Renowned playback singer Uma Ramanan, who predominantly sang in Tamil, passed away at 72 in Chennai on Wednesday.

She is survived by her singer-husband AV Ramanan and her son, Vignesh Ramanan.

India Today in a report mentioned that Ramanan was a trained classical singer and appeared in more than 6,000 concerts in 35 years. Song Poongathave Thalthiravai in the Nizhalgal film catapulted her to fame.

Some of her famous songs for Ilaiyaraaja include 'Bhoopalam Isaikkum' from 'Thooral Ninnu Pochchu', 'Aanandha Raagam' from 'Panner Pushpangal, 'Kanmani Nee Vara' from 'Thendrale Ennai Thodu', 'Ponn Maanae' from 'Oru Kaidhiyin Dairy', 'Aagaya Vennilave' from 'Arangetra Velai' and 'Sri Ranga Ranganathanin' from 'Mahanadi', among others.

Constitution Park, jointly developed by Indian Army and Punit Balan Group, was inaugurated in Pune on Monday. The park was inaugurated by GOC-in-C, Southern Command, Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh. Speaking after the inauguration, Lt. Gen. Ajai Kumar Singh said that in order to propel India towards development by 2047, every citizen must honor the duties outlined in the Constitution. Constitution of India bestows upon us both Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties, he said.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Punit Balan, President of Punit Balan Group, Janhavi Dhariwal-Balan, President of Manikchand Oxyrich and Manikchand Group, and Maj. Gen. Vikrant Naik, General Officer Commanding of Dakshin Maharashtra and Goa Sub Area.

Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) successfully secured $400 million (approximately Rs 29,600 crore) on Thursday from a consortium of five leading international banks.

The funds will be used for its ongoing 750 MW solar power projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

It will support the completion and commissioning of these solar projects, with operations expected to begin from November 2024 onwards.

One of the key projects, located in Rajasthan, boasts a capacity of 500 MW and has a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) in place with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).

A wildlife biologist from Assam has been honoured with a leading UK wildlife charity award for her conservation efforts of the endangered Greater Adjutant Stork and its wetland habitat.

Dr Purnima Devi Barman won the GBP 1,00,000 Whitley Gold Award from the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), which supports grassroots conservation leaders from around the world, at a Royal Geographical Society awards ceremony in London on Wednesday evening.

Ms Barman received the trophy from charity patron Princess Anne – the Princess Royal, the sister of King Charles III, in recognition of her conservation of the stork known locally as “Hargila” in Assamese.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on May 2 said that 97.76 percent of the Rs 2,000 currency notes in circulation as of May 19, 2023, have returned to the banking system.

The total value of such banknotes in circulation declined to Rs 7,961 crore at the close of business on April 30, 2024, from Rs 3.56 lakh crore at the close of business on May 19, 2023, when the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 banknotes was announced, the RBI said in a statement.

The central bank announced the withdrawal of the high-value denomination banknotes from circulation as part of its clean note policy.

The facility for deposit and / or exchange of the Rs 2,000 banknotes was available at all bank branches in the country upto October 07, 2023.

China is set to launch the Chang'e-6 lunar probe on a round trip to the Moon.

The spacecraft is on the launch pad in the southern province of Hainan and has completed a final rehearsal for the launch, covering all relevant systems.

The Chang'e-6 mission marks a significant step forward for China's space endeavours, as it aims to gather soil and rock samples from the far side of the Moon, a region that has remained permanently hidden from Earth's view.

This will be the first-ever attempt to retrieve lunar samples from the far side, providing valuable insights into the early evolution of the Moon and the inner solar system.

The Central Government has approved the appointment of Bhushan Singh (IRTS) as Secretary (at Director level) of National Jute Board, Kolkata under the Ministry of Textiles.

According to an order issued from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Singh has been appointed to the post for a period of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Singh is an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) of 2010-batch. “He may kindly be relieved of his duties immediately with instructions to take up his new assignment,” the order read.

“However, in view of declaration of election to the Lok Sabha, if the officer is on election related duty he may kindly be relieved after due clearance from the Election Commission of India to take up his new assignment in the Ministry of Textile," the order further read.

Gloucestershire wicketkeeper-batter, Ben Wells has announced retirement from professional cricket at the age of 23 after being diagnosed with a rare heart condition.

The English youngster made his Gloucestershire debut in 2021, struck 40 runs in 94 balls against Glamorgan at Cardiff in his only first-class innings.

Wells produced a match-winning knock of 108* against Durham in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup last season which marked his only professional hundred.

On Wednesday in an open letter which was published on Gloucestershire's official website, Wells disclosed that he has been diagnosed with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) due to which he has to retire from professional cricket.

India is set to host the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46) and the 26th Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP 26) from May 20 to 30 in Kochi, Kerala. Organized by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) through the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), these meetings aim to facilitate global discussions on environmental conservation and scientific cooperation in Antarctica.

Enacted in 1959, the Antarctic Treaty designates Antarctica for peaceful purposes, scientific collaboration, and environmental protection. Currently, 56 countries are signatories to this agreement

India, a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty since 1983, has been actively involved in Antarctic research and environmental protection efforts. It operates two year-round research stations, Maitri and Bharati, facilitating scientific expeditions since 1981. In 2022, India enacted the Antarctic Act to reaffirm its commitment to the Treaty.

World Press Freedom Day, observed annually on May 3rd, is a significant day honouring and upholding the fundamental principles of press freedom. It is a call to action, urging us to advocate for the independence of the media and the protection of journalists. It recognises the vital role that a free and independent press plays in upholding the public’s right to information and holding those in power accountable.

This year, the Government of Chile and UNESCO will host the 31st World Press Freedom Day Conference in Santiago, with the theme for 2024 being “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of the Environmental Crisis.”

As we commemorate World Press Freedom Day today, let us reflect on the importance of free and independent media and recommit ourselves to the protection and promotion of this fundamental human right as together, we can ensure that journalists can continue to fulfil their vital role in informing and empowering the public without fear of reprisal or censorship.