National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides

The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS

Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent

India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?

How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?

Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition

‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal

Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch

Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine

Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states

Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions

Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy

Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS

'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia

Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside

Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift

New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot

RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress

Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'

IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act

Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott

Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances

Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation

New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know

India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims

Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed

US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance

Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built

Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH

Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school

Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report

The Trump vs Pope feud is heating up again. Pope Leo XIV has publicly responded to US President Donald Trump's latest attack on him over the Iran war. Pushing back against Trump's repeated and baseless assertion that the Chicago-born pontiff supports Iran's right to develop nuclear weapons, the pontiff, without mentioning the POTUS' name, said, "If anyone wants to criticise me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully." &nbsp;<h2>What did Trump say?</h2>Trump made the claim again on Monday in an interview with Salem News Channel's Hugh Hewitt. "The pope would rather talk about the fact that it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don't think that's very good," Trump said. "I think he's endangering a lot of Catholics, and a lot of people, but I guess if it's up to the pope, he thinks it's just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon." Trump has made the claim multiple times; however, the Pope has not said anything of this sort publicly.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fact-check-did-the-pope-endorse-iran-s-nuclear-ambitions-decoding-trump-s-latest-vatican-attack-1776757709073">Fact check: Did the Pope endorse Iran’s nuclear ambitions? Decoding Trump’s latest Vatican attack</a><h2>Pope slams Trump</h2>Without naming Trump, Leo addressed the mischaracterisation directly. "I have already spoken from the first moment — 'Peace be with you.' The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace," he said, in remarks transcribed by Vatican correspondent Michael Haynes. "If anyone wants to criticise me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully. The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years, so there is no doubt about that."Previously, the Catholic Church had formally opposed all nuclear weapons for years, and Leo himself had specifically called for a world "free from the nuclear threat," urging world leaders to pursue "dialogue and diplomacy" rather than rearmament. At St. Peter's Basilica on April 12, he told gathered Catholics: "It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned, and deadly actions are decided."Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-attack-on-dignity-pope-leo-xiv-takes-a-fresh-swipe-at-trump-the-most-explosive-moment-yet-in-their-public-feud-1777097130058">'Attack on dignity': Pope Leo XIV takes fresh swipe at Trump; the most explosive moment yet in their public feud</a><h2>Rubio's Vatican visit just got awkward</h2>The timing of the exchange is notable. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Rome this week and meet with the pope Thursday morning. The State Department described the visit as an opportunity to discuss "the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere."

The Trump-Pope clash is escalating again, with Pope Leo XIV now publicly pushing back after Trump repeatedly accused him, without evidence, of supporting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Without naming Trump directly, the pontiff delivered a sharp rebuke. Scroll down to read what he said.

The Trump vs Pope feud is heating up again. Pope Leo XIV has publicly responded to US President Donald Trump's latest attack on him over the Iran war. Pushing back against Trump's repeated and baseless assertion that the Chicago-born pontiff supports Iran's right to develop nuclear weapons, the pontiff, without mentioning the POTUS' name, said, "If anyone wants to criticise me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully." What did Trump say? Trump made the claim again on Monday in an interview with Salem News Channel's Hugh Hewitt. "The pope would rather talk about the fact that it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don't think that's very good," Trump said. "I think he's endangering a lot of Catholics, and a lot of people, but I guess if it's up to the pope, he thinks it's just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon." Trump has made the claim multiple times; however, the Pope has not said anything of this sort publicly. Also read | Fact check: Did the Pope endorse Iran’s nuclear ambitions? Decoding Trump’s latest Vatican attack Pope slams Trump Without naming Trump, Leo addressed the mischaracterisation directly. "I have already spoken from the first moment — 'Peace be with you.' The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace," he said, in remarks transcribed by Vatican correspondent Michael Haynes. "If anyone wants to criticise me for proclaiming the Gospel, let them do so truthfully. The Church has spoken out against all nuclear weapons for years, so there is no doubt about that." Previously, the Catholic Church had formally opposed all nuclear weapons for years, and Leo himself had specifically called for a world "free from the nuclear threat," urging world leaders to pursue "dialogue and diplomacy" rather than rearmament. At St. Peter's Basilica on April 12, he told gathered Catholics: "It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned, and deadly actions are decided." Also read | 'Attack on dignity': Pope Leo XIV takes fresh swipe at Trump; the most explosive moment yet in their public feud Rubio's Vatican visit just got awkward The timing of the exchange is notable. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Rome this week and meet with the pope Thursday morning. The State Department described the visit as an opportunity to discuss "the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere."

The Trump-Pope clash is escalating again, with Pope Leo XIV now publicly pushing back after Trump repeatedly accused him, without evidence, of supporting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Without naming Trump directly, the pontiff delivered a sharp rebuke. Scroll down to read what he said.

'If anyone wants to criticise me, do so truthfully': Pope Leo slams Trump over Iran nuclear claims

Over eight million Thermos bottles and jars have been recalled over a defect that can cause them to forcefully eject, injuring people in the face and eyes. Nearly two dozen injuries have been reported till now, including those who suffered permanent blindness because of the product. The recall was announced last week by Thermos LLC in conjunction with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Notably, the problem is with 5.8 million food jars and 2.5 million bottles sold in the United States between 2008 and 2024. The defect is because of a vital mechanism that is missing in the stopper. This is causing the lids to open without any human intervention, catching the user off guard and injuring them. The recalled products include two models of the Thermos Stainless King food jar (numbers SK3000 and SK30020) and one model of the Sportsman food and beverage bottle (SK3010). You can check the numbers on the bottom of the bottles and jars.<h2>What is the issue with Thermos products?</h2>The issue with the products is the absence of a pressure relief mechanism in the middle of the stopper. In the absence of this part, pressure has been building up in jars and bottles containing food items for long periods of time, the company said. This has led to the stopper and the built-up pressure being released with dangerous force, hitting people. The company said that they know about at least 27 cases where Thermos products hit people in the face, causing serious injuries that had to be treated by a doctor. Three of them lost their eyesight after being hit in the eye.<h2>How to get replacement for Thermos?</h2>People have been urged to stop using these products with immediate effect. Those using Stainless King food jars can reach out to Thermos for a new functional stopper, while others with a Sportsman bottle will be given a new model bottle. The food jar stopper should be disposed of after taking a photo for replacement purposes. Sportsman customers will need to send their bottles to the company.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Thermos is recalling two defective products that continued to be sold for over 16 years due to reports that they have caused permanent vision loss in consumers. The absence of a key component is leading them to open on their own, hitting people in the faces and eyes.

Over eight million Thermos bottles and jars have been recalled over a defect that can cause them to forcefully eject, injuring people in the face and eyes. Nearly two dozen injuries have been reported till now, including those who suffered permanent blindness because of the product. The recall was announced last week by Thermos LLC in conjunction with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Notably, the problem is with 5.8 million food jars and 2.5 million bottles sold in the United States between 2008 and 2024. The defect is because of a vital mechanism that is missing in the stopper. This is causing the lids to open without any human intervention, catching the user off guard and injuring them. The recalled products include two models of the Thermos Stainless King food jar (numbers SK3000 and SK30020) and one model of the Sportsman food and beverage bottle (SK3010). You can check the numbers on the bottom of the bottles and jars. What is the issue with Thermos products? The issue with the products is the absence of a pressure relief mechanism in the middle of the stopper. In the absence of this part, pressure has been building up in jars and bottles containing food items for long periods of time, the company said. This has led to the stopper and the built-up pressure being released with dangerous force, hitting people. The company said that they know about at least 27 cases where Thermos products hit people in the face, causing serious injuries that had to be treated by a doctor. Three of them lost their eyesight after being hit in the eye. How to get replacement for Thermos? People have been urged to stop using these products with immediate effect. Those using Stainless King food jars can reach out to Thermos for a new functional stopper, while others with a Sportsman bottle will be given a new model bottle. The food jar stopper should be disposed of after taking a photo for replacement purposes. Sportsman customers will need to send their bottles to the company.

Thermos is recalling two defective products that continued to be sold for over 16 years due to reports that they have caused permanent vision loss in consumers. The absence of a key component is leading them to open on their own, hitting people in the faces and eyes.

Consumers lose vision from defective Thermos products sold for over 16 years. 8 million of them are now being recalled

Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this week, approved the 'One District-One Cuisine' (ODOC) scheme and has now notified an exhaustive district-wise culinary map. Under this ‘One District-One Cuisine’ (ODOC) scheme, each of 75 districts have been assigned few signature dishes for branding, marketing and export. The government said it is aimed at promoting and marketing traditional cuisines from across the state. However, the list does not include any non-vegetarian item. A list shared by Awanish K Awasthi, advisor to UP CM shows products ranging from sweets to fruits to the street smart samosa, but omits the much sort after delicacies like galawati kebab, Awadhi biryani, Kakori kebab, etc.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“एक जिला–एक व्यंजन” पहल के तहत उत्तर प्रदेश अपने पारंपरिक पकवानों को आधुनिक ब्रांडिंग और बेहतर पैकेजिंग के साथ वैश्विक पहचान देने जा रहा है। यह कदम स्थानीय कारीगरों को सशक्त बनाते हुए रोजगार और उद्यमिता को नई गति देगा। माननीय मुख्यमंत्री जी, के नेतृत्व में यूपी अब स्वाद,… <a href="https://t.co/XKQd6AeaFl">pic.twitter.com/XKQd6AeaFl</a>&mdash; Awanish K Awasthi (@AwasthiAwanishK) <a href="https://twitter.com/AwasthiAwanishK/status/2051584328849559850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/vijay-brings-back-mgr-magic-in-tamil-nadu-election-result-kamal-hassan-trisha-jayalaitha-affair-thalapathy-vaathi-coming-tvk-who-will-be-tamil-nadu-cm-1777898435333">Tamil Nadu Election Results: Vijay-Trisha story similar to MGR-Jayalalithaa?</a><h2>What are the products in the list?</h2><ul><li>Sultanpur – peda, samosa, kadhai puri, red peda, jalebi</li><li>Barabanki – chandrakala, red peda</li><li>Amethi – samosa, jaggery kheer, gulgula</li><li>Ambedkar Nagar – balushahi, chaat, khajla</li><li>Devipatan division (Gonda) – dahi vada</li><li>Bahraich – chamcham, kachori</li><li>Balrampur – coconut barfi, kalakand, ghamanja, chaat</li><li>Shravasti – imarti</li><li>Lucknow – revdi, mango products, chaat, malai makkhan</li><li>Hardoi – aloo puri, laddoo, laozhad</li><li>Lakhimpur Kheri – banana, jaggery, khoya peda, kheer mohan, rasgulla</li><li>Raebareli – spices</li><li>Sitapur – makhan malai, samosa, mirchi pakoda, peda</li><li>Unnao – kala jamun, samosa, kushli, trilok pari</li><li>Ayodhya – chandrakala, balushahi, dahi</li><li>Azamgarh –white carrot halwa</li><li>Mahoba – date jaggery</li><li>Hamirpur – Bundeli dal-based preparations</li><li>Varanasi – thandai, lassi and Banarsi paan,&nbsp;</li><li>Jaunpur – imarti</li></ul>Though, Lucknow being recognised as a global city of gastronomy by UNESCO, several products were missing. Moradabadi biryani, popular not only in the state but all over the country is also absent.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-elections-results-vijay-can-becomes-cm-tvk-falls-short-of-majority-4-options-governor-power-magic-number-floor-test-explained-1778034233739">How can Vijay become Tamil Nadu CM despite TVK not getting majority?</a><h2>What is One District One Product (ODOP) scheme?</h2>The One District One Product (ODOP) UP scheme is a flagship program launched by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2018 to boost traditional, indigenous, and specialized crafts/industries. It aims to generate employment, preserve heritage, and boost economic growth by supporting specific products in each of the 75 districts. It includes financial aid, marketing support, and skill training. The initiative was unveiled by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on November 8, 2025, and later officially rolled out by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 24 this year. It is inspired by Centre's ‘One District, One Product’ model. The government has allocated ₹150 crore for its rollout. Under the scheme, artisans and entrepreneurs can avail subsidies of up to 25 per cent, with a maximum cap of ₹20 lakh. However, the benefit can be claimed only once, and detailed guidelines of the subsidy are still awaited.

The One District-One Cuisine scheme approved by Yogi Adityanath maps signature dishes across 75 districts to boost branding and exports. However, the list notably excludes popular non-vegetarian staples like kebabs and biryani, sparking debate.

Uttar Pradesh government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this week, approved the 'One District-One Cuisine' (ODOC) scheme and has now notified an exhaustive district-wise culinary map. Under this ‘One District-One Cuisine’ (ODOC) scheme, each of 75 districts have been assigned few signature dishes for branding, marketing and export. The government said it is aimed at promoting and marketing traditional cuisines from across the state. However, the list does not include any non-vegetarian item. A list shared by Awanish K Awasthi, advisor to UP CM shows products ranging from sweets to fruits to the street smart samosa, but omits the much sort after delicacies like galawati kebab, Awadhi biryani, Kakori kebab, etc.

The One District-One Cuisine scheme approved by Yogi Adityanath maps signature dishes across 75 districts to boost branding and exports. However, the list notably excludes popular non-vegetarian staples like kebabs and biryani, sparking debate.

NO galauti kebab! UP's 'One District-One Cuisine' list sidelines biryani, picks only veg items: FULL LIST here

London's Metropolitan Police announced Wednesday (May 6) the creation of a dedicated unit to protect the city's Jewish communities. This step is being taken in response to a sustained wave of antisemitic attacks that have included stabbings, arson and petrol bomb attacks on synagogues in recent weeks. This comes just days after the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) on 30 April 2026 raised the UK national threat level from substantial, meaning an attack is likely, to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely in the next 6 months.<h2>London's new "community protection team"</h2>The new "community protection team," according to AFP, will initially comprise 100 officers and combine neighbourhood policing with specialist protection and counter-terrorism capabilities. Met Commissioner Mark Rowley described it as "an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing," adding that the unit brings together "experienced local officers who know their communities, supported by specialist capabilities, to provide more visible, consistent and intelligence-led protection."Also read |&nbsp;The announcement came a day after police confirmed they were investigating yet another arson incident, this time targeting a former synagogue in east London. It followed last week's stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area of north London, a neighbourhood with one of the city's largest Jewish communities. A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with that attack.<h2>London and a rise in antisemitic acts</h2>The incidents are part of a broader pattern. In March, an arson attack in Golders Green destroyed four ambulances operated by the Hatzola Jewish charity. Bottles suspected of containing petrol have been thrown at two synagogues in separate incidents. The Met said it has arrested over 80 people in the past four weeks in connection with antisemitic hate crimes and the arson attacks.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/australia-begins-inquiry-into-bondi-attack-focus-on-antisemitism-rise-1777888918043">Australia begins inquiry into Bondi attack, focus on antisemitism rise</a>Rowley had previously signalled he was in discussions with government ministers about forming a larger 300-strong neighbourhood policing team, including specialist armed officers, for the Jewish community. Wednesday's unit, at roughly a third of that size, is being framed as an initial step with the potential to expand.The Met was careful to stress that the unit is not being created at the expense of protection for other communities. "Hate crime in all its forms — including ongoing efforts to tackle racism, anti-Muslim hate crime, homophobia and other forms of hatred in the capital — remains a core policing priority," the force said. It added that the Jewish protection unit is intended to serve as a potential blueprint for how policing responds when other communities face sustained threats.&nbsp;Separately, England and Wales chief prosecutor Stephen Parkinson announced Tuesday that hate crime prosecutions would be fast-tracked, citing a "deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents."

Amid a sharp rise in antisemitic violence, London police are launching a dedicated 100-officer protection unit for Jewish communities, days after Britain raised its national terror threat level to “severe”. The move follows stabbings, arson attacks and synagogue firebomb incidents.

London's Metropolitan Police announced Wednesday (May 6) the creation of a dedicated unit to protect the city's Jewish communities. This step is being taken in response to a sustained wave of antisemitic attacks that have included stabbings, arson and petrol bomb attacks on synagogues in recent weeks. This comes just days after the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) on 30 April 2026 raised the UK national threat level from substantial, meaning an attack is likely, to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely in the next 6 months. London's new "community protection team" The new "community protection team," according to AFP, will initially comprise 100 officers and combine neighbourhood policing with specialist protection and counter-terrorism capabilities. Met Commissioner Mark Rowley described it as "an important step in strengthening our response to the sustained threats Jewish communities are facing," adding that the unit brings together "experienced local officers who know their communities, supported by specialist capabilities, to provide more visible, consistent and intelligence-led protection." Also read | The announcement came a day after police confirmed they were investigating yet another arson incident, this time targeting a former synagogue in east London. It followed last week's stabbing of two Jewish men in the Golders Green area of north London, a neighbourhood with one of the city's largest Jewish communities. A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with that attack. London and a rise in antisemitic acts The incidents are part of a broader pattern. In March, an arson attack in Golders Green destroyed four ambulances operated by the Hatzola Jewish charity. Bottles suspected of containing petrol have been thrown at two synagogues in separate incidents. The Met said it has arrested over 80 people in the past four weeks in connection with antisemitic hate crimes and the arson attacks. Also read | Australia begins inquiry into Bondi attack, focus on antisemitism rise Rowley had previously signalled he was in discussions with government ministers about forming a larger 300-strong neighbourhood policing team, including specialist armed officers, for the Jewish community. Wednesday's unit, at roughly a third of that size, is being framed as an initial step with the potential to expand. The Met was careful to stress that the unit is not being created at the expense of protection for other communities. "Hate crime in all its forms — including ongoing efforts to tackle racism, anti-Muslim hate crime, homophobia and other forms of hatred in the capital — remains a core policing priority," the force said. It added that the Jewish protection unit is intended to serve as a potential blueprint for how policing responds when other communities face sustained threats. Separately, England and Wales chief prosecutor Stephen Parkinson announced Tuesday that hate crime prosecutions would be fast-tracked, citing a "deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents."

Amid a sharp rise in antisemitic violence, London police are launching a dedicated 100-officer protection unit for Jewish communities, days after Britain raised its national terror threat level to “severe”. The move follows stabbings, arson attacks and synagogue firebomb incidents.

London police form dedicated Jewish protection unit amid 'deeply troubling rise in antisemitic incidents'

Two planes came within 500 feet of each other at the John F. Kennedy Airport on Tuesday evening at around 5 pm. This is the second time something like this has happened near the Queens travel hub in two weeks. One of the two planes involved in the latest incident was a Delta flight, while the other was a small propeller aircraft. According to &nbsp;FlightRadar24, the Delta plane was at an altitude of 2,100 feet while the smaller aircraft, made by Cirrus, was at 2,575 feet. The air traffic controller alerted the pilot of the Delta plane about a plane that was flying 500 feet above it. The larger aircraft was operated by subsidiary Endeavor Air. “Endeavor Air Flight 5289 was on final approach to Runway 22L at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) when a Cirrus SR22 crossed over to land on Runway 22R," the FAA said in a statement. Advisories were issued to both pilots, who confirmed that they could see the other plane, following which both maintained a safe distance.&nbsp;The Delta plane remained in one position and kept watching the smaller plane. "Endeavor 5289 yeah, I'm not talking to him. He's 500 feet above you now, left to right half a mile in front of you," an air traffic controller said. Endeavor Air Flight 5289 was flying in from Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport in upstate New York. Around two weeks back, two passenger planes came less than 400 feet from each other while trying to land at JFK.Also Read: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chilling-video-shows-moment-a-united-airlines-plane-strikes-bakery-truck-during-final-approach-at-newark-airport-watch-1777876216668">United Airlines plane strikes bakery truck during final approach</a><h2>Video of inside bakery truck clipped by United plane at Newark</h2>Meanwhile, on Sunday (May 3), a United Airlines plane struck a bakery truck while landing at the Newark Airport. Shocking footage capturing the moment of impact shows Flight 169, flying from Venice, Italy, clipping the top of the truck. Dashcam vision shows the driver singing while driving when he looks above right before impact, which shattered the windshield, sending glass flying inside the cabin. “The driver of the tractor-trailer (bakery truck) sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital," a New Jersey State Police spokesperson, SFC Charles Marchan, said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">New footage shows the moment a United Airlines plane collided with a light pole and a truck while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport. The Boeing 767 was traveling at about 160 mph when it made contact. Air traffic controllers say there was a hole in the side of… <a href="https://t.co/95QdBrihtK">https://t.co/95QdBrihtK</a> <a href="https://t.co/m4BofEwB5d">pic.twitter.com/m4BofEwB5d</a>&mdash; Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/2051716775847612668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

JFK accident averted: Two planes had a close call at the John F. Kennedy Airport on Tuesday evening, as one flew 500 feet above the other one. The air traffic controller alerted the Delta pilots, who were told not to carry out any manoeuvre. 

Two planes came within 500 feet of each other at the John F. Kennedy Airport on Tuesday evening at around 5 pm. This is the second time something like this has happened near the Queens travel hub in two weeks. One of the two planes involved in the latest incident was a Delta flight, while the other was a small propeller aircraft. According to FlightRadar24, the Delta plane was at an altitude of 2,100 feet while the smaller aircraft, made by Cirrus, was at 2,575 feet. The air traffic controller alerted the pilot of the Delta plane about a plane that was flying 500 feet above it. The larger aircraft was operated by subsidiary Endeavor Air. “Endeavor Air Flight 5289 was on final approach to Runway 22L at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) when a Cirrus SR22 crossed over to land on Runway 22R," the FAA said in a statement. Advisories were issued to both pilots, who confirmed that they could see the other plane, following which both maintained a safe distance. The Delta plane remained in one position and kept watching the smaller plane. "Endeavor 5289 yeah, I'm not talking to him. He's 500 feet above you now, left to right half a mile in front of you," an air traffic controller said. Endeavor Air Flight 5289 was flying in from Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport in upstate New York. Around two weeks back, two passenger planes came less than 400 feet from each other while trying to land at JFK. Also Read: United Airlines plane strikes bakery truck during final approach Video of inside bakery truck clipped by United plane at Newark Meanwhile, on Sunday (May 3), a United Airlines plane struck a bakery truck while landing at the Newark Airport. Shocking footage capturing the moment of impact shows Flight 169, flying from Venice, Italy, clipping the top of the truck. Dashcam vision shows the driver singing while driving when he looks above right before impact, which shattered the windshield, sending glass flying inside the cabin. “The driver of the tractor-trailer (bakery truck) sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital," a New Jersey State Police spokesperson, SFC Charles Marchan, said.

JFK accident averted: Two planes had a close call at the John F. Kennedy Airport on Tuesday evening, as one flew 500 feet above the other one. The air traffic controller alerted the Delta pilots, who were told not to carry out any manoeuvre.&nbsp;

JFK close call: Plane flies just 500 feet above Delta aircraft as both try to land

US President Donald Trump has sparked attention online after sharing a proposed ‘NICE’ logo featuring a prominent eagle with outstretched wings, styled in gold and black, holding arrows and an olive branch. A shield with stars and stripes sits at the center, with stars above and below, and the acronym ‘NICE’ displayed in bold lettering. The design closely mirrors traditional US government insignia, with ‘National Immigration and Customs Enforcement’ written beneath the emblem.&nbsp;Earlier, Trump expressed support for the proposal to rename US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to National Immigration and Customs Enforcement (NICE), amplifying a suggestion that has gained traction on social media. In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a screenshot from X featuring the idea: “I want Trump to change ICE to NICE (National Immigration and Customs Enforcement) so the media has to say NICE agents all day everyday.” Responding to the proposal, he wrote, “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT. President DJT”.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rubio-iran-just-don-t-mean-it-on-nuclear-weapons-brushes-off-trump-s-attack-on-pope-before-vatican-visit-1778016754990">Rubio: Iran 'just don't mean it' on nuclear weapons, brushes off Trump's attack on Pope before Vatican visit</a>

The concept was originally promoted by conservative influencer Alyssa Marie, who posted: “I want Trump to change ICE to NICE (National Immigration and Customs Enforcement) so the media has to say NICE agents all day everyday.” A White House spokesperson declined further comment, directing inquiries to Trump’s Truth Social post. The idea quickly drew polarized reactions. Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal criticized ICE, writing: “ICE is not keeping us safe. It's terrorizing our communities, detaining US citizens, and letting people die in custody. Abolish ICE.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mahmoud-abbas-positioning-his-son-as-successor-1778003598746/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/mahmoud-abbas-positioning-his-son-as-successor-1778003598746/embed</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, conservative commentator Nick Sortor supported the idea, writing: “100% agree! Make it happen, @SecMullinDHS!” While renaming a federal agency would typically require congressional approval, the proposal has added to the ongoing political debate over immigration enforcement in the United States.

Donald Trump supports renaming ICE to NICE, sharing a proposed eagle-style logo as the idea sparks political debate over US immigration enforcement

US President Donald Trump has sparked attention online after sharing a proposed ‘NICE’ logo featuring a prominent eagle with outstretched wings, styled in gold and black, holding arrows and an olive branch. A shield with stars and stripes sits at the center, with stars above and below, and the acronym ‘NICE’ displayed in bold lettering. The design closely mirrors traditional US government insignia, with ‘National Immigration and Customs Enforcement’ written beneath the emblem. Earlier, Trump expressed support for the proposal to rename US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to National Immigration and Customs Enforcement (NICE), amplifying a suggestion that has gained traction on social media. In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a screenshot from X featuring the idea: “I want Trump to change ICE to NICE (National Immigration and Customs Enforcement) so the media has to say NICE agents all day everyday.” Responding to the proposal, he wrote, “GREAT IDEA!!! DO IT. President DJT”. Also Read: Rubio: Iran 'just don't mean it' on nuclear weapons, brushes off Trump's attack on Pope before Vatican visit

Trump sparks online buzz after sharing a proposed 'NICE' ICE rebrand logo with eagle insignia, stars, and stripes styled like the US government emblem

Trump sparks attention online after sharing ‘NICE’ logo featuring eagle, stars and stripes US-style design

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that fake images of her generated by artificial intelligence were circulating online and warned that such false photos could deceive the public and target people who cannot defend themselves. Meloni said in a statement that several fake photos of her had been created with AI and passed off as real by political opponents.She ⁠posted one such image appearing to show her sitting on a bed in lingerie. The original post included comment that the photo was shameful and unworthy of an Italian prime minister.&nbsp;“In recent days, several fake images of me have been circulating, generated using artificial intelligence and passed off as real by some overzealous opponents,” Meloni said.“I must admit that whoever created them … even improved my appearance quite a bit,” she joked. “But the fact remains that, in order to attack and spread falsehoods, people are now willing to use absolutely anything.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Girano in questi giorni diverse mie foto false, generate con l’intelligenza artificiale e spacciate per vere da qualche solerte oppositore. Devo riconoscere che chi le ha realizzate, almeno nel caso in allegato, mi ha anche migliorata parecchio. Ma resta il fatto che, pur di… <a href="https://t.co/or44qru2qj">pic.twitter.com/or44qru2qj</a>&mdash; Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) <a href="https://twitter.com/GiorgiaMeloni/status/2051672420440764626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-iran-beaten-badly-its-navy-reduced-to-little-boats-with-machine-guns-says-trump-1778004098730">‘Iran beaten badly, its navy reduced to little boats with machine guns,’ says Trump</a>&nbsp;The AI-generated image showing her dressed in lingerie prompted a wave of condemnation from users who believed it to be genuine.One user wrote, “That a prime minister should present herself in such a state is truly shameful. Unworthy of the institutional role she holds. She has no sense of shame.”&nbsp;Meloni said the episode showed how “anything at ⁠all” was now being used to attack people and spread falsehoods.“The point, however, goes beyond me,” the PM said. “Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate, and strike anyone. I can ⁠defend myself. Many others cannot.”&nbsp;Meloni urged people to check the authenticity of online content before accepting or sharing it.“One rule should always ⁠apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing,” she said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-iran-cannot-be-allowed-to-block-hormuz-says-pete-hegseth-warns-tehran-would-face-overwhelming-firepower-1777983957232">‘Iran cannot be allowed to block Hormuz,’ says Pete Hegseth, warns Tehran would face ‘overwhelming firepower’</a>&nbsp;“Deepfakes are a dangerous tool, because they can deceive, manipulate and target anyone. I can defend myself. Many others cannot. For this reason, one rule should always apply: verify before believing, and think before sharing. Because today it happens to me, tomorrow it could happen to anyone.”&nbsp;Meloni launched a libel suit two years ago against ⁠a man from Sardinia who is accused of making deepfake pornographic images using her face and posting them online. The case continues.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-and-us-preparing-for-potential-short-campaign-to-pressure-iran-into-talks-report-1777987157027">Israel and US preparing for potential ‘short campaign’ to pressure Iran into talks: Report</a>&nbsp;The fight against the risks posed by AI and deepfakes has become a central plank of the agenda of Meloni’s far-right government.Last September, Italy became the first EU country to approve a comprehensive law regulating the use of AI, introducing prison terms for those who deploy the technology to cause harm — including the creation of deepfakes — and placing limits on children’s access.&nbsp;The law followed a scandal over a pornographic website that published doctored images of prominent Italian women, including Meloni and the opposition leader Elly Schlein, which triggered outrage in Italy.The images, lifted from social media or public appearances and altered with vulgar, sexist captions, were shared on a platform with more than 700,000 subscribers. Many showed female politicians across party lines, manipulated to emphasise body parts or imply sexualised poses.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted one such image appearing to show her sitting on a bed in lingerie. The AI-generated image showing her dressed in lingerie prompted a wave of condemnation from users who believed it to be genuine.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that fake images of her generated by artificial intelligence were circulating online and warned that such false photos could deceive the public and target people who cannot defend themselves. Meloni said in a statement that several fake photos of her had been created with AI and passed off as real by political opponents. She ⁠posted one such image appearing to show her sitting on a bed in lingerie. The original post included comment that the photo was shameful and unworthy of an Italian prime minister. “In recent days, several fake images of me have been circulating, generated using artificial intelligence and passed off as real by some overzealous opponents,” Meloni said. “I must admit that whoever created them … even improved my appearance quite a bit,” she joked. “But the fact remains that, in order to attack and spread falsehoods, people are now willing to use absolutely anything.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posted one such image appearing to show her sitting on a bed in lingerie. The AI-generated image showing her dressed in lingerie prompted a wave of condemnation from users who believed it to be genuine.

‘Verify, think before sharing,’ says Giorgia Meloni after her AI-made image in lingerie goes viral

An activist group left over hundreds of urine bottles at the Met Gala venue while protesting against Jeff Bezos and his wife. Protesters were seen across NY with boycott calls, posters and anti-Met runways.

Met Gala protesters leave over 100 ‘urine bottle’ inside Museum to protest Jeff Bezos: What's happening

A man created an AI bot to handle his entire job search process, starting with building resumes, finding the right openings and then applying for them. The anonymous Redditor explained that let the bot do everything while he slept. In one month, he has 50 interview calls. His story has triggered a debate on social media, as people questioned how ethical it was to use AI to get job offers. The man countered this reaction by saying that companies are already scanning resumes using AI, so it is hardly wrong to use the same tool to apply for the jobs. "I created an AI bot that analyses candidate information, examines job descriptions, generates unique CVs and cover letters for each job, answers specific questions that recruiters ask, and automatically applies to jobs," he wrote on Reddit's 'Get Employed' board. The AI bot took a lot on its plate, tweaking each application to fit the job description.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-considers-vetting-ai-models-before-they-are-released-report-1777947086612">Trump administration considers vetting AI models before they are released: Report</a><h2>AI screened jobs, tailored resumes and applied</h2>The AI bot scanned job listings and then analysed each description to know what the recruiters were looking for. It then rewrote his CV and also a cover letter to match. The bot even answered questions from the recruited and sent the applications. Meanwhile, the man napped while the bot tailored each application to go perfectly with the opening. "And all of this while I was sleeping!" the man wrote. "In just one month, this method helped me secure around 50 interviews. The tailored CVs and cover letters, customised based on each job description, made a significant difference," he added.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/from-chips-to-chatbots-how-india-is-chasing-ai-billions-1771413723048">From chips to chatbots: How India is chasing AI billions</a>&nbsp;He justified using AI to land 50 interviews, even though he understands the ethical component of doing so. The man claimed that companies are using AI to screen candidates, and automated systems are outright rejecting applicants even before a human sees the CV. "We face a paradox, as we seek to optimise the selection process, we risk losing the human element that often makes a difference in a work environment," the Redditor wrote. He added, "We'll need to find a delicate balance between the efficiency of artificial intelligence and the richness of human interactions."

An Artificial Intelligence bot did everything for this man while he napped, looking through jobs, tailoring his resumes, answering questions and sending out the final applications. Social media is divided over whether this was an ethical use of AI.

A man created an AI bot to handle his entire job search process, starting with building resumes, finding the right openings and then applying for them. The anonymous Redditor explained that let the bot do everything while he slept. In one month, he has 50 interview calls. His story has triggered a debate on social media, as people questioned how ethical it was to use AI to get job offers. The man countered this reaction by saying that companies are already scanning resumes using AI, so it is hardly wrong to use the same tool to apply for the jobs. "I created an AI bot that analyses candidate information, examines job descriptions, generates unique CVs and cover letters for each job, answers specific questions that recruiters ask, and automatically applies to jobs," he wrote on Reddit's 'Get Employed' board. The AI bot took a lot on its plate, tweaking each application to fit the job description. Also Read: Trump administration considers vetting AI models before they are released: Report AI screened jobs, tailored resumes and applied The AI bot scanned job listings and then analysed each description to know what the recruiters were looking for. It then rewrote his CV and also a cover letter to match. The bot even answered questions from the recruited and sent the applications. Meanwhile, the man napped while the bot tailored each application to go perfectly with the opening. "And all of this while I was sleeping!" the man wrote. "In just one month, this method helped me secure around 50 interviews. The tailored CVs and cover letters, customised based on each job description, made a significant difference," he added. Also Read: From chips to chatbots: How India is chasing AI billions He justified using AI to land 50 interviews, even though he understands the ethical component of doing so. The man claimed that companies are using AI to screen candidates, and automated systems are outright rejecting applicants even before a human sees the CV. "We face a paradox, as we seek to optimise the selection process, we risk losing the human element that often makes a difference in a work environment," the Redditor wrote. He added, "We'll need to find a delicate balance between the efficiency of artificial intelligence and the richness of human interactions."

An Artificial Intelligence bot did everything for this man while he napped, looking through jobs, tailoring his resumes, answering questions and sending out the final applications. Social media is divided over whether this was an ethical use of AI.

AI bot landed one man 50 interviews while he napped, and the internet is divided

Scientists have retrieved a piece of Earth's mantle, the layer hidden beneath the crust. Measuring 4,160 feet, this section of rocks is a data mine that helps us understand how things work inside our planet. The achievement is also expected to offer a peek into the origin of life, volcanic activities and how elements like carbon and hydrogen move between the ocean, rocks, and Earth's deep interior. The mantle makes up 80 per cent of our planet's volume with a thick outer crust. Below the mantle is the outer core that consists of liquid metal. This mix of iron and nickel swirls to give us our magnetic field. In the innermost part is the inner core, which is solid. Professor Johan Lissenberg from Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences conducted the work in 2023. The area chosen was the seabed near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (the Atlantis Massif) because in this underwater area, the crust is thin, allowing mantle rocks to sit closer to the surface.&nbsp;Previous attempts to drill into the crust and reach the mantle reached a depth of only 650 feet. But Lissenberg and his team managed to drill deeper and extract a continuous piece measuring 4,160 feet. &nbsp;“Our study begins to look at the composition of the mantle by documenting the mineralogy of the recovered rocks, as well as their chemical makeup," he said. The team found that the mantle had undergone more melting than previously believed, which explains the formation of magma and volcanic eruptions. They also observed pathways in the rocks used by magma to swell up to the Earth's surface, explaining how it moves upwards. “This is important because it tells us how the mantle melts and feeds volcanoes, particularly those on the ocean floor that account for the majority of volcanism on Earth,” explains Professor Lissenberg.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ecological-disaster-unfolding-in-western-ghats-as-one-insect-goes-missing-in-india-1777956918157">Ecological disaster unfolding in Western Ghats as one insect goes 'missing' in India</a><h2>How life originated on Earth</h2>Scientists also noted that the rocks contain an abundant mineral called olivine. When olivine comes into direct contact with hot seawater, it undergoes a chemical reaction known as serpentinization. It gives scientists a real-world model to study the conditions that may have supported the very first forms of life on early Earth. Researchers believe this process served as the necessary "spark" that generated organic building blocks before life officially began. The sample will act as a baseline reference for geologists, microbiologists, and geochemists for decades to come.

A long piece of Earth's mantle measuring 4,160 feet has shed light on how the building blocks of life took shape on our planet. This was the first time that scientists reached such depths of the Earth and extracted an invaluable data mine. 

Scientists have retrieved a piece of Earth's mantle, the layer hidden beneath the crust. Measuring 4,160 feet, this section of rocks is a data mine that helps us understand how things work inside our planet. The achievement is also expected to offer a peek into the origin of life, volcanic activities and how elements like carbon and hydrogen move between the ocean, rocks, and Earth's deep interior. The mantle makes up 80 per cent of our planet's volume with a thick outer crust. Below the mantle is the outer core that consists of liquid metal. This mix of iron and nickel swirls to give us our magnetic field. In the innermost part is the inner core, which is solid. Professor Johan Lissenberg from Cardiff University’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences conducted the work in 2023. The area chosen was the seabed near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (the Atlantis Massif) because in this underwater area, the crust is thin, allowing mantle rocks to sit closer to the surface. Previous attempts to drill into the crust and reach the mantle reached a depth of only 650 feet. But Lissenberg and his team managed to drill deeper and extract a continuous piece measuring 4,160 feet. “Our study begins to look at the composition of the mantle by documenting the mineralogy of the recovered rocks, as well as their chemical makeup," he said. The team found that the mantle had undergone more melting than previously believed, which explains the formation of magma and volcanic eruptions. They also observed pathways in the rocks used by magma to swell up to the Earth's surface, explaining how it moves upwards. “This is important because it tells us how the mantle melts and feeds volcanoes, particularly those on the ocean floor that account for the majority of volcanism on Earth,” explains Professor Lissenberg. Also Read: Ecological disaster unfolding in Western Ghats as one insect goes 'missing' in India How life originated on Earth Scientists also noted that the rocks contain an abundant mineral called olivine. When olivine comes into direct contact with hot seawater, it undergoes a chemical reaction known as serpentinization. It gives scientists a real-world model to study the conditions that may have supported the very first forms of life on early Earth. Researchers believe this process served as the necessary "spark" that generated organic building blocks before life officially began. The sample will act as a baseline reference for geologists, microbiologists, and geochemists for decades to come.

A long piece of Earth's mantle measuring 4,160 feet has shed light on how the building blocks of life took shape on our planet. This was the first time that scientists reached such depths of the Earth and extracted an invaluable data mine.&nbsp;

Scientists extract 4,160 feet of Earth's mantle and learn how first life forms originated

Amid growing concerns over missing and dead scientists in the United States, some UFO researchers have claimed that this is not a recent occurrence, and mysterious suicides and plane crashes happened as far back as the 1940s. Nearly 12 people linked with the fields of space and nuclear research have either died or disappeared in the past four years. Congressman Tim Burchett and journalist Ross Coulthart are among those who first flagged the issue, after which more people started talking about it before it ultimately reached the White House. The FBI is currently investigating, even though other experts and the family members of some of these scientists do not think they are related. Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists are now claiming that hundreds of such deaths happened when UFO sightings were initially reported, and they were made to look like accidents or suicides.&nbsp;UFO researchers Nigel Watson and Timothy Hood told The Daily Mail that one of the first such incidents happened at the start of the "flying saucer" era in 1947. Harold A Dahl, his son Charles and two crewmen were in a tugboat off Maury Island in Puget Sound between Washington State's Seattle and Tacoma when they saw six golden and silver doughnut-shaped objects flying above them. One of them wobbled and released thin metallic strips and black lumps. It hit the boy who was injured and the dog that died. A man in a black sedan confronted Dahl and warned him not to speak about the incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kenneth Arnold was another man who also saw flying saucers and asked Air Force Intelligence to investigate. Captain William Davidson and Lieutenant Frank M Brown went to Tacoma but found no evidence of a rain of molten lead. Both of them died when their B-25 crashed. Watson says the port engine of their aircraft caught fire. Later, someone called the local newspaper and claimed, "The aircraft was shot down by a 20mm cannon because there were fragments of a flying saucer."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/the-mondaloy-mystery-two-aerospace-experts-with-ties-to-special-projects-go-missing-triggering-security-concerns-1774248547608">The Mondaloy mystery: Two aerospace experts with ties to 'special projects' go missing, triggering security concerns</a><h2>Conspiracy theories on UFO researchers</h2>Arnold also escaped death as the engine of his plane failed after he took off from Tacoma. He made a crash landing and "found that his fuel valve had been switched off." He added, "Paul Lance, a reporter for the Tacoma Times, who covered this story, died suddenly two weeks later of meningitis." Dahl's boss, Fred Crisman, who had collected debris from the site, was later investigated in a case related to the assassination of President Kennedy. This further fueled conspiracy theories that the people in the know were being deliberately silenced. Researcher Otto Binder claimed in 1971 that 137 UFO investigators had died in mysterious circumstances during the 1960s.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/william-neil-mccasland-classified-space-weapons-program-america-ufo-secrets-is-missing-1773064076407">Man in charge of classified space weapons program who knew all about America's UFO secrets is missing</a><h2>Many claims were found baseless</h2>However, several such claims made over the years have been quashed. For example, in 2016, conspiracy theorist and UFO hunter Max Spiers told his mother that he feared being killed and asked her to investigate if something had happened to him. He "vomited black fluid" at a friend's house in Poland and died. But it was later revealed that he was suffering from pneumonia and passed away after taking a combination of powerful prescription drugs.

The mystery of dead and missing scientists has led conspiracy theorists to claim that several such cases happened in the 1940s during the "flying saucer" era. Evidence was destroyed, people were warned to stay silent, and deaths were set up to look like suicides and accidents, as per claims.

Amid growing concerns over missing and dead scientists in the United States, some UFO researchers have claimed that this is not a recent occurrence, and mysterious suicides and plane crashes happened as far back as the 1940s. Nearly 12 people linked with the fields of space and nuclear research have either died or disappeared in the past four years. Congressman Tim Burchett and journalist Ross Coulthart are among those who first flagged the issue, after which more people started talking about it before it ultimately reached the White House. The FBI is currently investigating, even though other experts and the family members of some of these scientists do not think they are related. Meanwhile, conspiracy theorists are now claiming that hundreds of such deaths happened when UFO sightings were initially reported, and they were made to look like accidents or suicides. UFO researchers Nigel Watson and Timothy Hood told The Daily Mail that one of the first such incidents happened at the start of the "flying saucer" era in 1947. Harold A Dahl, his son Charles and two crewmen were in a tugboat off Maury Island in Puget Sound between Washington State's Seattle and Tacoma when they saw six golden and silver doughnut-shaped objects flying above them. One of them wobbled and released thin metallic strips and black lumps. It hit the boy who was injured and the dog that died. A man in a black sedan confronted Dahl and warned him not to speak about the incident. Kenneth Arnold was another man who also saw flying saucers and asked Air Force Intelligence to investigate. Captain William Davidson and Lieutenant Frank M Brown went to Tacoma but found no evidence of a rain of molten lead. Both of them died when their B-25 crashed. Watson says the port engine of their aircraft caught fire. Later, someone called the local newspaper and claimed, "The aircraft was shot down by a 20mm cannon because there were fragments of a flying saucer." Also Read: The Mondaloy mystery: Two aerospace experts with ties to 'special projects' go missing, triggering security concerns Conspiracy theories on UFO researchers Arnold also escaped death as the engine of his plane failed after he took off from Tacoma. He made a crash landing and "found that his fuel valve had been switched off." He added, "Paul Lance, a reporter for the Tacoma Times, who covered this story, died suddenly two weeks later of meningitis." Dahl's boss, Fred Crisman, who had collected debris from the site, was later investigated in a case related to the assassination of President Kennedy. This further fueled conspiracy theories that the people in the know were being deliberately silenced. Researcher Otto Binder claimed in 1971 that 137 UFO investigators had died in mysterious circumstances during the 1960s. Also Read: Man in charge of classified space weapons program who knew all about America's UFO secrets is missing Many claims were found baseless However, several such claims made over the years have been quashed. For example, in 2016, conspiracy theorist and UFO hunter Max Spiers told his mother that he feared being killed and asked her to investigate if something had happened to him. He "vomited black fluid" at a friend's house in Poland and died. But it was later revealed that he was suffering from pneumonia and passed away after taking a combination of powerful prescription drugs.

The mystery of dead and missing scientists has led conspiracy theorists to claim that several such cases happened in the 1940s during the "flying saucer" era. Evidence was destroyed, people were warned to stay silent, and deaths were set up to look like suicides and accidents, as per claims.

UFO researchers mysteriously died and vanished as far back as the 1940s, as per claims

From New York to Islamabad, several international publications reported the results of India's assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory, focusing primarily on the landslide victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal, ending the 15-year stronghold of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee in the state. In addition, publications also gave prominent space to Tamil superstar Joseph Vijay, who launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party only two years ago, and ousted the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party led by MK Stalin.<h3>The Guardian</h3>British daily publication, The Guardian, gave focus on Bengal results, noting that the state had been a rare stronghold of opposition, unrivalled in the BJP's consolidation of power across the country. The article in the media outlet, titled "Narendra Modi's BJP wins election in West Bengal for the first time", noted that the West Bengal assembly election results "will have significant implications for India's political landscape and deal another demoralising blow to the already weakened opposition".<h3>BBC</h3>The other prominent British outlet, the BBC, focused its coverage on the control of the BJP against the opposition stronghold in West Bengal. In an article titled 'Modi's BJP conquers Bengal, one of India's toughest political frontiers', claimed that the landslide victory of the BJP in the eastern state "would rank among the most significant breakthroughs of Modi's 12-year reign." "It is not merely the defeat of a three-term incumbent but the completion of the party's long march into eastern India," the article said.<h3>The New York Times</h3>In a report titled "Modi's Hindu Nationalists Conquer a Bastion of India's Opposition," the New York Times described the BJP's success in West Bengal as "historic." The publication noted that Prime Minister Modi's party achieved a major milestone in its long-term efforts to reshape India by winning in a highly populous state where it previously had no chance of governing. The report also underscored the unexpected performance of actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar in Tamil Nadu, noting his new party outperformed the state's established political giants. "One of the biggest surprises of the day was in Tamil Nadu, where the party of a political novice, the actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, did better than either of the established parties in the state," the report read.<h3>Pakistan</h3>In Pakistan, the Dawn carried the AFP report on the elections, which said PM Modi's "nationalist party" swept to victory in key elections in "opposition-held West Bengal state, conquering a bastion long held by its adversary". The report suggested that the results should put pm Modi on "a stronger footing while he battles a series of economic and foreign policy challenges, including high unemployment rates and a pending US trade deal, ahead of a general election in 2029."<h3>Bangladesh</h3>The Dhaka Tribune also utilised the AFP coverage, focusing on the electoral upset in Tamil Nadu. The report detailed the defeat of Chief Minister MK Stalin by a little-known opponent and noted that the ruling DMK finished far behind the debutant party led by actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-sweeps-west-bengal-wins-206-seats-to-breach-trinamool-s-15-year-dominance-1777926543565">BJP sweeps West Bengal, wins 206 seats to breach Trinamool’s citadel, end its 15-year dominance</a>&nbsp;

Global media highlights a historic shift as the BJP conquers Bengal, ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule. Simultaneously, actor Vijay’s TVK stunned the world by ousting the DMK in Tamil Nadu, disrupting decades of Dravidian dominance. Check what other publications said about the results.

From New York to Islamabad, several international publications reported the results of India's assembly elections in four states and one Union Territory, focusing primarily on the landslide victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal, ending the 15-year stronghold of Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee in the state. In addition, publications also gave prominent space to Tamil superstar Joseph Vijay, who launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party only two years ago, and ousted the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party led by MK Stalin. The Guardian British daily publication, The Guardian, gave focus on Bengal results, noting that the state had been a rare stronghold of opposition, unrivalled in the BJP's consolidation of power across the country. The article in the media outlet, titled "Narendra Modi's BJP wins election in West Bengal for the first time", noted that the West Bengal assembly election results "will have significant implications for India's political landscape and deal another demoralising blow to the already weakened opposition". BBC The other prominent British outlet, the BBC, focused its coverage on the control of the BJP against the opposition stronghold in West Bengal. In an article titled 'Modi's BJP conquers Bengal, one of India's toughest political frontiers', claimed that the landslide victory of the BJP in the eastern state "would rank among the most significant breakthroughs of Modi's 12-year reign." "It is not merely the defeat of a three-term incumbent but the completion of the party's long march into eastern India," the article said. The New York Times In a report titled "Modi's Hindu Nationalists Conquer a Bastion of India's Opposition," the New York Times described the BJP's success in West Bengal as "historic." The publication noted that Prime Minister Modi's party achieved a major milestone in its long-term efforts to reshape India by winning in a highly populous state where it previously had no chance of governing. The report also underscored the unexpected performance of actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar in Tamil Nadu, noting his new party outperformed the state's established political giants. "One of the biggest surprises of the day was in Tamil Nadu, where the party of a political novice, the actor Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, did better than either of the established parties in the state," the report read. Pakistan In Pakistan, the Dawn carried the AFP report on the elections, which said PM Modi's "nationalist party" swept to victory in key elections in "opposition-held West Bengal state, conquering a bastion long held by its adversary". The report suggested that the results should put pm Modi on "a stronger footing while he battles a series of economic and foreign policy challenges, including high unemployment rates and a pending US trade deal, ahead of a general election in 2029." Bangladesh The Dhaka Tribune also utilised the AFP coverage, focusing on the electoral upset in Tamil Nadu. The report detailed the defeat of Chief Minister MK Stalin by a little-known opponent and noted that the ruling DMK finished far behind the debutant party led by actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay. Also read: BJP sweeps West Bengal, wins 206 seats to breach Trinamool’s citadel, end its 15-year dominance

Global media highlights a historic shift as the BJP conquers Bengal, ending Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year rule. Simultaneously, actor Vijay’s TVK stunned the world by ousting the DMK in Tamil Nadu, disrupting decades of Dravidian dominance. Check what other publications said about the results.

From New York to Islamabad: How global media reported PM Modi's victory in Bengal against Mamata Banerjee

A new study has highlighted the ecological disaster unfolding in the Western Ghats of India, as one-third of the country's dragonfly and damselfly species have likely gone extinct. Researchers surveyed the region for two years and came across the worrying trend linked to a global decline in insect populations. Such species depend on freshwater ecosystems for reproduction, and so the local extinction of these insects has caused concerns about the environmental changes in the Western Ghats. The research has set alarm bells ringing as this could mean that many more animals could also be at risk in the region. Scientists say that their vanishing throws light on the ecological health of the water bodies in the Western Ghats. Dragonflies and damselflies are widely considered "indicator taxa" because of their short life cycles and rapid response to environmental changes.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/california-lake-vanished-reappeared-130-years-later-and-is-on-the-verge-of-dying-out-again-1777890054920">A California lake vanished in the 19th century and reappeared 130 years later</a><h2>Over 30 per cent of previously known species missing</h2>Scientists from the Maharashtra Institute of Technology-World Peace University carried out extensive field work in the Western Ghats between February 2021 and March 2023, where they studied several types of dragonflies and damselflies, also known as odonates, and their freshwater habitats. Their survey revealed the presence of 143 distinct odonate species, 40 of which were endemic to the Western Ghats. But this number was only around 65 per cent of the species historically known from the region. This means that 35 per cent of them are potentially missing, which indicates not only a species decline, but also loss of habitat and ecological stress. Ecologist Pankaj Koparde, one of the authors of the study, said, "Our survey could recover only 65 per cent of known Odonata fauna of the Ghats, indicating a plausible loss of species and habitats."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/china-is-building-an-even-bigger-dam-than-the-one-that-slowed-earth-s-rotation-1776092251258">China is building an even bigger dam than the one that slowed Earth's rotation</a>&nbsp;The study further points to the factors that are affecting the ecology in the Western Ghats, all of which are linked to humans. The spurt in infrastructure development, hydropower projects, and severe pollution has been highlighted as some of the things that have created an unsuitable environment for the dragonflies. Tourism and forest fires have also led to a degradation of the region, affecting odonate numbers.&nbsp;

Nearly 35 per cent of dragonfly and damselfly species have likely gone extinct in the Western Ghats in India. A survey did not find most of the previously known insect species in the region, hinting that the ecological hotspot is under threat.  

A new study has highlighted the ecological disaster unfolding in the Western Ghats of India, as one-third of the country's dragonfly and damselfly species have likely gone extinct. Researchers surveyed the region for two years and came across the worrying trend linked to a global decline in insect populations. Such species depend on freshwater ecosystems for reproduction, and so the local extinction of these insects has caused concerns about the environmental changes in the Western Ghats. The research has set alarm bells ringing as this could mean that many more animals could also be at risk in the region. Scientists say that their vanishing throws light on the ecological health of the water bodies in the Western Ghats. Dragonflies and damselflies are widely considered "indicator taxa" because of their short life cycles and rapid response to environmental changes. Also Read: A California lake vanished in the 19th century and reappeared 130 years later Over 30 per cent of previously known species missing Scientists from the Maharashtra Institute of Technology-World Peace University carried out extensive field work in the Western Ghats between February 2021 and March 2023, where they studied several types of dragonflies and damselflies, also known as odonates, and their freshwater habitats. Their survey revealed the presence of 143 distinct odonate species, 40 of which were endemic to the Western Ghats. But this number was only around 65 per cent of the species historically known from the region. This means that 35 per cent of them are potentially missing, which indicates not only a species decline, but also loss of habitat and ecological stress. Ecologist Pankaj Koparde, one of the authors of the study, said, "Our survey could recover only 65 per cent of known Odonata fauna of the Ghats, indicating a plausible loss of species and habitats." Also Read: China is building an even bigger dam than the one that slowed Earth's rotation The study further points to the factors that are affecting the ecology in the Western Ghats, all of which are linked to humans. The spurt in infrastructure development, hydropower projects, and severe pollution has been highlighted as some of the things that have created an unsuitable environment for the dragonflies. Tourism and forest fires have also led to a degradation of the region, affecting odonate numbers.

Nearly 35 per cent of dragonfly and damselfly species have likely gone extinct in the Western Ghats in India. A survey did not find most of the previously known insect species in the region, hinting that the ecological hotspot is under threat. &nbsp;

Ecological disaster unfolding in Western Ghats as one insect goes 'missing' in India

Vijay’s TVK emerges as the largest party in Tamil Nadu, driven by his strong star power and grassroots base. Despite controversies including a deadly Karur rally stampede, film delays, and personal allegations, TVK leads with107 seats. DMK and AIADMK follow

Tamil Nadu Election Results: Vijay brings back MGR magic - Is his story similar to AIADMK founder?

A California lake that vanished 130 years ago has suddenly reappeared. Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley was once one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the United States. However, the greed for more farmland led colonists to drain its waters, effectively killing the lake. But in 2023, this lake made a reappearance. Researchers stated in a press release that Tulare was more than 160 kilometres long and 50 kilometres wide in the 19th century. Vivian Underhill of Northeastern University said, it was 'the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi River”. But with the landscape of the San Joaquin Valley being largely arid in the 21st century, it is almost impossible to believe that such a water body once existed in the region. But this lake once carried “agricultural supplies from the Bakersfield area up to Fresno and then up to San Francisco”, a total distance of nearly 500 kilometres.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/china-is-building-an-even-bigger-dam-than-the-one-that-slowed-earth-s-rotation-1776092251258">China is building an even bigger dam than the one that slowed Earth's rotation</a>&nbsp;The researchers said that these “ancestral lakes” and connecting waterways vanished because of man-made irrigation. The Tulare Lake was once called “Pa’ashi” by the indigenous Tachi Yokut tribe, and its water came from the snowmelt out of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Fresno does not receive much rainfall, yet in the 1800s, “Fresno was a lakeside town,” Underhill said. Based on the findings, she says that the lake started disappearing in the late 1850s and early 1860s. This was because of “the state of California’s desire to take [historically indigenous] land and put it into private ownership.” Whoever could drain the land would be granted ownership of that area, and this became a major incentive, she said.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/major-north-american-river-was-missing-for-5mn-years-scientists-just-solved-the-mystery-of-its-disappearance-1776931428267">Major North American river was missing for 5mn years. Scientists just solved the mystery of its disappearance</a><h2>California lake returns</h2>The lake fully disappeared by 1890, only to make a comeback in 2023. This happened because of "snow in the winter and then rain in the spring,” Underhill explained. This rain and snow event meant that the snow melted really fast, and the water moved to the depression that was once the Tulare Lake. This led to "birds of all kinds — pelicans, hawks, waterbirds” making a comeback as well. Underhill said that the Tachi have also seen "burrowing owls nesting around the shore," a species classified as vulnerable or imperilled by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The rainfall and flooding also brought with them fish and amphibians. Meanwhile, for the Tachi, the return of the lake has been an "incredibly powerful and spiritual experience."&nbsp;The lake is now already shrinking and covers merely 2,625 acres right now. Efforts have started to drain it once again, and experts say its disappearance is imminent.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley of California vanished because of human greed in the 1890s. But it reappeared decades later, at least three more times. It is here once again, but is expected to die a slow death. 

A California lake that vanished 130 years ago has suddenly reappeared. Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley was once one of the largest bodies of freshwater in the United States. However, the greed for more farmland led colonists to drain its waters, effectively killing the lake. But in 2023, this lake made a reappearance. Researchers stated in a press release that Tulare was more than 160 kilometres long and 50 kilometres wide in the 19th century. Vivian Underhill of Northeastern University said, it was 'the largest body of freshwater west of the Mississippi River”. But with the landscape of the San Joaquin Valley being largely arid in the 21st century, it is almost impossible to believe that such a water body once existed in the region. But this lake once carried “agricultural supplies from the Bakersfield area up to Fresno and then up to San Francisco”, a total distance of nearly 500 kilometres. Also Read: China is building an even bigger dam than the one that slowed Earth's rotation The researchers said that these “ancestral lakes” and connecting waterways vanished because of man-made irrigation. The Tulare Lake was once called “Pa’ashi” by the indigenous Tachi Yokut tribe, and its water came from the snowmelt out of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Fresno does not receive much rainfall, yet in the 1800s, “Fresno was a lakeside town,” Underhill said. Based on the findings, she says that the lake started disappearing in the late 1850s and early 1860s. This was because of “the state of California’s desire to take [historically indigenous] land and put it into private ownership.” Whoever could drain the land would be granted ownership of that area, and this became a major incentive, she said. Also Read: Major North American river was missing for 5mn years. Scientists just solved the mystery of its disappearance California lake returns The lake fully disappeared by 1890, only to make a comeback in 2023. This happened because of "snow in the winter and then rain in the spring,” Underhill explained. This rain and snow event meant that the snow melted really fast, and the water moved to the depression that was once the Tulare Lake. This led to "birds of all kinds — pelicans, hawks, waterbirds” making a comeback as well. Underhill said that the Tachi have also seen "burrowing owls nesting around the shore," a species classified as vulnerable or imperilled by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The rainfall and flooding also brought with them fish and amphibians. Meanwhile, for the Tachi, the return of the lake has been an "incredibly powerful and spiritual experience." The lake is now already shrinking and covers merely 2,625 acres right now. Efforts have started to drain it once again, and experts say its disappearance is imminent.

The Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley of California vanished because of human greed in the 1890s. But it reappeared decades later, at least three more times. It is here once again, but is expected to die a slow death.&nbsp;

A California lake vanished in the 19th century and reappeared 130 years later

Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance Master whose works continue to influence modern creative, engineering, and digital fields, unknowingly captured a disease that wasn't medically described for another three centuries. His most famous work, Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde, shows two clear signs of a hereditary cholesterol disorder. Apparently, Lisa Gherardini, the subject of the painting, died at the age of 37, and a nearly two-decade-old paper states that her early death likely proves that she was suffering from it. The tell-tale signs are visible in the painting: a yellowish, irregular patch in the inner corner of her left upper eyelid, and a swelling on the back of her right hand. They are both typical physical markers associated with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). This condition is linked to the presence of a defective gene in the body that doesn't allow low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol) to be flushed out.&nbsp;A 2008 scientific paper published in Current Cardiology Reviews talks about these two physical anomalies present in the Mona Lisa. The patch near the eye is what modern medicine calls xanthelasma, while the approximately three-centimetre-long swelling near the index finger is a lipoma or xanthoma. While the Mona Lisa was painted in 1506, the generic disorder got a formal clinical description in 1852. Leiv Ose of the Rikshospitalet in Oslo, the author of the paper, stated that the portrait is probably the first recorded evidence of familial hypercholesterolemia, over three centuries before science gave it a name.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/leonardo-da-vinci-pulled-off-gravity-genius-two-centuries-before-newton-study-reveals-564135">Leonardo da Vinci pulled off gravity genius two centuries before Newton, study reveals</a>&nbsp;Ose says that the presence of these lesions in a woman between 25 and 30 years old is not a coincidence. The disease linked to cholesterol is known to manifest at an early age. Gherardini died at the age of 37, although the exact cause remains unknown. However, the scientist believes that her death at a young age is consistent with the elevated cardiovascular risk associated with the condition.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/500-year-old-leonardo-da-vinci-sketch-of-a-machine-can-solve-a-major-drone-issue-1753855643519">500-year-old Leonardo da Vinci sketch of a flying machine can solve a major drone issue</a><h2>Another painting also revealed the deadly disease</h2>The paper further states that the Mona Lisa is not the only portrait to reveal signs of this disease. Dutch master Frans Hals's 1663 Portrait of an Old Woman shows xanthoma lesions on the back of the hand of a 60-year-old woman. However, the eyelid marker is missing. She likely inherited only one defective copy of the relevant gene, which meant only one marker was present. Today, several people take cholesterol medication belonging to a class of drugs known as statins. They weren't made until the 1900s. Physician Carl Müller was the first person to identify in 1937 that elevated cholesterol was linked to heart disease. Then, in 1971, Japanese scientist Akira Endo started screening thousands of microbial strains, and his work ultimately led to the invention of mevastatin, a drug that came before statins. So technically, da Vinci revealed familial hypercholesterolemia to the world over four centuries before it was diagnosed and treated.

Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, and this iconic piece of art captured a disease that his subject likely had. A paper found two markers of a genetic cholesterol disorder in the lady, which he believes could have also been the reason for her early death.

Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance Master whose works continue to influence modern creative, engineering, and digital fields, unknowingly captured a disease that wasn't medically described for another three centuries. His most famous work, Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda or La Joconde, shows two clear signs of a hereditary cholesterol disorder. Apparently, Lisa Gherardini, the subject of the painting, died at the age of 37, and a nearly two-decade-old paper states that her early death likely proves that she was suffering from it. The tell-tale signs are visible in the painting: a yellowish, irregular patch in the inner corner of her left upper eyelid, and a swelling on the back of her right hand. They are both typical physical markers associated with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). This condition is linked to the presence of a defective gene in the body that doesn't allow low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol) to be flushed out. A 2008 scientific paper published in Current Cardiology Reviews talks about these two physical anomalies present in the Mona Lisa. The patch near the eye is what modern medicine calls xanthelasma, while the approximately three-centimetre-long swelling near the index finger is a lipoma or xanthoma. While the Mona Lisa was painted in 1506, the generic disorder got a formal clinical description in 1852. Leiv Ose of the Rikshospitalet in Oslo, the author of the paper, stated that the portrait is probably the first recorded evidence of familial hypercholesterolemia, over three centuries before science gave it a name. Also Read: Leonardo da Vinci pulled off gravity genius two centuries before Newton, study reveals Ose says that the presence of these lesions in a woman between 25 and 30 years old is not a coincidence. The disease linked to cholesterol is known to manifest at an early age. Gherardini died at the age of 37, although the exact cause remains unknown. However, the scientist believes that her death at a young age is consistent with the elevated cardiovascular risk associated with the condition. Also Read: 500-year-old Leonardo da Vinci sketch of a flying machine can solve a major drone issue Another painting also revealed the deadly disease The paper further states that the Mona Lisa is not the only portrait to reveal signs of this disease. Dutch master Frans Hals's 1663 Portrait of an Old Woman shows xanthoma lesions on the back of the hand of a 60-year-old woman. However, the eyelid marker is missing. She likely inherited only one defective copy of the relevant gene, which meant only one marker was present. Today, several people take cholesterol medication belonging to a class of drugs known as statins. They weren't made until the 1900s. Physician Carl Müller was the first person to identify in 1937 that elevated cholesterol was linked to heart disease. Then, in 1971, Japanese scientist Akira Endo started screening thousands of microbial strains, and his work ultimately led to the invention of mevastatin, a drug that came before statins. So technically, da Vinci revealed familial hypercholesterolemia to the world over four centuries before it was diagnosed and treated.

Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, and this iconic piece of art captured a disease that his subject likely had. A paper found two markers of a genetic cholesterol disorder in the lady, which he believes could have also been the reason for her early death.

Da Vinci's Mona Lisa captured a disease that was not medically discovered for 346 years

Birds have a sense of identifying the sex of humans, according to a study. They also have a preference and like males over females, as they fled much quicker when women came near them. Study co-author Yanina Benedetti, an ecologist at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, said in a statement, "As a woman in the field, I was surprised that birds reacted to us differently." Scientists included 37 bird species from five European countries and found that the birds flew away quickly when approached by women as compared to men. This showed that city birds can distinguish between male and female approaches. Researchers measured the distance from a human at which the bird flew away to make their conclusions, in which women emerged as the ones they disliked. However, the study authors have yet to find the reason for this behaviour. It was published in the journal People and Nature.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/jurassic-lesson-in-survival-180-million-year-old-sea-predator-with-100-teeth-gobbled-stones-to-stay-alive-1777468258783">180-million-year-old sea predator with 100 teeth gobbled stones to stay alive</a>&nbsp;Benedetti stated that the findings have "implications for urban ecology and equality in science" and show how animals in cities see humans. The researchers expanded on these encounters to determine whether they were just coincidences or part of a broader response pattern. They analysed over 2,700 approaches across five European countries (Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain) involving birds like magpies and pigeons. The latter were more tolerant of humans and fled only after humans got really close. However, others, like magpies, took off faster and had a longer flight initiation distance.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/dinosaurs-are-responsible-for-rapid-ageing-and-short-lifespans-in-humans-1777642716794">Dinosaurs are responsible for rapid ageing and short lifespans in humans</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/scientists-discover-62-foot-dinosaur-eating-octopus-that-ruled-the-seas-100-million-years-ago-1777026091674">Scientists discover 62-foot 'dinosaur-eating' octopus that ruled the seas 100 million years ago</a><h2>Birds fled faster, seeing the women approach them</h2>To remove other factors from the study, researchers paired male and female participants of similar heights and dressed them in the same colours. They walked up to a bird in a straight line while keeping their gaze fixed on it. They then measured the distance at which the bird fled, which is the metric used in the study, Flight Initiation Distance. Across all species and locations, they were amazed to find that birds consistently fled sooner when approached by a woman than by a man.&nbsp;&nbsp;The observations gathered between April and July of 2023 found that, on average, men could get around 3 feet closer to the birds than women could. "I fully believe our results, that urban birds react differently based on the sex of the person approaching them, but I can't explain them right now," study co-author Daniel Blumstein said in the statement. The researchers admitted that follow-up studies are required to understand more about this behaviour, such as movement patterns, scent cues, or physical traits.

Birds have a dislike for women and seem to have a certain liking for men, according to a study. In five European countries, scientists found that when men approached the birds, they stayed on the ground for longer. But when women did the same, they flew away quickly. 

Birds have a sense of identifying the sex of humans, according to a study. They also have a preference and like males over females, as they fled much quicker when women came near them. Study co-author Yanina Benedetti, an ecologist at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, said in a statement, "As a woman in the field, I was surprised that birds reacted to us differently." Scientists included 37 bird species from five European countries and found that the birds flew away quickly when approached by women as compared to men. This showed that city birds can distinguish between male and female approaches. Researchers measured the distance from a human at which the bird flew away to make their conclusions, in which women emerged as the ones they disliked. However, the study authors have yet to find the reason for this behaviour. It was published in the journal People and Nature. Also Read: 180-million-year-old sea predator with 100 teeth gobbled stones to stay alive Benedetti stated that the findings have "implications for urban ecology and equality in science" and show how animals in cities see humans. The researchers expanded on these encounters to determine whether they were just coincidences or part of a broader response pattern. They analysed over 2,700 approaches across five European countries (Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, and Spain) involving birds like magpies and pigeons. The latter were more tolerant of humans and fled only after humans got really close. However, others, like magpies, took off faster and had a longer flight initiation distance. Also Read: Dinosaurs are responsible for rapid ageing and short lifespans in humans Also Read: Scientists discover 62-foot 'dinosaur-eating' octopus that ruled the seas 100 million years ago Birds fled faster, seeing the women approach them To remove other factors from the study, researchers paired male and female participants of similar heights and dressed them in the same colours. They walked up to a bird in a straight line while keeping their gaze fixed on it. They then measured the distance at which the bird fled, which is the metric used in the study, Flight Initiation Distance. Across all species and locations, they were amazed to find that birds consistently fled sooner when approached by a woman than by a man. The observations gathered between April and July of 2023 found that, on average, men could get around 3 feet closer to the birds than women could. "I fully believe our results, that urban birds react differently based on the sex of the person approaching them, but I can't explain them right now," study co-author Daniel Blumstein said in the statement. The researchers admitted that follow-up studies are required to understand more about this behaviour, such as movement patterns, scent cues, or physical traits.

Birds have a dislike for women and seem to have a certain liking for men, according to a study. In five European countries, scientists found that when men approached the birds, they stayed on the ground for longer. But when women did the same, they flew away quickly.&nbsp;

Birds have a clear preference when it comes to choosing between men and women

As trends stabilised in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, BJP leader K Annamalai hailed the verdict as reflecting a decisive shift in public mood, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) struggled to emerge as a dominant force in the state. Talking to X, the former IPS officer congratulated actor turned politician Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), for what he described as a remarkable electoral debut.&nbsp;Calling the outcome a rejection of entrenched political practices, Annamalai said the people had delivered a message against “buying of votes and to dynastic politics,” and termed the shift a major turning point. Emphasising the scale of change, he said, “Whoever gets it done has actually done a favour to all”.&nbsp;In a congratulatory message, he wrote, “Congrats and best wishes to TVK &amp; Thiru @TVKVijayHQ avl for a spectacular debut in TN politics. Let Almighty be with you to do what you intend to do.” He also acknowledged the electorate, stating, “I bow down to the people of TN for your verdict. Happy to see in my land, people have risen in one voice and spoken.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/thalapathy-vs-ilaya-thalapathy-mk-stalin-proves-to-be-no-stallion-as-upstart-vijay-wins-tamil-nadu-on-debut-race-of-tvk-assembly-election-analysis-1777893828716">Thalapathy vs Ilaya Thalapathy: MK Stalin proves to be no stallion as upstart Vijay wins Tamil Nadu on debut race of TVK</a>&nbsp; Addressing candidates from the National Democratic Alliance, Annamalai said, “It was a hard-fought battle on the ground”, adding, “Congrats to all those who won, and for those who couldn’t register a victory this time, let’s keep fighting.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I bow down to the people of TN for your verdict. Happy to see in my land, people have risen in one voice and spoken 1. No to buying of votes 2. ⁠No to dynastic Politics &amp; yes to a generational shift in politics. Whoever gets it done has actually done a favour to all!…&mdash; K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) <a href="https://twitter.com/annamalai_k/status/2051253890826502288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Vijay wave dominates Tamil Nadu results</h2>As counting progressed and trends stabilised, TVK emerged as the single largest party. The party is leading in or has won 109 out of the 233 constituencies it contested, placing it close to the majority mark.&nbsp;The scale of the shift is evident in key constituencies, including Kolathur, where Chief Minister M K Stalin faced a major defeat against a TVK candidate. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK) has moved into second position, while the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has slipped to third, marking a significant reversal in the state’s political order.&nbsp;For the BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance, the results indicate a fragmented mandate; however, the saffron party has improved its presence, leading in 14 seats and performing better in urban centres such as Coimbatore and Madurai, but remains a secondary player in an election shaped largely by the Vijay wave.

As counting progressed and trends stabilised, TVK emerged as the single largest party. The party is leading in or has won 109 out of the 233 constituencies it contested, placing it close to the majority mark.

As trends stabilised in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, BJP leader K Annamalai hailed the verdict as reflecting a decisive shift in public mood, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) struggled to emerge as a dominant force in the state. Talking to X, the former IPS officer congratulated actor turned politician Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), for what he described as a remarkable electoral debut. Calling the outcome a rejection of entrenched political practices, Annamalai said the people had delivered a message against “buying of votes and to dynastic politics,” and termed the shift a major turning point. Emphasising the scale of change, he said, “Whoever gets it done has actually done a favour to all”. In a congratulatory message, he wrote, “Congrats and best wishes to TVK & Thiru @TVKVijayHQ avl for a spectacular debut in TN politics. Let Almighty be with you to do what you intend to do.” He also acknowledged the electorate, stating, “I bow down to the people of TN for your verdict. Happy to see in my land, people have risen in one voice and spoken.” Also Read: Thalapathy vs Ilaya Thalapathy: MK Stalin proves to be no stallion as upstart Vijay wins Tamil Nadu on debut race of TVK Addressing candidates from the National Democratic Alliance, Annamalai said, “It was a hard-fought battle on the ground”, adding, “Congrats to all those who won, and for those who couldn’t register a victory this time, let’s keep fighting.”

As counting progressed and trends stabilised, TVK emerged as the single largest party. The party is leading in or has won 109 out of the 233 constituencies it contested, placing it close to the majority mark.

Annamalai hails Vijay’s victory in Tamil Nadu as  'generational shift' despite BJP setback

In Tamil Nadu political circles, Chief Minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin is called Thalapathy, or commander/leader. In a strange coincidence, his electoral nemesis Vijay was called 'Ilaya Thalapathy' or "Young Commander" since his stardom years in Tamil cinema. The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections of 2026 were about the clash of these two Thalapathys. Vijay, full name Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, transitioned to politics from cinema in the southern state known for several such metamorphoses. His fledgling party, TVK, appears to have done the impossible: channelling all the anger and frustrations about Stalin and DMK, and the mass adoration for Vijay, into votes. Tamil Nadu is witnessing yet another crossover from movies to politics: practically all of its chief ministers had a past in tinseltown. Here is how the dynast lost to the upstart, in a race between a stallion and a debutant.<h2>The dynasty falls in front of the upstart: Why did Stalin lose Tamil Nadu election 2026?</h2>In the past few years, Stalin has been projecting himself not only as a Tamil Nadu politician, but also as a national counterweight to BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But clearly, he does not seem to have the love of the Tamil voter any more. Stalin grew in politics under the shadow of his giant of a father, M Karunanidhi, the key proponent of Dravidian politics in the state, which came to power, among other things, through a fight against the imposition of the national language Hindi.Vijay, on the other hand, launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) only in 2024. Vijay’s fans and the larger population saw TVK as a fresh alternative. In its very first electoral outing, TVK contested all 234 seats of the state independently. TVK has delivered a stunning upset, and is emerging as the single largest party as per official trends on Monday (May 4).&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-assembly-elections-2026-vijay-s-poll-debut-mirrors-kejriwal-s-2013-breakthrough-1777889787882">Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Vijay’s poll debut mirrors Kejriwal’s 2013 breakthrough</a><h2>Ending a political duopoly in Tamil Nadu</h2>The election result also marks the end of the DMK-AIADMK duopoly that ruled the state for nearly half a century.Vijay’s assets were the mass hero appeal he created with two decades of box-office hits, fan armies among youth and urban voters, a clean image, and promises of change. Even before the elections, he advocated a drug-free Tamil Nadu, youth employment, and better governance.TVK was positioned as a direct challenge to the ruling DMK, with Vijay focusing on issues that mattered most to common people. Vijay contested from high-profile seats like Perambur and Trichy East, leading in both.Going into the election, AIADMK was already in shambles over internecine fights. At the DMK meanwhile, Stalin represented the old guard of Dravidian politics and was seeking a second consecutive term. His stronghold of Kolathur became symbolic of the upset, with Stalin trailing behind TVK’s candidate VS Babu.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tamil-nadu-election-results-vijay-s-family-celebrates-as-tvk-inches-closer-to-victory-video-1777878032912">Tamil Nadu Election Results: Vijay's family celebrates as TVK inches closer to victory - VIDEO</a><h2>MK Stalin faced strong anti-incumbency in Tamil Nadu</h2>Voter frustration was high over law and order, alleged corruption, scams, illicit liquor and drug problems, and governance lapses. The traditional opposition, AIADMK, failed to capitalise on the anti-incumbency as it was grappling with factionalism. Voters eventually swung heavily towards the energetic new option.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-awaits-poll-verdict-exit-polls-project-victory-for-m-k-stalin-1777815871888/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-awaits-poll-verdict-exit-polls-project-victory-for-m-k-stalin-1777815871888/embed</a>Vijay has fans among both Gen Z and millennials who grew up on his films. They turned out in huge numbers to vote, with the state recording record turnout, with some areas reporting more than 85 per cent voting. TVK appears to have made inroads into urban areas like Chennai as well as southern districts, and traditional bastions of both DMK and AIADMK.TVK framed it as a direct fight, avoiding alliances. And it helped. DMK on the other hand struggled with addressing perceptions of dynastic entitlement for Stalin, and voter fatigue after years of DMK in power. Vijay had a people’s hero persona reminiscent of MG Ramachandran, the founder of AIADMK. Eventually, the anti-incumbency votes consolidated behind TVK.

Vijay’s TVK mounted a stunning victory to oust incumbent chief minister MK Stalin's DMK from power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. This is nothing short of a movie climax. How did we reach here?

In Tamil Nadu political circles, Chief Minister and DMK supremo MK Stalin is called Thalapathy, or commander/leader. In a strange coincidence, his electoral nemesis Vijay was called 'Ilaya Thalapathy' or "Young Commander" since his stardom years in Tamil cinema. The Tamil Nadu Assembly elections of 2026 were about the clash of these two Thalapathys. Vijay, full name Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, transitioned to politics from cinema in the southern state known for several such metamorphoses. His fledgling party, TVK, appears to have done the impossible: channelling all the anger and frustrations about Stalin and DMK, and the mass adoration for Vijay, into votes. Tamil Nadu is witnessing yet another crossover from movies to politics: practically all of its chief ministers had a past in tinseltown. Here is how the dynast lost to the upstart, in a race between a stallion and a debutant. The dynasty falls in front of the upstart: Why did Stalin lose Tamil Nadu election 2026? In the past few years, Stalin has been projecting himself not only as a Tamil Nadu politician, but also as a national counterweight to BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But clearly, he does not seem to have the love of the Tamil voter any more. Stalin grew in politics under the shadow of his giant of a father, M Karunanidhi, the key proponent of Dravidian politics in the state, which came to power, among other things, through a fight against the imposition of the national language Hindi. Vijay, on the other hand, launched Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) only in 2024. Vijay’s fans and the larger population saw TVK as a fresh alternative. In its very first electoral outing, TVK contested all 234 seats of the state independently. TVK has delivered a stunning upset, and is emerging as the single largest party as per official trends on Monday (May 4). Also read: Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2026: Vijay’s poll debut mirrors Kejriwal’s 2013 breakthrough Ending a political duopoly in Tamil Nadu The election result also marks the end of the DMK-AIADMK duopoly that ruled the state for nearly half a century. Vijay’s assets were the mass hero appeal he created with two decades of box-office hits, fan armies among youth and urban voters, a clean image, and promises of change. Even before the elections, he advocated a drug-free Tamil Nadu, youth employment, and better governance. TVK was positioned as a direct challenge to the ruling DMK, with Vijay focusing on issues that mattered most to common people. Vijay contested from high-profile seats like Perambur and Trichy East, leading in both. Going into the election, AIADMK was already in shambles over internecine fights. At the DMK meanwhile, Stalin represented the old guard of Dravidian politics and was seeking a second consecutive term. His stronghold of Kolathur became symbolic of the upset, with Stalin trailing behind TVK’s candidate VS Babu. Also read: Tamil Nadu Election Results: Vijay's family celebrates as TVK inches closer to victory - VIDEO MK Stalin faced strong anti-incumbency in Tamil Nadu Voter frustration was high over law and order, alleged corruption, scams, illicit liquor and drug problems, and governance lapses. The traditional opposition, AIADMK, failed to capitalise on the anti-incumbency as it was grappling with factionalism. Voters eventually swung heavily towards the energetic new option. https://www.wionews.com/videos/tamil-nadu-awaits-poll-verdict-exit-polls-project-victory-for-m-k-stalin-1777815871888/embed Vijay has fans among both Gen Z and millennials who grew up on his films. They turned out in huge numbers to vote, with the state recording record turnout, with some areas reporting more than 85 per cent voting. TVK appears to have made inroads into urban areas like Chennai as well as southern districts, and traditional bastions of both DMK and AIADMK. TVK framed it as a direct fight, avoiding alliances. And it helped. DMK on the other hand struggled with addressing perceptions of dynastic entitlement for Stalin, and voter fatigue after years of DMK in power. Vijay had a people’s hero persona reminiscent of MG Ramachandran, the founder of AIADMK. Eventually, the anti-incumbency votes consolidated behind TVK.

Vijay’s TVK mounted a stunning victory to oust incumbent chief minister MK Stalin's DMK from power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. This is nothing short of a movie climax. How did we reach here?

Thalapathy vs Ilaya Thalapathy: MK Stalin proves to be no stallion as upstart Vijay wins Tamil Nadu on debut race of TVK

The BJP or Bharatiya Janata Party is poised to form its first-ever government in West Bengal, a prospect once thought impossible in the east Indian state known for its progressive politics that saw decades of Left Front rule followed by 15 years of Mamata Banerjee's All India Trinamool Congress at the helm. At the time of writing this, official trends from India's Election Commission on Monday (May 4) showed BJP ahead in 194 seats, while Trinamool Congress or TMC is leading in only 94. Mamata Banerjee has been the state's chief minister since 2011, even as BJP slowly made dents in the electorate over the past decade. Here is how Mamata lost and BJP won:<h2>A far cry from TMC's strong showing in 2021: How did Didi lose?</h2>The 2026 assembly election results are a far cry from TMC's strong showing in 2021 of more than 210 seats. It's also a personal defeat for Banerjee, who led TMC from the front since its inception in 1998.&nbsp;Today, it appears people wanted a change after giving three terms to TMC and Banerjee. After 15 years in power, anti-incumbency has been brewing against Banerjee, fondly called ‘Didi’ or elder sister in West Bengal.&nbsp;Governance was not satisfactory as unemployment grew and people were left without enough economic opportunities. From rape cases to corruption scandals and alleged Bangladeshi infiltration, there were several unaddressed grievances against the government over the years. Alleged scams in school recruitment, where thousands of appointments were invalidated, highlighted the rot. The so-called "tolabazi", or extortion by local TMC workers who functioned like syndicates, made people fed up and look towards BJP as an alternative. The RG Kar rape-murder case of 2024 was a flashpoint, highlighting both law and order breakdown and women's safety issues. The weeks-long protest for justice for the rape victim exposed institutional cover-ups. The victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, contested on a BJP ticket in Panihati and was leading by a margin of more than 35,000 votes at the time of writing this.&nbsp;Also read: <a href=" https://www.wionews.com/photos/west-bengal-election-results-2026-if-bjp-wins-who-will-be-cm-full-list-of-top-contenders-1777883116203">West Bengal Election Results 2026: If BJP wins, who will be CM? Full list of top contenders</a><h2>BJP managed to capitalise on West Bengal voter dissatisfaction&nbsp;</h2>BJP seems to have gained from such voter discontent, with a little bit of help from voter list amendments under the SIR, or Special Intensive Revision. The SIR resulted in massive deletions of names, including from minority areas. Some reports claimed the deletions ran into a million or more, and allegedly affected core vote banks of TMC. Banerjee and her party alleged bias by the Election Commission and voter suppression.But BJP and the Election Commission stood their ground, saying the SIR only removed bogus voters and illegal entries. It should be noted that the West Bengal election saw the highest-ever turnout of up to 93 per cent in some areas, after the SIR.The other aspect BJP highlighted throughout the campaign season was the perceived minority appeasement by the Mamata Banerjee government. BJP alleged that TMC was playing vote bank politics by allowing people from Bangladesh to 'infiltrate' into the state. The fear of such migration from the neighbouring Muslim-majority country helped consolidate Hindu community votes for BJP. Any minority consolidation for TMC could not offset that.<h2>West Bengal takes a right turn in historic choice for ‘Poribortan’</h2>The violence during polling and the election campaign season, perceived economic woes in spite of welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar, made people look for a change. As many youngsters were forced to migrate in search of economic opportunities, BJP led an aggressive campaign targeting them and the broader Bengali community. The speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other star campaigners put the lens sharply on Mamata Banerjee government's alleged failures.The welfare schemes and Bengali regional identity politics of TMC appear to have failed too. The buzzword in this election was ‘Poribortan’, Bengali for change. The voters felt the need for change, and knew that the Left parties were already in shambles, leaving BJP as the only viable option capable of winning.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-bjp-crosses-majority-mark-in-west-bengal-1777888407009/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-bjp-crosses-majority-mark-in-west-bengal-1777888407009/embed</a>BJP played the cards of national security, illegal migration from Bangladesh, and Hindu interests, which was attractive for many Bengali Hindus.BJP was simply better organised. Central forces were deployed in many areas, helping avert booth-level intimidation that had favoured incumbents in the past.BJP's victory appears to have been uniform across rural and urban seats, including in urban Kolkata areas. With financial, infrastructural, and rhetorical backing from the central machinery of BJP, the saffron party has made this historic victory possible.<h2>West Bengal is not easy: BJP has a task cut out for the future</h2>During the election campaign, BJP made promises on jobs, development, and governance. It advocated industrial revival as opposed to the 'cholbe na' (won't happen) attitude of TMC and its predecessor, the Left Front.Now, BJP has its task cut out: employment, women's safety, as well as ending the syndicate raj and corruption. &nbsp;Since the elections were announced, TMC and Banerjee made several allegations of irregularities in both voter lists and counting. But clearly, the average Bengali appears to have voted for 'poribortan'.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/west-bengal-election-results-2026-if-bjp-wins-who-will-be-cm-full-list-of-top-contenders-1777883116203">Clashes break out between TMC and BJP amid West Bengal vote-counting: Stone-pelting, vandalism reported</a>&nbsp;In the past few years, West Bengal politics has been less about ideology and more about regional, caste, and minority-majority community dynamics. The state is no stranger to political violence. For the average Bengali, the transition from Left Front government to TMC meant only a transfer of syndicates, which used the same methods of intimidation of local populations.&nbsp;Now it is up to the BJP to end the politics of violence and cycle of vendetta, and introduce governance focused on industrial revival and national security.

BJP surged ahead in West Bengal, and Mamata Banerjee faces a major setback in the West Bengal Assembly election. The saffron party is poised to form its first-ever government in the east Indian state. How did TMC lose, and how did BJP win?

The BJP or Bharatiya Janata Party is poised to form its first-ever government in West Bengal, a prospect once thought impossible in the east Indian state known for its progressive politics that saw decades of Left Front rule followed by 15 years of Mamata Banerjee's All India Trinamool Congress at the helm. At the time of writing this, official trends from India's Election Commission on Monday (May 4) showed BJP ahead in 194 seats, while Trinamool Congress or TMC is leading in only 94. Mamata Banerjee has been the state's chief minister since 2011, even as BJP slowly made dents in the electorate over the past decade. Here is how Mamata lost and BJP won: A far cry from TMC's strong showing in 2021: How did Didi lose? The 2026 assembly election results are a far cry from TMC's strong showing in 2021 of more than 210 seats. It's also a personal defeat for Banerjee, who led TMC from the front since its inception in 1998. Today, it appears people wanted a change after giving three terms to TMC and Banerjee. After 15 years in power, anti-incumbency has been brewing against Banerjee, fondly called ‘Didi’ or elder sister in West Bengal. Governance was not satisfactory as unemployment grew and people were left without enough economic opportunities. From rape cases to corruption scandals and alleged Bangladeshi infiltration, there were several unaddressed grievances against the government over the years. Alleged scams in school recruitment, where thousands of appointments were invalidated, highlighted the rot. The so-called "tolabazi", or extortion by local TMC workers who functioned like syndicates, made people fed up and look towards BJP as an alternative. The RG Kar rape-murder case of 2024 was a flashpoint, highlighting both law and order breakdown and women's safety issues. The weeks-long protest for justice for the rape victim exposed institutional cover-ups. The victim's mother, Ratna Debnath, contested on a BJP ticket in Panihati and was leading by a margin of more than 35,000 votes at the time of writing this. Also read: West Bengal Election Results 2026: If BJP wins, who will be CM? Full list of top contenders BJP managed to capitalise on West Bengal voter dissatisfaction BJP seems to have gained from such voter discontent, with a little bit of help from voter list amendments under the SIR, or Special Intensive Revision. The SIR resulted in massive deletions of names, including from minority areas. Some reports claimed the deletions ran into a million or more, and allegedly affected core vote banks of TMC. Banerjee and her party alleged bias by the Election Commission and voter suppression. But BJP and the Election Commission stood their ground, saying the SIR only removed bogus voters and illegal entries. It should be noted that the West Bengal election saw the highest-ever turnout of up to 93 per cent in some areas, after the SIR. The other aspect BJP highlighted throughout the campaign season was the perceived minority appeasement by the Mamata Banerjee government. BJP alleged that TMC was playing vote bank politics by allowing people from Bangladesh to 'infiltrate' into the state. The fear of such migration from the neighbouring Muslim-majority country helped consolidate Hindu community votes for BJP. Any minority consolidation for TMC could not offset that. West Bengal takes a right turn in historic choice for ‘Poribortan’ The violence during polling and the election campaign season, perceived economic woes in spite of welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar, made people look for a change. As many youngsters were forced to migrate in search of economic opportunities, BJP led an aggressive campaign targeting them and the broader Bengali community. The speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other star campaigners put the lens sharply on Mamata Banerjee government's alleged failures. The welfare schemes and Bengali regional identity politics of TMC appear to have failed too. The buzzword in this election was ‘Poribortan’, Bengali for change. The voters felt the need for change, and knew that the Left parties were already in shambles, leaving BJP as the only viable option capable of winning. https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-bjp-crosses-majority-mark-in-west-bengal-1777888407009/embed BJP played the cards of national security, illegal migration from Bangladesh, and Hindu interests, which was attractive for many Bengali Hindus. BJP was simply better organised. Central forces were deployed in many areas, helping avert booth-level intimidation that had favoured incumbents in the past. BJP's victory appears to have been uniform across rural and urban seats, including in urban Kolkata areas. With financial, infrastructural, and rhetorical backing from the central machinery of BJP, the saffron party has made this historic victory possible. West Bengal is not easy: BJP has a task cut out for the future During the election campaign, BJP made promises on jobs, development, and governance. It advocated industrial revival as opposed to the 'cholbe na' (won't happen) attitude of TMC and its predecessor, the Left Front. Now, BJP has its task cut out: employment, women's safety, as well as ending the syndicate raj and corruption. Since the elections were announced, TMC and Banerjee made several allegations of irregularities in both voter lists and counting. But clearly, the average Bengali appears to have voted for 'poribortan'. Also read: Clashes break out between TMC and BJP amid West Bengal vote-counting: Stone-pelting, vandalism reported In the past few years, West Bengal politics has been less about ideology and more about regional, caste, and minority-majority community dynamics. The state is no stranger to political violence. For the average Bengali, the transition from Left Front government to TMC meant only a transfer of syndicates, which used the same methods of intimidation of local populations. Now it is up to the BJP to end the politics of violence and cycle of vendetta, and introduce governance focused on industrial revival and national security.

BJP surged ahead in West Bengal, and Mamata Banerjee faces a major setback in the West Bengal Assembly election. The saffron party is poised to form its first-ever government in the east Indian state. How did TMC lose, and how did BJP win?

Didi's day OUT: Mamata Banerjee faces election reckoning as West Bengal opens doors to BJP after 15 years of TMC rule

A United Airlines Boeing 767 narrowly avoided disaster on Sunday (May 3) when its landing gear struck a lamppost and the top of a tractor-trailer truck while on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport. The incident left one driver hospitalised with minor injuries and has prompted immediate investigations by both the airline and the FAA.<h2>What happened at Newark airport?</h2>Flight 169, carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members, had arrived from Venice, Italy, when the incident occurred at approximately 2 PM local time. According to the New Jersey State Police, as the aircraft approached the runway, "a landing tyre and the underside of the plane collided with a pole and a tractor-trailer." The pole then struck a passing Jeep on the highway below.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/breaking-mass-shooting-at-oklahoma-campground-leaves-at-least-15-wounded-1777866207714">Mass shooting at Oklahoma campground: At least 10 injured, taken to hospital</a>The truck involved belonged to H&amp;S Bakery. The bakery's Senior Vice President, Chuck Paterakis, said the wheel of the aircraft "crashed into the driver's window," though the truck itself was largely unscathed. The driver sustained minor cuts and was taken to the hospital before being released.Paterakis noted that the situation could have ended very differently. "It could have been the opposite of what happened," he told ABC, "and a little help from God went a long way tonight for everybody on the plane, and including the driver."Dash cam footage from the bakery truck, which shows the moment the plane's gear collided with it, is going viral on social media. Watch it here:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🇺🇸 A United Airlines Boeing 767 flying in from Venice just clipped a bakery truck on the New Jersey Turnpike on final approach to Newark. The landing gear hit the driver&#39;s-side window. The plane also took out a light pole. 221 passengers on board. The driver walked away with… <a href="https://t.co/pda8JMLdyD">pic.twitter.com/pda8JMLdyD</a>&mdash; Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2051062303794368679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Plane lands safely</h2>No injuries were reported among the 231 people on board the aircraft. The FAA confirmed the Boeing 767 landed safely and said it would investigate the incident. United Airlines said it would "conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation" and confirmed the crew had been removed from service pending the review, standard procedure following an aviation safety incident.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-public-health-event-three-dead-on-atlantic-cruise-from-mysterious-respiratory-illness-who-confirms-hantavirus-outbreak-another-pandemic-1777860643994">'Public health event': Three dead on Atlantic cruise from mysterious ‘respiratory illness’; WHO confirms hantavirus outbreak</a>

A United Airlines flight from Venice to Newark came terrifyingly close to catastrophe when its landing gear reportedly struck a lamppost and a truck during final approach, turning an ordinary landing into a near-disaster now under federal investigation. Scroll down.

A United Airlines Boeing 767 narrowly avoided disaster on Sunday (May 3) when its landing gear struck a lamppost and the top of a tractor-trailer truck while on final approach to Newark Liberty International Airport. The incident left one driver hospitalised with minor injuries and has prompted immediate investigations by both the airline and the FAA. What happened at Newark airport? Flight 169, carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members, had arrived from Venice, Italy, when the incident occurred at approximately 2 PM local time. According to the New Jersey State Police, as the aircraft approached the runway, "a landing tyre and the underside of the plane collided with a pole and a tractor-trailer." The pole then struck a passing Jeep on the highway below. Also read | Mass shooting at Oklahoma campground: At least 10 injured, taken to hospital The truck involved belonged to H&S Bakery. The bakery's Senior Vice President, Chuck Paterakis, said the wheel of the aircraft "crashed into the driver's window," though the truck itself was largely unscathed. The driver sustained minor cuts and was taken to the hospital before being released. Paterakis noted that the situation could have ended very differently. "It could have been the opposite of what happened," he told ABC, "and a little help from God went a long way tonight for everybody on the plane, and including the driver." Dash cam footage from the bakery truck, which shows the moment the plane's gear collided with it, is going viral on social media. Watch it here:

Newark Airport plane crash: A United Airlines flight from Venice to Newark came terrifyingly close to catastrophe when its landing gear reportedly struck a lamppost and a truck during final approach, turning an ordinary landing into a near-disaster now under federal investigation.

Newark Airport plane crash: Chilling video shows moment a United Airlines plane strikes bakery truck during final approach | Watch

Kerala's LDF, or the Left Democratic Front led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), looks set to go out of power as the Congress-led UDF crossed the halfway mark in the assembly election's official trends on Monday (May 4). This is not just another election story as the United Democratic Front is poised to form the government in the south Indian state. When the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government exits, it would mark the first time since 1977 that no Indian state has a communist or Left-wing government.<h2>India's tryst with communism in national politics</h2>While it was never a national force electorally, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and its splinter group, CPI-M, which became bigger than its parent, were a much-valued alternative stream of politics in India. The fortunes of CPI-M, CPI and allied Left-of-centre parties waxed and waned over the years even as they became the voices of the working classes.&nbsp;In 1996–1998 period, the CPI(M) provided external support to the United Front government led by Congress. The party's decision not to join the government was later described by its veteran leader Jyoti Basu as a 'Himalayan Blunder.In 2004–2008, the CPI(M) provided external support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, having got its best-ever 43 seats in the 2004 national election. That period could be considered its national political peak, before the party withdrew support to the Congress-led government in protest against the US–India civilian nuclear deal, among other things.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/big-winners-kerala-assam-west-bengal-tamil-nadu-puducherry-assembly-elections-2026-congress-udf-bjp-nda-cpi-m-cpi-ind-inc-admk-tvk-dmk-aitc-1777867484994">BIG WINNERS Assembly Elections 2026: Who won, who lost in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry</a><h2>State-level strongholds of Communists in India: Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura</h2>At the state level, Communist governments were the strongest in West Bengal and Kerala.&nbsp;Kerala has the unique distinction of having formed the world's first democratically elected Communist government, with EMS Namboodiripad as chief minister, in 1957. Since then, the state saw Communist governments alternating with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalitions in practically every five-year terms. But that streak was broken in 2021, when the LDF was re-elected to power for a second straight term for the first time in the southern state's political history, under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-keralam-can-pinarayi-vijayan-get-a-hat-trick-1777870365411/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-keralam-can-pinarayi-vijayan-get-a-hat-trick-1777870365411/embed</a>In West Bengal, the CPI-M-led Left Front had an unhindered reign for 34 years, from 1977 to 2011. Jyoti Basu was the Communist chief minister of the eastern state for over 23 years. This meant West Bengal hosted the longest democratically elected communist government in the world, before Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress trounced them at the hustings.Tripura was another stronghold for the communists. The Left Front held power in the north-eastern state for 25 straight years, from 1993 until 2018.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pinarayi-vijayan-s-ldf-defeated-in-kerala-assembly-elections-is-it-political-winter-for-the-veteran-cpi-m-leader-1777875820048">Pinarayi Vijayan's LDF faces defeat in Kerala Assembly election. Is it political winter for the veteran CPI-M leader?</a><h2>What the future holds for communist governments in India</h2>The Kerala assembly election might have created a situation of no communist governments in India for the first time since 1977, but going by the state's political history, LDF might come back when the next elections are held. In West Bengal, the Left never managed to rise up from the defeat of 2011, and is currently a marginalised force. The situation is not much different in Tripura, where the Left Front was defeated in the 2018 elections by the BJP-IPFT alliance.There have been smaller or shorter spells of Left or communist presence in governments of other states, like Tamil Nadu and Bihar. The Left continues to have some influence in local bodies, trade unions, and a few parliamentary seats. But the heydays of communist-led governments may be a thing of the past for India, at least for some more years to come.

The Kerala assembly election trends show the LDF losing power, likely ending communist governments in India for the first time since 1977. This is a significant shift in the country’s political landscape.


Kerala's LDF, or the Left Democratic Front led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), looks set to go out of power as the Congress-led UDF crossed the halfway mark in the assembly election's official trends on Monday (May 4). This is not just another election story as the United Democratic Front is poised to form the government in the south Indian state. When the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government exits, it would mark the first time since 1977 that no Indian state has a communist or Left-wing government. India's tryst with communism in national politics While it was never a national force electorally, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and its splinter group, CPI-M, which became bigger than its parent, were a much-valued alternative stream of politics in India. The fortunes of CPI-M, CPI and allied Left-of-centre parties waxed and waned over the years even as they became the voices of the working classes. In 1996–1998 period, the CPI(M) provided external support to the United Front government led by Congress. The party's decision not to join the government was later described by its veteran leader Jyoti Basu as a 'Himalayan Blunder. In 2004–2008, the CPI(M) provided external support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, having got its best-ever 43 seats in the 2004 national election. That period could be considered its national political peak, before the party withdrew support to the Congress-led government in protest against the US–India civilian nuclear deal, among other things. Also read: BIG WINNERS Assembly Elections 2026: Who won, who lost in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry State-level strongholds of Communists in India: Kerala, West Bengal, Tripura At the state level, Communist governments were the strongest in West Bengal and Kerala. Kerala has the unique distinction of having formed the world's first democratically elected Communist government, with EMS Namboodiripad as chief minister, in 1957. Since then, the state saw Communist governments alternating with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalitions in practically every five-year terms. But that streak was broken in 2021, when the LDF was re-elected to power for a second straight term for the first time in the southern state's political history, under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-keralam-can-pinarayi-vijayan-get-a-hat-trick-1777870365411/embed In West Bengal, the CPI-M-led Left Front had an unhindered reign for 34 years, from 1977 to 2011. Jyoti Basu was the Communist chief minister of the eastern state for over 23 years. This meant West Bengal hosted the longest democratically elected communist government in the world, before Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress trounced them at the hustings. Tripura was another stronghold for the communists. The Left Front held power in the north-eastern state for 25 straight years, from 1993 until 2018. Also read: Pinarayi Vijayan's LDF faces defeat in Kerala Assembly election. Is it political winter for the veteran CPI-M leader? What the future holds for communist governments in India The Kerala assembly election might have created a situation of no communist governments in India for the first time since 1977, but going by the state's political history, LDF might come back when the next elections are held. In West Bengal, the Left never managed to rise up from the defeat of 2011, and is currently a marginalised force. The situation is not much different in Tripura, where the Left Front was defeated in the 2018 elections by the BJP-IPFT alliance. There have been smaller or shorter spells of Left or communist presence in governments of other states, like Tamil Nadu and Bihar. The Left continues to have some influence in local bodies, trade unions, and a few parliamentary seats. But the heydays of communist-led governments may be a thing of the past for India, at least for some more years to come.

The Kerala assembly election trends show the LDF losing power, likely ending communist governments in India for the first time since 1977. This is a significant shift in the country’s political landscape. &nbsp;

India without Communist governments: Kerala assembly election defeat of LDF marks history. Here is why

Pinarayi Vijayan, who led the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Kerala Assembly Election 2026, is facing exit after two consecutive terms as the south Indian state's chief minister. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) leader might have contributed to how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — which was often kept away from any meaningful electoral victories in the state over alleged communal politics — improved its vote share as results and trends trickled in on Monday (May 4). Vijayan, in spite of the strong anti-incumbency, led the LDF in the election, hoping to win a third straight term. But most of his cabinet ministers who contested the elections are now losing even as the Congress-led UDF appears set to form the next government.<h2>Pinarayi Vijayan's leadership and Kerala Assembly election results</h2>Pinarayi Vijayan's way of functioning opened up space for the BJP in Kerala's politics, according to analysts. He is known for a strong, centralised style of leadership, which critics have called ‘Stalinist’. There is also enough anecdotal evidence that even the fellow travellers of the Left movement in the state gravitated towards the BJP in the last decade, due to their specific discomfort with Vijayan's leadership. Malayalis traditionally favoured alternating five years of the LDF and five for the UDF. But the growth of the BJP in the past decade, since Narendra Modi became Indian prime minister, created space for a third alternative. It might take years for the BJP to become a significant, let alone majority, player in Kerala. But its historical best performance this year indicates the opening of the doors.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-counting-underway-across-four-states-one-ut-1777873082216/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-counting-underway-across-four-states-one-ut-1777873082216/embed</a><h2>From popularity to electoral drubbing: Pinarayi Vijayan is the target of anti-incumbency sentiment against the LDF government</h2>Pinarayi Vijayan, born on May 24, 1945, is an old-school communist who led a changing Kerala. He reportedly sidelined key leaders of the party, including the late veteran Achuthanandan and the rising star of the LDF government during the COVID pandemic, K. K. Shailaja.Vijayan, Kerala's 12th chief minister since May 25, 2016, became the first-ever in the state to win a re-election for a consecutive second term in 2021. The victory was hailed as significant, as it broke the state's long-standing alternating power pattern between the LDF and the Congress-led UDF.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-awaits-verdict-with-bated-breath-in-high-stakes-5-state-assembly-elections-1777840262858">India awaits verdict with bated breath in high-stakes 5-state assembly elections</a>&nbsp;Vijayan made this possible by riding on the popularity achieved over how the government handled the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, among other things. During both terms, Vijayan's government focused on disaster management, particularly the 2018 floods and the COVID-19 response. For his supporters, Vijayan's government is known for its focus on social welfare, infrastructure development, and public health initiatives. But in the last five years, many common voters were frustrated with common issues like unemployment and the rising cost of living.<h2>Pinarayi Vijayan's decades-long political career</h2>Vijayan, who entered politics through student activism at Government Brennen College in Thalassery, joined the CPI(M) in 1964. Since becoming a member of the district committee at age 24 and later the district secretariat, Vijayan worked his way up in the party ranks in Kannur district. He became a lawmaker in 1970, having been elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from the Koothuparambu constituency. He was elected from the same seat in 1977 and 1991. In 1996, he won from Payyannur. Vijayan was elected from the Dharmadam constituency in 2016 and 2021. During the 1975–77 Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Congress party, Vijayan was arrested for protests and reportedly faced police brutality. As the Minister of Electricity and Cooperation in the 1996–98 EK Nayanar government, Vijayan is credited with significant improvements in power generation and distribution, but at the same time faced allegations of corruption in what is known as the Lavalin case.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/pinarayi-vijayan-drops-cm-from-bio-ahead-of-kerala-assembly-results-1777830716803">Pinarayi Vijayan drops ‘CM’ from bio ahead of Kerala assembly results</a><h2>Is Vijayan looking at political winter after Kerala Assembly election results?</h2>At the time of writing this, it is not clear if Vijayan, turning 81 this month, will choose to be the Leader of the Opposition, a role he never held (he transitioned directly from state party secretary to chief minister). Will he go back to being the party secretary? Or will he stand aside to pave the way for younger leaders to take the party back to another victory in the next election? Vijayan remains a key national figure in the CPI(M) as a member of the Politburo, the party's highest decision-making body, since 2002. Vijayan's leadership qualities were fully on display whenever the CPI(M) was in the opposition. He was Kerala State Secretary of the CPI(M) from 1998 to 2015, one of the longest such stints, during which he strengthened the party structures. There is no retirement age in politics. It may be too early to write off the leader.&nbsp;

Kerala Assembly elections 2026: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's LDF is facing defeat. During his two-term chief ministership, the south Indian state saw growth of BJP. With Vijayan as the target of anti-incumbency sentiment, the results could reshape state politics

Pinarayi Vijayan, who led the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the Kerala Assembly Election 2026, is facing exit after two consecutive terms as the south Indian state's chief minister. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) leader might have contributed to how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — which was often kept away from any meaningful electoral victories in the state over alleged communal politics — improved its vote share as results and trends trickled in on Monday (May 4). Vijayan, in spite of the strong anti-incumbency, led the LDF in the election, hoping to win a third straight term. But most of his cabinet ministers who contested the elections are now losing even as the Congress-led UDF appears set to form the next government. Pinarayi Vijayan's leadership and Kerala Assembly election results Pinarayi Vijayan's way of functioning opened up space for the BJP in Kerala's politics, according to analysts. He is known for a strong, centralised style of leadership, which critics have called ‘Stalinist’. There is also enough anecdotal evidence that even the fellow travellers of the Left movement in the state gravitated towards the BJP in the last decade, due to their specific discomfort with Vijayan's leadership. Malayalis traditionally favoured alternating five years of the LDF and five for the UDF. But the growth of the BJP in the past decade, since Narendra Modi became Indian prime minister, created space for a third alternative. It might take years for the BJP to become a significant, let alone majority, player in Kerala. But its historical best performance this year indicates the opening of the doors. https://www.wionews.com/videos/assembly-elections-2026-counting-underway-across-four-states-one-ut-1777873082216/embed From popularity to electoral drubbing: Pinarayi Vijayan is the target of anti-incumbency sentiment against the LDF government Pinarayi Vijayan, born on May 24, 1945, is an old-school communist who led a changing Kerala. He reportedly sidelined key leaders of the party, including the late veteran Achuthanandan and the rising star of the LDF government during the COVID pandemic, K. K. Shailaja. Vijayan, Kerala's 12th chief minister since May 25, 2016, became the first-ever in the state to win a re-election for a consecutive second term in 2021. The victory was hailed as significant, as it broke the state's long-standing alternating power pattern between the LDF and the Congress-led UDF. Also read: India awaits verdict with bated breath in high-stakes 5-state assembly elections Vijayan made this possible by riding on the popularity achieved over how the government handled the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, among other things. During both terms, Vijayan's government focused on disaster management, particularly the 2018 floods and the COVID-19 response. For his supporters, Vijayan's government is known for its focus on social welfare, infrastructure development, and public health initiatives. But in the last five years, many common voters were frustrated with common issues like unemployment and the rising cost of living. Pinarayi Vijayan's decades-long political career Vijayan, who entered politics through student activism at Government Brennen College in Thalassery, joined the CPI(M) in 1964. Since becoming a member of the district committee at age 24 and later the district secretariat, Vijayan worked his way up in the party ranks in Kannur district. He became a lawmaker in 1970, having been elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly from the Koothuparambu constituency. He was elected from the same seat in 1977 and 1991. In 1996, he won from Payyannur. Vijayan was elected from the Dharmadam constituency in 2016 and 2021. During the 1975–77 Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Congress party, Vijayan was arrested for protests and reportedly faced police brutality. As the Minister of Electricity and Cooperation in the 1996–98 EK Nayanar government, Vijayan is credited with significant improvements in power generation and distribution, but at the same time faced allegations of corruption in what is known as the Lavalin case. Also read: Pinarayi Vijayan drops ‘CM’ from bio ahead of Kerala assembly results Is Vijayan looking at political winter after Kerala Assembly election results? At the time of writing this, it is not clear if Vijayan, turning 81 this month, will choose to be the Leader of the Opposition, a role he never held (he transitioned directly from state party secretary to chief minister). Will he go back to being the party secretary? Or will he stand aside to pave the way for younger leaders to take the party back to another victory in the next election? Vijayan remains a key national figure in the CPI(M) as a member of the Politburo, the party's highest decision-making body, since 2002. Vijayan's leadership qualities were fully on display whenever the CPI(M) was in the opposition. He was Kerala State Secretary of the CPI(M) from 1998 to 2015, one of the longest such stints, during which he strengthened the party structures. There is no retirement age in politics. It may be too early to write off the leader.

Kerala Assembly elections 2026: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's LDF is facing defeat. During his two-term chief ministership, the south Indian state saw growth of BJP. With Vijayan as the target of anti-incumbency sentiment, the results could reshape state politics

Pinarayi Vijayan's LDF faces defeat in Kerala Assembly election. Is it political winter for the veteran CPI-M leader?

Kerala Election Results 2026: After 10 years in opposition, Congress-led UDF has stormed back to power with a decisive mandate, crushing the Left and reshaping the state’s political map in one of its clearest electoral resets in years. Scroll down.

Kerala has delivered a decisive political reset. ON Monday (May 4)After a decade out of power, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) swept back into government, comfortably crossing the majority mark in the 140-member Assembly and handing the Left Democratic Front one of its clearest defeats in recent years. The numbers now leave little room for ambiguity. The Indian National Congress has won 63 seats, emerging as the single largest party in Kerala. Its key ally, the Indian Union Muslim League, has secured 22 seats, giving the UDF a commanding combined majority. Final Kerala tally snapshot Congress: 63 IUML: 22 CPI(M): 26 CPI: 8 BJP: 3 Also read | BIG WINNERS Kerala, Assam, W Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry: Who won, who lost LDF trailing as anti-incumbency bites The ruling Left Democratic Front, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has been pushed well behind. CPI(M) finished with 26 seats, while the Communist Party of India managed 8. For Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s alliance, this result signals that anti-incumbency, governance fatigue and constituency-level dissatisfaction appear to have outweighed the Left’s organisational strength. Wayanad emerges as Congress fortress One of the sharpest symbolic victories came from Wayanad, where the UDF swept all seven Assembly seats, reinforcing the Congress alliance’s grip on one of Kerala’s most politically watched districts. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it a “resounding mandate,” framing the victory as both statewide trust and regional reaffirmation. Also read | Midnight terror in Bihar: Part of Vikramshila Setu plunges into Ganges | Watch Key battlegrounds These 20 constituencies are Kerala’s real pressure points, where leadership battles, BJP expansion attempts, Congress resurgence hopes, and the Left’s governance test collided at once. Constituency Region Type Main Faces Why It Matters Vattiyoorkavu Urban, Thiruvananthapuram VK Prasanth (LDF) vs K Muraleedharan (UDF) vs R Sreelekha (BJP) Congress prestige battle, BJP urban push, infrastructure-heavy seat Kazhakkoottam IT corridor, Urban Kadakampally Surendran (LDF) vs S Suresh Kumar (UDF) vs V Muraleedharan (BJP) Technopark belt, middle-class swing, BJP national face Nemom Suburban battleground V Sivankutty (LDF) vs KS Sabarinadhan (UDF) vs Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BJP) One of Kerala’s biggest prestige fights, BJP’s high-stakes test Paravur Coastal + Suburban VD Satheesan (UDF) vs ET Tyson (LDF) Opposition leader’s home turf, leadership barometer Aranmula Temple + Agrarian Veena George (LDF) vs K Sivadasan Nair (UDF) vs Kummanam Rajasekharan (BJP) Ministerial prestige, BJP symbolic challenge Puthuppally Legacy Congress seat Chandy Oommen (UDF) vs Jaick C Thomas (LDF) Oommen Chandy legacy, emotional Congress stronghold Konni Plantation + Forest KU Jenish Kumar (LDF) vs Satheesh Kochuparambil (UDF) Sabarimala pressure, rural volatility Alappuzha Coastal Backwater PP Chitharanjan (LDF) vs AA Shukoor (UDF) Fishing economy, tourism and coastal distress Haripad Rural-Coastal Ramesh Chennithala (UDF) vs TT Jismon (LDF) Senior Congress face, prestige contest Tanur Coastal Malappuram PK Navas (IUML-UDF) vs Muhammed Sameer (LDF) Narrow margins, Muslim League influence Muvattupuzha Semi-urban Mathew Kuzhalnadan (UDF) vs N Arun (LDF) Anti-govt campaign face, middle Kerala pulse Thripunithura Urban Heritage Deepak Joy (UDF) vs Unnikrishnan KN (LDF) Kochi suburban swing, close-fight history Thrissur Cultural capital Rajan J Pallan (UDF) vs Alankode Leelakrishnan (LDF) vs Padmaja Venugopal (BJP) BJP growth test after Lok Sabha gains Irinjalakuda Rural-Urban Mix R Bindu (LDF) vs Thomas Unniyadan (UDF) Ministerial seat, education + agrarian balance Chalakudy Fragmented battleground Saneeshkumar Joseph (UDF) vs Biju S Chirayath (LDF) Tight margins, multi-cornered pressure Palakkad Urban swing Ramesh Pisharody (UDF) vs Sobha Surendran (BJP) vs NMR Razaq (LDF-backed) Three-way war, BJP expansion zone Perinthalmanna Malappuram urban Najeeb Kanthapuram (IUML-UDF) vs KP Mujeeb (LDF) IUML stronghold under pressure Kozhikode North Urban Triangle Thottathil Raveendran (LDF) vs K Jayanth (UDF) vs Navya Haridas (BJP) BJP rise in North Kerala Manjeshwaram Border seat AKM Ashraf (IUML-UDF) vs K Surendran (BJP) Razor-thin margins, communal and linguistic sensitivity Dharmadom CM’s seat Pinarayi Vijayan (LDF) vs VP Abdul Rasheed (UDF) Chief Minister’s political legitimacy test Kerala Election Results 2026: Full List of constituency-wise winners Constituency No. Leading Candidate Leading Party Trailing Candidate Trailing Party Margin ADOOR 115 ADV. C V SANTHAKUMAR INC PRIJI KANNAN CPI 10332 ALAPPUZHA 104 A.D THOMAS INC P.P.CHITHARANJAN CPI(M) 21015 ALATHUR 60 T M SASI CPI(M) K M FEBIN INC 8553 ALUVA 76 ANWAR SADATH INC ADV. A.M.ARIFF CPI(M) 29143 AMBALAPPUZHA 105 G.SUDHAKARAN IND H. SALAM CPI(M) 27935 ANGAMALY 75 ROJI M JOHN INC SAJU PAUL CPI(M) 37008 ARANMULA 113 ABIN VARKEY KODIYATTU INC VEENA GEORGE CPI(M) 18985 AROOR 102 ADV. SHANIMOL OSMAN INC DALEEMA CPI(M) 9324 ARUVIKKARA 136 ADV. G. STEEPHEN CPI(M) V. S. SIVAKUMAR INC 2843 ATTINGAL 128 O.S AMBIKA CPI(M) ADV. P SUDHEER BJP 13375 AZHIKODE 10 K. V. SUMESH CPI(M) ADV. KAREEM CHELERI IUML 349 BALUSSERI 25 V.T. SOORAJ INC ADV. K.M. SACHINDEV CPI(M) 16980 BEYPORE 29 P.A MOHAMED RIYAS CPI(M) P V ANVAR IND 7487 CHADAYAMANGALAM 122 M. M. NASEER INC J. CHINCHURANI CPI 7486 CHALAKUDY 72 SANEESHKUMAR JOSEPH INC ADV. BIJU S CHIRAYATH KC(M) 23156 CHANGANASSERY 99 VINU JOB KUZHIMANNIL KC ADV. JOB MAICHIL KC(M) 8368 CHATHANNOOR 126 B.B.GOPAKUMAR BJP ADV.R.RAJENDRAN CPI 4398 CHAVARA 117 SHIBU BABY JOHN RSP DR.SUJITH VIJAYANPILLAI IND 18573 CHELAKKARA 61 U R PRADEEP CPI(M) SIVADASAN IND 29386 CHENGANNUR 110 SAJI CHERIAN CPI(M) ADV. ABI KURIAKOSE INC 10292 CHERTHALA 103 P. PRASAD CPI K.R. RAJENDRA PRASAD INC 14489 CHIRAYINKEEZHU 129 RAMYA HARIDAS INC MANOJ EDAMANA CPI 1422 CHITTUR 58 ADV. SUMESH ACHUTHAN INC ADV. V. MURUGADAS ISJD 6510 DEVIKULAM 88 F. RAJA INC ADV. A. RAJA CPI(M) 5233 DHARMADAM 12 PINARAYI VIJAYAN CPI(M) ADV. V.P ABDUL RASHEED INC 19247 ELATHUR 26 ADV.VIDYA BALAKRISHNAN INC A.K.SASEENDRAN NCP-SP 12162 ERANAKULAM 82 T.J VINOD INC SABU GEORGE IND 36163 ERAVIPURAM 125 ADV.VISHNU MOHAN RSP M.NOUSHAD CPI(M) 8803 ERNAD 34 P.K.BASHEER IUML ADV.SHAFEER KIZHISSERI CPI 41289 ETTUMANOOR 96 NATTAKOM SURESH INC V. N. VASAVAN CPI(M) 19752 GURUVAYOOR 63 N. K. AKBAR CPI(M) C. H. RASHEED IUML 1998 HARIPAD 107 RAMESH CHENNITHALA INC T.T.JISMON CPI 23377 IDUKKI 91 ROY K PAULOSE INC ROSHY AUGUSTINE KC(M) 23822 IRIKKUR 9 ADV. SAJEEV JOSEPH INC ADV. MATHEW KUNNAPPALLY KC(M) 42426 IRINJALAKUDA 70 ADV. THOMAS UNNIYADAN KC DR.R.BINDU CPI(M) 10212 KADUTHURUTHY 94 ADV.MONS JOSEPH KC NIRMALA JIMMY KC(M) 31300 KAIPAMANGALAM 69 K.K. VALSARAJ CPI T.M. NAZAR INC 9944 KALAMASSERY 77 ADV. V E ABDUL GAFOOR IUML P RAJEEVE CPI(M) 16312 KALLIASSERI 7 M.VIJIN CPI(M) ADV. RAJEEVAN KAPPACHERI INC 18433 KALPETTA 19 ADV. T SIDDIQUE INC P K ANIL KUMAR RJD 45031 KANHANGAD 4 ADV. GOVINDAN CPI SHAIJI OTTAPALLI KC 15316 KANJIRAPPALLY 100 RONY K BABY INC DR. N. JAYARAJ KC(M) 5772 KANNUR 11 ADV.T.O. MOHANAN INC RAMACHANDRAN K. C(S) 18551 KARUNAGAPPALLY 116 C.R. MAHESH INC ADV.M.S. THARA CPI 26618 KASARAGOD 2 KALLATRA MAHIN IUML ASHWINI M L BJP 22698 KATTAKKADA 138 M. R. BAIJU INC ADV. I. B. SATHEESH CPI(M) 7136 KAYAMKULAM 108 ADV.M.LIJU INC ADV.U.PRATHIBHA CPI(M) 15572 KAZHAKOOTTAM 132 V. MURALEEDHARAN BJP KADAKAMPALLY SURENDRAN CPI(M) 428 KOCHI 80 MOHAMMED SHIYAS INC K.J. MAXY CPI(M) 8188 KODUNGALLUR 73 ADV. O J JANEESH INC ADV. V R SUNIL KUMAR CPI 8308 KODUVALLY 31 P K FIROS IUML SALEEM MADAVOOR IND 36682 KOLLAM 124 ADV. BINDHU KRISHNA INC S. JAYAMOHAN CPI(M) 16830 KONDOTTY 33 T.P. ASHRAFALI IUML DR. P. JIJI CPI(M) 56017 KONGAD 53 THULASI TEACHER INC ADV. K.SANTHAKUMARI CPI(M) 3706 KONNI 114 ADV K U JENISH KUMAR CPI(M) PROF SATHEESH INC 1838 KOTHAMANGALAM 87 SHIBU THECKUMPURAM KC ANTONY JOHN CPI(M) 16859 KOTTAKKAL 46 PROF. ABID HUSSAIN IUML PREETHI KONCHATH CPI(M) 62638 KOTTARAKKARA 119 K.N. BALAGOPAL CPI(M) ADV.P. AISHA POTTY INC 1012 KOTTAYAM 97 THIRUVANCHOOR R. INC ADV.K. ANILKUMAR CPI(M) 35986 KOVALAM 139 ADV. M.VINCENT INC BHAGATH RUFUS IND 32709 KOZHIKODE N. 27 ADV.K JAYANTH INC THOTTATHIL RAVINDRAN CPI(M) 1483 KOZHIKODE S. 28 ADV. FYZAL BABU IUML AHAMMAD DEVARKOVIL INL 10795 KUNDARA 123 P. C. VISHNUNADH INC S. L. SAJIKUMAR CPI(M) 32564 KUNNAMANGALAM 30 M.A. RAZAK MASTER IUML ADV. P T A RAHIM IND 13313 KUNNAMKULAM 62 A C MOIDEEN CPI(M) P T AJAY MOHAN INC 4563 KUNNATHUNAD 84 V. P. SAJEENDRAN INC ADV. P. V. SREENIJIN CPI(M) 21283 KUNNATHUR 118 ULLAS KOVUR RSP KOVOOR KUNJUMON KRSP(L) 25314 KUTHUPARAMBA 14 P K PRAVEEN RJD JAYANTHI RAJAN IUML 1286 KUTTANAD 106 REJI CHERIYAN KC THOMAS K. THOMAS NCP-SP 20600 KUTTIADI 21 PARAKKAL ABDULLA IUML K. P. KUNHAMMEDKUTTY CPI(M) 10922 MALAMPUZHA 55 A PRABHAKARAN CPI(M) C KRISHNAKUMAR BJP 19721 MALAPPURAM 40 P.K KUNHALIKUTTY IUML K.T. MUJEEB RAHMAN NCP-SP 85327 MANALUR 64 PROF C RAVINDRANATH CPI(M) T N PRATHAPAN INC 126 MANANTHAVADY 17 USHA VIJAYAN INC O R KELU CPI(M) 10543 MANJERI 37 ADV. M. RAHMATHULLA IUML V.M. MUSTHAFA IND 57887 MANJESHWAR 1 A K M ASHRAF IUML K SURENDRAN BJP 29252 MANKADA 39 MANJALAMKUZHI ALI IUML KUNNATH MOHAMED IND 45609 MANNARKKAD 54 ADV. N. SAMSUDHEEN IUML MANZIL ABOOBACKER CPI 25903 MATTANNUR 15 V K SANOJ CPI(M) CHANDRAN THILLANKERI INC 14168 MAVELIKKARA 109 M.S. ARUN KUMAR CPI(M) ADV. MUTHARA RAJ INC 15736 MUVATTUPUZHA 86 DR. MATHEW K. INC N ARUN CPI 42829 NADAPURAM 22 K.M. ABHIJITH INC ADV.P. VASANTHAM CPI 23600 NATTIKA 68 GEETHAGOPI CPI ADV. SUNIL LALOOR INC 7093 NEDUMANGAD 130 G R ANIL CPI MEENANKAL KUMAR INC 21583 NEMMARA 59 K PREMAN CPI(M) A. THANKAPPAN INC 3305 NEMOM 135 RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR BJP V SIVANKUTTY CPI(M) 4978 NEYYATTINKARA 140 N. SHAKTHAN INC K. ANSALAN CPI(M) 6966 NILAMBUR 35 ARYADAN SHOUKATH INC U SHARAFALI IND 54851 OLLUR 66 K RAJAN CPI ADV. SHAJI J K. INC 8884 OTTAPPALAM 52 ADV. K. PREMKUMAR CPI(M) P.K SASI IND 26777 PALA 93 MANI C KAPPEN IND JOSE K MANI KC(M) 2991 PALAKKAD 56 RAMESH PISHARODY INC SOBHA SURENDRAN BJP 13147 PARASSALA 137 C K HAREENDRAN CPI(M) NEYYATTINKARA SANAL INC 15013 PARAVUR 78 ADV.V.D.SATHEESAN INC E.T.TAISON MASTER CPI 20600 PATHANAPURAM 120 JYOTHI KUMAR C. INC K B GANESH KUMAR KC(B) 8310 PATTAMBI 50 MUHAMMED MUHASSIN CPI T. P. SHAJI INC 9442 PAYYANNUR 6 V. KUNHIKRISHNAN IND T. I. MADHUSOODANAN CPI(M) 7487 PEERUMADE 92 ADV.CYRIAC THOMAS INC K SALIMKUMAR CPI 27634 PERAMBRA 24 ADV. FATHIMA T. IUML T. P. RAMAKRISHNAN CPI(M) 5087 PERAVOOR 16 ADV. SUNNY JOSEPH INC K K SHAILAJA CPI(M) 14453 PERINTHALMANNA 38 NAJEEB KANTHAPURAM IUML V.P MOHAMMED HANEEFA CPI(M) 32431 PERUMBAVOOR 74 MANOJ MOOTHEDAN INC BASIL PAUL KC(M) 28434 PIRAVOM 85 ANOOP JACOB KC(J) SABU K JACOB KC(M) 44681 PONNANI 48 K.P NOUSHAD ALI INC ADV.M.K SAKKEER CPI(M) 13267 POONJAR 101 ADV.SEBASTIAN M.J INC ADV. SEBASTIAN K. KC(M) 6693 PUDUKKAD 71 K K RAMACHANDRAN CPI(M) K M BABURAJAN INC 2853 PUNALUR 121 C. AJAYAPRASAD CPI NOUSHAD YOUNUS IUML 21529 PUTHUPPALLY 98 ADV. CHANDY OOMMEN INC K. M. RADHAKRISHNAN CPI(M) 52907 QUILANDY 23 ADV. K. PRAVEEN K. INC K. DASAN CPI(M) 12070 RANNI 112 ADV. PAZHAKULAM M. INC ADV. PRAMOD NARAYAN KC(M) 4344 SHORNUR 51 P.MAMMIKUTTY CPI(M) P.HARIGOVINDAN INC 16517 SULTHANBATHERY 18 I C BALAKRISHNAN INC M S VISWANATHAN CPI(M) 16597 TALIPARAMBA 8 T K GOVINDAN IND P K SHYAMALA CPI(M) 12551 TANUR 44 P K NAVAS IUML MOHAMED SAMEER IND 27131 TARUR 57 SUMOD CPI(M) SUBRAMANIAN K C INC 11910 THALASSERY 13 KARAYI RAJAN CPI(M) SAJU K P INC 20523 THAVANUR 47 ADV. V S JOY INC DR. K T JALEEL IND 14647 THIRUVALLA 111 ADV.VARGHESE MAMMEN KC ANOOP ANTONY BJP 10146 THIRUVAMBADI 32 C K KASIM IUML LINTO JOSEPH CPI(M) 6741 THIRUVANAN. 134 C P JOHN CMP SUDHIR KARAMANA IND 9863 THODUPUZHA 90 APU JOHN JOSEPH KC CYRIAC CHAZHIKADAN KC(M) 44291 THRIKKAKARA 83 UMA THOMAS INC ADV. PUSHPA DAS CPI(M) 50211 THRIPUNITHURA 81 DEEPAK JOY INC K N UNNIKRISHNAN CPI(M) 18468 THRISSUR 67 RAJAN. J. PALLAN INC ALANKODE LEELA. CPI 26803 THRITHALA 49 V T BALRAM INC M B RAJESH CPI(M) 8385 TIRUR 45 KURUKKOLI MOIDEEN IUML V.ABDURAHIMAN CPI(M) 24137 TIRURANGADI 43 P M A SAMEER IUML AJITH KOLADI CPI 63387 TRIKARIPUR 5 SANDEEP VARIER INC DR. V P P MUSTAFA CPI(M) 4431 UDMA 3 NEELAKANDAN INC C H KUNHAMBU CPI(M) 4847 UDUMBANCHOLA 89 ADV. SENAPATHY VENU INC K.K. JAYACHANDRAN CPI(M) 20021 VADAKARA 20 K K REMA RMPI M K BHASKARAN RJD 14862 VAIKOM 95 K BINIMON INC P PRADEEP CPI 1360 VALLIKUNNU 42 T V IBRAHIM IUML ADV. MUSTHAFA IND 51289 VAMANAPURAM 131 MUHAMMED SUDHEER. INC MURALEEDHARAN NAIR CPI(M) 12185 VARKALA 127 ADV.V JOY CPI(M) VARKALA KAHAR INC 2050 VATTIYOORKAVU 133 K. MURALEEDHARAN INC ADV. V.K PRASANTH CPI(M) 5425 VENGARA 41 K.M. SHAJI IUML SABAH KUNDUPUZHAKKAL IND 30325 VYPEN 79 TONY CHAMMANY INC ADV. M. B. SHYNI CPI(M) 15648 WADAKKANCHERY 65 XAVIER CHITTILAPPILLY CPI(M) P.N. VAISAKH INC 5690 WANDOOR 36 A.P ANILKUMAR INC DR.K.K DAMODARAN CPI(M) 47939

Kerala Election Results 2026: After 10 years in opposition, Congress-led UDF has stormed back to power with a decisive mandate, crushing the Left and reshaping the state’s political map in one of its clearest electoral resets in years. Scroll down.

Kerala Election Results 2026: Full List of constituency-wise winners; Congress-led UDF storms back to power after 10 years!

Counting is still in its early stages, but the first big picture is beginning to take shape across five major battlegrounds of the Assembly Elections 2026. For now, Kerala and Assam are producing the clearest leads. Who are the big winners in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry?&nbsp;<h2>Kerala early trends: Congress-UDF leading</h2>In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has opened with a noticeable edge, with the early trends looking increasingly favourable for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).As of 9:45 am, the Indian National Congress is leading in 52 seats. Its key ally, the Indian Union Muslim League, is ahead in 16 seats.The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is currently leading in 28 seats, while the Communist Party of India holds 9.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/midnight-terror-in-bhagalpur-33-metre-slab-of-bihar-s-vikramshila-setu-plunges-into-ganges-river-authorities-seal-vital-bridge-1777862848600">Midnight terror in Bhagalpur: 33-metre slab of Bihar's Vikramshila Setu plunges into Ganges river; authorities seal vital bridge | Watch</a><h2>Assam Early Trends: BJP races ahead as NDA opens commanding lead</h2>Assam’s early counting trends are pointing in one clear direction so far, the BJP-led alliance has come out of the gate strong and is significantly ahead of the opposition in the opening rounds.According to the latest figures from 53 of 126 seats where trends are currently available, the Bharatiya Janata Party alone is leading in 32 constituencies, giving it a dominant position in the early contest.And it is not just the BJP. Its allies are adding to that momentum. The Bodoland People’s Front is ahead in 5 seats, while the Asom Gana Parishad has leads in 3. Assam Jatiya Parishad is also showing presence with 3 leads.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bargi-dam-cruise-boat-tragedy-heartbreaking-photo-of-mother-and-son-clinging-to-each-other-fake-jabalpur-collector-says-ai-generated-1777701429547">Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy: Heartbreaking photo of mother and son clinging to each other fake? Jabalpur collector says...</a><h2>West Bengal Early Trends: BJP storms ahead in opening rounds, TMC off to sluggish start</h2>West Bengal’s first clear counting picture is in, and the early numbers are striking. In the initial 24 constituencies where trends are currently available, the Bharatiya Janata Party has surged ahead with leads in 18 seats. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress, whose Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is fighting for a fourth straight term, is ahead in 14 (as of 9:45 am).The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) is also showing presence with 2 leads.<h2>Tamil Nadu Early Trends: AIADMK leads, but Vijay’s TVK turns election into three-way shocker</h2>Tamil Nadu’s early counting rounds are throwing up one of the day’s biggest surprises.The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has taken the initial lead with 32 seats, putting it ahead in the opening phase. But the real headline is not just AIADMK’s performance, it is actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK.Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is currently leading in 28 constituencies, placing it just behind AIADMK and dramatically reshaping what many expected to be a more conventional DMK vs AIADMK battle.<h2>Puducherry: AINRC opens with a clear lead</h2>In Puducherry, the early battle is tilting decisively toward the All India N.R. Congress. AINRC is currently leading in 7 seats out of 14 trends available, giving it a noticeable early advantage in the Union Territory.The Congress is trailing with 2 leads, while AIADMK and DMK have opened with 1 each. Independents and smaller players are also showing relevance, with 3 seats in the “Others” column.For now, these are opening rounds, not final verdicts. &nbsp;

Who are the big winners and losers so far in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry? Early Assembly Elections 2026 trends are beginning to reveal the biggest leads, surprise performers, and major setbacks across India’s top political battlegrounds. Scroll down.

Counting is still in its early stages, but the first big picture is beginning to take shape across five major battlegrounds of the Assembly Elections 2026. For now, Kerala and Assam are producing the clearest leads. Who are the big winners in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry? Kerala early trends: Congress-UDF leading In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has opened with a noticeable edge, with the early trends looking increasingly favourable for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). As of 9:45 am, the Indian National Congress is leading in 52 seats. Its key ally, the Indian Union Muslim League, is ahead in 16 seats. The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is currently leading in 28 seats, while the Communist Party of India holds 9. Also read | Midnight terror in Bhagalpur: 33-metre slab of Bihar's Vikramshila Setu plunges into Ganges river; authorities seal vital bridge | Watch Assam Early Trends: BJP races ahead as NDA opens commanding lead Assam’s early counting trends are pointing in one clear direction so far, the BJP-led alliance has come out of the gate strong and is significantly ahead of the opposition in the opening rounds. According to the latest figures from 53 of 126 seats where trends are currently available, the Bharatiya Janata Party alone is leading in 32 constituencies, giving it a dominant position in the early contest. And it is not just the BJP. Its allies are adding to that momentum. The Bodoland People’s Front is ahead in 5 seats, while the Asom Gana Parishad has leads in 3. Assam Jatiya Parishad is also showing presence with 3 leads. Also read | Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy: Heartbreaking photo of mother and son clinging to each other fake? Jabalpur collector says... West Bengal Early Trends: BJP storms ahead in opening rounds, TMC off to sluggish start West Bengal’s first clear counting picture is in, and the early numbers are striking. In the initial 24 constituencies where trends are currently available, the Bharatiya Janata Party has surged ahead with leads in 18 seats. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress, whose Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is fighting for a fourth straight term, is ahead in 14 (as of 9:45 am). The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) is also showing presence with 2 leads. Tamil Nadu Early Trends: AIADMK leads, but Vijay’s TVK turns election into three-way shocker Tamil Nadu’s early counting rounds are throwing up one of the day’s biggest surprises. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has taken the initial lead with 32 seats, putting it ahead in the opening phase. But the real headline is not just AIADMK’s performance, it is actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam is currently leading in 28 constituencies, placing it just behind AIADMK and dramatically reshaping what many expected to be a more conventional DMK vs AIADMK battle. Puducherry: AINRC opens with a clear lead In Puducherry, the early battle is tilting decisively toward the All India N.R. Congress. AINRC is currently leading in 7 seats out of 14 trends available, giving it a noticeable early advantage in the Union Territory. The Congress is trailing with 2 leads, while AIADMK and DMK have opened with 1 each. Independents and smaller players are also showing relevance, with 3 seats in the “Others” column. For now, these are opening rounds, not final verdicts.

Who are the big winners and losers so far in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry? Early Assembly Elections 2026 trends are beginning to reveal the biggest leads, surprise performers, and major setbacks across India’s top political battlegrounds. Scroll down.

BIG WINNERS Assembly Elections 2026: Who won, who lost in Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

In India's Bihar, a section of the Vikramshila bridge, one of the state's most critical river crossings connecting Bhagalpur to Navgachia, collapsed into the Ganges early on &nbsp;Monday (May 4), prompting authorities to seal the bridge from both ends and divert traffic as engineers and senior officials rushed to the site. The incident occurred around 12:35 AM Monday near Pillar 133, when a slab of the Vikramshila Setu broke off entirely and began sinking into the river below.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bargi-dam-cruise-boat-tragedy-heartbreaking-photo-of-mother-and-son-clinging-to-each-other-fake-jabalpur-collector-says-ai-generated-1777701429547">Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy: Heartbreaking photo of mother and son clinging to each other fake? Jabalpur collector says...</a><h2>What happened? How many killed/injured?</h2>District Magistrate Naval Kishore Chowdhury, as quoted by ABP, confirmed that at 12:35 am, a slab of the Vikramshila Setu started sinking. Local officers acted quickly to evacuate people from the affected stretch. Within 15 minutes of evacuation, the slab fell into the Ganges, he said, adding that no vehicles were on that slab. The swift response prevented what could have been a far more serious disaster.The bridge, which stretches approximately 4.5 kilometres across the Ganges connecting Bhagalpur to Navgachia, was built in 2001 by the UP Bridge Corporation. It serves as the only direct link between Bihar's Bhagalpur district and the Seemanchal region and North Bengal, making it one of the most heavily used crossings in the area.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-india-s-titanic-to-jabalpur-s-bargi-dam-a-dark-timeline-of-country-s-deadliest-boat-tragedies-ss-ramdas-in-pics-1777709915939">From 'India's Titanic' to Jabalpur's Bargi dam: A dark timeline of country's deadliest boat tragedies | In Pics</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Bhagalpur, Bihar: A section between two pillars of the Vikramshila Bridge collapsed into the Ganges River, disrupting traffic. Senior officials are on alert. The bridge has been sealed from the Navgachhia and Bhagalpur sides. <a href="https://t.co/30c9WbxDXs">pic.twitter.com/30c9WbxDXs</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2051065310359568506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Traffic diverted</h2>With the bridge sealed on both sides, traffic has been diverted to alternative routes. Authorities said travellers heading to Bhagalpur can use the Munger crossing in the interim. Executive Engineer Saket Kumar Roshan confirmed that repair work would be undertaken, but noted that the government will have to release funds for the work. Teams of engineers and officials arrived at the site overnight to assess the damage and determine next steps.Collapsing Bihar infrastructure under scrutinyThe collapse has reignited concerns about Bihar's bridge infrastructure, which have been mounting for several years. The Aguwani-Sultanganj Ganga Bridge, which has been under construction at a cost of approximately Rs 1,710 crore, has seen multiple partial collapses during the construction phase itself: sections fell in April 2022, June 2023 and August 2024 in three consecutive years.Experts and residents are now pointing to a pattern that suggests systemic failures rather than isolated incidents. They question whether the quality of construction materials used, adherence to technical standards, or the robustness of inspection and monitoring systems is to blame. The fact that a bridge built just 25 years ago has shed a 33-metre section into a major river is being cited as evidence that the problems run deep.&nbsp;

A major section of Bihar’s crucial Vikramshila bridge has collapsed into the Ganges, reviving serious questions over the state’s fragile infrastructure. No deaths were reported, but the near-miss on one of eastern India’s busiest lifelines is already raising tough questions. Scroll down.

In India's Bihar, a section of the Vikramshila bridge, one of the state's most critical river crossings connecting Bhagalpur to Navgachia, collapsed into the Ganges early on Monday (May 4), prompting authorities to seal the bridge from both ends and divert traffic as engineers and senior officials rushed to the site. The incident occurred around 12:35 AM Monday near Pillar 133, when a slab of the Vikramshila Setu broke off entirely and began sinking into the river below. Also read | Bargi Dam cruise boat tragedy: Heartbreaking photo of mother and son clinging to each other fake? Jabalpur collector says... What happened? How many killed/injured? District Magistrate Naval Kishore Chowdhury, as quoted by ABP, confirmed that at 12:35 am, a slab of the Vikramshila Setu started sinking. Local officers acted quickly to evacuate people from the affected stretch. Within 15 minutes of evacuation, the slab fell into the Ganges, he said, adding that no vehicles were on that slab. The swift response prevented what could have been a far more serious disaster. The bridge, which stretches approximately 4.5 kilometres across the Ganges connecting Bhagalpur to Navgachia, was built in 2001 by the UP Bridge Corporation. It serves as the only direct link between Bihar's Bhagalpur district and the Seemanchal region and North Bengal, making it one of the most heavily used crossings in the area. Also read | From 'India's Titanic' to Jabalpur's Bargi dam: A dark timeline of country's deadliest boat tragedies | In Pics

A major section of Bihar’s crucial Vikramshila bridge has collapsed into the Ganges, reviving serious questions over the state’s fragile infrastructure. No deaths were reported, but the near-miss on one of eastern India’s busiest lifelines is already raising tough questions. Scroll down.

trending

'If anyone wants to criticise me, do so truthfully': Pope Leo slams Trump over Iran nuclear claims

Consumers lose vision from defective Thermos products sold for over 16 years

UP's 'One District-One Cuisine' list sidelines biryani, pick only veg items

Police form dedicated Jewish protection unit amid antisemitic attacks in London

JFK close call: Plane flies just 500ft above Delta aircraft as both try to land

REVEALED! Trump’s ‘NICE’ logo with eagle and US-style seal sparks buzz online

‘Verify, think before sharing,’ says PM Meloni after row over her AI-made image

Met Gala protesters leave over 100 ‘urine bottle’ inside Museum to protest Bezos

AI bot landed one man 50 interviews while he napped, and internet is divided

Scientists extract 4,160ft of Earth's mantle and learn how life forms originated

UFO researchers mysteriously died and vanished in the 1940s, as per claims

From New York to Islamabad: How global media react to BJP's victory in Bengal

Ecological disaster unfolding in Western Ghats as one insect goes 'missing'

Tamil Nadu Election Results: Vijay brings back MGR magic - Is his story similar to AIADMK founder?

A California lake vanished in the 19th century and reappeared 130 years later

Da Vinci's Mona Lisa captured a disease that was not discovered for 346 years

Birds have a clear preference when it comes to choosing between men and women

Annamalai terms Vijay’s Tamil Nadu win 'generational shift' despite BJP setback

Thalapathy vs Thalapathy: Stalin is no stallion as Vijay wins Tamil Nadu race

Didi's day OUT: Mamata Banerjee faces poll reality as West Bengal embraces BJP

Newark Airport plane crash: Plane strikes bakery truck | Watch chilling video

India without Communist govts after LDF defeat in Kerala assembly elections

Is Vijayan looking at political winter after Kerala Assembly election results?

Kerala BIG WINNER: Congress-led UDF wins; constituency-wise winners HERE

BIG WINNERS Kerala, Assam, W Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry: Who won, who lost

Midnight terror in Bihar: Part of Vikramshila Setu plunges into Ganges | Watch