1. PM Narendra Modi, Putin to Meet for Informal Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin will primarily focus on pressing global and regional issues, including impact of the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, during their informal summit in the Russian city of Sochi on Monday, 21 May. Modi on Sunday voiced the hope that his talks with Putin would further strengthen the “special and privileged” strategic partnership between India and Russia.
In a series of tweets — in Russian and then in English — on the eve of his visit to Russia, Modi said he looked forward to his meeting with Putin. “Greetings to the friendly people of Russia. I look forward to my visit to Sochi tomorrow and my meeting with President Putin. It is always a pleasure to meet him,” Modi tweeted.
(Source:The Indian Express )
2. Ten Dead After Consuming Spurious Liquor in Uttar Pradesh
Ten people have died and 16 taken seriously ill after drinking homemade illicit liquor in two neighbouring Uttar Pradesh districts in the last 24 hours, officials said on Sunday, 20 May.
Six people died in Kanpur Dehat’s Matauli, Maghaipurwa and Bhanwarpur villages on Sunday, barely a few hours after police cracked down on illicit brew near Kanpur district following the deaths in Sachendi village.
The seriously ill were admitted to LLR Hospital and Ursula Horsman Memorial Hospital in Kanpur and the district hospital in Kanpur Dehat.
Victims in both the districts were sold the same batch of tainted liquor at licensed shops, which officials said was a serious problem that needed a thorough investigation. So far, three arrests have been made.
(Source: Hindustan Times )
3. Ahead of Oath Ceremony, Kumaraswamy to Meet Sonia, Rahul in Delhi Today
Ahead of his swearing-in as the Karnataka chief minister, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy will meet Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Monday, 21 May, to discuss the modalities of government formation.
Clarifying that no discussion has taken place so far on the allocation of ministerial berths, Kumaraswamy termed reports on the power-sharing formula of 30 months each between the parties as "bogus".
"I'm visiting New Delhi tomorrow ... I will meet Congress President Rahul Gandhi and the party's senior leader Sonia Gandhi," he told reporters in Bengaluru on Sunday, May 20.
(Source: Times of India)
4. China's Gold Mine at Arunachal Border May Become Another Flashpoint with India
China has begun large-scale mining operations on its side of the border with Arunachal Pradesh where a huge trove of gold, silver and other precious minerals valued at about $60 billion has been found, a media report said on Sunday, 20 May.
The mine project is being undertaken in Lhunze county under Chinese control adjacent to the Indian border, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.
(Sources: Times of India )
5. Probe Horse-Trading Bid in Karnataka, Congress Asks Narendra Modi
The Congress on Sunday, 20 May, demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi order an investigation into alleged efforts by the BJP to buy Congress and Janata Dal(S) MLAs ahead of the trust vote in Karnataka on Saturday.
The party had released a series of tapes showing alleged attempts by the BJP to get the MLAs cross over to the BJP.
“The Prime Minister should prove his commitment to fighting corruption by launching an investigation into those MLAs who openly called up Congress and JDS) MLAs and offered bribes with an intention to break the rock-solid coalition of the Congress and the JD(S),” party spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told mediapersons in Delhi.
(Source: The Hindu )
6. Unknown Virus Kills Eight in Kerala’s Kozhikode, Centre Rushes Team
Union health minister JP Nadda on Sunday, 20 May, directed the director of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to visit Kerala’s Kozhikode district to assist the state government in the wake of deaths of eight people due to an unknown virus there.
“Reviewed the situation of deaths related to nipah virus in Kerala with secretary, health. I have directed director, NCDC to visit the district and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol for the disease in consultation with the state government,” Nadda said in a tweet.
The Kerala government on Sunday urged the Centre to rush a team of experts after panic gripped many areas of the northern part of the state following the death of eight people in Perambra in Kozhikode district in the last two weeks after they were infected with an unknown virus.
(Source: Hindustan Times )
7. Seven Chhattisgarh Policemen Killed in IED Blast Triggered by Maoist
Seven Chhattisgarh police personnel were killed after a powerful IED (improvised explosive device) planted by Maoists hit their vehicle in Dantewada on Sunday, 20 May.
The attack comes two days before Chief Minister Raman Singh’s scheduled visit to Bacheli, less than 20 km from Sunday’s blast site, as part of his “Vikas Yatra” tour throughout the state. Officials said Singh would go ahead with his visit.
Senior police officers told The Indian Express that the blast took place between 11.15 am and 11.30 am.
(Source: The Indian Express )
8. Pak Bunkers Busted, Assets Destroyed by BSF Troops Along International Border
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday, 20 May, said that the Pakistan Rangers "pleaded" with them to stop firing along the International Border (IB) after being pounded with heavy artillery that also left a trooper dead across the border.
The border guarding force also released a 19-second thermal-imagery footage showing the destruction of a Pakistani picket across the border in retaliation to the unprovoked firing and shelling along the IB.
"(Pakistan) Rangers called up Jammu BSF formation today and beseeched to stop firing," a BSF spokesperson said.
(Source: Times of India)
9. Lungi Ngidi, Suresh Raina Help CSK Knock KXIP ut of IPL 2018, RR Through to Playoffs
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) toyed with their batting order on way to a five-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), knocking their opponents out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs’ race that saw Rajasthan Royals (RR) qualify as the fourth and final team.
Signing off with a commanding win orchestrated by Lungi Ngidi’s 4/10, Suresh Raina’s 61 not out and Deepak Chahar’s quickfire 39 at their adopted home, CSK also recorded their fifth win out of six matches at the MCA Stadium.
After restricting KXIP to 153 in 19.4 overs, Chennai won the final league match of IPL 2018 with five balls to spare – MS Dhoni scoring the winning run with a six.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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