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

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

A Telangana Assembly debate over properties included in the prohibited lands list under Section 22-A of the Registration Act has developed into a major political controversy involving former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and his family. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy used the September 16 discussion to question landholdings linked to members and relatives of the KCR family. He argued that if the Opposition wanted s

A new US immigration rule expanding how officers assess whether certain immigrants could become a “public charge” takes effect on September 18, 2026. The change is expected to bring wider scrutiny to some green card applications, including adjustment-of-status cases submitted through Form I-485. The Department of Homeland Security has rescinded the 2022 public-charge regulations and returned to a broader case-by-case assessment. Under the revised approach,

Fresh from winning the Women’s Asia Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India will begin their Asian Games cricket title defence against hosts Japan in Friday’s quarterfinal at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. India enter the knockout contest after defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Asia Cup final to secure a record-extending eighth continental crown. The defending Asian Games champions will now aim to carry that momentum into their first match of the tournament and

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated SEMICON India 2026 at Yashobhoomi, highlighting India’s expanding chip manufacturing and design ecosystem. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the fifth edition of SEMICON India 2026 at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi on Thursday, highlighting the rapid growth of the country’s semiconductor ecosystem and its rising importance in global technology supply chains. The three-day conference and exh

Cabinet decision announced after the meeting, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | Saral Keralam will offer time-bound, single-window clearances for investment proposals through district and state bodies. Kerala Cabinet Clears Saral Keralam for Faster Investment Nod The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday approved Saral Keralam, a new single-window mechanism designed to simplify and accelerate investment approvals by bringing departme

Lower Manhattan, New York City | Malaika Chitre and Navam Kaul, both 24, died after a subway train struck them at Spring Street station. Indian-Origin Woman, Friend Killed in NYC Subway Tragedy An Indian-origin woman and her Nepali-American friend were killed after being struck by a subway train at a station in Lower Manhattan, according to reports citing New York pol

Eluru, Andhra Pradesh | Former Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Alla Nani died after suffering a heart attack, according to reports. Former Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Alla Nani Dies of Heart Attack Former Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and former health minister Alla Nani passed away after suffering a heart attack, according to reports. His sudden death h

Supreme Court Blocks Trump Mail Ballot Restrictions The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to impose new restrictions on mail ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, allowing states to continue using their existing vote-by-mail procedures. The brief order represented a major legal defeat for the Trump administration as voting activities were al

Nuakhai 2026 festival date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The harvest festival is primarily celebrated across Western Odisha on Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami. Nuakhai begins with the first harvest offering Nuakhai brought festive energy to western Odisha as families welcomed the season’s first harvest with prayers, tradit

R.P. Patnaik met SVBC Chairman B. Sridhar Varma in Tirupati to discuss possible collaboration on devotional music series, spiritual programmes and projects based on Hindu scriptures. R.P. Patnaik meets newly appointed SVBC Chairman Renowned Telugu singer, music director, actor and producer R.P. Patnaik met Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel Chairman B. Sridhar Varma at the SVBC office in

Former India captain Rohit Sharma has kept the door open for a possible appearance at the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying there is still considerable time before the tournament begins. Rohit addressed the uncertainty surrounding his future during an interaction at the Global Fintech Fest on Thursday. When an audience member asked if he intended to play in the next World Cup, the veteran opener offered a brief but measured response. “October 2027 is far away, we will see about it t