U.S. President Donald Trump said no talks are under way or scheduled with Iran, while Tehran insisted the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to shipping, exposing a widening gap after a ceasefire expired. Iranian officials said the strategic waterway would stay shut until Washington met conditions linked to an interim agreement signed in June. Trump Rules Out Talks With Iran Trump’s statement reduced expectations of an immediate diplomatic breakthro

Paris: France will expel two Iranian diplomats after accusing Iranian authorities of detaining and physically intimidating two members of the French embassy in Tehran during a July incident. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the expulsions would take place in the coming days, calling the episode intolerable and saying Paris had promised consequences. French officials say the two embassy staff members were detained for several hours on July 19 while carrying out professional dut

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp political attack on the BJP and RSS at a party gathering in Verna, South Goa, challenging their criticism of Congress over patriotism and questioning their historical role in India’s freedom struggle. His remarks came amid a fresh political dispute over Vande Mataram and nationalism. Kharge argued that the BJP and RSS should not lecture Congress leaders on love for the country, pointing to the role of Congress figures such as

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay intervened in the state Assembly after Forest Minister RV Ranjith Kumar referred to former Chief Minister and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi by name without using a customary honorific, triggering protests from opposition DMK legislators. The incident occurred during Monday's Assembly proceedings. Vijay quickly acknowledged that the manner in which the late leader had been addressed was inappropriate and apologised on behalf of his minister, hel

Delhi Police have rejected allegations that excessive force was used against protesters during the July 20 Cockroach Janta Party-led demonstration at Jantar Mantar, telling the Supreme Court that the size of the gathering and subsequent clashes required a controlled police response. In an affidavit filed in connection with four petitions seeking a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into alleged police excesses, the force said more than 30,000 people participated in the protest ag

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has strongly defended the state’s Mega DSC teacher recruitment process, telling the Assembly that appointments were made entirely on merit without favouritism, manipulation or backdoor selections. Naidu said the government had maintained transparency throughout the recruitment exercise and argued that the credibility of the process was reflected in the response from candidates, including those who were not selected. His remarks cam

Telangana has introduced a new unified regulatory structure called the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs, or TG-SAFE, bringing the Food Safety Department and Drugs Control Department under a single administrative framework. The initiative is aimed at strengthening oversight of food products and medicines across the state. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the initiative reflects the government?

Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai has offered his clearest explanation yet for leaving the Bharatiya Janata Party, blaming what he described as Delhi-centric decision-making and limited autonomy for state leaders. He said his differences with the national leadership had developed over several months. Annamalai Exit Puts BJP’s Tamil Nadu Strategy Under Focus Annamalai said he had indicated in October-November 2025 that he wanted to leave the BJP, but was

Jana Sena leader and Andhra Pradesh MLC Konidela Nagababu has been appointed Chairperson of the Executive Committee of AP GREEN, with the state government granting him Cabinet-rank status in the new position. The Environment, Forests, Science and Technology Department issued orders confirming the appointment on Monday. The development gives Nagababu a prominent government responsibility connected to environmental protection, reforestation and expansion of green cover across Andhra P

A Russian missile strike hit ArcelorMittal’s sprawling mining and steel complex in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, killing two people and injuring 14 others as another wave of attacks struck targets across the country. The facility is Ukraine’s largest steel plant and one of the country’s most important industrial assets. The attack damaged key infrastructure at the plant and forced the company to partially halt production. The latest escalation came as Ukraine also intensified long-rang

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced a full waiver of cooperative farm loans of up to Rs 75,000, providing fresh financial relief to farmers across the state. The Chief Minister said the government would extend an additional Rs 953.06 crore in support despite the financial constraints facing the state. The announcement strengthens the Vijay government's farmer-focused agenda and comes after earlier revisions to the crop loan waiver programme. The government had pre

A complaint filed with Delhi Police has sought an FIR against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over their alleged conduct during the rendition of Vande Mataram at Independence Day celebrations held at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. The complaint, filed by advocates Kunal Vinayak and Shubh Sharma, asks police to examine video footage, determine the intention behind the alleged actions and establish which legal provisions, if any, apply. Delhi Police has acknowledge

Hundreds of devotees gathered at Kerala’s Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple on Monday as the shrine opened for darshan on the first day of Chingam, marking the beginning of the Malayalam New Year. Pilgrims had started reaching the hill shrine in large numbers from Sunday evening ahead of the important monthly rituals. The temple opened for devotees at 5:00 AM on August 17. The Chingam month ceremonies will continue through August 21, after which the shrine will close at 10:00 PM. It

Marco Rubio says over 600 visas were revoked in a month amid a US crackdown on birth tourism, while his “citizenship is not for sale” remark triggered debate over Trump’s Gold Card. Rubio Says US Citizenship Is Not For Sale Amid Visa Crackdown US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said American citizenship is “not for sale” while announcing an intensified crackdown on birth tourism networks. According to Rubio, more than 600 visa

Tamil Nadu CM C Joseph Vijay has urged PM Narendra Modi to retain 543 Lok Sabha seats, preserve state-wise representation and ensure 33% reservation for women. Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Seeks Permanent Cap Of 543 Lok Sabha Seats Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring Constitutional amendments that would permanently fix the strength of the Lok Sabha at 543 members. The request follows a resolution