The Hindu

US strikes on Iranian targets occurred after a ceasefire according to France 24 reporting, prompting Iranian accusations of violation. Iranian negotiators arrived in Qatar on May 25, 2026, seeking phased release of approximately $24 billion in frozen assets tied to a 14-point framework. The war reportedly began with US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28.

A collision on May 26, 2026, at the Vierhuizen level crossing in Buggenhout, Belgium, involved a De Lijn minibus carrying seven schoolchildren, one adult supervisor, and one driver. At least four people died, including two teenagers, and rail services were suspended with replacement buses provided. Official condolences were issued by Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin and Ursula von der Leyen.

A Russian ballistic missile attack struck Kyiv on May 24, 2026, wounding at least five people and damaging residential buildings in multiple districts. Ukrainian and U.S. officials had issued advance warnings of the assault, which Moscow linked to prior Ukrainian drone strikes in occupied eastern Ukraine. Casualty figures from a reported Ukrainian strike on a student dorm in Luhansk remain disputed across sources.

Shamir Chandran, an Indian-origin oncologist who worked with the NHS in north-west England, was convicted in November at Carlisle Crown Court of two counts of controlling or coercive behaviour and one count of cruelty to a person under 16. He received a four-year prison sentence in his absence and was subsequently erased from the UK medical register by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service. Chandran has left the UK and denies any wrongdoing.

Petrol and diesel prices rose in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai on May 25, 2026, marking the fourth increase in ten days. Petrol in Delhi reached Rs 102.12 per litre after a Rs 2.61 hike, while diesel reached Rs 95.20 per litre after a Rs 2.71 increase. Cumulative rises since May 15, 2026, total nearly Rs 7.5 per litre.

The Rouse Avenue Court convicted Congress leader Alka Lamba on May 25, 2026, of obstructing public servants during a 2024 Jantar Mantar protest supporting women's reservation. The case stems from events ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with earlier rulings upholding charges in December 2025 and February 2026. Reports from The Hindu and Times of India agree on the conviction and main charge but differ on protest timing, additional charges, and sentencing dates.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stated on May 25, 2026, that Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon remains non-negotiable. Israel maintains troops inside a self-declared yellow line approximately 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory following a March 2 incursion, while a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has been in effect since April 17 and a fourth round of talks is scheduled for early June. One source reports continued Israeli ceasefire violations.

Times of India data list 10,580 economic offences in Bengaluru from 2022 to 2024, with 3,477 recorded in 2024 alone. The Hindu confirms six arrests in a ₹24 crore impersonation case involving a retired teacher. Most listed offences fall under forgery, cheating and fraud categories.

The China Manned Space Agency plans to launch Shenzhou-23 on May 24 2026 at 11:08 p.m. local time aboard a Long March-2F Y23 rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The three-person crew includes payload specialist Li Jiaying, the first astronaut from Hong Kong, and two People's Liberation Army astronauts. One crew member will remain aboard the Tiangong space station for one year, a duration China has not previously achieved.

The World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in central Africa a public health emergency of international concern. The Indian government responded with a non-essential travel advisory to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan plus enhanced airport screening. Supported data show 968 suspected and confirmed cases and 216 deaths as of May 23, 2026, with no approved vaccines or treatments available.

An explosion on May 24, 2026, near Chaman Phatak railway station in Quetta killed at least 24 people and damaged a train carrying military personnel along with nearby vehicles and buildings. Hospitals in Quetta declared emergencies and additional staff were summoned. Injury figures remain disputed between sources, and several details about the train and device remain unverified.

Esakki Subaya, the Ambasamudram MLA, resigned on May 26, 2026, after meeting Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar, following his vote with 24 other rebel AIADMK MLAs in favor of the C. Joseph Vijay-led government on May 13. Three additional MLAs resigned on May 25 and joined TVK. The events occurred under assembly rules with Speaker confirmation.

Suvendu Adhikari, who took the oath as Chief Minister of West Bengal on May 9, held his second janata darbar on May 25, 2026, at the BJP state office in Salt Lake near Kolkata. Hundreds of attendees, including job seekers, queued for individual closed-door meetings using visiting slips and raised complaints about civic issues and syndicate raj. The event was covered by Hindustan Times and The Hindu.

A section of a 1966 overpass in Seoul collapsed on May 26, 2026, during demolition and a safety inspection, killing three and injuring three. The structure had been under removal since August 2025 due to safety concerns, with workers having halted operations after detecting instability. Debris affected nearby rail service to Seoul Station.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the creation of a high-level committee to assess demographic shifts across India. The panel, chaired by retired Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, will examine changes linked to illegal immigration and other unnatural causes. The announcement was made via a post on X, with membership drawn from government and retired officials.

On May 26, 2026, the Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard a petition filed by former ITAT Vice-President Praveen Kumar Bansal regarding long-standing vacancies in administrative posts across 30 ITAT benches. The Court issued notice to the Centre, sought assistance from Attorney General R. Venkataramani, and suggested High Court deputation as a temporary measure. Sources consist solely of left-center outlets The Hindu and Hindustan Times.

On May 25, 2026, the Supreme Court heard pleas concerning the NEET-UG 2026 examination, issuing notices to the Centre, NTA, and CBI while directing affidavits on prior compliance. The exam occurred on May 3, was cancelled on May 5 amid allegations, and a re-examination is set for June 21, with 11 arrests reported by the CBI. The Court expressed concern over the NTA's handling of the matter.

On May 25, 2026, state-owned fuel retailers raised petrol and diesel prices by ₹2.61-2.71 per litre, marking the fourth increase since May 15 and bringing cumulative rises to ₹7.35 for petrol and ₹7.53 for diesel. Rahul Gandhi posted criticism on X, describing the changes as instalment-style hikes that quietly burden consumers. The Hindu and Times of India reported the adjustments and related political statements.

The Quad Foreign Ministers met on May 26, 2026, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Participants launched the U.S.-proposed Indo-Pacific Energy Security Initiative, the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration, and expanded the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness program. India will host the next Quad at Sea mission and a port project in Fiji was announced.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met on May 24, 2026, at Hyderabad House, followed by a joint press conference. The discussions addressed trade, critical minerals, energy, defence, visas, maritime security, and the Middle East, with Rubio commenting on Strait of Hormuz developments. Rubio was on his first visit to India during a four-day trip.

A gas explosion occurred at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan county, Shanxi province, killing 82 people with two still missing from 247 workers underground. The Tongzhou Group-operated mine saw an investigation launched after preliminary findings of serious illegal violations, with all company mines closed and executives detained. The incident is reported as China's deadliest mining accident since 2009.

Tamil Nadu assembly speaker JCD Prabhakar accepted the resignations of three AIADMK MLAs on Monday after they submitted handwritten letters in person. The MLAs, who had previously voted with the TVK government in a trust vote, met a TVK minister immediately afterward. DMK leaders described the moves as horse-trading and Aya Ram Gaya Ram.

US forces carried out strikes on missile launch sites in southern Iran on a Monday, according to multiple reports, following a fragile ceasefire that began April 8. Iran's top negotiator and foreign minister reached Doha for discussions with Qatar's prime minister while US officials commented on negotiations and the Strait of Hormuz. Coverage of the events derives exclusively from left-center sources.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on May 22, 2026, dissolved the government, and appointed Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as the new prime minister on May 25, 2026. Lo previously served at the Central Bank of West African States and in Sonko’s cabinet. Senegal’s parliament is scheduled to vote on Sonko’s potential appointment as speaker on May 26, 2026.

A Turkish court ruled on Thursday that voting irregularities invalidated the 2023 CHP congress election of Özgür Özel, restoring Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu as party leader. Police used tear gas, water cannons, and pepper spray to disperse an Izmir rally called by Özel on Tuesday. The events followed a prior police operation at CHP headquarters in Ankara.

Twisha Sharma, an actor-model, was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal on May 12, 2026. Her family alleged mental harassment and financial demands by her husband and in-laws. The Supreme Court took suo motu cognisance of the case and scheduled a hearing before a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant.

The Cockroach Janta Party, founded by Boston University student Abhijeet Dipke as an unregistered online group with over 20 million Instagram followers, faces a Supreme Court petition filed May 24, 2026. Chief Justice Surya Kant referred to fake law degree holders as “cockroaches” during proceedings, while protests using cockroach imagery occurred in Jaipur and Bhubaneshwar. The petition names the Union Government, MeitY, Bar Council of India, and CBI as respondents.

Marco Rubio toured the Taj Mahal in Agra and Amber Fort in Jaipur on May 25, 2026, accompanied by his wife and the U.S. Ambassador to India. The visits preceded the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting scheduled for May 26 in New Delhi. All reported details originate from a single outlet.

A USCIS policy memo under the Trump administration requires most temporary visa holders, including H-1B workers and OPT students, to depart the United States for consular processing of green cards. Cases involving Indian nationals Maddela Srinivasulu and Sakshi Patel illustrate the procedural shift amid existing per-country backlogs. The change affects adjustment-of-status options previously available inside the country.

Twisha Sharma, a 32-year-old model-turned-actor, was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area. Her family alleged dowry harassment by husband Samarth Singh and mother-in-law Giribala Singh, leading to a High Court petition for a second post-mortem performed by an AIIMS Delhi team. Final rites are scheduled for 5 p.m. on May 24, 2026, at Bhadbhada Ghat.

The Centre has issued vacation notices to the Delhi Gymkhana Club requiring vacating by June 5, with similar notices sent to the Polo Club and Delhi Race Club. The Delhi Golf Club received a lease extension until 2050 on its 179-acre site. Delhi High Court declined interim relief to Gymkhana members on May 26, 2026, while the Supreme Court issued warnings to NDMC officials regarding heritage conservation.

On May 24, 2026, the Indian National Congress criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi following U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statements on a $500 billion Indian commitment to purchase American goods over five years and the May 2025 Operation Sindoor ceasefire. Rubio, speaking from New Delhi, attributed the ceasefire to President Trump. All claims are drawn from left-center sources.

The Kerala High Court acquitted Hussain, the first accused, in the 2018 Attappadi lynching of 27-year-old tribal resident Madhu, while upholding convictions for most other defendants. The ruling relied on digital records contradicting witness identifications. Reporting is limited to two left-center sources with several factual disputes remaining unresolved.