Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay left Raj Bhavan in Chennai on Thursday after holding his second meeting in two days with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. He was accompanied by senior TVK leaders as political activity intensified in the state following Wednesday’s earlier meeting. During the discussions, Vijay reportedly staked claim to form the government, stating that TVK, in alliance with Congress, has the support of 113 MLAs. The alliance still falls short of the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly by five seats.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) leader Thol. Thirumavalavan urged the Governor to invite Vijay to form the government and allow him to prove his majority on the Assembly floor. He also accused the BJP leadership of interfering in Tamil Nadu politics and creating confusion. He said TVK, as the single largest party, should be allowed to assume office as per constitutional norms, with its majority tested in the Assembly rather than before swearing-in.
Thirumavalavan further added that the Governor should not demand proof of numbers before the swearing-in process, and emphasized that legitimacy must be established on the floor of the House. The Communist Party of India (CPI) also urged the Governor to follow constitutional procedure, stating that it is inappropriate to require TVK to prove its majority before forming the government. The party cited constitutional principles and Supreme Court judgments, including the S. R. Bommai case, arguing that the single largest party should be given a chance to prove its strength in the Assembly.
CPI (M) leader P. Shanmugam said the party has received a letter from Vijay seeking support, and a decision will be taken after internal discussions. TVK, which emerged as a strong force in the recent elections by ending the long-standing DMK–AIADMK dominance, secured 108 seats. With Congress support, the alliance stands at 112 seats, still short of a simple majority.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force veteran who later worked as a close aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, was killed after being attacked by unidentified assailants in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, police confirmed on Wednesday. According to preliminary information, Rath was travelling when he was allegedly targeted. The attackers struck suddenly, leaving him critically injured. He was immediately rushed for medical treatment, but doctors declared him dead on arrival or shortly after, officials said. The exact sequence of events is still being verified as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police have launched a detailed probe into the incident and are examining multiple angles, including personal enmity and possible political links. No arrests have been made so far, and investigators are working to identify the assailants using local intelligence inputs and CCTV footage from nearby areas.
Chandranath Rath had a background in the Indian Air Force, where he served for several years before retiring. Known among acquaintances for his disciplined and structured approach, he later transitioned into political work in West Bengal. Over time, he became associated with Suvendu Adhikari’s political team and was considered part of his inner circle of aides.
While Rath was not a frontline political leader or public spokesperson, he was reportedly engaged in behind-the-scenes coordination work, including organisational support and logistical assistance. His military background was often cited as a reason for his disciplined handling of responsibilities within the team. The killing has triggered concern in political circles across the state, with leaders expressing worry over the deteriorating law and order situation. Opposition and ruling party voices are expected to intensify debate over the incident in the coming days.
Security has been increased in the area as police continue their investigation. Officials have assured that all possible leads are being followed and that those responsible will be brought to justice. As the probe continues, Rath’s death has left a void within his political circle and raised fresh questions about safety and targeted violence in the region.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.
Anthropic has raised usage limits for paid Claude users as it scales up its computing infrastructure through a partnership with SpaceX. The company said this expanded capacity will benefit subscribers on Claude Pro and Claude Max plans, while free users will not receive any changes. As part of the deal, Anthropic stated it will gain access to the full computing power of SpaceX’s Colossus 1 data center, adding over 300 megawatts of capacity and more than 220,000 NVIDIA GPUs within a month.
The company introduced three key updates to usage limits for paid customers. It has doubled Claude Code’s five-hour rate limits across Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise seat-based plans, removed peak-hour restrictions for Pro and Max users, and significantly increased API rate limits for Claude Opus models.
Under the new API structure, Tier-I users now receive up to 500,000 input tokens per minute (previously 30,000) and 80,000 output tokens per minute (up from 8,000). Tier-II limits have risen to 2 million input and 200,000 output tokens per minute, while Tier-III users get up to 5 million input and 400,000 output tokens. Tier-IV users now have limits of 10 million input tokens and 800,000 output tokens per minute. Rate limits control how much data users can process in a given time, while tokens represent chunks of text used by AI systems to interpret inputs and generate responses. Higher limits allow more complex and larger workloads.
Anthropic also outlined broader infrastructure expansion plans, including large-scale compute partnerships with Amazon, Google, Broadcom, Microsoft, and NVIDIA. These efforts include multi-gigawatt capacity expansions and billions of dollars in investments across global AI infrastructure. The company said future growth will also focus on international deployment, especially in regulated sectors like healthcare, finance, and government, with an emphasis on compliance and data residency requirements.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Business Standard.
Piyush Goyal recently met with Airbus India and South Asia President and Managing Director Jurgen Westermeier to discuss ways to strengthen aerospace manufacturing and aviation capabilities in India. The meeting aligned with India’s broader goal of increasing domestic production in the aerospace sector and positioning the country as a global centre for aircraft manufacturing and related components.
According to Goyal’s post on X, the discussions focused on expanding sourcing from India, improving manufacturing capacity, strengthening supply chains, enhancing maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, and promoting skill development initiatives. He said these measures are intended to boost India’s role as a key global aviation hub and deepen cooperation with Airbus.
The talks come as global aerospace firms increasingly view India as a strategic destination for manufacturing and sourcing, supported by government efforts to encourage localisation, workforce development, and stronger integration into global supply networks. Westermeier had also supported the interim framework for a bilateral trade agreement between India and the United States, calling it an opportunity for Indian suppliers to expand globally. He noted that such policy moves are not just about tariff reductions but about enabling broader participation of Indian companies in international aerospace supply chains.
He further highlighted that stable trade policies and tariff clarity are essential for long-term growth in capital-intensive industries like aerospace. Reduced trade barriers, he said, would help Indian suppliers integrate more efficiently into the global aviation ecosystem. The meeting reflects India’s ongoing push to strengthen its aerospace industry, develop advanced MRO capabilities, and build a skilled workforce, while Airbus continues to deepen its engagement with the Indian market.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Indian Defence News.
As the Iran war continues and energy shortages worsen, China has increased its influence in Asia by helping fuel-dependent countries manage supply disruptions while promoting its renewable energy technology. After the U.S. and Israel attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, China restricted oil-product exports, tightening supplies of fuel like diesel and jet fuel for several Asian nations. While Asia struggles with rising energy costs, China is in a stronger position due to large reserves, reduced oil dependence, and major investments in clean energy. Beijing has held talks with several countries and positioned itself as a stable alternative by offering support through green energy solutions rather than fossil fuels.At the same time, the crisis has helped China expand exports of solar panels and electric vehicles, strengthening its role in global energy security.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from Bloomberg.
The 48th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit and associated meetings in Cebu, scheduled from May 6 to 8, will bring together heads of state and senior officials from all ten ASEAN countries as well as Timor-Leste. The gathering takes place at a critical moment for the region, amid concerns that the Middle East conflict could disrupt global oil supplies, driving up fuel prices and increasing inflationary pressure on ASEAN economies. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman discuss the summit’s key issues in detail with Susannah Patton, a Non-Resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
In Singapore, bots account for about 58 percent of total internet traffic, with over half classified as malicious. As AI-powered bots become more advanced and harder to distinguish from real users, organizations now face the challenge of not just detecting bots but also interpreting their intent. With AI increasingly blurring the boundary between human and automated activity, businesses are under pressure to adapt. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman discuss the implications for online security, trust, and the internet’s future with Garen Ling, Area Vice President of Sales, ASEAN, App Security and Data Security at Thales.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
A 31-year-old man has been accused of trying to assassinate Donald Trump following a foiled plot linked to Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Soon after the incident, false claims began circulating online suggesting the attempt was staged. This week, Jonathan Freedland discusses the rise of such conspiracy theories surrounding the US president with journalist Rachel Leingang.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from The Guardian.
In Destination Anywhere Melanie Oliveiro talks with Kimberly Lynn a travel content creator known as wholistictraveler on Instagram and TikTok. Lynn shares her experiences traveling through Egypt including visits to its oases sand dunes and salt lakes.
Disclaimer: This podcast is taken from CNA.
