NEW DELHI: Till Feb 27, it seemed like a usual trip back home through familiar waters for the crew of the Indian-flagged ship. But everything changed dramatically, recalled a senior officer of the vessel — that returned to India early this week after crossing the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz — as the US and Israel launched coordinated, surprise airstrikes against multiple sites across Iran the next day.After loading the ship at Ras Laffan in Qatar on Feb 27, which is around 300–350 km (about 160–190 nautical miles) by sea, the captain and crew were all set to embark on their voyage to India. “But things came to a halt with reports and instances of major airstrikes. We took refuge at a safe anchorage at a port in the UAE. We faced a lot of problems as GPS started giving trouble and instruments on the ship were not working properly. This added to our anxiety levels. We were watching news and getting updates of the war and attacks which were happening in the region. We just followed the advisories and instructions of DG Shipping, Shipping Corporation of India and Indian Navy,” the officer told TOI on condition of anonymity.For the crew, apart from the risk they faced in the war zone, what added to their anxieties was the depleting stock of drinking water. “We had enough food to manage for more than a month. But potable water was becoming an issue. Cargo ships can generate very little drinking water when stopped, and that’s not enough to sustain crew members; in the case of older ships, this is reduced further. We could have managed for another 7-10 days with the water we had,” the officer said.This is because the onboard water production system or freshwater generators on such a vessel are linked to the heat and power generated by the main engine while it is running.Another big challenge was to keep the crew members motivated and instill confidence in them that the ship would be able to sail back to India safely given the govt’s focus on rescuing Indian-flagged vessels, which are crucial to its energy security. The cricket World Cup matches helped too to reduce the stress in the air on the ship.After an almost 10-day wait at the port, the crew got the good news on March 13 (Friday) that they could start their journey that night. “We had no prior information, though we were aware that the Indian govt was working hard for safe passage of Indian-flagged vessels. We were in touch with Indian Navy, which escorted us after we crossed the Strait of Hormuz. We were not in contact with the Iranian Navy,” the officer said in response to a question.News agency Bloomberg reported that the Iranian Navy had guided an Indian LPG vessel through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing the ship to pass on a pre-approved route following diplomatic engagement by New Delhi. It said that during the crossing, the ship was in contact with the Iranian navy by radio and the Iranians took details of the ship’s flag, name, origin and destination ports, and the nationality of the crew members.There have been reports of at least eight vessels transiting Hormuz this week.

SRINAGAR\JAMMU: J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed grave concern Saturday over Eid prayers being blocked at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Mosque, terming it “regrettable” and questioning LG Manoj Sinha-led administration’s claims of “normality” in the Union territory.“Across J&K, Eid prayers were offered. But prayers were not allowed at Jamia Mosque. It exposes the administration that controls security and law and order. They repeatedly say the situation is completely normal. What kind of normalcy is it when permission is not given to offer prayers at Srinagar’s biggest mosque,” Omar said at Hazratbal shrine.He expressed hope that such decisions would be reviewed and people would be allowed to offer prayers freely. Under J&K’s UT arrangement since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, police and security fall under LG Sinha’s jurisdiction.Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief cleric of Kashmir who delivers sermons at Jamia Mosque, said he was placed under house arrest and the shrine was locked. Sharing pictures on X of the locked mosque, Mirwaiz pointed out that this was the seventh year of restrictions. “A day of celebration turned to grief and denial for Muslims. It’s an irony of our times that those who lock our mosques and Eidgahs are the first to wish us Eid Mubarak,” Mirwaiz wrote.LG Sinha was among the key public figures, apart from CM Omar, who extended Eid greetings to people. “The sacred festival embodies the noble spirit of sacrifice and the joy of sharing. May Eid usher in peace, prosperity and happiness for all,” the LG posted.Mirwaiz said he was placed under house arrest on Friday, with the authorities “choking lanes and bylanes with concertina wire and disallowing movement”. Since his release in Sept 2023 after four years of house arrest following Article 370’s scrapping, Mirwaiz has faced frequent restrictions, with the police detaining him at home ahead of Friday prayers and Eid.This time, J&K Police did not comment on the curbs, only saying prayers in Srinagar were held peacefully and urging people to celebrate with responsibility.In Jammu, though, the festival was marked by fervour, traditional gaiety and special prayers for an end to the West Asia conflict.People in festive attire thronged various sites. The main congregation was held at Eidgah, where thousands offered Eid namaz. Rattan Lal Gupta, Jammu chief of CM Omar’s National Conference (NC), visited the site, emphasising the region’s tradition of communal amity.NC MLA Bashir Ahmad Veeri lamented that global conflicts have led to rising prices and hardships. “We pray that wisdom prevails, the (Iran) war ends, and people get relief from suffering. We also pray for peace and brotherhood in our country,” Veeri said.

NBA Star LeBron James (Image via Getty)

LeBron James has played against some of the toughest players in basketball history. He is big, strong, and fast. But this week, “The King” met a new opponent that he did not want to fight- a sneaky alligator!LeBron was playing golf with his son, Bronny James. They were having a fun, relaxing day in the sun. Everything was going well until LeBron hit his ball near a small pond.

LeBron James nearly risks it all during golf game before spotting alligator nearby

When LeBron went to get his ball, he saw something moving in the water. It wasn’t another golfer or a bird. It was a real alligator! The alligator was sitting very still, just watching LeBron. It looked like it was waiting for him to come closer.LeBron stopped immediately. He didn’t want to get too close to the water’s edge. He knew that even though he is a superstar, an alligator is much more dangerous than a basketball player.Someone in the group started filming the moment. In the video, you can hear LeBron talking about the gator. He was being very careful.“He is sneaky,” LeBron said to his friends. “If I go down there and he goes under the water, it’s over! I am not playing with him today.”Bronny and his friends thought it was hilarious. They were laughing and joking while LeBron stayed far away from the pond. LeBron knew that the alligator had the “home court advantage.”LeBron is famous for being a very smart player on the basketball court. This moment showed that he is smart in real life, too. He didn’t try to be a hero. He didn’t try to scare the alligator away with his golf club.Instead, LeBron made a simple choice. He left the ball where it was. He decided that a cheap golf ball was not worth getting bitten by a swamp monster. He took a “penalty,” which means he just started his next shot from a safe spot further away.The Los Angeles Lakers are probably very happy that LeBron is safe. He might be the King of the basketball court, but he knows that the alligator is the King of the swamp! From now on, LeBron might stay far away from the water when he plays golf.

NEW DELHI: Brace yourself for steeper domestic airfares as airlines will now be able to pass on their hugely escalated operating costs to passengers from next week. The domestic airfare cap of Rs 18,000 (UDF, passenger security fees & taxes extra) that was imposed on Dec 6, 2025, during the IndiGo crisis will be lifted from Monday (March 23).While the aviation ministry order removing fare caps says “excessive or unjustified surge in fares during periods of peak demand, disruptions, or exigencies, will be viewed seriously” and that fare caps or other interventions can be re-introduced “if required in public interest,” airline are facing their biggest crisis since Covid six years back. Their dollar-denominated costs have skyrocketed with the rupee plunging to new all time lows on a daily basis during the ongoing Israel-Iran war, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) pricing going ahead remains a big concern.International airfares have already been very high since the Iran-Israel war as operating airlines’ capacity to and from the west has shrunk and the big three Gulf carriers are flying very few flights.Since airlines have not got any fiscal relief on ATF excise (from Centre) or VAT (from some places like Delhi and Mumbai), they had categorically asked the govt to cap airfares if their costs can be similarly capped too. While IndiGo and Tata Sons’ Air India group have deep pockets, most of the other Indian airlines are struggling to remain afloat. Unable to get any fiscal relief on ATF pricing so far, the aviation ministry removed fare caps while asking airlines to “exercise pricing discipline and act responsibly.” With IndiGo flight schedule fully restored now and “with restoration of capacity and normalisation of operations across the sector, it has been decided that fare cap shall stand withdrawn with effect from March 23, 2026…. Airlines shall ensure that fares remain reasonable, transparent and commensurate with market conditions, and that passenger interests are not adversely impacted.”Airlines say while costs have gone through the roof, there is a limit to fare hikes as that affect demand. “The financial impact of this crisis is yet to be fully felt, as although the spot price of jet fuel has more than doubled, most of the impact will only hit us from next month. We, like other Indian carriers, have already imposed a fuel surcharge on new tickets to help mitigate this imminent cost increase, but not every customer is willing to pay higher airfares so there is a limit to how high we can price before demand drops,” Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in his weekly message to employees Friday.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Saturday that it had struck an Israeli F-16 fighter jet over central Iran, though the Israeli military said only that one of its aircraft had come under surface-to-air missile fire during operations and insisted there was no damage.The competing claims emerged as the conflict triggered by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 continues to widen across the Middle East.As per news agency AFP, the Guards said on their Sepah News website, “An F-16 hostile enemy fighter jet belonging to the Zionist regime was struck at 3:45 am in central Iran.”

Israel confirms missile launch but denies any damage

The Israeli military did not directly confirm the loss or damage of an F-16, but acknowledged that one of its aircraft had been targeted during an operation inside Iran.The Israeli military said a surface-to-air missile had been launched at an Israeli aircraft during “an operational activity” in Iran.It added that “no damage was caused to the aircraft,” according to AFP.At this stage, it remains unclear whether the Israeli statement and the IRGC’s claim refer to the same incident, as Israel did not specify the type of aircraft involved.

Iranian media shows smoke in sky, but no verification

Iranian media also circulated an image purportedly showing smoke in the sky and claimed that another aircraft had been targeted, though no further details were provided.According to AFP, the reports did not identify the type of the second aircraft or whether it belonged to Israel or the United States.

Claim comes days after Iran’s F-35 assertion

Saturday’s announcement follows another high-profile Iranian claim earlier this week involving a US aircraft.The IRGC had said days earlier that a US F-35 fighter jet was “hit and seriously damaged in the skies of central Iran.”As per a CNN report, which cited two sources familiar with the matter as saying that a US F-35 made an emergency landing at a US air base in the Middle East after being struck by what was believed to be Iranian fire.For now, the key fact is that Iran says it struck an Israeli F-16, while Israel confirms missile fire but denies any damage.There is no independent confirmation yet that the aircraft was actually hit in a way that caused operational damage, and no evidence has emerged publicly of a crash, pilot ejection or wreckage.

NEW DELHI: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of acting as the “B-team of BJP”.Speaking in an interview with PTI, Vijayan said, “Some people don’t learn even if they see or experience something. They are not normal people. They are a rare phenomenon. That is something that happens to those who are normally incapable of grasping things. Rahul Gandhi falls into that category.”He referred to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations against former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal over the excise policy case, noting that the court had dismissed the accusations and gave Kejriwal a clean chit. “It was a heavy blow to the face of the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi. Despite that, it is pathetic that he is repeating the same thing. That is why I said they do not learn from what they have seen and experienced,” Vijayan added.Vijayan also accused Congress of aligning with the BJP at both national and state levels. “The Congress and UDF have become a faction that has no hesitation in allying with the BJP,” he claimed, adding that the parties often oppose the LDF in similar ways, news agency PTI reported.On communal politics, the CM said, “One must be able to take a strong stand against it. That is the speciality of the stand we take. We will not compromise with any communal force. We are against all communalism.” He distinguished between religious organisations and communal forces, stating, “Religious organisations and communalism are two different things. It is communal forces that should be opposed.”Vijayan dismissed opposition claims on the Sabarimala gold loss, saying the Kerala high court is monitoring the investigation and “anyone involved in the matter would not be spared.” He added that the UDF was raising the issue only to influence voters ahead of the April 9 Assembly polls.The CM also accused the Centre of a hostile stance towards Kerala on various issues and called BJP state chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar’s remarks that the central government had aided the state “nonsense.” He highlighted reforms in higher education aimed at raising institutional standards to international levels.

NEW DELHI: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP-ruled central government over falling rupee and called it “clear signs” that inflation was inevitable. He criticised the Centre’s “empty rhetoric” as the country faces economic restrain due to LPG shortage amid West Asia crisis. He claimed that petrol, diesel, and LPG prices would be hiked after state elections.“The rupee weakening against the dollar and heading towards 100, coupled with a sharp rise in industrial fuel prices—these aren’t just numbers; they’re clear signs of the inflation to come,” Rahul said in a post on X.“The government may call it “normal”, but the reality is: Production and transport will get more expensive; MSMEs will be hit the hardest; the prices of everyday items will go up; FII money will flow out even faster, putting more pressure on the share market” he added.“In other words, it’s bound to have a direct and profound impact on every family’s pocket. And it’s only a matter of time—after the elections, the prices of petrol, diesel, and LPG will be hiked too. The Modi government has neither direction nor strategy—just empty rhetoric. The question isn’t what the government is saying—it’s what’s left on your plate,” he said.Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal added to the concerns and said that Iran’s retaliation would destroy India’s economy “because we are dependent on gas, LPG, and crude oil from there, and it will take years to restore these resources…” “The whole argument that is sought to be made is that we are reliant on the US for our trade… But the fact of the matter is, no trade can perish, and no manufacturing can take place in the country without energy. Where does our energy come from? It comes from the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz… What leverage will we be left with if our energy resources are depleted… I request the government and the PM that this is not the time to remain silent. Iran’s retaliation for petroleum and gas resources in the Gulf will ultimately destroy our economy because we are dependent on gas, LPG, and crude oil from there, and it will take years to restore these resources,” he said.The rupee plunged to a record low of 93.71 on Friday, tumbling 108 paise from its previous close of 92.63, its steepest single-day fall in four years. The sharp decline comes amid growing concerns that oil prices could remain above $100 for an extended period, as the widening West Asia conflict increasingly targets key energy infrastructure in the region.

NEW DELHI: The Centre has increased gas allocation to states and Union Territories to 50 per cent of pre-crisis levels, with an additional 20 per cent supply to be implemented from March 23, according to a communication from the ministry of petroleum and natural gas.In a letter to all State and UT Chief Secretaries, Petroleum Secretary Dr Neeraj Mittal said the enhanced allocation aims to support key sectors, particularly those linked to food supply and public welfare.“I wish to now inform you that w.e.f 23.3.26 till further notification, another 20% is being allotted to the State, which would take the overall allocation to 50% of the pre-crisis level. The additional allocation of 20% shall be given on priority to the following sectors: restaurants, dhabas, hotels, industrial canteens, food processing/dairy, subsidised canteens/outlets run by state governments or local bodies for food, community kitchens, 5kg FTL for migrant labourers, along with measures to ensure no diversion…,” the letter read.The ministry said priority sectors for the additional allocation include restaurants, dhabas, hotels, industrial canteens, food processing and dairy units, subsidised canteens run by state governments or local bodies, community kitchens and 5kg free trade LPG for migrant labourers.“The additional allocation of 20% shall be given on priority to the following sectors – restaurants, dhabas, hotels, industrial canteen, food processing/dairy, subsidised canteens / outlets run by state governments or local boides for food, community kitchens, 5kg FTL for migrant laborers along with measures to ensure no diversion.”It also said all commercial and industrial LPG consumers must register with oil marketing companies before becoming eligible for allocation under the 50 per cent supply.“All commercial / industrial LPG consumers shall have to register with OMCs before they can be eligible to be allotted any commercial LPG from the overall 50% allocation. OMCs shall register such customers and keep a record of the sector they operate in the end-use of LPG and annual weight requirement of LPG of that customer in respective database(s).”Further, such consumers will be required to apply for piped natural gas connections with the city gas distribution entity in their respective areas and take steps to be ready for PNG supply to qualify for LPG allocation.“All commercial / industrial LPG consumers shall have to apply for PNG with the City Gas Distribution entity in their city as applicable and take all actions that will take them to a State of readiness for receiving PNG before they can be eligible to be allotted any commercial LPG from the overall 50% allocation.”India’s weekly LPG imports fell to 265,000 tonnes in the week to March 19, from 322,000 tonnes on March 5. West Asia inflows declined to just 89,000 tonnes in the week to March 19, the lowest share since Jan 2026, according to S&P Commodities At Sea (CAS).The report, however, added that alternative regional supplies increased to 176,000 tonnes, largely from the US, in the week to March 19, up from zero the previous week when West Asia accounted for 100% of imports.The report said Indian oil marketing companies are likely to import 2.2 million tonnes of LPG from the US in 2026. CAS data added that US LPG loadings destined for India are increasing, with volumes now surpassing those from traditional Gulf suppliers. India imports nearly 60% of its LPG requirement and about 90% of it comes from West Asia.

United Airlines will cut more unprofitable flights over the next two quarters as it braces for a prolonged period of elevated jet fuel prices linked to the war involving Iran. However, strong travel demand continues to allow US carriers to raise fares.In a staff memo on Friday, chief executive Scott Kirby said the airline is preparing for oil prices to rise as high as $175 a barrel and remain above $100 through the end of 2027, as cited by Reuters.At those levels, United’s annual fuel bill could increase by about $11 billion, more than twice the profit the airline earned in its best year on record, he said.US airlines have so far managed to push through fare increases, supported by resilient travel demand and tighter capacity, even as the war has triggered a fresh fuel price shock for the industry.“There’s a good chance it won’t be that bad,” Kirby wrote of the airline’s fuel assumptions. “But… there isn’t much downside for us in preparing for that outcome.”The airlines had already begun trimming less profitable flights, including some midweek, Saturday and overnight services.Kirby said the airline would cancel about three percentage points of off-peak flying in the second and third quarters, targeting routes and time periods with weaker demand. United will also remove about one percentage point of capacity from its Chicago O’Hare hub and keep services to Tel Aviv and Dubai suspended, bringing the total reduction to roughly five percentage points of its planned capacity for the year.Kirby said the airline currently expects to restore its full schedule in the fall. The latest cuts build on his comments earlier this week that United would rather leave some demand unmet than continue operating routes that lose money if fuel prices remain high.Jet fuel prices have nearly doubled since late February, driving up costs across the airline industry and disrupting global flight patterns through reroutings and airspace restrictions.Major US airlines say strong travel demand is giving them room to raise fares, helping offset the impact of higher fuel costs. Capacity cuts such as those announced by United are also expected to support the industry’s pricing power.Rival Delta Air Lines, which raised its first-quarter revenue forecast this week, has said it also has flexibility to trim capacity if fuel prices remain elevated.US carriers are particularly exposed to fuel price swings because most do not hedge their fuel costs. In contrast, some European and Asian airlines use hedging strategies to cushion price shocks. Instead, US airlines have been relying on fare increases and tighter capacity to recover part of the additional expense.