PV Sindhu confirmed she is back home safely to Bangalore after being stranded in Dubai amid escalating Middle East tensions. She expressed gratitude to the ground teams, Dubai authorities, airport staff, immigration, Emirates, and the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their tireless efforts and care. Sindhu described the ordeal as intense and uncertain, emphasizing the importance of a united, calm team. She thanked her coaches and supporters nearby, noted the need to rest and reset, and shared appreciation for the safety coordination that helped her reach a secure location. 

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that OpenAI acted opportunistically and rushed a Pentagon deal, following the termination of Anthropic’s contract. He said the move was intended to prevent further escalation between the US Defense Department and the AI industry and admitted the approach was “opportunistic and sloppy.” OpenAI has since updated its Pentagon contract to clarify its “principles,” and Altman insisted future decisions will be more cautious. The development followed a surge in ChatGPT uninstalls, with Claude downloads rising as users shifted to competitors. Altman emphasized safeguarding civil liberties, stating the agreement prohibits mass domestic surveillance and NSA use without a contract modification. (PC: X)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, thanking them for safeguarding the Indian community and urging the earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Modi condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity, underscoring India’s call for de-escalation amid the Gulf’s ongoing conflict. The conversation occurred against a backdrop of heightened Gulf tensions and broader regional hostilities, with an aim to protect Indian nationals abroad.

The United States urges Americans to depart immediately from 13 Middle Eastern nations due to serious safety risks. The list includes Iran, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Gaza, West Bank, and the United Arab Emirates. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the advisory, encouraging departures via commercial transport. Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary at the State Department, echoed Rubio on X, adding 24/7 assistance numbers and urging enrollment in STEP for security updates from nearby embassies or consulates. The guidance comes amid heightened regional hostilities following Iranian strikes in response to ongoing tensions with Israel and US involvement, reflecting ongoing US immigration and foreign policy coverage.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the Iran strike as a “gateway to peace,” not an endless war, and credited U.S. President Donald Trump for earlier breakthroughs. He asserted that joint action with Trump helped broker the Abraham Accords, four peace treaties with Arab states and argued continued cooperation against Iran could yield many more agreements and regional stability. Netanyahu emphasized that the conflict is not perpetual but a path to broader peace, stressing that Trump’s decisiveness and leadership were pivotal for Israel and the free world. He accused Iran for decades of aggression attacking embassies, attempting to assassinate Trump, and spreading terror arguing the regime seeks to destroy the United States.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards senior official Ebrahim Jabari declared the Strait of Hormuz officially closed on Monday, warning that any ship attempting passage would be set ablaze by Iranian naval forces. The closure, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, threatens to choke approximately 20% of global daily oil consumption passing through the 33-kilometre-wide waterway. The strait connects major Gulf oil producers including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and UAE to global markets. Iran simultaneously fired missile barrages targeting US military bases across Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman. This marks Tehran fulfilling years of threats to block the strategic waterway, compounding existing global shipping disruptions caused by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea since 2023. (PC: Reuters)

West Indies players and support staff remain stranded in Kolkata following their five-wicket Super 8 defeat to India at Eden Gardens on Sunday, as Middle East airspace disruptions halt their return home. Zimbabwe's squad faces identical problems in Delhi, having been eliminated earlier after losing to India. Both teams relied on Dubai as a key transit hub. Cricket West Indies confirmed it is working closely with the ICC to arrange safe travel, prioritising player safety. The ICC activated contingency plans acknowledging that players, match officials, broadcast teams and event staff depend heavily on Gulf hub airports. Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed its squad remains safe while administrators seek alternative travel arrangements to Harare. (PC: X)

Thousands of stranded Indians received major relief as flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi resumed limited operations Monday night amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. Emirates flight EK500 landed at Mumbai, while Etihad operated four special evacuation flights from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kochi. Passengers described emotional scenes onboard, with airlines having arranged hotel accommodations during disruptions. India's Civil Aviation Ministry announced IndiGo would operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah on March 3, subject to airspace approvals. Travel platform EaseMyTrip launched charter flights from Fujairah. Meanwhile, Air India extended its Middle East flight suspension until 11:59 pm March 3, offering affected passengers refunds and complimentary rescheduling options.

Two Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh on Monday night, triggering a fire and material damage. Saudi Arabia's defence ministry confirmed the attack, noting no casualties as the building was empty. The strike marks the fourth consecutive day of escalating hostilities following US and Israeli-led airstrikes on Iran, initiated after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since retaliated with missiles and drones targeting Gulf states hosting US military bases. President Trump warned Iran, stating, "You'll find out soon what the retaliation will be." The US Embassy issued shelter-in-place advisories across Saudi Arabia. Regional airspace disruptions continue, with hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled across Gulf nations. 

India and Canada signed a CAD 2.6 billion uranium supply agreement between Cameco and India's Department of Atomic Energy, alongside cooperation on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The deal was announced during Canadian PM Mark Carney's first bilateral India visit since 2018, following talks with PM Narendra Modi. Notably, it arrives 51 years after India's 1974 Pokhran-I nuclear test which caused a major diplomatic rift between both nations. Both countries launched CEPA negotiations targeting CAD 70 billion bilateral trade by 2030, and agreed to cooperate on clean energy, critical minerals, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and AI. Congress credited the deal's foundation to the 2008 Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement under PM Manmohan Singh. (PC: X)