Mid Day

Iran has warned it could block trade across the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and Red Sea if US restrictions on its ports continue, while also rejecting any compromise on its nuclear enrichment rights amid escalating tensions

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said that a strong, self-reliant and developed India must be built on the foundation of Indian languages. Speaking at the convocation of the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University in Wardha, she urged citizens to learn at least one Indian language in addition to their mother tongue

Vice-President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath to the 16 newly elected or re-elected members, representing Bihar, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said the Centre is mistaken if it believes opposition MPs will skip Parliament during voting on the delimitation bill due to state elections

Speaking during a debate in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said the moment presents a historic opportunity to expand womens participation in governance and shape the countrys political future

The document, widely shared online, outlined grooming guidelines for store employees. It stated that bindis and tilaks were not allowed, and advised that sindoor, if worn, should be minimal

The operation was carried out by the Cyber Crime Police during the night of 15-16 April at a rented premises in Sangolda village. The accused were allegedly caught accepting bets through online applications during ongoing IPL matches

Delhi Police have arrested a West Bengal resident for allegedly defrauding more than 500 women across the country of nearly Rs 2 crore through fake profiles on dating and matrimonial apps. The accused is also accused of honey-trapping, romance scams and blackmailing

The Lok Sabha saw heated clashes as the government and Opposition debated key bills, with Amit Shah and Arjun Ram Meghwal defending them, while K. C. Venugopal and Asaduddin Owaisi raised concerns over federalism

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deeksha Sharma said that the bodies of two children, both around two years old, were recovered late on Wednesday, hours after the fire broke out

The announcement signals a potential diplomatic breakthrough in a region marked by continued hostility and intermittent conflict between Israel and Lebanon. Earlier on Tuesday, the US hosted a trilateral meeting with Israel and Lebanon, marking their first high-level engagement since 1993

The move comes after multiple complaints from women employees alleging sexual harassment, coercion, and attempts at religious conversion at the TCS Nashik unit. Police have registered several FIRs in the case and arrested a number of individuals, including senior staff members

Speaking alongside Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Modi highlighted plans to build reliable global supply chains by combining Austrias expertise with Indias scale. The visit, the first by an Austrian Chancellor to India in four decades, is expected to boost trade, investment and collaboration

Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan described the first criticality of the 500-MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam Nuclear Complex as a major national achievement

Police in Latur district launched the Police on Farmers Fields initiative to resolve farm disputes. Officials said a pipeline conflict in Hosur village was settled peacefully, preventing escalation and ensuring law and order through timely intervention

The Trump administration has unveiled plans for a giant United States Triumphal Arch to mark Americas 250th independence anniversary, triggering criticism over it being a vanity project funded partly by taxpayers

The Congress on Thursday accused the central government of trying to push delimitation through the backdoor under the cover of womens reservation. During a Lok Sabha debate on three related bills, party leader Gaurav Gogoi said the government should implement womens quota immediately based on the current strength of the House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker at Hyderabad House, focusing on strengthening cooperation in trade, technology, renewable energy, and cultural ties. The visit marks Stockers first official trip to India and aims to deepen India-Austria relations

Indian agencies are investigating a suspected radicalisation case linked to a TCS office in Nashik. Officials believe this may not be an isolated incident and are examining possible links to larger networks and banned organisations like the PFI

The anti-corruption bureau arrested two forest officers in Thane district for allegedly accepting a Rs 25,000-bribe to issue an NOC for a petrol pump. The accused were caught in a trap operation; further investigation is underway

A few schools in Chandigarh received bomb threat emails on Thursday, prompting swift action by police, bomb disposal squads, and emergency services. Anti-sabotage and sanitisation operations are underway, with authorities treating the threats seriously. The incident follows similar hoax threats reported recently in parts of Punjab and Haryana

The industry body reiterated that employee safety remains a non-negotiable priority and that companies maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour. It emphasised that isolated incidents should not be seen as indicative of broader systemic issues across the sector

The United States Senate rejected a Democratic resolution to halt Donald Trumps Iran war, allowing continued military action. The move highlights tensions over war powers and Congresss role under the War Powers Act of 1973

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, urging urgent de-escalation and diplomatic solutions amid rising West Asia tensions. The two leaders also discussed the impact of regional instability on global energy markets and supply chains

US military claims it turned back 10 vessels in the first 48 hours of the naval blockade on Irans ports and the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM says zero ships broke through while Netanyahu affirms identical goals with Washington on eliminating Irans enrichment capability and reopening the strait

A 20-year-old delivery worker was killed after his bike was hit by a speeding Mahindra Thar in Sector 49. The victim, working with Domino`s Pizza, succumbed to injuries at a hospital, while the driver fled the scene

Security forces in Nigeria are on high alert after intelligence warned of a terror plot targeting Abuja airport and prisons. Groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province are suspected

Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and the United States share identical goals on Iran, including ending enrichment and ensuring maritime security, amid a fragile ceasefire and ongoing regional tensions

Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Jeddah as Asim Munir visited Tehran to revive US-Iran talks. The outreach highlights Pakistans growing diplomatic role amid rising West Asia tensions and regional peace efforts

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a state-wide black flag agitation on April 16 against the Centre`s proposed delimitation exercise, warning of a heavy price if the southern states` concerns were ignored

Probe into the Tata Consultancy Services Nashik case reveals an alleged organised gang targeting female employees. Sandeep Karnik said nine cases have been filed, with SIT probing harassment, conversion claims and possible external links

Samrat Choudhary was sworn in as Bihar`s 24th Chief Minister on Wednesday, becoming the first BJP leader to hold the top post in the state. Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath, a day after Nitish Kumar Bihar`s longest-serving CM resigned

Top opposition leaders of the INDIA bloc convened at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge`s residence on Wednesday, a day before a special three-day Parliament session, to build a joint strategy on the women`s reservation bill

The death toll from a boiler explosion at Vedanta Ltd`s power plant in Chhattisgarh`s Sakti district has climbed to 17 after four more workers succumbed to injuries. The blast, which occurred on Tuesday in a high-pressure steam tube connecting the boiler to a turbine at Singhitarai village, left 19 others hospitalised in Raipur and Raigarh

A newly studied Triassic reptile, Sonselasuchus cedrus, is upending assumptions about how ancient crocodile relatives moved. Belonging to a group called shuvosaurids an unusual branch of crocodile-line archosaurs the small creature is believed to have started life on four legs before transitioning to a two-legged stance

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed a Telangana High Court order that had granted Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera a one-week transit anticipatory bail in a case related to allegations he made against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma`s wife

A chain-reaction pileup involving around 70 vehicles on a snow-covered stretch of Interstate 70 in Clear Creek County, Colorado about 80 km west of Denver shut down the eastbound highway on Tuesday. Officials evaluated 19 people for injuries, hospitalising eight, including one with serious injuries

From Pataudi to Harmanpreet raising a toast to the Indian writers who embellished the annuals Five Cricketers of the Year section with their way with words and stories within stories

The ceremony also marked the beginning of Fire Service Week, to be observed from April 14 to April 20, aimed at raising awareness about fire safety and emergency preparedness

Trump stated that ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of the Strait of Hormuz is a key objective of his approach, describing it as a move done for China and the world

US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, warning he may remove him if he does not step down after his term ends in May. The move comes amid ongoing disagreements over interest rates and an investigation into Powell

US President Donald Trump said China has assured it will not send weapons to Iran, based on communication with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The statement comes ahead of their planned summit in Beijing and amid rising tensions in the Middle East

A team of Indian Commerce Ministry officials will visit Washington next week for trade talks with US counterparts. The discussions will focus on advancing the interim trade agreement and resolving issues related to tariffs and ongoing investigations, ahead of US Secretary of State Marco Rubios visit to India next month.

The UN high commissioner for refugees and the International Organisation for Migration in a joint statement said that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox`s Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia

OpenAI has said India is one of the worlds most advanced AI markets, especially in coding and data analysis. However, AI usage is heavily concentrated in a few major cities, highlighting a gap in access and adoption across the country

The newly developed complex features air-conditioned accommodation for 55 personnel, a well-equipped mess with adequate dining capacity, and an integrated armoury

According to the officials, 93.7 per cent students who took the exams have passed with Trivandrum topping the list with 99.79 pass percentage. The Pune district in Maharashtra have recorded 96.66 per cent

While limited domestic networks continue to function, access to international platforms remains severely restricted. Experts say this has created a significant information vacuum, limiting the flow of independent news and restricting communication with the outside world

Sanjay Shirsat, Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice, gave examples of other states, stating that in West Bengal people use Bengali, while in Karnataka the local language is widely used in daily life and business

According to the complaint, he allegedly demanded Rs 15,000 per month from the complainant. He also allegedly sought Rs 5,000 each from other stone crusher association members