The Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued its raids for the second consecutive day on educational institutions linked to Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara in Tumakuru city.

While ED sources confirmed that the raids and search operations were being conducted in connection with financial transactions related to the gold smuggling case involving actress Ranya Rao, official confirmation was awaited.

The BJP, however, has linked the raids to actress Ranya Rao’s gold smuggling case, and the Congress has condemned the ED action.

The raids have continued on the Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology (SSIT) located on Kunigal Road, Sree Siddhartha School of Engineering near Kyatsandra Till Gate on the national highway and Sri Siddhartha Medical College in Tumakuru.

The Kerala police have arrested a close male relative of a three-year-old girl who was thrown into the Chalakudy river by her mother earlier this week. The arrest follows a post-mortem report that confirmed the child had been sexually assaulted shortly before her death.

The incident came to light on Monday night when Sandhya, the child’s mother, returned home without her daughter, Kalyani, who was at the local Anganwadi around 3.30 p.m.

Her mother, Ally, questioned her about the child’s whereabouts, to which Sandhya initially responded vaguely, saying, “Kalyani has gone.”

Later, she claimed the child had gone missing from a bus.

Police launched an immediate search operation. CCTV footage from the area revealed Sandhya near the Chalakudy river, raising suspicions.

Actress and former “Bigg Boss 18” contestant Shilpa Shirodkar has “finally recovered” from Covid-19 and said that she is “feeling fine.”

Shilpa shared her health update and wrote: “Finally recovered, feeling fine, thank you each one of you for your love. Have a super blessed Thursday.”

It was on May 19, when the actress had announced that she tested positive for Covid-19, a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

Taking to Instagram, Shilpa shared: “Hello people! I have been tested positive for COVID. Stay safe and wear your mask!- Shilpa Shirodkar.” For the caption, she wrote, “Stay Safe.”

A rise in Covid-19 cases has been recorded across Asia. Several cases have been reported in Hong Kong and Singapore. According to the Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection, the virus is quite active.

The Spices Board has launched the 'Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)' scheme for the fiscal year 2025-26 under which financial assistance is offered across the value chain to farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to enhance the production, quality and export of spices.

The scheme is aimed at increasing the productivity of small and large cardamom, improving the quality of post-harvest processes, and encouraging the production and export of value-added, GI-tagged, and organic spices. It also helps in enabling compliance with global food safety and phytosanitary standards and boosting the capacity of stakeholders across the value chain.

Online applications for the SPICED scheme will open on May 26. Spice exporters can apply under the scheme’s export development and promotion components until June 30, while farmers and FPOs can submit applications under the development components in other categories until September 30.

The HSBC Flash India Composite Output Index – which measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of India's manufacturing and service sectors – on Thursday reported robust business activity in May in the country, climbing to a 13-month high of 61.2, compared with 59.7 in the previous month.

At 61.2 in May, the HSBC Index showcased a sharp rate of expansion in private sector activity.

“The increase was the most pronounced since April 2024. There was a mild loss of growth momentum in the manufacturing industry but service providers reported the fastest rise in output in 14 months,” according to a HSBC Flash India PMI note.

The HSBC Flash India Manufacturing PMI was little changed from April's reading of 58.2. At 58.3 in May, the latest figure was consistent with a sharp improvement in the health of the sector.

Private sector growth in India moved up a gear during May, boosted by an acceleration in the service economy.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) has thanked India for its commitment and support to the historic Pandemic Accord.

After three years of negotiations, the Agreement was adopted by consensus by member countries of the WHO at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva this week.

India is also a signatory to this treaty, which has been in talks since the Covid-19 outbreak, which killed millions of people worldwide. The treaty aims to bridge global healthcare gaps and inequities in case of future pandemics.

“Namaste, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for joining us virtually at a historic 78th WHA when the Pandemic Accord was adopted. We are grateful for India's commitment and support to the WHO,” the WHO chief said in a post on social media platform X.

Captain Muhammad Waseem hailed the spirit of the UAE dressing room after a come-from-behind T20I series win against Bangladesh. It’s just the second time UAE have claimed T20I series against a Full Member, with the first back in 2021 when they defeated Ireland, also 2-1.

Originally slated as a two-match T20I series, the two nations agreed to schedule a third contest, giving the UAE extra incentive having gone 1-0 down on Saturday.

The UAE completed the comeback on Wednesday evening, chasing down Bangladesh’s 162 in the final over of the match, powered by an unbeaten 87-run stand from just 51 balls between Sharafu and Asif Khan.

The series win is more remarkable considering the inexperience of the home side, naming five uncapped players before the series started, and skipper Waseem, who also claimed Player of the Series honours, sang the side’s praises.

US President Donald Trump strongly condemned the shooting that killed two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, late Wednesday night (US time), calling it an act of anti-Semitism.

The victims -- a male and a female employee of the Israeli Embassy -- were gunned down by an unidentified assailant as they exited the museum, according to the US Homeland Security.

Authorities confirmed the deaths and launched a multi-agency investigation into what officials are treating as a hate crime motivated by anti-Semitism.

"These horrible DC killings, based obviously on anti-semitism, must end, now! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God Bless You all!" Trump posted on Truth Social.

South Korea's space agency has launched a dedicated task force to explore participation in future Mars missions through cooperation with the US, the head of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said.

The comments were made at a press briefing marking the agency's first anniversary held in Sacheon, 290 kilometers south of Seoul, where the agency is headquartered, news agency reported.

"The US budget for space exploration is increasingly focused on Mars, with concrete plans to send humans and establish a presence there. In Korea, we have only recently begun to consider what actions we should take at this point," KASA Administrator Yoon Young-bin said.

"We have recently launched a task force," Young-bin added.

"We need to devise exploration plans that are not only scientific but also economically viable so that private companies can play a more ambitious role," added Yoon.

India’s food processing sector is on a transformative growth path, and with consumption trends aligning across urban and rural India, tier 2 and 3 cities are fast becoming the engines of economic growth, according to a new report.

The sector supports over 7 million jobs across the value chain, directly and indirectly, while enabling rural industrialisation and reducing post-harvest losses.

According to the report by Deloitte and FICCI, the sector accounts for approximately 7.7 per cent of India’s total manufacturing GVA (gross value added), and its critical role in generating employment, fostering rural development and enhancing value addition.

The agriculture and food processing sector, representing nearly 30 per cent of the national food market, is gaining momentum due to rising rural demand, digital advancements and strong policy support.