In an attempt to normalise ties after months of turmoil, Delhi and Dhaka are now taking their first step towards full-scale resumption of visa services. While Bangladesh has resumed visas for Indian citizens across all categories, India is aiming at gradual resumption of visa operations over the next few weeks. The ties between the two countries were strained by the hostility of the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. With the ties being recalibrated, Delhi and Dhaka will look at other points of convergence including economic ties and energy connectivity.With that, let’s move on to the top five stories from today’s edition: Big StoryWith global oil and fuel prices at supernormal levels as a direct consequence of the West Asia war and the end of polling in Assembly elections in four states, a hike in prices of fuels like petrol, diesel and domestic Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is possible in the coming days or weeks, highly placed sources in the government told The Indian Express. Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) have been incurring heavy losses on the sale of fuels, pushing for price hikes. According to an official, the effort of the government has been to hold on to the prices for as long as possible, but with no end in sight to the Strait of Hormuz closure, the status quo on prices cannot continue for long.The public sector OMCs, meanwhile, kept the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, unchanged for scheduled domestic flights by airlines, while hiking the price for international flights and other non-scheduled operations. The price of ATF for international flights has now been hiked by $76.55 per kl to $1,511.86 per kl from May 1, translating to a little over Rs 7 per litre. The move comes as part of the fuel retailers’ effort to insulate domestic consumers from the surge in international oil and fuel prices due to the West Asia war.⚡ Only in ExpressEvery year in April, in the central Kerala town of Thrissur, two rival temple committees stage at night India’s loudest, most extravagant fireworks display – the climax of a centuries-old festival called Pooram. The competition between the two committees, Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu, is the engine of the spectacle. However, this year, the fireworks assembled in a field for the temple festival exploded, on April 21, killing Satheesh, and 15 others. 46-year-old Satheesh was a licensed operator of the unit that stored and assembled the fireworks. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Here’s how tradition and modernity, local economics and regulatory loops come together to form the combustible mix during the festival. Express ExplainedThe Indian rupee (INR) this week hit a new all-time low against the dollar. Its recent slide is reminiscent of 2013, when it lost 12 per cent of its value against the dollar over a few months. A leading global investment firm had then dubbed the Indian rupee one of the fragile five currencies in emerging markets. This week, India slid to the sixth position on the list of top economies, contrary to what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has been claiming over the past few years. In our latest GDP column, Udit Misra explains the drivers in 2013, and how they compare to the situation today.✍️ Express OpinionStory continues below this adIn our Opinion section today, Manish Tewari delves into why, despite having a record of betraying the West, Pakistan is acting as a mediator between the United States and Iran amid the West Asia crisis. Tewari writes: “… in the Western strategic conception, Pakistan is a vital piece of real estate that should not be abandoned, and if it is ruled by a ruthless military dehors the raggedness of democracies, all the better. Hence, who better than the “favourite field marshal” to become the instrument of outreach — a tool that can always be discarded at will if things go south.” Movie ReviewWondering what to watch this weekend? We’ve got you covered! The Devil Wears Prada 2 hit your nearby screens this week, bringing you a reprisal of Meryl Streep’s role as an the Editor-in-Chief of Runway, with Anne Hathaway again being the “good, striving journalist.” In her review, Shalini Langer suggests that the plotline might sound familiar to journalists, and for those looking for more, “there is still a lot to go around, including fabulous Milan. If Streep’s jerk of blazer-bedecked shoulders at a new indignity and her whispery insults still draw blood, Blunt remains as funnily acerbic in her portrayal of the ever-striving Emily.”That’s it for today! Have a lovely weekend!Until next time,Ariba Business As Usual by E P Unny