The United States and China have released lists of goods worth about $30 billion from each country that are set to receive lower tariffs. Announced on Monday, September 28, the reciprocal arrangement follows talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington and offers a targeted opening for trade between the two economies. The lower rates still require each country to complete its domestic procedures before they take effect. Ch

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched a scheme to provide one-gram gold rings to eligible newborns at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on Monday, September 28. During the launch, he held several babies and presented the first rings, putting a key electoral promise into effect. The programme is called Thaaimaman Thanga Mothiram Thittam, or the Maternal Uncle Gold Ring Scheme. Each ring weighs one gram and

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan are set to launch development works worth ₹11,085 crore under Palle Panduga 3.0 on September 29. The programme will begin in the Udayagiri area of Nellore district and will fund roads, cattle sheds, horticulture plantations, drainage and other village facilities across the state. Nellore district officials have identified Ramapuram village in Varikuntapadu mandal as the launch location.

Actor Ram Charan has undergone a planned follow-up procedure for his wrist injury at Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore, where his cast and wrist rods were successfully removed. He will now continue rehabilitation and physiotherapy before returning to film shoots. Ram Charan Undergoes Follow-Up Wrist Procedure Ram Charan has completed an important stage in his recovery from a wrist injury after undergoing

Iran has proposed a seven-day diplomatic plan that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and renewed talks with the United States, according to Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Speaking during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Araghchi said Tehran had passed the proposal to Washington through intermediaries. The plan is conditional. Araghchi said the strait could reopen at the end of the seventh day if Iran’s requirements are met,

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New York, September 25, 2026: Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah thanked India and China for their assistance after devastating floods in Nepal and called on the two countries to join a new Himalayan climate resilience mechanism. Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Shah said the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli disaster showed why countries sharing the mountain region must work together before the next emergency strikes.

Hyderabad, September 25, 2026: Two of Hyderabad’s best-known Ganesh processions drew devotees towards Hussain Sagar on Friday. The Balapur Ganesh Shobha Yatra began after a special puja at 5 am, while the six-hour procession carrying the 72-foot Khairatabad Ganesh idol reached Crane No. 4 at Tank Bund. According to the 1:49 pm update, the Khairatabad idol had been separated from its transport vehicle, and Kalasa Puja was to take place befor

Chennai, September 25, 2026: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay is set to launch his campaign for the October 6 Assembly bypolls at Madurantakam on Friday. His address is scheduled for around 3 pm near the Athur toll plaza in Chengalpattu district. TVK has limited entry to 5,000 people who were issued QR-code passes in advance, in line with the arrangements announced for the event.

The Andhra Pradesh government’s reported plan to pay social media influencers for promoting its schemes has drawn attention for both the earning opportunity it could offer creators and the questions it raises about public spending. Reports say the state Cabinet has approved a social media influencer policy, but the detailed operating guidelines and selection process have yet to be made clear publicly. Under the payment

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has been selected for the Aryadan Muhammed Best Public Servant Award 2026. The Aryadan Muhammed Foundation will present the honour at a ceremony in Nilambur, Kerala, on Friday, September 25. The event marks the fourth death anniversary of Aryadan Muhammed, the veteran Kerala Congress leader and former minister in whose memory the award was instituted. The selection puts Reddy’s

A shipment of F-35 fighter jet components sent from Australia to the United States for repairs was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong, triggering investigations into how the parts changed course and who now holds them. The US F-35 Joint Program Office has acknowledged a shipment issue and says it is working with authorities and industry partners to retrieve the components. Bloomberg reported that the Chinese government ha

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release 50 per cent of the state’s ₹3,705.30-crore drought relief request as immediate assistance. The amount sought as interim aid is ₹1,852.65 crore. Shivakumar said the drought has worsened since the state first submitted its request for central support earlier this month. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Shivakumar referred to a September 10 communication seeking ₹3,705.30 crore for urgent relief measures in 101 drought-declared taluks. Since then, the Karnataka government has declared another 76 taluks drought-affected, taking the total to 177. The additional declarations followed an assessment under the parameters of the Manual for Drought Management, 2020. Drought-affected taluks rise to 177 Shivakumar said the number of drought-hit taluks could exceed 200 by the end of the 2026 southwest monsoon season. Losses in the newly declared areas are still being assessed. Once that work is complete, the state plans to submit an additional memorandum seeking assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund. The request for half of the existing memorandum amount is therefore an interim measure based on the earlier assessment of 101 taluks. It does not include a final estimate of damage across all 177 drought-declared taluks. The Centre has been asked to provide funds while the state completes its wider assessment and prepares the next submission. Why the monsoon shortfall matters The Chief Minister said rainfall from June to August is especially important for Karnataka. It supports Kharif crops and helps refill reservoirs, recharge groundwater and maintain supplies of fodder. Reservoir levels also affect hydropower generation, meaning a prolonged rainfall shortfall can place pressure on services well beyond agriculture. For farmers in drought-declared taluks, the immediate concern is the damage already caused during the principal growing season. The state’s appeal seeks to speed up relief while officials document losses in the areas added to the drought list. Any further request to the Centre will depend on that assessment; no amount for the additional memorandum has yet been announced.

The India Meteorological Department has issued rain and thunderstorm warnings across Telangana, with the strongest alert covering five districts on Thursday, September 24. Very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Komuram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu and Bhadradri Kothagudem, according to the IMD’s district forecast. The warning is stronger than the orange alert described in the initial report. The I

Andhra Pradesh has put emergency services on high alert as heavy rain, strong winds and the risk of flash floods affect parts of the state. The weather is linked to a deep depression, and the India Meteorological Department has warned of extremely heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds in coastal Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, September 24. In Chinthalapadu village of Tiruvuru mandal in NTR district, powerful winds damaged houses and blew metal roofing sheets