Opposition parties on Tuesday criticised the Centre after reports of LPG shortages in parts of India during the West Asia conflict. The government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act to ensure domestic cooking gas supply and asked refineries to increase LPG production. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said the Petroleum Ministry was “entirely responsible” for the shortage and pointed to rules requiring a 25-day gap before booking another cylinder in cities. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the government earlier claimed it was ready for disruptions but now says “sorry we can’t help.” Hotel bodies in Bengaluru and Chennai warned restaurants may shut if commercial LPG supplies are not restored soon. (PC: HT)

US President Donald Trump said American forces sank 46 Iranian naval ships during the ongoing conflict with Iran. Speaking at the Republican Members Issues Conference, Trump said he asked military officials why the ships were destroyed instead of captured. “I said, ‘Why didn't we just capture the ships?’” Trump told lawmakers. According to him, a military official replied, “It’s more fun to sink them.” Trump also claimed the US had struck about 5,000 targets in Iran and reduced its missile capability to around 10%. He warned Iran that blocking oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz would bring retaliation “twenty times harder”. (PC: NDTV)

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a cash reward of ₹131 crore for India’s squad after winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The amount is ₹6 crore higher than the ₹125 crore given after the 2024 title win. India defended the trophy under captain Suryakumar Yadav. India beat New Zealand national cricket team in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The team scored 255 for 5, one of the highest totals in a T20 World Cup final. Opener Sanju Samson was named Player of the Tournament after strong performances in knockout matches. (PC: X)

New video and satellite images suggest a U.S. missile may have caused a deadly strike near a girls school in Iran. Investigators from Bellingcat and The New York Times verified footage showing a Tomahawk cruise missile hitting a compound beside the Shajarah Tayyebeh girls elementary school in Minab on February 28. The strike killed about 175 people, many of them schoolchildren. The town lies near the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials said the investigation is still ongoing. President Donald Trump denied U.S. involvement, saying, “In my opinion… that was done by Iran.”

Global oil prices fell after US President Donald Trump said the war with Iran could end “very soon”.   Oil had surged past $100 a barrel on Monday amid fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East. Prices later dropped closer to $90 after Trump said the conflict was “very far ahead of schedule” and “very complete, pretty much”.   However, he gave little detail on how the war might end. Trump also warned the US could hit Iran “twenty times harder” if oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz were blocked.   Iran has warned it will halt all oil exports from the region if attacks continue. (PC: BBC)

Indian stock markets fell to their lowest levels in nearly a year on Monday as the Iran war pushed crude oil prices sharply higher. The 30-share Sensex dropped 1.71% to 77,566.16, an eleven-month low. The Nifty 50 fell 1.73% to 24,028.05, its lowest level in ten months. Oil prices have jumped nearly 30% to their highest since mid-2022. India imports about 85% of its energy needs, raising concerns over inflation and growth. “The sustained rise in crude prices is likely to complicate the RBI’s policy outlook by keeping inflation elevated,” said Vinod Nair of Geojit Investments. Foreign investors also sold ₹6,030 crore of Indian shares, adding pressure on markets. (PC: HT)

India head coach Gautam Gambhir dedicated the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 victory to former coaches Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, crediting them for building the strong foundation behind the team’s success. After India national cricket team secured the title, Gambhir said the triumph was the result of years of planning, discipline and player development initiated by the previous coaching setup. He also praised Jay Shah and the Board of Control for Cricket in India for backing him during challenging phases. Gambhir emphasized that consistent support from administrators and the legacy left by Dravid and Laxman helped shape a confident squad capable of delivering on the global stage. (PC: PTI)

A sudden shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has created major concerns for restaurants across several Indian cities, including Bengaluru and Chennai, where hotel associations warned that eateries may suspend operations if supplies are not restored. The disruption comes amid rising global oil prices linked to ongoing tensions in West Asia, which have affected energy supply chains. Restaurant bodies say many kitchens depend entirely on commercial LPG and cannot operate without it. Meanwhile, reports of limited supplies have triggered panic among restaurants and gas agencies in Gurugram and Mumbai. The central government has directed oil refineries to increase LPG production while prioritising domestic household supply. (PC: AFP)

The Pentagon confirmed that 26-year-old U.S. Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington from Kentucky has died from injuries suffered during an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, becoming the seventh U.S. service member killed in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Pennington was wounded in the March 1 attack targeting American military positions and later succumbed to his injuries. He served with the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade at Fort Carson, Colorado, supporting missile-warning and satellite operations. The U.S. military honored his service and announced he will be posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. (PC: AP)

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has withdrawn its Class 8 Social Science textbook “Exploring Society: India and Beyond” (Part II) after controversy over a chapter discussing challenges in the judiciary. The chapter titled “The Role of Judiciary in Our Society” mentioned issues such as corruption, case backlogs, and shortage of judges, which sparked criticism and legal scrutiny. Following concerns raised in the Supreme Court, NCERT issued an “unconditional and unqualified apology” and halted the book’s distribution. Authorities ordered a complete ban on further printing and dissemination, and the council asked that all copies be withdrawn. NCERT said the inclusion of the content was an “error of judgement” and reaffirmed respect for constitutional institutions.