The 2026 Kerala Assembly elections marked the return of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power after a decade, ending the Left Democratic Front’s two consecutive terms.The UDF won 102 of the 140 assembly seats in the state, giving a decisive mandate that exceeded most pre-poll projections. The Congress emerged as the largest party in the alliance with 63 seats, while the CPI(M)-led LDF saw a sharp decline in its numbers, with the Marxist party itself reduced to 26 seats.Following the decision, senior Congress leader VD Satheesan took oath as the chief minister, leading the 20-member cabinet at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The new Council of Ministers includes 14 first-time ministers, two women and two representatives from the Scheduled Caste community.The election also saw several high-profile defeats of the outgoing government. Thirteen LDF cabinet ministers lost their seats, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who resigned after the results were declared on 4 May.Voting for the assembly elections took place on April 9, with a voter turnout of 78.27% among over 2.7 crore voters.The UDF campaign focused on issues including unemployment, inflation and governance, while the LDF sought re-election on its record in welfare delivery, health care and education.This result also has broader political significance. Kerala remained the only state ruled by a Communist-led government after the Left lost power in West Bengal in 2011 and Tripura in 2018. With the defeat of the LDF, India no longer has a communist-led state government.CPI(M) admitted the setback after the results, saying the party would review the decision and assess the reasons for the defeat.Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition were present in the swearing-in ceremony. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and chief ministers of Congress-ruled states underlined the party’s attempt to project the Kerala victory as a significant political gain.

East Bengal’s 22-year drought for a major Indian trophy ended on 21 May. And it ended in the most dramatic fashion.

Ultimately it was “Ilish” who won after 22 years of pain, near misses, mismanagement and even a fight for survival in the top flight of Indian football. All those stories came to an end when East Bengal beat Inter Kashi FC 2-1 in Kolkata, with goals from their star striker Youssef Ezzari and crowd-favourite Palestinian midfielder Mohammed Rashid.

And the icing on the cake for many anxious and distressed Bengalis who have waited for this moment for over two decades could be that East Bengal triumphed over arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Super Giants in the title race itself.

Mohun Bagan won their encounter against Sporting Club Delhi 2-1 and even celebrated with hopes of sealing their fate, but missed out on winning the title on goal difference. After years of dominance, this year it was Mohun Bagan’s turn to see their arch-rivals finally cross the finish line ahead of them.

The Indian Super League, no matter how chaotic the season felt before and during the campaign, somehow produced its best performance on the final day of the tournament.

Heading into the final round, four teams still had a realistic chance of winning the title. East Bengal entered the night on top of the table, followed by defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giants, while Mumbai City FC and Punjab FC also remain in the race. Even Jamshedpur FC still has a chance of a mathematical miracle to pull off one of the wildest titles ever seen by Indian football.

The tension was running high in exactly the way East Bengal fans have become painfully accustomed to over the years, with the anxiety lasting till the very end. And on the final day of this ISL, the anxiety set in almost immediately.

Within just nine minutes against a lowly Inter Kashi team, East Bengal had already conceded defeat. And this was not even a common goal. Alfred Planas produced a thunderous volley that flew with such technique and theatrics that it immediately felt dangerous beyond the scoreline.

For a few seconds, it felt as if half of West Bengal had their hands on his head, mouth or perhaps heart.

The flashbacks started returning immediately.
2012.
2014.
2018.
They all finished as runners-up. All those league titles are slipping away. All those final day heartbreaks.

But as the Bengali saying goes, “Hal Cherona Bandhu” – don’t lose hope, my friend. And for once football finally smiled on the East Bengal supporters.

Oscar Bruzon, in charge of East Bengal, stood on the historic touchline in what might have been his final match, his eyebrows furrowed with nervousness. He knew exactly what this night meant.

In the 49th minute, Yousuf Ezejari scored the equalizing goal for East Bengal. Despite the attendance being only around 9,000, Kishore Bharti Krirangan burst into flames. The fear broke. Hope returned.

And then suddenly, the night started turning completely red and golden.

In the 62nd minute, Clarence Fernandes gave Sporting Club Delhi the lead against Mohun Bagan Super Giant. The noise inside the Salt Lake Stadium subsided, almost so much that it felt like you could hear the loud celebration coming to Kishore Bharti from the other end of Kolkata.

But East Bengal did not want a repeat of the past. And it was their Palestinian strongman Mohammed Rashid who ensured this.

72nd minute.
East Bengal took the lead.
East Bengal got the trophy with one hand

A hand that had waited for more than two decades to finally touch silver again.

And after that, nothing else matters.

Mohun Bagan has no equal.
Not Mumbai City, who scored two late goals against Punjab FC.
Later Mohun Bagan did not take the lead.

Nothing matters.

The dream of East Bengal refused to end.

While this ISL season will probably be remembered with bitterness due to the turmoil surrounding Indian football, uncertainty over the future of the league and the exhausting battle to keep the competition alive, East Bengal fans will happily enjoy every bit of it.

And honestly, after 22 years of waiting, they deserve it.

– ends

Washington: For years, American commencement (convocation) speakers could safely rely on formulaic speeches featuring inspirational clichés, autobiographical struggles, and sermons exhorting new graduates to “dream big” and not be afraid of failure. In 2026, there is a new safety rail: Mention artificial intelligence at your own risk.Across the United States this early season, graduation ceremony speakers invoking AI have been greeted not with polite applause but with boos and ridicule. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was harassed after telling undergraduates at the University of Arizona that they would help shape the future of AI — an argument that landed awkwardly among students looking into an increasingly tough job market due to automation, layoffs and hiring freezes.At the University of Central Florida, graduates booed when real estate executive Gloria Caulfield declared that “the rise of AI is the next industrial revolution.” The reaction was so immediate that the startled speaker asked, “What happened?” Before attempting to continue the game. At Middle Tennessee State University, music executive Scott Borchetta also drew criticism when speaking about the impact of AI on the creative industries. Instead of optimism, many graduates heard something else: “Congratulations, your replacement is scalable.”Hungama is more than campus theatre. It reflects a broader American backlash against a tech system that is increasingly seen as enriching billionaires and hurting everyone else. While the elites promise growth and abundance, young graduates (and their parents) are worrying about electricity bills, water supplies and vanishing entry-level jobs. Anger is now spreading beyond campuses to suburbs, farmland and zoning-board meetings — especially around data centers, the giant warehouse-like facilities powering the AI ​​boom. Just outside Washington, DC, in Northern Virginia, nicknamed “Data Center Alley,” residents are battling a proposed server farm over noise, electricity use, land consumption and environmental impact. A similar movement has spread in Georgia, Arizona, Oregon, Texas and New Jersey.It’s become such a hot topic that President Trump himself faced questions on it on Wednesday, only to emphasize that “AI has been amazing, because right now we have by FAR more jobs in the United States than ever before, more people working,” before immediately turning to Iran. Billionaires – from chipmakers to cloud providers to venture capitalists – have promoted AI as the next transformative leap in human productivity. They are not completely wrong. AI promises medical breakthroughs, faster scientific research, personalized education, better logistics, greater efficiency, and potentially trillions in economic output. “AI exists and in many areas it is smarter than humans. We have to get used to the idea that it will replace humans in many areas,” says Lil Mohan, a professor who teaches a course on artificial intelligence at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.Yet critics argue that the benefits are unevenly distributed. Graduates entering journalism, design, software engineering, law, marketing, or customer support now simultaneously hear that AI will create extraordinary productivity gains – and entry-level work may shrink as software can draft memos, generate code, summarize documents, or design graphics.Residents near proposed data centers meanwhile hear promises of innovation and tax revenue, but see ever-increasing energy demand, heavy water consumption, deindustrialized landscapes and relatively modest permanent job creation. Public skepticism towards AI has increased as communities question whether technological acceleration exceeds democratic consent. “This is a very natural reaction of the graduating class because there is some small truth to the decline in entry-level jobs,” says Aditya Balu, who graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2019 and is now an operations analyst in an AI unit at the World Bank. Yet the story is not simply one of AI-optimism or techno-pessimism. There is also a warning often omitted from Silicon Valley keynote speeches throughout history: Change causes harm. They redistribute power. They create winners and losers. And when ordinary people believe that the billionaire class captures most of the profits while the community absorbs the disruptions, anger arises.Which might explain why America’s graduates are screaming.

New Delhi: NTA Director General Abhishek Singh told a parliamentary panel on Thursday that the NEET-UG 2026 paper was not leaked “through their system” and said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the matter.During the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports on Thursday, several MPs questioned top officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) over the alleged NEET paper leak.The parliamentary panel had summoned senior officials of the Education Ministry, including Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, NTA Chairman Pradeep Kumar Joshi and DG Abhishek Singh. NTA officials reportedly gave a detailed presentation on the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan committee report on reforms in the examination agency.According to PTI, several MPs questioned the NTA on the steps it was taking to strengthen the examination system and prevent future paper leaks. Sources told the agency that when MPs asked how the NET paper was leaked if not through the NTA system and why the exam had to be canceled and re-conducted, Singh said the matter was under CBI investigation.The report said some opposition MPs demanded that the CBI investigation report be placed before the committee, while BJP MPs objected, arguing that the agency should be allowed to work independently.NTA informed the panel that about 70 per cent of the short-term measures recommended in the Radhakrishnan report have already been implemented. Officials also said that the agency is considering conducting NEET through Computer Based Testing (CBT) platform in future.The panel members also expressed concern over the shortage of staff at the NTA. According to sources quoted by PTI, the agency informed the MPs that it is currently facing a staff shortage of about 25 per cent and efforts are underway to systematically fill the vacancies.After the meeting, panel chairman and Congress MP Digvijay Singh refused to disclose details of the deliberations and said the proceedings of the parliamentary committee were confidential. However, he later said that the meeting “went very well” and the members expressed concern over the NEET paper leak.NTA also briefed the committee about the measures being taken to prevent examination irregularities, including detailed SOPs for violation management, coordination with state administrations and monitoring of social media platforms for suspicious activity.NTA informed the panel that NEET-UG 2026 was conducted on May 3 at 5,432 centers in 565 cities, including 14 international cities. Over 22.7 lakh candidates had registered for the exam, while over 22.05 lakh candidates appeared.The NTA reportedly told the committee that it received inputs about the alleged malpractice on May 7, four days after the exams, and escalated the matter to central agencies on May 8. Following the investigation findings shared by law-enforcement agencies, it was decided to cancel NEET-UG 2026 and re-conduct the exam on June 21.

The ancient Egyptians cleverly used a forgotten, high-volume Nile branch, the Khufu Branch, to transport huge pyramid stones. Image Credit: Chatgpt

If you’ve ever spent any time on TikTok or history subreddits, you’ve definitely seen wild theories about the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Aliens, lost future civilizations, complex sound-wave levitation – people will believe anything rather than admit that humans have just discovered it.Given the modern scenario, the skepticism is justified to some extent. Today, the Great Pyramid rises from the sun-bleached desert four miles from the ferocious Nile River. It’s an engineering fever dream to imagine Bronze Age workers carrying 2.3 million stone blocks, each weighing more than two tons, across miles of scorching sand.But a major environmental success shows that we’ve been looking at the problem all wrong. The ancient Egyptians did not work hard; He worked more cleverly. They used a vast, forgotten water highway that ran just beneath the Giza Plateau.ancient green corridor under the sand4,500 years ago, the world was a different place under the rule of the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Giza was not a desert wasteland, but a busy port city on the port front.An international team of scientists literally delved into the history of the landscape to prove it. In a groundbreaking research paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesThe researchers extracted fossil pollen from sediment cores deep beneath the modern Giza flood plain.By analyzing these microscopic ancient plants, the team created an 8,000-year history of the local environment. They found many marsh-loving plants and flowering river grasses that grow only in still, deep water. The data confirmed the existence of a long-lost, naturally occurring high-volume channel of the Nile, called the Khufu Branch, which flows right next to the pyramid construction sites.This was not a shallow bay. At the height of pyramid construction, the Khufu branch was operating at about 40% of its Holocene maximum capacity. Thus, it was so deep and wide that cargo boats could easily travel, there was a sea highway directly from the distant mines to the Giza plateau.

Scientific evidence shows that this ‘water highway’ flowed directly towards Giza, which proves that they did not work harder, but more wisely. Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Engineering with the flow of natureWhere the ancient Egyptians weaponized geography, instead of brutalizing human labor across miles of sand, they built a complex of ports and canals that connected directly to this natural river branch, creating a highly organized logistics hub.Environmental evidence is strengthened by the direct testimony of those who actually did the work. Another very impressive study looked at Merer’s JournalWhere researchers examined logbooks written on ancient papyrus found near the Red Sea.The logs are kept by a specialized inspector named Merer, and they describe the daily operations of a crew of about 200 men who took high-quality limestone blocks from the quarries of Tura directly to Giza. Merer gives a detailed description of the loading of the huge stones onto boats, their transport down the Nile and then through a network of artificial canals to the ‘Pool of Khufu’, a huge port complex fed by the Khufu branch.Rather than relying solely on muscle power, engineers likely used the Nile’s annual floods as natural hydraulic lift. They created deep water basins that filled in during high water season, so that heavy transport boats could float up to the base of the construction ramp.When the cosmic freeway ran drySo where did this great river highway go? The answer is gradual, worldwide changes in climate.The pyramids were built right at the end of the African Humid Period, when North Africa received much greater amounts of rainfall than today. Over centuries, small changes in the amount of solar radiation received by Earth gradually dried out East Africa.Due to the failure of rains and the continuous decrease in the water level of the Nile, the depth of the Khufu branch began to decrease. By the time King Tutankhamun ascended the throne centuries later, the waterway had greatly diminished. Ultimately, it dried up completely, due to centuries of blowing desert sand and changing agricultural needs.The disappearance of the river branch effectively sealed the pyramids in the deep desert, creating a geographical mystery that has baffled historians for generations. The ancient Egyptians did not need cosmic help to create the wonders of the ancient world. All they had to do was learn their local ecosystem, know river logistics like the back of their hand, and get a little help from nature at just the right time.

BENGALURU: German auto technology supplier Bosch is looking at partnerships and joint ventures to accelerate development and market entry in new mobility technologies, marking a shift from the traditionally in-house approach, its India managing director told TOI.The comment comes a day after Bosch announced a joint venture with Wheels India and Brakes India, both parts of the TSF Group, to develop electronically controlled and software-driven air systems for commercial vehicles.“Historically, Bosch has always done everything itself,” Bosch India MD Guruprasad Mudlapur told TOI. But he said the company is now seeing more value in combining complementary strengths through partnerships, especially in emerging automotive technologies.“The market perspective and the strength of the companies are on how we can put things together complementary, bring speed to market, how we can evolve things, in today’s environment when we partner, it can be much more dynamic and different,” he said.“It’s a thought process that is now gaining widespread attention in the group,” Mudlapur said.While joint ventures are relatively new for Bosch India, they are not new for the German group globally. Bosch has long worked in automotive electronics and mobility systems in China through partnerships, including United Automotive Electronic Systems, a long-running joint venture in the country’s automotive electronics market.Mudlapur also pointed to Bosch’s existing JV structures in China, saying the company has partnered with several large automotive players there over the past few years.The newly announced India joint venture will focus on electronically controlled systems for air compression, suspension and braking in commercial vehicles. Bosch will contribute electronics, software and control capabilities, while TSF Group will bring expertise in hydraulics and pneumatics systems.Mudlapur said the main objective of the partnership is to improve “speed to market”, while localization could emerge as a “by-product”. He also clarified that the joint venture was “not” a China-plus-one strategy.The venture will initially focus largely on exports, he said, as advanced electronically controlled braking and suspension systems are already more widely adopted in western markets than in India.“It starts largely with exports,” Mudalapur said, adding that the systems are currently more relevant in foreign commercial vehicle markets.Separately, Bosch said it is cautious about geopolitical risks associated with the Middle East crisis and crude oil volatility, warning that higher fuel-price pass-through could ultimately weigh on the broader economy and demand environment.Bosch India on Wednesday reported a 37.6% rise in net profit to Rs 2,770 crore for financial year 2025-26, while revenue from operations rose 10.8% to Rs 20,034 crore. Net profit in the March quarter rose 2.7% year-on-year to Rs 568 crore, while revenue rose 13.3% to Rs 5,566 crore.

Conor McGregor. Image via: Getty Images

Conor McGregor is getting closer to his long-awaited UFC return, but newly aired training footage has raised concerns among fans who believe the former two-division champion no longer looks like the explosive fighter he once dominated the sport. The footage, which began spreading widely across Reddit, shows McGregor working on pads in preparation for his scheduled rematch against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas. McGregor has not fought since July 2021, when he suffered a devastating leg break during the opening round of his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Since then, repeated withdrawal attempts have stalled. A planned comeback against Michael Chandler in 2024 fell through when McGregor pulled out due to a toe injury, while retirement speculation continued to grow around the Irishman during his extended absence from the Octagon.

Fans focused heavily on McGregor’s pace and speed in the latest footage

The latest clip immediately sparked debate as many viewers felt McGregor looked unusually heavy, stiff and lacked the fluid motion that once defined his striking. The Irishman appears to have grown up considerably again, returning to a larger physical frame similar to the power-focused version of himself seen at the end of his UFC career. Many fans expressed critical reactions below the viral clip. “He doesn’t look comfortable at all brother,” wrote one viewer, predicting that Holloway could stop him in the third round. Another said, “When I look at McGregor’s division I see toughness. They’re stuck in the mud.” One particularly blunt response read: “I get he needs the money, but he’s over-washed. Literally nothing like him anymore, he’s a whiny boxer with no speed or power.”You can watch Conor McGregor’s new training video posted on Reddit Here. The criticism reflects growing uncertainty over McGregor’s return after nearly five years away from active competition.

McGregor continues to show confidence ahead of Holloway rematch

Despite the criticism, McGregor himself has appeared highly motivated during the build-up to UFC 329. Earlier this year, he announced the Holloway rematch in typical fashion via social media, claiming he would make Holloway his “son” again, more than 13 years after defeating him by unanimous decision during their first meeting at UFC Fight Night 26 in 2013. That original fight took place before either man became a global UFC superstar.

McGregor vs Holloway UFC 329 Return Fight / Image: X

McGregor later became the promotion’s first simultaneous two-division champion, compiling a professional record of 22 wins and six losses, while Holloway built one of the strongest featherweight resumes in UFC history with 27 wins and nine losses. Before training camp, McGregor publicly thanked fans for supporting him during the toughest period of his fighting career. The 37-year-old said the encouragement has given him new energy ahead of his comeback, and also praised his coaches and teammates for helping him sharpen his preparation. McGregor specifically mentioned long-time teammate Niccolo Soli, saying that recent practice sessions have inspired him to further improve. He also stressed that he now feels mentally and physically stronger than ever. “The support from the fans has made me excited to begin an intense training camp,” McGregor wrote. He also said that he hoped his return could inspire young fighters around the world.

Other UFC fighters have openly questioned whether McGregor should still compete

The growing criticism surrounding the footage came as several UFC fighters publicly questioned whether McGregor should return at this stage of his career. British featherweight contender Arnold Allen recently admitted that he believes McGregor risks damaging his legacy by continuing to fight. “I don’t think McGregor should come back. He’s made his money,” Allen told sportsbible Before his fight against Melquizel Costa on May 17. “The only thing he can do now is spoil his career by staying too long. He’s done everything.” Even with those concerns, McGregor’s return remains one of the biggest attractions in combat sports due to the scale of his name, the length of his absence and the uncertainty over which version of him will ultimately enter the cage against Holloway. There is already speculation about what will happen if McGregor is successful in defeating Holloway in July. One of the names repeatedly linked with a future blockbuster fight is current UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, though much of that discussion still hinges on whether McGregor can prove he remains competitive after years away from elite level fighting.