World News

Indian Celebrities Among Hundreds Stranded in Dubai as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel

Indian Celebrities Among Hundreds Stranded in Dubai as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel

Dubai (Rajeev Sharma): Rising instability in West Asia has left several Indian nationals stuck overseas, including Olympic badminton champion PV Sindhu and Bollywood actor Sonal Chauhan, after flight operations were abruptly suspended in Dubai. The travel chaos follows heightened military action in the region, which has led to precautionary airspace closures over parts of Iran and Iraq. As a result, multiple international carriers have either cancelled flights or altered routes, affecting passengers transiting through major Gulf hubs. Sindhu Recounts Scare at Airport Sindhu shared details of a tense episode at Dubai International Airport, revealing that an explosion was heard not…
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Iran Faces Leadership Crossroads as Succession Mechanism Moves Into Focus

Iran Faces Leadership Crossroads as Succession Mechanism Moves Into Focus

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): With the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iran has entered a pivotal phase that will test the constitutional and political machinery of the Islamic Republic. The process to appoint his successor is defined by law, yet shaped heavily by internal clerical consensus and power dynamics. Constitutional Path to Choosing a Leader Under Iran’s system, the authority to select the next supreme leader rests with the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member council of Islamic jurists. Though elected by voters, all candidates must first receive approval from the powerful Guardian Council, which screens contenders for ideological and religious…
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Uncertainty Deepens Over Khamenei’s Fate as Reports of Family Casualties Spark Street Reactions

Uncertainty Deepens Over Khamenei’s Fate as Reports of Family Casualties Spark Street Reactions

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Fresh claims emerging from regional and international media suggest that several relatives of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were killed during coordinated military strikes allegedly carried out by Israel with US backing. Among those reported dead are his daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law and a grandchild. However, Iranian authorities have not officially confirmed these reports, and there remains no verified statement on Khamenei’s own condition. The reported strikes, said to have targeted high-profile locations in Tehran, have intensified already volatile tensions across West Asia. While some outlets cited unnamed Iranian sources regarding the deaths of family members, the…
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Tehran Announces Death of Ayatollah Khamenei After Joint US-Israel Offensive; Nationwide Mourning Begins

Tehran Announces Death of Ayatollah Khamenei After Joint US-Israel Offensive; Nationwide Mourning Begins

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Iran has formally acknowledged the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following large-scale strikes carried out by the United States and Israel, triggering an unprecedented political and security crisis in the region. Authorities declared a 40-day period of national mourning as the country grapples with the fallout of the attack. State media reported that Khamenei was killed during coordinated strikes that targeted key government and military sites in Tehran early Saturday morning. Officials said his body was recovered from the rubble of a heavily damaged compound linked to the leadership. Senior figures in Iran described…
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Flights Grounded, Airspace Shut as Strikes on Iran Trigger Global Travel Warnings

Flights Grounded, Airspace Shut as Strikes on Iran Trigger Global Travel Warnings

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): International air travel across the Middle East was thrown into chaos after military strikes on Iran prompted emergency airspace closures and sweeping flight cancellations. The sudden escalation forced airlines to halt or reroute services to avoid conflict zones, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and disrupting major global routes linking Europe, Asia, and the Gulf. Civil aviation authorities in Iran and neighboring countries restricted or shut down their skies following the strikes, citing security risks to civilian aircraft. Flights to and from Israel, Iran, Iraq, and parts of the Gulf were either suspended or diverted. Several major…
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Gulf Airspace Shuttered: Dubai Aviation Hub Paralysed as Israel-US Strikes on Iran Trigger Regional Chaos

Gulf Airspace Shuttered: Dubai Aviation Hub Paralysed as Israel-US Strikes on Iran Trigger Regional Chaos

Dubai (Bureau) — The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East shifted dramatically on Saturday, February 28, 2026, as the joint Israel-US military offensive against Iran triggered a total paralysis of the Gulf’s aviation corridors. Dubai, one of the world's most critical commercial and transit hubs, has seen its flight connections decimated following the partial closure of United Arab Emirates (UAE) airspace. Dubai Airports, which manages both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC), issued an urgent advisory on Saturday evening, requesting that passengers refrain from heading to the airports as over 100 international airlines grapple with widespread cancellations. The…
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“Mother of All Deals”: India and EU Release Final Draft of FTA, Granting Mutual “Most Favoured Nation” Status

“Mother of All Deals”: India and EU Release Final Draft of FTA, Granting Mutual “Most Favoured Nation” Status

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma/Gurpreet Singh)— In a historic leap for global commerce, India and the European Union (EU) on Friday, February 27, 2026, released the final draft text of their long-awaited Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The proposed pact, hailed by trade experts as the "Mother of All Deals," includes a landmark provision granting both parties "Most Favoured Nation" (MFN) status for a five-year period from the date the agreement officially comes into effect. This strategic alignment ensures that India and the 27-nation bloc will provide each other with the same preferential trade benefits—including reduced tariffs and advantageous regulatory treatment—that they…
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Missiles Exchanged as Iran Responds to Israel-US Strikes; Blasts Reported Across Gulf Region

Missiles Exchanged as Iran Responds to Israel-US Strikes; Blasts Reported Across Gulf Region

Tehran (Rajeev Sharma): Tensions in West Asia escalated sharply on Saturday as Iran launched a wave of missiles toward Israel following coordinated strikes by Israel and the United States on targets in Tehran, triggering fears of a wider regional conflict. Reports of explosions also emerged from parts of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, heightening anxiety across the Gulf. The Israeli military said multiple projectiles were fired from Iranian territory in what it described as an “additional barrage.” According to officials, air defence systems were activated across several parts of the country as sirens sounded to warn residents.…
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Mark Carney’s India Tour Signals Fresh Push to Rebuild Ottawa–New Delhi Partnership

Mark Carney’s India Tour Signals Fresh Push to Rebuild Ottawa–New Delhi Partnership

Mumbai (Rajeev Sharma/Gurpreet Singh): Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday commenced a four-day visit to India, choosing Mumbai as the first stop in a trip designed to deepen commercial engagement and reset diplomatic momentum between the two countries. He is travelling with his wife, Daina Fix Carney. Describing India as the fastest-expanding major economy, Carney said his immediate focus would be discussions with corporate leaders to explore investment avenues and generate economic gains for Canadian businesses and workers. After his engagements in Mumbai, the Canadian leader will head to New Delhi on March 1. Talks with Prime Minister Narendra…
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Pakistan Declares “Open War” on Afghanistan Following Deadly Border Clashes and Air Strikes

Pakistan Declares “Open War” on Afghanistan Following Deadly Border Clashes and Air Strikes

Islamabad/Kamul (Rajeev Sharma) — The long-simmering tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan erupted into a full-scale military conflict on Friday, February 27, 2026. In a dramatic escalation, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif officially declared "open war" against Kabul, accusing the Taliban of exporting terrorism and harboring global militant groups. This declaration followed a series of retaliatory Pakistani air strikes targeting Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia, marking a point of no return in the diplomatic and security relations between the two neighbours. The immediate catalyst for this declaration was a massive cross-border operation launched by Afghan forces late Thursday,…
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