Punjab Kings will be desperate for a turnaround against Mumbai Indian when the two teams meet at the HPCA Stadium here on Thursday.

After leading the standings for nearly four weeks, PBKS slumped to fourth place on the back of four straight defeats. Another slip-up will leave it in a scrap for the final Playoffs spot.

Fifties from Shreyas Iyer and Priyansh Arya against Delhi Capitals were reminiscent of the batting flourish that was the backbone of Punjab Kings’ early success. But its bowling lapses continue to cost it.

PBKS leaked 73 runs off four overs at the death against the Capitals, and has the worst economy rate in this phase this season (11.66).

The silver lining, though, has been Arshdeep Singh delivering again up front. He has three wickets at an economy of 8.15 in the last three games after a horrid run which got him just four wickets in eight games before that.

“Arshdeep is a terrific cricketer. And these big cricketers rise at the right moment. I think now is the right time and our coach Ricky Ponting always speaks of peaking at the right time, at the back end of the tournament,” Punjab Kings’ assistant bowling coach Trevor Gonsalves said.

Odds would favour Punjab to get its act together against a Mumbai Indians side that is already out of the reckoning for the Playoffs.

Its listless run was already a mood dampener this season, and MI has been handed another cruel blow with stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav unavailable for the game.

The best chance MI has of getting out of its rut is to take on the misfiring Punjab bowlers. Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma have nailed their role in setting the pace this year, adding 380 runs in six innings at a run rate of 11.76.

Around 83% of candidates in Tamil Nadu lost their deposit in the recently concluded Assembly polls, followed by West Bengal, where 78% lost their security amount.

While 3,352 candidates forfeited their deposit in Tamil Nadu, in West Bengal, the figure stood at 2,298. Tamil Nadu also saw the largest number of candidates in the poll fray at 4,023, while the commensurate figure for West Bengal was 2,920, according to the data made available through the Election Commission website and the ECINET App.

An election security deposit is an amount that is to be deposited with the Returning Officer when a candidate files his or her nomination. The deposit has to be forfeited at an election if the number of valid votes polled by the candidate is less than 1/6th of the total number of valid votes polled.

As far as percentage was concerned, the least number (63%) of candidates lost their deposit in Assam, while in absolute numbers it was the Union Territory of Puducherry which at 220 saw the least number of contestants forfeiting their deposit.

Puducherry also had the least number of candidates in fray at 290.

While 563 out of 883 candidates forfeited their deposit in Kerala (63.75%), in Assam, 455 out of 722 candidates (63%) lost their stakes.

Tamil Nadu polled a total of 4,93,89,958 votes out of which 4,91,24,329 were valid, and in Kerala, the votes polled were 2,16,30,208 and out of them 2,14,71,988 were valid. Women voters recorded a turnout of 86.2% in Tamil Nadu, higher than the 83.77% among men. In Kerala, female voter participation stood at 81.17% against 74.9% among men.

The Union Territory of Puducherry saw 8,66,932 votes being cast, out of which 8,59,506 were valid.

The Index Cards and Statistical Reports have been published for all 830 Assembly constituencies which went to polls. Re-poll has been scheduled at 144-Falta constituency in West Bengal for May 21, 2026.

Iran has provided “free of charge services” to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz for decades but is now working on a “protocol” to include a financial component covering costs it incurs to make navigation safe in the Persian Gulf region, said the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi in New Delhi on Wednesday (May 13, 2026).

Speaking to a select group of journalists at the Embassy of Iran, Mr. Gharibabadi, who is here for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting, avoided naming the UAE directly and said “a neighbouring country that is also a member of the BRICS” is thwarting a joint statement at the meeting by trying to introduce language that seeks to condemn Iran’s military strategy against U.S. and Israeli attacks.

“So far, Iran has provided free of charge services in the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, these services were provided by both Oman and Iran. Now we are working on a protocol and arrangement covering navigation, pollution of the Strait and rescue (in case of accidents). The protocol has not been finalised yet and we are working at expert level,” said Mr. Gharibabadi.

He said that though the arrangement will be “non-discriminatory”, Iran will not cooperate with countries that are found to be supporting the U.S. and Israel. He accused the two countries of starting the war on February 28 amid negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.

Mr. Gharibabadi assured that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open to ships linked to India, but said marine traffic will be affected if the U.S. resumed its attacks on Iran. He said Iran is not a member of 1982 UNCLOS (UN Convention of the Law of the Sea) and can go ahead with its “protocol” on the chokepoint. The visiting Minister’s remarks came just days after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposals calling them “totally unacceptable”.

Mr. Gharibabadi said that “Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without preconditions, but the U.S. rejected” as it is unwilling to recognise Iran’s sovereign rights to enrich uranium that is available to all members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He indicated at a “high probability of resumption of U.S. attacks” as negotiations have hit a roadblock over Iran’s nuclear enrichment. If attacked, “Iran will defend using all capacities”, he said.

The Minister called upon “friendly countries”, including India, to prevent resumption of hostilities in West Asia saying, “Iran is not Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, or Palestine. A renewed war will have a global consequence.”

Mr. Gharibabadi reached Delhi ahead of Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi to participate in the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the BRICS grouping that faced difficulties earlier in April 23 when a meeting of special envoys failed to come up with a joint statement because of differences over the language on Israeli actions in West Asia as well as terrorism. He indicated at a similar challenge is persisting even as Foreign Ministers and dignitaries of member countries are reaching India to attend the meeting on May 14-15.

“We are in favour of having a joint declaration because it is not good to give the indication that BRICS is divided,” Mr. Gharibabadi said.

He said that as a mediator Pakistan did not participate in any substantive discussion and called upon all friendly countries to come up with initiatives. “India too can bring an initiative,” he said expressing Iran’s desire to continue dialogue to avoid resumption of hostilities in the Gulf.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) asked teachers not to be “self-centered” and think only about their job security, but spare a thought for children in need of quality education, a right protected under the Constitution and the Right to Education Act.

The court’s oral observations came while hearing a series of petitions filed by States of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and teachers’ associations from West Bengal and Kerala, seeking a review of a September 2025 judgment requiring in-service teachers of classes one to eight in non-minority schools across the country to clear the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) in two years or be “compulsorily retired”.

Tamil Nadu had argued that the judgment affected about four lakh teachers in the State alone. If implemented on the ground, the State would have to bear witness to “classrooms without teachers”, it had contended.

“The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act [Right to Education Act. 2009] exists for the children. Do not be self-centered to say ‘I will only get orders from the court protecting my security of tenure, but will not think about the children’,” Justice Dipankar Datta, heading a Bench comprising Justice Manmohan, addressed the review petitioners.

Justice Datta referred to Section 23(2) of the 2009 Act, which gave teachers five years’ time to get the “mandatory” qualification of TET in cases of shortage of trained teachers and the inadequacy of teacher education institutions.

The judge drew attention to the second proviso to Section 23(2) which was inserted in an amendment to the Act in 2017. It gave a further leeway by allowing teachers appointed or in position as of March 31, 2015, and who did not possess the required minimum academic qualifications, to acquire them within four years.

Retrospective application

Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee for Uttar Pradesh, senior advocates A.M. Singhvi, Rakesh Dwivedi for Madhya Pradesh and other advocates, including Tomy Chacko for Deseeya Adhyapaka Parishad (NTU Kerala), said the retrospective application of TET requirement violated the rights of experienced teachers who were already in service for decades, and performing well in their jobs.

Justice Manmohan said the court had merely reinforced the statutory requirement of a minimum qualification, which was TET clearance, for teachers.

“Higher educational qualifications are sought to get better teachers. Unless a child gets a good quality education, how will she improve?” Justice Manmohan asked the petitioners.

The court reserved the review pleas for judgment.

The case touches on the livelihood of over 25 lakh teachers. The September 2025 judgment had reasoned that the Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009, which was implemented from 2010, required teachers to clear TET. The Bench, however, had exempted teachers with less than five years to retirement from taking the TET.

The lubricant industry has seen it’s cost of production rising by 50% since the outbreak of the West Asia conflict making it imperative to pass on part of the extra burden on consumers. 

The industry done it in two phases and already 30% of the higher cost has been passed on to consumers from this month onwards and more hike is coming up.

“The entire petroleum industry was the first to get impacted. The consumers in India have still not got impacted on the fuel prices because of control of the government. Since March for all the companies, the costs have increased by 50%. So, anything that took about ₹100 to make is now costing ₹150,” said Nagendra Pai, CEO, Motul India & South Asia. 

Founded in 1853, Motul is a global company present in 160 countries. 

“Most of the companies like us purchased more raw material in March and because of that, up till end of April, the consumers were kind of insulated from a price increase for products,” he pointed out.

“From May 1, it is natural that one has to pass on some of the increases. So, there have been price increase. We have passed on about 30% in two tranches to the consumers. But the real impact is yet to come,” he said.

“Only the first impact has come which was minimal because of the stock in the pipeline,” he added.

“We believe that if things go positive, the second price increase can be avoided. But the good thing has been that there has been a bumper kind of a sale for the good, branded companies in April as well as in May because the top branded companies were able to get the raw materials as they havd long term contracts. The smaller local companies are unable to get products in the market,” he stated. 

The company on Wednesday (May 13, 2026) unveiled a Ipone, a premium French lubricant brand with Japanese DNA. The product is targeted at young bikers riding premium bikes.

“Motul has built its global authority on the science of performance lubricants. A premium and synthetic oils alone account for a quarter of our sales, and that foundation is non-negotiable. As a leading player in the category, we see a strong shift towards younger riders who are passionate about adventure riding, off-roading, and performance-led experiences,” Mr. Pai said, “Ipone launch sits at the intersection of two things we are deeply committed to: bringing the best lubrication technology to market, and premiumization that is meaningful, not cosmetic. To support this, Motul’s distribution network, both offline and online, is stronger than it has ever been, giving IPONE the reach to meet these riders wherever they are,” he said. 

Commenting on the new range, Milind Acharya, CMO, Motul India & South Asia stated, “Today’s young riders choose brands that reflect both their performance expectations and their identity. With IPONE, we are bringing Indian riders a brand that combines advanced PAO and Ester-based lubrication technology with a bold and distinctive personality.”

“Beyond performance, IPONE stands apart through its Japanese-inspired visual identity and rider-first approach. The belt-based product system further simplifies lubricant selection, making it more intuitive for riders across different segments. IPONE will initially launch across six core and fourteen key markets, with digital-led campaigns playing a central role in building engagement with the target audience,” he added. 

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday revealed that the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will be allotting sites to land losers for the Shivaram Karanth Layout and selling flats built in Whitefield.

He said that as many as 3,052 landowners had given their land for the Shivaram Karanth Layout (S.K. Layout) and that there were several complications, including cases where multiple owners had sold their properties to others.

“With court permission, 18,000 sites are now being allotted to landowners. They may take possession of the sites from May 15. A software developed through the central e-governance system has been used for the allotment,” he said.

“Special provision has been made for owners who had 1, 2 or more acres of land. For those who wanted a single large site, we had promised to accommodate them, but only 7 people applied for it. For one acre of land, a single site of 9,583 sq. ft. would be given. This arrangement facilitates high-rise construction,” he explained.

BDA flats

Mr. Shivakumar announced that about 1,900 new flats have been built in Whitefield. “A 1-BHK flat of 760 sq. ft. is being offered at ₹6,686 per sq. ft. Applications will be accepted from May 15. A 3-BHK flat of 1,733 sq. ft. is being offered at ₹8,309 per sq. ft., totalling ₹1.44 crore,” he said.

Further, speaking about infrastructure projects, he said that traffic congestion exists in Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai as well. “We have eased some pressure near Hebbal and are continuing to streamline further,” he said.

“Work on constructing a short tunnel connecting Hebbal Junction to the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) will start soon. A three-lane cut-and-cover tunnel will be built, with a total of six lanes. The tunnel will be 2.2 km long. This project has been awarded to Rutvik Tunnels and must be completed within 18 months,” he said.

Near Mekhri Circle, a 1.7 km elevated corridor with four lanes will also be built. The foundation stone-laying ceremony for both projects will be held by the end of this month, he noted.

He further reiterated projects such as Phase 1 of the Bengaluru Business Corridor, for which 80% of the land acquisition has already been completed, and the opening of the Major Arterial Road (MAR), passing through the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, spanning 10.77 km. The MAR, built at a cost of ₹631 crore, will be inaugurated within the next 15 days, he said.

On the occasion of Kempegowda Jayanti and the BDA completing 50 years, about 15 lakh saplings will be planted across Bengaluru under a programme titled “Green Bengaluru”, according to Mr. Shivakumar. The event will be held on June 27. He further said that about 150 schemes have been planned, and all announcements will follow in the next 15 days.

These announcements coincide with the possibility of long-pending civic elections possibly taking place in the city this year. While the Karnataka State Election Commission had earlier stated that civic polls in Bengaluru would be held between June 14 and 24, it has recently filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking an extension until September 30 to conduct the polls, following a request from officials in the State government.

Punjab Kings, a team that looked like an unstoppable force about three weeks ago, is now struggling to get a ‘W’ next to its name.

In a matter of a few matches, PBKS, which made a rousing start to IPL 2026, has seen its cracks exposed. The Shreyas Iyer-led side masked its weaknesses by consistently outbatting opponents in the first half of the 19th edition, but since the time the rivals uncovered them, the Punjab outfit has been on a downward spiral.

The 2025 runner-up has plenty of holes to plug in the bowling and fielding departments. The bowlers have leaked runs at approximately 10.6 runs per over, the worst average economy rate in the league as of Tuesday. Kings have conceded 200 or more seven times already this season, besides the 195 they gave away against Mumbai Indians.

Wicket-taking is another area that requires immediate repair. Only left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh (13) has scalped 10 or more so far. Compared to the rest of the top-four teams — Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad — that have at least three bowlers with 10 or more scalps, PBKS has been well behind par.

Arshdeep, despite being the side’s top wicket-taker, is battling for consistency, while his pace partner Marco Jansen has hardly posed a threat. Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal is not trusted enough in spite of being the lone specialist spinner for most part of the campaign.

Poor fielding, especially dropped catches which have proved harmful, has also massively contributed to PBKS’ downfall. If Kings’ butter-fingered fielders had come up with an improved show against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals, the team may not find itself in the dire situation it is in now.

PBKS has to act quick and smart if it harbours hopes of advancing to the playoffs.

State-owned explorer Oil India’s net profits in the March-end quarter increased 12.5% on a year-over-year basis fuelled by a 5% improvement in average crude price realisation and 6% increase in crude oil production.

OIL’s standalone profit after tax in the reported quarter stood at ₹1,790 crore, against ₹1,591 crore in the comparable period last year.

This comes on the back of average crude price realisation, that is, the price it receives for the crude oil extracted, increasing to $77.89 per barrel in the reported quarter from $74.46 per barrel in the year-ago period.

In the reported quarter, Oil India produced 0.891 million metric tonnes (MMT) of crude oil from their matured and old oilfields. This compares 0.844 MMT it produced in the comparable period last year.

Alongside the results, Oil India’s board recommended a dividend of ₹1 for each equity share.

Eleven persons were taken seriously ill after consuming fritters allegedly prepared using contaminated all-purpose flour (maida) at Pippara village in Ganapavaram mandal in West Godavari district on Wednesday.

According to preliminary reports, the maida used for preparing the food had reportedly been stored for nearly a year in workers’ sheds at aqua farms and is suspected to have developed fungal contamination or mold. Officials said the food was prepared at homes for personal consumption and later shared among neighbours, clarifying that the incident was not linked to any commercial food outlet or catering activity.

Of the affected persons, five have been admitted to Imperial Hospital, another five are undergoing treatment at Bhimavaram Hospital, while a two-year-old boy was shifted to Varma Hospital. Hospital authorities said some patients remain in critical condition and are under intensive medical supervision.

Health department teams led by District Medical and Health Officer officials have been stationed at the hospitals and are continuously monitoring the condition of the victims. The person who prepared the food also reportedly fell ill after consuming it.

West Godavari District Collector Chadalavada Nagarani visited the hospitals and reviewed the treatment being provided to the patients. She directed officials to ensure round-the-clock monitoring and provide the best possible emergency medical care.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident and are investigating the exact cause of the suspected food contamination.

Providing a fillip to the country’s pursuit of coal gasification, the Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a ₹37,500 crore package to boost the sustainable alternate mining method.

The package seeking to promote surface coal gasification entails conversion of coal into syngas (that is, synthetic gas) which be further used to produce downstream products like urea – about one-fifth of whose requirement is met through imports, methanol – approximately 80-90% of it is met through imports, ammonia on which there is complete import dependency, synthetic natural gas (SNG) and fertilisers, among other products.

“India’s import bill for key substitutable products LNG, urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonia, coking coal, methanol, DME and others stood at approximately ₹2.77 lakh crore in FY2025, a vulnerability further exposed by the ongoing geopolitical situation in West Asia,” the press announcement held.

With the scheme, India is targeting to gasification of approximately 75 million tonnes of coal and lignite. This would contribute to the 100 MT target set for 2030.

Further seeking to provide long-term certainty for investment in the realm, the government also extended the coal linkage tenure up to thirty years within an accompanying component of the scheme entailing production of syngas leading to coal gasification.

More importantly though, the scheme would accord a financial incentive of up to one-fifth of the cost of plant and machinery.

In terms of project size, the scheme caps a financial incentive of ₹5,000 crore for a single project, and for any single product-centred project, except that for SNG and urea, it extends up to ₹9,000 crore.

A single entity would be able to avail a maximum of ₹12,000 crore across all project categorisations.

The scheme further builds on the National Coal Gasification Mission, and the ₹8,500 crore incentive scheme which was approved in January 2024.

Eight projects under the latter scheme worth ₹6,233 crore are under implementation.

Notably, the Coal Ministry had told The Hindu earlier that “in the coming months, more projects are expected to come up”.