• National

India to Attend G-7 Meet In France

• India will be attending the Group of 7 industrialised nations meet organised by France in Biarritz in August along with Australia, Chile, and South Africa.
• The French ambassador to India Alexandre Zeigler stated that one of the issues on the agenda of the G-7 meet would be fighting terrorism in cyberspace.

• International

King Maha Vajiralongkorn crowned Rama X of Thailand

• Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn (66-year) has been crowned with a golden-tiered headpiece, the highlight of an elaborate three-day coronation ceremony two years after he ascended the throne.
• Vajiralongkorn was handed the 7.3kg Crown of Victory, which he placed on his head before issuing his first royal command.
• Vajiralongkorn became king in October 2016 when his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, died after ruling for 70 years.
• The king was joined by new Queen Suthida after a surprise announcement three days before the coronation that the thrice-divorced monarch had married for the fourth time.
• King Vajiralongkorn is the tenth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, which has reigned since 1782.

• International

Nepali girl dances for 126 hours straight to set new World Record

• Nepali danced Bandana Nepal (18-years) dances continuously for 126 hours to set a Guinness World Records on “Longest Dancing Marathon by an Individual” at a function in Kathmandu.
• Bandana Nepal broke the record set by India’s Kalamandalam Hemlatha who danced continuously for 123 hours and 15 minutes (in 2011).
• Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli honoured the girl Bandana Nepal for achieving the feat.

• Economy and Business

Foreign exchange reserves rise by 4.3 Billion

• According to RBI data, the country’s foreign exchange reserves soared by USD 4.368 billion to USD 418.515 billion in the week to April 26.
• Foreign currency assets rose by USD 4.387 billion to USD 390.421 billion.
• According to the data Gold reserves remained unchanged at USD 23.303 billion.
• The special drawing rights with the International Monetary Fund was down by USD 5.9 million to USD 1.449 billion.
• The country’s reserve position with the Fund also declined USD 13.6 million to USD 3.341 billion.

• Sports

Saurav Ghoshal & Joshna Chinappa Win Asian Individual Squash Championship Titles

• Ace Indian squash players Saurav Ghoshal and Joshna Chinappa won their respective Asian Individual Squash Championship titles in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Saurav Ghoshal defeated Leo Au Chun Ming of Hong Kong.
• Joshna Chinappa, on the other hand, retained her title as she beat top seed Annie Au of Hong Kong in the women’s final event.
• Ghoshal who had become the first Indian male player to reach the top 10 of the world rankings is the finalist of the previous edition.

• Appointments

Myntra appoints Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma

• Flipkart-owned fashion e-commerce platform Myntra announced that it had appointed celebrity couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma as its first brand ambassadors.
• This is couple’s second big brand endorsement deal after men’s ethnic wear brand Manyavar, which they have been associated with since 2017.

• Appointments

Gates Foundation Appoints Sanjay Ubale As India Policy Head

• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has hired Sanjay Ubale, head of the infrastructure and urban solutions at Tata Sons, as its policy director for India.
• Sanjay will oversee the Seattle-based charity’s healthcare, poverty alleviation, and educational activities in the country.
• Ubale, who has spent over a decade at Tata Group, was previously the CEO of Tata Realty & Infrastructure.

• Science and Tech

SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 Rocket

• Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (Space X) launched its 17th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station by using Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon Spacecraft.
• The 213-foot-tall rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
• This mission is a part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program, which uses commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the ISS.

• Defence

Indian Navy Launches 4th Scorpene Class Submarine INS Vela

• The fourth of Indian Navy’s stealth Scorpene class Submarines of Project 75, INS Vela was launched at the Kanhoji Angre Wet Basin of Mazagon Dock Limited at Mumbai in Maharashtra.
• The submarine has been named ‘Vela’ after an earlier submarine, which was the lead submarine, of the erstwhile Vela class, the second batch of the Foxtrot class submarines acquired from erstwhile USSR.

• Obituaries

Noted Writer, Academician Maramraju Satyanarayana Rao Passes Away

• Prominent writer and academician, Maramraju Satyanarayana Rao passed away following a cardiac arrest.
• He was 84.
• He was born at Jayyaram village in Mahabubabad district in Telangana.
• He had worked as professor of political science and registrar of Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad. He has also authored several books.

• States

Justice Ravindra Bhat becomes CJ of Rajasthan High Court

• The senior most judge of the Delhi High Court Justice Shripathi Ravindra Bhat was sworn in as new Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court (36th).
• Justice Bhat was administered the oath office by Governor Kalyan Singh at a special function in Raj Bhawan in Jaipur.
• He was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi high court in 2004 and became a permanent judge on February 20, 2006.

• Miscellaneous

Shahid Afridi Released His Autobiography, Titled ‘Game Changer’

• Pakistan’s former captain and star all-rounder Shahid Afridi released his autobiography, titled ‘Game Changer’.
• The book is co-authored by Afridi and journalist Wajahat S Khan.
• Afridi stated that he was born in 1975 and not 1980 as stated in the official records.
• The revelation from Afridi means he must be at least 20 when he hit the record-breaking 37-ball century which he hit against Sri Lanka in 1996 and not 16 as stated in the official records.
• He played 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20Is and retired from international cricket in 2017.