NATIONAL 
EXPRESS

Holy Relics of Arhat Sariputra and Arhat Mahamoggallana were ceremonially enshrined at the Gandantegchenling Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on the occasion of Buddha Purnima 2026. Arhat Sariputra and Arhat Mahamoggallana are the two chief disciples of Lord Buddha. The Union Ministry of Culture stated that the relics have been brought from India for a ten-day exposition until the 10th of June. The exposition was inaugurated in the presence of Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and the Ambassador of India to Mongolia, Atul Malhari Gotsurve. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the exposition during Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh’s visit to India in October last year. The Ministry stated that the initiative reflects the deep spiritual and civilisational bonds shared by India and Mongolia, rooted in the teachings of Lord Buddha. Addressing the gathering, the Assam Governor described the occasion as a historic moment and stated that the sacred relics embody the living light of enlightenment, carrying a universal message of peace, compassion, and harmony. Mr. Acharya noted that both relics, preserved for centuries in the sacred stupas of Sanchi, are among India’s most treasured civilisational inheritances. He emphasised that their exposition in Mongolia is a profound gesture of trust, reverence, and friendship between the two nations. The Governor recalled Prime Minister Modi’s observation that India and Mongolia are spiritual neighbours, connected through Buddhism for centuries. He highlighted that the exposition comes at a significant time, as the two countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations and 10 years of Strategic Partnership. The Indian Ambassador to Mongolia highlighted the enduring relevance of Lord Buddha’s teachings on peace, harmony, social justice, and rational thought. The Ambassador noted that India and Mongolia are Strategic Partners and spiritual siblings. A special exhibition titled ‘Vessels of Light: Iconography, Relics and the Path of Dhamma – Shakyamuni Buddha’s Journey through Museum Collections of India’ was also inaugurated on the premises of the Gandantegchenling Monastery. Curated by the National Museum, New Delhi, the exhibition presents a rich visual narrative of the life, teachings, and artistic representations of Lord Buddha through select treasures from India’s museum collections.

The prices of 19 kilogram commercial LPG cylinders used by hotels, restaurants and other businesses have been hiked, ranging from 42 rupees to 53.50 rupees across four major cities. There has been no change in the rates of domestic cooking gas used by households. The price of a commercial LPG cylinder has been hiked by 42 rupees in Delhi, and it will now cost three thousand 113 rupees 50 paise. In Mumbai, it has been hiked 43.5 rupees and a commercial cylinder will now cost three thousand 67 rupees 50 paise. With a hike of 53.5 rupees, commercial cylinder will now cost three thousand 255 rupees 50 paise in Kolkata. There has been a hike of 42 rupees in the prices of commercial cylinder in Chennai and it will now cost three thousand 283 rupees. The latest increase in commercial LPG prices came in the backdrop of rising global energy costs triggered by escalation of tensions in West Asia amid conflict between USA and Iran. Disruptions in crude oil and LPG imported from West Asia, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, are posing a challenge to fuel security and pricing stability.

Polls have closed in Colombia’s presidential election. The vote comes after months of political tension, including disputes between left-wing President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump over drug trafficking and foreign influence in the region. Colombia’s constitution prevents Petro from running again, so he has backed Iván Cepeda as his successor. The main challengers are right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella and conservative Paloma Valencia. Early polling suggests that the right-wing de la Espriella came top in the voting, followed closely by the left-wing senator Iván Cepeda. Although no candidate achieved more than 50 percent of the vote to win outright majority, making a runoff vote likely on 21 of this month. Cepeda supports continuing Petro’s total peace policy, which seeks negotiations with armed groups, though violence has continued despite stalled peace talks. On the other side, Valencia and de la Espriella support a tougher military approach to crime. The election has taken place amid ongoing political violence, including the killing of a candidate last year. The result is expected to shape Colombia’s approach to security, drug trafficking, and relations with the United States. Cepeda favours maintaining Colombia’s independence from close US alignment, while his opponents want stronger security cooperation with Washington.

The notification for biennial elections to 24 seats of the Rajya Sabha from ten States will be issued today. Four seats each in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, three seats each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two seats in Jharkhand, and one seat each in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram will go to polls. Former Prime Minister and JD(S) leader H. D. Devegowda, Union Ministers and BJP leaders George Kurian and Ravneet Singh, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are among the Members who are completing their terms this month. Notification for the Rajya Sabha bypoll for one seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha will also be issued today. The seats are vacated by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar and AIADMK MP from Tamil Nadu C V Shanmugam, who were recently elected to the State Assembly. BJD MP from Odisha, Debashis Samantray, had also resigned. Nominations can be filed from today till 8th June. The polling will be held on the 18th of this month. The counting of votes will take place on the same day.

In the United States, Kevin Warsh has taken the oath of office as Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Board of Governors, succeeding Jerome Powell, who had held the position since 2018. The appointment comes amid tensions over interest rate policy following disagreements with former Chair Jerome Powell. Speaking on the occasion, US President Donald Trump said the Federal Reserve had lost its way in recent years and expressed hope that Warsh’s leadership will help restore public trust. He described Warsh as one of the most qualified individuals to head the central bank and expressed confidence that he would be among its most effective chairmen.

In IPL cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 55 runs in Hyderabad last night. Batting first after winning the toss, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a massive 255 for 4 in their stipulated 20 overs. Ishan Kishan was the top scorer with an unbeaten 79, while Abhishek Sharma made 56 and Heinrich Klaasen contributed 51. For Bengaluru, Rasikh Salam picked up two wickets. In reply, Royal Challengers Bengaluru could manage 200 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs. Rajat Patidar was the top scorer with 56 runs. For Hyderabad, Eshan Malinga claimed two wickets. Ishan Kishan was named Player of the Match. Despite the win, Sunrisers Hyderabad remain in third place on the points table. Royal Challengers Bengaluru continue to hold the top spot due to their stronger overall record and superior points tally. The victory has significantly boosted Sunrisers Hyderabad’s hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, as they are now firmly in contention for a top-four finish. Today, Lucknow Super Giants will take on Punjab Kings in Lucknow at 7:30 this evening.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has extended the last date for obtaining scanned photocopies of answer books for Class 12 board examinations by one more day, until tomorrow. Earlier, the deadline was today. CBSE said the decision was taken after its website experienced unprecedented traffic over the past few days, along with several attempts of unauthorised interference, making it prone to disruptions. The Board informed that students will have up to two days to apply for the next stage of verification of marks or re-evaluation after receiving the scanned copies of their answer books. CBSE has advised candidates to make use of the extended timeline and complete the process accordingly.

Madhya Pradesh continues to reel under intense heatwave conditions, with the Meteorological Department issuing warnings across 42 districts today. Several regions are under red, orange and yellow alerts as temperatures soar well above normal levels. Madhya Pradesh is in the grip of an intense heatwave. The Meteorological Department has issued heatwave warnings in 42 districts today. Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur and Panna are the worst affected and are under red alert. Gwalior and 20 other districts are under orange alert for severe heatwave. Bhopal, Indore and 16 other districts are under yellow alert. Yesterday, the temperature crossed 44°C in 10 cities. Naugaon in Chhatarpur district was the hottest place in the state, where the mercury touched 46.8°C. Nearby Khajuraho also recorded 46.4°C. The bigger concern is that Nautapa has not even begun yet. Nautapa starts on May 25 and lasts for nine days. The Meteorological Department says the heat will remain at its peak till May 31. This means people of Madhya Pradesh should not expect any relief for the next 10 days.

SpaceX launched the largest and most powerful version of its Starship-Super Heavy rocket system this morning, marking another milestone in its efforts to develop a fully reusable spacecraft for missions to the Moon and Mars. The latest test flight used the upgraded Version 3 configuration of Starship, featuring enhancements to both the Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage spacecraft. The rocket lifted off successfully from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, United States. The mission achieved a successful hot-staging separation, in which the upper-stage Raptor engines ignited before the booster fully detached. Flames were seen through the staging ring as Starship separated from the Super Heavy booster at hypersonic speed. Following separation, the Super Heavy booster began its planned descent toward the Gulf of Mexico but exploded mid-air before reaching the water. Despite the loss of the booster, the upper-stage Starship continued its flight in space, extending the mission beyond the staging phase. Starship is central to SpaceX’s long-term plans, including NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to use a modified Starship vehicle to land astronauts on the Moon later this decade. The rocket system is also expected to support future Mars missions and large-scale satellite deployment.

A Bangladesh High Court today rejected the bail petition of Sanatani Jagaran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari in an alleged lawyer murder case, while reserving its order on four other bail petitions till tomorrow. The case is linked to the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif during violent clashes at the Chattogram court premises in 2024, when Chinmoy was in police custody. Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a former ISKCON leader, has been in custody since his arrest at Dhaka airport in November 2024 in a sedition case related to alleged disrespect to the national flag during a rally in Chattogram. His lawyer argued for bail on health grounds, while state prosecutors opposed the plea, citing the seriousness of the charges and ongoing trial proceedings. The High Court is expected to pronounce its verdict on the remaining bail petitions tomorrow

The Indian Embassy in Madrid, Spain, has said that two Indian nationals aboard a hantavirus-hit cruise ship are safe and asymptomatic. The Dutch-flagged vessel MV Hondius, carrying around 150 people, including two Indians, arrived in Spain yesterday and anchored off the Canary Islands following the outbreak. According to the embassy, passengers disembarked in line with protocols issued by the World Health Organisation and Spanish authorities. The Spanish National Centre for Emergency Monitoring and Coordination said the two Indians, who were working as crew members, have been evacuated to the Netherlands, where they will undergo quarantine under health safety protocols. The embassy added that the Indian Ambassador is in close contact with Spanish authorities and the affected nationals and is closely monitoring the situation to ensure their safety and well-being.

The Madhya Pradesh government has set up a one-member inquiry commission headed by retired High Court judge Sanjay Dwivedi to conduct a judicial investigation into the Bargi Dam cruise accident that took place on April 30 in Jabalpur. The General Administration Department issued an official notification in this regard on Sunday night. The commission will submit its report to the government within three months. It will examine the causes of the accident and whether the rescue operations were carried out properly. The panel will also prepare a new safety Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all boats and cruise vessels operating in the state and will conduct an audit of all water transport activities. On the evening of April 30, between 5 and 6 pm, an MP Tourism cruise sank in the Bargi Dam reservoir due to a severe storm. Thirteen people lost their lives in the accident, while 28 others were rescued