The Maharashtra assembly on Monday night passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, which has stringent provisions to prohibit religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement or marriage, by voice vote. As per the Bill, those involved in unlawful conversions on the pretext of marriage will be punished with imprisonment of seven years and...

Afghanistan on Tuesday accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on a Kabul hospital treating drug addicts, saying the attack killed more than 400 people.Pakistan denied the allegation, saying its strikes- also carried out in eastern Afghanistan – targeted only military and “terrorist” sites.Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman gave the death toll during a television interview...

graffiti mural created by students of Atoms College of Fine Arts was seen on a wall at the Civil Station in Palakkad on Monday as part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme. | Photo Credit: K K Mustafah Palakkad is set to feel the heat twice over—from the blazing summer and...

3 min readNew DelhiMar 17, 2026 02:50 AM IST The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested seven foreign nationals — six Ukrainian nationals and one from the United States — on charges of conspiring to carry out terrorist activities against India. The arrests, made in a coordinated operation by multiple NIA teams last week, were...

A controversy has erupted in the Bhojpuri entertainment industry after a video surfaced showing singer Dhananjay Sharma lifting a female dancer on stage and throwing her into the crowd during a live performance. The viral video has triggered widespread outrage on social media, with many users criticising the singer for his behaviour. In the clip,...

NEW DELHI: Govt Monday agreed to Opposition’s demand for revocation of the suspension of its eight MPs, who had been barred from the House for remainder of Budget session for their alleged unruly conduct in LS, and the House is expected to formalise their return Tuesday. Official sources said a consensus was reached at an...

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, Shivalik, arrives at Mundra Port via the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Gujarat, India, on March 16, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters The Indian Navy has deployed warships to escort Indian-flagged merchant vessels transiting through the Persian Gulf region, according to official sources.  Three Indian...

India’s T20 World Cup-winning wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson on Monday said the current Indian team consciously prioritises collective success over individual milestones, describing it as a key approach adopted by the leadership group in the dressing room. Speaking to reporters here, the Man of the Tournament in India’s title-winning team against New Zealand said the emphasis...

The Centre on Monday strongly rejected a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that recommended designating India as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom and called for targeted sanctions against the external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)....

Chaitra Navratri is one of the most significant Hindu festivals and marks the beginning of the Hindu lunar New Year in many parts of India. The nine-day celebration is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine divine forms, collectively known as Navadurga. During this time, devotees across the country observe fasts, offer prayers, perform rituals,...