Stories from earlier this week and beyond.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched the first direct Vande Bharat Express connecting Jammu and Srinagar. The 20-coach train links the two capitals of Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to reduce travel time and give a tourism boost. Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously inaugurated the Katra to Srinagar Vande Bharat in June 2025, and the new direct service is set to begin on May 2.
India-UAE flight fares are still far above normal even as travel slowly rebounds. Operators say return tickets to Kochi can reach about Dh4,114, with April prices running 30–35% higher due to limited seat availability and strong demand. Connectivity is improving, but several routes have not yet regained pre-disruption capacity.
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Infosys is set to build a 20-acre permanent campus in Visakhapatnam, designed for around 7,000 professionals. The move signals growing confidence in the region’s business potential and highlights the widening demand for skilled tech talent. The facility is expected to strengthen Vizag’s position as an emerging IT and employment destination, backed by long-term investment from a global IT player.
Vedanta expects a historic FY26 powered by record profitability in aluminium and zinc, with margins at 38% and 50%. The demerger became effective May 1, and management says all four new entities should trade by end-June. It also mapped a deleveraging route for Vedanta Resources, aiming to bring debt down to $3 billion over three years.
Oil prices surged as reports of potential US military action against Iran and a long blockade of Iranian ports intensified supply fears. With the Strait of Hormuz under threat and talks stalled, Brent jumped above $125 and US WTI above $109. Investors now watch demand-destruction concerns and OPEC+ output decisions for clues on whether the rally holds or reverses.
Myanmar has once again reduced former leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence, leaving her with more than 18 years left to serve. The move is part of a broader prisoner amnesty. Suu Kyi has been detained since the 2021 military coup, and her current whereabouts are not publicly known as international pressure mounts for her release.
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The Supreme Court set aside an employee’s dismissal and recovery order in a Rs 2 lakh alleged embezzlement case, ruling the employer’s inquiry was invalid because it was conducted without any witnesses. The court allowed the employer to hold a fresh inquiry within six months, giving the employee a major win despite the allegations.
Force Motors shares fell about 5.7% after Q4FY26 net profit dropped 36% year-on-year to around Rs 278.5 crore, even as revenue rose 8.2%. The company cited cost pressure for weaker profitability. Yet full-year profit climbed 51% to Rs 1,211.6 crore, and the board recommended a Rs 50 dividend.
L&T Semiconductor Technologies has joined imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program, aiming to speed the shift from monolithic system-on-chips to modular chiplet architectures for next-gen vehicles. The collaboration focuses on safety-critical computing, die-to-die connectivity, and lifecycle testing, while building reference designs and interoperability standards to help multiple vendors integrate reliably and faster.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav on Tuesday flagged off the first direct Vande Bharat Express between Jammu Tawi and Srinagar, a key step in integrating the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link. Officials say the train offers a safer all-weather alternative to the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway, known for frequent landslides, and will cut travel friction for commuters.
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US President Trump signaled that NASA could attempt a Moon landing before his term ends while meeting the Artemis 2 crew. The comments blend political timing with the realities of deep-space engineering, with Trump also asking whether the office itself allows a president to go to space. The remark follows the crew’s historic mission milestones.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned the cabinet that the US-Iran conflict has reversed two years of economic gains. He said the oil import bill has surged from about $300 million to $800 million, deepening debt pressures. Sharif urged unified action and said diplomatic mediation should continue to stabilize the situation.
The US Supreme Court has weakened the Voting Rights Act, opening the door for Republican lawmakers to redraw congressional maps in ways that can boost their advantage. While the timing may be too late for this year’s midterms, the impact is set to shape elections for years ahead, with states such as Florida already moving to implement new districts.
Infosys is scaling its Visakhapatnam operations, adding new capacity after growing its headcount from about 250 in early 2024 to nearly 1,900 today, with another 750 seats expected soon. The company has been allotted 20 acres for a permanent 7,000-seater campus, supported by Andhra Pradesh’s IT and skilling initiatives and local recruitment from freshers to laterals.
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Indian ETFs logged a record FY26 with net inflows exceeding Rs 1.8 lakh crore, led by commodity funds. Gold and silver attracted more investor money than equity ETFs, accounting for over half of total ETF inflows. Market watchers say this signals a clear shift in investor behavior toward diversification and metal-linked exposure through the ETF route.
As global regulators tighten standards, India’s pharma industry is moving beyond its old cost advantage toward tighter compliance, quality systems, and regulatory trust. With scrutiny rising across target markets, exporters face higher expectations on documentation, testing, and manufacturing practices, pushing the $30 billion export engine to recalibrate its playbook for long term access.
Smartworks has logged its second straight profitable quarter, reporting a consolidated net profit of ₹16.6 Cr in Q4 FY26 versus a loss of ₹8.3 Cr a year earlier. Revenue surged 45% to ₹519.7 Cr, pushing total income to ₹532.7 Cr. Full-year FY26 also swung to a ₹10.5 Cr profit as growth accelerated despite rising expenses.
A Delhi court has granted regular bail to Vinesh Chandel, director of political consultancy firm I-PAC, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on April 13 in an alleged money laundering case. The court decision brings relief to Chandel as legal proceedings continue over the ED’s claims and the circumstances surrounding the alleged offense.
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A deadly road accident in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district has left 15 people dead. A pick-up van carrying labourers overturned and collided with an SUV near Chikliya crossing on the Indore-Ahmedabad National Highway. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav have directed officials to provide full support to the injured and the families of the deceased.
Reports say OnePlus and Realme are set to merge operations, with both brands moving under a new sub-product center within the Oppo group. The plan would combine domestic and global business units and unify marketing and after-sales services. The timing also links to OnePlus assessing its future in Europe, signaling deeper consolidation across Oppo’s sub-brands.
Meta’s shares fell 7% in extended trading after the company signaled a sharp rise in AI-related spending. It warned that capital expenditure could climb to $145 billion, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted the returns are not guaranteed. Investors also weighed fresh worries from regulators and a rare decline in Daily Active People, adding to the pressure on sentiment.
Roblox has appointed former Amazon Web Services executive Sunil Rao as Managing Director for India. He will shape the company’s India strategy, build partnerships, and support the local creator ecosystem. Alongside growth goals, Rao’s mandate includes empowering developers while strengthening child safety measures and aligning with relevant regulations.
Samsung Electronics reported record profits, driven by a dramatic jump in chip earnings. But the company warns of a potentially severe chip shortage next year as AI spending accelerates among major customers. That surge in demand is also lifting prices for Samsung’s memory chips. Adding pressure, Samsung is reportedly preparing for a possible strike at its chip division.
IndiGo has started direct flights from Chennai to Réunion Island, becoming the first Indian airline to offer non-stop connectivity to the French overseas territory. The route will operate three times a week, aiming to meet rising demand from tourists, business travelers, and families—especially the large Indian diaspora in the region.
Anthropic released results from BioMysteryBench, a new evaluation set for bioinformatics tasks. Its models reportedly solved about 30% of problems that stumped human scientists, suggesting AI is moving beyond math and coding into biological research workflows. The announcement highlights growing confidence in model-driven discovery, while raising questions about real-world usefulness and benchmarks.
Hindustan Unilever’s Q4 results beat Street expectations with net profit up sharply year-on-year and revenue growing steadily. Margins also improved as EBITDA increased and Home Care powered the best segment performance in 11 quarters, led by strong Fabric Wash demand. Yet HUL shares still fell over 4%, signaling investor concerns beyond the headline numbers.
The Muslim side told the Madhya Pradesh High Court that old revenue records label the Bhojshala complex as a mosque, arguing there is no clear record of a Saraswati temple linked to Raja Bhoj. They seek occupation rights based on historical titles and Muslim law, while objections are raised over the ASI’s survey process.
Cam York delivered overtime heroics as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 in Game 6 to clinch the series. York scored his first career playoff goal on a wrist shot that found the net through traffic, sparking a surge into the second round. Both goalies stood tall, with Dan Vladar earning a shutout for the win.
Meesho shares jumped nearly 10% after JP Morgan initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and a Rs 215 target price. The brokerage expects EBITDA margin expansion and strong net merchandise value growth, fueled by advertising monetization and logistics improvements. It also projects a recovery in free cash flow, betting that Meesho’s market leadership can sustain further gains.
David Allan Coe, the outlaw country singer-songwriter behind “Take This Job and Shove It” and hits like “The Ride,” has died at 86. His wife confirmed his death to Rolling Stone. Coe’s early work included prison-written songs that became part of his debut album, and he was featured in the documentary “Heartworn Highways.”
Google Photos is rolling out an AI-powered digital wardrobe that pulls clothing items from your existing photo library, catalogs them automatically, and lets you mix and match outfits. The feature also supports virtual try-ons as you plan looks. Scheduled for summer 2026, it aims to make outfit selection faster and more personalized without needing a separate app.
ElevenLabs, known for voice AI, is moving into music with ElevenMusic. The new platform aims to help users create and discover AI generated tracks, extending the company’s speech technology into a broader creative workflow. While details are still emerging, the launch signals intensifying competition to turn generative AI into everyday audio tools.
Andhra Pradesh SSC Class 10 results for 2026 are set to be released today, April 30, at 11 AM. Students will be able to check their marks memo on the official BSEAP site, bse.ap.gov.in. If the website is slow or unavailable due to heavy traffic, alternative options like Manabadi and DigiLocker can help students access their results and performance details.
Shell’s $16.4 billion plan to buy ARC Resources is a major readout of a renewed global push into Canada’s oil and gas. With conflict in the Middle East and disruption fears around the Strait of Hormuz, “safer” production markets are gaining attention, reversing a decade-long trend of foreign divestment.
Capgemini reported first-quarter revenue up 7% year-on-year, matching company expectations. The gain was powered by strong performance in North America, aided in part by a recent acquisition. With results tracking its guidance, the firm has reiterated its full-year revenue growth target, even as it added significantly to headcount.
Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin proposed helping supervise Iran’s enriched uranium as a diplomatic solution. Trump adds he wants Putin to focus instead on ending the Ukraine war. The Kremlin warns that any renewed ground offensive against Iran would be perilous and intolerable, raising stakes even as talks circle uranium oversight.
Ahmedabad Police arrested four men accused of using AI tools, including Google Gemini, to generate deepfake videos and allegedly bypass Aadhaar OTP verification to run a loan scam. The case underscores how AI-powered identity fraud is becoming simpler and more accessible, posing fresh risks to India’s digital verification systems and prompting calls for stronger safeguards.
Late Wednesday, after another phase of West Bengal polling, the residence of RSS worker Abhijit Brahma was allegedly targeted and vandalised by a group locals identify as Trinamool Congress supporters. The incident has raised fresh allegations of post-poll violence as the 2026 Assembly elections near their next stretch, with authorities yet to offer full clarity on motives and suspects.
The Indian rupee slid to a record low as investors worried that crude prices, back near 2022 highs, could worsen India’s inflation-growth trade-off. With India heavily dependent on energy imports, higher oil costs may drain capital flows and tighten financial conditions, putting renewed pressure on the RBI to defend the currency.
The Trump administration is reportedly building an international coalition called the Maritime Freedom Construct (MFC) to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. A joint State Department and Pentagon effort will reportedly seek diplomatic, intelligence, and naval help from partner nations, while excluding U.S. adversaries. The goal is long-term energy security after recent shipping disruptions.
GitHub is experiencing outages as demand spikes during the AI coding boom, with unexpected pressure on systems that typically handle routine developer workflows. The disruptions highlight how rapidly automated code generation is changing usage patterns, taxing bandwidth, background jobs, and service stability. Developers may see intermittent access issues even when they are not running advanced AI tools directly.
YouTube is expanding Picture-in-Picture worldwide, letting everyone keep longform videos playing in a floating mini-player while multitasking on Android and iOS. The rollout is aimed at smoother viewing outside the YouTube app, but Premium members still have the exclusive Picture-in-Picture experience for music content.
Country outlaw legend David Allan Coe has died at 86, leaving behind a rebellious persona, prison-fueled storytelling, and a career that reshaped country music. Known for hits like “Take This Job and Shove It,” Coe also became part of controversy with a death-row claim and helped pioneer an all-girl backup band. He died after a period of declining health.
Meta called its Q1 a “milestone” as revenue rose 33% to $56.3 billion and net profit climbed 61% to $26.8 billion, though boosted by a one-time tax benefit. Still, the real story is the AI push: Meta raised 2026 capex guidance to $125–$145 billion to secure massive computing capacity, tied to custom chips and multi-year cloud deals.
Amazon has expanded its Amazon Future Engineer (AFE) scholarship program in India by adding 500 new scholarships for 2026, supporting 2,000 active scholars overall. Eligible women pursuing B.E./B.Tech in CS or allied branches from low-income backgrounds receive ₹2 lakh over four years, plus a laptop, training, mentorship, webinars, and an eight-week paid internship after their second year.
The Bombay High Court has finally settled a decades-long land dispute, rejecting a brother’s bid to be treated as a “deemed tenant” over his deceased sister’s agricultural property. The court held that a brother who cultivates his sister’s land does so as a family member, not under tenant rights, ruling in favor of her adopted son.
Hindustan Unilever’s shares fell more than 3% after its Q4 results, even as consolidated net profit jumped 21% to Rs 2,994 crore. The stock slipped to an intraday low around Rs 2,223. HUL also declared a final dividend of Rs 22 per share, but the market reaction suggests investors were focused on what came after the numbers.
India has revised its OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) framework, expanding eligibility to include fifth and sixth-generation Indian-origin Tamils in Sri Lanka. The update also removes the six-month waiting period after arrival for OCI applications. At the same time, stricter compliance is being introduced, including a fine if applicants fail to update passport details on time to improve monitoring and streamline processing.
Japanese government bond yields climbed on Thursday, with the benchmark 10-year JGB yield reaching a 29-year high. Markets reacted to reports of possible U.S. military action to end the Iran stalemate, which pushed oil to a four-year high. The surge raised fresh inflation concerns, driving bond yields higher as investors repriced rates expectations.
Australia’s new law blocking social media access for under-16s hasn’t produced a noticeable change in user behavior, according to government reporting. Major platforms remain dominant in app rankings, while cyberbullying has increased, with TikTok frequently linked to incidents. Other countries are closely watching Australia’s results as they consider similar steps.
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