Iran has pledged not to have nukes; may visit Pak if deal ready: Trump

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that if a deal with Iran to conclude the war is reached and signed in Islamabad, he might go, and that Iran has agreed to almost everything. "If a deal is signed in Islamabad I may go," Trump said. "They want me."

Pass the Bill, or women of India won't forgive: PM to Parliament

Addressing concerns over representation, especially in southern and smaller states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday that no state will be discriminated against in the delimitation of constituencies linked to the reservation of seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. He said "the proportion of seats (in Lok Sabha) will not change".

First-ever assessment of bat conservation flags threat to species and data dark spots

The bat species in India, around 135, are facing neglect due to lack of research and are also under threat from urbanisation, deforestation, land-use changes and climate impacts, the first-ever national assessment (State of India's Bats, 2024-25) has reported.

Modi, Stocker say rules-based order must for lasting peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday advocated for a "lasting peace" in West Asia, adding that military conflict could not solve problems.

The PM made these remarks after a bilateral meeting with visiting Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, who is on his maiden visit to India as well as Asia.

South Korean President to visit India from April 19 to 21

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will visit India from April 19 to 21, accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung and a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials and business leaders, as part of Seoul's Global South diplomacy. This will be President Lee's maiden visit to India after assuming office in June 2025, and the first visit by any South Korean Presi-dent in over eight years.

UCC a constitutional ambition, no link to religion: Apex court

The Uniform Civil Code is a "constitutional ambition" and has nothing to do with any religion, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, presiding over a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, said on Thursday while issuing a notice on a plea challenging the application of the Shariat law in matters of inheritance and testamentary succession.

Ladakh signs pact with LuLu to push 1,000 MT apricots into global markets

In a major boost to the horticulture sector, the Ladakh Administration on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with LuLu Retail to export 1,000 tonnes of premium Ladakhi apricots to international markets this season.

India's migration governance has a blind spot

One reason is that India's governance architecture was not built around migrants' journeys, whether across districts or across borders.

Meghalaya: Khasi, Garo now official state languages

The Meghalaya cabinet on Thursday announced the Khasi and Garo languages as the official languages of the state, in addition to English.

Calling the decision "historic", Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma announced the approval of the Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026 by the cabinet. The move comes amid a long-standing demand for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo the languages of the state's two largest tribes - in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution. Currently, all official business in the state is carried out in English.

India's Russian oil imports set to come under some pressure

The US has allowed the one-month sanctions waiver on buying Russian oil already on the water to expire, and will not be extending it, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press briefing in Washington.

Have ratified ILO treaties on forced labour: India on USTR probe charges

Responding to two Section 301 investigations launched by the US last month, on "structural excess capacity" and "forced labour", the government Wednesday told Washington that India's merchandise export-to-GDP ratio of around 12% reflects a largely domestic demand-driven economy and that its legal framework aligns with the forced labour standards of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Trump says Israel & Lebanon agreed on truce, as hope grows on ending Iran war

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Lebanon and Israel had agreed on a 10-day ceasefire, as optimism grew that the Iran war may be nearing an end.

High debt, more English teaching: Telangana caste survey findings

Telangana's caste and socio-economic survey has uncovered sharp inequalities across communities in the state. Findings of the Independent Expert Working Group on Telangana's Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey were released Wednesday. The survey was conducted in 2024.

How proposed women's reservation Bills could affect the delimitation process

Passed in 2023, the Constitutional Amendment Act to provide women's reservation was kept in abeyance till the seats in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies were increased through the long-pending delimitation exercise after the next Census exercise. That the government now seeks to bypass this requirement has become a major sticking point for many in the Opposition.