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The Robe and the Sword: Why Buddhism needs protection from polarised monks

A sharp, accessible account of how religion and power intertwine in Asia, examining Buddhist extremism without losing sight of faith's deeper values

Oil flows via Druzhba pipeline resumes; EU to adopt new Russian sanctions

Hungarian oil group MOL said on Wednesday that Ukraine had informed it that deliveries of Russian crude had resumed through the pipeline

India denies any payment to Iran for Hormuz passage, calls reports fake

India on Wednesday denied making any payments - either in cash or cryptocurrency - to Iran to secure safe passage for its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions in the region. The clarification came after two Indian vessels had to turn back from the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian forces fired upon them as they attempted to cross the crucial waterway on April 18. Before turning back, the captain of Indian tanker Sanmar Herald, in an audio recording that has surfaced, is heard pleading with Iranian forces to stop firing despite prior clearance to pass the Strait of Hormuz. "This is motor vessel, Sanmar Herald. You gave me clearance to go, my name is second on your list... You are firing now. Let me turn back." While New Delhi has consistently rejected claims of any financial arrangements with Tehran for ship movement through the critical energy corridors, some reports linked the April 18 incident to a crypto scam. Reports suggest scammers are offering shipowner

RBI proposes measures to strengthen Prepaid Payment Instruments framework

The RBI on Wednesday proposed several measures to develop a more conducive framework for the long-term growth of Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), including enhanced transaction security and clearer rules on refunds and grievance redressal. PPI is a payment instrument in which money is loaded and which facilitates subsequent transactions utilising the fund. These instruments are categorised as general purpose PPI, gift PPI, transit PPI, PPI for NRIs, besides certain other specific purpose PPI. RBI said that as part of its continued efforts to develop a conducive framework for long-term growth of PPIs with enhanced security of transactions, a comprehensive review of the extant guidelines has been undertaken. Accordingly, a draft Master Direction on Prepaid Payment Instruments was issued, and comments were invited by May 22, 2026. A bank permitted by RBI to issue debit cards can issue PPIs, with prior intimation to the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems (DPSS), Central ..

Enterprise AI adoption held back by skills gap, says Nutanix AI chief

Nutanix Chief AI Officer Debojyoti Dutta says enterprises are struggling to deploy AI at scale due to a shortage of skilled professionals, even as adoption shifts from pilots to production

Top oil traders warn Hormuz closure risks global recession, demand hit

The vital energy channel has been largely closed to non-Iranian shipping since war began at the end of February, choking off hundreds of millions of barrels of supply

PNG push gains pace: 500,000 new connections amid LPG supply concerns

India has accelerated its shift to piped natural gas, with more than 5.01 lakh new PNG connections gasified since March and over 5.68 lakh consumers registering for fresh connections, even as authorities manage LPG supplies amid geopolitical disruptions. With the war in West Asia disrupting cooking gas LPG supplies, the government is pushing households as well as industries to move to piped natural gas -- a more convenient alternative whose supplies have not been very badly hit. LPG users within the reach of a PNG connection have been asked to shift, while orders have been issued for expediting approvals for laying of pipelines that supply gas to burner tips. "Since March 2026, more than 5.01 lakh PNG connections have been gasified," said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, at a news briefing on Tuesday. Gasified means the start of gas supplies. These connections include ones that may have been applied before the crisis as well as after ...

Stocks extend losses as Vance trip on hold fuels Iran talks uncertainty

The standoff threatens to deepen a global energy crunch, with flows through the vital Strait of Hormuz remaining at a virtual standstill

AI-generated content: Meity proposes continuous labelling mechanism

Draft amendment to IT Rules mandates continuous, clearly visible labels for AI-generated content across formats, as govt extends consultation deadline to May 7

Japan opens door to global arms market, breaking with postwar pacifism

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her top officials, at a meeting in Tokyo, reversed longstanding limits on the sale of Japan-made weapons overseas

Taming the Dragon: Clear diagnosis but few solutions to India-China tension

Why India must not only enhance its comprehensive national power but also become a major power in China's perception

US Fed nominee Warsh says he'll 'absolutely not' be Trump's stock puppet

Warsh was responding to a question from Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana about whether he would be a "sock puppet" for the president. "Absolutely not," Warsh responded

Infra investments to grow 50% through FY28 despite West Asia crisis: Crisil

Crisil sees strong infrastructure investment growth through FY28 backed by policy support and balance sheets, though risks persist across renewables, roads and real estate

Brookfield platform Evren secures $600 mn to supply 300 MW RE to NTPC

Brookfield-backed Evren raises $600 million for hybrid renewable project integrating solar, wind and storage to supply 300 MW power to NTPC under PPA

Office rents cross ₹100/sq ft a month in B'luru, NCR amid demand-supply gap

Average monthly rentals for prime office spaces in Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR have crossed Rs 100 per sq ft mark for the first time as demand for prime workspaces exceeds supply, according to Knight Frank data. In Mumbai, the average office rentals are already above Rs 100 per sq ft. Real estate consultant Knight Frank data showed that the average rentals for office spaces rose in a range of 2-15 per cent during January-March 2026 across eight major cities of India compared to the same period last year. The maximum annual growth of 15 per cent in office rent was seen in Delhi-NCR and Kolkata. "The supply constraints across key markets have supported a sustained rental upcycle since early 2022...," the consultant said in its latest Q1 (January-March) 2026 report on the Indian office market. The report mentioned that rental growth remained positive in Q1 2026, ranging between 2 per cent and 15 per cent YoY (year-on-year) across cities. "Notably, NCR and Bengaluru breached an average r

Do you know your Hinduism? Understanding an ancient way of life journey

While everyone must find the meaning of religion in their own way, this book serves as a handy guide in the journey

India expands Russian insurer list as Iran conflict disrupts oil flows

Some 11 Russian insurers that are not members of so-called P&I Clubs are now allowed to provide the services, up from eight last month

Google eyes new chips to speed up AI results, challenging Nvidia

Nvidia's graphics processing units, or GPUs, remain the gold standard for AI, particularly for training more advanced models

Kremlin-friendly ex-President wins Bulgaria elections in landslide

Two other parties also appear to have gained seats in the 240-seat chamber, according to the latest results. Borissov conceded defeat and congratulated the election winner.

Trump says team led by Vance heading to Pakistan for talks with Iran

Trump said the team would include Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner