Brimming with confidence, India will again look to punch above their weight when they run into 14-time winners Indonesia in the final of Thomas Cup  in Bangkok on May 15  , seeking to create history one more time

Appeasement politics ends with 100 per cent coverage of government schemes: PM Modi

Politics of appeasement comes to an end with 100 per cent coverage of government schemes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on May 12 .

He was speaking during his virtual address at 'Utkarsh Samaroh' in Gujarat's Bharuch city.

The event was organised by the Bharuch district administration to mark 100 per cent saturation of four key schemes of the state government meant for providing financial assistance to widows, the elderly and destitute citizens.

BJP MP Diya Kumari claims Land on which Taj Mahal was built originally belonged to Jaipur Royals

A member of Jaipur’s former royal family and BJP MP Diya Kumari has claimed that the land on which the Taj Mahal was constructed originally belonged to Jaipur's ruler Jai Singh. Diya Kumari also asserted that the land was acquired by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and records of the same are available with the erstwhile Jaipur royal family.

In addition, the BJP MP has supported a petition in the Allahabad High Court which has demanded an inquiry into ‘the history’ of the Taj Mahal and a re-opening of its 22 rooms for "the truth, whatever it is".

Diya Kumari has virtually claimed that the Taj Mahal, a symbol of love of and one of the seven wonders of the world, was built on property that originally belonged to the former royal family of Jaipur. The BJP MP has claimed that she has documents to show that earlier the Taj Mahal used to be the palace of the old royal family of Jaipur which was captured by Shah Jahan.  When Shah Jahan took that palace and land of the Jaipur family, the family could not oppose him because it was then ruled by him.

Diya Kumari remarked that people have the right to know what was there before the monument was built and the entire issue should be investigated. The member of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family further said that there are records available with the Jaipur family to prove all her claims and it would provide them if the need arises.

The BJP MP asserted, “this was the land of our royal family and Shah Jahan had occupied it. At that time the government belonged to him.  I have heard that he was compensated in return, but at that time there was no law to appeal against him or do anything against him.”

MP Diya Kumari further added, 'I will not say that the Taj Mahal should be demolished but its rooms should be opened.  Some rooms in the Taj Mahal are closed and some parts are sealed there for a long time.  It must be inquired and opened so that it can be known what was there and what was not.  All those facts will be established once we have a proper inquiry.”

As is well-known, Ayodhya's BJP leader Dr Rajneesh Singh has filed a petition in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court in UP regarding the Taj Mahal.  In his petition, Dr Singh has demanded a survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to open those 22 rooms of the Taj Mahal which have been closed for a long time.  The petitioner says that the Taj Mahal may contain sculptures and inscriptions of Hindu gods and goddesses.  If the survey is done, then it will be known whether there are Hindu idols and inscriptions in the Taj Mahal or not.

BJP MP Diya Kumari has openly supported that plea and said “it is good that someone raised his voice and filed a petition in the court.” Diya Kumari said that the truth must come out from this and asserted that Documents present in their possession can help to bring out the truth and they are ready to give the same. The BJP MP promised that “if documents are needed, then our royal family of Jaipur is ready to share them.  If the court orders, we will give them all the documents.”

It is worth noting that even when the issue arose regarding the descendants of Ram during the Ayodhya temple, it was claimed by the Jaipur Royal Family that they are the descendants of Ram.  For this, the BJP MP had said that she is ready to testify in court as well.

On the question of whether a petition will also be filed in the court on behalf of the former royal family of Jaipur, Diya Kumari said that we are looking into it now and we will examine what steps should be taken.

Shiv Sena MLA from Mumbai dies of cardiac arrest in Dubai

Shiv Sena MLA from Mumbai, Ramesh Latke, died of a cardiac arrest in Dubai. He was 52.

Latke was a two-time Sena legislator from the Andheri East assembly constituency in Mumbai city.

Prior to his becoming an MLA, Latke was also a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

No timeline for fresh recruitments, says Indian Army

The youth aspiring to join the Indian Army through recruitment rallies may have to wait out longer still. No recruitment rallies have taken place for more than two years. The shortage of personnel has already started hurting the Army.

The situation is such that even if these rallies are held anytime soon, the new recruits would take more than 1.5 years for their induction. The Army seems to be fighting a policy ambiguity. “We are not yet clear about the time-lines for fresh rallies,” said an Army officer.

Another officer said conducting such rallies would take time. “Before a rally is conducted, a location is finalised and then a notification issued for registration, which takes over a month. Post-registration paperwork takes more than three months before selected candidates are called for written and physical tests,” he said.

Candidates clearing the tests are called for medical examination and then a merit list of selected candidates is released in above five months. The candidates join their training centres where they spend around nine months as per the needs of the services they have opted for. They pass through various drills before becoming a soldier.

At least 50,000 Army personnel retire each year, according to the Defence Ministry. Meanwhile, heightened deployment in eastern Ladakh continues along the entire LAC as a precautionary measure.

The suspension of fresh recruitment has added to the workload of the existing soldiers. This has affected units deployed at high altitude and operational areas. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt had said the recruitment rallies were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Finland's leaders in favour of applying for NATO membership

Finland’s president and prime minister said  on May 12  they’re in favor of applying for NATO membership, paving the way for the alliance to expand amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The dramatic move by Finland was announced by President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin in a joint statement. It means that Finland is virtually certain to seek NATO membership, though a few steps remain before the application process can begin. Neighboring Sweden is expected to decide on joining NATO in coming days.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) land border with Russia. The Kremlin has warned of “military and political repercussions” if Sweden and Finland decide to join NATO. Should they apply, there will be an interim period lasting from when an application has been handed in until all 30 NATO members’ parliaments have ratified it.

The statement on May 12 came a day after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited both Finland and Sweden to sign a military cooperation agreement. The U.K. pledged on May 11 to come to the aid of Sweden and Finland if the two Nordic nations came under attack.

In 2017, Sweden and Finland joined the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force, which is designed to be more flexible and respond more quickly than the larger NATO alliance. It uses NATO standards and doctrine, so it can operate in conjunction with NATO, the United Nations or other multinational coalitions. Fully operational since 2018, the force has held a number of exercises both independently and in cooperation with NATO.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Finland and Sweden have been pondering whether to abandon their historic, decades-old neutrality and join the 30-member NATO. Should Finland become a NATO member, it would mean the biggest change in the Nordic country’s defense and security policy since World War II when it fought two lost wars against the Soviet Union.

During the Cold War, Finland stayed away from NATO to avoid provoking the Soviet Union, instead opting to remain a neutral buffer between the East and the West while maintaining good relations with Moscow and also with the United States.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the military alliance would welcome Finland and Sweden both of which have strong, modern militaries with open arms and expects the accession process to be speedy and smooth.

Sherpa woman climbs Everest for 10th time, breaks own record

A Nepali Sherpa broke her own record as the most successful female climber of Mount Everest by reaching the summit of the world's highest peak  on May 12 .

Lakpa Sherpa and several other climbers took advantage of favourable weather to reach the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit early in the morning, her brother and expedition organizer Mingma Gelu said.

Sherpa, 48, never got a chance to get a formal education because had to start earning a living by carrying climbing gear and supplies for trekkers.

May 12  successful ascent was her 10th ' the most times any woman has climbed Everest ' and she has always said she wanted to inspire all women so they too can achieve their dreams.

A native of Nepal, Sherpa lives in the U.S.with her three children in West Hartford, Connecticut. Another Nepalese Sherpa guide, Kami Rita, reached the summit for the 26th time on may 7 , breaking his own record for the most climbs of Everest.

Rita led a group of Sherpa climbers who fixed ropes along the route so that hundreds of other climbers and guides can make their way to the top of the mountain later this month. Hundreds of foreign climbers and an equal number of Sherpa guides are set to attempt climbs of Everest in May, the month when weather conditions in the Himalayan peaks are most favorable for climbing.

North Korea confirms 1st Covid outbreak, Kim orders lockdown

North Korea confirmed its first coronavirus infections of the pandemic on May 12 after holding for more than two years to a widely doubted claim of a perfect record keeping out the virus that has spread to nearly every place in the world.

The official Korean Central News Agency said tests of samples collected on May 8 from an unspecified number of people with fevers in the capital, Pyongyang, confirmed they were infected with the omicron variant. In response, leader Kim Jong Un called for a thorough lockdown of cities and counties and said workplaces should be isolated by units to block the virus from spreading.

The country's population of 26 million is believed to be mostly unvaccinated, after its government shunned vaccines offered by the U.N backed COVAX distribution program, possibly because those have international monitoring requirements.

Kim during a ruling party Politburo meeting called for officials to stabilize transmissions and eliminate the infection source as fast as possible, while also easing the inconveniences to the public caused by the virus controls. Kim said 'single-minded public unity is the most powerful guarantee that can win in this anti-pandemic fight.

Despite the decision to elevate anti-virus steps, Kim ordered officials to push ahead with scheduled construction, agricultural development and other state projects while bolstering the country's defense postures to avoid any security vacuum

As the electricity crisis deepens in the country, power ministry has  decided to arrange short-term loans for imported coal-based plants (ICB), which are under stress or in NCLT.  The ministry said these plants need working capital to buy coal and start generating power in order to restart their operations.

“Union Power Ministry has directed Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC Ltd) to take necessary action to arrange short term loans for a period of six months with adequate safeguards for ICB plants, which are under stress or in NCLT, at the earliest,” said the ministry in a statement.

The government has been taking various steps to tackle the ongoing power crisis, which arose due to coal shortage. The ministry on May 5, 2022, issued directions to all imported coal-based plants (ICB) under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to operate and generate power to their full capacity. It has asked for projects, which are stressed or under NCLT. 

At the same time, it also directed that all gencos based on domestic coal will have to import at least 10% of their fuel requirements. These decisions, the ministry said, will ensure that additional electricity is produced through imported coal and will be a net addition.  “Since domestic coal supply is constrained, therefore, it is imperative that all ICB plants should run to meet the power requirements of the country,” reads the order of the ministry.

Q1. Name the Shiv Sena MLA from Mumbai who  died of a cardiac arrest in Dubai recently ?

1. Ramesh Latke                      
2. Sunil Dattatraya Rane
3. Chaudhary Manisha Ashok
4. M P Rajaram Surve
5. None of These

Q2. Name the Governor of  Central Bank of Sri Lanka  who has said that the Sri Lanka's economy will "collapse beyond redemption" unless a new government is appointed within two days to restore political stability?

1. Indrajit Coomaraswamy
2. W. D. Lakshman         
3. Ajith Nivard Cabraal
4. Nandalal Weerasinghe
5. None of These

Q3. Name the country which has confirmed its first coronavirus infections of the pandemic on May 12 after holding for more than two years to a widely doubted claim of a perfect record keeping out the virus that has spread to nearly every place in the world?

1. South Korea
2. North Korea
3. Vietnam
4. Brunei
5. None of These

Q4. Name the Nepali Sherpa  who has broken  her own record as the most successful female climber of Mount Everest by reaching the summit of the world's highest peak  on May 12 .

1. Kami Rita
2. Mingma Gelu
3. Lakpa Sherpa
4. Pem Dorjee Sherpa
5. None of These

Q5. Name the country whose  president and prime minister has said  on May 12 that  they’re in favor of applying for NATO membership, paving the way for the alliance to expand amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

1. Sweden
2. Turkey
3. Finland                  
4. Denmark
5. None of These

Answers

1------------------1   Ramesh Latke       

2------------------4  Nandalal Weerasinghe

3------------------2  North Korea

4------------------3   Lakpa Sherpa

Sri Lanka's economy will "collapse beyond redemption" unless a new government is appointed within two days to restore political stability, the central bank chief Nandalal Weerasinghe  said on May 11 .

He said the latest wave of mob violence derailed the bank's recovery plans, and the resignation of the prime minister and the lack of a replacement were complicating matters.

He said political stability was vital to implementing economic reforms aimed at addressing the country's debt crisis and the acute shortage of foreign exchange to import essentials.

"If there is no government in the next two days, the economy will completely collapse and no one will be able to save it," Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said.

Shortly after taking over last month as the bank's chief, Weerasinghe announced defaulting on Sri Lanka's $51 billion external debt saying the country had no money to pay its creditors. He almost doubled interest rates and allowed the rupee to depreciate rapidly to ensure better foreign exchange liquidity in the commercial banks.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson will not face criminal charges over repeatedly punching a fellow plane passenger, a prosecutor in California said.

Cell phone footage showed Tyson leaning over the back of his seat and delivering a flurry of blows to the man, who appeared to be left with bruises and some bleeding after the April 20 incident.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told  there would be no charges against the former fighter.

Considered one of the best heavyweights of all time, Tyson is also known for his erratic behavior, which included infamously biting off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear in a 1997 bout.

Tyson was convicted in 1992 of rape, and jailed for three years.

In 2007 he admitted to a cocaine addiction.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), after a prolonged interrogation for over 15 hours, finally arrested Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal in a money laundering case linked to alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds among other charges.

Chartered accountant Suman Kumar, associated with Pooja Singhal, was already arrested three days back.

The 2000-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has been taken into ED custody under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Singhal was arrested on the second day of questioning. ED sources told that her replies to the questions asked by ED during grilling were not satisfactory and her replies were evasive. She was officially arrested around 4.30 PM an hour after her husband Abhishek Jha arrived at the ED office after being summoned.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will produce her before a local court  seeking her remand.

According to the information provided to the court by ED, Rs 1.43 crore more than the known sources of her income were recovered from the bank accounts of Pooja Singhal while she was Deputy Commissioner in Khunti, Palamu and Chatra. The ED also claimed that Singhal purchased as many as 13 insurance policies by paying a premium of Rs 80.81 lakh and closed them before completion of their tenure and got Rs 84.64 lakh against them.

The ED also informed that Singhal transferred Rs 16.57 lakh to the three bank accounts related to CA Suman Kumar.  The ED is said to have gathered sufficient primary evidence to suggest that she is in close connection with CA Sunman Kumar and had financial transactions with him.

Notably, the ED on May 6  conducted raids at several locations, including that of Pooja Singhal, in connection with a money laundering case linked to alleged embezzlement of over Rs 18 crore MGNREGA funds in Khunti district during 2008-2011.