April 2026

VIRUDHUNAGAR: A powerful explosion killed 23 workers and injured six at a firecracker factory in Kattanarpatti village Sunday afternoon, underscoring a long history of fatal blasts in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu – part of India’s main fireworks manufacturing belt centred around Sivakasi.The blast struck around 3.20pm at Muthuramlingapuram panchayat, roughly 520km southwest of Chennai,…

US President Donald Trump on Sunday claimed that American forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship TOUSKA after it tried to bypass a naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz.Iran initially contradicted the claim, saying US forces were forced to retreat. However, the Islamic Republic later confirmed the seizure and warned it would “respond and retaliate”….

NEW DELHI: The opposition on Sunday accused PM Narendra Modi of shedding “crocodile tears” over women’s quota, as it stepped up its attack on him for delivering a “political speech in the garb of an address to the nation“. Highlighting that the PM “spewed venom” against the opposition for 29 minutes on Doordarshan, Congress spokesperson…

NEW DELHI: The concept and nomenclature of Civil Lines, residential areas established by the British and long associated with their proximity to administrative power, may fade into history.As the Centre intensifies its efforts to replace remnants of colonial-era laws and practices with alternatives that are of Indian origin and reflect the country’s culture, the framework…

NEW DELHI: Govt on Sunday released a set of frequently asked questions on its bill, now defeated in Parliament, for fast-tracking women’s quota in legislatures with a 50% hike in Lok Sabha seats, as part of its campaign to debunk what it called a ‘false and misleading narrative’ by Congress and its allies. Govt said…

KOLKATA: PM Narendra Modi sharpened his attack on Trinamool Congress, declaring in rallies across Bengal that “mothers and sisters” would punish it for stymying the women’s reservation bill and urging voters to deliver “maha-punishment” to what he called “maha-jungleraj”, reports Rohit Khanna. Addressing four rallies in six hours Sunday — Bankura’s Barjora, Purulia, Jhargram and…

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: Visiting US national Jeffrey Scott, who was stopped at Srinagar airport after a satellite phone-like device was detected in his baggage — a prima facie violation of provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act — was allowed to fly out of the Valley after it became clear that he had carried the device as…