National News

Despite global economic headwinds from Middle East turmoil, India's economy is projected for stable growth through FY26 and FY27, with SBI forecasting around 7.5% for FY26. Resilient domestic demand, strong credit expansion, and broad-based improvements in high-frequency indicators support this optimistic outlook, though external vulnerabilities like oil prices and currency movements remain key concerns.

India's government is urging citizens to cut petrol and diesel use. This comes as the Strait of Hormuz situation tightens and global oil prices climb. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for reduced consumption. Public transport and electric vehicles are encouraged. Fuel supplies remain stable for consumers. However, state-owned oil companies face significant losses.

AIADMK faces internal turmoil following a significant electoral defeat in Tamil Nadu, with divisions surfacing over leadership and potential support for the new TVK government. MLAs arrived in separate groups for the assembly, highlighting a visible rift and raising questions about the party's future cohesion and relevance.

Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya is sidelined with a back issue, missing consecutive IPL 2026 matches. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed the ongoing treatment, stating his return is day-to-day. This setback comes as MI, already eliminated from playoff contention, suffered another defeat, highlighting their disappointing season.

Prime Minister Modi urged Indians to halt gold purchases for a year to protect foreign exchange reserves, a call supported by GTRI which highlighted a surge in gold imports straining the trade balance. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw echoed the appeal, emphasizing reduced import spending amid Middle East conflict, leading to a sell-off in jewellery stocks.

Krunal Pandya battled severe cramps to score a match-winning 73 off 46 balls, powering Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a thrilling last-ball victory against his former franchise, Mumbai Indians. Despite immense physical pain, Pandya's resilience and crucial partnerships revived RCB's chase, securing a vital win that knocked MI out of playoff contention.

AI giants Anthropic and OpenAI are set to dominate future cloud revenues, reportedly accounting for half of a massive $2 trillion backlog. These companies' substantial, multi-year spending commitments, reaching hundreds of billions, are significantly shaping the financial outlook for major cloud providers like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, highlighting a massive shift in infrastructure demand.

West Bengal's new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari chaired his first cabinet meeting, approving six key decisions to end state-Centre deadlock. These include facilitating land for BSF border fencing, rolling out central schemes like Ayushman Bharat, and aligning IAS/IPS officers with central training.

Meta is cutting 8,000 jobs on May 20 as CEO Mark Zuckerberg rebuilds the company around small, AI-powered teams. With capex hitting a record $125–145 billion this year, CFO Susan Li admitted there's no clean answer for what Meta's ideal headcount even looks like anymore. The company wants builders who can ship alone what teams once built together—and is letting everyone else go.

The SIR of electoral rolls became one of the most fiercely debated issues in the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, with the exercise significantly reshaping the state’s voter base before polling. Nearly 91 lakh names, around 12 per cent of the electorate, were removed during the revision process. Of these, more than 60 lakh voters were marked as deceased, while nearly 27 lakh cases remained pending or under scrutiny.

Soha Ali Khan recounted a terrifying 2011 home invasion where her husband, Kunal Kemmu, confronted the intruder while she stood by, admitting her fear and desire to be braver. She also shared insights into her family dynamics, including seeking relationship advice from brother Saif Ali Khan and getting amusing updates from Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat asserts her eligibility for the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, despite the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) stance. WFI claims she must complete disciplinary proceedings and adhere to a mandatory notice period for retired athletes. Phogat argues she informed United World Wrestling of her intent to resume competition, but the federation remains unconvinced.

TVK MLA J C D Prabhakar has filed his nomination for the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu assembly, poised for an unopposed election. The 73-year-old, a former AIADMK member, brings significant legislative experience to the role, balancing the ruling combine's youthful image.

An SBI ATM booth in Danapur, Bihar, has been repurposed into a hair salon, baffling unsuspecting customers. The kiosk retains its original exterior, leading many to enter expecting to withdraw cash, only to find haircuts in progress. The property owner reportedly rented the space after ATM operations ceased, with the tenant converting it into a barber shop.

India's nuclear journey began with the 1974 'Peaceful Nuclear Explosion' at Pokhran, making it the sixth nation to harness atomic power for defence. Driven by regional security concerns, India conducted the 'Operation Shakti' tests in 1998, solidifying its status as a nuclear power. These advancements underscore India's strategic capabilities and technological prowess.

Mumbai Indians crashed out of the IPL after a loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, marking their sixth consecutive season without a trophy. Inconsistent performances from the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma and a lack of support for Jasprit Bumrah have plagued the team. Yet, Head coach Mahela Jayawardene continues to back the 'core group' despite the struggles.

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink refutes AI bubble concerns, citing a significant shortage in computing capacity, chips, and memory. He predicts a future where financial markets will trade futures of compute, highlighting the growing demand for AI infrastructure. BlackRock is actively investing in data centers and energy assets to meet this demand.

Kerala's next chief minister remains undecided as the Congress high command deliberates between K C Venugopal, V D Satheesan, and Ramesh Chennithala. Lobbying intensifies for the top post, with leaders awaiting a final decision based on merit and political considerations. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are key in the process, urging unity and discipline.