Trump's latest: May exit Iran war soon, return for spot hits

The United States will end its war on Iran fairly soon and could return for "spot hits" if needed, President Donald Trump told Reuters on Wednesday, hours before he was scheduled to make a primetime address to the nation.

Trump also said he would state in the speech, which is due at 9 pm EDT, that he was considering withdrawing the US from the NATO alliance.

Lok Sabha clears Bill, Amaravati is now sole capital of Andhra Pradesh

Days After Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that legal certainty on the capital issue can be achieved only through suitable amendments to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed by a voice vote the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to recognise Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of the state.

Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill gets LS nod: 'It was Colonial thought to punish everything'

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2026, which amends 80 Central Acts to decriminalise offences and replace them with graded civil penalties, by a voice vote. The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 27.

Parliament amends IBC to speed up insolvency cases

Parliament on Wednesday passed amendments to the insolvency law to provide faster resolution of stressed firms, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasising that the intent is not to liquidate companies but to help them run with guardrails.

PM completes self-enumeration as digital census begins

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday completed his self-enumeration for the first phase of the Census 2027, which is known as House-listing and Housing Census (HLO) and focuses on housing conditions, available amenities, and household assets.

The Prime Minister has appealed to the people to self-enumerate their household details and participate in the Census process.

Odisha withdraws MLA pay hike Bills before Budget session close

The Odisha government on Tuesday night withdrew four bills relating to a three-fold hike in salaries, allowances, and pensions of MLAs, ministers, chief minister and others before Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the budget session sine die, five days ahead of schedule.

Why Bill to amend FCRA has sparked controversy

What is the FCRA?

The FCRA was first enacted during the Emergency in 1976 amid apprehensions that foreign powers were interfering in India's affairs by pumping money into the country through independent organisations.

The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations so that they functioned "in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic".

An amended FCRA was enacted under the UPA government in 2010 to "consolidate the law" on utilisation of foreign funds, and "to prohibit" their use for "any activities detrimental to national interest".

Ashoka championed Buddhism; how his grandson helped spread Jainism

On the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Inaugurated the Samrat Samprati Museum in Koba, Gandhinagar. The museum is dedicated to Jain history and the life of Samrat Samprati, the grandson of the Mauryan ruler Ashoka.

Unlike Ashoka, who is known for helping spread Buddhism, Samprati is remembered for his deep association with Jainism. Here's how Samprati was instrumental in spreading the faith across the subcontinent and beyond.

Trump attends Supreme Court hearings in a presidential first 

The Supreme Court is casting doubt on President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birth-right citizenship in a consequential case that was magnified by Trump’s unparalleled presence in the courtroom.

Transatlantic rift widens as Trump lashes out at NATO 

Tensions Between the United States and NATO allies flared up as President Donald Trump said he was considering pulling the US out of the military alliance due to its European members' refusing to send ships to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.

NATO, which includes European countries, the United States and Canada, was formed in 1949 with the aim of countering the risk of Soviet attack and has been the cornerstone of the West's security ever since

Artemis II on historic moon mission

NASA Begun fuelling its moon rocket Wednesday for humanity's first lunar trip in more than half a century, aiming for an evening liftoff with four astronauts. Tensions were high as hydrogen fuel started flowing into the rocket hours ahead of the planned launch. Dangerous hydrogen leaks erupted during a countdown test earlier this year, forcing a lengthy flight delay.

6 finalists; Indian-origin translator Padma Viswanathan in running

The 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist comprises six books covering roughly a century of difficult history, moving from 1930s Taiwan to post-revolution Iran, from the Albanian Alps to the suburbs of Paris, each stopping somewhere power has left its mark.

The finalists include Ana Paula Maia's dystopian Brazilian novel On Earth As It Is Beneath, translated from the Portuguese by Padma Viswanathan, a Canadian-American writer and professor of Indian origin.

RBI tightens forex rules, bans non-deliverable Re contracts

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed authorised dealer (AD) banks to discontinue offering non-deliverable derivative contracts involving the Indian rupee to both resident and non-resident users, with immediate effect. The move is aimed at strengthening oversight in the foreign exchange derivatives market.