1. Israel-Hamas war: India concerned over ‘heartbreaking’ loss of civilian lives in Rafah
2. Election 2024: PM in 45-hour meditation session in Kanniyakumari, liquid-only diet: Sources
3. China’s Most Advanced Stealth Fighters Deployed 150 Km From Sikkim
4. Agnikul Cosmos successfully launches world’s first 3D-printed rocket engine
5. 22 dead as bus falls in gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor

What Else

• RBI moves 100 tonnes gold from UK to its vaults in India
• Army personnel clash with Jammu and Kashmir cops, case against 3 Lt Colonels
• 6th meeting of India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism held in New Delhi
•  ‘Pakistan doesn’t have No First Use policy’
• Pakistan: International consensus withers as Russia hints at recognising Taliban
• Iranian border guards kill four Pakistanis
• Pakistan: Court acquits Imran in two May 9 cases

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Israel-Hamas war: India concerned over ‘heartbreaking’ loss of civilian lives in Rafah

• India said on Thu that the “heartbreaking” loss of civilian lives in the displacement camp in Rafah is a matter of “deep concern” amid the deteriorating situation in the Gaza
• In a weekly briefing, MEA spox, said that India has consistently called for the protection of the civilian population and respect for international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict.
• “We also note that the Israeli side has already accepted responsibility for it as a tragic accident and announced an investigation into the incident,” spox added.
• The remarks came amid Rafah residents on Thu reported intense artillery shelling and gunfire in Gaza’s far-southern city.
• The reported aggression increased after Israel said it had seized a strategic corridor on the Palestinian territory’s border with Egypt. (here)
• Hamas ready for ‘complete agreement’ if Israel stops war: Hamas said on Thu that they “are ready to reach a complete agreement”, including a hostage exchange deal, if Israel stopped its war against people in Gaza.
• They were quoted as saying that they are ready to reach a “complete agreement” if Israel “stops its war and aggression against people in Gaza”.
• The latest statement came as Israel pressed on with an offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite an order by the ICJ, the top UN court, to halt the attacks. (here)

Election 2024: PM in 45-hour meditation session in Kanniyakumari, liquid-only diet: Sources

• PM Modi on Thu reached the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu, mainland India’s southernmost tip, and began his 45-hour-long meditation.
• (sources)- PM Modi’s meditation started on Thu evening at around 6.45 pm.
• During the meditation period, PM will be on a liquid diet and consume coconut water, grape juice and other liquids, sources said.
• The PM will also remain in silence and will not come out of the meditation hall during the period
• PM Modi’s spiritual retreat comes at the end of campaigning for the election.
• He will meditate for 45 hours at a place where spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda meditated 131 years ago. (here)
• Prajwal Revanna back in India from Germany, arrested in sex tapes case: JD (S) MP Prajwal Revanna, accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, was arrested after he landed in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Fri
• Prajwal was arrested at Airport by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), after he arrived from Germany and was taken to the CID office for interrogation.
• Prajwal, who is the NDA candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, had left the country in Apr as explicit video clips showing him allegedly sexually abusing multiple women started making the rounds in Karnataka. (here)
• Modi indulged in most vicious form of hate speeches, says ex- PM Manmohan Singh: Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh accused PM Modi of indulging in the most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature.
• With just one phase of voting left for the Lok Sabha elections, Dr Singh addressed a letter to the voters in the Indian state of Punjab.
• In the letter, which was shared by the Congress on X on Thu, Singh said, “Modi is the 1^st prime minister to lower the dignity of public discourse, and thereby the gravity of the office of the PM.” (here)

China’s Most Advanced Stealth Fighters Deployed 150 Km From Sikkim

• Satellite images gathered on May 27 show that China has deployed its most advanced J-20 stealth fighter jets less than 150 km from the boundary with India in Sikkim.
• The image reveals the presence of six Chinese Air Force J-20 stealth fighters on the flight-line at a dual-use military and civilian airport which serves Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.
• The airport lies at an altitude of 12,408 feet, making it among the highest airports in the world. A KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft is also visible.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is aware of the deployment, has declined to comment on their presence at this time.
• India counters the J-20 with its fleet of 36 French-built Rafale fighters, eight of which have presently flown to Alaska for advanced air combat exercises with the US Air Force
• Also, Shigatse, where the Chinese J-20 has been spotted, lies less than 290 km from Hasimara in West Bengal, where India bases its second squadron of 16 Rafales (here)

Agnikul Cosmos successfully launches world’s first 3D-printed rocket engine

• Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos on Thu successfully launched its first sub-orbital test vehicle, powered by a revolutionary single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine, after facing several delays.
• Agnibaan SOrTeD (Sub-Orbital Technology Demonstrator) lifted off at 7:15 am
• Although it is the 2^nd launch by a private startup in India, it is the first to use a private launchpad that the company has set up at Sriharikota.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team
• The Indian Space Research Organisation also took to X and stated, “a major milestone, as the first-ever controlled flight of a semi-cryogenic liquid engine realized through additive manufacturing”.
• Usually, engine parts are manufactured separately and assembled later.
• Using the 3D-printed manufacturing process is likely to lower the launch cost and cut down the vehicle assembly time.
• The company aims to offer affordable launch services to small satellites. (here)

22 dead as bus falls in gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor

• At least 22 people died and 40 others injured after their bus fell into a deep gorge near Tanda area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor city on Thu.
• The bus was carrying passengers from Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. They were travelling from Jammu to Shiv Khori shrine in Reasi district.
• The bus fell into a gorge near Kali Dhar Mandir on the Jammu-Poonch highway.
• The injured were taken to a local hospital in Akhnoor and Govt Medical College
• PM Modi condoled the loss of lives in the incident and said, “Anguished by the loss of lives due to a bus mishap in Akhnoor. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover soon.”
• “Rs 2 lakh would be given to the next of kin of each deceased due to the bus mishap. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,” he added (here)

RBI moves 100 tonnes gold from UK to its vaults in India

• Reserve Bank of India has moved a little over 100 tonnes of gold from the UK to its vaults in the country, marking the 1^st time at least since early 1991, when precious metal at this scale has been added to the stock held locally.
• A similar quantity of gold may be headed into the country again in the coming months with official sources telling TOI that the transfer to locations within the country was for logistical reasons as also for diversified storage.
• According to the latest data, at the end of Mar, RBI had 822.1 tonnes of gold, of which 413.8 tonnes was overseas.
• It is among central banks that bought gold in recent years, with 27.5 tonnes added during the last financial year. (here)

Army personnel clash with Jammu and Kashmir cops, case against 3 Lt Colonels

• A case of attempt to murder and dacoity has been registered against 3 army Lt cols and 13 others for their alleged involvement in a violent attack on the Kupwara police station, as per to the FIR.
• The incident on the Tue/Wed is said to have been triggered by the questioning of a Territorial Army jawan by the J&K Police in connection with an alleged drug case.
• A group of armed and uniformed personnel from the 160 Territorial Army, convoyed by senior Indian Army officials, had stormed the police station, as seen in a video.
• The TA is a military reserve force composed of part-time volunteers who provide support services to the Indian Army.
• They proceeded to launch a brutal assault on police personnel present there, using rifle butts and sticks and kicking them without any provocation, it stated.
• Srinagar-based defence spox said the reports of altercation between police and army personnel and “beating up therein of police personnel are misfounded and incorrect”. (here)

6^th meeting of India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism held in New Delhi

• The 6th meeting of the India-Japan Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was held in New Delhi on 29 May 2024.
• The Indian delegation was led by, Joint Secy (CT), MEA, and the Japanese delegation, by Diplomat Hiroyuki Minami, Rep of the Govt of Japan, Ambassador in charge of International Cooperation for CT and Int’l Organized Crime, GoJ, the MEA said.
• Both sides exchanged views on the terrorist threats in their respective regions, including State-sponsored cross-border terrorism in South Asia, SE Asia, E Asia, Middle East, as well as terror activities in the Af-Pak region. (here)

[Neighborhood]

‘Pakistan doesn’t have No First Use policy’

• Adviser to the National Command Authority Lt Gen (R) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai has stressed Pakistan’s stance on not committing to the No First Use policy regarding nuke.
• Speaking at a seminar held at the CISS to commemorate Youm-i-Takbeer, the anniversary of the 1998 nuclear tests, Gen Kidwai, who has served as the director general of Strategic Plans Division (SPD), said: “Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy, and I’ll repeat that for emphasis. Pakistan does not have a No First Use policy.”
• Islamabad has traditionally maintained ambiguity regarding the NFU policy due to New Delhi’s declared stance on the same, though Pakistani strategists were always sceptical, viewing India’s policy as more rhetorical than genuine.
• The scepticism towards Indian intentions stems from ambiguities in India’s NFU doctrine.
• This policy includes provisions that permitted nuclear strikes against nuclear-armed states or their allies under perceived threats.
• Such exceptions implied a willingness to pre-emptively use nuclear weapons in specific scenarios, undermining the fundamental principle of NFU.
•  “…… there should never ever be a doubt in anyone’s mind, friend or foe, that Pakistan’s operationally ready nuclear capability enables …..to look straight into the Indian eye and never blink,” Gen Kidwai further said. (here)

Pakistan: International consensus withers as Russia hints at recognising Taliban

• All major powers, including the US, China, Russia, and regional players such as Pakistan, Iran, and others, agreed the Taliban had to fulfil certain conditions before their de facto govt was recognised.
• Those conditions included forming an inclusive govt, respecting women’s and human rights, and not allowing Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups.
• Pakistan was one of only 3 countries that recognised the Taliban’s first rule from 1996 to 2001, but this time it aligned with the international consensus on the question of recognition.
• The understanding among the major players and stakeholders remained in place for a good two years before the international consensus started falling apart.
• The 1^st sign of rupture came in March when China accepted the full-time ambassador appointed by the Taliban regime.
• Though Beijing never officially recognised the Taliban govt, its move to accept a full-time ambassador was seen as tacit recognition.
• Now, another major power and stakeholder in Afghanistan is inching closer to establishing full-fledged ties with the Taliban.
• Russia, which suffered a defeat at the hands of Afghan Mujahideen backed by Pakistan and the entire Western bloc, is hinting at recognising the Taliban govt.
• As part of the 1^st step, the Russian Ministry of Justice and Foreign Affairs recommended President Vladimir Putin remove the Afghan Taliban from the list of terrorist org.
• Moscow banned the Afghan Taliban in 2003 when they were waging a war against the US-led foreign forces. (here)

Iranian border guards kill four Pakistanis

• In a tragic border incident, four Pakistani citizens lost their lives and two others sustained injuries when Iranian forces opened fire on a vehicle in the border town of Mashkil Bacha Rai in Balochistan on Tue.
• Sahibzada Asfand, the Assistant Commissioner of Mashkail, confirmed that all the victims were civilians targeted by the Iranian forces.
• However, official sources said the four were smugglers from the Mashkel area and were involved in the illegal smuggling of Iranian diesel.
• According to details, Iranian forces targeted the vehicle in the town, resulting in immediate fatalities and injuries.
• Sources indicate that the firing incident occurred late last night in Tehsil Mashkil Bacha Rai, a border area known for its sensitive security situation.
• The motive behind the firing and the circumstances leading up to the incident are currently under investigation by local authorities. (here)

Pakistan: Court acquits Imran in two May 9 cases

• A district and sessions court in Islamabad acquitted PTI founder Imran Khan on Thu in two more May 9 cases.
• Judicial Magistrate Umar Shabbir announced the reserved verdict citing the acquittal of the former premier on grounds of insufficient evidence.
• Two cases were lodged against Imran in the Shahzad Town police station, following his arrest on May 9 from the Islamabad High Court premises that sparked nation-wide protests including attacks on military installations.
• Baig stated that an unauthorized person registered an FIR against the PTI founder adding that Imran was accused of section 109 but no evidence could be provided in the cases. (here)