Morning Digest: May 16, 2023

Karnataka: Power play on for CM post, Shivakumar cancels Delhi visit, Cong says decision by Tuesday evening

The suspense over the new Karnataka Chief Minister intensified on Monday as State Congress president D. K. Shivakumar cancelled his visit to the national capital citing health issues after he and Mr. Siddaramaiah, both frontrunners for the top post, were called by the central leadership for discussions. The three central observers, who interacted with party MLAs on their choice for the CM’s post after the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday, briefed party Chief Mallikarjun Kharge and submitted their report. After the meeting, Randeep Surjewala, AICC in charge for Karnataka, told reporters that the party will announce its decision by Tuesday evening. “The observers have submitted the report to the Congress president. We will hold consultations with all senior state leaders, including Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, and after that, a decision will be taken by the Congress president,” he said.

PM Modi to distribute about 71,000 appointment letters

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute about 71,000 appointment letters on Tuesday to those joining various government departments and also address them virtually. So far, Modi has distributed appointment letters to 2.9 lakh persons and their numbers will go to 3.6 lakh after Tuesday’s event. Besides these programmes, the Prime Minister has been part of several ‘Rozgar Mela’ oganised by many states, mostly those ruled by the BJP and allies.

SEBI’s affidavit triggers war of words on probe on Adani

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) denied in the Supreme Court on May 15 allegations of investigating the Adani Group since 2016 as “factually baseless”, triggering a war of words between the Congress and the Ministry of Finance.

Adani-Hindenburg row: SC to hear SEBI’s plea on extension of probe time on Tuesday

The Supreme Court adjourned to Tuesday the hearing on a plea of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) seeking an extension of six months to complete a probe into allegations of stock price manipulation by the Adani group. The hearing on the market regulator’s plea and PILs could not take place on Monday due to paucity of time and on account of the scheduled hearing of certain matters before a special bench at 3 pm. A Bench comprising Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and justices P. S. Narasimha and J. B. Pardiwala on May 12 had said it would consider granting three more months to SEBI for concluding its probe into the allegations of stock price manipulation and lapses in regulatory disclosure.

SC to hear plea against release of movie ‘The Kerala Story’ on Tuesday

The Supreme Court said it will hear on Tuesday a plea challenging the Kerala High Court order refusing to stay the release of the movie ‘The Kerala Story’ which hit theatres on May 5. The appeal filed by journalist Qurban Ali was mentioned by senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Monday The bench comprising Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala agreed to list it for hearing today but later said it will be taken up on May 16 due to the scheduled hearing of certain matters before a special bench at 3 pm on Monday.

Manoj Soni to take oath as UPSC chairman on Tuesday

Educationist Manoj Soni will take oath as the chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Tuesday, an official said. Soni, who joined the Commission as a member on June 28, 2017, has been performing the duties of the UPSC chairman since April 5, 2022, he said on Monday. “He will be administered the oath of office and secrecy as chairman, UPSC on Tuesday by Smita Nagaraj, a senior most member in the Commission,” the official said.

Biden, congressional leaders likely to meet Tuesday for talks on raising the debt limit

US President Joe Biden and congressional leaders will likely resume talks on Tuesday at the White House over the debt limit, the president said on Sunday, as the nation continues to edge closer to its legal borrowing authority with no agreement in sight. The meeting was initially supposed to be on Friday but was abruptly postponed so staff-level talks could continue before Biden and the four congressional leaders huddled for a second time. Administration and congressional officials said on Sunday that a meeting has not been finalised, although Tuesday was the likeliest option as Biden returns to Washington on Monday and is scheduled to leave for the Group of 7 summit in Japan on Wednesday.

Assam: 5th deputy commissioners’ conference begins

A three-day deputy commissioners’ conference of all 31 districts of Assam began on Monday in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, with discussions over various schemes and projects. “Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is scheduled to attend the conference on Tuesday to discuss various issues related to public service. He is likely to spend the night in Tinsukia and be present on the closing day, too,” a senior official said. He said in the 5th Deputy Commissioners’ Conference, the DCs are divided into five groups.

France to host pro-nuclear meet to push for EU recognition of climate benefits

France will host a meeting of Ministers from 16 pro-nuclear European states on Tuesday aimed at coordinating the expansion of atomic power and urging the EU to recognise its role in meeting climate goals for 2050, documents seen by Reuters showed. The meeting in Paris on Tuesday will include EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson and representatives from 14 EU countries including France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, plus Italy as an observer and the United Kingdom as a non-EU invitee.

A month into Sudan’s brutal war, no end in sight

One month since Sudan’s conflict erupted, its capital is a desolate war zone where terrorised families huddle at home as gun battles rage, while the western Darfur region has descended into deadly chaos. Residents of Khartoum have endured weeks of desperate shortages of food and basic supplies, power blackouts, communications outages and runaway inflation. The capital of five million, long a place of relative stability, has become a shell of its former self. Charred aircraft lie on the airport tarmac, foreign embassies are shuttered and hospitals, banks, shops and wheat silos have been ransacked by looters.

Lahore High Court to hear Imran Khan’s bail plea on May 16; grants bail to his wife till May 23

Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 15 appeared before the Lahore High Court, which fixed his bail hearing on Tuesday in the terrorism cases registered against him following his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case that sparked violent protests by his supporters. Khan was accompanied by his wife Bushra Bibi, who was granted pre-arrest bail till May 23 by the high court in the Al-Qadir Trust case. “The LHC granted pre-arrest bail to Bushra Bibi till May 23 in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The court, however, fixed Khan’s bail plea for Tuesday in the terrorism cases registered against him after May 9 violence. The LHC Registrar’s Office has raised an objection for not attaching the arrested copies of Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court orders,” a court official told PTI.

Government supporters call for Pakistan chief justice to quit over releasing Imran Khan

More than 20,000 supporters of Pakistan’s government converged on the country’s Supreme Court on Monday, in a rare challenge to the nation’s judiciary. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of the chief justice for ordering the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a graft case. The Pakistan Democratic Alliance, a grouping of 13 political parties affiliated with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, called for the protests. The alliance was behind the joint action to oust Khan in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022.

IPL 2023 | LSG look to halt Mumbai’s momentum in crucial clash

Mumbai Indians are on a roll in the business end of the tournament and Lucknow Super Giants will be aiming to halt their momentum on a tricky pitch in the IPL here on Tuesday. Mumbai Indians are third on the points table with 14 points and with a point less from same the number of games, LSG are holding on to the fourth spot. Both teams will be looking to get out of the danger zone as eight teams remain in the play-off contention.

D. K. Shivakumar will be in Delhi Tuesday for a discussion on Karnataka government formation, says his MP-brother

Karnataka State Congress president D K Shivakumar will reach Delhi on Tuesday for discussion with the party leadership on the government formation in the state, his brother and party MP D K Suresh said. Amid intense lobbying for the Chief Minister’s post, the Congress leadership called Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah — the two frontrunners — to Delhi for discussions on Monday. Siddaramaiah reached Delhi Monday afternoon, but Shivakumar cancelled his visit at the last minute citing health issues.