The Congress party on Tuesday denied rumours about a change in Karnataka’s Chief Minister. The clarification came after a six-hour meeting in Delhi with top party leaders and Karnataka ministers. Congress leader KC Venugopal said the meeting only discussed the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and not the Chief Minister’s post. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were also present at the meeting. The party asked people not to believe in speculation. Rumours about leadership changes in Karnataka had been circulating for several days. Congress leaders said the focus remains on strengthening the party and preparing for the Rajya Sabha polls. (PC: PTI)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heatwave warning for parts of Himachal Pradesh for the next two days. Districts like Una, Kangra and Shimla may see temperatures rise by 2 to 5 degrees Celsius. Una recorded the highest temperature at 41.6 degrees Celsius. From May 28, a fresh Western Disturbance is expected to bring rain, snowfall, thunderstorms and hailstorms across the state. Strong winds may also hit high-altitude areas. The weather department advised people to stay hydrated and avoid heat exposure. Farmers were asked to protect crops from hail and strong winds. (PC: PTI)

A 45-year-old Indian woman from Gujarat was shot dead during a suspected robbery at a supermarket in Virginia, US, on May 23. The victim, Meghna Patel from Mehsana district’s Jantral village, had been working at the store for nearly 10 years. CCTV footage reportedly shows a masked gunman entering the nearly empty supermarket as a customer before shooting her at close range within seconds. The attacker allegedly continued firing before fleeing with items from the counter area. Patel’s family lives in both Gujarat and the US. Her death has triggered grief in her native village and among the Gujarati community in America.

The Central government on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee to examine the impact of illegal infiltration and other factors behind what it called “unnatural demographic change” in India. The panel, chaired by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, will assess demographic shifts linked to illegal immigration and analyse population changes among religious and social communities. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the issue was linked to national security, sovereignty and social stability. The committee will recommend planned and time-bound solutions. The move comes amid the Centre’s renewed push to identify and deport illegal infiltrators across the country. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump has renewed efforts to expand the Abraham Accords as part of a broader Middle East peace plan, placing Pakistan under pressure over possible recognition of Israel. Pakistan has maintained that it will not recognise Israel without the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Pakistani Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said joining any agreement against Pakistan’s “fundamental ideologies” was unacceptable. Analysts say Saudi Arabia’s position could strongly influence Islamabad’s next move, as regional powers reassess ties with Israel under growing US diplomatic pressure. (PC: NDTV)

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced several welfare measures, including ₹5 fish-rice meals at around 400 canteens across the state twice a week. He also said forms for the Annapurna Yojana, which promises ₹3,000 monthly support for women, will be issued from May 27. Adhikari added that liquor shops will not be allowed within one kilometre of schools, colleges and places of worship. The chief minister also announced a separate AYUSH department for the state. Since taking office earlier this month, Adhikari has unveiled multiple policy changes and administrative decisions in West Bengal. (PC: HT)

Samarth Singh, husband of former actor-model Twisha Sharma, told police that she became emotionally distressed after an abortion and that her behaviour changed after learning about her pregnancy in April. Singh, who is on seven-day police remand in Bhopal, also claimed he had given Twisha Rs 7 lakh but did not explain why. The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into Twisha’s death after Supreme Court directions. Twisha was found dead at her matrimonial home on May 12. Her family has accused Singh and his relatives of dowry harassment, abuse and tampering with evidence. Singh has denied the allegations. (PC: X)

An LNG tanker carrying gas from the UAE reached Gujarat’s Dahej terminal on Tuesday after crossing the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such arrival in India in over two months. The Liberia-flagged vessel Al Hamra carried around 62,000 tonnes of LNG from ADNOC’s Das Island facility. Trade sources said the cargo belongs to state-run GAIL. The tanker arrived as energy shipments through the Strait remained heavily disrupted due to the West Asia conflict. India depends on LNG imports for nearly half of its natural gas needs. Officials hope the arrival will help restore more energy supplies from the Persian Gulf. (PC: The Indian Express)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will intensify military strikes against Hezbollah after the Israeli military launched fresh attacks across Lebanon, including the Bekaa Valley. The Israeli army said the strikes targeted Hezbollah positions, while the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group claimed it carried out 22 drone and rocket attacks on Israeli targets in retaliation. Hezbollah accused Israel of violating the ceasefire extended earlier this month. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The renewed escalation has raised concerns over the stability of the fragile ceasefire agreement. (PC: BBC)

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) apologised after Delhi Class 12 student Vedant Shrivastava discovered that another student’s Physics answer sheet had been uploaded under his roll number during re-evaluation. Vedant Shrivastava had raised concerns on social media after receiving unexpectedly low marks in Physics. His post later went viral, with several users trolling him online and calling him “Pakistani” because his X profile location showed “South Asia”. CBSE later admitted the mismatch, emailed him the correct answer sheet and said his marks would be revised. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the online abuse. (PC: HT)