Evening News -

THE HEADLINES :-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says WAVES Summit highlights India’s creative strengths on a global platform.
Government will not spare anyone involved in Pahalgam terror attack, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh; emphasizes India’s right to defend itself.
GST collections surge by 12.6 percent to an all-time high of 2.37 lakh crore rupees last month.
Election Commission introduces new initiatives aimed at improving accuracy of electoral rolls and making voting process more convenient.
In IPL T20 Cricket, match underway between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in Jaipur.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the WAVES Summit has highlighted India’s creative strengths on a global platform. He said that today India is emerging as a global hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, music, and live concerts. He said this after inaugurating the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. He noted that the global animation market has vast potential, currently valued at over 430 billion dollars and projected to double in the next decade.

Mr. Modi urged stakeholders to leverage this expansion for greater international reach. He said that WAVES is not merely an acronym but a wave representing culture, creativity, and universal connectivity. Emphasizing the immense potential of India’s creative economy, Mr Modi stated that in the coming years, its contribution to the country’s GDP is set to increase significantly.

The Prime Minister said that WAVES is attracting global attention, as artists, innovators, investors, and policymakers from over 100 countries have gathered under one roof. He lauded the WAVES Bazar initiative, saying that it will encourage innovators and creators. Mr Modi said that Indian films are now reaching every corner of the world, and today Indian films are released in more than 100 countries.

Mr. Modi added that this is the right time to “Create in India and create for the world.” He appealed to investors to invest in people, not just in platforms.

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Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the WAVES summit will create new economic opportunities. Addressing the inaugural session of the first WAVES Summit, Mr Vaishnaw said, it will provide a global platform to creators and provide them with exposure to new technology. He said, it will connect the creators to buyers and investors around the world.

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Various plenary sessions are also being organised at WAVES. Actor Akshay Kumar moderated a session titled “Legends & Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India’s Soul”, where industry veterans Hema Malini, Mohanlal, and Chiranjeevi talked about storytelling, creativity, and cultural legacy. While discussing the evolving nature of cinema, celebrated actor Mohanlal opined that there is a very fine line between art cinema and entertainment cinema, as art films also have entertainment value.

YouTube’s Chief Executive Officer, Neal Mohan, shared insights on the use of YouTube by Indian creators. He said that overseas viewers have consumed 45 billion hours of content created by Indian creators. He informed that in the last three years, YouTube has paid around 21,000 crore rupees, and in the next two years, the company will invest around 850 crore rupees.

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On the opening day of WAVES 2025, a masterclass on brand-building, delivered by the Chief Strategy Officer of Ogilvy, Prem Narayan, offered deep insights into how culture can be harnessed to build brands that resonate with the Indian consumer. In his session titled “Culture as a Fuel to Build Brands”, Mr. Narayan underscored the pivotal role of cultural relevance in shaping brand narratives and influencing consumer behaviour.

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Actor and filmmaker Shah Rukh Khan has expressed his gratitude on behalf of the film industry to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for conceptualizing and bringing together the WAVE Summit that has the potential to further strengthen the entertainment industry.

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QUESTION I

Prathna, What were the highlights of the inaugural day at the Wave Summit ?

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Home Minister Amit Shah today said that the Government will not spare anyone involved in the Pahalgam terrorist attack. He made these remarks while addressing a gathering in New Delhi, after unveiling a statue of Bodo leader Bodofa Upendranath Brahma and dedicating a road in his name on the occasion of his death anniversary. Reiterating the government’s resolve to uproot terrorism from every inch of the country, Mr. Shah said that the fight against terrorism will continue and those who have carried out this attack will receive a befitting reply.

The Home Minister added that not only 140 crore Indians, but the whole world is standing with India in this fight.

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US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, spoke to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today and expressed his deepest sympathies for the tragic loss of lives in the terror attack at Pahalgam. Mr Hegseth said that the United States stands in solidarity with India and supports its right to defend itself. He reiterated the strong support of the US for India’s fight against terrorism.

During the conversation, Mr Singh told the Defence Secretary that Pakistan has a history of supporting, training, and funding terrorist organisations.

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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met Culture Minister of Indonesia Fadli Zon this evening in Mumbai on the sidelines of the WAVES Summit. In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar said, creative industry and cultural exchanges are a major component of India and Indonesia partnership. He also appreciated the sympathy and support of Indonesia on the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

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Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections surged by 12.6 percent to an all-time high of 2.37 lakh crore rupees in April in comparison to the same month last year. According to government data, the Central GST collection for the month stood at 48 thousand 634 crore rupees and State GST at 59 thousand 372 crore rupees. The Integrated GST collection amounted to over one lakh crore rupees and Cess was more than 13 thousand crore rupees. GST revenue from domestic transactions rose 10.7 percent to about 1.9 lakh crore rupees, while revenue from imported goods was up 20.8 percent to 46 thousand 913 crore rupees.

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The Election Commission has introduced new initiatives aimed at improving the accuracy of electoral rolls and making the voting process more convenient for citizens. Our Correspondent reports that these measures are in line with the initiatives envisaged by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar during the Conference of Chief Electoral Officers in March this year. We have a report:

“The Commission will now obtain death registration data electronically from the Registrar General of India. This will ensure that Electoral Registration Officers receive timely information about registered deaths. It will also enable Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to re-verify the information through field visits. To make Voter Information Slips more voter-friendly, the Commission has decided to modify their design. The serial number and part number of the voter will now be displayed more prominently.The Commission has also directed that all BLOs, will be issued standard photo identity cards to ensure that citizens can recognize and interact confidently with BLOs during voter verification and registration drives. WITH SUPARNA SAIKIA, AMAN YADAV, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”

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The Bhartiya Janata Party’s OBC Morcha has welcomed the Union cabinet’s decision to conduct a caste census in the country. In a statement, BJP’s OBC Morcha National President Dr. K. Laxman thanked the Prime Minister and said that this decision will empower the marginalized people in the country.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Kerala, this evening for a two-day visit. He will dedicate the Vizhinjam International port, India’s first semi-automated port to the nation tomorrow. He will visit the port’s operations building and inspect the control systems.

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Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today felicitated and presented the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2023 to badminton champions, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, in New Delhi.

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In IPL Cricket, match is underway between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

After put into bat first, Mumbai Indians were 204 for 2 in 19 overs when reports last came in.

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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says WAVES Summit highlights India’s creative strengths on a global platform.
Government will not spare anyone involved in Pahalgam terror attack, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh; emphasizes India’s right to defend itself.
GST collections surge by 12.6 percent to an all-time high of 2.37 lakh crore rupees last month.
Election Commission introduces new initiatives aimed at improving accuracy of electoral rolls and making voting process more convenient.
In IPL T20 Cricket, match underway between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in Jaipur.