United Arab Emirates has denied claims that Benjamin Netanyahu held a “secret meeting” with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the ongoing conflict with Iran. In a statement carried by state news agency WAM, the UAE said its ties with Israel are conducted openly under the Abraham Accords and rejected reports of undisclosed arrangements as “baseless”. The denial came after Netanyahu’s office claimed he had secretly visited the UAE amid “Operation Roaring Lion”. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office described the alleged meeting as “a historic breakthrough” in bilateral relations during escalating regional tensions involving Iran and Israel. (PC: X)

Xi Jinping and Donald Trump held high-stakes talks in Beijing on Thursday, signalling efforts to stabilise ties between the world’s two largest economies amid ongoing geopolitical and trade tensions. Welcoming Trump at the Great Hall of the People, Xi said, “A stable China-U.S. relationship is a boon for the world. Cooperation benefits both sides, while confrontation harms both. We should be partners and not rivals.” Trump responded warmly, stating, “It’s an honour to be with you. It’s an honour to be your friend.” The meeting is expected to focus on trade disputes, strategic rivalry, global stability and broader economic cooperation between Washington and Beijing.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting hosted by S. Jaishankar, as the ongoing Iran conflict cast a shadow over the two-day summit. Araghchi travelled aboard an Iranian aircraft named “Minab168”, referencing the 168 girls killed in a missile strike in Minab during the US-Israel conflict, a symbol frequently invoked by Tehran. Iran has been urging BRICS nations to adopt a stronger position against the US-Israel military campaign, though divisions within the bloc remain visible. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend, while China’s Wang Yi will skip the meeting.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told NDTV that Tehran no longer has full control over parts of its enriched uranium stockpile amid rising tensions with the United States. The statement comes as Washington increases pressure on Iran’s nuclear programme and demands strict limits on uranium enrichment. Iran maintained that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes but rejected calls to completely halt enrichment or transfer uranium abroad. Reports suggest ongoing diplomatic efforts remain fragile, with disagreements over inspections, sanctions relief and nuclear restrictions continuing to block a breakthrough. The issue has intensified fears of renewed conflict and concerns over Iran’s potential proximity to weapons-grade uranium capability. (PC: NDTV)

The Centre clarified that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to reduce fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary gold purchases and limit foreign travel is not an austerity drive but a call for “wise spending” during global uncertainty caused by the Iran conflict. Government sources said there will be no cuts in welfare schemes, subsidies or public expenditure. Modi urged citizens to conserve fuel, use public transport, work from home when possible and reduce imports that pressure India’s foreign exchange reserves. The government also stressed that there is no immediate fuel crisis, though rising crude oil prices remain a concern amid tensions in West Asia. (PC: India Today)

After nine days of intense discussions and internal consultations, the Congress leadership has reportedly finalised its choice for Kerala’s next Chief Minister following the UDF’s decisive Assembly election victory. Senior leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge held crucial meetings in Delhi before confirming that the official announcement will be made on Thursday. The delay triggered speculation, protests and poster campaigns in Kerala, especially around frontrunner K. C. Venugopal. Other contenders included V. D. Satheesan and Ramesh Chennithala. Congress leaders said all consultations are complete and the party now aims to quickly form the new government in Kerala. (PC: The Hindu)

The post-mortem report of Prateek Yadav, son of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, revealed that a blood clot in the lungs caused cardiorespiratory collapse leading to his death at age 38. Doctors also found six antemortem injuries on his chest, arms and wrist, with some injuries reportedly several days old. Authorities said no immediate signs of foul play were detected, though viscera samples have been preserved for further investigation. Prateek, husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav, had reportedly been suffering from long-term lung-related complications and was undergoing treatment in Lucknow. (PC: NDTV)

Investigators probing the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak found that an MBBS student studying in Kerala allegedly forwarded a “guess paper” to friends in Rajasthan before the examination. Rajasthan Police’s Special Operations Group discovered that over 100 questions closely matched the actual NEET paper, raising suspicion of a larger leak network. Authorities believe the material spread through coaching and student groups across multiple states. The case has now been handed over to the CBI, while the National Testing Agency cancelled the May 3 examination and announced a re-test to ensure fairness and transparency for lakhs of medical aspirants. (PC: PTI)

Tamil Nadu CM Vijay renewed long-standing demand to abolish NEET admissions on Tuesday after the 2026 paper leak controversy triggered nationwide outrage. In a statement posted on X, Vijay urged the Centre to allow states to admit MBBS, BDS and AYUSH students based on Class 12 marks instead of the national entrance examination. He said repeated paper leak incidents exposed “structural flaws” in NEET and highlighted that the exam disadvantages rural, government school, Tamil-medium and economically weaker students. Vijay recalled that a 2024 leak had already led to FIRs and a reform panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan before another cancellation emerged this year. (PC: X)

Amul and Mother Dairy have announced a nationwide hike in milk prices by Rs 2 per litre, effective May 14, 2026. The increase will apply across several popular milk variants and major selling packs. According to the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets Amul products, the revision comes amid rising input costs, including higher cattle feed expenses, packaging costs and overall production expenditure. The latest increase is expected to impact household budgets across India, particularly daily consumption items such as tea, coffee and milk. The move reflects continued inflationary pressure on essential food products and rising operational costs within the country’s dairy sector. (PC: X)