Source : THE HINDU

India to participate in G-7, Ukraine peace summits: PM Modi

India will participate in all important summits that promote the agenda of global peace, security and development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said while referring to invitations to him to attend the G-7 meeting and the Ukraine peace summit next month. In an interview to PTI, the Prime Minister said India will “resonate the voice of the Global South” at these summits to shape the global discourse and advance the vision for human centric development and a prosperous and peaceful world. Mr. Modi also said his government has made a “solemn promise” for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and will stand by it, adding the Centre was working very hard to create the right conditions.

Banu Mushtaq wins International Booker Prize for Kannada short story collection ‘Heart Lamp’

Writer, activist and lawyer Banu Mushtaq‘s short story collection ‘Heart Lamp’ on Tuesday (May 20, 2025) night became the first Kannada title to win the coveted International Booker Prize in London. Mushtaq described her win as a victory for diversity as she collected the prize at a ceremony at Tate Modern along with her translator Deepa Bhasthi, who translated the title from Kannada to English.

All-party delegations head to global capitals to highlight impact of Pakistani cross-border terrorism

Multi-party delegations visiting international capitals over the next fortnight will tell the global community that cross-border terrorism from Pakistan continues to be a major disruptor for India. They will also present the Indian doctrine of zero tolerance of terror, according to veteran diplomat Syed Akbaruddin who is part of the diplomatic outreach effort.

Waqf Act 2025 is a ‘creeping acquisition’ of waqf assets, petitioners tell SC, countering presumption of constitutionality

Countering the Supreme Court’s observation that a parliamentary statute like the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 enjoys a presumption of constitutionality, petitioners on Tuesday termed the new law a “creeping acquisition” of waqf properties owned by the Muslim community, the largest religious minority group in India. A Bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Augustine George Masih heard petitioners for a full day on their plea for an interim order to stay the implementation of the 2025 Act.

Indian Army says no air defence guns were deployed within Golden Temple

The Indian Army on Tuesday said that no air defence guns had been deployed within the premises of the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), the central place of worship for Sikhs in Punjab’s Amritsar. The clarification came following media reports on the deployment of air defence guns in the Golden Temple.

Pakistan government promotes Army Chief General Asim Munir as Field Marshal

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir was on Tuesday promoted as the Field Marshal for “successfully” leading the armed forces in the recent conflict with India, state-run TV reported. This is the first time in almost 60 years that a general has been elevated to the role.

Supreme Court to hear Ashoka University professor’s plea against his arrest today

A Supreme Court Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh is scheduled to hear a criminal writ petition on Wednesday (May 20, 2025) filed by Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor of political science with the Ashoka University, who was arrested by the Haryana Police for his social media posts in connection with Operation Sindoor. An application for his interim bail is tagged with the petition.

Kejriwal launches rebranded student outfit ASAP, hardsells alternative politics

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced the launch of Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP), the party’s students’ wing that was earlier named Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, at the Constitution Club of India. Addressing a gathering of nearly 200 people in his first public event outside the party headquarters since AAP’s Delhi Assembly election defeat, Mr. Kejriwal took aim at the corruption-riddled “mainstream politics” and its key players, including “the BJP and Congress”, and offered “alternative politics” that focuses on corruption-free governance, education, health care, and public welfare.

U.N. says no aid reached Palestinians, despite new supplies entering Gaza

Two days after aid began entering Gaza, the desperately needed new supplies have not yet reached people in Gaza, which has been under an Israeli blockade for nearly three months, according to the United Nations. Experts have warned that many of Gaza’s 2 million residents are at high risk of famine.

EU agrees to lift all economic sanctions on Syria: diplomats

EU countries on Tuesday gave a green light to lifting all economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help the war-torn country recover after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, diplomats said. Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member states struck a preliminary agreement for the move, which should be formally unveiled by Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels later in the day, diplomats said.

Iran Vice President to assume interim duties after Raisi death: Khameneix

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei assigned vice president Mohammad Mokhber to assume interim duties after the death of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash a day earlier. “In accordance with Article 131 of the constitution, Mokhber is in charge of leading the executive branch,” said Khamenei in a statement, adding that Mokhber will be required to work with the heads of legislative and judicial to prepare for presidential elections “within a maximum period of 50 days”. Mr. Mokhber, 68, largely has been in the shadows compared to other politicians in Iran’s Shia theocracy. He is expected to serve as caretaker President for some 50 days before mandatory presidential elections in Iran.

ICC seeks arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in Palestine; charges Hamas chief for October 7 attack

The International Criminal Court prosecutor, Karim A.A. Khan, on May 20 announced that he will be submitting applications to seek arrest warrants against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in connection with the prevailing situation in Palestine. Mr. Khan in his statement said that Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gallant “bear criminal responsibility” for the war crimes and crimes against humanity “committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023”. The prosecutor has also charged Yahya Sinwar (Head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (“Hamas”) in the Gaza Strip), Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades), and Ismail Haniyeh. The ICC has believes them to be “criminally responsible for the killing of hundreds of Israeli civilians in attacks perpetrated by Hamas (in particular its military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades) and other armed groups on 7 October 2023 and the taking of at least 245 hostages.”

Nepal PM Prachanda wins vote of confidence in Parliament

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ on May 20 won a vote of confidence in Parliament, the fourth within 18 months of taking office, amidst sloganeering by the main Opposition Nepali Congress that abstained from the voting. Mr. Prachanda, 69, a former guerilla leader from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) — the third largest party in the House of Representatives — received 157 votes in the 275-member House of Representatives.

Wikileaks’ Julian Assange given permission to appeal against U.S. extradition

WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange’s battle to avoid extradition to the United States received a huge boost on May 20 when London’s High Court ruled that U.S. assurances over his case were unsatisfactory and he would get a full appeal hearing. In March, the High Court provisionally gave Assange, 52, permission to appeal on three grounds. But it gave the U.S. the opportunity to provide satisfactory assurances that it would not seek the death penalty and would allow him to seek to rely on a First Amendment right to free speech in a trial.