Why delay in uploading turnout data on the website , SC
asks EC
The Supreme Court on Friday asked Election Commission ( EC )
to explain its inability to immediately upload polling data .
The petitioner Association for Democratoc Reforms ( ADR ) an
NGO had alleged inordiante delay in publication of voter turnout data after
first two phases of Lok Sabha polls .
The NGO also cited unusually large spike in voter turnout
released initially and after the voting . The development has raised alarm
bells in Public’s mind about autheticity of voting data , said the petitioner
in its affidavit .
EC in its response said the petition was a deliberate step
to disturb the polls . The EC counsel has sought time to respond polls .
The Court has fixed
26 May as the next hearing date .
ED tells SC it has evidence of Delhi CM’s hawala links
Enforcement directorate ( ED ) on Friday informed the
Supreme Court that it had unearthed direct evidence of “ chats “ between Delhi
CM Arvind Kejriwal and Hawala operators through whom “ kickbacks “ in liquors
scam was paid .
ED said that ₹45 crore out of total ₹100 crore “ bribe “
were spent on Goa Assembly polls in 2022 . ED has called Mr. Kejriwal as the “
kingpin “ behind the scam .
Excise policy case : ED names Kejriwal , AAP in fresh
chargesheet
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday filed Seventh
Supplementary chargesheet in the money laundering case linked to Delhi Excise
Policy scam under PMLA . Both Mr Kejriwal and AAP Party has been named as
accussed in the case .
The Chargesheet calls Arvind Kejriwal as the “ kingpin “ .
Chargesheet mentions the trasfer of Money to AAP via “ Hawala”
connections .
This is the first time that a political party has been named
as accussed in ED Chargesheet .
Reactong to the chargesheet , the AAP said that agency was
functioning like a political wing of BJP .
Important for India to attend Peace meet and help convey
message to Russia : Swiss official
Ukraine Peace Conference is going to be held between June
15-16 in Swiss city of Burgenstock .
India has been invited for this . Russia has not been
invited for this
Swiss Foreign Secretary Alexander Fasel is currently in
Delhi , he met his counterpart in an attempt to convince India to participate .
India has not “
determined it’s presence “ , Mininstry of External affairs said . Any decision will be
only after new govt will form after elections.
Switzerland is currently pressing for BRICS countries except
Russia to participate in this .
About Ukraine Peace
Conference :
The major topic of talk is going to be freedom of navigation
and food security , nuclear security and humanitarian issues .
Russia has not been invited . Russian President Putin said
that not inviting Russia only meant that it only intended to “ put pressure on
Russia “.
Spain blocks ship carrying arms from Chennai to Israel
Spain has refused entry to a ship carrying arms from
Chennai to Israel to dock at one of its
port , Foreign Minister of Spain Jose Albres has said .
The ship sailed from Chennai on April 8 , and was headed to
Haifa port of Israel .
The ship is Denmark flagged .
Spain and Belgium are among the worst critic of Israeli action in Gaza .
The two countries have suspended arms export license to
Israel .
EAM Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that they had seen the
report and will revert back with more information .
Nearly six Million trees disappeared from farmlands :
study
A study by University of Copenhagen , Published in the
Journal Nature sustainability , has said that in a mere three years between
2019 and 2022 , India may have lost 5.8 million full grown trees in Agriculture
land .
The report says Telangana and Mahrashtra to be the states
with maximum losses .
However it does not mean that overall forest cover was
declining as the report talked about only large trees above a certain size .
Forest Survey of India ( FSI ) conducts a regular survey of
tree cover . The FSI says that India’s tree cover has increased between 2019 to
2021.
World
‘ China Russia partnership is not direct against anyone ‘
Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded two day visit to
China on Friday .
On second day of his visit , Mr Putin visited city Harbin
which is capital of China’s Heilojiang province . Harbin was once home of many
Russian expatriates and retains some of that in their architecture .
Speaking to the pressperson he praised Xi called their talk
as “ substantive “ .
In a veiled attack on West he said that relation between
Russia and China “ is not directed
against anyone “ .And that it was for well being of the two countries .
In a Rebuked to the US and
Western countries who oppose Russia China relation he said “ emerging
multipolar world is …emerging before our eyes “ .
“ And it was important that those who are trying to maintain
their monoply on decision making on all issues ….. do everything in their power
to to ensure that this process goes naturally “ ,he said .
Russian forces pressing ahead with Kharkiv attack
Russian President
Vladimir Putin talking to Chinese news Channel said that there was no current
plans to occupy Kharkiv city , the regional capital .
He said that Moscow was trying to create a “ security zone “
to secure its border region from Ukrainian shelling .
Ukrainian shelling had killed several people in Russian
border city of Belgorod .
Russian forces are currently trying to surround , Vovchansk
and Lukausti , two major border regions .
Russian forces currently is 40 km from the main city of
Kharkiv .
Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second largest city with a population
of more than 1.4 million .
EU warns Mocrosoft to give risk data on Bing AI or face
fines
The EU on Friday told Microsoft to hand over internal
documents by May 27 , or face mines as it examines generative AI risks , on
comapny’s search engine Bing . The EU will be going for elections between June
6-9 .
EU sees Generative AI as one of the threats for the election
.
Under Digital Security Act ( DSA ) , Microsoft can face
heavy penalties , if it would be found that it had violated DSA rules .
EU had asked companies like Mocrosoft , Tok Tok , Google ,
You Tube for the action taken to mitigate AI risks . Microsoft did not respond
then..
Adani wind energy project challenged in Srilanka’s SC
Adani’s Wind Energy project in Srilanka has been challenged
by one of Environmental NGOs in Srilankan Supreme Court .
The petitioner has cited potential environmental impact and
lack of transparency .
Endangered Iberia Lynx population doubles in 3 years
Iberian lynx is endangered and is mainly found in Spain and
Portugal .
Through conservation efforts the number has increased from
1,111 in 2021 to 2021 in 2024 .
Spain’s Minsitry of Environment gave this information .
First aid shipment driven across a new pier , into the
Gaza strip , says US military .
A floatig pier to support aid delivery has been established
by US military in coast of Gaza . The pier has started functioning .
Currently it can handle 150 trucks of loads .
