India has made tremendous progress toward its long-term energy self-sufficiency after its indigenously created 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu reached criticality—the point at which a nuclear reactor first establishes a controlled and self-sustaining chain reaction.

India’s entry into an exclusive group of nations with sophisticated fast breeder reactor technology—Russia is the only other nation with operational commercial fast breeder reactors—is symbolized by this milestone.

The accomplishment is being seen as a significant step forward in India’s three-step nuclear power program, as conceived by nuclear scientist Homi Jehangir Bhabha, who is frequently credited with creating the nation’s nuclear strategy.

By utilizing plutonium-based fuel and breeding additional fissile material, the PFBR is intended to produce more fuel than it consumes, improving India’s long-term energy security prospects.

Furthermore, India’s shift into the second phase of its nuclear program is indicated by the reactor’s criticality.

The initial stage involves using natural uranium as fuel in nuclear reactors, which results in plutonium as a byproduct.

This plutonium is utilized in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) in the second step, according to the research.

It is anticipated that the Kalpakkam reactor will be instrumental in producing Uranium-233 from thorium, paving the way for the program’s third phase, in which India plans to use its enormous thorium resources to generate electricity on a large scale.

In addition, India’s uranium deposits are comparatively little, but it has some of the world’s biggest thorium reserves.

According to the report, thorium-based electricity production may be able to satisfy the nation’s energy requirements for hundreds of years.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the project is also anticipated to help India’s transition to clean energy and its pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Currently, the nation’s nuclear power generating capacity is 8. 78 GW, which accounts for around 3% of the total electricity produced.

According to the report, India’s installed nuclear capacity is expected to reach 22. 38 GW by 2031–32 due to indigenous 700 MW reactors and future international partnerships utilizing 1,000 MW reactors.

Former Chairman of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and former Director (HR) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Raj Kumar Dubey, stated on Saturday that India’s fuel supply management has remained steady despite worldwide disruptions.

“The supply management has been outstanding; otherwise, you would have experienced shortages, just like many other nations,” Dubey stated. However, India never had a lack of gasoline, diesel, or other fuels. The subject of LPG is a cause for worry.

He estimated the anticipated under-recovery to be about Rs 30,000 crore each month, based on the financial effects of changes in global crude prices.

The price of crude has increased by 35 to 40 percent, and there could be more increases. This must, of course, be mirrored in petroleum products. Policymakers must determine the degree of increase required since the majority of nations worldwide have increased prices by between 20% and 50%, he said.

He also stated that fuel prices have already been modified by a number of nations.

“The government has performed admirably in this situation because it was initially seen as a transient occurrence. We don’t want regular folks to be impacted by these transient highs, he said.

When comparing global trends, Dubey observed that petrol and diesel costs have increased even in the United States, which is the world’s top crude oil producer.

India has done a “wonderful job” in managing the situation, given that it imports over 85% of its crude oil, he claimed.

Earlier in May, the major state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) — HPCL, IOCL, and BPCL — had reassured customers that gasoline, diesel, and LPG supplies were steady throughout the nation while advising them not to put their trust in rumors or unconfirmed social media posts about fuel shortages.

Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, and Morgan Rogers all scored to secure a convincing victory for Aston Villa against Freiburg, giving the team its first European trophy in 44 years and its first UEFA Europa League championship.

Villa is only the sixth team from England and the 31st overall to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League. Along with Atalanta in 2023/24 and Emery’s Villarreal in 2020/21, they are only the third new champion in the last six seasons.

With three different teams, Emery has become the first coach to ever win this competition. All of their names include the word ‘villa’: Sevilla (three times), Villarreal, and Villa.

As they entered this showpiece, Freiburg were hoping to win their first significant trophy in the club’s history, while Villa were looking for their first silverware in thirty years.

The game took a while to settle down in front of a lively audience at the magnificent Beşiktaş Park, with both teams showing early signs of anxiety, which was perhaps not unexpected given the high stakes.

Youri Tielemans, Villa’s midfield maestro, produced a moment of magic that brought the game to life following a string of missed opportunities for both sides.

The Belgian latched onto a pinpoint cross from Morgan Rogers from a short corner after 42 minutes, blasting a fantastic volley past goalie Noah Atubolu and putting the English team in front.

Freiburg was shaken, and things only grew worse right before the halftime break. Although Emiliano Buendía appeared to be in little risk when he received the ball from just outside the box, the Argentine striker switched the ball onto his left foot and scored a beautiful shot into the far corner to extend the lead with the last kick of the half.

Buendía worked his magic once more for Villa in the second period, jinking his way down the left wing before crossing for Rogers to apply a simple finish at the near post just before the hour. Buendía’s confidence in Villa was evident throughout the second period.

When John McGinn’s corner was headed against the post by Amadou Onana, it was only millimeters away from being four for Unai Emery’s team, and the play concluded with Villa taking three.

Although Freiburg gave it their best, they were ultimately unable to pull it off. When they compete in the Conference League play-offs the following season, they will be looking to make a comeback on the European scene.

The Bharat Tex 2026 Event App was released by the government on Wednesday with the goal of improving business matchmaking and AI-driven networking at India’s premier international textile event.

Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, introduced the digital platform, which aims to improve the experience of purchasers, foreign delegates, speakers, sourcing consultants, partners, exhibitors, and tourists, as well as the scope and goals of Bharat Tex 2026.

The government claims that the platform was created as a full digital partner and allows attendees to use a single interface to get event information, locate exhibitors, arrange meetings, find their way around the venue, collect leads, attend knowledge sessions, and receive real-time updates.

Additionally, it stated that the app’s AI smart assistant, which provides a 24×7 conversational guide for participants, is one of its main features.

Additionally, users may ask event-related questions in plain language and get immediate updates on schedules, location information, directions, and other essential details, catering to both local and international attendees.

Dedicated meeting modules in the app also facilitate organized networking and commercial interaction by allowing users to identify potential partners, arrange meetings, manage availability, accept requests, and monitor interactions.

Additionally, its QR-based lead capture system enables exhibitors and attendees to scan digital badges and save contact information for future follow-up.

Other features include exhibitor discovery tools with organized search and filtering, sophisticated navigation help throughout Bharat Mandapam with floor plans and booth location services, and live event schedules and information sessions.

Bharat Tex 2026, which is supported by the Ministry of Textiles and is inspired by the Prime Minister’s 5F vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign—aims to establish India as a global hub for textile sourcing and investment.

It is organized by the Bharat Tex Trade Federation in collaboration with 11 textile export promotion councils and industry organizations.

The event, which is anticipated to showcase India’s whole textile value chain, will take place in the national capital between July 14 and 17 and is expected to bring in over 7,000 foreign buyers and more than 1,30,000 trade visitors, according to the government.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized the significance of improving connection, particularly via significant projects such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which was established during the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, in light of Italy and India’s strategic geographic location across the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific, respectively.

Meloni stated during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “We are two peninsulas, two platforms… ” I’ll just mention platforms, which are planned for key locations around the Mediterranean and the Indo-Pacific. In our opinion, it is essential to improve the relationship between these two vital sectors.

Meloni stated that this is why we sought to further develop IMEC, the infrastructure corridor that connects Europe, the Middle East, and India economically, which was created during the G20 summit.

Since we think it has the potential to unleash a fantastic potential for our trade, our enterprises, and our relationships, it is an initiative that we fully support. Italy and India have a common perspective on several of the major issues facing the world today, including international stability, the preservation of rules, economic security, the resilience of value chains, the promotion of peace, and inclusive development, she said.

Additionally, she stated that the two leaders discussed important global security issues such the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, demonstrating a common awareness of the necessity of ongoing negotiations to promote peace and stability in areas that have been impacted by conflict.

“And we went over many of the challenging situations we face. We discussed Ukraine; we discussed our dedication to achieving a just and enduring peace. We shared our opinions about the Iranian crisis with the common desire that the peace talks would proceed and come to a successful conclusion within a framework that we understand to be both extremely important and precarious. Meloni said that Italy will continue to play the role in both scenarios because we are becoming more and more connected.

She emphasized the importance of guaranteeing freedom of navigation, highlighting that Italy and India will continue to work together to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. She also noted that both countries share the common vision of a free, inclusive, and open Indo-Pacific.

During their bilateral discussion in Rome on Wednesday, the two leaders also decided to raise India-Italy relations to a unique strategic alliance.

“The two leaders examined the progress in implementing the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025-29 and decided to strengthen and enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in fields like commerce, investment, technology, defense, the blue economy, connectivity, education, and interpersonal interactions, among others. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “They talked about geopolitical events and agreed to collaborate on global challenges of mutual concern. “

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated the Mumbai Indians (MI) by four wickets in match 65 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, played at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, thanks to the outstanding performances of Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell under pressure, which maintained their chances of making it to the playoffs.

Powell’s daring batting in the middle overs and Pandey’s steady 45 off 33 balls helped KKR cross the finish line after a few tense moments while attempting to reach a target of 148 on a difficult two-paced surface.

Despite an early setback, KKR began their innings with a strong attack. Finn Allen, the impact replacement who took Varun Chakravarthy’s spot due to injury, smashed two beautiful square-driven boundaries off Deepak Chahar before pulling the final delivery of the opening over into his stumps. After one over, KKR was 10/1.

Then, demonstrating the challenging batting circumstances, Jasprit Bumrah bowled a superb second over in which Ajinkya Rahane and Pandey collectively faced just two balls.

But as KKR picked up speed, Rahane was able to regain his rhythm. In an uncommonly costly fourth over, Rahane and Pandey each struck boundaries, bringing KKR to 31/1 after four overs.

In the last over of the Power-play, when Corbin Bosch bowled out Rahane for 21 off 17 balls, the Mumbai Indians momentarily retaliated. Bosch expertly changed his length to induce an outside edge, catching Rahane off guard, after giving up nine runs in the first three pitches. At the conclusion of the Power-play, KKR was at 48/2.

In the eighth over, the hosts suffered another blow when Cameron Green only managed four runs in eight balls after mishitting a bad delivery from Allah Ghazanfar down the leg side directly to a fielder. Mumbai saw a chance at 54/3.

Powell, though, changed the game with a string of strong strikes, while Pandey skillfully steadied the innings. During the 10th over, Powell nearly got out when Deepak Chahar allowed a top-edged hook shot to pass through for Robin Minz at fine leg, but the opportunity was lost in the mayhem.

In the interim, Pandey maintained the innings’ momentum by punishing poor deliveries and switching the strike. After 49 balls of their encounters, Bumrah eventually caught him for the first time in T20 cricket when he was 45 years old. With the 15-over-old ball, Bumrah delivered an amazing offcutter that cut back severely between the bat and pad.

Earlier in the day, the KKR bowlers laid the foundation for the victory by holding the Mumbai Indians to a respectable 147/8 in 20 overs.

On a difficult surface, Mumbai’s top-order batter was taken apart by Cameron Green and Saurabh Dubey. Green first removed Naman Dhir for a three-ball duck, then took an amazing over-the-shoulder catch to send Rohit Sharma out for 15.

Mumbai lost four wickets after six overs, dropping to 46/4, as Dubey also hit twice during the Power-play, including the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav for 15.

The KKR spin combo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy increased their dominance over the game after a rain delay at 57/4 in eight overs. Despite suffering a hairline break in his foot, Varun gave a strong performance, recording 4-0-28-0, while Narine’s 4-1-13-1 performance, which included dismissing Hardik Pandya for 26 runs, was outstanding.

Tilak Varma had trouble with his rhythm, as he only managed to score 20 runs off 32 deliveries before Kartik Tyagi forced his dismissal with a bouncer. A mix-up with Bosch resulted in Will Jacks being dismissed for 13.

With Bosch hitting consecutive sixes in the last overs and Chahar hitting late, Mumbai was able to recover somewhat, with MI scoring 52 runs in the last four overs for a total of 147/8. The final sum, however, turned out to be insufficient.

Even after Pandey’s dismissal, Powell (40) kept up the onslaught, smashing Ghazanfar for a massive six over long-on. However, just as KKR’s victory seemed assured, Bosch once again excelled in the field, diving to his right at backwards point to grab an amazing catch and get rid of Powell.

Despite losing wickets late in the game, KKR crossed the finish line with four wickets in hand as Rinku Singh scored the winning runs with a boundary over long-on, maintaining their chances of making the playoffs.

Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 147/8 in 20 overs (Corbin Bosch 32 not out, Hardik Pandya 26; Cameron Green 2-23, Saurabh Debey 2-34)
Kolkata Knight Riders 148/6 in 18.5 overs (Manish Pandey 45, Rovman Powell 40; Corbin Bosch 3-40)

According to an report in The Korea Times, Lee Jae Myung, the president of South Korea, recently visited India and fostered closer economic ties between the two nations, but Seoul has to take advantage of the chance to forge a larger strategic alliance with India, which would aid in addressing its severe vulnerabilities in maritime security, supply chains, and technological resilience.

For its part, India considers South Korea to be a key provider of investment, cutting-edge technology, and industrial know-how in the areas of defense, semiconductors, steel, and shipbuilding. Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, summed up this complementarity nicely when he said that “from chips to ships, from talent to technology, and from environment to energy… ” According to the article, Korea plays a key role in India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ goal of transforming into a developed industrial country by 2047.

The article emphasizes how South Korea relies significantly on susceptible maritime routes for its imports and exports, as demonstrated by the supply chain disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz‘s closure. Similar disruptions might occur in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea as a result of escalating tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

With substantial resources in the Indian Ocean, India has the capacity to assist Seoul in overcoming these obstacles.

Thus, a forward-thinking alliance should include defense, maritime security, and important technologies as well as business. Over the years, South Korea has modified the criteria for aircraft carriers in line with its goal of developing an indigenous aircraft carrier capability.

In contrast, the paper notes that India has had aircraft carriers in operation since independence, and it currently has two, one of which was constructed in the country.

It highlights the Indian Navy’s extensive expertise in managing carrier combat groups and related activities, which might help speed up timetables, lower costs, and improve Seoul’s maritime capability to safeguard crucial sea lanes of communication.

Space presents a similar chance in this regard. India is a desirable partner for South Korea because of its demonstrated expertise in satellite launch vehicles, its native navigation system, and space-grade semiconductors.

President Lee’s trip to India has created a positive opportunity. Seoul must now have more ambitious strategic imaginations that extend far beyond trade goals.

The essay notes that a multifaceted collaboration with India, including joint naval exercises, co-development of technology, and coordinated strategies for maritime domain awareness, would not only lessen South Korea’s vulnerabilities in an unpredictable world but also establish both democracies as cornerstones of stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

As part of a massive reorganization effort to speed up its transition to artificial intelligence (AI), Meta Platforms, according to several reports, began laying off about 8,000 workers on Wednesday.

The Facebook-parent business began issuing layoff warnings in stages, with the layoffs and role shifts anticipated to impact about 10% of its workforce worldwide.

According to sources, an internal paper that was part of the reorganization exercise revealed Meta’s intention to shift about 7,000 employees into new AI-related positions.

Meta‘s HR Head, Janelle Gale, said in a message to staff that several teams were being restructured around AI-native ideas in order to create flatter hierarchies and smaller groups that could operate more quickly and with more ownership.

“Many of the org leaders integrated AI native design concepts into their new org structures as they worked on the changes,” Gale stated.

According to reports, Meta also required its North American workers to work from home on the day the layoffs went into effect, which is what the business has done in the past when announcing job cuts.

The reorganization coincides with a large rise in Meta’s expenditure on artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Furthermore, the tech business has predicted that its capital expenditures for 2026 will range from $125 billion to $145 billion, with the majority going towards AI data centers, bespoke chips, and model training.

The data gathered, according to reports, was only intended to enhance AI systems and not for surveillance, CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly informed employees.

Several reports earlier this month had indicated that Meta will start laying off about 10% of its global workforce starting Wednesday, while also growing its AI projects as part of a wider restructuring effort to improve efficiency.

PepsiCo India, a major food and beverage company, will have invested up to Rs 5,700 crore in India by 2030 to increase the production capacity of its foods division, according to a top company executive.

The majority of the proposed investment, according to Jagrut Kotecha, CEO of PepsiCo India and South Asia, will go into three production plants located in Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.

According to Kotecha, we have made investments of about Rs 5,700 crore between 2025 and 2030. He said that the majority of the investment will be used for a concentrates facility in Madhya Pradesh, as well as snack factories in Tamil Nadu and Assam.

“Some of this is going live in the next few months, like the concentrates plant in Madhya Pradesh and the Northeast plant in Assam,” he stated.

He also stated that the company would be able to increase its presence in the snack industry across South India as a result of a recent land acquisition in Tamil Nadu.

Kotecha says that India continues to be a significant growth market for PepsiCo due to rising incomes and a secure investment climate.

He mentioned that we have seen robust double-digit growth for the second year running on the growth front.

According to PepsiCo India and South Asia CFO Savitha Balachandran, the company’s foods business experienced strong expansion of about 11% in 2025, while the drinks industry faced headwinds due to weather-related softness and growing competition.

Nevertheless, she claimed that both areas had a solid performance and that the company had entered 2026 with a robust balance sheet and continuous momentum, including more than Rs 1,600 crore in cash.

The business stated that investment will continue to be a primary focus area, along with fiscal discipline to support long-term expansion.

India has become a world leader in the adoption of artificial intelligence, with 41% of workers utilizing AI almost daily, according to a report published on Tuesday.

According to an ADP Research report, India has the greatest rate of AI usage among workers in all markets examined, with almost 80% of them utilizing it at least twice a week.

Compared to the rest of the world, where just half of the workforce utilizes AI on a weekly basis, Indian use is considerably greater. In terms of daily AI usage, India was followed by Nigeria (39%) and Vietnam (36%).

However, the data also showed an increasing divide between the use of artificial intelligence and perceived productivity.

Thirty percent of daily AI users said they were completely engaged, but compared to non-users, they were four times more likely to feel less productive.

The report stated that as AI assumed mundane jobs, workers found it more difficult to measure and assess their contributions.

Although India is one of the top countries in the adoption of AI in the workplace, increased productivity is not simply assured by widespread adoption. According to Rahul Goyal, managing director of ADP India and Southeast Asia, “Many employees have a silent worry about the future of their careers, and whether AI is making their contribution harder to measure. ”

“In the end,” he said, “the organizations that succeed will be those that invest in making their people more adaptable, not just more efficient. ”

Daily usage of AI is also associated with increased engagement and decreased stress, with 23% of non-users and only 11% of AI users reporting mental stress.

Frequent users also felt their jobs were less at risk of being abolished than less frequent users, suggesting a significant correlation between consistent AI usage and job security.

Indian women are utilizing AI at a higher rate than males, with 44% of women using it almost daily in their jobs as opposed to 40%.