A US-sanctioned tanker linked to China is sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz and into the Gulf of Oman, testing President Donald Trump’s naval blockade.

Rich Starry, a medium-range tanker earlier known as Full Star, was blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for helping Tehran evade energy sanctions.

TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that "logical discrepancy" under the SIR exercise is not an officially recognised term under the Election Commission framework and was selectively applied in West Bengal, unlike Bihar, to benefit the BJP.

Addressing a public rally at Pingla in Paschim Medinipur district, she said she has not seen a "dirty party" like the BJP.

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday paid homage to Dr B R Ambedkar on his 135th birth anniversary at Lok Bhavan in Gandhinagar.

"President Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes to Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar on his birth anniversary at Lok Bhavan, Gandhinagar, Gujarat," an official release said.

The US and Iran are in discussions about holding another round of face-to-face negotiations for a longer-term ceasefire, people familiar with the matter said, after talks in Islamabad led by Vice President JD Vance failed to produce a breakthrough.

The people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, said the goal is to hold fresh talks before a two-week ceasefire announced April 7 expires next week.

N Chandrasekaran, chairman, Tata Sons, said on Monday that the Tata Group maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of coercion or misconduct by its employees. His comments follow a serious allegation of sexual harassment at the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Nashik office.

US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Iran’s navy had been “completely obliterated”, alleging that 158 ships had been destroyed and now lay “at the bottom of the sea”. In a post on Truth Social, he said smaller “fast attack ships” were not targeted, as they were not seen as a major threat.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said France and the United Kingdom (UK) will organise a conference in the coming days to build support for a multinational mission aimed at ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

"This strictly defensive mission, distinct from the belligerents, will be deployed as soon as the situation allows," Macron said in a post on X.

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, Election Commission and others on a plea seeking to implement finger and iris biometric identification system at polling stations to prevent duplicate voting.

While agreeing to hear the plea, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made clear that the prayer sought in the petition can't be considered for the current state Assembly elections in some states.

BJP leaders in Bihar on Monday said that the name of the party's "first chief minister" in the state will be known on Tuesday, with Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan like to arrive here to facilitate the power transition.

Chouhan, whom the BJP headquarters in Delhi had on Sunday named the 'central observer' for the election of the new legislature party leader.

The US military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, as President Donald Trump sought to pressure Iran in a move that risks driving oil prices even higher and renewing the war.

The announcement set the stage for a showdown, as Iran immediately responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

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