The procurement of wheat in this Rabi marketing season (RMS) 2024-25 has surpassed last year's total figure of 262 lakh tonne, with a total MSP outflow of Rs 59,715 crore, according to the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry.

262.48 lakh tonne of wheat has already been procured so far this year in the Central Pool, surpassing last year’s total procurement of 262.02 lakh tonne.

The Food Ministry said 22.31 lakh farmers have recieved the MSP benefit during the RMS 2024-25, with the highest wheat procurement contribution coming from Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Indian filmmaker Chidananda S Naik's 'Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know' won the 1st prize of La Cinef for Best Short at Cannes 2024. Mansi Maheshwari's 'Bunnyhood' won the third prize in the same category. While 'Bunnyhood' is a UK film, it is made by an Indian from Meerut. The La Cinef awards were announced on May 23.

Cannes will allocate a grant of 15,000 euros for the first prize and 11,250 euros and 7,500 euros for the second and third prizes, respectively.

Russia has announced that it will supply next-generation nuclear fuel to its strategic partner this summer. The announcement was made by Alexey Likhachev, the head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, during a visit by Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission, to the Siberian region of Tomsk on Thursday.

During the visit, Likhachev showcased the site of the Pilot Demonstration Energy Complex (PDEC) in Seversk, Tomsk region, which is part of the “Proryv” (“Breakthrough”) strategic industry project. He described the facility as hosting “the safest atomic reactor in history” and highlighted Russia’s readiness to significantly expand its cooperation with India in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Renowned Indian cinematographer Santosh Sivan is to be recognized with the prestigious Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens in Cinematography honour at the Cannes Film Festival 2024.

This accolade marks a significant moment for Sivan as he will become the first Asian to receive this honour, which celebrates outstanding contributions to the field of cinematography.

Preceded by a welcome dinner on May 23, the recognition will culminate in an honorary event on May 24.

On Wednesday, a conference was also held at Bharat Pavilion to celebrate the achievement of Sivan. Actor Aditi Rao Hydari was also present.

Indian wicketkeeper and Royal Challengers Bengaluru star player Dinesh Karthik on 22 May announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League after the franchise were knocked out from the competition.

The video starts with Indian star batter Virat Kohli, where he recalls his first interaction with Karthik in 2009.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) board approved the transfer of Rs 2,10,874 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting year 2023-24.

The decision was taken at Apex Bank’s 608th meeting of the Central Board of Directors. Presided over by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, the board reviewed the global and domestic economic scenario, including risks to the outlook. The workings of Apex Bank during the year April 2023 – March 2024 were also discussed during the meeting.

The transferable surplus funds for the years 2023-24 were determined using the guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in August 2019. These guidelines were recommended by a committee led by Dr. Bimal Jalan. The committee suggested that the RBI should keep aside funds for unexpected risks, known as the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB), which should be between 5.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent of the RBI’s total assets, the release added.

Football seems to be dealing with too many goodbyes lately, as today, the evergreen German and Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos announced that he will be retiring from all forms of football after the EURO 2024.

The midfield maestro also mentioned that the UEFA Champions League Final against Borussia Dortmund will also be the last game he plays for Real Madrid.

“My career as an active footballer will end this summer after the Euro championship,” 34-year-old Kroos, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany, posted on his Instagram.

India registered record exports in the just concluded financial year 2023-24 at USD 778 billion, sources in the commerce ministry said. In the financial year 2022-23, the combined value of exported goods and services stood at USD 776.3 billion.

In 2023-24, services exports increased from USD 325.3 billion to USD 341.1 billion, while merchandise exports marginally declined from USD 451.1 billion to USD 437.1 billion.

The government has launched the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme with the aim of enhancing the global competitiveness of Indian manufacturers, attracting investments, boosting exports, and integrating India into the global supply chain to reduce dependency on imports.

China, Russia, Iraq, UAE, and Singapore are among the countries where India’s exports in the just-concluded financial year have risen substantially, though with a low base. The other countries in the Top 10 list are the UK, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, and South Africa.

India’s diplomatic missions in the UAE were recognized for their outstanding work at the 5th Minister of Foreign Affairs Excellence Awards ceremony held under the patronage of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.

In a rare distinction, India became the only country to receive two honours, with the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai both awarded the prestigious Shield of Honour. The awards were received by the Indian Ambassador to the UAE Sunjay Sudhir and Consul General at CGI Dubai Satish Kumar Sivan.

The awards, presented by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, were given in the “Distinguished Accredited Missions in UAE” category, acknowledging the efforts of the Indian missions in strengthening bilateral ties between India and the UAE.

Jaya Badiga, born in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, has made history by becoming the first Telugu woman appointed as a judge in the US. She was appointed as a judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court in California. She is the daughter of industrialist and former Machilipatnam Lok Sabha MP Badiga Ramakrishna.

Before her judgeship, Badiga served as a commissioner for the Sacramento County Superior Court. Her appointment is a significant milestone for both the Telugu and broader Indian communities in the US.

She was a commissioner at the Sacramento Superior Court and was assigned to a domestic violence and child support calendar. Commissioner Badiga was a certified family law specialist and has worked in Family Law for more than 10 years.