Sri Lanka's ruling SLPP party has decided to offer crucial support to new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has just one seat in Parliament, to help him prove a majority in the House.

The 73-year-old United National Party (UNP) leader was appointed as Sri Lanka's 26th prime minister on  May 12  as the country was without a government since May 9  when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned after violence erupted following an attack on the anti-government protesters by his supporters.

However, the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and most opposition parties have claimed that his appointment was illegal. Most Opposition parties have said they would not take positions in the interim government led by Wickremesinghe but would support his moves to tackle the economic crisis.

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) claims to have 114 seats, one more than the 113 required for a majority in the 225-member Parliament. There are 42 independent members. The SJB has 54 seats. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has 3 seats while Tamil National Alliance has 10 seats.

In the last election, Wickremesinghe's UNP managed to win just one parliamentary seat, leaving him its sole representative in Parliament. 

Debt-ridden Future Retail's Chief Financial Officer C P Toshniwal has resigned from the company, effective May 12.

Toshniwal's resignation is the recent addition to the string of resignations that started after the Rs 24,713-crore deal was called off last month by the billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries after creditors voted against it.

Last week, Future Retail's Managing Director Rakesh Biyani stepped down, while officials including the company secretary of the debt-ridden firm tendered resignation.

FRL, a flagship firm of the Kishore Biyani-led Future Group, now faces an insolvency petition filed by its lenders before the National Company Law Tribunal as it has committed defaults.

FRL was part of the 19 companies which were supposed to be transferred to Reliance Retail as part of a Rs 24,713-crore deal announced in August 2020.

India’s merchandise exports grew more than 30% in April on a year-on-year basis on the back of improved performance in petroleum products, electronic goods, cereals, coffee, processed food and leather products, as per the data released by the Ministry of Commerce.

Services also fared well and grew 50% on year.  Overall exports - merchandise and services combined in April - registered a growth of 38.90%, at $67.79 billion. Imports in the same month stood at $75.87 bn, exhibiting a positive growth of 36.31% over the same period last year, as per the government estimates.  Meanwhile, the merchandise trade deficit widened by 31.5% in April, estimated at $20.11 bn as compared to $15.29 bn in April 2021.

Former world champion Amir Khan announced on May 13 has said that  he was retiring from boxing after a 17-year professional career.

The 35-year-old British fighter, who became a unified world champion at light-welterweight, hangs up his gloves with a record of 34 wins from his 40 fights.

The 2004 Olympic silver medallist, who also challenged for world titles at welterweight and middleweight, won the first 18 contests of his pro career, becoming one of the finest British boxers of his era.

Khan's career ended in defeat when he was stopped in the sixth round of his grudge match against long-time rival and compatriot Kell Brook in Manchester in February.

Brook announced his own retirement last week.

Khan became world champion in 2009, defeating Ukraine's Andreas Kotelnik in a WBA super-lightweight bout and saw off US opponent Zab Judah to add the IBF belt two years later.

A controversial points loss against American Lamont Peterson later in 2011 brought the British boxer's reign to a frustrating end but he was reinstated as WBA titlist after Peterson tested positive for a banned substance in the lead-up to the rematch.

But it was a short reign as he was savagely stopped by Danny Garcia in 2012, a defeat that marked the last time he came into the ring holding a major world title.

Khan was also stopped inside six rounds by WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford in 2019 before surprisingly teaming up and training alongside the American in Colorado for his much-anticipated fight against Brook earlier this year.

Q1. Name the sport with which Thomas Cup is associated ?

1. Football
2. Tennis
3. Badminton
4. Golf
5. None of These

Q2. The FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup  2022 will be held in 

1. India
2. Germany
3. Brazil
4. China
5. None of These

Q3. Name the former world champion who has said  that  he was retiring from boxing after a 17-year professional career ?

1. Zab Judah
2. Andreas Kotelnik
3. Kell Brook
4. Amir Khan
5. None of These

Q4. Name the country which has  withdrawn as the 2023 Asian Cup football hosts due to the corona virus ?

1. South Korea
2. China
3. Malaysia
4. Thailand
5. None of These

Q5. Name the sport with which Lakshya Sen is associated ?

1. Chess
2. Hockey
3. Badminton
4. Golf
5. None of These

Answers

1---------------------3    Badminton

2---------------------1    India

3-----------------------4     Amir Khan

4----------------------2   China

5-----------------------3    Badminton

It is imperative for a healthy democracy that people feel their rights and dignity are recognised and protected, Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said , stressing that denial of justice would ultimately lead to anarchy.

Addressing a function in Srinagar, the CJI urged lawyers and judges to create a congenial environment for litigants who are often "under a lot of psychological stress".

He lamented that the justice delivery mechanism in India is very "complex and expensive" and the country is far behind in making courts inclusive and accessible.

The Chief Justice of India was in Srinagar  to lay the foundation stone of the new complex for the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Amid the ongoing 'Chintan Shivir' of Congress in Rajasthan, former chief of Grand Old Party's Punjab unit Sunil Jakhar  has announced his decision to quit from the party.

As per reports, Jakhar was upset over Congress high command taking action against his alleged anti-party activities.

On April 26, Congress Disciplinary Committee recommended the two-year suspension of Jakhar and his removal from all party posts.

Controversial Haryana Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hemant Kalson was arrested for allegedly assaulting a physically-challenged shopkeeper in Pinjore town of Panchkula district.

The fresh incident came close on the heels of another incident in which the IGP was booked for allegedly abusing and misbehaving with a staff nurse at the Civil Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula.

At that time too, it was alleged that he was in an inebriated state.

This is not the first time when Kalson has found himself on the wrong side of the law.

In April 2019, he was placed under suspension for firing in the air during election duty in Tamil Nadu without a valid explanation.