ABP Live News Shots: From Congress Win In Karnataka To Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan's Arrest — Top Headlines From The Week

ABP Live News Shots: From the Congress win in Karnataka Election to former Pakistan PM Imran Khan's arrest — bringing to you all the big news that made headlines this past week, in case you missed it.

New Delhi: The week marked a conclusion to the high-octane electioneering in Karnataka with poll results declared on May 13. The Congress wrested power in the southern state, with a comfortable majority by securing 135 seats. The crucial election had the BJP lose power in its sole bastion in South India. Notably, the Election Commission of India dismissed the Congress party's claim that the EVMs used in the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls were previously deployed in South Africa. In world news, former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's dramatic arrest led to violent protests in the country. Meanwhile, controversy over 'The Kerala Files' film continued, with producers approaching the Supreme Court against the official ban in West Bengal and "de facto" prohibition in Tamil Nadu. The apex court sought responses from both state governments over the same.

INDIA

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost its only stronghold in the south with Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai conceding defeat. The Congress secured a thumping victory on its own in Karnataka after 10 years, winning 136 seats and defeating the BJP in the only state it was in power in southern India. The BJP came a distant second, winning 65 seats, a sharp drop from the 104 seats it won in 2018, while the JD(S), which hoped to play kingmaker, bagged 19 seats. The BJP's vote share slipped from 36.22 in the last assembly election to 35.8 per cent, according to Election Commission. The Congress’ vote share went up from 38.04 per cent to 42.94 per cent. Corruption as a central campaign theme and the promises of free rice, power, and employment dole are among the factors that likely contributed to the Congress's impressive performance. 

In a big win for the Delhi government amid a protracted tussle with the Centre, the Supreme Court ruled that the Delhi government had legislative and executive power over "services", including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), except law and order and land. In a unanimous verdict, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) was bound by the decision of the Delhi government over services apart from public order, police and land. "Union territory Delhi has 'sui generis' (unique) character and has legislative and executive power over services," the top court said. The Supreme Court bench, also comprising Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha, said if a democratically elected government was not allowed to control its officers and hold them to account, then its responsibility towards the legislature and public is diluted. 

A Constitution bench of the Supreme Court refused to give relief to former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as it observed that he did not face a floor test in the Maharashtra assembly. The apex court pronounced a verdict on a batch of petitions related to the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis that saw Eknath Shinde taking over as Chief Minister from Uddhav Thackeray following a split in the Shiv Sena. It criticised the Maharashtra Speaker's decision to appoint Gogawale (Shinde group) as chief Whip of the Shiv Sena party as illegal. According to the SC bench, the Governor erred in relying on the resolution of a faction of MLAs of Shiv Sena to conclude that Uddhav Thackeray had lost the support of the majority of MLAs. However, the top court said that status quo ante cannot be ordered by restoring the Maha Vikas Aghadi government as then CM Uddhav Thackeray did not face the floor test and tendered his resignation. Hence, the Governor was justified in administering the oath to Eknath Shinde with the support of the largest party BJP.

WORLD

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Friday was granted bail for two weeks by the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The court also barred authorities from arresting Imran Khan till May 17 in any new case. The former Pakistan prime minister arrived there amid high security to appear before a three-member Islamabad High Court bench days after his dramatic arrest at the premises. The bail hearing came after Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday declared Imran Khan's arrest "illegal". A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, ordered his immediate release. Earlier in the week, Imran Khan, who travelled from Lahore to the federal capital Islamabad, was undergoing a biometric process at the Islamabad High Court when the paramilitary Rangers broke open the glass window and arrested him after beating lawyers and Khan’s security staff. He was arrested in the Al-Qadir Trust case in which he is accused of looting Rs 50 billion from the national treasury.

Israel killed the head of Islamic Jihad’s rocket force and his deputy in an operation wherein 30 people have died in Gaza including women and children, while Palestinian cross-border rocket firing caused the first fatality in Israel. While Egypt tried to mediate, neither side appears to be ready to end the worst escalation since August. The number of senior figures from Iranian-sponsored Islamic Jihad killed since Israel began striking Gaza reached five with the killing of Ali Ghali and Ahmed Abu Daqqa. Both sides are in blockaded Gaza, where residents have been experiencing decades of a worsening humanitarian crisis while surrounding Israeli towns, schools and businesses remained shut. After over a year of resurgent Israeli-Palestinian violence that has killed more than 140 Palestinians and at least 19 Israelis and foreigners since January, the latest escalation drew international calls for a ceasefire.

India is now aggressively seeking a greater strategic role for itself in the Middle East along with Saudi Arabia, UAE and the US even as New Delhi is watching with “concern” the increasing influence of Beijing in that region, ABP Live has learnt. This is the reason why National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with  Saudi Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US NSA Jake Sullivan. For India, this is the second such initiative when it has sought to engage more deeply in the affairs of the Middle East. India along with the US, Israel and the UAE are also part of the I2U2 initiative that began in 2022, which came to be known as the ‘Middle East Quad’. However, the I2U2 is purely focused on business and trade within these four countries while the new initiative, which has yet not been granted an official nomenclature, will shape up to be more of a strategic or military alliance, intelligence sources told ABP Live.

SPORTS

In what comes as a huge setback for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) reportedly decided to move Asia Cup 2023 out of Pakistan, PTI reported. There were always doubts over Pakistan hosting the continental tournament after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that team India won't be travelling there and demanded to stage the tournament at a neutral venue. A report in The Indian Express suggests that Pakistan might even pull out of the 2023 Asia Cup. India and Pakistan play international matches only in ICC tournaments due to diplomatic tension between the two nations.

KL Rahul, India’s batter had a successful thigh surgery and has already started his recovery process. He took to his Twitter handle to provide an update on his health on Tuesday and said thanks to medical staff and doctors. The Karnataka based player will soon be starting his rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru . Previously, last week Rahul declared himself unfit and informed that he would be undergoing surgery in his right thigh after he sustained an inquiry while sprinting to stop the ball in the IPL 2023 game between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Footballing legend Lionel Messi is reportedly set to move to Saudi Arabia after it was confirmed that he would not renew his current contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). As reported by AFP, the Argentine would most likely join club Al-Hilal, the city rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr. If the news report turns out to be true and gets an official confirmation in coming days, fans will see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the greatest sporting icons and rivals reunite on the football field. Few months back, Ronaldo had joined Saudi's Al-Nassr in Riyadh following an ugly dispute with his former club Manchester United.

BUSINESS

India's retail inflation dropped to 4.7 per cent in April from 5.66 per cent in March, an 18-month low due to favourable base, according to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Friday. The food inflation also eased to 3.84 per cent in April. It was 4.79 per cent in March.  It was for the second month in a row that Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation remained within the RBI's comfort zone of below 6 per cent. The retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 5.66 per cent in March 2023 and 7.79 per cent in the year-ago period. Retail inflation in April is the lowest since October 2021 when it was at 4.48 per cent.

The Supreme Court of India (SC) on Friday said that it may grant a three-month extension to investigate into the allegations of stock price manipulation by Adani Group and lapses in regulations. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), however, had asked the court for a six-month extension.
A bench of chief justices DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala said the court registry had received the report of the apex court-appointed AM Sapre committee on the issue and would like to hear the matter on Monday after perusing the findings of the panel. "We will go through the report in the meantime. We will take up the matter on May 15," the bench said. On March 2, the SC had asked the Sebi to probe the crash of Adani Group stocks following the Hindenburg report. It also asked the regulatory body to suggest ways to strengthen the regulatory framework to protect the interest of the investors.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in its judgment on Wednesday admitted Go First's voluntary plea to initiate insolvency resolution proceedings. A two-member bench comprising President Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and L N Gupta appointed Abhliash Lal as interim resolution professional (IRP) to run the debt-ridden firm. 
The bench has also put the company under protection of moratorium and directed the suspended board of directors to assist the IRP to run the company during insolvency proceedings. Besides, the NCLT also ordered to keep the company as a going concern and ensure that no employee are retrenched. Go First CEO Kaushik Khona, on tribunal accepting its insolvency resolution plea, said, "The NCLT has passed a landmark, very timely order. The order is a perfect example in context of reviving a viable business before it becomes unviable."

TECH

Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Thursday said that he has hired a new person for the top post. He also informed that he would transition to the role of Chief Technology Officer of the social media platform. However, Musk did not name the person but he announced that she will take charge in six weeks. According to media reports, NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino is in talks for the top position. 

Google held its annual I/O developer’s conference on Wednesday, sharing a slew of announcements and launches of flagship products, from Pixel Tablet and Pixel 7a to Bard AI and PaLM2. The event also saw the launch of Google's first-ever foldable phone, the Pixel Fold.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India), placing the nation among a handful of countries that have a Gravitational-Wave observatory. LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) is a physics experiment that detects cosmic ripples called gravitational waves, which carry information about their origins and provide clues to the nature of gravity.

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Northwest India, central India and the southern peninsula received higher-than-normal rainfall from April 27, 2023, to May 3. In the first three days of May, these regions received 18 per cent, 268 per cent, and 88 per cent higher-than-normal rainfall, respectively. As a whole, the country received 28 per cent higher-than-normal rainfall during this period, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). These unseasonal rains resulted in the second coldest May Day for Delhi in 13 years. But the crops that are yet to be harvested, and the plants which are currently being grown, will be affected due to these unseasonal rains, experts told ABP Live. Due to the influence of the western disturbance, which is a weather system bringing in moisture from the Mediterranean region, Delhi saw the second coldest May Day in 13 years. The combined influence of the western disturbance and cyclonic circulations resulted in the unprecedented rainfall received in May. Rice, maize, and cotton are most likely to be affected, and this could drive food inflation, as reduced production could lead to higher prices for these crops, Dr Anjal Prakash, Research Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, Indian School of Business and IPCC Author, told ABP Live.

Human eyes can 'trick' the brain into seeing things differently, resulting in inaccurate assumptions about the size, shape, structure, and colour of objects, among other things, a new study has found. If one's eyes trick them while driving, the chances of accidents may increase. Similarly, eyewitnesses to crimes may end up giving a wrong description of what they saw if their eyes tricked them into seeing something else. Therefore, the fact that the eyes may trick the mind has an important implication in driving, in the criminal justice system, and security issues such as drone sightings. The study said that the human visual system is highly flexible, and is sometimes capable of perceiving size accurately by exploiting 'defocus blur', a type of blur that results from improper depth of focus. However, at other times, humans are incapable of making accurate perceptions of size due to external influences, and also because of a failure to perceive real-world object size.

Neanderthals, which were archaic humans who emerged about 200,000 years ago, mostly lived in caves and led a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Southampton has found interesting details about what Neanderthals and ancient humans living in Western Europe ate and hunted. They studied the chemical properties of the enamel of Neanderthal and animal teeth found in the Almonda Cave system in Portugal. The findings unravel mysteries of how prehistoric humans lived in the land around the Almonda Cave system about 100,000 years ago. The Neanderthals hunted large animals. They probably hunted wild goats in the summer, and horses, red deer, and an extinct form of rhinoceros all year around. This is because horses, red deer, and rhinoceros were available the entire year within a radius of about 30 kilometres around the cave. However, the lifestyle of a Magdalenian individual, whose tooth was discovered, was different. The findings suggest that the person showed the seasonal movement of about 20 kilometres from the Almonda caves to the banks of the Tagus River, and consumed a diet that included red deer, freshwater fish, rabbits, and wild goats.  

ENTERTAINMENT

The much-awaited moment is here. Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha have finally got engaged in a lavish ceremony at Kapurthala House, Connaught Place, Delhi. The ceremony was a private affair with close friends and family in attendance. Some political guests from Raghav Chadha's side and celebrities from the entertainment industry also joined the celebration. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, designer Manish Malhotra, Karan Johar, and Sania Mirza were all seen at the grand engagement.

'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' actor Jennifer Mistry Bansiwal, who plays Mrs. Roshan Sodhi, in the show has accused producer Asit Modi, Project Head Sohail Ramani and executive producer Jatin Bajaj of alleged sexual harassment at the workplace. She also said that the adjustments were made for the male actors and called the production an ‘extremely male-chauvinistic place.’ 

According to the Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant, the film depicts how youngsters are trapped in the chain of terrorism. So, it should be watched by parents and adolescents in order to learn the way terrorism began in this world. According to PTI reports, Sawant told that a ban on the film would be a violation of the freedom of speech and that the film deals with the issue of terrorism and should not be seen from the angle of communalism.