president lai ching te

UAE exits Opec, impacting global oil dynamics amid regional tensions. Ukraine escalates attacks on Russia, forcing Moscow to scale back Victory Day parades. King Charles' US trip strengthens UK-US ties. Syria begins its first transitional justice trial. China pressures African nations, forcing Taiwan's President to cancel a trip.

China's President Xi Jinping met Taiwan's opposition party leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, Chinese state media said. The KMT leader also travelled to the eastern city of Nanjing where she visited the mausoleum of revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen, one of the few Chinese historical figures revered in both Beijing and Taipei.

Lucknow experienced a unique 'Bhajan Clubbing' event at UP Darshan Park, featuring musician Raghav Raja. Attendees in traditional attire immersed themselves in devotional songs, creating a shared, vibrant experience. The evening, marked by audience interaction and flower showers, concluded with a collective rendition of Hanuman Chalisa, fostering intergenerational enjoyment.

Riteish Deshmukh's 'Raja Shivaji' has stormed the box office, achieving a massive Rs 40.34 crore opening weekend. The historical drama, led by its strong Marathi performance, secured its third double-digit collection on Sunday, surpassing Rs 33.90 crore net. This blockbuster debut sets new records for Marathi cinema, outperforming previous hits and exceeding initial expectations.

Magnus Carlsen makes a rare classical over-the-board appearance in Malmo, Sweden, for the TePe Sigeman & Co tournament. While Carlsen is a focal point, young talents like Yagiz Kaan, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Erigaisi Arjun will also vie for attention in the elite eight-player event.

Aspiring engineers in Tamil Nadu can now apply for TNEA 2026 admissions. The Directorate of Technical Education has opened online registrations on tneaonline.org and dte.tn.gov.in, with the deadline set for June 2. Document uploads are due by June 6. This process leads to admission in over 400 colleges offering approximately two lakh engineering seats.

Google's Gemini chatbot now allows users to create and download various file types directly from the chat window, a significant upgrade rolling out globally. This eliminates the need for manual copy-pasting, streamlining workflows for tasks like budget spreadsheets or formatted lecture notes.

Former champions India beat Canada 4-1 in their group tie to improve their chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the Thomas Cup in Horsens, Denmark on Friday. However, Indian women lost to Denmark 1-3 in their Uber Cup Group A match.

Riteish Deshmukh's historical epic 'Raja Shivaji' is set for a grand Maharashtra Day release, boasting strong advance bookings. The film features an ensemble cast, with Salman Khan making a special appearance. Deshmukh revealed Khan's insistence on being part of the project, highlighting their strong bond. 'Raja Shivaji' faces a box office clash with other major releases.

World No. 1 and five-time world Magnus Carlsen suffered his first classical chess defeat in nearly a year after losing to Jorden van Foreest at the TePe Sigeman & Co Tournament 2026 in Malmo. Carlsen had remained unbeaten since his loss to D Gukesh in 2025. Arjun Erigaisi stayed unbeaten after drawing with Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

A Mumbai delivery boy's excitement soared upon receiving an order for Shah Rukh Khan at Mannat. His dream of meeting the superstar quickly turned into a humorous anticlimax when he discovered the order was for a different man with the same name, leading to a polite apology and parcel handover.

Magnus Carlsen clinched the TePe Sigeman & Co. chess title in Malmo after a dramatic classical win against Yagiz Kaan and two decisive blitz victories over Arjun Erigaisi. Carlsen's resilience in the classical phase, forcing complex endgames, proved pivotal. Erigaisi fought valiantly, securing a draw in the classical finale and winning one blitz tiebreak before Carlsen ultimately triumphed.

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed undrafted free agent John Michael Gyllenborg. They could be potentially grooming him to succeed their legendary tight end, Travis Kelce. Gyllenborg is a Kansas City native. He chose the Chiefs after being mesmerized by their strong TE interest and unbeatable offensive scheme. Despite a limited high school football background, his athleticism and potential have drawn widespread attention.

'Raja Shivaji', directed by and starring Riteish Deshmukh as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has delivered the greatest opening week in Marathi cinema history with Rs. 52.65 crore India net in Week 1 and is chasing the Rs. 75 crore India net target as its second weekend begins. Released on Maharashtra Day (May 1, 2026), the Rs. 100 crore historical epic — the most expensive Marathi film ever made features Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Vidya Balan, Genelia Deshmukh and the debut of Rahyl Deshmukh, with Salman Khan's still-viral surprise cameo as Jiva Mahala continuing to drive footfalls.