US President Donald Trump has signed executive orders for a reform of the country’s nuclear industry. The administration says it will reduce regulatory barriers and speed up construction of nuclear reactors. The reforms will make it easier for the authorities to approve new nuclear power plant construction. Approvals have usually taken more than 10 years, but Washington has set an 18-month deadline for the final decision. The action aims to prepare for a surge in electricity demand due to growing use of AI and other technologies, including quantum computers. Secretary Douglas James Burgum said the actions related to electricity in the next five years will determine the next 50 years.

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has won the top honour at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. His film, It Was Just an Accident, took home the prestigious Palme d’Or.

The festival featured 22 films in its main competition. Panahi, known for his bold criticism of the Iranian government, has faced multiple arrests over the years.

The audience gave Panahi a standing ovation as the award was announced. On stage, he spoke about the importance of freedom in Iran, saying, “No one should tell people what to wear, or what not to say.”

Japanese director Hayakawa Chie’s film Renoir, starring Suzuki Yui, was also nominated but did not win the top prize.

Cannes is considered one of the world’s most important film festivals, alongside those in Venice and Berlin.

World Thyroid Day is observed on May 25 to promote awareness about thyroid disorders. On this occasion, it is crucial to understand the value of an appropriate diet that includes top nutrients essential for supporting healthy thyroid function and maintaining hormonal balance.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Mukesh Batra, founder and chairman Emeritus, Dr Batra’s Healthcare, highlighted the crucial role of nutrition in supporting thyroid health.

Dr Batra explained about thyroid function and added, “The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating metabolism, energy, and hormonal balance. In order to ensure that it functions at its best, a diet that is high in certain nutrients that are beneficial for hormone synthesis, conversion, and overall endocrine health is crucial.”

The Rising North East Investors Summit 2025, which was held in New Delhi, attracted investment proposals worth over 4 Lakh Crore rupees. Delegations from over 80 countries, from Japan to Europe to ASEAN nations, participated in the two-day summit, which culminated yesterday.

In his valedictory address, Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not just recognizing the vast potential of the Northeastern region but also embracing it. Mr. Scindia said that the Northeast has emerged as a hub of global partnership and mutual interest. He added that Northeast Region is set to become India’s next economic powerhouse.

Commenting on the Summit, the Minister said that this is the first time that an investment summit has been organized on this scale with country’s top industry leaders collectively announcing investments worth more than 1 lakh 55 thousand crore rupees to explore opportunities in the North Eastern region.

Qatar’s Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup announced on Thursday that the record prize fund will exceed USD 36.5 million.

The competition, involving senior men’s national teams from the 22-member Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) representing both Asia and Africa, is scheduled to occur from 1 to 18 December.

Current senior men’s national team head coach Manolo Marquez had also performed the dual role last season as he also guided FC Goa.

“Moosa will take charge of the team on June 1, 2025, when they begin their camp in Kolkata, with the long-term aim of preparing the Blue Colts for the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, in Japan, in line with the plans laid out to the federation by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports," the AIFF said in a release.

India has urged the removal of export controls among BRICS member nations during the BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting held on May 21 in Brasilia under Brazil’s presidency. The meeting, centered around the theme “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,” served as a platform for India to advocate for enhanced intra-bloc trade cooperation and mutual support.

Looking ahead to its upcoming BRICS presidency in 2026, India praised Brazil’s pragmatic and consensus-driven approach in navigating key trade challenges and promoting constructive dialogue among member countries.

Representing India at the meeting, Economic Adviser in the Department of Commerce, Yashvir Singh emphasized the need to eliminate restrictive trade measures that disrupt critical supply chains.

Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Memorial Janusza Kusocinskiego in Chorzow, Poland. Neeraj managed an 84.14m throw in his sixth and final attempt to snatch the second spot from Grenada's Anderson Peters, who wasted his final try. Germany's Julian Weber took the top spot with a best throw of 86.12m attempt in his first throw. Last week, Neeraj came up with a personal-best throw of 90.23m in the Doha leg of the Diamond League Meeting, his first 90m+ attempt. However, it wasn't enough for him to seal top spot as Germany's Julian Weber clinched victory with a stunning 91.06m effort on his final attempt. It was also the first instance of Weber breaching the 90m mark. The Memorial Janusza Kusocinskiego is a Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level event.

Indian-origin professor Ganesh Thakur has been named president of the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST), becoming the first University of Houston (UH) faculty member to hold the position.

Thakur, a professor of petroleum engineering at UH's Cullen College of Engineering, began his term in February, the university said in a release. He aims to raise the visibility of UH's research and promote collaboration across top institutions in Texas.

TAMEST brings together top minds from UH, UT Austin, Texas A&M, and others to tackle real-world challenges, Thakur said.

TAMEST includes 350 members of the US National Academies and eight Nobel laureates. Its next annual conference, focused on climate change, will be held in San Antonio in February 2026.

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Thursday convened a high-level meeting, ‘Kayakalp Manthan’, bringing together senior officials, representatives from Central Government hospitals, NGOs, and healthcare experts from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The meeting aimed to enhance public healthcare delivery and promote deeper community engagement in improving the quality and accessibility of health services across the country.

The discussion focused on reinvigorating the Kayakalp Scheme, a national initiative launched in 2015 to promote cleanliness, hygiene, and infection control across public healthcare institutions. Over the last decade, the scheme has grown substantially—from 10 Central Government hospitals to 25, with extended implementation across State Government hospitals through the National Health Mission (NHM).

The Maharashtra government last month officially agreed to merge the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) with Indian Railways.

With Goa, Karnataka and Kerala having already approved the merger, Maharashtra’s decision clears the way for the complete integration of one of India’s most scenic and strategically vital railway lines into the larger national network.

The Konkan Railway (KR) was established in 1990 as a special purpose vehicle in the Ministry of Railways to carry out the difficult task of constructing railway lines through the rocky Western Ghats.