US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has named Russia, China, North Korea, and Pakistan among the gravest nuclear threats facing the United States. Testifying before a Senate panel, Gabbard warned that missiles capable of striking America could surge from approximately 3,000 currently to over 16,000 by 2035. She highlighted deepening military coordination between North Korea, Russia, and China as a serious concern. On Iran, Gabbard stated its nuclear enrichment programme was "obliterated" in June 2025 strikes but cautioned Tehran retains significant proxy capabilities and would likely rebuild its arsenal if the regime survives. The remarks came despite Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif recently praising Trump as a regional peacemaker in Washington. (PC: India Today)

India's Ministry of External Affairs informed a Parliamentary Standing Committee that approximately 1,000 Indian nationals remain in Iran amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, though not all wish to leave. Simultaneously, 23,000 Indian school students based in Gulf nations have been unable to appear for their ongoing CBSE Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations due to regional turmoil. Committee chairman Shashi Tharoor confirmed consultations between MEA and the Ministry of Education are underway to ensure remedial examination arrangements. MPs raised pointed questions regarding India's conspicuous silence on condemning Supreme Leader Khamenei's killing and civilian deaths, but MEA officials provided no direct answers, leaving critical diplomatic questions unresolved. (PC: India Today)

The Centre has offered extra commercial LPG to states that speed up piped natural gas rollout during the current shortage. It said allocation can rise from 20% to 30% if states support faster PNG expansion. Petroleum Secretary Neeraj Mittal said it would be a “smart move” to shift users to PNG. The shortage follows disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a key supply route. India depends heavily on LPG imports through this route. The government has prioritised household supply, while commercial users face shortages. States can get extra allocation by clearing approvals and helping gas companies expand networks quickly. (PC: The Indian Express)

A Russian oil tanker, Aqua Titan, originally bound for China, has reversed course in the South China Sea and is now heading to India's New Mangalore port, expected to arrive March 21 carrying Urals crude. The diversion follows Washington's temporary green light allowing India to increase Russian oil purchases amid severe Middle Eastern supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. Indian refiners purchased a massive 30 million barrels of Russian oil in just one week following the US concession. At least seven Russian oil tankers have similarly redirected from China to India mid-voyage. The return of buyers including Japan and South Korea is expected to push global oil prices higher. (PC: NDTV)

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the assassination of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, killed in an Israeli overnight airstrike on Tehran. Pezeshkian mourned the deaths of Khatib, senior security chief Ali Larijani, and military commander Aziz Nasirzadeh, alongside family members, calling the strikes "cowardly assassinations." Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the operation, stating that Prime Minister Netanyahu had authorised the IDF to eliminate any senior Iranian official without requiring additional approval. Khatib had served as Iran's top intelligence chief since 2021. The killings follow Israel's confirmation of Ali Larijani's death and Basij commander Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, as the US-Israel-Iran war enters its third escalating week. (PC: X)

Microblogging platform X faced a global outage on Wednesday evening, with users unable to refresh timelines or open links. The issue spread quickly, with thousands reporting problems in India and the United States. Downdetector showed a sharp rise in complaints within minutes. Many users said notifications were still coming, but feeds would not load. The app displayed a message: “Cannot retrieve posts at this time. Please try again later.” This suggested a wider system issue. Users moved to other platforms to check updates. The company has not yet shared the reason or timeline for a fix. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump said Nato members are making a “foolish mistake” by refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war. He said most allies do not want to get involved and added, “we don’t need any help.” Trump said they “should’ve been there” but called their absence “not a big deal” and “unfair” to the US. He also criticised the UK for not supporting US-Israeli strikes. Several European leaders said they do not want to join the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz remains tense, with attacks on ships and limited oil movement. (PC: BBC)

The Supreme Court questioned what happens if a Chief Minister enters a raid site, while hearing the I-PAC case linked to Mamata Banerjee. The court said this was not a “happy situation” and asked if the Enforcement Directorate can be left without a remedy. “What if tomorrow some other Chief Minister barges into such a raid?” the bench said. The ED called Banerjee’s actions a “gross abuse of power” and sought a police case. The state argued that allowing central agencies to sue states could harm the federal structure. The court said such “unusual” cases should not create a legal vacuum. (PC: X)

Iran said it will target energy facilities across the Gulf after its South Pars gas field was hit. State media reported damage to gas infrastructure in southern Iran. The field, shared with Qatar, is the world’s largest. Tehran named key sites in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar as potential targets. Qatar blamed Israel for the strike, calling it “dangerous and irresponsible.” The warning comes as the conflict widens. Iran also reported attacks on ships in the Gulf and near the Strait of Hormuz. The United States said it struck Iranian missile sites to protect shipping routes. (PC: HT)

Sunrisers Hyderabad have suffered an early setback ahead of IPL 2026 as regular skipper Pat Cummins will miss the first few matches due to a lower back injury. The Australian pacer has been recovering from a lumbar stress issue that kept him out of recent international fixtures. In his absence, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been appointed as the stand-in captain, marking a significant leadership opportunity. Abhishek Sharma has been named vice-captain to support him. Cummins is expected to join the squad later and resume captaincy once fully fit, though his exact return timeline remains uncertain. (PC: Reuters)