Top of the Morning

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Trump, Tariffs & Turnarounds Here’s the twist: Trump and Brazil’s Lula just had a surprisingly warm 30-minute call — and Bolsonaro, the man who caused their diplomatic fallout, wasn’t even mentioned. Earlier this year, Trump hit Brazil with 50% tariffs after its courts refused to drop coup charges against Bol...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. The week began with tragedy in the hills. Relentless rain turned Darjeeling and Kalimpong into death zones — 18 dead, thousands stranded, homes buried in landslides between 2 and 3 a.m. Roads caved in, bridges collapsed, and tourists trapped as five NDRF teams dug through debris. With NH-10 cut off and two st...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Putin’s Nuclear Warning At the Valdai forum, Putin warned Russia will resume nuclear tests if “any other nuclear power” does first. He mocked NATO as the real “paper tiger,” threatened escalation if the US sends Tomahawks to Ukraine, and tied confidence to Russia’s new Oreshnik missile complex. With New START...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Trump’s Gaza Peace Gambit Trump dropped a 20-point peace plan at the White House with Netanyahu by his side. Israel accepted instantly, Hamas is silent. The plan: all Oct 7 hostages freed in 72 hrs, Israel releases 2,000+ prisoners, grim body-for-body swaps, Israeli withdrawal only after Hamas fully disarms....

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Ladakh Erupts in Violence What began as a hunger strike turned into Ladakh’s deadliest unrest in years. Four dead, 60+ injured, and Leh under lockdown after protesters demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections clashed with security forces, torching buildings and vehicles. Activist Sonam Wangchuk is a...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Trump Turns on India at UN Donald Trump used the UNGA stage to take two direct swipes at India. First, he boasted yet again about “stopping a war” between India and Pakistan — angling for that Nobel Peace Prize. India clarified it halted Operation Sindoor at Pakistan’s request, not Washington’s. Then came the...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. India–US: From Punches to Handshakes Tariffs up, visas priced at $100K, and sharp words over Russian oil — yet, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and India’s S Jaishankar met in New York calling each other “critical partners.” It’s not routine diplomacy, it’s damage control. Behind the public sparring, Modi a...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Alliances Redrawn: Pakistan & Saudi’s Security Pact Riyadh and Islamabad just inked a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, pledging to treat an attack on one as an attack on both. Pakistan formalizes decades of unofficial military support, gaining Saudi investment, while Saudi taps Pakistan’s nuclear and milit...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Oracle's TikTok Lifeline Oracle, Andreessen Horowitz plot TikTok takeover to dodge US ban. ByteDance drops to

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.  India's Supreme Court delivered a crushing victory for the Ambani family, declaring their massive Vantara zoo legally untouchable and slamming the door on future complaints. The 3,500-acre facility housing 2,000 species survived allegations of smuggling and money laundering after a thorough investigation. Me...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. No Extension on ITR Filing The Income Tax Department has shut down viral fake news about another deadline extension. September 15 stays the final date to file returns, despite a bogus notice circulating online. Over 6 crore ITRs have already been filed, and officials are urging last-minute filers to act now....

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Infosys is launching its largest-ever buyback, repurchasing shares worth ₹18,000 crore at a 19% premium. The move matches TCS’s record buyback but covers a bigger slice of equity, signalling confidence after a 20% stock slump this year. Analysts say it’s a clear sign the stock is undervalued, even as the IT s...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Wangchuk’s Hunger Protest in Ladakh Sonam Wangchuk has begun a 35-day fast, demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protection for Ladakh. With Gandhi Jayanti as a symbolic milestone, Wangchuk says Delhi’s silence has pushed locals to the edge. Patience is running thin since Article 370’s revocation left the r...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Power Shifts in Motion The world feels off its axis. India is choosing a new vice president while fending off Trump’s trade wars. Nepal’s Gen Z has taken to the streets in bloody clashes against corruption. The US just slammed shut a visa loophole Indians depended on. And India and Israel are sealing billion-...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Tariffs, Oil & Trump’s India Puzzle Trump doubled tariffs on India to 50% over Russian oil purchases, hoping Delhi would bend. It hasn’t. Ex-diplomat KP Fabian says Trump’s “Triple T – Trumped-up Trump Tariffs” failed. Modi and Trump still call each other “friends,” but beneath the smiles, India is sticking t...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Food apps hike festive fees Swiggy and Zomato (now Eternal) have raised platform fees—₹15 and ₹12 in metros—while adding surge, rain, and distance charges. With GST now at 18% on deliveries, your festive orders will cost more. But convenience rules, and platforms know demand spikes 30–50% during this season....

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Rat Bite Horror in Indore Two newborns bitten by rats inside Indore’s government-run MY Hospital died within 24 hours, sparking outrage. Hospital authorities insist the deaths were due to septicemia and congenital conditions, not the bites. But the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission has demanded answers,...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. India is at the center of some big moves this week—diplomatic, economic, and corporate. In Beijing, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif tried to woo Vladimir Putin, praising Russia’s “balancing act” in South Asia and calling him a “dynamic leader.” But here’s the truth—India’s ties with Moscow run deeper, built over...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Quake Flattens Afghan Villages A 6.0 earthquake has left eastern Afghanistan shattered — more than 800 killed, nearly 3,000 injured. Entire villages in Kunar province are gone, with survivors describing terrifying jolts and endless aftershocks. Helicopters are the only way in as floods and landslides block ro...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Dragon & Elephant Talk Peace In Beijing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping struck a rare note of harmony at the SCO summit. After years of border tensions, both leaders stressed that India and China are “partners, not rivals,” agreeing to resume direct flights and even restart the Kailash...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. F-35 Crash: Ice Brings Down $200M Jet In Alaska, a $200 million F-35 fighter jet crashed after its pilot spent nearly an hour circling mid-air on a live call with Lockheed Martin engineers. The cause? Ice in the hydraulic lines that froze the landing gear and tricked the jet into “ground mode.” The pilot ejec...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. US Tightens Visas DHS plans to scrap open-ended stays for students and visitors, capping F and J visas at four years, cutting grace periods, and limiting program changes. Officials cite security and oversight as millions enter each year. India’s New War Doctrines Three doctrines unveiled—Special Forces, airbo...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. Trump’s 50% Tariffs on India Starting August 27, Indian exports to the US will face a steep 50% tariff. President Trump doubled duties earlier this month, punishing India for buying Russian oil—a move New Delhi calls “unfair and unreasonable.” Pharma, electronics, and key metals are exempt, but most exports w...

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. MiG-21 Retires After nearly 60 years in service, India’s iconic MiG-21 is flying into history. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh marked the farewell with a formation flight alongside No. 23 Squadron, led by Sqn Ldr Priya. Official retirement comes on September 26, closing a legendary chapter in IAF history....

Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories. 1. Putin's Three Demands to End the War What does Vladimir Putin actually want to end the war in Ukraine? For the first time, we have a clear picture. Sources close to the Kremlin say Putin has three core demands, reportedly discussed during his recent summit with Donald Trump. First, Ukraine must cede the en...