Indian tanker 'Jag Vasant', after clearing the Strait of Hormuz, is seen anchored at the LPG discharge terminal in Mumbai on Wednesday (April 1). Britain is set to host 35 countries to find ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic oil shipping route, currently blocked by Iran. Photo: PTI
Live: Britain to lead Strait of Hormuz talks, says Starmer
The talks come as Donald Trump warned that securing the strait would fall to other nations if the US halts its strikes on Tehran
Here is the top, trending news of Wednesday, April 1, 2026, including Iran war, Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 1 April 2026 12:59 PM IST
Bill to recognise Amaravati as sole capital of Andhra introduced in Lok Sabha
A Bill seeking to recognise Amaravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh was introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, an initiative which will fulfil a vital aspiration of key NDA ally TDP and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The legislation will scuttle any future bid to alter the decision of making Amaravati the sole and permanent capital as was done by the state's previous government, led by YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai moved the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, in Lok Sabha and Speaker Om Birla put it for vote and accepted it following a voice vote.
On March 28, the state legislative assembly also passed a resolution requesting the Centre for amendment of Section 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act to incorporate the name of "Amaravati" as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh.
As the first chief minister of bifurcated Andhra Pradesh between 2014 and 2019, TDP supremo Naidu had announced that Amaravati would be the capital of the state and invested extensively in its development.
However, the TDP lost power in the 2019 assembly elections and Reddy assumed charge as the chief minister.
- 1 April 2026 12:33 PM IST
Trump says military could end its Iran offensive in 2 to 3 weeks
US President Donald Trump said the military could end its Iran offensive in two to three weeks and will shift responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz to countries that rely on it for oil and shipping as the White House announced a prime-time presidential address Wednesday evening on the war.
Trump expressed frustration Tuesday with allies who have been unwilling to do more to support the US war effort, telling them to “go get your own oil.” Trump recently has vacillated between insisting there is progress in diplomatic talks with Iran and threatening to widen the war.
He said the US “will not have anything to do with” what happens next in the vital waterway that has been closed by the Islamic Republic. Instead, he told reporters, the responsibility for keeping the strait open will rest with countries that rely on it. Gulf states rely on the waterway for both exports and imports, including food, and 20 per cent of the world's oil supply flows through it.
- 1 April 2026 12:08 PM IST
GST collections grow 8.8 pc to over Rs 2 lakh cr in March
Gross GST collections grew 8.8 per cent to over Rs 2 lakh crore in March, aided by tax mop-ups from domestic sales as well as imports, government data showed on Wednesday.
The gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) mop-up was Rs 1.83 lakh crore in March, 2025.
Gross domestic revenues rose 5.9 per cent to over Rs 1.46 lakh crore, while those from imports grew 17.8 per cent to Rs 53,861 crore.
Refund issuance during March rose 13.8 per cent to Rs 22,074 crore, the latest data showed.
After adjusting refunds, net GST revenues stood at about Rs 1.78 lakh crore, up 8.2 per cent year-on-year.
Gross GST revenue for the full 2025-26 (April-March) fiscal recorded a growth of 8.3 per cent to over Rs 22.27 lakh crore.
Net revenues, after adjusting for refunds, grew 7.1 per cent to Rs 19.34 lakh crore in FY26.
- 1 April 2026 11:43 AM IST
Russian military plane crashes in annexed Crimea, killing 29 people on board
A Russian military plane crashed in annexed Crimea, killing six crew and 23 passengers on board, Russian news agencies reported in the early hours of Wednesday, citing the country's Defence Ministry.
The An-26 military transport plane was carrying out a scheduled flight over the Crimean peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, the reports said. The military lost contact with the plane around 6 pm on Tuesday.
Russian news agency Interfax quoted the Defence Ministry as saying that they believe the crash was caused by a technical malfunction and that there was no “damaging interference” with the plane.
The plane crashed into a cliff, sources at the site of the crash told state news agencies Tass and RIA Novosti.
The An-26 is a Soviet-designed military transport turboprop aircraft.
- 1 April 2026 11:12 AM IST
Lok Sabha adjourned till noon
Lok Sabha opens to loud protests by Opposition against FCRA (Amendment) Bill. Union Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju informs the House that the Bill Is not being taken up for consideration and passing today while asserting that the proposed law doesn't intend to target any institution or religious community. Rijiju slams Congress and Left parties for "misleading the country" on the FCRA Bill, alleging that the two Opposition parties are spreading misinformation about the Bill because of polls in Kerala. Amid ruckus, Lok Sabha adjourned till noon.
- 1 April 2026 9:38 AM IST
China, Pakistan put forward 5-point proposal to end West Asia conflict
China and Pakistan have put forward a five-point proposal to end the West Asia conflict, calling for the restoration of peace and stability in the Gulf region and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The peace proposal was put forward on Tuesday (March 31) after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who undertook a one-day visit to Beijing to discuss regional developments. The two reviewed the situation in the Gulf and West Asia region, and Dar briefed Wang about his recent talks with the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia to promote talks between the US and Iran to end the ongoing conflict.
Following the Dar-Wang talks, the two countries put forward five proposals on restoring peace and stability in the Gulf region and West Asia, as well as safe passage through the Strait. The proposals included the immediate cessation of hostilities, initiation of peace talks as soon as possible, ensuring the safety of non-military targets and safety of navigation, and safeguarding the primacy of the UN Charter.
“Sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran and the Gulf states should be safeguarded. Dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable options to resolve conflicts,” the statement said.
“China and Pakistan call on parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks on civilians and nonmilitary targets, and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and stop attacking important infrastructure, including energy, desalination and power facilities, and peaceful nuclear infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants,” it said.
The two countries also called for the security of shipping lanes, calling the Strait of Hormuz, together with its adjacent waters, "an important global shipping route for goods and energy".
Lastly, they called for the primacy of the United Nations Charter in ending tension.
- 1 April 2026 9:31 AM IST
Sensex jumps 1,899.53 points to 73,847.08
Stock markets rebound in early trade: Sensex jumps 1,899.53 points to 73,847.08; Nifty surges 572.55 points to 22,903.95.
- 1 April 2026 9:23 AM IST
Italy out of FIFA World Cup again
Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for a third straight FIFA World Cup after getting beat in a penalty shootout with 10 men at 66th-ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European playoffs on Tuesday.
Moise Kean scored early on for Italy but then Azzurri center back Alessandro Bastoni was sent off with a direct red card before the break and Bosnia substitute Haris Tabakovic equalized in the 79th to send the game into extra time at 1-1.
The defeat added more misery for Italy's once-proud national team after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.
“It's too easy to say what's working and what's not working,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “The fact is that Italy has failed to qualify for three World Cups. We're having a tough time achieving our goals, both with the national team and with our clubs.” Bosnia won the shootout 4-1 and qualified for the first time since 2014 — its only previous appearance.
In the shootout, Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante missed their spot kicks and US-born Esmir Bajraktarevic converted the decisive penalty for Bosnia.
“We still don't believe it — that we're out and that it happened in this manner,” Italy defender Leonardo Spinazzola said. “It's upsetting for everyone. For us, for our families, and for all the kids who have never seen Italy at a World Cup.” In Tuesday's other European playoff finals, Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic each qualified. Sweden beat Poland 3-2; Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0; and the Czechs beat Denmark in a shootout.
Italy's latest ouster means that the 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006 champions will go at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer's biggest event.
Italy's World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions. Although the Azzurri did win the European Championship in 2021.
Italy's last World Cup knockout match was when it won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.
- 1 April 2026 8:59 AM IST
Israel strikes factory in Iran, alleges it supplied fentanyl for chemical weapons
Israel said early Wednesday it struck a plant supplying Iran's theocracy with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, to allegedly use in a chemical weapons programme. Iran acknowledged the strike on Tofigh Daru factory, but insisted it only supplied “hospital drugs” used in medical operations.
The strike happened Tuesday, both Israel and Iran said.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a picture of the factory in Tehran, writing on X: “The war criminals in Israel are now openly and unashamedly bombing pharmaceutical companies.” Hospitals extensively use fentanyl to treat severe pain. But a small amount of the drug can be fatal.
- 1 April 2026 8:51 AM IST
Oracle lays off around 12,000 employees in India, another round likely within a month
US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.
"In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month," said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company's human resource department.
The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.
Oracle declined to comment on the development.
Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and "because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant".
