The Middle East conflict continues to boil, sending ripples through global oil supplies. As concerns rise over liquified petroleum gas (LPG) shortages, Indian households are increasingly relying on ready-to-cook meals, frozen snacks, and no-cook foods. Retailers report a sharp rise in demand, with sales climbing up to 20% month-on-month as consumers seek alternatives to traditional cooking.“Categories such as ready meals, frozen snacks, instant noodles and ready-to-cook products have seen strong traction, leading to about a 10-12% rise in this segment. While the surge appears temporary, we are proactively stocking these categories to ensure adequate availability,” Karan Ahuja, spokesperson at premium grocery retailer Le Marche told ET.The shortage intensified last week due to the ongoing Gulf War, causing severe disruption in gas cylinder supplies for restaurants, factories, corporate and school cafeterias, and households alike.

“Our Thai curry ready-to-cook pastes are seeing the highest consumer sales for the first time since launch in two years. This may also lead to a long-term shift in consumer behaviour towards adapting ready-to-eat pastes even when things normalise,” said Deb Mukherjee, founder of Asian packaged ready-to-eat foods and condiments label Moi Soi.Brands are responding with heightened promotions. Mother Dairy revived advertising for its frozen vegetable range over the weekend, while Swiggy Instamart has begun promoting ‘induction-friendly’ cookware.“We are consistently seeing significant traction for our ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook range. Moreover, if the shortage and uncertainty continue over the coming weeks or more, we expect the ready-to-eat category to see higher sales offtake,” said a spokesperson for LT Foods, the maker of Daawat ready-to-cook biryani kits and rice mixes.Analysts note that the adoption of ready-to-cook and frozen foods, which had surged during Covid-19 lockdowns before stabilising to single-digit growth, may now become a long-term trend as households seek alternatives to gas cooking.“Products such as protein oats and millet muesli are witnessing strong traction, making them particularly popular among working professionals and health-conscious individuals,” said Ankit Jha, founder and chief marketing officer at health and nutrition brand Doctor’s Choice.Despite the ministry of petroleum and natural gas prioritising domestic LPG supplies from March 5, shortages persist, with some households reporting cylinder price hikes of up to 30%. The disruption has also driven demand for electric cooking alternatives.“We have observed a sharp and immediate uptick in demand for induction cooktops over the past few days with our average daily run rate having surged to nearly three times the usual levels,” said Shibashish Roy, managing director at Infiniti Retail, which operates the Croma electronics and appliances chain.

The Port of Fujairah in the UAE was once again hit by a drone strike, triggering a fire at a petroleum facility. Specialised emergency teams responded promptly and brought the blaze under control, and no injuries were reported. The attack comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, as the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel continues to escalate. It is the latest in a string of recent strikes on the port, which have already disrupted oil storage and loading operations.

Fujairah’s location on the Gulf of Oman, about 70 nautical miles away from the Strait of Hormuz, gives the UAE a strategic alternative route. The port allows crude exports to continue without relying on the narrow and conflict-prone strait. With tensions keeping Hormuz largely off-limits, Fujairah has become an essential lifeline for international oil flows. Here’s why the port is of immense importance for UAE and global oil pipeline:Major export and fuel hubThe port exported more than 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude and refined fuels on average last year, according to Kpler data, accounting for roughly 1.7% of global daily oil demand. Fujairah also sold 7.4 million cubic metres (around 7.33 million metric tons) of marine fuels in 2025, making it the fourth largest fuel bunkering hub worldwide, after Singapore, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and China’s Zhoushan.Critical to UAE’s oil infrastructureThe Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (Habshan–Fujairah Pipeline) transports crude from Abu Dhabi’s oil fields directly to Fujairah, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. This 1.5 million bpd pipeline is key for sustaining exports, particularly to Asia, and allows the UAE to continue shipping its Murban crude even amid regional disruptions.

Fujairah also hosts the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, which has a storage capacity of 18 million cubic metres for crude and refined products, the largest commercial storage capacity in West Asia. The port supports blending operations, mixing different petroleum components to produce finished products such as gasoline and bunker fuels. Major global storage and trading companies, including VTTI, Vitol, ADNOC, and Vopak, operate at the port.Impact on global oil and fuel marketsAny disruption at Fujairah could ripple across the global energy market. With some oil-loading operations suspended after the latest drone strike, analysts warn that repeated attacks could tighten supply chains already strained by Middle East conflicts. As one of the world’s top hubs for storage, blending, and fuel bunkering outside the Strait of Hormuz, Fujairah remains crucial to both UAE exports and overall global energy stability.

“A tropical rainforest,” says naturalist Vijaya Chakravarty, “is like a multi-storey building. You have the ground cover, the shrubs, the creepers, and, towering above them, the trees.” And every ‘floor’, she continues, motioning up a trunk, forms a distinct ecological niche inhabited by some species or another, from orchids and bromeliads to sunbirds and hornbills.” Chakravarty’s Rainforest 101 takes place in the field—not in the Western Ghats but in the urban heart of Vashi, on the grounds of the Indian Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA). The organisation was formed by 12 women scientists in 1973 to address the challenges faced by fellow women in science, both in the classroom and in the field. It also set out to demystify science for the masses, through public interventions that made the subject accessible and fun.The rainforest demo site sprang from this mission.In 2018, IWSA planted a Learning Garden on its campus to demonstrate how ecosystems work—and the services they provide—through themed clusters of plants, each no larger than the breadth of a young baobab bole.The rainforest site, for instance, is enclosed by a tree ring roughly 7 feet in diameter. At its centre stands a towering Peltophorum pterocarpum (copperpod), surrounded by Schefflera actinophylla (the octopus tree), along with shrubs, grasses, and ground-hugging plants. A chart deciphers its floor plan. A couple of feet away stand other demo ecosystems—the Western Ghats, the Deccan Plateau, and the Coastal Belt—each composed of a mixed bed of plants representing its biogeographical region, like a living line-up of botanical petri dishes.There are butterfly, sensory, and cactus sections; displays devoted to orchids and indoor air-purifying plants (Dracaena trifasciata, or mother-in-law’s tongue); biofuel plants such as Jatropha curcas (the biodiesel plant); and medicinal species like Cissus quadrangularis (the bone-setting hadjod). There are fruiting plants such as Ziziphus mauritiana (ber), prehistoric plants like Zamia furfuracea (the cardboard plant), dye-yielding plants such as Bixa orellana (the lipstick plant), and plants named after musical instruments, like Plumeria pudica (the fiddle-leaf champa). The garden also includes an arboretum and a section devoted to wild food plants.It’s an exhaustive collection of more than 500 species that draws school and college students, neighbourhood children, students of botany and medicine, and even landscapers and architects keen to take a leaf out of IWSA’s book.And a book, in fact, is what the buzz on campus is currently about, as the association launches its latest publication: ‘Creating Learning Gardens & Living Museums: Biodiversity, Conservation & Sustainability’. It is an easy-to-use illustrated guide that’s part primer, part storybook, and an all-round handbook for setting up one’s own biodiverse oasis. Inspired by the Vashi project, Inner Wheel District 314, which supported the book’s publication, created a similar learning garden in Palghar’s Navaze village.“People are told stories or given visual cues to help them remember names and key features,” says Chakravarty, principal designer of the garden and one of the editors of the book. The hadjod, for instance, resembles jointed bones and, in keeping with its name, is prescribed as a cure for arthritis and to speed up the healing of fractures. “Chutneys are made of it, too.”Alstonia scholaris, or the scholar tree, is regarded as the herbal home of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. “That’s why Tagore gave each graduating student at Santiniketan a token leaf,” says Priya Jacob, secretary of IWSA. The scarlet seeds of Abrus precatorius (rosary creeper) were once used to weigh gold, because their weight was strikingly consistent.IWSA may have the means with which to measure wealth, but not the stuff itself, as it struggles for capital to keep the garden in the green. “Lack of funds prevents us from hiring a full-time gardener and from buying the material and manure we need to run the place,” says Dr Srirupa Mukherjee, garden coordinator.Garden management is made easier by assigning thematic sections to members. The scientists often pay for expenses out of pocket, but seldom for the plants themselves, some of which arrive via plant swap programmes or are gifted by institutions the women are associated with. The Pterygota alata ‘diversifolia’ (pagal patta), for instance, was gifted by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.“The tree is a bit like IWSA,” chuckles Chakravarty. “Each leaf is distinct and shaped differently from the other— like the women here.”

The BCCI Naman Awards, held on March 15 in New Delhi, was more than just a formal recognition of cricketing excellence; it was a vibrant celebration of a historic year for Indian cricket. Following a spectacular season where India secured multiple ICC titles including the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, the atmosphere at the gala was electric.

The evening served as a bridge between generations, honoring legends like Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj while spotlighting the meteoric rise of young stars. However, amidst the glitz of the trophies and the solemnity of the speeches, one segment stole the spotlight for its charm and humour: a high-energy rapid-fire round hosted by the ‘Voice of Cricket,’ Harsha Bhogle.

The joyful rapid-fire showdown of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya and Vaibhav Suryavanshi

The highlight of the informal segments was undoubtedly when Bhogle invited Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and the 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi to the stage for a rapid-fire session. The players, shedding their competitive intensity, gave fans a rare glimpse into their personal lives and childhood inspirations.

When asked about their cricketing idols, the answers reflected a diverse range of influences. Abhishek Sharma didn’t hesitate to name his mentor Yuvraj Singh, while Sanju Samson stayed true to his roots with Sachin Tendulkar. In a classic witty twist, Hardik Pandya named domestic legend Wasim Jaffer, while the young Vaibhav Suryavanshi showcased a broad palate, citing both Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh.

The conversation took a nostalgic turn with questions about their first video games. While Abhishek reminisced about the classic EA Sports’ Cricket 07 and Sanju recalled the open-world chaos of GTA Vice City, Hardik revealed he was a WWE fan. Proving he is truly a different breed of modern teenager, Vaibhav simply stated, “Sir, I don’t play video games,” drawing cheers from the audience.

The humor continued as they discussed their first vehicles. Abhishek started humble with a Honda Activa, and Sanju recalled his Maruti Wagon R. Hardik, known today for his luxury car collection, shared that his journey began with a Maruti 800. Meanwhile, Vaibhav, still too young to drive, admitted he hasn’t bought anything yet.

One of the most surprising revelations came from Samson; when asked about the first match he ever saw in a stadium, he confessed, “I think it was an IPL game that I was part of. I never went to the stadium to watch a match [as a fan].” To cap it off, the players shared their cinematic tastes, ranging from Sanju’s devotion to Superstar Rajinikanth to Hardik’s odd obsession with Godzilla, Abhishek’s 3 Idiots and Vaibhav’s Dhurandhar.

Here’s the video:

Champions take on some quick-fire questions! ⚡

First game? First vehicle? & more ft Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi! 🙌 #NamanAwards pic.twitter.com/pj9KDOma68

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 15, 2026

Also READ: From Rahul Dravid to Shubman Gill: BCCI unveils list of winners for Naman Awards

Major award distributions at BCCI Naman Awards

While the rapid-fire round provided the laughs, the core of the Naman Awards was the celebration of record-breaking performances over the 2024-25 season.

Shubman Gill was the man of the hour, clinching his second Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men). The Indian Test and ODI captain enjoyed a legendary 2025, amassing 1,764 runs across formats. His dominance in red-ball cricket was the talk of the night, specifically his 754-run tally in the five-Test series against England, where he averaged a staggering 75.40 and registered a career-best 269.

On the women’s side, Smriti Mandhana made history by receiving the Best International Women’s Cricketer award for a record fifth time. Mandhana’s 2025 season was statistically unprecedented; she became the first woman in ODI history to score 1,000 runs in a calendar year, finishing with 1,362 runs in the format. Her pivotal 434-run contribution during India’s maiden Women’s World Cup triumph and her 50-ball century against Australia—the fastest by an Indian woman—cemented her status as a global icon.

The BCCI also bestowed the prestigious Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award upon three giants of the game:

• Roger Binny: The 1983 World Cup hero and former BCCI President was honored for his decades of service as a player and administrator.
• Rahul Dravid: “The Wall” was celebrated for his impeccable playing career (over 24,000 international runs) and his recent success as the coach who guided both the U19 and senior men’s teams to World Cup glory.
• Mithali Raj: The trailblazer of Indian women’s cricket was recognized for her 23-year career and her record 7,805 ODI runs, a feat that remains unmatched in the women’s game.

The night concluded with a sense of optimism, as Samson remarked during the ceremony, “India is going to do this more and more often,” referring to the nation’s growing collection of silverware.

Also READ: Robin Uthappa explains why IPL 2026 will be a challenging season for Vaibhav Suryavanshi

People often get confused when they see Crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) and Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) at the same time because they look similar, with only minimal differences in their bodies. Despite being very similar, it’s difficult for anyone to see them together. But South Florida is the only region in the world where American crocodiles and American alligators share the same ecosystem. While alligators inhabit mostly freshwater and live mostly in the inland part of the state, crocodiles prefer saltwater and live primarily along the coast in mangroves. According to the National Park Service, both predators live in the same habitat, allowing them to coexist in the Everglades because both freshwater and brackish water are available. The combination of fresh and brackish waters allows both apex predators to establish a delicate ecological balance.

The Everglades, the global intersection of crocodiles and alligators

The state of Florida is the only place on the planet where both the American Alligator and American Crocodile exist in the same geographical area. The American Alligator’s range extends across much of the southeastern United States, while the northernmost extent of the American Crocodile’s range occurs within southern Florida. According to the National Park Service, the Everglades have a unique ‘brackish’ ecosystem (a mixture of freshwater and saltwater) that creates a habitable environment for species in this transitional area.American Alligators typically occupy the freshwater marshes inland, and American Crocodiles tend to use the coastal mangroves and locally available salty bays. The existence of American Crocodiles in southern Florida is particularly important because they are ‘reclusive’ animals that depend on subtropical environmental conditions to survive. As noted by the National Park Service, although they occupy the same general area, they generally prefer different habitat types, allowing them to maintain enough distance from one another to avoid frequent conflicts.

The secret to their peaceful life together

Both American crocodiles and American alligators share habitats throughout South Florida. Still, because they are both adaptable to varying water salinity, they have found ways to avoid competing with each other. The National Park Service reports that they ‘self-sort’ based on their respective adaptations to minimise competition among themselves.American crocodiles can live in the brackish waters of South Florida’s coastal mangroves because of specialised salt glands that allow them to excrete excess salt from their bodies. On the other hand, alligators lack salt glands, so they are restricted to freshwater marshes, limiting where they can build nests or feed. Therefore, the adaptations of the American alligator to freshwater and the American crocodile to brackish water help them avoid competition for habitat resources, allowing both apex predators to coexist within their shared ecosystems and explaining their peaceful life together.

How to spot the difference between an alligator and a crocodile

Alligators have a wide, U-shaped snout adapted for crushing prey, while crocodiles have a narrow, V-shaped snout for catching their prey. When they close their mouths, you can only see the alligator’s top row of teeth, but the crocodile will also see its fourth lower tooth when its mouth is closed.Furthermore, alligators are dark grey or black, which complements the murky swamp they inhabit. Crocodiles are much lighter, and the olive-green colour of their bodies closely matches the colour of sunlit mangrove trees along coastal areas, making them easier for crocodiles to blend into their environment. Both predators then excel at living in Florida’s unique environments.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, and Ishan Kishan. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav has revealed that one of the biggest selection calls of the tournament — choosing Ishan Kishan over Jitesh Sharma — was largely driven by instinct rather than pure numbers. The skipper admitted the decision was tough but insisted his gut feeling told him Kishan could be the “X-factor” India needed on the big stage.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Suryakumar said the call was a delicate balance between data and intuition. “It was completely on gut, little bit on data. It was very harsh on Jitesh Sharma at that time because he was playing with the team for over a year. Had he not been playing, then the story would have been different,” he said in a podcast interview with PTI Videos.

The captain revealed that the turning point came during a direct conversation with Kishan. “I called him and asked, ‘Chhotu, World Cup jitayega?’ He asked, ‘Bharosa karogey?’ I said, ‘Chal kiya.’ And the way he played was amazing,” Suryakumar recalled. “I always knew he could be the X-factor because he has no baggage.”Kishan justified that faith in style during the tournament, scoring 317 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of over 190 while opening the innings and batting at No. 3. His tally was the fourth-highest in the competition as India lifted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the second consecutive time, following their triumph under Rohit Sharma in 2024.Suryakumar also highlighted Kishan’s determination to fight his way back into the national setup after a difficult phase. “He was going through a bad patch and had been out of the team for a while. But he travelled across India playing practice matches and smaller games just to stay ready,” he said.Another tactical call that proved decisive was the inclusion of Sanju Samson at the top of the order. According to Suryakumar, Samson’s arrival changed the momentum of India’s campaign. “After Sanju got included, the tide completely changed. It was also tactical because we had too many left-handers at the top and opposition off-spinners were finding it easy.”Samson responded with match-winning performances, including scores of 89 in both the semifinal and final, eventually earning the Player of the Tournament award.Reflecting on his own approach, Suryakumar described T20 batting as largely instinctive. “It’s a reaction-driven sport. Around 70 to 75 per cent of batting is reaction and the rest is instinct. On a given day, you just assess what the situation demands and bat accordingly,” he said.

NEW DELHI: Announcing a major shake-up in West Bengal’s administrative and police brass within hours of announcing the poll schedule, the Election Commission ordered the immediate replacement of the state state chief secretary, director general of police (DGP), principal secretary (home) and Kolkata police commissioner, among others.EC’s overriding powers to shift officers directly engaged in the conduct of polls, stem from Article 324 of the Constitution, which places the entire poll machinery in an election-going state/UT under its “superintendence, direction and control” during the preparation of the electoral roll and conduct of elections to Parliament and state legislatures. West Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakraborty was shunted out late on Sunday night along with principal secretary (home) Jagdish Prasad Meena. Both are seen close to the ruling party in the state. EC ordered that Dushyant Nariala, an IAS officer of 1993 batch be posted as chief secretary with immediate effect, and Sanghamitra Ghosh, an IAS officer of 1997 batch, as principal secretary, home and hill affairs.On Monday afternoon followed another set of transfers in the higher echelons of West Bengal police. DGP Peeyush Pandey was shunted out and 1992 batch IPS officer SIddh Nath Gupta brought in his place. Kolkata police commissioner Supratim Sarkar was replaced by Ajay Kumar Nand, IPS officer of 1996 batch. “Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had, in the EC press conference on Sunday, assured that elections in West Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful. In pursuance of this objective, the EC has appointed/transferred senior police officials of the state, including the DGP and Kolkata police commissioner,” a senior EC official told TOI. Also making a change in the crucial post of ADG and IGP, law and order — with a direct role in curbing political clashes and violence as well as judicious deployment of security forces for poll security — the EC replaced the incumbent with 1995 batch IPS officer Ajay Mukund Ranade. Natarajan Ramesh Babu, a 1991 batch IPS officer, was ordered to be posted as DG, correctional services. The transfers — which are not unusual as EC has similarly replaced top officers in West Bengal during past Lok Sabha and assembly polls — evoked sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress in Parliament. TMC MP Derek O’ Brien announced a day-long walkout by the party MPs from Rajya Sabha in protest, even as parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju underlined that the poll panel had the constitutional authority to do so and alleged that the TMC has made it a habit to attack all constitutional bodies.

As the Middle East crisis escalate and Iran continues to choke Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has moved to pitched another option to its long-term oil buyers. The kingdom is offering long-term buyers the choice to receive their April crude shipments through its Red Sea port of Yanbu, amid ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Traders familiar with the plan said customers opting for Yanbu will get only part of their monthly allocation because the pipeline feeding the port cannot carry full volumes. Alternative route is to still take oil from the Persian Gulf, but risk receiving nothing if the strait remains blocked, Bloomberg reported.Before Iran effectively blocked the strait, Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil exporter, shipped 7.2 million barrels last month, mostly from its Gulf terminals at Ras Tanura and Juaymah. Saudi Arabia’s 5 million barrel-per-day pipeline to the Red Sea provides an alternative route, though Yanbu’s export capacity may be lower.Most of Saudi Arabia’s oil is sold via long-term contracts, primarily to Asian buyers. In response to supply concerns, China’s Sinopec has cut refinery run rates by 10%, while Japan has begun releasing crude from national reserves.The options reflect uncertainty over the conflict’s duration and when the Strait of Hormuz may reopen. Traders noted that if the war continues, oil shipped from Yanbu to Asia could be sold on a delivered basis, with Aramco handling transport, rather than the usual loading basis, where customers organise shipping themselves. Only the Arab Light grade is being offered from Yanbu.

Since the war began nearly three weeks ago, Aramco has increased shipments through Yanbu and has, unusually, offered crude via spot market tenders. However, this is the first time contracted supply is being offered from the Red Sea terminal.Some European refiners are also facing reduced allocations. One major processor reported receiving no volumes for next month, while another was allocated less than requested.