are expecting there may be queues in branches in semi urban and rural areas. According to the RBI, banks will have to maintain daily data with details such as amount of Rs 2000 notes exchanged, deposited and the total amount.

The apex bank gave public time till September 30 to either deposit such notes in accounts or exchange them at banks. Customers can deposit Rs 2000 banknotes into their bank accounts or exchange them for banknotes of other denominations at any bank branch.

In order to ensure smooth operations and to avoid disruption of regular activities of bank branches, exchange of Rs 2000 banknotes into banknotes of other denominations can be made upto a limit of Rs 20,000

Exchanging notes

A person can exchange maximum 10 notes at a time

Banks will provide appropriate facilities to customers

No form to be filled to exchange/deposit notes

No identity proof required to exchange/deposit notes

RBI has urged public to exchange/deposit notes by Sept 30

Rs 2,000 note will remain valid (or legal tender) even after Sept 30

Coal India Ltd (CIL), India’s largest coal producer,  has said it has reached an agreement with its 2.38 lakh strong non-executive workers over the revision of wages.

CIL has granted a 19% minimum guaranteed benefit from July 1, 2021, on emoluments (basic, VDA, SDA & attendance bonus) and a 25% increase in allowances. 

It said nearly 2.81 lakh employees of CIL & Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL) who were on the rolls of the company as of July 1, 2021, would be the beneficiaries  after implementation of the agreement. CIL has made a provision of `9,252.24 crore for a period of 21 months effective July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2023, for this effect.  

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra became the world number one for the first time in his career in the latest men's javelin throw rankings issued by the World Athletics.

Chopra topped the charts with 1455 points, 22 ahead of Grenada's reigning world champion Anderson Peters (1433).

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of Czech Republic was third with 1416 points.

The 25-year-old Chopra rose to world number two on August 30 last year but was stuck behind Peters since then.

In September last year, Neeraj Chopra won the Diamond League 2022 finals in Zurich, becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious trophy.

He won the title at the season-opening Doha Diamond League on May 5 with a throw of 88.67m.

He will next compete at the FBK Games on June 4 in the Netherlands, followed by the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, on June 13.

Spanish football is again embroiled in racism, with the support for Vinícius Júnior growing rapidly after yet another case of abuse against the Brazil forward this weekend.

Officials, players and former players showed solidarity with Vinícius, who on  May  21  considered leaving the field after being insulted by fans during Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss at Valencia in the Spanish league.

Vinícius said after the match the Spanish league “now belongs to racists” and that Spain “is seen as a racist country.”

Real Madrid asked authorities to investigate the abusive behavior, saying the club believed the incident to be a hate crime.