Sparking

US courts, state officials and Democrats warn that moves are endangering voting rights and the rule of lawThe Trump administration continues to expand its authoritarian and radical drive to revamp voting rules and seize state election powers, though it faces growing resistance from US courts, state officials and Democrats, who warn the moves are sparking “chaos” and endangering voting rights and the rule of law.Donald Trump’s unprecedented drive to change election rules, which states legally set, is fueled by his obsession with his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, which he falsely attributes to voting fraud, coupled with his fear that Democrats will “find a reason to impeach me” if they take control of the House in November’s midterms elections, say former election officials and legal experts. Continue reading...

Shooting happened on street in popular neighborhood lined with restaurants, bars, shops and homes A police officer in Madison, Wisconsin, shot and killed a man Wednesday in an incident that was captured on cellphone footage, sparking local protests.John Patterson, the Madison police chief, acknowledged the shooting at a news conference, but stressed footage circulating was just one perspective of what happened. Continue reading...

• South Korea is implementing a new law that imposes steep punitive damages on news outlets and social media influencers who spread false information. • Journalist groups and academics, including Professor Kim Hong-yeol of Duksung Women’s University, warn that the measure could stifle public discourse. • Critics argue the law is likely to trigger widespread self-censorship and discourage the reporting of sensitive political or social issues.

Jurors in California deliberated for over 13 hours, before announcing that they were deadlocked A federal judge declared a mistrial in the arson case against the 29-year-old man accused of sparking the deadly 2025 Palisades fire in Los Angeles, after the jury said it could not agree on a verdict.Jurors deliberated for over 13 hours on Thursday on whether to convict Jonathan Rinderknecht on three federal charges, before announcing that they were deadlocked. Continue reading...

Jonathan Rinderknecht is accused of starting the blaze that became Los Angeles’s deadliest and destructive wildfireThe trial of a 29-year-old charged with sparking a wildfire that went on to become the deadly Palisades inferno, the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history, is set to begin on Monday in a case that has gripped the city as Angelenos seek answers more than a year after the deadly fire.Jonathan Rinderknecht, an occasional Uber driver, is accused of starting a small blaze on New Year’s Day 2025, later dubbed the Lachman fire. Although the Los Angeles fire department extinguished the fire on 2 January, it reignited five days later due to high winds and tinderbox conditions after burning undetected deep in the dry hillsides. Continue reading...

• Krutrim successfully pivoted to AI cloud services, achieving profitability and igniting a rally in India's tech sector as of May 5, 2026. • The shift validates India's domestic AI infrastructure development, positively impacting stocks like TCS, Infosys, and RIL. • This milestone signals a growth runway for Indian IT giants, reshaping competition against global players.

• US naval forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iran to label the action as 'bullying behaviour' and 'act of piracy'. • The operation occurred two days before a two-week ceasefire with Iran was set to expire, amid fragile diplomatic efforts and threats of retaliation. • Tehran insists on securing freedom of navigation in the strait, vital for one-fifth of global oil trade, before engaging in US talks, heightening energy security risks.

Critics warned of ‘higher ticket prices, more fees, and fewer options’ for passengers if two travel giants try to combineThe CEO of United Airlines is said to have pitched a blockbuster merger with American Airlines during a meeting with Donald Trump, floating the combination of the world’s two largest carriers.Scott Kirby, who leads United, raised the prospect during an encounter with the US president in late February, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources. Such a deal would overhaul the global air travel industry – and likely face intense competition scrutiny. Continue reading...

The quake was at a shallow depth of 10km in the Northern Molucca Sea region, the USGS saidA magnitude 7.8 earthquake has struck the Northern Molucca Sea region in Indonesia, the United States Geological Survey said.The quake on Thursday was at a shallow depth of 10km (6.21 miles), it said. Continue reading...

The US announced partial rollback of AI semiconductor export restrictions on March 13, 2026, targeting key technologies amid global competition. This move is poised to boost domestic chipmakers ahead of Nvidia's GTC event next week. Nvidia, HBM, and related AI plays face heightened focus with potential upside. Policy shift aims to balance national security and industry growth.