Times of India

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has formally responded to the Wrestling Federation of India's notice. She asserts her eligibility to return to competitive wrestling from January 1, 2026. Phogat claims she has official confirmation from the International Testing Agency. She intends to compete in the ongoing Senior Open Ranking Tournament. Phogat denies anti-doping rule violations and allegations regarding selection trials.

India faces pressure from the EU and US to adopt data exclusivity in trade deals, but a GTRI report warns this could harm its agrochemical industry. Such provisions would create extended monopolies, delay generic pesticide approvals, increase import reliance, and raise costs for farmers, potentially undermining a key export sector.

Indian police are increasingly encountering murder suspects who allegedly draw inspiration from crime thrillers for their cover-ups. Recent cases across multiple states reveal accused individuals attempting to hide bodies, destroy evidence, and mislead investigations using tactics seemingly borrowed from popular films and series, highlighting a disturbing trend.

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.