External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has called for reforms to the United Nations, saying the organisation has become “largely irrelevant” to decision-making on major global challenges because of persistent divisions within its Security Council. Speaking at the fifth Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi on Monday, October 5, he argued that the world body’s decision-making structure no longer adequately represe

India’s five-member student team secured four gold medals and one silver at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2026 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The achievement capped an exceptional year for the country’s science Olympiad teams, with every Indian participant across five senior-level international competitions earning either gold or silver. Held from September 25 to October 5, the astronomy competition brought together 307 students f

Jio Platforms Eyes October IPO Launch Jio Platforms is preparing to launch its initial public offering on October 21, with shares likely to begin trading on October 28, Reuters reported, citing two sources. The Reliance Industries-owned digital services business aims to raise approximately $3.8 billion. The proposed timetable

Viral Clip Sparks Political Clash A brief interruption during Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech in Andhra Pradesh’s Madanapalle has triggered a political dispute between the Congress and the ruling alliance. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh portrayed the incident as public anger, while Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the

Supreme Court Seeks Records Before Intervention The Supreme Court on Monday declined to pass an interim order suspending Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of unilateral decision-making within the Election Commission of India. Instead, it sought responses and records to examine how the disputed decisions were approved. The petition challenges

India-US Trade Talks Face a Difficult Phase India’s efforts to secure a trade agreement with the United States face fresh uncertainty after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said negotiations had reached a plateau. Her comments indicate that finding additional room for compromise could become increasingly difficult for both countries. Speaking at the Munic

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held bilateral meetings with representatives of Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Jordan and Nepal on the sidelines of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s annual meeting in Doha. The discussions covered investment agreements, infrastructure opportunities, trade, financial services and Nepal’s recovery needs after flooding. The Finance Ministry had listed the bilateral meetings as part of her September 2

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,

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

Mirabai Chanu finally has an Asian Games medal. The Indian weightlifter won silver in the women’s 49kg event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Wednesday, September 23, with a combined lift of 198kg. It was her first podium finish at the continental Games and India’s first weightlifting medal at the event in 28 years. North Korea’s Ri Song Gum took gold with 215kg, while Indonesia’s Luluk Diana Tri Wijayana finish

New Delhi, September 23, 2026: The Election Commission of India said Wednesday that its decisions over the past year, including those concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, were unanimous. The statement followed an Indian Express investigation reporting that two members of the three-person commission had repeatedly raised objections to steps taken in its name. The poll panel said written notes, technical suggestions and differing vi

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

India has warned its nationals against using Malaysia’s 30-day visa-free entry facility to seek jobs, stressing that the arrangement is limited to tourism and social visits and does not permit any form of employment. The High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur issued the advisory after observing a noticeable increase in Indians entering Malaysia under the visa-free scheme while intending to look for work. Accordin

Vishwakarma Jayanthi was celebrated with religious devotion and traditional rituals at the Sri Akkasalai Pillaiyar temple complex on Keelaratha Veethi in Rameswaram. The festival was organised by the Rameswaram Vishwakarma Ainthozhil Sangam and attracted a large gathering of devotees, association members and their families. The celebration honours Lord Vishwakarma, who is revered in Hindu tradition as the divine architect