Morning Filter: Sri Lanka heads to IMF

1. Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ali Sabry to discuss with IMF from today Sri Lanka’s embattled leader dropped two of his brothers and a nephew from his cabinet Monday, following public anger over the ruling family’s mismanagement of a crippling economic crisis and calls for his resignation. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has presided over the island nation’s most painful downturn in memory and his government is preparing for imminent bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. New Finance Minister Ali Sabry led a delegation to Washington over the weekend to open talks with the International Monetary Fund from today, officials said. 2. Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has begun, says Zelensky Russia launched its long-feared, full-scale offensive to take control of Ukraine’s east, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Monday. “Now we can already state that the Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time,” he said in a video address. Mr. Zelensky said a “significant part of the entire Russian army is now concentrated on this offensive.” 3. PM Modi to inaugurate several projects today Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived on a three-day visit to his home State, Gujarat, where he will launch new projects worth over ₹20,000 crores while laying the foundation stone for a new international centre of traditional medicine in Jamnagar. After landing at Ahmedabad airport, PM straightway drove to the newly set up command and control centre of the State education department as part of reforms the State government has initiated to improve the quality of education in the State-run primary schools. Today, the PM will first visit Banaskantha to inaugurate a new dairy complex of Banas dairy at Deodar, a potato processing unit and community radio station of Banas dairy. 4. Kerala HC verdict likely today on Dileep plea to quash murder conspiracy FIR or transfer it to CBI The Kerala High Court is likely to pronounce its verdict today on actor Dileep’s plea to quash the FIR accusing him and others of conspiring to threaten and kill the officials probing the 2017 actress assault or to transfer the conspiracy case to the CBI for investigation. According to the cause list for today uploaded on the Kerala High Court website, Justice Ziyad Rahman A A will pronounce the verdict at 1.45 p.m.. 5. Mauritius PM Jugnauth to attend WHO Global Centre today along with Modi Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on Monday led a roadshow in Rajkot city of Gujarat upon his arrival in the State. The Rajkot district administration had organised a two-kilometre-long roadshow to give a grand welcome to Jugnauth, who landed at the Rajkot airport in the evening. He is scheduled to attend the stone laying ceremony, to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the “WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicines” today in Jamnagar. 6. Brief respite from prolonged heat wave condition likely this week in Jharkhand Jharkhand could expect a brief respite from the prolonged heatwave conditions with the possibility of rainfall in some pockets of the State this week, weather officials said on Monday. The maximum temperature, which is hovering above 40 degrees Celsius, is likely to drop by 2-3 degrees Celsius after April 20. “The rainfall activity in northeast parts of India is likely to impact weather of West Bengal and its adjoining areas in Jharkhand. Northeast and some pockets of central Jharkhand are likely to witness partly cloudy sky with possibility of thunder and light rains from Tuesday,” Abhishek Anand, in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre, told PTI. 7. IPL: Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore battle for supremacy K.L. Rahul’s elegance and Quinton de Kock’s flamboyance will be pitted against the finishing skills of Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell when Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore clash in the IPL today. LSG and RCB head into the match after wins over Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, respectively and both teams, who have eight points from six outings, would be keen to continue their winning streak. Up against the second-placed Super Giants, RCB will need to address their top-order woes. While skipper Faf du Plessis has failed to fire since the opening game, opener Anuj Rawat has looked scratchy. 8. Liverpool boss Klopp expects Man United to ‘go for it’ in key clash Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp described Tuesday’s game with Manchester United as a clash between “two of the biggest clubs in the world” and said his team were in for a stern test despite the opposition’s struggles this season. Second-placed Liverpool trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by one point while United are fifth, three points behind Tottenham Hotspur who occupy the last Champions League spot. 9. Bhagat, Kadam among top Indians competing at Brazil Para Badminton International World No. 1 Pramod Bhagat and World No. 3 Sukant Kadam will lead the Indian para badminton contingent at the Brazil Para Badminton International tournament beginning in Sao Paulo today. The BWF Para Badminton International Level 2 event is taking place after a gap of two years. “The year 2022 started well with the Spain tournament and I want to keep the momentum going and keep winning. My training is going well and I plan to execute everything that I have been practising,” Bhagat said in a release. [logo] The Morning Filter 19 APRIL 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Morning Filter newsletter, your guide from The Hindu on the major news stories and events to follow today. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Here are the latest updates and the big news stories to follow today 1. Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ali Sabry to discuss with IMF from today [Ali Sabry. File.] Sri Lanka’s embattled leader [dropped two of his brothers and a nephew from his cabinet]( Monday, following public anger over the ruling family’s mismanagement of a crippling economic crisis and calls for his resignation. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has presided over the island nation’s most painful downturn in memory and his government is preparing for imminent bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund. New Finance Minister Ali Sabry led a delegation to Washington over the weekend to open talks with the International Monetary Fund from today, officials said. 2. Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has begun, says Zelensky Russia launched its long-feared, full-scale offensive to take control of Ukraine’s east, Ukrainian President [Volodymyr Zelensky announced]( Monday. “Now we can already state that the Russian troops have begun the battle for the Donbas, for which they have been preparing for a long time,” he said in a video address. Mr. Zelensky said a “significant part of the entire Russian army is now concentrated on this offensive.” 3. PM Modi to inaugurate several projects today [Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File.] Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday arrived on a three-day visit to his home State, Gujarat, where he will [launch new projects worth over ₹20,000 crores]( while laying the foundation stone for a new international centre of traditional medicine in Jamnagar. After landing at Ahmedabad airport, PM straightway drove to the newly set up command and control centre of the State education department as part of reforms the State government has initiated to improve the quality of education in the State-run primary schools. Today, the PM will first visit Banaskantha to inaugurate a new dairy complex of Banas dairy at Deodar, a potato processing unit and community radio station of Banas dairy.   4. Kerala HC verdict likely today on Dileep plea to quash murder conspiracy FIR or transfer it to CBI The Kerala High Court is likely to pronounce its verdict today on actor Dileep’s plea to quash the FIR accusing him and others of conspiring to threaten and kill the officials probing the 2017 actress assault or to transfer the conspiracy case to the CBI for investigation. According to the cause list for today uploaded on the Kerala High Court website, Justice Ziyad Rahman A A will pronounce the verdict at 1.45 p.m.. 5. Mauritius PM Jugnauth to attend WHO Global Centre today along with Modi [A Motorist passes near the Welcome boards seen at Airport Road for a road show ahead of PM Narendra Modi, Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’s visit to Gujarat in Ahmedabad on April 17, 2022. ] Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on Monday led a roadshow in Rajkot city of Gujarat upon his arrival in the State. The Rajkot district administration had organised a two-kilometre-long roadshow to give a grand welcome to Jugnauth, who landed at the Rajkot airport in the evening. He is scheduled to attend the stone laying ceremony, to be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of the “WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicines” today in Jamnagar. 6. Brief respite from prolonged heat wave condition likely this week in Jharkhand Jharkhand could expect a brief respite from the prolonged heatwave conditions with the possibility of rainfall in some pockets of the State this week, weather officials said on Monday. The maximum temperature, which is hovering above 40 degrees Celsius, is likely to drop by 2-3 degrees Celsius after April 20. “The rainfall activity in northeast parts of India is likely to impact weather of West Bengal and its adjoining areas in Jharkhand. Northeast and some pockets of central Jharkhand are likely to witness partly cloudy sky with possibility of thunder and light rains from Tuesday,” Abhishek Anand, in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre, told PTI. 7. IPL: Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore battle for supremacy [Jason Holder of Lucknow Super Giants celebrates with teammates after the wicket of N. Tilak Varma of Mumbai Indians, during the Indian Premier League 2022 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, at the Brabourne Stadium, in Mumbai, April 16, 2022. ] K.L. Rahul’s elegance and Quinton de Kock’s flamboyance will be pitted against the finishing skills of Dinesh Karthik and Glenn Maxwell when Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore clash in the IPL today. LSG and RCB head into the match after wins over Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, respectively and both teams, who have eight points from six outings, would be keen to continue their winning streak. Up against the second-placed Super Giants, RCB will need to address their top-order woes. While skipper Faf du Plessis has failed to fire since the opening game, opener Anuj Rawat has looked scratchy. 8. Liverpool boss Klopp expects Man United to ‘go for it’ in key clash Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp described Tuesday’s game with Manchester United as a clash between “two of the biggest clubs in the world” and said his team were in for a stern test despite the opposition’s struggles this season. Second-placed Liverpool trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by one point while United are fifth, three points behind Tottenham Hotspur who occupy the last Champions League spot. 9. Bhagat, Kadam among top Indians competing at Brazil Para Badminton International World No. 1 Pramod Bhagat and World No. 3 Sukant Kadam will lead the Indian para badminton contingent at the Brazil Para Badminton International tournament beginning in Sao Paulo today. The BWF Para Badminton International Level 2 event is taking place after a gap of two years. “The year 2022 started well with the Spain tournament and I want to keep the momentum going and keep winning. My training is going well and I plan to execute everything that I have been practising,” Bhagat said in a release. 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