1. Cong MPs Withdraw Plea on CJI Removal
Two Congress lawmakers, represented by lawyer and party leader Kapil Sibal, withdrew their petition challenging Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu’s rejection of a notice for a motion seeking removal of the Chief Justice of India, on a day of high drama in the apex court.
The lawmakers on Tuesday, 8 May, questioned the process by which a five-judge Constitution bench had been set up to hear their appeal – through an administrative order, presumably issued by the Chief Justice, and not a judicial reference – and seemed to hint at impropriety in the CJI constituting a bench to hear an appeal involving his future.
The lawmakers said they would prefer to challenge the administrative order first than argue the merits of the case, and irked at the bench’s reluctance to share the order with them, withdrew their appeal.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Donald Trump Pulls US from ‘Horrible, One-Sided’ Iran Nuclear Deal
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, 8 May, that the US will pull out of the landmark nuclear accord with Iran, declaring he’s making the world safer but dealing a profound blow to allies and deepening the president’s isolation on the world stage.
“The United States does not make empty threats,” he said in a televised address from the White House Diplomatic Room.
Trump said the 2015 agreement, which included Germany, France and Britain, was a “horrible one-sided deal that should never ever have been made.” He added that the United States “will be instituting the highest level of economic sanction.”
Trump’s decision means Iran’s government must now decide whether to follow the U.S. and withdraw or try to salvage what’s left of the deal. Iran has offered conflicting statements about what it may do — and the answer may depend on exactly how Trump exits the agreement.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Setback to Vijay Mallya as Indian Banks Win $1.55 Billion Debt Recovery Case in UK Court
A consortium of 13 Indian banks led by State Bank of India moved a step ahead in its bid to recover £1.145 billion debt from businessman Vijay Mallya when the commercial court on Tuesday, 8 May, dismissed his applications to set aside a ruling of India’s Debt Recovery Tribunal and an associated worldwide freezing order.
The ruling was the first instance of an Indian tribunal’s ruling registered in the English High Court, when it was recorded in November 2017. The case is part of the litigation in which the banks are seeking to recover sums lent to Kingfisher Airlines Limited that were guaranteed by Mallya.
The tycoon fled India for the UK, days before the crucial debt recovery Tribunal ruling. Extradition proceedings to get him back to India are currently underway in a London court. The case is scheduled for a final hearing at the Westminster Magistrates Court on 11 July.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. 9,746 Voter ID Stash Found in K’taka; BJP & Cong Play Blame Game
The BJP and the Congress exchanged barbs and played the blame game late Tuesday night, 8 May, after 9,746 voter ID cards were found in an apartment in Jalahalli, north Bengaluru, by Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar.
After the seizure of the voter IDs, the BJP demanded a countermanding of the polls in Sri Raj Rajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru, alleging the Congress was “rigging” the elections.
Kumar, who called for a late night press conference, said prima facie all 9,746 ID cards appear to be genuine. He added that five laptops and one printer were found in the house. “An FIR has been registered and further investigations will be conducted. The situation is being closely monitored by the Election Commission and appropriate action will be taken,” he said.
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5. Modi, Sonia Duel in Lingayat Stronghold as Karnataka Campaign Heats Up
With just two days left for the Karnataka election campaign to end, the Lingayat stronghold of Vijayapura on Tuesday, 8 May, saw a showdown between the BJP’s star campaigner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
Modi claimed the people of Karnataka had decided to “uproot” the Congress and “punish” it for its wrongdoings, and that the party was already trying to find excuses like faulty electronic voting machines for its “impending” defeat.
Sonia Gandhi, at a rally in Vijayapura, said that Modi’s only accomplishment in the last four years was to have undone the good work of the previous Congress governments. “Modiji is proud that he can make speeches well. I agree he is a good orator. He speaks like an actor. If speeches could fill the country’s stomach, I wish he gave more speeches,” she said, taking a swipe at Modi.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. After AMU, Ruckus in Jamia Over Jinnah
A group of Jamia Millia Islamia students allegedly raised ‘provocative’ slogans regarding Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah in the campus on Tuesday, 8 May, leading to a ruckus at the campus gates. The incident followed the row at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh over the presence of a portrait of Jinnah in their campus.
Around 25 people marched to protest the “discrimination against Hindu students,” and the “presence of Jinnah lovers” in the campus. The protesters reached the Jamia campus around 5.30 pm, when semester exams and entrance tests were still underway.
“They were raising slogans like ‘Jinnah premi desh chhoro’ (Jinnah lovers leave the country), and ‘Hinduon ka apmaan nahi sahega Hindustan’ (Hindustan won’t tolerate insult against Hindus),” said Mohammad Tasleem, a student TOI spoke to.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. CP(M), BJP and Congress Come Together Against TMC in Panchayat Polls
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In pockets of West Bengal that are scheduled to go for the upcoming panchayat poll, the Left and Right are joining hands to thwart the Trinamool Congress’s “terror” with their ideologies taking a backseat.
Arch-rivals BJP and CPI(M), and in some places even the Congress, have started — though unofficially — to coordinate and have a tacit understanding in seats and hold joint rallies against the Trinamool Congress.
The Opposition in many places have failed to submit nominations after they faced bombs and bullets from miscreants allegedly from the ruling party. The Trinamool Congress has already won 34.2 percent of the total panchayat seats uncontested.
BJP state secretary Sayantan Basu said: “For the people at the grassroots, it is practical for all parties to join hands against the Trinamool Congress’ terror.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
8. Google Showcases AI Advances at Its Big Conference
Google put the spotlight on its artificial intelligence smarts at its annual developers conference on Tuesday, 8 May, where it announced new features and services imbued with machine learning.
The company’s digital concierge, known only as the Google Assistant, is gaining new if experimental abilities to handle tasks such as making restaurant reservations and placing other tedious phone calls without human hand-holding.
“Hi, I’m calling to book a hair appointment for a client,” said a realistic-sounding automated voice in a demo from the conference stage. The AI voice used pauses and “ums” and “mmm-hmms” to sound more human during interactions with people.
The company said it is rolling out the technology, called Google Duplex, as an experiment in coming weeks. “We really want to work hard to get this right,” said Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who kicked off the conference.
(Source: The Hindu)
9. Amid Karnataka Campaign, Rahul Says Ready to Be PM If Cong Wins in ’19
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, 8 May, said he was ready to become the prime minister if his party came out on top in the 2019 elections, making plain his readiness in the last leg of the Karnataka campaign and amid efforts by the Opposition to cobble a front against the ruling BJP.
Asked if he was ready to become the PM, Rahul said, “Well, it depends. it depends on how well the Congress does in the election. I mean, if it emerges as the biggest party, yes.” The exchange came during an interactive session with prominent Bengaluru citizens organised by Samruddha Bharat Foundation.
Rahul spelling out his willingness came along with his forecast that BJP was set for a defeat in 2019. “I am pretty convinced Modi is not going to be the PM. I can see it in his face. He knows it,” the Congress President said.
(Source: The Times of India)
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