The Delhi high court has ordered the removal of defamatory social media content falsely linking Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's daughter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, protecting her reputation from malicious online attacks.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are actively engaged with world leaders to promote dialogue and diplomacy for peace in West Asia, while also ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community in the region.
'The BJP is pouring in money so that only BJP candidates are visible everywhere.' 'If the Congress does not win this time, its survival itself will be a problem...'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting with chief ministers to review preparedness and plans in light of the West Asia conflict, emphasising the importance of national unity and enhanced security measures.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised the Congress party for its alleged inaction in addressing Maoist violence during its long rule, while highlighting the Modi government's success in nearly eradicating Maoists from Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has warned of a significant increase in cooking gas and fuel prices by the BJP-led central government following the West Bengal assembly elections. He accused the BJP of neglecting the fuel crisis and challenged them to pledge no price hikes for the next five years.
A preview of the 2026 IPL season, highlighting the challenges faced by defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the redemption quests of legacy teams, the relevance of veteran players, and the emergence of future stars.
The rupee plunged to a fresh low of 93.72 against the dollar on Friday, falling 1.15 per cent in a single session - its sharpest one-day decline since February 24, 2022 - as elevated crude oil prices and strong dollar demand from oil-marketing companies and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) weighed on the currency.
On Saturday, February 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes on Iran marking a significant escalation in Middle East tensions.
'Refiners may soon be forced to adjust operations, curtailing runs as product exports stall and directing output solely to domestic markets.'
There are hopes of a turnaround in overall corporate earnings after six quarters of single digit growth.
US-Israel air attacks intensified on the seventh day of war, striking Tehran and other Iranian cities.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively pushing Trump to take the war to its bitter finish and 'erase' Iran's presence in the geopolitics of the region. Simply put, the two most powerful Sunni Arab oligarchies are on the same page as Israel. Such interference increases the risk of a breakdown in dialogue between the US and Iran, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Analysts predict India will face oil price volatility and macroeconomic effects due to the escalating Iran crisis, though the country's oil supply chain is not yet structurally insecure.
'We are profoundly energy-dependent on the Gulf. That dependency must now be redirected towards the United States, because we require American permission to procure oil.' 'We additionally require Iranian permission to acquire oil from that source. So India now has to seek two separate permissions merely to secure its energy supply.' 'Should we be compelled to source from America, or from Venezuela -- which is, in effect, American-controlled supply -- that will inevitably carry a price premium, an elevated shipping cost, and a considerably extended delivery timeline, given the distances involved.'
Citizens and residents across the Gulf region are preparing for Eid amidst regional conflict, impacting festivities and daily life.
In a strategic move to boost offshore energy exploration and operational efficiency, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Reliance Industries Ltd have signed an agreement to share resources such as supply vessels used in finding and producing oil and gas.
If the conflict continues for a prolonged period, State-run oil companies may have to review retail fuel prices accordingly.
'He is not accessible even to his family, his wife or his mother or his father. No one.' 'He has created a barrier so that nobody can go and talk to him.' 'This kind of a mentality is a big question mark in politics.'
Revenue collection next financial year may be affected, and, along with this, subsidies on food and fertilisers can go up if the war in West Asia drags for long, according to experts.
Fathali further stated that Tehran has instructed its embassy in India to facilitate the Indian government, ensuring smooth operations amid the ongoing regional conflict.
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
S&P Global Ratings warns that Indian oil marketing companies like IOC, BPCL, and HPCL may face reduced profit margins due to rising crude oil prices and government pressure to maintain stable retail prices.
Indian stock market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant decline, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East and rising crude oil prices.
The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The Congress has strongly criticised the US government's temporary waiver allowing India to purchase Russian oil, raising concerns about continued 'American blackmail' and its impact on India's energy policy.
This weekend, Donald Trump has begun to say the quiet part out loud -- that he wants to take control of Iran's oil, a formulation more in line with his robber-baron style of international relations.
Israel wishes to continue its bombing campaign until Iran's military and industrial infrastructure are degraded to a point where it ceases to pose a threat to Israel. Iran, for its part, has learnt from its experience in the 12-day war of last June. Any ceasefire, it believes, will only be a prelude to another attack on itself. It is determined to convey that any attack on Iran will impose heavy costs on Israel, the US, America's allies in the Gulf -- and on the world at large, points out T T Ram Mohan.
Donald Trump defends the recent surge in global oil prices, arguing it's a necessary short-term cost to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat and ensure global security.
Authorities in Budaun, Uttar Pradesh, demolished shops belonging to the prime suspect in the murder of two HPCL officials, citing illegal construction on government land. Two more individuals were arrested for allegedly aiding the accused in the crime.
Benchmark indices tumbled about 2 per cent on Friday, capping one of the most turbulent weeks for domestic equities as investors fretted that the West Asian conflict could drag on for weeks or even months.
'The White House lunch that Trump hosted for Munir last year came just after Munir returned from a visit to Iran, at a moment when Israel and Iran were at war.' 'Trump said after that lunch that the Pakistanis know Iran very well. He likely views Munir as a useful interlocutor that can give helpful insights on Iran.'
Delhi Police have arrested three individuals, including the live-in partner of a UPSC aspirant, in connection with his murder. The suspects allegedly conspired to kill the victim and set his body on fire to conceal the crime.
Researchers at CSIR-NCL have developed a technology for producing dimethyl ether (DME) as an alternative to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), potentially reducing India's reliance on imports and enhancing energy security.
'The AIADMK and DMK have 75% of the total votes. 25% of the voters do not support the two majors,' says DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai.
The US Embassy acknowledged the attack in a post on X, urging Americans to avoid the facility 'until further notice' and announcing that all appointments had been cancelled.
Will rising tensions between US-Israel and Iran threaten crude oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz, putting India's fuel prices, imports, and economic stability at risk?
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is urging the Indian government to take a more proactive role in mediating the escalating conflict between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, emphasising the impact on India's energy security and regional stability.
The political rivalry in Nandigram that defined West Bengal's 2021 assembly polls is set to return to centre stage in a new arena, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee locking horns with her protege-turned-adversary Suvendu Adhikari in Bhabanipur, turning the south Kolkata seat into the likely epicentre of the 2026 electoral battle.
