Category: News

Pic Credit: Pexel

Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the US-Israel conflict, Indian-flagged LPG tankers have successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz with the support of the Indian Navy. The LPG tanker Shivalik has crossed the strait safely, while the second vessel, Nanda Devi, has also exited the strategically important shipping route without incident.

Government sources confirmed that Shivalik is currently being escorted by Indian naval ships and is expected to reach an Indian port, likely Mumbai or Kandla, within the next two days. The tanker has reached open waters and is sailing securely under naval guidance.

The Nanda Devi, carrying over 46,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is a critical component of India’s energy supply chain. Both vessels are being closely monitored by Indian naval assets to ensure safe passage through the sensitive waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

This development follows high-level discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian regarding the uninterrupted flow of goods and energy in the region.

Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, confirmed that Indian ships could expect safe passage through the strait, emphasizing the longstanding regional ties between India and Iran. “India is our friend. We believe that Iran and India share common interests in the region,” Fathali said, highlighting Iran’s willingness to facilitate transit for Indian vessels amid the crisis.

The statements come after Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi noted that Tehran had allowed ships from certain countries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait remains one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes, handling around 20 percent of global oil and gas exports.

India’s Ministry of Ports and Shipping confirmed that the number of Indian-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf remains at 28, with all ships and crew being actively monitored for safety and security.

The safe transit of Shivalik and Nanda Devi underscores India’s commitment to maintaining energy supply lines and safeguarding its maritime assets amid regional instability.

 

Air India and Air India Express will operate a combined 80 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from the West Asia region on 14 March, the airline group announced.

The airlines will continue their regular services to Jeddah and Muscat. On this day, a total of 10 flights are scheduled to Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate 8 flights to Muscat.

As part of the schedule, Air India will fly one round-trip from Delhi and two round-trips from Mumbai to Jeddah. Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Kozhikode and Mangaluru to Jeddah.

These operations aim to maintain seamless connectivity between India and key West Asian destinations, serving both regular travelers and those on additional non-scheduled flights.

A new limited-edition release from  F1® Authentics is giving motorsport collectors the opportunity to secure authentic pieces of racing history, with the added prospect of obtaining a high-end professional simulator, worth £89,000.

The newly announced F1® Mystery Box collection is a premium collectors item strictly limited to 150 boxes worldwide, each containing a curated selection of racing memorabilia valued at a minimum total value of £2,500. Every box has been assembled to offer a chance to expand collections with items from the heart of Formula 1®.

Excitingly for motorsport fans and gamers, one of these boxes will contain an Official 2026 F1® Motion Simulator, a professional-grade sim designed to deliver an immersive driving experience that closely mirrors the sensations of being behind the wheel of a real Formula 1® car.

F1® Authentics, operated by Memento Exclusives under license from Formula One®, is an Official licensed partner to F1® and teams across the grid. The recently revealed 2026 edition simulators will be made available in several Official 2026 Team liveries, and the lucky Mystery Box customer who finds one will be able to choose the livery applied from this selection, before it is built specifically for them to keep.

Manufactured by engineers with decades of experience in motorsport, using the front half of a Formula 1® Show Car, these premium simulators are designed to be synonymous with the vehicles seen on track and deliver an incredible sense of immersion as you step over the sidepod and into the cockpit. Motion technology authentically replicates the feeling of every turn from every iconic circuit. Owning one of these sims is the closest most will get to the feeling of winning a seat on the team.

With an extremely limited run of Mystery Boxes produced, buyers effectively have a 1-in-150 chance of receiving a sim that would typically be seen utilised at elite racing experiences, making this a unique and unmissable opportunity for collectors and gamers worldwide.

The F1® Mystery Box is expected to attract significant attention from fans who are eager to secure a valuable treasure trove of secret items, whilst also testing their luck to uncover a once-in-a-lifetime surprise.

Available to purchase now on the F1® Authentics website, but with limited quantities available and high demand expected, fans are encouraged to move quickly to secure their chance before its gone.

 

 
Hyderabad, March 2026: The Tourism Committee of the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) has announced the winners of the Tourism Junction Jewels Photo Contest, a unique initiative aimed at highlighting Hyderabad’s creatively designed traffic junctions and public art installations.

The Award Presentation Ceremony will be held on March 16, 2026 at 2:30 PM at JS Krishna Murthy Hall, Federation House, FTCCI, Hyderabad. Shri R. V. Karnan, IAS, Commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), will grace the event as the Chief Guest and present the awards to the winners.
The photographs submitted for the contest were evaluated by a distinguished panel of jury members and photography professionals.

 
Rajani Kanth, photographer-journalist from Namaste Telangana, won the First Prize. His winning photograph captures a sculpture of children playing located along the Narsingi–Kokapet stretch of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in Hyderabad. The installation, created by Architect Kumara Swamy Goud, reflects the rich cultural spirit and everyday life of Telangana. The artwork symbolizes childhood joy, community life, and the vibrant cultural identity of the region.

Nomula Rajesh Reddy, photojournalist with Sakshi Telugu Newspaper, secured the Second Prize for his photograph of a monumental golden sculpture depicting a contemplative human head held between two hands along the Narsingi–Kokapet corridor. The artwork symbolizes thought, awareness, and reflection, encouraging commuters to pause and observe the surroundings. The floating head supported by hands represents the human mind in reflection, while the striking golden color gives the installation a monumental and iconic presence in the cityscape.

 
The Third Prize winner is Mogilishetty Sandhya, an amateur photographer and young mother of two, for her photograph of a vibrant art installation located near Shilpakala Vedika in Madhapur. The sculpture features stylized human figures in red, white, and green lifting a metal globe, symbolizing unity, teamwork, and the collective effort of people working together to support the world. The dynamic installation has become a notable urban landmark reflecting the collaborative spirit and modern identity of Hyderabad.
The five consolation prize winners include Abuja Srinivas (Photographer, Eenadu), G. Balaswamy (Photographer, Sakshi), Ganesan Ponnambalam, Shalini Jain (Photographer, Telangana Photographic Society), and Aavula Srinivas (Photographer, Eenadu).

Public sculptures such as these transform ordinary intersections into “Junction Jewels,” creating visual landmarks that beautify the city and promote appreciation for urban art and design.

Speaking about the initiative, Prakash Ammanabolu, Chairman, and D. Ramchandram, Co-Chairman of the FTCCI Tourism Committee, said the contest was organized to encourage citizens and photography enthusiasts to explore and capture Hyderabad’s creatively designed junctions featuring installations, fountains, sculptures, murals, statues, and beautification initiatives.

 
They added that such initiatives inspire citizens to rediscover their own city and appreciate the artistic elements present in everyday urban spaces.

The winners will receive cash prizes of ₹10,000 for the First Prize, ₹7,500 for the Second Prize, ₹5,000 for the Third Prize, and five consolation prizes of ₹1,000 each.
The event will bring together members of the FTCCI Tourism Committee, participants, photography professionals, and distinguished guests to celebrate creativity and promote awareness of Hyderabad’s urban art and tourism potential.

FTCCI invites members of the Tourism Committee, participants, and media representatives to attend the ceremony and support initiatives that highlight Hyderabad’s unique urban landscape.

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New York, NY and London, UK – March 12 – Reebok, the iconic and irreverent sports culture brand, today announced a partnership with professional footballer Trevoh Chalobah, further strengthening the brand’s commitment to the global game.

The signing builds on Reebok’s expanding presence in elite football following the recently announced partnership with Dušan Vlahović, as the brand continues to assemble a new generation of athletes ahead of its upcoming performance football launch.

“Reebok is a brand with a deep history in sport, and being part of its return to football is exciting,” said Trevoh Chalobah. “The vision for the next chapter of Reebok Football is ambitious, and I’m proud to represent the brand on the pitch at this moment.”

Known for his composure on the ball, tactical intelligence and defensive versatility, Chalobah has established himself as a reliable presence at the highest levels of European competition. On and off the pitch, his confident style and individuality reflect the disruptive, irreverent spirit that has long defined Reebok. His signing reflects Reebok’s strategy of partnering with athletes competing on the sport’s biggest stages as the brand strengthens its football platform.

Chalobah joins a growing roster of athletes representing Reebok across global sport as the brand continues to expand its performance offering across football, basketball, golf and training.

 

 

 

What to know

·The Mumbai leg of the Nike After Dark Tour is back for 2026 with an invitation to an unforgettable experience to the city as part of a seven-city series across the globe.

·Designed for women, the 2026 Nike After Dark Tour combines the joy of running with an electrifying nighttime experience that seamlessly blends sport, culture and community, resulting in a one-of-one event at every stop.

·With races of varying distances –– from 10Ks to half marathons –– the tour offers women around the world, including Mumbai’s growing community of women runners, the opportunity to push new limits and celebrate their collective power and potential.

·To learn more and get notified about race dates and registration, visithttps://afterdarktour.nike.com/mumbai

Seven global cities. One electrifying tour. Built for women, powered by Nike.

The After Dark Tour is returning for 2026, continuing Nike’s commitment to inviting more women into sport through races designed to celebrate community, self-expression and the power of running — all after the sun goes down.

Spanning seven major cities across the world, the Nike After Dark Tour empowers women to step onto the starting line together for an evening that blends sport, culture and community into a oneofone experience at every stop.

With a 10K race in Mumbai, the tour invites women of all backgrounds and abilities to push new limits and celebrate their collective power and potential.

Races in the 2026 Nike After Dark Tour include:

·London: 10K

·Los Angeles: half marathon

·Manila: 10K

·Mexico City: half marathon

·Mumbai: 10K

·Shanghai: 10K

·Sydney: half marathon

Now in its second year, the After Dark Tour builds on Nike’s longstanding history of supporting women runners around the world. Between 2005 and 2015, Nike hosted a series of women’s races in major cities globally. In 2025, the brand carried that legacy forward with the launch of the After Dark Tour, inspiring a new generation of runners and creating a space where women feel seen, supported and motivated.

That approach resonated strongly during the inaugural After Dark Tour, which drew more than 50,000 women to seven races across five continents, including nearly 3,500 women in India. One in three participants were first time racers, and nearly half said they signed up because they were drawn to a women oriented race experience.

Each stop extends far beyond a traditional race format, offering runners a fully immersive experience featuring curated prerace moments, oncourse energy and postrace celebrations of movement, confidence and community.

The After Dark Tour also showcases Nike’s latest running, training and sportswear innovations — all designed to help women look good, feel good and perform their best. The same performance technologies developed for Nike’s elite athletes are available to everyday runners, reinforcing the brand’s belief that innovation should serve all athletes, at every level.

To learn more about the 2026 Nike After Dark Tour, get notified about race dates and register for a race, visit:

Mumbai: https://afterdarktour.nike.com/mumbai

Global Series: https://afterdarktour.nike.com/

NOTE: As a brand that champions and celebrates all athletes, Nike created the After Dark Tour to invite more women into sport, fostering a sense of community and self-expression. Nike welcomed thousands of women to After Dark Tour starting lines in 2025, and the brand looks forward to encouraging even more women to run in 2026. Nike appreciates runners’ partnership in honoring the intent of the race series; participation and eligibility rules vary according to local laws and regulations. As registration opens, runners can check the race participation and eligibility requirements for each city.

 

Histria Books is pleased to announce the paperback release of Ogden: A Tale for the End of Time by Ben G. Price. This compelling book is published by Histria SciFi & Fantasy, an imprint of Histria Books encompassing outstanding, innovative works in the genres of science fiction and fantasy.

In Ogden, fantasy collides with the age of machines in a world of crumbling stone circles, hissing steam and monsters who might be more human than the people who fear them. This is a found family story, a gentle-giant outcast tale, and a grim look at industrial progress all wrapped into one character-driven epic.

Readers who love “monster as metaphor,” morally gray societies, and slow-burn bonds will find plenty to sink their teeth into. Trolls who literally cannot lie face humans who refuse to hear the truth, while secret orders and ruthless industrialists decide who counts as a person.

Ogden is for fans of myth-touched, low-technology fantasy who crave emotional stakes over chosen-one prophecy and intimate relationships over battlefield heroics. It asks what happens when the creature in the cage refuses to play its part in the story and chooses kindness in a world that profits from cruelty.

Praise for Ogden: A Tale for the End of Time:

“A fantasy of the highest order. Ogden will leave you in wonder, wistful for more and an unwavering insight that Nature is sentient. On this great, green planet, we are but one set of eyes among many that see.” — Tom Mullian, editor at La Mott Times

Ben G. Price is a U.S.-based writer who pioneered Rights of Nature legislation in the United States and assisted scores of communities to enact community and nature’s rights-protecting laws. He serves as the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund’s education director and, in addition to Ogden, he is author of How Wealth Rules the World: Saving Our Communities and Freedoms from the Dictatorship of Property.

Ogden: A Tale for the End of Time by Ben G. Price, 432 pp., ISBN 978-1-59211-579-2, is available at HistriaBooks.com and from all major book retailers. The book is also available as an eBook and a hardcover. Titles published under the imprints of Histria Books are distributed in the United States and Canada by Simon & Schuster and in the rest of the world through Unified Book Distribution.

 

Histria Books is pleased to announce the paperback release of Sophia and Cassius by Anna Canic. This novel is published by Histria Romance, an imprint of Histria Books dedicated to outstanding books in the romance genre.

Sophia and Cassius is a bold, genre-bending historical spiritual novel for readers who crave rebellious women, dangerous love, and faith put on trial. This is for fans of subversive biblical retellings, palace-intrigue dramas, and morally conflicted heroes who refuse to bow.

Here, the familiar myths of Eden and imperial Rome are turned inside out. The “fallen woman” becomes the one who says no. The emperor’s sister stops playing pawn and starts playing god. A hardened centurion finds himself caught in a forbidden pull between duty, desire, and a truth that could ruin them all.

Expect court politics, cults, and secret rites. Expect slow-burn tension where loyalty and attraction collide. Expect the “strong female character” to be truly dangerous, not just decorative.

Sophia and Cassius asks what it really means to be faithful when faith itself has been weaponized and survival demands a little heresy.

Praise for Sophia and Cassius: 

“Yearning spans centuries in Anna Canić’s bold feminist novel Sophia and Cassius, about a Lilith-inspired woman who is reborn to love a warrior… Steeped in ideals about love and justice, the provocative alternative history novel Sophia and Cassius explores a storied woman’s influence on the Roman Empire” —Karen Rigby, Foreword Magazine

Anna Canic (b. 1987, Odesa, Ukraine) is a multilingual translator, publicist, and author of Sophia and Cassius (originally published in Croatia). Described by JSTOR as a “multifaceted literary figure,” she has written articles, stage plays, reviews, poems, and song lyrics, and served as vice editor-in-chief of the Polish art and culture magazines Moja Przestrzeń Kultury and Dziennik Teatralny. Her work has appeared widely in European and American magazines and anthologies, and two of her dramas have been staged in Polish theatres. Fluent in six languages, she lives in Split, Croatia, with her family.

Sophia and Cassius by Anna Canic, 400 pp., ISBN 978-1-59211-667-6, is available at HistriaBooks.com and from all major book retailers. The book is also available as an eBook and a hardcover. Titles published under the imprints of Histria Books are distributed in the United States and Canada by Simon & Schuster and in the rest of the world through Unified Book Distribution. 

 

Histria Books is pleased to announce the release of Ribbon of Dreams by Randy O’Brien. This novel is published by Histria Fiction, an imprint of Histria Books dedicated to outstanding original works of fiction.

Set in the charged, sultry South of the 1970s, Ribbon of Dreams is a coming-of-age story for anyone who has ever felt like the outsider in their own life. Caught between a strict

stepfather, a fractured family, and a country on fire with protest, Skid is that sensitive kid who

sees too much and belongs nowhere.

This is a novel of first love and bad decisions, of boys taught to be tough who are secretly

breaking, of found mentors and broken idols. It leans into the tropes we crave: the misfit hero searching for his voice, the small town that keeps its ugliest secrets, the “good son” who refuses

to stay quiet, the road trip that changes everything.

Ribbon of Dreams will speak to readers who love character driven fiction, emotionally raw

family drama, and the messy, beautiful moment when youth collides with the real world.

Randy O’Brien is the author of the critically acclaimed historical novels Gettysburg by Morning and The Farm. He is a retired award-winning radio journalist and long-time book reviewer for AudioFile magazine. An avid audiobook reader, O’Brien enjoys thrillers, biographies, and histories while hiking.

Ribbon of Dreams by Randy O’Brien, 300 pp., ISBN 978-1-59211-677-5, is available at HistriaBooks.com and from all major book retailers. The book is also available as an eBook. Titles published under the imprints of Histria Books are distributed in the United States and Canada by Simon & Schuster and in the rest of the world through Unified Book Distribution.