PM-elect Narendra Modi to take oath on 30 May

  • Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi will be administered the oath of office and secrecy with his council of ministers on 30 May, according to a statement from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
  • Amit Shah is likely to get home, Rajnath defence while Sitharaman may be shifted to external affairs. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held outside the Rashtrapati Bhavan like in 2014.

Donald Trump becomes first foreign leader to meet Japan’s new emperor

  • Donald Trump became the first foreign leader to meet with Japan’s newly enthroned Emperor Naruhito.
  • Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes this move will help charm the US president when it comes to thorny trade talks.
  • The palace visit in the morning, followed by a royal banquet in the evening, was the main event in a feel-good trip that started Saturday.

Magnitude-8 earthquake hits Peru, no injuries reported

  • A strong 8.0-earthquake struck northern Peru in the early hours of Sunday, sending residents fleeing their homes and cutting off power to at least one town, with the impact felt as far afield as neighbouring Ecuador.
  • “Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localised,” USGS said in a preliminary assessment.
  • Quakes of similar depth “typically cause less damage on the ground surface (but)... may be felt at great distance from their epicentres,” it later added.