Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Neel Garg launched a scathing attack on Congress and its Ludhiana West by-election candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu, accusing them of resorting to sympathy-driven theatrics to mislead the public. Garg highlighted how Ashu, who is embroiled in serious corruption charges involving thousands of crores, has been exposed for attempting to manipulate public sentiment instead of focusing on genuine issues.

In a statement, Neel Garg said, “The people of Ludhiana have outrightly rejected Bharat Bhushan Ashu, as they remember his arrogant behavior during his tenure as an MLA and minister. Even prominent Congress leaders such as Sukhjinder Randhawa, Raja Warring, and Pratap Bajwa have distanced themselves from Ashu and this election. It is evident that the Congress party, under the control of its Punjab in-charge Bhupesh Baghel, is attempting to script baseless sympathy narratives, as they lack credibility and trust among the people.”

India's foreign exchange reserves stood at $691.5 billion, as of May 30, and are sufficient to fund more than 11 months of goods imports and about 96 per cent of external debt outstanding, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said on Friday.

For the week ended May 30, the reserves dropped by $1.2 billion to break an 8-week rising trend. India’s foreign exchange reserves had recorded a robust increase of $6.99 billion to $692.72 billion in the preceding week ended May 23.

Changes in foreign currency assets, expressed in dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of other currencies held in the reserves.

External commercial borrowings (ECBs) and non-resident deposits have seen higher net inflows compared to the previous year.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor said: "Overall, India’s external sector remains resilient as key external sector vulnerability indicators continue to improve. We remain confident of meeting our external financing requirements."

Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, in collaboration with the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), Ministry of Education, is set to host a five-day national workshop from June 9 to June 13, 2025, at the University School of Financial Studies.

This academically significant workshop is focused on the development of the ‘Fundamental Glossary – Commerce (English–Punjabi)’, a key step toward promoting bilingual terminology and enhancing language accessibility in commerce education.

Prof. Karmjit Singh, Vice Chancellor of GNDU, is the Chief Patron of the initiative, reflecting the university’s dedication to inclusive and forward-thinking academic projects.

In the wake of the backlash over the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB's celebrations in which 11 persons were killed, the Karnataka government on Friday sacked K. Govindaraju from the post of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's Political Secretary.

The government has not given any reason for the ouster of Govindaraju, a close confidante of Siddaramaiah and a Congress MLC. However, sources say that the move has come following severe criticism from various cabinet ministers for organising the felicitation programme for the RCB players at the Vidhana Soudha.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's security was beefed up on Friday after a caller issued a death threat by dialling up the police control room in the neighbouring city of Ghaziabad, an official said.

The caller, who made the death threat to Delhi Chief Minister, turned off his mobile phone immediately after communicating the message to the PCR at 11 p.m. on Thursday, said Ghaziabad's Deputy Commissioner of Police (City).

The inter-state coordination cell of Ghaziabad Police informed the Delhi Police about the death threat call made in connection with the Delhi CM, said an official.

The police said the SIM owner of the phone from which the death threat was issued to Delhi CM Gupta had been identified with the help of the telecom company, but the phone has remained switched off since 11 p.m. on Thursday.

Actor-singer Prince Narula is back with his latest romantic track, “Heart Wali Baaji.”

Speaking about the song, he revealed that “Heart Wali Baaji” is not just another love song but a refreshing take on modern-day emotions. Prince Narula shared that the track stands apart from typical romantic numbers by focusing on a deeper connection and a more realistic portrayal of love. Narula teamed up with the singer Jyotica Tangri, who is known for her tracks like ‘Pallo Latke,’ ‘Mungda,’ ‘Ishq De Fanniyar,’ and ‘O Meri Laila,’ for his latest number.

Prince Narula shared, “This track has energy. When Jyotica sent me the scratch, I was vibing in 10 seconds flat. ‘Heart Wali Baaji’ isn’t your typical love song; it’s flirtatious, cheeky, and kind of addictive. I had a blast lending my vocals and being part of the video. Expect attitude, love, and major couple-goal energy.”

Influenced by the ongoing Lon Varratu (Come Back Home) campaign, seven Maoists, including two carrying rewards, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district.

Among those who laid down arms were Juglu alias Sundum Kovasi and Dasha alias Burku Podiyam, both of whom had a bounty of Rs 50,000 announced by the Chhattisgarh government. These surrendered Maoists had been actively involved in various regional committees, participating in activities such as digging roads, cutting trees, and putting up banners and posters during the Naxal bandh, police officials said.

The surrender marks a significant success for the Naxal Eradication Campaign led by Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P, Deputy Inspector General Kamalochan Kashyap, and Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai. Under the rehabilitation policy of the Chhattisgarh government, authorities have been working to integrate these former extremists into mainstream society. Extensive awareness efforts, including village-level publicity, have resulted in many Maoists choosing to abandon their militant activities.

At least 19 children, allegedly held captive and forced to work in imitation jewellery production, were rescued from Gujarat's Rajkot.

The Rajkot City Police and the Special Operations Group (SOG), along with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, rescued the children, all believed to be from West Bengal, from a house in a residency near Bedichowk.

According to officials, the children were found in distressing conditions and have been immediately sent for medical check-ups.

Initial examinations have reportedly revealed injury marks on their hands and backs, suggesting physical abuse.

A daily dose of a commonly used, safe, and inexpensive antibiotic may help reduce preterm births (born at 37 weeks’ gestation or before), in women with HIV, according to a study of almost 1,000 pregnant women in Zimbabwe.

An international group of researchers, from the UK and Zimbabwe, found that women living with HIV who took the antibiotic trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole during their pregnancy had larger babies who were less likely to be preterm.

Trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent with anti-inflammatory properties that are widely used in sub-Saharan Africa.

The study showed that for babies born to a small group of 131 women with HIV, the reduction in premature births was especially marked, with only 2 per cent of births in the trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole group preterm, as compared with 14 per cent in the placebo group.