Morning Digest: Oil prices drop below $90 as Trump says Israel-Iran war to ‘end soon’; Sharad Pawar among 27 elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha, and more

Israel-Iran war: Trump says war will end ‘very soon’

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) pushed the idea of the Israel-Iran war ending soon, but remained vague on a timeline for ending the attacks that have rocked West Asia and shaken the global economy. U.S. markets jumped when Mr. Trump suggested earlier that the U.S.-Israeli assault was “very complete,” but during a later speech and press conference he offered shifting accounts of what to expect.

Sharad Pawar, Ramdas Athawale among 26 elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar and Union minister Ramdas Athawale were among 26 candidates who were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on Monday (March 9, 2026). After the last date of withdrawal of candidature, elections to 11 seats of the Upper House — five in Bihar, four in Odisha and two in Haryana — would be held on March 16.

U.S. stocks erase big early loss and rise after oil prices whip back below $90

The U.S. stock market careened through a manic Monday (March 9, 2026), going from a steep early loss to a solid gain as worries turned into hope that the war with Iran may not last that long. Oil prices whipped from nearly $120 per barrel, their highest since 2022, back toward $90. The U.S. stock market has a history of bouncing back relatively quickly from past military conflicts, as long as oil prices do not stay too high for too long.

West Asia dominates Lok Sabha; resolution on Speaker’s removal not taken up

As the Budget Session resumed, the Lok Sabha on Monday (March 9, 2026) failed to take up a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla amid repeated adjournments as the Opposition insisted on a full-fledged discussion on the West Asia crisis and its impact on nearly 10 million Indians living in the region.

Hotels may shut if LPG supply not resumed: Bengaluru Hotels Association

Raising concerns over the supply of commercial LPG cylinders amid the West Asia conflict, the Bangalore Hotels Association on Monday (March 9, 2026) warned that restaurants across Bengaluru may have to shut down if the supply is not resumed.

Government sends feelers to Opposition on women’s quota law implementation

The government, sources said, has reached out to several Opposition leaders, seeking their opinion on bringing an amendment to advance the timeline on the implementation of the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act or Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which seeks to allocate 33% of the seats to directly elected legislative bodies, including the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, for women.

Tamil Nadu can never be painted in saffron, says CM Stalin

Asserting that the “saffron brigade” will never be able to paint Tamil Nadu in saffron, DMK president and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin threw the gauntlet at the BJP, saying it would never be able to rule the State even if it came wearing the mask of the AIADMK. He made the statement while addressing a mammoth gathering at the 12th State conference of the party at Siruganur on the outskirts of Tiruchi on Monday (March 9, 2026).

I-T Department uncovers ₹408 crore sales underreporting by restaurants across India

The Income tax Department has found a preliminary ₹408 crore worth of sales being hidden by restaurants across the country through the deletion of bills and other means to modify the actual sales figures. The investigation began in November 2025. “Advanced analytics of transactional data from about 1.77 lakh restaurants in the F&B sector was carried out using AI-enabled analytical tools,” the Department said in a release on Monday (March 9, 2026).

Australia to grant visa to five Iranian women soccer players after Trump appeal

Australia on Tuesday ​(March 10, 2026) agreed to provide ‌visas to five Iranian ​women’s soccer ⁠players to stay in the country, after ‌U.S. President Donald Trump urged ‌Canberra not ‌to ⁠send them back ⁠to Tehran due to concerns over their ​safety. Home Affairs ‌Minister Tony Burke said the other members of ‌the team were ​welcome to stay back in ⁠Australia. 

Madrid-Man City, PSG-Chelsea rematches headline Champions League last 16

The Champions League round of 16 starts on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) with blockbuster rematches, teams ending long absences from this stage and the feelgood story of newcomer Bodø/Glimt. Real Madrid hosts Manchester City for the second time this season and the fifth straight year in the knockout rounds. In three of those years, the winner went on to lift the trophy.