Zafaryab Jilani (73), one of the most prominent faces of the battle of vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, passed away at a hospital after a protracted illness, in Lucknow. Jilani, convenor of Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) and executive committee (EC) member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.

He had suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2021 after he slipped in his residence. Ever since, he was not keeping well even after major surgeries. A strong votary of secularism, Jilani represented the Muslim side in Ayodhya title suit case in various courts relentlessly for 45 years till the SC delivered the order to settle the centuries old dispute on November 9, 2020.

An authority on Shariat laws, Jilani was not in favour of Sunni Central Waqf Board’s decision to accept the five acre alternative land provided by the UP government in compliance of SC order for constructing a mosque some 25 km away from Ram Janmabhoomi premises where the Babri mosque stood before December 6, 1992.

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan  on May 17  demanded an independent inquiry into the violence following his arrest last week as he distanced himself and his party from attacks on state and military installations.

He made the demand in an address to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers from his Zaman Park residence via video link, as the government deployed police near his house and an operation to arrest lay a hand on him is expected any time soon.

Ahead of his address, Khan said in a tweet that police had surrounded his house in an upscale area of Punjab's provincial capital Lahore and he could be arrested.

In his address, Khan said the ruling coalition is deliberately trying to create a conflict between his party and the powerful army.

Khan said he has defended the Pakistan Army across the world.

Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.

A French appeals court on May 17  upheld a prison sentence of three years, including two suspended, against former president Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling.

The court ruled he should serve a one-year detention sentence at home with an electronic bracelet and banned him from public office for three years over his attempts to secure favours from a judge in a case uncovered by wiretapping.

Sarkozy is France's first postwar president to have been sentenced to jail.

The 68-year-old left the courtroom without making any comment, but his lawyer said they would appeal before the Court of Cassation, France's highest appeals court.

Sarkozy, who served one term from 2007 to 2012, has been embroiled in legal troubles ever since leaving office.

In March 2021, a court found he and his former lawyer, Thierry Herzog, had formed a "corruption pact" with judge Gilbert Azibert to obtain and share information about a legal investigation.

The trial came after investigators wiretapped Sarkozy's two official phone lines, and discovered that he also had a third unofficial one taken out in 2014 under the name "Paul Bismuth", through which he communicated with Herzog.

The contents of these phone calls led to the 2021 corruption verdict.

The former leader contested the accusations and immediately appealed.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its approval to SBI Funds Management (SBIFML) to acquire up to 9.99 per cent stake in HDFC Bank.

The approval has been granted with reference to the application made by SBIFML to RBI.

It further said SBIFML has been advised by RBI to acquire the major shareholding in the bank within a period of six months (by November 15, 2023). On May 17, HDFC Bank stock closed 0.39 percent lower at Rs 1,640.85 apiece on NSE. HDFC Bank is in the process of getting itself merged with HDFC, which is expected to be completed by the end of June quarter.

The central bank asked SBIFML to acquire the aforementioned stake in the bank within six months, or by November 15, 2023, the bank stated. Also, as per RBI, SBIFML’s total stake in HDFC Bank should never exceed 10% of  the bank’s paid-up share capital or voting rights.

Srichand Parmanand Hinduja, the eldest of the four Hinduja brothers and chairman of Hinduja Group, died in London on  May 17. He was unwell for some time.

He was 87.

The Hinduja family patriarch and his brothers, Gopichand and Prakash, were accused of receiving nearly SEK 81 million in illegal commissions to help Swedish gunmaker AB Bofors secure an Indian government contract.

A court had however exonerated them.

A British national, he died in London.

In a bid to expedite the merger process between two or more start-up companies or small companies with start-up companies or both, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on May 16  specified a time limit for the approval of mergers or amalgamations.

According to the amendment provision of the Companies (Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations) Rules, 2016, if no objection or suggestion is received within thirty days from the Registrar of Companies (RoC) and Official Liquidator, the central government has the authority to issue a confirmation order within fifteen days for the merger or amalgamation scheme provided that the scheme is in the public interest.

If any objections or suggestions are received from the RoC and Official Liquidator and the central government found these objections to be unsustainable and the scheme is determined to be in the public interest, it may issue a confirmation order within sixty days, said the order.

As per the MCA’s annual report of 2022-23, nearly 350 out of 538 fast-track merger schemes have been disposed of between November 2021 and October 2022.

Novak Djokovic's angry glare made it clear how furious the 22-time Grand Slam champion was with his opponent.

And it wasn’t just because Cameron Norrie hit him in the left calf with an overhead smash after Djokovic had already turned his back and conceded a point early in the second set of the Serb's 6-3, 6-4 win on May 16.

There were also other instances of bad sportsmanship from Norrie, Djokovic said after reaching the Italian Open quarterfinals for the 17th straight year.

Djokovic also took issue with how his British opponent took a medical time out just before he served out the match.

Q1. Name the state govt which has launched the ‘CM Learn-Earn Scheme’ for unemployed youths in the state ?

1. Arunachal Pradesh                         
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Uttar Pradesh
4. Madhya Pradesh
5. None of These

Q2. Stressing the need to promote research in the pharmaceutical sector in UP, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on May 17  proposed to set up a pharmaceutical research and innovation institute in

1. Kanpur
2. Gorakhpur
3. Lucknow
4. Varanasi
5. None of These

Q3. Name the  most prominent muslim  face of the battle of vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute who  passed away at a hospital after a protracted illness, in Lucknow ?

1. Syed Shahabuddin
2. Zafaryab Jilani
3. Azam Khan
4. Abdullah Bukhari
5. None of These

Q4. Name the former president of France whom a  French appeals court on May 17  upheld a prison sentence of three years, including two suspended  for corruption and influence peddling ?

1. François Mitterrand
2. Jacques Chirac
3. François Hollande
4. Nicolas Sarkozy
5. None of These

Q5. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its approval to SBI Funds Management (SBIFML) to acquire up to 9.99 per cent stake in

1. HDFC Bank  
2. ICICI Bank
3. Indian Bank
4. Canara Bank
5. None of These

Answers

1------------------------- 4  Madhya Pradesh

2--------------------------3   Lucknow

3--------------------------2   Zafaryab Jilani

4--------------------------4   Nicolas Sarkozy

5--------------------------1  HDFC Bank