Key Points —Brazilian aerospace company Embraer announced on Monday May 11, 2026 a strategic partnership with India’s Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) for the supply of raw forged materials used in commercial and military landing-gear systems, the first such contract with an Indian supplier. —Embraer reported record Q1 2026 revenue of US$1.4 billion (R$6.9 billion), up […]

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Key Points —Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez rejected on Monday May 11 US president Donald Trump’s “serious consideration” of annexing Venezuela as the 51st US state, declaring from The Hague that the prospect “is not foreseen and would never be foreseen.” —Trump valued Venezuelan oil reserves at US$40 trillion in a Fox News call, citing […]

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Key Points —Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez appeared in person at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday May 11, 2026 to formally reject the court’s jurisdiction over the Essequibo dispute, calling the 1899 arbitration award a “fraud 127 years old.” —The disputed territory covers approximately 160,000 km² rich in oil reserves […]

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Sharad Pawar has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern over the Centre’s recent austerity appeal and demanding that an all-party meeting be convened to discuss the emerging economic situation and its implications.

Pawar, a former defence minister and former agriculture minister, wrote the letter on X two days after Modi appealed to citizens to conserve fuel, avoid foreign travel and postpone gold purchases in view of rising global energy prices and pressure on foreign exchange reserves caused by the continuing West Asia conflict.

The letter was issued ahead of Modi’s proposed five-day foreign tour from 15 to 20 May, during which he is expected to visit the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.

Pawar urged Modi to personally chair an all-party meeting on the issue, saying decisions involving national economic concerns should be taken after consultations with opposition parties, economists and experts.

He said the Prime Minister’s appeal asking citizens to reduce fuel consumption, avoid gold purchases and limit foreign travel had created “unease and anxiety” among ordinary people, industry and investors.

Pawar also expressed concern over the possibility of shortages of fuel and other essential resources because of the worsening situation in West Asia and criticised what he described as sudden announcements with potentially long-term economic consequences.

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader said the government should take expert advice before implementing major economic measures and stressed that consensus-building on issues affecting the national economy was in the country’s larger interest.

Raj Thackeray attacks Centre’s policies

Raj Thackeray, chief of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, also criticised Modi’s appeal in a separate letter posted on X.

Questioning the Centre’s policies, Thackeray asked why citizens should bear the burden of policy failures and suggested that the government should convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the economic situation.

BJP leaders draw criticism over ‘mixed signals’

The austerity appeal has also triggered criticism over alleged contradictions within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Mumbai BJP president Amit Satam came under attack after undertaking a nala inspection tour with a convoy of around 25 vehicles, prompting opposition parties to accuse the BJP of double standards on fuel conservation.

Varsha Gaikwad of the Indian National Congress shared videos of the convoy on social media and criticised what she described as continuing “VIP culture” despite calls for austerity.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government has begun implementing a series of cost-cutting measures following Modi’s remarks.

The office of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker has cancelled a proposed Japan visit by 12 MLAs, while the state government has decided not to send any official delegation to the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Under the new guidelines, ministers will now require prior approval from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis before using government aircraft, chartered planes or helicopters, and officials have been encouraged to conduct meetings online.

BJP MLA Pravin Darekar has also reportedly booked an electric vehicle following Modi’s appeal, amid indications that governments may increasingly promote EV adoption as part of fuel conservation measures.

Key Points —The Centro de Estudios Económicos del Sector Privado (CEESP) said on Monday May 11 that Mexico must lift investment above 25% of GDP to accelerate sustained growth toward 4%, against current Q4 2025 levels of 22.9%, with private investment alone at 19.5% of GDP. —Approximately 86% of Mexican investment originates in the private […]

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Key Points —The European Union’s 27 member states approved the Mexico Modernised Global Agreement and the Provisional Trade Agreement on Monday May 11, 2026, with formal signing scheduled for the May 22 Mexico-EU Summit in Mexico City, the first bilateral summit in 11 years. —The pact eliminates nearly all remaining bilateral tariffs, opens 86% of […]

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Key Points —Peru issued Decreto de Urgencia 003-2026 authorising a US$2 billion contingent-finance package for Petroperú on Monday May 11, plus an additional US$500 million short-term commitment, citing Iran-Hormuz pressure and the closure of the Iquitos refinery. —Ecuador faced widespread gasoline Extra and Ecopaís shortages in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca on May 11, with the […]

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Key Points —Argentine beef exports reached US$1.028 billion in Q1 2026, a 53.95% year-on-year jump, on 199,658 tonnes equivalent res con hueso (+17.08%) at an average price of US$5,149 per tonne (+31.48%), according to the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca. —Approximately 20,000 tonnes shipped to the United States in Q1 after Trump’s February 2026 […]

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Has anything changed in Indian wrestling ever since the trio of Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia took to the streets at Jantar Mantar in 2023, seeking removal of Brij Bhushan Singh — the then tainted president of WFI (Wrestling Federation of India)?

A sense of déjà vu has gripped followers of the sport as Vinesh, who plans to make a comeback after her retirement following the heartbreak of Paris 2024, was ruled ‘ineligible’ from taking part in the Asian Games trials at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

The event could have seen the first competitive bout for Vinesh, now 31, who had left Paris in tears after being found ‘overweight’ by 100 grams in the weigh-in ahead of the final bout – with at least a silver assured to boost a flagging Indian campaign at the Games.

However, the WFI found her reply to their showcause (issued barely two days back) on issues  ranging from her Paris Olympics disqualification to missed anti-doping whereabouts filings and alleged technical violations during trials, ‘inadequate’ and have barred her from taking part in the ongoing Gonda event.

No wonder that the timing of the showcause, so close to the date of the trials which could have paved the route for her comeback in the international arena, is being seen as a deliberate ploy by the wrestler to scuttle her dreams.

Taking to her X handle, the former bronze medallist at World Championships says: ‘’I have been given written permission by the ITA (International Testing Agency) to compete from 1 Jan, 2026, I was allowed to register for the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament at Nandini Nagar, Gonda on the 28th of April, 2026. I came to Gonda today to participate but I have neither been allowed to complete my verification, nor been allowed to use the training hall here. I don’t want any special privileges, I just want to compete on merit.’’

She had also posted a PDF of the email of the ITA communication to her (dated 3 July, 2025), marked to world governing body as well, which says Vinesh is eligible to participate in competitive events from the start of the year. The six-month embargo from ITA for participation was because of the fact Vinesh had missed one of the three ‘whereabouts’ call-ups from the agency for a dope test and hence a six-month hiatus would be required before she could take to the mat again.

Speaking to media after her disqualification in Gonda, Vinesh clarified: “I had missed one whereabouts. And there are three of them. I had become a mother at that time. I also had an assembly session which I forgot to update. I even apologised to WADA for that. They gave me a clean chit. They told me that I can participate in any international event.”

 Calling the showcause notice a ‘pre-planned conspiracy,’ Vinesh alleged that the timing was deliberately chosen to leave her with little legal recourse before the tournament. ‘’I got the notice on Friday night, on Saturday I was reducing weight and doing paperwork. They knew exactly when to send the notice, when courts would be closed and when filing would become difficult. This is all pre-planned,’’ alleged Vinesh, now a Congress MLA from Julana in Haryana.

The conspiracy theory behind the entire controversy gains credence from the fact that Vinesh – alongwith Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia – had proved to be a bete noire for Brij Bhushan who is still believed to running the show in WFI despite stepping down for their elections.

Speaking to National Herald in a phone call, Anita Sheoran, a 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist who ran for presidency against the current incumbent Sanjay Singh, said:  ‘’It’s an open secret that Brij Bhushan’s words are still the law in WFI and Sanjay is a shadow candidate. I agreed to contest the elections in the hope if we could make wrestling a safer place for the girls, but I am not sure if much has changed.’’

Asked whether Anita sees any vendetta in the manner Vinesh is being treated, the former champion said: ‘’The Asian Games is only in the second half of September, so why do you need to hold the trials so early in the year? Normally, it’s never held at least before June-July but then the current dispensation does it on their free will. This would have helped Vinesh complete the so-called WFI rule of a six month embargo as per their anti-doping rules.’’

Meanwhile, Sakshi Malik — who had been conspicuously silent since the days of protest — joined issue with her fellow wrestler. In a carefully worded video, the Rio 2016 bronze medallist said while many countries would ‘relax’ rules to help women athletes continue with their careers, ‘’But our federation has come up with rules to stop Vinesh from making a comeback.’’

 Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan claimed that he has no role in wrestling body’s decisions now. The former WFI chief, who attended a hearing in the sexual harassment case against him at the capital’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday, told the media: ‘’I am currently cleaning up the mess that this lady has left behind. Furthermore, the question of where a wrestling match will or will not take place does not concern me. That subject currently falls under the purview of the WFI.’’

VINESH VS WFI? A TIMELINE

August 2024: Paris exit

Vinesh is disqualified from the women’s 50kg gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics for failing to make weight and retires the next day.

December 2024: WFI flags retirement

WFI cites UWW communication confirming Vinesh had informed the ITA of her retirement. Her husband disputes this, saying no formal procedure was followed.

December 2025: Vinesh comeback plans

Vinesh notifies UWW, SAI, and WFI of her comeback. WFI simultaneously flags a missed whereabouts filing from December 18. Vinesh says WADA reviewed it and gave her a clean chit.

1 January, 2026: International clearance granted

The ITA officially clears Vinesh to resume training and competition — a date she says WFI has deliberately ‘misrepresented’ as 26 June, 2026.

May 9, 2026: WFI showcause

Two days before the Gonda tournament, WFI issued a showcause notice charging her with anti-doping violations, breach of return-to-competition procedure.

May 11, 2026: Barred from trials

Vinesh arrives to compete but is denied verification and training hall access. She addressed the media, made X posts and says she will fight back with the Asian Games in her sights.

Key Points —The Tribunal Primero de Sentencia de Tarija declared former Bolivian president Evo Morales in rebellion on Monday May 11 after he failed to appear at the opening of his oral trial for aggravated trafficking of persons. —The court reissued an apprehension order, a national-territory arraigo, and preventive asset annotation, with the trial suspended […]

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Key Points —São Paulo’s 2025 Agricultural Production Value (VPA) reached R$174.6 billion (US$35.5 billion) according to the May 2026 final IEA-Apta release, with the preliminary January reading at R$171.61 billion and real growth of 0.55% versus 2024. —Beef cattle led the ranking with R$22.64 billion (US$4.60 billion) and a 20.76% annual gain on production +12.94% […]

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Key Points —Latin American oil production will surpass 8.8 million barrels per day in 2026, driving the bulk of growth outside OPEC+ on the back of more than 700,000 bpd added by Brazil, Guyana and Argentina, according to Rystad Energy analysis. —Brazil leads the regional expansion with output above 4.2 million bpd, sustained by the […]

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