Oil and gas prices rose sharply and stock markets slid back on Thursday after Iranian strikes hit energy infrastructure in the Middle East, including Qatar's main gas facility. Brent crude was trading at just over $108 a barrel on Thursday evening, having risen as high as $119 earlier in the day
‘Gudi Padwa puja rituals in Karachi’: Family celebrates Marathi New Year in Pakistan. WatchThe content creator shared a video showcasing how he and his family celebrated Gudi Padwa in Karachi, Pakistan. Published on: Mar 20, 2026 7:52 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link As the Marathi
Bharti Singh finally reveals face of her second son Yashveer; fans call him Haarsh Limbachiyaa's ‘carbon copy’. WatchFans expressed their affection for Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa's baby Yashveer, aka Kaju, comparing his looks to both parents. Mar 20, 2026
India is ageing fast. The population aged 60 and above in the country is projected to more than double from 100 million in 2011 to 230 million in 2036. By last year, the elderly made up 11% of the country’s population; with improvements in life expectancy and falling fertility
For frequent flyers, damaged luggage is not uncommon. Broken wheels, cracked shells, missing locks, or items mysteriously gone, well that’s as regular a trip for many as it comes. While airlines often attribute such issues to “handling errors" or “transit damage
India's auto boom at risk as Iran war chokes gas supply at car plantsMaruti Suzuki to Tata Motors and Mahindra, as well as their parts suppliers, are staring at a production loss as govt diverts gas supply to households. Updated on: Mar 19, 2026 11:23 PM IST Reuters Share via Copy link India's
The Donald Trump administration is not considering any restrictions on oil exports, a US official said on Thursday, even as Washington grapples with rising energy costs triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “Oil and gas export restrictions are not under consideration
Nottingham Forest have not had an abundance of reasons to celebrate with their fans this season. Separated from the Premier League's relegation zone only on goal difference and on their fourth manager of the season, things have been fairly bleak at the City Ground
World Blitz: Chess champion Carlsen wins record-extending 9th title, Arjun Erigaisi settles for bronze
Magnus Carlsen secured his ninth world blitz chess title in Doha. He faced a challenging field and admitted luck played a part. Carlsen defeated Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the final. Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi won a bronze medal. Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva claimed the women's blitz title.
Doha: Relieved after defending his world blitz crown, chess megastar Magnus Carlsen acknowledged it was an extremely tough field and admitted he was fortunate to win a record-extending ninth title following the reverses in the early rounds of the tournament.
World No.1 Magnus Carlsen showed his endgame genius yet again to add the Blitz crown to the Rapid gold medal he won last week by defeating Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2.5-1.5 in the title showdown on Tuesday.
Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, impeccable in the 19-round qualification (Swiss), suffered a massive meltdown in the semifinal to settle for a bronze medal in the World Blitz Championship.
The third-place finish for 22-year-old Erigaisi on Sunday, not only helped him win the Blitz and Rapid bronze, it also made him only the second male chess player from India after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to win a World Blitz medal.
"This was a very tough event for me. It could have gone either way. But when we got to the knockouts, I thought I should really enjoy it, and it worked out," Carlsen, who ended up winning both the Rapid and Blitz gold, told FIDE .
Carlsen refused to accept a draw in the final against young Uzbek GM Abdusattorov and came up with a unique pawn move out of nowhere in the fourth game of the title clash to win the contest after both the players were tied at 1.5 points each.
The victory was all the more sweet and fulfilling for the Norwegian after a string of losses, and a big controversy, in the qualifying (Swiss round) where he struggled to secure a place in the semifinals.
A draw in Round 19 against Abdusattorov saw both Carlsen (13.5 points) and the Uzbek (13 points) secure the last two slots in the semifinals on Tuesday behind sole leader Erigaisi (15 points) and second-placed American GM Fabiano Caruana (14 points).
Carlsen then went on to beat Caruana 3-1 to secure a place in the final, while an clinical Abdusattorov inflicted a shattering 2.5-0.5 semifinal defeat on Erigaisi.
Earlier, Erigaisi, after stunning the likes of Carlsen and Abdusattorov to emerge sole leader with 10 points from 13 games on Monday, went through the remaining six rounds on Tuesday with steely resolve.
He won four and drew two to remain sole leader with 15 points to secure a place in the semifinals.
The Indian was drawn against 2021 World Rapid champion Abdusattorov, who secured a place in the last-four by the skin of the teeth, edging out Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to fifth spot on 'best tie-break' rule after both the Grandmasters had ended on 13 points each.
With Erigaisi in stunning form and having the advantage of beating Abdusattorov on Monday, the Indian was expected to go full steam.
But things took a different and difficult turn for Erigaisi. He could not convert the advantage with white in the opening game, losing in 47 moves to be 0-1 down.
A resurgent Abdusattorov turned things decisively his way in the second game by playing Rc5' on the 75th move and finishing the game in 83 moves.
With the Uzbek needing only half-a-point to seal his place in the final, Abdusattorov settled for a quick draw with black pieces after just 33 moves despite being in a winning position, rendering the fourth game redundant.
Carlsen courts controversy, penalised
Carlsen suffered a serious setback in the 14th round (Swiss) on Tuesday when he dropped a piece in time trouble - his second time in the tournament - and ended up losing. But despite the incident, the Norwegian kept his composure and rebounded in the following rounds.
With both Carlsen and Armenia's Haik Martirosyan in a tense position, the Norwegian lost his composure and accidentally knocked off most pieces on the board with just two seconds left on his clock. As Carlsen scrambled to reset them, he also pressed the clock, thus gaining two more seconds, before all the pieces were placed correctly, which was illegal.
The arbiters were called and Martirosyan declared winner.
As per FIDE rules, "If a player brings the game into disrepute with the intention of preventing their time expiring, the player should expect to be penalised by losing the game."
Carlsen accepted the decision and shook hands with Martirosyan.
Assaubayeva takes women's Blitz title
Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva defeated Ukrainian Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk 2.5-1.5 to claim her third World Blitz title and qualify for the 2026 Candidates tournament.
Assaubayeva capitalised on the white pieces in the final game to beat Muzychuk, who stumbled in time trouble.
"It was hard, but it feels great. It's not easy to do this once, let alone three times. And also to qualify for the Candidates - it's thrilling. Now I will rest a bit, and in February start my preparation for the Candidates," said Assaubayeva who won her first two titles in 2021 and 2022.
Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: Magnus Carlsen backs controversial Total Chess World Championship Tour Magnus Carlsen gets Norway Chess revenge against D Gukesh Carlsen wins record-extending ninth title Magnus Carlsen reacts to Norway's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification D Gukesh looks to end Magnus Carlsen's record reign as World No Magnus Carlsen & Aleksandra Goryachkina Clinch 2025 World Rapid Titles Chief arbiter lifts lid on Magnus Carlsen vs Hans Niemann cheating scandal D Gukesh To Lead 2026 Masters Field As Magnus Carlsen Opts Out Nihal Sarin breaks silence on rejecting Magnus Carlsen's viral draw offer India No. 1 Arjun Erigaisi checkmates Magnus Carlsen - Watch
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro reflects maturity with design, performance and experienceFoundations for Nothing’s newest phone include a sharper design, consistent performance and usability elements that seem to be growing into its ambition Published on: Mar 19
1 hours ago
Just under 100 ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of March, according to data analysed by BBC Verify, despite periodic attacks on shipping in the area by Iranian forces. While some energy and everyday goods are still moving through one of the world's busiest shipping
1 hours ago
The United States and Japan announced Thursday a $40 billion project to build nuclear reactors in Tennessee and Alabama, after a meeting of the two countries' leaders in Washington. The countries announced the first tranche of projects under the new investment fund in February
1 hours ago
The Delhi High Court has given former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and others a week to respond to the Enforcement Directorate's plea. The ED wants the court to remove critical remarks made by a special CBI court. These remarks were made while discharging 23 individuals in the Delhi
1 hours ago
Aston Villa were urged not to become a "maybe" team. Yet maybe this is their year. When Emi Martinez charged up the pitch to celebrate after his quick thinking set up John McGinn's opener there was no doubt their Europa League dream would continue.Aston Villa were urged not to become a "maybe" team
1 hours ago
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge finally hit theatres on March 19. But some paid previews of the film were also held in certain theatres across the country. While it was meant to be an exclusive preview of Aditya Dhar’s directorial, it turned into a night of confusion
1 hours ago
Saumya Tandon, who plays Rehman Dakait’s wife in Dhurandhar, has shared some inside pictures from the film’s success bash, which was held in Mumbai on Thursday night. In one of the pictures, the actress is all smiles as Ranveer Singh takes a selfie with her. In another
1 hours ago
Stocks to watch: Shares of firms like Vedanta, HDFC Bank, Manappuram, Nazara Tech, UltraTech Cement, and others will be in focus on Thursday’s trade Stocks to Watch On March 19, 2026: Stocks Indian benchmark indices — the BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 — are likely to open sharply lower on Thursday
1 hours ago
In a move that sent ripples across the paddock (not the type that plagued Fernando Alonso at Shanghai), Adrian Newey is set to step down from his team principal role at Aston Martin F1 Team, just months after taking charge. The man widely regarded as Formula One’s greatest designer isn’t
1 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.This Samsung smart TV price drop is turning premium screens into irresistible dealsSamsung smart TVs are now available at reduced prices
1 hours ago
The Asom Gana Parishad has announced 26 candidates for the upcoming assembly polls. Its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, is part of the NDA alliance. The Congress party has also released its third list, bringing their total declared candidates to 102. The state of Assam has 126 assembly seats
1 hours ago
Viral baby monkey Punch-kun finds ‘girlfriend’ Momo-chan after being abandoned at Japan zoo | See videoBaby macaque Punch-kun goes viral again for forming bond with Momo-chan. Updated on: Mar 20, 2026 7:42 AM IST By Prakriti Deb Share via Copy link A baby macaque captured global attention for
1 hours ago
The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday told gym owner Deepak Kumar, who opposed the harassment of an elderly Muslim shopkeeper by alleged Bajrang Dal members, that he was attempting to sensationalise the matter by seeking police protection as part of his petition, Bar and Bench reported
1 hours ago
The BJP’s Christian outreach, which has been a talking point in Keralam for long, is now taking clearer electoral shape. The party is banking on gains among Christian voters in the assembly elections this time as the early momentum appears to be driven by sections of the Syro-Malabar community
1 hours ago
Jammu and Kashmir police have dismantled a sophisticated international cyber fraud network in Srinagar. Seven individuals were arrested for targeting victims in the USA, UK, and Canada. The syndicate used fake online advertisements and psychological tactics
1 hours ago
Anurag Dobhal shows injury scars from car crash, seeks fans' advice on comeback: 'New zindagi ki shuruaat dekhoge?'YouTuber Anurag Dobhal, who is recovering from a car crash during an Instagram Live, seeks followers' opinions on starting a new phase of vlogging. Mar 20, 2026
1 hours ago
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amit Bansal acquitted Jamsheed Zahoor Paul and Parvaiz Rashid Lone of the offences of terrorist act and association of ISIS under Section 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Arms Act
1 hours ago
The execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi has thrust Iran’s crackdown on dissent back into the global spotlight. According to reports from Euronews, Iranian authorities executed three men on March 19 — Mohammadi, Mehdi Ghasemi
1 hours ago
In the domestic market, shares of the country’s largest private lender were among the top laggards, falling as much as 8.66 per cent to hit an intraday low of Rs 770, compared to the previous close of Rs 843. Also Read :New Income-tax Act 2025 To Be Implemented From April 1: How Does It Impact
1 hours ago
Cuba anticipates its first Russian oil shipment this year amid ongoing power outages. A Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels is en route, potentially easing the island's energy crisis. Another vessel with diesel is also reportedly heading to Cuba. These shipments aim to support critical sectors
1 hours ago
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he held talks with Qatar PM Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and condemned the latest Iranian attack on Qatar’s energy infrastructure. In a post on X, PM Modi said: “Spoke with my brother, H.H. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar
1 hours ago
![Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 20 (ANI): Manvir Singh’s spectacular first-half strike from his own half helped Namdhari SC secure a hard-fought 1-1](http://newsorbit360.com/files/news/en/imgs/sreenidi-deccan-rally-to-earn-point-against-namdhari-sc.webp?height=520)
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 20 (ANI): Manvir Singh’s spectacular first-half strike from his own half helped Namdhari SC secure a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Sreenidi Deccan FC in Star Cement Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 at the Deccan Arena on Thursday.Despite being held at home
1 hours ago
Tarot Horoscope Today for March 20, 2026: Emotions may feel intense; rely on intuitionThis article will dive into the daily tarot reading for each zodiac sign for March 20, 2026, with our expert's predictions. Published on: Mar 20, 2026 7:00 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link The tarot
1 hours ago
Income Tax: While overall tax burden for individuals remains largely unchanged, the new tax law introduces structural changes in the way income is assessed and returns are filed. India’s direct tax framework is set for a major overhaul from April 1, 2026, when the new Income-tax Act, 2025
1 hours ago
The Salt Path author Raynor Winn wrote a book published in 2012 – despite repeatedly claiming her controversial 2018 release documenting a life-changing walk was the first she had ever written. In a new BBC Sounds podcast Secrets of the Salt Path
1 hours ago
Summer in India brings relentless heat and humidity, and dehydration is a real risk. Different parts of the country have been facing unprecedented temperatures in March, and there have been warnings of heat waves hitting the country as well. A heatwave is a prolonged period of excessively hot
1 hours ago
Love and Relationship Horoscope for March 20, 2026: A random moment may spark joy in your love lifeDaily Love Horoscope for March 20, 2026 Explore relationship insights and emotional guidance for all sun signs today Published on: Mar 20, 2026 6:01 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link
1 hours ago
