Times of India

Banks nationwide are closed today, May 24th, for the fourth Saturday of the month, as per RBI guidelines. While physical branch services are unavailable, digital banking options like mobile apps, ATMs, and online payment systems remain operational for uninterrupted transactions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared the arrival of the southwest monsoon over Kerala on Saturday, marking its earliest onset since 2009, reaching eight days ahead of schedule. While the timing of the monsoon's arrival in Kerala varies annually, meteorologists emphasize that it doesn't directly influence the total rainfall or its distribution across India.

Travel blogger Jyoti Malhotra, known as Travel with Joe, faces espionage charges for Pakistan, raising concerns due to her extensive international travel. Records show visits to Dubai, Kathmandu, and Kashmir in January, followed by Pakistan in March and Indonesia in May.

The Global Trade Research Initiative suggests that manufacturing iPhones in India remains financially advantageous for Apple, even with a potential 25% US tariff. Lower labor costs in India, around $230 per month compared to $2,900 in the US, significantly reduce assembly expenses.

Border Security Force (BSF) successfully neutralized a Pakistani intruder attempting to infiltrate Indian territory in Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Friday night. The intruder disregarded warnings and continued advancing towards the border fence, prompting BSF troops to open fire. This incident occurred amidst heightened security following Pakistan's cross-border activities, including India's Operation Sindoor targeting terror camps.

A video showing a Muslim driver offering namaz in Tirumala, a Hindu pilgrimage town, has sparked controversy. The incident, which occurred near the Purohita Sangham area, has drawn criticism for allegedly violating rules prohibiting non-Hindu religious practices on the Tirumala hills.

Rajat Patidar and Pat Cummins faced fines for slow over-rates during their IPL match, with Patidar incurring a heavier penalty of Rs 24 lakh due to RCB's repeat offence. Cummins was fined Rs 12 lakh for SRH's first violation. The match saw SRH defeat RCB by 42 runs, as the IPL emphasizes over-rate penalties to maintain the pace of play.

Stephen A. Smith, an ESPN analyst, addressed the public dispute involving Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin III. The disagreement stemmed from Griffin III's comments on WNBA players Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Clark criticized Griffin III, leading to personal attacks. Smith defended Clark, stating that firing him would be unwarranted.

Rajendra Hagawane, an expelled NCP functionary, and his son Sushil were apprehended in Swargate after a week-long search following the alleged suicide of Vaishnavi Hagawane. Police teams had been actively pursuing them since the incident on May 16 in Bhukum. A court has remanded both into custody until May 28 for further investigation.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin has returned from retirement to actively contribute to the company's AI development, driven by the transformative potential of generative AI. Brin is deeply involved in training Google's Gemini models, aiming for artificial general intelligence. He considers AI more impactful than previous tech revolutions, focusing on expanding Google's computational capabilities to meet the surging demand.

Donald Trump warned Apple that if it builds factories in India, the company will face tariffs when selling its products in the United States. Trump threatened a 25 per cent tariff on smartphones made outside the US, extending the warning to other manufacturers like Samsung. He said his expectation that iPhones sold in America should be manufactured domestically.

In a tragic incident on the Bhopal-Indore Highway, three childhood friends, Pankaj Sisodia, Preet Ahuja, and Vishal Dabi, lost their lives when their speeding SUV crashed into a tree and electric pole. Rahul Kanade, the fourth friend, is critically injured and receiving treatment.

During his Berlin visit, external affairs minister Jaishankar firmly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, asserting India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and its resolve against nuclear blackmail. He emphasised that all issues with Pakistan would be handled bilaterally, excluding third-party involvement. Discussions with German leaders focused on strengthening the India-Germany partnership, with Germany expressing support for India's right to self-defense.

India strongly criticized Pakistan at the UN Security Council for its hypocritical stance on civilian protection, citing Pakistan's support for terrorists and recent attacks on Indian civilians and religious sites. India highlighted Operation Sindoor, launched in response to a terror attack, and accused Pakistan of cross-border shelling that severely damaged border communities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru squandered a golden opportunity to seal a top-two finish in the IPL 2025 standings, falling to a 42-run defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday. Chasing a daunting 232-run target—powered by Ishan Kishan’s scintillating unbeaten 94 off 48 balls—RCB needed a precise and aggressive approach with the bat.

Seven men, accused in a 2024 gang-rape case, were released on bail after 17 months and celebrated their return with a large vehicle procession, sparking public outrage. Videos showed them waving and their supporters cheering, leading to re-arrests for bail violations and an ongoing investigation. The incident, initially reported as moral policing, involved a 26-year-old woman who identified the accused.

In Delhi, a 24-year-old businessman from Bihar, Arun Mehto, was murdered due to an illicit affair. Police arrested a couple after discovering the wife's relationship with Mehto. The husband, upon learning of the affair, coerced his wife to lure Mehto to a secluded area where he fatally struck him with an iron rod, disposing of the body in Maidan Garhi.

Neeraj Chopra secured second place at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, battling tough weather conditions to achieve an 84.14m throw in his final attempt. Julian Weber of Germany outperformed Chopra with an 86.12m throw, while Anderson Peters of Grenada finished third. Chopra will now concentrate on upcoming competitions in Paris and Ostrava.

Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 42 runs, marking RCB's first away loss in IPL 2025. Ishan Kishan's explosive 94 propelled SRH to 231/6. Despite a strong start from Salt and Kohli, RCB's chase faltered, leading to a collapse and a final score of 189. Cummins and Malinga starred with the ball, securing a morale-boosting victory for SRH.