Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said India cannot simply stop buying Russian crude and replace it with oil from other countries. Speaking at the BusinessLine Changemaker Awards on September 22, she pointed to limited global supply, the risk of higher prices and the need to obtain crude that Indian refineries can process. Her remarks came as India faces renewed pressure over its energy trade with Russia. US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Gr

Kolkata, September 23, 2026: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded fresh Assembly elections in the state on Wednesday and called for the arrest of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. She alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the conduct of the 2026 election had favoured the BJP. These are Banerjee’s allegations; a link between the revision and the election result has not been established.

The death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode on September 18 has led to a police investigation, an internal inquiry and student protests. His family has alleged caste-based harassment, while questions remain about an incident during a mid-semester examination shortly before he returned to his hostel. Investigators have not established what caused him to take his life. Sahil was a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Enginee

Andhra Pradesh Police have directed officers to open rowdy sheets for 51 people accused in connection with the October 19, 2021 attack on the Telugu Desam Party’s central office in Mangalagiri. The instruction marks a new development in the investigation into an incident that remains a point of contention between the TDP and YSR Congress Party. A rowdy sheet is a police record; opening one does not establish that a person is guilty of the a

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP, RSS and Election Commission of involvement in “vote chori” on Wednesday, calling the alleged practice a direct attack on the Constitution. His remarks followed an Indian Express investigation reporting that two election commissioners had repeatedly questioned decisions connected to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a post on X, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha described the all

Chennai, September 23, 2026: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay paid tribute to organ donors on Wednesday, calling organ donation an act of humanity that can give critically ill patients another chance at life. In a social media message marking the state’s Organ Donation Day, he urged people to remember those who chose to help others even after their own lives had ended. Vijay said every donated organ represents h

Bengaluru, September 23, 2026: A protest over empty treasury benches briefly halted proceedings in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. BJP and JD(S) members objected when the House convened with only two ministers, Krishna Byre Gowda and Santosh Lad, present. The dispute arose just as Speaker G S Patil was preparing to read a congratulatory note for veteran actor Anant Nag, who had received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

India and the four-member Visegrad Group agreed to strengthen political, economic, defence and technology cooperation during their first foreign ministers’ meeting held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar described the inaugural V4+India meeting as a historic occasion and said the discussions had been highly productive. The count

Oman’s Sohar Port is gaining attention as a potential alternative gateway for Indian companies seeking safer and more flexible access to Gulf markets amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Located on the Gulf of Oman coast and beyond the narrowest section of the Hormuz chokepoint, Sohar offers connections through sea routes, highways and a planned rail link with the United Arab Emirates. Its location does not eli

India’s response to US sanctions following the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests has returned to focus as New Delhi faces the possibility of fresh American trade restrictions. The episode demonstrated how India combined economic resilience, diversified partnerships and sustained diplomacy to withstand pressure without abandoning its strategic priorities. On May 11 and 13, 1998, India conducted a series of underground nuclear t

A group of candidates appointed under the sports quota in the Andhra Pradesh District Selection Committee recruitment process has strongly objected to allegations of irregularities raised by former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and YSR Congress Party leaders. The candidates maintained that their appointments were secured through the prescribed recruitment procedure and supported by valid sports certificates and othe

Tension erupted at Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar on Monday after members of the Ganesh Utsav Samiti allegedly removed barricades installed to prevent Ganesh idol immersion at Tank Bund. Police personnel detained several participants as they attempted to bring the situation under control. The Telangana government and Hyderabad police had placed restrictions near the lake following directions concerning the immersion of Ganesh idols, particularly those made of plas

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan stopped his convoy on Sunday after noticing a young accident victim on Container Road in Ernakulam and immediately offered assistance. Satheesan was travelling through the area when he spotted the injured man. He directed his vehicle to stop and extended help before continuing with his scheduled programmes. The Chief Minister’s intervention attracted attention, with visuals and reports of the incident circulating widely.

Fans of Tamil actor Ajith Kumar have announced the formation of a new political party named Tamilaga Makkal Kazhagam, adding another cinema-linked organisation to Tamil Nadu’s political landscape. The party was formally launched on Sunday at Ulundurpet in Kallakurichi district. Supporters marked the occasion by raising the new party’s flag and announcing its first group of office-bearers. A person identified as A

Devotees planning to visit Hyderabad’s famous Khairatabad Ganesh have until midnight on September 23 to have darshan of the 69-foot Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati. The Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee announced that September 23 would be the final day of public darshan. It clarified that devotees would not be allowed to enter the pandal for darshan on September 24 as preparations would begin for the idol’s im