The contraction in total reserves was driven by a fall in gold reserves, which dropped $13.49 billion to $117.19 billion during the reported week.
India's sugar consumption is projected to fall by nearly 400,000 tonnes in the 2025-26 season, primarily due to the ongoing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) shortage exacerbated by the West Asia conflict and unseasonably cool weather.
Cameron Green returned to form with a fighting half-century, but his effort was overshadowed by Shubman Gill, who produced a captain's knock to guide Gujarat Titans to a five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League clash in Ahmedabad on Friday, April 17, 2026.
A procession marking Ambedkar Jayanti in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, was disrupted by stone pelting, leading to injuries and detentions. Police are investigating the incident.
A man in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife and attempting to pass it off as an accidental fall. Forensic investigation and crime scene reconstruction revealed the truth, leading to the husband's arrest.
The India women's football team secured a 3-2 victory against Malawi in the third-place play-off of the FIFA Series 2026 in Nairobi, with goals from Astam Oraon, Aveka Singh, and Priyadharshini Selladurai.
A Bengaluru court has sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni to life imprisonment for the murder of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar. The court also sentenced 15 others to life imprisonment in connection with the 2016 murder case.
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has terminated the services of coach Naval Singh after Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil accused him of mental harassment and verbal abuse.
South Africa defeated India by six wickets in the opening match of the Women's T20 series, with captain Laura Wolvaardt leading the charge. India's batting lacked momentum, and their bowling attack struggled with indiscipline, allowing South Africa to comfortably chase down the target.
'Monsoon is the pran (life) of our water system.' 'A weak monsoon will have a very negative impact on crops and people's lives.'
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will investigate the killing of two civilians in Manipur's Ukhrul district, following an ambush by suspected militants. The incident occurred a day after the Chief Minister appealed for peace in the region.
If Trump wants peace with Iran, Pakistan will offer to help. If Trump seeks Pakistan's aid to spy on Iran, then too Munir will not hesitate to chip in. At the same time, the ISI will not hesitate to tip off Iran now and then, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
The high-intensity election campaign in Tamil Nadu concluded with accusations and counter-accusations between the DMK and AIADMK, while new entrant TVK made its presence felt. Key issues included state autonomy, corruption, law and order, and the delimitation bill.
Paralympic gold medallist Sumit Antil, supported by Neeraj Chopra, has filed a complaint with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) accusing coach Naval Singh of mental harassment and verbal abuse.
'All terrorists are a blot on humanity.' 'No religion in the world teaches you to take the life of an innocent person.' 'Kashmiris have always been known for their hospitality. One moment of darkness cannot erase Kashmiriyat.'
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
The Morena administration in Madhya Pradesh has banned sand mining and transportation from the Chambal River, along with restricting fuel sales to unregistered vehicles, following criticism from the Supreme Court regarding illegal mining activities.
A passenger bus accident in the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir resulted in the death of fifteen people and injuries to twenty others. The accident occurred near Kagort village in the Ram Nagar area.
Savin Sa's 'Vaazha 2: Biopic of a Billion Bros' has officially joined the exclusive Rs 200 crore club, becoming the fifth Malayalam film to achieve this milestone and the first with rank newcomers in the lead, while also being ranked among the top five highest-grossing Malayalam films.
India has expressed strong concern over the targeting of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the West Asia conflict, urging for the restoration of unimpeded navigation and global commerce.
The management of Kannur Dental College has refuted allegations of caste discrimination in connection with the death of a BDS student, suggesting a loan taken through a mobile app was a contributing factor. Police are investigating the case, which involves allegations of abetment of suicide and violations of the SC/ST Act.
Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna stated that judicial independence in the modern era includes freedom from algorithmic influence, emphasising that AI should only assist judges, who must ultimately decide based on constitutional values and human judgment.
The US blockade on Iranian ports is aimed to curb Iranian energy exports, thereby crippling its economy to force Iran back to the negotiating table, points out Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals that a significant number of candidates contesting the first phase of the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections have declared criminal cases against themselves.
Police in Kannur, Kerala, are investigating Kannur Dental College faculty after a first-year student died in a suspected suicide, with allegations of emotional harassment and discrimination.
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane has called on his team to embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time as their playoff hopes dwindle after a series of losses in the ongoing tournament.
The ruling NDA coalition in India faces a significant challenge in passing the women's reservation bill in Parliament due to insufficient numbers. The bill requires a two-thirds majority in both houses, and the NDA needs to secure additional support or abstentions from other parties to achieve this.
Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, surged over 1 per cent, driven by optimism surrounding potential US-Iran peace talks and a significant drop in crude oil prices below the USD 100 per barrel mark. This de-escalation in geopolitical concerns and easing inflation pressures provided a substantial boost to investor sentiment.
Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the alleged suicide of a student, vowing a thorough investigation into claims of caste-based harassment and loan app involvement.
India's foreign exchange reserves saw a substantial increase of USD 9.063 billion, reaching USD 697.121 billion for the week ended April 3, 2026, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This surge follows a previous week's decline and brings the reserves closer to their all-time high.
The ICC is investigating Cricket Canada for alleged breaches of its anti-corruption code, including scrutiny of a T20 World Cup match against New Zealand, following allegations highlighted in a recent documentary.
Supreme Court judge Justice B V Nagarathna stated that judicial independence in the modern era is not just freedom from external power, but also from algorithmic influence, while speaking at a conference in Bengaluru.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi falls for a duck and Irfan Pathan's theory on the youngster targeting big bowlers gains attention.
Pakistan has increased security measures in Islamabad and surrounding areas as the US and Iran prepare for another round of peace talks. The move follows an announcement by former US President Donald Trump that American negotiators would be in Pakistan for discussions aimed at resolving the conflict between the two nations.
Delhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar discusses his attacking mindset and how it led to early wickets against Mumbai Indians in their recent IPL match. He also comments on the pitch conditions and the importance of taking wickets in the powerplay.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
India ranked 116th out of 147 countries in 2025 with an average score of 4.536.
Police in Kannur, Kerala, have launched an investigation into Kannur Dental College following the death of a first-year student, Nithin Raj RL, who allegedly died by suicide after facing emotional harassment from faculty members. The college has suspended two faculty members and is cooperating with the police investigation.
Direct plans of mutual fund schemes added nearly 21 million individual investor folios in FY26 (as of February), surpassing regular plans' 15 million net additions, marking only the second time direct plans have outpaced regular plans in annual folio growth, despite turbulent equity markets.
Do not exit in panic or buy falling stocks without reassessing fundamentals; instead, build a watchlist and invest gradually with a disciplined, long-term approach.
