Mammootty's greatness lies not in hiding his flaws, but in turning them into his most powerful acting tools, observes Sreehari Nair.
'If a floor test happens, one group of MLAs may abstain to allow the confidence vote to pass. So theoretically, he can run a minority government as long as the others won't join each other to vote him out.'
The Bharatiya Janata Party has surged past the halfway mark in the West Bengal assembly elections, leading in 185 seats against the Trinamool Congress's 91, signalling a potential political shift in the state. Early trends suggest a geographically split mandate, with the BJP gaining in border, tribal, and industrial regions, while the TMC holds ground in parts of Kolkata and select rural strongholds.
A powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern and northern Japan, prompting a tsunami warning for the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures. Tsunami waves of up to 3 meters were forecast, and residents were urged to evacuate to higher ground. No abnormalities were reported at nuclear plants.
'22 students are fighting over 35,000 seats. In that situation, when someone tells a desperate parent there is a shortcut, and the shortcut costs Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh versus Rs 1.5 crore -- the maths is seductive.'
A severe cold wave has intensified across North India, with Delhi recording its lowest temperature of the season. Rajasthan experienced sub-zero temperatures, and several states have issued alerts and closed schools due to the extreme conditions.
Preferential equity listings in India reached an unprecedented 1,307 in FY26, marking a 33% increase from the previous year and reflecting a strategic choice for companies during market volatility.
Building a party from scratch and leading it to electoral success is an entirely different challenge.
Grammy-winning superstar Rihanna has made a high-profile return to Mumbai, captivating fans at the airport.
International pop star Rihanna's playful embrace of Indian culture, specifically trying Bharatanatyam mudras, has gone viral.
Yuvraj Sandhu, competing on the DP World Tour for the first time, delivered an impressive opening round of 3-under 69 at the Turkish Airlines Open, placing him within the Top-10. Shubhankar Sharma also performed well, finishing with a 2-under 70. Sweden's Mikael Lindberg leads the tournament after a bogey-free 66.
In Tiruppur (North), where the TVK victory margin of 69,992 votes was higher than the 61,760 votes polled by the major Dravidian parties combined -- DMK got 351 votes and AIADMK 61,409 votes.
Dr Reddy's Laboratories has received approval from Health Canada to sell a generic version of the diabetes drug semaglutide, making it the first company to get market authorisation for a generic semaglutide injection in Canada and the first in a G7 country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 594-km-long Ganga Expressway, connecting Meerut to Prayagraj, aiming to boost connectivity, industrial investment, and economic growth in Uttar Pradesh.
Teenage sprinter Gout Gout won the men's under-20 100 metres at the Australian junior championships in Brisbane, clocking 10.21 seconds.
In Tamil Nadu, the political landscape is shifting as the TVK party's attempt to form a government faces challenges from its potential allies. Both the DMK and AIADMK are experiencing internal divisions regarding extending support to the TVK, leading to uncertainty and speculation about potential realignments.
Northern states in India are experiencing severe heatwave conditions, with temperatures reaching up to 46.6 degrees Celsius. The heatwave has impacted daily life, leading to a decline in tourism and increased power demand. Authorities have issued advisories and implemented measures to mitigate the effects of the extreme heat.
President Trump has been briefed on potential military actions against Iran, including strikes on infrastructure and control of the Strait of Hormuz, even as negotiations continue. He maintains economic pressure is the primary strategy, while legal questions arise over war powers.
US President Donald Trump in an exclusive interview to Axios on Wednesday, said that he would continue to keep the naval blockade until Iran agrees to deal with the United States by addressing America's concerns about the nuclear programme.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the site of a terrorist attack in London where two Jewish men were stabbed and addressed the rise of antisemitism in the UK.
SpiceJet passengers experienced significant disruptions as flights were cancelled and delayed, leading to chaos at airports and a barrage of complaints on social media.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala expresses confidence in the UDF's victory in the Kerala assembly elections, attributing it to Rahul Gandhi's leadership and a strong anti-incumbency sentiment.
Despite the ongoing IPL season, May is set to deliver a diverse array of series and movies on OTT platforms.
A review of the accuracy of various exit polls in predicting the outcomes of recent assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu, highlighting the performance of different pollsters.
'Shah Rukh Sir gave us a lot of room to make the film we wanted to make.'
Blockx converts late Madrid call-up into breakthrough semi-final run even as Zeverev joins Federer, Nadal in elite list.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar finished the second round of the Investec SA Women's Open tied for 16th place after dropping two crucial shots late in her round. Other Indian golfers, including Pranavi Urs and Avani Prashanth, also participated, with mixed results.
Exit polls suggest significant shifts in Indian state assembly elections, forecasting BJP gains in West Bengal and Assam, a DMK comeback in Tamil Nadu, and a tight race in Kerala.
Kerala's voters are sophisticated, educated, and unforgiving. They have once again made it clear that no government is entitled to remain in power. The Congress would do well to remember this, points out Ramesh Menon.
Congress leader P T Ajay Mohan has discouraged discussions on who should be the CM before the Assembly poll results, expected on May 4.
Abhay Singh and Nipam set new meet records at the National Junior U-20 Athletics Championships, with several athletes achieving Asian Junior qualification marks.
Under the TMC, Bengal has seen expansion of welfare, but not big-ticket private investment.
Schools in Delhi are taking precautionary measures to protect students from the ongoing heatwave, including suspending outdoor activities, shifting assemblies indoors, and considering early closure for junior classes.
India's first trillion-dollar company will be built on technology it owns, not just operates, predicts Ajay Kumar.
Diksha Dagar impressed at the Investec SA Women's Open, while Patricia Schmidt leads the tournament.
There's a refreshing ease to Meenakshi Govindharajan's style. As a Gen Z fashion girl, she moves seamlessly between modish, experimental fits and rooted traditional look, carrying both with equal grace.
Ghaziabad police arrested three individuals, including a woman, for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 10 crore from a local builder. The accused were former business associates and employees of the victim.
As Vijay is set to lead Tamil Nadu after a historic electoral win, we take a look back at films that built his mass appeal while affirming how cinema shaped his larger-than-life public persona.
'Even if they align with the TVK now, I don't think the AIADMK leadership will completely surrender to the dominance of Vijay.'
A recap of the action of the fifth week of IPL 2026.
