South India's manufacturing, construction, and services sectors are grappling with severe labour shortages, prompting employers to offer attractive incentives like free air tickets and salary increments to lure migrant workers back from their home states after recent assembly elections.
North India is experiencing an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 48 degrees Celsius in some areas. Several states have issued warnings and advisories as the heatwave is expected to continue.
India has strongly criticised China's practice of assigning 'fictitious names' to areas within Indian territory, stating that such actions are futile attempts to alter reality and negatively impact efforts to normalise bilateral relations.
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to the opposition to support the government's bills for implementing the women's reservation law, cautioning against politicisation and assuring that delimitation will be fair to all states.
'During the hot season (April to June), above-normal minimum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country, except in some regions of Maharashtra and Telangana, where minimum temperatures are expected to be normal to below normal,' IMD said.
Several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to jointly oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, even as they reiterated support for women's reservation, with Mallikarjun Kharge alleging the move is politically motivated.
Delhi Traffic Police penalised over 1,200 motorists for drunk driving during a special enforcement drive on Holi, with thousands more fined for other traffic violations.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia following a series of strikes and counter-strikes, the United States Embassy in Muscat on Tuesday instructed its staff to shelter in place.
...reopen for up to six months. Until then, the Strait stays nearly closed. The world pays. And no one, including the man who started this, can say when it ends, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Delhi Traffic Police issued over 1,200 challans for drunk driving during a special enforcement drive on Holi, with the western range recording the highest number of violations.
Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the country refused permission for the US to land two warplanes at Mattala International Airport, citing a commitment to neutrality amidst rising tensions in the Middle East.
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
India's handling of the Iran crisis reflects a growing strain between strategic autonomy and geopolitical alignment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The US has granted India permission to buy Russian oil already in transit to ease global supply pressures amidst the West Asia conflict. This decision comes after India agreed to halt sanctioned Russian oil purchases and substitute them with US oil.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
This weekend, Donald Trump has begun to say the quiet part out loud -- that he wants to take control of Iran's oil, a formulation more in line with his robber-baron style of international relations.
Eid al-Fitr was celebrated across India with prayers for peace and brotherhood, alongside protests condemning US-Israel actions in West Asia.
A NielsenIQ report indicates that the FMCG industry's sales growth moderated to 7.8% in the December quarter of 2025, with volume growth also dipping due to GST rationalisation and a high base from the previous year's festival season.
Sri Lanka is deliberating appropriate action after a second Iranian ship sought entry to its territorial waters, following an attack on an Iranian frigate near the island nation. The government is focused on safeguarding lives and regional peace.
Sri Lanka has allowed a second Iranian ship, IRINS Bushehr, to dock at Trincomalee port after it reported engine failure, following the sinking of an Iranian frigate. The move comes amidst heightened regional tensions and a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
Fifteen Naxalites, including a veteran ultra with a significant bounty, surrendered in Chhattisgarh, effectively dismantling the Maoist movement in the Raipur-Sambalpur region.
TasteAtlas, a globally-recognised digital guide to food, just unveiled its rankings for 50 Best Potato Dishes. Four of our Indian favourites qualified.
'China continues to perceive its relations with India through the prism of India-US relations, with the US using India to counter balance against China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.'
Developed to meet the growing transportation needs of modern India, the fully AC Vande Bharat sleeper train would offer passengers an "airline-like travel experience at economical fares," a statement issued by the PMO stated.
Two dedicated freight corridors -- Eastern and Western -- are in operation covering several states and districts.
Above-normal cold wave days are expected in some areas of central India, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during January 2026.
According to a post on X by the US European Command, the tanker violated US sanctions and was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter Munro prior to the operation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticizes Kerala's ruling Left government over the Sabarimala gold loss case, demanding a neutral investigation and accusing the government of protecting the real culprits. He also signals the start of the BJP's campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections.
India's duopoly in the domestic skies -- where IndiGo and Air India collectively control over 90 per cent of the market -- is highly skewed, leaving very little room for new players
'From every point of view, they have faced an extremely difficult couple of years, and the setback they have suffered is irreversible.' 'This reality has begun to set in even amongst the top-level cadres. That is why, in recent times, we have witnessed a huge number of senior-level cadres emerging from the jungle and deciding to renounce violence and join the mainstream.'
A guide to travel in 2026.
Cyclone Ditwah exits Sri Lanka after causing widespread destruction and over 120 deaths, heading towards the Indian coast. Heavy rains and high winds are expected to continue.
A Maratha protest in Mumbai caused significant traffic disruptions, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the city, impacting office-goers and students. Train services were also affected.
'Because of the size and complexity of the economy, we can address almost every job that is there, from agriculture farming to healthcare.'
In a key revelation, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer John Kiriakou has said that Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, who was the most wanted terrorist for the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, had escaped from the Tora Bora hills in Afghanistan in the guise of a woman.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal rainfall for most parts of India during the post-monsoon season (October to December), except for some areas in the northwest. The southwest monsoon season ended with the country recording eight per cent above normal rainfall.
Heavy overnight rainfall caused widespread flooding in Kolkata, disrupting traffic, public transport, and daily life. Train and Metro services were suspended, and many areas experienced significant waterlogging.
IMD data shows in the 24 hours between September 1 and 2, Haryana received 806 per cent more rainfall than normal, Punjab 759 per cent, Himachal Pradesh 510 per cent, Delhi 740 per cent, Chandigarh a staggering 1,638 per cent, and Rajasthan 193 per cent.
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