Top news of the day | March 22, 2026

PM Modi calls ministerial meeting to review energy situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting on Sunday (March 22, 2026) evening with senior Ministers to review and take stock of the petroleum, power, and fertiliser sectors in view of the evolving West Asia situation, sources have said. The focus of the meeting is to ensure uninterrupted supply, stable logistics and efficient distribution across the country, and the government is taking proactive steps to this end, they said.

Iran warns of ‘irreversible damage’ to regional infrastructure if power plants attacked

Critical infrastructure ​and energy facilities ‌in the Middle ​East could ⁠be “irreversibly destroyed” should Iranian power plants be ‌targeted, Iran’s Parliament Speaker ‌Mohammad Baqer ‌Qalibaf ⁠said in ⁠comments posted on X on Sunday (March 22, 2026). His comments ​come after ‌U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Iranian power ‌plants would be ​targeted if the Strait ⁠of Hormuz is not “fully open” within ‌48 hours.

Cabinet colleagues laud PM Modi’s record breaking 8,931 days in public office

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (March 22, 2026) became India’s longest serving head of government, combining State and national level, serving 8931 days in office as the first Gujarat Chief Minister and later as Prime Minister, surpassing former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s record of 8930 days in office.

DMK president Stalin offers only five seats, CPI (M) seeks more time to discuss

On a day when Tamilaga Vazhurimai Katchi leader T. Velmurugan exited the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, the CPI(M) left a small window of opportunity open on Sunday (March 22, 2026) afternoon, saying it would revisit the DMK’s offer of only five seats for the upcoming Assembly elections on April 23.

Death toll rises to 16 in Andhra milk adulteration case

The death toll in the suspected milk adulteration case in East Godavari district has risen to 16, while three persons are currently undergoing treatment at hospitals in Rajamahendravaram, officials said on Sunday (March 22, 2026). The incident dates back to mid-February when adulterated milk supplied in parts of Lalacheruvu allegedly caused severe health complications among consumers, including vomiting, abdominal pain, anuria and acute renal dysfunction, leading to multiple hospitalisations.

Woman killed, six injured as ropeway trolley crashes in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund

A woman was killed, and six other persons were injured when a ropeway trolley crashed while descending from a hilltop temple in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district on Sunday (March 22, 2026), officials said. The accident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. when the trolley’s cable snapped as it was bringing down seven passengers from the hilltop, Bagbahra Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Namita Markole said. Earlier, eight people were reported to be in the trolley.

Even Muslim-majority countries don’t allow Namaz on roads, says Sunil Ambekar of RSS

“Even Muslim-majority countries do not allow prayers on roads and have designated places for worship,” Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) national publicity in-charge Sunil Ambekar said in an interview with The Hindu. Mr. Ambekar made the statement while responding to questions on how incidents in BJP-ruled States—such as FIRs over Namaz on roads, Iftar on a boat in the Ganga, or the Char Dham temples asking for ‘Sanatani’ affidavits—impact the RSS’s message of unity in diversity.

K.C. Tyagi joins Rashtriya Lok Dal days after quitting JD(U)

Former Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader K.C. Tyagi on Sunday (March 22, 2026) formally joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in the presence of party chief and Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary in New Delhi. Mr. Tyagi, a founding member of the JD(U), did not participate in the party’s membership renewal drive, signalling his exit from the JD(U) on March 17.

Crude oil vessel from Russia, LPG ship from U.S. begin unloading cargo in Mangaluru

The crude oil vessel Aqua Titan from Russia, which arrived in Mangaluru with 1.1 lakh tonnes of cargo and anchored at Single Point Mooring (SPM), off the Tannirbavi coast, at 9 p.m. on Saturday (March 21, 2026) began discharging the crude for Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) on Sunday (March 22).

Police serve notice to Muthappa Rai’s son Ricky Rai for Lamborghini stunt in Bengaluru

Bengaluru City Police have summoned Ricky Rai, son of former underworld operative Muthappa Rai, in connection with a case involving a Lamborghini car performing dangerous stunts at Anil Kumble Circle in the heart of the city on Saturday (March 21, 2026), putting the lives of the public at risk. A white Lamborghini (bearing registration number KA 05 NR 0009) was seen in a video doing donuts at the junction before speeding away towards Tonique Circle. The car then took a U-turn and sped away towards Trinity Junction.

Blasts heard, sirens in Jerusalem after Iran missile alerts

Blasts were heard, and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem on Sunday (March 22, 2026), AFP journalists said, after the Israeli military warned of incoming missile fire from Iran. The army issued several alerts saying it had identified that “missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel”.

Donald Trump set to feature on gold coin to celebrate 250 years of U.S. Independence

U.S. President Donald Trump is all set to feature on a gold coin to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary, amid questions over the legality of the move. The 24-karat gold coin, portraying Mr. Trump leaning on the Resolute desk with clenched fists, will be only the second time a living President has featured on a coin.

Published – March 22, 2026 06:49 pm IST