For Friday, March 13, 2026, the assembly news briefing presents significant happenings from India and across the globe, enabling students to stay informed and relate their classroom learning to real-world events.

National news

Economic Stabilization Fund to help deal with unanticipated crisis: Sitharaman

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Rs 1 lakh crore Economic Stabilization Fund will help in dealing with the impact of an unanticipated crisis like the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Gas 'crunch' hits people all across India; Union advises against 'panic booking'

New Delhi: Panic reigned in the streets on Friday as a scramble for domestic gas made people queue up across states, eateries shut shop, and reports of hoarding made rounds, even as the Centre insisted there was no shortage of LPG in the country.

West Asia crisis: Jaishankar holds 4th phone call with Iranian counterpart in 2 weeks

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi - their fourth such conversation since the West Asia crisis erupted - as New Delhi intensifies efforts to secure safe passage for over two dozen Indian-flagged merchant vessels currently stationed on either side of the Strait of Hormuz.

LPG crisis: Opposition MPs protest in Parliament complex, question PM's absence from House

New Delhi: Opposition MPs on Friday held a protest in the Parliament Complex over the LPG crisis issue, and raised slogans demanding answers from Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Opposition MPs submit notices in both Houses seeking motion for removal of CEC Kumar

New Delhi: Opposition MPs have submitted notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, sources said on Friday.

PM doesn't want to antagonise US, Israeli 'friend': Cong slams 'silence' on Khamenei assassination

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday attacked the Modi government for its "silence" on the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said "a compromised prime minister no doubt wants to avoid antagonising his American and Israeli friend".

West Asia crisis: EAM Jaishankar speaks to Iranian counterpart

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi - their fourth such conversation since the West Asia crisis began - as New Delhi intensifies efforts to secure safe passage to 28 merchant vessels currently stationed on either side of the Strait of Hormuz.

IndiGo to levy fuel charge for domestic, int'l flights from Mar 14

New Delhi: IndiGo will start levying fuel charges ranging from Rs 425 to Rs 2,300 on domestic and international flight tickets from March 14 amid the steep surge in jet fuel prices due to the ongoing war between the US, Israel and Iran.

Claim that india will hold off trade deal with US incorrect: Govt sources

New Delhi: The government on Friday rejected reports suggesting that New Delhi might suspend the proposed trade deal with the US in view of the Trump administration launching a new "unfair practices" probe against India and some other countries.

One of 28 Indian-flagged vessels stranded in Strait of Hormuz sails away safely

New Delhi: One of the 28 Indian-flagged vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing hostilities in the region has since sailed away safely, a senior official said.

Govt warns LPG hoarders of action; urges users to switch to piped cooking gas

New Delhi: The government on Friday said it is ensuring an uninterrupted supply of cooking gas to households amid a surge in panic bookings, and advised around 60 lakh households located near piped natural gas (PNG) networks to consider switching to piped connections for convenience.

Bill to provide precise definition of 'transgender' introduced in LS

New Delhi: A bill seeking to provide a precise definition of the term "transgender" and provide graded punishments that reflect the gravity of the harm inflicted upon such persons was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

SC refuses to entertain PIL seeking menstrual leave policy across country

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a nationwide policy providing paid menstrual leave for women students and workers, observing no one would give them jobs in such a scenario and that such a provision would unintentionally reinforce gender stereotypes.

Post-Kumbh Mela girl's marriage to Muslim man, her father seeks MP CM help to get her home

Khargone: The father of Monalisa Bhonsle, the young woman who shot to fame during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela last year, on Friday sought the intervention of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to bring her back to the state safely after she married a Muslim man in Kerala.

West Asia conflict: Scindia slams Congress for 'negative thinking', making accusations

Gwalior: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday criticised the Congress for "negative thinking" during the West Asia crisis, asserting that while citizens of the country were standing by the government, the Opposition was resorting to making accusations.

International news

2 Indians killed, 10 injured in drone attack on Oman's industrial hub of Sohar

New Delhi: Two Indian nationals were killed and 10 others injured in a drone strike in Oman's Sohar city on Friday that marked the first Indian fatalities on land since the Iran-US conflict erupted on February 28.

Six US airmen confirmed dead after KC-135 refueling tanker crashes in Western Iraq

Florida: The US military confirmed on Friday that all six airmen aboard a refuelling aircraft that crashed in Iraq have perished. According to military officials, the cause of the crash remains the subject of an ongoing investigation. However, authorities have clarified that the loss of the aircraft did not result from hostile engagement or friendly fire.

US grants India-like waiver to other countries to buy Russian oil

Washington: Amid rising oil prices, the Trump administration has announced a temporary authorisation to other countries to purchase Russian oil currently stranded at sea, as there were no immediate signs of an early end to the US war on Iran.

Attack on Safesea Vishnu 'deliberate, calculated', shipping lanes cannot become battle zones'

New York: The attack on US-owned crude oil tanker Safesea Vishnu that killed an Indian crew member appears to have been "deliberate and calculated", the maritime company's chief has said.

No life insurance for Mojtaba Khamenei: Netanyahu

Jerusalem: Asserting that the joint US-Israel campaign against Iran is "going better than expected" and Israel is "stronger than ever", Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said there was "no life insurance" for Iran's newly chosen Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

China to provide USD 200,000 for victims of bomb attack on Iranian school

Beijing: China on Friday said it will provide USD 200,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance to the students killed in an airstrike on an elementary school in Iran in the ongoing joint US-Israel attacks on the country.

West Asia crisis: Pak PM expresses full solidarity with Saudi Arabia

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed Pakistan's "full solidarity" with Saudi Arabia as the West Asia crisis escalates.

Sri Lanka hands over 45 Iranian sailors' bodies to embassy

Colombo: Sri Lanka on Friday handed over the bodies of 45 sailors killed in an attack on an Iranian warship off the island nation's coast to Iran's embassy, the officials said.

Large explosion in Tehran square where demonstrations are happening: Iranian state television

Dubai: A large explosion struck Iran's capital, Tehran, on Friday at a square filled with demonstrators, Iranian state television reported.