The morning school assembly offers a unique opportunity for pupils to articulate these developments, fostering a deep understanding of governance, diplomacy and societal change. For Wednesday, March 18, our briefing covers critical milestones in India's energy security, the evolving political landscape in West Bengal and the complex geopolitical dynamics currently unfolding in West Asia. These updates are designed to provide a sharp, insightful overview of the stories defining our world today.

Top national news

India's second LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' arrives at Gujarat port amid West Asia tensions

Ahmedabad: India's second LPG carrier 'Nanda Devi' arrived safely at Vadinar port in Gujarat on Tuesday, carrying 46,500 metric tonnes of gas after navigating the Strait of Hormuz amid the West Asia conflict, an official said.

Mamata alleges EC playing 'nice game' for BJP

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the EC, alleging that senior administrative and police officers were being transferred ahead of the assembly polls at the behest of the BJP.

Gujarat Govt may table Uniform Civil Code draft Bill in Assembly soon

Gandhinagar: A five-member committee constituted by the Gujarat government to draft the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) for the state submitted its detailed and final report to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday.

Parliamentary panel tells Govt to prepare formal strategic document that articulates foreign policy objectives

New Delhi: A parliamentary panel on external affairs has strongly recommended the government to take up on priority the preparation of a formal strategic document that clearly articulates India's foreign policy objectives, and flagged that its absence is a "significant gap" for a country with such global stature, ambitions and expanding international engagement.

TMC to contest 291 of 294 seats in Bengal polls, confident of winning over 226: Mamata

Kolkata: The ruling TMC on Tuesday announced its list of candidates for the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, with party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declaring that the party will contest 291 of the 294 seats in the state.

Haryana RS polls: BJP's Bhatia, Cong's Boudh win as counting goes past midnight; 5 Cong MLAs 'cross-vote'

Chandigarh: BJP's Sanjay Bhatia and Karamvir Singh Boudh of the Congress were elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana after the counting for the keenly-watched twin seats went past midnight following allegations of violation of vote secrecy by both sides, officials said on Tuesday.

Viral video shows crowd in cinema hall pledging to boycott Muslims, draws flak

Vasai (Maharashtra): A video, purportedly from Maharashtra's Palghar district, showing people in a cinema hall chanting slogans and pledging to boycott Muslims socially and economically has triggered strong reactions

Superstar Rajini dismisses TVK leader''s charge as untrue, says 'time will reply'

Chennai: Superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday refuted a charge made by TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna that he was threatened by the DMK when he attempted to make a political entry, and said that "time will wait and reply".

2016 Una flogging case: Court sentences five convicts to imprisonment of five years

Gir Somnath (Gujarat): A special court on Tuesday sentenced five convicts in the 2016 Una flogging case in which four Dalit men were thrashed when they were trying to skin the carcass of a cow to imprisonment of five years and imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of them.

Top International News

Pak targets Taliban installations; Afghan govt says 400 killed in attack on hospital

Islamabad: Pakistan overnight carried out "precision airstrikes" targeting what it described as terrorists and their support infrastructure locations across Afghanistan, but the Afghan government accused Islamabad of bombing a rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, killing at least 400 people.

China to provide humanitarian aid to Iran, Lebanon, other West Asian nations

Beijing: China on Tuesday said it will provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Lebanon and two other West Asian countries hit hard by the ongoing conflict in the region.

Israel says 2 top Iranian officials killed in airstrikes in blow to Tehran leadership

Dubai: Iran's top security official and the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia were both killed in overnight strikes in a blow to the country's leadership, Israel's Defence Minister said Tuesday, while Tehran defiantly fired new salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel.

PTI