World

Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz following the US–Israel conflict with Iran are rattling global energy markets, exposing Asia’s heavy dependence on Gulf oil

Emirates resumed flight operations to and from Dubai International Airport after temporarily suspending services due to safety concerns. The airline asked passengers with confirmed bookings to proceed to the airport and deleted an earlier advisory that had created confusion among travellers.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has rejected as baseless a viral social media claim alleging that an Indian national was detained in Saudi Arabia for being an Israeli spy. The misleading post, shared by an account named 'Amoxicillin' on X, claimed Saudi authorities arrested two Mossad agents, including an Indian.

A Canada-based social media personality, Nancy Grewal, known for her outspoken anti-Khalistan views, was fatally stabbed in LaSalle, Ontario. A Khalistani-linked extremist account claimed responsibility for the attack.

A US federal jury convicted Pakistani national Asif Merchant for plotting with Iran’s IRGC to assassinate Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign. The plan failed after an FBI informant alerted authorities. Merchant now faces life imprisonment

Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah (Balen) and his Rastriya Swatantra Party are heading towards a sweeping victory in Nepal’s general elections, breaking the dominance of traditional parties. Riding on the momentum of last year’s Gen Z protests against corruption and political instability, the 35-year-old leader is now poised to become Nepal’s next Prime Minister

Indonesia has announced a ban on social media use for children under 16, citing rising concerns over online addiction, cyberbullying and harmful content. The rule will be implemented gradually from March 28 as digital platforms are required to comply

Sanju Samson, after match-winning knocks against West Indies and England, aims to deliver again in the T20 World Cup final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. The in-form batter says India must take one more step to lift the trophy

World Champion D Gukesh ended his winless run by defeating David Anton Guijarro in the final round of the Prague Masters. Aravindh Chithambaram finished joint second, while Divya Deshmukh secured third in the Challengers section of the festival

The ICC has named Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf as on-field umpires for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Allahuddien Paleker, Adrian Holdstock and Andy Pycroft complete the match officials’ team

For India, preparedness and balance, not rhetoric, will shape resilience in the months ahead

German media group Axel Springer has agreed to buy the owner of Britain's Daily Telegraph for 575 million pounds (USD 766 million), ending a prolonged ownership saga of the Telegraph Media Group, publisher of the Daily Telegraph and its Sunday edition

Indian refiners have begun purchasing stranded Russian crude oil cargoes following a US Treasury waiver, as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz threaten Middle Eastern supplies.

Four men, including one Iranian and three dual British-Iranian nationals, were arrested by Metropolitan Police on suspicion of spying on the Jewish community and aiding Iran’s intelligence. Arrests occurred at multiple north London addresses early Friday

  Indian refiners have resumed buying stranded Russian crude after the US Treasury issued a 30-day licence. The move offsets Middle East supply disruptions amid the West Asia conflict, ensuring domestic fuel security while balancing Russian and other sources 

Intense Israeli airstrikes hit Tehran and Beirut as the US targeted Iran’s drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across Gulf nations. The conflict has escalated regionally, killing over 1,300 people and involving 12 countries

Sri Lanka Navy safely transferred 204 Iranian personnel from the troubled naval vessel IRINS Bushehr to Colombo after an engine failure. The development follows the sinking of Iranian frigate IRIS Dena amid escalating US-Iran tensions

Death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during Ramadan could mark a historic shift as his son Mojtaba Khamenei emerges as a likely successor. His rise may strengthen the security establishment and reshape Iran’s politics amid regional tensions

Vaishnavi Adkar and Ankita Raina advanced to the quarterfinals of the ITF W35 Kalaburagi tournament with convincing wins in the women’s singles. The pair also progressed in doubles as Indian players continued their strong showing at the event

India’s Lakshya Sen advanced to the quarterfinals of the All England Open 2026 after defeating Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus in three games. The Indian shuttler recovered strongly in the decider after missing four match points in the second game

US stocks slipped as rising oil prices linked to the Iran conflict weighed on markets. Airline and retail shares declined while investors watched the Strait of Hormuz closely. Higher energy prices may also delay Federal Reserve interest rate cuts

India expressed condolences over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signing the condolence book at the Iranian embassy. The move came amid Opposition criticism of the government’s silence and escalating tensions in West Asia

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has accused Iran of launching drone attacks on its exclave of Nakhchivan, with one drone crashing near an airport and another near a school.

Senior US military leaders told lawmakers over 108,000 American soldiers are deployed across 160 countries, maintaining global operations while confronting conflicts in the Middle East and rising threats from China and Russia, despite ongoing readiness challenges such as ageing equipment and maintenance delays