Air India will operate 78 additional international flights on nine routes from March 10 to March 18 as travel demand rises during the Iran-Israel war. The airline said the extra services aim to provide more reliable travel options while airspace disruptions continue in West Asia. The flights will run on routes linking Delhi and Mumbai with cities including New York, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Malé and Colombo. In total, 17,660 extra seats will be added across both directions. “The additional flights on the European routes will operate with B787-8 aircraft,” Air India said in a statement. Flights to Malé and Colombo will use A320neo aircraft, while New York services will operate with B777-300ER, subject to regulatory approvals. (PC: The Indian Express)

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington had earlier asked India to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil and New Delhi complied.   “The Indians had been very good actors. We had asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall. They did,” Bessent told Fox Business.   He said the U.S. has now allowed India to buy Russian oil already at sea to ease supply pressure during the West Asia conflict.   “Yesterday, the Treasury agreed to let our allies in India start buying Russian oil that was already on the water,” he said.   The U.S. has issued a temporary 30-day waiver for such purchases. (PC: The Hindu)

Iran has claimed responsibility for a missile strike targeting Israel’s largest oil refinery in Haifa Bay, operated by the Bazan Group. According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the facility was hit using Kheibar Shekan solid-fuel ballistic missiles as retaliation for recent U.S.–Israeli attacks on Iranian oil depots near Tehran. The refinery, a key energy hub supplying roughly half of Israel’s domestic fuel demand, has strategic economic and defence importance. The site was also struck during earlier hostilities in 2025. Videos of the alleged strike circulated on social media but remain unverified. Iranian officials said the attack signals a strong response to continued strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure amid the escalating confrontation with Israel.

Amid escalating tensions linked to the Israel–US–Iran conflict, the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi has issued an advisory urging Indian nationals in the United Arab Emirates to strictly follow local laws on filming sensitive locations. Authorities warned that photographing or recording inside airports, government installations, security checkpoints, or other prohibited zones could lead to arrest, heavy fines, deportation, or imprisonment. The advisory echoes warnings from UAE authorities that sharing images of missile debris, defense operations, or incident sites may cause public panic and reveal intelligence to hostile actors. With emergency protocols active and air defenses on alert, residents are urged to seek shelter during incidents and rely only on official government updates.

An Indian-origin man, Madhu Raju, may face deportation from the United States after a video showing him dancing at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. went viral online. The clip sparked criticism from social media users and veterans’ groups who called the act disrespectful to a site dedicated to the 16 million Americans who served in World War II. The controversy has drawn the attention of US authorities, who are reviewing whether the incident could affect Raju’s non-immigrant visa status. Following the backlash, he reportedly deleted several social media accounts while the matter remains under administrative review.

US immigration authorities have arrested an Indian national, Jaskaran Singh, in San Diego over what officials described as a criminal history that includes a hit-and-run case. The arrest was announced by the local office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations on social media. Authorities said Singh has a final order of removal and will remain in ICE custody while deportation proceedings continue. The action follows another recent arrest of an Indian national in San Diego on separate criminal allegations. Removal proceedings will determine whether Singh will be deported from the United States under immigration enforcement rules.

India said it does not require permission from any country to import Russian oil after the United States issued a temporary waiver allowing such purchases during the Middle East crisis. The government said India buys crude from the most competitive sources to safeguard national energy security. Officials added that India has diversified its oil suppliers from 27 to 40 countries and currently holds over 250 million barrels of crude and petroleum products in reserves, enough for several weeks of consumption. Russia remains India’s largest supplier, with imports rising after discounted prices following the Ukraine war. Rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted global energy flows and pushed oil prices sharply higher. (PC: Reuters)

More than 52,000 Indians have returned from West Asia between March 1 and March 7 as tensions rise due to the Iran–US conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday. The ministry said many stranded passengers travelled on commercial and special flights after some regional airspace reopened. Of the total number, 32,107 people flew on Indian airlines. The MEA said the government is closely monitoring the situation in the region. It is focusing on the safety of over 10 million Indians living in West Asia. Officials said “more flights are planned in the coming days.” Indian embassies have also set up 24×7 helplines to help citizens affected by the crisis. (PC: HT)

Abdul Majid Hakim Elahi, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei’s representative in India, said Tehran is targeting US bases in the region and not neighbouring countries. Speaking to The Indian Express, he said the US uses bases in Gulf nations to launch attacks on Iran. “We are attacking the US bases, not our neighbours. We don’t have a choice,” he said. Elahi also said ties between India and Iran remain strong. “The relationship between India and Iran is very deep. I am sure it will continue like that,” he said. He added that many Indians visited his office to express solidarity after the death of Ayatollah Khamenei. (PC: The Indian Express)

A London-based media and marketing agency, Here&Now365, has launched a campaign called “The Missing” on International Women’s Day. The campaign highlights concerns about gender imbalance in births among Indian-origin families in the UK. The campaign is based on analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. It shows that between 2021 and 2025, about 118 boys were born for every 100 girls to Indian mothers in the UK. The national average across all communities is about 105 boys for every 100 girls. Experts say ratios above 107 may indicate possible sex-selective practices. Here&Now365 Founder Manish Tiwari said the campaign aims to start discussion within communities. “When statistics begin to show a worrying imbalance, silence is no longer an option,” he said. Tiwari added that communicators must also raise social issues. “Girls deserve the same chance to be born, loved and celebrated,” he said. Labour MP Virendra Sharma also spoke about the issue. “What is most needed is that the woman carrying the child must feel supported by society and the system,” he said. He added that if women face pressure, they should be able to seek legal protection. UK law does not allow abortion only because the baby is a boy or a girl. Guidance issued by the Department of Health and Social Care in 2014 confirms that terminating a pregnancy solely because of the child’s sex constitutes a criminal offence in England and Wales.