In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly addressed his relationship with Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a commencement speech at the University of Alabama on May 1, 2025. While initially praising Musk, Trump followed with a veiled jab at the tech billionaire, further complicating their already dynamic public history.
The remarks came just days after Musk officially stepped back from his active presence in the White House, shifting focus back to Tesla and other business operations. The comments, delivered in front of an enthusiastic crowd, come amid broader political narratives involving tech leaders, government collaboration, and evolving media strategies.

Donald Trump takes a subtle dig at Elon Musk following White House exit

During the graduation ceremony at the University of Alabama, President Trump delivered a speech that ranged from policy accomplishments to personal anecdotes. One notable section addressed tech industry figures, whom he referred to as “internet people.” Trump highlighted the shift in sentiment among Silicon Valley elites, claiming they had transitioned from opposing him during his first term to now offering support.
“Elon is so terrific,” Trump began, before pivoting to a more confrontational tone: “They all hated me in my first term, and now they’re kissing my a$$.”
“You know… it’s true. All of them. It’s true,” President said.
The statement drew loud cheers from the audience but was seen by many analysts as a thinly veiled jab at Musk, who had recently concluded his informal advisory role within the White House.

Musk’s departure from the White House

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Elon Musk had vacated his temporary workspace at the White House, marking a shift in his advisory involvement. While Musk was not officially part of Trump’s administration, he had been frequently consulted on topics ranging from space policy to emerging technologies. According to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Musk’s withdrawal is not a complete departure.
“He’s not out of it altogether. He’s just not physically present as much as he was,” Wiles stated in an interview with the New York Post. “Instead of meeting in person, the president now speaks with him over the phone.”

Musk once ‘begged’ for help, Trump claims

Trump and Musk have a long and fluctuating history of public interactions marked by both criticism and camaraderie. In 2022, Musk suggested Trump was too old for another presidential term and recommended that he “sail into the sunset.” Trump responded harshly, alleging that Musk was overly reliant on government subsidies and claiming that Musk had once sought his political support for business benefits.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects… without which subsidies he’d be worthless… I could have said, ‘drop to your knees and beg,’ and he would have done it.”
Despite such clashes, the two eventually mended ties. Musk became a frequent presence at White House discussions and was seen attending meetings wearing symbolic gear such as a cap labeled “Gulf of America.”

Strategic use of media and rhetoric

Trump’s public commentary on Musk fits within a broader pattern of his media strategy. By alternating between praise and provocation, Trump maintains control over narratives involving powerful individuals and industries. His remarks about Musk were delivered amid statements on broader issues like transgender participation in sports and systemic reform, linking individual anecdotes to his overarching political themes.
This strategy serves dual purposes: energizing his supporter base while reminding influential allies of their dependency on favorable political alliances. The approach mirrors tactics used in previous campaigns and speeches.

NEW DELHI: No matter the sport, the concept and idea of home advantage makes a difference to a team. There is a sense and reasonable argument behind the idea: the home team understands the conditions, understands the surface, has vehement fan support and these factors can make a difference between winning and losing.
The phenomenon holds true across sports and was the factor behind Barcelona’s monumental 38-game winning streak at home in the UEFA Champions League, a run that spanned seven years. It was also a central factor behind Oklahoma City Thunder topping the NBA Western Conference in 2024-25 as they stitched a 35-6 win-loss record at home – the best in the league.
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But when it comes to cricket, though, the concept of home advantage gets a little foggy.

Sure, India had a run of 18 consecutive Test series won at home, a run that began in 2013 and was shattered by New Zealand last year. During that jaw-dropping feat, India won 42 matches, lost four and drew six. The Men in Blue also hold the record for the longest home streak in T20Is, going 17 series unbeaten from 2019 to now.

Some of the factors that tip the scale towards the home side in international cricket are: familiarity with the stadiums and the conditions; knowledge of the pitch and ability to dictate things; ability to stay with friends/family instead of hotels and last, but not the least, backing of a passionate crowd.
But these factors don’t necessarily hold true when it comes to franchise T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL). With local, Indian and international players making up the squads, most of these factors are nullified.
HOME RECORD IN IPL 2025

Yet, there are the likes of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians who have strong home records. CSK made Chepauk their fortress with 72 wins out of 113 played, a win-loss record of 1.800. Then there are fellow five-time IPL champions MI who have won 68 of 115 home matches, a win-loss record of 1.478.
This year, though, CSK have had a year to forget – in general and at home. On April 25, as they went down to Sunrisers Hyderabad, it accounted for their fifth defeat at MA Chidambaram Stadium. They’ve never lost more at home in a single season.
After their thumping against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 28, coach Stephen Fleming argued they’re not getting any ‘home advantage’.

“Well, as we’ve been telling you for a number of years, there was no home advantage at Chepauk. We haven’t been able to read the wickets here in the last couple of years. So, it’s not new. We are trying to come to grips each day with what we get, and we don’t know.”
The gripe with home surface isn’t new and Fleming certainly wasn’t the only voice that had criticism for the curators. Ajinkya Rahane, Zaheer Khan and Chandrakant Pandit all questioned the lack of support for home teams from the curators. Cricketer-turned-commentator Simon Doull went to the extent of suggesting that defending champions KKR should move away from the Eden Gardens if the curator doesn’t pay heed.
KKR’s home record this season hasn’t been great. They’ve played five at Eden Gardens, winning just one and losing three with one getting rained off. With two home matches remaining, and IPL playoff chances on the line, they would hope for a turn in fortunes starting Sunday against Rajasthan Royals.
TEAMS AT HOME IN IPL 2025

The rules, however, don’t allow franchises to dictate the condition of the surface. As franchises only take the grounds on loan from the BCCI, they have no say on how the surface should be prepared.
“A BCCI curator is not accountable to any franchise. There is no clear guidelines as such from the BCCI also,” a source close to developments on the ground told TimesofIndia.com. “There’s been no meeting of curators since long (time).
“The franchise(s) do love to put blame on the curators. Instead of blaming the curators, they should see the quality of cricket they are playing.

“The franchises play at a certain venue for two months but forget that entire year there is a BCCI tournament (different age-groups) are happening. If not BCCI then state association play their leagues, conduct camps and other stuff.
“The curators are following the guidelines that has been made by former BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh three decades ago…,” added the source.
CSK AT HOME IN IPL 2025

Gujarat Titans COO Colonel Arvinder Singh questioned the point of the discussion around surfaces when the rules are crystal clear.
“The rules of the game are very clear and they are common for everybody. No franchise has any right to say, ‘I want this kind of a pitch’. That’s not something that the rules allow you to do,” he told TimesofIndia.com.
“The home advantage has to stem from the fact that that is your home. You are supposed to know those conditions better than anybody else who’s coming because that is where you play most of your games, where you practice. So from that perspective, if you’re looking at a home advantage, well, why not? You deserve all the home advantage that you can take.

“To say that I need home advantage because I want this kind of a pitch. Sorry, I don’t think that cuts any ice with anybody,” he added.
Then there are question marks over the ethics of the sport if the surfaces are skewed towards a certain team or certain style of play.
“What’s the point of playing if the conditions are just going to be the same?,” questioned South Africa and Gujarat Titans seamer Kagiso Rabada in an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com.
This IPL season, in the 50 matches played until Mumbai Indians’ win over Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on May 1, only 20 were won by the home side. Of the remaining matches, 28 have gone the visiting team’s way with one, between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals being decided in a Super Over, and one match getting washed out.
There’s still some matches to go before the IPL 2025 playoffs kick in but this year is not a one-off in seeing home sides struggle. During IPL 2023, of the 74 matches, 29 were won by the hosts while 44 went the away side’s way. And then in IPL 2022, there were 34 home wins and 40 away wins across the 74 matches.
Conversely, IPL 2018 followed the opposite script. In the 60 matches that season, 38 were won by home teams and 22 by the visitors. The balance was tipped last year as well with 42 home wins and 29 away wins in 72 matches.

Ajay Devgn’s gripping new crime drama, ‘Raid 2’, has made a solid impression at the box office. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, the film is the much-awaited sequel to the 2018 hit ‘Raid’. Within just two days of release, ‘Raid 2’ has collected over Rs. 30 crore in India, even though it saw a drop in earnings on the second day.
Raid 2 Movie Review
‘Raid 2’ hit cinemas on Thursday and saw a thunderous opening, earning Rs. 19.25 crore as reported by Sacnilk. The partial holiday on the release day helped boost numbers, along with the strong fan base of the original film.
‘Raid 2’ Box Office Collection Day 2
On Friday, the film earned an estimated Rs. 11.50 crore, bringing the total collection to Rs. 30.75 crore in India after two days. To maintain this success and cross the Rs. 50 crore mark by the end of the weekend, the film will need to keep up this pace over Saturday and Sunday.

Audience Turnout Shows Promise
According to Sacnilk.com, the film’s Hindi occupancy on Day 2 stood at 19.23% overall. Morning shows began slow at 7.13%, but interest picked up in the afternoon with 16.08% occupancy. Evening shows saw 17.99%, and night shows witnessed the biggest jump with 35.70% occupancy. This pattern suggests that while the film dipped slightly after the first-day hype, audiences are still showing strong interest during prime-time hours.

Trade Experts Praise the Performance
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh was quick to share his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “‘RAID 2’ OPENS BIGGER THAN ‘SHAITAAN’, ‘DRISHYAM 2’, ‘TANHAJI’… #Raid2 takes a thunderous start on its opening day, aided by the partial holiday… Besides the holiday factor, the franchise power also played a key role in attracting footfalls. #Raid2 has opened better than three major #AjayDevgn releases #Shaitaan [Rs. 15.21 cr; #MahaShivratri] #Drishyam2 [Rs. 15.38 cr] #Tanhaji [Rs. 15.10 cr]”
He further added, “That’s not all – #Raid, the first installment [released in 2018], had collected Rs. 10.04 cr on Day 1… #Raid2 has registered a remarkable 96.31% growth over its first part, which is truly phenomenal. All eyes are now on Friday [Day 2], a regular working day… Typically, a dip is expected post-holiday… Let’s see how #Raid2 holds up. #Raid2 [Week 1] Thu Rs. 19.71 cr. #India biz | Nett BOC | #Boxoffice”

Ajay Devgn Is Back As Amay Patnaik
‘Raid 2’ sees Ajay Devgn return as the fearless IRS officer Amay Patnaik, known for his bold attitude and strong morals. This time, the story follows Amay as he takes on a powerful and corrupt politician, played by Riteish Deshmukh. Vaani Kapoor joins the cast as Amay’s wife, replacing Ileana D’Cruz from the first film.

SRINAGAR: A Srinagar court has dismissed a case of obscenity and hurting religious sentiments against designers Shivan and Narresh and unidentified models over a fashion show held on ski resort Gulmarg’s snowy slopes this March.
The court observed that the complaint, which included two screenshots showing one male and one female model in skimpy clothing, did not meet the legal standard for the offence of obscenity “in the broader scheme of the event”. The March 7 fashion show, during the holy month of Ramadan, had stirred a row and a political storm in Muslim-majority J&K, with chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq leading the offensive.
“The complainant has affixed two screenshots showing one female and one male model in skimpy clothes. That is the sole fact appearing in the complaint alleged to be obscene. Accused on the other hand has placed on record material which show that in the fashion show several models participated, and the two models wearing skimpy clothes actually were showcasing swim wear for which the company of first accused has expertise,” special court judge Faizan Nazar held in his order on Thursday.
Adil Ahmad Khan, a civilian, had filed the complaint, also naming the editor-in-chief of Elle India magazine, which ran Instagram reels from the show.
The judge also dismissed claims of “outraging religious feelings”, observing that no court could take cognisance of a complaint filed by a private person in an offence under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (which prohibits insulting religious beliefs) without the prior sanction of the central or state govt.
Mirwaiz had slammed the event as “outrageous” and “obscene.” Governing National Conference (NC) MP and Shia cleric Aga Ruhullah Mehdi called the show “shocking”. BJP’s J&K president Sunil Sharma blamed chief minister Omar Abdullah, saying the models and designers stayed at Nedous Hotel, owned by the CM’s relatives.
Omar had acknowledged the hotel belonged to his relatives but denied any involvement with the show. Designer duo Shivan and Narresh issued an apology on March 9, saying their sole intention was to “celebrate creativity without any desire to offend anyone or religious sentiments”. Elle India responded by deleting the 0.35-second Instagram. reel.
Despite the apologies, Khan filed the court complaint, saying he was “deeply hurt”. The fashion show, including its attire, choreography and behaviour of the participants were obscene and offensive, with its contents explicitly sexualised and disrespectful to the religious and cultural sensibilities of Muslims and Kashmiri culture in the holy month of Ramadan, Khan argued.
Khan had also alleged offences under J&K Excise Act, 1958, which proscribes drinking in public or places of worship. The judge rejected this charge, saying the law barred taking cognisance of private complaints. The court further pointed out that Nedous Hotel had a four-hour permit for serving liquor on the day of the show.

Ever since former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, skipped a few public appearances with her husband and former President of the US Barack Obama, rumours are rife about trouble in their marriage. And if true, this would be a high-profile divorce. Moreover, Barack and Michelle Obama have been married for over 30 years, which makes rumours about their divorce all the more shocking.
Now, setting the record straight about the speculations of their troubled marriage, Michelle recently told entrepreneur and investor Steven Bartlett in a podcast, “If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it (laughed)”. Adding to it, Michelle, who was attending the podcast with her brother Craig Robinson, said, “Let me tell you, he would know it… And everybody would know it.”
She further said that she’s “not a martyr” and joked, “I would be problem-solving in public, like, ‘Let me tell you what he did’.” To which her brother Robinson added, “If they were having a problem, I’d be doing a podcast with him.”
But on a serious note, talking about her marriage and relationship issues, Michelle also said that marriage is “hard” for her and Barack Obama, reported Daily Mail. However, she was quick to add that she “wouldn’t trade it (anything else in the world),” calling Barack Obama, “as the young people say… my person.”

Michelle Obama’s tip for a successful marriage

Talking about what keeps their marriage going, even after 32 years of togetherness, Michelle said that both she and Barack Obama believe in it and are committed to make it work. “The beauty of my husband and our partnership is that neither one of us was ever really, ever going to quit at it, because that’s not who we are. And I know that about him. He knows that about me,” Michelle Obama said.
Michelle Obama is setting the record straight on marriage— and it’s refreshingly honest.
She opened up about how many young couples give up too quickly, partly because they’re comparing themselves to a picture-perfect image of her and Barack. “I talk about this because I think people quit on marriage too soon,” the ‘Becoming’ author said. “There’s friction built into the relationship. And if you’re not talking about it, getting help, going to therapy, or figuring out how to keep growing together— it’s easy to walk away.”
She added, “People see me and Barack and think, ‘#couplegoals.’ But I’m like, it’s hard. Really hard.”
What are your views on Michelle Obama’s marriage tips? What do you think is the major reasons for divorces these days? Tell us your views in the comments section below.