New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) Air India group on Tuesday announced a phased expansion of fuel surcharge on its domestic and international routes, saying the move is “necessitated by the steep rise in jet fuel prices” arising from the geopolitical situation in the Gulf region.The new fuel surcharges are being implemented in three phases, covering travel on all flights, including those operated by Air India Express.In Phase 1 (for all new bookings made from 0001 hours India Standard Time on March…
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New Delhi, March 10 (IANS) India on Tuesday dispatched 500 metric tonnes of rice, 10 metric tonnes of essential relief supplies such as tents, hygiene kits and rehabilitation support items and three tonnes of critical medicines to Mozambique following the floods that have impacted the African nation’s central and southern provinces. Furthermore, India has also delivered 86 metric tonnes of life-saving medicines through the sea route. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswa…
New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) China’s long-standing resource-backed lending model in Africa is increasingly coming under criticism from experts and development authorities, according to a new report.The model — which ties loans to future commodity exports such as oil, copper, and cobalt — has been widely used across the continent to finance infrastructure projects, but its sustainability is now being questioned, Daily Monitor said in its report.The African Development Bank (AfDB) has raised conc…
New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) PSU oil marketing companies Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) on Friday dismissed rumours of shortages of fuel — petrol and diesel — in certain areas, calling them “completely unfounded” and “baseless”.In a post on its X handle, BPCL said India’s energy supply remains reliable and resilient, with ample petroleum reserves and uninterrupted supply chains.”There have been some rumours about shortages of petrol and diesel …
New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) The cost of a home-cooked vegetarian (veg) thali was flat (on-year) in the month of February, while a non-vegetarian (non-veg) thali declined 3 per cent, a Crisil Intelligence report showed on Friday.Despite a decline in the prices of onion, potato and pulses, the cost of a veg thali remained stable as tomato prices rose sharply, it added.Onion prices fell 24 per cent on-year due to an influx of late kharif onions, while limited shelf life forced immediate market dispos…
Washington, March 6 (IANS) The United States is strengthening its public diplomacy efforts to counter propaganda and influence campaigns from countries such as Iran and China while explaining Washington’s foreign policy to global audiences, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers told lawmakers during a congressional hearing.Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, Rogers said public diplomacy remains a key instrument of US national security, partic…
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) Airfares on several major routes between North America and India have surged sharply after the closure of key airspace corridors disrupted long-haul flight operations, forcing airlines to reroute flights and reduce capacity.The disruption follows the escalation of conflict across parts of the Middle East, a region that normally acts as one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors.Several airlines have suspended operations, grounded aircraft, and cancelled routes, sig…
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) Rising geopolitical tensions linked to the Iran conflict could significantly increase India’s oil import bill and bring the rupee under pressure, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said on Thursday.In a post on X, Amitabh Kant, who currently serves as a senior adviser to global financial institutions including Fairfax Financial Holdings and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, said that every $10 per barrel rise in global crude oil prices could add $13-14 billion to Ind…
New Delhi, March 5 (IANS) Amid escalating Middle East tensions, crude oil prices went up more than 2 per cent on Thursday over supply constraints as Strait of Hormuz was closed by Iran.In the early morning trade, the April contract of the benchmark crude on the Intercontinental Exchange was trading at $83.26 per barrel, up by almost 2.43 per cent from its previous close. The April contract of West Texas Intermediate on the NYMEX went up 2.63 per cent to $76.63 per barrel.According to reports, a …
Cape Town, March 4 (IANS) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday called for greater energy integration across Africa to strengthen the continent’s security and diversification as global markets face heightened volatility. Speaking at the Africa Energy Indaba 2026 in Cape Town, Ramaphosa said escalating geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions have increased risks for African economies reliant on external energy supplies, Xinhua News Agency reported.”Africa is already expe…