Centre sets aside ₹57,381 cr. to offset 'global headwinds'

A mid the $100-per-barrel oil shock and fears of energy shortage and supply chain disruptions arising out of the West Asia conflict, the Centre has allocated ₹57,381 crore for an Eco-nomic Stabilisation Fund that would provide it fiscal space to address global headwinds, Finance Minis-ter Nirmala Sitharaman said in the Lok Sabha on Friday. She was replying to the debate on the Second Supplementary Demand for Grants the government placed before Parliament.

Nitish hints Samrat will take over as Bihar CM

Bihar Chief Minister and Ja-nata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar on Friday put speculation around his successor to rest, issuing a clear hint that Deputy CM and BJP MLA Samrat Choudhary would be the one to succeed him.

Maharashtra govt. tables Bill to ban 'unlawful conversions'

The Maharashtra government on Friday introduced the Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026 in the Assembly during the ongoing Budget Session. "The objective of the Bill is to protect the right to freedom of religion. It also aims to prohibit unlawful religious con-versions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement, or marriage," Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar said while introducing the draft law.

193 INDIA bloc MPs submit notice for removal of CEC

The INDIA bloc MPs on Friday submitted a notice in both the Houses of Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

This is the first time that such a notice has been formally submitted in Parliament.

Parliamentary panel seeks committee on urban infrastructure

Citing the absence of an integrated long-term urban investment and strategy framework, a Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended that the government constitute a High-Level Expert Committee to comprehensively assess India's urban infrastructure requirements, financing needs, governance reforms, and capacity-building imperatives up to 2047.

Iran calls on BRICS to play role in positive global security

Iran has urged India, the BRICS Chair, to ensure that the grouping plays a role in supporting "global stability and security", as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar late on Thursday night.

West Asia crisis chokes A.P. mango pulp trade

Escalating tensions in West Asia have disrupted mango pulp export units in the Chittoor region of Andhra Pradesh, one of India's largest mango processing clusters, which caters to the global food and beverage markets.

Paid menstrual leave may hurt women's careers: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday expressed apprehensions that a law making paid leave during menstrual pain compulsory may damage the careers of young women and deprive them of equal opportunities.

Bill to redefine 'transgender person', drop 'self-perceived' identity tabled

The Centre on Friday introduced a Bill to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, amid claims it takes away transgender people's "right to self-perceived gender identity" and alters the definition of a "transgender person".

U.S. launches fresh probe into India, 59 other economies over 'forced labour'

The U.S. has launched a fresh investigation into 60 countries, including India, to look into whether these countries have failed to ban the import of goods made using forced labour, the office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced late on March 12.

U.S. grants waiver to other nations to buy Russian oil

Amid rising oil prices, the Trump administration has announced a temporary authorisation to other countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea, as there were no im-mediate signs of an early end to the United States" war on Iran.