The Sen Times

March 22 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer summoned a national emergency meeting on Monday to deal with the economic fallout from the escalating war in Iran, as Britains government borrowing costs surged to their highest level since the global crisis of 2008. The storm in financial markets intensified in early trade this week after Iran said it would strike the energy and water systems of Gulf neighbours if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through with a threat to hit Irans elect

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Gold prices slumped by Rs 9,050 to Rs 1.43 lakh per 10 grams while silver tumbled Rs 10,500 to Rs 2.30 lakh per kg in the national capital on Monday amid subdued domestic demand and weak global trends. According to the All India Sarafa Association, gold of 99.9 per cent purity plunged by Rs 9,050, or nearly 6 per cent, to Rs 1,43,600 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Fridays closing level of Rs 1,52,650 per 10 grams. Silver also declined sharply by Rs 10,500, or

TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had given orders to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, hours ahead of a deadline that threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its fourth week. Trump added in a post on his Truth Social platform that the U.S. and Iran had had VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE conversations over the past two days about a COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDD

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a days supply of the countrys cooking gas, have safely navigated through the war-hit Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores over the next two days. LPG tankers Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, sailing close to each other, started from the Persian Gulf on Monday morning before crossing the strait, ship tracking data showed. The two ships are carrying about 92,000 tonnes of LPG, said Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special

Mumbai, Mar 23 (PTI) The rupee breached the 94/dollar barrier for the first time, slumping 50 paise to a new record closing low of 94.03 (provisional) against the greenback on Monday, as spiralling global crude prices and unabated foreign fund outflows unnerved investors. A strengthening US dollar and a steep decline in the domestic equity markets further weakened the local unit, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the local unit opened at 93.84 and kept losing ground througho

WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) President Donald Trump backed down on targeting Irans power network on Monday, saying the U.S. and Iran have held constructive talks and that he would postpone any strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure. Trumps statement came after Iran threatened to attack Israels power plants and those supplying U.S. bases across the Gulf region if the U.S. targets Irans power network. Conversations with Iran will continue throughout the week, Trump said in a social m

TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) Iran will attack Israels power plants and plants supplying U.S. bases in the Gulf if President Donald Trump carries out his threat to obliterate Irans power network, the countrys Revolutionary Guards said in a statement on Monday. The statement seemingly retracted earlier threats to desalination plants in the region, which are crucial for providing drinking water in Gulf countries. The lying U.S. President has claimed that the Revolutionary Gua

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 23, 2026 (AP) The head of the International Energy Agency said Monday that the global economy faces a major, major threat because of the Iran war. No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction, Fatih Birol told Australias National Press Club in Canberra on Monday. He said the crisis in the Middle East has had a worse combined impact than the two oil shocks of the 1970s and the effect on gas markets of the Russia-Uk

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Gold prices plunged sharply by Rs 8,089 to Rs 1.36 lakh per 10 grams in futures trade on Monday, tracking a global selloff amid rising inflation fears and a firm US dollar. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, the yellow metal for April delivery slumped by Rs 8,089, or 5.6 per cent, to Rs 1,36,403 per 10 grams. Last week, gold had dropped Rs 13,974, or 8.82 per cent, to close at around Rs 1.44 lakh per 10 grams on the commodities bourse. Analysts said the precious metal opene

PARIS, March 23, 2026 (AP) Emmanuel Grgoire, a Socialist little known to the French public, was elected mayor of Paris in a runoff vote Sunday, succeeding fellow party member Anne Hidalgo. Soon after claiming victory, Grgoire, 48, took a city bike through the streets of Paris toward City Hall, echoing his promise to make the French capital greener. Grgoire beat out prominent conservative contender Rachida Dati, who acknowledged her defeat after partial results were made public. The race for Par

DUBAI, March 23 (Reuters) Iran will retaliate to an attack on its electricity sector by targeting Israels power plants as well as power plants supplying U.S. bases with electricity in regional countries, a statement by the Revolutionary Guards on Monday said. The statement seemingly retracted earlier threats to desalination plants in the region, which are crucial for providing drinking water in Gulf countries. The lying U.S. President has claimed that the Revolutionary Guards intends to attack

Mumbai, Mar 23 (PTI) The rupee continued its slide in the early trade on Monday, losing 41 paise to slump to a record low of 93.94 against the US dollar as the raging war in West Asia kept global crude oil prices elevated, and the greenback remained strong. Sustained foreign fund outflows and a crash at the domestic equity markets in the morning session further weakened the local unit, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the local unit opened at 93.84 against the US dollar bef

Mumbai, Mar 23 (PTI) Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty dropped sharply in early trade on Monday as the Middle East conflict entered its fourth week driving crude oil prices higher. A massive bearish trend in global equity markets and relentless foreign fund outflows also made investors jittery. The 30-share BSE Sensex dived 1,555.62 points, or 2 per cent, to 72,977.34 during initial trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty tanked 479.95 points, or 2 per cent, to 22,634.55. From the 30-Sensex firms, Tata S

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 20, 2026 (AP) Iran threatened to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide and insisted it was still building missiles. Fridays show of defiance came nearly three weeks into U.S.-Israeli strikes that have killed a slew of Tehrans top leaders and hammered its weapons and energy industries. Iran fired on Israel and energy sites in neighboring Gulf Arab states as many in the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. Iranians were also ce

New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) Silver prices rebounded by Rs 1,800 to Rs 2.40 lakh per kg while gold prices dropped by Rs 650 to Rs 1.52 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday, according to the All India Sarafa Association. The white metal prices increased by Rs 1,800, or nearly 1 per cent, to Rs 2,40,500 per kg (inclusive of all taxes) from Thursdays closing level of Rs 2,38,700 per kg. However, gold of 99.9 per cent purity extended its losses for the third consecutive day, declining by R

TEL AVIV/DUBAI/WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) Iran attacked an oil refinery in Kuwait on Friday and Israel killed a spokesman of Irans Revolutionary Guards as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran showed no sign of ending. Israel promised to avoid further attacks on Irans South Pars gasfield the day after an Iranian retaliatory strike on Qatar caused damage that will leave the world short of natural gas for years to come. As Muslims around the region tried to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which ends the fastin

NEW DELHI, March 20 (Reuters) Transparency activists and journalists are taking the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Indias top court over its new privacy law, arguing the legislation will have a chilling effect on journalism and enable officials to withhold information of public interest. Four lawsuits are due to be heard in the Supreme Court on March 23, following criticism from media and activists that Modis government is diluting a 20-year-old Right to Information (RTI) law tha

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 20, 2026 (AP) Iran defiantly insisted Friday that it would deny its enemies their security and that it was still building missiles nearly three weeks into U.S.-Israeli strikes that have killed a slew of Tehrans top leaders and hammered its weapons and energy industries. Iran fired on Israel and energy sites in neighboring Gulf Arab states as many in the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. With little information coming out of Iran, it

Mumbai, Mar 20 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty gave up most of their intra-day gains to end nearly 0.5 per cent higher on Friday, following intense buying in PSU bank, IT and metal stocks amid concerns over a further spike in fuel-driven inflation. In another volatile session, the 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 325.72 points or 0.44 per cent to settle at 74,532.96. During the day, it jumped 1,079.15 points, or 1.45 per cent, to 75,286.39. The 50-share NSE Nifty edged higher by 112.3

Melbourne, Mar 20 (The Conversation) As a urological surgeon, I meet many patients with chronic (long-term) kidney disease. Sometimes, I see patients that have progressed to the point where their kidneys do not work at all. This leads to the toxic build-up of waste products, meaning they need regular dialysis or a kidney transplant. While these treatments are lifesaving, access to them is becoming increasingly challenging. As more people are newly diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, the large

Mumbai, Mar 20 (PTI) The rupee fell 19 paise to its record intra-day low of 93.08 against the US dollar in early trade on Friday as the greenback strengthened further and FII outflows continued unabated amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. Elevated global crude oil prices put further pressure on the local unit, while a positive opening at the domestic equity markets cushioned against a sharper fall, according to forex traders. At the interbank foreign exchange, the local unit opened at 92.92 aga

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2026 (AP) President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s diverging language on Israels decision to attack a critical Iranian gas field marks the most notable difference of opinion between the two leaders since the start of the 20-day war against Iran. The attack by Israel on the South Pars gas field prompted Iran to retaliate against energy infrastructure in other Middle East countries. The Iranian strikes led to already elevated global energy price

DOHA/WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM, March 20 (Reuters) Israel launched a fresh wave of attacks on Iran on Friday, a day after President Donald Trump told it not to repeat its strikes on Iranian natural gas infrastructure, which sharply escalated the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The conflict has killed thousands of people, spread to neighbouring nations and hit the global economy since the United States and Israel launched strikes on February 28, after talks about Tehrans nuclear program failed to yield a d

NEW YORK March 20, 2026 (AP) Before the house is humming and her teenagers ask her to whip up breakfast or chauffeur them to school, Jen Meegan reads her company emails and revisits ideas she drafted the night before. She works for an hour or so, then after the school run shops for groceries or gets gas before returning to focus deeply on her job as head writer and cofounder of Sheer Havoc, a creative services agency. And so goes the rhythm of her day: working in targeted chunks for a few hours

NEW DELHI, March 19 (Reuters) Indias government privately proposed in January that firms like Apple, Samsung and Google consider pre-installing its biometric identification app Aadhaar on phones, a move opposed by a group representing the smartphone giants, industry letters show. The tussle over preloading state-run apps has become a recurring flashpoint between Prime Minister Narendra Modis government and tech firms, with the Aadhaar request one of six that Indian IT industry body MAIT has pus

NEW DELHI, March 19, 2026 (AP) Countries in Asia are scrambling to conserve energy and protect consumers as the war on Iran and attacks on gas fields and oil refineries disrupt critical supplies, rattling markets and driving up prices. The crisis is hitting Asia hardest because of its heavy reliance on imported energy, much of which is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, a key choke point now under strain. Only about 90 vessels mostly Indian, Pakistani and Chinese-flagged have made it throu

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2026 (AP) The meeting that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will have at the White House on Thursday originally seemed like a prime opportunity to have President Donald Trumps ear before he embarked on a trip to China. But now, the war in Iran and Trumps unsuccessful call for Japan and other nations to help protect the Strait of Hormuz means the China trip has been delayed and Takaichi may be likely to get an earful. Trump has repeatedly complained on camera and onli

NEW DELHI, March 19 (Reuters) Indias automakers and parts suppliers are bracing for production slowdowns and assembly-line disruptions as the Iran conflict chokes gas availability, threatening growth in the worlds third-largest car market. Some parts suppliers to Indias leading carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra are already reporting a shortage of gas to power operations, an early sign that supply chain issues are developing, according to two dozen executives at car companie

DUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) Iran seeks compensation from the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of enabling U.S. attacks against Iranian territory, Irans U.N. Ambassador told the UN Secretary General in a letter according to a Nournews report published on Thursday. In the letter, Amir Saeid Iravani said the UAEs decision to allow its territory to be used for the strikes constituted an internationally wrongful act that entailed state responsibility. Tehran said the UAE had an international responsi

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Silver futures tumbled by Rs 9,031 to Rs 2.39 lakh per kilogram on Thursday, marking the seventh straight session of losses, as rising crude oil prices and a hawkish US Federal Reserve outlook dampened investors sentiment. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, the white metal for the May delivery slumped by Rs 9,031, or 3.64 per cent, to Rs 2,39,163 per kilogram in a business turnover of 6,372 lots. Analysts said persistent inflation concerns, driven by elevated crude oil pric

Kensington (Australia), Mar 19 (The Conversation) The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow body of water adjacent to Iran and Oman, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. While it is a shared body of water between Iran and Oman, Iran functionally exercises a greater amount of control over it. The strait is a vital conduit for the shipment of oil, gas and other exports (notably fertiliser) from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. At its narrowest point, it is just 21 nautical miles (

Melbourne, Mar 19 (The Conversation) Louis Therouxs recent documentary Inside the Manosphere, alongside Netflixs 2025 hit drama Adolescence, has driven a spike in public discussion about the manosphere. The term refers to a loose ecosystem of anti-feminist online communities and influencers that promote male dominance and hostility toward women. Much of the public conversation about the manosphere focuses on how boys and young men fall into these spaces. A new study by the Australian Institute o

DOHA/RIYADH, March 19 (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump said an angry Israel violently lashed out and attacked Irans major gas field, a significant escalation in the U.S.-Israeli war, but ruled out further such attacks by Israel unless Iran retaliated. Wednesdays attack on the huge South Pars gas field drove oil prices higher and prompted a threat by Iran to attack oil and gas targets across the Gulf, while it fired missiles at Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The escalation heightens the unpreceden

Chandigarh, Mar 19 (PTI) Nearly 18,000 people in the age group of 18-45 died due to heart attacks or heart failures in Haryana between January 2020 and January 2026, the Assembly was informed on Wednesday. The government shared this information in the House in a written reply to a question from a Congress MLA, who had sought to know the year-wise and district wise number of youths in the 18-45 years of age group who have died due to heart attack/heart failure in Haryana from the year 2020 till d

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 18, 2026 (AP) Israel kept up its campaign of targeting Irans leaders on Wednesday, killing the countrys intelligence minister, and an Iranian offshore natural gas field was struck in a sign of the wars mounting pressure from both sides on the regions economic lifeblood: energy. Iran has been taking aim at its Gulf Arab neighbors energy facilities since the war started on Feb. 28, and has made the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel through which one-fifth of

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The government is considering authorising some more ministries, including Defence, External Affairs, and Home Affairs, to issue content takedown orders to social media platforms, sources said on Wednesday. Inter-ministerial discussions are currently underway, government sources said, but they did not provide a timeline for when this may be implemented. At present, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) is the nodal ministry for takedowns and content blocking orders, a

DUBAI/JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, March 18 (Reuters) Israel said on Wednesday it had killed Irans intelligence minister in the second strike on a top leadership figure in two days, and had authorised the military to target any senior Iranian official it can locate. Israel also hit central Beirut, destroying apartment buildings in some of the most intense airstrikes on the Lebanese capital for decades, Israels other front in the war it launched with the United States against Iran. A day after killing Iran

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The Congress on Wednesday attacked the government over graduate unemployment, saying that apart from rolling out a new agenda now and then to distract the public, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no solution to the mega-crisis. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited a report by the Azim Premji University to make the allegation. According to the report, 11 million out of 63 million graduates between the ages of 20 and 29 in India are unempl

CAIRO, March 18, 2026 (AP) Muslims around the world are bidding farewell to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and will soon start celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Eid is typically greeted with joy and excitement and is marked with congregational prayers and festivities that usually include family visits, gatherings, outings and new clothes. But this year, Eid is approaching amid the Iran war, which has been roiling many countries in the Middle East and leading to far-reaching consequence

HONG KONG, March 18, 2026 (AP) About 90 ships including oil tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the outset of the war with Iran and it is still exporting millions of barrels of oil at a time when the waterway has been effectively closed, according to maritime and trade data platforms. Many of the vessels that passed through the strait were so-called dark transits evading Western government sanctions and oversight that likely have ties to Iran, maritime data firm Lloyds List Intellig

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2026 (AP) A key question hangs over the Federal Reserves two-day meeting that ends Wednesday: Will central bank policymakers still reduce short-term interest rates this year, now that the Iran war has sent oil prices higher and gas prices spiking? Or will they have to stand pat for months to see how the conflict plays out? Fed Chair Jerome Powell is almost certain to announce Wednesday that the central bank has kept its key rate unchanged for the second straight meeting at

BISMARCK, N.D., March 18, 2026 (AP) Tennessee farmer Todd Littleton expects to pay $100,000 more for fertilizer this season, a 40% spike from his bill last year thanks to the war in Iran and he is scrambling to cover that extra cost. The problem is, is were so strained financially coming into this issue, said Littleton, a third-generation farmer from Gibson County in the states northwest corner. We have had a couple of record losses the last couple years, so everyones kinda grabbing at straws

Mumbai, Mar 18 (PTI) The rupee fell 3 paise to 92.43 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday, weighed down by FII outflows and a stronger greenback amid the raging war in West Asia. A fall in global crude oil prices and a positive opening at the domestic equity markets prevented a sharper decline in the local unit, according to forex traders. At the interbank foreign exchange, the local unit opened at 92.42 against the greenback before slipping to 92.43, down 3 paise from its previous

A new study shows that people with high blood pressure can lower their risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and may even add years to their lives, by adopting simple, healthy lifestyle habits. High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects about 220 million adults in India, many of whom are unaware of their condition until serious complications set in. The condition strains blood vessels and vital organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes, raising the likelihood of heart attacks, s

WASHINGTON, March 17 (Reuters) The head of the National Counterterrorism Center resigned on Tuesday, becoming the first and most senior member of U.S. President Donald Trumps administration to resign over the war in Iran, saying Tehran posed no imminent threat to the United States. I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby, Joseph Kent wrote

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) The recent development has cast a shadow on the future of Chabahar Port, a vital and strategic port for India, a parliamentary panel on external affairs has said, and welcomed that the Centre remains engaged with all concerned parties in order to address the implications of these developments. The Twelfth Report of the Committee on External Affairs (2025-26) on Demands for Grants (2026-27) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), was presented in Parliament on Tuesday.

BEIRUT, March 17, 2026 (AP) With airstrikes rocking Beirut and Israeli troops advancing against Hezbollah, Lebanons government has broken a taboo by proposing the first direct talks with Israel in decades. But Lebanese officials say they want the fighting to end first and it might be too late for that. Hezbollahs decision to enter the wider Iran war by firing rockets at Israel has led to the heavy Israeli bombardment of southern Lebanon and Beiruts southern suburbs, killing some 850 Lebanese a

NEW DELHI, March 17 (Reuters) India on Tuesday denied holding talks with Iran about releasing three tankers seized in February in exchange for ensuring safe passage for Indian ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Indian authorities seized the three Iran-linked ships near Indian waters alleging they had concealed or altered their identities and were involved in illegal ship-to-ship transfers at sea. Reuters reported on Monday, citing sources, that Iran had asked India to release the U.S.-sanction

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) Precious metal prices rebounded by up to 2 per cent, with silver gaining by Rs 6,000 to Rs 2.62 lakh per kilogram, and gold rose to Rs 1.61 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Tuesday, according to the All India Sarafa Association. The white metal increased by Rs 6,000, or 2.34 per cent, to Rs 2,62,500 per kg (inclusive of all taxes). Gold of 99.9 per cent purity in the bullion market also snapped its three-day losing streak, rising by Rs 1,050, or nearly 1 per c

Mumbai, Mar 17 (PTI) Benchmark Sensex climbed 567 points and Nifty closed near 23,600 in their second consecutive day of gains on Tuesday, boosted by a rally in metal and auto shares and a positive trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 567.99 points or 0.75 per cent to settle at 76,070.84. During the day, it surged 801.41 points or 1.06 per cent to 76,304.26. The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 172.35 points or 0.74 per cent to end at 23,581.15. From the 30-Sensex firms, Eternal sur