MUMBAI: The city’s hospitality and food supply chains are feeling the heat as Mahanagar Gas Ltd’s partial curtailment of 20% of piped gas to commercial and industrial users begins to cause ripples across the city. Around 30-35% of hotels in Mumbai that depend on piped gas have been affected, forcing many establishments to reduce items on menu or look for alternative fuel and energy sources.In a statement, MGL said it had implemented “a partial curtailment” of gas supply to industrial and commercial customers “due to the prevailing geopolitical developments affecting the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and are supplying them 80% gas.” The company maintained domestic PNG (piped cooking gas at home) consumers and CNG stations continue to receive 100% supply and remain unaffected.The curtailment in piped gas supply for industrial users is 50%, an official said.

The disruption has come at a time when anxiety over fuel availability is already high. In Bhandup, LPG supplies resumed on Friday under heavy police protection after deliveries were disrupted following an assault at a local dealership. Five police personnel were deployed at the outlet as large crowds gathered from early morning, with dealers reporting panic-driven bookings rather than any real depletion of household stocks.“Deliveries had slowed after the assault, but with more bandobast in place, full-fledged distribution has started again,” a dealer said.Even as domestic consumers saw some relief, commercial LPG users such as hotels, canteens and bulk buyers continued to face uncertainty, with supplies yet to resume fully. The strain was visible across multiple sectors.At Goregaon’s Film City, food providers said they were being forced to tweak menus. The impact has also spread to the vegetable trade, where wholesalers say demand from hotels and eateries has dropped sharply. In Mulund, a wholesale vegetable vendor said 60-70% of regular bulk buyers who were from restaurants and street business were not lifting stock, leading to significant wastage.Dealers, though, pointed to a possible easing of the situation after reports that two ships carrying gas had crossed the Strait of Hormuz and were headed to India, raising hopes of improved availability.

Jairam Ramesh (Image/PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission will hold a press conference at 4 pm to announce the schedule for the general elections to the legislative assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The terms of these assemblies are set to end on different dates in May and June.Ahead of the announcement, opposition leaders targeted the poll body and questioned its neutrality while reacting to the upcoming declaration of election dates.Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at the Model Code of Conduct and the poll panel saying that the MCC has come to stand for “Modi’s Code of Campaigning”.In a post on X party’s general secretary in charge of communications wrote, “The Election Commission will announce the schedule for the 2026 assembly elections at 4 PM today. It would have been given the go-ahead by the G2, since G1 would have completed this round of inaugurations, ribbon-cuttings, flag-offs, and launches.“The Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct (MCC) will soon come into effect. But since 2014 this has come to stand for Modi’s Code of Campaigning – which will be full of defamation, abuses, intimidation, fear-mongering, and spreading the virus of lies,” he added.The Congress frequently uses the term “G2” to take swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is a set of guidelines agreed upon by political parties to regulate campaigning during elections and ensure that polling, campaigning and counting are conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Manoj Kumar Jha also urged the poll panel to ensure impartiality.“I just want to say that the Election Commissioner should look at their predecessors and conduct themselves accordingly. An independent and unbiased election is not just something written on paper,” he said.He said that the announcement of election dates appeared predictable based on recent political rallies.“The announcement of election dates is a fairly natural process; we had already got an indication from the way the Prime Minister’s rallies were being held. The Election Commission does not appear to be playing an impartial role. We keep urging them to show impartiality. I feel that in the future, children may read in books: ‘Once upon a time there used to be an Election Commission which conducted free and fair elections, once upon a time, not now.’”Reacting to the upcoming polls in West Bengal, Firhad Hakim, the mayor of Kolkata and a leader of the Trinamool Congress, said elections come and go but his party remains connected to people throughout the year.“Elections come and go. We stay with the people all year round. If someone new shows up for the election, will people trust them? In their pain and suffering, Trinamool Congress was with them,” Hakim said.Reacting to the announcement, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that the party had been waiting for the announcement for a long time.“We welcome it. We’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. Actually, it should have been announced much earlier… I would say to the Election Commission that there are already so many doubts about you, but at least don’t do things so blatantly. The Prime Minister keeps making announcements left and right, and then suddenly it occurs to you to announce the dates,” he said. Final electoral rolls of the four states and the Union territory of Puducherry have already been published as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) turned aggressive sellers in Indian equities in March, pulling out Rs 52,704 crore (around USD 5.73 billion) from the cash market in the first fortnight of the month. The withdrawals come amid escalating tensions in West Asia, the weakening of the rupee and growing concerns over the impact of elevated crude oil prices on India’s economic growth and corporate earnings.According to depository data, FPIs have remained net sellers on every trading day so far in March. Between the beginning of the month and March 13, overseas investors offloaded equities worth about Rs 52,704 crore.The latest round of selling follows a brief revival in foreign inflows in February, when FPIs invested Rs 22,615 crore in Indian equities. That marked the highest monthly inflow recorded in the past 17 months.Before February’s inflow, foreign investors had been consistently pulling money out of the market. They withdrew Rs 35,962 crore in January, Rs 22,611 crore in December and Rs 3,765 crore in November.Analysts say the renewed selling pressure is largely linked to geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia and its impact on energy markets.Vaqarjaved Khan, Senior Fundamental Analyst at Angel One, said tensions in the region and concerns about a prolonged conflict affecting the Strait of Hormuz pushed Brent crude prices above $100 per barrel, prompting investors to shift to a risk-off approach. He added that the pressure was intensified by the rupee’s persistent weakness near the Rs 92 level, elevated US bond yields and profit booking following earlier inflows.Similar concerns were highlighted by VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments. He said the conflict in West Asia has weakened global equity markets, while the falling rupee and rising crude oil prices have raised worries about their potential impact on India’s economic growth and corporate profitability.Vijayakumar also noted that India has delivered comparatively weaker returns than many developed and emerging markets over the past 18 months, which has reduced foreign investors’ interest in the market.He pointed out that markets such as South Korea, Taiwan and China are currently seen as more attractive destinations for investors. According to him, these markets remain relatively cheaper than India even after the recent correction and offer better corporate earnings prospects. As a result, further FPI selling in India may continue in the near term.Despite the heavy outflows, analysts believe the selling has opened up opportunities for domestic investors. The strong FPI exit from financial stocks has made valuations more attractive for local buyers.Looking ahead, Khan said the outlook for the second half of March remains cautious. Outflows could slow if geopolitical tensions ease or if fourth-quarter earnings from sectors such as banking and consumption exceed expectations. However, a further spike in oil prices or fresh global uncertainties could extend the selling trend.Sector-wise, information technology stocks have experienced the largest foreign outflows in 2025 so far. FPIs have withdrawn around Rs 74,700 crore from the IT sector amid subdued revenue growth, tariff-related uncertainties and weaker global spending on technology.Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) stocks have also faced significant selling, with outflows of nearly Rs 36,800 crore as urban consumption slows and companies face margin pressures, according to Aditya Shankar, Co-founder of Centricity WealthTech.Power and healthcare sectors have likewise seen notable exits, with FPIs pulling out more than Rs 24,000–26,000 crore, largely due to valuations being stretched relative to earnings delivery.At the same time, FPIs have increased their investments in telecom, oil and gas, metals and chemicals. Shankar said this indicates a rotation by foreign investors towards domestic value segments and commodity-linked sectors.

NEW DELHI: Activist and engineer Sonam Wangchuk was released from Jodhpur Central Jail on Saturday after spending nearly six months in detention, with his wife Geetanjali J Angmo describing the moment as the end of a long and exhausting ordeal for their family.In a message posted on X shortly after his release, Angmo wrote about the emotional process of informing Wangchuk that he would finally walk free. “Writing the final letter to the jail superintendent yesterday seeking permission to meet and inform @Wangchuk66 of his release,” she said. Thanking people in Jodhpur for their support, she added that she was relieved that her husband’s “ordeal of being inside the jail for 170 days” had ended.

Angmo also spoke about the personal strain of the months-long detention. She said she had travelled to the prison twice every week for the past five months, often making the journey simply for a one-hour meeting. “My ordeal of making two trips a week every week for just a 60-minute meeting over the past five months has finally ended,” she wrote.Wangchuk, 59, had been detained on September 26 last year under the National Security Act following violent protests in Ladakh linked to demands for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The protests were organised by groups including the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance.The Centre announced on Saturday that it had revoked Wangchuk’s detention with immediate effect, saying the decision was aimed at fostering “peace, stability and mutual trust” in Ladakh and facilitating dialogue with stakeholders. Police in Jodhpur confirmed he was released at around 1.30 pm after the order arrived, with Angmo present to complete the formalities.The decision came days after the Supreme Court of India adjourned a hearing to March 17 on a petition filed by Angmo challenging the detention.Just two days earlier, Wangchuk had written on X that he remained committed to activism for Ladakh but believed the region’s future required “clarity, unity and sincere dialogue”. “Our struggle has always been for Ladakh’s protection, dignity, and long-term well-being and shall continue to be,” he said.

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Abhishek Sharma (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Abhishek Sharma did not expect to begin the T20 World Cup 2026 the way he had planned, dreamt and desired. The swashbuckling opener, known for his blistering batting and high strike rate while pummelling bowlers all over the park, endured a nightmare start to the tournament. Abhishek was out for a duck in India’s opening match against the USA and then failed to score again in the next match against arch-rivals Pakistan.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!He was once again given a chance by the team management in the third match against the Netherlands, but it was the same story for Abhishek — a third consecutive duck.

The disappointment, lack of confidence and hunger to score were clearly visible on Abhishek’s face. That was when captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir stepped in to support the youngster during his tough phase.Abhishek has now revealed the radical advice he received from Gambhir and Surya during his darkest phase in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026.Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Abhishek admitted that after his second consecutive duck in the tournament, he was close to an emotional breakdown.“Slowly you get used to it. But it does feel bad (when there is criticism). That is going to happen in India because people have a lot of expectations from you. After I scored three ducks, Surya, GG sir and Hardik Pandya came to me and said, ‘Phone pakad, social media hata abhi ke abhi [take your phone and uninstall social media right now]’,” Abhishek said. “That was the first thing I did after my second zero. That actually helped me a bit. I was getting a lot of suggestions and comments from people. That’s how a cricketer’s life is. You have to listen and you will be criticised. All you can do is listen and ignore. That is because they have a lot of expectations from you. Sometimes you deliver and sometimes you don’t. I expected this.”After scoring three ducks in a row, Abhishek finally returned among the runs with 15 against South Africa. He soon regained his rhythm, scoring 55 against Zimbabwe and looking close to his fluent best.However, he once again struggled against England, managing just nine runs.All eyes were on him in the title clash. This time, however, Abhishek had other plans. He smashed New Zealand bowlers all over the park in the final, scoring a blistering 52 off just 21 balls and stitching a 98-run opening partnership with Sanju Samson to lay a solid foundation for India.India went on to post a massive 255/5 in their allotted 20 overs before bowling New Zealand out for 159 to win the T20 World Cup 2026 title.It was India’s third T20 World Cup triumph, having previously lifted the trophy in 2007 and 2024.