Before Iran War, China Amassed World's Largest Oil Stockpile

Ahead of the war in Iran, China aggressively added to its oil reserves, more than any other country, according to the United States government data released this week.

"Prior to the Iran conflict, preliminary government data indicate that China has continued building inventories in 2026," the article stated.

The New York Times reported earlier in the month that China imported 15.8 per cent more oil in January and February compared to the same period last year.

"Oil stockpiling has been taking place for a while now, and Chinese regulators were already preparing for geopolitical tensions to arise from the Trump administration," Cosimo Ries, an energy analyst at Trivium China told the publication.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, China had nearly 1.4 billion barrels of oil put aside compared to 1.2 billion barrels among 32 members of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Of these, the US has 413 million barrels.

Moreover, the US has been drawing out its stockpile. It is left with 405 million barrels after selling 8 million barrels in April. US President Donald Trump has authorised the release of 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to combat high energy prices and supply disruptions caused by the conflict with Iran.

Why China Is Stockpiling

The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies said that China is stockpiling due to three factors. First, crude prices remain subdued as global demand continues to soften. Second, risks are intensifying due to potential supply chain disruptions and strict sanctions on major exporters like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. Third, a new domestic energy mandate now requires companies to increase their strategic reserves to ensure long-term security.

China is very dependent on global oil because it is the world's largest crude oil importer, but it has filled its coffers in a "pretty wise" and "strategic step", as Ries said.

Due to the Iran war, the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world's oil supply flows, has been disrupted.

Iran vowed it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as the United States continues to blockade its ports.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/NHAxBVt
via IFTTT

"We're Watching": On Poll Day, Mahua Moitra Reveals Locations Of BJP Leaders

Circling them in red, Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra singled out two senior BJP leaders and disclosed thier alleged location in Kolkata as the voting was underway in Bengal for Phase 1. She also slipped in a warning for the two. 

The 51-year-old Trinamool MP questioned the presence of Swadesh Singh, a professor at Delhi's Satyavati College, and Saurabh Singh, a former BJP MLA from Chhattisgarh, in Bengal on the day of voting.

The MP alleged that the two were "distributing cash".

"What exactly are @swadesh171 Professor Satyavati College & @saurabhsinghcg doing in Bengal? Calling up people for vasooli & distributing cash in the name of BJP Rastriya Adhyaksh @NitinNabin," she said in a post on X.

The images carried the text 'S+S', likely the names of the two leaders with Leander Paes also appearing in the frame.

"We're watching - you will not escape," she said.

An hour, later she posted again, claiming that the two BJP leaders are on the move again. She also mentioned thier alleged next destination.

"Beware @saurabhsinghcg after my tweet you are checking out of Elgin Hotel & going to Novotel with your team to continue distribution. This is Bengal - @NitinNabin won't be able to save you here," she said.

Clashes, allegations of intimidation and attacks on candidates, including on two of the BJP, were reported from several constituencies, prompting the Election Commission to seek detailed reports even as it maintained that polling was "largely peaceful".

Earlier in the day, BJP candidate Suvendu Sarkar was allegedly manhandled in Dakshin Dinajpur's Kumarganj, while BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul's car was attacked in Asansol Dakshin, with stones shattering its rear windowpanes - incidents the party cited as evidence of "targeted violence".

The Trinamool denied the allegations, accusing the BJP of attempting to "engineer" unrest.

Thursday's polling, covering key constituencies across north Bengal and parts of the south, is being closely watched for early signals in a high-stakes contest between the Trinamool and the BJP.

Polling in the remaining 142 constituencies is scheduled for May 29. The votes will be counted on May 4.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/zoryAsQ
via IFTTT

Rs 1.5 Crore Overseas Star To Debut For CSK In El Clasico vs Mumbai Indians

Spencer Johnson is poised to take centre stage for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their critical bottom-of-the-table match against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. Bowling coach Eric Simmons hinted at Johnson's potential inclusion due to Khaleel Ahmed's injury. Khaleel had to leave the field before finishing his overs in CSK's last game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This situation led the team to consider Johnson, who was signed for Rs 1.5 crore as a replacement in their bowling lineup. His addition comes at a time when injuries have heavily impacted Chennai's season.

“Khaleel Ahmed & Anshul Kamboj have been really good for us. Spencer Johnson (Khaleel's replacement) will be in our starting XI tomorrow night," Simmons said on the eve of the match.

CSK has faced challenges all season, starting with three straight losses to Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They briefly revived their season with wins over Delhi Capitals and KKR, but then experienced another setback with a 10-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Mumbai's performance has also been shaky. After starting their season with a win against KKR, they lost to DC, RR, RCB, and PBKS before getting back on track with a second win against the Gujarat Titans.

Apart from Johnson, former skipper Dhoni, 44, has already started light training, including his first wicketkeeping session of IPL 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, after missing CSK's first six matches.

With only two wins from six games, CSK is currently in eighth place in the points table. Their matchup on April 23 against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians is crucial as they aim to turn their season around.

The Mumbai Indians have finally found their feet with a fine performance against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, with pacer Jasprit Bumrah claiming his first wicket of the season in their sixth match. In between, the Mumbai Indians also lost opener Rohit Sharma to a hamstring injury in his right leg. He had retired hurt in the match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and skipper Hardik Pandya said he will miss the next two matches

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/rviYkec
via IFTTT

Kavya Maran's Reaction Viral After Abhishek Slams 5th Highest IPL Score

SRH owner Kavya Maran was ectatic after the ton by Abshiek as was the star opener's father Raj Kumar Sharma. 

Incredible knock, iconic celebration

An Abhishek Sharma special lights up Hyderabad

Updates https://t.co/VgUjXDlrDh#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #SRHvDC | @SunRisers | @OfficialAbhi04 pic.twitter.com/QUWtkWuX0D

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 21, 2026

After being put in to bat, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head gave Sunrisers Hyderabad a flying start, scoring nine runs in the opening over.

Nitish Rana responded with a tight second over, conceding just six runs, but the momentum quickly shifted back as both openers struck a boundary each off Mukesh Kumar in the next over.

Lungi Ngidi came into the attack in the fourth over but was taken for 10 runs. The pressure mounted in the following over when Sharma and Head took charge against Rana, scoring 20 runs to bring up a brisk 50-run opening partnership.

Sharma capped off an impressive powerplay by smashing a six off the final ball, guiding SRH to a commanding 67 without loss at the end of the fielding restrictions.

DC skipper Axar Patel, featuring in his 100th match for the franchise, delivered a tight over immediately after the powerplay, conceding just seven runs. He was well supported by Kuldeep Yadav, who followed up with another disciplined over, giving away only eight runs.

In Patel's second over, Sharma and Head slammed him for a six each before the DC skipper got the better of Head for 37, bringing SRH skipper Ishan Kishan to the crease.

In the same over, Sharma brought up his fifty in 25 balls - the slowest fifty of his six IPL fifties in Hyderabad.

Sharma also completed 2,000 IPL runs for SRH, joining David Warner, Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson in the elite list.

Sharma and Kishan launched an attack on Yadav as the duo slammed 22 runs in the 11th over. Continuing to take on the DC bowlers, Sharma brought up his second IPL hundred in the 15th over.

In the same over, SRH skipper Kishan was run out for 25; however, Sharma thumped Rana for 23 runs to take SRH's total to 183/2.

Sharma blazed his way to his second IPL century in 47 balls. It was the 25-year-old's ninth T20 century overall, equalling Virat Kohli's record for the most centuries by an Indian in men's T20 cricket.

This also marked the second instance of Abhishek Sharma smashing 10 sixes in an IPL innings, making him only the second batter to achieve the feat multiple times after Chris Gayle, who has done it four times.

Sunrisers Hyderabad surged past the 200-run mark by the end of the 17th over, with Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen at the crease.

Klaasen continued the onslaught, smashing two sixes off Lungi Ngidi in the 18th over to add another 14 runs to SRH's total.

Klaasen also became the third-fastest player to reach 100 IPL sixes in terms of innings (52), behind Gayle (37) and Andre Russell (47), and the seventh-fastest in terms of balls faced (1,072).

T. Natarajan bowled an outstanding 19th over, conceding just six runs. SRH finished their innings on 242/2, with Klaasen and Sharma collecting 20 runs in the final over.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/IxUWOmV
via IFTTT

Despite $120,000 Job Offer, NRI Wants To Return To India: "I'm Too Depressed"

An NRI who recently completed their master's degree and landed a $120,000 (Rs 1.12 crore) job offer in the US said they wanted to return to India as soon as possible. In a social media post, the user detailed that they received the job offer in Austin, Texas, but wanted to return home due to depression caused by the loneliness of living in a foreign land.

"Hey guys, need a help badly. I'm about to finish my MS from Indiana. Got 120k (100k base) offer in Austin. I have about 40k dollar loan pending," the user said in a Reddit post.

The NRI sought the internet's help on how to go about the transition and asked how much they needed to save before leaving the US.

"I'm too depressed right now and just want to save as much as possible before returning. Could someone give me rough estimate about how much will I have in-hand & how much can I save roughly in 3/4 years?"

Check The Post Here:

Posts from the developersindia
community on Reddit

Also Read | NASA Nighttime Map Shows Earth's Brightest Spots, Indian Cities Shine Bright

Social Media Reactions

As the post gained traction, social media users highlighted that paying off the loan, especially in USD, should be the priority for the NRI prior to returning home.

"Given your goal of leaving the US as soon as possible with a 40k loan i'd give myself at least two years of space to pay it back," said one user, while another added: "Clearing the loan and saving approximately 125k is achievable. No state taxes is an added bonus. Since you can't get by without a car in Texas, buy a beater car, and have flatmates. Do not get a brand new or a fairly used car."

A third commented: "I was able to save $150k with $72k job in Florida in four years, lived very frugally like a student in shared accommodation and without a car, no fancy trips & restaurants, was able to cap the monthly expenses to $1k a month."

A fourth said: "Your primary objective should be to pay off your loan while you can earn in USD. Try to make friends who have similar interests. Austin is good place for outdoor activities. That should help your current mental health situation."

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/ro1tMDp
via IFTTT

Aishwarya Celebrates 19th Wedding Anniversary With Abhishek And Aaradhya

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan marked a special milestone in the most heartwarming way. Celebrating 19 years of togetherness with Abhishek Bachchan on Monday, April 20, the actor gave fans a glimpse into their intimate family celebration.

Taking to social media, Aishwarya shared a series of cheerful selfies featuring Abhishek and their daughter Aaradhya. 

The trio looked happy as they posed together holding a beautiful bouquet.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb)

As soon as the photos were posted, fans flooded the comments section with heartfelt wishes.

About Abhishek And Aishwarya's Love Story

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Abhishek shared the memorable story of his proposal. 

While in New York promoting Guru, he found himself standing on his hotel balcony, reflecting on life and love. In that quiet moment, he thought about how wonderful it would be to spend his life with Aishwarya. 

He said, "I was filming in New York for a movie, and I used to stand on the balcony of my hotel room and wish that one day, you know, it wouldn't be nice if I was together with her, married. So I took her to the very same balcony, and I asked her to marry me."

The couple got married on April 20, 2007, in a grand ceremony that captured the nation's attention. Four years later, on November 16, 2011, they welcomed their daughter Aaradhya, completing their little family.

ALSO READ: When Abhishek Bachchan And Aishwarya Rai Fight, Who Says Sorry First? Her Answer

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Hv4Dhod
via IFTTT

3,000 Troops, 5 Ships: Key Pact Allows India, Russia To Share Military Bases

India and Russia can now share army bases, ports, and air bases and station up to 3,000 military personnel in each other's territory, as the Indo-Russian Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) - signed between New Delhi and Moscow in February 2025 - has become operational.

The pact was signed in Moscow to boost military cooperation and logistics support between India and one of its most reliable allies. The agreement, under which India and Moscow agreed to station five battleships, ten fighter planes and 3,000 soldiers on each other's soil, will remain in effect for 5 years and can be extended, reported the Russian news agency, Sputnik.

The bilateral agreement extends India's strategic reach to the Arctic region -- which is fast becoming the global maritime hotspot, as Russia and China have been increasing their presence in the vast maritime wilderness.

New Delhi will be able to access the massive ports in Russia's Murmansk and Severomorsk.

Moscow is eyeing logistics cooperation from the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean. The pact will provide Russia with support like refuelling, repair, spare parts and supplies.

🚨🇮🇳🇷🇺 India and Russia agree to station up to 3K troops on each other's territory

Up to 3,000 military personnel could be stationed on each other's soil at any one time, in a significant boost to defence cooperation between the two long-standing strategic partners.

The… pic.twitter.com/YnD6XCCtY6

— Sputnik India (@Sputnik_India) April 18, 2026

The pact, which will be operational in war and peacetime, allows the two nations to save money and time in long-distance missions.

India has signed a similar agreement with the United States. Called LEMOA, or Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement, the pact allows reciprocal access to military facilities for refuelling, supplies and logistics support. However, it differs from RELOS due to the provision of stationing troops. RELOS also allows the exchange of goods if required.

Under RELOS, cost reimbursement, meaning bartering instead of payment, is also possible.

RELOS and LEMOA highlight India's multi-alignment policy.

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a Swedish think tank, said in a 2025 report that Russia remained the biggest arms supplier of equipment and systems for the Indian Armed Forces. It noted that between 2020 and 2024, India was the world's second-largest arms importer, with Russia contributing 36 per cent to the country's total defence purchase during the period.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/3vxW0Mg
via IFTTT