Morning Filter: Heatwave alert

1. Same-sex marriage hearing | Will not go into personal laws, says SC for legal validation The Supreme Court on Tuesday made it clear that it will not go into personal laws governing marriages while deciding the pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages and said the very notion of a man and a woman, as referred to in the Special Marriage Act, is not “an absolute based on genitals”. The day’s proceedings on the sensitive issue started with Centre’s vehement submission that its “preliminary objection” be heard and decided first that the court cannot go into the question which essentially is on Parliament’s turf. 2. Two-day conference of G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering begins A two-day conference of the G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) will begin in Dharamshala on Wednesday and will deliberate on ways to build a sustainable eco-innovative energy transition system. Representatives from G20 countries, guest nations, international organisations and experts from the scientific community will take part in the deliberations, according to an official statement issued here on Tuesday. 3. G20 CWG to host webinar on promotion of cultural industries, creative economy Wednesday The Culture Working Group (CWG) of the G20 currently chaired by India will host a webinar on Wednesday on promotion of cultural and creative industries and creative economy. The webinar will reflect on the current trends, challenges and opportunities of the cultural and creative industries, bringing together experts from G20 members and guest nations, as well as relevant international organisations. 4. Season’s first heat wave alert issued for 11 districts in Jharkhand The Met department on Monday issued the season’s first heat wave alert for Jharkhand’s 11 districts for two days from Tuesday, an official said. The mercury might rise above 44 degrees Celsius in a few districts during the next two days. Partial relief from the heat wave is expected from April 20 with the possibility of a cloudy sky and light rains in north-east, southern and central parts of Jharkhand, the official said. 5. Justice Chauhan appointed acting chief justice of Himachal HC Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan was on Tuesday appointed as the acting chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court as the incumbent acting chief justice demits office on April 19. Justice Sabina was appointed as the acting chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in January this year. 6. Old NASA satellite falling to Earth, risk of danger ‘low’ An old NASA satellite is expected to fall to Earth this week, but experts tracking the spacecraft say chances are low it will pose any danger. The defunct science satellite known as Rhessi will plummet through the atmosphere Wednesday night, according to NASA and the Defense Department. NASA said Tuesday that the reentry location is not being disclosed, given lingering uncertainty over when and where it might go down. 7. Schools in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills to remain shut from April 19-21 due to heat Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district administration has ordered that schools be closed for three days from Wednesday due to soaring temperatures. The order came in the wake of the mercury levels soaring above 37 degrees Celsius in the district, and even touching 40 degrees Celsius in the plains. “In view of the massive surge in temperatures and to ensure the well-being of the students, teachers and staffers, I have declared that all primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in the district be shut from April 19-21,” Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Chelani told PTI. 8. Extra spring COVID booster cleared for certain Americans US regulators on Tuesday cleared another COVID-19 booster dose for older adults and people with weak immune systems so they can shore up protection this spring — while taking steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone else. The Food and Drug Administration said anyone 65 or older can opt to roll up their sleeves again as long as it’s been at least four months since their first dose of the so-called bivalent vaccine that targets omicron strains. 9. US Air Force to review base where airman leaked documents The US Air Force has opened its own investigation into how a lone airman could access and distribute possibly hundreds of highly classified documents, top Air Force leaders told Congress on Tuesday. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he has directed the Air Force inspector general to go look at the Air National Guard unit based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira served and “anything associated with this leak that could have gone wrong” and allowed the leak to happen. 10. German climate activists pledge new wave of blockades Climate activists said that they will stage further protests in Berlin in an effort to force the German government into doing more to curb global warming. The announcement came as courts are taking a tougher stance against members of the group Last Generation who have repeatedly blocked roads across Germany in the past year. 11. MVA will get 40 Lok Sabha, 180-185 Assembly seats if polls held now: Sanjay Raut Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday claimed that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of his party, Congress and the NCP will win at least 40 Lok Sabha and 180-185 Assembly seats in Maharashtra if elections were held now. At the national level, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose at least 110 seats, he claimed, speaking to reporters here. “This is not the season of `lotus’ (BJP’s election symbol). I do not see any lotus in the market today. There are many other flowers in the market and you will soon see many others,” Mr. Raut said. 12. Press Council guidelines ahead of Karnataka elections Ahead of the Karnataka elections, the Press Council of India on Tuesday advised the print media to follow the norms of journalistic conduct on paid news. In advisories issued, the Press Council of India (PCI) also cautioned against publication of any news that may appear to predict the results of the elections before the date of poll in Karnataka. 13. IPL 2023 | Inconsistent Lucknow Super Giants clash with Rajasthan Royals Blowing hot and cold, Lucknow Super Giants will look to tick all the boxes and return to winning ways when they clash with table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match here on Wednesday. With three wins and two losses so far, LSG is a team overflowing with talent but they have missed a trick or two at times to find themselves on the losing side twice. In the last match against the Punjab Kings, Lucknow couldn’t get enough runs in the middle overs, leaving them 10-15 runs short in the end. [logo] The Morning Filter 19 April 2023 [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. Same-sex marriage hearing | Will not go into personal laws, says SC for legal validation The Supreme Court on Tuesday made it clear that it will not go into personal laws governing marriages while deciding the pleas seeking [legal validation for same-sex marriages]( and said the very notion of a man and a woman, as referred to in the Special Marriage Act, is not “an absolute based on genitals”. The day’s proceedings on the sensitive issue started with Centre’s vehement submission that its “preliminary objection” be heard and decided first that the court cannot go into the question which essentially is on Parliament’s turf. 2. Two-day conference of G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering begins A two-day conference of the G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) will begin in Dharamshala on Wednesday and will deliberate on ways to build a sustainable eco-innovative energy transition system. Representatives from G20 countries, guest nations, international organisations and experts from the scientific community will take part in the deliberations, according to an official statement issued here on Tuesday. 3. G20 CWG to host webinar on promotion of cultural industries, creative economy Wednesday The Culture Working Group (CWG) of the G20 currently chaired by India will host a webinar on Wednesday on promotion of cultural and creative industries and creative economy. The webinar will reflect on the current trends, challenges and opportunities of the cultural and creative industries, bringing together experts from G20 members and guest nations, as well as relevant international organisations. 4. Season’s first heat wave alert issued for 11 districts in Jharkhand The Met department on Monday issued the [season’s first heat wave alert for Jharkhand]( 11 districts for two days from Tuesday, an official said. The mercury might rise above 44 degrees Celsius in a few districts during the next two days. Partial relief from the heat wave is expected from April 20 with the possibility of a cloudy sky and light rains in north-east, southern and central parts of Jharkhand, the official said. 5. Justice Chauhan appointed acting chief justice of Himachal HC Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan was on Tuesday appointed as the acting chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court as the incumbent acting chief justice demits office on April 19. Justice Sabina was appointed as the acting chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court in January this year. 6. Old NASA satellite falling to Earth, risk of danger ‘low’ An old NASA satellite is expected to fall to Earth this week, but experts tracking the spacecraft say chances are low it will pose any danger. The defunct science satellite known as Rhessi will plummet through the atmosphere Wednesday night, according to NASA and the Defense Department. NASA said Tuesday that the reentry location is not being disclosed, given lingering uncertainty over when and where it might go down. 7. Schools in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills to remain shut from April 19-21 due to heat Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district administration has ordered that schools be closed for three days from Wednesday due to soaring temperatures. The order came in the wake of the mercury levels soaring above 37 degrees Celsius in the district, and even touching 40 degrees Celsius in the plains. “In view of the massive surge in temperatures and to ensure the well-being of the students, teachers and staffers, I have declared that all primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in the district be shut from April 19-21,” Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Chelani told PTI. 8. Extra spring COVID booster cleared for certain Americans US regulators on Tuesday cleared another COVID-19 booster dose for older adults and people with weak immune systems so they can shore up protection this spring — while taking steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone else. The Food and Drug Administration said anyone 65 or older can opt to roll up their sleeves again as long as it’s been at least four months since their first dose of the so-called bivalent vaccine that targets omicron strains. 9. US Air Force to review base where airman leaked documents The US Air Force has opened its own investigation into how a lone airman could access and distribute possibly hundreds of highly classified documents, top Air Force leaders told Congress on Tuesday. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he has directed the Air Force inspector general to go look at the Air National Guard unit based in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira served and “anything associated with this leak that could have gone wrong” and allowed the leak to happen. 10. German climate activists pledge new wave of blockades Climate activists said that they will stage further protests in Berlin in an effort to force the German government into doing more to curb global warming. The announcement came as courts are taking a tougher stance against members of the group Last Generation who have repeatedly blocked roads across Germany in the past year. 11. MVA will get 40 Lok Sabha, 180-185 Assembly seats if polls held now: Sanjay Raut Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday claimed that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of his party, Congress and the NCP will win at least 40 Lok Sabha and 180-185 Assembly seats in Maharashtra if elections were held now. At the national level, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will lose at least 110 seats, he claimed, speaking to reporters here. “This is not the season of `lotus’ (BJP’s election symbol). I do not see any lotus in the market today. There are many other flowers in the market and you will soon see many others,” Mr. Raut said. 12. Press Council guidelines ahead of Karnataka elections Ahead of the Karnataka elections, the Press Council of India on Tuesday advised the print media to follow the norms of journalistic conduct on paid news. In advisories issued, the Press Council of India (PCI) also cautioned against publication of any news that may appear to predict the results of the elections before the date of poll in Karnataka. 13. IPL 2023 | Inconsistent Lucknow Super Giants clash with Rajasthan Royals Blowing hot and cold, Lucknow Super Giants will look to tick all the boxes and return to winning ways when they clash with table-toppers Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match here on Wednesday. With three wins and two losses so far, LSG is a team overflowing with talent but they have missed a trick or two at times to find themselves on the losing side twice. In the last match against the Punjab Kings, Lucknow couldn’t get enough runs in the middle overs, leaving them 10-15 runs short in the end. 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