The US waiver for purchasing Russian seaborne crude has immediately freed up an additional 20 million barrels of oil on ships, which is anticipated to moderate skyrocketing prices that have reached over $100 per barrel in the global market as a result of the conflict in Iran.

Currently, there are about 25 vessels transporting Russian crude at sea, with an additional five vessels carrying petroleum products. These can be directed right away to the places where the demand originates.

For Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil with the goal of increasing the availability of raw materials in the market and lowering prices, the Trump administration had previously issued a 30-day waiver, which is now supplemented by the temporary waiver.

With India and China among the top importers of oil, they have so far been the primary purchasers of Russian crude, which has contributed to managing global prices.

Thursday saw the Trump administration grant a new license enabling nations to purchase specific Russian oil products on a temporary basis.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent posted on social media, “To expand the global reach of existing supply, @USTreasury is giving a temporary authorization to allow countries to buy Russian oil that is now stranded at sea. ”

“This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction. ”

The license, which is available on the US Treasury website, only covers Russian crude or petroleum products that were transported by sea beginning on March 12. The license allows those shipments until April 11.

The news coincides with the new Iranian leader’s intention to close the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20% of the world’s oil exports.

The Iran war is currently in its second week, with a sustained increase in missile and drawn attacks that have also hit commercial vessels and oil infrastructure in Middle Eastern nations.

Indian banks are benefiting from ongoing credit growth, improved digital public infrastructure, the widespread implementation of AI-driven operating models, and increased regulatory attention on climate risk, cybersecurity resilience, and governance.

KPMG International’s study found that the industry is on par with its global counterparts in terms of scaling from pilots to business AI applications, making investments in workforce reskilling, and improving cybersecurity and ESG frameworks to promote long-term resilience.

According to a poll of 110 CEOs of the world’s banking and capital markets, 83% are optimistic about growth over the next three years, and 65% consider AI to be a key investment priority.

Seventy percent of CEOs intend to invest 10–20% of their budgets for the following 12 months in AI, while 59% anticipate that agentic AI will have a revolutionary effect, and 69% anticipate that it will pay off in one to three years.

Reskilling for AI is a high priority for about 83% of bank and capital market CEOs; 79% claim that AI has changed the definition of entry-level skills, while 78% issue caution. artificial intelligence If ignored, workforce readiness could have a detrimental effect on the organization, according to the study.

According to Sanjay Doshi, Partner and Head of KPMG in India’s Transaction Services and Financial Services Advisory, “the same imperative is increasingly shaping the Indian banking industry as global banking leaders respond to rising operational and regulatory costs by pursuing scale and strategic M&A. ”

For India, scale is more than just size; it’s a catalyst for growing distribution, speeding up digital transformation, and improving cost effectiveness, according to Doshi.

According to him, targeted integration and partnership-led growth can unlock new markets, reinforce value propositions, and establish long-term competitive resilience as banks increase their investments in technology and modernize their operational models.

Data preparedness and regulatory gaps were listed by 55% of CEOs as the biggest obstacles to growth, followed by ethical concerns at 56% and cybersecurity at around 86%.

Nitin Khara, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Confidence Petroleum India Limited (CPIL) stated that, oil marketing firms (OMCs) and businesses engaged in the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are making ongoing efforts to keep distribution running smoothly throughout the nation in the face of geopolitical tensions caused by the Iran war.

Despite the obstacles that the changing global market has placed on the supply of LPG, Khara emphasized that the company’s top priority is still maintaining an unbroken supply for Indian consumers and retailers.

He stated that CPIL is monitoring the LPG supply situation on a daily basis.

“We evaluate every morning on how to guarantee the gas supply for that day. We do our best to provide timely delivery, but due to limited availability, certain challenges have arisen, as dealers from all over the nation call throughout the day,” he said.

He said that LPG importers are now experiencing a significant logistical challenge since two LPG ships are stranded close to sea ports and cannot enter or exit. The regular supply chain has been disrupted by this.

Khara told that the company usually imports about 40,000 metric tons of LPG each month, but this cycle has been disrupted by the current circumstances.

The original plan, according to Khara, was to unload 850 metric tons from the shipment, with the balance going to the Malaysian operations of the Norway-based energy corporation Equinor, as per a prior agreement.

The firm typically upholds its commitments, even if there is no formal sale and purchase agreement, he said.

However, some merchants insisted that the gas be delivered to Indian customers instead.

Khara stated, “In light of these requests, we are considering the possibility of using the available LPG in the nation to alleviate the burden on consumers at home. ”

He also mentioned that the state governments have recommended unloading the gas locally in order to increase the supply in the national market.

If the LPG is kept in India, it could help guarantee an extra 12 to 13 days of supply, which might alleviate some of the market’s concerns.

The manufacture and availability of LPG have been impacted by the current global conflict and disturbances, according to Khara.

Even if the situation returns to normal right away, it may take almost four months for the entire supply chain to stabilize because of refinery damage, low output, and a lack of LPG tankers.

To the joy of fans and movie enthusiasts, the makers of the highly anticipated thriller “Patriot,” directed by Mahesh Narayanan and starring Malayalam cinema legends Mammootty and Mohanlal, released the lovely, romantic song “Kaattu Thottappol” from the movie on Thursday.

Sushin Shyam created the romantic song, which has been picturized on Darshana Rajendran and Kunchacko Boban. Kapil Kapilan and iSai have performed the song, which has words by Anwar Ali.

The song’s debut was announced on Instagram by Sushin Shyam, a music composer. He exclaimed, It’s here! Out Now: Patriot’s KaattuThottappol Music Video.

The movie has piqued the curiosity of both film enthusiasts and fans. Mammootty and Mohanlal have already finished dubbing for their roles in ‘Patriot,’ according to the film’s producers.

The creators had just posted a Behind The Scenes (BTS) video a few days earlier, which included footage from the movie set taken during the filming in Sri Lanka.

On his X timeline, the actor Mohanlal wrote, Patriot Behind the Scenes: Sri Lanka. Starting on April 23, 2026, in theaters around the globe.

The BTS footage that was made public was filmed on an airbase and featured fighter jets, planes, and helicopters.

In addition to highlighting the reunion of the two titans of Malayalam film after 18 years, the BTS video also featured snippets of Mohanlal and Mammootty at the airbase.

In one intriguing image, Fahaadh Faasil is seen inside the cockpit of a fighter jet, where a specialist is instructing him on the controls of the plane. The fact that actor Fahadh Faasil just revealed that he portrays the antagonist in the movie may be remembered.

For those who don’t know, Patriot is set to debut in theaters around the world on April 23 of this year.

The movie’s producers said on January 4 of this year that the crew had finished filming the movie. They said in their letter, It’s over. Blood, perspiration, faith. The march of the PATRIOTS continues. Look for me on the Big screen.

In addition, they released a behind-the-scenes video of all the actors on set to mark the event.

In addition to the two Malayalam giants, the movie, which has generated enormous excitement since its announcement, also stars well-known actors Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, and Revathy.

The buzz around the picture was fueled by a teaser released by the producers last year.

The teaser starts with a voiceover that says, I recall when this country was ruled by the two of them. All at once. They gained more than just followers throughout these years. Faith. Trust.

The following is a succession of captivating yet powerful moments, punctuated by Mammootty’s statement that “They are going to bring social score to people. ” Next, Mohanlal, who seems to be portraying an army commander in the movie, says, “There are three of us. ” Do you think you can stop us?

The teaser then hints at the existence of a program called Periscope, in which Kunchacko Boban portrays a character named Daniel.

“This program which is part of the student laptop scheme,” asks Nayanthara. Is that comparable to Periscope? We also hear another voice asking if the software is keeping an eye on them in secret. The teaser concludes with Mammootty asking someone to finish the statement, Great Indian traitor… or Patriot.

In general, the trailer suggests that the movie will center around a bunch of socially conscious people attempting to prevent an unlawful government attempt to keep tabs on its populace.

The US declared a 30-day waiver allowing all countries to buy Russian oil, which caused a slight dip in world oil prices on Friday.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 0. 67% to $95. 09 per barrel, while Brent crude traded at $99. 99 per barrel, a 0. 47% decrease.

“To increase the global reach of existing supply, @USTreasury is providing a temporary authorization to allow nations to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea,” US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent wrote on X.

“This narrowly targeted, short-term approach only applies to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government, which derives the majority of its energy revenue from taxes assessed at the point of extraction,” Bessent stated.

He went on to say that the momentary spike in oil prices is a transient and short-term interruption that will ultimately be hugely beneficial to our country and economy.

The US waiver applies to petroleum goods and crude oil of Russian origin that are loaded onto ships at any time prior to 12:01 a. m. Eastern Daylight Time on March 12.

The United States declared on Wednesday that it would release 172 million barrels from its strategic petroleum reserves.

Conversely, the Indian government has stated that the crude supply situation is stable and that the volumes obtained are higher than those that Hormuz would have provided.

Prior to this crisis, about 45% of India’s crude imports came via the Hormuz route.

India has now acquired crude volumes that are higher than what the disrupted Strait route would have provided over the same time frame. According to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, the percentage of crude imports coming from outside Hormuz has increased from 55% before the war to around 70%.

India imports crude from 40 countries, as opposed to 27 in 2006–2007. This structural diversification, which was developed through consistent policy over a number of years, “has given us options that other nations now find themselves without. ”

Puri claimed that refineries are running at full capacity utilization; in some instances, it’s even over 100 percent.

The first game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season will pit reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The Mumbai Indians, five-time winners, will begin their season against the Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 at the legendary Wankhede Stadium.

In the meanwhile, the Chennai Super Kings will play Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati to start their season. As two of the league’s most well-liked clubs face off, this game provides an early highlight to the season.

The league’s fixtures for the first 20 games have been announced, according to a story in The Indian Express. Later, the remaining portion of the schedule will probably be made public. Teams compete in a number of thrilling games during the opening phase as they attempt to build early momentum in their pursuit of the playoffs.

The Punjab Kings, last season’s runners-up, will start their season in Mullanpur against the Gujarat Titans. The match between the Delhi Capitals and the Lucknow Super Giants will take place in Lucknow on April 1.

There are a number of significant matchups in the first stage as well, including Mumbai Indians against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Mumbai on April 12 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru on April 5.

The schedule includes double-header days on April 4, April 5, April 11, and April 12, where there are two matches planned for each day, giving fans plenty of games to watch on those days. During the tournament’s initial phase, teams will visit a number of locations, such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Mullanpur.

The schedule also includes a number of notable contests. Mumbai will host Bengaluru on April 12, while Chennai will visit Bengaluru on April 5.

On Wednesday at 7:00 PM IST, Star Sports Network and JioHotstar will reveal the IPL 2026’s first phase schedule.

As the conflict in the Middle East worsens, Iranian attacks on the infrastructure and offices of significant American technology firms in Israel and certain Gulf nations are a possibility, according to news.

According to a list of establishments and infrastructure run by major American companies with connections to Israel that has allegedly been utilized for military purposes, which was published by Tasnim News Agency in Iran, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

These facilities were listed as Iran’s new targets in the list, which also noted that the range of what Tehran deems to be legitimate targets could increase as the regional conflict turns into an infrastructure war.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, the list of businesses includes Google, Microsoft, Oracle Corporation, IBM, Nvidia, and Palantir Technologies.

The businesses have offices in a number of Israeli cities and areas of the Gulf. While Microsoft has a major regional presence in Abu Dhabi, Dubai serves as Google’s Middle East headquarters. In addition, both companies have offices in Israel.

Additionally, Tehran has cautioned that banks and financial hubs in the area that are connected to American and Israeli organizations may be vulnerable to attack.

Al Jazeera reported that a representative for Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, which the United Nations describes as being under the control of the IRGC, claimed that the recent attacks had given Iran the ability to target economic hubs and banks belonging to the Zionist regime and the United States in the area.

According to sources, the spokesman cautioned locals to avoid such sites, advising them not to stay within a kilometer of any banks that are affiliated with those businesses.

Additionally, the Iranian media said that recent US and Israeli attacks had targeted a Tehran bank, causing staff fatalities, but the number of deaths was not given.

The warnings come as tensions rise as a result of Iranian counterattacks following coordinated attacks by the United States and Israel. Additionally, Tehran has issued warnings to Gulf nations that are allied with Washington and has targeted US-linked assets in the area.

In the interim, worries about energy security have increased as a result of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international energy transit route, notably for significant Asian importers like China and India.

The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025 is a positive move towards enhancing India’s nuclear energy ecosystem and improving project implementation.

According to Infomerics Ratings, the legislation is a long-term structural benefit for the Indian power industry because it addresses persistent barriers to the expansion of nuclear capacity, notably liability and participation restrictions.

Considering projects under development and planning, the corporation anticipates that the nuclear growth will continue to be slow and reach about 22 GW by FY2032.

The ‘SHANTI Bill 2025’ establishes a single legal framework that regulates nuclear liability, development, safety, security, and safeguards, replacing the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010.

According to the legislation, the central government may specifically allow government agencies, businesses, partnerships, or other individuals to manufacture nuclear fuel, including conversion, as well as construct, own, run, or decommission nuclear power facilities.

Nuclear is a key component of India’s future energy mix due to its net-zero commitments and increasing electricity demand, the business said, as renewable intermittency restricts its capacity to completely satisfy reliable base load demand even with storage assistance.

Rohit Inamdar, Chief Ratings Officer at Infomerics Ratings, stated, “The bill establishes category wise operator liability caps and restricts recourse to suppliers to defined contractual and intentional fault situations, thereby reducing supplier risk, improving investor confidence, and facilitating greater private sector participation in future nuclear projects. ”

However, the report also stated that the expansion of nuclear power capabilities will depend on tariff competitiveness and the creation of a domestic vendor ecosystem.

As nuclear capacity grows, the company stressed that long-term, sovereign-backed fuel supply agreements, the creation of strategic reserves, and the development of domestic fuel cycle infrastructure would continue to be essential.

India initiated a bold financial technology change in modern history, establishing a paradigm for emerging economies by becoming one of the most sophisticated digital payment ecosystems in the world.

The report from News. az, which is situated in Azerbaijan, stated that India’s model demonstrates how government regulation, technological breakthroughs, and ubiquitous mobile connections can work together to establish an effective payment infrastructure.

The world has paid attention to India’s digital payment revolution, with economists and technology specialists analyzing it as a model for other developing nations.

It stated that the creation of one of the biggest and most effective digital ecosystems in the world was made possible by a confluence of digital identity systems, growing mobile connectivity, cutting-edge payment methods, and favorable government policies.

The report attributed the system’s foundation to the government’s careful planning, which included state-run initiatives that increased financial inclusion and gave millions of people a digital identity.

The widespread acceptance was driven by the availability of affordable smartphones and increasingly faster mobile internet access. Through the Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) initiative, public internet access has also increased.

The project had established 4,09,111 Wi-Fi hotspots as of February 2026, all supported by 207 PDO Aggregators and 113 app providers, with the goal of offering affordable, high-speed internet access, especially in rural and isolated regions.

The circumstances for massive digital financial services were made possible by these changes.

The report stated that financial organizations could securely verify users and process transactions efficiently by connecting digital identity with banking and mobile services.

By lowering reliance on actual cash, UPI enhanced the transparency of the financial system and boosted the efficiency of economic activity.

The government stated in a recent announcement that, based on January 2026 data, UPI handles about Rs 28. 33 lakh crore worth of monthly transactions, totaling 21. 7 billion, and facilitates financial inclusion throughout urban-rural and income disparities by offering low-cost, real-time digital payments nationwide through zero-cost mobile phone transfers.