National News

He has been associated with the Indian Air Force’s modernisation drive and indigenous fighter aircraft programmes

Excessive dependence on such tools can have unintended consequences for both mental well-being and cognitive functioning

Alexander Zverev advanced to the French Open final after a four-set victory over Jakub Mensik. The German second seed, now a strong favorite with top contenders eliminated, will compete for his maiden Grand Slam title. Zverev overcame a brief resurgence from Mensik to secure his place in the championship match.

What does the GDP data tell us about India’s economic prospects? Will the real hit from the US-Iran conflict reflect in the first quarter GDP numbers? And, is India’s long-term growth story under threat? Let’s take a look:

Immigrants are driving America's innovation, founding 59% of billion-dollar startups, known as unicorns. People of Indian origin lead this trend, establishing 96 such companies. These ventures employ thousands and contribute trillions to the U.S. economy, challenging narratives of immigrants harming the job market. International students also play a crucial role in this entrepreneurial surge.

Nepal's Kushal Bhurtel is on a record-breaking spree at the Asian Games qualifiers, smashing back-to-back T20I centuries. Days after hitting six sixes in an over, he delivered another stunning century, powering Nepal to a massive win. This remarkable feat places him in an elite group of cricketers with consecutive T20I hundreds.

England opener Emilio Gay marked his Test debut against New Zealand at Lord's with a composed 57 in the second innings. His crucial half-century anchored the hosts against a disciplined pace attack. With this knock, Gay became the first England men's opener to score a debut fifty on home soil since Andrew Strauss in 2004, stabilising the top order.

Captain Shubman Gill emphasizes Test cricket's unparalleled satisfaction as India prepares for their one-off Test against Afghanistan. Acknowledging the challenging transition from IPL, Gill expressed confidence in young talents and highlighted the significance of this match for building momentum ahead of crucial World Test Championship fixtures. He stressed Afghanistan's formidable progress, urging against underestimation.

Following K. Annamalai's resignation from the BJP and announcement of a new political movement, significant fallout has hit the Tamil Nadu unit. State vice president Karu Nagarajan and 15 other officials, including state secretary Sumathi Venkatesh, have also quit. Annamalai cited differing visions and a desire for a broader platform, while the state BJP president downplayed the impact.

Bihar is set to transform its infrastructure with three new riverfront expressways spanning 220 km along the Ganga and Gandak rivers. These four-lane corridors, including Vishwamitra Path, Ganga Ambika Path, and Narayani Path, will significantly boost connectivity to Uttar Pradesh and national transport networks, promising a major uplift for the state's real estate sector.

Oil India Limited has discovered natural gas in the Andaman Sea at the "Sri Vijayapuram-3" exploratory well. This significant find, located 15 km off the Andaman Islands, was confirmed through continuous flaring during initial production testing. The discovery is part of the government's "Samudra Manthan Mission" to boost offshore exploration.

Astronauts on the International Space Station were instructed to take shelter in their docked spacecraft and prepare for a potential evacuation Friday. This precautionary measure was enacted after an air leak in the Russian segment showed signs of worsening, prompting specialists to assess and monitor containment efforts.

The BCCI will announce India's squads for the Ireland and England white-ball tours, after a selection meeting on Saturday. A press conference led by Ajit Agarkar and Devajit Saikia will begin at 1 PM IST. Shreyas Iyer is expected to become T20 captain, while youngsters Tilak Varma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could earn major roles.